The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-04-26

more practicable. we soon found we had
lost our way. 10 return upon our steps
or 10 find path that would lead us out OF
the woods, seemed equally impossible,
We sought for one while the day lasted,
but the more we sought, the farther we
plunged into the depths of the forest, and
1t was black Dieht, when, at last we
arrived at little house as black. We
entered, not without suspicion, but we had
no choice.
Within we found family of charcoal.
burners at their supper, which they in
vilcd us to share with almost their first
words. My companion did not wait for
the invitation to be repeated, and IN q
moment, we Werc eating and drinking will,
them. .--he Was, at least as for myself, ]
was chiefly occupied in examining the
place and the ,facea of our hosto. Whoy
had the appcarsnCes sof charcoal al-burners
but the house might have been taken fol
an arsenal. On every side were guns,
pistols, sabers, knives, outlasses, Ali this
dlspleased me, and l saw well that ]
pleased the people as little. My comrade,
on the contrary, made himself one of the
family, he laughed, he chatted with them,
and with singular imprudence which /
ought TO have foreseen,-for l should not
haye trusted to a head of 20 years,-be
tod Whence we came, whittier we were
going, and, worse than all, that We were
Frenchmen Imagine littIe:-alone, lost,
among mortal enemies, far from all human
help; and, that nothing might be lacking
that cou,d destroy us, he pretended to be
rich, and promised these people whatever
they wished for Our expenses and Tor a
guide the next day AT last he spoke of
his valise. prayed them to take the greatest
care OF it and TO place it at the head of the
bed. He wished, he said, no other pillow.
One would have believed he carried the
diamonds of the ecrown-when what caused
him such anxiety in that valise was only
the letters of his lady love.
The supper ended, the people all left
us. Our hosts slept IN a room below: an
attic OF loft raised six or eight feet above
the room in which wo had eaten, aud to
which We climbed by a ladder, was the
sleeping apartment that awaited us.-a
sort OF nest into which VIC introduced our.
selves by creeping under rafters laden
Win provisions sufficient for an entire
year. My companion climbed first, threw
himself upon the bed, and was asleep in a
moment. Determined to watch, l made
good fire and seated myself by it.
Inc night wore away very quietly.
was beginning to be reassurred and to
think my fears and suspicious wholly
groundless, when, just before daybreak,
as II seemed to me, heard the voices Of
our host and his wife in loud talk, appar-
entity arguing. Placing my. car to the
chimney, which communicated with the
room below, I clearly. distinguished these
words from the husband -
"Well, let us see finally, will 1t be nee
cessary to kill them bothY"
WI vilJi2 AQ EhtsiGh the svita lied. Eyes. kill
Iheard nothing more-I stood breath
less-my whole body cold as marble, to
have seen me, you would scarcely have
known whether l was dead or living.
Heaveus when think of 1t even now, l
shudder. We two. almost without arms,
against 15 or 90 who had SO many, and
my comrade dead with sleep of fatigue |
10 call him, TO make sound, dared not;
to escape without him, | could not be-
sides, though tho window was not high
beneath it were two great bull dogs howl
ing like wolves. Imaglne, if you can, the
horror of my situation!
at the end Of quarter Of an hour
which seemed long enough, l assure you,
heard the sound of steps upon the stair
case. and looking through the crack of the
door saw the HUSBAND lamp In one hand
in tho other one OF his great knives. He
ascended the stairs, opened the door
passed the lamp to his wife, who had fol-
lowed him, then entered with bare feet.
Shading the lamp with her fingers, his
wife, from without, SAID to HIM, 'Softly,
go softly" He reached the ladder, mount
ed it with his knife between his teeth, and
coming TO the head of the bed On which
the poor young man was extended uncon.
scious, helpless, Offering his barred throat,
with one hand he took his knife, with tho
other, he seized. 80. All cousin l tell
this to you because 1t Is tho truth.
... he seized. 80. a great leg of ham
that was suspended IRON beam, cut q
large slice from it, and retired as he had
come; the lamp was withdrawn, the door
closed and left 10 my own reflections.
AS soon as it was daylight the whole
family came with great noise to wake US,
as we had desired. A very good break
fast was served to US, assure you two
fowls made a part of it, one OF which,
said our hostess, we must eat, and the
other we, mllst carry away with us. On
seeing them compehended at once the
meaning Of those terrible words "Mill It
be necessary to kill them both," and you,
l believe, have sufficient penetration L
divine without explanation what they sig
nlflcd,