The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-07-21
foot to the brake than / felt a stir. q

movement, in the cart under mel Al
most at the same moment the little
folding doors at the rear end of my
cart slammed back, and l heard some
thing or some one jump out, or fall out,
into the road! / could not see for the
piled-up bales of rags behind me, and
SO climbed up, partly on them. to look
over-when what should l see but the
tall fellow / had noticed at the tavern
the previous evening. He held a re-
volver in his hand and pointed it full in
my face!
Icould hardly believe my old eyes,
"For massey sake! Who be We, and
what dye want?" exclaimed.
s'Come now! itwon't pay to make any
fuss, old man, said he, very coolly.
Il want you, and shall have to ask
you TO get down from your seat and
come round here to me-"
There was half smile on his face,
but knew from the expression in his
steely-blue eyes that he was not in fun.
But my temper was rising. '.What
right have you to talk to me like thatpn
| exclaimed. This is my cart, and
this is the public road!n
''If you bother me another moment"
said he, with set lips, Il shall be forced
to make it the last one of your life, :"
and a savage CLEAN shot from his eye.
"Get down instantly and do as l ask. !"
saw that he would shoot me if did
not obey. and angry as l felt. | was not
quite willing to be killed. Dropping
the reins over the fender, got down
and hobbled round to him. If | had
been armed | would have had It out
with the rascal then and there, though
the excitement had set me shaking like
leaf.
''Take off your coat, your cap and
your wooden comforter he said,
land be good enough to hurry about
it, for moments are precious just now
with me-
took them off Meantime he took
off his own coat and hat, and handing
them to me, babe me put them on. /
felt obliged to obey him.
snow get inside the cart was his
next behest. Seeing that, with my
crippled foot, should have some diff
Guilty in doing SO, he caught me up as
if had been a boy and actually threw
me IdT III upon IHe WOOL.
ssNow make the least attempt to get
out, or escape. and | shall surely be
forced to shoot you, he said. think
yourself fortunate that / spare your
life. My own life is at stake"
Without further parley he shut and
hasped the cart doors upon me. There
was moments pause, during which,
as presume, he put on my coat and
cap and tied my knit comforter about
his face; then | heard him spring upon
the seat and the cart moved.
But how he drovel l found it diff
cult to keep from being jounced and
shaken to death. Up hill and down, on
we went. If old Charley tagged for
an instant, could hear the lash crack
My blood boiled with Indignation Once
| shouted to him to quit whipping the
horse.
/" Be quiet, SIR" he replied. IL am
in no mood to be ihterfered with
1t was evident enough that | was in
the hands of desperate character.
What he was going to do with me or
my property could not conceive, but
felt that my only reasonable course was
to submit and wait for developments.
Judged, from the sounds on the road,
that we metteams occasionally, but
was not sure, and did not dare to call
out.
Hour after hour passed, and still the
poor horse toiled on, sometimes over
rough roads, then on smooth and sandy
ones.
At length old Charley seemed ready
to drop from fatigue, but the lash inn
PEELED him forward. 1t was raining;
could hear the drops patter on the cart.
Still on, on, we went, through what
seemed interminable time,
At last my poor, jaded horse stopped
short and refused to move further. ]
then heard my captor get off the cart
and let down the horses head. Then
for a long time there was silence.
After while the horse reached down
and began to feed beside the ruts.
now suspected that the fellow had left
the cart and had hurried away on foot;
but did not dare to attempt to break
from my prison.
Soon after / heard wheels come up
from behind, and Immediately a voice,
in unmistakable Irish brogue, bawled
out:
'sTarn out! Is it aslape We are in the
middle of the roadp''
Hearing that / burst open the cart
doors and slid out. 1t was evening,
dark and wet. An Irishman and a
Frenchman in wagon were trying to
get past my cart.
ssWhat place is thisp', / asked.
sl''Sure, an it's close inter Coatticook
that we air." replied the Irishman,
laughing.
''Coatticook, CanadaP"
.'The same, to be sure! Faith, an
the whisky has been too much for you"
1 started old Charley along behind
them; and asked the man to direct me
to a tavern, if there was one. He kindly
pointed out little French inn, where,
with some difficulty, managed to make
my wants known, and obtained lodging
and food for myself and my poor horse.
1t was three days before / was able
to make my way back to Colebrook.
OF my captor never saw or heard
anything further. He was probably,
have always conjectured, Confederate
5niissary, who, being hard pressed by
Union detectives, took this novel, and
TO me unpleasant. method of outwitting
shem at the Dixville tavern and on the
TOAD into Canada. / still have his old
eoat and hat, and keep them as rem
'riscence of his free ride with me, or
nine with him, as the reader may choose
to regard it, Youths Companion.