Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1884-02-28
WANTED AT The CROSS ROADS.

ever KNOWN IN all my lie, anu the country
over which / took my way was as bad as
country roads in general Consequently, /
was walking at great rate, with the collar
of my rough coat over my ears, and COM
forter tied over my soft hat and under my
chin, to keep it on and to protect my ears,
when suddenly man stood full in my
path and caught me by the arm.
"Hullow said he. YOU'RE just in time;
you are wanted at the cross roads tO-nightr'
The voice was that of ruffian.
/ fancied myself attacked by highway
man. 1 stood quite STILL and strove to show
him by my manner that | was able to pro-
tect myself.
cross roads for ?" said /. "Unless / choose
it will be very hard matter to get me
there"
But instead Of producing pistol and
demanding my money or my life, the man
answered in an altered tone:
BEG pardon, made mistake. l thought
| it was was my brother and l wanted to
| frighten him bad night sir 2"
Very" said 1.
"You don't know the time sir !" he asked
at was when left the train at L."
said
Thank ye, sir" said the man. Good
night"
Good night" said l.
If his object had been robbery, probably
he had decided from my rough appearance
that was too poor man to be worth the
trouble. But after all, thought, probably
he spoke the truth. A man may have such
voice without being highwayman, no
doubt. So l went homeward, and soon
rfoey
of warm and savory supper.
My mother was there and my brother
Ben. Ben was a great, strapping fellow,
who could beat any other boy Of his age
for miles around, if it came to wrestling or
lived; boy always to mother and /,
though he had exercised his right to vote
already in one presidential election. When
supper was over and we had chatted for an
hour we went up stairs together. We share
one room together. The moment Ben's
head touched the pillow he always went
to sleep. That night followed hisexample
But l did not sleep long without dream
"a dream in which l felt rough grip on
my arm, and was reused by cry in my
ears.
Wake up! You are wanted at the cross
roads,"
1t was SO real, SO palpable, that when l
became broad awake l actually believed
that some one was in the room the man
who intended robbery or violence. But
when | arisen, and lit my lamp, the room
was empty, except myself and Ben, who
lay snoring on his pillow.
| went to the door; it was locked. /
went to the window; the rush Of rain
against the panes was all l heard. even
went across the passage to my mothers
room. She was awake; there had been no
unusual sound, she was sure.
Only a dream born of my meeting
the strange man in the road, l felt, had
awakened me. l went to bed and fell
asleep again. Again | was awakened by
the same words, this time shrieked in my
ear with an unearthly voice.
Wake up! Wake up! You are wanted
at the cross roads"
| was on my feet once more, and caught
Ben's hand as he came over toward my bed
what ails you ?" he cried.
Nothing y said /. "Did you heara voice?"
Your yelling woke me up" said Ben;
you fairly frightened me-"
"Ben," said l, wait till light lamp;
/ heard another voice. There must be some
one In the mouse OF outside.
So l again lit the lamp, but we searched
in vain.
Nightmare" said Ben, when told him my
story.
Ben" said /, what is there at the cross
roads ?"
"a house." said Ben He had lived in
the neighborhood a long time, and | not
long.
"One little house, beside two oak trees
and a fence. An old man lives there
rich man, and bit of a miser, they say.
His granddaughter keeps house for him."
ben, that fellow may have meant harm
to them. / may be wanted at the cross
roads,"
Brother" said Ben, $50 to sleep. You
had the nightmare" and Ben plunged in
between the blankets and was snoring
again.
/ also, in ten minutes, slept as sOundly
as before, but the awakening very soon
came again.
Iopened my eyes to see girl standing
at the foot of my bed A girl in white
robes, with golden hair all about her
shoulders, who wrung her hands and cried:
"Oh, wake up, you are wanted at the
cross roads"
This time started out of bed, bathed in
a cold perspiration. | trembled like leaf.
/ had no doubt that had received a su-
pernatural warning.
Ben" cried, ben, for the third time
have been told that / am wanted at the
cross roads, am going"
And l began to dress myself as speedily
as possible, listening the while to the storm
raging wilder and wilder than at any other
period since its commencement.
Ben demonstrated with me in vain. AT |
last he also began to hussle on his clothes.
I"If you are gone mad / must 90 with |
you and take care of you," he said.
"But fancy another man going out in |
storm like this to the cross roads, because |
nightmare, caused him to do so, and what |
would you think of him ?"
/ said nothing. All / could have
answered would have been:
81 am compelled to go; l must 60. l
dare not refuse, whatever may be thought
Of me-"
In ten minutes we were splashing
through the mud and rain along the road.
1t was perfectly dark; now and then
blazed red star in the distance told as that
a lamp was beaming through the rain in
some cottage window, but otherwise we
would not have been conscious OF our
proximity to any habitation whatever. At
last, nearing the spot where the road from
s crosses the road to p" we were
indeed in as solitary place as can be i'm
agined.
The house, which abutted on the very
angle of the roads, called in familiar par
L. L he nvxlxy |