Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-05-28

my arm aud the glass shivered on the
floor. The old woman glared fiercely
at US. and without saying q word got
another glass Of liquor and handed it
to me, and as she turned her back /
thrust 1t dexterously into the fire.
Diana had gone out of the room for
second, and when she came
back and glanced at the empty
goblet shudder of fear seemed to run
over her, which made me certain that
some poisonous drug had been added
to the liquor of which she was cognizant
and at the same time desirous OF avert
ing the effect.
In little time 1 pretended to be
drowsy, and the old woman conducted
me up through trap-door to an attic
apparently above the room we had
just left. tumbled down all in heap
on the floor and pretended to snore
loudly, while she FASTENED down to
Diana, and 1 heard them speaking to-
gether in low tones. heard the old
wretch whisper:
"You go up and do it, for you are
stronger than /, and he might struggle
in his sleep"
Il will not" heard Diana answer,
fiercely. Il am tired of the work, and
intend to quit as soon as chance
Offers"
"You do, do you?" / heard the old
woman croak, tauntingly. II will re-
port you tonight to the Captain"
More whispering then ensued, and /
heard Diana leave the house. 1 was
prepared if any of them had come, but,
being very tired with my journey,
found myself gradually dropping off to
sleep and then suddenly waking up and
listening, until, finally, stopped listen
ing altogether and went off into nap
as sound as that of any of the Seven
4 Was suuuenIy awakened Dyascreanr-
loud and piercing. All was dark and
silent around me, and at first
i thought it must be a
dream. My heart beat with such
wild, heavy thuds at the sudden awak-
ing as nearly to choke me TO suffoca-
tion. Then another fainter scream
came, and groans, followed by several
dull, heavy blows, and then all was
silent. i groped my way to the little
trap-door entrance and climbed stealth
lily down, and then paused for one in
slant at the door of the room from
whence the sounds had apparently came.
heard q stealthy movement within,
and, opening the door softly, / stepped
inside, and saw man kneeling by an
open trap-door in the floor. In Sec
ond he had disappeared, and as l crept
up to the place and peered down after
L -aa111 sc,l,k
that saw. BY the light of a dim can
fIsr1,2 dls that he Carried eould see him,
old bag that he carried. He would
listen intently every second and then
open some fresh box, and the watches,
and the rings, and the diamonds that
were things that in my widest dreams
l had not imagined.
ineautiously drew deep breath.
and he stopped short and listened in
tently. Then muttering to himself
something about making sure of hav-
ing finished up the old woman" he
slowly assembled the ladder, dragging
his heavy bag up alter him.
had drawn back in the darkness,
for he carried the only light
there had been in the room,
and as he stepped out on
the floor dealt him a stunning blow
on the head, and with an execration and
howl of pain he sank motionless.
The bag that he carried rolled back
down into the cellar, and also the light,
and the trap door noiselessly moved
DICK INTO INTO it~ r-l~~o Ali --~--, now
Egyptian darkness around me, darkness
breathing with horror, and with beat
ing heart drew out my matches and
struck a light, and the first object on
which the light flashed was the old
woman of the previous night, lying
dead on the hearth with cash in her
head.
Doubtless, this man, motionless at
my feet, was one of the band, and had
murdered her, with the intention of
robbing the others, and deserting with
the plunder.
l pushed him with my foot and he
groaned, and tying his hands together
L dragged him to the trap-door, intend
ing to open il, if possible, roll him
down. take out the bag he had put up,
get my horse and gallop for dear life.
"Man proposes, but the good God
disposes," and before j had finished
opening the door, the catch of which
found very difficult, heard gallop-
ing of horses, loud voices and oaths,
and several fierce-looking men burst
into the room, each bearing a large
torch in his hand, and each with bull
bat plume in his hat. 1 was siezed and
bound, and with curses and vows of
vengeance told to prepare for death, as
in ten minutes / would be dead and
buried.
The man whom / had stunned here
revived, and related to the fierce crew
how / had killed the mother of their
leader, had gathered together bag of
their treasures, which bag he offered to
descend and procure for their inspec-
tion, and, finally, on his arrival had
nearly killed him.
In vain it was that protested; there
were only shouts and curses when en-
deavored to speak, and cries of take
him away" One grim, dark man adj
vanced from the group, and touching
my arm bade me follow him.
Silently obeyed, and as we entered
long, dark passage, that from its
moist, damp atmosphere 1 Judged to
be an entrance into the hill against
which the old house stood, my grim
captor stepped to one side and bade me
walk in front of him.
Words cannot describe my feelings
during that short walk to death, 1 in
tended offering resistance as soon as 1
could perceive an opportunity, but
what chance did an unarmed man, with
hia arna tied stand aQainat an nasaasin