The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-29


slowly and nolselessly in the direction
pointed out. Occasionally he applied
his ear to the ground, and always NUT
tering: ave have him we have him!"
proceeded in the same careful manner
as before. Suddenly Tom said; Hes
doubling. He has been leading us on
the wrong scent all this time; he has
turned toward the village" "Then our
plan" 1 said, Should be to get there be-
fore him. If we intercept him in that
way ne can't escape, and feel sure l
could identify him if 1 saw him by can
le-light," "Tell ye what-that's the
plan," replied my companion. We'll
watch at the end of the village and ar
rest him the moment he comes in."
We crept through an opening of the
hedge and got once more in the straight
lane that led to the village. Itwas now
very late and the cold was 90 intense
that it kept every person within doors;
for we heard no sound in the whole
hamlet, except high up in the clear
air, the ticking of the church clock, and
the loud jangles of the quarters that
seemed like peals of artillery in the ex-
cited state of our minds and senses.
Close to the church-which appeared
to guard the entrance OF the village,
with its low, buttressed walls and its
watch tower of steeple-there was q
wretched. ruined looking cottage, which
projected so far INTO the lane that
the space between it and the church
was not more than eight or nine feet.
1t struck us both at the same mo-
ment that if we could find a lodg-
ment here, it would be impossible for
the man to slip into the village without
our observation. After listening for
while at the windows and doors of the
building, we concluded it was uninhab-
tied; gently pushing open the door; we
climbed narrow stone staircase and
we're making for a gable-end window
which we had observed from the road,
and which commaded the whole APP
proach of the village, when we heard a
voice say in a whisper, as we attained
the garrett we were in search of: lis that
you, William? ?"
We stopped for minute or two, and
the speakers expectation was disap-
pointed. We now placed ourselves at
the window, and listened for the slight
est sound. We remained there listen
ing for long time. Several quarters
had died off into "the eternal melodies,
far up in the church tower, and we were
beginning to despair of seeing the object
of our search, when Tom nudged me
noiselessly with his elbow.
"Tell ye what" he whispered, very
softly, "there's footstep around the
corner. Seel There's man under
the hedge looking up at the window.
There-he moves. We must be after
him. Hellol Stop-he crosses the
lane. He's coming into this very
house."
I certainly did see figure silently
steal across the road and disappear
under the doorway of the buildings
we were in. But we had no light,
and we knew nothing of the arrange
ment of the rooms. Another quarter
thrown off from the old church clock
warned us that the night was rapidly
passing away. We had almost resolv-
ed to retrace our steps ifpossible, and
get back to where we had left our un-
fortunate horse, when l was again
nudged by my friends elbow. "Tell ye
what" he whispered, something's
going on" and he pointed to feeble
glimmer on the rafters of the roof
above us. The light proceeded from
the next room, which had not been
built above the height of the ceiling
joists, so that the roof was common
to both chambers-the adjoining one
and that in which we were-the par
tition wall being only seven or eight
feet high. We could have heard
anything that was said, but we listen
ed in vain for the slightest sound.
The light, however, continued to
burn, we saw it Pickering across the top
of the habitation, and dimly playing far
up among the dark thatch of the roof.
"Ten We whatl" said Tom. "If we
could get up to these old joists, we
could see into the next room. Hold my
pistol till I get up and-tel ye what
then can shoot 'em easy"
"For heavens sake, Toni l said,
abe careful. Let me see whether 1T IS
the man." "Come up, then," said
Tom, who now bestrode one of the
main beams and gave me hand to aid
me ascend. We were both on the level
of the wall, and by placing our heads
little forward, could see every portion
of the neighboring room. A miserable
room it was. There was small round
table, there were couple of old chairs,
but utter wretchedness was the charac-
teristic of the cheerless and tireless
apartment. There was person, appar-
emily regardless of the cold, seated at a
table and reading book. The little Ia
per which had been lighted without any
noise, was only sufficient to throw its IL
Elimination on the features and figure OF
the reader, and on the pallid features
but she was young and very pretty or the
mystery and strangeness of the incident
threw such an interest around her that
[ thought so. Her dress was very
,canty, and shawl wrapped closely
around her shoulders perhaps displayed,
.ather than concealed, the deficiency of
Ter clothing in other respects. Sud
lenly we saw at the farther end of the
'oom figure emerge from the darkness.
Tom grasped his pistol more firmly and
,ut tho coax hack Dreyentinp it from