The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-17
Tle Golden Gross.

About the beginning of the late war a man Lent on wc3chty business. and bearing important dispatches and n large sum ul money about his person. found himsrlt hciated at ntsht m one et the wildy>t and most ,hluly populated qaar tcrs ot southern state It. was m the heart uf dense wood and not far from deadly and treacher. ous swamp Iolie down Ia rest would l haVc been simply surtdc. vet lac was worn with fatigue and ho hahtattan ap- p,ar,d jn sight pi,mountnr. hr led his horse hy the triilc and ttiedin NAin 1 to discover ty tue sense oi touch the road hc should follow
 l Il must t.ud sotur shelter for tho i night, hc said The people hereahout 1 have not u very good reputatlon but l | am not atnld ot men. and do not fear l swamp fever and scorpiou~ Il cal, l thcr, may be some one within hearing On thl> lac srnt upa shout thm proved i his lungs to h" III a good condition. aud l followed II hy another and another ] After this thlrd he paused and listened l X faint "hallu ~eelnrd ta echo h~ and i'll d moment mor" there appeared among the trees the figure of an old man who held n lantern in one hand and ~ln,dvl his eve. with the other
 WI he k that2 criod the parsonage, on, oi the boys2'
 stranger. ~aid the traveller m lost in this contouudrd place Gan you tell II" where can get shrltcrf
 Who arc you and wh"r" do you com" from"
 came from farther north. travel ing on business my name is Hogan | can pay for anything ask and shall hr tha1t>tul tno
 tll right Come along Ny heosr ain lar oil And turning he tettered away into the darkness l uc travoler put his hand upon the pistol at hl- belt and iolIow,i him A few -t,.ps forward and amid icu~" mas. ot taliae,. they made their way to the door of hat Within, irc burnt uilc. :: ...le h"arth Over It a rirl ermuhel uily luokjur lutp th" lnhct-
 That < uN dJitcr. ,aud the uld man Were all al"n" hcr" aud it's Il poor i place. and yoHf" welcome Walk in ! 1 | sec Nofrr hoi-o l4c cared for
 The gIri 5ol,rdup sharply and booked do,vn ,rnru with Il flush on her lc,. ! The old man drrw n broken chnir to ward the blaze and lit n pune torch \ fire k comfortable thc-c damp nights II Il k warm, he sad Make soInc cati'c and au n-h.rnk' f~'-'i- f%4,tt- me TLe gentleman, hungry, no daul,
 Il cou'e., am sl.d Hogan. takinr tle prollcre.i ehair And do not know what ~hou1 l,ae" done tonight wthout y"ur hospitality Meanwhile. thc Pil haudsomc CT, ltttrc oi -,Ytut..en hliiY prepared Il ltea Nbr moved slowly. but she did not do her work badly The coffee sin, lt well. aud rh" n-h cake wH. brown
 When t wa. done ,hc -nt al,sri and watched tine non a~ tL.F ate nni iI- tened to th" old mans qG"-tton- amt thc stranger an~w,t-
 Aitcrward -ho spr'ad upon fhr floor a bed of -traw and d blanket and glidrd ont of tho room
 hope you'll -l.cp wcll sad thr old man Good ulsht sir
 Good night -ajd Hogan lut he thought at th" -aii" titn"
 You -,..rn to b" avery ho+ptahlc old eoutl'lnau. but you hay" tl" L,s. oi ra-cal
 Throwing oH hi- coat h. -ir.trhod hm-olf upon the h.d and lu five uln- utr- found huali fiat r.uklng into chamber The pm" torch dctet"d pt ,h. wall ,h" ciubcrs Gl.d out iu tho qr3tr, when .ulldeuly band re#tod on h.. arm and yoice whtp'red iu hi. ear
 stranger ly- go, -otnctbine |, tell you
 io9au started up Thr gil kncls be. silo hiin with Ter finger on her lip
 Get up -hc -aid and put oh your coat Tho sooner you are of tli. Letter The old man led when he -Wd was hi- dausht.f he ha- aour io th' boz. II ,aid to fu" iu-t npw. y~ found out hl- bushes. ii' mu-t ha.o plenty of money with hin. and know what he means JieIe w.li be four oi ticin her" fiji half an hour and you ar" dead Ins.u if you don't 20 now
 Hogan -tartel tp It.. feet Stitched iu hi. bolt were several thousand dol. laf- and hr remembered that he bad cI.4it",cd away meet iudi-cfest!Y iam"y- lp. the old man would know TO more than he chose to toll
 ifn toel. he mut;ercd starting to h.- isct Thi. i- no silly j.st. P,ri
 Gods ruth. said tbe girl Eve seen sights that wOud make yon move fa.tcr than you rc doing now if yon had seen them 1here-grt your hof,e and come. I'll show you which way to take They'll kill me if they suspect me but reckon Il ward them of Come"
 IA in \ dream Hogan followed her She led him by the hand through thick woods until they came tD wide open ing