Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-08
Gales aud Sketthes.
Among the "MOOnshiners."
A GRAPHIC STORY OF THE CAPTURE OF A
CROOKED DISTILLERY.
CONTINUED from Yesterday

"On, l Snant mlnO the WIN III Tic
least" replied, '.but if You prefer not
to go. can easily find the way alone by
your direction
81 will 90 with you," ne replied. You
would not easily find the place without
guide"
at being late, arose, and bidding Mr..
Wetherly good night with 'the promise to
be up early in the morning. was shown
to nv room. where l spent very COM
Portable night.
arose early tie next morning and sat
down in my room and ruminated for some
time over the incidents of the preceding
night, and especially over the story of the
haunted hollow"
Nv hosts reluctance to visit the place
aroused a slight suspicion in my mind
that probably there was another mystery
connected with that gulch which Mr..
Wetherly did not care to have investigat.
ed. Going down stairs. found my host
seated by the fire. spoke to him in a
pleasant, iovial way to which he responnd.
ed rather gruffly. imagined.
Soon, however, breakfast was announced.
and we went in. Mrs. Wetherly and her
daughter were there, but both of the boys
were absent.
To nv question as to what luck the
bows had, my host responded that they
had not yet returned; that he supposed
they had stayed all night with some of the
neighbors.
Mr. Wetherly was evidently 'out of
Sorts and uncommunicative,a and noticed
that he cast occasional furtive glances
toward a path that led from the house.
Well" said |. II suppose we will pay
visit to the hollow this morning"
"If YOU still desire to 60" said he, 81
will 90 with you. but am of the opinion
that you will be disappointed"
"Oh, guess not" said /; anyhow nv
desire to go is as strong as ever"
Breakfast over, Mr.. Wetherly had my
horse brought out as requested, for | had
decided to take him along and continue
my journey without returning to the house.
After OBTAINING me for some time on va
rious pretexts, Mr.. Wetherly announced
his readiness to accompany me. and
we set out, walking and leading my
horse. Before we had proceeded far we
met one of the boys. whose eyes were
red, his face begrmed and had the gener-
al appearance of one who had been up all
night around camp fire. This incident
served to strengthen my suspicion, and
involuntarily felt for my revolver. tor |
did not knew what was in store for me
in the "haunted hollow"
We proceeded along in almost unbroken
silence until we arrived at a deep, dark
gulch between two large hills, which
were covered with heavy growth of
large hickory nut and white oak trees and
thick underbrush.
You had better hitch your horse here"
said Mr.. Wetherly, land we will 60 on
up the ravine. 1t is not far, and you
would find great difficulty in getting your
horse along"
| picketed my horse and we proceeded
up that rugged, rocky ravine, Mr.. Weth-
erly acting as guide. 1t was an awfully
rough place. Great lodges of moss COW
cred rocks, here and there deep intersect-
ing revines. with now and then pool of
as clear water as ever trickled down
mountain side. The place seemed almost
as if enchanted. Not sound broke the
stiffness save the ripping of the little
stream as it danced along and dashed over
the rocks, or the occasional chirrup of a
bird in the lofty trees.
Finally Mr. Wetherly stepped in front
of huge rock and, pointing to it said
"Yonder is the rock by the side of which
is said to be the hidden gold and silver.
Come" and we climbed to it.
you see what an excavation has been
made here" he said land here is the
fresh dirt thrown out by the boys last
night
And hope they were successful"
answered. land were not frightened off
by the ghost
examined closely. I could discover
only few tracks. apparently all made by
one person, while it looked as if only a
few shovelfuls of dirt had been thrown
out
began looking about, and discovered
a little path leading further on up the
hollow. 1t was scarcely discernibe. but
looked as if it might be frequently
travelled.
also imagined I detected an odor ia.
miliar to me, and also thought | could
see Just the least suspicion of blue smoke
curling up from apparently between two
rocks further up the gulch
think Mr. Wetherly also detected one
OF DOM vi lneSt, lOT uc Secmtu TtStleSs
and uneasy, and proposed return.
Lets 90 on, further up the hollow"
said The scenery is grand and the all
is pure and bracing,"
Excuse me, sir" said he, ''but have
severe headache this morning and | do
not feel equal to the task of climbing
these hills and rocks. Besides. you can
not get any further up that way-it is toe
rough
Then will 90 alone. and you car
wait for me here or at the foot of the
gulch," said. Il can easily get along
further up" and turned and started
Hold on" said Mr. Wetherlv, betrav
ing some excitement; lit is folly for yol
to attempt to go further up there. Let's
return"
No" said I. determedly. Il hav,
taken notion to go, and | am going
and again started.
but you shall not go, said Mr.. Weth
erly with a look of determination in bis
face which convinced me that something
lay beyond which it was not desired that
should see.
And why not ?' said |.
Observation-Disclosures" he ans wered il
an embarrassed way. II do not desire it
This is my property. and have a right tc
forbid your going where | do not wan
you to-"
That may all be true" | said. reso
/ lutely; but | am determined to go fur
Their with or without your permission"