The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-03-31

two guests, aud Felix answered
Warily for he felt that he was
standing on hot GOALS
ITO tell you the truth, we have
no ixed home. There are, as you
know, almost as many woodmen as
trees In the Black Forest and The
consequence is, many Of them have
but uncertain work in the summer,
and none az all in winter My
friend and | have left our wives at
Botwa, where we last worked, but
II we find job IN Basle, or any
other great town, we shall send for
them.
The same robber whispered
among his companions little and
then added;
"lf you Ike you may ppt your.
tselsss "a. G.aa ofsaa,ihg d pretty
sum with no toll whatever, and
live till next summer in ease.
You must know that a year and a
half ago, one Of our men became
possessed of a valuable bag Of mon.
ey when doing duty southwards in
the Forest. He was so closely fol.
lowed that he gave it in charge to
an old couple living in a cabin
near the spot, making them bo.
lieve that he was a government
banker Unfortunately, the poor
fellow was shot in d fray on the
very day he set out to regain his
prize, and not knowing the exact
situation Of the cabin, or the name
of the old people, the money might
as well be at the bottom of the sea,
for the good it is to US. To show
ourselves in villages on such a
quest would be a pretty sure way
of getting into trouble, for the au.
thorities have been absurdly sharp
of late. Bat you two young fellows
might discover the secret, if you
have your wits about you. The
cabin is one of those struggling
ones between Botwa and Schaubek,
and the old man to whose care the
money was given has a curious scar
over the left eye, and a hare.lip.-
If you will try to follow up this
clow and help US to recover our
treasure, you shall never want, dc.
pend on it,"
Felix and his friend had the less
difficulty in keeping their counte.
nanceS on listening to all this, in.
asmuch as a bountiful supply of
wine had given them courage, SO
they answered warily that they
would think over the proposal on
their return from Basle. At any
rate, no harm could be done BY
looking about them.
Soon the conversation tagged,
and each Of the party in turn fell
into sound sleep. At early dawn,
however, our travellers started of,
exchanging many cordialities with
their entertainers, who presented
them with TASKS of wine and cold
victuals and even pressed them to
accept some money in case they
should need it at Basle.
However agreeable or otherwise
an adventure in a robbers cave
might be, the Black Forest was Ger.
tainly neither an easy nor safe
place to traverse in those days
Constant difficulties occurred to our
travellers on their road; one day
they lost their provisions, and
were half famished before a human
dwelling could be found, where
they could procure food; on another
they missed their way, and gave
themselves leagues of unnecessary
walking; on the third they were
sorely bruised by the sudden snap
of branches, and so forth. Never.
theless, they reached their jour.
ney's end in safety about twenty
days after the time Of first start.
ing.
Even at Baslo they met with un.
expected difficulties and hindran.
Ces, To find Basle was one thing
TO find Count de Roucolles, an.
other. Day after day passed in
fruiIlosS inquiry, aud the end of a
week found them no nearer the &c.
complishment Of their mission
Felix fonnd some difficulty in keep.
ing his friend from falling into
despair-indeed, in keeping him at
Basle at all.
"Let US give up the money to the
perfect, and return to our homes"
said the discontented man, frelful.
ly; 1--WE have wasted time and
pains enough upon this Count de
ROucolles. 1t is time we should
begin to think of ourselves"