Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-04-20

| before, and IL occurred to me that practical
application was now the best policy. SO
told this suspicious representative of the
aborigines the whole truth in my best man
ner: How that was a kind, good soldier
and that my comrades and myself wanted
TO keep the enemy from hurting him and
his family, and that while we were engaged
in this work my horse fell lame, and was
left alone in the deep forest, and could no,
find my way until saw the warm, nice fire
burning in his snug little home; and that Il
he would feed me and my horse, and let me
sleep on the floor Of his cabin until day.
break, would ask nothing better and would
| give him In return more silver and gold
than he had ever seen at one time In his
life.
l shall always believe that il was the
peroration of my eloquent harangue, and
not my authenticity of statement, which
came with such convincing power upon my
| unwilling host. The door slowly opened,
and stood within the threshold.
ITO hev let stranger in, arter all, an he
n KNOWN nothin'r, said sharp female
voice, in earnest expostulation.
SITS nothin' to your he retorted; and
then added in q low tone, HE lowed as he
would pay in gold, and well too"
The word '.gold," which had opened the
mans heart, evidently silenced the woman's
tongue was permitted TO approach the
fire without remonstrance; and that at
least was friendly, and its warmth was
most grateful to my stiftened limbs
"Give i'm somethin' to eat" said mine
host; and the woman, with the movement
of an automaton, placed a wooden stool for
me, and from the poor cupboard drew a
bowl, which she filed with milk from a
pitcher, and piece Of brown bread, which
she offered me with her hands. was in no
mood to cavl The milk was delicious and
refreshing, the flour coarse, but fresh and
sweet. ate ravenously.
Meanwhile, having made my wishes in
regard to my horse Ineligible TO the man,
he had gone cut to care for the suffering
beast, SO far as hay and water would salts
fy him. looked around the dimly lighted
room. Two rickety chairs, the stool on
which sat, double bed, trundle-be6, the
cupboard, and a table, constituted the fur
niture. On the trundle-bed, sleeping as
soundly as on pillows of down, lay two fig.
ures, one a lad Of about fifteen years of age,
the other little girl of perhaps eight sum
mers- Even in the Pickering freight her
features seemed delicate and refined,
strangely at variance with her surround
ings. Both had evidently fallen Just as
sleep overlook them, and they wore the tat
tered, soiled garments Of their everyday
life.
My supper was brief, but satisfactory.
The bowl was returned TO the cupboard,
and in the mechanical manner which seem
ed habitual with her, the woman from some
where unearthed sack stuffed with straw,
which she shook down about two feet from
the hearth, and motioned with her hand for
me to occupy it. Having done, apparently,
all that could be expected from hostess Of
the Cumberlands TO an unlimited guest, she
betook herself, without any labor or trouble
Of preparation, to one side Of the aforesaid
double bed, and, to all intents and purposes,
was at once asleep. Her husband, return
ing to the house soon after, followed suit;
and l. with satisfied hunger, as good bed,
if not better, than usually had on march,
and the genial fire gently toasting my chill
ed feet, felt, on the whole, much more com
Portable than l had done an hour ago.
I had slept, or rather dozed, almost an
| hour, think, when / was aroused by what
seemed TO me the clanlring of a chain.
| listened. In moment more the sound was
repeated. This time there was no mistake
lit was the clearly defined clauking of q
heavy iron chain. The sound was near me
certainly within, not without, the four walls
Of the room. raised myself on one am
and listened yet more attentively. Every
thing around me was as silent as the grave
| The freight rose and fell, emitting most
4 fnfu w-or 6yla
wretched apartment. All was Just as had
seen it before closing my eyes TO sleep. Yet
once more came the sound, as Of something
slowly, YEARLY, lifting heavy iron chain
/ could not be deceived. Whatever it must
be was there, right in that very room. There
was no longer any doubt. l sat upright.
had no reason to fear. My carbine was on
the floor by my side, brace Of well-loaded
well-tested revolvers hung from my belt
which had not even thought to unbuckle
80 that could confidently defy attack from
mortal foe; and yet do not deny that my
heart beat with quick and strange pulsa
ton as gazed around.
The double bed occupied by the man and
his wife was 50 placed that its shadow fell
| upon, and almost hid, one corner Of the
room from my view. The corresponding
| corner was near the door by which had
entered, and was flied up with two barrels
and some wooden boxes, piled one upon the
other. Having satisfied myself that no OBJ
| jet, animate or inanimate, was at work in
the latter direction, turned, and moving
50 as to bring the Swallowed corner in as full
relief as possible, peered intently, and saw
WHAT The glare Of two large, restless
eyes, human or animal could not discern.
Gazing fxedly, with dilating pupils, began
70 see the outline Of head dimly defined
upon the wall, and rolling listlessly from
side TO side.
BY this time ] stood erect. The failing
| light threatened TO baffe further search, and
there stood, as absolutely fascinated by
the spell Of those fearful eyes, as ever was
beast or bird by the relentless cobra de ca
| peIlo. How long remained thus l know
not. Whether moments stretched them.
selves into hours, or whether hours few By
like moments, cannot tell.
The situation defed explanation. The
man and woman were assuredly fast asleep;
| the two children on the low trundle-bed re
posed as If no want, no care, had ever touch.
ed them; and yet ], a stranger in this strange
place, stood appalled, before an unknown