The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-19

encamped BY night in the military style; sen.
tinels were set and changed; every man had
his named duty; and Sir William was the
.nrine Of all There was much In this chat
uight at times have entertained me; but
for our misfortune, the weather was extreme
~ harsh. the DAYS were In the beginning
open, but the nights frosty from the first a
oqinful keen wind blew most Of the time, so
that we sat in the boat with blue fingers, and
NJ night. as We scorchel our faces at the fire,
the clothes upon our back appeared 10 be Of
naper A dreadful solitude surrounded our
..eps. tho land was quito dispeopled, there
was no smoke Of fires, and save for single
boat OF merchants on the second day, we met
ro travellers. Tho season was indeed late
but this desertion Of the waterways impressed
Sir William himsef and | have heard him
more than once express a sense Of intim.da
tlon. Il have come too late, / fear; they must
nave dug up the Ratchet" be said; and th.
uture proved how justly he had reasoned.
could never depict tho blaci,ness Of my
oul uDOn this Journey. have none Of thos
minds that are in love with the unusual, q
re the winter coming and to lie 10 the field
I'D far from any house, oppressed me like q
lehtnare. 10 seemed, indeed, sind Of awiu
raving Of Gods power; and this thought
which ] dare say only writes me down
.0eard, was greatly exaggerated by my pri
sats knowledge Of the orrand we were com.
lpon
/ was besides eucumbered by my duties e
sir William, whom DO fell upon mo 20 enter
ain. for my lord was quite sunk into a state
ordering on perviglium, watching the wood.
tith a rapt eye, sleeping scarce at all, and
rcaking sometimes not twenty words In O
hole day That which he said was still co
.rrent. but 10 turned almost invariably upon
.c PARTY FOR whom he kept his cyayY look
No. He would tell Sir William often, and
4lways rs IL it were new communication.
lat be had "a brother somewhere in the
rools.n and beg that the sentinols should 10
directed "to inquire for him" 81 am anxious
Tor news of my brother he would say. And
sometimes when we were under way be would
fancy he spied a canoe far of upon the
water, or a camp on the shore, and ex
hibt painful agitation. IL was impossible
but Sir William should be struck with these
singularities, and at last he led me aside and
hinted his uneasiness / touched my head
and shook it, quite rejoiced TO prepare little
testimony against possible disclosures.
But in that CASE cries Sir William, SIS
10 wise to let him go at larger
Those that know him best, said |, "are
persuaded that he should be humOred."
well, WELL" replied Sir William, sit is
none Of my affairs. But if had understood.
you would never have been here.
Our advance into this savage country had
thus uneveutfully proceeded for about a
week. when we encampcd for a night no O
place where the river ran among consider
able mountains clothed in wool the fires
we're lighted on a level space at tho waters
edge; and we supped and lay down 70 sleep
IN the customary fashion. 1t CHANGED the
night fell murderously colds the stringency
n the frost seized and bit me through my
coverings 50 that pain kept mo wakefuf
and was afo0t again before the peepof day.
crouching by the fires or trotting 70 and fro
NO the streams edge, 10 combat the aching Of
my limbs.
At last dawn began 70 break upon hoar
woods and mountains, the sleepers rolled IN
their robes, and the boisterous river dashing
among spears Of ice l stood looking about
me. swaddled In my stiff coat OF bulls fur.
and the breath smoking from my sc0rched
nostrils, when. upon a sudden, a singular
eager cry rang from the borders Of the wood
The sentries answered il, the seepers sprung
70 their feet; one pointed, the rest followed
his direction with their eyes, and there, upon
the edge Of the forest and betwixt two trees.
we beheld the figure Of a man reaching forth
his hands like one in ecstasy. The next mo.
ment be ran forward, fell on his knees at the
side Of the camp and burst in tears
This was John Mountain, the trader. es-
capped from the most horrid perils; and his
first word, when he got speech, was 10 ask If
We had seen Secundra Dass.
"Seen whatW cries Sir William.
"No, said /, "we have seen nothing Of him
Whyr
"Nothingln says Mountain. "Then was
right after all" With that he struck his
palm upon his brow. But what takes him
backY he cried. "What takes the man back
among dead bodiesl There is some damned
mystery here"
This was a word which highly aroused our
curiosity, but l shall be more perspicaciousif
narrato these incidents in their true order
Here follows a narrative which have com
piled ont Of three sources, not very consistent
in all points,.
First, a written statement by Mountain, in
which everything criminal is cleverly SNUG
gled out OF view.
Second, two conversations with Secundra
Dass; and,
Third, many conversations with Mountain
himself, iu which be was pleased 10 be entire
by plain; for the truth is. he regarded me as
an accomplish.
CHAPTER XIV.