The Irish standard., 1890-04-19
A NIGHT OF DANGER.
Thrilling Adventure Of a Traveller
in a Southern Forest.

Thrilling Adventure of a Traveller
in Southern Forest.
There was no longer any reasonable
doubt but that I was lost.
All that day l had been tramping
through wild and almost unbroken
orest, In one Of our Southwestern
states.
Since morning, had not seen more
han half-dozen human habitations,
md they wero Of the poorest and rudest
description, hardly fit for the abode OF
wild animal.
Since the middle of the afternoon, the
'orest had been unbroken on either side,
70 thickly matted with trees and vines
that the oye could not penetrate dozen
'eet into the gloomy shadows.
All there was to show that human
,eing had ever been that way before
vas the apology for a road that l was
pursuing. If there had ever been any
;ravel upon it, there was little sign now
hat such had been the case. Bushes
lad grown up where the ruts might have
,een, and in many places the stout vines
nad crept around, so that one had to
1eep constant lookout to prevent him
self from being tripped up by them.
Now and then, in the thickest portion
If the forest, it was almost impossible
20 keep what, in fact, was hardly more
han a trail. Here it would seem to
branch either to the right or left, but
Up to nightfall f1attered myself that l
had not gone astray. But now l had
grave reason to be worried.
At the cabin where I had passed the
previous night, had been told that !
should come to another by the middle
If the afternoon, or little later, pro-
viding I made good time. But now
aight was close upon me, and the habi-
;ation had been looking for at every
urn had failed to materialize
The prospect of a night alone in the
lismal forest was not pleasant to con-
template I knew that in the dismal
lepths about me, outlaws, moonshiners
md cut Threats had their refuge, and |.
lid not relish the idea of meeting them
at any time, much less of encountering
hem in the darkness.
It had begun to grow dark about me,
when I came to a point in the way
which puzzled me. The road forked
aqain. and for the life of me could not
determine which to take, the right or
left.
AS many had done before me, Jet
chance decide the matter. Setting a
stick upright, I removed my hand, and
let it fall in the direction it would. 1t
tell to the left, and SO I took that way.
I hurried onward now as fast as I
,ould. / wanted to make use OF what
daylight still remained, and get to the
;abin where was to pass the night be-
fore 1t became so dark that travelling
would be impossible. But my haste
amounted to nothing. A darkness
which could almost be felt closed in
about me, and felt a certainty that
must be lost. The cabin I expected to
find had not appeared, and of it's exist
ance had no reason to doubt. The
neople where had passed the previous
night could have had no motive In de-
ceiving me.
Stumbling along in the darkness,
irving to make up my mind to face the
inevitable, that of passing the night
out of doors, i suddenly tripped over
something which lay across the path,
and won't headlong over it to the ground.
Mingled with the shock of striking the
earth was thrill of fear, coupled with
astonishment. I did not get upon my
feet at once, but sitting up, reached
out toward the obstruction over which
had tripped. A thrill Of horror ran
through my frame as my hand touched
it. 1t was the body Of man.
I sprang to my feet, while ] could feel
the hair rising upon my head. Had the
BODY been stiff and cold, my fright would
not have been so bad. BY chance had
placed my hand upon its face, and ! felt
there was the warmth of life still in it.
This was not all It was wet, and the
moisture stuck to my hands. Although
/ could not see, felt sure that it was
blood that was sticking to them. An ac-
cident had occurred, or 9 murder had
been committed, within Q few minutes
Of my coming.
With trembling hands i sought for q
match, and when found one, I struck '1,lA
it and glanced down at the object before
me. II was the body Of q man, Its face
SO covered with blood that Its features
we're not discernible. The match went
out and Twas alone again 81 the dark.
ness, With the body Of the murdered man
lying at my feet
/ lighted two OF three matches at once,
but their light only revealed to me
! what i had already seen. What could !
ldo9 Tho thought of remaining By the
side 81 the dead man until morning I
could not entertatn for 9 moment.
/ must 60 On until 4 onsid erab bic distance,
NV ]. sc least, was placed between II and me.
This Il lost no time s. doing. As fast as
~ Nv lne, hurried q 4 On,
I half unml md keeping the g,
not.