Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-04-02

EOH DOuoVAAu8 1AA0 nOAA oAA AuuH
pushed onward, and then came suddenly |
to q standstin.
On before me light was glimmering |
through the trees; but was uncertain |
whether it came from . fire or q will-o'.
the-wisp fitting through the tangled
mazes of the forest. But would not be
long kept in suspense. Any company
was better than the dead man lying In
the road behind me. As I came near,
tho outlines of cabin disclosed itself,
and out through tho single window the
light was cleaning.
I thanked my stars for this; without
doubt it was the cabin to which 1 had
been directed that morning; and l had
stumbled as it were upon it by accident.
The thought of finding those who had
hand in the death Of the man had left
in the road did not occur to me, and
walking up to the door, I gave a loud
rap thereon. Some one commenced to
move about. The light was taken from
the window, and, little later, the door
was thrown open, and a woman stood be-
fore me. She was not very progresses
ing, and there was a scared look upon
her face, as she said:
"Who are you, and what do you want
here?"
81 am stranger travelling through the
country on business. This morning !
was told I should find cabin here
abouts, where 1 could get entertainment
for the night"
"You had better go away. This Is no
place for an honest man. They may be
back soon, and your life will be In dan
ger"
She would have closed the door, but [
raised my hand to prevent it. At that
moment she uttered cry Of terror.
"What is it?' said.
Murderer! Look at your hands,"
she cried.
1held them up. They were covered
with blood which had got upon them
while feeling in the dark to find what it
was that lay across the road. The blood
of the murdered man.
The next moment she had slammed
the door in my face, and then heard
her secure it with heavy bars.
A man could hardly find himself in
more forlorn condition than that was
now in. No road which a man could
follow before him; dead man lying in
the forest behind, and a band of cut
threats liable at any moment to put in
their appearance at the cabin.
The sound of running water put me
in mind that there was chance for me
to wash the blood from my hands.
Guided by the solSad, passed around
the cabin to the spot where, doubtless,
its inmates got their water. Here /
proceeded to give them good washing,
although in the darkness 1 could not
tell whether 1 had removed all the
T nj RI
the spot, when I was startled by the
sound of voices hardly dozen yards
away. Listening, caught the words ut
tered as they drew nearer:
"Let him lie there and rot An above
ground grave is good enough for dog
of spy"
Doubtless he was speaking of the
man over whose body had stumbled.
'But some one may find it, and SO get
us into trouble" said another.
sThere is little chance of that. No
ono hardly ever comes this way now"
"You forget that there is a stranger
somewhere near here now. We have
got to see that he don't get out OF here
| alive
Ny blood ran cold. OF course he could
| mean no one except myself.
eyes, he has seen too much already.
| If he came along the road he must have
| run across the dead man. Who knows
| but what he may be in the cabin now?
He would want shelter for the night.
and the light in the window might bring
him here"
They had reached the doorway now,
and one of them demanded admittance.
The door opened, and they went in,
| closing it behind them. Now was the
time for me to make my escape. A
minute later they might learn of the
woman that I must be somewhere near
| at hand. Almost holding my breath,
and moving SO that not a dry leaf rustled
beneath my feet, l crept away into the
darkness, going knew not whittier.
To my dying day I shall not forget
that night in the forest. Morning
found me more dead than alive; but to
my great JOY it was on the edge of a con-
| siderable town.
I at once sought out the authorities,
and told them the story of my nights
adventure. They knew of the where
| abouts Of the cabin, and had long sus-
| pected it to be the home of gang Of
| robbers and moonshiners. When they
| got there, they found it empty. Taking
| alarm at my escape, fearing that had
learned too much, they had fed to new
quarters for safety.
The body of the murdered man was
brought in and buried. Who he was
was never known to a certainty, but it
was suspected that he was some one who
was trying to earn the reward offered
for clew to the gang of moonshiners
| by whom he had lost his life.
A few years afterwards, I heard that
they had been caught and had paid the
| penalty Of their crimes at the halter's
| end.
| Every now and then that night of
danger comes wildly to my mind, and /
| reverently thank Providence, who car