Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-06-26


mazes ST tAe forest But would not be
long key, ia suspense. ANY company
was better than the dead man lying in
the road behind ne As ! came near.
the outlines or cabin disclosed itself,
and out through the single window the
light was q leaning.
thanked ms Stars FOR this. without
dcabt l. was the cabin to which had
been directed that morning. and had
stumbled as il were upon it by accident. /
The thoaChtof finding those who had a
hand in the death Of the man had left
in the road did not occur u me, and
walking up 10 the door. ! gave a loud
rap thereon Some one commenced 10
move about The light was taken from
the window and little later, the door
was thrown open, and woman stood be
fore me. She was not very progresses
ing, and there was scared look upon
her face as she said
WHO are you, and what do you want
here2"
Il am stranger travelling through the
country on business This morning l
was told should find a cabin here
abouts, where could get entertainment
for the night.
"You had better 60 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
"Wha, is it,. said
'Murderer Look at your hands,
she cried
Iheld them up They were covered
with blood which had got upon them
while feeling IN the dark to find what il
was that lay across the road. The blood
of the murdered man.
The next moment She had slammed
the door ID uy face. and then heard
her secure II with heavy bars.
a man could hardly find himself in a
more forlorn condition than that ! was
now in Ne road which a man could
follow before him; a dead man lying in
the forest behind, and band Of cut
throats liable al any moment to put in
their appearance at the cabin.
The sound of running water put me
in mind that there was a chance for me
to wash the blood from my hands
Guided by the sound, ! passed around
the cabin to the spot whore, doubtless.
its inmates got their water Here
proceeded to give them a good washing,
although in the darkness | could not
tell whether | had removed an the
stains, l was about TO move away from
the spot when was startled by the
sound of voices hardly a 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 ne was speaking of the
man over whose body had stumbled.
But some one may find it. and SO get
US into trouble, said another
There is little chance of that No
one 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
yes. he has seen too much already
II he came along the road he must have
run across the dead man Who knows
but what he may be in the cabin now2
be 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 if behind them. Now was the
time for me to make my escape.
minute later they might learn Of the
woman that / must be somewhere near
at hand. Almost holding my breath
and moving so that not dry leaf rustled
beneath my feet, crept away into the
darkness, going knew not whittier
To my dying day | 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.
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 certainty, but 1t
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, ! heard that
they had been caught and had paid the
penalty of their crimes at the halters
end.
Every now and then that night Of
danger comes wildly 20 Ry mind, and |
reverently thank Providence, who car
ried me safely thrcugh.-Arthur l..
Meserve. N Yankee Blade.