Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-07-25
A NIGHT ADVENTURE.

"A NULL AL GlN l. " ILL.,
During the year 1869 was employed BY
the Bank of Raybury to exchange money
between 1t and the Bank Of Mutual Re-
demption, with which they did business In
the city. It was not q very interesting
employment, and one which gave me but
a small salary, but just then times were
dull and work scarce, so was glad to get
anything to do, especially as had an aged
mother depending upon me for support.
One dark, drizzly November highland
nearly all November nights are dark-the
stage for Raybury broke down hopelessly,
fifteen miles from its destination. OF
course, the accident happened in just the
to impossible to get a carriage of any kind,
and where the only place of entertainment
was a rude log house, dignified by the
name Of the Jefferson inn.
Mr.. Griggs, the landlord of the tavern,
was soon on the spot, and gave it as his
opinion that the passengers had better go
to his house for the night; but as some half
dozen of them were determined to go on,
there was no alternative but to get out an
old express wagon, which was stacked
away in remote she'd and dispatch them
on their way. The stage horses were made
available, and the passengers piled in with
selfish haste; and long before could get
my valise out of the ruins of the stage and
reach the wagon, it had rumbled off, and
left me, with half dozen more, behind.
It was absolutely necessary that should
be in Raybury that night, else I should
cause serious inconvenience at the bank
next morning. And as I had been SO often
congratulated on my promptitude in my
business, felt very 10th to be behindhand
now. spoke to Mr.. Griggs about it, and
asked if 1t were not possible for him to let
me have horse for Raybury. I would
pay him literally, and return the animal
in good condition the next day. But he
only shook his head. He had only one
horse in the stable, he said, and Mrs.
Griggs was subject to dreadful spells of.the
collie, and might be taken at any hour, and
he made it a rule Of his life never to let
Digby go out of the stable for fear Mrs.
Griggs might be seized, and die before tho
doctor could be brought.
Under the circumstances Of course
could not urge my request for the use Of
Digby, and there was no chance for me to
get to Raybury until the II o'clock stage
next day unless I footed it, and that I
should not for moment have hesitated to
do had it not been for the fact that the road
to Raybury was the vilest in the county.
always felt like swearing when rode over
it, and doubtless should have yielded en-
tirely to the sin Of profanity II had at
tempted to walk it.
$50 to my house and stay tonight, Mr..
Marsh" said the landlord. II can give
you some venison pie and a pot Of beer for
your supper and a nice shake down before
the kitchen fire."
"Pray, sir" said a sweet voice at Griggs'
elbow, "is there no way to go on to Ray
bury?"
Mot tonight, my DEAR" said Griggs,
softening as the light of his lantern shone
over the pretty face Of a young girl whom
had scarcely seen before, she having been
an inside passenger. 81 guess you'll have
to take up with such accommodations as
my house offers. shouldn't wonder II
Sally-that's my darter, miss will let you
have half of her bed. seeing as you've been
unfortunate"
II must go on" she said earnestly. II
have been some months from home, and
have been summoned thither by the illness
of my father. Indeed, sir, cannot delay
here, for the dispatch said my father was
dying"
IQ0re were UcBIb III QoI VOlCt, Uut II WtA1
too dark to see whether they dimmed her
eyes.
"It'stoo bad" said Griggs; 'but couldn't
let Digby go on any account; because. you
see, If Mrs. Griggs should be took, she'd die
afore we could git DR.. Lumston here on foot.
You see when she has these spells she's
awful Helloi Who's coming nowf"
Aclose carriage drawn by two dark horses
had come up and halted by the side of the
overturned coach. It was just light enough
to show me that there were two men in the
carriage, and that they wore caps with the
yisors well down and were muffled we'll
about the throat; but it was chilly, raw
evening, and one needed to be mufiled.
whats the difficulty" asked one Of the
men, in hoarse voice.
"Stage upset." said the landlord; "axle-
tree broke, and everything went to thun-
der"
"Well, you'll get your house filed tonight,
II you're the landlord Of the place back
yonder," said the stranger. ANY gentle
man here that would like to go on to Ray
bury? We would take one down."
1 stepped quickly forward, and said
should be greatly indebted if they would
give me seat. And then 1 introduced my
self-Henry Marsh.
"And here's young woman as is going,
too" said the landlord; "her pas sick, and
she must git there, and wouldn't think of
having Digby out on account of Mrs.
Griggs' uncertain health. Miss-Miss-
what's your name, my dear?"
"Axtell," said the girl, Madeline Axtell.
NV father is Howard Axtell, of the Ray
bury bank"
The president Of the bank for which
worked. / knew Judge Axteu very well,
and was able to tell Miss Madeline that his
illness was not considered dangerous. But
still she insisted upon going on, and at last,
after some considerable conversation be-
tween the two strangers, inaudible to us,
they consented to take us both.
l assisted Miss Axtell into the carriage
and took with her the back seat. our COM
panions occupying the front.
Only one lamp of the carriage was burn
ing, and that gave very dim light, and
the farther we went the deeper seemed to
grow the darkness. It was lonely road
at any time to Raybury, but now 1t was
particularly gloomy, and l was confident
that Miss Axteu showed to some degree
the vague forebodings which could not
prevent myself from experiencing. for she
drew closer TO me, ana once sne asked me
how long it would be before we reached
Monville- next village.
We came at last to Hemlock reach-a
long stretch of timber which intersected
the country at that point, and was some
three miles wide. There was not a house
for the whole three miles, and both sides
Of the roaded were wooded almost to the
wheel rut.
As the horse plunged into the blackness
Of tie place and painted and struggled
through the mud under foot was conf
dent that the two men smoke toQether in