Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-04-18

so far from any house, oppressed mo IKE
nightmare; it seemed indeed kind Of awful
Drawing of Gods power; and this thought.
which | dare say only writes me down a
coward, was greatly exaggerated by my pri-
vate knowledge of the errand we were come
upon.
was besides encountered by my duties TO
Sir William, whom it fell upon me to enter
tain, for my lord was quite sunk into a state
bordering on pervigilium, watching the woods
with rapt eye sleeping scarce at all, and
speaking sometimes not twenty words in a
whole day. That which he said was still CO.
herent, but it turned almost invariably upon
the party for whom he kept his crazy look
out. He would tell Sir William often, and
always as if it were a new communication,
that he had "a brother somewhere in the
woods" and beg that the sentinels should he
directed "to inquire for him. az am anxious
for news of my brother" be would say. And
sometimes when we were under way he would
fancy he spied a canoe far off upon the
water, or camp on the shore, and ex-
hibit painful agitation. 1t was impossible
but Sir William should be struck with these
singularities, and at last he led me aside and
limited his uneasiness l touched my head
and shook it, quite rejoiced TO prepare little
testimony against possible disclosures.
"But in that case" cries Sir William, "is
it wise to let him go at large"
"Those that know him best 4" said 7, care
persuaded that he should be humoredn
"Well, WELL replied Sir William, cit is
none of my affairs. But if had understood,
you would never have been here
Our advance into this savage country had
thus uneyentfuly proceeded for about
" MI
place where the river ran among consider
able mountains clothed in wood. TlatSres
were lighted on a level space at the waters
edge; and we supped and lay down to sleep
in the customary fashion. 1t CHANGED the
night fell muiderously cold; the stringency
Of the frost seized and bit me through my
coverings, 50 that pain kept me wakeful
and was afoot again before the peep of day
crouching by the fires or trotting to and fro
at the streams edge, to combat the aching of
my limbs.
AT last dawn began to break upon hoar
woods and mountains, the sleepers rolled in
their robes. and the boistorous river dashing
among spears of ice ] stood looking about
me, swadiled in my stiff coat of a bulls fur,
and the breath smoking from my scorched
nostrils, when, upon a sudden, a singular,
eager cry rang from the borders of the wood
The sentrles answered it. the seepers sprung
TO their feet; one pointed, the rest followed
his direction with their eyes, and there, upon
the edge of the forest and bctwixt two trees.
we beheld the figure Of man reaching forth
his hands like one in ecstasy. The next mo-
ment he 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 be got speech, was to ask if
we had seen Sacundra Dass.
'Seen what" cries Sir William
"No, said I, 1--WE have seen nothing Of him.
Why
"Nothing" says Mountain. "Then was
right after all With that he struck his
palm upon his brow. But what takes him
back" he cried. "What takes the man back
among dead bodies? There is Some damned
mystery here
This was a word which highly aroused our
curiosity, but | shall be more perspicacous if
I nGrrate these incidents in their true order.
Here follows n narrative which | have com
piled out of three sources, not very consistent
in all points:
First, 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, in which he was pleased to be entire
ly plain; for the truth is, he regarded me as
an acCOmplCe