The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-05-18
CHAPTER VII.


/ FIND s COMRADE.
But / must go back a little and tell you
what befell in my expedition.
had scarce trudged out of sight of my
friends, down the hill, when it struck me
that my footprints in the snow were in the
last degree dangerous to them, and might
lead Settle and his crew straight to the din
gle. Here was fix. l stood for some min
utes nonplused, when above the stiffness of
the wood for the wind had dropped a faint
sound as of running water caught my ear,
and helped me to an idea.
The sound seemed to come from my left
Turning aside, made across the hill towards
it, and after two hundred PAGES or SO came
on a tiny brook, not two feet across, that
gushed down the slope with quite consid-
cradle chatter and Impotence. The bed of it
was mainly earth, with here and there large
stone or root to catch the toe; so that, as
/ stepped into the water and began to thread
nv way down between the banks of snow,
twas necessary to look carefully to my steps.
Here and there the crook fetched a leap
down a sharper declivity, or shot over
hanging stone; but, save for the wetting
took in these places, my progress was easy
enough. l must have waded in this manner
for half a mile, keeping the least possible
noise, when ut an angle ahead spied a clear
ing among the pines, and to the right of the
stream, on the very verge, a hut of logs
standing, with a woodrick behind it.
Twas low building, but somewhat long,
and guessed it to be, in summer time, a hab-
itation for the wood cutters. But what sur
prised Inc was to hear dull, moaning noise,
very regular and disquieting, that sounded
from the interior of the hut. listened, and
hit on the exploitation. Twas the sound of
snoring.
Drawing nearer with caution, noticed, in
that end of the hut which stood over the
stream, gap, or window hole The sound
issued through this like the whirring of a
dozen looms she must be an astonishing
fellow thought 1, shat can snore in this
fashion. I'll have peep before wake him. "
! waded down till l stood under the sill, put
both hands upon it, and, pulling myself W
quiet as mouse stuck my face in at the win
dow, and then very nearly set back into the
brook for fright
For | had gazed straight down I26o the up
turned faces of Capt. Settle and his gang.
How long 1 stood there, with the water
rushing past my ankles, and my body turn
ing from cold to hot and back again, l can
net tell you. But twas UNTIL hearing ne
pause in the sleepers' chorus found courage
Tor another peep; and that must have beer
some time.
There were but six rascals besides the cap
tain $50 fiat Jacques must have died hard,
thought T, and such a rattle of arms and legs
and swollen upturned faces as they made
defy you to picture. For they were packed
close as behring's, and the hut was filed up
with their horses, ready saddled and rubbing
shoulder to loin, SO narrow was the room. 1t
needed the open window to give them air;
and, even SO, twas not over fresh inside.
had no mind to stay; but before leaving
found myself in the way of playing these vii
lains a pretty trick. To right and left of the
window, above their heads, extended two
rude shelves that now were heaped with
what | conjectured to be the spoils of the
harder of the "Three Cups Holding my
breath and thrusting my head and shoulders
into the room, ran my hand along and was
quickly possessed of boiled ham, two capons
loaf the half of a cold pie and basket
holding three dozen eggs Ali these prizes
fllched enc by one, with infinite caution.
l was gently pulling the basket through
the window hole, when l heard one Of the
crew yawn and stretch himself il his sleep.
Sc, determining TO risk no more, | quickly
packed the basket, slung it on my right arm
and with the ham grasped by the knuckle il
my left, made my way up the stream.
Twas thus laden that l entered the dingle
and came on the sad sight therein. set dow
the ham as a thing to be ashamed of, anC
barred my head. The girl lifted Der face, ant
turning, all white and tragical, saw Inc.
Ms father is dead sir"
/ stopped and piled a heap of fresh snow
over the blood stains. There was no inten
in this but to hide the pity that choked me
She had still TO hear about her brother, An
thony Turning, rs by a sudden thought,
took her hand. She looked into my eyes, an
her own filled with tears. Twas the huma
touch that loosened their flow, think; an
sinking down again beside her father sh
wept her ill.
Mistress Killigrew," l said, as soon as tli
first violenceof lrsr tears was abated, 81 hav
still some news that is i'll hearing. You
enemies are encamped in the woods, about
half mile below this"-and with that l toll
my story.
.sThey have done their worst, sir"
mo"
She looked at me with question on he
lip
Said /, 'sYou must believe me yet shol
while without questioning"
Considering for a moment, she nodoet
sYou have a right, sir, to he trusted, thong
] know not SO much your name. Then W
must stay close in hidingg" she added, Yer
sensibly, though with the last word her voic
trailed off, and she began again to weep
But in time, having covered the dead bar
nets body with sprays of the withered brac
en-, drew her to little distance and pr
vailed on her to nibble crust of the loa
Now, all this while, it must be remembers
was in nay shirt sleeves and the weath'
bitter cold. Which at length her sorrow q
lowed her TO notice.
''Why, you are shivering soreI" she sal
and, running, drew my buff coat from h
fathers body, and held it out to me.
s'Indeed.n answered, Il was thinking I
another expedition to warm my blood" Ar
promising to be back in half an hour fc
lowed down my former tracks towards Il
stream.
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