The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-07-14

speaker was Maj. Archibald Wendell,
and one of the bcst-known clubs in the
city was entertaining him. He was
we'll known as IL man of adventure, and
his story was eagerly demanded. 1T
was in Rio Janeiro, he continued Tho
first month after my arrival met an
old acquaintance of mine, Jack Dorne,
a harum-scarum sort of chap, who had
seen nearly everything and been nearly
everywhere, from Boston to Singapore.
we had not met in three years, and
there never was anything more I'M
likely than our meeting in that out-of-
the-way place; and yet I'll give you
my word that as I sauntered up the
shady side of the street and met him
sauntering down tho shady side we
looked up, recognized each other,
and Jack cried as coolly us though We
had parted not an hour ago: Hello,
Arch! Want to go up into the mines?
Lots of fun and good hunting
THAT Jack was n funny fellow.
He had got pull with some
man that was making loads of
money in the mines, and he was at that
time busily engaged in laying up for a
rainy day. He showed me his bank
book, with some very handsome figures
to his credit Well, nothing suited me
better than to sec the interior of the
country little, and the end of it was
that in ten minutes had promised to
60, and in less than three hours we
were on the way and were rapidly lcav-
ing the city behind us. We had fine
horses. Jack knew every foot of the
way and was friends with q good many
people along the road, and we could
afford to take our time and travel as
slowly or as rapidly as we felt inclined.
Jack had stopping places stalscd out, as
he said, and knew quite we'll every day
where we were going to spend the
night. Jack kept telling stories of the
fun at the mines, and of the chances
for good hunting of all kinds there, and
we got along very cleverly. But on the
fourth day, as we logged along, an nc
cident happened which upset Jacks
calculations for that day. NV horse
put his foot into hole and fell, Inning
himself so badly that had to walk and
lead him. For several hours we made
but little Roadway, and dark came down
and found us ten good miles short of
the place where Jack had expected to
stop. This don't look very promising
said Jack, obviously, trying to peer
ahead into the gathering shadows.
There's nasty creek bottom
ahead, and hate like smoke to
go through it after dark. caught
glimpse Of snake as long
as the Atlantic cable in that bottom
once, and haven't got through run
ming yet But the next moment he
Dried: why, what was thinking of?
There's little hut just in the edge of
the bottom on this side; an old herb
gatherer lives there Why, Of course,
We'll spend the night right there And
hurrying on we found the little hut, q.
miserable place enough, matched with
leaves and with great hole broken in
one corner Of the roof, but % shelter, at
any rate.
THE old herb gatherer was away
from home, but we look possession,
lighted candle, helped ourselves to
some food we found in the great corner
cupboard and stretched ourselves on his
bed to sleep. We left the candle burn
ing for fear of the ghosts, Jack said,
and rcmcm Der looking the room over
sleepily by its dim light, and seeing the
tall, Gaunt cupboard, whose door we
had left open. and the dark hole in the
corner of the roof. The last thing that
occurred TO me was that could SEQ
two fiery eyes cleaning out of the dark
ness through that hole, and then went
70 sleep had dream that was full
of snakes and crawling things, and
after ! hal worried over it until I
couldn't stand it any more woke M.
81 lay there for several minutes look
ing at the candle, which was burning
'ow. After awhile ! raised my eyes and
started OF in yawn which was frozen