The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-11-13

just how to manage such fellows as
you. If you try to git away we will
send you to Kingdom Come in a jify.
and if you act on the square thar may
be some show fer you yit, for we are
going to take you to the Chief, and
whatever he says arter heerin' all the
circumstances, goes"
"'What do you mean by that7'
"'You1l either be shot or Il t 60, jest
as the Chief says arter heerin' you
spout
Late that evening I was again
bound and conveyed to a covered
wagon and driven through the coun
try. I prayed that we might meet
some n that I could call out to, but
not a soul did we meet, and it was
dark before we reached our destina
ton, and / was conducted through a
assure of what appeared to be a solid
wall of stone in the side of the noun
tain, and by Kepler pressing some por
tionof the rock q huge boulder careened
and we were in as perfect a natural
cave as one could imagine. 1t was
carpeted, and had all the necessary
furniture for comfort. Kepler then
touched a brass knob in the wall and a
bell was heard to ring in another por-
ton of the cave, Immediately followed
by the appearance of Mr. De Vann, the
recluse, who came forward looking
grave. He ordered me to be released,
waved his hand, and Kepler and his
companion retired, neither one having
spoken a word. De Vann then asked
to be seated, he himself drawing
forward a split bottom rocker. He
gazed sympathizingly at me and said:
"'Well, Mr.. Foster, we meet again.
I am more than sorry that we meet
under such circumstances. for I had
formed quite an attachment for you,
knowing you to be a gentleman by
birth and education. But circum-
stance alters cases, and a man is
judged almost as much by the company
he keeps as by his acts. But were it
in my power I would gladly aid you,
for you r young yet, and a life of
usefulness may have been before you;
but in this section those who play into
the hands of the revenue department
are naturally our worst enemies; the
revenue officers show US no mercy,
and in order to protect ourselves we
are compelled to use harsh measures, ,
and tears welIed to the eyes of the
recluse.
"'But it all a mistake; I am no reve
nue. officer; I am a lawyer, residing in
Boston, and a personal frierd IF Jsck
Thornton. He will vouch for M; |
was to spend the Christmas holidays
with him; we were room-mates at col
Ives, l know. Jack would natur
ally do all he could for you, allowing
his sympathies and friendship to get
the better of his judgment, but I have
seen moRe of the world than Jack has;
and besides, Mr. Foster, a runner from
Flipper's, who came Owe to bring
your trunk, has given us all the evi
dence we need in regard to your case.
I would that it were otherwise, and l
hope you may not think for a moment
that all this does not pain me. As I
said before, I would gladly aid you
were itin my power, but it would mean
death to me Our motto is, that dead
men tell no tales. I shall endeavor to
treat you as the gentleman yuu are
until your case is dispose Of. IRE
Order of 'Corkers' will meet here at IL
o'clock tonight. In the meantime
make yourself as comfortable as pos
sible. I will send you your supper,
and you will find books in the book
case, and writing material on the desk
there, should you wish to write any
thing, and if it is not of such a nature
as to compromise u order, I will see
that your friends get it. I will open
this sky light a little that you may
have more air, as it is rather close in
here"
He then pulled an iron leaver in the
side of the wall and a heavy door some
forty feet above slid backward, and
could e the stars as they twinkled
overhead, I was not only glad, but
surprised, that the sky should have
cleared SO completely, and I hoped that
it might be an omen of good; but ]
could see no possible chance to escape,
rack my brain as I might, for the walls
were perfectly smooth, revealing nc
chance to scale them. It is impossible
to describe my feelings. 1t all seemed
like a hideous dream, and / prayed fol