Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-07-20
AZ DROVER'S ESCAPE.

abounded along the great Southern
route from Kentucky to New Orleans,
n noted Kentucky drover, who had
been to the CLOVER country" with
large drove of horses, which he had
sold for cash, was overtaken by night,
ON his return, near Springfield, in the
county of Robertson, Tennessee. He
remembered that little dist lnce ahead
was a quiet inn he had never stopped
at, and he determined to spend the
night there.
AS he rode up to the house, the land
lord received his horse and led him
away to the stable, while he invited
the drover to enter the sitting room.
Here he found two young men, one
of whom, from his resemblance to the
landlord, he recognized rs his son; the
other, somewhat older, from his man.
ners, appeared also to belong to the
family. immediately after supper the
son mounted n horse, and stating that
he was going to Springfield to stay all
night, rode off. The Kentuckian, hav-
ing looked after the comfort Of his
horse, requested the landlord TO show
him to his room.
AS the traveller slipped off his gar
ments, he felt for the leathern belt
about his waist, to secure that it was
secure. This contained his gold, while
his paper money was in n large wallet
carried, in a pocket made for the pur-
pose, in the inside of his vest. De
hosting these articles beneath the pill
low, he extinguished the light, and
threw himself upon the bed, and soon
fell asleep.
How long he had been in this state
of forgetfulness he could not tell, when
he was aroused to wakefuln 'ss by the
sound of some person cndeavorlng to
open the window near the head Of his
bed.
Startled by this suspicious appear
ance of things. the drover ,eached to-
ward the chair on which he had thrown
his clothes for his weapons, when, TO
his diSmay, he remembered that on
his arrival, when preparing to wash
off the dust Of his Journey he had laid
them aside within the bar.
Scarcely conscious of what he was
doing, the defenseless drover slipped
from the foot of the bed and hid him
self in the darkness behind n lot Of
clothing suspended from the walls of
the house and watched the man, who
was now slowly and cautiously enter
ing the room. He even fancied he could
detect the reflection OF the dim light
upon an appraised knife, as the man
approached the bed. But great was
his relief when, instead of an attempt
at murder, the intruder careleSsly shut
fled off his clothes, and, throwing him.
self into the bed the drover had just
vacated, was soon buried in deep
slumber.
Not knowing what to make Of this
strange affair, the drover determined
to dress himself, call up the landlord,
and have this singular intrusion ex-
planned. He had reached his clothes,
and slipped on his trousers, and was
moving toward the door when steps
were heard cautiously crossing the out
err room. Once more he sought the
shelter OF the dresses, which complete
ly screened his person, and awaited the
entrance of the persons, whoever they
might be. Presently the door Of the
room was silently opened, and two men
made their appearance. 1t was not
so dark but that the drover could read
lily distinguish them to be the innkeeper
and the man he had seen at the supper
table.
"Step lightly, tell you" whispered
the landlord, "or you'll wake him up"
"Wake-w replied the other, with
an oath. "A man that SHORES like that,
reckon, amt easily awakened. Yer
scared, old man.
Scared" replied the first speaker.
mo man ever told John Garner before
he was scared! Here-give me the
knife! You secure the money-its un-
der the pillow saw him put it there
and Ill do the restv'
The old man was In advance, and
as he stood between the window and
the drover, the latter could see his
form bent over the bed, while his hand
seemed to be searching beneath the pill
low.
Here, Bill-take 1t. Here's the wal
! let, and here's the belt. My God, how
heavy 1t isr' and he passed the money
to his companion, before the other had
yet reached theb edside.
The old man then put his hand to his
| bosom, and the trembling drover saw
him draw forth the long blade the
other had given him. For an instant
the murderous weapon was poised
over his head, and then descended upon
| the person Of the poor wretch in the
bed. A half stifled groan few gasp
ing sobs escaped the dying man, a con
vulsive tremor Of the bedclothes, and
all was quiet.
The murderer paused in his bloody
work for an instant, as If to satisfy
himself that life was extinct and
then, with fiendish elaboration, drew
down the coverlet, and, to make al
sure passed the knife from ear to ear
across the throat of the victim. Then
the william quickly moved from the
| room.
AS soon as the sound of his footsteps
had died in the distance the horror
stricken drover escaped through the
window and ran with all his speed ia
the neighboring village, where, arous-
ing the people of the hotel, he told his
fearful story. A small crowd was
soon collected about him and when
enough of the facts had been gathered
they accompanied him to the scene of
the foul murder.
All about the house was still but on
approaching the stable light was dis
covered within; and moving noiseless-
ly TO the door, and peering through
the cracks. the two murderers were
L