Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-12-23

not even noticed it, had heard nor
seen anything, fixed at her mothers
side till she beheld her once more re-
stored.
Now she could eat, and the eager
ness with which she acceded to the
request told how sadly she had needed
it.
Then the two helped Nelly to a
warm bed, and administered such
light refreshment as she could take,
and, in a very short time, the child
was sleeping sweetly by her side.
The forlOrn woman took the hand
Of her benefactress in her own, and
kissed it, while tears poured down
how long it was since last she shed
them From the fullness Of her heart
she blessed and thanked her.
"But you don't know what we are!"
she said, feebly.
"Never, mind, never mind all that, :"
said the dame, kindly; "you are i'll and
in some trouble, guess, and ism t
that enough? oh, ay, shall like to
hear all about it, OF course, OF course!
I'm a woman, you know, and OF course
/ like to hear a tale, but another
time, another time; now you go to
sleep! see, the little ones asleep already,
bless her! and in the morning you'll
be able to talk"
"God, bless you," said the woman
family. Gam [ safe?" she added,
fearfully, and still scared herself.
"Safe! OF course your safe; there, S
no one but us women in the place;
but then the dogs are as good as a
dozen men, and not half the trouble
Now, good night! Goyou to sleep, and
never fear"
With those last words of comfort
sounding in her ear the hunted won-
an slept. The night lamp burned
dimly as she now and then opened
her eyes half doing, and thinking 1T q
dream all was still through the house,
and at last she slept.
But even in her slumber she was
pursued by the waking dread. She
was again upon the road-he was
there, he had got Ida, was threaten
ing her life, and she on her knees i'm
ploring, while he Knocked her with that
terrible voice.
She screamed, and awoke-the tone
still sounding in her ears-she startes
it was no dream! that was the voice
Of Saul Meghorn beneath the window.
CHAPTER XIV.
A lioness robbed of her young, q
tiger banked of his prey, would but
poorly represent the wrath and fury
of Saul Meghorn when he found that
those whom he had imagined already
captured had escaped.
Rage and amazement for some time
blinded him too far to allow him to
perceive even the mode of their egress,
and again there flashed upon his mind
momentarily, the suspicion Of his fol-
lower having played him false.
But a very slight investigation, pur-
sued with more GOODNESS, gave him
the explanation, by the discovery OF
the opening partly what had been the
window, enlarged by tearing away the
decayed framework of the shed.
The day wasfar on it's progress when
Saul stamped loudly with the heel OF
his boot, and shouted for the land
lord, who quickly appeared.
"a horse! | want a horse!' Meghorn
said, hurriedly.
The host Of the Trouble house was
about to demur or explain, but Saul
repeated, "a horse! and the swiftest
you can get, in a tone which must
have closed a bolder and less Deepen
dent mouth than that of the host.
'Bequick! I'm in hurry, "he added AS
the landlord disappeared with a hum
BILE bow, and retreated into the depths
of his domestici6y, where, in showers
of blows, kicks, and curses, distributed
among his family and menials, he in
some sort avenged himselftor the treat
ment he submitted to from his patron,
whoselast order drove him to his wits
end.
By what feat of legerdemain the
horse was procured, which, in the
course of the next half-hour, stood at
the back door of the Trouble House,
ready saddled and bridled, it would
be difficult to say. Saul heard it's
arrival, and met it at the door, where
the landlord awaited him with all the
attention due to a respected Gus
/ TONER.
At a word or two from Saul, the
other produced a small bag from be-
meath his waistcoat, and handed it to
thesmuggler, who, having taken thence
some pieces OF money, and slipped
them into his belt, returned the bag
to the landlord; and, with a gruff
good-day, rode off.
The very brief sentence in which
mine host apostrcphised Meghorn' s
back as it slowly disappeared, was
not exactly that in which one would
commonly "speed the parting guest"
but, had the other hazarded a guess
upon it's nature, as he rode along, he
would in all probability have conjec-
tured pretty correctly the substance
of it. So much for the friendship OF
rogues!
The road down which Chob Laxity
had all unconsciously, played the
part Of charioteer to Nelly and her
child, was the very one on which Saul
had counted for obtaining, with GER
tainity, some information of those he
/ SOl10ht Shollld thew have q ivo,, ~