The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-09-11

i
about the game in the woods.
When the Englishman awoke next
morning he found that his travelling
companion had already departed.
II didn't press him to stay" said
the old man, "but l hope you will
honor me with a longer visit. My name
is Colonel Swanlee, which you may
have seen mentioned in accounts of the
war, and once had forty-room house
here and close on two hundred hands
working on fine estate. The house
and the hands are gone, and the estate
has run back for the most part into
forest. I've been luckier than some.
| haven't sold a rod of ground. I've
been spared seeing filthy railroad
plowing through my land, and I've
some other mercies to be thankful for.
Come, sir; you said last night you
we're in no hurry to get on. Will you
stay awhile and rough it with me?"
The invitation was genuine, and be-
cause the life was fresh and interest.
ing to him, and because Old Man
Swanlee was loath to let him go, he
stayed on till the weeks grew to over
a month. There was much to occupy
his time. Any one with taste for
scenery may crafty it to the full in
the wooded mountains and valleys of
the Allegheny country. Sometimes
he took his horse and rode along the
rough trails far a6eld-over the Great
Smokes, and looked down on Tennes-
see. Sometimes he roamed through
the second growth forest, which had
sprung up in tropical luxuriance over
the ouce cleared land, occasionally
shooting wild turkey or hawk or q
flying squirrel, or whipping in two q
small rattlesnake, but for the most
part finding full enjoyment in admir-
ing this gallery of pictures which ma
ture by herself had painted.
Once, indeed, he visited the distil-
lery in its weird hiding place under
the waterfall, and glanced curiously
over the crude appliances with which
the fiery corn whisky was produced.
But that was only once, and, indeed,
the still was seldom referred to. In
the evening, when they sat together
under the wooden piazza, the English
man and his host either rocked and
smoked in silence, looking into the
warm Southern night and listening to
it's myriad insect noises, or ell the
old man would talk and unfold pic
lures of past Southern splendor. They
seemed to be living then in an atmos-
phere of nearly half century before,
and at times the Englishman had hard
work to bring himself back to the true
realities.
But at last there came breaking up
of the pastoral, and it arrived in bar
barous shape. The place was raideI
by the revenue men.
The visitor was away bee hunting in
the woods when they arrived, but
hastened back when the sound of
heavy firing came down to him over
the timber He gained the hut, per-
haps luckily, too late for interference,
but the history Of what had occurred
was written out before him in ruddy
lettering. Three officers of the excise
lay twisted and dead on the red soil,
shot down by that terrible 10-fre re-
peater, which carried its charge like a
heavy ball for the short distance.
Farther out was Vanrennan, doubled
up over n stump like half-tilled meal
sack. Fitting in and about the trees,
still farther down the trail, were four
saddled horses leisurely grazing.
There was no sign of Old Man
Swanlee.
Had he run for the woods, or
The newcomer rushed cross the
clearing and into the cabin. The
blockade distiller, was stretched out
on the floor with blood oozing into
pools around him. The Englishman
shuddered aud bent down for examine
tion. An ear shredded through by
one bullet, temple grazed by another,
left elbow shattered by third; none
of these were mortal, none could cause
/ this pIostration. All there was a
worse wound, in the groin---that meant
death.
Under the impromtu surgery the
old man woke up.
THAT blasted detective, Vanrennan
However, he's got his Cruel, and SO
have the revenue men, and I'm dying,
and--- --Hullo who are you"
Old Man Swanlee gripped his gun
again and started up full of fight.
ooh, it's you, sir, is it? ask your
pardon, Pm sure" lie said, bowing
with old-fashioned courtesy, "but this
little domestic trouble must be my
excuse. Those fellows have pumped
lead into me till I've been triAe
thrust of my balance. Thanks, if you
would assist me on the floor again and
bring the corner of that box under
my head.
He rested minute to collect his
thoughts, and then went on afresh.
"Now, Mr.. Uve forgotten your
name), circumstances compel me to
ask you al intense favor. I've had
staunch friends, but some we're shot
in the war and some have died since,
and the rest are scattered know not
where. There isn't soul to whom
can trust my little girl"
"Your daughter Is this that you're
speaking about?"
That's so. l haven't mentioned
her before don't let her have any
truck with the lot down here, and
didn't intend TO until the place was
ready to receive her as she should be
received-.-as my mother was received
when she came upon the estate. Yes,
sir, that's what I've been toiling and
slayinp for all these years, barely