Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1899-08-17
CHAPTER XI.-CoNr1SuEp.
BY cHAUNcY G. noTcHKlss

Vial LIN
Not morsel of food had passed my Inns
for more than four-and-twenty hours.
was tired, not from the miles of walking or
manifold exertion, but from lack of nutr-
ment, and, more than all, from the moral
effect of knowing was being hunted like
wild animal. My clothing had well-nigll
dried on my body, but was still damp.
had not even the comfort of tobacco, for,
though possessed it in plenty, l could get
no fire, my finder box having been wetted
in the soaking l had endured. l had fled
from the sight of man as Satan flies before
the sign CT the cross, but by the time had
gotten on my journey thus far cared little
for Nick Stryker, Rex, the British army, or
the devil himself. My sole yearning was for
food, and the sun had not sunken fairly be-
hind the Jersey hills when, against all rea.
son, rose from my last hiding place near the
roadside and strobe into it, making my way
toward the tavern as fast as could walk
My arms were like lead. The gold in my
pockets and the bullets in my pouch had
fifty times their weight as splashed through
the mud, but was protected by divine
providence, for no soul saw going or COM
ing while l was on the great thoroughfare.
When I turned into the lane leading to the
tavern some of my reason returned to me,
and I slipped over the fence that might
not approach too directly the front door.
There were no horses under the shed as I
passed it, fact that gave me assurance, and
on peering through the bar window, l
marked that the room was unoccupied.
The bar of the Dove was, like many of
the taverns of the day, as much rcfectory
as bar, and the general assembly room of
the house. As have said, it was deserted,
and barren of light as well, the far corners
being so immersed in gloom that | could
barely make out the tables under the cur
tanned windows. My advent within brought
an answering sound of steps, and there en-
tered a black man, half waiter and half
hostler, as l made out by his apron, the
table knives in his hand, and a general smell
of the stable he brought with him.
Without ado asked for food-food OF any
sort, hot or cold, with bottle of wine, or,
failing in that, stimulant of any description.
thought the fellow was frightened at my
tierceness, and showed him ! meant to pay
for all demanded by pulling from my pock-
ct few pieces of gold and exposing them.
He slipped behind the bar and brought out
bottle of rum, setting it on table in the
darkest corner of the room, and then hur-
riedly went out, saying l should be served
without delay.
Left to myself, took stiff dram and
looked about HE. The room was decidedly
barren in appearance, the only attempt at
ornamentaton being in the boughs of
green stuff that had been piled into the vast
fireplace The raftcrs overhead, somber
with age, were black in the increasing dark
ness, and the walls, unwhitened for months
and perhaps years, were deeply scored with
names and coarse notices craven by sword
points or bayonets, and smutted by
candles held against the rough plaster. The
bar took up space near the entrance, the
floor was clean and sanded, and the only
furniture in the room consisted of an i'm
mense settle in the corner by the chimney,
one long table with bench betwixt it and
the wall, and four or five smaller tables with
accompanying chairs. In strong contrast
with the prevailing dinginess of the apart
ment were the two windows in the rear of
the room, their curtains of plain stuff as
white and stiff as crustcd snow, and the
panes as sparkling and brilliant as newly
minted coin.
With an eye to future action in case OF
mischance, went to the windows and found