The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-12-01

eral summers and innumerable hard
frosts. I was very tired, and though
/ intended to rise when all was quiet
and take view of the premises, /
fell asleep.
sI was awakened by the pressure
Of something cold against my fore
head, and opening my eyes, looked
into the muzzle of a revolver, while
the voice of my host said:
"'If yer moves yer hand, off goes
yer top-knot 7
"What does this mean?' demand
ed in my sternest tones.
"sIt means that we un are onter
you un-that's ALL
Several other figures now stood
over my couch, and my genial host
said:
Wal, shall we uns finish him
now, or wait? ?
q Let's take him outside, one sug-
gested.
"After they had bounded me hand
and foot / was carried into the open
air. A short consultation was held,
and I caught the words, down ter
the hut
Naw,' said one brawny fellow,
he amt bad es that. Besides, Pete
may be mistaken
ellis objections were received with
murmurs Of disapproval.
1T amt too much, asserted my
host. IT'S jest what he dissarves,
and it'll prove an example to the
Others
"sThere was some more discussion;
then was informed that on my ar
rival Pete Stanford, member of the
gang, whose still / had aided in de-
stroying some time previously, but
who had escaped from the officers,
had come under the guise of friend
ship to land them all in prison, and
that I was to be left in the hut.
"This failed to strike terror to my
soul, however, as I supposed they
would merely leave me there over
night. and 1 should then have pos
sible chance of escape. Had known
the true nature of my punishment, I
would have begged my captors to
mercifully put bullet through my
brain.
"They carried me to the hut, and
one of the men carefully opened the
door and peered in. He took torch
and thoroughly inspected every nook
before entering. Finally, bound hand
and foot, was laid on a pile of husks
in one corner. Then the men depart
ed without even closing the door. I
was highly elated at this oversight,
and lay endeavoring to m u ster
strength to break my bonds. when I
heard rustling, gliding sound in one
corner of the room. Could it be that
some other human creature was i'm
prisoned with me? No, it must be
wind outside. Then from the long
dark opening used as fireplace came
similar SOUND, another and another.
What was it? What could this
mean?
Suddenly I felt something glide
across my legs as they lay bound on
the foot of the bed, and the awful
horror Of the situation that my per-
secutors had devised dawned upon
me. I was in den OF snakes If I
moved was dead man. Sick with
terror, I became unconscious.
"I awoke lying beside the road.
The moon was shining full in my
face, and bending over me was the
girl had met in the afternoon.
"s'Twar clus call for you un,
she said. Il heered pap'n the fellers
a-talkin' ez how they left yer here, an
when got er chance I come to you.
How did you do it? I gasped.
Huh I'm used ter snakes, but
but
"The girl began to sob.
"'What is it," I asked, moved by
her distress.
"'I-I dassent go hum, fur dad
will kill me-
"That's how my hair got white, :"
said the major, as he threw away the
stump of his cigar.
"But the girl :" said l.
"Oh, she is in the next room with
the children she is my wife.