New-York tribune., 1908-07-26
l O

gave me no time to ENJOY the pleasure OF II;
In a hurried whisper, she said, -Four armed
men will be here in less than five minutes to take
your gold You must pretend to sleep. II they
friend, and will bury you in the quagm1re IN the
swamp They have often buried alive there.
1t has no bottom, and the bodies never come up
if once they sink. If the men learn that you are
awake, your friends will never know your fate
Can We escape?' | whispered.
No, no! she answered. If you try, they viii
overtake you and kill you. But if you had
any chance of escaping, there is not time to try
There they up the stairs! Listen! Go to
sleep, and III get under the bed
The girl had hardly disappeared under the bed
when the door opened, and four men, one of whom
bore tallow dip, entered the room The man
with the dip approached our bed Ny eyes were
closed; but l could distinguish the light through
my eyelids. | desperately afraid that Balser
would awaken. Their visit was short. In less than
half minute they were gone and knew that orr
precious bag of gold had gone with them l sat up.
Sh! Lie down. whispered the girl
Il lay down again. for | felt that Nab
friend and | was sure that she knew what was
best for us Soon heard door shut down stairs,
and then the grl came out from her hiding place.
Again she put her lips to my ear, and said:
Make disturbance, you VIII never leave
here alive Tomorrow the old man and the old
woman will pretend to be in great trouble because
robbers broke into the house and stole money from
their guests The old woman will tell you that her
money was stolen also 1t you seem to agree with
her, you will be allowed TO leave in safety If you
allow her to know that you suspect her and the old
man, you will die before noon Don't awaken your
friend, but let him think YOU were asleep when the
gold stolen, and encourage him to believe that
the old and the old woman knew nothing of
it. Don't tell him what | have told | would
not trust him; but do trust YOU
Then a wonderful thing happened. She kissed
the forehead, and glided from the
noiSelesSly a shadow
Thoughts of her drove all remembrance of the
gold from my mind and | lay in sort of ecstasy,
dreaming open eyed about her. In the midst of
my longing to her again, she returned. Again
she placed her lips to my ear, and whispered:
80 know you brave. If you want TO recover
your gold II take YOU to the house of the robbers
in the swamp. We will take lives in hands;
but will go with you if you wish to try it
80 do wish to trv' said l. Selling her hand.
When YOU hear an owl hooting under your
window come out to the barn and bring your friend
Climb through the window and down the wal
nut tree.
A GAIN she left the room, and | awakened Baser
"A | briefly told him in a whisper what had hap
pened, and at rose and dressed. We lifted
the window and after waiting long time Tor the
signal an owl hooted, and we climbed to the ground
by way of the walnut tree. We found the girl
waiting for u.s. and all went to the barn. When she .
felt safe in speaking she said in low tones.
IL notified the robbers that YOU We're here and
that you had gold. Old Polly made me do it They
would have killed me had refused; so | rode away
at supper time, and it was | that brought them
upon you. But don't care what they do: would
rather die than to have this my soul. | will
take YOU the house in the swamp and show you
where the gold is hidden You can take 1t, and
will lead you out from the swamp. They will know
/ helped YOU, and | will tell them that did Then
they'll kill me; but ! want to die anyway.
She did not wait for an answer, but entered the
barn and presently out, leading horse.
You Tom Andy Bill, ride behind me- she
said. We will get the gold. Let your friend wait
way up the road You will need fresh horses when
return.
Balser objected to being left behind and in
sisted on going with Nab and me.
W, how hut and