Year: 1860

have observed with all travellers ever since l kept entertainment for them. l have bull. little house off to itself, and put all my visitors into that for the night. have adopted this plan to avoid a contraction of any diseas- es with which travellers might be af- fiicted. trust sir, you can at once see the reasonableness of my course. It is nothing more nor less than the protection of my family" thought all this right enough, and so express ed myself.

 The old man took his lamp, and l followed across the yard. and into what might be called d grove or cam pus, somewhat in front of the mansion. It was log house, neatly construct ed. Every thing on the inside ep- peared quite in order. The old man lighted a candle and rlaced it on the table, bid me good night, and closed the door after him.

 l soon got off my riggings. and went to the door to lock it. To my great surprise, found that the door was already fastened on the outside.

 My fears were immediately awak- ened, and 1 thought that l saw some thing of the fate which awaited me: next went to the window, to see if l could get out at that. The window was a false one, and did not open. l then went to the chimney, and found that it was solid. Therewas no tiue to it. was safely imprisoned.

 These men are robbers, and l am caged victim. There is no chance for me to get out, and they can either murder me here Or starve me out l am completely in their power, and know there is no mercy to be found.

 My candle had now burned down, and was fiickerng in the stick. Soon it went out and was there in dark ness that could almost be felt.

 could realize the hand of death as already upon me. ] am to die to night, and how l cannot say. My brains may be beat out, or may be tortured slowly and die by degrees An awful fate awaits me, none of my people will ever know my end. Here in the darkness of the night Is to be perpetrated a deed that will be seal ed up until the great day of eterni- ty.

 thought I would lie down and, like

 l., ! sha Il htaP 1hT,lt meekly to my fate. But no man, un- der such circumstances, can reflect on death without agitation. l knew l could but die, and that ought to make struggle for my life. But l had no weapon with which to defend myself. had travelled thousands of miles, and never carried anything more dangerous than a small pocket knife.

 determined to feel around the room for stick or something with which to strike. felt in every direc- ton, and finally got under the bed. | was pushing my hand in every di- rection, when suddenly l laid 1t on some ones face. My blood almost chilled at the touch. A man under the bed ready to murder me whenev- CT should fall asleep!

 listened to hear him breathe. ] almost ceased to breathe myself Here am in reach of his dagger, and he may strike the blow in d moment. am without arms and helpless.- What shall do? l thought would touch him again, and propably l might lay my hand on his dagger and wrest it from him. moved my hand slow ly forward and touched his face again. It was icy cold. The man is dead l then laid my hand on him, and found him stiff in death felt of his head and discovered that his brains had been beaten out with some club. 1 al once understood the case. This man was a traveller, and had been killed the night before, and placed under the bed until they could get a favorable time to bury him.

 could have no doubts now as to what was in reserve for me. Here Is a victim before me, end am soon to be placed by his side.

 Icannot describe my feelings thus shut up in a dark room with dead man, and with a certain death await ing me.

 1 decided however upon move, and proceeded to set myself in readiness. dragged the dead man from under the bed and placed him on top of it, turn ed his face towards the wall. and drew the cover up to his chin. lnow took my saddle bags in my hand and took my station at the door. l had not been at my post many minutes before l heard several persons ap- preaching the door My hour had now come. A moment or two more and 1 would bid adieu to earth, and enter upon the realities of an untried world. All of my past life rushed in- to these brief moments 1 shook with awful dread as 1 stood on the crumb- ling verge of time.

 heard the key strike the lock and fit itself against the bolt The hand that guided it paused for a moment. My spirit died within me, and my soul trembled on the dividing line between two worlds.

 heard the bolt leave its fastening and the door swung open. A dark lantern threw its dusky light upon the door way, and in stepped two or more. l saw by the feeble light the snow white locks of the old man. They passed the threshhold for the bed, and stepped out of the door.

 1 had made but few leaps from the door, when 1 heard the club fall with greatpower upon the dead man in the bed. l bounded like an elk and lighted into brush pile. 1 al- most swooned with fear, for l thought was caught at last. I, however, de- layed no tune in extricating myself struck the road and ran with all pos sible speed ] left my horse to the robhers and made all haste to save