Year: 1874

OF the way or the village, ana a1ter we hau
been together half an hour, che was convinced
that marriage with me, was the most eligible
step che could pursue. had impressed her
with this notion because | learned that her
father had a round sum Of money in the house,
which was under her care, and conceived the
notion OF making her elope with me. repre-
sented myself as wealthy planter belonging
to Missouri, and it was her belief that as soon
az had got her home. l would install her AT
the mead Of manson, and send her father no
tice in a princey present OF our union-Good
Lord


"She swallowed it all, aud promised to bor-
row five hundred dollars from the farmers s
treasury, 70 meet the eMgences OF the double
travelling expenses that IN my innocence had
not foreseen. l fixed the elopemept for that
night at ten O'Clock and secured wagon 81
the tavern for that purpose. knew that this
movement would betray me, but it was my in
tention when got away few miles from the
village to take the horse from the traces, bld
my sweetheart goodnight and ride Of on my
own hook. or this purpose l abstracte1 a
saddle from the stable and shipped Il under the
buffalo skin, a. the boy was harnessing up the
horse. | drove towards the farmers house
and picked up my sweetheart in the road, and
drove Off az the top gait or my nag. = was a
bright moonlight night and as made turning
IN the road l saw the man in the velvet coat
pass us. lie had gun in hls hand and was
gong IN the direction Of the village, and no.
ticed that after he paused half moment to
look after us, he set up a run as II he intended
to drop the word on u. The jealous rascal
had taken the farmers daughter for the and
lady of The Eagle, and as my bad luck would
have it. the hostess was away from the house
when he arrived there, and nobody could tell
where she had gone. ! learned that tbs morn
ing from Jim Ferns. who has just come through
that way, and am inclined to believe that the
devil had put it into the landlady's head to
make an appointment with my sweetheart s
brother, at that time, by way of vengeance
against me. 1t seems hoNever that the land
lord and the man IN the velvet coat, as soon as
thev had ascertalned that the hostess had dis
appeared with her hat, mounted at once and
set ont in chase. What was worse, the brother
OF the girl coming in soon after, WAS urged by
the hostess, who had also returned in her own
way, to follow on and see that her husband
came to no harm. Il is quite as likely however,
that she got an inkling Of their purpose from
the servants and her object was that the young
fellow should show himself to them as soon as
possible, in order to disarm them of their sus-
picons. But be that as il may, suspecting
enough danger to cover all that might be com
ing along, ! stopped the wagon IN few MIN
utes more driving, and having taken the horse
out of the traces, and put on the saddle. gave
my sweetheart kiss and dashed Of in by
road, leaving her wringing her hands in the
moonlight and calling upon me to come back.
rode safely all that night, and till the middle
OF the next day, having got fresh horse from
a field, where / had slept an hour before day
break, had made such good progress at noon,
that thought might venture to take dinner
at an inn, and finish the remainder of my
journey to Inlet Grove on foot. II appears,
however that this error enabled my pursuers
to trace me and towards the close OF the after.
noon when l had but ten miles before me to
nv destination. heard the sound of horses
coming down the road at laundering pace.
There we're no trees or bushes where / could
hide and l think ! had been seen from a small
elevation, at some distance off, which, perhaps,
accounted for their riding so sharp. ! had 10
make the best OF the matter, 20 pulled out
my pistol and summoned them to a parley.
The brother OF the girl answered by firing a
shot at me, which l returned, and then drew
ont my knife. As the brother and the tavern
keeper dismounted, the man IN the velvet coat
put in and fred another shot which graZed the
top Of my head and sent everything spinning
before my eyes. can see the tall young man
advancing towards me with his knife raised. ]
have faint recollection Of putting out my
blade and catching the blow, and from that
minute knew no more till found myself on
this cot. after having occupied it, believe for
four days"


" Yes said Sawyer a gsunt and sinister
looking fellow with dirty blue complexion
who had listened attentively to the whole of
this recital and who now addressed himself TO
Long and Fox. "Yes, and IL it hadn't been
that Sloat went by there shortly afterward he
would have died in the road"


81 presume they left me for dead" said
Birch, very family and sinking under the IA
tgue Of the recital now the excitement Of the
tale was over; "but | am worth dozen dead
men yet"


did they leave your money in your pocl-
cts z" inquired Fox.


That answer lies between Sloat who picked
me up. and my pursuers," replied Birch, with
keen twinkle Of the eye, and o slight smile /:
II know that ! am reported penniless, and /
do not think that any of the tavern keepers
party had an inkling Of the farmers five hum
dred dollars"


AS Sawyer's eyes we're fixed abstractedly up
on the ceiling at this moment, in manner
which made it possible he did not hear the re-
mark, it was excusable that he did not vindi-
cate MIR. Sloat or make any explanation for
himself. Rousing himself, however at that mo-
ment, from his brief reverie, he motioned to
the nurse. who, approaching the bedside Of
the invalid, laid an embargo on all further con-
versation with HIM.


That night the adventure OF Birch was the
4 10