Year: 1874

ter Chester" muttered Berkeley, 81 for your
unwillingness to reveal the facts stamp you
as the murder of Lolowah. When we meet
again wOt that you will be somewhat
humbled."


AS Berkley spoke he turned and left the
cell. There was in his eye serpent-like
look, as he cast his eyes back on the pris-
oner; and when at length tho bolts were
once more showed into their sockets, the
young hunter felt that he had just met
with one who, to say the least, bore him no
good will. Berkley's words, his strange
earnestness in asking his questions, and
his trembling looks, all seemed to Indicate
that he knew more than he should have
known with regard to the mission of Lolo-
wah. If he had not, then why should he
have been SO anxious to have known
whether the Indian had implicated any one
by his dying declaration to the hunter, for
that was certainly the object of his inquir-
les. The more Orlando thought upon the
interview that had just passed, the more
he became convinced that his case was
hard one for il Roswell Berkeley was his
accuser, he had certainly nothing to hope
from him, if he might judge from the gen.
tleman's conduct thus far and then the
two witnesses, Gilman and Cotton, were
evidently nothing but tools in the hands of
some paying master, for already had they
peTjured themselves in their evidence at
the Justices Office. There they had sworn
that they had come accidentally upon tho
young man when he commenced digging
the grave, while Orlando knew that they
had been stealthily creeping about his home
long before he went forth to bury the In
dian, and, from Elpsey's conversation he
knew, too, that they were fully aware
of Lolowahs having come to the forest on
purpose to shoot him. OF these circum-
stances he had said nothing, fearing that if
he did, measures would be taken previous
to his trial to rebut them, whereas, if he
kept all to himself till the trial came oD,
they might prove of more service to him,
especially if he should procure the assist
ance of some competent advice.


The afternoon passed away slowly and





heavily and as the window of the young
hunters cell looked towards the west, he
could easily mark the setting of the sun
and as the glorious orb sank lower and
lower, his own spirits seemed to sink with
it, His heart looked not upon his own in
carceration for the misery it brought to
himself, but he could have wept, had he
felt less miserable, for her whom he had
left in the forest. Towards his mother
went forth his heart in sorrow, and he fear
ed it might be weeks ere he could see her
again, and perbaps-never.


AS that thought passed through young
Chester's mind, he started up from the
couch upon which he had seated himself as
though the grim angel of death had even
then intruded upon him but the idea was
so terrible, that he strove to Danish it from
his mind.


The last rays of the sun were resting
upon the prisoners wall, when the door of
the cell was opened, and small loaf and q
mug of water were silently placed upon his
stool, After the door had again been fas-
tened upon him, Orlando took the loaf and
the mug in his hands and seated himself
upon the stool. The bread was yet warm,
having evidently been but u short time
from the oven but the prisoner felt not
like eating, for the excitement he had un-
dergone, and the fearful conjectures that
had just been working through his brain,
made him sick at heart, and he laid the
food upon the floor. OF the water, how
ever, he partook, for his lips were parched
and dry.


Ere long Orlando Chester stretched his
weary limbs upon the hard rough couch,
and as sensation of drowsiness began to
creep over him he was startled by low,
grating voice by his side.


He started up and peered through the 4
gloom that was gathering about him, but
he could see nothing. Again the sound
struck upon his ear, seeming to come from
the fooE and on looking down he could
just distinguish the outlines oftwo or three
large rats gnawing away at his bread. At
first he thought Of driving them away, bnt
he wanted no food for himself then, and as
they would probably bring him moro in the
morning, he determined that he would lot
the rats have their fill and with this idea
he sank back upon the couch, ard lay SO
that he could watch them at their repast.
But the dungeon grew darker and darker
until the prisoners could see his little COM
panions no longer but still he could hear
AZ