Year: 1876

SOOu-SlZeu IOOIn OH ellileT sue As


soon as L stepped in, my attention


was arrested by a little girl, in spite


of neglected appearance, one of the


most perfectly lovely little creatures


that l ever saw.


L learned afterward that she was


nearly nine, but so small and deli


cate was she, that she looked full


three years younger.


In one of the rooms was a large,


coarse-featued woman, with a peculiar


disagreeable expression of counte-


nance, engaged in some domestic du-


ties; the other was vacant, and enter
ing it, L took seat upon the settee.


The little girl came and stood by
the open door, fixing her large, earn
est eyes upon me with a mournful
intentness of expression that L had
never see in a child before.


L smiled and held out my hand to
her. To my surprise she came di-
rectly to me- Touched by this ex-
preston of confidence in an entire
stranger, no less than her exceeding
beauty, L took her upon my lap.


"You are not my papa?" she said,
regarding me with the same wistful
look, "but you look like him"


where is your papa?" / enquired,
more for the sake of talking than be-
cause L cared to know"


The child shuddered and turned
pale.


Just then the landlord entered. He
frowned as his eye fell upon the child,
and looked uneasy.


"You must not trouble the gentle
man" he said in a voice whose harsh
ness was in marked contrast to the
smooth, oily tones he had used in
speaking to me. Get down into the
Kitchen


After partaking of "a worm, sub
stantial supper, / requested to be
shown to my room, as L was desirous
of taking an early start in the morn
ing.


The room in which the landlord
took me was an upper room, of good
size and comfortably furnished. l
observed that there was only one
window, and that one was small and
provided with shutters.


As was examining my knapsack,
with my back to the door, 1 heard a
faint rustic, and turning, l saw the
little girl L had observed below.
standing in the middle of the room,
with an expression upon her counte-
nance which startled me as much as
her unexpected appearance.


Are you going to stay here to- /
night?" she said, in a hurried whis-
per.


YES" / replied. Wouldn't you
like to have me?"


mo, oh, mol" she said, with the
same look and tone, and shudder-
full place. Don't stay If you do,
they will kill yon just as they
did"


"Kathie, Kathiel" screamed the 1
harsh voice of the landlords wife,
"come down here this minute"


Kathie's eyes dilated with terror;
turning, she glided from the room as
quickly and as noiselessly as she had
entered.


Listentening, heard angry voices
below, then a sharp cry, ending in
piteous sobs which gradually died
away, as if the child were conveyed
TO some distant part of the house.


Filled with Indignation and alarm,
L opened the door with the inten-
ton of interfering; but feeling, upon
the second thought, how useless
any such attempt would be in my
present situation, L closed it and
went to the window / placed my
hand upon the shutters; they were
iron, and firmly fixed into the case
ment.


1t did not take me long to decide
what to do. After examining my
revolver to see if it was all right,
took my traps and descended to the
bar room.


The landlord stared with an angry
look when he saw me.


Il have concluded to resume my
journey" / said i'm as careless "a tone
as 1 could assume. please bring my
horse directly to the DOOR"


Every one to his fancy" said the
man, glancing at me sharply from the
corner of his eye; "but / should not
want to pass through the Black For
est alone such night as this"


You forget my trusty friend here"
| said, touching my revolver signifi-
cantly as 1 spoke.


The villain covered; for he saw in
"a moment that / understood him.


Il suppose you know your own
business best" he muttered, sullenly,
as he went out for my horse.


1t was with feeling of joy that L
found myself again in the saddle,
gloomy and lonely as was the way
before me. Yet my thoughts revert
ed sadly to the sweet child, to whose
timely warning l owed so much; and
/ determined to obtain a search war
rant and rescue her, if possible, from
the cruel hands of those whom L felt
could have no legal claim on her.


/ soon struck into the Black For
est which was composed principally
of fir and pine, to whose dark foliage
it doubtless owed its name.


But soon the faithful creature
that had never failed me before, be-
gan to halt, and finally became so
lame as to be unable to proceed fur
ther Suspecting treachery, 1 dis
mounted.


The sky was partially cleared and
the moon had risen, but she'only gave
a fitful light, and now had entirely