Year: 1873

OOKlNG up, l saw an infantry corpo-
IL raj attentively regarding me. He was
a small slim man, with long black hair and
an Indian look, except in stature. l had
closed the door, but the wind or the soldier
had opened it without my knowledge, /
being at the other end of large room.
did not know how long the man had been
watching me, but he retreated as soon as
looked up.


1t was an awkward affair, to say the
least, and blamed myself very much for
not having placed chair against the door,
such thing as lock not being visible. l
had no doubt that the man had seen
enough to excite his curiosity, if not to
arouse his suspicious. The fact of my hav-
ing a screw heel to the boot, and of my
hiding paper, would be matters to make
almost any soldier suspicious of one whom
he had never seen before. Running the
case over as I fastened on the heel, made
up my mind to leave the hotel and Stevens
burg as soon as possible. pulled on my
boot, made haste down stairs, and called
for and paid my bill.


(Which way ye going?" inquired the
host, as he made my change.


"Down the river about five miles," | re-
Piled. ~ have some friends down there
whom want to see." 'Ah


From where I stood, at the end of the
bar / could see down toward the ford for
a distance of forty rods, and what should
/ see but the lieutenant-eolonel, the small
soldier, and three or four men with mus
kets, coming toward the hotel? knew
in an instant that they were after me. If
stepped out on the street, they would see
me at once, and heard men working in
the backyard, thus rendering a run that
way unsafe. At that moment some one
called out "John - and the landlord went
into the kitchen.


Now was my chance. There was no one
in the barroom but myself, and as the
colonel and his party were within twenty
rods of the house, ran into the hall, went
up the stairs two at time, and pushed in
to the first room. 1t was sort of sitting
room, but empty of sitters. In the far
end was monstrous big lounge, or half
bed, covered with chintz, and having a
flap in front which swept the floor l
heard the soldiers enter the barroom, heard
loud talking, and knew that must secrete
myself on the instant. The lounge was the
only place of refuge, and / was under it in
moment, but not moment too soon. /
had scarcely Strengthened out when heard
a tramping on the stairs, doors opening,
and directly some one came into the
room. ft.ht rft


"Nobody here p shouted voice, which
/ recognized as that of the lieutenant
colonel.


The door was shut again, and presently
all the searchers went down stairs had
no dou BIT that the landlord had told them
that had gone but not satisfied, they
had made search of the house. They
might believe that 1 had gone down the
river, and send some one in pursuit, and
they might believe that was concealed in
the house or in the town, and consequently
keep sharp lookout. Manifestly, it was
not prudent for me to leave the room be-
fore dark, and l made myself as comfort
able as possible. There was plenty of
room under the lounge, the carpet made
my position easy, and twas not likely that
! would be betrayed unless by some care
less act on my own part.


There was small rent in the curtain
just in front of my face, and through the
orihce could get fair view Of the door
and part Of the room. While was look
ing around a little, saw the latch lift, the
door softly open, and soldier put his head
into the room and look around. They
were going around on a second search. He