Year: 1871

One day last spring l found my,
self at the Cataract House, Niagara
before "the season" had fairly com
menced, and searched the register
in vain for the name of some one ]
knew. So l passed the day rather
stupidity in solitary wandering about
the falls, and it was considerably
after dark when l returned to the
hotel.


After bath / entered the dining
room, where there was a good fire
and l was soon seated before sub
stantial meal. One young man be-
sides myself was discussing his sup
per farther down on the opposite
side of the table, and two Others
were seated near the fire.


At last l broke the silence by ad
dressing some trivial remark to my
nelghbor, and after a little conver-
sation l asked him if he would join
me in walk to the tower, whence
we could obtain fine moonlight
view of the cataract. The moon
would rise about nine O'Clock, and
full of the glamour of the place, l
could not rest out of sight of the
falls. He assented, and presently
one of the men by the fire, who had
not previously spoken either to us
or his companion, remarked that he
should like to join us; that he had
been thinking of going, but dislike
to venture alone. Glancing at my
opposite neighbor, and, seeing &C
quiescence in his face, replied,
'sThe more the merrier."


After supper we stepped on to the
veranda to take observations of the
night, but, though long past the
time for the moon to rise, its face
was obscured by heavy clouds. My
companions'appeared think the night
would be too dark for our expedi-
ton, but l vigorously opposed CIV
ing it up, urging that the moon
would probably disperse the clouds;
which was IN fact, the case in less
than an hour later, though scudding
masses of vapor occasionally made
a vivid contrast to the brilliant light
that was at times shed over the land
scape, giving weird and ever
changing expression to the face OF
nature.


1t was late when we started on
our walk, and all three seemed dis
posed to silence.


Sometimes the roar of the water
made it useless to attempt to be
heard, and for my part, soon be-
came so engrossed in thought that
had little inclination for converse
tion. To tell the truth, my thoughts
were hardly agreeable. The situa-
tion was not pleasant one. 1t was
eleven o'clock ON a rather wild night
tor the wind had risen pretty high.
Three men, total strangers to each
other, starting out on a midnight
expedition through a lonely wood,
was imprudent, if not rash. 1 had
considerable money with me, and q
valuable watch and chain. began
to blame the enthusiasm which made
me choose unknown companions
rather than torego the romantic
pleasure of the trip, and l could only
determine that, as l was in for it, to
be wide awake and on the alert.


l had placed myself on the out
side of the way at starting, and l
believe the first thing that aroused
any uncomfortable feeling in. my
mind was noticing that one OF the
other of my companions managed to
change his place by falling step or
two in the rear, and coming into
line again on the outside of the
walk, thus placing me between them.
1 tried to hold my position, but it
was of no use; if / held it for
moment, one of them invariably
stepped out Of line, and resumed
his place on, the outside. fancied
once that l heard quick word pass
between them, but l was not sure.
Still the suspicion was enough to
set me thinking very busily and not
very pleasantly. believed their
non acquaintance was a ruse, and
that 1 had fallen an easy prey into
their designing hands. "Well," l
thought, two against one are not
the odds one cares to see, especially
when ones self happens to be the
one, but forewarned is forearmed."
Still l was far from comfortable. An
occasional word passed between us,
but there was no attempt at conver-
sation.


We had crossed the bridge, and
were walking quickly toward the
Canadian fall into the order silently
but persistently insist upon by the
other two, when suddenly-for it
was quite dark at the time-we
came upon a man who stood alone
in the middle of the pathway. We
stopped and apologized, for we had
nearly run him down, and in return
he asked us where we were going.


"To the tower,' replied one Of
my attendants.


"This is just the night for such an
expedition" replied the stranger.
"With your permission l will join
you. ,


Instantly the thought flashed
through my mind,.that this third one
was an accomplice who had been
awaiting our coming. l have backed
out, pleaded fatigue, the unsuitable
ness of the night, anything to get
away from the band; but l remem-
bered that the proposal had been
mine, and furthermore, if mischief
was meant, any indication on my
part that l suspected my compan-
ions would only hasten the evil mo-
ment. There was nothing for me
but to keep on, and trust to provi-
dence to show me some way of es,
cape.


The moon was now shining bright
ly upon the group. The addition to
the party l discovered to be short,
thick set man, with low brow and
large neck, just the figure, it seemed
to me, for ruflian. He was appar-
emily of great strength, and l thought
what quick work he could make OF
me, even if he depended on his
strength alone.


"This is to be q lonely walk
friends" l said. ''Have you shoot
inuirOnsY"