Frank in the Woods

asant Co

the night. The landlord, a bustling little Englishman, soon had supper ready for me, and as I had not eaten a mouthful since morning, I sat down to it with a most ravenous appetite, and ate until I began to feel asham

your 'orse, sir? He be s

hing the matter with him when I gave him into your char

me as though he expected a kicking, a piece of my mind, when I happened to remember that, as I was that afternoon descending a steep hill, my horse had stepped upon a rolling stone, and almost thrown me from the saddle; and I noticed that he limped a little afterward; but I thought it was nothing serious, and had almost forgotten the circumstance. This I explained, in a few words, to the hostler, who drew a long breath, as if a mighty load had been removed from his breast. After rubbing the animal's leg with some liniment, which I had brought with me, I saw him plentifu

red of my host, as he hurried by me, pa

Barlow has been around again, and there is on

ng wound, which he had received in his breast. As soon as the operation was completed, he informed us, in reply to an inquiry of one of the bystanders, that the wound was dangerous, but that by careful nu

'I thought everybody had heard of him! I gues

in the af

of Giles Barlow. He is a highwayman, that has been about here for almost ten years, murder

rested him before th

n't we tried that game? We've hunted him with rifles, and tracked him wi

a looking man i

as lightning, and he's got an eye that can look right through a common man. And such hair! It is long and curly, and loo

d ask another question the man had walked away, shrugging his shoulders, and joined a

e fireplace, and waited impatiently for the morning. It came at length, and, as was my usual custom, I hurried out to the stable to look after m

n I hire a horse for two or three days? I must be in Benningto

in a nice fix. I don't believe ther

red, 'for I must be in Benn

e hostler, who stood in the stable, rubbing down my horse, 'Tom, go over to Bill Parker's and see if

information that Mr. Parker had gone off into the country

gton, and must be there in time. I was about making up my mind th

am which flowed by a little distance from the tavern) 'runs within half a m

or rather dugout, provided I would 'do the fair thing' by him. To this I readily agreed. After giving emphatic directions as to the treatment of my horse, I stepped into the canoe, and was soon out of sight of the

for I had become very tired from the cramped position in which I was obliged to sit. In about an hour I made prepar

riend! whi

n the garb of a hunter, standing on th

to Bennington

ing in the same direction. Would you

I replied

k at my passenger. Merciful Heaven! how I started! He was a small man, considerably below the medium hight, very slim, but well formed, and wiry as an eel, and the enormous muscles on his limbs showed plainly with every motion he made. But his eye! How it f

ll armed, and had the reputation of being a tough customer to handle. But the situation in which I was placed would have tried stronger nerves than mine. I thrust my hand into my pocket, and felt that m

ed as though he felt extremely happy, and I, of course, jo

l, for I knew that if he intended to make an attempt upon my life, the time was approa

up. It's a good forty miles to Benningto

may go to sleep first, and

; I will steer the canoe, and you can lie down

d places, and the highwayman took his seat in the stern of the canoe. After wrapping my cloak around me, and placing myself so

I began to think that perhaps I had been mistaken in my man, when

ger. I'll just quietly douse your glim, and take what money and other littl

ant, I threw aside my cloak, and, supporting myself on my elbow, I raised my revolver, and took a quick, steady aim at his breast. He uttered a cry of surprise, bu

elivered the body to the authorities. The news spread like wildfir

He had received excellent care, and was entirely cured of his lameness; but the landlord stubbornly