Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 38: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ON THE TRAIL ashes, the room was in impenetrable darkness. I heard the latch raised, a guarded footstep, and then the door was gently closed. Standing and lis- tening for several minutes, nothing came to me but the faint patter of the rain, the soughing of the wind and the moaning of the forest like the distant sound of the ocean. Jake Auckland had started upon his long, laborious walk, and I was alone. I stood by the door for a few minutes, listening to the whirling raindrops and soughing of the wind in the darkness. From above stairs, sounded the heavy, reguiar breathing of the couple who suspected nothing of what had been going on below. I lay down on the blanket in the cor- mer, using my traveling bag as a pil- low. With my face toward the fire- place, I watched the red glow of some of the embers, penetrating through the blanket of ashes, and glowering upon me like the eye of an ogre. A tiny point showed that the candle wick was alive, but it suddenly went out, though the pungent smell of the smoke remained in my nostrils for some time. Finally, with the soft patter of the occasional raindrops against the window panes, and the dismal sighing of the wind, I fell asleep. When I awoke, it was with a con- fused, dreamy murmur in my ears that for some minutes I failed to recognize. Then, when I opened my eyes, I first noted the tall, angular form of Mrs. Auckland moving about the room. Day had fully come and breakfast was nearly ready. I noticed that she stepped softly, often glancing toward my corner, as if afraid of disturbing me. Coming to the sitting position, I bade her good morning, flung the blanket aside, and rose to my feet. She greeted me in her grave, severe manner, and before I asked the ques- tion, said: “Tom is out to the barn ’tending to the critters ; breakfast is ready, and he'll OF A MYSTERY. 29 be here in a minute; you can wash at the spring.” “Thank you; where is it?” She stepped to the door, pulled it open, and pointed along a well marked path, leading into the wood at the rear of the cabin. Bag in hand, I moved briskly over the trail for perhaps fiity yards, when I came to one of the finest springs it has ever been my good for- tune to see. It bubbled up at the foot of a black oak, several of whose gnarled roots formed a border at the rear, and one served as an elastic support to my chest as I lay down and quaffed my fill of the crystalline, icy cold fluid. It may have been a primitive “ toilet set,’ with which kind nature had pro- vided me, but I was grateful, and when I hurried back over the path, I was a- hungered and in buoyant spirits. A surprise greeted me at the cabin. Tom Auckland and his wife had sat down at the table, but they awaited my arrival before saying grace, and seated in his accustomed place was the grin- ning Jake, showing no signs, except some splashes of mud on his clothing, that he had traveled more than a score of miles since midnight. From what I have said, it will be understood that the weather had cleared up, and the sun was shining. Wal, I done it!” he said, as I cor- dially shook his hand and joined the group around the board. “Tam glad to know it, for it was 1m- portant ” “ Old Gaffkins didn’t want to let me have the pony at first, but when I told him the critter hadn’t run away with you, but you, thinking as how you wouldn’t need him any more, let him go, and you had changed your mind, and would pay him a good price by the day, why he was mighty glad to let me have him, and he’s in the stable now, where dad’ll ’tend to him right well till you need him agin.” Blessings on Jake’s towhead! He was shrewder than I, and, Seeing t that I was on the point of piviig use: 0) eco