KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



247 



I certainly saw something in that man's counte- 

 nance that I did not like, the moment I set my 

 eyes upon him. In a gruff voice he asked my 

 business ; I told him I believed I had lost my 

 way, and was under the necessity of asking ac- 

 commodation. After hesitating a moment, he 

 asked me to enter. A tall female was seated in 

 the corner, near a large rock fireplace. She 

 seemed busy in watching a piece of meat hissing 

 over the fire. It struck me that I had never seen 

 a more apathetic countenance than hers. She 

 hardly noticed my entry. Her face was remark- 

 ably long, and wrinkled to a degree to excite 

 curiosity. Her nose was sharp and skinny, as 

 was indeed her whole face. The head-gear was 

 wholly indescribable, and beneath it grey hairs 

 were visible. Her entire dress was unlike any- 

 thing I had ever seen. I could hardly keep my 

 eyes off her. She, as well as the man, glanced 

 eagerly at my pack as I laid it down. The 

 latter was a coarse-looking person, whose coun- 

 tenance appeared more indicative of apathy than 

 villainy. 



A kind of telegraphing took place between the 

 two, after which I was informed I could stay. 

 This did not appear to me a very great favor, 

 since I had the chance to observe my host and 

 hostess. 



The meat upon the coals was set upon the 

 table at length. I was invited to partake of it, 

 which I did with my host, who had been absent, 

 and returned a few minutes before my arrival. 

 During my repast, Lion took his station by my 

 side ; receiving a portion, as he always did. When 

 I had finished I drew away from the board, and 

 taking a paper from my pocket, pretended to be 

 busy reading. Presently, I nodded over my paper 

 like a sleeping person. Instantly the manner of the 

 two persons became more alarming. Finally, the 

 tall hag lifted my pack and weighed it in her hands 

 as well as she was able. Her eyes flashed like a 

 serpent's, for it contained a large quantity of spe- 

 cie, besides valuable jewellery and costly silks. 

 I always made a practice of putting my silver 

 money in a bag, and depositing it in a belt which 

 I wore next my skin. 



After she had done this, she motioned him to 

 come and lift it, which he did, with apparently 

 as much satisfaction as his other half had expe- 

 rienced. He then opened the door softly, and 

 motioned the dog to go out. Though I have no 

 doubt Lion understood the pantomimes as 

 well as anybody, he did not offer to stir, but lay 

 at my feet as quietly as ever. At last the old 

 hag got impatient, and shook the poker at him. 

 Lion showed two rows of white teeth, and 

 uttered a low growl. The pantomimes ceased 

 in an instant. The poker returned to its place. 

 I stirred a little. They were quick to observe 

 me. 



" A fine dog," said the man, thinking that pro- 

 bably I might hear the remark. " I reckon he 

 wants to get out — he growls as though he did." 

 A pause followed this remark. He thought I 

 might order him out ; but I did no such thing. 



" Nice dog," the woman added, after a moment, 

 " nice dog;" and then she offered him a piece of 

 meat and attempted to fondle him. Contrary to 

 her expectations, Lion utterly refused the meat, 

 and put an end to all familiarity by showing his 



teeth again in a very testy manner. I now 

 thought it time to wake up, which I did with a 

 preparatory yawn or two. I made them under- 

 stand that I wished to retire. There were but 

 two apartments in the cabin, and both left the 

 one I was in to make arrangements in the other 

 for my accommodation. They came out at 

 length, and I was told that my bed was ready. 

 I passed the first, and the woman attempted to 

 shut the door on Lion ; but the latter putting 

 forth his strength, sprang after me in an instant, 

 almost upsetting the hag in the operation. " I 

 thought the creature would like to stay by the 

 fire," said she, by the way of apology. 



" Call the varmint out — 'tain't likely the man 

 wants to sleep in the room with the beast," said 

 mine host, in a manner that expressed a great 

 deal of Christian anxiety for my welfare. " I 

 prefer to have him with me," I answered. 



"He won't eat that quarter of meat in there, 

 will he?" 



" Oh, no," I answered. " You are quite right 

 — he never takes anything that's not his." 

 Saying this, I wished them a good night and 

 closed the door. 



They had provided me with a dim tallow 

 candle, and the first thing I did was to examine 

 everything in the room. It was pretty well 

 lumbered up. Various kinds of vegetables oc- 

 cupied different corners, among which were 

 pumpkins, potatoes, melons, &c., together with a 

 quarter of venison, and some jerked beef and 

 skins of animals. It was a poor concern, the 

 frame being made of round poles in the same 

 state that they were taken from the wood ; and 

 the clothing upon it was turned coarse enough 

 foii a hermit. But what struck me as being a 

 little singular was, that the bed was turned to- 

 wards the partition separating the two rooms, and 

 right opposite the pillow was a wide crack, which 

 had the appearance of being left open by design. 



J began to feel queer (and that is jiot just the 

 word to express what I mean). I had large 

 sums of money about me, enough to tempt the 

 cupidity of my entertainers at any rate, as their 

 actions had already evinced. How easy it would 

 be for them to shoot me through the crevice 

 while I slept! The idea got possession of me 

 fully, and I could not drive it from my mind. I 

 would have fastened the door, but there was no- 

 thing to fasten it with, and I was impressed with 

 the idea that the danger would not come in that 

 direction. If it should, Lion was there to apprise 

 me of it. I laid off my coat, and bustled about 

 as though I was undressing. I put my pistol 

 under my pillow and laid down, but such an un- 

 accountable and terrible sense of evil pressed upon 

 me that I could not sleep. Lion, too, appeared 

 uneasy — he came and put his fore paws on the 

 bed every few minutes ; then went back to his 

 post at the door, and laid down in a kind of 

 feverish anxiety. 



At last I feigned sleep, and snored most musi- 

 cally, but I did not fail to look through the cre- 

 vice and see what my host and hostess were 

 doing. They laid down upon the bed which 

 stood in the room, and were quiet enough until I 

 began to snore ; then I heard them whisper. 

 What were my sensations when I saw them rise 

 softly, and the man take a gun from behind the 



