248 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



bed. I saw him, assisted by [the hag, draw out the 

 charge of shot which was in the gun, and re-load 

 it with a handful of slugs. I turned over heavily, 

 and pretended to have awakened. My plan of ac- 

 tion was arranged in a moment. I had worn a 

 wig for several years, on account of losing my 

 hair by a fever. I determined to make it of more 

 use than it had ever been before. I lifted myself 

 from the bed, and felt about in the dark; until I 

 found one of the pumpkins I had seen. Over 

 this I drew my wig, and it happened to be an 

 excellent fit. Having dressed it in this uncom- 

 mon manner, I crept back to my bed and placed 

 it on my pillow; in the exact spot which my head 

 had occupied. When it was thus adjusted, it was 

 in juxtaposition with the long crevice, through 

 which I took another look. The fiends were 

 loading a brace of pistols with the same infernal 

 slugs ! 



I can't say but I felt a little dry about the 

 throat then. I looked towards old Lion. I could 

 see his great eyes through the darkness. He was 

 still upon the alert. The perspiration began to 

 roll down my face in great drops, not that I felt 

 absolutely afraid — for I flatter myself I was no 

 coward — but I did not like the idea of taking 

 human life. I was confident I could defend my- 

 self, yet even that confidence was not enough to 

 make me feel altogether comfortable. 



Taking my pistols in my hands, I bent over 

 the bed, and commenced snoring again ; at the 

 same time watching the movements of the man 

 and his amiable spouse. Every expulsion from 

 my nose seemed to give her infinite satisfaction. 

 They looked at each other, nodded, and smiled 

 grimly. He took the gun, and in his stocking 

 feet, approached the crevice opposite my bed, 

 followed by the hag with pistols and carving 

 knife. Stooping, he peered into the room, and 

 brought his ferocious-looking eyes to bear upon 

 my wig. I knew it would be dangerous to see 

 any more. I raised my head out of harm's way, 

 and emitted now and then a snore. I distinctly 

 heard him fix the muzzle of his gun against the 

 fissure opposite my wig, and then with a tremor 

 of indignation, and a kind of a creeping sensation 

 all over me, I drew back, and awaited the result. 

 It was a moment of awful suspense to me. What 

 if he should discover the cheat and elevate his 

 piece! A thousand such thoughts rushed through 

 my mind in an instant. The cold sweat ran 

 clown my face in a stream. Thank Heaven, I was 

 not long kept in suspense. A terrible explosion 

 followed the pause. A storm of slugs poured 

 into my bed, perforating my wig, and scattering 

 the pumpkin in every direction. 



" He won't never tell no stories!" I heard the 

 assassin say, as he dropped the breach of the gun 

 heavily to the floor. " Now for the dog." 



During these operations, Lion had placed him- 

 self by my side, with his fore feet upon the bed ; 

 while to keep him still, I put my hand over 

 his mouth. He knew what I meant, for I had 

 kept him quiet so before. At the moment of the 

 discharge, he gave a low growl. I pointed to the 

 door. He understood my meaning well. His 

 eyes flashed like balls of fire, while he waited 

 for a moment to wreak his vengeance on the as- 

 sassins. 



" I will open the door a little, and when 



the cretur sticks out his head shoot him," said 

 the she- wolf. 



The door was opened, but " the cretur" didn't 

 stick his head out. Lion knew better than that, 

 and waited his chance. Emboldened by not 

 hearing anything, the door was gradually opened. 

 Now was the time. With a terrible howl, Lion 

 leaped over the head of the woman, and seizing 

 the ruffian by the throat, dragged him in an in- 

 stant to the floor, where a great struggle took 

 place. In another moment, the hag was writhing 

 in my nervous grasp; her surprise was so great 

 that she made but little resistance, and I quickly 

 bound her hand and foot, with a cord she had 

 procured for another use — perhaps to drag my 

 body away into the woods. 



The next thing to attend to was the man, and 

 Lion. The struggle was still going on; but the 

 latter had set his sharp teeth into the throat of 

 the wretch, and rendered all his efforts abortive, 

 although he was a man of powerful frame. He was 

 already reeking with blood, and I hastened to 

 save what little of life was left in him. The dog 

 was loth to quit his hold, and when he did, he 

 left his victim to punish another : for before I 

 could prevent it he had set his teeth quite through 

 the hag's arm, who shrieked like a lunatic. 



The fellow looked ghastly enough when I re- 

 leased him. His neck was frightfully torn, but 

 he got no pity from me. I bound her apron 

 about his neck, which was all the surgical aid he 

 had from me. Lion seemed very well satisfied 

 with the arrangements, and laid down in the 

 corner, and watched them with much calm philo- 

 sophy. 



We remained with them till morning. I can- 

 not but say I enjoyed our triumph as much as 

 Lion did, for they were certainly old offenders, 

 as it was proved afterwards in a court of justice. 

 As good fortune would have it, a man passed the 

 next morning, by whom I sent word to the 

 nearest settlement of what had occurred. 



Before ten o'clock the offenders were in the 

 hands of the law. They were conveyed to the 

 nearest jail, where they awaited their trial, which 

 took place about two months afterwards. They 

 were sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, which, 

 all things considered, was not too much. 



Let no one despise the dog ; he is the 

 only animal who, forsaking his own species, 

 cultivates the friendship of man. 



"A SKETCH" IROM LIFE. 



Beautiful? No, she is not that; although 



There's something more than beauty, an ex- 

 panse 

 Of intellectual grandeur on her brow, 



And her full oval eye gives utterance 

 To feelings deep, for which the tongue of man 



Hath never yet found fitting words; her mouth, 

 Which scorn can curl with bitterness, also can 



Smile with such sweetness as the sun-fed south 

 Kindles on young love- roses; round her neck 



Her long and thickly clustering ringlets rove, 

 Like tendrils which some faultless statue deck. 



Her form is faultless. Such is she I love ; 

 Lovely, although not beautiful, is she; 



AY, LOVELIEST TO MINE EYES ; FOR SHE LOVES 

 ME ! Q. 



