Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-12-25

colors. The next spring, l was to have had
Mary Williams, and take her to my own
cabin, over the river" More than one tear
now glistened moment in the freight and
dropped fast from the cheek, as the TrappeI
gazed silently again into the flames.
sComins back from hunt one night, we
that's Jed and found stranger in the
cabin. lie was one of your city fellers, and
yet he vas handsome as picter. He was
richly dressed His eye was the blacklist
and the piercingcst ever see, and seemed
to go right through one, every time he look
ed 'em. I alters felt kind o chilly like,
every time he looked at me, and 1 amt apt
to care for any critters looks. His voice
was like lie, and crept right into one, some
how. I didn't like the looks of the fcllcr at
all, and it may be was a little jealous.
"Jed never turned a stranger away from
his cabin, and this one stayed and stayed.
We wasn't awful thick with each other, and
the more see of him the worse I liked him.
He seemed to know it, too, but never said
nothing, only in his smooth kind O way. I
didn't rally want to pick fuss with him,
but felt all the time as though there was a
devil in his eye, when he catched me watch
ing him.
"One day. remember it as we'll as tho
twas yesterday-I came back from over the
river, and found no one in the cabin, I felt
uneasy and lonesome like, and walked slow
ly down to bend in the river where we
used to hitch our boats. As got near, [
heard voices, and l knew that the stranger
aud Mary Williams we're there. They were
talking low, but prairie on fire in gale,
wasn't nothin' to what went on in my breast.
I shut my hand on my rifle till it seemed
that the barrel would give way. But was
cool, awfully cool, and began to creep nearer.
1 didn't want to eavesdrop, but 1 was deter
mined that the stranger shouldn't come any
of his fassynations over Mary Williams, if |
could help it. They stood upon the bank,
and he seemed to be trying to coax her to so
into his boat, and she kind O half hesitatin'
like, as if afraid Ika3mm she aeas charmed.
Some would laugh, but no critter ever had
such eyes and such a voice, who could not
charm. I've seen birds charmed by rattle
snakes, and kno,c that some men, cuss 'em,
have the same natur. Well, as | was say
ing, Mary was charmed, and stood trembling,
her mouth partly open, and her face as pale
as ashes She wou!1fe&n towards the stran-
ger at times, and then sway back again, and
he all the time watching her with his glitter
ing eyes, and talking low to her. As he
stepped into the boat, and held out his hand,
Mary burst right out crying, and slowly fol-
lowed him. 1t was now quite duskish, but
the strangers eyes, as true as | am a living
man, giowed just like Goals of fire. \ cold
sweat stood all over my forehead, and [ grew
faint for a mint. jumped down the bank,
right afore the stranger, and dropped NY eye
along 'old Mort, that's my riac-and yel-
led at him to stop. He had just swung out
from the bank. and as yelled, Mary put up
her arms, like one in nightmare, and cried
for help The strangers eyes fairly burned,
but my blood was up, and l didn't care what
1 did. Ifred!"
There was breathless silence around the
campfire, as the Trapper here ceased his tale
for a moment, and looked into vacancy. He
continued:
nHeavens and arth All the internal dev-
lis in the pit could not have put up such an
awful yell as l heard; it was enough to drive
one mad. And though don't like to tell
it, was scared, and my hair stood right
square up, in spite of all could do. |
know 'twan'ta human voice. amt afraid
of any human critter. 1t was the scream Of
some damned one, and was as near the howl
of wolf as anything, only enough sight
more frightful. Mary fell faiuting in my
arms, and the boat went down the stream,
with that damnable howl ringing in my ears.
hear It nor ~
We all started and looked out into the
darkness, but it Wis not there that the Trap,
per heard the sound. After moment, lie
resumed:
ssNIary was never like her old self again
never. She kind O pincd, and seemed tc
be dreaming She was kinder to me than
ever, but would sometimes seem to forget
everything around her, and then she would
look at something just as she did at the stran
!, ger on the river bank. 1t cut me hard, fol
| knew the spell was on her yet. One even
ing l found her standing where the stran
gers boat left the shore, her hands locked a!
/, !, they was then, and she leaning out over the
water. When I spoke to her, she startet
; and commenced sobbing like child. was
in trouble, | tell you, and so was Jed.
! "Mary was used to hunters fare, and uset
E to 90 with us on trips, for we burst not leave
her alone in the cabin. One time, we'd beer
! up nigh upon hundred miles up the river
, and at night camped under bluff, by an In
i dian trial 1t was just such night as this
{ only it rained like suds all the time, ant
:, such thunder and lightning I never see. [
y was mighty. The rocks kept off the wind
, but the trees fell around US, and toward
! midnight the lightning struck an old dr..
- pine, and its blaze went clean into the sky
"After a while, Mary began to grow un
a easy. Her face was pale, and she woult
= start as though she heard something, ant
5 look steady towards the river. She looke'
l., Just as she did the night found her will
r that stranger"