Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-04-24
q Tale Of >tbe QQ&st.
THE SHOT I'M THE EYE.
TCoNCLUDED.1

One day we had all turned out for deer
drive. This hunt, in which dogs are used
for driving the game out of the timber, scat
ters the hunters very much; they are sta
toned at the different stands which are
sometimes miles apart, to watch for the deer
passing out; for this reason the party seldom
gets together again until night. We divid-
ed in the morning, and skirted up opposite
sides of a wide belt of bottom timber, while
the drivers and dogs penetrated it, to rouse
the deer, which run out on either side by
the stands, which were known to the hun
ters. We were unusually successful, and
returned to late dinner at our hosts, the
planters house. BY dusk all had come in,
excepting my friend, whose name was Henry
and q man named Stoner, one of the neigh
bors, who had joined our hunt Dinner was
ready, and we sat down to it, supposing they
would be in, in few moments. The meal
was nearly over, when Henry, who was a
gay, voluble fellow, came into the room,
and, with a slightly furried manner, ad-
dressed our host esquire, this is strange
country of yours! Do you let crazy people
range it with guns in their hands?'
Not when we know it. Why? What
about crazy people? You look excited
well, I think I've had enough to make
me feel little curious
What is it? What is it" exclaimed
everybody, eagerly.
why, have met with either the old
Harry himself-a ghost-or madman .
and which it is, I am confundedly puzzled
to tellH
sWhere? How
He threw himself into chair, wiped the
perspiration from his forehead, and continu-
ed: sYou know, Stoner and myself, when
we parted from you all this morning, took
up the right hand side of the bottom timber.
Well, Stoner accompanied me to my stand,
where we parted he to go on to his; and 1
have seen nothing of him since. Soon after
he left me, a deer passed QUO, I shot it,
wounded it, and jumped on my horse to pur-
sue it. The deer had staggered at my fire,
but was not so badly wounded as l supposed
and led me off, until it suddenly occurred
to me that might get lost, and I reined
up; but soon found that this sober second
thought had come too late, and that was
already out of my latitude. 1 wandered
about nearly all day, though taking care not
to 90 very far in any one direction, before l
came across anything which promised to set
me right again. at last came upon wag-
on trail and felt relieved, for knew it must
take me to some point where I could get in.
formation. The trail was narrow, leading
through scrubby thickets; and was riding
along slowly, looking down, in hope Of de,
tecting the tracks of some of your horses,
when the violent shying of my horse caused
me to raise my eyes. And, by George! it
was enough to have 'stampeded' a regiment
Of horses.
On the left of the trail stood very tall
skeleton-like figure, dressed in skins, one
foot advanced, as if he had stopped in the
act of stepping across it, and long heavy
gun, just swinging down to the level, bear
ing on me. OF course, my heart leaped into
my throat, and my flesh shrunk and crept
Before could think of raising my gun, my
eyes met those of this strange figure: and
such eyes! Surprise at their cold unnatural
expression, suspended my action; burning
with chill singular brilliancy, in deep,
sunken sockets, they looked as if they never
had winked. Dwelling steadily upon my
face for moment, they seemed to be salts.
fed, and the gun was slowly thrown back
upon his shoulders; and plucking at long
erisly beard with an impatient gesture of his
bony hands, the figure made a stride acros:
the trail, and without speaking a word plum
ped into the thicket. l was so confoundet
by this curious dumb-show, that he was near
" concealed in the bush before l found m.
tongue to shout to him to stop; but he KEEP