Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-01-21

"Who can it be - muttered Jack
"Some one from town, | reckon. AT all
events, I'll run down and have q nearer
look at him"
And, suiting the action to the word, he
struck out leisurly down the river.
A few yards below tho point at which !
the form seen by Jack was gliding about,
the river took bend, and narrowed sud
denly, running for more than three miles
between lofty, ovcrhanging banks, from
which the trees, chiefly hemlock and pine
projected themselves towards each other
from either shore, throwing the stream in
to deep rhadow, with here and there
band of light, where few trees had been
cut down, or had fallen away from the
bank with the gradual wash Of the soil
from their gnarled roots.
70 Jacks astonishment, no sooner was
be fairly under weight for the mysterious
skater than the latter, apparently seeing
and divining his intention suddenly ceased
his gyralions, aud after an instant pause
swiftly Shot down the river, keeping close
in shore, and evidently with the design ol
eyading Jacks pursuit.
"lIo, ho !" said Jack to himself, half
aloud. "That's your game, is it! Very
well Here goes for chase, my fine fcl-
low u
Aud putting forth an additional amount
of strength, h, increased hi, speed so far
and quickly os TO gain hundred ) ards in
a moment upon the flying phantom. Bat
the other, apparently perceiving this again
Immediately increased bis cwn ac,, and
without materially widening the distance
between them, sped onward with rapid
! ity that defed Jacks utmost efforts 10 sur
pass. In a moment the form had entered
the deep shadows beyond the bend, ard
Jack lot sight of it, In another moment
he again bel cid it fitting across space o
: moonlight, still the same distance ahead ,tt
t become again lost lmost i SANITY in tn,
next line Of dar!nes. 1t this manner
through gloom aud through glitter, the
chase continued with wonderful swiltucs
r for nearly two miles, neither pursucr no
pursued gaining upon each other.
), What the emotions cf the phantom wer
: ($or Jack h I'd begun inyoluntarily to cal
y it thus to himself Of course, cannot pre-
o tend to say but Jack Philips mind wa
aroused mp to a pitch of excitement tina
= sent the blood coursng holly through hi
= veins, and caused profuse perspiration
y start forth upon his bosome and brow i
= spite of the bitter sold. He ,boweycr wa
J. utterly arcon cicus of this, and felt ncithc
IL cold, nor heat. nor fatigue. His who
soul was possessed with the one fxed re
= solve Of overtaking tho phantom he nei
ii thor saw nor heard anything else but tt
u fleeing form and the eohose that role
'c along the glib ice from tho skate strokes
IS nor did he relax his speed for an iustal
IL whether in shade or in moonshine nor gi,
: other heed to his course t an to make
as straight and swift as that of an AFRO
d launhed by a stout archer from an ashe
a bow
n The chase had pow entered on its tbil
it mile, and here the river became torturol
n and irregular,a sharp curve spreading o
i into broad, bay like expause, and as su,
c. denly closing up again into deep da1
ir gorge, only TO carve out Its banks again
r. few yards further on, into another bri
I'd space OF clear moonlight and calm wale
slf Whenever these open spaces occure
Y the phantom huggod the shore, which W
it always in partial shadow, while Jack he
no straight across the open ST ace hopil
at thereby t. gain upon the fugitive by su
lsc atitutng the sraight line for the curve
IN, The advantage, however, had been b
le, slight and transient so FAR, and the ra
* bade fair to AIRY them both TO the So
he which was but twenty milesturther dow
cd when, as Jack Phillips entered the lhi
of the openings above described,hc behe
ID (for his eye was ever steadily fixed
/ quest of the phantom y with grim deligI
ok the form scarcely two-thirds of the distar
of around its margin, evidently gliding vi
ii diminished speed. The space had at Il
ON begun to tell upon it,
ID Jacks heart bounded fercely, for
rm was possessed with kind ol rage agaiI
'ar this weird skater, who had thus far foil
IN his power of speed and endurance, al
n a with desperate effort, he shot, aim
as with the speed of light, Sraight out acr'
wn the moonlit space, feeling confident Il
hat he should head the phantom off in
ne mouth of the opposite gorge. His c,
he'd were still fxed unon the dark form &,