The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1876-06-15

- '''g "i'''N'A " ~ ~ 'h'N'f
some Juicy y%enisOn, Of which they ate
heartily, for a TRAMP among the noun
talns In one Of the best of appetiMrs.
They remained here smoking and chat.
ing until the moon had risen high above
the trcetops, and Kn0wIand's silver time
piece announced the hour Of ten, when,
slouldering their guns they carefully
threaded their way down stream in the
direction Of the island, fitting like silent
spcctres from tree to tree and bowldcr to
bowIdcr. They had lravcrscd about a
half a mile, when Shasta Joe, who was in
advance, uttered 4 warming "sh!' and
halted,
See yer 0ow,' he said, turning to
the others, " we're almost to the Internal
place, and a huntln' ghosts is a ticklish
sort o business, we want to keep clns to.
gether an as still rs possible. Forrardw
Again they moved on, and s0on came
IN sight Of the stream, cleaning in tho
moonlight like Il bed Of molten Ill liver.
Ihcy could sec the low, black island in
the center covered with low bushes, and
conccaIlng themselves where they could
command a good view of the island, the
~ rehIl and either shore, they began
Their silent watch, continually scanning
,hc river and conyersing only in the
lowest whispers, The tedious hours
wore slowly away, midnight drew near,
ana sun they waited aud watched.
ITS about time the crittcr was
a comm, if he's a goin' TO-" whispered
Ben; HE generally appears near the
ohaddcr o that tree Icanin' over the
water"
The words had scarcely left his Iipp
when the waters near the position midi
Gated were violently agitatcd, and a
huge, hairy form in human resemblance
rose out Of the waters, its two horns
cleaning ghostIy white in the moonlight,
and gave vent to a sCrccChiug roar that
rolled over the waters ike the shrek of
a iicnd, and was echoed and rc.cchocd
among the surrounding cliffs with Il
dcmoujacaI and startling intensity. The
next instant the strange creature,
whether man, beast, or devil, sank from
sight beneath the troubled waters Of the
Gold stream.
The trio seemed riyilcd to the spot by
a strange fascination, and it was not
until the rev hprating echoes had died
away, that they vcnturcd to breathe
freely when Ben said, with {, sarcastic
ring in his voice.
What do you cali that, wonder ?'
Knowland's strained nerves relaxed at
tn" sound Of Ecn's voice, and he an.
swored, in strangely puzzled and wavcr-
ing tones;
"IIat Is the most wonderful phcnom-
cnon ever b"hcld."
"It's not n spirit, though, reckon ?"
sud Ben, with II snccr.
"No, | can't believe that it is. II
may be some acquatic animal Of which
we have never heard, or more probably
some miner who has found a rich lead
cndcavorlng to Brighten and prevent any
one from approaching his claim
3" mOut Il knowcd Won wouldn't be.
llcyc what you seed yourself, The next
thing you'H be sayin' it was an optical
delusIon, and we didn't hear any noise at
all, ! tell you | believe it's the Ole Boy
and we'd better git away from
his section II We want to save our hair.
The l%njun's call it Devils Island, and
AZ" ~ Altered Of it as death. an they do
say that whoever goes near that island
never get away alive
81 don't care what the Indians yav
about it," replied KnowIand "Tm not
leave these parts until | solve this
mystery. We can't do anything more
.0-night, 80 wen have TO wait till to-
morrow night. Have you "A canoe about
!
Ben replied that he had a good one :
lear their camp. ,
We'll, that will do; tomorrow night =,
an going beneath the shadow of that f.,
rec; II you will 90 with me, well and
ood II not, ! shall 20 a%lonc.' I
Nothing OF importance occurring, we
lIl pass over the Intervening time, I'M i,
i the following night, when we find our +
'lcnds nearing the haunted island in a =
,rgc Indian canoe. I
Finding their leader obstinate and set ,
! his purpose Of unvciIing the mystery, =,
ne trappcrs resolved to accompany him, :,
hough it would lead them into the vcry y
lWS OI death. At n little earlier hour ~
han ON the preceding night, in order to &
void discovery, they cautiously ap. a
roachcd the island, and while n dark :,
loud dritted across the face of the moon, -
.aiIlng the river in II shadow, they 81 :,
propelled themselves beneath the ,
hadows OF the oycrhanging tree. They ,
evidently come prepared for any ,
Emergency; for they had brought with ,
hem, besides their usual weapons, an AK
md a strong lasso. ,
Here they lay quietly, scarcely speak, >
ny n word, until near midnight, The hour ,
t which the monster was expected, when d,
me of the trappcrs graspcd a paddle, the Il,
tlcr u rifle, while knowland seated him. =,
IN the bow with the llsso in his =
Iand, coilcd ready for use. :
They had not long 10 wait. soon air il
began to rise slowly to the sur. a
nee, when suddenly the waters were vic. 4
disturbed, and the hairy monster h
oSc INTO lnll view, with a horrid shrek Il
lpon hi' lips, and scarcely ten feet from h
he boat. quick asthc lightning flash the s
lrong coll OF lasso shot from the hands Il
I the young man and settled upon the $,
houlderS OF the strange creature, when, Il
strong jerk, it wa drawn taut and n
he monster lay struggling upon the wa /,
rr' A few strokes of the paddle brought
alongside, and the wrjthing form, u
Inch proved to he that of a man, was
tied within the canoe. lie struggled
espcrately but the trappcr4, finding
hey had only flesh and blood to deal ,
nth, dashed him fast and stiIcd his cries y
nth a gag. II
llcy now padded with all their IT,
,ight, and the canoe soon grated upon g.
nc shore opposite their camp, and their -,
rlsoncr, who had now ceased his struo- ",
La. NAlL lurIn. l. IL Z U