Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-06-10
scene, which he stopped moment to .ad.

scene, which he stopped moment toad
mire.
1t was cataract, of unusual beauty
formed by the waters of the creek pour
lag over a little pTecipice that lay IN 10
path The fail did not exceed eight o.
nine feet, but the waters, that rolled owe
like an endless curtain flashing in th'
sunlight, had such a regular symmetri
cal form, and the surroundings were s.
wild as to make the picture one Of lone
~ and impressive grandeur
Jim soon moved on down the valley
with eyes and ears on the alert, ant
when he had left the falls few hundred
feet behind. he determined 10 cross tho
creek and search thicket ON the Other
side.
The water was ten or twelve inches ia
depth, bat rocks protruded above the sur
face in places, and he proceeded TO cross
dry-shod, by stepping from one TO an
| other.
lie had nearly crossed, and was about
to leap from the last stepping stone 10 the
opposite shore, when il rocked slightly
beneath his weight, and he slipped of il
and suddenly found himself standing
nearly knee-deep in the water. At the
same time there was Kissing sound
about his ears--sl sound he knew TOO Vel
passissssfltjtB - y iff- itif 10 fol Ii
sudden fall from the rock, it would have
pierced his brain.
The mysterious assassin was evidently
near, and realizing this, he sprang out
upon the bank, with conyulsiye effort,
and plunged into the underbrush-
Once under cover, he paused and stood
trembling.
Jim was as brave man as had ever
confronted the perils of the frontier, but
this invisible danger was suddenly in
vested with a mystery that sent thrill
of horror through him. Inc bullet had
pierced his cap, but the crack of the rife
had not been heard!
so strange circumstance would have
unuerved any one for the moment. Jim
would have felt at ease il lie had heard
the sound Of the rifle, and would at once
have begun an active campaign against
the assassin; but, under the circum-
stances, he did not even know the direc-
tiOn from which the bullet had come,
which impressed him with a sense of
helplessness.
What being WAS this silent and inVisi-
BILE foe? What wonderful weapon had
hep Where was he concealed! Was
there any sure protection from him, or
was the whole settlement at his mercyg
Would even the dense thicket prove "A
barrier TO his range of vision:
. Thus pOndering, Jim stood awhile with
his hand mechanically resting upon his
iirelOCl. But soon his native courage
came flying back, and he smiled, as he
muttered:
a. eJim Mallory, you're a fool; though
70, it's me wouldn't hear yer ineny say it.
~. That murtherin' rasCal's flesh an blood,
81 an won't 20 back to the settlement till
&C | know why that gun O. his'n don't talk
.al out loud"
He crept noiselessly to the base of the
&c hill then quietly assembled, keeping hid
a. among the bushes and vines, TO a height
i'm | of q hundred feet, where he paused ut
Ii the foot of perpendicular ledge. Here
he he found himself in coy retreat, for
rn above and around him network of vines
,d had interviewer itself with the foliage of
. a cluster of stunted trees; and, himself
o. secure frcm the range of mortal eyes, li"
Is could look out, through many little cIey-
t. lees in the foliage, upon the opposite hill
aud the valley.
,n More at leisure lac examined his cap,
rd aud found that the bullet had pierced It
Is, in a horizontal line, proving that the as
e slssin was in the valley, and not among
ld the rocks on the hillside.
sd Seating himself upon rock, where he
he could command the best view OF the val
in Icy, Jim prepared for long and patient
As vigil.
q. The sun was already al the meridian
be The minutes went by, and 40 did the
in hours, reaching far into the afternoon
cS out no sign OF the savage was seem No
g; sound was heard save the occasional cries
ic OF wild birds, and the steady, mOnOtonous
S roar of the little cataract, now lOyelier
H. than ever in the red sunlight of waning
sd day; and still, patient as the great rocks,
cr sat the sturdy adventurer, with his rifle
IN resting across his knees.
"Well," :" muttered jim, for the twenti
nc eth time, ''the lads eyes don { see through
ld everything, or he'd ha' sent bullet up
r. here before this; and he's not left, or I'D
" ha' seen or heard him; an faith I'll sit
tx till 1 starve him OUti'
Suddenly the tinkle of the bell WAS
al heard The sound came from towards
T., the fails, and looking quickly in that di-
ne rectiOn, Jim Was astOniShed to see, not
the stray animal, but the bell itself, dane
lie ing about in mid-air, in front OF the cata-
ne ract, jumping up and down, as if be
el witchcd, nodding Enthusiastically, and appa-
= rently ringing itself.
At this weird spectacle, Jim felt the old
n, dread creeping btck upon him; but it WAS
ii only for u moment. new light tshone
81 upon his face, and he cOOly arose, cooked
$ his rifle, lcvelcd II through the foliage i'm
lc the direction of the falls, stood mOiiOn-
is less probably two seconds, then fired.
The sharp report startled the quiet val
Il ley, and came back in an echo from the
=, opposite hill; a bird or two screamed at
a the unuslIal sound and fluttered away
e over the hilltops; the bell dropped into
e, the water beneath, and all was as still rs
n the grave.
Jim did not move for several seconds;
sd then, thrusting aside 4 portion OF the
10 vines that concealed him, he sprang bold
ne ly out upon bare rock, waved his cap,
p and uttered a loud and eXultant shout
For there was cOminOtiOn at the foot
r of the cataract, and dark object, streak
&c ed with red, came up with the bubbles
and hOated upon the water. Ii was the
Il body of savage, in warriors trappings,
ir hideOus with war-paint, and glastly with
l. 4 fresher crimson.
m He it was that had been the Invisible
Foe of the settlers.
~ Sitting concealed in cavern, before
10 which the cataract hung like a curtain,
lc he had lured the p&le-face to destruction
rs by means of the bell, which he had tied
IN to fishing-rod and thrust cut over ssiic
n pool, ringing it at intervals when he
Ia knew that his enemies were in the valley.
Thrice he had sent the fatal bullet out
~ through the clear sheet of water, but 50
ld WAS the sound pent-up and deadened that
it was only audible in and near his lurk-
n iug-place. But watchful Jim had penc-
IN tratcd his device, and his bullet had
te found the assassin.
ne The savage had been alone in the per
~ petration Of his bloody work, and through
IS many a moon did the daTk-yisaged peo-
pie of his tribe vainly await his coming.
r Never, n they wandered westward, one
- by one departing Cor the happy hunting
he grounds, did they hear from his lips the
4 story OF bis Vengeance.
4 hundred years have passed, and the
l falls OF Jacobs Creek still sparkle and
III glis,Cn in the summer sun, almost hiding
~ from view the dark chamber under the
p shelving rock, but the fresh beauties of
nature are not as then in the surround
n ings. The thickets and forests have dis
lis appeared; a public road winds its way
re down the valley; sheep and cattle are
no feeding upon the hills; aud the barefoot
r, boys who come to fish in the deep pool ut
the foot of the cataract never think of
~ the dusky figures that lifted up and
down the valley in the days that are
IN gone.
IA De- your level best, then, brethren of
nd the pulpit. Keep yourselves steadily,
~ not spasmodical, in health. Draw your
he learning from all possible sources, let the
reservoirs De always full, and see that
Is. therc never fails to be 4 sufficient s.head''