Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-04-12
udge, hastily, lifting himself on his

ia ne Salu cOollN, 10 one OF Inc MeNlcsi
"a "a packers, quit foolin' with that riatc
~ You'll have that stake ont and that mul
u loose in another minute Come over thi
!, way!"
- The Mexican turned scared, whit
> face 10 the Doctor, muttering something
= and let 90 the deer-skin hide. We al
y appraised our voices with one accord. th
i Judge most penitently and apologeticaliy
4 and implored the Doctor to go on. "ll
" shoot the first man who interrupts yol
:, again" added Thornton, persuaSivcly.
II But the Doctor, with his hands languid
! ly under his head. had lost his interest
u ''Well, the dog ran off 10 the hills, ant
neither the threats nor caioleries of hi:
: master could ever make him enter thl
i cabin again. The next day the man left
the camp. What time is it ? Getting or
/ to Sundown, amt it, Keep off my leg,
: will you, YOU id Greascr. and stop
tumbling round there! Lie down"
But we knew that the Doctor had not
completely finished his story, and we
waited patiently tor the conclusion.
Meanwhile the old, gray silence of the
woods again asserted itself-but shadows
were now beginning 10 gather in the
heavy beams of the roof above, and the
dim aiSles seemed TO he narrowing and
closing in around lis. Presently the Doc
tor recommended lazily, as if no Interrupt
ton had occurred.
''As said before, never pnt much
faith IN that story, and shouldn't have
told 1t, but for rather curious experience
OF my own. 1t was in the spring of 90.
and l was one of party of four. coming
up from ONeills, where we had been
showed up. 1t twas awful weather; the
snow had changed to sleet and rain after
we crossed the divide, and the wafer was
out everywhere; every ditch was creek.
every creek river. We had lost two
horses on the Truth Fork. we were dead
beat, off the trail and sloshirg round.
with night coming on. and the level hail
like shot in our faces. Things were look
ing bleak and scary when, riding 4 little
ahead oi the party, | saw light twink
ling in hollow beyond. NY horse was
still fresh, and, calling out to the boys TO
follow me and bear for the light. | struck
out for it. In another moment / was be-
fore little cabin that half-burrowed in
the black chapparal. / dsmounted and
raped at the door. There was no re-
| sponse. | then tried to force the door,
but it was fastened securely from within
| was all the more surprised when one of
the boys. who had overtaken me, told me
that he had Just seen through window n
man reading by the fire. Indignant at
this nhospitality, we both made 4 resoiutc
onset against the door. at the same time
raising our angry voices TO yell. Sud
denly there was a quick response, the |
hurried Withdrawing of 4 bolt, and the
door opened.
1.-The occupant was short, thickSet |
man, with 4 pale, careworn face, whose |
prevailing expression was one OF gentle |
good humor. and patient suffering When |
we entered, he asked us hastily why we
had not sung out before.
"'But we knockedt said, impaticntly,
and almost drove your door in
''7hdtS nothing, he said, patiently.
I'm used to that
81 looked again at the mans patient,
tateful face, and then around the cabin.
In an instant the whole situation rushed
before me. Are we not near Cave City ?
| asked.
Yes he replied, its just below.
You must have passed it in the storm
81 see again looked around the
cabin. Isn't this what they call the haunt
ed housc?'
''IIe looked at me curiously. 1t is he
said. simply.
"You can imagine my delight. Here
was an opportunity to test the whole story
to work down TO the bedrock, and see
how it would pan out We were too many
and TOO well armed TO fear tricks or dam
ger from outsiders. las one theory
had been hcld-the disturbance was kept |
up by a band OF concealed maraudcr~ or
road agents, whose purpose was to pre-
serve their hauntS from intrusion, we
were quiet able 10 pay them back in kind
for any assault. need not say that the
boys were delighted with this prospect Z
when the fact was revealed to them. The I
only one doubtful or apathetic spirit there
was our host, who quietly resumed his
seat and his book, with his old express
sion of patient martyrdom. 1t would ,
have beer easy for me TO draw him
cut, but elt that | did not want TO cor {
roborate anybody else's experience; only +
10 record my OWE. And thought il bet G
ter TO keep the boys from any predispos- t
ing terrors.
I'VE ate our supper, and then sat, pa
ienuy andexpectant, around the fire. An !
hour slipped away, but no disturbance;
another hour passed as monotonously. !
Dur host read his book; only the dash OF !
nail against the roof broke the silence /
but Sc
The Doctor stopped. Since the last in b
noticed he had changed the t
Easy, sangy style of his story to Il more a
perfect, artistic, and even studied manner. !
lie dropped now suddenly into his old =
,oloquial speech, and quietly said ali !
,ou don't quit stumbling those riataS, ,
Juan, I'll hobble yOu. Come here, then; =,
lie down, will you ?"
We all turned iiercely on the cause of S
his second dangerous interruption, but 4 J
light OF the poor fellows pale and fright il
med face withheld ourvindictive tongues. a
And the Doctor, happily, of his own ac a
ord went on: b
"But had forgotten that il was no Il
'asy matter 10 keep these high-spirited h
,oys, bent on row. in decent subiection, $
md after the third hour passed without a b
supernatural exhibition. observed, from b
.ertain winks and whispers, that they I
we're determined to get up indications of Il
heir own. In few moments violent a
appings were heard from all parts of the Il
:abin; large stones (adroitly thrown up :,
he chimney fell with a heavy thud ON r.
he roof. Strange gioans and ominous :
'ells seemed 10 come from the outside ;
where the interstices between the logs II
we're wide enough). Yet, through all this p
lproar. our host sat still and patient, with n
10 sign of Indignation or reproach upon Il
lis good humored but haggard features. :
Before long it became evident that this u
Exhibition was exclusively for has benefit.
lnder the thin disguise Of asking him 20 !,
'ssist them in discovering the dlsturbers $
utSidc the cabin, those inside took advan- il
age OF his absence TO turn the cabin top h
cy turvcy. O
:''You see what the spirits have done, II
Id man., said the arch leader OF this mis- Ii
,hicf. They've upset that there flour u
'arrel while we wasn't looking, and then
licked over the water jug and spilled all |
he watcrr 9
The patient man lifted his head and |
ooked at the ilour-strewn walls. Then /,
e glanced down at the floor, but drew o
'ack with n slight tremor. t'
alt amt waterr he said quietly. II
"'What is il, then?' 81
"'I:'s BLOOD, Look -
The nearest man gave a sudden start "
nd sank back white rs 4 sheet. "
For there, gentlemen, on the floor, Just n
efore the door, where the old man had n
cen the dog hesitate and lift his lcet- Ii
here, there genilcmea-upon my hon IL
n, slowly widencd and broadcned a dark
ed pool Of human blood Stop him Ia
buick Stop him, ! say" p
There was binding flash, that lit up II
he dark woods, and 4 sharp report When u
We reached the Doctors side he was hold ~
ng the smoking pistol, Just discharged, nj
n one hand, while with the other he was y,
ointing to the rapidly disappearing fig ~
re of Juan, our Mexican vaqucru Il
missed him , by Cd :" said the Doe 10
Dr. 'But did YOU hear him ? DId you "
ec his lurid iacc as he rose mp at the "a
anne of blood? Did You see his guilty u
onscicncc in his face ? Eli Why don't You Il