The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-01-18

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"Ye don't mean to intimate that I'm
under suspicion of doin' the deed, do
YEP for IL ye do l can furnish proof
enough that there amt so much ground
for that belief as there is that'I scalped
a muskeeter with this yer bowie knife.
No, Bill,the Ranger, is made of differ
ent kind of stuff, That was sneakin'
act"
1--WE don't know who did the deed, -
said the colonel, "but it's been done,
and what we want to know is who the
individual is, that we may give him his
just deserts"
"Goodl I'm with ye, strangers, on
that conclusion. I'm Bill the Ranger,
at your service. 1 Just got here from a
little butler expedition with poor sue
cess, but that doesn't make any differ
ence. kin tell by the gals grief that
he was a kind father, and 50 I've got
my mind on avangin' him."
Hardly had he said these words be.
fore the sharp report Of a rifle broke on
the night air, followed by the whiz of a
bullet, and the cOlonel's left arm dropped
by his sipe like lump of lead. The
ranger and the judge were on the al
lert. Both saw the smoke as 1t rolled
away-even smelled the powder, but,
as before, not hide of hair of an enemy
was visible. The canvas back of the
wagon tapped few times, then the
same deathlike stilInesd that resigned
before.
"Ghost or devil-there's death in the
man that stays here long" said the
ranger, taking few strides toward the
direction from whence the shot had
come. The colonel drew his revolver
and followed in the step of the ranger.
Carefully they searched the whole
space of ground for considerable dis
tance. People from other camps came
over to see what the trouble was, and
when they learned what had happened
great was the anxiety to see where the
mysterious shot came from. But search
as they might nothing beyond few
buffalo bones, whltened and dried, re.
warded them.
The colonel's wound was not so bad
but he could stand watch. The ranger
was to be awakened If there were signs
of the enemy; while Lie after cover,
ing her fathers body with a blanket,
got into the team and sobbed herself to
sleep.
"Seen anything?" asked the ranger,
when the colonel shook him to let him
know that it was his turn to stand
watch.
"Nary ghost, but the hour of mid.
night is here, and time for such visits,
and seein' as ye are to watch let's rouse
the Judge and take a smoke. Perhaps
there's more danger ahead"
"Rght; and if don't get winged at
short notice III let into somebody for
certain"
The three men filed their pipes,
lighted them, and set down with their
rifles cooked, and watched the dim
shadows around them. All was quiet
as death, not sound even from the
mulos broke the still ness of the mid
night hour.
"What is that | hear?" asked the
Judge, after long silence. Footsteps
are approaching"
''Great Heavensl Look! look!"
They all grasped their rifles with one
accord, and arose and faced what
sesmed to them terrible apparition.
Not forty yards away, aud coming to-
wards them with gigantic strides, was
the colossal figure of a man, or what
seemed to be a man, clad from head to
foot in long flowing white garment.
1t lowered above them at least ten feet,
while from the place supposed to be
the mouth issued a sulphurous light.
1t carried no weapon that was visible.
but hardly had the three faced it when
shot rang out on the night air.
"I'm shotr' exclaimed the ranger,
clasping his hand upon his heart; but
the consciousness Of it sent ferocious
light into his eyes and he aimed at the
figure. His first impulse was to fire
high, but on second thought he lowered
his rifle to the place where the feet
were supposed to be, and fred
He missed, but now all the camp
were aroused, and, seeing the ghostly
visitaut, sent such a shower of leaden
hail into it that, before another minute,
the mass of white was seen to waver
and totter on its legs, then down it
went.
As IL fell, the form of an Indian was
seen to dart out from the covering aud
take to his legs.
"ThSr's the ghost himself; the vii
lain is making away-at him boys!"
shouted the ranger starting forward.
Gu they went, until all of a sudden
the figure disappeared, seeming to en-.
ter the ground. The ranger was near
enough to him as he disappeared to no.
tiee that a certain piece of sod moved.
Astonishing as it may seem, be actual.
ly saw the Indian disappear into the
bowels of the earth, aud the sod closed
together for a moment to battle him.
80 that's his triek-the red devil!
He has an underground abode. Well
we'll rout him out of that in a jiffy,"
said the judge.
Suddenly, the ranger placed his feet on
a certain spot. the ground gave way,
aud he was preeipltated intoa pit some
FIVE feet deep tight into the midst of
five Indians. Dropping his rifle he