Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-11-10
Che Story Teller.
THE SHOT IN THE EYE.
CONCLUDED

the hunters very much tney are statioheu
at the different stands" which are sometimes
miles apart to watch for the deer passing
out; for this reason the party seldom gets
together again until night. We divided in
the morning, and skirted up opposite sides OF
wide belt of bottom timber, while the "drl-
vers' and dogs penetrated it. to rouse the
deer, which run out on either side by the
stands, which we're known TO the hunters.
We were unusually successful, and returned
to late dinner at our hosts, the planter 8
house. By dusk all had come in, excepting
my friend, whose name was Henry and
man named Stoner, one of the neighbors, who
had Joined our hunt. Dinner was ready,
and we sat down to it, supposing they would
be in, in few moments. The meal was
nearly over, when Henry, who was gay,
voluble fellow, came into the room, and, with
slightly furried manner, addressed our host ::
Squire, this is strange country of yours !!
Do you let crazy people range it with guns
in their hands"
"Not when we know it. Why What
about crazy people ? You look excited"
"Well, | think I've had enough to make
me feel little curious"
"What is it? What is it ?" exclaimed ev-
erybody, eagerly. -,
"Why, | have met with either the old
Harry himself-a ghost-or madman =
and which it is, am confoundedly puzzled
to tell !"
"Where How?'
He threw himself into chair, wiped the
perspiration from his forehead, and contin-
ued "You know, Stoner and myself, when
we parted from you all this morning, took up
the right hand side of the bottom timber.
Well, Stoner accompanied me to my stand,
where we parted he to 60 on to his f.; and l
have seen nothing of him since. Soon after
he left me, deer passed out, shotit, wound.
ed it, and Jumped on my horse to pursue 1t.
The deer had staggered at my fire, but was
not so badly wounded as / supposed and led
me of, until it suddenly occurred to me that
l might get lost, and reined up but l soon
found that this sober second thought had
come too late, and that was already out Of
nv latitude. | wandered about nearly all
day, though taking care not to 60 very far in
any one direction, before | came across any.
thing which promised to set me right again.
l at last came upon a wagon trail and felt re-
lieved, for 1 knew it must take me to some
point where 1 could get information. The
trail was narrow, leading throug scrubby
thickets; and was riding along slowly, look.
ing down, in hope Of detecting the tracks of
some Of your horses, when the violent shying
of my horse caused me to raise my eyes.
And, by George! it was enough to have
'stampeded' regiment of horses.
"On the left of the trail stood a very tall
skeleton. like figure, dressed in skins, one foot
advanced, as if he had stopped in the act Of
stepping across it, and a long, heavy gun, just
swinging down to the level, bearing on me.
Of course, my heart leaped into my throat,
and my flesh shrunk and crept. Before l
could think of raising my gun, my eyes met
those of this strange figure; and such eyes
Surprise at their cold, unnatural expression,
suspended my action burning with chilly,
singular brillancy, in deep-sunken sockets,
they looked as if they never had winked.
Dwelling steadily upon my face for mo-
ment, they seemed to be satisfied, and the gun
was slowly thrown back upon his shoulders; !;
and plucking at a long grisly beard with an
impatient gesture Of his bony hands, the tig-
ure made stride across the trail, and with
out speaking word, plunged into the thicket.
I was so confounded by this curious dumb
show, that he was nearly concealed in the
bush before found my tongue to shout to
him to stop but he kept on, not even turn
ing his head | was provoked, and spurred
my horse in after him, as far as / could pene-
trate but he kept on, and lost sight of him IN
moment, and whether he can talk or not, is
more than I can tell -
"Did you look at his feet, Henry?" inter-
rupted one Of the party. 81 expect it was
old"
Never mind what you expect-hear me
out" he continued. Il followed the trail,
which wound about, it seemed to me, towards
all the points of the compass, for all hour or
more; when at last it led me out into prai-
rie, which thought recognized. stopped,
and was looking around to make out the
landmarks, when horse with a saddle on
burst from the woods behind me, and tore of
across the prairie, as if he too had seen the
devil"
"What color was he?' exclaimed half-a.
dozen voices in breath.
"He was too far off for me to distinguish
more than that he was a dark horse-say
about as much so as mine. could distin-
guish the pummel of the saddle and the stir
rups flying"
"Stoners horse was dark bay" was buz.
zed around the table in low tones, every one
looking seriously at his neighbor's face
Yes" said the Squire, rising and step
ping uneasily to the window. "Stoners horse
was good deal like yours; he must have got
away from him. But then the nag is very
fine creature, and we'll trained. wonder it
should have behaved SOL"
Don't believe bay would have done it,
Squire" said one of the men. "Something's
gone wrong, l think! Was the bride down,
Mr.. Henry?'
ut was too far off for me to tell. l fol-
lowed in the direction the horse took, and
soon found myself here, and expected to find
it here too?'
"No! Stoner's is beyond here," said the
Squire. THAT wagon trail you were turning
and twisting about in, is a road | had opened
TOT number of broad trees we cut and rived
out there; you might have followed it for
hours and not been more than a mile or so
from the place you started from. That ghost
of yours, by-the-way, may be some crazy fel-
low who has wandered off into these parts,
with mischief in him Did you hear no
gun?"
81 thought I did-about an hour after
parting with that man, or devil, or whatever
he was-but the sound was 50 faint and dis.
tant, that, for fear might be mistaken, |
did not 60 to it; and the road had turned so
frequently could not tell whether it was in
the direction he went or not"