The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-09-25
The HAUNTED CAVE.
BY ALMA M'KEE.
CHAPTER /.
A DARK DEED.

ChAfIEh L.
DARK DEED.
Twas O dark, stormy night. The
wind blew in fierce gusts, sweeping
everything before it in its mad career.
The mournful notes of wooddove
were heard, harmonizing well with the
signing of the pine trees and the bend
ings and creakings of the giant oaks of
the forest. The lightnings flashed
athwart the heavens, and played fan
tastically through the riffs in the foliage
The thunder rolled along the valleys,
reverberated through the mountains,
and brought up with a crash OF de-
struction among the forest kings which
had withstood century's storms.
Through the fast-falling rain, I'M
mindful though it fell in torrents, un-
mindful alike of the lightning's flash
and thunder's roar, two figures pausinS
near the verge of q precipitous cliff,
overhanging the sharp, Jagged rocks
and swift black waters below, engaged
in a deadly combat, the black mantle
of night enshrouding their forms.
A few angry gestures, few vile i'm
precautions, sudden push, an agonized
cry for help, splash in the mad, seeth-
ing waters, and where two forms had
stood but aSmoment before but one re-
manned.
The wild winds shrieked, Murder !"
The other elements caught up the re-
train, dancing and rumbling and tear
ing along in maddening glee, bearing it
afar through canons and passes down to
the base, where large bowlder marked
the entrance to cave.
Beating back the elements with one
hand, while the other held cane which
supported the rheumatic limbs, came a
tall, gaunt figure-in hue, fair SEM
blance of the surrounding blackness-
climbing to the summit of the huge
bowlder, it disappeared like will-o'-
the-wisp into the bowels of Mother
Earth.
This place was termed the Haunted
Cave. Tradition said that whosoever
was rash enough to enter never came
out again alive.
Old Elspic-the witch, or the spae-
wife, as she was christened-did not
venture often from her strange domain,
living the life of recluse, preferring
the society Of the animals of the forest
to the company of humanity. When
ever necessity compelled her to visit the
town for food, her presence was more
felt than seen, by the uncanny some
thing which distinguished her.
Clothed in long cloak, with the
hood closely drawn about her face, dis
closing a pair of ietty orbs, with a
'smoldering volcano in their depths,
she purchased her requirements in a
cracked, imperative voice and immedi-
ately retraced her steps.
There were very few of the towns
people sufficiently brave to pass the vi
-cinity of the cave after nightfall, not
caringto encounter the dying means,
and groans, and shrieks said to pro-
coed from there.
Among those few were two who de-
.clared themselves perfectly willing and
anxious to visit the ghostly region to
satisfy their extreme curiosity; also to
have their fate determined by the
Witch of the Cave.
Ermina Ray and Edwin Palmer had
been betrothed since early childhood by
their respective parents. No choice in the
matter had been granted them there
fore the arrangement assumed the form
of matter of course, no thought of re-
bellion having occurred to either party.
Love was looked upon by them as
something simply absurd, as they had
never experienced a stronger sentiment
than friendship, having journeyed
through life thus far unscathed by the
dart of sly Cupid.
But Erma was well aware that
great many objectionable faults made
up the greater part of Edwins nature
chief among them being pure selfish
ness and cowardliness also fair shar,
of self-conceit.
Edwin, on the other hand, admired
Erma's ready wit and sparkling beauty
probably thinking as much of her a:
was in his nature to think of any one
aside from Edwin Palmer; and wher
Harry Carlton-a poor but honest clerl
in the employ of Ray, Palmer * Co.
CALAMITY touched his hat to Miss Ray
Edwin's jealousy knew no bounds.
Il should like so much for a rambl,
to-day, Edwin" exclaimed Erma, al
she was about to mount her restiv,
pony, Shylock. Il think that SHOULD
like to follow that brid,e-path through
the forest which leads to the mountains
and extends within q few feet of oil,
Elspie's. Oh, have It'll" and she claspeC
hands ioyfully. Let us have our fort
nnes told to-day, will you?"
Shylock began to prance about, q