The Portland daily press., 1884-03-19

head Of the stream, and we saw them nc
more. But darker shadow than ever was
over us now; shadow lay behind them like
the shadow of death.
We could not endure the strain any longer.
And then, in fact, we were almost ready to
set out once more on the long, long journey
| still before us. Father made an excuse that
he wanted to catch the cool of the evening.
And this gave him some pretense of reason
to haste. And SO he set out, as the sun
went down, to move his little train on, on,
on, onward over the great white border of
this black sea Of death-anywhere indeed,
TO get rid of this nightmare that lowered
over, snffocaed us.
Soma of our men had made boat here
out of an old wagon bed. By the help of q
friendly Indian they had rowed far out to
little island with three green trees on it.
There was rock just visible above the
black, heavy waters here close to thi, island
One of the men who went in bathing On
the edge of the island swan toward this
rock. The Indian was Mortified, and with
wild yels beckoned him back. But the
man was already turning back through the
black, heavy water, and making for the
island and the boat with all his might. BE
had seen dead body there with log-chains
about 1.-THE work of the Danites. And yet
no man dared say so, or even speak of it.
You must know that the water of Salt
!. AXE is SO dense and heavy with salt that
you cannot possibly sink in it, unless great
weights are attached to your body.
may mention that this rock and this
island are no longer visible. The shores of
Salt Lake are at least ten feet from their old
white line of thirty years ago. And that
island and rock in the heart of the great
black sea of death are hidden entirely. The
ploughed lauds have been washed into the
lake, and its pores and outlets have been
choked up. Away to the south side of the
lake list year rowed my boat over miles
aud miles of fences that had been swallowed
up by the rising waters. The Pacific Rail-
road Company attempted to build close to
the border of this lake on the north side at
first. The gradually rising water drove it
to the hills.
AS our little train began to stretch out and
start with its creaking wagons on, down
and around the white rim of the great lake
to the west, ia the gorgeous moonlight, we
felt sure that we should not be followed by
that haunting aud horrid spectre that had
80 long pushed its black shape silently afe
US. We drew out upon the broad, white,
salt border, and began to strike away tow
ard the west. He was not with US, not fol-
lowing us, thank Heaven! Every one there
took in long breath, and felt better, freer
than for weeks, months.
Other trains had not broken camp. And
SO it began to be hoped that we would not
be missed by the sudden and swift horse
men who claimed Jurisdiction here, and as
serted and maintained the righI of their ell
ders 10 sit in judgment an the world. Word
was passed up and down che line to hasten
Oh as fast as possible, to put as much dis
lance between them and us, between that
hdeous black box that had haunted us 20
long and persistenly as possible before
dawn.
We had made two miles, perhaps, before
taking breath We bad climbed a little hill.
Here we paused; and looking back, there
came creeping across the cleaning white
road of salt, right on our track as b. fore,
that frishtful leader Of the Danites. He
was pushing, with all his show of hum lily
and penance as before, the long black COT
fin, across the broad white border OF salt IN
the machless moonlight.
TO BE CONTINUED.
copyrighted by c. II. Miller.