Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-11-27

! quite numDef Ol Tie DOlucSI Ilell III lo"i
agreed to 60 back with the stage and inves
tigate the mystery. :.
HHere's a chance for you, Dave," sale
Captain Lomal, addressing the blacksmith
ii can't leave hOme," Caldron replied
81 am not afraid, for don't believe thar:
anything the matter out thar, but I've go
! too much work to do at home, and, sides al
that, 1 amt got the money to spar for the
trip" o+ ,,o,, onrtb;nn =,
the captain declared.
81 don't believe want to 60"
"You are afraid" said the captain "4or
snort around and laugh at others, but Wher
the time for showing your mettle comes yor
back out like the coward you are. You
needn't get mad, for you know you are
coward"
The blacksmith, whose courage had new
er before been disputed, bit his lips anG
walked away.
Captain Lomal rode on the seat with the
driver. "Tell me-" the captain said, 'wher
we get nearly to the place"
1--WE are nearly there said the driver, after
a few moments.
The captain examined his pistols. "Fol
Gods sake" exclaimed the driver, "don''
shoot. 1 tell you the thing, whatever it is
amt to be fooled with"
leave that to me-" the captain replied
"Hello, what's this?"
The horses stopped and the driver Whls
pered, "That'S it,"
cent hand cleaned with a pale light. The
captain, despite the whispered protestations
of the driver leveled pistol and fired.
The hand laughed.
The passengers got out of the coach and
the captain dismounted "This is certainly
very wonderful" he said. "Bruxton what
do you think of it?"
''I don't know" replied the person ad
dressed. "Never saw anything like it be-
fore, and 1 hope I never shall again."
'What do you want?" the captain de-
manded of the hand.
"Money. Your relations in hades are suf
fering. Your grandfather is urging you tC
relieve him. Satan holds his note for fifty
dollars and he will burn until it is paid"
"You are liar" vociferated the captain
The hand drew up its fingers and laughed
such horrible, shrill, shrieking laugh that
old Bruxton turned to one of the adventu
rers and remarked, "Wish hadn't come
"Don't 60 near !" implOred the driver
"Come back!" but the captain pressed for.
ward. When within few feet of the hand
the captain stopped and turned back, but
too late, for the hand seized him. 1t whip.
ped him against the ground tossed him uI
and caught him and shook him again. The
poor fellow yelled and begged his compan.
ions to come to his assistance, but paralyzed
by fear, they stood seemingly unable tC
move. When the captain was released ne
hobbled back to the stage and implOreo
his friends to give up their valuables. The
hand stretched itself on the ground and
Bruxton, after being assured that he would
not be harmed, deposited the money in its
palm. Then the hand disappeared. When
ers were thrown into high state Of excite.
ment The adventures would not return
by the Rock Pass route, but walked over
the mountain. When they reached Little
Rock, the captain sought David CaldrOn
the blacksmith, and apologized to him.
The road was abandoned, for people actu.
ally were afraid to- go through the pass
Sometimes private vehicles, owned by ad
venturers, would 60 through the pass, but
never without being stopped by the hand
until long time afterward, when the hand
failed to appear, but the memory of the ter
rible arm deferred the stage company from
ever afterward resuming their business as
public carriers.
David Caldron would never go to the
place. Several years after the excitement
caused by the hand he DISAPPEARED suddenly
and every one supposed he had been mur'
dered.
Several days ago while railroad work
men were cutting through Rock Pass, they
suddenly broke into a cavity. Near the
center Of the place they found skeleton
under large rock that had fallen from
above. Further research discovered great
arm ingeniously made of steel and iron
and here, broken off by the fall of the rock
was an enormous hand Of steel. The fin
gers were jointed, and the thumb was
hollow like speaking tube. Another turn
disclosed machine, to which one end o.
the arm was attached. The whole arrange
ment was mechanism. BY closer search
papers were found in an old pocketbook
bearing the name, "David Caldron." Thus
the old time mystery was explained.-Ar
kansas Traveller.