The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-11-01

cen spells for wives and husbands.
"Sure everybody knows them things, y
agreed Murphy, casting an uneasy glance
over his shoulder as he spoke.
"Well, true or false, | for one thought
little enough of them when | was young;
but, as luck or fate would have it, | rode
through the Devils Panniken on the 31st
of October, that special night, I'm going to
tell you Of wasn't alone either; perhaps
if | had been | shouldn't have felt so jolly;
for, not to speak of the loneliness Of the
place, with its great black rocks towering
up on either side of you, aud almost shut
ting out the sky, except for narrow strip
overhead, the place had an i'll name both
with the Injuns and with miners. Many
queer tale was told round campfres, and
folks said the place was haunted; that mi
ners had lost their way there many a time,
and had never been seen or heard Of again,
I'D been working all that season at a
claim-a new un then, but worked out and
4 forgotten now-which we used to call
Cherokee Dicks because Cherokee Injun
first showed us the place. There was per-
haps dozen of us all told; but | chummed
and worked from the first along with
chap they called the Flying Dutchman.'
"When we had been together goodish
bit, he told me his real name was Cornelius
Vermudyn; and l acquainted him with
mine, and where hailed from. He was
Dutchman, sure enough, but had travelled
half over the world, | used to think from
his talk; and he could speak as good Eng
lish as you or me-or any here
A dubious smile hovered for an instant
on Gentleman Jacks lips at this naive
statement, but nobody observed him; they
were all intent on Old Grizzly and his
yarn, and that worthy continued:
"We began to find our claim about
cleaned out, and we-thats me and Yer
mudyn-reckoncd to make tracks before
the winter, and get down Frisco-way.
Well, We each had good horse and a nice
bit of gold, and we was sworn mates
come what might-so we started, riding as
far as we could by day and camping out at
night, if we weren't able to reach a settle
ment or diggings by nightfall.
''0n this night it seemed as if we'd no
luck from the beginning. We lost our
way for a goodish bit, and were some time
finding the track again; after that, night
seemed to come on us suddenly like. We'd
rode and rode that day without ever sign
of man or beast and when we came to this
place, Vermudyn says:
''This must be the famous Devils Pan
niken, old boy"
/ ;GI ho5 baon olp,Ocf f,IIiprr oclaaY, on INV
horses neck; but woke with start and
answered all in hurry:
''0f course it is
1T seemed somehow as if | knew that
place well, and began to ride on quickly,
"Stop" hollered Vermudyn, unless you
want to lame your horse or break his knees
among those rocks
Gas he came up with me he put his
hand on my arm and drew rein.
" Anyhow, l said, lets get out of this,
and then we'll camp for the night I'm as
tired as a dog, and can hardly stick in my
saddle
"Why not camp here ?" said Vermudyn
with laugh. who's afraid p
"Tm motif that's what you mean," l
answered; but I'd rather camp outside.
"a good two miles of bad riding said
he quietly. "Why shouldn't we content
ourselves with snug corner Of the rocks,
where we can shelter from the wind? As
far as | can make out, there's brush and
litter enough for fire, and we've got a
bait for our horses.
"While he talked and argued [ grew
more and more tired, exactly as if L had
ridden hundred miles without drawing
rein. 1t seemed then as if l didn't care
what came next, so long as | could roll
myself up in nay blanket and snooze, so L
answered short enough:
"Have your own way The place is
ours, [ recon, as much as it is other folks. y
''The pixies and demons, you mean" )"
laughed Vermudyn. II know all the mi
ners' tales, never fear. l dare wager we
shall see nothing worse ourselves five stop
for month, of Sundays. Did you ever
hear" he went on, "of the White Witch of
the Panniken? =? She should meet us here
abouts, if all tales be true. She waits for
lonely travellers and shows them gold in the
rock where gold never was in daylight; and
if man is tempted, for the COLDS sake or
hers, to spend the night with her, he's
never seen or heard of in this world again
She feasts him with the sight of big mug
gets and her own beauty, while she sucks
his hearts blood like the vampire; and
when his body is drained to the last drop,
he is flung aside among the rocks or dropp-
ed in some dark gully; and she comes back
to watch the road for fresh prey"
{" I've heard of the White Witch many
time; but l never knew the rights of the
story until tonight" said |. "But witch
or no witch, well have to stop; the road
grows harder, and my horse seems to stum-
Bile at every step. It's so dark, too, l can
hardly see my hand before my face; yet it
seemed almost daylight when we rode into
the gorge"
'The pair of us will be too many for the
White Witch, anyhow" said Yermudyn.
s'Toos much human society don't agree with
her ghostly constitution.
\ "We had stopped together, and l was
list going to get off my horse, when Yer
iudyn sang out in hurry
i \"I see a light-there to the left Let's
| lie up. We may find a party forced to
c pp out like ourselves; or they 'may be
e nuns; and any company is better than
ne tonight.
ID Right enough" says l, rubbing my
ey .@There is light, and a pretty
,ly stg one too; steady light, mate, and
he ni wilLo' the-wisp. l never heard be-
to tofis-h man or Injun daring to camp
vho IN taavil's Panniken."
far 1--WE must go up quietly till we can
pre, see ppany," said my mate. ave
Athe don to drop on gang of freeboot-
ers, .ase us Of the dust, and then
kai leave II bullet through our heads
as a gift"
we rode forward in silence
tor w sd quarter of a mile; but
we enc I foots pace, on account of
Plcar among the rocks, that lay
I