Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-12-27
CHAPTER. xf
THRouoH THE MOUNTAINS Avn rur =,

neighborhood were occasional glinnses.
caught through riffs n the forest, of the lofty
slope of Rockcastle mountain. now outlined
in the gathering darkness by twinklns fires
which increased in number. and climbed
higher towards the clouds as fast as the fuei-
tiyes succeeded in struggling across the river.
That's wonderful sight," said Harry, as
they paused on summit to rest and catch
breath. ut reminds me of some OF the war
scenes in Scott or the Iliadp
"Iiit looks ter me like gineral coon hunt
said Fortner 1on'y over thar hits the coons.
an not the hunters, that hev the torches
Well,n continued Fortner, meditatively. cole
Rockassels gittin' glut tonight. She'd
orient ter need no more now fur hundred
yeahs.p
Il don't understand YOU" said Harry.
why, they say tibet the Rockassel hez ter
hey man every spring an fall The Injins
believed hit, an hits bin so ever sence the
white folks come inter the country Last
spring it war the turn o the Former kin to
gin her man, an she levied on first cousin
o. mine--a son O. Aunt Debby Brill. But less
jog on; we've got good piece fur ter GO
1t was now night-black and starless. and
the dense woods through which they were
travelling made the darkness thick and i'm
penetrable But no check in Formers speed
inted at any ignorance of the course or en-
countering of obstacles. He continued to
stride forward with the same swift certain
step as in the day time. But for Harry. who
could see nothing but his leaders head and
shoulders, and whose every effort was re-
quired to keep these in sight the journey was
full of painful toll The relaxation from the
intense strain manifested itself in proportion
as they seemed to recede from the presence of
the enemy, and his spirits tagged continually
At length Fortner slackened his pace, and
began to move with caution.
Are we coming upon the enemy againgn
asked Harry, in loud whisper, which had
yet a perceptible quaver in it.
"No," answered Fortner; @but we're accom-
in ter what is every bit an grain ez danger
some. Heah's whar the path winds round
Blacllsnake cliff, an yell hev ter be ez keer-
full o. your footin' ez eff ye war treadin' the
slippery ways O. sin. The paths no wider'n
hoss's back, an no better ter walk on. On
the right hand side hits several rods down
ter whar the creeks tearin' long like a mad
dog. Heah hit now, can't yer
For some time the roar of the torrent sweep
ing the gorge had filled Harry's ears.
"Ye want ter walk slow" continued Fort
ner, IAN feel keerfully with yer foot every
time afore ye sot hit squarly down. Keep
yer left hand a-feelin' the rocks above yer,
SOS ter make shore all the time tibet yere
close ter 'em Bout half way thar's a big
break in the path. Hits jess one step acroSt
hit Take one step arter say tibet I'm acrost:
then feel keerfully with yer left foot fur the
aidge o the break, an then step out ez long
ez we kin with yer right. Thatll bring ye
over. Be shore o. yer feet, an yen be all
right"
Harry trembled more than at any time be-
fore. They were already on the path around
the steep cliff. The darkness was inl1y The
roar of the waters below rose loudly-angrily
Inc walls u the wildcats behind, overhead
and in front Of them, made it seem as if the
signing pines and cedars were Inhabited with
lost spirits shrie1ing warnings of impending
disaster
Harry's foof came down upon bowlder
which turned under his weight. He regained
his balance with a start, but the stone top
pied over. He listened. There were scores
of heart beats before it splashed in the water
below.
mot so much as twig between here and
eternity, he said to himself, with shudder.
Then aloud: Cant we stay here, some
place, and not go along there to-nights"
The roar of the water drowned his voice
before it reached Fortner's ears, and Harry,
obeying the instinct to accept leadership, fol-
lowed the mountaineer tremblingly.
In little while he felt-more than saw
Fortner stop, adjust his feet, and make a
long stride forward with one of them. Glen
collected himself for the same effort He had
need of all his resolution, for the many mar
row escapes which he had made from Slip
mir irltn tha bod c1Ro1-a
every nerve.
am over" called out Fortner aye try
hit now"
Harry balanced his gun so as to embarrass
him the least and carefully felt with his left
foot for the edge of the chasm. The cata-
mount announced his renewed presence by a
vindictive scream The clouds parted lust
enough to let through rift of gray light,
but it fell not upon the brink of the black gap
in the path. 1t showed for an instant the
whirlpool, with fragments of tree trunks, of
CHASTITY likeness to drowned human bodies
eddying dizzily around.
"Oome on, called out Fortner, impatiently
Harry stepped out desperately. For a
mental eternity he hung in air. His hands
relaxed and his gun dropped with crash and
d splash. Then his foot touched the other side
with nervous doubtfulneSs 1t slipped and he
felt himself falling-falling into all that he
feared. Fortner grasped his collar with a
strong hand and dragged him up against the
rocky wall of the path
THAR, yer all right" he said painting with
the exertion, "but hit wuz monty loud call
fur ye Gabriel's hon couldn't We made a
much mo- powerful one"
ave lost my gum" said Harry, regretfully,
as soon as he could compose himself
"Cussan'burn the blasted ole smooth bore"
said Fortner, contemptuously. "Don't waste
no tears ON tibet ole kick-out-behind Wen
go long tween w ildcat an the Ford an pick
up wagon load Nv ez good shooters ez thet
clumsy chunk o pot-metal wuz. Shake your
self together We've only got a mile or so
ter go now"
In Harry's condition the "mile or so" seemed
to be stretching out a long ways around the
globe, and he began to ask himself how near
he was to the much-referred-to 'heart of the
southern Confederacy"
At length little fading toward gray of the
thick blackness told that they had emerged
from the heavy woods into more open coun-
try. Harry thought they were come to fields,
but he could see nothing, and without remark
plodded on painfully after his leader
Suddenly a pack OF dogs Immediately in
ling diapason, ranging from the deep bass of
the mastiff to the ringing bark of the fox
hounds. Mingled with this was the sound of
the whole pack rushing fercely forward.
Fortner stopped in his tracks so abruptly that
Glen stumbled against him. The mountaineer
gave the peculiar whistle he had uttered at
the ford The rush ceased instantly The
deep growls of the mastiffs and bulldogs
stopped likewise; only the hounds and the
shrill voiced young dogs continued barking.
The darkness was rent by a long narrow
lane Of light. A door had been opened in
tightly closed house just beyond the dogs
"Down, Tiges Git out, Beautyl" said Fort
ner, imperiously. LAY down, Watchi
Quiet, Brunop
The clamors of the gang changed to little
yelps of welcome.
SIS that you, Jim n inquired high pitched
but not unpleasant voice from the door.
"Yes, Aunt Debby,n answered Fortner,
san' hev some one with men
As the two approached, surrounded by the
fawning dogs, slender, erect woman APP
peared in the doorway, holding above her
head, by its nail and chain. one of the rude
iron lamps common in the houses of the
mountains
Everything all right, Aunt Debby ~ asked
Fortner, as, after entering, he turned from
firmly securing the door by placing across it
a strong wooden Tar that rested in the tim
bers ON either side.
'Yes, thank Godin she said with quiet fer
vor. She stepped with graceful freedom over
the floor, and hung the lamp up by thrusting
the nail into q crack in one of the logs form