The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-04-26
the NUM- FED NAN.

It was q wild; rocky. billy country
through which the path led; winding
about among powders and scrubby
trees, now skirting the edge Of the "a.
vine. now crossing q brawling stream,
and again going straight over a rugged
hill.
Along this path q man was walk
ling at a pretty rapid pace, look:
ing neither to the right nor left, but
with his fierce gray eyes fixed steadily
before him. He was OF medium height,
we'll built, with broad, strong looking
shoulders, in which there was q little
stoop. His hair and beard were of a
light. ashy brown. his complexion sal
low, and his features commonplace
enough, with the exception of his eyes,
in which there was a cold, cruel light.
He seemed to be we'll acquainted with
the country, pursuing his way without
hesitation, though occasionally he
came to a place where another path
intersected the one he was travelling:
Walking thus. neither Stacking ror
accelerating his gait, he came to hill
much higher and sleeper than any he
had yet crossed. Climbing this he
necessarily went slower and with
more difficulty, but the view that
greeted his eyes when he got to the
top would have we'll repaid him for
the toll of the ascent had he been one
to appreciate the beauties of nature.
Far away was q range ut mount.
aims, blue and misty in the distance,
the lines of elevation gradually sink
ing to the loot hills, which seemed to
roll away in great pillows, breaking at
his very feet IN a chaotic mass OF
rocks, trees and glancing waters. But
this traveller had no eye for the beau-
tiful-the distant mountains, which
he stood still for a moment to gaze
upon, were to him only a place of
refuge, and that distance which soften
ed their rugged features and lent en-
chantment to them, he would gladly
have dispensed with.
With heavy sigh, the first syn,p-
tom Of WEAKNESS he had shown, ne
WAS about to resume his journey when
he suddenly came to stand again,
turning his eyes, in which there was a
startled look, in the direction whence
he had come. He had heard q sound
that he too we'll knew. 1t was the
bay of a hound, just audible, far
away to the southeast. He listened
intently. The dog did not give voice
continuously, but only at intervals.
and his keen ear detected g. difference
in the bays as they came nearer; there
were two dogs running, and running
over the very route by which he had
come. He knew we'll what that meant.
He was not deceived. He did not al.
low any hopeful fancy to persuade
him that those dogs were in pursuit
OF any tour footed beast. 1t was q
man they were efter-he knew it.
When the hound hunts the deer or the
wild cat his yelp is quick and joyous.
but when he hunts man his voice is
deep and sonorous and breaks ON the
still air like the toll OF the death bell.
The hunted man turned and looked
at the mountain again, and there was
a great longing in his fierce eyes. Alas!
those blue peaks-how far they were
away. Then, with the activity of the
panther, which he somewhat resem.
bled in his nature, he bounded down
the slope OF the hill, at the foot oil
which he plunged into a. swiftly run
ming stream.
The water was not deep, coming uI
to his knees. and wading through that
he ran q hundred yards or more, and
then turning retraced his steps. There
was a mountain ash growing about
twenty feet from the stream, its wide
spreading branches reaching out some
thirty feet from the trunk. Climbing
the tree, he clambered out on one O.
the branches overhanging the waite,
and dropped from the end OF it, wad
ing q considerable distance before
landing. when he FASTENED to the tor
OF another hill and stopped to lister
just an instant. He could hear thu
dogs plainly now; they were rapidly
| approaching.
There was a place OF refuge that h.
| knew OF, where no man. he thought
could find him. No man. But Their,
were the dogs, whose sense of smell
was more unerring than the intelli
gence of man. They would track him
to his hiding place in spite of all that
he might do. If he succeeded in reach
ing this place-it was not far away
they could not get at him there, but
they would know that he was some
where near ut hand. They woull
know-ah, yes. the dogs would know
but the men mis- hit think them al
fault and drive them off. There wat
q chance OF that and it was the only
chance on which he could build {
| hope. But come what would he woulc
die game; they should not take hin
alive. He had no weapon save q long
b'aded knife. which he drew from it.
scabbard in his bosom, glancing at it.
keen edge and thrusting it back again
He was running while these thought,
were passing through his brain, ant
in little while he came to a ravine