San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-03-04

company with him no longer, but take I
with his brother Bill, who was prentice
Tom Benson, the wheelwright."
"But do you mean to say" interrupted OF
of his Mortified hearers, that the poo
girl was never traced-was not HuntpC
searchedp
"Oh, ay, there was a bit Of fuss at tt
time, and some of the lads went up, and Jir
Newbault was let down by rope; but b
was nearly drowned, for there is big under
ground sleek empties itself into the pot hal
way down, and it caught him and doused hir
rarely until he could not breathe. 1t put hi
lamp out, too, so he could not see anything
and he was gladly enough to be up out Of /
into daylight again. And if he had gottel
down to the bottom he would have founC
nothing, for the water is twenty yards deeJ
there, and they say it flows out at one emf
into another underground beck, and If a body
had gotten in it would have been suckeC
down with the stream. But all this is outside
my story and has naught TO do with me.
| Well, as l was saying, had gotten half way
down the hollow when l dropped my stick,
and as stoops to pick it up, all of a sudden |
felt as some one or something was behind me.
81 locked round sharp, can tell you; and
sure enough sees man a-Standing looking
at me with his head all on one side, and
somehow began to go cold all over.
"'Hullo therer | shouts
"But he never moved, nor took no notice;
only the mist curled round him, and the wind
blew his coat which was unbuttoned about.
"'Hullo, there, hullor shouts out again,
and louder.
'But he stood there just the same.
'Hullo-hullol HUI
But somehow got so skeeEed at the echo
of my own voice, stopped short and stood
there shaking like poplar. | did not like
the looks of him, he was that unnatural
Then noticed that Bob, my dog, had gone
on, and was out of sight; and | whistled for
him smartly, you bet Up he comes with
clatter, but the moment he sees the man be-
yond me, he gives long, unearthly howl
and sets off with his tail between his legs as
hard as he can pelt. Then can tell you
was in proper fright, and thought only of
getting away myself from that thing as still
stood looking at me with its head all downon
one side. But you see didn't like to turn
and run for it, and him at my back.
"'Hullo thcrel what's up with YOU Where
are you from' Where are you boundF ]
shouts again in desperation.
The thing never answered a word, but it
slowly lifted its head and then lot it fall
again on the other side just for all as if the
neck were broken.
THAT settled me properly and | made up
my mind to try run for it, and off moves
down the path looking back and never taking !
my eyes off him Sure enough, he began to
walk on too, rolling his head slowly and |
swinging his arms, but always just the same
distance behind, and never making no noise |
or call | tried to shake him off over and |
over again, but fast as | went he kept up and |
when | slowed he slowed too. Once or twice |
tried stopping dead thinking he would, |
maybe, pass me, or at least come nigh enough |
for me to see him palmer, but no, he was al
ways ready to stop when did, and he mover
came higher by even yard
'If ever | wished myself at homo it was
then, and shall never forget the horror sf
that twilight walk in the mist with that
awful thing. think | should have had a fit,
IT something, but for the fear that the bog
CART, or whatever it was, would jump on ia
ne. So kept on somehow, wondering how
t was to end, and presently | saw the front
If Eagles Cliff looming up on the left. The
light Of it put a sudden idea into my head
would scramble up it and over to Gearstones
or felt certain the thing with its loose head
md arms could never get up that path after
me- walked slowly till | came right op-
'osite the cliff face, keeping my eye well on
he fellow. Then | stopped dead short, and
le did too
"'HullO there!" | shouts, in a sort of des-
'eratlon, you must keep straight on down
his track if you want to get to the village,
here's no other road
He never spoke, only the head fell over &c
he other side. Then | made a dash for it,
ere madly over bit of moss there is, and
vas twenty feet up the cliff among the
tartled, swearing jackdaws before | dared
0 look round could have yelled with jon.
or there was that unholy figure a-gOing
lowly up on the moor again, and before |
ould wink or rub my eyes he disappeared in
be mist
We'll, | did not come down to the path
gain, you may be sure, but took up over
cclby moor and five miles round home, but
got home safely at last, and, mighty thank
H. too.
You, maybe think am gammoning you.
ut tells you honest and fair, that il you,
was to offer me flyer apiece this
leSsed minute, would none gan over yon
ell tonight; no, nor any other night,
thcr"
There was dead silence when Job finished,
nd we, his hearers, pulled on in meditatiye
'shion, cycling each other surreptitiou&y to I
ote the effect Of the narrative Then mine
oSt arose, and, knocking out the cFhes from
is pipe against the top bar Of the CRATE, said
'rsely: ,
Choosing tonne, lads"
The occupants of the settle began to bestir
mugs wero drained to the last [
rop; there was great shutiling Of heavy
cots, chorus Of meet all" clicking of =,