The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-12-12

ute l remembered one of the men in tie
service telling me when he heard | was
going TO Pixies Peak TO look out for the
coyotes. Coyotes are somewhat smaller
than the ordinary wolf, and arc called
by many people barking wolves, owing
TO the peculiar nature of their cries /
had never heard them before. Ny
opinion was that the keen-nosed brutes
had scented Harry's body, and had come
TO devour it Instead of stopping AZ the
place where Harry was buried, they
made bee-line for the cabin A series
of most diabolical yells announced their
arrival Then 1 heard something
thump, thump against the cabin door.
The door was = strong oak one, and, l
felt confident, would resist any effort
they could make. However, to make il
doubly secure pushed two great heavy
government chests against it Suddenly
their howls ceased. Breathlessly I
awaited developments. So long did the
silence continue that l began TO think
that they had taken their departure. But
i was mistaken, / soon heard them upon
the roof Before i had time to recover
from my astonishment at this change
in their tactics l heard one of the rocks
that held down tho roof roll off TO the
ground. Demonstration, l jumped to
my feet. believing nothing now would
keep them out If they could roll off
one of those rocks the boards of the
roof would be nothing them. l picked
up a gun that hung upon the wall, and
raised it toward the roof. Soon i saw
one of the boards begin to move; but
little at first, then more and more until
the starlight was plainly visible through
the crack. Then it was suddenly
wrenched from its place, and dark OBJ
ject appeared in the aperture. l fired.
The same moment l was dashed violent
~ to the floor by something heavy COM
ing from the direction of the roof. The
next thing l remembered was finding
myself lying upon the bed. To my sur
prise l saw the cabin door was open, and
the sunlight streaming in. l started TO
get up, but fell back exhausted. Won
dering what could be the matter, / made
another attempt. AS l did so nay heart
almost stood still at the sight of a man
standing in the doorway. Could l be
dreaming? 1 rubbed my eyes tremb-
lingly with my hands The man, ap-
parently divining my thoughts, said:
Don't be afeared; it amt no ghost,
but it might have been if you'd Shot
me that night, as you tried to-"
shot you?" l gasped.
Eyes, shot me-" repeated the man;
''and if hadn't thrown you 80 the floor
when 1 did you'd a shot me the second
time"
''But the coyotes?" asked.
Coyotes" repeated the man in
amazement; what do you mean?"
1 told him my story. He laughed
heartily.
1T warn't no coyotes or nothin' as
you heard. II war me and the other
fellows a-hollcrin'. You see, we busted
both our lamps, and we were a-hollerin'
for you TO make somo light so we could
see where the cabin war. You see, you
war clean out of your head with the
fever, and you imagined all them
things" He then told me that had
been lying i'll with fever ever since
that night, some three weeks in all,
and that had been delirious the whole
time. While he was still talking two
other men came into the cabin.
That's a nice way to be a-treatin'
people as is sent TO your rescue" spoke
up one of them. And after bein'
nearly frozen 70 death on the way"
added the other one.
my rescue? What do you mean?' !
inquired, not little puzzled
'Ain't your name Harry?" asked the
first speaker.
Mo- l said, lit isn't"
They all looked at one another
strangely. Then the same man said:
''Why, on the 5th day of February q tel
egram came from a man up here a-sayiR'
that the fellow as war a-stayin' with
him had got lost and hisself war
a-dyin."
February s." thought at was the
day Harry died" In a moment | saw
through 1t all Harry's business at the
telegraph instrument that morning was
explained. GCtting awake while was
taking away the wood from the door,
and not seeing me, he had thought in
his delirium / was lost; hence his mes
sage to Colorado Springs. 1t is still
matter of wonder to the people out there
how the rescuing party ever got up the
mountain. 1t was a feat never attempt
cd, much less accomplished, at that sea
son Of the year.
Some time aflerward / met the mai,
who had told me- about the coyotes lie
laughed heartily when / related my ex-
pcriencc. lie said what he had meant
by coyotes were the feas that fairly
swarmed up there at certain seasons Of
the year. They were SO big and bit so
hard that the men in the service nick
named them coyotes"