Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1890-01-03

blacker wntor. lie had never visited
tho crook on more auspicious day.
Tho iish were so cngcr TO bite that they
mado tho water boil when his long
leader loated gently down TO its SUR
face. Within two hours aiior his arri-
val ho had filed his crocl, and with
arms aching. and with pulse bounding
with excitement. was ready to sit down
and cat luncheon which. before leay-
ing home. he had wrapped carefully in
napkin.
He sat down and reached for his
luncheon, only to discover that no had
left II at home In the pantry This un-
Welcome discovery caused him to uban-
don tho plan no had formed. to string
tho fish already taken. and ill the
basket again. Ho took tho leader from
his limo. slowed away his ilics in his
book. rcclcd In the line, uniointed the
rod. and put II in It's bag md started
| for homo. tfE4
As no ilshcd he had worried his way
up tho creek. and be was about five
miles from home whom he started back.
| Hc trudged along nt IN cnsy pace. stop
ping now and then TO examine the carly
spring flowers that bloomcd on the
slopes that faced tho sun. When Tom
reached tho Conklin brook hc found
that II was only little past noon. and
was tempted into cutting long birch
1 -. ...A sstfk fAfa .a tsn1 md N
couple OF yards of limo, tippcd with a
single ny, 70 tried -fow casts in the
little pools among tho aldc:-- bushes .hss
line the brook.
The fish wore small. but 1erco as
lcopards. and when lie finally hooked
ono that weighed about scveu ounces.
and had to fight fifteen minutes 20 keep
II clear OF roots and logs bcfor> ne
could get his net under IL. begs, 20
wonder whether tho creek had after al
afforded him any more pleasure than
this brush-lincd brook had done But
having landed the soren-ouncc prlze-
II was indeed prize, when tho size oil
the stream Is considered hc threw
AWAY the switch and plodded on. On
top OF tho ridge he passed. a stretch OF
mud in which ho saw very distinctly
the imprint OF child's bare foot Tho
youngsicr had started to cross the mud
aud finding II too deep or too cold had
returned. 1t had evidently wished TO
keep on, however. for tho soft earth
showed whore 1t had turned into wood
path leading TO one side OF tho puddle
and beyond Il. Tom was startled ut
seeing a chi,d's track in the woods two
miles from any house.
.Its ono OF tho Wallace children" !"
he said TO himself Serves her right "
hc continued, his thoughts turning
from tho distress no imagined tho moth
or would foel rs she looked for tho
child. TO the time when she had grab
bed stick OF slovc-wood 10 assault
him. At that remembrance ho started
on. but stopped agaia. as hc thought
OF tho terror tho child would feel
when 1t should begin TO realize that II
was lost
| Pretty tough for a youngster like
that 10 be alone In tho woods" he
thought. "but It'll be n good lesson for
| Mrs Wallucc II | can find the boy for
her. Teach her to keep an eye on 1t
| II I can find it,"
| lie did not like 10 think OF the oppo-
site contingency. Placing his basses
and landing net under tree, Tom.
with his rod in hand. hurried along
the by-road that tho child had fol-
! lowed.
III won't call H." no said TO himself
.rvc heard that children. and mon.
too. for that matter, are frightened hall
10 death. when lost at tho sound ol q
human voice"
A few rods down tho road. which
wound around towards the brook. he
saw whore the youngster hud struck il'
foot and cut II on sharp stone, The
ground was hard Mt this place. but the
blood on the rock and a plcco OF blue
checked cotton cloth, torn from Tho
childs dress by broken root. told The
story.
IL declare It's Benny" said Tom. Al
no looked Mt the bluo-checked bit o
cotton. That's tho very dress he ha'
on whom camc by tho Wallaccs' house
Why tho poor child must have hurt II
self terribly" t
Tears almost filled Toms eyes Hi
love FOR his own winsomo brother mad
him fool hcarty sympathy for Benny
The cut foot hud bled freely, for beyon'
the sharp stonc there was u blotch o
! blood ut every step. aud n drop or two be
tween. Tom walked faster after he founi
tho blood on the trnil. Suddenly hebloo'
ceased 10 appear THAT Is strange,
, hc thought. and he looked about care
} fully 10 see II thorc were signs tina
would Indicate that tho boy had left th
path. but he could find no furthertrac
, OF blood or see tho boy. In spite 0
! his efforts 10 believe that the woun
Z had been closed with clotted blood an
, that he should soon find theiboy, I'll
: disappearance OF the trail gave Tom
shock that partly unncrvcd him.
, Ho qulckoncd his pace 10 n run an
: shortly reached soft ground again. U
[ It's very edge tho print Of one little bnr
foot was found, but whore the boys mex
FOOTPRINT should hayo been was th
: broad and unmistaknblc track ol par
: thcr Tho brute In crossing the roa
: ABOVE hnd found tho bloody trail oil Tn
> boy. II had stopped TO lap tho cart
, where the lad Ind trod, and had got
taste OF human blood. q
..lt Is now mun-eatcr." Tom snid
: himself. and tho thought OF the child
0 peril mnde his head swim. For me
. ment he stared vacanLly at the lmut
. then. without stopping TO reason
: consider. rushed ahead with ono ido'
: that somehow he might be able 70 sav
4 that child from the panther
t The roadway, as II ran down towaf