Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-08-15
How beautiful is hope.
A LONG MOMENT.
AN ADIRONDACK ADVENTURE.

Al Al AAt-hl'AAh ADV En- lure.
1t was my day in camp; for it was not
safe, in that quarter of the Adirondacks,
to leave ones possessions very long uu-
guarded
Toward sunset there was great whir-
ring in the air, followed by an immediate
splashinG in the lake, near the camp
shantv.
Locking out, saw flock Of ducks
some five hundred yards away, swim
ming and iuttering about as if half mad
at the JOY of the new-lound water.
For an hour l had been wondering
what new dish could surprise the boys
with at supper time, and here now was
my very chance, close at hand.
Catching up a shotgun and few
loaded cartridges | went little way
down the iakeshorc, where nv game
would be in easy reach
So ntcntly were my eyes fixed upon
the ducks that | not see a low living snArl
Of wiry vines just before me. Catching
my feet in them, [ was thrown face down
ward upon the ground so violently that
one barrel ofmy gun went off, the charge
tearing IN ugly ho.e in my right thigh.
A s;ckening sense Of pain and weak
ness swept over me, but by making pow
erfui resistance | escaped losing con
seriousness.
Though no artery was severed tor.
rent OF blood rushed out Of my laceratc
member, which stanched as well as [
could with shreds and bandages torn
from my flannel hunting shirt.
Then reflected upon the situation.
In an hour the boys would come to
my rescue, as it was strict regulation
OF ours to get back to camp at sunset.
But to stay where | had fallen until then
was out OF the question, for the ground
was covered with myriads of ants which
were already crawling over me despite
my efforts at keeping them off Soon
they would attack me i'll earnest unless
moved and no man could stanl their
torturing apparatus for an hour.
Clearly, | must move at once, in spite
OF the danger of fainting.
Bracing for the effort with every nerve
l began crawling back to camp, fresh
tide of blood eluding my bandages with
each movement.
When half the distance was covered,
was SO nearly exhausted that halt for
rest was necessary.
Then new idea occurred to me, and
drawing my revolver fired three rounds
of two shots cach-the signal Of distress
which the boys and | had agreed upon
for emergeucie-, when we first went
into camp.
Soon heard their answering shots,
less than & mile away and knew that they
would come to me as fast as the dense
underground would permit-probably
reaching me in about ten minutes.
Brushing of the murderous ants, which
were causing me the most excruciatinc
agony by setting their strong jaws in the
edges of my wound, again pressed on
toward camp, leaving trail of blood be
hind me as | went.
The last ten yards of that difficult
journey ] made with bright coIors flash
ing before my eyes, and with loud ring
ing sounds in my ears, so near | was to
fainting away.
Half way through the shanty door my
strength gave out, anil | could 90 no
further.
Again dslodging the ants and tight
ening my baudages | settled myself to
await the coming Of the boys.
What kept them so long?
1t seemed an hour since Ihsd signaled
them. the pain made time drag so.
Would they never get there2
Surely it was time | heard them, anv
way; and yet there was no sound of
them.
My throat was dry, aud paius-irst
dull, then sharp and agonizing-shot
through my wound Altogether, | had
never before so longed for the presence of
my fellow beings.
All they were surely coming for yon-
der twig snapped under heavy foot.
Raising myself upon one elbow, |
looked eagerly in the direction of the
sound 10 see who the first conner was, aud
saw-not man, but panther!
The sleek, tawny brute was coming
slowly toward me, his head so low that
his nose seemed to touch the ground as
he came.
Wonderingly looked closer, and
then | understood his strange movements.
He was following my trail, from the
place where | fell when shot, and was
tapping the blood which marked my
course, as he came.
What my fate would be when he
reached me unless the boys got their first,
1t was not at all difficult to guess.
The snawing of the vicious ants was
now forgotten
l had no thought nor eyes for anything
but the panther.
Weak as was | managed to keep my