The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1891-01-08

chliu- Ehe prospect certainly was
terrible one. The probability was I
should be cut off from all commua;ca-
ton with the world for two full months
or more.
The next morning 1 wrapped IN
Harry's body in couple of blankets
and buried it few yards from the
cabin, among the rocks in protected
part of the peak. My loneliness then
began in earnest. Such days and nights
as | put in! My only diversion was
reading and taking observations. Every
day at the customary lfour 1 would trv
the telegraph instrument, hoping that
communication might possibly have
been re-established. Every day the
same disappointment My great fear
was that I should lose my reason.
One night about three weeks after
Harry's death | was wakened up bv what
sounded like the distant bowling of
some wild animals. For moment or
two the sound was lost. Then it re-
turned louder than ever The next min
ute | remembered one of the men in the
service telling me when he heard l was
going to Pixies Peak to look out for the
coyotes. Coyotes are somewhat smaller
than the ordinary wolf, and are called
by many people barking wolves, owing
to the peculiar nature of their cries.
had never heard them before NV
opinion was that the keen-nosed brutes
had scented Harry's body and had come
to devour it Instead of stopping at the
place where Harry was buried, they
made bee-line for the cabin A series
of most diabolical yells announced their
arrival. Then l heard something
thump, thump against the cabin door
The door was strong oak one, and,
felt confident, would resist any effort
they could make. However, to make it
doubly secure pushed two great heavy
government chests against it. Suddenly
their howls ceased. Breathlessly l
awaited developments. So long did the
silence continue that l began to think
that they had taken their departure. But
l was mistaken, l soon heard them upon
the roof Before l had time to recover
from my astonishment at this change
in their tactics heard one of the rocks
that held down the roof roll off to the
ground. Terror-stricken, I 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 gun that hung upon the wall, and
raised it toward the roof. Soon l saw
one of the boards begin to move; but a
| little at first, then more and more until
the starlight was plainly visible through
the crack. Then it was suddenly
wrenched from it's place, and dark OBJ
ject appeared in the aperture. 1 fired.
The same moment was dashed violent
ly 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. started tc
get up, but fell back exhausted. Won
dering what could be the matter, made
another attempt. As did SO my heart
almost stood still at the sight of a mar
standing in the doorway. Could be
dreaming? l 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 sho
me that night, as you tried to-"
"Shot you?" / gasped
Eyes, shot me-" repeated the man
"and if hadn't thrown you to the foo
when l did you'd shot me the SECOND
time.
But the coyotes?" asked.
"Coyctes,'' repeated the man il
amazement; what do you mean?"
l told him my story. He laughed
heartily.
''It warn't no coyotes or nothin' a
you heard. 1t war me and the othe
fellows a-hollerin'. You see, we busted
both our lamps. and we were a-hollerin
for you to mako some light so we coulC
see where the cabin war, You see, yo1
war clean out of your head with tn,
fever, and you imagined all then
things He then told me that | hat
been lying i'll with a fever ever sine
that night, some three weeks in all
and that had been delirious the Who'll
time. While he was still talking tw
other men came into the cabin.
That's a nice way to be a-treatir
people as is sent to your rescue" spol1
| up one of them ''And after beiI
nearly frozen to death on the way,
added the other one.
my rescue? What do you mean~
inquired, not little puzzled.
"Ain't your name Harry?" asked tn
first speaker.
mo-" 1 said, cit isn't"
They all looked at one anothe
strangely. Then the same man said
"Why, on the 5th day of February tel
egram came from man up here a-sayin
that the fellow as war a-stayin' wit
him had got lost and hisself wa
a-dyin'."
February s." I thought at was tn
day Harry died" In moment 1 say
through it all Harry's business at tn
telegraph instrument that morning wa
explained. Getting awake while wa
taking away the wood from the door
and not seeing me, he had thought i
his delirium l was lost; hence his mes
sage to Colorado Springs. 1t is still
| Doa&+ar of .4roudor IN tho raoop1o ont +h OF,