Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-02-11

: very good. Lead the way.' l And then the two men set off down the path toward tho scene of the late accidenti ] It order to ga'1 the foot of the perpendic- ular hill it was necessary to begin the de- scent some distance from the spot where ! Lura Joyce had been hurled into the rocky gulch.
 After q scramble among bushes and along dangerous places where the loose pebbles threatened to precipitate them into eternity, the two men gained the foot of , the dcclivity and stood in a damp atmos- phere at the bottom of the gulch.
 'Now, then, how far is it?'' ! This from the pantinR CaSain. i "About twenty rods, I reckon" | "Lead on, quicklyv' returned Starbright, in an impatient voice. The dampness and gloom did not agree with him, and he was anxious to have his unenviable mission over with at the earliest possible moment There seemed something uncanny in the surroundings, and for the first time feeling akin to fear crept over the Captain.
 i Hank Cabcra moved forward, swinging his lantern before him. The walking was comparatively easy, and soon the lantern bearer came to a halt
 ! "Well?" demanded Starbright. 1 "We're here, Cap'n."
 The Captain felta rising in hls throat, but he swallowed it with gulp and peered for ! ward over rock as his companion flashed the rays of his lantern forward. He thought to look upon the mangled remains of the fair girl he had once sought in marriage, and it is little wonder that the Captain was trifle nervous under the cir cumstanceS.
 'I see no one!" uttered Starbright, after g nasty survey.
 Hank Cabera uttered an imprecation and eagerly scanned the rocky ground.
 Tl,n o1 Ioiy1 E. Fo,. 1.N, tered at length. "I s'pect the wild animals has carried her off,"
 That is absolute nonsense"
 "Eh! Why is it?'
 "If such were the case some traces would be left behind. I see none here. Your lie won't go down, Henry Cabera." Its traces you seek, ch! What do you call ths9' and the man with the lantern : held up bit of gray cloth that had evident ly been torn loose by a jagged point of rock.
 Tho Captain at once felt the delicate text ure and decided that it was piece from a woman's dress, and closely rescmblcd one that he had seen worn by Lura Joyce.
 "Jest look down here, pardner."
 Hank Cabera was bending closely over the stones at the foot of the steep dcclivity, 1 one huge, grimy finger pointing at the l ground. The Captain saw and Shuddered ! Here, under the mans finger, had been Q pool of blood which was now coagulated. It was horrd reminder of the awful tragedy the solemn rocks and trees had witnessed but twenty-four hours earlier
 The Captain shuddered and drew back.
 "What dye think now, par0ner:" Cabera regarded Captain StarbriGht with 1 a curdling grin.
 "It looks as though somebody had fallen here, surely" admitted the Captain, "but must see the body before will be convinced that sure thing was made of the work" ! Do ye ina zine gal could fall sixty foot ontcr them rocks an not be killed, misters"
 ''It doesn't seem posslble,'' admitted Star bright ''but how am to know that you are not deceiving me? Some one seems to have fallen on these rocks, but it may be another than Lura Joyce. demand to sec the body before any thing further is done."
 "Wal, I'll do my best"
 Then the man began a search which re- suited in failure.
 "Somethin's carried the dead gal away, that S sartin,' muttered Hank. II can't see through it no more than you lzin.''
 ''Let me take your lantern a moment Hanl1.''
 The forester turned the desired article over to Captain Starbright, ard he pro- cccded to make an examination on his own account. He was not long in making dis covcrics that satisfied him. A strand of curling red brown halr was pressed under a bush near the base of the rock, and half concealed in blood-spriukled leaves lay a pearl handled pcnEnife that he knew to be the property of the venturcsome Miss Joyce from the fact that it had been pres ent from him in the days gone by. Here was proof then that Lura Joyce had been hurled to the bottom of the gulch, and this being true, the Captain was satisfied that the girl was dead. He was puzzled at the disappearance of the body, however. Securing the twin evidences of the awful crime Captain Starbright returned to his brutal companion, and signlfied his readi- ness to return to the ground above. "Wal, what did ye find, Cap'nr'
 "Nothing of importance.' "Do ye think I'm lyin' about the gal?'
 Hank Cabera refused to move until this question was answered. He confronted Captain Starbright with an omnous scowl on his shaggy face. , "No am satisfied that you have told . only the truth, Hank.'
 A grunt answered the Captains words P and then Hank Cabera began moving for. , ward on the return. Just as they were on the point of beginning the ascent at the point where they had entered the gulch both came to a stand, petrified into living , statues for the time.
 A scream so wild, weird and awful rent the air as to curdle the blood in the veins ot , the gulch trespasserS.
 My soul! what was that!"
 Captain Starbright drew concealed , pistol and glared about him without reply t A pair of glcaming cyeballs peered at the . twain from the darkness. They seemed ,, like demon eyes, and for the moment the . Captain was too stupefed to fire. Again the awful cry woke the echoes and then the Captain raised hls revolver and sent bullet hurtling through the air
 A yell followed, then a crash and two men stood in darkness. | The lantern had been swept in fragments . from the hand of Cabcra. Black darkness , l everywhere. The geaming eyes had dis , appeared and Q solemn stiffness reigned. F This was even more impressive than the pandemonium of sound had been. Hanl - Cabera clung to the arm of Captain Star