The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-08-20
THE SHADOW.

)fficers,'
"Jes' my Judgment; and reckon the
boys had better be put on the lookout"
Correct. Tell them to meet down to
Lingo's and I'll be long later. | ies'
wanter see if everything is all right at
the Horse Shoe"
''Hadntyou better take one o the boys
long with you? YOU
"Bah! do you think Burk Brandon
has lost the mettle of this good right
arms Mo- I'll go to the Horse Shoe
alone, an I'll come back, too, in spite of
em hounds of the law
He was tall, burly framed man,
with coarse features and grizzly locks,
his ungainly form clad in gray suit of
coarse mat rial.
His con panion, though smaller in
stature, was evidently a man of his own
stamp,
They were known as farmers by the
few settlers of that thinly populated
country, though had the truth been
known they, with half a dozen others,
followed the more hazardous and un-
lawful vocation of smuggling,
The appearance Of several strange
men in that vicinity had naturally
enough aroused their fears 1t had been
less than year since some officers had
suddenly appeared searching for the
smugglers supposed to be lurking in
that locality. Though they had sue
ceeded in throwing the officials off their
track then it would be more difficult to
do it again,
Anxious each to go his way, the pre-
cious twain separated, the younger has
tening to warn their associates of the
impending danger, while the other bent
his steps toward the hiding place of
their contraband goods.
80 the hounds think to smell me
out!" muttered the smuggler chief as he
followed his way. "Well, mebbe they
will, but moren likely they'll find that
old Burk Brandon has keener scent
than they~ and he smiled grimly, while
q latent fire shone in his small gray
eyes.
1t was already nightfall when he
reached by boat that part of the lakes
shore overlooked by granite cliffs Of
considerable height, but the moon hal
risen, so the smuggler was enabled to
pursue his course without difficulty.
Winding his way amid the powders
that hemmed in his path, and then wad-
ing through a shallow pool of water, he
finally came upon a spot where the cliff
overhanging the water in a semicircle
formed small cove which could not be
seen until fairly reached,
A narrow shelf about midway ON the
side of the precipitous ascent offered a
foothold, and along this Brandon un-
hesitatingly threaded his course.
When reaching the toe of this shoe
shaped retreat he gained an opening in
the rocky wall where the curious path
way ended.
Entering within the dark recess he
lighted lantern and began to examine
the place, which was in truth nearly
filled with such articles as he and his
confederates had concealed there, hop
ing to dispose of them at their leisure.
Poor fools!" he muttered, "to thinl
that shall run the risk of staying il
these parts longer. Enough of thes'
valuables to make me independent anC
| am off this very night Hal hal SOM
Of this old wine will clear my head fo
the work before me"
Speaking thus TO himself, with an oc
casional potation of the liquor, he passe,
perhaps half an hour in collecting tn
} treasures he wished to take away witt
him. Then, with a farewell look at tn
balance of their plunder, he turned t
retrace his course.
Reaching the mouth of the cavern h
found that the moon had risen abov
the line of the cliff so that its melloV
+ light fell full upon Horseshoe cove
. lighting the place to almost midda
brillianoy,
Extinguishing the light, he was abou
TO step ont on the rocky pathway whe
e he started back with low cry.
p Upon the opposite wall of the cliff II
e had discovered the shadowy outlines &
e q man with one hand uplifted an
I pointed toward him.
At first he thought the wine he ha
S drunk had bewildered his brain on
d that the image was but hallucinatioi
d He rubbed his eyes and looked agai
n 10 find it atill there, and after a fe'
IS minutes he was forced to believe h
d sight
n "Hal see" he chuckled, "tis son
y one on the cliff and his shadow falls G
10 the rock there, Perhaps It's one Of Il
& officers loolin for met But his shade
r. mas betrayed him. III wait till he
l. gone before / venture out.
,e On account Of a projecting rock
could not see the pathway from his co
r. srt, and he dared not leave the cave le
W he should be discovered and fired upC
e. by his foes. Had he been armed vii
ID ather than knife he would have fe
= less uneasy. As It was be lay qu
:. waiting for the danger to pass
y, The time wore tediouSly away VIII
= his gaze was riyeted on the shadol
form untn his eyes became blurred a
M his limbs benumbed
~ To his wonder the figure connhu
at motionloss, though once - tSice
n lancied there was a slight movement
~ Several times he WAS upon the po
od Of leaving the cave, trusting 10 esca
~ but he rofrained from taking the risk
a. "The furies take 'emr he mutter
n "they can shoot ore down like {
without my hftin a iinger,'
He chafod az his helpless position a
ar- blamed himself for coming again TO
ms place, while, higher and higher,
~ great round moon stole up the dark b
,se dome Of night,
ly. Still there was no visible chang,
RI shadow ON the rock. In his bowilde
sn. state he never realized that with
i,s ascent Of the moon its shape would Al
tra and its position vary, or il he did Civ
,d. a passing thought it only served TO
bal tensify the mystery and increase
al. fears,
~ Vainly he waited for it 90 disappes
M. waited until 90 his fevorish visio
an grew palmer in outline, until
n, shadowy limbs seemed substantial,
- body the rounded form Of q living
4 A ingl
h- Il can't stand this amy longerr
N cried at last 81 must take my char
- whatever they be-
~ Freeing himself of the plunder he
'ars hoped to take away, 90 that be VIZ
5on not bo unduly numbered, be crept
up1n tho shell.