The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-10-06

man going to work at the mine. liz
may have had more than one name. bu,
he told the driver that he was known
as Jack. and that seemed u satisfy the
man who handled the lines. They were
delayed by an ACCIDENT until darkness
csne On, and thcL they decided to CAM
until porning in the pine woods. The
horses were unhitcheti ami the two men
spread their blankets ano lay down.
|: was their intention to sleep. but
somehow their eyes were wide open.
and the drowsy god refused 10 come
their way. The strain had been very
great on both. and a nervous condition
was the result And as they lay there,
locking up at The branches of the pines
that glowed red from the freight
against a sky Of inky blackncss. there
was not much wind. but il was enough
TO cause the prickly needles to move
against one another and produce .
sound like the distant moaning Of the
ocean. Mike heard the sound. and
listened TO it in the hope that it would
soothe his mind and cause sleep.
lie paid particular attention to the
change produced by every breath Of
fresh air, and gradually became con-
ecious OF an increase in the volume Of
sound. 1t seemed to rise from the little
Breaker falling on the single to the
giant a dashing against a cliff be-
Tore the fury of the hurricane. At first
Mike thought that sleep was coming
and tried TO help it along by continuing
the thought, but as the sound increased
ne sat up and looked into the darkness.
Ale could see nothing. The sound
grew louder. and he could hear the
cracking OF breaking branches. Jack
also heard the sound. and both got up
thoroughly alarmed. The horses were
shaking like leaves. showing plainly
that they were listening to a sound
they did no understand.
Louder and louder, until ii had be-
come a roar that was all around them
snd gradually coming nearer. At first
MAX thought II might be a storm. but
there was absent that weird, whistling
sound always an accompaniment to a
storm in the pines. But what il was
could not be determined. and each mo-
ment it became more terrible.
Lets run, said Jack
That's good advice" replied Mike,
but which way?"
This was the worst Of the mysterious
sound; it seemed to be all round them
81 the same time and II could not be
told where II came from One moment
~ came from the clouds, the ex. IL was
near their feet, and by q thought IL
came from all sides
Suddenly it struck Mike that It was
a herd Of wild beasts of some kind. but
Wrought it strange that there was no
barking or growls-nothing but the in
cessant rumbling and cracking. The
STRAIN was becoming too intense. and
MiSe concluded to hitch up and be
Iesdy to leave. He threw several sticks
IN me lire and then went for the horscs
"hlle Jack got the harness in shape.
ne animals were anxious to 20. but
vv,ore the harness was over their backs
m1he heard a branch crack just behind
IN lie pulled his revolver and fired
where the sound came from. This only
the roaring sound until IL was
,'cning, and an occasional hiss could
De- heard.
- US hurry ana get out of this"
= eacn a could say TO the other,
nsy acked the horses int position. (,
'u. y wa too late. +,
Aiore tney could realize what had
.rppened the cracking and roaring
just sssids then Mike looked III