Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-12-14

peacefully.
Both men were reluctant about
shooting, but when they pulled their
triggers there was exactly the same
result as on the evening before.
They reached the top of the ridge
and plainly saw the footprints. of the
animals The ridge went up from the
floor OF the valley in a gentle, gradual
slope. but when the top was reached II
stopped abruptly and a bluff several
feet high went down on the other side.
It was now evident that the deer must
have been on The edge Of this bluff, and
the instant the shots were fired jumped
over the side and 80 disappeared
The men followed the way IL seemed
the deer must have gone. They jumped
down the bluff and there saw "A clump
OF brush and the white mist arising
from Il. Both were almost afraid to 20
near the brush, but at that moment n
rafting Ina Il made both men raise their
rifles. The next moment they saw
wounded white deer jump out and at
tempt 10 run. They fred and II fell
dead. There was nothing supernatural
about that. and the dust that arose
from the bushes explained the cause Of
the white mist that had been seen ris-
ing over the hill. Looking down into
the bushes, Roberts said that the brush
grew on Il bank and directly below 1t
was a deep hole, which investigation
showed to be cave that went deep UNI
dcrground. The tracks and broken
brush showed that the deer had gone
in there. and SO disappeared from the
face of the earth
Both men now thought they had all
the game they could carry off and start
ed inside, but had gone but n few steps
when they were called to n halt
and found that n tall old man, only
about half dressed and surrounded by
the herd OF white deer, had bead ON
them with pair of large-bore re-
volvcrs They stopped.
what do You want here?" asked the
voice behind the rcvolvcrs
Both mon wera too frightened on ac-
count of the surprise, and had dropped
their rides on the ground.
"Sit down there" said the voice
again, and Frank lin and Roberts did Us
they were told
They had no disposition TO argue the
point with the man, rs he kept them
covered all the time. lie then com
menced To ask them all sorts of qucs-
| tons, and the deer stood by as II they
comprchcndcd it all. The old mans
harangue lasted for long time, but
| finally he said he was certain they were
| the two men who had killed two of the
deer the night before, and now he
would have to kill them. But he
wouldn't shoot. No; that would be too
| good for those who had dared 10 kill
the pets of the Great White Spirit. But
what would he do? That was ques-
ton that troubled HIM deeply. lie
walked up and down, while the deer
| followed him closely, and would occa-
sionally bury his face in his hands
| At last he seemed TO forget the two
men and began to murmur some mar
ticulate words. Both OF his captives
now began TO see u way out of the fix,
Us it became apparent the man was u
sort of maniac
Watching their chance, they grabbed
their rifles when his back was turned,
aud when he faced them he found him
self gazing into the muzzles OF couple
Of Wiuchesters. The poor creature
howled in agony and begged for his
life. The men took his revolvers and
then attempted to find out who he was.
But he would not say much, except
that he had been there for many years
and was a servant OF the great white
spirit
Franklin and Roberts were standing
with their backs TO the entrance and
! L. 4 a. Al.
only man was unarmed. Their ques-
tioning was becoming tiresome when
suddenly the old man made n move
with his arms, and before the hunters
could realize what had happened tho
entire herd of deer had jumped toward
them and knocked them down and be-
gan running out OF the cave, tramping
on them as II they were SO much dirt
1t all happened so quickly and the
shock was so great they were stunned
for moment.
When the trnmping ceased the men
jumped up and found they were alone
in the cave. Both were considerably
bruised, but managed to get to the en-
trance in time TO see the herd vanish
ing over hill n few hundred yards
away. Whether the old man was with
them or not they couldn't tell. They
still had his revolycrs, but he had dis.
appeared. lie must have gone with the
deer, as he was not in the back part OF
the cave. They couldn't find him any
where around, and what became of him
they never knew.
The hunters felt that their expedi.
ton had not amounted to much, rs they
had killed only ono OF the animals 10
take back. But when they went 10 get
it they found that II had been thrown
into assure forty or fifty feet deep In
the hillside Tho sides Of this were
covered with cactus, so that it would
have been almost impossible to have
!. got it even had they had ropes,
They came to the conclusion that the
! old man must have thrown II down and
then concealed himself IN some other
cave near by.
lut they could ilrd out nothing, and
started home empty-hanGed, trying to
console Themselves that they had OF
: least SION the white deer of san Carlos.
! San Francisco Call.
a HAWAIIAN CORRESPONDENCE.
A Dreadful Inn 81 on Coming from the
rublic Printer.