The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1893-04-27

hs"%L p JN Il |NxE X . u ~ Y 40 "O
i II II "SVU'KH. stood in the IVY
g. \ w covered porch
- )e-lh of the little po-
E3s - 81 lice barracks at
Knockmullen. "I1e has managed to
give us all the go-by for many years,
and you may as we'll let him be-" :
"What's his charm?' asked.
"A better knowledge of the ground
hereabouts than any man alive; the
quickest eyes and ears and legs ever
given to a poacher, and a great pair of
lungs altogether
Il can do bit of running, and my
wind is sound" said l, with smiling
confidence.
Like enough drawled my sergeant,
cycling me from top to toe. Every
new hand has q try at Deerfoot, and
they all think they have good limbs
and lungs of leather until they start in
pursuit of him.. But they carry their
tails behind them when they return to
the barracks empty-handed. He's a
dead shot. too g.:
II am glad to hear all this. l. gives
fellow something to live for. I'm not
bad shot myself"
Neither was Sub. constable Doyle,
who had the last steeplechase after
Deerfoot; and all he got for his pains
was a slug in the knee, which famed
him for lfe.' 5
and what's the history of this ter
ror, sergeant?"
1--WE know next to nothing Of him.
lie has been wild man of the woods,
living in caves or in the trees, or
Heaven knows where or how for years
and years. Some say he is Fenian
that's been out on the hills since '66.
All that is known about him is that he
lives by pOaching, and that Col. Bran
agan would probably put down another
twenty pounds if he thought there was
any chance of nabbing the wild man. I"
l was a raw sub-constable of police
from the black north-Antrim, to be
precise-when arrived, at the end of
the seventies, at the little Munster
village of Knockmullen. was burst
ing with anxiety to distinguish myself,
and here was a splendid opportunity.
Knockmullen was a quiet cluster of
cottages that seemed to be kneeling
piously at the feet of big white
washed chapel. On the north, cast and
western sides of the village rose an
irregular mountain chain. A stream
flowed through the valley and found
it's way through the southern plain to
n goodly river. The mountains were
well wooded; indeed on the northern
slope the timber grew so thickly as to
make progress up the slope almost an
impossibility. On the eastern side of
knockmullen the mountain chain rose
higher than its northern and western
arms, and the top was an abrupt and
rugged furze-coated peak, some fifteen
hundred feet above the sea level. This
hill was called Blacknock. At the far
wide, sweeping slope stretching down
into a tenantless. silent valley-the
most desolate spot had ever seen or
imagined-and hey nd the valley more
chains of hills.
Col. Branagan-a justice of the peace
and the principal landowner in Knock
mullen-lived in a big house at the
southern side of the valley. The
colonel was full of years and full of
sporting fire. He was proud to be reck-
oned the best shot within twenty-mile
radius. He would probably have ig-
nored the mysterious poacher, who
was fattening on: his preserves-for he
was a generous old gentleman-only
that the colonel knew in his heart that
Deerfoot was reckoned to be better
shot than himself.
There was very little to do at my sta
ton. A petty sessions court had to be
attended fortnightly at town six miles
distant, and in the interval loung ing
and smoking and climbing the hills
formed my chief occupations. There
was no one in the barracks but nv old
sergeant and his wife, and the Munster
villagers would not, of course, make q
friend of policeman. -
Months went on, but though kept
my eyes open and my mouth shut
never CHANGED to light upon Deerfoot
in my wanderings. Common report
assigned to the poacher home in some
mysterious cave at the far side of
Blackjack. and naturally Blaclknock
was a favorite rambling ground of mine.
learned should have no difficulty in
recognizing the wild man of, the woods.
He was of middle height. very slender
and wore no cap. His hair was long
and dark and fell over his shoulders.
He was black bearded His costume
consisted of gray and grimy pea
jacket and corduroy trousers.
One morning took out brand new
rifle, with which her majesty's govern
ment had just supplied me. had Col.
Branagan's leave to shoot over his
Iand-as d kind of encouragement to
me to bring down the bigger game
and was anxious to have little quiet
rifle practice at some plover which
dwelt at the far side of Blacknock.
remember feeling particularly
buoyant as trudged up the hill, nv
cleaning weapon slung over my shout
- der. 7 got to the top of the knock, and
then unslinging my rifle descended at
the other side to favorite perch of
mine-a big rock jutting out from the
mountain side. Here 1 could recon
- hotter %Plover was my mission, but If
could by any chance bag peerfoot 1
wouldn't mind missing the birds. ,....,a 49,,
When got to my rocky perch, was
SA"u w SA' uO"u-7HOIo AIOu AaZlHeSS
OF mind than of body-and view the
desolate valley at my feet and the
bleak deserted hills beyond it. There
was strange exhilarating pleasure in
sitting here out of sound and sight of
any body and everything save the
birds of the air. And such air!
! a. Twas quietly admiring. the view and
I. the. clean run of my shining rife barrel
when heard cracking sound which,
warned me that some one was moving
through the furze underneath me-, /
strained my fears, q vague hope Of
Deerfoot surging irlmy breast. and