St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-18
A WEIRD NIGHT.
A Tale of Native Vengeance In the
Wtids of New Zealand.

A Tale of Native Vengeance in the
Wtids of New Zealand.
HAROLD v. DOR
An unholy night. was my mental
ejaculation as l stood in the doorway of
my hut, or wari, as the natives of that
seml-tropical country. New Zealand,
term the rude grass or palm houses In
which they live. 1t certainly was an
uncanny night. The day had been ter
ribly hot. but now the wind was rising,
and the sky that but a few hours pre-
YlouSly had been a serene and unbroken
eXpanse of blue, was dark and lower
ing, and the murky clouds that rose
from the misty lowlands looked wild
and threatening, ever and n obscur-
ing the light of the moon as they drove
before the rising wind. For q while |
gaZed at the vivid flashes of lightning
that played at hide and seek among the
huge hauri pines surrounding the
clearing in which l lived, and watched
their ghoStly shadows thrown almost to
my feet, and as suddenly withdrawn.
While contemplating the scene with q
feeling akin 10 awe my reyerie was
rudely broken by a loud crash, followed
by a roar that seemed 10 gather force
as it echoed adown the mountain
gulches. 1t was only a monster pine,
that had lowered its colors before a
furious blast and gone crashing into the
abyss below, but the suddenneSs of the
shock had startled me and unstrung
my nerves. 1t was then, and only then,
that l realized that | was alone, all in
significant mortal. Alone in the heart
OF the Matatoke range, one of Gods
most picturesque and wildly grand
regions, whose domains had hardly il
ever been trodden by the invading foot
of a white man. Alone. gazing at one
of natures majestic battles.
1t was Christmas eve and | had been
alone for three days, except for the two
huge bloodhOunds that lay stretched be-
fore the fire or wandered in an aimless
way around the hut. growing and bear
ing their fierce fangS as it against some
unseen foe.
Times were hard in New Zealand
those days and work very scarce. So
Jack Ellis, a sturdy. open-hearted Cor
niShman, and myself decided that we
would try our luck at gum digging. We
had worked with varying success
for some time, but a few weeks
previously we had made a very
rich find. So when the pack
train that brought us up our monthly
supplies and took away our gum had
arrived in the camp Jack had tried to
persuade me to 90 down to the settle
ment with him and spend Christmas
with his parents, who lived in the little
mining village of the Thames. that
nestled seventy-two miles below US. but
l had refused, for L wished to work out
the lead, which was still rich, and this
is how | came to be alone In the mount
ain forest.
After entering my hut and closing the
door, | tried to shake off the feeling of
loneliness that had become almost fear.
but all III vain. An Unsuitable desire to
see a human face had overcome me. At
last L decided to close up my hut, and
to 90 down the mountain to spend
CHRISTMAS day with some gum diggerS,
who lived two miles further down the
gulch. SO, calling my dogs, we started
down the narrow mountain trail that
led to the shanty below. 1t was a diff
cult and laborious journey, but at
the end Of an hour [ was rewarded
by seeing the light from their log fire
loom through the darkness. With a
Hello there. mates" L thumped at
the door before entering. What a con-
traSt from the darkness of the night.
The light of the fireshone upon four.
men, three Of whom were brawny
Scotchmen, the other a half-breed
extended their hands. giving me
at the same time a CHEEKY
welcome, mate; kind of lone
some up yonder by yourself ?
Welcome'--a minute or two later were
standing in a ring around that rude
table hand in hand singing For Aud
Lang Syne' as though we had been
friends from childhood. and then whiled
away the time by speaking Of our homes
and loved Oues, who We're separated
from US by about sixteen thOusrad miles
OF ocean, slipping the While from
a great bowl of hot Scotch such
know how to brew. Many and warm
were the toaSts we drank that night.
1t was a joVial Christmas eve, and we
kept it up till the wee sma; hours of
the morning, and then, one by one, we
commenced to lie down to rest, with
hearts overlooking with feelings of
good will toward all men"-but not
all of US. for just as Hughle Nc.
Vey had removed his coat the half
breed, who was still seated at the table,
turned to him and said in broken Eng
lIsh, "Hughie, it is your turn to walk
round the hut and see II everything is
all right and the coast clear; but, as it is
so stormy, | will 90 with YOU" With
out a WORD Rughie picked up his rifle.
and together they stepped out into the
darkness.
For awhile we awaited their return.
and then, arising, went to the door and
called "Hughie, Huehie !" but no an
swer came, and the wind moaned dis.
mally through the gruesome-looking
forest, Again aud again we called, and
still no answer. Something has gone
wrong, some one said, and as if by com
mon consent eacn man grasped his
rifle and passed out into the night. The
Scotchmen started to walk round the
right side of the hut, while /. with a
whispered Seek him. Sulliman'' to one
of my hounds, started to go to the left.
we had but separated a few PAGES when
a deep bay from the hound told us that
he was on the trail. A moment later
we were STOPPING over the PROSTATE
form of our companion, and, thinking
that the toddy had been too potent.
we picked him up and carried
him into the hut little prepared for the
awful sight that greeted our ey es. The
form that we held in our arms was the
body of Hughie, and the most sickly
looking corpse mortal man ever beheld.
Yes, he was dead, stone dead, if there
be such a thing; his head was almost
severed from his body, and from a
CHASTITY wound in his right side pro-
iected the hilt of the Short barbed
sword that the alf-breed always car
ried. Gently we laid him down by the
freside and covered his still quivering
form with a blanket, in clothes sat-
urated with his life blood, and, rifles in
our hands, we kept the silent death
watch.
The dying wind, that seemed as
though 1T were signing his requiem
through the trees, and an occasional
mournful howl from the boar hounds as
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