The Van Buren press., 1896-05-30

Marcus KeIlam says, though. that
he saw the old chap oFsr on Panpae2
last week said I.
Then we got to git into the woods
right away, by fury exclaimed Red,
jumping mp and grabbing his gun. 1t
Marcus Izsiiafa seen Gid Golden last
week, Marcus is somesrs on the ran
tankerous bucks trail, and We hafa't got
no time 10 waste
so be hurried me off 70 the woods.
We're goHn' to still hunt for him,
said Red, IN the way. 4 hain't got no
dog. and hafn't g8in' TO risk no bar-
ried dog on him. Old Golden has got q
way o borin' holes IN dogs noways
pIeasins to them that owns EN-
eve still hunted for him for three or
four hours but not a sign Of Old Golden
did We see. I was about tackered out,
aad Red began to look disappointed.
50 The old eusa must a heerd that
Marcus KeIlam seen kim,' said Rec,
and has jist maturity dug out for some
other deesfrie''
~ffy and by Red told me to move on
until came 70 a big dead pine tree that
stood on the side of the ridge about a
mile MP the creek, while he went OF
to the south and eircled back again and
came ont and met me.
IT he amt iayta' some'rs in the
bailiwick,' said he, he has shook tire
dust 0. these parts of his hoofa aed
left "a n the lurch. certain. II you see
him. be sure you bring him the first
shot II you don't, the chances is that
he'll bore you and stamp you
with this cheering assurance Red
started on his course. and soon was cut
Of sight. I moved o.. with no partie-
ufar yearning for meeting with 0lc
Golden. had come within sight Of the
dead pine tree when I heard a great
aaarIing and swapping Ok to my right.
The noise sounded Ike a dog fight. ]
worked my way cautiously through tine
brush toward the spos the sounds came
from. and found that 7 could probably
get a good sight Of what was goiHg on
from a little knoll on which there was
a group of henllock trees
Fl reached that elevation, and peer
ing from behind one of the trees saw 4
sight indeed. On the further side of tine
opening. and not 80 feet away, was a
large rock Backed up close to the
rock was an fmmenge buck, with an
amazing spread Of antieps. His head
was lowered until his nose almost.
touched the SHOW. I'm Font of him
orc well off To the right side and one
to the left. were two fierce and bristltng
animals which 7 knew were wolves. al
though had never seen % wolf before.
SEINE distance away, lying In tine snow.
which Wss dyed red with blood. lay
anotaer wolf. dead. Tie picture told
,ze aaagg- Tias t7s=si ryI1lsa iIHiI1g wolves
made qaiele aad savage dashes at tine
buck. that spfan& as qaicleIy forward
TO meet theIn. hanging wielsedly az
them with his many pointed horns. The
fight evidently had been IN progress
for some time. I knew that the buck
must be the famous. or infamous. Oh
Golden. Ny heart hammered away
against my breast 50 that it almost
choked me. Although here was such a
chance as any woodsu.an in the county
would have given all he possessed L
have. | don't believe I could have
plucked up nerve enough to take adj
vantage of it If somebody else hadn't
happened.
II stood there behind the tree, peer
ing at the fight between the wolves
and the buck / must be rs pale ~
ghost By and by my eye caught a
movement in the woods OF to the LETT,
and CHANGING that way ! saw hun
ter stealing up from that direction.
He was 80 taken up with the sight in
the opening that he had not discoy-
cred me. lie was a stranger to me.
He stopped, aud saw that he was pre-
pairing to do what / hadn thought of
dcing-shoot. That decided me.
"If that man gets Ola Golden II
flashed through my mind, I'll never
dare look Red Drake in the face againl'
al pulled up my gun. I'll never tell
you where | aimed, but / fired. | saw
the big buck give one great leap in the
air and then tumble N the snow and lie
there with scarcely another movement.
! he wolves disappeared in the woods.
Mechanically | glanced again at the
stranger. He sim had his gun at his
shoulder. He was looking at me, AMI
III never forget the expression on his
face. We stood there staring at each
other, without word. for at least n
minute. Then the hunter dropped his
gun, stepped out into the opening, and
gazing down at the dead buck, eN-
claimed
~ couldn't have done it any better
myself"
"Then ! wilted right down where
stood, and ] don't believe | could have
got up II another buck as big and ugly
as Old Golden had been coming for
me head on. The hunter was still gay
ing at the dead deer when Red Drake
game crushing through the brush and
broke painting on the scrie. When he
saw the hunter, Red was a sight to look
Mt.
Marcus kellam, by fury he eS-
claimed. 4 heerd this mornin' that you
had seen him over on Panpuck. was
afcard I'd be little too late! And [
bel
Before the other hunter could reply
Red saw me sitting in the snow, up
against the tree.
g" 'Twasn't Marcus that pinced him.
ucither!' he shouted. rushing toward
nae. 1T was you, by furyl Hooray!'
at is hardly necessary to say that