The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-11-11

abou' his neck that frightened relent-
lessl- until lie lost consciousness.
when he recovered he found his in-
,trumeni. HIS watch and his little store
Of cash an gone. II Was getting to be-
as mitch as a mans life was worth 10
venture alone into the woods
I'm every case il was noted that the
mysterious assailant attacked only
solitary victims, and that he always
Tounced upon them silently from
above and behind. II was enough 10
make mans blood cold TO reflect that
at any moment this mysterious crea-
ture. man. beast or devil. might light
an his neck and choke. shoot or stab
the lie ont Of him. As yet there was
no record OF murder against the crea-
ture. hut WHO could tell what he might
Go II resisted or unduly provoked?
after three different mail carriers
had been robbed the post office officials
sent q detective to ST. Regis TO look
into The matter. This man. ! remem-
her, was an object Of the greatest
wonder and admiration on the part Of
cur entire community. none OF Us ever
having seen real live detective be-
fore lie lodged with father during
| his stay in 81. Regis. and thus | was
brought into intimate association with
lin. The result OF that intimacy
think may say. was what determined
my choice Of profession in life. But
| am DEPRESSING anticipating.
1.-THE detective secured the woods
FOR days at time. He lay in conceal
ment at various points Of the post
road between ST. Regis and the sta
.ion On the river where the mail was
delivered 70 the carrier. He even
risked carrying the mail himself few
times; but. he told me laughingly
| ,he Strain Of that constant twist OF
the neck was too much for him.
80 long as the detective remained
I In the vicinity there were no more rob
berries nor assaults. The clever man
discovered nothing positive. but he
puzzled out a clew. which lie gave to
/ father for what ii was worth when he
was obliged to leave on other business.
| The clew was this:
Near the spot where the surveyor
had been overpowered the detective
/ found an eagles feather. Most men
would not have given this slight cir
! cumstance a second thought But a
! detective is a man 10 whom everything
/ Possesses significance. Ny friend put
the feather ia his pocket and pondercd
ever il. He reflected that the APP
/ proach Of The bandit was always. APP
parerily. through the air: that he
dropped silently down upon his victim
I from behind and above. as a bird of
Frey might do. Was il not possible.
then-pu ting two and two together
that the creature. whatever IL was,
nigh, be something in bird form?
Il saw that my father was inclined
to smile 81 the suggestion when IL was
made 10 him. but | treasured il IN my
mind. for ! could not help feeling
somehow that il came startlingly near
the truth.
NO sooner was the detective gone
than fell 10 working ont his clew r,
be sure, was only a boy. but was
active and inquisitive and very desir.
ons 81 doing something 10 prove my
self worthy OF the detectives friend.
4 ship. Besides. the post office authori.
ties had offered reward Of $500 tina.
would leaG TO the discovery Of the mys-
ierious highwayman. or $500 for his
actual capture. Such an incentive as
this was enough 10 sharpen 4 boy
wits IS well as mans
The thing for me to DO concluded
was % keep sharp outlook for eagles
at all hours OF The day. Wit. this pur-
pose in mind. spent a large share o.
my leisure time on TOP OF cliff abou,
three miles from st. Regis. command
ing a wide view OF the valley in which
the WALLACE lay.
The detective had been gone about
a week when. one afternoon. as | lay
upon the cliff. I Saw a shadow sail over
The woods below me. Looking up from
my place Of concea lment. beheld. al.
mos; directly over my head, the form
o: great eagle outlined against the
sky. Ii was sailing over me at a con
siderable height. but | could see Il
plainly enough. and there was some.
thing so ODD about its appearance that
/ WAS elTLfk VIII dHdItfDcnt. VI
either side Of its neck there hung down
what looked like black sireamer
The effect was as II the bird wers
wearing long muller. the ends oil
which trailed below its breast.
The eagle was drifting away from
me over the valley. and its body for a
time was between me and anything
that might be clinging TO its neck
But finally il made turn. and coulc
dimly see. although the distance was
now too great for accurate observa
ton with the naked eye. sort Of ex
crescence on the birds back. directly
over the trailing streamers. How
longed for a good field glass or tele
scope, | was almost wild with curl
osity. yet could do nothing but con
lecture over the strange appearance,
OF the bird. OF one thing was Amos
positive. however. and that was tina
the object which was now fading ava,
! in the distance had been directly con
necttd with every OF the Of the recen
robberics.