The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-11-05

Ieyor, separated from the rest of his
party. felt suddenly a death-like grip
about his neck that frightened relent-
lesslT until he lost consciousness.
When he recovered he found his in
strument. his watch and his little store
of cash all gone. 1t was getting to be
as much as a mans life was worth to
venture alone into the woods.
in every case it was noted that the
mysterious assailant attacked only
solitary victims, and that he always
bounced upon them silently from
above and behind. 1t was enough TO
make a mans blood cold to reflect that
at any moment this mysterious crea-
ture, man, beast or devil, might light
on his neck and choke, shoot or stab
the life out Of him. As yet there was
no record OF murder against the crea-
ture, but who could tell what he might
Go if resisted or unduly provoked?
after three different mail carriers
lad been robbed the post office officials
sent q detective to St. Regis TO look
into the matter. This man, I remem-
her, was an object of the greatest
wonder and admiration on the part of
Il entire community. none of us ever
having seen a real live detective be-
fore. He lodged with father during
his stay in St. Regis, and thus | vas
brought into intimate association with
aim. The result of that intimacy, /
think ! may say, was what determined
my choice Of a profession in life. But
am Gigressing-or anticipating.
"The detective secured the woods
Cor days at a time. He lay in conceal
mem at various points of the post
road between St. Regis and the sta
ton On the river where the mail was
delivered TO the carrier. He even
risked carrying the mail himself a few
times; but, as he told me, laughingly.
The strain of that constant twist of
the neck was too much for him.
5 long as the detective remained
in the vicinity there were no more rob-
berries nor assaults. The clever man
discovered nothing positive, but he
puzzled out a clew, which he gave to
ihliCt lOl "hd II was "OIiA NIltH lc
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 Il man to whom everything
possesses significance. My friend put
the feather III his pocket and pondered
cver it. He reflected that the APP
proach of the bandit was always. APP
parertly, through the air; that he
dropped silently down upon his victim
from behind and above. as a bird of
Frey might do. Was it not possible.
then-putting two and two together
that the creature. whatever it was,
nigh: be something in bird form?
81 saw that my father was inclined
to smile at the suggestion when it was
made TO him, but 1 treasured it in my
mind, for ! could not help feeling
somehow that it came startlingly near
the truth.
NO sooner was the detective gone
than I fell 10 working out his clew. To
be sure, I was only a boy, but 1 was
active and inquisitive and very desir-
Gus Of doing something to prove my
self worthy of the detectives friend,
ship. Besides. the post office authori-
ties had offered a reward of $500 tina.
would lead to the discovery of the mys-
terious highwayman, or $500 for his
actual capture. Such an incentive as
this was enough to sharpen 4 boys
wits as well as a mans.
THE thing for me to do, I concluded,
vas to keep a sharp outlook for eagles
at all hours of the day. With this pur-
pose in mind, L spent a large share of
my leisure time on top of a cliff about
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, m afternoon, as 1 lay
upon the cliff, l saw a shadow sail over
the woods below me. Looking up from
my place of concealment, l beheld. al,
most directly owe my head, the form
of a great eagle outlined against the
sky. 1t vas sailing over me at a con
siderable height, but 1 could see it
plainly enough, and there was some,
thing so oGd about its appearance that
1 was struck with Amusement. On
either side of its neck there hung down
what looked like a black streamer,
The effect was as if the bird were
wearing a long muller, the ends OF
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 migmt be clinging to its neck
But finally it made a turn, and 1 could
dimly see, although the distance was
now too great for accurate observa,
ton with the naked eye. a sort of eX,
crescence on the birds back, directly
wei the trailing streamers. How !
longed for a good field glass or tele'
scope! l was almost wild with curl,
osity, yet could do nothing but con
lecture over the strange appearance
of the bird. OF one thing l was almost
positive, however, and that was that