Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-10-06

solitary victims, and that he always
pounced upon them, silently, from
above ard behind. 1t was enough to
make mans blood run cold to reflect
that at any moment this mysterious
creature, man, beast, or spirit, 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
creature, but who could tell what he
might do if resisted or unduly pro-
voked.
"After three different mail carriers
had been robbed, the postofiice officials
sent detective to st. Regis to look
into the matter. This man, [ remem
ber, was an object of the greatest Won
der and admiration on the part of our
entire community, none of us ever
having seen real, live detective be-
fore. He lodged with father during
his stay in st. Regis, and thus l was
brought into intimate association with
him. The result of that intimacy, I
think / may say, was what determined
my choice Of Il profession in life. But
am dlgressing-or anticipating.
1.-The detective secured the woods
for days at time. He lay in conceal
meat at various points of the post-road
between st. Regis and the station on
the river where the mail was delivered
to the carrier. He even risked Gerry
ing the mail himself few times; but,
as he told me, laughingly, the strain
OF that constant twist Of the neck was
too much for him.
$50 long us the detective remained
in the vicinity there were no moro rob-
berries nor assaults. The clever man
discovered nothing positive, but he
puzzled out a clue which he gave to
father for what it was worth, when he
was obliged to leave on other business.
The clue was this:
Near the spot where the surveyor
had been oyerpowered the detective
found an eagles feather. Most men
would not have given this slight cir
cumstance Il second thought. But a
detective is man to whom everything
possesses significance. My friend put
the feather in his pocket and pom
dered over it. He reflected that the
approach OF the bandit was always, ap-
parently, through the air; that he
dropped silently down upon his victim
from behind and above, as bird Of
prey might do. Was it not possible
then-putting two and two together
that the creature, whatever it was,
might be something in bird form?
81 saw that my father was inclined
to smile at the suggestion when it was
made to him, but 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 | fell to working out his clue. To
be sure. was only boy, but + was
active and inquisitive and very desir-
GUS of doing something to prove my
self worthy of the detectives friend
ship. Besides, the postoftice anthori-
ties had offered reward of three hun
dred dollars that would lead to the
discovery of the mysterious highway
man, or five hundred dollars for his
actual capture. Such an incentive as
this was enough to sharpen boys
wits as well as mans.
The thing for me to do, I con-
cluded, was to keep a sharp outlook
for eagles at all hours of the day.
With this purpose in mind, L spent
large share of my leisure time on top
OF cIiif about three miles from st.
Regis, commanding a wide view Of the
valley in which the village lay.
"Ihn Getaptiya ho Il bnan ornno ,1,o,L
week when, one afternoon, as / lay
upon the cliff, saw shadow sail over
tho woods below me. Looking up
from my place of concealment, / be-
held, almost directly over my head,
the form of great eagle outlined
against the sky. 1t was sailing over
me at considerable height, but 1
could see it plainly enough, aud there
was something so odd about its ap-
pearance that L was struck with amaze
ment. On either side of its neck there
hung down what looked like black
streamer. The effect was as if the bird
were wearing mutlier, the end 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 might be clinging to its neck.
But finally it made a turn, and L could
hmly see, although the distance was
now too great for accurate obserya-
ton with tho naked eye, sort of ex-
crescence ON the birds back, directly
over the trailing streamers. How I
longed for a good field glass or tele-
scopel was almost wild with curl
osity, yet could do nothing but con-
lecture over the strange appearance of
the bird. OF one thing I was almost
positive, however, and that was that
the object which was now fading away
in the distance had been directly con
nected with every one of the recent
mysterious robberies.
"Fhe very next day word reached
us at st. Regis of murder and rob-
| berry that had taken place in the next
township. a trapper, returning from
the settlements with a considerable
sum of money, realized from the sale
of his pelts, had been attacked in the