The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-08-03

the 1uCGQClOu Ol 1clCnluS IL " AILA.
A cold shudder ran down the hunters s
back and ali sorts Of IDEAS began to
glimmer in his brain. But as speculat-
ing on the event was not his affair, no1
to clear up matters for the magistrate,
but to leave the horrible find untouched
and to go on his way, which now LED
him direct to court, be did no more than
his duty required Of him.
After he had doae this and all the
formalities that the law requires in such
catastrophes were complied with, which
proceedings occupied all the entire day
and part of the night, Hopp called his
dog to his side before he went to bed
and said:
"My doggie, the police are now up
and about, and there will be no end of
goings on. Shall we leave it to others
to rid the world of the scoundrel who
shot our head forester? My doggie
knows the vile rascal, knows him-yes,
yes, but nobody else knows it. I didn't
mention the fact, ha, ha! bring my
dog into this muddle-I'm not thinking
of it.'' He bent down over Krambam-
bull, who sat between his outspread legs.
! and pressed his cheek to the dogs head,
receiving in return his grateful caresses,
and all the time he hummed softly,
"What is my Kram bambuli doing?'
until sleep overcame him.
Psychologists have tried to explain
the mysterious attraction which draws
so many criminals back TO the scene of
their crime Hopp knew nothing of such
scientific matters, but nevertheless he,
with his dog, secured restlessly the
vicinity of the linden wood. On the
tenth day after the death Of the head
forester he had been able for the first
time since chen to turn his thoughts to
something beside his revenge and was
busying himself in the counts woods
with marking the trees which were to
be cut at the next telling.
When this work was finished, he
slung his rife over his shoulder and
took the shortest way straight through
the forest to the nurseries near the lin
den wood Just as he was entering the
path that ran along the beech hedge 1t
seemed to him that he heard something
rustic in the leaves, but then followed
quiet, urbroken stiffness. He would al
most have believed that it had been
nothing of any Importance if the dog
had not stared in the bushes in such
curious fashion. He stood with his hair
bristling. his neck extended, his tail
straight and glared at q portion of the
hedge. Ho, hop' thought Hopp, wait,
you rascal, if that's VINO it is, % and
stepping behind tree he cooked his
rife. His heart beat violently, his
breath, already short, almost left him
when he saw the "Yellow One'' step
suddenly out into the path. Two young
hares hung out of his game bag, and over
his shoulder, suspended by the we'll
known Russian leather strap, he bore
the head forester's breechloader. Whas
delight it would have been to shoot
down the scoundrel from his safe am
bush
But Hopp would not shoot at the
meanest villain without first giving him
warning. At one bound lie sprang from
behind the tree on to the path and
called:
Surrender, limb of satan!'' and
when for answer the poacher tore his
breechloader from his shoulder the
hunter fired-by all the saints, a pretty
fire! There was crack instead Of a re-
port. The gun had been left too long
with the percussion cap exposed against
tree IN the damp woods, and it missed
fire.
"Good night! Now We'll know what
death Looks like" thought the old man,
and at the same moment off went his
hat into the grass. The other had bad
luck as we'll, the rascal! The only car
fridge in his gun lost, and be was just
on the point of putting in another out
of his pocket whcn-
'Seize himr' cried Hopp hoarsely to-
his dog. ''Seize him!' and
"Come to me, here, Krambambuli %
was heard from a kind, coaxing and
alas, well known voice
And the dog!
What now happened, happened much
more quickly thar it takes to tell it.
Krambambuli lad recognized his first
master and was running toward him.
When he was half way to him, Hopp
whistled, and the dog turned round; the
yellow One'' s7histled and the dog
stopped again, wlithing in despair mid
way between the hunter and the poacn-
er, longing to go and yet hanished from
both.
At last the poor animal gave up the
pitifrll, useless fight and put an end to
his iEdecision, but not to his torment.
Barking, bowling his stomach fiat on
the ground, his body stretched out like
one sinew, his head raised upward as if
calling heaven to witness his agony OF
mind, he crept-toward his first master.
This sight awakened lust Of blood
in Hopp. With trembling fingers he put
in new cap and aimed calmly. The
"Yellow One' also aimed at him again.
Now the time was come! Each of them
was covered by the others gun, and