Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-01-23

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 chcke, 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 postofice 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 a real, live detective be-
fore. He lodged with father during
his stay in st. Regis, and thus / was
brought into intimate association with
him. The result of that intimacy, |
think L may say, was what determined
my choice of a profession in life. But
am dlgressing-or anticipating.
The detective secured the woods
for days at a time. He lay in conceal
ment 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 carry
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 more rob
berries nor assaults. The clever man
discovered nothing positive, but he
puzzled out 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 overpowered the detective
found an eagles feather. Most men
would not have given this slight cir
cumstance n second thought. But n
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 L could not help feeling
somehow that it came startlingly near
the truth.
''No sooner was the detective gone
than l 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 postofiice authori-
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 q
large share of my leisure time on tor
of cliff about three miles from st.
Regis, commanding wide view of the
valley in which the village lay.
1.-The detective had been gone .tbout
Il week when, one afternoon, as [ Law
upon the cliff, 1 saw shadow sail yel
the woods below me. Looking ND
from my place of concealment, I be.
held, almost directly over my head,
the form of a great eagle outlined
against the sky. 1t was sailing over
me at considerable height, but
could see it plainly enough, and there
was something so odl about its ap.
pearance that | 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 a muliier, the end OF
which trailed below its breast.
The eagle was drifting away from
me over the valley, and its body for q
time was between me and anything
that might be clinging to its neck
But finally it made turn, and I could
dlmiy 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 o good field glass or tele
scope! l was almost wild with curl
= osity, yet could do nothing but con
| lecture over the strange appearance O
: the bird. OF one thing 1 was almost
$ positive, however, and that was thai
t the object which was now fading away
| in the distance had been directly con
$ nected with every one of the recen
e mysterious robberies.
The very next day word reached
e us at st. Regis of a murder and rob
e berry that had taken place in the mex
a township. A trapper, returning from
, the settlements with q considerabl,
: sum of money, realized from the sal,
= of his pelts, had been attacked in the