Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-03-27
The Swamp Secret !


track. It points toward the swamp. I'm
going to see where he went TO-.
He followed the track for, perhaps,
| half an hour.
"Four miles from Porter's, or I'm no.
Judge of distance" he said. as he. paused
| to take breath. Il wonder how much
farther zthe singing teacher walks on
moonlight nights when everybody else
| IS supposed to be in bed?'
He did not have TO go much farther
before his question found an answer.
The footsteps led to a large cottonwood
tree. and beyond that they did not go.
And then Dick made a discovery that
puzzled him. 1t was this:
The rough outside bark had been cut
away, down to the smooth white inner
lining, and on this were written in PEN
Gil the following words and figures:
"Ayerill's. near Deer Greek, We'd,
& 6. No. l."
Dick read the message, or whatever it
might be, over and over. with very
perplexed look ip his face.
'AverilI'sv' ha repeated. THAT name
sounds familiar to me. Let me SEE"
thoughtfully. There's man by that
name living about eight miles from here,
I think. He moved in lately. Ics, I'm
right, ] know, for l heard that Deacon
Snyder talked Of trading horses with
him. But what this has to 10 with him
i can't imagine" He read the words on
the tree over again. Its a rather queer
thing to come across in such a place as
this. I've known of folks writing on
trees for the fun of the thing, but | new
er heard of their getting up at midnight
and going four miles into the woods to
do it. It's all riddle to me. But it's
Wayne's writing. plain enough. His let
tiers on the blackboard, at singing school,
have just the same hourishes to them.
Yes, it's clear 20 me that he wrote that;
but what he wrote it for can't guess.
I'll see what can be made out of the puz-
zle. though. if keeping an eye on Wayne'll
help any. 'Ayerilfs, Wednesday! | won
der il that means that something is going
to happen at AverilPs when Wednesday
comes?"
He walked around the tree, examining
the ground closely.
He could see no other tracks. Evident
ly there had been but one person there.
The track from the tree led away a
little to the south of the one he had fol-
lowed to it.
I'm going to see what little maneuv-
ering will do" said Dick, as he spied
little pine tree near by. He took his
knife from his pocket and cut away some
of the rough bark on the outside. AS
soon as he had reached the inner bark,
pitch began to exude in little, transpar-
ent drops.
He had to wait some time before
sufficient amount to answer his purpose
had accumulated. Then he took chip
and scraped some of the sticky stuff off
upon-i it. Taking this TO the cottonwood,
he spread it over that part of the tree
below the writing which would be most
likely to come in contact with a mans
arm If he were to attempt to write on
the smooth space above.
There! If | see any pitch on Wayne's
coat sleeve, l shall be pretty sure he's
been back here" Dick said; ''and. seeing
that, shall know when TO come and see
what's been done"
For, though he could not give his rea-
sons for it, he felt sure that the writing
had been placed there for some one to
read and to answer some special purpose,
and that the party for whom it had been
left would understand precisely what it
meant. He meant to understand what
it meant. too, before he let the matter
drop.
He attempted TO follow the trail from
the tree. While it ran along the low
land. it was comparatively easy to do SC.
But as soon as it came to the higher
land it disappeared. The rank growth
of grass and other forest plants, the
absence of which was noticeable as the
land sloped castwardly toward the Big
Swamp, with the thick carpet of last
years leaves still unrotted covering the
ground, took no impression Of the feet
passing over them.
Dick made up his mind to say nothing
about his discovery to any one. He
would wait and see what happened. 1t
was barely possible that Wayne had writ
ten the words on the tree under the i'm
! pulse which men often feel to scribbe
on whatever surface presents itself for
scribbling on. And then-and this was
| the idea that took firm possession of
Dicks mind--it might have been writ
| ten for a purpose, and doubtless was.
| 'I'lI keep my eyes open, at any rate"
| thought Dick. st may amount to some
thing. If it don't, there's no harm done"