The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-02-20

OF All the facial lines from H. as from
central point gave bis nasal organs an ex-
preston Of peculiar prominence and
significance. When he walked. every
bone and muscle about him dropped for
ward. as II he were about 70 IAN face
foremost, and travel with his hands and
feet
Briefly i explained what had happened.
and thereup0n Du Chen. who seemed to
be a man of few No, Is, said:
stay where you are. an Of YOU for
minuie' Then be started on az his
singular dog-trot pace. and followed the
edge OF the water an the way around.
just as / had done lightly but wlth Won
derful celebrity Then he came back to
las. looking much puzzled. ! handed him
the coarse. dirty handkerchief which !
had taken from the dead woman's mouth.
and Du CHEN Immediately buried that
wonderful nose Of his IN IL. and snuffed
at Il long and vigorously. Having appar-
enily satisfied himself, he removed the
dirty rag from his face. and said:
'Nigger."
NO. said T. thinking Of Celia and
looking Du CHEN IN his little, round.
deep-set eyes; "a mulatto.
mo" he answered. with quiet assur-
anee. -nOt muiatt0; niger; black. WOOL
headed, and old-a buck niger"
What can you dor said J.
''Wait a minute" said Du CHEN. Then
he started on again 10 make the circuit
OF the peninsula. but more slowly and de-
iberatcly than at first He threw his
head from side 70 side, like a hound. and
smelled az every tree and shrub He had
got about half way around when he
reached a mighty tree that grew on the
edge OF the swamp. leaning out over the
water where It was narrowest and deep
est and seemed 70 minglc It's branches
with the branches Of another tree Of a
similar gigantic growth that grew upon
the other side. lie walked up TO this
tree. saying. 'Nigger went up herei"
and al once began to climb. The inclira-
tlon Of the great trunk and the lowness
OF the branches made the task an easy
one Almost instantly Capt Martas, !
and two or three soldiers followed Du
CHEN Up the tree. On Chen had gone
up some thirty feet into the dense foli-
age when an at once he left the body
OF the tree. and began 10 slide along
a great limb that extended out over the
water, holding TO the branches around
aud above him until he got into the
lateral branches of the tree on the oppo-
side side. and thence 70 the truak OF that
tree. down which he giided. and stood
upon the opposite bank waiting FOR US
to follow. We did so as speedily as pos
sible. and. as soon as we were safely
landed BY his side Du chien said; sin
sic ile. alli' and started off, smelling
fNr sal H..
The spot at which we had descended
seemed TO be a hummoek similar to that
on the other side. but less regular IN its
outline; and soon the way by which Du
Chen led Us became more and more din
cult and impassable. Often Il seemed
that the next step would take as right
into the dark and sluggish water. but
Du CHEN. almost without pausing at all.
would smell al the leaves and branches
and hurry on. now planting his foot upon
a clod just rising out Of the water now
stepping upon a fallen and half-rottgd
log. now treading a fringe Of moge g5lid
ground skirtlng the dreary lagoon. but
going every moment deeper and deeper
into the most painless and Inaccessible
portions OF the swamp.
For nearly two hours this strange man
followed the trail. and we followed him.
Az last we came 20 a considerable eleva-
tion Of ground under which opened a lit
tie V-shaped valley made BY the water
OF a branch which drained the high land
into the swamp. This valley was rather
more than two acres IN extent and
seemed TO be a clearing But there was
q thick-set growth Of sweet gum. holly
and magnolia across the opening toward
the swamp beyond which we could not
see.
with quickened steps. and with many
Of the same signs Of excitement mani
Tested BY a hound when the trail grows
hot. Du CHEN followed along this hedge
like line OF undcrbrush. and az its farther
end stopped. There. within three feet OF
where the steep bank ran into tho water.
which seemed to be Of great depth. was
an opening IN the hedge lie slipped
cautiously through It, and we followed
him m silence. It was a little garden in
the heart Of the swamp. lying between
the hills and the water. At the apex Of
the V-shaped valley was miserable
cabin with some fruit trees growing round
It. We gazed upon the scene with pro-
found astonishment.
do you know anything Of this place.
Capt Marlas? said /. in a low tone.
"No" said he; several years ago. one
Of my hcidhands. gigantic Abysslnian.
was whipped and ran away to the swamp:
never followed him. and have never
seen him since. although every now and
then heard OF him BY the report Of the
negroes on the plantation: suppose he
has been living somewhere in the swamp
ever since, aud. unless this Is his home.
I cannot imagine how such place came
to be here.
1.-THE nigger S. there said Du Chien.
III there are a dozen Of them I can .eIl
the right one b. the smell. and again he
put che old hankerchief TO his nose.
III 81 IS old Todo. said Capt Martas.
he is powerful and desperate man.
and we had better be cautious"
We formed a line. and slowly and eau
tiously approached We had got within
ten or twelve feet Of his door when we
saw a gigantic. half-ciad negro spring
from the 1oor gaze out at Us an instant
with fierce. startled eyes. and then. with
a yell like that Of some wild beast reused
up In its lair. he seized an axe which
stood just at the door, and, whirling It
ero.,~l I,f. he.a n-fth s...+..-.. f...... e..-4s