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

EAtNRN INC NoAa ? AAtANHa ANANAIiE INhQ the
swamp, and the pony isisurely coming
home without a rider Then Capt Marias
mounted. and I followed him. lie took
the plantation conch-shell and we rode
on INTO me dark forest as long as We
could trace any footsteps Of the pony. or
md any open way. and again and again
Capt Martas blew resonant blasts upon
his she'll that rolled far away over the
swamp, seeking to apprise his wife that
We were there, ana waiting FOR her; but
aothing came Of It.
'rhey could hear the SHE'LL" he said.
upon a stll night ike this three or four
miles" and II seemed 10 him impossible
that they could have gone beyond the
reach Of the sound. But 10 answer came.
and the moonless night came down over
the great BLACK swamp aud the darkness
grew almost invisible. 50 thoroughly did
it shut off an vision ike a vast black
wall
Then Martas sent Toby back 10 the
plantation for dre and blankets. and more
men. and soon roaring blaze mounted
sSyward and every few minutes the
conch-shen was blown Nothing more
could be done. / remained with the now
sorely troubled husband through the
night Al the first peep a dawn he had
breakfast brought from the plantation,
and as soon as It became light enough to
see IN the great forest we searched Tor
and found the pony's track. and We care
fully followed the traces left IN the soft
soil The chase led. with marvellous
turns and twists, right along the little
ridge Of nrmer land which led irregulariy
On between the b0undicss morassea
stretched on either side, trending now this
way. now that but always penetrating
deeper and deeper into the almost un-
known bosom Of the swamp The pony
had followed his own trail IN coming out
or the swamp. and this made Il easier FOR
Us 20 trace bis way. Al last we come to
the dark. sluggish, sullen water. II was
q point Of solid ground, Of less than an
acre IA extent. a foot OF TWO above the
water. almost circular ia outline and
nearly surrounded By a lagoon. II was
comparatively clear OF timber. and near
the center rose a grand magnolia tree.
such as Celia had described 10 Mrs. Mar
fas on the evening before. At the root
Of this tree bathed with the rich. over
powerlng perfume Of the wonderful bloom
tlfui woman. her ciother disordered. her
hair dlsheyeied. coarse dirty handker-
CHIEF stuffed into her mouth. and an the
surroundings giving evidence OF a despair
ing struggle and q desperate crime Capt
Marias was overcome with anguish, and
after one agonized look around. as II 10
assure himself that Celia was not also
somewhere IA sight ne sat down beside
the body and gaxed upon his murdered
wife ln silent. helpless agony and spirit
] desired an the men to remain where
they we're. except Toby. whom / ordered
20 follow me. and then. beginning az the
little ridge Of land between the waters
by which we had reached the circular
space before described We followed the
edge of the ground completely round to
the starting point. seeking M the soft mud
along the shore for a footprint. or the
mark made ~ a canoe Or skin. for some
evidence OF the route by which the muir
derer bad reached the little peninsula, or
by which Celia had left Il
We found perfect tracks OF an animal
lie existing IA the swamps even to the
minute lines left BY the feet OF the SMALL
est birds. but no trace OF human foot
although a snail could not have passed
into Or out az the water without leaving
his mark upon the yielding mud. much
less footstep or a canoe.
The thing was inexpilcable. Where was
Cellar How had she gone without leav-
ing a trace OF her departure7 Had she
been there al aii2 who had murdered
Mrs Aar,as7 Surely some man or devil
had pcrpetrated that crime. How had the
villain escaped from the scene OF his
crime leaving not tho slightest clew BY
which Il was possible 70 tell which way
be had gone7
] reported 10 Capt Martas the exact
condition cf the affair. and told him ]
knew not what 10 do. unless we could
get bioodhounds and put them on the
tran He said there were 70 hounds with
n sixty miles: that all Of the planters
be knew preferred to lose runaway
rather than 20 follow them with the dogs
Rumors Of the loss Of Mrs. Martas had
spread from plantation to camp. and two
or three soldiers had Immediately ridden
cut 10 the plantation. and then had fol-
lowed us to the scene Of the crime. One
Of them said.
III there are no hounds. send % camp
for Old Du chien. He IS better than any
dog"
The remark was 50 singular that 7
asked
..whai do you mean by saying He IS
better than any dogg
II mean that be can follow the tran
hy the scent better than any hound I
ever saw. ard have seen hundreds of
them"
aIs that mere camp story" said /.
cor 40 you know It of your own knowl-
sdgew
~ know it myself. sir, said tho sol
dir. u have seen him smell a man OF
his clothes. and then SO blindfold into a
whole regiment and pick out that man
by bis scent. / have seen him pull a lock
o. wool on a sheep. smell q good. and
ihcn 90 bhndfold into the nen and pick
out that Identical sheep from fifty others.
have known him to smell the blanket
a nigger slept in ana follow that darkey
four or five miles by the scent of him
through cotton. corn. and woods. He IS
better than a dog.
The man looked 10 pe honest aud in
teiigcni. aud while I could hardly credit
a..oh an astounding and abnormal 5r