Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-06-09

Like many another man, Dr. Sol was
always courageous when either well
fed or about 70 be.
I'VE might GO back there" an
swered Martin, with his mouth full OF
fried trout, while he gently stirred the
condepsed milk in his tin cup OF cof-
fee; ut isn't over a hundred miles. "
"No-o-o." responded the doctor.
slowly. II don't believe we'd better
and yet, I'd go good many miles to
find ont what that thing was. "
Then Martin laughed. knowing full
well how little courage DR.. Sol had
Time and again they had discussed
this strange problem in all its bear
ings, falling each time to arrive at
conclusion. Then, there were two
Of him." as Jean once said. and about
equal in mystery.
II, too. wish We had stayed where I
saw this creature" said Martin, in re-
spouse to the doctors assertion. Eat
least for one night. If 1t was some
half-insane old trapper who wore moe
casins tipped with panther's claws, rs
| more than half suspect. the latent
human curiosity in such freak would
have led him to return the next night.
There was no danger. for If he had
meant harm. he had ample chance AS
TO its being q nondescript, half man,
half brute. as his tracks would indi-
cate, do not for one moment be-
lieve. Neither do think he had any
connection with the chap who has hid
himself in the lone leg-cabin up the
Moosehorn. and who rugged a trap bell
signal to warn him OF visitors. He is
cat Of another stripe. and one I'd
not care 10 disturb. What do you say.
Lsvi?"
Il dunno. dunno" replied that cau-
tious woodsman, slowly shaking his
head. 'cordin to my way o. thinkin',
It's the same Teller. ca I've said afore
now an mebbe some one ez had cause
fer hidin'. There's a. good many curis
things ez happens in the woods, n
some on EN- never gifts found out"
And you think this chap who put
. moose skull where it would do the
most good might have been some muir
derer in hiding" queried Martin.
Wal, he might n he mightn't," an
swered Levi, In his always cautious
tone.
Then. as the subject was about ex-
hausted for tire time, Martin and the
doctor once more fell to recalling Incl
dents of thei*boyhood days. and all
ha fn al
they got into then.
And as once before, when the even
ing's smoke and chat ended, the camp
fire low. and Martin had stretched
himself ON the bough bed beside the
doctor. his thoughts travelled to Green
vale. and he wondered how Angie
looked and what she would say, and
how she would treat him II he were to
go back there again.
Beyond that lurked a little sense OF
guilt at the thought OF all the years
that had fed since he parted from her
in such a tender fashion. and how
heartless it was, after all. Then he
wondered why she had never married.
She was a comely girl. and once he
thought her more than that--yes, even
the sweetest and most beautiful maid
in Greenvale.
Why was ii some other village swain
had not caught her fancy, after his de-
sertion?
He knew she was An orphan, whose
mother had died when she was quite
young, and worse than that, her father
had disappeared. no one knew why.
nor whittier, and that Angie had been
left without an heritage, TO be brought
up by Aunt Comfort. 1t was peculiar
case; and now, as il all came back to
him, and how. in her sweet girlish
way. she had laid her heIt at his
feet so to speak, il seemed to him that
one so fond. and SO wholly dependent.
was the last whom manly young fel-
low Should turn from and desert.
1t was the bud of boyish love
bursting into flower again, for before
Martin fell asleep he had firmly re-
solved he would visit Greenvale at an
early date and see how Angie would
receive him.
But the next morning all these sweet
impulses received a Quietus, for while
Levi and Jean were getting breakfast.
Martin and the doctor took their rods
and started for the stream close by:
halfway there Martin halted suddenly.
looking down.
And we'll he might, for at his feet
and freshly made in the hard. damp
sand. were those same claw-print
tracks he had twice found on the
Moosehorn, 100 miles away!