Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-11-23

looked we'll about, not solitary one
could be found OF the dozen or more
trout claimed to have been caught.
Martin saw the stump back of which
the doctor had thrown them, saw his
tracks on the soft bank-grass tram
pied, bushes broken-and that was all.
Then he looked across the stream, and
there, too, was the boulder from be-
hind which this wild man had glared.
Cautiously, and peering often up and
down the stream and into the thick
forest, now gray with morning light,
he crossed. stepping from rock to rock
just out of the water. Back of the
boulder the r0tttng leaves showed
fresh disturbance, and from its side
bits OF damp moss had been scraped.
Then he noted the faint forest sign of
leaves that had been trodden upon or
turned over, leading up the brook and
beneath the overhanging frs. Only
few rods he followed them, for the
underground was more than dense,
and then he returned to the crossing.
Here, on a bit Of sandy bank, washed
up by the spring freshet, he saw that
same footprint once more-a huge
horrible track. half brute, half human,
with the heel mark of q mans foot
round and deep, and the toe mark of
panther's claws! Involuntarily he
cooked his rife, looked about, and lis
tened.
Only the morning light, now bright
and clear, the low note of the stream
at his feet, the song of birds!
He stopped and measured those claw
prints with twig as Levi had. A full
inch in depth they were, with a spread
OF at least five inches-wider than the
largest human foot.
Then he turned back to where the
doctor had stood and fshed. Here, I'M
observed at first, and distinct In the
Doctors tracks. Martin found the claw
prints again.
Once again he listened long. looking
all about and half expecting to sec
that face In the dense underground.
Then. as the intangible menace grew
upon him, he turned and almost ran
down the bushy path to the camp.
Levi only was up, and he was Just
starting q fire. Without q word Mar
tin beckoned him to follow, and to-
gether they returned to the puzzling
tracks. Like an Indian trailing his
enemy in the painless forest, 20 did
Levi now follow and examine those
footprints. All about where the doctor
stood he traced them, then back and
up the old wood road to where q fallen
tree blocked the way. while Martin
watched his every motion. And here
that keen woodsman, peering into
these interlacing boughs, suddenly
reached up to one. and. detaching
something. held It up to the light. It
was a long. white hair!
With intense interest Martin looked
at that somewhat curly token of a hui
man scalp which his guide held aloft,
taking 1t between thumb and finger,
quietly wound it into q tiny coil and
placed it in his pocket-book.
"Wen," he said at last, "what Is IT,"
Its q critter that walks on two
legs" responded Levi, slowly shaking
his head. but them tracks is GURUS.
I never knowed an 1njun with white
hair, either"
To Martin this was q new posi-
bility. -
"He come down this path" con-
tinued Levi. as he slowly led the way
back, half STOPPING, tha better to
watch for tracks. on he went back the
same way, steppin' strong, n on his
hind legs."
tits . human being, then" put in
Martin. - they reached tho stream
again and halted. =
'@Yes.". it's human, mebbe," ad-
mttted Levi once more, shaking his
head. 'only them tracks amt"
For Q moment Martin poudered.
And in that instant Q dilemma eou-
fronted him. To obey his keen hunt
ers instlEct and follow this strange
creature into the wilderness. no could
not with dmid Dr.. Sol on hioa hands:
neither did he dare sven @ ~ his
0ld-time friend know what's strange
creature had watched than. And sup-
49, - Were alooo. With III exuoeol