Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-08-03
Copyright, 1905, by Lee and shepara)
CHAPTER IV.-CoNTINr-ED


II was human fast enough =" put in
levi. n nothin' else. Bears stand
up once III a while, but run on four
legs The only other critter that don't
IL an ape, n no ape was ever known
IN these woods"
When once more the two canoes were
under way, and had assembled the.
cioOSehorn a few miles. the stream
SEEMED TO lose itself in a dismal swamp
Filled with dead fir trees. They stood
OUT above the green underground like
bleaching skeletons, with here and
there lane of black waters between
a forest Golgotha of whitened cones
sannt, spectral and ghostly A crow
pei'ched upon one, cawed ominousIy.
and, as If to add an uncanny touch in
this forest graveyard, the horizon. now
opening wide, had grown hay. and the
lowering sun red as blood None bur
a woodsman like Levi could thread
thai haze of lagoons twisting and turn
ins INTO one another and when they
UHre crossed. and the canoes once more
entered the now lessened Mooseborn
The overhanging spruce and fir seemed
doubly welcome. A mile IN the banks
sTcW holder. with now and then a
browning cliff, moss covered over
which the spruce roots crept down
wards, twisting and turning like arms
oi Snomes. Here scattered process
SION OF foam-flecks was met. and soon
the murmur OF running waters broke
enc forest stiffness Low and sweet il
tinkled like tiny bells just ahead and
ever elusive, for q dozen turns i'm the
winding stream were rounded ere an
opening in the banks showed where the
brook entered. It's mouth was broad
ana rippled and out of idle curiosity
Martin, who was also padding turned
th" Prov OF his canoe into it and MP
little way. Only q couple OF rods
Tor IT soon narrowed, and here. scarce
l. noticeable. and only To- the trained
eye OF a woodsman, were the faint sirns
oil a path leading up the bank. Not
one well trOd, but rather a divided
path where some one had pushed the
thick growth aside or had broken
branches 70 reach the brook
Curious still. Martin nodded TO Levi
and as the canoe was pushed ashore
both stepped out and began an ex-
animation.
What are you looking for?" ques
toned the doctor. who had come no
Bear tracks" answered Martin
reaching for his rife. and following
Lew up the stream. at which the doc
Tor scrambled hastily ashore and fol-
lowed them
The faint signs soon cOuvcrged in
to distinct path. keeping close 10 the
stream for perhaps 200 rods then turn
Ing 10 The right. it sSirted the base Of
low ledge until il reached and led
through narrow pass Like two
hounds On the scent. Levi and Martin
bad followed this ever STOPPING and
WATCHING for footprints with tho doc.
tor close behind. until a defle wa
reach cd. when he suddenly exclaimed.
For Cod S sake. Martin look up'"
And we'll he might. for. perched upon
projecting shelf Of rock above them
white and CHASTITY in the forest gloom
was tho DIeached skull Of an enormous
moose
such relic Of some hunters prov
ess Is not uncommon in the wilder
ness, and ordinarily would excite M
comment. but here and now it seemed
30 Martin a grewsome warning. and
IN some mysterious way. connected
with the creature he had seen the
night before.
For a full minute he was spSIlbound
by that object, placed where IL was
With evident and sinister intsi.t. then