Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-06-16
CHAPTER VIII.
TIE HERMIT 5 HOME.


lowed them foI ten days. were now d.
vided. or rather graded. in conviction.
Jean was sure il was ghost. Levi di-
yided between spUok and wild man, the
doctor positive il was the latter and
Martin still in doubt. TO he followed
w2s disturbing. the bold night visit
10 tno:r camp while they were asleep
was signiiic3nt: and nov a creature. be
ii Indian, wild man. or hunter. who
Jcrrncycd by might and crossed lakes
when he should be aslcop. was more
then merely curious of condrct. This
mystery had piq1cd Martin 1t first.
now it sSasncratcd; and though unCcr-
tain what TO do or which WY 10 tuyn
TO solve It. he had no thought OF being
0iiveh ont OF the woods, or cen turn
Ing aside. lie had planned to remain
here on this beautiful lake a few days,
and now this mysterious night prowler
was there also. he resolved to stand
his ground and hunt him ont If p0ss,-
bic. Tie creature had apparently gon9
up the tributary strcam-whv not fol-
low him?
But Dr. Sol thoughf otherwise.
i've had enough of him." was his
positive response when Martin pro-
posed they ascend this stream on a
searching trip. and some to spare. |
dare not set foot in the woods alone,
he drives me away from fishing, and
cant sleep nights. don't see 5he
good Of chasing a bloodthirsty savage
who decorAies his feet with panthcr's
claws, and who may want our scalps.
I've a notion he'd try for one if he
caught one Of us alone
Then Martn laughed
We'll, we'll keep together" he said,
land, for that matter. four men with
two rifles need not fear even a wild
man
Would you shoot him if you got
the chance2' returned the doctor, feel
ing he had he better of the argument.
why, yes in self-defensc OF course,
not otherwise
Martin. as leader Of the trip. nat,
uraliy carried his point, but when Inc
canoes were loaded and they started
up this stream. it was noticeable that
the docto. anil Jean. in their craft.
kept close to Martin. and nor once dur
ing all hat days journey did thcy drop
two rods a5tern
For the first few miles the stream
wound blac;, and without cnrren, he
Meath a canopy Of frs the low banl )
completely bid by underground. now
and .nsn mini, or rnusl;rat was ee,n
crossing just ahead. and once on otter,
surprised on q half-submergeI log,
diYed in with a splash that sounded
rnd,,,v ,ord ,lhon . wide stretch of
,n,,.as.ahl3 sv,an.r was entered with
here .ua thcro a dead snruce rising
tai.f,d snoc,rol. hcvond This fine val
low ,,a~ro,yed aud hanl<s arew hich an,
.v.o,lod Iicre too the stroo,o
.,,.pol -lo fr-t cio, If rur~.nt or.l
,7a lc,. ,,,rnur ~ ~, occasional
thou,., invisible riu cayo soma re-
lot
AVID lor. +, mus, uo stated THAT IL,
ou thc ,.ila world -hnro is No eor,l
So sweet g.. thc music ~ . rroo,.lo,
heard in .1o sor,br, silence NJ a will
aor-,ose l.o,,,.-,- ..ircli,o o,or y
,nead1.v, uttc-. meta If rordrou,
swaotno.s lat mo- n comrare with
Tho ,oo,od,nns ,ipi.lo of n f,in, Forest
hidden rir
IN Martin and tho doctor If oava
keen Measure TO, the nnbro,.on silence
q forest soli,ndea. endured for hours,
becomes oppressive. I'p to this time.
also. no sign of what thoy were in
Guest OF had boon founG--ro duecr
tracks on mudGt banks. no Broken
lU,ies Or leaves ncating down. no
sounds of i'll omen, or aueht else q
suspicious nature. And when noon