Barbour County index., 1904-11-16
CHAPTER VIII.
THE HERM1r.s HOME.

WIG man, and later that he had fol.
lowed them for ten days, were now di-
vided, or rather graded, in conviction.
Jean was sure it was ghost, Levi di-
vided between spook and wild man, the
doctor positive it was the latter, and
Martin still in doubt. To be followed
was disturbing; the bold night visit
to their camp while they were asleep
was significant; and now a creature. be
1t Indian, wild man, or hunter, who
journeyed by night and crossed lakes
when he should be asleep, was more
than merely curious of conduct. This
mystery had piqued Martin at first,
now 1t exasperated: and though uncer-
tain what to do or which way to turn
to solve it. he had no thought of being
driven out Of the woods, or even turn
ing aside. He had planned to remain
here on this beautiful lake few days.
and now this mysterious night prowler
was there also, he resolved to stand
his ground and hunt him out IL possi-
bic. The creature had apparently gone
up the tributary stream-why not fol-
low him?
But DR.. Sol thought otherwise.
rive 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
| can't sleep nights. / don't see the
good of chasing bloodthirsty savage
who decorates his feet with panther'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 Martin laughed.
well, We'll keep together" he said,
"and, for that matter, four men with
two rifles need not fear even a wild
man"
Would you shoot him If You got
the chance?" returned the doctor, feel
ing he had the better of the argument.
why, yes, in self-defense, of course,
not otherwise"
Martin, as leader of the trip, nat
urally carried his point, but when the
canoes were loaded and they started
up this stream, it was noticeable that
the doctor and Jean, in their craft.
kept close to Martin, and not once dur
ing all that days journey did they drop
two rods astern
For the first few miles the stream
wound, black and without current. be-
meath canopy of frs, the low banks
completely hid by underground. Now
and then mink or muskrat was seen
crossing just ahead, and once on otter,
surprised on half-submerged log,
dived in with splash that sounded
unduly loud. Then wide stretch of
impossible swamp was entered, with
here and there dead spruce rising
tall and spectral; beyond this the val
ley narrowed and banks grew high and
rOck-walled. Here, too, the stream
showed the first sign of current, and
the low murmur of an occasional,
though invisible rill, gave some re-
lief.
And here 1t must be stated that in
all the wide world there is no sound
SO sweet as the music of a brooklet
heard in the sombre silence of a will
derness. A bobolink circling over a
meadow utterS a note of wondrous
sweetness, but not to compare with
the melodious tinkle of a faint, forest
hidden rill
To Martin and the doctor it gave
keen pleasure, for the unbrohen silence
OF forest solitudes, endured for hours,
becomes oppressive. Up to this time,
also, no sign of what they were in
| quest of had been found-no queer
tracks on muddy banks, no broken
twigs or leaves floating down, no
sounds of i'll omen, or aught else of
suspicious nature. And when noon
came, and they landed to crawl up on
high bank and cook dinner, it seemed
as if the doctors theory of wild
goose chase was likely to prove cor
rect. But now a clew came to them,
though one that never would have been
noticed except by woodsman of Le-
| Wis keenness. He had gone little
higher up on the bank to break dry
twigs from the trunk of a fir tree, when
suddenly he paused, elevated his nose
and shifted.
| Il smell smoke" he said, en- birch
bark smoke, too"
The next moment he started to CLINT
the trSe and halted not until we'll UT
| toward the top.
/ Thar's an opening, n little lake
ahead" he added, returning to earth.
The information was a trif1e, but il
was something of value, and when the
hastily-cooked meal was eaten. they
pushed on, and now the stream, which
had grown smaller, seemed likely t.
lose itself in another swamp. 1t wa.
now a mere network of narrow leads
without current, twisting among bog.
of dry sedge and half hidden beneatl
alders. First one was tried, then an
other. and even Levi was getting dis
couraged. when an opening Shove,
ahead in the tangle, and ettn the,
emerged into placid little lake.
It was scarce half mile In diameter
nearly round, and swamp bordered. fo
& three-Quarters Of its circumference
To the right Of where they entered
} and on Its north side, the shore va
. - &rrI~ 4<n-n