Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-02-15
CHAPTER XXI.

THE LAIR OF AN oUTCAsT.
1t was midafternoon, and an i'm
pending storm hid the sun and made
the forest unduly sombre when Levi
caught the first sound of the stream
where, months before, he and Martin
had landed to follow mysterious path.
Its beginning, beside the bush-grown
brook, was easily found, where twigs
had been broken of and grass recently,
tr0dden.
Here's tracks," exclaimed Levi, who
had landed first, with paddle in hand:
and, STOPPING, he added, ''They's the
wild mans sure's gum"
1T is he. fast enough" asserted
Martin, who had followed, rife in hand,
and now also stopped over them.
"Well, gentlemen" almost whis-
pered Martin, when the tracks had
been we'll examined, "here We are, and
your game isn't far Off," and he led tho
way into the shadowy forest, up the
narrow path only few rods, and then
he halted, for there, beside it, and near
ly hid under freshly cut fir boughs, lay
a canvas canoe, bottom up.
1t was the one inseparable compan-
ion Of man and his existence in this
Wilderness; and yet, had it been a
crouching panther instead, it would not
have awakened much more interest.
1t held all eyes one instant only, and
then the row of four stalwart men
glanced furtively around as If expect
ing a savage to step ont from behind
each tree. Only d moment they halted,
and then with rifles at ready, and Mar
tin ahead, they filed cautiously up the
narrow path, step by step, twisting
around the dense thicket, along the
frowning ledge, and up the. defile to
where the moose skull still grinned.
and here they paused. Martin made
no comment, but glanced at the OH
GERS, anxious to see how this CHASTITY
warning was received by them. They
looked at it in grim silence, then at
one another, and then up the narrow,
rocl1-walled path.
Once more Martin, as leader, moved
on, and the rest followed.
Not whisper from any, not a loud
breath even, each step a slow one and
catlike, and, parting the bushes with
caution until the open glade came in
sight, and just where the swinging
stick crossed the path, they halted.
From here the log hut was visible,
and out Of its low chimney thin film
Of smoke was ascending.
Martin looked at it a moment and
then at his companions.
There's your man, guess he
whispered, cooking supper. Do you
want to call on him without notice, or
shall l ring?"
It was the critical moment, and one
Officer Scott was not ready to meet.
He and his companion had for weeks
been searching this painless wilderness
for a man whose crimes they knew
we'll enough, but of his temper, dispo.
sition, looks even, they knew but lit
tie. II the occupant of this cabin was
MCGUIRE, he was in a. position to defy
arrest, or at least make it'costly.
WELL" whispered Martin again.
realizing their dilemma, shall ring!"
Scott nodded.
On the instant, almost, and as the
faint, tinkling answers reached tho
watching men, a shaggy-haired human
face appeared at the one small win
dow, then a slide was moved across it,
leaving narrow crack open.
The cabins owner was evidently at
home.
But it needed brave man, indeed,
to now enter this open glade, bristling
with blackened stumps like 50 many
fangs. and advance to the hut. Scott
was evidently not that man, for he
merely watched and waited, and Mar
tin felt no cause to expose himself.
One, two, three minutes passed, and tho
four still eyed the cabin.
And now Scott advanced to the sig
nal lever and moved it again and
again.
Only the faint bell sounds issued.
1t was seemingly a case of either adj
vance or retreat, but Scott did neither.
Only a moment more he waited, then
then gave a loud <'hallo.''
1t echoed through that silent wilder
ness and back from the cliff that
frowned down Upon the hut, but no
one appeared. Again and again was IL
repeated, but the cabin door remained
shut, the window slide in place, and
tho smoke still ascending.
, 1--WE a notion to try shot," whis-
pered Scott, and, as no one answered,
he raised his rifle, aimed at the cltf,
and fired.
The ping of the bullet against tho
rock came back mingling into the re-
port, but no one emerged from the
hut :. y 49,. =,
Once again Scott lifted his RID. A.
drsd. s = :