The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-10-17
By FRANK LILLE POLLOCK.

Just what caused the trouble IN
Murray's throat he never satistactor-
lily ascertained, but he neglected it,
with the result that in the middle or
July it was diagnosed with lengthy
name, and there was fair probabll-
ity that he would never again be able
to speak above a hoarse whisper.
Murray was a Toronto high school
teacher, and his voice was valuable
to him; so he submitted to a rather
dangerous operation on the vocal
cords.
The operation was a success, but
he had to preserve absolute silence
for the next couple of weeks. After
that he was permitted to speak spar
ingly under his breath, and indeed 1t
was two months before he was able
to raise his voice above whisper.
To relieve the discomforts Of this
semi-silence, he went to the northern
Ontario woods, where there was no
one to talk to. He secured a guide
who was as taciturn as could be de-
sired, and after a week Of canoeing
and portaging. they established camp
in the Lake of Bays district, which
is a little beyond the range of the
most summer camping parties.
While the balsam air healed his
throat, Murray amused himself by
fishing and by taking photographs OF
wild scenery, and when he got a
chance, of wild animals.
While trolling for maskinonge in a
small lake about three miles from
camp, he came upon much tramped
spot on the shore that was evidently
a favorite drinking place for deer,
and perhaps for moose. These ami
mails came there only at night, Lut it
occurred to Murray that he might lie
in wait beside the runway with his
camera and flash light, which could
be fired when he heard the game ap-
proach.
He had half a dozen flash light
powders at camp, and he padded
back to secure them. Dusk was al
ready falling when he returned to
the Jake and set up the camera upon
its tripod about !an feet on the lee
ward side of the runwsy that wound
through thc tangled woods.
The shore was low, and a dense
cer' swamp came down almost to
the gravelly beach. A dead spruce
had fallen with it's top among the
water lily pads, and Murray sat down
Joon it's trunk close to his camera.
The twilight deepened; the forest
grew dark, and a chill gathered as
the stars grew white in the grecnish
sly.
1t was too late Cor mosquitoes to
be troublesome, but it became Gecid-
edly ~old, and the dead silence and
dreariness of the black woods and
water began to oppress Murray.
Eventually, however, he became
drowsy, and in spite of his efforts to
keep awake, he dozed little, with
intermittent nervous starts.
Finally he shook himself awake.
His limbs were stiff, and he stood up
to stretch them. He was looking
over the dark water, when a small,
brilliant point of light appeared at
the other end of the lake. 1t might,
in.ced, have been there for some
time, and Murray put on his eye
glasses, for he was somewhat short
sighted, and gazed at it. He took
it for a campfire at first. but it
moved as he watched it, coming slow
y down the lake.
1t could be nothing but light car
ried in a canoe, and he realized at
once what this meant. 1t was some
hunter using a jack-light for deer, in
defiance of the ethics Of sportsman
ship and of the Canadian law.
Murray had often heard this mode
of hunting described. The deer
stands fascinated, seeing nothing but
the mysterious gliding light, while
tr> hunter sees only the glimmering
reflection of the animals eyeballs,
which form his target. Murray
watched the light as it creDt down
the lake, skirtirg the shore. Every
moment he expected to see the flash
of rifle, bit evidently the hunt was
not proving successful.
AS Murray watched the moving
fame, it occurred to him that it
would be an excellent joke to fire
the fash-light and photograph the
pot hunter in the act, as he passed
him. Chuckling at the idea, he
wheeled the camera about to point
over the lake, and set the focus for
ten yards. He prepared the fash
gun, and stood ready, waiting for the
canoe to approach.
The jack-light crawled nearer,
without even the sound of a dripping
paddle, in mysterious silence. When
it was some fifty yards away it
paused, and turned inshore and tow
ard him. 1t must be that the hunter
was familiar with this drinking spot.
He stared through his glasses at
the light as if hes had been deer,
while the canoe stole toward him
through the darkness. He could see
the flicker of the pine knot in its pan
at the bow; he caught glimpse of
the bark ->reen behind it; but of the
canoe or the paddler he could see
nothing.
1t was almost time to discharge
his fash-light; and he could scarcely
contain his laughter at the thought
of the shock which the sudden brill
liant glare would give the pot hunter
when he heard the Quick unmiStak-