The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-04-16

NSSS
Just what caused the trouble in
Murray's throat he never satisfactor-
lily ascertained, but he neglected 1t,
with the result that in the middle Of
July it was diagnosed with q lengthy
name, and there was fair probable
lty that he would never again be able
to speak above 4 hoarse whisper.
Murray was a Toronto high school
teacher, and his voice was valuable
to him; so he submitted to rather
dangerous operation on the vocal
cords.
The operation was 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 it
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 week Of canoeing
and portaging, they established camp
In the Lake of Bays district, which
is little beyond the range of the
most summer camping parties.
While the balsam air healed his
throat, Hurray amused himself by
fishing and by taking photographs Of
wild scenery, aud when he got
chance, of wild animals
While trolling for maskinonge in
1a1 Of,
camp, he came upon a 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 1t
occurred to Murray that he might lie
In wait beside the runway with his
camera and q fash light, which could
be fired when he heard the game APP
proach.
He had half dozen flash light
powders at camp, and he padded
back to secure them. Dusk was al
ready falling when he returned to
the lake and set up the camera upon
Its tripod about IN feet on the lee
ward side of the runway that wound
through thu tangled woods.
The shore was low, and a dense
Zee swamp came down almost to
the gravelly beach. A dead spruce
had fallen with its top among the
water lily pads, and Murray sat down
I Don its trunk close to his camera.
The twilight deepened; the forest
grew dark, and chill gathered as
the stars grew white in the grecnish
E'-y.
1t was too late For mosquitoes to
Sc troublesome, but it became Gecid-
eddy "old, and the dead silence and
Hreariness of the black woods and
water began to Cypress Murray
Eventually, however, he became
hrowsy, and in spite of his efforts to
keep awake, he dozed a 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,
indeed, 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
u for a campfire at first, but It
moved as he watched It, coming slow
ly down the lake
1t could be nothing but light car
ried in a canoe. and he realized at
once what this meant. It was some
hunter using a jack-light for deer, I'm
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. willie
tr hunter sees only the glimmering
reflection of the animals eyeballs.
which form his target Murray
watched the light as it crept down
the lake, skirting the shore. Every
moment he expected to see the flash
OF rife, 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 hash-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 flash
gun, and stood ready. waiting for the
1anoe to approach
The jack-ight crawled nearer.
dthout even the sound Of q dripping
3addle, I'm mysterious silence. When
was some fifty yards away it
,aused. and turned inshore and tow
"a him It must be that the hunter
vas familiar with this drinking spot
He stared through his glasses at
the light as If he had been p deer,
while tho canoe stole toward him
through the darkness. He could see