Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-10-25

crawling along the bank of the stream
l had my rife raised and was ONLY
waiting for a better sight, when up
rose the bear and l saw a human face.
For moment it made me faint, and
since then 1 make LOUDLY sure before
shooting at any object in the woods"
And now these four men, Levi WELD
ing the stern paddle Of Martins canoe,
and Hersey's deputy that of his, en-
tered the broad, winding stream. The
tall spruce-tops meeting darkened it's
currentless course, long flaments of
white moss depended from every limb
and as they twisted and turned up this
somber highway, the air grew sitting.
Not a breeze, not sound, disturbed
the solemn silence, and except for the
swish of paddles and faint thud as
they touched gunwales, the fall of a
leaf might have been heard. So dense
was this dark. silent forest, and so for
bidding it's effect, that for an hour no
one scarce spoke, and even when the
two canoes finally drew together, con
verse came in whispers. Another hour
of steady progress. and then the banks
began to outline themselves ahead, the
trees opened more. a sign of current
was met, and the sun lit up their path
way.
By now the spectral beard had van
ished from the trees, white clouds
were reflected from the still waters.
and the CLEAN of sandy bottom was
seen below The BIRDS inspired per
haps by the absence of gloom, also
added their cheering notes. Nature
was smiling once more, and not a
hint or even intuition of the fast-near-
ing tragedy met those men.
And then, as a broad. eddying bend
in the stream held their canoes, by
tacit consent a halt was made
Martin, his paddle crossed on the
thwarts in front. dipped a cup of the
cool, sweet water and drank Levi
wiped the sweat from US face, and
Hersey also quenched his thirst. The
day was hot. They had padded ten
miles. There was no hurry, and as
pipes were drawn forth and filed, con
yersation began. But just at this mo-
ment Lewis ears, ever alert, caught
the faint sound of a paddle striking a
canoe gunwale. Not as usual, in an in
termittent fashion, as would be the
case with a skilled, canoeist, but a
steady, rhythmic thud.
Hist" he said and silence fell upon
the group.
In the wilderness all sounds are no.
ticed and noted, by night especially
because then they may mean bear
crawling softly through the under
growth, or a wildcat, yellow-eyed and
vicious, creeping near. But by day as
! well they are always needed, and the
crackIe of a twig, or the sound of a
deer's foot striking stone, or any
slight noise, becomes of keen interest.
And now, from far ahead, came the
| steady tap, tap, tap. 1t soon increased,
and then it assured those waiting, lis
| teuing men that some canoe was being
| urged down stream.
Without word they glanced at one
another, and then, as if an intuition
! came to both at the same time, Martin
| and Hersey reached for their rifles.
On and on came the steady thump,
| thump.
Just ahead the stream narrowed and
curved out of sight. A few foam
| fecks from an unseen rill above float
ed down The white sandy bottom
showed the clear water.
And then, as those stern-faced, watch
ing, listening men, rifles in hand, al
most side by side, waited there, out
from behind this bend shot a canoe.
MY God, it's Pete Bolduc! Look
QUIT" almost yelled Levi, and Halt!
Surrender" from Jersey, as two
I rifles were leveled at the oncomer.
! Then one instant's sight of a red and
SCARED face, quick reach for rifle,
a splash of water, an overturned canoe
and with a curse the astonished half
breed dived into the underground.
Two rifles spoke almost at the same
instant from the waiting canoes, one
answered from out the thicket. A
thrashing, struggling something in the
filed canoe next caught all eyes, and
Levi, leaping into the waist-deep
stream, grasped and lifted dripping
| form
1t was Chip!
A brief yet bloodless tragedy, all
over in less time than the telling; yet
a lifetime of horror had been endured
by that waif for as Levi bore her to
the bank, cut the thongs that bound
her, and freed her mouth from pad
of deerskin, she grasped his hand and
kissed it.
And +her came another sunrise. for
down a sloping, thick-grown hillside,
something was heard thrashing, and
soon Old Tomah, his clothing in
shreds, his face bleeding, appeared to
view.
Calculating to a nicely where he
could best intercept and head off the
escaping halfbreed, he had crossed
four miles of painless underground in
less than an hour, and reached the