The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1907-11-18
The Mysterious Axman.
fOriZfrai1

ownership Of the wood lying between
the Scarsdales and the kirchoTs. and
even then the decision Of the court
left the ownership Of the timber on the
property uncertain. The Scars3ales
gained the land. a title to which would
II law Include the timber. but q ki-
choT had at one time held a blu OF
sale for the wood. and when the de
cision came the Kirchoi against whom
Il was rendered declared that DO Scars
dale should ever carry away a stick OF
wood from the property. He died soon
after making the threat. and Thomas
Scarsdale considered that he might
take peaceable possession OF both land
and timber However. there was no
occasion 10 cut the wood. and no move
was made TO do so for many years
Indeed the property remained as IL
was till Howard Scarsdale became en-
gagged TO Elsie Kirchof Then Howard
concluded 10 build a house for himself
andvthe girl he was 10 marry In the
center OF the woods. Before beginning
he sold the timber to make way for
the house 10 q man who was TO take II
away.
The first tree cut Gown fell on orc
Of the men engaged in the work and
killed him. Then when II had been
sawed into logs and they were being
removed from the property a chain
broke. log rolled down on a man. and
another life was sacrificed. Some
body spoke OF the threat OF the kir
chof who hau lost the suit. and that
ended for the time any attempt 10
remove the timber. for no one would
undertake the job.
One night Elsie Kirchof. who occu-
pied the family home on the west edge
OF the wood. being awake. heard the
sound OF an AK which she fancled came
from the spot where her fiance had
purchased to build their nest. The next
day she told Howard OF the circum-
stance. Howard Insisted that she must
have been mistaken. No one had been
chopping In the wood. lie made per
sonal examination, which confirmed
what be had said. But Elsie remained
firm in maintaining that she had heard
an axm3n at work. Howard tod her
that she would soon hear axmen. for
he had succeeded In securing new
gang OF men for the purpose Of taxing
away the timber.
The next Cay the body OF man was
carried by Elsie Ei.choa-s house. The
hearers set the bier down in front of
the house 10 rest, and Elsie shrinking
ly went ont. leaned on the gate aud
asked what had been the cause of
death. She was Informed that a tree
that had been partly felled by the first
gang OF men emplored 10 cut the tim
her had fallen on the man and killed
him. He was TO have been the fore
man OF the new gang that Howard
Scarsdale had employed.
The girl paled. gssped and went into
the house. She sent Immediately for
her lover and implored him to take no
further action in making the required
clearing. Scarsdale considered the
deaths simply a chapter OF accidents.
but he found Elsie in such n turmoil
OF emotion that TO calm her he prom
ised her that the whole matter should
be indefinitely deferred.
Autumn was coming on. and he con-
cludei to keep his promise TIL the next
spring, when he would have the job
done without saying anything to Elsie
about It. Perhaps he could get her TO
be absent while IL was done. He sue
ceeded In doing this. Elsie went In
May TO visit friend. but she had
scarcely settled herself in her friends
house when she experienced an ire
sistible desire to return. This she did
the next day, reaching her home at
bedtime.
Howard had his men ready TO enter
upon the work OF making the clearing
the next morning. Before breakfast
he received a message from Elsie that
she was at home and she wished him
10 come TO her. Thinking she had been
taken i'll. he went 10 her Immediately.
Without explaining her sudden return
she asked quickly:
Are you going to cut the wood?"
Howard tried for awhile TO equivo-
cate. but, seeing that she would have
nothing but the truth. confessed.
stop It at once" she said excitedly.
GO and forbid the men TO strike a
blow. Last night | heard the axman
again. Oh. do go and stop them
While they were speaking there was
q crash in the wood.
TOO Late gasped Elsie.
Howard, impressed with something.
the wood. Elsie held him in a tight
embrace. Hearing shouting. he tore
himself away. When he reached the
point from which the voices came he
found that the men had been at work