Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-10-18
E g. cJHERARD co,

-if - 80 taSOtl cio q lIiL one OH us
kin allus be on guard daytimes. an
when it's time to go out-wal, think
we ought to hey cunnin huff 'mongst
us to gin one hyena the Slip Thar's
one thing must be done, though, n
that is, keep the gal clus. 'Twon't do
to let her go over the hog -back arter
berries, or canoein' round the lake no
more"
And now began state of semi-siege
at Birch camp.
Chip was kept an almost prisoner,
hardly ever permitted out of Angles
sight. One of the men, always with
rifle handy, remained on guard-usual-
ly Old Cy, and for few nights he lay
in ambush near the shore, to see il
perchance this enemy would steal up
again
With all these precautions against
surprise, came certain feeling of de-
fauea in Martin With Ray for COM
pa1ion he went fishing once more
and with Levi as pilot he cruised
ebodt for game.
only a few weeks of his outing re-
NAMED. and on sober second thought,
Re didn't mean to let this sneaking
enemy spoil those.
But Old Cy never relaxed his vigil
This waif Of the wilderness and her
pitiful position appealed to him even
more than to Angie, and true to the
nature that had made all Greenvales
children love him, so now did Chip
find him a kind and protecting father.
With rife always with him, he took
her canoeing and fishing; sometimes
Angie joined then, and so life at
Birch camp became pleasant once
more.
week or moro of happiness was
passed. with no sight of their enemy,
and then one morning when Old Cy
had journcysd over to the ice-house,
he glanced across the lake to mar
row valley through which stream
known as Beaver Brook reached the
lake, and far up In this vale, rising
above the dense woods was faint
column of smoke.
The morning was damp, cloudy and
authorizations suitable for smoke
rising, and yet so faint and distant
was this that none but the keen, OBJ
servant eyes of a woodsman would
have noticed it, Yet there it was,
thin white pillar, clearly outlined
against the dark green of the foliage.
Old Cy hurried back motionel to
Levi, and the two watched it from the
af Martin ininn6
them, then Angie and Chip, and all
stood and studied this smoke sign. 1t
was almost ludicrous, and yet not;
for at its foot must be fire, and be-
side it, doubtless, the half-breed.
Can you locate it?' queried Mar
tin of his guide, as the delicate column
of white slowly faded.
It's purity we'll up the brook, Levi
answered; ''thar's a sort of Rocky
Dunbar thar, n probably a cave.
callate if it's him, he's s'pected a
storm, n so sneaked to cover"
And now, as if to prove this, few
drops of rain began to patter on the
motionless lake; thicker, faster they
came, and as the little group hurried
TO shelter, torrent, almost, descend
ed. For weeks not a drop of rain had
fallen here. Each morn the sun had
risen in undimmed splendor, to van
ish at night. ball of glorious red.
But now a change had come. Wind
followed the rain, and all that day the
storm ragged and roared through the
dense forest about The lake was
white with driving scud, the cabin
rocked. trees creaked, and outdoor life
was impossible. When night came, 1t
seemed thousand demons We're vail
ing. moaning, and screeching in the
forest. and as the little party now
grouped around the open stove in the
new cabin WATCHED it, the fire rose
and fell in unison with the blasts.
ITS the spites." WHISPERED Chip TO
Ray. "They allus act that way when
it's stormin'.'
The next day the gale began to
lessen, and by night the moon, now
haE-fun, peeped out of the scurrying
clouds. At bedtime it was smiling Sc
renely, well down toward the tree
tops. and Chips spites had ceased
their wailing.
Fortunately, however, MARTIN
Guest for game had been successful.
A saddle of venison, dozen or more
/ cartridges and two goodly strings
of trout hung in cold storage.
But utter and almost speeches. as
constituent awaited Old Cy at the ice
house when he visited it the next
morning, for the venison was gone
not a bird remained, and one OF the
two strings of trout had vanished.
In front, on the sand, was the same
tell-tale moccasin tracks.
wall, by the Great Horn Spooni ii
that .cuss haint swiped the hull bust
ness" Old Cy calculated, as he looked
in and then at the tracks. Crossed
over last night" he added, noting
where a canoe had cut its furrow, AN
steered plumb for my icehouse! The
varmint!"