The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-03-26


the bark ~'reen behind IL; but OF the
canoe or the paddler he could see
nothing.
1t was almost time TO discharge
his 1ash-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-
able click of a firearm in the cancel
And there was no game there-ex-
cept himself. Like lightning it
came upon him that his own eyes
or his glasses-had caught the light.
He was being stalked! BY a lucky
impulse he dropped upon his hands
and knees, k: ocking over the tripod.
AS he dropped, a rifle shot banged
from the canoe.
The long squirt OF fame seemed
almost to reach him, and the acrid
smoke was blown in his face. In
stinctively he tried to shout, but his
throat failed him. Only a sibilant
whisper came from his lips.
This was drowned in a yell from
the canoe.
shouted two or three boyish voices,
and the canoe darted toward land
with t"eat splashing OF paddles.
Again Murray tried desperately to
call out, but the relaxed vocal cords
refused to produce a found. 1t was
like nightmare; and fearing that he
would be shot before he was clearly
seen, he 6ived with a crash into the
swamp, md burrowed among the
ferns.
There he goes!" shouted one
voice.
Its a bear!' proclaimed another;
and another shot was fired after him.
The canoe grated upon the beach,
and the hunters Jumped ashore Muir
r7y tried to crawl deeper among the
tangled vines and evergreen shrub
berry, and smashed half a dozen
inches.
That's no deer; it's a bear for
certain" remarked one of the youth
full voices, with conviction. The
speaker was not thirty feet away.
Better be careful, for he's wounded.
Listen, and see if we can hear him"
There was silence for time, dur
ing which Murray hardly dared to
breathe. He had hopes that, falling
to hear or see him, they would pres
emily go away.
The whole affair seemed to him
like some preposterous and horrible
dream. These boys did not want to
Kill him; but he was physically un-
able to call out, and he was afraid
to move. In the gloom he would GER
tainly shot at the erst glimpse;
and, curiously, his mind was largely
occupied with the horror his slayers
would feel when they discovered
their mistake. After listening in
vain for some minutes, the hunters
began to throw sticks and stones into
the swamp to make him show him
self
Hes either dead or got away"
said some one. I'm going in after
him"
Better not, Billy. Be CAREFUL"
warned another; but a cracking and
brushing among the cedar boughs
indicated that Billy was coming in.
1t struck Murray that the action was
plucky, If rather foolhardy
The hunter advanced slowly. He
was hardly more than ten feet away,
but in the darkness, among the
dense growths, Murray could not see
thread of him He stopped at every
step, listened, and beat about With
his rifle barrel, md some instinct led
him directly toward the spot where
haI
odorous cedar boughs.
He turned aside and receded, and
Murrays heart rose. But he came
back again, and Zigzagged and cir
cled, drawing still nearer.
Murray was in an agony Of indecis-
ion whether to reveal himself or not.
But the decision was not left to him.
Billy came close til! the barrel OF his
extended rifle swung over Murray's
head. The photographer could al
most have touched him, and another
step would bring him stumbling over
his body. With desperate resolu-
ton Murray flung himself forward
and clasped the boy round the legs,
crying, Don't shoot! It's a mani"
in a kind of screaming whisper.
The hunter gave a startled yell
and leap. There was an excited
shout from the rest of the party, and
So. ching crashed upon Murray's
head. lie seemed to sink through a
dark g If spangled with shooting
comets
He came to himself with the CLEAN
of a fire I'm his face. He was lying
on the beach and his late hunters
were kneeling around him, anxiety
written upon every one of their faces
His head ached violently, and putting
his hand up, he discovered a lump
as large as an apple, on which was
laid a vet handkerchief.
Murray explained the mishap-in
a whisper. The three youths, who
were camping a mile away. had gone
out for "A little nocturnal hunting
without greatly concerning them
selves about the law. They over
flowed with remorse and kindness,
however. They padded him with
his camera, TO his camp; and until
his head had subsidized to it's usual
size, one OF them came over every
day to ascertain his condition, and
to bring him trout and canned deli.
cacles
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