The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-03-19

| the bark 'reen behind it; but of the
canoe or the paddler he could see
nothing
1t was almost time to discharge
his nash-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 I'm 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 stalkedi BY a lucky
impulse he dropped upon his hands
and knees, k: ocking over the tripod.
AS he dropped, a rife 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 sibilant
whisper came from his lips
This was drowned in a yell from
the canoe.
That hit him. He's down."
shouted two or three boyish voices.
and the canoe darted toward land
with a creat splashing of paddles.
Again Murray tried desperately to
call out, but the Relaxed vocal cords
refused to produce a cound. 1t was
like nightmare; and fearing that he
would be shot before he was clearly
| seen, he Sjved with a crash into the
swamp, md burrowed among tho
ferns.
There he goes!" shouted one
voice.
Its bear!' proclaimed another;
| and another shot was fired after him.
The canoe grated upon the beach,
and the hunters jur. ped ashore. Muir
ray tried to crawl deeper among the
tangled vines and evergreen shrub
berry, and smashed half 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 a 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 I'M
able to call out, and he was afraid
to move. In the gloom he would GER
tainly - shot at the FIRST 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.
He's 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
a 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
Murray crouched behind the damp,
odorous cedar boughs.
He turned aside and receded, and
Murray's 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 all
most have touched him, and another
step would bring him stumbling over
his body. With a desperate resolu-
ton Murray flung himself forward
and clasped the boy round the legs,
crying, Don't shoot! It's a mani"
in 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, thing crashed upon Murray's
head. He seemed to sink through a
dark If spangled with shooting
comets
He came to himself with the CLEAN
of a fire in his face lie 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 vet handkerchief.
Murray explained the mishap-ln
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. 20 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
cacies.
| Murray's bruised Uranium was we'll
/ In a week, and before ne left the
/ woods hts voice had parffaIIv ro