The newspaper., 1908-02-21

DARKNESS served, ne padded close TO
where the cabin stood, and once land
ed and watched it for hours. i
Growing bolder, as the days wore
on, he hid his canoe below the outlet
of the lake and taking advantage OF
this outcropping slate ledge with its
many fissures, secreted himself and
watched.
But some shelter, at least to cook
and eat in, he must have, and this he
found in a distant crevasse of this
same ledge, and from this he sneaked
along back of it until he could hide
and watch the camp below. From this
vantage-point he saw that the girl no
longer went out upon the lake, but re-
mained near the cabin; then, later, he
noticed the two men leave the lake one
morning. This encouraged him, and
now he grew still bolder, even de-
scending the ridge and watching those
remaining at the cabin. from a dense
thicket.
From this new post he saw that but
one man seemed on guard, and almost
was he tempted to shoot him from
ambush and make a dash to capture
his victim. Cautious and cunning. he
still waited a chance involving less
risk.
And now he saw that certain duties
were performed by these people; that
one man and the boy always started
the morning fire; that the girl invari-
ably went to the landing alone for wa.
ter, at about the same time. Here for
the moment she was out of sight from
either cabin, and now in this act of
hers, he saw his opportunity to land
from his canoe near this spot before
daylight, and hide in the bushes firing
ing the shore here and below the bank
watch his chance and seize and gag
her before an outcry could be made.
To tie her hands and feet and to push
the other canoe out into the lake. thus
avoiding pursuit until they could get a
good start, was an easy matter.
Ii was risky. of course. She might
hear or see him in time to give one
scream. The old man who had said
foolish things to him. and now seem
ed to be on guard. would surely send
bullets after him as he sped away:
but once out of the lake. he would
be safe. II was a dangerous act: yet
the other two men might return any
day, and with this in prospect. this
l wiley half-breed now resolved to act.
Old Cy was up early that fatal
I morning. Somehow a sense of i'm
| pending danger haunted him. and call
ing Ray. he unlocked the cabin door
and began starting the morning fire.
[ He wanted to get breakfast out of the
way as speedily as possible. and then
visit this ridge. feeling almost sure
that he would find where this half
breed had been watching them.
When Ray came out. and before the
hermit or Chip appeared. Old Cy hur.
ried over to the ice-house. and now
Chip came forth as usual. and with.
out a word to anyone. she took the
two pals and started for the landing
II was. perhaps. ten rods to this. down
] a narrow path winding through the
scrub spruce. The morning was fair.
the lake without a ripple.
Above the ridge, and TcSp.ng
through its toppingof stunted FIR. came
the first glance Of the sun. and Chip
was happy.
Old Tomah. her one and only friend
for many years. was here. A some
thing Ray had whispered the night be
fore. now returned like a sweet note
| Of music vibrating in her heart. and as
[ II to add their cheer. the birds were
I piping all about.
For weeks the cheerful words Of one
4 OF Rays songs had haunted her with
its catchy rhythm
I Dar was an old nigser and his name was
Uncle Ned.
He died long go. long go
They now rose to her lips as she neared
/ the lake. Here she halted. filled a
l pail. and set 1t on the log landing.
From behind low spruce one evil.
sinister eye watched her.
And now Chip. still humming this
ditty. glanced up at the rising sun and
] out over the lake.
crouching form with hideous face
now emerged from behind the bush:
step by step. this human panther ad-
vanced. A slow, cautious. catlike move
ment. without sound. as each moe
casined foot touched the sand Nearer
and nearer that unconscious girl It
crept, Now 20 feet away. now ten.
now five,
And now came swift rush. two
fierce hands enclosed the girls face