Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1908-03-12


ed, bottom up, and also lay half hid
back Of a jutting ledge OF slate. Two
paddles leaned against this ledge, and
near by was another setting pole. All
three of these familiar objects were
brown with damp mould and evidently
had rested there many months.
Curtis, curis," muttered Old CT
again. II callated I'd find nothin' here.
n here's two canoes left to rot, n
been here all winter"
Then with n vague sense OF need. he
returned to his canoe. seized his rife.
looked all around, over the lake. up
into the green tangle above the lodges,
and finally followed the narrow pas.
sage leading to where he had once
watched smoke arise. Here on top OF
this ledge he again halted and looked
about
Back OF II was the same N.shaped
| cleft across which a cord had held
| drying pelts. the cord was still there,
and below II he could see the dark
skins amid the confusion of jagged
| stones.
Turning. he stepped from this ledge
| 10 the loWtI one HfhItl tue ldht,
walked down its slope. and looked
about again. At its foot was a long.
narrow. shelfllke projection, ending
at the corner OF the ledge. Old Cy fol.
lowed this TO lis end and stepped down
into narrow crevasse.
Great Scott" he exclaimed. taking
a backward step as he did so.
And well he might, for there at his
feet lay a rife coated with rust beside
brown felt hat.
Had grinning skull met his eyes
he would not have been more astound.
ed In fact, that was the next object
he expected to see, and he glanced up
and down the creyasse for II. None
leered at him, however, and picking
up the rusted weapon, he continued
his search.
Two rods or so below where he had
climbed the upper ledge. he was halt
ed again, for there, At his hand almost,
was a curious doorlike opening some
three feet high and one foot wide, back
Of an outstanding slab OF slate.
The two abandoned canoes had sur.
prised him. the rusty rifle astonished
= him. but this. selfeyident cave en-
trance. almost took his breath away.
For one instant he glanced al II.
stepped back step, dropped the rusty
rifle and cooked his own, as II expect.
ing a ghost or panther TO emerge
None came, however and once more
Old Cy advanced and peered into this
opening. A faint light illumined its
interior-a weird slant Of sunlight. yet
enough 10 show a roomy cavern.
The mystery was solved. This sure.
ly was the hiding spot OF the strange
trapper!
Cant see why | missed It afore."
Old Cy muttered kneeling that he
might better look within. and smiling
at the peculiar odor. Wonder II the
cuss is dead in thar, or what smells
so!"
Then he arose and grasped the slab
OF slate. One slight pull and II fell
aside.
a nat'ra door, BY hockey" ex'
claimed Old Cy. and once more he
knelt and looked in.
The bravest man will hesitate a mo,
ment before entering such cavern
prefaced so TO speak. by two aban
doned canoes. a rusty rifle, human
head covering, each and all bespeak
ing something tragic, and Old Cy was
no exception. That he had come upon
some grewsome mystery was apparent
Canoes were not left to rot in the viii
derness or rifles dropped without
cause.
And then. that hat
Surely here. or hereabouts. had
been enacted a drama OF murderous
nature. and inside this cavern might
repose its blood stained sequel.
But the altering beams OF light en-
couraged Old Cy, and he entered. Nc
CHASTITY corpse confronted him. but In
stead a human. II crampE. abode.
fireplace deity fashioneA OF slate oc
cupied one side OF this cave in from
a low table OF the same fiat stone, rest
ing upon small ones; and upon the
table were rusty tin dishes, few
mouldy bareback. n knife. fork, anc
scraps OF meat. eXhaling the odor OF
decay 4 smell OF smoke from the
charred wood In the fireplace mingled
with Il all. In one corner was bee
Of brown ir twlgs. also mouldy, {
blanket, and tanned deerskns.
" The cave was OF oval, irregula,
:, shape. barely high enough for Old c!
to stand upright. Across its roof. OF
y either side of the rude chimney, a mar
!, row crack admitted light. and as he
y looked about. he saw in the dim ligh
3" another doorlike opening into still an
other cave Into this he peered. bu
" could see nothing.
70 "A queer Twin spot" he muttereC
! at last, "a regular human panther den
!! An twas out o this | seen the smoke
come. An here's his gun" he added
T. as, more accustomed 10 the dim light
y he saw one In a corner. Two guns