Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1908-02-15

over, and then he advanced to the
other canoe. That was, as he assert
ed, bottom up, and also lay half hid
back of jutting ledge OF slate. Two
paddles leaned against this ledge, and
near by was another setting pole. All
brown with damp mould and evidently
had rested there many months.
"Curis, curis," muttered Old Cy
again. 81 callated I'd find nothin' here,
n here's two canoes left to rot, n
been here all winter
Then with vague sense of need, he
returned to his canoe, seized his rifle.
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 it was the same V-shaped
cleft across which cord had held
drying pelts. the cord was still there,
and below it he could see the dark
skins amid the confusion of Jagged
stones.
Turning, he stepped from this ledge
to the lower one nearer the lake,
walked down it's slope, and looked
about again. At it's foot was a long,
narrow, shelf-like projection. ending
at the corner of the ledge. Old Cy fol.
lowed this to its end and stepped down
into narrow crevasse.
Great Scott" he exclaimed, taking
backward step as he did SO.
And well he might. for there at his
feet lay rifle coated with rust beside
brown felt hat.
Had q grinning skull met his eyes
ne 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 crevasse for it. 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, a self-evident cave en-.
trance, almost took his breath away.
For one instant he glanced at it
stepped back step, dropped the rusty
life and cooked his own, as if 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 to show a roomy cavern.
The mystery was solved. This sure
~ was the hiding spot of the strange
trapper!
Cant see why / missed it afore,"
Old Cy muttered, kneelng that he
might better look within, and shifting
at the peculiar odor. Wonder if the
cuss is dead in thar, or what smells
SOL"
Then he arose and grasped the slab
of slate. One slight pull and it fell
aside.
"A natral door, by hokey!" 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 rife, human
head covering, each and all bespeak
ing something tragic, and Old Cy wal
no exception. That he had come upon
some grewsome mystery was apparent
Canoes were not left to rot in the will
derness or rifles dropped without
cause.
And then, that hat!
Surely here, or hereabouts, hao
been enacted drama of murderous
nature, and inside this cavern might
repose its blood-stained sequel.
But the filtering beams of light en-
couraged Old Cy, and he entered. Nc
CHASTITY corpse confronted him, but in
stead human, if cramped, abode. A
fireplace deftly fashioned of slate oc
cupied one side of this cave; in front
low table of the same fiat stone, rest
ing upon small ones; and upon the
table were rusty tin dishes, a few
mouldy bareback, knife, fork, and
scraps of meat, exhaling the odor OF
decay. A smell of smoke from the
charred wood in the fireplace mingled
with 1t ALL In one corner was bed
Of brown fir twigs, also mouldy,
blanket, and tanned deerskins.
The cave was of oval. irregular
shape, barely high enough for Old Cy
to stand upright. Across its roof, or
either side of the rude chimney, mar
row crack admitted light, and as he
looked about, he saw in the dim light
another doorlike opening into still an
other cave. Into this he peered, but
could see nothing.
"A queer Twin spot" he mutteree
at last, "a regular human panther den