Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-05-21

stones.
Turning, he stepped from this ledge
to the lower n nearer the lake,
walked down its slope, and looked
about again. At its foot was a long,
narrow, shelf-like projection, ending
at the corner of the ledge. Old Cy fol-
lowed this to it's end and stepped down
into a 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
a brown felt hat.
Had a 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 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 rife astonished
him, but this, a self-evident cave en-
trance, almost took his breath away.
For one instant he glanced at it,
stepped back a step, dropped the rusty
rifle 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 sillumined it's
interior-a weird slant of sunlight, yet
enough to show a roomy cavern.
The mystery was solved. This sure
ly was the hiding spot of the strange
trapper!
Cant see why l missed it afore,"
Old Cy muttered, kneeling 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 nat'ral 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 a 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 will
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 it's blood-stained sequel.
But the fltering beams of light en-
couraged Old Cy, and he entered. Nc
CHASTITY corpse confronted him, but in
stead a human, If cramped, abode. A
fireplace deity fashioned of slate oc
cupied one side of this cave; in front
a low table of the same fiat stone, rest
ing upon small ones; and upon the
table were rusty tin dishes, a few
mouldy bareback, a knife, fork, ant
scraps of meat, exhaling the odor o.
decay. A smell of smoke from the
charred wood in the fireplace mingled
with 1t all. In one corner vas a bee
Of brown fir twigs, also mouldy, 6
blanket, and tanned deerskins.
The cave was Of oval, irregular
shape, barely high enough for Old CJ
to stand upright. Across its roof, or
either side of the rude chimney, a mar
row crack admitted light, and as hi
| looked about, he saw In the dim ligh'
another doorlike opening into still an
! other cave. Into this he peered, bu'
could see nothing.
"A queer Twin spot" he mutteret
at last, "a regular human panther den
An twas out O. this / seen the smoke
come. An here's his gum he added
as, more accustomed to the dim light
he saw one in a orner Two guns
two canoes, an nobody to hum" HI
continued. I'm safe, anyhow. Blu
I've got to peek into that other cave
sartin sure" and he withdrew to The
open air.
A visit to a couple of birches sooI
provided means of light, and he agair
entered the cave. One moment more
and then a 1aring torch Of bark wal
thrust into the inner cave, a mere ere
vase not four feet wide, and STOPPING
as he now had to, Old Cy entered ant
knelt while he looked about.
He saw nothing here of interest ex
cept the serried rows Of jutting slate
across two of which lay a slab Of thu
same-no vestige Of aught human, ant
Old Cy was about to retreat when hi
flare burning close to his finger tip
unnoticed, caused him to drop it OF
the instant, and drawing another from
his pocket he lit 1t while the flame
lasted in the first one.
(To BE CoNTINUED.)