Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1910-02-24

in awhile 9 tremendous gale seemed
ABOUT to tear the forest up, and 1t
bent with groans Of suffering II was
penetrated by the cold notwithstand-
Ing my heavy clothing and quick
walking. We were to dine and sleep
at the house Of one of the foresters:
1 was going there to hunt. MY guide
once In awhile looked up and NUT
tered Bad weather Then he told me
OF the people with whom we were to
.sojourn. The father had murdered a
wood chopper two years previous, and
since then he was morose, as though
haunted with the remembrance of it.
dis two married sons lived with him.
We still had some distance to go, the
darkness was profound, could see
nothing In front Of me, and the
branches Of the trees knocking against
each other, filled the night with un:
earthly sound. Finally 1 perceived
light, and soon my companion
Knocked at door. sgt< s'sE,s,
Piercing cries coming from with.
in responded to our knock. Then a
half-smothered voice Of man asked:
Who Is It,? My guide gave his name,
and we entered then we witnessed
strange sight. An old white-haired
man. with the Wild eye Of a maniac,
a loaded gun In his hand, awaited our
entrance In the kitchen, while two
immense u, fellows armed Il with axes
Kept watch by the. door. could see
IN the dark the kneeling figures OF
two women, their faces hidden against
the wall. They gave no explanation.
Inc, old man put his gun down, and
ordered the women to prepare my
room. AS they did not move, he ad-
dressed me abruptly: 49, ~ ="
=" You see, monsieur, l killed my man
this very night two years ago. Last
year he returned here and called me.
| await him again tonight he added
In manner that made me smile: We
are little bit upset. '1-'' 3
Il did my best to quiet them, glad
that happened that night and would
be able to witness the superstitious
fear OF these people. l told them story
after story. Near the fire place lay
an old, half-blind dog. Outside the
mad tempest ragged, shaking the little
house. looked out of a small peep
hole, near the door, and saw by the
sudden glare Of the lightning the
trees bending In two. Notwithstand-
Ing my efforts to keep cool, l felt my
self possessed of the wild terror, that
cowed the others. Whenever
stopped talking they sat, up, listening
breathlessly. =
wary of watching, their stupid
fears, l was about to bid. them good
night and retire for sleep, when the
old man made leap from his chair,
seized his gun, suffering in broken
voice: ..-...I -.
There he is-there he Is. 1 hear
him.
"The women fell on their knees and
buried their heads in their hands, and
the sons took up their axes. The
dog awoke, sat up, pricked up his
ears, stretched his neck, and let forth
long, continued, uncanny howl. We
all turned our eyes On him. He re-
NAMED motionless, as though contem-
plating vision. His hair stood on
end foam came to his mouth and he
uttered the most terrifying yells con-
ceivable. He seemed to Sc something
Invisible. The old man, livid with ter
ror whispered:
He knows the scent. He knows
THE was there when l killed him!'
THE wretched women began to
groan in the same hideous fashion as
the dog.
Il felt cold perspiration break out
all over my body, and shivers ram up
and down my spine. The sound of
the wind, the sight of this mad, howl
ing dog and frantic people was really
narrowing.
For an hour the dog kept up his
noise without intermission; he
moaned and cried as if in agony. Fear.
the most overpowering fear, took DOS.
session of me. Fear of what? I know
not 1t was simply paralyzing, unrea-
soning fear. That was all. t~
I'VE remained immovable listening.
our hearts. humping, upset at the
least sound, expecting something
which seemed to come nearer and
nearer. Then the dog rose, walked
about the room smelling the walls and
uttering groans and bowls. This ami.
NAL drove us wild. Suddenly nv
guide, with sort f paroxysm of ter
ror, grabbed him, opened the door and
threw him out into the fearful dark.
Then he sank back half dead. None
of us moved, terrified even more than
before. Suddenly, like an electric
shock we all felt a sort of trembling
pass through us. Something glided
against the outside wall, toward the
f est. 1t passed the door, at which
it seemed to feel hesitatingly: then
again all was silent, such silence as
to make you lose your very mind
Again it returned, rubbed against the
walls, scratching as child nigh ID