Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-13
view, and they felt the loneliness of
their surroundings.

i
take of their camp lunch. They had
blazing. 1t was cheering and comfort.
able, for the day was becoming chilly
at that altitude. Walter and Lincoln
went in. search of fuel-dried limbs of
pine and fir-to keep alive their camp
fire Ellis remained at the Preside,
cleaning his rifle. After his comrades
had been gone about ten minutes, he
heard soft football above him on the
mountain. Looking up he caught sight
Of the disappearing figure Of man.
He only got the shortest glimpse of
him and could not make out whether
he was old or young He jumped up
quickly and followed in the direction
the man had gone-or the way he
thought he must have gone. He had no
time to leave note at the camp for
his returning friends and he would not
call out to them, fearing to warn the
mysterious figure Of his nearness. He
| intended to return to the camp shortly
! and explain his sudden leave-taking to
his companions.
Ellis found the way of ascent very
difficult, but he did not give up. On and
on he clambered, listening once in a
! while, to ascertain whether or not his
man was near enough to make the
sound of foot upon earth. He thought
he caught rustic once, but was not
sure. With rifle clasped tightly in one
! arm, he helped himself over stones
and fallen trees with the other. He did
not notice things about him so as to
place them in mind as landmarks by
which he might return to his COM
rades. He was too much excited to
think of doing so.
But his hurried ascent in pursuit of
glimpsed figure bore fruit Just as
Ellis turned the angle of a huge ledge
habitation he had ever seen. It was
a rude cabin Of piled-up rock on three
sides, a naturel wall of rock forming
the fourth irregular side. At the end
OF this cabin was all opening with a
blanket hanging over it in lieu of a
better door, Ellis stood rooted to the
spot for moment. Then he boldly
stepped to the portal of this strange
little hut-stuck right against the
steep side OF the mountain-and raised
the blanket curtain. He looked with
in, and quickly said: ooh, beg your
pardon, sir" tall, grey-bearded man
sat beside the little stone fireplace,
calmly smoking pipe as squirrel
Drowned and broiled on the glowing
Goals in front of him.
The old man removed his pipe,
scowled at Ellis, then said: : saw you
and two others like yorktown the
mountain half an hour or so ago You
followed me. did you?"
Ellis was obliged to admit that the
old man was right. Then he explained
his reason for having intruded in this
fashion on the old mountaineer's pri-
vacy. The old fellow laughed out
right on hearing Ellis story. $50 I'm
a ghost or a miser, am I? Well, come
in, kid, and I'll tell you my true
story"
But hesitated Ellis, "1'd like to
go fetch my friends-if you have no
objection. They'll grow uneasy over
my disappearance"
The old man shook his head.
EITHER you go to your friends and
don't come back, or you remain alone
to hear the truth of my existence.
Which shall 1t be?"
'T'll stay" said Ellis. And stepped
into the hut. He found good chair
to sit on, for the place was very COM
Portable. A bed, q cupboard, table,
two chairs and numerous cooking
utensils and firearms. The hut was
plastered with common clay inside,
but for all that, 1t was cozy, for the
skins of mountain lions were over the
floor and on the walls.
"Now, I'll not detain We, young fell
low" said the old man. "Tll tell you
about myself, then you can go to DIN
your friends. But-don't you ever come
back here-nor don't you ever repeat
my story to those superstitions old
miners in the valley. Were they to
know am a mere mortal, they'd come
poking about, and I'd have to kick
them over the precipice. You see, my
castle is stronghold. One push
against an intruder at my door, and
over the wall of solid rock he goes,
landing about 1000 feet below,
rushing river catching his body to car
ry it on down the mountain" Ellis
shuddered as he listened, for he knew
the old man spoke the truth. well"
the old man resumed, some years
ago was one Of those persons called
a prosperous business man. lost my
health in the pursuit for gold. After
accommodating more than any sane man
could possibly want, found it was not
/ wanted at all, but sweet
peace and health. / had neither.
turned my property over to my nephew
Mr.. Harper King, of Detroit, and
told his was going to live in Sw1tzer-
land" But the old man paused in his
narrative, for Ellis had jumped to his
feet, crying out: Are you papa's
queer old Uncle Alberto"
The old man sat very quiet for some
seconds, scrutininzing his callers
face. "And to think you are Harper's
SOM" he said at last.
"And we've always thought you
were in Europe somewhere" cried
Ellis. "But-why do you live here
in this manner-alone?" he went on.
"You left a fortune to papa, and you
carried with you only a few thousand
dollars. Papa has hunted far and
wide for you"
The old man raised hand of pro-
test Don't give away my secret,
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