Gloucester County Democrat., 1911-11-09


an old nautical phrase. we should be
"hul down" from the rocks | meant
to put about, going round by the east
to northeast and keeping full 6fty
miles beyond the point where Payton
had escaped.
Then would drop down near the
ground and search 1t right and left
over breadth Of at least fifteen miles.
creeping gradually inward toward the
critical point Since he was compel
led to travel on foot did not believe
that Payton had been able to go any
thing like fifty miles over the brush
sangled and nero or less swampy
groand But wanted to be sure.
started, after ser part
Helen, whom acouraged
hope Of soon seeing her ia
ther and to whom l had related all
the particulars of the manner in which
we had found Payton's lodge and OF
our adventures up to the time OF the
battle in the clouds. She in turn gave
me vivid description of her expert
ences on the Chameleon, where she
and Susan had been kept locked in
the cabin most of the time. Once or
twice only they had witnessed the
chase.
But l did not know who my res
cuer was to be-" she said. smiling
archly
When we had attained point be-
tween fifty and sixty miles northeast
OF the rocks we began the search in
earnest. We had long been running
low, but now | dropped within twenty
yards OF the ground and began to de-
scribe series of endless interiocking
spirals about fifteen miles in length.
like SO many fat intertwined figure
eights lying on their sides. one over
another.
This enabled US to inspect the ground
so minutely that wOodchuck could
hardly have escaped being seen. Even
where 1t was covered with brush we
could usually see fairly well. and
when we came upon thickets or clumps
OF stunted trees | ordered Ethan to
drop shells into them. an employment
that afforded him great satisfaction.
This beats coon huntin In Con-
necticut all hoiler." he said when /
was a youngster we us'ter shoot up
inter the trees whar the varmints was
hid. but ii we c'u'd a got at EN- this
way there wouldn't "a been a ringtaii
left In the hull state"
But as the time wore on and we got
nearer where expected Payton to be
1 stopped the firing lest the explosion
OF the shells should give the alarm. /
now determined to resort to the device
which had twice already proved SO ef-
fective-that of looking out for light
after night came on. The nights were
cold. and If Payton believed that we
had gone of southward be would build
fires. both for warmth and for cook
ing.
1t was after midnight before our
vigilance was rewarded Ethan touch
ed me on the arm as we stood together
beside the gun in the bow and whis
pered. "Thar's the glim. lootenant"
Sure enough. not 200 rods away. a
faint CLEAN showed on the trunk of
an unusually tall pine. surrounded with
bushes Instantly | brought the Grow
to hover.
"Shall send him a shelly" asked
Ethan eagerly. swinging the gun to an
aim
mot yet" whispered. "We'll
creep a little nearer. | want to be
sure. shouldn't care to kill innocent
men. although | suppose there is not
one chance in thousand of any trap
pers or hunters being hereabouts.'
Moving with extreme caution just
above the tops of the brushwood, we
silently drew nearer Presently the
fire began to show in CLEANS through
the mass Of twiga and foliage. and
quite suddenly we came in line with
an opening through which the whole
camp was visible as through window
A birch log was burning brightly.
and over it bent man busy with cook
ing piece OF meat held on the point
of stick The flames lent a ruddier
tint to the dark countenance Of Indian
John.
A couple of yards back of the fire
and so seated that his face was fully
Illuminated sat Alfonso Payton The
glare of the fire In his eyes would have
prevented him from seeing us If he
had looked up. but from our side we
could make out his every feature.
Never in my life have been so
struck by human countenance. 1t
was face in which beauty. manliness.
dignity. intellectually. impressiveness,
self mastery. courage. strength. SEEM
ed equally blended. There was moth
ing repulsive or wicked about it
my God. what liars mems faces can
ber' thought.
Ethan. who was less impressionable,
begged me in whisper to let him
Nj ~ 49, .f4L.