Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-04-27

hiShto, NliflhS lIS iIOot hOih tiiS SditliI
changing erstwhile dry prairies into
marshes and muddy sloughs. On the
third night of the drizzle, in gully not
far from the Boyce place, a yearling steer
was found dead and partly eaten. Clear
ly to be seen in the clayey soil around
the carcass, too plain to be mistaken.
were the tracks of big wolf. And,
strange to relate, those who came TO stare
and wonder, nodding their heads wisely,
said as one person, 81 thought So" That
is to say, all but Smoky Joe, who, exam
ining the tracks with an Indians eye for
detail, noticed ina part OF them feathery
imprint between the firm mark of the toe.
"Big wolf," said Joe, "but big cow dog
too"
This same afternoon John, after run
ming his line of dead-falls along Skunk
Creek, took short cut to the hills, where
they had located the dens, intending to
prospect for signs while daylight lasted.
Luck. it seemed, had been against him
that day, the catch from fourteen dead
falls being just one diminutive mink, a
"cotton mink at that" worth possibly
thirty cents, and two rabbits that had
blundered into set SnareS, Strangling mis-
erably. No wonder, then, that painted
hill tops, rosy hued from the setting sun
and purple in the distance, held no charms
for the hunter. Even now, in the hol-
lows, there was scarce enough light to
enable one to see track, so shortly he
turned diSguStedly homeward, and just
then his heart leaped to his throat and he
crouched unconsciouSly, as wild beast
croucheS, for gray shadow, "long and
gliding" had slipped behind big mound
that topped the gully wherein he stood,
and, as it showed sharp against the SUM-
set sky on the other side, he drew down
quickly with the old gun and pulled and
knew he had overshot while his finger
pressed the trigger. Yet he raced madly
to the top, arriving in time TO see the ami
NAL disappear under ledge ofrock across
the ravine. A haSty examination al this
point revealed what appeared to be the
entrance to a sizable cave. The iutting
rock which hid the opening accounted for
its non-discovery long before this. What
course to pursue, now that the den was
located, puzzled him. Should he brace
heavy logs over the entrance and set
trip trigger or adopt the more hazardous
plan OF exploring the cave with birch
torches ? Then ii occurred to him that
the moon would be full this night, and he
decided his best course would be to get
brother Fred and wait on the outside for
the VOLTS temperance.
With the hip-Swinging, straight-footed
gait the Indian had taught him. John COW
cred the three miles home in thirty min
utes. And in two hours more the boys
were back in the hills, with sulphur
matches, axe and several birch torches,
which they made from fresh bark, by
placing strips OF it close to blaze until
they curled tightly.
Some three rods from the den was a
hazel patch, following the full length OF
the ravine, and just inside this cover the
boys found a fillen pine, which answer
ed very we'll as seat. So, with the dog
between them, they took up their watc h,
John, the hunter, with the buckShot-load-
ed single barrel shotgun across mis- knees,
while Fred, armed only with his double
bladed axe, was as well satisfied as ne
would have been with the latest creation
of the gunsmith's art in his hands; for
his was the industrious soul OF a pioneer.
More dear to him by far than any roar OF
gun was the swish and crash OF a falling
tree, and, indeed, the ancient implement
was no mean weapon in his hands. so
they waited, while the white moon grew
large and bright above the pIne-crowned
hill, and shadow that marked the den
across the way came out firm and dis
tinct in the moonlight. A long time they
sat silently though all around them was life;
fof night time is ever the period OF activi-
ty for furred wood folk.
II grew colder as the moon crept high
er. the boys huddled close together, Tor
the sake OF warmth, shivered at times,
yet stuck to their post And so the night
wore on. But what had sent the rabbit
flying, gray streak across the open
Why had the little screech-owl LETT his
branch, TO sail hurriedly back TO deep
timber Why this sudden silence among
the small furry folks And the dogl why,
the old fellow had started up, growing
and barring his teeth as he skunk back
against the log. Was that rustic in the
underbrush ? Then sound unmistakable
came to their ears and they leaped TO
their feet, trembling and clutching their
weapons spasmodically, while their caps
seemed about to desert the bristling hair
De0edll lOl W lllSu lSib q WIN A~i'iS'S
and appalling had burst upon them. Fear
some, indeed. at any time, but hundred
times more fearful at this erie hour OF
night was the wolf howl Nay, roar de-
scribes il better-that came from out the
gloom.
And straining their eyes, not five yards
distant, they described squatting shape
that Ioomed big in the half light. Aim
ing as best he could through the shad-
ows, John fired quickly, and following
the report the animal sprang from the
thicket and fled in huge bounds straight
TO the den. Missed" said Fred, but
when torch was lighted their eyes were
gladdened by the sight of several tufts OF
hair and splash OF red.
John proposed that they enter the den
al once. and Fred, though his prudent