The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-11-24
CHAPTER XIV.
Men of the Mountains,

CO the afternoon passed away, and
as it became late we entered
~ great tracts of gloomy pine
woods. A wind which had risen
with the evening moaned through
their tops and flung the dark waters
OF iunumerable little lakes against
their moss bordered shores.
noticed that Puttick unslung his
rife and laid it among the packs upon
the blackboard beside him, and when.
ever the road dipped to more than
usually somber de6le his eyes. quick
and restless as those OF some forest
animal. darted and peered into the
shadows. The light OF the sun was
fading when there occurred the one in.
cident of our Journey. Ii was not OF
real importance, but | think 1t made
an impression on all Of us. The road
along which we were driving came
suddenly out into an open space. and
here in front of shack of the rough.
est description man was engaged in
cutting logs AS we passed he glanced
up at us. and his face was like that Of
some medieval prisoner-a tangle OF
wild beard, a mass of grayish hair
and among it all a pair of eyes which
seemed to glare forth hatred. There
was something ominous about the
wolfish face.
1t was'already dark when we arriv.
ed at the house. long, low building OF
surprising spaciousness. set literally
among the pines. the fragrant branch.
es OF which tapped and rustIed upon
the windows.
We went in. and while dinner was
preparing Mr. Petersham. Joe and 7
went TO the room where the wounded
game warden. Worke. lay upon bed
smoking a pipe with a candle sputter.
Ing OH chair beside him.
"Yes. Mr.. PNtersham.' said he in an
swer to question. When you went
away last fall did think things was
settling down bit, but a week ago
while Puttick was on the eastern
boundary ! thought Id go up to senlis
lake, where last year Keoghan had the
brook netted. was making a fire to
boil my kettle when shot was fred
from the rocks up above. and the next
knew was that ! was hit pretty bad
through this knee.
ut was coming on dark, and | rolled
into bush for cover, but whoever it
were didn't fire at me again | don't
think he wanted to kill me. IL he had
he could have put the bullet into my
heart just as easy as in my leg. tied
mp the wound the best way could
Lucky the bullet hadn't touched any
big artery Next morning / crawied
M the hill and liz signal smokes till
Puttick came. He brought me in
here"
IL suppose Puttick had a look round
for the tracks of the fella who gunned
you?" asked November
He did, but he didn't fnd out moth
ing. There was a light shower be-
tween dark and dawn. and the ground
on the hill above there is mostly rock"
Such, then. was the story Of our
NoAAiihH ~ anu IVt Tue next
two or three days we, spent our time
fishing in the streams, the only move
in the direction Of the main object of
our visit being that Joe. whom Linda
insisted upon accompanying. walked
over to Senlis lake and had a hook at
the scene Of Worke's accident. The
old tracks. Of course. were long since
washed away. and | thought. with the
others, that Joe's visit had been fruit
less untfl he showed me the shell Of
an exploded cartridge.
The bullet which went through Bill
worke's leg came out of that | found
II on the hill above. It's 1915 cen.
tral fire rife. an old '78 model"
This IL great discovery you and
Miss Petsrsham have made
Joe smiled. There's nothing much
10 it, anyway. She lost her brooch
somewhere by the lake and was loolxin'
for 1t when found this Joe indi.
Gated the exploded shell. 'The noun
tains is full Of 45.75 guns. 1879 pat.
tern. Some years back big iron
mongery store down here went bust
and threw fine stock of them caliber