The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-10-02

! From what he had. been able Il
gather from the General and by talk
ing. In seeming idleness to boatmel
and to men along the River, Drace
confirmed the information snatched by
<SbOttle. from the label On the French
mans wine case-namely, that old
Stepho had a haunt somewhere in the
neighborhood. A shrewd old negro had
said that the outlaw lived in the
swamp, ina house built Of periwinkle
shells. On the opposite shore, and
several miles below the Generals
home, there lay a great wood of cy-
press and thick tangle of salt cedar,
assort Of eyerslade, \ marsh with hun
dreds Of. knOll.islands here and there
rising among the bayous. Here was in.
DEED, an: outlaws paradise, for BRACE
was told that not nearly all its lanes
and crooked byways of brown water
had been explored Herein he began
his search for old Stepho. day after
day. penetrating farther and farther in.
to this noss-hanging wild. He did not
canhde In General sBethpage, for his
mission was sacred unto himself alone,
and by himself alone must it be &C
compliahed. - ;. -
AT his feet in the canoe lay a rope,
one. end Of it q hnngman's moose, and
esmiIed at 1t. grim and firm of faith.
1ometines his canoe would stall in the
esfpet Of scum. But he forced his
way through into 4 narrow and unob-
stEneted channel. Now he padded
swiftly. In front of him a great ALI.
EatOr arose and sank, the canoe graz
Ing his scaly back. With a shrek great
birds new, tapping low. their long legs
stretched out behind them. SDrace was
armed with revolver, but did not
wish to fire 1t, caution. warning him.
When he ceased for a time to paddle.
how still everything was! -s.-r -.
The adventurer. liked to feel that no,
one had lever been. there before. But
NOW suddenly ;somel thing j. caught his
eye Ia. the green tangle on low
bank hess pole with wires strung
t0eit, a. sort Of gate. The wires were
covered with vines, trained about them.
But Tor what purpose, here in this
hElshy, tangle? He caught hold of 4
weed and pulled the canoe up closer,
took hold Of the pole and now he
found aflower slat to which the wires
were also attached. Farther along he
discovered a sort Of hinge attached to
assnag almost hidden by briers.
'Tll open this gate and see what lies
beyond" he unused, drawing the canoe
back to the other end. He pulled ut
the. pole, and it yielded. The gate
opened, and through the weeds that
appeared to have been bent by the
passing of boat, he saw a narrow
CHANNEL. a., ....e..-s a.s...'
q It was easy enough to shove through
the weeds and to enter the new canal.
Soon 1t broadened, winding about
among the enormous cypress trees.
Now he came upon q widening that
looked like millpond, except that in
the midst of it arose an island Of tall
cane. It was an attractive sight, and
he, ceased padding to look. Slowly
he drifted toward the islands shore.
He took hold Of cane root and pulled
the nose Of the canoe hard into the
bank. Then he got out, parting the
stiff and stubborn cane in q shade as |
dense a. night. But now through this |
parting hallway he could see sunlight |
beyond, and knew that he was about |
to come into an open space. And out i
into 1t he looked with start; for
there, a few feet from the edge Of the
fringe Of cane, stood a small house |
made Of minute shells cemented-peri-
Its roof was Of thatch, the
long rushes gathered from the swamp;
and about the door was cypress vine.
itse red blooms dazzling In the sun.
And then: Bonded cane BRACE held
was crushed In his hand, for through
the door and out beneath the vine came
the barbaric rose-maid, Nadine la