The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1923-02-16
A Winters Tale
INsTALLMENT NO. 81

boisterous river dashing among
spears of ice | stood looking about
me, swaddled in my stiff coat of a
bulls fur, and the breath smoking
from my scorched nostrils, when,
upon a sudden, a singular, eager cry
rang from the borders of the wood.
The sentries answered it, the sleep
ers sprung to their feet; one pointed,
the rest followed his direction with
their eyes, and there, upon the edge
of the forest and betwixt two trees,
we beheld the figure of a man reach
ing forth his hands like one In
ecstasy The next moment he ran
forward, fell on his knees at the side
of the camp, and burst In tears.
This was John Mountain, the trad
er, escaped from the most horrid
perils; and his first word, when he
got speech, was to ask if we had
seen Secundra Dass
"Seen what?" cried William.
mo-" said I, I'VE have seen moth
ing of him. Why?"
'Nothing?", says Mountain. Then
I was right after ALL" With that he
struck his palm upon his brow But
what takes him back?" he cried.
What takes the man back among
dead bodies? There is some damned
mystery here"
This was a word which highly
aroused our curiosity, but I shall be
more perspicacious if l narrate these
incidents in their true order. Here
follows narrative which have COM
piled out of three sources, not very
consistent in all points:
First written statement by
Mountain, in which everything Grim
inal is cleverly struggled out of view;
Second, two conversations with Sc
cundra Dass; and,
Third many conversations with
Mountain himself, in which he was
pleased to be entirely plain; for the
truth is he regarded me as an ac-
complete.
wa 0tiFC " AtC ttd0Niy iU0dUtditi
The crew that went up the river |
under the joint command of Captain |
Harris and the master numbered in
all nine persons, of whom (if l ex-
cept Secundra Dass) there was not
one that had not merited the gal
lows From Harris downward the
voyagers were notorious in that col
ony for desperate. bloody minded
miscreants some were reputed pir-
ates, the most bawkers of rum; all
ranters and drinkers; all fit asso-
ciates, embarking together without
remorse, upon this treacherous and
fnurderous design. | could not hear
there was much discipline or any set
captain in the gang; but Harris and
four others. Mountain himself, two
otchmen-Pinkerton and Hastie--
and a man of the name of Hicks,
drunken shoemaker, put their heads
together and agreed upon the course.
In material sense, they were we'll
enough provided; and the master in
particular brought with him a tent
where he might enjoy some privacy
and shelter.
Even this small indulgence told
against him in the minds Of his COM
panions. But indeed he was in a po-
sition so entirely false land even ri
diculous) that all his habit of COM
mand are arts of pleasing we're here
thrown away. In the eyes of all, ex-.
cept Secundra Dass. he figured as
common gull and designated victim;
going unconsciously to death: yet he
could not but suppose himself the
contriver and the leader of the expi- :
aitien; he could scarce help but so
conduct himself; and at the least hint
Of authority or condescension, his de-
ceiyers would be laughing in their
sleeves. l
| was so used to see and to con
,eive him in a high authoritative at /"
-itude. that when | had conceived his v
position on this journey l was panied
and could have blushed. How soon
lie may have entertained a first sur
mise, we can not know; but it was
ong, and the party had advanced into ,
he wilderness beyond the reach of L
any help ere he fully awakened to =
he truth
Drew Into Woods O