Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-04-03

profuSi0n of tracks, together with
number of half-burned matches scat
tered about the floor. indicated that
he had been there some time-possibly
several times.
The woodsman found himself won
dering what manner of man he could
have been, and what his purpose. And
why did he bring lamp instead of
candle? lamps were none too plenty
In the Flatwoods. Again there came
over him that strangely disquieting
premonition of danger-intangible In
definable; deadly deliberate.
Everything pointed to the conclusion
that the cabins unknown visitor would
come again-probably with the night.
The lamp on the box, the blanket ready
to hang over the window. were not
without purpose. What that purpose
might prove to be could only be con-
jectured-possibly horse stealing. But
no. or why lamp instead of a candlei
He glanced up at the loft-except
for few BOARDS lying loose and scat.
tered about upon the joists.l the cabin
was open to the roof; ne looked
around into the dim far corner back
of the door-it was half filled with
a clutter Of rubbish, broken boxes and
the like-but no tracks led that way.
Using the greatest care to conceal
his footprints, he opened the door.
stepped cautiously out. closed 1t and,
after a critical look about the sur
rounding weeds and bushes, slipped
away up the side of the timbered bluff,
through the woods and back to his UNI
finished chores.
After a hasty supper, he drew out
his revolver; bent over 1t a brief but
thoroughly competent instant of In
spection by the candle: tried the trig.
ger-pull; twirled the cylinder; dropped
1t back in the holster; blew out the
candle and laid his hand to the door
latch. The warning of the mountain
girl crossed his mind-he turned back
closed the hearth of the cook stove to
hide its light; opened the door softly
and stepped out into the gathering
night toward the dead woodchopper's
cabin.
The .cloud-bank had dissolved in the
west when he again reached the ILL
omened howell and the sky was hang
ing out its stars-the big ones already
out. and the little ones coming.
He again crept down the wooded
face of the bluff, and, under cover OF
the fallen oak, festooned with the wild
cucumber vines, stole up to the chink
In the wall and peeped between the
logs. The cabin was apparently empty
Of Its unknown intruder.
After listening intently for some
time he, again stole around the wall to
the door, pushed 1t slowly open and
entered. AS soon as his eyes grew &C.
customed to the gloom, he saw that the
room was just as he had left 1t few
hours earlier.
Not daring to venture out on the
floor, the light being too dim again to
risk hiding his trail by stepping in the
tracks. he reached up, caught one OF
the joists and, swinging from hand to
hand, crossed to the far corner of the
room; concealed himself behind the old
boards and boxes of the rubbish heap
and sat gripping his sore shoulder
the exertion had opened the cash, and
he could feel the blood crawling down
his side.
There Is something depressing, fear
some. about entering an old deserted
house especially after nightfall. And
this was the cabin Of dead Henry
Spencer Few hatwoodsmen would
care to go near it-much less into tt
at such an hour. I
Jack watched the last faint lirht
from the west die out In the smudged
window-so foul with clay that he had
not been able to make out more than
the bare outline Of the face that had
peered through 1t few hours before.
He knew the bats were darling about
in the cabin, for the dark was alive
with the click Of their teeth. "A
screech owl shivered his lonesome
vail from an outstanding branch Of
the fallen oak.
The wOodsman half started, listened
closely, smiled. The sound was genu-
ine-it was a screech owl.
The low wash of Eagle run, tapping
the rocks in It's shallow bed, came I'D
across the lonely road; the melan-
choly note of whippoorwill carried
down out of the woods.
A sound fell upon the night-the low
swish Of weeds in the yard-and the
woodsman grew tense and strained.
There followed a guarded football; a
hand fumbled over the door. 1t
opened; heavy step creaked the
sagging floor. form bulked huge
and black in the gloom: q hand ana
arm passed across the window and
hung the blanket into place
n match scrapeA-one Of the old
eashioasd kind that sputter q while
before making much iight-ths CHIN
neg, Of the lamp was raised; the match
laid T. the wick Out Of the DARK
A 80 49, ~~-~~Awl %n~,,a = = 4 49,. r~,l>at