Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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}e .VALLEY V . R.O. fcltvietr GEORGE MARSH — AUTHOR. OF +— 0 TOILERS OF THE TRAIL# 11 "THE WHELPS OF THE WOLF* JGOPYRIOHT by THE PIHW PUELlSHIWO CO SYNOPSIS CHAPTER I.—With David, half-br^d S lide, Brent Steele, of the American useum of Natural History, is travel ing In northern Canada. By a stream he hears Denleo, daughter of CoL Hilaire St. Onge, factor at Walling River, play the violin superbly. He Introduces himself yid accepts an In vitation to make tne post his home during his stay. From St. ir leanu*j wv — ■■ his ho Onge the mysterious creature dla l d evil, the "Windigo," and the disap pearance of a canoe and Its crew, with the season’e take of furs. CHAPTER H.—Steele hears the "Wlu- dlgo." David and Michel, 8L Onge's head-man, leave for the scene of the canoe's disappearance. St. Onge tells Steele that LaacelleS, the company's manager at Fort Albany, seeks his ruin In order to compel Denlee to mar ry him to save her father. CHAPTER III.—Hearing her vlolla playing, Steele realises that Denise la sacrificing a brilliant musical career to comfort her father. David and Michel return, but are uncommunicative. CHAPTER IV.—Tete-Boule, Indian la St. Onge's employ, la caught listening to Steele's talk with David and MleheL and roughly handled. Steele learns that Louis La flam me, factor at Ogoke, has made application to her father for the hand of Denise. CHAPTER V.—Pierre. Indian from goke, visits the Walling River poe tenslbly for gun shells. David Ichel are suspicious of him. CHAPTER VI.—Lascellea visits Wall ing River. He Jeers at stories of the "Wlndlgo." To his consternation, De nise tells Steele she ts Lascettes' fiancee CHAPTER VII.—Steele. David and Michel leave to visit an Ollbway camp, on the trail of the "Windigo," and en route to Nepigon. CHAPTER VIII.—Talk with the OJIb- ways confirms the suspicion that Pierre Is a spy and Tete-Boule bis accom plice. The "Windlgo' Is heard and bunted, but escapes. Michel returne to falling River with messages, iiteelat In an effort to hold the terrified Indi ans. takes the trail of the "Windlgo," without result. CHAPTER IX—Steele and David start for Nepigon. At Ogoke Laflamme welcoraee the travelers, seemingly karnlag with surprise of the WTa- dlmo' and the loss of St. Onge'e fur canoe Steele meets Ross. Laflamms § Oiistrsaa, who Is Introducsd hy La- flamms as hie slstsr CHAPTER X—Rose comes to Steele la hie cabin, to urgs.hlm to inks hsr away from Laflamms The latter ap pears and Is ovsrpowered and bound Ly David, who would hav# killed him but for Steels. Ths two man escape, leaving Rose David tells Stasis La- Damme caused ths death of Davld'e brother, and the half-breed has sworn to have his life l.aflammes men am bush them, but ths voyagers escape by running the Frying Pan rapids, a fsal deemed Impossible CHAPTER XI—From Nepigon Hteele, goes asst, returning with a bloodhound with which ha hopes to trail ths "Win- digo." David and Steele go back to Walling River, where they had been given up as lost, drowned in the Fry ing Pan Steals la mystified by Danlaa a cold reception. CHAPTER 7(11.—Steele finds himself utterly at n loss to account for Denise's changed attitude, and with a heavy heart be. with David. Michel, and the bloodhound, leave to hunt the "WIn digo " ' CHAPTER XIII —St. Onge Is decoyed from Walling River by a forged letter. In hla absence Laflamme comes to the post to urgs Denise to listen to hla suit. She repulses him. Frcnslsd. after taunting her with loving Steele, whom h# declares would ha vs run away with Rose, hs smashes the girl's beloved violin and escapes. (CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK) CHAPTER XIV i — - On the night of Little Jacques' re turn to Portage lake the four men sat by the fire planning their future move ments. It had been a week since the beast had howled or visited the trap- lines In the district, for Dsvld had arranged with the uptake hunters fo relay the news of his appearance Im mediately. *Td give ten years of my life If that old bird would sing up there on that ridge this evening," said Steele. “I got plenty shell een de bag,” added David. “I get tire* waitin’ to shoot dat little gun ov mine.” “Ton'll get your chftnce before we’re done, don’t worry. How would you like to draw a bead on your friend Laflamme this evening?” The OJibway shook his head. “W’en I tak’ Laflamme’s trail I feex heem wld de han\ I use no gup on heem. Eef I got hoi’ dat Black Baptiste, too, I break sonnetin' more dan bees flng—” "Leesten!” Interrupted Michel. - out over the silent forest drifted a faint "call like the voice of some furred night hunter. The four figures at the Are stiffened. Again the call, louder now, rose on the biting air. “Where la It?” asked Steele, In doubj of the direction. “On de beeg ridge." replied Michel. “Dat not soun’ like heem.” Y !But the men at the Are sat with alert, hoping that at last their waiting was over. |. Then, when they were convinced that jut another night they were to i roU Into tfctfr blankets, disappointed, baffled, n tong wail from the ridge be- d the camp brought them to their every nerve alive. Thera was 4 swift stepping into the thongs of now-shoot and draw ing' of rifles from skin cases, then the bloodhound on the vinfl, started with kis man for the the pursuit miles sway, the beast had tired In the ~pblack Hburs and tamed at bay to bat tle In the snow jgltb his relentless foe; or else in terror of the voice of the thunder which he could not shake from his heels, had tread. Up over ridges and Into, creek bot toms traveled the anxious men, stop ping to listen for the voice of the dog. Bat tho cold sileAce of sunrise gripped the forest. At last the tracks led into s heavy stand of young spruce. The men sep arated, and cautiously made their way through the close growth. ——• v 1 » • Suddenly the blood of Steele chjlled as he heard the voice of Michel. “By gar! Boor ©T Pete!" ' Forcing hla way through the sap-’ lings, he found the Iroqnola bending over a blood-smeared shape, stiff In' death. The hide of the dog hiinf In strips from the slashes of terrible claws, while a tom throat marked tho death snap of the fangs of the Win- digo.. “He Jump on heem from de tree!" Michel pointed to the broken branches of s neighboring spruce. "That’s what happened 1" groaned Steele. “He waited for Pete to come up, and dropped on his back. Game old Pete! He gave a good account of himself before he went.” "We not tell de Injun dls,” advised Dsvld. “No, but they’re stampeded by this time. We can’t hope, to hold any Portage lake hunters after last qlght I guess we’re licked." So, burying hla staunch friend In the snow, Steele turned back, bitter with defeat, for hla hope of aiding the St. Onges had lessened as the Novem ber days wore on.* On their return Steele and the In dians found the csmp of the OJibways already deserted. On a blazed birch was the message: “We are going up the valley.* You have not drived away the Windlgo and we have fear to remain.” They rmesed the river to the!/ camp, where David, from whom no ndge. The huskies, though savage fighters, were left chained to trees, as at night they would cut off on the first game trail and their beVlara of yelp ing would prevent David and Michel from making the still hunt decided on. Steele' with the hound was to circle and pick up the trail of the beast If they missed him. ^ As they swung through the blue gloom of spruce and fir, the voice shifted from Its walling to the hunt ing screams of the great cats, then as swiftly dropped to the yowling and mewing of the mating season, climax ing, as at Walling River and Big Feather lake, In shrieks of agony, In moans of a creature tortured beyond endurance of blood and flesh and nerve. Three of the men who hunted the voice on the ridge had tolled long and suffered much for this moment, but at their heela moved a short figure whose flesh was cold with the chill of fear. Little Jacques gripped hla rifle grimly and followed, thinking of the wife and children back at Walling River.' At the foot of the ridge Michel and David left Steele to make their stalk from two directions while he worked to the rear with ths dog and. UtDa., however dire, 7>ald lak- Jacques. Once on -a fresh trail the hound would hang until he ran down his quarry. In the soft snow his pace would be slow, so the men on shoes In time would come up with him. And be would need them If the tlifng turned and waited at bay—how great would be hla necessity the torn body at Stooping river only too well Indi cated. , They had traveled for an hour when the hound abruptly stopped, sniffed the snow at hla feet, and excitedly strained at his leash. To Steele's ryes the flat floor of the snow lay un broken in the darkness, bat the Indian on his knees whispered la terror: I “Ket res beeg trail!" "Good!" And the hound free, plunged ahead Into the murk. Short ly. hla deep voice boomed through the j forest and the hunt was on. As they swung through, the blue gloom of spruce was Iras d#rp, the great dog left them. Again, as they followed, the voice on the shoulder of the hill defiled the*night As It rove In crew-endo, a rifle shot sliced It* short off. ftr above, the hound gave voice. Then silence fell on the forest. ’They’ve seen him!" said Steele. "He may back track: keep a lookout. Ibm't shoot too quick or we’ll turn him!" There was no reply. He looked for his companion, but Little Jacques had goqe. Throwing the holt of his Mannllcher to clear It of frost and ease the action. Steele kept on up the ridge. For min utes now, he had not heard the voire of the hound, when again the resonant baaa boomed through the.- silence above him. The dog had turned. .The thing was headed back._ loosing hla* sklnnlng-knlfe In Its sheath, the man cocked his rifle add waited, kneeling on* a shoe, his eyes boring Into the blackness. Near mm, and below, was an open ing In the flraher. Again, the hound bayed—-closer now. The beast was taking hla back tracks. Then Steele saw It. Rounding from the cover of the scrub on the edge of the opening, a dark shape stopped, and reared up right, as If listening—when the Mann llcher spat. The t>east leaped back Into the black w all of spruce. Again, the Title flamed Into the murk. Still crouched on a knee, the man listened, rifle rigid. Sights useless, he had fired by Instinct. There had been no thud of bullet in flesh. Could he have rplssed? Slipping two shells Into the maga zine, he circled In the timber, lifting his shoes to avoid the click. Blind now, for the moon was masked, he listened for heavy breathing In the scrub he faced—then the plunged past and he^-fen$w he had missed. Following the dog, Steele turned the ridge, hot in an hoar wss distanced. So he stopped In s cedar swamp, cut wood with hla belt ax, and scooping oat the now with his shoe, lighted a fire. In the cover of the thick cedar the hot fire toon warmed him and with hack against a trank he doeed, only to waken with a start as a band touched hla shoulder. He blinked Into the ftfeee of David and Michel. "Tooled us again!" groaned the dig- appetite, wa* speedily cooking break fast. There, also, they found IJttle Jacques, shamed of face, for with the return of the others, hla courage had revived. Raring thh warm meal which David had cooked, the tired and sleepy men turned Into their blankets, in the afternoon David and Steele waked, to learn from Little Jacques that Michel mattered the inman, doomed ever the now. Steele aad David moved op to look at the tracks. The trail led down the ridge toward the second trap. The hopes of the three friends rose. Bat why was the Thing so silent? Was he waiting to leap on them as he had sprang on the boand? * With rifles loose in the crook of the left arm, for tho fingers of the right hand would freeze if exposed, and spread like skirmishers, they ■talked the position of thg hidden hear trap. Through the blue shadows, Steele strove to locate the position of the fox-set beyond them. Then the warn ing arm of the Iroquois held him tense In' his tracks. He slipped hla right hand from the mitten to the grip of the Mannllcher. What had Michel seen? As If carved from atone the Indian kneeled, rifle leveled, while Steele waited breathless for the explosion. Then to the surprise of the man T. B. EUs : BLLIS BNGBimiNe CO. ! Michel Had Taken >4le Rifle and Ax and Left the Camp. had taken hla rifle and ax and left the camp. As they sat by a huge lire, for the trees were snapping with the strengthening frost, like a shadow, the Iroqnoio slipped back across tho river. "Any sign of onr friend T’ asked Steele. "No track on de ridge w’ere we set de beeg trap. Wind shift, eet "At daylight wo take do m boom mm*. JDo dog \ trail MWYew Job Work. Hooping op too fir# too tore# ooed ontil daylight, than rofl of too .boost and h cold.” The men ate In alienee, and Oiled their pipes. For a time they sat and smoked, too dejected for conversation. David had freshened the tire with a birch log and stood holding a blaz ing stick to hla pipe, when he tilted hla head. Steele watched the expres sion of the furrowed features In the firelight slowly shift from mild curios ity to sadden interest. “You’re not, going to start us oat again tonight, David?” said Steqlft “I hear somet’lng den," wag the low reply. Steele rose andAeidhla breath, ears strainii >m the ridge of the fox sets, Tardly a half-mile distant, rose a scream. “By gar-! He’s at de trap!" And David leaped for his shoes and rifle, and started for the ridge, followed by Steele and Michel. As they crossed the river, the ■cream again lifted on the freesing air. The men had stopped to listen to locate the position of the beast, for the ridge was a long one, when, as the cry rose to Its climax, It was cat short off—to loavo the * night quiet. ‘We go eaoee no scars heem," can- liionod Michel. ■ They wore nearing toe first fox-eet, sad Mill too votes in the night held its alienee. Could toe boast bo wait ing to rush thorn from cover, like a r, wondered Steele, r satoty, w to too boor trap In too snow beside too belt. whose right hand was fast stiffening on his gun grip, Michel suddenly rose to his feet Joining MlchA where the view was unobstructed, Steele gasped In amazement There In the snow, by the fox-set crouched a black hulk. * “Shoot, Michel!” he whispered, lev- ellflg his Mannllcher. “No use,” came the muttered an swer. “Pete, he rest eesee—tonight.” "What! He’* In the trap?" “Ah—hah! He nevalre move; an’ he face de odder- way." 1 David Joined them. “Dat Windlgo froze stiff 1 Dls tarn de trap atop beea howl queek!” But as they approached, three rifles covered the black shape In the sno\y._ - Steele's heart beat high. Now that the crazed beast with the evil voice lay stiff In death, now that there was hope for Walling River—and for her, the baffled scientist In Steele clamored for the key to the riddle. What breed of beast, mad or normal, coold It be?- First at the trap, Michel turned to Steele with a wild oath. “By par L Look, look- w'at we hpnl. all dls tarn’!" And the Infuriated Iro quois slashed savagely at the carcass gripped by the Jaws of steel, till the knife blade snapped In his haad. Then with a heave he turned over the hairy body with the trap, and Steele stared, dumbfounded. Into the twisted fea tures, horrible In the grimace of death, of—Pierre! “Good G—d! Pierre from Ogoke— Laflamme!" In amazement, David and Steele I bent over the distorted face etched 1 with the frenzied despair of the mo- | meet when the steel fangs snapped. crushing the bones, and be measured | the minutes until ths chill of ths I white death Iced hla blood This I Thing, stiff In Its salt* of boar-skin, with the hage feet lashed to the 1 this frosea masquerader, who, ' Walling River To the Feather I from the Little (Xirrent to the Medl- I cine billa, had filled the tipis with j fear, bad at last paid ths pries. "No you de feller dat keel de man at Kt<»op!n' riviere, an' poor ole Pete. 1 ah—hah?" mattered the OJibway, ex- { amlnlng curiously the hood, framed ' from the scalp of a huge black bear, and the aklnned-eut paws, pieced lots ths great feet which had left ths mysterious tralL At length Kteele found his voice. "To think of all that walling and squalling being done by an Indian! What vocal chords! He was a marvel 1 Must have been trained for It by La flamme ! poor old Petel We’va squared It for you. How did be kill him. Michel?" “Shoot heem from de tree, den cat heem wld'de knife!" "How he ran on de snow wld dem feet beat me." wondered David. ‘He use snowshoe ’til he wan’ to make Windlgo track. He lose de shoe w’en Pete get he«« trail.” Then the 'stored hate of weeks for the master mind behind this broken tool at their feet—the arch plotter, who, with such subtlety had planned to turn the valley of the lower Wall ing Into “forbidden country” which no hunter dared enter—a land under a taboo, spirit-ridden, shunned; was loosed in Steele. “That crook at Ogoke shall nay for all this—pay with his skim with every cent he owns,” he stormed. “Give me your hands, you two!" Slipping off their mitts, the threq^ Pierre, who was fit to# post ft tfep- tember. Yon most have a look at him for yoornolf bofore yon tak# tho nows to SL Onge. In toe morning we'll send for all th# people In the district to com# and mm him.” “Pierre, from Ogoke, b# mak’ all dla trottbl’T" “Yes. He won’t, acara any banters in this valley." CHAPTER XV In tbe morning Steele with difflcnlty persuaded fearful Little Jacques to accompany hint to the bear trap on the ridge. Th# Qcte, with much mur muring and many misgivings^ cast a harried look at the twisted features of the thing in the trap and tnrnlng, led Steele a mad pace back to camp. Then Jacques started with his dog- team for Walling River with the news of the victory. Before dawn, Michael and David had left for th# scattered camps at th# head of to# Ink# to dispatch dog- runners east, south and west with ths word that the dreaded Windlgo lay frozen In a bear trap at Portage lake for the eyes of all who would Jour ney there to see. But what, after all, did this victory —this thwarting of Laflamme’a scheme to terrorize and depopulate the val ley-mean to him, Steele asked him self-as he sat beside his fire of birch logs that late November morning. There was no doubt that the Indians, once they looked at the body of Pierre and learned that th# Ogoke trader was at the bottom of It all- bad loosed In their country a madman with orders, not only to drive them from thelg hereditary hunting grounds but to kill—would be keen for ven geance. There would be no lack of volunteers among the trappers for a campaign against the free-trader. But there would be no help from the gov ernment until spring, and the altna- tlon at Walling River demanded Im mediate action. No, there was noth ing to do but poll Laffamma’s teeth at once, and notify the government lato*'. ■But then the defeat el Laflamme Aid- hot mean the salvation of the far from It LasreOea could the poet, even In the fact of a profit able future, for the loaa of the fur canoe had pat the place badly In debt to tho company. So, with Laflamme eliminated, Denise St. Onge seemed no nearer. Whether ha kept the poet la operation or not, tbs Inspector would never reieaae bar from her promise. Tho only solution was bar father's breaking with Kovtllo# Tiofls# bvt would he do It? Would she allow hla to, knowing the bo would face? the wind-burned features of who mm thinking hy too fire »contracted with pstn ts ho rooltsod tho presumption, the fatuity, so fist u be was concerned, of his sotlcttufis for tho future of those at Rlrer. * Airefidy she from her. She had without bearing, tar the and. if woo out for 8t. Onge. and. owing to what had been told tho Rovlllon people at Montreal. Lasrelles dared not dose tho post, be, Steele, would hove bar gratitude—her gratitude 1 when once she had come to him. with her heart n her eyes—bad vibrated like the string of a violin to hia touch, bad turned Instinctively to him in her despair! • Lyndhurst, & C MONEY TOLQAN 1 - r Loan* made same day application received. No Red Tape HARLEY A BL^TT. Attorney! et-Law BamwelL S. C. I COTTON Higher Prices Should Prevail Later in the Season. Ship Tour j Cotton to us to be Raid. Liberal Advances Mad# otk ments. Savannah Handl#s M#cf < that 1,000,000 Balsa a ~ GETS HIGHEST ■ Savannah Cotton Psctsvfign (X J Sovahuah, Go. KODAKERS! to to far t One day Writ# for LoDar't StndBo utt Mato Street COLUMBIA SOUTH CABOLQKA Wo ooB JEWELRY friends gripped over their vie “We swear, here and-ilSw^ that wo will run Laflamme and hla crowd out of tliis-rountry, if we stay , on the Sow until spring. Promise!” “No!" objected David, withdrawing his fist. “He ees for me—de odder* for you!" / “Right! He belongs to David—the police can’t have him !*’ And .the three half-frozen men left the thing in the trap fend snow-shoed back tp their camp where they found Little Jacques huddled by the fire be moaning tho fate of hla misguided friends, who so rashly had followed the voice of the Windlgo to their doom. "What’s the matter Jacques? Think you see ghosts?" asked Steele of too frightened Cree. "You—you not oat up?" ho "Yet^ nevalre Shoot do gun. four de Windlgo got you." s "No, wo got him—to the boir trap. In the morning f want you to go up aad see him so you can toll too people at Walling River." ~N* n#( I wool not look at boomt" (CONTINUED NEXT WEEK) Children’s Colds * /A vista Gold and pistil Jewelry. Ideal peed visiting, cards and invitation#. A first class watch an repair department Diamonds aad yellow gold You eaa appreciate full, quality of our only by sampling P.W. STEVENS in 6 6 6 I# # Prescription far Cold* Grippe, Flu; DW" gue; Bilious Fewer end Malaria. It Kllb th# Germ# NOTICE! Againtt Hnnting, Fishing and Trapping Any person or persons entering upon the lands hereinafter referred to* situate in Barnwell, Richland and Red Oak Townships, for th# porpoae of hunting, fishing or trapping, will be prosecuted to the full extent of t)M law: L. W. Tilley —I— 200 Sue Ford *30 Mrs. Flossie Smith »--- 1,000 Allen Eubanks —•*»--— 180 Joe McCreary 200 Harriett Hutson — 175 J. M. Easterling 8M W. H. Duncan 405 F. H. Creech • 45 Mrs. Kate M. Patterson 2,500 Mrif. Annie P. Easterling 582 Duncannon Place 1,860 Mrs. Jane R. Patterson 1,800 J. M. Weathersbee — 87* Billie Jenkins 80 Jessie Middleton • —800 J. W. Newton -245 Estate of H. A. Patterson .. 2,000 Joseph E. Dicks : 800 R. C. Holman 400 A A. Richardson 2^88 Lemon Bros. — 168 8. B. Moseley 88 Mrs. Lena Davies m m "He bto