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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1933-05-04, Page 6i i THE. HAVE Johnson. i (Continued .from last week.) The sun rode higher and higher, gilding the misty green ,of the 'budding trees, ' quickening the red maple 'bloom into fierce .scarlet, throwing lances of 'light down through the pine branches to spli'n'teragainst thie dark earth far below. For an hour it shone; then 'clouds ,gathered and shut itfrom sight The forest •darkened, and the the wind' arose with a shriek. The youn'g trees ao'wered ;before the blast, the strong and vigorous b:ea't, their branches together with a groaning. sound, the old and worn fell crash- ing to the earth. !Presently the rain rushed down, • latbt lines of silver tear- ing through the wood with the sound .of the feet of an army; ha:i followed, a torrent of ice beating and bruising all tender green things to the . earth, The wind took the multitudinous sounds,—the cries of ,frightened ' birds, the, creaking trees, the snap of break- ing boughs, the crash of ;falling giants, the rush Of the rain; the drumming 'of the hail,—enwoun'd them with itself, and made the fonest like a great shell held arise to the ear. "There was no house to flee to; so bong as we could face the hal we staggered on, heads down, buffeting the wind; but at last, the fury of the storm increasing, we were fain •to throw ourselves u'pon the earth, in a little brake, ,where an 'overhanging bank somewhat broke the wind. A mighty oak, swaying and groaning .. above us, might fall .and crush us like eggshells; but if we went on, the like fate migihit meet us in the way. Brok- en and withered limb's, driven by the w'in'd, went past us like croaked sha- dows; it grew darker and danker, and the air was deadly cold, The. three I'nd'ians pressedl their faces against the ,ground; they dream - have measured leagues. There was no breath to waste in wo'rd's, and thought was a btuden quite intolerable; it was enough to. stumble ' on through the partial dight, with a mind as..graly and blank as the, rain -blurred distance, At noon the clouds broke, and an hour later the sunshine was stream- ing down from a cloudless heaven, beneath which the forest lay clear be- fore us, natught stirring save shy syl- van creatures to whom it mattered not if red man or white 'held ,the land. Side by side Diccon anid'd hurried on, not speakin'g, .keeping eye and ear open, proposing with ail ou'r will to reach the goal we had set, and to reach it in ti'nve, let wheat might 'op- pose. It was But another forced march; many had we made in our time, through dangers manifold, and had lived to tell ,the tale. There was no leisure in which to play the Indian and cover • up aur footprints as we made them, but when we came to a brook we stepped into the cold, swift -flawing water, and kept it .company ler is ,while. The brook flowed between wil'lo'ws thickly set, already green, and over- reaching a yard or more of water. Presently it bent sharply, and we turned with it Ten yards in front of us the growth of willows ,ceased abruptly, the low, steep banks shelved downwards to a grassy level, and the strea'm widened into a dlear' and •placid 'po'o'l, as blue as the sky above. Crouched upon the grass or standing in .the shallow water were some fif- teen or twenty deer. 'We had conte upon them without noise; the wind blew from them to .us, and the wil- lows hid us from their sight. There was no alarm, and we stood a mo- ment watching then before we should throw a stone or 'branch into their midst and• scare them from .our path, ISudd•enly, as rue looked, the leader ed not of harm from •ns, but Okee 'threw up his head, made a spring, was in the merciless hail and the first and was off like a dart, across the thunder of the year, now' pealing stream and into ,the depths of the for - through the wood. Suddenly Diccon est beyond. The herd followed. A raised himself upon his elbow, and l moment, and there were only the looked across at Inc, Our eyes 'had no itrad'den grass and the troubled wait - sooner met than his 'liana were at hisl.ers• no o't'her sign that aulght living boson. The savage nearest him, f -.4 ----,had passed that way. ing the mov'emen't, as it were, liftedi. "Now' what was that for?" mutter - his head from the earth of which it ed Diccon. "I'm thinking we 'had best .was so soon to become a part; but:if'dolt hake to the open just yet." he saw the knife, he saw it 'boo late. For answer I parted the willows, The blade, driven dawn with all the and forced myself into the covert, Strength of a desperate man , struck pressing as closely as possible against home; when it was drawn Iron its the bank, and mdtiioning .him to deo the,for dependence, same. He obeyed, and the thick-clu's One 'by o.ne the stars swam into tering gold green twigs swung in#o sight, until the square ,of sky above place again, shutting us in with the us was thickly stu'd,ded. There was black water and the leafy, crumbling no sound, and mo living thing .could bank. From that green dimness . we ;have entered that thicket without could look oat upon the pool and. the noise. For what seemed an eternity, grass, with small fear that we our- we waited; then we rose and broke selves would be seen. our way through the :bushes tb the Out of th'e shedder Of the trees into sycamores, to find that they indeed the grassy space stepped an Indian; shad'awed a little sluggish stream. a second foll'o'wed, a third, a fourth,— Down this we waded for sante dis • one by one they came from the 'tancebefore taking' to dry earth again. gloom into the sun'ligh't, until we :had Since entering the thicket we 'h'ad. counted a store or More. They m'a'de seer! and heard nothing suspicious, no pause, a glance telling them _ to and were now fain to 'conclude that what was due the trampled ',grass and the dark warrior had wearied of the the muddied water. As they crossed chase, and was gone on his way tow - the stream on'e stooped and drank -aid lies nates and :Shat larger and when I had scared them from us a I thought he wa's gone; ,but.. he had from his hand, but they said no word surer quarry which two suns would' third time, and they had gone only been a strong.man, and fife _• slipped and made no 'no'i'se. All were painted bring. 'Certain. it is that we saw no: a little way, I lit a splinter of pine, no't easily from him. When his ;eyes black; a few had face and chest strip more of him, and with it fired my ,heap of wood; opened again he knew ole not, hut ed with yellow. Their headdresses ,The stream flo'win'g to the south, ,then dragged 'Diccon into the light thowght he was in some tavern, and were tall and wonderful„ their leg- we went with it, harrying along its an'd sat down ^beside him, with no struck with his -hand upon the ground gin:ge and m'occ'asins fringed with bank, 'bene'a't'h the shadow of great longer any for of the wolves, but as upon a table, and called'' for the scalp lacks; their 'hatchets glinted in ,trees, with the stars gleaming.down with absolute confidence in the quick drawer. the sunshine, and their quivers were through the branches; I''t was cold appearance of less rawardly foes. stuck full Of arrows. Om by one they and still], and far in the .distance we There was woodenough and to spare; glided from the :stream into. the thick heard wolves hun'tin'g. As for me, I woods beyond. We waited until we felt no weariness. Every sense was knew th'a't they were deep in the for•f 1' h tfi r `,• THE SEAFORTH NEWS. thicket t'hrou'gh which we toiled so slio'wly that the heart bled at the de- lay, streams and fa'l'len trees, --;on and on we hurried, until ..the sun . s'a'nk and the dusk came creeping in upon us. 'We've dined wi't'h'Duke IHuimpihrey So -day," said Diccon at last; "but if nue, can keep this pace, and, don't ;meet any More war parties, or fall foul cif an Indian .village, or have to Ifight the wolves to -night, we'll dine with the Governor to -morrow. What's that?" 'That" was the report of a musket, and a spent ball had struck me above the knee, bruising, the flesh beneath the' leather of my boot. We wheeled, and looked in the di- rection whence had come that un- welcome visitor; There was nattgh't to be seem. It was dusk in the d'i's- tance, and there were th'ic'kets too, and fallen logs: Where that ambuscade was planted, if one or twenty In- dians 'lurked is the 'dusk be'hiiid the side a f Lr further or layon the o trees, those logs, or crouched within a thicket, no mortal' naan could tell. "It was a spent ball," I said. "Our best hope Is in our. heels." "There are pines beyond, and smooth going," he answered; ,"but if ever I tho-ught to run from an In- dian!"' Wit'hou't more ado we started. If we cou'l'd outstrip that marksman, if we could •even hold our distance until night had fallen, all might yet be well A li'ttl'e longer, and even an In- dian must fire at random; moreover, we might rea'c'h some stream and Manage to break our trail. The ground was smooth before us,—too slnaotth, and Stipp err with pine needles; the p'in'es, themselves stood in grim brown rows, and we ran between them tightly and easily, husbanding our strength. Nlo'w and again one or the other looked Ibehirnd, but we saw only the pines and the •gathening dusk. ;Hope wail strengthening in .us, when a second 'bullet dug into the earth beyond ins. Diccon swore beneath his breath. +'Ft struck deep," he muttered. "The. dark is stow in coming." A minute later, as I ran with my head over my shoulder, I saw our pursuer, dimly, like a deeiper shadow in the sh'addows. far ,down the arcade behind us. There was but one man, -a tall' warrior, strayed aside frani his band, perhaps, or bound upon a warpath of his own. The musket that he carried some English fool had sold him for a mess of pottage. Putting forth all our strength, we ran far our lives, and for the lives of many others. Before us the pine wood sloped down'to a deep and wide thicket, and beyond the thicket a line of s'ycam'ores promised water. If we, could reach the thicket, its close enc bra'ce would hide us, ---then the dark ness and the stream. A third shot, and Diccon staggered sllglutlg "For 'God's sake, not struck, man?" Q cried. "It grazed my arm," he panted.. "No harem done, Here's the 'thicke't l" IInto the dense .growth: we 'broke, reckless Of the blood which the sh'ar'p, twigs drew from face and hands. The twigs met in a thick roof over our heads: that was all we ,ca'r'ed for, and through the network we sa'w one, of the larger stars brighten into being. The thicket was many yards across. When we had gone thirty feet down we cr'ouch'ed and waited for the •dark. If our enemy followed . us, he 'must do so at his peril, with only his knife man " . He straightened 'himself and strode on beside me. "I .don't •kndw what came" oi?;er'Me for "a 'rnlinulte," he ans- wered. "The wolves are loud to- night, 'I hope Oh'ey^ll keep to their side of :the s water." IA stone's throw farther on, the stream:' curving to .the west,:. we left it, and found ourselves in a sparsely wooded 'glade, with a bare and sandy soil beneath our feet, and above, in the western wsky, a• crescent , moon. Again Diecon lagged 'behind, and presently 'I hoard him groan in the darkness. II wlheel'•ed. "Diccon!" I ,cried. "What is the natter ?"' .• 'Before I could reach hien he had sunk to his knees. When T put my hand upon his arm and again demand- ed emo ded wlhat aided 'hirer, he 'tried to laugh, then tried' to swear, and ended . with another' :groan. "The 'ball did graze niy' ar'ni," 'h'e. said, "but ,it went on into arty side. I'll ju's't lie here and. die, and wisti you well at James- town. When the red imps ps come" aga'in'st you there, and you open fire: on, them, name a 'bullet for me," OHAPT'ER XXXV 1n Which 1 Come To The Governor's House wihen. the fire sank low and the hun-I gry eyes, gleamed nearer, I fed it a- gain, and the ;flume 'leaped up and. ,mocked the eyes"` No human enemy came upon us. The fire blazed and roa'r'ed, and the man who lay in its ro,sy+,glare raved en, crying out now and then at idle top of his voice; but on' that night of all nighits:. of all years, light and voice drew naw savage band to '.put out the !one and s'ilen'ce the otther'for- sheath o'f flesh, there remained to us 'but a foe apiece. IIn the.instant of its descent I had 'thrown myself upon +the Indian near est me. It was mat a time 'for over - niceness. If I could have done so, S 'would have struck him in the ;bank while he 'thought no harm; as it was, some subtle instin'ct warning him, he Whirled h'i'mself over in time to strike tip my hand and to clench with me. He was very s'tillin'g, and his naked ;body, wet with rain, slipped like a ,snake 'from my hold, Over and over we rolled on the rain -soaked moss and rotted leaves ,and the cold 'Mack earth, (the hail blinding us, and the wind shrei'kin'g like a Ithousan'd watchingdemons. He strove to reach the knife 'within his belt; T, to prevent him, and to strike deep with'. the knife I yet !held. lAt last I did so. Blood gu'sjle'd :o'v'er .my hand and wrist, the clutch upon Ini'y arm relaxed, the head 'fell black. Int dyin'geyes ,glared into ,mine; then the lids shut forever upon that un 'quen'ch'able hatred, I staggered to my feet and turned, to find that Diccon Chad given account of the 'third In- dian. 'We 'stood up in the hail and: the wind, and looked at the dead men at our feet. Than, without speaking, we ''went our way through the tossing for- est, with the hailstones coming thick against us, and the wind a strong .hand to pilslh'us 'back. When we came to a little tricklin'g s'p'ring, 'we knelt and .washed ,o'ilr hands. The hail' ceased, but the rain fell 'and the 'win'd 'blew tihroiughoisS the 'Morning.' We made what speed we' could 'avet ;Ute 'boggy earth : against he storfn; )belt we 'knew that we were Measuring 'miles where Iw.e' should cvca. . 1Hun os`* ass'ed, and as it drew toiw- and Midnight Diccon sank into a.qui- pg. I' knew that the end` "was' not far away,` The wolves .were , gone at last,' and my fire was' dying dawn: He needed ivy touch upon his breast No l tiger, any I went to the sitreain and bathed my hands .arid ',forehead, and 6heft thr'ew'any'se'Sf •face ,down- ward noon the bank. Ina little while the mvummrtr. of .the water ;be - carte iplto'l'erable, and ,I rose and. went back.to :the fire, and to the man whom, as Gifts• lives, I loved as a brother: He 'was c'onscious,.''Paile and ,00'id and nigh {gone as he was, there came a 'Tight to. his eyes and a smile to. hi's lips.nh'e,n I knelt beside him, "You did not .go?" he 'breathed. , • "iNo,'"' I 'answered., "I did not ,go." 117oh. a few m'inu'tes he lay with olo'eed., eyes; when he' again Opened thein'.`upodt my farce, there were 410,'their.elepbbs a question and, an ap- peal. I bent over him, an'd asked 'him w'h'at he" woul'd'have. ]""You !craw,"' lie wh'isper'ed.' • "If you. can.,. . . I would not go with- out it..": S laid him d'aw'n upon the earth; and, cutting away his doublet and the shirt beneath, saw the ;wound, and knew that there was a journey in- deed that he would shortly, make; '"The world is turning round," • he unuttered, "and the stars' are 'falling thic'k'er than the ha'ils'tones yesterd'ay., Go an, and I .will stay behind—I and the wolves." I took 'him in my arm's and carried him back to the bank of 'She stream, fpr,1 knew that he would want wa'te until he died'. My head was bare, bathe had worn 'his cap from the gaol at Ja'mestown that night. I filled it with water and gave him to drink;; then washed the wound and did what I could to stanoh the bleeding. Hey turned from side '• to side, and pre's- en'tly his •mind began to wander, and he talked of the tobacco in the fields at 'Weyanoke. Soon he was raving',of old thin'gs, old camp fires, perils by land and by sea; then of dice and wine and womeh. 'Once he cried out that Dale had bound him upon the wheel, and that his alim's and legs .were .broken, and the woods rang to his screams. Why, in that wakeful forest, they were unheard, or w!hy, if: heard, they went unheeded, God only knows. The moon went down, and it was :very cold..H'ow `b'la'ck were the sha- dows dows around us, what . foes mig steal from that darkness upon us, it was not worth while to consider. I do not know what I thought of on that night, or even that I thought at all, Between my j'ourn'eys for the water that he 'called for I sat beside the "dying man with my hand upon my breast, for he was quieter so. Now .and then I spoke ,to him, but lie answered not..!Hours. 'be'lore we had heard the h'owl'ing of wolves, and knew that some ravenous •pack was abroad. With ArneNW PRO,FESSSIONAL CARDS. Medical "Is it that?" I asked. "I forgave • you long ago." ""I meant: to kill you. I was mad "be- cause you struck ,me before the lady, and because I 'had botray'ed• my trust. And if you 'h'ad nit' caught my hand,I should be your. ` Murderer." lie spoke with! l'o'ng .'intervals between the words, and the death dew was on his ' forehead. • "Remember it not, Diocon," I en- treated. "I too was to blame, And I see not that night .for other nights,— For other nights and' days, •Diccon." He smiled, but there was- _ still' in his face a shadowy .ea'gernes's. "You said you would never strike me again," he went on, "and' that I" was man of yours no more forever.- 'and you gave me my:' fr'eed'om in the, .paper which I tore."' He :'spoke in • gasps, with his eyes' upon 'mine. 'yI`11 be gone in. a , few athletes now. If I might go as your man sifilt,.and. could tell the Lord Jesus ' Ohrislt that my mas'ter on earth forgave, and took back, it would be, a h'a'nd in the dark. I have spent my life' in gathering darkness for myself at the l'a'st.'.' Q bent lower over him,,' and 'took his.: hand in mine. "Diocon, my, man,". Q said. IDR. H. HUGH ROSS, Physbeiaal and Surgeon.‘,Late of London Hos- pital, London, England, Special' attention to diseases of the eye, ear, nose: and throat. Office' and reek dence behind' Dominion. Bank. Office - Phone' No. 5; Residence Phone 194. DR: F. J. BiURROWS, Seaforth.. Office and residence, Goderiah street, east of the United Church,. powder for the County of Huron. Telephony No. 46. , , DR, F. T. J. R. F1 R EIR•—!Eye, Ese Nose and Throat. Graduate id Obeli cine,• University of Toronto' 1894.Late Assistant New York Ophthal- mic and Aiiral Institute, Moorefield's• Eye, and,Crolden Square throat;'hospi- bals, London, England, At Domtrn- ercial Hotel, 'Seaforth, 3rd ,Monday eft each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 .p.m, A brightness came ,into his farce, and 'he faintly pressed my hand. `l slipped my arm benea'th him " and raised him a little higher to meet his death. He was smiling now, and hismind was not,gnite clear. "Do you Mined, sir, he asked, "how green and strong and Sweet smelled the . pines that Maday, when we found Vir- the setting' of the'mo�on' the noise ginia, so many' years ago?" 'had ceased, and d thought that the "Aly, Diecon," I 'answered. "Before brutes had pulled down' the deer they nue saw :the land, the fragrance told us hunted, or else had gone with their we were near it," hunger and their dismal voices• out of eansh'ot. Suddenly the h'dwling re- commence'd, at first faint and fan away, then nearer and nearer yet. 'Earlier in the evening the s'trea'm 'ha'd been between us, but now the wolves, had crossed and were coming down 'our side of the water, and were mim- ing fast. All the ground was strewn with dead- wood, an'd near by was a growth of low and brittle bushes. I gathered the withered branches, and broke fag- ots from the bushes; then into the then en into the press of dank an'd stealthy forms I threw a great crooked stick, shunting as I did sot •and threatening With my arm's. They turned' and fled, but presently they 'were back again. Again `I' frightened them away, and again they returned: I 'h'a'd flin't and steel and tinder box,' DR. W. C. S'FROA'T.—Graduatq' df Faculty of Med'icih'e, Univers'ity' of Western. Ontario, London. Member of College ,of Physicians and Sur- g'eons of Ontario. Office"int rear' of Aberhart's drug store, Seaforth. Phone 90. Hours 1.30-4 'p.m., 7.30 .m -9 p. Other hours by appointment. Dental DR. J. A. MLINN, Successor ' to Dr, R. R. Ross, graduate of North- western University, Chicago, I'll. Li- centiate Royal College, of Dental Sur- geons, Toronto. Office ° over S lis' hard'warr, Main St., Seaforth. Phone 151. DDR. F. J. , BI}]OHtELY, graddate Royal. College of'Dental Surgeons, Toronto. Office over W. R. Smith's grocery, Main St., Seaforth. Pho*es, office, 189W, residence 185j. Auctioneer. GEORGE ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer_ for the' County of Huron. !A'rra'ngements 'can be Made'' for Sale Date at The' Seaforth News. Charges. soderate�"an'd' Satisfaction guranteed. "1 s.mel,1 it now'he went on, "and the 'b'loaln olf the grape, alnd the; ay - 'time flowers. And can you not, hear,' sir, the wlh'istlin'g and the laughter and the sound. of ,the falling trees, that merry 'time when Smith made axem'en of all our fine gentlemen?""Ay, Diccon," I said. 'And the sound of 'the water that was d'as'hed down the Sleeve of any that : were Caught in an Oath." Ills laughed like .a little 'child. "I't is • well that I wasn't a gentleman, and had not those trees to fell, or Q should 'have been as wet as any; merman . And Poeah'antas, the little maid . . . and how blue the sky was,' and how `,gl'a,d we were whit time the Patience and 'Deliver'an'ce came in!"H'is voice failed, and for a minute est, then crept from the'wiiliowia and went our way. ""They were Youngtenun'ds," I said in the low tones we used' when we • spoke at all, "and they went to thesouthiward." "We may thank .our stars that they missed OUT trail," Diccon' a'n'swered. We spoke no mare, ;but, leaving stream, s'truc'k again toward' t'h'e sharpened; my eet were , ug' 't; . e 'keen air was like wine in the drink- ing; there was a'star law, ' in the south that shone and beckoned. The lea- gues between my wife and me were 'few. I ,saw her s'tanding beneath the star, with a little purple: 'flower in her 'ha'nd. Suddenly, a ben'd .in the •Stream hid- ing the star, I 'became aware that Dic- Itcon was no longer keeping- step with south. The da' wore on, and We me ;but had fallen s'om'ewhat to the went without pause. 'S'u'n'. and • shade rear, 1 turned back, and he was lean - and keen wind', long stretches of pine ing heavily, 'with drooping 'bead,. against the 'trunk of a tree. "Art so worn as that ?" I ex;cla - ed. "Pit more :heart into thy ,heels, and open glades' where we quicken- our pace to a run,, dense woods. snares of leaffless vines, swamp and J�M (To be 'Continued.) A DOLLAR'S WORTH Clip this coupon and mail it with $1 for a six weeks' trial subscription to THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR. Published by Tam OnorexnAN Smensa Pvsuanaeo 8omrrir Boston, Massachusetts. II. 8. A. in 1t 1011 Will End the daily good news of the World from Its 800 epeeIal wflters, as well as departments devoted to women's and ohudren's interests, spurts, must°, finance, education, radio. eta You will be glad to welcome into your home- so fearless anadvocate or peace and prohibition.. And don't mise 8nuba, Our Dog, and the Sundial and the other features. TAE 000I0TIAN Screams Moierroo, Back Bay Station, Boston, Mass. Please send me a six' weeks' trial subscription. I enclose one dollar, (31). (Name. please ,print) (Address) -o yn,,,,y - (Town) (plate) WATSON "AND 'REID'E' REAL ESTATE, AND INU'R SAN(CE AGENCY (Succssors to James 'Watson) 'MAIIN ST.,"SIEAFORTH, ONT. All kinds of Insurance' risks effeet- ed at - lowest rates in First -Class: Companies. THE McKILLOP FireInsurance Mutual Co,, HEAD OFFICE-+SEAFORTH, • Ont. OFFIC'E'RS Geo. R. McCartney, Seaforth - Pres. James' Oonnnliiy, Go'derich- Vice -Pres., Merton A. Reid, Seaforth-'Sec, - Treas. AGENTS: W, E. Hinchley, Seaforth;; John Murray, R. - R. 3, Seaforth; E. R. 'G.. J,ammouth, Brod'hagen; lames Watt, Blyth; C. F, Hewitt, Kincardine.. DIRECTORS:' •. William Kplox, Londesb'oro; George , Leonhardf, 13rodt'agen; ;Jaynes Con- nolly, God'er'it'h; Alex, Bro'adfo'ot No. 3, Seaforth; Robert Ferris, }Myth; 'George' IvIdCaa'tney, No; 3, Seaforth;' IJoh'n 'Pepper;''Briucefield; James Shol- dice, Walton; Thomas Moylan, No. Seaforth. ' 'Parties desirous to effect insurance or transact other business, will ' be promptly attended to by applications to any Of the above named officers ad- dressed to their respective 'post offices.'' ,Most infants are in'fested by worms which cause great suffering nd •ift Vhey arenot effectually dealt with . may cause consbiltutina1 weaknesses 1 diffi- cult to remedy. M'il'ler'''s Worm Pow- ders will Je'lear the stoma'c'h and how - els of worms and will so 'act ulpan the system that there ,will 'be : no recur; rence of the trouble. And • not only this, hut they, w{'11 repair•the.iitjuries to the organs that worms cause and ,restore them to so'undness. ot.'