Show TIIE THE RIVER rHA it was wa a september nlelio and the scone scene it point po a t along the iha southern bank of t alie lie ohio river had an observer been standing aland lne there la in the dark shadows of he belant g lant trees that in those days lined iti hanks banks hla his ears would athirst hav 0 been attracted by the dip jofs of a pail dle a little way out on the broad of the river A little longer and it would have boon boen plain to him hi in that vv hoover was wai handling it was doing doln go BO I 1 in a a manner to ronke make as little noise an ai possible tile the boat was gliding in n the ihu hank und and its occupants evident ly lid did not desire that its approach h to should ile ha noted by any ono 1 I who might he be nit there asi ureic hidden bidden by the impenetrable which lay about the that dip of the pa paddle tidle grow grew fain ter and fainter but tho the boat was gliding tit shoreward under tile the impat ills given I 1 it further out in ID tile str ertin iun in tills this manner it noiselessly y came iiii of find at lust last its prow p r 0 w touched tho the shore tile the next moment two men who its ita occupants sprang to land silently they drew draw the boat up and made it fast fait and when this was done they stood for a few aumen ta as muto mute and lem as the trunks of the forest trees about them tu tho men were firmed armed allice f a long aldo and a hunting knife thrust into their bells ono one mermod tho the taller or of tho two muscular and ush tile other below tho the medium li hilgh ellit t had a sloop 10 in ills his shoulders sto OF elmost dilmos t 11 liko ka th thai 11 ofa hunchback tile aret mentioned broke the iho if hence at length speaking in so BO low a tons tone that it was hardly above a whisper well jake Jakee were hero here at last las t 10 the other grunted an all assent and no one in parts parti is tiny any tho the wiser ra as to our whereabouts joke jake another grunt of assent why dont you speak have hi ive you lost your tongue growled tile other indignantly what do you want nio mo to say said bald jako jake that wo we fire are something somo thing less than liar a mile from john Win winslows slows calo cabin and that tho the hour of my vengeance I 1 la Is close at hand ile he I 1 or no one else can have the faintest idea of our whereabouts 1 dont bo be too sure of thit that 1 81 almon mon ri you know that tho Thing has baa balked you moro more than once in your plans ilia his companion shuddered you mean tho the river phantom ho he said yes what else should I 1 mean 1 I wish I 1 knew arnew whether that was man a or devil J think it must be tho the latter 1 lam I elm la Is lie hie evil orto one or one of his hh imps it if not how flow does ho fannue to turn up at all times whon some deed that wilt will not boar bear the light la Is going on 1 oil I dont know I 1 wish I 1 did curse chiae himl if he Is human he must beat bear a charmed life for a bullet seems to have no effect affect I 1 have tried it moro than once and you know that my bullets hardly ever aver go 1 astray I 11 your hand may have beon been unsteady said the tha other shooting eting a man malt and a ghost Is two different things alnea did you ever know it to go on me jakil jake foley you anil and I 1 havo have been hunted bunted and been hunted like wild beasts and yet we are alive out but were losing tittle time here it will be all quiet at the by the time wo we get there I 1 loof long to get my vengeance on john winslow u und u clasp hla his pretty laughter daughter rose roo in my coy arms we must musi not full fail to night these theao words were hardly uttered when his bla companion clutched him hl m by the arm look I 1 lie ho cried in a low tone that was tremulous with terror where WI 1 ere out ou t on the river the phantom 1 this was what they theys SAW tw A abide hideous us human head seemed to toha be thrust up from the dark waters of the river a all 11 allow with flames ll arnes it seemed to flash from eyes mouth and nostrils nostril while a stream like the shape of a alamo nodded over all it seemed as though the tha hideous thing floated on tb abo a surface of the water without ought aught to support it although tile the startled gazers could not toll tell from tho the distance whether tills his was tile case orr lot A banoo might bo be un net lt it hidden from their eight bight by the darkness slowly tills turri blo object glided down the river unit 1 lu 13 it a few a v ni maul auts a was lost to their view V iloth both men to breathe easier when it hail had disappeared from their gazo your gam camb ig 13 up ul fur for tu simon tile the othlar knows that hut we are here and s si will jolin before the iho time mile coined for us to et strike ula ills companion uttered art an eiith how flow do you know that jake foley man or devil how gowhe Is be go lux iu to reach winslows Win slows cabin before we buean can I 1 tell you he shall be in roy my power tu to you mean logo to so on C cabla a in cesi comoletha bo be off we tire are losing time hero pon im not going to be foiled failed of my vengeance now 10 with willi another glance out oat upon tile the river lu lit the direct lu of the spot r uie the strange object had dils alij appeared tile tha two villains struck out into the be darkness and silence which filled tile forest about them john Wini lovy and simon Pla tiled had been hors in the old dominion from footit whence the former had licul iii id moved ved three years belore before anil and hullt hulit hl hia i cabin on thu tho bauk bank ot of the 0 ohio atlo ue ile had now quite julie a tract cleared about liliu him null by the savages had is a peaceful bowe anil and waa ou tile rodd to prosperity there vias oaly cue of f late which had fiva him find his family uneasiness waa tile presence in m tho country of aimoni Pl alsted for vardoui crimes chii ea tu to which at last lait aa added the shedding eddine ah of innocent ill blaid 1 id had iten ihen compelled com polled 1 to 1 haa from froin virginia virt inan and report had it that he hm hj J 1 ilni ined il a band of adne gade wat jibed iiii idled ted the ohio river winslow hid been inspru men W in ferret ing out somo some ot of his bis crimes and fur this llila reason he knew well that lint tho villain bore bora him baui no good will W whon t ion lie appeared one dry day lit at the labau cabin and claimed old i ho ml felt as though a shadow of evil hail had fallen athwart hla his home ila he had boon bean received coolly but he ca cime me again and again and from the admiring glances ho he cast upon pretty rose wills winslow ow her father began to fear that the villain n medlia too harm barm to lier llo ila had learned enough to be sure sura that placated Pl alsted belonged belo need to the gang eang ol at rivet liver pirmes that infested forested the abream tre amana and often gave it to the voyagers ai they hosted floated down the rivet river to had anew home 14 what wits was then the wait at length ills his presence could hr be borne no longer and wilson allson forbade ills his earning on ains to the cabin high words word followed nod and at length Pl alsted departed swearing ven veil icealee a on n all its inmates thus thui mitto ra stood up to the hour chenis wh lion enis as we havo have seen the villain was about to tn attempt to make inake tile hia threats irenta tt good all unaware tin aware or the lunger danger t alint in t menaced them tho winslow family had retired to brebt all a avo ive tile iha set got her himself for some reason which lie he could not nol explain he be felt averse to 10 golue going to lied bed and for a long ion time el utter ter the roat rest had retired he sit bt ill id the open doorway gazing out loto into the gloom which reigned over the c a lie ile it had at 1 last made ald up lit lila mind that thai lie had better retire and about to do so ao when a bound from out tile thu darkness dar kneas fell fall upon his ears A hurrying footstep was approaching the cabin and rising to tb hla his feet fact the settler e atler peered out into lie he gloom to 10 catch R of ills late visitor iiii rifle stood just with thi doorway anti and instinctively his hand readied reache a toward it for ho hit had no moans means of knowing whether the person lip ap preaching lug was friend or toe foe but he was waa not long kept kelt in suspense anle straight toward the cabie the th unknown rame came and us its the light alas ned out through tile hit doorway and fell upon hirthe settle bottler r exclaimed claimed why hardy is 13 that thai you what i Is I 1 a up to eight that you iou are a broad abroad 0 on n the river aro are tho the rene gades up to any of their black wor work k I 1 and havo you boon been giving theman other scare dont speak ak so HO loudl loud you and yours are in danger to night und and perhaps per the ilia vil villains idlas are now on off the edge of the clearing but I 1 ga ve them a good sea bacare re I 1 apil warrant mo me as I 1 have done man many y times before in my make up ill BS the river phantom hut buti I 1 think lie he Is bound to do his work and will not be ba turned aside by i man an or devil only 11 ly a couple of ounces of cold lead will fix him and the tool too I 1 he has with him fix who simon aimon Pl lie Is ia bound tt to have your life tonight to night and carry off your daughter rose koae how do you know this how flow do I 1 know anything what wha do 1 I pervade 1 the river for if it if 19 not no t to hod put out what villainy Is going gol ngon on 1 I knew their errand when they started and I 1 know that they have landed biown down yon derand that it will not bo long before they put in fill an tip pe bearance peara arance neB here I 1 how flow can I 1 ever repay you for into the carlill coming bowl A moment more and the two men tood within with the door barred behind 8 them had we not botter bave remained W without and shot them down tike like 11 dogs gs said winslow in a low tone so that his voice might not reach and alarm the members af his ourselves u taa ives before we saw them I 1 lean can hoar hear their footsteps toey they tire here now we must show them no mercy or we are dead man inon ou ourselves relves 11 open the dohrl cried a voice w lit enthey they recognized as that or of planted what do you want answered winslow me ae he and MR lila companions bought 8 0 lit tho the loopholes that had been left in the cabin walls walla for the he pur pose of defense open the door and I 1 wl will 11 tell you doti dont t you know tho the voice of ad eda yes only too well dont you sou remember that weeks ago agol I 1 told you not I 1 to show dhow your face here again yes and for that you anu w will li I 1 uffer suffer open apen your door or wo we will wil 1 b break reak I 1 it down those these were wera the last words the villain 1 xa ocl the settler knew that it was lifo life or death for him and his household who had gathered in affright around them ile he ind and ralph had ench their rifles to bear upon their man another moment momen and they rani rang out as one report and then lien all was wasell still ll they reloaded their pieces anti and hen n after waltine waiting a few moments all and I 1 no bound con coming flog from without they limy cautiously opened the door then they saw that there wits was no further need of prudence on their ameir put part bah the villains lay dead where they hid bid dropped jn in their tin next morning thoy burled buried thein with less leai concern than they would have buried a couple of brutes bud and then ralph hardy departed in beer search arnew of new work to do for the protection and welfare wol fitro of the settlers along the river |