Transcribe
Translate
Tycho, v. 1, issue 1, June 1942
Page 9
More information
digital collection
archival collection guide
transcription tips
TYCHO Page9 with 'em." There was a general rush toward the spot. Clearly shown in the now arisen moonlight was the impression of MacGregor's snowshoes and over them the mark of a cleated book with the toe pushed deep in the snow, like the mark of a running man. "That's Morton's boot." swore one of the men. "I saw the sole of his shoe when he sat down." The little man ran back towards the post. "I'm going after them," he shouted over his shoulder. The others yelped that they were coming too, and they piled into the post to don trail-clothes and snowshoes. Five minutes later they streamed into the woods, past the dogsleds and the dogs which, though it was not recalled until later, had stood silent and bristling, their heads turned toward the forest all the while. Through the snowy silence, sped the troop of swiftly-moving men. The moon had an unearthly brilliance and the tracks were plain to all, so they proceeded with all speed, seeming to drift like smoke through the dead-white soundlessness of the forest. Even the far-off cry of the world was not to be heard and the only sound was the hoarse breathing of the men and the soft padding of the snowshoes. Occasionally, a swift-scudding winter cloud would obscure the moon for a space and then they could see only dark blotches in the snow where the tracks showed. One of these clouds had just passed when Bill, who was in the lead, stopped white-face and clutched the man next to him. "My God, my God!" he breathed. "Look at those boot-tracks!" For indeed they had changed. Instead of following one another as in human stride, they now went two-and-two as if that which made them travelled on all fours. Also, the mark itself was no longer a boot-track, but dim and shadowy at the edges not unlike a transformation to an animals paw! The huge, misshapen paw-print of some gigantic wolf! A cold fear swept them and from far ahead came, wind-born, the faint-heard cry of something unlike an animal and anything else good for human ears to hear. "Come on." snapped Bill and on they went, but the breech-bolt clicked on many a rifle before the owner moved. On, and the trail plunged among the trees of Pine Island itself. Now cam a spot where the snow was disturbed for several yards as if by a struggle, then the tracks of the snowshoes went on, but here and there among the trees of Pine Island were brown spots of blood, paw-marks playing off to the right, and running around the advancing snowshoe prints as a cat plays around a mouse. The men increased their pace and again came the weird cry, but louder now, and nearer. Again, they came to a disturbed spot, and another and another, while all the time the cry haunted the scene. Up thru' the forest they rushed. Suddenly the cry ceased ahead and the paw marks went further into the shadows on the right, and the snowshoe marks were still advancing, though in shorter strides now. Much blood was shown on the snow. Higher the men went, and finally over the slope that leads to the summit of Pine Island. The tallest tree was here, and around lay a scene of blood and death. The tall pine was rudely hacked and blazed, and in its truck, lay MacGregor's knife sunk almost to the hilt. MacGregor had kept his word before
Saving...
prev
next
TYCHO Page9 with 'em." There was a general rush toward the spot. Clearly shown in the now arisen moonlight was the impression of MacGregor's snowshoes and over them the mark of a cleated book with the toe pushed deep in the snow, like the mark of a running man. "That's Morton's boot." swore one of the men. "I saw the sole of his shoe when he sat down." The little man ran back towards the post. "I'm going after them," he shouted over his shoulder. The others yelped that they were coming too, and they piled into the post to don trail-clothes and snowshoes. Five minutes later they streamed into the woods, past the dogsleds and the dogs which, though it was not recalled until later, had stood silent and bristling, their heads turned toward the forest all the while. Through the snowy silence, sped the troop of swiftly-moving men. The moon had an unearthly brilliance and the tracks were plain to all, so they proceeded with all speed, seeming to drift like smoke through the dead-white soundlessness of the forest. Even the far-off cry of the world was not to be heard and the only sound was the hoarse breathing of the men and the soft padding of the snowshoes. Occasionally, a swift-scudding winter cloud would obscure the moon for a space and then they could see only dark blotches in the snow where the tracks showed. One of these clouds had just passed when Bill, who was in the lead, stopped white-face and clutched the man next to him. "My God, my God!" he breathed. "Look at those boot-tracks!" For indeed they had changed. Instead of following one another as in human stride, they now went two-and-two as if that which made them travelled on all fours. Also, the mark itself was no longer a boot-track, but dim and shadowy at the edges not unlike a transformation to an animals paw! The huge, misshapen paw-print of some gigantic wolf! A cold fear swept them and from far ahead came, wind-born, the faint-heard cry of something unlike an animal and anything else good for human ears to hear. "Come on." snapped Bill and on they went, but the breech-bolt clicked on many a rifle before the owner moved. On, and the trail plunged among the trees of Pine Island itself. Now cam a spot where the snow was disturbed for several yards as if by a struggle, then the tracks of the snowshoes went on, but here and there among the trees of Pine Island were brown spots of blood, paw-marks playing off to the right, and running around the advancing snowshoe prints as a cat plays around a mouse. The men increased their pace and again came the weird cry, but louder now, and nearer. Again, they came to a disturbed spot, and another and another, while all the time the cry haunted the scene. Up thru' the forest they rushed. Suddenly the cry ceased ahead and the paw marks went further into the shadows on the right, and the snowshoe marks were still advancing, though in shorter strides now. Much blood was shown on the snow. Higher the men went, and finally over the slope that leads to the summit of Pine Island. The tallest tree was here, and around lay a scene of blood and death. The tall pine was rudely hacked and blazed, and in its truck, lay MacGregor's knife sunk almost to the hilt. MacGregor had kept his word before
Hevelin Fanzines
sidebar
