OUR STOREYTTE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 145, 14 February 1916, Page 4

OUR STOREYTTE.

(ai.l bights nESEitvi.ii.) THE DEMON'S I'OOL, No one who visits the Rocky Mountain Park can fail to be struck with the uncannv beauty of the Demon s Pool. The last time I was there a man told me the origin of the name "Demon's Fool. ' "Once upon a time."' he said (lie was a trapper, and some said his lonely, wild life had affected his brain), "a veteran hunter of the Beigan Indians w-'nt forth in search of game, and wand, red to t;.o viminhv of the lake. To:tune was against him; the mountain '-herp and deer were too wily for rven such an old hand as himself, and nothing resulted from the crack of his rifle except a few echoes and things, and they weren't good t n eat. So after many days, during v.hi<-h be smoked, and chewed gum to keep himself alive, he turned his weary footsteps homewards and reached the west end of the Demon's Bool." "I don't believe an Indian ever chewed gum in his life," I interrupted. The old fellow glared at nie, but went stolidly on : '■' There he camped, and laid down to sleep to f"iget hi- bnnee-. JVforr long he aw. ke to find »!:" stars shut from view hv 'oud.-. the w.".d shrieking through the tree?, snow falling, and the devil nay .generally. So he got up and ! f ,r 'he farnilv tepee. All night ! mg he s'umbl'il and crawled, fain; v.•••'• 1 ; crer and < nilled with the bi: f er wi"d. along the rough shore of the I.>V. At last the stormclouds began to Ft and d.-v dawned, so he squatted do-.- n under the shelter of some bushes to re«*. -As he sat the waters of the lake to bubble and seethe, then heaved slowly upwards; and from <l" : r ron're peered a horrible form, half fish and half devil. Next moment a terrific clap of thunder shook the mountains, blackness covered the earth, and when light again forced its way three- ; h th" gloom, the monster bad dn-a'.penred. That night the hunter nr-Vd camp more dead than alive, and told to t:iose of his tribe who had wandered norMi with him of the frightful spectre he had seen. Then and there the.- christened the sheet of water 'The Demon's Pool."' So much for the Tr.d'an legend.

At the time it was to'd to me I was staving at Black Horse Gulch, one of the most beau'iful spots in the Bookies. and had ridden over that morning to the Demon's Poo!. intent on getting some of the celebrated trout 'or which, this weird piece of water is so justly famous. With me was a friend Tom Brandon, also an Englishman. Ibe nine-mile ride from Blatk Horse Gulch in the early morning air had invigorated us, and put us in the best possible of moods, so we stood the old trap,per a drink, politely intimated mat be threw a hatchet very crcdit.ioly,. and then ran lightly down the steps of the mountain inn to th" little binding place. Having cho'-en cur craft, we stepped in, arranged the tackle handy, and dipped oar-". It was a perfect morning. Tiie sun was shining brilliantly; the water looked bke an immense blazing jewel: and lom broke into song from sheer gladness t'na.t he was alive. "For Heaven's sake. ' a hoarse voice called after us, ''don t sing, sir; don t sing. 11c don't like it: it angers him." It was the old trapper, who had followed Us to the I.inding-plac". and who now stood point.ng significantly to the water with trembling, wiiek'ed hand. We laughed. "Boor old chap! said Tom. "What a nuisance it nu-' be to be so mprrv if ?<>•»«.•! Well. 1 won't sing, if it worries him." and we pulled away to the < cut re < f the lake. Now, as this same l. k-- happens to be twelve miles 1 >i:g and a n.i'" ; d ahalf wide, we had no |i.k of 1 M'" " likclv spot- for trout, but 1 am boui. 1 to say that we wet" singularly uuf'-r----tunatc, for never a bit" 1.. 1 v \ V. had opened our h.isk. t. ef |.jt v:s : .~t"-, made a hearty mt a!, a■ 1. ha\:: g towed s'.ov.ly towaids t!:e wis' cti<l ol the hike, v.erc aga:n casting oar lines overboard, whan loin e\c!a:n:d: "By Jove, Bob! 1 e v.c'ic not going to have a icpiall. j. at that cloud. They say this ;. L.d a - the Lake of Geneva for sudu u .-,.ntv.>. As hj" spoke a faint r , p;dc shewed on the surfave of the water. "Oh, it's nothing," I sa.i; "it will soon pass over, l.ven if we " t a lot of a wetting it docsn t matter i- h.

It grew darker. T"m .-aid m but 1 fancied he looked a little The idea tickled inc. 1 beg .:i to laugh. "t'pon my word, I believe old Herri a story has positively impressed jou. Vou look ijuitc pair, old chap," 1 -aid. Tom did mu l« pi >, but again ginned up at the clouds. "We've a much bcttoi chance: > ! getting trout now," 1 went on; ton light lor them beloic."' In the mountains around u - '!><' v. led began to moan ,c;ont!>'. Ail ih-" I• I; 11:.?111 colour had gone out of tlie- va'ei, though it .Till! retained ii = maivcdanclcarncbi. Just to keep up 1 o;n spa it-, 1 thought 1 would sing a hi;, a;id was rollicking through a iomii opua refrain wiic.il .-o'.jtid I:.'in 1 o:n madj me pau.-e. ||.; was ar- -alnto as de ;h, and staring at :-on;ei in the v.a;< i. •"What's the matur." 1 .• !; :'••• follnv. nig the dins I! v o! hi ■ '.oiled cm-:-, saw a strange s'g'ht. I 10.-c to our boat the water «a- ."."ihi.ig ai,d bubbling, and gradu. liy i i>u:g em . ■! it appeal'd a hand ami a> ;n. ll white and well-shap. d, l.a-t tne l uig. cruel-looking lingeis > rmid to be blnwh clut'liing 1«•; •-• nn thing. \\ itii' lit stoppa'.g to v. ual rp our irHs, w i' limit a * " •■!. 'm he d cur uals aiel pull'd 11i;ti I.'i 1 '■ ' their I lie I , •• 1 d' ap;- ..I' d, and 'AO bleat lied moic I'ieely. Hut on; u lad v. a - < E -ia-t duia'i m, I'm almost iminediao h i' • ilae-i out again, .•mi lid ■ te '■ d « a; boat faM in i' • I 'a'!, gi . <!:« Midden and vi'M"i'. '■ « h ' ' 1 <" i testified. l »e. p iiiid. i th • wa; i. and yet quite plainly -so wo- d< i ta|!\ '...i is this extr.'Oidinaiy and l;-ri ih!e lake -I saw a hidiot's rem and bit mstinctiveh that the i i| ph - and - '

motionless, staling rigidly at writhing, grinning monster. Suddenly a veil from Tom recalled me to life. •'Your knife! Quick!'' he shouted. Tearing my eyes away from the devilish object, I looked towards Tom, and then I saw that the horrible hand had shifted its position, and, instead of holding the side of the boat a- heretofore, had fastened on to my friend s wrist, and was slowly b'lt surely dragging him out of the boat. Stupidly, and but halfconscuous, I pusned tt.e knife to him. And ihen began a gruesome struggle, while I, sitting there frozen with horror, could do nothing but look on. 1 saw the sharp hunting-kniie cutting through the clinging fingers: 1 saw the blood trickling into the boat: but the fingers did not relax thru hold. They seemed to be made of steel. Tom fought like one po-scs"x!. lie had been dragged half out of the boat now, one shoulder was in water, great drops of sweat had be: -t out on his forehead, and I could w th.it a deadly faintness was coining over him. For one second he clo-ed \)\ i ryes, np. And in that instant of tine the hand looked its It^!d of liil- - r ist, and was flung round his netk m a horrid embrace. With a shuddering scream of awful desp-.iir, inv poor friend was dragged out of the boat, and into the bla» k depths of the lake. JVi-.vn—down. And 1 I sat and watched them watched 'hat frightful = * niggle; saw Tom's a'-hen face, and mad with terror. being drawn ever d eper down -0 God! why was the iv; ,vr clear! saw the red stain th.it followed ill 'in. and saw at last—nothing. WVn 1 lecovered consciousness, tlv b-Pt v?- lazily tapping against the land-stage of the hotel. The proprietor and on" or two boatmen were bending curiously over me. '■Where am 1? What is it?'' 1 asked feebly. "You were caught in a squall, sir. There has been an accident: the othei gentleman he fell overboard." "No. no!' 1 said, shuddering. "He was dragged over. A hand—a white, cruel, devilish hand- pulled him over." I saw them glance at each other: and after 1 had Iron put )o bed and the doctor had arrived, I heard the word "sunstroke.'' Just as dusk fell, the old trapper crept in. "Thov say 1 am off my head," 1 said. "But you, surely you know I speak the truth.'' "Yes, it is true," he whispered. "1 km.v, 1 have seen it. They say I am M:'y and you have had sunstroke. Bu! we know what we have seen, you and I." (1 lie End.)