“It was a man’s voice. I will go and see who it is.”
The negro stopped him as he was moving away, grasping him firmly by the arm.
“Don’t go, mars’r; stay heah! Dat am de Obeah man.”
“Pshaw!”
“Yas, mars’r, I’se done offen heerd um. Obeah man no like ter be pestered. Mars’r Eben, yer’se done gone dead ef yer goes thar.”
“Let me go! take your hand off! ef ye air afeard I’m not. I’m goin’ ter see who ’tis.”
He shook the negro off, and, followed by the party, who hearing the voice had drawn near, plunged into the thicket, save Jeffries, who, with his superstitions revived, stayed behind. Walter in his frantic zeal was first. Darting into the thick “bush” he forced his way through the matted hazel bushes, eying vigilantly every twig. The rest dispersed themselves through the adjoining thickets and he was left to himself. Hearing a rustle close by he sprung toward it and imagined he caught a sudden glimpse of a misshapen form swiftly retreating.
The form was white as snow and was that, apparently, of a hunchback. For a moment only was it visible, then it vanished, and a horrible, low, hollow chuckle rung mockingly out. He darted after in close pursuit, but was brought to a stand by a matted grape-vine, which stood an impenetrable barrier directly in his path. Knowing from experience he could not penetrate it he was forced to retreat and take a circuitous path around it. He was very much surprised, for the figure had glided through as easily as if he had been a snake.
He was some minutes in returning to it, and when he got there he was satisfied that hot pursuit would be in vain; he must fasten on the trail. Being familiar with this art, he stood perfectly still and peered at the ground. It was soft, and his own foot-marks were distinctly visible, but they were the only ones. But he went down on his knees and crept about, earnestly watching for any indentation which might lead to the discovery of the trail. But his search was in vain—no other beside his footsteps marred the earth.
Then he examined the adjacent twigs and bushes to see if they were disturbed in any manner by his passage. Then he examined the grape-vine. Neither were barked or bruised in any way and had not been touched. According to their evidence (at any time or place reliable) no one had passed by.