The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

‘ As for the people of Markhan‘, thLy lived in constant terror of the mis- creants lodged in the bush so ncur heir doors; and they established an fficient staff of special constables for h§_prp§ection of life and property. Underground Mysteries O‘f The Swamp Now that the reader may feel him- self upon sure ground as to the facts of this true story, I may state that Roland likewise learnt from Nancy that the gang had a rendezvous in a piece of dense wood known as BrooL‘s Bush, close to the mouth of the Don River. It is also a fact that when the den at Markham was broken up final- ly, some of thasurviving desperadoes took up their permanent abode at Brook’s Bush, where they kept an il- licit still. Down to fifteen years aft- er the date of my story the communi- ty was every now and again startled by tidings of robbery, outrage or murder at the Don; and the notable act of the gang was the murder of the Wm Colonist, one Hogan, 3. member of the legislature. His tak- ing off Was done by a woman who struck him on the head with a stone which she carried in a stocking. The body was then thrown into the Don where if was picked up a short time afterwards. back‘woofl's f0. Bu? of the promce this came to be :nown 1'11! thrift, comtrt and j people. Somuch the but essenti: facts of She warns him against Silent Poll and Joe who are his deadly enemies but Gray has no fear. He learns 1hat The Lifter is his friend. This strengâ€" thens the hope he has of securing his own and Nancy’s escape from the den 7 the near future. He tells Nancy of his an and a new light comes into her ]i as a result of the utter faith Gray has in her. On the fdowing morning t] and Murfrer were away aga in obedienc: to the command hag, ou'r heo acompanied by ’l ter, who hd instructions to sh if he attemted to escape, pr to a portio of the bush not ' ‘tant to cu firewood. Altho had “roughd it” for many a in the woes, Roland was enough at te regular work 0: cutting. Bu taking off his I began braver, and The Lifter 13E axe withaâ€"will'a short \ nM‘fihcy had cut what would ake about a horse load, they carâ€" ed the billets ubon their shoulders d threw them into a hole about irty paces distant from that by hich they descended to \he subter- ncan abode.. The pieces struck ith a dull sound a considerable dis- nce down; and The Lifter inform- Roland that “down there” was the cod-shed. While doing this he steals, commits murder or carries off to the swamp any one he may choose. Nancy also begins to tell Gray her life history before being taken captive. The story starts about eighty years ago in a small village near the town of Little york. Mr. Roland Gray is fleeing for his life as the result of having shot Mr. Ham in a‘duel caus- ed by the affection each has for Miss Astor who lives with her father. Gray is captured by- the chief of the rob- bers of,Markham Swamp. While held captive he learns of the evil doings of each member of the gang. In the previous chapter he hears how one under the assumed name of Rev. Mr. Jonas preaches every Sunday in a nearby church as well as performing a minister’s duties during, the week. “But I suppose you are curious to at sometheen about this under- ound place? All strangers are.” “I am certainly much interested in I cannot conceive how your bang uld have hollowed so large a place .this seems to me. Why. it has en an enormous task requiring I ould say a hundred men many onths to perform.” “Our “gang” did not make this hol- v. But if you’ll excuse me, It do t like the way you have of styleen r party. “Gang” isn’t a nice word." ‘,‘Who did the excavation then'.” “God.” replied The Lifter, with an sumption of solemnity that really IS comic. - “Pray, cease this blaphemy. I do >t wish to hear any more of it. I n over-sick of this hypocrisy now.” 1“But God it was' all the same who u this; and I shall tell you how. u know the River Rouge did not al- 'ys enter Silent Lake at the place The following story is founded on fact and as the author aptly said “everyone in this part of the country who is not deaf has heard of the gang at Markham Swamp.” The story was first published in 1886. It will run as a continued story in The Liberal. I i Don't be too easy on Your hpn< money 'â€"_ P9111th Regulator old iby Dealers all r Clnada . Jold bfiADTcgets stmémfi'a"! PRATT FOOD co»: CANADA Limited 3'25 Carlaw Avc.Torm-L’co 8 7 _ The Robbers of Markham Swamp CHA PTER VIII uuse; on your hens'. 7 Make them produce Egregggs. Thgy will. if you not 1h cry SYNOPSH 'y had ‘ horse 1 ubon m into ts offluufixfii prove .maku. you. satisfieéfg Lougl morning the chief away again‘ and command of the >anied by The Lif- tions to shoot him éscape, proceeded bush not far dis- od. Although he 3r many a season ‘nd was clumsy lar work of wood- g ofl’ his coat he The. Lifter swung a' short way dis- 1d cut what would e load, they carâ€" rn their shoulders fis coat he ,fter swung rt way dis- what would . they car- L‘ shoulders hole about 0920f “My intensheen is notheen else,” he replied. “Let us go away for the present.” Then the3> left the wood, the young men wondereen what my grandfather had in his head. A few days after this, my grandfather and all his friends came with ,picks and “But you surely would not think of liveen‘ in this dismal swamp?” They all said at once. “Just the very place we want. Here we will have a quiet castle of our own, where no limb of the law can find us.” ' “My grandfather looked at the strange sight for a time, and then at the great bridge of trees and boul- ders that lay across the original course of the river. They wondered why he gazed at all so earnestly; and why his eyes grew so bright. Then he slapped the capteen, who was yet a boy, upon the back, and said: “The clay into which the roots of the trees had fastened themselves was quite solid, and was held fast in the thick tangle of roots. So for many years you could hear the river flow- een beneath the ground with a sub- dued gurgléen sound. Hunters avoid- ed the wood, for some careless perâ€" sons had Fome here and fallen through the holes into the rusheen tide. Their bodies were afterwards found 'floateen in Silent Lake. One day my grandfather and two of his men came to see the treacherous un- derground river; and they moved cautiously down the stream till they came where it sank into a hole in the ground, that looked like a huge sluice- way.” “Well, you know, the ground here is very shaky, and the swarhp he- neath the shores of trees is softer than porridge. A long time ago, during a heavy sp‘ring freshet, the river became damned about a. quarter of a mile from the lake, and the whole body of water was turned in another- direction. But instead of flowing ov- er the land it_sank into the great mass of sofit bag below. and forced its way underground, till it reached the lakeâ€"there by that old beech.” “But this clearer.” where it runs in now. It entered down there; see where that old beech tree stands.” ma latcimpnovmmtzafidtefinenmm. You mthmbewiflmutaragfio IhmymcangctthisKimfm-sosmafla Every dayand WWMsagteatpemdeofflfiw amazeth . Abcaufifulmbinct. A a‘dlmp” radio, but a standard set, mad: fixmmgivemdistmandvolm llpdcesosmaflitwfll andtnne akes the matter nq mm mleamalangusgeâ€"stndylaw, “WWGWM-gradmmmbigha manta: gnu-t mfivus‘xty somewhere ready to fiwymfiroughahmdcasfingaafimjmtaboutwhatyou mt. ’I‘tdsKinandiowfllgctitforyomkmdanddcmu ‘Most Radig 5353’ mm?” “Well,” continued The Lifter, “they 'waited till the tunnel becameadry and then they made a house ard sleeping places underneath. The whole length of the tunnel was tested, and where- ver they intended the roof should be |strong. they propped it up; and those \places they used as bridges." “Be on the lookout now \for the treachery of the old woman and Silent Poll,” Nancy said when the chopping’ ! “Ah, it is plain now what the chief jmeant about all the unfortunate men lwho dropped through the swamp and ‘were never heard of more.” “So he has been telleen about these. ,Yes; they came tumbleen down thr- ough the holes as they erased, and they fell so sudden that they had no time to cry; and before they could know where they had got; we come along 'and killed them. In the night they were dragged out and put in the lake. I remember how tired Silent Po] and myself were with the heavy draggen. Then it was so hard to get stones that were heavy enough to keep the body under; and that you could tie easily.” While the toil of carrying the wood went on, The Lift- or continued, to describe many deeds of horrorcommitted in the dark pit. In the afternoon Nancy joined the two, and/they examined the mouth of the passageway. But the casual eye wo'uld not have looked twice at the spot, for young trees were so planted at the edge of the lake. that their boughs thoroughly screened the opâ€" ening. She informed our hero that the other end was filled in, and trees were growing where once the flood rushedodown with the speed of a mill- race. ,The greater part of the au- tumn/was spent in cutting and carry- ing firewood, and the chopping con- tinued till one day the hag announced that there was “plenty in now till next summer.” “The stream Will go by the old bed. and will no longer run under the ‘ground, but will run by the old bed.” “Ah, father,” the capteen shouted, “you are the wise one after all. We will have a first-rate castle under the forest in the stream’s tunnel!” “Exactly my son.” It was all quite clear to our hero now., For a full quarter of a mile did this tunnell covered over with shallow turf or a treacherous stretch of moss, extend. laxes, and crowbars into the swamp. 1N0 one knew yet what plan he had formed. Leadeen them to the bridge that I have described, he said: “I want that bridge cut away." “Why?” they all asked. “Can you tell,” he replied what will happen when this bridge is cut away?" Then they fell athinkeen and my father said‘: King‘ Radio for a HALL’S SERVICE STATION i [my mu. out. I 60 to College byRadio Youneedpaybutasmaflamount dow andthc balanceyouscttleinconvemcxg amofintsasyouenjoytheset. Wedoan homereadyt'otunein. Get your‘ radio now. We will gladly s‘xow this or any other King Radio. More, we’ll send it to your home for three nights tn'al before your own fireside. There you maytryitymlLâ€"hcarit,seehOVeasy it is to operate. Then you’llâ€"never give it up. the voices of noted singers, the speeches of famous fncn in public life. You can‘t afford to miss thaws things. was ended. You can be of little more use now, and I am satisfied that you are marke‘d for vengeance. I sup- pose you cgrry‘yqur pistols?" There’s Education on tm Aid Tune in with a King IS OUT OF ORDER ‘ ’ GAS ACID, VOMITING, ULCEfiATED, BLOATED, Etc. Addressâ€"1832 QUEEN STREET, EAST. T( “NATURE’S WAY IS BEST” ('Fo‘ ‘BS 23311651538") DR..THUNA, The Herbalist , K YOU NEED Dr. Thuna’s Herbal Treatment â€"FOR QUICK AND LASTING RESULTSâ€" WRITE FOR THIS TREATMENT TODAY Yonge St. Announcement Small Doiwn ‘f Payment , {am mm myaur home I wish to announce to the people of this district that I have taken over the MASSEY-HARRIS Agency here and am ready to give prompt service at all times. Full Line of Repairs Carried And Repair Work ‘Promptly Attended. HAR RY S. MATHEWS w say it cost $150 or $100â€"bué if doesn’t. It is very inexpcnsiveâ€"so much so it will surprise you! THIS is King Radio 61. Risa six-tube Miwgood-looking table cabinet. You Toronto 8 Ontario Richmond Hill