Log Cabin Library: The Queen of the Canons — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a iy: . — >) a eo» >} ’ : yy +7 Pa . <a cf OO ™ tee = been slightly wounded, and met herj his evil thoughts in silence. e only one iu the he anes Sra eee, > — <n 2 2 -<4 : E — = == ~~ *Garamba! I cannot find the brave fellow anywhere, | housekeeper, Mrs. Hornett. _ = Salk ae 2 _ Bertie,” said he. aie ; Rootes That worthy lady still retained the admiration which — “Of course you have looked for him well?” she ex-| his brillancy of manner and conversation had at first pro- - claimed, knowing perfectly whom he meant ~ duced upon her mind, and he had but little subsequent _ Py ’ f - _Heedless of the hideous nature of the scene, she sprang labor in confirming her as his secret friend. Bie glance with lowered eyes and pallid cheeks. ~ |from whom he could extract sympathy was the Englis - ‘ , frantically from her horse. — As for Bertie, she was supremely happy. She was al- oe ~~ * Jingo Josh” she cried, “come, we must find Markham, | most constantly with her lover, and when fatigue com- — alive or dead !” | Paes) pelled her to give way, her place was usually filled by | Phe Black Scout was at her side at once. Anita, her little Mexican waiting-maid. con: - They found Markham’s unconscious form behind the! It is not wonderful that Markham improved rapidly un- _ ghastly barricade, almost covered with blood. der such treatment and care; but at the end of a week he ~ ‘He's dead!” shrieked Bertie, flinging herself on her) was still confined to his room, so great had been his loss _~ knees at his side. “But, no!” she murmured, as her of blood. ae hand fluttered at his heart; ‘“‘it beats! Thank Heaven,| Upon the day dfter the fight a trooper had been dis- — he lives! Oh, Markham—my love, my life!” patched to Fort Mohave with a brief account of the battle ~“Teave dis work for ole Josh, Mistis Bertie,” said the | and a request for reinforcements. The latter had arrived negro. | in the shape of a squad of thirty-five men, commanded by With the assistance of others, they bore the unconscious |a lieutenant, so that the ranch was pretty well insured officer out into an open space, Bertie following wringing | against another attack. her hands, and giving utterance to low moans. Bertie, in her happiness did not for some time observe They washed and bathed him with cold water from the} that her father’s zeal in his invalid guest’s welfare began running stream. | to cool proportionably with his recovery. Butso it was. _ He proved to be seriously but not dangerously wounded} As Mr. Bounty gradually fell under the misanthropic in- in several places, and his left cheek was deeply fucrowed | fluence which had _ before controlled him, prejudice re- by a bullet. ‘turned, gratitude was forgotten, and he began to view his Bertie threw herself upon her knees and clasped her | daughter’s fondness for Markham with distrust and dis- hands in fervent prayer as this result was announced to like. her. And Juan Camargo, whose lack of moral principle was “Thank Heaven, the brave fellow lives!” exclaimed a | truly wonderful, managed to procure another ally in his hollow voice behind her, which caused her to spring to ‘favor. | her feet, for it was the voice of Camargo. He made secret love to the little Anita, and won her for~ “Tg it through any effort of yours, Juan, ?” she cried, | his own. * - with a trembling lip. —_—— ‘What do you mean, cousin ?”’ | ORR only I have watched you from the first.” _ ets CHAPTER IX. E e shrank away. iy They carried Markham, who slowly recovered his DOME Eee ae senses, to the ranch, where, at Bertie’s instance, he was} Directly back of the Red Ranch, and on the borders of placed in her own little room, as being the best in the | the Rio Virgin, was a little grove of cotton-wood trees, house. - bordered with stunted chaparral of evergreen oaks. The rest of the night, and nearly the whole of the; In the evening, soon after the sun had set, Juan paced following day, were occupied with burying the dead and the river’s edge, in this little grove, asif in waiting for taking care of the wounded. some one. For days the Red Ranch, with its contiguous buildings, The some one shortly appeared, with springing step, in was a hospital. Robert Bounty, thankful for the danger the person of a very pretty girl, half Indian, half Mexican, which he had escaped chiefly through the presence of that picturesquely clad, and with a wonder of passionate beauty little handful of soldiery—for there was not wanting sub-| in her large black eyes. sequent evidence to prove that the chief object of the at-| This was Anita. : tack was the destruction of the ranch and the running off} She embraced him with passionate tenderness, and for of its vast flocks and herds—did everything in his power. a long time they conversed in low and gentle tones. It startled him out of his selfish misanthropy. He; “Do you love your mistress, Anita?” Camargo at length hardly permitted himself an hour of rest, but night and asked. day was seen moving almost constantly among the| The girl’s dark eyes rounded with brilliant wonder. wounded with his box of medicines under his arm: while| ‘Love la senorita, mi amigo!” she replied. “Who does Mrs. Hornett, who was also somewhat skilled in hurts and not?” wounds, took charge of the women and instructed them in|) “But, my pretty one, if it should come to the test, which bandaging, bathing, and poulticing. would you love best, she or me?” - To Captain Markham, of course, on account of his rank, | “Ah, senor, why ask me?” the greatest attention was shown. His wounds were not) Her vivid color and loving look, as she twined his neck go severe as numerous; but they occasioned a great Joss; with her pretty brown arms, and strained on tiptoe to of blood and he became very feeble, remaining so for many | bring ber pouting, child-like lips to his, were answer “days. enough, and showed how completely she was already his. - But his best remedy was that the girl of his heart was| “ Listen, Anita,” said Juan, fondling her much as he his constant nurse. = would have done a pet spaniel, and sitting down with her ~ But what of Juan? upon the grassy bank. “The sick soldier, upon whom If there ever was a bad man eaten up by gnawing hate, | your mistress bestows such care is my foe, and I would rage, jealousy, and self-accusations of failure it was he. | sooner he would not recover.” He suffered torture. Hesaw Bertie in daily, hourly, “Ah!” said Anita, very slowly, as though alight were and intimate intercourse with his hated rival—with| breaking in upon her, and drawing back from him. “It the man whose very presence in the ranch was in some|is because you love the senorita. Is it not so?” measure due to his own treachery, for to tell the truth it} He drew her back tu him very elosely and kissed her. - was a bullet from Camargo’s pistol which had scored that| ‘“Caramba, no, my baby; I love but you.” * deep wound in the invalid captain’s cheek. He spoke to her long and tenderly, and when they arose, ———s He could not even approach his uncle as formerly ; for) she said : - the latter, however he might retain his prejudices, was; “Yes, my loved Juan, my beautiful caballero, I will do at present so full of gratitude toward Markham that he! whatever you wish.” would scarcely have listened to any sinister remarks on| “Here is the powder,” said Juan, placing asmall vial the part of hisnephew. = in her hand. ‘‘Empty this in the sick man’s drink when So the dark-minded young man could only brood upon you have the opportunity, and he will no longer trouble Le] — . —¢ £. . “i Fre ‘ i e * ¥ - * ‘ * F } . ; * : ae r. ‘ .- eS ~ 2o™ . se a ‘* “4 = a ‘ ~* mS = “ o as - a ° 4 . = + <. - i ces? * Ibs» a ad Ie Re ‘ ——_ ~ ' = w¥ ¢ ws > Page . 7 22 - ; ie) gO 3 oe . +k ae > . ~ = f . —_ _ ba tats = = ~— . n . ‘ , . . ess >P ~ . 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