Jack and His Seven Foes — page 180: what you’re looking at

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

et ee ee ee . 3 x a The two fugitives did not exactly es PF déabla back upon their old road, but took one that ran between the two mountains; that on which the Silver Settlement was situated and an adjoin- ine one. The latter was known as Black Moun- tain, owing to its sterile, forbidding aspect. It appeared to be absolutely without use to man. Neither fruit, flowers, nor trees grew upon it, and explori ing parties In search ot mineral wealth had one and all been doomed to disappointment. Rugged, barren, broken, and _ for- bidding, it reared its dark crown against the sky. An object of aversion and even hatred to the trappers and Indians. It was this mountain that Ralph ae over and felt 1¢ rocking beneath s feet. Slumbering volcanic undoubtedly beneath it. Towards this the Panther finally bent his steps, guided in that direction by the danger that lay on the other road. Many of the men had come down to the settlement, but all had not deserted their post by the cave. A few still watched, and the watch- fire burned bright. So the Panther, with his aching wound and bitter heart, hurried towards the Black Mountain. A suggestion from the Swaggerer that they should rather seek the “plains, he received with angry eonteuaD ‘The plains,” he said, “ would be a happy hunting-ground for that lot. They would run us down in a few hours. On the hills We shall find a hundied hiding-places.’ The way was rugged, soon began to tell upon him. agencies were and fatigue JACK AND BIS San FOES. ~. Inured to many hardships, he could not fight against loss of blood. “T must rest, Swageerer,’ sittine down upon a stone; that flask of yours. “Tt’s empty,” replied the Swag verer. “Don’t he, but hand over.’ “There isn’t much in it.” What there was the Panther drank, and now they were without food or drink. Without some change in their lot, death was within measurable distance. The moon was high above their heads, and looked down upon them coldly and pitilessly. The Panther, in impotent fury, shook his fist at her silvery face. “A curseupon all things,” he growled: “on the day that I first saw life, on the day I now look upon—on all men and women and living things!” “What do you think your curse 1s worth ?”’ sneered the Swaggerer. “Tt’sacomfort to breathe it,” returned the Panther. He was hit in the left shoulder, and his left arm was stiffening. An attempt to raise his hand to his face gave him exquisite pain. “YT wish I could share this with you,” he said, savagely. ‘Why the deuce couldn’t the woman hit us both?” “Would that have been any satis- faction to you?”’ ’ emVees ss ai LOG.” The Swaggerer walked up and down, and said no more to his churlish com- panion until he rose to his feet. “Tve got the staggers,’ he said; “ sive me your arm, Swag peter. %, With a surly growl, the Swag verer complied with his request, and slowly they wended their way over the broken road, at the end of which they were to meet their doom. ’ he said, “orve me CHAPTER LXIX., THE LAST TORCH—THE Twice had the party within the cave heard the rumbling, followed by the | dread tremblings that herald an ap- proaching earthquake, and it would be | WATERCOURSE—LIGHT IN THE DISTANCE. idle to say that fear had not taken | possession of them. As a body they would not have | quailed before man, hut in proximity to CORNIELOO € Ss) (E(©)