Jack and His Seven Foes — page 96: what you’re looking at

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JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES. ; The sun, athird of its course run, was visible above the tree-tops. “The day is partly gone,” he murmured, ‘‘ and he is not here.” He gathered a little hope, but not much, to his heart, and moved on. This day he was resolved he would have no vaculating—he would keep on right ahead. For hours he walked through the forest, and every stride gave him a little more hope. He became quite strong m the belief that he was free of his enemy. On, on through the livelong day, ———————— or’ “You thought you had escaped,” ke erled; “it was a wild hope. From the time [ passed upon you vour sentence, I have hovered near you.” ‘‘ Hovered near me!” said the old man, and his voice sounded like a distant echo of Jack’s. “For scarce an hour,” was the re- joinder, ‘‘ even as you slept, here in this wood, I have not been far away. & slept, too, a little, but your lightest movement roused me, and now here we only pausing to drink now and then at _ a bubbling spring—on, on, till sunset, when he came to an end of the wood, and of the table-land also. The trees grew to the very verge of a precipice that went down two hundred feet like a wall. Below him stretched a fertile plain. He could see men and cattle moying about, the sun brilhantly settine in the west, He saw and longed to join the moving life below, for he felt that he lived again. “The day is passed,” he said, “and he is not here.” ‘‘The sun will not set for some minutes yet,” said a voice behind him. A spasm of terror shot through his are alone. The sun will be down in a minute. Ilaye you anything to say to me?” “ Mercy!” gasped the old man. ‘“ Do not waste your breath in asking for that,” replied Jack; ‘I am as im- / me. frame, and he swune rather than turned | round to face the implacable avenger. There was Jack, almost as worn and haggard as himself, with the seal of a deadly fatigue upon him, bat strong in : * his purpose. | — placable as the law itself.” “Tf LT nnght lve another day.” ) ‘Not another hour, unless you slay In fair fight, as I have done before, I give you a chance for your life.” ‘““{ have no chance,” said the old man; ‘‘ you know that, and I will not fight.” We turned round to flee, forgetful of the precipice, and saw 16 when too late. Jack sprang iorward to grasp him, the act was instinctive, but the old man was gone. A. wild shriek escaped his lips, ring-— ing far away, and headlong he fell to the plain. : Jack looked over, and saw him strike the ground. Two seconds later the sound reached his ears. At the same moment the sun dipped and twilight fell upon the earth. & CHAPTER XXXIV. ; Y THE CAMP-FIRE—A LITTLE BOASTFU “Tur Pantaloon was a fool to leave us,” said the Swaggerer, with his most erandiose air; ‘but of course it was a case of funk.” A camp-fire was burning brightly, and he and the Panther, the Sneezer, and Makepeace Jibber lay_around it. The appointed spot had been reached, and on the night that followed the seventh day they were awaiting, the arrival of the rest of Jibber’s gang. And where was that appointed spot? ~ an oo et ts sss test see ‘ESS——-ANOTHER THE SEVEN DOOMED. OF At the base of the table-land on the plain, and within a mile of them lay the body of the Pantaloon. But they knew it not. They had seen and heard nothing of the grim tragedy, so brief and terribie, that had been enacted one hour before. ‘“‘He must have been a fool to step it,” continued the Swaggerer, pressing down the tobacco in his pipe with his little finger, and shaking out the ash, “ tor what harm could come te him ?”’ > COMIE OO (C <S) (©)