Rocky Mountain Sam — page 229: what you’re looking at

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

220 ROCKY MOUNTAIN SAM. an’ I come fur to make an explanation. You all know whar my cabin is on the lower side of Grizzly Bear Lake, among the foot-hills. I’m goin’ down thar now, to meet that man whose got an’ old-standin’ account to settle withme. Ifyou send a detachment there to-morrow, Firefut’ll be guy up inter your hands, alive or ded; an’ Ill jist mention as it ain’t my intention to kill him. Gentlemen, you’ve asked my advice afore, and never regretted having tuk 1t; as gar as | know, suppose you take it now. ‘This Injun war is over. ‘l'o-morrow, after the purfessor has swelled up the gas-bag agin, the colonel an’ lieutenant here had better go with him to the fort to see the gals; the rest of you, as wants to, kin come down to my cabin, in the foot-hills,” He waved his hand, turned his pony’s head, and, without another word, rode swiftly away. “Big Horn’s a queer character,” commented Colonel Chapman; ‘‘but I think his parting advice was most excel- lent.” ‘‘So.say I, and we'll follow it,” said Dutton, whose heart. was buoyant at the thought of meeting Mollie so soon. In the meantime Big Horn rode on. ‘The day waned ana the night came down, but he did not pause. Dawn was just breaking over the rugged foot-hills and the tower- ing peaks around him when he approached his rude cabin, which was set in a wild and lonely glen, at the edgeof a little brook that dashed noiselessly through a ravine into the lake. | = | He dismounted and entered the cabin. It had but a single apartment which already contained an occupant, who was reclining in one corner, but who at once arose, and ad- vanced to meet him as he entered. It was the renegade. Lhe early morning’s ruddy light that fell upon his fea- . tures showed him to have greatlyaltered. ‘Ten years seemed to have been added to his life within as many hours, and his sunken eyes had a wild, restless glare, like that of one whose reason is tottering upon its throne. ‘I have kept my word, Big Horn, Lamhere,” said he; in a strangely wearied voice. | ‘It is well; sit down,” said the hunter. As the other obeyed him, he took a seat himself, leaving the door of the cabin open so that the steadily increasing light of the morning flowed in upon them. A wonderful ECOMICDOOKS (e (@) mn