Rocky Mountain Sam — page 233: what you’re looking at

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

994 : ROCKY MOUNFAIN SAM. the strange little cabinin the glen. The Indian woman was sitting upon the ground outside, rocking herself to and fro, and wailing in low, harsh tones. — | Big Horn spoke to her. But she did not answer him, so — he went in advance of the others, opened the door, and looked in. He remained alone upon the threshold for a few seconds and then turned and beckoned. As many as were able crowded up to the narrow door-way, and looked in. A most painful spectacle awaited them; a sight, which,° perhaps, touched the hearts of even those wild, rude men, a moment before bent upon vengeance and blood. Two forms were lying upon the floor, locked in each other’s arms, and it needed but a glance to see that they were lifeless; the forms of motherand son. Had she recognized him beforethe end? Had she gladdened his breaking heart with one glance to remind him of the mother’s look of old —of the mother’s love and tenderness, for which he had sought so long? Noone would ever know; there had passed away in ruins two hapless lives—one of them, pure and un- fortunate, the other, blood-stained and bad—but they were joined together at the bitter end, and their bodies bore no mark of physical wound by bullet or knife. “Well, mates, ’ve kept my word an’ thar’s your man,” said Big Horn, turning toward the hunters with grim com- placency. ‘‘Don’t you want.him?” : They turned away with troubled looks. Some of them sat down on the stones and began to talk in low voices; two of them pretended to have found bear-tracks at the back of the house; and the fellow who carried the coil of rope entertained himself by firing pebbles at a hedgehog. Big Horn also took a seat outside, and asked Sam the news from the camp. ‘Everything lovely, pard,” was the reply. The colonel — and lieutenant are in Fort Benton now—went by balloon you know—the soldiers are on their way there, and we’re to foller. The colonel says he’s goin’ to bring down the station-chaplain, an’ any else who'll come, to the old ranch, an’ have three or four weddings on the same day. What do you say?” “In course, I ain’t got no objections, nor Mewanee, nuther, I reckon,” said Big Horn. ‘‘Meantime, let’s git to (@) ~-Ecomicbooks