Old Shadow Shot — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

= 4 - * ee . ; = 3 . Py THE MYSTERIOUS SLAYER. The sounds of hoofs grew more distinct, and voices of men—good English and Indian jargon—were soon heard. Suddenly the head of the cavalcade debouched into the moonshine and reins were drawn. “It are the Vultures!” whispered Shadow- Shot, at the girl’s ear. No need of that. Her white face, flash- ing eyes, and compressed lips told that she had recognised the terrors of the woods! But there was one figure which above all others commanded her sttention. She saw the gay hat, the brigandish dress of Captain Dave ; but under the broad brim was the face of Noel Gordon! The sight brought g cry to Violet Collyer's lips. “The living lie!” she exclaimed. “ Here will I avenge the deeds of that one night.” - Quick as a flash, she sprang beyond the reach of Shadow-Shot’s arm, and at the report of her rifle, Captain Dave fell forward on his steed’s neck with a heavy groan! “T was afeared of it!” the ranger said, looking at Nat, as he seized the fair avenger. “We're in fur it now. <A shot, quick! boy, an’ then a run fur it.” Simultaneously the two threw their weapons to their shoulders, and before the Vultures could recover from the effects of the avengers shot, two more of their number dropped dead from their saddles ! : “Now!” cried Shadow-Shot, seizing Violet in his arms. “Down the Devil's Path. We'll outwit the skunks yet, my little ones!” The ranger darted for the cliff, as the re- covering bandits, startled anew by his voice, poured a harmless volley among the trees. CHAPTER XI. THE MYSTERIOUS SLAYER. N order to follow the trio to the bed of the chasm, the Vultures were forced to dismount. The pathway of rocks lead- ing to the bottom was too precipitous to admit of the descent of horses. Without a moment’s hesitation, blood- thirsty and vindictive, the outlaws poured into the defile. Several were left in the woods above to guard the horses. Indians and whites, in their eagerness to get at the wielders of the death-dealing rifles, loosened stones is great numbers, which, rolling down the dark path, fell with splashes in the stream. The trio reached the boitom of the chasm in safety, where the rifles were hastily reloaded, “You're convinced now, wy leetle one!” | barrel to the Sioux’s breast, hi — comic P sp) Ce — > =» ower 19 Shadow-Shot said, with a smile, as he turned” upon Violet. “Yes!” said the girl, a gleam of victory in her eyes. “After being kept back five years by the power of a lie, I have at last avenged my father’s death.” “Shadow-Shot, did you notice who rode beside Captain Dave?” The questioner was Nightingale Nat. “No, boy. I was lookin’ at the chief sinner of *em all.” “It was Captain Rough !” The wild ranger did not start. should the intelligence cause surprise ? “Birds of a feather,” he said. “They've taken the boy-whipper into full faith an’ fellership, I guess. Did you drop him, my leetle one?” “No. His time ha@not come. tell everything before he dies.” “That's so. If I don't recollect this I might give the skunk a bullet some o’ these times.” The foregoing conversation was quickly ex- changed while the trio reloaded the rifles in a eg place not far from the end of the path. Their ears were constantly saluted by the sounds of the approach of the foe. “Go down the stream with the gal,” Shadow-Shot said, suddenly, to the boy. Pil jine you in & minnit.” : Nat turned to Violet. “Go, leetle one,” the ranger said, seeing the fair avenger hesitete. .“I want to drop another Vulture afore I leave, an’ then I'll kiver the retreat.” Seizing Violet's hand, Nightingale Nat started down the stream. The way was not rough, and they made rapid progress, passing soon from the ranger’s sight. Standing in the shadows with his eyes fastened on the mouth of the Devil’s Path, cast in moonlight and plainly visible, the gaunt ranger awaited the foe. He heard them still struggling down the narrow way ; the rocks shot from it and lost themselves in the river, each succeeding one ee the progress of the fiends in the cut. ‘ At last a scarlet figure bounded over the great boulder which tried to block the mouth of the ravine, and landed fu!] in the moon- light. Shadow-Shot saw his tuft of eagle feathers, the fiendish face, and the banded arms. “Tf this old gun doesn’t miss, my bird 0’ prey!” quoth Shadow-Shot, raising the rifle quickly te his shoulder. “An’ miss it never does, by hokey!” - Quick as was his glance down the long finger was (0)(0)| KSn(GO) Why He must