Old Shadow Shot — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

= 99 repeated, looking into ‘shu youth’s face, and then he calledaloud: — “Stan’ from under, down thar, Jack Gustin : The man knew that his position in the shadows concealed him from the men below. But Gustin did not reply; he was half way up the rocks, still climbing on, knife in mouth, and rifle slung across his back by means of a buckskin strap. “What hev ye to say, my nightingale?” said Paddock, suddenly. “Nothing, Zimri; you will pay for this night’s work. That’s all!” ‘Well, it warn’t much, boy,” was the re- joinder, followed by a coarse laugh. He stepped back with the heartless cachinnation on his lips. ‘Now, my singer!” he hissed. By main strength he forced the boy from the ground, Over the outlaw’s head he went. Another moment, with his victim, Zimri Paddock was at the very brink of the precipice. A ery which, for the triumph of fiendish- ness it contained, was enough to strike a chill to the bravest heart, pealed from his throat. Tt made Shadow-Shot brace himself. He knew what was coming. While yet that cry echoed in forest and over stream, another different, but piercing all the same, was heard, and a human body went hurtling over the cliff. Shadow-Shot saw the ebject shoot from ' the shadow, and like a. great shell come spinning towards him through the moon- boht. For an instant he prepared to catch it in his strong embrace ; but with a cry of horror he leaped aside, and the mass fell heavily en * jhe jagged rocks at his feet. e. “T thought it war too big a body fur the leetle one!” he said, approaching the quiver- ing mass which preserved the outlines of the human form. He bent over the man, and saw the pallid, deathlike face of Zimri Paddock. F “Somebody turned the tables up thar, eh?” said Shadow-Shot, seeing the wander- ing eyes become fixed upon him. “You shouldn't ev waited till Jack got up.” “ Tack?” muttered Paddock, trying to rise. “Tt warn’t tack. That girl—the Nightin- gale’s mate—h) + me with somethin’, an’ hyer I am.” OAT’ hyer you ‘re likely to stay Ng the ranger said. “Tt ta,.es no doctor to see that you're goin’ to give in™ Say, what do you know about the jeetle on’e ?” “ Nothin’ !” and. the lips'’closed more than half triumphantly, behind tl. word, el SR — 2 | OLD SHADOW-SHOT, “ Nothin’, Paddock? Sartin ?” “Tf I did, I wouldn't tell you, an’ let you reap the benefit of it,” was the malignant reply. Shadow-Shot bit his lip. Paddock saw the discomfiture and smiled. Then his head went to one side spasmodic- ally, and with his eyes fastened on the ranger, Zimri Paddock’s life went out in the little chasm. Springing over the body of the man whose career of crime had so tragically terminated, the ranger began to ascend the cliff, and soon stood before the rejoicing trio there. “Ts he dead ?” asked a voice at his side. “Dead? Dead as a Labrador herrin’!” answered Shadow-Shot, a queer twinkle in his eyes as he looked into the face of the fair questioner. Violet stood before the ranger, a long stout stick in her white hands—the stick which she had hurriedly snatched from the ground, and with it dealt Zimri Paddock the blow which had caused him to loose his grip on Nightingale Nat and fall headlong over the precipice. ‘He went over my head like a deer,” said Jack Gustin. “I thought it war the boy till I saw him gettin’ on his feet hyer. — If he'd held the leetle chap a minnit longer he’d ha’ felt old Jack’s hand on his breathin’ apparatus |” “What! Jack Gustin?” cried Nightingale Nat, springing to the speaker, whose voice he now recognised. ‘I thought you were with the train.” “Not much, thank’ee, boy. I’m Jack Gustin, big as life. Mean’ Shadder-Shot ar’ goin’ to stick to ye through thick and thin. We mean business, too.” ete ee CHAPTER XIIT. DIAMOND CUTS DIAMOND. 1K yk will now return to the Vultures {WV whom we left retreating up the path in the rocks before the death- dealing rifle of Jack Gustin. © Their hearts were full of revenge, and they — panted to return and glut that passion which had ruled their evil natures so long ; but the stern voice of the slayer, whose work lay at the foot of the cut, told) them that such a policy at that time was hazardous and full of death. So they smothered their rage as best they could, and ascended to the woodland above. They were met there by the horses which had been left in the cave by several of their number, and were not long in springing to saddle. The outlaws slain by (GYAN ICE O)Co)e) Shadow-Shot sks the (E(o) .