Yellowstone Jack: Trappers of the Enchanted Ground — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

- pause in the fight. But this was only{ “Speak plainer, how can Tunderstan momentary—then the horrible death- | when you whisper so low ? Strugele for possession of the barrier was resumed. A clear, trumpet-like voice rose high above the devilish din, and carried a thrill of terror into the Blackfeet hearts. One of their number fell, pierced witha _rifle-shot. Then a wild cheer, long and ‘seemingly composed of many voices, arose, and a death-howl swept through their crowded ranks. The avenger was upon them! Raging like a very fiend, Campbell leaped into their midst, nobly seconded by Yellowstone and his comrades. They rained death from every side, but not for _ jong. A ery of terror went up from the savages, and as with one accord they broke and fled, the white outlaws promptly imitated their.example. But, close upon their heels trod the avenger, terribly vindicating his name and reputa- tion, CHAPTER XTi. THE SACRIFICE, ALLAH a ests and activity that was little short of marvellous, the weird woman, still holding the half-senseless maiden in her arms, glided rapidly away from the spot where lay the still quivering form of Mat Mole. Turning | aside from the plain trail, she breasted the steep incline, leaping from point to point with the activity and sure foot of a mountain goat, or lightly scaled the piles of broken rock, seemingly gifted with the power of a cat, in more senses than one. Abruptly she paused, allowing Minnie to sink to the cold rock beside her. ‘ Leaning upon the heavy staff that had stricken Mat Mole senseless, the weird woman stared fixedly before her, into the dense gloom, Minnie stirred uneasily. The shock of her fall bad, in a measure, broken the spell that had fallen over her mind. She stared wildly around. She could barely distinguish the form of her strange captor, and might probably have taken it for another of the fantastic rock piles that stood upon every side, only for the words that dropped unconsciously from the weird woman’s lips. * YELLOWSTONE JACEK. : ae deep down into t aA Ki It makes my ih head hurt, my brain whirland danceand — ring—yes, it rings now! I can hear the bell—Dolly wore it—my cow. That was — before I died, when I’ was happy with — him! Ah! why don’t you speak clear, — you are hissing like a snake, and Iseeit now! A snake! see it crawl—it comes — nearer—it touches me—it winds about me a —ah! ’Tis asnake, slimy and hideous, ~ but wears fis head, the devil who killed me! Down—down! Ha!ha! youcreep — in the dust, your head is bruised at bleeding, like my heart!” an The weird woman dealt fierce blows! fA upon the rock with her staff, then sank — suddenly back, with a low moan ofintense — suffering, both hands pressed to hers f, breast. fos wes Minnie had been a terrified witness — of her raving, but there was such a tone of suffering in the last words that she for= _ got all else, and strove to comfort the ~ weird woman. | aS “You are ill; canI help you?” she © faltered. vA ou There seemed a magic in the words. — The woman's tremblings ceased, a low, — grating ery broke from her lips, and two — bony hands clutched the maiden’s shrink- — ing figure, drawing her forcibly forward, until their faces nearly came in contact. © The weird woman’s eyes filled with a ~ phosphorescent light that seemedto burn — fa terrified girl’s brain, — ‘Now I understand ; now Il know what © my good master meant! He says sacri- fice! That is why he has sent you to me —I can read his sign stamped upon your ~ forehead, It tells me that you must die. Come, don’t you hear him calling? He ~ will be angry if I delay. And then he will put another queen over my head,” — muttered the weird woman, lifting Minnie to her feet, .: ‘““Mercy—mercy! do not murder me! ~ Spare me, I am too young to diol” moaned the terrified maiden. , a “Too young; L was young once, — Young, loved and fair tolook upon. Yet — I diod—yes, I died—yes, I died! He killed me. Hoe made me sleep frst, — where I had such bright, blissful dreams, | where all seemed love and happiness, — where his voice sounded like the softest — music, his features those of an angel, — Ah, had it only lasted: could we have rs only drifted on forever in that land of Gomicbooks.com 0) OAD