Yellowstone Jack: Trappers of the Enchanted Ground — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

Y iat, ‘But that y was not te be. Some- uy hing broke the spell. The music was asf ae of drunken devils, and then s mask fell off—it was the horrible 1e¢ vd of a serpent that I saw. And en a died—yes, ft must have died, be 2 sa UIse T never: saw him again—for whom I ga ive up my immortal soul. The ser- 2 p ant came instead, slimy and loathsome. UA nd then my head turns round and can’t te ea came next—only I know “Hie l edme. He struck me on the hhead—here,” and the weird woman a i essed Minnie’s finger into a deep fur- _Tow upon her head. “That's what makes 5 so light. Sometimes I have to tie it he down | to the rocks, to keep it from flying way off up there—where the bright star Bh _ Those are the times that my i master comes tome, and we go floating allover the world, noting down the names of his new slaves. "Tis glorious sport! Je talks plain, then, while now he only _whispers—ha! you hear? He says sacrz- - fice—sacrijice! { ama queen, but he is my f aster and I must obey his commands.” a su dK "Tis pny the wind that howls through ~ the hills—’— yer Ha!lha! ! poor, silly fool—to think to deceive me. Think you I know not the _ difference between fzs voice and the muttering of the wind ? No, no—ye want _ to escape me and make him angry; you BS ae that he will make you queen of this Me ad, over my head, then. But I say no, you must go when he calls.” - With a low, grating laugh, the weird 4 age drageed the maiden forward a few 8, then paused, holding her erect with a wonderful strength so many maniacs ae gifted with, despite Minnie’s desperate geles to free herself;-and then, - exhausted, the poor g cirl lay half senseless in the weird woman's vice-like grasp. _ “Look! yonder is my master, he is s waiting for you! See him floating in the air below us? That is a sood sign. 4 {ta your trembling, there is nothing to fear. He is in a good humour to-night. DE Seo him smile—he does not mean that / z ou should die—he will catch you as you | Perhaps he has need of another ie ge Goes! see! he holds a crown for UL. "Tis smaller than mine; but that Bose just, since I am his favourite vassal. Do you see him? Answer me; I com- mand you!” a y goa have pity on me! Icanseo eas S a \ ee round and mixes the words all up. I THE SACRIFICE. 4 ’ «- “-—. *. 7” oe , a @ nothing, nothing but death!” moaned the poor girl, “'Then—but no—he motions for me to wait. The moon is just coming from under that black cloud. He means for me to wait until you can see what the future has in store. Stand up, he hates cowards,” impatiently added the maniac, roughly shaking Minnie. The dark cloud swept swiftly on. 1th ragged edge grew brighter and brighter, until the broad silver moon moved ma- jestically from the murky van. “ Now, you can see—look quick! he is srowing impatient—he beckons — you must obey!” shrieked the weird woman, lifting Minnie by the shoulders clear of the rock, holding her at arm’s-length over the frightful abyss. They were upon a narrow point of rock that overhung an almost fathomless eanyon. A fall from this would be inevit- able death. The breath of hfe would have departed the body long ere it touched the jagged rocks below. One terror-stricken glance did Minnie give, then closed her eyes in horror; al- most unconsciously a prayer parted her lips. ve Mother in heaven protect thy poor child !” These simple words procluced a strange The wild light faded from her eyes, the frenzied look abruptly fled from her wrinkled features, and with a gasping cry she effect upon the madwoman. tottered back from the ing to the rock beside the maiden. “You have a mother—you pray to her P” “My mother is dead ; heaven,” Minnie faltered, mother, too, by a little angel; an angel in ‘almost fearing to speak, though a wonderful change had come over the weird woman. “Thad a mother once, and she died; he told me that 1t was my bad conduct that broke her heart. She was good and pure and holy. Often when my brain is_ well, I wake up from a pleasant dream, and feel her warm kiss upon my brow, just as she placed it there when she bade ~ me good-night. She didn’t dream how wicked I was, or *twould have been her curse instead! And that night I stole away like a thief. I was a ‘thief, for I robbed them of their earthly peace for all time to come! And I was called I don’t remember why she left me. (Elo) I was very im (C 0)(0)(0) izzy verge, sink-- ~ Ss) (E(0)