Yellowstone Jack: Trappers of the Enchanted Ground — page 62: what you’re looking at

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

‘ Ny SRO Ale an I a é : '¢ (™ . \ 4 ¥ PR yy F ’ c #e Ela ums aia wt PY ‘ _ : ; : ' 60 YELLOWSTONE JAOR. *} boldly forward, confronting the women. 4 * Both shrank back, but the darkest one quickly clutched a bow and pointed a feathered shaft full at the heart of the 4 . intruder. Yellowstone Jack did not i flinch, though he held up his open hands in token of amity. “T don’t mean either on ye no harm, _ leddies—’f I'd ’a’ hed my way, I wouldn’t 7a’? come ina’ tall, Fact is, [ was brung 2 f = -hyar mightily aginst my will.” | © Who are you—what do you want °” demanded the drunetée. “ma man, leastwiss I try to be one. ~ __ Folks call me Yallerstone Jack, though a my old man an’ woman they called me _ John Henery Andrew Jackson Harvey. As to t’other question, that’s easier ~ answered—I want to get out,” tC. At this moment there came a dull, thumpmg sound from the wall behind - Yellowstone Jack, and turning quickly, : - &4 _he started back with a low ery, involun- tarily drawing his knife. A shadowy figure brushed past him and sank down upon the pallet of skins, with _ afaint moan. It was that of the weird woman, who had dragged the trapper into the spring. “ Mother!” cried the dark maiden, kneeling beside her. ‘* Peace, child, you can do me no good. The shades are gone now, and I can see things clearly. Iam dying—there! Why _ should you cry out and start back lke ~ that ? Did I not say I was going to rest, tc peace and everlasting repose? Blessed be the hand that sends me to — rest at last !” “ Mother you are bleeding; what could—” ‘Peace, Kate, I am beyond your aid, and 1 thank Heaven thatitis so. And you, stranger,” she added, feebly beclon- ing to Yellowstone, ‘come nearer. I know younow, for an honest trapper, for J am no longer mad. JI believe I can trust you--l must—there is no one else. “Hold my hand, Kittie, pet, I am sinkk- ing fast. ican feela dropping, drop- ping here, in my heart, that tells me my minutes are numbered. Dry your tears. Why do you weep at my good fortune? And they pain me, too. I would not like to leave you weeping. And, listen, I have much I would lke to tell yeu be- fore I go home.” «'P you swaller a little o’ uhisit’H give | ORES OO a er you stren’th,” ventured Yellowstone, — producing a small leathern flask of whisky, — , some he had procured atthetrain. == “Thanks, I may need it. Now, Kittio listen.” ey eis iar ae The dying woman in a faint, husky voice thus told the story of her life; a sad, mournful tale of sin and suffering, ie The reader will not require its repetition here, since portions of it have already been recorded. She was the sister of Bob Harris, the wife of Jethro Cowles,the woman who ran away with Mat Mole, or _ Zenas Kalloch, as he was really named. — Tiring of her finally, he sold her to Neepaughwheese, the mutilated giant chief of the Blackfeet, and when she had ‘ reproached him with what she had given he up for his sake, ke struck hera brutal blow that unsettled her brain. - Shortly bce after she fled from the Jidians, taking ah with hera captive called Kittie, who, for several years, had called hermother, who, ~~ indeed, had never known other kindred, _ “No, you are not my child, Kittie, though I have ever loved you as though you were,” the dying womanadded. “I do not really know who you are, though the Blackfeet believed you the sister of the man they call the Blood-Drinker. At least you were captured at the sametime ‘ with him, while almost an infant, and Neepaughwheese, whose favourite squaw had just lost her first-born, preserved you to take its place. ns Cl aD Si “You have an honest face,” turning abruptly tothe trapper. “lhavenoone | else to lookto. CanItrust youP? “ Treckon you kin. Idon'tbragmuch ‘in the way o’ bein’ a good man, but this — [ kin say, I never stole another feller’: traps or furs, onless mebbee ’twas a Injine’s. I never killed a livin’ critter | oy ‘copt 1n fair fight. Inever—” ae ‘J will—must trust you. These help- - - ry ‘3 less beings—will you—protect and—try — i‘, , . ‘y fa to restore them—to—” Bs “Tl do my best,” quietly responded Yellowstone. - aE) ‘“Kottie—imy child—your hand. It’s — HP growing dark—ah !” ae Her head fell back. The weird woman was dead. ) ‘ Ny Kittie Aung herself upon the corpse, weeping bitterly. ees Minnie gently motioned to Jack, and — drew aside. She anxiously questioned — him, Ee Braet was her joy when he ~ assured her that her lather was still 5:c0! : " - 4 = om ae a