The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

ee, eam THE SINGING TEACHER. 319 that he would teach a singing school while he was there, if one of the Randall boys would get up a class of a dozen or more who would be willing to pay a small tuition fee. Alf Randall had found no difficulty in organizing a class, and now the school was in a flourishing condition. Every other night Wilkes and the Randalls would wend their way down the river to the school house ; and it was soon noticed that the teacher was particularly attentive to Josephine Randall, whose pink cheeks and bright eyes were attractive to more than one young mountaineer. It was at about this stage of the progress of the singing school that Jim Turpin decided to pay it a visit, although he seldom ventured far from the green forests and the shelving rocks of the mountain, on account of the vigilance of the raiders who were scouting around here and there at almost all times, endeavoring to capture the king of the blockaders. Jim strode into the school house, his big form almost blocking up the doorway as he passed through it, and took a seat far back, where he re- mained a silent spectator and listener until the lesson was closed. He watched the smiles and pretty glances which the teacher bestowed upon Jo, and a great hard lump began to form in Jim’s throat. When the class was at last dismissed, Turpin waited just outside the door until Jo came out, when he caught her by the sleeve and gently drew her aside, while he bent down and rapidly whispered in her ear: ‘Jo, I can’t git SS see you often, Hoe as there’s a heaven above us don’ t forgit ’at I love you.’ ‘“No, no; I won’t, Jim,’’ she suid as her hand slipped through his, which pressed it gently though firmly. Then she hurried away to join the others before she was missed. Jim turned and strode off through the darkness, and was soon making his way up over the mountain trail. On top of a granite cliff stood the figure of a man in the darkness. The stars were shining overhead, but there was no moon ; and the deepest dark- ness reigned throughout the dense forest back of the cliff. The figure was intently watching the movements of a faint light which was moving mysteri- ously through the woods on the opposite ridge. Jim Turpin watched it closely as it rounded the head of the ravine and came on towards him down the cliff ridge. Evidently it was some one carrying a torch, buf who could it be? Now the light was hidden a few moments, then it came up again, bobbing up and down as the bearer came on over the uneven surface of the trail, which turned at a point on the cliff not far from where Jim stood, and thence zigzagged tortuously down its rugged face. The watcher did not move, only turaing his head slowly to follow with his eyes the course oi the torch bearer. At length the latter came to the point where the trail turned on the cliff, and Jim started from his rigid posture as he recognized Jo Randall and the singing teacher. Jo carried a small torch and was leading the way. Jim’s hand, which held the long rifle, trembled, and he clutched the gun with such a grip that the nails of his fingers almost pierced the palm of his hand. Comic soolkSssc 3