Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

ON THE TRAIL OF A MYSTERY. 33 stretched from one pine to the other, and there fastened at a height of four or five feet from the ground. Against this rested a mass of branches—the in- clination being away from the trail— roughly arranged to resemble the nat- ural growth, and making a secure soreen for the man or men lying be- hind it, and who, by means of loop- holes, commanded a fatal advantage over any one passing along the path. These blinds have been used repeat- edly, with terrible results, in the Ken- tucky feuds. Fifty feet further, I caught my foot in a vine, stumbled, barely saving my- self from falling. Jake looked round hike a flash, and seeing that I was near a broad flat boulder, motioned for me to stand still, and I was glad to do so, for I was too close to the crisis for com- fort. I lay down, but rmhy position was such that by peeping carefully out I could clearly see everything that took place without exposing myself to de- tection. : Observing what I had done, Jake Auckland gave me no further attention. His Winchester was so held that he could raise it like a flash and fire. It would seem that it mattered not if his enemy did discover him—for, before he could shift his weapon around and aim, my guide would have all the chance he wanted, and it need not be said he was the man to take it. I noticed that he availed himself of the partial protection of the tree trunks, crouching occasionally as he glided be- hind some huge rock, but never re- moving his gaze for more than a sec- ond from the blind. At the moment I was beginning to suspect our enemy had discovered his danger and moved away, a slight agita- tion at the rear of the ambuscade showed he was there, and no doubt un- _ suspicious of his peril. It was apparent he had been lying down, but, as if conscious of the ap- proach of drowsiness, he slowly rose to his feet, stretched his arms lazily over his head and yawned. His Win- chester was seen leaning against one of the pines at his right, where he could readily grasp it at sight of any one com- ing along. the trail. CHAPTER X. WARM QUARTERS. INSTINCTIVELY I felt that the crisis was at hand. The man was heavily built and of short stature, and, thrilled by the impending tragedy I could not remove my eyes from him. I saw him turn partly round and then—he van- ished! | For an instant, I was sure my vision had played me some fantastic trick. One moment, he was in plain view, and then, in the twinkling of an eye, he was gone. Mystified, I turned toward Jake Auckland, and then the explanation flashed upon me, as it should have done, when I noticed that the rifle of the stranger, which, as I have stated, was in plain sight, had also disap- peared. With a quickness almost incredible, and, at the same instant that he dis- covered his peril, he had bounded be- hind the pine against which his weapon leaned, snatching it on the fly, and whisking to cover before the alert Jake could fire, but not before he himself slipped fully behind the tree which he had already partly used. It was the sight of young Auckland thus “ full panoplied ” that made clear the ex- traordinary situation to me. Both men were shielded, and each was on his mettle, as watchful as two veteran Sioux and ready to take instant advantage of any chance that offered. They were armed with Winchesters and inspired by a hatred that was as deadly as it was senseless. From my safe outlook, nothing es- caped me. Since the stranger was in- visible to Jake, I saw nothing at first of him, though I was certaiay le wes eco