Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

ON THE TRAIL turned pale, and, pointing among the trees, exclaimed: ‘“‘ My God! see there!” Then, whirling on his heel, he dashed headlong through the woods. His com- panions, with a single affrighted glance over their shoulders, plunged after him, and thus in a twinkling I was leit alone. Mystified and dazed, I looked, too, toward the terrible spot, and my eyes rested on a strange, uncanny form that was drawing near, but strange and un- canny as it was, the face, as sure as the heavens above me, was that of Dick Montgomery ! CHAPTER XIII. A WINK OF THE EYE. Ir was the figure of a tall man, dressed in a dark business suit and a derby hat, all similar to my own, but the worse for wear, who stood beside the trunk of a large pine, as if he had just stepped from behind it. He was as motionless as the trunk itself, and stared fixedly at me. The sight of his face sent an invol- untary shiver over me. It was as pale as death, made the.more ghastly by its vivid contrast with the heavy mustache, the scraggly beard and hair, and the eyes that were of midnight blackness. These eyes were large and gleamed with a power impossible to describe. I am as free from superstition as any. one, but there is no use of denying that I was startled, and for the moment ter- rified. The panic of Zach Peters and his companions. was natural, and my impulse to dash off at headlong speed was almost irresistible. I have said that this apparition or man was the missing Dick Montgom- ery, but there were several minutes in which I doubted, and then when the question was solved it was through one of the most grotesque occurrences con- ceivable. | Without uttering a word, the figure took two strides forward, which OF A MYSTERY. 45 brought him into a small open space, and then with fierce vigor he began dancing a negro breakdown. It was an extraordinary performance, and in its way as artistic an exhibition as I ever Saw. _ At the amateur minstrel entertain- ments which we occasionally gave in college, Dick Montgomery always fig- ured as a jig dancer, and there was not a student that could approach him in that respect. We all admired and ap- plauded his skill, and the exhibition which he now gave in the Kentucky wilderness was exactly what I had wit- nessed before, perfect in those minute mannerisms that one learns quickly to recognize. The most impressive feature of this woodland performance was the super- natural solemnity which accompanied it. That countenance, whose rollick- ing jollity and infectious laugh used to throw the spectators into irrestrainable merriment, was white and as grave as death itself. The round, black, piercing eyes were never removed from my face, not even when one of -the long legs made the final kick upward, which car- ried the toe of his foot considerably above his head, and with amazing sud- denness—the most comical part of his college exhibitions—legs and arms be- came as rigid as iron. I clapped my hands, and broke into laughter, which was partly assumed. “ Good, Dick! you never did better! I’m glad you’ve kept up your prac- tice! ”’ . Like a statue he stood, with his arms akimbo, staring straight at me, with the same immovable, supernatural gravity on his pallid features. Not a word did he speak in response to my effusive compliment, and something of the old creepy feeling came over me again, but I determined to force matters through. “ How does your outing agree with you, old boy? You don’t look as well as you should.” But he remained mute, and the sus- picion could no longer be, put, ssi¢e— eco