Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

ON THE TRAIL “That fright at sight of you may have been pretended for my benefit,” I suggested, uttering the thought that had occurred more than once to me. | But Dick would not admit it. Evi- dently he could not see any explana- tion of the recent incident in the wood except the most sinister one. “ Suppose the widow finds Peters at home and one or both of the others with him?” My friend shuddered, for he was in a highly nervous state. ‘Tt all depends upon their not being at home; each one is in the service of the Howards and Whites who do not pay their men for loafing; there is a fair chance that they won’t return be- fore night ; if they do, the jig is up, for neither of us has a weapon with which to put up a figh ” “ Dick,” I said in an undertone, “there is some one listening outside — the door; ” I had caught the flicker of a bonnet at the window close to the en- trance. Montgomery caught on like a flash. ‘“* Kneel, slave!” he commanded in a loud voice, “that I may knight thee!” I dropped forward on one knee and bowed my head. With the palm of his hand he struck me a blow that made me see stars. “ Rise, Knight of the Star Spangled Banner, and hereafter be known as Sir Pauncefrittz Wachenhopser! ” Only the gravity of the situation pre- vented me from laughing outright. Dick with his back toward the door, added in a low voice: “ How is that for an ear stunner? How long has she been there? ” “{ caught a glimpse of her bonnet near the window.” “By heavens! it’s the old woman then, for Meg wore no bonnet ; I forgot about the widow; she’s foxy.” While my comrade was giving ex- pression to more highfalutin nonsense, the door opened and the mother stepped inside closing the door behind OF A MYSTERY. 5i her. Without speaking and with only a single glance at us, she immediately began bustling about her household duties. — I looked narrowly at her counte- nance. It was one of the hardest I ever saw, thin, seamed with wrinkles, the mouth compressed and the eyes a steely gray. As Dick had said, she may have been able to stand him for a time, but the bringing of me into the cabin was intolerable. If she had seen any one of the How- ard clan, the crisis was at hand; other- wise, it might be deferred until night- fall. What had been the result of her playing the eavesdropper? Not so se- rious, 1 believed, as it seemed at first. Our conversation was carried on in such guarded undertones that not a word could have been heard outside, when the door was closed. The hum of our voices may have led her to sus- pect the truth, but she could not have known it of a certainty. A few minutes later, the daughter entered. “Saw thou any strangers approach- ing’ the gates, countess? And if so do they come from the north or the south or the east or the west? ” demanded his majesty. “IT saw none, O King.” “Tis well; thou wilt resume thy du- ties at court, countess.” The hours which succeeded were the most trying of my life, for they moved with leaden feet, and the eternal dread was nerve wrenching. The ‘theory ‘of Dick and myself was that as soon as any one of our enemies learned of my presence, he would has- ten to the cabin and shoot me, prob- ably, without waiting to take me out- side. It was not unlikely that the same course would be followed with Mont- gomery. “Why, then,” I asked myself in des- peration, “ should we stay here like a couple of senseless calves and meekly await the knife of the butcher ? ” COMMIC OOOIK eco