Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1154 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

wW"— ~*~, 1¢ There was no ieee out of this re- quest, much as Percy disliked to assume the dis- agreeable duty. , Zip had taken him entirely off his guard; and so, making a virtue of necessity, he sprung up with t alacrity. ‘** Of course—of course—I am always ready to throw myself into the breach,” said Percy; shouldering the heavy rifle, and, walking off some distance in the wood, he began slowly circling around the camp. This he speedily pate was the hardest part of his task, as the ground was so uncven and broken that it was a regular climbing and leaping busi- ness, While some of the bushes scratched and tore his clothes not a little. **By Jove! I ain’t going to do this,” he ex- claimed, as he halted in a more open spot than the ground over which he had been picking his way. ‘“‘I can just as well sit here and keep watch, as to be tearing my way through the bushes in danger of stumbling over some red- skin without seeing him.” Midnight was not far away, when Percy Fitz- simmons took his position, and he felt somewhat sleepy, especially as he was quite exhausted from the unusual amount of estrianism in which he had indulged aetps he day, **T can see,” he soliloquized, after settling himself comfortably in his new peer, ‘+ that; that Ned Hosmer is very much afraid of me. I have made several advances, on purpose to in- suit and rouse him to action; but he is so lamb- like that I can not get any excuse for punching him, It is hard to kick a dog when he is cring- ing at your feet. But if there is a spark of manhood in him, I will rouse it to-morrow, and then after I extinguish him in the presence of Helena, she will be so disgusted with him, that he will never dare come into her presence again. Then that, too, will make the way clear for me—” Percy Fitzsimmons, at this poe began to stammer and speak thickly, an finally aused ; then his head nodded forward once or twice, and then he keeled over on his side fast asleep at his , CHAPTER X., COMING AND GOING. ‘PrerbrmmMons” had been in position but a short’ time when Zip crept stealthily around him, intending to play the part of a lurking In- tian. Not from any fear of personal harm, but from a wish to avoid drawing the attention of the Sioux to the spot, he had tampered with his gun so as to make it impossible to fire it. _ The particular programme that Old Zip had laid out for himself was spoiled by Percy’s sud- den falling asleep; so that he had crept up and finally stood upright before the somnolent sen- tinel without drawing a’single challenge from him. Retracing his steps to where he had left his companions, he informed them of the situa- tion of atfairs, and added: ‘* Persimmons will sleep till morning, so thar ain't any use of watching him.” With which, he plunged part way into the cavern, calling upon them to follow. As Ned Hosmer obeyed, leading his affianced py the hand, every thing was in utter darkness, and he could only follow the voice of the hunter. The entrance was broad, but low, so that thoy were compelled to move in a stooping position, aid proceed at quite a slow rate. In this way they advanced something like a tte feet, when Zip called wpon them to alt, “Stay where you are till I strike a light, or you'll get your noddles regi vag He drew a match against the flinty walls, and then held it to the wiek of a candle, which grad- ually diffusing its light, revealed a scene which caused an ex tion of delight from the two spectators, The passage along which they had been mak- ing their way thus far suddenly expanded into an apartment over twenty feet in diameter and fully fifty feet in hight. It was cool and pleas- ant, with a tiny stream of water running through one cornér, and a faint bluish light in the dome showed by what means the cavern was so well ventila y Over one portion of; thit maverel Se wae read a neat rag carpet, and c : e, an kite utensils showed that it had served the purpose of home to somebody at some time or her. “What scene is this?’ asked Helena, as Keck” oe i the candle over his head. a a 0 xj bag the broomstick here is just now in the cabin, keeping things straight thar.' “ This thes is your other homeof which I have fward so muchf” inquired the maiden, walking over the earpet and looking about her with no little interest, ‘‘I am almost afraid to venture into the enchanted castle.” ** Thar ain’t nobody yar todisturb yer. Make yourself at home.” ‘* Are we to remain here for the present?’ in- quired Hosmer, ** Rf it ain’t safe to crawl into the cabin, why you'll stay here til it is. In an hour or so, ’m going to take another look up in them parts, as ’ve an idee that maybe we can run the blockade just now.” The three remained within the cavern for an hour or so, the proprietor explaining many curi- ous facts about it, one of which was the manner in which he closed up the. entrance against all his foes. This was done by swinging round the extraordinary balanced rock, so that the united efforts of the men from the outside were insuffi- cient to move it, * ‘But it can’t begin with the cabin,” said he ‘cause if the varmints come crawling round here, you’ve got to watch ’em, while in the cabin Peggy can lay down and go to sleep for a week at a time.” This expressed the difference very decidedly, When the time had expired, Zip extinguished the candle and they groped their way out again. ‘Wait here,” he whispered, ‘‘ while I go and take a look at Persimmons to see how he is get- ting along.” 3 eas gone but a minute or two, when he returned with the information that he was no- where to be found. Helena’s heart instantly smote her. ‘‘ Tt was a shame to leave him as you did, Zip, and he can not e t so fortunate an escape from the hands of the Indians again.” “Tt ain’t the varmints that have tuk him away; he thinks we have left him, and has struck a bee-line for the cabin; that’s what’s the matter with Persimmons,” Hereafter it will be seen that the hunter solved the matter correctly on the impulse of the moment. ‘* But if he has gone on alone, is he not certain to fall into their hands?” persisted Helena, who really felt grieved at what had occurred. ‘Wal, it’s time he ’arned to keep out of thar hands, I should say. Howsumever, I shall fol- ler him, and if he runs his head into any rum us, and T’ve got the chance, I'll cotch him by the foot and draw him out.” ; ‘‘ And shall we wait here till you return?’ asked Hosmer. * Stay here till daylight, and if I ain’t back by that time, go into the cavern and wait thar fur me.” With this understanding the parties separat- ed, the hunter moving off in the woods, where he almost instantly vanished from view. Leaving the lovers to themselves for a short time, it becomes necessary to follow Old Zip Smith, who speedily found it necessary to take part in some important and lerPeven events. It so happened that he entered the ravine a short. distance behind Fitzsimmons, whom he discovered, just as they both came in sight of the cabin, . Instead of hailing him, Zip lingered behind to see the fun. He heard the young fellow hail those aloft, and he approached near enough to see him going up the rope, ‘‘ He’s fixed, | guess,” concluded the hunter, ‘‘and we shan’t be bothered any more in taking care of him, and glad lam that itis so.” _ Zip kept his eye on him until he vanished from view, and then he suddenly discovered that another figure was going we This had a curious look, and he approached stil) closer to see whether he could tell what it meant. As he got nearer, he descried the In- dians standing upon the ground beneath, ‘‘The varmints are thar, sure enough, but what trick is Pe By trying to play?” Convinced that this was an Indian beyond all question, who was ascending the rope, and that something was amiss, Zip determined to shoot him before he could pass through the trap~dioor. His rifle was already pointed, and his finger was upon the trigger, when the shot was ren- dered unnecessary by the sight of the red-skin ons down the rope, with lightning-like ve- ocity. | So he lowered his gun, hearing distinctly the snapping of the rope, which showed that it had broken and was in the hands of the Sioux. ‘‘T'm sorry for that,” he ‘growled, as he un- derstood the mishap; “fur I’m afeard it'll soon be all up with the cabin, fur they’ll soon find some way to get one ena or the rope there. P hadn’t a hand in that business, I’m sure. think d he's purty well skeered: but Til have to’ show Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. him the way T have of getting in the -con when it ain't handy to git hold the end of the rope, _dust then Zip’s. attention [was arrested by a light in the cabin window, and he knew that it was Peggy signaling. Stooping down, so as to keep her person out of range, she held the can. dle directly over her head, and then moved it fully a score of times in the direction that would have been made by following the outline of the figure 8, This smgular gyratien of the candle was in- tently watched by more than one pair of eye far down in that dark ravine. The eae ol some wondered, others suspected, but there was one standing apart by himself who understood what it signified, When Peggy had completed her signaling, she replaced the candle in the bottle upon the shelf, where it lit up the apartment, and then. showing Fitzsimmons, who complained of being sleepy, to an pubes back room, where he la down on some robes, and bidding Hugh and hig wife follow his example, she conducted them to the ‘‘ front parlor,” and bade them good-night. It was a little less than half an hour after when the quick ear of the wife heard a slight noise in the rear of the cabin. The next moment, the head and shoulders of & man came to view and paused a moment, “Well Pegey.” “Well, Zip. And husband and wife kissed as they did ip the olden time, and sat down on the bench be side each other to exchange opinions, and to de- cide what they should do. The consultation was long, and lasted until the light in the sky betokened the coming day, when Old Zip passed out of the apartment; there was a rattling, rustling noise for a few ype and Peggy Smith knew that she was one, Hugh and his wife now made their appear- ance, both smiling in a peculiar way. ‘Tt looks to me,” said the latter, ‘‘as though you have had some one here during our a sence. I think I heard vaices,”’ “Yes,” replied Peggy, in the most matter- of-fact manner, ‘‘ after you had gone to bed I signaled to Zip to come up, and he did so,” ‘ What did he say of Helena?” ‘* She is safe as she can be.” ‘Why didn’t he stay longer?” “He was obliged to rejoin Ned and Helena, and I expect them all here in a couple of hours. = the r do not come, then we have got to go to sem, Percy was in such sound slumber that Hugh had to get him by the foot and drag him al- most ‘‘ down-stairs,” before he could be roused to a sense of his position. Then he Yawned, stretched himself and joined them below, eatin as heartily as though he had not gormand himself so thoroughly upon the night before. - Leaving the three discussing and making ready for their departure, Peggy madé a care- ful survey of the ravine beneath. The Sioux had left the immediate vicinity, raking, as & matter of course, the rope with them, but she discerned them several hundred yards up the ravine, grouped together, and most probabl discussing the cabin in the air, and how to themselves to the interior. | Peggy watched them for a few minutes, and then turned again as she heard a familiar sound in the rear of the kuilding. It attracted the notice of the others also, but ere they could conjecture what it meant, Old Zip madé his ap- pearance followed by Ned Hosmer, smiling, genial and joyous as ever. | ““Come, we must leave,” said Zip. Walking directly over the trap-door, the hun- ter paused, facing the rear planking of the house, which was placed solid against the rocks, Then he took down plank after plank, until halt a dozen were removed, when the party saw them- selves facing a dark paeee vey. king into it, nothing but darkness wag visible. : “That IT suppose leads out into the open air? inquired Hugh, as he advanced and peeped ints “Yes, sir; twenty feet through the dark and you'll find you! in the open air on the out- e ‘Before we leave tell me how this Lt al) is Hele so firmly in its place ?’ continued the er. **’You can see easily enough.” — So he did. The bottom of the pasaagée-way was on a level with the floor of the cabin. Two massive beams projected out like the arms of the letter V y beneath the floor of the structure, the floor itself being double with t J SCONMENOOKS. COM: :