Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 170 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

‘on by the urgent calls of the --r- SO RE RE SRE TERT © map re et eee rene ome ee — - _ - ao - — — —2 + ae —— —— @ ee — a mm ee 9 ’ : ready for the break when the hounds should | friends rode together across the broad meadow in front. “Heaven knows. He went for the hed yonder; but it would not be easy to follow the cricks and turns of a fox’s track except with the help of a dog’s nose. How well the hounds run, with their heads up, as if they were running by sight instead of scent.” “Yes,” answered Mabel, as she touched her horse with the whip. ‘‘They own the scent breast high yet. It is easy for the pack to carry a good head, while the scent lies ae After a mile or two, when the scent grows cold, you will not find them with their heads to the sky. But here we are, gentlemen. Here’s the give tongue. Will and Pierce, with their two lady friends, were stationed at the right of the field. Herea nel of the fence had been taken down, so as to cilitate the first break on the track of the hounds, ‘“Tt seems to be a hard find,” remarked Pierce restlessly. ‘‘The scent ought to lie well on a morning like this. I doubt if there are any foxes in that cover.” ‘*It was there we raised the one that esca us in our last hunt,” replied Mabel. ‘‘ He has very likely returned to his old lair.” ‘You are too impatient,” Will laughingly broke in. “If you had a cigar, and a post to | first proof of your valor. Not a very heavy lean against, we would have you praying the | one, though,” she continued, with a laugh, as fox to stick to his burrow.” they faced the low hedge which was the first obstacle to the hunt. The hounds and their immediate attendants were already across. With an easy skill Mabel lifted her blooded chestnut to the leap and was over it like a flash. The others followed with- out a moment’s hesitation, and were in a minute more racing across a broad pasture field, that descended rapidly toward a wide brook which ran brawling at its bottom. The hounds were already across this water, and breasting the opposite ascent, while the foremost riders were half-way down the hill. The first tremendous pace was not yet broken, and — whole hunt streamed onward at racing speed. Across the brook at a lively gallop went the mettled horses, in the first eager impetus of the burst, leaping the water at a bound, and breast- ing with fresh ardor the opposite hill. Before them was the long line of hounds, now stretched out, and running, still ‘‘ with their noses in the air,” at a tellin , while their musical bay made the ear thrill and the heart leap with ex- citement. Close beside them rode the hunts- man and the whipper-in, the latter having yet no occasion to use his lash on laggin or stray- ing hounds. At a short distance behind again came the troop of sportsmen, dashing at a ringing over the brook, and already stretch- ed out into a long line, in the foremost files of which could be seen the flowing plumes of the lady riders. As for the fox he had disappeared in the far distance; but only for atime. He would have to be cunning indeed to escape his ardent pursuers, Hat I ‘fancied that Master Fox would not face that hill!” cried Will, as the chase veered and ran atan angle along the hillside. ‘‘ He has no fancy for wasting his sti‘eagth in climb. ing— Look! the aor ps, hel is we tg WR the strip of woodland. ere are going to be some smashed hats if we have to ride under those limbs,” ; ‘Ts there no safe way through?” asked Clara, anxiously, . ee ‘‘Oh yes!” replied Mabel, “TI will find you 4 path whére you need not brush a feather of yer plume,” _ _ Several of the horsemen had already entered the wood, in ‘close pursuit of the hounds. A& ‘Oh! I grant you that,” rejoined Pierce, with an expressive shrug of his great shoul- ders. ‘‘Circumstances alter cases, as we used to write in our copy-books at school.” “Hush!” cried Clara, holding up her hand with a warning gesture. ‘‘Ha! there it is! There’s the signal of a find!” She had heard an anxious whine or whimper from an old hound, who was coursing through the part of the covert near where they were stationed. Other hounds instantly ran to his side, and in a minute half the pack were follow- ing the scent which the experienced old fellow had discovered. Back and forth they ran through the close thicket, occasionally giving tongue, and cheered untsman. Yet the finding a scent is by no means the finding a fox. This one bad evidently ‘run his foil,” as the technical term goes; that is, had doubled back and forward on the same track till the hounds were completely baffled. The whole pack was now running somewhat wildly through the covert, following the puzzling scent, while the huntsman and his ails were working their horses through, in hopes of push- jing the cunning brute from his close cover. ill had ridden forward to the fence, so as to command a view of the other side of the thicket, at which side the whipper-in was also stationed, pn the look-out if the fox should “ break cover.” He had hardly reached this point when he saw a small, grayish, sharp-muzzled creature, coyered with a thick fur, and displaying a long, bushy sail, steal from the thicket, and start with a anion eS ng mason across the field in front, e fox had broken cover, unseen by the ‘“‘whip,” whose eyes were directed to the oppo- site quarter. But, Will was too well acquainted with the etiquette of the field to give tod s00n the “ view oo.” A fox will often turn back and seek cover again, if any unusual noise is raised too suddenly behind him. The eager observer re- strained himself, therefore, until the animal was half-way across the field, and had exchanged his first creeping movement for a quick leap that carried him rapidly away, Then the impatient hunters heard, in Will Wildfire’s clear, ringing tones, the well known view halloo. our friends approached, a footman, who ‘stood “ Hou-y! hou-y! Tally ho! Gone away! Gone | just within the edge of the grove, intently ob- a-way !” serving their approach, turned with ‘a look of This loud, thrilling, long-drawn call rung like the tones of a trumpet through the field, stirring the warm blood in the veins of the ardent satisfaction, and plunged deeper into the wood. It was the same man who had already aimed at Will Wildfire, from behind the frock, on the —— — Sch ____... || et LOE LL LL LL sportsmen, and followed by a quick response | road to the Rose Tree. from the huntsman, who blew his horn to He still bore the rifle in his hand, and dashed collect the hounds, at with a crouching motion back into the thicker “Steady, gentlemen! Steady!” cried the | depths of the grove, to where a dense growth of master, riding briskly across the field. ‘‘Hold | bushes bordered the stream. Yet, quick as he back, till the 1ounds A horse- was, he had not escaped observation. now, | beg 7 Ou. Sy man who was riding in that direction saw him, Meanwhile ‘the whipper-in was driving out | and turned his horse toward the spot at which lagging members cf the pack, the huntsman | he had disappeared. settling them on the scent, which Will pointed ‘*Look out for eyes and hats now! Stoop, or out, and all was restless bustle and confusion | that bough will sweep away your tiles!” cried ebout the:eager field. Pierce Browning, bending to his horse’s neck, ‘““Keep back! Keep back! Let the hounds | as the chase swept into the forest. yttle to!” cried the master, riding earnestly be- But the dangerous limb against which he fore the eager line of horsemen. ‘Hang it, | warned them was not repeated. Mabel had led gentlemen, do you want to follow the hounds, | them into a narrow cart track through the or have them follow you? Keep back, or the | rare, which they followed with ease, It wound day will be ruined!” | downward, ‘approaching the stream at one “There they burst! There’s the cry!” cried | point of its course. an eager sportsman, as twenty couplesofhounds| Again danger threatened Will Wildfire. The made the air thrill with the ringing music of | foe, who had already sought his life that morn- their voices, and the whole pack broke away at | ing, lay crouched in the hazel thicket, at the tremendous speed, on the scent of the fox, which pont where the road approached the stream. had already vanished from sight in the distance. | With ready weapon and alert eye he waited Simultaneously the crowd of eager hunters | with murderous patience until the unconscious broke away. me well up with the hounds, | riders should have passed his place of ambush. others lagging behind, but all driving impetuous- “Ah! there’s sunlight ahead,” announced ly in the rear of that ringing musie which thrill- | Will. ‘*We shall be in the open in a minute ed so richly through the wintry air. more.” “Where is the fox?’ asked Pierce, as our! His words were echoed by the sharp report of ve beenlaidon. Steady — oe ee ; 4 ‘ \ : ) &- a rifle, the ball from which whizzed past so near his cheek that he felt the wind of it on his face. Simultaneously there came a fierce crashing of timber, and the tones of a loud voice in warning. ‘Stoop! to your bridles! on your lives! Hold, you murdering villain, or [ll ride you down!’ CHAPTER IX. IN AT THE DEATH, It may be imagined that our friends were not long in reining up their steeds, and turning toward the locality of this strange alarm. As they did so a horseman came thrashing through the hazel thicket that lined the brook, and rode up to them. ‘* A narrow escape,” he cried. ‘‘The villain had point-blank aim on you. But I drove my horse on him and disconcerted his murderous project.” ‘“Who is he? Can we ride him down?” ex- claimed Will, his face flushing with quick in- dignation. ‘‘No. He plunged down the brook, under the thicket of brambles. It is useless to follow him in a place like that.” Something familiar in the tones arrested Will’s attention. He looked quickly at the speaker. ‘That unsportsman-like dress! That livid scar! It was the mysterious stranger of the Golden Lion! ‘““You again?’ cried Will. ‘‘ You haunt me like a destiny. Did you recognize this crouch- ing rogue?” ‘Yes. He was one of the men of the hut. But be has given you the slip. Away, or you will lose the fox also.” | Jove, that’s true!” exclaimed Pierce, uickly wheeling his borse. ‘* Come on, friends. miss shot hurts nobody, and we have the fox to run down.” They all wheeled and followed him, Wilk casting one expressive glance back at his warn- ing friend, who remained motionless on bis horse until they were out of sight, On reaching the open ground again it was found that the chase had made much during this interval. Not a horse or a hound was In sight, though the musical clamor of the latter could be heard from behind the flank of a hill that sounded away some distance in ad- vance. “Holck away! Yonder they fo!” yeiled Pierce, ‘ Push ahead lively and we will be on them. wae “ No, no,” cried Mabel, shakifig her head, and breasting her horse Ht the hill in front. “The fox has a at that turn. We will make a short cut over the brow, and down upon them like a breeze. Follow me!” Yielding to the advice of their experienced leader they drove at a rapid pace up h and in a minute more stood on the summit of an elevation, which commanded a wide and noble prospect. : Before them lay a broad, grassy valley, inter- sected with fences and ditches, hedges and stone walls, while down its bottom ran a winding creek, ranging from eight to sixteen feet im width. The valley was dotted with numerous: farm-houses, and some plowed fields betokened. the autumn labors of the husbandmen, © Mabel was right. The fox had taken a sharp turn around the flank of the hill, and the chase was streaming along in the valley below them, the huntsman urgently cheering bis hounds, who seemed to have struck a “cold scent,” while the whipper-in was lashing some stray- ing dogs to their duty. As for the bunters they were straggling over a line half a mile in length, some taking every leap that offered, and keeping well up with the hounds, others following a side road that led near the run, while one or two were leading their limping horses, disabled by a fall. ‘“ Yoi, Merrylass! Hear the music of her voice,” cried Mabel, as the bay of a hound came up the wind. ‘And there goes Rosamond, I would know their voices in a million. Come on, entlemen. We will be at the heels of the ounds in a jiffy. a } She presented a charming picture as she drove her horse at full speed down the decline, her bright eves flashing, her flaxen hair, which had esca its confinement, streaming on the wind, while she sat her springing chestnut as though she bad been born to the saddle. Nor was Clara less lovely as she urged her jet- black Selim forward, reaching in a dozen of bis long strides the side of her enthusiastic friend. A look of admiration. passed between Pierce and Will. They gathered their bridles, and dar}- ed at a vigorous pace in the track of their charming leaders, / ’ comicbooks:cor