Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 18 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

16 Beadle,s Half-Dime Library. | Shasta Jim swept on at full speed to the very place whence the girls had come out, where he suddenly stooped down to the ground, and a moment later sprung in his saddle with a yell of triumph, waving in his right hand a rifle. ‘Too date’ Darling saw the trick. The rifle had been there, lying on the ground, whoever it belonged to, and Shasta Jim had picked it up. Now it wasa fair fight... : The Modoc didnot continue his flight far. He only galloped out into the prairie to a suf- ficient distance to secure what sailors call an ‘‘ offing,” then turned his horse, and began to near Darling. ° ¥ Both the antagonists rode at a slow canter in a spiral, gradually contracting their diameter to approach each other on the left hand, each keeping his cocked rifle at a ‘‘ ready,” and watching his opportunity. Had there been no disturbing element in the contest, Darling would have fared badly; for Shasta Jim was accounted the best shot of his whole tribe. But one antagonist was there, destined to bring the Modoc to an untimely end. It was the dog Hector, who, with almost human sa- gacity, now aided his master to some purpose. White and red were within fifty paces of each other, both horses cantering smoothly and steadily, when Shasta Jim leveled his rifle. Hector, who had been galloping along by the near side of the Indian’s horse, no longer giving tongue, sprung forward as the savage raised his piece. The dog uttered a startling bay, and seized Shasta by the leg. The rifle exploded harmlessly, and the bullet flew up to the sky ” the Modoc, with a savage yell, turned on the og. In the same instant Dick Darling struck in his spurs and galloped in, delivering a single shot, when the muzzle of his piece was within three feet of Shasta’s body. With one last yell, the Modoc warrior threw up his arms and fell from his horse, as Hector let go his leg to seize him by the throat. The riderless steed galloped away in terror, and the next moment Dick was off his horse, calling back Hector, and standing by the body of his slain enemy. Shasta Jim was quite dead. : Then the young man looked up, and beheld _the two girls halted at a little distance, as if uncertain whether to stay or fly. | ‘“‘Come on, young ladies,” cried the young man; ‘‘the danger is past. This rascal wi never insult you more.” Then, as if reassured, the two girls ap- proached, and all was explained, Then Dick Darling learned, for the first time, that his friend Fairfield had gone out hunting that very morning; that in his absence Charlotte, the eldest sister, going to the spring for water, had been seized and carried off by Shasta Jim; that the gentle, golden-haired Sophy had turn- ed heroine, armed, herself, and gone in search of her sister, just.in time to save her from the Modoc’s insults; that the sudden appearance of the hound had frightened them all, so that So. phy actually dropped her rifle as she sprung to her horse; that Shasta Jim had been unarmed save for a knife, and had fled from her fire- arms, It thus became plain how the Indian must bave been taken prisoner in some other place, from which he had escaped, unarmed, _and had watched his opportunity when Sophy dropped her rifle. Shasta’s runaway horse was soon caught, and the three friends slowly rode back to Fairfield’s ranche, talking over the occurrences of the day, and blessing the Providence that brought to the rescue in the right moment, Dick Dar- ling and brave old Hector, _ CHAPTER VIL. Tue land was quiet once more, dnd no lon- ger did the settlers start in their sleep at the coyote’s howl, thinking ® the distant. war- whoop of same scalping-party. The Modocs bad surrendered at last, and Captain Jack was in irons, handcuffed to the assassin of poor _. At Fairfield’s ranche every thing was peace- ful once more, the orange and lemon planta- tions within the ring-fence were as trim as éver; the cattle were released from the corral, and the stockade gate was left swinging open, as in the days of peace. Out in the garden two girls were walking, both strikingly beautiful, both in opposite styles. Their features were very similar, so alike that one could not fail to pronounce them sisters, but the coloring was essentially unlike. In the raven-black hair and sparkling dark eyes of Charlotte Fairfield, the elder, in the proud, resolute spirit that breathed from her whole face, could be read the race of her Spanish- American mother. In the wealth of flowing, golden hair that flowed over her sister’s shoul- ders, in the large, liquid-blue eyes, with their mournful and appealing glance, the Saxon traits of her father’s English ancestors were equally evident, The sisters were both dressed in a style such as we in the East are not in the habit of asso- ciating with the supposed wilds of California, but which is an every-day matter to the wealthy farmers of the Pacific coast, where the soil brings forth riches such as our paler clime can not approach. Charlotte’s robe was dark and rich, suiting well her brunette beauty, and heavy coils of dark hair. Sophy’s bright locks flowed loosely over a misty, white robe, enriched by a lace shawl of cobweb fineness. The two sisters strayed along in the garden, conversing quietly in low tones, their arms entwined around each other. “How glad you must be, Lotty,” said the younger, softly, ‘‘to think that the fighting is over at last, and your Dick safe. It seems to me that I could never be sufficiently thankful if such were my luck,” Charlotte turned and looked at her sister with a faint smile, as if half-amused, - half-touched at something in the words. | ‘‘ How do you know I am so lucky, Sophy?” she said, ‘‘ Dick Darling is coming here, it is true, to settle close to us, and he has earned a heavy reward from the government for his ser- vices; but how do you know that I am the one to take Dick’s fancy, child? He is dark, you know, and dark men generally fancy fair wo- men.” Sophy turned her great blue eyes somewhat reproachfully on her sister, as she said, with a voice that trembled slightly: “ Lotty, this is no theme for jesting, my sis- ter. You know—my secret—it is not kind of you to be playing with it. I would not treat you so, dear.” ’ And she drew away her arm from her sister, as if deeply wounded. Charlotte Fairfield smiled affectionately, even while a tear was in her eye. As Sophy turned away her head, the elder sister threw both arms around her, and pressed her closely, exclaiming: ‘‘Pardon me, pardon me, darling. We must not quarrel to-day. Why, Sophy, all the omens seem to point to your happiness to-day, See, you are dressed in white, and I in black, That scarf of lace, what is it, dear, but a bridal vail already made; and see, dear, we have stopped full in front of this orange bush in full bloom, Certainly, Sophy, all the signs say that you will be wedded first, dear.” ‘¢T don’t see how or with whom,” said So- hy, with a sigh. , ‘¢Tll tell you,” cried Charlotte, gayly. ‘“We will try it by divination. Do you not remem- ber old aunt Chloe’s way, with the orange and willow? See, here are both at hand, to try it with. Stay you there, stock-still, or it will break the charm.” Pi : With that she ran hastily to the orange-bush, and plucked a little spray of blossom, then broke off the end of a little branch of willow that had sprouted from the edge of the foun- tain hard by. ~ Returning to her sister, still smiling in her half-mysterious manner, she passed her arm around the other's neck, and sung in low tones: : rd eee e and willow we “we twine, One that the Fates do ba, to be * We that the threads of life combine, We that are sisters three, all three, BS and willow, on land and on billow, Emblems of: loye are. pead es BFP made; : Orange-buds perfume the bride’s downy pillow Willow-wreath cireles the loves that fade Orange and willow we cast in the air, There let them fall at our feet, our feet; Willow for her that is lonely to wear, Orange-bud’s snow-bloom the bride to greet, In singing the last few lines, she cast both sprays high in air, and as they fell, pointed smilingly to the earth. The orange-blossoms: had fallen at Sophy’s feet, at the very feet of Sophy, who stood, half-smiling, half-superstitious, watching the progress of the simple divination. . With a gay laugh Charlotte picked up the sprays and set one in her own hair, the orange- buds on Sophy’s golden crown of tresses, cry- ing: ‘‘There, said I not so? You will be the bride, Sophy, and I must wear the willow. Does it not become me well, child? Nay, but the white blossom is shamed by your white forehead, my sister, and my black face—” ‘‘ Hush, hush!” said Sophy, half-crying. ‘‘I can not bear it any longer, Charlotte. You are mocking poor me, when you know that Dick is coming, this very day perhaps—” ‘‘To crave the hand of Sophy Fairfield,” said a clear, manly voice, just behind them, as the tall form of the renowned scvut and rider, Dick Darling, sprung from behind the thick orange-bush, where he had been concealed, ‘‘To crave the hand of Sophy Fairfield, as he has already secured the kind consent of her sister, and her father’s blessing,” continued Dick, falling on one knee before the trembling girl, who, pale as death, seemed almost ready to faint. ‘‘Oh, Sophy, dearest, you can not have been blind all this time to my love for you, ‘You must have seen that it was you that ‘Tloved, and you alone—” But here Sophy suddenly flushed up, and snatched away from the young man the hand which he held, saying, half-chokingly: «» “For shame, Mr. Darling; for shame, Lotty, to combine together to make a jest of me, who never harmed you. Love me/ Why, sir, you know that all this time your attentions have ‘been paid tomy sister in a manner that none could misconstrue. It is to her tha# you should speak, not me.” | Darling laughed, and so did Charlotte. He sprung up, and passed his arm around Sophy, in spite of her faint resistance, saying: ‘‘ Dearest: Sophy, I have spoken enough with her. Indeed; she made me beg: like a slave be- fore she would give her consent to taking you away from home; and your father said that he would never give his consent till Charlotte had. She’s been the cruelest creature you ever knew, Sophy. She wouldn’t let me speak to you, or, even look at you, till this Modoc trouble was over. She said that she would not have her sister’s affections entangled with a man who might be.cut to pieces at any mo- ment, And so.there was I loving you, my lit- tle dove, more than my life, yet compelled to keep away from"you, and pretend to make love to her; for.fear that you should be tempted to set your heart on me, and I might get killed. And. now, tell me, dearest Sophy, am I mis- taken that you return my love? Indeed I love you, and none’but you; and Charlotte will tell you that I— .Why, where is she?” They both looked round, Sophy blushing scarlet, Darling pretending to be greatly sur- prised; but Charlotte had slipped off, leaving the lovers alone together, to discuss their dif- ferences. . *~ . That she had done so wisely was apparent, half an hour later, when Dick and his promised bride strolled into the house, and found it decked and in order, Charlotte in white, as a bridesmaid, her father in his best, and a grave, bearded gentleman in the uniform of a United States chaplain, waiting for them. To blush- ing Sophy it seemed an indecent hurry, but it became evident that the plot had been precon- certed with the others, for wedded were Dick and Sophy that very day, and there is not a finer ranche in all Northern California now than that of Mr. and Mrs. Diek Darling. {HE END, (EOMANCE MOO KS (E@)