Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 238 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

mpage ee ee eee wee em ee ee ae eee ee ae eee ‘Then, if we can git you to the canoe, I’ll take you to Mr, La Fleur’s cabin, andstay with you till you’re able to resume your journey.” ‘* God bless you, Shocky!” Roger was assisted to his feet, when the heroic little trapper-boy took him on his back and carried him down to the river and laid him in the canoe. Then the boy and the maiden took their seats in the boat and dropped quietly down- stream. They moved slowly, for the boat was taxed to its utmost capacity; but in the course of time they arrived at the landing in front of the La Fleur cabin. Roger Millbank, supported between Shocky and Aimee, was conducted up the hillside and into the cabin, where he was placed upon a couch. Disappointment met Aimee on her arrival home, for she had hoped that her father might be there. Shocky proceeded to wash the blood from Roger’s head and face and dress his wounds. Aimee brought him water and bandages. While thus engaged, a footstep sounded out- side the door, and the next moment a wild, haggard form reeled into the room. t was Max La Fleur, though Aimee scarcely knew him. His head was bare, and his long, dark hair and full beard tossed and disheveled like that of a madman’s. A wild look was in his eyes, and he started back at sight of Shocky, as if with fear. “Oh, father!” cried Aimee, throwing her arms about his neck, ‘‘I have mourned you as dead! but, father, what is the matter? why do you shrink from me?” ‘*My God, Aimee!” burst from his lips, ‘I am going mad! Iam a murderer! The curse of Cain is upon me! For hours I have been hiding away in the darkness, afraid even to ap- roach my own door. Aimee, I killed Roger illbank, through mistake in the darkness, lieving he was a savage, until—” ‘*No no, Mr. La Fleur,” interrupted Shocky, “* vou didn’t quite kill him, for there he lays, good as forty-’leven dead men!” “My God! Roger Millbank here, and alive?” and for the first time since entering his eyes fell upon the prostrate form of the ranger, hin, rising upon his elbow, said: | ‘‘] know now it was a mistake, Max, though you dealt me some terrible blows. But your daughter Aimee came to my rescue, and, with her assistance and Shocky’s, I guess rl pull through.” Max La Fleur propped upon his knees, and lifting his face toward heaven, murmured a prayer. When he rose to his feet he seemed transformed into a new being. He was Max La Fleur again—-a large, noble-looking old man of sixty, with a commanding figure, and a face pleasant and intellectual. ‘* Roger,” he said, advancing to the ranger’s bedside and taking his hand, ‘‘I have through the tortures of hell since I[ left you lying, as I believed, dead. Fear took posses- sion of me the instant I discovered my mistake, and I fled wild with horror. Buf the fact is I was almost crazy when I struck you down, for I had passed through an ordeal just awhile be- fore that completely unnerved me. It was this: Seven of my old Indian customers on the war-path, took me prisoner. After traveling some distance they camped for the night at the foot of a great cliff. I was tied to a tree hard by. A fire was lighted at the foot of the cliff, and while my captors were seated around it, an ex- plosion occurred in their midst that absolutel blowed fire and red-skins out of existence, for a { know. I received such a wrench, also, as to break my bonds, and in the sulphurous dark- ness that hung over all I escaped. But what the cause—” Here the old tanner was interrupted by an outburst of laughter from Shocky and Aimee. After this the lad explained the cause of the ex- plosion, and his story filled the Frenchman with surprise and wonder. ~ La Fleur finished dressing Roger’s wounds, and after the young ranger had been skillfully bandaged and anointed he began to feel better and his spirit revived. In fact. all parties felt better, forthe worst appeared to be over with. But, alas! for human hopes, A pistol ontside in the darkness suddenly rung out and Shocky, who was advancing toward the open door, uttered a cry, threw up his hands and stagger- ing backward, sunk with a moan to the oor. The next instant the lithe figure of a dark- ‘visaged man with his head tied up in a red handkerchief, glided into the room, followed by four savages whose faces were ringed and streaked until they appeared the very demons of hideousness! The Parson Detective. ee ee ee ee eye ees te eg oe - -——— ——er- - TT eR - - — — oe oe CHAPTER IV. THE WEDDING IN THE GROTTO. From the ‘‘ Pine Cone” Ptolemy Frodd went direct to his own quarters that were located in the east end of the village in a building known as “The Twin Cabins.” Two cabins standing about eight feet apart were covered with one continuous roof, thus covering the open space between. In one of these cabins Reverend Ptolemy resided—boarding with the family liv- ing in the other end. His apartment was entered by a door opening under the shed, and he had just reached the space between the build- ings when he was met by a cloaked figure that asked: ‘* Is this Rev. Ptolemy Frodd?’ ‘It is, sir,” and the hand of the old divine mechanically sought the pistol in his bosom. ‘“Then here is something for you,” said the unknown, thrusting a note into his hand; ‘I hope you'll not delay in reading it and complying with the request therein.” So saying the man turned and hurried away. Frodd’s mind at once reverted to the Pine Cone, but a moment’s reflection convinced him that the note had nothing to do with his trouble there. The roughs had not had time to act, even though they felt disposed to; so opening the door he entered his room and lighted a lamp. Then opening the note he read: “Rev. ProLemMy Fropp: Please be at the Fairy Grotto by ten o'clock, sharp, to-night to officiate at a romantic wedding. Secrecy is enjoined for the time being. Do not fail to come under any circum- stances, or we shall be sadly disappointed. If you have doubts of our honesty of purpose we will sat- isfy you when you come to the grotto. “Tur BRIDE AND BRIDEGROOM," ‘* Well, well,” mused the old preacher, as a broad smile passed over his face, ‘‘ Ptolemy Frodd, you’re getting right. into business all in one night. This is, most assuredly, a romantic wedding, but why is it at the wet Grotto? because the grotto is a romantic place? Let me see; there are half a dozen marriageable young ladies in River View and I wonder which one it can be? But the way to find out is to go and see and I believe [ll go. I always had a weakness for romance and—but fie! fle! why speculate?’ Placing the letter in his ket, he lit a small pocket-lantern and then looked at his watch, | It wanted forty minutes of ten o’clock. It was time to start, for the grotto was over a mile away. Putting out his light and closing the bull’s- eye of his lantern, tbe old preacher left the cabin. With rapid strides he hurried from the village and entered the little valley that led to the grotto. A little stream meandered through the vale and a dense wood grew upon either side. A path led along the stream. Twenty minutes’ walk brought the old divine fo the head of the valley whose sides closed abruptly in and where the arcading branches of the trees formed a beautiful avenue at the upper end of which a little cascade fell with a musical roar. This was the place that the citizens of River View had aptly named Fairy Grotto; and as Ptolemy Frodd entered its silent darkness, a voice called out: ‘* Who comes there?’ ‘* Rev. Ptolemy Frodd,” was the answer. ‘* Indeed! Ihad hardly expected you so soon, my dear sir,” said the stranger, taking the preacher’s hand. urn BI Frodd opened his lantern and raising it let the light shine into the man’sface; but a glance convinced him that his face was securely cov- ered with a mask of false whiskers. ‘‘ Well, who have I the honor of meeting?” the disappointed preacher asked. ‘‘The * groom,’” was the evasive reply, given in a pleasant tone. ** And where’s the bride?” ‘*She’ll be here soon.” ‘** Well, well, am I to remain in ignorance of whom I have been summoned here to join in wedlock?” asked Frodd. ‘* Yes, sir, for the present; but I assure you there is nothing wrong about this secret work. It is just a notion of mine and the bride’s to keep our marriage a secret for a short time. After the marriage is consummated I will call at your cabin and give you our names that you may make ut a certificate for my wife to keep, for I shall start at once for the West.” “Not to-night?” **'Yes, to-night; the Indians are on the war- path and I have been summoned by the Govern- ment to my post of duty as scout.” ~~ ‘Ay, my good fellow!” exclaimed old Ptolemy, ‘‘ you are Roger Millbank, I mistrust, 5 — eee ee ed ee -- —— and I have an idea who the bride is. Roger is the only scout and ranger that I can think of in Government service around here.” ‘*Ah! Here comes my bride,” said the mask- ed man, and his voice fell almost to a whisper. True enough, the lithe figure of a female wearing a long cloak and with her face closely vailed, emerged from the shadows into the light and ——- to the side of the masked man looked up into his face. He spoke to her in an undertone, then she fluttered closer to his side as if afraid of the surrounding shadows and took hold of his arm. Reverend Frodd saw that he was not to know who either of the parties were, for certain, and he began to feel that it was his duty to discour- age such a secret marriage instead of consum- mating it, and dissuade the thoughtless young folks from what might in time be seriously re- gretted; for, while the marriage would be un- natural, it.would be as binding on the parties in the eyes of Heaven, and as legal as though re mee in midday in the presence of all iver View. Neither of the lovers would yield, however, to his counsel, for they claimed they had consid- ered the matter carefully, and so the old divina yielded, and in a slow and measured tone pro- nounced those few words that made them hus- bandand wife. As soon as the ceremony had ended, and the reacher had congratulated the strangely-wed- ded pair, all three left the grotto and started back toward the village, the Rev. Ptolemy tak- ing the lead. In the course of a few minutes they reached the outskirts of the town, when Frodd left the young people to pursue their homeward journey, while he hastened to his own coy Buc, scarcely had he reached his room and lighted bis lamp, when there came a rap on the door, and before he could answer the call the door swung open, and the man he had just married entered, his face still securely masked. ‘“‘ Excuse me, sir,” he said; ‘‘ my wife remind- ed me just as we reached the door of her home that we had forgotten the certificate of our marriage. Will you please make out one, Mr. Frodd?”’ ‘* Certainly,” the preacher quickly responded, for he was anxious to know the names of the contracting parties. Seating himself at a table, he took from a little chest pen, ink and paper, and wrote out the certificate in blank. ‘* Now what names shal] I fill in?” he asked. ‘Oh, never mind them,” replied the man; ‘*just sign it, and I can fill in the names,” ‘*No, no!” replied the preacher, a vague sus- prone for the first time, rising in his mind. ‘I ave already done what I now feel was not right in marrying you as I did, and I[ will never let my signature go out to a blank certificate, for two wrongs do not make a right.” ‘*Very well, then,” responded the man, impa- tiently, and evidently disappointed; ‘‘my name is Rufus Humbolt.” **Rufus Humbolt?’ repeated the old man, with a look that clearly told that he doubted the man’s truthfulness; but after a moment’s pause he wrote down the name, saying: ‘* Well, Rafus Humbolt is a stranger to me in name, but I hope we may become better acquainted. Now your wife’s maiden name, Mr, Humbolt?”’ ‘* Ethel Robertson.” ‘* Well! well!” exclaimed the preacher, as he wrote down the name, ‘‘I have met Ethel Rob- ertson, and | must say you have the fairest of all fair women fora wife. But I heard just ee that she was the betrothed of Roger bank. I declare, you must bave made a mistake in giving me your name,” and the old fellow burst into a chuckling laugh. ae dated the instrument and duly itas ‘‘ Minister of the Gospel,” he passed it te Humbolt. ‘Thank you, sir,” replied the latter, glancing over the paper, ‘‘ butone thing more. You de not know, perhaps, that there were witnesses to our marriage to night?” ‘*T was not aware of any but high Heaven.” “Ay, but there were—two friends of ours were secreted in the shadows near. Hau Anson and Heil Macon are their names. Please put them down as witnesses,” *“‘T would rather not without—without the consent of the gentlemen themselves,” replied Frodd, growing more and more distrustful of the man before him. “Then that can be readily obtained,” said Humbolt, and advancing to the door gave a lew whistle, In answer to the call two young men, whom Frodd had never seen, entered the room and GOmiGchboo G “Si EO