Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 348 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

. ‘?¢ . - - * -pard>.>% 1 = a a, | 7 * i . ‘ ¥ « Cre mae _ Van Po 7, “4 a s > é ‘ 77 3 at Ba s y > . +. a ote - “~—, - . ~ —- _ . e a ; + Ae ANY. Lage ot ane * Pa’ ?: \ % ; * $ yy . . “ “ ¥ - ~ =. = * > ~ 3 “ s i 24 ri. 4 am aa y He had noticed another door in the side of the Lorne approaching, he darted toward it an _ tried to open it. But the door was locked, and finding he could not open it, the boy shrunk into an alcove in the wall, hoping he would thus escape the notice of the outlaw, in case he should come into the passage. ; Infact Lorne did come out, He walked as far as the door which the lad had found Jocked, and taking a key from his pocket, he opened if, Forner instantly emerging from the alcove, fqllowed the youth, who was now moving downward along a rocky passage which was in total darkness, At length he paused in a small vault, and the boy also stopping, beard the clanking of a chain, e could just make out the dim outline of a female form in front of Lorne, who stood op- posite a corner of the dungeon. “IT hope it is a friend this time who has come to free me,” was uttered, in the piteous voice Of a girl. “Yes, I am a friend to you, as you well know,” answered Lorne. ‘Consent te what I proposed and you shall be freed.” “Ah, Heaven help me; it is the same old story,” said the girl, ‘* but my answer is the same as before. ou will never obtain from me any other!” ** You will die here.” | “Be it so. Welcome real death, rather than a living death with a man I detest,” “You shall have your wish. I will not loosen you from the chain—will not free you from the vault, unless you'consent to go away with me and become my wife,” At these words Forner clutched a protuber- ance on the rock, as if to save himself from fall- ing. He felt dizzy, and pressed one hand tight- ly pe his breast, “I will make you a good husband,” continued Lorne. ‘‘ As you know, lama man of means, and your every wish shall be gratified.” ‘‘ Away!” was the reply. ‘Leave me, and never come near me again. I accept death, ra- ther than you /” Lorne turned away with a cry of anger, and so quick were his movements that Forner, stand- ing with bis back pressed in a hollow of the ‘wall, had no time to make bis escape, as he had intended to do ere the young man should start on his return, Owing to the gloom the boy was not seen, and the outlaw left the passage as he had come, lock- ing the door after bim. orner bowed his head upon his hands and shuddered, “Who is there?” came the faint voice of the chained girl. The boy did not answer, The question was repeated. “It is I,” replied the youth. ** You are not one of the band?” 46 No.” ‘* Then, for God’s sake—” Ere she could say more, the door at the end of the passage was cautiously opened, and some one entered. Forner shrunk close to the wall until the per- son who had come in had passed him; then he glided to the door atid made his escape. He soon gained the hut, and leaving it, he burried along. ** Another, ver there is another!” he muttered, clinching bis hands and speaking in a voice of intense anguish. ‘1 care not what becomes of me now. Better to end this misery at once!” he added, as the noise of a rushing torrent abead fell upon his ears. A few minutes later he gained the bank of the torrent. ‘‘Now, then, farewell to life!” he cried, as he plunged into the stream. . The swift waters bore him along toward the _ brink of a precipice, over which they flowed, - and in another moment he must have been dashed to death upon the rocks below, had not his arms been seized by some one near the edge of the cataract. This person pulled him upon a flat rock, and the moon, which was now sbining, showed him that his preserver was the Indian girl, Lona, “Why did you save mef Why not let me meet the fate which was of my own seeking?” pe tThe white boy talks lik ! Wh ew y @ a squaw oe a boyof his years want to end his e “Do not ask me,” groaned Forner. “‘ Believe ‘me, though, when [ say that you have done me no favor by saving my life.” — _ “The boy has a soft heart. One of his years - d * ’ «3 Fo i » Oe : ie ; : > a ‘ F/ ‘we : “ 4 a ye | 1: ; eT ms PhP sf P - ie 1S ‘lee “ ' 2 we Pat f ‘ Fa ‘ , 4 5% ‘ oat-2 SoA, ae A. : oe et “ . . . - % . ia d mi, 4 f : Fj a has irehe Fe | “ ee. oe : r ; els; or, 6 \ ee he had traversed, and now, mse A .---.--s a al &\ » pos — — = co % *s rs > ee oo® ’ ' ’ a) ele T a! ain PRD 7 ey Skinfli ny Old ) at should not be crushed by sorrow. It is very strange!” ‘Tell me if you can,” said Forner, clasping his hands tightly —“ tell me who she is !” ‘Of whom does the young pale-face speak?” he eyes of the boy gleamed wildly. ‘Of the girl! the girl! the one in that rocky dungeon!” ie eried, “Lona knows of no dungeon. Has the white boy lost his mind?’ “No! no! I tell you she is there!” repeated Forner, ‘‘ and he wants her—he wants her to be his wife.” Then he went on raving incoherently, and Lona perceived that he was in a delirium. ‘* Come,” she said, gently. She grasped his hands, he staggered to bis feet, and the Indian gir! tondieted him to the camp of the Omahas, which had lately been moved nearer to the mountains, There he was placed on a couch of skins in a tent, and a skill- ful doctor of the tribe attended him. For three days he was in a burning fever, but on the fourth he was much better. e wanted to leave the Indian camp, but Lona, fearing that he might again attempt to destroy himself, advised her people to persuade bim to remain with them, The Indians, therefore, would not let him go, urging as a reason, that he was too weak to do So. The remarks of the boy about a girl in a dun- geon had greatly impressed Lona. Although he had spoken while delirious, yet she could not belp thinking that there might be some truth in his statements, and as he had more than once mentioned the name of Lorne, ber curiosity and luterest had been aroused, On making a search, she discovered the hut which, among other things, the lad had men- tioned during his ravings. *Loua always thought Lorne was a bad man, and now she is almost sure of it,” muttered the girl on the morning she saw the hut. “The boy spoke of a band of men with him, in a rocky cave, Those cannot be good men. They must be robbers.” Se entered the but and looked about her, but, as Forver bad not mentioned the secret trap- door, she did not discover it. Leaving the hut, she mounted the high rock, ck which it was built, and examined it eenly. Finaily she saw a crevice or fissure in the top 44 a large enough to admit a slender human y. She kneeled, and looked down into it, but all was darkness below, so that she could not see to the bottom of it. She went back to the camp, procured a long rope, and with it returned to the rock, astening one end of the rope to a projection, she descended into the cavity. The sides of this were so rugged and contain- ed so many knobs that she might almost have climbed down them without the assistance of the rope, After going about thirty feet, she touched ground, The re here was very dim. She found her- self in a large vault, which, beyond her position, was in complete darkness. Cautiousiy moving forward, she fancied she heard heavy breathing, as of some person ina profound sleep. She kept on, and finally took from her pocket a match, which she lighted. The brief gleam fell upon the face and form of a young girl, who, with a chain about her middle, lay fast asleep on a pallet of straw. A low cry of astonishment escaped Lona’s lips, and the match dropping from her hand, was extinguished, At the same moment, she heard a door open and the outlaw, Lorne, with a lamp, entered the passage, the rays of the light falling full upon the person of the Indian girl, at once re- vealing her to his gaze. She sprung to the place where her rope hung, but, ere she could commence ber ascent, Lorne was there pointing a pistol toward her. **Hab! you are nicely caged, and you shall not leave this pe in a hurry,” he said, ‘‘Come down, before | fire,” Lona dropped lightly to the ‘*T know you, now. eying him steadily. The young outlaw laughed. ‘*'You’ll have to keep that to yourself, at any rate,” be replied. “I have you in my clutches, and I am glad of it.” | Lona was unarmed. The youth, with some cords, picked up from one side of the vault, made her hands fast behind her back. Then he ound, You bad man!” she said, alii ea ~ 2 5 Fe) ‘. t, the Death-Shadow. ae 7 + in ge ry Ps re: Sa ‘ pushed her into a pit, about seven feet deep, near the spot where the two stood. He next climbed by the rope the girl had used to the top of the rock. ‘*] must stop up this place,” he muttered. ‘I thought to leave the opening as it is, for the sake of the fresh air, but I think a less quanti- ty of air will do.” He rolled a bowlder over the fissure, so that only two narrow crevices, on each side of it, were left; then he returned by way of the hut to the dungeon, which he had previously en- tered to convey some food to his girl captive. The food consisting of bread and water, he de- posited by the slumberer then he left the dungeon, locking, as usual, the heavy woeden door after him. Tt ae Se CHAPTER XII. A RUSE, Ir was Skinflint whom Forner had noticed, entering the passage leading into the dungeon. The darkness had prevented the youth from Seeing his face, and, had also hindered the man from detecting the Loy as he crouched against the wall. Scarcely bad the lad reached the hut, when Lorne returned to the passage, looking down as if searching for something. As be approached the door rictin# dungeon, he was startled to perceive t ajar. "He at once entered, to distinguish the outlines of a man’s form, ahead of bim, Jn a moment he had pounced upon this man, seizing him by the collar. ‘* Who are you?” he cried. ** What don’t yer know yer own friend?” said Skinflint. “What are you doing here, Henderson? What right had you to come to this place? You found my key, which I dropped, and have been looking for.” . ‘*'Yes, I found yer key, and that’s how IF got in heer,” was the answer. ‘ Let go my collar, ef yer please.” “Give me that key, or IJ] throttle you!” said Lorne. “Easy, thar, easy,” into the at it was cried Skinflint, as he pressed the muzzle of a revolver agaimst Lorne’s temple. ‘“‘ By the ’tarnal! ef yer don’t let go of me, yer’s a dead dog!” Lorve at once released the hunter. ‘“*Give me the key,” he repeated. ‘*In good time,” answered Skinflint, but fust I want to hev a little talk with yer. Who is ubat gal I kin jest make out, ahead on us, tied to the wall, with a chain round her?” ‘* That’s none of your business. It is my own affair!” ‘* Quick! light a lamp, and let me see her, or it'll be the worse fur yer” Lorne, who had left his pistols in the other cave, reluctantly complied. He lighted a small lamp, in a bracket on the wall. The features of the gir] now. were plainly re- vealed to Skit flint. ‘‘ Who are you, miss?’ he inquired. But the young woman, who stood leaning heavily against the wall, made no reply, ‘I see; the poor gal, whoever she is, has fainted; her eyes are closed.” ‘She is my sister—a person who is subject to fits. I’m obliged to keep her chained in this way, for being insane, she is very violent and would kill me if she were at liberty.” ‘““Humph!” grunted Skinflint. ‘“That’s a strange way to treat a sister. I wouldn’t treat mine so!” Lorne was startled by the fierce expression of his companion’s eyes as he said this. “Tf think we'd better set the gal free,” con- tinued Skinflint advancing toward her. **No, no,” said Lorne. ‘I tell you she would give no trouble,” “We'll see, at any rate,” was the answer. “‘ It goes a’gin’ my nater to hev a poor thing like that chained to a wall.” z As he spoke he gained the girl’s side, and looked closely at her face. ‘* You say she’s yer sister, and she doesn’t look — a bit like yer,” cried the hunter. Something came whizzing through the air, gon the speaker dropped to the ground, sense- ess, Lorne had picked up a stone, and had burled it at Skinflint, with a force which would have caused it to crush bis skull, ha. not the missile struck his bead slanting: ‘‘ Hab! hah! my fine fellow,” muttered Lorne. “We'll see if you’ll have your own way here!” He looked down at the Pgewess man, and wrenched from his grasp the revolver he still held. . re ea aan ett se