Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 36 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

_o Murker opened the door indicated, and went into the closet, when, quick as thouglit, Jessie banged the door upon him, and locked it, taking the key with her. This done, she rushed from the hut, and fled away, slie scarce knew or cared whither, so that she escaped from the power of the villain she so much feared. Where to go she knew not. She possess- ed not a friend, even an acquaintance, other than the old woman with whom she had so long lived, in the whole world. But, witha brave heart, she pressed forward, until, at length, utterly wearied out, she was on the point of seeking a spot by the roadside where she could sleep, when she saw a number of wagons, drawn by horses, ap- proaching. Here, at least, she thought she might ob- tain shelter and protection, and so waited until they had come up. In the meanwhile, Murket, when he found himself socleverly caught in a trap, rapped and battered away at the door, calling, with many an oath, upon the old woman to let him out. But even had she been able to have reached the closet door she could have afforded no assistance, for it will be remem- bered that Jessie had taken the key, and Murker, getting desperate, threw his weight against it, and burst the fastenings. With an oath he rushed from the place, bat had just passed into the larger room, when a well-directed blow, dealt by some unseen hand, felled him to the floor. CHAPTER Iil. A NIGHT ON THE ROAD. Bur Henry was not dead, although life was lield by the thinnest fiber, and it was some time before he opened his eyes to stare upon a horror struck crowd gathered around, and guzing on him. He strove to move, but it gave him agony to do so, and, as they endeavored to Jift him up, a piercing scream *came from him, that penetrated the hearts of those around. : Many a prayer went up in petition for that jad’s life, and they were heard and an- swered. “Ah, Mary!” said one of the women, “there are many who believe that people in our profession never think of a higher and better world than this. And l’ve even seen in & magazine that the perform- ers in a circus are called ignorant and de- graded.” “Well, well, Suallie, let them talk. TI be- lieve, and I know you do too, that we have as near a right to heaven as they,” answer- ed another. | “Whoever did this awful deed—for we have found where the rope is cut—deserves to swing for it. It’s next to a miracle that Henry wasn’t killed outright. I don’t see what saved him, falling, as he did, from so great a hight.” “Yes, it was, indeed, next to a miracle,” the woman said. ‘‘ By some chance or other the carpet, generally laid in the ring for ‘ground and lofty tumbling’ had not been taken up, and this, in & measure, thwarted a villain’s plans.” The physician of the village arrived in Beadle’s Halfi-Dime Library. good time, and after a great deal of flour- ishes and asking of questions not applicable to the subject, proceeded to examine his patient, whom he pronounced to be badly, though not dangerously hurt. At first he looked upon the proposition of the lad’s going on with the troupe as utterly imprac- ticable. But when he was told that there were skillful nurses who would care for him, he finally gave his consent, and prepara- tions were at once begun to render the journey as easy as possible. A large feather-bed was placed in one of the smoothest-going wagons, a careful driver was detailed, and the wounded boy’s friend, Charles, assumed the duty of watch- er and nurse by his side. Everything possible was done, and then the troupe started on their night journey. The distance to the next town or “ sta- tion,” where they had to perform on the following day, was’ some five-and-twenty miles, aud as they had got a late start, it required steady driving, so as to be up in time for the ‘‘ grand entree,”” which, by many of the country people, is considered the best part of the show. The country over which the caravan was passing was fortunately level, and possessed good roads, though much of tle way led through dense forests, where, beneath the over-arching trees, the darkness was very deep. The procession was passing through one of these woods, when, suddenly, the leaders of the first van shied violently at something on the roadside, and refused to advance, the while snorting violently. The driver leaped quickly to the ground, having given the reins to his companion, and cautiously advanced toward an object he faintly discerned crouching at the foot of a large tree. A moment after he was bending over the form of Jessie, who, almost fainting with fatigue, had sunk to the earth just -as the wagon came up. ‘‘ Why, bless me; what have we here?” exclaimed the man, raising her in his arms, In a few words, broken by sobs, Jessie told her story, and, in a timid voice, asked for protection. ‘* And that you shall have, little one,” re- plied the kind hearted man, ‘‘ The villain, to drive a poor girl from her home. By Jinks! she sha’n’t go back to the old hag if I can prevent it. She’s handsome enough, as far as I can see, to’make a picter in the procession, and I'll bet the manager ’ll be glad of the chance. I'll see,” This he accordingly did, and the mana- ger, with a quick eye’ to business, saw that it would prove a good speculation, and at once gave his consent. The women were awakencd, and Jessi was given in their charge, and she, having gone through such unusual fatigue and ex- citement, was soon buried in profound slumber, while the long train moved on through the silent forest toward its destina- tion. As the night grew older a bank of black, angry-looking clouds loomed up in the West, and presently the'low muttering of thunder came borne upon the freshening breeze. ‘‘ Old Jake,” the man who had first dis- covered Jessie, and afterward persuaded the manager to take her along with the troupe, predicted a storm, and no light one, before morning. Jake was one of the ‘‘ characters” of the company, an odd but kind-hearted man, aud was universally liked and respected by his associates. He always had a good story to tell to pass away a tedious hour, and @ willing heart to assist any one who might be in distress. ‘*This ’ere have been a night of adven- ture,” he said, ‘‘and I misses my guess if something more out of the usual don’t hap- pen afore we gets to next station. You see three is allus a lucky or onlucky number, as the case may be; and when two things, out of the usual, you know, happens in one night, or day either, thar’s sartin to be an- other to make up the third. Now there’s that boy Henry, God bless him, and Old Nick take the villain Mu—but I won't mention no names—he comes first. Then there’s the gal we picked up—she comes second; and, mark what I says, there’ll be somethin’ else afore mornin’. What a row there’]l be among the animiles when this storm breaks, They don’t like thunderand lightnin.” The rain falling in huge drops put a stop to his jokimg. The storm was coming with all its fury, and, ere long, the rain poured down in a perfect deluge! Lightning flashed and played around the caravan, making the party look like witches springing from the darkness of that inky black night. The thunder was heavy and frightful to hear. . The animals, maddened by the sounds of the tempest outside, walked up and down the! limits of their cage, howling and lashing their tails in rage at being thus con- fined. The women huddled enneiite and at every glare of lightning, peal of thunder, or ery of the infuriated beasts, would cower, down and tremble. The men worked with all their power to get their poor horses along, but, even these animals had given way to fear. And yet, through all this fearful din, the young gymnast lay dreaming sweet dreams of other days, while his watcher kept his. vigil silently, well knowing that, should his. patient awake and find him absent from his post, it would sorely grieve him. One of: the women woke Jessie up and asked her how she could sleep in such #& tempest, but the girl said she was used to storms, and that she loved to hear the thun- der, for it lulled her to sleep, and many a night had she laid in a cave by the sea lis- tening to its wild music. They thought .she was a strange child, and trembled again as the lightning illu mined the sky. Fiercer and fiereer raged the storm. Faces: and forms were undistinguishable, save ‘when revealed by the lightning, and then: only shown to be hidden again in the black. | pall of the night. Still, through all, the caravan toiled slowly ,OO (e cS (E(0) com