Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 387 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

mi the tree beneath which was the grave of s. Marsden, and which had so nearly become the st resting-place of Guy Marsden. Voices fell upon his ear, and he saw three horses beyond the cabin. ‘ heard loud talking in the cabin, and one voice said: ** Waal, pards, my idee are ter kill him, fer ther lieutenant said it were ther cap’n’s orders—and of he hev riz from ther dead, then he oughter be settled ag’in.’ “T hates ter shoot a wounded boy, pards; but ef we weut back without doin’ so, ther cap’n w’u’d make it warm fer us,” said a second voice, while a third added: ‘Waal, in some myst’rous way he hev got out o’ ther grave, and he won't tell us who helped him; but we knows somebody did. _“* Ef we hedn’t come back here, ter s’arch fer ther lieutenant’s leather puss, which he says he lost about here, ther young bantam w’u’d hev got well, and we'd hev hed him on our trail afore long, so I says kill him.”’ As the speaker spoke there came a sharp report | and he fell dead in his tracks. Dismayed, the other two rushed out, to behold be- | fore them the Heathen Chinee, . There was blood in China’s eye, and he meant mis- ; chief, for another of the wretches fell by a bullet from his revolver, before he could fire at the one whom he saw was his foe ;and though the third man- aged to twice discharge his weapon, he did no dam- age, and before he could do so a third time, he was in the clutch of the Chinaman. For an instant only the struggle lasted, and the outlaw, with a shriek of terror, felt the keen blade of his foe entering his heart. “Shootee Boyee, guessee not, no, no,” coolly said China as he hastily entered the cabin. The excitement he had passed through was cer- tainly not good for Guy, and the Chinaman found | him flushed and nervous. Soha I feared they had killed you, China,” he | cried. **Oh, no, China killee bad ’Melican man. “ Allee lightee now, go sleepee,”’ was the very coo) remark, and he made Guy comfortable once more, } while he went out of the cabin. * T’ree hossee, muchee goodee,”’ he said,as he gazed at the three horses. ‘*No goodee place here now; go quickee, take | Boyee,”’ he added, and he went to work preparing to evacuate the place. He cut two long poles and rigged two of the ends together with a kind of harness, which looked as though he meant them to serve as shafts for a horse. Some distance from the after ends he made with lariats a kind of network, upon which he spread the blankets of the three slain Mormons, Unsaddling one of the horses, the one that looked most likely to be a good draught animal, he rigged him into the shafts, and led him around to see that he would work all right, Then he quietly, and with a cunning leer upon his face searched the bodies of the dead outlaws, and seemed satisfied with what he found, for he said: *Goodee! Chinaman gettee what})bad ‘Melican | man stealee,”’ The other traps about the cabin he packed upon one of the other two horses, and then going to the | eee bodies, threw them to one side with the re- | mark: | “ Wolfee habee plenty supper; no eatee Boyee or | Chinaman.’’ Entering the cabin he saw that Guy was awake; but his face was flushed and he seemed wandering a little, while his pulse, which the Chinaman placed his fingers upon with the air of a doctor, showed a rising fever. Hi ust leabee here; China takee Boyee allee tee. With this he raised Guy,as though he had béen an infant, in his strong arms, and _ placed him upon the rope hammock he had made upon the long shafts. Returning, he threw upon the pack-horse the blankets and other things in the cabin, and then, hitching the three horses in arow, he mounted the leader, and leading the other two rode slowly away from the cabin, picking the easiest way, so that the dragging ends might glide along without a jar, to give pain tothe wounded boy. As night fell, they reached the valley, and the strange party wound its way slowly along, the Chinaman having without doubt, some given des- tination in his mind. CHAPTER XIX. THE SPECTER OF LOST HOPE CITY. Atona the trail to the mines, about Lost Hope City, Warpath Will led the way, poor Cleone follow- ta Betis a sad heart, yet with hope of soon being with her father and brother, Every deer that bounded across the path, she seemed to feel was the sound of their horses’ hoof- strokes, and thus disappointment after disappoint- ment greeted her. Ever gentle and kind, Warpath Will did all in his wer tocheerher up, and when they camped for he night, he made herup a little shelter of boughs, a bed of leaves, and built near a cheerful fire. Then he prepared supper, and saying that he would stand guard, withdrew for the night to some distance away. Until morning Cleone did not see him, and then she awoke at the crackling of the blazing logs and beheld the guide preparing breakfast. He looked bright and cheerful, notwithstanding his loss of rest, and invited her to breakfast, SEE Warpath Will, the Traitor a = ~ _ ’ ete y fern ir “ He is so kind, so gentle, and yet I fear him, yesI almost hate him,’ she murmured, as she sat by the rivulet, bathing her face and hands, while her eyes were fixed upon the tall form of the scout busy about the fire, After the meal was over he placed Cleone in her saddle, and then again resumed the trail. It was afternoon when they arrived in Lost Hope City, and the deserted place had the effect of in- creasing the gloom of the poor girl. Warpath Will explained to her that when mines became useless, miners were wont to desert them, and such had been the case with Lost Hope City. ‘* Has 1-0 one remained?’’ asked Cleone. ‘No one, the place is left to the dead in the bury- ing-ground yonder, and the ghosts that roam the place at night.” lt was an unfortunate remark of the guide’s and es regretted it,as he saw the look upon Cleone’s ace, A ‘*Do you believe in ghosts?” she asked in a low one, * 1 donot know what I believe hardly, for I have seen strange sights I could not account for, Miss Cleone— Ha! see there!” It was broad daylight, for the sun had not yet touched the western mountains, and one half the val- ley was in the sunlight, pon Lost Hope City the sunlight also fell, but beyond, across the stream, under the brow of the mountain the shadows fell somber and heavy, There lay the little burying-ground of the miners. and the small head-boards above the graves, stood out in bold relief, many white as they were against the black shadows. As he had spoken the eyes of the guide were turned upon the burying-ground, and suddenly an still, as were the head-boards. At his cry Cleone glanced hastily in the direction indicated, and beheld a human form, clad from bead to feet in a white, shroud-like garment, slowly walking among the graves. ‘* What is it?’’ she asked, drawing rein, and speak- ing in a hoarse whisper. **T know not,”’ ‘* It certainly is a human being, sir ”’ ‘*Yes, or the ghost of one,’ and Warpath Will soem more impressed than he wished to ad- O10. ‘* Let us ride there and find out.” **'No, no,” he said quickly. **Do you fear to go?” ‘It is better that we should not; come, let us ride on and reach the cabin of your father before night- fall,”’ and the guide seemed deeply moved. Before he could check her, or knew what she in- tended, Cleone suddenly started forward, and urg- ing her horse into a run, went flying down the trail ao led across the stream and to the little ceme- ery. **Come back! for Heaven’s sake stop, Cleone!”’ shouted the guide, But the young girl had made up her mind just ws she would to and urged her horse on the aster. Seeing that she would not heed his call, Warpath Will spurred on in pursuit. Down the trail went Cleone, across the shallow stream, and then up the road to the burying- ground, She kept her eyes upon the white-robed form, which was standing motionless, apparently regard- ing her approach, and distant from her some two hundred yards. hy up the trail she ran, and behind her came the guide. Suddenly her horse stumbled, and in recovering him, she took her eyes off of the shadowy form. When she again looked it had disappeared. But though amazed, for she had certainly expect- ed to find some person, masquerading asa ghost, Cleone kept on and entered the burying-ground. There were about a couple of hundred graves there, nearly all with a white, painted head-board, and the name of the dead carved upon it, while some of them: were quite pretentious, having been built of planks in the shape of large tombstones. Once one was the trunk of a tree painted white, another had a large cross above it, another a skill- fully-constructed miniature church,all of snowy hue, and it was evident from the workmanship upon many of them, that a skiliful carpenter had been the architect, Through the narrow streets of the little village of the dead, Cleone rode at a walk, her eyes search- ing diligently everywhere for the white-robed form. But nowhere could she see trace of it, lhen the guide joined her, his face very pale, and he too, at her request joined in the search. It was of no use, for the white form had disap- peared as mysteriously as though it had been indeed a tenant of one of the graves about them. There was no hiding-place near, and with the mystery unsolved, Cleone rode on with the guide to her father’s house, CHAPTER XX. A BITTER BLOW. THe sun had gone down behind the mountains, and the canyon was in deep shadow, when the guide turned into it, Cleone riding by his side. Above them the skies were rosy bright, the moun- | tain-tops were tinged with sunlight, and the slope, on See stood the miner’s cabin was a lovely spot mnaeecd, The little cabin was there, and beyond it, further under the shelter of the mountain spur, was the large ** mansion’? which Don Marsden had intended as the home of his family, Guide. i ae had caught his gaze that was white, but not | il a ee - aD It was yet unfinished, and with no one near looked grim and desolate. | From the dwelling cabin of the miner, no smoke curled up from the chimney, and no one stood in the door to give them a welcome, Up the slope they rode, halting near the door, | ‘here was still no one to greet them. ‘We have missed them,” said Cleone, her eyes filling with tears, e ‘es, they have taken some other trail to meet you, and we have passed them unseen.” ‘*And what a blow to my poor father and Guy to find not my mother, but a grave.” ‘**Do not think of that, Miss Cleone, but cheer up, for they will soon return.” ‘* And I must await them here?”’ ** Oertainly.”’ ‘*How strange that I did not think of leaving a note on the cabin door, telling all, and saying when I had come,”’ ‘1 did so for you,”’ was the reply. “Tt was so goodof you to think of it.”’ ** Well, 1 suppose this is home—but see! the door | has been broken open,” She sprung from her horse as she spoke, and War- path Will, who had already alighted, saw also that the deor had been violently opened. ‘* Some vandals have been here—yes, the place has been robbed,”’ he said quickly, as he threw open the door and entered, ‘** And this is the home of my father? “The little nest where he and Guy have go long lived and struggled for a fortune. ** have often pictured it in my mind, and mamma and myself have talked over and over again about this spot and the loved ones who dwelt here. | * Alas! and what is the end? ‘*} come here alone! I leave my poor mother ly- | ing in her grave by the roadside to this spot, which has been the Mecca of our hopes—her hopes and mine ‘*No one greets me here, for father and brother have gone, ‘The place has been desecrated by some robber band, and alone, as it were, lam here mistress of the dear, yet dread spot. Oh. Heaven have mercy! how bitter the blow that brings sorrow upon me and blasts all of my hopes! She had sunk into a chair as she spoke, and now buried her face in her hands, When she began to soliloquize aloud, Warpath Will had noiselessly left the cabin, and when she looked up she had found him gone. “That is a strange man, and he is so good to me, ; -*T believe that he loves me, and yet I cannot love iim, ‘He is handsome, noble, generous, and oh! so good to me! but alas! I fear him all the time, and only wish that I did not. “If harm should befall my father and brother, what will become of me? * The thought is madness, and I will not dwell upon it. ** Well, [Tam ai home, and I must make the best of it, and await the coming of father and Guy. *‘Oh! that poor mamma were here with me, then would [be content, and if all of us could gather around this little table to-night, 1 would be posi- tively happy, and the hooting of the owls and howl- ing of the wolves would be but music in my ears.”’ Again she bent her face in her hands and thus re- mained for a long time. Then she arose and threw off her riding-habit,. changing it for a dress which came in the pack, and which Warpath Will had thrown in through the open door, Thus equipped for work, she set the cabin to rights, and going outside, found the guide busy. Ile had staked out the horses, built a fire near the cabin, brought water from the rivulet, and, as Cleone came out of the cabin, he was dressing a deer which he had shot during the afternoon. It was now dark, and the mountains loomed up black and gloomy about them, In almost silence the two ate their supper, and then Warpath Will said: ‘*As the cabin has been broken into, I will be on my guard to-night, and sleep in the new buiiding ay ae I can see any one by the firelight, should they approach you.” . ‘Ever thoughtful and good—food-night,”" answer- ed Cleoné, and she went to her littlecabin, Warpath Will followed her, built a flre on the hearth, and then walked away, leaving her seated in front of it and brooding over her sorrows, Approaching his horse, where it was staked out the guide threw the saddle and bridle upon it and mounting, rode away in the direction of Lost Hope City. CHAPTER XXII. CHASED BY A PHANTOM HORSEMAN, SLOWLY down the valley rode Warpath Will Why he was going toward Lost one City he did not exactly know, He seemed impelled by some strange impulse he could not resist, A desire came over him to solve the mystery he had seen there, He had observed the white-robed form in the cemetery in the broad daylight, and had seen it dis- appear as suddenly as though it had faded into mist. Were some of the old denizens of the place still hanging about it, trying to frighten people? What object had they? True, one who remained might find “ pickings * in the different mines that would repay him hand somely, where a thousand would tnink it nothing. : a Ee ‘ icbo T S ry - A _. + ro 4a een we» & ' is i m ( ~ \ -