Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 387 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

ee ee ee sre ef 2: P ) — ° —————— t Prenreye’ a? P, Pie -_ os As he arrived at the place where he fastened his horse, he said: **T guess I'll jist drop over to ther mine, an’ see ef my ghost thar are ther one who were on ther white horse, takin’ a ride fer his health.”’ Staking his horse out, Miner Mark went across the little stream to the mine, ° There he discovered the ghost, slowly pacing to and fro in front of the mine, ‘*Waal, he have not been off carousin’, that are sart’in,’’ he said. * But Vil not distarb him,’’ and with this he turned back, retracing his way to the cabin. Picking. up his saddle and bridle, where he had thrown them, he walked on to the cabin, and thea seemed suddenly startled. He certainly had locked the door, and yet now he found it unlocked. ‘*Waal, ghosts is out this night fer sart’in,’”’ he arr chs and opening the door he stepped into the cabin. Down dropped the saddle and bridle, and he stood like a statue. For a moment he seemed unable to speak, and then he said: “Waal, pard, is you ther devil hisself, or his ghost?”’ It was no wonder that he asked the question, for calmly seated in front of the fire was what ap- peared to be a man, enveloped in a fiery red mantle, strangely resembling a shroud, The face of the stranger suddenly turned upon the miner, and he saw that it was that of a boy. The face was white, haggard, the eyes sunken po esa and it looked really like the face of the ead, Rising slowly the red-robed form moved toward the door. He looked straight at the miner, yet seemed not to see him, Quickly the miner stepped to one sidé and allowed him to pass, and out into the darkness sped the strange youth. “Waal, thet are ther boy the cap’n spoke of, and he have tarned inter a red ghost. “They seems peaceable enough though, and, so long as they doesn’t hurt me, then I are content ter remain here and dig dust. ‘I guess thet old Bones will suffer now, fer that red ghost do look too sickly ter walk, and he are - ther one thet are ridin’ ther old horse every night. ‘**My! but I wish I were well out o’ this, fer it are a haunted kentry and no mistake,”’ But the old miner seemed to have an iron nerve, for he rolled into his bunk and dropped to sleep without seeming dread of his ghostly visitants. In the morning he awoke and Bones, as he called his horse, did seem to have been hard ridden. After leading him to the brook to water, and cook- ing his breakfast, the miner started for the mine. ane ghost was not there, so he went to work with a will. He struck a rich lead, and was so engrossed in his work that he did not leave off until the darkness prevented him from seeing longer to pick out the gold from the dirt. ‘Waal, I hev did a big day’s work, that are sar- t'in,’’ he said, and after gathering his diggings into a bag he started for the cabin. It was quite dark when he arrived, and he felt his way toward the hearth to make a fire, when sud- denly he was in a grasp of iron, The miner was a strong man, but he could not throw off the grip a, him; and after an instant ceased to struggle, as he said: ‘* Fightin’ ghosts hain’t no use, so I let up, pards, fer I knows thar is more than one 0’ ye, tho’ I does- n’t see yer.” Hardly had he uttered the words when a flash of vivid light shot up from the hearth, then another and another, and the interior of the cabin was re- vealed to the now thoroughly-alarmed miner, for he beheld that which was enough to drive him mad with fright. CHAP ER XXVL THE MINER’S MISSION. Wuat Miner Mark saw by the flashes of light in the cabin was enough to frighten the stoutest heart, as I have said. The flashes momentarily revealed a terrible sight, and then all was darkness again. In one corner of the fire-place the miner had eoen the youth, or rather what he called the ‘*‘ Red ost.” In the other corner was the white-robed being he had seen at the mine. Grasping his arms as though they were in a vise was a third form, and it was robed in deep black. The last was tall, and that, if ghost it was, it was most powerful, the miner had had reason to know. When darkness came again Miner Mark wassilent, and the stillness that followed was painful. ‘*Pard speerits, I sh’u’d hev got out o’ this ther fu’st night I diskivered thet this kentry were ha’nt- ed,’’ said the miner, breaking the awful silence. ‘*Man, you are in the presence of those that can eurse your soul forever, “* Be silent!”’ The voice of the white-robed form—he who spoke —was deep and sepulchral, and the miner shivered; but he answered, in spite of the warning: ** Jist tarn me loose out o’ thet door, give me my old stump-tailed borse, and tell me good-by, and durned ef yer’ll ever see me here ag’in, * Jist try me.” “ Man, we intend to try you. “You have a chance tosave your soul,” said the white-robed specter. '* How can it be did, pard?”’ ——- ae SS ‘**Do my bidding.” ‘* Pl do it,” ‘Perform faithfully the task I order you to do, and all will go well; but fail me, and, night and day, sleeping or waking, you shall be haunted through life by grim phantoms.,”’ ‘** Til do as yer tells me,” **Make no mistake.”’ ** You bet I don’t,” eagerly said the miner. ** Will you swear to obey my bidding?”’ “Yes, Ghost, on a stack o’ Bibles so high old Bones can't jump over ’em,”’ **T will trust you.”’ With this the flashes again came from the fire- ploce, and the miner saw the red and white-robed forms arise and approach him, In the darkness that followed he could not see, but he felt their cold hands laid upon him, and then, in the same deep, sepulchral voice he was asked aavere questions, and to them he returned prompt replies. hen the duty he was to perform was made known to him, and he was told to go, ‘IT am off,” he cried eagerly. ‘*Remember, if you fail, your fate will be an aw- ful one.”’ ‘Pll do what yer says,’’ cried the miner, and gathering up his bridle and saddle, he dashed out of the cabin, and five minutes after was riding rapid- ly away from the dread spot. Old Bones was certainly made to suffer that trip, for he was given no rest through the night, but halted at sunrise, when the miner felt that he was driving him too hard. A rest of an hour, with water and grass, revived Bones immensely, and he was put at it again, and held to the gait he started in until noon, when an- other halt of an hour was made. **Come, Bones, we must git on ag’in, fer we is doin’ errands fer ghosts now, and I hain’t one ter tarry,’’ said Miner Mark, and he kept the horse Saogene ahead until he staggered and fell dead on the trail, ‘** Waal, you hev give up, Bones, but 1 doesn’t dare ter,”’ and shouldering his saddle and bridle, the miner started on the way afoot. He soon passed his old cabin, where the guide had visited him, and an hour after was entering Salt Lake City, Straight to the Mormon Legion head-quarters he went, and his eyes fell upon a form he well knew. - Ho, ya 1e called out. It was Warpath Will, the guide, and he started at sight of the miner. Mark called him to one side and held an earnest le d conversation with him, ‘But, Mark, 1 am to be married in two days,” urged the guide, * Put thet off, pard, ef yer wishes ter save ther mine. “But, Mark—”’ **Pard, I tell yer thet thet mine are too valuable ter lose, and ef yer delays, yer’ll find other occu- pants thar when yer goes,”’ ** But I can drive them out.” * Yer kin drive nothin’, fer ther hills is gittin’ full o’ miners, and you'll jist be set aside mighty quick. ‘*Go to yer mine, be thar when they comes in, and yer’ll hold ther fort and no mistake. 7 - ut jist wait ontil they gits thar and yer’ll lose it. ‘* You are doubtless right, Mark.”’ ‘**T know Lis, and, arter yer hes made friends with the mivers, yer kin leave ther mine with me ter work it, and come back here and git married.” ‘You say well, Mark, so I will go. * We will start to-night.” ‘* No, I are clean pieyoe out, fer, as I said, I kilt Bones a-comin’, and walked the rest o’ ther way. “Thes a leetle biz ter settle up too, while I are here, so will come on arter yer in a couple o’ days, ready ter go ter work in ther mine.” ‘**T hate ter go alone,” ** What is yer afeerd of, Cap??? ‘** Have you seen anything more of your ghosts?”’ ‘* Ghosts be blowed! what does I keer fer ghosts?’’ ‘They do not trouble you then, Mark?”’ ‘* No sir, Cap.”’ ‘Well, I will start to-night,” and several hours after, just at dark, the guide rode out of Salt Lake City on his way to the Haunted Mine. He seemed not in the best of spirits, as he rode along, and the light still reflected from the western skies, showed his face to wear an anxious look. It certainly would have appeared more anxious nen Dee w that two persons were following upon is trail, CHAPTER XXVII. RETRIBUTION, THR sun was yet two hours high, when Warpath Will rode into Lost Hope City. Not a human being was in sight, and glancing over to the little burying-ground he failed to see there the ghostly form, which he had seen when with poor Cleone. Anxiously he looked from the right to the left, but no one met his vision. ‘**From what Mark told me I expected to find this lace full of miners,’’ he muttered, as he held on is wa up the valley toward the Haunted Mine. **T don’t half-like this,’’ he continued, ‘staying all night in that cabin; but I am in for it.’ At last the cabin was reached, and all looked serene there. He staked his horse out, carried any of wood into the cabin, so as to keep a bright light all night, and then cooked his supper. He seemed strangely nervous and ill at ease. For some time he paced the cabin floor, and then Warpath Will, the Traitor Guide. a a eee i a a a a a a with a muttered imprecation, caused by thoughts, he threw off his outer clothing, tom more wood upon the fire, and laid down upon Uy bunk which had been the bed of Don Marsden. For awhile he was restless, and then turning his “ NI N face to the wall he seemed to sink to sleep, because his breathing became hard and regular. Suddenly the bunk wich had been occupied by Guy Marsden moved. Out from behind it arose a tall, black-robed form. Then another in white, and a third in red. Softly toward the sleeping man tbe black specter glided and his belt of arms was removed from the peg where they hung within reach of his arm, Then the rude chair and bench in the cabin were placed before the fire, but facing the bunk of the sleeper, and the three phantoms seated themselves upon it. ‘Then Warpath Will moved uneasily. He seemed to feel their presence, and, with a startled cry, as though in a troubled dream, he half- sprung out of his bed. Then his eyes fell upon the three terrible forms confronting him. The black-robed form’s face was entirely covered; but the other two were visible In the one in white he beheld the face of Don Mars- den, with the red wound on his forehead. In the face of the one in red he saw Guy Marsden, the Boy Miner, Like one whose brain had become crazed, the ruide glared upon the specters, and then from his lips broke the cry: ‘‘Don Marsden’s ghost! Guy Marsden’s ghost! And you, you! black phantom from the tomb, who are you? ‘ Bitterly am I punished, for I am going mad!” ‘Warpath Will, you deserve your punishment,” said the white-robed form in sepulchral tones. ‘‘ You are a base Mormon outlaw, and you became guide for the emigrant train to lead it to destruc- tion. ‘* You left it on an excuse to visit a friend’s ranch, and came here to kiil me, that you might return take the life of my boy, and then make my beautifu daughter your wife. “You struck me down with deadly intent, you returned and told lies to my wife and children, you pretended to sacrifice yourself to save them from the Mormon captain, when you are none other than he, Captain Champion, yourself. “You killed my loved wife, when a few more days only and she would have died without your cruel act, and you left your hirelings to kill my son. “Then you came bither with my daughter, and from here took her to your Mormon home, where Heaven only knows what has been her fate. ‘‘for these crimes, Warpath Will, you deserve a a death by torture, and, such mercy as you have shown it shall be shown to you,”’ A wild shriek broke from the lips of the terror- stricken man, and he fell his full length upon the cabin floor. CHAPTER XXVIII. A STRANGE STORY. Harpiy had Warpath Will fallen upon the floor of the little cabin, when the sound of hoofs was heard without. The three specters started, and soon there came & knock at the cabin door. ‘*Who are you?” asked the white-robed form, ‘*T are Miner Mark back ag’in,’’ was the reply. ** Alone?”’ “Jist here I am alone; but thar are one who waits not far off fer me,”’ ‘* Enter!” In obedience, thero entered the cabin the old miner. He looked pale and haggard, and glanced anx- iously around the cabin at the three spectral-looking beings. Then his eyes fell upon the form of Warpath Will, and he said: ‘* He got here.” 4 Yes,”’ Without answering, the specter asked: ‘* Did you obey my bidding in everything ?”’ sé Vos *9 ‘““Where is the one whom you brought with ou?” ‘* Waiting down by the brook.”’ : ‘‘Go there, and send the one who awaits you, here at once. “Then mount your horse, and do not draw rein until dawn.” ‘*T hears yer, speerit.”’ * Will o0 obey ?”’ ‘*'You bet!” “Tf you venture into these wilds again, or if you send any one here, woe be unto you.” ‘*T’ll keep off, and Ihev nothin’ ter do with other folks,”’ ** Begone!”’ The miner darted out of the door, and as he disap- peared, the three specters were suddenly metamor- hosed into Don Marsden, ay Marsden, and the eathen Chinee, all appearing in proper on, as soon as their black, white and r robes were thrown aside. At the same time the sound of hoof-falls was heard without, and they hastily left the cabin. A horse and rider was seen approaching, and but a dozen paces away. Hastening forward Don Marsden cried eagerly: “My child! my beautiful daughter!” ‘‘Father!”’ and with a bound Cleone was in her father’s arms, se - = ar Ki Ag ae ‘ ib iad re % \_~— —_——— Ary — 7m