Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 424 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

— | * ibuta John. water, repeated some mysterious words as she Dew-drop Inn. When he came out he went up did so, and then darkened the cabin. I was the creek. I hastened around by the path that leads to the hollow cottonwood tree, concealed | frightened. Outside the storm was raging myself in the tree, and when the man came | furiously. The loud thunder was rolling and along I threw the note out in front of him. He | crashing incessantly. Within all was black as did not not see me, nor does he know where the | midnight. I begged the old witch to let me go, but she laughed at my fears and assured me that I was safe. ‘* Presently she bade me look into the tub. I did so, and saw that the water it contained was rrowing luminous. It became brighter and righter, until at length it glowed with astrange, phosphorescent-like light that partly illumed the whole cabin. “Then Mother Wolf again performed her incantations, and there in the tub I plainly saw—” ** What?” ‘** Tsaw the likeness of a man,” ‘** Whose likeness was it?” ‘Then I did not know. It was the likeness of a handsome man, one seemingly a Mexican. He was of medium hight, his complexion was dark, he wore a mustache, and his hair was so long it rested upon his shoulders.” **Cibuta John!” ‘* Yes, his likeness it was.” ** But what did it portend—what did the old witch prophesy?” ** She said that one day he whose likeness it was would become my—my husband.” ‘*‘A thousand furies! And did you believe such nonsense?” ‘* No, father, I did not.” ‘Why, then, your interest in the man?” ‘*T will tell you. I did not believe mm the old witch’s charm, but I could not forget the pic- ture [had seen. It has been constantly before me, day and night, ever since. I tried to forget it, but [ could not, The handsome face and the bold, black eyes, found place in my heart, and I could not dislodge them. I found that I could not shake off the spell, and at last | would not have done so if I could. I knew that the feel- ing I possessed for the man whom I had seen in shadow only, was love; and though I might never see him, love him I ever would. “When this Cibu‘a Jobn came to town this evening in the stage-coach, I recognized him at once, and— Lut, you must forgive me, father; for in this matter [cannot rule my heart. Now, father, you have heard the truth, and you know my secret,” Judge Hucklebee was sorely troubled;—he hardly knew what to do in the matter. He realized that he would have to move very carefully, and do nothing to incite his daughter fore to-night?” to defy his authority, for well he knew where ‘* Yes, father, I never saw him in my life be- | love rules, all other thoughts and acts become re.” subservient to that passion, ‘* And still you say you love him?” For some moments he was silent, and then he es.” said: “ Nettie, you love your father?” A pair of arms instantly thrown around his neck, and a kiss pressed upon his cheek, were his answer. note came from. It must have surprised him not a little when the silver dagger fell before him in the path.” ‘* The silver dagger !” the judge cried. ** How came you by the silver dagger?” ‘*T bought it to-day of some boys who found it while bathing in the creek.” ‘* And do you know its history?” ** No, father.” “Why did you throw that to Cibuta John?” ‘*T tied this note to its handle, and used it to carry the note swiftly and straight to where I[ wished it to go.” ‘¢ And, still you tell me you have no interest in this bold adventurer—” ‘*T have not said so, father.” ** Ah! then you acknowledge that you have, eh?” The girl made no reply. ‘* Nettie,” said the judge, “‘listen to me; In this matter you have acted so strangely unlike our usual self, that I know some secret is at he bottom of it, Now, Idemand to know what itis!” The girl raised her head, and her eyes flashed as though she were about to make some angry re- ply. Instead, however, she again sunk down at er father’s side and cried: ‘* Oh! father, I cannot rule my heart. J love him !” To say that Judge Hucklebee was surprised at the petbiiion, would but ill express the old gen- tleman’s feelings. It was a revelation he had | little expected. ** How could it be possible?” he asked himself. ‘** How could it be that his child could be in love with this stranger who had been but scarce four hours in the town?” A solution to the problem suggested itself. Up to within a year or so of the time of which we write, Nettie Hucklebee had been away at school, and the thought which struck the judge was this: ‘* She must have met him while at school.” Immediately then, however, he recalled the fact that she had said she had never seen him before this night, and knew that Nettie never spoke aught but the truth. It was something he could not understand. When he could speak at all, he said: ** Nettie, you say you never saw this man be- CESSES ENS _!e=*e “ How can it be?” . “IT donot know. As I said, I cannot rule my heart.” ‘Tt is strange, very strange. Have you ever spoken to him?” A ** And har will obey me in all things, know- ‘* No, sir, never! ing that I will ask nothing of you that is not for ‘“T cannot understand how it canbe. You say you have never before seen him, have never spoken to him, and— Ah! have you ever heard of him before?” The girl did not reply. ** Nettie,” said the judge, kindly, ‘‘ lam your father, and you are my child. Than I, you have no better friend in all the world. I would do nothing but for your good. Can you not confide in me? Now, I demand to know the whole truth of this matter, from first to last.” The girl was now weeping. Her father’s kind words had more weight with her than his harsh ones, ‘¢ Forgive me, father,” she sobbed, “ I will tell your own good and welfare ”” . [ shall strive always to obey you, father.” .. Pay attention, then, to what I have to say. * our feeling for this strange man is not love —it is merely infatuation. In time it will have passed away, and you will then see its folly.” 4 Never! father, never !” Tut—tut! I am older than you, my child, and know more of the world and its ways, and of human nature and its weaknesses:— and—” * But you have not a woman’s heart in your breast, father, and you cannot understand ° 9? mine. ‘‘T can, and do, understand your heart, Net- you all.” tie; far better than you can understand it your- ‘‘ Pray do so, my child. You may trust me self, at your age. I deeply regret, too, that fully.” your dear mother is not living to advise and The girl began: “You know Mother Wolf, father—” “The old witch of the mountains!—yes, curse her! What nonsense had she been telling you?” ‘¢¢ She once told me my fortune.” “Bah! School-girl folly! But go on and let me hear it all.” ‘One day early last summer, shortly after I guide you in this matter. You could not then bring such an argument to bear against the rea- soning of an older head. ‘‘In most of cases, Nettie, you have proved yourself a very sensible girl; I hope you will prove the same in this instance, Now, listen to reason. We know nothing about this handsome and daring stranger; we know not what he is, came here from school, 1 was out upon the | who he is, nor anything else. Who can say mountain, when a shower came up and I sought | that he is not a vile, bad man’—a thief, or even shelter in Mother Wolf’s cabin. While I was there she offered to tell my fortune and I[ allowed her todoso. She filled a small tub with water, performed a sort of incantation over and around it, and then told me to prick my finger worse?” ** Father!” ‘Tt may all be true of him, my child, and I must caution—nay, I must forbid your making his acquaintance.” and allow one drop of my blood to dropintoit,” | ‘Such caution is not necessary, father, I ‘ Pshaw! Such “rae tk have no intention of making his acquaintance. “I did so. Then Mother Wolf stirred the ' I told my secret to you because you command- 7 ed me to tell you all; but my secret it shall still remain. I believe this Cibuta John to be an honest man, but I shall not put myself in his way. Heshall never know my heart’s secret, nor one word of what I have told you. Pray do not be angry with me, father, nor imagine that I shall forget the respect that is due you, or that I will knowingly or willingly do anything to displease you.” ‘“* My daughter, I believe you!” the judge ex- claimed; and drawing her to him, he embraced her. ‘' You may now go,” ‘I thank you for your kindness to me, father,” the girl said, as she rose to go, “TI will never attempt to deceive you again, Good-~ night.” ‘ Good-night.” When his daughter was gone, Judge Huckle- bee paced the floor in no easy state of mind, In his heart he cursed the old witch of the mountain, while at the same time he wondered at her art, ‘*She must be in league with the devil!” he finally exclaimed. One thing he decided upon. If this man, Cibuta John, intended to remain at Ante-Bar, he and his daughter would go, are he imagined what Fate had in store for im. CHAPTER VIL. ANOTHER LEGEND. In the mean time ‘‘Giant” John Jones and Billy Bobsled had been picked up, still insen- sible, and taken to the lock-up, where they were incarcerated, The citizens of Ante-Bar were exceedingly ex- asperated at their treachery in drawing their concealed knives during the fight, and Judge Hucklebee had promised to deal with them sum- marily next day. As he had told Cibuta John, they were two of the worst characters in the town. The law-abiding citizens had heretofore dealt too leniently with them, and had put up with their insolence and abuse in no small degree, for the sake of peace; but now the last straws had been laid on. The fact that they had waylaid a sojourner cs they had, and with their faces masked, too, wes of itself enough to cause their expulsion from the town; and added to that misdemeanor, was this latter act of treachery, It was decreed that they must go. ‘** Youw’re right, Poet!” exclaimed Jem Patter- son, in response to the postmaster’s remark in cary ‘*Things is red-hot heur ter-night, for a fact!” “Tt war too bad,” Bill Twicker declared, “that them ’ar p’izen cusses hed knives hid in the’r boots. Ef Jem an’ me hed once surspect~ ed it, we'd ’a’ had ’em out 0’ thar, you bet!’ ‘‘Tt was a close call for me,” said Cibuta John. ‘If they had pulled their knives on me a little earlier in the fight, when they were in fresher condition, they would have made it hot for me. Had I suspected such treacher would have struck harder blows. Something like the last ones I gave them.” ‘** Yes; them last blows did ther biz!” ‘You may talk about the treachery of the red-skin Indian,” Cibuta continued, ‘‘ and you may talk about the treachery of the yellow-skin Mexican; but no kind of perfidy is so purely cussed and mean as the treachery of the white man. It crops out when you least expect it.” “That’s about whar you’re right!” Bill ad- mitted. ‘‘When a white man isbad— Wal, he is bad; that’s all!” ‘‘By the way,” said Cibuta, ‘“‘who is the young lady who was so excited by the fight?” ‘‘Ther one that fell upon her knees out thar?” ‘* Yes.” ‘‘ Why, she are Nettie Hucklebee, ther daugh- ter of Judge Hucklebee. She’s as fine a gal as ever lived, too.” ‘* She’s the old judge’s daughter, eh?” “Yes; an’ mighty proud he is of her, Ther gal has got no mother, an’ ther judge fairly dotes on her. She keeps house fer him.” ‘* ‘Where does the judge reside?” ‘‘ Did ye notice ther white house jest this side o’ ther Dew-drop Inn id ‘Yes, I think I did.” ** That’s th’ place.” ‘‘ Truther thought that you must know ther judge’s gal,” Jem Patterson here remarked. “Why?” Cibuta John asked. ‘‘ Cause, th’ way she kem out an’ howled fer us ter save ye.” ‘‘No, [ never saw her before in my life,” ‘ Cibuta declared. ‘Wal, it’s queer. She ain’t ther sort e’ gal 700 com S;com