Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 47 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER X. THE AVENGING SHOT. “Come like a shadow ; go like one—that’s the reason, I s’pect. At the vt of astream whose banks, tower- ing like precipices far above it, seemed to lose themselves among the stars, sat Shadow-Shot and Nightingale Nat. The night was about them; but the full-orbed moon that shed her radiance upon the earth re- lieved the gloom, and rendered the nocturnal season one of splendor and beauty. The gaunt ranger had a quiet smile on his face when his words, just written, fell upon the boy’s They were an answer to a question as to at received the quaint name which he re. For several days ey to the night now in question the twain had been constant com- panions. Their meeting in the forest had been a source of pleasure to each, and they had ex- changed narratives and compared notes of plans | formed for the future. “Tl allow that I’ve been a shadow-shot to more’n one red-skin,” continued the ranger. ‘“‘T’ve seen tough times in these parts durin’ the last five year. They hev stuck notices on trees vin’ me so much time to clear out; but ’'m yar yet, an’ hev got a hull scal scare worth a cent. I’m goin’ to leave these when I git ready, an’ not one minnit afore. usiness is business, an’ [ mean business by tua fd hyar. What are you thinkin’ about, my leetle one?” ““T was << onacgry to you, sir.” “Not very painfully I guess, or yer face wouldn’t he t so red at my question,” said the ranger, smilin . “Pears tome thet you’ve got it oncommon fur one so young. You war thinkin’ about the gal.” The blush on the boy’s face grew deeper. It told the story of his thoughts. ‘Tf she likes that fellar it is because she likes a lie!” said Shadow-Shot, clenching his big hand. “If she only knew him! P’raps she would believe me, fur if she has any mem’ry left at all she would know how I used to honey around her, an’ make swings fur her all along the road to death.” | | Nightingale Nat. his figure was full in the moonlight that stream- ed into the chasm, and rendered the place almost as light as day. ith wonderment in her eyes, Violet follow- “You are not a Vulture,” she said after a short study of his face. time,” she said. ‘If I war I wouldn’t come to see you,” he said. ‘Jest look closer, my leetle one. Five years ago you used to sit on my hands while I tossed you up and down. That was more fun than ridin’ on the ox wagons, eh, my bird?’ ‘What do I see?” cried the girl clutching the ranger’s arm. ‘Five years ago! The Vul- tures made me fatherless then!” * Yes, an’ me horseless—the best animal in these yr **Oh, my mind goes back to that dreadful “I thought a minute since that I knew you—that you belonged to the left. I don’t | a year, m train; but it cannot be.” “Can't, my bird? Who used to toss you up an’ down on his arms when you war with the train?” ** Matt Pokington!” was the cry. “Yes, old Matt—a man what would sooner play with you, if you war gittin’ to be a woman, han eat. That’sme! I’m old Matt Pokington —hev been five years in these parts, payin’ off some old scores.’ A cry of joy Fy from the lips of the girl. In one moment she saw the once loved and fa- miliar features of Lea gen in the uncouth man before her, and she threw herself into his arms, ** Bless me! if I wouldn’t like to hold you hyar leetle one!” cried the old ranger, filling with emotion. ‘‘ But I want to show you _suthin’, an’ to see it right we've got no time to | lose.” But she did not seem to hear him; for she clung to him, and her head was hidden in a bosom in which beat one of the biggest and bravest hearts in the North-west. “We've got no time to lose,” Shadow-Shot said, firmly, yet with gentleness, as he disen- gaged the girl from him. ‘‘ Do you know who s been your friend fur five years?” Violet, the avenger, started back, and her ** Then go and tell her this night!” cried oh | tearful face grew white s ingale Nat, with much earnestness, as he lai hand on the ranger’s arm. ‘‘ The cave is not far away. Yes, go and her eyes. She does not—she cannot know that that man is Captain Dave.” “Tf [ thought she knew it, bless me if I wouldn’t lose all faith in the female gender!” said the ranger, reflectively. “It is true that the cave is not far away j now, an’ the time fur the other thing is pretty nigh. “* Yes, yes, if she not believe you at the cave, bring her here, and convince her as they ride b “spe as Thet wouldn’t be bad,” mused Shadow-Shot, as he rose. ‘ Come good or bad! Ill go.” ‘Whether she believes you or not, you will not may long?” said the boy. ae No ” ‘Then may she come here and know the th!” ‘Oh, she’ll come!” was the confident reply. “Go up to the big tree. Tl b her there. They will not pass afore I git back, an’ when they do go by, if will be in the prettiest moon- light that ever fell on the skunks.” ith much anxiety and many inward pray- ers for the success of his mission, Nightingale Nat saw Shadow-Shot depart, and he clamber- ed to the upland through a natural in the rocks, and took a station beneath the boughs of a tree. The noiseless ranger crept along the stream flitting here and there like a realshadow. Now stooping, now erect, or crawling on all fours like the bear, he made until he resented himself at the mouth of a cave cut as it seemed by a legion of sculptors in the rocky at Robody to home?” he exclaimed in his rough speech; but a light cry of ——— fright and astonishm ent quickly convin him that the “Tm to shootin’ when I’m the mark,” he said as the click of a rifle lock fell upon his ears, and a girlish fi came from the Ows of the cave ehh a rifle in her hands. She eae suddenly before him and threw a wild stare into his unhandsome face. I haven’t lost much beauty, my leetle one hev I?’ he said with huckle that illumine his face with smiles, wt Tian ered on lookin’ till I into the moonshine an’ then p’raps you ’ git was be able to me.’ Shadow-Shot spoke he stepped back until ’ | : | i ' | | / | “Do you know —thet’s jest what I said.” “‘L have doubted!” she cried. _ eyes, and compressed li _of Shadow-Shot’s a neck wi ‘* Shut up in | Suddenly the head of the cavalcade debouched into the moonshine and reins were drawn. “Tt are the Vultures!” whispered Shadow- Shot, at the girl’s ear. No need of that. Her white face, flashing told that she had re- cognized the terrors of the woods! ut there was one figure which above all others commanded her attention. She saw the y hat, the brigandish dress of Captain Dave; | But under the broad brim was the face of Noel | Gordon! _The sight brought a cry to Violet Collyer’s ps. ‘* The living lie!” she exclaimed. ‘‘ Here will I avenge the deeds of that one night.” uick as a flash, she sprung beyond the reach and at the report of her forward on his steed’s a heavy groan! ‘* | was afeared of it!” the ranger said, looking at Nat, as he seized the fair avenger. ‘“‘ We're in fur it now. A shot, quick! boy, an’ then a run fur it.” Simultaneously the twain threw their weapons to their shoulders, and before the Vultures could recover from the effects of the wearers shot, two more of their number dropped dead from rifle, Captain Dave fe their saddles! “Now!” cried Shadow-Shot a iolet in hisarms. ‘ Down the Devil’s Path. e’ll out- wit the skunks yet, my little ones!” The ew ol darted for the cliff, as the recoy- ering bandits, startled anew by his voice, poured a harmless volley among the CHAPTER XI. THE MYSTERIOUS SLAYER. In order to follow the trio to the bed of the chasm, the Vultures were forced to dismount. The pathway of rocks leading to the bottom was too precipi to admit of the descent of now thout t’s hesita bloodthirsty ithout a moment’s ti and vindictive, the outlaws en into the de- file. Several were left in the woods above to _ guard the horses. Indians and whites, in their | eagerness to get at the wielders of the death- dealing rifles, loosened stones in great numbers, which, rolling down the dark path, fell with plashes in the stream. The trio reached the bottom of the chasm in these great woods, I have believed many stories, | safety, where the rifles were hastily reloaded. for sometimes my brain seemed on re. Oh! | ‘*You’re convinced now, my leetle one!” Matt—you will let me call you this for I loved _Shadow-Shot said, with a smile, as he turned to long ago—I will trust in ps will believe ou! Tell me honestly if he is whom he says eis—a friend and—and not that fiend who massacred all our friends.” ‘**Tll show you who he is!” the ranger said. “If you will come with me you shall see for yourself, an’ I needn’t say a word.” **T will go!” Violet cried. ‘‘ Lead where you will. I want this mystery cleared up. Oh, Matt, you haven’t been kept from the path of bien, ey as I have for five years.” ‘*No! DPve been a thorn in the side of the skunks of the North-west. My leetle one, there be precious few left who rode down upon us that night when I war makin’ a swing fur you in the tree.” Without more ado, Shadow-Shot seized the girl’s hand and led her over the patches of moonlight and shade which he had traversed to the cavern. No word passed between the twain until the | upland woods were reached, and Violet started at beholding Nightingale Nat step from the shadow of his tree. ‘It is the boy!” Shadow-Shot said to her. ** You've seen him afore.” ** Yes,” the girl said. ‘I trust he isn’t as bad as I’ve heard he is. I know he is not, for he is with you, Matt.” Her trust in the unhandsome ranger brought a smile to more than one face beneath the tree, and the boy turned to Shadow-Shot. **’You are just in time!’ he said. coming even now.” ** Thet’s so!” A sound that now fell distinctly upon the ears of all announced the approach of a body of night-riders, and the ranger grasped Violet’s arm as she looked inquiringly into his face. ‘ Thar’s a long streak of moonlight,” he said, pointing ahead. ‘Some fellars are goin’ to ride ‘* They are a ee eis fair avenger hesitate. upon Violet. “Yes!” said the girl, a gleam of victory in her eyes. ‘‘ After being kept back five years by the power of a lie, I have at last avenged my | father's death.” ‘Thar’ll be safety for trains in these parts henceforward.” ‘It has been a wood of death—this vast tim- ber-land.” ‘* Shadow-Shot, did you notice who rode be- side Captain Dave?” The questioner was Nighti e Nat. ‘* No, boy. Iwas lookin’ at the chief sinner of ’em all.’ ‘It was Captain h!” The wild ranger did not start. Why should the intelligence cause surprise? ‘Birds of a feather,” he said. ‘ They’ve taken the boy-whipper into full faith an’ fellar- ship, I guess. Did fon drop him, my leetleone?” “No. His time not come. He must tell ” t’s so. If I don’t recollect this I might give the skunk a bullet some o’ these times.” The foregoing conversation was quickly ex- changed while the trio reloaded rifles in a darkened place not far from the end of the path. Their ears were ceca saluted by the sounds of the approach of the foe, who were one the rocks which they loosened in their descen ‘* Go down the stream with the gal ” Shadow- Shot said, suddenly, to the boy. ri jine you in a minnit.” Nat turned to Violet. “Go, leetle one,” the ranger everything before he dies.” said, seeing the “*T want to another Vulture afore I leave, an’ then I'll kiver the re- treat Seizing Violet’s hand, Nightingale Nat started down the stream. The sah not rough, and along it presently. Keep pone eyes fastened on the twain made rapid progress, passing soon it, my little one, an’ see what you kin see!” seemed to comprehend before- | The cA hand the sight in store for her eyes. ‘She fixed her gaze on the lighted spot The sounds of hoofs Grew more distinct, and — voices of men—good English Indian jargon —were soon heard, usm from the ranger’s sig Standing in the shadows with his eyes fasten- ed on the mouth of the Devil’s ae cast in moonlight and plainly visible, the gaun awaited the foe. ‘ re heed he eee eng Som the nar- row way; the rocks shot from it and lost them- 0\(0\(0) <€om (C S) ranger : (E(0) -_ ee ee a