Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 486 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

—-* ‘ attentions. 2 twenty Helen’s foot-hills, Washington Territory, and in the immediate vicinity of a small sheet of water known as Crystal Lake. The moon soared high in the starry dome of the heavens, and sent down a flood of mellow light upon the picturesque landscape, and made cbjects discernible at a greatdistance, A strong but invigorating breeze swept down from the northwest, and tanned the verdure of the prairie ocean into a vista of rippling billows, bringing upon its wings an exquisite odor of mountain flowers and foliage, which tended to lull the senses into repose, A hundred yards away Jay the silvery sheet of crystal-like water, sparkling beautifully in the moonlight. Across this lakelet, nearly opposite the place where the two heads had disappeared, was a large modern residence, situated near the water’s edge, from the chimney of which a column of smoke could be seen curling upward, so clear and pure was the atmosphere, Crossing the lakelet, from in the direction of the mansion, came a small row-boat containing two persons—a man and a woman. The woman was rowing, while the man sat facing her, smoking a cigar, and conversing be- tween ocgasional puffs at the weed. As they neared the northwestern shore, the appearance of*the twain became more notice- able from the fact that both were young and handsome, The fair one who skillfully manipulated the oars was not more than seventeen years of age, and was formed in nature’s happiest mold. She was attired in a neat-fitting costume, and wore a bunch of flowers at her throat, Wer well-poised head was innocent of cover- ing, except fora wealth of sunny hair which | == sss tee _ - _opinion of Bartley Bryant than that. . . ‘ . miles to the southeast of Mount St. | the oars to trail in the water, causing the boat | tolisten: You shall be mine, whether you will to nm ove more slowly. : ‘You do understand! You know full well that you are not Bartley Bryant’s daughter, and that he was never married. You also know that he has hopes of leaving this vicinity soon, and when he goes he hopes to take you with bim as his bride. Whether he knows of your parent- age or not I am not prepared to say, but I know that a cloud obscures the brightness of your life —you have a secret, and are struggling hard to keep it. Stop! Do not interrupt me. I know even more. If know that when Bartley Bryant came to this country last winter he found you perishing upon the prairies with a babe in your arms, You he took to his new home, and it was mutually agreed that you should be known as his own daughter. But what became of your child?” Her face was averted. It was white. It was rigid, as if frozen in its nd ae et of despair. Her dusky eyes had a wild, appealing look, the interpretation of which was exquisite agony of heart and soul. ‘*What became of your child?” Liéutenant Lee repeated, malice unmistakable in his tone. ‘* It died!” she replied. ‘‘ It was dead when I was found. Would to God I had been dead, too! Her words, tremblingly uttered, seemed to in- dicate that she would have felt a relief in tears, but ey came not. The same stony look of agony clung to her face. He gazed at her pityingly for a moment; then his expression hardened. ‘* You have been deceived,” he said, his gaze wandering to the shore, against which the boat was by this time rubbing. ‘‘I had a better Sadie, tell me the story of your past life, won’t you, fell in ripples to her waist; her face was decided- | ly pretty—not a face that an artist would go in ecstasies over, but with that indefinable some- thing in features and expression which always interests, then captivates. The man who sat facing this fair pilot was of good figure, and evidently about twenty-five years of age. His face was that of a haughty, seli-willed person, yet there Were softening lines about the eyes and mouth, which gave him something of a dignified and noble appear- ance, He wore a mustache and goatee, and his hair was cropped close to his head, His attire consisted of knee-boots, corduroy pants and jacket, and white flannel shirt, thrown open at the throat. Around silk cap, with tas- sel, sat upon his well-shaped head; a dark-blue cloak was thrown over one shoulder, and a belt at his waist contained a single revolver of the Smith & Wesson pattern, and a hunting-knife, That the two were not on the best of terms was evident from the scowl upon the young man’s face, as the boat glided near the shore. ‘You will regret it, Sadie!” he said bitterly. ‘‘You will be sorry in time, that you refused my offer.” ‘‘T think not, Mr. Lee,” the girl responded, as she dipped the waters but lightly with her oars. ‘‘T have never thought of such a thing as mar- rying you, although you have persisted in your During your stay at father’s ranch { have endeavored to treat you with ies i but, as for becoming your wife, it is out of the question.” ‘‘T am not so sure of that,” he answered dog- gedly. ‘*Do you know, I have made up my not?” ‘Indeed, sir, you talk very strangely,” and a shade of pallor came upon the girl’s face, ‘‘Ifa lady refuses a gentleman, that surely ought to end the matter.” ‘*But it does not always. When an honor- able man makes a nameless young woman an offer of marriage, the young woman should have the good sense to accept without demur. Do you not really think so?” ‘‘ Most assuredly I do not! Because a man | | | mind to possess you, whether you consent or please?” She shuddered, as if a frightful vision had arisen before her. ‘*No, no!” she gasped. ‘‘I cannot do that— never ask me to do that!” ‘} Why not?” ‘** Because—I could not explain to you, nor to any one.”’ ‘You shall explain, however—I swear to that! I love you, Sadie, and [ am determined you Shall be mine. Once I make a resolution, I never rest until it has been fulfilled. I know two things which, no doubt, will surprise you. Firstly, you are married to a man whom you loathe, and you think you love another man— let me see; his name is Walter Bent, is it not?” She gave him a withering look, which made him feel ill at ease, ' ‘*T understand!” she said. ‘‘ You are even less a gentleman than I thought youwere. You have been guilty of intercepting my letters.” “To be truthful I have, in a couple of in- stances. My infatuation for you had become so great, that I was bound to learn whom you did really love, and what of your past life I could, Pray forgive, for my intentions toward you are of the most honorable character. Pro- cure a divorce from this other man, whoever he may be, go with me as my loving wife, and—I will restore to you your child.” She started, turned whiter, and gazed at him PP ey * Sir! what do you mean?” she cried, reproach- fully, ‘‘My baby—my sweet, innocent child is dead!” } ‘*'You are wrong. The child is alive and well —I can vouch for that; and you can thank me for the knowledge, as Bartley Bryant would never have told you,” ‘* Oh, sir! you are deceiving me, are!” ‘‘T tell you I am not! Marry me—now—to- night—and ere the sun. has twice arisen above yonder moonlit horizon, you shall see your child!” ‘* No, no! you!” ‘You can—you must !” he cried, positively, as he arose toa standing position in the boat, I know you I cannot do that! I cannot marry comes of a good family, and holds a lieutensnt’s |‘ Child or no child, you shall marry me, and this position in the army, I fail to see that it signi- fies a girl should throw herself away upon him. Besides, Mr. Lee, I do not understand what you | } very night!” ‘*T will not—ever !” She, too, arose, drawing her figure up to its mean by your reference to a ‘nameless young | fullest hight, while her face and eyes showed an woman.’ without your intent is mpant to be insulting,” You cannot mean the slur.for me | expression of desperation. ‘*You refuse to marry nie, then?” Lee said, ‘‘T do mean it for you!” bending toward her | a tone of triumph now in his voice and de- with flashing eyes, ‘‘and it is not insulting you at that. Can:you conscientiously refer to your parentage without a feeling of mortification?” A rift of color swept over her face, to be im- meanor, “Yes, Larry Lee! Villain that I believe you to be, I would die a hundred deaths rather than marry you, or any other man except the one mediately succeeded by a shade of pallor, which | who to me is all in all on earth!” she cried, pas- told how deeply bis words had affected her. ‘‘T do not understand!” she faltered, allowing | sionately. ‘‘ Then, if you are so positive, let me ask you or no, and your own acknowledged confession of love for this other man—this Walter Bent—has set the seal of doom upon him, Come, you must go with me. Boys, allready!” He leaped toward her, and caught her in his strong embrace. In a moment he was ashore. Two rough-looking fellows sprung from the clump of bushes, near at hand, and with cords securely bound the struggling girl, and then gag- ged her to stifle her cries. A whistle brought a third ruffian from a neighboring arroyo, with four saddle- horses. In a few minutes the party were mounted, and galloping away toward the mountains, Lieuten- ant Lee bearing his fair captive in his arms, while he occasionally looked anxiously back, as if fearing pursuit, But none was given. CHAPTER II. AN INCIDENT AT THE ‘** CREMONIA,” ‘* BOLLIVAR BULLWHACK, gentlemen.” The speaker was over six feet in his rough top- boots, and judging from the extraordinary breadth of shoulder and chest, and massiveness of limb, must ‘have weighed fully two hundred and fifty or sixty pounds, His, too, was an iron frame, that of a Hercules, whom any ordinary man would hesitate to face in a sanguinary battle of strength. His face, broad and massive, its aspect was villainons; features and expression bore the impress of a coarse nature and of debased pas- sions, The mouth was large and sensual; the nose was flattened, and bore a seed-wart upon its end; the eyes were small, dark, and possessed of a cunning gleam that but added to the owner’s repelling appearance. From eyes to throat the face was covered with a stubble of jetty beard two weeks’ growth; the hair was of the purest fiaxen hue, and stood in all directions over the unusually large cranium. Hat be wore none, and his garments were of bark-tanned and greasy buckskin; the belt at his waist was well supplied with weapons, With a flourish intended to create an impres- sien, he had burst into the ‘‘ Cremonia gambling and drinking parlor,” at Hunki-Dori mining- camp, and stood gazing majestically around him, as if his arrival was a matter of special importance and honor to the habitues of the place, The Cremonia was not the only establishment of its kind in the flourishing young city of Hunki-Dori, but it was by far the most popular and pretentious, catering as a general thing to the better class of the inhabitants, and of the rate Seating population. It was a large two-story sbanty. The first floor, the parlor before mentioned, was fitted up in a style of splendor rarely found in places of its class in the far Northwest, A finely-arranged bar occupied a space near the street entrance; card-tables of mahogany, and chairs to match, were scattered about the room. Half a dozen girls flitted about. engaged in serving beverages to the thirsty pilgrims who sat at the tables, making an attractive feature to the scene, attired as they were in pink dresses, white aprons and caps. At the further end of the room, upon a slightly elevated platform, was a private box, or open office, occupied by a woman, to whom all cash for drinks or cigars was borne by the waiters, Such was the Cremonia, as seen by Bollivar Bullwhack, The room was well filled by miners sports, and here and there a traveler who had dropped in to ** see the elephant.” Two smooth-faced, blonde young men, in spotless white duck, presided behind the bar, and all in all, the Cremonia was by far the most elegant place of resort anywhere in the Nor’- west. ‘ Bollivar Bullwhack, gentlemen!” The words of the giant were heard in every part of the room, and caused more than a few of those present to pause and take a look at this new self-introduced customer, This notice seemed to please the giant, for he advanced among the tables with a grin of ap- probation, ‘Vas! Bollivar Bullwhack am I, me gentle zephyrs!” he repeated, waving one buge fist majestically. ‘‘Ther riotous, ring-nosed ram- e from Kalamazam—tbe dynamic dusen- rry from Devil’s Delight. Out upon a reg’lar fu’st-class hurrah am I, an’ ther’s music in ther air, you bet! Let mesee! Let me ponder! Outs Se — ee | : | : : ; a abs : , - nae Bh A si om) 7 . t N . S rs XN » > i