Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 580 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

os The Outcast Cadet, ee 9 spoke, and the two resuming their oars they rowed on down the river, keeping close inshore. A glance showed that the sloop had not low- ered her sails, and that a man now stood for- ward near the anchor-rope, upon which his hand rested, Then the young huntsman beheld the man who had been talking to those in the boat, walk- ing directly toward the fair artist, ‘This looks like mischief; but I may be wrong. * Still Il watch developments,” said the hun- ter, and rising he made his way adown the rocks to the shore, and was soon in the woodland, un- seen by the men in the boat, the one on the sloop or he who had now joined the maiden. He saw him raise bis hat pohtely and the lady rise and turn toward hin, They seemed to be conversing together for a moment, and then the boat touched the shore. Just as it did so the huntsman saw the man imag. the maiden spring forward and seize her in his arms, while he placed his hand over her mouth to prevent a scream, The place where she was seated wasa little glen, cut off from the view of the school build- ings back upon the hill, and no one could see the scene going on there, where a young girl was in the clutch of kidnappers, for such they were. But help came from an unexpected’ source, ‘or as the men in the boat had joined their com- rade, and in an instant had enveloped her in two large blankets, a tall form suddenly con- fronted them, while there came the stern words: ** Hold!” The men turned upon the speaker, and then sawata glance that one man had dared face three, Instantly one sprung toward him, while he drew a pistol and was raising it toa level when the shot-gun butt of the huntsman was driven into his face with a force that knocked him senseless, At the same moment one of the other men released bis hold upon the maiden and fired at the hunter, the bullet cutting through his arm, But the fire of the kidnapper was returned with a shot from the hunter, and the man dropped in his tracks, while his comrade had let fall his captive and had darted rapidly out of the glen down the shore out of sight. The hunter at once sprung to the aid of the maiden and released her from the encircling blankets, She was half-smothered, and her face was flushed with indignation, while she gazed with amazement about her, » ‘Rather an unceremonious meeting, miss; hut I was forced by the circumstances to force inyself upon you,” said the hunter with a smile while he raised his bat, ‘‘Oh, sir! they are dead? You have killed them!” and her eyes fell upon the two prostrate nen, ‘That one is dead, but [ was forced to kill him as he fired upon me, ‘The other is merely stunned, and the third escaped. ‘* You are from the school on the bill, 1 be- lieve?” ‘Yes, Il am a pupil there, and my name is Pearl Vavasour, and I owe you more than thanks for what you have done for me sir.” ‘*T have heard my sister speak of you, Miss Vavasour. } ‘“T am Glen Richmond, .of Elmwood, the grounds of which adjoin your school, where my sister is a day-scholar.” ‘‘ Indeed! I have heard of you, Captain Rich- mond also, but supposed that you were out West with your regiment,” “IT returned home yesterday, Miss Vavasour, and as my father aud sister Lena are in the city for a few days, took my gun for a hunt to- day as I felt lonesome. * But my man is recovering I see, ** Well, sir, I have caught you in some ugly work!” and the young army Officer turned to the man who had been stunned by his blow, His face was bruised and bleeding, for the butt of the shot-gun had struck him fairly in the face; but he wore a frightened look that was almost ludicrous, “I didn’t do anything, and you'll pay for striking me as you did,” the man said sullenty, ** You didn’t do anything? ; ““ Why you attempted to kidnap this lady!” “No, I started to run off with her when I saw those men coming, for they looked like bad fellows.” The officer laughed and said: ‘* Pardon me, Miss Vavasour, but this man is champion among liars, “Why, I , e . - EF 2. a cate. he cz was seated on the rocky point y yonder, saw the sloop, wbich has just gone down the river, drop anchor, and this man go to the shore and signal it. ‘*Two men came off m a boat and met this fellow, who at once came here to join you, and they meant to kidnap you I am sure, ‘*Seeing their suspicious actions and over- hearing what the men in the boat said, I ran here to aid you, ‘* Now, sir, what have you to say?” “Ah, sir, ['ll tell all if you'll let me go. ‘* Those men got me to come here and plan to kidnap Miss Pearl, telling me I should get big anes foralarge ransom would be paid for er. ‘** You see, sir, I was footman at the lady’s house, and they came there and got me to come here and help them,” ‘‘He was footman, sir, at Sleepy Hollow Manor, my home, and when he came he suid that my mother had sent him with a letter which he had lost,” ** You'll let me go, Miss Pearl, won’t you?” begged the man, ‘*T leave you in the hands of this gentleman, Harvey,” and turning to Captain Glen Rich- mond, Pearl continued: ‘* But let me send you help from the house sir, and again permit me to thank you, and hope that we may meet again,” She held out her little hand as she spoke, and Glen Richmond grasped it warmly, while he mentally observed that be had never gazed upon a more exquisite face than that of Pearl Vavasour, CHAPTER XV. THE HEIR TO ELMWOOD, THE romantic rescue of Pearl Vavasour from the kidnappers was the talk of the neighbor- hood, and many a lovely young pupil of the fashionable boarding-school envied her the situ- ation she fouad herself in as a heroine. Pearl was loved by all in the scnool, teachers as well as her fellows, and many felt for ber in the sorrow which bad come upon her through the death of one of her cousins at the hands of another, as all believed, and the suicide of the latter. At the school as a day scholar, was Lena Rich- mond, a lovely young girl of sixteen, between whom and Pearl a warm friendship bad existed for some time, Lena lived at Elmwood Hall,a grand old house, the daughter of a retired army officer, and a man of considerable wealth, Glen Richmond, the son, had followed in his father’s footsteps and entered the army, and having distinguished himself on the border had become a captain in his twenty-fifth year. He was ten years older than his lovely little sister, and loved her as much as she idolized her handsome soldier brother. The young captain bad unexpectedly gotten leave and had returned home to find his father and sister absent for a few days, so had taken his sbot-gun and gone hunting, a sport be was devoted to, and it was fortunate for Pearl Va- vasour that he had done so. His killing one of her kidnappers and severely wounding another, while he received a wound in the arm himself, made a hero of him at once, and congratulations flowed in thick and fast upon him, Harvey the footman was taken to the county jail, while the body of the other kidnapper was buried, The footman made a clean breast of the whole affair, and told how the men on the sloop had heard that Miss Vavasour had come in posses- sion of a vast fortune, and they meant to kidnap ber and make her pay a large sum for her re- ease, He bad been asked by the rascals to join them, and the large sum they offered caused him to be tempted, for he thought that he would geta good price, while the young lady would not be harmed, So he had yielded, and he felt that he would’ deserve punishment for what he had done, If he knew who the men were, Harvey would not tell, for he sail he only knew them as Sound fishermen and could give no further in- formation regarding them, and so could give no clew to the capture of the others, When Lena returned home with her father that night, she was rejoiced to find her brother there and also to know that it was Pearl Vava- sour that he bad served so well, ‘¢- Why, brother, she is the loveliest girl in the school, and her character is as noble as her face is beautiful, ‘‘But she has been very sad of late, though I do not wonder at it,’ and Lena told of her friend’s griefs. ‘* And she leaves school soon, Lena?” he asked, ‘* Yes, she graduates next month, and ah! she is such a wonderful scholar, ‘* Why she is at the head of her class, then she is a really fine artist, sings divinely and has just come in for two fortunes, as I told you,” ‘‘ Aud who is to carry off this fair lady asa bride, for I suppose that she has numerous beaux?” asked Glen Richmond, ‘‘It is said that she is engaged to an artist, a handsome fellow who has turned the heads of half our girls; but I do not know whether it is so or not.” Glen Richmond sighed unconsciously, for already he had begun to take a deep interest in the beautiful girl. As it was uear the close of the session several entertainments were given to the graduates, and yet, Pearl Vavasour being in deep mourn- ing did not appear in the parlor. Captain Richmond was there of course, and the lion of the day, and the artiul little Lena mAnagen to arrange it so that be met Pearl, as though by accident. Pearl certainly thought it an accident, for she was fairly caught sitting upon a little piazza in one wing of the house, when Lena appeared with the captain and begged pardon in a demure way, saying that she wisbed her brother to get a view of the river by tnoonlight from that oint, r Several engagements for dancing were broken that night by tbe gallant captain, who remain- ed nearly an hour from the parlor, talking to Pearl, and he had to make his excuses as best he could when he returned, Before his leave was over Captain Richmond had the satisfaction of seeing Harvey the treacherous footman of leone Eovom lanor sent to prison for a term of years, and when he did depart to rejoin bis regiment be was forced to confess to himself that be had fallen irrevo- cably in love with Pearl Vavasour, ‘What if she is engaged, as Lena fears that she is? ‘“‘It would be a bitter blow to me, for I am not one to love lightly and forget easily. ‘I will leave it to that sweet little sister of .mine, who is to visit her this summer, to get at the truth, and if she is heart whole, as I sincerely hope, I will get another leave of absence and come back to try and win her love, ‘* She is not indifferent to me, I think; but it may be only gratitude that causes her to be kind to me, ‘*I wish I could meet this artist, that I might see the kind of a manit is said she loves, ‘“‘Ah me! I have met my fate at last, and I wonder if it is to be a cruel fate,” Three weeks after Glen Richmond was again upon the border with his company of gallant troopers, while Pearl Vavasour, having gradu- ated with the first, honors of her class, was once more at home. One day the captain was surprised to receive a package by express, tt was addressed in an exquisite feminine band, and upon opening the box, a velvet case was revealed in which nestled a superb gold- mounted sword with a monogram in diamonds in the hilt, i Upon the scabbard was the following inscrip- ion: iT) To CAPTAIN GLEN RICHMOND, As a Tribute, From one whom he risked his life to save, June 10th, 18—,” There was no note accompanying the beauti- ful and costly gift, but the engraving on the scabbard told from whom it came, and Glen Richmond said to himself in an earnest way: ‘‘T am at least not forgotten,” CHAPTER XVI. THE START, WHEN Lone Star Luke went up into the town accompanied by Dick Darling, be walked along as though be knew just where be wished to go, and was well avquainted with the surroundings, He made his way to the outskirts of the city, and atopped at a small cottage, which was sur- rounded by a large garden, A light burned in the window, and a knock at the door caused it to be opened by a young man, who said, pleasantly: ; ‘““Welcome, Friend Lone Star, you and your riend,” They entered the little hallway and Dick Dar- Cc 900