Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 67 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

help. " e Help me to a sitting posture first, please. is ——— *Don’t distress yourself on my account. If you could turn me over just a little bit and get my leg from under me, perhaps Id lie easier. There! So! Ah-Ah!” She turned him as he directed, and straight- ened out his leg; and the result was that he nearly fainted with excruciating pain, though her touch was the very gentlest. “Oh! [have hurt you!” she cried. ‘‘ Not the least in the world!” he gasped, mur- dering the truth heroically. ( Had it killed him, he would have sworn that it was the most delightful sensation of his life! ‘*Can you lie so until I go for help?’ she asked. ‘*T guess ['m not so badly broke up but, if you'll put that tuft of grass under my head, [ll do,” he replied, smiling, though his lips were colorless. The rascal knew that in order to get the im- ee 7 pillow in place she would have to lift is head again with ber arm under his neck. And with the sweetest unconsciousness she fell into his amatory little trap! Next she made the dog put his nose in Ar- thur’s hand, and patting him on the head, said: ‘Watch him, Nero! Good dog—good dog!” And while the intelligent animal lay with his nose between his paws, she sped away, as fleet as any fawn, for Aunt Sue. “Oh, dear Auntie!” she cried, throwing her arms about the poor, demented creature, the new-born love which had so suddenly sprung up in her heart unconsciously overflowing in tenderness toward this other object of her affec- tion—‘‘ dear Auntie. you must arouse yourself. There is a gentleman in the glen who has fallen from the rocks. You must help me to bring him into the house.” ‘‘A mon in the glen—a stranger!” exclaimed Aunt Sue, apprehensively. “He cannot hurt us, dear. He is greatly in- jured. And then he would not. I know he is ood.” The old woman rose in sudden trepidation. ‘‘ Get stimulants and bandages!” she directed. Berenice hastened to en a When they came in sight of the wounded man, Aunt Sue uttered a sharp cry and cast herself upon him, exclaiming: ‘“ Oh! my husband! My darling husband !” CHAPTER V. YOUNG LOVE’S DREAM. You may well believe that Berenice stood aghast at Aunt Sue’s unexpected exclamation. That Arthur’s surprise should be quite as , great is notstrange. The hound rose and bayed dismally. ‘¢Oh! my murdered loved one!” moaned Aunt Sue, “will you forgive me—will you believe me? I have been true toyou! Indeed—indeed, I have never wronged you by so much as a thoucht! Oh, Fred! speak to me—only one word—only one word! See! my husband, for our child’s sake—our little baby soit You love him so! Can you leave him? Frederick! Fred- erick! A word—only a word! Oh! God of mercy! it’s too late—he’s dead—he’s dead!” Her voice in its wild appeal rose to ascream, and then died away in its despair to a heart- broken wail. Weeping distractedly, she arose and fled back to the cave, wringing her hands and beating her head and breast, “Go to the poor creature at once,” said Ar- thur, comprehending the situation. “I can wait.” ‘‘ Here! take this,” said Berenice, thrusting a flask of spirits into his hand, and hastened after her insane relative. ’ She returned in a few minutes. | “T can do nothing for her,” she said. ‘ Now, ,how can I get you into the house without her ‘help?” ‘Your stimulant has already done mea great deal of good,” said Arthur. “I think I was weak from the loss of blood. Now, if no bones broken, perhaps I can manage with your There! Ah! So! Um! It grinds some; but if you will baby me a little, I shall get along famously. “That knee is all right. Ah! lim>er as it was this time yesterday. ‘‘Oh!—ah! I guess there’s a joint—in that— It isn’t so | either one way or the other. ‘“Oh! let me get you some water to wash that ugly wound; and then [ will bind it up.” ‘‘No, thank you. Nature has patched it up for the present better than we can fix it. Does the sight of blood make you nervous?” ‘1 can’t help thinking how it must pain you.” ‘Not a bit—Ah-h-h! Um! That was a lit- tle twinge, I'll confess! I’m afraid that leg’s a total wreck! It’s been playing quartz-crusher, and got the worst of it. ‘* My head, too, must have been trying con- clusions with some of the primitive. It feels like a cracked cocoanut.” = Oh! how sorry I am for you!” sighed the girl. ‘Thank you; but it isn’t worthy of your notice. Now, if you can get me a stick of some sort, to use as a crutch or cane.” She had one for him in a moment. ‘‘ Now, if I can edge up to that sapling. you put your arm about me? So! guess we’ll—ah /—we’ll manage it—one moment! —so!—by slo-o-ow—ah /—stages. Ah! Here we are! It has winded me, hasn’t it? Tul breathe a bit, if you please.” The sweat stood on his brow and he fainted with exhaustion! Will “Tf I were only stronger,” sighed the girl, | ‘*T could carry vou.” ‘*Ha! ha! carrying a great lubberly fellow like me! Yes- terday I wouldn’t have asked any better fun than to carry you; but I'd have to let out the job to-day, wouldn’t I? ‘* Now that Iam rested, if you will give me the support of your arm once more. you. I’m afraid | tax your strength too much.” ve Sa no! Indeed, I am stronger than you think.” She lifted his arm and put it about her neck, and wound her arm about his body. It delight- ed him, in spite of his pain. He grasped the sapling with his other hand, got his best leg under him, and set his teeth for the painful effort. Slowly he rose to his feet; and when at last he s erect, an involuntary moan escaped his lips, and his head sunk forward until his cheek rested on her sunny hair. Standing thus within the circle of his arm, and feeling his strong frame tremble, the gir] suffer- | ed as much in sympathetic imagining as he did in realit She felt no shrinking from him, nor a particle | of fear. It seemed to her asif she had known him all her life. When he saw the distance he must walk even | his stout heart failed him. ‘* That is almost as distant as heaven,” he said. Then glancing in her face with a faint smile, he | added: ‘* Distance isn’t the only point of re- semblance, since it is your home!” Perhaps it was the first real compliment to which the girl had ever listened. She flushed brightly with pleasure. ‘**T have an idea!” she said, trying to cover her confusion with sudden animation. ‘‘ Why can’t you ride on Nero’s back? He is strong enough to bear you.” ‘‘'That’s an idea, indeed, if Nero does not ob- | ject. Suppose we consult his dogship’s pleasure.” ‘‘ He'll do anyting I want him to. Come here, sir! Standthere! Now, let me ease you down.” The animal, was perfectly docile; and with much less pain than he could have walked, Arthur actually rode to the cave, steadied by Berenice’s arm. When at last he was safely bestowed on BPer- enice’s own bed—she put him there because it | was softer than the one Patent-leather Joe used when he was at home—he almost swooned with exhaustion. ! Then began a new experience in the lives of os these young beings so well suited to each other, She had him helplessly under her care, so that she could lay down her whole life af his feet. Every thought, every energy of her being was devoted to his service. She never analyzed her feelings. It did not occur to her that there was possible disloyalty to her pledge to Patent-leather Joe. She was so wholly engrossed with Arthur, that it required little if any effort to avoid all thought of Joe, Only when his ring forced itself upon her notice, she experi- enced a sensation for which she would Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. The-e-re! I | a!” he laughed—a rather faint | laugh, but a brave effort—‘‘how you’d look | Thank | — —_—_—- + voice music, the touch of her hand a panacea _ for all pain. As yet, his love was too ethereal for the familiarity of a caress, 7 that he never startled her into a knowledge o/ the nature of the ties | that were interweaving their lives more and more closely every hour. So passed the time until he was convalescent and could walk with her, in the warm sunshine and under the mellow light of the moon. He had told her about Flash Lightning, and asked her to fetch him. She replied that she ccnld not leave their lace of abode, nor admit strangers, without Valter’s consent. For years Aunt Sue and she _had led perfectly secluded lives, rarely seein any one belonging to the outside world, | | then always in Walter’s company. hur was _ the only stranger who had penetrated to their | secret retreat. | All this seemed strange to Arthur; but as he could see no connection between the man she 'called Walter and the gambler he had met as _ Patent-leather Joe, and as he feared no rival in one who had been her guardiai ever since her | infancy, he did not try to break through the reserve with which she spoke of Walter. Thus he necessarily put off communicating with Flash Lightning until he could go to him in person. ‘ith returning strength came the desire to seek again the great outside world of action, which brought the oe = of having to part whan Berenice or take her with him as his wire, It flashed upon him suddenly one day, and without a second thought he turned and caught both the girl’s hands. Berenice looked up at him, a little startled by his abruptness, yet with a smile of pleased ex- cy. y She saw something altogether new in the fixed, eager regard with which he read her eyes. It was vastly different from what sha had seen in Patent-leather Joe’s face, and yes enough like it so that she knew its meaning this time. Her first sensation was a thrill of exultant delight; the rich color mantled cheek and brow; and unconsciously she gave a responsive pres: sure to the clasp of Arthur’s hands. Then, like a stab with a knife, came a scorch. _ing sting from the ring that rested, eee Ly her bosom, and she turned as pale as a lily. By this time Arthur had caught her in hr ' arms, and his passionate words were ringing ir her ears, ‘Sweet! I needn’t tell you, and you needn’t tell me, in words; for we both know it already —don’t we, Berenice?” And without waiting for her answer, he ressed his first kiss on her lips. He was no aint-hearted wooer. He saw that she belonged to him, and he never thought of beating about the bush. _ In that first moment, when the revelation of her love brought with it the knowledge of the iron manacles that bound her to another, she was equally powerless to repulse him, or to re- | spond to his caresses. Before the impassioned lover discovered that she lay cold and inert in his embrace, both were brought face to face with the barrier that rose between them in the person of Patent-leather Joe, who stepped from the undergrowth and _ stood in their presence with folded arms, ‘*So!” he exclaimed, in a low, hoarse, rattling His brows were indented until they met. His eyes were closely contracted, and littered like _ those of a basilisk. A white circle that had set- tled about his mouth could be seen on the nether lip, the upper being hiddea by his mustache. is nostrils were pinched, with a white spot on either side. He stood the impersonation of deadly hatred! CHAPTER VIL. A MURDEROUS INTRUDER—A FEARFUL RIDE. _ STARTLED by the intrusion of this evil n.on- _ster on his love-dream, Arthur stared at the _ gambler in speechless astonishment. _ Being a woman, Berenice’s first thought was to establish peace between the man who owned her heart and the man who claimed her alle- | | glance, lave | Tearing herself from Arthur’s embrace, she ame — ah /—rib that wasn’t—down in the or—oh /—in | found it difficult to account. > | sprung toward his rival, with a sharp cry of Pik the orivinal design. We won’t meddle with | As for Arthur, every want was ministered | deprecation: that—until we get into the house. by her hand, every good he owed to her watch- | . Walt!” . ‘tm! There’s where all the blood comes | ful care, and it was all infinitely, deliciously Without looking at her, Patent-leather Joe fyom. Sharp rocks are tougher than flesh, ain’t | sweet. brushed her aside. they?” Te him her every movement was postry, her He glared fixedly at the man in whose arms (E(0) —— ee ee oe GDOCKS e€oim