Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 708 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

I A ct ei tet os —— ——— eel ee a a i ll gi gO, o- — — 4 7, 4 f , . - stand that teeth-rattling any longer! Then, too, + need your help in more ways tbanone, Drink, sa 1” (pr obeyed, though the scalding-hot coffee brought tears streaming down his cheeks. But it was just the stimulant required, and when Light-heart Lute topped it off with a fair swal- low of brandy, tbe son of Africa was fairly him- self once more, despite that object of super- stitious dread lying in the wild beast den so near ut band, ‘* Now, old fellow, hustle about and dish up what there’s left, for breakfast. Little enough, worse luck! but we'll make it answer until some- thing more substantial offers. Aud— Lem!” ** Right heah, boss!” ‘‘Call me when you're ready. I’m going ia yonder to— Well, ’ll hear you if you call loud enougn.” Without waiting for an answer, Light-heart Lute entered the den, shortly appearing again, dragging the carcass of the mountain lion after him, leavirg it at the edge of a clump of bushes some distance from the entrance, then retracing his steps. The fire had died out, but enough light came through the opening to assure him that no changes bad taken place since his last visit to the unfortunate amiuer, who had so strangely been thrown into their company. He lay as he had been left, on the folded blankets, bis hands resting upon his _bullet- pierced bosom, bis lids closed, his face calm and composed. The gloom hid those ugly blood- stains, and no one seeing him thus, could have dreamed that Adam Elton had come to his death through such bitter agony. Light-heart Lute knelt beside the body, low- ering his head until one ear gently touched the clothing over that heart. No sound—not the faintest flutter, as there surely would be if life lingered. ‘Poor fellow!” huskily murmured Larrimer, lifting bis head and gazing almost wistfully into that pale face. ‘‘ Your earthly troubles are over, but—mine are just beginning. Id give a hand, almost, not to have been your confidant, but—I took the oath, [ accepted your sacred legacy. And—Heaven helping me! J’ll keep that vow |” He rose to his feet and left the cave, just as Lem called out that grub was pegs And to- gether they ate the scanty meal in silence. When the last of the coffee was swallowed, Light-heart Lute nodded to Lem, leading the way to the cave entrance, a blazing brand in his hand. Reluctantly be won Lemuel to gaze upon that pale face by the ruddy light, saying: “Steady, boy! See if you can’t place him, Lem, Did you ever see him before last night? Slowly—take your time!” : ‘I fink—fo’ suah, boss!” huskily ejaculated the negro. “Allright; it just struck me that it might be so,” nodded Larrimer, as he turned away to leave the den. ‘‘Come outside, boy, There’s a bit of work to be done before we do any talk- ing.” / : Lemuel gave a shiver as he thought of handling that co , but his spirits quickly rallied when he found out what Light-beart Lute really in- tended doing; not digging a grave, but walling the body up in the den itself, This was quickly accomplished, though 80 thoroughly done, Countless stones had dropped from that rocky shelf, some of them large enough to baffle even a mountain lion to roll aside when properly backed up by other rocks. And so, after half an hour’s work, the job was finished. , ‘* Now we'll have a smoke, old boy,” nodded Light-heart Lute, with more of his wonted jollity than he had shown since that strange resurrection had taken place, ‘* And then you can tell me when, where, and how you first met our poor friend in yonder,” That was briefly told, for Lem was only too anxious to get away trom that vicinity, He said that te bad stumbled upon a lone cabin near the river a couple of days before Light-heart Lute met him, 3 Dar war jes’ de man, fur’s I see’d,” he added, between puffs. ‘‘He ‘peared mighty By. dike he finked I was dah fo’ no good, ’stead ob bein’? hongry clean frough an’ frougb! He frowed mea bunk o’ bread, an’ ‘lowed I'd lib heap sight longer ef I skun out o’ dar in a holy hurr ! ") * You are sure it was the same Man ‘‘ Suah, fo’ sart’in, boss!” declared Lemuel. “* And you didn’t catch sight of any other per- son about thehouse? Nothing of alittle girl, for instance “Shoo! was dar one, boss!” Light-heart Lute’s Legacy. ‘* That’s what I’m asking you: Was there any such about?” Not that Lemuel had seen, though it was pos- sible, he admitted, For, scared by the dark frowns and barsh words of the man, and eager to eat his hunk of bread, he had skurried away atarun. And when, later, be tried to find the same place again he failed. **Den you come ’long, boss, an’ I clean fo’got all dem tra—dat pore gemman in dar!” hastily amending his i“ ute sat in silence for a few Light-heart minutes, deliberating how far to trust this fel- the need of some one to low; but then, feelin talk freely to, even if he could offer little help and less consolation, he told Lemuel pretty much all he had gathered from Adam Elton before his passing aie ‘*T didn’t learn near all 1 wanted to—not near- ly all I ought to have found out,” he added, staring thoughtfully into the fire. ‘* I would have learned more, only for the coming of that infernal beast!” ‘** T couldn’t holp it, boss; ’deed an’ double ‘deed I jes’ couldn't !” ‘*P?’m not blaming you, old fellow. I know you couldn’t, Only— But what’s done can’t be undone, and we’ll make the best of it as we go along, Lem?” ‘* Hyar I is, boss!” ** We're going to look up that little girl, first thing. I'd givea finger if I could shirk the job, but it’s got tobe done! Can you find that cabin, think?” Lemuel hesitated. He seriously doubted his ability, but with that steady gaze upon his face he feared to hintas much. + ** Ef ’tain’t clean runned off, boss, why—” ** Because it’s got to be found, as the starting- pains and if you can’t find it Til bave to. muel?” ** Boss?” ‘‘[ never knew a man to die of heart-disease after being skinned alive rpot top to toe! Yowll, never prove the exception, So—prove yourself trustworthy in this ugly job, and I'll make a man of you. On the other side, if you play the fool, Pll kill you by inches! Now you know what to expect, we'll pick up our feet and travel!” CHAPTER V. DISAGREEABLE GUESTS, ‘* For pity sake, Grace—don’t/ You make me nervousas astray cat, with your constant fidgeting!” ‘Tm sorry, Mrs. Shaw, but—” Grace Elton lett the apology incomplete, ap- parently forgetting what her lips bad started to utter, so great was her growing anxiety. Why did he not come? What could be keep- ing him so much longer than usual? Could any- thing— ‘* Guard and protect him, kind Heaven! Bring him back in safety to his little girl, for—he’s all I have to live for, now!” She did not utter the words aloud, She would not let them take perfect shape even in her mind, for that would be admitting the posei- bility of what sbe feared so intensely even while fighting against the bare idea: that some evil overtaken her. dearly beloved father, Adam Elton. Yet, for all that, just such a plea was rising from her aching beart as Grace Elton stood by the open window, gazing blindly out across the bleak, rugged landscape before her, A landscape for the most part composed of bare rocks, naked peaks, gullies and gulches, with here and there a stunted tree or clump of mountain shrabbery, with yonder a patch of fertile ground where the grass grew green and fresh after the recent storm. , Deep down in its water-worn channel rolled Little Rosrer, swollen by the rains until it more nearly merited the title of river, even though it did less credit to the name it had won by brawl- ing over and among the rocks and bowlders w ich ages bad caused to drop away from those high, rugged banks, wild and rugged landscape, truly! yet—it might bave been more cheerlcss, True, the cabin was composed mainly of ir- regular stones, chinked and plastered with “6 mud-mortar,” But one could easily forget this iv looking at and admiring the ivy and vines which covered walls and roof, and even twined around the buge, wide-mouthed stone chimney at one end of the cabin. Over the building leaned the one unstunted, shapely tree of that vicinity, To the rear spread a fairly luxuriant kitchen-garden. On one side lay tbe Spring, grave growing along the little stream by which all superfluous waters found And a way to Little Roarer. On the other, and in neat beds shaped before the cabin, homely flow- ers were blooming with a freedom that betoken- ed loving and intelligent care. Grace Elton saw nothing of all this. She bad thoughts only for her absent parent, and as @ distinct, moving figure caught her eyes, ber breath came quickly. Only to be followed by a sigh of disappointment as she recognized, not her anxiously expected parent, but the busband of the woman on whom sbe bad unconsciously turned her back but a few moments earlier. Huck Shaw announced his coming by a husky yet sonorous clearing of his throat, and the tall woman sprung to the open door with the greeting: ‘ : ** Anything new, Shaw?” ‘Not a dug-gun thing—the way you mean, Roxy !” ** Did you look down the river trail, Mr. Shaw!” asked Grace, turning from the window toward her guests, for whom she felt such an uncom- fortable dislike. Man and wife interchanged glances before Huck Shaw attempted to answer this simple question. The woman nodded, her red lips compressing and her black, arched brows con- tracting a trifle. ‘* Waal, I did look, but I knowed aforehand I wouldn’t see what you’re hopin’ fer, Grace.” ‘*T hardly—please explain your meaning, Mr, Shaw!” exclaimed the maiden, frowning a little at that uninvited familiarity. ‘‘lam expecting - Mr. Elton, and he always comes along \that trail. So—” ‘*Tt’s about time we were laying pity aside in favor of business, Shaw!” coldly inter tall woman, nodding her head sharply. Miss Elton the bill of sale, and iet’s get it over with!” ‘‘The showin’s easy "nough,” grinned the fel- low, drawing a folded slip of paper from his pocketbook, opening it and fluttering it before those startled eyes. ‘It’s the gittin’ over part as worries me!” ‘*T don’t—what does this mean, sir?” ‘‘ Tt means that we’ve been doing considerable lying on your account, Grace Elton,” quickly interposed Mrs, Shaw. ‘It means that you’re looking at a bill of sale, signed by Adam Elton, making over this house and all bis claims to land here or hereabouts, to H. Shaw and wife, for value received!” That one bewildered glance had shown the maiden as mucb, though she really understood but one point: that the bold signature of her father was appended to that slip of paper. ‘* An’ when you come to count it all up, it’s a mighty more value he received them we got back ag’in!” barshly laughed Shaw, drawing the slip back from the unsteady fingers which made a move to take it. ‘*‘ An’ that’s why I say: look all ye like, but tetch mighty light! Sure, it shows how Huck Shaw was sucked in fer the fu’st time in his life, but that’s no reason why I'd ought to let ye ’stroy all I’ve got to show fer the years 0’ hard work an’—” “Rest your chin a bit, Shaw,” inter his wife, dropjing the fairly ladylike mask which she had worn up to that hour. ‘And you, my dear,” with a curt nod toward the be- wildered gil, “ are old enough to learn that all is not gold that glitters? Your father—are you dead sure Adam Elton is your father, by the way ”” ‘What do you mean, madam?” “That’s better,” laughing a bit as Grace flashed up. “I like nerve in a girl, and you'll bave use for all you can muster. ‘* What do you mean, I ask once more?” ‘Just what my question implied. If the fel- low who calls himself Adam Elton is—” “Stop! You are speaking of my father, and though you have claimed the rights even a say- age shows a guest, there is—” ‘Don’t forget that we are beneath our own roof-tree, Grace,” maliciously laughed Mrs, Shaw. ‘* You are the guest, or that bill of sale tells a lie!” ‘¢ It surely does!” flashed the maiden, ber face flushed, her great eyes all aglow, ‘ Father would never bave taken such a step without first consulting me. Even then—what evil scheme are you trying to work? Ycu have lied —you admitted as much, just now—have you still blacker crimes upon yonr souls?” “Oh, come off the perch!” sneered the woman counterfeiting a yawn. ‘‘ You make me too tired for any sort of use!” ‘Yonder is the door; shall I sbow you the way outside?” “Dip lightly, Roxy!” warningly muttered Shaw, ‘‘No use in kickin’ up a bigger dust then we hev to—see?”’