Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 778 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

Pamny % - > onal 8 Highland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman. _ eS OO watchers, four men, two women and three chil- dren were seen to emerge and proceed on foot down to headquarters, “TI say, Ajax,” Highland Harry finally ob- served, as they watched the movements of the outlaws, ‘‘ there must be something unusual go- ing on in Robberville to-day—perhaps a funeral or wedding.” ‘*1t may be they’re havin’ church, Death- Pop,” replied Ajax, with a grim smile; ‘* you seem to forget that to-day is Sunday, my dear friend.” ‘** It is, indeed,” responded Harry; ‘‘ I’d over- looked that fact, so hungry and busy have I been the past twenty-fovr hours, I have al- ways made it a point, Ajax, to observe the Sabbath and keep it holy when possible to do so. I donot think them outlaws have any re- ligious scruples.” ‘* Well, Harry,” replied Ajax, ‘‘I go on the principle that the better the day the better the deed, and as I’m hollow from skull to moccasins, [ think it would be doing the Wizard Rifleman and Infant Giant a great deed of kindness and mercy for us to flutter down to them nearest cabins and inspect their pantries. I feel prett sure the folks have all gone down to head quarters, and if so, we could just make the cold grub fly ” ‘* Well, one thing is certain,” declared High- land Harry, ‘*‘ and thatis, we have gut to have something to eat before we can do anything more, As we dare not fire a gun to procure it, nor light a fire to cook anything if we even had it, I second your motion to move on them three cabins, and, if the folks are from home, help ourselves.” ‘* That’s the talk—motion’s carried—come on, Death-Pop.” Descending the hill the scouts carefully ap- proached the cabins, keeping well under cover of the timber. They found the houses all front- ed south, the doors of two of them being closed, but the door of the third one—a long, double structure—stood open, leaving no doubt of there being some one inside. However, the scouts were not to be thwarted in their intentions of procuring something to eat. They changed their position in bopes of determining, uatore they advanced from cover, whether an outlaw or his wife, or both, was in the double cabin, and in doing so they got the wind—a soft breeze—directly from the cabin, and it came freighted with the most delicious savory odor that ever greeted the olfactories of a hungry man. It was the odor of cooking viands, and Ajax, after smffing the air like a buck, his big, oblique cyes half-closed, ex- claimed: ‘* Essence and incense of Paradise! do you catch on to that soul-tickling odor, Death-Pop? Does your nasal nose drink in that intoxicating odor as areservation buck Ingin drinks in the juices of the golden maize? Does not—” ‘* Yes, the odor of cooking food,” interrupted Harry, ‘*and it only increases my gnawing hun- er. ** Then come on,” said the giant mountaineer, ‘““and we'll have some of the svlids as well as some of the cthereals.” Advancing from the belt of woods into the opening the two hastily approached the open door of the long cabin, their bands upon their pistols ready for quick work if necessary. Without the least ceremony they bolted right into the room, and were greeted by a startled cry from the lips of a fat negress of forty years, the only occupant of the house, As the woman started back, her hands elevated and her face the picture of terror, Highland Harry said, in an assuring tone: “n D. n't Le frightened, Aunty, don’t be fright- ened, 3 ‘*?Rore God, who is you?” the wench found voic: to inquire, her eyes fairly bulging from their sockets, ‘* Wriends—the best of friends,” he answered ‘¢ My frien’?” exclaimed the woman; “ dat big, ugly man my frien’? ’Fore God I belieb’ he de dit/bil!” ‘* Nary devil, Aunty,” put in Ajax; ‘‘ but, say, where’s all yer men folks?” ‘* Dey down to Cap’n Hart’s. If you want to see dem you haf to go down dar,” promptly an- swered the negress, in hopesof getting rid of her unwelcome visitors. ** All right, we’ but we want something to eat,” Ajax said. ‘‘lll swear I’m riage 8 enough to eat a fat, plump nigger wench withb- out salt!” ‘*G@long off! Got nothin’ for you!” the negress replied, having somewhat recovered from her fright, and assumed an air of pug- nacity, r ~~ eee “~ yt **See here, nigger,” Ajax exclaimed, a little sharply, ‘‘ you don’t want to get peart now, and goto yarnin’, You’ve got a whole orpban’s supper of good things to eat, for [ smelt them fourteen miles away, and tracked thein up asa buzzard tracketh a carrion. What you got in that other room, Aunty?” Advancing, he looked into the adjoining room, and a cry of genuine surprise burst from his lips at what hesaw. A long table stood at one side of the room spread with snowy linen, and laden with avarie y of therich viands that would have done credit to a royal feast. A dozen plates were already laid, a camp-kettle of steaming coffee sat on the hearth of the open fireplace, andin fact everything seemed present and ready for a splendid teast except the feast- ers themselves. ‘¢ Great gods of Ambrosia!”’ burst from the lips of theastonished Ajax. ‘‘ Highland Harry, come here and behold the feastthat awaits us!— a feast that would knock tne socks off old Bels- hazzar. Boy, hav’n’t we struck it gurg’ous? Ar’n’t we in the land of milk and honey? Who wouldn’t be a Teton Basiner? Oh, Aunty! you sublime old girl, I love youfrom the bottom of my howling appetite! Come, Death-Pop, and let’s dine to the health of our dear, old Aunty!” ‘* Jus’ so suah as you tech one ob dem wittals, I'll blow de horn and bring all de men up here, and dey’ll kill you plum dead,” the old woman threatened, her eyes flashing fiercely, ‘* Aunty!” sharply exclaimed Ajax, turning upon the wench with a ferocious look, ‘tif you do anything of the kind I'll devour you alive!” Thisthreat was followed by a savage grimace, a snapping of his jaws like a wolf, and the grating of his teeth in a manner that struck terror to the soul of the negress, who, with a hysterical cry,sunk back upon a chair trem- bling in every limb. Having thus silenced the woman, Ajax turned and seated himself at the table, Highland Harry taking a seat opposite him. Drawing his long-bladed hunting-knife, the Infant Giant thrust the point into a chunk of uncarved roasted meat, which he held up be- fore him, and eying it steadily, slowly said: ‘* Some ha’ meat that canna eat, Some ha’ none that want it; But we ha’ meat and w» ca’ eat, So let the Lord be thankit!” Having thus, in the language of the poet, ex- pressed his thanks, the Giant fell to and helped himself as freely as though seated at his own board. Harry,too, made good use of his oppor- tunity, however ruthlessly it was gained, tur he considered that, since be was half starved and in the house of the enemy, the en justified the means, The negress sat trembling in whimpering ter- ror and saw her daintiest viands disappearing with arapidity that threatened tiie total destruc- tion of the feast. And, presently, when she saw Ajax lift a cloth from a plate, revealing a large fancy cake, and saw the ugly knife of the moun- taineen cleave it in halveg—one of which was tossed to Harry—the negress’s heart seemed broken, and she wailed out in most lugubrious tones: ‘*Oh, poor massa! his weddin’ supper’s done ruined!” . ** Wedding supper, eh?” exclaimed the Giant; ‘then you can sing that old familiar song of our childhood, *‘ Oh, what shall the wedding supper be, and a-whoo?” ‘* And thisis your master’s wedding supper, is it, Aunty?” Highland Harry asked, ‘** Tn co’se it am massa’s weddin’ supper, and you’s done gone and ruined it!” ‘Why didn’t you tell us before?” responded Ajax, with an assumed look of regret, ‘* Then you’re expecting the weddin’ party here soon, are you?” ‘¢ Ebbery minit,” answered the shrewd wench; ‘‘ massa war to be married at de capting’s house dis af’ernoon, and den he and his bride and de odder folks war comin’ heah to suppah.” Asif struck by a sudden thought, Highland ery started slightly, and leaning forward, aske ‘¢ What is your master’s name, Aunty?” ‘* Massa’s name am Hank Seguin.” ‘* And what is the name of the woman he was to marry?” ‘*T do’sn’t know; she young missus dat come frumb ’way off som’whar.” Harry and Ajax exchanged glances, ‘* Death-Pop,” exclaimed the Infant Giant, ‘*do you begin to understand the situation?” ‘‘My God! yes! Kitty Boyne lives, and is the bride ere this of that villain and outlaw, Hank Seguin!”’ 7 significant CHAPTER X. A WARM RECEPTION. HIGHLAND Harry now had little taste for more food and at once quit the table, distressed in heart and mind by the discovery he believed they had made—that Kitty Boyne lived and was wedded to Hank Seguiu, the outlaw, The young rifleman had become reconciled to Kitty’s death, for, after Bruiser Bull had told him of her dying from effectsof his bullet, he believed the story true; and now, in his heart of hearts, hoped it was true, rather than that she bad been alive and the victim of Seguin. Seating himself near the negress Harry plied her with questions, and thereby elici suffi- cient evidence to satisfy him that Kitty had never even been wounded by his bullet, but had been brought to Teton Basin, as arranged by the pigeon-message of ‘* Bat,” and forced into a mock marriage with the outlaw. ‘¢ Ajax,” the youth finally said, turning to his big companion, ‘‘it begins to look as though we had work to do in Teton Basin.” ‘¢*That’s what I’m wasting ’way to a skeleton for,” respcn ied the Giant; ‘* havin’ sumptuous- FY dined on the choice food prepared by our ear, magnificent, old Aunty, I am ready for business. Any weddin’ that’s taken piace in Teton Basin to-day is a fraud and a humbug, and I now convene myself as a court—judge and jury—to grant Miss Kitty a divorce, if the bride be Kitty, before ever that delectable Se- guin tastes of his wedding-supper.” ‘**Fore God, dar am’t a taste ob de suppah left!” declared the old negress with a woeful glance at the ravaged table. ‘¢There’ll be enough for somebody, Aunty, if things prove to be as we suspect—ah! Merry Moses! there they come this blessed moment, oh! so gay and happy!” ‘* Bress de Lor’! cried the negress starting toward the dcor, ‘‘ I guess you'll cotch 1t now!” ‘* Hold on, old gal,” said Ajax, grasping her by the arm; ‘‘ you don’t want to go cuttin’ any nigger shines’round here. You stay right in- side this cabin, and if you so much as chirp I’) snap your woolly head right off. Git, now, into that room, and don’t offer to come out or whis- per. Do you hear?” As the ferocious looks, grating bis teeth as he did so, that sent the terrified wench reeling back into the dining-room begging that her life might be spared and promising implicit obedience, The young mountaineers could see no less than fifteen or twenty persons—all men—string- ing out on foot and horseback from headquar- ters. Of the horsemen there were six riding in pairs, one of the two riding before being a wo- man. Keeping within the cabin, the scouts watched the approaching party with rapidly -beating hearts and no little apprehension, for they were running a desperate risk. ‘‘The odds will bestrong against us, Ajax,” Highland Harry remarked. ‘But we'll have a huge advantage, Death- Pop,” responded the Giant. ‘* You see the horsemen will reach here in advance of the footmen; we can demolish them, take the bride and flee to the mountains of Hepsidam before the others get near. ’ ‘¢ Suppose our suspicion of the woman being Kitty should be incorrect?’ ‘We'll give them horsemen a whirl anyhow. If Seguin is among them I’d like to bat him one over the cranium forluck. We'll have to down thea: fellerson horseback, you see,in order to give ourselves a chance to get out.” Harry kept a close watch upon the couple rid- ing in front,and when they were about ten rods from the cabin he turned to Ajax and, with a look ha'f-joy, balf-regret, said: ‘‘ tis Kitty Boyne, sure enough |” ‘ Good!” exclaimed the Giant, feeling that his weapons were in their proper place; ‘‘then 1 can slosh around all the moredestructiveamong them variets, seein’ a pretty gir)’s life is at stake. I’m ready for work, Death-Pop.” ‘‘For Heaven’s seke, Ajax, be very careful, One misslick may lose us all. We're in the tiger’s den, and it is going to require the best of luck for us to get out. Ah! poor Kitty! I can see she is bowed down with grief and fear!” Seguin and the maiden reached the cabin a few rodsin advance of the others, and leapin from his saddle the outlaw assisted Kitty to dis- mount. Hank Seguin was a tall, slender man of thirty- five years, with a dark-gray eye, @ heavy, black mustache, and a swarthy, sensual visage, He was neatly attired, and, if armed at all, his weapons were not visible. | : Kitty was a maiden of eighteen, with a slight, iant concluded he gave her one of his —