Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 97 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

8 ol i the childless hearts of the good couple for them not to feel the keenest dismay at the disaster. The squire had pulled on his big boots, put on his overcoat, and, with his gun and a lantern, accompanied by h‘s servants and dogs, had stumped all over the place —which, without Caleb, or even Brutus, to advise him, was all he could think to do—and had come in a few moments before our party, very wet and tired, and very melancholy. Brutus had now to add his mite of information. He kad seen Miss Bella in the kitchen, when he went out, af- ter getting his supper. A few minutes later, as he was in the stable, he thought he heard the sound of feet running past, but he would not have considered it, if, a moment later, a muffled scream, ‘‘ clipped off,” as he said, ‘‘right in the middle, hadn’t brought it home to him, like a streak of lightnin’, what it all meant.” For an instant he stood, paralyzed by the suddenness of the shock; then, with the lantern in his hand, by the light of which he was currying the horses, he rushed out, and holding it up and turning it all around, he saw two men making off with his young missus through the cornfield. He did not sto» to give the alarm, for they were already climbing the fence into the woods on the otaer side, and he was afraid he should lose tiem, They lada good deal the start, when he eavo chase, yeiling at the top of his voice; but the storm ma:'e such a noise that his shouts at- tracted no attention atthe house. Two or three ti.es they got entirely out of sight and hearing, an again he would approach so near that a ray of his lantern would light on them as they ran, dragging the girl between them. When he found they were coming out into the high-road, and ae have to pass Coon’s tavern, he thought he might get help. It was conjectured now, by:her friends, that when the poor child saw the light streaming out of the tavern window, inspire hope, she had made a frantic effort, by which she freed herself from her persecutors, and running to the win- dow, shehad endeavored to call attention to her ‘situation, but that the men had immediately re- seized her, and hurried her off to the spot where their horses were concealed. There was no doubt, if the suspicions of Old Hickory were correct, that the brothers had been in the neigh- borhood some time, concealing themselves in the cave in the ravine, and coming out in the evening; that they had tied their horses at some spot so distant as to attract no attention, and then had prowled about the vicinity, seeking the opportunity which had, at length, offered. rood Mrs. Claiborne laug 1ed hysterically when Old Hick assured her that there were good prospects, not only of the young woman being rescued, but of the Harpes being brought to justice. The squire rubbed his rheumatic legs, and declared he should make one of the party; but this the hunter firmly opposed. His idea, is he had previously expressed it, was silence, discretion, and skili; so tnat the game might be quietly bagged, if possible, without the loss of valuable lives. The plan was to ride within a couple of miles of the cave, then to dismount, cautiously approach on foot, and silently, by the first rays of dawn, take up each man a con- cealed position, commanding the mouth of the cave; and, when the men came out, as they would be siui’e to do, sooner or later, to recon- noiter, and to attend to their horses, to shoot thom down, ‘his plan required qualities which the squire did not possess—patience, endurance, and the ability to keep perfectly quiet. After position was once taken up, there must not be the move- ment of a hand, though they should be com- pelled to wait for hours, for, undoubtedly, the villeins had some loophole through which to overlook the ravine, and would never venture orth without a cautious examination of the vi- ci ity. Therefore, as it would be impossible to giess what moment their eyes might be search- ‘ 12 the hollow, it would be necessary to make no ) .ovement which might alarm them, until they | s uv fit to come forth. Nor, if one ata time 9 .ould appear, would it be desirable to dispose _{ him, evenif they had to wait dreary and un- comfortable hours; for their object, above all vunbics, was to preserve the safety of the young ‘lady, and unless the Harpes were both secure ' . such amanner as to prevent the possibility of oir wreaking revenge upon her, there was reat danger that they would murder her out of ‘sure malice, should they find themselves at all likely to be snared. After the matter had been thoroughly discuss- ed in every possible light, Mrs. Claiborne went about providing for the physical comfort of the besieging party. Asit was probable that they would be kept breakfastless, if not dinnerless, -“.~ or }~ The Outlaw Brothers. she prepared a midnight luncheon of cold ham and puinpkin pie, with a large bowl of hot ne- geus—which latter stimulant their exposure to the storm had made asanitary measure. As the hunter sat by the fire, toasting his feet, he kept his eyes upon Brutus, who remained re- spectfully in the background. He was making up his mind as to the exact worth of the new recruit. Caleb King he believed to be fearless and prudent, if not Gant skilled in border tac- tics; the manner in which he had carried him- self during the story-telling and quarreling in Coon’s tavern—where he had Faves a part for the mere fun of it—proved this to the quick- witted ranger. isfied of the true character of Brutus—that he was a fellow of exceeding sagacity, and to be relied upon in any emergency—for he addressed tohim some pleasant remarks, bidding him come closer to the fire, so as to be thoroughly warmed snd dried for the exposure which was to fol- ow. ‘He thinks a power o’ the gal, anyhow,” thought Old Hickory, observing the restiessness of the negro, which would not permit him to be still a moment, and the expression of dejection, mingled with determination, which made still darker his dark and uncouth features. Indeed, the negro’s uneasiness was fully equal to the young land-agent’s. Once, he muttered audibly, forgetful of the ears about him: ‘*Oh, Lordy, I dunno but I oughter ’a’ told him all, at first! But she would ’a’ been no safer for dat, if I had,” he added—then, conscious that he had spoken aloud, he cast a curious look at Caleb, who was gazing at him in astonishment. ‘Tf you’ve any thing to tell, Brutus, that will help us in this emergency, speak out,” he said, sternly. ‘Deed, Massa King, I don’t know nuffin’ as | straint intolerable. | | ] i i Apparently he became well sat- | entrance, rocks and i | | Was risen, the time went even more slowly, to been inexpressibly tedious, com —_— $$$ ——— — — —— had reached a spot distant about twenty yards from the mouth of the cavern, and from which he could bear full upon it with his rifle. There was no doubt but that the Harpes had returned to this den, for he observed, with joy, the same horses he had discovered on the pre- vious day, lying in an open patch not far away. This fact he communicated in a whisper to his companions, whom he placed on either side of him, and about ten feet from him, behind thick aa er of bushes, which were admirable as com- pletely concealing them, yet giving them full opportunity to reconnoiter the mouth of the cave, between the branches. He pointed out to them the exact place in the rock, where the vartially hidden by overhanging ushes, was to be found, directing them to rest their rifles in such a manner as to be in range, and yet so as not to weary them- selves. He then took up a position midway be- tween the two, where a fallen trie, by the side of which grew up some tall, rank grass, gave him not only a perfect concealment, but ena- bled him to move a few feet either way, so as to communicate with his aids as occasion re- quired, _ It now began to grow quite light. Never did it seem so long between the first gray ray of dawn and the final uprolling of the sun, as it: did, that morning, to Caleb, Yet after the-sun his intense, excited wish. If expectation of the most vivid kind had not. held them spellbound, their position would have lled to watch, and wait so long in motionless silence. The sun was twohours high. The black knelt,. like an ebony statue, as patient asif there was no life in him; Caleb had begun to find the re- Earnestly as he had been will help us in dis miisslOner V4: If [did I should- | warned, he was about to attempt to creep over n’t keep it back, yer better b’lieve. I was only a-wishin’ I’d ’a’—done suthin’ I didn’t.” Seeing that he did not like to be questioned, and having so much confidence in made no further inquiries. As the hunter had predicted, shortly after the rising of the moon, the heavy pall which stretch- ed from one side of the heavens to the other was lifted, and a faint light began to glimmer through. The three adventurers, after carefully examining their rifles and knives—the former having been in danger of injury from the rain— mounted the horses which were prepared for them, and with the earnest prayers of borne for their safety and success, took the little | | toward the hunter, when, of a sudden, his heart: leaped and fell—stood still, and bounded again. He saw a moss-grown log, which lay before the cave, slowly pushed aside, and a man, in a. stooping posture, coming through, and standing finally, erect, outside the retreat, look all about: him, as if with the caution of habit. Involun- tarily his finger pressed the lock, for the fellow’s: breast was in full range, but he remembered the counsel of the ranger not to shoot until both the: brothers appeared, and refrained. This, then, was one of the Harpes!-——one of those monsters, so much worse than wild beasts, as man’s inge- rs. Clai- | nuity enables him to accomplish more cruelty. The morning sun shone full on him, as he stood by-road which led off through the woods in the | there, a large, spare man, dressed in the leather _breeches and flannel ‘‘warmus” of, the forest- direction of the murderers’ haunt. They had not much more than left the pa h, and taken to apparently trackless depths of for- est, when the moon broke forth in renewed splendor, casting a fantastic and rather unreli- | able glimmer through the rain-laden birches, | which, uncertain and waving as it was, materi- | ally assisted them to keep inthe way. Caleb King thought of that other night, upon which he had fled with the maiden from the demons who again had her in their power. It seemed a long time to look back to, although it Was lit- tle over four months; but in these four months, the girl, who was then to him buta beautiful and interesting stranger, had become to him dear as a sister—ay, dearer! The air was cold, and felt still chillier from contrast with the warmth of the squire’s kitch- en. The hardy ranger thought nothing of it, After gan to crawl toward Cale felt his hopes sink with the temperature. ers. Caleb shuddered as the man’s small and deep-set eyes turned hither and thither with a cratty and cautious Icok, His large mouth showed his long teeth, glistening like those of a wolf, and giving to all his other features an ex- pression of beast-like ferocity. Oh, to think that Bella was in the power of that creature! Caleb breathed hard, setting his own teeth firm- ly together, as if, in imagination, he ground his: enemy to powder. The man, after standing two minutes looking about him, gave a hitch to his breeches, and started to look after the horses, which were quietly cropping the grass, tied, as he had left them. He had not gone a dozen steps when he paused, looked in the direction of the hidden foe, began to whistle carelessly, but at the same time to re- treat, and was soon back in the cave. As soon as he had disappeared, the ranger be- 2 along the line of the about two hours’ careful picking of the way | fallen tree, until he came within whispering dis- through the wild chiaroscuro of the moonlit for- | tance. est, Old Hickory drew rein, and whispered to the others to dismount. In a moment, Caleb’s feet and hands, which had been cold, were burning with excitement; his courage leaped to the trial; it seemed to him then, as if all things were possible. ‘ We've got a good two mile to foot it,” whis- red the leader, ‘* but I don’t want these pesky | ' some time afore we see ’em out ag’in, and all our rutes no nearer. They’d be sure to make a noise. We'll hitch ’em here and go forward.” The horses were tied; and the men proceeded through a wilderness so dense and overrun with bushes, that it seemed impossible to force a pas- sage. However, the hunter, either through much sagacity, or through familiarity with the place, always contrived to find an accessible path through which to creep forward; and, af- ter a slow journey of another hour, they ap- proached. the ravine, into which they now en- tered with redoubled caution. With the same expedients which he would have used had he been on the track of Indians, Old Hickory led | alee —— j | the van, creeping from bush to bush, sliding | from tree to tree, until, in perfect silence, he | infernal cave?” asked Caleb. “King, draw in your rifle a little—so, very keerful. I mistrust that feller saw suthin’ sus- In fact, I’m e’ena’most sartin of it,, rom the way he backed down. He was mighty cool about it—whistlin’ and takin’ it easy—but: I’m afraid he saw sometbing. Most likely the sun may have struck on the muzzle or lock of yer rifle, and he see’d itshine. If so, itll be hopes of takin’ em by surprise is over.” “Oh, dear, I’m confounded tired,” whis Caleb. ‘‘I wish I’d shot the villain when I had. a chance.” ‘Never say die, young man. Why! I’d lay low for a b’ar longer’n this, and not tucker out —and here you ar’, with a pretty gal—” ‘‘That’s just it! It kills me to the sus- nse.” “ Wal, now, you keep very cool and very still and very sharp watch. Ef they’re convinced Wagy Fe watched, they’ll be purty sure to dash out. ‘‘ Are you certain there is no back exit to that “It would be a red. COT! | if “NOOKS.cOom