Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 1036 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

Library. 2 _ X NN ae Vol. various kinds, and a vase of flowers that diffused | ‘Oh, sir! she exclaimed, as with a ide their sweet perfume through the room. A beau- | pang, “I wish you had never shod tale thee ie Este pet's hung upon —_ ihn and was | question.” . ed with fragrant flowers an ruits fresh | ‘‘I beg a thousand pardons, d a from the wildwood. Upon alow ottoman near | Fred, apologetically - iron need re eM a little window lay a stringed musical instru- | question if it is distasteful to you.” ee — —= archway, sweet and cool as an Arcadian aisle, she headed her tiny craft, and plied the paddle with all the vigor her delicate frame possessed. Ever and anon she gazed down into the un- | ‘ gonscious face befure her. It was boyish in feature, yet manly in expression. It was hand- some, and wore a look of refinement; and the | ment. ; | ‘*] would like to answer the question if I maiden’s heart beat wildly and joyfully in an- Fred Travis was dumbfounded. He could | could,” Vida replied sadly, ‘‘ but my brother’s ticipation of the moment when those eyes would | scarcely believe the evidences of his own eyes. | calling is unknowh tome. He huntsand traps, it = Whose home was he in? Surely he had been | istrue, but only sufficient for our sus £ tr rted to some other realm. Nowildwood am afraid that there is something ne ip Ween home could be so comfortable and luxurious as | concealed from. me. He is away from home that, | _ | most of the time, and when I ask him where he He starts. He hears a soft footstep entering has been, and about his success, he evades theroom. He drops the curtain, and lays back | both questions. But he is the only friend] have upon the couch, e sees a shadow flit across and I love him with all the fervor of a sister's the curtain. It was the shadow of a woman. | heart, and I know he loves me. During the ~ Was it an angel? “on months we have dwelt here in this sechid- He had searcely asked himself the question | ed spot, you are the first person who has been when the sound of music broke upon his ears, | in our house besides ourselves ; and yours is the sweet, harmonious and dulcet-like in its strains. | first white face, besides brother’s, that I have Some one was playing uy n the instrument he | seen for months, although the settlement of had seen lying upon the ottoman. The air was | Stony Cliff is only twenty miles from here, But solemn and slow, and awakened every emotion | I am afraid to go there.’ > in the young man’s breast, He listened to the ‘Why so?’ asked Fred open and those pale lips speak to her. On she drove the cance. She had traveled over half a mile, when she turned abruptly to left, and entered the mouth of another stream. This she followed through dark forest and under tangled foliage for some fifty rods, when she suddenly burst into a little sunlit glade, in the center of which stood a little vine- embowered cabin. : It was a lovely spot—a miniature paradise. Flowers grew on every side, while the whole was compassed on all sides by the dark, green forest. Running her canoe ashore, the maiden landed, and, tripping along the little glade, entered the cabin with a familiarity that toid it was her ea tee ge heart oepcase and I know he is not a bad man.” tea for stimulan home. Ina moment she returned, followed by a young man whose features bore a striking resemblance to her. It was the youth that me _ Iveon Gray, the day previous, near Stony It was Ralph St. Leger! dis face did not look so bright as when we first saw him. It was a little pa eand haggard, and his eyes were heavy and hollow, as_ though he had just recovered from a spell of sickness. ‘“Where did you find the young man, sister Vida?’ asked Ralph, as together they crossed the glade. ‘On the river, Ralph, lashed to a floating log. Some person must have had a demon’s to bind him there. He is so young and They carne to the canoe, and as Ralph Sé. Leger gazed down upon the face of the un- conscious youth in the canoe, his face turned very pale, and he started slightly, But his sis- ter did not notice his emotion. She wastoo ab- “"Yés,” onded Vida, ‘‘and think you there ig any hope for him?” ‘‘There may be. I will carry him to the cabin, and we must do all we ean to restore him to life.” Ralph stepped into the canoe, and lifting the rou prepare some strong herb is. * 3 little Vida, the hand- some face of the strauger has awakened a won- derful interest in your young heart.” | Tears of joy gathered in Vida’s eyes. The long lashes drooped upon the olive cheeks, and vited. Weird visions of demons were flitting music entirely enraptured. roi mgt the clear, sweet voice of a woman entered into the melody with a harmonious accompaniment, and to Fred | it seemed as though an angel’s voice was pour- | ing out its inspirations in one holy, enchanting strain. He listened for several moments. The music had now descended to one of th ose low, dying chords which the ear devours so eagerly, and he could no longer resist the desire that tempted his heart. He lifted one corner of the curtain, and gazed, unobserved, upon the sweet, fair face of the young singer, Vida St. Leger. For fully a minute he feasted his eyes upon her form and face, his very soul entranced, not only by the rapturous melody of her voice, but the loveliness of her features. At length he sunk back upon his couch, his | heart in a tumult of emotions. And now his mind became actively engaged in thought. Somewhere he had seen that fair face before. Was it not in tis dreams? He te ge long. It was the same face as that of the youthful horseman that he and his friends had seen the day before, galloping through the woods in male attire—the same whom Omaha had said was Death-Notch! But, that such a fair, delicate creature could protege. She started slightly on seeing hiS“eyes were open, and gazing up into hers light; but, quickly recovering. from her’sudden emotion, she said: over him and labored to rekindle the spark of ith a conscious | | | “I love my brother, as I said before. And 4 have a yes ME of what he follows, and to you I shall confide my suspicions.’” rl ‘You can do so, dear girl, with perfect safety. Not one word will I breathe to a livin soul, I would not—I could not betray the hat that rescued me from death.” | ‘‘Oh, thank you! thank you!” she cried, joy- fully. *‘ It is so nice to have one in whom ed with his absence. My suspicions, however, are that he is one of Pirate Paul's robbers, if he is not Pirate Paul himself.” “W hat have ou une which to base your opinion, tes his refusing to account for his constant absence from home?” asked Fred. O aul, but wri cipher, “But, hark! J hear a footstep. Mother's coming !” She dropped the curtain and turned aside, _gorbed in emotions of her own over the young | One by one he recalled the incidents o the past | while Fred again lay down upon his couch. : stranger's welfare. : two days. | Then he heard the door swing open and & — : ss: ger,” said St. Leger. He started suddenly with a strange shudder. | footstep cross the threshold. He heard the sis-— : ter’s kand and welcome greeting and a kiss. Then he heard the brother say: ‘You are looking both troubled and pleased, my little sister, Why is it? Is not your hand- some young patient better?” at d net hear her answer, for that yoice Tany met at their old trysting-place—Ral St. Leger and Sylveen Gray. oe ” pale and toilworn Ralph was looking a little while Sylveen’s face wore a bright smile an her heart was throbbing wildly under the emo. do you never grow tired of your hunter _ can confide; and I hope brother will yet explain — _away the secret which I feel certain is connect- pockets directa: unconscious young stranger in his strong arms, | be so terrible a being as the young Scalp-Hun- | froze his blo@# almost with terror. . bh varried him to the cabin and placed him ona | ter, seemed utterly preposterous. But, who! Jt was the woice of Death-Notch, the g ft couch. om on BS = w ? Surely not a demon in angel disguise, | Scalp-Hunter! — | ites Now, Ro oo h, ‘you will have to| ‘At last the music ceased, Then EPR : %j be spry. We'll have to labor Jong and hard to | her footsteps approaching him. CHAPTER XTY. fie is bring him to life. While [ chafe the limbs and | The curtain was drawn aside, and the eyes , Ss e Ete #L bathe his brow, of Vida St, Leger met those of her invalid aac naader grat ah .£ 8S eee ioe | a crimson flush swept over her pretty face. She} ‘You are better, I see, young stranger.” tions of anxiety and fear—anxiety to made no reply to Hie Brother's remark, but Her voice thrilled Fred’s heart with renewed | power of the fe which Martha Feaory ot = turned away and was soon busy in another strength and hope. —— her, anda fear that it would prove ber . apartment, preparing stimulants for the young, ‘‘Indeed, fair maiden,” he replied, rising to | handsome boy-lover a prairie pirate, as Scott > unconscious stranger. his elbow, ‘‘I knew not until a few minutes’) Shirely had declared him to be, : >" ago that I was in existence since I was stricken After their first greeting, Sylveen said: CHAPTER XI down in the forest. But, how came I here?’ ‘You look tired and exhausted, Ralph.” | XL “Are you strong enough to hear a long ‘“‘T am a little tired, dear Sylveen,” the — A NEW:EXISTENCE, story?’ Vida questioned. youth replied. “I have traveled far this morn. Wuen Fred Travis recovered from the stun- ‘‘'Yes,” he replied, ‘‘ I feel strong as ever.” ing.” i Fore, ning blow, which he was sure had been dealt Vida then seated herself near his couch, and ‘Just to meet me, Ralph?’ queried the maiden, him by Death-Notch, he first became conscious narrated to him the terrible position in which | a tender light beaming in her eyes, gcGe 4 of the fact that he was lying upon a soft couch, | she found him; how she had rescued him from “Yes, sweet Sylveen. To keep my promise while dark walls surrounded him. He could not | the log and carried him home in her canoe, and | with you. I would let nothing detain me, un recall his situation. His senses were confused | how, for the remainder of that day and the night | less it was death.” } | and bewildered, his brain was feverish and ex- | that followed, she and her brother had stood | _‘‘ You are very true to me, dear Ralph. But life of ad before hiseyes, and now and then s colossal shadow pass before him. He was conscious of existence, yet hm was in doubt as to the state of that existence, His surroundings did not seem of earth. He had surely passed into another sphere. His pee u he could see struggled to assert their former power, er something like a vague charm held them asunder blessed Vida for her goodness of heart toward | than words could have done of his innocence, : of his own will could | him. They talked on—one subject led to another, | The Hudson Bay Agent must have been mis- --a charm that no effort But, suddenly, a sound like that of a footstep life that still lingered within his body. Fred was astounded by her narrative. He knew nothing of the terrible ordeal through which he had passed after he was beaten. down on the night of the storm. It was well that he did not. | In the kindest of words he thanked and and finally Vida asked: 7 ‘‘How came you to be beaten down uncon- wandering through the forest alone?” ‘ ‘‘T cannot say I am entirely alone, Sylveen. Your presence is ever before me to cheor m¢ and give me bright hopes for the future.” Sylveen nestled closer to her lover. She could not doubt his ho heart, His free, open countenance of r taken about his being Pirate Paul. The onl thing that seemed strange to her about Ralp was in his refusing to go to the settlement to Me the manly form of ~ roke upon his ear, and that strange spell was | scious in the woods? Surely it was not done b | broken, and reason with Fred Travis had as- | an Indian, or he would never have left his work | live. But she accounted for this through a : serted ibs throne, Hestarted up and gazed in | undone, nor taken the trouble to tie you to a log boyish bashfulness and reticence, although he . confusion around him. He felt of his aching, | and send you adrift.” appeared like one who had been reared fn the - throbbing head. A ban was upon it. ‘You have heard of Death-Notch, il young company of refined society. “him were of Death- ~ But where was het He gazed around the | Scalp-Hunter, have you not ?” Fred asked. er greatest fears for ~ roora in which he lay. It was almost dark, yet Vida grew pale, and fear seemed to take pos- | Notch, for almost every day came fabul : ne was enabled to sce its outer walls were made | session of her. : stories of that terrible eke vengeance, , Bee: of logs. Before htm hung a curtain that separ- Yes,” she replied, “I have ofttimes heard | then, there is no end to border superstition *) ated his room from one more commodious. He | of him, and the name fills me with or.” she prayed that those stories might be ithout = id drew aside the curtain and looked out into the “Tt was he that beat me down,” said Fred, | any foundation. ey Bee ee bm apartment. He started with surprise. The room | and he watched the face of the maiden closely. ey talked on for some time. They talked as ‘was flooded with the light of day and furnished | A little burst from her Jips. ‘ of their love, and some nonsense, as lovers will; met | o with the elegance of an Oriental boudoir! The | ‘‘Death-Notch is a terrible nie she said. | and the subject changed to that of the’ ee x walls were covered with woven hangings of a “T have never seen him, bat wi a stone’s | Prairie Pirates, and during its discussion Syl 2 2 -yich, harmonious color that formed a beautiful | throw of our at bie re ee veen watched every expression of her boy- Ses ae ‘nackground for the pictures that adorned it. oh or three trees, under which brother Ralph | lover’s eye and every lineament of his features. pie _. | The floc ; covered with a carpet of curi- | found the lifeless bodies of Indians. Ifearhim | But she saw no trace of an evil heart or guilty =| - gasly-wi material that looked like Spanish ope OR Son A per te pi ented pience. Still the po the ring had eae | oo ss 1 with silken threads. There was | isawaysomuch ofthe time.” = “with in view, | ee Soa Sates corner upon which were books ef | “ your brother a hunter and trapper f”’ mitted her hand to steal dyly echt . : " 7 ¥ J" - : ' ; - i. , x Agere re ae rt rie ‘« oT. - - = , “2575 7 ba -« ¥ : . vbw — a a