Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 124 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

“~~ Are they dangerous? Ah, me, my child is dy- ing!” “Nonsense!” said Mrs. Fuller; ‘‘ blue spots! I should like to know where there are any blue spots? What does Mrs. Bowitt know of children’s complaints? The third that she lost was hardly six months old, and all of them wer'u’t sick a week.” “A strange doctor once told me that the blue spots were.a very bad sign,” said the younger Miss Hicks. ‘‘ Brother George’s child had them, and it came very near dying tbat night—but it lived till morning.” ‘Has the child actually blue spots?’ cried Mrs, Atkins, in deathlike anguish; ‘is it so far gone, and must it really die?” ‘*Oh, Heaven, help us!” cried Mrs. Hopper; “it isn’t in such great danger; the blue spots are nothing, if it only didn’t squeak so when it coughs. My poor little girl that died last month coughed just so,” The disconsolate mother sunk upon the bed, and wrung her hands in despair. ‘* Ladies,” began Mrs. Cowles, who until now had been smoking her pipe, as she knocked out the ashes upon the hearth, ‘‘ 1 don’t see why you should worry poor Mrs. Atkins so, Lord bless us, what a flas)i! it struck all my nerves —neither blue spots, nor coughing, nor squeak- ing, nor any such nonsense—” Here she was obliged to stop, for the rolling thunder drowned, fora moment, even the cry- ing of the child—*“ are surg signs, she con- tinued, as soon as she could be heard, “of death! I know of two cases myself where the children both got well—that is, one was left blind, and the other bitten by a mad dog, but the spots had nothing to do with that. Why worry, Mrs, Atkins, when there’s no danger?’ “You think then that my child will re cover?” “Why shouldn’t it? It’s taken enough medi- cine to make six children well—and if it only didn’t look so yellow in the eyes—” ‘“Yellow in the eyes!’ cried the anxious mother anew, darting toward the child’ with the light, “and what does that mean? Mrs, Fuller, you are a woman of experience—do you think that—” She did not conclude tie sentence, but concealed her face ,in her hands, and suid softly—‘“ I have deserved it—deserved it for my treatment of Ellen—deserved it for my connivint—” She started up in terror, and looked around to see if any one had heard the treacherous words, then relapsed again into her former state of anxiety, That fearful clup of thunder, which had al- ready been twice referred to, now rolled over the tops of the groaning, trembling forest, and at the presence of the angry God of storms, the women crowded more closely together, Deatblike stillness prevailed for several seconds; then the younger Miss Hicks said in a whisper to Mrs, Mullins, who sat next to her: “It was just such weather when Houston’s first child died—just such thunder,” ‘‘Tt’s a long time since we have had such a storm,” sighed Mxs. Fuller, lighting her pipe ‘ for the fourth time; ‘‘it’s enough to frighten folks in the house. And think of those who are out!” * What did your youngest child really die of, Mrs. Mullins?" asked the elder Miss Hicks, hitching her stool toward the former. ‘In our part of the settlement they said it was the smali-pox, and we were all quite frightened, as you can easily believe,” ‘“‘The Lord bless you, my dear Miss Hicks! the small-pox! Well, what nonsense people will talk—the small-pox! no, no! the sweet darling bad nothing but a slight dysentery, and I can’t now think how it could have got it. The whole season it had eaten nothing but a few green peaches and plums, such as all children eat in summer, and I’m gure that couldn’t have brought it on. But what’s the matter?’ Mrs, Atkins had started up, and was listen- ing attentively at the window. ‘‘What was it? did you see anything?” asked the speaker, in alarm. ‘*No—nothing— but — didn’t you hear. a whistle in the field?’ “Yes, | thought I did,” said Mrs. Mullins; “but it storms so, a body can hear nothing.” “Didnt you hear some one call without?’ asked Mrs, Atkins, who, pale and terrified, was holding her ear to the crevices of the hut, ‘Lord. help me!” cried Mrs, Fuller, ‘‘ who would be out in such weather!—but—gracious Heaven!” : This exclamation was called forth by no de- Assowaum, the Avenger. lusion of the imagination, and al] the womeu started in affright from their seats, for the door of the apartment was suddenly thrown open, and young Weston rushed in with alirm and horror in his features, his wet hair flutter- ing about his forehead, and his eyes glaring wildly, while he cried in a voice choked with terror :— ‘* Hide me, or I am lost!” Then, half un- ‘consciously, but with sure instinct, selecting the safest and most retired part of the chamber, he darted behind the bed, which almost filled one corner of the little apartment. ‘* For Heaven’s sake! Weston, what has hap- pened?” cried Mrs, Atkins, in deathlike an- guish. Butthe young man had no time to re- ply, for at this moment the dark form of the belf-breed rushed in at the open door, and he cried in a harsh voice: “ He must be here!—where is he?’ ‘Where is who?” said Mrs. Fuller, who, somewhat acquainted with Cotton’s and West- on’s secrets, had an instinctive idea of what was passing, and therefore was the first to re- cover her presence of mind—* where is who? Is this a way to enter other people’s houses, and particularly a chamber where there are ladies and a sick child? Where is who? Why do you stand gaping there? The wind is blowing the light out the men are in the other house.” And without: waiting for the confused and as- tounded Canadian to reply, she pushed him from the door, and closed it in his face. **Sol”’ she said, as she drew to a little iron bolt, decidedly an article of luxury in Arkan- sas; ‘‘now Jet. us take a look at our prisoner,” In the meanwhile, however, the other wo- men, with the exception of Mrs. Atkins, had recovered their senses and their tongues, and such a storm of exclamations and questions now arose, that the sick child lifted its head in affright from the cradle, into which, at first burst of confusion, it bad been hastily laid, and now, fairly out-screamed, was silent for a mo- ment; then, however, it threw itself back upon the pillow, and set up such a shrieking that Mrs. Fuller prayed to Heaven that the inde- fatigable child might in some way or other be silenced. . ‘*What bas happened? Who is the man? What has he done? What dark form was that? Where could the drenched man have come from all at once? Should they hide him? Wouldn't others come in search of him?” These and similar exclamations were uttered with such rapidity, such a Babel-like confusion of sounds that the women were unable to answer the questions uttered by themselves. A hand was now laid upon the latch, and some one without knocked at the door, ** Ladies, will you permit me to ask a.ques- tion?” said a voice, which Mrs. Atkins, to her great alarm, recognized as Brown’s. ‘‘Hasa young man taken refuge iw this chamber?” * Before answering, Mrs. Fuller looked around at ber companions, whose hearts compassion had already softened in Weston’s favor, and who were resolved not to deliver him up to bis enemies, whatever crime he might bave com- mitted, and equally resolved, to find out what the crime might be. A universal shake of the head replied to this glance, and as spokeswoman of the assembly, widow Fuller, that she might not utter a downright falsehood, considered it advisable to evade the question, and, above all things, to assume an air of offended dignity. Raising, therefore, her somewhat sbarp and piercing voice, she cried, in a tone of indigna- tion: “Well! I wonder what they’ll look for bere next? This is no time of night, nor is this the kind of weather, to listen to such foolery. We are going to bed, and don’t wish to be disturb- ed. Good-night, sir!” With this the negotiations were broken off, and the questioner seemed satisfied; at least, he made no attempt to push his inquiries further, and left the door.. For several minutes, Mrs. Fuller and her companions listened with, throb- bing bearts; but not a sound was heard. All was stil] and quiet as the grave, and the widow was about to walk on tiptoe toward the fugi- tive, who had cowered, motionless, behind the bed, when ber attention, as well as that of the other women, was turned to Mrs, Atkins. She had grasped convulsively the back of her chair, and was evidently making the greatest exer- tions to bear up against the emotions which as- sailed her; after a short struggle, however, consciousness deserted her, and she would have fallen to the floor, if the women had not caught her in their arms, eee eS Se 11 In the meanwhile, a scene not less agitating and tumultuous was passing in the other house, Scarcely had Cook uttered bis warning call to bis friend, when a step was heard upon. the deal floor, in the porch which. joined the two dwellings, and the next moment, Atkins, bis eyes flashing wildly, and his: hwir in disorder, rushed into the apartment. He was convinced that Curtis and Cook were in the ,lot, but he knew also, that in the forest, without weapons, he was inevitably lost, and he was forced to procure them even at the hazard of his lile. Thinking, therefore, to take advantage of their surprise at bis sudden c«ntvance, he tore open the door, and carted into the chamber, Here he saw, at a glance, that. his, rifles were in.the hands of the enemy; the bed, however, seemed untouched, and with a shout of triumph be rushed toward it, drew forth the pistols, and advanced to the door, aiming one of ithe wea- pons at Cook. who barred the passage, yet ap- parently only to frighten bim, and force his way trom the house. . The latter, however calmly maintained bis position, and Atkins, resolute to sacrifice the life of another to save bis own, drew upon the trigger, but-no report followed, Atkins looked wildly toward the door by which he had entered; but at the same moment his pursuers rushed in, while Cook and Curtis threw themselves upon bim, and bound him with strong ropes, “Where 1s the other? inquired Brown, closing the door, ‘'Does no one know?” ** He darted into the opposite house,” replied the Canadian. ‘I saw it with my own eyes, but they won’t give him up.” — ‘*T will try whether they will refuse me en- trance,” said the leader of the Regulators, and he advanced toward the opposite dvuor. The reader is acquainted withthe result of his attempt, however; and, without losing furtber time and trouble, he at once resolved upon the surest method to seize the fugitive, at least as soon as he should try to escape into the forest, which, at all events, be would be forced to do before daylight, 7 “Gentlemen,” he said, returning to his com- panions, ‘*‘ the fellow must not escape us... He belongs to the band, of course; and who knows if he was not one of the murderers, or at least implicated in the thefts which have been so frequently committed in our midst? We must surround the house, therefore; but let it be done without noise, that be may think the coast is clear, Has the mulatto ben secured?” *‘ No,” replied Bowitt; ‘‘ the rascal must bave slipped through the thickest of the wood, other- wise he couldn’t have escaped us.” “'That’s bad! that’s bad!” muttered Brown; ‘he will warn the others; but. there’s no help for it. We have broken up the nest of these scoundrels—we have found out their hiding- place; for the rest we must trust to fortune. So, then, gentlemen, to your posts! The rain has stopped, and the wind will soon dry us. Take the prisoner to the fire, Cook; be, two, is wet, ‘* Good!” said Cook, who, aided by Curtis, carried Atkins to the fire. ‘(But we two are dry; we will join you without, and let Steven- son and his son guard the prisoner by the. fire here, We are so greatly indebted to them that I should be sorry to. have them suffer for ” “ Very well,” replied Brown; ‘ it is bat just, Where can they be?” | The two Stevensons now entered, and were at once assigned to their new and more com- fortable, or at least dryer duty. The rest im- mediately repaired to their posts; and Brown, who had longed to speak a few words in a low tone with the elder Stevenson, had. turned to follow them, when he started almost in terror from the door; for upon the threshold, bis fly- ing hair dripping with rain, his giance flashing wildly, his bearing proud and gloomy, stood —the Indian! ‘ Assowaum!” exclaimed Brown, in joyful surprise, ‘‘have you come at last? We have been busy for you in the meanwhile.” ‘““Ab weeh! why do you seize him?’ asked the Indian, pointing toward Atkins with his hand, in which he held a bow and several ar- rows, ‘‘He was an accomplice of the band but you shall hear all to-morrow. Have you just returned?’ ‘*No—lI have a prisoner,” “ Whom, and where?” * Johnson—out in the wood,” “Do you know that he is guilty?” a ES CORNICE OOOKSsCO©