Beadle's Dime Library, No. 13 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

> a — — al — Pathaway. ol What other life can beso free ?” she answered, with a sharp pull at ber bridle-rein. “Free indeed ! too free—too free!’ returned Pathaway. * “From your point of view, yes; but people Een to be just what their surroundings make em,”’ She glanced at the hunter inquiringly, ‘who, leaning toward her, replied : | The surroundings must be bad that force ant your sex to become what you appear “* What kind of a creature do you consider me?” she asked, petulantly. “A misdireeted woman—tle accomplice of erime and robbery.” “You are plain-spoken, sir!” retorted Car- lota, tartly. “Do not mince matters; it is too late to be dainty in regard to the character of the solitary and predatory horde of which you are a mem- ber. Look at these fellows around you; they are lawless and intrac able as [ndianus; faith. less as the wandering Arabs of the desert.” “T care not to talk of this subject. There are other matters that might employ your thoughts more profitably.” “J understand you. You would say that I should be thinking of dying, and what comes after death. Believe me, my life has not been so bad that I need to trouble with late remorse And after all,” he added, “it is not manly to whine and lament at the approach of man’s last enemy. I speak sincerely, for I doubt not that my end is near; and with you, woman, will lie the crime of my murder.” “ You talk coolly of a subject that generally ales the cheek of the stoutest,” responded arlota, “My own will be pale, questionless, when that hour arrives; but I trust it will not be with coward fear, but that wholesome awe which will fall upon one as he enters the por- tals of that other world of which this is the threshold.” “We who dwell in the mountains know of but one world. There—there! let us not speak together farther. I wish not to have other than horse, of the mountains and prairies, of a wild and irresponsible life of freedom.” ee pointed toward her companions, and [hrs ot thoughts. I would think of my “We are a community by ourselves —a world by ourselves; we make our own laws, and acknowledge fealty to no outside legis lation. I know that the world is very large, and there are many dwellos in it; but they are strangers to me, and I to them.” “But that is no good reason wh you should become beasts of prey,” said Petheein, with mene “it 8 & law ature,” Carlota continued, emphatically, “thst one animal should live at the expense of another. The fish in the water, the beasts in the forest, the birds in the air, devour each other. The spider weaves its web to catch the unsuspecting fly ; the panther crouches in his covert to spring upon the deer ; the hawk swoops down upon the chicken; and following the ae law of Nature, man preys upon man. hy should we scorn the ack ings of Nature? How shall we resist the mo- mentum which she has given to all animate things. Even vegetable life flourishes best upon the decay of last year’s growth.” Carlota’s face flushed, and a wild enthusiasm beamed from every feature. Pathaway gazed at her in mute ast nishment. “Is it possib.e! is it possible!” he mur. mured. “Can a mind so gifted be so perverted Whence this knowled e—this flowing speech— this aptness of siraile—this command of lan- age? Woman,” he went on, addressing her in a regretful tone “ you make me inexpres- sibly sad. I see what you are, but I think what you might have been! What you might have been, but are pvt. Alas! how wayward is hu- man nature. fa contemplating you I forget myself, and exelaim mentally: ‘ Her fete is | worse than mine, though a violent death »ooks me in the face.’ ” a Carléta mused, playing with her riding-whip nervously : “It has nevey Yeen my fortune to meet one like you before. To what genus do you be- long?” She asked, presently, in & voice di- vided between curiosity and se “TI am but a humble member of the great family of man, and not a beast of prey like those around me, 1 am an animal, but a hu- man and humane one, I trust.” « And I,” rejoined Carlota, bitterly, “am the | animal in a wild and uncultivated state !”’ “ And I, it would appear, your lawful prey. When,” he added, sarcastically, “shall you | make a meal of me?” Carlota reddened, then smiled, and deigned to glance at the person of Pathaway. “T wash my hands of this matter,” she an- swered, by-and-by, with evident hesitation and | chagrin. “ You will be dealt with according to | : _ offered his hand to Carlota; but refusing the | proftered gallantry, she sprang lightly to tha the laws of our community, and by those of your own sex. Don’t hope anything from me.” “One cannot help expecting kindness from woman,” rejoined Pathaway, quickly. “ Pity should ever dwell in her bosom. I must, I will trust in you !” The gray hunter turned his handsome face to Carlota with a manly glow upon it. “It is, it will be in vain! I command—yes, I command you to dismiss such thoughts,” she replied, with more authoritativeness and fervor than she had yet displayed. “ You forget, fair outlaw, you command these ruffians, not me.” “Outlaw and ruffians!” muttered Carlota, annoyed and vexed. és Yes,” resumed Pathaway, bending toward her, and speaking softly, “ you will save me! You will lead me unscathed from the midst of your lions.” “No! I tell you no!” she answered, hurriedly, with marked emphasis, and touching her horse with the whip, galloped to the side of Hen- dticks, leaving Pathaway in a whirl of doubt end agitation. CHAPTER XVIII. TRAPPER TRACE. The way became more difficult, and the night darker; but after winding about among mountains, crossing ravines, strips of bottom- land and timber, they entered a narrow bri- dke-path—so narrow, indeed, that they were obliged to ride in single file. Pathaway’s mind teemed with plans of escape; but no feasible opportunity seemed likely to occur. Onee or twice he thought seriously, when in a more open country, os spur his horse and dash off at fu_l speed, trusting to luck and the darkness te aid his flight. But so closely was he guarded, that no practicable clLance presented ; and after entering the bridle- path just mentioned, that experiment could not be tried with any hope of success—for rocks and beetling cliffs towered on either hand. Carlota, through accident or design, was now riding directly before him, and the party traveled at a slow pace. Pathaway wished to renew his conversation with the young wo- man, still anxious to make an impression that should be favorable to him. “This is a wild tract of country,” he re marked, availing himself of a moment when Carlota’s face was casually turned toward him. “What part of your territory may we now be in ?”’ “The trail we are traveling is called Trap- per Trace. It took its name from the legend of a white trapper, who was the first to explore this solitary region. This trapper became in- volved in the intricacies of the mountains; and it was not until after wandering about some two months, in the midst of winter, and suffer- ing incredible hardship, that he was able to make his way out again, famished and frost- bitten.” “Had this thing occurred recently, his dis- appearance could be more easily accounted for,” returned Pathaway. “Without doubt,” replied Carlota, with a toss of the head. “Trapper Trace, I suspect, leads to Lost Trapper Valley. I’ve heard that more than one trapper has lost his way in these soli- tudes,” “ Quite possible!” said Carlota. “Nor is it very surprising,” resumed the gray hunter, “ that one should not be able to nd this thread-like path after entering the Valley, with its hundred indentations and ap- parent outlets. “I think,” he added, ironi- cally, “that there should be huts of refuge erected in this bewildering region, and a ken. nel of St. Bernard dogs kept in training for the reseue of lost and forlorn trappers and hunters.” While thus conversing, the Trace gradual] widened ; and Pathaway pressed teevaid rl yr oe a i . as r Valley,” said the latter, pointi toa villas of smoky huts that pad hahty aie peared before them as the bridle-path opened upon the valley in question, Eee eee EEE —————————————————————————————————— cal —— —— Pathaway gazed at this unexpected scene with unfeigned surprise. “T supposed,” he said to his conductress, “that the lair of the mountain outlaws was farther up, in some rough-hewn cavern among the rocks.” “Those who go farther seldom return,” an- swered Carlota, in a low voice. “ Dismount!” The gray hunter obeyed with alacrity, and round without such aid. Lookine around, e beheld frowts on the faces of half-a-dozen surly fellows, and Hendricks himself scowled, as if little pleased with the familiarity of his prisoner. “Shall I not hear from—shall I not see you again?” Pathaway asked, in a whisper. Carlota made. no answer; but holding up her habit daintily, disappeared in one of the huts. He gazed after her earnestly, as if his last hope had vanished with her. “Go along, critter!” growled Hendricks, pushing him in the direction of a hut that seemed stronger than the others. ‘“ There’s no help fur ye now. If you’d minded your own consarns and let us alone, there’d been no trouble; but you've seen fit to act as spy and look arter raatters with which you'd no right to meddle nor make. You and Nick Whiffles have been sneakin’ about this long time; and in my ’pinion, had somethin’ to do with the escape of the Frenchman. Perhaps you thought I didn’t know hira when I see him last night at Nick’s hut ?”’ “T knew that something terrified you,” an- swered Pathaway. “Tis false ! y was never afeard!” retorted Hendricks, angrily. “T saw you staring at the empty air as if you saw a ghost,” said Pathaway, resolved to try an experiment. “ That's a lie, too ; for I's lookin’ at the boy !” “Boy !” repeated the hunter, with affected surprise. “Yes, the handsome boy,” added Captain Dick, with an inquiring look. Pathaway shook his head dubiously. “You must have seen what the rest of us did not,” he said, with a perplexed air. “Bah! do you think I’m blind? I saw him as plainly as ee you. Don’t fool with me, mister; for I ha’n’t much patience, and don’t bear contradiction very well when I can have things my own way.” “]’m afraid you have a bad conscience, Cap- tain Hendricks,” said Pathaway, reflectively. “ Bad consciences create a thousand fantastic shapes in the minds of wicked men. However, Iam not your judge; and I dare say but too many things are real that appear to me illuso- ry. You know best whom you have injured, and what shapes have a right to haunt you.” Hendricks tried to laugh contemptuously ; but there was more of fear than contempt in the hollow sounds that came from his throat. To save his character for courage, thowever, he let off a volley of oaths; in spite of which his face was pale and his terror obvious. “Go in, critter,” he added, pointing to the hut, “and don’t play off on me. As for wrongin’ a boy of his age, I never did. Do by think we’re land-pirates, that we must ill every child we see ?” *T can’t comprehend you, Captain Hen- dricks,” answered the hunter, impressively. “The devil you can’t.’ eried the captain, furiously. “T have heard,” resumed Pathaway, with @ shiver, “that murdered people can’t rest. I don’t make the remark as having any allusion to you, Captain ; but doubtless you have heard the same. It does, in truth, seem just that the ghosts of the murdered should dog their murderers day and night, and g:ve them no ease Some have been thus driven to con- ess crime, and cast themselves intu the teeth of that terrible monster, Law—that grim dra- gon that devours without remorse.” “No wore sich trumpery stuff!’ exclaimed Hendricks. “No sensible person believes in deny When a man dies, that’s the last of im; and I’m glad on’t. What kind of a life do you s’pose a critter’d lead arter he'd rubbed out @ man or two in skrimmages or t’other- wise, if their ghosts could come back ag’in, lookin’ as pale as death, with eyes fixed and glassy.” ‘I'm afraid it’s too true!” said Pathaway, in a low voice. “IT had the misfortune to kill @ man ina duel, and his face,” he added, so lemnly, “ won't leave me; it follows, follows follows!” , ecoim Ebooks a ee <n ~ gimme lia I ~~: ge — Oe