Beadle's Dime Library, No. 13 — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

ee - - - . ' | ee 42 eee to-day, and it isn’t safe to contradict me.” “If I am to die,” said Jeanjean, etrugg ing to maintain his somposure, “ give me at least a quick and decent death.” ‘‘ Go down, and we’ll talk of that when we have more time!” retorted the captain, mo- rosely cocking his pistol. Jeanjean looked hopelessly up at. the damp roof, to the right, to the left, then down at the dark abyss, leading he knew not whither, designed, perhaps, to be his sepulehre. “Choose, whether you will go down by the law of gravitation, or by your own muscles,” ssid the captain, advancing the muzzle of his pistol to within a few inches of Andrevw’s head. Pathaway beheld this scene with feelings that he could scarcely restrain Once he was on the point of bounding from his hiding- place and hurling the robber trapper into the shaft, but the hand of Nicholas grasping his arm, kept him back, The figure of the Sho- shoné rested against the abutment as if cui in relief upon the wall. The hunter could see dimly the dusky outlines of his person, fixed and undemonstrative. Andrew Jeanjean breathed heavily, then stooping and seizing the rope, began to de- seend. Captain Dick replaced his pistol with a grim smile, and partly drew a bowie from his belt. A demon within him was tempting him to cut the rope. A suspicion of such a thing appeared to cross the mind of Jeanjean ; for Pathaway saw his pale, anxious face turned upward an instant toward the light from which he was passing, then the pallid countenanoe sank lower and lower till it was covered by the darkness of the abyss. The vibrations of the rope as Andrew swung ‘to and fro in his descent, were visible some time, then, when all tension upon it had ceased, it was hastily drawn up. “The critter’ll be safe there till he’s want- ed,” muttered Captain Dick. ‘ There’s too many sich fellers prowlin’ round the Valley. We must put an end to this spyin’ business, or the ropes are twisted that'll hang us. None on us will be obleeged to wait till hemp grows if sich chaps as Nick Whiffles and that young vag- abond, Pathaway, are allowed to have their way. ' “ That's true, cap'n, and I’ve always said 80,” responded one of his followers. “T wish they were all in there,” continued Hendricks, shaking his fist over the shaft. “Qur business will never flourish till they are out of the way. All has gone wrong since they come to this region. There’s Uarldéta has got her head full of strange notions, and seems to be bewitched arter this young huuter in gray. We shall have a eompany of United States soldiers on us next, I s’pose.” He drew his hand over his rufiled face im patiently. “Then there’s Seven-Plumes; he’s not to be trusted I’m afeard. We might have ex- tarminated ’em all if his red scoundrels hadn't give back at the fust fire. If I’d had a half ozen of my own fellers with me, the thing would been done. Come, boys, let’s leave this devil-den and start up our game again. It’s a long road that hasn’t no turn in’t. Good-by, Jeanjean !” he shouted, hoarsely, then retreated with his fellows. “Tf your road isn’t longer than I think 'tis, it’ll have a turn soon, ak a round turn, too,” muttered Nick, whose feelings required instant expression. “ If I’d my shootin’-iron, I allow I should drawed a bead on him, but things isn’t allers as we want ’em, though I s’pose al] works for the best in the eend. You seem to be narvous, colonel.” “Impatient, angry, if you will!” replied the hunter, with a long breath. The footsteps of Hendricks and his men rapidly receded. “'There’s somethin’ in surgery,” resumed Nick, “‘a sight in surgery, colonel. I was im morally sartin tae lad’s senses would come back to him good’s new; but I’s sorry, by mighty, when i heerd him speak up 80 sensi ble and nat’ral, for if he’d continued as he was fafore, he wouldn’t been in this pesky hole at all. Now you be quiet, colonel, and I’ll give ibhim a surprise as ’twere. Strike a light, In gin. and set that torch agoin’.” The Shoshoné having religtted the torch, the parties proceeded to the staft. Nick hav- ing again enjoined the chief and the huntes to silence, senced himself on a rock with his legs hanging down into the chasm, and sang in a voice not entirely musical, a fragment of Jeanjean’s song having first remarked “ that pooty likely he ahould make a good many p ison mistakes,” The New York Library. “My sweetheart was a bloomin’ flower, Growin’ beside some kind 0’ water; I lurked at midnight round her bower, And wished I had the trapper’s darter. Oh, the trapper’s darter ! Oh, the trapper’s darter !” Nick bent forward and listened, but getting mo response, went on : “ Her eyes was like two stars agleamin’, Her face was fair, her lips was sweet; Her smile was allers on me beamin’, I knelt, I reckon, at her feet. Oh, the trapper’s darter ! Oh, the trapper’s darter !” “Who sings? Who, for Heaven's sake, is there ?” cried Jeanjean, whose lips surprise at first. kept mute. “ Nick Whiffles and others, and the best on’t is we are at your sarvice,” replied the trapper. ‘‘ Here’s the colonel and the Shoshoné, and here’s a rope that I’m goin’ to fling down to Mi to come up on. Look out for’t—it’s comin’. stop a minute till I look at the fastenin.’ All right! Be keerful and cool, and you'll do it. I’ve been down there and know the natur’ on't. But I had a friend—though he uses four legs instead o’ two—a friend that stood by me; though he didn’t stan’ by me exactly neither, but went for help.” The tension on the rope indicated that An- drew was ascending. Pathaway awaited, not without trepidation, the result. Presently, af- ter several pauses, Jeanjean appeared at the top of the shaft, and was drawn out by his friends. “This is indeed unexpected!’ he gasped, exhibiting strong emotion. “I had given up all hope of rescue, and bewildered and over- powered by misfortune, was striving to recon- cile my mind to my fate, when the singing of Nicholas reached my ears.” “Tt was nothin’ but plain singin’, and not sich as I have done, by no means, You should ’a’ heerd me when my voice was stronger, and I’s more familiar with the gamit and dimi- simi-quavers. I didn’t git all the words of the Trapper’s Darter right, but I got the sense of "em, i allow, and didn’t hurt the rhyme nor the reason. How's your head, Andrew? Haven’tseed ye since I tried my surgery on ye.” “ T have been informed of your friendly office, I need not tell you, Nick Whiffles, how great my gratitude is,” replied Jeanjean. “You're slightly indebted to the colonel, too. He found ye in the condemndest diffi- kilty, and tore the flesh from his fingers in diggin ye out. But come, let us leave this pesky hole. We've been in it too long; least- wise, J have, for my stomich’s in a mournful state o’ destitution, and the sound o’ that run- nin’ water has been tantalizin’ my thirst for « long time.” The parties moved toward the outles Reaching the little stream, Nichc as refreshed himself b a copious draught cf its avonnd waters. ‘Che Shoshoné, bcaring the torch, le the way, and in a little while they passed fron beneath the damp and dripping arch to the open air. Jeanjean and Ni¢k assuredly felt grateful, for moisture gathered in their eyes as they turned their faces to the golden sun. « I’s never buried alive afore myself, but my gran’father, the historian, rode through a ken- try where they used to bury the live husbands with the dead wives, and the live wives with the dead husbands. He didn’t stay there on’y long enough to bait his hoss and make a few «bel ce «a a settin’ in his sulky.” The hunter looked at Nick to see if he really believed in his grandfather, but the trapper was gazing persistently at vacancy. The Sho- shone east the torch into the stream, and the waters bore it hissing from sight, then spring- ing lightly from rock to rock, he guided the par ties silently and swiftly from Trapper Valley. CHAPTER XXXVI. THE MOUNTAINEER. The shades of night were darkening the mountains before the faint and faltering foot- steps of the captives admonished Seven- Plumes that a halt was needful. He selected a sheltered spot, and seemed anxious to make his fair prisoners as comfortable as circum- stances would permit. He prepared for them a couch of boughs, spread his own blanket upon it, and told them to sleep. Both, as may readily be believed, were too much agi- tated by the events of the day, and their no- vel and precarious situation to entertain for » moment the idea of slumber. Madge thought of the gray hunter and Nick; of the first with a hope of his coming ; of the second, with feel- inge of sadness and apprehension. She pie- tured to herself how brave the young man— Pathaway—would be on the trail; how ekill- fully he would discover the lightest pressure of her feet; how fearlessly he would thread their winding course; how generously he would sacrifice himself, and how heroieally he would bear himself, when, having reached their lonely and cheerleas biyouac, he should meet their captor hand to hand. These, it was true, were but dreams of fancy that float- ed through her mind, as she reclined upon the earth, looking at the changeless face of the Indian, who had seated himself a short dis- tance from them, with his gun beside him, and his swarthy brow resting upon the palm of his hand. Carléta was less calm, her countenance indi- eating varying emotions. Her cheeks, now white, now red, evidenced @ storm within vot easily stilled, “ Night,” said Seven-Plumes, “is the time for sleep. Let the white flowers rest.” “ Talk not of rest, treacherous chief! Cap- tives cannot sleep. Send us back to our lodges, and our sorrows will pass hke the clouds, and sleep will cross the thresholds of our eyes with steps lighter than the flitting of a shadow,” answered Carlota. “ The Saskatchewan prairies lie along the river, and they are beautiful,” said the chief. ‘he lodge of Seven-Plumes shall be set up near the best hunting-grounds.” “ We are of one people and you of another, and it cannot be,” answered Carlota, with em- phasis, ‘Carlota, the child of the mountains, would die rather than enter the lodge of an In- dian chief, to light his fire and cook his meat.” Seven-Plumes composed himself in an atti- tude of rest, but deigned no reply. “Speak to him!” said Carlota to Madge. “ Change his purpose by ingenious appeals to his pride and magnanimity.” “Tis useless; I cannot move him if I would, and I again assure you that I hail this captivity as light compared with that I should have suffered from you, had not matters taken this unexpected turn.” “Would you be the wife of yonder beast ?”’ retorted Carlota, angrily. “Talk not of it. I hope for a better fate ; and my greatest apprehension is, that my un- lucky star will again place me in your hands.”’ ith a sharp epithet of reproach, Carlota trrned her back upon Madge, and tried to shake her purpose no more, indulging bitter- ly in her own wayward and contradictory emotions. The night rolled on. Mildly the moon and her starry court looked down upon the wil- derness. The prairie-dog barked, the wolf howled, and the panther shricked in the dis- tance. The temporary camp was in an open spot at the base of a mountain, shut in on one side by oaks, and on the other by mesquit and other shrubbery. Madge closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, but started at the slightest sound, and invariably saw the fixed form of the Indian oc- eupying the same place. “I’m afraid!” muttered Carlota, shivering. “It is lonely and so dismal,” she added, as if speaking to herself. With these words she softly approached the chief, and with some signs of repugnance seated herself on the ground near him, casting timid glances from side to side. If her fear was feigned, it was cer- tainly a close imitation of nature, and if Seven- Plumes was cognizant of it, he as well as Madge was probably deceived if it were not genuine. Carlota drew her drapery more closely about her, and put herself in an attitude that indicated an intention to sleep. Seven- Plumes did not stir, nor betray in any manner that he had seep this movement. Madge observed that Carlota’s dress careless ly covered a part of the Indian’s gun, but had no suspicion that it was otherwise than acci- dental. Madge was now really sleepy. The fatigues and watchings of the last few days had worn upon her naturally delicate frame. Excitement only, had kept her from sinking. A kind of apathy stole over her. Carléta and the chief gradually reeeded from her vision ; a dark screen seemed let down between her and surrounding objects. She passed from the outward world of danger and alarm to the inner one of safety and quietude. She awoke without knowing why; awoke as sleepers often do, with a vague thrill of ter- ror. She glanced at Carlota and the chief; they sat there like two images of stone. The moon had waned but little in the heavens, aud A ©