Beadle's Dime Library, No. 13 — page 43: what you’re looking at

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she knew. that her sleep had been of short du- ration. She turned her wandering gaze up the steep ascent of the mountain. Far, far in the mist of the night, she saw the peaks of the eternal ranges, stern and cold. She turned her regards to the opposite quarter and saw a slight tremulous motion in the mesquit. A fox or a hare has left his covert, she thought ; and’ she continued to watch that in- dication of life, with an interest that people sometimes fee] in trifles. The agitation drew nearer the open space. For a few seconds it ceased ; then uprose from the foliage, a figure grim and eager, and smutched with blood, adge recognized, with a thrill of horror, in the sallow and ghastly face, the features of Bill Brace. The discovery paralyzed her. A superstitions dread fell upon her senses with bewildering power. A slight noise alarmed Seven-Plumes. He seized his gun, but the hands of Carlota were slready grasping it. He tried to wrest it from her, but she maintained her hold with deter. mined tenacity. She had seen Brace, and knew that he needed but the delay of a sec- ond, and she gained it for him. The next moment the chief was beaten down by the erushing weight of the mountaineer. But the Indian was lithe and supple, and it was not eas to retain him in his grasp; he was possessed, too, of great personal strength. He quickly slipped from beneath Brace, and a fierce strug- gle followed, of which Madge was a terrified spectator. Carlota would willingly have aided the trap- per, but the rapid evolutions of the two pre- vented her interposition. At length Seven- Plumes received another fall, but glided snake- like from under his adversary as before, and would have been entirely free, had not the lat- ter grasped his belt and held him tenaciously. Brace was much exhausted, an@ the Indian dragged him several yards in his efforts to break his hold, while Carléta was trying, meantime, to place a weapon in the moun taineer’s hand. Madye, seeing the situation of affairs— scarcely knowing what she did —ran and caught the Indian's hunting-knife, which had - fallen to the ground in the struggle, and gave | e seized it, severed the belt, and fled with a shout. Madge also ran, but in an opposite direction. She expected moment- ily to hear the heavy tread of Brace; but heard only the noise of her own flight. To her ail places seemed alike, if they sheltere¢ her from Carlota; and so she struggled on- ward, over bush and brake, through rank grass and tangled mesquit. Never before had that rugged way been pressed by feet so dainty. She was soon weary, and sat down in a strip of timber that skirted a small prairie. Above her was the dim arch of heaven, studded with the pale and melancholy stars; beneath, the dewy earth, in the yerdure of which reposed the rattlesnake ; to the right and left, stretched out. the varied scenery of the north—woods frequented by wild beasts, prairies traversed by the buffalo, valleys where the grizzly bear made his home, and evans of chaparral where the panther lay hidden by day. Madge, with ready apprehension, realized the frightful isolation of her situation ; but delicata and sensitive as she was, the name of Carlota was more fearful than all. The hoot- ing of an owl in a tree overhead gets her a sudden terror ; while the ery of a far-off cata- mount produced an inyoluntary tremor. Pre- sently, she heard the leaping of an animal ; it eame bounding toward her ; she eould hear its feet atrike the leaves. She doubted not that the panther —the shriek of which she had heard, had scented her steps, and was coming to devour her. Her blood flowed sluggishly in her. veins; she felt colé and faint. She thought of making an effort to escape ; but what speed could elude the arrow-like swift- ness of an animal so dreaded—what sagacity throw him from the trail? She sank upon her knees and covered her face, and awaited, with emblipg horror, the coming of the beast. The sound of leaping drew nearer and nearer, and Madge’s heart nearly ceased to beat. The terrible creature.was at hand; in @ moment, he would rend her! There was an instant of supreme agony of expectation. Two paws were laid upon her, and a convulsive shudder- ing passed over her frame. A great, familiar voice said, “ Bow-wow !” and Madge cried out with inexpressible joy: the dreaded animal was Nick's favorite v8: Calamity | The appearance 0 this faithful creature produced & happy revulsios of feeling. Fear | P athaway. and despondeney gave place to more tranquil emotions. The wonderful sagacity and fideli- ty of the dog, she doubted not, would be the means of restorin, her to those friends who had manifested so wach interest in her wel- fare. Had she been well-assured of the safe- | face affected him terrible. eo ty of Pathaway and Nick Whiffies, her cour- | age and confidence would have been quite re- stored. With the dog crouching beside her, she waited patiently for the return of day, firm in the belief that her canine protector would not desert her. It was near morning. The shadowy ob- security of twilight dimmed the air and sur- rounding scenery. Madge had just awakened from a refreshing sleep, aud was looking around with a half-conscious, half-bewildered expres- sion, when the doy arose to his feet ort as- sumed a belligerent attitude. She saw his lips quiver, his eyes light up, his long hair become erect. Madge followed the direction of his threatening eyes, and beheld a spectacle cal- culated to inspire her with fresh alarm. This unwelcome apparition was no other than Brace, the mountaineer, who had approached by an open way, the long grass muiiling the sound of his steps. His garments were torn and disor- dered, his head bare, save its natural covering, which hung matted and stained upon his fore- head, swarthy cheeks, and tawny neck. His face, where it was not bruised and discolored, had a singularly ghastly sallowness. His eyes were glassy, and might have expressed vindie- tiveness, hate, or fear, or all combined. His muscular body was thrown forward, and his weight appeared to rest upon his rifle. A faint and smothered ery escaped the young woman's lips. “T’ve follered —I've found ye, but you needn’t be afeared,” said the mountaineer, speaking slowly, and with evident exertion. Madge averted her eyes to shut out the gris ly figure of Brace. “Keep the dog still, gal, and hear what I’ve got to say.” The voice of the mountaineer was so husky that she looked up. “It’s cost me a good ’eal o’ trouble to git here, but I'm glad to see ye afore I give up.” He paused, then went on: “I’m goin’ under, gal—goin’ under. The fall over the cliff bruised, me terrible. I shouldn’t been here, if { hadn’t struck im the top of a tree; the branches saved me from in- stant death, though I lay stunned some time. Finally, I,come to and clambered down the tree, swearin’ vengeance ag’in the Ingin ; for I ketehed a glimpse of him, as he pushed me over. You can’t tell what I suffered fallin’! I thought of every aet of my life afore I struck the tree. You've no idee; miss, how fst a cretur can think when he’s fallin’ to his death. The book o’ my life was open, and I read it goin’ down. But when I founa myself alive, my wrath turned agin the Blackfoot. . I drag- ged myself out o’ the Valley, and then I stag- gered along the trail arter the traitor. When- ever | come to a stream, I cast. myself into it, and swallered water like a run-down buffaler I overtook him, and would had my revenge, if it hadn't been for you.” “Tt was the fear of Carlota inspired me,” said Madge. “f know her and I know you,” answered ce. At that moment, Madge perceived Carlota standing behind a bish at the right of the mountaineer. “ Yes, I know ye now,” added Brace, in a low, awed voice. “It wasn’t I that done it! "Twas Cap’n Dick that did the deed. 1 was there when they throwed ye in, but I didn’t look at your face—I didn't care to look at your face that night. They said you was beau- tiful, and the men was clamorin’ for ye and git- tin’ mutinous. The eap’n, bad as he was, didn’t want to give ye up; he wanted ye him- self, and it was himself or nobody. So to Keep peace and preserve his anthority, he took e to Black Run on that dreadful night with lf a dozen of his most reckless fellers, and you know what follered. I little thought I should see ye ag’in in the land o’ the livin’; but you wasn’t to die in that way, it ‘pears, I shouldn’t knowed ye if Carlota hadn't told me, for I wasn’t familiar with your face. I've dreamed o’ them white arms o’ yourn beatin’ the sir more nor once, and ’twas a deed that has troubled me—you bein’ a tender gal, and we bearded men that oughter pertect sich. Cap’n Hendricks couidn’t forgit his victim so enay : he seed ye at Nick's camp, and yout s<oeeeeseceeeeeeeeaamastttttltlillllltstitiL t LL LLL LLL L LLL LE LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL L e 43 Your boy-disguise eouldn’t pervent him from seein’ a strange re- semblance to the pooty young woman he had dealt with so cruel. He thought prehaps,” eontinued Brace, reflectively, “that you'd say Yes, when you come to see the water runnin’ swift and the men ready to do his biddin’.” “She—she has told you this!” exclaimed Madge. “She heard the tragedy of Black Run discussed while disguised as Indian Joe. She did not, she could not have consented to my destruction.” “Tt is of you that I would speak, and not of her. I wanted to tell ye afore I died that I’ve allers been sorry for bein’ there and seein’ that deed. Your forgiveness, perhaps, will soften a little the pangs of perdition.” “T forgive you freely, and as I hope God will forgive my own errors,” said Madge. “ Where is your firmness and courage, Bill Brace ?” cried Carlota, advancing. “They have flowed "4 with my blood, and the savage natur’ of che mountaineer is ebbin’ with his life. I’m on the last trail, Carlota.” Brace tottered as he spoke, and after sway- ing unsteadily from side to side a moment, fell heavily to the earth. ‘Tt’s a rough trail and a long,” — the hountaineer. “Where are you, Carlota? Can’t you say a word to a man who got his death in your sarvice ?” “ Poor fellow! poor fellow!” muttered Car- lota. “The trail grows dark! Where is the Val- ated ee “He's dying!” said Carlota, solemnly. “How black, how chilly the Valley is! murmured the outlaw, shuddering. “’Tis a dark Valley, indeed!” said Carita with a nervous tremor. , “Hark!” cried Brace, starting up. “Theatr the cap’n’s horn and must go.” The moun- taineer fell back, gasped, sell was off the trail forever. Carlota stood beside the body, pale as mar- ble, and as motionless. The death of one who had been faithful in her service could not but affect her. “‘ Look!” saia Madge, impressively. “ See how bad men die. Ask yourself if you are not the cause of his death ; if you have not added to his crimes, consequently to the heavi- ness of his doom.” “Even such as he cannot die until calle for,” returned Carlota, “ and one is not respon sible for another’s deeds.” “ It is morning,” continued Madge, “and te me this spot is fearful. I have now a faithful protector”—puinting to the dog—* and by his guidance shall seek those who will care for me. Will you go, or remain with your dead ruffian ?” Carlota’s eyes flashed with indignation. “ Begone!” she cried. ‘ And may I never- more behold your faee again !” “Come, good friend,” said Madge, and the dog sprang up, eager to obey her wishes “Guide me to Nick, Calamity; take me to Nick.” The animal barked and frisked around her. Madge fuliowed him a few steps, then. turning to Carlota, said, in a friendly voice : “ Carlota, come with me; and if I am forty nate enough to find friends, you shall receive no ill-treatment from them or me.” Carlota answered with an impatient wave of the hand, and Madge reluctantly left her. CHAPTER XXXVIIL. CARLOTA AND MADGE, A shriek from Carlota arrested the footate of Madge. Running back a few steps, she saw Seven-Plumes grasping her by the arm, looking triumphantly into her face. The dog was springing forward to attack the Indian; but Madge restrained him. He stopped half way between her and the sayage, whom he continued to regard in a menacing manner. ‘Flower of the Mountains,” said the war rior, with a sudden change of expression, “fear not the chief of the Blackfeet. He no harm—he no carry you away.” His voiee was soft, and he looked in a friendly way at Madge. “You give knife—you help Seven-Plumes— and his memory is good. If you go with him and be his wife, his heart very glad; but if the Flower of the Mountains says, ‘I will go back to my people,’ then she go.” “It is mach,” answered Madge, cunningly, “to be the wife of a great chief but my thoughts aud feelugs Dow another way. J can. EGhoo €=) ——- com