Beadle's Dime Library, No. 13 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

Pathaway. 5 we ee rowled and started to his feet, and would ve bounded down the mountain-side had not Sebastian restrained him. The youth was well enough acquainted with the habits of the dog to know that he had seen or scented either man or beast; but it was in vain, however, that. he taxed his powers of vision to see any animated thing. A cluster of dwarfed pinon farther down the declivity, : within a few rods of the bed of the valley ; offering a better and more sheltered point c observation, he descended to it. The adyantage of this movement was im- mediately manifest; for, straining his eyes southward, he beheld a figure approaching. It was a white man, but evidently not Nicho- las — there being a palpable difference in height and garb, apparent even at that dis- tance. Sebastian regarded his advance with a singular feeling of curiosity. He was young—he judged by his elastic step, and straight, lithe Teeth. As he drew nearer, he perceived that his garments were of coarse, grey stuff, differing materially in cut and fit rom those of the hunter and trapper—show- ing, perhaps, that he was fresher from the haunts of civilization. Of his features and complexion, the youth could form no opinion— and it was only when the moon’s silver rays fell upon him, that he could arrive at conclusions respecting his garb and equipments. His arms consisted of a two-barreled carbine, slung to his back by a strap. Beneath a plain leather belt he wore the indispensable mea ing-knife, and the ever-convenient pistols with which writers of fiction provide their heroes, brigands, and adventurers. hough alone, and in the heart of a savage country, the young hunter (we will call him such) looked brave and self-reliant—at least, 89 thuucht Scbastian, whose attention was now solicited in another (lirection by Smuggler, who erected his ears, pointed his nose, and displayed a strong inclination to dart off up the valley. With a hand upon the head of ach, the youth subdued them, at the same time making an effort to discover the cause of their additional excitement. Immediately the youth saw what affected him very much—three men dressed in a wild, uncivilized manner. In their outward persons, the roving trapper and the fierce and predatory Indian seemed to be united, with an ingenuity and effect that rendered them more unique and startling than either, alone. They advanced in silence, ‘while Sebastian, for some reason, regarded their coming with pale face and treimblin limbs, Crouching between the dogs, an winding an arm around the neck of each, he gazed at them with nearly suspended respi- ration, and with a countenance upon which terror, incertitude, and dismay were dominant. Gone was the sprightliness and buoyancy of the youth — but his fears appeared not the common, abject promptings of cowardice, but a sudden horror inspired by some dread mys- terious power. Sebastian glanced, shudderingly, toward the oung hunter—he had stopped and unslun his carbine. The parties had discovered eac other and at the same instant. What would they do ? Would the meeting be friendly ? Sebastian Delauncy believed not. He of the gray frock also had his doubts. It was true that the three persons looked like white men and free trappers—but their prestige was more savage than that of the native inhabitants themselves. It is easy to be suspicious. Some- times one’s intuitions warn him whom to shun, and admonish him where confidence should stop. Phe foremost of the three hybrids, after staring at the man in gray a little while, drew off a fantastic skin cap, with the tail of some animal attached ; and, after scratching a bristly head with a hand that looked like the paw of p grizzly bear, yelled like an Indian. The other, not replying to this salutation, he said : “ Hillo! hillo, there, my mangeur de lard !” ‘No more a pork-eater than yourself!” re- plied the hunter in gray. “ Don’t be impudent, mon garcon. We was born on the peraries a haif grizzly bear, half roy half French, and half Injin. Wa! wat’ The gray hunter threw his carbine across his left arm; with his right hand on the lock, and the other on the guard. ‘I'm a peaceably-disposed hunter. I med. dle with no man’s business, and only ask the simple privilege of being let alone. I’m not so young and inexperienced as to be terrified by Grav o and bluster, but am willing to meet every honest person on a friendly footing, be he white, red, or mongrel, like yourselves.” One of the trappers growled derisively, like a bear, while a second howled like a wolf, and the third crowed like a farm-yard chanticleer. The young man’s temper was evidently ielding. “Tf you think it is becoming to meet a stranger and a white man in this manner, I must beg leave to differ with you. Your conduet is both insulting and rude ; and therefore, good- night!” he said, tartly. “Not so fast, mon garcon! We have busi- ness with ye.” The speaker advanced toward the gray hunter, with a leering, insolent expression. “Stand back! Don’t come too near!” he said, pointing his carbine. While this was transpiring, Sebastian De- launey looked on with a fixed and stony in- tensity. He had not changed his position— he still crouched between the dogs, upon one knee, with his arms about their necks and his hands upon their mouths. He lost not a word that suns nor @ movement. “Perhaps you don’t know, youngster, that my name's Grizzly Bear. I’m death on all small game that dares step in my way ; 80 put down your pop-gun, and we'll decide your case for ye, presently.” “T propose to take care of myself. I trust no such villains. I warn you to look to your- selves, for 1’m not the man to be brow-berten —robbed, perhaps, with impunity !” The Grizzly Bear scowled, menacingly. The natural malignity of his disposition was heing aroused, “ Stranger, did you ever hear of Bill Brace ?” he asked, in a@ voice in which anger was begin- ning to show itself. “T may have heard of such a knave, but do not now remember,” answered the hunter, boldly. “ T’m Bill Brace!” added the trapper. “Perhaps you’ll do me the honor to intro- duce your companions ?” retorted the hunter, with a sneer. “You'll soon know ’em well enough, I'll warrant. This feller, who can eat a raw mule for his dinner, is Ben Joice; and this chap, who can swaller a quart o’ raw whisky at once, is Zene Beck. I don’t think you'll ever tell our names at any of the tradin’-posts or settlements !” There was something notably sinister in the manner in which he uttered the last sentence— pertinacious perverseness, a sullen depression of the facial muscles. Pride of strength made him insolent. Bill Brace was one who believed in the invincibility of his own mus- cles. Lawless by inclination and habit, vicious and aggressive by nature, he wis in want of that wholesome rebuke that tames the ruffian and humbles the brute-man. “Men,” said the young man in gray, “ if vou will tell me your purpose, I shall know better how to meet you. If your intention be robbery, I shall be no passive subject of such an outrage I have seen men of your type before; most of them have been peaceable and well disposed ; and, I can assure you, those who were otherwise gained nothing.” “Throw down your weapons!” vociferated Bill Brace. «“ Yes, down with your weapon!” repeated Ben Joice. “ Down with your two-shooter!” said Zene Beck, in a threatening voice. The hunter’s figure grew more erect and de- fiant. His countenance, so mild in expression a few moments before, was now tirm and reso- lute. Bill Brace laid his hand upon the handle of a formidable bowie-knife, and advanced his right foot. The hunter eocked his carbine. “Look you, fellows! There are three, of you opposed to one. The first man of you that makes an aggressive movement, I will shoot as 1 would a turkey-buzzard. I hold you to be outlaws, adventurers, vagabonds, and not true men. If you wish a quarrel, I will meet either one of you on fair and equal terms, whether it be with rifle, pistol, knife, or the weapons which Nature has provided.” Bill Brace elevated his burly shoulders, and laughed scornfully ; but there was more anger than merriment in the demonstration. «“ You crow loud for a cock fresh from feather- beds. Tryin’ to imitate the giniwine game, ain’t ye? Goin’ to scare grizzly-bear eaters, I reckon. You'll fight Pill Brace, will ye?” The fellow stood with his gun before him, the breech upon the ground, both hands upon the muzzle, his bo¢y bent, and his bearded, dirty chin thrust forward. Never was the de- mon of the perverse and insolent more palpa- bly pictured. Dwelling afar from the restraints of civil law, cut loose from all the forms and conventionalities of society, following his.own wayward impulses unchecked and, unques- tioned, pampering his wild appetites, aping Indian habits—their vices,.not their virtues— with full faith in his brute powers, he had de- veloped into a full-grown ruftian of the savage and uncivilized sort. Backed, by kindred spirits, with no moral curb upon his, passions and desires, he believed that he was aot only a law unto himself, but to others. The gray hunter, though taller, was, of lighter build. He had more symmetry, and less prominence of muscle. Tie individual would have been hypocritical who faulted, his proportions. His configuration gave promise of quickness and. suppleness ; but his frame did not. appear of sufficient hardihood to con- cend with the muscular insulter before him. But Sebastian observed that. he was cool, and steady, unshaken by the usually attendant trepidation of anger and danger. “ Do you hear it, Ben Joice, and you, Zene Beck ? "This soft-bearded—this tender infant —thie pulin’ mangeur de lard will meet Bill Brace with any wespons, from his fists to a blunderbuss !” In 8 paroxyap of comical, yet inexpressible contempt, Brace plucked off his fur cap by ite swinging tail, threw it upon the ground, and trampled upon it, while his companions manr fested their admiration in various ways; one by thrusting two fingers into his. mouth, and whistling through them—the other, by, dou bling himself up, and pretending to be strug- gling with irrepressible laughter, of.a nature the most ludicrous. possible. The gray hunter remained perfectly, tran quil, with his carbine still in a position to be instantly available. “ Milk-drinker, I take that challenge! | He, he! bo, ho! Jest thmk on’t, boys; he’s goin’ to tackle Bill Brace, the. raw catamount-eater —the double-barreled bully of the Saskatehe- wan!” Then, to the young man: ‘Jes’ say how you'll go out the, world, mister, and_ it’s done! Will ye have lead, or steel, or grizzly- bear paws, which is the nateral weapons, as you eal) ’em ?” “ We'll begin with the weapon’s of Nature.; then, if you are not satistied, the bowie-knite shall decide who is to be buried in this valley 1” “As for that matter, I can tell y .4orehand. We don't take the trouble to bury tolks herea- bouts: the wolves are the undertakers in the mountains ; they make short work on’t, and nothin’ to pay for grave-diggin’ and sarvices But we're wastin’ the precious time. 5a our prayers as quick as ye can, and I'll swal. er ye!” “Moderately, moderately, my double-bar reled ruffian!’ There are conditions to_ this duel ; the arms of yourself and friends must be deposited by that cluster of pines ; then your comrades must withdraw to yonder rock, and remain passive spectators of the contest, let it torn which way it may. As for myself, I will place my weapons by this tree behind me where I can easily get at them in case of trea- chery and bad faith.” ; To this proposition Brace at first objected, but finally assented; and the weapons of the party, after some delay, were disposed of as stipulated by the hunter. _ Sebastian held tightly upon the muzzles of the dogs while this part of the business was being performed; for the arms were deposited within a few yards of his hiding-place. Smuggler rebelled a little as Ben Joice drew near, in tle discharge of ° this duty, and the dog. Misfortune actually growled, as if his name was ominous ; but the sound did not attract attention. Beck and Joice retired to the, spot, desig- nated, which placed several yards between them and their arms, and about the same, dis- tance from Brace and his antagonist. _ The former cast off his hunting-shirt, and bared his stalwart arms, like a man who wishes to get af his work as soon as may be; while the latter, having laid his gun, pistols, and hunting-knife at the roots of a cotton-wood, deliberately di- vested himself of his gray frock, and tizlitened his waist-belt. His lithe, symmetrical, figure was now displayed, in striking contrast to the atoutand unshapely proportions uf brace, who, to all outward appearance, had a physical su- periority, weighing at least a hundred and pet pounds, while the weight of the other eould not exceed a hundred and fifty pounds / EOMiGcbooksscom