Beadle's Dime Library, No. 13 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

| Pathaway. 7 SSS ee ee seen that terrible fight, and it’s been too much for his narves.” Then to Pathaway, “ He’s not a strong boy, mister ; he hasn’t been very well, lately. Measles or sumthin’; and ’tisn’t the measles, neither.” A smile eurled the lips of the gray hunter ; but the moment he obtained a fair view of Sebastian's face, it gave place to an expression of sympathy and surprise. “A bois brulé!”’ he murmured. “ What kind of a,boy?” asked Nick, some- hat. startled. {| “A bois brulé,” repeated Pathaway. ‘He’s a good boy, whatever kind of a boy ae may be besides He’s so kind, so gentle, and then, he’s got sich sperit! He’s limpy as a rag now, but he’ll stiffen up by-and-by, and be as peart and. brave as a.Camanche chief His systum is let down, and you can’t tell what folks is when their systums is down. He isn’t & coward, not a bit on’t.. O Lord! no!” “ Are you his father, and is he your son ?” asked Jack Wiley, with asneer. “ His cheeks are a leetle tawny, I observe.” “If I’m his father. he’s my son, I allow: contrawise, no,” responded N faiotad eurtly, Sebastian began to revive ; his large, soft yes opened upon Nick, A shudder shook his ight person. “ Don’t, think on’t, boy, don’t. think on’t ; it’s past. now and over, and, nobody’s killed. Somebody’d been killed, if their wounds had been mortal, but they wasn’t, Cheer up! sich things, happen every day, on’y you don’t see em.’ “What's happened, Nicholas ?” he asked, in a faint voice. “ Nothin’ of no consequence ; a spugilistic display, in which one o’ the parties got con- demnedly injured, How do you feel now, little "un ?” There was mueh of tenderness in Nick’s voise. The boy put his, hands over his eyes and held them there 4 momeut. Pathaway regarded him with both pity and admiration. Those small hands seemed.so un- fit for the wilderness ; the feet and the form, too, were so efleminate. “A pretty lad! a pretty lad!” murmured the gray hunter. “But too delicately reared fo endure the hazdships of this kind of life. He should go back to his quiet home on the banks of Red River, or wherever that home may. be.” “Can you walk now?” asked Nicholas. Then to athaway: “ Ah! sir, sich a walker as he is when he’s in his nat’ral health! He rides, too, like a monkey. The hoss isn’t bri- dled yet that can throw him off. He’s never 80 much stouter than he looks, He come ofa ristocratic family, and wasn’t put to work like others of his age. His father was a French count, an English duke, a Rooshan prince in disguise, or some sich character; I don’t dis- recollect his title exactly. His mother was a lf-breed of very high caste ; the most beau- tiful specimint of womankind that was ever seen. How do you feel now, little’un? Hasn't your walkers got stiff enough to stan’ on? If you can’t toddle up the hill, I can carry ye, well’s not; ruther like to carry boys of your age up mountings.” Nicholas looked at the boy very earnestly, who, by the aid of his frieadly hand, arose, During this t.me he had not become eonscious of the presence of the gray hunter; but now, perceivin him, was greatly surprised, charged color, and would have fallen, had he not been supported by the trapper. , “What now, sonny? Do you feel the dis- temper comin’ on ag’in?” Then, addreesing Pathaway: “ He’s been subject to these "tacke ever since he had the whoopin’-cough two year ago and up’ards. It didn’t clear off well, the cough didn't; but settled in his constitution, ‘specially his limbs. The whole village took it to once, and whooped so like p’ison that all the Injins in the kentry took to their heels. It’s a disease that never ought to be ‘lowed the north side o’ the Rocky Mountains.” While Nick was making these apologies and explanations, he held the youth upon his left arm, and poured some whisky into his mouth. The fiery liquid went burning down his throat, roducing a paroxysm of strangulation, which, though attended with danger, had the effect to restore him to consciousness. He smiled faint- ly, and said that he was quite well again. ~ “Sartin !” responded Nick, good-naturedly. “ *T'want nothin’ in the world but sppiriesy, which isn’t serious till you've had it 4 few times, My brother, Doctor Whiffles, used to cure it tbout diffikilty with red precipity and yaller ‘dreams. ochre.” “ Not a common remedy,” remarked Patha- way. “ Yes, it wasn’t a common remedy ; it wa’n't known to nobody but my brother, and the se- eret died with him. Wiullinform ye some time how he came to a full stop. Ah! your legs is a little shaky, yet, but they'll grow stronger with use, and Jonger, too. Lean on me, and don’t be afraid of tirin’ me.” “You'd better have a nuss and a wagon for him!” said Wiley, squinting maliciously. “T know folks,” retorted Nick, invidiously, “who need a cart and « hangman ; though, mind ye, I don't say I've seen any sich to- night.’ “ Children should have their suppers early, and be put to bed,” added squint-eyed’ Jac retending not to notice the inuendo conveyed in the trappers reply. “I never liked puny milk-sop boys, that faint away like gals, and turn pale at the sight o’ blood. Boys a‘n't what they used to be afore the settlements got so thick.” “ Everything changes!” said Pathaway. “There are free trappers who are not what they should be.” “T a’n’t in no hurry to quarrel with you, mister. You can. wait Jack Wiley’s time, can’t ye?” The squint-eyed growled and looked askance at the hunter; there was both malice and menace in his face, Sebastian totled slowly up the ascent, assist- ed by the careful Nick. They reached the plateau, and entered the hut. The fire was renewed, and the parties were soon more pal- pably revealed to each other in the bright lare. The youth’s eyes often wandered to Pathawa , wlio, in turn, as often looked at the boy. hile he felé compassion for his weak- ness, he admired his uncommon beauty. He received with courtesy Nick’s abundant pro- testations respecting the lad’s bravery and hardihood, while at the same time he more than half doubted the trapper’s ingenuousness. The latter bestirred himself with cheerful ala- crity in preparing a comfortable sapper, of which the gray hunter and Sebastian partook sparingly, while Jack Wiley devoured not only his own proportd but infringed upon that of his neigh ors. In fact, he was blessed with the appetite ofa fasting bear, and swallowed the roasted buffalo-meat with astonishing faci- lity. Sebastian, at first, honored this individual with but little attention; but when the fire- light revealed his features, he became the ob- a of closer notice, which was returned on is part by long and stupid stares, which did not interfere at all with the process of masti- cation. The gray hunter, having finished his abstemious repast, threw himself carelessly upon a buffalo skin, which his thoughtful host spread for his accommodation. Wiley, pro- vided with a pipe by the same hand, and dis- posed of in similar fashion, abandoned him- self contentedly to the dreamy enjoyment of smoke, sustained and kept in countenance by his entertainer. The youth, drawing a scarlet blanket about him, snuggled cosily and timidly into a corner of the hut, anxious, visibly, to shun observa- tion ; while Nick, as if by accident, but pro- bably with a view to favor his wishes, placed himself partially between him and his guest, CHAPTER VI. THE DEVIL'S WATE. Conversation flagged, The pipe dropped from Jack Wiley’s lips, he sank, back into a horizontal position, and slept. The others soon followed his example, and everythi was quiet in the solitary hut. pau Spedied his eyes, raised his head, contemplated the sleepers a moment, then arose and walked out softly. The dog Smuggler aroused a little, but seeing no occasion for watching his mas- ter's guest, returned again to his canine Free of the hut, Wiley crossed the plateau rapidly. Nick’s horse was grazing with equine satisfaction upon its margin. “Jt’s not. a handsome beast!” muttered Jack, “ but he has good p’ints. His mane is ruther shaggy, but bis tail is a beauty, and them is nice legs, too, for speed — they're smooth, elean, and ee in the j'ints. I lite that back, the small head, and tine eurve o the neck. "I'would be almost wicked to leava ‘sich a creetur ahind. I owe the queer feller a ‘good turn, I know; but friendship shoulda t interfere with mere matters o’ business,” Wiley turned the axes of his non-eninei- dent eyes as nearly upon the horse as possible. with a longing, wishful expression. Then un- buttoning his. hunting-shirt, drew forth a stout lariat that was passed several times around his Seino for concealment. He walked confi- ently up to the animal, who suffered him te appreach and adjust the lariat abovt his neck and nose. This preliminary attended to, Wi- léy leaped upon hgs back. . Shaghark—we will conform to the humor of Nick in the matter of names—started off well enough, and went fifty rods, perhaps, as kindly as a horse could, when he came to a full stop, thrust out his fore-feet, depreesed his head between them threw up his hinder part with a quickness ané energy that sent the horse-stealer somer saulting over his neck. Jack alighted upor his shoulders with a shock that struck sparks of fire from his squint-eyes. For a brief space he saw nothing but a starry host dancing, cur. veting throngh the air in the most fantastic manner. Nick Whiffles, meantime, had slumbeérea as lightly as the ungrateful trapper; and arose and followed him soon after bis unceremoni- ous exit.; From the cover of the cotton-woods he saw him seize and mount Shagbark, and ride away, as described, Now the man that the Indians called Doubledark was not one to submit tamely to the loss of his property, es- pecialy when that property was a favorite orse. So, returning to the but for his arms, he pursued the offender, and witnessed with feelings which we will leave entirely to the imagination, the ingrate’s misadventure. “1 knowed he’d do it! quoth Nick, with Beye" “T’d never forgive him if he hadn't. e’d no right to let himself be stole by that mean skunk, who'll git into a pison aiffikilty soon if.a work o’ grace don’t take place in his moril nater. The traitor! the runagade! to forgit the fate ve saved him from this night. He'll have to be hanged—he'll never be any better till he’s hanged.” “ Them’s some o’ the tricks that tall critter \arned ye, eh? I'll thrash that kind o’ stuff out of ye when I git ye into the mountains. Whoa! stan’ still! You won't do that thin so easy agin, There—now put ahead !” said Jack, recovering himself and remounting. “He’s on agin, by mighty! We’ll, if he ean stick on, he shall be weleome to him. I'll never own a hoss that'll let sich a scoundrel ride him.” While Nick was speaking, Shagbark was proning that his training Se aE been in vain. aving made a few wild plunges forward, he reared straight upon his hinder feet, made a splendid pirouette, dashed to the right, then to the left, and ended by throwing himself down, and rolling oyer. Had not the horse- stealer been very agile, he would not have escaped without broken bones. As it was, he sustained bruises of the flesh and abrasions of the skin. “ T’}l never yield a p'int—if I, can’t ride ye, r'll lead ye!” exclaimed Jack, advancing to regain the end of the lariat, which trailed upon the ground. Shaghark, if not wise as a serpent, yet wise as his master could make him, now thoroughly in the mood of display- mg 418 qualities, suddenly turned tail upon his admirer, and planting both. feet on his chest, knocked what breath out of him that happened to be in him at the time, and left him doubled up in the shape of a half-moon on the plateau. Had not the force of those retributive feet been nearly spent before they reached bim, Jack Wiley would have never thrown Jariat over horse again. Nick Whiffles lay down in the grass, and enjoyed one of those silent and smothered, yet satisfactory Jaughs, that sometimes come upon one almost irresistibly, whose outward expres sion is impossible or unallowable, Shagbark having performed this. feat, went capering back to, his grass, with the lariat trail- ing under his feet. After rolling about a while, like a man suf- fering the purgatorial pains of bilious.colie, Wiley arose, and with bent figure.and muttered imprecations, started off across the country in the direction of Trapper Valley. “T wasn’t greatly mistaken in his eharae- ter,” soliloguized Nick, as he tracked Wile on his devious way. “ There’s sunthin’ inside of me that allers tells me when a man can be trusted. I wonder what ‘tis what tells people who is to be trusted and whi isn't.. I plueked him like a brand from the burnin’, and I don’t know that I’m sorry for it; I’m on’y sor that there’s sich base ingratitude in the world. But it don’t trouble me—nothin’ troubles me, ECON MUCEL DOO MKS 5G)