Beadle's Dime Library No. 152 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

a9 —_—-- ‘* Has anything unusual happened to-day, at all?” “ Nothing, sir—only—” ‘Only what? D—n you, out with it!” “Mr. Gordon—” ** Yes—yes! what of him? tellow—speak!” ‘He came to me—” ** He what ?” “T met him in the hall, and he said—he said—” “Go on—go on!” ** He said that I was to tell you that he had decided to take the night train for Richmond, and wished me to say his adieus to you, as he had not time to wait.” ‘* Malediction !” Crandyl’s fingers were once more about his valet’s throat, and he shook him as a cat shakes a mouse. ** And you let him go, you cursed fool! Af- ter all the trouble I have had with him, now, just as I get him in my clutches, you—you help him to escape me! I’ve a good mind to cut out your infernal tongue!” He threw the poor fellow from him with such force that he fell, and striking his head upon the very spittoon which had dealt Ralph such a blow, lay quite still. Then Crandyl turned to his companions. ‘There has been treachery at work here somewhere,’’ he said, “ for he never could have gotten away without help, in the condition in which I left him. Roebuck, you may return to the Den, and Jim will stay with me. Some- thing has got to be done—and at once—for on my life, Ralph Gordon means mischief!” Roebuck started. ‘“‘Ralph Gordon—and here!” he thought, ** Well, | admire his pluck.” He bowed and left the room. Springing upon his horse, he was soon passing leisurely along the avenue of trees that led away from the Lodge. ‘*Tf I only could find him,” he said to him- self. “It is almost time to strike, but I want one more interview with him before giving tbe blow. Hello! where the devil am I, any- way?” He had wandered from the path in the in- tensity of his meditations, and just ahead of him, in the midst of a little clearing, was a cabin he bad not seen before. Dismounting, he tied his horse and crept cautiously forward until beneath the window, when raising himself slowly, he peered into the hut. The moon trembled in through the cracks on the opposite side, and sitting just where a streak of light fell across his face was a man. With a little cry of pleasure, Roebuck sprung up. ‘‘ Ralph Gordon, by all that’s lucky?!” He had wandered straight to Vega’s hut, and who shall say it was not Special Provi- dence? Confound you, CHAPTER XXIX. THE DREAMER AWAKES. TRvE to her promise, at twelve o’clock the next day Lorna was at Vega’s cabin, and there she found Ralph waiting for her. His first movement upon: her arrival was to take her in bis arms and tell her that he loved her, for he had thought deeply on the matter after Roebuck had left him, and had come to the conclusion that at last his heart was cap- tured. a Lh ** You—love me?” she asked, in astonish- ment, ** Yes—why not?’ ** And I so wicked? “But that is not your fault, my darling; and besides, we are going to give Lady Lorna her rights.” Then Ralph told her all that had happened to him lately; what a villain Crandyl was, and what measures he had taken to defeat him, and added: ‘“‘T saw Roebuck but a little while ago, and now, as soon as an opportunity offers, Gordon Crandyl, alias Captain Ironnerve, shall be in prison, with ample opportunity to test the quality of prison-fare. If you should see this Baldo, of whom you spoke, be careful not to mention my name to him, so that he will have any idea that I am near by, for he is one of Crandyl’s satellites, I take it, and would like Captain Ironnerve, the Counterfeiter Chief. _—- 23 nothing better than to gratify his captain with my capture.” And so they left for the old tree, wandering along through the woods that Lorna knew so well, almost forgetful of their mission, so en- gaged were they in their own happiness, Ralph knew that he was risking a good deal in this bearding the lion in his den, but then he depended considerably upon Roebuck, who knew of his intentions, and would be wait- ing in the tree for them. He would have left Lorna behind had he known how much they were risking, but Roe- buck had assured him that the part of the cavern near the tree was very seldom, if ever, occupied by any of the men, and that there would be really nothing to fear; besides, he admired her courage, and thought himself am- ply able to protect her from any danger that might arise. Arrived at tho tree, they seated themselves some distance off, behind a convenient growth of dwarf pines, and waited, as bad been pre- viously agreed between Ralph and Roebuck. A half-hour might have passed away in this manner, when the concealed door of the tree was seen to open, and Roebuck came out. The signal was given, and soon the three were conversing together. It was finally agreed that Ralph and Roe- buck should enter the tree and rescue the Lady Lorna, while Gipsy Lorna awaited them out- side. It was with some misgivings that Lorna let them go without her, but then she knew that her presence would only cramp their move- ments, so she consented to wait. She saw them enter the tree, and close the door behind them, but she stilled the beating of her heart and waited. The gentle breeze and the odor of the flow- ers, together with the sleepless night she had passed, all united to lull her off to sleep, and Morpheus gently closed her eyes in slumber. The sun wa; quite low when she awoke with a start. She looked at her watch. five, She had been sleeping nearly four hours; surely time enough for Ralph to have gone and returned a-dozen of times. Still she waited, a deathlike fear at her heart. The sun sunk lower and lower, until the tops of the trees hid him from view, and still she waited. The sun went down. The night-birds began to whirr about in the woods over her head, and every now and then the dismal who—o—o of an owl would awake the echoes, but these sounds had no terrors for her, as they had for the other Lorna, and still she waited on. Darkness came on—deep, black, awful night —but Lorna, true to her watch, still sat there, waiting for her lover to return; but he came not, and every cry of the night-birds seemed to tell of some awful fate that had befallen him. “Oh, Ralph! Ralph! where are you?’ she moaned, in her agony. ‘“ Don’t you know that Lorna is waiting for you bere? and oh, it is so cruel to remain away so long! My darling! my darling! what has happened—what has happened?” but the night sent back no answer to her question, At last, in a fit of desperation, she resolved to try the old signal with which she had once before summoned Baldo, and passing hastily to the tree, she struck it as she did so long— oh, it seemed so long—before, But a moment passed, and sure enough, the door was thrown open, and Baldo came out into the night. : *“Lorna! you here?” he exclaimed. ‘* Yes—I am here,” she replied, simply. ~ ‘What do you want at this hour? Don’t you know you will be missed at the Lodge?” “T care not}” she replied. ‘I want to see the other Lorna; where is she?” , ‘Inside, of course. Why do you wish to see her?” ‘¢ Because I have done wrong in taking her place, and—and I want to see if she is getting any better.” : ; ‘* Dreadfully conscientious all at once, ain’t you?” he growled. ‘‘ Well, come in. Since you are here, I suppose you will have to, but mind-you! I’d a d—d sight rather you hadn’t come,” and he led the way into the tree. . Now if the truth be known, Lorna did not feel one-half the concern for her namesake, that she did for the fate of rors but she It was half-past knew it was not best for the real reason for her presence to be known, and she thought that once inside, she should surely hear something of him. Baldo led the way straight to his under- ground parlor, and there, sure enough, was Lady Lorna Atherton, still dressed in the habiliments of a boy. Once again the two Lornas were face to face. “‘T'll leave you together for a while,” said Baldo. ‘‘ There’s some work of a new kind to be done to- night, and I must be there to help.” ** What is it?’ asked Lorna, as he was pass- ing from the room. “Oh, nothing much; only if you should happen to hear any howling, don’t pay any at- tention because it’s nothing that will affect you here,” and with these words he left the room, Oh, what a fear was at her heart! “Has anything bappened here to-night?” she asked of her companion. “ Yes,” ‘What was it? Quick!” ** There was a man who came here and tried to carry me off,” “* Well—well!” and poor Lorna wrung her hands together; the suspense was terrible, ‘“ Why, when he took hold of me I screamed; then something struck him from behind and they carried him away.” “* Where—where! oh, where did they take him?’ and in her agony Lorna grasped her companion by the arm and held it tightly. ‘“T don’t know where they took him,” she replied impatiently. ‘Don’t pinch my arm so, or I will scream again and something will strike you from behind.” ** Fool—/fool !” cried Lorna with deep con- tempt. ‘‘ You have killed the man who risked his life to rescue you! Do you hear? You have killed him—killed him—killed him! Oh, my God! Is there no help for him? Vega— Vega! help your Lorna now, for she needs your help!” and the poor child sunk upon her knees and buried her face in her hands, “* Lorna—Lorna—who said Lorna?’ asked the demented one in a dazed sortof way. ‘‘ Lorna? I have heard that name before; but where— where?” and she passed her hand wearily over her forehead as if to collect her thoughts. ‘‘ Where—where?” she continued dreamily. ‘*Yes—yes! Iremember. The woods! see how dark it grows, and the great limbs look like giant arms, reaching down to graspme. Ugh!” and she paused, and Gipsy Lorna, sitting sob- bing on the floor looked up and listened, ‘* Yes—yes!” the dreamer went on, while her whole aspect was that of a person terribly excited. ‘‘They are following me! I can hear them howling and wrangling behind me. See! they are wolves ! they will devour me! Help—_ n She paused a moment, and then went on more quietly. ‘*Oh! what is this—a cabin? I will enter. There are the remains of a fire—some one has been here,” She went through the action of blowing the | sparks into a flame, and all the while Lorna upon the floor was watching her with, intense eagerness. **Some one sleeping,” she went on at last. “I will wake her,” and she spoke to the imag- inary sleeper gently, then suddenly starting back, she struck her hands wildly against her forehead, ““ Dead—DEAD!” she cried. ‘My God! I AM ALONE WITH A CORPSE!” and witha wild cry she fell crashing to the floor. Lorna sprung to her feet, and hastened to the fallen girl’s. assistance. ble She chafed her brow and hands, and spying a brandy bottle upon the table, poured some of its contents between her lips. . Slowly the Lady Lorna opened her eyes. “Where am I?” she asked, faintly. ‘“‘ Who are you?” ‘Tam Lorna!” ‘‘ Lorna?. Why, that is my name,” *‘ It is mine also.’ ‘* But how came [ here? I was lost in the woods, and I found a cabin where there was a dead woman. How came [I here, and in this dress?’ she continued, looking down at her male attire. ‘‘ You have been very ill,” said Lorna, “and were brought here. Lie still and you will be better in a moment.” i on And Lady Lorna elosed her eyes, fecling that she was safe, at least. She had recovered her mind at last, COMMICLIOO MES