Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 156 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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swooned away, but was caught in his strong that led to the vale below. CHAPTER XXXII. FOUND AND LOST. WHEN Velvet Face left Sunset Retreat, the night following the day of Ralph Reno’s second rescue from death, he was accompanied by two | companions the reader will remember, one of whom was the Guide himself, and the other Oll the Waif. Ascending the mountain, they took the road leading to the Devil’s Ladder, and at a late hour arrived in Echo Canyon, where they were joined by the Bannocks, Blue Snake and Red Dove, both of whom were on foot, for they seemed to prefer trusting to their own speed and endurance than to horse-flesh. ‘* My friends, what we have to do now has to be done quickly, and with caution, for the Dan- ite League is very powerful, and we cannot ac- complish anything by force; now, our first duty is to find out if Miss Merle is in the secret haunt of the Danites, or if she has already been taken to the Mormon city. ‘“‘ If the former, Oll, here, will aid us greatly, for he knows well the haunts of the League; if the latter, we must hasten to the city and see what can be done to get her out of their power,” and the party, when Velvet Face cea ak- ing, moved on through the canyon in the direc- tion of the Death Cavern, the locality of which was known to the youth, Oll, although scouts had in vain sought to find the stronghold, so cleverly had Nature concealed all the advanees to it. Though the horsemen moved rapidly along, the Indians kept with them, and just at dawn the padatihe a secluded ravine, where Oll the Waif said it was best to hide for the day, and from which the Death Cavern was but a mile distant. Seeking safe hiding-places among the rocks the party sought rest, and the shadows of night had fallen upon the valley before they moved from their retreat. Still acting as guide Oll led them to the ravine where the ledge of the rocky cliff began, an here bid them wait, while he went on to see if the cavern entrance was unguarded. ‘*T will go with you, Oll,” said Velvet Face, and leaving their horses in the care of the others, they moved cautiously up the steep path, and at last came in view of the cavern entrance, by peering around the bend of the ledge. But, to their regret, they saw the form of a man standing there, and they knew not how many more were within the shadow of the cavern. ‘It is not usual for them to place a guard here, as they little fear attack,” whispered Oll. ‘* Well, he’s there, and in some way we must get rid of him; I could kill him with a shot,” said Velvet Face. ‘** And tle report would resound through the cavern like thunder and alarm the men in the valley beyond,” ‘*True, and there may be others near, and it would spoil all our plans; we must gain en- trance to the cavern without alarming the guard; but how to do it, is the question.” ‘‘He msy drop to sl ep after awhile.” ‘Yes, a:.d we wi') wit and see,” And as patiently es [idians will wait to en- trap a foe they wai'ied, until presently another form appeared in the: .vern entrance, and bear- ing a torch in his hantt. . i “It’s midnight, pard, an’ ther boys sent me ter relieve yer on yer beat, as they wants yer to jinea leetle gamblin’ game,” said ‘the new- comer, and his words were distinctly heard’ by Velvet Face and the Waif. ‘* Waal, [has had a long beat of it; but ther cap’n knows Inever goes asleep on dooty; but the time’s up, an’ thar’s no use 0’ yer stayin’,” “Phe boys says Pd better stick it out until daybreak, an’ by thet time ther gal will be dead o’ starvation.” ay ‘Wall, I'll take yer torch, Sandy, and go ter camp,” and Carl the Killer left, and the new- comer took his place. For awhile the ii Seerhed to be wide awake; but at length he leant up against the rocky cliff and became drowsy, and overcome with sleep he threw his blariket down behind a bowlder and lay down upon it to catch a nap. Hardly had slumber deadened his senses, when Velvet Face and Oll, who were about to move out from their place behind the rocky point, started back quickly, for a form ap- peared in the cavern entrance. It was Muriel, and the cry of thankfulness that broke from her lips aroused the guard, and he seized her in his arms, to the next instant sink dead in his track, for the keen blade of Velvet Face had pierced his heart. ‘Come, Oll, now fora run,” cried the Border Bravo, as he raised Muriel in his arms and sped down the narrow ledge with the speed of a deer, and the sure-footedness of a mountain sheep. Arapid run of ten minutes, and be reached the valley below, where Ralph Reno and the In- dians awaited him, and with great anxiety, at his long stay. ‘‘Save! you have saved her!” cried Ralph f Reno, with a arms, and borne rapidly down the narrow ledge | Velvet Face, 1 the Border Bravo. g of jealousy piercing his heart, to feel that Velvet Face had rescued the beauti- ful girl. ‘* No, she saved herself; we saw her come out of the cavern, and she has fainted,” replied Vel- vet Face, and he placed to her lips his flask of brandy, while Red Dove moistened her face and hands with water from a rivulet near by. ** Where am I?” suddenly cried Muriel, open- ing her eyes, and half-springing up. ‘Safe, and with friends,” was the low reply of Velvet Face. ‘** Thank God!” came from the yi lid lips. ‘*But you must rouse yourself, Miss Merle, for we have a long way to go, and pursuers may even now be on our track,” said the Bor- der Bravo, firmly, and his words did arouse Muriel, for she shook off the feeling of lethargy that was creeping over her, and said quickly: ‘“‘T am ready, sir; oh, how kind it was of you to come, and you, too, Mr. Reno— Oh Heaven!” and she shudderingly covered her face with her bands, as she remembered the fate of the wicked brother of the man before her. ‘“You are ill, I tear: here, Reno, mount and let me aid Miss Merle to a seat behind you, and we will be off; but where is Oll?” ‘He did not return with you,” said Ralph no. ‘** Did not return with me? Why, he certainly started after me; there is something wrong, and I will not desert the brave boy. ‘*Here, Reno, aid Miss Merle to Oll’s saddle, and he can ride back behind me; now yo, for time is precious, and you, my friends, had bet- ter return with them.” “No,” answered Blue Snake, to whom Velvet Face had spoken; ‘“‘the Valley Lily safe; we wait for you.” ‘* Yes, for I can easily reach the valley now,” responded Ralph Reno, and Muriel having been safely mounted upon Oll’s horse, Gipsy, the two rode away, the man ea lost in dee A gm the maiden appearing like one daze by what she had passed through. But after a while Muriel again shook off the numbing sensation that beld her, and from her lips Ralph Reno heard the bitter story of her capture, her imprisonment, the testimony she had given against his erring brother, and then that brother’s awful fate. The strong man shuddered visibly as he lis- tened to her story, and she heard his teeth grit together savagely, to repress the cry that arose in his throat, at the fearful doom of him in whose veins flowed the same blood as his own, and whose life had been one long sin, but yet not deserving, in Y pe of his crimes, an end which nothing could surpass in horror. And, from that burial of a living being, Mu- riel went on to tell of her escape, flight the cavern isles, and her finding the rock of refuge at last, where for days and nights she had lived in dread, and finally witnessed another scene of horror enough to madden her brain. ‘“ Thank your sorrows are over now, for there lies the valley beneath us,” said Ralph Reno, and Muriel fairly started at the hoarse voice that addressed her, and gazing be sede the man who rode by her side, a cry of alarm es- caped her lips, for in the light of early dawn she beheld a face that had grown ashen in hue and strangely haggard, ie his hair, hangin in wavy masses about his shoulders, had turne as white as snow. A few hours of mental agony for the fate of the brother who had so wronged him, and of horror and sympathy at the sufferings of her he idolized, bad made him in appearance an old man, long threshold of middle age. CHAPTER XXXTI. , MAD MYRA’S PLOT. As Oll, the: Waif, started to follow Velvet Face in his flight, out of a niche in the side of the cliff suddenly sprung a slender form, and a revolver muzzle was thrust full in his face, while.a voice that was firm and distinct said: ‘* Move or cry out and you die!” Ol) saw bis danger, and not a word nee his lips, while Velvet F burden ; but he turned his eyes toward his cap- tor and suid, quickly: : “*Mad Myra!” “Yes, 1am Mad Myra, as men call me be- cause I live alone and away from them, and you are Oll, the Waif,” was the reply, as the woman returned her weapon to her belt. ** Yes, men call me Oll, the Waif, for I have no home,” was the sad reply. ‘Why not return to the Mormon city and become the—” ‘* Ha! you know me?” cried the youth. ** Yes, [ know you, Oll, the Waif, and I know Why you hide in the Paradise Valley.” _ e youth bowed his head and remained si- lent for a moment, and then said in a low tone: ‘Who are you, strange woman?” “I am one who, like you, have known sor- row; one who hides like a hunted hare among rocks and mountains, rather than be as a prin- cess among men; lam one who bides her time to make things even, take it ever so long.” years before he had crossed the ‘| numbered, I ple ‘ace sped on with his fair. 19 Oll gazed fixtdly into the woman’s face, and by the bright starlight he seemed to recall her features to memory, for he said, slowly: ““] know you now; you were the favored bride of—” ** Hold! it matters not who I am, or what I was, for there is work for us to do; so tell me, do you know well the Death Cavern?” he "Mag fs And the place where Jean Leo dwells?” * You dwelt there once?” “ Yes ” “ As his—” ‘*No! no! no! I served another, not him,” was the quick reply. ‘** And that other?’ ‘* Has played me doubly false.” ‘Revenge is sweet,” was the laconic response of Mad Myra. | “ce Yes. ” ‘*T need not ask you why you came here, for I saw that it was to rescue that beautiful girl from the power of a devil; but now that you are here will you aid mef” “*Tn what way?” ** Revenge !” The woman spoke the word with such in- tensity of passion that the youth started; but he asked, calmly: ‘* Against whom?” “Jean Leo.” “Ah! you hate him?” ‘‘ As Satan hates Heawen !” was the savage reply. 7 haw can I aid you?” “You have said that you know the Death a io oO. ‘Would you fear to face him?’ - om recognized, my life would be the for- eit. ‘* You will not be recognized.” o I do not fear it from him, but from one other. ‘*Take the risk; listen, here is a letter from one of Jean Leo’s agents; I took it from him af- ter he died by the roadside, where I found him dying, having been mortally wounded in a fight with a bear. ‘“‘This man was on his way to the Death Cavern to seek Jean Leo, and make known to him that a train of seven wagons was on its. way to Paradise Valley, where they were to become settlers, and among them were in- tended victims for the Mormons. ‘* Now, by this letter, you will see that Dan- ite Dick, the writer and Jean Leo’s agent, is ill in one of the wagons, and will be carried on into the valley, where no one suspects him, and he sent Rocky Mountain Ike, the man whom the bear killed, and his ally, on to the Death Cavern, to ask the chief to go to Purgatory City in disguise and see him, and receive from him the important tidings he has brought him from the States.” ‘But will Jean Leo go?” ant “Yes, be will risk anything, if disguised; now you are to tell him that you came across. Rocky Mountain Ike dying, and he gave you this letter, and told you how to find the cavern; and I will give you a disguise that will oes So curious eye from knowing you as Ol) the Waif, while, with your acquaintance with the cay- ern, and the Danites’ mode of life, and laws, you can pass Mie as a youth from Mormon ity going to Paradise Valley in the hope of be- ing able to dig a fortune out of the mines.” ‘** And what then?” ‘Tell Jean Leo to go to Purgatory City alone with you.” ‘* But where is this train you speak of?” | . “*It is encamped on the mountain overhang- ing the valley, and leaves at dawn for the set- tlement; w ou do as I ask?” ‘It itis to free the land of Jean Leo, yes, for he is a blot upon the earth, and, with his Danite hounds is only watching his chance to lay the eee in waste, and seize the riches of the set- ers. ‘*Do asI ask Jou, and Jean Leo’s days are ve for I have a plan by which the Death Cavern can be made the Danites’ tomb.” ‘*Enough, I obey your request, be the risk what it may; what is my disguise?” “The Danite League has a law that prevents. any of their number, even their chief, from re- moving the black mask from one’s face, I be- lieve?” ** Yes, if the mask is one used by the League.” ‘Ig this like it?’ and the Hermit Huntress held forth a mask. ‘* It is black, and the shape,” answered Ol, “Feel, here is the skull, and here the cross- bones embroidered on the forehead.” ** Yes, [ can see them.” ‘** And here is the black robe of the order; put this on, and with the mask Fe are disguised, and you can say that Rocky Mountain Ike gave you them to protect you.” “IT will go,” and Oll put on the mask and threw the cloak over his shoulders. ‘** Now give me the letter, and say where I am to meet you.” ‘* Here is the letter, and to-morrow right MACOIMiIECIOOKSHE (0) — 8 —_