Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 22 — page 1: what you’re looking at

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

Hh seine Noite Tlie = Nw Totton TALL ~ ~ a ri Se ' tered? > : SSS ; : ei > = gt _ 7 . oe :> S51 | nena anty t ~ ‘ S Hil ; N H . ~ _ as, bay SS ¢ * ® e ! } Mii TR hh eae i | ee soaPasseoe ‘ « tas ~ A dhe LL I Vol I] Published Every Beadle f& Adams, Piblishers, Ten Cents a Copy. No 9 y, ‘ ‘ Two Weeks. Whitelaw;.. NATTIE OF THE LAKE SHORE, BY DR. J. H. ROBINSON, AUTHOR oF ‘“ PATHAWAY,” “‘ NICK WHIFFLES,”’ ‘* NIGHTSHADE,’ ETO., ETO, CHAPTER L THE HUT IN THE WOODS. under his left arm by a strap passing over his rs 98 WILLIAM STRERT, NEW YORK. $2.50 a Year. specting the reception he might receive, but | a purse or a throat. He noticed that they eyed Soaked with a firm and confident hand; but him sharply as he entered, and while he was when the door was opened, slowly and reluc- seating himself, put their heads together and tantly, and he saw the face that iooked out up- whispered. This he did not like, although he on him, he was half inclined to think that a confessed there might be no harm in it. He shelterless and tempestuous night was better perceived that the hut was divided into two than the hospitality of the hut. compartments. He saw a dim light streaming ‘* What do you want?’ under the door of the other and evidently small- The young man recoiled involuntarily at the er room, and once or twice thought he heard a sound of the voice, and from the expression of light step within it. Curiosity, and something that unsympathizing visage. What a question | more, was aroused in the young man’s mind. to put. to a drenched and lost traveler! There “ What’s your name!” asked the man who had was a horrible crash of thunder. admitted ‘him. ‘‘Shelter and food,” answered the applicant, ‘* Ross,” replied he of the wallet. A YOUNG man, with a leathern wallet slung | recovering his self-possession. . ‘‘ Have you been near Copper Creek, to-day?” ‘“'You can come in,” said he, ungraciously. Ross looked steadily at the questioner. The 4 tones did not please him, ‘shoulder, was threading his way through an ex- tensive forest, which, at that time, belted the eastern. shore of. Lake Superior. The night was intensely dark. The ele- ments were convulsed by a violent storm, dc- companied with thun- der and lightning. The wind roared menacing! through the trees, bend- ing their sturdy branches like reeds, making sullen music to the murmur of the rain. The solitary pedestrian was doing his best to follow a small foot-path which wound ;eccentric- ally through the woods leading he knew no whither. He would have lost his thread-like guide entirely, had it not been for the red electric glare, which, every few mo- nents, made the forest seem in a blaze. At in- tervals, when the storm lulled, he could hear the tumbling and tossing of the waters of the lake, as the billows were flung madly against the shore. More than once the be- wildered young man yaused and mentally de- bated whether he should not cast himself beneath a patriarchal tree, and be content with its shel- ter till the friendly morn- ing light came to guide his me ‘teps. While this thought was i through his mind, a tall ine was stricken by a blinding and terribly- brilliant discharge from the heavens, and shiver- ed from branch to root in the twinkling of an eye: it went down with a crash, and a shower of rifted splinters fell around the young man, who was thrown upon the ground by the concussion. He arose, con- aeeraDly aainhengs and bprried on, ‘ e groped his wa rhaps half a mile further, still guided by the incessant flashes, when, to his joy, he diseovered a faint and glim- mering light, stationary and quite different from the electric gleams that had thus far be- friended him. He soon found himself at the door of a miner’s hut... He did not stop to question re- \ bot i neither did the expres- sion of his dogged fea- tures. He answered the question in the affirme- ee ‘ ‘Huntin or go “ g gold, ‘IT was doing a little in that way, 1 confess; and thus far, it has prov- ed time orly nt. Your countenance looks a little familiar. What name may I call you?” ‘Ralph Quimby,” re- plied the miner, with evi- dent hesitation. There was an awkward pause. ‘*] want to speak to you, Nat Stratton,” said Quimby, presently, ad- dressing one of the men. ‘* We left that deer whero the wolves’ll carry it off, we must put the carcase where it'll be safe; for it’s an uncommon fat fellow ” Quimby and Stratton went out, and the other two soon followed, al though the storm had not in the least abated. This circumstance struck Ross as being gles, if not icious. ,While he was reflecting upon it, the ‘ door of the other room was softly opened, and he beheld an object that sur- prised him more than all the incidents of the night —a face and a form that he believed he could nev- _er, never forget. A vi- sion of surpassing loveli- ness Was presentéd to his wondering eyes. A young girl stood lodking at him with an «xpres- sion of ningled earnest- ness, terrer, and timid- : . ty, that was both strik- LASHED TO A LOG, ing and startling. Her beauty beamed upon him The young man crossed the threshold. The | Jike the sun from a cloud. He involuntarily miner—such he knew him to beat the first glance | arose from his seat, but admiration and ‘aston- —pointed sulkily to a seat near'a blazing fire. ment kept him mute, “A gruff host!” thought the yottng man, as ‘Be silent!’ she said, Her voice was melodv. he unslung his wallet and placed it beside him. | “ Leave the but, if you can, if you cannot, do Holding his chilled hands to the bright flame, he | not sleep to-night.’ looked around to see upon what companionship : What do you mean?” gasped Ross. he had fallen, ‘There were'three persons besides |. ‘‘ You can go now; there is time. Rush out the man who admitted him. all miners, and as | and save yourself in the darkness.” _ ill-looking fellows as ever wielded a pick or cut | She glided to the door so lightly, that her feet Eomichbooks co 3 7 I oe a = - Ly =. oy = = . > 4 ys