Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 22 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

£O brother? In me, who would’ do anythin you? Natbalia, you have wounded me! j nevér be happy.’ * Forgive me. Bernard !” sighed the girl. saw him standing beneath a tree, his arms cross- “* What right had he to this happiness?” ex- | arouse him, The young man spoke. elaimed the young man, angrily. ‘‘ How did he eT am happy to find you. I have been look- deserve you more than 1? I will find him; I ing for you some days,” he said, in a tone not will tell hint to his face that he is not worthy of the most conciliating. you! Lethim resent it, ifhe dures! A quarrel will be to ny liking.” Bernard frowned, and fixed his eyes moodily | his eyes. upon the ground. “That is to be determined,” continued Ber- “How wretched I am!” said Nathalia, look- | nard, curtly. ing earnestly at him. “I must have done some-| ‘ You seek some other person, doubtless?” thing very wicked to make You so an You! retarned Whitelaw, indifferently. ‘‘ No one has will never forgive me. lam seureI think a great! any business with me. I. don’t live in your deal of you. You have beeh in my mind ever| world, young man.” since we inet at Ralph's cabin.” “T must inform you,” said Bernard, quickly “I have little right to complain,” returned | and imperiously, “ that Z have business with Bernard, more mildly. “I love you, it is true; | you; business, too, of the utmost importance, hut the right to choose is yours. But such a) which cannot be delayed or put off by any pre- choice! © Nathalia! Can you be happy with | text.” this man? Have you considered the difference | Whitelaw raised his eysbrows, and turned to im your ages ?”” Bernard, as if he had just discovered his pres- “ You are going too far, Bernard. You take | ence. all for granted, The relationship you speak of | “ Excuse me,” he said, “ I believe I have been has never been mentioned between us,” answered | absent. You observed that you had business Nathalia, somewhat sharply. with me, did you not? Let me hear it.” “ Ay! but it has been hinted at! At least, it Bernard paused ; he felt that it was a difficult has been secretly understood by you. Your | and awkward matter to broach ; but he did not confusion tells me that you have anticipated his | long hesitate. wishes.” “T have come to speak of Nathalia.” “ You take liberties with me! “Of Nathalia!"’ exclaimed Whitelaw. do? There is no one to advise me.” “You have understood me,” said Bernard, ed troubled and anxious. cold ' * Nay, I would advise you.” ” “Yes; you would advise me to love you!” cried Nathalia, with a sudden flash of anger. * Men are selfish; and you are selfish, too, Ber- nard !” “ Where Nathalia is concerned, I am selfish,” replied the young man, ‘“ Yes. You slander Whitelaw ; you would prejudice me against him! But he has been more generous; he has never spoken ill of you. Un the contrary, he has been earnest in your j raise. What does he get for it?” She looked at Bernard reproachfully. He had never heard her speak so haug!:tily before. “My hatred, I am afraid!’ he muttered, ‘Is it just to hate one who is your friend ?” “Ah! you love him! retorted Bernard, sar- eastically. “Well, if Llovehim? Whatthen ?’ demand- ed Nathalia, vexed at the persisteney of Ber- “You come secretly to this island ;. you have nard. | stolen interviews in the woods ; you haunt this “ Nothing, nothing!” he ‘replied, moodily. | little spot like a phantom! Yet you tell me “ Only I must see him. Yes, | must see him. that you do not know!” We can arrange it, 1 think, so you will have | “Are you Natlalia’s guardian?’ Whitelaw but one lover on the island !” asked, with a smile. Bernard canght Owen's rifle from the side of | ‘You may treat this as a jest, if you will,” the lodge against which it was placed, and was | returned the younger man, with a menacing look, ‘* but I think you'll find it quite serious.” * You cannot frighten me, boy!” Whitelaw answered, somewhat hanghtily. “He who threatens me, cannot know my sharacter.” ‘“‘T threaten no man; but it is time that we understand each other.” What ean I She look- ly. Well, what have you to say of Nathalia?”’ demanded the other, witl) a slight contraction of the brows. “T wish to know hr intentions respecting her?” he replied, with dogged determination. Whitelaw looked at Bernard Ross some time. “Ah! I see how itis! You are jealous,” he returned, quietly. ‘My question was a plain one,” said Bernard. “ Plain enough, I grant; we will not ask whether it was impertinent. Some men might not choose to answer such ademand. However, there is no reason why I should not be frank with you. You ask my intentions. Honestly, I do not know.” Whitelaw spoke like one who was thinking of the matter candidly. “You do not know!” exclaimed the young man, flashing up. ¥. ‘* What do you mean ?” ¢e:ied Nathalia, great- ly walarmed. You would not kill him ?” | “Tam not an assassin!” he retorted, avoid- | ing her glances. * And yet yon seek provocation for a quar- rel. ‘bere isa deadly purpose in. your mind.| ‘ One of us, at least, will not he hard to com- If such a dreadful thing shonid happen, my-life| prehend !” retorted Whitelaw, with a shrug. — would be miserable forever !”’ I came not to try my wits with you,” replied She took him by the arm, and looked implor- | Bernard. ! ingly into his face. ‘There was both fear and |. “I think you did not bring them ! responded tenderness in her eyes.. Within her there was «| he of the cynical face, sarcastically. terrible conflict. Which of these two men did| ‘I have brought thas.” she love? This startling query forced itself} Bernard pointed to his weapon. uUpen her 6» powerfully, that. she could not re- * You would quarrel with me, ung man: sist. it. ‘That moment revealed to her her true} But you have no enuse; 1 have done you no position. bard You love Nathalia. It is well. Urge “No, no! Do not. believe it; if any one is oe suit with her ; you haveevery opportunity. to suffer, it is me. Let me go, Nathalia! The| You are near her person ; you are sheltered m tuneh of your hands shakes. my purpese, Turn the same lod se every art of persuasion. e, away those eyes, too; keep their tenderness for Show a worthy of the prize. I will be the Whitelaw !” last man to throw an obtacle im your way. She “ Orvel, ernel !’ exclaimed Nattie, with spirit. shall choose between us. If I woo her, it shall Bernard stood outside the lodge, Nathulia’s | be like an honorable man. pride was touched ; she ceased to implere him,| “ Your magnanimity comes late, and with an and went within. pale grace,” resyonded Bernard, with bitterness. Bernard Ross walked away, with a feeling of | “ One would suppose that you had passed the bitter disappointment upon bime He believed | age of gallantry , but such an opinion does you Nathalia was lost to. him, and his resentment | great injustive.” Eee turned against Whitelaw as the author of his “ You have not touched the galled spot, énid nohappin-ss. That man appeared to be his evil | Whitelaw, wachout the least resentment, ° My genius. He had distrusted his influence upon | age does not trouble me. Nathalia from the first ; his suspicion was now | “ This matter,” resumed the younger man, - resolved into certainty. Why had fate brought ® lower toné, * might be adjusted so en ill him to the island? Why could he not have been, would have but one loyer on the island, " left to the nninterrupted enjoyment of Nuttie’s save her the trouble of a choice. society ? Regret, jealousy, and anger tossed him} to and fro. He, sirede.om faster and faster. He | flushed forehead, was ir the worst of all moods to see Whitelaw ; ite Zone purpose go deadly 2” asked White- but it was written that they should meet. He | law, with earnestness. | | | The. speaker raised his cap and wiped his| The New York Library. for | ean ed upon his chest, his eyes downcast, his whole attitude indicating a profound state of reverie. | The sound of Bernard’s footsteps. even, did not -_- —_— “Put whatever construction you please upon my words,” answered Ross, sullenly. : ‘ You would make death the arbiter in. this Think case, ou, young man, that Nathalia will take your hand with blood upon it? Would © Ttis of little consequence who finds mé,” ane | _swered Whitelaw, abstractedly, without raising | | Jess, she loye you better for having taken the life of a fellow-being? Go, sir, and yo 8 wisdom!” “T have learned much of that during a few days’ residence bere. | perceive you are not willing that Nathalia should have one lover the Well, prudence is sometimes better than courage.” “I forgive the inuendo. You do not know the man to whom youdirect these taunts. I am like a limb torn from its parent trunk, and east to and fro on the waters. Misfortune has made me a butt to shoot at. I stand aloof from my fellow-men. Once, I believed I should neversee a human creature to love. But this child has touched my heart.” ‘Forbear! forbear! This is the language which fascinates a young girl. Your years are not gone for nothing. You have learned to play on human sympathies, We shall meet agai. If you area hypocrite, I will unmask you. If you are what you seem, I eannot be your friend. No, no! Nathalia is between us.. She separates us as widely as earth and sky.” “Young man, you are mad! Go away an’ recover your senses. | am not your enemy.” “It is false! He who loves Nathalia, is my enemy !”’ ‘When you are calmer, I will talk with you. I ennnot reason with an angry man. I decline the duel that you offer; not because I fear to meet you, but from feelings of humanity. I shrink from erime, and would spare you the com- inission of one. Maidens are not won by pistol and rifle. When youare cool, you will see the folly and wickedness of your proposal.” __ “* Never! never!” muttered: Bernard Look- ing up presently, he perceived that White,aw had gone. He had glided away silently, CHAPTER XXII. BAD SIGNS. At the time Kid Kerly and Neil Travis left the miner's cabin, Ralph Quimby and his com- rade weré not far off, hidden in the bushes; for there were numberless coverts in the sbundant folinve of the Ten Miles Trace. Indeed, an ar- niy might haye been concealed there, provided y _ an old mountaineer like Kid did not put himself © upon the trail. | 7 The surprise of the miners, upon seeing Nei! come forth with the trapper, was great, and of no pleasant character ey looked at each other in alarm. * Here is mischief,” said Ralph. “Danger!” muttered Nat Stratton. “That mountaineer can follow & squirrel- track,” added Ralph, uneasily. “ Depend upon it, Nat, he is after us. I like not this. Neil Travis would not be off his bed, unless some- thing of more than usual importance had arous- ed him.” | ‘*He can’t do mucb harm, I reckon, on ac count of them ugly marks that we give him. He can’t walk without pain.” | “Pain? A spirit like his will conquer pain. T have looked into his eyes, and know him. Let us follow them at a distance,” said Ralph. “Follow it is! Have you anything in your finsk? Mine. is empty, but my nerves are stil] shaking.” , They moved slowly after the two men, and finally saw them enter the pine thicket where they stopped for the night. | “Is it not singular,” queried Ralph, “ that they camp near the old copper-mines ?”’ tratton did not answer. His eyes were down- cast, his manner gloomy. | “ Why don’t you speak ? Why do you mope and muse in this stupid way ?” added Ralph, petulantly. . “I'm thinkin’ of the lake shore,” replied Stratton, abstractedly. “I'll wager a bag of gold that Kid Kerly has tracked us there! Something seems to tell me sd. Blood, you Know, can’t be covered up, when it’s unfrirly shed. Everybody says that.” 7 “Nat, you are not the man you was!’’ sneer- ed the other. “I never shall be ag’in. I wish I'd never seen your niece, Ralph! Nor you either, for that matter ; nor tle cussed mines! I tell ye that that tough old mountaineer shoots plum’ cen- tre! I can almost feel the sights on me, now.” Ralph himself was impressed by the hopeless mood of Stratton. He felt how devious and har- rassing is the road of crime, and how heaven | (ECO AMUCE OOK e) —_ — es —_— ™