Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 239 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

& -_-— pouches outen every one o’ the’r dang’d stom- icks. I'll do bit, so help me! ‘*So long, Marm Brown; I’m off on ther ’vestergate biz, like a streak o’ greased light- nin’,” No sooner had Mrs, Brown revealed the news of the tragedy, and the name cf the sup- p<sed murderer, than the optic of Single-Eye blazed with fury. As be ceased speaking be dashed into the bottom timber in such baste, and with such unusual use of spur and twitch of rein, as to greatly amaze aud discompose Skip-lively. In a few moments the old scout bad drawn rein within ten feet of the murdered man, Single Eye for an instant sat his horse, gaz- ing at the sceno and its surroundings. He then beckoned for Baldwin Brown to approach, as he threw himself from the saddle, and ex- tended his hand, William Brown himself also came forward, and greeted the old scout, In a little time Baldy bad explained every- thing. in “ Whar war Lionel a-standin’?” asked Single- ye. The young man pointed out the spot where Lionel asserted that he had stood, when he was startled by the cry of Captain Warrington, that came close upon the discharge of his pistol, ** An’ Lionel said he war a-shootin’ et a4 snake in ther crick?’ questioned Single Eye. ‘Yes; that was what ho asserted,” said Baldwin, The scout twitched at his belt nervously, and then stepped carefully forward to the point where Lionel had stood when he had fired at the snake. The ground was soft and moist, and had not been trampled, except near the corpse. Single-Eye examined the sward with great care. All. present who were not supporting and endeavoring to console Winnie Warrington, watched the old scout eagerly, for they knew his great skill in reading “ sign.” Soon he returned, and dropping upon his knees, inspected the ground at and near the feet of the corpse; he then unbuttoned the captain’s vest, and examined the wound, During all this time Blackbird remained in tbe dense thicket, where he had first ensconced himeelf. He dared not leave it, from fear of being observed, and thus exciting suspicion against him. When the old scout appeared upon the scene, Blackbird trembled, for he feared Single-Eye, He knew him to bea friend and great ad- mirer of the young planter, and also that he was gifted with almost miraculous detective powers. When the dastardly assassin saw Single-Eye examining the ground, his teeth chattered with abject terror, Still he dared not attempt to escape, as he knew not who might be in the bottom; and nothing less than certain death threatened, if the scout should see him on the run, Single-Eye arose from the ground, and gave a grunt of satisfaction. Then, witbout a word of explanation, he walked toward the thicket, directly west from the corpse. Those who watched the old scout disappear in the bushes soon heard another grunt; then all was silent. The hair on Blackbird’s head se2med like squirming serpents; and well it might, for the next moment he was appalled at the sight of Single Eye crawling along his trail, toward the dense thicket. For a moment the wretch crouched on his hands and knees, unable even to move for the next few minutes, When he did at last arise, he staggered against a bush, causing a rustling of branches and leaves, and the next instant he was ciutched, as in a vise, by the scout, Fear and dread of an ignominious fate, how- ever, gave the villain the strength of half a dozen men. By a superhuman effort, as both strug- gled and fell to the earth, he wrenched himself free, and dashed madly over the bank into the Salado, “Dang my gran’mother’s bestest black cat’s hind paw!” , This peculiar exclamation came from the lips of Single-Eye, as he held in bis hand a re- volver that he had jerked from the scabbard of Blackbird, upon first clutching him. _ Gazing into the cylinder, the old scout saw ‘ informed of his position and character, yet his SS em eC C— Ce ee rt A TL LL LAL _ ee ROE “at 4 aE ———————————— eens ee + D The Terrible | Trio. resolution melted away as soon as his gaze aguin rested upon the beautiful girl. Once again, therefore, he joined her, basking in her smiles, and filled with rapture at the that one load was wanting. He therefore walked out to meet Baldy and a number of | rancheros, who, having heard the noise of the struggle, were now coming up. | ‘*Feller-pards,” he said, with something of | mere sound of her voice. triumph in his voice; ‘‘1 tole Marm Brown | Soon both, as they rambled slowly over tho that Lionel didn’t shoot ther capt’in, an’ I | park, forgot all else but themselves, know’d bit dead sure an’ sartin afore I run in It was then that Captain Warrington rushed, on yer hyer. | insanely furious, toward them, and Lionel La- ‘Yer hes see’d me ’zaminin’ ther ‘sign,’ | crosse was struck publicly in the face by the an’ now I tells yer what I hes foun’ out. father of the maiden who had taken bis heart ‘‘ Lionel stud out thar fer some periods, a- | by storm. facin’ ther crick; like es not waitin’ fer ther By a superhuman effort, the young man bad snake ter swim inter plain shootin’ locate. | controlled bimself, and refrained from resent- Thar’s whar he stud, an’ sunk his huffs inter ing the humiliating insult, on account of her ther sod. Hit shows plain; an’ right hyer, _ upon whom the stroke had fallen the heaviest, whar ther capt’in war shot, yer kin see he war | and who had been carried fainting into the ahint Lionel, a-facin’ jest est Lionel war. | house. “When he war shot, he kinder leaned | The suffering of Lionel, as he entered the back’ard, an’ stepped back’ard, an’ fell back’ard | timber, and impatiently wandered beneath the when his strength left him; all o’ which air , shades, waiting for somo intelligence from proved by ther deep beel-marks, an’ not much | Winnie, and seeking in vain for the slightest show o’ toe-marks, | excuse for the conduct of the captain, may be ‘‘ Ef be’d ’a’ bin shot by Lionel, standin’ es imagined, ther sign shows, hit *ud ‘a’ bin plum in ther Thus tortured in mind, a black cloud having breast. But, ef yer’ll ’zamine, yer’ll see ther suddenly and unexpectedly fallen upon, and ball struck ther capt’in in ther right side, an’ banished his newly-born happiness, he strolled went clean through his bestest ’natermy. , sadly along. ‘“Thet shows thet war shot from. ther But the cloud was as nothing to the hopeless thicket yunder an’ thar I ’cordin’ly went fer | despair, the mind torture, that bordered upon ‘sign,’ which war bout plain enough. insanity, which was to enshroud bim, and bar- “T foun’ this hyer”—showing a brandy- | ish him from all tbat he held dear on earth, flask—‘‘ an’ perceedin’ on ther trail, I jumped besides branding bim, innocent though he was, ther condemned cuss what hes done ther cow- ; as a cowardly assassin, ardly biz—done hit a-purpus ter git Lionel Feeling as be did, itis beyond human com- Lacrosse strung up a limb! prebension to describe the avalanche of horror “He gut’way from me, but, by ther Eternal, | that paralayzed bis brain when, on turning Pll bev him yet, er bu’st my brain-box! round, after firing his revolver at the snake, **T jarked his six-shooter from him, an’ now | he saw Captain Warrington fall to the ground, I calls on yer all ter gaze at ther chambers, For he saw that no other human being was in Yer’ll see thar’s one charge shot off, an’ thet | sight, and felt that he was being made the vic- hit bain’t bin long since ther trigger war tim of a hellish plot, pulled, es ther show o’ burnt powder air plain. His practiced ear told him that another on ther chamber. weapon had been discharged at the same in- ‘* Feller-pards, Capt’in Warrin’ton bey bin stant as bis own: but such was the bewildered ’sassernated in sich a cowardly way thet hit condition of his mind, that he could not, for ’ud make a ’Pache ’shamed ter count hit in his the life of him, decide from what direction the death-song. I, ole Single-Eye, assevirates | report bad proceeded. this, an’ Ill take a double-bar’led afferdavy | His despair, on discovering that the captain thet ther «an what lays thar dead, an’ kivered . was dead, and that he was in danger of being wi’ bleed, war shot by Bird Blackwell!” _taken and lynched as his murderer, appalled A confused murmur of surprise and amaze- Lionel; but no thought of flight entered his ment, mingled with relief, burst from those mind. A consciousness of innocence decided who were collected around, while Wiunie War- , bim to brave the danger that he realized now rington, raising ber clasped hands over her | threatened him. head, her long masses of golden hair banging |. The circumstantial evidence which must be to her waist, and the tears streaming from her , conclusive to all, the enmity that had been eyes, called out, for the first time: shown by the captain, all pointed toward a ‘‘ Father in heaven, i thank Thee! There is , longing for revenge on his part, and would this one relief to my tortured brain, in the , show sufficient motive for the murder. Not midst of all my fearful grief and despair, | for a moment did Lionel suppose that any one ‘‘Thou hast brought the proof, through | harbored ill-feeling toward himself, except it Single-Eye, that one whom all except myself | might be the petty jealousy occasioned by his believed to be an assassin, the slayer of my | proved superiority in the sports of the day, loved father, is innocent of the fearful deed. and upon such like previous occasions, ‘Oh, God, give me the strength to bear the Never was man more wronged in an hour’s great and crushing weight of anguish Thou | time, or p'unged deeper into the gloom of de- hast seen fit to Jay upon me, and guard and | spair so conclusive was the evidence agaiust protect him who is being pursued to the death | him, than was Lionel Lacrosse. for another’s crime!’ Having escaped from his would-be lynchers, the young planter galloped on toward the home that would be his home no more until the dread mystery was explained, and the assassin As bas been mentioned, Lionel Lacrosse, | bunted down, from the time that he first glanced into the And now, to crush him still more, if it were. limpid blue eyes of Winnie Warrington, and | possible, his loved father was brought to mind. listened to her silvery voice, had seen every- | The poor old man, who was never happy ex- thing in life through a new medium. | cept when his son was by bis side, what would A new existence seemed opened to him as , he do now? he walked with the fair girl beveath the oaks, | How could his father spare—how would ho Never, in his wildest dreams or imaginings, | be affected by all this? had he thought it possible for human being to _— Lionel knew that this fondest of parents be blessed by such happiness as he felt when | would be crushed to the earth by this terrible by the side of Winnie, who, by her sprightly | event, this undreamed-of and overwhelming manner and conversation, caused him to plunge | sorrow, that would banish his boy from his into an intimacy which made him feel as | side, branded as a murderer. though he had known her for years. As the anguished young man thought of this, And Winnie had appeared to be no less fa- | a thousand and one dread thoughts rushed vorably impressed than himself, | through his already overtaxed brain. Those were blissful moments that preceded Could it be possible that more of trouble and the time when, at dinner, Captajn Warrington | agony were to be beaped upon his already manifested such open displeasure, finally with- | crushed heart and racked soul? Could it be drawing from the table with his daughter, | that he was to be plunged deeper into the without a word of excuse—in fact, ignoring | depths, crowding him off the brink of reason his presence altogether. into the abyss of desperation? The young man had very naturally felt hurt Lionel could not believe this. Onward he by this uncalled-for conduct; and when the | dashed, still urging his horse to greater speed, sports were over, and he saw Cuptain War- | ina short time bursting from the timber of a rington enter the bottom timber, although | bend of the creek intv the “open” that com- Lionel had resotved to hold himself alouf from | manded a view of Lacrosse Ranch, As his Winnie until such time as her father had been | steed spruvg free of the undergrowth, Lionel dropped the reins from his trembling hands, CHAPTER VIi. THE FLIGHT. comicbooks. co ————————— a