Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 256 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 Double Dan, the Dastard. and go direct across the plain, we can strike the stream just below the end ; for the Brazos ng an eastern sweep, from our home to this nt. pee Oh, if we can but reach there before my absence is discovered! I feel some hope now, and I will continue what 1 was saying. As I told you, I walked to the landing, saw that you had taken my oars, and was about to return, when Hero began to growl. I saw that his at- tention was attracted up the river. ‘**T looked in that direction, and you may im- agine my astonishment, when I perceived your boat, floating down in the same manner as | reviously had seen it, when in my hammock, F could see you, too, lying in the same position as when you glided down asleep, ‘‘7 was startled, terrified; it was so strange and unaccountable. Then, when IL recognized our face in the moonlight, all stained with lood, I was horror-stricken, for I thought you were dead. Without thinking of anything else, 1 gave my skiff a violent push, sprung into it, and went in pursuit. Hero bounded in at the — time, I suppose, though I did not, notice im. ‘‘T succeeded in overtaking you, got into our boat, and then lost all consciousness. When recovered, Hero stood near me, dripping with water; and I was, as well as yourself, complete- ly spattered. This, I knew, had been done by the dog; and he was about to dive into the river again, when I discovered an immense alli- gator about to seize your arm, which hung into the water. ‘*T caught up your knife, and thrust if into the monster’s eye; but 1 know that Hero must have saved your life and mine too, by spring- ing - the alligator, on its first a Big ‘Now you know all, Roy, except that I en- tertained fears for your safety, after you had left the Bend; what made me apprehend any- thing, was from observing that the painter of your boat bad been severed by a knife, and as you did not explain how you happened to be adrift, I concluded it must have been the work ofanenemy. I wasstrengthened in this reason- ing, from the fact that, after you left last evening, to go to your boat I saw the face ofa man—a perfectly fiendish face—in the branches of a tree beyond the river. This face was turned toward the landing where you stood. ‘* I thought, as it vanished immediately, that it was a vision of my imagination; but | now believe it to have been the face of the man who afterward shot you.” ‘* You astonish me, Rose,” said the young man. ‘¢You are, indeed, a most brave, daring, and self-sacrificing heroine; and never, as long as life is given me, shall I forget this eventful rades, who knew that only he and old Dan had been in the vicinity, would denounce him as the murderer, boldly asserted itself, although mastered and a under control by his powerful will. hat this ete and innocent maiden was unable to repress her affection for, and trust in Not that the killing of a negro amounted to him, he was positive; and he vowed that he | much at that time and place, but Dan was a would cherish that love, watch over and pro- | general favorite in the neighborhood, and it tect her, trusting that in time something might | would be a blot upon his name. occur that would cause her father and him to Le Grand had drank a great quantity of become friends, and that the parent’s anxiety | liquor, which had excited him to frenzy; and for his daughter’s happiness would cause him to | this, in conjunction with the furiéus hatred and consent to their union. | thirst for revenge that possessed him, and was It took but a moment or so for Roy to come | now accomplished, did not relieve his brain in to a decision in this respect, and to form an un- | the least. derstanding with himself. The horrors that ensued had transformed him Then he spoke impulsively, but most earnestly; | into little less than a madman, and when he halting as he did so, and clasping his hands | found that he had murdered old Dan, he was about the shoulders of Rosa, as he gazed into her | the most miserable and ea of wretches on upturned face. the face of the earth. ‘fe may easily imagine also, that the conflict with the bear did not im- prove his mental condition. At times, however, as he dashed onward, there would occur an interval when his thoughts were more reasonable, and he strove to think in what manner he could cover his crimes or de- stroy all evidence that pointed to him as the criminal; and it was when he had reached a point fully a mile from the camp that it sud- denly occurred to him_ that he could so dispose of the corpse of Old Dan as to lead any one, who might discover the body, to decide that the hy had been slain in an encounter with the ear. This idea, once pondered upon, remained fixed in his mind as a very cleverly-conceived plan and one that would clear him of all complicity in the affair; and he at once drew rein, allow- ing his foaming horse to proceed leisurely, in order that he might more fully take in the situ- ation. He well knew that no proofs existed of his connection with the assassination of Roy Ran- dolph; this was plainly evident, as no planta- tion was nearer the scene of his crime than that of Captain Ray, which was fully two and a half miles distant. Not only this, but he fully believed that the corpse was never likely to be discovered. If the boat did not reach the Gulf before day- light, there was a probability of the body being dragged from the skiff and devoured by alliga- tors; for Le Grand had observed that it was low in the water forward, and that Roy’s arm hung over the side into the river. Besides this, no one could decide at what point in the river Roy had been shot, and his comrades would remember that he had sent him adrift alive. Old Dan had been well aware of this fact, but his lips were mute for- ever. He had destroyed the only witness that he knew had seen Roy Randolph last alive, but “Rosa Ray,” he said, ‘‘we have, in a most mysterious manner, .been brought together twice within a few hours, and under most try- ing and culiar circumstances, we never having met previously. I cannot but hope that, | in the future, we are destined often to meet. | ‘‘Tam sure that I cannot be happy, unless I know, by frequently seeing you, that all is well with you. I am aware that your father would be furious, did he know that we bad met; did he know that you had formed an acquaintance with any man, that was liable to deepen into an attachment. But he is wrong to put such re- strictions upon you, ‘Love is natural, and cannot be restrained. And now, here, on this flower-bespangled prai- rie, under the silvery smile of Heaven’s ap- proves I confess to you, Rosa Ray, that I, Roy andolph, love you—that I love you as I never have, and never shall again, as Jong as life lasts, love any one! I fully, truthfully believe we were created for each other—fated to be brought together, to live together, to die together! And now tell me, Rosa, as your eyes have already told me, do you love me as i love you—more than all the world, more than life?” “IL have proved it to-night, i _ Why ask me what you already know? Yes, I do love you; and I always shall)” « God bless you, darling!” Thus spoke our hero, as he lifted Rosa from her feet, and pressed her to his breast, ‘‘ Now, Rosa, we will walk on; for I love you too well to delay your homeward steps at such a time as this. Ido not think you will find any difficulty in regaining Phd chamber, or that our absence has been discovered. In fact, we Snow that there would be a great hue and cry, and parties out in all directions, if you had been missed,” “‘T have little fear now, Roy,” returned the girl; ‘‘for it cannot be past midnight, although ‘that I would seek your acquaintance in advance he will kill you now; he will not allow you to ee —— ee if seems ages since we met—years since I arose from my sleepless couch. And now, I will tell you, that it was thinking of you that banished sleep; it was anxiety on your account that caused me to seek the landing. And now I shall be more ah taped than ever. ** Oh, how shall 1 know that you have reached your home in safety? You may be shot again; and this time meet death, and then I should die myself. I could not live without you, Roy!” ‘My, darling, you must not worry about me, I have had two warnings, and shall now be on the alert. Tl trace the assassin, and will have my revenge I did not suppose there could be found on the lower Brazos, a human being so dastardly as to ambush and shoot a man in such evening and night, and your noble conduct, “T feel proud, and highly honored, by the interest you have taken in me, a stranger; but it does seem that the Fates have settled it that our lives are to be connected in some manner. “The circumstances under which our ac- quaintance and friendship have been formed, have been most strange, tragic, and astonishing; more so, I hope, than we shall again experience. From the fact that you saw the face of a man beyond the river—evidently a spy —I am incliued to think it must have been the same scoundrel who cut me adrift, and who then geticned down the river, when discovering that plan had been frustrated, he dashed up- stream again, there to lie in wait, and assassin- ate me. ‘* However, I have been most mercifully pre- served, this being the third time he has attempted to kili me. And the same villain, R or sworn to make you his wife. I over- he him make his boast, and wager that he would become familiarly acquainted with you within a week’s time. This was between a way. - But, forewarned is forearmed, Iam nowa match for all such miscreants. But now Iin- sist that you retire, and endeavor to get some sleep. Twonights from this, 1 will meet you at the landing, or near it, The whistle of the whip-poor-will will tell you my whereabouts. I will recover our boats, and will return yours, with the oars, to-morrow night. : “Keep your people from the landing, if pos- sible, that no one may perceive that your skiff is missing. Now, use caution, Rosa! All is quiet; but I will await until] I know you have reached your apartment. Be sure that you banish all but happy thoughts.” The youthful pair had now arrived at the magnolias, beneath the shades of which they parted; Rosa stealing toward the mansion, and The horrid assassin—I hope you will have him | taking advantage of the pestonpeiedt Ae screen her arrested. Perhaps he has again galloped down | as she advanced. Inthis way our heroine gained the river, watching to ascertain if you were her room; and Roy Randolph, after patting and really dead, and so observed me in your boat. fondling Hero, whispering thanks in the ear of “Oh, what will become of me if he has? And | the noble dog for his faithful services, and dar- ing deed in repulsing the alligator, sprung into the thick timber. Away beyond the Bend, the young man darted, and up the Rio Brazos; but be had no intention of going to his home, for he had work before him on the morrow. Roy Randolph had resolved to trail Louis Le- Grand, in the morning! CHAPTER XI. A SIGHT OF THE AVENGER. THE brain of Louis Le Grand was ina terribly demoralized state, and no wonder was it; for, added to the fact that be had assassinated Roy Randolph, as he believed, he now knew that he had murdered his faithful old slave. He felt now that it was quite probable that his com- im and his companions, while I lay in my boat, in : red cove up the river. I registered a vow, Rosa, before I fell asleep, of him, and warn you against him; but, strange to say, he has been the means of our bein brought together, by casting me adrift, althou b his intention was that I should be swept into the Gulf of Mexico, and lost.” ! “Ob, Roy, who is this man you speak of? OO — - reach your home alive!” The fair girl clung to Roy, as a tender vine to a noble tree; gazing up into his face with an expression of regard and apprehension. oy Randolph, upon rere wing the near t, confessed that he had been blind not to bave sooner perceived that the beautiful belle of the Brazos loved him ardently; giving him, un- asked, her innocent maiden affection, She was by far too guileless and unworldly to conceal her sentiments: and his own brave, manly heart throbbed and swelled with a joy that could not be expressed in words. The love that had sprung into life upon first ee our heroine, but which had been crushed down and repudiated as unmanly, now ——— asleep, Banisbing the assassination as a crime with which he could not be proven to have been con- nected, Le Grand at once decided that he was safe, but he must first fix the body of the negro to suit him, and then he might defy the future. His mind was now less excited, although he continued at times to drink from his flask. Some length of time elapsed before he again reached the camp, and he shuddered with terror and superstition as the corpse of his poor old slave met his view. Nevertheless he was forced to overcome these feelings to a certain extent, else he could not accomplish his Ste gee fear of detection caus- ing him much fright, as Mea would be more apt to think that he had killed Roy Randolph, if the body of the latter should be discovered when the crime of slaying his slave was placed at his door. Securing his horse at the patch of wild rye; the animal giving a whinny of delight at being again with its kind, Le Grand at once proceeded to carry out his scheme. _ He well knew that many of the young men in that vicinity were experienced trailers, and that he must proceed with the utmost care, otherwise he would leave “sign” that would betray him. Fortunately the carcass of the bear was not far from the corpse of old Dan; and, gathering his strength, the master bore his murdered slave to the spot fixed upon, being foreed to allow the limbs to drag as he did so. Le Grand shuddered from head to foot, his face was ghastly, his eyes wild and starting from their sockets, as he lifted the cold and stiffened corpse in his arms; the soulless eyes of the old negro being fastened upon his own in seeming appeal and condemnation. linging the body upon that of the dead bear, the paws cf which he clasped about the corpse, Le Grand placed old Dan’s knife, after thrust- ing the blade into the bloody wound of the bear, in the hand of the dead man. He then forced the claws of the beast into the slave’s garments and flesh. ‘ Having thus arranged them in such a manner as would lead one to decide at once, upon dis- covery, that both man and beast had died when in fierce conflict, Le Grand, with the top of a bush, brushed over the trail that had been made by his dragging the corpse, and put the crushed down grass into a natural position. Giving a satisfied look at his work, the mis- creant strode toward the horses, convinced that G “iS JOO Eom