Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 308 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

—— I A te 16 in rapidity and volume, until it seriously im- peded their progress, At first the snow fell gently and in large flakes, though very thickly; but after a while it came in smaller and harder particles, accom- anied by a stiff breeze that blew it into their aces, quite to their discomfort. When they reached the puss the snow was a few inches in depth, and promised to be much deeper before daylight. A strong wind was blowing directly down the pass as they went up into the basin, and that, coupled with the growing darkness, made the concluding part of tbeir journey very toil- : some, \ When they reached the cabin which Dick | Risden and Auguste had built against a cliff they were all pretty thorougbly exhausted an glad to reach a place of rest. Hemlock Hank was not surprised at finding . the cabin there. It confirmed Louis’s story of finding and de- stroying a campin the basin, and convinced ' him that the detective meant business, and bad come to stay. t When they were safe in the hut, Auguste un- | ' covered the embers on the hearth, and soon had a good fire burning. t made the place look so cheerful that even sour Solomon Barnes brightened up. om Risden secured the door on the inside with a chain anda padlock, and then untied the captive’s bands, ‘*T guess y u’re safe enough in that,” re- marked Hank. ‘I feel kinder tuckered out, myself, and | wouldn’t be epee & to try to run away on sech a night and in sech a storm,” “It promises to be a real old-fashioned snow- storm,’ replied the detective. ‘I bope that it may let up, and that it will not drift badly,” While supper was being prepared, the captioe looked around the cabin, and saw that it was well supplied with barrels and boxes and bales that had been brought up from below. } . **Looks like you've come to settle, Mr. Dick ' -Risden,” be remarked. ‘*T always do what I undertake to do,” re- plied the detective, ‘‘ I shall finish the job I am on, if it takes all winter.” From a bale be drew forth some substantial aad clothing, which he exhibited to Sol arnes, —. =e ee SU es “I think I will be able to fit you, Barnes,” | be said, ‘‘ You are needing winter clothing pretty badly, and it is lucky for you, I guess, that you have found me,” As Sol was examining the garments, Hemlock Hank regarded bim with a frown of displeas- 1 ure, “Ts that sneak goin’ to stay with you, Mr. f Dick Risden?” he asked, ‘*Do you refer to Sol Barnes?’ inquired the detective. ‘** That’s the dientical skunk I’m speakin’ of.” . “He is in my employ at present. Do you ; object to him?’ * All I’ve got to say about it is that you had a better not leave him alone with me, or he may come up missin’, [ do most mortally hate a sneak.” " . The supper that was prepared by the joint ‘hs efforts of Auguste and Risden was a good and substantial one, The four mev did it ample justice, and it put ‘them all in a better humor. After supper Risden supplied them all with pipes and tobacco, and they sat around the fire and smoked. No further allusion was made that night to Hemlock Hank’s captivity or its cause; but c ‘they conversed freely upon indifferent subjects, as if he were a guest toward whom the —. tor of the cabin bad none but the mdst friendly intentions, - Outside the wind had grown stronger and i wilder, and its roaring, together with the fine- 4, ness of the snow that sifted through the crev- ices of the logs, forced them to believe that ‘snow obstructions would be very serious the next day. ; Naturally the talk ran upon the big snow- | storms of the past, concerning which all the | party were well supplied with stories and remi- niscences, and even Sol Barnes contributed bis ; quota to the stock. } The detective professed to have no fear of snow-storms, ‘“* This would be a bad one to be caught out in,” said be; ‘‘but men can worry through with the worst of them if they know how. a bi fact there is scarcely anything that a man can’t dis -do nowadays, if he has the will and tbe skill. Mig Een Since modern science can extract fire from a es snow-bank, and rum from a rail fence. it ought Bf to. be able to get blood out of a turnip.” P As be said this he looked significantly at q Hemlock Hank, but made no visible impression ‘ane upon that tough yon ai. When they bad finished their smoke they were glad enough to turn in on their coucbes of — - fir boughs and under a covering of n Before lying down, Dick Risden unlocked the door, and 7 veceetiae to push it open. ned outwardly, when it opened at all. bis occasion it did not open at all, It Evidently there was a heavy snow-bank against it. ———— ——_—=——L But this seemed highly improbable to ple who were better acquainted with Hank Ward The stout ‘ puncheon ” door was well able to | than his young friend was. resist any possible pressure of snow; but it was solidl7 fixed in its place, and could not be opened, There was a thoughtful look on the detective’s face as he returned from trying this experi- ment, which was reflected from the counte- nances of the others. The storm was surely a very severe one, and there could be no doubt that the snow was drift- ing heavily. But it was so comfortable and cheerful within the cabin, that they mignt well be ex- cused for an unwillingness to look too far into the future. In the morning, if they had confessed what they felt, no small amount of anxiety would bave been expressed. It was quite dark in the cabin, no light com- ing in from any quarter, though it was late enough for the sun to be up. No more snow was sifting in through the crevices of the logs. This did not necessarily indicate the cessa- tion of the storm, as the cracks were so choked up with snow that no more could get in. In fact, they had no means of knowing any- thing at all about the state of affairs outside. But if was necessary that they should know, While Auguste and Sol Barnes were arrang- ing the fire and preparing breakfast, Dick Ris- den and Hemlock Hank made such examina- tions as their position allowed them to make, The detective examined the door again, and discovered that it was impossible to open it. On the side of the cabin that faced the basin was an opening that was closed by a shutter, which he bad made of the cover of one of his boxes. The shutter moved inwardly, and he pulled it open. Nothing could be seen there but a wall of snow. He felt of it, and sounded it as well as he could, and perceived that it was packed solidly, as drifted snow is wont to pack. ** We are snowed in,” he said, as he closed the shutter, CHAPTER XXIL THE STORM AT THE OUTLOOK. It was at a very early bour in the morning that Hemlock Hank left The Outlook, to go to Hubbard’s for the purpose of seeing if any sup- plies had reached there, either for Solon Marley or for himself and Charley Creed. He did not require any Cooney on. this journey, and Charley was quite willing to re- main on the plateau with Solou Marley and bis daughter, Louis bad gone hunting, but did not expect to be er Bas As k had started so soon in the morning, it was supposed that be would return at a rea- sonably early hour in the afternoon. When the middle of the afternoon had passed and he had not arrived, it was decided that he had found friends at Hubbard’s, and had lin- gered to enjoy their veee It was not until nightfall that anxiety con- cerning his absence began to be exp a Not only had he been expected at a much ear- lier bour, but it had begun to snow, and the snow was falling heavily. Nobody feared that be would lose his wa in the darkness; but it was thought tbat, if the storm should prove to be a severe one, be might be preven from climbing the mount- ain, Louis, who had come home from his bunt when the storm set in, shared the anxiety of the others, though his trouble was more evident in bis demeanor than in his words, Charley Creed—doubtless for the reason that he knew less about the matter than anybody— was the only one of the party who kept up his spirits, and he vainly endeavored to inspire bis companions with a share of bis own cheer- fulness, “Hank is all right,” said he. ‘‘ He will be here to-morrow, safe and sound, if not sooner; but be will not be likely to try to make the trip in the night and the storm. There is nobod org who is better able to take care of himself, and be may be relied on to look out for Hank Ward all the time.” This cheerful view of the matter did not carry conviction to the minds of his hearers. Hank knew so well how to take care of him- self that none of the ordinary chances of the journey to and from Hubbard’s would have kept him from reaching The Outlook during the daytime. ‘ Something extraordinary, therefore, had oc- curred to prevent bim from returning. Pa bee oe it is not so te extraordinary,” insisted Charley. ‘It is quite likely that he has met some of his old cronies at the tavern, and they have got to drinking, as loggers will, and time has without notice. He has con- cluded to make a night of it, I suppose; but he will turn up all right when he gets ready to come home.’ av oe a He was never considered a drinking man, and, whatever had prevented him from return- ing, they were sure that liquor was in no way responsible for his absence. As the darkness was thickening, Louis built a fire near the edge of the plateau, and they went in to supper. But it was a dujl and comfortless meal. They ate with the door open, in ora of the cold and the snow, as it was pussible that a ery of “‘hello!* might come to their ears from the other end of the pass that led to the moun- tain spur, Nothing of the kind was heard, and at last the door was unwillingly closed, shutting them in from the elements, The wind did not blow fiercely there, as it was northeasterly, and they were well shielded from it by the peak; but the snow fell rapidly, and showed a disposition to bank up wherever it found anything to hold the drifts. Before retiring, the men frequently went to the edge of the plateau, to strain their eyes by trying to look into the darkness, and to listen for distant shouts. But they only heard the soughing of the wind in the trees, and they only saw the snow that was filling the air and deepening on the ground. Before going to bed they piled heavy wood on the fire out there, to keep it burning as long as it would, Not that they had tbe faintest hope that Hemlock Hank was or might be anywhere with- in sight; but there was no telling what chance would occur, In the morning they found the snow nearly waist deep on the plateau, and a white mound where the signal-fire had been, The snow was not badly banked up about the house, though it bad drifted in places to the hight of twenty or thirty feet, or even more. Before they could make a move in any di- rection, they were obliged to cut paths, first to wood an water, and then out to the edge of the plateau, and this was a labor that taxed the energies of the three men through the greater part of the day. Of course they had no expectation of seeing their absent friend, as the snow was so deep that he would not be able to travel without snow-shoes, To be sure, if he should happen to be still at Hubbard’s, he might borrow snow-shoes there; but the snow was as yet too soft to allow him to use them. ; To provide against any possible contingency, as well as for future use, they rigged up the block and tackle which was the usual mode of reaching the plateau in winter. At no great distance from the narrow pass the mountain-side fell away abruptly, form- ing a sheer precipice somu fifty or sixty feet in hight, at the foot of which was a slope ei could easily be reached from the forest low. Over the edge of the precipice stretched the gnarled trunk of a stout tree. To the tree Louis fastened a pulley, through which he rove a rope with a sling at the end that hung over the cliff. The otber end of the rope might be carried to a rude windlass that had been po Sale ot erected, and thus it could be used for hauling up @ man, or any articles thatshould be brought to the head of the slope. If Charley Creed’s mind had been free, he would have delighted in the magnificent pros- pect that was presented to his vision from his position at The Outlook. Before and below him lay a world of snow, scarcely anything else being visible in the vast field of whiteness that obscured the ordinary features of the landscape. There were no more lakes, no more rivers, and the only salient points of the view that remained were the shining crests of distant mountains. But he was too much troubled about the fate of his friend to take a lively interest in the wonderful scene, and his only thought was that he wanted to go in search of Hemlock Hank. There was no chance then, either that Cay or the next, for him to make such an excursion or any kind of an excursion. tt was necessary to wait until the snow should become crusted, On the third day a heavy rain fell, and it was quite a warm rain, melting a large portion of the snow, It was followed by a cold storm of sleet, and the sleet was followed by a hard freeze, . Then there was nothing to hinder him, and he made his preparations to start at an early hour in the morning. Solon Marley would have preferred to send Louis, who was more than willing to go; but Charley insisted upon making the journey with a pertinacity that was unusual in him. e still adhered to the pte that Hank had been detained at Hubbard It was useless to tell him thatif such were the case, his friend would bave set out to return Eomicbooks eee , —_ Ae -€O ot = :