Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 308 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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saddlebsck, and there he stood, gazing at the plateau. ‘* Halt!” exclaimed Solon Marley, in an un- usual tone of authority, as he laid his band on Charley’s shoulder, ‘‘There must be no blood shed forme, Let them come, and do not try to hinder them. It is fate, and I must accept what is sent to me.’ But fate, if it was fate, took a sudden turn, Even as the old man was speaking, a low, growling sound was heard, followed by a deep roar. The Indian, who had not yet gained the edge of the saddleback, seemed to be sliding down the steep declivity. Risden seized a stunted tree; but the tree started to slide in the same direction, Then the roar deepened, and in a moment the pass sunk and disappeared, with the ex- ception of a small portion, which was far below the plateau. CHAPTER XXIX, A MOONLIGHT FLITTING. Wirn the disapp*srance of the pass a cloud of mist arose, doubtless from the moist and loosened masses of stone and earth; but there vas nothing to explain the occurrence, ‘ What was that?” demanded Charley Creed, as soon as he could recover from his astonish- ment, Ls land-slide, my boy,” answered Hemlock ank, **T don’t pretend to understand that sort of thing; but | must say that it came just in the nick of time,” Solon Marley had sunk upon his knees, as if for the purpose of prayer; but be quickly rose again, ‘*I was going to give thanks for my deliver- ance,” said he; ‘ but I find that I have not the heart to do so while it is to be feared that my gain is the great loss of others.” “As how?” inquired Hank, ‘‘Those two men, | am afraid, have been dashed into eternity.” “Serve ’em right, if they have; but you needn’t worry about that, old friend, They are alive and kickin’—or Dick Risden is, any- how.” ‘“‘How can that be?’ demanded Charley. ** How can they have gone down with that slide and not have been killed?” ‘* Well, sonny, that Dick Risden is one of the men that nothin’ can kill, He’s like a cat—allus bound to light on his feet—-and I should say that he’s got as many lives as a cat. I don’t know about the Injun; but I'd be willin’ to bet a season’s wages that Risden is safe.” “Then the same trouble comes up again, Mr. Marley, and the question is as I stated it a while ago. Mattie had hurried to them directly after the crash caused by the land-slide, and was listen- ing attentively to the discussion. ‘Charley is right,” said Hank, “ and I guess that he didn’t put the thing a bit too strong. The pass has 4 out pretty much, and there don’t seem be any way of gittin’ up here in front; but there’s t’otber side, and the detective is sure to find his way to this place in time. We never thought that he could git where he was a bit ago; but he did it, The question is, old friend, jest as Charley says, whether it is best to go of your own free will, - to be ketched and carried off by Dick Ris- en. “Surely we must get away from here,” put in Mattie. ‘‘ We must go somewhere,” ‘‘ Yes, we must go somewhere,” admitted her father. This was @ great point gained, and Charley Creed pressed his advantage. So ald Hemlock Hank, who had been com- pletely won over to his young friend’s cause, They were joined by Mattie, who did not press ‘. opinions, but quietly agreed with the others, This combined assault overcame Solon Mar- ley, who promised that be would be guided by them and leave The Outlook. As soon as he was converted to that belief, he became nervously anxious to depart as soon as possible, ‘*How can we get away, and when?” he ask- ed eagerly. ‘There Charley. ‘‘Wemust go down the river, and Jand travel is impossible at this season, I sup- pose, ‘‘ How are we to travel, then? We have no boats.” “Only one that can count. I have my canoe; but that is not sufficient. We can manage that matter, though. Can’t we, Hank?’ " “Of course we can. I don’t think that Seth Sloman’s men bave left the Wassataquoit yet. I will go over there, and we will knock up a wangun in short order.” ‘* What is a wangun?” asked Mattie, ‘‘A wangun, my dear, is jest a bateau, sech as the lumbermen use when t”ey foller the logs down-stream. ‘e won’t need a big one, and I guess I can easy find lumber enough.” _ Their departure having been determined on, is only one way to go,” answered Hemlock Hank. no time was lost in carrying out the project and attending to all its details, Hank Ward was peculiarly fortunate in his mission. Seth Sloman’s logging camp bad been broken up, and the crew were just about to begin their nie’ do down the river. ut they bad a large skiff for which they would have no further use—the same skiff which had served Zeb Carter »ud his party on their prospecting tour—and tney were quite willing to dispose of it to Hank, who was glad to become its possessor, as it would serve his purpose admirably. The skiff was concealed on the Wassataquoit, whitber Charley’s canoe was carried, He and Hemlock Hank, with the assistance of Louis, worked hard in conveying to their boats sufficient provisions for the voyage, together with blankets and other necessaries. Mattie Marley employed her time in making a tent of some sheets she bad in the cabin. If not entirely waterproo‘, it would at least be a partial protection from the weather. When all was in readiness, Solon Marley bid a tearful farewell to the cabin on the cliff; but Mattie and the others said good-by to it quite joyously. t was dusk when they descended the cliff, Hemlock Hank, who was the heaviest, being let down first, followed by Solon Marley and t- tie. Louis, who was the last to get off the plateau, let himself down, and then the rope was hauled out of the pulley and carried away. Darkness came on as they took their way through the woods, it being their intention to make the trip to the Wassataquoit under cover of the night, and to drop down in the darkness, so that they should find themselves in the Pen- obscot when the next day dawned. It was admitted that the purpose of this proceeding was to prevent the possible dis- mesety of their manner of departure from Dick TS), ‘T.cis looks like a moonlight flitting,” said Caarley Creed, as he walked by the side of the girl he loved. “It looks like running away, and that is just what it is,” responded Mattie, ‘But we must runaway. lIonly hope and pray that this be- ginning may bring a good ending.” ‘*We must make it end well, my dear, If Hank Ward will get us safely down the river, you may depend on me to make things right at the other end of the route,” ‘But father has not consented to go to Ban- gor. He says that he will not go there.” ‘* Well, we will not worry about that at the start. For the present it is enough to know that we have him on the way down the river, Of course we will comply with all his wishes as far as we possibly can. Tbe moon was shining as they threaded the forest, taking the shortest route to the Wassa- taquoit, ut the ground was in very bad condition for traveling, being in some places still covered with snow, and in others with ice or water, and a earth soggy and treacherous to the tread, Consequently the trip was not a pleasant one, and it was late when they got to the Wassata-. quoit, They found the boats safe, with all the prop- erty they had concealed there, and began the vovene down the river as soon as they could oad up. But in their ee of getting into the Penobscot by daylight or thereabout they were doomed to disappointment, They had got but a little distance on their way when they encountered a log-jam. It was a drive of logs that had been started from the bead-waters of the stream, and had grounded at a shallow place, filling the narrow cbannel, There the logs awaited the rising of the river and the coming of their owners, It was not much of a jam, but sufficient to wep the voyagers. emlock Hank made a survey of the situa- tion, with the view of endeavoring to start the im, but was soon convinced that any attempt in that direction would be unavailing, as there was not as yet enough water in the channel to float the logs, There was nothing for it but to make a port- age. So the boats were unloaded and carried laboriously around the jam, and their contents were carried after them and placed in them again. Hemlock Hank took passage in the skiff to help Louis manage it, Solon Marley and his daughter being their passengers, Charley Creed controlled his canoe alone, but with the pleasant prospect of having Mattie Marley as a passenger part of the time after they got into the Penobscot, The portage was such hard and tedious work that it was nearly dawn when it was finished, and it was broad daylight when they came in sight of Hubbard’s, ortunately there was nobody stirring at the tavern—at least, nobody was visible—and they — ee - em ee passed by without stopping and almost without speaking. So they swept down the swift current of the stream, and out into the broader channel of the Penobscot, where they considered themselves safe. It was just then that their bright hopes were -_—-- = dashed down, and a cloud came over the moon- light flitting. They had floated fairly out into the river when Hank Ward chanced to look back, and an ex- clamation that was almost an oath broke from his lips. The others then looked back, and saw a sight that surprised and startled them, n the point of land formed by the junction of the stream and the river there was a man standing, who was gazing at them as they were gazing at him, Although but two of them had seen that man before, they instinctively knew who and what he was, ‘* Who is he, Hank?” almost breathlessly asked Charley Creed. ‘“That darned Dick Risden!” CHAPTER XXX. THE LAND-SLIDE. THROUGH the vast pine forest, an early day im spring, two men were wearily tramping. They were Dick Risden and Auguste, and they were baving anything but a pleasant time as they toiled over the wet.and sodden ground, fording unexpected streams, finding torrents where no water bad been before, climbing yidges, stumbling through ravines, making de- tours to avoid obstinate snow-banks that bad thus far resisted the melting weather, and generally having a tedious and comfortless gounney as they skirted the base of old Ka- ahdin, Their boat. had been left on the same stream which they bad ascended during the latter part of the previous autumn, and their provisions and other necessaries bad been carefully con- cealed near it, while they were undertaking an expedition which seemed to Risden to promise success, With the exception of a small ax and a supply .of food, they carried nothing but their weapons. The detective’s arsenal, however, included a six-chambered revolver, for use at close quar- ters if it should be necessary, and he was of the opinion that its use might be necessary, “Tf any of those folks, Auguste,” suid he ‘should show fight or attempt to resist me, I want you to hold back and leave the skrimmage to me, unless you bave to chip in in self-de- fense.” Without the slightest hesitation the Indian agreed to ollow his chief to do the fighting, ‘*T hope that they will not do anything of the kind,” continued. the detective, ‘t Hank Ward isa peaceable man, Iam sure, and I shall meet them in the name of the law, But there is no telling what may happen.” They followed a deep ravine that led steeply up into the mountain, and quiie a tough Saxe t ey had of the ascent, as an icy torrent was. rushing down the ravine, and they were fore to clamber, slowly and painfully, along its rough and rocky side. But they safely reached their destination, at a point which the detective had located, After a careful survey of the mountain in the neighborhood of the plateau to which be bad followed Hemlock Hank and Louis, he bad fixed upon that spot as the point from which his prey could be reached the most easily and directly. He pointed out to Auguste the route that he intended to take. It was plain enough; but its difficulties were such as might deter any but a very obstinate man, The side of the ravine rose to a considerable hight above them, steep and rough, and rocky for perhaps half the distance, Above that point earth was more plentiful, and the ridge to its crest was heavily over- pawn with stunted trees and bushes, which oe not yet begun to put forth their spring | cliage. As the detective pointed upward, Auguste: sbook his head, : " ‘“No can climb,” was his sententious re- mark, ‘* We've got to climb,” replied Risden, ‘‘ No: use talkin’, my boy.. Up there we must go, and the sooner we begin the job, the better, Come on! It was bard work. Dangerous work, too, mes int of desperate climbing, boosting and ulling each other up, they succeeded in pass- ng beyond the rocky limit of the ridge. bove that point they had an easier time working their way over the soft earth an among the trees and bushes, which aided their efforts and enabled them to make better pro- gress, Soon they were in sight of the crest of the ridge, and then they had almost reached it, hey were alsoin sight of the pletens. above and tothe right of them, and Dick Risden, as. he glanced in that direction, uttered a subdued. ery of exultation. — GOMIicbdooks eon