Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 308 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

—S He got down to the ravine into which the | pass bad tumbled, and followed it to the forest at the base of the mountain. Thence he tramped in as direct a course as he could follow to Hubbard’s, reaching the tavern after midnight, tired, footsore—inu fact, badly worn out, He roused up Josh Hublard, and got into the cabin, where a draught of spirits refreshed and seemed to invigorate him; but he tumbled into a bunk as soon as he had questioned the propri- etor, He got no consolation there. Hubbard had neither seen nor heard any- thing of Hemlock Hank or any of the party of whom Risden was in search. If he bad been possessed of any information, “ may be doubted if be would have imparted ,as Hank Ward had given him some hints that made him not over friendly to his present visitor, Though the detective was so completely worn out, he failed to find relief in sleep. The worry consequent upon the failure of his plans, and the uncertainty of the course he should next take, kept his brain whirling, and shut off the solace of slumber. When he did fall asleep, he was barassed by the thoughts that pursued his waking hours, and by tormenting dreams from which he was glad to be aroused with a start, Day was breaking when he finally abandoned the attempt, and tumbled out of his bunk. Refreshing himself with another glass of spirits, he went out to cool his head and quiet his thoughts in the morning air. He walked down the bank of the Wassata- quoit until he came to the mouth of the stream, where its swift current poured into the Penob- scot. He sat down on a stump, and reflected as he gazed out on the river, There he was to find his prey, if he was to find him at all. That was the route he must take if he intend- ed to journey in any direction. But how was he to go? And how was it to be known when he would start, or if he had not started already? If the Indian were well enough, he could take up the trail and follow it from the foot of the cliff below the plateau. Dick Risden was strongly inclined to believe that he was woodsman enough to do that job, himself, if he should be obliged to. But it would cost him considerable time, and time possessed a tangible value for him just then. As he mused on these matters, he became drowsy, and soon fell into a half dozing con- dition as he sat there on the stump. From this he awoke with a start, and rose as he recognized the necessity of returning to the tavern.. Again he looked out on the river, and saw a sight that startled him. Doubtless he only wished that he had seen it sooner. A skiff was floating out into the channel of the Penobscot, preceded by a canoe of peculiar construction. In the skiff he recognized Hank Ward and Solon Marley. The other occupants were a woman and an Indian. In the canoe was a young man alone. Risden was nearly beside himself with rage and disappointment, But he realized the fact that they were be- yond his reach, and that he had no immediate means of getting at them. It was a consolation to know that he had dis- covered them, and that he was sure of the route on which they bad started, He burried back to the tavern, and speedily t himself outside of the breakfast that had n prepared forhim. | Then he tramped to his camp as fast as his tired legs would carry him, and astonished Auguste with his news, "I have found them, Auguste, and I have lost them. They have gone down the river, and we must start after them at once. Help me all you can now, as you shall have an easy time after we get afloat. CHAPTER XXXIL THE TRAILER TRAILED. . SrrH SLOMAN’S crew of lumbermen, having broken up and quit their winter-quarters, were enga n the business of forwarding to mar- ket the logs they had cut and hauled. Part of them were scattered along a small stream, getting out the last of their belated timber, which obstinately insisted on running of into the woods or grounding at shallow places. The others were already out on the east branch of the Penobscot, following the main body of logs, and trying to keep them out of eh ed part ped ‘he nam y, cam for the night on the west bank of the river, with their uey pets going forward safely and nicely, were seated about their camp-fire, enjoying their pipes, swopping lies, and occasio ly dropping Hemlock Hank. into the stream of talk a truthful story by way of variety. A ski came down the river, rowed by one man, and Janded at their camp. This was by no means an unusual occurrence at that time of the year; but the visitor was as warmly welcomed as if they had not seen a stranger in months. He was well known to several of the party, who addressed bim as Nate Stearns. In appearance he was somewhat striking, being of burly, close-knit build, with a round little head, anda vast profusion of black hair and beard, His eyes were also intensely black, and his face was nearly as dark as that of an Indian. Nate Stearns was coarsely dressed in the style of loggers, and he had a dare-devil ex- pression, speaking of recklessness of danger, and perbaps of less excusable recklessness in respect to other matters. He was invited to sup on the remains of this meal, or to cook what pleased him, and was soon suited in that particular. ‘*Where’d you come from, Nate?” inquired Zeb Carter, as the visitor sat down and puffed his pre among them, ‘‘From Matt Harmar’s camp. We were a good deal to the north’ard of you folks; but we broke up early, and got all our sticks into the river in good time.” ‘*Old Harmar is a rusher,” remarked Zeb. ‘* You bet he is. We've been worked hard all the season through, and for one Tt am glad it is over.” ** And youare down ahead of the drive, Nate?” ‘* Quite a ways ahead of the most of it; but some of our sticks are here already, mixed u with yours and others, and l’ve come to loo arter ’em.” “T thought I bad noticed some logs with old Matt’s mark on’em. But you will need more help, Nate, if there should be trouble,” ‘*Some more of the boys will be down afore long to help me. They'll be glad enough to get out from under Harmar’s eye. He’s one of the real Old Stormy sort, you know, What new wrinkle do you think struck in on bim this sea- son?’ “Did he want the men to stayin quarters every Sunday and hear him preach?” ““Wuss’n that. There hasn’t been a drop of liquor in camp all winter, and no sort of a chance to git a blessed bit. The old cuss took it into his head that the crew would work better without liquor.” ** How did the plan seem to take?” ‘* We did lots of work—no doubt about that— and we had precious little fun, too.” ‘* Well, Nate, for my part I believe in the moderate use of liquor; but there’s doubt about its being a good thing, and people seem to be ittin’ more and more inclined to shut down on t. I’ve noticed that men who git along with- out it ginerally git along well. I shouldn’t wonder a bit, Nate, if it was a good thing for you to have your supply cut off for a few months. It was liquor, you know, that got you into that bad scrape.” The visitor's face clouded, and his eyes flashed. **Curse that scrape!” he exclaimed. ‘* Curse the man who got me into it!” ‘What man are you speaking of, Nate?” asked another of the party. “That Boston detective, Dick Risden.” ‘* How did ht git you into the scrape?” ‘‘ He got me into the worst part of it—into the State prison. If it hadn’t been for bim, (’d never ha’ been sent there, cuttin’ off all my chances and spoilin’ my life. And he never had any right tosend me there.” “ by, Nate, do you claim that you were in- nocent?”’ demanded Zeb Carter. **No, not innocent, but not near as bad as that man made me out tobe. As you say, Zeb it was liquor that got the best of me, and i meant no harm. But be was wantin’ to git u a reputation as a detective about that time, an he make it off o’ me. If I ever find a chance to git even with him, Ill make a reputation that’ll satisfy me for a while.” As he spoke, a vindictive look came into the man’s face, showing that he was bitterly in earnest in what he said. ‘* Nate Stearns,” said Carter, speaking slowly and deliberately, ‘‘do you know that Dick Ris- den is in these parts?” : be o! Do you mean to say it’s so?’ Whereis ) ‘*Came up here last fall. Been here ali win- ter. Leastways, som’ers in the vycinity. Any- how, he turned up in the spring.’ “What brought him here?” ‘*Came ss to hunt Solon Marley, an old gen- tleman of Bangor, who was hidin’ about here. The law bad some sort 0’ claim ag’inst the poor old man. Mebbe you've heerd of him.” ‘*- Yes, indeed, 1 know all about Solon Mar- ley and his trouble, He was the only friend I had when I was in that scra It war he who started that petition that got me pardoned out. And Dick Risden has been up here huntin’ him. Ob! I wish I’d known it sooner. Where is he?” , ‘« Where is which?” replied Carter, ‘‘ Marley er the detective” i “Either of them. Both of them,” _ “Well, Nate, the old manand his darter have gone down the river. Hank Wardis with them, and a young chap from Banror.” “ Then they are safe frog his clutches,” “Not quite. Dick Risden and an Injun bave gone down arter them.” ‘** How far bebind?” “Not so far as I might wish, between you and me, The old man and Hank have got a good start; but the detective can out-travel "em, I guess, and there’s lots of logs in the river that are apt to jam and stop boats, and I’m afeard that the party ahead ain't enough ahead.” Nate Stearns meditated, but with an eager look on his face. | ‘*“D’ye think that feller is far below here?” he asked, ** He passed us early in the afternoon,” Carter replied. ‘“‘He can’t have got far afore nigbt overtook him, though he’s a hard man to stop.” ‘‘ And you don’t care to have him ketch the old man?” “Well, ’'d ruther he wouldn't, and the rest of us feel about the same way.” ‘*And if you should happen to hear that he had been stopped, or upset in any way, you won’t be hintin’ around that I might have had somethin’ to do with it?” “Not much, my boy; but you mustn’t git into another scrape.” . ‘*T will take care of that, Zeb.” ** Good luck to you, then!” ** Good-night, boys! I’m off,” Nate Stearns stepped into his boat, and pull ed swiftly down the river in the darkness, CHAPTER XXXIIL AN UNSEEN ENEMY, Dick RrspeEn’s Indian had been told by his chief that he was to have an easy time when he Be in the skiff and began to float down the river, But the easy time proved to exist only in the imagination of his employer, : Auguste had so far recovered from the inju- ries he received in the land-slide, that he w fairly able to get about, and Risden di not fail to use him for all he was worth, , P Grunting and pase availed him nothin at the start, as he was obliged to bestir himself = Ao up things at the camp and load the iff. When they were fairly under way, and out on the then broad bosom of the Penobscot, the Indian was hardly ory, better off, as Risden had become satisfied of his abiJity to work, and kept pe greatly to his discomfort. The de ve was naturally ina great hurry to get down the river and ‘overtake Solon Mar- _ should have de- le vet 6 man he was rt gt aig ve himself up, cided to return to Bangor an and should succeed in doing so, that would cause Bien a loss of prestige, if not of pay, If it was Marley’s intention to go ashore a some point on the river, and to endeavor to ef- fect his escape by a land route, that would make the task of taking bim yet more difficult, Not only would it be necessary to pursue him, but it would be no easy matter to discover the point at which he left the river. Consequently it was of the highest import- ance to overtake him while he was still on the Penobscot, 2" To this end the detective directed his efforts with the energy that was conspicuous in every- thing he did, , He was not content with floating down current, after the ane of the 5 ers, used the oars vigorously, and would t ve trived a sail for favoring breezes, if he bad feared that he might lose more time than h would gain by stepping to rig one up. a Besides, the wind was mostly from the south- ware at that sprees | enot only worked, but compelled Auguste to work add the Indian’s life wae not a bApDY one at the beginning of that cruise, te His only hope was that the speedy success of the enterprise might make matters easier, an in this hope Risden encouraged bim, It was astonisbing to the detective that he Ent 29 little information on his way down the e Penobscot was then lively with lo I the little streams sending out ‘their eta fa swell the general drive, and the Pe ak a r them were floating down with them and in such numbers that there was no lack of hu- man 5 it aa A the river at that time. He had not doubted that from the loggers he should overtake, separately or in a would easi get news of the be he was . suing, and be able to ascertain how far v were in advance of him, | Yet his chiet discovery was that there was a po ete dearth of information on’ that sub- The skiff and the canoe that he Wes, peeking: Tr, an were conspienges objects on the could not to be noticed; but there we very few people who were willing to it a that they bad seen them, and from those he MICLOOO (EO) (C S) (Ee) SS $e eee fmm ___»-~ — _«