Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 339 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

eS Ee. Se wa ' ance was wit 16 el her ears; and from a heavy, crushing weight that almost checked the pulsations of her heart, it became ape than down when Spread Eagle Sam so deftly left that bit of a note in her trem- bling palm! Fearful lest her burning cheeks betray her, Luada stole away to the seclusion of her own tent, then read the contents of the note. The words were not many, but they were enough. Jesse Purchass was near at hand, and_pas- sionately beseeched her to grant him a brief interview before he discovered himself to Morris Kirkendall. He had so much to tell her—so much that intimately concerned them both. Come—if she would not doom a poor, hopeless wretch to even worse misery than he had for one whole year endured! Luada did not pause to ask, much less con- vince herself, that the wild throbbing of her heart, the joyous bounding of the warm blood through her veins, came simply from a platonic source, merely because a long absent acquaint- in easy calling distance. She hid the note in her bosom and stole out of camp, taking the opposite direction from the one where Jesse Purchass said he would be waiting and watching for her coming. As already noted, her action created no com- ment, if observed by any other than Spread Eagle Sam; and having gained her first point Luada hastened through the winding defiles and broken ground until—a low, passionate cry met her ears as a manly figure leaped from cover, After all, Luada was not much to blame, though her cheeks glowed and tingled as though long exposed to a scorching fire, and her large, dewy eyes persistently refused to meet the eager, burning gaze of the handsome young hide-hunter. If a man will act like one possessed—if he will leap out from a cunning ambush, startling a poor girl so she cannot even utter his name in a whisper, much less scream loud enough to alarm the camp nearly half a mile distant—if he will catch and smother her in his mighty grasp, rumple her waist, crush her collar and muss her hair, while performing other mad exploits more readily imagined than described in detail—sure- ly the blame should fall upon his shoulders, since he has so richly paid himself in advance! Half an hour later, the young couple were acting after a much saner fashion, seated side by side under the shadow of a towering rock, lost to all around them save as those surround- ings affected their future. esse looked very odd to Luada, now that she had regained aay 2 of her wonted spirit and composure to look him fairly in the face. His skin was so dronzed, his garb so rude and dif- ferent from any which she had ever seen him wear before, that she seemed almost in doubt as to whether this could be the neatly dressed clerk who had first— ** Awakened my friendship, I meant, not—not that !” Luada pouted, as the young hide-hunter prompted her hesitating lips. It was foolish, perhaps, after the proofs she had given him, but at those words the briefly . forgotten jealousy flamed up anew, and a cloud _ swept over the face of the lover. ‘*Tt must be love, or nothing, Luada!” he said, his black and glittering eyes watching her every change almost fiercely. ‘‘The day has t when mere friendship could satisfy my eart. If I cannot be first, I will be nothing.” Luada tried to look surprised, tried to frown and draw her trim little figure up haughtily; but with a lamentable lack of success. She was pleased, not offended, by this outburst of jeal- ousy, and instead of losing ground, as he should have done, in common justice, Jesse won still nearer to her, _ He was too deeply in love to see this, just then, and as his old fears and doubts returned, Purchass almost timidly stole one arm about her slender waist, his voice low, pleading, his eyes filled with an anxious prayer, his faco pale and bear- ing an expression that told how terribly in earnest he was. ‘* Forgive me, Luada, but if you only knew— if you could only realize how much this means tome! Itis more than life. It means Heaven or Hades with me!” ‘* Don’t—you frighten me!” she murmured, shrinking from his embrace, trembling a little . as she glanced shyly into his glowing eyes. a With an effort of will that proved his strength, Jesse removed his arm and drew a lit- tle apart. But the vivid glow never left his eyes, while his voice was even more earnest an at first as he spoke again: ** Your tigress word is religious law to me little one. I will be silent if you wish, but if I am to , it must be of the hopes and fears which fill my heart to overflowing.” ‘*T don’t mean—but you seemed so terribly in earnest that you frightened me!” murmured Luada faintly. > ‘*T am in earnest, Luada,” he said, partially succeeding in his effort to control his mad _ pas- sions. °* My life for the past year is evidence of that earnestness. You have not forgotten the day I left your father’s service?” _A swift, shy glance answered kim with suffi- cient plainness. Se eee ¥ Spread Eagle am. “I wrote to you then, telling you of my love, my hopes, my plans for the future I told ‘ou how bitterly your father taunted me then; ow he called me a weakling, a do-nothing, a walking tailor’s sign, the mere ghost of a man. He held up his pet, Spread Eagle Sam, as a model of wand a true man should be. He laugh- ed in bitter scorn as he bade me go and take him for an example. He said that when I could stand alongside Spread Eagle Sam without a blush for my miserable weakness, then, and not until then, | might tell him of my love for you.” ‘* He is so strange, so set in his ways,” mur- mured Luada; but with true fidelity she added: ‘* Yet he means well. It is his great love for me, his only child, that leads him to look with suspicion on all who may—who seem likely to— You know, Jesse!” ‘** To fall in love with his precious treasure,” and somehow the slight distance which divided them grew less, while her graceful form was supported by a strong arm, instead of the cold, insensible rock as a moment before. ‘ If he looked on all men with the same eyes—but does he, darling?” it was the old green-eyed monster again show- ing its head. ‘I don’t understand you, Jesse,” she faltered. He frowned slightly, but resolved not to press the dangerous question just then. He spoke rapidly: ‘So bitter, so stinging were his taunts, that I answered him almost as I would have answer- ed one of my own age; not quite, for I still re- membered that he was your father. I told him I came of as good and high a family as his own. That I uite ready to prove myself as good a man as the best he could pick out in all the world. ‘‘He once more flung Spread Eagle Sam at my head, and in my madness I told him that I would make a record equal to that of his demi- god, or leave my bones to the coyotes!” “T left the house, and sent you that note of explanation. I left the city, and went back to my old home, I knew nothing of fire arms—up to that day I had never even fired off a pistol— but I felt that what man had done, that could I do, urged on by my love for you, and the hope of one day winning you for a wife! ‘*‘ It was hard and discouraging work at first, but the thoughts of a future rewafd lent me courage and perseverance, and I never faltered until I believed I could hold my own even in competition with Spread Eagle Sam, so far as skill with the tools of his craft were concerned. ‘**T came out here, and found him, I did not tell him of my hopes or purposes, but I managed to interest him in myself, and he took me as one of his men; more as a friend, however, than as a regular employe.” ‘‘ But he knows—he gave me your note,” hesi- tated Luada, ‘* He surprised my secret yesterday, and—” She drew away from him with a haughty gesture of surprise and even indignation, her eyes flashing fire, her face flushing vividly. She would have risen to her feet, but for his ently-restraining grasp, his imploring gaze, his asy words: ‘‘It was weak and ungenerous, I admit, Lu- ada, but let me explain. He was about to drive me away from him, thinking I was not strong enough to endure the hardships of a hide-hun- ter’s winter. In my despair, I let words drop that gave him light, for you know how thor- oughly he is acquainted with your father. He knew that I had been in his employ—you re- member the time I saved him from robbery, if not death, at the hands of that gang of thugs. He put the two things together, and flatly charged me with seeking to make a record to satisfy the whims of your father. Then—what could Ido? Iwas wretchedly miserable, I had heard nothing from or of you for more than a year. I remembered your loveliness, your irre sistible charms—I knew not but what you had forgotten my very existence. You might even then be a wife!” It was a wild, incoherent defense, but his manner, rather than his words, won his pardon. And Luada no longer sought to flee, though her cheeks glowed more vividly than ever. “T admitted my love for you, Luada, but I was careful even in my madness not to impli- cate you by word or inference. I told him no word of love had ever passed between us. said that you knew nothing of my insane hopes, beyond the simple fact that I intended to make a record for your father. And the generous fellow of his own free will, promised to lend me all the aid he could. And when he heard that you were coming here to-day, he said that he would gain me an interview with you before my presence became known to your father. To spare you all I could, I gave him that note.” “T am not angry,” she slowly responded. “But it startled me at first. It is all so new— so strange—and I feared he might think that we were—that is—” ‘‘ Lovers?’ whispered Jesse, drawing her closer to his side. ‘‘ Is it such a terrible*word to utter, darling? It would make my heart bubble over with joy just tohear you breathe it!’ I*e scomed so mee’, co huereble, even in his ge es eee ee a oe burning passion, that a faint spice of her usual coquettishness returned to Luada, and with a a smile she retorted: ‘* Even if I had to breathe a falsehood with it, Mr. Purchass?” The change that came over his face was so sudden and complete that it frightened her. All the old jealousy flamed up with redoubled inten- sity, and his voice was harsh as he said: ‘** Would the answer come easier had he put the question, Luada? Would there be a lie in it for that laughing devil?” ‘* You seem bent on having a quarrel, Mr. Purchass,” she said, with a cold dignity that effectually abashed him. ‘‘I will bid you good- day, until you are in your sober senses.” She strove to arise, but he would not permit it. He saw how cruelly he had wounded her trust, but as it was too late to think of his folly, he resolved to have the point that rankled so bitterly in his heart, settled once for all. ‘IT beg your pardon for my hasty speech, Luada,” he said, with difficulty making his tones oaeag h ‘‘T was a brute to speak in that way, but I have at least a shadow of an excuse.” ‘‘T can imagine none, whatever,” she said, coldly. ‘‘ First, tell me this: If I gain your father’s consent to plead my suit with you, what would your answer be?” ‘**'You have no right to ask me any such ques- tion, now.” ‘Tf another was to advance the same claims —if that laughing dandy were to perform the same deeds, and ask the same reward—if we both stood before you at the same time—which one would you smile brightest upon, Luada?” It was a harder, more ungenerous question than the other, and the jealous lover saw how rapidly he was losing ground as he saw her li quiver, her face grow pale and proud. In his madness he believed that her silence rose from a preference for Laughing Leo, and with a hard laugh he released her. This was the wisest move he could have made, just then. No longer restrained by force, Luada showed no inclination to flee. , She met his gaze firmly, speaking steadily: * Will you kin resp ain the meaning of your very peculiar words and actions, Mr. Purchass?” ‘If you will answer my questions as frankly as they are put, Luada,” he said hurriedly. ‘*I make no promises blindly, Mr. Purchass,” she said, a little stiffly. ‘‘If you have no more to say, I will go,” ‘** Luada, who is that laughing demon? What is the meaning of this whim of his? What led him to making such a mad bet with Spread Eagle Sam? Has it apy ing to do with you?” soft flush suffused her cheeks, and for a mo- ment her dark eyes sought the ground. But then she met his burning gaze frankly, half- smiling as she made reply: ‘* Father told him enitch the same thing he did you, I believe. Isuppose he has determined to make a ‘ record,’ also,” i wen he has your good wishes, Miss Kirken- all? Luada grew grave, and a troubled light came into her dark eyes. She gazed vacantly over the distant plain, and seemingly did not notice the formal title he gave toher. She spoke slow- ly, uncertainly, almost like one in a dream: ‘I wish I could satisfy myself! I want to say no, but Icannot! When I am out of his sight, I sometimes believe I hate and detest him with all my soul! But when I see him—when he is near me, even, though out of sight—J almost feel that he is mymaster! He exerts such a pe- culiar influence over my, mind—it seems like witchcraft!” ; ‘In other words, you love him!” bitterly muttered Jesse. ; “Do I?” softly replied, rather than questioned Luada. ‘I can hardly believe that—and yet— it may be !” Jesse Purchass took her hands in both. of his ressing them ne orgge © forcing her eyes to meet his burning orbs. His face was pale as death, drawn and haggard. He was suffering tortures such as only fiery, passionate natures as his can suffer and still live. ‘* Luada, if you love him you kill me, body and soul! Can you guess what that means?” She shivered and tried to withdraw her hands, but he held them tightly, smiling despite his inward pain as he added in a more natural tone: ** Listen to me, little one: That laughing de- mon came to us yesterday, and cast insult after insult in our faces. He made a particular set at Spread Eagle Sam, and though the grand old fellow would not touch him while he was eatin our bread and sheltered by our roof, the momen he left its protection, Sam tried to punish him— tried, and failed!” His teeth came together with a vicious click as he saw the bright light springing into her eyes. She seemed to take pleasure in the thought of the giant’s discomfiture. ‘He told Sam that he meant to drive him out of his position. Me dared to wager that pesi- tion against a sum of money, the result to be de- cided by a trial at killing buffaloes, He said that if Sam declined to accept, he would repeat the challenze before you ard your father, ard JOO (E <€om Ly SniGO@