Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 339 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

after, his face gloomy, his whole demeanor that Laughing Leo stepped to her side, kneeling | herself cooked food for Jesse, and would hold no. a of one who has been wounded in his tenderest | and lifting the head of the young hide-hunter, | communication with any of the rest. Laughing nf parts by a loved one. lacing the mouth of a liquor flask between his | Leo left the party and vat ge by himself at a bi Scarcely had Laughing Leo reached the edge | lips, saying calmly, positively: little distance. Spread Eagle Sam was strange- eg of the broken ground when Luada Kirkendall, | ‘‘ Miss Kirkendall, your grief is somewhat | ly silent and down-hearted, while Morris Kirk rt) pale, her hair disheveled, her face bearing a | premature. This man is alive, and within ten | endall was, figuratively, sitting on nettles all the ry wild, half-distracted i cane pe rushed frantic- | minutes he will be able to tell you as much with | time. 1 ally toward them, followed by the panting, | his own lips.” At mips silence fell over the little camp, and H cursing, pleading old trader, whose wooden leg Luada started and stared incredulously at the | it seemed as though all hard feelings were lost ! threatened to break his neck at every stride he | speaker, but then, as a faint moan came from | for the time being under the soothing influence i made. the lips of the wounded man, she burst into a | of sleep. But this was only in outward seem- * Laughing Leo quickly but gently lowered the | flood of tears, of joy this time. ing. There were strange doings in camp that ‘ body to the ground, retreating a pace or two, Laughing Leo gently touched her arm, add- | dark night! Ra just as Luada reached the spot, dropping on | ing: As usual with him, since he reached his old 4) er knees beside Purchass, lifting his head and “Tf you will permit me, Miss Kirkendall, I | stamping-grounds, Morris Kirkendall was one it cone it against her bosom as she cried, bro- | will—” of the first people to rouse up in the morning. La rrok With a fierce motion she flung off his hand, | He kindled up the fires, and then, with all his weap ‘*My love—my own! They have murdered | turning upon him with wildly flashing eyes as ands ree love sharpened by the memory of the Hi you—and with you, me! Heaven’s blackest | she cried: rst serious quarrel which had ever risen be- (44 curse rest upon the one who dared to shed your ‘* Away, you bloodhound! Have you notdone | tween him and his idolized child, he looked id blood! On your head, Leo Laughlin!” and she | injury enough? Touch him or me again with | around for Luada, really meaning to ask her i turned upon him, one blood-stained hand raised | but the tip of a finger, and I will stain my hands | pardon for his harsh words of the day before— is against him. with blood—if blood there flows in the veins of a | looked, but failed to discover aught of her! ir pn cage Leo uttered not a word in self- | demon!” Even then he did not suspect the truth, but | defense, e saw Morris Kirkendall rushing With a low, cold bow, Laughing Leo rose and | with growing impatience as his quest proved upon his child, his face fairly convulsed with stepped back, fruitless, he lifted his voice: anger, his huge hands doubled up as though he Morris Kirkendall was gradually working ‘* Lu—Beauty-bird! whar in the name o’ King , was bent on annihilating them both, and fearing | himself up into a passion, and now he took his | David’s gran’mother hev you gone to? Luada, 1 for the result, he caught him around the body | turn, only to be stunned with: I say!” ed from behind, lifting him clear of the ground, ‘‘Nor you—father of mine no longer! No Only the dull echoes answered him, but his 35 holding him thus, kicking at a rare rate with bis | father would set up his only child for ruffians | loud cries awakened the rest of the camp, and he | - wooden leg, and spluttering savagely: and villains to shoot for! ou have canceled | soon all were afoot. Spread Eagle Sam was dh ‘“ Beauty-bird, you contrairy critter, you! | all debts of gratitude, and lowe you naught. | busiest in looking around for the missing girl, be Come out o’ that, or you'll sup sorrow! The | Go—leave me alone with my love! If death | but aay ig 2 Leo stood moodily by one of the wt - dirty varmint! You ain’tno childo’ mineef you | claims him, I will help to pay the debt. If he | blazin es, his arms folded, his face pale, his a kin slobber over him after playin’ such a durned | lives, he shall owe it to me alone, not to his bit- | eyes glittering like jewels. , low-down dirty trick as them—no you ain't!” | terest enemies!” And when Morris Kirkendall, half distracted 4 With a cry that was half a sob, half an accu- Laughing Leo led Morris Kirkendall away | asked him if he had seen or heard anything of Bi sation, L turned her head to face her angry | with , geiee force, fearing lest he, in his anger, | the missing one, he coldly responded: te ent. should make a bad matter worse. And as he| ‘‘Is she the only one missing? Where's Jesse ‘ae “‘ Living, you cursed and tyrannized over him | moved off, he whispered: Purchass ? ep —and now that he is dead, murdered while do- ‘*‘ Grant her a little time, my dear sir. She is| The father stared at him for a moment in be- | by ing my bidding, you still can find words to slan- angiege now, a does not realize the full | wilderment, then a wild, choking cry burst from | as : orce of her words.’ , 24 Spread Eagle Sam. sorry ye didn’t plump him dead-center when ye was about it. The p’izen critter!” ‘Still, he is a fellow-being, and must not be left here to perish for lack of assistance. Catch hold, Sam, and we'll carry him to the rocks.” ‘* Billy-be-durned ef I tetch him, ’thout it is with a good rawhide!” snorted Sam, turning away in utter disgust. Without a word, Laughing Leo dropped his rifle and picked the unconscious hide-hunter up in his arms, leaving the coulee and striding ‘‘In my eyes, one single hair from his head outweighs them both combined! Heaven’s blackest curse rest on the hand that laid him low in death! He was only doing my bidding. I begged him to foil that laughing demon, yon- der! I begged him as he loved me—as he hoped to one day make me his wife—to try and foil the smiling devil who had sworn to win me, yes or no! For my sake he made the venture—for my sake he dared your abuse, his lead, and met his death! Oh! Jesse, my love, my husband, my across the smoother ground as lightly and grace- | all! that I might die with you!” fully as though the weight he carried was no more than that of an infant. Spread Eagle Sam picked up the discarded rifle and followed der and abuse!’ She sunk upon her knees beside the motionless | body, covering her face with her blood-stained _ hands, sobbing as though her heart would burst. ———— promise I give, an’ by the bulls o’ Bashan! Pll see that you git it, too! Pritty pass ef a gal’s to fly in the face o’ her nat’ral born daddy like this! ’Deed it jes’ is, now, J tell ye!” ‘** And I tell you that death shall claim me be- fore he does!” coldly uttered Luada, her eyes flashing. ‘‘I hate him—I love Jesse Purchass! His wite I will be, or I die a maid!” Morris Kirkendall raged and fumed, but Luadca was: not to be frightened nor shaken frcm her position. She stubbornly declined to move from that spot until Jesse Purchass was able to bear her company, and at length the old trader was forced to give way to her indomitable will. It was a gloomy camp that evening. Luada sé his ake as he gasped: y darlin’—run off with that dirty whelp! ae ** Beauty-bird—gal—durn ye, critter! let me ‘“‘Ef I didn’t think the same, durned ef I i a down! How kin I talk when you got me trussed | wouldn’t feel tempted to take her ’crost my | Oh, God!” ab up like a—ugh !” checkered apron, child-fashion!” ae / His feet struck the ground, but Laughing Leo At a comeee distance they watched the CHAPTER XIX. ie still held him with a grasp which he was unable | young couple. They saw Jesse Purchass gradu- LOVE’S MADNESS. Ht by to break, had he given his entirestrength to that | ally recovering his senses and wertin, ‘ony They | THE old man staggered blindly, and before it end. But he made no further effort to free | saw Luada bathing his wound with the brandy | either Laughing Leo or Spread Eagle Sam could Bere himself. The words of his daughter had just | in the flask which Laughing Leo had left with | reach him, he fell to the ground, quivering and Dip” penetrated his confused senses, and he stam- | them, then binding it up as well as she could | shaking like one with the epilepsy. Mies mered: with her handkerchief. And then, slowly, fee- The herculean hide-hunter sprung to his assist- foe ie ** You—doin’ what you tole him, Beauty-bird?” | bly at first, they saw the young hide-hunter move | ance, but ae Leo stood quietly by, a cold, is) Luada pressed her pale lips to the blood- | away in the direction of the temporary camp, | hard smile upon his face. To all appearance ait stained face, then gently lowered her head to the | supported by the arm of the woman who s0 | the flight of Luada Kirkendall had stricken him nest ground, rising to her feet and almost fiercely | fiercely rejected all assistance. as sorely as the trader, though after a different i. % ws confronting them. Her eyes fairly flamed and Reaching the camp, Luada placed blankets for | fashion. - Y her face was literally transfigured. Jesse to lie on, and giving him water to drink, ‘‘Look around an’ see what you kin find out, ) Oa ‘From the very first, you have all been | she sat down beside him, her position such as al- | mate,” Spread Eagle muttered to his recent ih against him, and you, father, the very hardest, | most cut off all view of the wounded hide-hunter | rival as he lifted Kirkendall in his mighty arms lid most unmerciful of all! And why? Because he | from beyond. and bore him over to the spot where he had ie dared tolove me! Ah, father! Perhaps if you All this time Spread Eagle Sam had been | passed the night. ‘‘ Ef he comes to, that'll be my had been less harsh, less peremptory, more tender | strangely quiet and grave, scarcely for a mo- | the fu’st thing he'll ax.” ni! and more confidential, naught of this would have | ment removing his gaze from the face or form of Laughing Leo moved slowly away, but he did } hae arisen between us. I did not love him then, nor | his protege. But now that he was fairly settled | not join in the wild, aimless movements of the mer", did I ever think of him as a possible lover un- | anc appetenty in a fair way to recover, the | rest of the party. He sat on a rock, steadily 1 ae til IT learned you had driven him from our door | giant hide-hunter faced Laughing Leo and spoke | puffing a cigar, his brows knitted, his face show- 4) ee with curses and abuse for daring to say he loved | in tones that could not escape the hearing of | ing hard as stone in the flickering light of the ago . me! Only for that—only for your giving me | Jesse Purchass or any other in the camp. nearest camp-fire. y , cause to think of him with regret and sympathy ‘Critter, look at me! I want to say once| And thus he still sat when Spread Eagle Sam ‘or —I might never have thought again of him!” more that I didn’t hev no han’ or part in this | came from the side of Morris Kirkendall, whose % ‘ Luada, child, you fergit yourself!” muttered | dirty trickery, The man I used to call my side | senses had slowly returned to him, and whose ) at Kirkendall. pardner done it all, fur’s I know, of his own | one cry and thought was for his rash child—his . ih With a passionate gesture she interrupted him. | a’cord. Fer that, as I warned him I would, I Beauty-bird. ) , et AY ‘“*Father, I must 4 Her, and you must hear | set him aside from now on as too low-down an’ ““Tt’s a dead sure thing, then, is it?” huskil ‘7 ei me out! Stop!” she hastily cried as Laughing | mean fer a white’man to keepcomp’ny with,much | muttered the big hide-hunter as he found his a Leo, releasing the trader, was about to move | less make a pard out of. rival thus. ‘* The little lady hes gone off with ; away in company with Spread Eagle Sam. “‘T loved the dirty whelp so much that I was | that cussed whelp? Ef I on’y hed my ten fin- i: “You too must listen to my defense of the man | shootin’ ferhim. Ef I won, I was goin’ to make | gers onto his gg jes’ now—wouldn’t I?” _ *\ you have murdered and now would blacken the | the boss give him the little lady fer a wife, *cor- “Sure as fate. Did you have any doubt, even record of, even in death! din’ to his promise. But now—much as I love | at the first?” | ae ‘‘ Father, you not only reviled Jesse Purchass, | her fer her mother’s sake an’ mem’ry, I'd ruther There was something in the tone of the speak- ras but you made your only child love him, better | see her laid in her grave then to mate with that | er that caused Sam to look keenly into his face hb than life itselff And then, when you discovered | critter! You was in a fa’r way to beat my | —something he saw there that made his own a oe this fact, you did your best tomake her wretched | score, when he cut in an’ sp’iled your chaince. | face flush and_his eyes to fill with a half-threat- - and miserable for life!” You hed beat me as fur’s you got. I b’lieve you | ening light. Laughing Leo saw this, and his red ts ig ‘“Beauty-bird, don’t!” muttered the trader, | would ’a’ beat me to the eend, on’y fer him. An’ } lips curled with a half-mocking laugh, (ie his face showing how deeply her hard, plain | b’lievin’ this as I do, I own up that you're a bet- ‘‘Never mind asking the question, dear fel- wen | h stung him, ! ter man then I be. You've won the match, an’ | low. I did know of this latest freak long be- ce “Ts it not true? You knew how deeply I | I’m goin’ to hunt another nest jes’ as soon as I | fore the old gentleman made the discovery. In- be: feared and disliked this man they call Laughing | kin put ye in persession. Shake, boss!” deed, I believe I saw how the affair would pro- 1 Leo. You yourself professed to feel a strong ‘ood boy, Sam!” cried Kirkendall, heartily. | ably end before the little lady herself realized : 5 a aversion for him; yet you set me up asa prize | “Ef you hedn’t said like that, durned ef I | it.” ae ; (ae | for him to shoot for, swearing that should he | wasn’t g’wine to lick you myself. ‘Say it ag’in, an’ say it slow, mate,” mutter- + tt win, I should become his wife, whether I con- ‘* An’ you, Laughlin, lis’en to me a bit: You- Sam, \ te ) i sented or not!” *ve won the match, through a foul. You would “T was awake last night when the couple y {ae _ Better him or Sam then that dirty whelp!” | ’a’ won it anyhow, I do b’lieve, even ef that | took French leave, I saw them make their In ot sullenly grated Kirkendall, his grief béatnaitie aig critter hedn’t stuck in his dirty nose! preparations; I saw them steal out of camp and t t to change back to anger. ou kin ax what you want most in place o’ the | secure their horses; I saw them lead the animals I io Cie GOmIiGchbooks;c¢om -_—_ _— — o-oo , -_— a « . . a m p J = s. - _~ ee — es