Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 339 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

| — ——r er \ a ee ee ee q . J ‘ ¥ 26 Spread Eagle Sam. eee ea until it abruptly widened out into an almost square apartment, lighted as was the one she had just left, by rude, home-made lamps. In one corner was a rude pallet of dry grass and a single blanket. On this poor resting-place half-reclined a girl who cast aside the blanket and struggled to a sitting posture on the en- trance of the She Wolf. It was Luada Kirkendall, but little more than the shadow of the bright, rosy, healthy- looking girl whom we have thus far been accus- tomed to see. Less than forty-eight hours had passed since she wrote that hasty, cruel note to her father, but in that comparatively brief interval, Luada had suffered untold agony. partly be realized by noting the ness of her face; by the wild, her eyes; by the terror-stricken manner in which let of skins and blankets lay near the fire, and upon this the amazon was half-reclining as she snapped out the words which open this chapter. , As she spoke she sprung to her feet, her face flushed, her eyes glittering, her magnificent figure full of life and passion. One white, be- ringed hand was actually thrust into the face of the pale, haggard-eyed soldier, who watched her so sadly, so moodily—with the look which one might give a creature whom he loved, even while despising. Lena Burvenich turned abruptly away from him to a small and rude stand against the wall on which stood a couple of bottles and a metal race Pi Twice in succession she filled the cup and tossed off the strong-smelling liquor as though it were no more powerful than clear water. ‘You are drinking too much, Lena,” gravely uttered Westgate, stepping forward and resting a hand upon her bared arm. ‘‘ Your brain ison fire, and you are more than half-crazed as it is. Listen to reasou, and—” She flung off his hand with a chilling oath. He fell back, pained, troubled. She laughed | harshly at this, and cried: ‘*Does that shock you, Major Jack? Bah! Wait until you see the She Wolf in her true | colors—wait until you see her when she can‘strip off the mask for good and all! Then you may well shrink away and look for shelter until the storm blows over!” ‘*] shall never shrink from you, Lena—not even though you were to strike straight at my heart with a weapon as keen and cutting, but | tormentor. more quickly fatal,as your tongue. You are! ‘The lie—to me, and from your father’s not accountable for your words or ac‘ions of | child!” snarled the amazon, for the time bein late, and in my great love for you I can over- | little better than a madwoman. ‘* Haven't look almost anything.” broken in your temper yet? Haven’t you had “Which is why [ call you a fool, Major | enough of my gentle caresses to understand that Jack,” she retorted, with a hard, scornful laugh Iam allin all here—that you are my slave, to that should have effectually opened his eyes. | use or abuse as my own sweet will dictates? If ‘You persist in thinking me little short of be- | not—take that and that!” ing an angel, when I tell you [ama very devil | Twice in swift succession she struck with the from the hottest corner of Hades! Ha! ha! Itis | gloriously refreshing to be able to tell the plain truth sometimes! devil—I’m_ the very queen and empress of all the devils! Do you hear?” | She looked at him with a half-drunken leer, and poured out another cup of brandy. Witha uick motion he took the cup from her fingers, ined it, then cast the cup in one corner where the gloom hid it from view. She did not ap- pear to notice his action, gic Fig mh “You call me crazed! May am. My | blood has been boiling and my brain filled with | liquid fire ever since I saw him—ever since I stood in the presence of Morris Kirkendall and struck him helpless with my curse! I did not say nearly all I wanted to say, before the old fool gave way and wilted! I wanted to tell him | all how I meant to torture his dainty child, but he was too weak. Bah! what poor fools you | men are, the very best of you! ‘* Never mind. What I would have told him, | IT can show you. I'll have the girl no and make her perform for our amusement. ajor Jack, ior and thin- nearer, shaking the limber rawhide before her white, haggard face. ‘*How'like ye the opening of the honeymoon, Beauty-bird?”’ she cried mockingly, making the sharp point of the whip hiss close to those shiv- ering features. ‘‘ Does the gallant bridegroom treat you as tenderly as you expected?” ‘Where is he? What have you done with him?” gasped Luada. ‘* A pretty question for a blooming bride to ask another woman!” mocked the She Wolf. ‘‘But [ will answer you. He is with his wife and child, laughing with them over your blind folly, repeating all your tender speeches and—” ‘* You lie, woman!” indignantly cried Luada, the bitter taunts giving her courage to face her rough, and almost entirely unfurnished. A pal- | | ' | | cruel rawhide, cach blow bringing blood from the neck of poor Luada, A wild shriek was ex- torted by the pain, and the helpless captive cowered before the termagant, begging for mercy. Instead, there came only curses and revilings too horrible to find record here, and again the cruel whip was raised—only to be wrested from her frantic grasp by Major Jack. ‘* You—you dare to interfere with me, dog!” she grated, her eyes ablaze as she whirled upon him, one hand dropping. to the weapons at ther waist. ‘Tt is for your sake, quite as much as hers, Lena,” he replied, sadly, but firmly. ‘‘ When you fully recover your senses you will will thank me for saving you frem such degradation!” ‘““T thank younow—and thus, dog !” the She Wolf snarled, her words blending with the sharp report of a revolver which she cocked and dis- charged even as she snatched it from her belt; a veritable snap-shot, but it was enough. The red blood stained his left breast as the ex-officer sunk to the floor. There was a smile we will be king and queen, and she shall be our | slave girl, to dance and posture, to—” upon his lips, and forgiveness in his eyes as they ‘*Lena, you will not do this,” he uttered | met her furious glare. , faintly. ‘‘ Life gravely, taking her by the arm. ‘* You are not ‘* Lena—thanks!” he g yourself, now, and—’ a torture—better death. Iforgive—Ilove you— ‘* Didn’t I say so?” she laughed, trying to free Lena—good—” ! her arm, and as she found this impossible, her His head fell back and there came a horrible eyes beginning to flash viciously, her tones rattling sound in his throat for a few moments. changing as well. ‘‘Beware, fool, how you | Then, as all grew still, the murderess uttered a cross me! He called me the she wolf—mind you wild cry and sprung to his side, kneeling there don’t get a fatal taste of her fangs! Again—let and lifting his head, unheeding the man who me go!” darted past her and stooped over the bound cap- ‘Lena, will you listen to me?” he added, | tive. soberly. ‘‘It is for your own good that I—” Alarmed by the pistol-shot, the members of She grasped one of tbe half-emptied bottles | the She Wolf’s band came rushing to the spot and struck him fairly in the face with all the | with drawn weapons. They gave vent to cries power of herarm. The bottle was shattered to | of wonder and bewilderment as ag! caught ieces. He released her arm staggerin back, | sight of the strange tableau within the stone is face be eve cut and gashed, ood flowing | chamber. freely from his injuries. But he uttered no cry, A tall, handsome figure bore the half-uncon- no word of var Sa or of reproach as he met her | scious form of Luada Kirkendall on his left arm. frantic rage with a steady front. His right hand held a cocked revolver, the muz- She caught up the second bottle and seemed | zle covering the woman who still knelt by the about to hurl it at his head, but that steady, side of her victim. Her face was turned around sad, grave look disarmed her, and the heavy and backward, but they could see the look of missile dropped to the rock floor, breaking and horror and amazement which it wore. pouring out its vile contents unheeded. ‘*Order them to drop their tools, or_out goes “JT warned you—you would interfere!” she your candle!” sternly cried Laughing Leo. “I muttered, her bloodshot eyes sinking, half- | hold your life at my finger’s end. The first abashed before that sad gaze. ich they make toward me or you, seals your ate! ‘Tt was not you, Lena. When the evil spirit | leaves you, no one will regret this outburst_more | The She Wolf was trembling like a leaf. She forgot the murdered man lying before her; for- than you, I know.” He turned and left the rock room to have the got all save the great per which threatened— so great that she could hardly articulate: freely flowing blood stanched. | ck and forth through thenarrow, | ‘* Down weapons, men! For yourlives do not touch him!” She paced irfegria® apartment, her brows knit, her hands — convulsively working, muttering incoherently ‘For her life rather!” and the bold man to herself for some time, Then, rousing herself laughed, musically, still keeping her covered, with a start, she caught a long, limber rawhide | ‘ Lay down your tools, fall into line and for- from where it hung against the wall, making it ward march! Ill act as rear guard, and your hiss and whistle as she swept it through the air. | woman chief shall be our safeguard. our ‘Maybe that will cool my fevered blood a | first crooked motion puts her to death, and then little! Ill try it, anyhow! She’s his child— | the band will play for you all!” maybe he'll feel the blows on his own heart as ** Obey—don’t make him murder me!” gasped they score her dainty shoulders!” __ the She Wolf, completely cowed, and such was She passed along the narrow, winding passage her influence over the band that they immedi- | | ! | Her tortures could | for this young lady. Do you understand?’ she shrunk back as the merciless She Wolf came | was the cool retort. | LE TT Se . ——— SE*se ately dropped their weapons and held up their empty hands, as directed. ** So far, so good,” Laughing Leo commented. ‘*Now, my woman, get upon your feet. So! ‘You understand the consequences of trying any tricks on yours truly. As you wear a masculine arb, Pll blow your brains out like a man, the t step you take over the line I mark out. ‘* You will lead the way to the outer air. I will follow, with this young lady, who has fin- ished her visit to you. Your fellows may kill me, but they can’t do it quick nor clean enough to hinder me from killing ae as well. Act white, and I will turn you loose, the moment I can do so without running too great a risk ‘* Yes,” was the sullen reply. ‘‘Tll kill the rrified look in | first man who tries to stop your retreat!” ‘‘ Thanks, but I prefer to trust my own aim,” ** Move on there, you sin- And remember!” It was a curious procession. A dozen men a oy: with each other, their hands eleva- d. The She Wolf following close behind, rte gre Leo holding a cocked revolver at her head, and supporting the half-swooning girl on his left arm. Through the winding passage; through several rude chambers; then into the outer air. ‘You fellows can go back to your den, and there wait for your chief,” said Laughing Leo, coolly. ‘*She has concluded to go a little dis- tance with me, to guide us through the pitfalls and snares which we might otherwise stumble into. Good-night!” The men hesitated, seemingly half-inclined to revolt, but as Laughing Leo clapped his pistol to the head of the She Wolf, she cried out to them: ‘*Doas he says. He has the upper hand now, Sometime—” ‘No straying into side trails, if you please, Mistress She Wolf!” the handsome hide-hunter laughed, mockingly. ‘‘ Let the future take care of itself, and bear your present peril a little more particularly in mind. Bid the gentlemen. retreat.” She did so, shortly, sharply. And then Laugh- ing Leo urged her away from the dangerous spot, guiding her footsteps to a couple of horses hidden in a thicket. He bade her mount one of these, and as she did so, he leaped into the sad- dle of his own good horse, holding Luada in his strong arms. They rode rapidly away, Laughing Leo kee ing a little in the rear, so as to control the actions of the She Wolf. And not until they had covered nearly two miles, did he halt. ‘*Dismount, if you please, madam,” he said, . grasping the rein of her horse. ‘‘ Here we part company, and you can hurry back to your cubs as soon as you please. But take this warning with you: if you or yours make any further effort to kidnap this young lady, there will be. weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth among your friends! A word to the wise, you know, my dear woman!” Without a word the She Wolf slipped from the saddle, but when her feet touched the earth her fiery spirit seemed to return, she and hissed, rather than exclaimed: “Tll not forget you for this bit of work, my dandy fellow! Vou triumph now, but my turn will come sooner than you think, perhaps!” ‘* And perhaps not,” he lightly laughed, as he cast a look into the pale face of Luada Kirken- dall, who until now had made no motion, no sign of sensibility, though he knew that she had not swooned away. He made a motion to transfer her to the other horse, when she og age crying: ‘Do not desert him! Oh, Mr. Laughlin! do not leave him in the power of that inhuman fiend!” ? A dark frown came into the laughing face, and it was not lessened by the mocking jeer which broke from the lips of the She Wolf. ‘¢'You have the casket, but not the key to un- lock it, Laughing Leo! The poor fool! how she clings to another woman’s husband!” ‘* Whom do you wish me to rescue, Miss Kirk- endall?” coldly inquired Laughing Leo. ‘‘ Jesse Purchass! She has him prisoner. I saw them knock him from his horse, and bear him away, bound and helpless! She has lied to me about him, to make my agony still more bit- ter! ‘*T am sorry for you, Miss Kirkendall,” he ut- tered, gravely. ‘‘I fear you have been terribly deceived by the very one who should have pares rou the most tenderly, the most care- ully. This man you love is—but ask her who Jesse Purchass is!’ Bewildered, confused, unable to think for her- self, Luada mechanically repeated the question Laughing Leo put in her mouth. The She Wolf seemed willing enough to answer her. ‘Who is he? A man worth ten thousand of the smirking dandy who holds you in his arms! A man whose love the proudest woman in all the land might give her very soul to gain, and ners! then count the bargain a rare one! o is he? My scn!” Las da seemed stunned, and looked piteously into the face of Laughing Leo. He gravely bowed, without a word, then lifted her into the saddle of the other horse. JOO cS 4 COUMICE (E()