Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 380 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

Ley a, ¥ ued at ~/43 : ‘ Z iy r ' ' = Ren ge : 5 26 ——_—_ shrieking, the Major-General’s malady took on the lackadaisical phase. *‘ Benoni,” she sighed, ‘‘do you love me?” ‘‘Oh Lord!” groaned Uncle Billy. we wre going to have it!” ‘“Yes, my dear, yes,” replied the long suf- fering Benoni. ‘‘ Have I ever given you rea- son to doubt it, Huldy?” “You have been a good husband to me, Benoni—far better than with my imperfect nature I have deserved. The Major-General began to sob like a man in his cups. “T know my many failings!” she sighed. ‘‘T have been a sore trial to you at times! When I am gone will you—will you— Ahoo 00-00!” nd her words died away ina doleful howl of misery. ‘‘Don’t, mother!—please don’t!” pleaded Abigail, in a low tone. ‘“There is no use in trying to disguise it. 1 feel that 1am not long for this world. And you—you are breaking my heart!” At thought of the scheme that had that day gone to wreck, the Major-General set up a most harrowing wail. ‘‘Huldy,” interposed her husband, know- ing from sad experience how easy it was for the Major-General to pass from the miserable sinner tothe martyred angel, and wishing to spare his daughter, ‘‘ let us hope for better things. There are many days of happiness yet awaiting us, if we only try to make them so.” ‘* No!—there is no more happiness for me not on thisearth!”. wailed the Major-General. ‘* But I suppose my afflictions are sent upon me for my good. However, it is nearly over. Iam going to my rest!” ‘* What a rest it will be for that miserable man!" interjected Uncle Billy to the Tiger, guardedly. ‘Don’t speak so, my dear!’’ pleaded the Honorable Benoni. ‘‘ You’re not going to die.” ‘‘Oh, yes I am!” persisted the Major-Gen- eral. ‘‘And | am ready to go. Pray for me, Benoni.” And that monumental exemplar of patience to all husbands blessed with hysterical wives, complied! Slowly the sobs and moans of the suffer- ing angel died away, until the deep darkness and death-like silence of the cave became so oppressive, that those who ventured to break it with their voices spoke almost in whispers, So the hours passed. The fighting outside the retreat had ceased, and no open demonstration was being made by the outlaws against the prisoners in the cave. ‘*But Pll bet my district against any other in the State, that that woman isn’t asleep!” said Uncle Billy, with confidence. ‘‘I hope your friends are equally wide awake.” “Let the event show,” said the Tiger, quietly. “Eh!” ejaculated Uncle Billy, sharply. ‘“What’s that?” A swishing sound, as of something sliding down the face of the cliff, had caught his ear. ‘Took out!” cried Dick, warningly, as the politician was about to pass the mouth of the cavern, to investigate the source of the sound. ‘“You mean, don’t look out,” laughed Uncle Billy, as he desisted from his purpose. ‘‘T mean that that may be a decoy to draw some one within range of a bullet.” ‘* Not a bad idea! But— What?” A dark object fell before the mouth of the cave, and lodged directly in sight. ‘“Why!” exclaimed Uncle Billy, ‘‘it’s nothing but a bit of mountain.moss that has fallen from above. That’s innocent enough.” “That,” said the Tiger, with a sudden re- cession of color from his face, ‘‘ is one of the most terrible objects I have ever witnessed!” ‘“What! An armful of mountain moss? What sort of aconun— Eh! My dear sir! You startle me! What is it?” There was reason for Uncle Billy's anxiety. Tiger Dick stood staring through the mouth of the cave like one fascinated. ‘«See!” he cried, pointing, as another tuft of moss fell before the opening, and increased the little heap of that which had preceded it. ‘‘Well?” said Uncle Billy. ‘‘It is moss, isn’t it?” ‘* Now —_-—— Ee —— ee LLL LLL LL UE ene — ~- The Golden Serpent. dropping his voice so low that there was no danger of those within overhearing him. ‘‘Death!” repeated Uncle Billy, amazed and bewildered. ‘*In one of its most horrible, most agoniz- ing forms!” ‘But how?” ‘* By suffocation!” ‘‘Pshaw! They can’t smother us that way!”’ Uncle Billy stared at the Tiger as if he thought he had taken leave of his senses. ‘‘Look you!” exclaimed Dick, suddenly clutching the wrist of the other. ‘‘ You are a man of coolness and of fertility of resource. Your life has schooled you in both of tese. Perhaps something may occur to you. [| confess that for once all avenues seem | | } | | | | | ‘Tt is death!” replied the Tiger, suddenly | chance to capitulate?” asked Unele Billy, with more anxiety than he had hitherto evinced. Before the Tiger could reply, a shrill scream came from within the cave, followed by the rush of hurrying feet. ais Good heavens! what now?” cried Uncle illy. The Major-Geneial appeared, stumbling through the darkness, with sweet Lispinard and the Hon. Benoni struggling for prece- dence at her heels. All of them were evidently half-frightened out of their wits. ‘‘ Well?” said the Tiger, with some show of impatience. ‘“‘They’re in there!” gasped the Major- General. ‘‘ We shall all be killed!” ‘‘In where?” asked Dick, betraying no closed to me. Believe me, it is not for my- | disturbance. self that I am concerned. But I have led you all into this trap. And when I think | of these women who have confided so blindly | in me—” For once Tiger Dick was mastered by ex- citement. ‘But why all this alarm?” cried Uncle Billy, unable to make him out, CHAPTER XXXI, THE GOLDEN SERPENT’S DEMAND. ‘Don’? you see?” cried the Tiger, pas- sionately. ‘‘Suppose they set fire to those— See! Thistime it is a pine bough.” ‘*Good heavens!” cried Uncle Billy. ‘‘ You don’t mean to say that they are going to smoke us out?” ‘*Smoke us out!” repeated the Tiger. ‘‘ Can we get out?” “Through the blaze? That won’t be so easy if they pile boughs and moss so as to close the opening.” ‘‘Do you think that that is all? Look herr!” Dick stepped to the mouth of the cave, and stood looking out over the pocket. He had hardly taken his position when Uncle Billy’s ears were greeted by the almost simultaneous discharge of several rifles, and Dick fell to the ground as if struck by light- ning. ‘“*“My God!’ cried Uncle Billy. ‘‘ Was there ever anything so foolhardy?” While the words were in his mouth he heard the patter of a shower of bullets that flattened themselves against the rock, ‘That is what awaits us on the other side of the blaze,” said Dick, as gathering him- self up on his knees, he crept back into the cave. ‘What! You are not hurt?” cried Uncle Billy, in astonishment. ‘*Not that I am aware of,” replied Dick, coolly. ‘T thought you were killed outright!” “That L had deliberately put myself out there as a target, intending to wait for their bullets? Luckily, lead doesn’t travel as fast as sound, nor sound as fast as light. I saw the flashes of their guns. There was plenty of time between that and the arrival of their compliments to get out of the way. I only wanted to show you how prompt they were.” ‘““Prompt enough, in panted Uncle Billy. ‘* Well, what is to be done? We can’t stay here and wait for death; and to go out there, you see, is only to go to meet it.” ‘* Alternatives offering little choice.” ** Have you nothing to suggest?” ** A parley,” said the politician. ‘*What sort of terms do you think that woman will grant us?” ‘‘A woman in power is always a tyrant. Bless ’em! it’s so seldom they haye_ the chance, I don’t blame ’em much for making the most of it.” While speaking, the Tiger had become out- wardly calm again. But it was the calm of iron resolve, not indifference. ‘‘ Whatever her exactions,” he said, as if he foreboded that they would bear not oe upon him, ‘‘] will accede to them, ‘ eanwhile, let the first overtures come from er,” The accumulation of combustibles be- fore the mouth of the cave went steadily on, until the opening was almost entirely blocked, “Do you suppose she will give us a all conscience!” ‘In there—in the cave!” panted ye daintie dude. ‘‘ They’re calling for you.” ‘‘Oh, sir! why did you bring us to this horrible place?” sobbed Mrs. Spike. Without answering them, Dick walked back into the cave. ‘‘What’s the trouble now?” he asked, of any one who chose to enlighten him. ‘Some one has called to you,” said Abi- gail, in a tremulous voice. She too had been frightened, but had not thought of abandoning the side of her lover, whose hand she held, while he lay trying to hide his pain from her. His pulses were throbbing with fever, but knowing it was impossible to get water, he made no intimation of the thirst that was tormenting him. ‘Who calls?” demanded the Tiger, in a loud voice. “Tiger Dick!” came in muffled tones, which the echoes made it impossible to lo- cate. ‘*T attend you. do you want?” ‘Do you not recognize my voice? I am the woman you have so infamously betray- ed!” ‘‘T have betrayed no one,” replied Dick. ‘‘T gave you no pledge, and was not bcund to remain inactive while you forced your services upon me,” ‘“We will not discuss that point now. There is other matter which you will find more vital.” ‘‘ Where are you?” asked Dick, curious to locate his interlocutor, so as to guard against surprise. ‘Almost directly over your head,” re- plied the Golden Serpent. ‘There is an opening in the top of the chamber in which you stand, through which you might see the licht, were it not so tortuous,” ‘* Well, what have you to say?” “Do you know what is going on before the cave?” ‘Your inhuman intentions are only too manifest!” ‘They are as implacable as malicious, be- lieve me!” ‘‘Then what interest can I have in them?” “Are all the people with you within the sound of my voice? I would have them all know what is before them. The decision may not rest solely with you.” ‘They are all here, of course.” ‘‘Byen to the arch-traitor, Don Giacomo Monteverro?” ‘« Since there is no concealing his identity, we might as well admit it. He too is here, without the pluck, I fancy, to answer for himself.” Even that contemptuous thrust brought no response’from the Spaniard. He might be cursing to himself, or praying, or both alter- nately. : “You know then,” pursued the Golden Serpent, ‘‘that by firing the moss and pine boughs I have caused to be thrown before the mouth of the cave, I can fill the chamber in which you stand with suffocating smoke. I can inflict on you the most miserable of deaths.” ? This was the first warning to all but Uncle Billy and the Tiger. Exclamations came from all sides, and eager questions. na few words Dick explained the situa- tion fully, and then answered the Golden Serpent aloud: : ‘Granting all you say, what then?” | ‘‘ Whether the torch is put to that pile or Who are you, and what (E(6) ,0O mie ‘Ss