Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 380 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

28 Even sweet Lispinard could not propose to sacrifice this man whose only fault, so far as they were concerned, was that he had risked his life for them. ‘Very well!” said the Golden Serpent, in response to the silence. ‘‘I commend you to the saints to sustain your fortitude, Be- lieve me, it will be sorely tried!” Five minutes later an ominous crackling warned those within the cave that the dread moment was at hand. They were frozen to the silence of despair. The cave was as still as a deserted tomb. The draught sucked a cloud of smoke into the cave. Sweet Lispinard was the first to cough. At the sound, the Major-General sent up a wild shriek of terror, Se CHAPTER XXXITI. THE SACRIFICE. LET us pass quickly over the scene of human misery and human weakness that followed. Few of us are endowed largely with the fortitude which sustains the heroic in the hand-to-hand grapple with death. What if a woman, mad with pain and the terror of passing into the shadow of the un- known, broke into ungenerous reproaches? What if a man lost for a time that command over the emotions that we demand of him by reason of his sex? Not his own sufferings, but the wretched- mess that surrounded him, made Tiger Dick at last, when it seemed as if no more was supportable by human nature, cry out: ‘*Senor Monteverro, death cannot come to you in more horrible form than this. I re- fuse to betray you, in accordance with my pledge, but have you not the generosity to free these innocent people, when nothing can be gained by including them in your mis- fortune? Even to you and me, death in any other form, seeing that it is inevitable, will be a boon.” No reply came to his appeal. ‘Speak, I beg of you!” cried the Tiger. “If you have not the manliness to take up- on yourself that which comes to you, at least avow it openly.” All held their breath, to hear life awarded or death decreed to them. The grave-like silence was only broken by the crackle of the twigs burning at the mouth of the cave. ‘*Coward!” shouted the Tiger, in a rage at what he thought the poltroonery of the Spaniard. ‘‘ At least we will see your face!’ ~ And he struck a match, The spectacle revealed by the feeble flame ~was one to shake the stoutest heart. Of that wretched company, all lay with ‘their faces close to the floor of the cav- ern, as Dick had directed them to do, that the last agony might be deferred as long as possible, _ The smoke which filled the chamber was not the white cloud that rises from smudge wood, the combustion of damp materials, but that blue vapor which is equally devoid of life-sustaining oxygen. Therefore, the view was not greatly obstructed. Tiger Dick, even with his stout heart, shuddered as he gazed about into the ghastly faces upturned to his. There was a half-insane appeal in some of them, as if merely to see the light once more gave birth to new hope. Some wore the iron mask of dark despair. But among them all, where was that of the - man who alone could save them by a sacri- fice of himself—if, indeed, it could be called a sacrifice to choose between alternatives equally fatal? Don Giacomo was nowhere to be seen. ‘““The traitor has abandoned us!” cried _the Tiger, when he had assured himself that the Spaniard was indeed gone out of the chamber. ‘‘How could he have escaped?” asked Uncle Billy. ‘‘ He could not go through the fire.” “There is treason somewhere,” answered the Tiger. ‘I have suspected him from the beginning. He knew too much about this neighborhood.” “Then why are we suffering like this?” wailed the Major-General, piteously. ‘It is oniy on Lisecsount. Oh, I can't endure this LLL ET i —_ —_— The Golden Serpent. —-— - + + any longer! I'll throw myself into the flames and end it so!” She staggered to her feet in mad despera- tion, and started toward the exit. “Stop! in God’s name, madam!” cried the Tiger, clutching her arm and detaining her. ‘*] will signal to those without and make terms with them.” “ Anything! anything!” cried the woman, fiercely. ‘‘ You have no right to keep us imprisoned here. Judge Littlejohn, is one voice to decide our fate? I say, let ws bar- gain with this female devil, if we must. What is this one of her own treacherous race, that we should all die so miserably for him?” No one answered her. The Tiger fired off his revolver several times in rapid succession. ‘Well, my gentle Tiger,” said a voice from above, so promptly that it was evident that the Golden Serpent had waited there for some sign of yielding from her vic- tims, “is your savage spirit being tamed a little?” ‘‘Tt is not to my spirit, or want cf spirit, that you owe a willingness on my part to re- open negotiations,” replied Dick. ‘‘ It is to the infamy of a fellow, accountable only from the fact that his veins run with the same blood that prompts your ruthless cruel- ty. Don Giacomo has deserted us, doubtless by your connivance, That leaves you with no excuse for refusing toaccept my life alone and release these people, against whom you have no reason for complaint ” ‘Don Giacomo has deserted you? How could he? J connive at his escape? Let me get him within my clutch, and you shall see my love for him!’ ‘Tn any event, he is not worthy the sacri- fice that is being made for him. I give my- self up to your revenge; and you are at lib- erty, for all my interference, to catch him if you can. This is all that I could have granted you when you made the demand; so now you have no justification for continuing this torture.” ‘“‘T will prove to you my sincerity, by or- dering the immediate withdrawing of the fire. You have your own obstinacy—scru- ples, if you prefer—to thank for what—” ‘‘Lose no more time! Give these people air at once!” ‘‘ Listen; and you shall hear the order!” Alt listened with bated breath. se They could hear the Golden Serpent give the signal to her men. ‘We are saved! saved! saved!” shrieked the Major-General, hysterically. A moment later the ’men could be heard raking the embers away from before the mouth of the cave, « Air! air! air!” panted Abigail, faintly. ‘Hugh! dear Hugh!” She had crept into his arms, so as to breathe out her last of Jife on his breast. They felt the first breath of cooler, purer air. It was the elixir of life. The ejacula- tions of delight were without restraint. Hope unlocks the lips that despair has sealed. They were about to rush through the pas- sage to the open air, when they were stayed by the Golden Serpent. ‘‘Hear me!” she cried. ‘‘No one is to pass the mouth of the cave until Tiger Dick has paid my debt of revenge! Any one showing himself or herself at tho opening be- fore permission is granted will be shot on the instant!” ‘* What more do you want of us?” shouted Judge Littlejohn, in a rage, ‘‘Nothing,” replied the Golden Serpent. ‘‘T would not have troubled myself to wait here until you came to your senses, if you alone were concerned. You have my _ de- sire for personal revenge on Tiger Dick to thank both for your sufferings and for your release, You can get air enough while re- maining in the passage, near the mouth. Meanwhile, Tiger Dick shall take up his position before the mouth of the cave, facing outward, and await my vengeance.” “Tt is a trick, to release him and keep us confined!” cried the Major-General, hotly. ‘‘You shall see whether it is a trick or not!” replied the Golden Serpent. ‘‘T have but one consideration to ask,” ob- served the Tiger. * And that?” “ Make it as short and sharp as possible.” a CL ae ‘* You shall have a soldier’s death, as be- comes you,” said the Golden Serpent. ‘‘I am as glad as you can: be, not to have to smother you like a dog. I mean to shoot you with my own hand.” ‘*T await you,” said Dick. Then he turned to his companions in suf: fering, when they had all got in the light and air near the mouth of the cave. ‘‘J ask your pardon for the misery I have been the involuntary means of entailing upon you,” he said. ‘‘1t seemed to me that honor demanded its endurance. That is my only plea in extenuation.” He did not offer his hand in parting. Was there any there who would take it? They had good reason to refuse. Besides what they had suffered through him, he was yet under the ban of the law, as an unpunished outlaw. One did not wait. One did not think of these things. The heart of one spoke with native generosity. “Oh, Mr. Langley!” cried Abigail, clasp- ing his hand, “is this unavoidable? Must you die, here, before our very eyes?” Dick pressed her hand warmly, ‘*You are very kind!” he said, with feel- ing. ‘‘It emboldens me to ask a service at your hands—such as only one with your warm heart could perform well.” “Oh, if I could do anything for you! If I could only save you!” ‘That is impossible,” said Dick, quietly. ‘‘I know the Golden Serpent. She will carry out her purpose,” ** Let me go out and plead with her! ly, she has a woman’s heart!” ‘*But all women’s hearts are not alike,” said Dick, with a smile. ‘‘If they were all as brave, yet gentle, as yours, I am sure there would bo less unbappiness in the world. No, you cannot save me; but you can make it easier somewhat for me to die.” ‘*T will do it—anything!” Dick turned to Hugh. ‘* You have a voice in this matter,” he said. ‘*T congratulate you that it is so.” ‘‘Make your terms with Abigail,” said Hugh, with a glance at his beloved that brought the rich color into her cheeks. ‘‘ Her wishes are to be my only care, even if I were not as desirous as she to do for you every- thing that can be done.” ‘* There is one who will grieve for me be- yond the ordinary grief of bereavement,” said Dick, with a proud, glad look in his eyes. ‘‘I want you to be her consoler, as I feel that you can be. ‘‘Don’t form your opinion of her by what ou may know of my wretched life. She is in every way worthy to be the sister of your affections.” “ Oh! Iam sure of it!’ cried Abigail. ‘* Let me give my last message into your ear alone. If I had the means of writing—” He did not complete the sentence, but she knew that he felt it almost a sacrilege to transmit this last cry of his heart through eo human being. le took the girl apart and began to tell her that last message. He began hesitatingly and with emotion, but as he progressed the words came fever- ishly, and at last with an impetuous rush, It would be impossible for any one to re- member a hundredth part of the things he poured into her ear. As that wild flood of passion swept over her, the girl was so overcome by this vision into such a heart as she had never dreamed ts she scarcely comprehended what he said. She only knew that with the partial open- ing of the floodgates of his soul, this man of oe self-control lost entire mastery over him- self. He choked; tears started from his eyes; he adjured her in the language of passionate ap- peal not to forget this, to be sure to remem- ber that, by no means to fail to convey this as- surance, or that pledge. He clung to her hand, and she felt him shaken in every nerve. Would he never have done? She felt as if she would swoon from the overmastering force of his emotion. A rifle-shot from without summoned him, and he broke off abruptly. ‘‘Good-by to you all!” he said, as he hast- ened to respond to the Golden Serpent’s im- patience. Sure- Hn a CaN GS ate et tn te aan ——— AMicel exeye) (E() Ss)