Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 390 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

~ _ Cross my path, and he dies! The Giant Cupid. 11 | He made me what I am to-day—a witch, a ! as I would kill a snake.” And with her face | Oh! a thou- | distorted in passion, the old woman looked both saw it.” wild woman of the mountains. sand curses upon him, and upon all his kin!” ‘*But, you say this man is but thirty years of age, while you are an old, old woman,” Mrs. St. Clare remarked. ‘True, true. I may be mistaken. This young man may be of no kin to him I speak of. Heavens! It may be his son /” For afew moments then the old woman | who wronged you.” paced the floor in great excitement. Then suddenly she paused and exclaimed: ‘Quick! Bring me a bowl or basin of water! closely. I will know whether he is of that race or not!” Filled with womanly curiosity, Mrs. St. Clare called a servant and bade her bring what was required. In a few moments it was at hand. The moonlight being so strong, no lamp had yet been lighted in the room, but to make it still more dark within, the old witch ordered the curtains to be drawn down. ‘‘ Now,” said she, ‘‘we shail see his face; and, whatever he is doing at this moment, will appear in life-like reality. Prepare,” The basin of water had been placed upon a table in the center of the room, and around ard around that table the old woman began to walk, making strange gesticulations over the bowl, and at the same time uttering a wild and weird chant of incantation. Presently she paused, took a small vial from her bosom, and dropped one drop of its contents into the water. Instantly a dense vapor arose, and then as that cleared away the water became lumi- nous, and to such a degree that it dimly lighted the whole room, When the vapor was all gone, then the old | old woman opened the door and was gone, witch motioned the two ladies to step for- ward and see. ! e l . ” } The name is the same, though, and— : bution. | I will see his face again, and scan it | of his father?” | | They obeyed, but at first they could see | nothing in the bowl save the water, which | the silence, saying: glowed like molten gold. Presently, however, outlines of light and shade appeared, which gradually assumed | ed, comprehensible shape and figure. A street scene appeared. Crowds of men lined either side. Between those two crowds two figures gradually formed, and in his right hand each held a gleaming revolver. It was to be aduel. Over all the moon shed her rich, mellow light, and then as the outlines "ean still more and more distinct in the owl, the two duelists were recognized, They were Cibuta John and Don Juan Bartolo, “Oh! It is John!” cried Nettie Hucklebee, in great alarm, ‘‘Hush!” the witch cautioned, charm will be broken. Scee/” The picture in the bowl had now grown so distirct that the features of every face could be plainly seen. As the old witch uttered the exclamation, the combatants fired, and the Mexican was seen to start. Then adark stream of blood appeared upon hisneck, hey fired again, and again did the Mexi- can start. Then came quickly another shot, the Mexican’s weapon flew from his hand, and down upon his knees he was seen to fall, his hands uplifted as if asking to be spared, ‘It is hel” cried the old witch, ‘‘it is he! It is the son of him I hate. See! A coward’s blood flows in his veins!’ CHAPTER XI. THE SILVER DAGGER. ‘¢Trank God he is unhurt!” Such was the exclamation of Nettie Huck- lebee as she sunk down upon a chair, and at the same time she covered her face with her hands to shut out the scene of the duel. ‘That is all,” said Mother Wolf, and pass- ing her hand over the bowl, she caused the picture to disappear. About (hat time a light was brought in. “Ts the duel really ended?” Mrs. St. Clare asked, ‘It is,” the old witch answered. ‘‘ That coward will not dare carry it further.” ‘‘ And this man, you think, is a son of the Don Juan Bartolo whom you hate so, eh?” ‘* Yes, [am sure he is. I have now studied his face, and I can trace his father’s features there. ‘Ah! ‘‘or the Let him but Curses upon him! I will kill him | ! rrr OO ‘‘ Tt is true,” Mrs. St. Clare assured. “We ten times more horrible than she was wont, ** But, you would not murder him!” Net- tie Hucklebee cried. The old woman laughed—her awful, soul- chilling laugh, and replied: “It would not be murder, but a just retri- ‘‘And where were you? Il did not see either of you.” ‘* We have not been out of the house.” ‘Oh, ecome—come!” Mr. St. Clare here enjoined. ‘‘ You must not try to deceive us like this.” ‘* But we are not trying to deceive you,” Nettie insisted. ‘‘ We saw the duel, and still we have not been out of the house.” “Then pray explain how you saw it,” 'Cibuta requested. ‘‘lam at loss to under- stand you.” | Nettie then went ahead and told of all that had happened; and when she had ended her | | ** But,” said Nettie, ‘‘it was not the son ‘““No matter. The same blood is in his veins.” ** And you would punish him for the sins ‘‘Ay, [ would, and will, if chance offers. That blood shall flow! ‘‘And you should be the very last person to think of defending him. He is a deadly snake in your life’s pathway. Even now he is preparing to spring upon you. ‘*Beware of him; beware, beware!” ‘* But, mother, since you can warn me of this danger, can you not protect me from | it?” Nettie asked. | “No, I can only warn you. I cannot | rule the destiny of a single person on earth, | Tam but human. Iam gifted with a mys- | terious power, ‘tis true; but that power, I - will confess, I do not myself understand, and I can only exercise it to a certain degree. | Were I near you in the time of danger, I | could only help you by human means. I could not call superhuman power to my aid. ‘The extent of my power, so far as I un derstand it and can make it conform to my | will, you have seen. If I have power any | greater than this, then I do not know it, nor how to control it. ‘But, | must go, ing, fair lady.” Remember my warn- And with a quick turn the For a moment neither of the two ladies spoke. : Nettie Hucklebee was the first to break ‘What a strange, mysterious creature,” ‘She is, indeed,” Mrs, St. Clare respond- ‘“‘ How | would like to hear her story! I am sure it must be a sorrowful one.” “No doubt it is.” ‘*T am sorry she left us so soon. I intend- ed to question her. There is one thing which I cannot understand.” ** And what is that?” ‘Why, it is this: Mother Wolf seems to have lost all trace of this man whom she says she hates so heartily, and does not know whether he is living or dead; and with her strange power at her command, I should think she would have kept track of him, particularly as she seems to thirst for re- venge,.”’ ‘True, it does seem strange. Yet, you know she has just confessed to us that she is but human, and does not understand the power she has, and it may be that she can- not make it subservient to her will in all cases,” ‘That may explain it. Still, I would like to ask her many a question, and some day I shall pay her a visit purposely to do so.” ‘“And when you do, Clara, I want to go with you.”’ ** You shall, of course.” “Oh, by the way! Did you send for John when I asked you to do so?” Nettie asked, “No. Mother Wolf’s sudden coming in made me forget it. Shall I send for him now?” ‘Yes, you may, if you will.” Ere Mrs. St. Clare’ could do so, though, Cibuta John came in, accompanied by Mr. St. Clare. ‘‘Oh!” Nettie cried, as she sprung up to greet her lover. ‘‘I am so glad you es- caped!” ‘You are so glad I escaped, little one!” Cibuta exclaimed. ‘‘ You are so glad I es- caped what?” *“ Why, escaped being shot by that Mexi- can, with whom you fought the duel!” Cibuta John looked surprised. “Why, Nettie, you little witch!” he cried; | ‘how did you find out that I have been fighting a duel? Who told you?” ** No one told me, John; I saw it.” ‘* You saw it?” ‘Yer? ‘* Nettie, you are joking.” “No, lam not. Ask Clara.” , / _ once, story, Cibuta John said: “This is wonderful, There is something in this, and we will take every precaution _ against danger and surprise that possibly can } be taken. ‘‘] wish I had known the Mexican rascal had been up here frightening you, my pet, and I would have dealt with him a little more severely than I did.” “Did you wound him?” Mrs. St. Clare asked. ‘*Yes—slightly. I clipped off the tip of each ear for him, and also hurt his hand, He is marked for life, and will not be as good- looking as he was before he met me.” “Why did you fight him?’ inquired Nettie. ‘* Because he insulted me, and considered that I was in his path. He declared his in- tention of making you his bride, my pet, and I thought that I would give him a chance to show what he was made of,” ‘* And did he fall upon his knees to you as. we saw him do in the picture?” “Yes, and I could not understand it very well, either, I believed that he was no cow- ard, and expected that he would fight as long as he could stand; but he gave out all at I think I can see how it was now, however.” “Why was it?” “Tt was the unconscious spell which Mother Wolf threw over him when she pro- duced his likeness in the bowl. You say her entire thought was centered upon him, and it has east him under her influence for the time.” “Itisa strange event, at any rate,” Mr, St. Clare remarked, ‘*It is, indeed.”’ ‘* And do you put any confidence in what Mother Wol Aald in regard to Nettie’s dan- “Yes,” Cibuta answered, ‘‘I do; and, I shall take every precaution to protect her. Forewarned is forearmed, you know.” ‘* Yes, so it is said. And, it is better to be prepared for the danger, even though it should not appear, than not to be prepared.” “By the way,” said Cibuta John, ‘‘we have received notice from Bartolo’s attorneys in regard to the claim case, and we have put the whole affair into the hands of lawyer Skynn. Hehas proved his worth on more occasions than one, and I think he is as good aman as we could get hold of.” . “T agree with you there,” declared Mr, St. Clare. ‘‘He is a much better lawyer than his looks would suggest. No man can be rightly estimated by his appearance. It is very likely that strong drink has been the means of keeping Mr. Skynn at the foot of the ladder, although I think he does not drink now.” ‘*] guess vou are right. His looks indi- cate that he has been quite fond of his cups. At present, though, as you say, | think he takes nothing stronger than his coffee.” ‘‘What action are you gomg to take?” Nettie Hucklebee asked, addressing her lover. “Well, we are going to fight it out, of course, And my own opinion is that we stand a fair chance to win. ‘‘The postmaster has suggested the idea of having the claim surveyed in order to ascertain whether we are or are not upon this Mexican’s ground, and also to learn whether there is any rascality going on; and we will have it done. “It is possible that this Bartolo op te trying to get hold of more than his claim calls for; or, his idea may be to ‘drift’ far enough northward to ‘take in’ this town; and, if either is the case, we are certain to * \ catch him at_his mii ‘OnniiG Eboo SAE)