Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 4 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

—— —. —— es _—— —e = — os — _ — ——— = —_ = - —_—- —- a oe with excess of joy, she too sunk upon her husband’s , breast, and clung to him subbing. | ‘‘Helen! My wite! You here!” With a great terror in his heart he clasped both his | darlin 's in one embrace. ** God protect them !—they are all I have!” ** We are safe,papa !|—we are safe!’ urged Blanche. *“*And here is our rescuer!” ** Carlton!” ** Harry!” Not the young Harry this time; but the father who had gone away to the mountain country with Tom ‘Tracy and never returned. The boyhood friends were restored to each other, after all these years of senaration ! Burly Ben could scarcely be made to believe that it was the major in real flosh and blood; but when he was satisfied, he shed tears over the hand of his old patron, | “PF promised you I'd stick by little Hal while wood growed an’ water run, an’ I've—”’ Th» hun‘er stopped aud looked. frightened, ‘* What has becomne of Hal?” asked Mr. Burbank, | suddenly made aware of his absence. “T’ve stuck by him until this very hour, an’ tried to make a man of him,"’ said honest Ben, much dis- tressed. “If he’s knocked under now, [ll never for- | give myself—never !”’ Andthe hunter began to search for the body of his young protege. | e will take advantage of the period of painful suspense that ensued for a brief retrospect. The party of Indians having Walter Weston and Bantam in chars* pursued their course westward no longer than an hour, and then went into camp. They had scarcely bestowed themselves about the fire, in their blankets, when their guard fell. His gurgling yell brought them to their feet; but already | a dusky torm had glided to the side of the prisoners | | and cut their bonds with rapid slashes. “ Now fur life an’ death!"’ cried Shang, as he thrust a knife into the hands of his friends, Then his ringing crow sounded the charge; and after a brief struggle they held the ficld. An hour later they were where they heard the first sounds of the fixht in the glale. Hurrying on, they came upon Sidney and his Indians, who held Hal bound. At the first onslaught of the Cheyennes, Sidney had sought to secure his own prize, Jeaving his father to take care of himself, Shang and his friends boldly sprung to Hal’s res- cue. Sidney seeing himself about to be baffled, drew his knife and sprung upon his foe... *“T had planned * Die!—curse you!"’ he shouted. a more fitting death for you.” But a dark form gliled between him and his in- | tended victim and cla'ched his uplifted arm. “Tam the Barking Wolf, brother of the Speaking ae whose blood you spilled! Die you!—like a | doz!” , . The knife of the savare was plunged deep into the -breast of his foe, but Walter’s rifle claimed the for- ay and the avenger fell upon the body of his vic- tim. Hal was uninjured; and ina moment he was on | his feet with the others, back to the glade, to find Burly Ben looking for his body. 4 | | CHAPTER XXXVI. THE RENEGADE'S REVENGE. “Hooray!” cried the delizhted Ben, clutching Hal and dragging hiin forward. “ Here he is, major, in his best clo’s! An’ Hal, here’s yer father—or his spook—I don’t know which!” Hal was bewildered; but he managed to grasp the | major’s hand and stammer something. Tn his delight Mr. Burbank embraced Hal, forget- ting to notice that Major Bearsley’s reception of his son was less demonstrative. Blanche had caught sight of Walter, and clutching her mother’s arm, she marmured: “Oh, mamma! /z2 has been saved!” Her intense gaze drew Walter’s eyes; and with a | sudden flush, he stepped toward ber. Impulsively +} she extended both hands, with glistening eyes and | uivering lips. At the very instant he bent over | those loved hands, to press his lips to them, Blanche | heard her father say: | ‘And, Harry, [ve remembered our pledge. I've brought up B pay boy and my girl for each other; and our love will be bound closer in their union. Blanche, my. darling, come here,” Jut to the soul, the girl snatched her hands from: the lips bungerinz to touch them and flung her arms abont ber mother’s neck. “Save me, mamma!—save me!”’ she cried. “Tush, darling! I wi'l,”’ was the mother’s assur-. ace, as she disengaged the arms that clung to her, and gave the girl to her father. _ Walter had shrunk back with a quick flush, fol- lowed by a deadly pallor. In his ecstasy he bad not heard Mr. Burbank’s words. He only knew that when he was on the point of kissing the hands of the woman who enslaved his heart, she had snatch- ed them away. Mrs. Burbank turned and saw the white agony. in her sympathetic breast. aching out her hand, she placed it on hisarm. It was hér mo‘ her's hand, and he kissed it. “So this is your darling—may I say our darling? How like her mother she has grown!” said the ma- nick compassion stirre jor tenderly, holding Blanche at arm’s-length. ‘May I kiss he added, my daughter.’ “Here, Hal,’ pursued Mr. Burbank, wishing to make every one else as happy as himself. ‘ Join hands with your lady-love, and renew your betrothal before your father, who has been restored to us as if from the grave. We planned this before you were born, boy. Thank God, we are both alive to see its consummation.” Hal. sterre’ forward, nothing loth, shooting a glance of triumph at Walter. Shang had been watching this scene with folded arms. A grim smile lichted Lis face, as he noticed the turn affairs were taking, Stepping to Walter's | Bits Wo WO Peleu: aww im : ou, my dear? Bless you, my child!” **1 love you already as if you were indeed b eet ee eee | marry t ” ' Seadle’s Dime Library. “Hold on, boy—you hain’t bushed yet! 0’ his crew!”’ Waltes stared at his friend, not comprehending _ him, yet with a vague sense that there was some Baal, Beelzebub an’ Apollyon don’t get that gal—nor none _ over her. these children?” important meaning beneath the scout’s words. | - Shang shook his head and repeated: “ Jest you wait!”’ Hal stepped forward with alacrity, but 3 Bearsley felt the girl clutch him move closely, with a shiver. “What is the matter, my child?” he whispered close in her ear. **T don’t love him!” she pleaded piteously. Major Bearsiey kissed her hair, as if to reassure hes. A pained look which all along had clouded his brow suddenly lifted. “Waita moment, Burbank,” he said. “Wait!” repeated Mr. Burbank. “For what? Bless you, Harry! they have not been kept in | ignorance of our plan, and are already prepared,” With some dismay he saw Major Bearsley place Blanche in her mother’s arms. iously. ' a great wrong. _ “Do you know me?” asked the major, bendin “Tam the father. And now, what ebou “ Alack! alack!”’ wailed the woman, as if in help- less bewilderment. ‘** Control yourself, madam,” said the major, anx- » a have it in your power to right you exchange the children?’ ‘*God forgive me, yes!”’ “Then he who has grown up as my son is not such in facty”’ ‘No. The mother died, and having everything in my own hands, I had no difficulty in substituting on« “What became of my child?’ the major asked child for the other.” | brokenly. i “Tom Tracy took it ie Ol ‘*‘ And do you know nothing of its after life?” * He brought it up as his own.” - “It cannot be that Sidney Swanton,” hegan — Blanche. ts “No,” said Margery, “‘the boy fled from his sup- posed father, and concealed his identity under an us- “There is a word of explanation necessary here, | sumed name.”’ Carlton,’ said the major. “Explanation! What aay = pray?” Mr. Burbank grew suddeniy flushed, and then pale ' ata new thought, suggested by the manner of his friend, “Bo you mean to tell me, sir,” he said, with a hauteur wholly foreign to him, “that you repudiate the arrangement?—that you—that you spurn my daughter?’ *“C_riton,” said the major, gravely, laying. his hand upon his friend’s shoulder, “ whatever comes of this she shall always be my daugiiter as well as ours.” “T beg daa gr ge if I have wronged you; but I confess myself still mystified,” 7 a Here is Tom Tracy. I think he can set things to reg ts.’’ Swanton was here brought forward by some of the Cheyennes. Bonds were unnecessary. He had got his death wound. They laid him down in the moonlight. ‘*Tom Traey,’’ said the major, gravely, ‘‘at the gate of death your hatred must die. Do you verify, and will you complete, what you told me so many years ago, when you left me, as you supposed, | dyinz?” “Harry Bearsley,’’ was the defiant reply, “ your words show that you don’t know me. ‘At the gate of death,’ as you say, my hatred of you and of him ’’—pointing to Mr. Burbank-—-“ does not die! I leave a ever mess of uncertainty! You dare not em; and yet, while you refuse, you will never know but that you are denying your own flesh and blood. Every favor you show him may be wronging your own; every favor you deny him may bewronging your own! Ha! ha! ha! I verify noth- ing—I complete nothing! Are we quits?” . ae eee CHAPTER XXXVIL THE RETROTHAL RATIFIED. “Hoxip on, gentlemen,” said Shang, now coming forward. ‘Don’t git in a flurry. Jest wait an’ see if the Great Shanghai hain’t got a card that'll block this chick’s leetle game. Don’t say a word further till I git back.”’ And he was gone like a shot. Everybody looked surprised, Walter no less than the rest. Bantam spoke for his partner: “Do what Shang says—that’s my advice,”’ “But what can a stranger know about our affairs?” asked Major Bearsley. “I think we had better wait, though I know noth- ing of his purposes,” said Walter, in his quiet tones of command. Jiajor Bearsley cast a piercing look at him, and yielded, a While Shang was orey) Blanche whispered: ‘Mamma, what is this about? y does he so hate you and papa and Major Bearsley?’ Mrs. Burbank flushed slightly as she said: “When we were young, this man—whose real name is Tom Tracy—took a fancy to me, and when I married your father, conceived a deadly hatred to hin and, it seems, to me also. His hatred of Major Bearsley springs from the fact that they both had expectations of inheritance from the grandfather of Tracy and the gran -uncle of the major, who, at first favoring his grandson, afterward sinherited him, in favor of his grand-nephew,”’ To while the time, Major rsly told how he had been left for d ing by the treacherous Tracy, on] recovering to fin himself in a sort of honorable captivity, as an adopted member of a tribe of Chey- ennes. After having been detained all these years, he was at last released by a young chief whose life he bad saved, and given an escort to the border. It was then Mrs, Burbank’s turn to tell how she had been captured by Buffalo Horn, after her hus- band had placed her en route for St. Paul, to meet her daughter and husband. Shang reap eared, bearing a burden in his arms which proved to bea woman, so weak es to be unable to walk. “This,” said he, as he laid her on the green sward, “is the why I didn’t git back to the rendezvous in time. I run across a little party 0’ reds that held her a pes an’ wher I had rescued her, I soon l'arned that she was a prize wo'th havin’. “Margery Baily!” exclaimed Mr. Burbank. * ‘The devil! | t croaker again!" and Hal clench- ed his hands and set his teeth with hatred and ap- prehension, The renegade, with difficulty raised upon his elbow and glared upon her. “Woman! not a word, or I'll tear your accursed tongue from your throat!’’ he hissed. ; Margery Baily almost fainted with fear. Mr. Bur- bank took her quivering bands. “My good woman," he said, “do not be afraid. This man is powerless. What does he not wish you to reveal? Speak freely. I am your friend, and will protect you.’ ‘Margery Baily! Margery Baily !"’ repeated «gO Bearsley, as if his recollection were going back for sem > bali ‘sreetton name, * flad's dvoyet-iuuther,’’ explained Mr, Burbank, eee te — ‘“‘And that name?!” ** He has heen at your house, sir, in the person of Walter Weston.” * Blanche utfered a suppressed cry and sunk almost fainting into her mother’s arms. ‘Walter Weston!” repeated Mr. Burbank. “Jf said Walter, coming forward mechanically, and ng from one to the other. Is this the man?” asked Mr, Burbank, clutching Walter by the shoulder. ** Yes.’ Major Bearsley gazed into the face of the young man amoment, then opened his arms. “Trecognize Martha's boy,” he said; “and I see that he is worthy of her. God bless you my son, as he has me in this restoration!”’ “ Well! it seems that my identity is alittle mixed,” said Hal, wi ite with suppressed fury. “If this be the rightful ws et 4 Bearsley, Junior, who in the fiend’s name am I? Speak you old witch! Who Margery Baily looked upon him with helpless woe in her face, and said: ‘* No less than my own son!” “Well, then, my gentle mother, I curse you for your kindly offices in attempting to put me into an- cther man’s shoes! And who, pray, was the dainty gentleman who shared with such a thing as you the responsibility of my birth?’’ ‘Your father lies yonder. He thought to gain for roe the inheritance which, as he believed, ought to ave been his, and to gratify his revenge on Mr. and Mrs. Burbank by marrying his son to their daughter.” ¥ Pish! you are scum, both of you, and I repudi- ate you. Hils scathing words fell upon the wretched woman like a blight. With streaming eyes raised to heaven, she murmured: “God forgive me! It is my due!” “I have one word to add,” said Shang, who had been watching the effect of his “card” with quiet satisfaction. ‘I happened to overhear a conversa- tion between the renegade’s other son, called Sidney, and a young woman known as Mary Edwards, when she lay at the point of death. Hold on, my. ccar sir!’ Don’t git riled! It seems that our friend here married the girl on the sly, under an assumed name, and then deserted her. When she turned up, s0 as to bein the way of his proposed marriage with this lady, he got rid of her in a most effective manner, making the Injins shoulder the blame. As Walter an’ Bantam here had talked with her an’ might have found out his villainy, he tried to silence them and they both bear the wounds now. ‘This part of the ormance I witnessed myeelf.”’ ‘ “Great heaven! ean tbis be true?” exclaimed Mr. Burbank, appealing to Hal, while Burly Ben stood with mouth agape. * Let us waive that question for a mcment,” said Hal, with the coolness of despair. The mask bcing torn comylctely away left him reckless. ‘And 1 ow I suppose that this gentleman > pe enter upon the rights from which I have inadvertently so long ex- cluded him. 1 need not ask whether be will ie me as a suitor forthe hand of Mies Burbank. I+see that bis high sense of honor bas not stocd in the ¥, ay of his already having insinuated himself into the af- {cctions of another man's betrethed wife. Walter flushed hotly; Mr. Burbank/ was about to protest; but Hal kept on without pause: “Well, let him ta and this!” - _An instant a pistol-barrel gleamed in the moon- light. Then a flash avd a sbarp report, | lanche, made vigilant by her love, comprebenced what was coming Lefore any oneelse, With a scream the precipitated herself upon Walter's breast, throw- ing - arms abcut his neck, and both fell to the ound. gery fierce ejaculation at Hal; Lut with a derisive laugh he ) ut the pistol to his own head, ard a second bullet placed him bey ond the reach of vengeance. “My God! he bas killed them both!” cried Mr. Burbark, while Major Eeatsley advanced tov. ard there was a sudden rush them in speechless agony. Mrs. burbank had aot fainted. the locked as if frozen into a statue of woe, But their anguish was sucdenly and unexpectedly relieved. Walter raised to his feet, still claspin Blanche in his arms. ar ‘We are unharmed,” he said. ‘Her unexpected weight trip me and saved my life.” T en he bent and whisyered in the girl’s ear: I do not ask you the sweet question in words; but give me one little sign,” It came, in the form ofa delicious little hug, Then the lover looked up again, and with iadiaut face continued aloud: her, with my compliments-- . _ ‘Fathers, both—and you, dear mother—we are. ready to ratify the engagement entered into before we were born. Bear witness all, we pledge ourselves lanche taalemiaaichine and raised her face wet e I | with happy tears, to his. Their lips met. THE END, Eboo com eal — we c