Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 438 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

! V/ “J didn’t mean it jest that way, *Melie, Se ee ee 12 His voice choked and he leaned heavily against | the wagon, With no little difficulty the young giant was induced to open his eyes, but when Evander | Wright spoke of the stock being stolen, it acted | on him like magic. He staggered to his feet, | and after one bewildered stare about the spot, he turned to one of the buckets of water which had been filled during the heavy rain of the past night, plunging his head into it, holding it there so long that his agitated mother caught at his | er me we eee ee oe Oe ee 5 curly hair as though she feared he meant to com- mit suicide after this nove] fashion. Evander Wright was the only one of the little company who seemed cool and steady-nerved fora time. He bade the women busy themselves with breakfast, as usual, and then led the way out from the camp to where the horses had been staked out to graze, ‘* That does settle it!” he uttered, with a hard, erin laugh as he pointed to the picket-pins still mly planted in the ground; to the ends of the trail-ropes, cut clean and smooth off. ‘It ain’t a stampede. The stock was stole, sure enough!” ‘*And that devil done it!” grated Oklahoma Nick, his breath still coming short and quick. “Il saw bim—and felt him, too!” One band fingered his throat nervously. A red scratch caught the eyes of father and son as they turned toward him; ascratch that might | have been caused by the keen point of a knife, ‘* You'll hev time enough to tell us all about it, lad,” and Evander Wright laughed hardly, unnaturally as he turned to trace the hoof-marks in the damp soul. ‘They ain’t no hurry ‘bout hitchin’ up this mornin’,’ ft wasa grim jest, under the circumstances, and one that told how heavily the unexpected blow had fallen on the boomer, though he seem- ed so cool and unmoved, outwardly. If the time should ever come to even-up mat- ters, let Jerry Viggles guard himself! In silence the trio followed the different trails until they joined in a single one, at no great dis- tance from the timberisland, And still in silence they obeyed the call to breakfast given by Otelia. The two women were very pale, very anxious, as the men came in and seated themselves to the hasty meal provided; but, anxious as they were to learn the whole truth, something in that cold, stern face chained their tongues and stilled their impatience. Even the two younger men seemed impressed after much the same fashion, and not pss aoe uttered until the morning meal was is of, | ising, Evander Wright pose over to the ' fire for a coal to light his’ pipe. A hard, im smile curled his bearded lips as he saw rs. Wright mechanically begin to clear away the dishes. **No hurry, mother,” he said, with a short laugh. ‘I reckon we'll hev to take a day’s lay- over. ’Pears like somethin’s the matter with our runnin’-gear, an’— Thar, ’Melie!” his voice wing husky as he sprung to the side of the il woman, whose sobs were choking her. His arms wound about her slender form, drawing her close to bis swelling bosom, his bearded cheek resting on her hair as he mut- tered: . didn’t know jest what I was sayin’ or how it’d sound to you—tried es you hev bin o’ late. But it cuts deep—mighty deep! Jest as the clouds seemed breakin’ away, too! To be left without a hoof—without—” “And through me, why don’t you say?” hoarsely muttered Oklahoma Nick, “I was supposed to be on guard, and—” ‘That critter drugged you as well, lad,” in- -¢ ' Evander Wright, with steadier voice. ** We ain’t blamin’ you. Ef anybody’s to blame it’s me. You was ’posed to takin’ the dirty whelp in, but I wouldn’t listen then. An’ now— _ ‘waal, what’s done is done, an’ swappin’ words won't ondo it.” : **That’s what!” ejaculated the young giant, who was rubbing un his repeating rifle, his mas- sive features stern and hard-set, ‘ It’s action, ws Both 19, good, enough in the’ a 8 enough in tha’r proper places gon,” was the calm response. ‘ Weill ant, but fu’st we’ve got to look over matters: take stock, as it were.” “The stock is gone. They was stole. The trail lays out yender, plain enough fer a blind man to foller with his eyes shet, hat else need we count up?” ‘* An’ here’s two wimmen, Perry.” *‘ Never mind us, father,” impetuously cried Otelia, a flush coming into her pale cheeks as mA blue eyes lightened up. ‘‘ We are women, but we can keep camp—and use a rifle, if we must!” The boomer nodded approvingly, a smile light- ing up his face for an instant. But then it grew grave and hard again as he said: “You're both good stock, ef I do say it, *Telie, nur I wouldn't be afraid to trust you two ag’in’ a swarm of rascals ef better couldn’t be; but it’s only fools an’ hot-heads that run into resks that kin be avoided by usin’ a little jedg- ment. An’ somehow it’s bore into me that they’s somethin’ more in this matter then sim- ple hoss-stealin’, bad as tbat is, fixed as we be now.” ‘So bad that it couldn’t well be worse! And all my fault!” bitterly muttered Oklahoma Nick, bowing his head and covering his face with his hands. Evander Wright stepped quickly to his side, one hand kindly resting on bis shoulder, his voice softened, his manner soothing: ‘*A little talkin’ will do you good, lad, too. Tell us all you know ’bout the business. Even ef it don’t make matters any clearer, it'll lift a mighty weight from your mind; an’ you’re our main-stay in this new trouble, mind ye! With- out you to Bene us, we’re ruined, to put it in lain words. Butit must be you, yourself, cl’ar- rained, stiddy-narved, not a weak, shaken, groanin’ critter like ye seem now!” Rude, unpolished, blunt; but the words seemed just what Oklahoma Nick needed to rouse him from the despair into which this misfortune had cast him. He started to his feet, his eyes flash- ing, his voice even: ‘*Say that you don’t blame me altogether— say that you will try to believe I would have lost my good right hand rather than have had this happen! Say that you—” ‘* Would jestas soon fault my own self as fault you, lad,” was the earnest interposition as as Evander Wright grasped his barat firmly. ‘* Nobody wasn’t to fault, ’cept that infernal Jerry Viggles,” impatiently muttered Perry, adding with an ugly scowl: ‘‘An’ ef I don’t Viggle him out o’ his skin when I shet grip onto bim, I’m a liar!” He avoided looking toward his father as he turned and strode doggedly away, striking the fresh trail beyond the timber, bending low as he moved slowly along, looking for anything that might be of service to them in that crisis, ‘* Don’t go out o’ sight or hearin’, son!” cried Evander Wright warningly, knowing that even his authority could no longer hold the young giant entirely idle. ‘* An’ now, lad,” turning to Oklahoma Nick, ‘‘ we'll listen to what hap- pened to you last night.” The guide was now more like his usual égelf, though still somewhat pale, like a man who has gone through with a trying ordeal. He cast a covert glance toward Otelia, who had drawn a little aside with her mother, but who was await- ing with interest to hear his explanation. klahoma Nick tried to conceal nothing, frankly admitting that he must have fallen asleep while on guard, Possibly—considering whose ears were drinking in his words—he might have been pend sie to cover this unfortunate fact, had it not been so plain to be seen that all of the rest had been drugged by the rascally waif of the storm; as it was, hemadeno attempt to disguise his fatal weakness, He told how he was aroused from his stupor by feeling the knees of Jerry Viggles digging into his chest, and his bony hands closing his windpi He told how the bare blade fiashed before his eyes, and then swept swiftly down until he could feel the keen point pricking the skin of his throat; and a bright glow shot into his eyes as he saw Otelia Wright shiver and turn a shade paler as her eyes rested on the mark be- low his chin, He said that he strove to cast off the wretch, but that, no doubt, owing to the drugged coffee which he had swallowed, he seemed weak as a child, and easily handled by the villain. He told how that weakness suddenly overcame him, and everything seemed to fade away to nothing- ness. When his senses returned, he was lying on his back, bound hand and foot, a gag between his jaws. How, for many minutes he felt as if struggling with some frightful nightmare dream. How, as soon as he realized the truth, he strove to burst his bonds, to eject that cruel gag, to in some manner give the alarm. But only to find himself perfectly helpless. ‘*'You saw how well the rascal did his work,” he concluded, his eyes glowing redly, his voice hardening, his hands clinching tightly, ‘ Only for the rope that crossed my neck I might have rolled over here and made out to awaken ou. ‘You done your best, an’ no man could do more. You never saw no more then that one rascal, then?” ‘* No one else; and even he seemed more a hantom of some nightmare dream than aught uman,” was the response. ‘* Waal, it’s a black bit 0’ luck, look at it any way we will,” with a sigh which he struggled in vain to smother. ‘‘ It’d be bad enough at the best, but comin’ when we’re here, with the sol- diers an’ the scouts all on the lookout! Hell’s blackest cusses on that devil?” Trembling Mrs, Wright stole to his side as the boomer leaped to his feet in this savage out- burst. Pale-faced, Otelia caught his uplifted, quivering arm, and instantly the boomer grew calm under their touch, a faint, unsteady laugh coming from his dry lips. ‘* Thar—lI feel better now! I hed to let it out or bu’st, ye see, dearies; but I won’t do it no more—never ag’in, so I won’t, now!” The two women sobbed as his strong arms en- folded them, and after a brief hesitation, Okla- homa Nick turned and strode rapidly away over —X—_——" Orne i ee. ee OS SS Se the piain to where the young giant was still busied with the trail. ‘*They’s more of ’em, you see,” Perry grunt- ed, looklIng up at the sound of pathic = ea couldn’t make it come right that Jerry Viggles was runnin’ the bull job to himself.” The rain-soaked plain wasin admirable condi- tion to receive and retain a trail, and the veriest novice might have read the sign with but little difficulty. Here the different trails came together, at a point where the camp was hidden from view by the clump of timber. The tracks of Jerry Vig- gles, still with one bare foot, were plainly to be distinguished from the others. And as tbe two men bent over the trampled space, several yards in diameter, and deeply scored, they could make out at least two other sets of human tiacks, one large and deep, the other comparatlvely smal} and light, ‘There were two helping bim, at least,” mut- tered Oklahoma Nick, rising erect and glancing along the trail which, after leaving the trampled spot. stretcbed away in a direct line, showing only hoof-marks. ‘* There may bave been more, for there are plenty of that splatter-foot prints. Two of about the same size, or else he was mighty uneasy and fidgety.” ‘*Two or a dozen, it don’t matter,” doggedly uttered the young giant, his blue eyes glowin redly. ‘* They’ve got our critters. Got ’em, bu not fer keeps ef 1 know myself. I’m goin’ after ’em, ef I have to take the trail alone!” ‘** You need not go alone,” was the quiet re- sponse, ‘‘{ was on guard when the animals were stolen, I lost them, and Vl recover them if f have to wade through blood—bah!” with a short, half-abashed laugh at his own abe” ae ty. “‘I talk as though an army had taken the stock, instead of a few miserable, cowardly devils of horse-thieves!” “You kin go ef you want, but I’m goin’ too,” doggedly muttered the young giant as they turned toward the camp. ‘*Some one must stop behind to guard the wagon, to see that no harm comes to the women, though,” said Oklahoma Nick. ‘‘ather’s the one for that, then. I’m goin’— ou’ll stick out for that much, won't you Nick? hey’s three, anyway, an’ you’re but one, good as you may be. I’ve got to go—don’t you see?” Oilahoma Nick made no reply, and as they were nearing the camp, where Evander Wright awaited them, Pericles was forced to smother his ardor as best he might until the proper time for asserting his rights. Oklahoma Nick briefly reported the results of the search, adding: ‘*T feel mainly responsible for the loss, sir, and I have sworn to make that loss good. I mean to take the trail, and follow it until I recover the stolen animals, or until I find I am losing too much time in the attempt. Then—I’ll buy horses of the Indians, if 1 can’t do any bet- ’ ‘*'We want our own critters, an’ we’re goin” to hev ’em, too!” impetuously cried the young iant, his face pale but resolute. ‘‘Say I kin go, father; fer I’m bound to go, anyhow!” Evander Wright hesitated as he glanced from the face of his son to those of his wife and daughter. They were pale, and wet with tears. A sob broke from the mother, and she partly outstretched her trembling hands toward the youth as though imploring him not to risk the life so dear to her mother-heart. But with a choking sob she drooped her bead. The horses must be recovered, or they were ruined. They could not remain long there without being discovered by the soldiers, and that meant being escorted out of the country, if no worse. ‘‘T can do the work alone, Wright,” slowly said Oklahoma Nick. ‘‘Even if it comes to a fight, I can get the best of thore rascals. And some one must stop here to protect the women. Yes—I'll go by myself!” “Then youll bave to find another trail, or else foller after me!” stubbornly declared Perry. “Tm goin’. With your leave, I hope, dad, But —all the same, I'm goin’ to git back them hosses!”’ Evander Wright frowned, but he knew that his son bad made up his mind, and though as a rule so easily led by those he loved, Pericles was. not one to be easily driven from a position he had once firmly assumed. He touched Oklahoma Nick on the arm, and slowly moved away, his head bowed in deep thought. Silently the guide followed him, his own face pale and hard-set like one whose mind is but ill at ease, : Mrs. Wright crouched on a stick of timber her head covered with an apron, her slight frame shaken with sobs none the less painful that they were silent. Pericles glanced at his mother, his face grow- ing still paler, but he showed no signs of soften- ing. Instead, his massive jaws set still more firmly as Otelia glided to his side, one trembling hand touching his arm. He turned upon her almost roughly, but there was a strange uneasi- ness in her eyes, a peculiarity in her manner that startled him. ‘ ‘‘ Perry—dear brother!” she whispered, her voice sounding far from natural. “If you must go, I pray you heed my warning!” oo le) im S IG