Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 438 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

—- CHAPTER VIII. OKLAHOMA NICK SEEKS RE-ENFORCEMENTS, THe young giant looked a little puzzled, as well he might. Otelia seemed so deeply in earn- est. There was aglow in her lustrous eyes so unusual, so different from anything he had seen there before, that for a single breath he felt afraid for her poor brain. ‘‘T’]] mind anything you say, ’Telie, just so so you dun’t ask me to drop out an’ leave Nick to run ’em down alone,” he made reply, his arm closing about her trembling waist as he bent over her eae pb ‘* [f you would only promise me that! If you would only give upall idea of going; Perry! If you could only realize the awful fears that rend my poor heart, brother!” sobbed the girl, clinging to her twin as though she felt it im- possible to part from him, ‘“‘That’s ’cause you’re a girl, "Telie,” half laugbed her brother, one great band smoothing her hair with a touch soft and loving as that of a lover. ‘* That’s ’cause you hain’t clean got over your skeer from the twister, an’ migh-y little wonder, either! But this ain’t no sech awful matter; itll only be a bit o’ trailin’ an’ a comin’ back with our stock in the eend. Nothin’ more, ’Telie girl! Bless you, pritty, they ain’t no fight in sech steal-by-night varmints as them —not a bit!” With difficulty the maiden brought her voice under control, and lifting her pale, tear-stain- ed face, Perry Wnght saw a strange light in her great blne eyes; a look that impressed him strongly. “T was not thinking of them—I never gave the thieves a second thought, Perry,” Otelia said, her voice steady and clear, but sounding far from natural. ‘‘ You have more to fear from a pretended friend than an open enemy,”’ and she shivered again as she glanced toward the spot where Oklahoma Nick was standing with their father. Perry followed the direction of her look, and his big eyes opened more widely than ever as he parcly divined her meaning. ‘Why, Telie, girl!” he stammered, taken all aback. ; ‘‘ He is your enemy—he means you ill—means us all evil!” The young giant frowned, but it was more from perplexity than anger. Oklaboma Nick had never been a particular favorite with him, for reasons which will presently appear; but an enemy, and plotting evil against them all! Plotting evil against ’Telie, whom he loved so madly! “It gits me—gits me, bad!” he muttered, shaking his head. Otelia almost sobbed as she tightened her grasp on his arm, fairly shaking it in her earn- estness. “It is true, though I can’t explain it so you ean understand just what I mean, just what 1 feel, brother! Your greatest peril is there! He will work you evil, unless you watch him close- ly and constantly.” Her voice choked again and she hid her face in his broad bosom. He was more bewildered than before, but he patted ber head soothingly as he whispered, hurriedly: | “Tl watch him, Telie girl. .I won’t never ‘take the two eyes o’ me off o’ him a foot o’ the way. Thar—don’t cry. Pap’s comin’!” ‘ Be careful—for my sake, dearest,” whisper- ed Otelia, reaching up and pressing a. hurried, passionate kiss upon his lips, then moving away to the side of her mother as Evander Wright and Oklahoma Nick approached the spot. Pale, anxious-eyed, the young giant gazed _ keenly into the face of his father as he came forward. This was the first time in all his life that he had ventured to assert his manhood so positively, and it was a serious matter to the young fellow. His heart leaped into his throat as he met the grave, anxious gaze of the boomer, A glad, yet smothered cry rose in his throat, and he strode forward with outstretched hand, his voice unsteady, but full of joy as he ut- red: tered: “7 kin go, pap? You ain’t ag’in’ it no longer?” A faint smile crept into the face of the father as he clasped the big hand of his son. There was a slight tremor, a faint huskiness in his tones as he replied: ‘¢ Would it do any good ef I was, son? Would you stan’ back an’ keep by the wimmen, leavia’ ‘me to foller them imps?” The young giant hesitated, just a thought. His reply was low, but positive, and his big blue eyes fairly met those of his parent, “Tt wouldn’t, pap. I won’t lie to you. I’ve set my mind on takin’ the trail, an’ 2m goin’ to go—l'’ve got to go!” ; “Then Pve got to stay behind, fer we cain’t leave the wimmen all alone by themselves, ‘fer-— ‘Why not, father?” impetuously cried Otelia, _her face pale, her eyes glowing, a reviving hope in her features which only Perry could rightly interpret. ‘* There 1s little hereto tempt a thief, and even should any such come, both mother and I can handle firearms. Go with them, since brother will go! I beg of you, father, go with Perry !”" eee em ee Evander Wright looked only too willing, but he slowly shook his head in reluctant dissent. ** Tt wouldn't do, nohow, ’Telie. You’re wild to think it, even fer a minnit. Some one’s got to stay, an’ sense the boy’s tuck the bit atwixt his teeth, I reckon that somebody’s got to be me. ‘It's my place, pap,” muttered Perry, half- apologetically. ‘‘ You cain’t say it ain’t my place, ef you look at it right.” Oklahoma Nick stood a little apart, listening in silence. His handsome face was pale and haggard, showing plainer than words that he had not entirely escaped suffering, both bodily and mentally. But he now ventured to put in a word or two. ‘*If it was left to me for decision, I’d say let both remain here. I am ready and eager to take the trail alone. If the thieves can be overtaken by a man on foot, I am that man. And if they are too quick for that, I can man- age to get other stock from the Indians and Lring them here alone. Even if the danger was tenfold what I believe it, I would rather dare it alone and single-handed than have a quirrel rise between father and son,” Evander Wright laughed softly as he turned and caught the hand of their guide, pressing it with a warmth that proved plainer than his words how far he was from feeling the doubts and suspicions which appeared to torture poor Otelia. ** Lord love ye, Nick! we ain’t quarrelin’, nur nothin’ nigh it! Only it kinder sticks in my craw to hey to own up I’m gittin’ old enough fer to hev to stand back an’ let my son go ahead in- stead o’ me! That’s all they is to it, lad; never a quarrel—eh, sonny?” “T feel like a dog, pap, but I cain’t help it!” muttered Pericles, flusking hotly, hanging his head as he returned the boomer’s grip with a vigor that made the elder man wince despite his fortitude. ‘*‘ Somehow I feel as ef I'd got to go, whether I wanted to or not!” ‘* Ain't I bin thar my own self?’ laughed Evander Wright, with a suspicious moisture in his honest blue eyes. ‘* Don’t I know the time when I wouldn’t take a back-seat no longer, even —well, ’Telie?” interrupting himself as he felt a trembling touch on his arm, ‘*Go with Perry, father, I beg of you,” the maiden whispered, seeming strangely in earnest, ‘‘If two must go—if one must stay behind—go you te Perry, and let Mr. Van Bibber stop ere Puzzled by the unusual manner of his child, Evander Wright glanced from her face to that of the guide, a half-smile coming into his face as he saw how brilliantly the eyes of Oklahoma Nick were glowing, how flushed his face. But before he could speak, the guide interposed: ‘That is out of the question, Miss Wright. I was on duty when the stock were stolen: I re- main on duty until they are recovered, or their places made good by others as valuable.” He bowed low as he spoke, then turned ab- ruptly away to one of the wagons, selecting food such as would not require cooking, putting it into a compact shape for carriage. Otelia could sav and dono more. For some minutes she had been fighting back a deathly sickness, and now it conquered her. She had barely time to gain the little tent before her strength failed her, and she fe'l across one of the cots, shivering violently, half-unconscious, Mrs. Wright saw something of this in the pale almost ghastly face of her child as she staggered past, and followed after. “Tt ain’t nothin’ serious, an’ mebbe it’s best so,” muttered the boomer, as Perry stared after the women, ‘“‘ It’s the fu’st time you've set out to try your wings, lad, an’ the home-birds nat’- ally fee] anxious.” Oklahoma Nick looked up from his prepara- tions as he heard these words, and there was a half-smile upon his lips as he uttered: ‘* I don’t really think there is any serious dan- ger to be met with on this trip, friends, but since the women take it so hard, I wish you would let me go by myself. Vil do the work just as faithfully asif all of you were watching me.” ** Nobody in this camp doubts that, lad,” was the warm response, as Evander Wright aided his son in putting up a compact bundle of pro- visions. ‘‘ ll set you right with the women- folk, never fear. They'll look at it in a better light when they’ve had time to think it all overa bit. Perry’s goin’—an’ I only wish I was goin’, too!” with a sudden emphasis and a dan- gerous flashing in his eyes as he recalled the vile treachery of the wretch whom he had fed and sheltered. The young giant saw and rightly interpreted this emotion, and he gave his father’s hand a parting grip as he uttercd: ‘‘Mebbe [ll fetch Jérry Viggles back fer you to lectur’, pap! Ef I.don’t. it won’t be fer want o° trvin’ mighty hard, anyway!” ‘* Take keer 0’ yourself, son, an’ don’t be too brash. Look after him a bit, Nick: remember he ain’t long out o’ the nest. An’ he’s his mo- ther’s pet, too!” ~ _ It sounded Indicrous, these_last words, look- ing at the young siant; so big, so strong, so self-reliant. But Oklahoma Nick nodded sober- i) a 13 ly as the twaiu strode rapidly away from the oes leaving the boomer gazing wistfully after em. Active, ery Maze though Oklahoma Nick was, it tested his powers to the utmost to keep from being distanced by the young ‘giant, who was nervcusly anxious to get beyond hailing distance of the camp before either of the women could make another appeal. Not that he would give them pain, for his love was strong and true: but he had cnly spoken the simple truth when he declared that something seemed to force him to join Oklahoma Nick in this attempt to recover their stolen property. He was too matter-of-fact to be superstitious, in the common expectation of that term; but he really felt that a mysterious power was urg- ing him on; a power against whicn he could not struggle. He had almost forgotten the warning given him by Otelia. When it did occur to him, he brushed it from his mind as too idle for thought. — Though he did not love Oklaboma Nick, he be- lieved him honest enough, and the last man on earth whom he would select as a traitor. When the clump of timber near which the party had camped was a mile away, the youn siant slackened his pace. Okalahoma Nic laughed parte! as he took the lead. ‘*So soon, Perry? And yet one would hardly pick you out for a quarter-horse!” ‘Tl git thar as soon as you do, Nick,” laughed the giant, with a glance over bis shoul- der. ‘* Set the pace your own self, if you like, an’ never doubt my keepin’ within speakin’ dis- tance of your heels. I only put on that spurt to —waal, you see how the wimmen tuck on!” A frown came over the face of Oklahoma Nick, and his voice sounded almost harsh as he muttered: ‘‘l’'m sorry you stuck out for coming, lad. Not but what I’m glad to have as sturdy and reliable backing, but itll make my row still harder to hoe—with her !” Perry made no reply. He knew well enough to what Oklahoma Nick alluded, but he was hardly im sympatby with him on this point, and certainly had no wish to discuss the matter then or there. Oklahoma Nick said no more, just then, though it was no difficult matter to pick up the trail, after the thorough soaking the earth had received on the past night. Every hoof had left a distinct impress of itself, and untrained trailer though he was, Perry felt that he could oint out the sign of each one of their eight orses. ‘* Pity we ain’t each got four good legs under us!” he said, with a half-laugh. ‘‘A man could foller this trail with his eyes shet an’ at full run! ** Just now, and right here,” was the dry re- sponse as the guide strode rapidly along, his keen eyes pipe aps eae nearly level expanse before them n.uch oftener than the trail at their feet. ‘* It'll hardly keep on as plain traveling—unless those rascals have rigged up some sort of trap to catch any followers!” ‘‘ Trap be blowed! We'll spring the trap, an’ git the bait, without losin’ even a claw,” laughed the young giant. For several miles Oklahoma Nick led the way in silence, the trail remaining just as clear and undisguised. Either the thieves trusted to out- aap their pursuers, or el e they felt strong enough to put them at defiance. ‘* They're making for the hills, from the looks,” muttered Oklahoma Nick, after a long silence, his keen gaze passing far abead and to the left, where a distant rise In the ground was now dim- ly visible. ‘* Hills or hollows, don’t make no odds,” d gedly retorted Perry. ‘‘ Whar they go, we kin foller. An’ good as the hosses is, a man that’sin dead airnest kin run ’em down in time.” ‘‘ If we had that time tu spare, you mean; but © have we?” ‘* We cain’t git along without bosses, kin we?” half-angrily. ‘*Of course not, but if a chance offers to beg or buy other stock before we catch those rascals, we've got to take it. You know how closely those rascally scouts are scouring the country. You know what would be the result were they to find your folks.” Pericles made no reply. This wasa point thet worried him, even more than the ks of their stock. To be so near the *‘ promised land,” and yet to feel that any hour might bar their further rogress. Like all other boomers, he knew the aw, though he professed to regard it as an out- rage rather than a law, And, like the others, he knew in his heart that it would be worse than folly to even dream cf resisting those who had that law at their back. Sullen, ugly-tempered with these thoughts troubling him, the young giant pressed cn, urg- ing Oklahoma Nick to quicker speed. The lat- ter complied in silence, his own face grave enouch, 4) ferent channel. He had not missed the strange manner of Otelia Wright when she drew her bretber aside just before the start was made, ard that was troubling him intensely. : what she had said, longed, yet dreaded to ask. EGOmicbooks ,10ugh his thoughts turned in a far dif- He longed to know cor