Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 438 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

| | | i “ A et Ea a pag Sa ee — ing his guide under the influence of liquor. Know him! them to a sitting 26 —_—————_—_ Oklahoma Nick. | ee ee a 0 ee —--—— —_—— Se — —_ *‘feel it in his bones” that evil had befallen | The very picture of you in feature and expres-| as that of a corpse, and drawn like that of them, as it most certainly had come upon young Pericles Wright. Then the injured man began to mutter, mov- ing restiessly in his sleep, and the detective eagerly, breathlessly listened to catch the im- portant clew. He caught enough to know that the poor fellow must have met with a truly frightful experience. And a dark frown cor- rugated his brow as he heard the name of Okla- homa Nick, coupled with terms that left no doubt in his mind that the guide had treacher- ously sought to kill Perry Wright. It was but a vague remembrance of the part- ing warning given by his twin sister before takin the trail of the horse-thieves, but Henry Hornkohl had no means of knowing this. He questioned the sufferer, but without suc- cess. And then Perry Wright once more sunk into that death-like stupor. Thus he was lying when the sound of footsteps without aroused the watcher, and Boomer Balt came into the cavern, moststrangely laden—with a pair of dark-eyed children in his arms! ‘*Don’t you git skeered, pard,” chuckled the guide after a hasty but searching glance at the unconscious patient. ‘‘ They won’t hurt ye a mite ef ye don’t try to ’pose onto ’em by tryin’ fer to look at thar teeth by way o’ findin’ out how old they be! Harmless as kittens, an’— *scuse me!” with a sudden nod of his head as he hastily dropped the children to the floor, snatch- ing off his hat with one hand and extending the other to a woman who followed close at his heels. ‘‘ Come pesky nigh fergettin’ all‘the man- ners I ever knowed!” Bowing at every backward step, gracefully swinging his hat in perfect time, smiling and simpering like a frosty lover, Boomer Balt led the woman closer to the fire, then ep Be aside, bowing first to her and then to the detective as he added: **Pard, this leddy is Mistress Molly Feather- top; Molly, my pard, Mister Henry Coldhorn, uire. Know each other!” olly Feathertop bowed slightly to the startled detective, but then her eyes passed bim by to ent rest on the prostrate figure. And with a si step she moved forward, sinking to her knees be- side the young giant, gazing intently into his face. She was young and despite her half-savage rb, by the firelight she looked almost beauti- ul, decided the interested detective. If her face were not so grave—if it§fwere a thought fuller— “* Pard,” came the low tones of the boomer guide, with just a tinge of reproach in thém. ‘ Pard, is this the pure article?” Henry Hornkohl turned with a start, to see Boomer Balt standing with one of the children on either side, that painfully polite expression seemingly frozen upon his rosy countenance. ‘“What is it, Uncle Balt?” ** Pard, the interduction ain’t over with yit! Pard, look at these two twins—this ’ne a boy, an’ tother a gal, Twins, mind ye—Molly Feather- 5, $4 twins fer short!” enry Hornkohl stared, for a moment sige n- stead, Boomer Balt was simply carrying out what he felt a solemn a. * Pard, this is George Washington Feathertop. This is Marthy Custis Washington Feathertop. Knowher! Twins, yender gent is pard, Henery Holecorn, Esquire. Know hen both twins 0’ ye! An’ now set down an’ make mud-pies out 0’ this nice clean, dry sand— With a hand on each jetty head he pushed osture in the middle of the floor, then furtively brushed his damp brow with his sleeve as he drew a long breath of re- lief... ** Be durned ef I'd ’a’ tackled it at all, ef I’d thought it was sech monstrous hard work, pard,” he muttered confidentially as he dropped along- side. ‘‘ But when the ole man sets a-goin’, it takes a obstickle big as a mount’in fer to stop him afore he gits thar, ef I do say it my own self! How’s the lad b’in sence I went away?” Hornkohl briefly replied, as there was not much to report. Boomer Balt frowned blackly as he heard what Perry had muttered about Oklaboma Nick, but made no comment. ** Who is that woman?” asked Hornkohl in a rded whisper. ** Molly Feathertop—a Cherokee Injun squaw,” promptly replied the guide, in the same tone of voice. ‘‘ Knowed her fer more time then I kin eount up jest now. without stoppin’ to think. Mighty fine gal, eh?” ‘* And the twins—” “Look at ‘em, pard!” with a low chuckle as he glanced admiringly toward the solemn tots, still sitting as his heavy hands had left them. *‘ Ain’t they jest too sweet fer any use, as I hearn a woman say once? Who you reckon they favor in the face, eh?” **You, of course ” bluntly replied the detect- ive, solemn as an owl. “* You don’t mean to say that—wal, now I am adummed!” ** Knew them at the first glance, Uncle Balt. Good Lawd above us all!” spluttered Uncle | Balt, turning fiery red as he started to his feet, | his eyes protruding more owlishlv than ever, | sion, run across them in New York City. You all over, Uncle Balt—shake!” CHAPTER XVII. OUT OF BONDAGE. THROUGH the coming of evening, through the settling glocm of night, through all those long hours of storm and darkness, Evander Wright suffered—suffered tortures far too intense for words to express. Bound so tightly that he had no power to move a limb; only permitted a slight motion of his head; absolutely powerless to relieve the cruel strain that was constantly increasing as his limbs grew numb with the checking of the blood circulation, Physical torture enough to turn black hair white, and a strong brain to imbecility; but all this was as naught compared to his mental tortures. For hours after Jerry Viggles bore away their daughter, jeering and mocking, gloating over their helpless agony, Permelia Wright gave no word or sign in answer to the appeals of her husband. She stood with head drooping against the wagon-side, motionless, speechless, lost to consciousness; and for hours Evander Wright believed her dead—slain by that dastard blow. Think what those hours must have been to the mun, so strong and fullof life, yet so utterly helpless, so impotent! And even when a faint moan from the lips of his wife signaled her return to consciousness— for now it was far too dark for his eyes to dis- tinguish her face through the hole in the white tilt—that was but a brief gleam of joy. Alive—to suffer all the more! Still, they could talk, and that was something. More than either husband or wife appreciated during taose awful hours. If either had been alone; if they -had been gagged beyond the me na of speech; they would almost certain- y have gone mad during those hours of agony botb in.body and mind, when shrouded in dark- ness. When Evander Wright burst out in his im- potent fury, calling down curses from Heaven on the heads of all who had part or lot in their sufferings, Mrs, sath would try to soothe him, thus benefiting herself by the very conso- lation she sought to give him. And feeble though the hopes she raised, it was enough to keep her husband from going mad. That hope was the speedy return of their gallant son, with Oklahoma Nick, when they would be set at liberty and permitted to make some decided move toward the rescue of poor Otelia. A hope frail at the best, when they recalled the mocking words of Jerry Viggles; but grow- ing frailer and more slender with each hour that dragged its slow length along. What was the nature of the trap which had been set for him and Oklaboma Nick? Were they captured, helpless like themselves? Had they been ambushed and—not killed! And then, as though their sufferings were not yet complete, there came to both the helpless ones the remembrance of what Otelia had said while trying to prevent the departure of her twin brother. Was all this the work of Oklahoma Nick? Had he betrayed them so cruelly?) Was he at the bottom of all their misery? In vain they tried to banish these maddening thoughts: they would return with redoubled force, until Evander Wright gave way to them and fell to raving, cursing the guide who had lured them from a peaceful happy home, to doom them to a fats ten thousand times more bitter than death! It was in vain that Mrs. Wright, forgetting her own misgivings, sought to reason with her husband; in vain that she showed how many sacrifices Nicholas Van Bibber had made for their sakes; in vain that she spoke of his all- wingers, 4 aye for Otelia, and how impossible it was that he could ever for an hour place her in such vile hands. All in vain! Evander Wright felt that the scales had drop from his eyes at last: felt that never until now had he known Oklahoma Nick as he really was, Hour after hour. Through the pitilesly fall- ing rain. Through the intense gloom, unre- lieved by the faintest ray of light. Through the long night to the slow coming of dawn. Silent enough then! Supported in an upright ture by the bonds that were in themselves a orture enough to craze an ordinary mind. But with eyes closed and stupefied brains. Looking far more like dead people than living. The rain ceased, the sun rose with eve prospect of a beautiful day, clear and still, And presently its bright rays seemed to warm Evander Wrigbt back to life. Back to wretchedness such as few men have been called upon to endure for so manv hours without relief—back to a consciousness of all that had bappened, of ail that must yet be en- dured before the coming of the en‘! He recalled the thought afterward — the boomer felt almost thankful that his wife was ast further suffering as he saw her head On ould have recognized the stock had I | one who had perished by starvation! He recalled how he felt that could he move just sufficient to reach her lips with bhis—if he could only kiss her once more as he had kissed her in the past—he could then close his eyes and die! So strong grew this wild fancy—so complete- ly did the idea possess him that one touch of her lips would end his tortures with the death which she bad already found—that he fell to fighting with his bonds like one struggling to gain a dearly prized treasure. And as hestrug- gled to reach that poor, white face, be fell to raving and screaming like a maniac. The sound of his voice aroused Mrs. Wright from her death-like swoon, and temporarily forgetting her own tortures, she sought to calm her husband; a true and loving woman even in that dread emergency. She succeeded, but it was only for a time. As the sun rose higher in the heavens, these fits of madness seemed stronger and more fre- quent, until the poor woman felt that if help was much longer delayed, it would he teo late for him—too late to save his poor Lrain, even though his life might be spared. And yet, from whence was aid to come? Long since she had given over expecting the coming of her son, Long since she had felt the mocking words of Jerry Viggles meant that death had overtaken poor Perry. Dick McBride drew rein and sprung lightly, steadily upon his saddle, balancing himself with grace as he stared keenly, intently over the plain under the noonday sun. Only for a moment; then he dropped back and slipped his feet into the stirrups as he uttered: ‘*T reckon we’re got ’em, boys! Anyway, there’s a wagon over yonder by that clump of timber! Uf not the ones we’re hunting, maybe we can Jearn something from them.” A touch of the to sent his jaded Lut willin steed forward, followed close by the scouts an soldiers. Both men and beasts looked all the worse for their long toil through night and storm, for right nobly had they labored to carry out the wishes of Boomer Balt, and with hardly a pause they had scoured the plain in search of the Wright family, Without even a gleam of hope until how, since there could be no trail to guide them, only a fortunate chance that could lead them aright. The animals themselves seemed to feel inspir- ited as they loped across the wet plain toward the timber island, for even they could recognize a wWhite-tilted wagon standing out in relief against the dark background. And then—with stern-set faces, with many a muttered curse against the heartiess demons who had wrought all this torture, the scouts set Evander Wright and his wife at liberty. For many a minute even Dick McBride feared that their aid bad come too late to save life. Man and wife were both insensible. They seem- ed beyond recovery as the scout bent over them in examinaticn, A medical student before bis love of roving and adventure led him to break irksome bords, Dick McBride had more than once found his early train ng stand bim in good stead; but never had he been more thankful than now for that knowledge. He was strongly interested in the case which a curious chance had brought him in contact with, and now he bent his every pow- er to restoring the tortured couple to life. It was a difficult case, so intense and so yro- longed had been the ordeal, but he partially suc- ceeded; he restored them to life, though not yet to reason. Indeed, he seriously doubted wheth- er they would ever fully recover their mir ds, While their chief was thus engaged, the rest of the party scattered about in search of sign, or else busied themselves in cooking a much needed meal. The first had nothing toreport; the heavy rain had completely obliterated the trail left by Jerry Viggles and his gang. The report of the second section was much more gratifying, and noteven the anxiety which Dick McBride felt for his patients prevented him from making a hearty meal, in which het ccffee formed a prominent and most grateful part. After this meal was over, McBride tcok a basty examination of the effects lying scattered about as left by the raiders. Though of considerable value to one who contemplated settling on anew place, there were but few articles which be re- placed in the wagon, the remainder keing stack- ed up under shelter of the trees. with a note pinned to a trunk above them, stating that they were the property of the army. Then a ted of grass, covered over with blankets, was formed inthe wagon, and the two patients placed there- on. From the scattered harness, enough was select- ed to serve for two horses, which were then at- tached to the wagon. The two men thus dis- mounted took the seat, one to drive while the other kept an eye on the invalids, Then Dick McBride led the way by the shortest route back to the hills._ There was but little difficultw experienced in making the trip, until the broken ground was gained. Both of the horses selected were “ bar- p drooping against the wagon-bed, her face white ness wise,” though long unaccustomed to work im Eomicbooks » « vf P s > > ee . A te 5 » ji * e r } ~~ . > | le a / \" « rs ¥ f) 4 ' * = * = de : ss wv