Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 438 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

{ t f ist, se et Ce —Se ontel you eat an’ drink all this yer chuck,” nod- | swear it to you! They are still living, and | soft ded Jerry Viggles, placing the food on the foot “of the bunk. ‘* Don’t turn up your nose nur yit roll up the “A o’ ye so mighty like a dyin’ mule pritty!’ with a coarse laugh. ‘‘ The boss said you’d got to keep up your strength. He said we'd got to make ye eat when ye come to, even ef we hed to cram it down ye like my ole mam- my used to do her fattenin’ turkey fer Thanks- givin’.” Otelia saw that the ruffian}Jwas in earnest, and she forced herself to eat and drink. And after the first reluctant swallows, she found no fur- ther difficulty. Jerry Viggles nodded approv- ingly as he took up the empty cup and plate, tossing them outside, “You ain’t lovesick, pritty! Ef the boss knowed what a famine he was sighin’ fer to make all his own, mebbe be wouldn’t be so red- hot fer to git thar! Waal, that’s his lookout. All J got to do is to kerry out structions; an’ the fu’st an’ fo’most o’ them is not to run any resks 0’ hevin’ either o’ you two critters slip through the fingers o’ me ag’in, An’ so—cuts me clean to the gizzard—but J cain’t holp it!” With a strong cord he bound the maiden, hand and foot, leaving her helpless on the bunk, He bent over Oklahoma Nick, looking carefully to hi# bonds, then gave him a parting kick as he left the cabin. Otelia saw this, and her suspicions were great- ly weakened. Surely Van Bibber was not in league with these ruffians! Surely he would not be stn and treated so brutally if her suspi- -cions bad any foundation in fact? She spoke to him, but there came no reply. With a painful effort she turned her head suf- ficiently to catch a glimpse of him as he lay -on the earthen floor, face downward, shivering, eae moaning. If not suffering bodily tor- ture, he was mentally wretched. ‘*Nick—Mr. Van Bibber!” she repeated, but ' there came no response to her call, other than a ea on more bitter groan, She fell back, wondering, thinking—ah! if she did not have tothink! If she could only pass back to oblivion again! To be forced to think—to have all those horrors brought up be- fore her, one after another—was more bitter than death! Outside she could now distinguish the sound of rattling pots and metal dishes. She could smell the scent of cooking meat and boiling coffee. And the growing gloom within the little shanty told her that the day must be dying, More than a day since she was torn from her parents! More than four-and-twenty hours since they were left so cruelly bound, so utterly helpless! How had they endured the trial? Had it killed them? Were they dead when Perry came to relieve them? Or—had he come? She called to Oklahoma Nick onte more, that horrible fear too great to resist. ‘* Perry—my brother. You said he was well -—that he had gone back to camp, Nicholas Van Bibber. Tell me again that it was so, Tell me ‘that you spoke the truth to me then, and not a lie! I fear—” _ “*Tt was for your own good, as I thought bai ‘*Telie,” came the hoarse, choking reply. wanted to give you strength for the long and weary ride, And I knew that if I told you the whole truth, it would crush out your poor rem- ‘mant—” 3 A low, agonized wail cut him short. “You hed to me! He is dead—my poor brother!” she moaned. ‘** Not dead—I swear to you by all that is pure a te ee + OE iCOie Oklahb oma Nick. ma ’Telie? There was no reply, but Oklahoma Nick knew that the poor girl was listening, too deeply agi- tated for articulate speech, and he added: “°Telie, I heard those demons talking while you were insensible. They said that you were to be forced into marrying their boss; that he has gone to bring a preacher or a magistrate, or yet be saved, if we can only get free, | something of the sort; that he is expected back and holy!” the guide uttered, speaking clearly, | yet not loud enough to attract attention from without. ‘‘ He met with an accident, but not death. I left him comfortable enough, hasten- ing to fetch you and his mother to nurse him, when I chanced to meet those demons with you a on oy Spell ‘Yet you swore— Oh! my brother!” Though Oklahoma Nick could not see her face, he knew that the poor girl had swooned, -and his sharp yell quickly brought Jerry Vig- les once more into the cabin. And amid curs- Ing and splutterings, Otelia was restored to her senses once more. _ Jerry Viggles beat a retreat, grumbling and ‘snarling at the work which ‘the boss” had Now that she knew the worst, Otelia tried _ shoved off on to his shoulders, to steady her shattered nerves, thinking, think- ing, trying to see some hope through the loom And as she lay thus, Oklahoma Nick was working at his bonds. The gloom increased to darkness within the cabin, though a few thin rays of red light streamed in through the chinks between the logs from the camp-fire without. And the rough, coarse jests of the outlaws gathered about the ‘fire could be distinguished by the captives. “°Telie!” cautiously called out the guide. ** You can hear me?” ‘*T hear you,” was the low response. ‘°Telie, do 'you know what those demons in- tend doing with us?’ ‘* Kill me, I hope,” was the bitter response. “What is life worth now, when all—father, snother, brother—are dead?” ““They are living—they are not dead! I + PD ee, as hl : > ne. “hath. le. ee wee a Pa p to-morrow sometime. ’Telie, [ heard them say all this, yet it cid not kill me!” Still there was no reply, save that hurried, un- steady breathing. ‘* Because, "Telie, I felt that I could either break or slip my bonds and carry you off this night—carry you off to set your parents free before death came to put an end to their tor- ments. "Telie, you are strong enough to hear what [ say without crying out?’ ‘**T hear you—I am strong!” came a faint re- response, **’Telie, Tecan do all I said,” hurriedly whis- ered the guide, his voice betraying the depth of 1is emotions. ‘' I have got my hands free, and IY can dothe rest in ten minutes, Can—but shall I ?” Take me to them—take me to my poor par- ents, Nick!” gasped the agitated girl, trying in vain to rise from the bunk. ‘Hist! be cautious! If thoee devils suspect anything, our last hope is gone, never to return! ’Telie?” ‘* Well?” the maiden faintly whispered, ‘While they were talking to you, I heard Jerry Viggles mention my name. I heard him say that the boss held a particular grudge against me for some reason. That the boss knew of my Jove for you, and that he ordered us placed here together, to make our parting all the more bitter tome. That I was to be a wit- ness to your forced marriage with the boss, who would threaten you with even worse should you prove obstinate and refuse to become his wife. And then—when I had suffered all this—I was to be put out of the way forever!” ‘* But if you are free? If you escape from—” **Telie, it rests with you whether or no I es- eo was the slow, resolute response. ! e poor girl was bewildered. She could not understand what he meant by such strange words. He was partly free. He had said be i complete the work and rescue her as well! en— ** Oh, do not stop to talk!” she gasped, quiver- ing violently with her strong emotions. ‘ Take me away—take me to my poor parents!” ‘** For what, "Telie?”’ the guide said, rising to his feet and coming to the side of the bunk, bis hands and feet at liberty. ‘‘To have you scorn and flout me as you have done up to this night? To be thrown over like a worn-out glove? Do you think it is worth the troubte?” ‘*[ don’t—don’t understand you!” the poor girl faltered. ‘You must understand me before I take an- other step in the dark, 'Telie, For your sweet sake, I am willing to risk and do mich, I love you so that I often fear I am going mad—that I am mad! ‘*See! Iam a free man once more, [ can easily scratch a hole under the rear wall, large enough to take you outside, and then, in the darkness, I can laugh our enemies to scorn. I can take you to rescue your parents—to save your crippled brother. «I can do all this, but shall I? Can I?” ‘** For the love of kind Heaven—” **It is your love I ask, ’Telie!” and his hot, feverish hands touched her face, followed by his burning lips for a single instant. “I know you do not love me, as yet; you have told me so often, in looks and actions, if not in so many words. But when I have a chance to prove the depth of my love, it will earn love in return. Say that you will marry me, ’Telie, and I’ll save you-—-V’ll save your loved ones too!” Even in the darkness he could ted bow she shruuk from bim as he whispered so passionate- ly. And with almost savage intensity he added: ‘* All this [can and will do if you swear by your hopes of a hereafter that you will marry me the first chance we get; but if you refuse to do this—listen, ’Telie! ‘* | swear by high Heaven that I will strangle you where you lie! That I will kill you, then rive the alarm and die making my teeth meet in the flesh of those rascals outside! Without your love, I don’t care to live! Care? J will not live without it! ‘Telie!” and his voice eked almost tender as he bent over her, his hot ngers on her bonds. ‘Say that you will take life for yourself and your family! Say that you will promise—” ‘** Save them—and I will marry you!” With strange evenness she uttered the words, but Oklahoma Nick did not pause to ask from whence came that sudden strength. He pressed one burning kiss upon her lips, then busied his fingers with her bonds. They were not difficult to remove, for Jerry Viggles had hardly counted on her receiving such aid as this. And when once free, Okla- homa Nick fell to work at the rear of the but, speedily tearing a hole in the comparatively aX al ia ' ‘ eee ee i ssnseseesstnssssstnssstsesislsseseussssesesntsietiereeenr a ests si -_-—- - —--_————- a eS SR earth sufficiently large enough for their passage, This accomplished, he stole silently to the front of tie cabin, peering through one of the chinks. The fire was kindled almost directly in front of the doo., and Jerry Viggles and his gang of ruffians were seated about the cheerful light playing cards, smoking and laughing, curs- ing or grumbling as fortune swayed. “They are all there, I think,” Uklahoma Nick muttercd as he crept back and rejoined the trembling maiden. ‘’ It may be that I can pick out a borse or two without arosing their sus- picions, ff so—and be sure Dll do it if possible —we'll soon be with your folks, But, "Telie—once more: you swear to marry me?” ‘*If you succeed in restoring me to them, I will marry you!” Her tone was cold, her manner anything but that of a maiden who is plighting her troth, but Oklahoma Nick was not critical just then, It was enough for then thas she gave her promise, and with a low, gasping murmur, he clasped her almost fiercely to his bosom, pressing his hot lips to hers, Gently Otelia struggled to release herself, murmuring: * Think what they must be suffer‘ng! Do not lose another moment.” ‘* Follow me then, and be silent as death!” he muttered, leading the way to the hole beneath the logs, causing her to stoop, showing ber how she could crawl through the ape:ture with the least trouble. He passed through first, lending her what aid he could as she followed after. He paused for a few moments on the outside, listening to see if aught had awakened the sus- picions of their enemies; but they caught the coarse, careless chuckle of Jerry Viggles, and knew that all was still going well. ‘*Come, ’Telie! A fewrods, and then you can wait while I try to secure horses,” softly breathed the guide, leading the maiden away from the cabin, keeping it between them and the camp-fire. ‘** Rod after rod, through the scattered trees and bushes. Further and further, without a cry,or a shout from the cabin. Then—just as escape seemed assured, a dark figure rose up di- rectly in their path, and with a single blow sent Oklahoma Nick reeling back to trip and fall. And as a pair of strong arms wound around her, poor Otelia uttered a choking wail of de- spair, for she felt that all was lost, CHAPTER XIX. JERRY VIGGLES COMES TO GRIEF, GRAVE, almost stoical though she had seemed ever since her first apr caren at the cavern, Molly Feathertop could not stand by and see her twins thus unceremoniously “put in soak.” With a flashing look at Boomer Balt that seem- ed enough to crisp up bis long white beard, she snatched the twins from the bewildered bocmer bearing them away in safety to the further end of the rock-chamber, And seemingly utterly overwhelmed with a sense of the awful enormity into which his headlong enthusiasm had plunged him, Uncle Balt meekly stole away, followed by Dick McBride,who would not be content with less than full explanation of what the veteran had ac- complished since their parting on the night bLe- fore. ** Don’t you ever tell anybody J said so, pard,” confidentially whispered the bocmer guide; ‘* but thar was more stud-hoss luck then science into it—so they was!” He told how he set out on the quest fcr the re- nainder of the Wright family, withcut the faintest idea as to where they were likeliest to be found. He only knew that the yarty under McBride, having taken their hcrses, must naturally keep away from the brcken ground, at least until the darkness faded. That led him to skirting the broken ground instead, on foot. ** An’ right thar’s whar I ketched cn, pard!” the veteran chuckled, It was nearly noon when he first sighted a party of horsemen, acccmpanied ty a single wagon, making for the bills a couple of miles be- low the spot where he had climked to gaina more extensive view of the comparatively level expanse. He felt that this eines be the gang of Jerry, Viggles, and hastened to cut them off. _ Owing to the broken ground, he failed in doing this, but came near enough to strike their trail and follow it up until he discovered the spot where they went into camp, without himself being seen or his presence suspected, ‘Did you see the lady, or enything of Okla- homa Nick?” ! ‘‘ Never a glimpse,” was the prompt response, ‘“Reekon they was both fetched ‘long in the kivered wagon.” ‘‘ Unless you hit the wrong outfit!” dubiously muttered McBride. * Be I that scrt?”’ repreachfully asked Boomer Balt. ‘‘ Be 1] sech a billy-te-dummed fool es to clan my gocd money cnto the mule when I knows the hoss is gwine to come under the wire head-np-en'-tail-a-risin’, a double distance ahead? Didn’t I sneak ‘round thar ontel I see they was somebody kept mighty snug in tk~ old shack? Didn’t I snake up to the hind side o the "comic : a 4 4 yr ms “ae ’