Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 464 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

> 4 %, ntl, > — f%& A * 5 ry a © - 2 : = Se a i ok 18 * come ¥ is - you to sin the exhibitors to : ~~ > a _ ~ 2 = ae Sandycraw, the Man of Grit. oo she will grow if I feed her and treat her well. **Now you’re jokin’, Sandy. Them things don’t grow.” ‘*What’s to hinder? I was going down the river on my boat, just for fun, and found my- self near your place. So 1 thought I would step in and see you’ns, as I believed the little craft could craw! up the creek, and here [ am.” ‘**That’s enough to beat me outen a year’s growth. Do you really mean to say that you came hyer just to see us poor critters?” ** Just to see my old friends,” answered Craw- ley. ‘* And perhaps to have a hunt with the boys, and get some good deer-meat.” “Phen you ain’t runnin’ away from nothin’, nor wantin’ to hide nowhar?” ‘*Of course not What could put such a no- tion into your head?” ‘** It aseter be so when you was a boy.” ‘*ButI am a man now, and have outgrown that sort of thing.” “This knocks out my underpinnin’. I ain’t doubtin’ that it’s true enough, as there’s nothin’ to be made offen us; but it’s mighty queer. Ain’t it queer, Lizy?” ** Powerful queer,” assented Mrs. Hitchley. It was by no means an agreeable thing to Sandycraw that his motive in coming to Spoon Lake should be so seriously suspected, or that the real purpose of his presence there should be so closely hinted at; but he smoothed the matter over as well as he could, assuring the Hitchleys that he was merely on pleasure bent, and that his visit was entirely a friendly one, ‘* Ef it’s a fair question, Sandy,” queried the old man, ‘* I'd like to know how much sech a steamboat as that ’un mought ha’ cost?” ‘*T paid eight thousand dollars for her; but it cost more than that to build her.” ‘* Eight — thousand — dollars! Great Scott! That sounds like a powerful sight o’ money. You must be a mighty rich man.’ ** Not a bit of it, Uncle Hiram; but I am able to own that boat until I get ready to sell her. I bought her on speculation, you see, and hope to make money by her.” ‘*Reckon you must kerry a heap o’ money about on her.” ‘* Not much, I need but little to run her, ‘and I pay all my bills when I get back to town.” The questioning of the elder Hitchley had be- ecidedly suspicious, and there was a shade of avarice in it, if not of something worse. Sandycraw began seriously to doubt whether he had not made a great mistake in coming to Spoon Lake, where his aman wealth might arouse the cupidity of those semi-savages, and perhaps tempt them to try to take forcible pos- session of it. Their ignorance was not innocence, and their friendship might naturally be tempered by He was glad when the old man saw fit to change the subject. CHAPTER XXIII. ‘¢ 4 PANTHER IN THE PATH.” Mr. Hiram HITCHLEY did change the style of his talk, but not much for the better. Vi He wanted to know whether Crawley made all his money ‘‘ playin’ kyards,’ how much he ‘* took in at a clip,” whether he stopped his boat at towns along the river and ‘*‘tackled the sharps ” there, with other 8 pip of personal interest that were more or less annoying to his auditor. As his talk ran entirely upon the subject of pare Crawley perceived that the only way to choke him off was to take the game out of the old man’s hands. So he sailed in for his side, and fired such rapid and continuous velleys of questions as be- dered Mr. Hi'am Hitchley, and forced him to cease his efforts in that direction. Crawley then introduced Berry Sanders and his pilot and engineer to the Hitchleys, all of whom showed a lively curiosity concerning the Gazelle, and cxpresea a wish to go on board and t her. When this desire manifested itself plainly, as it was natural that it should, Sandycraw was ready to meet it. *“*Of course you can §° on board,” said he, “‘and I will be glad to show you the boat; but not all of you at once, as there are enough of her. I will take a few at a time, and they can seo what there is to be seen, while the others wait.” This arrangement was reasonably satisfactory to the Hitchley family, who were escorted to the Gazelle in — and the boat was duly shown to them, though it was quite a trial to answer all the questions that were showered upon them. The visitors generally behaved well; but it was noticed that the old man and one or two others displa a curiosity that was rather too intense and be hard to satisfy. ey insisted upon examining, or at least look- Th ing every closet, drawer or other receptacle that might possibly contain money or valuables, could be easily made to change his intentions. { even going so far as to turn over the pillows and He had, in fact, been thinking entirely of his feel under the mattresses in the berths. personal affairs, to the utter neglect of his pres Though they found nothing, as care had been | ent situation and surroundings. taken that there should be nothing for them to He shouted to his companions, but aJl in vain, find, this disposition of theirs made Sandycraw | and the firing of his rifle was equally in vain. uneasy, and he again doubted the wisdom of his | There arose a serious doubt in his mind as to course in coming to Spoon Lake, | whether they had not purposely allowed him to Wishing to conciliate them, he took them, | lose himself in that wilderness. still in squads, on excursions around the lake, If they had not started back to Spoon Lake using wood as fuel for this purpose, as an emer- | as soon as they bad separated from him, they gency might arise that would make hiscoal very must surely be near enough to hear his shots, valuable to him. which they would answer if they meant well These excursions were necessarily short; but | toward him. they appeared to give pleasure to most of the | It would be far beyond the limits of a joke if Hitchley family, especially to the younger mem- | they had led bim on with the intention of be- bers, and perhaps they kept the minds of others | traying him, leaving him to find his way out of from dwelling on thoughts that might tend to | the woods as well as he could, while they went worry the owner of the Gazelle. back home to make an easy prey of his com- That gentleman had suddenly become unusu- | rades and the Gazelle, including the plunder of ally circumspect. , the New Madrid bank. tt was to be feared that his caution, if not The more he thought of this possibility, the reater than the circumstances required, might | more his suspicion was aroused, until he was be carried so far as to do him more harm than | half-crazed by his desire to return to Spoon good. Lake; but the more intense this desire became, Distrust begets distrust, and a person who | the less chance he saw of gratifying it. feels that he is suspected may be tempted to give He wandered on blindly, tiring himself out to cause for the suspicion, no purpose, until he struck a path which, though Crawley did not offer his visitors any of the | scarcely more than a mere trail, suggested the wines or even the liquors on the Gazelle, as he | hope of finding a human habitation. thought that they would be less likely to do Follbwing it eagerly and rapidly, he came to mischief if they were not inflamed by drink. a little clearing in which stood a small log-cabin He would not accept an offer for himself and | of the rudest description. his companions to dine or sup at‘the Hitchley There was no sign of cultivation or occupancy mansion, not only because he knew that the | about it, and his heart sunk within him as he viands would not suit him, but because he was perceived that it was apparently deserted. unwilling to leave the Gazelle unguarded. On a closer approach, he saw a slight wreath He would not extend a similar invitation to | of smoke arising from the stick-and-clay chim- the Hitchleys, because he feared that they | ney. Holding his rifle in readiness for possible might take advantage of him and overpower | hostility, he advanced and “ hailed the house,” his people, as there were enough of them to do | that if they should get a fair chance, according to the custom of the backwoods country. The plunder that had been so easily acquired It was not until after his third hail that had already become a source of danger and an | object of continual care, the door opened, and in the doorway stood a woman, hus there soon arose a coolness between the | uatters and the new arrivals, which was more | The sight of that woman almost petrified likely to be increased than to be diminished. Sandycraw, and well it might. This was not a bit agreeable to Mr. Alexan- She was tal] and gaunt, with a complexion as der Crawley; but it seemed to him to be best to | dark as that of a mulatto, withered and wrinkled err on the safe side, which he considered the | skin, and piercing black eyes. In short, she was no other than the Creole side of caution. He was there to await the arrival of ben | fortune-teller of St. Louis, who was known as Somes and Jim Hanley, who had been directed | Madame Lavalette, and whom Sandycraw had to report to him at that place, and when they called ‘‘ mother.” came he would feel strong enough to fear no- He would sooner have expected the earth to open and swallow him than to meet her at that body. Besides, he believed himself to be yb 3 time and place. safe in Spoon Lake from any ible (thoug | The surprise was all on his part, as she ap- improbable) pursuit, and he had intended to re- | peared to take the meeting quite as a matter of main there a while, and he was not a man who | course. How in the name of wonder did she get there, and why had she come there? “So it is you, Sandy,” she remarked, “TI thought I knew your voice. You seem to be getting fond of coming to visit the old woman.” ‘“Coming to visit you?” he exclaimed, ‘I never thought of such a thing. I would as soon \| have looked for the sun tw fall as to see you here. I can scarcely believe my eyes.” “Don't believe them, then. Nobody asks you ’ ee While the Gazelle was there she must be guarded, and be meant to watch and guard her, So when night came he made an excuse about the machinery and the condition of the boat’s bottom, which had not the least foundation in fact, and dropped the Gazelle out into the lake and anchored her there, | It is likely that he exaggerated the a, 3 | and just as likely that by exaggerating he in- creased it. : to Anyhow, the Hitchleys did not like that sort of thing, and on the second day the coolness he- | tween the two parties was more apparent than | ‘‘ How aid you get here?” on Marg oe eos ‘ ‘someday “ Br ng of course. You don’t suppose IL et, when Sandycraw exp a desire to’ wal moet a a2 nil hnes eee “nthe we Le | Lae pape are 3 ep of a ry eg Sa — believed wi ess to purchase any deer that might ou ; at are you doing here?’ Ndoseam 5 in, they were ready enough to accom- as Standing in the door and talking to you,” —s him, and a hunting party was at once we By age ta rr haber Nee did you co Crawley. was bad fe who a the yen a ae yeild ~ _ and as the rest of the hunting party con- , 4 Ja rop own this way to see sisted of two of the young Hitchleys and Joe | some of my children, or my people, or whatever — er, rotten ora @ . i my that the you oo mot : tens eee ~ e@ wou safe during his absence. iggers 00 folks He carried a Shar ’s rifle, which excited the ‘Perhaps. Don’t be too inquisitive about me curiosity of the two Hitchleysand Joe Dillinger, | and my ways. Have you run across anything — Pens Prec) a it carefully, asking many pe cenene like “i. ° yet, aes sirpeacied 7 5 ing on . m no ore Se mee vy be said that no Down- | step into the house, I will tell you some more of fonovalservaueed, vue eaten x tee wey ent want to know any more of it,” al- heir expressed opinion was that the new- | most shrieked Sandycraw. ‘“‘I am getting fangled weapon ‘‘ wasn’t much good,” and they | afraid of witchcraft, anyhow.” were firm in the belief that it would never kill ‘‘ There’s worse things than that for you to be a deer as quick as their rifles would, no matter | afraid of.” . how many times it mightshoot without loading. | _“‘ But there is one thing you may do for me, Yet it was evident that they respected the | if vou can, and if you will. formidable tool, and were more or less afraid ‘It is more than likely that I can, and I sup- of it as an argument between man and man. I will. What is it?” The bunt did not promise to be successful,| ‘TI have been nim $ and have got lost in and it was admitted that daylight deer-hunts in | these infernal woods. As you know so much, that vicinity seldom were successful. perhaps you can tell me the shortest and best. So it was agreed that the party should separ- | way to reach Spoon Lake,” ) “te and wend bps A ae the view of coveringa! ‘That .. easy Pweg me meg ed = 9 arger extent of country. woman, “I su see the sun us it happened that toward the middle of | shining plainly through the trees.” ’ the afternoon Sandycraw, who had not noted ‘Yes, I see the sun.” his bearings and kept the run of distance and ** And you a heey Per Wig rte gimp ~ have done, dis- we Lip \ Perko thas ‘ cove at he ha is way. ‘That is your way. e that course, keep- That was not the worst of the case, as he was | ing the sun right at your back, and inside of so completely turned about and bewildered that | two hours you will strike Spoon Lake. he could not even en at the course he ought ‘‘Thank you,” said Sandycraw, rather un- to take to get back to Spoon Lake. graciously, and he turned abruptly and started EOomicbooks *" > nhs f, ¥ ; y ai a - a nt ic fe “Where did you come from?” “St, Louis. That is where I belong.” how I am pointing now?” mm ee ee Ce ee ei 4 * at e. ’ ‘ “< ’ .