Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 48 — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

st8dahorRorci at poker that night at the Ophir; and the men that won it gave it to her. They were doubtless intimate friends of hers, and Jack Hill said ‘they were detectiyes.. But, after all, I believe the little fairy loves me. I have only to live right hereafter— show that I can be something else than a vagabond—in order to gain her confidence. But I’d like to know why she’s so con- founded particular when her father and friends are-—are—well, I won’t say what. At any rate, I’ll be a man hereafter, whether I win or lose. I know I’ve got the start on Frank, for he hasn’t been over to'see her since we left, And blamed if she wasn’t inclined to fret about it, too; but, then, I. reckon she don’t care anything for him particularly. I’ve got the start of him, and just so long as Ican keep it honorably, I'll doso,, And I will never do another mean thing. From this day on dates my re form, for all I haven’t been so awtu mean. If Frank wins, as told him, my best wishes will go with him and her. This, I know, is not natural, but one might, as well make the best of a defeat. I could easily slip around and shoot Frank, and then if Zoe wouldn’t consent to be my wife, I could, bring friends enough to carry her away and force her to terms; but the Lord forbid such a mean, villainous act. But, bah! she was right, after all. She spoke about our child’s play. Here I am, a boy of eighteen, in love—talking ’bout a wife and love, and such things; but, hang it, Ido love her. A boy can love as well as a man, and a girl as well as a woman, I don’t know about my sense, but I do know she’s got as much as a woman of twenty- five. But that plagued ring!—that’s what’s hurting now, I'd like to. know why she kept it blazing away at me. I know it’s the same ring, and so them fellows must have found out who I was. If it costs me Zoe’s love, it will bea lesson never to sit down in another gambling-house again, even if I am rejected from society of mankind. That ring will be a thorn in my side, . for God only knows how long. But [ll abide the fiat of Fate, come weal or woe,” CHAPTER XXIxX ZOEK LELAND’S PERIL. Ir was on the day following that of Idaho Tom’s visit to the floating island, that the beautiful Zoe Leland sat alone upon the island, keeping her dove-like watch over the bay, during the usual absence of her father and friends. Her pretty face wore a thoughtful expression, and her il less eyes a vacant, dreamy and far-off look. That her mind, was not as free, nor her heart as light as usual, was plainly per- ceptible. She swept the shores at times with an eager, anxious look. Sometimes she would «start, with a quick, impatient movement, at sight of a moving object along the margin of the woods; but when she saw, by means of the glass which she al- ways kept at hand, that it was either a wolf or deer, a look of disappointment would settle upon her face, and a sie escape her lips. As the moments wore away, she suddenly descried a canoe turn the headland, putting out between the lake and bay. By the aid of her glass she was enabled to see that the occupants were strangers. There were two of them, one an Indian, and the other a white man with a stout, heavy-set body and rough, bearded face. The latter, who handled the paddle, permitted the canoe to come to a stand in the channel connecting the lake and bay, while he carefully scanned the island. ‘Zoe's first thoughts were of menacing danger. She knew, by the presence of the Indian, that both were enemies; and she was’ about proceeding to the large secret tent, to inform her father of her discovery, when she happened to observe a little object— a mere white speck—put out from the west shore and drift’ slowly toward the island. A smile curved her lips; her eyes beamed with joy; and ie face became radiant with some inward emotion. She knew” what the tiny white objéct was: the little transport of Idaho: Tom, coming, no doubt, with a message of love for her. 3 Feeling no fears of immediate danger from those out in the channel, she sat down to await the arrival of the little sail. . With eager impatience she watched it come skimming like a white-winged bird over the smooth waters, now leaping and dancing as though possessed of life, and realizing the joy ite presence produced in the heart of the maiden. The two strangers out in the channel still remained inactive, ’ os if waiting for something or some one, “But Zoo kept a close ‘ there I do not know, Sie watch upon them, as well as upon the little sail that fluttered on with its longed-for message—food for the young heart starving upon the lonely isle. The maiden grew very restless and impatient, for the drifting object moved with provoking slowness, albeit a smart wind was blowing directly in its favor. And the nearer it came the - slower it moved, as if to test her patience to the utmost. “Creep on, you truant thing!” she exclaimed, petulantly, pac- ing to and fro along the edge of the island. It drifted on within a rod of the island, when, to her surprise it became stationary. There it remained, rising and falling gently upon the waves, as if determined to advance no further. Why it had stopped Zoe could not tell, nor did she take time to think in the midst of her ‘excitement; but turning, she stepped into a canoe, and seating herself, was soon moving toward the “ little transport. A few strokes of the paddle carried the light'canoe alongside”’ the truant craft. At the same instant, to the maiden’s horror, @ pair of dusky, naked hands rose up from: the water and seized hold of the canoe, Then the little love-sail was thrown quickly aside, and the shaven head of a hideous-looking Indian appeared from beneath. A low ery of terror burst from Zoe’s' lips, and shé ‘sunk’ an fainting in the canoe. Without scarcely rocking the boat, the savage abel trea the water into the craft, and seizing the paddle, drove the canoe’ around the island and away across the bay toward the parejas where the savage and white man were waiting, no ee the ™ sult of this very demonstration. ~ Hubert Leland heard the half-horrified scream of his dangh-' ter, but ere he could appear from the tent in which he was at work, the canoe was several rods from shore. His first impulse was to rush to the little howitzer near, but a second thought i J J convinced him that to bring the piece to bear upon the _—— ) would be to destroy his child’s life. Almost franti¢ with excitement and grief, he rushed back into the tent where he had been spending the day, and when he came! out again, he was accompanied by Jamison and Roberts, ‘*Man the canoe, boys—quick, for God’s sake!” the father | cried, almost wild with his emotions. ‘Too late, Leland, too late! “Look yonder!” The savage with the maiden had joined the two strangers waiting in the channel, and together they had all disappeared from view around the headland into the lake. ‘‘Oh, my God! my Zoe, my child is lost; lost!” moaned the father, in bitter anguish of heart. ‘‘ And what can we do in pursuing them?” asked Jamison. ‘Fire the cannon, Jamison,” cried Leland. “Perhaps its re port will bring those Boy Hunters to our assistance.” Jamison sprung to the howitzer, and the next moment: the thunderous crash of the piece rung forth in stunning peimgoneeh through the mountains. Half an hour later two persons appeared on the north side of the bay, and glanced inquiringly away toward the island. 9 By the aid of Zoe’s glass, Leland was enabled to’ make out who one of them was. It was Frank Caselton. The other was Billy Brady, though Leland knew only the former. Leland sprung into a canoe and pushed out toward the tov The latter saluted him as the pow of his boat ‘touched = the beach, = “ Are you alone, boys?” the old man asked, vistg to his feet and leaping ashore. ** Yes, sir, we are, We heard the report of your howitzer anid came down te seo if you. were in trouble.” “We are in trouble—distress, Frank,” replied the old father, ’ with a tremor in his voice, “ The devils that haunt these a like vultures, have carried my Zoe—my child away.” “Great heavens!” burst in a groan of agony from Frank Cas-" elton’s lips. Hubert Leland remarked, with no little surprise, the Coe rOny of apparent grief. betrayed by the young hunter. “A savage came,” he said, “to the island; but how he got I heard Zoe’s cry and went out. The red devil had her in one of our canoes and was rods away. 'To have fired upon him would have been to endanger the life of ped child, »” _“ Have you any idea where she will be vane to?” Frank asked. ‘Tam afraid she will be taken to Molock’s den. That inhue man monster seems to be. the spirit of evil that controls: the sab ellites of Satan hereaways,”, “De you know where Idaho Tom ia, Mr, Leland?’ Eomicbooks