Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 48 — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

aes aseetennieonemeneeetese Idahor:Toms! c ; 362 times’ her brain seemed enveloped ina maze of giddy horror : :: that made her situation so vaguely indistinct, she seemed in a terrible nightmare which she could not shake off. As unsusceptible to all human feeling as the villainous Molock was, he saw that his captive was like a frail, tender flower, and would stand but little exposure and ill-treatment. Therefore, in order to revive the drooping spirits of the girl, he told glaring falsehoods concerning his object in capturing her, and made many fair promises that he never intended to fulfill. A rude couch had been constructed for her in one corner of her prison-room, A chair and a cup of water had been given her also. As soon as she was alone, Zoe lifted her eyes and gazed wildly about the room. The rough, barren walls; the high, smoke-be- grimed roof; and the dismal light, presented a cold, cheerless sight, Finally she arose to her feet, and walking to the little window over the wolf-pen, looked out. She saw the seething wave of wolfish forms before her, and she grew sick and faint at heart. Reeling away across the floor, she threw herself upon her chair, and burst into a paroxysm of grief and tears. Thus the day wore away and night came on, dark and dismal, bringing a corresponding gloom to the heart of the maiden. Shortly after dark, Molock brought her a dim, sputtering lamp, whose flickering light seemed to set a dozen ghostly sha- dows dancing over the walls. He also brought her some cold meat and hard, stale bread for supper. “*Den’t take on, little Miss,” the villain said, seeing her bowed down with grief; ‘‘ you'll git out of this safe and sound if yer friends will come down handsomely with the solid metal.” ‘‘But they have no money, if that is what you mean,” Zoe sobbed. The man drew from his pocket, and held up between his thumb and forefinger, the diamond ring which Zoe wore at the time of her capture. The villain had torn it from her finger while they were yet upon the lake. “They have,” he said, ‘the rest of the set to which that’ be- longs, and that ‘ll buy you out of here. I don’t want you—only holdin’ ye for ransom, and ye needn’t waste a solitary tear.” ‘‘ My friends have no jewels.” “They hain’t, eh? Ugh, humph! I understand. Them boys shat’s been hangin’ around Tahoe, like vultures around a car- cass, are your friends; and they know sumthin’ ’bout the rest of the jewels, or ’d ort to, fur they stole ’em from me, This ring is part o’ the set. I pawned it to a friend a year ago for likker, and he run off afore I could redeem it, and so now it’s drifted hum to me.” ‘‘ How came the ring and jewels yours?” Zoe asked, half-indig- nantly, while her eyes swam in tears. ‘‘ Bought ’em,” was the laconic reply, given with a searching glance of the speaker’s baleful, blood-shot eyes. “You did not buy them,’ was Zoé’s response; “you ‘stole them!” “‘Whist, now! and I believe I’m on a trail,” exclaimed Mo- lock, reflectively. ‘‘ Hain’t you the gal that was in the coach that was robbed in Purgatory Pass one night last spring?’ ‘‘-Yes! and you are one of the robbers!” Zoe responded, her » nyes flashing with loathsome scorn. Molock broke into a low, sinister laugh. “That was purty well done, wasn’t it?” he finally asked. “You wouldn’t think now, little ’un, would ye, that I war that ° ole detective that rid in the coach with you? But I am that very identikal sinner, and it war in my hand ye placed yer | jewels ’stead of yer father’s.” “You are a coward to gloat over so mean an act toa helpless girl,” retorted Zoe. ‘‘They were my poor dead mother’s jewels, — and I prized them on that account.” : «“y prized ‘em on account of their value,” was the heartless villain’s reply. , Zoe . away and refused further conversation with: hina; when the villain went out, fastening the door behind him. Zoe heard the svund of his heavy footsteps descending the lad- der, The silence that followed became oppressive to the captive’s heart; but it had lasted only for a few minutes, when suddenly a heavy weight fell upon the roof, with a dull thump, that sent through the room, 3 Spel ng feet, and ip breathless suspense, listened, But all had again subsided into silence, and remained so for full” Ave minutes, when a sound was again heard upon _the roof. It was a very slight sound, however—not louder than a rat would make running over the shingles—and filled Zoe's breast with a vague hope, . : A door was slammed shut, then all subsided into quietude — The maiden kept her eyes lifted upward, to.the, roof that was barely perceptible in the dim light. Only the faintest outline of . the shingles and worm-eaten rafters could be seen; but, not, }.. withstanding: this fact, she was enabled, to see a board suddenly lifted aside by some invisible hand. Her, hope grew stronger, _, and acry of joy rose to her lips, but, some invisible power sup- pressed ‘the cry, With eager, burning eyes she watched the opening on the roof grow larger and larger, as board after board was carefully, re- moved. The hole had been: enlarged, to nearly two feet each | way, when the maiden suddenly beheld.a. white; frowsy head, , and a browny’boyish face; appear in the opening and gaze down upon her, It was a strange face—a face so indistinetly seen that. it ban- ) ished all her cherished hopes from. her breast, ; CHAPTER XXXIL TO THE! RESCUE, | THE face that gazed down upon Zoe in her prison-toom was, that of the daring young hunter, Billy Brady. The maiden had entertained such high hopes of seeing a face + that she knew—the face of a friend coming to her aid—that the disappointment which followed cast a cold, sinister expression | over the face so faintly seen in the dim, uncertain light’ above. ** Hist!” she suddenly heard whispered in a sharp, aspirate” tone; “don’t shpeak, little Miss, if yees vally loife worth the: saving. I’m Billy Brady, a woild Irish b’y, and Frank Caselton © is not fur away.” The words sent a thrill of joy to the maiden’s heart. She’ clasped her hands over her breast and murmured a prayer of hanks. Then she lifted her eyes and again scanned the face of the © youth gazing down upon her. And how different it appeared, © now that she knew it was the face of a friend. The first thing Billy did, after he had qnieted the maiden’s © fears, was to lower the end of the rope into the room and then let himself down. “7 On tip-toe he advanced to the side of the maiden and whis- | pered, softly: ‘¢ ve come to hilp yees out av here, little lady; and yees hev: to go out through the roof up there. I’m going outside to re- connoiter a wee bit, and whin I return and drop the rope, tie it carefully around yer waist and T’ll hoist yees up like a kite.” ‘ Almost wild with delight, the maiden signified her willingness to follow his instructions. ; | Billy turned and examined the door of the prison. Originally it had been made to fasten on the inside. The heavy clasps were still on the door and the socket in the jam. All that was: wanted to fasten the door from intrusion was simply a bar. Ag Billy noticed this he shook his frowsy head in a significant man- ner; and turning he seized the rope and was about to climb up to the roof when Zoe approached him and asked: “You said Frank Caselton was near; where is he now?” “Up on the cliff, not fifty feet above you.” ‘Thank you,” she said, and a faint smile of inward joy flitted” over her pale face. | Billy acknowledged her thanks witha polite bow, then turned and scampered up the rope like a cat. Once more upon the roof the fearless youth was not long in ° coming to a decision as to his next movement. Drawing up the rope from the prison-room he dropped it over the eaves of the house, and then cautiously lowered himself to the ground, Crouching close against the base of the cabin, the youth lis- tened for some sound that’ would indicate the whereabouts of the enemy. He heard voices within the building—the voices of Mo- lock and his confederates, who appeared to be engaged in a game of cards. . “Och, now, and if Bold Heart was here I’ll bet he’d march in and banter the gintlemen for a hand in the game,” mused the lad; ‘‘but, whoile they’re playing at one game, Billy Brady will play at anither.” is ‘So saying the youth crept around the cabin and along the stone-wall that fenced in the wolves. He soon came to the gate, opening into the pen, He found it was fastened on the outside. by « bar held in its place by’a heavy log leaning against it. Placing his shoulder against the log he threw it aside; then he. withdrew the bar which he placed under his arm for future use, aud throwing open the gate ran forhislife == ull sad Gomilcbooks Cc Or