Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 338) (1884 01 15)
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Se ee eee OO ee ee aie A) oc q wt, 7 : EEEELELLLL ys Lee x. pune = ; * ; pis J ; ms es Brrr T TTT rie _ Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Yo at Second Class Mall Rates. aera 1884, = BRADLE AXD ADAMS, " January 15, 1884, -—— _ AT ESET TT —- le PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS, lata Vol. xIIL Number. No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 4 5 Cents. N 0. 338. ae SE AF ARN AN SAS NT A ere Gup-dortapsendancdpteunepeunppeumsandiraetetredmmanty AR a Sa ry A TOUGH BOY: « NY; or,” The Dwarf’s Revenge. : BY PHILIP Ss. WARNE, AUTHOR OF “ PATENT-LEATHER JOE,” ‘‘ DESPARD, THE DUELIST,” ‘‘ ALWAYS ON HAND,” ETC., ETC. f) biG Ny, BY) | i cal th net] wheel Hifi ais hy HE ™ ROSS SSS SNS CHARLEY GAZED UPON THE WONDER IN RAPTURE. HONEST JACK LOOKED ABOUT HIM WITH A HALF- TERRIFIED LOOK, “IT'S THE DEVIL'S WORK,” HE SAID, GLOOMILY, ; » tee’
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2 The Dwarf’s Revenge. A Story of a Wonderful Cave. BY PHILIP 8. WARNE, AUTHOR OF ‘ PATENT-LEATHER JOE,” “ DkS- PARD, THE DUELIST,” ETC., ETC. CHAPTER 1, HONEST JACK. SranpInG in the broad illumination of a erackliog camp-fire, Honest Jack was a magni- ficent specimen of the hardy manhood pro- duced in Dame Nature’s out-door work-shop. Deep chested and broad-shouldered, and with his face bronzed nearly to the color of bis leathern jerkin, he stood six feet in his moc- Casins, } With an éight-inch bowie he was putting the finishing touehes to a fine bear-skin, which he had stretched between two saplings, so that the smoke from the camp-fire blew against the moist inner surface, while from u tree-limb hard by, bung the fat and jui¢y hind-quarters of the animal that’searce an hour before, had held un- disputed possession of the same. n the other side, the fire shone into the front of a brush lean-to, making as cosey a retreat aa the chill night-winds as any hunter need wish. . But, hark!—a ringing balloo, that wakes the echoes among the crags at the further side of the mountain gorge, “The boy—at last!” cried Honest Jack, ab- ruptly suspending his labor and standing in an hg of expectancy, while his face glowed with a look of glad affection. A moment later a youth, not so tall as the brawny hunter, and much slighter in build, yet withal as springy a young athlete as ever won the heart of blushing maidenhood, bounded into the circle of firelight, crying cheerily: ‘*Hallo, old man! Your usual good luck. By Jove! where did you bag that prize?” ‘* The woods is full of ’em, Charley.” iy S a I am empty-handed. That’s my old son **Botter luck next time, boy.” _ “But never a better appetite! I say, old man!—if 1 ever get back to civilization, the ‘gov’nor ’ll think that I’ve come to eat bim out of house and home, and will ship me back bere, ped as not to hopelessly bankrupt the family ex- chequer, “T hope to God he may!” cried Honest Jack, his voice vibrant with deep feeling. ‘‘ But lay into that thar b’ar; an’ don’t sp’ile the taste by talkin’ about shakin’ the only country the Lord ever made fur his own livin’, to go back to the States, whar every man feeds on what he kin steal from his paigu bors, Dog my cats ef I kim see what ye want better’n this hyar.” - “ You're a good fellow, Jack. [believe you'd be sorry to lose me—wouldn’t you?” “Cheese it, boy! Don’t make a doggoned fool o’ yerself ur me.” And Honest Jack turned abruptly away to re- sume his work on the bearskin. _ ** What yer been up to to-day?” he asked, by way of diversion. Charley brightened instantly. vi By ove! what do you think? I’ve found a new se! .We must shake this gusty barn. B--r-v! Thaven’t got the ice-water off my legs yet from that last cold rain, But l’ve struck a lace, where we can live like princes, blow igh, blow low.” ** Waal,” said Honest Jack, with the air of a man defending his fireside from reproach, ‘I don’t hang out fur to be nary jedge o’ palaces, but I’ve sampled tepees, an’ ve smothered in wicki-ups; an’ dang my skin ef Lever see any- * thin’ much to beat a bresh lean-to with a bresh fire in front of it!” ‘*Oh, but you never saw anything like mv cave of wonders—that’s what I call it. Aladdin's wouldn’t be a oo onit! It is one continuous blaze of glory! However, I'l! not insist on mov- iug our traps antil you have seen it, After that you won’ need any urging—my word for it— unless ) sheer o cy. bat a_hard- headed old chap you are, pard. But then I've seen worse; and I wouldn’t— Eh! what's the matter?” For, looking up, with a smile, from bis occu- ation of arranging bis k, Dow done toa urn, on a platter no less primitive than a piece of bark freshly stripped from its tree, Charley : A. Tough Boy. discovered that his partner had wheeled round his face pale, his eyes dilated, his jaw dropped —a picture of horror. Then,.as if from sudden weakness, he sat, indeed, fairly dropped down upon a log which served them asa seat, and resting his elbows on his knees, and taking his ae between his hands, gazed gloomily into the re, ‘ “ Why, old man, you look’as if you couldn’t toe the seratch for anotber round, What have I said or done to knock you out?” * Nothin’—nothin’, boy. Go:fur yer preyen- der. Don’t wait fur me.” “Eh? Don’t wait for you? I don’t usually have to!” ** Waal, I’m refusin’ my oats fur one’t.” And Honest Jack sighed dismally. ‘** Look here, parduer,” said Charley, now be- ginning to look serious, ‘‘ there niust be some- thing wrong, if you let good victuals go beg- ging. Whatisit, Jack? Speak up, old man! And going over to his comrade, he put his hand on bis shoulder encouragingly. Jack seized bis other band, and wrung it with a grip that, six months before, would ‘have made Charley wince and beg for. mercy; and looking up, with a suspicion of humidity about the eyes, said, huskily: ** Boy, it’s becuz aR got a—a—a sort o’— sneakin’ notion fur ye—that’s it! Some has it fur women critters; an’ sonmie Has it ‘fur hosses an’ dogs, an’ sich like aninsiles—only not'so bad. An’ now you’re booked fur up the flume; an’ it cuts me up like sin!” ** Ob, nonsense, Jack!” cried Charley, flush- ing with that sense of embarrassment with which a man hears another openly declare bis love for him, yet none the less gripping more firmly, with a responsive emotion, the hand that clasped his. ‘‘ Up tbeflume indeed! What put that notion into your bead?” ‘‘Tt’s all along o’ the ha’hted cave!” said Jack, with a gloomy shake of the head, ‘‘ The on- lucky galoot that stumbles into the devil’s den is under a spell.” i" ‘‘ Hol ho! ‘Is it possible that you are so super- Stitious as that? hy, old man, tbere are no such things as haunted caves and spells, and such grannies’ bugaboos. All of those things went out of date long ago, and are used now only to amuse children.” “Don’t larf, boy, at what older men than you ur me can’t onderstand. But, what’s the use ©’ talkin’? You’re’ spotted; an’ you'll walk - straight into it, blind!” ‘See here, Jack, what makes you think this particular cave haunted?” J ‘“‘ Boy,” replied Jack, hollowly, ‘‘I don’t think it: I know it! You've hearn tell how this byar country was cleaned out a year ago by the In- uns, an’ all the fust drove o’ whites either illed off ur run off” “ Yes.” : ; ft Waal, I was one of the fust to strike this range, an’ the last to git. They drnv a land- office biz in them days, you bet! Wash gold was cheaper’n sawdust, an’ ye could go out ary mornin’ an’ pick up a batful o’ nuggets as big as birds’ eggs before breakfast, Ob, but. this hyar was the garden-spot fur road-agents and card sbarps! At night the pistol-shots was like the patter o’ hail on a shanty roof, an’ in the mornin’ they used to gather up the ‘stiffs an’ pile ’em, like eord-wood. “Waal, to start the thing slong, a young tenderfoot, with a head full o’ book-Parnin’, but not much savy fur nothin’ else, off with au Injun to seea wonderful medicine cave, He next turns up at the foot of a cliff, with nary a bull bone in his skin, an’ the Injun—he’s no- whar ! ‘** Next a brace o’ pards struck it. That night thar was a thunderin’ row heard in the room whar they slep’, an’ they was found—one on the bed with a knife-bole in bim that ye could drive a mule througb, an’in his grip a pistol o’ the same caliber as a hole betwixt the eyes o’ t’other, who laid on the floor with a bloody knife in his st. ‘The next lucky man wanted to raise a com- pany to reconnoiter the place, He jest lays down on a bench in Dan McAffrey’s saloon, an’ when shuttin’-up time comes, thar’s yer Mister Man, as dead asa smelt. Thar wa’n’t a scratch on him nowhars.” “ All of which is easily enough explained,” urged Charley. “The first ease may have been a treacherous murder, for the of rob- bery: or the tenderfoot may have fallen over the cliff, and the Indian run away, for fear of being accused of his murder, The pards quar- reled—not an unusual thing, surely, and the next man died of heart disease.” : ‘Oh, yes!” retorted Honest Jack, sarcastic- i _ ally, ‘‘them kind.o’ things is happenin’ every day—jest after runnin’ into ha’nted caves! But wait.a bit—I had a side-parduer, With his good pints as well as his bad—a mighty fel man in,an Injun scrimmage, that never too water short 0’ ten to one, an’ even then not witb- out swipin’ a few fur luck; but ove day he tum- bled into camp, lookin’ wild an’ white, an’ shakin’ as ef he had the chills, an’ allowed iit was up stakes au’ git. I put two an’ two together, an’ I says, says I— Joe, have you been a-saltin’ o’ some, pore galoot up to Ridley” f ‘*He jest looked at me as ef she thought I was the deyil wan? never opened his yawp; so I allow- ed I'd fetebed the bull’s-eye, ‘* But Jack Mowbray ain’t. goin’ back on a pardner, ye onderstand, when he’s in a hole, no matter how he come to git thar; so I says, gays * * Accidents will happen in the best reg-ul- ated families. It’s all right, Joe. Whoever comes fur my pard, comes fur me.’ ‘But be only bulges out his eyes like a crazy man, an’ yells an’ begins to.talk about a ha’nted cave, an’ allows.as How the. devil’s a-callin’ o’ him down below, an’ Laer clean off his head, An’ that night, while all sin was to pay in the shape 0’ greased lightnin’ an’ *tarnal smash, he skips thé camp, makes bee-linefur a niountain run that goes down into the bowels o’ the airth through a sink-bole, piles jn, an’—good by John!" ‘ ‘Delirium tremens complicated with a belief that he was under a spell,” was Charley’s ex- planation. ‘* Wasn’t he a drinking man?’ “Joe liked. whisky,” admitted Jack; ‘but, boy, ye byar me?—the divil had his grip on him!’ ‘* Well, Jack,” said Charley, hopeless of shak- ing the superstition that. bad found such firm lodgment in his partner’s mind, ‘‘1 see tbat it will do no good to argue with you, But to- morrow I’!] show you what ‘ book-l’arnin’’ can do to lay ghosts, Meanwhile, hete’s to the bot- tom of your sti maeh!” And be cheerily proffered a pannikin of steaming hot coffee, True to his word, next day Charley proposed to let Jack see the cave before insisting on re- moval; but the hunter said: “No, boy. Whabtis to be, will be. It’s plain you're sot to go, an’ the sooner it’s done, the sooner ye’ll be out o’ yer misery.” So forthwith they packed their ‘‘ traps,” slung them between two saplings which they bore on their shoulders, and so marched to their new quarters. The mouth of the cave was in the base of a cliff not less than five hundred feet bigh, its rpendicular face beautifully variegated by ifferently-colored strate, Huge crags blocked the way, and quite hid the black opening from passipg observation, But he who ventured to enter that forbidding portal, was rewarded within by a Spectacle such as human eyes sel- dom rested on, ; : Imagine a vast cathedral of: jasper, with pil- lars and ined arches and pendants and chen- deliers and banging galleries and ne and altars and contessiovals, of every variety and shade of color, into the substance of some of which the eye could penetrate as into clouded lass, while otbers were like polished marble— the whole illuminated by the torches of a pro- cession of “gab going to midnight prayers. Flaring bis pive-knot above bis head Charley zed upoy the wonder in rapture, Honest Sack looked about bim with a half-terrified look. “It’s the devil’s work,” he said, gloomily. “He has the savy an’ the imps to bis band, to make things as is takin’to the eye 0” mortal man, 80’s to entice him to whar be kin clap onto his soul. We're both into it now, so that salt won’t save us. It won’t make much matter whar we camp down, I allow right hyar’s as good as we'll git. We can’t too handy to that thar openin’.” ! That nigbt Honest Jack went to sleep with bis usual promptitude, gbosts or no ghosts; while Charley lay awake for what seemed to him bours, watcbing the opaline reflections of the firelight from the walls and ceiling of their wonderful abcde, Did hie eyes close in sleep at last? Did he dream: or was it reality? From behind the columfs and stalagmites crept ghost-like forms. As silent as moving shadows, they pressed round, trailing over him their faiaty robes, the touch of which was like the breath of a cold wind, They bent over him, gazing at him with eyes that were centers of darkness, streaming shadows as the sun casts bars of 2 a They seemed to converse with voices that 4
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were only sighing moans, not broken into words like human speech. Over his face and body and limbs they passed their fleshless hands, so icy that his clothing offered no protection from their unearthly chill; and wherever they went they left his flesh turned to marble. In an agony of horror indescribable, he burst the accursed spell, aud fairly leaped into wake- fulness, CHAPTER II, A MYSTERY, Bur. what wonder was this? Had the cav- erned rocks vanished from above their heads? He stood beneath the open sky, with the sun half-way up to the zenith,in a world trans- formed since yesterday. Snow covered all the ground, and burdened the trees,’ And there was the lean-to, with all their “« plunder,” just as ifit had never been moved! —and Honest Jack, wrapped in his blanket, asleep, and snoring lusti What! at, this time of o'clock, at least! It was inexplicable that Charley should have so overslept himself; but for Jack—that was a miracle indeed! Amazed, be went to him and shook him, say- ing: B Wide awake here, old man! _That spell has fallen— Good Heavens! what is the matter with him? Jack! Jack!” é' But Jack responded to neither voice nor touch, He lay like a log, his heavy breathing showing that his sleep. was not a natural one, Men living in the wilderness, learn heroic remedies. Drawing bis ramrod, Charley fell to whipping bis partner with a vigor that meant kill or cure. It was effective, for Honest Jack, his nerves of sense atingle with pain, soon began to writhe, then to mutter, then to cry out, and finally to swear with an eloquence that left no doubt of the full restoration of his powers. And scram- bling to his feet he, in his first bewilderment, would have ‘t tackled” his boy with ‘‘ demoral- izing” effect, but that Charley leaped aside, erying: ‘Hold on, Jack—it is only I! What has got you have to be turne ly, day? It must be nine into you, old man, that out of bed in this style? Honest Jack rubbed his eyes and séared about in bewilderment—he whose wits bad never be- fore anne wool-gathering, “What in Cain’s the matter?” he asked, his tongue seeming thick, ‘‘ What was ye trouncin’ of so fur?” “Why, I couldn’t wake you up—and the day half gone!” “Ye couldn’t wake me up! Wa’al, I never had to be waked up before, sense the ole man used to sw’ar he’d fetch the hoss-whip up in the arret, ef I didn’t l’arn to stir my lazy bones, But that was always a right smart spell before sun-up. “Aw—w—w!” yawned the bewildered hunter, sturo bling forward, ‘‘ my head feels like a stone, It’s all along o’ that doggone cave. I’ve been dreamin’ about it all night long.” ; ‘** You have been dreaming about it? Why so bavel, What was your dream?” ‘‘] dre’mt we’d shook this hyar camp, an’ packed our traps to that deyil’s dance-house, An’ a goshawful place it was, too. The rocks was piled before the door’ as if giants, a mile ur my b, had been heavin’’em at one another, fur brick-bats, in a free fight. Inside it was all made o’ glass, a-shinin’ in the fire-light with all the colors o’ the rainbow. Thar was p’ints a- hangin’ down from the top, an’ p’ints a-stickin’ up from the bottom; an’ some of ’em had come together, till they looked like the posts that hold up the roof in the Catholic cathedral, in St. uis, But, Lord! it jest took the shine off’n church you ever see inall yer borndays!” | ar t Why, Jack!” cried Charley, “that was my dream, exactly! And you have described the mace as perfectly as if you. had really been bere. You must have seen it;—haven’t you, now! How else could you know about’ the rocks before the mouth of the cave?’ Jack stared at his boy. Then his eyes wan- dered about the lean-to. ‘* How did our fire come to burn out so com- pletely?” asked Charley, following the direction of bis glance. : Jack flirted the snow away with his foot, un- covering dry ashes. ' _“ Boy,” he said, solemnly, “‘ that fire was out _ an’. the ashes cold when the snow fell,” _. “That’s so,” admitted Charley, but plainly ‘making nothing of the fact, ; “ boy, , Zbar hain’t been no fresh fire thar sence yes- ti’d’y mornin’.” ’ — ——— eS “Why, we cooked our supper there last night.” ‘No, we didn’t.” ‘But, Jack, how can you say that, when you know that We let the supper grow cold lis- tening to your yarn?” “That was night before last !” ‘* And we have slept thirty-six hours? Ob, nonsense!” ‘“‘T wish it wa’n’t nothin’ worse’n nonsense, boy, said Jack, gloomily. @ went about, closely examining everything in the lean-to, while Charley watched bim, wondering. ‘* Well?” he asked, when Jack was through. ‘“ We'll put somethin’ solid in our bread-bas- kets—we’li need it before the day’s out,—an’ then we'll take a leetle tramp, ef you're agreed,” : As said, so done; and to Charley’s surprise Jack led off, following without hesitation the course over which in his dream—if it was a dream—they had borne their camp equipage to the cave. . ; ‘* Jack, vou have been here before,” he cried. ‘* Never, till yestid’y,” was the somber reply. Li hting a couple o pine knots, they entered. -? Bhar.” said Jack, pointing to a heap of asbes, ‘‘thar’s. whar we cooked last night’s supper. Feel fur yerself. The ashes is warm rel - Charley thrust bis hand into the ashes. It was as Jack said, They were warm: “Tt certainly looks as if we had been here,” said Charley, more puzzled than ever before in his life. ‘That is the exact spot.” . ** Then how did we git back to the lean to?” _ ‘ Well, as improbable as it seems, Jack, I can reach but one conclusion. The boogerish story connected with this place, must have affected us both so that we actually packed our plunder back to camp in our sleep. : Jack looked at bis boy mournfully, as if he believed him honest in his persistent doubts of what seemed to be glaring facts, but acting under some malign influence that clouded his understanding. Boy,” he said, “air you in the habit o’ walk- in’ in yer sleep?” ‘‘ Not that 1 ever knew of,” Charley was fore- ed to admit. r ‘“‘ Have ye ever seen me walk in my sleep?” ‘* Never.” * Waal, then?” j To Honest Jack this seemed conclusive. Charley was at a loss for an answer to rebut his logic. “Boy,” he went on, in hopeless tones, ‘‘ air ye still sot on livin’ hyar?” Charley hesitated. He could not deny that a chill of dread was creeping over him, in spite of his bright young bravery. “T hate to give it up so, Jack,” he said. ‘‘ But since you make such a point of it, perhaps it is hardly fair for me to insist, merely to grati- fy my own whim.” Witbout a word further, Honest Jack led the wat out, hey returned to the camp in silence. In si- lence they sat down, with nothing to do but twiddle their thumbs, The place seemed as desolate as if a death bad occurred there. You may believe that the situation was not improved when it began to snow again, so heavily that objects became invisible ata dis- tance of ten or fifteen rods. “ By Jove!” cried Chorley, “ itcan't keep that sort of thing up long without spoiling our hunt. Who ever heard of the season closing in so early as this? Arid everything wasso promising only yesterday!’ : j ‘“‘Boy,” said Jack, significantly, “ the turn in our luck come when we sot foot in the ha’nted e! ; ‘* Now, look here, Jack,” cried Charley, with a touch of impatience, ‘if you’re going to do nothing but sif there and groan like Jeremiah, the sooner we strike camp and go where there's a little ‘more cheerful company to be had, the better, Honest Jack looked reproachfully at his boy. But youth is provertiany, ungrateful and eared ith the approach of the early twilight, the temperature suddenly fell below zero, and the wind rose, sweeping the snow in blinding clouds; here baring the scone as with a besom, and there piling buge drifts. _ In their cosey retreat, with the savor of broil- ing bear-steak in their nostrils, they without apprehension saw the ni hp in, and heard the wind howl its dreary mpaniment to the merry crackle of their an cet Het ; But when they bad eaten Sa at the one thing ni ul to turn earth: ‘and added" into a hea- ven of perfect content—a lazy pipe, then were they roused from their dreamy repose by stum- bling footsteps; and out of the darkness and whirling snow came an intruder, so uncouth in | appearance that brave Cbarley Grover was actually startled, and Honest’ Jack ‘at once jumped to the conclusion that it was the Evil One, come to wreak some mysterious vengeance for their intrusion into the haunted cave. — Stalking boldly up to the fire, the stranger demanded in a churlish tone and with a frown of suspicious hatred, as if they were trespassers: ‘* Who the devil be you, and what d’ye want round hyar?” And so formidable was his aspect, and ‘so menacing his mien, that Honest Jack’s hand ray the baft of his bowie, while Charley Hast- ily drew and cocked his revolver. ' Seeing the boy’s defensive preparations, the intruder uttered a snarl of seeming rage, and made a feint torush upon him Ng owe He received for his pains two lightning-like . shots in the breast, and, an instant later, the oint of Honest Jack’s bowie, driven with a orce that would bave buried it to the hilt in anytbing human; while the stout hunter cluteh- ed him by the throat and drew back his hand for another thrust. , -gae-- With a sweep of bis mighty arm the stranger burled his assailant aside, as if he were’a mere boy, and then stood laughing derisively at his amazed antagonists. » ' we CHAPTOR Fi peares sgn aren | THE SILVER BULLET. 4 6) How shall we describe the strange monster, with his massive head, bis Herculean shoulders, his arms so out of proportion that bis knotty hands reached to bis knees, and ‘bis’ whole stat- ure shortened, as if by compression endwise, until he could have stood under Charley’s ex- of coarse, wiry TA griaated aie and zzled mass beard, falling to his waist, nearly hid b 3 bestia features and large, leathery ears; while his eyes gleamed through the tangle like the dilated orbs of a madman, and his teeth like the yellow’ if fangs of some beast of prey. | ‘ His head was bare. y Meer boweled mount- aif goat, wrapped in its own skin, was bh 9 his back, its feet ey tied io a bunch 80 as to loop over bis forehead. phot a @ was clothed in the shaggiest of buffalo- skins, his breast being protected by the mass of matted hair which: makes the forehead of the ‘‘ king of the plains” proof against a rifle-ball. So had he been able to defy Charley's revolver and Jack’s bowie, ! Se Bane Befdre they bad recovered frcm their amaze- ment he wee turned away, threw his goat on the ground, ste slice; then, squatting before the fire, held pped up to the haunch of Lear's — meat, and without ceremony cut off a buge ore broil, heeding his enforced entertainers no than if they weré not present, Rasen ee Jack was seized by an almost insane impulse to slay the monster as he would a wild beast; but an overpowering sense of human helpless- ness against the powers of darkness para hisarm, He sat yeh pa in gloom, Free from superstitious fears, Charley was only vexed, ory So sat the three in profound silence, - i But the hot blood of youth would not long brook this, and presently Charley burst forth: ‘See bere, my Christian friend, we bave no objection to your making free be pything ou find in our beg but we should be glad to ave you tell us who you are and where you come from.” brtake'g.. The stranger was now busy with bis scantily- cooked steak which, held in both bands, he tore with his teeth and chewed witb the voracity of a dog. He paid no heed whatever to the y 's address. rat 4 Charley frowned and bit his 4 =" But there was nothing to do but swallow the indignity or fight, and be was not yet quite ready for the latter course. cp When he had gorged himself, the intruder turned and seanned the real owners of the camp with sullen curiosity for a moment, and then growled: pnedit* span oye 302 ‘** Now I’m ready to nyeee what ye've got to say fur yerselves. Who be ye anyhow, an’ what ‘the devil “air “ye hangin’ *round_byar fur som At this Charley firedup,. -~© = ‘Considering that you bly owe your life to’ He exiateice of oar pire " think it would be—” erney ' “Shet up, young 'on\”'was the p posal of his remarks, che speaker +live} wy a Oeil ee thee tom
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ob ae trouble to look his way, though the youth leaped to bis feet and drew his revolver with wrato in eyes. But, though he bad caught, as from the at- mosphere of the region, a greater readiness with weapons than would have been looked for in the East, our young hunter was no rufflan, and could not shoot down a man who made no effort to defend himself. From a less formidable antagonist he would have compelled recognition by a blow; but he was too prudent to place himself within the sweep of those powerful arms, The fixed regard of the stranger demanding a reply from him, Jack spoke; “ We air honest hunters, as don’t ax no man’s leave ur license to camp wharever wood grows an’ water runs, an’ the Lord leaves his critters to range on a free hoof. I’m Jack Mowbray at yer sarvice i the which no man kin say as I owe him anythin’; an’ this hyar is my pard, Charley Grover, lately from the States, but no greenhorn, ye onderstand; which the same, the man that crowds bim has got to git away with é CREE ROTO every time] Now, who air thing I've got to say to you. Quit y to y Jhyar section, And stretching bimself on the ground, with his feet to the fire and his head on a log, the _ gtranger seemed to sink at once into profound _ slumber, so perfect was his unconce: n as to how » dhis insults would be taken. Honest Jack, who had never before rested _ patiently under Fa indignity from any man, ‘now showed no sign, of resentment, but sat gaz- _ dng dejectedly into the fire. ’ This exasperated Charley more than any- ping that bad been put upon him. He loved ack, and respected him thoroughly; and to see his manhood sapped by a vulgar superstition was intolerably galling. j _ Drawing vear to him, he said; he Soest ne we stand ~ ¥ 4 ‘* Boy, it’s no use,” was the despondent reply. “What's to come o’ this thing, vill come oF ie This hyar’s a warnin’. It ain’t all as gits ’em. _An’I r ckon it’ll stan’ us in band to give it ¥ an’ git while we're let to, without no hen- nee, i “No, by Heaven!” cried the youth, goaded beyond further endurance. . _ ‘ «And. before Jack suspected what he was about to do; he caught up a hickory branch, lying at hand, and struck the sleeper a stinging blow with it; then leaped ‘back, with his cocked re- Solna held in readiness for the expeeted on- aan lant the next two between his eyes!” he cried, through his set teeth, Rar Nn inten Godadavei coud eireished ...“¢ Bay y |—fer s sake!”—and stretche forth his hand to stop the blow, But when it was given beyond recall, he went with bis boy, ere ia te sa dian h A of the issue in a close encounter, he too . drew and cocked his revolver. ern But all this was uncalled for, _ The sleeper never moved ! Could it be that he was insensible to the blow? It had fallen, not where bis body was protected _ dy the buffalo-skin, but across his Bans and Pe - Charley stared, open-mouthed. Y _ Jack let his muscles relax, then lowered the bammer of his revolver, and returned the wea- pon to its place in his belt, shaking his head gioomily. _“It ain’t no manner o’ use,” he said, might load him with bullets an’ be wouldn’s feel » mary one of em. The devil’s in it;—you kin see ao attled. rach bolut Charl ; at ever nt, Char ] t beside himself wit Poveninn r i theories _ “If it wouldn’t be murder,” he cried, ‘‘ I'd amighty soon show you whether he is bullet- proof or not. I’ve a mind to clip his ear, or his . Bose, just toshow you that I can draw blood from bim, as from any other man.” aay “dy = rose and stood nelson, them. ut up your weepon y,” be. besought rather than directed. ‘“ The devil’s a-temptin’ of ye too fur.” oi nd as one with faint show of resistance sub- mite to the restraint of a friend, in a quarrel which he is half willing to quit.if it can be done ariey allowed Jack to disarm .. svith r, Ch ‘iim and return jis revolver to its holster. ise me Pe bl “ Yo. A Tough Boy. would do this directly. ; “It’s a confounded shame to be so put upon, when one man is no better than another,” be said, his milder tone satisfying Jack, who went and a! down, leaving bis boy to fix the fire for the night, preparatory to bimself turning in. If the hunter had put bis feeling into words, it would have been to this effect: “Sleepin’ ur wakin’, it’s all one. Nothin’ bu- man kin head off the devil, onc’t he’s sot fur e, But Charley could not so yield events to fate. He dreaded to place himself at the mercy of the strange intruder, by falling asleep. Yet, seein the others so unconcerned, he felt ashamed o his own restlessness, as if it were hati’ or? He resolved to feign a composure he did not feel, and at the s:me time put himself in the best position to detect any attempt at treachery. Lying down where his face, turned toward the stranger, would yet be in partial shadow, so that at the distance that separated them, it could not be peedily seen whether his eyes were open or shut, he held his cocked revolver in readiness uader cover of a fold of his blanket, and set himself thus to watch through the night. for hours he kept up this vigil; but gradually in the perfect quiet of everything—for the stranger never moved—his nervous excitement wore away; his posture was favorable to sleep; the monotonous moaning of the wind, as its force lessened toward morning, lulled bis atten- tion, and without warning he lapsed into un- consciousness. He woke with a start, and sprung at once toa sitting posture. Honest Jack was standing before him, and a cloud of sparks and ashes rising from the waning fire showed that he had just thrown a heavy, stick upon it, the noise of which had startled Charley into wakefulness. The stranger whom he had set himself to watch so faithfully, bad disappeared. “Ts it possible?” cried Charley, crimsoning with chagrin, “ that Iam such a dunderhead as to let the whole camp be carted off while I sleep straight ahead? Where is that fellow gone, and when?” ‘“* Ax them as knows,” replied Jack, ‘* What! didn’t you see him leave? “ Nary !” ‘““- You were asleep?” * Like a stone,” Charley stared open moutbed. “D'ye think them kind makes a row when they want togo anyw’ers?” asked Jack, ‘‘ He . ’ 7 went as he come; an’ for my part, I think we're well Sag of him.”. “ He took his goat with him.” ‘‘ All the better fur us. Ef be’d left it behind ketch me a@ touchin’ of it! It ’u’d only ’a’ brung us bad luck, i veel a paid Charley, with A Ry set of the ips, ‘‘ 1 don’t propose to g.ve this thing up so.” ““ What's that, boy?” “T mean to find out something more about that gentleman. See! here is his trail. You observe that he leaves tracks like an ordinary mortal,” . ‘Yos, admitted Jack; “ but he needn’t do it ef he didn’t want to, You wouldn’t go fur to foller them?” ‘“*T sha’n’t do anything else!” ‘‘Hold on, boy! As like’s not, knowin’ yer hot temper, be left them thar fur jest nothin’ at all, only to lead ye into some devil's trap. What élse should he do it fur, .ben he cotld seat as easy go off through the air, ur down into he groun’? Hearken to sense, boy; an’ don’t go to nosin’ out trouble that don’t come to ye without seekin’.” But Charley persisted, obstinately: “T—propose—to follow him—up—let what will come of it!” ; ‘‘ Wait tell ye’ve bad yer breakfast.” ** At once!” “‘ Ye’re boun’ to go?” ** Absolutely.” And the youth seized his rifle, and looked carefully to its loading. “Then ye don’t go alone,” declared Honest Jack, and caught up his own rifle, ready to ac- company his boy against foes natural or super- natural, ; But Charley objected: “Oh, no, Jackg I’m not going to draw you gloomily. Oh, no into this thing,” “Whar you go, I af But T decline to be kept in leading strings. I’m old enough Mgo 00 may orn hook.” |. “Alone, boy? What could you do ag’in’ sich ) a doxoliger? “Why, he could Break ye in two!” But it was not to be expected that Charley, “If he got hold of me—which I don't propose to let him do, No!—firearms make all men equal, so far as sireng tt goes. Ifbe is quicker than I am I want to know it.” “ Boy, ye’re sot ag’in’ my goin’?” “ Yes,” ‘Waal, may the Lord go with ye. Jack -Mowbray’s done his best.” “That's all right, old man. Take care of yourself till I get back. Have a hot break- fast ready. Maybe I'll have something to say about the mystery of the haunted cave!” And Trneing be “ pardner’s ” hand, he set out elder brig t, brave smile on the trail leading— wha Tbe wind was still drifting the snow, so that in places the trail was being rapidly hidden, besides the annoyance of having it driven into his face with blinding force, the trail leading for the most part into the wind’s eye. His last look back at the camp discovered Jack gazing after him wistfully. He waved his hand, and then, turning, “ buckled down to his work.” When he was out of sight, Jack turned with sudden animation, ‘““T reckon the time has come fur it,” he mut- tered, ‘‘Thar won’t never be no call wuss’n the boy’s life, an’ he’s @ goner, sure, ef it don’t save him.” Quickly and deftly he drew the charge from his rifle, and swabbed it with the nicest care, Then, loosening his jerkin, he drew forth from some inner receptacle a small packet. Removing several folds of paper, he came to an inner cov- ering of oiled silk, cemented along its seams with wax, so as to make it impervious to mois- ture. Ripping this with his knife, he came to more paper, which proved to contain a charge of powder, a single cap, and a bullet, with a lit- tle patch of linen cloth. he bullet was of silver! ¥i Then with a solemnity which left no doubt as to his perfect faith, he went through a supersti- tious rite little in keeping with our boasted age of enlightenment, “ In the name of the Father—” He poured in the powder, careful not to spill a ry 3 pean He rammed the bullet home. “And Holy Ghost—” He pressed the cap upon the nipple. ** Amen |” This done, be set forth on the double trail, CHAPTER IV. THE BEAUTIFUL RECLUSE, At the outset Charley had to flounder through drifts bip-deep; but even worse fortune await- ed him, for it soon began to snow so heavily that the trail was wholly filled up. J An be ‘stright ipsa * thought was that Honest Jack would believe that the dwarf bad brought about the snow by supernatural means to cover his retreat. | , To cap the clim»x, in retracing his steps Charley reached a point where his own trai was no longer distingnisbable, Then came a pause Of startled apprehension, and after a moment he owned to himself that he had lost his bearings, and had not the remot- est idea in what direction thelean-to lay, All landmarks were vailed by falling flakes. “By Jove! I believe I’m lost!” he cried. “That's pleasant! And the confounded thing may not let up for bours—perhaps not before nightfall! Well, there’s nothing for it but to wait. It is an equal chance that I will go fur ther away from it supper, if I tramp around atrandom. And I was fool enough to set out on an empty stomach!” But that was not all. The temperature be- an to fall, and he was compelled to keep mov- ng, or freeze. 1 ours passed, bringing the short day to its close, Faint from want of food, exhausted by the muscular strain of floundering through the drifts, he staggered like a drunken man, his face the picture of utter, hopeless misery. He felt that he was growing benumbed, The torpor of his blood got into bis brain. — “Ts this the end?” be asked, gazing blankly_ into the gathering darkness, and he’ felt indif- ferent to the issue. But then came the thought: : “It was Jack’s prophecy—I should be led to my destruction. And the sum of my earth] existence is to lend color toa stupid supersti- tion! By Heaven,I won't have t! Help! help ! HELP!” t this was only acry of despair. He bad
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——OOllo—=—=>=—=—o—o—o———e=SeGu0<0QQaaaaaoaoaoeoeeeeememss: a no hope of summoning aid out of that wilder- ness, Staggering a few steps further, he plunged headlong into a drift, and so lay, while the reat, featherlike flakes hurried to bury him rom sight, But, as the French say, “there is nothing so probable as the impossible.” His purposeless cry reached a pair of human ears, and get a buman heart to beating ,high and’ warm with human sympathy. A form, scarcely more than two-thirds his own in bulk, appeared from what leoked like a dome of snow. It was impossible, at sight, to tell the sex; for the dress of skins was nondescript. But a ery in a musical soprano, as the figure bent over the prostrate body, decided that question once for all. Nothing but young femininity could produce such a sound; and if there was any agreement between voice and face, she could not but be as lovely as eye and heart need wish, Seizing the youth by the shoulder, she sought to rouse him to consciousness, with such success that he responded dully to united voice and ac- tion: “Tha’s allright, ole man.” In his stupor he thought it was Honest Jack. ** But the girl cried: “Getup! getup! You must not stay here, You will freeze rt a ‘*Wa’s the row? Who'’re you?’ he asked just like adrunken man, ‘‘ Yes—yes; tha’s all right.” e got upon bis legs, with ber help, and then staggered forward as she led him. It taxed her to the utmost te keep him on his feet, and at last he fell, carryiog her to the ground with him. But it was just before the door of arude but, into which, with strength surprising in one so slight, she succeeded in dragging him. Her first office was to pour some fi+ry spirits down his throat, Then she drew off his gloves and raw-bide mocassins, to find bis hands and feet stiff and white with cold, though not ac- tually frost-bitten. These she soon made red and glowing, by rubbing them with snow. He was still unconscious; but by his breathing she knew that he had passed directly from coma to the deep, dreamless sleep of thorough exbaustion. She removed his fur cap, and, brushing his hair from his forehead, gazed upon hin with emotions a stranger to her virgin breast. ** Ah! how beautiful he is!” she murmured. Thea a puzz'ed expression knit her brows, ‘*But where bave I seen him before!—or some one like him; that must be it. I could never— mo, never forget him /” And she caught her’ breath, flutteringly, and ressed her hand to her bosom, while a swift lash mantled her cheek at the boldness of her thought, ' A look of anxiety almost immediately fol- towed. “What will Cyriac say! He is so fiercely oe of strangers. He will treat him like an nterloper. But hé shall not harm him! No, no! he shall not!” Her eyes flashed witha determination which showed that she would defend the stranger with all her might. » “ What can’ detain him? she asked herself, mow showing anxiety for the absent one. “What if he too should become lost in. this fearful storm? But that cannot be, He bas nether ge sense of locality of an Indian. til— She went to the door, to gaze forth into the gathering gloom. °* The wind rushed in, bearing a flurry of snow, and making the flamesroar more boisterously up the chimney. She hastily drew back, and shut out the stormy then set to work. preparing food for the expected one, and for him (when he should wake) who had come to her, a gift of the tem- st. a aBad the night deepened, bringing no demand for admittance from without; and the stranger slept on unbrokenly; while the girl, robbad of appetite by suspense, saw her supper grow cold untoached, Finally the heavy head of the watcher droop- ed forward on the rude table at which she sat; and she too slept. The boy was the first to rouse. He found himself lying on a shakedown of mountain moss, covered with undressed skins, in the cor- ner of arude but. From ‘the mud-daubed’ fire- place, a niass of glowing embers, now lying dull and-red, and now ‘shooting up flames, illumi- wated the room with an uncertain light. But q A Tough Boy. this was enough to reveal a vision of loveliness that made bis heart leap as never before. ‘The Sleeping Beauty!” he whispered, fear- ful of moving lest he wake her. Her face, resting on the side, was turned to- ward him. From the fair, low brow swept masses of gold-blonde hair, ereenng over her shoulders unconfined, just as she had tossed it back from her temples with an impesiegs ges- ture that he could well imagine. he fringes of curved lashes rested against cheeks aglow with bealth in rosy sleep, not pale, like those of his young-lady sisters, but bronzed by exposure to the free mountain air and sunshine; yet in- expressibly lovely. Perhaps that made the red of her pulpy lips all the richer. “ Ab! what delight to kiss, them!” He was already bold enough to plan such a foray! Carefully be rose to a sitting posture, and so came to discover the untasted supper. “ By Jove! that has a welcome look!” And though his joints ached and his head swam with the effort, while bis hands and feet felt like muffs, he managed to get up and cross to the fire-place without disturbing the pretty sleeper. i He ate ravenously, until forced to give over with a sigh of fullness. Then he turred, to find the girl awake and razing at him with laughing blue eyes, evident- y enjoying his relish for her cooking. y charming hostess,” he said, for the phrase of compliment came as readily to his tongue asif he had kissed the Blarney stone, “it is the treason of my stomach, if I have proved so ungallant as to turn from your beauty to anything so unromantic as broiled venison. But then, [ did not forget—believe me—thbat your fair hands had prepared it.” “Did it taste good?’ she asked, with child- like simplicity. ‘Fit for the gods!” ‘You seem to have/ brought hungry sauce to the feast.” And an amused smile at his extravagance showed her white, even teeth. ‘‘You may well say that,” assented our hero, who let no charm escape him. “ A twenty-four hours’ fast is a pretty good oeeesines. But bow did I get in bere? The last thing I recollect, it seems to me, was falling flakes and gathering loom, with a first-class prospect of taking the rs snooza in a snowbank.” : While the girl explained how she found bim, he threw some ben» on the fire, which presently blazed up, filling the hut with a flood of light. In the midst of his account of:-how be came to be wandering in the storm, the girl suddenly in- terrupted him with the ejaculation; “Why, that must have been Cyriac!” ““Cyriac? And who may that be?” be asked. * He is—” She stopped with a flush of embarrassment. With an expression of countenance and tone of voice in which borror was blended with in- dignation, he cried: ‘Nothing to you, surely!” The girl bridled with \ poo resentment. “Cyriac is my guerd faithful servant and friend,” she said. 5 — quick suspicion that he had stumbled upon some strange pki g Strange indeed must be the tie that could bind this vision of loveliness to that monster of ugliness. ‘*Don’t ask me,” said the girl. tell you.” But her truthful face showed that. her heart was not in the duty; so, thinking her. the most, unsophisticated young lady he had. ever met, Charley said, with the air of one who had cause for complaint: ‘*So you have begun to distrust me already !” ‘“‘Oh, no indeed!” cried she, impulsively. ‘*But— You were not sent by my. wicked uncle; were you?” ‘Far from it. I have never even so much as seen him,” was our hero’s assurance. “I knew it!” she ejaculated. ‘‘ And—and~ You will never betray me? Oh, ’m sure you won't!” “ Do I look like it?” ‘**No. Well, you must know that my parents died-when I was a baby—or almost. 1 can.just remember my sweet-faced mamma, and, .oh, such a beautiful home! I was an heiress, Cyriac says; and my wicked, wicked uncle wanted to get the estate, just like Bettina’s uncle, Cyriac found out that he was going to have me carried off and killed by some terrible men; so be ran away with me, as little Bettina’s nurse did, and saved my life. When I am of age, we are going back; and the judge will give ine my property, and not let my wicked unele touch me, But if he finds me before then, be “T must not , can claim me, and do anything be pleases with | me, | book, an—my map eney mee owe | So we are hiding out here in the, moun- tains, until I grow up to be a woman. ‘*Now you know why Cyriac was so cross with you. He was afraid that you might he some one sent by my uncle in search of me, Aren't you ashamed of speaking as you did of one who has been so kind to me? _ He taught me how to read, and everytbing; and I have read about Bettina over and over again, until | know it almost all by beart. Do you know Bettinaf” ‘‘ Bettina?’ repeated our hero, looking the amazement with which he bad listened to this remarkable story, told with an air of perfect simplicity, as if its incidents were the most or- dinary in life. ‘Just wait a minute and I'll show you,” said the girl, and plunging through a Jow doorway curtained by a bear-skin, she quickly reappeared , hana a thumb-worn, paper-covered book in her and. It proved to bea novel, ‘And do you suppose that it is true?” cried Charley. . | ai ‘* True?” repeated the girl, not comprehending. im. “That Bettina was a person who actually lived?” he explained. 7 , ‘* Why, of course she lived, Sheisalive now,. Only she was a grown woman when I was & little girl. It tells all about it at the end of the And Cyriac saw her once.” ‘ He told you all this?” * To be sure.” ‘** How old are youf” ‘+ Fifteen,” But her appearance indicated that she was him everything. You have misjudged him, If | full three years older than she srpposed be was harsh to you, it was only because be is ‘How long have you lived here in the moun- afraid of all strangers, om myaccount. You must ' tains?” forego your hostiiity at once. } you will exhibit no unfriendliness toward him when he comes.” ‘ * That monster your guardian!” cried Char- ley, breathlessly, having heeded nothing that she said after this revelation. , ‘Hush! You shall not speak’so of him,” eried the girl, springing to her feet, to stand with flashing eyes, pale cheeks and quivering lips, ber hands clinched, and ber little figure drawn erect with anger, ‘Is not his misfor- tune bard enough to bear without your ungen- erous contempt? You cannot be my friend, and treat hint so.” “But, your guardian!” cried Charley. “To be near you, perhaps to touch you!l— faugh!” And he sbuddered with a sense of horror at the thought. “Yes!” eried the girl, with loyal heat, “to carry me in his arms, when I was a wee thing unable to help myself. But for bim, I might bave been smotlered and thrown intothe river, or perhaps been given to the Gypsies, like— Ob, I forgot! «1 wasn’t to tell sany- body.” } She checked herself with sudden fright, as if in her impulsive defense of the dwarf-she bad betrayed some secret, Promise me that | | from my wicked uncle, For ever and ever so, | | long, there were only ‘What is all tLis?asked Charley, with a ! ‘Oh, all my life. Ever since we escaped ans anywhere about, The first white man I saw I was sure it must be my uncle, That was two years ago,” ‘* And you bave never told this story: ‘to. any one before?’ » fod ‘* Oh dear, no! I have always been afraid to speak.to any one, or even let myself, be; seen, Only you looked so—so like the noble youth that—that saved Bettina, when ber uncle found her out and locked ber up in that horrible de- serted house—” y wh And bere her stammering speech, came to an end, while her cheeks glowed rosy red with maiden confusion; for she was thiuking how Bettina’s rescuer, had made Jove,to. ber,,and wondering whether our bero, was destined to play the same role. While listening, Charley bad been id)y :run- ning over the leaves of the book. Suddenly, his eye was arrested Oy a name written on the title-page. From it his glance flashed back to. the face of the girl before him, and all the color faded from his cheeks, ‘* What is this?’ he asked in strained tones. “That is my name. Cyriac taught me to write also.” ‘* Eveline! Good heavens! if it should prove—” ‘Why, what's the nutter? cried the girl, im a
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afar ee | trail again!” A Tough Boy. alarm, as he rose to his feet, choked by the emo- ‘tion that swelled in his breast. ‘But before he could reply, he heard the door open at his back, and saw Eveline look beyond him and spring to her feet with a sbriek of ter- ror.’ Her agonized face seemed to burst into a mil- lion stars, that filled the room with dazzling ‘light for an instant, and then—oblivion! @ did not see the blow that felled bim. CHAPTER V. THE SILVER BULLET SHOT HOME. Honest Jack, like his boy, was baffled by the | snow, and only his wonderful mountain craft enabled him to find his way back to camp, All night he kept the fire blazing bigh, and discharged his revolvers at intervals, on the chance that the at or the reports might guide the wanderer back. Not that he had any hope. He sat bowed in gloom, gazing into the fire. ‘Toward morning a marked change of temper- ature turned the snow-storm into a warm rain, which rapidly melted the drifts, and set the can- yon to thundering with the rush of torrents. Still without hope, Jack set forth, to trace a 4 glen and climb every hill, discharging his revolvers and hallooing at the top of his voice as he went. Night saw him standing dejected beside the wet ashes of his dead camp-fire. He moved toward the dark and desolate lean- to, for the means of rekindling the blaze. An incredulous cry escaped him. He stopped gee ta rubbed te eyes, and looked again. Then be sprung forward and knelt beside a dimly-outlined form; and the wilderness run PaO UUM! eanint 'Figt’ bowtaey G0, hot © ACK’ Lu u Ow 4 Bead t—dead Raped : yy 1 ti ‘Naat bis boy was restored tohim alive was enough joy for the present, Propping bim in a sitting posture against one side of the lean-to, he said:— ; “ Set thar, boy, till I git a fire started. Glory be'to God! we'll have ye round an’ squar’ on es pips ag’in in two shakes of a lamb’s tail!” (He had a store of touch-wood protected from the weather for such a time as this, and so was able soon to havea fire roaring before the lean- ar a tg Ss its wonted cosiness, Phen bi prepared a febrifuge decoction from herbs resorted to in such cases by the In jians, and about midnight had the satisfaction of see- a, patient fall into a Soop seep Tbe next day Charley was himself once more, SHR that he was so weak as to be hardly able “Jack! Jack!” he called. God, boy you've struck the straight cried Honest Jack, coming to his --** But what's the matter with me? I’m limp ‘fs ras Ah! now I remember!” A quick flash appeared in his cheeks, anda flash of excitement in bis eyes, as he struggled tohis elbow. But bis head swam, and he sunk exhausted. “4 Jack!” be cried, “you must save her; I’m —just now when I’d give my strength to rescue ber!” “ Hush, boy! bush!” urged Jack, who thought Honest Jack shook his head sadly. ’ “* Boy,” he said, “try not to take on in that wa Why, Jack, do you think I’m mad?” “vite the doin’s yr the Evil One,” said Jack, > “Ef so be ye’d jest—” “Hold on, Jack. This is toomuch. As long as your obstinate ogy only affected me, it was endurable. But now the life happiness ofan innocent girl depends on your listening to reason, You must be reasonable! Oh, Jack! if you saw a woman that I love better than my own life held in captivity and kept al- most like a savage—kept in ignorance of her very name and parentage by that fiendish ghoul, wouldn’t you try to save her/—for my sake, Jack!” **God knows, boy, I’d give the heart out 0’ my body to sarve ye!” “Then listen.” Aas. Charley told his adventure circumstan- tially. ‘Phe moment I saw her face,” be said, in conclusion, “I felt that it was strangely famil- ar; and when I read her name—my own moth- er’s name—l knew who it was she resembled. Her association with the dwarf fixed her iden- tity beyond question, ‘An infant daughter of my mother’s brother was lost overboard from a Hudson river ferry- boat—at first it was supposed by accident; but later discoveries led to the suspicion that it was an act of revenge, on the part of a dwarf who had been discharged from my uncle’s employ because of his wife’s nervous repugnance to- ward bim. ’ “The bodies were never recovered; yet no one seems to bave suspected that they might have escaped drowning, But here they are, She bas grown up in the wilderness, knowing absolutely nothing of the world; so be has been able to keep her a willing captive by practicing a most outrageous fraud on her ignorance. She actually believes herself bound to him by claims of gratitude. ; “Now I have no idea where the but is, but you ers scour the whole country till you nd it. e on said Honest Jack, who bad listened as we listen to the ravings of one insane, “ how long have we camped in these byar parts?” ‘Two months or thereabouts.” “ Ain’t it curi’s we’ve never run onto no hut liko what—” “ But that’s no reason we shouldn’t, now that we know there’s one to find.” Jack sighed and tried again. wet ae did you git back to the lean to d’ye s’pose me I don’t kuow,” admitted ewer =: ** Now s’posin’—jest s'posin’,” said Jack, feel- ing his way cautiously, ‘‘the hut an’ that thar barn’some crittur was all smoke?” “ That I imagined them?” ‘ ‘That they was only a crinkle in yer top- knot, while ye was wanderin’ around in the storm—jest 8 ae ¢ know,” ** And that I found my way back here in a state of delirium?” J ‘Ye reel it off to beat me; but that’s my idee, exactly.” Here was a way of unting for what other- wise seemed inexplicable. If the dwarf had err eo him, how had he got back to the ean-to Charley’s head was so dizzy that he could not meet Jack’s argument; but he persisted, almost pathetically: ‘Jack, whether it seems reasonable to you or no}, apes todo as I ask you. Go and look cc cutee mea " el, aa , vy it’s est as ju * And Jack shoul his rifis, and set off without delay. He did not return until nigit, bis dejected look sufficient proof of his want of success. “ To-morrow J shall try,” was all that Charley said. And on the morrow he made his word, But day after day of exhausting labor amon the crags passed without result, until it seem as if he had scoured every inch of ground with- in a radius of twenty miles, non se — bo: of ia wor use ond melancholy, and grew thin an un the merry Charley of old was hardly recogniza- e. ‘ Jack humored him in nary thing, While: he made a show of aiding in the search, his real object was to watch his boy. : ut one day he held back. ‘Not that way—not that thar way!” he urged, with an unwonted pallor of cheek and foreboding in his eyes. “And why not that way!” asked Charley, with the instant resistance of unreasoning sus- cion. “That leads to the run what I told ye about, whar Joe d in bis checks.” ‘Well, what of that? I’ve had enough of this nonsense. If you do not choose to follow, I will go alone,” * There'll — one of it, boy.” Harm or not, here goes.” Wait!—wait!” ' “‘T’ve waited too much already.” “One word. We've been follered,” **By whom?” s¢ BY that shorty.” ‘What! You have seen him? You did not let me know? By heaven! I believe you're in league with him against me!” ‘Boy, ye don’t mean that. self.” ‘* Speak !|—speak! and when?” “*T seen his trail,” ‘‘And did not call my attention to it! We might have trailed him down at once!” ‘*We tried that, No—he’d fotch us ag’in, somehow.” ‘‘And we are to let such an opportunity to discover her whereabouts slip through our fingers?” “Eft we kin keep shut o’ that thar ornery critter, I allow it’ll be bacon in our larder,” Charley was now choking with rage. He saw that Jack had been acting for what he thought was his boy’s best good, \ ‘You traitor!” he ground between his teeth. ‘““God help me! lve a mind to give you your just deserts!” And in bis blind fury be actually threw the muzzle of his rifle forward, with a meaning that could not be mistaken. Jack never moved, nor did he’show a trace of fear: but into his eyes came a look of such pro- found sorrow asa father migbt feel, at having his cherished son smite him in the face. ‘* Boy,” he said in tremulous tones, * spar’ yerself the remorse o’ lookin’ back on the time when ye lifted yer band ag'in the pard that ’ud give his life fur ye, any day. The devil’s vic- tory will be complete, ef he brings that on ye. Then he’ll leave ye to live ontel ye’re old, an’ every day an’ all day he’ll remind ye on ’t.” The look and tone, more than the words re- éalled Charley to his senses. Ye ain’t yer- Where did you see him, “And now every moment counts,” “‘ Lead on, boy; lead on.” They went along one of nature's. wildest: aths. mctd xh Presently Charley heard the roar of the tor- rent. A little further, and he saw a cleft in the sare with black, foam-dappled water at the Gaping not more than a dozen feet, it seemed asif the rock had been split asunder, so sheer and smooth were its walls, It was fifty feet to the water, and of unknown —<— after that. The swift, unbroken current betokened a com- paratively free channel, : Even as Charley paused a moment to gaze at it, with a sort of fascination, the fall of a peb- hs a steps further up the pass caused oo u And there in full, view, having jon come round an angle of rock, stood Cyriac, the Dwarf! —stood like some bideous Pagan idol, carven in a rong the impersonation of ugliness and malig- nity. For one breathless instant three pairs of eyes. crossed fire. hen Honest Jack’s rifle, charged with the silver bullet before which ma leaped to Mis shoulder, and his truo eye ranged along the barrel, bringing the sights into line with the center of the wart’s forebead. Once more, acting from his own point of view, he was making a fatal mistake. To bim, to break the charm was to solve all of their dif- ficulties, To Charley, the death of the dwarf now meant the loss of the only clew to his prisoner’s whereabouts. To stay this calamity, the youth leaped, with a warning cry, to knock up the deadly rifle. But too late! A ringing report, a puff of white smoke, and with a snarling yell, like that of a wild beast, the dwarf dropped from view. ‘“Whoop! Ha! ha! ba! ha! Hooray!” shouted Honest Jack, so wild with delight at the success of his shot that he tossed his cap high in the air. ‘My God! what have you done?” cried Char- ley, in dismay. - “Saved ye!—saved ye, my boy! An’ I thank the Lord he give it to me to do it!” responded Jack, seizing upon his hand, as if it were an oc- casion for mutual congratulations. But Charley tore himself free and ran forward wasofnoeffect, . id
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—_-- holding bis own rifle in readiness, if perchance the dwarf were only wounded, and might try to send a shot in return. What was bis astonishment to find that the man he sotight was nowhere visible? : “Why, where bas he gone?” he cried. “ Tuis is thé very spot he stood on; and he has had no chance to escape.” : ‘‘ Gone!” repeated Honest Jack, with a well- satisfied air ‘“‘ Whar should he go but down into thé ground? D’ye think them kind leaves their carcasses layin around for the coyotes an’ buzzards, like human folks? Waal, they don’t!” ; But Charley, seeing the only way by which the dwarf could have got out of sight so quick- ly, bad leaped to the brink of the cleft, not three yards distant, and now uttered a cry which betokened a discovery. , Jack sprung to bis side, and saw on the swiftly-gliding tide the circling waves which showed where a heavy body had just plunged beneath the stirface. ‘‘He rolled over the verge!” eried Char- ley. “Look—look! There he rises! Good vens |” The last was a cry of horror; for the dwarf had come to view in the midst of the whirlpool, where the waters sunk into the earth. Once he made the circuit of the little basin with lightning velocity. As be struck the in- coming current, he tossed bis arms above his head with a yell of savage batred and defiance, and was sucked under. With a shudder, Charley averted his gaze. In that moment be remembered the humanity of the being—albeit deformed in spirit as in body—who bad gone to a nameless fate, Jack was struck with awe. It was the second man be had seen go down through that myste- rious gateway to death. But to him it seemed perfectly fit. “ He’s gone home!” he said, solemnly. “ Thank the good Lord it was before he took vou in, like hé did pore Joe! But, boy, that thar was a silver bullet what fotched him. This hyar’s the last ye’ll see ur byear tell o’ the Demon 0’ the Cavern, ye onderstand. No more spook busi- ness; no more onnateral snow-storms; no more sperrit gals, and’sich] An’ now we'll go back to the’ good ole times;—stick to the lean-to, an’ leave ha’nted caves fur them as has use fur ‘em. We're off fur this time; an’ they ain't ketchin’ these byar birds twie’t with chaff. En, rdner?” ’ ‘And Hovest = ee pe bey’ apt 7 Rated ing at him lovin and expec ,asi see ine restored avoids to his old sell, by the lift- of the spell. it-instead; Charley groaned: ‘“ How now shall we ever find my cousin?” “The which?” asked Jack, his face suddenly oming blank. yer © eee On, Frack! this was all a mistake! We should have trailed him to bis biding-place, or bave captured him and wrung the secret fron him, by fire, if necessary. Now, what are we todo? Where shall we look to find her?” “Toar it is ag’in!” sighed Honest Jack, ga ing at his boy with hopeless concern. : ‘There is what?” “The gal k. I thought we was done with that sort o’ thing.” ‘(My cousin? Are you crazy? We must find ‘ whetber he is dead or alive.” me te gloom than ever settled down over Honest Jack’s face. “T must ’a’ missed him!” he ; an’ I'd drutber ’a’ piled a pound ur two o’ lead into my in own in’ards! He stood bowed with despondency, gazing at the swirling pool. ° * Jack,” said Charley, ‘‘ there is but one place ” “ Whar’s that?” asked Jack, mechanically, ‘“‘Thecave. The mystery of our return totho jean-to remains unexplained, unless we account for both in the same way. The dwarf must have carried me from the hut to the lean-to while I was unconscious. Then why may he not have carried both of us and our traps back from the cave?” 4 Ri ‘In our sleep!” interposed Jack, incredu- lously. . re * Ta our sleep!” insisted Charley. ‘‘ We both slept heavily, you know.” : “ As we mostly always do!” Charley ignored this sarcasm. é “Then he tried to drive us out of the neigh- borhood. wert Because we had discovered the cave; and he bad some reason for wishing to ey? us out of it. Jack, I pro to find out what that reason was; and in doin so, I believe that I shall find my cousin as well!” A Tough Boy. ‘An’ the but we’ye been lookin’ furt—an’ haivt found yit !” Charley made no attempt to answer that ob- | jection, but shouldered his rifle and walked off. Honest Jack followed submissively. “Go whar ye will,” he said, ‘‘ ye don’t go alone. Jack Mowbray’s done his best to hender ye; but ef ye will go, then he goes along, ef we have to wade through burnin’ brimstun up to our necks!” “Jack, you believe that I would not lead you into danger that human beings were not fit to oxy as brave men meet the ordinary perils of ife? “Not ef you was yerself, boy. that.” ? ; hi “Thank you. mistaken.” That day they made preparations for a thorough exploration of the cave. The next, they entered—how and when to come forth? I do believe Let the issue prove which is CHAPTER VL. LOST UNDERGROUND! THE preparations cf tbe bunters for cexplor- ing the cave consisted in getting pine knots for torches, and, at Jack’s suggestion, taking with them food and water, so that they might be ready for any mischance, ‘And we must bave some clew to our wan- derings,” said Charley, ‘ for we sball get lost in the labyrinth of galleries. Besides, we must always be able to distinguish the passages already traversed from those awaiting «xplora- tion, so that none shall be overlooked, and none, gone over needlessly a second time.” ‘Ef we had some chalk now,” suggested Jack,” we could keep tally o’ them that we ranged through. . Hold on! I know whar thar’s a whitish rock that'll make a mark—like a book!” ‘*That’s just what we want,” said Charley. Jack soon fetched a piece of calcareous for- mation enough like chalk for their purpose. ‘‘ Now, for a regular order of exploration and asystem of marks,” said Charley, ‘for it will bea waste of time to do the thing at ran- dom. As the way out is of primary importance, we will put an arrow-head at the opening through which we first enter each chamber, and at the aes where any palery branches, The order of exploration shall be to the ‘left; and as we enter a passage, we will mark its mouth witha circle. Returning, after havin traced a passage and what it leads to, we wi cross out the circle, so that it need not be en- tered again. Add to this the numbering of each chamber, and we shall know where we are, and what we have accomplished at any moment.” “Boy,” said Jack, admiringly, ‘‘a head-piece fur layin’ out work is half the battle.” Aglow with enthusiasm, Charley led the way, the black smoke from his torch smudging the low roof of the corridor above bis héad. Jack followed, more anxious, more on the alert, his troubled eye striving to pierce the gloom ahead. “Go slow, boy,” be cautioned. “Thar’s no calculatin’ what ye may run ag’in’,” “Don’t fret, dld man, I’m prepared for whatever we stir up.” And Charley gripped more resolutely the cocked revolver be carried in his hand. _. The first chamber they found as they had left it; and having a marked the exit with an arrow-bead—three lines rediating from a point so as to form an acute angle; a character in common use among shippers—and added the figure ‘‘1” ss the number of the chamber, they marked it with a circle and then entered the first corridor to the left, as prearranged. , But it is unnecessary to trace their course step by step. The mountain was honeycombed: and they would soon have become hopelessly confused, but for Charley’s system of marks. On every hand they met with new wonders, formed by water filtering through the rock un- til it became impregnated with bicarbonate of lime, Now they walked over what looked like a frozen rapid, now stood before a cataract or fountain of glass, now trod the echoing aisles of a crystalline temple. see any trace of life—an cavern had been penetra ng. before them. he effect on the friends was different. Jaek — Charley’s enthusiasm with but one for- mula: “Tt don’t belong: to to this hyar world, an’ ain’t no fur mortal eyes to see.” “They had no measure of the flight of time save their stomachs and the sense of weariness. But nowhere did they evidence that the by any buman be- y 4 But they proved false guides, for the reason that they did not take into account the power of absorbing interest to divert the attention from these monitors of nature, Jack was the first to propose that they turn back, and seek rest and food, soy By Jove!” cried Charley, ‘I believe 1 am hungry, and dead beat in the bargain. Who would have believed that one could keep going till he got so entirely played out, without know- ing it? N e hunted for a crevice into which to stick his torch, and then sat down wearily, propping his back against the wall. ‘This is as good a lunch-room as wé need; and what’s the use in going back to the first chamber to sleep! Bless you, old man! I ould sleep like a top in Purgatory, for one night. ” “Boy, I didn’t allow to putin no more nights under ground, not to say in a place like this hyar. Thar’s some things, the which one is a - cart-load.” “ We'll talk it over after we've got outside of | our regular rations, Jack,” said Charley, his mouth already crammed. When be was forced to stop with a sigh of — fullness, he said; ‘ ‘““Now look bere, Jack. This is chamber. number seven. Two and five have been thor- oughly explored. We have therefore one, three, four, six and seven in a chain. Do you know what the corridors joining these chambers would foot up at¢ A good long mile, if an inob. © And what is to be gained by tramping that distance, tired as we are/ Nothing. Here we have a bed-cbamber dry and free'from dranghts; and if'we can find a sandy spot to lie on, we shall have every comfort heart could wish. Here we are—just the— Good heavens! Jack! Jack! look here!” : And Charley stopped abriiptly, pointing ex- citedly at the floor of the cavern, eaF pening, Jack saw a single footprint ina sandy spot. “See!” cried Charley, “itis small, No man could have made that,” a deh at ‘A squaw might,” said Jack, ‘Tt is a moc-— casin print.” ~ “But she wears moccasins!” Yar’ “Boy, let us git out o’this, It’s a decoy, to keep ye hyar this night.” ae $m. etenn ee “Jack, that track was made by pone one . than my cousin; and I shall sleep with my head on it. This is proof that we are on the — right track. If the dwarf were alive I would ry a minute; but with him dead, I can wait. : And the youth stretched bimself on bis back, — with a yawn. ‘i shel “Our torches won't more’n burn through the night, ” objected Jack. p “hist ies ‘Blow them out, and have what is left to start to-morrow witb,” P84 ‘Stay hyar in the dark!” Ba Pregl tier Norio, “ Are you a cbild, to be afraid of the dark?” ‘‘T sin't afeared o’ nothin’ that’s accordin’ to natur’.” men,” And laughingly Charley closed the argument — by sbutting his eyes, Jack, as usual, yielded ded. " They slept, knowing nothing of what went on — about them in that mysterious cavern while Per lay unconscious, ev woke. Nothing unusual seemed to have happened; but Charley yawned, declaring: ; “By Juve! I feel as if I should like to ing out for all day.” “Well, so far we have, seen nothing in any ” v Be way covtrary to nature. Good aight: old” Boy,” said Jack, “‘thar’s the same feelin’in my head that thar was the first night we slep’ _ in hvar,” ‘* Nonsense!” : Then came the click of flint and steel, and — Charley was soon blowing some muskroom tin. der into a flame. 1 Se over and take another forty. winks before turn- . : - 4 After breakfast, they set forth to retrace their r, 4 steps to the outer world; but as they went Charley began to look puzzled. ‘* Why, Jack, this don’t look right, does it?” “It surely has a queer Jook,” admitted Ja ** And yet here is the number all right.” | And Charley pointed to number four beside _ the arrow-head. - “I thought that sumber six looked ie i er,” he went on, “‘ and the passages seemed | ‘* Perhaps it’s because we come into ’e another side,” suggested Jack. ways different, lookin’ back.” hey went on. fro Number three bad an unfamiliar look, and — “A tall is al \ A ah
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me Cuarley looked. Two _ surel 8 SS en a ee ’ mamber one was beyond all question not the chamber in which they had slept on their first visit to the cave. ‘There can be no mistake about the marks,” said Charley, beginning to feel anxious. ‘‘See, ey is the arrow-head and the figure ‘1’ beside “Boy,” said Jack, solemnly, ‘‘d’ye know what this hyar is?” h . “What what is?” ** The queer look o’ things.” “Why, I aS Se we have forgotten just how the chambers looked, seeing so many.” “No, no; it ain’t that,” * What is it, then?” “Tt’s magic—that’s what it is!” ** Nonsense !” , *‘ Ef so be Jack Mowbray’s a fool, then this bal > aia out, Let’s try it,” ey entered the passage. Instead of leading to the outer world, it took _ them into another chamber, at the openings from which there were no marks. “Why, we’ve got turned round,” said Char- ley. ‘‘ We have mistaken the marks and gone the wrong way.” ‘**Didn’t we always take the passages marked with an arrer?” ** Yes, we must have done so, And yet how could it Jead us into this strange chamber?” ** Let’s go back the way we come,” suggested J ag. ut now arose the question:— Which way had they come? On entering this chamber, they had not -ob- served that there was no circle beside the mouth the passage through which they came, and in the anxious search for other marks they had gone round and round, until neither had any idva which. to choose, ** Well,” said Cuarley, ‘there are niue pas- sages leading from thischamber. We have but to follow each in turn to find the mark that is at the end of one of them—the one by which we éntered. Once more on the right trick, we can be more careful.” Juck made no comment. They began, Charley showing some signs of nervous haste, Corridor after corridor was tried. Findiu no mark at the further end, they returned and tuok the next, with the same result. Finally Charley said: *‘ We surely must have tried them all.” He lo see how many of the nine had been ch off. To his surprise he found that none of them showed any trace of marking. “Why, the marks are being rubbed off as fast as we put them on!” he cried. “Thar’s no discount on that,” said Jack, * Aw it must do it quick, ef it’s to do it at touch t chiallg Long “he untouched as yet. He turn @ at the Bronect of Boing: lost in that labyHinth in the ariy. ** Let us put one out,” he said. t was done, . your an a search on the issue of which both felt that their lives depended, “ J ad no hope whatever of success, He believed that their fate had overtaken them, The dwarf was revenged. . Charley tried to shut his eyes to the dire ibility. But a - sagy such as he bad never Pat was now struggling for the mastery of his reason... _ He became nervous and excited, The very importance of his decisions, in any one of whica a mistake might prove, fatal, made him uncer- He appealed to Jack coustantly; but the moment the latter expressed an. opinion con- ick his,own, he argued his views until Jack ielded. And Jack, beli ving that it was all one whe- aie thes hay went this way or that, was even more - ready t yield than usual. é _ Bo they proceeded, with ever-increasing haste, co“ i * t E - } t we li ie as. eg ae to the las torch was lighted and “bu ~ Then their last torch threw its red glare ‘around; and Charley felt thee he .was whol ” - unable to decide between the chambers whic seemed to be multiplying in endless succession, and looking more and more alike, a _knew.; At last A Tough Boy. “ Jack,” be said, ‘‘ we are lost beyond ques- | tion. ‘* My God! when that torch is gone!’ Jack’s only reply was: “We'll gain nothin’ by losin’ time. I allow thar’s nothin’ fur it but to keep tryin’,” They did keep trying until their torch was at A last flickers. Then Charley suddenly cried: “ Look, Jack, look!” : And with the quickness of lightning he lifted | bis rifle and fired. The report. sounded like a clap of sharp thun- der in that cramped space. ‘ Jack saw several shadows flit. across the fur- ther end of the chamber in which they stood but they were gone before he could make out pay forms, t the same time something brushed close to his face, fanning him with a cold wind. He shuddered. Charley had run off to see the effect of his | shot. ‘‘ There is nothing here!” he called back. ‘**O' course not,” replied Jack. He was gazing over bis head, Great shadows seemed flitting about the cavern in every direc- tion, At that moment he felt a slight shock, as if something striking his remnant of a torch, and the light was suddenly put out. ‘‘ Jack—Jack!” called Charley, in frightened tones, ‘Here I am, boy!” ioe beard Charley groping his way toward im. Soon they joined each other, and clasped hands in the darkuess, CHAPTER VIL. GOLGOTHA, “THs is the end of it all, Jack?” asked Charley, in a strang+ly-hushed voice, ‘* I reckon so, boy.” “Tf we could not. find our way out witha light, it is hopeless now,” **T don’t see nothin’ ag’in’ that.” “ And I led you into this, Jack, with my ob- stinate persistence, I'll never forgive myself— never!’ “ Don’t say jest nothin’ at all about that, boy. It’s all right. - Ye done what ye thought was fur the best. I know it wa’n’t you yerself, No man ain’t accountable when the devil gits after him. The best of us don’t stan’ no show buckin’ ag’in’ him,” ack, that’s the worst of it—that you should still believe that tbis is through Supernatural agency, I tell you it isa man or men that have overmatched us.” 5 ** Waal, I allow it won’t make much matter what we call it. Hyar we be—an’ to stay till the Judgment Day, I reckon.” '* Jack, we mustsnot give up the effort to find our way out. Accident may-favor us. Come, let's kesp moving while we have strength.” + sf All right, boy. Lead wharever ye want to go. |} Then they began to grope their way in that hopeless quest. ow long they continued thus, neither ever : ‘harley uttered # sharp cry. ‘* Look, Jack, look!” : He thrust out bis arm in the darkness, thouge of course Jack could not see which way pointed. But Jack’s eye also was caught by what had arrested his companion’s attention. It was a faint, yish-blue glare, of such odd character that they could not guess how far away it might be, ‘That is daylight!” cried Charley, wildly, ‘* Boy, boy! wait—wait!” ‘ For Charlev Would have. broken away, and rushed off toward the expected deliver- ance, ‘Wait? For what?) We dre saved! We have but to keep our eve on that light, That is the bright earth—the cloudless sky—the warm sunshine!” ‘* Boy, that’s the death-light !” * The death-light?” ‘Don’t ye see? . It’s blue!” ‘‘No, it is gray. It is a faint light on some stalactite.” ‘ ‘“‘T’'veseen the like o’ that lead men into quag- mires that hadn’t nary bottom to ’em. n't go that way. » Ye’ll walk straight into.a pitfall | 0? some kind.” ~ ind. “Nonsense, Jack! Must we see deliverance, am hae be held back by a foolish supersti- ion? ‘How did we get into this fix? By goin’ con- trary to Jack Mowbrav’s foolish superstitions! Book-larnin’ is good for some things—I don’t deny that; but I reckon as they don’t have all the savy o’ the world between covers, by a few. Seein’s believin’; an’ men has been seein’ the things ye call foolish superstition ever sence Adam was a boy. How did we git. into this fix, I say? By goin’ ag’in’ my advice every time. “But this, Jack—this surely is daylight! I admit that everything seems to favor your thepeys and yet you may be mistaken, after a J Jack sighed. ‘'Ye’re sot to do it,” he said, despondently, ‘It ain’t in the power o’ mortal man to go hither when the old ’un pases him yon! [I don’t blame ye—what is to be, will bel” Charley, who felt that he must save Jack even against his will, drew him forward with- out further argument. But, instead of coming out into the daylight, they stood in the presence of a spectacle w calculated to shake nerves so severely tried as theirs had been. Charley could not repress a shudder of icy dread. Jack, prepared for the worst, seemed unmoved. » They had entered a chamber about the walls of which were ranged a multitude of grinning skulls, giving forth from mouth, nose and eye- sockets a pale, phosphorescent glare, ‘ This byar’s yer daylight,” said Jack, Charley stared, speechless with horror. But the youth’s character had a_ thorough grounding in common sense, and though the strain on his nerves handicapped him in the struggle against that latent superstition which we all share in some degree, he soon recovered. “ Jack,” he said, ‘‘ there is nothing to fear here. We have only stumbled into an old In- dian burial place.” “Only a buryin’-ground!” repeated Jack, as if to admit tbat theory would not much bet- ter the case, ‘‘Bus dead bones cannot hurt us,” urged Charley, ‘‘ Dead bones don’t look at ye in that way.” ¥ Why that is only a phospborescent mold in , the sku “T allow that’s as good a way to put it as any. Them as has boo k-larnin’ has a word ready for ye ary way ye kin arguify. But when did ye ever see Injuns cuttin’ the heads off o’ their dead, an’ settin’ ’em around in. that vous and pens eunl in eee The * Nothin more common 4 PERL yeh Rome, and Paris and other old cies have thousands upon thousands of such skulls, “1 don’t know nothin’ about catty-combs, nur doggy-combs, nur bossy-combs; but this byar I do know:—we ain’t in Europe now; an’ no In- un never sarved his dead folks this byar way. earken to me while I’m a-tellin’ of ye-—no mar- tal man never put them things thar!” "Well, a mortal man wil them down, at any rate. e here, Jack:— these are lanterns made to our band; lanterns moreover that. won’t burn out, With two of these apiece, we sha!l bave light enough to grope. our way about with some little intellige It is one: more hope for life. It was a kindly Providence that turned our steps this way.” « Boy, don’t: tall sich blasphemy... It wa'n't Stop], nt the devil that sent us byar. Ye wouldn’t touch one o’ them. c bd no one stop! things An bim. back. take a couple of ; ? ugh ‘ : he. clutched Charley by the arm to hold “Oh, Jack! you put but one construction on , everything, | You torce, me to oppose you at every tarn. ; ‘‘ They'll do ye a mischief!—they’ll do ye @ mischief! Come away from hyar. Better be lost and die yohder in the dark, than fool with the devil’s handiwork!” , tf hiap0R thing I will prove to you, if noth- ng else. Q And with a quick wrench Charley broke away,and rupning forward, snatched two of the skulls from their resting-place, though it made bis flesh creep as he touched the cold, re- pulsivé things. ) Mele be Sue!’ be cried. “I have them, and nothing wonderful comes of it.” |. ‘Boy! boy! ye’re rusbin’ on to yer doom!” groaned Jack. Bt Charley thought.only of some desperate mea- sure to convince bis. comrade, * We'll see about,that,” he said. ‘Here I all the powers of the cave, if there be such ; def: to shee by any intelligible sign their displeasure at.my act!” . Promptly, as if anaworing blood curdling groan soun ed threugh the cav- to this challenge, ae
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ae = ‘ A Tough Boy. ” 9 : SS en ern, and several skulls turned in their places, seemingly of themselves. pheks So sh was our hero by this unexpected result, that he dropped the skulls he held, and sbrunk back in dismay. Aud Honest Jack—he who had never blanched before mortal man—now felt the blood recede from cheeks and lips, and flow in an icy current back upon bis heart, He could only — at the rashness of the youth whose acts kept bringing down upon them greater and greater horrors, After a moment of sickening dread Charley made one more desperate effort to rally. ‘* By all the fionds!” he shouted, *' I will not be overcome by this hocus-pocus! Dead men’s skulls cannot move without somé one or some- thing to move them, and I swear that I will find out what turned these, if I die for it!” With courage born of desperation he leaped upon the point of a stalagmite, and ‘reached a skull that had turned directly toward bim, as if to stave out of countenance the impious de- fier of the underground powers. He thought to find a string fastened to it by means of which some one in wo could make it seem to move without aid. But it came away in his hand, with notrace of anything such as he had imagined. oe * Boy! boy!” groaned Honest Jack. ‘Tl thought {had my eye on it, but it must have been the next one,” said Charley, not a little chagrined, but therefore rendered obsti- mate, ‘Pll unmask this trick, if I have to pull them all down, one by one!” ‘* For God’s sake, g ve over!” But Charley already had the next one in his hand; with the same result as before. His failureso enraged him that he dashed the offending skull to the earth, with ap oath, and leaped to seize the next. ’ ‘* He’s clean daft—possessed o’ the devil!” cried ‘Honest Jack. And springing forward he caught Charley in this arms, to restrain him from further sacrilege. ** Let me go!” cried the enraged youth through ‘his set teeth, struggling wildly. “pus Honest Jack’s muscles were steel, ‘*T must save ye from yerself,” he said, “It’s no part of a friend to give i over to the temptin’s 0’ the Evil One, Ye know I only go in’ te fur yer own good.” t it was most gall ng of all to be defeated by Jack's mistaken good intentions, and Charley f rrantically for freedom. of a sudden Jack’s arms fell away—so abruptly that Charley’s rage was cooled to perfect quiet, as a dash of cold water will stop the boiling of a caldron. > He stared at Jack breathlessly, to learn the cause of his unexpected release. é Jack—brave Jack--was cowering backward, his eyes wide, his teeth chattering, his knees smiting together. He was looking over his boy’s shoulder at some object of horror before which his manhood gave way utterly. At the same time sound, as of some heavy body being dragged or hitched along over the floor of the cavern, Our hero whirled round—and felt a sensation creep over his scalp as if ‘each particular hair roseonend, | a. Though the amount of light given out by each skull was not’great, there were so many of them that they illuminated the cavern with a ghastly, unnatural'glare. Objects could be seen clear across the chamber, yet so dimly and with such unusual effect, that the eye could not with certainty tell substance from shadow, except as the former might be in motion: This it was that drew the eye to a dark object which was coming slowly from behind one of the mites. At first it looked to Charley like some shaggy animal, injured or partially paralyzed, so that it could move only by dragging its hind quar- ters on the ground. But looking closer he made out a face—un- mistakably the face of the dwarf, with a bowie- knife held crosswise in his mouth! 4 He did not seem to notice the hunters; but his eyes were fixed straight before him, with a murderous greed in them. His course was not toward the horrified spec- like spring . tetors, but at right angles, across the further . €nd of the cavery. ‘ In that light his face was’ ghastly—the bluish white of a corpse. Sutidictinthe v But what froze the blood in the veins of the lookers-on was the presence of anotber figure unnoticed till now, —— Foliowing the direction of tue dwarf’s gloat- ing gaz+, they discovered what looked like a harley heard’ a shoffling: man he? with his bead on his arm, as one asleep, is face, turned toward them, was corse-like in its unearthly pallor. And now through the cavern sounded faint long-drawn wails and moans, that were blood- curdling in their dreary effect. Nearer and nearer crept the dwarf. They could see him pant with the lust of blood. His victim stirred not, And the hunters gazed as if turned to stone. Only Honest Jack kept whispering boarsely; “It’s Joe |—it's Joe !—it’s Joe !” Charley was paralyzed with horror, His feet were rooted to the spot where he stood. His lower limbs felt like lead. All the blood in bis body seemed to be seething in his brain, press- ne is eyeballs forward from their sockets. ut as the dwarf bent over his victim, and taking the knife from between his teeth, raised it above his head for the fatal plunge, the spell broke, The youth plucked his revolver from his hip, and fired shot after shot, until all its chambers were empty, at the face of the mur- derer, The shots had no more effect than so many blank cartridges! The dwarf gave no sign that he felt or heard them—that he was even awareof the presence of any one save himself and his intended vic- tim. The sleeper did not move! A moment the cruel knife was beld in sus- pense, while the eyeof the murderer fixed the exact spot beneath which lay the seat of life. Toen it fell like a bolt of ri geo burying its keen blade to the hilt in the breast of the sleeper. With a shriek of mortal anguish, the doomed wretch woke an struggled to his elbow his eyes flying wide, bis face drawn with pain and ter- tor But instead of looking at his assailant, he fixed his wild gaze upon the cowering intruders into this chamber of horrors. The dwarf heeded them no more than before, but drew forth bis knife for another blow. Its blade bad glittered; now it was dark! Once more he held it on bigh. The menaced man betrayed no knowledge of the dwarf’s vicinity; but his eyes seemed to plead with Honest Jack. Jack could endure this no longer, With a fierce cry he sprung forward to the aid of bis old cham, whom he fully believed to bea dis- embodied spirit, though be seemed to have thé fleshly form of humanity there before him. But he did not reach bis side, At his dt feet the earth seemed to yawn and belch fort sulpburous flame and smoke. The cavern was filled with a blinding glare; while it seemed as if all the fiends of the nether pit united in send- ing. up a chorus of yells, ' tanned, bewildered, Honest Jack reeled back, while the chamber echoed with the so of myriad footfalls, as if a panic-stricken host were flying in every direction through tne cor- ridors, Then fell the dead silence of the tomb, CHAPTER VIII. LURED TO AN UNKNOWN FATE. For a time Charley was as much stunned as his ‘“pardner.” But though bewildered, bis mind was not paralyzed by superstition, He naturally looked to see what had become of the two men who had been momentarily bid- he coo view by the sudden and intense glare 0) 1wot, They had vanished, eg F no trace behind, “Why, they are gone!” he cried involun: tarily. “Ofcourse. What d’ye expect?” asked Hon- est Jack. Not without some fears, yet sternly resolved not to be the dupe of trickery, if bold investiga- tion would prevent, Charley hurried over to the spot where the murderer and his victim had last been visible. He examined the floor of the cavern, stooping te bring his eyes closer to the ground, “What is it, boy?” asked Jack, from where he stood. . Charley rose and looked about him, seeming to snuff the air. Fibs Then with his eyes flashing, bis lips set firm, his head erect, and his atepilite that of a con- queror, he walked back, deliberately took down two more skulls; and said: re One = pec ’ payed ca, PE ay ‘Woat is it y? said Jack again, reluc- tantly following veh: na Mette! Charley held the skulls so that their vague the: light was cast directly upon the floor of the cavern, * What do you see there?” he asked. ‘“A black smudge, whar the brimstun come up and the spooks went down,” replied Jack, ** Not so fast,” objected Charley. ‘‘ You see a black smudge. The rest is inference—mere guess- work.” ¥ ‘* But we seen the brimstun burn, an’ the spooks—whar be they? Whar do sich-like ginerally go to?” ‘“What do you see in the air about our heads?” asked Charley. Jack looked about on every side, *‘ Nothin’,” he answered, ‘*Oh, yes you do,” insisted Charley, ‘‘ You see a cloud of white smoke that was not here a minute ago.” ; ; rag o’ course, an’ sméll it too,” admitted ack, ‘* Did you ever see or smell anything like thas. before?” ‘* Brimstun,” Charley laughed. “When we have made up our. mind to. one thing, bow blind. we are to everything else,” he said. ‘Jack, your ghosts bave one charac- teristic of the earth earthy.” ‘* An’ what's that?” ‘‘They burn good honest powder!” Jack smiled sadly. : **I know how it looks to you, boy,” he said. ‘‘T’'d say the same anywhar but byar. But see, how easy it is, as you say, to see only what ye want to see, an’ to furgit what ye don’t want t remember. You fired six shots into that ornery critter at ten paces, an’ J _know that you know how to shoot, Then whar did ye ever see a galoot that was bullet-proot before this’n?” “It does seem strange,” admitted C s the old bewilderment coming back upon him, spite of bis struggle to it. ‘' But there must be some natural explanation for all that,” ‘‘Ye'll never give it up, 1 know,” sighed Jack, ‘I don’t look to see ye.” He turned, while Charley had his eyes still fixed eentne on the smudge-spot, “ c 4 Bat Jack made no answer, Charley looked up inquiringly. ; ang hunter stood in an attitude of rapt atten- tion. ia ‘* What is the matter?” asked Charley, struck by his manner, “Hark!” whispered Honest Jack, raising his hand to —— silence, q Charley listened. < From somewhere—he could judge neither the . distance nor the direction—be beard the regular clank !—clank !—clank ! of ponderous: cha’ as if some heavily-ironed prisotfer were slowly — pacing his dungeon, They waited breathlessly. The sound w louder, ; “It i: coming this way!” breathed Charley, peeling a shiver go through him at the omi ; sound, : Wy 2 VIO» Jack said not a word. He seemed stupefled. ‘* Jack! what is the matter with you?” whis- pered his companion, seizing upon bis hand, to. rouse him, ' ae ‘ti The band was like ice. The bold hunter | trembled perceptibly. His eyes were set in one direction, The cloud of gray smoke that filled the cham- ber hung in the air like a pall, making the place even more gloomy. a(n yee w Charley strained his eyes, but could see nothing. geltondA Clank !-—clank !—clank! It drew nearer and nearer, until it came, within the chamber, oO tut Then they saw it—a man, seemingly, in a: flowing black robe, which fell from his sboul+ ders to the ground, hiding. the chains (if they were real metal of the earth), with which he was shackled. The folds of bis dress were. traced with the same pale, blue light, which shone from the skulls, so that the outlines of | his figure could be made out as he walked in the dark. His face; too, Jooking coer na white: when he came within the space lighted by the skulls, was faintly luminous when be stood jn the shadow, producing an effeey more weird and startling than avything our friends bad fuan4 ; - yet witnessed. we el ‘*Look, boy! J#’s Jor }—it’s Joe /” gasped; Jack, pointing at the man, who moved like'a see Php oa ooking neitber to the right nor to ft, beeding nothing. | ran ¢ beds *“* And see! see!—my God! the blood!” ta Charley recognized the face of the man. he had just seen stabb-d by thedwarf. He walked, with his head hanging on his breast, his eyes on
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10 the ground. At rae step a small jet of dark fluid, the sight of which made Charley shudder, spurted from his breast. i Desperately the youth struggled against the agony of dread that seiz*d upon him. But he could not resist the effect of Jack’s disturbance, greater now than ever tefore. He remained’ with his arm extended toward the dread object, slowly turning as it passed along directly over the spot where they had just stood. He stared at it unwinkingly, with glassy and bulging eyes, repeating below his breath: “It's Joe |—it’s Joe !—it’s Joe!” The apparition crossed the chamber without heeding; but at the mouth of a corridor he turned, looked fixedly at Jack for some seconds, and then slowly raised his arm with a beckon- ing. motion. hrice he nay ese his gesture, the chains hidden by the flowing sleeve of bis gown clank- ing dismally. “ Hyar, pardner, hyar!—I’m comin’!” gasped Honest Jack, with his eyes starting from his » head, bis jaw dropped, and his breath coming in spasmodic pants. The specter turned and strode slowly on. Honest Jack followed, step by step, as if drawn by some outside force, “ Jack! Jack! for God’s sake you are not go- ing to follow him into the darkness?” was Char- me dismayed appeal. ut Jack's faculties seemed chained as by fas- cination. ** Jack! Jack!” And Charley ei oe hold of him to stop him. But bis strength was as nothing. e was drawn along; the bunter making no effort to free himself, nor indeed’ heeding his boy, but going forward steadily, as if not held. So they went, Charley no longer able to re- sist, but hugging close:to his partner, all his strength of will now swallowed up in blind, un- reasoning fear. At the mouth of each new corridor, after crossing a chamber—(all was’ pitch-dark; and they could tell corridors from chambers only by the echoes)—the specter turned, gazed for a moment, while they, too, stood still, breathless and then slowly waved his arm: thrice, still beckoning them on, And still they followed, piercing deeper and deeper into the Stygian labyrinth. wally they. beard the’ sound of flowing water; and asthey entered a chamber their specter guide re turned round, and held up his band, checking their, advance. They stopped, cowering together and clinging to each other. Then their guide, with his vacant eyes fixed on Jack tothe last, slowly sunk from view, as if going down into the earth. Jack,” whispered Charley, ‘that is running water—an underground river,” ‘The same that we seen take in the dwarf,” — Jack,’ ‘It’s ha’nted by pore Joe’s sper- Charley shuddered in spite of himself. ‘Let us go away,” be said. “No,” objected Jack. “I reckon he ain’t brung us byar fur nothin’. Tbhar’s no use a-buck- in’ @ in’ sperrits an’ sich,” r Charley thought that he heard some one breathing near him. : Jack beard it to». “They're all around us,” be said, as if that were a matter of course, And indeed it seemed as if he spoke the truth. Shrinking closer to his companion, Charley gazed about, straining his eyes wide in the vain effort to pierce the darkness, But Jack, who bad been steadily tace di- rectly before bim, suddenly tightened his grip on his boy’s hand. “ Look! look!” he whispered. And Charley saw. The specter was again rising slowly into view, _ apparently ata greater distance than be- ore, . ‘When he stood clearly revealed, he beckoned again, with his slow, majestic movement. Charley felt Jack’s muscles grow rigid. The specter waved them forward, Jack advanced a step. Charley, clinging to his arm, held back. ‘For God's sake, Jack! he will draw us into the river.” Jack answered not a word. The waved his arm once more, Jack advanced another step; as if drawn by an irresistible power. ** Jack! Jack! you must rouse yourself, Let us go back. Come! it will require but one ef- | ponsible for all this. ted? A Tough Boy. —— —_— fort to break away from this horrible fascina- tion. But the specter still commanded; and step by step Jack still obeyed. % God! what can I do?’ cried Charley, in an agony of despair indescribable. ‘‘ 1 am re- But for my obstinate per- sistence, we should never have entered this ac- cursed place. He tried to stop me; and now I cannot restrain him. Jack! Jack! where is your manhood} Are you a coward, that you allow yourself to be so overcome?” But Jack made noreply. His muscles were as tense as bars of steel. He was breathing with the rasping respiration of a man in nightmare. Step by step he drew nearer and nearer the fa- tal plunge, dragging his boy after bim; for, un- consciously doubtless to himself, his hand had closed about Charley’s like an iron clamp. Despairing of saving his ‘‘ pardner ” from the fate to which he was walking, the natural in- stinct of self-preservation turned Charley’s thoughts to his own safety; and as they reached the very brink of the river whose ceaseless flow seemed to woo them to its deadly embrace, he sought to free his hand, only to find it beld fast, Youth does not readily sacrifice itself on the altar of friendship, or any other. The life cur- rents beat warm and high in the breast of our young bero. Death was an enemy to be fought to the last gasp. But, though now he began to struggle with frantic energy, the giant bunter was'as immov- able as a pillar of granite. So they stood on the very brink of the grave, there in the darkness, buried no one could tell how deep away from the sunlit world. And still the specter waved them on. But now Jack stood motionless. ’ He could:hear the river flowing beneath him, its surface an unknown distance below the bank on the verge of which he stood. Was he daun- Charley made a last wild appeal, “‘ Jack! Jack! for God’s sake, are you. deter- mined to drown us both?” Jack stood still, And the invisible throng whose bepansing only they could hear, seemed to have gathere av their backs, as if to push them over, if need be. { Again the specter beckoned, his eyes now be- come, stern, Jack dvew his foot to the side of the, one for- ward. Would be step outupon the empty air, aud go plunging down! down! into that night- shrouded abyss? He paused; he hovered on the very brink! he seemed todraw bimself together; then with a cry as if his very soul tore itself away from the thralldom that had thus far bound it, he leaped back, turning to rush headlong away through the impenetrable darkness. He bad taken searcely a step when be plunged into what might have been a troop of bears, or (if such things were) of shaggy satyrs. Whatever it was, the force of bis huge body bore it to the ground, and they rolled in a mass. Then followe/ a mad struggle! Charley felt himself sized by foes of whom be knew only that they were-hairy. They might be counterparts of the hideous dwarf. They seemed innumerable, They uttered snarling cries and inarticulate chatterings, like beasts. It seemed as if they would tear him limb from limb. It was horrible beyond words! Struggle as desperately as he might he was overpowered, plucked up from the ground b arms and legs, swung once forward and bac and flung into the air, 2 A moment of awful, agonizing suspense, while be awaited an unknown fate, then a splash;and the waters of that underground river closed over his head! He felt that he was in the icy clutch of death! CHAPTER IX, A NEW HAND IN THE GAME. Charley swam like a cork, so he would have no fears from the water, if only the open rky had been above his head. But the feeling that every moment was bearing him deeper into the bowels of the earth, to an unimaginable fate, filled him with an insane panic which left but one aim—to reach some shere, and stay bis rogress away from life, away from light, away rom the haunts of all God’s creatures who knew the blessed sun! ; Striking out with all his might, be fought the mad fight for life in silence, with no thought of his ‘‘ pardner,” either to give aid or receive it. Honest Jack’s experience was not different from Charley’s, save that bis Herculean strength enabled him to offer a more stubborn resistancé to his bairy antagonists, and so delay. for a time the inevitable plunge. But the g fight ended in a stunning blow, which left him with just sense enough to keep his head above water, but with no clear knowledge of his situation, Therefore be too was silent, and beither of the aaeeeas, as yet, knew anything of the other’s ate, Charley swam without result uptil nearly ex- hausted, not, however, by the length of time, but by the vebemence of his efforts, when it occurred to him that, borne along in tbe stream, he of course had no clew as to its diree- tion, and was as likely to swim with or against the current as across it, In fact, his course,bad been almost down-stream; and the set of the water from the bauks toward mid-channel had prevented him frcm nearing the side. Changing bis direction, he presently struck the rocky roof, of such a slope that it forced his head under water. For a moment be thought that all was over, that the river filled the.mere culvert. through which it ran, leaving no space for him to breathe in. Then he.knew the mad terror of struggling hand to hand witb death. And such a death!— more horrible than anything he had ever im- agined. When be got from under the haunch of the arch, so that there was room for his head to come up, he for a time could 'do notbing but. gesp. But be must know how cramped was the space above his head. He shouted, and was frezen with horror at the result. He thrust up bis hand, and it came im contact with and glided swiftly along a smooth surface, slimy with fungus growth, and (so he imagined, with a sbudder of disgust) leeches and slugs, and such loathsome creatures as it makes the flesh ar to touch! So near had death stooped! How soon wovld it close down upon him forever? Yet, were it not welcome, so it came,quickly?, How could he endure to drift— Whither?. Into what aw- ful reservoir of the earth? Could imagination picture what repulsive forms of animal life might barbor in such a place?) Was he to be the prey of some hideous devil-fish?—some monster without name among men? A sudden shock and— He sat astride upon arock. How he got there be could not have told, There are moments which lie just between life and death, when men can give uo account of their actions, But he was there!—and his heart bounded with exquisite delight; though just wherein lay the advantage of his present position bo would probably have found it difficult to explain.» His second thought was of bis ‘‘ pardner.” Jack! Jack!” he cried, “Eb, boy? You are alive? Thank God!” “This way,old man! Iamonarock. Never ye,” came the repl say die! Hurrah!” ‘Too late! Vm past from lower down. ‘ -by, boy !~good-by !’? Charley’s voice sounded clear, proof that there was a considerable space above hishead. Jack’s parting salute was muffled, as if coming through a flue. ** Jack—Jack!” he shouted frantically. But no sound came back. His faithful friend had gone on down the culvert-like passage through which flowed this river of night. The awful suspense of that moment brought strange fancies to bis brain, The invisible rocks that shut him in seemed to recede until they were as far away as the sky that spans the actual] eartb,and to form a starless firmament over a boundless sea, in midst of which jutted ¥P the solitary crag to which be clung alone— oh! how awfully alone!—the sole survivor in a wrecked world, wra in darkness that no pitying ray of light would pierce forever- more In the agony of that indescribable desolation, he shrieked out: ‘* Help—help! oh, God!” Meanwhile, Honest Jack was being hurried on to his unknown destiny. The stout-hearted bunter had faced death a hundred times withou' flinching; but that was in such forms as seemed to. haye the warrant of pature. The circumstances which attended bis present peril were appalling. But he had not long to endure the horrors conjured by superstitious fancy. Suddenly his head struck the stone roof, and he went under with a gurgle, The water filled its passage full! e shock took him so unawares, and his im- mersion followed so at once, that he had not >
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time to properly take breath. But that seemed What signified a few seconds This, then, was of little moment. more or less? All was over. the end! There was no frantic strugglé, no battling hand to hand with death. His faculties seemed to swoon into the stupor of utter helplessness. Consciousness was at the last ebb, when sud- denly the world burst once more into light, and he found himself creeping on hands and knees, and belching and coughing the water from bis galley and windpipe; while the dazzling sun- ight of broad day blinded him, so that he had no clear idea of just what had happened. When he had collected his scattered wits he found that he was seated on the margin of a stream, a little distance below where it flowed from the base of a cliff like a boiling caldron. The river that bad ingulfed Joé and the dwarf at one side of the cliff had vomited him forth to the world again at the other. ‘An’ the boy might have escaped the same wavy, if he hadn’t struck that rock,” he reflected anxiously. ‘* Now he’ll hang on ontil he’s near- ly dead, an’ then go to the bottom like a plum- met, Luck’s dead ag’in’ him all ‘round.” He still clung to the belief that everything connected with the affair was controlled by supernatural agency; and yet he dared not leave the spot, for fear that the body of bis boy might make its appearance with life not quite ex- tinct, So the faithful fellow watched through tbree days and and nights, without food or sleep. Then, almost on the borders of delirium, he gave up the fruitless vigil. ‘‘ It’s no use,” he sighed. “They’ve got bim shore! Ef the old ’un hadn’t a band in it, he’ a? dropped into the water by this time, an’ come down with the current. Pore boy! pore young- ster! Then, haggard and wild-eyed,-he might have been seen staggering among the crags, painful- ly making his way toa mining camp of which he knew, muttering to himself and shaking bis head despondently. After the Indian outbreak Ridley had risen nomix ike on its old site, but re-christened ‘anyon City. The old-time flume and “cradle” had given place to the’ seen c eaten quartz- crusher. The one squeaky fiddle, to the music of which the boys had ‘‘ hoed it down” in their “stag walk-rounds,” would have been ‘‘no- whar” in the crack dance-house where the new set held their revels, And card-sharps and road-agents— But it is enoug tosay that Can- yon City was a panuking little place, with all the modern improvements, When half-famished and half-crazed Honest Jack stagzered into Bob Willet’s place, the bub- bub Caneel, and he became the center of curi- ous observation. “Gents,” he said, ‘ef so be you've got ary bit o’ Christian grab layin’ around loose, let’s have it thunderin’ quick. His wants were supplied, with a proper check upon his ravenous appetite; for they had seen men in his condition before, men who returned from a solitary prospecting tour with just strength enough to creep into the presence of their fellows and beg their charity, He then slept without break for twenty-four hours; and woke with a bole inside of bim—so he said—as big as a barn-loft. When this was comfortably filled with a “square” meal, be told his story; and great was the marvel thereat. It spread through the camp like wild-fire in the prairic-grass, soon reaching the ears of a grave-looking gentleman, who had come to the camp only that day, istering himself as Mr. Watson of New York, he had at once been dubbed “J udge.” It was supposed that he was a capitalist, ‘‘ takin’ the lay o’ things on the quiet;” and much def- erence was shown him by tbe “solid men” of Canyon City. “ On hearing of Honest Jack and his wonderful experience, Mr: Watson sought him out at once, introduced himself, and Oy pe an interview. At sight of him Honest Jack’s jaw dropped, and he stared blankly, “My face probably seems familiar to you,” suggested Mr. Watson. “It do, stranger, for a fact,” admitted Jack. ‘¢] am Charley Grover’s uncle,” was the quiet announcement. “His uncle! Ef the Lord had only sent yo @ leetle sooner! But it’s too late now-—too late!— too late!” “What is this strange story I hear, as com- ing from you?” Jack went over the experience of the eventful days since Charley’s discovery of the cave. Mr. Watson listened with no marked outward expression of feeling, though for all that he felt deeply the uncertainty which shrouded the fate of his nephew, until Jack came to Cbarley’s announcement that he had found his cousin, sup- posed to be dead since childhood. Then he rose to his feet, peers oof as pale as death. “ What!—my child?” he cried, buskily, brush- ing his band across his forehead. ‘ Pardner,ye’d better take somethin’ to stiddy er narves,” suggested Jack, pushing across to bis side of the table the bottle of wine which Mr. Watson had opened. “You look powerful bad. But ye ain’t to think that this was a inooine flesh-an’-blood gal, ye onderstand. Jouldn’t the Old ’Un give her the look of ary one he pleased?” But Mr. Watson broke in with a storm of bur- ried questions touching the person of the dwarf; then, while his head seemed to swim with the tide of strong emotions, he again staggered to his feet, muttering: ‘¢The same! the same! the very same!” pOee seizing Jack’s arm, he went, on bur- riedly: ‘**My dear sir, I rely on you to help me where you alone can be of service. You bave shown strong affection for my nephew—so strong that: you willingly exposed yourself to what you velieved to be more than mortal peril, rather than leave him to face the hazard alone,” “Why, stranger,” said Honest Jack, as if in this all was said, ‘* he was my pardner 1” Mr. Watson caught at the feeling which makes the tie of ** pardnership ” closer than brotherhood. “ And, if alive, is your partner still?” he said. “ Ah, yes!—if alive!” sighed Jack, with a re- gretful shake of the head. ‘Tf dead he must have come down with the current. If we fail to find his body in the stream, that will be evidence that he is still ay to the rock,” ‘* Boss, they could wipe him out, ef they was so minded, so clean that thar wouldn’t be a grease-spot left!” ‘* But are you willing to rest in such a doubt? If he is alive, don’t you love him enough to run the hazard for the second time in the hope of being able to rescue bim?” ‘* Stranger, ef 1 knowed he was alive, I’d have him out o’ thar ef I had'to blast the bull mountain out,” “Will you then guidé me to the spot and aid in the exploration of the underground river! I will make it well worth your while—” ‘Hold on, boss!” said Honest Jack, with a sudden air of dignity, ‘ Jack Mowbray ain’ta hireling. Ef yeowned the Comstock ye wouldn’t have enough o’ the filthy to pay me fur reskyin’ my own pard!” ‘* Well, then, you will place me under undyin obligations. I fully believe that a pitying Provi- dence has at last sent us in the way of my lost cbild, Oh! if she is given back to us, it may be the means of turning aside another calamity which now hangs over me like a menacing shadow. My wite, the poor child's mother, who has never ceased to brood over her early Joss, is now brought to the brink of the grave by the death of our only remaining child. This restor- ation will give her something to live for. I am rich, so that I can get any number of men to aid Be our search, lask you to act as our ea, d “Stranger, take a fool’s advice, an’ give that thar cave a wide berth.” ‘*Excuse me if I do not share your belief in the supernatural. Ido not question your state- ment of facts as they seem to you.” “T onderstand ye. But you'll find that the men o’ this ne camp are 0’ my opinion.” “Then I will go for help elsewhere; and if in the end I can get nobody who will venture with me, I will go alone,” - ‘-Ye’re’ as sot, I see, as the boy,” said Jack who never let true pluck pass without its meed of admiration. “ But it shall never be said that Jack Mowbray took a back seat when thar was them as was tryin’ to pull his pard out of a hole. Ye don’t go into no cave alone, ye onderstand. Fetch on yer men; an’ ef thar’s any as is ready to foller whar 1 darsen’t lead, use me fur an oven-swab!” Honest Jack got on his feet with a look of dauntless resolution on his face. Mr. Watson gripped his hand. ‘* With God’s help, we'll rescue them yet!” CHAPTER X, WHO DARES? A MOMENT later a man stood 'befor2 Bob Wil- let’s saloon, with his hands held about bis mouth A Tough Boy. eC so as to collect the sound, shouting at the top of his lungs:— ‘¢Oh yes! oh yes! OH YES!’ The effect of this primitive way of .calling a meeting was quickly seen. Men flocked from every direction, witb looks of the liveliest curi- osify, Eager discussion of what was up” arose as soon as any two got within bailing distanve of each other. But no one could give any Mr. Watson got up on a nai harangue the crowd, Knowing that the story had probably grown in wonders as it passed from lip, to lip, be first picked out the bare facts, and bad Jack admit to the crowd that just that and nothing more bad happened. In this be showed bis shrewd- ness; for, as told by him, the story was shorn of much of the mystery that it bad received from Jack's lips im the first. telling, By his choice of words he left the marvels half explain- ed; so that when he went on to sbow that the whole thing might have been done by trickery, he did not seem to bave very much to account for, after all, It was all doneso glibly, yet with such seem- ing fairness, that though Jack felt that there was something “crooked” about it, he could not tell just where the “twist of the wrist’ eame in, Morecver, having struck bands with Mr, Watson, it was not for him to put obstacles in his path; so he raised no objections, ‘““Now, gentlemen,” concluded the speaker. ‘whether you fully agree with me or not, I think I can make it worth your while to rup some risk in this matter, I want twenty-five men to help me ransack that cave from-one end information, unti} - keg and began to to the other, I will give you fifty dollars apiece if we find my nephew, dead or alive, and one hundred dollars if we find my child; and the man who first lays bis band on either of them gets an extra hundred.” ‘* An’ the fun throwed in!” shouted one who counted that the biggest pore of tbe inducement, “Whoop! count me in that thar crowd, jedge! My name is Hell fire Bill, an’ 1 was raised on brimstun’ an limburgher!” This reckless fellow spoke the right word at the right time. The crowd took their cue from bim, and Mr. Watson found himself besieged by those eager to go, He had but to select the best men, who were at once called ‘‘the paid gang,” to distinguish — them from the crowd of volunteers who swore | that they would not be left bebind when there was any fun afoot, : While willing to let. as many go as cbose, Mr, Watson was wise enguad to separate the men om whom his main dependence was to ‘be placed, and to properly organize and officer them, So Canyon City almost toa man set out for the haunted cave, Arrived at the mouth, their leader again ad- dressed them: “Now, gentlemen, what we want isa lot of torches and a raft,” They were soon got. By dividing bis force into several exploring: ies, Mr. Watson was enabled to greatly ares the labor of examining every part of the , cave, while by leaving a gears in each chamber he avoided the danger of having played upon him the trick that had led the first adventurers astray. So the galleries were soon streaming in every direction with men lighted by flaring torches; the clang of their heavy boots, the muffled growl of their base voices, were enough to frighten the ghouls of whom they were in quest, They found no chamber of skulls; but in time they reached a Maes where their further PS ress was Checked by a yawning black gui, in he bottom of which flowed a river of jet, Flaring their torches down into the abyss, they could see the swift-flowing water ten feet below. It came from one blackness and passed on into another. ‘« Here we are, gentlemen,” said Mr. Watson. ‘“Now for the raft, and the man who has nerve enough to venture down that stream.” The men gazed, but stood silent. To be in COMMA RE with the firm earth under your feet, is one thing; to venture alone on such a voyage— They felt fine chills creeping along their spines! The raft was brought and launched, after a. long coil of heavy and a similar one of light rope had been;fastened to it. ** Perhaps we had better begin by fixing a torch on the raft, and letting it float down as far as we can see it,” suggested Mr. Watson, “1f we can draw it back without accident, that. will be some assurance of safety.” This idea was acted upon.
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- 12 As the raft floated down on the tide, the torch seemed to be swallowed up by a black- throated monster. It quickly disappeared, not from a bend in the course of the stream, but because the roof of its channel’ soon descended until it seemed almost to touch the surface of the water. This was not calculated to awaken confidence. If anything, the men gained a clearer idea of the peril that awaited whoever dared breve it. They stood round with lowering brows. and compressed lips. Nothing was said aloud, but one muttered to a chum: **Pard, ye hyear me? The man who goes down thar is gobbled up off o’ that thar thing, as sure as shootin’!” Twoor three nearest him turned their heads; and though they did not catch his words, his looks deepened their feeling of dread. ‘“* Draw back the raft!” ordered Mr. Watson, who felt the sudden damper on the enthusiasm of his followers. The raft was drawn back, bringing the torch ogi into view as from the mouth of the nether D apt The same man who had spoken before now muttered agains “4 yes in’t takin’ torches when ‘they kin git men Mr, Watson looked his way, but he had elunk from sight. ‘‘ Well, gentlemen, who is willing to make the venture?” ‘Tbe men stood in gloomy silence, looking not at their leader, nor at one another, ‘but at the blackness which seemed to be waiting to devour them. Kt ‘** Has no one the courage?” The quiet tone of the speaker stung every se: present. They winced, and their brows knit more tightly dnd their lips were more firmly locked. But no one stepped forward; no one spo wen five hundred dollars be any induce- ment?” f The men looked now into one another’s faces. Each wished to see if some one else was ready to put his life in the balance against a sum of money. For a moment there rei Then all were e ack’s. “* Boss,” he said, deliberately, ‘“‘as I told ye, Jack Mowbray ain’t a-takin’ no money fur sar- vin’ bis pard. But I’m the man thatain’t afeard to go down that way ag'in. Ef so be I don’t come back— Waal, I reckon it won’t be no great loss to nobody as I leave behind.” ‘Mr. Watson grasped his hand ream ny) ““My brave fellow!” he exclaimed, ‘ believe me, I do not like to expose you to that peril again, 1 will not pretend that it is less than- it is. A dip in the roof may force you under the water, or a bend in the channe: may make it possible for us to draw you back.” “ That’s all co-rect, But ef I git nipped, I'll bon arg chances 0’ goin’ through as I did be- “How ean Le titude to you?” 7 *'Don ‘t try. ed prefound silence. ress my raft. "4 ; ‘Several torches were handed to bim, one of them ted. Sow ; Lying down on his side, so as to go feet-first into the opening, he held the torch in bis right pono and the end of a small signal line in bis * Good-by, boys,” he said. “Let her down Vv, : f ; ? “Don’t take too much risk,” urged Mr. Wat- son, who now n to feel nervous over the tremendous risk to which he was exposing a‘fel- low-creature. ‘‘ Remember, if you finda cross corridor, you are to plant a couple of torches and come back. Then we can explore further until we find the spot, and start in again from that point.” - | ° ‘* All right, Cap. Now let ’er go.” oe Watson held the signal-line in tremblin ands: 4°. 5 . é Several men held the cable to which the raft . was attached, paying it out carefully. ‘In profound silence, in which every one heard his heart beat, the raft drifted down on the tide, | pees | g the brave adventurer out of sight. All ‘stood breathless, as if waiting for some cry of distress or fear to come’ from the black ‘mouth’ of the tunnel.” | And still the rope glided snake-like through” their hands, and )-0 signal came)” - rT ‘*How far bas be gone?’ asked Mr. Watson, Coe ee ‘in a hoarse whisper, when it seemed as if that by a voice—Honest | - member I’m doin’ it fur the Without more ado be let himself down on the: A Tough Boy. | silent ay pare could be endured no longer. Sam Wooton, whose general store had — plied the rope for the occasion, looked critically at ~e coil which was slowly lifting, round after round, ‘Thar was a thousand feet in that thar coil,” he replied, ‘‘an’ I allow it’s nigh onto half out.” Mr. Watson drew in a tremulous breath, as he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Again silence reigned. Now the men watched the slowly unwinding coil with a sort of fascination. ‘* Cap,” suddenly called out Sam Wooton, who was at the head of the gang on the tow-line, ‘*thar’s somethin’ up!” CHAPTER XI. A DEATH-TRAP, ‘Wat's the matter?’ asked Mr. Watson, poi checking the flow of the signal line through his fingers. “ The strain is off this tow-line.” is ay cannot be. See! you are holding back on it. ‘* Yes, against the draught of the current on the line. That would draw all the same, ef thar was nothin’ at theend of it. But whar’s the weight o’ the raft?” ‘* Surely you must be mistaken,” cried Mr. Watson, in a quavering voice, ‘*Not much! See! I can hold this alone, Let up thar, boys.” They didas be ordered; and the comparative ease with which he resisted the tug of the rope proved his words. “The raft cannot have broken loose!” ex- ‘claimed Mr. Watson, tremulously, now giving a utterance to the fear that had sprung at once into his mind. “I should have felt the sudden strain on the line.” ' i “It may have run aground,” suggested am, “But we should have got a signal from him.” “Trv him with one.” Mr. Watson acted on the sugges:ion nervously. No reply came. Again he sent tho question: “ What shall we do?” There was no sign of intelligence from the other end of the line, ' Mr. Watson despaired. “ Youtry,” he said to Wooton. ‘ My nerves are all unstrung. I can’t tell whether I feel a faint reply. or not.” “‘ Hold ’er,: boys,” said Sam, who had never had’ any consciousness of nerves in his iron body. _ Leaving the tow-rope to his assistants, be took the signal line from Mr. Watson’s shaking, hands. He drew it back and forth, as a fisherman does his trolling line, ‘feeling it.” * You've let it go slack,” be said. bli Then he drew it in, hand over hand, until it was taught. “There's yer raft, fast enough,” be. said showing that the line resisted any effort to pull it in further, : “Thank God!” breathed Mr. Watson, fer- vently. ‘Now lose no time sigualing him.” Som slackened the rope.a little, gave four quick jerks, and then held fast. A breathless silence of a moment, Then he pee again, » Another interval, without re- sults, " : * Boss,” declared Sam, positively, ‘‘ ef thar’sa live maa at the other end o’ that thar line, he ain’t signalin’—not to-day!” bs ‘* But the raft is there?” ‘* Run aground on a rock, I sbould say.” “Then what bas become of him?’ ‘Yow tell.” “Men!” criei Mr. Watson, now quaking from bead to foot, “draw back the raft with- out a moment’s delay. This must go no fur- ther.” « Sam Wooton went back to his post. 4 Stiddy, boys!” be cautioned... ‘ Now, all together! , They drew on the line, It came home per- haps two or three yards, and then»abruptly stopped, resisting their efforts as stubbornly as if tied to a ship’s anchor. 6% ** It’s no use, boss,” said one of the men, ‘ What's the matter?” cried Mr, Watson, ner- vously. ; ’ She’s aground solid,” replied Sam. ‘* Ef the Old ’Un_hisself hain’t aholt o’ t?other end!” muttered the man who had twice before given vent to his superstition, -“ But what is to be done?” cried Mri Watson. “ We cannot leave it so... Here, men! take hold, more of you.” They did so, but with no heartiness, For the first time Mr, Watson noticed that a look of sullen discontent was general among them. They had the air of men who were on the point of mutiny. Sam Wooton saw this too, and a flash of anger came into his eyes, “Bear a band hyar. Come! come! lively!” he cried, with a sternness that plainly ‘“‘ meant business.” ‘‘ Now then!—all together!” As they swung back he ran his eye over them. “Hallo, thar, you sodgers!” he shouted, with an oath. ‘‘ Ye ain't half pullin’. How in blazes d’ye suppose we're goin’ to fetch ’er that wer Once more, now!’ ut after exchanging glances, the men dropped the rope, as by common consent. ‘ Sam Wooton, who understood what this moiarie® a round oath of indignant rage. r that thar raft was only run aground, we’d ’a’ started ’er, ur fetched somethin’ away, shore. J know as it’s onlucky to pull any more ag’in’ that thar line, an’ fur one, I’m done!” A murmur of approval ran through the crowd, the men exchanging glances to see that they were all agreed, ‘‘ Boys,” continued the speaker, “the last man out o’ hyar may git left!” And taking a torch from a man who bad held several while their previous bearers were pulling on the tow-line, he was about to lead an instan- taneous retreat, in which he would have bad no lack of prompt following. ‘‘ But, gentlemen,” protested Mr. Watson. He would bave been helpless; but there was a more vigorous actor on the scene—one who understood better the men with whom be had to the rope which be now alone held, gan to run out, drawn by the tide, he sprung before the ers, and faced them with a brace of drawn revolvers, ‘Hold on, gepts!” be cried, ‘ Enough’s enough, but too much is aplenty. You knew me, an’ ye know | ain’t the galoot to stand no funny business. When I say biz, it’s biz every time! Waal, it’s biz pow, you bet! The man who goes by me goes out feet first!” Before this round challenge the crowd ‘‘ took "ee nacbio wed ne man _to parley. Sam Wooton caugbt sen up before he had two words out of bis mouth, ‘Tom Busby, you're jest the man to put the first hand to that rope, You see it’s runnin’ out mighty fast. It won’t pay you to let more’n about ten rounds more run off’n that thar coil. One! two! three! four! five! six! seven—” A glance down the barrel of the revolver that was leveled at a point directly between his eyes, and Busby caught the line and stopped its pro- ress, . on Now, gentlemen, don’t be barsbful!” said Wooton, sarcastically. Sullenly they took bold of the rope. ‘Now, at the word—go!, One, two—fetch ‘er bome, boys!” They did ‘‘ fetch ’er home” with such a will that oy went over backward in a hea ‘The rope bas parted!” gasped Mr. Watson. ‘¢ Phar’s no lie in that,” admitted Sam. ‘‘ Pull it in, boys.” ‘ It was drawn in and coiled down, several hundred feet of diipping bemp, with a ragged end, ‘*My God! and J sent him to bis death!” groaned the unhappy man., The crowd stood around glowering meek iy Sam Wooton looked like a man who had nothing to suggest, but was waiting for orders, "While they stood thus, mute, the mountain was shaken as if the earth rocked to its center, and the cave reverberated with roar sugb as no one present bad ever heard before. A moment of breathless dismay, in which the men looked wildly into each other’s eyes; a united yell of blind ter:or, then a rush, pell- mell, , Mr. Watson, powerless to stem the tide, was still not swept along by it. He stood paniieres, yet with no pu _of abandoning bis pos without some further effort t+ rescue the braye man whom he felt: he bad sent down to death, He would soon have found himself in_ solitude and darkness, since he held no torch, had not Sam Wooton clutched bim by the arm and drag- ged him along, sbouting: “Step out, man! Don’t ye see that. this hyar ain’t no time fur stoppin’ to palaver? ter these rats have all scuttled out, how'll ye find ws
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yer way back to daylight alone—hey? Step out, ef ye don’t want to git left. I can’t carry er.” Mr. Watson realized the peril that menaced him; and though be was the last man to start, he gave the others little chance to leave him out of sight. But scarcely bad they traversed half the first corridor, when the cave was shaken - a second explosion, in no way calculated to lessen the mad panic in which the men were fleeing. When they reached the next chamber, they found that the guard had already deserted their post, only the lurid gleam of their torches far down one of the passages showing the direction in which they had fled—hence the way out. But the fleet runoers of the rear party had gained upon the slow runners of the faithless rd, so that the men were soon stretched out in a line at intervals which enabled each to keep the next in advance in sight. So they strung into the first chamber, to find it turned into a pandemonium, As each arrived he found all those in advance collected there, avd soon learned that the exit to the outer world bad been destroyed. The passage was eboked by a mass of shivered rock, the work of a tremendous explosion. They were entombed alive! When this was fully realized, then followed savage mutterings and fierce looks directed to- ward Mr, Watson. ‘He's the galoot as led us into this byar rat- trap!” growled one, with murder in his blood- shot eyes, and an em significance in the way he let is band seek his bowie. Others were not wanting to pick up this un- reasonable resentment; eud an innocent man found himeelf likely to be torn to pieces, to sate the first fury of the maddened crowd. But even as he stood at bay, there camea diversion. Into the chamber through one of the black-mouthed galleries staggered a slape that riveted every eye. Was it human? It had the shape of a man; and yetso horrible was its aspect that at sight of ita yell of frenzied terrcr went up from the crowd, which finally took form in the cry: ‘‘ The devil! the devil!—it’s the devil!” Revolvers leaped from their holsters on every side; and the thing, whatever it was, would have been riddled with bullets, but that Mr. Watson sprung before it, throwing up his hands and shouting: ; “ Stop, men, stop! in the name of humanity! This is a man like ourselves!” A moment the shape swayed, and then fell to the earth in a heap. CHAPTER XII. FOUND. Honegst Jack found that the roof was so low that it would in no place admit of bis standing erect, and in many it fairly grazed bis body as he lay at length. Still he resolved not to make the return signal unless he found bimself in ac- tual danger of being nipped between the raft and roof, and drowred. His slow progress made the way seem endless, until even his stout, heart began to quail, when suddenly the raft ymin - P'r'aps they’re splicin’ on another piece,” he thought. Then came an agony of fear, Suppose the splice were not made fast? When a man is to risk his life on a knot, it would be strange if he did not wish first to try it with his own hands. : So terrible became this uncertainty that even stout Jack Mowbray could stand it no longer. He made the signal demanding to be drawn a o answer came, : He repeated the signal, jerking with all bis might, equally without results. Fenian he tried, and yet again. Then he lay perfectly still, awaiting what was Nott othing Came. The raft remained motionless. The smoke from bis torch, annoying before, now became stifling. He rolled so tbat he could hold his nose close to the water, over the side. Suddenly the raft glided on with the current, but not more than a yard, when if was as sharply snubbed up again, the signal line twang- ing like a bowstring. t that Honest Jack uttered a cry of dismay. He did not have to reach over the end of the raft, to learn that the broken tow-line was drifting down under it, He knew tbat, iu in the course, the line had bee Jegged notch of rock, turning & in drawn into a by which A Tough Boy. Then the clouds of his superstitious fears gathered round bim again. yond question this was the work of the defiled demons, For the time he lost sight of the possibility of roll ing into the water, and taking over again the desperate chance of that terrible gatewa through which he had once been ushered bac to life. To his excited fancy it seemed that he was doomed to remain anchored there for- ever. Then came a strange quivering of the moun- tain, accompanied by a dull roar. . But the suffocating smoke, which kept getting more dense the longer he staid in one spot, could no longer be endured. Whatever else awaited him, that must be escaped at once. He eut the signal-line with a slasb of his bowie, and was once more in motion, now as rapid as.the current, ut he must not pass bis boy without warn- ing. So strong was his love, so steadfast. bis loyalty, that even amid the horrors of that ter- rible Mee he found time for such a thought! And forthwith be set up the shout: ‘“*Hey, boy! Whar are ye? Drop into the water, an’ leave yerself to the stream. Hallo! hallo! Charley! It’s Jack! Drop into the water! It’s yer only chance. Hyar 1 come— Jack! Hey, ! drop into the water!” But the rock, like a malignant demon, seemed to hug down close, expressly to muffle the sound of his voice, and > confusing echoes make its articulations unintelligible. But our young hero has been lost sight of over ~~ Let us see what had befallen bim during the four days that he bad been denied the light of heaven. Once more his despairing cry in the last mo- ment of rap merece | ad called up an answer where none would have been hoped for. Cling- ing to his rock, he saw a gleam of crimson light pierce the darkness, ** Help! help! ob, help!” he cried, The light approached with an irregular mo- tion, now blown dim by the rapidity with which it was borne along, and now flaring up red and angry as it came toa stand. He saw that it was the smoke-crowned flame of a torch, held above the head of a young girl, who was one moment hurried forward by pity, and the next balted by natural fears, while she tried to pierce the darkness with shrinking eyes. ** Whocalls?’ she cried. ‘‘ Where are you?” And his answer, while his heart leaped into his throat, was a ringin shout of recognition: ‘Eveline! Eveline Eveline! It-is I, your cousin, Charley! This way! But mind where you step. Look out for the bank.” At the sound of his voice the girl started, and she uttered a low cry of wonder and - delight. But when he came to the announcement of bis relationship (he forgot that she could know nothing of this), a wave of crimson swept up over face and neck. P However, she hastened forward until she stood on the river-bank, and discovered his dangerous plight. Then all other feelings gave place to concern for his safety. “Oh, how can I help you?” she cried. ‘By standing there and letting your dear eyes shine upon me while I help myself!” re- sponded our hero, who in a trice had recovered his spirits. ‘So I have found you at last! Well, it is worth even such a journey as I bave taken, not to mention the delight of owing my life to you a second time, You must be a fairy. Never a scrape do I get into, but bey, — you appear, and the curtain falls on the app lovers!” ith such merry jest did he accompany the unwinding of a lariat from his waist; and then: ‘““Now, my dear, you see that stalagmite? One! two! three! and away!” The running noose shot out like a serpent, and fell over the point of a glistening cone. ‘Ts it secure?’ he asked. “If it slips, good- by to you ” . “Ob! it shall not:slip,” replied the girl, with a swelling heart. ‘Iwill hold it down with my life!” And standing upon the noose, she threw one arm about the cone, and with the other held the torch for him to see, ** Well, bere goes!” “Oh, be careful!” she called to him; and low- ering her voice with sudden apprebension, ‘‘ But hasten! I know not how soon we may be inter- ae by the coming of my guardian.” rley had already slipped from his rock into the water, to be swept out of sight in the da ; Eveline uttered a cry of fear. - 13 ‘‘T'm all right!” came the cheery assurance, Tbe youth was manfully fighting the cur- sen rawing himself against it hand over and, A moment later his head appeared above the edge of the bank, almost et Eveline’s feet, e was greeted by a glad cry of welcome, caught by the shoulder, and helped up with a strength born of activity in the open air. Then, before his rescuer could guess bis pur- pose, he bad kissed her fairly on the mouth, She started back with flashing eyes, but something which she did not te understand though she was soon to learn all its delightful mysteries, held her anger in check, Charley laughed. “Oh, that’s all right! I’m your cousin, you know, Cousins have a right to kiss each other whenever they want to—that is to say when- ever they are both agreed about #t,” ‘““My cousin?” she repeated, gazing at him shyly, yet se ready to accept as Gospel- truth anything be chose to tell her of the man- ners and customs of that strange world of which she knew nothing, yet longed to know so much. ‘ ‘Oh, I forgot!” exclaimed Charley. Thereupon be told her in a few plain words her true history. The girl was stunned. She turned deathly pale and sunk down on a rock. gee 5 violently that Charley caught the torch her hand, and threw an arm about ber waist to support her if she fainted. ut Eveline was in no danger of that young- lady weakness, It was the overthrow of her life-long confidence in the dwarf that shocked her. ° ‘* How is it a gw that he could be so per- fidious?” she cried. ‘And Bettina, too? I bave loved her so long! Ob, it must be that she is somewhere in the world. Could not she be liv- ing where you might not know ber?” She gazed at him through tears that were get nny in her eyes. ‘* My poor child,” he exclaimed, “it is a pity to destroy what has been the one comfort of your solitary life; but cut in the world nobody ever supposes anything in a book like that to be true. It is not intended that they should—it is written only to amuse peng She gezed at him with eyes widening with astonishment, ‘“‘ And are the peoplein the world so untruth- ful that they think it amusing to tell each other things that are not so? I thought it was only the wicked that deceived others.’ How Charley would have made her under- stand the difference between a novel and a lie, we are unable to say; for at that moment came an interruption that sent the subject out of both their beads, It was such a roar of demoniac fury as only the dwarf could give utterance to. He stood at the further end of the chamber, glaring at them, bis repulsive face lighted by a torch which te beld atove his head, Charley sprung to bis feet in the dismayed consciousness that he had no weapon of defense save those nature had given. While in the water be had been forced to unbuckle the belt that held bis revolvers and bowie, lest their weight should drag him down to death, But a defender rdse up before him. It was Eveline, ber eyes blazing, her form drawn to its fullest hight. She beld a dagger in ber band, menacing ber own besom, “ Traitor!” she cried—‘ you who have wrong- ed me as no one was ever wronged before!|— dare to harm this brave youth, who bas at last unmasked all your villainy, and I will kill my- self before your very eyes.” » It was plain that Miss Watson was taking a’ leaf out of the book which was her only guide in forms of address, as'in every sy else, At another time Charley would bave laughed at her stagy air. Indeed, in their after life, when- ever he wanted to tease her, he spoke of himself asa “brave youth.” But now he saw that it was serving him in good stead. The dwarf cring- ed before her anger. . ‘‘Evvy! Evvy!” he pleaded, in a whining tone, ‘‘bave I not been a father to you all your life? And do you doubt me at the word of the first stranger you meet? As I told cites before, he is in the interests of your wicked uncle; he will lea you to destruction, Oh, my child—” “Liar!” cried the girl, white and trembling with indignation. ‘ He is my cousin—the ‘son of my owp dear papa’s sister! Would he injure me? Would he tell me-what is not so?: And who are you? Not one of my kindred.” “ But one whose kindness and love you have proved every day since you can remember,”
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no kin of hers; yet'she saved her from the plots of those of her own blood. And why should the son/of your false uncle be ‘any better than his , father? See! He hides behind you, letting you threaten your own life to save his worthless carcass? And ere not all cowards liars?” His bitter sarcasm was well aimed. A surge of shame dyed Charley’s cheeks, and forgettul of all prudence, be leaped by Byveline, shouting: * A coward, is he?” He had no weapon save the torch he brand- ished; but he could not endure for an instant to stand in the light of a poltroon before the wo- man he loved. He would have gone to certain death, but that ' Eveline threw ber arms, around bim, at the same time tripping him with the quickness of lightning. §) ' Taken off bis guard, he was thrown headlong. With a snarl of demoniac triumph the dwarf leaped forward, a drawn bowie held in air, bis \ bloodthirsty eye fixed on, the center of the fal- » len youth’s back. But Eveline dropped on her knees besida her cousin, screening his body with ber own, so as » to bring ber bosom directly in the line which the bowie must traverse to find his life. » (Strike? she cried, looking the murderer un- , finchingly in the eye. 4 FD ‘ ee 1 “CHAPTER, XII. BACK TO THE SUNSHINE, vad Tse dwarf shrunk back with a ery of hor-, “T love bim!” cried the girl, who knew. no reason why she should bide the promptings of mature. ‘‘ He is the most beautiful thing inall the world, [f you were to slay him I should die. Go! go! You are bateful to me! . I shud- pleading and pain. vvy! I have loved you!” he “Go! You bave deceived me! I love you - mo longer!” Tears were in her Soe She began to sob. But ber face did not soften. She still said: **Go! gol leave me with him.” And the dwarf crept away. Then aoe Bt dropped her face in ber hands, and sobbed 7. * But in the end Charley comforted her. Then he set himself to the task of unraveling the mystery of her strange power over the dwarf; and from what she told him of her life he arrived very nearly at the truth. His revenge on the father complete, the dwarf bad conceived a strange love, akin to . adoration, for the innocent baby that smiled in his face, as he had said, the only thing that ever loved him, and to keep her to himself, he had brought ber out here in the wilderness. As she oo; he educated ber, but only out of one k, which he made serve the purpose of bind- me ee vll the more closely to himself. _ But from the very nature of his scheme, the time must come when the child, grown to womanhood, would demand to be taken back to the world, to her rightful inheritance. Then he said to himself: ‘\T will gather wealth, When the time comes, I will take her back, as if to return her _ to her own; but there, by means of accom- -plices, I will make her believe that her uncle as squandered her fortune, and died a shawe- ful death, of which she will wish never to speak to any one, life, through ratitude, by taking her to E , where @ fraud can never be detected and lavishing my money upon her. She shall live like a princess. That will repay her for the ‘loss of a father who could not be kinder to her than I shall be And the world—this fiendish | world !—owes me so much as this.” At first he began to search for gold honestly, and never was miner so diligent—never miser so hawk-like in his eagerness to pounce upon’ every shin grain. But fate seemed to mock him with failure, while she poured her treasures into the hands of men who scattered it, as soon as pets in idle debauch. 08 nm he organized a band of road-agents, : yaery. fo cave their head-quarters, and secur- ing it prying eyes by i save operon of men, and the yellow tide set ‘bis | | ne vale his fingers;—“‘and for gold nou ene argued the dwarf, wilily. ‘‘ Bettina’s nurse was Then I will make her mine for: the. \ “In. less than _A Tough Boy. will swear that this hideous trunk of. mine is sylph-like in its airy grace!” t his lawless companions knew naught of fhe bud of womanh in his keeping ; nor must he suspect the vile channel through which came the gold that was to make her life beautiful. So he kept ber apart untilthe storm drove Charley into her arms. Then he destroyed the hut, and led her by a secret way into a part of the cave never Visited by his band. : He might have killed Charley; but recogniz- ing him by the family likeness as one of ber kin, he dared not take the youth’s blood on his bands, lest by some instinct she should detect it, and shrink from bim in horror, And now fate bad robbed bins,and brought the scheming and the toil of bis Jife to naught! From his first ena ely of it, this cave, with its fantastic beauties, so like the weird dream of some hashish-eater of the Orient, had, exercised a fascination over the imagination of . the dwarf. ,For years he had) wandered in soli- tude through its deserted. halls, gazing, upon Nature’s; grotesque handiwork, and. weaving strange romances about it all, until he had come to know its winding corridors ‘as one knows the passageways of one’s home, Now, with his soul bres by an anguish such as few men could understand, he plunged, with no torch to-guide bis leaden footsteps, into | the furthest. depths. of the cavern; , there to wander in the darkness; without food, or drink, or companionship, beating his breast, seating his hair, and at times wallowing on the ground and rending bis flesh with his teeth, while from mingled. blashemies and prayers that would have made the hearer shudder, be passed to inarticulate cries such as are uttered only by @ madman, Then came Mr, Watson with his rescuing riy. © Pat théy bad known what awaited them within —how all their lives bung upon the merest whim of this half-savage, half-crazed vature—not a man’ would have trusted himself. within its black portal! ’ But their coming made it necessary for the dwarf to decide the future at once. He sought bis prisoners. “T have come to give youa chance for life,” he said; ‘‘ but on one condition.” ‘* What condition?’ asked Charley. “Swear that you will go away, and leave me with my own; and that you will never seek her again in life.” : ‘* Excuse me!” said Charley, with a sarcastic smile. ‘'-You could bardly expect me to make such a jug-handle bargain as that.” “Wait. Ihave inducements to offer.” ‘* None that are sufficient, my dear sir!” **I have gold to the amount of a million dol- lars, at least,” pursued the dwarf. ‘ This I will ive to Eveling’s exclusive control, on condition that she will live apart from her relatives, in Europe, permitting me to remain one of ber household in any capacity, the bumblest, so that I can but see her day by day. . LT will never in- terfere with her in any way. Sbe need not even speak to me, unless from the een ting of her own heart. Only let me be where I can see her until I die. It will not be for long. It is possible that I may not live until my plans are completed, Then she will be free.” He saw a smile of refusal on Charley’s face. ‘Come and see my wealth before you decline to consider the proposal,” he suggested. **Oh, well, I have no objection to seeing your wealth,” said Charley, thinking that the knowl- edge of its whereabouts might possibly be worth having some time in the future. The dwarf led the way to another chamber, where in a secret repository he showed them a pile of canvas bags. One of these he) opened and showed that it was:filled with gold-dust. ‘“‘ Well, Eveline, what do you say?’ asked Charley, smiling in his confidence as to her an- swer,. “ Néver!” replied the girl, with flashing eyes; and slipping her hand into his, sbe turned her eyes his way, and immediately they melted into tenderness, *“* Yon hear, my dear Cyriac?”’ ‘“Qne moment,” said the dwarf. ‘I have.an- other magazine to show you.” They followed him, and saw kegs of powder too numerous to count. - ** The alternative,” he said, “‘is that we shall. be all buried: here together.” ‘* You will blow up the cave?” asked Charley, turning palé inspite of bimself. _ grant my wish.” st Well, we refuse!” 5 5 | ‘* So be it.” voice calling Justily. sCharley. .‘‘ We f an: hour, if. you do not. ~. ‘That blast must have reached to They went back to the chamber in which they bad been confined. They waited. At last came a terrific explosion, They were both thrown from their feet by the concussion, but none of the flying rock reached them, nor did any part of the chamber in which they were, cave in, Pale and trembling, Charley took a torch and penetrated, the only avenue, except. the river, leading from their prison. It was choked up with a mass of splintered ek, . “That. fiend. bas kept his word,” he said. “There is no escape from here. We are buried alive!” . ‘We can die together,” replied Eveline, and twining her arms about his neck, sbrunk close to his heart, But a moment later they heard a muffled It came. from. the river, ro They ran thither, “Tt is acme qacn wretch in the water,” said must save him, though, truth to tell, it is a question whether fetcbing bim to a lingering death were not less merciful than leaving him to his fate,” He bad given bis torch to Eveline to bold; and got'/his lasso ready. A raft, with a man lying at Jength and bold- ing a torch, shot into view. xj ** Charley! Charley! Thank God, my boy!” on Jack! Good heavens! Sit up, old man}~ sit up! He whirled the lariat about his. head. Jack understood what was expected. of him, and sat up, A quick cast, and Charley took a bight of his end of the lariat around a stalagmite, ; “7-7 twinkling, Jack’s torch disappeared from sight, ; As he saw that the noose was about to settle down over him, he dropped his torch, joined bis hands as a diver does, and carried them thrcugh a sweep, like a stroke in swimming, so that when his b nds struck his thighs, the noose was about his body, held down by his arms. Then he rolled off the raft into the water... Almost before Eveline realized what had hap- pened, Honest Jack stood on firm ground, hug- ging ber lover like a bear. ‘* Thank God! thank God! thank God!’ was all he seemed able to utter. ; But even the delight of being re-united with | the old man,” could not make Charley forget | Eveline for any great length of time. ‘Here is your famous ‘gal-spcok,’” he said, with a merry twinkle, drawing Jack’s atten- tion to the girl, who stood wide-eyed and . panting, plainly somewhat startled by the aon bunter’s boisterous demonstrations of af- ection, : Jack turned, gazed into her beautiful face, flushed scarlet to the roots of his hair, and took off bis cap with an awkward yet manly bow, stammeripg: ‘‘ Beggin’ yer pardon, mum!” The girl read his ie toe bonest nature at a glance, and with a brightening face said, im- pulsively: : ‘7 like you!” In proof of it, she extended her band to bim. That, as Jack said afterward, ‘‘ fetched his boots cl’ar up over his bead.” But the anxiety ot their situation soon claimed their entire thoughts. Jack told bow he had “gone through,” and that seemed their only chance. Charley looked at bis cousin, and with a sen- sation ot keen pain shooting to his heart, put his arm about her. If it were only Jack and I!” he said, wist- ully. “T am not afraid—not with you!” she an- swered, with a divine smile, ‘‘ Let that be the last resort,” he urged, ‘We have not yet made a thorough examination of the passage to see if the rocks cannot be re- moved.” ; _ They went, to find that escape in that direc- tion was hopeless. Then returning, Jack approached the black river, to utter a cry of surprise as he stood on its bank. ‘* What is it?” asked Chaney eagerly. i eae come hyar! The river’s shoa E das Charley sprung to his side... It was. as he said a see surface. the water, had, fallen several fee ; ' ~ i runnin’ river- here. I believe we ta) it somewh 7" Hurrah! we've one trump could wade in it. left yet!”
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i} uw Hous a! — ae Mt . Po : _ A Tough’Boy) 2. 15 +S WF Taking a turn of his lariat around a stalag- mite, be let himself over the bank. ““Saved—saved!” he cried back. “ Tt is only knee-deep! Come; let us wait for no acci- dents. ecan make our way back to where we were pitched in, and then retrace the laby- rinth from that point, with no danger of hav- ing our marks erased. Pass Eveline down to me,” Jack banded her over the bank rather gin- gerly, as if he were at a loss just how to take hold of her. Then he leaped down himself; and they start- ed against the stream, which grew shallower as they advanced. Meanwhile, the man whose life Mr. Watson had_ saved, while, indeed, his own was men- aced, proved to be a poor wretch, blackened almost out of human likeness by powder, and with one arm completely torn. from bis body, ' **Treckon I’m done fur,” hesaid, as Mr. Watson bent over him and revived him bya draught from bis flask of spirits; ‘‘ but maybe thar’s a, chance fur the rest of ye. That devil has mines all over. Nobody knows how many. He could blow up any part of the cave he wanted to... He’s buried allo’ the boys along of himself, so that they shouldnt none of ’em git away with the dust. But thar’s a blast as goes to the, river outside, It’s fixed to turn the channel.so that the culvert through the caye will run dry; in case we got ketched all round. Ef some. o’ you'll pack me, T’ll show ye whar to touch it off.” But, first Mr. Watson, when he found that this was a member of the band of.,outlaws over whom the dwarf was chief, questioned him ea- gerly about his child. The road-agent knew of no young girl associated with Cyriae, nor had be heard anything about the youth, whom he acknowledged they had thrown into the river by the dwarf’s direction. . He was then carried according, to his direc- tion, and pointed out acertain stalagmite which seemed to be rooted to the primordial rock, but to move which from its base the united strength of three men proved svfficient. Beneath it they discovered the end of a fuse, to which they applied a torch. “Inside o’ three minutes that/ll knock the bottom out o’ the river above whar it enters the cave,” said the wounded outlaw; ‘an’ ye kin walk out dry-shod.” The explosion was too distant for them to hear it; but soon after they reached the river it began perceptibly to fall. Here, gentlomen, is deliverance,” said Mr. ‘Watson, ‘' But first let us explore the channel downward, I cannot. abandon the hope of res- cuing my nephew, and perhaps my child.” They went, of course, to meet the other party comivg up. And such a meeting! The dead was alive again, and the lost was found. But another meeting as strange was yet to take place, When _ they returned to where the wounded outlaw lay, and he saw Honest Jack, he called faintly: *Pard! pard!” Jack started at the sound of that voice; for it was the voice of Joe, not dead, but alive and in the flesh, though soon to go to his long reckoning, “Tt was all a flam, pard,” he said, when Jac was made to understand that this torn and blackeved wreck was indeed his old “ pardner.” “T knowed you was too squar’ to jine the boys; and sol took that dodge to shake ye, We've made things lively in thexe Byer parts, an’ raked in enough dust. to set us all up in 'Frisco fur gold-bugs. But the dwarf has piled half a mile o’ rock on it all, an’ onto the whole gang in the bargain. You won’t never dig none o’ ' that thar plunder out.” A prophecy which a gy true, The dwarf bad done his work well. “But it’s only fair to let yeinto that sweet thing, the ha’ntin’ business,” pursued Joe, en- joving the joke even on the verge cf the grave, “The tenderfoot that went off with the Injin to see the medicine cave was heaved over the cliff by the boys; an’ they put a quietus on Mr. Injin too. That was when they dropped onto the ba’nted idee. It was easy to set the ball to rollin’. They laid out them pards too. Every man in the shebang when that supposed fracas took place was members.o’ the. gang; so. they could easy cook the story to suit themselves. . An’ the galoot that laid down in McAffrey’s sa- loon, an’ turned “up his last jack so suddint? Dan doctored his bitters with aconite! Then I ages the boys;an’ you, pard, wa’n’t slow blowin’ he ef After ay ae hata that turned w : Pp as 3 d to bave struck the ba’nted eave an’ been sporvited off a ——— ‘*The first night we ‘slep’ in ‘the cave we chloroformed you with a sponge tied to the end of a stick, and packed you and your traps back to yer camp. e dwarf fixed you the same way the night he give yer ther slip, an’ ag’in the second night you slep’ inthe cave. Then we took the bullets out of your revolvers, so’s ye could enjoy yerselves pepperin’'at the dwarf while we played our leetle tableau. But the boy’s first shot was at the shadder ofa bat, an’ one of ’em put yer torch out, “Thar was pbosphorus in the skulls, au’ they was turned by strings, too, Only the dwarf was too sharp to leave any give-aways round loose, You give ’em one pull, an’ the strings slipped off. That’s whar we got our plucky leetla rooster! Then wa’n’t I fixed up harn- some! Thar wa’n’t much as that thar shorty didn’t know how todo. He coached me, ‘**He was tender on the boy, an’ I hated like pison to fix you, pard—on my soul, I did! .So it was our calcations to let ye off with a scare that ’u‘d keep ye out o’thar. But the boy didn’t scare worth a cent, an’ we jist had to.souse ye! How in thunder you clawed up-stream gits me, fur a fact!” ‘ Jack explained that he had gone down- stream, : ‘* Waal, I’m blowed!” exclaimed Joe, in. evi- dent astonishment. ‘‘ Tl) sw'ar that the dwarf didn’t know that way out,” , He was mistaken. Cyriac did know that exit, and, that Jack had passed successfully through ib. At the last moment, when. it. came to. the de- struction, of the only creature. that had ever loved him, bis heart had failed, and though he could not pring himself to liberate her with bis own hand and see her go forth with her lover, he had left her that chance of: life, hoping that Jack would penetrate to her prison, and show the captives that desperate way out, And now a word more tells all. Eveline was restored to ber mother, and was the means of bringing that lady back to bloom- ing health and happiness. The ‘‘ brave youth ” whom she so gallantly rescued and defended, has had the rare delight of showing her all the wonders of the strange world from which she was so long excluded. Once a year, at the anniversary of their memorable first meeting, they take from acabinet where itis sacredly treasured, the veracious chronicle of Bettina and her woes, and Mrs. Charley Grover sighs a little over the vanished love of her childhood. But hark!—whata racket! It is Honest Jack romping with his boy’s little ones, Cured of superstition himself be chuckles to see them grew still and round-eyed, and huddle close up his, as he tells them of Toe HAuntTED CAVE. THE END. Beadle’s Weekly. 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