Jack and His Seven Foes — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

104 The sky was clearing, but very slowly. Jack, however, knew his road for re- turning. He had never missed the point, “and set his face straight for Maple Mountain. Ere they had gone far, however, he suddenly, in an undertone, called a halt. “ Be still for a moment, please, * he said, softly. A sound had reached his ears, and somebody not far away was soliloquising, or speaking to another. “Oh, dear, where have I got to? Atchew! atchew! This life is horrible —awful! Atchew! Frightened out of my life one minute, and frozen to death the next.” A meaning smile passed over Jack’s face. He knew who it was proclaiming his misery aloud. “Stay here,’’ he said to hiscompanions, “*T will soon return.” It was the Sneezer bemoaning his lot, and he was still muttering and groaning when Jack caught sight “of him dimly outlined in the snow. He was crawling about, bent almost double with the cold, and blowing on his fingers to warm them. “If you are tired of your life,”’ said Jack, ‘ I will put an end to it, although the time I have chosen is not yet come.’ “Oh, mercy!” gasped the Sneezer, falling on his knees, and staring wildly about him. “Do you dare to ask who I amP” sternly demanded Jack. ‘““No, no!” gasped the Sneezer ; “I know. Oh, have mercy — mer cy! Atchew !—atchew! a—a—ara—a—a —atchew—w !”’ The last sneeze was a masterpiece. The Sneezer had never before produced anything to equal it, and would as- suredly never excel 1t. It could be heard, despite the heavy air, far over the plain. at JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES, Jack smiled, grimly. ‘‘So much a coward, and so great a villain,”’ said: “ You ask for mercy. deserve it ?”’ “T don’t know,” groaned the Sneezer. “JVaar!’’ hissed Jack. ‘‘ Do you for- get the past—my slaughtered father— my dear brother and faithful friend, brutally tossed into the sea to die by inches P ”’ “Oh, oh!” was all the Sneezer could say. ““Groan on,’ said Jack, advancing; ‘“oroan on a While, I say. It is fitting that such as you should live for a time to show others how abject a black heart can make us.’ “eM try to be a better man if you will spare me,’ said the Sneezer, now nearly on his face in the snow. “The old story,’ said Jack, con- temptuously ; ‘ but I know the stuff you are made of. In security, a villam—in peril, a poltroon. Spare you! Does one spare the sneaking wolf? I'll not Do you ‘spare you.” The Sneezer fell flat in the snow, and kicked convulsively. Jack lightly spurned him with his foot. “Die hourly and daily,” he said, “and, living, be sure that your end is near. be ready at any moment for my coming, coward, dog, thief, and murderer ! ” Again he spurned him with his foot, in sheer contempt for his cowardice, and, with the gait of a young hon, returned to his friends. “The sky _ gets brighter moment,”’ said Sturmby. “In a quarter of an hour it will be clear,’ said Jack. “and we are at least three miles from Maple Mountain.”’ “Let us hurry on; I donot wish to be seen here to-day.”’ every LOD POVVOWOD UPIUOD OIE UP2LO? tr : CHAPTER XLII. AN Amonc those who had fled when Jack alarmed the startled than the Swaggerer. He re- ASTONISHING RETREAT—BAD RASCALS——A’* BIT band, none were more OF A SHOCK. cognised the voice, and the startling Midilenmese of J qele sg arrival was satis cient to set him running for dear lite, he murmured. Then aloud he COMICIOC|S (CO)