Old Shadow Shot — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

18 shadow. Now stooping, now erect, or crawl- ing on all fours like a bear, he made good progress until he presented himself at the mouth of a cave cut as it seemed by a legioa of sculptors in the rocky wall. “Nobody at home?” he exclaimed, in his rough speech; but a light ery of mingled fright and astonishment quickly convinced him that the cavern wastenanted. “I’m opposed to shootin’ when I'm the mark,” he said, as the click of a rifle-lock fell upon his ears, and a girlish figure came from the shadows of the cave with a rifle in her hands. “TJ haven’t lost much beauty, my leetle one, hev I?’ he said, with a chuckle that - illumined his face with smiles. “Jest keep on lookin’ till I git into the moonshine an’ then p’raps you may be able to recognise me.” As Shadow-Shot spoke he stepped back until his figure was full in the moonlight that streamed into the chasm, and rendered the place almost as light as day. With wonderment in her eyes, Violet followed him. “You are not a Vulture,” she said, after a short study of his face. “Tf I war I wouldn’t come to see you,” he said. “Just look closer, my leetle one. Five years ago you used to sit on my hands while I tossed you up and down. That was more fun than ridin’ on the ox waggons, eh, my bird?” . “ What do I see?” cried the girl, clutching the ranger’s arm. “Five years ago! The Vultures made me fatherless then !” “Yes, an’ me horseless—the best animal in these parts |” “Oh, my mind goes back to that dreadful time,” she said. “I thought a minute since that I knew you—that you belonged to the train’; but it cannot be.’ ; “QOan’t, my bird? Who used to toss you up an’ down on his arms wheii you wer with the train ?” “Matt Pokington!” was the cry. “Ves, old Matt—a man what would sooner play with you, if you war gittin’ to be a woman, than eat. That's me. I’m old Matt Pokington—hev. been five years in these yarts, payin’ off some old scores.” A ery of joy came from the lips of the girl. Tn one moment she saw the once loved and familiar features of Pokington, in the un- couth man before her, and she threw herself into his arms. “Bless me! if I shouldn’t like to hold you hyer a year, my leetle one!” cried the old ranger, filling with emotion. “But 1 want to show you suthin’, an’ to see it right we've got no time to lose,’ = But she did not seem to hear him ; for she ee -- OLD SHADOW-SHOT, clung to him, and her head was hidden ina bosom in which beat one of the biggest and ‘bravest hearts in the North-west. “We've got no time to lose,” Shadow-Shot said, firmly, yet with gentleness, as he dis- engaged the girl 9m him. “Do you know who has been your friend fur five years?” Violet, the avenger, started back, and her tearful face grew white. “Tye doubted!” she cried. “Shut up in these great woods, I have believed many stories, for sometimes my brain seemed on fire. Oh! Matt—you will let me call you this, for I loved to long ago—I will trust in you—I will believe you! Tell me honestly if he is what he says he is—a friend and—and not that: fiend who massacred all our friends.” f Se “Tl show you who he is!” the ranger said. “Tf you will come with me you shali see for yourself, an’ I needn't say a word.” “T will go!” Violet eried. “Lead where you will. I want this mystery cleared up. Oh, Matt, you haven't been kept from the path of vengeance as I have for five years,” “No! skunks of the North-west. My leetle one, there be precious few left who rode down upon us that night when I war makin’ a swing fur you in the tree.” _ Without more ado, Shadow-Shot seized the girl’s hand, and led her over the patches of moonlight and shade which he had traversed to the cavern. No word passed between them until the upland woods were reached, and Violet started at beholding Nightingale Nat step from the shadow of his tree. “Tt is the boy!” Shadow-Shot said to her. “ You've seen him afore.” “Yes,” the girl said. bad as I’ve heard he is. for he is with you, Matt.” Her trust in the unhandsome ranger brought a smile to more than one face be- neath the tree, and the boy turned to Shadow-Shot. “You are just in time!” he said. “They are coming even now.” “Thet’s so!” “T trust he isn’t as I know he is not, A sound that now fell distinctly upon the — : ears of all announced the approach of a body of night-riders, and the ranger grasped Violet's arm as she looked inquirinely into his face. “Thar’s a long streak of moonlight,” he said, pointing ahead. “Some fellers are goin’ to ride along it presently. Keep your eyes fastened on it, my leetle one, an’ see what you kin see !” The avenger scemed to comprehend before- I’ve been a thorn in the side of the ~ hand the sight in store for her eyes. She fixed her gaze on the lighted anos : : ‘COMME KOOKS COM x <s = a ~~ —_