Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine — page 118: what you’re looking at

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

460 ARGOSY AND RAILROAD MAN’S MAGAZINE. Hailstones, leaving the invalid with enough food to last kim about a week. Five days De Cardac was left alone, and, strange to relate, he fared much better dur- ing this time than in his wildest hopes he had anticipated. Perhaps he had depend- ed too long upon the careful ministrations of the mulatto, and it only required the necessity of an effort on his part to pull him into shape. Or it may have been the stim- ulation of the prospect of at last accom- plishing his long-deferred desire. When Jude returned he was astonished to find the young man not only, as he ex- pressed it, “up and doing,” but in a fit condition to travel, and looking remarkably like his old handsome self. Hailstones was — not with the mulatto, but had gone back, she said, to join her band. “There’S something funny about that Indian,” Jude declared. ‘‘ She’s sort of lost like,” “Lost?” Paul queried. ““'Yes—lonesome like,” Jude explained. “T’m sure I don’t care,” De Cardac re- marked. Jude looked at his companion in surprise. Sometimes he found it hard to believe ‘that this hard, cruel, selfish man was the kind, love-sick gentleman he had first known. Paul had changed so much that even Jude was a little afraid of him. Without any regrets they broke camp and departed, and the heart of each man thrilled; at last they were moving upon their prey! This time they were determined to pro- ceed with such caution and thought as to insure the success which heretofore had al- ways eluded them. It was Jude’s sugges- tion that they take up their abode in the ruins of the old mission. “ There’s a little shelter there,” the mu- latto explained, ‘‘ and we won’t be far from the house. Doc has two niggers at work with him, and, besides, his wife has a nigger woman. We can’t fight ’em all. I dunno what we'll do, but when we are near some- thin’ is sho to turn up.” The night of their arrival, under cover of the darkness, Jude went to Fred’s home on a stealthy tour of investigation. He re- turned with the disconcerting news that the house was absolutely deserted; neither whites nor blacks were about. Where had they gone? What had oc- curred? What should they do now? Such thoughts thronged the heads of the con- spirators. It just happened that it was this same night that Mary Ann spent beside the body of Steve’ Rogers. Indeed, just after dawn the next morning, De Cardac and his part- ner were almost caught by Fred and his party who were scouring the country for the Indians who had compassed Steve’s murder. De Cardac was awakened by Jude whis- pering fiercely: “Quick, get up! Doc Pope and a big crowd are on us.” ‘* Where?” “* There,” the mulatto pointed, “de bush- es and dat strip of wall hide’em. They are headed dis way.” Immediately De Cardac 1 was alert. He snatched at his gun and was about to spring to his feet. Jude caught at him with a frantic clutch. “Keep down!” the mulatto cried. “They might see you. We must hide. Take everything with you. Don’t leave any traces.” “Where shall we hide?” “Tn dat old well we found yistiddy. They'll never hunt us dere,’ Jude began with assurance, but ended weakly: ‘“ Any- how, it’s de only place.” “But our horses?” De Cardac cried as he was creeping after the mulatto. “They are hitched ’way over dere, so deep in de brush theyll never find ’em. Anyway, dey can’t be huntin’ us.” ““Who are they after?” Paul wondered ‘aloud. Jude did not respond, but stole noiseless- ly forward, almost bent double. Paul ’ followed close after. They could not yet see the approaching party of horsemen, but they could hear them talking. “ Hurry,” Jude whispered impatiently. They had reached the old well and hastily but cautiously climbed over the side and began the descent. The walls were formed of rough stones which had once been held in place by plaster. Now the \“ comicbooks:.com