Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

468 ARGOSY AND RAILROAD MAN’S MAGAZINE. Where was he now? And how had De Cardac come to be lurking in wait for her beside the Carringtons’ door? Could some- _ thing have happened to Fred? Had these villains already made away with him, be- fore attempting to capture her? Suddenly her wretched questioning thoughts were broken. Jude drew rein; and De Cardac, who was intent upon fond- ling his prey, did not notice in ae and dashed into the other horse. The mulatto caught angrily at the white man’s bridle. “ Take care!/’ he warned. De Cardac had been almost unhorsed; and Mary Ann nearly slipped from his arms. Her knees were crushed against the flank of Jude’s mount. She was not seri- ously hurt, but she had been forced dumbly to endure considerable pain. Paul, realizing this, for, although she could make no complaint, her eyes told of her suffering. He began to pat and stroke and coo over her as one does over a child that is hurt. The mulatto interrupted him and dis- gustedly announced: “Leave her erlone. Somebody’s comin’.”’ “T don’t hear anything. like a man in a dream. “ Hear them now?” Jude persisted. “A lot of ’em.” ““Ves,”’ Paul cried, “I do hear them. Who do you suppose it can be?” Mary Ann heard them also and in her heart sprang the exultant hope that these gallant riders would prove to be her res- cuers. “ They are certainly coming this way,” Paul declared. “ Ves, » Jude agreed. ‘“ And they mustn’t see her.” “No, of course not. We must hide our- selves from view.” Paul looked about desperately. But where? What should they do? Where should they go? “Tf we hide her in the grass,” De Cardac suggested, “we can ride past them, and then come back for her—” “And let ’em see me,” the mulatto cried. “No sirree!” Paul had forgotten that his companion was a hunted man. ” Paul spoke “They may not see us at all,” he began. “ Takin’ no chances,” Jude declared. As he spoke he sprang from his horse; then stood silently listening to the approach- -ing horsemen who could now be heard dis- tinctly. “This way will be safe,” he an- nounced after he had calculated the prob- able course to be taken by the oncoming riders. “You help me,” De Cardac cried in alarm. ‘ Help take her down.” Hurriedly the defenseless woman was transformed from the abhorred arms of Paul de Cardac to the more abhorrent embrace yy of the mulatto. She was carried a short distance and dropped in the grass, which was brushed back into place again. While this was being done Mary Ann was wondering what would happen if one of the unknown horsemen should ride over her. Would she be killed, or only mangled? Would the horseman pause and investigate what he stumbled upon or would he think it the body of some dead animal and ride on? Meanwhile Jude had taken the two horses and led them a considerable distance away, where he hobbled them. When he returned he found Paul hovering over Mary Ann. “Don’t talk any more,” the mulatto warned him. “ They are in easy hearing distance now.” ‘The two-men squatted in the grass and anxiously waited for the horsemen to pass by. The big party, laughing and talking drew nearer. Suddenly Jude clutched at the arm of his companion. “Do you hear,” he whispered. “It’s him!” They recognized the leader of the party. It was Frederick Pope! Mary Ann had also: recognized that voice, yet she could not make a sound, nor lift a finger to indicate her presence! “Tm goin’ to finish him dis time,” Jude whispered. “No,” Paul fiercely objected. ‘ Fool! Don’t fire!”” He clutched at the mulatto who had already unslung his rifle. ‘“ We'll all be murdered. “What do I care if he’s pray dead?” Jude hissed. “You must not,’ Paul ied: “ that’s COMMICDOOLS.COM