The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-09-18
CHAPTER LII.
BLACK JACKS SECRET HOME.


Up the mountain side Luke the scout
crept with Indian-lik cunning and silence,
his trusty rifle in his hand, his revolvers
and knife in his leather belt
BLACK Jacks hevin' things most too
much lis own way, " he unused. Revenge
Is we'll enough, long as it's Legitimate, but
this hayer Wholesale murderin S not quite
true Western style. Bout time old Luke
and his band he'd a hand IN it. Ruther
guess We kin shoot bit, too" And old
Luke chuckled under his breath. BLACK
Jack must nap some time or other, an We'll
catch him them times, eff we can't discover
him awake. Hist! what's that?"
The scout paused, for unmistakable
sounds were below him. The rolling of a
stone down the mountain side betrayed the
presence of some person or animal
Then followed footsteps, slow, and evi-
IDENTIFY intended to be noiseless.
Again, sudden, sharp, and startling, rang
out the cry of the animal that had sounded
before, and once more the bright light
shone forth with the flaming Red Hand
This time voice, hollow, as if sounding
from unknown depths, cried aloud:
Who goes there?"
No answer.
Who dares to trespass upon Black
Jacks dominions at this time of night"
Il do, said a calm voice, some distance
( from Old Luke, which he at once recog-
nized as belonging to Jasper James, young
cattle king, of Cheyenne, who owned hun
dreds of herds in the Platte Valley. and
who had come up among the mountains for
novelty and adventure more than aught
else.
The tarnal fool,' muttered Old Luke.
between his clenched teeth. Now he's in
fur IL What in all possessed ever made
him venture up here. The green young
grasshopper! He'll pay for this nights
work, mayhap with his life. But lor, now.
old Black Jack, eff | don't git track O. YOU
its mighty curious
And, snugly ensconsed beneath a sage
bush, Luke awaited Developments
who are your" continued the mysterious
voice.
Just what I'd like to ask YOU" quietly
replied the young cattle king in dauntless
tone.
"Grit thar, grinned old Luke, in spite of
his anxiety for his friend.
That does not matter; YOU are To 90
straight on up the trail until commanded to
stop. 4 rifle ball viii pierce your heart if
you refuse one order. Forward"
The cattle king paused only a moment:
deemng prudence the better part of yalor,
complied.
The Red Hand had disappeared and the
mountain was clothed in silence and dark-
! ness, save the twinkle of the stars over
! head.
/ Onward he trod up the path, feeling we'll
/ assured he was under close surveillance.
Turn to your right" commanded the
| voice again, coming from some unknown
| heights.
| He obeyed, and found at his side huge
stone cleft IN the center sufficient to admit
/ his person.
| Forward, commanded the voice. sternlv.
Onhesltahngly he walked into the strange
pass and CROPPED his way through a dark.
rough passage, apparently between huge
cleft rocks, and then he stumbled and fslI
| down-down-he could not imagine how
far. for a soft bed of moist sand received
HIM y blaekness of a hundred midnights
| was around him.
A moment only lie lay there. endeayorine
to command his startled senses, when n
| hight OF magnificent power flashed before