Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-01-11


scent, and he must have travelled with sur
| prising energy for pedestrian so unused,
since IL was near noon before Mountain had
view OF him.
At this conjuncture tho trader was alone,
all his companions following, ut his own 70
quest, several hundred yards IN the rear; he
! knew the master was unarmed; his heart was
besides heated with tho exercise and lust Of
hunting and seeing the quarry 80 close, sc
defeuscless aud seemingly 20 fatigucd, he
vaiuglorionsly determined TO effect the cap
turc with his single hand. a step or two
| further brought him to one margin Of little
clearing. on the other, with bis arms folded
and his back to a huge stone, the master sat.
It is possible Mountain may have made a
f,istle 1t IL certain, at least. the master raised
his head and gazed directly at that quarter
| OF the thirl',t where his hunter lay. II
could not be sure he saw me-" Mountain said
she just looked my way like n man with Ills
mind made up. and all :he courage ran out Of
me like rum out Of bottle" Aud presently,
when the master looked away again. and ap-
peared to resume those meditations in which
he had sat Immersed before the traders com
ing, Mountain sunk steaIthily back and re
turned to seek the help Of his companions.
Ard now began the chapter OF surprises,
for thu scout had scarce informed the Others
u
Ing their weapons for a rush upon the fugA
tive, when the man himself Npearcd IN their
midst, walking openly and quietly. With his
hands behind his back
! "Ah Yry.t, ,.G-l. oii iii- bch1lling then
"Ilere Is u ioriGnJte epaifuter Let Us Get
| back to ranip
Mouu'a ain had not mentioned his own weak
ness or ic masters discunccrting gaze upon
the thic. ct, 50 that with all the rest his re.
turn ap, oared spontaneous For all that, a
| hubbub arose. oaths flew, fists were shaken,
and guns pointed
Let Us get back to camp" said the master.
III have an explanation to make but It must
be laid before you ull. And in the mean.
| while would put mp these weapons, one Of
which might very easily go Off and blow away
your hopes Of treasure. ] would not kill"
| nys he, smiling, "the goose with the golden
| eggs"
The charm Of his superiority once more
! iriumphed; and the party, in no particular
order, set Off on their return. BY the way,
! he found occasion 10 get word or two apart
! with Mountain.
"You are n clever fellow and "A bold" says
! he, but am not So sure that you are doing
! yourself Justice. ] would have you TO con
! slider whether you would not do better, ay,
and safer, TO serve me instead OF serving so
u
| slider of it," lie concluded, dealing tho man
gentle tap upon the shoulder, "anl don't be
in haste. Dead or alive, you will find me an
| III man to quarrel with"
| When they were come back to the camp,
| where Harris and Pnkerton stood guard over
/ Secundra, these two ran upon the master
| like viragoes and were amazed out OF measure
| when they were hidden by their comrades to
| stand back and hear what the gentleman
! had to say" The master had not flinchcd be-
! fore their onslaught, nor at this proof of tho
ground he had gained did he betray the least
suilicicncy.
"Do not let us bc in haste" says he. "Meat
first and public speaking after"
With that they made n hasty meal, and as
soon as it was done the master, leaning on
one elbow, began his speech. He spoke long,
addressing himself to each, except Harris,
finding for each with the same exception
some particular hattery He called them
bold, honest blades" declared he had never
seen more jovial company, work better
done, or pains more p,errily supported,
"Well, then" says he, "some one asks mo
why the devil | ran awayf But that is
scar 70 worth answer, for think you all know
pretty we'll But you know only pretty well
That Is II rrnt shall arrive at presently,
and br you ready - remark it when 1t comes.
There is traitor here-a double traitor,
| viii givo you his name before am done, and
| let that suffice FOR now. But here comes
some other gentleman and asks me why In
| the dcvil came backf Well, before | an
swer that question | have one to put to you
1t was this cur here, this Harris, that speaks
Ilindoostanee" cries he, rising on ono knee
and pointing fair at the mans face, with a
| gesture indescribabiy menacing, and when he
had been answered in the Affirmative, "Ahl"
says he, then nro all my suspicious verified,
and did rightly to come back. Now, men,
bear tho truth for the first time.h Thereupon
no launched forth in u long story, told with
extraordinary skill how he had all along sus'
pocted Harris, how he had found the con
lrmaton of his fears, and how Harris must
have miSreprosented what passed between
secundra and himself.
At this point he made bold stroke with
excellent effect 81 suppose" says he, 'you
think you are going shares with Harris,
| suppose you think you viii SEQ TO that
yourselves; you would naturally not think sc
tiat rogue could cozen you. But have a
care These half idiots have n sort OF cum
ming, rs the skunk has its stencil; and it may
bo news to YOU that Harris has taken care OF
himself already. Yes, for him tho treasure
is all money in the bargain. You must find
il or 20 starve. But he has been paid before
hand; my brother paid him TO destroy me
look at him, il YOU doubt--look at him grin
ming and gulpng, detected thief" Thence
having made this happy impression, he ex
planned how he had escaped, and thought
better of it, and at last concluded to come
back, lay the truth before the company, and
take his chance with them once more; per
suaded, rs he was, they would instantly de
pose Harris and elect some other leader
! IA fh,, bpl truth - Snil bn, al
with one exception put myself entirely r
your hands. What is the eSceptionl There
he sits, ho cried, pointing once more TO iiar
ris, "a man that has To diel Weapons anC
conditions are all one to me; put me face &c
face with him, aud II you give me nothing
but stick, i'll five minutes will show you
sop of broken carrion IL for dr".S tn roll IN.
1t was dark night when Gc mIus an q. !
they had listened in almost perfect silence
but the freight scarce permitted any one tC
judge, from the look OF his neighhors, viii
what result OF persuasion or conviction. In
deed, the master had set himself in the brigh,
est place, and kept his face there, TO ba tht
center OF mems eyes, doubtless on profoun,
calculation. Silence followed for a whils'
and presently tho whole party h.; nn''%, -
VOWED Eolyed IN dlSpntatlon' the .GISSrster lying o
nas "'.N' .' "''n WIN u,s % naiq Jknit under his hca
,,'.'o, a'la -, tlSs:ag across the other, like
fl".,,,s Sohcerned in the result. And here
i uIre say, his brayado carried him too ia
y and prejudiced his case At least, after
g cast or two backward and forward, opinio
!, settled finally against him, It's possible h
/ hoped to repeat the business of the pirat
q ship, and be himself perhaps, on hard enoug
Q conditions, elected leader; aud things wer
9 so far that way that Mountain actual
u threw out the proposition. But the rock
> split upon was Haste. This fellow was nj
b well liked, being sour and slow, with an uGl,
c glowering disposition, but ho had studio