Jos. E. Badger

“ Though rash and hasty, Tyrrel was by no means a fool, and agreeably surprised both Wythe and Duplin by his prudence.
Cautiously, silently as so many shadowy phantoms, the gold-hunters crept on, until, their heads above the level of a broad ledge, they gazed in upon a peculiarly strange scene. Fairly holding their breath, their eyes eagerly drank in every detail.
Before them was a small, low-roofed cavern, dimly lighted up by a rude wooden lamp that sat upon a projecting spur of rock.
There were two occupants; a man and a woman. These first enchained the eyes of the gold-hunters. ”

“ Reaching the base, he darted swiftly across the valley, passing close by the gold-hunters' covert, uttering a low, growling sound that seemed more like the anger of a wild beast than the voice of a human being.
"Did you notice?" muttered Duplin. "The blood was dripping from his breast. Those men yonder shot him."
"It spatters the rocks out here. If they follow his trail, they must discover us," added Wythe frowning.
"What difference? We're half white and free-born. They have no control over our actions," retorted Tyrrel. ”

“ I don't know how large the pocket may be, but I saw enough to feel sure that there is a great fortune there for each one of us; enough, at any rate, to make us independent for life."
"You thought of us, then, as sharers in the pocket with you?" queried Burr Wythe.
"No, not then. I only thought of myself, and of how I could secure the treasure without being suspected and robbed—for I believe that, in my madness then, I would have denied my own father a nugget from all that store. It was horrible—that sensation. I can realize now what a miser feels. God protect me from another such attack!" ”

“ Eagerly the gold-hunters watched and listened.
"Look there—see that light!" uttered Duplin, after a brief silence. "What can it mean—up there, too?"
A small but brilliant point of light had suddenly appeared, as though hanging nearly midway up the cliff, not steady and fixed, but slightly wavering, or moving slowly from side to side. Evidently, it was suspended there by some human agency; but who?
"Is there not a human form close beside the light? It seems so to me," whispered Wythe.
"Wait. The light is in answer to that whistle. ”

“ For a time Lottie Mitchell was treated more as a guest than a prisoner by Yellow Jack and his household. Even Mabel, though herself scarcely so beautiful, strove to cheer up the sorrowing girl, even while a dull pain knocked at her own heart as she recognized the gradually changing expression with which the outlaw chief began to regard the fair captive.
None knew better than she that Yellow Jack was even more to be dreaded than Charles Guilford—that Lottie, in fleeing from the hawk, had sought protection of the eagle. ”

“ A laugh, shrill and unearthly, that echoed thrillingly through the long, narrow passage.
"My God! they move—they come!" yelled Duplin, as he dropped the torch and dashed madly back the way he had come, by some rare chance escaping a shattered skull, from collision with the numerous jagged points of rock.
With that horrible laugh still ringing in their ears, Wythe followed after, half-dead with terror. Gasping, nearly suffocated by the wild throbbings of his heart, Duplin gained the chamber, and then sunk down weak and trembling. Though life depended upon the exertion, he could go no further. ”

“ But one delicious one Burr Wythe hugged to his own heart. Only one ear must hear that dream—the ear of sweet Lottie Mitchell.
"Hist!" muttered Duplin, after an hour or more had crept by.
The two young men caught the same sound, with him, and needed not the caution to cease their conversation. From close above them, on the hillside, there rattled down several pebbles, evidently dislodged by human aid, for directly afterwards the trio could hear a footstep, light yet deliberate, evidently descending the slope.
Instinctively each man grasped his weapon, for the same thought occurred to each. ”

“ Sick and faint the comrades stood there, wildly glancing around, listening anxiously for some sound to guide them. But it came not. All was stilled save their deep, husky breathing.
"Come," cried Duplin, with an effort rousing himself, "this is folly. We must work. Dead or alive, we must find Jack, and either rescue or avenge him."
Dreading lest at every step they should come upon the dead and mangled body of their friend hidden among the rocks, the gold-hunters advanced. Here and there a blood-splash guided their eyes. Drop by drop it led them up the hillside. ”

“ All nature seemed feverish and ill at ease.
The moon was obscured; dense sulphurous masses of clouds swirled athwart the horizon in wild confusion. Low, sullen mutterings filled the air. A tempest was brewing.
Silently smoking, the gold-hunters watched the play of the clouds. They seemed to care little for the result. What mattered it though they did get wet? The rain could not injure their golden treasure, and what else had they to care for? Nothing.
Suddenly Paley Duplin sprung half erect, outstretching one hand as the pipe dropped unheeded at his feet. ”

“ As the huge mass settled fairly over the hole, Nate Upshur laughed aloud in diabolical glee. He knew that mortal hands could not remove the rock, without the aid of strong tools. In the excitement of the moment, neither Chicot nor Dooley had thought of this, and they now felt a pang of regret. It seemed as though they had been committing a cowardly murder.
"That's one job done—and well done, too, I call it," and Upshur chuckled. "Now for the other. We alone are the owners of this famous golden bed that Duplin raved about. Come—I am in haste to know the extent of our fortune. ”

“ Duplin, as being the best shot, held the latter position.
The two friends curiously glanced around them. But little was to be seen, save the jagged roof of rock, as the torch emitted but a feeble light.
Still, a few moments showed them that the chamber in which they stood was untenanted save by themselves. It was of considerable size, irregular in outline, rough and jagged, with a low roof or ceiling.
"Look! here is a sort of tunnel," muttered Wythe, waving the light before him. "And—yes! here goes the blood-drops. Poor Jack! if it's his blood, he must be dead." ”

“ Here and there drops of blood sprinkled the rocky surface, and Chicot, though still skeptical, brightened up. After all, this wild-man was not proof against mortal weapons.
Laughing scornfully, Upshur led the way along the bloody trail, up the hillside, until it crossed the ridge, keeping a good look-out to guard against surprise, for none knew better than he what awkward weapons flint-headed arrows are, at close quarters, when guided by a strong and experienced hand. And after his wound, the wild-man would not be likely to stand on ceremony, should he be overtaken. ”

“ I had two sticks when we entered, but they are gone now," slowly returned Wythe.
Both remained silent. Each realized the full force of this new calamity. Without a light how could they ever hope to find their way out of this labyrinth? With a light, the task would be hard enough—without one, it become simply impossible.
"We must regain them, even though we have to face that horrible sight once more," muttered Duplin, with a resolution that was simply sublime, when his superstitious nature is remembered. ”

“ He knew that the murderer had crept fairly into the tent, had glided close to the victim, as he lay buried in unconscious slumber, and that he must have even felt out the region of the heart, since all within had been dark, else the blow could never have been delivered with such deadly precision.
"What is all this, Chicot?" hurriedly demanded the leader, Mitchell, as he reached the guide's side.
"It's murder—thet's what it is," coolly returned Chicot. ”

“ The other, uplifted, clutched a long-bladed knife.
The weapon descended with a dull, thrilling thud. The steel guard dented deep into the outlaw's back. The blood-stained point protruded through the gayly embroidered shirt-front.
Without a groan, Yellow Jack sunk forward upon the insensible form of his intended victim, a dead man. The blade had cloven his heart in twain.
Tenderly Burleson lifted the maiden from the floor and bore her to the soft couch of skins beyond. Her eyes opened, and a murmur of thanksgiving told that she recognized him as a true friend. ”

“ Lottie, who was completely exhausted, swooned, and was borne to the nearest tent by sympathizing friends. Mr. Mitchell, nerving himself to the task, completed the service, then stood by in silence while the dead was being hidden forever from mortal view. Then, in a low but steady voice, he spoke:
"I thank you, friends, for your kindness. I will not soon forget it. But now go and try to sleep. We can afford to lose no more time. To-morrow day-dawn must see us once more upon the road. Go—leave me alone here for a minute."
"Come with me, Wythe, and you too, Tyrrel," muttered Paley Duplin. ”

“ During one of his wild rambles father found this cave, and ever since we have lived here."
"A strange story, Lucy, and a sad one," commented Jack, feelingly. "But do you never long to return to civilization?"
"Often—very often. But what can I do? Even though the road was open to me—and I am lost here as completely as though out of the world—I could not desert father. You have seen him—do you think I would ever return to life? He is mad—incurably so, I fear," gloomily responded the maiden.
"But if I can induce him to go with us, will you object? You will like my friends, Duplin and Burr. ”

“ But that night was not to pass without disturbance, even with them. Suddenly the clear report of fire-arms broke upon the air, coming, as all knew, from the gold-hunters' camp.
Peering over the rocks, they saw a strange, luminous light moving above the valley, but before they could guess its meaning, the light suddenly vanished. While still gazing down, they heard a rapid footfall just above them, and then a strangely-shaped, dark figure bounded past them, up the rocks. It seemed the form of a man, bearing an unwieldy bundle upon his shoulder, dark, and dimly-outlined. ”

“ With far different sensations than those felt when first the weird sight burst upon their vision, the gold-hunters now examined the row of skeletons. They lay side by side, upon a sloping ledge, which, in the first affright, gave them the appearance of raising to their feet. The friends saw that at least two of the skeletons had been removed from the ghastly row.
"They have been placed here with care," muttered Wythe. "See—here are fragments of what was once cloth. The bones look as though covered with skin—as though the flesh had gradually dried away, and the sinews still hold together. ”

“ Only hard rock was there; not a particle of earth to give them renewed hope of cutting their way to the outer world by persistent use of their strong-bladed knives.
"'Tis of no use, Duplin," at length muttered Wythe, brushing the great drops from his brow. "We are blocked in—we must die here like dogs!"
"It seems so. All around the mouth seems solid rock. But who can have blocked it up? Not that one we fired at? Surely what one man could place there, two could roll away." ”

“ Pale but resolute, Wythe crawled into the hole, and then glanced quickly around him, as though in hopes of being able to penetrate the dense gloom. That his heart beat quicker than common, is no disparagement to his courage, for there is nothing so trying as facing an unknown danger in the dark.
Feeling around he found several pebbles, and flung them violently from him. From their faint echoes, he learned what he desired.
"It's a large cave, Paley," he uttered, as he emerged into the open air. "We must not enter without material for torches. ”

“ Mark my words, now!"
"Don't, Jack—for God's sake don't!" gasped Duplin. "'Tis nothing earthly—it's a warning from the other world!"
"Bah! I've seen a skeleton doctored with phosphorus before now."
"Lift your arm against the dead, and it will drop withered to your side," solemnly added the voice.
"It will, eh? Here's to try it. Man or devil—here's greeting to you!" recklessly cried Tyrrel, as he raised and sighted his revolver.
Again came the laugh, hollow and unearthly. The fleshless face seemed to grin more horribly than before. ”

“ The madman was their strangely-acting adversary. And in this fact they saw a solution of his wild antics with the glowing skeletons. Surely no sane man would have acted as he had done—have braved such danger.
"Dead or alive, we will find Jack there," at length uttered Duplin.
"Find him we must, but it requires caution. One man like that could keep a thousand at bay from the cave. And if he is mad, it would be a crime to kill him, even in self-defense." ”

“ The laugh again echoed forth, as the reverberating reports died away. Duplin sunk upon his face, groaning in terror. Wythe knelt as though petrified. Tyrrel turned a shade paler.
"Silly fool! you provoke your fate. When the sun rises you will be dead—dead."
The glowing figure swiftly moved forward, and seemed about to attack the gold-hunters. Jack hastily lifted his pistol and fired, then sprung to his feet as though in readiness for the struggle. ”