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Vol. 5—No. 25.
STREET & SMITH,
55 FULTON COR. OF CLIFF,
New York. June 6, 1868.
Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1°68, by SraeEr & Sara, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court for the Sonthern District of New York.
$4 00 P. AR,
SINGLE COPIES TEN CENTS,
ER YE.
No. 129.
[Original,]
Whirlwind, the
OR, THE
TWIN ROSEBUDS OF
A Tale of the Rocky Mountains.
Avenger;
BY HARRY HAZLETON.
CHAPTER I — THE DEED OF BLOOD—THE AVENGER,
Even on the desolate Black Hills there are
some lovely: spots.”
Oa the slope verging
towards Déep Creek,
the Platte River and
the Plains of Laramie,
there is a space of
half-a-dozen acres of
level ground, ‘which
is especially beantifal
in situation, com-
.manding as it does
one of the most en-
chanting views in the
‘world. This small
Y patch of Jand had
P= yeaniaippeverby art.
2 It had been regularly
laid ont in walks, .
which were flanked
with flower beds, and
they were now in fall
bloom, giving a fairy-
like prospect to the f
scene and lending a
sweet fragrance to the
air. In the center of
the grouuds there
stood a cabin, proba-
bly built of rude bogs,
but it was 60 over-
xrown. with creeping
vines thatit appeared
in perfect keeping
with the surround-
ings.
Some little distance
from the rear of the
cottage there arose a
sharp ledge of rocks,
at the base of which
there bubbled op a
spring of crystal wa-
ter, It was early in
the morning. The
sun had just begun to
cast its golden rays.
over the mountain
tops, but even at that
early hour there was
a visitor at the spring.
B-side it sat an old
man. His long white
hair and beard were
fanned by the gentle
morning breeze, and
the veteran bared his
head in order that the
cooling draught
might come in con-
tact with his feverish
brow. He had been
gazing earnestly into
the water, but now he
raised his eyes,
pressed his bands to his temples, and gave
vent to a deep sigh; while he patted the eaith
impatiently with bis foot, Then he ex-
THE FOREST. | “wy
“Why do I linger here? What fascination
chains me to this spot? Is it because I still
hope? . Yes—yes, although that hope has
well nigh ended in despair. And there is
another motive. I feel that 1am being terri-
bly—”
The old man paused in his speech, for foot-
steps attracted his sttention. He looked up
and saw standing near him a person whom be
did not at once recognize, so covered was he
with blood. But in a moment he said:
“In heaven’s name, Leon, what has hap-
pened?”
Before the answer was given the voice of a
female burst upon the morning air, rivaling
the birds in song. The person addressed as
Leon threw a glance toward the cottage, from
whence the voice of the singer came, andthen
replied: “I bave bad an encounter with an
enemy down in the valley. I am not badly
hurt, Mr. Wasbburne, but I will wash this
blood away, for Grace may come hither, and
she wonld be unnecessarily alarmed.” Saying.
this, the young man stepped to the side of the
little brook which ran from the spring, and
commenced laving his head. Bat he could
not entirely check the flow of blood, and when
the singer came bounding to the spot a mo-
ment after, she discovered the crimson drop,
d she turned pale
as she asked:
“Why, father, whet
is the matter with
his band, taking that
of the beautifal young
creature, and said:
“Don’t be alarmed,
Miss Washburn. It
is simply a slight cut,
T fell upon the rocks
as I was coming up
the mountain.”
“A deep blush man-
tled the face of the
maiden and it ap.
peared as if she was
not altogether satis-
fied with the explana-
tion, for there re-
mained an anxious
expression upon her .
face, This the father
observed, and he
said:
“Grace, my child,
you see that we ere
to have a guest for
breakfast, Spread
the table accordingly,
and let the meal be
prepared as soon as
possible. I have
been out for two
hours, and my appe-
tite is excellent, Be-
* sides, I have no doubt
but that our friend
here will relish the
venison steaks, espe-
cially if he has walked
alltbe way from his
house this morning.”
The young creature
kissed her father,
timidly extended her
hand to Leon egain,
glanced at the wound
“apon his forebead,
and then ran towards
the cottage, disap- <4
pearing within its <
POISE
she had passed from
sight, the old man
said in rather an anx-
ious tone of voice:
“Sit down, Leon,
and tell me what has
happened.”