He stepped back and raised his club, for sure was he that an apparition confronted him.
Another flash of lightning. The figure still is there. Solomon Strange started like a guilty thing, as he recognized the man’s features—the features of the renegade, Blufe Brandon.
“Brandon, is it you?” he asked.
“Yes; who are you?” returned the supposed defunct renegade.
“I am Solomon Strange, the Wizard of the West, the same who beat you down in the forest glade, and tumbled you into the gorge for dead. Ho! ho! a right merry time have I had playing Black Bear. Your bear-skin fit me to a gnat’s heel, Mr. Blufe, and then I went up to the robbers’ ranch and passed myself off as Black Bear, and was initiated in the brotherhood of Mountain Men, as you had arranged at the Devil’s Tarn. Oh, a right jolly time had Duval Dungarvon and I, Mr. Blufe. A gay dog is Captain Duval, but he got drunk and I didn’t, and the reason was, he poured goblets of liquor down his throat, while I poured just as much down—upon the floor. And while Duval, the thirsty dog, lay dead drunk, I stole a bottle of his best, gave it to his prisoners, and then let them out, locked the empty prison and hid the key, Mr. Blufe. And all this merry sport I’ve had in your bear-skin, and no one knew but I was Black Bear himself. But, how glad I am that you are not dead, Mr. Blufe, for I felt like I had done a dirty little deed when I flung you into the gorge, so deep, so dark, Mr. Blufe.”
“I believe you are an infernal fool,” returned the bruised and wounded renegade, growing enraged at what he knew must be so.
“Whew! how the winds blow,” continued Strange. “Come into the cavern and I will tell you more, Mr. Blufe. Come in where the rain won’t wash you into the gorge, for there is only a shadow of you left, you unfortunate dog.”
“Go to the devil,” responded the renegade; “I will not go in.”
“But, you must come, you must hear me, Mr. Blufe,” and Strange seized him, and dragging him into the cavern, compelled him to listen to an hour’s tales and talk.
When he had finished, however, he turned and glided out the cavern into the forest.