Log Cabin Library: The Queen of the Canons — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

, ‘ye a ; : - . “ . jay - - «“™ . ene . > . : , ; a Ss THE LO - s. yp IS Gee a ™ his. “You area brave and faithful fellow, ard I shall ™ ~ — ~~ — a . i ™ c ; 5 ~ <3 ; pS RS 5 bs Pere nage oS SRT RL SO 2s hia Ls 4 CAT ty te ay FT SE < . — - - 7 = a ~~ - wy 7 eA > <S 'S a [5 So. a ee 2S eee eee . + > 7 es . ~~ a i. “= = anu —— — - — et yy, = ~~ Ns x ar as tare > rae aE ‘* ; dj N. = Se r= > mans a ay es Ate Fl & | L$. aa ib . ‘ x ete “ Ar. eS Ae a NCS st ee ‘ P~ Tae A \aR 4 r a R ¥ “ - 4 , ws > rs ‘ . o> 2F* may 3 eas >' b+ AP pr, . ti. 3 _ . > ee ' ry - a “ : ny 4 Sats . ‘x + > , * re eRe’. a ey : iy , -— . dee? a . ™*, . ~) yy r= ¢ “ A ., ‘“— s , ——— — se like and respect you as long as I live.” - * a ‘- > - ae. if : * a “ aay “What can be the matter?” cried Juan, galled to the heart, and anxious to change the scene... “The buffalo seem to be changing their course of retreat.” The others noticed the same thing at once, and Jingo Josh sprang into his saddle. | “Yes,” said he, shading. his eyes with his hands “dey am veerin’ right off to de norf.” “What can be the cause?” asked Bertie, anxiously. After a moment’s hesitation, the negro’s answer came with startling distinctness: “Injuns!” — CHAPTER VII. THE RIVALS. The ominous word “Injuns!” had barely escaped from the Black Scout’s lips, before a band of horsemen, evi- dently Indians, made their appearance ona ridge about a mile distant, in pursuit of the buffalo. “Well, what is the difference?” said Juan, speaking cheerfully ; for, to tell the truth, he feared Indians less than he did buffalo. “My uncle is on excellent terms with nearly all the tribes, is he not?” | “With most of them,” replied Bertie; “but he has often suspected that some of the Apaches and Navajos would not scruple to become treacherous to himif they could gain by it. Besides,” she added, with jncreasing anx- iety in her tones, “if would be different if we were at the ranch. Friendly or not friendly, I should dread to meet a large band of them so far from home.” “Then we had better push back at once ; be more than six miles to the ranch.” , Leaving the carcasses of their game, they began to re- mount the ridge, from whose summit they had first dis- covered the buffalo, as rapidly as the strength of their jaded steeds would permit. Jingo Josh advised that they should deviate slightly from their course, in order to skirt a small piece of chaparral, which might afford them some shelter in case of their being cut off. Camargo angrily dissented. “It is so likely that we will be cut off by Indians more than a mile inour rear and only intent upon following the herd !” he sneered. Only intent upon reaching her father’s house as soon as possible, Bertie said nothing, so they pushed straight for- ward. } But they had not got half way up the hill, when they were filled with consternation by the sudden apparition of another and larger band of painted savages coming into view directly before them at the top of the ridge. They halted at once in the utmost alarm. “Jingo Josh was right,” murmured poor Bertie, who, fatigued from the chase, was perfectly white with ner- vous anxiety. The Indiars upon beholding them, clustered together, and seemed to be holding a consultation. Then one of them left the group and rode toward the trio. “Just say the word, Cousin Bertie, and I'll kill this fellow as soon as he comes within range,” said Juan, put- ting his hand to his belt. and speaking ina tone of voice that showed he meant what he said. “Tt would be madness!” she exclaimed, it can scarcely ee and at the same time throwing him a glance that reassured him that her former coldness was caused rather by momentary pique than real distrust in his personal courage, “I think these Indians are Navajos, and as I understand their lan- guage quite well, I will act as spokesman—or spokes- woman,” she added, with a smile; for, even under these circumstances, her spirits could not be wholly depressed. The Indian messenger came up. Barring his war-paint, he was a handsome young brave; and speaking in the Navajo tongue, he demanded the instant surrender of the party, on pain of death, in case of resistance. “Go tell your chieftain,” said Bertie, with dignity, “that T amthe daughter of Mr. Bounty, the white ranchero, whom all the Indians respect and love.” » te - 4 . . , ou - * > ¥, bs ae ~ ; 4 oad * ry 2 ’ - o bat - ,* aS A & es Ath g) | a His a —— d - ae Re a Ww ' . - * - i. 7 ‘s x - ¥-4F ac Ohad bd we “~. es 4 ‘ i . * - Fy oe VE ~~ o 4 ‘ . i wf” ~~ & ~~ fhy we ~ ge : _ . x wl) as ; . os S ~, 7 a > *! "73 . ) - rt = dah al lee 4 x ey en , adm a : — res a Veh ) nly tae . = Ts 4 - , ‘ ~ + Wo a nen nnn nn nee aoe ~_- stunted -timber, ! two bands come together with a terrific crash—the | | ing them with persistent . ry - 2 a —_ a ye fae 7 hes ; P| } ~ » + wi ta - : * RT my > “ing ay ¥ 4 4 ” > . z ~ > , 4 ; - 2 - +. Ae re . ad oT... a » : - es, ’ ise TED io as er at ae 2s 2s / LA G 4 he od . . F'n ~ z : ma gate) “ FP won ne « - » » " “. =, 2 oP P > eeu oat - > ~ “es = : 7 * oe : * e lously. SS ae La Reina de los Canons,” said he. ee “You are not Spares “T am, indeed,” she replied. “Go and tell your chief- tain so, and he will not hinder us.” ; ; The Indian hesitated a moment, and then wheeling his horse, galloped up the slope, while Bertie recited to her companions what had passed between them.” “What do you think will be the result?” inquired her cousin. . “T can only hope for the best,” she replied, shaking her head. “These Indians may come from a distance, and know little of my father.” | “Make ready fur de wust!’ cried Jingo Josh, spurring his horse directly in front of his mistress. “Dey 1s all comin’ down onto us like a avalancherum. Dis ole coon ‘ll die fust, Mistis Bertie !” ; He drew his pistol as he spoke, and so did Camargo ; for all the Indians, thirty or forty in number, were about to move down toward them. Bertie was about to scream out that no resistance must be made, when a sudden and unexpected diversion oc- curred in their favor. : The savages had barely spurred their horses into move- ment, when a chorus of fierce shouts arrested them. At the same moment the hunters saw arise from the farther side of the ridge, and about midway between the savages and the chaparral, a band of mounted men, whose appearance thrilled them with joy and hope, for they were clad in the army blue. “Halleluja! We am saved!” roared Jingo Josh. As the troopers dashed along the crest of the ridge, the Indians seemed undecided whether to stand or to fly, but at length appeared to make up their minds to fight it out, as they were superior in numbers, and started a fire with rifles and arrows. The leader of the troopers, hollowing his palms around his lips, shouted in a clear, ringing voice, which the party of three distinctly heard—a voice which caused little Ber- tie’s heart to leap joyously : “ Make for the chaparral !” RSA They pushed forward as rapidly as their. jaded steeds could move. They had just reached the protecting shelter of the when wheeling their horses, they saw the soldiers with waving sabers and cocked revolvers. ! It soon became a running fight, the Indians retreating in disorder, and in straggling lines, and the soldiers press- fury. At length the Indians, giving up the last show of resist- ‘ance, turned tail and fled in the utmost confusion, leaving several of their number unhorsed and prostrate upon the plain. The troopers pursued them afar, until recalled by the warning note of the bugle. , As the officer of the victorious band (he who had directed them to the shelter of the chaparral) rode up to the little party so happily rescued, Bertie’s heart beat tumultuously, while Juan Camargo grew sick almost to death with jealous hatred. : “Why, it am Cap’n Markham, sho !” cried Jingo Josh. “Hooray !” There was a certain diffidence in the young officer’s de- meanor, and he almost avoided Bertie’s grateful glance as he rode up. “T thank my stars that my arrival was so opportune, Miss Bounty,” said he. ‘‘What could have induced you to wander so far from home, without a number of your father’s men as an escort?” °~ “T know it was very wrong,” stammered Bertie. “It was——” “Qaptain Markham,” interrupted Juan, with difficulty assuming a suave and easy tone of voice, yet imbuing it with acertain authoritativeness sufficiently marked to be easily understood, “in my cousin’s name, I thank you for your timely assistance ; and as for myself, this is the ‘second time you have placed me under obligations to you —obligations which Captain Markham bit his lip and cast a quick, penetrat- ‘ing glance of inquiry at Bertie, to learnif possible whether = ‘eo ~~) fp . ec Me a? Ate Si, 7 wT he “ ~ « oY 9 4 ‘ - *,» pa . . “" ae - tu od w, et >>" iS | ~ _ x — he —, . “~_ fe 7 a A. “A. 2 The young warrior shook his plumed head incredu: phe ig Del , > a I hope some day to be able to repay.” us byes “Yl. ome , ~ «i BA Se ‘ya a Pe A sw 4 & aie e's > me “at peng ine Spin, 4 * a ~_& ay . 7 SS a %, i . ~ a, e ‘ex i ~ Wr ¥ ‘ ¥ fo? « @ "> Ramat a rrs . ‘ —_ a =? . #« Ne pte et Re OK Ce | ym haces OF? a vie Fhe Wee oe . ar ef <p vs 5 Sa ae é . , Awe ~ as ?