Beadle's Half Dime Library — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

oe Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. boyees !” he gritted, drawing the stout-bladed butcher-knife from his belt, and preparing for a for- ward leap. Only a few yards off two dusky, shining-skinned forms glided crouchingly along through the scattered shrubbe They were Indians—the same, beyond a doubt, who had made the trail that sharp-eyed Brin- dle Joe detected. The trappers had only one babe ae Vengeance for their murdered comrade was within their grasp. It was enough that these intruders were red-men, They could not be friends. ‘Sock it to ’em, boys!” gritted Yellowstone Jack, as he leaped-upon the foremost savage with the un- erring aim of a lurking carcajou who for hours has atiently watched for the unconscious victim to pass Samcatl its perch. There was little or no struggle. Quick and deadl as the lightning’s flash, Yellowstone buried his knife haft-deep in the savage’s heaving chest, and then bore him heavily backward, stifling in his throat the convulsive death-shriek that otherwise would have rung out in allits fierce agony. Then—with one hor- rible shudder, the i limbs relaxed. The spirit of the red-man had fled. ‘*Whoo-odp!” uttered Yellowstone, but in a sub- dued tone, as he turned around just in time to see Brindle Joe arise from the corpse of his antagonist. “T reckon Fatty Smith ’d Se now, ef he could on’y see how we make our words good—though fis skelp was wuth a dozen sech pelts es these /”’ ** Oarrai/” you big varmints don’t give a little man fair show—you take all the fun, like boys!” grumbled the little Mexican, Chavez, “Better luck next time, babby. Thar wasn’t time fer drawin’ lots, But see—lift thar ha’r, while I go see ef all’s right wi’—”’ ‘‘Qe-thunder! look yender!” muttered Brindle Joe pointing across the valley, his deeply-bronzed an grotesquely-freckled face—from which his nom de migue was derived—turning a, shade lighter, The—the spirit!’ breathed Yellowstone, in a tone of awe. Upon a slender point of rock that jutted out from the face of the almost Peraeneiowar chff, stood a fairy-like figure, clearly outlined against the gray rocks. The figure of a woman, or rather that of a girl, just budding into womanhood. Her features could not be distinguished clearly, though the awe- stricken trappers could see that her skin was dusky, olive tinted; her hair, floating free in the light breeze, was jetty black. Her garb was plain, unornament- ed, even rude ee composed of skins with the hair still on, her arms bare to the shoulder. In one hand she held a white bow; the other was just lucking an arrow from the quiver at her back, Then the bow was bent until the feathered shaft fairly brushed her ear, and when the string relaxed, the missile hurtled through the air, quivering deep in the ground several yards behind the a ape as she uttered, in a clear, musical voice, speaking the Kain- na-Blackfoot dialect: “T have warned you—beware!” “‘Thar’s somethin’ fastened on the arrer-head,” 7? Brindle Joe, whose eyes were like a hawk's. Yellowstone Jack, closely followed by his com- rades, ran to the spot where the arrow had fallen, and as the young <a pulled it from its earthen sheath, he detected a strip of buck-skin wound round the shaft. Unloosening this, he eagerly gazed upon the small, curious symbols portrayed in red upon the white skin. Then the puzzled trapper turned to Brindle Joe. That worthy was staring in open-mouth- ed astonishment, Demet toward the cliff. The e had vanished. “T knowed ‘twas a spook—reckon we’d better uckachee, afore wuss comes on ’t,’’ he muttered, loosiiy. ‘““Yender comes the boys—mebbe they’ve see'd it, too.” As Yellowstone Jack spoke, the other two trap- pers came up the valley, their faces wear & strange, uneasy oe emer It was plain that they too had seen the spirit, and knew not how to account for it, : ‘Dy’ see the thing go?”’ faltered Hoosier, glancing nervously around, as though half-expecting to be- hold the mysterious being suddenly reappear at his elbow. ‘¢ No—how was it?” Yellowstone asked. “Jest nat’ally riz an’ flew up to the 4 thar—an’ you kin see, 2 mountain goat couldn’t find toe-holt whar she went,’’ uneasily replied the Hoosier. ‘She just made a few signs, like she wanted to do some- hin’ an’ then faded away like smoke.” “Tyeckon she wanted us to mind what she says on this bit o hide—look at it, Mebbe you kin make somethin’ out o’ it—I cain’t.”’ “Tt’s ‘ritin’\—L know that much,’’ slowly replied Heely Hank. “Tve kerried more’n one bit 0’ sech like, what Old Sam slung off, when we war skrim- magin’ wi’ the Greasers fer Texas, But I cain’t read sech sign—it’s a blind trail to me,” ‘““My old man was powerful on them things, but somehow I never was no gre’t shakes at it,’ feebly muttered Hoosier. “Hr ‘twas beaver now, or red-skin—but never mind. Il keep it anyhow. Don’t reckon it kin hurt a feller, ef 't did come from a sperit, I don’t reckon she means us any bad, or she’d’a' sent this arrer a leetle closter, It’s Blackfoot, though—them ain’t gen’ally the kind we mountainee men call fri’nds.”’ ‘““Reckon she meant we’d better puckachee!”’ “You kin make tracks fer the pte jest 's soon’s ye feel a mind, Brindle Joe—but this beaver don’t go ontel he kin see both eends o’ the trail Boyees, you hear me/ I’m goin’ to find out what that critter meant—what she wants, and who she is, if it takes my last ante. Yallerstone Jack sais it— which is me!” The men stared at him inmute amazement. They could not understand this kind of courage. Not one among them but could have faced death without a tremor, but this was different. What could skill or brute courage avail against a spook—a spirit? “‘Mebbe she is a spook—I don’t know. They sa, there és sech things in these parts. But Ib'lieve she’s a good one, then, I don’t think she'd do a feller any real hurt. Anyhow, Tm goin’ totryiton. Ef she’s human, she’s bound to leave some sort o’ trail ahind her, an’ I kin find it by goin’ over the ridge, I reckon, You fellers lin stay here; ef I don’t come back—” “Ef you're bound to go, Yallerstone, I'm wi’ ye. Brindle Joe mayn’t be much acount, but he don’t go back on a pardner,”’ bagel said the trapper, though his cheek was still pe ©. ‘We'll go in a caboodle, then,’ added Heely Hank. ‘‘ Five mountain men ’d orter be a match for the devil hisself, let alone a teenty spook like that.” ‘‘Le’s pitch this car’on into the bresh, then. Thar ain’t time to clean up the muss, but I don’t reckon any one “ll come this way afore we git back,” ob- ge Yellowstone Jack, setting the example him- self. A few moments later the little party had passed out of the valley, reaching a point where the south- ern ridge might be scaled by an active, quick-eyed, sure-footed man, and then they peered curiously down into the adjoining valley. In this valley Maes Bes first noticed the spirit, who had as suddenly areas without we ae any trace behind her, had vanished as completely and mysteriously as though she had dissolved into thin air. The surroundings, too, were well calculated to arouse the superstition of the trappers. This valley had a reputation second only to that popularly known among them as the ‘Devil's Kitchen,’’ near Eustis Lake. Many an unlucky trapper had jour- neyed thither to “make medicine” at the Boiling Springs: many a fabulous tale was solemnly told of the strange sights witnessed, of the maddening temptations resisted, of the marrow-curdling com- bats with spirits, spooks, goblins, and even with the master of evil himself. Implicit belief in these wild legends and traditions is a genuine mountain man’s religion—too frequently his only one. *I'would be a bold man who would openly doubt these marvels, ““T cain’t see any livin’ critter, onless *t mought be them black-tail,’’ muttered Yellowstone Jack. “ Look beyond the white mound, yender—I kin see somethin’—looks like a two-legged critter squattin’ in the shade o’ that bush-pine,”’ added Brindle Joe. “T cain’t match eyes wi’ you, pard—on'y wish ’t I could. But ef you say so, I reckon it’sthar. Come— we kin git down under kiver o’ this bresh easy enough, an’ then creep up ahind the mound.” Now, that they had fairly entered upon the adven- ture, not one of the pour betrayed any hesitation. Yellowstone Jack led the way, the others close at his heels. Nor did they neglect any of their usual precautions, but kept a keen look-out in every di- rection, not knowing what moment might bring a score of vengeful, bloodthirsty enemies upon them, The bottom of the valley was almost devoid of living vegetation. All around were scattered little mounds and miniature hills, of a dirty, ashen-gray hue, that afforded the trappers sufiicient cover, ar skilled as they were in the art of stalk- ing. ere and there pny. jets of foul-smelling vapor issued from the cracked surface, A dull, subdued rumbling sound came from beneath their feet, and more than once the crust seemed to shake beneath their stealthy footfalls. Cautiously Yellowstone Jack skirted the curious, truncated cone,that seemed eae of a dirty soda, and peered around the base of a broken column. A little ery of wonder broke from his lips. He saw two strange figures running swiftly toward him. One was ome yaa 4 the spirit they had seen upon the face of the cliff. e other appeared to be an old woman, wild and weird-looking, her long snow-white hair floating behind her, her limbs only partially protected by rudely-stitched skins. The two strange beings ran swiftly on until nearly opposite the trappers. Then they paused upon the brink of a large boiling spring, which, in past ages, had thrown up a careous deposit, forming a “curb” nearly ten feet above the evel. Upon this “curb” the two women now stood, Cone upon the astonished trappers, who had not moved a muscle since their appearance. The eldest being grasped 1. . bow held by her com- panion, and notched an arrow, as she uttered a few words a shrill, cracked voice. Though evidently addressed to them, the trappers made no reply. In- deed, had not they been so bewildered, they would not have known what to say, since the words were strange to their ears. ““Go—leave this place—the Queen of the Boiling Springs warns you—beware how you anger her!” uttered the younger being, in the clear, musical had heard before. evil, more likely!’ muttered Chavez, too much of a daredevil for aught to cow him long. ‘I have one silver button left—I’ll try her with that.” “Hold! don’t fire, man—they’re wimmen!”’ cried Yellowstone Jack, striking up the leveled rifle, though not in time to save the shot, though the sil- ver button whistled far aboved the head of the witch. His hand was still grasping the rifle, when a flash of light seemed to blind his eyes, and he started back. Chavez flung up his hands and fell back, without a groan, a feathered shaft transfixing his throat, 2 God! age i ss gasped Brindle Joe. With a shrill, eldritch scream of laughter, the hag raised her hands and then plunged headforemost into the boiling, bubbling caldron. And the next moment the younger being followed her example. A sullen splash—nothing more, Then all was sti CHAPTER IV, A FRIENDLY ENEMY. A ory of horror broke from the lips of Frank Maynard as the faithless pistol failed him. A cloud seemed to pass before his eyes. Fora moment. it seemed as though he would have fallen from the posh as his tortured horse plunged blindly for- war The terrified animals that were attached to the democrat still dashed on, each bound carrying them still nearer the frightful death that now seemed in- evitable. With an effort of will almost superhuman, May- nard crushed down the horror that well-nigh para- lyzed both hand and brain, and once more leveled his revolver. The chance was a faint one, A wound, unless instantaneously fatal, would only precipitate the catastrophe, Yet it was the only chance. : ‘*God have mercy on them now!’ These words burst from the young- man’s lips, as the hammer fell, for the second time, with a sullen click upon the tube.- He knew not that his weapons had been rendered useless by the driving rain that had heralded the terrible pouderece. And, knowing that he was powerless to aid, he covered his eyes with his tncaxailleecs asad The sharp, spiteful crack of a rifle saluted his ear, even above the howling of the tempest, and, amazed, he uncovered his eyes. At first he could distinguish nothing save a confused, struggling mass, rendered indistinct by a flurry of snow, borne upon the win of an eddying whirlwind. Then, with an arm o iron, he checked the mad career of his animal, just in time to keep it from stumbling headlong over the upset democrat. at had pal ee When the maddened horses were seemingly just about to plunge down the canon—when less than a dozen yards of level ground divided them from the abyss, a single rifle-ball whistled from behind a a bowlder hard by, and tore its way through the near horse’s brain. With one spasmodic bound it fell dead, dragging with it its mate, whose hoofs rs i on the carpet of snow and ice. e light wagon was whirled sideways, and over- turned. The occupants were cast out with violence. The off horse scrambled to its feet, and, madly lunging, sought to free itself. The traces held 2 The light wagon wag jerked along, The dead horse was moved afew feet. One of the insensible women was rudely twitched around, so that her head pointed toward the abyss. It was Minnie. She had managed to secure the reins, and, winding them around her arms, had tried to check the runaways. Even now, while uncon- scious, her fingers closed tightly upon the leath- ern lines. And the terrified plunging of the shriek- ing animal threatened to drag her over the escarp- ment—to death. Thus matters were when Frank Maynard checked his horse and leaped to the ground, But he was too late to rescue his loved one from the danger that threatened. The animal gave one terrific bound, then stood upon the very edge of the precipice, rearing, pawin the empty air furiously with its fore-feet, as thoug striving to retreat from a danger just realized. One iron-shod hoof slipped. The frost-eaten rock cracked and crumbled beneath the strong pres- sure, A wild, almost human shriek of horror and fear broke from the lungs of the animal, as it felt itself overbalanced. And then, with a mighty leap, it ppruag from the crumbling rock, far out over the canon's depths, dragging with it the dead horse, the wagon. One more scream—blood-curdlng, intense- ly horrible—and then came a dull, crashing sound as ite branches of the trees below gave way beneath their weight. Upon the very verge of the abyss stood a tall, lithe figure, one arm supporting a drooping form, the other clasping a bright knife, flung back to re- store his balance, As the horse leaped to its feet, a man dashed out from behind the bowlder, dropping his still smoking rifle, drawing a keen knife from his belt. He reach- ed the insensible maiden, as the mad animal plunged into the abyss, and with a swift stroke sev- ered the reins that bound her wrists as his left arm ssed round her waist. But it seemed as though Fis bold adroitness would be all in vain. The terrible strain upon the reins had dragged the maiden to the very escarpment, and, though he managed to check his rush just in time to avoid in- stantly following the horse, the stranger found that the lifeless weight upon his left arm was dragging him down—was surely destroying his balance, despite his utmost exertions. In vain he strove to leap back from the yawning abyss. An invisible power seem- ed restraining him—to be drawing him, slowly, sure- down to‘death. With every muscle strained to the utmost tension—he could not take the single step that would carry him back to life, to safety, Instead, he was gue Wa His tall form was slow- ly hil) bending her over the dizzy depth, agged down by the helpless body that hung so quietly upon his arm, Without that, he could have easily saved himself, By simply straightening out his arm, all would be well. d perhaps she was dead. It might be a corpse that he held, She was so pale, so quiet. Not a muscle moved. Surely she could not be alive? Should he give his young life for a stranger—and that stranger one whom his sacrifice could not save? That these thoughts should have flashed across Oo EloOO O) nn S (OC)