Frank Reade Library No. 12: Frank Reade and His Steam Man of the Plains — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 THE STEAM MAN OF THE PLAINS. They soon reached the grove, and found that | ing, there was no one to battle with, and Frank| He regarded the lovely widow approvingly as pure water was plentiful. Reade allowed the old fellow to utter a prolonged | she struck an attitude of defiance, and of defense They put away a very substantial eort of a din- | whistle of triumph. also, and met her foe with fearless mien. ner, and soon took the trail i In a moment the two were shaking hands| The latter strack quick and sharp,a perfect Before them stretched a:vay the broad path of | heartily, for in their own minds the cousins had | shower of blows, but were all cleverly caught the stam peding army of horses. doubted that they would ever meet on the beaded shield. On - on, mile after mile gliding from under the| ‘‘ We must not stop here,” said Charley. ‘‘There| The plucky Widow Bhotassey waited for a tireless feet of the Steam are two men in hed her opponent Suddenly Frank shut off steam, and the iron man came to a halt. ‘“* What would ye be afther?” asked Barney. ‘* Look at that swath of grass bent down at the side,” said Frank, pointipg to the track made by tho doubly-loaded stallion, when he was forced to run from the herd by the strong hand of Dash Hallet. ‘ At least one of the harses has out away fyom the main lot.” **It looks moighty that way,” said Barney, with his eyes following the course. “Do yez mane tat t © cratur wint along in a sort of sig- course?” ** Yes, I do,” said Frank; ‘‘and is it not most likely that the animal may be the one Charicey hopped upon?” ey scratched his head. ‘“‘T'll nade to philosophize a bit on it,” he said. ** Well, but what is your advice?” **Consarnin’ what, me gossoon?” ** Why, about the course,” said Frank; “ which way shall we go?” “Ye mane whether we shall keep on afther thim wild horses or take the chances to go afther this one?” a Yes.” “Thin I advise ye to do as ye think beat self,” said Barnoy, who did not rate very in his own opinion. “I can fight loike the cats o’ Kilkenny; but may ould Nick fly away wid me if I can name the course.” Frank Reade was really puzzled. He did not know what to do, for there was nothing, not even the slightest thing, that could. “urn the balance of opinion one way or the other from the center of daqubt. ‘“‘He may have kept on with the herd, or he might possibly have turned ,that leader aside by soine means,” mused the boy. ‘I think I'll take ahs chances aad follow the course of the single orse.” He turned to the wagon. ‘*Have ye decided on the coorse?” asked his eom ion. 66 have.” “Which one?” ‘* The single track.” ** Faith, I was of the opinion that I'd follow that meself, onyhow,” said Barney. ‘But now ra ye worre— worms, was there Maire such an egant coun or ting yer Me Sate a nontstoonmee e spoke, the report of a und, Fran out in the distance, and looking aro e could see that one man; mounted on sorsolees. was fiying from sev Indians, also mounted. The fugitive was keeping up a running fight with the red skins, and was having a lively time dodging the bullets that were sent to him in Frank jumped into the wagon and seized his Tre- powerful telescope. He hastily adjusted the sight, and brought it to bear upon the single horseman. ‘A ed from his lips. It’s ley!” he shouted. “In with you, Barney, and away to the rescue!” The shrill whistle sounded forth in Piping notes, the long legs shot in and out, and the Man *fCharley Gorse was maintaining « very unequal ey Gorse was @ very uneq combat, and when he heard the voice of the Steam Man, it sounded like the cheery call of an old friend to his ears. As the iron monster dashed from the shady Bove, the Indians caught sight of the unusual r They had never seen an in the steam line before, and in all probab would have been fearfully frightened by an ordinary milroad engine, but when their gaze rested upon the iron man of immense stature, who was rushing to- wards them at such a terrific pace, their wonder and fear were unbounded. ' jeer didn't care about meeting the huge old ellow. They made up their minds that he was a “ bad crowd.” They pulled up so short that they nearly endan- gored their necks, and the voice of the chieftain y stuttered forth a frightened order. His followers were not longin obeying the com- mand of their leader. They turned tai] and fled at the very top of their horses’ speed, not pausing once to see whethe they were pursued or mot; and when the Steam Man at the spot where Charley was stand- be | danger; th the or Drive fast, as T direct for at a they e t ] OHAPTER XII. THE LOVELY WIDOW SHOFFUSGUY. Tus lovely Widow Shoffusguy stood firm and steadfast on her guard as the two other squaws rushed upon her. She sras-a screamer of the very first water, and she ‘~t propose to back down even against numbers. or held her neat toothpick firmly in her right Her left arm had a sort of ded mantle wrapped around it, and this arm she held across it ae an though designing to use it as a eld. Two squaws closed in upon her. The lovely Widow Shoffusguy had a pair of eyes oat were as well as extremely orna- mental. She contrived to see both blows aimed at her by her foes. The nearest one she blocked with her beaded | property by d ant or disputants by virtue of her brandished shield, the knife turning off from the beads an shells as quickly as upon a or of steel. The other squaw was a little behind her A and the lovely Widow Shoffusguy very prom kicked at her. It was not remarkable for elegance, this kick; it was not gaudy, but fitted in an extremely neat manner, for it was planted in the stomach of the on-coming squaw, and the latter soon after con- ceived the idea that the ground hed jumped up and struck her on the back of the head. Then the lovely Widow Shoffusguy turned her undivded attention to the other lady. The latter had to depend solely upon her own resources now, for she could expect no help from | sex her friend until the latter was refilled with wind. Poor George Augustus Fitznoodle stood hard by, looking with unbounded astonishment upon this strange scene. The idea of theae women fighting was new to his civilized mind; he had heard of such doings in Africa, but he did not know that America had Amazons, It was scarcely of material interest to him which way the e terminated, for the idea had imp itself upon his mind that the result would be that he was to wed one of these copper- colored fire-eaters, or else burn at the stake. ‘‘H’and h’I prefer matrimony to cremation,” said Fitznoodle, wate the battle between the two women, and at le comi to the conclu- sion that he preferred the lovely idow Shoffus- guy to the others, on account of her beauty. he proved a perfect screamer, and got in the first cut at her foe. The latter became more wary. Motzer-Ponum and his braves stood by, and murmured approvingly when an extra fine thrust or ery was made. he lovely one was equal toa Fourth ward rou h. Bie was a stabber, and she was a biter, and she dearly loved to goure. She put in a sudden left-handed blow of her fist, knocked her enemy justa trifle off of her balance, and then she clipped st her three times with her knife inlees than four seconds. wn went the enemy. a tiice the lovely Widow Shoffusguy had ber by the throat. She shouted out something that was as good as Greek to Fitznoodle’s ears. ‘*She’s probably calling h’on ‘er h’enemy to yield, uarter or no quarter,” said Fitzn to , and he was ut right. The prostrate woman muttered something in a half-choked voice, and was immediately released. As she got upon her f the other squaw—the | good Fed been knocked breathless & one who by the foot of the lovely Widow Shoffusguy—regained her breath and her feet, and madea desperate charge upon the latter. ‘**Kavens! ’ow very disgraceful b’all this h’is, to be sure,” muttered the scandalized George Augustus. “H’I wonder hiif they really ’ope to be called respectable members h of society h'if they go h’onh’atthis rate? Why, in h’all my life h’I’ve never ’eard h’anything so scandalous. H’I really ‘ope this good-looking one may be victori- ous, for, from my soul, the h’others the most vicious-looking wretch h’T've h’éver met.” good chance, and then she slas acroes the face. Then she kicked, and punched, and stabbed her all at one time, ‘much dner the Bowery boys’ Down went the enemy. te hot ty moanted her in less than three uivers of an 6 The same eeremony was gone through with her as with the previous conquered foe, and then the victor stood erect. She cast her Kamitg e7en about her, and they rome? upon the form George Augustus Fits- nD e. She swoo down u him. Peseeole aiitod. a She ped him by the hairand lifted her knife on Fitznoodle bellowed : “ For 'Eaven’s sake, go h’ I* be cried, ex- peoting every moment to feel keen point of © flash ing blade in his heart. ‘“‘ H’I'm prepared to fulfill h’all my h’engagements. Don ; h’I’m not b’insured.” But she didn't have any intention of killing the r; she o wanted to place her bands upon him, declare him to be her the act, and to defy all other claim- 6. But she was too much of a tearer for any one else to trouble her, and not a voice was upraised against her mere proclamation of ‘““You mine now !” she said, loo down with softened gaze upon the countenance of the some- what reasured Fitenoodle; ‘“ you b’long Shol- fusguy; and me take you to wigwam. You come ‘With the greatest h’ a said George Augustus, Pian the exprestion of. ® man who is about to swallow a dose of “ HI'm h’a.:ways h’at the command of the And then the lovely Widow Shoffusguy lost ne time in yanking him off to her wigwam. An hour or 80 later the Indian population was aroused by loud yells from without the announ the approach of some of their and also den the fact that a number prisoners were brought in by the warriors, But to explain how ail this came about, the author must leave the Indian village and take ap another in the warp of the story. CHAPTER XIII THE NIGHT PISTOL—THE CAPTURE—TEE "SOAPS. Tue reader will remember that in a chapter the horse that bore Dash and coeriey Gorse stopped so suddenly as to cast both riders to the ground. Charter was halt enone for his head was not quite so asthe flinty surface it had come in contact with, and he lay perfectly motionless for @ moment. Dash Hallett had kept hold of the fowing mane re a rah to which he now clung with s 68 C) , It was So pitchy dark that one could scarce have seen ten feet ahead. The stallion was shi from head to feot br some Ereat og ears not ae hunter Pp firmly © nostrils, steed coed bare dashed away. Dash Hallett was a man of experience in such a matter as this, and he knew that there must be eumctent cause for the greatevident alarm of the on. Eh om for Charley. the ground with his 6 r tu m hand to his head. 7 ** What’s the matter?” he asked. “I don't know,” said Dash. ‘There's some cause for the critter * scared 580 precious bad. I'l hold on to while you walk on—don't move too quick—try and out the cen tap need Bis bane to his pocket and pulled forth a six-barreled revolver of splendid make, and holding this firmly in his hand, walked slowly and carefully ahead. It was well that he did go out slowly, else he might have met a horrible fate. e had advanced about ten Then he saw that he stood on fhe very edge or a chasm. He peered out into the gloom, and fancied be COmiIcoooe GC SS o(CO)