Rocky Mountain Sam — page 203: what you’re looking at

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

194 ROCKY MOUNTAIN SAM. already torn a large aperture in the roof to enable them to see the formsof the combatants by the lurid glare, and to - distinguish Big Horn prancing and striking out among his enemies with apparently: undiminished vigor, when a door at the back of the lodge, which they had not seen before, was burst open, and Firefoot, bearing the half-fainting form of the Prairie Blossom and followed by Fayaway and _ several chieftains, rushed out into the open air, where for a few mo- ments they all paused as if overcome by sheer exhaustion. At the same instant, Rocky Mountain-Sam lowered a strong rope with a loop at the end into the burning lodge and sung out at the top of his lungs; “Put that under your arms, pard, quicker’n The jig’s up for the present.” | Big Horn, who was probably so near exhausted as to com- ply with his advice without reluctance, did as he was bid with some difficulty, and, by the combined exertions of his comrades, was drawn up out of the environing flames, and into the car, but not before he had administered a few parting kicks among his foes with his bladed feet. As soon as he was assisted over the side he sank into the bottom of the car completely exhausted for the time being, the blood-hound licking up the blood with which his cloth- ing was drenched, and Mewanee hastening to remove his heavy fighting-cap and to bathe his brow with some water, which fortunately chanced to. be near at hand. ‘The tired warrior opened his heavy eyes, and they rested tenderly upon the gentle form of the maiden—if such a nature as his could be aware of tenderness. | But now the voice of the old professor called the rest .of the party, at least, to action. ‘“‘Make ready a lariat, Sam,” he said, ‘‘Firefoot is preparing to run his captives off into the gorge. We may get a chance to switch up Miss Mollie out of his reach.” Rocky Mountain Sam watched his opportunity, and by a dextrous cast of the lariat which he had prepared, dropped the noose directly over Miss Mollie’s shoulder. ‘Tuck it under your arms, an’ don’t be afraid, Miss Mollie,” he cried out. She obeyed him with the rapidity of thought, and, before the captors by whom she was surrounded, could recover from their astonishment, she was spirited up into the air, and over the surface of the lake far above their heads. ! Eomicboo cS ¢om