Yellowstone Jack: Trappers of the Enchanted Ground — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

¥, . oe ; how ae me ‘ended! em. added Frank, J pouely EN AS to ae “ go on ag’in. Dere rifle— BC ome ono gt git itled den, I reckon,” coolly i @ ‘etu 1ed pe eemoniata (22 the Eagle, as that t oH y be interpreted. Dit nly for——’ and Maynard looked ow istfully up 0D Minnie and Ada, who had ught yuelter from the cutting wind be- ‘hi east of rock. “I would go and e see if I could help the whites. They mu be friends ; perhaps some of our _ people searching for us. £ ates You Jose scalp dere, sartin. Big We ArTIOTS, Blackfeet—fight like debble— “Ht ove white blood. Bes’ we hide now, till | Le a git back to you’ fr’en’s. When dark .: comes, den me show you trail. Be _ snake now—dat bes’. Dat my ta k ae we had better hide ntil ee “Me tink dat bes’ trail; save scalp, i, but t not sure. Pethonista chief, but he act now like common brave. Koutonipi Jead Blackfeet now. But come—fight ¢ 3 ' some dis way, quick—we bes’ go hide, a vhile kin,” hurriedly added the Indian, ‘pia a moment's pause. _ Maynard did not hesitate long. He « so could tell that the combatants were f raduallye nearing the spot, one party evidently being forced back. ~The Hagle appeared to have fully "decided upon his course of action, for he _ did not hesitate a moment after the yome man mutely admitted his trust, ided rapidly away from the spot. y yan followed close upon his heels, assisting Minnie and Ada over the in- equalities, striving to lessen, if not dissi- pate, their natural fears. > (Alter proceeding some two score yards, their further progress was barred, } t e ledga abruptly ending. Pethonista : ‘chuckled grimly at the blank look that Y faynard east upon him, and stooping, i, ne lightly dropped over the edge of the &) _ canyon, alighting upon a ledge scarcely _ one foot wide. “You must be mad, chief,” cried May- ‘ nard, angrily, in answer to the Black- § oot, who motioned him to pass the | ‘, vornen down to kim. ‘ You would both , No, ya a: 4 oy ses € stay here to face whatever may A DAStARD shor, , sure. Mebbe kin save it anyhow, | ns | v then dropped from his pérth to another some six feet below. Drawing himsclf up again by the strength of his arms, he — uttered : “Dat way,I mean. You give squaw —I put her down dere. Den you come —we go, too. All right den, plenty room, wide trail. Better dan wait fo’ Blackfeet come scalp.” “ He is right, Frank,” interposed Ada. “TE we trust him at all, , why not entirely ? I do not believe he means treachery. I will go first—help me.” | The Eagle gave an emphatic grunt of approval, aid raised his arms. May-— nard yielded, and lowered Ada over the — escarpment. Pethonista held her lightly — for a moment, then dropped her to the © second ledge. “T was ‘right ; there is a good, ata ue path here,” the brave sirl cried, the next moment. Thus re-assured, Minnie was quickly placed beside her cousin, and Maynard followed. Pethonista dropped to the ledge, and then led the way. The scene was peculiar. ¥ The httle party, with their guide, were gliding ~ along the perpendicular face of the canyon, several yards below its top. The abyss yawned below them, dark and sloomy. The bushy tops of trees swayed to and fro below them in the eddying wind, though scarce a -breath touched the fugitives. The wall above shielded them. 3 After followimg this precarious trail for half-an-hour, Pethonista paused and said that they might now wait until the shades of night should settle down upon the earth, under cover of which they could gain the waggon-train undis- covered by the Blackfeet. Though the trio were so anxious to regain their friends, who would be dreading tho worst from their long absence, they could not object to the Eagle's rea- soning, and composed themselves to wait. The sort of a niche in which they ‘paused was well sheltered, even if the storm had not entirely ceased. The air rapidly grew warmer, the sky cleared and the sun shone brightly as it neared the horizon. While waiting, Pathonistay who ap- peared to be in unusually good humour, and to feel kindly towards those who had assisted him, explained to Frank E@MMNIE DOO! KS.)