Yellowstone Jack: Trappers of the Enchanted Ground — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

Ss... chp a J ~ 36 an entire army at its deadly work. The trappers tried to settle the point from whence the shot proceeded, but 1n vain. The thousand echoes completely be- _ wildered them, and a few moments later they resumed their course. _ It was this shot that hurled Frank Maynard down the canyon. For nearly an hour the trappers pressed on, without further interruption, but then Yellowstone leaped quickly aside, crouch- ing behind a boulder, hissing: Cache, boys, there's a varmint ahead !” Kasy, friends,’ promptly replied a clear, not unmusical voice, from the gloom beyond. ‘ There's no quarrel be- tween us, that I know of.” “Who air you, then?” demanded Yellowstone Jack. | ‘A friend to all those who are in league against the accursed Blackfeet. You saw me to-day when your comrade was rubbed out.” | “The feller what called hisself the Blood-Drinker—but don’t trust him Zoo fur,” muttered Brindle Joe, “°F you're alone, step out. i reckon we've got a crow to pick wi you,” added Yellowstone, uncocking his rifle. “1 am alone, but I’m not afraid to trust you. I set you down for true men, to-day, and I’m not often deceived in a man,” quietly said Campbell, advancing. “‘ folksis sometimes peskily bad fooled. You don’t look like your tongue was croo’ ed, yit you put us on a false trail to-day,” drily rephed Yellowstone Jack. “'l'here is some mistake here—” “ Jest what J thort, a blamed big one, too. Didn’t you say you left them gal- eritters all safu? Then whar be they ? They ain’t whar you said, nor at the emi- | forced to admire his noiseless progress, grant camp.” “T told you the truth. I saved them from being dashed into the canyon, by shooting one of their horses, They were , all nght when I left them. Besides, I warned them of the presence of enemies. -Itmay be that they have been captured, These hills are swarming with their ene- mies, both pale-faces and Blackfeet.” ‘* Look here. You say you’ve quit these fellers |” ‘Yes, they have banded with my deadly enemies, the Blackfeet. For ten years past. I have never missed an opportunity of taking a Blackfoot’s scalp ; is it likely, then, that I would fight with and forthem, now?” , A YELLOWSTONE JACEK, ) : about one and the coyotes will soon be — +5 tte ) / ay “Will you lend us a hand, then?” . bluntly asked Yellowstone. ‘s s i what WAY bs turn ¥ | ft “We was going’to take a look in the kenyon—” bie “That would be a waste of time, Those you seek are not there. If they have not reached their friends, then some — of Mole’s men, or some of the Blackfeet — have captured them. I will do better, I will show you their camp.” Pie “TY don’t know much about ye, stranger, You talk slick enough, an’ I'd hate to think”0’ you asa traitor, But thar'll be — three fellers nigh to ye, who're tol’able quick on the trigger, an’ who kin hit the — bigness of a man when it’s cuss enough,” — slowly uttered the trapper. Mireles) “Nor am I used to such threats. J] i don’t ask you to trust me, You need not accept my offer unless you choose,” 4 coldly replied Campbell, ry “"F you mean right, thar’s no ’fense intended. What say, boys? Shall we go wi’ him ?” “You kin trust him—a feller lyin’ | don’t talk that a-way,” promptly replied Brindle Joe, and Hoosier intimated a similar belief. MDa “Come, then; the trail is a round- creeping up to surround their prey,’ tersely added Campbell, leading the way, — atarapid pace. — me: Though the sun had set clear, the heavens were rapidly becoming overcast, — and the full moon only shone forth at — rare intervals. Vernon Campbell led the way with a celerity and promptness _ that told how well he knew the country, — and even the well trained trappers were More lke a bodiless phantom stantial flesh and blood. 4 Just as he gained the entrance to the little valley in which we first beheld the ~ outlaw band, Campbell, with a warning gesture, sank quietly down behind a large boulder, He was closely imitated — by the trappers, who had also caught the — mufiled sound of horses’ hoofs. Lying thus, within ten feet of the narrow trail, the four scouts clutched — their weapons, resolved to strike one blow before death, in case they should be discovered. | Riding two abreast, the horsemen filed — past, speaking not a word, only a dull — trampling sound betraying their passe” A 1an sub= — Py ‘