Yellowstone Jack: Trappers of the Enchanted Ground — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

. RD Ra ee eae RS oe mi > % ay SLE Ai, * jon. aera Seg a bate SN ete eatin HOW THE EAGLE KEPT HIS PLEDGE 45 _ Night-walker—” and the scarred chief _ shook his tomahawk significantly. — ‘5 chee A squaw uses her tongue,” retorted _ Pethonista, drawing his knife and flinging it at Ada’s feet. “ Now is Night-walker afraid to meet a chief?” ae ‘The giant chief sprang forward, and . aimed a deadly blow at the Hagle’s head. - he stroke was adroitly parried, swiftly returned, and then the rival chiefs stood foot to foot plying their weapons with ape marvellous skill and celerity. Sparks fell i. a « [ . upon every side in showers, the clash of steel rang out loudly. It was a duel to the death, dimly lighted by the red ey ‘ing close against the rock wall, breath- at ‘scarce ten feet in breadth, nearly square. — Upon three sides a perpendicular face of oe empty space until, near one hundred _ yards below, the jagged boulders that _ strewed the canyon bed would welcome to sudden death the one who should be 2 § _ Suddenly Ada gave a ery of pain, and sank down, partially stunned. The _ the Eagle’s weapon was torn from his _ grasp and hurled forbibly against the - Before Night-walker could fairly realize his advantage, Pethonista closed with wall. The shock caused Neepaughwheese to drop his weapon, and striving to tear __ the sinewy hands away from his throat _ ‘fhough taller and heavier, Night-walker te vas neither so supple nor active as his ee than one at first glance would have believed. > | - forced back a pace, their limbs locked _. together, every muscle strained to its _ rock, tearing, biting, snarling like mad- dened beasts, first one, on top, then the glowing timbers, scarce heeding the . seorching pain, and then, still locked in feet, only to fall again, with crushing RP aOree.. 7 ap Mees re of the tiny fire. And Ada, crouch- ; _ lessly watched the issue that was to decide he stage was Eni for such a struggle, tock, upon the other—nothing save : orced or hurled over the escarpment. _ hatchets had met with such force that - maidon’s head, him, forcing him heavily against the ; : a fearful struggle for the mastery ensued. antagonist, and the trial was more even a ‘First one and then the other was _ utmost tension. They fell heavily to the *, other. They rolled over the heap of _ tight embrace, they staggered to their vi The embers were scattered in every - —— . : ? direction. -Ada could just distinquisha writhing mass. She could not tell which _ was which, though she saw one form half- arise and with a killg exertion of strength hurl the other away into the darkness. — a A brief space, and then came a dull thud trom the canyon below. Andthen the victor staggered to his feet, with a faint breathless whoop of victory. = ss A cry of terror and despair broke from the maiden’s lips. She fancied she re- _ ecognized the scarred chief’s voice. as Those few moments were fulk of bitter __ anguish for her. She could hear the ~ heavy, laboured breathing of the victor, and expected with each instant to feel — his brutal grasp upon her person. But, — instead, there came the words: ‘No need be skeer any mo’. Night- — walker he dead—Eagle keep his pledge. — Squaw plenty safe now.” — ; The maideu’s brain whirled, and she — bowed forward with a low sigh. Her strength both of mind and body, had - been sorely tasked during the past fifteen —_ hours. She had undergone enough to | prostrate a strong man. | 2" There was a gradually widening grey — light in the east,when she returned te consciousness. At first she could not — realize what had occurred. Butthen,as Pethonista, bleeding from half a score wounds, rose before her, a glad cry broke from her lips. : ‘You will save me; you me to my friends? ” “Yes! what Eagle say, hedo. Frien’s live yit, dough had big fight. Fight like debble—yow frien’s kill plenty Blackfeet,” and the chief’s brow darkened. 3 With difficulty Ada suppressed a ery of joy, but arising though weak and stiff, she begged Eagle to lose no time in gain- ing the train. : 1 Pethonista led the way along a narrow winding ledge that ‘finally carried them to easier travelling. Then the chief briefly told her how he managed to follow Neepaughwheese through the night in time to rescue her. | The trail was a long and rough one, and twice the fugitives were forced to hide in order to escape being seen by some of the scattered Blackfeet, and once | to make a wide detour that consumed fully an. hour. From a high peak, as he neared the pass, Pethonista could see that it was guarded by Indians, and after ECOMIGDOOKSTEO - 4 ~— “Cs - will restore — ~ wow “2