Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 105 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

nN an Injin mean enough ter say as ther’ ain’t no God; all of them believe thet, amy way. lL ain't no book-man, but 1 doesn’t believe ‘het we go to ther dogs when we die, no I lon’t, scarcely.” Such was the religion of the noble-mind- ed, though uncouth man. to sneer at him. His religion savored of his training; the woods and the prairies were his home. He had hunted, fought, and suffered over them from end to end, and in every bending leaf or blade of grass, in every shrub, he read of a great—good Creator. “What shall we do to help Charlie ?” asked Dolf. “ Wait a bit; we kin tell better when we see how the tight goes on. Those fellows in the village are brave, and | take it, if they win the battle by his help, will set him free; but we will be on hand. Meton isa desp’rit? man, an’ a desp’rit? man does qu’ar things sometimes; now mind, I tell ye, he’ll fight while a drop of blood flows in his veins ; fur he hates Charlie and the Hawk like p’ison, and loves the prophetess.” Dolf emitted a sharp whistle. “ Phew! You don’t say. Well, iam blessed. Tul tut his throat.” “No, ye won't. Thet is resarved fer me. I’ve sworn ter take his sculp, an’ I won't have no one ter step in atween me an’ my vingeance. It can’t be done, no- how.” “ Well, well, have it so, but we are get- ting pretty close to the village.” “ What's that ?” : “A close shave,” replied Dolf, wiping the blood from the crease of a bullet upon his right ear. The rascal meant weli, but & miss is as good as a mile.” “ Fall back,” whispered Rube. “I didn’t think we hed been so clust ter them ag thet,” “ Tlot work we shall have. The knaves are mad and vicious, and what’s more, they know we are on hand. Thet may skeer them. Ah-h-h! There comes the attact from the town.” He was right. With the first gray of the morning, Charlie, knowing that he now had, one-third more men than Meton, began to press him hard. His, riflemen played upon their front. Skirmishers, armed with heavy bows, pushed up as closely as they dared to the thickets, and wherever a leg, head or arm made its appearance, it was pierced. by the ready shaft. Then by a sudden rush, they gained the skirts of the woods, bearing back the party of Meton, re- sisting with, all their power. They were now on equal footing as re- garded cover, and fought after the manner of Indians, from tree to tree. Let.a head appear, an elbow protrude, and a bullet whistled by it, or buried itself in the mem- ber. Charlie saw that he was losing as many as the enemy in the struggle, and he passed the word to his men. At the word, forty lithe forms glided from cover, draw- ing a hasty and ineffectual volley from the enemy as they advanced, and then closed. The conflict was terrible. Men who had lived in close companionship through life, stood foot to foot, and breast to breast, each atriving for the other’s life. Axes gleamed, —_—_— —- — - ---= Let no man dare | tia i —— x : | Trifles were clubbed, and knives flashed ; while over all rose the voice of Charlie Wesigate, calling for Meton to come out and fucehim. The wily chief knew better than to meet him in this mood, and con- tented himself with more ignoble game. The battle could have but one ending. | The band of the Hawk now outnumbered that of the enemy two to one, and the rest fell under their rapid strokes. With a de- spairing yell, they broke, and fled through the forest, pursued by their late friends, now their unrelenting enemies. One by one they fell by the bullet, knife and hatchet, until only three clung to the side of Meton, and escaped into the hills. “ After him,” shouted Charlie. “ I would not have him escape for all the gold of Cal- ifornia,” Five men joined in the pursuit, among whom was the Hawk. The defeated chief- tain had disappeared among the rocks. Not u trace of him could they find. The Indians knew that the rocks were full of hiding- places, and they scattered here and there in the pursuit. An angry glow deepened upon the face of Uharlie Westgate ; his an- ger grew hotter still. He went to and fro among the rocks, calling the name of the chief; no reply except the echoes in the desolate cliffs. Where could he have gone ? All at once a yell from his companions aroused him, and following their pointing fingers, he beheld a sight that curdled his blood with horror. Just in front of them was a great chasm, which nature had rent in the mountain side, the same one into which Rube had cast the body of his slain foe. Across this gulfa great tree, uprooted by the storm, had fallen, and its branches rested upon the other verge Hundreds of feet below, the rocks of the bottom of the chasm promised a fearful death to one who should fall from the per- ilous hight. Along this tree, clinging to the branches with one hand, walked Meton, while his other arm supported Ida. She stretched out her arms to him, and called his name. He started forward. “Go back!” cried Meton, hoarsely. “ An- other step and I drop her.” Charlie stopped, while his breath came in hurried gasps. CHAPTER X Rubbed Out. WE left Ida reposing safely in the great cave. It was a strange situation, and to one brought up among the sickly senti mentalities of the world, it would have been terrible; but Ida, a royal child of nature, loved all her varied forms. To her, this great room, fashioned by the Creator’s hand, was but another instance of his marvelous power. All was silent in the cave, save when here and there water came trickling slow- ly downward and dropped with a patter upon the stone floor. The fawn, which had followed Dolf thus far, and had been brought down into the cave to help while away the time, came to ber, and laying its pretty f Old Rube, the Hunter. —— ee eee ee me ee ee a ee a 19 head upon her knee, looked wp into her face with its great, pleading eyes. ‘* Poor fellow,’ whispered Ida, patting the glossy head. “Do you want te to show me that I am not alone ?” It seemed a relief to have something to talk to, even though it could not under- stand. The noise of the battle aroused ner, and she rose, and following the course marked out by Dolf, reached the opening through which came light and air. From this she had a good view of the battle-field, and witnessed the various charges and conflicts, until the final one. She could see Agim, too, in the thickest of the battle, and she knew that he yet was safe. But her heart gave a great thrill, and she shrunk aside in terror, as Meton and his three friends came bound- ing along the mountain side. She knew they would be pursued, and looking out, she saw him coming. She came down from ker perch, and had made her way into the broad apartment below, where a scuffling noise in the passage told her that they were coming. She started forward to meet them, but a shriek burst from her lips as she saw that it was Meton. She grasped her rifle and stood at bay. He folded his arms and sternly regarded her, while his men followed him into the cave. It was not unknown to him. “You are very beautiful, white girl,” he said, “and your beauty has been a snare to me. Long ago, I took you from your father, on the plains. You were mine; no other one had a right to look upon you. I brought you to our village and you became great. You wear the dress of the prophetess. “ What have I lost at yourhands? Look at me. Ihave been a chief; I am a chief no more. I had many friends; these are all you have left me; where are they? Yonder they iie, dead, and you killed them.” She turned pale, but answered firmly : “Meton is a liar. He says that I killed his men. I did not. Why did: he not let me return tomy people? I wanted to do so, but he forced me back and some of his men were slain He murdered my guards and then he was no more chief.” “ Be silent,” commanded the chief. “ You do yourself wrong, and me. Now listen, I am going to live with the Dacotahs, who will take me because they know I am’ brave. You shall go with me. I have said it Take her.” ) He pointed with his hands, and his men rushed forward. The rifle cracked, but it was a woman’s hand that pulled the trigger, and only a slight flesh-wound was the result. She struggled vainly in the vice-like grasp of the two men who had seized her. “ No make fuss,” cried one, “else me kill.’ Meton thrust him angrily aside. “ Come,” said he, taking her by the arm. She sunk down at his feet, and refused to stir. He drew his hatchet, and flourished it before her eyes. She only smiled, and he saw that she regarded death as preferable to captivity with him. The eyes of the wild man lit up with a sudden flame, “Girl,” he shouted, “ come !” “I will not,” she answered, firmly. He GOMIEROO S)