Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1122 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

*-_ ‘have seen tit to leave it, perhaps —. > The Wild-Horse Hunters. after, though much later than he expected, ey made their appaenanee. You did well to come at last,” he said, gruff- ly. nh What, in the name of thunder, detained ou ‘Oh! if you’d been with us, you’d have seen something would have detained you, tco,” re- plied Thornley, good-naturedly. ‘A pair of pretty girls is a sight one don’t see every day, out here by the Cross Timbers.” “There are some pretty girls in the Seminole tribe. You haven’t come across them, have you?” Lebar said this with a sneer: as much as, that he himself was the favored party in that quar- ter. ) ‘‘T’'m not speaking of squaws, Master Louis,” retorted the mustanger; “* but girls with a white skin, young ladies—angels, Carrol, here, would call them. Wouldn’t you, Wash?” ‘*Durned ef I w’u’dn’t; an’ durned ef I don’t. Ef. they ain’t angels—both on ’em—this chile never sot eyes on an angel.” “Hd Thornley, you and Wash Carral have made up your minds to have a joke on me. I’m not in much humor for it, till Pve had some- thing to eat. After that, | may be better pleased to listen to your chafling.” ‘* Kat, then!” said Wash, handing the Louisi- anian a wallet containing some corn-cake and cold roast turkey. ‘‘ But thar ain’t no chaflin’ "bout it. It air a true story—jest as Ed says it. ‘On honor, it’s true, Lebar. We have seen what we say.” “When, pray?’ demanded the hungry hunter, commencing an attack upon the provisions; which seemed to put him in a better humor. ‘I’m ready to hear your explanation.” Thornley gave it, by detailing the enem tyr on the prairie with the party of newly-: settlers. Not ong ‘* Where are they from?’ asked the |. anian, after listening to the first few particu- | “Well,” said Thornley, ‘although they’re all one family, they are from two different States. Some of them are from Tennessee—and some from Louisiana. By the way, Lebar, as you are a Louisianian, you may know something about them?’ Lebar did not need this question to excite his curiosity. It was already excited, by hearing the word ‘ Louisiana.” For him that name had a terrible significance. ‘‘ Louisiana’s a large State,” he said, preserv- ing an air of indifference; ‘‘and there are ‘thousinds of people in it I know nothing about. If you can tell me the name of these people, who could then say whether they have ever been among my ac- quaintances. You heard their name, I suppose?” “Well, that we didn’t—at least I didn’t—not the party from Louisiana. The gentleman at the head of the party gave us his name; but he ds a Tennessean, and an old friend of Wash here, who can tell you all about him.” Lebar looked, inquiringly, toward Carrol. “Oh, yes,” wled out Wash Carrél; ‘this chile air not only acquaint’ wi’ his name, but a deal o’ his history; an’ can sartify thet | air a honor to Tennessee. I fit alongside o him, an’ alongside o’ ole Hickory, in the Crik an’ Cherokee war; an’ in therm thar skrimmages thar wa’n’t neery one thet stud better up to the scrutch than Lootenunt Bill Maroflin—now Col- onel Magoffin, o’ Tennessee mitisha,” It was fortunate for Louis Lebar that the sun +had by this time set, and the shades of night were around them. It hindered his two compan- ions from observing the deadly pallor that over- : his face when the name of ‘‘ Magollin” fell upon his ear. And yet, Wash Carrol! noted a trembling in his voice, and the assumption of indifference in its tone, when he asked, more mechanically than >+therwise: “Colonel ¢o"un, is it?” Yes, siree,” replied Wash; ‘ that is the per- The conversation drop The three men, ‘wearied with their long horse-chase, and the working it had entailed, by common consent wra themselves up their blankets, and ay own under the shadow of the trees, to seek eleep. To all appearance, they were not long in find- ing it—despite the neighing of the captured steeds, and the barking of the prairie wolves, wo prowled around the corral. Ne A STEALTHY RECONNOISSANCE. 6 Or the three mustangers, two of them were Kot » | * | . \ } / ve . v asleep, almost on the instant of lying down. They were Carrol ana Thornley. Sleep came suddenly, after the long spell of wakefulness, rendered necessary during the drive of the mus- tang herd, Just then there was no repose for Louis Lebar. He had taken a nap, during the absence of the others, which had, to some extent, refreshed him. It:was not this that kept him awake, but a wild tumult in his soul, caused by what his companions ead communicated to him. He had not questioned them very minutely about the personnel of the emigrant party. He was afraid of doing so lest he might arouse some suspicions. Although night bad come on during the con- versation, and they could not note the changed expression of his face, his voice had trembled and he knew it. It had done so from the mo- ment of his hearing the name ‘‘ Magoffin.” He had laid himself down at some distance from the other two. He did not keep his re- cumbent attitude for long—only long enough to assure himseif that both were buried in sleep, which he could tell had taken place by their sonorous snoring. Then he rose silently erect, permitted the blanket to slip down at his feet, and, stepping forth from its folds, strode off, crvuchingly, through the trees. | On getting to the outer edge of the grove he stopped for a second or two to reflect—or rather to guide himself as to the direction he should take, lt was the camp of the colonists he intended visiting. He knew the locality in which it had been pitched, In a few words Carrol had de- scribed the place. It was not over two miles off; and there was, therefore, no need for him to take his mule. He could walk with ease the distance afoot—moreover, the animal might be- tray him, for the visit was to be one of stealth. th a short while he had taken the bearings of the ground, and into the starlight he started across theprairie. “Magoffin!” he muttered to himself, as he strode on. . ** They had an uncle of that name, somewhere in Tennessee. It must be they! An uncle from Tennessee, a young lady, his niece, from Louisiana, and the other girl, her cousin. I’ve heard she had such a cousin. The coinci- dence would be too strange. It must be they. It can not be otherwise. ‘Is it the hand of God—or the devil? If it be Louisiana Dupre, one or the other is on my side. If it be she, one or the other has delivered her to LePo By hee.*ens, it seems too strange for lie He strode on till a light sparkled before his eyes. He knewit was the camp-fire of the emi- grants, kindled among the trees. There was a ‘spinet ” of timber along the bank of the stream, a , entering under this, he proceeded on in si- ence, He soon came in sight of the encampment. He saw the white canvas tilts of the wagons, showing gray under the starlight, with the ani- mals standing around them. The fire was a lit- tle apart, and blazing brightly. Its flame fell upon a circle of faces. Men and women—all whites. Another fire was near, encircled by black faces and burly forms, They were the negro slaves. It was still early, and they were occu- pied in the cooking of their suppers, the planter and his family having finished theirs. Lebar dropped upon his hands and knees, and crawled nearer. The trunks of the trees and the shadow of their foliage overhead gave him security from being seen, | It was only necessary for him to avoid making noise; and this pre- eaution he successfully observed. Gliding si- meuy. on, he at length drew near the fire, suffi- eens y near to enable him to distinguish the aces, Among the rest, he saw one that sent the blood in wild current through his veins—that of the woman he had long loved, and to whom he had hopelessly sued! Lebar cowered behind the tree-trunk, looking upon that pale, beautiful face. It seemed almost a fate—one of those dark destinies that must be fulfilled—and as the spy stole away throug the trees, and back to the sleeping-place of the mustangers, his whele thoughts were one's, erg occupied in contriving the means by whic own end. That night nothing could be done; and he lay down again on the spot from which he had risen—neither of his companions having sus- it could be sbaped to his | 5 —_ —_—~e ee or ee finding themselves restrained from the free range of their prairie pastures. CHAPTER VIII. A VILE BARGAIN. ‘“WratT brings the Black Mustanger to the Seminole camp at this late hour of the night?” ‘‘He comes to do the Seminole chief a ser vice.” ‘“Heis welcome at all tumes—more so whea he brings with him a favor—what is it?” “Ticer Tail wants a squaw?” ‘He has many.” ‘Not any that are white.” “No; they are all of his own race and col- or.” ‘Tiger Tail has told me of his desire to posses a white wife.” ‘*He will give a hundred horses for such 3 one—that is, if she be young and beautiful.” ‘‘He may have one that is both, and withou giving a single horse for her.” “The Black Mustanger’s words are pleasant to the ear. When and where can this treasure be obtained?” “ Almost at any time—and not far off.” “But there are conditions. There is danger to be encountered?’ oe There are conditions, but not much dan- er” ‘* Will the mustanger explain himself?’ **He will. The chief, who was already smoking, took the pipe from his mouth, handed it to his visitor, and then filling another for himself, assumed an attitude to listen. The mustanger continued: ‘‘This day there has arrived out here a party of whites, bringing with ‘thém about an equal number of negroes. They are emigrants from the States, who intend making a settlement not far from this place. I have not seen them myself, but my comrades have, and told me of the spot where they’ve made their camp, and intend building a house. What’s more, from the description, I know who they are. Now, chief, you have promised me your friendship— you have sworn it.” ‘Tiger Tail will keep his oath,” grunted the Indian, taking the calumet from his mouth, and making a cabalistic sign with its long. feathey- adorned stem. ‘*T know it,” continued the mustanger; ‘‘ and will trust to you—for you, also, will have a re- ward in that which must be done. What I want is this: that you, with your band, attack this party of emigrants ; every white man of them—about the blacks it don’t matter—an¢ war off the two white women as captives,” here are two?’ “Yes; both young girls—both beautiful; one of them to be the wife\of the Seminole chief.” “And the other?’ “My wife—or what you may please to cal) it. °Tis for that I seek your aid.” “The Black Mustanger has seen this pale faced girl before?” : ‘‘] have seen her, and loved her. She has been the curse of my life. For her sake I have committed crime; I love her still, and wil! com- mit other crimes to possess her. You, chief, will assist me?” ‘* She must be very beautiful.” * She is ]” **The more beautiful of the twof” **Not in your eyes, chief. I know that you have told me you wanted a white squaw—one with the red on her cheek, and the golden sun light in her hair. She has not that; but her cousin has—for the two are cousins. I shal have no fear of being jealous, for | know which of the two will attract Tiger Tail.” ‘*The Black Mustanger speaks fair. If it be as he says, there need be no jealousy between us. It shall be as he wishes it. What action will he counsel?” | “Go with your band to the encampment of the whites. There see for yourself, and malu yous plans as they ap best. First speak t hem fairly; there is no need for haste, at they’ve come here to form a settlement. I must not be with you—nor must either of my com- rades suspect anything of our design. They know nothing of my past life, or thatI ever met these people before. If they knew that— aud something besides—I shoul shy about oing back to them. We have just trapped a drove of wild horses, and tomorrow intend taming them. At that, I shall go on with them pected his absence. _ all the same, and, when it’s over, return to this Even his wicked spirit could no longer resist | place, and hear what the Seminole chief thinks weariness, and he soon fell asleep, despite the | of this scheme which I have p to him shrill, wild reighing of the mustangs—wi at i Tiger Tail will then tell me what he thinks of . : - : + > ~- t oe ol : ~% Ps al a 1 : st. % HA ; a“ ) . 7 | » FF S| » i, Eee - Us OP ae ee - “ape jae