Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1122 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

-cold turkey. 6 o—_—— ere owe Ce ee ee te - her with the roses on her cheek, and the sunlight in her hair. When he has once seen her, I know he wil! want ber, as much as I do the paler lily by her side. Chief! are you agreed?” Another grunting exclamation—with another ealalistic movement of the plumed pipe-stem— told how consonant was the infamous proposal to the feelings of the savare. His visitor did not spend much more time in the tent; only a few minutes, given to further explanations, Then, remounting his mule, he rode back to the corral, where bis companions were still sleeping. J CHAPTER IX, THE HORSE-TAMERS. THE sun leaped up with a bound, as it seemed, from the prairie to the east of the Cross Tim- bers, as Thornley and Wash Carrol woke up. Lebar was stil) sleeping, as the old hunter sat up and threw off his blanket with a loud yawn. The sound wakened the Creole, who started up on his elbow, with a wild, suspicious glance around, as if he was in fear of some one. Wash Carrol remarked it, and bluntly observed: “What in thunder ails ye, Lebar? Ye look as skeered as ef ye’d seen a spook.” The Creole’s glance fell beneath the hunter’s eye, and he answered, with some confusion: ‘Oh! nothing, nothing. Had a bad dream, and your noise startled me; that’s all.” He rose from the ground as he spoke, and shook himself. Thornley was already up, and looking over the bars of the eorral toward the captured herd of mustangs. The animals had recovered their strength and pride during the day’s rest and food that had been accorded them. Wash Carrol had taken good care to pitch the corral where the richest grass abound- ed and where water was plentiful. It occupied the whole bottom of a little valley, surrounded with swells and mottes of timber, the swells crowned with the zigzag lines of the strong spake fence. . ‘ Well, Wash, remarked the young Virginian: “the horses look well this morning. We shal have a job to tame them.” ‘Never you fear, younker,” said the hunter, grinning; this chile never seen the hoss as wouldn't cum down to the choke of a good mryyet. Cum, fellers,; let’s get our grub, and go to Work. .’Tain’t too much time as we've got ef we’ve to help the kurnel put up his—” He stopped suddenly, as he caught the coal- black eyes of Lebar fixed upon him. “What! are you going to help him settle?” demanded the Creole, suspiciously. ‘‘Seems to me that we'll have enough to do'to get our horses in hand to drive to the settlements, with- out helping other folks build shanties. They’ve ot niggers enough to do all theiy work—haven’t ey?” ‘Wal, yes,” returned Carrol, indifferently: “but then, ye see, Out in Tennessee, we allers helps our friends, and so me and Ed here hev kinder mace 4: our minds to give him a lift. Who knows? Mebbe we won’t want fis help if the Kumanch gits ugly, or Tiger Tail war to kick up a muss.” While the old hunter was talking, he was also eating a huge “‘ hunk” of corn-bread and Ed Thornley had followed his ex- ample without any talking. The young man was too much oecupied in thinking. The sweet face of Louisiana Dupre had been floating be- fore his eyes all the night long in dreams, and it wns the first thing in his thoughts that morn- ing. So the breakfast proceeded in silence, for Lebar looked sulky, as usual, and Wash kept a keen eye on his face from some ill-defined sus- picion that ah was not right in’ that quarter, “T say, Wash,” said Thornley, some time after, ina hesitating, nervous kind of manner, urmisual with bim; “don’t you think that spot tel uuu'e would make a pretty lady’s horse? They were standing by the rails of the coy” al as he spoke, Wash slowly gathering up the «oils or a long rawhide rope in his hand, white he puffed at a short pipe. Lebar was some “istance ofl, collécting his implements of all kinds. The old hunter turned round with a queer eniile on his scarred face, and surveyed Thorn- ley quizzically. The young mo felt himself color, and tried to look indignar.c. ‘So yer thar, are ye?” seid Wash, with a sniff: “‘durned ef them wirsmin ain’t the devil and all. Dod. rot my ski! but I don’t blame e, lad. That’ ar light aaired one she air jest or all the world like x. angel as I see’d painted tn the church at #1 Paso wunst on a time. Yes, lad, that air spotty would make a thunderin pretty boss far «a gal to ride.” He ended with this sagen assurance, and put bis foot on one of rails to climb over Pants x Mig ‘i eh a) ° ied , Hy : ‘ ~ " Beadle’s Half-D into the corral as he spoke. Thornley laid his hand on his arm. He spoke quickly, in a low voice, as Lebar came toward tnem. “Tsay, Wash, pick out another horse, like a good fellow, and let’s make each of the young lacties a present of one. I noticed they bad none. PU make it all right with you.” Wash nodded assent, but said nothing, for at that moment Lebar came up. Then the three mustangers climbed over into the corral, and commenced their task of taming. Their equipments were of the simplest nature. Kach man carried in his hand a long lasso of plaited rawhide, well greased, and exceedingly supple. All were equipped with Spanish spure of portentous size, and three Mexican saddles lay on the ground, outside the gate of the corral We say *‘ gate,” but it was nothing more than a panel of the fence, of which the bars took in and out, Wash Carrol, as the most experienced hunter, took the lead. ‘Here, Lebar,” he said, *“‘ you ain’t much with a larryett, you know. You’d better tend gate, I guess, till we git a kupple on’em out- side,” Lebar threw down his lasso indifferently. “ All right,” he said, half-sulkily; ‘‘ anything to get through. It’s less trouble, anyway.” When the two hunters advanced into the cor- ral the scene was very interesting. The cap- tured mustangs, which had been feeding about in the corral, every now and then smelling in- quisitively at the fence, now, seeing the hunters approach, galloped off to the other side in great consternation. When they could get no further, they crowded up into a corner, backing up against the fence in deadly terror. Only the strength of the angles, reinforced as they were by strong posts, driven deep into the earth, en- abled the barrier to withstand the pressure. Wash Carrol walked leisurely toward the horses, parting the coils of the lariat in his hands. The noose, about six feet in diameter, trailed on the ground from his right hand, which held about half of the coiled rope. The rest was in his left hand, the end being fastened to his waist. * Now then, Ed,” he said, his eye roving keen- ly over the various-colored herd; ‘* you kin take spotty, ef you like. That ur buck-skin’s the hoss for my money.” They were within twenty feet of the crowded herd as he spoke; and, at the same instant, he threw back his right sboulder and then gave a forward swing of his whole body. The noose of the lariat flew through the.air as it left his hand, the coils waving snake-like over the frightened, plunging mustangs. The next moment the circle of rawhide reached -its destination, hov- ered a moment, and then descended with unerr- ing aim over the neck of a beautiful cream- colored mare, with black mane and muzzle, known in Texas as a .“‘ huck-skin.” Almost simultaneous7y, Thornley cast his own lasso with equal success, inclosing in its noose the white mare cove.ed with black spots that had excited his admiration in the first instance. Then commence’ the task of bringing out the captives, at first sight apparently an impossi- bility, so closely were they wedged in wit 7 rest. But th skill of the mustangers sobn effected this. Their prizes, feeling the lasso and wild with terror, plunged desperately away to escape. Hardly exerting any strength the mus- tangers bumg back on the lassoes, thus convert- ing the flight of the nares into a circular mo- tion. “chey wanted them to go to the gate, and they ~xerted what strain they did in an exactly oppsite direction. Thus, thinking they were escaping, both mares plunged out of the crowd, galloping round in wide circles, and growing weaker and weaker under the strangling noose, Once clear of the herd, by the same skillful management, they were got through the gate, outside the bars, their captors hanging back ata eat angle and allowing themselves to be slow- Fy dragged on by the choking steeds. Once outside, they brought the o to a halt, al- most suffocated, and slowly began to pull up to them, hand over hand, ode 4 the now opened gate. As they passed through, the spotted mare trembled violently, and fell to the earth com- pletely exhausted. CHAPTER X, TIGER TAIL’S WOOING. Tue sound of axes, quickly p.ied, waked the echoes by the banks of the stream that ran b the Cross Timbers, as Colonel Magoffin and his little party went sturdily to work, to fell timber for their block-house.. All the men of the party were fully eet yu except 1p ame Dupre, and even le. although not hard work by any ime Library. means, was pleasantly occupied, as he thought, in cleaning his double-barreled shot-gun, and talking nonsense to his fair cousin, Tennessee. The young lady herself appeared not displeas- ed at his presence, although she thought it necessary to protest, laughingly, against his waste of time. “ You'll rub the inside out of that gun, Eugene,” she said. ‘* You’ve polished at it ever since breakfast, and if we are to have turkey for dinner, it’s high time you were off, sir. Louie can’t you persuade this troublesome brother of yours to leave us in peace? Iwantto go flowex hunting.” Eugene looked at his gun with great solicr tude, but he could not detect a speck upon it. He rose with an air of resignation, saying: ‘“*T wouldn’t drive you off in that way, Tennie, if you bothered me everso much. But you girls are all hard-hearted. You don’t care how a fel- low feels, not if he’s pining away.” ‘ A light smile crossed the pale face of Louisians upre! ‘* Don’t talk nonsense, Genie,” she said. ‘‘ You have nothing to pine for. Go, like a dear, good boy, to please me.” She ended with a sort of half-sigh, and Eugene’s glance became soft and tender at once, He stroked his sister’s dark locks quietly, and answered: f ‘‘T’ll go, sis. Good-by. Don’t fret; there’s @ dear, good sister. Good-by, Tennie. If I don’t bring you a fat turkey for dinner, you may cal) me a bungler.” And he kissed his hand and turned away on his path to the river, whistling merrily as he went. Louisiana looked after him sadly. : ‘¢ Poor Genie!” she said. ‘‘ He is so good and kind to me, and he’s all I have in the world now since mamma died, and since poor Oscar—” Tennie threw her arms around her cousin’s neck with impulsive affection. “Don’t talk of it, Louie,” she murmured, fondly. ‘‘ Poor fellow! he is happy in beaven now. Try to forget all those gloomy thoughts, which male vou so miserable. He is far better off than we are, Louie. Remember that.” ‘‘T know it,” said the girl, with a faint smile. “T always try to think of it that way. If I did not know how good he was, I should feel much worse. But oh! Tennie, I can’t help sometimes thinking also of that black, horrible pool, and— The girl shuddered violently as the thought crossed ber mind. Tennessee hugged her close- ly, and whispered; “Try to forget it, Louie. Tr Let’s go and gather flowers, an thing else.” \ Louie kissed her cousin gratefully, and wiped away a tear that had nearly fallen. “You're a darling girl, Tennie,” she said ‘‘ And Iam foolish, I know it’s wrong to pine so, but [ll try to do better. Come, let us go.” And she rose as she spoke, and Bees her arm around Tennie’s waist, to stroll off. The two girls were in the midst of the camp at the time. The colored women were clearing away the remnants of the breakfast, and the children were licking the plates. They could see the open meadows before them, and the forms of the colonel and Strother, superintending the se lorie of logs down by the motte by the river- side. Suddenly Tennessee started back, as they neared the edge of the camp, and uttered @ faint cry of alarm. She clung close to her cousin, and both girls halted and gazed, speil- bound. Within ten feet of them, and seeming as if he had risen from the earth, stood a gayly-clad Indian chief, holding in his hand a long calumet or pipe, the stem adorned with feathers. The Indian stood there, with his glowing eyes, burn- ing like live coals, fixed upon the blue orbs of Tennessee Magoffin, with an expression of ad- miration and longing that alarmed the girl, she knew not pai How he had come there was a mystery easily solved. The wagons had been drawn up close to a large motte, and he must have come through under shelter of the trees. But, to the two girls, his sudden appearance was appalling, and his looks increased their apprehension. Not that he was ugly. On the contrary, he: was remarkably handsome for an India — tall, lithe, graceful as Apollo,gwith magnificent eyes: and long hair. His dress was in the extreme of to forget it talk of some Indian dandyism, and instead of the usual buf-— falo robe, he wore a mantle composed of the skins of jaguars, fringed with the tails of the same animals, from which he derived his nawe - Q@ i oe = ; ; ' ; ml