Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1126 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

a & | A Ss : P41 y af ¥ ih im oY vi s i} ’ ch 7 if i - ; a | i ‘’ o | . < ' ‘gi? = =, ° ~ > TT a — on Ce “ Tt’s chances,” ’ know that.” things kinder work our way, for “) “>is mornin’ for ther lower trails, were put oa duty all alone along ther trail whar. we tuk you in,” * ep s ‘ ts Yas ° ** Waal, I jist decided on a leetle game, which were ter give you a red mask, and change my outfit a lectle, fer Lnjuns is awful cunning, and we kin ¢o up to the village of old Bad Spirit.” ** And then?” “The “an placed ther gal in ther charge o’ toner old [njun until he shw’d send for her, and Pu jist toll bim ther cap’n sent fer her, and begged him ter take a leetle present fer his pains ; ‘*Has yer anything along yer could give ther red scamp?” {i eould have brought something; but I have your money for you.” e ‘* Give him that and pay me another time, and you kin give a revolver fer a horse fer the gal ter ride.” ** { will.” ‘* Thet settles it, and we'll hev a leetle dinner now, and I'll stake my horse over yonder in ther canyon. until we comes back, and change my clothin’ a leetle, so as ter disguise myself.” This was the plan, and half an hour after the two started upon their perilous ride to the Apache camp. CHAPTER XXVIII. A DARING GAME TO PLAY. IN many ways Captain Angelos had won the favor of the Apaches, He sent them presents of various kinds, had given, rifles and revolvers to the chiefs, and many a robbery had been committed simply to get material for the red-skins, As he made war upou his own people, there was a bond of sympathy between hint and the Indians. | When he left Texas, on account of his acts of outlawry tere, when he was supposed to be an honest ranchero, he bad sought an asylum of safety among the Apaches, and all of them seemed to like him. Thus, by his cunning, was. the Silver King chief enabled to see the red-skins as a protec- tion, for if pursued, by miners or soldiers, he retreated into the fastnesses of the mountains, into the heart of the Indian country, where no one dared follow him. When he had dashed into the mining-camps that night, if was,in the hope of capturing Joe Bruce, as Mustang Mose had said; but when unable to find the youthin his hasty raid, he had seized upon Lena Morse, who was seated peo front of her cabin, and she had been borne off. Reaching the valley the Silver King chief had given the maiden to several warriors, to carry to the village of Bad Spirit, who was leading the attack upon the settlement. As Mustang Mose knew the strength of the mining-camps, and the best point of attack, he had been loaned to the Indian chief as a guide. and had gone on to the outlaw haunt to get a fresh horse and await on the ridge the coming of the red-skins. He had been to the outlaw haunt, and was on his way to the ridge, where he fell into the hands of Joe Bruce and his ranger pards. After the defeat of Bad Spirit, and his flight back to the mountains, Captain Angelos, who was waiting the result of the intended massacre, hastily decided upon a visit with his:men to the lower trails, and this was fortunate for Joe, And more fortunate was it that -Mustang Mose was selected as the man to remain in the haunt, and receive any news that might come there from the spies of the Silver Kings, as to the movements of the silver trains out of the - settlements. Mose had said he was tired out by his ride with the chief, when Lena Morse was taken, and his band run to escape, after the ambush of the Apaches, and so the chief had told him te re- main in the retreat, and this had been just what he wanted, as it enabled him to keep his ap- intment with Joe. No blame whatever was put upon him by the Indians for the ambush, for the entire mass were riding by the rocks, as Mustang Mose and his two Indian companions had done, without dis- the presence of a foe. The moment the volley had been fired, Mus- Mose led bis two red-skin comrades in flight, and making a circuit of the camps, they reached the valley where the Silver Kings and demoralized Apaches were assembl = e * , 4 , , : ~ a ? at + yh, 4 Pe 4 t 4 iP Al an —_ a , 4 \ i é ms . br ons " . + h «* ’ is a : ‘ ¥ ‘—, fie Le . 7. « u Lat + ' veh ¥ ae Wa . 9 7, & ps * f 4 a3 da ‘ i . 4 1c et preheny w on > ~~ I a RE Lene OR oe sy Lai ots 2 a ies ae va ‘ Rr * i, d J A , ( C* S34 tN awe "i Se rs ‘ee OS 7<-) } ge Ws: eee LL = Arizons Joe. ee ee ee ee ee ee eee oe dead and wounded, and they did not tarry long, for their fright exaggerated the number of their foes, and Mustang Mose said that he was sure there were soldiers in the settlement, and a pursait would follow, So the Apaches pushed on for their mountain retreats, and the Silver Kings started for the | lower trails, half a hundred miles away, where | they could strike. other stage lines for a few | | cular, and he looked every inch a chief, law Gays, All thi: did Mustang Mose explain to Joe as they rode along, and then he added: ‘* Now my-plan is for us to git to Bad Spirit’s Village by nicht, and I’m to tell him that ther | ecan’n has sent fer ther gal, for | knows tha’r . n, ‘ Z : ‘e | j 99 lingo as I does my Bible les ons. ‘A great deal better, I guess, Mose,” said Joe with a laugh. ‘“ We'll purchase a pony from old Bad Spirit | you wishes, and then light out. ‘‘T’]l come back with yer as far as whar I left my horse, and there make for ther retreat camp, and you kin skip on to ther settlement, and ef yer wishes ter see me fer that leetle mat- ter o’ a purse yer speaked of, you kin find me one week from ter-day at ther place whar we meeted ter-day.” ° ‘*T will be there, Mose.” ‘* But let it be at night, pard, say jist arter dark, fer I hes’got ter be all-fired careful.” ‘““T know you have, Mose, and I have to be also. ‘But I will be there, with your money, and we will-have a little talk.” ‘‘ All right, pard; but now let us push on a leetle further, for we must reach ther village o’ Bad Spirit soon after nightfall. ‘*T tell yer darkness helps a heap when a feller is playin’ a bold hand ag’in’ death.” ‘¢ Tt does, indeed, Mose,” was Joe’s quiet reply; but he showed no sign that he feared to face the ordeal, be what-it might. CHAPTER XXIX. IN THE APACHE VILLAGE. Tue sun bad just disappeared beneath the horizon as Joe and Mustanz Mose rode into the very heart of the Indian retreat. There was an Indian lookout standing near a tall pine, and he had been regarding them for a long time as they came along the valley trail, and then ascended the mountain. He seemed very morose when Mustang Mose addressed him in his own language, but took it for granted they were both Silver Kings, and was at heart not unfriendly. Mustang Mose learned that the chief was at the village, and thither they rode. As they drew near there came the sound of wailing, and Mustang Mose said: ‘“* They is a-howlin’ over thér dead, Boy Pard, and I’m reckonin’ they hain’t in ther best o’ speerits; but we is infer it, and thar is no gettin’ out, ef-yer wants ter save ther gal.” ‘*1 do.” “Then yer says go in?” “ Certainly.” ‘* White folks hain’t becomin’ at a Injun wail- of when white folks has caused ‘em to set up ther uae. ** But [ll jist jum» in an’ how1a little mourn- ind eM DD and that will make ’em see we is all r i I thought there was no trouble between the Apaches and the Silver Kings.” ‘‘Thar hain’t, only we strikes “em in thar sorrow. ‘** But come on, and we'll git thar.” ov two. rode into the Indian village soon r. Hundreds of eyes were upon them, but no hos- tility was shown, as their red masks proclaimed them to be Silver Kings. The dead warriors were the cause of the howling that filled the air, and in a dozen or more tepees there lay wounded braves, and some of these must die, so the whole village was in mourning. Twenty-four hours before two hundred braves under their greatest chief, had ridden forth, romising to kill scores of their foes, and bring ck with them riches and booty for their squaws and children,* They came back after dawr. of that day ie asecthele with them a dozen dead braves, and more than a score of wounded, while some were on foot, their ponies having been killed. So the villagé was in a wailing humor, and there were doubtless many that would like to have seen the two supposed Silver Kings tor- for the gal toride and give him what presents | revolver. - *The Apache Indian never scalps a dead foe.— cera See —_— — - - — = 13 eee tured to death simply because they were pale- faces, of the race that had struck them such a cruel blow, But no one attempted any act against them, and Mustang Mose led the way up to the tepee © of the chief, He came out as he saw then: ride up, and Mus- — 7 tang Mose addressed him in his own tongue. He was a fine-looking red-skin, tall and mus- He glanced quickly from the outlaw to Joe, and listened while the former coolly lied to him, telling him that the miners had sent to bis chief, asking for the restoration of the girl captive, by the payment of a large sum in silver, and Cap- 9 tain Angelos had decided to give ber up, and had > sent his brother, Bad Spirit, some presents, and 7) would give more. At this Mustang Mose turned to Joe, who forked over the hundred dollars in silver and @ He also gave the old chief a couple of blankets, one red, the other blue, which he had just bought a few days before, and Bad Spirit seemed great- ly pleased. Joe then told Mustang Mose to buy a pony for ~ Lena, and the chief sold him a very pretty spot- ted animal for thirty dollars, which stripped the youth of funds. Some food was given the two visitors then, but neither seemed to have much appetite, and were anxious to get away. Then Bad Spirit led them to a large tepeesitu- 7 ated upon a mound, and Llustang Mo-e explain- ed to Joe that it was the home of Wild Violet, ~ the Apache Queen. Joe had no time to ask questions about Wild Violet, when that personage appeared, and she 4 was accompanied by Lena Morse, whose eyes 4 were red with weeping, while she was very ©) ale. “a The chief said something to the Wild Violet, > who told Lena, in perfect English, that she was ~~ to leave with the two braves of the Silver King, the miners having arranged to pay a ransom for ~ her. iw The eyes of the poor girl brightened at this, ~ and she turned and thanked Wild Violet over ~ = and over again. Ra The latter was scarcely over eighteen, and that. she was a, pale-face there was no shadow of ~ | doubt. | by She was beautiful in face and form, and ri t a0 out gorgeously as an Indian queen, for she held ~ ) great power in the Apache camp, and was look~ | upon with almost reverence. Mah About her neck and waist were entwined liv- | ing serpents, but the gir] seemed to hold no f ag = of them, and in fact fondled them. to the horror ~ aa of Lena, Joe and the outlaw. 04.7 The spotted pony was then gotten ready with — ia an Indian saddle, aud gn Mose aided her to mount, when the three rode aways from the | Sy bapee, leaving Wild Violet gazing sadly after” ~ them, ae bia : ‘ Y ap" hi CHAPTER XEX. ere =} 4 . $: THE WILD VIOLET. “ae Tuat Lena Morse was most happy, in going > back to her home, may be well understood uh - She did not know who it was that had so dar- ingly come to her rescue} for his face was hidden © by the red cloth mask, and in other ways Joe 7 had changed his appearance, as he well knew ~~ that his recognition by Lena in the Indian vil- > lage would be fatal. onl When they had left. the village some distance behind, Joe dropped back alongside of the girl, for he had been riding in front with Mustang ~ Mose, while she followed. *$ 7 Sd 7 aa & ~ ‘“ You are happy in going home?” he said, in & ae smothered voice. ae ** Oh, sir, so happy.” - - ah “You owe it to that good man ahead there,” 3 ‘ ** Who is he?” “Tas » 3M ‘One of the Silver Kings” _ epee ‘‘ They are bad men,” ? ‘a “True, but that one has befriended you.” —__ ‘“* What has he done?” Ps; ‘‘He arranged all for your return to your home.” 3 er, ‘He is very good.” a ‘‘ But he must not be known in the affair; you. must keep it secret that you were saved by a — “ real Silver hy . ay ‘* T will, sir; but you?” po. ie ‘‘T am not a Silver King.” a ‘* Who are you, then?” ) eee ** Joe Bruce.” mae **Oh, Joe!” Ai oe She looked at him closely in the darkne they rode along, and he resumed his red “Oh, Joe!” she repeated. ea ey 4 . ra 1 id ; . t 2 »- Mh ‘a P 7 ‘ ee | ih) on Q aan @ ; aa §2 iN an BY yy) >