Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 1140 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

“pe ee. ofr é ; i x4 *» - side b oo the days and nights done so—he showed no signs of it, as he led the | way with a free, bold step, apparently as fresh and vigorous as if he had merely started-out | this fine summer morning for the purpose of | siretching his legs. .. The trapper had sn thousands of .Indians, | and some of the finest imens of mankind | probably that ever lived, yet he was certain | that he never beheld greater perfection of form, and grace of movement than was in Marunyo, who strode along before, seemingly unconscious | of his beauty, power, and wonderful reserve of | stre ‘* Tt seems onpossible that such a good-lookin fellow as thatcan be a villain,” muttered Nic to himself; ‘and yet that don’t make no dif- i “for here is me, the best-looking mem- ber of the Whiffles family, when I was young I was one of the worst wi in the kentry, though I’ve got over it now and am just t’other way.’ following asouthern direction for many hours, Marunyo arsed more to the east, where the way was rougher and their progress was more difficult. In some places it required con- siderable skill on the part of the horses to pick their way along the rocks and through the gorges and ravines. ’ But the Blackfoot appeared never to hesitate er to be at a loss for the proper course to pursue, He led the way as though he had spent his life among the mountains and knew every step of the way. | is + “TT s’pected he would aim for this neighbor- hood,” said Nick, who, ‘having no one to whom he might talk, spent the time in talking to him- self. “Captain Jack knows this part of the country well enough to know where to hide his jewels. I s’pect that old sinner has stowed them gals away here, where he means to keep ’em till | he kin get a big ransom for ’em. That old dog is as smart as he is devilish.” As the day advanced Nick Whiffles proffered to Marunyo the use of bis horse and urged upon him to ride awhile, but the Indian would not | nary Meg they continued plodding along un- | til the day was nearly ended. | At night they encamped in one of the wildest | places of the North-seet-—so walled in on every | mountains and broken forests that in | scarcely any direction was it possible to gain a | view of more than a hundred yards. Nick W hiffles had been in this section but once | before; and that was at least a dozen years previ- | ous, so that, although he retained a general knowledge of its characteristics, yet, as he de- alared, he felt more like a stranger than he had felt for a long time. ‘“‘ But,” said the Blackfoot, “we are now within half a mile of where the Drooping Lily and her mother sigh and weep and pray for the comiug of their friends.” ge ‘ g CHAPTER X. AMONG THE MOUNTAINS. Nick WHIrFLsEs,.understanding the nature of the business upon which they were en , had rovided himself and the others with a good unch at the hands of the brigade before they left Blackfoot Rock. This obviated all neces- sity of firing a gun, for some time at least to come, while they were in proximity to their foes. Silence and caution were the most im- rtant requisites toward success just now, and actives nen realized the truth to its fullest ex- tent. Marun roposed, as they came to a halt, that the yehould not kindle a fire; but both Nick and Sol such a distaste for encamping in the darkness, that they searched out a sheltered nook-under the rocks, which Wag ne oS of a cavern than anything e and here they Kindled a small fre which enabled them to see each other’s faces and to nei moe oe s i of the position in whic airsstood. AV hitice had pion from the remarks of the Blackfoot that he knew precisely where the prison place of the captives was; but upon close in he found that such was not the case. e had followed Captain Jack, and Flat-Nosed Billy to this section, but had lost them, and with all the skill at his command could not. tell whither they had gone, or where they had been vious to : / heir de for home again, dur- which the attempt upon the life of Nick | Whiftles was made; but, convinced that the spot he was seeking was somewhere in this | nei he had made-ea careful search | wi t any success except co discover that | when Captain Jack and com n left, others remained behind to take. their places. They were among the mountains somewhere, nights passed—and Nick | and were dou es did not doubt in the least that he had | the Oregon Sol. —_—_ ———— oe btless guarding these women with test care. ‘** That’s it, ? said Nick, when he had drawn all these particulars from the Blackfoot. ‘* Cap- tain Jack has got so much deviltry on his hands that he has gone to ’tend to it, and has left two or three Modocs here to stand guard over the gals till he is ready to: visit em agin. I say, nyo, do you know the name of these critters?” ‘** De Long,” was the prompt repl “Old acquaintances of yours you know ’em afore they got into diffikilty 7?” The answer to this was equally as ready; ‘*Captain De Long is rich man; his home is in Frisco; he is fine man. He brings his wiféand daughter in Oregon to see their friends; they stay here when the weather is warm in summer time; they go fishing; they hunt. Marunyo sometimes go with them! He goes off to start them a deer, and comes back and they are gone, Captain Jack has stolen them; he takes them far away in the mountains, where he hides them. en he will send word to Captain De ay Sgr he can have wife and Drooping Lily for big sum of money; he wait a while, and if captain not send the money, then he kill m.” That is, did this little ‘** And if he can git hold of the money before he lets go the gals, he’ll kill ’em then, too. He will, by mighty! That’s the Modoc of it; so the safest plan is for us to git them-away while he is gone,’ So I think,” said the Blackfoot, eagerly. ** What think you?’—to Oregon Sol. The latter was leaning upon his elbéw, snfok- ing his pipe, and had rallied from the gloomy reverie into which he had fallen. He nodded his head in acquiescence, and removing his pipe, added: *‘ Seerns to be sartin that the critters are some- whar in this part of the world. With the help of the pup there we kin soon find out to-morrer, and then we'll sail in.” Nick Whiffles shook his head, as if he was not exactly suited with the reply. ‘* It won’t do to go into that kind of business Sol,” he said; ‘it would make a condemned difikilty. When one of the red varmints finds he can’t keep his prisoners, then he puts his tom- ahawk into thar skulls, and 1 reckon Marunyo here ain’t trying to get Drooping Lily, unless she’s got some breath in her body.” The Blackfoot shuddered at the bare sugges- tion, while his fine dark eyes flashed. “Tt must not be; it must not be.” ‘“That’s my opinion, Sol, and yours, too, as you come to thiek over ity” ‘‘Of course,” returned the trappegi’ “‘ How many of the varmints do you s’pose there is keeping watch over thé gals?” ‘*Two or -three, I should think. We've got to get "em away, or manage to steal on ’em so sly like that they won’t get a chance to kill ’em. It’s likely if they don’t ’ tsome of us are about, {gs scatter, and while one or two hang round the gals, the others wiil’be off on a hunt or fish; that’s the way we want things fixed, and we'll be a set of the cussedest fools if we don’t put this little business through in the ight kind of style.” + We'll be likely to have some trouble in get- ting °em down to Frisco; for you see it’s a long way from here, and we shall have the Modocs arter us all the way.” ‘That'll be the easiest part of the business; for I think when Oregon Sol and Nick Whiffies git in the woods they are at home, and if I can’t throw a pack of Modocs off the trail, if I’ve ’n’ugh start to git out of their sight fur half an hour, then [ll commit suicide for grief, as an aunt of mine did when she met’ an ancient lady at a party who was able to drink three more cups of tea than she was, and that was hiner posted in the gossip of the neighbor- ‘Don’t you think that Captain Jack, if he hain’t already come baek here, will do so, arter seeing the Blackfoot, and arter owig~ BRS that it’s likely some of us has follered to this place?” ‘‘I don’t believe the captain will, ‘canse he never likes to be away from the main body of his tribe for any time; but it’s very likely that Flat-Nosed Billy isn’t many miles away from us just now.” ‘**Of course, sence Captain Jack has found out that this pertik’ler devil of his is sartin te receive all kinds of favors, he’s jist the int he’s me send along to look out for us. He’d be a ool if he replied rae ‘Easy, now,” re ‘ick Whiffles, with a grin and @ deprecatory wave of the hand. ‘That ’ere little episode is buried in the vister i ed of the past, as the tssay. Don’t fotch it up ag’in until arter this business is settled.” Oregon Sol understood the meaning of this hint, and perhaps it was this, or it may have been the recollection that Nick himself had been considerate toward him when he was in no hu- mor for esting, that caused him to desist from chafing his friend when such a good opening was given, As it was, they settled down into a more seri ous discussion of the prospects, and they per fected all their arrangements for the morrow. It was agreed that at daybreak they should separate, and spend the entire day in reconnoi- tering through the mountains, unless they should sooner succeed in effecting their objects As it was believed to be more than likely that either the hiding-place would be discovered or some $f the Modoes encountered, a system of signals was agreed upon, which they were confident could be employed without their meaning being caine ag the red-skins. Above things, it was important that the presence of the three men in the mountains should not become known to the Indians. It was understood by each that, in case any unto- ward accident should reveal their presence to one of these devils, that same was to be wiped out without the least ceremony, ue on her well-established adage that dead men tell no tales. During this conversation, the dog Calamity lay stretched near the fire, with his nose between his feet, and 25 rane sound asleep; but all. knew that he unde very nearly as well as they the important matter which they were dis- cussing. As proof of this, when Sol proposed to send the canine out on his own hook to oer the search for the Modoc hiding-place, pup raised his head and looked at the ker with an ex. pression that seemed as intelligent as thatof any person. Nick was inclined to adopt the plan when it was first suggested, but he afterward concluded to let him keep company with him. It was un- derstood that, if no important discovery were made, they were all to meet in the present place at mightfall; while, if any one should gain the involligence that all were see , he was te. summon ny Pow? around him by one of the many signals agreed upon. Thus matters were ctacerablt until a late hour, when all three turned in for the night. The fire was nearly out, and Calamity stretched himself in front of them, while the two horses were grazingho close at hand that none of the ro ers had any fear of being disturbed during night by their enemies. The three men were unusual! slept heavily. The sagacious dog seemed to un- derstand their condition, for he was restiess and watchful. Could he have beenmseen in the dark- ness, it would have been noticed that he fre- uently raised his head and snuffed the air, as hough he scented some sort cf danger which he did not precisely understand. : rats io Sian mb fe na Geneale start u seemingly asleep, he wou Mg up, as if disturbed After ing around the sleepers several times, he would come back and lie down | had come the two Thus matters went on until when Shagbark gave out the sonnd. It was not a seqmed to have been made of his hoofs, as he lay upon ground, Slight as it was, it caught the ear of Calami- t who was on his feet as quick aaa Saal In stead of alarming the three men over whom he was standing he ness-toward the where the two horses were stretched. . Thero was a certain friendly jogos! ity be- tween these two dumb servants of Nick ~ * fles.. As Calamity came up, he rubbed his nose pas hand of ShagbaFke, who bent | inst the long | his nose down as if to invite it. Thus they remained for several m municating with each other in that langua; their own which is so readily unde type: each other, but which isa ‘sealed book,” az will probably always remain such, to the great- . o walked away in the taking a 000ks.c Cc com test. neigh, —s whinny, but > 2g ij 1 m » - : Mw, ve ES utes 8 com- * . & of a OP | -* | “e P oe he: Rinse ec 5 Ler a, je ee # ‘ & pot ; tT, <a 7 i er 4 yao