Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 1147 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 ow - oe Se or —— you. Come this way; I want to introduce you to my friend, Little-lox, who’s a scientific scalp- slider. I know it’s hard to come to this, Cap- tain Cuba Kidd, but then you know the way of the transgressor is hard. A few minutes ago i stood—ay, almost dangled, under a limb u yonder, when along came a friendly arrow an presto! the scene changes. I now recognize ta this Washoe here my rescucr—that is, with che aid of the grizzly, he was my salvation. And glance at his girdle, Cuba, and behold how swift- ly the hand of justice is doing its work among Cuba Kidd’s Sierra Tigers.” While the boy was delivering this speech Cuba Kidd arose from his lowly position and with long quick strides advanced toward his enemy with a look of affected defiance. When he was about twenty feet away Bearslayer bade him halt, ‘* Tt is well,” the villain fairly hi:sed, ‘‘ that I am not permitted to como in reach of you!” “That's whet 1 thought,” replied young Hooker, ‘‘ for I know you are a bold, bad man, But now you'll have to submit to have your hands tied at your back, and I guess Little-i"ox here will do the rope-act for you.” The outlaw’s face grew black with rage. Little-Fox, the Friendly, took a lariat from the saddle of one of the seven horses hitched near, and advanced to the side of the outlaw with a grin upon his painted face, _ The bandit was inclined to resist being bound, and struck the red-skin a sounding blow on the head that sent him to grass; but quick as light- ning the Washoe flirted himself around while yet down, and seizing the ovtlaw round the ankles, jerked his feet from under him, and threw him violently backward upon the earth. Quite a struggle then ensued, in which Bear- slayer took an active part; and not until Kidd had been dealt a stunning blow on the head was the desperate and athletic villain overcome and his hands secured at his back. Im fact, the struggle with him convinced Bearslayer that it was a good thing that they did not have the other outlaw to contend with, for he had found that the outlaws hal greater respect for hisskill as a rifleman than his physical prowess. After Kidd had been secured, Bearslayer said to the Washoe: ‘‘ Now, Little-Fox, I’ve a chance to thank you with all my heart for your timely service. You done some noble work for me.” ‘+ Little-fox is the Bearslayer’s friend; he al- ways divide bread and meat with Little-l’ox— have little, have much. They have hunted together, slept in same wigwam; they much good friends.” And s» they were. A mutual friendship ex- isted between the young red-skin scout and the boy hunter. Deeds of daring in cach other’s be like the one we have just witnessed, had wrought a bond of union between them that only death could sever. Their friendship for each other had been the means of bringing about a lasting peace between Little-Fox’s tribe and the white miners. This fact had made the out- laws and Washoes enemies, and many and dead- ly were the blows that the cunning Little-Iox had dealt the bandits who alone found friends among the more powerful and bloodthirsty tes. After talking a fow minutes, Bearslayer pro- posed to divide the outlaws’ horses and weapons with the Washoe. To this proposition, the In- dian replied: ‘‘Me take one, two, three horses. Found le-face squaws and man over here—give them orses. ‘‘ What? did you find two women and a man in these hills?” exclaimed Bearslayer; and even Cuba Kidd turned his head to catch the answer. ‘‘ Yes—two heap pretty squaws—one bravco— big belly—way out—so,” and the Indian held his hand out atarm’s length before him to illus- trate his idea of Webfoot’s corporosity. ‘‘Webfoot Mose! I'll beta grizzly-skin!” ex- claimed the boy, ‘‘ That him name,” said the Indian. | ‘‘ Well, who ever dreampt of such a thing of Webfoot Mose?” the boy went on in complete surprise; ‘‘ that’s the man, Mr, Kidd, that res- cued the girls, and the last one I’d ever thought of. He's the chap that killed your Denver Pete. But why didn’t—pshaw! what’s the use wasting time? Little-Fox, I will go with you right now ~ to where you left the pale-faces, They are my friends. We will escort you, Captain Cuba, along with us. I know those as will be glad ie look upon the leader of the wild Sierra Tigers. a : ft Boy,” said the outlaw chief, “‘ you may live to beg favors of the leader of the Sierra Tigers. The end of this thing is not yet, and even though | See may slay me, you will find that I have riends where you least expect to meet them.” ‘*Tll take care of the present and you, cap- tain, and let the future take care of itself and your friends,” was Bearslayer’s rejoinder. A horse was brought up and the outlaw given his ph rea to mount and ride or be led be- hind with a lariat attached to a saddle. He chose the former and after being assisted into the saddle his feet were tied together by ropes passing from one foot to the other under the animal’s belly. Little-Fox concluded to walk and lead the prisoner’s horse. Bearslayer tied the other horses together, mounted one and bade the Indian lead the way. They started off down the canyon but had gone but a short distance when the Indian stop- ped, threw up his hand and uttered a low excla- mation. ‘‘Something come!” he said, peering down the defile through the shadows of tae pines. Before Bearslayer could respond a rather novel sight appeared before them. It was Web- foot Mose mounted upon an Indian pony. His face bore marks of violence and his clothing was badly torn. Bearslayer dismounted as he rode up, and in a tone that betrayed no little fear and suspense, exclaimed: ‘*Good Lord, Webfoot! what has happened?” ‘* Boy, ’m glad to meet you; the devil’s to pay,” was the fat man’s reply, given in a most serious tone as he rolJed his bulky form from the pony’s back. ** Has anythin happened the girls?” ‘* Yes, Cuba Kidd’s outlaws have got them!” A cold, sardonic laugh broke from the lips of the outlaw-chief, but it came near costing him his life, for Bearslayer, in a fit of rage, drew a revolver and would have slain him but for the arrest of his act by the hand of the Washoe. ‘‘Don’t shoot more—pistol make noise—Utes in hills,” the Indian said; ‘‘ knife—arrow no make noise.” ‘‘How many of the demons are there yet?” Bearslayer asked, turning to Mose, his face white with rage. ‘“Ten,” answered Mose; ‘'I give them the best I had, but they were too many for me, and I had to yield.” ‘* How came you to get away from them?” ‘They sent me away—to bear a message to Judge Shannon, the import of which is that for fifty thousand dollars and no questions asked, the girls will be restored to him unharmed,” ‘‘Ha!l ha! ha!” burst in mocking laughter from Widd’s lips, “‘ you'll find, Sir Bearslayer, that the Sierra Tigers hold a full hand yet!” As he concluded his speech, he dug his heels against his horse’s side and uttered a sharp cry. The animal, evidently the villain’s own, and trained to that cry, shot away like an arrow, snatching the rein from Little Fox’s hand. But Bearslayer, who was standing a few paces in front of the animal, was as quick as if, and as it shot past him he leaped forward and grasped the reins; but as he did so he was jerked off his feet and dragged along by the frantic horse that was in a fair way to escape, when the Indian, whipping out his knife, pg forward with the quickness of a tiger, and with one sweep of the blade hamstrung the animal, | With a snort of pain the poor beast fell back upon its haunches, and Bearslayer, regaining his feet, stepped backward and drawing his revolver fired at the outlaw. But again he escaped death, for the floundering horse throwing up its head received the bullet in its brain, and with a piteous groan it rolled over on its side, pinioning its rider under its quivering body, CHAPTER XII. A DESPERATE BATTLE. A SHARP cry of pain escaped the lips of the foiled outlaw as the horse fell upon his leg al- most crushing it. ‘‘ Give it up after awhile, won’t you, captain?” Bearslayer asked, advancing to the side of the a bandit whose face was black and con- rted with all the rage of an incarnate fiend. Webfoot Mose dismounted to confer with Bearslayer, and to assist in removing the dead horse from Cuba Kidd’s leg. But before any- thing had been done the ‘‘ thrum” of Little Fox’s bow-string was heard and it was immediately pore’ by a savage wail from the woods hard } y. ‘Good Lord! what’s the matter, Little Fox?’ exclaimed Bearslayer turning to the Washoe. ‘*Bad Ingi tes come there!” was the startling nse of the Indian who, half crouch- ing, glared into the shadows. Webfoot Mose, the Tramp-Detective. eg ee LL ETE a ne —_—«e EE LE eT TT Looking down the pass Bearslayer was almost horrified to see a score or more savage forms stealthily gliding from tree to tree and stone to stone toward them. Within fifty paces of ‘hem a warrior lay behind a rock writhing in agony and trying to withdraw from his shoulder Little Fox’s arrow. ‘“‘By smotheration!’ exclaimed Webfoot, ‘‘there’s either a big fight or a lively run on hand)” Bearslayer took up his rifle and brought it to his shoulder and at the first opportunity downed a savage whose death wail was answered by a defiant yell from two-score throats, and the whizz of arrows through the air about the young hunter and his friends. Two of the horses were wounded by the barb- ed missiles and a stampede of the animals fol- lowed, ‘* Boys,” exclaimed Bearslayer, ‘‘ we’ve got to retreat. Pll put a bullet through Captain Cuba—” His remarks were here cut short by a loud shout bebind him, and turning the boy was re- joiced to see Old Redwood Bill, J udge Shannon and the passengers of the ill-fated stage-coach coming toward them. But as none of them ex- cept Old Bill were armed with rifles the youth at once realized that even all of them could never cope with the horde of Ute savages swarming through the woods. “Hurrah, Old Bill!” yelled Webfoot Mose, ‘‘here’s the place to try your Damascus mettle!” ‘** Boys!” the old hunter cried as he came up, ‘‘vou’re in a hill of a perdicamint, ar’n’t ye? How many million o’ the red devils be there?” ‘‘ More than we can handle if they make a charge,” said Bearslayer, as he flung his rifle to his shoulder and took a red-skin on the wing. ‘* Bearslayer,” exclaimed Judge Shannon, *‘ do you know aught of my daughter and niece?” ‘¢ Webfoot Mose tells me they are in the power of the outlaws,” replied the boy. ‘‘Oh, my God!” the distracted father cried, ‘it is as 1 feared!” But there was no time for explanations now. The Utes were coming closer and closer, though keeping under cover of tree and rock. White men were seen among them, and Bearslayer was sure he got a glimpse of the villain, Dug Tasr, among the very nearest. . The Indians we» mostly armed with bows and arrows, thoug! » few possessed guns of inferior kinds, Our friends took refuge behind rocks e173 trees, Bearslayer keeping close to the prostr: * > form of Cuba Kidd, determined that, if the ice © made a charge, he would slay the outlaw chief and run. He knew that it would be useless to undertake to contend in a hand-to-hand fight with the savages, for they undoubtedly outnum- bered them ten to one, The sound of the whizzing arrows, and the *t click” of their barbed points against the rocks behind which the whites were concealed, was music to the heart of Captain Cuba Kidd. But he knew that he dare not utter a word, or show any demonstrations of joy over the difficulty of his captors, through fear of provoking Shar into shooting him. That the conflict would ul- timately end in favor of the Indians he had not a doubt. He could see enough of the red-skins’ movements to understand what they were up to, and that was to surround the whites before eee a charge, and this they were rapidly oing. But suddenly there arose a decteniig Jer on the right of the canyon, that seemed to startle both Utes and whites. The latter started with blanched faces. They saw that another band of savages had arrived on the field of battle. They could see them swarming over the brush-covered hills, and sweeping down into the valley like destruction. Bearslayer was in the act of giving word for his friend to flee, when Little-Fox glided to his side in wild excitement and said: ‘* Little-Fox’s friends come there—Washoe warriors!” Then the young red-skin uttered a defiant war- whoop. His friends answered it, and for several moments the canyon fairl shook with the yells of first the Washoes and then the Utes. After the yelling had somewhat subsided, a general battle began. The Washoes were in force equal to their enemy, and like them, arm- ed principally with bows and arrows. e woods fairly roared with the flight of ar- rows. The rifles of Bearslayer and Old Red- wood Bill chimed in regularly and with effect. The brunt of battle was now between the In- dians, but there was a party armed with re- volvers that seemed to turn their fire in the di- rection of the whites. From what he could see of this party, Bearslayer was satisfied that they A he , ee TA Saw: sie ‘y “Wd ys LS OOTY BOO Sil TREO LP 7 ~ - v . fet y ay) tateae Y fh ee “ i ae yuri ef : f a8 “>* ¥ 7¥ ; “a> AY My 4 8 r. A rape | teh’ 5a r" ‘+ :