Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1152 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

of the lad. ‘‘Whata handsome boy you have a own to be; how proud I am, and how proud e will Come here, and let meshake hande | with pon . ength the father grew more calm. a “Your mother is now in London, where I hope you and I will soon join her. Are you 4 to go with me?’ . & “Tam wild forthe chance; and will you edu- cate me?’ Nothing that wealth and love can do for you shall be undone.” **T have been orm weary of this life; I only want to see Nick and bid him good-by. He will be willing for me to go.” “You were born in London, and your moth- er accompanied me to Fort Churchill, when you ne were about three years of age. In the spring, when the weather was as charming as it is now, she started with me on a ramble along the banks of the Saskatchewan. We remained there only afew days, when, with a party of friends, we » came further South to Elk river, where we en- ed in fishing for a couple of weeks. ‘‘ As there was sometimes danger from wild animals, we frequently anchored our canoe out «in the river and slept in thit. One night I was belated in returning to where I had left you and your mother. She was in such rugged health that I had little fear in leaving her alone for a time; but I was later than I imtended in re getting back, it being past midnight when I ae reached the shore where I had left her. **T found her asleep on the bank, but you and the canoe were gone. I awoke her in some sur- S prise to know what it meant. She was more ge OS amazed than I, for she had anchored out in the river, and lay down to sleep there, waiting for me to rouse her by calling to her. Sen ‘*But the. truth soon came out. Was a somnambulist, and in her sleep she had paddled ashore, and let the boat float down-stream with a eet you in if. Mr A: ‘* As may be supposed, we started, almost dis- eS a tracted,to hunt for rhe That terrible search I ; | can never forget. t the end of two days we ¢ found the canoe, but you were gone! ‘*T concluded at once that you had waked up, and, without knowing your danger, had crawled over the side of the canoe and was drowned. = Then we spent days in searching for your body, ii ses but failed, of course. Your mother clung to “4 the belief that you had been stolen by some In- 2 dian, and to gratify her I continued the search. ‘‘She clung to her belief for years, and it was only a short time ago that she gave you up and returned to England, I had so completely lost all hope, that even when I heard what you told me the other day, I was not convinced,’ 3 > ‘‘ What is my name?” __ oy ‘‘Rdward Mackintosh; Nick got the first part => ht.” ‘T have a canoe,” said the boy; “‘let’s go down the river and meet Nick.” This was agreed to, and they started off at once. *¢] —_———— CHAPTER XX. A STRANGE BARGAIN. For ons moment the group of fugitives in the white canoe sat dumb with despair, as they saw that cscane was out of the question. Mvra Bandman covered her face, as if to shut out the dreadful scene; Miona sat paralyzed; Tiuch reached out to take the rifle of the hunter. “Tet us die fighting!” he said, but Nick Whiffles drew back. --.. . ‘‘None o’ that: leave matters to me.” > oe The Indian canoe headed straight toward a se them, and there would have been a collision had ; not Nick waved them off. ** Don’t come any nigher!” This command, extraordi under the cir- cametances, was obeyed, and the Blackfoot boat halted a dozen feet distant. He then ad- dressed himself directly to Woo-wol-na, speak- ing in the Indian tongue. _ *& What do you want?” ‘‘ They belong to us,” replied the chief, refer- ring to his companions; “we have come for them.” “No you want me?” he asked, “You deserve Gath, .ae00 ee pay in t, ‘but years ago, when | and a few of my oes ate pile 2 ee by the Shoshene, -you fought by my side; Woo-wol-na has not otten that day, and on that account he will not his brother, the great hunter; but your companions belong to me, and I must have ” The are man and wife,” said Nick, still ‘Using the Blackfoot tongue; * why do you wish to separate them Stoica! as was the Indian, it was plain to see eo? co -~er * ae s Wer. ~ ’ t om SO as . ae ery rei ” aT * - ye | ‘2 qr 3 mere wy ciel mats ) > * at, aA a .? | ‘ whey : Or ws vt? 4 4 - » A $4 Be PRY, hands with her and bid that he was et lap by this information, but it did not affect his resolution. ‘*He has been condemned to death; he- has slept in the Death J 6, and he must die,” Is there no sacrifice we can offer that will answer for his life?’ Curiously enough, Woo-wol-na was struck with the question, and ho consulted for several minutes with his warriors, Then with a pecu- liar expression, he turned back again. ‘‘Is she his daughter?” he asked, pointing to Miona. ** She is.” “* And they wish her to go with them?’ ‘** They value her life like their own.” ‘* Leave her with us, and the rest may go,” This remarkable proposition of course was understood by all except Bandman, to whom Nick explained it. ‘* No,” he Ap indignantly, ‘‘ we will die ber, before we will desert our daughter, will we not, Myra? ‘A thousand times, yes,” she added, pressing her darling child to her breast. Nick Whiffles now displayed characteristic cunning. Waiting until the tumult had some- what spent itself, he asked the mother: ‘“Why do they want the girl to stay?’ ‘‘The chief has a son, that he hopes to make a at warrior, and he always said Miona should his wife.” The eyes of the old hunter sparkled. ‘¢Thar’s no likelihood then but what he’ll take the best care of her, and suffer no one to abuse her?” ‘‘Of course; that is what he is after.” ‘“* How old is the gal?” * Only thirteen.” ‘“S’pose I tell him you’re willin’ to leave her five years, and to give her leave to marry his son, if she chooses—will you do that?” “Oh! how can I—” ‘Hold on,” interrupted Nick, rather sternly, ‘he’s got the power to take you all, and b mighty! it’s queer he don’t do it. I think it’s only his liking for me that henders him. You've a chance to save yourself and husband by takin a offer, and you're a blamed fool if you don o it.” ‘* But, to desert her, Nick—think of it!” “Tt’s hard, I know, but I calculate, if the Lord’s willing, to spend the next five years and more in the woods, and [ll promise to look after the gal. I’m the only white man that dare go into the Blackfoot village, and [ll do it, and when the five years come round you shall have yer darter, ef I have to lose my scalp in gettiw on No red Injin ll make a squaw of her.” “ And what says my own precious Miona?’ ‘For your sake, mother, it is best. I shall be happier than you can imagine in doingit. I shall be always cheerful in the knowledge that T am not lost to you. I shall long for the five rears to come round, for I know that Nick V hiffles will keep his word.” ‘““T swow to gracious! but she’s an angel!” exclaimed Nick Whiffles, as he drew his sleeve across his eyes. ‘‘I’m yer daddy for the next five years, fur sure!” Nick now resumed his negotiations with Woo- wol-na, who at first rejected them; but he final- ly consented, and the agreement was made, She was to spend five years among the Block- feet, and then, if she still desired to return to her friends, she should be free to do so. This was a great falling off from the original purpose of the Blackfoot chief; but his friend- ship for Nick Whiffles had a powerful influence in the matter, and, like a true Indian, his secret intention was that, when five years were up, she should still remain with him and become his daughter-in-law, in spite of herself and every- b ody! And equally, Nick Whiffles’s intention was that she should never marry any Blackfoot—he had other purposes in view. This arrangement was hardly completed, when Mackintosh and Ned Hazel made their ap- pearance in their canoe. They had pursued their way lelacnphy down-stream, meeting them at this ‘ Poor Ned was in consternation when he learn- ed all that had been done, but while Miona was a heroine, he could be a hero. As he shook her farewell, he whis- pered ‘¢ Remember I promise to come for you!” His face, as well as his tone and words, told how deep was his feeling for the beautiful child of oF leapt you ae replied, xing be é6 you e p : dark e es upon him, from whieh gleamed the ight o , abiding love. | tong pb transferred to the other boat, Ned Hazel, The Boy Trapper. | rr ————————————————— ————————————__ ete ttle ttt ii certacmmee and the sad parting took place—a parting long to be remembered by every cipant, Nick Whiffles listened to the story of Mackin- tosh, and said, in his own characteristic man- ner: “Pm glad as a man can be, but it’s hard, by mighty! and I’m sorry, too!” nd the strong-hearted man, who never anates in the face of danger, turned away and wept, _ Lt was like robbing the parent bird of its nest- ling; or tearing from the sturdy oak the vine which had lovingly, through rains and storms, through sunny days and nights of sweet repose, clung to it for growth and protection. _Down the river floated the little cavaleade— Nick Whiffies on the lead. Was the old man so loth to part with Ned that he would not leave him? At the Portage to the English river the party “‘shored,” and passed on foot, through the forest, over to the stream down which to float to Fort Churchill. And yet old Nick left them not. Down tothe fort they dropped and Ned end Nick Whiffles passed its sorted togeth- er, hand es in hand, Great was the excitement and joy in the fort over the remarkable events which had tran- spired, and a general jollification took place, while the company’s transport, lying at the lit- tle dock, was carefully fitted up for the three additional passengers. The third day witnessed the departure. The white wings of the trim brig-rigged vessel were shaken out; and slow] e headed for the northward, On the dock stood Nick Whiffies, with bared head, waving his cap in adieu to his dear boy, whom the seas were to separate from him. Ned, standing on the after-deck, gazed upon, and signaled to the dear old man, until, down in the horizon, disappeared departed ones and those left beHind. ‘** Miona is my only son, now!” murmured the old forester, as, leaving the dock, he dropped in- to his canoe, and soon was lost in the mazes of the grim forest around, ‘* The gal’s got me round the heart-strings, an’ when my boy comes ag’in, as he promi she shall be thar to welcome him or Nick Whifiles’s skulp ‘ll be dryin’ in a Blackfoot lodge!” THE END. Edward L. Wheeler’s Deadwood Dick Novels Bendle’s Half-Dime Library. 1. Deadwood. Dick; 6r, The Black Rider of the Black Hills. 20. The Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick’s Defiance. 28, Buffalo Ben; or, Deadwood Dick in Disguise, Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval; or, The Brotherhood of Death. The Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza. Omaha Oll; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger. Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane, the Heroine of Whoo om Corduroy Charlie; or, The Last Act of Dead~ wood Dick, Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke for aeoeeer. Deadwood Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of the Double Cross. Deadwood Dick as Detective. Cinnamon Spe the Girl Sport; or, The (olden Idol o Mount Rosa. Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon’s Gulch, Blorde’ Bill; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base. A re of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike. 156. Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party. 195. Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivals of the Road. 91. The Black Hills Jezebel; or, Deadwood Dick’s Ward. The above are for sale by all newsdeale five cents a copy, or sent by mail on receipt "of six cents each. : BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS, 98 William street, New York 42, 49, %5, 75. 77. 100. 104, 109, 121. 129. 188. 149. . * i ear . . _ | > ‘ Pe 7 "> ef ‘ 7 < Tt ‘ i, ee ee . 7? ~* 4, rs > ~~. V e ns Daas N >, i | Y - . > o F | ee oe a . -O ~~ ‘et | mr. 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