Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1154 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

‘4 Taking down the paper, he was about to pie 9 it upon his butter, when hs chanced to glance ai the label, whicn was ** #0430 n.”’ Whew!” d the exquisite, aghast, ‘‘ that is cutting a little closer than is comfortable.” Yielding to a singular. impulse, for which it was hard to account, Fitzsimmons carefully tied up the poison in the paper, and placed it in his coat pocket, “Tain’t exactly clear what Ym going te do with that, but perhaps I may have an oppor- tunity of veryane the diet of the noble red-man therewith, if he gets troublesome.” By this time Percy had pretty well satisfied the pangs of hunger, and wing an immense sizh of enjoyment, he muttered: ‘Aunt Han. knows how to make bread and to churn butter—though I’m fearfully afraid I’ve squelched the original churn—and [ only wish I could carry away this supply. I don’t think it will do to roll that butter and put it in m ‘ket, as itis a little warmer outside than it is ere, but I'll take a slice or two of bread.” This he managed to stow away about his per- son, without inconvenience, and feeling that he had thoroughly gorged himself not only with the bread, but with a pan of cold, creamy milk, he rose from his seat to leave. “By Jove! Lam afraid that I. have staid toe long, but when a hungry fellow gets under fuil siway, it is hard to put down the brakes—” A chill of terror pas through the young man, as he heard distinctly the latch of up- per door lifted, and instantly thereafter a foot- step upon the floor above his head. Indians |” was the thought that camo to his mind, as he shrunk shivering in the corner, ‘and I’ve no way to get out of this muss.” The-ouly means of egress was by gong up- stairs, as the two windows that admi the light were barred and very diminutive in size, Percy grasped his gun and tremblingly awaited the issue of events, The faint hope that perros his friends had rewurned, was quickly ipated by the sound .{ shuffimz foet above, and several deep bass jaculations that could only come from the .2roat of an Indian. They were in the room above, and the situa- jion of Percy Fitzsimmons could not well bave been more painful. He had no doubt that the ~ building would be burned, so that if, by aay ‘ossibility, his hiding-place was not discovered, e was certaln of the other terrible alternative. ‘¢‘Ognfound them!” muttered the poor fellow, “this is a little the werst scrape I was ever in in all my life—” Terror accumulated upon terror, for now he heard the latch of the door, leading to the cellar, lifted, as if some one were about to descend to tomahawk him. Percy shrunk back in the furthest corner, only praying that he had the ability to force himself into the solid wall behind him, while he fixed his eyes vere the top of the stairs, his heart throbbing painfully. Who shall depict his feelings when a huge moccasin came to view, as it was placed upon tha first step, then the other sunk heavily 4 the other step, displaying the ankles and eg gings of what was certainly a stalwart Indian es; one of the Sioux was on the point of ex- tending his eerloeatinos to the cellar, and there scemed scarcely one thousandth of a chance of avoiding detection, The feet and legs were followed by the body end then the head of a magnificently-formed Sioux warrior, who, reaching the floor, s motionless for a moment, while he looked curi- ously about the cellar, This, as we have remarked in another place was dimly lighted, and co from the right sunshine above, it may have been that be saw objects only indi : geemed to light upon the ahivering immons more than once, yet they passed on, as though they saw him not. he eye of the aboriginal next rested upon the ee eee eee sholf upon which the edibles weponed, and with a pig- grunt he stepped rather hastily for- ward and reached his hand up, as'though he too was not insensible to the pangs of hunger. “Oh, why—oh, why didn't [ spread some arcenic upon a piece of bread and bait that old rat?’ was the remorseful thought that the mind of the trembling Fitzsimmons; “that would have been an unexceptionable way of dis- a of his claims.” Be Oe RSs Anieed ct the create, eotee eat. He merely at the crum & nified and exhausted milk-pan, and snetaded that some one “ had been there? n he and stood absolutely motion’ for full a minute, as if listening to the sub- 4 ctly; for, althotigh his eyes. -Beadle’s HalfDime Library. one ot ET me ere es —_——-+ ‘dued moving of feet and murmuring of voiges ever his heac. And standing thus, directly in front of Fitz- simmons, he was a picture to behold, He must have been fully six feét and a half in hight, of matchless progowean and symmetry. 6 was as straight as an arrow, wearing the breech-cloth, and naked from his waist up. His swelling, billowy chest, was without a mark of paint or tattoo, and the roll and play of muscles was a sicht of themselves. His right wrist was incased by a band of wampum, waile no other ornament was Visible upon any part of his per- son. As he stood, the weight of his body rested upon his right leg, the left being slightly bent at the knee, with the foot thrown a few inches in front of the other. From the girdle at his waist, projected the handles of two knives, his left hand resting idly upon one of theso, while his right was lifted and resting upon the shelf above and in front of him. These two knives constituted the entire arma- ment he had in his po: ion at this mament, his tomahawk and rifle doubtless having being left above. . He was without any blanket, and without the peveee aa top-knot of the red-skin, bis long, lack, wiry hair falling in all its luxuriance down his back to his waist, and totally devoid of any sort of ornament. His position was such that his, profile was shown to the fullest advantage, and the Roman nose and stern visage would have graced the face of one of the warriors of Anakim. All this, I say, was admirable in a certain sense, but it can not be said that Fitzsimmons was specially affected in that way. He thought that that icular pose was becoming monot- onous, and he would have much more admired a vanishing view of the red-skin, as he ascended the stairs. One full minute is a long time to any one in s nse, ard it seemed of interminable length to the cowering fugitive, but finally the savage turned about, as if to move away, and the heart of Percy fluttered with his new-born hope, ** He’s going at last.” So he was, but he was ‘‘ going for the white man” in the corner, who, before he could real- izé what was up, found himself confronted by iho terrible being, who demanded, in a voice of the est thunder: | ‘* Hoo-wah-hoo—come—ah—wo—me catch— me scalp—” “T surrender,” replied the terrified Fitzsim- mons, never once thinking of his gun or pistol, in the way of defense against his ferocious foe. CHAPTER IIT. THE ARROW’S MESSAGE. AFrtTer his separation from Fitzsimmons, old Zip continued his way for a short distance through the woods, the time ascending a very steep incline until he had reached one of the most elevated portions of this precipitous country. ; Here, on the summit, grew several trees, the tallest of which the hunter instantly climbed, with the ot ity of a monkey, pausing ‘onl when the highest branch bent beneath hie weight. From his elevated, tower-like position he gained an extensive view of the surrounding country in every direction. His eagle eye swept the horizon, like the sailor at the mast-head; and, in less than one minute after taking this view, he made the alarming discovery which we have already intimated. Not more than a mile to the westward, he saw a party of Sioux Indians, standing together, on a slightly elevated hill, their appearance and manner showing that they were engaged in dis- ‘cussing some subject in which all were deeply interested n > Although they had horses, every red-skin, ex- cepting one solitary warrior, was standing on the ground, their docile horses cropping the grass which grew very luxuriantly about them. At that distance it was impossible for the ‘| keen-witted hunter to form more than a i- cion of what the dismounted Indians were cussing; but the Indian seated u his horse was the unerring index of their intentions. His bran ar as it was raised, was pointed to- ward the hill, beyond which nestled the home of H Fullerton. Tt was from the tion of the Bipux, and the intervening Eélonica that they coul not ae Oe building, although well aware of its But the danger was ea ni in the extreme, and three minutes’ observa settee = Seng cient for Old Zip, who slid down the as rn ee ere LLL LLDBLLDBDBLBBDLL LLL AA AE (ee eee ¢ , * though it had been greased expressly for the ow casicn. * Tho devils are going for Hngh, that’s sartin and I’ve got to do some tall travelin’ to head ’em off.” »The necessary ‘‘ tall traveling” was done, the hunter rushing through the wood and under- wth like a terrified deer, Striking the road y the shortest route, he went tearing. down it with the speed of a race-horse, Fortunately, Hugh Fullerton was at the house, with his wife Hannah, who instantly and hasti- ly collected her silver-ware and most-easily-car- ried. valuables together, while her husband, after a fow earnest words with the hunter, in- dited the note, which was read in vain by Percy Fitzsimmons. It was decided not to fasten the doors or win- dows, or to make any attempt to bafile the Sioux, as all such labor would be useless, and occasion only the loss of most precious time. The two cows were grazing in the under- growth—excepting the one that had run against the bullet of Fitzsimmons—and the same num- ber of horses were standing in the shade of a tree, at the corner of a field, munching their dinner. Ten minutes from the time the thoroughly- frightened Zip made his appearance in front of the cottage, the three hastily left, Mrs. Fuller- ton bearing a small bundle in one hand, her husband carrying a pack also in one hand, and his remaining rifle in the other. “Percy has my ammunition,” said he, ‘‘ but I reckon you have enough for us both, Zip.” “You bet,” was the significant reply. As every moment was fraught with danger, Zip turned sharply around the corner of the house and plunged into the field of corn, the stalks of which were bigh enough to afford them concealment, while making their way to the woods lyfhg beyond. Across this they went almost at a run, and reaching the opposite side, were confronted by a small, open space, across which it was neces- sary s pass in order to reach the woods lying beyond. ere they paused, and Zip made a reconnois- sance lasting several minutes. He reported that nothing was to be seen of the Indians, al- though there could be no doubt that they were elese at hand. ** Follow me,” he said, as he started on a ru for the woods, and they dbeyed him so well that when he ed into cover, they were scarcely behind him, This protection reached, something like a feel- ing of security came over the colle for they knew there were strange caverns and recesses among these hills, known to no human being be- sides Old Zip, and in which they were confident he could place them in secure hiding until the danger passed. ‘‘ How thankful I am that Helena is at Alden,” extlaimed the mother, ‘‘ where she cannot be molested by this peril.” ‘“Yes, and Zip has sent Ned Hosmer down there to warn her of her danger and to te}l her not to come, so that much is insured against,” Exchanging words in this manner, the two walked along at a less rapid pace, until they had advanced a considerable distance along the ravine, to which we have already referred, in our narrative of Percy Fitzsimmons, ‘ST am anxious about Percy,” said the farmer, addressing the hunter. ‘‘ Who’s Percy?” ‘‘ My nephew.” ‘‘Oh—that chap you call Persimmons. You needn’t fret about him, for the way he was trampin’ through the woods and over the rocks, I don’t think he’ll ever be able to find pe ay out in. Howsumever, after we go to , T'll rake up the hills for him.” The “cabin in the air,” as our reader has sus- fotupe was the residence’ of Old Zip, although ow and why it was built, and what was the secret of its curious suspension, he refused to reveal to any one, except his wife, who, sharing the structure with him, was equally reticent in allthat concerned it. The place had been visited by the Fullertons, so that when they came in sight of it, no wonder was , and only the question asked: ‘‘ Are you sure Peggy is there?” ‘‘ Look, and see for yourself.” As he ke, the pleased trapper pointed at the eonnie eB ay at which the broad, ee ee & woman in middle ea dieuppeonthing puke, mil shedintane deer a trap- the floor of her cottage was seon | y de scendings Whenit reached the gro it was cS com ares oh yt - et M4 - P yr ” => Pats th ee ee es ~_ a 2.2 at