Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1155 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

dk ——— oOo anid the youth, vaulting onto its back, without saddle or bridle. “Take care of yourself, old friend,” Harry ealled to Old Optic; then, speaking to bis horse, ho was off like an arrow, dashing down the val- ley. Bat, scarcely was he out of sight of the Cone, when the figure of an Indian, whose gaudy head-gear and flashing ornaments bespoke dis- tinction, a coe, ing from the shadows of a clump of elders hard by and approached the hut. At the door he was met by Old Optic, who received him with kindness and manifest plea- sure, and ushered him into the Cone. CHAPTER IV. THE PRAIRIE TRADERS. THERE is a sublime ndeur in the great preiries of the North-west that spires one with a feeling akin to that produced by gazing a5 ' the billowy ocean. et there is a material dif- ference in the impression left upon the mind by sight of the ocean and prairie. The sailer wi become so acc ed to the one that after awhileit fails to awaken more’ than a passing interest within his breast; but familiarity never lessens the majestic grandeur of the prairie to the rover of the plain, This. may aj! be from the constant changes that the eternal rounds of the seasons bring upon the silent, voiceless waves of the prairie ocean, and relieves it of that monotonous sameness Which is forever on the face of the watery deep, Yet, at no season is there more romantic beauty, tranquil repose and inspiring gramdeur than in autumn, when Indian summer has thrown her misty vail over the landscape—when the air is delicious with balmy fragrance, and the plain seems to melt away in the distance like the visions of a dream The day was near its close—one of those balmy October days. A youthful horseman galloping westward, over one of those prairie wastes, suddenly drew rein npon the crest of a gentle swell, and swept the plain around him with a gaze as quick and interrogative as that of a hawk, His face then litup witha glow of admiration ashe feasted his dark-gray eyes upon the great expanse that rolled away in its gorgeous coating of brown and emerald. ! Hawkeye Harry had seen that plain before, but never had it appeared so grand as upon this autumnal evening. The crest. of each wave or undulation seemed gilded with burnished gold as the red beams of the setting sun streamed across it; while sha- dows of somber gray were gathering in the val- jeys and lengthening over the plain. The great expanse was bounded upon three sides by the blue horizon, and upon the fourth by thedark belt of timber bordering upon the Boyer lake and river. It was diversified b small str , that wound like silver threa across its bosom, and here and there it was dotted with smal] mottes of timber—islands in that mighty sea of verdure. Toward one of these mottes Hawkeye Harry turned his animal’s head, and rode at a loping allop, .. “ Thowglino vane: obsect was Visible, he knew - hewas in an’ In country, consequently he did not permit his vigilance to h approached the little clump of trees, he checked the speed of his horse to t the surround- ings of the grove before venturing into it. The shri neigh of a horse coming from the depths of the grove startled him, and he drew rein and. listened. He could hear nothing more, but, above the tree-tops from thé center of the motte, he saw a piles umn of smoke slowly drifting heaven- ward, . Someone was in the grove, and a person un- accustomed to the signs and rs of the prai- rio would have hesitated about advancing. But aot so with Hawkeye Harry. He knew at once shere were no Indians in the but some one who was ignorant of the ublicity he, or y, perhaps, were maki their location. Ail he read pee that column of bluegsmoke, and riding for: he soon entered the grove. He was nota little surprised to see six white relax. e wien, seated around a cam smoking and chat ing with as little concern as though they were a miles from an Indian! In the i stood a covered wagon. Its white *iit was drawn down in front and behind, and was securely fastened, thus making it impossi- ble for our to see what it contained. “Near the vehicle a number of borses were Shey Ly : H ‘- f ws Fad ; Sie) Fok just been released from the harness : Eibach yes = 7 A® NS . + > «ff —— vw. , x at *) ENCE He NACE. ew, ea ee - Ms Bea a ae ee. nnn Ceeebb oF +4 tee ee and the marks upon them showed that’ 3 ~ = - - 4 t« Va ° sx > . 4 * ~ , ; -2 .* , 7) ’ Vom oe 4 : 1 ae | . —_ \# S44 . 16? > = UE) sR a i 5 ae . : a . Lois : } al *€ ae 7 . ero drew rein before them,,“who have we here?’ ‘“‘A prairie freebooter,” replied Hawkeye: Harry, with a merry sparkle of the eyes. Ww ell, my youn dle's HalfDime Library. “‘ Hullo!” exclaimed one of the men, a#our’ freebooter, you surely have you do just as well,and save time, b ding: an bev rary gg Mee na tee reu mal and sa un ig gin gs? ra ivy picking Have + sgn gers Sich this fall.” et h r “We might do equally as well, if the Indians _— were at. peace. However, we have started for ~~ some name inflicted upon yom?” said tie’! the Pawnee country, and will endeavor to miake stranger. ‘** You can call me Harry—” plas Harry ?”’ interrupted the man. “If you like,” responded the youn ranger. “ Sacre! Comrades, we're in the man, turning to bis friends; very scout that we’ve come over @ day’s jour- ney out of the way to find.” ‘Good!” ejaculated his companibpms. *« And I reckon it would be all right if ’d ask your name, wouldn’t it?” inquired our hero, * Certainly,” replied the man; “ my name is Henri Roche.” “That sounds a little Frenchy,” said Harry, with a smile. ‘You are good at judging one’s: mationality by his namie,” returned Roche. “Tm sure you speak the white man’s language pat enough,’ The strangers laughed at this remari “T am a Fren only by birth,” Roche finally returned. *‘I-was raised in America among Americans, and know nothing of the French am Sra but will you not dismount? I would like tospeak with you about the country, for I have learned 'that you can give the infor- mation we desire in regard to it.” Henri Roche was a tall, powerful-built man, with a complexion as swarthy as a Mexican’s. His eyes were black, sharp and brilliant. His hair was long—sweeping his shoulders—and, like the heavy mustache that shaded a some- what coarse or sensual mouth, was black as the raven’s wing. cloth, high-topped boots, and a low-crown wide-brimmed hat. A handsome belt, bristlin with knives and pistols, girded his waist, anc altogether, in his complexion, his features and dress, there was about him the air and general appearance of a Spanish Creole of the South. is companions were dressed in a half-civil- ized, half-savage garb, and from appearances the young ranger would have pronounced them bordermen. ut, from their presenee there under the circumstances; the tilted wagon, and the look of anxious suspense upon their bearded faces, and the strange light in their flashing eves Hawkeye Harry was inclined to doubt the honesty of their sojourning unmolested through the country. He was too cautious and prudent to let any look or word betray his inward emotions of mistrust, but prompted by curiosity, he accept- ed Roche’s invitation to dismount, and resolved to remain with them during the night. By this time the sun had sunk behind the western horizon, and haying staked his animal at grass at the outskirts of the motte, Hawkeye Harry took a seat with the/emigrants before the fire. ‘ “J suppose, strangers,” said Harry, ‘that you know you're in a dangerous co y” ‘Weknow we are in the Indian comtry, but hope there’ are no Indians in the immediate vicinity,” returned Roche, ‘ Probably you can se) ap us in that res on ‘Well, the fact of it is,” said Harry, ‘‘ the ins are all around ts.. At this minute they may be miles from here, and by midnight be right onto us, cutting and slashing.” «‘ And is there novother danger in this coun- wit ee ae beg to be expected from the Indians?’ he, ‘‘Yoes, theré’s them cursed white robbers under old Rat moog, that’s worse on such things,” poin to the covered wagon, ‘‘ than Mic vedaking ou see, old Rat and Co. are after plunder, not scalps, like the greasy red- The men exchanged significant glances, and Hawkeye Harry was sure he detected a smile upon the bearded face of one of them. __ “ Well, I hope we will escape the minions of le,” said Henri, ‘‘ for we have a very valu- able load of merchandise, with which we want to cross beyond the Missouri river.” ‘* Whew!” .e SE id ‘‘then you're prairie traders, are you “ Well— ‘ valaraod Roche, ‘I su you would us traders, although we .have done no trading yet. Our load consists of cheap fabrics, knives, whisky and beads. With these a veet the Misdsiml: wall-soceane Asoo ta 8 and ex or furs, which we will boat down the river to St. Lous» ' “ exactly,” returned Harry; “ but \couldy’t i) \ os * ek Tl ne! med ¥ uck,” exclaimed } our guide.,. “this is the ! meat we came to we tried to ersploy another,. ut He was dressed in a suit of gray | eg | ses teeter elec tet a a en RL LA LLL DELL LN Pr rors ~ Y - 7 ’ 4 r ae be . ne ahr , : it; and we want to eruplo u to guide um i threngh this territory.” sisi ts ‘ : ‘* Sh, the deuce you say!” exelaim bi . “Yes,” zeplied Roche; “two days we lost: e. deserted us. At the first settle-- fuiled.. The settlers told us of Hawkeye” Harry, and directed us bya courss in which we> might accidentally meet him. Fortune has fa>: | vored us thus far, and now I hope you will:con | sent toaccompany us.” ) “To be: plain with you,” meturned. Hunry,, “I , can’t. ge.2” a “And why not, E pray?” | eae ‘“[’ve a: mission to perform, which: T cam’t de. wr, under any ¢ircwmstances—it’s in ive,” he traders seemed. steely disappointed, but,, fram.some reason or other, Harny conld not be~ lieve it. was: real, There was an undercarrent'! in ee cnn ren art as also ae his: | very looks,. , boy that he was,, Hanry a great curiosity to fathom. : : ‘* Well, well,” said. Roche; ‘‘ thisis quite a dis— ; appointment.” a “Tm. sorry,” retwmed Harry,. ‘tut F can: % ty ‘ow such directions as’ll take yougsafeto -» |. ) uri.’ | ‘That wilk do,” exelaimed Henri Roche,. ! drawing from an inner pocket a small memo-— | | randa and pencil; “here, can you give us an outline-map of the country and its nivers,, lakes, and other geographical points between. here and the Missouri river?’ ‘‘T reckon that I know all about the esuntry,, but I don’t know about a map. I’m nos very handy with a peneil—good with a rifle and scalping-knife, however; Pll try it.” Roehe handed him the book and pencil. In a few minutes. he had sketched a crude, but plainly correct map of the country to the westward of them, aad passed it to Roehe. The traders examined it; then Roche, their — leader, asked, pointing to the map: , “What stream is this?” * ee ~ - ee ae * - Poa) ‘That's the Boyer river—not a very | ‘. stream; you can ford it anywhere withia thirty ", ) miles ‘of the Boyer lake. Indians are pretty |. thick for some tem miles south of the Jake, and” ~**.+9 hunting-parties are to be found most anywhere, | along the river. You'll have to look sharp from = this on. In this direction ”—noting the course, fe on the map-—‘‘ there’s a heavy belt of timber | which extends to the ’Coon river. You want, to keep out of that, for old Rat Rouge’ has, his ranch in there somewhere.” | “* Indeed!” exclaimed Roche, and he ex changed glances with his companions. \ | For a moment there was silence, during which . Hawkeye Harry was sure he heard a deep sigh ak which was almost a sob. It came from none: of | b the party. eG The eyes of the traders were fixed upon Harry with an interrogative expression. | ¥eigning ignorance of what he had heard, the |» youth continued: pees “Yes, old Rat and gang are im that timber, ] but you can keep ten miles south of that on the > open prairie, and may have no trouble. How- ‘4 ever; as it’s about cark now, you’d better pub, this fire out, or its light might draw the prowl ¢ ing 'red-skins onto us, when the consequenc@ would be adraw onour hair. To-morrowmormn- ing Pll give you further directions.” | n compliance with the suggestion, the fre was extinguished, bash Then the traders went to see that their harses —* were secure for the night. Harry did likewise, and on, his way. back to camp, he stop under a wild pan that was laden with ripened’ fruit. Plucking a handful of the luseious, yel- low plums, and producing aslice of dried veni- | wp 6 Hinde sa we neal. hewn Then e rejoin traders 4 ¢ Pie ‘What think you, Hlawkeye—had we better ate ards over the camp to-night?” asked mS . Harry; ‘the rea- skins may strike your wagon-trail andfollow you | up. As there’s most danger after t, PU ee agree to keep watch then.” | , ae The traders readily acquiesced inthisamdtwo of their number wenton guard. Theotherfour, and Hawkeye Harvy, seated themselves pear the w and conversed for some time on — c%F . aft :