Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1155 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

a in ss &72- i Mead ana whl «OB. es a ee, ae he 9 tote Aon 8 @he most comfortable Hari earth would afford. Hawkeye Harry laid down under the wagon, ‘with his head in the hollow of a saddle. Roche was the nearest one of the traders to him, and ie was over a rod away. Our hero did not go to sleep~in fact, it was rot his intention to let slumber close eyes, pitil he had made sure of the contents of the gvered wagon / He noticed that Roche lay with his face di- tctly toward him, and for a while he feared biat the trader half-suspected his intentions. Had he taken a seeond thought, the youth would have sclected a different spot for a couch, so there would have been no grounds by which to suspect his purpose. But if he was suspected at all, it was too late now to make amends. However, his mind was soon set at ease. As the minutes passed by, the heavy and r oe og of the travel-worn traders told him that they slept, and that/their sleep was sound. Then Harry crept to the rear of the wagon and arose to his feet. The moon was in the zenith, and it so hap- pened thatits rays fell full upon the wagon. This enabled him to see that the thick canyas cover was so securely tacked to the wagon-box that there was no possible chance of seeing in, The flap in front was drawn down and ‘asteried in a manner similar to the sides. Hawkeye Harry was not to be defeated in this manner; so, drawing his knife, he inserted its point under the head of a tack with the in- tention of ng it out so that he would be en- abled to lift the cover, But the instant he touched the knife to the wagon-box he became motion] for a vibratory shock was commu- nicated to his arm from the knife. The latter had received the shock from the box; but what Sas nEDanees it? fe 4s awkeye Harry pressed ear close against the cover and listened. He started. It was all he coujd do to restrain an exclamation of surprise. There was life within that wagon! He could hear the low, quick breathing of either a human yee al impatient and he cut a slit patient and un , he cut a sli 2 the canvas cover, and applied his ear to t, There was no mistaking the evidence of his hearing now. S li opentnre was within that wagon, and ha om éexperience, learned to discriminate pebween the breathing of a’ human and a beast, he knew it was a hu- man being within the wagon ! The irations were short and quick, broken now and then with a sigh—a woman’s sigh / There was no doubt of this. CHAPTER V. WHAT HARRY STOLE FROM THE TRADERS. HAWKEYE Harry became thoughtful. There was not a doubt in his mind now but that the pretended traders were. Villains. But, how should he act? He was satisfied in his own mind that the woman—if it really wae a via man—in the wagon, was @ prisoner; under the circumstances, his spirit and humane heart rebelled the idea of leaving the camp without learning the true situation of the per- son in the covered vehicle. If it was a woman, or even a child, how could he liberate her, or it, without creating. some noise in getting away from the camp? Even if he succeeded in getting the prisoner from the wagon, could he escape detection by the two guards in getting away from the ve? ty He had scarcely asked himself the question uched him gently upon th shoulder next to the wagon. He ‘turned his head, and aimost staggered under the visionary blow which he received. Through the rent he had made in the canvas cover, he saw a small snow-white hand protruding. He knew at a glance by the tapering, dimpled fingers, the round and marble sm ess of the arm, that it was the hand and arm cf a young female. In the very position of that little hand Hawk- eye Harry intuitively reed a silent and humble appeal for assistance; of this, words could not have to'd hira plainer. He reached forward ent’.gently took the little hand within bis own hard palm. It was soft as velvet, and the touch sent a magnetic thrill through his whole frame. It was to let the owner of that hand know. that he was cognizant of her presence in the wagon, that induced him to the delicate mem Gently the hand of the unknown drew him eloser to the wagon. - He knew by this that she wished to to him, and when the little hand was withdrawn he applied his ear to the rent. when something eS ee eee spot for a bad that the | Hawkeye Harry. 2 a eee ee Se - = = ~ ~-—— — - - _ — en ee cee “Oh. sir! Iam a prisoner! Can you not save me from the power of these wicked men?” was breathed gently, softly in has ear. Barry's spirit svas aroused, There was some- thing in the humble appeal of the unknown pri- soner that seemed to have maguified his strength and courage to thag¢ of desperation. Placing his lips to the rent, he replied: ‘Keep silent as the grave, and Ill save you before morning, be you Man, woman or child.” ‘‘Tam a helpless girl; these mem are taking me f know not where!” replied the prisoner, ‘‘ A helpless girl!” mused Harry. “By hea- ven, I’ll bet she’s an angel, and she shall be saved, if it costs Hawkeye Harry his life!’ Again placing his mouth to the rent, he said: Wait till er midnight; then [ll come to your rescue. Can you ride on horseback?” ‘* Yes,” replied the prisoner. Harry withdrew from the side of the ee and returned to his couch, but not to sleep. The touch of that little hand was still vibratin through riba nerve; he could still bear tha gentle voice breathing in his ear, and in his mind he had pictured the face of an angel. Fi- nally, he fell to speculating over her situation— why it was that she was a prisoner there, who her captors were, from whence she had been abducted, and to where she was being taken. But he could arrive at nothing definite in regard to the matter, more than that there was a little Bs it and considerable villainy in_it. e four traders slept soundly, afd after a conn of hours more had worn away in anxiet and suspense to the young ranger, he knew it must be near midnight, The moon was sinking to the westward, and its light no longer shone upon the covered wagon. ‘ in Harry arose from his couch upon the hard earth, and going to where the two traders were on guard, he relieved them from duty, and tock upon his own shoulders the entire responsi- bility of tné watch. The men returned to camp, and were soon stretched upon the ground, fast asleep. Hawkeye Harry remained at his post over an hour; then, with all his remarkable caution, he rks. back to the camp and found that all the traders were sleeping soundly. He next went to where their horses were hitched; and having selected the fleetest and strongest one in the corral, he untied it and led it around to where his own horse was tied at He then pro- cured a saddle and bridle, and put the former on the back of the trader’s horse. The bridle he put on his own animal, then strapped a blan- ket over its back. All was now ready for the ight with the maiden. ‘autiously he crept back to the wagon, and having made sure t the traders were asleep, he tapped softly on the canvas cover. There was a response in a similar manner, Harry’s heart now began to flutter exojtedhy, not so much through fear of being detected in what he was doing, as e tation, and the consciousness that he would stand face to face, the next minute, with a strange maiden that in his mind’s eye he had pictured as an angel. With his knife he slit the canvas, and then, thrusting his head through the rent, whispered: ‘« Are you ready to flee, little stranger?’ ‘Yes, sir,” was the response. “ Then come, and be just as easy 48 you can.” withdrew his head from the opening, end the next instant he saw the head and shoul- ders of the unknown appear from the wagon. It was not so dark but that he could see the outlines of her features, and at the first glance he saw that his mind’s picture was not over- drawn—that the face of the maiden was one of exquisite loveliness. She was young, not over fifteen years of age, with a small, hthe figure clear-cut features, and long, wavy hair that fell in golden ripples down her back. autiously Hawkeye Harry assisted the trembling girl from the wagon and placed her upon her feet; but her limbs were so cram with long confinement that she was: compelled to cling to Harry for support. Here was the first trouble, which had been wholly unexpected ; but Harry, since he had ained but even a partial view of the maiden’s ace, had been inspired with a new life, and he resolved that nothing, unless it was death, should deter him from rescuing the maiden. So he lifted her in his arms as though she had been a child, and carried her to where the two | river horses were in readiness. > ~~ oe - o- ee Any ase — ae en —_ ee ee ee Harry saw at a glance that his young protege | was no novice in equestrianism. She sat her horse with grace and ease. Upon the open plain the moon rendered it almost as lightas day, The night was unusual- ly warin for October, in this high latitude, and the air was laden with a soft and balmy fra- grance, dreamlike in its inspiration. When they had cleared the outskirts of the motte, and found themselves fairly upon the plain, Hawkeye Harry turned his eyes, with a strange light of admiration beaming from their depths, upon the fair being at his side, er golden hair was pushed back by the breeze from a snowy brow, and floated about her head in beautiful, disordered tresses. Hor features were purely classical in outline, and as Clearly cut as those of an ancient cameo: her eyes, as near as he could tell by the moon- light, were of a dark brown, large and lus trous, and shaded by long; drooping lashes, that gave them an ocent and childlike ex- pression, Her dress was of some rich material, and was made after a fashion that was not of the border. A crimson shaw] was about her shoul- ders and fastened in front by a jeweled clasp, A circlet of gold flashed upon one of her dim- pe fingers, while about her neck was a neck- of. great papas, J to which was attached a locket that gleamed like a diamond as it nes- tled against her snowy throat. She was a being of rare beauty, and it requir- ed but a single glance to tell our hero that she was a child of luxury and wealth; her rich dress and flashing jewels told of affluence un- tainted by vanity, and her tone and general ap- pearance were indicative of social refinement and intellectual culture. How came she in the power of Henri Roche and his party? H , how that he had accomplished the maiden’s rescue, found himself at a loss for words to open a conversation; he felt that he was in the presence of a being far superior to him; that his rude backwoods ch and coarse buck-skin garments would shock her refined sen- sibilities. e maiden seemed to have divined his thongiite, and at once bore bown the barrier of formality by saying: “Kind sir, }i more than I had expected a er. ‘* What is?’ stammered Harry. ‘ That you should endanger your life for my sake. ‘My life, little woman, has become accuse tomed to constant gers. I’m a free wget of the Nor’-west, without kith or kin, and with no one to mourn for me if I am lost. I like the adventure I haye up here among these northern lakes; among the red-skins and beaver.” ** And did I not hear you tell my abductors your name was Hawkeye Harry?’ asked the maiden, “ That’s what I’m called, though my right name is Harry Houston,” replied) the young man. “T heard Havhere Harry Righly spoken of at the fort,” said his fair companion. ‘* At the fort?” exclaimed Harry, live at the fort, do you?’ ‘No, sir,” she replied; ‘‘I have e brother there whom I was visiting along with my fa- ther. My home is in Ohio, ou know mv brother, perhaps; his name is Eugene Gar dette,” ‘* Major Gardette ?? “ e, ‘‘T know the major like a beaver-trap; and you're his sister?” “Yes, sir. My name is Nora Gardette.” “Then Dll warrant the major, with a party of soldiers, isn’t far behind Henri Rocke and his men: but how came you in Roche’s power, Misa Gardette?” “ At the day before yesterday, I walked out alone along the river-bank, a short distance above the fort. I would not have gone at all, but brother Eugene promised to join me in a few minutes. Isat down on a Jog by the river-bank to wait for him. Just then two men came from the woods behind me. One of them seized me and placed a handkerchief over ) my mouth to prevent me from crying out, Then he said ot his companion; ‘+ Take her hat, Price; and toss it into the and crumble off the edge of the bank, so think she’s fallen into the water and been “ Then you they'll Then he placed her upon the back of his own | drowned.’ trusty animal, gave her the’reins, and unhitch- | Turning, he mounted the trader’s horse, and | where fieet horses were in waiting. “ The next instant I was lifted in my abduct- ' or’s arms and carried back into the | fea was the next moment they were galloping eastward | taken upon horseback, still in. my ‘abdueter’s i over the plain. | arms, andall night long I was borne away «t 6 -_— ™~ 200ks.com