Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1155 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

‘form were envelo obher Roget - ‘ r ;* J e+ 7 fore him to contend with, and who were, in all robability, on the same trail that he was fol- owing. _ Not wishing, however, to lose time in mak- ing further investigations as to the enemy that slew the Sac warrior, the Boy Ranger moved on. He had gone but a few steps apast the body, when some unknown power caused him to glance back over his shoulder. He started with a shudder as he did so. To his horror he saw the supposed dead Indian rise quickly to his feet, and from under the leaves draw a tomahawk, which he raised aloft and hurled at his head—all within a second’s: time. Had the youth made the discovery a second later, the tomahawk would have been buried in his brain; but, in turning his head, it was thrown alightly to one side just as the weapon whizzed V. The cunning red-skin had not calculated upon making any failure in braining the youth, but the instant he saw he Acad failed, he turned and took to his heels. But the youth quickly phos ay his rifle to face, and glancing along the barrel, fired : : The quick up-throwing of the arms, and the yell of agony that followed, told that Hawkeye arry’s aim had been fatal. Making up to the body of the fallen foe, he saw that his bullet had pierced the head just _ above the ear; and in noting this, he also no- ticed that the savage had ser survived the torture of a scalping-knife! But it had not been done lately. The wound was healed over, and the blood upon the bald crown had been put there to deceive our hero, no doubt, for it made it appear as igen be the scalp had recently been removed. The trick worked well, and almost fatally to Hawkeye Harry, But the whole affair convinced him that the savage had been expecting him along the trail of Nora’s captor; and if such was the case, then the sav- age was a companion to the maiden’s abductor, ani both were prowling Sac warriors. And it might be that a large party of them were not far away; so he considered it prudent to get away from that spot as soon as possible, for the report of his rifle might attract danger. He again took up the trail and pressed’ on, though exercising extreme caution. The trail, he found, had changed in course until it now bore directly toward the Boyer river, and as he continued on, he suddenly heard the faint neigh of a horse in his advance. He felt satisfied that it was that of his own horse, and that he was nearing tho object of his pur- suit, A few minutes’ walk brought him in sight of the river, and just before him, on the bank, he saw his own animal standing hitched. He could see no one about it, yet he knew, rom the horse’s action, that all was not right. Keeping around to the left, Harry reached the river bank, several rods below the horse. Here he paused to make further investiga- tions, Ps scanned the undergrowth to the ight @hd beyond the beast, but he saw nothing of Nora nor her captor. He then ran his eyes along the edge of the river, and as he did so, he could scarcely repress a cry of joy; for through a small opening in the shrubbery that fined the shore, he caught the flutter of some- thing.red. ‘He was satisfied it was the crimson shawl worn by Nora Gardette, : egw to a more commanding point, he found that he was correct. Seated in a small bark canoe, and apparently Waiting for something or some one, he saw Nora and her captor. There was no mistaking Nora’s beautiful crimson shawl. She sat with her back toward Harry, with her form enveloped in the ample folds of her shawl, which was also ‘drawn, hood-like, over her head, as a_ protec- tion, probably, against the heavy mist that hun along the river. The (ibe ot head, face an in a similar manner, in a black, hairy robe, made of a bear’s skin. Nei- ther his face nor hands eould be séen, yet the young hg r was satisfied that he was an In- n, ani that he was waiting the return of the one he Jiad slain in the fo , and who was, in all probability to take the horse, while the ed-with the maiden, by water, to the village of the tribe, many leagues down the river. “Bat, Pll spoil their fun,” mused our hero, gesing what an matter it would to be res- 30 Iho hink ra. “It a bullet-hole through that heax-akin and the tufted head under it will quiet dre merves of that cunning cuss,” As he concluded, be raised his trusty rifle, . mid, byinging it to bear upon’ the ‘bear-skin ~ ey 4, a + at oi “ * ‘ I, - “J ) . . ‘ 7 Sa : < ; Lhe - r: Ms > ge’. ‘wet ht i? 4 2. ‘ ' LF f ais “at : - beet — \ iy gi > ; OT gant. ti te ia bts te Bee Lt eae” i ae is: Se, : ; . - AS SA eet tn? (0 OL af a #, Ps (his " Py , 4 . Hawkeye Harry. about where he supposed the Indian’s head to be, he glanced along the polished barrel and pressed the trigger. Clear upon the morning air the report of the piece rung out, followed by a scream of agony —the piercing s@¢ream of a woman! Without waiting to see what had been the ef- fect of his shot, he rushed from his covert and approached the point where the canoe lay. As he did so, what was his horror on beholding the maiden’s crimson shawl thrown aside from the head and shoulders of an Indian warrior, who leaped ashore and fled away into the woods. And there, in the bottom of the canoe, upon the bear-skin, which had, fallen from her head and shoulders, lay the lifeless form of Nora Gardette, ith the crimson tide of life welling from a bul- Fe hole in the forehead | ‘“My God, what a fatal mistake!” burst in agony from the bingy boy’s lips.. “I have slain her! Oh, Nora! Nora! Speak to me—tell me it is not sol” But Nora’s voice was hushed, The half-distracted youth sprung into the canoe, and lifting her form in his arms, pillowed her head upon his aching breast, Then he grew sick at heart, the cold sweat started from eof pore, for he knew that he held in his arms a lifeless form! CHAPTER VIL. HENRI ROCHD IN A RAGE. HENRI ROCHE and party slept. on. They had gone to sleep with a double assur- ance that no danger would be visited upon them; and believing that they had succeeded effectually in deceiving Hawkeye Harry in re- gard to the contents of the wagon, they felt no uneasiness from this source, But, in this, they underrated the mature judgment and- keen in- stinct of the young trapper, and as the hours wore on, Roche was suddenly aroused from | his slumber by a faint yell, and the uneasy snorting of the animals corraled near, He arose to a sitting posture and listened, Far away upon the plain he could hear the pro- longed yell of Indians, and the dull, vibratory thump of hoofs upon the earth. What did it mean? The villain—for such in fact Henri Roche was—sprung to his feet and out toward the edge of the grove where he supposed Hawkeye Harry wason guard, but, in poo the wagon, his attention was attract- ed by a black rent in the white tilt, and, upon examination, he found it was a slit that had been cut with a keen-edged knife. An exclamation of surprise burst from_ his profane lips as he thrust his head and shoulders into the wagon, and, upon feeling about with his hands, found that his captive maiden was gone, A. fearful oath followed this piaconery, and ng away in a paroxysm,of rage, He pro- ceetled to his companions, and, arousing them, made known the escape of the maiden. The next moment all were on foot; and a hasty investigation revealed to them the fact that Hawkeye Harry was gone also. Roche fairly danced with rage and baffled triumph, and cursed his stupidity for ever per- mitting the young Ranger to enter their camp alive, And his indignation and fury knew no bounds when the word came that one of their most valuable horses was gone. ‘We're a set of infernal fools!” he finally broke forth, ‘‘to have ever permitted that boy to enter our’ camp. ‘It’s very probable that we'll never see that girl again; and the loss of her is a good five thousand dollars out of our pockets!’ , “Too durned bad, captain,” returned a com- panion, “but that boy is sharper than a tack, or my name ain’t Billy George. ‘Sharp? Humph!” sneered Roche, savage; “that don’t half express the shrewdness and cunning of the little dare-devil. I’m satisfied now that he mistrusted us the moment he set foot inside our camp.” . ‘Wal, wal, it’s too bad, too bad,” said wea ‘* Yes,” returned Roche; * but talking about it will do no good now. We've got toact. I hear the yelling of Indians on the prairie to the’ north, It may a party of Sioux, and if so, we'll have nothing to fear from them. And it ee be such a thing as the boy and girl having fled in that direction, and the Indians have discovered them and given chase. Here,” turning to one of his companions, he continued, ‘* es may as well lay aside your mask, Ulric Dubois, for it will avail you no ng now, and look u the trail of the fugitives, an let us endeavor to follow them.” | Ulric Dubois, the soout and guide of the —. \ outlaw travelers, threw aside a wig of griely hair and a mask of bushy whiskers, revealing a smooth and boyish face, which was possessed of some outward signs of recklessness, cunning and rascality. With rifle in hand the guide moved away, and was absent several minutes. When he mw turned, he said: “ They have gone north, captain.” ‘‘ Good!” exclaimed Roche; ‘then we stamd. a fair chance of recovering the girl, for Pll arantee those Indians are a “ Sioux Silangin to Gray Hawk or Dlack Buffalo's band, and that they are in pursuit of the fugi- tives. But let us mount and be off. Two of the party will have to remain behind and guard the wagon, as there are not horses for ail te ride.” Four of the party, including Henri Roche, were soon in the saddle and galloping north- ward over the prairie, shaping their course di rectly toward the yelling Indians, They did not attempt to follow the trail of the fugitives, feel- ing satisfied that the savages were in pursuit of them; and if the red-skings were Sioux, they were friends and allies. of Roche and his party. Continuing on a few miles, the outlaws covered that the Indians were coming toward them, They drew rein and gazed away into the gloom ahead. Suddenly a black, surging mass of galloping horsemen swept into view on the crest of a gentle swell in the plain. For a moment they seemed to float like a black cloud along the summit of the ridge; then they came to a sud- den halt and gathered in a knot where they could be. plainly seen by the outlaws as they stood in bold relief against the blue sky. Yell after yell pealed from the lips of the In- dians—for such the horsemen were—but they were yells of baffled triumph and growiag in- digna ion. . ‘By. Judas!” exclaimed, Henri Roche, ** are Indians, and Sioux at that; but I’m afraid the fugitives have given them the slip, for those yells ah defeat. I will make known our presence, and then join them.” Roche uttered two or three sharp barks in exact imitation of the coyote’s, and which showed that he was not unused to the signs and signals of the prairie and the Indians, "The pound was bompe b0 ae keen ears of the savages, for immediately there Came & response Fy ORY resembling the wild shriek of a night- ‘‘ Advance, boys,” said Roche, spurring his animal forward. ‘‘It’s all right—it’s Fiack Buffalo and his warriors.” They rode forward, and were soon surround- ed by three-score of painted and plumed Sioux warriors, armed with tomahawks and lances, Black Buffalo, the chief of the Daud, ad- vanced and addressed the outlaws in the Sioux rage ‘Who is it that hails the Sioux with the sig- nals of friends and the skin of the pale-face?” ‘Your friend, White Chief, and his»men,” onded Henri Roche, in the dialect. of In A shout of welcome pealed fromthe savages’ lips, and spurring. his pony up alongside of Roche’s animal, Black Buffalo said: ‘Black Buffalo and his warriors are pleased to meet the White Chief and his men, He missed them long, and anxiously ; waited. his \coming from the country of the pale-faces.” ‘‘And I’m glad to meet you, chief, Roche. “ bai had pen duck to-night, want you to help us out again. «Black Buffalo is the friend of the White Chief, Let him ask,.and he shall receive,” ‘“That’s you, chief,” replied Roche, in a flat- tering manner; *‘ you are a whole-souled fellow, and always RORY (60 help a friend. Well, te- night that young trapper whom they call Hawk- eye came to our camp and stole a white girl from our wagon, and a horse from our corral, and ran off with them both.” ‘+ Ts that the animal?” the chief asked, point- ing to a riderless horse in their midst. | Roche scanned the beast, and replied: “Tt is our horse. Where did you come across ‘4 ‘Right here,” replied the chief; ‘but when we first started in pursuit, there was a rider upon him that we took to be the young Hawk- eye. But he was cunning, and escaped us like e fox when closely pressed by the hound.” “Yes, chief, you are right. It was Hawke and for his scalp, and the safe return of maiden he stole our camp, I will give you man whisky.” , ‘‘ Black Buffalo,” returned the chief, “hears ‘ Ss ad “? wh, ,* 5 uw * ™ ae { ( ; ; a Ra tok hap) “ . nf te wo _ 4 AF aah h o, PA. “a > ar ar : 65.26 i od | A kort ae he rh et Dy death toa Cri ‘ Pa \ a 4 a, (2 ” se 2. » * ¥ 4s > Da ~ =) GF ta, ne 4d ae. » = : a A a . -, a> ¥ ; . » iJ Peo eee 4 ree § ~e, DRO Pow «ey 5 > : ‘ - ™ ae UGE be Dee . a i +5 uae o* 4 ty : i () CF 0 @ @ Ky replied beads and knives, and much powder and é o . ,