Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1155 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Hawkeye Harry. 9 who are friends tothe whiten We will march .m the Sioux vi , and if we cannot effect the rescue of our children by ransom or stratagem, we can do it by force, for most of the Sioux are away on the war-path now.” ** Then I will come back in the morning and accompany you,” said the stranger. ‘But why not remain now?” asked Old Op- tic. “I can not.” ‘* Then one question more: why are you here - in disguise, and who are you?” ‘“‘fam a curious person, friend trapper, and ' shall insist, as a favor, on not being questioned in regard to my disguise, which I shall continue to wear during our journey to the Sioux village and until after my child has been rescued. I have good reasons for this secrecy, as you shall know some time, perhaps. As to my name, call me Clouded Heart. That will answer well—bet- ter than my real name. I'll come to-morrow morning; till then, adieu.” The masked stranger turned and glided from the Cone, leaving the old trapper alone with his thoughts. Suddenly he was aroused by a footstep behind him He turned quickly, hoping to encounter the form of his beloved young companion, Hawkeye wee: But he was disappointed. It was Red Wing, the Fox chief. ‘* Ah, ’tis you, chief,” hesaid. ‘‘I have hada strange tor to-night.. But, come, sit you down. Ihave a proposition’ to make to you—a proposition which is to be spiced with Sioux scalps, and many beautiful presents.” A grim smile flitted over the stoical features of the chief, as he seated himself before the old trapper. CHAPTER IX, A PERILOUS SITUATION. HAWKEYE HARRyY’s emotions became terrible as he gazed down into the pale, upturned face of Nora Gardette, and saw the tide of life flowing from the wound which his own hands had inflicted. Her eyes were closed, the long, drooping lash- es resting upon the pale cheeks. The a stood slightly a revealing the per y teeth; von. | the little hands lay limp and lifeless at her side. An expression of pain had settled upon the lovely face, whose contour was as delicately defined as though it had been chiseled from Pa- rian marble. . The young ranger sat like one in a trance— as motionless as the form that lay in his arms. Slowly he regained his presence of mind; then he turned his attention to the maiden’s wound, A of joy escaped his lips when he saw that which had he noticed it before, would have saved him a terrible pang Ld oar The wound was not a deep one; the was not injured. the bullet having cut through the beautiful hair and plowed a furrow through the scalp behind. This Harry saw at a glance, and a low sigh and a dight motion of the body soon told him that hig surmises were true. ‘hank God, she lives!” he cried, Then dipping some water in the.palm of) his hand, he began laving her brow. The maiden stirred slightly, and, opening her eyes, gazed in bewilderment around, then closed em again, : The young man continued the application of water to the if 5 poured a few drops be- tween the pearly teeth. In a few eaaates she opened her eyes n, and attempted to rise. But her head sunk k apon the throbbing breast of the young chon. “ Rest easy, Miss Nora,” he breathed in her ear; ‘ you are safe, and, thank God, not much nor badly injured. She started with alittle sigh, and gazed around her as if trying to recall her situation. Then she raised her eyes, and gazing up into the face of her companion, demanded: ‘* Where am 1!” Hawkeye Harry told her. it i “Then ‘you rescued me from the Indians,” she d, “Yes; and I came near taking your life. It was I that shot you—” “You?” cried the maiden. ‘‘VYes: I thought it was the Indian who was wrapped in the robe, and you in the red shawl.” A faint smile played about the lips of the maiden, as she replied: “The savage took a fancy to the red shawl and, taking it from me, donned it himself an put his robe around me. But, oh, how my head 7 Pet You ‘have an ugly scratch upon it, Nora,” | spot, but the savages all i 05 en ee oe ~“Lp2e - _—— se, — he said, ‘‘ that must be bound up; then we will 55 Now get away from this spot.” ora took from her pocket a linen handker- chief, which the youth carefully bound around her head, so as to stanch the flow of blood. He then arose to his feet and was about to step ashore, when his ear suddenly caught the crash of hoofed feet approaching through the woods from the south. ‘Tm afraid we’re in danger, Nora,” he said, as he sprung ashore. ‘' We will have to cross in the canoe to the opposite side of the river, and conceal ourselves in the depths of the woods.” Removing the bridle from his horse, he turned it loose. The trained beast had already detect- ed'the approaching danger, and sniffed the air. His miaster led him to the water’s edge, and, by command, he plunged into the river, and swim- ming to the oppdsite shore, dashed away into the woods. Reéntering the canoe, Hawkeye Harry took up the paddle and headed the craft toward the other bank, A rod or two above the point where the horse had reached the opposite shore, a small bayou put into the river. It was as many as three rods wide, and quite deep. Along its edges grew a fringe of reeds and water-willows, extending quite a rod out into the deepest water on either side, thus leaving a channel up the center that was unobstructed. Hawkeye Harry saw at once what an admira- ble retreat the bayou offered, so up it be ran his canoe several rods, then turned at right-angles and pushed in toward the east shore. Leanin over the prow of the canoe, he carefully varted the reeds and branches overhead, as he drew the little craft th h the open thus made, tak- ing great care that not a single blade was broken, or left in an unnatural tion. After he had pulled canoe well in among the reeds, he entered a small opening just enough for the canoe to rest in without touching the water-stalks. Above, the long, dagger-like blades drooped over from all sides, forming a beautiful archway or covering over them, In this little arbor the youth permitted the canoe to rest. He concluded to wait here until he learned what dangers menaced them before advancing further, They had been in this retreat but a few min- utes when they heard voices, Peering out through the network of green, saw & large of mounted Sioux Indians, standing upon the bank in r consultation, It was Black Buffalo and his band, and in their midst was a prisoner bound and fottered. He was an, Indian, and Harry recognized him at once as the cowardly Sac—Nora’s late captor. Keeping a steady eye upon their movements, the youth saw some of them dismount an search the ground closely: He then saw them gather in a knot near the place where the youth’s horse had entered the river, and point and gesticulate in a significant manner. In a few minutes half’a dozen warriors rung into the river and swam to the opposite Fy They searched the bank until they found where the horse had crossed.” But whether they knew that the horse had not a burden upon his back and a hand to guide him, of course Harry knew not; but that they seg gy’? yond of the truth was evident, for they did not follow up the horse’s trail. Another consultation was now held, which ended in their all dismounting and making such arrangements as convinced the young ranger that they were going into a temporary encamp- ment. This caused him no little uneasiness. Had he been alone, he would not have cared; but when he pees upon the little form nestled at his side, and her sweet, pretty face and dark eyes up- turned to his confidingly—resting with an ap- parent sense of security under his pele 3 arm— it was an ee that his manhood could not re- gard too hig y- With a steady eye he watched the red-skins. He soon saw a number of the savages de down the stream and some up the stream. What this movement indicated, he was unable to tell, but, in the course of an hour, he saw two canoes coming up the stream, and still a few minutes later, he saw another comimg down. Then he knew that it was the canoes the red-skins had gone in search of; and his fears were at once aroused, for he knew what might be expected now. Several minutes he watched the Indians; then, turning his gaze upon Nora, he said: “Weare now in great danger, Nora, yet by extreme caution we may elude our enemies, It’d require a keen pair of eyés to see us in this ve keen eyes and ears; and should one come near, do not utter a word, nor sanity even if he discovers us, And prepare yerself to witness dark ch as may cause your soul to revolt with terror, for I shall fight to the last. to save you— © Ah!” The light dip of an oar caught his ear, and called forth the exclamation. On peering through the foliage he saw asavage in a canoe skirting along the reeds, ‘What is it, Hawkeye?” asked the maiden. ‘‘An Indian coming this way, and I expect he’s looking for our trail.. But, let him come,” and the youth took his side tomahawk and laid it at his feet. ‘‘Oh, Hawkeye!” said the maiden, in a tone that showed how great was her reliance on the youth, “ you are a brave and noble man, anid are running many risks forme. But, my father will reward you well for all your kindness to me, Hawkeye nant oer as he down into the sweet young face of themaiden. The blood leaped in strong currents through his veins. Her gentle wo had added a new power to the passion of love that was growing within his 2p In a moment of impetuosity, he re- plied: ‘*The boon that my heart already craves for my services in your behalf, Nora, is priceless; and none but you, and you alone, could bestow it 408 me. Yet, it’s not likely that a young girl like you would bestow such a gift ona rough, uneducated trapper like me.” Involuntarily the maiden raised her eyes un- til they met those of her companion. She half suspected what he was aiming at, and a faint blush suffused her face. To Harry it spoke plainer than words, but her lips, tremulous with. emotion, opened, and she asked: ‘‘ What is that gift, Harry?” ‘* Your love.” bp loug, dusk inghenstrocpad avi. aetna the long, dar eS viy. wkeye Harry saw her lips quiver with some hg ward pon ary Bene open tospeak. The youth’s heart ceased its wild flutter. It was an eventful moment to him, but before the first word had escaped Nora’s lips, they were startled by Q noise in the dry quick noise, resemblin the “‘t-wash” of a scythe through the beard grain. Harry glanced es around and saw the Indian, before men pel, in the canoe, moving along the edge of the and ever and anon a ong lance into the stalks, as though feeling for a hidden enemy. It was this that uced that peculiar sound that prevented ora’s reply. Harry watched the Indian closely, and as he saw him approach, nearer nearer, he felt. no little uneasiness h a fear that the red- akin might thrust his lance into their covert. As ashield to her, in case he did, the youth uickly and silently interposed his body een the maiden and the Indian. In this he was not a moment too soon, There came a sudden twash through the reeds ; there. was a vivid flash before maseyis eyes; then he felt a sharp, stinging sensation upon his cheek. He could scarcely restrain an ex- clamation, for it. was the pe t of the Indian’s lance that had just touched his and t of blood spurt- t punctured the skin, A little ed from the wound, but, wi prevence watched the , whose body was par- of mind, the youth kept quiet an movements of the Indian tially visible. At the same time, he was satisfied that he and Nora could not be seen in the sha- dows of the dense growth around him. The young trapper was not a little surprised to see the Indian examine the point of his lance as soon as he had withdrawn it from the reeds. Was it possible that his sense of feelimg was so sensitive as to have felt the touch of the wea- n upon the yo man’s cheek? Why does fe stare so at the polis of the lance!—why does he start? Ah! his keen eyes detect something u the polished w n—blood /.—that told of the pres ence of a living creature within the reeds! The situation had indeed become critical. The savage laid his lance down, and rising to his feet, peered, with brows contracted, into the dense forest of stalks and overshadowing ver- dure, But, Harry was satisfied that his did not penetrate their covert—of this he was soon convinced, The red-skin did not seem satisfied with his ocular search, for, turning the prow of the canoe, he reached forward, and parting the reeds, began drawime the craft in among them in the same manner that he had en- tered the thicket. The young trapper felt his blood rm old, for comicbooks