Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1158 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

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In the reenter of the village before the door of tho rouncil-l , & huge fire was burning, and eround it the Blackfoot braves were dancing the war-dance. The trapper understood well the meaning of the scene. He saw plainly that all the available force in the village were about to take the war- trail. The thought that the savages set such a high value upon his capture rather pleased the daring old forester. <2 men my top-knot out of the bloody hea- thens’ hands, ef I kin,” he said to himself, as his eyes rested upon the dancing, howling Black- feet. ‘‘I wonder whar the leetle gal is? Pooty near time she were a-lookin’ fur me;” but no sign of the Indian girl could he see. Ag he looked from wigwam to wigwam, vainly striv- Ing to discover her, an Indian pony, that had evidently broken loose, followed by half a dozen elling curs, and as many warriors in Slat ashed through the vi and made directly for the spot where old Sol stood. The rush of the horse was so sudden that the animal and his howling followers were upon him before he could retreat. To attempt to do so, with the dogs and Indians so near him, would have been folly, so he sunk quietly to the ground, trusting to the tall grass to:conceal him, In his heart the old ig oa cursed the horse, the dogs, the men and the unlucky stay that had brought them so near his hiding-place, 5 The horse was surrounded and caught within ten feet of the spot where the trapper lay and Sol had just begun to hope he wou d escape, when one of the little Indian dogs smelt him out and plunged at him open- mouthed, barking fiercely. The rest of the dogs followed, and the Indians advanced to dis- cover the cause of the dogs’ alarm. The trap- per felt asif his time had come. Already one pf the braves was within six feet of him; flight was his only hope. His resolve was in- tantly taken. In a second the old trapper was on his feet and bounded off through the woods. A yell from the startled Indians greeted the sud- den appearance. They knew the fi of the long-legged beaver-catcher right well, but that their foe should be lurking almost within the shadow of their wigwams struck them with as- tonishment. On through the tangled underbrush rushed Sol, leaving here and there in the thorny bushes strips of his hunting shirt and leggings. ‘By hookey!” cried he to himself, as a bush tore off a large strip from his sleeve. “I shall be naked as a new-born baby, ef these cussed I guess I kin outrun these heathen or I’m a sucker,” and he threw a rapid glance over his shoulder to note the nearness of the foe, Fatal movement, for, at the same moment his foot caught, and head- long on the earth went the tall trapper. It was a moment or two before he could regain his feet, tangled up as they were in a network of briers. The Indians had closed in around him; no ave- nue of escape was open to him; the cold perspira- tion stood upon his forehead. One bold dash Useless attempt! Fortune was aoe Dany ig etn eens, Bis roo cau na vine, and again ell prostrate up- Before he could rise, the red warriors threw themselves upon him. Vigor- ously old Sol struggled. Once, with almost superhuman strength, he threw his assailants off and gained his knee. The acres’ however, e yved-skins threw themselves upon and bore him to the earth. The warriors had not tried to use their weapons, their object being to capture him alive. This r well understood; they designed him or the tortu e. _Overpowered by weight of numbers, old Sol, after a vigorous and determined struggle, was bound tightly, hand and foot, with the deer- i of the warriors. Then, utterly help- raised him - skin less in the hands of the savages, the nd bore hiny in triumph upon their shoulders and b toward the village—one of the swiftest runners having been dispatched in advance to apprise the Blackfeet that their great enemy, the white- gkinned trapper, Longlegs, the beaver-catzher, the white chief’ that ad so long defied their | ahd , was now a prisoner helpless in their nds. 2 ’ . hts_of the prisoner were anythin sa ba was borne along gx.sno taoul® Beadle settlements; but, isn bitterness of spirit, ‘‘to be captivated by these hyer dog-rotted heathen! It makes my blood bile. Is’pose they’ll roast or fry me at the tor- ture-stake jist to see whrether I am tough or ten- der—the etarnal heathen!” And so, on the shoulders of the braves who had by accident captured him, the beaver- catcher was carried into the village of his mor- tal enemies. CHAPTER XI. MUDHOLE’S FAITH. ALARMED by the Indian runner, the whole of the inhabitants of the Blackfoot village assem- bled to witness the arrival of the daring white- skin who had so loug defied the efforts of the best warriors of the Blackfoot tribe to kill or ca pane him. At last he was in their hands, a helpless prisoner. ‘Loud were the yells, wild was the delight, with which the Indians welcomed the successful warriors, The prisoner was deposited in front of the council-lodge, in close proximity to the blazing tire; a fact which did not tend to make him fee easier in his mind. The women and children crowded around him, with many a taunt and threat, till the White Wolf placed a cordon of warriors around him, and kept back the crowd. Then the high chiefs, headed by the White Wolf, sought the council-lodge, to decide as to the fate of the captive. ‘he women and children, kept back from the prisoner by the line of warriors, cursed him at a distance, but, as they spoke in the Indian tongue, of which the trapper understood not a word, their taunts and curses fell upon unheed- ing ears. Ry s’pose they’ll burn me, durn ’em!”’ mut- tered the trapper, as he looked around upon the long line of hostile faces by which he was surrounded, ‘‘ Ef they’d only give me a single chance at’em, I’d clean out a few afore I go under. But, 1 ain’t dead yit; I guess I’m as good as a dozen dead men, [ve been as nigh as this to death afore, an’ pulled through. Luck may turn an’ give me a show; then let the red heathen look out,” From the crowd of women and children the young Indian girl, White Bird, soon appeared. he said a few words to one of the warriors who guarded the prisoner, when he readily let her pass, for few braves of the Blackfoot tribe cared to thwart the will of the daughter of their great chief. The girl came straight to the side of the help- less man. . “The beaver-catcher is in danger,” she said, in a low, sweet tone Speaning the English tongue with only a slight Indian accent. ‘*Wal, beauty,” answered the old trapper, in his honest way, “I wouldn’t mind givin’ all I’m worth—it ain’t much, though—to git out of this ’tarnal scrape.” ‘Do not fear to speak freely,” said the girl. ‘None of the warriors that guard you under- stand a word of a tongue. ‘T wish they did, the durned heathen cusses,” said the trapper, with rage in his tone. “ They couldn’t have captivated me ef they hadn’t ’a’ been twenty ag’in’ one.” ‘You have lost your life for me,” said White Bird, mournfully, while tears gathered in her dark eyes. ‘* Don’t speak of it, beau We've all got to die some time. They’ll probably gin me a taste of that air fire afore I’m an hour older.” The girl shuddered at the thought. ‘Don’t you mind ’bout me,” said the trapper. “I'm old an’ tough, an’ I don’t think they'll tor- ment me much; so don’t you worry ’bout me, Jist listen now, an’ I’M tell you how you kin find the young feller. He an’ his friend will need yous help to git out of this ky scrape, fur hey’ll never git out of it themselves. ou know where the high gray rock overhangs the river, bout four miles from hyer down the stream?” ‘Yes, Lover’s Leap, it is called. A young Indian whose father would not let her marry the brave she loved, jumped from the rock into the river, and perished in the dark wa- ters,” said the girl. 6 Jes? so,” said the trapper; ‘‘ thar is consider- able of a pool in the river jist thar. Wal, jist at the foot of that air rock is a leetle cave, the mouth of it all kivered up with bushes, In that air cave is the young feller an’ hisfriend.” ‘‘T will remember your directions. I will sawe your friends from the Blackfeet, and con- duct them safe through the forest to the white : * ; : eg * . - : ra as : EN St Sa ba Tr ¢ Oe a ey a oe | at. i a er ee =i, as eS ae Ce ae + Sh" ee ge b> —.* -ae = Pl gm tag sh m — : a | x ar Pa es es } Os ne _ ¥ =: ~ — = 's HalfDime Library. ET AEE A NT A TR SET ST ITT je “ No, not at. present, beauty,” replied Old ol. ‘The chiefs are coming from the lodge, ” said the girl, suddenly, as she glided from the trap- r per. As she had said, the chiefs, headed by the White Wolf, were coming from the council- lodge. Soon they athered around the prisoner. At a motion of the White Wolf, the trapper was raised to a sitting position. 2 ‘‘Beaver-catcher,’’ began the White Wolf, “the braves of the Blackfeet have sat in the council-lodge; they have talked of the fate of the long-legged trapper. The white-skin has caught the beaver and the muskrat in the wa- ters of the Flathead; he has hunted in the valley of the Blackfeet, and on the war-path he has slain the Tall Buil, a great Blackfoot chief; his spirit looks down from the bappy hunting- grounds and calls for vengeance on his pale-face murderer. The chiefs of the Blackfeet have decided that the beaver-catcher shall die at the torture-stake. Let the white-skin prepare, for death is near.” The chief had addressed the prisoner in the English tongue, which he spoke fiuently. The eppey moved rot a single muscle when he learned his doom, ‘‘Look hyer, chief,” he-cried, ‘I want a chance to reply to your talk, but your people don’t understand my language. ill one of your braves translate for me? “T will!” responded a Geer. gpre voice in English, and the Spotted Elk stepped forth from behind the warriors. The astonishment of Old Sol was visible on his features—on the hard muscles of bis face that had not changed a whit when his fearful doom was revealed him. ‘‘Mudhole, by thunder!” was the trapper’s exclamation, as he looked upon the features of the Indian. ‘‘Ugh! Mudhole once, now Spotted Elk, a chief of the Blackfeet,” replied the savage. ‘You'll do fur what I want. Wiil you teli these Injuns jist what I say?” asked the trap- er. ac Yes,” was the laconic response, ‘* Wal, then, jist open pene ears,” ant then in a calm, quiet tone the old trapper commenced te abuse the whole Blackfoot nation. He told them that they were dogs who ran before the white man’s tread; that they were cowards who feared to attack a foe unless ten to one; that he single-handed, could defeat any ten warriors of the Blackfoot nation, and defied them to the test. All these bitter words the Spotted Elk re- ted to his brethren, exactly as he had spoken hem. A howl of anger from the enr braves greeted the close of the ty re- marks, atid but for the personal interference of the White Wolf and other leading chiefs, the multitude would then and there have satisfied their rage and have saved the fearless man from the torture-stake. | The angry braves at last driven back and quieted, the trapper was carried to a stout oak tree, at the foot of which dried wood had been pees and all preparations made for the fire hat was to be his death. - ‘3, Held firm by a dozen or so of stout warriors, the trapper’s arms were unbound; then he was peaced with his back to the tree, and his wrists rought together behind it and lashed tightly with deer-skin thongs; then the thongs were re- moved from his feet, and his ankles lashed firm- ly to the tree, the thongs passing around it. The priomer being firmly bound, the chiefs retired om him, seemingly for a brief deliberation be- fore they applied the fire. One chief alone re-. mained by the side of the doomed trapper; that chief was the Spotted Elk. “ : . Longlegs is in danger,” said the chief, quiet- ly, in English, while he was apparently exami aing if the lashings were secure. ‘‘Doath is looking me in the face, Mudhole,” returuied the sig aa ‘I guess the Blackfeet have got me this time.” ee oe) Loe ae ‘Does Longlegs remember when he took the wounded Indian to his lodge and cured hi wounds?” asked the Spotted EJk. ‘bene “Yes,” replied the trapper; ‘‘does the chici remember it?” : : deat eek “Tf the beaver-catcher waits he will see. The Mnudhole is now a great chief of the B nation. When the i lf dies Elk will be the chief of the tribe,” said tra ° - tyre - et; the maud-urile has besome, on ope” ‘CA chief has nothing but his word. — : . ect + <—_ eo Fa - at >. he : : 3 . ¥ , r Blackfoot — Wolf dies the rors. dian. nat eae eae ag oes ‘‘ And you are the Spotted Elk?” replied the & ~ ea Shep a ; “a Le 4 5. . 7 - ae sre Se = ‘ ~ & cbhooks.com ", - s . - : : J ro ; j 7 q 4 = > . ’ « ~