Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1158 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

a - he losee it, he loses all,” sententiously replied the Indian, stalking away from the trapper. Sol looked after the Indian, with a puzzled expression mpm his face. He could ‘not understand the nature of the sevage. His words seemed to promise hope, bu’, the time for help must come soon or not at ail; hours were minutes now. The oak to which the trapper was bound stood at tho upper end of the viliage.. the forest, in one direction, lay nothing but the In:tian corral or horse-pound, which was, as the trapper could see by the light of the fire that blazed in front of the council-lodge, filled with horses. Ten paces from the prisoner stood tho circle of chieis; beyond them were congregated the rest of the vilage—the common warriors the women and children—all anxious to behol the death of the famous beaver-catcher, “Hyer they come!” cried the trapper, be- | per’s tween his clenched teeth, as a brave advanced | chief of the Blackfeet, the famed w with a torch of blazing wood _ to fire the mass beneath the trapper’s feet. ‘‘I’min fur it now! No hope, no chance fur a squeeze fur life. My time has come an’ Pll face the music like a man! The ’tarnal red. skunks shan’tsay thet the Giant Trapper squealed even when the fire were a-burnin’ his innards out.” The warrior applied the blazing torch to the dry wood beneath the trapper’s feet, then re- tired to the crowd to enjoy the agony of the dying white-skin. sat The trapper could hear the crackling of the flames as the dry wood gouges the fire; the smoke began to ascend and blind the eyes of the helpless prisoner. Sol could already feel the heat of the burnin wood, and in that, apparently the last hour o his life, the rough old trapper, the man of the i a and prairie, commended himself to his er. | Tuen, in his deadly peril, with the pale king of terrors staring him full in the face, he sudden- ly became conscious that the thongs that had bound his feet to the tree and his wrists together were loosened suddenly, and the handle of a knifo was thrust into his hand. The trapper then understood the situation in a moment. A hoarse voice whispered in his ear: | ‘‘ Make for the corral—the gate is unfastened —tiurn the horses loose—you know the rest!” The ARDS knew the voice instantly; it was the voice of Mudhole, once the outcast warrior, now one of the great chiefs of the Blackfeet. The trapper with a single glance took in the scene before him; then, with a terrific yell which rung like a of thunder on the ears of - the astonished Indians, he leaped from the tor- ture-stake, dashed through the flames before him, and, knife in hand, ran swiftly toward the corral. sora moment the Indians were lyzed by the sudden movement of the prisoner; a moment they gazed upon the strange scene, ani then, with cries of rage sprung forward to intercopt the trapper. - If ever Longlegs ran swiftly, he did so now, for he was well aware that life was the prize at stakc. On he went, exerting every muscle heading for the corral. "Though he had gained a few yards by the quickness of his start, and tho surprise of the Indians, yet, as they were nearer in a direct line, to the corral, the object- ive point in this rate race for life, the trap- r Rad need of all his splendid powers. ‘As-he ran he calculated the odds against him. On his left a single warrior was running, knife in hand, on a course that, gradually approach- ‘ing tho line on which the trapper was running, must, before he reached the corral, bring them _ tozether. That warrior was the White Wolf. On. his. right another Indian was close on his track, but from him the oe aa did not expect pe | the chief was no other than the Spotted _ Ek; the rest of the Indians were fast falling be- hind, terrific pace at which the flying man _. A few rods more and he ing too much for them, : and White Wolf must inevitably come . ____* Kither he or me,” hissed the trapper, through clenched. he firmly the long as. h burst from the i beheld their chief gaining upon © and the trapper “ 4 they beheld the white-skin. ___A minute more and the White Wolf came together. The Indian made a sweep with his knife at the i Ps as he came wp. Sol 7 ied the blow with left arm; the - keen knife cut through the stout d | into . » ~ - > mA ™ a es omer ey | ‘Sol Ginger. encouraged by the example of the chief, seived the trapper by the leg. With a terrific kick, Sol sent the cur yelping into the dust, but, b the motion, he lost headway, stumbled and fe upon his knee. The White Wolf, who was close upon his heels, raised his scalping-knife and aimed a death-blow at the fallen trapper. A moment the knife glittered in the air, then it descended with terrible force, driven with all Between it and | the strength of the savage’s arm into the bod of the—Spotted Elk, who had thrown himse forward to receive the blow intended for the trapper. thus the Indian kept his faith, and Mudhole paid the debt he owed to Old Sol. The trapper regained his feet, and, with a motion as guick as a cat, drove his long knife to the heart of the White Wolf, who in vain at- tempted to parry the terrific stroke of the trap- arm. With a hollow groan, the great arrior White Wolf, sunk upon the earth, the blood streaming free from lis wound. By his side lay the Spotted Elk—dead | On again went the now hopeful man. The Indians in his rear had gained a little upon him, but they paused for a moment by the side of their dying chief, and then again, with cries of vengeance, pursued. Gaining the corral, Old Sol burst in upon the horses, yelling like a demon. The frightened steeds burst through the open gates upon the ercvyd of advancing Indians like a whirlwind, and the | savages for a moment, were obliged to aban- e blow. of fortune was in his | * . 4 7 “4, 4 * ~ - - vs ° " . a ° o . af. 7 od * cme ; “ 4 . — i « + * ‘ . . 4 ’ - » ‘ . ’ > ‘ » “ — § ' i - 3 of cary ! - £ es Fue oe Os ° 2 don the pursuit to save themselves from being trampled to death by the horses. The trapper Lee by the confusion to swing himself pee he back of a roan-colored pony, and, guiding the animal by the deer-skin halter, plunged through an opening in the thicket, and rode fu- riously along the little path beyond. With cries of rage the savages mounted in hot haste, and set off in chase of the flying foeman, who had not only escaped the torture-stake but had slain their great chief, On through the wood went the chase—the trapper riding for dear life and the savages fol- lowing hard upon his track, guided by the noise of his horse’s hoofs. Five of the Indians, who were better mounted than the others, kept together*in the advance. On they went, listening eagerly to the sound of the horse’s hoofs before them, By that sound they could tell whether they were gaining upon the fugitive or losing ground. At first the trap- r seemed to gain upon them; the sound of the oofs grew fainter and fainter to their ears, then, to the joy of the Indians, the pace of the fugitive seemed to slacken, for the noise of the horse’s gallop grew louder and louder; they were gaining upon the trapper fast, Théy urged their ponies to increased 3 —now the caught sight of the steed, flying through the thicket openings; they were gaining rapidly upon the horseman. On they flew, riding like mad. At last they dashed alongside of the fly- ing horse, to find that it was—riderless, The cunning trapper had slipped off the horse during the chase, concealed himself in the underbrush, and probably chuckled as the Indians rode mad- ly by him, in pursuit of the affrighted horse. The Indians held a council. When and where the rele had left the horse and taken to the thicket they could not guess, and in the dense darkness of the night, scouting after the trail of such a cunning woodman was folly. With heavy hearts they returned to the vil- lage, and told of the escape of the long-legged a Ca | om © Blackfoot nation that night mourned over two great calamities; the death of their great chief and the escape of the beaver- catcher. :. CHAPTER XII. LINKS IN A CHAIN. THE White Bird, after the conversation with the old gt 9g took advantage of the confusion attending the bearing of the white to the tor- ture-stake, to leave the village. When she heard from the lips of the White Wolf the doom of the ver-catcher, she knew she had no power to save him; her weak aid would avail him no- ping 80, sorrowfully, she resolved not to he- hold his death, but to flee from the village, join her lover, and conduct him at once from the valley. Her keen womanly sense told her that the savages, busy with the torture of the ie | lees prisoner, would not seek for the rest of ‘ites until ihe trig by that time she h to be able to leaa her aver and his fri oa ond the powe« of the Indians. She —_ - - ~~ - s ~ —~#, - ‘ + = -_ — Fr ~fP- we ee al a pe og : i” - oye a el ng ee | | | | t. » . ; L > PVR # a at - L& one of the chiefs as to the whereabouts of tle missing warriors. That fact troubled her but little, for she knew of a roc pass by the ‘‘ Bit- ter Stream,” as it was ca y the Blackfee through which she might conduct the whites, and _ thus evade the red pickets at the lower end of the valley. _ The Indian girl gained the wood, and follow- ing a little path, came to the river. Down the river’s bank she went with hasty steps, for time indeed was precious. An hour later found her at the entrance of the little cave, ‘* Harry!” she called, softly, ‘‘’tis I, White Bird!” | Courtney, watching within the cave, knew well the voice, and, in an instant more, she was folded to her lover’s heart. Briefly she tol i of the surprise and capture of — the trapper. Bitter was the sorrow of the two men, for they had learned to love the brave old man. .Their sorrow cculd not save him, for, as the White Bird told them, by that time the guide was doubtless a corpse. ee" The White Bird proposed her plan of flight, to which both the whites agreed. | ‘When shall we attempt it?’ asked Court- ney. . 7 ‘In an hour,” replied the girl. ‘The night is growing clearer; the moon should rise soon — and give us light,” ‘Poor Sol!” eried Courtney; “ I shall never forget him.” ‘Nor I either,” replied Wright. ‘I shali always blame myself as being the cause of his death, for, but for me, he would not have ven- tured into this wilderness,” ~ oy And where was he whose untimely death they were at that moment deploring? Why, mak- ing his way through the forest toward the cave as fast as his long legs would carry him. — His idea in taking the horse from the Indiam | village had been to deceive the red-skins. Ho knew well how easy it would be to slip from the back of the animal, conceal himself in the — bushes, and Jet the red warriors follow on the trail of the runaway beast, The cunning trick hed been successful; the savages had been thrown off the trail, which they could not re- gain untill the morning, and then not without difficulty. _ “Now, then,” cried the old trapper, commun- ing with himself in his usual fashion, as he strode through the forest, with his long, tireless stride, ‘‘ ef the leetle gal has found the cave al} right, an’ is thar, we'll put for the settlements to one’t. It won’t do to tell her, though, that Isettled the hash of the big chief; he may be a relation of hern.” Old Sol reached at last the little cave, and — entered it much to the surprise of the inmates. His cheery voice had told them who it was. ‘*Sol!” cried Courtney. “Is it possible you are alive?” ‘* You bet!” was the hearty rejoinder. | ‘‘Why I saw you at the torture-stake,” said the Indian girl. | “Sartin,” replied the trapper, ‘but I didn’t stay thar, thanks to Mudhole. He cut the thongs that bound me to the stake, put a knife into my — hand, an’ then Iruna muck through the Injun village. It were a lively time for a few min- utes, you bet! I reckon the Blackfeet won't | forgit the doin’s of this night fur some years to ‘come. re: ae And the old asl was right; for ree: 7 after the events we have related, by the Black- foot camp-fires, on the. trail and on the hunt, the wonderful escape of the » bhite-skinned bea- ver-catcher, who Lore a charmed ite, and the death of their great chief.at his bands, was toid by the old warriors to the young braves. Nor was the strange death of the Spotted otk for tten in the annals of his ‘ribo, (re cudel. lieved him to be possessed with an eyil spirit who caused him to give his own life to save the beaver-catcher, ’ | Bs Courtney detriled the plan of White Bird to escape from “3 valley. Old Sol nodded bis head in approv . es Sa NY It wi works I reckon,” he said; ‘‘ the moon will soon be up, an’ then we'll be goin.” »}f'Yes, we will bid farewell to this fatal valley forever,” cried Courtney. a But, how about the, fifty-thousand~dollar treasure that you were goin’ to git up in the In- — jun village?” questioned Boke ieee ae “J think I shall leave that in You shall form a petty sod learn the truth. ‘Jes’ so!” cried the trapper. me > ea shootin’ ? ox" feel oe leave your * home and go Aes “28 “comicbooks r. 2 ——— t —* ; = = = sa ‘aie 2 =—s fa” We t< - . _ a" ‘Cc met dse oe et a to ee ge ee TSCM ee ge es ek . . < ~~ your hands, aoe ee -* > wt - ” ¢ . a 4 i - 25 hem “it. a ~~ e 5 ae a e - nn .* A o* '. oe ‘ «@ <- @ . a — a Neal