Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1167 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

. = . ~« a _ = - —~ R =e . “ q . ve T= ws. 4 4 ea, a: P [maf * . : 5 ‘ 4 > 5 he - “ee e e. 4 ~ - i} - rey ni Y- , a lr y » é ¥ ~~ ts? ial ~ as 4 : a + ee ey ms a! lk Dns < aeiemnnanee P xeAS. so iv +. 4 EX Pal Toe wes Se oe r i] va Pre. . = are 3 a ~~ * xs t ~ - quivering there, Piney Pa y fied - Pelosec followed swearing to have — =_ OE 6 eee . OE minor — any — - - . » = . A eer — -— <4 ee q nd ~ a 2 = en ’ 4 ~ ~~ a >> : , . - = - <a a8 . °9 2 . id - - they kill him, and become food for the vultures and the wolves?” The giant halted. ‘*Tt’s no use, Simon,” he said; But Simon Oldfoot did not answer; he was assisting Cecil Crane from the water, CHAPTER XII. . : THE BLOOD ON THE KNIFE. | Pingy PAUL did not wait to note the result of the Indian’s quarrel with his employer, but | quitted the scene and bounded through the for- est The events of the last hour had been so start- ling as to appear incredible. Concealed in the pine, he had witnessed the meeting of Red Hagle and the white girl of the island, and every word vf theirs had fallen upon his ears. - The sight of Little Arrow had opened a new revelation to him. The hidden lodge sought so long was not a myth; he felt that he had looked upon its occupant in the person of the fair white irl, whose boat had gli to the shadows that ang around the distant island. Pelosee had not guided him ke sf Her ene of the lost wigwam had not deceived m. With sucn thoughts as these the Adirondack boy hurried through the woods with the stub- born shaft still in his flesh. He had no weapon save the knife concealed in his bosom; his rifle lay at the scene of the late rencontre. e it was who frightened the young Red Ragle from the pine, for he-discharged his rifle over the chief’s shoulder, at Red Loon, and, un- tilthat moment unaware of his presence, the Mohican youth started only to from his perch to the ground, Piney Paul at last reached the spot where he had left Pelosee a few hours before. But he found it deserted, and nettled by the red girl’s absence, he drew some venison from the re- — of a pine tree, and began to satisfy his unger. 7 ‘(Tt was a narrow shave,” he said. ‘That {ndian has gota few sparks of gratitude in his heart, and I will try to remember it. The hid-. den lodge is not far away. I saw Cicely to- aight. She is the hidden girl. The Indian saw the boat on the lake when I shot him. Perha he would have told them. But he will not te now, Thunder and witches! didn’t that Indian boy drop when he saw me in the tree! I wish. AR eke dropped, for I wanted to make use of Beneath the boughs’of the pine the boy con- tinued to discuss the jerked venison as he com- muned with his thoughts. But all at once there came the whirring sound of a missile flying through the air, and a knife was buried in the tree against which he stood wing the venison. — Starting forward with a owe at the rg pe stood face to face with Pelosee, The garments of the Indian girl were drag- gled and soiled. The sleeve of her jacket was ripped from shoulder to elbow, and displayed the naked arm; and she was otherwise in a for- lorn condition, But her eyes flashed like the orbs of the tri- umphant mountain cat when after along fight it stands ee. ~~ aaa a an se Her visage start e an word was ee a, canine p ? he cried, ing her arm, ‘* You have grappled with some onan Tell me, Pelosee, all about it, and why you left the spot where you were to wait for me. The oat he gone! Did you take it?” There was no reply, but Pelosee sprung to the tree, and with a display of strength drew the deeply-buried knife from the wood, n she seized our hero’s arm and drew him upon which the starlight uninterrupt- the toa “See!” she cried, fiendishly, thrusting blade before his face. *‘ It is red! red! Pelosee have the white boy’s hand. There! does he not feel the blood on the wood and the iron?” A. shudder crept to Piney Paul’s heart. He began to believe that the island witch was mad. ‘ But the blood—how came it here?’ he said, jooking into her triumphant face. ‘“‘ Tell me! “‘ Pelosee saw the flower of the hidden lodge,” was the answer, which further startled Piney _ who did you meet in the forest?” - Paul and whitened his face.. ‘She followed her in her boat and caught her. Ha! ha! Buta Pelosee and hurled yo Indian tore her from Deotor’s child into the lake. He was little but stronger than Pelosee. The : . * ey ' — . 3 - ° eS Ne Lee ~ a - . 4a - 22 ees > - — be - “the Injun Let blood of Beadels’ Half-Dime Library. o with the both, for did not the wigwam girl er to the Indian when Pelosee was taking Mountain Cat?” ‘No! you did not come up with them and kill Cicely?” cried Piney Paul, jumping at the con- clusion of the girl’s narration. ‘* Does the white boy see the blood on Pelosee’s knife?’ was the reply. ‘‘ Does he see the tear in her sleeve and the loss of her fringe? And see the moccasin which Pelosee lost by the water- fall. The hidden rose had it; but it is on Pelo- see’s foot again.” Fr There was the triumph of a maddensu witch in the red girl’s look and tone. It made Piney Paul start back and gasp for breath like a suffo- cating man. He believed that he stood before the slayer of Cicely, the long-lost girl; he saw the victory of murder in Pelosee’s eyes. ‘Did you do it in your madness?” he cried, springing forward por ine e ‘** Did you shed the blood of the lost girl? If you did, by the heavens, I have no right to spare you, though you saved my life!” . The witch Fy demoniacally, and with her right hand held him off at arm’s length. ‘It was a mad fight!” she cried. . ‘' Pelosee struck many times. But he lies in the forest and the wolves will come upon him before it is light. He stood between Ocotoc’s child and the flower of the lost lodge. See the tear in Pelosee’s sleeve! He did that.” ‘But who did it?’ cried Piney Paul. ‘‘ You have followed Cicely with death in your heart and there is blood on your knife. No more of this, girl-witch! Gimminy crickets! I can’t stand this suspense. Don’t hold me so tight. ve got an arrow in that arm. Who did you ‘““The king of the forest! Pelosee was not afraid to meet him. The bear is dead on the white flower’s trail!” ‘‘A bear!” cried Piney Paul. “‘Thank God! it was not Cicely !” “A big bear!” was the reply, and the girl’s es ed anew. ‘If he had not stopped elosee, it would have been the rose.” Piney Paul drew a breath of relief; but his eyes flashed madly as he cried: ‘* You have saved my life. I owe you much; but you must not touch her. I will kill the per- son who harms her, though it be even you.” Pelosee’s reply was a scornful and derisive — ‘*T mean business!” said the boy. ‘‘ Try it on, if you think I don’t!” — —-——_—_-_-_ 8 CHAPTER XITI. ‘THE RED WITCH’S DESERTION. ‘‘ ApFATRS would wear a different aspect if you hadn’t pushed my gun down when [ had Cecil Crane covered on the log,” continued Piney Paul, sorely nettled by Pelosee’s laugh. But [ guess I won’t make an Sr a uarrel- ing with you. I’m in poor plight to follow the trail now, and contend with the foes who will faceme. No gun—nothing but a knife! Where’s your rifle?’ : Loken gnc the bear lies dead!” was the re fi ere I met the five traitors and shot Red Loon. They've got it now, and will try tomake use of it, ve you ever beemin these parts before?” ‘‘Once, but it was long ago. Ocotoc and Pelosee came here where Patagan and the white rose lived on the island, She was a little girl hen just so nigh illustrating with her hand, “and she looked like a wild flower just bursting from its bud.” “‘ That was long ago, sure enough,” said Piney Paul. ‘‘We don’t want an g to do with Patagan. If he finds that Cicely is missing— that she has run off with that hot-headed Bene Red Eagle—he will leave his island and we wil have a newenemy. The girl is somewhere in the woods, I know now that she still lives; my trail is drawing to an end.” “Yes,” the red witch said, pointing to the knife; “ butit is getting bloody.” ee one life taken thus far,” was the re- * two-three !” said Pelosee. 24 | ee?” , ‘The Red Loon, the bear, and the dog!” *T don’t count the animals,” with a smile, but when he recollected the cir- cumstances that surrounded Death’s taking off a shudder went to his beart. | “Tt will. soon be light, and the trail of Red Eagle and the girl will be plain. Does the boy want to follow?’ “Certainly I do! Witches and serpents! I ee oe ~ want no grass to . * And where is the Mountain Cat’s gun?’ Piney Paul said, | ’ -_- oo ol time to the end. Where can we strike the trail?’ ‘* Where the bear lies.” The twain, united again, left the t, and found the bear lying on the field of battle quite dead, The evidences of a protracted struggle between Pelosee and the brute were plentiful and terribly suggestive. The island witch had sought rather than avoided a combat with bru-: in. Proud of her strength she had called him a coward, and taunted him after the usual Indian manner. Hungry and ferocious, the king of the Adirondack woods did not fiv, but advanc- ed boldly to meet his antagonist. In vain he tried to inclose Pelosse in the fata] embrace; but the knife came into play, and, after a hard struggle, bruin yielded, and Pelo- see staggered fainting from the fight. At the halt made at the carcass the girl de- scribed in graphic language the battle to Piney Paul, and picked up the discarded rifle with the remark that, after the blow that rendered it useless, she had cast it aside. The boy took the weapon and eyed it for a moment. The long barre} clung feebly to the stock, but he saw that it was not unfit for fu- ture service. Several good sirews could re- store the weapon, and render it useful on the new trail. . ‘* See!” he cried, as his face lit up with hope. ‘‘ A good sinew, girl, and your rifle may yet ring out upon the trail. There’s life in the gun yet. Gimminy! this is luck!” Pelosee produced a strong cord made from twisted sinews, and, seating himself upon the carcass of the bear, Piney Paul mended the were ‘‘ There!” he said at last, holding the gun up to the girl. ‘‘ Who shall carry it—you or I?” ‘The Mountain Cat mended it and he shall carry it,” was the reply. Leaving the huge animal on the field of his last battle, Piney Paul resumed the trail with a light heart. It was quite plain to his practiced eye, and Pelosee followed it-with the flash of vengeance in her eyes. The day broke over the rim of the hidden horizon, and the long arrows of light penetrated the forest. They revealed the trailers and their surroundings; the rough ground over which the track of Red Eagle and his proteqgee led; the sky-seeking pines and the furzy undergrowth. lt was a prospect decidedly uninviting and gloomy. It soon became evident that the young Mo- hican was not going to return Little Arrow to the island. Piney Paul could tear her from Patagan with comparative ease; but as it was, loose in the forest and with a determination to keep the girl for himself, the arts of the Indian would be used for that purpose, — The long day—long in many respects to Piney Paul—drew to a close with the trail still before them, and stretching on into the seemingly in. terminable forest. Red Eagle seemed to be flying to some place beyond the Adirondacks, “Stop!” said Paul, pausing, and laying his hand on the arm of the ea ger Pelosee. “We must stop till morning here. The shadows are long and the forest will be dark. Pelosee, Red Eagleis running as if all the imps on earth were reaching for his scalp-lock.” The girl turned upon Piney Paul a displeased countenance. : “‘ Pelosee will not rest her feet here!” she said, pointing toward the gloom that gathered ahead. _* Why, it’s nonsense! I'll be hanged if it isn’t. You can’t see anything out there, if your eyes are extra good. They must rest sometimes; thev will not run always.” ‘“While we trail, they rest, and while we rest they fly.” ; ‘“There’s something in that, I admit,” the boy said. ‘‘ Do you hear the river?” Pelosee nodded. ‘‘ Tt is the crazy water,” she said. ‘‘ The Red Eagle and his girl cannot cross.” : But they can follow the stream. We stop here,’ ; Piney Paul saw the futility of attempting to trail in the dark forests of the Adirondacks, He determined to wait till day. Rest was needed by nature; it would refresh him. But Pelosee would not listen. She turned a deaf ear to the boy’s judgment, and started stub- — bornly forward. ‘“You will leave me?” he said. ‘‘Pelosee’s eyes are like the owl’s. trails are hers.” “Tt’s no use to reason with you, I guess,” Piney Paul answered. : ad grow under my feet from this | The forest \ 4 S tz le eae < ———- ch teil 7 \ Ie — at { ' © (OX 6} <S.C “You can go! But, aoe stay onemoment, What if you find 388 fi age a ¥ = - ‘ - - - a . ‘ . > - ae | ON . ial all | =o eed eo F ie & ~ > |