Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1167 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

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Patagan does, per- haps, but I never bothered him about it. I am happy here.” he Indian seemed baffled on the very thresh- old of success. The words of the girl non- plused him for a moment. ‘Then the white men should go back and make Red Kagle*happy, too,” he said. ‘* While they are here he cannot smile when the birds ng, They hunt Little Arrow. He is sure of “But why?’ and the girl started. ‘‘ Who No, they hunt the one who dropped her moccasin by the river; they do not trail me.” Red Eagle’s eyes glistened. ‘Red Kagle had not thought of that,” he said. ‘‘True, how did they know—if they do know—that Little Arrow is here? They will find the girl with one moccasin, and then they will go back.” The white girl smiled, and saw triumph in her lover’s eyes. They seemed to have solved the mystery of os pens presence in the Adirondack LF | S. But the period of congratulation was brief, indeed, for the sounds of footsteps and voices fell suddenly upon theirears. Red le turned to the woods and with flashing eyes listened for a moment, like a tiger brought to bay. ; “Back to the island,” he whispered to his companion. ‘*The panthers from the south are = the woods; they must not find the white bird ere. | ‘ Little Arrow did not wait, butstepped into the canoe and pushed from the shore. The shadows of the island pines stretched their grotesque arms far into the lake, and once among them the boat came to a halt, and Little Arrow turned her face toward the shore. Red Eagle stood in the light until he saw the boat glide into the gloom, when he caught a stout pine bough and dextrously lifted his figure up into the dense foliage. The young red-skin had scarcely time to en- sconce himself in the tree when five persons reached the water’s edge. He looked down through the pines and counted five men—three whites and two Indians. “Well, here we are, and nothing yet,” said one of the whites, in evident bad-humor, ‘ But there’s an island that doesn’t look big enough to hold a wise. Is this the end of this lon trailing, Loon? I have tr you an Nokomis. By the distant gods! if you trifle with me, you shall be paid, not in gold, but in the coin which trifling or treachery merits.” “Tell the white man that Red Loon is not fooling him,” said the chief, in the Mohican “Tell him that the lost eis very near—that the white girl will soon be his if he keeps his tongue still don’t make Red Loon mad,” These words were intelligible to the occupant of the tree; they made him start. Nokomis turned upon the white man. “‘None of your Indian lingo!” cried Cecil - Crane, before the last Upas could deliver Red Loon’s message, ‘‘ Why can’t you two talk like, decent people? What did Red Loon say, any- ow? “He said that he fools not the white man— that the girl is near.” ‘Then why doesn’t he lead us to the lodge?” was the retort, ‘‘ Pm in the very heart of this devil-land. Tm getting tired of this=so are my men.” | He glanced as he uttered the last sentence at t] 2 two whites, who, standing side by side like statues, had not spoken. “Tired, you say?’ growled one of them, now. “Tt’s got to stop soon, Mr. Crane! We've fol- lered the Injuns about long enough, and we'll shift for ourselves pretty soon.” The Indians did not reply; they were bending toward the shore as if examining it. ‘‘ See!” cried Red Loon, rising suddenly, and pointing with pride to the ground, as he looked ag Cecil . “Whose feet makes the little tracks? ‘Will the white man say now that the Indians guide him falsely? Eager to inspect the signs, the girl-hunter f owed by the two Sd © T eee ee eee . = a Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. white men, while Red Loon was directing his companion’s attention to the shadow of the island »ines, ue Look, Nokomis! It is blacker than the shadows,” he was saying. “We are at the end of the trail; the hidden lodge is there!” The chief’s hand was outstretched, and the Upas, bending eagerly forward, with the flash of itsuguph and greed in his little eyes, was trying to sake out the dark object on the water. ‘‘ Tt moves,” said Red Loon. “What moves, Injun?’ cried Tarsus Night- well, rising at the sound of the chiet’s voice. Red Loon did not reply, but relapsed into sul- lenness. ‘No foolin’, hyar!” was Nightwell’s threaten- ing retort to Loon’s changed mood. ‘ You saw somethin’, by Jehosaphat! You did, out thar on the water. Look, Simon! kin you see it? The Injuns are hatching up somethin’ of their own.” © At the giant’s words and threatening de- meanor, Red Loon stepped back and drew his tomahawk, ‘Oh, is that yer e?” cri.d Nightwell, springing forward. ‘*Thar’s no Injun in these woods what kin browbeat me. ou two are infernal liars! You saw somethin’ out thar— somethin’ what you want to keep to yerselves!” The representative of the noble Mohican tribe did not shrink back. His eyes glared angrily at the giant, and a collision was inevitable. Cecil Crane saw the situation of affairs at a lance, and quick as thought he planted himself tween the contending races. - The next moment there was the sharp report of a rifle, and Red Loon staggered back and sunk upon his knees at the edge of the water! The forest rung with the echoes of that deadly shot. ‘Tt is the beginning of the end, and the end is not far away.” The voice started the occupants of the bank, The faces of Cecil Crane and the two giants: grew white, and Nokomis stood ing upward, as if expecting his doom from the depths of the. stars. * ! But the voice startled another person. While the echoes still filled the forest, there came the horrified shriek of a human being from among the pine boughs, and a heavy bod descended and aidewed among the astonish group. With exclamations of terror the four started back, while the wraith bounded up, and with a oF isap ed in the forest. t was the Red Eagle’ | CHAPTER X. PELOSEE AGAIN. SIMULTANEOUSLY with the shot that dropped the crested Mohican at the edge of the lake, the boat in the pinery shadows shot suddenly toward the island. It darted through the waters like an arrow, and soon disappeared. ‘ Little Arrow’s face was a strange admixture of fear and anxiety. casin,” she said, glancing at the beautiful shoe that lay at her feet. “ ey come for me; they want to take me from Patagan, and to tear Red Eagle away.” As the white girl spoke, there came the dip of oars from the left, and she beheld a canoe glid- ing silently and swiftly throug» the moonlight toward ber, Its approach had been noiseless and certain, Little Arrow, when she saw it, uttered a ery of alarm, for it was quite near. he saw the single figure that bent to the pad- dies, saw that the person was one of her own ee and, instead of being reassured, took new alarm. {t was in vain that the frightened girl threw all her strength into the task of propelling the canoe; the new craft gained rapidly upon her, and at last she saw the futility of an attempt to escape. The pursuing boat shot swiftly alongside, and its occupant leaned over and clutched Little Ar- row’s right arm! _‘* White girl must stop!” cried the pursuer, sternly, as Little Arrow dro the paddles and looked into her face. ‘Pelosee is strong enough to hold her if she tries the paddles mn? | Little Arrow saw the flashing eyes that seemed to burn her face; she noticed the fantastic dress of her captor, and saw ata glance that Pelosee was avery giantess. i" The white maiden submitted. : For many moments the ogre’s child looked curiously into the face of her captive. It was white and very beautiful. It was the face of do not want the girl with the one moc- i I - _—_— —-— a girl, and, in its girlish innocence, spiritually ure. : ie seemed the hawk looking at the dove in its talons. > ‘‘ Where is the lodge?” asked Pelosee, suddenly. Little Arrow sent a glance full of fear toward the island, which now lay between them and the scene of the love ite ‘‘ Ts it there?’ asked the island witch, noting the rapid glance. ‘‘ Pelosee knew it was near the big cave. Is it yonder, white girl?” 4s do you want to know?” said Little Ar- row. ‘Are you the owner of this?’ She was holding the moccasin up to Pelosee. ‘‘Tt is mine!” was the cry that greeted the shoe. ‘ Pelosee lost it with the mountain boy at the loud water.” ‘‘The mountain boy?’ echoed the white cap- tive. “Red Eagle found it at the waterfall.” The moccasin was snatched from Little Ar- row’s hand and flung upon the bottom of Felo- see’s canoe. ! ; “Come!” said the giantess. ‘‘ White girl must go with Pelosee.” But the captive shrunk back shuddering. The Indian girl’s gripe tightened on her arm. ‘‘ Must go!” Pelosee’s eyes flashed madly. ‘The mountain boy has hunted long for the white girl.” Little Arrow could not resist; she was power- less in the hands of Ocotoc’s princess. Before she could remonstrate, she was lifted bodily from the boat and placed before the In- dian girl, whose terrible eyes almost made her cower at her feet. She believed that she had fallen into the clutches of a demoness!. Pelosee left the little boat where she had re- lieved it of its occupant, and seizing the paddles of her own, put about and started for the main- land, which was now cast in shadow by the de- scent Of the moon. : Not a word fell from the lips of either girl as the boat glided swiftly through the water. Little w sat before her captor, quiverin from head to foot with an indefinable dr that sent a chill to her heart. The feeling was new toher. Up to that eventful night, her life had flowed uninterrupted in a gentle stream. She had known no foe; saw the exhibition of no passion save the pope one, and believed the world as good as her own sweet self. On the other hand, Pelosee was controlled different feelings. Her eyes were full of tri- umph and revenge; her breast heaved with one of the storms of her wild life. The crouching girl at her feet seemed the victim of some sac- rifice which she, a proud, red priestess, was guiding to the altar of death. She feasted her flashing eyes upon the dove- | like beauty of her captive as the canoe swept toward the shore. Her arms rapidly lessened the distance, and when Little Arrow finally | looked up she saw the trees, like gig&intic ghosts, towering before her. \ Pelosee ran the boat against the grassy bank which yielded, and the craft remained firmly wedged there—moored without the aid of a rope, Then the island witch rose and motioned her captive to follow her, which she did, and the two stepped upon the bank. | Little Arrow cast an anxious glance toward the island, now hidden somewhere among the shadows that covered the lake, and felt Pelo- see’s hand on her arm again. ‘* To the white hunter now!” said the Indian. ‘“‘ But, sere: Does the white girl love the little mountain boy?’ The white maiden looked up strangely into Pelosee’s face. ‘What mountain boy?” she said. ‘“ Little Arrow knows no young man but the Red Ea- e. “ Then she will not love the young cat of the ines?” ‘‘ She loves Red Eagle.” - Pelosee uttered a cry of joy. > She lifted her captive from her ground, and held her out at arm’s length in an outburst of admiration, as the child holds her doll. _ ‘““Pelosee and Little Arrow will be sisters!” she cried. . Ocotoc’s child. 2 Little Arrow shuddered at the shining blade which flashed in her face. : ““Pelosee need not fear. Red Eagle is my warrior.” Was that a step that startled the two girls? They heard the sound like the snapping of a twig, and instinctively turned toward it. The next instant, with a cry of joy, Little Arrow — dios pies Sochiae tie s rung towar a crou: the trunk of a pine several feet away, ‘‘But if she smiles upon the Moun- tain Cat, then to her heart reddens the knife of |