Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 119 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

16 in res flight down the pass leading into the circular valley. . On—it’s ony begun—thar’s more devils down yender!”’ cried Mustang Sam, dashing the hot blood from his eyes; a long geen seaming his skull and forehead. ‘‘ Quick! we'll be too late to help our fr’ends!”’ Close upon the heels of the flying savages dashed the emigrants. Ten seconds carried them *o the edge of the valley. An involuntary cry broke from es lips: ‘* Good God! look yender!”’ The mesa was surrounded by savages, some alive, others dead or else writhing horribly in the last agonies. Some were still scaling the rock; and half a dozen figures stood boldly outlined a the top. A single man was battling against these fearful odds, As the emigrants burst into view of this’ wild scene, they saw a slight form spring forward to the side of the soldier, and heard, even above the horri- ble din, two quick reports. It was Edith, who had hurriedly reloaded the revolver first dischary-ed, and now, thoughtless of self, only seeing the imminent peril of her lover, she came nobly to his rescue. “Yell, boys, to tell °em we’re comin’!’’ cried Mus- tang, setting the example, and then the valley was filled with the loud, ringing cheer as the rescuers d forward. It had the desired effect. The Apaches heard and saw the new foe, and fear magnified their numbers. Little yells of dismay filled the air. Tom Day also heard the unmistakable sound, and it nerved his nearly exhausted powers. Clutchin his antagonist with a giant’s gripe, he raised his fee clear of the rock and hurled him headlong over the edge. At the same moment Edith fired again, with deadly aim. And totally dismayed, the surviving two Apaches turned and leaped madly from the Panting, breathless, the soldier sunk down, his brain reeling, almost dead PORS Oy S all else, Edith dropped her weapon and caught his sinking form in her arms. Down in the valley, all was confusion. The terror- stricken Apaches flung aside their weapons and every thing that could serve to incumber them, and fled in every direction, closely followed by the mad- dened emigrants, whose deadly revolvers played ra ray 6 Not one thought was given to mercy. re our later, all was over and the valley was de- serted by all save the dead, Mustang Sam passed word for the two men who had been left upon the further side of the canyon, to hasten back to the animals, and take them to the spur of rocks. Then, with the twogirls carried upon the rude litters, the arty yaad made their way through the hills. Tom ay, thong faint with the loss of blood, was yet only slightly hurt, and, refreshed with food and drink, managed to keep pace with the rest. Yet, despite the double rescue and reunion, if was a sad, gloomy and dispirited party, for all now knew the worst; that their families were murdered and their teams destroyed, leaving them almost in the heart of the desert, The horses were regained, and then led by Mus- tang, the party soon found themselves beside a beautiful spring, where they determined to encamp for the time being. CHAPTER XT. “PLAYED OUT” AND A “STAG ” DANCE, To set all possible doubts at rest, Mustang Sam soon after rode out of the encampment upon the black stallion, and Smeg swiftly toward the point from whence had risen the tell-tale light. But little the worse for the wounds—or scratches, as he him- self termed them—that he had received during the valley fight, the dashing plainsman kept every sense upon the full alert. He felt that, in a measure, the lives of the small remnant of the een depend- ed upor his skill and coolness, since he alone knew aught >» the desert waste that surrounded them. usvuung Sam was scarcely disappointed when he came within fair view of the mesa, and distinguished the blackened and charred remains of the train, to- gether with the white, dismembered bones that alone remained to tell the tragic tale. lt was noth- more than he had expected. t the Apaches—where were they? A question soon answered, and most disagreeably, too. A keen pance around showed Mustang an indistinct clump ar distant, riding rapidly toward the mesa. Tha they were Indians, he could not doubt. The bold plainsman felt assured that he could pene by before the Apaches could fairly intercept im. It was a narrow shave, but Tornado did not fail his master, and an hour later Mustang Sam rode into camp. ‘‘Thar’s only one hope. We're on the main. trail now. A train may come along strong enough to whip these varmints. But we can’t wait for it—so I'm goin’ to ride out an’ hurry it up, while you fel- lers hold this place.” The project seemed little short of suicide, The Apaches were upon every side. How could a horse- man pass them? To all remonstrances, Mustang Sam replied with a’ gay, careless laugh. His mind was set, and nothing I age ater, his ae me es te - . He lea upon Comanche’s back, ending or- nado by a stout horse-hair halter, secured his shoulder. Then, with a revolver drawn and cocked in either hand, he rode forth, swiftly as the career of the dreaded norther. For a moment the Apaches seemed at a loss, but then, as one man, they flocked to intercept the fu- gitive. Their es and bows began ~ mingled with the revolvers of the Rider, m- reared high in the air, uttering an almost hu- Mustang Sam. ee —-» man shriek of agony. His race wasrun. One mad bound—then he fell to the sands, dead. But Mustang Sam? As the cloud of dust arose, he was seen racing swiftly away, safely astride Tor- nado, having leaped from the death-stricken Com- anche just in the nick of time. The day and night passed slowly, wearily enough to the jaded, hard-beset emigrants. Scaree an hour passed by without some annoyance from the Apaches, who, however, seemed fearful of coming into direct collision. They were waiting for rein- forcements. But they waited too long for the success of their revenge. By noon of the second day, they suddenly took to flight. A cloud of dust in the distance ex- lained this. It marked the return of Mustang Sam, accompanied by a score of sturdy “ boys in blue.”” He had found a government train upon the trail, and the commanding officer at once set out to the rescue. The remnant of the emigrants were accommo- dated as the train came up. Under convoy of the soldiers, they had nothing more to fear, and safely reached their destination. Acting upon the advice of his lady-love’s father, Tom Day mys ing a his commission, and joined Mr. Bland upon his mining claim. In the same mine labored Ella’s father and Arthur Hamilton. A month after their arrival, “Skunk Hollow ’’—as the valley was euphoniously named by the pioneer miners from the abundance of those sweet-scented animals—was the scene of a grand double-wedding; phn? man knocked off work, and golden gifts fairly flooded our friends, from the enthusiastic miners. To the ecstatic wailing of a cracked fiddle, the red- shirted miners lumbered around in the voluptuous ‘‘stag-dance,”’ for Edith and Ella were the only wo- men at the Hollow. But the reader must imagine the rest. Mustang Sam was there—and got “gloriously drunk on the occasion,” too. Then he vanished— returned once more to the wild life, a glimpse of which we have laid before the reader. THE END. BEADLE’S Half-Dime Library: 1 Deapwoop Dick, THE PRINCE OF THE RoAp. By Edward L. eeler 5c. 2 YELLOWSTONE JACK. 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