Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 131 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

<i > a “But we must not desert our friends. What shall we do?” ‘‘Send the teams back with the women and the rest of us must go to the rescue of our friends.” ‘‘ Agreed. But shall we incur too much risk if we bivouac here to-night?” ‘Risk? Better turn the teams as quick as possible, and don’t let them rest till they are far from here!” ‘* Hark!” exclaimed the other, ‘‘ I hear the red demons even now! By my life, I think you are right. Here, Mosco and Le done, do you make the best d possible for home.” ‘* That we wiil,” replied the twain in chorus. They were obeying the mandate, when for the second time a horseman rode up to the place, this time ata mad canter. Startled, the little party threw their firearms to their shoulders, which were quickly lowered, however, when the stranger cried: ‘“* Hold up, friends. Don’t you know me?” ‘Harris Greenwood!” exclaimed one and all. ** Yes. How is it I find you here?” “We were on our way to Black Pocket.” ‘What? Are you aware that the valley is alive with red-skins?” *““We have just been warned of it, and are apg turn back. But, what has brought you ere?’ **Have you not heard that Real has been car- ried off by the Apaches?’ ‘‘Real carried off a captive? When did it papent and have you found nothing of her?” ‘No. We missed her night before last and I have known no rest since in trying to find her. Oh, I fear she has been inhumanly butch- ered by the savages, or—I dare not contemplate the fate which she may have met!” ‘“‘T have seen her,” said the Golden Hand, quickly. ‘‘She was captured by the Indians to be taken from them by a gang of men called the League in Black, when the last party were attacked by a band of outlaws that have their retreat somewhere in the mountain. I have tried my best to save her, but I have only found that Real is now in the power of the banditti.” ‘* Better there than in the hands of the sava- ges, but may God have mercy upon her!” ‘** Well may you say so,” said the rider of the mustang. ‘ But, Dimon,” he added, turning to the leader of the train, ‘‘ you had better turn our teams homeward as quickly as possible. t will soon be dark.” ‘‘That we will at once,” and the teamsters were instructed to that effect. As the animals were slowly headed for the south, he addressed as Dimon looked wistfully up the valley. ‘How long,” he muttered, “‘must this con- tinue thus? Hark! I hear the red fiends now. And, by my life, I think they must be in the Pocket!” ‘¢Ten to one!” cried the Golden Hand. “ But, Dimon, hadn’t you and the boys better keep with the teams til) they are beyond danger? You can come back then; and Harris and I will o on toward the Lost Mine. I am anxious to ow the meaning of those yells. I fear the boys are in trouble.” ‘Tam afraid you are right. You can expect us back along before morning.” With the words the parties separated. As the wagons were started southward on the home trail it alarmed the female occupants; and in answer to their questions they were in- formed of the dangers besetting a continggmce of the journey to the Lost Mine. ‘‘ But, never fear,” said Dimon; “we will escape without harm; and as soon as this dis- turbance is over, return without dread of mo- lestation. we dreamed the Apaches were on the war-path we would not have ventured here now.” Thus thinking that they had avoided all peril, the party moved down the valley until com- pelied to stop for the darkness, ‘We will camp here to-night,” the leader said, ‘‘and in the morning resume the course homeward. Or at least all of you but two, who will go on to Black Pocket wit me.” Forming a partial protection by placing the wagons in an angle upon one side, and tether- ing the animals near at hand, the emigrants partook of the food they had with them, and prepared otherwise for the darkness which had crept on apace. ' ** Come, s,” said the leader, “‘ while the rest look out for affairs here, and see to the morrow’s journey, we will go to the aid of those at the Lost Mine.’ The two who had been coro Oy to accom- pany him, quickly mounted t horses, and — ae OOO nn ee Pocket. Following the course the wagons had passed Pa they made quite rapid progress for a e. They had not ridden far, however, when again they heard yells from the direction of the Pocket. This time they were wilder than before, and as they rode on the sounds increased in volume with a fierce ring. ‘*My God! we have dallied too long!” cried Dimon. ‘All that hue and cry isn’t for nothing! Let’s ride faster!” But this last. was well-nigh impossible. The country was now more broken and often their animals were forced to move at a walk. “Head for the bottom. It is not so ru there,” said one; but the words had barely left = lips when a rifle-shot rung from the growth ahead. Reining up impetuously, they heard others follow in rapid succession. ‘‘Some one is in peril!” ejaculated Dimon. “Come, let’s ride for the timber yonder, and see what is going on.” Riding cautiously forward they crossed the stream that was to their left, and approached diagonally the scene of the confusion. In a moment they heard the sound of rushing bodies, and then a groan issued from the thicket. ‘*Quick!” cried Dimon, ‘‘ that was Harris Greenwood’s voice. He has been attacked by foes. Let’s to his rescue.” As the three dashed out into the slight open- ing where the starlight made it quite bright, they saw a horseman rushing past. In the brief moment they recognized the Golden Hand, but instead of riding pad brie ee he was mounted upon a coal-black orse! CHAPTER XVIII. A BAND OF BROTHERS. As the League in Black rode into Black Pocket they paused in front of the hiding fugi- tives. ‘“ Where’s the lead?” asked one. It must be toward the western side,” replied the leader. ‘‘ We will ride that way and see,” and the strange-looking cavalcade started to- ward the northern end of the ridge. ‘“‘This is pesky skittish for pi ejaculated Rock. ‘‘Howsumever, it won’t do fer us to show our heads yet awhile. Hear ’em var- mints a-takin’ on up to the Reckon I should like to hev "bout two score o’ Texan boys round! Jeems Stopple! guess there’d be some tall fun!” They watched the league until the masked riders had disappeared in the valley above. Still the savages kept up their deafening yells. Slowly night crept on and it began to be quite dark in the Pocket. * Soon after the Black Riders returned and halted at the mouth of’ the pass. ‘*P’r’aps they’ll go ’bout their bizness, and let us leave hyar as soon as dark,” Rock observed. Their hopes began to rise as they finally saw the band ride into the pass-way and disappear. “We'll escape to-night or my name ain’t Rock Randel,” exclaimed The-Man-from-Texas, as the last of the gang went out of sight. ‘*T hope so,” were his companions’ words. Not daring to leave their covert until long after dark, and the sounds of the red-skins ha died away, the time tediously to them. ‘*Kem,” whispe Rock at last, “it’s time we war moving. Now be pesky keerful, fer ‘tis life or death. G’in me yer knife ’cause ’m more used to it than you. . You keep yer club in yer hand, Silver Dust. Miss Real must keep clus behind you, while I will lead.” Moving as noiselessly as shadows in the dim starlight, the three crossed the barren waste of land, until they reached the base of the cliff that shut Black Pocket out of the world, as it were. “ Now, es we scout along in the dark hyar, jess keep yer peepers on thet opening.” ha he utmost caution, Rock neared e pass. N bing was heard now of the enemy outside at they hoped with a reason that they had eft. Fi the cut was reached, and nothing had to alarm them. Crawling to the moutb, Rock paused and listened. ace pipe ane ee or heard. ‘“‘ They are ill, anyway. “Oh, I hope they have gone!” ejaculated | Real, speaking for the first time since they had eel mS eee eee C—Ci— a sss 805 I - 13 ‘* Hist!” commanded the Texan, a moment later,as Dare was about to speak, “‘they are there!” “How do you know?” asked the others, in surprise, for they had discovered nothing to warn them of such an unwelcome event. “Know? Can’t ye hear their horses? And, as I live, I hear one o’ their guards walking *bout! Thar’s no mistake; we are penned in!” Now that their attention had been called to it, his companions fancied they could hear the designated sounds. ith The-Man-from-Texas it was no fancy, he well knew. “Must we give up our hope of escape?’ asked Dustin Dare, as they stood listening to the slight disturbance outside, ‘** Not while we bev a bit o’ wind to draw,” declared Rock. ‘‘See hyar, Silver Dust, I am goin’ to do a leetle spyin’. D’ye jess stay hyar with Miss Real, and don’t yo move ‘less ye are driv’ to it, while [ll crawl] ’long the pass and see what thar is at t?otherend. Mind ye don’t git oneasy ef I don’t kem back afore daylight, less ye hear me gi’n my whistle, when ye may know I hev got gobbled up, and ye had better t for our hiding-place like mad. Arter thet o what ye think is best. But I don’t ’tend to let ’em dig my funeral. Sharp's the word, and don’t git skeery. .Hyar I go.’ With this hacen tote tive sere the pass-way, an to crawl slowly forward. Dustin and Real watched him anxiously un- til his form faded from sight in the darkness. Then time wore slowly on and they heard nothing from. him. ‘Where can he be?” asked Real, at last, un- able to bear the suspense longer without speak- ing. THe has met with no mishap or he would have warned us,” replied Silver Dust. ‘‘ Try and keep up bope a little longer. He will doubtless soon return,” Again they relapsed into silence, and still Rock did not return. Fully an hour had passed and Dare was be- ginning to grow nervous as well as his com- panion. ‘*He must come back soon,” he said. ‘* What if he don’t?” “Then. we must look out for ourselves. Hark! I thought I heard a cry from the savages.” The words had scarcely left his lips when a wild, terrifying shriek awoke the stillness of the night. Dustin and Real started with dread forebod- ings. Before either could speak a sharp whistle rung on the air, coming from the same way as the war- whoop. “ Rock has fallen among the savages!” ex- claimed Silver Dust, in dismay. Real Greenwood was for the moment the more self-possessed of the two, but she attempt- ed no reply. ‘* We had better follow Rock’s advice,” Dare went on to say after an instant. ‘‘We can do though I pray he may escape. Let’s return to our hiding-place. ercy! I should think the whole Apache nation was in Black Pocket valley.” The foes had indeed raised sucha Babel of sounds that the uproar was almost deafening. Mingling with the cries, too, was the report of fire-arms. , To Real, though used to border life, the con- fusion was terrible, and she could not help shud- dering as she shrunk inst her companion. Leading her gently orward with words of encouragement, in started toward the spot where they had found their covert before. He had scarcely turned, however, when he paused in dismay. Coming up from the center of the Pocket, he saw a y of men approaching him! They seemed to discover thim at the samo moment, for they instantly threw their rifles to their shoulders, Real came near, uttering a cry of terror. Seeing that it was impossible to escape, Silver Dust was forced to meet them, though his heart sunk within him. ‘Don’t fire, boys!” they heard the foremost say. | > one of them is a woman, and they may en be fri ething in the man’s tone seemed. not alto- gether that of a ruffian’s, and Dustin Dave was emboldened tosay: “We are to the S geil “Good! Who are you?’ the leader asked, as he came nearer. ‘We are'prisoners in this place. We had a Eomicbooks com