Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 146 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

_—— ee ae ee tree until he could see the white hunter, shook his fist at him, and then turned and strode majestically, triumphantly away into the woods. ‘Great lord of Ballyeorn 1’ exclaimed the hunter, as he saw the chief retreating. he act’ly saved your life?” “Yes, he did,” replied Silver Star, keeping his eyes upon the hunter through fear of treachery. “Well, then, that saves him/ If it wer’n’t for that I'd foller him and exterminate the red-white bastion—I would, by the holy Moses. Boy, it seems awful queer that I didn’t knock that tree from atwixt us and abolish him, soul and body. I see, now, I’m a fool for not doing it—I see it plain as the nose on my face, and that’s plain enough since it’s three times its nateral longi and latitood. Jist look, fips sa whar my proboscis war jerked against that by that infernalated red bastion. Oh, that a thought ‘d do the work, wouldn’t I abolish him, t h?—wouldn’t ' smash him all over Dakota like a flirt? Oh, save me! I’m mad—mader’n a bum- dlebee. ut, what's the use frettin’? Come to cox poate sw’ar I believe that I’ve heard that cuss’s vaice before—years ago. If he’d jist shed his paint and dirt, mebby I'd know him.”’ ‘Very likely,’’ answered the boy; ‘“‘and it seems to me that 1 ag to know you.”’ “Well, you'd ought, that’s a fact; but as my features are somewhat out of gear, and puffed up so like a blowing adder, I reckon rl wouldn't know me. But my nameis Arkansaw Abe —Old Arkansaw, the Traveler and Scout; that’s me, 8 ond Arkansaw!” exclaimed the boy, in surprise and delight; ‘you don’t tell me! And yet, I might essed as much,” “Yes, sir ’ee, hossfly; I’m that very old pilgrim, No great shakes for beauty, but noted for my sweet disposition and charmin’ ways.” eee = “ Boy, did you say ‘You've been.e ted at the fort some time,” said the Boy Kn gh “Yes; 1 arriv’ thar last night.” ‘Then you've been to the fort?” *'Yes—oh, yes; and I hadn't been there but a few hours when Iwas started in search of one of the scouts belongin’ to the fort; and the star on your embragi tells me I’ve found him. You, boy are that little bloody Turk ealled Silver Star, ar’n’t ?’ “TI am, Arkansaw; but, why aged ic sent in search of me? Did Elwe get threugh safe?” ‘““Who’s Elwe? your hoss? It come through in good time all right side up.” “Without a rider?” “Without a rider.”’ Silver Star uttered a groan and fairly staggered under the terrible news. yew On Qh. my God!” he exclaimed; “then Elwe is CHAPTER V. AND THE BOY KNIGHT MAKE A RECON- NOISSANCE, “Boy,” replied Old Arkansaw, “‘what do you mean by saying Elwe is lost? Who and what is Elwe?”’, In as few words as postihie the Boy Knight nar- rated the adventure of the balloon, his rescue of Elwe, and her flight upon his ho Ord Arkansaw was astonished by the lad’s story, apd when he had concluded his narration, the hun- ARKANSAW ter said: “Then the r young thing never got rough. The hoss oamatt ht, butt no girl. I should think if the red-sking got her, they’d taken t hoss too; so it*s my solemn opinion that she’s been A ‘Oh, merciful heavens!” cried the boy, “I hope such is not the case. I cannot bear to Elwe fs dead. She was the prettiest girl, Arkansaw, that you ever laid youreyes on, And, then, she was as gentle as an angel; why, if it hadn’t been for them wicked men in the b’loon, I'd ’a’ believed she war sent from beaven direct.”’ . ‘Love! love!” muttered the old borderman, “I never knowed a boy to rescue a gal from danger in my life but he fell in love with her, heels over head. And then ip oh alers angels—beauchiful, and all this sort of things, even they're ugly as mud fences. ._Like as not your Elwe ‘d look like a bird without plumage to me. You see, old eyes and young eyes don’t see alike. Iused to see an angel in every eae face, but, how're you angels now? After L got jilted forty-seven times, the female sex became Med lain—really human. But it’s mighty queer *bou t balloon business—some mystery. Wh didn’t you ax your angel "bout it, Silver Star?” “T did ask her, and she had just telling me when we discovered the Indians down upon us.. But, Arkansaw, [ must know. what become of that girl—I will never quit these woods until I know w er she is dead or alive.’ : “Now, see here, boy; you've got & name all over Dakota ani creation for bein’ one of the slick- est-and most. successful Fanrern and s0 don’t, for pity sake, let this girl-hunt spile all. “Do you advise me, Arkansaw, to let her go—to not. lk after her? to leave nets if livin’ at the mercy of 1irsty savages?” : Mh, ng, bilver Star: be a mat He. Pasir ae woman, if necessary—and you want to, Du too hasty, Keep. cool aad calculate carefully, and then see how she'll figger up. Now, Captain Barns ae ee of the soldiers a u aoe Pil a or me to return with some game for_ bre ’ 7} you'll a till ¥ ock out a chunk of that, dead eer, we'll go up to’ camp,” “Did you fire at that deer, Arkansaw?” the boy questioned, “T did, for a fact.” replied Old Arkansaw; “ but P’ll bet the ‘** And so did I, though I did not hear your gun. There are two bullet-holes in the animal’s side. We must have fired simultaneously.” “Yes, for I didn’t hear your gun tid you begun to rattle off pete Ren vay fis ac a eavens, ao you manag e,foraboy. You’re a one, I'll vow. I’m awful glad to meet you, Silver Star; here, give us a shake—like to forgot that; but say, jist don’t say an thing to the boys "bout the way I got that White Crane fixed up to abolish him, They might consider it a thunderated good joke on —on—well, the tree we war huggin’ ap so skrim shus. Jist kind o’ leave it all to me; I'll fix eS t battered mug o’ mine, to the boys, satisfactorily.” The scouts secured a portion of the deer, and the weapons of the fallen red-skins and at once set out for camp, where they soon arrived. Silver Star was received in camp with shouts of joy’ but great was their surprise when the men saw he face of Old Arkansaw, bruised and bleeding; and they at once plied him with questions regarding his injuries. asil or Sear Ne fixed t tter up b ht ed Silver Star, he e ma up by a peseperation of facts in a manner that reflected upon himself. While the old frontiersman and one of the soldiers were hg ade the venison for breakfast, Silver Pp ted, and as he promis- Silver Star, the Boy Knight. mm — ooo re ae was the dreaded young pale-face upon “Who?” exclaimed the man, apparently excited; “Silver Star?”’ “Yes; did you not see the star upon his breast?” the Indian maiden—for such the venturesome boy discovered her to be—replied. a Had I known that, he would never have escaped ve,” “* Does Silent Heart fear him like my people?”’ Ah! who is Silent Heart? thought the listener. ‘“‘No; I do not fear him; but he ismy enemy and your enemy, Nathelah.”’ “Yes; and he is going toward our village,” re- plied the maiden, ‘‘and Natbelah should hurry and alarm the village.” “Do not be in a hurry, Nathelah; your people are not asleep. Silent Heart has much to say, for it will be many moons before he sees his sweetheart again. lam going away.”’ “Going away? Is Silent Heart tired of Nathelah? Does a fairer one sing words of love in his ear?” the girl asked. “I will meet you here again, Nathelah. Watch A ges river, and when a broken oar floats by the e, meet me here. I will come,” ‘*And will you love Nathelah then as now?” “ Why should I not? Have I not pledged my love Star told tain Barns of all that had ‘transp to you?” since he left the fort. The captain was astounded “They tell me the tongue of the pale-face lover at the story of the balloon and the disap of | sometimes is crooked.” the maiden, and many and various were the con- “Why should you doubt me, Nathelah?”’ jectures concerning the aeronauts and their stran “Did the river not give to you one fairer than Na- conduct. With what little that Silver Star had | thelah? Is she not in the wigwam of the Silent gathered of their conversation, Captain Barns felt | Heart? and can her smiles and soft voice rot win his satisfied that the girl, Elwe, was the victim of some Tr conspiracy, foul and malicious. “But the maiden must be found, be she dead or alive,” the soldier said. ‘One of the pickets said your horse came in from the direction of Deep Ford; and as this Jo 2 ana Pl in the vicinity of the Indian e, she might have fallen into savage power.”’ “If so, then there may be some hope of finding her,’’ declared the young scout; “ but at any rate, I'm Boing to hunt for her, until I know her fate.” m d you can count on my assistance,” said the officer. Breakfast being prepared and eaten, the part mounted their animals, and took their departure east, along the river. As they had brought Silver Star’s horse along with them, the youth oncé more found himself at_ home in the saddle, and that, too, with his _shield-star blazing brightly upon his breast in the morning e party rode on until noon when they halted for dinner and to await the coming of were not far from the Indian village now, and what was to be done must be done under cover of night. With restless impatience Silver Star wa the sun go down, and when the shadows of night again settled over aah F bipicee, in company with Old Ar- kansaw, moun horse and rode off up the river to make a reconnoissance of the Indian . An hour's ride brought them within sight of a hundred Moe lights on the opposite side of the river. ** Great Scotland!’ ex ed Silver Star, pointin across toward the town; “T’d give my whole righ and title to all Dakota if I could go through yor hor- net’s nest like a volley of gra. ot.” 4 “I wish so, too, boy, if wishin’ Il do any good,” have their opties skinned and lars Open 1 jist Want to meet that. sweet-scented te Crane again, and if I don’t show him a thin or two I'll give my head for a toad-stool.. 1f IT shoul faebt hil Conteh Td eoatter mas “ | their aurac upo ugh Kneis | of tn ’ carcass all over this territory, and redden the moonshine with his blood. The cowardly sneakin’ ole bastion!. Hivens! how I should like clap them paws n him again!’’ and the old scout brought his palms tegether until they cracked like a pistol-shot. “Suppose we go over and stir that hornits’ nest Pp, anyhow ?” suggested the Boy Knight, “Haw! haw! haw!” laughed the scout, softly; “a bo cen pes a hornits’ nest without shying a stone at it. But then, I’m in fur anything that’s full of fun and fire. We might go over and charge into their village and—then charge out again before the varmints sting, though it’ll be awful risky. Jerusa- lem crickets! won't it raise a seethin’ howl! Why, nothin’ll compare with it since the morning stars Pane, together, and the Romans charged on “ Well, we'll have to go up the river to cross.” “Can’t we swim her here?—tike Washington did the raging Rubicon?” **No; the banks are too steep,” replied the youth, pading the way up the river. In a few minutes they came to what was known as the Deep Ford; and entering the stream, they cross- to the other side. Just as they were em rom the water, the keen eyes of the Boy caught sight of two eanoes standing. Monge of each other in the shadows of the tank 4 1 or so below the crossing.. There was an occupant in each boat. ‘Silver Star said nothing of his discovery until some distance from the river, when be.drew rein and dl his co on to do likewise, . , he tk eo He approached. the river with the silence of a and at length eame wi ow, ‘3 4 ' | | | ward in his stirrups he raised the thin | there “ Never, Nathelah, never!”’ This assurance seemed to quiet the jealous fears of the Indian girl, and after a few minutes more of stolen bliss, their interview ended. The maiden headed her canoe Cown-stream, and the lover turned his in the opposite direction. In a minute or two both had disappeared. Ever read grasp at straws, the Boy Knight be- gan to analyze the conversation of the lovers. He wondered who Nathelah could be jealous of—who the fair one was that the river had given t» Silent Heart. Could it have been Elwe? The boy started at the question, and with the thought uppermost in his mind he returned to OF} Arkansaw and made known bis discovery, but with - out claiming any material benefit of what he had heard more than that the Indian girl would returs to the village and inform her friends that Silver Star was about, and put them on their guard. “Then. let us rack out like a small hurricane,” night,. They | said Old Arkansaw, ‘‘and git down there ahead of the dusky brat, and go through the town like ed lightnin’.”’ age eh So saying, they galloped toward the Indian village, Old Arkansaw takin g the lead. Silver Star did not exactly know what his old companion’s course of action was; but he made up his mind to follow him wherever he dared to go. Straight on toward the Sioux town galloped the reckless scouts, and the nearer they approached it the faster they fode. Not a savage seemed to dis- pute their way, and without the least alarm bein Temes they suddenly dashed into the outskirts a And .now arose a Pandemonium of noises on the October night. Old Arkansaw uttered a yell of de- fiance and. discharged his revolver at the nearest savage. Silver Star followed his exemple, and then, pute g spur, they thundered away through the ark part of the villa, ~ with the yelping of dogs the shouts and cries of women and children, and the jpsoetin’ the warriors trailing after them until nigkt. e hideous with the sounds. But as well might they have pursued the wind, for, ere they were aware of the fact, the raiders were in the woods—out of reach of all dangers. But so successful had been the ride of the fearless scouts that Silyer Star was not content to let wef eno alone, and he resolved to make another dash It is true, nothing had been accomplished by the charge, aside from the wild excitement it created, but this was not what had_taken,the Boy Knight there. He was ir search of Elwe; and no sooner did he find himself in the woods with the savages all drawn from the village in pursuit, than he resolved to take advantage of the moment, and run another and ter risk in Elwe’s behalf. Re hout saying a sy ee "pia gegeind ne turr- ed abrupt eri and geallopea away through the site Rae o the river. Then, turning how n the stream, he again entered the Indian town on the south side, at which point he knew the plece was ce- serted, the savages—men, women and children—be- at the otherside of the village. th impunity, the daring boy galloped down inte the very heart of the Indian town. He knew enoug® of Indian habits and customs to know that the prises. was located near the center of the village, a2. always d by, some peculiar device. As bh advanced the young scout selected this lodge frov. among the many, and rode straight toward it. In « moment more he was at the door of the tent, Nv one was there to dispute his way, and leaning fo)- fiap-doorau look ed. ip. , But, darkness filed the aparitment—he heard *“Elwe? ilwe, are you here?” he ca¥ed ont, bei aséertain, if possible, who the two | he saw no ‘ were in the canoes. was no response. Again he called the name « earshot of the two unknown ns... Listening in- , Elwe. A yell was the only answer... It was a savac« ney, he was surprised to hear some one, speaking . Eng sh, +t > zt A number of squaws seeing him, gave the alarm ?. One of the horses looked like that which crossed | the most frightful, discordant screams that ever ix- here last night.’ To this a girlish voice replied: sued from human lungs: and in another momen! that swarm of savages was roiling back from ti. MmicvookssGo (E@)