Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 153 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 back and under his win set, it’s on him now —and takin’ hold of it, | made him fly from the ledge, s’posin’ he’d jist hop down a little ways, but Dll declare if he didn’t sail off with me cown the valley and went five miles afore he lit. Oh, but 1 was skeered! I jist shut my eyes and hung on for dear life. P’izen! how the wind did whistle as we shot through the air, I jist made up my mind I’d not try that ag’in, but then I got over my skeer and one day hitched on ag’in and away we went down the valley a flukin’. I got so at last, I kind o’ liked the fun, and Whirlwind seemed to like if, too; and IL kept on till I got him so’s he’d go jist bout as I wanted him to. But he can’t carry me very fur, and now when I want to a long ways, I make him skim along the prairie so’s Ican touch my toes on the ground and in that way I can outruna horse. That’s jist the way I got in ahead of you and that robber to-night. Whirlwind was circlin’ in the air when I met you on the prairie in the fog, and as soon as I recovered from that shot and see’d you're gone, I whistled Whirlwind down, took Lold of this rig and if ever you see’d a small boy vanked on. tip-toe—half carried and _ half dragged—across the prairie it was this kitten, You see Whirlwind can’t soar up’ards ‘ith me, but by startin’ from a high point he can give me a long ride before he gits down. See, he’s bigger’n, I be, Miss Maple.’ he boy stood up by the eagle. The bird was the tallest; the bird was the largest. “See whata reach his wings has,” and he threw awide his arms, which movement was imitated by the bird extending his great wings at full width. “Tf know now why you're called the Boy Demon,” said Mabel. Kit burst into a peal of merry laughter. ‘Oh, yes,” he said, ’'ve been makin’ it livel for the robbers and road-agents lately, and reckon they call me bad names; but Boy Demon or Boy Angel, I’m the boss outfit to give them trouble. But, Miss Maple, we’re not safe here, andif you’re willin’ to trust me, we’d better be off to the Erie, as I call my home.” “Kit, I trust you with all my heart, and am ready to go with you,” replied Mabel adjusting her hat and shawl. The two at once left their retreat and moved away through the After an hour or two’s * inding and twisting among the valleys and defiles they began the ascent of a steep moun- tain, U'p and up they climbed, passing through a dark, narrow, dripping tunnel—a strange freak of nature—on up into the very clouds of jeaven. At length they reached the Erie, a dry cave in the mountain side, where they were l:indly received by the old Indian Macomah, who pre them a supper of dried venison and broiled pigeon. Mabel passed the night comfortably as could be expected, and early the next morning when the sun burst through the mist she beheld, from front of the Erie, the gold-lined and tumbling beneath and around her, im ng her mind with the delusion of being afloat on the ethereal billows, The plain was shut off from view, but as the dey advanced the clouds lifted and revealed the low-lying foot-hills, the distant prairies and their wood-lined rivers stretching away into the radiant east. Advancing to Mabel’s side, the little dwarf pointed out his eagle that was poised aloft on airy wing, a tiny speck in the sky. “You see Whirlwind’s takin’ his mornin’ ramble, and after while he’ll come home with the dews of heaven on his wings, and ten to one with a bird or animal for his breakfast. He’sa voracious critter, Maple, and it ’d make ye scream to see him drop through the air on some critter. T’other day he come whistlin’ in with a real white pigeon in his talons. It was a bv aucheful bird, but Whirlwind ’d squized the life out of it, poor thing; but I took it from him aud what do ye think I found ’round its neck?” ‘ A ribbon, I presume,” answered Mabel. ‘* No, a th with a paper tached to it, and there were writin’ on the paper, but as neither I nor Macomah could read I throwed’t away.” “Then it were a carrier pigeon Kit,” said Mabel. “A which?” “A earrier-pigeon —a pigeon that carries messages from one place to another; ha - government flicers in they are used by from one fort to another.” c ing dispatches “Gosh! I never thought of that before—ob, look! lock at old Whirlwind!—down he goes— jee-whiz! ain’t that boss?” Mabel’s eyes were on the eagle when Kit first spoke. She saw the bird close his wings and the ledge in clouds rollin + —— me ae ee Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. ——_— ——— the swiftness of a falling meteor—down, so swift that the eye could scarcely follow him, he went half the distance to the earth, then he threw out his wings, wheeled in the air and then shot upward again and upon swift wing made his way toward the Erie. “He’s got somethin’—that’s the way he does it,” said Kit; *‘he’s comin’ in and we'll soon see what it is.” a — dart straight downward through the air with | freshments, and after while I'll come out and plant them critters under the oleanders and oranges.” Together the three returned to camp. As they entered the swale Mr. Vane was the first one they met. Ned introduced him and r. ' Others came up and were introduced to the odd- looking old man. But there was one of all the rty that Ned was exceedingly anxious to in- _troduce to Prosper, and that was Major Daniel Closer and closer came the eagle upon whist- | Baron. But he was not in sight. Ned inquired ling wings. In silence the girl and boy waited his return. In a few moments he hovered above them, then rt began to settle down until he reach- ed the rock at their feet. A cry burst from Mabel’s li Oh! ho! yil” yelled Kit, ‘*he’s got another of them white | tea war talkin’ bout! Give it to me, i and let’s see if it’s got a paper—yes, sir, it h by hokey! here’s a paper! here’s a a go writin’ onto it! It’s a messenger-bird—yocp, hi! read it, Maple, and let’s see what it says.” He took the paper—a tiny bit neatly folded— from the neck of the dea | Nasictiie with glee, we | of Nebraska Ned. lwind, | ing awa bird, for the eagle | which he spoke, but before any one could reply | for him. ““He’s gone—left soon after you did this mornin’,” said one of the party: ‘‘he declared he was goin’ in search of Mabel, and mountin’ xe hoss rode away like the furies were after im, A look of disappointment overspread the face For a moment he stood look- over the plain as if in deep thought. Then as be Ss of a tiny speck movin along the w orizon, he turned to friends and said: “Men, I am going to follow Major Baron.” His friends were startled by the manner in had killed it, and unfolding it banded it to | he was gone. n it, but in such ifficulty she made Mabel. There was writing u a fine hand that it was wit out the following: “Send more men—we attacked Baron's train at mouth of Honey Creek and got licked. Come to- day so we can try them: to-night, for win we will. Our old leader, Captain Handsome, is with the train. Lost four men killed—several wounded. “* Mrppieron.”’ ‘“By snakes!” exclaimed Kit, “that from that p’izen old outlaw, Doc. Middleton!” ‘“* And the train to be captured is that of my friends!” said Mabel. ‘“* Yes, but they’ve got one lickin’ and may git another. Maple, 1 war on my way to put your folks on their rd when I fust met you. I had learned that much by playin’ spy on Old Doc at the Dead Pine meetin’.” ‘‘There must be one mistake in this message,” said Mabel, reading it over; ‘it a our old leader, Captain Han is with the train.’ I do not understand it; it must be a secret cipher.” : “Tt may be, Maple, I can’t say; and it may m what it says.” . Ste he they propose to attack the train again , Kit! I must go at once and put them on their % Kit burst into a peal of laughter. “Why, gal * he see we've got the message, so the robbers ‘I ignorant of Middleton’s wants; besides, it’s twenty miles to Honey Creek. Just you rest easy and I'll see that your father gits this m afore the sun sets. aps he can tell what that ‘Captain Handsome’ means,” CHAPTER VI. WILD CASSANDRA. Wuen Nebraska Ned and Dick Rodman dashed from their.covert to the assistance of Judge Zelotes Prosper, their shout brought the four advanci'g outlaws to a halt. At the same moment a derringer in the hand of the judg flashed in the face of the robber, who, embold- ened by the presence of his four friends, had attem to leap forward and disarm the old man; but the latter was not to be caught in this manner, and the robber paid for his rash- ness with his life. As soon as the judge had di of the foe in front of him, he turned and leveled his re- volvers on the four advancing from the east. “Bang! bang!” went his unerring little weapons, and two of the foar went down, and seeing the odds were now against them the other two booters took to their heels. Old r uttered a yell of triumph and sent a few random shots after the fleeing vil- lains. “Bravo! hurrah for you, judge!” shouted Nebraska Ned, as he advanced to the old man’s side. “Ho! ba! ha! Neddy, didn’t I put an in- unction on their deviltry tho’, quicker nor a ound pup can lick a skillet? y can’t come contempt on this ’ere court, not a bit of it. I didn’t come up bere to hurt anybody, but I will if they don’t show proper respect for the court. If they don’t like my decisions they’ve the right of appeal to the supreme judge. e oleanders and oranges bloom—” “T say, judge,” interrupted Ned, “come, let us go into camp; I know you must be tired and hungry after your night of wild adventures in these woods. “Wal, I reckon the court will adjourn for re- Ten minutes later the gallant young ranger was mounted upon his spirited mustang with his rifle slung at his back, and his revolvers with every chamber loaded, in his belt. Riding up to where Dick Rodman stood, he said: ‘Dick, I leave this train in your care. Guard it carefully.” Then he turned, leaped his mustang up the embankment and _— sharply away over the prairie toward the directly upon the trail of Major Baron. Not once did the brave, determined boy turn his eyes from his course before bim; but with brows contracted and lips compressed, he his animal forward with eager impatience. He watched the foothills as they drew nearer and nearer. He counted the moments as they pass- The sun stood upon the meridian when he came toa little purling stream that had its source in the mountains. He stopped to let his horse drink. He was whistling thoughtfully to himself when suddenly a clear, ving: lish voice called out to him: ‘* How d’ye do, Nebraska Ned?” With a start he his eyes. the sum- raised y On mit of a little knoll he beheld that which filled him with surprise and brought a smile to his lips and the color to his cheeks. Upon a sorry- looking old horse,whose four feet were bunched pi ee the hillock, sat the figure of a young irl with a wild, wonderous face of remarkable ty. She could not have been over sixteen ears of age. Her dark eyes were large, lus- trous and poate Her hair hung in long disordered masses down her back. Her com- a once fair, was bronzed to the hue of an dian’s almost, by exposure to the sun and wind. Her ments were plain yet neat, Her head was , as were her little feet and anAWhy, Cassandra!” exclaimed Ned, “ : Lf ndra!” ex * you little witch, is it you?’ ene “Yes,” she replied, her eyes sparkling with a roguish light, ‘it is me; hav’n’t I a right to be here?’ “Yes, but you are surely not aware of the surrounding at ‘*T don’t care for the dangers,” she said a lit- tle petulantly; ‘“‘Pll give you to understand, Mr. Ned, that I’m none of your delicate hot- house plants. I’m not afraid to ramble these hills over or use a pistol ifI have to. Ireckon you think like the folks at the Agency that I’m a rompin’ tom-boy, but I’m going to romp if Rett hates—” ‘* Cassandra,” interrupted Ned, ‘‘ you misun- derstand me.” ‘*Ob, I do!” she exclaimed, and her whole countenance seemed to burst into a flood of joy and sunshine; “well, let it all pass, Ned—but say, where are goin’? over to the Reservation?” | No, but I wish I were, and then I'd get to go home with you.” “We'd have a horse-race if you did, wouldn’t we?” the rude but honest-hearted little t said; “‘and oh! wouldn’t it be jolly for me to beat hao Nebraska Ned loved this wild, beautiful and pom tee l,and it was evident to all that w them that his love was recipro- cated. She was the daughter of an Indian trader, Andre Markelle, who resided at the Agency some ten miles south of where the oung e met. Cassandra, or Wild Cassa =. she Pee better known, was a wild, wayward girl, fearless and daring as any youth on the EOMmichboo (E “S