Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 184 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

-- ness the setting of another sun, unless you con- | aes to marry the young chiet, here, Shooting star. ** The bond must be a legal one—I have taken care that it shall be so. A missionary has been living and working to the north of this, among the Plain Crees. I sent out a party of braves to bring him here. Just now a runner came in, reporting the complete success of the expedi- tion. The priest will be here by woon to- morrow, and immediatelv after his arrival he will perform the ceremony uniting you two as man and wife.” ‘“*T will tell him the truth—he will refuse to prostitute his sacred office!” passionately cried Sibyl. ‘*And by so doing, doom Lancelot Daintree to certain death, preceded by torture the most diabolical that Indian ingenuity can invent,” coldly interposed the hermit. ‘‘ One of those two—a wedding or a death—can avert the catas- trophe that threatens us all. You must choose between them. You have until to-morrow noon to decide.” | oe these words he turned and left the odge. For a few moments Sibyl lay upon the pallet of skin, her face buried in her hands, half stunned by the parting words of the man whom she had been taught to call father. But then a faint hope began to dawn in her heart as she heard the slight noise caused by Shooting Star prcaens, shifting his seat. Onco before he had given her proof of a native nobility of soul such asis rarely met with among savages: might not a fresh appeal to him prove successful? The Snow Sprite raised her head, but her heart sunk again as her gaze rested upon the face of the chief. His eyes drooped before her steady look, but there was a hard-set expression upon his features that boded ill for her success. ‘*Chief, you will have pity upon me?’ she uttered, arising and passing around the fire to his side. ‘‘ You heard what he—my father— said? There is another brave to whom my heart is given, one whom [I have pledged my- selfto wed. You would not have me forswear myself? You would not claim a bride whose heart belongs to another?” “The White Medicine is an cold and very wise man,” returned the half-breed, evasively. ‘t He says that love will come after marriage—that when the missionary gives you to me, your heart will allbe mine, and your thoughts will no longer follow his enemy.” Sibyl! flushed hotly, her eyes flashing. ‘*No one can foree me to marry where my heart has not first gone. I do not love you—I never can, never will.” ‘*My love is great enough for us both, I do not ask much. It will be enough if I have you in my lodge. I can look at you. Sometimes you will smile. That will be sweeter to me than fond kisses from the lips of any other wo- man. ‘* You are easily satisfied,” and despite her- self, Sibyl could not entirely smother a smile; but this was only for a moment. ‘‘ But even that is more than you will be granted. I will never enter your lodge.” ‘Remember what your father said. You can never marry that man, so whv not make the best of it? Try and forget him, then all will be well. He will keep his scalp upon his head, and in time find some one els2 to keep his lodge fire burning. A dead man is no good, Even your love would fail to warm him.” The young chief knocked the ashes from his pipe and rose to his feet, with the air of one who had uttered an unanswerable argument. ‘‘See, I am a man,” he added, spreading wide his arms and proudly confronting the Snow Sprite. ‘‘I am a chief now; when Keki- onga dies, then I will be the head of my tribe. A thousand warriors will be your slaves—but of them al!, none will be more devoted or love you better than I.” ‘*You are wasting both time and breath,” cried Sibyl, passionately. ‘I will never marry you—I would sooner drive this knife to your heart!” ‘Strike!’ and Shooting Star bared his broad bosom to the threatening steel. ‘‘ I would sooner receive death from your hand than life from that of another!” For one instant his life hung trembling in the balance. The keen blade hung quivering in the air. Hunted, desperate, the Snow Sprite was strongly tempted to deal the blow that would forever rid her of his pretensions, Had he shown the slightest trace of fear, the weapon wou!d have found its sheath in his heart. Instead, Sibyl turned the blade toward her own bosom. ; The Boy Trailers. “Go! leave me, or [ will kill myself—I swear it!” The young chief saw that she was in deadly ae ee earpest; the weapon was touching her breast; and knowing that be could arrest the blow by no other means, he silently bowed his head and left the lodge. CHAPTER VILL. INTO THE SNARE. Wi1rTH the evanishment of Shooting Star, the spirit which had thus far sustained Sibyl, abruptly yielded, and she sunk down upon the pile of furs and skins, burying her face in her hands and sobbing as though her heart would break. She had under_one so many trials of late that it was little wonder she gave way now. The strangely blended past flashed before her memory now. She recalled the wild, romantic life she had led for years, longer than she could remember. Then Lancelot Daintree crossed her parr: From saving his life, she grew to love 1im with all the passionate ardor of her un- tamed heart. From frowning, the man who called her daughter, smiled upon their love. Then came that awful, never-to-be-forgotten be- trothal feast. From the very pinnacle of bliss she had been plunged into the depths of bitter despair. For weeks she had mourned Dainty Lance as forever lost to her. Even if alive, which she did not dare hope, he could never find her in this remote region. On this night she learned that her lover—her betrothed husband—was alive and well; that he was near at hand, searching for her, He had followed her from that far-away icy home—but only to meet a cruel death unless she could bring herself to sacrifice all that: she held dear on earth. A bitter, sobbing cry burst from her lips. ‘Oh Lance, my darling! if you only knew!” Abruptly Sibyl raised her head and pushed the long, tangled locks of golden hair back from her brow, listening breathlessly, an eager light in her tear-dimmed eyes. ' A cautious sound had come to her ears, Some- thing or somebody was tapping against the skin lodge, just beyond where her head had been resting. A wild hope found birth in her heart as Siby! heard the signal repeated. ** Lance—my husband—is it indeed you?” The words fell almost unconsciousiy from her lips, but they betrayed the nature of the new- born hope. The gentle tapping sound ceased, and as Siby! gazed she saw a knife. point pierce the stout hide, She saw it move slowly downward, then at right angles, ceasing only when an aperture large enough to permit the passage of a human being had been formed. The knife-point vanished and a human face was cautiously thrust into the opening. For one breathless moment the Snow Sprite gazed upon the face, then her glad hope died away, and she bowed her head once more, beart- sick and faint, ‘The face was not that of Dainty Lance, but of an utter stranger. Noiselessly the stranger entered the lodge, and passing by the maiden, proceeded to secure the skin door-flap by pinning it firmly to the ground with the stout pegs provided for that purpose. Now none could enter the lodge with- out considerable trouble; most certainly not without the knowledge of the present inmates. This precaution taken, the stranger turned to Sibyl and sat down beside her upon the pallet of skins. The startled maiden sbrunk away and would have cried aloud in alarm, only for the hand which was swiftly pressed upon his lips. Me Iam your friend—I come to serve you!” Sibyl’s eyes rather than her ears reassured her. By the red glow of the fire she saw that her strange visitor was a woman, Cespite her masculine size ard garb. It was indeed Neta- waka, the Wolf Queen. “You are a woman, Iam not afraid,” said Sibyl, softly. ‘‘ You say you are a friend, but I do not remember ever secing you before.” ‘“‘T have seen you. My eyes have watched you often when you thought you were all alone. I have seen you with Aim—with the young chief, Shooting Star.” There was a sound in the voice of the amtozon that startled Sibyl as she uttered the name of the Indian, and the suspicion that cadence gave birth to was confirmed by the peculiar light in those great dark eyes. An eager light filled her own eyes, for she believed she had found an ally. “You was watching him in here? You heard what we said?’ ‘Yes, l was watching. See! I headan arrow ‘ rin? ’ Rays 2 | pare: > ie 2 AS ae ee ee eee —— a ne —— a <= : i ee eee ee 11 ee notched and my bow ready bent. The point covered your heart. If you had yielded—if you had given the least sign of accepting his ove—you would have died at his feet!’ ‘** You love him, then?” ‘** Yes—he is ury heart, my soul. I learned to love him long betore you came here. Only for your snow-face—” ‘*He must be blind, to look at me twice after seeing you!” said Sibyl, and she was in earnest when she spoke, for her eyes dwelt in wonder- ing admiration upon the physical perfection be- side her. ‘' You are the most fit for a warrior’s wife. You and he would make a splendid couple, Did he ever tell you so?” ‘** No,” said Netawaka, her bright eyes droop-’ ing, her face flushing and her noble bosom heaving rapidly. ‘‘He never looked at me that [know. I never came to the village, and i have been afraid to meet him face to face out- side, ever since the little bird woke up and be- gun to sing in my heart. But he would have seen me soon—he would have heard the bird sing—only for your coming.” ‘You say you were watching us; then you must have heard what I told him. I can never love him, for | love another.” “Tt know,” and the Wolf Queen laughed softly. ‘‘f knew that before you spoke—” Sibyl tried to speak, but only a gasping sob came from her lips as she stared wildly into the smiling face that hung over her. hat she read there fairly stilled her heart and paralyzed her tongue. ‘Dainty Lance—is not that the name?’ whispered Netawaka, as Ler strong arms stole around the maiden and drew her head down upon her bosom. ‘I have seen him—he is well —he is near waiting to bear you away to bis lodge, where you will be happy as the day is long,” the Wolf Queen murmured softly, like « mother soothing her child. A wiser course she could not have pursued, Poor Sibyl had been so terribly tried that with- out this mesmeric influence she might, and prob- ably would, have given way to the hysterical impulse that caused her frame to quiver like a storm-tossed leaf. If so, the watchtul ears with- out would have taken the alarm and all hopes of flight been frustrated. | In her low, soothing voice, Netawaka told Sibyl how she bad made the acquaintance of Dainty Lance and Hardy Zeph, and how they came to confide in her and accept her as anally. ‘I did not know then that | would be serv- ing myself, as well,” said the amazon, softly laughing. “‘T will help you to escape. You will marry your white lover. Shooting Star will be mad for a little while, but then his eyes will open again and he may look upon Neta- waka kindly.” ‘*He will—I am sure of it,” eagerly said Sibyl. ‘Only take me to Lancelot and we will gl night and day that you two may come ogether and be as he ppy as we. Can you— will you help me escape?” The Wolt Queen hesitated, but it was only foramoment. Though several days had elapsed since she learned for sure that Sibyl] was here, she had not told the boy trappers of her dis- covery, for reasons which sae be inferred from her own words already given, Still she knew where to find them and a more favorable oppor- tunity of ridding herself of a dangerous rival might not egain present itself, ‘* He said the priest would be here to-morrow; unless I can escape to-night, it will ke forever too Jate,” added Sibyl. ‘You shall escape to-night,” said the Wolf Queen, decisively. ‘Getready. Wrap a robe around you. our dress is too tight. Some keen eye might catch sight of it as we are steal- ing away. will go out and see if the coast is clear, The Wolf Queen stooped and listened beside the severed skin for a moment. No suspicious sound came to her ears, and parting the edges, she noiselessly glided out from the lodge. Sibyl stared with an air of alarm as she raised arobe, A low, scuffling sound came from out- side the tent, and for a moment she believed that her new-found ally bad been discovered stealing from the lodge. If so, she knew that all was lost. But no further sounds came, and she com- pleted her preparations for flight. A few min- utes later, there came a faint tapping upon the lodge, and the skin flap was partially raised as the voice of the Wolf Queen bade her come, She crept forth—only to have rough hands seize her, and a heavy blanket wrapped .suf- focatingly around her head, She had been betrayed into the hands of her vorst enemies! | OO KO) sor —_—