Beadle's Half Dime Library, Vol. 1, No. 2 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

16 —— ee ee Se though the Blackfeet believed you the sister of the man they call the Blood-Drinker. At least you were captured at the same time with him, while almost an infant, and Neepaughwheese, whose favorite squaw me just lost her first-born, preserved you to e its place. “You have an honest face,” turning ore to the trapper. ‘‘I have nooneelse to look to. Canl trust you?” “‘T reckon you kin. I don’t brag much in the way 0’ bein’ a ee man, but this I kin say, I never stole another feller’s traps or furs, onless mebbe ‘twas a ine’s. I never killed a livin’ critter cept in fair fight. I never—”’ ‘“*T will—must trust you. These helpless beings— vill you—protect and—try to restore them—to— ‘*1'll domy best,’’ quietly responded Yellowstone. Pe een child—your hand. It’s growing dark “ah|!’’ Her headfell back. The weird woman was dead. Kittie flung herself upon the corpse, weeping bit- erly. Minnie gently motioned to Jack, and drew aside. She anxiously questioned him, and great was her joy yhen he assured her that her father was still alive nd well. And when the trapper went on to tell how he had left friends about to rescue Ada, how mney had found Frank Maynard alive, though wounded, it seemed as though her heart would burst. She covered his hard hand with kisses, ending by hang- “ground his neck and sobbing hysterical “6 nd Jack—poor fellow!—stood there almost fear- ing to move, feeling awfull queer and deliciousl rable, something risin, n his throat as thoug trying to choke him. And then, with a snort that would not have ee hon a grizzly bear, he began blubbering like a whipped schoolboy, to keep Minnie company. During this interesting bit of by-play, neither of ‘them had noticed the continued thump upon the wall, and just at this moment, when Jack's fortitude gave way, a square portion of the wall suddenly gave yay and a dark re shot down through the open- ing, witha grunt of surprise and horror. “Brindle Joe, by the god mineezers !”’ “Yellowstone Jack—I thort the spooks—oh, thun- der!"’ and the trapper jumped to his feet, eying Min nie dubiously. **Spooks is spooks, Joe, but this leddy hain’t none. A fri’nd 0’ mine, pard—you've hearn tell on her; the same as the boss offered us the five hunderd fer git- tin’ back ag’in, ye know,” laughed the trapper, en- joying his comrade’s dismay at the unexpected com- a n which he found himself. ‘Bein’ as you're all right, reckon I'll jest take a look a’ter our rifles,’ muttered the abashed trapper, retreating. ‘*Now that we know how to git out o’ this queer hole, I reckon the sooner we start the better, miss,”’ observed Yellowstone. ‘*I wouldn’t be s’prised ef the Injuns was to tackle the train ag’in night, an’ mebbe you'd be safer hyar, but I s’pose you cain’t rest ontel you git back to them.” ** Yes—let’s go at once! It seems an age since I left them, instead of only a few hours. But—” and ane mo rrgt doubtfully toward the still weeping maiden. ‘You must talk her over. She cain’t stay hyar alone. Tell her she will be wi’ good fr’inds; besides, the old leddy wished it. Go now, while I take a look outside,”’ It was nearly an hour before Minnie could get Kit- tie to listen to reason, and then only by repeating the last wishes of the dead. But at length she raised her head. **T will obey, since she wished it, though it is like tearing the very heart from my y to leave her and this place. I was happy here for years. She was ever kind and gentle toward me, even when the bad spell was upon her. And now—dead—dead !”” “She is better off,’ softly uttered Minnie. ‘“* You heard her say that she welcomed death as a happy release from a living death.”’ The body was composed and wrapped in the furs that had often served as its bed. What tomb was so secure, so fitting, as that in which she had found pes for so long? Kittie knelt, with Minnie, and breathed a prayer for the re of the dead, and then signified her readiness to depart. Passing through the square aperture, Kittie raised the cover that secured the spring which held it in its place. And the tomb of the weird woman—of the Witch of the Enchanted Valley, was forever closed, never to be entered again by mortal being. Yellowstone Jack and Brindle Joe gallantly assist- ed the women to descend, and then the quartette, with the keen-eyed trapper in advance, started for the e ts’ camp. CHAPTER XX. VICTORY IN DEFEAT. YELLOWSTONE JAcK and Brindle Joe brought into play their utmost skill, and managed to convey Min- nie and Kittie safely to the emigrant camp, with- out coming into collision with any of the skulking enemy. And yet the Pg Sa had found time to solve the mystery that still hung around the Boil- ing Spring. A few adroit questions to Kittie brought it about. There was no further need of conceal- ment, since twas very unlikely that she would ever revisit the retreat. — means of a piece of pre hide, the weird woman had hidden an opening in the side of the spring toward the mound. Firmly Page to the round, a foot below the surface of the spring, and . ighted at the lower edge, the skin curtain ung :Imost motionless, or if it did sway a trifle now an “en, it seemed but the reflection of the effervescin ater, By diving into the spring—which was no ‘* boiling ’ from heat, since this spring had long been (and is still) noted for its magic powers, both asa tonic and a means of “‘making medicine,”’ and men came scores of miles simply to quaff its waters—and pressing against the skin, the running water would quickly carry one into the mound. This also had been a spring, in ages gone by, and gradually sub- siding, by some strange freak had left this refuge> like some gigantic glue-pot, seething in its hot wa- ter receptacle. A trap-door had been cunningly cut erchtey the wall. A light horse-hair lasso aided Kittie and her adopted mother. , The reader must imagine the joyous meeting be- tween father and daughter, for my pen is not nim- ble — to do the matter justice. The greatest drawback was that both Ada and Frank were lying quite ill. The first transports over, Minnie quietly took her station as nurse, nor did she once abandon her post through all the excitements and horrors of the coming night. It would have been impossible to move the wound- ed youth, even had the a believed it prudent to resume their journey while so many of the enemy still hovered aroundthem. So they contented them- selves with micrine year | their defenses and seeing that their weapons were in readiness for use. Vernon Campbell, who seemed to consider himself as one of the party for good or ill, warned them that they might expect an attack that night, since the reinforcements could be brought up by that time, as the nearest Blackfoot village was not more than fifty miles distant. And thus in watching and waiting the day slowly wore away. The emigrants were calm and com- sed, though the chances were greatly against hem, Yet they were men, and could die, if die they must, like true prisoners. The sun set, —— romise of a clear, cloudless night, nor was the pledge belied. The moon arose, bright and beaming; the little plain before the cor- ral was rendered distinctly visible. The emigrants’ osition was such that they could be attacked only rom in front, and to do this the enemy must fully Sree their bodies to the deadly aim of the pale- aces. There were those in the corral who secretly hoped and believed that the savages would not venture an attack under these adverse circumstances, but both Campbell and Yellowstone Jack ed different. The Blackfeet had suffered a heavy loss, and would be wild to wipe out the stain. “They'll wipe us out this time, or bu’st,”’ said Brindle Joe. ‘* Mebbe they'll bu’st, then,’’ chuckled Yellowstone sh * Wouldn’t it be a sniptious sight—them all u’stin’?”’ The hours rolled rapidly by. Midnight came and ape tae by, without sign or sound of the ern Yet he emigrants held their posts, wakeful and vigilant. owing careless while three men like Campbell and the trappers were on the alert. Then, all at once, there came the rapid thud of sao A hoofs upon the hard und, and a dark mass burst out from the pass, and scattering, dashed furi- ously down upon the corraled wagons. The wild yell of the Blackfeet broke the air. The criticalsmo- ment had arrived. The enemy was upon them. No man’s pen could desc what followed. An active mind might p the idea—a vivid imagina- tion realize some of the scenes—but words are pow- erless to picture the wild, terrific, sublime and horri- ble whole. The headlong charge of the Blackfeet and outlaws was met by a deliberate, closely-aimed volley from the emigrants’ rifles that covered the und with dead and disabled horses and riders. But the rush was not even momentarily checked. The survivors yelling and screeching like veritable demons, dashe on as though they meant to override the substantial wagons. —s their animals ee the wagons, the foremost leaders leaped from the saddle, endeav- oring to scale the barricade. They were met by pistol-shots, blows from clubbed rifles and home-thrusts. Still a few gained an en- trance, and recklessly attacking the emigrants, forced them to turn from the barricade, in order to defend their lives. And taking advantage of this, the Blackfeet, with every moment, dropped into the inclosure. Vernon Campbell raged like a lion, and wherever his tall, lithe form passed, there death reigned tri- boo err His wild war-cry rung out at interv and even in their madness the Blackfeet woul shrink back from the terrible, dreaded Blood-Drinker. Yellowstone Jack and Brindle Joe fought side by side, carving their mark in bloody, indelible charac- ters upon the bodies of their foes. And yet there was one who surpassed them all in acts of daring, strength and blo ess, This was the giant, Jethro Cowles. His madness seemed to have returned with the sounds of battle and he plunged into the melee with a frantic delight that found vent in hoarse, roaring shouts. His wea- pon was an iron crowbar that he had picked up from where it had been used to roll over stones to strength- en the barricade. This he wielded with as much ease as though it had beenareed. He never had need to repeat a blow. Wherever the iron descend- ed, death followed. Heads were shattered like gourds limbs were crushed to atoms, and bodies mangled beyond tion. Two arrows already quivered feather deep in his broad chest. Bl streamed from a'dozen other wounds. Yet no savage arm seemed strong enough to touch his life. And thus the furious death-grapple raged for full half an hour. But bravely, desperately as the emi- grants fought, they were terribly outnumbered. Al- ready their ranks were fearfully thinned, while two savages seemed to spring forward to take the place of every dead brave. Theendwas near. They must No danger of their Beadle’s Half-Dime Libaary. soon yield to the overpowering force that hemmed them eed every side. But hark! that sound—what means it? ‘* Hooray fer Hoosier!”’ yelled Yellowstone Jack, in wild delight. ‘‘Sock it to em, boys—hyar comes the Brigade!” And, far above the thunder of he: fs, ~bove the din of the death-grapple, there came he clear, ringing cheer that only white throats can U:ter, as the Trap- ping Brigade under gallant Jim Bridger rushed to he rescue. From a fight, the affair changed to a massacre. That night was a black one in the annals of the In- dians. The trappers paid off many an oldscore. To use their own phrase, “ha’r jest moren went wolf- i It was full daylight before the party of trappers all returned from their pursuit of the Indians. And not a girdle among them all but bore at least one bloody trophy. Yet, alas! all was not joy. Over a dozen white bodies were placed in a ghastly row, awaiting burial. CHAPTER XXI. GATHERING THE THREADS. JetHRO Cowes had fallen; the rest of the dead were emigrants. They were buried close to the spot where ves d fell, in the shadow of the great rock. Yellowstone Jack had dispatched Hoosier to see if he could find and induce the Brigade to come to the assistance of the emigrants. Lest he should fail] in finding them in time, Jack did not think it proper to excite hopes that might never be realized, and so had told no person of what he had done. The trappers, under Jim Bridger, d to see the train safe back to the regular trail, as their trapping season was nearly ended anyhow. And by early dawn of the next day they were en row.e, Ada and ag So being conveyed in easy litters. ttie, between whom and Minnie there had sprun up an ardent friendship, decided to cast her lot wit the maiden whom she had rescued from the insane gy of the weird woman. at evening, when they encamped, Campbell was told of the words spoken by the weird woman, and after some time, by questioning Kittie concernin the past, he became convinced that she was indee his long-lost sister, whom he had thought dead—mas- sacred with his mother and father. It was an affect- ing scene. "Soha Warren, who had so much cause for feelin grateful toward the young man, despite the f that he had first been allied with the enemy, made Campbell a generous offer if he would continue with them, at least as far as their distant destination. And, if only for his new-found sister’s sake, the oung scout resolved to bid adieu to his terrible life, eeling that he had long since kept his vow of ven- geance, In due course of time the a age departed, but not until the emigrants had fallen in with another train; with their combined forces, there was no dan- ger to be apprehended from the indians Does the reader think it strange that Yellowstone Jack joined the train as hunter? Of course Brindle Joe cast his lot with his “old pard.” And of all those who were pleased with the young trapper's decision, assuredly Kittie Campbell was not the least. Though there had been no word of love spoken be- tween them, the time could not be very far distant when it would be. And though Vernon Campbell shrewdly suspected the truth, he did not choose to interfere. erhaps he knew how to sympathize with Jack. At least so Minnie mischievously whis- pered to the blushing Ada. Both Ada and ‘Frank soon regained their wonted health, And the terrible past was, by mutual con- sent, never alluded to. It was not until he reached California that John Warren ny, understood Mat Mole’s object. Then he learned all. His brother was dead—had been brutally mur- dered. Suspicion had fallen on bis overseer; whose description exactly coincided with that of Gerald Manners—or the man of manynames. Itseems that Warren had been quite ill, and, fearing death, had made his will in favor of Minnie, his niece, who had ever been his favorite, because she was the youth- ful image of her mother, whom both brothers had loved, though John won her heart and hand. He wrote a letter to John, and hired Mole to convey it safely, in case of his death. But he recovered. Then Mole murdered him, took what ready money he had, and fled. On the road he forged a letter, re- questing John Warren to come to California. This he delivered, as Gerald Manners, and paid assidu- ous court to the unknown heiress, but in vain. Frank Maynard already possessed her heart. Then he concocted the diabolical plot which he afterward attempted to carry out, ending in his discomfiture and horrible death. John Warren proved his relationship and came into the murd man’s property. Six months later there was a triple wedding on the cattle-farm. Need I give the names? Maynard and Campbell have been taken into part- nership by Warren, while Yellowstone Jack is their trusted overseer and “‘ head man.” Brindle Joe still leads a single life, but sticks close- ly to his old pard. Wild horses couldn’t pull him away. He is self-constitutrd “head nurse’ of the establishment—and has his hands full, too. Prigham Yo can scarce boast a larger family of “ olive- branches.”’ THE END. No, 1—Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road; or The Black Rider of the Black Hills. No. 8—Kansas King; or, The Red Right Hand. By Buffalo pill. <S 6)(6)6) COL (E@)