Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 207 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

— ——— ogee ° = hs ——— ———E Ne —E —— = which they had selected—the Brethren of the Buffalo Band! They had a mission, one that was to send Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. € One end of the lasso which encircled the young gold hunter’s neck was made fast to Mahomet’s luxuri nt tail, but not until the hinder feet of some of their number down the long trail of | the horse had elevated several of the would-be death. Suddenly one of the twenty threw himself from his horse and put his ear to the ground, and while he listened his companions watched him closely. ‘**'Two horses!” ejaculated the Indian, rising quickly and several lassces were at once un- coiled while some arrows were fitted to the bow- strings. . “The big white wolves are hunting us,” said ‘one Navajo. ‘‘They come from their moun- ‘tain den to strike the Indians who fell upon the train.” But the hoof-beats of the approaching horses shut off all further remarks, and the party drew aside to let the strangers come up, ‘In the back!” passed from lip to lip as the elk-horn bows were drawn for the deadly shots. ** No, the lasso!” said the leader. Instantly the bows were lowered, and those who had uncoiled their lariats prepared for the throw, What was the Indians’ surprise when, instead of two stalwart men they beheld a boy and girl on the horses that came up? They started, and could hardly repress shouts of delight for they recognized the boy. The Indian leader uttered a short command which the young riders heard, but before they could prepare to meet the new danger, two Jassoes dropped over their heads and they were unceremoniously jerked to the ground. Black Mahomet stopped suddenly when he found himself relieved of his load, and the next moment, with a strange noise that sounded like a neigh of rage, he plunged into the midst of the Navajoes that surrounded his master, scat- tering their scarlet bodies right and left. But this gallant action did not rescue Nick. He was already held by a score of strong arms and the horse was lassoed and secured. The girl, his companion, was likewise held, and the glistening eyes of the Navajoes shone every- where around the captured twain. Nick had ridden from one danger straight into another. , The Indians made no attempt to conceal their delight. ‘*Coresquah hunting for Alapatha’s gold already?” exclaimed the leader. ‘* Him pick up white girl somewhere, and they bunt to- gether.” Nick’s eyes answered the band. They shot bolts of defiance from their depths, and said plainly: ‘‘I have the secret! Get it if you can.” . ‘* Navajoes no expect to find Coresquah here. The Great Spirit made him ride under their lassoes!”’ ‘No. I was flying from wolves whose skin is white,” said the boy. ‘I discover, though, that I have not bettered my condition.” Well might he speak thus. He had fallen into the hands of the very In- dians who had dogged his movements for four years. He knew them all; he knew, too, the significance of the buffalo band about their left arms. He was led into the starlight, or to a spot where the shadows of the mountain trees did not lie. There divested of every weapon, and with the lasso still encircling his throat, he was made to face the scarlet twenty whose eyes blazed with greed and vengeance ‘* Coresquah heard Alapatha’s secret before he died?” asked the head of the red league. ‘‘ He told me,” was the answer. ** Where?” The brief interrogation was not to be mis- taken. The Indianislaconic. Nick understood him, but he merely shut his lips and smiled grimly. : ‘* Coresquah no tell, eh?” cs No!” The chief sent a quick meanful glance among his followers. ** Bring Coresquah’s horse.” A moment later Black Mahomet was led up and peas his young master with a joyful neigh. VOpreniah will take aride if he will not point out the trail to the mountain of yellow stones,”’ ‘* Then I must ride.” Nick glanced at the girl—the waif of the train—as he answered the chief. gleam of pridein her eyes; she approved his resolution. j ; torturers, The boy watched these proceedings with strange interest, but kept his lips stubbornly sealed. The doom to which his silence would subject him was horrible to contemplate, and he could not help fancying himself being drag- ged through the rough defiles of the Black For- est at the tail of his own faithful horse. When the lasso had been fastened to Mahomet in a manner satisfactory to the leader of the league every red face turned to our bero. ** Coresquah ready to answer now? Him sees what the Children of the Buffalo Band will do if him say ‘no’ ag’in. Let him speak.” Navajo Nick did not hesitate. ‘**T have not played Indian for four years to surrender to a pack of red wolves the results of the game my patience won,” he exclaimed. ‘* You’ve got your thumb-screws on the wrong person, Navajoes. I’d rather die a thousand times than tell you Alapatha’s secret. It be- longs tome. Now shoot your arrows into my horse. I am ready!” The lips of the resolute gold hunter closed firmly behind the last word. His eyes, soften- ing for a moment, shot a rapid glance at the gir! then, full of fire, he turned them on his oes. The Indian’s threat meant all that it portend- ed, and almost before Nick could brace his nerves for the ordeal, Black Mahomet bounded forward with a wild snort that as commingled with the twang of bow strings. The girl uttered aloud cry as Nick was jerked from his feet, and covered her face with her hands, But such action was not necessary, for the unfortunate Boy Gold Hunter disappeared in an instant, and almost too quick to be struck by the iron-tipped arrows discharged at him. A chorus of savage yells followed Nick’s dis- appearance. They echoed far through the lofty wooded lands on every side, and penetrated the starlit valleys below. They reached the ears of a man who was turning the base of a hill not very far away. This individual carried a revolver in either hand. ‘*Injuns!” he ejaculated, as he stopped and raised his head. ‘‘ That war a Navajo yell ov victry. Dve heard it afore. Mebbe ”—he stopped and drew a long breath of anxiety. “Mebbe they’ve caught my pard an’ the gal. If they hev, an’ if they harm the boy, they’ll soon wish thet they hed never been born! I ee be Captain Flash to them, Ill be Dago- ert!” The man was really Dagobert, and as ho sprung away the wild gallop of an unseen horse greeted his ears. ‘*At their old tricks, Pll bet my neck!” he A few moments later the Man with two Names threw himself fearlessly before a mag- nificent black horse which came down the defile with head erect and mane streaming wildly in the mountain breeze. He stopped the frightened steed by his won- derful strength, and subdued him with a few words. lt was Black Mahomet. ** Aha!” exclaimed Dagobert, catching sight of the dark cord dangling from the black steed’s tail. ‘‘The meanest Injun trick ever done in America!” He caught the lasso and leaped toward its un- seen end, expecting to find his boy pard there; but the next moment he stopped and uttered a cry of amazement. he rope was scarcely ten feet long, and as the giant stared at it, nooseless and without its captive, he could not but exclaim: ‘What on earth hez become ov the boy? Ef he’s dead the mountain ov gold ar’ lost. Yes, whar is Navajo Nick, Dagobert’s pard?”’ The rope was flung madly to the ground. ‘** Dead er alive I'll find him!” he roared, CHAPTER V. THE MOUNTAIN POST-OFFICE. CAPTAIN FLASH beld Mahomet’s bridle as he set out on the trail which he hoped would lead him to his young comrade. The mountain paths were starlit and easily discernible, and the trail of the black steed not hard to distinguish The Man with two Names held a cocked revol- There was a | ver in his right hand as he pursued his way. Both eye and ear were on the alert, for Dago- bert knew not how soon he would be called upon -_—— gee to encounter the Indians who had fastencd Nick to the killing rope. ‘‘Tt’s kind o’ curious,” ejaculated the giant halting for a breathing spell as woll as to give vent to his pent-up feelings. ‘‘I’ve got over a mile ov hill and valley an’ noboy yit. I warn’t a mile from them Injuns when they hollered— I'd bet my neck on thet; then why ain’t I nigh Navajo?” The next moment the man from Mohave ut- tered an exclamation of surprise and droppin the black courser’s rein, he picked up a piece o rope at one end of which was a noose, A. lasso! For several moments Dagobert scrutinized the “find” with great interest, and then per- mitten a sigh of rclief to escape him. ‘* Not dead, that’s sartain!” hesaid, ‘ Hyar’s whar Nick an’ Mahomet parted company. That stone hez ar. edge like a razor, jes’ like hundreds ov other mountain rocks, an’ it cut the rope clean off. Thet’s what saved Nick, I kin :ee thet; but whar is the youngster now? ‘Thet’s the kwestion afore the house,” Dagobert went on again. It was patent to him that, separated from his horse, Navajo Niels had disengaged himself from the noose and ce- parted. The cord, then, could not have encir- cled the young gold hunter’s neck; it must have slipped below his shoulders and preserved his life, The giant argued thus when he resumed his tramp. A load had been lifted from his mind. Alapatha’s secret was not entirely lost after all. ‘*T don’t stop till I find the boy!” he said for the hundredth time. But the next moment a voice made bim half. ‘*We’re afoot an’ the boy war mounted; think ov thet.” Dagobert vaulted into the saddle and turned his face toward the speaker. ‘*We kin keep on at any rate. We're gittin’ nigher all the time; thar’s some consolation in thet anyhow.” “The Twelve!” Dagobert said under his breath. He and the horse were obscured by shadows utterly impenetrable. Not far away was a piece of ground rendered quite light by the starbeams. The horseman fixed his eyes on the spot, and counted eleven figures that flitted like ghosts across it. ** Whar’s the twelfth?’ he asked himself, Even while the interrogation still quivered his lips the twelfth person reached the star-lit round and stopped. Dagobert leaned eagerly ‘orward. The man was scarcely thirty feet away. For a moment he tried to pierce the shadows into which his companions had disappeared, ard then as if satisfied that he was unobserved, ke knelt on the ground and thrust his hand uncer a bowlder which, in some past age, had rolled down the mountain side. Although Dagobert used his keen eyes to the best advantage he was unable to determine whether the man took a paper from bencath the stone or deposited one there. At any rate he could detect nothing in his hand when he rose, and so he permitted him to glide on after the rest of the band. ‘*That’s a queer perceedin’,” said Captain Flash as he dismounted and sprung to the rock. ** Pll jes’ take a peep at thet message afore the owner gits it.” His long arm was soon thrust beneath the bowlder and his fingers closed on a bit of paper which was hastily withdrawn, The giant rose with a glare of triumph in his eyes. A stride took him back to his horse, and lift- ing a corner of the saddle skirt he preduced a match. He seemed to hold his breath es the little stick slowly burned, and when a bright flame asserted its powers he darted at tke paper; but the next instant blank disappcint- ment covered his face. He had read: | ‘ Rinom: Ereh st trebogad. Solra:.” It was a communication whose brevi y pug zled Dagobert as much as its untransiatable text. ‘‘Hebrew — Greek er Latin? which?’ ex- claimed the giant staring at it in the dying light of his tiny torch. ‘‘ Wal, it beats the crickets. English isn’t good enough fur some people, but they must write their messages in some out 0’ the way lingo and poke ’em under rocks. Ef I thought thet the other person ’d come arter this paper to-night, break my neck ef I would stay toreceive him. ‘Etnom?! [I don’t know ’im, but I could introduce myself im less than a minute,” and the Arizonian smiled. Dagobert struck another match and inspected GoOmichboo (c