Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 237 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

Ww — IF al —7s f= j iJ said the Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. 13 Returning, he uttered an ejaculation and an oath, and said: ‘Something has preve? ed his leaving it. Come, we will go on-up to the tim- pr and I'll think over what is best to be one,”’ j The horsemen, half a dozen in num- ber, rode away, and instantly Lone Star determined to keep them in sight, gain the timber, and hear what their inten: tions were. He followed them at an easy gait, for about half a mile, and then saw them enter a& piece of timber. ‘* Now is my chance,” he muttered. But, as he spoke he heard a hoof-fall behind him, and quickly sprung to the shelter of a large tree near by. The next instant a horseman ap in sight, riding leisurely along, and evi- dently pee horse the rein. In the darkness even, Lone Star de- tected the head-dress of feathers worn by Comanche chiefs, and with rapid move- ment he sprung out and seized the bridle- rein of the mustang, while his revolver was thrust full in the face of the red- skin, and in the tongue of the warrior he cried: ‘You will die if you do not surren- der—” The Indian was wholly taken by sur- prise, and he knew that amovement would end his life; but he said in a husky tone: ‘‘The Black Panther fears not to die: let his pale-face foe send him to the nappy hunting-grounds.” ‘Black Panther, the Yellow Hair is lad to see you,” instantly replied Lone tar, and he lowered his revolver and held forth his hand, And the mention of the name of Yel- low Hair caused a change in the manner of the Comanche too, for he graaned the outstretched hand of the youth, and said in a tone of real pleasure: ‘The Black Panther is happy, for he never forgets his little white brother, Yellow Hair.” ‘Nor does the Yellow Hair forget his old friends, Panther; but what are you pe» ma the h f th bad ‘‘ Going to the home of the great white chief,” “The Yellow. Hai “The Yellow Hair straight.” ‘*'What has the Panther to do with El rs: the bad chiet 2 ‘He promised the Panther yellow gold to raise the hatchet against the pale face warriors and people, that dwell on the rising-sun side of the great river.” ‘Indeed! he pays you to war against Americans?” The Indian grunted assent, and then said : ‘‘ But his tongue is crooked, for he paid not the Panther the yellow gold for his e.”” Yes I see; he promised you gold to on the war- against the whites, while he could cross the Rio Grande, with no fear of the soldiers, who woul be on the trail of your warriors, and run off what cattle and horses he wan ere ‘* He 1s e an e Panther is @ fool to be his brother.” “The Yellow Hair speaks straight,” coming not in the least angry with the youth for his plain words, that I do, and I will be the Black Panther if he will ‘‘Let the Yellow Hair speak, for the ears of the Panther are open.” ‘* Does the Panther know the home of El Cobra?” The chief nodded assent. ‘* Will he lead the Yellow Hair there?” — a nod. ‘* How many warriors has the bad pale- face chief at his wigwam?”’ The Indian denoted the number by holding up five fingers. ‘* Five soldiers only.” ‘‘ No soldiers of the dark pale-face, or the light pale-face,” he answered, mean- ing the Mexicans and Americans, ‘He has peons then?” ‘* No, only a peon squaw, and so many of the Black Panther’s warriors.” ‘‘ Ah! and the Black Panther will lead me and my warriors there?” ‘‘The Panther has spoken.” ‘Enough, now come with me, and we will talk it over.” Back to the thicket then went Lone Star, followed by the Indian, in whom he seemed to place perfect confidence, but Old Bitters and his prisoner, as the reader knows, had gone, and in surprise the youth retraced oie way to the camp of the cowboys. Not wishing to take the Comanche there with him, until he had convinced his comrades that Black Panther was really their friend, Lone Star, after a long talk with the chief, left him to wait in a thicket, and watch the movements of the half-dozen horsemen, whose movements he had wished to spy upon, and telling | g him that he would jom him there soon, went on alone to the bivouac of his little band, and arrived just in time to prevent a tragic scene, which might have resulted in the death of Elegant. Ed, and would certainly have ended with the hanging of Old Bitters. CHAPTER XXI. BLACK PANTHER’S TRUE TRAIL. WHEN the cowboys followed Lone Star from the place of encampment, they were most anxious to make up, by eager atten- tion to his every wish and order, the un- kind suspicions they had held of him, and they were almost affectionate in their manner toward Old Bitters, and each one had offered his hand and humbly begged the old scout to forgive and forget his cruel treatment. Old Bitters accepted their hands and said to each one: ‘Tl fergive yer, but durned if I kin so soon fergit what condemned fools yer was.” When Lone Star had left the camp so suddenly, all felt that he had some pro- Ject on hand, and had made some discov- ery of importance; but he made no ex- pwation to other than Old Bitters and ag Ed, who rode on either side of After a ride of about two miles. Lone Star drew rem and said in a voice that was low, yet distinctly audible to all: Boys, you all know that the Coman- ches are the natural enemies of the pale- faces; but there is one near here whom I wish you to treat as a friend, as well as several others whom we will meet ere v ee ‘* They are our allies 7-8 nod, Sane and the man who quarrels wi them will have me to with in a way he’ll re- member.” Telling Elegant Ed to wait with the it? others, he rode on alone, and soon the cowboys heard the hoot of an owl not far away, and in the distance the answer of its mate. For some minutes they waited, and then two horsemen appeared in sight, one of whom was recogni as Lone: Star, and the other was seen to be an In- dian in full war-paint and ‘the toggery of a chief, ry Boys, this is my red brother, the: Black Panther. ‘* Panther, you will find my warriors your friends.” Such was the simple introduction of 1S } Star, and yet i paused erp of the cowboys to give a sudden start of surprise, for they he, aa the Black Panther as a most vindictive chief against the whites, and one who had been almost invariably victorious in his battles with soldiers and settlers alike. In the only word of English which he could command, Black Panther acknowl- edged the introduction: ‘ How!” That was all he said. : ‘‘How!” repeated the cowboys, in chorus, though several spoke a word or two in the Comanche tongue, while Old Bitters said aloud in English: ‘Of all condemned old varmints thet I ever fit, thet Black Panther are ther gol- darndest, an’ he’d give as much ter sculp me this very blessed minute as I wenta ter raise his ha’r; but this heur are a peace conference, ther cap’n says, so heur goes ter play ther perlite to ther red nig- rer,” Then, in Comanche, and a little English, which is thrown in par parenthe- sis, Old Bitters continued, as he grasped. the chief’s hand: ‘The White Hunter is glad to meet the Black Panther of the Comanches (darn yer red skin), for he has heard of you as a great chief (and hunted fer yer aa many atime.) Ther Hunter will be the sepa tt Black a eg sats ever and ever ive me fer bein’ a liar ekal to ther nid a, ‘‘Come,” cried Lone Star, amused him- self at the old scout, but. anxious to pre- vent the cowboys’ laughter from making the chief think he was being ridiculed. Placing himself at the head of the line: Lone Star rode on, with Black Panther by his side. Behind them came Elegant Ed and Old Bitters, the latter talking incessantly, and following in twos were the thirty cowboys. After a ride of several miles those in advance halted, and Lone Star said: ‘Ed, I want you to take all but four men, and hasten on after those cattle- thieves, which Panther says are en- camped about ten miles from here, at the Hacienda spring, which Bitters can lead ou to, ‘‘Dash into the camp, which you will find most of the Mexicans have left to on to the town, and drive off the cattle, and you can reach the Rio Grande, if you push them well, a little after sun- rise, Where you ¢an make a stand pasa 26 perhaps find some soldiers aid you, as Major Bainbridge will have had time to arrive from Duncan.” ‘Lone Star, are you going on to the rescue Of Miss Bainbridge?” asked Elegant Kd, in a low tone. ‘You expect to be able 10 accomplish “I certainly do, for Black Panther GOMIGVOOKS GO