Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 238 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

~*~ —~ — sure it. was accidental. He had been in the power of some Indians that night bat was re- teased by some trick of that brave little Shocky, and was on his way home, when in the dark- ness he took me for an Indian and beat me down with a club. But a few hours before I had been in the clutches of some white, masked villains who waylaid me. They put a rope around my neck and told me I must hang un- less I revealed one tb to them. asked them what it was, for I resolved to die rather than make terms with outlaws. But be- fore they could execute their threat, that glori- ous Shocky came to the rescue and ran the Villains off. I am sorry now I didn’t find out what it was they wanted to know.” ‘Of those at River View, Roger, whom do you suspicion?’ Frodd asked; ‘‘ what do you think of Ogilvie, the gambler; Brandt, the sur- veyor; Ackerman, the cowboy ?” ‘Ogilvie is a shrewd, sharp fellow—rather peculiar for a gambler, too, for I know of one or two instances where he gave his evening earnings at the card-table to a poor arpa in the town. He always was a warm friend of mine, professedly. don’t believe he is the iain, do you?” ‘“‘He made a remark to-night that sounded queer, I thought.” és Well, he may be the rascal, Humbolt, but I would never mistrust him—I would as soon mis- trust Major Brandt and Ackerman, and we all know they’re above reproach,” Frodd narrated the interview he had heard between Night Hawk and Black Bat, and the mistake he and Shocky had made in attempting to ferret it out. He expressed the belief that Night Hawk was one of his party, but which one he could not tell, for Night Hawk's voice was d ised in his talk with Black Bat. He decla his intention of investigating the mat- ter when he returned to his friends by finding out who was absent from camp at the time he was, But Roger would not hear to his leaving the island that night, and after earnest en- treaties from all parties he finally consented to remain till morning on condition that all retire and allow him to stand guard. As this was agreed to, the old man teok his position and paced the weary hours away. _ Ere the rosy streaks of morning dawn burst into flame, all were astir. Aimee prepared a sumptuous breakfast which all partook of with a hearty relish, ‘Just as the sun came up La Fleur took Frodd aushore:and the old detective h«stened up the river to join his friends and conduct them anwi to the hospitality of the Isle of Refuge. Shocky was on guard when the sun came up and as the shadows lurking along the shores were dispelled by Old Sol’s arrows of light, the lad’s keen eye caught sight of the end of a canoe prowuding slightly through a fringe of willows drooping in the water on the left bank. It was not there the day before, so of course, the natural conclusion was that it had been taken there during the night, and by Indians too, But why had Ptolemy Frodd not detected it? It was undoubtedly one of the very same canoes or dug-outs, that he and the preacher had: robbed of their paddles. | Shocky called La Fleur’s attention to the boat. Its presence was discussed with no little misgiving, although no sign of life was visible ubout it. ‘We must keep a sharp watch upon it, Shocky,” said Old Max, ‘‘ there may be savages in the boat now waiting for an opportunity to strike, and if this should be true, it might be that there are a dozen more loaded dug-outs con- vealed under those willows.” “Tl keep an extra eye on that quarter,” said Shocky, and he started on around the grove. When he reached the opposite side he saw Ptolemy Frodd and his companions comin down the river bank. La Fleur had told Froc where bis bateau was concealed and in this the party was to cross to the island. To Shocky’s sarprise, however, they were all running, and the old preacher, who was in the advance of his friends, was swinging his hat and pointing obliquely across the river in an excited manner. W hat could it mean? Shocky ran across the little grove and looked eut over the water, and to his utmost horror beheld a dozen savages running from the woods and dodging into the fringe of willows where the canve had been discovered. ‘‘Injins! Injins! they’re coming, La Fleur! eried the youth excitedly, and running back across the motte he shouted at the top of his hangs to Frodd and bis men. eanwhile, Old Max, with rifiein hand, fol- lowed by brave little Aimee with two other I never’ The Parson Detective. ww meee loaded s, advanced to the edge of the grove ready for the inevitable conflict. And just as the red-skins—a score strong— ame out frem among the willows toward land, Old Ptolemy and his friends put out from the opposite shore. lt was an exciting moment in the lives of those on the island, for their only hope lay in Frodd and his friends reaching the ve Little Aimee ran to the south side of the grove and in mute appeal stretched out her hand to- ward them while she lifted her white face im- ploringly toward Heaven, The sight was one that would have touched the stoniest heart, and, with renewed stre omy determination, the men in the bateau pl ® Oars. +22 - 0 eee — me qe a me tne eee ee eee - CHAPTER X. A BLOODY CONFLIOT. NEVER did men work as did Frodd and Rocky, who handled the oars of the boat. The distance from the island to either shore was about the same, and for a time it seemed a question of doubt as to which party would land first. In silence Shocky and La Fleur waited for the approach of the foe, and when the foremost boats were half-way across, the Boy Trapp2r’s rifle rung out and a savage drop his paddle, clutched wildly at bis breast, and then fell over dead, his body hanging half cut of the canoe, And the next moment Old Max’s musket run ont like the boom of a cannon, and a handful o buckshot went hurtling among the canoes, for a moment seeming to confuse the savages. Without waiting to see the result of his aren the old tanner took up another gun and again, simultaneous with Shocky. Two of the dug-outs swung round and drifted at the will of the current, their occupants dead or wounded; but, undeterred by this disaster, the others paddled on and finally reached the island in the face of a deadly fire. As they leaped ashore the bloodthirsty sav- ages uttered a wild, fiendish yell that blanched the cheeks of the fugitives, but their war-whoop was followed by a yell of defiance from the throats of Ptolemy Frodd and his followers. Shot after shot did Old Max pour into the sav- age horde, while with woman’s quick, deft fin- gers Aimee reloaded his guns, Evidently the savages had expected to take the Be git bre by surprise, and would have suc- ceeded, in a measure, but for Ptolemy Frodd and party, so silent and quick bad been their movements. Asit was, however, one third of their force was killed and disabled before they had struck a blow, and, when the struggle at length came, they found themselves face to face with Ptolemy Frodd’s men. | The foes met on the open island, and with fierce yells and shouts closed in deadly, sanguin- ary struggle. Pistols cracked in rapid succession, tomahawks whirled through the air, knives thrown by savage hands flashed in the morniz sunlight. Yells, shouts, curses, groaus an ei Seale made the — day hideous. Old Max, with a yell like the roar of an en- raged lion, and little Shocky sprung into the thickest of the fray and dealt deadly and sturdy blows right and left. Half defeated before the struggle ny the savages soon began to yield. Gradually they were forced back toward the river, and pare with a yell of dismay, they broke and fled in confusion—some plunging into the river and trving to escape by swimming and diving, others throwing themselves into their dug-outs, and, lying flat on their backs, tried to paddle the craft. But few, however, of the over-confi- dent red-skins escaped unharmed to tell the story of their bloody defeat. Three wounded, besides several dead warriors, and four canoes, were left in the hands of the victors. After all, however, the victory had been purchased at no little loss. Matt Hohn lay dead; Tom Ackerman was seriously if not mor- tally wounded; Ptolemy Frodd had received another roe wound from a bullet; Ogilvie had been seriously wounded in the arm by a flying tomahawk; Shocky had been knocked sense- less, though be soon recovered; and Rocky, whose left eye was just beginning to see light again, received a downward blow above the right eye that tore loose a patch of skin that fell down like a curtain over that optic giving a horrible and ghastly appearance. Old Max and Major Brandt were the only ones that es- wee without a wound. oung Ackerman was carried to the tent where rs ig? Millbank lay and his wounds dress- ed by Old Max, whose knowledge of surgery was of no mean character. oe eee LZ rR: “arn aR en At eae a ert aapeantnimmeparameteipenentapnetegiiatntnttt The wounds of Ogilvie and Rocky were dress- ed by Frodd and Brandt. The wounded Indians were placed in a canoe and sent adrift that their own friends might rescue them and attend to their needs, The body of Matt Hohn was carried into the grove and pre for burial. All were sad and sorrow enough over his death, but Rocky’s ef was almost inconsolable. Matt had been his best friend—his ‘‘ right bower ”— for long years and it was hard $0. pars with him. hen it came to laying his away in — grave, Rocky went to Ptolemy d and 6a ° ‘Mr, Frodd, you're a Gospel man and I want you to say something nice over pocr Matt when we lay him in the grave. It’s all we can do for him, poor feller. You know he wer’n’t the meanest man living—that he had a good, kind heart even if he war a leetle rough, You know he didn’t fear the very old devil and died in the arness. ‘‘Rocky, I will conduct a brief service at your friend’s burial,” replied the preacher, seri- ously; ‘“‘ but say, Ky there is one thing about his death that troubles.” ‘Why, Mr. Frodd, didn’t he die like a man with his face to the foe? Did yousee Matt Hohn ‘renig’ when trumps led?” “Matt fell with face to the foe Rocky, foremost in the fight; but he received his death- wound from a shot in the baek !” “What do ye say? Matt Hobn shot in the back? Then no foe done it, ‘ Psalm-Singer.” It must ’a’ been an accident.” “It might ’ve been, Rocky, yet it was a sipgu- lar accident to happen in so small a crowd. But say nothing about it, for it will only serve to wound the feelings of our friends.” So Hohn’s body was consigned to the grave. The dead Indians were also buried, and all traces of the late conflict removed. Not all either, for Tom Ackerman was suffering great pain, while the rest of the party, with the ex- ceptions of Brandt and La Fleur, gave the Isle of Refuge the appearance of a hospital. Ptolemy Frodd, Rocky and the Boy Trapper were, however, soon ready for active service. But what could they do toward relieving the situation of its increasing dangers! Indians could be seen off on the wooded bluffs, and among them at least three white men were dis- covered. That the latter were the moving spirits in the siege upon the island old Ptolemy had not a doubt, and this belief was tially confirmed, when, as the day advanced, one of the outlaws was seen approaching the river-bank bearing a white A Ptolemy Fredd stepped out of the grove, laid down his rifle in recognition of the truce-flag and then walked down to the water’s edge and waved his hand to the renegade. The latter at once climbed down the bank, rep tte in some willows, but soon emerged therefrom ina canoe and came straight over toward the island, his flag floating from the prow of the boat. When half-way across he turned bis boat u ‘stream, and came to a stand, using his paddle only to counteract the force of the current. ‘* Say,” he called out, ‘will you meet me here?” ‘For what purpose?” inquired Frodd. ‘*T want to hold a conference with you look- ing to peace and the stopping of bloodshed.” ‘ Well, we’re no ways anxious ’bout it,” was Frodd’s rejoinder, ‘ however, I will meet you.” ‘* But, say, are you the leader over there?® demanded the truce-bearer,’ as if doubting the boys will,” Ptolemy’s authority, ‘“Whatever I agree to, answered the old preacher, seatting himself in an Indian dug-out and paddling out into the stream. Meanwhile Shocky lay in the bushes with a bead drawn on the outlaw to ““wing” him in case he intended treachery. As Ptolemy approached the man he saw the fellow run his hand over his face, and his fingers through his hair as if ‘‘ brushing up his counte- nance” so as to appear to good advantage; but as the old preacher-detective ran alongside of him, he mistrusted that he was endeavoring to produce the very oO ite, for his hair was dragged down over forehead and his face streaked with dirt from dirty fingers. Despite his efforts, however, to disguise himself, the keen eye of Ptolemy Frodd recognized him at a lance as one of the men who claimed to have book a witness to the Fairy Grotto wedding— one of his attempted assassins | But for the fact that he claimed to be a man pect the flag of of honor, and was bound to res truce, Frodd would have shot the man dead with (C| o)(0)(0) com cS