Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 238 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

14 dressed for removal. Major Brandt jwas assist- ing in the preparation for departure, though his attentions were devoted more particularly to Aimee. Everybody was in a fever of excite- ment. Suddenly Rocky, who was attending to the boats, was fired upon from the shore and forced to seek shelter in the grove. A dozen Indians appeared upon either shore, and their presence there told the whites that it would be sure death to enter the boats. ‘Well, we can die fighting,” said Ptolemy Frodd with calm resolution, “but oh! that poor littl girl! it is her fate more than all ethers that makes my heart shudder.” “Mr. Frodd,” said Aimee with all the reso- lute spirit of a little heroine, “ I can die tight- ing, too, and will before I will be taken a cap- tive!” . “Ah, my little heroine!” said pee h “vou do not know what is coming—our fight to-day will not be like that of yesterday. It will be— Great heavens!” This exclamation was occasioned by a hoarse, vane ed noise, like the whistling of a steam- t, that suddenly came ringing and a | in frightful intonations through the valley an | lm in demoniac shrieks among the wooded se For a moment all were transfixed by the sound, and stood gazing from one to the other in hless wonder, Rocky was the first to ak: “Pi A boat! a government boat!” he yelled. Then a glad shout burst from every lip, and a? Pi aia excitement of hope and joy pre- vailed. All hastened to the lower side of hte: little grove and looked down the river. i Ode “> the timber on the lowland across a bend in the river they beheld the moving smoke- stacks of a boat from which were pouring and trailing out behind on the air, great volumes of b smoke, ‘* Will it be in time?” some one asked in eager tones, ‘* Let us trust in God,” said Ptolemy Frodd. The greatest excitement prevailed among the - Indians on the shore for full well they knew 34 ped it meant; but there was no evident ex- i a et among those drifting in the river above, Every eye on the island followed the burstin smoke, and in a few moments the great boa came ending around the bend into full view, its hip plowing the turbid waters with wonder- ul rapidity. A flag was flying from stem and stern. The deck was covered with blue-coated men—soldiers. Under the forward flag sey saw a person standing swinging his hat excited- ly, and as the boat came nearer all recognized it as Shocky, the Boy Trapper. ‘“A Government boat with soldiers, with Shocky in the lead!” cried Ogilvie. ‘*Can they be aware of our impending peril?” asked La Fleur. Before any one could answer the roar of a re of rifles resounded on the air. The boat had been fired into by the savages on shore and in an instant all was commotion on deck. A broadside from the soldiers sent the lurking red- skins flying back into the woods and the t bing boat steamed on. Ptolemy Frodd dashed from the grove and running to the lower side of the island, shouted aloud to those on the boat. But already the eagle eyes of the brave pilot had discovered the logs in the river above. The soldiers had been warned, and every ounce of steam was now employed in impelling the boat forward. Ina few moments the little monster went panting and puffing apast the island as if eager to dash in among the savages intruding within its ele- ment, Cheer after cheer burst from the lips of the rescued islanders as the craft steamed by. Soldiers with rifles in hand stood ready for the bloody work, while a cannon on the for- ward deck was being trained upon the nearest of the floating savage breastworks. Then came a moment of eager suspense to those on the island. With distended eyes and throbbing hearts they watched the men at the cannon. ‘“‘Look out now,” suddenly cried Old Ptolemy. Scarcely had he spoken when there was a great puff and a boom that shook the very hills and valleys. The river before the boat seemed to burst into a thousand frothy jets and pain. toam where the load of grape from the grea an struck. The roar of the cannon was fol- lowed by the discharge of a hundred rifles, and to this was added the shouts of the soldiers; and / did The Parson Detective. finally, to make the din more complete, the boat’s whistle was thrown open when the most infernal noise that ever startled the echoes of the Missouri valley was heard then and there. The savages were within four rods of the isl- and, straining every nerve to reach it, when the cannon pealed out. Some of them fairly leaped upward in the water with sudden terror at the thunderous roar of the gun, and like a school of fish they darted away in every direction in the river. Some endeavured to. es- cape by diving, some made for the island and were shot by the soldiers, a few still clung to their floating breastworks and opened fire on the boat; but resistance was fruitless and ina minute’s time every savage was swimming for his life. Their rout was complete, scarcely a savage that reached the shore with his life having even so much as a knife about him. The boat stopped, and, swinging in toward the shore, tied up. The commander of the troops, accompanied by Shocky, came over to the island in a boat. The moment Ptolemy Frodd and Ogilvie re- alized that they were out of danger of Indian massacre they advanced to where Major Brandt stood, when Frodd said: “Major, consider yourself under arrest for the attempted assassination of myself, and the criminal deception and marriage of Miss Rob- ertson.” Brandt started back, and his face grew black and white by turns. His eyes seemed to change their color, and his nostrils quivered. His breath came quick and bard, and in a husky tone he asked: = peg Frodd, what do you mean?’ “What I say, Mr. Humbolt,” replied old Ptolemy triumphantly; ‘‘ you see I have run you to your hole, notwithstanding you have played your game well. I have the marriage certificate that you got for your wife in my ssion. ‘‘ Sir, you did not find it on my person!” ex- claimed the terrified man. =, No, I did not, but brother Ogilvie bere ‘‘- Yes, found it in your wet coat pocket last night,” put in Ogilvie. ‘Curses, on you!” hissed the baffled villain, and then, like a tiger, he leaped from Frodd’s rasp and struck Ogilvie a blow in the face that elled him to the earth, and with the cry of a fom god he leaped over his prostrate form and unded away toward a boat at the lower end of the island.’ “ Halt!” yelled old Ptolemy, but the villain heeded him not, ‘Ping!’ rung the old detective’s revolver, and the fugitive staggered and fell to his knees —struggled to his feet, and again ran on. ‘ Ping!” rung the revolver again, and Major Brandt Vibes | glanced back over his shoulder and fell upon the beach. The two detectives advanced to where he lay breathing hard. eee ‘‘creased ” him, Frodd,” observed vie. ‘I’m sorry, major,” said Frodd, seriously, ‘*but you provoked the shots.” Brandt looked up into Froda’s face. His,eyes no longer burned with that defiant look. His face was pallid with fear and terror. “You're a better shot than I am, Frodd,” the prostrate man said; “this would never have happened had I made sure of your death on the night of the wedding in the grotto.” ‘Ah! then you admit that you are Rufus Humbolt?” exclaimed the old dotective. ‘* You would not have shot me bad you not been certain of an wrongs against you, nor would I admit anything were I not dying from the effects of your bullets.” At this juncture Ogilvie left to see how mat- ters were going on between the soldiers and sav- ages. In a few minutes he returned and reported the savages’ defeat. ‘Curse the luck,” said Brandt, bitterly. ‘'I deserve this fate for being so stupid. I might have escaped unharmed once.” ‘Why did you take any risks?” asked Frodd. “That I might slay you and Millbank, and assist a friend in abducting Aimee.La Fleur— he who met you with a flag of truce yesterday is that friend.” ** Yes, yes; he assisted zon the night of the hs: ’said Frodd. ‘‘I recognized the fel- low, and knew his demand for your surrender was all a trick of some kind, But, Brandt, porch did you marry Ethel Robertson as you Tbe man was silent a moment, and then said: ‘* Well, as life with me is short, I might as well tell you all, for I have nothing to fear in this world. I married Ethel because she is an heiress, though she nor her uncle knows it, With the certificate obtained from you I ex- ted to prove that I was ber husband and get old of her fortune before the executor found out how matters stood. With you out of the way I felt more certain of my success, for I did not like the way you criticised our secret marriage, and was afraid you would expose me, especially after you discovered the groom was not Roger Millbank. The arrangements for their marriage at Fairy Grotto was made one evening on the river shore, whither a spy of mine had followed Roger and Ethel and heard every werd, All my plans to possess her fortune were matured after I had heard of the Icvers’ romantic ar- rangements. To make it successful Roger Mill- bank must be put out of the way, and three of my men were posted along his route te inter- cept him, This they did, but the boy Shock rescued him, and, but for the fact that he tell into the clutches of the old Frenchman, who beat him unconscious under the impression he was a savage, Roger would have been in River View the night of the wedding. It wasa bold and risky game to play, but I failed only when I did not make sure of your death. knew [ stood well with the people of River View, and after I had shot you, I sent my friends off in hot haste, while I returned to my quarters, The trail of the two horsemen that led us off up here was that of Ansonand Macon. I came along with you to see that you were put out of the way when an opportunity was offered—” ‘‘That’s why you laid for me at the Sentinel last night,” interrupted Ptolemy Frodd. ‘‘Te ted to bave finished my work there.” ‘* And have you not been in league with tho savages?” ‘‘Wor several years—ever since I was an as- sistant Government surveyor in northern Ne- braska.” - ee you were known as Night Hawk?” ‘‘ I was. ** And tried to betray us all into the power of White Dragon’s band of savages the night we camped above here?” ‘*] did, and but for that boy, Shocky, would have succeeded.” ‘* Major, how long have you been on the prai- ries of Dakota?” . ‘‘Three years.” | ‘* Have you not been the leader of a gang of outlaws?” ‘*T have,” he answered. feebly, ‘* Were you ever in St, Louis” ‘* Yes—why?”’ and Brandt started uneasily. “, Why, the diamond ring you gave Ethel was ‘‘Of the Ramsey jewels!” exclaimed the dy- ing man, excitedly. ‘‘Then you killed the Ramseys?” ‘*T helped to do that crime.” ‘* Major, during the’ fight yester witb the Indians did you ook shoot in the back?’ ‘‘That shot was intended for you—if was a mistake.” re followed a momentary silence. Ptolemy Frodd became absorbed in serious reflection. Finally he said to the dying man: ‘* Brandt, your soul is stained with crime; do you have any hopes of the future life?” Brandt made noreply. Frodd repeated the question, and still no reply, Major Robert Brandt, alias Rufus Humbolt, was dead. He had died without a eas or a sound to indicate the mqment of dissolution. ‘‘ What a wicked life and a painless death,” said the old detective, as he closed the dead man’s eyes. Ogilvie returned to the camp and narrated the story of Brandt’s life and death. By this time most of the soldiers had come over to the island, and now followed a season of great rejoicing. happier than Ptolemy Frodd. morning att Hohn No one was He realized now that Ethel was free of the blunder made at the Fairy Grotto, and that the arch-villain of the Missouri Valley had gone to his :inal rest. Not another Indian was to be found in the vicinity of the Isle of Refuge, and the next day Ptolemy Frodd and his friends, accompanied by La Fleur and his daughter and Roger Mill- bank, started in boats for River View, where they finally arrived in safety, and in time for the Rev. Ptolemy to keep bis appointment and — his first sermon in the old barracks, with hocky as one of his most attentive listeners. Shocky went with the soldiers up the river in the capacity of a_ guide and scout. He drifted on and on up the Missouri until he finally found ‘ Eboo Js) Com (Ee)