Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 24 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. ee oe —_— _--—-ow ee EO —™ = - PEE eee side, and her clear voice rung out with the cheering cry: ‘* Banack braves, yonder are your enemies, the Sioux—beat them back !” CHAPTER X. THE GIRL GUIDE. In spite of their very desperate situation, the small party of gallant defenders of the es, their gaze upon those who had come to their aid so unexpectedly, and especially upon the leader of the grim warriors, who ng the — order, threw themselves behind eve- ry available point of rocks and poured in an un- erring fire upon the charging Sioux, now not thirty paces distan t. The crisp cry to the Banack braves came from tho lips of a young girl—a maiden scarce- ly more than sixteen, with a slender form, per- ectly molded, and as graceful in every move as a deer. , Her hair hung in luxuriant waves adown her back, and reached below her waist, while a head- dress of bead-work and gay feathers kept it back from her forehead. Her face was nut-brown in hue, every feature perfect, and fearless determination mingled with its loveliness. The teeth were perfect, the eyes large, dreamy, and yet full of fire, as they turned upon the ad- vancing Sioux. Her was a tight-fitting bodice of buck- skin, elaboratel and worked with to ber leggins of the finest fringed down the outer seams. Moccasins were upon her small feet, and about her waist was a of buck-skin dyed vartous colors, In this sash were a revolver, of medium size, a knife, and a quiver of arrows, while at her back was slui and fired with coolness and precision, was a small, silver-mounted repeating rifle. Those who had come with her were warriors of the Banack tribe, and heredi enemies of the Sioux, whom, as a nation, they greatly feared. They were now not in war-paint, but in hunt- ing trim; but they fought with a desperation be- gotten by a long Retred of their foes. nees, was fancifully embroi buck-skin were rowing themselves into the front, ag _ Leo Markham t n the score Banack braves poured in a fire | | | —— o —<—$——$<— —- —_— we owe our lives, and deeply do we feel all that you have done for us.” The maiden’s face flushed, ‘“‘T was riding up the valley, saw theSioux, and coming upon your camp warned you, and guid- ed you hither, the best place I knew of to resist an attack, Then I sought the camp of these brave Banacks, who haye been hunting here the past few weeks, and they came with me to your | aid ‘*‘ And can I ask the name of one who has done us this favor?’ and Lord Gilbert gazed with ad- miration upon the ey © ae ‘* Yes, lady, we would know the sweet name of our fair de and reserver,” remarked Jules Vernon, politely opm | his hat. ‘*‘Remember me as the girl guide,” archly re- plied the maiden. ‘‘T knew of no settlement in this valley; can it be ible that there is one? and yet there must ham gazed with increased admiration upon the maiden. ‘‘No, there is no settlement in the Yellow- stone—Bartlett’s Ranch, below here, is the verge of civilization in this direction—more | cannot tell you-—-farewell.” As the maiden spoke she bowed, waved her hand, and glided away among the |] with a something in her manner that forbid their de- her longer. Watching her with interest they saw her en- y _ ter asmall ravine, and thenext instant reappear stained quills of blue and red; a seme! eye _ mounted upon the back of a snow-white mus- ered, and | tang. | | meee 5 Sioux which caused them to recoil for an | instant; but with wild cries they again pressed a reached the rock en the whites opened fire with their revol- vers, the Banacks with rifles and arrows, and a desperate conflict.ensued, for several moments a fierce gle for ma 4 But suddenly Leo Mar called to Jules Vernon and Lord Gilbert to follow him—as for Jake and Pompey they were no where visible. ‘Reload your repeating rifles and revolvers, quick! we will take yonder ledge,” he cried. moment after the three reached the rocky shelf, some thirty feet above the heads of the combatants, and Leo Markham, a little in ad- vance beheld a sight which caused him to quick- ly fall on one knee and throw his rifle forward. He was just in time to save the life of the young girl, who would have been brained the next t by the tomahawk of a huge Sioux “a in thanks, eine toh r feet wav . er fee and glided back to the shelter of the ledge. sen Si Boake anette le rrible effec mass of men and and the Sioux quickly es following up the advantage, the boast lo up the advan | ae of the Sealtics turned and fled, leav- ing one-fourth of their number dead and dying them. ig, loud and deep, rung out the trium t wor of the and the whites joined th ath in their shouts of victory. As Leo Markham and his companions descend- ed from the ledge, they saw two dark forms creep out of a crevice in the rocks—they were y and Jake, who upon the arrival of the had considered their services no longer necessary, and accordingly sought a place of “You saved my life—I am most thankful to you for it. aa ae Markham started as the soft tones greet- ed his ears, and a softer hand pressed his arm. him stood the maiden, her earnest eyes turned upon him. “Do not speak of the little service I did—I would have shot the Sioux anyhow: but to you gir! saw from whence the hand EE rrr ae Another wave of the hand and she bounded away and disappeared from view. Then the disappointed whites turned to the , ingeniously made of strips | Banacks for further information: but these as she said quietly: | 4 most to moodiness, yet ever kind to his compan- ions. Toward Diamond Dirk he seemed to be par- ticularly drawn, often asked him about his wild frontier life, and soon discovered that the guide was a man of superior abilities, education _and evidently led the life he did from a love of freedom and | oe, [gh erg Yet of his early life Burt Belford could not get the guide to speak. He was as silent upon that eo as was he himself regarding his own past, and this but the more increased the inter- est felt in him. . When, at night around the camp-fire, Dia- mond Dirk would break forth in a rich, beauti- ful tenor, singing some pretty ballad, or snatches from different operas, Burt Belford would draw nearer to him, as if deeply impressed by the song, and longing for acloser friendship between them, there in that frontier land. , as we find you here,” and Leo Mark- | | | | | worthy warriors could tell them little—they | belonged to a hunting-party of their tribe, and were encamped in the valley above. along bow, and in her hands, | Several times had the maiden been seen by them and they deemed her half-human_ half-spirit; when she came for them to beat back the Sioux, they had willingly followed her, for they were at ye with their white brothers and gladly aided e m—they were happy, for they had whipped | the Sioux, gotten many trophies, a few ponies, and lenty of scalps—they would at once go back to their homes in the Gallatin valley. This was all they knew nked the warriors for their timely service, distributed a few presents among them, and then mounting their horses the party rome sontnes, on, u Sil of ‘the gigi a *: ] os . 0 e solitary e e, for they were determined to place caseclaes out of the immediate vicinity of the Sioux, and also to know more of the mysterious maiden who had so cleverly eluded them. CHAPTER XI. THE TRAILERS. gj CEC ERAL days after the om battle with the oux, a second party encam or the oo very spot where Trapper Dan bad lost e It was Burt Belford and his comrades steadi- y pressing on in the trail of those who had some before hy ueage n reaching the camp an taging a grave tee shed set th : : So thinking, ow had per Dan lost his life? en the a oP Mb of the Sioux band was discovered, and they felt that those whom they followed had been attacked by the Indians. “Tf they found no place of shelter, where they could stand a siege, our trip will be useless, cap- tain,” said Diamond Dirk, addressing his em- ployer with the above title. ‘God grant not. No, it cannot be that Lord anata tinh Wer eillicteekoe tn. erties not die e are n- * said Burt Belford, ger, and we must pees on, with considerable feeling. “They are doubtless in trouble, sir; if not dead they had but one guide, and there he lies, Cap- tain Markham is as brave as a lion, yet I fear he is not enough skilled in prairie-c to guide party back. e will camp here to-night, and press on at day-break; but we must keep a right look-out, or we may lose our own hair,” and Diamond Dirk gave orders to two of the men to at once goon a short scout around the camp. It was not yet sunset, but the horses were out, for they had been g rapidly on early morning, and they at once went into Setifes Inaenod their animals out to. feed, pages yaperencns or anrech he whole trip thus far Burt Belford had proven himself a fearless fellow, silent al- ; } ; | | | / | i ' | _ speak their lingo well, and Indians } From the discovery of the trace of Sioux in their neighborhood, the ‘had been more watchful, and when Powder Bob came in from his scout and reported that he bad followed the trail of the red-skins until he was confident that they were tracking the English , it caused to dread the more that a terrible fate had befallen those whom they were trailing. With the sunset Prairie Pete came hastily into camp, and his news quickly created a stir—he had discovered a large band of Sioux coming down the river, and they were bearing a num- ber of wounded with them—there had evidently been a severe battle above, and if they had cap- tured the whites, or slain them, it was only after a desperate struggle. Instantly the was put out, the horses sad- dled, and mounting ee ly, Diamond Dirk led the way into the timber. “Guide, we must know what has been the re- sult of the combat—those Sioux will soon camp, and— 9 ‘‘ And I will find out what the result is—we will now seek a camp a few miles above, and then I will strike the trail of the Sioux and fol- low them to their encampment—they will not go far to-night, loaded as they are with their wounded,” ‘*Can not some of the other men go/ I dislike to have you endanger your life—” “My life is of no more value to me, captain, thanis Prairie Pete’s to him—‘risk nothing gain nothing,’ you know, and I prefer _to see for my- this of Sioux, and if I can get near enough to them to hear their conversation, I shall soon know all that has happened, for I are great people to talk over their deeds, and will have a grand pow-wow around the camp-fire to-night.” Diamond Dirk spoke lightly, yet Burt Belford well knew that he was going to face some terri- ble danger, and seemed really nervous about his going. But he knew the character of the guide too well to attempt to dissuade him from his purpose, and simply said: ‘“‘If you will insist upon going, do be careful —remember the grave of the other party’s guide —Trapper Dan—and let us not have to carve the name of our guide upon a head-board and leave him here in this wild wilderness.” “T shall be careful, captain, and will be back as soon as I can,” So saying, Diamond Dirk mounted his horse and rode slowly out of are taking the back and with a sigh, Burt Belford baw him- self down to rest upon his blanket. CHAPTER XII. DIAMOND DIRK’S ADVENTURE. AFTER a ride of several miles, Diamond Dirk came upon the broad left by the Sioux band in their retreat down the valley. Dismounting, he examined the tracks careful- ly, and then muttered to himself: “ Lag are on the back track, with heavy hearts, for they carry their dead and wounded —they were handled roughl Gilbert’s party; but how have they , | wonder?” mounting, the scout pressed on until the traces of the trail proved to him that those he followed were not far in advance, and in fact, shortly after dark set in, he came the glimmer of cam ed for the right, as they would, but not at the spot where the two parties of pale-faces had was marked by the grave of Tra Here the Sioux arrived just at sunset; halted but an instant: held a momentary excited con- versation, and then pressed on for several miles more, until darkness had fully gathered around Concealing his horse in a clump of timber, <S <€om (G| 80 )(0) (E(@)