Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 24 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

—— o —__——___— - _— So - Diamond Dirk advanced cautiously on foot to- ward the Indian encampment, and as noiselessly as a snake crawling through the grass he ap- proached until he was within two hundred aces Of the fires, around which were grouped nds of excited warriors, as the scout could see by their gestures, though he could not hear their voices. ‘Their sentinels must be near here—ha! yon- der stands one aged that tree—how easily I could pick him off with my revolver, for he is not twenty paces distant,” muttered the scout, and then he scanned the timber upon either side to discover the next Indian guard. After a long search he discovered the next sentinel to the right, and some fifty paces dis- tant, and one as far off upon the left. ‘“Tt’s a risky business, but I must do it, for I will then have a chance to creep closer to camp. NOs I'll try another game, if it costs me vib ife!” The scout spoke im strangely determined tones, and it was evident that he intended some desperate move, for, relieving himself of his rifle and belt of arms, he seized his knife, and again he began moving slowly forward, and in an. oblique direction from the position he had lately occupied. After a long time he gained a point that placed a large tree between him and the Indian sentinel, and then his movements, though ex- ceedingly cautious, were most rapid, and a sec- ond’s time placed him within arm’s length of the red-skin guard, who, little dreaming of deadly danger so near him, was leaning against the tre@, his hands crossed upon the muzzle of his rifle. Around the tree there quickly came an iron -arm with a hand that had a clutch of steel, and the red throat of the savage was grasped with a power that prevented all outery. Then the other band of the scout, holding firmly his knife, gave a sudden upward thrust, and the keen blade grated through the ribs into the Indian’s heart. Without a moan the life left the body of the -red-skin sentinel, who the next instant lay dead at the feet of his destroyer. Without a moment’s hesitation Diamond Dirk at once threw around him the apparel of the dead Sioux, placed upon his head the eagle-feathers, and walked boldl y toward the camp-fires, little over a hundred paces distant. Approaching to within easy ear-shot, he se- lected the base of a large tree, and, wrapping his blanket about him, threw himself down to rest, near several other prostrate forms, too tired, or morose, to join in the discussion ani- matedly kept up around the camp-fires by the greater number of warriors. , | Though apparently asleep, the ears of the scout were open to every word he could catch, and almost forgetful of his danger he listened attentively to the different statements of the chiefs, who were telling over and over again the scenes in which they had so lately been actors, | Though the scout knew that a score of eyes had doubtless seen him, yet he felt secure in his aneein for the present, and drank in every word that came from the lips of the savage ers. @: . Thus lying there, within the very circle of the Sioux, and supposed by those who had seen him throw himself down to rest, to be one of their number, Diamond Dirk learned how the red-skins, confident in their numbers, had pur- sued the small party of whites up the valley and driven them to seek shelter in some rocky led v The first charge of a small number of war- riors, its disastrous result, and the attack of the _ entire force, and the coming of the Banacks to the rescue of the pale-faces, the scout also heard told over and over in. The Banacks he ed were friends of the , Whites, and he could account for their aiding Lord Gilbert and. his ; but here was one thing that Diamond Dirk could not account for any more than the Sioux could, and that was » that the Banaks were led by what the red-skins called a white spirit, Though the speakers each seemed to differ in their idea of thi spirit, they were all certain of one point—that it was a young girl, and that she bore a charmed life, for no arrow or ball had touched her, and one chief said that his comrade had near enough to strike the strange be- ing down with his tomahawk, but when he lift- ed itabove his head to deal the fatal blow, he had _instantly rn acad in his tracks. _ Diamond Dirk was aware that the Sioux be- lieved the Yellowstone valley haunted by strange spirits, and that ’twas a tradition among * Diamond Dirk. the tribes that a devil lived in the mountains, and he set much of their conversation down to their superstition, yet felt certain that the Ban- acks had had some strange leader; but, if a e wondered? young girl, and a pale-face, who and what could | she teh Having learned to his satisfaction that Lord Gilbert’s party, with the aid of the friendly Banaks, riven off the Sioux with heavy loss, the scout determined upon retreating from his perilous position. He. accordingly became very restless, tossed about, and muttered in the Sioux tongue, until rising suddenly as though unable to sleep, he folded his blanket about his form and stalked away from the firelight, passing several sleeping forms as he walked along. Without suspicion he reached the tree where lay the dead sentinel, ented took the scalp-lock of the fallen brave, and throwing himself again upon the ground, be his cautious retreat to the spot where he wad left his rifle and revol- vers. Once more armed with these he glided rapid- ly back to the spot where he had left his horse, and then halted suddenly, for through the woods rung loud shrieks in a stentorian voice, and the next instant there bounded into view a giant monster—a thing half-human, half-brute, and | clad in white, hairy attire. Waving his long arms above his head, still giving vent to his wild shrieks, the strange crea- ture passed on with the speed of a deer, and dis- appeared in the darkness. nce, twice, thrice, the startled scout fired upon the flying form, yet with apparently no effect, and then he quickly moun and headed back to his own camp, now fully - none could solve the mystery of the strange being thus discovered, and over the bordermen fell a feeling of superstitious dread that evil would yet befall them. But Diamond Dirk seemed light-hearted, and after breakfast, the trailers mounted their steeds and pressed rapidly on up the valley. Before long they came to the battle-field, strewn with its dead—man and beast, Then they went to the rocky ledges and dis- covered nearly a dozen graves. oO were be- neath those mounds? That questidh was quickly answered by Dia- mond Dick; they were the graves of the slain Banacks—no pale-faces lay beneath. Where were they? None could tell. ‘* We will halt here, and scout for discoveries from this point; boys, we will go into camp,” said Diamond Dirk. | The frontiersmen instantly set to bt ae lasso- ing their horses, and getting ready for er, while Burt Belford strolled off alone. He had been gone but a few minutes, it seemed, when a wild cry, and several pistol-shots were heard in rapid succession. Seizing his rifle, Diamond Dirk rushed in the direction of the shots, followed by three of the men, while the others hastily set to work to se- cure the horses and prepare against attack. A run of a few hundred yards, and Diamond Dick came upon the scene of a struggle; the light snow was trampled down, here and there a crimson stain, and a revolver, with three bar- _ property o horse | convinced that the Sioux had seen astrange be- | leading the Banacks, for he had just beheld ing far more weirdlike’ and wonderful, he felt convinced. CHAPTER XIIL LOST. ALTHOUGH Burt Belford threw himself down in a feet apart, led toward a hil to rest, shortly after the departure of Diamond | Dirk from camp, he slept but. little, for he was most anxious for the safety of his guide. But when, with the first peep of dawn, Dia- mond Dirk rode into the encampment safe and sound, Burt Belford was almost boyish in his CEprenions of pleasure at his return, and cried | out: ut: ‘Thank God you have come—I feared for your safety.” ‘‘T was safe enough, but I am almost starved; Prairie Pete, show your skill now in cooking, for we are in no d r, as the Sioux have re- treated from this valley heavy at heart, I as- sure you, and it is not likely they’ll enter it soon in,” said the scout, cheerfully, and Burt Belford rejoined: | ‘You have seen them, then?’ ‘‘Of course; this scalp looks like it, does it not, captain?” and the guide held up the gory the ledges, and which the rels discharged, lay upon the ground. The weapon was at once recognized as the Burt Belford. But who had been his antagonist? one knew, none could tell. From that spot Burt Belford’s tyacks were not even to be seen; but there was a frail leading away from the spot—and a strange one. Huge tracks, heavily made; and fully eight a few hundred yards distant—if made by a human being, he was of immense size, and had been springing, rather than running, over the ground, Whether man or beast, it was certain that Burt Belford had most mysteriously disappeared with him. Withsuperstitious dread the trailers returned slowly to ee Re would mount their horses and follow that huge trail to the bitter end—they would solve the mystery of their comrade’s strange caore traebag — they would rescue him or die with him. Such was Diamond Dirk’s determination, and in it he was at once seconded by his followers, who he knew would be as true as steel to him. CHAPTER XIV. FOUND. AFTER a hasty meal, Diamond Dirk and his companions took the trail leading away from ho would bring them up with Burt Belford and his captor, who- _ever or whatever he might scalp-lock of the Sioux sentinel, while al! now | crowded around to hear what he had to say, for that he had met with some adventure they felt confident, In a few words the guide then went on to tell how he had struck the trail of the retreating of Trapper Dan, and then push on for a few miles and go into camp, a upon the sentinel, and then went near enough to hear all that was said by the excited warriors. When he spoke of the spirit seen by the Sioux, Prairie Pete said: “TI has allers heerd o’ sich a critter bein’ in these diggin’s, an’ yer bet she’s skeert them In- jins purty nigh ter de’th.” Several others of the party also referred to Arriving at the hill they found it cut into innumerable ravines, as if it had been raked down with some gigantic rake. 7 Into the bottom of these gulches or ravines, the snow had not penetrated, and at. the mouth _of one of them they lost all trace of the trail, the tracks of which up to that point had_ been the Sioux, saw them halt temporarily at the grave | making them had kept up his bounding run. which he crept | same wide distance apart, as though the person Separating, each man took a different field of operations, and devoted himself earnestly to the work of finding the lost trail, but after an hour . they all returned to the spot where they had left — rumors they had heard of strange beings who | haunted the Yellowstone valley; but had be-— lieved it Indian talk. their horses. All but Diamond Dirk—he yet re- mained absent. ‘“T guesses as how he’s struck a lead, and is follerin’ of it,” said Prairie Pete. ‘‘ Yas; but I hopes as how he won’t strike ther ‘tarnal critter alone, *kase he mout git wusted— ther captain wa’n’t no ones an’ it seems as how ‘Well, it is not Indian talk or superstition, | for if I did not see a fair ig I saw the Devi himself,” said Diamond Dirk, firmly, and went on to tell of the monster-creature that had rushed *shrie by him, and upon which he had fired sev times, All were astounded at this intelligence; but u none doubted it, for they knew Diamond Dirk | too well to feel that he had been frightened at steeds of Burt Belford and I a shadow or mistaken a grizzly bear for a hu- man being of giant size. ‘‘ T guesses it was the Devil,” su Prairie Pete, with a glance over his sho . a of open country, There “Devil or not, I'll not leave this valley until I | clans of timber hook. Diamond Dirk, have had a closer scupaiatance with the mon- ae said Diamond Dirk, with determination. e ed to by | 9", story of the scout had been listen- acz m I with breathless interest, and yet | made it,” he said, in his quiet way. Ebooks jGom and then came a long, distant he’s bin done for,” returned Powder Bob. ‘‘What in durnation’s that?’ cried another Or instantly all to their feet and listened y all sprung eet and lis . For a moment, no sound broke on their ears, halloo. “It’s Dirk, boys. Come, we'll git that thar wa ou bet,” Hastily the men mount and leading the mond Dirk, they rode rapidly away, in the direction from whence come the hail. A rapid ride of half a mile, and, they. came to tof open the edge of a ope Pre found the trail Here st, gos ‘Boys, I’ve foun ? across this open and more—I saw who eom