Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 349 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

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But a few rifle-shots rung ont; then a rattling of revolvers, as some who had so recently been sleeping in fancied security, rushed into the ranch, closing and barring the huge door— forced to leave their wounded comrades behind, to the mercy of those who knew no pity. Death-yells rung out, as the leaden messen- gers of desolation from the Texan rifles and re- volvers tore through the bronzed breasts of a number of the Apaches. Signal-yells sounded from the chief, and then the dismounted braves bounded forward, knives in hand, springing up- on the veranda. It was ascene of carnage. Shrieks rung, that would have curdled the blood of civilized beings, as the scalps were slashed and torn from the heads of the wounded and the dead. Thesbarpcrack of rifles from the loop-holes of the ranch.brought yells, in turn, from the merciless torturers. The mounted braves quickly surrounded the dwelling, and fired it in several places. Then it was, as the stifling smoke filled the structure and bung over it like a cloud, that the prayers and outcries of women and childred added to the horrors of the scene. The flames caught the cedar shingles, and burst into one wild, glaring sheet of fire. Then the door of the ranch was thrown open. Death battling with the red foe was far pre- ferable to one in the midst of flame and smoke, The doomed Texans, but six in numBer, with as many children, and two women, emerged from the door, just escaping the terrible flames; but only to bebold the triumphant, blood-reek- ing fiends, ina wide half-circle opposite them, An outer ring of warriors seated upon their mustangs showed that there was no hope. They had escaped death in one dread form only to rush upon it in another. At once the rifles of the desperate Texans belched out fire and lead; but at the same time a volley of arrows burtled through the doomed whites, followed by a rush of savages, who with demoniac whoops of exultation and thirst for blood, sprung in a mad rush upon the borri- fied rancberos, as the latter attempted to fire their revolvers. The next moment men, women and cbildren were being dragged from the veranda, and over the hard, smooth ground, amid terrific yells which drowned their shrieks and prayers for mercy. Then followed the sickening crunch of toma- hawk, or war-club, througn the skulis, the ating of knives through flesh and bone, fol- owed by shrieks of agony, despair and horror,as scalps were torn from the heads of the victims. All this fiendish work occupied but a few moments. Then as the Gonflagration reached its hight, the blood-smeared horde of hellish Apaches, with reeking scalps at their belts, sped out westward over the plain, the fire enabling them to detect the position of herds of borses, many of which they stampeded into the main herd that had been stolen on Cottonwood creek. Away went the pirates of the Pecos, with six more slain warriors bound to their mustangs; but their belts were heavy with scalps. Away through the night toward the Bandera Hills,aiming to strike the Medina east of the«:ame. And Bill Brown’s Ranch blazed high, illumin- ing the previously dark moss-draped shades in its rear, and revealing in front of it the horri- blypmutilated forms of a score of hardy Texans, and the women and children. It was a sight that would have caused a peace commissioner to go on the war-path, and swear tbat be would show no mercy to red foe, regard- less of age or sex, And the rns «ld prelo upon the pools of blood—innocent b} that called for vengeance dire and complete—the flames shooting high, and casting a ruddy glow afar, even beyond the timber to the eastward, thus serving to guide Wild Wolf and Gerald Granger in a true course, and beyond them, Warnona end Gracie Greene as well. CHAPTER VIII, BIG FOOT WALLACE, ' Wiip Wo Ls, the Waco, and Gerald Granger #ped over the plain, toward the Rio Medina, as @oon as they could do so without danger of ' + i.» Laer ® ’ - Are ‘ - a ‘ «s ie a 7 a : em ‘atari b 2 ; _—_ ee. 7s gt AS + i J 7 . a a Wild Wolf, the Waco. being observed by any of the Apache braves of the war-party, who might gaze back on their trail, for the purpose of ascertainiog if they were being pursued. The Waco chief cared not for the trail. He was making calculations in his mind, in regard to the point at which his foes would cross the river. The Apaches could not deceive the Waco. Full well he knew that the red raiders had Jeft a broad trail purposely, when on their way to Cottonwood creek, to draw the rancheros from the Medina; thus leaving their homes defenseless, Had this not been so, the chief reasoned that Greene’s Ranch would not have been fired, and the Apaches would have driven their stolen horses and mules toward the Rio Frio, thence up that stream to the villages, and there have secreted themselves in the dense timber, Neither the voung scout nor his red pard spoke a word, each gazing over the plain ahead of them, and both plunged deeply in thought. Tre anguish of Gerald, in regard to the massacre of the Greenes, and the capture of Gracie, as he believed, and her father, was most poignant; yet be was not altogether hope- less of effecting their release. He well knew that there would be more chances for rescuing the captives, by a few persons, than by many; but, most certainly there ought to be more than himse!tand Wild Wolf, to make the attempt. The young scout dared not dwell upon thoughts of the agony and terror, with which Gracie had been so suddenly overwhelmed; for be feared that his brain would become demoralized, and unfit him for the perilous and difficult attempt to save her from a worse fate than death, and her bereaved father from torture, But when he thought of the fearful spectacle, that bad met his eye at the ranch, be could not, without a strong effort of the will, repress a yell, to give vent to his mad desire to slay the fiendish murderers of those whom he loved. Thus, on the twoswept overthe but dimly moonlit plain; the hearts of both burning for revenge, and each seeming unaware oi the pre- sence of the other. The noble black steed of the young scout be- haved grandly, notwithstanding the terrible gallop over the prairie, to the burning ranch of the Greene’s; but the bardy horse of the Waco chief kept inthe lead. Soon the dark line that marked the timber of the Rio Medina, became visible in the lesser gloom ahead; and no sign of the Apache war-party met the view of these sworn rescuers and avengers, This fact caused Wild Wolf to curb the speed of bis horse; proceeding more slowly, while Gerald coming up, joined him. ‘Well, Wild Wolf, what do you make of the signs ahead?” the young man inquired, ‘* Apache ride in woods. Mebbe so, see Wild Woif. Mebbe so see Hawk Eve. Mebbe so hide in bush. Then shoot. Wild Wolf been on many war-paths, He is not a fool.” “1 don’t believe that the red devils will lin- ger,” said Gerald. ‘!They must know that the blaze of the ranch will alarm the rancheros.” ‘Black Wolf, the Apache, is cunning like fox. He make broad trail when go to Greene’s Ranch. Then he go back fast. Get scalps, Get horses. Waugh! Look!” “ Whatis that? I hear rifle-skots!” The Waco was silent for the moment. Theo Gerald cried out: ‘*By Heavens! They have attacked and fired Brown’s Ranch! It must be a large war-party to be so bold. ‘*Come on, Wild Wolf! Death and horror are 5 the Medina, as well as on Cottonwood creek, But there was no-need to urge on the Waco chief: for, with a half-suppressed cry, be lashed his horse, and the two men dashed over the plain. Neither feared an ambush, for they well knew that the Apaches were recklessly confi- dent, and were bent upon the immediate de- struction of the ranch; after which they would depart at speed with the plunder and scalps, The horrible din that ruled about the burning ranch soon met the ears of our two friends, who now dasbed into the bottom-timber, passed through it, and then walked their animals amid the undergrowth to the border of the same, and directly in the rear of the flames, Just in time were they to see the victorious horde of Apaches dash away over the plain toward the berds of animals belonging to the ranch which they had destroyed and those ad- jacent. The fierce cracking and roaring flames pre- vented any conversation between them as they nn em ensnnnenes=eenne enn nnenmempmememmemmemmmemeaemmeeememimeeemmememeeeeieeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamaaaaaaaaaaaaacaacasammaaacacmaamaaaaacccaall Se ee ee a urged their horses along the border of the bushes toward the corrals, where they could get a view of the front of the dwelling. Then, as they gazed forth, Gerald exclaimed: ‘Great God! what does this mean? The red fiends have slain a score of fighting Texans! ‘* Look, Waco! Look at the women and chil- dren! This is worse than Greene’s Ranch, By Heavens! J swear that not one of that war- party shall ever see the Rie Pecos!” ‘* Waugh!” burst from the lips of Wild Wolf, as he clutched the handle of his scalping-knife. ‘‘Black Wolf heap cunning like fox. Wild Wolf say so to white brother.. Rancheros see big Apache trail before sun go. All come to Brown’s Ranch. Say go on trail when sun come, Think Apache go to Frio. All go to ai: ‘“When wake up, war-cry sound in ears. Apache arrows fly fast, Texans heap big fools, Sound death-yells. Lose scalps. Waugh! “Trois bad. Come! War-path open.” “That is probably the explanation of it,” said Gerald. ‘‘ This is horrible, but the blaze will arouse the Texans who were not aware of the advance of Black Wolf. But what are we to do? ‘“‘T have never been so affected on a trail. The thought of Gracie and her father, along with this, almost unfits me for even reasonable thought. ‘* But do lead on! Iam frantic to do some- thing toward rescuing my helpless, suffering friends from these inhuman monsters.” ** Ride in woods up river, Then ride on plain where fire no shine. Wild Wolf is Waco chief. Black Wolf is Apache dog. Dove Eye shall ride back with my white brother. White Chief shall not be tied to torture-stake.” ‘*T pray that your prediction may prove true, My only hope rests with you, Wid Wolf. But, lead on! Wecan be of no use here, ‘Great Heavens! This is sickening. Blood seems to floatin the air. Lead on, I say, or I shall go mad!” Wild Wolf dashed quickly around, in the rear of the burning dwelling, amid the timber, close followed by Gerald, Then, away they went, up the stream, crashing through the undergrowth, but concealed from view. Thus they rode, for half a mile. Then, as the flames had died down, and the Apaches were far off on the prairie, both spurred after. They well knew that, even were they observed, the Apaches would not turn back, in their head- long flight, to investigate the character of but two horsemen, Had Gerald and the Waco chief cast a glance in their rear, over the south plain, as they en- tered the timber of the Rio Medina, when the ranch first burst into a blaze, they would have seen two equestrians, speeding toward them; although at such a distance, that neither party could have decided the race to which the) other belonged. These were none other than Warnone and Gracie; and both slackened speed, upon discov- ering the two horsemen in their far front. — . When the ranch blazed up, Warnona reasoned that the war-party were the authors of the con- flagration: and not only this, but she trelt sure that the plunder from Greene’s Ranch, as well as Captain Greene himself, were not with the main war-party, but had been ordered to pro- ceed more to the south. Knowing well the borrors that would be en- countered at the burning ranch, after the de- ne sobs of the Apaches, and not wishing Dove {ye to be agonized more than she bad been al- ready, Warnona guided her horse more to the south, and upon reaching the timber, halted to rest, and await the departure of the war-party from the Medina, Thus it happened, that shortly after Wild Wolf and Gerald left the timber, and proceeded on the trail of the Apaches, Gracie and War- nona were gazing upon them from the boréeer of the timber, believing them to be Apache side- scouts, or spies. There were two brave men, riding on in pur- suit of a horde of murder-mad Apaches, for the purpose of rescuing a maiden, who was even then hehind them; and she, bent upon the sav- ing of ber father and Jover from torture, Warnate, also, would have felt the utmost re- lief and joy, to have known where her lordly warrior, Wild Wolf, then was; yet she was gazing upon him, and thinking him to be an Apache. | Vhat the feelings of the young scout would have been, bad he known Gracie Greene to be thus safe, it is not in the power of words to de- scribe, Wild Wolf, too, would have been greatly re- : ‘ > © - > - ra * a) . >. % . + Ti \ ' . 7 eet = : 7s @ Sty aa a4 ».9 4