Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 375 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 Then, quickly thrusting revolver into <cabbard, he jerked his bowie, and urged his horse up to the side of Dancing Fawn's mus- tang, slashing apart the ropes that bound her. The next moment he reached the side of the white captive, and then, more tenderly, he severed the cruel lasso-strands that encir- ecled her form. Soon the last cord was cut, and she was free! ‘* Miss Bertie Bancroft, [ am most happy to have been, as | believe, guided to your rescue. J am Frank Forbes, better known as Frio Frank—a friend of your brother and of yourself!” Poor Bertie was unable to speak her grati- tude. Their eyes met, however, and each knew that they had met their fate. Dancing Fawn sat her mustang staring at them both, as she muttered: ‘Great Spirit send Frio Frank. Frio Frank he great warrior. ]*>rtie got no brave. Dancing Fawn she got Chiota. Frio Frank take Bertie to lodge. Bertie she good squaw. lt is good.” Frank Forbes now felt that life was indeed worth living. Soon he said aloud: ‘‘Come, Miss Berti¢; come, Dancing Fawn. ‘We must ride fast to the ranch. Chiota and Bill are on their way there. I was with them, when I caugh*’ sight of some- thing that led me here. Thank Heaven that I did! ‘* Bill and I have been captives to the Apache dogs, and were rescued by Chiota, the noblest and ‘whitest’ red-man on the earth. The Apaches are furious for revenge, and they may be near us; so let.us hasten on the back trail.” Frio Frank spoke rapidly, reloading his revolver as he did so. The young squaw and Bertie obeyed him in silence—both eager to reach the ranch. Frank followed in their rear, revolver cocked and in hand, gazing backward, but at times darting a glance forward at the gold-crowned head of Bertie Bancroft—a heavenly joy filling his heart, as he, by sight, worshiped the maiden of all maidens on earth to him. A CHAPTER XIII. FOUND WHERE HE HAD FALLEN, Ir was but a short distance from the steep bank, where Frio Frank caught the gleam of golden hair, afar off amid the undergrowth, to the long, narrow, clear space, where the monster bear had so terrified Bertie. And just before reaching the scene of the young irl’s startling experiences, Bandera Bill ooked behind him, and observing that the ard, Frio Frank, was not within view, he rew rein: but, as the trail was winding, and amid dense undergrowth, he believed that Frank would, in a moment, appear. Chiota, who appeared to be in a deep study, passed Bill, continuing on to the ‘‘open.” pon Frank’s not appearing, Bill turned his horse, for the purpose of returning on the trail, to ascertain what was the occasion of his pard’s delay, when his attention was attracted by the same signal that the Creck had given. at the Apache camp, when he wished to summon his white brothers from the trees to which they had been bound. There was no mistaking it. Bandera Bill knew that Chiota would not give that signal, unless something of great importance had come to his notice, and the chief wished the presence of himself at once. Therefore, believing still that Frio Frank had been detained by some trivial matter, and that he would soon rejoin him and the Creek, he urged his horse toward the river; soon bursting free from the undergrowth, into the clear space where lay the carcass of the bear, and the two Apache corpses. Bandera Bill scarcely glanced, however, at this repulsive sight; for he saw Chiota L————$—$——— sss ee LE ee Se a 2 Chiota, the Creek. close at hand, and recalled the signal, that had momentarily been banished from his mind. Up directly he rode, beside the Creek, no- ticing that the gaze of the latter was bent downward, upon the ground, at a point which the horse of the chief hid from view. Riding around, Bill at once uttered a groan of mortal anguish, and cast himself from his saddle, sinking to his knees at the instant his feet touched the ground, There lay, out- stretched, the corpse-like form of his aged father. Chiota had discovered the apparently dead white man, who he knew had not been there when he and Dancing Fawn, and Bertie, had left the scene oz the bear-fight, and con- flict with the two Apaches. He had then riven the signal, summoning Bill, to ascer- tain if the latter knew who the seeming dead man was. Chiota had never met the old ranchero, and as a matter of course, had not the remotest idea that the father of his pard, Bandera Bill, lay on the ground beneath him, When he witnessed the emotion of the young man, however, the chief immediately dismounted; guessing at the truth, and pro- ceeding, at once, 1o examine the seeming corpse. ‘‘Chiota,” exclaimed Bill, in agony, ‘‘ we are all doomed! Death and destruction are fated to overwhelm our family and our home,” Then, springing to his feet, his hands pressed upon his brow, he exclaimed: ‘‘Chiota, there lies my father, dead! His death is a mystery, for I see no wounds. Oh, my brain will burst!” ‘Father no dead, Bill. Chiota get water. Soon see stand up. Soon hear talk.” ‘Do you think so?” asked the young man, eagerly. ‘‘ Can it be that life still remains? In Heaven’s name, what has happened?” But the chief was at the river before these words were finished, soon returning with a gourd of water. He said nothing, but proceeded to lave the ranchero’s head, and pour the refreshing liquid into his mouth; while Bill chafed his father’s wrists. Soon Ben Bancroft opened his eyes, and groaned heavily. ‘Speak to me, father! How came you here, and what has happened at the ranch?’ Bill uttered this in pleading tones. The old man struggled, and with the help of his son and Chiota gained a sitting pos- ture, when he stared in a dazed manner around him, his eyes lighting upon the dead Apaches near him. This seemed to recall him to a compreher- sion of the near past; but he caught a vicw of the Creck chief, and started as if shot, for he had never previously seen Chiota. “This is my friend,” said Bill. ‘‘It is Chiota, a friendly Indian, and loyal to Texans. Bertie und I owe him cur lives, Do tell us why we find you here and in this sad condition.”’ ‘Bertie — oh, yes! Bertie — Bill,, our Bertie’s gone. The red devils have stolen her!” Bil¥ could only glance into the chief's face. If Bertie was captured so must be Danc- ing Fawn; but not the least shadow of emo- tion was betrayed by the stoical chief. ‘‘Oh, father! What is it yousay? Don’t for mercy’s sake tell me that our darling Bertie has been captured! How do you know this?” Ben Bancroft answered: ‘‘She rode up the river about sunrise this morning. She should have been home long before noon, but I was not worried unti dinner was nearly ready. Then, when look- ing up and down the bend I discovered the face of an Apache tiend amid the foliage, staring at me and the ranch. ‘‘T seized my arms and rushed to the tim- ee SSS sss sts sss a —_—__ real; but I found the demon’s trail, and 1 felt sure that Bertie was captured. I rushed like a madman here to her favorite haunt, and then I saw ’—pointing to the scalpless Apaches—‘“‘ what left no doubt in my mind.” ‘“ When did you leave the ranch?” Bil!’s vo'ce was hoarse and unnatural, ‘* Just before noon,” was the reply. Bix gozed again into the face of Ch.ota. ‘‘Mebbe so Dancing Fawn ride in wood with Bertie near plain. My white brother’s father come from ranch. Kern close t» river. No see Bertie. No see Dancing Fawn.” It was plain that the Creek did not wish to acknowledge, or even to thi: k, that his squaw was not capable of dcfencing h :rse!! and her companion, and evading capture, 3ut the words of the chiei did not banish the anxiety and anguish of Bandera Bill. ‘*Chiota,” he urged, *‘ they ought ‘» have reached the ranch two hours before noon.” ‘““Mebbe so heap tired. Come! Go to ranch. Soon see. Apache got Bertie, got Dancing Fawn. Chiota heap mad. Sound war-cry. Kill. Scalp.” ‘But this is too terrible,” said the agonized young man, ‘‘ Father, Bertie was Lere, and Chiota saved her life twice; once from a huge moccasin snake, and again from » mon- ster bear. Then the Apaches came, and had not the chief and his squaw been here the fiends would have taken her captive. ‘Dancing Fawn, Chiota’s wife, so he in- forms me, rode in company with Bertie to, the ranch. ‘‘Frio Frank and I were captured by the war-party to which these spies belonged. We were brought to a point above here, where the demon Lone Wolf is encamped. There we were bound to trees, and would have been tortured Lad not Chiota succeeded in rescuing ws. ‘¢ We have slain several Apaches, and the survivors are furious. We are now in great danger, and must hasten to the ranch. ‘* Perhaps Bertie and Dancing Fawn kept near the plain, in the timber, thus missing you, and have delayed to rest. Let us hope this is the true state of affairs. We will at ence hasten home and ascertain. Come, father; dclay is dangerous in the extreme.” The words of explanation and hope greatly relieved the old ranchero, and he sprung to his feet with remewed life and en- ergy. recovering his rifle, he said: ‘“You are right, my brave boy! I see you have suffered greatly, and had I known you were in the power of those red fiends, I would have galloped to your rescue alone, even had I known that certain death awaited me. ‘Rut come; this suspense is unendurable, [ must know if my child is at the ranch. My brain is on fire! ‘Come, Chiota—your hand. I have words to thank you for all you have done. My ranch is your home, and everything that possess is yours also,” . The chief returned the grasp of the ranch- ero, and replied: ‘Apache got Bertie, Chiota save Bertie or lose scalp. It is good. Heap too much talk on war-path. tide horse of Chiota, Chiota run,” The Creck indicated, by his words and an accompanying gesture, that the old ranchero should take his horse. Bill had mounted, but suddenly a thought of Frio Frank’s mysterious disappearance shot through his mind. At that very instant, however, the rattling reports of his pard’s revolver rung and echoed through the woods. All were starticd. ‘‘ By the great Crockett! 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