Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 427 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

Ee The Three Trailers. 11 games around the prairie, taking no notice of he others. Suddenly, an ejaculation fell from the chief’s lips, followed by an explanation: ‘Waugh! Look! ilk for pappoose!” ‘*’Ya-as, I should opine thar war,” agreed Old Rocky; ‘‘ a heap o’ hit, an’ death ter ther hullo’ we-uns ef we doesn’t levant right lively. “Ther varmints *Il knock ther trail double eend-ways, ef they doesn’t wash us all inter ther yearth.” It was needless for the Caddo to bid the others look, fer none but his eagle eyes could have dis- tinguished anything unusual in the appearance of the plain to thenorthward; but, by listening, they could hear a low but strange sound, and they were sensible of a slight trembling of the earth, The old scout knew well that a tremendous stampede of buffalo were approaching them, and he at once laid Mad Munroe back upon the ground and sprung erect. The horses acted uneasy and frightened, prick- ing their ears forward, as, with eyes PD os yd wildly, they gazed over the plain in the direc- tion of the singular sound, betraying the fact that they were aware it heralded danger. ‘‘ We-uns hey gut ter git up an’ git fer ther timber, er we'll be stomped inter flap-jacks ’fore soon, What in thunderation an’ dangnation air we-uns goin’ ter do with our pard? ‘‘T wisht he’d come ’roun’ ter senserble biz. He ain’t hard hurted, ’ceptin’ by sufferin’ tortur’ from want o’ drink an’ ther heat; but, I reckon, hevin’ ther baby nigh, chuck-full o’ pain, hev bin wuss nor all t’other hellishness. **Reckon Lively-Legs *ll hev ter. kerry double this time. Whoop-er-ee! Ther big batch o’ buffler air comin’ on lightnin’ whiz, an’ hit’s git up an’ git now, er flop over an’ git killed an’ buried both et one’t!” By this time, a continuous.roar, like the first breath of a ‘‘nortber,” was plainly to be dis- tinguished, while the very ground beneath them trembled. ** Old Rocky talk heap good,” agreed the chief. ““Must ride fast. Look! Onr white brother come back from dark-land,” The old scout turned quickly, Mad Munroe had gained, without assistance, a sitting posture, and was now gazing at his child in the arms of Star Eyes, and seemingly unconscious of the presence of the others, ‘*Good!” exclaimed Old etaeg & greatly re- lieved. ‘‘ Caddo, help me Wist him inter my saddle,” The chief at once did so. The young man, after being thus assisted, sat in the saddle as one dazed. ‘‘ Hump yerself, Star Eyes, an’ jump yer crit- ter,” cried Old Rocky, catching the child in_his arms. ‘* Thar’s death on ther perrarer. Buf- fler air comin’, thick es grass-burrs on ther Grandee!” Without a word, the squaw sprung into her saddle, the babe being then passed to her; and, pressing it to her breast with her left arm, she clutcbed the Jaga of her mustang, and gazed, for the first time toward the coming dan- ger. CHAPTER XITI. SAVED FROM THE STAMPEDE. A JONG black line, and a black sea beyond, were now piainly to be seen, while the sound had increased, to the extent of resembling con- tinuous but distant thunder. Old Rocky quickly mounted behind Mad Mun- roe; and Creeping Cat, gaining his saddle, gave a signal for the others to start at once. Away they galloped, toward the dark line of timber that marked the course of the creek, where they had recently been encentem The Caddo chief brought up the rear. Then followed a race for life, They had already delayed too long to escape the threatened doom easily. All depended upon the eastern portion of the vast herd keeping compact, and not swerving, by the terrific pressure, nearer the creek than they were. Old Rocky was forced to drive spurs cruelly, and his horse galloped laboriously beneath its heavy double load. Creeping Cat maintained his position in the rear, and the mustang of the young squaw bolted ahead, with starting eyes, that were filled with terror; while snorts of fright sound- ed, and its thin nostrils trembled. t was a grand and imposing, and yet a most agonizing scene, The entire vast plain, from the vicinity of the creek asfar as eye could reach westward, was one vast sea of frantically frightened bison, i — spurning the ground in their strange gait, their humps bobbing up and down like waves, while the very earth shook and quaked, and the air was filled with a thunderous and appalling sound, Our friends seemed to be doomed to a horrible death, The rescue of Mad Munroe and his child ap- peared to have been not only useless, as far as they were concerned, but their brave preservers must now be sacrificed for having attempted. to save them. Did one of the horses fall it would of a cer- tainty doom the rider to death. All, with their animals, would, if overtaken by that avalanche of brutes, be ground into the earth, leaving no trace of their having ever ex- isted; yet the Caddo chief, with dauntless mien, galloped in the rear with a careless air, as if tempting fate. The horses, with the exception of the one ridden by Creeping Cat, seemed frightened to frenzy, straining every muscle to gain the friend- ly timber ahead, while the sea of buffalo swept down toward them ata most. frightful rate of speed. Nearer and nearer to the timber, nearer and nearer rushed that dark and overwhelming tide. It sEpeerse impossible that the fugitives could reach their haven of safety, Old Rocky yelled like a fiend. The horses snorted with terror, strained every nerve. Suddenly the old scout gavea yell of exulta- tion and heartfelt relief. They had reached the tall grass, They were safe! A few minutes later all pulled rein, the horses whirling about, panting from over exertion, and covered with foam, their eyes distended as they razed at the thousands of bison that were sweeping past. — The Caddo chief just cleared the outer line of madly galloping brutes, the eyes of which glow- ed like coals of fire from out the long hair of their ‘‘ mops,” while the earth trembled con- tinuously, and a long drawn out and thunderous roar filled the night air, Then a spurt of fire was seen, a sharp report following, and a buffalo cow on the margin of the big stampede fell tothe earth, her calf re- maining by her side. Creeping Cat had fired the shot, and as the cow fell he sprung from his horse, loosening the slack of the neck-rope which he retained in his hand. Then, drawing his knife, the Indian dex- terously severed the udder from the animal, in such a manner as to allow some of the integu- ment from the belly to remain on the same. This he gathered up carefully in his hand, and with it he approached the group, leading his horse, Star Eyes quickly dismounted, for she under- stood the purpose of the chief. The latter advanced, and handing the udder to his squaw, remarked: ‘* Here, milk, plenty. pappoose,” ° ‘* Bully fer yeou, Caddo!” cried out Old Rocky, ‘*hit’s a cold day when Creepin’ Cat gits left, fer a fact. “Dang an’ double dang my ole gizzard, ef we- uns didn’t hev a close scrouge! But we made ther riffle—dog’d ef we didn’t. ‘Yer allers keeps yer head level, Caddo, which air hard fer me ter do, billyus es I’ve bin of late. But, let’s git our pard down from ther critter, an’ fotch him back ter Texas biz. ‘* S’pose we-uns hev a council talk. Thar’s a heap ter do ahead, I’m bettin’ hefty, afore we- ‘uns gits Maricn outen ther cussed heathens’ clutches, “We hain’t hed nothin’ but baby play so fur, but ther work’s a-comin’. Thar’s a big crap 0’ ha’r ter be harvested ’fore soon—perferate my ol¢ perercardium ef thar ain’t!” ladison Munroe wac then seated upon the erass, and. his head bathed, while the old scout procured a!flask of brandy from his malettos, some of the contents of which he administered to his young pard. Star Eyes lost no time in squeezing some milk from the cow’s udder—it being still warm—into the mouth of the infant; and, in a short time, she was rejoiced beyond measure to observe that the httle one swallowed the lacteal fluid quite naturaily, and with evident relish. The young squaw also rubbed some of the buffalo-milk upon the sunburnt face and arms of the child. And, on rolled that tremendous stampede, presenting a sight so awfully grand that one un- accustomed to a like view WOuld scarce have be- lieved. his senses, but. still Save life of Marion’s CHAPTER XIV. FOR LOVE AND REVENGE. StaR Evers had removed to a point from which she and the babe could not be seen by the, as yet, but semi-conscious father; and she had striven, in every way, to bring the lit- tle sufferer back to as natural a state as was possible under the circumstances, Old Rocky bathed the dust and blood from the head of Mad Munroe, and poured water over his bruised and swollen wrists and ankles: the creek, near at hand, furnishing an ample supply. ihe brandy appeared to have a beneficial ef- fect, but acted slowly; and nota word did the roung scout speak, but clasped his palms over his brow and eyes, as if striving to recall the near and awful past, and to realize his present condition, This state was by no means a strange one, under the circumstances, In fact, it was remarkable that Munroe re- tained life, after the sufferings he had endured: his brain having received such terrible shocks, especially when the prairie wolves were about to tear his child to pieces, before his eyes, Yet he lived, and seemed gradually coming back to» strength and sensibility. And the infant, as it became somewhat strengthened by the judicious treatment it re- cateod at the hands of Star Eyes, recovered still more rapidly; its eyes becoming more and more natural in expression. As the young squaw noticed this, she was re- joiced and thankful; she having, in the mean time, formed a plan, which she directly put im practice. She arose to her feet, and taking up the child, came up behind Madison Munroe, whose eyes were still covered with his hands. She then gently placed the infant on his knee. The little one gazed upward, with a very natural look, Quickly the young scout removed his hands from his face, and looked downward. His three friends stood, watching him with much interest and anxiety. Instantly, from his lips, came words of deep- est thankfulness: “Thank Heaven! Oh! thank Heaven! My child! My poor child! But where, where is Marion? My brain is on fire!” As Munroe thus spoke, he clasped the little one to his breast, and for some time seemed overcome by the rush of emotions its presence brought upon him, : ‘‘Hasy, pard Madison, easy! Yer hes bim through a right smart chance o’ hellishness, an’ hes skinned out o’ hit without breakin’ a bone, ‘*Thar’s yer baby, O. K., an’ neither yeou nor hitain’t hurted ter last. But hit’s bin purt clos’t work—mighty clos’t shavin’—bet yer bac ha’r! ‘*We~uns air waitin’ fer yer ter come roun” ter biz, fer thar’s work, an’ mighty hot an” heavy work et thet ahead jist now. ‘**Bout how does yer wag fer a big boss scout, wi’ me an’ Creepin’ Cat? Ef hit hedn’t bin fer ther Caddo, yer’d ha’ gone under, sure pop. Thar wouldn't ha’ bin a greases-pot left o’ yer, er ther baby either—not enough ter bait a hook fer cat-fish,’ Mad Munroe’s whole form quivered with the intensity of his emotions, and he now struggled to a standing posture, still holding the child in hisarms. The next moment, he passed the lit- tle one to Star Eyes, and extended a band to each of his pards, white and red; as he said,ina strange and unnatural voice: ‘“May Heaven bless you both, my true and brave friends! I have been through such torture as would wreck most men’s minds. It seems now like a horrid dream, more than a Per but, alas! I know but too well how dreadfully real it is, ‘“T know as well as though you had told me in so many words, that my dear wife is in the power of the same merciless fiends, who con- demned me to a terrible death, and my child as well. Oh, Father in Heaven,”—raising his eyes, and clasped hands—‘“‘I ask for strength to follow the trail of those painted demons! ‘Creeping Cat, and Old Rocky,” the young man continued, dropping his hands, and look- ing toward the two men whom he addressed; hear me! JI swear to tear my poor Marion from those Apache devils, even though they be a thousand strong! , “71 rescue her, or both of us shall die by their weapons. Let me have one of your horses, and tell me which way the monsters rode— which direction their trail points. You will do this for me, will you not? Ill rescue my wife, if I wade knee-deep in blood!”