Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 427 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

) | ) . need eee to cut free. If braves yell, then run fast to mus- tangs. Gallop on plain. ‘Old Rocky come soon, Creeping Cat come soon, if no lose scalp! Big talk on war-path no ood. Itisenough. I have spoken.” Thus the chief arranged the ** p’ogramme.” ‘Yer gut hit right ter ther p’int, | swan ter christy!” said the old scout, with a much more hopeful lodk than before. ‘Dang my dorgs, ef thet ain’t ther purtiest an’ most proper p’ogramme I ever knowed laid out! Yer head’s level, Caddo, all through ther hull biz. Perceed ter glide! ‘*Tll work ther riffle hyer. Pard Munroe, crawl ormighty slow, an’ don’t crack a stick, er hit’]] be death, dead sure, ter ther hull o’ we-uns,”’ No further words were spoken, and the young scout remained silent, his eyes being fixed in a strange stare upon the moon-illumined face of his poor wife. But he showed that he had noted every word, by immediate action. He crawled through the undergrowth, but with the greatest caution and slowness; thus proving his remark- able strength of will. Creeping Cat had gone, as soon as Old Rocky had agreed to his plan of proceeding, to make a half-circuit of the camp. The old scout watched eagerly the opposite thicket, across the ‘‘ open,” in order to noe when the Caddo arrived at that point. Aslight rustle of a bush ere long betrayed the fact that the chief had reached his post. Then Old Rocky, his knife clutched firmly, and every sense and muscle strained, shook the bushes, near his position. He paused, and awaited developments. The brave nearest him stepped quickly to the scene or the disturbance, doubtless believing that he was about to secure a rabbit for his breakfast. One glance across the ‘‘ open” showed Old Rocky, that the sentinel on that side had stalked toward the covert of the Caddo; neither of the braves seeming aware of the move- ments of the other, while the third, the last re- maining guard, was engaged in disentangling the leg of a mustang from the animal’s neck- rope. id Rocky crouched, ready for ‘‘ biz.” Life and death depended upon the moment, and the skill of himself and his red pard. Totally unsuspicious of danger, indeed dream- ing not that a foe was within a day’s ride, the young brave stole into the thicket; his form half bent, and his knife in his hand, ready to hurl at the supposed rabbit. When the form of the Apache had gone so far within the undergrowth as to be concealed from view at the * yee the old scout knew that the time for immediate action on his part had ar- rived. CHAPTER XVI, THE VOW WAS KEPT, THE old scout gave a panther-like leap, and grasping the Apache by the throat in a vise-like crip, drove his bowie-blade, buckhorn deep, into the back of the savage, the steel grating, with a sickening sound, through the severed bones! And, as quickly was the blade jerked free, when a spurt of hot blood flew over the foliage. Then followed a struggle, a writhing, accom- panied by a gasping and gurgling sound, and all was still. The young brave had gone on the “ long dark trail.’ Old Rocky laid the body softly upon the ound, and then slashed off the scalp; but ardly had he done this when the remainin sentinel also strode toward the river, evidently thinking that his fellow-guard had gone for some water, and had met with a slight accident, though unworthy of a signal for help. Within two minutes, the scalpless: corpse of this Apache lay beside the other; and the mus- tangs and sleeping warriors of Red Wolf were unguarded, for the Caddo had slain his man also. The next moment, the latter was seen leading a fine horse from the herd into tho thicket. The old scout knew that this animal was for the use of one of the party, as_they had but their own threo steeds, and now Marion would be with them, Thus far all had gono well. ‘ The next move was to gain the point at which their horses had been left secreted. One glance showed Old Rocky that Mad Mun- roe had succeeded, for Marion was not at the tree to which she had been secured. He at once stole to the rendezvous, There he found Munroe and Marion, with the Caddo chief. The Three Trailers. It was quite dark where they were standing. There was no time for expressions of joy, or words of any kind. In more than one signification of the expres- sion, our friends were not yet ‘‘out of the woods” by any means, There was, indeed, a call for immediate action, or all was lost, Up to this time they had providentially been greatly favored. But the Fates were ever fickle, as the recent and awful past had but too plainly proven. To many, the word would have been flight, and rapid and instant at that; but this was far from the intention of the three border heroes, They had not forgotten their vows of ven- geance, Marion was at once placed upon the horse that had been given up to Madison by Star Eyes; her husband taking the pat that had just been captured by Creeping Cat from the Apaches. arion was then directed to speed over the plain, as soon as she was free from the timber, and proceed north; and the trio of pards pro- mised that they would soon overtake her. She could not refuse to follow the instructions thus given, Her protests would have been disregarded, and, although greatly concerned and anxious as to the safety of her husband, and his exposing himself again to capture, she complied. Then our friends made ready for the grand effort they decided upon. They had kept one oath, in the rescue of Marion; and they now intended to keep the other—that of revenge. Slowly, and as silently as was possible they gained the southern side of the camp of the sav- ages, near the river-bank. On the north side there was an open passage to the plain beyond, They led their horses at the first, but mounted when they reached the — that has been men- tioned. en they jerked revolvers, and took aim at the nearest of the sleeping savages. AJl pressed trigger at once. A thunderous report awoke the echoes of the Rio Concho timber, and then, with terrific yells, our three friends spurred forward, firing a fusi- lade, as the dumfounded Apaches sprung from their blankets. The mustangs snorted, and became mingled ina single mass. Then they bounded in wild fright, from the ‘‘open” to the plain north- ward, in a terrific stampede, Death-yells sounded at the first reports of the revolvers. : The Indians were so bewildered that they had not, at first, sufficient presence of mind to gain their weapons in any order. Some fell over others, and they became terri- fied and wrangling; fire flashing fromthe dead- ly barrels of their revolvers, and: the Jeaden messengers of death hurtling through the de- moralized Apaches; while, high above the din, rung the vengeful war-whoop of ig ies Cat, the Caddo, and the fierce yells, of Old Rocky and Mad Munroe. Apaches fell dead and wounded. in one: mass, the living intermingled; and, not until their weapons were emptied, did our friends speed out from the Apache camp, and over the plain, to join the waiting Marion. She, regardless of order, had, in her great anxiety, halted upon hearing the. rapid reports of the revolvers, mingled with the whoops and mad yells. But with an outery of glad joy, as she beheld her hero husband, returning toward her, she sped on northward, parallel with the herd of stampeding mustangs. The danger was past! The red marauders.could not pursue, and our friends had accomplished one of the most dar- ing and reckless acts ever performed on the bor- der. They were but three in number, but they had slain half a score of Apaches, had wounded many more, demoralized the. remainder, and stolen all their mustangs; besides rescuing Marion, the most ope achievement of all. They now signaled Marion to slack the pace of her steed, and then, when they had joined her, all swerved in their course westward, and gained control of the herd of Indian horses; driving the same, at a stampede toward Camp Johnston. Turning in their saddles, they now saw the mad mob of Apaches rush out from the bottom- timber, yelling like fiends. And, it was no wonder; for they would be obliged to walk.to their village, in the far-away Apache moun- tains, leaving behind, in the hands of their ene- 13 mies, all their mustangs, besides losing their copier and a number of their warriors. he savages had recognized Mad Munroe, whom they had left fast bound upon the plain to die, and this had filled them with superstitious wonder, thus adding to their demoralization. There is little more to relate. It will suffice to say that the scouts were suc- cessful in driving the vast herd of mustangs to Camp Johnston, realizing a considerable sum afterward by the sale of the animals at a point further east. Marion’s relief and happiness bad been great upon having been released, and finding herself in the arms of the husband whom she had be- lieved dead—trampled to death by the buffalo, for she had heard the sound of the great stam- pede—but, when Star Eyes delivered to the young mother her child into her arms, as tears of joy and thankfulness rolled down Marion’s cheeks, then, indeed, was her happiness complete. This was in the } panna of the officers and men at the post, and many yim unused to weep- ing grew moist, and were brushed bastily by ep sleeves at the sight of this re-united fam- ily. Old Rocky’s beard was again wet with ‘ eye- water,” oy d he exclaimed to hk red pard: ‘Dang my dorgs, ef hit warn’t billyus, bad billyus et that! An’ I hed an appetite ter puke up my toe-nails a heap o’ times arter seein’ ther cabin war burned, but this hyer makes me sicker than a gorged kiote—cuss my cats ef hit doesn’t. ‘*'We~uns hed a power o’ peramberlatin’ an’ perergrinatin’, but ther purserlanimous pirates o’ *Paches hed ter propel afoot-back ter ther Pecos, dang the’r pesky ictur’s! An’ thet’s a powerful piece o’ consolation.” It is almost needless to say that Mad Munroe hastened to take his loved ones back to Fort Mason, and that he never again imperiled their lives by exposing them on the extreme frontier. Creeping Cat, Star Eyes, and Old Rocky re- ceived duo praise and commendation from the officers and men of Camp Jchnston, and the thanks and life-long friendship of Madison and Marion Munroe. is was tors in many ways, in the years that followed. ut this was not the last time, by several, that these invincible prairie pards were together amid stirring scenes of danger and death; or proved their fraternal regard for each other, when dangers threatened upon the plains. THE END. Half-Dime Singer’s Library 1 WHod, Exma! and 59 other Songs, 2 Captain Curr and 57 other Songs, 8 THe GAINSBORO’ Hat and 62 other Songs, 4 Jonnny Moraaw and 60 other Songs. 5 ’'ut Strrke You Wrrn a Fratner and 62 others, 6 GEORGE THE CHARMER and 56 other Songs. 7 Tae Bevis or Rockaway and 52 other Songs, 8 YounG Freiian. You'Re Too, Fresn and 60 others, 9 Say Youne Grru and 65 other Songs. 10 I'm tHe GoveRNoR’s OnLy Son and 58 other Songs 11 My Fawn and 65 other Songs, 12 Comin’ Toro’ Tur. 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Heavr, Ho! and 60 other Songs. 98 "Twit Never po To Gip it uP, So and 60 others, Buvrt Bonners Over THE ORDER and 54 others, 80 Tue Merry Lavenme MAN and 56 other Songs, 81 Swrer Foraxr-me-Nor and $5,other Songs, 82 Lerrie Bany Ming and 53 other Songs, 83 Dr BANJo AM DE INSTRUMENT FOR ME and 53 others, 34 Tarry and 50 other Songs. 85 Just ro PLEASE THE.Boys and 52 other Songs. 86 SKATING ON ONE IN THE GUTTER and 52 others. 87 Kotorgep Kranks and 59 other Songs. . 88 Nu DespexanpuM and 58 other Songs, 89 Tae Grau I Lert Benind Mr and 50 other Songs 40 °Ts put A LirTLe FADED FrLowsr and 50 others 41 Prerry WHILHELMINA aod 60 other Songs. 42 DANCING IN THE BakN and 63 other Songs. 43H, M.S. Prnarore. compiere, and 17 other Songs Sold everywhere by Newsdealers, at five cents per copy, or sent post-paid, to any dress, on res ceipt 0 cents per num ber, BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS, 98 Wituiam STREET, New Yor, °; & poc