Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 442 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

> CHAPTER XI. THREE AGAINST A MULTITUDE. BARELY had the door of the log-dwelling been slammed and barred after the entrance of Humpy—indeed, before the boy found breath to reply to the hurried questions of his master— when the occupants of the cabin were terribly startled by a crashing volley of escopetas against the front walls, rattling the very door through which the little darky had entered but a mo- ment previous, ‘* Fer de Lor’s sake, Mars’ Lem, don’t yer stop hyer no mo’! Dar’s a heap o’ yaller debils arter we-uns, an’ de Injuns am up de ribber, too. Dey done got Mars’ Leon an’ Big Foot. “Come on! Le’s run out de back do’ quick er we-’uns ‘ll get kerraled hyer, an’ roast alive!” As Humpy thus spoke, he tugged at the cloth- ing of the old ranchero, striving to drag him to the rear door. Francisco heard every word of this, and knew that to fly when the way was evidently still open, before the outlaws closed about the dwell- ing, would be the only chance of saving their lives; besides, their services were needed in rescuing Leon and the old scout. He, therefore, thrust out his revolver through the loop-hole and quickly fired the whole six shots here and there, as he saw the Greasers bounding from tree to tree, and spreading out on either side in an evident attempt to surround the dwelling. He had the satisfaction of hearing two or three yells of agony, and believing he had killed, or at least wounded, Pablo, whom with Garcia he had recognized among the bandits. He then rushed to the table, secured all the weapons and passing a rifle to Captain Lem and the little darky, also a pair of loaded revol- vers to each, he cried out: ** Yes, Senor Lem, we must fly, and quickly, or we are lost! The rear of the casa is free and the back door shuts with a spring. ‘*‘Come! We will make the dash, and woe to them who bar our way. Humpy isright. He has saved us by coming as he did. Those two traitors are with the miscreants, Senor Lem, and they seek your life. ‘* But follow Francisco and Humpy! We will spill our best blood in your defense. Come! Time is worth more than ranches and horses. Vamonos!” Captain La Grange braced himself as much as was possible under the agony and bewilder- ment, the overwhelming misfortune that seem- ed to be impending. The words of his servants were such as to influence him strongly, or he might have stood his ground and died in de- fending his home and property. But to know Leon, his pride and hope, was a captive to Comanches—this was terrible! It was worse even than being in the power of the Mexican outlaws. The captain had entertained no idea of the possibility of other enemies than the bandits be- — in the neighborhood, consequently the sad, indeed, awful news at first overpowered him, rendering him hopeless and despairing. But the words of the faithful vaquero changed his emotion somewhat and made him more hopeful. The avalanche of misery that had so suddenly come upon him, he now began calmly to realize, The fates appeared to be bent upon his entire ruin. Not only were he and his adopted son doomed, but those who were true to him—Wal- lace, Francisco, and little Humpy—as well. The old soldier became desperate. His weak- ness vanished. He seized the arms proffered b the faithful herder, straightened himself cvaate his eyes blazing and his features drawn, an called out, in a hoarse and unnatural voice: ‘*Lead on, boys! Im all straight now. Curse them, red and yellow! We'll clean them out, and rescue Leon and Big Foot, or give our last kick! Let the ranch go to thunder. My boy’s life is worth a dozen ranches. ‘Git, is the word! Up-creek we go after Leon and Wallace. Then the Greaser fiends had better skip lively, if they linger till we return. Git, I say, and keep your peepers peeled!” Francisco opened the door, and the daring three passed out, shutting it after them. The snap of the spring sounded to prove thatall was secure. Then all dropped to the earth and crawled toward the nearest timber, taking ad- vantage of every bush and prostrate log. Soon they reached a safe covert, from which, as they lingered a moment, ey could detect here and there men bounding from one tree-trunk to another, and then, when the dwelling had been surrounded, two of the outlaws stationed, thus sheltered, between the hiding-place of our friends and the house. These men were exposed to.their fire, but the | mn ss sss Bluff Bill. trio had no intention of shooting in that way, and thus betraying the fact that the building had been vacated. They wished the bandits 9 believe them inside, as long as it was possi- e, It appeared that they had made their oe in the nick of time—thanks to the advice of the little hunchback. Could they but effect the release of Leon and the scout, and escape back to the ranch without being close followed by the Comanches, there would perhaps be a chance to defeat the Mexi- cans: preventing the latter from driving away the cattle and horses. But they lingered scarce a moment, for their anxiety in regard to Wal- lace and Leon was too intense to allow them to waste time. Making a wide detour, they reached the rear gate of the horse corral unobserved by the yel- low miscreants; waen Francisco quickly sad- dled a horse for Captain Lem, and cuught his own animal, which was already equipped. Humpy, also, secured a fresh mount. Proceeding to the point where the negro boy had left his pony, the equipments of which were transferred to the other horse, all spurred through the timber, forded the river, passed the trees on the opposite side, and then, keeping along the dark margin of the bottom-timber, spurred at headlong speed on to the rescue of their friends, As they thus rode side by side, Humpy related all that had occurred to him and Leon; thus creatly increasing the pain and anxiety of Cap- tain La Grange. They had had no thought of danger from the Indians, but they now saw that only by a mira- cle could the ranch and stock, and even their own lives, be preserved from the hordes of merciless red and yellow miscreants. They knew that at any moment, the Comanches might torture the two captives; if, indeed, they had not already done so. This thought made them drive spurs without mercy, their speed being really terrific and dan- eerous in that dim light; as gully, root, or stone might at any time cause disaster, if not death. Yet they strove to increase, instead of check, their furious gallop. At length they arrived within a half-mile of the point where Humpy had witnessed the capture of Big Foot and Leon; when it was deemed imprudent for them to proceed fur- ther, except within the dense shades.- And, even within the bottom-timber, they could not hope to approach very near the Indians when mounted, as their presence would be betrayed to any lurking E rcenbin by the sounds which the animals would necessarily make. After a brief consultation, they eontinued on, their senses strained to the greatest tension, ex- ecns to hear savage whoops at any moment. ut all was silent—silent as death—except when now and then, a panther shriek, yelp of wolf, or hoot of owl, rendered it even more impressive. All this was torturing. Much rather would they have heard the yells and whoops of the savages, as then they would have known the ex- act location of their red foes. Finally, our friends reached a point as near the scene of the capture as was deemed advisa- ble, when they dismounted, secured their horses where they could easily find them again, and continued their journey on foot; leaving their rifles behind, as those weapons would greatly impede their progress through the thicket. Humpy, though but a deformed slave, was the adviser and controller of these movements; and Captain Lem manifested more regard for the black youth than he had ever shown to one of his servants, for the boy had been with Leon, had witnessed the second capture, and had acted in the most fearless and sensible way through- out the whole of the startling scenes of that eventful evening. ; Of this, both the captain and Francisco were assured; and they fully realized that they would be almost helpless, as far as rescuing Leon and the scout was concerned, but for little Humpy. When they came near the scene of the cap- ture, all crawled silently forward, until Humpy pointed out the precise spot where their two friends had been cast by the Comanches after being securely bound. Just a few moments pre- vious to this, the moon arose above the eastern horizon, and, being full at the time, brightly illumined the earth. The consequence was, that they had a view of the small clear space; but, there were neither Indians not captives to seen, and silence ruled the timber around them. For some moments they hardly breathed, as their faces were pressed free from the foliage. And, what strong contrasts did those faces present each to the other! —_————— om ww ee eee, re Representatives of three races of mankind, their skins and their features strikingly o, .« - site, yet all ruled by a common controlling i.u>- iety—all having the same end in view, and cuch eager and anxious to risk life in the accomplish- ment of that aim—the rescue of Big Foot Wal- lace and little Leon. All knew that the Indians hated and greatiy feared the giant scout, and that they would be most exultant at having captured him; and, fearing that he might escape their vengeance, as he had more than once done before, they would undoubtedly make sure of him by torturing him at once, And then, Leon would be included in the hor- rible sacrifice! This knowledge burned in the brain of the old ranchero, and being forced also upon Francisco and Humpy, caused all three the utmost mental agony. Captain La Grange was almost uncon- trollable. His great desire was to rush wildly through the timber, and end the torturing sus- pense that was eating at his very soul. But at that instant the sound of a volley of carbines floated up from the direction of the ranch. All started nervously. This was followed by a full minute of impres- sive silence, when, suddenly all three, as if hav- ing received a powerful shock from an electric battery, sprung to their feet in open-mouthed wonder, their features imprinted with horror and apprehension, What had caused this sudden change? It was a long-drawn wail of agony, that end- ed in a shriek of dread despair. It could have proceeded, as the hearers well knew, from but one; and he must be suffering the extreme of physical and mental agony. ‘‘'The red devils have begun to torture!” yell- ed Captain Lem, dashing through the thickets, and up the river-bank. ‘“‘ Heaven preserve my poor boy, my poor boy Leon! ‘* Brace up, Leon!” he cried, ‘‘ the old man is coming, and he’ll save you, or die trying!” Neither Francisco nor Humpy strove to de- tain their master. It would have been useless. They both clutched their revolvers, and sprung off, close upon his track. The little darky, by a herculean effort, gained the lead, taking advantage of the old ranchero’s having stumbled and falleninto a gully. He cried out: ‘‘Come on, Mars’ Lem! Humpy reckons he kin find de red hellyuns’ camp, but we~uns is gwine to be gobbled, sho’ an’sartain. Golly, what’s de differ? We kin die tryin’ ter resky Mars’ Leon an’ de big scout,” ‘“Carajo!” was the single ejaculation that came hissingly from the ne of the vaquero, as he jerked knife and pistol, and rushed fran- tically onward, Right into the jaws of death the intrepid trio believed themselves to be flying, but they hesi- tated not an instant. There was not, they believed, one chance in a thousand for them to save the victims, or even to escape with their own lives. Not the slightest doubt had they that the shriek they had heard, and which tore seth their brains and hearts, had been wrung by the torture from Leon La Grange! CHAPTER XII. THE COMANCHES AND THEIR CAPTIVES. Bia Foor WALLACE kad never, perhaps, had quite so much anxiety_on his mind as at the time he rescued little Leon from his infamous uncle, Bluff Bill, Under the circumstances, he had more than his share of apprehension before hearing the words of the dastard, which re- vealed the presence of Indians on the Rio Leona. There were but two men at the ranch, the captain himself and Francisco; and, even did Leon recover, there would be but four. On the other hand, the outlaws were sufficient In num- ber to run off the cattle and horses. but, when the giant scout understood, from the words of Bluff Bill, that Indians were near also, and that they had been in conflict with the Greasers, he was on the verge of despair, for he was confident that the red trailers would, on the morrow, discover “sign,” which would lead them to the bend. Taken altogether, Big Foot felt that he and Captain Lem had more on their shoulders than they could well bear. The war-party was probably a strong one, and everything pointed to disaster and death. All that they could do was to fly, and leave the ranch and stock to the marauders, hoping that the reds would annihilate the Greasers, and torture the villainous brother of Captain La Grange, who had caused all this. comicboo