Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 482 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

‘ 4 +. - —- ~ , — a” dreams of the amateurs. —~ -_— -_ _—- —_—_.s | = - ~~ we eo r wt ; 14 —_—— the two outlaws lay—Black Bluford dead, and the villain Vandyke writhing in his death-throes. ‘* Hullo here, ole sinner!” exclaimed Old Peg- leg, ‘‘so you’re down at last, ar’n’t ye?” Vandyke looked up, and although the death- glaze was dimming his eyes, he recognized the trio, and, game to the last, he felt around in the grass for his revolver, muttering an oath. ‘It’s no use, Vandyke,” said Stonewall, ‘* vou’ve got to give itup, and what a miserable end it is, too, whén you could as well lived and died like a man, You might have lived awhile longer had you not followed that Ingin, Bound- ing-Bear, out here to slay us.” ‘He said—he said you were out of ammu- nition,” the dying man gasped with a great ef- fort that seemed to rend him with pain. ‘* Yes, but we don’t hunt buffalo like Ingins,” SN ee bar a ‘a her, and when I wear these beautiful moccasins and leggins I know I shall be inspired to deeds of bravery and heroism by a remembrance of their fair donor.” With a smile of joy the maiden turned and left the lodge, while Old Pegleg, with mock so- mar broke the silence, saying: ‘* White-Buffalo-Calf has spoken, and the sound of his voice war like the gurgle o’ molasses in Jinuary. Oh, my!” An outburst of laughter was indulged in at Stonewall’s expense. Meanwhile Stonewall sat Sgsges examining his presents, his face aglow with a smile of delight. ‘*T see’d that gal and four other squaws war busy this mornin’,” Pegleg went on; ‘‘ but I s’posed they war goin’ to make a fancy blanket outen them as what are leggins now; and when ut in Pegleg; ‘‘ we alers keep a few shots back | I see’d the foundation o’ them moccasins, I r fm and outlaws,” ‘* Bounding-Bear released us,” the villain went on in a delirious sort of way, ‘* and he said you were out of ammunition—out of ammunition— there it is, captain—the buried gold! I heard him tell Mabel all about it—we'll get it all, Blu- ford—all of it—and then—” ‘¢‘ He’s delirious now,” said Payne, ‘‘ and can’t live but a few moments,” And he spoke the truth, for the outlaw soon breathed his last. Mounting their horses the trio began retracing their steps. They rejoined their three friends, and as they all continued on, they related their adventures with the outlaws and the revengeful Bounding-Bear and his friends. The trail over which the buffaloes passed now presented a b scene, The Indians were en- gaged in skinning the game and cutting it up for transportation to camp. uaws, with pack-ponies, had followed up the hunters, and were carrying the meat back to camp, and nota few of the women were carrying upon their own backs slavish loads of the dripping meat. Black Wolf, the chief, awaited the return of his white friends, and received them with say- age blandishment. He congratulated them upon their skill as hunters, and gave them the credit of killing many buffaloes. The day was well advanced when the part reached camp, where they were welcomed wit joy, especially by Singing-Bird, Mabel Thurston and her father. The white hunters were tired and hungry. The day’s sport had surpassed even the vivid They had entered into the full enjoyment and excitement of the chase, and oneof their greatest hopes had been realized. The other, now, was to secure the buried treas- ure of the fur-trader, and they would be ready to depart in the enjoyment of all they had sought in the Grand River valleys. A supper of broiled meat, hot coffee and In- dian bread was partaken of that evening by the whites, and with a gusto that can be realized only by those who have undergone a like expe- rience and pleasure. After supper the white hunters sought their lodge to talk over the day’s work and their fu- ture course. Theconduct of Bounding-Bear was the only thing that they now had to give them any uneasiness, The fellow had not returned to the camp yet, and Pegleg thought he and his few friends might not, as long as they—the whites— remained there, through fear of incurring the chief’s ire for the attempted killing of Stonewall and his friends that day. While the party was discussing the situation, who should enter the lodge but Singing-Bird? She was gaudily arrayed in all her finest para- hernalia. A smile was upon her face and a ight of joy in her eyes, and there was not a man in the party but what admitted to himself that she was a beautiful girl, Indian though she were, Upon her arms and in her hands she carried a air of moccasins and leggins that were beauti- ully wroughf in various-colored beads, and ad- vancing to Stonewall Bob, she laid them at his feet, saying: ‘The White- Buffalo-Calf is a brave pale-face. He saved the life and honor of Singing-Bird, the daughter of the great chief, Black Wolf, and Singing-Bird brings these things for the pale- face brave as a token of her thanks.” — Stonewall Bob was both surprised and confused by this unexpected reward of merit from this simple-hearted Indian girl; but mastering him- self, he took up the presents and holding them in his hands, replied: ‘t Singing-Bird, daughter of the great chief, Black Wolf, I thank you for these beautiful presents and the kind words you speak. White- buffalo-Calf is proud to know that he saved the life of the fair Singing-Bird from the clutches of the white vulture. He will always remember | | Ln ee s’posed they war goin’ to make a pair o’ canoes, I reckon it took all the loose buckskin in camp to git up them things, and the beads on ’em would fill a barrel. Bobby, you’re ruther an expensive lover—a ruther costive calf.” **Go right along with your abuse, Pegleg,” said Bob; ‘* I can stand it, seeing you’re an old man.” Stonewall was induced to put on his moccasins | and legeins, and when he had done so he walked out and through the camp with evident pride in his new possessions, though the Indians present looked upon him with envy. Night finally settled over the valley, but the Indians kept coming and going nearly all night, bringing in the buffalo-hides and meat from the fields of slaughter. At an wr hour, hower@r, the white hunters retired. Old Pegleg and Stonewall occupied a small lodge alongside a larger one in which were the amateurs. “he latter soon fell asleep, but Pegleg and Stonewall could not dismiss from their minds the treachery of Bounding-Bear, and this, along with the confusion in the camp, kept them awake. Lying close together they conversed in whis- pers. The hours wore wearily along to them, and Old Pegleg was getting out of patience with the noise in camp, when suddenly they discover- ed that the door to their lodge was being drawn slowly aside and that the moonbeams were stealing in upon them. Without saying a word or moving a limb they turned their eyes toward the opening, and there, plainly outlined against the sky, they saw the gigantic frame of Bounding-Bear, stooping—a gleaming knife clutched in his hand! CHAPTER XIV. THE HIDDEN GOLD CACHE, STONEWALL Bos took in the situation in an instant. He saw that but a moment separated him from the murderous thrust of the Indian giant’s knife—less time than he could possibly place himself on the defensive or draw a weapon, Old Pegleg Sol seemed to have realized the situation equally as quick, for Stonewall Bob saw him throw up his wooden leg as if to check the advance of the assassin, At the same in- stant a dull, pistol-like report rung out, and the Boy Trojan saw a little tongue of fire spit out apparently from the old hunter’s wooden limb, while, with a low gasp, the would-be assassin pis iis back from the opening in the lodge and at once disappeared. Grasping his revolver, Bob sprung nimbly to his feet, ‘Sin and calamity! what’s this mean?” he ex- claimed. ‘Hullo, pard!” said Old Sol, starting up as if from a sleep; ‘‘ what’s the matter with you? Been havin’ bad dreams?” ‘*See here, old man, don’t you know what’s been going on? Didn’t you see that form in the doorway, and hear that pistol-shot, and see the flash of the weapon?” ‘* Boy, you’re in a bad condition—been havin’ bad dreams, I swow you have—say, lay down here and keep still—you’ll raise the hull camp. Yourre flighty, boy—you’re not well.” ‘*Pegleg Sol, you old calamitous wrctch, you’re telling me a straight, all-wool lie; you fired that shot andI know it. Say, now, didn’t ou? ‘* Wal, Bobby, to be honest with you,” the old fellow said in a whisper, ‘1 jist kicked that big Ingin in the stomach with my game leg, and I guess it made him sick to the digestion, for I si ae that peg harder’n a buck antelope can utt. ‘**Pegleg, confound you, you're still lying to me, and ’m going to wrench that wooden leg off and thump you over the head with it, if you don’t own up the truth. Say, haven’t yet gota masked battery concealed in that peg “Te! he! he!” snickered the old man; “ boy, »~ Stonewall Bob, the Boy Trojan. , ~s = 4 ° ert Mens) ‘ I'll own up, thar’s one o’ the slickest little shcot- in’-irons concealed in that wooden pegleg you ever see’d. The hull thing works like a clock, and now [ll tell you ’bout it. The ferule on the end is fastened with a hinge. A spring holds it in place and a spring flips it back when I want to shoot. If I can git my hand into my pocket, I can work the machine from thar. By techin’ a little button the ferule flies back; another but- ton and the weapon’s discharged; and a third button and the cartridge is extracted and an- other inserted, ready for business, It war the invention and gift o’ a wealthy gunsmith what I met at Fort Benton three years ago. The hull thing is no heavier’n a ordinary wooden club and I tell you she shoots likeaderringer. It has served me several good turns lately. I swatted three—yes, four outlaws with it, the night I rescued Miss Maple Thurston, The last shot was fired right before her eyes, and you never see’d a gal so broke up—nighly as bad as the great White-Buffalo-Calf war ’while ago. x olds the sacremental truth, Mr. Buffalo- alf. ‘*'You immense old fraud!” exclaimed Bob, ‘*it would surprise anybody to see a wild-eyed old, wobble-sided institution go ’round shootin’ with his wooden leg.” ‘*T reckon that Bouncin’-Bear war surprised,” Pegleg went on, ‘‘and if I give him a square zip in the digestion it are likely he’s sick ’bout this time. I ’spected to hear bim yawp, but he only grunted and went away. Reckon he war tryin’ to come a sly game on us—a still hunt.” ‘* Tf the big scoundrel should die we might get into trouble, although I observe the report of your ‘shooting-leg’ hasn’t raised any alarm yet—not even wakened our own boys sleeping within ten feet of us. Surely they ar’n’t all dead.” ‘*T’ll bet that Ingin don’t want Black Wolf to know anything ’bout his movements, and don’t think we'll be disturbed any more by him— leastwise, not soon.” And in this the old hunter was right, for the night wore away without any further molest- ation; and in the morning Bounding-Bear was found dead on the outskirts of the camp, shot through the stomach, with a long scalping-knife driven deep into his heart evidently with his own hand, The news of the giant’s death soon spread through the camp and great excitement pre- vailed, but when it became known that he had committed suicide, though no one could explain the bullet-wound in the stomach, the general verdict was that he had taken his own life through mortification growing out of his defeat in the wrestle with W hite-Buffalo-Calf. The matter being thus settled Stcnewall and Old Pegleg felt easier, and after breakfast the whites held a consultation and finally decided to begin the search for the Hidden Cache. To expedite matters and to allay any suspicions their movements might arouse, they took the chief into their confidence and promised him a share of the gold should they succeed in finding i t. To the surprise of the party the chief informed them that he could take them to the very spot where the massacre of Mercer’s party occurred, for he himself had taken a eam part in the conflict, But'he knew nothing of any hidden treasure nor had he ever heard of it before. More hopeful now than ever of finding the cache, the spade brought along for the search was procured and the party started off headed by the chief, But notover a mile from the camp the Indian suddenly Big tai and said: - Here is the place where the pale-faces were cilled.’ The whites gazed around them with a melan- choly look. Not even a bleaching bone was to seen, ‘““T guess you're right, chief,” said Old Sol, ‘but J war thinkin’ the massacre occurred a lit- tle east o’ this.” ‘Black Wolf,” said Frank Payne, to test the chief’s memory, ‘‘do you remember how many of those pale-faces escaped?” ‘* Just one—he catch pony and escape,” replied the chief. ‘‘T guess Goven’s story was a true one,” said Payne, ‘‘ but the gold was buried where they were last attacked. The note on the convict's data says it was buried half a mile east of where the massacre took place, or rather the massacre occurred west of the Gold Cache. ‘“That’s rather indefinite, I find now,” said Ben Clark, ‘‘ but we have plenty time to makea thorough search.” So the party moved back about half a mile and then the search began in earnest. Eivery de- : Fv~., oF 7 | @ mM A a Tr s e ‘* () 6 | " eme } a + . _ — Or ee . . yy .~ $ - * fel ofele) <r ao) . f. ~ > A 5 ¢ =< wf - er. uly fa ne * 4 - oe - - Mm