Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 484 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

a ———.- . aie. a — eee ne ee —— —- —— — — at about the same time, he followed hard after Walter, although he was unable to come up with him, until Middleton reined up in front of Long Eph, Black George and Jake Jaggleton. The three hunters politely returned the greet- ing of the young man, and then waited for him to explain matters. ‘*T have never seen you before,” said Walter, speaking with great earnestness, *‘but from what I have heard from others, I judge you to be the companions of a great hunter and In dian-fighter known as Comanche Dick. Am I right?” ‘You know more about us, younker, than we do about you,” replied Black George, who was quite interested in the new-comer. ‘** And is this his hacienda, or house?” ‘*Tt war,” was the significant reply. ‘* And where is he?” ‘‘That’s more nor we can tell, but it looks werful as though he war in the hands of the omanche skunks jist now.” ‘* Was there a young lady living with his fam- ily, a young Spanish lady, by the name of Josepha Navarro?” ‘* That there war, younker.” ‘*‘ And where is she?’ was the next question; asked with a soul-thrilling carnestness, which it would be impossible to depict. ‘* She and Dick’s wife are in the hands of the same thieves, as near as I can judge.” **Oh, God! I feared as much.” And, overcome by his emotions, Walter Mid- dieton would have fallen from his horse, had he not been caught by his uncle. ‘*Kasy, Walter—easy, now! Perhaps they'll bring her back ag’ in, if they find we’re looking fur her,” CHAPTER VI. NOW FOR THE GAME! As a matter of course, the rangers felt no little curiosity at the actions of the young man, who was so affected by the news of Josepha’s abduction. Still they remained vind ae ully silent until he had fully recovered himself, when Black George said: ‘* Younker, what mought be your name?” Ephraim Hopkins, with a tact which did him credit, hastened to answer for his young friend. ‘This gentleman is named Walter Middleton. Have you ever heard of him afore?” ‘** Can’t say that I did.” ‘Well, he and the young lady in whom we are all so deeply interested, are engaged in mar- riage, and we have come all this way to get her, and you'll own it’s rather hard for a feller in his boots to git here jist in time to find out what you’ve told us. You see, ef we'd only been a day sooner—” ‘Never mind that,” interrupted Middleton, who was sometimes impatient at the garrulity of his companion. ‘‘I would rather hear from these gentlemen now. I suppose you will rescue your leader?” ** Rescue him!” replied Long Eph; ‘ he’d shoot the first man that tried to rescue him.” ‘* Gracious!” exclaimed Hopkins, who did not understand the meaning of this declaration. ‘* He must be a queer chap.” ‘** Comanche Dick isable to take care of him- self” said Black George with an air of pride, ‘* He told us long ago that if he ever got into the var- mints’ hands, jist to let him alone, and ef he couldn’t get out ag’in without help, he didn’t want to. Dick has been there afore.” ‘* But you sart’inly don’t expect his wife and Josepha to do the same?” inquired Hopkins. ‘No; we war jist gittin’ ready to start on a tramp arter her, when we see’d you comin’ up, and we waited to see what it meant.” “You will certainly allow us to accompany you?” asked Middleton with no little anxiety. “Wal, I dunno,” laughed Black George, as he turned his eyes to the ludicrous figure of Eph- raim Hopkins. ‘I don’t think you'll be much heip tous. Fact of it is, we'll be a powerful sig t better off without you than with you.” ‘There ain’t two better hosses that ever left Texas,” remarked the New Englander, slapping the neck of his own beast. ‘* We’ve been chased by Injuns a half-dozen times since we started, an’ we kin run ag’in, if we see any of ’em.” ‘‘ We don’t propose to do that ’ere kind of business,” laughed Long Eph. The hunters showed, in the words that fol- lowed, that they were unwilling to take these two men with them, when there was every pros- pect that their maha would be an injury in- stead of a benefit. Young Middleton showed such ar earnest de- sire to accompany them, that a compromise was _—_ CO? Oh) ._ ODE OL . 4 \ We fu ba he aye } ane: pe As aati ks a pid nut. Le oe - << A J ¥ net i og yy P ry . “| eo we” 1D nical Nialigy Peo te e cai gs Ue aul, Sata ea finally offered. The vast drove of sheep, which Comanche Dick owned, had not, rather singu- larly, been disturbed by the Indians, and they could be dimly discerned in the distance busily cropping the dry prairie-grass, and under the guardianship of dogs. ‘* Them ’ere animals need lookin’ after,” said Black George. ‘‘We want to leave a man to take care of ’em while we ar’ off on our tramp. It'll be better to leave one of you than one of us, cause, you see, we’re a leetle more used to knife- cuttin’ and ha’r-liftin’ than you be.” ‘* What is your proposition?” asked Middleton, observing a smile on the face of the hunter. ‘* Let this ’ere long-coat stay and mind the sheep for a day or two while we are gone, and then we'll take you with us, and that’s all we can do,” it was expected that the New Englander would offer a strong opposition to this; but, to the surprise of all, the proposal pleased him. The fact of the matter was, he was not particu- larly anxious to engage in any “ Indian busi- ness.” On the principle that lightning isn’t apt to strike twice in the same place, he concluded that the ruins of the burned hacienda would be safer from the hated red-skins than any other spot he could select. ‘** Of course,” said he, after a moment’s delib- eration, in order to conceal his anxiety, ‘it would be a durned sight pleasanter to go along with you and j’ine in slayin’ the whole accursed race of Comanches and such creetur’s; but I opine there is a vally’ble interest represented in them ’ere sheep, and ef I stay and purtect them, no doubt the owner will make it—ahem—all right with me. So, friends, I accept the pro- posal. Yes, Pll stay and take keer of ’em.” This unexpected acceptance settled matters to the satisfaction of all parties concerned, and everything was made ready for the start. Mr. Hopkins made some inquiries as to what his precise duties were in the way of acting as a drover, and found that he had little to do, ex- cept to keep them from scattering, as they were sometimes inclined to do, and even this tendency as a rule was guarded against by the sagacious dogs. The hacienda, although in ruins, was not en- tirely destroyed. A small shed or stone house which Comanche Dick had put up some time before, had not been touched by the flames, nor had the stable been disturbed. These were insignificant buildings, which, however, the New Wnglender could turn to ac- count at night, or in case a storm should come up. Occasionally this portion of New Mexico is swept by the terrible ‘‘ northers” of Texas, in which case no human being could feel absolutely safe, without some covering to shelter him from its fury. In case he should need something in the way of food, and was not inclined to go on a hunt for it, it wus very easy to dispatch a sheep and dress him, and there was little fear but what he would do it, Mr. Hopkins wished them all good speed upon their journey, and, turning the bead of his animal toward the sheep, he cantered away at an easy gallop. ‘That is what I call a powerful good ’range- ment,” remarked Jake Jaggleton, as soon as the man was fairly beyond ear-shot. ‘Yes; I wouldn’t ’ve had him along fur any thing. But, come, we are losing time.” With which Black George wheeled about and started off at arapid gallop, the others immedi- ately following him. The prairie over which they journeyed, after they had passed some distance, was covered with along dry grass upon which ary animal except the sheep would have found it a hard matter to subsist. It was so dry, indeed, that a fire once started would have raged with great violence, and traveled until stopped by some stream of water, or by the “ openings” or clear places which were occasionally encountered. It is quite difficult to follow a trail over such a country, not only on account of the frequent passage of other animals, but owing to the dry, hard, cracked nature of the ground, the foot- prints are often so indistinct that the most ex- perienced eye can detect them only with the greatest difficulty. There was imminent pro- bability of the trail being lost altogether, in case the hunters allowed much time to elapse before beginning the pursuit, or should they fail to press it vigorously. So they had every motive to hurry, and they did so. Taking the trail where it appeared close to the house, they followed it rapidly until they reached the point where the Comanches had separated. Here they halted for a few minutes, ' \ ont yes 2» , fBai (iad 4 . al Woks Me # ‘ ied, t > eb ie : , oT of. i - a eg > Comanche Dick, and His Three Invincibles. a 7 i ee ee + ee — -— - ees Only a short period was needed to decide what they were to do. It was found that two of them, on the evening before, had unmistakably heard the cry of Josepha, as she was borne so swiftly away by her captors, so that no doubt could remain as to the direction she had taken. They were not hunting for Comanche Dick. ‘It’s likely they took both the women one way and him t’other,” remarked Black George, as they were about to move on again. ‘*'Then why didn’t she yelp?” inquired Jake eet ‘*How do you know but what she did?’ re- plied Long Eph. ‘‘I ain’t sart’?in by no means but what | heerd her last night instead of the younker,” ‘They both have voices that sound a good ’eal alike,” returned Jake, ‘‘’specially when they’re singin’, and when they try a yell we mought toss up for which war which.” ** Come, come, don’t let us wait,” said Middle- ton, fidgeting uneasily in bis saddle, and chafing at the delay. ‘*See yer, yonker; hev you taken this yer party under yer wing?” inquired Black George, with scme show of sternness, ‘** No, no; I have no desire to obtrude my ad- vice; but you must see how much valuable time we are losing.” ‘‘It’s all right,” returned the hunter with a grin. ‘I’m ruther pleased at your anxiousness to git forrid. I hope it'll continer arter we draw a bead on the thievingest skunks that ever run away with the best gal that ever lived.” The last words were jolted out of the wnter, as his horse was on the gallop again. No one but an experienced man would have suspected that he was following a trail: for a glance at his eyes would have shown that they were sweep- ing the broad prairie, while only now and then did they flit to the ground in front of him, The mustangs of the hunters were fresh, and they traveled at a high rate of speed, seemingly enjoying the fresh morning air more than did their riders, whose thoughts were too much oc- cupied with the serious task before them to be susceptible to any such influence, Every one of Spt re were smoking, and the regular puff, as they rose and sunk upon their steeds, suggest: ed the thought that they were all propelled by steam, The trail of the Comanches showed that they were proceeding at a rapid speed, they evident- dently a ‘atone that they would be pursued. For fully five miles from the point of their en- counter with the Rangers, the footprints of their horses led almost exactly in a southwest direction. A surveyor could not have marked out a line more mathematically exact. But here there was a divergence at a sharp angle, and it proceeded due south, toward the regular hunting-grounds of the Comanches and Apaches. ‘What I expected,” muttered Black George, as he wheeled his horse’s head to the right ‘*Ef we don’t overhaul them skunks afore they rit many miles in that direction, we’re goin’ to 1ave the biggest job we ever undertook in the Comanche line.” ‘Why so?’ inquired Middleton. The hunter looked at him a moment before replying. ‘You ain’t traveled much in these parts?” ‘* Of course not,” was the somewhat impatient reply. ‘‘If lL had, I might be expected to know something. If it is any trouble to you to give information, you will oblige me by not doing it. Black George laughed, He liked this show of spirit. ‘You'll do, younker; you ain’t no ninny that’s sart’in. e’re now goin’ straight towar the reg’lar huntin’-grounds of the Apaches and Comanches, both of ’em the infarnalest set of thieves that ever wore red skins. Ef thar’s any difference, the Apaches are the worst, fur the principle with them is to kill a white man or woman that may fall into tha’r clutches, and to do it in the wu’st way—and I kin tell you they know how to torture a man. Long ph thar could tell you something ’bout that, ’cause he’s been through the mill.” ‘*Do you suppose it is the Apaches that have carried our friends away?” ‘‘Not a bit of it,” was the decided response; ‘“we know ’em too well, The Comanches ain't so bad, fur they'll give a man some chance fur his life, They’re the all-firedest folks to travel you ever see’d. DTve seen a party of em as fur north as the Yellerstone,” ‘‘Then their hunting-grounds seem to be ev- erywhere.” * Exactly; but tha’r reglar place—tha’r home, whar they’re as thick as hornets—is the comic _s ?. 2. OY ad ‘ books. t >.