Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 5 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

Vagabond Joe. 15 breathe. The air, too, was growing keen, and Joe’s ears and fingers began to tingle with frost. He had no difficulty in keeping in sight of the fatigued and heavily-laden he sey ; and it was with a feeling of some delight that he finally saw them sink down, apparently exhausted by the weight of their burden and the inclemency of the weather. Joe sto , and, burrowing into a snow-drift like a rabbit dod the hounds, watched the two red-skins from his retreat. In the course of a minute or two he saw one of the, red-skins rise to his feet, and continue on up the river, The other kicked some snow over their burden drew his blanket closer about his head, and sat down to wait the return of his friend. ‘‘Now’s my time,” mused Joe; ‘‘T’ll sli there and knock the stuffin’ out of that Ingin and look into their bundle, If he’ll offer no re- sistance Ill let him go; but if he does, I'll slap a bee in his bonnet in a jiffy.” He drew his Lyre: and skulking along the bank approached the unsuspecting red-skin, who now stood erect with his blanket drawn close over his face to keep out the storm. The youth was within ten paces of the — foe when the up — turned, opened his b et and peered ou - Joe had risen to his feet and the two now stood face to face. The Indian uttered an exclamation of sur- prise and felt for his tomahawk—Joe raised his weapon. The “ ping ” of the pistol and a yell of sav agony were borne away on the wings of the passing storm. Then from under the white snow, now stained with the crimson tide of life, came a woman’s stifled cry of distress. » The wind sweeping down from the highlands of the north brought the excited voices of men upon its icy breath. Vagabond Joe, standing alone in the midst of the cutting blast, saw half ascore of human forms appear upon the bank, storm-weary, wild and hoary looking. CHAPTER XII CHRISTMAS IN AN INDIAN CAMP, Dr. CupMorE and Ishtahaba felt certain that their plans for the recovery of Miss Manville would prove successful. So sure, indeed, was the former that he arranged a tent as comforta- bly as possible for the reception of his unwilling est. Siete and Keen-Eyes, the Indians sent to watch Joe, were known to be as untiring and indefatigable as sleuth-hounds, and this left no doubt but that they would return with the maiden. After arranging the tent for Miss Manville’s accommodation, Cudmore visited the tent wherein Joe had seen the apparently lifeless form of Captain Howard lying. He went to the young officer’s bedside, and drawing down the reg 0 felt his pulse. ‘*Oh, he’ll be around by-and-by,” the doctor said to himself, for he was really a Soe ae of considerable experience; ‘‘ bnt I te you what, he got a serious jolt on the cranium. ¢ am there’s been no fracture, doc,” said one Jules Cupp, who appeared at the door of the ont. ‘‘ Yes; I think it was only a violent concussion of the brain, the effects of which will eventually be overcome. He’s gota eae constitution and can bear a great deal of physical pain. It the boys should come back soon with Miss Man- ville, I think the sound of her voice will bea potent remedy for this condition of his mind.” ‘They’ ll fetch her when they come, Pll bet!” replied Cupp, for they’re old, bloody Turks on follerin’ a trail.” ‘‘ Well, all we can do is to wait patiently their return; and for fear they don’t come soon with the girl, I'll give the captain a stimulant of my own.” The doctor took a medicine case from his ket, and filling out a prescription, adminis- ored the same to the young captain in a little brandy. This done, he carefully covered the patient, and then went out and joined his com- des. we the hours went by, and the two spies did not put in their appearance, Ishtahaba began to entertain some fear of their having met with trouble. He knew there were, at least, some eight or ten white hunters—friends of Captain Howard—in the vicinity; and that they would remain in the neighborhood until they had learned something definite as to the fate of their friend. Into Nv g: aaa the chief was afraid e two spies had fallen. pat 5 9 several warriors were sent out in ‘strong to repel any that the enemy search of the absent scouts; but returned at night without any news of them. This unex- pected termination of affairs cast a shade of dis- appointment over the spirits of the party ; never- theless, Dr. Cudmore and his white friends de- termined to celebrate Christmas eve. They felt no fear of danger, for their force was eeyars f ight bring against them. As to Grace Manville, the doctor did et a a moment, believe she could a? him entirely; for men had been by the different ways leading toward the settlements, of which Fort Dodge was the nearest. dmore and his white companions had, in an- ticipation of a grand carousal after the consum- mation of one of the blackest conspiracies upon record, procureda keg of brandy and brought it with them to camp. This was now opened, and the liquor sampled by Ishtahaba and his fol- lowers. Dr. Cudmore had explained the meaning of Christmas to the red-skins, and a in glow- ing colors, the manner in which the pale-faces celebrated the occasion by the blazing y ule-log, and in the foaming wassail bowl. And in con- nection therewith, he suggested that they have a grand festival that night, which suggestion met with general approval by the red-skins. A deer was cut up and , when the entire party repaired to the largest of the snow-huts in camp, and there indulged their appetites in roasted deer and brandy. The effects of this debauch soon became mani- fest in the reeling, leering savages, and the wild, bacchanalian songs of the white men. The interior of the hut was lit up by a couple of small fires—one at each end of the building; and around these fires the was assernbled— some standing, some reclining and some sitting —the frenzy of the inebriate burning in the eyes of the white men, and the foam of madmen sitting upon the lips of the red-skins. And thus the revel went on, hour after hour. As a diversion, two savages got into a dispute over a knife, which e in a deadly conflict between them. One of the savages was slain and the other mortally wound The dead man was hauled out of the snow-hut into the tent in which Captain Howard was confined, while the wounded one was placed in a separate t And then the carnival went on. Cudmore drank to excess. He became almost beastly drunk; and when no longer able to hold the attention of his companions by ribald songs and jests, he turned to Duke Belden and said: f Duke, ole boy, give us a song—one of those singeing old songs of Udin, that jolly old Scandi- navian god that used to make Christmas ring with his merry-making, and high-lonesomes that laid that affair at Bethlehem in the shade.” “Tm out of tune—hic—doctor,” mumbled Duke; ‘‘ you'll have to s’cuse me to-night—merry Christmas to you at ae me : Silence was finally im upon the party by the liquor getting the best of most of them. Several sunk down in a drunken sleep, and a few remained awake the night through; but when morning dawned, all were astir, though feeling none the better of their night’s debauch. And up to this time, Slyly and Keen-Eyes had not put in their appearance at te The wounded man lying in the tent was still unconscious, The storm had ceased, the first time in many hours; but the wind shifting into the north-west began blowing wild and bitterly—whirling the dry snow in blinding clouds though the air. The prolonged absence of the two scouts caus- ed great uneasiness in camp. Fears that Vaga- bond Joe and Grace Manville had escaped were entertained by the whites. Dr. Cudmore heading a party of ten struck out in search of the missing men. Other parties were sent out in different directions. Not over a dozen persons remained in camp: and these were suddenly surprised by the ap ce of one of the scoutsin camp. It was Slyly. A comrade accosted him with the question: ‘“Where is Keen-Eyes? why does Slyly come back without either him or the maiden?’ ‘* Keen-Eyes watches by the side of the maiden down the river; and I have come for help to bring her to camp. The snow is deep, and the vale-face maiden is weak. Slyly and Keen- yes are worn out, for they have not slept, but traveled far upon the trail of the cunning Va- bond Joe. ‘‘ And where is Vagabond Joe?” ‘‘ Ask the wind creeping over the plain and woods, for Vagabond Joos like the fox in the ight,” replied Slyly. n a few facenente six warriors were on their way down the river, Slyly did not accompany them for he was nearly exhausted; but gave them such directions as would enable them to find Keen-Eyes. In less than an hour the Indians came back carrying a burden upon a blanket, while Keen- Eyes trudged wearily along behind them. e Indians carried their inanimate burden into one of the canvas tents, and carefully brushing the snow from the blankets and wra laid the motionless form upon the couch of skins already prepared for its reception. At this juncture Cudmore came back to camp, cursing the storm, Vagabond Joe, and every- body ; but, when informed that Keen-Eyes and Slyly had returned with the maiden, fury turned to joy, and pushing his way inte the tent, he knelt by the still inanimate form and began removing the wraps from about the face and body. Determined that she should not suffer with the cold, the Indians had wrap the form of the maiden in three different blankets. Cudmore had removed two. of these when he suddenly felt something warm trickling through his fin- gers; and gre up his hand, he saw it was stained with bl ‘* My God!” he exclaimed excitedly, ‘‘ she is wounded! dead!” The doctor soon stripped off the remainin blanket, when the limp and lifeless form f back upon his breast. A cry of dismay burst from the lips of the spectators, for, instead of ing upon the face of the white maiden, they looked upon that of Keen-Eyes, their own comrade! From a bullet-hole in the temple the warm blood was still oozing. CHAPTER XIII. WAITING FOR JOB. THE reader may consider the e to which many of-my characters have n sub- jected as being beyond human endurance; but those fully acquainted with the freaks of the winter in the wild North-west will readily ad- mit the possibility of all that I have sta As a general thing, those terrific snow-storms on the prairie seldom last over three days, end- ing with a fall of the mercury that makes the cold bitter and intense. But, at the time of which I write, the storm lasted many days, and is known as the great storm of the winter of 1856-7. It snowed, then blowed; the weather in the meantime, never growing so cold but that any one could keep warm by physical exercise. e greatest danger to which ~ were liable, was of becoming bewildered is storm; in which case, a lassitude of spirit and faltering led to despondency ; drowsi- ness seized upon the mind, and numbness the body, when sleep is irresistible and death cer- tain. As long, however, as the proper nourish- ments are taken, and the state of the mind kept under control, one can withstand the rigors of an intensely cold winter in the open air. : It is seldom severely cold upon the prairie when a heavy snow storm is raging, else man and beast could not live; and when the wind is blowing, it is the drifting snow and sleet driven into the face and eyes that make progress in the face of such a storm so disagreeable and difficult. Singular as it may seem to some, there is no warmer habitation in the midst of a severe win- ter than a snow or ice-hut properly constructed. This fact has long been known to the hunters and trappers of the North-west, and to Arctic ex- plorers, and taken advantage of whenever ne- cessary, as was in the case of our hero, Vagabond Joe, when he provided Grace Manville with a cozy little snow-hut. The maiden was greatly surprised at the warmth and comfort of the “‘ Crystal Palace,” as the redoubtable young builder had seen fit to» call it; and when she found herself alone therein, she put aside all fears and doubts, and determin- ed to pass the lonely hours before her the best she could. She shook out the robes and blankets that Joe had been thoughtful enough to bring from the enemy’s camp, folded them neatly, and arrang- ed them upon the hand-sled—the only article of ‘* furniture” in the “‘ palace.” In the course of an hour or two, she put on her hood and shawl, and ventured out into the storm to drink in the fresh air andexercise her cramped limbs and body. _When she returned she felt greatly invigorated; and, seating her- self on the cushioned sled, began brooding over the events of the few hours. That she was the victim of a vi ous conspiracy she had not a doubt; yet, reposing the strongest faith in the ability of her boy-friend to deliver her from the toils of her enemies, her hope and courage never gave entirely way to despondency. Another KS (200) et — —_—— = a —_—=- e€oim — ee