Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 51 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

8 ‘“ We are discovered,’ cried Flo, as she struck her horse a sharp blow, for at sound of the cry of alarm, erg horse had started wildly along. ** Keep close to me,’’ called Madge, for she knew, should they get separated in the darkness, there would be a hundred chances to one that they would be taken. And, as she spoke, a perfect pandemoni- um of yells arose on the still night air, and rushed in a body in thelr direction, while above the din sounded the guide's voice, yelling some hoarse com- mand in the Indian tongue. The horses reared and plunged wildly, and the two brave girls had to exert their utmost strength to keep them from dashing away at their topmost speed. In the intense darkness, this would have re- sulted in their being dragged from their seats by the lower limbs of the thick timber. But Madge had noticed, particularly, the lay of the ground on coming in, and she chose a path out where she knew were the least obstructions. But their pro- ss was not very fast at the best, and the yells of mn eae ee e savages sounded frightfully near. ““T do believe they are gaining, Madge!” cried Flo, in sudden alarm. What—” She broke off, and reined up her horse, with a sud- denness that threw him back upon his haunches. For, from the ground about them had sprung half a dozen dark forms, and were on every side of them in an instant. Two had grasped the horse Madge rode by the rein, while another laid hold of her to pull her from her seat. But, with bravery that was a art of her nature, the girl clung to the saddle. tc a hand holding the revolver came to a level with the savage’s breast, and, with a silent prayer for ot she pressed the trigger. The flash and the report came together. By the light, that for an instant illuminated the spot, Flo saw the savage clutch his breast, with a spasmodic motion, and fall heavily backward. But while the report was still echoing on the air, a second one blended with it, and, with a howl of rage, one of the re hey ee who was grasping the rein, sprung back, his face distorted with agony. Filo had cocked her revolver at the commencement of the melee, and sat holding it with a tenacious pe, gazing spellbound at the scene. A low, gut- ural exclamation, and a strong hand attempting to wrest the revolver from her, brought her sud- ed a realization of her position. A strange oF alf of terror, half of defiance, came from her ps, and she clung to her weapon with the gripe of | ere ee ee er ee ward as rapidly as they thought advisable, lookin to the saving of their horses for a sharp run if it should be necessary. Flo’s spirits seemed to rise still higher as no signs of the savages appeared, and though e, with more experience and a pre- monition of the trials ahead, which her years, if nothing else, told her they might expect, could not feel op ty she was careful to say nothing that would damp her companion’s spirits. And so the long night wore away, and the first y light of coming dawn found them many miles rom their camping-place of twelve hours before. A suitable spot was chosen and a halt made. About the middle of the forenoon, Flo, who was watching while Madge slept, saw .yhat she thought to be a man, fully two miles away. -It was so far off she could not tell for a certainty, and it only re- mained in view an instant. It was under the woods at the further edge of the boo or prairie, before her, and in the direction of Red River. She awoke Madge and told her what she had seen. ‘““Whoever it was, I hope they didn’t catch a geme of you, for it is not at all probable they would be friendly to us,” said Madge, as she drew a small glass from her pocket, and leveled it at the corner of woods Flo pointed out. The two girls were securely concealed by the un- dergrowth and thick timber among which they had urposely stopped; and keen, indeed, must have een the eyes that, looking from the direction of the prairie, could have detected them. But they were detected nevertheless. Under the drooping foliage of a giant tree on the outskirts of the clump of timber toward which the two girls’ attention was directed, a man was crouching, his es intently fixed on the spot where they were standing. But after a long and patient survey with her glass, Madge failed to see aught that was the least suspicious. ‘You can just depend on it, though, that there was a man there,” declared Flo, nodding her head, by way of emphasis, till her curls all danced again in the morning sunlight, ‘And I shouldn’t won- der at all if it was Whiskerando Brigando,” Flo's ‘net ’* name for their false guide. ut it was not at ce tig that the person or per- sons were friends, and’ so, the sooner they Gases their present position for one further away, the less danger there would be of their encountering them. th this view, they at once got under way. Their course would carry them a little nearer the supposed despair. It was discharged in the struggle, and the | enemy, but as they could travel under cover of the ant, and be- the weapon old, for an ins savage half-released his had jerked fore he could tighten it, Flo | from him, and cocking it again, shut her eyes and | blazed away! timber, they decided not to make any deviation on that account. They had gone perhaps three miles, when they again struck the prairie, which curved around the She was conscious of a wild yell, following and | point of woods through which they had passed. blending with the report; of the sudden plunging forward of her horse; of a dark form rising before her, that was borne down and ruthlessly trampled under the feet of her frightened steed, and then she was going like the wind along a little, narrow flat, al- most on a level with the water's edge while Madge just ahead, slackened her speed a rief instant till ‘she came up. Then she was herself again, and they were flying along, their horses’ feet ever and anon plashing into the shallow water; while behind, a din reigned that would have shamed Babel. “Are you hurt, Madge?” inquired Flo, anxiously, as soon as she could — ‘*No, but. I am afraid you are?” ‘*No, [am not! But some one else is! I gave one savage the headache I'll be bound. But, oh, Madge, wasn’t it a most fortunate escape!”’ ‘“Tt was indeed; but we are not ‘ out of the woods’ yet. But I don’t fear very much. We are better mounted, or at least as well, as they, and, thanks to our training, we have a little practical knowledge of riding and shooting, and I guess we have the courage ~ back them up,’’ with a smile into Flo’s flushed ace. ‘* We gave them a sample of what we could do, to- night,’’ returned Flo. “ But, oh, my open what a mean old tramper that ea is! I'd just like to get 4 angers in his hair! (ll bet I'd pull for once!’ and Flo clenched her little hands, and her eyes flashed like little coals of fire in the darkness, just in anticipation of such an event. “He has certainly turned out a scoundrel, and proved that our fears were well founded. But hark! we have outrun them completely.” They were still follo the stream, the nature of the bank sometimes forcing them into it; but now they drew up for a moment on a narrow flat close to . the water's , and listened. But not a sound came to show that they were pursued. “TI guess they didn’t look for us to follow the stream, and have gone in some other direction. They can do but little to-night, anyhow, but lam afraid when daylight comes they find our trail.” ‘*Let them,’’ returned Flo, spiritedly. “I think we are amply able to take care of ourselves. Ain't we Bessie?” and she patted her horse’s neck ca- ly. “They sat there for some time and listened for the slightest sound that would tell them their pur- suers were upon their track, but nothing broke the stillness of the night, save the murmur of the wind through the trees, and the breathing of their steeds. OL Ee Sedan tte igcaeltnncee neheley x oaeppoate H Se us near an oppos . direction now, from what we wish to pursue. The _gtars furnish an admirable guide; and I think we had better take our course by them.”’ “Tf they xe not a better guide than the one we have had, I don’t think they amount to much,’’ was Flo’s opinion, as she pepe up the reins. ‘ But you are better fitted for a general than I, so take -command, and march.”’ . ., They struck off trom the stream, and traveled for- They were congratulating themselves on passing the danger in safety, when directly ahead of them, and appearing from behind one of the higher ‘““waves’’ of the prairie, rode a single horseman. Madge’s quick eye caught him the instant he came in view, and the two halted instantly. Then, as he reached the level ground, they saw that he had sey- eral led animals in tow. ‘“*Tt’s a white man, Madge!"’ cried Flo, after they had watched him a little. - “‘ Who knows but it may be the one I saw a short time ago?” “Tt may be,”’ answered Madge, who was watching him through her glass. ‘ Whoever it is, it is no¢ our tide that was, at any rate. What do you think we ad better do?”’ “Go and make his acquaintance,” responded Flo, ater ps ‘** Who knows but what he may be some- one that we can get to guide us through?- There be hunters and trappers here, and he is probabl one. He is only one man, anyway, and I don’t thi we need be much afraid, let him be as ugly as old Whiskerando himself. Shall we, or shan’t we?’ and Flo stroked Bessie’s neck, and waited for her companion’s opinion on the subject. ‘*We had better go on,’’ responded Madge. ‘He ie along as unconcernedly as though he had no dea that we were near.”’ But when the horseman came to the spot where he would have crossed the trail, had the girls been following one, he came to a halt, and waited for them to advance. CHAPTER XII. THE GIRLS’ NEW GUIDE. “Wat, now, by thunder!’’ muttered old Abe An- derson, for it was no other than the old hunter him- self. ‘If I hain’t run onter somethin’ ¢his time that don’t "habit the Red River country to any great ex- tent. Lord! I'd e’ena’most think they war ghosts, if the hosses wa’n’t stickin’ up their ears so. They knowed in a minute they wa’n't any cheat bout them. What d’ye think "bout it, Jimmy? Been some time since you've seen any gals, hain’t it?” Jimmy laid back his ears, as much as to say ‘** Yes,” but immediately stuck them forward again, to regard the new-comers, now but a few yards away. ‘*Mornin’, ladies,” greeted the trapper, slipping from his seat, as they came to a aod near ; while his eyes twinkled and a broad smile expanded his good-natured, weather-beaten face. ‘I’m Uncle Abe Anderson, I be, an’ I was specially designed by Providence ter help all female critters what war in trouble, which T can see is yer present circum- stances, so, if I am a leetle ee the the outside, I’m ready ter set ye right, if anybody can,” and the old trapper leaned on his rifle, while Jimmy stared with eyes and ears, as if he thought they might vanish at any instant and then began to paw, and champ his bits impatiently. “Thank you,” answered Madge. ‘‘ We are, in- deed, in trouble, and if you can help us, we will pay you amply.” wre Beavlie’s Half-Dime Library. “Oh, wal, Isha’n’t charge you very much, seein’ as you’re wimmin—whoa, Jimmy; ‘have yourself now! If ye can git me a nice marble house an’ a hundred acres o’ land in some se Bonet an’ give my an’mother a few thousan’ do ter make her years kinder comfortable, an’ make some kinder a treaty with the Ingins so’s to have this Red River country ceded to me, for I can’t trap an’ hunt in any e now, an’-—’’ Old Abe paused at the end of the last modest re- uest, and, with his eyes and the upper part of his ace visible over the arch of Jimmy’s neck, regarded the two girls with a beaming expression. “Thardly think—”’ began Madge, hesitatingly, con- cluding that the trapper must certainly be crazy. ‘*Oh, wal, never mind!”’ interrupted Abe, as if he had suddenly changed his mind. ‘I guess, on the whole, such a sarvice ain’t worth much anyhow, so I'll guide yer where you want to go, fer nothin’, ‘My time ain’t very valerble.”’ “Seems to me you have aa, 4 a amazingly on your terms’”’ said Flo, regarding him qtiizaically: “T begin to think,” added Madge, “that that was a way you took to inform us you wouldn’t charge anything. But we are willing, and able, to pay you a good price for your services.” ‘Don't talk about pay!’’ returned Abe, contempt- uously. ‘Lord! I'd be the meanest man ever lived if I'd take pay fer helpin’ ye out of a diffikilty. I *spect yer gui oa Bo killed, maybe?” ‘** No,” answe Madge; and she proceeded to give the old wig io an account of their journey since starting. y companion, here, is a cousin, who lives with us, in Minnesota, and the party whom our people expected we would return with, from Fort Garry, gave + gear | at present, and as we were anxious to get home, we hired this guide, who ma very certain that he could pilot us through ely. ri What for lookin’ chap was he?” asked Abe. Madge described him. **T know him,” said the Rapner, musingly; ‘‘ or, at least, I think it’s him. But his name want arner, then. I never liked him much, but I didn’t s’pose he war a p’izen sarpint, like that.” ‘Were you the person I saw at the point of woods, over yonder?” asked Flo, indicating the spot in which she had seen a glimpse of the man. “Can't say fer certain, but I war there and I see’d you, but you war so pesky fur off, I couldn't r’ally make out what you war; so I thought I'd strike in ahead, an’ make yer acquaintance.’ “IT don’t see how you could have seen us,” said Madge, in surprise. “I thought we were effectually concealed.” ‘*A feller has to see all sech things, or he don’t si ange in this kentry long,’’ said old Abe. ‘ Fust thing he knows, some Ingin will be liftin’ his to knot. It’s risky business, not to keep yer eyes peel- ed, here.”’ All this time the trapper had been busy revolving the case before him, in his mind. He didn’t tell the two girls that the four led animals were horses that he had ‘borrowed’ from the Indians. But such was the case, and he was now on his way with them to the cave, where he had left our four boy-hunters. He had intended to push gate , and reach it that night, but this had caused him to alter his plans ma- terially. Should he take the cave on his route, and leave the horses? No; that wouldn't do. “I war thinkin’ how I'd manage some bizness I had on hand,” he said, removing his cap, and scratching with his fingers among his tan led locks. ‘**T know where they’s a safe place to leave m hosses, an’ I’ve “bout ‘cluded to take ’em there. can guide you through ter the settlements in a few days, oa then I kin come back an’ git’em. We're urty “ear the river, here. They's a place on the ank of it that I kinleave you while I take "em away; then I’m ready for bizness.” The trapper led them to a high, timbered point of land on the river-bank, and with many injunc- tions to guard against discovery, he left tient. It was now about ten o'clock, and he thought by three at the furthest he would be back. ‘Well, Filo,”’ said Madge, as they were eating their lunch an hour later under the overhanging trees, “‘we have got a guide now, I think, that is capable and honest, and will take us through safe- She looked down, and off over the country as she spoke. The river was visible, at intervals for two or three miles, its waters Pg eter silvery in the bright sunshine, as they rolled tranquilly along. But sud- denly her eyes caught sight of what would always attract attention in such a country; a light column of blue smoke rising above the treetops that grew on the river flat a fourth of a mile above, and that were hardly on a level with the high point on which they were. “Tf it should be Indians!” suggested Flo, breath- lessly. «And more than likely it is,’’ responded Madge, ‘Who else would be camped there? It might be trappers, true, but it is not Ngee It looks open there at the left of them. y creeping a little nearer the river, here, I think we can see them, whoever they are.” They attained the position without difficulty. The first glance confirmed their fears, for in the edge of the timber, were several white tents, and the score or more of dusky forms moving about, could be none oithe girls ‘ erept tly back e girls crep etly back to their cover, and waited and watched for their guide’s return. "They kept close to their horses, so they could mount on ihe one iar hea a hours passed, and no In- ns distur , though th sees distance kira gh they saw several but a “If he would only come,’ cried Madge for the IOO “com Cc S