Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 52 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

They slackened steam, and started toward shore, to gain acloser view of the hailing party. This seemed satisfactory, and they came on in until they almost touched land. The water was quite deep, and there was no difficulty in approaching close enough, and a rope was thrown out, and the craft secured, as if it were approaching the docks in St. Louis. board the little side-wheel were Captain Bennett, an old river captain, and three hands. The captain had a slight acquaintance with Waufy, and invited him and his party to come on board, and go up-stream with them. “How far are you going?” inquired Lieuten- ant Putnam. ‘Clear up,” was both the definite and in- definite reply. ‘“* May I inquire your purpose?” ‘We are on our way to take supplies to Colonel McHavens and his men, who are to meet us at the head-waters of the Yellowstone.” ‘* What sort of supplies are you carrying?” “Provisions and ammunition.” The young officer laughed. ‘*T had no idea that they were in want of any- thing. When I left them they were abundantly supplied with ammunition, and the man that can’t secure enough game in this country to live ought to die.” hey can get enough, such as it is, I sup- pose,” returned Captain Bennett: ‘* but we have salt provisions, spirits, tobacco, and the like, which I never heard tell were lying round loose in this country; but do you belong to that party?” ‘* Yes; I am lieutenant, and am on my return to my company.” en you will join us and go aboard.” **Thank you, I will.” “Hain’t you got any one fur guide?” asked Waufy. % We had old Bill Zigler. You see, we didn’t leave St. Louis till a good while after Colonel McHavens and his party had gone; so he didn’t know we were coming. So Bill come up the river part way with us, and then started across the country, so as to tell the colonel where we would meet; and that’s why he ain’t with us now. Quite a scene now ensued. Lieutenant Put- nam, very naturally, concluded to make the rest of the journey by steamer, and Jabez Spikes, who was somewhat frightened from the many proofs he had seen of the atrocious dis- osition of the Indians, agreed to accompany “Tm after the white buffalo, you see,” he remarked, by way of explanation to the trap- per, ‘‘ but I ain’t likely to see him between here and there, and then I think—between you and me—the lieutenant is anxious to have me go with him.” But Waufy resisted all these importunities. He made various pretexts, and finally gave the true one. He never liked those ‘“‘infarnal loco- motives on water,” and he wouldn’t put his foot on board if he had a thousand yelling savages at his heels. ‘I'll go on for the upper Yallerstone, and Ill git there first, too, and what’s more I'll have my ha’r on my head, and that’s more than some of you will able to say in a few days,” lied Waufy, — his head and speaking with an earnestness that impressed his hearers. As there seemed to be no probability of the horses being needed by those upon the steamer it was arranged that Waufy should take all four with him, he agreeing that if he reached Colonel McHavens’s command ahead of them he would, as a matter of,course, leave the two that were not his, with the party, to await the coming of their owners. This settled, Waufy bade them good-by, the rope was unwound from the tree around which it had been “snubbed,” the whistle of the steamer gave a shriek, the large wheel at the stern lashed the water into foam, and the boat resumed its course up the Yellowstone. Perhaps it should have been mentioned that while the interview was in ca, go Lieutenant Putnam was equally surp and pleased to observe that there was a female on the steamer—a female, too, that was handsomely dressed, and was beautiful and attractive her- self, She was seated on the upper deck, watch- ing the men and listening to their words, but taking no part therein. t Both the lieutenant and Spikes observed her fair white teeth, as she smiled, and her dark hair, rose-tinted cheeks, and her rich but taste- ful ‘gee as she sat there looking down upon them with an indifferent air, as though she cared not whether they came aboard or not, and we may add that it is doubtful to which of the The White Buffalo. young men her society was the greatest induce- ment to take passage on the boat. The lieutenant supposed she was the daughter of Captain Bennett, and he was therefore not a little taken aback, when that officer informed him that she was the child of Colonel McHavens, the commander of the exploring party. “What is she doing here?’ was the natural query of our hero. ‘*She is one of your daring creatures, and a niece of mine. The colonel and I have long ee et her that she should take a trip up the ellowstone with me, and she concluded now was a good time to take it.” ‘‘ Then the colonel knows nothing about it?” ‘“‘No; and the hunter we sent overland to let him know where to meet us, promised that he would keep it a secret from him. It is the wish of Adrienne to give her father a surprise, and I think she’ll do it. By and by, at the lieutenant’s request, Cap- tain Bennett introduced him to his fair pass- enger. She greeted him in a self- essed, ] ore~ manner, and the two seated themselves within a respectful distance of each other, on the upper deck. The education of a cadet at West Point is such as to make him at home in the presence of the entler sex, and Lieutenant Putnam had been ceagwes as one of the handsomest and most entertaining of the young ‘“‘dogs of war,” while in attendance at the celebrated military school. And yet, when he found himself tete-a-tete with Adrienne McHavens, and he realized that he was in the ope of alady by nature and education, he felt some natural embarrassment, and was certain that he Pe alerts. at an irre- coverable disadvantage, while she was as lively and self-possessed as though she was chatting with her own brother. The conversation was without particular point for some time; the young officer making him- self known as a subordinate under her father, naturally excited some interest upon her part, and he ventured to remark that she incurred no little personal risk in penetrating so far into the Indian country, even though it was on board a swift steamer, under the guidance of a skillful captain. ** Perhaps I do,” she answered, with one of her winning smiles. ‘‘ At any rate, I have been reminded of it frequently enough ever since I first made the resolve; but, after all, that is the great attraction.” ‘* So I supposed; you may have the comfort of believing it perilous, and I trust the good for- tune of proving, in the end, that it has not been sO ‘“‘ Father and uncle promised me this trip long ago, and I thought now was a favorable oppor- tunity for the fulfillment of the promise. Mother was strongly opposed to it, but I won her consent.” ** You have a brother, I believe?’ s Phere myn, bo is in Washington, and it was impossible for him to return in time to prevent my going, as I know he would have done, had he been at home.” re on had no lady companions to accompany u ‘*No; an old schoolmate promised, but her courage gave out, when it came time to get ready, and instead of going with me, she en- deavored to persuade me to stay at home. If ou had heard her plead, you would have be- ieved that she had already made the trip, and had narrowly escaped the most uniionptiatie horrors.” ‘*It will be a great surprise to Colonel Mc- Havens.” Adrienne’s clear laugh rung out over the river, and she answered: _ Yes: and he will chide me when he sees me, but then it will not be the first time.” ‘You do not hold his displeasure in such dread as do his soldiers.” ‘*'None would fear to grieve him more than I,” she replied earnestly. ‘‘ But this will not be grief to him. He will be so glad to see me.” *“*Do you propose to return by steamer, or with our r “I think I will come back with him. You see it will be rather monotonous coming down the river after having ascended it, while it will be all new and strange to come back on land.” ‘You certainly are a daring ge lady, and worthy of being the daughter of a soldier.’ Adrienne was not displeased at the compli- ment; indeed she accepted it, as a soldier would receive a recognition of his gallantry from a brother. ‘IT hope I am not foolhardy, but this is rare enjoyment to me.” ———eE ¢ *‘Has it not been tiresome at times, since leaving St. Louis?” ‘*Never,” was the enthusiastic response. “I have sat here for hours, watching the ever-vary- ing scenery along the banks, breathing the pure air that comes from the woods and prairies, un- til I have felt that I was enjoying the finest ex- cursion of my life.” ““Have you seen. anything of the ‘noble red- man ? “Not a great deal; I cannot say that I par- ticularly admire the ‘varmints,’ as the hunters | call them. In their case at least, ‘distance lends enchantment to the view; a number of them displayed their horsemanship along the banks, and once or twice, when we stopped to get wood, they came down to trade with us. ne of them seemed to form quite a good opin- ion of me, due no doubt to the fact that our ac- quaintance was so brief. He presented me with a handsome buffalo-robe, and invited me in un- grammatical English to become his squaw; he really looked heart-broken, when I declined his offer.” “Poor fellow; perhaps he is now pining away with a broken heart.” ““T hope not; I seh along a number of books and papers to read, but I really could not spare the time. . When the night was dark, I spent an hour or two in my room in that way, but only then. The utmost that I could do, was to make a few sketches of the scenery along the bank.” **'When convenient to you, I should be glad to see them.” Adrienne ye the portfolio which lay upon her fap, and handed several sheets to the leu- tenant. . ‘*T had not the patience to finish them.” “These are admirable, indeed,” he exclaimed, as he examined them with no little delight. They were little more than outlines, but the were drawn with the eye and hand of an arti and our hero was honest in his admiration. " aie are not deserving of compliment,” she returned, ‘‘I made them more to please father than any thing else.” ‘*'You must make some more of them.” “There is my favorite one,” she added, as she handed another sheet to him. ‘‘ lam very choice of that, as I took extra pains with it.” It was a capital picture of a Cheyenne war- rior, with his blanket over his shoulder, while the girdle at his waist displayed enough to show his tomahawk and scalping-knife, his long rifle in hand, and with the feathers and the general make-up of an Indian brave upon the war-path. ‘““That is perfect,” said the lieutenant, as he os it off from him. ‘‘It could not be improv- ? “That is Way-geeb-wa-ka, or something very similar,” shelaughed. ‘* I made two sketches of him, giving him one of them. If the delight he showed continues, there is little fear of his dy- ing of a broken heart. Iam afraid it will cre- ate trouble in his wigwam, if he frames and hangs it up there.” CHAPTER VIL. RIVALS IN LOVE. AH! those were golden moments, as Lieuten- ant Putnam sat beside Adrienne McHavens, and listened to the music of her laugh and words; but, as the afternoon glided wtf it became manifest that Jabez Spikes was of the opinion that his presence was indispensable to the party. After making a circuit of the boat, examin- ing the engine-room, and every point of inter- est about it, he came upon the upper deck, and walked by the laughing, chattering couple several times. They were too absorbed to pay any heed to him for some time; but he would not remain in the back-ground. Finding that he attracted no attention, he finally directly in front of the two, and said: ‘* Good-afternoon, lieutenant.” The young officer looked up in surprise, obseryv- ing a curious smile upon the face of Adrienne, ashe did so, and then answered: ‘*How do you do, Jabez?” ‘** Tolerable, thank you! Ahem!” ; Putnam took the hint, and introduced the Yankee to Miss McHavens. He very politely raised his stove-pipe from his head, with a low bow, scraping his foot upon the deck, and then he seated himself upon the other side of the lady, so that it may be said she was sandwiched between the two gentlemen. The eyes of Adrienne McHavens fairly spark- led, as she looked upon the New-Englander, who, while possessing enough book education to ‘teach school,” was extremely verdant in al- most every thing else. She thought it would be more amusing than sketching to entertain him, Eomicbooks. cor