Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 52 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

as blue as the horizon against which they were outlined. To add to the picturesqueness of the scene, three Indian canoes, with half a dozen occu- pants in each, were seen coming down the Yel- lowabels. close to the other shore. The two stopped in their walk and stood con- templating it. x Yon must sketch this, Miss McHavens, by all means,” enthusiastically exclaimed Lieu- tenant Putnam. ‘‘ Could you have a better sub- ject!” ‘ “Tt is very good,” said she; ‘‘ those peaks in the distance, the prairie and wood between, and those ‘ noble red-men,’ make up a fine land- scape.” she turned to go to her apartment, her friend escorting her -to the door. When they had de- scended the steps, they came face to face with Jabez Spikes, who was evidently surprised to see them together. “ Hello, Ady!” he exclaimed, “I didn’t know ou had got up yet. I’m glad to see you, Ady, oy ginger if l ain’t! How are you, Ady? “Miss McHavens is my name, if you please,” she answered, bowing rather coldly as she pass- ed on. “Don’t presume too much on your acquaint- ance, Jabez,” said Putnam, in a low tone, as they were left alone for a few minutes. He realty did not wish to see the Yankee rebuked so sharply that his feelings would be touched, and he gave the hint in all kindness; but Jabez looked lofty and dignified as before. “ Ady and I understand each other; I know well—yes, very well, what she means by that; it is out of respect for your feelings—yes, your feelings, that caused her to speak in that appar- ently acrimonious tone. She doesn’t wish me to address her by her pet name when you are present,” “Oh, that’s it,” returned the lieutenant, ctroking his handsome mustache to prevent Spikes from seeing his smile. ‘ Very well; I will not attempt to interfere between you then.” “TL hope you will not,” returned Jabez, in the same lofty manner; “‘it’s an unsafe thing to come between married folks and lovers; but I am engaged in studying the intricacy of ma- chinery, and will leave you together for awhile,” he added, as he turned about and walked away. At this ee Adrienne reappeared, with her portfolio in hand. When she reached the deck, it required but a few seconds for her to get to work. The genial-natured Captain Ben- nett, understanding what she was doing, slowed the engine, while Lieutenant Putnam, with her permission, stood behind her, looking over her shoulder and watching her work. Ah! Adrienne McHavens, as your beautiful hand, with its tiny pencil, lided ‘over the snow- white sheet, transferring the beauties of wood, and river, and prairie, and mountain to its sur- face, your bewitchingly taper fingers drew an- other picture. And it was the picture of your own sweet self, drawn in lines which could never be obliterated, upon the heart of the lieutenant, who stood so adratetaats near you, and he felt, too that it was a painting never equaled by the marvelous, angelic faces of old Murillo. drienne sketched very rapidly, and it re- quired but a few minutes for her to finish all the outlines when she began “filling in.” She took particular pains with this part of her work, and when at last it was completed, the lieutenant declared that it was equal to a steel engraving. “That was drawn by the hand of an artist,” he added, as she handed it to him. She smiled, and was pleased at the compliment, for she knew it was an honést one, intended for no flattery. ‘*’You are pleased with it then, are you?” “‘T am delighted with it.” She reached up and took it again from his hand, and with her pencil rapidly wrote: ‘‘ View on the Yellowstone. To Lieutenant Putnam, rom A. McH.,” and then handed it back to * Will you accept it, then?’ The young officer was overjoyed, and bowing low, he said: “If I live to reach home, that shall have the finest frame that can be procured for it, and the place of honor in my house.” , “You are too indulgent toward it,” she re- ied, as she closed her portfolio and allowed it to lie upon her lap. ‘ But to change the sub- ject, do you know what a longing desire I have had ever since we left the scenes of civiliza- tion?” = ‘‘T certainly can not imagine.” “Twant to take a run on shore. I feel so -_ — cramped on this boat that the sensation begins to amount to a discomfort.” ‘* Have you not been on shore at all?” ““Scarcely placed my foot upon dry land, ex- cept for a moment, when we halted to ‘ wood. up,’ as they call it. Captain Bennett would not. alin me go out of sight, and the men were too busy for any one to be spared as my es- 99 ‘‘At the very next stopping-place you shall have a rathhle throng the woods, if you will permit me to act as your cicerone. ‘‘Nothing will please me better,’ she replied. “ Unless—” ; The lieutenant paused with a significant smile, as if waiting for an invitation to proceed. ‘*Uniless what?’ ‘*My friend, Mr. Spikes, takes charge of you. Really, I do not know whether he will permit such assumption on my part.” Adrienne merely smiled. She was too much of a lady to denounce the New-Englander, with whom she had some innocent sport, and the lieutenant intended it only as a piece of pleas- antry. “Tf you think he will not consent,” she re- plied, ‘‘ we will steal away without his seeing us, and then trust to his forgiveness when we ; return.” ‘‘T don’t suppose you ever indulge in hunt- in ”? & It is only because I do not get the opportu- nity. I have a little rifle—a beauty, which father brought me from Washington—with which I would dearly love to kill a buffalo or a rizzly bear or some such pet.” ‘ Yes, it would be quite an exploit. You have fired your gun?” ‘‘ Hundreds of times. I have practiced until 1 consider myself a good mar or marks- woman, and I am certain I can bring down a deer as well as any one else.” ‘Then we shall have a little hunt ther. Game is so plenty in this part of the world that we shall be sure to discover something. How long does er ae Bennett generally wait when wooding up?’ ‘Tt takes a half-day, at least; you know the wood is no — up and waiting for them, asit is along the Mississippi, but it has to be cut, and taken on board, and even with all the men hard at work, this is no slight task.” ‘*T willask the captain when he P to make another halt,” said Lieutenan tnam, as he walked forward to the pilot-house. **Do you see that bend ahead on the left, about a half-mile distant?’ said Captain Ben- nett, when the question was proposed. ‘* Certainly,” was the reply. “‘There’s where we shall tie up till night; there’s a splendid growth of oak and pine there, -— I always stop there, going up and coming own. Putnam returned with the gratifying infor- mation to Adrienne. ‘* Now get your gun and ammunition ready,” he added, ‘‘ for we will spend the whole after- og Me rambling through the woods, if you de- “T wish to hunt till I get so tired that I can hunt no longer,” was the erecinetaic reply. Such being the case, she went below to put herself in trim for the expedition. She had pre- pared herself for such a ‘‘ contingency,” nw ¢ ar- rayed herself in a close-fitting an ming dress, of strong material, and so arranged as to allow a free movement of the limbs, with high, thick, and handsome shoes, and a sort of ney hat, with her luxuriant hair gathered close to her head and neck, and thus arrayed, she looked like an Indian princess prepared for the chase. ‘** If some one would only draw a true — of you,” thought the lieutenant, scarcely able to conceal his admiring glance, ‘‘ it wonid take the prize at any exhibition.” ith a woman’s thoughtful foresight, she provided a substantial lunch, which she gave in charge of her gallant, while she persisted in car- ryin B her own “T want it for instant use,” she said, as she took it from his hand, after he had sufficiently oe nas —— of its nme oy ip. a pose I sho step on a gri , and he should jump at me—what Saou I do, with no weapon in my hand?” +, tive me the happiness of shooting him for vou. ‘‘ But you might miss,” she laughed. At this juncture Jabez Spikes suddenly made his appearance upon the scene. ‘Ginger! where are you going?” he asked, in surprise. ‘““The boat is to stop up the river to get some The White Buffalo. co — wood,” replied Adrienne, “and we are going to take a little hunt in the woods.” ““T guess Dll go along, to take care of you,” he added. “We thank you, Mr. Spikes, but don’t you think we are old enough to take care of our- selves?” ‘“'Yes—but, ginger! I forgct! Ihave an en- ment and can't go with you. Never mind, on’t grieve, Ady; we'll sit and talk over it to- ight,” he added, as he walked away. abez Spikes spoke the truth, when he declar- ed he an engagement. Always ready to turn an honest penny, he had agreed to assist in cutting and carrying wood during the entire afternoon, for the sum of one dollar, and that was why he could a pe one of the hunting- party upon the contemplated expedition. By and by the steamboat turned her prow toward shore, and came to rest at the same ‘“‘ wharf” where she had made it her custom to halt for wood in going up and down the river. It still lacked an hour or two of noon, and as soon as the boat was secure, the men sprung ashore, axes in hand, ready for labor, Jabez Spikes being among them. Captain Bennett had carefully scanned the bank up and down-stream, as they approached shore, but could distinguish no sign of Indians. When they penetrated thus far north, they were liable to encounter the Indians, who were friendly or hostile, as the whim took them. He had generally mye we to conciliate them by a few presents, when they appeared, but he knew there was no little risk incurred from the treacherous miscreants, every time the oppor- tunity for mischief was placed in their h : The presence of Adrienne McHavens on board, made him more usually solicitous, and it was with some misgiving that he saw her plunge into the woods, accompanied only by Liecuten- ant Putnam. He cautioned them against ven- turing too far away, and they promised to heed his counsel, as she waved him a good-by and vanished in the wood. ‘There is one thing certain,” muttered Cap- tain Bennett, as he looked after them, “that poee lieutenant is dead in love with her, and I hink she rather fancies him. Well, well, there might be a great many worse couples than they would make.” CHAPTER IX. THE HUNT, AND A FEARFUL DISCOVERY. BEFORE our hero and heroine pace foot upon terra firma, the latter called the attention of the former to a sort of ‘‘ butte,” i. e. a round, cylindrical shaped hill, one or two hundred feet in elevation, the top covered with stunted vege- tation, and distant about a mile. Adrienne having e a wish to visit it, they immediately turned their steps thither- ward. The luxuriant vegetation immediately surrounding them shut off their view for most of the time, but now and then, through the Poe in the wood, they caught Fy pe of it, and were thus enabled to keep the right di- rection. It was only a pleasant walk through the fra- grant woods, and the gentle exercise was found so agreeable, that they kept straight along, chatting and laughing in the same merry- hearted manner as when upon the boat. Adri- enne’s step was the buoyant, elastic ring of ee vigor and grace, and experienced as was e lieutenant in athletic exercises, he found his match in keeping pace with her. “ We will first visit that,” said she, referring to the hill, ‘‘and see whether it is possible to ascend it, and then we will make our hunt in coming back.” ** You — to have brought your portfolio so as to e a sketch from the top,” replied our hero. ‘No, I have no time to trifle now; we have come —= business.” “ business which looks very much like ,” laughed the lieutenant. Just then they crossed a narrow belt of prairie, covered with rank, exuberant grass, through y made their way, and entered tho woods again. ceweeyd after they found them- pe porte pe eee the butte. It proved quite an imposing curiosity, its sides being rough, rey and rocky, and towering to a great — From the side where they stood and looked up, it was as ni Bg. ony as possible, so that ascending it from that stand- ing —_— was out of the question. _“* Perhaps it may be possible from the other side,” said the lieutenant, as he moved away. ‘‘I have seen such elevations before, and they (E (0) MIGVOOKS ——a- —_ - ——— ——- =_—— - - —- wee eS ee ee er a er ee 22 ee WR ee” = — SS. ee a ee ee — ae —-=. = 6-0 2S ee — - — ee te — & - = —