Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 542 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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» 6 CHAPTER VI. CIMARRON JACK FINDS HIS DESTINY, CIMARRON JACK and Simpson had not been absent over two hours, and were scouting along a narrow canyon, when the latter, who was in advance, suddenly reined in and began a bur- ried search throughout his pockets. Whatever he had lost did not come to light, for bis brow clouded and he looked blankly at Jack. ‘* What’s the matter?’ inquired the young giant. ‘“‘ Lost your tobacco?” ‘*No—curse the crooked luck! I left pipe, fine-chopped, and plug at camp so I kain’t smoke nor chaw. Give usa chaw,” Cimarron Jack reined in, and, placing both hands on the gcuide’s shoulders, said: ‘*My Christian friend, can you for a moment imagine that this virgin mouth of mine could possibly endure the profaning contact with the vile nicotian weed? Are you so depraved you suppose every man to be as filthy as yourself? Ah, my friend! what do you suppose the Queen of the Fee-jee Islands would doif she thought the grizzly-domesticator chewed filthy tobacco? Why, she would never smile again.” This manner of talking always nettled the uide, and none knew it better than Cimarron ack. Simpson burst out angrily: ‘You talk an’ act jist like a born fool, an’ durned ef I don’t more’n hafe b’lieve you air one. Now give us a chaw; I’m ’most dead fur some.” “*Now give us a chaw!’” mimicked Jack. *‘For all the world like a whining cur or a bla-a-ating sheep. Hear the slave of tobacco whine, ‘give us a chaw.’ Don’t insult me by insinuating that I carry the vile weed,” ‘Kerry it! of coorse, yer don’t kerry it!” said the guide, angrily. ‘‘ I mout a knowed it *thout axin’, No; yer don’t never kerry it, but yer chaw more’n any other man in the hull out- fit. No; yer kin beg terbacker, though, like a mice, but ‘ yer never kerry it; an’ beg yer do, more’n twenty times a day.” Jack leaned back in his saddle and gave vent to a loud guffaw which echoed up and down the canyon. The guide grew angrier, ‘* Yer kin git yer own terbacker after this!” he declared, with a red face. ‘‘I detest and despise a man that chaws the hull time, an’ never kerries any. Ef thar’s anything in the world I despise it is a terbacker dead-beat.” Jack saw that he had gone far enough, and discreetly let the storm blow over, as he knew it would, as he and the guide were fast friends. The storm continued, and concluded with a spiteful gust of wind. ‘*T war goin’ ter ax yer fur a smoke, but now yer may jest go ter gras; with yer borrered pipe an’ yer begged terbacker. °Tain’t yer pipe, no- how—I bought it at Santy Fee—an’ I know durned well yer begged the tobacker of Duncan, wheedlin’ him out’n a hull pound by tellin’ him he was the finest cook yer ever see’d, when the cross lummux kain’t cook at all, an’ yer know it. Now I’m goin’ back ter camp fur some terbacker ; an’ when yer come a-beggin’ round me ag’in yer'll git refused—jest clap that inter yer bor- rered pipe and smoke it.” With this threat he abruptly wheeled and starte1 back toward the eamp, distant two leagues or more. Jack watched him for a few moments, and then followed closely, ‘* This wild-coose chase is too dull for the lion- tamer,” he declared. ‘‘A man that eats fire and buckshot, picks his teeth with bowie-knives, and takes gunpowder broth for an appetizer, can’t be expected to enjoy it; so here goes the god of war for camp,” With this modest enumeration of his warlike proclivities, be put spurs to his blood bay, and rode rapidly after the receding guide. When the comrades entered the camp, the guide had entirely recovered his good-nature, and dismounting went into the tent, while Jack remained mounted. Fora moment only was the guideinside. Jack heard a long-drawn, low whistle, then Simpson came softly out on tiptoe, with his palm up- raised to caution silence. alking away from the tent a short distance, he faced about, and lacing bis arms akimbo, stared back at it. hen he gave vent to a Jong whistle. *. Whew—w—w!” ** What's the matter?” asked Jack, come and stolen your nasty weed?” ** Who'd ’a’ thou’t it?” was the only response; ** whew—w—w !” ** Don’t trifle with the cock of the walk—be- ware of arousing the ire of the modern Hercules! What's the matter?” “Jack, such an out an’-outer yer never did see, Yer couldn’t guess what’s in that tent in a bull year.” ‘*Tndians ee | ee Jack had never before seen the phlegmatic guide laboring under such amazement; some- thing decidedly unusual bad occurred. Jack was not kept in suspense. The guide stepped softly up to his pard, and whispered: ‘‘'Thar’s a woman in thar, asleep.” ‘*‘ The devil you say!” ‘* No, I didn’t say the devil—I sed a woman,” Jack looked incredulous, ‘*‘What kind of a woman?” ‘* White, Americano, and sound asleep.” Jack burst into a guifaw. ‘‘A woman, five hundred miles from any civilization! That’srich! Tim, you are going crazy.” ‘* lf yer don’t believe it, jest go an’ see.” The young giant was not put to the trouble. As he was about to dismount for the purpose, a slight rustle occurred within, the canvas was shaken slightiy, and a golden head peeped forth, lighted by the brightest, most timid, and softest blue eyes Jack had ever seen. Jack was an as- tonished man, but was more astounded when a shapely form foliowed the head, and a young girl stood before him with clasped hands, ‘* Please, sirs,” she said, in a pleading voice, addressing the comrades, ‘‘ please have pity on me, ‘* Heavens!” thought Jack, ‘‘ what a lovely girl!” So unexpected was the entire affair that be could only ejaculate: ** Bh!” The sweet face raised pleadingly toward his, though pale and careworn, was tae loveliest he had ever gazed upon, and was that, apparently, of a young girl of eighteen years. Her dress was neat and plain, though rent in many places, evidently by briers. Her head was uncovered and her hair disarranged, and her whole ex- terior indicated she had recently fled from some disagreeable locality. Her voice was soft and gentle, and had a refined tone, which indeed pervaded her every action. Jack, recovering his equanimity, quickly observed she was a bet- ter woman than those he was avcustomed to as- sociate with at the forts. He must temper his behavior now, for a lady stood before him. He took his foot from the stirrup, his hand from the saddle-horn, threw the bridle-rein over his arm and lifted his hat minus the usual swag- er. re Yours to command, miss,” he said, with a graceful bow. ‘‘ Can I assis‘ you, Miss—Miss—” ‘*Kate—Katy Sandorn is my name,” she in- terrupted, The guide stared. What bad come over his comrade? Though his speech was as usual, there was now an indescribable something that glow- ed like a halo about his simple actions of bowing and lifting bis hat. Whatever he had been, the guide now know he was a man, who could at will call forth the most princely courtesy. The young girl, too, remarked the suave man- ner, and with the ready instinct of her sex, im- médiately leaned upon him as her protector. Her face lost its expression of extreme care and grief, and became in some degree composed as she’replied to his question. “Oh, thank you. sir, you can, indeed, assist me. lamin so much trouble, and I’m all alone here. Please keep them from me, and don’t let them again take me,” Jack’s fist rung down on his saddle-born. ‘Let them try!” he growled, and his eyes sparkled. ‘* Let them come onif they want to!” he declared, neither knowing nor caring who ‘*they” might be. ‘‘’m the cock of the—no, I mean I’m the grizzlv—ahem! I’m very muscu- lar, you see, lady, and I’m large, good for a dozen ordinary men,” he concluded in confusion, smoothing his brawny arm, The young lady gazed in mild surprise at the enigmatical portion of his speech, then smiled faintly, half amused as he concluded. She ad- miringly noticed his enormous proportions, and the accompanying bone and sinew; timidly marked his flashing eye, the haughty nose and sensitive mouth; remarked his proud head as he threw it back with an elk-like toss of defiance; and felt quite kindly toward this powerful, new- found champion. She could not repress this feeling, for all women worship strength and power, In a few well-chosen sentences he managed with admirable tact to place her at her ease, so far as that state could be brought about under the embarrassing circumstances; and in return received a relation of her situation which was given in a low, sweet tone, For the first time, and speechless with sur- prise, he learned that the vast territory of Cali- fornia had passed into the hands of the United States Government after a struggle; that in- The Canyon Pards. credible amounts of gold had been discovered on the American Fork and adown the Sierras; that a wild tide of immigration was pouring into that new-found Eldorado, delirious with sky-high dreams of becoming suddenly and enormously rich; that she and her father, in conjunction with a score more, had been pushing their way across by the southern r ute, when they were attacked by hostile Indians, and all, save herself and a small lad, had been massacred or carried into captivity, her father among the former. She related, while he and the guide soberly and sympathetically listened, her adventures since the tragedy, now two weeks goneby. She and the lad had escaped with a few provisions, which she had secured with commendable pres- ence of mind and forethought, and after lyin perdu twenty-four hours in a chaparral, starte for civilization. Being ignorant of the route they had been pur- suing, and striking the Colorado River, had fol- lowed its northern course, hoping by this means to strike California. But in a few days her provisions had entirely given out; by some means she had become separated from her little companion; and after two weeks of suffering unprecedented even in her own lively imagina- tion, she fell in with a party of wandering hun- ters of the most depraved stamp, who im- mediately seized her and carried her into cap- tivity. The captain of this villainous band had con- fined her in acave. But, aided by a merciful Providence, she had, only that morning, effected her escape, and after aimlessly wandering for the space of several hours, had fallen upon this camp, which she entered, and exhausted by her recent privations, had fallenasleep. They knew the rest. Jack sprung to his feet, ‘¢ What!” be demanded, ‘‘ were the villains, then, so near as that?” and he excitedly begged her to describe the exact spot. She said it was a lofty hill surmounted by a bare and yellow summit, and surrounded with a dense chaparral, and thought it was about two leagues to the south of them. She presumed it could be seen from the camp, and arising was about to scan the horizon when thev discovered night had fallen during the recital, and now a bright moonlight’ was streaming over the mezas. Finding it could not be seen, probably owing to a mist which had arisen, the comrades be- thought themselves of the needs of their new charge. She was faint from hunger and ex- hausted by suffering, and shaking up a bed in the tent, Jack bade her rest while they cooked supper. This last refreshment she stood greatly in need of, and Jack, commiserating her sorrowful condition, bastled actively about, ever and anon casting a furtive glance at the fair girl within the tent. ‘‘Kate Sandorn—Katy,” he muttered, as the juicy steak of antelope sputtered over the coals. ‘Katy’s a right pretty name, but the bearer is much prettier. She’s an angel!’ he declared, firmly, then his lip settled, *‘* The villains! to shut such a creature upin a cave. We'll fix’em to-morrow, that we will, I’m in for hanging, and that’s too good for ’em.” He stopped for a moment in abstraction, then continued unconsciously aloud: ‘‘Cimarron Jack, cock of the walk and king of the prairies—there is no use in talking, your heart is yours no longer.” The guide, boiling coffee, distinctly beard this last remark. ‘‘ What did ye say about yer heart, Jack?” His comrade reddened, ‘‘ [ was merely observing I hadn’t the heart to turn away this poor girl. She is friendless—it is our duty to protect her.” ** And we’ll do it!” cheerily chimed the guide. ‘‘ But,” (dropping his voice and shaking his fin- ger at his comrade’s back,) ‘‘ my CbrisMan friend, yu are dead gone in love a’reddy. | “Dead gone!” he chuckled, in high glee over what he deemed his comrade’s foolishness, as he bustled about, spreading the supper, ‘dead gone, Cimarron, dead gone!” CHAPTER VII. A CALL FOR AID, AN hour later, and when the moonlight was at its bighest degree of radiance, the three occu- pants of the camp finished their supper. The two men drew back from the spread, and filling their pipes, began to smoke vigorously, now and then casting a long look over the southern plain in expectation of their comrades, for whose re- turn it was high time. Miss Sandorn, feeling every confidence in the integrity of her come | | @ 7 'cDOOKS.coMm