Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 56 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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a 2 $$ cap entirely, and stood in a smiling but meek atti- tude before the sorely puzzled trapper. “Your hair is as soft and silky as it was then, your eyebrows are the same, and there’s the scar where the grizzly b’ar ped ie you with his nail, and your cheeks are as red as ever, but them condemned whiskers, they spile you.”’ ‘*T fancied they were rather becoming,” said the young man, with a rueful face, as he caressed them with his hand; ‘* however, Nick, do you still doubt my ee dd " ‘*No; I b'l’eve you're the ae animile, and we'll shake hands on’t. God be thanked, Ned, I’m lad to see you. Set down, set down; Calamity c Sn know yer, although he’s eying you purty sharp.’ How are you, pup?” said Ned, turning toward the dog and patting his head. Perhaps, away down in the lowermost depths of the memory of the animal was a dim, and flicker- ing shadow of the handsome individual before him and a faint gleam of intelligence lit up the eye of Calamity as he gazed at him, At any rate he knew he was the friend of his master. That was sufficient, and seating himself upon his haunches, he ge contentedly upon the two men. The two friends sat down on the log, side by side, and Ned said: ‘Before going any further, Nick, let me ask you when you saw Miona last?’’ ‘““A short month ago, and she was as well and — as ever; but, how is it you’re here, Ned? ou was to wait five years, and that won't be till another winter has come and bey ‘You're right, Nick; but, do you suppose I could content myself away from her any longer? I did my best; I have been to school and studied hard; indeed 1 am by no means through with my school- ing yet. I finally told the folks that I couldn't stand it any longer, and they gave their consent; so I took the first ship for Fort Churchill; Band- man and his wife came with me, so as to be here to meet us. I reached the fort about a month azo, and found a small party just gerd teaay to start for Oregon. As I was pretty well known at head-quarters, I was given charge of the half- dozen men, and began working our way down to this point. We intend to visit the village, if it is safe, and barter with them; but, of course, I couldn’t pass anywhere near go without re to see you, and then, before I go near the place, want to learn how the land lies, and to engage you to accompany us.” “Where are the men?” “A number of miles up the river; I came on ahead, and made an appointment to meet them to- morrow morning near the bend; so I am going to spend the afternoon and night with you.” “*T only wish it was going to be a year,” re- marked Nick, with a tremulous voice. ‘“‘I’ve been counting the months I would have to wait fur you, and I never dreamed you war goin’ to cut ‘em short by a whole year.” “But you ain't sorry, I am sure,” exclaimed Ned, in his hearty way, as he struck his hand up- on the knee of the smiling trapper. ‘I have been in correspondence with Miona ever since Lleft. It takes a long time for a letter to go from here to London and back again, and we didn’t average many a are but Mrs, Bandman had an arrangement by which we knew when to send, and when to expect letters.”’ “IT know they get letters at the fort from Eng- land, but how did they send ’em down here?”’ “There was a hunter—Tim Nevins—who was em- ployed to pass betwee: the village and the fort, and he did his duty well So, you see, I am here and before we talk of old times, my best and truest of friends, tell me all you know about the darli of my heart. You have just told me she is well, and handsome, of course, but is she treated with consideration and respect among the Indians?” ‘*The same as she allers was.”’ **She doesn’t expect me, because I wanted to sur- prise her; but when I was on my voyage across the Atlantic, a strange fear came over me It occurred to me that such a beautiful and good woman as Miona must be admired among the Indians, and it is no more than likely that she has several dusky lovers, who are looking hopefully forward to the time when she is to become a wife.”’ Nick Whiffles turned and looked sharply in ths face of his young friend, and then answered, in a startling voice: ** You're right !” ‘“* Explain!’ commanded Ned, turning pale, “T’vea s’picion of oneman. Thar may be plenty of others—and I make no doubt thar is—that would give thar heads for her, but thar’s only one that she need be afeard of, and that’s Red Bear, the son of the old chief Woo-wol-na.”’ “What about him’ demanded the lover, witha painful erness **Mind, the gal hasn't told me anything, out I s'picion, fact is, I’m sartin, that they’ve fixed that she shall be his squaw.”’ ** In the face of this solemn agreement—”’ ‘** Mighty!” interrupted the trapper, ‘‘ what’s all the trainin’ I give you amount to? Haven't you l’arned a red-skin’s natur’ yet?” _ “Tf they had given any reason to believe that they intended to keep their part of the agreement, none would be more conscientious in keeping mine; but as they intend to perpetrate a great wrong, I shall now do my utmost to get her out of their hands, with as little delay as possible. “*You’re right,” said Nick, ‘‘and here’s my hand upon it. We'll go down to the village together, and look round to see how things look, and arter that we'll fix the way we're goin’ to act ” . ea ee ee eee ““There’s no danger of my identity being suspect- ‘“Not much,” laughed the trapper. “I don’t b’l’eve the gal herself can be made tob’l’eve it’s you till after you’ve spent a week in swearin’ to it, and then, arter all, she’ll think it’s your big brother.” ‘In that case, we will go together to the village. Oh! if I could but see her!’ he exclaimed, springing up in his excitement. ‘* One look, one glance at her —I would walk a thousand miles to get it.”’ *P’r’aps you needn’t go quite so far as that, though they're apt to keep her powerful shady when white folks ar’ about.” They sat in delightful converse, until the evening was drawing to a close, when Nick looked up. ‘It’s gettin’ dark, and we'll go in, teke supper, and start bright and airly in the mornin’.”’ ‘*Have you any traps set?” “Yas; but they don’t need lookin’ arter, and we'll ‘tend to ’em in the mornin’.”’ The two walked into the hermit-like residence, where they ate their old-fashioned supper together, and then followed a long talk, in which each gave the other the particulars of his life for the previous four years. Finally they lay down and slept. CHAPTER I. WHERE WAS HE? Lone before the sun was up, Nick Whiffles and Ned Mackintosh were astir. The old hunter had a number of traps, from which, during the winter, he managed to secure a most valuable lot of peltries. His experience and intimate knowledge of the coun- try taught him where to search for the haunts of the otter and beaver, and he always had a nice little income from his furs, caught during the winter. It was with strange emotions that the young man made his rounds of the traps. familiar—the nnn the trees and vegetation the smell of the woods, the clear, stinging air—a revived powerfully the memories, that had almost faded during the rush of events, during the four years that had been spent in another hemisphere and among scenes the very antipodes of these. But here he had spent his childhood, and never could these scenes and incidents be forgotten. In each of the half-dozen traps visited, was found a good plump beaver, every one of which was killed and dressed by Ned’s own hand, and they reached the cabin again and made their breakfast upon the delicate tails of the creatures. They then took a half-hour’s ramble in the woods, the young man bringing down the antelope witha skill which elicited the admiration of the veteran trapper, who declared it was almost as neatly done as he could have done it himself. tak I have kept up my practice at home,” replied ed. Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. the old trapper stood apart talking earnestly with Woo-wol-na and Red Bear. Mackintosh feigned to take no notice of them, but, as may be supposed, his interest was _ no less than theirs; and, when his friend came back to him, and they ing out into the stream, he could scarcely restrain his impatience. Nick speedily explained. “IT swow to gracious if I could hardly keep m hands off of both of them old rips!’’ he exclaimed, with considerable feeling. “What did they say?’ ‘You know they've never objected to my seeing the gal, when I axed fur her. The fust thing I done was to ax ’em to let her come down and have a word or two with me; (you see I wanted you to get a sight of her,) and what do you think they said?” *T am sure I cannot tell.” “That she was gitting ready to git married to the scalawag of a Red Bear, and she hadn't time. It was mighty ard work when I heerd that to keep from making a condemned diffikilty with ’em, but I held in, and jist for the fun of the thing, axed ’em what they war goin’ to do when the friends of the gal come arter her next spring. They said, that would- n’t make no difference. She was the pledged wife of Red Bear, and ef they made any muss, she’d be put in the Death Lodge, and there’d be the end of Ned gnashed his teeth. ** Why didn’t I shoot him at once! If I had known it, I couldn't have prevented myself—”’ ‘** Hold on!”’ said Nick, with a fatherly wave of his hand. “I got mad enough fur bothofus. We've ray how the land lays, and now we'll go to work,”’ ** Nick,” said his young friend, after a few minutes’ thought, “I feel that I can’t go back without seeing _Miona. As she is undoubtedly in the village, what is Everything looked | wrevent my getting out of the boat and going and watching my opportunity Y to bac As may be supposed, the trapper opposed this, but the young fellow pleaded, and the old hunter, “There our hunting is somewhat different | from this, but both require good marksmanship, and | I can never lose the taste I acquired for it under gous | but my men will be at the bend, and we have time to lose.” Calling out a jocular farewell to Shagbark, who was lazily munching the grass, and accompanied by Calamity, who seemed to be unusually morning, Nick plunged into the woods, and led the way toward the river along which he had spent so tnany years of his life. ttle | risky this | As they reached the bank, a long Indian canoe was | found there, and the six men, — being called, speedily made their appearance hey were hardy brown-lookin glad to meet him. Courageous and fully armed, they had greater fear of the North-west men than they had of any Indians, and they made particular inquiries of Whiffles as to whether they were liable to encounter them on the river or not. The trapper had seen and heard nothing of them during the spring, but he could not guarantee either their fe ri or non-appearance at any time. So he advised the Hudson Bay men to be on the look-out. Suspecting that they were in advance of the North- west traders, the little party pulled with a will down- stream. They were in too dangerous territory to fancy it much, and having no wish to have another collision with the members of the great rival compa- ny, of course they used every effort to make their stay as short as le “Do you see that ?”’ asked one of the trappers, as they stepped into the canoe, pointing at the same ti e toa rigid scar across the apree part of his nose. ‘Wal, one of them blamed Nor’-westers done it, and as long as we've got sich a small company, my advice is to steer cl’ar of ’em.” ey kept a keen ‘ look-out,” as they journeyed along, but were greatly relieved at the end of a cou- ple of da s, when they rounded to in front of the village, without meeting any other white men. It was arranged that Nick Whiffles should act his old part of “‘ go-between,”’ or i reter, Ned Mack- intosh landing with him. pal wi rson with whom they exchanged a word was Bear, who eum to the water’s edge with his father to meet em. As may be supposed, the young lover scrutinized his savage rival with anything but amiable feelings. ‘‘Confound him!" he muttered, as he glanced sideways at him, “1t would do me good to bury three or four balls from my revolver in your skull, The idea of your presuming to the notice of my Miona!” With a heart fluttering with hope, he Tooked here, there and everywhere in hope of catching a einpee of the girl herself, but not the first indication of her was discovered, and, at a sign from Nick, he with- drew, leavin him to carry on the interview alone. While the bartetitic and exchange were going on fellows all acquainted with Nick and © | | this side the Rocky Mountains. out of his great love, consented against his judgmen that the attempt should be made ‘ . So, when they had ascended the river about a half- mile, and were beyond all sight of the village, he was put ashore. It was about the middle of the afternoon, and the agreement was that Ned was to be on the spot by dark. He intended to approach as nigh the village as was safe, and there to wait in the hope of seeing her, If it was possible, he wished to communicate with her, apprising ber of his presence, and what he and Nick propo doing for her. If he should fail to see her at all, he gave his promise to be at the spot by nightfall. The traders had orders to continue on up the river and make all haste into British eng uae A where there was no danger of being molested by the dread- ed Nor’-westers. Nick Whiffles, left alone with Calamity, sat down on the ground to await the return of his young friend with the stoical patience of an Indian him- Not until the night was considerably advanced did he feel any mimpying. Still he waited and listened, until. at last, the gray light of morning filled the woods, but still there was no Ned Mackintosh. ‘‘*What kin be the diffikilty?’’ he muttered, as he and Calamity took the trail and followed it, ‘ef they’ve harmed my Ned, I'll skulp every Blackfoot yer’s the trail of the lad as plain as day; take it, Calamity, and we'll foller it to the end. Ef he’s in the wigwam of Woo- wol-na or Red Bear, he’s got to come out, and ef he’s in that infernal Death Lodge, Vil burn it down, by a al e gray eyes of the trapper lit up with a furious gleam, and there was no mistaking his deadly earn- estness, as with,long strides he struck into the woods, following close to the dog, who, with nose to the round, was on the trail of the young hunter, and eeping it with the certainty of a Siberian blood- hound. But ah! a sudden “ diffikilty *’ presented itself; for scarce a hundred yards were passed, when he came to a small creek, the existence of which he had for- otten, A short examination showed that Ned had entered a canoe, which was evidently lying there, and supposing he had crossed, Nick adjusted his rifle and swam over; but to his surprise there were no indications of the canoe having landed, either above or below the place. He spent the entire day in searching the banks of the creek, following both sides up and down for fu a mile, and using Calamity toassist him, Theresult was nothing. The second morning he visited the village, and da after day was spent in searching for his ‘* dear Ned,” dearer now than ever, and yet he obtained not the htest clew e was completely baffled, foil and finally in —— he turned his back upon the Blackfoot village and sought his lonely home in the wilderness, feel- ing as though it would be a relief to throw of! the burden of life, and take his departure to his last e could not content himself in idleness and he resting-place, But he soon renewed the vain hunt. CHAPTER III. THE ‘‘CONDEMNEDEST DIFFIKILTY’’ OF ALL, “Or all the condemned diffilaities that I’ve ever Rat , yer’s the worst,” muttered Nick Whif- fles. “I thought it was purty bad when me and Ca- lamity got separated that night in the storm, when my canoe upset, and Calamity landed in the wrong COMiGyeo <S