Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 560 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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ee still the youth could not uphold his act in siding with the red-skins against the whites in their __-eruel way. ‘‘-You could have gone elsewhere, and found a home,” he said. ‘*¢ Don’t preach to me, boy, for | am what I am. ‘* But you are welcome to a home here, and some day, when we move our village, you can return to the settlements, but not before, ‘* You are my guest, and yet you are a pris- oner, for you shall be constantly under the eye of my young men, ‘Don’t attempt to escape, for it will cause you trouble, perhaps worse; but wait until I move my village, when I do not care about you oing. z Such was the advice given Gordon by the chief, and the youth understood by his words that he was, though the guest of the renegade, also a prisoner, CHAPTER XVII. THE EVIL SPIRIT’S PLOT. THOUGH Gordon Lillie had listened attentively to the advice of the Evil Spirit, he did not in- tend to follow it, for he made up his mind to es- onpe at the first chance. ' ut, todo this, he must accept his situation pleasantly, and seem to be content with his lot. Had he not had ambition and aims in life, and had the Sioux not been at war with the whites, he might have been content to settle down into the wild life they led. But be would not turn renegade, and unless he did escape he certainly would be dwelling among a people who were at war with his own race. He asked May Flower incidentally, how often the Indians changed their village, and learned that the one where they then were had been their home for five years, and it was such a geod one, 80 well protected, that it would not e broken up unless settlers and soldiers came nearer to them. May Flower was constantly with the young prisoner, for she seemed to have taken a won- derful fancy to him, until a word from Black Beard to Evil Spirit, caused the chief to forbid her going with Gordon. Black Beard had views of his own, regs the young girl, and he at once putt his guard in a most cunning way. ‘** Your young braves are jealous of he said, ‘‘and fear that if May Flower she may run off with him,” ‘‘ Al! [had not thought of that, for she a child.” _ ‘* Still, you have had offers for her hand: numerous braves,” se ‘‘T think there isa feeling against the “where May Flower is*concerned, and she ‘tainly is deeply interested in him.” _ “TT believe you are right, Black Beard, s will forbid her going with the boy so muc » “It would be best, for it only angers t warriors,” * True,” . ‘* But do you expect to spend your days here the rest of your life, as chief of these red-skins ‘*T hope not, and I'll let you into a secret a get yo help me.” ‘*] will do so, you may depend.” “I believe you; but you must become an Ir jan. Tl] do it, for what matters it.” “T will make you a medicine-chief, as yo have studied medicine, and this will give you a chance to be constantly in the woods aud moun- tains, pretending to hunt for healing herbs; but the truth’ is, Black Beard, I believe thewe is gold in the mountains, and in fact I know there is. “Gold!” and the eyes Of Black Beard sparkled with avaricious delight. “You see the heavy bauds of gold that May Flower wears?” ‘Yes, are they gold?” ‘Solid gold, and she found it in a pocket in the mountains, ; “The red-skins call her Pa-te-la-ka, the Gold Queen, as she has been most successful in finding these shee aa +s e “JT wish you to prospect, and if you strike it rich we will go shares, ‘When we have laid up a fortune, from here.back to civilization.” ‘‘Good! I am with you, and I beg that you we Can go ee will not give your beautiful child to any of these -_- xed-skins, chief.” pe xe Do you think Tama fool” __ “No, but some of them expect to win her,” Pawnee Bill, *. Ss. vel + Fe . ‘ Saar the Prairie Shad ‘* That does not mean that they shall do so. ** Oh no, I am not going to sacrifice my child Black Beard, not even to you, for I know that you hope to win her. ) ‘** No, drop that idea and we'll be friends: but do not make us foes by trying to win my child. | ‘* We'll find a fortune and go back to civiliza- tion to enjoy it, and May can marry some fine man and be happy. ‘*T have educated her, and she is not igno- rant of the world, as you migbt think.” ‘* Keep her away from that boy and I will be content,” growled Black Beard, who evidently did not like the words of Evil Spirit. ‘*T will see to that, Black Beard; but now let me take pre to the Medicine Lodge and make you chief, and fortunately our bead medicine- man died afew months ago and you can step into his place, ‘** My people will not grumble, for you have done some good work with the wounded since you came here,” Then the two left the cabin and soon after Black Beard was installed as medicine-chief of the village. Evil Spirit took an early opporturity of conn ing with May Flower regarding Gordon Lillie, and to his surprise he found her in a very deter- mined mood to have her own way. ‘‘Why cannot I go with him, father?’ she asked. : ‘* Because the chiefs do not like it.” ‘You are my father?” “ Yes, but you are their queen.” **T do not care for any of the young chiefs.” ** Nor do | wish you to,” ‘* T wouldn’t be here, had it not been for Lillie.” “True;.but you must not go with him as you have been doing.” Why not?” ‘* T do not wish you to do so, May.” May Flower turned her pretty head and said: e fee let him leave the village and go back to his people.” 7 ‘*T dare not.” “ Why?” ‘He would lead a military force upon us from the forts.” ‘**T don’t believe he would.” ‘Well, [ll not risk it, and you must keep away from him.” ‘* But I love him.” ‘* For shame! bave you told him so?” ‘** No, but I may do so.” ‘Has he told you he loved you?” ‘No, but I hope that he does,” Evil Spirit was nopplused, and then he grew % é agi a? - » You know my wishes, so see that you do lisregard#them,” and he turned away. en he retraced his steps and asked: dave you found any more gold-pockets in nountains?” have,” ch ones?” Yes, I guess so,” fell, keep up your search for them, but do uot speak of there being gold in these moun- int t that boy.” He don't know it.” hat he does not; but you keep up your iting, and when you have found a large Til tell you a secret.” s1i me now,” said May Flower, who had all ity of her sex. when we get rich enough we will go 22 East, to the cities, and live.” like that, though I do not dislike this wild May was lost in deep meditation, and eft her. : x she went straight to the tepee which had given to Gordon Lillie to oc- POM ata e called out, addressing him by his ich she liked best. , 7” and Gordon came out, rigged up a toggery, which he had adopted S 9 the village, for his own clothes worse for wear. Jie, father says that I must not go with you, that the young warriors do not like it, and it makes them jealous. ‘*T suppose I have to obey, but I do not wish to, and so we can meet in the mountains, at the spring that I showed you, | ‘Be careful that you are not followed there, and watch for me when I go, or if you start first | - any day, [ll keep watch and come soon efter,” ‘May it not get you into trouble, May?” ‘TI don’t know, and I don’t care much, for I love you, Lillie, and I will see you as often as I fa She turned on her heel at this and walked back to her tepee, knowing no shame at her confes- : . : be - “ ; é oh te 7 -_ i a S 4 othe AV . OT 8: wer. Pie sion, for her ignorance of the world eaused her not to understand that it was wrong for a wo- man to first confess her love for a man. Gordon Lillie blushed like a school-girl at her words; but they did not seem to displease him, for he was deeply interested in the fair young Gold Queen. CHAPTER XVIII. THE RENEGADE SIOUX. THE wound on the head of the renegade Sioux, Snake Eyes,-had been rather a severe one, for the fall against the rocks had very nearly crushed his skull in, So it was some time before he recovered suffi- ciently for the red-skins cf the village to feeb. that they could enjoy torturing him, Black Beard had taken good care of the wound, and was winning him back to health and strength again, and, as none of the wound- ed braves had died under his hands, he had won, great favor in the eyes of the red-skins as a medicine-man. Evil Spirit had distributed the plunder, the horses and the cattle captured, among the families of the village, taking good care to add to the comfort of ,his own quarters, and so all was joy among the Sioux, as the settlers had not: continued the pursuit of their foes, after their disastrous raid, while, as is generally the case, there were not soluiers enough upon the border at the forts, to make a move upon the strong- hold in the mountains. So matters stood when one day Snake Eyes was led forth to be tortured, To the surprise of Gordon Lillie, the rene- gade asked Evil Spirit to let him speak to him, The chief was surprised, but granted the re- quest, and Gordon approached the Indian, where he stood, securely bound, with every eye upon him. He stood erect, fearless and defiant, showing no sign of dread at what was before him, As Gordon approached he said in fair Eng- lish, and in a low tone: ‘*The Evil Spirit is the foe of his people, and the Black Beard is one, too, . **You are no renegade, and you will escape when you can. **1 loved the pale-faces, for they were pope to: me, and I killed my brother Sioux chief beCause he meant to make the May Flower his squaw. ‘““T fled to the Pawnees. with the pale-faces and their friends, ‘*T came back to capture the May Flower, because I loved her, and I would have taken her to the Pawnees, where I am a great chief. ‘‘ While a prisoner in the medicine tepee, I heard the chiefs in council say that they would go with a large band against the Pawnee vil- lage of Snake Eyes. , “They will go when the moon comes again and they will kill the Pawnees, the friends of the pale-faces, and destroy their village. ‘*T have spoken, so let the young white brave: escape from the Sioux village. ‘* Let him go to the far river where is the vil- lage of the Pawnees and warn them of danger, ** Let the young white brave tell the Pawnees: how their chief, Snake Eyes died, and they will. be bis friend and the friends of his people, ‘* The Snake Eye has spoken.” As he ceased speaking Snake Eyes stood erect, and faced his enemies, Then Gordon Lillie said: ‘‘T will do as the Snake Eyes asks.” A proud look of triumph came over the faee of the Indian chief, as Gordon Lillie turned away, and Evil Spirit who was growing restless under the long talk of the Sioux, called out to: the youth: ‘ What had the red-skin to tell you?” “He told me to watch how he died, and if I~ ever saw any of his adopted tri*e, the Pawnees to tell them that be was a great chief,” answered Gordon. ‘* We will sec if he maintains his words, ‘Warriors, let the renegade Sioux be tor- tured.” At the command of the chief Gordon would have walked away and escaped the sight that was to follow, But Evil Spirit called out to him: ‘*'You must remain, young man. | ‘*Do not let the red-skins see that you fear to behold a man’s torture.” ‘*T fear nothing; but I am not so brutal as to. enjoy seeing a man die,” was the response, and Gordon turned to May Flower and asked: | “Will you remain?” dread seeing suffering.” was the low response, Gordon Lillie bit his lips as though but he remained and witnessed the diabolicat:. » a oe’ = ™ = (A Se <a x They are at peace. ae Vn ug > ‘ * = * 4 oe - - ¢ * ie ' . ‘*T must, for those people must never thinkk ? = SS « -_ we < : “ Rhee, a \ Us he > 4% of tye9 ‘ : " + .* - , { E : ” oY wad _ yp” “_ é 7 4 ‘ ee omicbooks.com