Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 560 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

dian rd, who was suspecting no danger to Ganualf from. #) fellow-brave, os be bellaved the outh to be, and so had not time to dodge the low dealt bim on the head with the butt of the rifle, which the youth drove forward with great force full against his temple. The red-skin dropped in his tracks as though a bullet had pierced his brain, and Gordou Lill‘e a E ws, % quickly dismounted, seized his bow and ar- rows, his buffalo-robe, and the provisions he had there, Then taking the Indian pony of the guard in Jead, he mounted Black Ben and rode on down tae pass. In the darkness and rain he had to trust to Black Ben alone, and the noble animal went forward at a siow and cautious pace, The rain had caused the streams to rise, and here and there Gordon found Black Ben and the indian pony nearly washed off their feet, But they held on bravely, and after several hours reached the open plain, The rain still poured down, and Gordon urged the horses into a canter, congratulating bimself upen not having run upon any of the red- ey scouts that he knew were in the foot- S. “I could not have had a better night for it,” he muttered to himself, as he orem along, At last the rain ceased falling, and an hour before dawn he came upon some timber, where he balted. He knew that he had a very long start of the red-skins and could afford to rest for a few hours and dry out his robes and blankets, which were a heavy weight for his horse, in addition to his own weight. He had brought along a bundle of pine knots, and i: did not take him long to make a fire, When he had satisfied himself that there was no One in the little thicket but himself, Before the blazing logs he hung his buffalo- robes and blankets, and managed to dry his clothing while he sat napping near the fice. Dawn broke and he soon had a breakfast, while his horses were lariated out to feed on the grass which grew abundantly near by, His clothes bad dried, and also his robes and blankets, by an hour after sunrise, and he made up a pack which he strapped upon the back of the Indian pony, relieving Black Ben of as much weight as he could. Then having studied his map, and gotten the locality of the Pawnee village in his mind, he mounted Black Ben and started on his journey, shirt - could ney, keep from mounting with oy ab His escape from the village of Evil Spiri the White Rates ade, : fice Still he could not but feel for the sorrow which he knew May Flower would snffer when he knew that he had deserted her after all her kindness to him. ‘* But what else could I do?” he asked himself, over and over again, as he rode along atas brisk & pace as he dared urge bis horses, CHAPTER XXT, THE WARNING, GORDON Linum did not spare his horses, but ressed On a8 rapidly as he dared force them, or he feared that Evil Spirit might, in follow- ing him, decide to also make his raid that much sooner, against the Pawnees, In various ways he tried to bide his trail, b following the examples of the red-skins, and felt convinced that he had done so. He knew about the direction .of the Pawnee Village, and that it was something over a hun- dred miles distant from the range in which the Sioux camp was located, He halted again late in the afternoon for food and rest for his horses and himself, and man- aged i Beta couple Of hours’ sleep which re- freshed him cgi The borses also Jaid down to rest after eating a po meal, so were ready for the flight again when Gordon once more started on the way. The hours of the night went by slowl , and the brave youth held on in one diréetion, fecling that he Must be on a course that would not take him far out of the way. : Before 48Wn another halt Was made for sey- eral hours, and then he pushed on once more the horseS Now showing signs of fatigue, egne- cially the Indian pony. eis ‘ “es oe Toward Noon ‘he came to bill lands, with heavy forests, and to his delight he saw a colum of smoke curling up above the trees. 7 He was Well @ware that he was by no out of danger, that he was in a part of the country Where he was likely to meet at any time both white and req raiders. The Border Bravos a band of white robbers e er the country,’he knew, and Pawnee Bill, the Prairie Shadower. | the anxious inquiry. 13 were lawless gangs of men prowling about, | line behind the party of bucks who were acting while Indians were not to be trusted, even the | as an escort to the stranger. Pawnees, if they thought they could do an act Reaching the camp, Gordon saw that his com-, of wrong and not be found out. ing created considerable excitement; but he was The smoke might come from a camp of honest | led at once to the tepee of the chief then in men, a settler’s cabin, a party of Pawnee hunt- | charge, Big Spotted Horse, ers or from a prowling lot of white robbers. The'old chief did not speak English, but his: He had to be cautious, and so he approached | son interpreted all that Gordon Lillie had to the timber cautiously, hitched his horses, and | tell, the other young braves not having entered went on foot to reconnoiter. the tepee. To his delight he suw a settler’s cabin, and a Big Spotted Horse was alarmed at the news man working in a field. brought him, and a signal for a council of the Calling to him, he saw him spring for rifle, | chiefsand prominent warriors was at once given. and take shelter behind a tree. All hastened to the tepee of Big Spotted ‘‘Tam no enemy, sir, but a friend,” he called | Horse, the council-fire was lighted and the out and advanced toward him, story that the young white man had to tell was The man_ still was cautious, and asked, as he ' told over again, from his capture by the Sioux still kept his position by the tree: to his escape. “Who are you?” There were a number who understood Eng- ‘*T am one who has just escaped frum the | lish fairly, and some few spoke it well, and they Sioux.” listened how the Sioux chief, Snake Eyes, had ‘*Are they here in this neighborhood?” been put to death, and Gordon showed them the head-dress of the dead Indian, which he had se- cretly obtained possession of after bis talk with him, was | ‘*Not now, but they may be, and I am anx- ious to find the Pawuee village.” . ‘ea 2 [t is twenty miles to the westward, pard, in The story of the youth was repeated over an the oe ie what are you going rage mig | ores cs a esi a tongue until all pres- ‘The Pawnees are at peace with the whites, | ent knew it by hear and I know that Evil Spirit and his warriors | Then there was a low a opal = pie ein] are going to attack their village, so I wish to | the warriors, and gray ~ ss as je & — warn them, and the settlements too, for the | of the pale-face stare who em in @ pA Sioux will retreat this way.” | words what he deemed the best plan to beat o “That’s good of you; but if the Pawnees give | their foes. em a good battle, they'll not come this way but | This was to send out three parties of braves, a. retreat to their mountains again, | few miles apart, with scouts ahead of them, to he You say you have escaped from the Sioux?” | report the coming of the Sioux. _ oe ‘Yes, night before last.” | Then in caseof an attack of either party the ‘You are a plucky young fellow, I can tell | other two could hasten to the rescue. you; but where did thes conte you?” | Gordon also gave them an estimate of the PP tr ago, on their last raid upon the | eto lie of noe a aay eck pape — settlements, : " ‘*I was on my way to the mines, and got | he volunteered to go along with one of the picked up by them on their retreat to the moun- | an tere and Join a eS ergh = Be ph ae tains.” not only would Evil Spiri e chief in com- ‘* Curse them! it’s 2 wonder they did not kill | mand, but another renegade white man, Black ole ’ | the plan of Gordon Lillie, and orders were given ‘* He is a white man.” ‘* And they left a red trail behind them on | to call the warriors to arms, to beed the warn- their last raid.” | ing of the daring white stranger who had come ‘* They, did, indeed; but can you give me a | to befriend them. fresh horse to rice on to the Pawnee village?” ‘* Yes, and a good one, while I will go along CHAPTER XXII. the line of setiiemeuts and put the settlers on AN INDIAN BATTLE, their guard; but you must be cautious about THERE was another suggestion going to the Pawnee camp, for though friendly | Spotted Horse by Gordon Lillie whic to us, there are many young bucks who would | chief was glad to follow. be only too glad to catch you in a trap.” | This was that an Indian runner should be sent’ “Pll be careful; but now show me the way, | to the fort to tell the commandant the situation, | iven Bi the ol shear for I must lose no time, as I believe Evil | and another one sent along the line of the settle- pirit is even now on the war-path.” ments to further put them on their guard. ‘‘ Vil get my horses while you bring yours to| Two Pawnee horsemen, young braves who: the cabin, and I'll havemy wife cook dinner for | spoke English well, were at once started upon: you,” and the man went toward his humble | these errands, and by dawn the next morning home while Gordon returned for bis horses. the Indians were prepared for their Sioux ene- He found a warm welcome from tbe settler’s | mies. . wife and half-grown family, and a good dinner Big Spotted Horse had taken up a position was at once set before him, while a boy of | with a couple of hundred braves some ten miles fourteen took charge of Black Ben and the | from his village, ata point where he expected pony, for the two animals were very, tired, the Sioux would come, with half a hundred An hour after reaching the cabin Gordon was | warriors within a few miles upon either side mounted upon a Wiry mustang and riding | ready to support him, when the attack should rapidly toward Pawnee camp, while the settler also well mounted was going in the opposite 9 gg to warn the settlers of impending anger. Determined to reach the Pawnee camp before night, Gordon Lillie rode at a swift gallop, and, following the directions given him by the settler arrived in the neighborhood of the village of Pawvees while the sun was yet an hour high. He Suddenly came upon a band of youn bucks, and bolding his hands above his hea come, Scouts had also ae sent out ahead, and then. all was ready for the fray. The day leas away, the night followed, and then another day, and the Pawnees began to think that their foes would not come. But knowing that they would not wpere he! day, Gordon had ridden back to the settler’s cabin to get Black Ben, feeling that he was rested by that time. He found a camp of settlers about the ge rode up to them, some two score in number, all well mounted an ‘‘Do you speak English?” he asked, as they | armed, while they awaited the coming of the mir bi him critically. Sioux. ** Yes, me Spotted Horse. The settler, Harvey Reed, introduced Gordon ‘Me speak English good,” said a young brave | as the young man who had escaped from the of twenty. Sioux, and had brought them warning of the Ms ‘i ge me our chit io) an : er, rse Vv e. “ He big chief” Spotted Horse, ag ** Lead me to him at once.” “Come,” said the young brave, and the whole y set off for the village, which was situated among the hilis a mile away. Other Indians were met on the way, some thering wood, others lazily wandering about he woods, and a few hunting, and many as ey wo ike have a chance to kill hin me of fear, pe) to im and all fell in intended attack of Evil Spirit, and most warmly wae “shy welcomed by and praised for his uck, He told, in a_ modest way, of his adventures since coming West, and became quite a hero among the settlers, all telling him to make their homes as his own, whenever be cared to come their way. Having gotten Black Ben, Gordon Lillie left to return to the Pawnee camp, as he had prom- ised Big Spotted Horse he would do, and two young men accompanied him to bring back any ‘ news they might glean of the coming of the But Gordon showed no Sioux. the Indians as he passid It was just dark when Gordon: and his two: | erre ‘comic CS micbeo * CoO » A