Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 59 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

ae SS eaten a + eee they had with them was quickly set up.. Then a fire was started, and Nellie commenced pre- paring their repast. “It will be a slender meal, Harry, I warn you, for all of our, things have run out, and we must eat fried venison alone,” she said, with a return of humor twinkling in her eyes, ‘* Anything, so that it is prepared by these dainty hands, is far better to me than a feast jn a kine’s palace,” returned this ardent lover, kissing her hand. Nellie laughed, and told him to reserve his i decision until after the meal. Theirs was a strange story. Nellie Hasly was the only child of the major who commanded the frontier fort and trading-post. Lieutenant Harry Belmont was his ward, having been given into the major’s charge by a dear friend, on his death-bed. The two young people had been together some vears, and iu was but natural that they should come deeply attached. So far all was well, but Harry soon began to entertain a feeling that was warmer than that of brotherly affection for the pretty child of his guardian. Vhen he broached the matter to the major, he turned as white as a ghost—said there was ain instirmountable impediment in the way of their marrying—and seemed greatly shocked at some ideas the young man’s question had aroused, After this he had done all that he could to separate them, but love ever laughs at lock- smiths, and obstacles are easily overcome by the enamored ones. Opposition has been the cause of many a wedding, when the engage- ment would have been broken off had all gone on uninterruptedly. Lieutenant Belmont was sent off on an expe- dition, while Nellie was locked in her room, If the major, for mysterious reasons, wished the match broken off, he should have explained matters, partly at least. As it was, he took the very means to consummate the calamity he dreaded. - The major thought by this coup de main he had nipped the affair in the bud, but, like Sam- son, he himself was buried in the ruins of his little plan. One day a courier came in with the news that Lieutenant Belmont had vanished from _his camp, nor could they trace him anywhere. The major, with a growing fear in his_ breast, hastenefl to the room where Nellie had been confined. It was a Lieutenant Belmont had gone on another ex- dition, The trail was discovered, leading, as he unhappy father soon found, into the very hotbed of hostile Indians, the young soldier having taken this route because he felt that it would be the last place they would look for him, as indeed it would have been but for a scout’s stumbling upon the trail made by the oa horses, and his reporting the same at the ort. This was the whole story. They had followed on and on, unaware that their camp-fire was chasing the fugitives fur- ther, by far, thah they had ever thought of going: Major Hasly’s demeanor was terrible. e called down the curse of Heaven upon his own head if anything happened to the lovers, but he had a far different reason for. remorse than any of the others suspected. The supper was eaten almost in silence, for Harry had not the heart to laugh and joke when that look of sorrow rested so plainly upon the fair face of his companion. Around them the grand trees arose like guard- ian sentinels. The ground was covered by a mossy t that feit like velvet to the feet. Not twenty yards away was the edge of the great abyss through which the king of muddy waters rolled. His mutterings and growlings could be heard from where they sat. Darkness had enveloped the landscape in its black mantle, and each distinct feature soon lost its Papen in the general gloom. The fugitive lovers still sat by their fire, occa- oo ee gee mig me but for the most part keepin silence. ‘lo. the lieutenant, the past pitssen tad but little that was pleasant food for thought. He had looked toa bright future when his love for sweet’ Nellie Hasly was returned, but now because of the determined opposition of her father, this expectation had turned to Dead Sea it, so far as he himself was concerned, for he was compelled to look upon the sorrow and pain which Nellie tried so bravely to hide. And yet, the brunt of the blame must rest wth the major. In the first place, if the ob- stacie he spoke of really stood between them, why had he not kept a close eye upon them, for FE - — — - -_——- — | it. was so natural for two young — a love. Then again it had been the intention. of the fugitives to go only a short distance into the North-west, and then, by taking a roundabout route reach some border settlement, where oor were not known, and where the marriage coul be consummated. The lieutenant had fully made up his mind to be chased no further. They would remain on this spot until the irate major came up, and sur- render to his clemency. , OORT e NN the decision came one day too ate. Harry was looking upon Nellieas she sat with her head unconsciously bowed, when a, guttural exclamation caused him to leap to his feet with a great fear in his heart. Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. | deri a ee ma een ‘“Thunder! ye must hey ther eyes o’ a cat. Mebbe ye kin tell us what he looked like,” growled Bolly. Old Hickory chuckled aloud: ‘‘ Byes! was it thet ye remarked? Wal now, kemrade, ther hain’t much ye kin hide from me in the dark. My peepers air small, but they hev ther pierce o’ ther majestic eagle what soars above ther loftiest mounting, az ther—az ther—I mean az my ole gran’ther used to re mark. Now, ter show ye a remarkable instance o’ wat I say, thar’s a scar, Bolly Wherrit, run- nin’ from yer forehead down jest in front 0’ yer left ear.” ‘‘ Jest so,” said Bolly, quietly, and yet won- how the keen-eyed old reprobate saw this ost indistinct mark, while he said noth- A dozen Indians stood within as many feet.of | ing about the long mark across the ranger’s him. In their leader he recognized the far-famed | face that had only been received a couple of chief Buffalo Horn, who must have seen whom | he had for prisoners ‘Ugh! white soldier! major’s daughter! -big ransom! much whisky for red-man! Ugh!” They were. captives, and all was lost. CHAPTER V. THE PHANTOM PROCESSION. ** Hist!” It was the mysterious, white-haired Old Hick- ory who gave utterance to this exclamation in a shrill whisper. The fire had been. suffered to die out com- fase , and the darkness fell around them so ensely that their positions, were only marked by the separate glow of each ranger’s pipe... Every man instinctively put his hand over the pre of this silent companion, thus hiding his lo- cation. , : The rustling of bushes could be heard not far away, and it was evident that, something was approaching. . Bolly Wherrit .put out his, hand and drew his trusty rifle to him. In all, proba- sa every one of the others did the same thing. One of the banks that. formed the ravine in which their camp had been pitched was devoid of bushes and trees on the top at a certain point directly above them, while other was cover- ed by a dense growth of bush and vine. Toward this first directed, as the sounds seemed to be approach- ee open spot. ere for perhaps a distance of twenty feet the brow of the little ridge was outlined against the blue, star bedecked dome of heaven, in a sharp, clear-cut line. The four rangers crouching at the bottom of this ravine, saw a dark form glide imto view, and commence to cross this o epane. Plain- ly outlined against the heavens, there could be no mistaking that form with its long braided It was an Indian. Another and another followed, until a proces- sion seemed to be ing before the eyesof the rangers. Boll herrit was counting: them with the precision of a Yankee school-master. At last the end came, the last shadowy figure with its flowing black hair had vanished among the dense bushes that bounded the open spot, and the sound of swinging bushes and rustling leaves died away altogether. ‘* Twenty-one,” announced Bolly. | ‘ rods an’ rifles! gather me up in a chip- basket, an’ roast me over an iceberg,” exclaimed Roaring Ralph Rockwood. ‘*Silence! thar’s more o’ ’em,” declared the strange Old Hickory, who seemed to possess the ears of a weasel. All eves were once more turned upon the top of the bank Another Indian form glided into view, fol-» lowed by several more. This. group quickl vanished in the same direction taken by their predecessors. . | ‘Seven an’ a squaw,” announced Bolly. ‘Correct. az ter. number, ole hoss,, but. Pil take my affidavy that warn’t-no squaw. I'seen flowin’ dress, an’ two on ’em seemed to hey hold o’ her arta ’ said Old Hickory, with a punch at Bolly’s ribs, which might have been resented by that individual at any other time, but which he only grunted at now, ‘ ‘‘Grunters an’ grub-grinders! kin sech things be in these here degenerate days? Chaw m breeches for soup now, that’s jest awful. don’t care a cent who hears me; it’s this child what says it, Roarin’ Ralph Sedunk Rockwood, you bet.” _ Then, ag’in, I see’d sumpin’ more,” pursued Old Hickory, in his croaking voice; ‘in thet fust wampus thar war a prisoner also—a white man. | int attention was | now, months before. : Roaring Ralph must needs put in his word at this juncture: ‘Cover me wid a sand-hill; I’m goin’ ter snooze. Air ye goin’ ter stand thar night, panes w’en ye might be sleepin’ the sleep o’ the just?’ ‘Right ye air, ole man, Woo ther gentle goddess o’ sweet slumber it is. I’m jest death on a snooze, an’ no mistake,” and, as he spoke, Old’ Hickory threw himself upon the ground close to Roaring Ralph. . ar The other two stood talking for a few min’ utes, but were, at roa prone to follow the example ofthe would-be sleepers, especially toe Roaring Ralph gave vent to a sleepy growl. | So Bolly and Rocky Mountain Joe left the subject of the Indian captives for further dis- cussion in the morning, and, following the ex- ample of Ralph, threw themselves upon the ' The night passed slowly on. —_~ several Pinan i rr ae ted a ness, the eastern sk up, and presen the’ moon arose, ditvetiing every object, thant mate and otlerwise, with her rays. But: our friends, lying in the deep ravine, were beyond their reach. The trees that hung over them shaded the rangers well, so that only an occasional slender arrow of silvery light a over them, . m her position in the heavens the moon saw many strange sights on this night, and not the least singular of these was t figure that, with many a chuckle, crept away from the camp in the ravine with the noiseless powers of a phantom. Bolly Wherrit, Rocky Joe, and ese Ralph were all old campaigners, whose ears might likened to those of a weasel or lynx, and hg they were not awakened by any movement side them. RAE. er gia ae fowas' aroused a us shake. Mine up, he discovered that it was daybreak, and’ the angular face of Bolly Wher- rit looked down into his. own. ay | “What's the matter? What's up, Bolly?” he exclaimed, is Gf 3 ‘Wal, it’s a blessin® we’re alive ‘this hyar minit, instead o’ bein’ crows’ meat. Whar’s that lovin’ chum o’:yourn this beyutiful morn- ing ?’? demanded Bolly, severely. ‘What on earth dye mean?’ and Ralph ‘Ole Hickory’s vamosed ther ranch. Feel un- der yer hat an’ see ef yer. sculp’s thar. Hyar’s ther paper he lit his pipe with, an’ it’s wun o’ them proclamations about my chum. My ’pin- ion is, Ole Hickory war a humbug; he’s an agent o’ ther reds, p’raps Dusky Joe himself. e’s probably a-puttin’ up these hyar notices himself. on he’ jest ee inter our camp ter find out whether Pandy war along, so he c’u’d git hisiseulp. Hang me, Rally, that ole rooster war the biggest humbug on the border!” Roaring Ralph seemed demolished. |‘ "Tain’t safe ter rile me that way. I’m a rearin’, tearin’ thunderbolt from the Colorado eanyon, what won’t be imposed upon. No man can sit down on me an’ live. Old Hickory, ’m goin’ ter git even wi’ ye yet.” t ‘Even so,” remarked Bolly, coolly, for he was now recovering his usually unruffled dispo- sition, ‘“‘an’ now we'll drop that subject, scare up some breakfast, an’ then start on the trail | in, tho’ I spect it’ll bring up in ther willage of Buifles Horn, whar I kin hang up this hyar proclamation. Thar’s work fur us thar, seein’ bout them captives, an’ gettin’ hands on the willain what keeled poor Tom Grampus over. Then { might find out whether any critter means ter airn that reward they offered fur ole Pandy’s sculp, cause if thar is, I jest want ter git my on the throat o’ the pizen critter.” Ghoo com “Ss é shadowy (EO) Ee \ ; |