Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 617 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

. : »* « af 5 ; f ; : 7. . : . . i , “J ' F (- ' “Come, let the Red Lily and the Prairie Wolf dress the wounds of their friend,” said the young warrior, after he had made himself happy over his triumph, while he seemed to regret the escape of the outlaw who had been dismounted by the scout’s shot, and who had mounted be- hind one of his comrades. With apparent ease the strong young warrior then raised the form of the scout in his arms, and bore him to the hillside, into which wound a narrow, winding ravine. Following this for a short distance, they came to a small basin, with a carpet of luxuriant grass, and a covering of thick foliage from the surrounding trees. In the little basin -bubbled up a cool, clear spring, and against the rocky hillside was a wigwam—evidently the temporary abode of the brother and sister. Upon a soft bed of leaves, over which was spread his blanket, the scout was laid, and the ed Lily at once set to work to dress his wounds, with a skill that proved she had had considerable experience in surgery. ’ + Though painful, and also having bled most iz oe freely, fortunately the three wounds of the ‘aa scout were not of a fatal nature, and after the Or Red Lily had skillfully dressed them, bandaging t i them with buckskin cut from her own fine skirt, ; Se she set about restoring him to consciousness, for rs > i loss of blood and over-fatigue had caused him to 5 AM - swoon away. aco For a long time the Red Lily endeavored to pe restore the scout, and at length a fear came to ‘S eee her heart that he would die; but, the Prairie aes Wolf came to her aid with the brusque infor- mation: ‘The fire-water of the pale-face make and make well—try him.” Instantly the Red Lily poured a draught of a brandy from the scout’s flask into his mouth, a and with real feminine tact, bathed his face, hands and chest, with the now precious liquid. The effect was almost magical, for Death Trailer breathed. heavily, a tremor shook his frame, and the dark, fiery eyes were opened. “Tal the Red Lily of the Comancbes—and yok the Prairie Wolf? Yes, I remember—I fell, wy and—you drove back the outlaws and saved my aM life—I am grateful,” and the scout held forth his hand, while the maiden replied: oe "ihe © Whenthe Death Trailer left the Red Lily Bas? and Prairie Wolf, their trail was struck, and yee they fled far from their village; but, it is good, for from their camp they saw the Death Trailer flying from his foes, and the fled before the anger of the fierce Prairie Wolf, who has a scalp at his belt,” and the maiden pointed with sick, you — : . oe pride to the gory trophy taken by her brother. ODOR , *“* The Prairie Wolf is brave; ke will be agreat bé ‘ey TT. chief, and the heart of Moochoo will laugh with Bet | joy ut my Comanche friends must not linger JOU ere, but return to their village.” 1 wee ‘No, the Death Trailer is very sick; he must Wee stay quiet until several suns have set, and the Red Lily will care for him, while the Prairie Sac ams (2 . 4 Co Ke horde. vor ry ve mt far fo tio; f 2 ant Remonstrance was useless, and Death Trailer | was compelled to acknowledge that he was too ae) badly used up to travel, and would be compelled | to remain quiet for some days. Thus was it arranged that the Prairie Wolf should at once set out fow the home of his people, and tbe Red Lily remain to take care of the scout, for that their retreat would be discovered by the outlaws, they had little fear, and in the country of the Comanches, as they were, they had no dread of other enemies. “Selecting the better pony of the two, Prairie Wolf departed for the Comanche village, leav- ing the Red Lily alone with the Death Trailer. ae et a keen pair of eyes saw him ride away, Tae, and then glanced down into the basin, from a clump of trees upon the hillside, Those eyes, as he lay quietly upon his bed, the scout encountered, and he started, and attempted to grasp his rifle that lay near, and which the Red Lily had reloaded for bim. ‘Hold on! durn yer eyes, pardner, don’t shoot,” hastily cried a loud, pleasant voice, and moment after a lithe, tall form sprung down into the little basin, and confronted the scout and the Red Lily, while the latter held her rifle covering his broad heart, ready to see if he was friend or foe, ‘Well, Wild Harry, in heaven’s name what are you doing here?” said Death Trailer, recog- mizing the man before him as one of the guides gud hunters of the fort—a young fellow brave ‘ ‘ a? fel® . 2 e b) f : ' ° ‘ ¢ ‘ Vv : . 4 , a ki 7 ih ¢ ~ ' Fi Tul ’ ; -). : , - ms & &. 4. OF le A OtebeL FL F ” . : me ies ' q ‘¥ q 1? P ‘ ay / Me ivi eve f he . a ’ re a 7" Ps Ay; ‘4 te Bad 3") abet | RO Ira Sttath u & iW hy ¥ , grey ca he + ve nS orr: | hee Fe si . Pe yes » i: i. ee TY gt rn, Fei! ~ . “-° 7 at ) - é Kb ty s ‘A , * é 3 ; ‘ i wate i} oak} 1 Se , J hbtet Wolf goes to the great Moochoo and tells him capt ied fi the flower of his heart is safe, Then will the ty Bc Prairie Wolf return with many warriors, and e oa, «the Death Trailer shall have a steed to carry a outls * him to his people at the fort, for his body 1s weak, B whit and he cannot walk.” t - =—* | 1 ‘ 4 ay . »}} .f ( Bis ‘ » he £. “- / — ic J ‘ ae) teehee S\N Mathew) ae ae it Tuk ‘ Aes ae Pos it Py! A | at), ; “0449 “A : if 2: ¢ ey 3 Af. ieee ‘ y ay a eg * a > ta) hie ‘ en. L #, ryt leh? & walt Rore.e me? Sey: Ay eas 28S, My Pee iy? “s ‘ 7-5 I* ~- ay ‘a ne eV - = ie. gk AAS 4 of ig wen na? é ie ie A 3 o - PT, 7 4 } ae vr, Eo >a Mame to recklessness, a thorough frontiersman, for he had been captured by the Indians when a lad, and passed years among them, bo, in the end, become their bitter foe. Often had be and Death Trailer been ona scout together, and no man on the plains would have wanted better company than the young guide and hunter. ‘What am [ doin’ heur, you axes, Death Trailer? Why, I’m a-lookin’ at you an’ that thar purty lg ‘cingral an’ thunder, whar did yer cotch her? But tell her to pint that weepin t’other way, ’kase wimmin’s fingers is kind 0’ shaky when playin’ with a trig er.” Death Trailer smiled, and told Red Lily that the stranger was bis friend, and the maiden put up her rifle, but still kept her eye upon the young guide. ‘Ves, but why is it you are here?” “Now you is jealous—you wanted to be nussed by the gal, and durned ef | blame yer; but, yer see, I come in to interrupt yer leetle housekeepin’, ’kase I’m on yer trail.” ‘On my trail, Harry?” ‘Yas; the kurnel’s darter, durned ef she ain’t a team too, comed inter camp mounted on yer Comanche—” ‘‘ Thank God she escaped.” “That’s so; but she was driv’ hard, ’kase the outlaw devils was a-crowdin’ her; but as I was a-sayin’ when she comed in an’ tole whar she had left you, why the kurnel jist sent me an’ Injin Dick, Ole Pete, an’ Trapper Bob to look you up, an’ ef we couldn’t find yer, to hunt up an’ see ef yer ghost had tuk the trail for heving—durned ef this ain’t a kind o’ heving, ’specially as this purty gal is heur to play angil.” ‘‘ And you have found me, Harry.” ‘‘T has, an’ in durned good comp’ny. Yer see, the other boys tuk another trail, while I jist comed this way, an’I was a-watchin’ this lay- out, when I see’d the two reds fotch yer in, an’ says I, I’ll be on handef I’m needed, an’ heur I | is, Ain’t hurt much is yer? jist possomin’ to get the gal to nuss yer.” “Yes, Wild Harry, I received three wounds, and in a hard run I had for my life, I lost a great deal of blood, and shall have to lay up for some days—then we will return to the fort together.” * All right, pard, an’ I'll jist help in this house- keepin’ biz, an’ talk love to ther gal, Who is she?” “The Red Lily of the Comanche.” ‘« The devil!” ‘“No, she is nearer an angel; she saved my life, with the aid of her brother, whom you doubtless saw ride away,” and Death Trailer went on to relate of his first meeting with the Red Lily, and |, of the adventures that followed, after which he sunk to sleep, conscious that he had two faithful friends to nurse him in his illness, Then in his dreams he saw two faces, both beautiful; one was Kate Linville, the other the Red Lily of the Comanches. its setting, of the gorgeous then. they paused, fatal leap. Rodney —come!” and ‘ ing to break the seized her rein. a sharp report fell dead. Then came scene, fracas an of the fort, CHAPTER XVI. your safety IN THE NICK OF TIME, SrowLy the days passed away at the fort, for hope had long been deferre4, and it was at last be,ieved that the Death Trailer had certainly lost his life, and this thought cast a gloom over all at the fort, especially upon Colonel Linville and Kate. One hy one the scouts had returned, until Old Pete, Indian, or Injin, Dick, as he was often called, and Trapper Bob had returned, each tell- ing the same story—they could find no clew to the fate of the scout. Yet there was one gleam of hope—Wild Harry yet remained away, and as he was known to be second only to the Death Trailer in daring, prairie craft, and matching the Indian and out- aw in cunning, it was believed that he had struck the scout’s trail, or—met with perhaps his fate—death. The several squadrons had returned to the fort, and brought a sad story from the lower settlements, which had been devastated by the Bravo Chief in his raid; but, as they had had a hard trip, it would not be right to lead them upon another without rest, 80 Colonel Linville was impatiently biding his time, and at the same time making every preparation to give the a acrusbing blow at their very strong- hold. Though Kate Linville avoided Rodney Rad- cliffe all in her power, he seemed to be her very shadow, and she was forced, not to attract at- tention to her dislike to him, to often accept his society, and even to sometimes accompany him upon a horseback ride, up or down the river, or a dash across the prairie. Yet he never referred in an past, whatever that past might 4 Peer ena rs ¢ brought, outlaws, and he died away, Here la other, an bitter foes. in hot pursuit,. assed drearily _ | ing the kind way to their ave becn, but, ’ : ‘ ’ er 1) , : tet i e ; a See’? oe et r « i 2% i ~ . . . hanging the river, The former quic drew a revolver in each hand—the deadly pale, for at a glance she recognized her Seeing their ac rein of Kate’s stee spurs deep, the two horses dashed rapidly away in the direction more furiously on where they arrived _ A rapid gallop in an hour’s time; attent ’ - a a t . Y SF iy 5 Loe Sus weve. Ls, 8 ail Doble 8 Big Spt es ee I Arty aaa & ae Lo A toe apa a / > ET AEP Say ICPSR TTT oe res en are chic atid ort fi “7 - . . ' : . 5 yee 4 ae Y « Pe ” ts deena {2 % ‘tl ™ ig &% . et ey ans . ean oa fo” Le 10 Ralph, the Death-Shot Scout . upon the contrary, be rendered himself a most agreeable companion. It was upon one o masses O every hue of the rainbow. Had they been able to penetrate the density of the thickets behind and them, their faces might not have looked so calmly serene, fora deadly danger was creeping upon — line: yells were heard, a load noise, animals were breaking through the thicket, and the next instant a horseman appeared upon the “‘ Ride! ride for your lives! them,” rung out in cbeering tones, and Linville burst forth with one glad cry: “ The Death Trailer !” “The Death Tr echoed from lip to lip, an é from the offensive to the defensive, t, Rodney Radcliffe seized the din his hand, and driving his Instantly Colonel Linville was in and followed by a hundred gallant troo rode rapidly away to so nearly proved fata Rodney Radcliffe. At his side rode. gui ‘Strike their trail, Indian Dick, a ve them a hot chase,” ordered the In a few moments the struck the trail of the retreating outlaws, and — refreshed by their short rest y . © . ‘ : ft these rides down the river, one pleasant afternoon, when the sun was near that Rodney Radcliffe and his fair companion drew rein upon 4 low bluff over- and seemed lost in admiration f clouds, tinged with 2 ward the scene which | to his loved daughter and Rodney Radcliffe, who was |_ determined to avenge himself, he said, wpon the ed them toward the spof. . brought them to the spot with- | but the crack of rifles had | the noise of the-conflict had ceasea, the dead body of anoutlaw, there an- further on a renegade Indian witb his head dashed in from a h But outlaws and scout Colonel Linville felt a dread at Death Trailer had at last been captured by his y eavy stroke. half-breed y the days were uu ‘| . rite, J ' Bal < = 2. eR ’ \ ; hak Bae nick s.com Reo) .4 Te Pe? oS { ‘y = +8 rf "| ¥ 7 ‘ ay ts aa reg ar VEPs 4 \ eae hae! Chef 4 mea. iy ete ¥ “ty the : ‘pf os upon either side of | Nearer and nearer drew the fatal coil—a half circle of men, in whose dark, cruel faces was recognizable the brand of outlaw—they were half ascore of the Bravo Chief's for a vile service, and they game was in their tra Nearer and nearer t “acre men—picked elieved that their ; : bay crept, until the smal! opening upon the river was reached, and then | like a wild beast preparing for the Suddenly, with wild yells, they rushed toward Radcliffe and his fair companion. kly wheeled his horse and latter turned oes, “Oh God! what are we to do?” cried Kate, in an agony of dread. “Spur right over them—it is our only chance the young man was cool, his face pale, but determined, Instantly the two sprung forward, endeavor- ~ but quickly the outlaws closed around them, undaunted by the rattle of Rodney Radcliffe’s revolvers. ‘© Alj is lost—all is lost!” outlaws hemmed them in, and a burly ruffian 4 / cried Kate, as the But as his hand grasped the leather there came from the thicket, and the outlaw another and another, and wild | as if some huge We will cheat Kate ailer! the Death Trailer!” was d the outlaws turned : bounded out of the ‘Will vou leave that man alone to fight our battle?” cried Kate, earnestly. ‘That man can take care of himself—it Is I am after! in the direction of the fort, after a bard ride of half an hour, to spread consternation by the news they Come!” and he rode the saddle, | rs, he had had disappeared, and bis heart tbet_ beetle a = sé d we will | colonel. ¥ Tndian secut © the troopers set off CHAPTER XVII. ONCE MORE ON THE TRAIL, ‘ To Death Trailer, in his lonely mountain camp, — and wounded and suffering as he days | and slowly away, | ion of his beautiful nurse, and | the company of Wild Harry. | But to Wild Harr was, the notwithstand- | too short, | 4 he a ve , sal ‘ eta oP aire = ae weer yine ck 4 ed aw hs Fig 5 \ h v" ny ch’ * : “aU ave Fag f \ 4 . \ ne. j