Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 617 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

| ee ~ A OC, —_—— — 7 7) 4, 4 — _ = + > semen rs os 7 | oe a , re ce Se gt Sl “a f _ a4 Car ae * | the nights too long, for his big heart had found its idol—he desperately loved the Red Lily of the Comanches, and was constantly telling the scout that to get the Indian beauty for a wife he would be willing to do anything. **T tell yer, Death Trailer,” he said one day, “that thar gal is jist as purty as a spotted pup; she’s jist honey, but I’m glad the bees don’t know it, an’ I love her as I does my rifle, But then, yer see, she’s dead gone on you, an’ don’t car’ a durn fur me.” ‘Yes, Harry, the Red Lily likes you very much, and her regard for me is oe such as you would feel for one who had saved your life— Ha! What noise is that?” Wild Harry was at once on his feet, rifle in hand, and Death Trailer, who had very nearly com from his wounds, was also on the alert, Both men then looked around for the Red Lily, but she was nowhere in sight, ‘It is the sound of coming horsemen—ha! that is the war-cry of the Prairie Wolf! Now, Wild Harry, you and Iare to stand face to face with those who have been our bitterest foes!” “lm ready, durned ef [ ain’t; by Jerusha!” said Harry, discreetly looking to his weapons, and preparing either for a run or a fight. But he soon found that neither was necessary, for up the ravine came the Red Lily, Prairie Wolf, and an old chief—the Death Trailer bad seen him once before, at the head of a thousand Comanche horsemen, and recognized him as the Mountain Chief, the great Moochoo. Behind the three vame a large number of Co- manche braves, all splendidly armed and mounted. ‘** The chief of the Comanches has come to the lone cabin of the pale-face warrior to thank him for the lives of his children—to tell him that the hatchet is buried between the Comanches and their pale-face brother, though it be war be- tween my braves and his people. But the hearts of the Comanches are glad, and sunshine is in the heart of Moochoo, Will the white brave smoke the pipe of peace with Mcochoo?” *Gladly will I, chief,” returned Death Trailer, speaking fluently in the Comanche tongue, in - which the old cbief had addressed him, and he added: ‘*Isaw the young chief of the Comanches in the power of bad men, and I saved his life and made him my brother. The Red Lily was in the hands of the wicked pale-face renegades, and I took her from them and made her my sister, Then those whom I had served saved my life— they saved me from my cruel foes, and brought me here, where my white brother has found me. ‘*That’s so, ole red hoss 0’ the Comanches,” put in Wild Harry, in English. ‘*Here, in this lone camp, the Red Lily has cared for me as a sister would, while the Prai- rie Wolf went to tell their father, the great Moschoo, that his children were safe. The Death Trailer offers his hand to Moochoo and his braves.” Then followed grunts of satisfaction upon all sides, and judged by the company he kept, Wild Harry also came in fora general hand- _ Shaking, After the general greeting was over, the old chief presented to Death Trailer a magnificent steed he had brought him, and one which his warriors had stolen from some white settle- ment, but he did not mention that circumstance. Not to be considered higgardly, Moochoo then ordered one of his braves to give his horse to ind Harry; but the scout stepped forward and sa . “No yer don’t, chief, ’ka’se I’se got a anermile ‘up the ravine better’n any Comanche mustan that ever switched flies with his tail—durned e I hain’t. But I’m obleeged to yer the same, an’ mebbe I’ll come down 0u yer fur yer gal. Death Trailer, you know their blasted lingo, so jist favor me by rattlin’ off what I hey said, fer the eddification of ther ole hoss.’ Death Trailer transluted the thanks of his friend, and then followed a grand feast, for the Fp para pane well suppli Dia edibles, and ® pipe of peace passed around. “The following day old Moochoo and his war- ers started on their return to their village and e Red Lily accompanied them, greatly to the sorrow of Wild Harry. ‘ When Death Trailer bade the Indian maiden farewell, he saw tear-drops trembling in her eyes, and ber bosom heaved as if in pain; but he said treeently: “The Red Lily is the sister of the Death Trail- er, and ere many moons he will come to her vil- lage to see her,” _’ “The Red Lily will droop if he does not come ; Me ., va ar yal ae tr! ' Seta sb . ane Te PNA 7K A rec apt = ete. , ’ os “ry ” Aa. Se ie | eS 228 i. OF Tanna lph the Death-' . % Arras t as i oe, Phe , Re! bed ‘ ae te ate ° hot —her heart will be glad and full of song-birds when he comes.” Thus those two parted, and Death Trailer and Wild Harry were alone in their lonely camp, the latter declaring that ‘‘ he’d as soon lose his skulp as his heart, ’ka’se it giv’ him an awful feelin’ under his ribs.” After several days longer rest, Death Trailer pronounced himself as good as new, and one morning at the peep of day the two scouts mounted their steeds, and started upon their re- turn to camp. They did not press forward with much baste, but rode steadily on until they struck the river, about.ten miles below the fort, As they were turning into the trail leading up the river-bank, the quick eye of the Death Trailer suddenly detected some fresh tracks, and in an instant he dismounted and narrowly examined them. ‘“‘Harry, here isa trail I am going to follow; it looks suspicious,” he said, remounting, and the two friends rode slowly along for half a mile. Then they suddenly drew rein, for from their position a strange scene was visible—two per- sons on horseback in the Gistance, and around the outer edge of a thicket ten steeds were hitched at equal distances apart. The trail they had followed was that of the two persons—the one was a man, the other a woman, as they could plainly ses through the opening in the thicket, through which the trail led to the river. At a glance, Death Trailer recognized Kate Linville as the horsewoman—her companion he did not know, ‘* Harry, there is some mischief going on here; those horses ranged yonder are not from the fort—they belong to outlaws.” ‘*That’s so, Trailer, an’ yonder is ther game, durned ef *tain’t.” “There are ten horses in sight—large odds, but we must take them,” and Death Trailer and his comrade rode into the thicket, and arrived upon the scene just in the nick of time, When Death Trailer urged his horse into the opening he was a little in advance of Wild Harry, and the outlaws, though greatly sur- prised at his appearance, believed he was alone, and turned to attack him, just as Rodney Rad- cliffe spurred away with Kate Linville. But as the next instant Wild Harry bounded from the thicket with a yell, the outlaws con- cluded that a large party were coming, and rushed for the nearest cover. Seeing that Kate Linville and her escort had escaped, and knowing that the odds were fear- fully agniie them, Death Trailer and Wild Harry fired upon their enemies, and then rode toward the river, got under the shelter of tho bank, and made a flank movement upon the outlaws, gaining the prairie in safety, and set- ting off at once for the fort, for they could not believe that the Bravo Chief would venture that near to the outpost without a large force, Taking a different trail to the fort, they ar- rived there, shortly after Colonel Linville and his troopers had started off on the hunt for the outlaws, who, at the same time the two scouts had been flying in one direction, had also been flying in another, leaving three of their num- ber dead upon the field. CHAPTER XVIII. FRIENDS BUT NOT LOVERS. Wuen Death Trailer and Wild Harry were discovered approaching the outpost, a wild shout of welcome went up from the troopers, and the gates were thrown open to them, Having, in a few words, told of his adventures, or ratber that he had been wounded and laid up for some time, Death Trailer at once sought the headquarters, when Kate came forward and greeted hin with an earnestness almost amount- ing to affection, Her warm welcome caused a dark scowl to cross the fece of Rodney Radcliffe, and in the ye of the recipient there came a bright light of joy. | “Mr, Radcliffe, this 1s Mr, Randolph, my father’s chief of scouts, and the gentleman to whom we owe cur escape this morning, to whom I owe more then I can ever repay,” and Kate Linville laid her band lightly upon the scout’s arm, The scowl on Rodney Redctiffe’s face deepen- ed, and he coolly bowed, while he replied: ‘It was very bold in the scout to come to our rescue—I have heard of the Death Trailer often before,” ; ; Death Trailer would have spoken kindly in return, but he saw the frown of Rodney Rad- ‘pe 1, _¥ , ; \ - + © Scout. cliffe, recognized that he looked upon him as & rival, smiled grimly and said nothing. . The following day Colonel Linville and his troopers returned, and greatly rejoiced was he to find that the outlaws bad not Death Trailer as a prisoner, for he had failed to overtake the band, and had believed that they had either killed or captured the scout. By the advice of Death Trailer Colonel Lin- ville determined to defer his attack for the a upon the Bravo Chief, for the scout told im that it was better to await until the out- laws had gone off upon another extended raid, leaving their stronghold comparatively unpro- tected, and that once their mountain retreat: fell, they tvould be comparatively at the mercy of the soldiers. Having heard all of Death Trailer’s adven- tures, and becoming more interested in the strange, reserved man, Colonel Linville made of him an almost constant companion, and con- sulted him in all the duties devolving upon hinxs as commandant on the frontier. In this way Death Trailer and Kate Linville were thrown daily together, and it was whis- pered about among both officers and men that the maiden thought far more of the scout tham she did of Rodney Radcliffe, who yet lingered at the outpost, as though unwilling to tear bim- self away from the ‘*‘ Belle of the Border,” as Kate was called, for, though there were other fair ladies in the fort, the wives and daughters. of the officers, Kate Linville was the favorite. ‘‘Father, who is Ralph Randolph?’ asked Kate Linville, one day when the two sat to- gether in the coionel’s office, ‘* His stcry issoon told, Kate—be was found. on the prairie by a traders’ train, wounded and supposed to be dying. A mere boy, for he was. eighteen then, his sad lot excited sympathy, and the owner of the train had him most tenderly cared for, and brought him back to life. Ac- companyiug his benefactor to St, Louis, his. home, the youth was sent by him to college, and afterward took a tour through Europe with his kind friend, who was an old bachelor, and, hay- ing no near kindred, inade Death Trailer his heir, at bis death, seven years ago, upon condi- tion that he would take his name, that of Ralph Randolph, As soon as his benefactor died, Ralph settled up his affairs, and came at once to the Southwest, where, for six years, he kas been acting as border scout, bunter and guide,” ‘** But does he know nothing of the past?” ask- ed Kate, deeply interested, ; ** If he does he never speaks of it to any one, his life up to the time he was found wounded on the prairie is a dead secret. Here he comes now,” | As Colonel Linville spoke, the Death Trailer entered, and be said pleasantly: ‘*Miss Linville, 1 have trained the animal your — father gave you, so that he will serve you wel— will you try him in a dash down the river?” ** With pleasure, Mr. Randolph. Will you ac- company us, father?” **No, my daughter, but Mr. Radcliffe will doubtless do so,” ‘If asked doubtless he would, I prefer not to: have the honor of his society,” and Kate left the al to soon after return fully equipped for her ride, In ten minutes more the two were mounted, and dashing out of the stockade, set off on the trail leading down the river. A ride of several miles, and they came to where the trail wound along the river-bank, be- neath the shadows of a grove of cottonwood, and here the scout drew rein, and the man and the maiden sat silently upon their horses, gazing up- on the pretty scenery of woodland, river and prairie. / Upon the scout’s face rested a look of nervous- ness never seen there, while Kate seemed as though troubled with some memory of the past. ‘‘Miss Linville, will you pardon me, if | tell you asecret that [have kept for weeks deeply hid@-n in my heart?” and the voice of Death Trailer was soft, earnest, and full of deep feel- ing. “Tf you make me your confidante, Mr. Ran- dolph, I will never betray your trust,” said Kate, idly whipping the leaves with her whip, and. | striving hard to appear calm, ‘Thank you; the secret I have to tell deepl concerns my future happiness, Miss Linville, am here, only a border scout, and it seems bold in me to sue forthe hand of Colonel Linville’s daughter; but I am emholdened todoso, because [ have loved you from the first hour I saw you, and vour kindness toward me has led me to be- lieve that I was not indifferent to you. 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