Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 617 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

was given, the guards answered the cry of their comrade, and a shot of warning was fired by the sentinel on the hill. Springing upon the horse, the Death-Shot Scout dashed swiftly toward the river; but only a dozen bounds bad be taken when there were four horsemen in hot pursuit, Reaching the precipitous river-bank, fully ten feet in hight, the scout drew rein suddenly, and once, twice, thrice, bis dreaded revolver rung out, and an outlaw and a steed went down. Then the gallant animal was urged over the steep bank and descended into the river with a heavy plunge, sinking momentarily beneath the surface, but rising, he swam boldly for the other shore. Though momentarily checked by the fire of the scout, the guards soon rallied and rushed up to the river-bank. Far out upon the water they beheld the swim- ming steed and rider, and at once opened upon them with their rifles. But the scout turned half round on his steed, and with ringing cracks his revolver flashed out its six shots, and drove the enemy in confusion from the bank. When next they ventured to look for their enemy, he had gained the other shore. A rapid ride brought him to the ravine, aud atasmall stream of water he quickly washed off his paint, and was once more himself, Ten minutes more and he was mounted on Comanche, and leading his new capture, which indeed was a splendid animal, he rode swiftly up the river. | A gallop of five miles brought bim to the head of the valley, and here he knew there must be another outlaw guard; put without discovery py them, although he saw the dark forms of horsemen in the distance, he again crossed the river, and headed for the lofty range, under the shades of the foot-hills. It wasa long and hard climb up the steep mountain-side, but Randolph dismounted, and led his borses, and three hours after leaving the valley he gained the point be sought, the sum- mit of the range with the outlaw stronghold be- low him, and the ridge sloping down to the prairie upon the other side, Finding a safe retreat for his horses, and where there was both grass and water, the scout then sought out a pathway down toward the prairie, and after some difficulty discovered a “ay that was passable. hen he returned to the summit of the range, and stood > Sage the cliff above the cabin of the Bravo Chief. One hundred feet below him he knew Kate Linville was anxiously watching for his coming. One hundred feet below him was the plateau where was the stronghold of the outlaws, and where slumbered scores of his bitterest foes. It was now after midnight, and the moon, in its first quarter, bad gone down below the prairie horizon; but yet the stars shove brightly down, and by their light he beheld a long line of horsemen file up the steep path and divide upon the plateau, all of them, excepting two, going toward the distant cabins of the band. Those two came toward the cabin of the cbief and dismounted and entered, while a man led their horses away. ‘‘ Now I must act, for the Bravo has returned to his mountain den, and Kate Linville is in the teh aagg power, Well, if I lose my life I shall make the attempt to save her, though the chances against success are fearful,” and the scout turned away from the cliff to prepare for his desperate errand. CHAPTER VIII. THE DANGERS DEEPEN, THE preparations of the Death-Shot Scout were soon made. By attaching the end of his lariat toa stout tree, growing upon the cliff, and making his lasso secure to this he dropped it over the rocky ledge, placing bis blanket up- on the rock to prevent the rope from wearing. Divesting himself of everything that would hinder his movements, but with his knife and revolvers in his belt, the scout then lowered himself over the cliff, and after a cautious de- scent, found himself upon the plateau, his lasso reaching within four feet of the ground, fortu- nately for him, . Around him all was as silent as the grave, and seeing no lights in the cabin, he concluded that the Bravo bad doubtless retired, worn out after his long and arduous trip. Hera and there in the qnarters ef the band a light glimmered, showing that an outlaw was still up, perhaps relating the incidents of the @xpedition to those who had remained behind, ee eEEeeeneemeed ne eee a | LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LL LLL LLL LLL, LLL LL LLL LLL LLL LLL Ralph a in ne or, maybe, unable to sleep, for fear of the grim specters that haunted bis slumbers, and which the darkness was certain to call up from their graves, ‘‘T will first have all in readiness, so that there will be no detention. I hate to cross the opening, for the Bravo may keep a guard upon his baleony at night,” said the scout, hesitat- ingly. Bat after a pause of a few moments, he skulk- ed out from the shadow of the cliff, and sought the timber, where he had seen the side-saddle of Kate Linville, and the steed she had ridden. Arriving there he found other horses in the wood, doubtless the animals ridden by the out- laws just returned, But he found the saddle, and lifted it from the limb, and leaned over to search around the trunk of the tree for the bridle, when his hand suddenly swept across the face of a human being. There was a half-stifled cry of fright, but it was choked back by the iron grasp of the scout upon the throat, and the body writhed fearfully as the keen blade of the Death Trailer was moroes to the hilt into the heart of the strug- er. “My God! this is terrible! But my life and her honor demand that I shrink not now; the die is cast, and I cannot hesitate!” and with a shudder the S:out continued his search for the bridle, which he soon found, and returned cau- tiously toward the cliff. Reaching the lasso, he attached the equip- ments he had won by taking the life of a human being to the end, and with wonderful muscular strength ascended the slender line to the top. The lasso was then drawn cautiously up, and a quarter of an hour after saw Comanche and his captured companion saddled and bridled for the hard journey before them. Again the scout returned to the cliff, and de- scended to the plateau, and his breathing was suppressed, his teeth firm set, for the greater danger of all had come, Tbe window, where he had seen and talked with Kate Linville was open, and he approached it cautiously, and hesitated before it. Perhaps there was a guard over her; orit might be, the old negress slept in her room, The latter was the more likely, as escape was impossible it would seem from that outlaw stronghold—from the very cabin of the Bravo Chief, A low whistle trembled on the scout’s lips, and a movement was heard within the dark room. Was it a guard on the alert, or the old vegress awakened, Again the whistle was repeated, and had the form of a guard, or the negress appeared at the hig a their life would have been in deadly peril, Then came a light step, and even in the dark- ness, the scout beheld the fairy form of Kate Linville, ‘‘ Miss Linville, I have come to save you,” was the low whisper, and in her joy the maiden clutched at the window for support, for she trembled from head to foot. ‘‘Calm yourself, lady, for all depends upon coolness and nerve, We are in the midst of deadly danger,” and the scout’s voice was firm and assuring, and its tone nerved the young girl to bravery. ‘‘ Wait; I will be with you in a moment,” she said, softly, and in five minutes more she was again at the window, Raising her like a child in his powerful arms, the scout took her from the window, and bore we quickly beneath the deep shadow of the cliff, ‘Here, Miss Linville, take a drink of this; it will revive and nerve you,” and the scout hand- ed her a flask of brandy, a swallow of which Kate willingly took, for her strength was al- most failing her from dread of detection, ‘‘Tam sorry that I have not better conve- niences for your escapes, Miss Linville, but I could not be particular under the circumstances, You see, I will have to make this lasso fast around your waist, and you will have to steady yourself with your hands as I draw you up the cliffside,” The scout spoke almost cheerfully, yet Kate shuddered at the thought of being left alone; but she knew it could not Be helped, and nerved her- self to the task. The hands of Death Trailer were upon the lasso to ascend, when there came a low growl, followed by a loud bark. In an instant he had hurled himself upon the buge dog, and a short, terrific struggle followed, which ended in the death of the brute, but not , the Death-Shot Scout. = - — wr - —— ~~ — - ~ a -~~- until his howls had rung out loud in alarm and in, ‘‘For God’s sake keep calm, Miss Linville; you shall be soon out cf danger—be brave,” and the scout went up the lasso hand-over-band with a speed one would hardly believe pessible. Kate Linville stood like a frightened deer, trembling from head to foot, while a loud, com- manding voice rung out from within the cabin, and was answered by hurrying feet. Yet the lasso swayed violently, showing that the scout was still ey and the frightened maiden believed all was lost; but as a light flashed from the cabin door, and a form stepped forth into the darkness, Kate Linville felt the lasso tighten, and the next instant she was raised from the ground. ! Determined to be worthy of one who had risked life to save her, Kate held firmly on with one hand, while with the other, she steadied her- self against the side of the cliff. Rapidly she ascended through the darkness, her mind full of fears that she might be discoy- ered and fired upon, or that the lasso might give way, for it seemed strangely slender to her grasp. Yet up, up she went, her eyes watching the form of the man who had come from the cabin, light in hand, and she beheld him stoop over the slain dog, Then followed his loud cry of alarm; more lights appeared in the large cabin, angry voices were heard, and Kate Linville saw no more— she was in the arms of the bold scout, Then ber courage failed her and she fainted away. Quickly Death Trailer bore his fair compan- ion to the mountain spring near where he had left the horses, and then ran back to secure bis lassoes, after which he returued, and set himself to revive the maiden, at the same time fearful that the dangers and fatigues she had gone through since her capture by the outlaws, would cause her to be seriously ill. But his fears were groundless, for Kate soon returned to consciousness, and in a few mo- ments more was mounted upon the captured steed,following the scout down the steep moun- tain-side, while behind them were heard alarm and confusion in the outlaw stronghold, for they had discovered the escape of their prisoner. CHAPTER IX. THE BRAVO CHIEF. As the scout had surmised, the horsemen whom he had seen enter the stronghold while he was watching on the cliff, were the immediate fol- lowers of the Bravo Chief, with their daring leader at their head, accompanied by the young officer who conducted Death Trailer into the stronghold, and who had gone to meet his chief, when a runner arrived with news that he was coming. A few moments sufficed to place the Bravo in possession of all that bad transpired at the stronghold since his departure; then the youth- ful officer sought his room and retired, leaving his chief strangely gloomy and stern, No wonder that the brow of the Brayo was dark and threatening, for of late severe reverses bad overtaken him, and he mused moodity upon the past, as he sat alone in the darkness of his chamber, his eyes gazing through the open win- dow that commanded a view of the plateau, with the cabins of bis men in the distance, ‘(111 luck has dogged me persistently of late, and | fear I shall have trouble with the men to- morrow, for they were mutinous before these last disasters.” he muttered; after a while he continued: ‘‘I certainly thought that one of my three columns sent out would be successful: but, what is the result? Why, my own party were most successful, and although we lost heavily in cut-throats, we gained a large amount of plunder, which that cursed prairie fire tore from us; ay, and liked to have gotten allof us, too. Then we lost that dare-devil scout, by his magnificent Jeap across the gulch, and broken down by our hard jaunt, we were delayed for two days, to feel happy when we met our scouts with the Red Lily of the Comanches a prisoner, and I believed Ieould get my own terms with old Moochoo, if I did not decide to keep his pretty daughter for my own cage. But, curses on that Death Trailer! He snatched my prize from my very grasp. know that it was the scout, for none other would bave dored what he did, and besides, we all heard his war-cry of defi- ance, “But why is be aiding the escape of the Red Lily? The Comanches are his worst enemies, and— No, I cannot account for it. Then I came bome to find that old Moochoo had sent one of his warriors to me to treat for the release of his daughter, and Halford allows the Indian