Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 64 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

ae Aan ——_—_—— The girl could not struggle, for the teamster’s | _ ee ee eee — Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. Deserted and on foot at the edge of a hostile arent nds held her frail body captive and his_ village, the boy’s situation was anything but ort rough beard seemed to cut her delicate pleasant and safe. cheek. ““Now fur the hoss!” he said in a low tone, and he left the empty lodge and dead bear. But he was followed; that silent figure which had approached the lodgé from the river crept after the girl-thief. The eye of the Tlamath never left Luke Whittles; but followed him to the southern side of the village where a horse was tethered by means of a lariat to a small cottonwood. The presence of the tree told that the river flowed not far away. There was bones in the Tlamath’s hands now which was nota knife. Well might it re- semble a coil of rope, for it was a lariat. He saw Luke reach the horse which he loosen- ed with his left hand while he held the girl with the right. Slowly the Tlamath rose and the noose end of the hairy rope made several rapid circles around his feathered head then it shot forward like the "5. ag ga bola, and dropped over the traitor’s ad ead. Luke Whittles uttered a of horror as the infernal cord touched him. His hand was on the animal’s neck ready for mounting, but not- withstanding his surprise he did not release the mane. | ral as well as the Tl The horses lately stolen from the Indian cor- th’s faithful steed had taken to their heels at the sight of the orca which had just thundered by, and Dandy Jack’s | only weapons consisted of Sun-Dance’s repeat- a — ~ rifle left with him, and his own revolver. here was something wild and unnatural in the yell which had startled him; it was full of agony and bloodthirstiness. ‘It’s no use to stay here and get caught. The village is full of life now. My only hope is to find a hiding-place along the river—till the search is over.” The noises in the village would have suggested _ self preservation to any person in Jack’s situa- — _—- — oo - ee ee C+ The lasso was yet stack, nor did it tighten | until he threw himself upon the horse. Then it | contracted its embrace, pinioning arms to so side, and binding the half-conscious girl to | m. But his hands were free, and they griped | the rein with a gripe which no human strength | to do but to vault upon his back and give him could shatter. He did not stop to ascertain the identity of the thrower; the lasso was fastened about him, that was enough, and as he had not heard the sound — of hoofs he guessed that the foe had stolen upon him on foot. “Gosh hang it! you can’t Jerk me any worse nor I ot hee "he said. ‘ Hup the cord is tied to yer b [ll drag ye along, ner quit till I’ve killed ye!” He spoke fiercely to the horse and struck the rowels mercilessly with the huge Spanish spurs which in those days were at every muleteer’s heels, and with a snort of pain the animal started forward. All this in the space of half a minute! Luke Whittles did not look back to see the dark figure plantitself like a statue, for the force at the other end of the lasso threatened to un- horse him. But only for a moment. The thrower could not hold his prey. He tried it madly for a moment and then was jerked forward by the animal’s start. Sun-Dance fell on his face, nor did he rise after the contretemps, but if he was conscious he found himself being dragged over the ground not very far behind the horse’s heels! The lazo was fastened to his wrist, and he was making frantic efforts to cut it with his knif e. But in vain; he was doomed to a terrible death. On, on, went Luke Whittles, the lazo cuttin into his arms as it were and the Indian bound- ing like a rubber ball behind him, at once Dandy Jack heard the coming horse and started up. The sound grew more and more distinct, and suddenly, like some hideous specter, the traitor went thunderin by! Jack wet e = the bridles and shrunk back with a cry of ho no less than he, left him alone. He saw the apparition disappea river-trail, and caught sight ofa shapeless object which it seemed to be ee es it. a moment all had left his sight, and he went forward tosee if his eyes had deceived him. The moonlight was now beginning to illume | ger. andy Jack saw a dark object on | wide, the horse reeled back on his haunches and the spot, and the ground. Picking it up he held it in the light. It was a broken feather—one of the Tlamath’s. “(Creat Ceasar! Sun-Dance had the lasso fastened to his wrist! I am deserted now!” At this moment a wild cry rose apparently from the center of the Snake village. It was answered by a hundred yells. Dandy Jack felt his blood getting cold! CHAPTER IX, DANDY JACK MEETS UGLY BEAR. ‘““T am deserted now! There was a terrible meaning attached to these words as they fell from Dandy Jack’s lips, | | | r down the | turned his head as if tion, and with a weapon in each hand he turned toward the river. But he did not pass beyond the moonlight be- fore he came to a sudden halt. A horse was galloping from the north and the patter of the hoofs had a familiar sound. “Little River is coming back!” cried the boy taking hope at the sounds. ‘‘ Truly this seems providential. I wonder if he didn’t get asham- ed of himself for deserting me?” Knowing well that the horse coming rapidly toward him was the animal which belonged to Sun-Dance, Dandy Jack turned back to bing him to a halt, His brief ee, a, with the Tlamath had familiari him to no little extent with the animal’s habits, as well as with the Indian’s manner of treating him. A peculiar whistle would bring Little River to a sudden halt, end Jack would have nothing the rein before his enemies discovered him. ‘‘ The other horses are with Little River! ’Tis strange they did not go back to the corral.” But nothwithstanding the presence of another horse close behind Little River, Jack proceeded to carry out his plans. The river trail, a well-beaten track and evi- dently much traveled by the Snakes, was alter- nately shadow and light. When the on-coming horses were invisible the sound of their hoofs proclaimed their whereabouts. Little River was some distance in advance of his follower when a sin whistle brought him to a sudden halt, which would have sent a carelessly seated rider on his head. “Thank heaven for you, Little River!” ex- claimed the boy, springing to the horse’s side. He laid his hand on the mane and was about to vault upon the blanketed back, when some- thing dark and rough eyes his face and settled down over the horse’s head! Dandy Jack started back with a cry of horror, and Little River bounded away as the lazo tightened around his superb neck, but he was jerked suddenly from the ground and uncere- moniously thrown upon his side. ** Flintlocks and fire!” ejaculated the little ad- venturer, as he turned to see the strange horse firmly planted on the trail with his great breast full and his noble head erect holding taut the lazo wrapped around the saddle-horn. There was victory in the beast’s eye. But the sign of a foe was not visible. ‘*A horse can’t throw a lasso!” muttered the boy, recovering from the mystification of the scene. ‘*There’s an Indian somewhere, and I’m going to find him.” He cocked his rifle as be spoke, and started boldly toward the horse, **Surrender!” he shouted to the unseen foe. ‘‘ Surrender, I say, or P’ll fill you full of moon- rror, and the horses, frightened | light in the blink’of an eye!” ‘There was no re ly. The majestic horse e understood the boy. ‘Behind the horse, Indian-like, But Tl make you show ourself.” F The rifle leaped to Jack’s shoulders, and taking a hasty but deliberate aim, he touched the trig- At the clear report, that echoed far and beg fell heavily to the ground, shot through the n. But no foe was yet seen! The boy was now mystified. ‘Bless me! if I don’t find out who threw that lasso, if I get caught in so doing,” he said, in a tone which exhibited a doggedness of spirit out of place then and there, when flight might yet save, The horse had fallen dead, and Little River, startled by the rifle-shot, was upon his feet try- ing to wrench the /azo from the saddle-bow. ack hastened toward the dead steed as much | intent upon relieving the Tlamath’s herse as te ver his unseen foe, f -_—se - ~ - 7 wilinal -<—— oo oo a NS A few bounds brought him to his victim’s side. He lay in the tallest grass visible to the boy, a stream of blood flowing from his mouth, but his great heart still. ‘* It is very queer!” said Jack, seeing nothing. ‘‘ Hark! there are a dozen or more coming. I loosen Little River and outrun them with the critter!” There was no time left to inquire into the mystery of the throw which had so startlingly arres his flight, and Jack thrust his hand over the steed’s side to unfasten the lazo, for knife, at that moment, he did not possess. His fingers felt the saddle-horn, and then be- gan ~ aaa the hairy rope, but they suddenly or a hand seized his wrist stealthily, but with the suddenness of a serpent’s spring, and the boy, as he recoiled with a cry of horror, saw the owner of that hand raise himself sud- denly over the carcass. The head and shoulders of a Snake Indian, and the glittering eyes of a cunning warrior! Dandy Jack’s only free hand leaped to the re- volvei in his belt, but it was griped half-way and he ielt himself in the power of his foe. “White boy too many shootin’-irons; Ugly Bear none, so he hide when he throw and grin, Dandy Jack did not reply. He looked at his captor and acknowled that he was fairly caught. . - That Sun-Dance’s hoss!” said Ugly Bear, whose face certainly sustained the merits of the 2 oe Fi ‘*Injun know it from. Oregon to ooskoosky. Where is the Tlamath?’ ‘* Don’t ask me?” said Jack. “With him white*boy come hither. Sun- Dance save him at the wagon.” ‘You were there, then? The Snake nodded. ‘We're old acquaintances,” Jack said, with a smile. ‘‘It’s impossible to shake hands with you, seeing the fix I’m in.” ‘‘Bad fix!” said Ugly Bear, sententiously. ‘‘But where Sun-Dance?” There was a menace in the Snake’s tone, “A fellow can’t tell a thing he doesn’t know, he? oll pegs boy know. He trying to fool Ug- ‘“‘That’s downright lying!” flashed J ack, his eyes sparkling with indignation. ‘‘I don’t know; but that settles it, and if I did know, I wouldn’t tell you!” For a moment the Indian looked at his captive in a manner in which Jack did not relish. He felt the gripe on his arms growing tighter and tighter, and all at once he was jerked over the carcass to the side occupied by the Snake, and Brongn up standing almost against his captor’s ace. ‘“‘ Ugly Bear could jerk white boy’s bones out!” said the Indian. ‘“‘If that was a specimen of your jerking I’m not going to doubt you,” answered Dandy Jack. “ But what are 16 going to do with me?” ‘* Listen!” said Ugly Bear. ‘‘ White boy hear the horses?” el ey ve got were off awhile ago.” ‘On again! at name?” The Snake was looking curiously into Jack’s ace, ‘* Jack!” said the captive. ‘‘ Jack! Jack!” repeated Ugly Bear. ‘ Big Injun called Captain Jack upnorth. Here come the Snakes. Been huntin’ fur the crawlin’ thief, who kill bear an’ steal girl.” There was something in the last sentence which needed explanation to Dandy Jack and he was about to question Ugly Bear when that worthy ened upon the dead horse and with his face turned toward the as yet unseen riders gave a peculiar whoop. It was answered, and the answer twenty times repeated made the welkin ring. __. Soon a dozen dark figures burst into the moon- — and Jack saw them bearing down upon into the trail again; they The Snake was in great glee. He danced up- , on the side of his slain horse, and all at once . thrust his rev above his head and cried out with the devilishness of a fiend. ' ‘“Whoopee! Ugly Bear catch ’im! Catch aes boy of the wagon. Jack! Jack! ack! On, on came the Indians, and Dandy Jack saw them draw rein around him and heard their exclamations of delight. ‘““Ugly Bear catch ’im!” repeated the gratified aces. com G fell over with horse,” said the Indian, with a JOCKS TECOM ~