Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 661 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 ‘‘ Birdie, you are a bright, thoughtful girl, and I shall act upon your suggestion, and ask White Medicine to go and see the wounded man. We were to go away from the village in a boat down the river to the Willow Bars where we were to be met with saddle and pack-horses taken around through Snake Canyon. That would save a ride of fifteen miles to start with. But I will go and see White Medicine at once.” She arose and throwing alight Indian shawl over her head went out and away to the lodge of the Great Medicine. In a few minutes she returned, her face quite radiant. ‘‘He has agreed to stop as we go down the river and dress the young stranger’s wounds. I appealed tohim in your behalt, Birdie; and exacted a promise that he would say nothing to any one of the presence of the stranger in the eave. I manifested nointerest whatever in the wounded man, but ascribed my interest wholly to your wish to befriend the man who had saved your life. He said we would embark in the morning before daylight so as to reach the Wil- low Bars by sunrise at furthest.” Both the maidens seemed happier, although Singing Bird expressed a fear that the stranger mi cht die, or would, at least, suffer great agony, before the doctor reached him, But as she could do no better she was compelled to-submit to the pleasure of Dr. Gwynn, the White Medi- cine. As it was to be their last night together the girls sat and talked, as only girls will, until af- ter midnight when they retired for a few hours’ rest and sleep. Two hours before daylight the village was astir, and before long Rose’s friends began to come in and bid her good-by, for it had become _ generally known that she was going away that morning on a long journey. And finally the time for departure had come, and White Medicine called for Rose. Accom- panied by many friends, they walked down to the river and entered the canoe that was to car- ry them to Willow Bars, where they would take to the saddle, horses having already been sent around through the hills to the place desig- nated. At length the boat pulled out in chargeof two savage warriors, and dropped swittly down the river. Rose was disappointed in that the sav- ages accompanied them. This was a thing she had not calculated upon, and was sorely afraid that the two red-skins might deal foully with the wounded stranger, whoever he might be. In the course of time the cave, whose location was well known to Rose, was reached and the arty landed. The doctor took a small pocket- Teuton from among his effects and lit it, and then advanced into the cave, Rose and the red- skins following him with apparent curiosity. A few steps forward and the light fell upon a prostrate form lying upon the hard, stony oor. ‘‘T’m aftaid,” said the doctor, ‘‘ that we have come too late.” ‘‘Too late?” cried Rose. ‘‘Is he dead, doc- tor?” ‘I'm afraid so,” replied Gwynn, lowering the light so that its rays fell upon the face of the prostrate map. ‘‘ Ah!” he continued, *‘I have seen that face before—saw it down the river but a few days ago.” Rose advanced, and leaning forward gazed down into the pale face of the man for a mo- ment, then uttered a wild, piercing cry, and dropping upon her knees she sunk forward until her own face touched that of the silent form. ‘‘ Rose!” cried the doctor, in sudden surprise, *‘ what does this mean, girl? Do you know that man?” A low moan from the maiden’s lips was the only answer he received, anding the light to one of the red-skins, the doctor stooped and lifted the form of the sor- rowing girl from thatof the prostrate man. As he did so the man stirred, opened his eyes and gazed around him in bewilderment, but did not speak, PNeither Dr. Gwynn nor the red-skins noticed in their excitement, that the strange man had awoke—was alive. ‘‘Good heavens, Rose!” cried the doctor, “< what does this mean? Do you know that man? Answer me!” “Go away! go away!” the girl shrieked. ‘* Rose, you are nad, crazy! come away from that body,” the doctor commanded, and seizing her by the arm began dragging her toward the t. Uttering a shriek the girl fellina swoon, A savage stooped and lifted her form in his arms and started with her toward the boat. As he _ did so a lithe figure—the figure of Banner Ben— Banner Ben, the Wildfire of the Prairie. sprung from concealment in the shadows of the cave with a cry like that of a panther. He flew at the red-skin with the fury of a demon and drove his knife to the guard in the savage’s breast, and then turned upon White Medicine, But the doctor was a man of quick perception and quicker action, and before the young wild- fire could touch him he dealt the boy a blow on the side of the head that sent him violently back against the rocky wall, where, striking his head scam a projection, he fell half-stunned to the earth. Staggering to his feet he gazed in confusion around him. ‘‘Ben! Ben!” cried a voice, the voice of Harry Ashmore, ‘‘ save her! save her, for God’s sake!” Ben rushed here and there in confusion, but soon he had collected his bewildered senses and ran down to the water’s edge. But he was too late. The boat, with Gwynn, the maiden and the savage, was gone out of sight. Stooping, the Poe his wounded head, and then hastened back to Harry, saying: ‘* Harry, they have escaped!” ‘‘Oh, heavens!” groaned the wounded man, ‘Ben, that girl was my betrothed, the true Jessie Hampton !” CHAPTER XIV. WHITE MEDICINE “& A RAGE, It was the fear that other friends of Harry Ashmore might be near that caused the precipi- tate haste of Dr. Gwynn in getting away from the cave with Rose. It was well, however, for both Banner Ben and Harry, for had the villain known certainly that he could have been master of the “ituation the livesof the young men would have been forfeited. The doctor at once made up his mind that he had been the victim of the girl’s deception. He believed that she knew before coming to the cave who the wounded man was, and that the whole scheme had been a plot to entrap him and release Rose; and thus believing, he flew into a rage and swore furiously at the red-skin, whose movements were too slow to suit him, As soon as they were fairly out in the river, the Indian, who was paddling the boat, delib- erately turned the head of the craft up the stream. ‘Curse your stupid head, savage!” raved the doctor, ‘‘ turn the other way! I desire to go on down the river!” The savage ceased paddling, and looking White Medicine in the eye, answered: ‘‘There danger down there—better go back to village.” The face of White Medicine grew black with ent-up rage. Like a snarling tiger his lips Paes drawn till his teeth showed between. Then, quick as the lightning’s flash, he snatched a long, glittering knife from the belt he wore and plunged it into the neck of the savage. The villain knew well where to strike, for the red-skin fell dead without a moan. Then lift- ee 398 body he threw it into the river, saying as he did so: ‘‘There, curse you! Go to purgatory!” Then seating himself he took up the paddle and turned the boat down-stream. He labored only as a desperate man could, but he was not a skillful boatman, and despite his efforts his progress was slow. - Finally, however, he reached the upper corner of a low stretch of valley on the left known as Willow Bars. Here he pulled ashore and landed. Rose was still unconscious, but after bathing her brows and administering a restorative—he carried a gmall medicine case—she began to recover, and in a short time was in full possession of her mental faculties. Her first inquiry was about where she was. ‘‘You are now at the Willow Bars, Miss Rose,” the man said, in a tone tinged with sar- casm, ‘‘and I am expecting our escort every minute with the horses to continue our jour- y. “ Dr, Gwynn, why did you take me away from that cave?” the girl demanded, as he» mind re- verted to the incidents that occurred there; ‘‘ what became of Harry Ashmore?” ‘¢ Harry Ashmore, eh?” he said, half-sneering- ly; ‘‘so that was Harry Ashmore, was it?” “Tt was; but what do you know of him, White Medicine?” the girl asked, in tones of deep surprise. ; ‘*T have heard of him,” he replied, evasively, “but he is dead, , and so you need not worry about him.” ‘‘ But I shall worry—lI shall not leave here until he has received decent burial. Dr, Gwynn, that man was my betrothed lover, and 5 I say I will never leave here of my own free will until he has had a Christian burial)” ‘** Your lover!” exclaimed Gwynn, with ap- parent surprise, ‘‘ then he must have learned of your captivity in Stooping Bear’s camp and is around here to effect your release. But it’s all over with the poor fellow now— Ah! yonder comes our escort at last, and we'll soon be off, It won’t do for us to tarry here for fear of fall- ing into the power of Panther Tail’s skulking followers. I will send one of them fellows back to camp and have Stooping Bear send men to inter your dead friend.” ‘T repeat it, Dr. Gwynn!” cried Rose, ‘I will not leave here untill have seen Harry Ash- more buried! I prefer captivity three years longer to going away without seeing him again.” ‘* But, Rose, we will have to go, and that at once. e can’t tarry here, for I tell you we are exposed to dangers.” ‘* But I will not go! I will appeal to those men coming there!” she exclaimed, her eyes flashing with a determined light. ‘‘Humph!” Gwynn exclaimed with a covert sneer, ‘‘these men have positive orders from their chief and dare not disobey. You may as well make up your mind to go, for go you shall, and now.” ‘Dr, Gwynn, nha do you speak in this heart- less way to me?” Rose asked; ‘‘ what do you | mean by it?” au ‘*T mean what I say; you have now,” ‘*T will not!” and she turned and withi got to go ous disdain walked toward the canoe lying upon the beach. ma hs For the first time the girl began to mistrust the motives of the doctor—that all his pretend- ed kindness and solicitude for her welfare was but a scheme to get her away from the Indian village and into his power. The words of warning as to the character of the man given her by Singing Bird seemed to have been truth- fully spoken. As she was about to step into the canoe, Gwynn sprung forward and seizing her by the arm arrested her movements. The face of the girl grew livid with indignant scorn and her eyes fairly blazed with the fury of her outraged spirit. At this juncture the doctor’s friends came up. There were four of them—two white and two red men, Besides the horses they rode, they had in charge two saddlé-horses and two pack- animals well loaded with equipage of one kind and another. ‘“Well, Doc, you beat us,” said one of the ° white men, an old grizzly-bearded man with but one eye and a most villainous face, as they drew rein before the couple. ‘‘And Pm glad you’re here, Dead-Eye,” re- plied the doctor, ‘‘ for my lady protégée is get- ting rebellious and is beginning to long for her prison cage in the Ingin camp.” mB ‘‘Oh, pshaw! you’re foolish, gal,” said Old Dead-Eye. ‘‘Qh, Dead-Eye!” cried Rose in appealing tones, ‘‘ will you and the Sioux not protect me from this man’s power? I only asked that our departure be delayed until a dead friend of mine near here could be buried. It will take but a few hours at most.” ‘She found a dead lover up here,” explained be ease as if afraid her appeal might be heed- , ‘and I objected to delay departure so long; but Cuba Dan there can return to the village and have the fellow interred.” ‘Won't that do jist as well, miss?” asked Dead-Eye. , ‘* No, I desire to seehim myself,” replied Rose, ‘‘Oh, Dead-Eye, do not turn against me, [ pr on te ow ‘*Tt’ll have to be jist as Doc says,” returned the old villain. Rose’s heart sunk within her breast. She saw that she could expect nothing of any of those present. ‘* There’s no use wasting time here, Rose,” Gwynn said; ‘‘ your horse is all ready to mount —come,” ‘*T will not, villain! I will not!” declared the girl, with flashing eyes. ‘‘Oh, but you must though,” said Gwynn, dragging her toward the pony. ‘‘I shall waste no more time in words.” But Rose fought with all the power she could summon. 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