Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 756 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

~wie & “Well, called out. ‘*He met two men here and has gone with them, where I do not know. “But Girard is following the trail, and I will go on now with the men, Dick, w hile you take the train on to the ridge and camp.” Doctor Chalmers went on to meet the train, while Captain Emmett rode away after Girard the guide, followed by the four men who had come with his partner, Girard had marked the trail as he went along, so that there was no trouble in following it. It led for a short distance in the direction of |; any signs of the boy?” he | | | | | the train, then there were signs of a halt being | captain, made, and the ground was considerably cut up by the hoofs of the horses, as though they had moved about quickly and considerably, The keen eye of the captain caught sight of cies red marks upon the trail, and he said ear- nestly: here has been bloodshed here, men.” eee his lips firmly together, and rode on at a Oo Ganenbive seemed to tel! him that he had seen the spot where a tragedy bad occurred, Had the brave boy been murdered? That was the question in every mind, if not expressed, n they went, following the trail rapidly, for Girard had marked it more plainly than ever as they went along. At last they came to a wide stream, and there on the bank stood Girard, the guide. It was evident at a a glance that he was ina quandary. ‘* Well, Girard, what have you discovered?” called out Captain Emmett as they rode up, ‘*'You noted one place on the trail, where it turned?” sé Yes,” ** Did you see the red stains there?” “* We did, and 1 was sure that right there it et a a fight between the boy and those with im,’ ‘*So 1 believe, sir, for the signs showed a scuffle. ‘** But the trail ends here, Captain Emmett,” ** It crosses the river, you mean?” ** Well, if it does, I cannot find where it comes out upen the other side, ‘*T went across and nave ridden up and down for a mile, but no landing was made that I could find, and yet right here you see, sir, the trail en- ters the river.” ** Yes, and right here we must camp and find the lost trail if it takes a week,” was the firm re- sponse of Captain Emmett, and those who knew him well were certain that he was not a man to give up a cause until it was irrevocably lost. CHAPTER VII. ABANDONED, HAVING made up his mind to hunt for the lost trail, Captain Emmett sent two of his men back to camp, to tell Doctor Chalmers, who was next in command, and the surgeon of the outfit as well, to camp at the ridge until furtber orders, and send half a doz-n men, with Pawnee Pete and several days’ provisions to him, Then the captain and the others set to work to pick up the lost trail. One man swam bis horse across with the guide, and while one was to go up-stream for a mile or more, the other was to go down along the bank, both searching for the landing of the three horses that must have crossed at that point. Upon the side where the trail entered the stream, Captain Emmett and the other man went upand downin search of a landing, for fear those they followed might have entered the river asa blind and come out again upon the same shore they had left. But though the searcbers went up and down for several miles nota trace of a trail leaving the water could be found by any one of the four, At last they all returned to the starting-point and compared notes, ** You saw nothing, Girard?” ‘*Nota sign, sir,” **Nor did [.” ** | saw notrail leaving the river up the stream, ot one of the men who had gone up the n ‘** And I didn’t find any,” the other remarked. ** Well, the trail entered the river right there, and it has a coming-out place; but where?” ‘*No horse could swim down the current so far, andI hardly know what to think of it,” Girard said. The more they talked it over the more bewil- dered they became as to what had become of the three borses they had followed to that point, At length Captain Emmett said: eee Dashing Charlie’ S Destiny. ‘Well, Girard, night is coming on, and the | men will be here SOON. ‘* When day dawus again we will divide our forces into four parties, and go up and down the stream beyond all distance that a horse could swim, and see if we can not find out where this trail leaves the river, for find it we must, as the more | think of it, the more certain I am that harm has befallen that poor boy.” ‘‘T hope not, sir, but it looks bad, I admit. ** Still, he is one who has prove n pretty well that he can take care of himself when need be,” ‘‘ Yes, if be has not been already killed, I shall firmly expect to see him yet coming into camp some night as we go on our way ; but here come the men from the train.’ It was now sunset, and coming u canter were the men whom Captain sent after. They looked very much disappointed to learn that no trace of the missing boy bad been found, and Captain Emmett seemed to feel more gloomy than before, as he had held a lingering hope that Dashing Charlie had returned to the train, A camp was at once made upon the river- bank, and Pawnee Pete was put on guard for the first watch, when Girard was to relieve him, for when these two were upon a trail no one else was asked to do duty. Girard aroused the camp in time tv have breakfast, saddle up and get to the starting point by the very first glimmer of dawn, and at a command from the captain the four bands of searchers started, It was noon when they again met in camp, all having returned except Girard and Pawnee Pete, who had, as the guide expressed it, ‘* play- ed lone hands in the trail bunt.” Notone of the others had found the slighest clew to where the trail had left the river, and all seemed to feel impressed by the fact, At last Girard returned, but to the eager looks of all, he said: ‘‘T am dead beat, for I could not find the trail, pards,” “You did not see Pawnee Pete?” ‘* No, captain, he went down on your side of the river, you know,” ‘ Yes, I know; but I did not know but that he might have crossed, ‘* But what is to be done?” ‘* Wait for Pawnee Pete to come in, sir.” ‘‘ You have bope in the Indian, | see, Girard?” ‘“*Heisa wonder, sir, as a trailer, and he is as cunning as a fox,” ‘‘ True, and his long stay gives me hope.” Thus the afternoon passed away, the men again making a search for the missing trail, but with the same result as before. Just as night came on all met around the camp-fire, all except Pawnee Pete. But soon after he glided like a specter up to the fire. ‘“ Ah, Pete, what did you discover?” ‘* No find trail, ‘*Pete went down river long way, cross stream and go ’way up—then cross and come down, ‘* No see trail,” ‘* What do you think, then, they did?” ** Kill horse, maybe, ‘and let river carry bim down, ‘** Then go on foot,” was the laconic response, ‘* Captain, I believe that solves the riddle, and Pete is right,” cried Girard, “ And if so?” ‘* We can only give it up, captain, bad as it will seem,” ‘*] will camp bere until to-morrow, and try once more, ‘*Then if we can find no trace of the boy, we will abendon the search,” was the sad reply. And the next day the search again proved fruitless, and his duty to others demanding it, Captain Emmett gave the order to return to the train, Which was to once more continue on its way, abandoning Dashing Charlie to his fate. CHAPTER VIII. THE KIDNAPPERS’ RUSE, WHEN Dashing Charlie killed his game, he quickly ran forward and slashed the throats of the deer, to let them bleed, and was preparing to select the choicest parts tw take back to camp, when bis eyes fell upon the two horsemen, whom he at first believed were from the train. But discovering his mistake he very quickly stood on the defensive, for he had come alread to regard every man a foe in borderland, until he had proof that he was a friend, The two men saw his act, and that be sprang to cover ora A his rifle ready for action, and fora moment it seemed as though they too in- tended to seek a hiding-place, at a swift mmett bad rrr a EE = But while one half-started for cover, the other called out: ** Hold on, young pard, and don’t show fight, for we is Do Tojuns. Z ‘* Indians are not the only foes in this country, I’ve discovered, Dashing C harlie, The men laughed, and one of them returzed: ** So you hev found thet out, hey yer?’ ¢ Yes. ? ‘Well, yer is a young one ter be astray in ther woods, leetle pard,” “T am not very far astray,” was the cautious wey of the boy. take it you belong to Cap’n Emmett’s out- fit o’ fur men. 4 ‘**T do.” ‘** Waal, you is the ver y one we wants, fur we is a-lookiu’ for the train. ‘* Why are you here, then, and not following on the trail of the train?” ‘Waal, you is asharp one, and no mistake; but I’ll answer yer question, pard, by sayin’ we was a-hopin’ ter head ye off, for bein’ on horse- back, we could cat across whar ther train e’u’dn’t go.” ‘That is so; but I think I saw you in Omaba some time ago.” ‘* Right yer is, sonny, and yer has a good eye and better mem’ry, for my face hain’t out oO’ ther commonygrun 0’ mortals; but now jist show us whar tber train is, quick, for we has a mes sage from tber commandant of ther post at Omaha,” ‘*Ah! I'l take you there,” and Dashing Char- lie slung his rifle upon his back now, no longer feeling suspicious, One of the men then dismounted and helped him secure his fresh deer-steaks, and went on, the while, tosay: ‘Yer see, scouts hev come in ter report thet ther Injons is jist a-raisin’ Old Nick, and ther commandant sent us ter overtake Cap'n Em- mett and tell him ter bead fer ther river and establish a fort there, and he’d send a comp’ny of sogers ter help bim ontil it were seen what ther Sioux was a-goin’ ter do,” ‘* Well, my uncle will be glad to welcome you I know, and though I promised to meet Girard the guide ahead in the trail some distance from bere, I can go there after seeing you to the train,” and Dasbing Charlie mounted his horse and led the way in the direction which he knew would head the train off. For awhile be went along, riding in advance of the two men, and without an atom of sus- picion now against them. They were hard-looking fellows it was trne, yet no more so than many others he had seen, and their story was a straight one, for what else could bave-brought them to that part of the country alone? At length, as he turned toward the left he suddenly saw something flash over his head and a lariat, cast by one of the two borsemen following ,; "him, settled quickly around Dashing Charlie, pinning hls arms to his side. The boy struggled, and drove his spurs inte the flanks of his horse, hoping to break away, But a second lariat was quickly thrown and caught over the head of his horse, thus checking his fligbt. At the same instant the man who had lariated Dashing Charlie spurred quickly alongside of his horse and thrusting a revolver in his face said sternly: ‘** You is our game, boy pard, and if yer don’t want ter die yer won’t raise a row, **T means it.” ‘I deserve this for trusting you,” angrily re- sponded Dashing Charlie, whose heart was full at his capture. The other man now came alongside and at once began to unlock his belt of arms from about bis waist, when, quick as a flash Dashing Charlie seizea ‘the weapon held in his face and cor it upon the man who bad held it, pulled tri “ ‘man uttered a startled cry, an oath anda groan oO < am while he reeled in his saddle, But before Dashing Charlie could fire again the other kidnapper dealt him a blow upon the back of the neck that stunned him, for he fell forward and dropped from his saddle to the ground, ae CHAPTER IX. IN DANGEROUS HANDS. WHEN Dasbing Charlie saw that odds were against bim, a8 he realized that for some reason the two men had made bim a prisoner, he was at first very much cast down. But he scon rallied and decided to watch his chance and act for himself. pards,” was the response of _