Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 766 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

gp —_— Scalper Sam had so far not spoken, but now he said in a low tone to the chief: ‘‘ This is what he says when suffering no pain; but put him to the torture and see if that does not wring from him his secret,” ** Ah, Sam, [ believe you are right, and I will do as you say,” cried the chief quickly. He cared not to have the band witness the tor- turing of bis prisoners, for they might learn that he was trying to force from them a secret, and not torturing taem for their pleasure, ‘‘T will send for several of my trusted war- riors, and let them feel what torture is,” said the renegade chief. Then Dashing Charlie said something in a quick whisper to Captain Emmett, who at once called out: ‘*Does the great medicine-chief, Snow Head, not know that we are under the protection of the Sacred White Arrow, and were given into his keeping by the Sioux Queen?” The old scamp had been so willing to see pale- faces tortured, that he had allowed his memory to fail him on this point; but thus reminded by the words of the captain, he responded: ** Yes, the White Arrow protects them, chief.” **But you said that I bad the claim upon the man if not the boy,” the renegade said in the Sioux tongue, ‘True, but the Sioux Queen must know this law and then yield her claim, which she cannot refuse to do and be a good Sioux.” “Well, call fora brave and request bim to seek the Singing Dove and ask her tu come here,” The medicine-man summoned a brave by a call upon a reed whistle which bung at bis belt, and he was sent to the tepee of the Singing Dove to request her presence at the Medicine Lodge of the Soow Head. ** Now I will try another plan,” said the rene- gade chief, and he turned once more to the pris- oners, ‘*Emmett?” ‘* Well, renegade?” You love this boy?” * As my own,” ‘You would wish to see him free?” ** Above all things.” ‘** Tf [ will let bim go will you tell me the secret I ask?” ** Tf I refuse?” “Then J shall take the Sioux law in my own bands and shall torture the boy to death before your very eyes.” ‘* He is protected by the White Arrow.” “The medicine-chief will tell you that all are so protected, unless they are the prisoners of the head chief.” ‘Is this so, old man?” asked Captain Emmett, quickly, “The Red Hair has spoken with a straight tongue,” was the answer. _“*Indeed! spoken the truth for once in your life, have you, renegade? “ Well Pll wager.a wagon load of terms the truth bas blistered your tongue.” ‘Do you accept my terms?” asked the rene- ade, controlling his temper. ‘Til tell you what Ill do.” “Well?” “Send the boy under a flag of truce to my partner, Doctor Chalmers at Omaha, and let him send me a receipt tor him which I will know is bona fide and I will agree to your terms,” ‘You will tell me the secret of the mine?” ‘‘] will guide you to it, for as 1 have not the maps and directions with me, you could not find it, and I alone could conduct you there.” mi‘ You will do this? eagerly said the renegade chief. “*T will.” “lf you refuse, the boy shall undergo the worst torture an Indian brain can invent.” “Why call upon aa Indian when you are far more cruel than the worst of them?” “Do you agree to let the boy go free?” sé I do,” “* Remember, if the receipt brought back does not give me proof that he is safe, you will never know the secret of the mine.” ‘‘T will send the boy by one who will deliver him in safety, and bring th® receipt yon ask; but you must guarantee safety to my messen- ger, _ “OF course, for how would I know of Dasb- ing Charlie’s safety if the messepger did not re- turn here?” z When do you wish him to start?” * At any time you deem best.” | Well, remember that this gains the boy’s freedom alone?” “f only ask for that; as for myself I do not care.” ‘*Once I have found the mine I sball repay a SS the Indians for the loss of the boy by putting | you to deatb.” ‘*T do not for a moment doubt your intention | in that respect, so would ask nothing for my- | self,” ‘‘ You are wise; you will not be disappointed; | but I am glad you have come to my terms, Cap- tain Emmett.” ‘* But J have not.” “You?” and all eyes turned upon Dashing | Charlie, who said in a determined way: ‘‘T refuse to accept my life, renegade, upon the terms you offer.” CHAPTER XXIV. DASHING CHARLIE HAS HIS SAY. THE firm stand taken by Dashing Charlie non- | plused the renegades, and Captain Emmett as | well, The latter had no chance to communicate his views to Charlie, and, dealing with a clever scoundrel, he bad determined to play a double game himself, He bad determined to send Charlie with the | messenger, and it bad floated through bis mind just what he would do, He and Doctor Chalmers had a_ peculiar cipher, known only to themselves, for cor- respondence, In writing his letter to the doctor, demand- ing safety for the messenger who brougbt write a receipt for the boy, he intended to so word it that the doctor would read between the lines. In other words he would make known that he wished him to repair at once toa certain spot te would name, with the men who bad ac- companied them on the expedition, and lie in ambush there for his coming with the renegade chief and the warriors whom he would take along as a guard, What that force would be he could not tell, but be did not believe that many would be let into the secret, Instead therefore of guiding the renegade to the mine of Nick Nye, he would guide bim into apn ambush, from which there was every chance that he would himself escape while Red Hair and his warriors would go under, and be meant to urge to bave Scalper Sam go also, to make a clean sweep of it. But Dashing Charlie not knowing the plot was not going to accept bis freedom at the expense of bis uncle’s life. in fact, had he known it, the boy would not have deserted and left his’ uncle there with only the ambushing by the Rescuers as bis chance of escape, In vain did Captain Emmett try to make signs and faces that he would understand how he was playing a part. ; Dashing Charlie saw the sign and believed that his uncle was simply fooling him to get him to go with the messenger, and be said in his decided way when aroused: “T will not go, I will not accept my freedom upon such terais,” ““Then you will remain here to be tortured.” ** So be it, chief,” ‘‘ It will simply end in the death of your uncle and yourself,” ~ **Ob no.” ‘You do not believe it?” **T do not.” sé Why? ‘* Because you are no fool, Chief Red Hair.” ** T do not understand you.” Yes, you do,” ‘*] say that I do not.” ‘*Then you are dumb because you wish to be.” ‘*Come, what do you mean?” ‘€' You will not kill us.” ‘* Why not?” ce You won’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg. ‘*T do not understand the application.” ** Well, with uncle dead, you will never know about the mine, while as long #8 he lives you will have hopes that he will yield and tell you,” ‘Then you ‘do not know?” quickly asked the renegade chief, seeing his chance to solve this mooted question in his mind as to the boy’s knowing about the mine. Quick as a flash Dashing Charlie sow the drift of his question and answered with emphasis: ‘* Ob, yes, I do!” ‘* What a boy,” muttered Captain Emmett in amazement at Charlie's way of fighting off leay- ing bim, ‘* You do know the secret?” i I do,” ** Did your uncle tell yon?” ‘* No, I never did,” cried tbe captain, Charlie to bis hands, and in telling bim to ( Dashing Charlie, the Rescuer. ee ———EeEeEeEeEeEeEeeeE——— TTT 1t ‘“‘He knows nothing of the mine,” ‘¢* Such was my idea,” the renegade said, ‘‘Your idea is away off the trail, for though: my uncle may not have told me, I copied for him the maps and all the directions when he ex- pected to bring them with bim—see?” Captain Emmett uttered a groan at the down- right story told by tbe boy, and Charlie laughed at the expression he saw upon his uncle’s face, ‘Then I shall keep you too, boy, and under no circumstances allow you to go, for should one of you die by accident I will have the other to tcr- ture the secret out of,” ‘lf we weaken, which in my opinion we will not do,” Dasbing Charlie coolly said, ‘*My nephew is playing you false, chief, for he knows nothing about the mine.” ‘This you say now,” “It is true, and the only way to have me guide you to it is to send the boy by messenger to Omaha as I said,” ‘‘T will do no such thing now, Captain Em- mett, for I am sure from what the boy says that be does know all about the mine, and so I shall hold him a prisoner bere, and if you do not yield from seeing him tortured, I will see if be canvot be made to talk when he-sees the suf- ferings you will have to undergo,” ‘* You are a fienc inbuman,” said Captain Em- mett, and as he spoke the Sioux Queen appeared. in sight coming toward the Medicine Lodge, CHAPTER XXV. PUT TO THE TEST. THE Indian queen came on at a gallop, the brave sent after her following in her rear, She was mounted upon ber beautiful black mustang, and rode with the ease of one born in the saddle. When all others left their horses below in the valley, when visiting the old medicine-chief, and walked up to his tepee, the young Indian girl rode directly up the steep and perilous path to the lodge, Suddenly she appeared over the ledge and dashed directly up to where the group stood, the Indian warrior remaining bebind, as though not ve to venture the dangerous ascent on horse- ack, There were now in the group the old medicine- man, the renegade chief, Scalper Sam anu the two prisoners, Singing Dove acknowledged the deferential salutes given ber, and looked st the renegades and then at Snow Head in an inquiring way. Not a soul spoke, and then the maiden said: ‘*] was sent for by the chief, Red Hair, ‘* T am here.” Thus appealed to, the renegade chief had to speak, ae The Red Hair sent to have the Sioux Queen come here to bear the words of the head chief.” ‘¢ The Singing Dove is here, ‘* The Singing Dove has ears, ** Let the head chief speak,” was the quiet re- joinder, ‘These two are the prisoners of the head chief.” ‘‘ The Singing Dv ve is not blind, ‘‘ She sees them.” ‘They being the prisoners of the head chief, the Singing Dove must yield her claim to having pledged them under the Sacred White Arrow,” The girl started, for she seemed to read now the drift of the renegade’s words, But her next words showed tbat she was post- ed in Sionx law, for she said: “The Singing Dove bears, and as the head chief lays claim tuo these captives, she will call the warriors who were in the battle and ask them if, with bis own hands, at risk of life, the Red Hair did capture these captives.” Red Hair uttered a low imprecation, for he saw that the girl was posted op Sioux law, He bad tried to claim both as his captives personally, and thus get them released from the claim of protection by the girl, who could, if such was the case, never bold them so pledged. But he saw that be most tell the truth, if the proof was to be shown before his warriors, and so he replied sharply: ‘The Red Hair, at the risk of his own Iife, did capture, unaided, this man, the white far- trader, who led bis men against our village.” ‘“ And the little chief?’ asked the Singing Dove. ‘‘He was captured by the Red Scalper here, and unaided, and at the peril of his life.” “The Red Scalper is not a head chief of the Sioux.” ‘He was acting under the orders of the Re@ Hair.” ‘That is nothing, be is not a chief.” ‘Then you refuse to relinquish your claim?” a art oS Ss "wih « ' : | 1 bal \ P R y ; ~ mad =) | oe eS ee : * ™ 3 ead ae ee | 7. = <a e eee Se =