Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 766 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

a* a ae sw 4 a ae ae Dashing Charlie, the Rescuer. € savages, Charlie, can do nothing, no matter how good her intention to serve us.” ‘* You have just seen the power of the Singing Dove over Wolf Eye, uncle,” ‘* Yes she has silenced him like a spiked gun. I only bope she can silence the other; but see! she notes that they are becoming excited again, and is about to speak,” lt was true that the crowd was becoming ex- cited once more; voices were beard here and there,anc it seemed as though the doom visited upon the Indian brave, Wolf Eye, bad not been waxing sufficient to check the rapid flow of bad blood in the veins of all. CHAPTER XIII. THE SACRED ARROW. THE Wolf Eye still croucned before the Sing- ing Dove, as though not daring to move without her consent, At last, as she saw that the Indian braves, urged on by the squaws, still meant mischief, said said: ‘‘ Let the Wolf Eye go to the death tepee and await the coming of the hour when he must start on the trail to the happy huntiug-grounds, where, because he has defied the queen of bis people, he must dwell as a squaw man, not asa brave,” The young brave shuddered at ber words, and a murmur ran through the crowd, But the Wolf Eye straightened himself up, drew his blanket around to cover his face, as though in shame at bis fate, and never for an instant thinking of disobeying the decree of the young girl, strode away with despair clutching at bis beart—a despair that was terrible to wit- ness, The Indians meanwhile had pressed closer to the young girl and the captives, Tbe guard, emboldened by the act of the Singing Dove, once more drew around their prisoners; but the wild howls of savage bu- manity was not bo be quelled in their turbulence so easily; they considered the doom of the Wolf Eye as another and stronger reason for batred against the captives. But for them the Wolf Eye would not have been touched by the Red Arrow, So the squaws uttered a series cf shrieks which ended in a cry for the captives’ death, It was answered by the cracked voices of the old warriors, and echoed by the shrill tones of the children. ‘‘ Weare guners, Charlie,” muttered Captain Emmett, in despair. “I don’t give up yet, uncle, for the Singiog Dove bas got the will of a chief and is plucky as any of the warriors. ‘**T hope she’ll touch up that old squaw, who is howling so, with her arrow next time,” ‘** Yes, I could point out a number of them if she asked my advice, that the village would be the quieter for getting rid of. ‘‘ But, I never saw a handsomer Indian girl, Charlie,” ** No, uncle; but see! they are moving upon us, It was true: the wild mob of red-skins was again crowding upon the prisoners: but the In- dian girl stood her ground, not wavering or yielding am inch, On came the howling horde once more, and then came the words, clear and ringing: ‘* Will not my people heed?” A howling clorus was the answer, ‘*My people have seen the fate of the Wolf »” e, Bat they evidently supposed that there were not red arrows enough to go around for all, and they howled the louder and pushed on, Then the arm of the young Indian maiden dropped quickly to ber side, her hand was thrust into the folds of her buckskin skirt, and quickly 1t was raised. | The Red Arrow bad disappeared, but, in- stead, in ber hand was grasped a snow-white one, feathers andall! _ This she quickly raised, and springing be- tween the horse upon which Captain Emmett and Dashing Charlie were mounted, the Singing Dove touched the head of each Captive with the point of the long, snowy arrow, while she cried: “T thus protect these pale-faces from my people!’ Again a deatblike silence fell upon the mad- dened throng. All became as still as though they bad been struck a death-blow. ‘ What did it mean?” the astonished captain asked of Charlie, who responded: ‘That is the Sacred Arrow, uncle, Weare safe now,” | ‘“‘T am not sorry to hear it; but what does it mean?” ’ oS aati, Aeon 4 4 pene Ys — Before Charlie could reply the Singing Dove broke the silence in her clear, musical voice, in which, however, there was a tremor now, &@s | though she felt fully the responsibility she as- sumed: ‘*My people will respect the pledge of the White/Arrow. It is sacred, and | have touched with its point these pale-face captives, any Sioux disobey the command, now, of the Singing Dove?” Dare | great a compliment Charlie had intended in calling her a *‘ dandy,” kuew instinctively that be was saying something very kind of her. She smiled therefore in response, but did not speak, Then Captain Emmett spoke, and warmly: ‘*My dear girl, Ido not believe you are all Ind:an, for you bave a heart, ‘‘ You have saved our lives, and I appreciate | what you have done, as I shall endeavor to show, Sbe faced them fearlessly, and not a word | camein answer, Those in the outer edge of the crowd began to back out and glide away. Others followed one by one; then in groups the Sioux all began to | disperse. Even the old hags were calmed, and the chil- dren became subdued, The White Arrow had worked some miracle, it seemed, for it was literally like oil on storm- riven waters, The Singing Dove gazed upon the disappear- ing mob until only the guard remained who had brought the prisoners in. Then she turned toward them, replaced the White Arrow, and drew forth the Red Arrow once more, The stalwart warriors grew terribly uneasy at ber act, ses CHAPTER XIV, + PROTECTED. Ir seemed that the Singing Dove had drawn the Red Arrow once more for some deep purpose, The two were suspeuded to ber waist by a buckskin string, and hidden under the beaded skirt she wore, No one bad seemed to suspect that she car- ried them with her, and had sue not done so the captives realized that they would at that mo- ment have been undergoing the most terrible of tortures, There sat the Indian guard of the captives up- on their horses, and they were very nervous un- der the gaze of the Indian girl, At last she spoke, and what she said made them wince in spite of their stoicism, ‘The Singing Dove sees before her braves who are not men, wlo are unworthy to be called warriors, ‘* They were given these captives by the great Chief Red Hair to protect, and they tailed to do sO. ‘They had squaw bearts when they should have been men, ‘* It is in the heart of the Singing Dove to rid the village of such weak braves. ‘“Itisin her beart to send them to join the Wolt Eye in the Death Lodge.” She paused here, and with theevident inten- tions of making the braves believe she intended to touch them with the fatal Red Arrow, She waved it about in what seemed to them a very reckless manver. Nvut one of them spoke, and all seemed to ex- pect their doom to be that of the Wolf Eye. So the Indian maiden allowed them to feel for full a minute, a minute of oppressive silence, Then she spoke again and her words were Balm of Gilead to the hearts of the warrior guards, ‘*The Singing Dove’s heart is not bad, for she loves her people, ‘*Sbe will not make ber braves feel that she is cruel. ‘*Tbey should have protected the captives, should have obeyed the command of the Red Hair though they lost their lives, “The Singing Dove knows we!! that they did not wish tostrike at the heart of their own people and she forgives them. ‘The Sacred White Arrow has protected the pale-faces and let the braves take them to the Medicine Lodge of the great chief Snow Head, and have them there in his keeping until the coming of the Red Hair. ‘“The braves have heard the words of the Singing Dove,” It was very evident that the braves beard her words with much pleasure and felt a decided relief when they saw her drop the Red Arrow out of sight alongside of where the White Arrow hung. They did not speak, but made a sign by placiag their Lands over their eyes and bowing their heads, in token that they were in darkness before the light of her words and obeyed her with revereace, But as they were about to move away with the prisoners, Dashing Charlie called out: “T say, Singing Dove, you are a dandy, and I thank you for what you bave done for me and Unele Emmtt.” The Indian girl spoke English fairly well, and though she might not have understood first how ‘ ie Kad Fe wae Soa Rok. ee eT , ae 2. ee nk P a ty an = - P . Apres ¢ ~ _* $ if , * a , 5 ste - = & Pe. w — a ee ie ee Seem ————————— —— — af hts x, oh ar tik ee if we ever get out of the wilderness alive, which is doubtful, for the gang which bave gone out to whip my men and the sodiers, will come back very badly licked, and the bumor they will be in a catamount would euvy. ‘* thavk you, fair Singing Dove, from my in- most heart,” Again the Indian girl smiled, but did not speak, and wheeling upon ber heel walked away toward her own tepée. The guard, meanwhile, rode cff with the cap- tives to the upper end of the stronghold, where, upon a ledge of rock was a large skin tepee painted all over with strange Indian devices. Before the open tepee sat an Indian of majestic appearance, for his long’ hair was as white as SsSDOW, His form was very large, though not bent by years, and bis face was massive 1n feature, and seamed deeply witb care. His eyes were deepsunken under shaggy brows, aud very bright in their glance. The dress of this old Indian patriarch was of buckskin, painted black and yellow, and he was almost weighted down witb the necklaces be wore, while upon his head wasa bonnet of Jet- black feathers, excepting one of scarlet, immedi- ately in front, He eyed the guard as they came up, watcbed them dismount and lead their prisoners up to the ledge, where they halted and waited for tbe old medicine-man to speak, At last he said in a deep, basso voice: ‘*My young warriors bring captives of the pale-face race to the Snow Head?” The leader of the guard of braves then told bis story, and added tbat the prisovers had been touched by the Sacred Arrow, and were sent by the Singing Dove to the Snow Head to protect, ‘*The Snow Head will protect them,” was the response of the old ebief, und the braves tui ued and left the prisoners in inis keeping. CHAPTER XV. A PROPHECY FULFILLED. ‘“ WELL, Charlie, we are better off bere with this old Indian gentleman than we would Le [eft witb the guard, for my idea i3 that We can tle him up and make our escape,” So said Captain Emmett as the guard rode away, and be glanced at the Sioux patriarch. But a waroing look upon the face of tbe buy checked his further words, and Charley w.is- pered ; ‘* Uncle, the medicine-chief I have heard spexk English with Chief Red Hair, while every juss of this stronghold 1s guarded, and except by the passes we could not get away, even on foot. ‘* We will bave to wait fora better chance to escape, sir, for you may be sure that though the guard left us here tuey are on the watch, and will be secretly all night.” ‘“] think you are right, Charlie; but keep your eyes open for all that may turn up to cur advantage.” ‘**T will do so, sir, The medicine-chief had entered his large tepee after the arrival of the prisoners, and now Came outand confronted them. They had been ordered to dismount by their guards and their borses were led away. Tneir weapons had been banded over to the medicine-chief, who bad carried them into tbe tepee, Bound securely as they were there seemed no possibility of escape, unless the old medicive- man untied their bands to allow them to partake of food, Charlie had been to the stronghold with Red Hair, when be was bis prisoner before, and he knew it pretty well, and that to attempt to es- cape from there was out of the question then, The medicine-chief glanced at them fixedly for a while and then said to Dashing Cbarlie: ‘‘The Snow Head knows the face of the little brave.” ‘Yes, I was here before,” answered Dashing Charlie indifferently, while Captain Emmett re- alized that the old Indian did speak English w ell. “The little pale-face went away from his red brothers and fougbt with the pale-faces against them?” continued the old chief, ‘* You bet I did, Chief Snow Head, for 1 am no