Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 766 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Dashing’ Charlie, the Rescuer. 9 CHAPTER XVIII. THE WHITE SIOUX MAKES A VISIT. THE renegade chief paced to and fro for a foment in silence, bis face and manner showing that he was in deadly earnest in what he was eneditating, and also deeply moved from some reason. : The Indians were wild with their grief and defeat, and but for the fact that the warriors bad. said the courage and skill of their renegade chief alone saved them when the soldiers came to the attack, they would have turned against their white allies in their fury. After some minutes of silently pacing to and fro the chief turned away with the remark: **See to it, Chief Saow Head, that these pris- oners are here when I want them,” “The Snow Head knows his duty,” was the dignified answer of the old Indian, ““Then don’t fail in it,” was the sharp retort, and speaking in English, the White Sioux said to Captain Emmett: ‘*T will see the Singing Dove, and then I will know what to do with you two,” Captain Emmett made no reply, but Dashing Charlie called out: ** Don’t forget, Chief Red Hair, that your warriors under your lead bave just been badly whipped, and white renegades might lose their > very suddenly now, if they go too ar. The white Sioux muttered an oath, while Cap- tain Emmett smiled and said: ‘** You hit him that time, Charlie, and it would mot surprise me if you were right, that the In- dians might rise against their white allies, after their crushing defeat from the soldiers and our men,” ‘*In which case the Singing Dove would rule, ancle,” ‘* Yes, but I doubt if she could check the mad mob once they tasted white blood here in their stronghold, aud we would have to go. ‘* But see the white Sioux ride,” The renegade had descended from the ledge, mounted his horse and was dashing furiously along toward the tepee of the Singing Dove at the other end of the stronghold, As has been said, the stronghold was a village, a safe retreat, and there were some Indian fami- lies who dwelt there a'l the time, while large quantities of their goods were kept there for need, should they be pressed to retreat rapidly from their home amoung the foot-hills, . Having come there often to camp, as it was their winter retreat, all the Indian families had their regular bomes, and they had their tepees set up and camp-fires burning, 80 that all looked as though they had not rushed in a short while be- fore in the fear of defeat. The Sioux were wailing most dismally, aad the scene and sounds were appalling in the gathering darkness, for the valley was lighted up now by a hundred or more camp fires. Women wailed, children cried, while warriors mow and then would join in a chorus of savage — to which the numerous dogs in the camp owled in sympathy, But the white Sioux long stay among the In- dians had accustomed him to just such scenes, after a defeat, and he unheeded all in bis ride to- ward the tepee of the Singing Dove. This was located by itself at the upper end of the valley. It was in a little canyon, surrounded by steep sides and terminating abruptly a couple of bun- dred yards from the entrance, A secluded and safe retreat it was for the young girl, and there she dwelt alone in her large tepee, which was a finer one than even the renegade chief’s, Her two ponies, one snow-white, the other jet- black, grazed in the canyon, at the mouth of which, on either side, were camped two Indian families, relatives of SING and by their resence there seeming aS a kind of a guard for er, though none was needed in reality, Up to the mouth of the canyon dashed the renegade chief, and dismounting he called an In‘ian boy to hold his borse. Even the white Sioux dared not invade the canyon of the qneen on horseback, or go to her tepee without sending word to the Singing Dove that he would see her, An old squaw took his message, that he wished to see the Sioux Queen, and she could guess why, for she had been at the scene where the young Indian girl had protected Red Hair’s two captives with the sacred arrows. The chief paced to and fro impatiently across Se ee until the return of the squaw, who said: ‘The Singing Dove is in her nest, and will see the great chief,” -_ eee eee eee ee ee ee Then on strode the white Sioux up the canyon, and reaching the tepee found there the Indian girl, seated upon a grizzly bear robe, dressed in her best costume, and with a robe of white beaver-skins * thrown over ber shoulders, CHAPTER XIX, DUPED. THE red renegade bad yone to see the Singing Dove in a very angry mood, He was well versed in every Indian custom, and he knew that the Red Arrow point laid upon any one by the hands of one in authority, condemned him or ber to death, for be had used this means of getting rid of several who had been in his way, He knew as well the protecting virtues of the White Arrow, But why the Singing Dove had made use of the latter, to protect the two captives from him, he did not understand, and the fact had angered and worried him, So it was that his manner was angry bis eyes flashing when he approached the Indian girl. The white blood that coursed in her veins showed itself in her surroundings, for ber tepee, or tepees, for there were three of them, one very large one in front, and iwo smaller «nes in the rear communicating, were fitted up snugly and with taste, One was a sitting-room and in here was a Spanish guitar, some books, several rustic chairs and other things which bad been her mother’s belongings, and which she bad been taught the use of, The tepee to her right was her sleeping-room, and there was a cot-bed there, with the finest of furs and clothing. The third tepee was a kitchen and eating place in bad weather, for when the sun shone there was a fire built outside and a table near it, The squaws of the ky: at the moutb of the camp served the young Sioux Queen well, the warriors brought her game and «ther food and the children kept her supplied with wood, A blast on a bugle hanging in ber tepee would call assistance at once, and for company she had a couple of fine dogs and her ponies, Seated upon her grizzly bear skin, and covered with her sacred robe of white beaver-skins, the Indian Queen looked very dignified and ber ap- pearanve checked the angry words that came to the lips of the renegade chief. He knew that she had received him not as the Singing Dove, but as the Sioux Queen, as the white beaver and grizzly bear robes indicated, Then, too, she had on ber war-bonnet, tuat of a full chief of-her people. To be ugly toward her would lose him his in- fluence in an instant with her people, be was well aware of, So he said, after quickly making the sign of respectful greeting due her: ‘*The Singing Dove bas acted as chief, it seems, While the Red Hair was away fighting her battles for her,” ‘And fighting his own, for hed not the Red Hair defended himself, be “ould have lost bis scalp,” was the quiet response. ‘The Red Hair bas saved the people from utter ruin and death,” he boasted, ** Had the Red Hair not been so self-satisfied with the safety of the lower village and had his scouts Out, the pale-faces would never bave reached us to attack our homes,” Under this the Red Hair winced, and seeing her advantage, Singing Dove continued: ‘“*The warning of danger came just in time to save us, and from the Red Scalper, a pale-face brother, **The Red Hair fought our foes and was beaten back, bis warriors slain, and Many scalps lost.” ‘The Singing Dove was not there to see the number of our foes, and bow well my braves fougbt.” ‘©The, Singing Dove was bere, and in the ab- sence of Red Hair she rules her people,” ‘* And she has protected two of the Red Hair’s prisoners with a touch of the Sacred White Ar- row, “Yes, she bas done so, and more.” ‘* Ah! and what more?” ‘She has doomed the Wolf Eye, by a touch of the red arrow, to death.” ‘* By the Great Spirit, girl, but the Wolf Eye is one of my best young warriors, and must not die.” ‘‘The Wolf Eye must die,” was the cali re- sponse of the Indian girl. * The white beaver isa sacred animal among the Sioux’ THE AUTHOR, — “Did the Singing Dove touch the Wolf Eye with the red arrow?” ** She did.” ** And why? **Sbe warned him and he defied ber.” ct W hen ” ‘“* Yesterday, when she gave the protection of the Sacred White Arrow to the two pale-faces,” ** And why was this?” ‘* The Singing Dove does not ask the motives of the Red Hair for bis deeds, and be shall not question what she deems ber duty.” ‘“ 1s this the answer of the Singing Dove to the head chief of ber people?” ‘The Singing Dove bas spoken,” ** And she defies me?’ “Tbe Singing Dove does not fear the Red Hair, and she knows her duty to her people,” was the calm reply. CHAPTER XX, AN EXCEPTION IN THE LAWS OF THE SIOUX, RED HAIR the renegade saw that there was nothing to gain in a war of words with the beautilul Indian girl, He bad made a mistake, he realized, in coming to her in anger. He bad secretly asked her to be bis wife, on several occasions, and been firmly refused, and it was be who bad plotted to get rid of the young chief Red Spirit, whom he had felt that she loved, and in this be was successful, for he bad been the means of sending bim away from his people a fugitive, W by be bad not been brought in by the otber lover of the Singing Dove, who bad found bim in alone camp with bis leg broken, the Red Hair could not understand, But the body of his rival had been found, and the crippled prisoner was gone, so it was supposed that be bad mastered his guard and fled, That Dashing Charlie, in his escape, had come upon the two, killed the guard end set the fugitive chief free the Red Hair did not suspect. Now he found himself the antagonist of the Sioux Queen, and so he changed bis manner at once, determined to use other means than com- inands to gain bis ends, ‘The Red Hair is wro: g to be angry, for the Singing Dove basa rigbt todo a3 she did; but will sbe tell him why si.e protected the two white captives?” ‘* The Singing Dove was told by the guard of warriors that the Red Hair bad sent them to Sew rongnane, and they were uot to be harm- ‘‘ That was true.” ‘*My people were mad, their heads were on fire with anger, their hearts wicked, and they wished to seize the two prisoners from the guard and torture them to death,” ‘**Ab! but could not the guard protect them?” ‘* Not from thousands of mad people.” ** Did they not tell them the wisbes of the Red Hair?” ‘‘ What cared the people then for the Red Hair’s wishes?” ‘** And then?’ “The Wolf Eve was warned by me and dis- obeyed, and I doomed him by a touch of the Red Arrow point.” ‘\Now I understand,” ‘¢ But the prisoners?” ‘The people were quiet for a moment, and then rusbed toward tie captives once more, when I touched them with the White Ar:ow.” *‘Aud the Singing Dove did right, for I would not have bad those two die, at least not until I bave done with them. ‘But the Singing Dove must yield me the right to put them to death when I please, for she has the power to do so,” ‘* The Singirg Dove will not do so.” ‘* What! will she still protect these and from the bead chief of the people? “The Singing Dove respects the head chief, the white Sioux. ‘* She believes bim to be a Sioux at heart, and he has done much for her people; but she has rotected bis prisoners with the touch of the Thite Arrow, and sbe will not say vow that they shall die.” ‘* But if I demand it?” ‘* Tt is of no use, the prisoners sball not die.” In vain did the renegade plead with her to give bim the right to kil] them, if be found it necessary to doso in bis opinion, for she was as firm as a rock, and would not yield ber position, Sbe bad protected the prisopers, and though her word could raise the spell, at the will of the head chief, she would not say it, and her protec- tion of them should still bold good, At last, again in an ugly mood, the chief mounted his horse and rode away, | prisoners, 4 7 5 * * = ' y an * a o \ ey : é rv¢l — * v4 ‘ Mf é. ei 4 — “4 "Tat #: Cc ©} ti