Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 81 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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e | He SE instance? What additional calamity is about to overtake us?”’ ‘*We'll l’arn that afore long; there ain’t any use trying to find out. All I care to find out is what has become of Lizzie, and as soon as the first streak of daylight comes I’m going to find out whether she’s in the land of the living or not.” The heart of Egbert said ‘‘amen” to this, and his prayer was that the long, desolate night might hur- ry by, and the opportunity come for them to do something together for unraveling the fate of the maiden, for whom both entertained the strongest affection. Egbert, at the advice of the scout, attempted to sleep—but he had too much on his mind to succeed in doing so, His draggling garments did not give him special discomfort, as the night was only mod- erately cool and Jo kept the fire burning quite vigor- ously. But between his sad forebodings of the fate of Liz- zie, whom he seemed to love with a devotion such as had never permeated his being before, and the haunting fear of another visit from the Terror of the Prairie, there was little likelihood of his falling asleep. Tho strange tales that the scout had told him of this remarkable creature, and of his extraordinary igen with him, produced their effect upon Eg- bert, who, although of a practical nature, with an intelligent mind, was not without a certain imagina- tion, peculiar to those of his age, which made him susceptible to the influences of the time and the place of his surroundings. ‘ : The roar of the rushing cafion had died out entire- ly, and probably that very part over which the whites, men, women and animals, had been carried with such tremendous velocity, was now almost en- tirely dry again. Through the matted, overhangin branches Egbert caught the glimmer of sever stars, showing that the storm had cleared away en- tirely. There was no moon, however, and, in the valley in which they had encam pea, the darkness was so profound as to be absolutely impenetrable beyond the circle illuminated by the camp-fire. Young Rodman found the suspense so intoler- able, that he proposed that they should leave this spot and wander among the hills until daylight. e believed that they would encounter some of the survivors, and possibly might learn something re- garding Lizzie, who ht be in need of the very as- sistance that would thus be afforded her. But Lightning Jo had made up his mind to remain where he was, and no persuasion could induce him to change his location. He declared that he could accomplish nothing by stumbling around in the dark, while Egbert would be pretty certain to break his neck in some of the pitfalls that were to be en- countered at every en. And without attempting to depict the dismal ex- pedients which the wretched lover resorted to, to while away the uns bly dreary hours, we now hasten forward to the moment when the unmistak- able light of morning stole through the hills, and lightning Jo, springing to his nee eclared that the moment had come when the terrible suspénse was to end, and they were soon to learn the worst that had h ned to the party and to the one dear one— Lizzie Manning. The first point toward which the two directed their steps was the cafion, through which they had had their memorable passage. is was but a short distance away, and, upon being reached, it was found, as they hai anticipated, entirely clear of running water. Here and there were muddy, stag- nant pools collected in the hollows and cavities, but nothing of any living person or animal, or debris of wagons, was discerned. ‘Had we not better descend and follow the cafion to the outlet?” asked Egbert. ‘‘We shall not miss any thing then on the way.”’ ' Lightning Joe acted upon the suggestion, and after a little searching for a safe means of descent, the bottom was reached, and they pursued their way in silence, agitated by strange emotions, as they re- va the memorable experience of a few nights ore, : They walked side by side, neither breaking the impressive stillness by a word, but carefully scan- ning every foot of Po passed in quest of some remnant of those who had been their companions in the terrible descent. Suddenly the scout pointed to a wagon-wheel that was driven in between two jutting points of rocks, where it had been immovably fixed by the tremen- dous momentum, Both seanned it a few minutes, and, seeing nothing more, passed on for fully a quarter of a mile, when the basin to which reference has been made, was reached, and here a great surprise awaited them, It being quite shallow, the water had been carried away by several outlets, and not a man had been borne beyond. Fragments of the wagons were scat- tered in every direction, and at one side of the dry lake were to be seen Captain Shields, Gibbons and a number of the men covering up a large grave, while seated around were several women with their chil- dren, a8 miserable and desolate-looking objects as could poseuany be im ed Not aving dared to oO escaped, the two paused in at them, their looks after the first startling shock being directed in anxious quest of the one—Lizzie Manning—a look that was unrewarded by a sight of the beautiful maiden, for whom both were ready to do and dare any thing. Still hoping that she might be somewhere in the vicinity, they hurried forward and put the all-im- portant question. — Sad to say, no living person had seen her or knew aught regarding her, ‘that so many could have mute silence and stared Lightning Jo, in —— SSS ee mm ee ———— | rr rr ]$2$4#( OO 11 And then their own sad story was told. All, of course, had been hurried irresistibly into this basin —some bruised and almost senseless. Three of the men were killed, and also a mother and her two children. The ghastly o of the wagon, contain- ing the remains of those who had fallen in the fight in Dead Man's Gulch, was also there. The soldiers, who had charge of the women and children, clung bravely to them, and the shallowness of the water enabling the horses to touch bottom almost imme- csp they were not long in floundering out upon dry land, where the miserable group huddled together until the coming of day should enable them to see where they were, and to do what was possible for themselves. When the dawn of light showed them the dread- ful number of inanimate bodies, their first proceed- ing was to give them a decent burial, as it was out of the question to think of taking them to Fort Adams after the destruction of the wagons. And so, from the contents of the wagons, lying everywhere, they gathered up a half-dozen shovels, and as many men went to work with such a vigor and skill that in a few minutes a large, shallow grave was dug and into this all were tenderly placed and covered up from mortal sight, allshedding tears of the deep- est sorrow over the terrible death that had been decreed by inexorable fate. While they were thus employed, others were ab- sent among the hills in quest of the mustangs, and Jo and Egbert had exchanged but a few words with their friends, when they began coming in with the a that were all browsing at no great dis- ance. Their purpose was to mount the horses as speedily as possible, and to make all haste to Fort Adams. The women and children were in a deplorable con- dition and needed care and a rest of several days before continuing their journey to Santa Fe. When this proposal was mentioned to Lightning Jo he indorsed it at once, telling them to lose not a moment. They had not a particle of eatable food in their possession, and it was extremely difficult to procure any in these hills, which, rather singularly, were known to have been for years almost entirely devoid of game of any description. Consequently, as nothing at all was to be gained by remaining here, the dictate of prudence was that they should depart at the very moment they could make ready. As a matter of course, Lizzie yao, was amon the first that was missed by the group that huddl on the banks of the basin, and so great was the con- cern regarding her that during the darkness Captain Shields and two of the men groped around the neighborhood in quest of her, calling her name and searching along the shore of the basin for hours. The search was made more extended and thorough, when they had the daylight at their command, but it resulted in an entire failure. Not the least trace was gained, either of her or of the horse which she was known to be riding. One of the men who had hel to bring in the must took occasion to tell Lightning Jo, in a confidential way, that he had detected signs of In- dians, and he believed there was quite a number among the hills, and that it was impossible that they should know nothing of the presence of the whites so near them, This information surprised the scout and caused him no little uneasiness, He questioned the soldier closely, and became convinced that he was right, and that the whole company were in Greet danger of attack, Under these circumstances, he took it in hand himself, and told them all of the urgency of haste in reaching their destination. Searcely fifteen minutes had Sg: my when eve man was upon his mustang, and the females, wit their offspring, were distributed among them. Lightning Jo and Egbert Rodman placed themselves at their head, and the scout cautiously led the way through another narrow pass for something like a quarter of a mile, when they reached the open prairie once more. ‘““And now go,”’ he added, ‘and never pause or er back until you ride into the stockade of Fort Adams,”’ And his advice was taken and followed almost to the letter; but, even then, it is impossible to imagine whether they would have succeeded in reaching the shelter after all without being harassed by the Co- manches, but for the fact that ere they had gone three miles they met a party of rescue sent out b Colonel Cleaves, who had become alarmed at their failure to come in during the night. Under the es- cort of this powerful company of cavalry, the jour- ney was completed in safety, and we now bid them ood-by at the friendly fort and turn our attention those in whom we have a more immediate inter- est, CHAPTER XXIII. COMANCHE HONOR, Wirn the departure of Captain Shields and his pars Lightning Jo and Egbert Rodman set about he task of trailing the missing maiden, if such a big. lay within the range of human possi- There was something strange and mysterious in this failure upon the part of all to discover any traces of her or her horse. Had both or either of nome — an ae i, could have veg She . member of the party, excepting her- self, had been accounted for, and was either buried in the quiet grave among the hills or else was within the stockade of Fort Adams, beyond the reach of the Comanches in the South-west. ** Where can she be?”’ This was the question that the two men put to each other and to themselves a score of times in as many minutes, and to which no satisfactory answer —_—_— could be given. All was conjecture, and even that was of the most vague nature. Lightning Jo had very little to say, but he was in deep thought as he moved morbidly about, with his eyes 7 the ground, seeking out some clew b which he might take up the hunt for Lizzie, wi some slight probability at least of success. There were two facts which were constantly recur- ring to Egbert Rodman, and which caused him an apprehension positively tormenting. The Terror of the Prairie had been seen by himself and Lightning Jo but a few hours before, at no great distance from where they were standing at that moment, and he could not avoid connecting this with the disappear- ance of the maiden. Precisely in what way it was hard for him to define, but he was convinced beyond oe ag that the two bore some relation to each other. Furthermore, the declaration of Lightning Jo that the appearance of this nondescript boded coming calamity might be said to have been verified in the present instance; for quickly on the heels of its van- ishment came the knowledge of the disappearance of Lizzie and the presence of Comanches in these hills, proving the closeness of the connection be- tween the two. The loss of the maiden to whom his heart clung with such yearning devotion was cer- tainly the greate&t calamity that had as yet befallen young Rodman, and he involuntarily shuddered as ie recalled that awful ride down the cafion, followed as it had been in the case of Lizzie by some after ex- verience, that was all the more a to her riends, inasmuch as they knew nothing positive of its nature, and could only indulge in the wildest conjecture. The only thing that afforded any are like relief or consolation to the lover was the fact that he had the Sap cree,’ and assistance of eos Jo in this search. 1atever was possible to be done for her rescue and safety by mortal man would be done by this wonderful scout, who was re ey making ready, and fully satisfy himself before he fairly started to work in the matter. Every thing indicated that the two men could not remain long in these hills—for, aside from the fact that the demands of —— ¥ could not be postponed for a much longer period, the probability began to i itself that the girl was also gone from the cinity. ‘““Do you not think it likely,” inquired Egbe when his comrade paused for a moment, “tha when she emerged from the basin, as she did so, that she has managed to reach some hiding-place among the rocks, where she still remains—perhaps asleep?” This possibility seemed to have been entertained already by the scout, who instantly shook his head in the negative. “If she’d have done that, some of the boys would have come across her hoss, for he would have man- aged to get himself into the company of the other mustangs, and would have been seen by them, in looking for the others.”’ “But there are our own animals yet; we have seen nothing of them.”’ ‘But the boys did; they told me they see’d em both, and I'll have my critter in sight in less’n two minutes; see if I don’t.” As he spoke, he uttered a low, quavering whistle, not very loud, but sufficiently so to be heard a dis- tance of several hundred yards. Then —,-* moment he repeated the signal in precisely the same manner, and added, in way: ‘That animal will be here, if he’s got forty Co- manches trying to hold him.” “I only wish I could recover mine so easily,” laughed Egbert, as the scout composedly sat down upon a large stone to await the coming of his faith- ful mustang, “‘ but I am afraid Mahomet must go to the mountain in my case.”’ “When I pa company with mine last nigh the understanding was that he was to go off an hunt a littie something to eat on his own hook, and he expected to be told when I wanted him.’ 5 knowing that he will obey like an obedient Cc m ‘“Exactly—there he comes this minute,” replied Jo, as the tread of some animal was heard but a short distance away. “Look out, Jo, that it is nothing else,’ warned Egbert, stepping back, so as to give the scout free room for whatever might come, “I know his footstep,”’ was the response to this, accompanied at the same time by a precautionary movement, consisting in the guide raising the ham- mer of his rifle and bringing it to the front, where he could discharge it, if necessary, with the quick- ness of lightning, posing himself at the same time upon one foot, so as to be prepared to leap forward or backward as the case might be. This precaution had scarcely been taken, when the mustang of Lightning Jo put in an appearance, ac- companied by a Comanche Indian, who, sitting astride of the sagacious beast, was in blissful ignor- ance of whither he was being carried. His position was the quiet one of ease and self- possession, showing that he had no thoughtof any impending danger. From this fancied security he was awakened by the sight of Lightning Jo, standi scarcely a dozen feet away, with his rifle poin full at his breast. : The mustang at aword from his master stopped short, and thus the red-skin was brought face to face with the man, whom he reco on the in- stant as the most deadly foe of the Comanche race. ‘Get off that hoss, you old galoot! he belongs to me. Slide mighty quick, or I'll slide you!” The substance of this was uttered in the Comanche tongue, so as to make sure of ite being ee fod, and the action of the red-skin demonstra he Eomicbooks.co