Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 85 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

Buck Buckram.” And for his quiescence, during the stealthy movements of the Indian, he had several im- rtant reasons, the principal one of which was hat, as he knew that the savage was an exceed- ingly fierce and dangerous character to peg ie ter, ie did not dare to provoke a collision with him, when the advantage upon each side would be equal. There was too reo, iM eae that he would come out second in the little difficulty. Another, and minor reason was, that he wish- ed to justify his intended course in the eyes of Bess herself. If he should Yoh up suddenly and shoot the Apache, before he had committed any wrong against him, or before he had devel- oped his intention of doing so, she might never believe there was ever any cause for such a sum- mary proceeding. So, Me we have stated, he pretended to sleep, and did it so well that the wily red-skin was thrown completely off his guard. He waited until Bess and the latter had disappeared fairl in the wood, and then he rose silently to his feet, and followed with the celerity of a shadow. He was certain, from the course of the Apache, that he was going for the canoe in which he could rejoin his comrades without leaving a trail behind which any human eye could follow. Without paying particular attention there- fore to the precise course of the Indian’s foot- steps, the half-breed diverged somewhat to the ght, taking a path more circuitous, but which would bring him to his destination almost, if not quite as soon. His haste came near precipitating the very thing he was cer a ah avoid. Unknown to him the savage had also turned in the same di- rection, and the first warning he had of the fact was in seeing the savage, holding the girl by the hand, walking raipdly across a small opening, where both were plainly revealed in the moonlight. ; The half-breed shrunk back and waited until they had passed out of sight again, and then he followed them more cautiously than before. When the Apache drew the canoe out from the concealment, he signified to Bess to enter. She hesitated a moment, when he raised his glittering knife. **Go quick! Me kill you!” At that instant the Apache caught the click of a gun-lock behind him. Suspecting the truth, he turned about with the quickness of lightning, but he could see nothing. He then turned again to spring into the canoe, when a sh report rung out upon the night- air, and ha utbene a shriek as the bullet passed through his heart. Still, true to his nature, when he realized that he had lost, he made an) attempt to reach and slay Bess; but his oka, be failed, and he drop lifeless, partly in the canoe and partly in the water. CHAPTER XXII. A BETTER Tape ane ij han ; WueEn Bess heard the report of the an saw the Apache fall, unfortunately she believed that Buck Buckram was at hand, and springin ashore, she ran in the direction of the sound, exclaiming: ‘““Where are you, Buck? I am so glad you have come! I knew you would not forget me. ‘‘'You did, eh?’ was the response, as with a fearful blow he struck her almost senseless to theearth. ‘“ That’s the thanks I git, is ge riskin’ my life fur ye? You expected uck Buckram, did yer? I only wish he would come I “ Wal, by the living heavens ! here he is, then: exclaimed a vvice, hoarse with passion, as the tall form of the trapper bounded through the wood and made straight for him. The cowardly half-breed shrunk back helpless and appalled. The next instant he was in the pe of the infuriated hunter, who made terribly ort work with him. , Here, my darling beaver, is Buck come, as he told you he would!” said the trapper, as he picked up the prostrate little one, and tenderly smoothed the hair away from her face. Bess soon revived, and returned the caresses of her benefactor, | ‘Oh, where are they ?” she asked, somewhat bewildered. “They never can hurt you ag’in. Never mind about them now. You have seen too much of this business. Jist don’t think about it now. Git in the canoe, and Pll take you home, where you'll be safe all the time. . She did as commanded, and seizing the pad- dle, Buck sent it rapidly down-stream, little Bess scarcely able to re alize the astounding events which had passed before her so recently — let | it’s like I allers doés things!” he mutte as they paddled along. “I’m allers in too ase of a hurry.” = ‘“What do you mean?” she asked, with some wonder. ‘“*T had every thing fixed, jist how I could manage it, when I sp’ilt it by gittin’ so mad I couldn’t wait.” She showed by her manner that she still failed to understand him, , ‘‘ Wal, then, I meant to come onto that scamp rather suddent like, corner him up, and make him tell all he knowed about yer—whar he stole yer from—and all that; but when I see’d bim it yer—wal, what’s the use?—I couldn’t stand it no longer.” ‘Never mind, Buck; it’ll all come right some time.” “In course; but I’m gittin’ rather anxious *bout it.” ‘** You can wait if I ean.” **T s’pose so; but I orter knowed better.” ‘* Where are you going to take me now?” ‘To my own home, whar yer’! stay till I find whar ye belong.” ‘‘ And Dick Havens is dead,” she repeated, her heart overflowing at the thought of what she had witnessed during the day. ‘Yas, poor feller, he went under!” replied Buck, in a choking voice, as he worked harder than ever at the paddle. ‘* T saw him just after he was shot.” _ The trapper was silent awhile, then he related the iculars of his former com on’s death to » who, as may be sup , was greatly rised and shocked to learn the truth. e girl had no wish or desire to sleep, but her craving for food came back to her, and she stated it to her companion, ‘*Hain’t you had nothin’ to eat?’ he demand- mp stopping his paddling, and looking her in the ace ‘* Nothing at all.’ ‘Hang ’em!” he muttered. ‘Thar ain’t but one critter that’s worse than an Apache, and that’s a half-breed,” He shied the canoe off to one side, and ran under the shadows of the trees along shore. Here he Janded, and collecting a few dried sticks built a fire on a flat stone, which was placed in the stern of the canoe. The bright light, as all well know, is peculiarly attractive to fish, and in a few minutes a number of them were gather- ed around, and several of large size were plain- ly visible in the water below, The trapper leaned over, and, carefully watch- ing his opportunity, darted down his hand, and threw out a plump fellow upon the bottom of the canoe, where it floundered and glistened in the moonlight. ‘* Now we shall soon have a supper,” said he, as he transferred several burning brands to the shore, and building a larger fire, began cooking the fish over it, first cleaning it and then s We ti it out like a fan upon a pronged stick. {t required but a few minutes for him to cook it nicely, and Bess made one of the best meals she ever ate. This done, she lay down in the canoe, and Buck laid one of the shawls, which he had stripped from the half-breed and Apache, over her, and told her to sleep. It was yet early in the evening, but Bess never opened her eyes until broad daylight, and then she saw the trapper preparing to start down-stream. He had improved the few leisure moments in catching and cooking some more fish, so that he had a breakfast prepared, and enough to last them through the day. He had done something else during the night, of which Bess never knew anything. They were within the immediate vicinity of the cave, which had been the scene of the siege, and first ecg the girl some distance from the shore, where he felt it would be safe to leave her awhile, he repaired to the cavern, to see what had become of the ee! of his comrade., He found the mutilated remains, and with his own hands, ios egg lifted and carried it some distance away, where he buried it in a cleft of rocks, and covered it with rocks and stones, so that it could not be disturbed by wild animals. This act of humanity and friendship complet- ed, he returned to the cave and explored the in- terior, faintly hoping that the related might have overlooked his peltries, But they had not; not a single fur remained. But thanking Heaven for his own marvelous es- cape, he hastened back to where his precious charge lay sleeping. After Bess awo e, they shoved away from shore, and resumed their homeward journcy, | ° \ i | which was continued with scarcely any inter- mission until sunset. During the afternoon, they entered a much larger stream, and Buck Buckram announced that they had but a short distance further to go by water. CHAPTER XXII. THE BEST THING ALL AROUND. : — ee False sine we which was a gree ul sunshiny one, as they were dling alo in the ounioa: Bess reniasker pad ji > ‘‘T have been here before,” When?” ‘With Velasquies; this is the way he went home.” ’ ‘‘Cur’us we never met each other; fur when I’m trappin’ it’s the way I ginerally take.” By-and-by they landed. Buck pulled the canoe up the bank, and hid it under a thick clump of bushes. watched him curiously a few moments, and then said: hp It wasn’t far from this place that he used to nd.’ | ‘* That’s cur’ouser yit. Qua’r ef our shanties ain’t fur from each other. Shoot me!” ex- claimed the trapper suddenly stopping and slap- ing his thigh, *‘ ef I don’t blieve I know whar is place is—that is, his fam’ly. He’s an Injun wife off a good ways from hyar,” And then Buck proceeded to describe a mis- erable hut which he had occasionally passed in his travels, and which he now believed to be — “a belonging to the family of the half- reed. Such proved to be the case—Bess readily re- cognizing it from his description, and there was t wonder expressed by both, to think that hey had been so near each other, for so long a time, without ever suspecting it. ‘How far do you live from here?’ she asked, as they walked briskly along. ‘“ Not’ a great ways,” was his reply. ‘We'll reach thar long before sundown.” ‘ The sun had barely crossed the meridian, when the two entered a stall clearing, in the center of which stood a tidy-looking cabin, while several children were playing around the outside. The face of Buck Buckram was lit up with a smile, as the little ones ran forward meet him, and he caught them in his arms and kissed them over and over again. The next moment a buxom-looking woman came forth, and was folded in his arms, while the faces of all were lit up with happiness. In a few words, the trapper explained the facts regarding the little stranger he had brought, and she was at once received asa friend and daughter. Three little girls, varying from four to twelve years, were frolicking around the house, and making glad the hearts of their parents. The third, a boy named Kit, after the renowned Kit Carson, an old friend of the hun- ter’s, was off on a hunt, and was not expected back until nightfall. It was a touching picture—the trapper’s home. Here he was surrounded by those he loved best of all upon the earth, and here only was he ever happy. Like the celebrated scout Carson, he was a model husband and father, but the roving disposition which he had formed in his youth controlled him through life, and after a sho stay at home, he generally went forth again to engage in the perilous duty of hunting and — a: a> is extraordinary skill in these pursuits had been rewarded, and he had accumulated quite a moderate competence—so much s0, that he now felt at liberty to carry out the pledge he d made his wife some years before, of remoy- ing to Santa Fe and engaging in some less peril- ous business. ‘* Only one thing yet to finish,” said he, as his wife sat on his knee, while the children frolicked around the floor. ‘* What’s that?’ ‘*T must find out: the home of little Bess, I never could rest easy till that was settled. Do you know, Alfrina, that I’ve an idea that I’ve seen this little one somewhere before?” “So you have; I remember your aking of her. ait a moment,” said she, turning toward their guest. ‘‘See here, Bess,” The girl looked up at her, “Your name is not Bess. Now listen, and tell me whether you ever heard the name—AL- FRINA—the sume as my own.” The little one started as if she had been stung by something, and then she stood several min- utes wrapped in a reverie so deep, that she was unconscious of what was going on around her, Finally she raised her head, and said: * That's ny name |” Eomicbooks-co