Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 92 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

—__-_--—- ——- —_—_— “What! you don’t mean to say that you are going to make ths Wild Bird you: wife, do you?” “Ther Lord permittin’, an’ et don’t rain, hem’s my concise intentions, Hazel Eye. She wants a white husband, an’ hayr’s w’at ain’t goin’ ter pass her by.” | “Then, let me congratulate you, my dear friend for if you get Wild Bird, you not only get the mos beautiful woman in ths North-west, but you also get a faithful and loving-hearted girl. But this Rache: —did you ever ses her Anaconda?” ‘-No, never. What about her?” . “She is the wife of Canada Chet—a beautiful, repossessing girl, whom the ruffian married in the t and then discarded. She came to ~ grand- father’s cabin, one n'ght, and we sheltered her, and she told us her pitiful story. We tried to urge her toremain with us, but she would not, and the next morning departed into the forest, sinc > when T hava searched for her every day, but in va'n. “Waal, I reckon ther gal in Sitting Bull's camp aire ther same one. I shell hev ter bid you good-by, now, as it is time for me to get down there. “ Ain't you afraid to make so dangerous a ven- eras . I’ve been in wuss hoels ’n that, in my time. des, my Wild Bird ar’ goin’ ter lend me a ” n1. “Wel be careful. Where willl you take the res- cu , “To my fort in the woods. You know where thet s9? ‘Yes, I will come there, by and by.” - Then the Forest Lily turned back into the depths of the wood. It was now bordering on the midnight hour, The eee brio had quieted down, and the camp-fires urned low. The clouds overh*ad were more broken, drifting about in banks, now hiding the moon, then again, allowing that orb to flood the earth with light. ** Kt’s now oF me ae chai ” er ee iNet in ; his rifle to , and prepar ss . “T’ll either resky them gals, or give Wild Bird a chance to mourn over my sca'p.” Securing his revolvers, he prostrated himself, and crept away. Away out of the timber, and down over the rolling prairie he went, at a snail’s pace, pausing occasion- ally to listen and peer ahead. The darkness was dense, on account of the moon’s sudden departure under a bank of cloud, and he counted it his safest ‘plan to be sure that no danger lay in his path before e advanced. At the end of an hour he arrived close to the gates, and found one of them a trifle ajar—just enough that only a sharp glance would have detected the fact! | On pressing his ear to the crack he could hear no sound, and waiting a few minutes longer, he pulled one open sufficient to admit of his e through, and then closed it after him. Standing in the shad- ow of the great fence he gazed about upon the scene. The eg were ranged around the sides of the in- closure, the nearest one to Anaconda being only a few feet distant. In the center was an Open space where the horses were corraled and the camp-fires were built. The laps of the lodges were all down now, and the village had the appearance of being quite deserted, b t for the horses in the corral. “They’re all asleep,’ the scout muttered. I must find out where the girls are.”’ ‘Not all asleep,’’ exclaimed a low, musical voice, in an undertone, as a plump pair of arms were thrown about Anaconda’s neck, and he was kissed upon the forehead. “The Wild Bird could not sleep for gladness. Has'the white hunter come to take her wam ?”’ mip Sa Hoga my intentions ’ the Destroyer re- pled. “But thar’s a couple of others I must take along.”’ ‘Yes: Wild Bird has not forgotten. She has told i and prepared them for the great scout’s coming.”’ vs Bull y for you!” and Anaconda took the beautiful Indian’s hand and pressed it w . “You're a trump, an’ I’m proud o’ ye. But where is Sitting Bull thet he didn’t come into the village? “ Sitting Bull is abroad in the great forest. Some evil project is in his mind that none can solve. He has set an eye upon the Forest Lily Hazel Eye, and Wild Bird thinks he is watching for her. pie ‘Waal, now, when he ketches thet gal sleepin when al brewin’, he’s welcome to her,” Ana- conda muttered, with a chuckle. ‘She's purty nigh a good ‘un, ar’ thet Hazel by ae fer beauty, she ken’t hold a candle to the Wild The Indian girl smiled up into his eyes, lovingly, for she believed that the seout meant every woe he uttered. And who shall say that he did not? ‘‘Whar ar’ the guards?” he asked, peering cau- tiously around. “They drank of whisky furnished by Wild Bird, and sleep deep,” the Indian beauty replied, smiling. **Anaconda need have no fear of them, but must work oeasiouny lest he arouse those in the lodges.” ‘‘ Where are the white girls?” Wild Bird pointed across the square to a small odge. : “The Destroyer will find them there, in readiness. While he goes for them, Wild Bird will bring her horses.”’ With mia understate A say wor ey a oing silently across ao e lodge, and the Sehoetal Wild Bird gliding toward the cor- Hers was perhaps the most difficult part, for a ** Now Canada Chet. single whinny might arouse the whole camp, and all would be lost. But she was a favorite with all the animals, and they were not frightened at her approach. . She was fortunate in securing her four pet ani- mals, and leading them across to the gate, where she tied them, and again stole away. She was gone but a few moments, however, ere she returned with four saddles and bridles, which she soon had upon the horses. In the meantime Old Anaconda had made his way across to the little lodge, and upon raising the flap he perceived that a faint light was burning inside. “Come!” he said, in a low tone, although he could see no one, “ all is ready, if you wish to a vel Instantly two female figures wrapped in skin mantles, emerged from behind a partition, and he had the satisfaction of shaking hands with the two girls whom he had come to rescue. But there was no time to lose, and bidding them follow him, he led the way across the plaza to where Wild Bird was waiting. She was very much excited as the scout could see by the gleam of her eyes and she raised her hand enjoining silence. “Tisten!’’ she cried, and they did, and heard a long, peculiar cry, from out on the prairie. “lt is Sitting Bull!” she cried. ‘ Heis coming, and we are too late |” CHAPTER X. CASPER DAYTON PLOTS—AMASA IN THE WOODS. A, Frew hours previous to this, Sitting Bull had met in the forest no less an individual than Casper Day- ton. The two had ridden into a glade nearly simul- taneously, and drawn rein within a few feet of each other, with a pair of duplicate grunts, for it will be remembered that Dayton was attired in the costume of an Indian chief. Sitting Bull was unaccompanied by his warriors, and the two men were quite alone in the heart of the northern forest. ‘* Ugh!” was the chief’s interrogative grunt. ‘‘ Who is the chief that is a stranger to Sitting Bull? What se 0 him into the forest that belongs to the Sioux nation?” ‘*Watsanoka is no Indian warrior by birth, but a ale-face hunter, who has come to the land of the ioux to behold the great Sitting Bull. He brings = great chief impo t news, and would ask his ‘** Sitting Bull's ears are open. Let the white rene- gade proceed,” the chief said, haughtily. ‘‘ He will nig after he has heard the words of the pale- ace,” Casper Dayton was sure that he held the key of success in his hand; he meant to use it, ‘To the south-west of us,’’ he began, “‘lies the settlement of Quinnebog, or the Choppings. Does Sitting Bull know the secret of that town?”’ “Sitting Bull knows —— of the settlers b Beaver Lake, except that they infringe upon rights, by building themselves homes upon hE tegen iy hen lend me your attention, and I will tell you something of whic i have probably never dream- ed: you have probably heard of the ‘ Pen,’ as it is called, where scores of men are supposed to be con- fined by the border ruffian, Canada Chet. No one else ever enters inside the walls of the ‘Pen;’ all wonder, but do not know what use these men are ut to, or what mystery envelops the place. Has sitting Bull ita at the secrets thereof?” ‘*No; Sitting Bull has never guessed the secrets of the Pen. Does his white brother know the secrets?” ‘‘Like a book,” the disguised schemer replied, ‘and he has come to make a bargain with the great and noble Sitting Bull. Let the chief listen: there are two American youths in the Pen, whom I would possess. They have but recently come to the for- est.”’ s hunt- ‘*Watsanoka cannot have them,” Sitting Bull said, decidedly; ‘‘one of the pale-face youths has won the heart of Hazel Eye, the Forest , and the great Sioux chief would have his scalp.” “But, hold up. There is much that Sitting Bull would rather have—something he prizes more than scalps, women or horses. If Sitting Bull will prom- ise that the white boys shall be Watsanoka’s, he will tell the t chief a strange secret.”’ ‘Sitting Bull will hear first, and promise after- ward,"’ the chief replied, craftily. Casper Dayton reflected a moment. He was not sure whether it was best to trust the red-skin or not. ‘I will tell you,” he said, after a while, “if you will promise to give me up the boys, and a girl named Milly Owen, should the news prove valuable and in- teresting to you!” ‘Sitting Bull agrees to that. speak.”’ ‘‘ Well, then, here is the secret. The Pen, at the Choppings, is a counterfeiters’ den, where spurious coin and paper money are manufactured in large quantities. ‘*Money heap no good,” Sitting Bull said. ‘‘No buy blankets an’ powder.” * Yes it will! Now, I'll tell you what I'll do. You have many warriors. Go you and kill off this Canada Chet and his gang, together with the lum- bermen of ye ama and we'll go in pardners, in this counterfeiting biz. I'll run it, you see, and give you half of the good money that is realized from the sales of the spurious. See?’’ “Sitting Bull is not blind. It shall be as Wat- sanoka says, for he is a t rogue. He shall have the trapper’s daughter whom Sitting Bull has in his wigwam.”’ Let the pale-face wam. ** And the boys?” ** And the boys.” 9 **Good! Sitting Bull is a great, noble and wise chief, and he 1 have paper dollars with which to light his pi Let him set his warriors at once on the war-path with the instruction to kill and scalp every man in Quinnebog, or in the forest, except the youths, and the trapper’s daughter. Let Sitting Bull also give Watsanoka a token to wear in plain view, that he may not be molested.” ‘“Watsanoka shall not be harmed,” Sitting Bull said. ‘*The great chief will caution his warriors, Every pale-face but the young Americans, the trap- per’s daughter, and Hazel en shall meet death at the hands of the Sioux. Sitting Bull has wragnnd **‘And spoken wisely. But, hold! Ought we not leave the pale-face slaves in the pen unmolested? They understand the manufacture of this money better than we, an' can be forced to work for the firm of Sitting Bull and Watsanoka the same as the Canada Chet. “Watsanoka speaks wisely, and it shall be as he says. Sitting Bull will at once proceed to his Nog = and dig up the hatchet and put it in the hands of warriors. Will Watsanoka come to the village with Sitting Bull?”’ ‘*Not now, noble chief, as I have work elsewhere. Sitting Bull may keep the trapper's daughter in his wigwam until the war is over, when Watsanoka will take her for his wife.” ‘* How does Watsanoka know the trapper’s daugh- ter if he is a stranger in the north?” “Easily answered. A year ago whe Owens lived in Minnesota, and Watsanoka lived nigh. He wooed the pale-face girl, but she refused , and he swore to one day possess her. That day is near.’’ The twain separated, Sitting Bull riding through the forest toward his village, and Casper Dayton taking a course nearly opposite, The schemer was overjoyed at his success in en- listing Sitting Bull in his plans, and smiled triumph- envy as he rode along. “Everything is working in my favor as nice as I could for,’’ he muttered, with a dark glitter in his eyes. ‘By the time my beloved brother James arrives upon the scene, I shall have the forest full of roving Sioux, and if he by a tap from a toma- hawk it’s none of my fault—of course it’s not. And the bers Harold, I'll see that he is pee rly cared for. en, Brooksfield Place and the ayton herit- ance are mine!”’ It was a grand scheme which he had been matur- ing for years, but without knowing how to putit into execution. But now his course seemed plain. With so powerful an ally as Sitting Bull, he would tri- re at least he could see no reason why he should not. ‘Lordy! Jerusalem! Jewhitaker Jewsharp! I wish I was back in Kalamazoo, I do, gol durn my foolish soul! Why did I ever leave 8 ter cum out hayr, whar Injines an’ wild beasts ar’ thicker’n hair onadorg? Oh! oh!” The speaker was Amasa Scroggs, of course, in difficulty, as usual. He had been wandering aim- lessly about through the forest in search of some- thing to appease his appetite, when there had come a whir! and an arrow scratched the “ crazy-bone”’ of his right elbow. Amasa had made one of his lightning leaps which carried him behind the pro- tective body of an upturned tree, where he crouched and gave vent to his howl of misery. *Oh! Gosh-all-fish-hooks!" he gas » peeri around in the blackness of the night; “thar’s a h caboodle of them durned tg over thar, an’ they’re after Tay BCAID ve) I wish I was back in Kalama- z00 | at a fool I was ter ever cum out hayr a- huntin’ after a couple o’ runaway boys, jest fer two dollars a day! Hain't see’d hide ner ha'r 0’ a bo yet, nuther. Lordy! I’m as narvous as a cat’s when she sees arat. Expect to see an Injun every blessed minnit. Ugh!-this is ther awfulest country I ever got inter. Last night I ran ten miles ter get away frum thet consarned Walkin’ Head, an’ now Pe eae Sings Oh! , want ter Fo hum.” sing is feet he peered around the stum expecting to behold an Indian, “ he next instant a horrified yell pealed from his are for there, not three yards away, was the terri- ble Walking Head advance ng toward him, the mouth stretched from ear to ear in a horrible grin, and the tongue lolling out in a hideous manner. Poor Amasa! His blood froze in his veins, and his limbs refused to move. His hair was fairly ‘‘ upon end.”” A more seriously frightened man Prooeuy never existed. He could only stand and gaze at the strange object in a sort of horrible fascination. It came nearer and nearer, until it stood before him, its whole hight but reaching to his knees. It was to all appearances simply a human head grc wn upon a huge pair of feet, the body having been omit- ted in the make-up. sph the face there was that demoniac smile, phosphorescent-like, and the ears several sizes too large for the head, flapped to and fro in a startling manner. Altogether it was a monstros- ity of the most fearful nature, and it must have put to fli¢ht the courage and nerve of stronger men than Amasa Scroggs. It stopped before the horror-struck Yankee, and gazed oe into his face, one eye rojling and blinking viciously. ‘**Be not afraid!” came the words, ina sepulchral voice. “The Demon of the Forest harms not the weak and timid. Come! follow me, for there are many savages after ei scalp. They fear me, and will not molest you if you come with me!”’ ‘“‘Oh! Lordy! Jerusalem! I'd ruther be soaiped, than go wi’ you!” Amasa gasped, with a shiver. “Oh! say, please run off, little feller, won't ye? I never hurt you—I—l—”’ “Fear not,” again spoke the sepulchral voice. fA cs) ,OO (E(0) (E (E(0)