Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 94 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 He entered upon his fifth hour amid the yells of the whole assemblage. Midnight Jack looked on in utter amazement. Was the man mad? Had he fainted? or, was he dead? He longed to go forward and settle this men- tal conundrum; but the eyes of Squatting Bear admonished him to stard still. More than once during thateventful day their not too friendly glances had met. If Midnight Jack had doubted his discovery by the gin-trader, he doubted no longer. The catastrophe, bound to come, was not far off. Where he had stood from early morning the road-agent awaited it. ‘* Thar’s some shenanagan about that fellar’s holdin’ out!” ejaculated Old Tanglefoot in a tone that roused Gopher Gid. ‘‘ He’s not hang- in’ fair. Did you ever take partic’lar notice of him, boy?” “Me? no!” ‘Then go an’ look right into his face,” was the unexpected reply. ‘* Not an Indian ’ll tech ou, fur ye’re under Squattin’ B’ar’s pertec- ion. Thar! Pve cut the foot-cords. Go an’ look at the skunk!” Gopher Gid felt a thrill of joy shoot through his heart as the cords about his feet were severed, and he lightly sprung to the ground. ‘* White Fish is goin’ to look at the braves!”’ cried Tanglefoot, and a voice of approval replied from the chief’s lips. Gopher Gid did not hesitate, but crossed the space and halted beside the Red Jingo, whose body, thrown back, was trying the strength of the buffalo-cords. ‘Tanglefoot talked as if I would know the Indian,” said the boy curiously to himself. “Why, he looks like all Indians to me.” He was looking down into the red face upturn- ed to the sun. The eyes were closed, the lips dry and parched, the heels planted firmly on the ground. All at once the eyes opened, the lips unclosed, and these low words fell upon Gopher’s ears: ‘Keep a stiff upper lip, boy! I’m the Scream- in’ Eagle of Smoky Roost—the Thunderbolt of the Dark-edged Cloud—a reg’lar sky-scraper!” With a cry of astonishment Gopher Gid start- ed back. A viper springing suddenly into his path would not have startled hima more, and he turn- ed a white face upon his captor. ‘‘He knows ’im!” ejaculated Timon Moss. ‘‘ The time fur the fun to begin is hyar. Now T’ll explode a bomb-shell in this durned Injun camp.” As the last word from the white Indian’s lips, he urged his pony into the square, while he kept his devilish eyes fastened upon Midnight Seek ‘‘The time has come!” said the road-agent through clenched teeth, but he did not alter his position. Yes, the moment of death had arrived! CHAPTER XI. SHOT! MIDNIGHT JACK, without cn, ge y noticing his eager enemy, drew his revolver. At that exciting moment, perhaps, he wished for the beautiful and trusty weapons which he had hidden in the hollow tree just beyond the confines of the village; but he secretly resolved that the one in his right hand should not fail him at the right moment. Still betraying that amazement which had driven him from Rube Rattler’s side, Gopher Gid stood undecided near the dance-pole. Rube hung heavily on the buffalo-cord, the hot sunbeams pelting him in the face. His eyes seemed shut, but through the long lashes he saw the startled boy, andwatched the terrible drama that was about to begin in the square. ‘‘ Know ’im, eh?’ chackled Tanglefoot, glanc- ing at Gopher Gid. ‘‘ Wal, ’d say yer should, as ye’ve see’d the om < afore. But stan’ still, Gopher, my boy, er V’ll let the hull Sioux nation loose upon you.” Our little trapper replied with a look, anda glance around him showed how completely he was in the power of the demon on horseback. All at once Tanglefoot drew rein and was turning his pony’s head toward Midnight Jack, when aloud cry came from beyond the crowd, on the east side of the square. The peculiar intonation caused no little com- motion; it startled the chiefs, and Setting Sun turned to that quarter and commanded the crowd to make way for the young Indian who was advancing at a quick gait, holding two glittering objects above his head. An exclamation heard by his nearest compan- ions fell from the road-agent’s lips as the savage glided past, and bounded into the square. Midnight Jack. ne eee ae ee ‘* My pistols! 1 must have hidden them in an | night and day—he and his brother, the Red Indian cache!” Setting Sun and the other head chiefs uttered exclamations of wonder, as they advanced up- on the Indian who had halted near Tanglefoot. The crowd, at once thrown into a state of great excitement, began to surge forward; but the voice of Tiger Tail drove them back. ‘Where did Mouseskin find silver pistols?” | demanded Setting Sun, as he jerked the orna- | mented weapons from the young Indian’s hands. ‘*In the hollow of the tree where the chip- | munk hides,” was the response; but Mouseskin’s | sleek countenance told to more than one looker- on that he had sought something more substan- tial than a chipmunk’s quarters in the hollow tree, The four chiefs instantly came together, and Midnight Jack saw his pistols passed around to elicit expressions of praise from the red lips, for they were silver-mounted and polished to a high degree. “A name in the white man’s talk!” suddenly cried Setting Sun, pointing to the inscription ‘* MIDNIGHT JACK,” which was graven on the barrel of each. ‘‘ When did the white man hide his pretty pistols in the hollow tree? Ah! our white brother can tell us his name.” He turned to Tanglefoot as he spoke, and caught the demon gleam of the villain’s eye- balls. From the first he had recognized the re- volvers, and he leaned forward to take one, with a cry of triumph forming on his lips. ‘“T'll tell you whose they ar’,” he said, as he took the weapon from Setting Sun’s hand, and straightened in the saddle. ‘* Well do I know these shootin’ irons!” and he held the weapon over his head; but his quick glance sought out the man who stood near qui- etly, as it seemed, waiting for his doom. ‘* T’ll fire the fuse now!” he murmured. “Tl do it kind o’ theater-like, too.” eS — TT en Jingo. They have found him, and the fire- water chief lies dead before them. Itis the law of the red-man, that the nearest of kin must avenge. We have done that; inthe camp of the southern Sioux we have appeased our sister’s spirit. What say Setting Sun and the chiefs? Has Running Water broken the laws that our fathers made long ago?” ‘* By the jumpin’ jingo! what a peach !” ejacu- lated the Red Jingo, as Midnight Jack finished, and with folded arms, after the Indian fashion, waited for a reply. He was the observed of all observers; the central figure of the startling drama—a man equal to any emergency. Ile stood erect in the hour of his victory, knowing that the lips which had almost dee nounced him to death were speechless. Beyond a slight murmur of rough applause that had greeted his speech, no sound followed it ‘*Go on!” he cried to the four chiefs, who were looking undecided into each other’s eyes. Setting Sun glanced at Tanglefoot, who had not moved a muscle since his unceremonious de- scent from the saddle. ‘‘T say the same!” suddenly broke in a harsh voice, and Rube Rattler sprung back from the cord which he threwaway. ‘ We have tracked the white dog down, an’ Runnin’ Water has carried out the law of our people.” And to Gopher Gid, near whom his spring poe landed him, he said, in a startling under- one: ‘We've got the winnin’ kerds, boy. I’m still the Screamin’ Eagle of Smok Roost.” ‘The law of the Indians has not been brok- en!” said SeLtDg, Sun, at last. ‘‘Squattin Bear is not red. ed Cloud made him a chief; he got not his feathers on the war-path; he ney- er hung in the sun-dance; his bldod is not Sioux Then he rose erect in the stirrups, and his | blood; it is thinner than the blood of our people. right hand was suddenly extended till the dyed finger pointed straight at the form of Midnight. ‘Thar stan’s afore us the man who hid the pistols!” he cried. ‘*‘ He could not pull the wool over Tanglefoot’s eyes. Come out an’ face the music! An thar hangs the other, playin’ Injun, an’ foolin’ ye all!” Tanglefoot’s arm had described a crescent and the finger was now pointing at the Re Jingo, hanging apparently lifeless from the tor- ture cord. ‘* What! don’t you b’lieve me?” he flashed, turning upon the dazed chiefs. ‘‘ Look over thar! Hevn’t some of you see’d that painted fellow afore? Thar! that’s right! Step out an’ chin the music!” Midnight Jack had advanced a pace from his position. There was now a flash in his eyes, which few who noticed it had ever seen before. ‘Tam here!” he cried, in the Sioux tongue, “and you are there !” : The road-agent’s right hand shot upward as he spoke the last sentence, and the final word was drowned by the loud report of his revolver. The crack was followed by a loud cry; the uplifted silver-mounted pistol fell over the pony’s head, and Old Tanglefoot, with a headlong pitch, went to the ground. Rube Rattler straightened in an instant, for he had witnessed the entire tragedy. “Stand back!” said the road-agent, calmly, wheeling upon the yelling red-skins, now surg- ing forward. ‘* What is that white-livered dog that he should live a chief among the Sioux with his hands reddened with our brother’s blood? Let him be thrown to the buzzards that watch in the sky for the carrion. Wiil our bre- thren listen; or must Running Water, to defend the deed, which by Indian law, he has righte- ously done, shoot them down, and then die him- self, knife in hand, upon them?’ The road-agent’s words, uttered in good Sioux, had a startling effect. They stayed the excited crowds; the wild cries for blood grew still; and Setting Sun ad- vanced toward the daring man. **Go on!” eried the chief. ‘‘ We will listen to our Teton brother.” ‘*T have but little to say,” was the response, the speaker’s eyes dancing with delight at the triumph he had gained. ‘ Squatting Bear came to our lodges long ago. Rotem chd a cargo of fire-water among us. He lived with us till he married one of our women; but we would not call him chief. Im the land of the Teton Sioux he began to steal; he treated his Indian wife badly, and one night he slew her in the little wigwam; not only that, but he slew a brother. The red wife was Running Water’s sister. _ swore revenge; he has trailed the white Sioux What say our people? Has our Teton brother broken the law?” An imperious wave of the hand accompanied the Indian’s question, and the wild yell that an- swered it told Midnight Jack that his terrible dernier resort was approved. He walked forward and unflinchingly took the extended hands of the chiefs, and saw Go- pher Gid staring at him with distended eyes. ‘Shall the white dog lie on Sioux ground?” said one of the older chiefs, bestowing a look of disgust upon Tanglefoot’s body. ‘‘No!” thundered Setting Sun. ‘‘ Let him be carried up among the trees, that the flesh-eaters of the sky shall not come to éarth to devour him. To the trees with him! Where are our people?” A few moments sufficed for some Indians to place Tanglefoot upon his pony, and, with a gleam of joy in his eyes, Gopher Gid saw him borne away?’ The sun went down. Its last rays saw the opening of the feast that follows the sun-dance: it saw Midnight Jack gliding through the village, hunting for his sis- ter Dora. Suddenly a hand was laid on his arm, and he beheld Mouseskin standing at his side. ‘‘Squatting Bear had friends; they are whis- pering together. They say that the skin of our eton brethren is white, but they lie. They are mad; they swear to avenge the death of the white Sioux.” ‘“ Not out of the fire yet!” muttered the road- agent, and then he drew the boy aside. ‘** You are our brother?” ‘““Yes; the whispering Indians lie. Squatting Bear once kicked Mouseskin.” , ; You know all the lodges, Mouseskin?” ‘ ! ‘“Where is the white girl that Feel-the-Sky brought to the wigwam?” The Sioux boy started at the mention of his victim’s name, and glance around suspiciously. Then he came up to Midnight Jack with a look of trust in his eyes. “Will Running Water keep the words that Mouseskin gives him?” asked the boy. ‘Running Water will keep them,” was the eply. Then from the lips of the Sioux fell the story of his fight with Feel-the-Sky; his discomfiture by Dora followed. Midnight listened without a word until the boy finished. ‘But the captive?” ‘‘ She it was who struck Mouseskin and took his horn.” T ‘Ah The road-agent started back. Could the tay have spoken truly? Was his e€oim Ebooks