Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 94 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

—— ______ SS =. —— See —— ——— Midnight Jack. ~- —-—--—- — --——__ +--+ - — oe If Gopher Gid had been compelled to reply to Tanglefoot’s question, he must have confessed that he was thinking that Drunken Hog, when applied to his captor, would be more appropri- ate than Squatting Bear. But he did not express his thoughts. ‘Well, I’m — to the Injun show,” said Timon, suddenly, ‘‘an’ I a’n’t goin’ alone, either.” That sentence removed the little trapper’s last doubt. He was to be carried by that merciless man into the largest Sioux camp in the West, there to be subjected to a fate already, no doubt, selected by his captor. He was powerless in the hands of Timon Moss. “Tl bear my fate bravely,” Gid said to him- self. ‘‘I trust the time is coming when Ill get the upper hand of this demon in human skin, and then let him look out. So, ’m going to witness one of those wild Indian sun-dances! I wonder if Rube’s trail will lead him to Red Cloud’s village? After all, we may meet sooner than I expected; I may yet get tosee Midnight’s sister. Timon Moss now proceeded to secure his cap- tive who no longer fought the tide which had set in against him. ** You will do me one favor?” said the boy. “Tn course I will!” was the answer. ‘‘ What is it?” ‘Shut my door and fix it as I tell you,” ‘*What! you don’t expect to come back hope?” was the quick retort, ‘‘But, Pll fix the shanty, fur thar may be some things thar that Vll want when J come back.” Timon shut the door of the cave home and left Gopher Gid there while he went around the hill, from whose further side he soon rea d, leading two mules, the late lead ones of his team. ** All aboard!” he shouted, with a cheeriness which possessed no humor for the silent, thought- ful boy on the ground, ‘The beasts make good time when I once git them to b’lieve that they'll soon git to kick some Injun boys.” Gopher Gid was tossed astride of one of the nervy little animals, and his legs were made fast to the dusty sides. His saddle was a Government blanket like Tanglefoot’s, and as the smuggler threw him- self upon his steed, he gr id’s bridle-rein and uttered a sh ‘sit ep!” which made the mules start forward like arrows projected from a Cheyenne bow. Away, over the trail they went, Gopher Gid glanced over his shoulder once at the hill home which he was leaving forcibly after a long sojourn there; and could hardly realize his situation till he turned to look into the ogreish face of Timon Moss. ‘Take a good look at your hole in the ground, my peewee, fur ye’r’ never comin’ back to its traps and skins.” id’s eyes flashed fire. Never? He would see about that. CHAPTER VI. THE JAWS OF DEATH. ‘¢WhrRE nearin’ a lunatic asylum. Jest lis te boy. The ace that Timon Moss turned to the boy who rode beside him had a mischievous smile, and his snaky eyes shone with a malicious twinkle. The twain were Wise Reig a level stretch of ground, pretty well timbered, and romantic in appearance. They had left the Cheyenne river behind, and were evidently approaching an Indian village which seemed to le just over the low hills that rose before them. Sounds of the most discordant nature shook the evening air, and struck harshly upon their tympanums. Among the many noises, sava voices and the beating of Indian drums could distinguished. The greater part of the week had elapsed since the occurrence of the scenes narrated in the ee ee Timon Moss and his boy captive journeyed not fast, it is true, but nevertheless quite steadily in a north-west- erly direction. Gopher Gid had found no avenue of escape; the gh ag ston: gn had watched his captive with the eyes of a hawk, and the boy had at last become accustomed to the ceaseless vigil, and apparently given up hopes of freedom. | “What do ye think of the music?” asked Old Tanglefoot, when the boy had listened to the bedlamic din for several moments. ‘‘ Not as rood as au opery; but it strikes the Injun ear ike the soug of angils. Just over them hills ar’ the red boys what eo ee Custer last summer. jt war the biggest fight vec ever had in these ' saddle if he had not commanded them to desist. parts. The blue-coats toed the scratch like men, an’ it war a pity to shoot ’em down as we did.” Gopher Gid started as the little pronoun that told so much fell upon his ears. ‘Were you there?” he asked. ‘Whether I war or not, I know all about Custer’s last fight,” was the reply. ‘ The In- juns call him Yellow Hair. es, I war thar! Vhat are you goin’ to do about it, my pee- wee?” The speaker was leaning toward the boy, and his bloated visage was thrust against him. ‘You dare not go down to Deadwood or Fort Sully and say that!” he said, returnin, the sav- age look with defiance. ‘* Hevn’t I been thar fifty times since?” ‘But not as a man who helped to butcher Custer and his men.” ‘** Mebbe not.” Timon Moss grew slightly pale. ** You'd tell on me if you war thar now?” he said. “That I would.” **Then you'll never tell.” Gopher Gid thought he would never forget the look which Timon Moss bestowed upon him as this ee dropped, syllable by syllable, from his _ Timon had added fresh repulsiveness to his name in the eyes of the rc ag tt As one who had assisted in the massacre of the gallant Custer and his troops he was to be hated the more, and from that hour Gopher Gid longed with new desire for the turning of the tables, by which he might have an opportunity of aveng- ing, even in part, the butchery on the Rosebu As the twain advanced the din from the un- seen village continued to salute their ears, and they reached the summit of one of the tumuli to behold a sight new to the eyes of one, old to those of the other. Apparently at their very feet la largest Indian villages of the West. rnd a where in the fading light of day could still distinguished the birchen wigwams. It was the home of some of the noted chiefs of the Sioux nation; and, as Tanglefoot had said, from this village the vanquishers of Custer had marched, and to it they had returned, ladened with the trophies of that historic little battle-field. ** Keep close to me, boy,” said Tanglefoot, as, with a quick jerk of the rein, he brought Gopher Gid’s mule close alongside. ‘‘ Take everythi in good-humor. Ef the Injuns rile you a little, don’t let o1. They’re not lookin’ fur me, on hossback.” The young trapper knew the meaning of his captor’s emphasis, and the real destination of the cargo of whisky which he helped to destroy was now cleared up. Tanglefoot and his captive entered the Indian town at a point which did not at that moment seem to be inhabited. But their arrival was soon made known by the mangy curs that fre- uent the savage villages, and as they advanced the number of dogs increased. Timon Moss ae his charge to a part of the village from which the bedlam seemed to rise, and almost suddenly they emerged upon the great square, where more than one famous sun-dance and act of cruel torture had taken one of the place. In the center of this square rose a pole about thirty feet in ma and from the top dangled innumerable buck-skin ropes, the other ends of which lay on the ground, giving them an ap- pearance of being nearly fifty feet in length. Hundreds of Indians of both sexes swarmed about this pole, whose use we shall presently witness. ot a white face was to be seen, and the boy trapper instinctively drew back when he first looked upon the sight. ‘¢ We’re the only white-skins hyar, unless—” Timon Moss paused, as if to allow his eyes to wander over the savage scene before them. ‘‘ Unless,” he finished, ‘‘ thar be painted faces what don’t belong to the reds.” His words caused a thrilling thought to flash through the little trapper’s brain. Perhaps Rube Rattler and Midnight Jack had reached the Sioux village in pursuit of the In- dians who had carried off the hunter’s sister. Did Timon Moss think of them when he quali- fied the sentence which he had just spoken But Gid was not permitted to debate the men- tal question, for their presence was soon espied, and they found themselves surrounded by scores of Indians, clad in wild paraphernalia for the brutal rites soon to begin. Wild shouts of pleasure welcomed Timon Moss back to the Indian town. Tawny arms instantly caught his nether limbs, and the over- joved Indians would have jerked him from the _—— Timon shook the Indians off, and addressed them in a tone which caused the drums to cease beating. He told them that the cargo of whisky intend- ed for them had been seized by a lot of whites and destroyed. In words that drew a smile to Gopher Gid’s lips, he declared that he had fought to the bitter end, only to be overpowered after slaying some of his assailants; that he had escaped even while the noose was dangling over his head. All this was received with shouts of triun.ph by the eager listeners, and when Timon turned his face upon Gid, the boy thought his time had come. “Tm not goin’ to give yer away,” his lips wae red. ‘Ye wouldn’t see the sun-dance ef Fe Mig Then he turned upon the Indians and waved his hand toward the captive. ‘The boy is Squattin’ B’ar’s!” he said. ‘‘ His skin is white; but the Sioux will respect it be- cause itis tied to the white chief’s. The fire- water is gone; but it will soon flow in the big village. har’s Red Cloud, Settin’ Sun, an’ the other chiefs?” ‘Red Cloud has gone to the forts to talk to the blue coats. Setting Sun is here.” The speaker who pushed his way through the crowd halted before Tanglefoot with the latter part of the sentence falling from his lips. Gopher Gid saw before him a magnificent- looking Indian, of middle age, whose feathers were numerous, and whose dark arms were en- circled by shining bands of copper. There was a manly, intelligent look in the Sioux’s eyes and his pose was one which an artist would have noticed with delight. This Indian was Setting Sun, one of the youn- gest as well as the bravest chiefs of the nation —a man who could tell in graphic language how Custer died. ‘‘ While our brother is away the one thousand lodges of the Sioux are under Setting Sun,” continued the chief, with the haughty dignity ofaking. ‘‘Squatting Bear and his little white friend have traveled long. Let them seek food and rest. The dancing square is not yet read for the sun-dance. For three days our people ve fasted; to-morrow the dance begins, and after that the greatfeast. Squatting Bear may eat, for he is our brother by adoption.” “Oh, ’m not hungry, but p’r’aps the boy is,” said Tanglefoot, with a glance at Gopher Gid who saw nothing but the stately figure of Setting Sun. ‘ But, what I want to know is if any white men have been in these parts late- ly?’ a, If Squatting Bear will go to Climb-the- Hill’s lodge, he will find two white scalps upon which the blood is still moist!” was the reply. Did Gopher Gid start and fix his eyes more steadfastly upon the chief? Did all color leave his face and a sigh well from his heart for the fate of Rube Rattler and Midnight Jack? ‘Killed ’em, eh?’ ejaculated Tanglefoot, with fiendish glee. . ‘They will stay forever in the country of the Sioux!” was the reply. **Climb-the-Hill bad sworn that he would take two scalps before he danced the sun-dance which is to-morrow. We are all here. Some of our brethren of the Arickarees are here, and two Teton Sioux came two sleeps ago from the north. Let Squatting Bear look! He can see the pole and the buffalo- hide ropes.” Tanglefoot turned to Gid. ‘‘Come, boy,” he said. ‘I’ve got a lodge hyar, an’ we'll satisfy the inner man. To-mor- row the fun begins.” The Indians at once perceived that the whisky- smuggler was on the ere of leaving, and be- gan fs make way. tting Sun stepped aside and said in an undertone: ‘‘Tf the boy is Squatting Bear’s friend, why does he tie his legs to the mule?” These words which fell upon Gopher Gid’s ears sent a thrill through every fiber, and the glance which the chief gave him made him for a moment wish to throw himself into the tawn arms, and find protection on the Sioux’s breast. But the next instant the crowd suddenly surg- ed against the animal which the boy bestrode, and he felt the pressure of fingers on his thigh. ‘So the old fellow caught you!” whispered a thrilling voice at thatimmortal moment. ‘‘ Keep up your courage! we’re all here—in the very jaws of death!” io 2 Gopher Gid’s heart seemed to still its throb- bings; he turned and cast a hasty leck at his side, but saw nothing save a se of red faces whose owners were crowding back to pet be- yond the heels of the mute. But be had not dreanicd; tLe cu. tling words COMIIGEDOOKS- EGO