Beadle's Half Dime Library, Vol. 1, No. 2 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

_ _—— ; come the mother of great and wise chiefs. Nee- | 9 paughwheese is— ‘A coyote that is very brave when he sees noth- ing but a rabbit, but who runs to his ‘hole, trembling with fear when the shadow of a brave crosses trail,” added a clear, distinct voice, contemptuously. Night-walker turned pene 4 features rendered still more hideous by the scowl of convulsed wees The “ acuta tha Ameo bled upon his was change one of surprise as he vena ihe bold intruder who had so auda- ciously concluded the speech he began. . . ee he uttered, flashing forth his atchet. ‘Save me, Eagle—save me from that fearful man!” gasped Ada, her new-born courage deserting her as she recognized the Indian chief. “Squaw have Eagle’s pledge—he save her,” was uiet reply. “She is my captive—what right have you to come between us!” haughtily-demanded Neepaughwheese. ‘“*She was mine first—you stole her away from where 1 placed her while I helped fight the pale- faces. My right is better than yours,” coolly re- plied Pethonista. “The Eagle is only a crow, and talks words that have no sense in them, Let him fly away to his own nest, or the Night-walker—"’ and the scarred chief shook his tomahawk significantly. ‘A squaw uses her tongue,” retorted Pethonista, drawing his knife and Pnging it at Ada’s feet. * Vow, is Night-walker afraid to meet a chief?’ © The giant chief sprung forward, and aimed a Seadie blow at the Eagle's head. The stroke was adroitl arried, swiftly returned, and then the rival chiefs stood foot to foot plying their weapons with marvelous skill and celerity. every side in showers, the clash of steel rung out loudly. It was a duel to the death, dimly lighted by the red glare of the tiny fire. And Ada, crouching close against the rock wall, breathlessly watched the issue that was to decide her fate. The stage was small for such a struggle, scarce ten feet in breadth, nearly square. Upon three sides a perpendicular face of rock, upon the other — othing save empty space, until, near one hundred yards below, the jagged bowlders that strewed the canon bed would welcome to certain death the one who should be forced or hurled over the escarpment. Suddenly Ada gave a cry of pain, and sunk down, rtially stunned. The hatchets had met with such orce that the Eagle’s weapon was torn from his grasp and hurled forcibly against the maiden’s head. Before Night-walker could fairly realize his ad- vantage, Pethonista closed with him, forcing him heavily against the wall. The shock caused Nee- ughwheese to drop his weapon, and striving to tear’ the sinewy hands away from throat, a fear- ful struggle for the mastery ensued. Though taller and heavier, Night-walker was neither so supple nor active as his antagonist, and the trial was more even than one at first glance would have believed. First one and then the other was forced back a pace, their limbs locked together, pak 9 muscle strained to its utmost tension. They fell heavily to the rock, tearing, mein, snarlin e maddened beasts, first one on top, then the other, They rolled over the heap of glowing embers, scarce hee the scorching pain, and then, still locked in tight em- brace, they staggered to their feet, only to fall again, with crushing force. The embers were scattered in every direction. Ada could just distinguish a writhi mass. She could not tell which was which, though she saw one form half-arise and with a killing exertion of strength hurl the other away into the darkness, A brief space—and then came a dull ‘hud from the canon below. And then the victor staggered to his feet, with a faint, breathless whoop of victory. A cry of terror and despair broke from the maid- en’s lips. She fancied she recognized the scarred chief's voice. Those few moments were full of bitter anguish for her. She could hear the heavy, labored breathing of the victor, and expected with each instant to feel his brutal grasp upon her person. But, instead, there | came the words: ‘No need be skeer any mo’. Night-walker he dead—Eagle keep his pledge. Squaw plenty safe now.”’ The maiden's brain whirled, and she bowed for- ward with a low sigh. Her strength, both of mind and body, had been sorely tasked during the past fif- teen hours. She had undergone enough to prostrate a strong man. There was a gradually widening gray light in the east, when she returned to consciousness. At first she could not realize what had occurred, but then, as Pethonista, bleeding from half a score wounds, rose before her, a glad cry broke from her lips. You will save me—you will restore me to my eh—wha e say, he do. Frien’s live yit, dough had big a Fight like debble—you’ frien’s ee Blackfeet,’’ and the chief’s brow darkened. ith tama Ada suppressed . cry of oy, ne lose no time in gaining the train. led Sat ‘tl aly arried th ge nally carrie em to easier trave Then the chief briefly told her how he ae follow Neepaughwheese through the night in time to rescue her. The trail was a a, and rough one, and twice the sage were forced to hide in order to escape seen by some of the scattered Blackfeet and once to make a wide delour that consum fully an hour. From a high , as he neared the a atone could see that it was guarded by In- _ that day, or else take the perilous t Yellowstone Jack. they must give upall hope of reaching her friends 4 e 4 7 er that wound along the right wall of the canon; that upon which e that | Sparks fell upon | | SSS | | | | | | | | | the way along a narrow, winding scores. I think we can ma . | being discovered; if not, then leave him to me,” said | | ; they stood when Maynard was shot. Ada besought him to take this oe was preferable to longer separation from her friends. And thus they crept along the narrow ledge. Along the face of the canon, at that hight, each footstep was one of peril, where one f step would doom the one taking it to a horrible death up- on the rocks below. Then the ledge widened. They proceeded more rapidly. Pethonista suddenly s ered back. A shrill yell burst from his lips. He flung aloft his arms and then disappeared over the escarpment, A sullen thud. , Ada sunk fainting to the ground, a rifle-crack ring- ing in her ears. CHAPTER XV. CAMPBELL COUNTS A COUP. YELLOWSTONE JACK and his comrades closely fol- lowed ee avenger’s advice, and when the war- cry of their dreaded enemy was recognized, so ably seconded, the savages broke and fled in hot haste. The trappers and ao were warmly greeted by the survivors of the fight. On counting heads, it was found that four emi- grants had been killed, nine more wounded, one mor- y. This heavy loss, together with the unknown fate of May and the two women, cast a gloom over all. During the night there had been a consultation be- tween John Warren, Campbell and the g ers. It decided their plans for the day. If possible, they were to leave the train and search for the missing ones, though there would be considerable danger of being icked off by some of the scattered Blackfeet. The lackfeet would never rest until they had avenged the death of their brethren. Though not stron enough to venture another attack, they would lur around the trail until they could be reinforced. Be- ond a doubt, some of their best runners were on he way for assistance. ‘**Whar’s Hoosier?’ suddenly asked Brindle Joe, as the party was about to start. ‘“ He ain’t hyar!’” “IT reckon he’s all right,’’ quietly replied Yellow- stone Jack. ‘‘Mebbe he's gone on ahead to see ef thar’s any snags in the way. It was in the gray of dawn. The woe ore thought it best to leave the corral undiscovered, if possible, and so set out early, at first gliding directly away from the point were the trail had been lost on the receding “og, A few hundred yards would carry hem to the broken ground, where they would have good cover to aid them in ing whatever spies the enemy might have upon the look-out. As both Campbell and Yellowstone were well ac- po vgpeae with the ground, little time was lost, every step leading in the right direction. Yet the sun was two hours high before they reached the mouth of the Wolf Pass, having done a great deal of cautious skulking in order to escape being seen by the In- a whom they discovered stationed at different ts points. “Iam puzzled,” frankly admitted Campbell, after a considerable time spent in trying to recover the lost trail. ‘‘I can’t see into it. Where can they have gone? I left them here, alive and well, with the worst of the storm over. It’s strange—very strange !”’ ** Strange thi is mighty apt to pg in these parts, stranger,’’ quietly observed ellowstone. ‘I've see’d stranger things ‘ithin the week. An’ that makes me think—yes, hyar ’tis. Mebbe you kin tell me what them crooked scratches mean,” and the scout produced the bit of white buck-skin that had been wrapped around the arrow sent over his head by the strange maiden of the be “It’s writing !"’ exclaimed John Warren, taking the skin. ‘“* What does it mean? It says: “* Your lives are in danger. The Blackfeet have found —— trail. To-night they will attack you. Your only ~~ is in instant flight. From one who wishes you we “Kin a sperrit write?’ abruptly demanded Jack. “That’s a question you can answer as well asI, But why do you ask?” demanded Warren, curiously. “*Nothin’—never mind. The gals fust, I reckon. I move we take a look down the kenyon.’ Warren turned pale as wees for he could not help but read the trapper’s thought. Indeed, it was pos- sible that the lost ones had been swept from the rock by the fearful tempest. And there seemed no other solution to the mystery. Had they left the spot by any other way, surely the keen-eyed scouts would have detected some signs of a trail. And there were none to be found. “Look yender!"' muttered Brindle Joe, after they had traversed something over a mile. “See that varmint, by the scrambly pine on the rock. I kin — *im from hyar,”’ and he handled his rifle eager- y. **Don’t be a fool, Joe; we don’t want the hull kit on our backs, when we get in the kenyon. Mustn’'t burn powder ef it kin be helped—mind that.”’ ** Yellowstone is right. é are not our own mas- ters now, until this matter is fairly settled. After that there will be time enough for paying off old e to by without Campbell. In single file the quartette glided along, taking advantage of every rook and bush to soreett them selves from the roving gaze of the savage hed upon the point of rocks. This maneuve con- sumed time, but it was finally successful, and then, when the look-out was safely passed, our friends in- creased their pace, and soon reached a point where they could descend into the canon. and after a little reflection he told Ada that ' At some distant age, this canon had evidently 13 been the channel of some powerful stream. The sides of rock were worn and eaten curiously, and some of the larger bowlders that thickly strewed the bed were worn smooth and round. Others had more re- cently fallen from the hights above, and were still rough and j There was a thin deposit of sand and earth along the bed, and this had, in places iven growth to shrubs, vines and even goodly-size rees. “We could play hide-an’-hunt-us hyar wi’ the hull Blackfoot tribe fer a month o’ Sundays!”’ observed Brindle Joe, curiously noting some of the coverts. ‘**Ontel they’d roast us out, youmean. This stuff ‘d burn like greasewood, in a fa’r breeze.” ‘A low exclamation from Campbell, who was a few yards in advance, interrupted the trapper. He was bending over a blood-stained rock that had barely dried. “Sign—and it came from up there,’ he slowly said, ee upward, where the bent and broken branches of the tree lent emphasis to his words. ‘“Cain’t be; thar’s no gittin’ *ithin half a mile o the edge up thar,”’ positively returned Jack. “Yes there is; i know a trail that would lead one right above us, though ’twould require strong nerves and a steady hand. And some one has tried it, af you see.” ‘*Must ’a’ bin the devil, then, fer no human critter could fall down frum thar an’ live a’ter. Yit hyar’s a trail, one a blind man could foller,” retorted Brindle Joe, pointing to a few drops of blood that his keen eye had discovered, leading away from the Spo t. Campbell and Yellowstone eagerly bent over the trail, and Warren waited for their verdict with beat- ing heart. Yet it did not seem possible that his lost ones could have reached this spot. ‘* We'll see where it leads, anyway. Brindle Joe, will you trail, or shall I?’ uttered Campbell. ‘You lead; we'll kiver you. Thar may be var- mints at t’other eend o’ this. Old man, you kinder keep ahind, so’s not to spile the trail. Now, stranger, spread y’urself.”’ But Campbell found little difficulty in following the trail. The blood-drops were never more than a yard apart, sometimes even closer, and a far less experi- enced eye than his would have sufficed for the task. ‘* Bleeds like a stuck pig!’ muttered Brindle Joe. ‘*Must be a healthy critter, to walk so fur an’ so stiddy, a’ter a tum’le like that,’’ added Yellowstone. The trail led on for over half a mile, then seemed to end all at once. The blood-drops were no longer to be seen, until Yellowstone pointed to aplace where the wall slanted abruptly down to the canon bed. His keen eye had detected a tiny blotch of blood. ‘** He’s in them bushes, I reckon,’ muttered Jack. His voice was abruptly drowned by a half-stifled shriek, coming from the point toward which their faces were turned. Then the words: “* Mercy—would you murder me ?” “It’s Maynard’s voice—I know it!” cried Warren, leaping up the rude steps and tearing aside the vine- wreathed bushes, revealing a dark cavity. ‘*‘A’ter ‘im; he'll git into a pizen scrape, the old fool!” gritted Jack, as he sprung forward. A strange scene 3 before them. The weird wo- man clutc a knife, bending over the feebly strug- gling emigrant. She had heard the cry of John arren, and turned her head in surprise. The emigrant sprung forward and wrested the weapon from her hand, hurling her with violence sation’ the rocks. She dropped in a heap, senseless. “Thank God! I owe you my life!” faintly uttered Maynard. | ‘*My child—Minnie—where is she?’’ cried the al- most-distracted father, staring wildly around, as though hoping to discover his lost ones hidden within the cave. ‘*God knows!” brokenly replied the young man. “They were with me when I was shot—then I fell down from the ledge we were upon. A strange man eo me, and brought me here. Then she came, an we ““Whar is he? Mebbe he kin tell us somethin’,” meget Yellowstone Jack, as Warren sunk to the oor At this moment a rifle-shot sounded from without, mingled with a shrill yell of mortal agony; and a moment later there came a dull, heavy, sickening thud upon the rocky bed of the canon, “Come out here, you fellows—I've made a and found a prize!” cried Campbell's voice, exul antly. As the trio emerged, they saw him bending over a horribly crushed and mangled corpse, coolly off the feathered scalp-] ‘A chief—see!”’ and he held up the eRe | SOB, while a fiendish ee storted his pale features. “A chief of the Blackfeet; and he was in nice business, too! You see the ledge above—it’s where the blue line of rock ends. He was upon tha with—now, old man, don’t go into a fit—she’s right, though she did fall back out of sight—I said he was with a woman—a white woman, You're ht, old man—'twas one of those we were looking for. The blacked-haired one.” A groan of agony burst from Warren's lips; but then he quickly brightened up. Though Campbell had seen only one, it was possible that Minnie was also there. At least Ada would be apt to know where she was to be found. “* Quick—we must rescue her—oh, hasten c , old man—thar’s the young feller an’ )"° the—”’ ‘“* Thar goes the witch!” elled Brindle Joe, point- ing along the canon bed. ‘ How'd she s PP us?” ‘You fellers kin see to the gal—I’m goin’ to ketch that witch,” gritted Yellowstone. ‘ Thar’s Chavez to pay for yit!” e darted away, closely followed by Brindle Joe. EOmicbooks (El)