Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 1036 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

s ¥ a inp, _— wi tre rh iy fs . ¥ t,G “ ,' \'» “a ( i: BENS Pe ; oe —S— ooo hard of her lover. He pressed it gently, then raised it to his lips. The ring caught his eyo. He gazed at it fora moment, then an exclamation of. surprise burst from his Eps. ’ “Sylveen,” he asked, ‘‘ where did you get that ring? It’s hers—my darling, sainted—” He did not finish the sentence. Sylveen tore herself from his embrace, and while her face w livid with scorn and indignation, a cry 7 tcame from a broken heart welled to her 8, ss Sylveen! Sylveen!” the youth cried, “‘ what the meaning of all this?’ Ralph St. Leger!” she almost shrieked, ‘vou have deceived me! You are a robber—a prairie pirate—you are Pirate Paul himself!” ‘¢Sviveen, stay! One word, I implore you! yl veen! Sylveen!” But Sylveen was deaf to his entreaties. With a cry that deepened into a sob of anguish, she farned and fled toward the village. *‘ My God, what is the meaning of all this# axclaimed Ralph St. Leger, in agony of heart. *§ Some one is deceiving Sylveen, or else Heaven hias forsaken me! Sylveen, oh, my darling Syl- veen! this mistake shall be rectified! I swear this! And I dare the vengeance of Stony Cliff itself; and my enemies, whoever they are, shall wiffer for this!” He jerked his rifle to his shoulder, turned and strode away into the woods at a rapid pace. But scarcely was he lost from view in the depths of the undergrowth when the lithe figure of an Indian glided from a clump of bushes hard by, and stole away directly on the trail of the young hunter, CHAPTER XV. RED ELK ON THE WAR-PATH, Tu wildest excitement prevailed within the sere village when if. became known that th-Notch had been in their midst—in their council-lodge; had stricken down one of their leaders, and then fled on the horse of Le Subtile ¥ a ees The body of the young chief, Red. Antelope, whom those in the council-lodge supposed the terriblo Death-Notch to be, was soon brought in. He was scalpless, and bore the death-notch of his slayer. The fury of the savage band became great. They surged to and fre like maddened beasts. They uttered their fearful war-cries and grap- pled with imaginary foes. It was some time before Inkpaducah could restore order and assemble his chiefs in council again. When he did, however, Le Subtile Fox was still among them, feeling thankful that -Death-Notch had let him off with no further loss than that of his horse. The old chief addressed the council with all the eloquence of which he was master. He rtrayed in vivid colors the destruction that Death. otch was visiting upon his people. He invoked their immediate vengeance, His hearers responded in cries that asserted gheir readiness for action. Le Subtile Fox also addressed the assembly in p few pointed remarks that seemed to have more influence upon the savages than the chief’s speech. This was prose ‘because the chief had stuck to the truth, while the wily renegade had soared away into eloquent falsehoods, so veadily devoured by the Indian warriors. Le Subtile Fox remained at the village until he had accomplished his mission, and learned the course the Indians intended to pursue; then we took his departure from the place. The night wore away, and on the following = gorning several war-parties were dispatched in directions to assist the party already absent guder =i a in the search for the terrible Death-Notch. : But before night one of the parties returned vith the remnant of the young chief's party, gnd the body of the young chief himseif. From the lips of the warriors the Indians ee learned of the conflict atthe deserted hut where ion of Le Subtile Fox’s story.of a new foe, calling theniselves the Hight Avengers, _ being in the country. And terrible foes they threatened to be, for the affair at the deserted -hut was their first blow, and Sleepy-Eyes their victim. . ‘War, war to the knife!..Vengeance! ven- ce!” were the cries that passed from lip to tin of the savage foe; and the following morning a a dozen different parties were sent forth in every direction. One unJer the daring chief, Red Els, was sent go = ten toward aor 4 Cliff to intercept the Lig vengers, if possible. ‘His warriors numbered about a score, and were the flower of the tribe in point of bravery and physical strength. They were painted and plumed, until they appeared hideous, and were > Ona s \ armed with the best weapons in all the tribe. These men took their de Les pei asi pi ee eae after journeying oug orest until the e; came Ms the river, they changed their direction and followed the course of the stream ‘@ rapid pace they pushed on, and the day oi. a = — _ eA "25 , = ,. om : » ee be <a . Se ee i 7 - = was half me when they observed iat = we sear a y we - iaceceaa | | = AR ae — ~ © Ze oa~ et <.. - —— = A xy - Se os = J Sidliedl ad - ee | _ ol _— ~ =<. = a sleepy-Eyes was slain. They also received a’ vonfirma , — 3 » As - ~ > * - : s ra —— — Ee ee NE LK eath-Notch, the Destroyer. we eee ——- -_—_— eee ei il ——_ mr rg me ee ee aa ———E—EE was a scout who had. been sent out from the | here, then Omaha will give up that heis a better town a day or two previous. Red Elk’s party at once made their presence known, and soon the scout was in their midst. ‘‘ What news does Creeping-Vine bring from the camp of our enemies? asked Red Elk. ‘The pale-face ‘enemies are abroad. They | are called Avengers, and are led by a dog of | an Omaha. Death-Notch still prowls through the woods for the scalps of the Dacotah and Sioux.” ‘‘ Has Creeping-Vine seen the pale-faces under the Omaha?’ ‘He has; and has heard them talk. He lay hid under some old leaves when they broke camp. They are now searching for a friend whom they bogs on the night of the storm. They fear Death-Notch struck their friend down.” ‘Then Death-Notch strikes down the pale-’ faces, too?” ae Yes. 9 ‘‘ Where now are those calling themselves The Eight Avengers?” ‘On the march. To-night they will encamp | on the Hlunter’s Island, below Eagle Rock.” ‘‘ How does Creeping-Vine know this?” ‘*'The pale-face ve out his plans and marks out his ,course before he starts. I heard the Avengers say where they would encamp to- night, before they left their camp this morning.” “Then,” said Red Elk, a glow of triumph beaming from his small, evil eyes, ‘‘ before another sun rises, the scalp of the Avengers shall hang at the girdle of Red Elk and his war- xiors. We will entrap them, as the pale-faces entrap the beaver.” 2 When the wily chief had thus expressed him- self, he moved on down the stream toward Hun- ter’s Island, followed by his warriors. CHAPTER XVI. OLD SHADOW, Just at daybreak a little party of seven per- sons broke camp in the forest south of Stony Cliff, and headed their way up the Sioux river. It was the Spirit Lake Avengers, now led by the friendly Omaha. Those wounded at the de- serted hut had so far recovered as to be able to set forward on their journey again. They had been kindly treated while at Stony Cliff, and had received urgent invitations to remain; but the unknown fate of Fred Travis proved a keen spur to their anxiety and impatience, and they at once set out in search of him. They had already hunted the forest through in the vicinity of the deserted hut, and as they could find no trace of him, they tho he might have been taken captive by the ians and carried away to their village. If so, they hoped to be in time to save him, e Omaha being well acquainted with the topography of the country through which they were journeying, they moved with expedition. t a distance of a good day’s travel from where they broke camp, there was an island in the river, which they aimed to reach ere sunset. But in this they were disappointed. It was. dark when a point opposite the island was reached. And now they met with another ob- stacle between them and the island. For the want of a canoe some hours would be consumed in constructing araft. But it was. their only recourse. stanley along the bank for drif logs, they were so fortunate as to find a raft, already constructed, lying lodged against the river bank. : It showed signs of having been recently made! number of old, dry logs had been placed par- allel with each other, and in this manner lashed together with green barks and withes. The logs were very large—some of them three feet in diameter. Half of this thickness was submerged in the water. At first, Omaha thought there might be some- thing tricky about the raft, but a careful exam- ination set aside all his fears. As the raft was not made fast, they supposed it had been floated there by the late floodfrom some point above. _ Boarding the rude affair, the Avengers towed if out into the middle of the river, then per- ee Brop down, ie rest ag cee gs — rent, ag the upper side of the where it could not be drifted aw Ys | The island was a small tract of-sandy soil, covered with a dense growth of willows. It was clevated several feet above the highest water mark. In the center was a bare spot of sand, and inthe center of this was a wide, flat stone. covered with the ashes of a recent camp-fire. The island was a favorite camping-place of the hunter, trapper, Indian, or, whoever hap- pened to be JOUEDe TESS these parts, on account of the natural advantages offered as a_protec- tion against the sudden surprise of an enemy; and, at the date of our story, it was known as Hunter’s id. As the Avengers did not deem it safe to strike a fire, they ate their supper from the remnants of Lay morning meal. When the repast was 2 ar maha made a careful circuit of the “You think, then, an enemy could not sur- ———L— . 7 - , Hoy : ue . ; PT 0; if an Indian, or any one can got « Sege i ae , 7 ee < Li - 4 = i" » we i “Ip . e 7 < popes = es Sie <> SS os = eee tS a= S A ~~ deh, ae is = _ 2 dey ~ a = ~ ec : r- scout, and— ‘Then, laddy, I guess yell have to knock under to yer granddaddy.’ The Avengers started to their feet, with sud- | den surprise and blank astonishinent written upon their faces. The last voice was that of a stranger who had appeared in their midst as — y as though he had been dropped from the clouds. He wasa tall, lean, lank individual, of, per- haps, some forty years of age, dressed in a sult of greasy buck-skin. Hishead was surmounted by a eoon-skin cap, from which the hair was worn off, and which appeared like a bald poll. His face was angular and cadaverous; his nose prominent and slightly Roman, and his pray eyes small, yet glittering like two coals of fire beneath their shaggy brows. His free, careless and reckless air was suggestive of one of the old type of brave, jovial old trappers of the Nor’west. He carried a fine-looking rifle, a side toma- hawk, a knife and a brace of pistols, and as he appeared before the band of Avengers, he dropped the butt of his rifle to the ground, and, clasping his hands over the muzzle, an easy, reclining attitude. For a moment our young friends gazed upon this odd specimen of humanity in silent wonder) and before either of them could speak, he asked: = ** Arn’t I a stumner, though?’ Sore ‘‘T must admit you are,” replied Amos Mere- dith, confusedly; but who are you, anyhow?” ‘‘ Wal, I can’t say for surtain, as to that,” re- lied the stranger, with a comical smile; *‘ but guess I’m a rantankerous ole cuss that’s been rippin’ over this little patch o’ yearth called Nor’ America for somethin’ nigh on to forty- five years. I’m a lad oO’ leisure and pleasure: hunt a little, trap a little, and spice the hull now and then with an Ingin skulp. I’ve no weemin-folks to cry arte: me—oh no—nor wash me duds. I generally wear a suit till they git dirty; then I throw myself into the river and flaummix erbout awhile, and come out clean ag a new-polished rifle. But, as ay me, If we should continoo to sojourn toge real m¢ enny thing, so ye call me in time for a leg o’ turkey or a hump o’ venison. Over or the Platte they called me Lanky Joe; down on the ~ Big Muddy” they called me r-Eyes and Rattlepate: and up on the Republican Fork they call me Ole Shader,” “A very suggestive name, considering not only your anatomy, but the silence with which you appeared among us,” said Frank Harriott, ‘‘And faith, ould feller, let mees ax if there are enuff ave yees to make a shader?” said Phe . lix O’Ray. , | “Wal, now, youngster with the boggy tongue, do ye s’pose yer gotn to have a laug at my nse? If so, all hun I like sport like a tortle does e, and I know you're a jolly set. But I’m just such an old scalp-pole as nature made me, and it’s durned doubtful whether I'd make a shader, or even a grease- spot, if I was rubbed out, But I’m wiry as an ole black-snake; and what Ole Shader’s eyes can’t see ain’t wuth lookin’ arter.” As he spoke, the old hunter glanced warily toward the upper side of the island quite fre- quently, This eros uneasiness did not escape the notice of the young men, and, despite his oddity and boisterous voice, they a hended that all was not right. But tare either of them could make any remark or in- quiry, the old fellow’s tongue set off gain: : ‘“*T reckon as what ye young cubs kPma noisy ole rattlepate; but, the fact o’ ’t is, iffs second nature to me to keep blabbin’ and clat- terin’ away like an ole woman or a blue jay. But, then, thar’s policy in tongue-talk some- times. ‘Specially in the present case.” ‘What do you mean?’ asked yo Mere- — dith. ‘‘I see there is an undercurrent in your conversation.” ‘* Wal, now, that’s what I’ve been drivin’ at,” said Old Shadow; ‘and now "—and his voice fell almost to a whisper—‘‘if ye lads don’t want to lose yer scalps, ye’ve got to git out o’ this quick as wink yer eye.” The Avengers started. , ‘‘Are there Indians about?’ one of them “Bet yer hair ont. So close that one big leap wil bring twenty tomahawks onto yer a You're surely jesting!” exclaimed Dick Carter. “Not a bit o’ it. But ye can do as ye lease, boys; but Ole leaves teat g oo hot ’round here fur me—too much brim: stone.” : <a “T can’t see where a foe could concealed so close to us,” said ote. ‘But if there are Indians about, we had better take to the raft and go ashore.” oe _ “Thar’s no need o’ packin’