Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 1036 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

———_ —— ee ——s abwixt yer cap and brain. But I can tell ye What's in that bower: it’s weemin.” “ Well, what’s that to you?” < “Why, ye durned sap-headed scamp, ye stole m!’ ** You tell a—” The pirate did not finish the sentence, for the fist of Old Shadow was planted directly between zircle through the air. doubt possessed strength; but, with ail the grit of an old hound, he could regain his feet. The other robbers gathered around the com- batants to witness the certain annihilation of the impertinent old hunter; but they soon had a conflict of their own to prosecute. For the first blow from Old. Shadow was the signal for the Avengers to make their appearance. One discharge, however, of the Avengers’ firearms caused the robbers to flee with terror. They attempted to rally when they saw the number of the foe, but were so closely pressed that they were compelled to continue their flizht, leaving two or three of their number be- hind dead : The victorious Avengers did not pursue them fas. No time was to be lost, for they had seen th» robbers under Pirate Paul leave the camp a few minutes before, and knew not how. soon they would return, So they turned to assist Olid Shadow; but neither he nor his foe was to be seen! They saw at once, however, where the leaves and ground were tore upin a broad path ex- tending down a steep inclination that finall lorminated in a perpendicular embankment. e combatants must have rolled over this peers and had, in all probability, been dashed to tioms, The Avengers hurried to the edge of the pre- ‘ipice and gazed down for their old friend. the bottom was a pool of sta »ottom was a soft, oozy slus In the center of this his back, and astride of him sat Old Shadow, completely covered with mud, his cap off, and his hair straggling in muddy, draggled tresses. | down over his face and eyes, of blaek mud. 8 owly and re sound in the each blow. “Til smash beter mug for (whack) you,” oe gal-thief ye (whack), and yentleman arter (whack) this, too!” : ‘*See here—stranger,” the robber managed to _ Nlubber out, ‘‘ I—I wee y Old Shadow paused to ‘So, hol” he exclaimed, pizen big thief?” Pia “Tll admit you’re the best man, stranger, so please let me up, or 'll suffocate.” a ‘“‘That’s the right cackle, old. snoozy; sey on that way. Yecan’t say enny thing that'll tech ® tender spot quicker.” “Tf you're as hard all over as your cussed fist, you've no tender spot "bout you.” | k, came the old hunter’s fist in the rob- ber’s face; causing him to bellow and beg for our—pardon,” ain breath. “ye beg, do ye, ye QS ~s Then speak in a more perlite manner "bout my fist, ye vagabone ye.” , The robber, seei that no one came to his as- sistance, and that the hunter had the advantage. of him, was compelled to. submit to his terms | und as he begged manfully and politely, as Ol +a Shadow termed it, was per to raise his te | head out of the mud and water. Still the old unter maintained his seat upon his body, and - \eaning slightly forward, he laid the tips of his ‘index fingers together, and with one eye half losed, he said in a reproving tone: a ** Now then, you big gawk ye, I perpose et ye go, hide and ha’r, but, let me give yea jeetle advice, Go and repent, wash yer fac and keep yer nose clean; and if ever the devil or his angels tempt ye to steal anuther gal, or ~ talla gentleman a liar, think o’ this mud-puddle and yout truly, and then say, ‘Git_y fohin me, Satan,’ then go hum . ¥ oa ECL, : to your dad. Now, eRe __, temember this advice eas | Phe old hunter arose as he concluded his ad- | yee and permitted the robber to regain his feet, and slink away ng the shrubbery. _ ont i EN When he was out of ht Old Shadow waded 5 i SS gee fooks the pool, ascended the cliff and rejoined his friends, the most dolef t He _. saw at once that the youths were fairly con- -—-vulsed with suppressed laughter, and ‘coolly —*Vart if ye feel like it. Never let enny- on than | th eb ‘In medic ul Yes, Init ' her out, lads. know I'm ~ " a 2 Phen on sete O a, ‘ be a eee! The New York L his eyes, causing his heels to describe a semi- | The outlaw was a large, burly fellow, and no | of twice the old hunter’s | the latter grappled with his adversary before | en | spenta few days at Stony Cliff, A ludicrous and doleful sight met their view. | é The cliff was about twenty feet high, and at | about_through the woods,” replied Martha, ant water, whose | ’ ' »001 lay the robber on | The robber was struggling desperately, though | every movement he made served to settle his | body deeper and deeper in the water and mire. | larly as ‘‘clock-work” Old | Shadow’s bony fist arose and fell with a sodden | taken bearings by the last faint gleam of the j ee of the robber, while he gave | setting sun, but th vent to an ejaculation of vengeance between | your durned (whack) | e exclaimed, ‘‘ ye lopin’ | rendering the gloom within the forest almost ) Varn | hack) ye how to (whack) insult a (Whack) | and although the trees above them shut out its ee —— - -~ — o-oo _ —— — - — ——— ee | j not very prepossessin’ at present, but then, the mud ‘ll soon wear off.” 3 The young men could hold back no longer, and burst into a roar of laughter. But their joy was soon turned into disappointment, when | Omaha, who had gone to see after the captive | maidens, returned with the news that they were | not in the bower, nor could they be found any- | where about. | They had either fled with affright, or had been spirited away during the conflict. But, which- ever it was, our friends had no time for specu- lation over it, for at this instant they saw Pirate Paul and his men returning through the woods, | and not wishing to run the risk of an engage- _ ment with such a superior number of foes, they | beat a hasty retreat into the woods. | CHAPTER XXV. | A NIGHT OF TERRORS, | ~ ee — TeRROR-stricken, Sylveen Gray and Martha Gregory had fled from the bower the instant the Avengers had made their charge upon the robbers, going in a southward direction. Al- though their hands were bound, they soon gained the cover of the woods and then stopped. By placing their hands close together, they were enabled to untie their bonds. | They now hastened on, and not until the sha- _ dows of twilight had begun to gather around them did they halt to rest or consider the course they were following—whether it led to- ward new danger, or toward safety. .They at once found that they were entirely ignorant of their course, and felt certain that new dangers would beset their path during the | night, or before they could reach a place of security. ‘* Martha,” said Sylveen, ‘‘I fear we have not bettered our situation. Those that attacked the robbers were friends, undoubtediy. I think I recognized them as a party of young men who ; ‘ Tf we had taken a second thought we might have been saved of all this night’s wandering ‘but Twas so taken with the thoughtof escape that I-never considered the consequence of our haste. However, it may be best after all, for those that attacked the robbers may have been defeated.” “That's all very true, Martha, so let us hurry on and get as far as possible from here before darkness sets in... No telling what terrors this night may bring forth.: Death-Notch may be in these woods to-night.” | _ Théy hurried rapidly on. They might have ey were too greatly terrified to think of that. They thought only of pubaing distance between the pirates and themselves. The twilight soon deepened. into darkness impenetrable. But, the moon soon came up, rays from their path, the darkness became mitigated, and they were enabled to move on with less difficulty and fear. . But, already their minds were in a high state | of excitement, and at every sound they would ' start with fear, expecting to see, the next in- stant, the terrible Death-Notch appear before | them. This fear was agony itself, but there | was: no help for them now. They must breast itthrough, — They moved on, and at length emerged into a little opening where the moon’s rays fell full and unobstructed upon the earth. ieir path lay across this: e- They never pause, but press | out into the glade which they see is clear. -When half-way across it, hoof-strokes break fio their ears. They pause and look about e ! m with a mingled feeling of hope and fear. Forth from the shadows of the woods they see horse appear. It is riderless. But it is bridled, and moves not like a horse escaped from its ‘master. .Jtseems to obey the volition of some invisible power. Se It is moving atright angles with the fugitives’ ‘course. It pricks up its ears and shies slightly at sight of them. But it soon falls back into its | former course, as if reined there by that invisi- | ble rider. _ Me | An old borderman would. have icioned | something wrong about that horse, but not so with the maidens. Se -**Tt is one of the robbers’ horses, is it not, Syl- veen?”’ asked Martha. _“Tt looks like one of them—the one you rode, Martha,” replied Sylveen. “T believe I will ‘try and catch it. It has broke away from the robbers, and by obtaining ssession of it, we can ride by turns and lessen the labor of our journey spe | So saying, she advanced with outstretched hand, calling kindly to the animal. It turned head slightly toward her and moved on. Mar- tha stepped briskly to intercept it, and when she came within régeh. of him, she put out her hands and seized the reins: but at this instant her right ion was disputed—a rider ed on asif by magic. It was on , brary, —_— —— -—— | Vol. i. ~_- we ee a eee ee 5 ee placing her rudely across the withers of his mis galloped away into the shadows of the Woods, Sylveen realized her lonely situation, and with a shriek of terror she fled across the opening and plunged into the illimitable darkness. Poor girl! her situation was terrib!e now, Au agonizing sense of her loneliness was now added to her fears and terrors, and a feeling of de spondency came over her. But with light foot — and heavy heart she hurried on. uddenly there was a broad, bright flash be- fore her. She stopped. Her further progress wasarrested, At her feet rolled the silent waters of the Sioux river. Half despairing, the maiden sunk down and covering her face with her hands, gave way to a paraxyan of grief. What should she do? What could she do toward getting out of that interminable wilderness? Then she endeavored to think. She recalled the fact of Stony Cliff being situated upon the river. A ray of hope was kindled within her breast when she thought that by following the ~ course of the stream, she would reach the vil- lage. She arose to her feet. She gazed up and down the river to see which way it was flowing. Then a clond of bitter disappointment came over her. She knew not whether she was below the village or above it! Then, something lying at the edge of the wa- ter attracted her attention. It was an empty canoe. She walked down the bank and entered it. She was tired out with walking and conclu- ded to risk herself in the canoe and journey down the river. Taking up the paddle she headed the craft in the proper course and began her journey, keep- ing close within the shadows of the east shore, She plied the paddle vigorously and with no little skill. The little craft went skimming over the water with great rapidity, yet for its size it seemed to draw considerable water, and dip slightly at one end. The heart of the fair girl began to take cour- age. She felt almost certain she was travelin in the right direction to reach the village, an with this hopeful assurance of a speedy escape, she pressed on. But, suddenly, there came to her ears, the di of paddies. She ceased paddling and listened. True enough, a canoe was ascending #e river. She leaned forward and endeavored to see through the gloom, but, all along the shore it was black as chaos. But out in thé center of the river where the moon’s rays fell unobstructed, there was a narrow belt of light, and within this she saw a canoe, with two oceupants, coming up the river. They were Indians. This she could easily seé by the plumes in their -heads. They were sitting in the attitude of intense list- ening, and from this Sylveen judged they had heard the dip of her paddle, With great presence of mind, the maiden ran her canoe close in shore where the darkness was intense, yet near where a single patch of moon- light, two or three feet in diameter, fell upon the water so bright that all the moon’s rays seemed brought to a focus there. Sylveen could still see the savages. They were moving slowly up the stream, still listen- ing as if in doubt. She felt im hopes they would pass on, But they did not. elr savage curi- osity was arrested and it would have to be satis- fied ere they continued their journey. Suddenly the hoarse croak of a frog was heard, almost under the very prom of her canoe. There was something so shrill and rasping in its notes. that it caused her to start violently. . Then she heard a quick flounder, a splash in the water, a low gasp, a dull, sodden blow. She™ felt her canoe rocked by the waves and intently into the gloom to see what produced those waves. A dull, phosphorescent gleam showed her two forms engaged in a silent death- struggle at the very prow of her canoe. What were they? Were they human? Surely they were. She could hear dull blows, a wheezing and gasps. — _. Beasts did not struggle thus—so silently, se deadly. Sylveen was paralyzed with terror, She sat motionless and ned to the silent eine oe gle. At last her terrible thoughts found invo unt expression in the words: “Oh, who is it? who is it?” ‘* Death-Notch!” The answer came in gasps—like that of a strangling being who had tried to raise his voice. to a warning shriek. It paralyzed Sylveen with terror. She could not move a muscle. She sat like one in a trance, a graven image. . ; The struggling, however, soon ceased and alk became as ominously silent as though the spot had never been called into creation. Then the silence was broken by the dip of paddies. She turned her head and saw the canoe with the savages coming directly toward . her. Escape from them, or the terrible young Scalp-Hunter, seemed impossible, There was no avenue of escape open to her. The river- atte s ef | ae ei a a, g oe > “ ‘ ; at fe a «J . 4 ts wo” , bank was high and shelving. Pe: Fame: Driven woes to desperation, she decided to Bai ,| throw herself benesth the waves, rather than > et = pane reels te Ae eS pee DR ce Dy gs ge ES == comicbooks.com