Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 1036 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

18 The New York ts ee eee ae ee ——E — a ———ee ROR ees ene el aes hg an et em —— ee . seemed almost exhausted and despairing. It | the chill air with that wolf-bitten arm of yours was Ralph (it. Leger’s voice she was certain. | so late?” She was silent with the mingled feelings of hope | ‘I was scouting arouna your little Eden,” and terror. ' said Fred. ‘‘ Vida and I saw a number of In: “ Sviveen ” again repeated the voice, ‘itis dians around this evening.” T—Ralph St. Leger.” | _ Ralph started, and for a moment that terrible A cry burst from Sylveen’s lips. | fire of vengeance seemed kindling within his Tt was Ralph, and he was well and alive. The breast. Buta word from Vida broke the awful next moment. he had thrown himself into the spell. canoe, and, regardless of his plight, folded his ‘“ Yes, brother,” the sister said, ‘‘about dark sweetheart to his breast, and imprinted kisses of | we saw as Inany as a dozen Indians on the rove upon her tremulous lips. south side of the branch. But they made no Both were speechless with joy. Neither | hostile demonstration and soon retired. But thought of their last meeting and how they had supper is waiting you, brother.” parted. Love was all-powerful now. ‘Then let us egeert for I presume Sylveen When the first raptures of that meeting were | is as hungry as I,” said Raiph. over, each one expressed in words his and her The little company sat down and partook of Joy of that meeting. Then many questions were | the viands prepared by Vida, and it was not a ; meager supply, for the wildwood furnished ced and answered. The struggle under the | cliff Ralph thus explained: | not only game, but various kinds of delicious “T was concealed in the water, waiting for wild fruits. the two savages coming up the river. Suddenly After supper was over, Ralph said: I heard the dip of paddles coming down the ‘*‘T will go out and look around the place a | river, and when you, sweet Sylveen, ran your few minutes to see that we are in no danger.” | } ranoe close in shore, where I was concealed to He took his weapons, and having excused elude the savages, I knew it was you; and when | himself, left the cabin. the frog croaked so near by, I discovered it was | Sylveen now narrated to Vida and Fred the ® savage concealed under the Pak of your | story of her capture by the prairie pirates, the eanoe. I grappled with him, and—”’ attack of the Avengers, her escape, the recap- * Ah!” interrupted Sylveen, ‘‘ then it was you | ture of her friend, her own adventures upon who spoke the name of Death-Notch.” the river—in fact, everything that had trans- “Sh, dear Sylveen! I hear a footstep on | pired from the time of her capture up to that the shore!” exclaimed Ralph, in an undertone. moment. They relapsed into silence, but heard nothing | “ Was there a young Indian with those that more of the footstep. Ralph seized the paddle | attacked the robbers?” asked Fred, after he had and drove the canoe rapidly down the stream, , heard her story. At length he spoke of the many dangers to| “I think there was,” replied Sylveen. ‘‘ Tam which they were exposed, and then added: | almost Seren it is the same party of young “‘Sylveen, it is not far to my home. I will | men and boys that spent a few days at Stony take you there to-night, for ‘you are many miles | Cliff.” | from Stony Cliff. My dear little sister Vida | ‘‘They must be my friends!” exclaimed Fred; Px will be ever so glad to see you.” ‘‘and if they are, | hope they will happen this | ‘Your sister!” exclaimed Sylveen; “‘ then you | way; but if they do not, 1 will have to look are not alone?’ them up to-morrow.” ‘‘ No, dear Sylveen, but since you accused me “Oh?” pf being Pirate Pau!, I have been worse than The exclamation burst simultaneously from’ nlone—I have been miserabie.” | the lips of Vida and Sylveen, for at this junc- ‘Then you did not receive the letter I left in | ture a strange sound rushed athwart the dark- the old holiow tree?’ ness without—a sound that thrilled the trio with ‘* Letter? No, Sylveen, I found none there, | sudden alarm. though [ have looked in that tree a dozen times * What was it?’ passed from lip to lip; but no since We p last.” answer could be given. ““T put one there, Ralph, asking your forgive- Fred arose and going to the door, looked out. ness. Some one must have found it.” Ali was silent, nor could a living object be seen. ‘Then you have become convinced that Iam | He grew uncasy, but he did not permit a look or innocent of your charge?’ word to betray his thoughts or feelings. ‘Yes, Ralph, and I hardly deserve your for- | They talked on, but were guarded and silent. giveness. But { was misled. The young woman | The dark eyesof Vida looked trustingly and con- who ae me the ring you saw upon my finger | fidingly into those of her lover. glance that day said it would be a charm against prai- | spoke the language of love plainer than words rie pirates. Shesaid if any one evinced surprise | could have done, at sight of it, and made inquiries about it, as | The moments wore on. Ralph did not return, you know you did, Ralph, I could set him down | The door stood ajar and the least sound floated asa prairie pirate. And, as Scott Shirely had | in to their ears. teld me you were Pirate Paul, I thought Miss| An ominous sence had settled around the Wu gory s ring confirmed the ou FS place, but suddenly that strange sound broke “Scott Shirely accused me of being Pirate | upon their ears again—a sound like the flapping por Paul? The merciless villian! I am satisfied, | of great wings. | ; from letters I found directed to Pirate Paul red arose, and taking a rifle, went out into : giil written in cipher, that he is Pirate Paul | the yard. He could see nothing, and mdved iy mself.” ' out and around the cabin—continuing still out- ‘* Yes, he is, Ralph; this I know, for it was | h» whe carried Martha Gregory and I away, But why, Ralph, did you start so at sight of | Wat ring?” : “TS was my dear mother’s ring, and was taken from her by her murderers, the Indians, | ulse, both of the fair girls turned their eyes erred two years ago. I knew it at a a. | toward the curtained recess that Fred had occu- rom whom did your donor receive it, Syl | pies during bis iliness. Both were sure they ward until he had reached the woods. Vida and Sylveen sat alone, with wildly- throbbing hearts. Neither spoke; a silence as ominous as death settled around them. All at once, as if actuated by a single im- dark for Sylveen to see the expression of ven- | was an intuitive foreboding of some awful dau- zeance that swept over his face. | ger hanging over them, lt-struck them both as They talked on about Pirate Paul, Death- | a gust ot wind would have done. Notch, and upon other topics. Still they were : a? listened with their hands pressed upon happy and joyous, despite the dangers that sur- | their breasts to still their palpitating hearts. rounded them, | ‘They were not mistakén—there was something In the mean time Ralph worked Sigg at the | breathing behind that curtain! addle, and at length he turned from the river! Terror is an awful agony to suffer. It vo _ tnto the mouth of a smal! creck that was ren- blanches the cheeks, and causes the eyes to di dered black as Hades by the arcading foliage of | late, the lips to part and the Lreath to ‘the trees along either shore, | hard.» » > et After following the windings of this stream Thus appeared the maidens. ¥ sit with for some time, the canoe touched the shore, and | their eyes upon the curtain, unable to ery out, = ' Ralphsaid: . unable to move. ae Re _“* Weare at home, Sylveen.” _ - | They see something touch the curtain—some- se eee He assisted her ashore and conducted her | thing darts through it. It is the glittering blade ‘across the little glade toward his cabin. — of a long knife. Then they see a downward A sweet, musical voice hailed them as they | Sah Gomes © roached the door, It was Vida's voice, | eee ip n er greeting an en | pers) conducted Syivees into the cabin. The room aa _ ‘was lighted up with an oil lamp that burned er res on the table, where supper was waiting Ralphs | raturn. "The youth introduced. his little sister to his fair protege, and the maidens’ see no more. There isa rush of feet, Tho light roes out. They are in darkness, The door is mmed violently shut. They are prisoners. And then a yell, that seems to issue in chorus from a thousand throats, makes the night hide- ous as it echoes and re-echoes in demoniac shrieks through the dark, wooded aistes. wae Nas ae wean cer enip, Elunte Alp ot wh ro Gndleod! ve f f es catered their cabin and con tg Oe n Y gl it i ; ialit where, i : our of my braves e ° Be asia i= ecg were, into one channel of congenia y young priiunter 2 aa : *, 2 nalad themselyes [ce Subtiie Fox ont take the. Sei 275.2 = are Pearle eee tat helt the: beother eames CHAPTER SVU palo eqn fos bis slave, Red Mik wale ots. aS KoIN€ he made appearance THE 3’ COMPACT. : | Sng nah Sent. Tida’s riflo in hand. ap rib - Pirate Paul and his men would have | ‘Ab, you mean bustnoss, chief,” rep%md Pt- " “Ay, Isee you are much better, my you ed upon Vida St. Leger, enraptur- | rate Paul, ‘and by the time we can bury th | a.” eaid Ralph; “but why are you out her voi dead + Oe eee Library. ee eo t— reen?” ad detected the low, suppressed breaaame of iy, “From Scott Shirely, whom Martha Gregory | something, either human or beast, behind that = zay7s is her husband.” curtain. ay Dagky “4 There was a momentary silence, It was too They sat tr ixed with inmost horror. There | flash—a rent is cut in the curtain, and—they | +. a ee nee ie se _—— + ee tones of her harp, there is no telling, had thar not been suddenly startled by the repord, of fire. arms in the direction of the camp. armed they at once beat a hasty retreat, and reached carp to find it entirely deserted by all but three of their comrades, who lay dead upon the ground. Their surprise and indignation knew no bounds. Pirate Paul cursed himself for ever permitting so many of his men to leave the camp. He cursed the fair being whose sweet voice he had permitted to draw them away, and swore an oath of vengeance upon her. That the camp had been attacked by whites, there was not a doubt, for the three dead men were unscalped. But while they stood lament- ing, in oaths and execrations, over their misfor- tune, in loss of men and captives, a human figure emerged from the undergrowth and approached them, That he was human was all they could make of him, for he was incrusted in a layer of biack mud and dirt from head to foot. ‘“* What the devil is this? Who, or what are you?” asked Pirate Paul. ‘ “I’m Griff Morton, I am,” said the doleful igure, “Fiends. and furies! How came these men slain? How came rh in such a plight? Whe did it? Speak, Griff Morton.” The robber narrated the whole transaction— the attack of the Avengers, and his own adven- ture in the pool, though he turned the tables, and made himself the hero of that conflict. Pirate Paul ground his teeth and swore with rage—swore that he would wreak a bloody re -venge upon the agents of his loss. In the midst of his fury, an exclamation sud denly burst from the lips of one of his men. He had discovered a y of Indians appreaching them, and no sooner did Pirate Paul see them, than a shout of joy burst from his lips, that wag answered back by the savages. The latter were Sioux party under Red Elk, with whom Pirate Paul was on intimate terms of friendship. In a minute the two parties were together. The three dead pirates at once attracted Red Elk’s attention. ‘‘ Has Le Subtile Fox had trouble?’ he asked, ‘Yes; a pack of white hounds, calling them- selves Avengers, attacked my camp while most of my men were absent, and slew three of the guard, and escaped with two captive white agar, one of which I intended for you for a wife. “Tt is bad,” replied Red Elk; ‘the Avengers are cunning. Red Elk set a trap for therh, but they were like the wolves that scent danger, and stole away. Death-Notch, too, is in thé woeds.” ‘Seen him lately?” asked Pirate Paul. ‘But last night he arose from the heart of our camp-fire, as he arcse in the council-ledge on the night of the storm, when he fled on the horse of Le Subtile Fox.” “He is a terrible creature, chief; and these Avengers will soon be more terrible than he, ane must be hunted down and burved with e ’ ‘* Le Subtile Fox speaks the truth.” Aas let us to work, chief, Shall we go t gether? ‘What does the white chief say is best?” ‘*Can you bend two bows as as one?’ ‘‘ Red Elk is strong, but he can bend one bé easier than two.” “Then if we work together we'll be as two bows; we will be strong, and the enemy can not defeat us; but if we go separate, we'll be as on¢ bow—easy bent.” ea, “The white chief speaks the truth. Red Elk is willing to join hands with him ” Then from this moment let cur vengeance be- gin. The settlements must fall if we would reach the strong arm of our enemies.” “Le Subtile Fox should have bcen a reg chief. His brain is quick, .Hismind islong and reaches far ahead, he white man’s wigwa must fall; his horses be ridden away and his cat tle-slain: fhen he can not live as the red man does in the open woods, and by his rifle and bow.” “Then we can begin our work near here. But a short distance away Stands a little cabin that J never knéw was in existence till to-day. It must be the home of some old trapper. ere is a beautiful white rquaw there She would make Le Subtile Fox or Red Etk a nice wife.” ‘The white chief speaks truly. She is beau tiful as an angel.” “Then you have seen her?” “To-day my braves discovered their wigwam for the first time. A cunning pale-face lives there.” “Did you intend to destrey the cabin and capture the beautiful white girl?” ‘When night makes everything into sha- dows, then will we strike. 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