Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 1036 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

a | EL TD Dae A Oe the top of the bluff and there found themselves within the outskirts of Stony Cliff. The cabins were scattered over several acres of the bluffs, the forest forming the eastern and southern boundaries, and being located in a bold curve of the river, it formed the other two limits of the settlement. Sylveen went home, and after she had thought and cried over what Scott Shirely had told her of her lover, she composed herself and went over to see her new neighbors, the Gregorys. She found Miss Martha Gregory an agreeable and amiable young lady of some twenty sum- mers. She was very pretty, with large, mourn- ful eyes, which a great portion of the time were concealed by a pair of green goggles worn on account of the weakness of her eyes contracted from a late spell of sickness. Her face was a little thin and pale, yet bore ample traces of its natural beauty. Sylveen at once became struck with her lady-like appear- ance and gentle and affable manners. She spent most of the afternoon with Miss Gregory, and became so impressed with her in every respect, that, before she went home she had made a con- fidant of her. and told her all about her own . troubles of that day. Miss Martha expressed great — at Syl- veen’s story, and did all she could to assuage her sadness of heart. They talked on for some time, when Martha finally asked: “: o told you, of Babe that Ralph St. Leger is the notorious Pirate Paul?” *' Mr. Scott Shirely, the fur-agent. Probably you have met him.” ~~ — — -_—---—- — *~ ‘Oh, yes. Heis the handsome young fellow with the killing black mustache and red plume!” “The same,” ‘Oh, I dare say all the youn dead in love with him yet,” and merrily. Despite her sadness of heart, Sylveen laughed too, and admitted to herself that Martha was just such a girl as would make all happy around er. ‘“T have heard, Sylveen,” continued Martha, ‘‘since we came here that your uncle had chosen Mr. Shirely asa husband for you. Is it the case?” “It is, Miss Gregory.” * And is there no way of averting your uncle’s will, in this matter?” “None now, Martha, unless it is proven that Ralph St. Leger is not Pirate Paul. Uncle Abel is a very obstinate and selfish man, and | think he is actuated in this matter by cupidity, for he has intimated to me that Shirely is a wealthy man—heir to a large fortune in Montreal.” Miss Gregory uttered a little cry of surprise, and Sylveen noticed the color come and go in her face, and saw her compress her lips as if to keep back an outburst of emotion. It was sev- eral moments before she spoke, then her voice was lower and more earnest in its tones. ‘*Sylveen,” she said, I must admit that I am pf curious person; and now I am going to make a confidant of you, and it will be all for your ewn good. Our coming here is not without a 6 . My name is not Martha Gregory, t [have assumed that name because it is the name of the femily [live with. Like yourself, I am an orphan, and I have been wronged as ethers are now trying to wrong you. But, I will prevent them; but you must know me only as the daughter of Peter Gregory. I can thwart any project your uncle may put on foot for your marriage with any one to whom you are Opposed. Remember that. I will also tell you, Sylveen, that Stony Cliff and half of its men areat my mercy, though they know if not. And here,” she continued, taking Sylveen’s hand in hers, and slipping a beautiful and curi- ous wrought gold ring upon her finger—‘ I give you a ring which will be a charm against prairie pirates.” Sylveen seemed not a little puzzled by her words. “It is true, Sylveen, however absurd it may sound to you Whenever any person sees that ing and starts and stares at it as one would at a ghost, mark my words, he is a prairie pirate! If he should inquire where you got the ring, tell him it was a present from a friend. But do not, IT implore you, tell him you received it of Martha regory, nor repeat one word of which I have told you.’ Though she was strangely impressed by Miss yory’s words, Sylveen promised that she would not hint one word of what she had told her. But no sooner had Martha told her that the ring was a charm against prairie robbers than she became sorely ‘mpatient to try its re- girls will be artha laughed puted magic wer upon Ralph St. Leger, whom Scott Shirely anedy teal was the noto- rious Pirate Paul. CHAPTER V. DEATH IN THE COUNCIL LODGE. DrzpP ae ter g tegen yn pee com uffs pe a gee “ oF the notorious old ’ Sioux ehief, Inkpadu whom history has given a record that ranks with the bl of savage ehieftains. | + eS eee (rr ETT EET EE $e From Springfield to Okibogi and Spirit lakes, | strong in the council,” Inkpaducah’s minions under Young Sleepy Eyes laid waste life and property indiscriminately. | But when the neighboring settlements and mili- tary authorities pressed forward to chastise the barbarous foe, ev fled from their old haunts and sought safety within the fastnesses of the woods and hills bordering the Sioux river, where we now find them, and where they re- mained until their final retreat beyond the Mis- sour. The Indian village was some fifteen miles from Stony Cliff, and although the Indians and Vol. I, “Let Le Subtile Fox speak. His voice is “Well, a band of eight persons, young men, strong and brave, and calling themselves The Spirit Lake Avengers, are in the woods. They come to avenge the death of their friends slain by you at Olibogi end Spirit lakes. Omaha, the white man’s friend, is with them!” The brow of the chief became clouded, and his eyes flashed with a revengeful fire, while a low exclamation escaped the lips of his com- panions, and their breasts heaved with emo- | tions of revenge. whites were on hostile terms, the former had | never molested the settlers. had made many demonstrations of a threat- ening character, and consequently kept the whites in a constant state of uneasiness. Toward the Indian village, through a storm that was raging, a solitary horseman was riding at a furious speed. It was night, black anc gloomy, rendered doubly so by the deep sha- dows of the forest through whieh lay his course. Now and then the lightning shot in vivid flashes down through the tree-tops and lit up his grim, bearded face. Still, however, they | ‘Let the young Omaha sing his death-song,” the old chief at last broke forth; ‘‘ the blood of a hundred cf his friends reddened the snows of last winter, and their scalps are drying in the lodge of the Sioux. Sleepy Eyes, with a score of picked warriors, are upon the trail of Death- Notch. They will meet the Omaha and his _white friends in the forest, and when they re- turn they may bring the scalps of these Aveng- He was wrapped in the folds of a water-proof | blanket, and wore a broad brimmed hat that | head chief, turning upon the savage with an in- was slouched to his shoulders. His hands and arms were drawn securely ap under his blanket, giving the animal the reins and permitting it to take its own course, which it did to his rider’s satisfaction. This was evidence of itself that the horse was | dignant scowl. well accustomed to the path it was following, .| a! _ did so, advanced to the center of the lodge, and and surely that bearded stranger’s mission must have been of great importance, or why would we have ventured out upon such a wild, stormy night as this? n he galloped, now looming up like a Colos- sus into the lightning’s glare, now fading away, as it were, into the blinding darkness that fol- | lowed. Butas he continued on, lights in the Indian village burst upon his view. joy passed over his grim, bearded face. spurred on. A savage picket challenged him. e never slacked his pace, but gave a low whistie by which he was known, and galloped on, straight into the. Indian town, following its crooked streets with the same. familiarity with which he had traversed the forest. Finaliy he drew rein before a large conical structure, whose ae and central position told him it was the Council Lodge of the tribe. Dismounting, he hitched his foaming, panting horse to a stake hard by, and strode up to the door of the lodge. whistle, then. the flap-door was raised, and he was admitted into the lodge. There were two persons in the lodge, Inkpa- ducah and a fellow chief. The latter held a glowing torch in his hand that lit up the lodge. The white man threw aside his dripping hat and blanket, and took a seat facing the central lodge-pole. | | A smile of | He | | Here he uttered a low ‘The gods frown angrily to-night, my red | | struggled and grappled with chiefs, thinking friends,” he said, in the dialect of the Sioux. ‘‘ Le Subtile Fox, the Great Spirit is angry,” replied Inkpaducah, speaking in the figurative language so characteristic of the Indian orator. ers as well as that of .the terrible Death- Notch.” ‘‘Ugh !” ejaculated one of the savages in the circle of forms. It was red Antelope, who still kept his face concealed with his blanket. ‘* Why does Red Antelope grunt?’ asked the ‘‘Does he feel envious of the fame of young Sleepy Eyes? «vr does he doubt the rope of Inkpaducah? Let Red Antelope speak.” The chief addressed arose to his feet, and drawing his blanket closer over his face as he putting out his tomahawk, struck the central pole twice with the keen edge of the weapon, cutting a deep notch in the stake. ‘*Ah!” exclaimed Inkpaducah, indignantly; “Red Antelope answers my questions by cut- ting the totem of Death-Notch upon the central pole, Is he a coward—a weak squaw? Does he fear Death-Notch? Let him speak.” ‘‘Inkpaducah,” said the shrouded Red-Ante- lope, in a tone that caused the counselors to start, ‘‘ you and your warriors are a set of fools. Red Antelope lies dead on the outskirts of your village by the hands of Death-Noteh. The de- stroyer is at hand. He is even here in your council-lodge ! Behold hlm !”. cried the sup- posed warrior, flinging aside his blanket; ‘J am Death-Notch !” A cry of terror pealed from the lips of the savage chieftains, and they started to their feet, But, at the same instant, they found themselve in blinding darkness. The supposed Red Antelope, dashing to thé earth the torch that lit u the lodge, instantly threw his thick, water-soaked blanket over it. Then arose a fearful yell, followed by direful confusion—a terrible struggle in the dark, Dull, sodden blows were heard, mingled with the crack, crack cf a revolver, cries of agony, and | shouts of triumph, In the midst of the conflict, where chiefs that each was their detested foe Death-Notch, a figure glided from the council-lodge, and leapin onto the back of Le Subtile Fox’s horse, dashec ‘‘ He speaks in tones of thunder, and hurls his | pe lances of fire down upon the earth. He knows that death is in the forest, and has puta cloud over the brow of the heavens, and causes it to shed tears upon thé earth, to wash out the stains of blood, and hide the trail] of the Sioux away through the village, night and storm inte the almost impenetrable darkness of the woods. The village was aroused. The cries of the chiefs sounded high above the roar of the rain -and the rumble of the thunder. from the eyes of Death-Notch, the Young Scalp- | Hunter.” Before Le Subtile Fox could reply, the door was opened and a chief, wrapped in a blanket to ee te him from the driving rain, entered the odge and took his seat in the circle. He was soon followed by another and another, until the circle was almost full. As the rain was de- scending in torrents, each one came wrapped in his blanket, which was thrown hood-like over his head to protect his paint and feathered head-gear. Some of them, on taking their seats, did not remove their blankets, and cou? only be disitnguished by each one’s totem, which was wrought in bright colors upon his blanket. Inkpaducah glanced over the party assembled and said; 7 “My young chiefs are all in but one, Red Antelope is still absent. But he will come soon —ugh, he is here now.” Red Antelope entered the lodge, enveloped from head to foot in his long, gray blanket. ‘The council is full,” said Inkpaducah; ‘‘ let any one speak who has anything to say.” “Then I will ask you,” said the renegade Le Subtile Fox, who, it was easy to see, wore a mask of false whiskers, ‘if Death-Notch has been in your camp again?” ‘‘No; he dare not come within our village. But he prowls through the woods and strikes my braves down when they go alone to shoot the deer. Gowhere you will, his terrible death- notch may be seen ee the trees of the forest. And to-day comes the wail of another of my warriors whose check bears the totem of the Young Scalp-Hunter.” ‘* Death-Notch is a terrible creature,” said the white renegade; ‘ but let the chief prepare, for another enemy is approaching. Forth from their tents the warriors camé pouring to the council-lodge.,-Then ms learned | that. Death-Notch had been in their village, and | had occupied a seat in their council. Upon the central pole was pointed out his totem, the deathnotch, whieh he had cut with his own hand before their own eyes. A dead chief, and two wounded ones, lying in the counetl-lodge confirmed this evidence— Death-Notch had been there, _-—_—- CHAPTER VI. A NEW DANGER. ‘ DEATH-NoTeCH is at the door.” The words fell frorn Omaha’s lips like a thun- derbolt from a cloudless winter sky. The Yourig Avengers started to their feet and gazed in speechless surprise at the door, as if expect- = to see the young destroyer burst. in upon em, The shock had come unexpected, and although their number assured them of their ability to defy his power, they were thrown into a state of great suspense and anxiety, through their expectancy of standing face to face with the dreaded young Scalp-Hunter. But while they thus stood with their eye fixed upon the door, they were startled by a sound in the adjoining room. It was & dull, ' sodden sound, like that which would be pro- | duced by the fall of a heavy body. They fixed their eyes upon the partition door, then glanced from one to the other interrogatively. Had Death-Notch entered the door by a secret passage? Who knew but that cabin was bis own 0 retreat? had these questions formed in the minds of the Young Avengers when @ nN cS CcCOMmICcDOO con