Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 124 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

16 not meant for a sermon, although this is the Sabbath and the Lord’s day.” ‘*So, then, I was not mistaken in you, knave!” cried the old man, grinding his teeth, and stamping furiously upon. the ground. ‘“'Yes, mock at our credulity for trusting your smooth tongue! but woe to you if you touch a hair of the heads of the two girls whom an un- happy fate has thrown into your hands!—the flesh shall be torn piecemeal from your limbs!” ‘What's the use of words? I—” “Hold! do not speak yet!” cried the old man, in the most violent agitation. “ Listen! You have committed some terrible crime, it appears for I cannot explain your conduct otherwise—but whatever it may be, you have sti 1 time for flight, and L will even assist you to make your escape. Take one of my horses —take money—but give me my child—give me back the two maidens! Remember how kind- ly we have treated you—remember that to-day 1 was to bave called you my son-in-law!” ‘Take up with the offer,’”’ whispered Cotton; ‘““we sha’n’t have a second chance so very soon— it’s understood that I'm included in the bargain; I will let the girls loose.” ‘* Holdi” cried Rawson, interrupting him; “are you mad/ Do you think that the In- dian behind the tree yonder will care for what the old graybeard here promises? Show your scalp at any open place, and see how soon his lead will scratch it. No; these are promises to entice a man into a trap; there’s. no chance of safety for us before it’s dark,” “But why not force our way out now? The three men are all unarmed; they couldn’t stop us.” ‘ “ Doesn’t the rifle of the d—d red-skinned rascal command the whole river bank?’ ‘‘ But bow, if the Regulators should come?” ‘*T wonder they are not here already,” cried Rawson, laughing, scornfully—‘ the pestilence upon them!—but I defy them.” ‘“T should like to know, then, bow you ex- pect to escape at night, if they surround the house?” ‘They will not venture to do so with watch- fires,” said Rawson, in a whisper, for in that case they would be exposed to our rifle-balls. If they camp in the dark we are safe. <A nar- row passage that Johnson and I dug with a world of trouble, leads under these boards to the spot where the canoe is concealed. * And why not profit by it at once? Shall we have a better opportunity, rejoined Cotton. “Fool!” eried Rawson, angrily,. ‘that knavish red-skin stands at this moment exactly over the spot, and, although there’s little dan- ger that he will discover the boat, the cane is 80 thick there, yet it would be impossible for us to escape in it without attracting his atten- tion.” “But the Regulators?’ “ Blast them! they will do all that stands in their power; but they will not venture to at- tuck the house, so long as we have. these rifles to defend ourselves, and the maidens as hos- tages.” ‘* Well,” cried Roberts, from without, ‘‘ have you considered my proposal? I see there are several of you. All that have sought protec- tion in the house may go freely forth; it is still time, for the Regulators are not yet here; but give me my child again|—set the unhappy maidens at liberty?!” « Listen to my answer!” replied Rawson. ‘My life is forfeited, and yonder Indian is re- solved to take it. If you can him to agree to your conditions, I am ready to ac- cept them; if not, remember that at the first at- tempt to force an entrance into this house, the two miuidens shall die by my hand—if nothing wor befalls them.” “The Indian must consent!” cried Roberts, jovfulily; — ‘he can vot—Almighty God! itis too late! here come the Regulators!” He was right; the duil tramp of about twenty horses was now beard, accompanied by: the rustling of twigs and the crackling of dry brancbes; Assowaum shouted his war-cry, and a moment after the Regulators, headed by Brown and Hatfield, spurred upon tbe scene of action, ‘* Wagb!” exclaimed the Indian, as the new- comers, comprebending all at a glance, posted themselves around the but-—‘‘ Now he is mine! now Ass. waum has bis blood!” Rawson seemed to bave formed a correct ap- preciation of the danger which threatened him, it he feli into the hands of his red enemy, for he feared even the Regulators less than the stern and relentless savage. As the Indian, Assowaum, the Avenger Se —— therefore, in the delight of the moment, suf- fered a portion of his body to become visible from behind the cover which he had chosen, another shot came from the crevice of the hut, and the chief’s blood stained the earth a second time,” Exasperated by this insolent boldness, the Regulators sprung from their saddles, and were about to tear down the fence at once, when Roberts interfered, and explained to them the dangerous situation of the two maidens. ‘* Good heavens!” exclaimed Brown, ‘‘ Marion in the hands of that wretch! What is to be done?’ : ‘‘Storm the house!” cried Hatfield, furi- ously; ‘‘ storm the bouse and drive out the var- mint by violence. . Let them vevture to lay a finger upon the maidens, and we will burn the flesh from their bones! If they will only sur- render .peaceably and at discretion, why— why, they shall only be hanged, Here are the ropes.” ‘*Spare your fine phrases,” retorted Raw- son, who had overheard his words, ‘‘ He who approaches within twenty paces of this house, is adead man; there are six of us here, and we have eighteen rifles. But if you set so lit- tle value upon your lives as to venture, I swear, by the ever-living God, the girls shall die! I’m not jesting.” “The devil take the boasting scoundrel!” cried Hatfield, tearing down the fence rails, “Follow me, comrades, and in five minutes the knaves are ours!” **TTold!” exclaimed Brown, springing for- ward, ‘“‘hold! think of the innocent maidens. These villains, if driven to despair, are capable of any atrocity. We must find other means to get them in our power. We can not expose to such hazard the lives of those whom we are bound to protect.” “Do you call it protecting them, to leave them five minutes longer in the hands of those ruffians?” “We must contrive a way,” answered Brown, ‘‘but not at the hazard of her life. Where is the Indian?” ‘Grant usa free retreat,” exclaimed Raw- son— ‘give us, at the least, four-and-twenty hours’ start, and we will set the maidens at liberty.” ““Good! be it so!” cried Brown, quickly. ‘‘Hold, sir!” said Hatfield, interposing. ** We have here in our power the scoundrels who have been guilty of so many fearful crimes; we have in our power the murderer of poor Heathcote, whose blood calls for revenge, terrible revenge, and we may not throw away the opportunity so carelessly. The court must decide the question. Are you willing, men, to let the ruffian escape, merely because he threatens to murder a couple of girls whom he has in his power?—or—” **No! no! nol” vociferated the crowd—Har- per, Roberts, Wilson, and Brown,-alone ex- cepted. . ** Men, you are fathers! think of your chil- dren!” exclaimed Roberts, in a tone of suppli- cation, ‘* Roberts,” said Stevenson—who had until now kept silence, and stepping forward he laid his haud upon the old man’s arm—‘‘do not fear; no harm shall happen to your daughter; but it would be foolish to set these creatures at liberty tor a bare threat.” ‘** Let us storm the den!” cried several voices, “The villain knows what he has to expect, and‘he will not aggravate his punishment by a new crime,” “No, ye mén of Arkansas,” said Stevenson; “It is true I am a stranger among you, but permit me to say a word—” “ Speak, Stevenson!” replied Hatfield. ‘‘ You have acted as if you belonged to our band, and you have thus obtained equal rights with the rest of us,” ‘“‘ Well, then,” resumed the old man, “ hear my proposal. But, first of all, place sentinels |: around the house, that none of the knaves may escape while we are consulting here.” “The Indian is posted on the river,” an- sweted Brown, * and two of our men are sta- tioned on each side toward the wood; we are here in front and escape is impossible.” ‘‘ Listen to my plan, then,” continued Steven- son. ‘The prisoners, whatever may be their number, know that it is impossible for them to reach the wocds while it is light, and they have set their bopes, therefore, upon the ap- proach of night. As matters now stand, we can effect nothing by force; for I think, with ing... ° —— Roberts and Brown, that if driven to despera- tion, they are capable of anything. We must. resort to craft, therefore. As soon as it grows dark we will light our watch-fires here in front of the house, and the Indian must now and then show himself near them.” “He will not expose himself a third time to their balls,” said Curtis. ‘* There will be no risk,” replied the old man. ‘It is very uncertain shooting by the light of watch fires, and then they will be very anxious to keep us quiet, they will not be the first to renew hostilities. Their only hope is to escape by the river or the wood. Have they a canoe hereabouts?” : ‘There is none to be seen,” answered Wil- son. “Good!” continued the old man; ‘then theyy will be the more tempted to swim tho narrow stream to lead us from their track. We must post single sentinels along the edge of the wood, but so cautiously that no one ob- serves it; and I would bet my head that we shall catch them, if they try to steal down to the water's edge in the-dark.” “ And must my daughter be left for so many hours in the hands of thieves and murderers?” exclaimed Roberts. ‘* That shall never be!” cried Hatfield. ‘‘It is now hardly eleven, and by Heaven, it is too long to wait; I am impatient to see the psalm-singing rascal dangling at a rope’s end.” ‘True enough, Hatfield,” rejoined the Ten- nessean, laughing, ‘‘I feel just so, myseif; it will seem long to me, too. But what can we do? Let the rascals go free? You would not agree to that yourself; we could not answer for it to the county, to the whole State. And as little can we expose the poor girls to their fury. But here comes the Indian creeping along; see how carefully be keeps out of the range of their rifles! They must have a very particular grudge against him.” As Stevenson had said, Assowaum came gliding along toward them like a serpent, be- hind fallen trunks, blackberry-bushes and thick clumps of trees, and when he reached the small, open space which intervened between him and the men, be crossed it with the rapidity of lightning and sought a shelter behind the group that were here collected. His caution proved »— by no means useless; for scarcely bad he emerged upon the clearing, when a third ball proved how accurately each of bis movements was watched by those within the but. But this time he brandished his rifle with an air of triumph, and then held out to Brown his arm, which bad been hit by the second bullet. The latter at once tore his neckcloth from bis neck and bound up the bleeding though trifling wound. “What can be the cause of the preacher’s singular enmity against you?’ inquired Brown, ** He does not waste a morsel of lead, if he can not aim it at your red skin.” ‘He knows me,” replied the Indian, rising to his full stature; ‘‘ he knows that his life is forfeited to my vengeance. He murdered Alapabal” “What! your wife?’—‘ The preacher?’— ‘‘Rawson?’—“ The squawf’—such were the hurried exclamations which broke from the startled crowd. .- ‘‘He murdered Alapaha!” repeated the sav- age, softly. ‘It was his blood that stained this tomabawk.” “The truit is over-ripe,” cried Hatfield. “ It seems to me a sin to wait an hour longer.” ‘‘ Hold!” replied the Indian. ‘If you storm the house, the pale man will die; he knows his fate—he will be brave. But he belongs to the ‘ Feathered Arrow,’ and he must not die. He is mine! Wait until the sun is in his bed. Assowaum will show you the way.” ‘* At least occupy their attention now,’ said Brown. ‘The poor girls will quite despair if they know that we are here and yet hear no sign of life from us.” “Of course we must not leave the knaves too much leisure,” responded Wilson. ‘“ Who knows what they might do, if undisturbed? If I’m not deceived, that ruffian Cotton is within, * and he is capable of anything.” ‘‘ Atkins’s mulatto has escaped us also,” said Cook, ‘‘and it’s possible that he has taken refuge here.” " MS spoke of six,” interposed Curtis. “ Boasting,” rejoined Stevenson, ‘sheer boasting; he wants to frighten us, But is the place occupied where the Indian was posted?” ‘‘ Your son went in that direction,” replied Hatfield. ‘‘ He’ll keep a sharp look-out.” —“? ! Vj <S (E©) AMC (E()