Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 124 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

“* “Good! Then we will once more summon the garrison to surrender, and threaten to storm the hut. This, at least, will hold them in check,” said Brown. ‘But who will be our messenger?” ‘7 have no objection,’’ replied Barker. ‘‘I will certainly do all [I can to occupy the knaves; but I would rather fall upon them with knife and rifle. The d—I fly away with them! my forefinger itches to send them half an ounce of lead, if there was no danger of hitting the girls.” ‘‘ Hallo! who comes here?’ “Tt is your nigger, Roberts,” replied Cook; ‘‘yvour wife must be in mortal terror, for as we rode by she looked white as a sheet, and she called out to us to save her child. ’ ‘Send the lad back, and say that the girls are in safety,” cried Harper, “or she will | | hour, you shall be restored to your friends this , there, I hope we shall have made the words | worry herself to death. Before the boy gets good,” “Of course I can’t let her know how matters really stand,” replied the old man, shaking his head; ‘“‘she would be dreadfully frightened. But how can she know that Raw- son——” ‘She cried, ‘Save my child from the clutches of the preacher!” said Cook. ‘‘ How she heard of it, I don’t know.” ‘* He betrayed himself,” replied Assowaum. *‘But time flies. Yonder come the buzzards, they know their prey. We must now act like them, and swarm around the hut until even. ing. The pale man aims his rifle at Asso- waum, as the wild turkey looks at the eagle when he sails above him. But as soon as the whip-poor-will cries for the first time, then the sight upon his rifle will disappear, and he must turn bis ear on all sides, to listen if he does not hear the war-cry of the Obidjewa.”’ CHAPTER X. “SPARE your bullets,” said Cotton, surlily, as Rawson took aim at the Indian while he glided toward the men, and at last fired as he leaped across the narrow clearing; ‘* you might make a better use of them. The Indian isn’t a bit more dangerous than any one of the others. Should we fall into the hands of the band, they will bave the ropes ready for us before a red-skin can say a word in the busi- ness,” ‘“‘Tf I were a thousand miles from here,” answered the preacher, gnashing his teeth, “T should not think myself safe until I knew that yonder red devil was under ground, I laugh at the others.” ‘*He has left his post,” said Cotton, in a whisper; ‘ wouldn’t it be possible for us to set the canoe afloat, and at least escape to the other shoref’ ** Don’t be a fool!” muttered Rawson, as he reloaded the discharged rifles, and examined the pans of the remainder. ‘‘Would you, by one act of folly, cut off our last chance of es- cape? If we venture to push out the canoe before it’s dark, we’re sure to be discovered, and we lose our boat, and then all is over with us. Even if we were to reach the opposite shore, we should have the whole pack of yelp- ing knayes upon our track in half an hour. Remember, it has been raiving.” “True; but how if they should surround us so that we can’t get toit in the night, and af- terward starve us out?” ‘Starve us out!” cried Rawson, with a scorn- ful laugh; *‘and who would die first, the girls or we?” “Certainly,” replied Cotton, thoughtfully, “they wouldn’t do that on their account; but I don’t knuow—” ‘‘T will tell you, then,” whispered Rawson, leading him aside, that the two maidens might not overhear his words. ‘The place where the canoe lies is so concealed, and so far from here, that they will not think of posting a sentinel there. I have an idea of their plan: they hope tbat, as soon as it is dark, we shall make an attempt to steal down to the bank of the river; and that would be our only course, but for the underground passage.” ‘‘ And what sball we do with the girls? I feel greatly inclined to take them with us, They could cook our supper when we camp out nights. We needn’t bind ourselves to them by any particular marriage-ceremony.” ‘“We must take them with us,” rejoined Rawson, in a still lower whisper, ‘‘ were it only to protect us from the balls of our enemies on the shore, if they happen to discover our flight too soon.” , ee -- Assowaum, the Avenger. re ne re te ** Good!” exclaimed Cotton, rubbing his hands. ‘*That rascal Wilson belongs to the Regulators. It will give me particular satis- faction to snap away so delicate a morsel from his mouth. But how if they scream?’ “Til see to that,” replied Rawson, softly. “Of course, we shall have to gag them; but we must not appear to be talking about them, or they will suspect something. Iu the mean- time, I will contrive a story, which will quiet them until evening. Keep a watchful eye all tbe while upon the men, or they might take us by surprise,” he continued, aloud: “and as | Soon as it is dark, we will steal out softly; if we can reach the wood, we are safe. But do you,” he added, turning to the maidens, “ keep _ yourselves quiet and peaceable until then; and | when we leave the house, if you will swear not to call for help until we have been gone a full very night.” ‘We will pray for your successful escape,” | cried Ellen, joyfully, “‘but keep your word; and oh, loosen these“cords! I promise—” “Don’t waste your breath, my darling,” said Cutton, as he passed from crevice to crev- | ice, watching the movements of the enemy, ‘“‘ Be contented that you bave your tongue at liberty; you must manage witbout your arms until evening.” ‘But the cords hurt me,” exclaimed Ellen; “you have tied them so tight that they cut my flesh.” ‘* Well, that can be remedied,” said Rawson, and he »pproached the maidens, to slacken the knots which bound them. ‘And how is my sweet bride?’ he continued, addressing Marion, who turned her face from him in scorn. ‘What! so angry?’ be added, smiling, as he tenderly brushed aside the locks which shaded her fair forehead. ‘** Back, traitor!” cried the lovely girl, her eyes flashing with unger; “back, or I will call for help, and defy your threats and your wea- pons!” “‘ But, dearest child—” | “To. your post, Rawson! p’ison and rattle- ' snakes!” cried the bunter, angrily, ‘is this a | time for such foolery? Wait until—there, the Regulators are separating again,” he continued, hastily interrupting himself; ‘‘ it almost seenis as if they would venture an assault. I have half a mind to send a ball into Brown’s body; he is just within range.” Marion leaned trembling against the bedpost to which the maidens were fastened. “No, spare your lead,” replied Rawson; ‘‘we mustn’t irritate them now. If they ap- proach within twenty paces, and their move- ments look suspicious, then fire; and, in this case, aim at the leaders, of course—Brown, Hatfield, Wilson, and Cook—these are the most dangerous.” “* And the Indian?’ “He is an exception,” cried Rawson; “‘wherever an inch of red-skin shows itself, then my rifle will speak.” *“Yonder he steals again behind the bushes,” said Cotton, pointing through a crevice in the hut; ‘look, how he creeps along the ground! It’s impossible to get a fair chance at the ras- cal.” “Give usasample of yor skill with the rifle; you are always bragging of it!” cried Rawson, inciting him; “send me a bit of lead between the red devil’s ribs, and I will give you two hundred dollars.” ‘* Thunder and lightning!” said the hunter, in astonishment, without turning his eyes, how- ever, from the Indian, whose form was now and then visible for a few seconds, ‘‘ you must be confounded rich, if you would give two bundred dollars—” He raised his rifle quickly to his cheek, drop- ped it, however, after a while, and added: ‘‘Two hundred dollars for a single shot! but Tl try it, if he comes within range of my rifle—” * Again the barrel was thrown up, but this time also the ‘‘Feathered Arrow” reached a cover before the hunter could take aim and fire. ‘A plague upon his shadow!” cried Cotton, stamping upon the ground; ‘IT would as secon follow a streak of lightning through a hedge- fence with my rifle—he shoots along the ground like an arrow, from which the rascal has his name. What deviltry is he contriving? Raw- son, keep your eye upon the varmint, or he will spy out the boat, and then good-night to the island.” The Indian, however, had no particular ob. 17 ject in view, and was far from suspecting that a stout canoe lay concealed in the dense cane, which bordered the shore and overhung the river; he thought only of engaging the attention of the besieged. After dark he in- tended to steal upon the enemy, and take them by surprise, and several of the Regula- tors, Cook and Curtis among the rest, had promised to support him, Even if the besieged put their threat inio execution—even if the maidens fell beneath their blows—what cared the Indian for this! his wife also had been murdered —no one had brought her aid—the murderer was in yonder hut, and before an- other sun shone upon its roof, he must be dead or in bis power. ) Thus bour after hour passed by; the “ big light” had crossed the zenith, and was sinking lower and lower toward the horizon; the land- scape was already batbed in fainter, redder hues, and the distant hilltops, and the summits of the gigantic pines, glowed in the golden light of the setting orb; the ravenous night- birds forsook the shady nests in which they had slept away the bot noon, and, like the shark in the clear, blue water, sailed through the green waving sca of leaves after their prey. Here and there the merry squirrel was leaping from branch to branch, and on calling in vain for its comrades, retreated to its nest; rabbits crept from their lurking places, from boilow trees and dark holes, and pricked up their long ears in wonder at finding the place oceupied by men, which sinee their memory had served them for a playground; while a small night- bawk hovered high in the clear evening sky, ultering at intervals, in short and broken tones, its sharp, hoarse cry. Evening came, and with it the crisis of this contest; for, until now, the besiegers’ sole ob- ject had been to occupy the attention of the enemy, by threatened attacks and by sudden movements, now on this side of the but, and now on the opposite. “As soon as the sun bas set,” whispered Rawson to his comrade, ‘'I will steal down to the boat and reconnoiter. I am in hopes the canoo is afloat; it was so yesterday morn- ing, and the siver hasn't fallen much, Keep a good watch in the meanwhile, and when I » come back, we will take the weapons down, and the chest, and—then gag the girls—they must be our last load. If they are contrary —well—you have good bones—stun them with a blow of your fist, but don’t strike too hard,” ‘Never fear,” said Cotton, laughing, “a bit of a swoon or so will answer very well; at - least, until we bave five miles behind us— afterward—” , ‘Speak lower; your sweetheart, the pert thing, is pricking up her ears. If they raive an outcry too soon, it might spoi! our plan; if they scream a little when we gag them it will do no harm, The fools will attack the bouse, per- haps; and while they are breahing their heads against the oaken door, we can steal through the passage to the canoe.” “We must then cross the river at once,” said Cotton; “we could glide down unseen in the shadow of the thick cane on the other side-- it’s lucky the girls have on dark colored gowns! But what shall we do with them afterward?” ‘“‘With the girls?’ asked Rawson. ‘“ Nen. sense! don’t trouble your head about that now; at the worst, there is room enough for them on the island, or—in the Mississppi. But I will go—keep a sharp watch, Cotton— it is still light enough for you to see if the Regu- lators meditate an atrack against us." * Never fear about me; but, be quick! the ground begins to burn under my feet. There is the red rascal stealing from the river again —shall I send a bullet alter him?’ ‘*No, it’s too late now,” said Rawson, as he raised the plank which concealed the subter- ranean passage; ‘‘you couldn’t hit him—it’s very uncertain shooting by this light—but keep an eyeupon him—see where he stops—I’lI be back soon.” With these words he disappeared in the pas- sage, and Cotton walked quickly from one opening to the other, to watch every move- ment of the enemy, and to guard against the danger of being surprised at the last moment. ‘*Marion,” said Ejlev, in a whisper to her friend—‘‘ Marion, take courage! I have got one hand loose—while Rawson was slackening the knots, that fellow’s warning called bim away, before he bad fastened them tightly again—now they are both at liberty,” EOUMIELOOOKS (S (ECO)