Beadle's Dime Library, No. 13 — page 34: what you’re looking at

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’ y f a ee | ‘ t 34 CHAPTER XIX. A SURGICAL OPERATION. Meantime Indian Joe, who appeared to be sleeping, had ears that were quite as acute as those of the anomalous boy Sebastian, and heard every word of the conversation that passed between Nicholas and the gray hunt- er. He kept his secret, however, till the dark- ness of night veiled the scenery of Mimic City. Leaving hia concealment, he walked in the open air; and seeing the trapper return- ing (who had been out in quest of game, and dab com with a mountain sheep upon his shoulders) hastened to meet him. “Hullo! is it you, Little P’ison? Got over your bad feelin’s, eh ?” queried Nicholas. “Joe sleep—feel better. He somethin’ to say to the great trapper,” answered the a Niek threw down his burden, and looked curiously at Joe. “One must allers have his eyes open when an Ingin flatters,” he replied—*’specially a pesky queer Ingin like you. But speak out; as your xind of insex say, ‘ y ears are open, and I'll hear your talk of whatsomever na- cur’.’ ” “Joe no bad Ingin; he got heart; he hear the pale-face cryin’ for his daughter; he see tears run down. Joe know where she is. He lead Doubledark to her; Doubledark take her away—bring her here.” Whiffles raced his long rifle out before him, leaned his tall, wiry form against it, and looked down upon the youth with an expres- sion half credulous, half doubting. “Put a punctooation there, and wait while 1 sharpen my fakilties with a trifle o’ the weed.” The trapper drew a small package of to. bacco from the pouch at his side, and convey ed it deliborately to his mouth, as if the more slowly he performed the operation the less tardy would be his thoughts. Making a few lazy oscillations of his jaws over the narcotie morsel, he said: “There’s some dispersitions that I know almost at a glance, and there’s others that I don’t; "mong the last I may safely reckon your’n ; for you're a bit o’ human natur’ that staggers me. Durin’ all my travelin’ over mountings and ah pipe over rivers and lakes, I’ve never struck the trail of a heathen so puz- zlin’ in his mentual and ros makin’ up. There’s been no good will atween us, as you know, Little P’ison, and it strikes me as bor- derin’ on the ludickerous when you come to me with sich a projeck. It does, by light- nin’ !” Joe had waited patiently for the trapper to ther his thoughts and make these remarks, ut did not raise his eyes to the face of Nick and more than once pressed his white teeth upon his under lip, as if in an effort to curb a strong feeling. “ Joe thought Doubledark pitied the French pale-face ; but he was wrong 5 he will speak of itno more. The great chief down in the Valley will take the young squaw for his wife.” Joe turned to go. “Don't be so techy, Little P’ison, for I ha’n’t said yes or no, yet. Want to take the bearin’s o’ the case fust. The Whiffleses isn’t gener’ly of a rash natur, though that disorder went through our family when we’s young. I'm never ina hurry ‘bout comin’ to a p’int when a thing is onsartin Let’s come at it, ” ba ae as ’twere. I understan’ ye to say that you can lead me to this gal? Jest turn the axletrees o’ your eyes an mine.” The dark-brown orbs of the Indian youth were firmly raised to Nick’s. There might have been a nervous quiver in them, at first, but it was of transient duration. “Can't read ’em, can’t read ’em!’ said Nicholas, shaking his head. “ They a’n’t sich as I’ve come in contact with a great eal. They’re both soft and fiery, open and cunnin at the same time, timid and fierce. Little P’ison, eso1iption.” “Doubledark is afraid! His heart grows smaller as he grows older. He is not like Seven Plumes, the great chief of the Black foot nation.” “ And God be praised for’t! I don’t keer to be like a heathen noways, savin’ and exceptin’ allers the Shoshoné, who’s more of a feller bein’ nor some of lighter complexions.” “To the Shoshoné Joe will go.” At that moment Andrew Jeaajean was heard singing “ The ‘rapper's Daughter.” Nick's feelings were touched. He saw, too, at a little distance, Portueuf pacing to and fro with @ Sgt what my gran‘father used to call a non- ‘ . ee ee ee — s- — — —_— —— = The New York Library. melancholy air. ; : “Young Ingin,” he added, more seriously, ‘T ha’n’t much faith in ye, as you un serstan’, but compassion for the gal and for others, moves me Ia’n’t a hard man, nor never was. Pity is no stranger to the breast of Nick Whif- fles ; he’s found a place at his mentual camp- fire more nor once, and will ag’in. I’ve risked somethin’ for Beauty afore now. There was Baby Blanche, the ’dopted darter of Buek Bison; and there was lveen Vander, the nat’ral darter of old Saul Vander, the Guide ; two as dainty bits of womanhood as you can find in the world. For each of ’em I did m best. I had little gunshot diffikilties on their aceount, not to mention other diffikilties. But Lord bless ye, Ingin, I’ve got used to ’em, shouldn't ‘joy myself ’thout em. I'll trust ye, boy, Pll trust ye ; and if you betray me to my inemies, you'll do a deed that you'll be sorry for when you start for the happy hunting- grounds. Nick Whiffles never injured you nor yourn ; and not yourn, neither; for he’s been obleeged in self-preservation to bring down a redskin now and then, but ’thout malice or a forethought.” Joe’s face grew brighter; his eyes sparkled with animation. “Tt seems to please ye,” said the trapper, musingly. “I hope it’s all right, and there’s no diviltry at the bottom. I’ve a quick eye and a quick hand, lad, and you won’t die full- it if your treachery becomes apperient afore you're ready.” “Ugh!” articulated Joe, paris dig ae “Too much doubt makes a coward. When a great Ingin chief do a thing, he no say great many words. Joe will be ready in an hour.” «“ [t’ll be dark, then,” said Nick, reflectively, casting his eyes toward the heavens. “ We shall need darkness, I allow. We'll go alone, Ingin. The colonel and the Frenchman may stay to look arter the wounded lad and Jean- — Poor Andrew! I must patch up his ead afore long. The brain’s a tender p’int, but I don’t see why it can’t be put in runnin’ order well’s a watch.” Nick stopped and thought about it. “ Doubledark will be silent. His tongue no talk ’bout goin’.” A wave of distrust rolled across the trapper’s mind, but considering the object in view, he generously and unselfishly shook it off. “ Joe will find you behind the rocks, down there, when it’s time to go.” “Ill be there, boy,” answered Nick, and taking up his burden, hastened to join those who were expecting his return. Selecting the daintiest portions of the sheep, he cooked them with the skill and care of one thoroughly versed m such matters, and carried them to Sebas- tian. “ Over te the left, not fur from here. in a di- rect line, you'll find water clear as crystal, gushing from the rock,” said Nick, “You're goin’ away, Nick; I know by your looks,” the youth answered, quickly. ‘“ Portneuf is grievin’ for his darter.” “His sorrow has touched your generous keart, uncle Nick.” “Why shouldn't it, child? If you’s shut up down yender, in the valley, at the marcy of lawless men, do you think I could rest ?” re- turned the trapper, earnestly. “You could not; you would brave every- thing for my sake.” “True, child, true! And why shouldn’t I do the same for another? She’s less, much less to me nor you be, yet it can’t be denied that she has a claim on my exartions. Hu- manity is humanity, whether in the wilderness or other places. The colonel is here, and if I shouldn’t come back, I ecouldn’t leave ye in hands tenderer or carefuller.” “ Don’t talk in that strain, my friend, for meng possibility is painful. Who goes with “ The young Ingin—Little P’ison, I call him, He proposed it, and I concluded to trust him.” Sebastian mused, then looking anxiously at Nick, replied : “I have misgivings, my friend; I doubt Indian Joe. He is, in truth, a strange com- pound of sullenness, timidity, and fire. Some- times he looks at me with an expression angry and forbidding.” “T’ve noticed it ; but it comes of the crook- edness of Ingin natur’. He can’t help what’s in him, I s’pect, ’eause it’s in his blood; and what’s in one’s blood, can’t very well be got out, No two of us are alike. One takes to the bush, another to the city; one likes his kind, another hates it. One takes on airs and haughty ways, while another wears his ma ners as he does a suit of old clothes—with eas and without stiffness. I know he’s a que redskin, this Ingin Joe; but if there’s any truth in him, I'll give it a chance to show itself.” “Let me warn you not to put too mueh faith in him. You have treated him with some severity, and I am surv that he can have but little real friendship for you, and but slight sympathy with your presext purpose. if you must undertake this perilous enterprise, I entreat you to be guarded, and watchful of the boy.” “Sartin! The Ingins call me Doubledark,” said Nicholas, with some pride. *“ Your skill I do not doubt; but who can guard against treachery ?” said the youth, “ Jes’ so! Treachery has to do. with the heart and the motives, and we can’t allers tell what them be. Howsomnever, we’ll hope for the best. Here comes the colonel! Colonel, I’m goin’ to perform that operation now on Jeanjean’s head. I brought a piece o’ pitoh- pine for a torch, knowin’ Awould be dark afore got back.” “Tue operatica is so delicate, that really, Nick—’ began Pathaway. “ Yes, colonel, I allow it looks ventur’some ; but with steady narves I feel that I can man- age it. I won't hurt him. IfI can on’y raise up them two plates v’ the skull”— the skull is composed of two plates, as you probably understan’ with your book-l’arnin'—éf I can raise ’em a trifle, [ say, his wand’ring faxiltice ‘ll come back at a gallop, across the perairies of his present vacancy. Let’s go out ahind the ruins, and you shall be assistant surgeon ; that is, you shall hold the torch; and to hold a torch well requires some jedgment. I'd put it off till to-morrer, and take daylight for't; but nobody can tell what a day’ll bripg, forth. Come here, you Andrew Jeanjean, and I'll try to call in your wits that have gone out trap- pin’, so to speak.” , Jeanjean followed the trapper and Pathaway, and, in obedience to the command of the for- mer, seated himself behind a column of rock Nick lighted a large splinter of the piteh-pine which he had procured for the purpose, and handed it to Pathaway, who was feel uneasy. Nick produced a pocket-knife, and exam. ined its edge. “It’s pooty sharp, I allow,” he said, with a satisfied air; “and if ‘twasn’t, ’twouldn’t make no great difference, for there isn’t much cut- tin’ to do, and if there was, ‘twouldn’t hurt him but little, the vitality of his system is so let down. I'd oughter been a spk im prehaps; but we sometimes mistake our callin’, and go blun- derin’ through the whole business o’ life, knowed a man who was once full o’ the missioner sperit, that arterwards become a whisky-tra- der mong the Ingins. Then, ag’in, I’ve seen them become doctors as was calkilated for honest clodhoppers, and cut across muskles in opening abscesses, or destractin’ bullets or splinters lodged in the flesh ; than which com- mon sense oughter teach a person. better. Agin,” added Nick, laying his left hand on Jeanjean’s head, and holding the pocket-knife aloft in the other, “ it has come under my ob- sarvation durin’ sich times as I’ve stopped in the clearin’s, that individuals get into the pul- pt that should ’a’ been in the blacksmithin’ ine ; for there’s some sense in thumpin’ on an anvil, but not an artom in hammerin’ away at a Bible with a fist as big as a sledge-hammer.” Nicholas approached his instrument within six inches of Andrew's passive head, when it became fixed, and the last idea appeared to ab- sorb him quite. “When I’ve seen sich fists comin’ down spiteful on the Word o’ God. I’ve thought to myself that the same force might ’a’ driven a spade into the sile, and made it ready for a pertater or a graino’ corn to grow. It'sa queer, queer world !” Nicholas stopped, then said: “ Hold still, Jeanjean'! If you stir so much as the thickness of a hair, you sha’n’t ang the ‘Trapper’s Darter’ no more. Remember Nanny, don't ye, Andrew ?” “ Ma jolie Ninon!” muttered Jeanjean, “ Jes’ so!” quoth Nicholas, carefully se ating the -granulated lips of the wound, and examining it with scrupulous nieety. “The fact is, Andrew, they’ve jest about made an idiot of ‘ye which is nigh the muchness of a fool; fools, m , a’n’t of no great vally in this world. You'd better go ander, and done with it, than bea fool. You ean't | have Nanny, if you'rea fool. Sodon’t wings 1" Tcomicbooks:co ginning te- —e ee ——