Beadle's Dime Library No. 147 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

\Gold Spur, the Gentleman from Texas. 15 At once all was excitement in the bivouac, for, with the bands of Old Whistle and Two Lance, noted Indian chiefs, at the beck and call of the White Jackal, none knew at what time an overwhelming force of red-skins, led by the renegade leader, might be hurled upon tbe troopers. But the field glasses soon dispelled all dread, as the approaching horsemen were discovered to be some of their own regiment, and shortly after Lieutenant Emmerson dashed up with a half a score of his cavalrymen at his back. ‘* Nothing wrong at the garrison I hope, Em- merson,” cried the colonel anxiously. ‘* No, sir; only Captain Moreland thought it best that I should come and report to you what had occurred,” and the lieutenant made known the coming into the garr'son of Gold Spur, his daring escape, and the chase, not sas tae to add that his sister, the beautiful widow, had fired upon The Gentleman from Texas, and missed him, and having little to say regard- ing the Child of the Regiment, other than that she had joined in the chase, and with Clarice Conrad, had been the only one to over- take the fugitive horseman. ‘* And with your picked horses, Emmerson, you were distanced in the chase?” asked the colonel, ‘* Yes, sir; his Featherhoof, as Gold Spur calls his matchless horse, was not fully in a run, it seemed to me,and is as wonderful a brute as his master is a man.” ‘*I believe you, and I would give much to solve the mystery attending the man, and find out if he is really what The Hercules says he is, no other than this renegade chief The Jackal,” remarked Colonel Eldred in a puzzled way, and the council of officers was again called, and all the facts of the case laid before them, and plans proposed for the attack upon the arch renegade and his band of red fiends. Numerous were the suggestions proposed, and rejected, until at last Buckskin Mose madea proposal in his quaint way, for he was one of the council. “T tell yer, pards, and kernul,” he began, ‘‘ther way ter do ister let me go ona leetle trail ahead, an’ find out jist whar ther camp o’ ther renegades is located; then [’ll come back, an’ ther whole durned lot o’ us kin take ther trail about three hours afore daybreak, an’ go on foot, leavin’ on’y nuff sogers ter guard ther critters. ‘We kin slip out 0’ camp, same as a feller does when his gal hes skipt home out o’ church with ther toothache, an’ we’ll go quiet like, and surprise ther outlaw gerloots, who'll be lookin’ fer us ter come on ther outside o’ our critters. “But sailin’ in as we does on footback, we kin jist give’em a surprise party as will mak’ ’em howl Jerusha! Isn’t I talking Gospil sense, kernul ?” ‘*T think you are right, Mose, if you can onl find some way to strike their camp without their guards discovering us,” remarked the com- mandant. “You jist trust me fer thet; now go inter compe calm-like as ef yer were livin’ heur, an’ be back arter it are dark, an’ let yer know jist what are ter be did, and how far yer sogers has ter foot it.” iis advice was considered good, especially as no one had any better to suggest, and Buck- skin Mose was a man whom all had perfect confi- dence in. The consequence was that the scout left the camp by a roundabout way, the horses were picke out, the guards were placed, and the camp-fires lighted and every indication was that the troopers had halted for a stay of some time. Gradually night came on, and one by one the tired men and officers sought rest, for they knew that they would be called upon for the secret march before morning, and desired to forget 5 Poi dread and care in slumber if it could be one. All preparations were quickly made, the de- tail to remain with the horses had been in- formed of the duty to devolve upon them, anil the attacking party had been informed of wha' was their mission, and, at the suggestion of several scouts had wrapped their heavy cavalry boots with pieces of blanket, to deaden the sound of their footfalls on the march. Unable to sleep, with the uncertain fate of his beautiful daughter ever crowding upon him, Colonel Eldred paced to and fro before the wicky-up hastily prepared for his accommoda- on. At length, as the hours crept on toward mid- night, more and more anxious for the coming of the scout, Buckskin Mose, and dreading that harm had befallen Lim, he extended his walk toward the edge of the timber, in which his camp was. For a moment or two he stood in silence, lis- tening to the horses cropping the juicy grass, and oceasionally the how] of some wolf, or sharp bark of a coyote, when suddenly he felt a hea hand laid upon his shoulder, and against temple was pressed the cold nruzzle of a revol- ver. “Move one inch, or utterone cry, and you are a dead man!” eae —_— There was no mistaking the tone of the speaker, and that he was a foe, in the lines of an enemy, was sufficient to prove that be made no idle threat. Colonel Horace Eldred was a brave man, and one seldom caught off his guard; but he was alsoa man of remarkably good sound sense, and he remained as still as a statue, and spoke no word, for he had no desire to test the truth of the speaker’s utterance. ‘Ah! you are Colonel Eldred; I did not at first know you, and I am glad we are so well met, for I came here to see you,” said the stranger, still holding the muzzle of his revolver hard against the head of the commandant, who replied in a low, cool tone: ‘** Yes, am Colonel Eldred; who are you and what do you wish with me? ‘What I wish with you, Colonel Eldred, you shall soon*know; would you know who I am, ba: simply saydhat lam The Gentleman from exas, {HAPTER XXIX. A STRANGE PROPOSAL. ‘‘THE GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS!” exclaimed Colonel Eldred, speaking the strange name of the mysterious man after him. ‘Yes, sir. I hope that I have not been for- gotten so soon,” was the cool rejoinder. ‘* By no means, sir; you manage'to keep your- self in remembrance.” ‘Lower your voice, please, Colonel Eldred, for I wish no observers of our interview, and as I do not wish to stand in such a hostile attitude to you, kindly give me your word that you will not betray my presence here, and we will con- verse On equal terms.” The officer hesitated, for he was now assured that he was in the presence of a man who could be no other than the White Jackal. Seeing this hesitation, The Gentleman from Texas said: ‘**Colonel Eldred, I mean to serve you, not to harm you.or yours, and I request the promise that you will not betray me while I am here.” ‘*T can do no other than give it.” “Thank you; now let me tell you frankly that the show of force you have here will not influence the Jackal—” ** Yourself you mean,” sneered the colonel. ‘*T said the White Jackal, sir, and I repeat it, you cannot influence him to give up the fair captives he has in bis power.” ‘Great God! do you mean to say that that — would keep those innocent girls captive, and— “He is a man that will follow the bent of his humor, let it lead him where it may, and knowing this, I have sought you to offer my aid in releasing your daughter and Miss Ge- ‘* First tell me how you got into my lines?” ‘IT came through the space between your guards, sir.” ‘‘T shall have them punished for—” ‘* Hold, sir! it is not their fault, for the not see me, as I have a habit of moving snake when need be.” ‘*Doubtless you exercise the habit at all times.” ‘You may sneer, sir, but I forgive it, as you seem determined to feel that I have wronged you insome way; but now to the cause of my coming here.” ‘*Tell me, were you the one that brought us here in the guise of an old man, calling himself the = siege of the Republican ie az als : y do you suspect me o ng other than I profess to be?’ was the evasive veety ‘* Because I feel confident that you are.” ‘You may one day find that you are mis- taken, sir: now let me tell you that there is but one way for you to rescue your daughter and Miss Gerard.” ‘* And that is?” ** Through me,” oe _—— to try my ewn way,” was the ery y reply. ‘It will do no good. The Jackal outnumbers you now in men, and you know how desperate- ly his red-skins fight, while to take his retreat in the hills, would be impossible with ten times your force.” ‘* We shall see, sir.” ‘*T can see now, sir, what you refuse to ad- mit; why, I know that you are now waiting the return of your very excellent scout and guide, Buckskin Mose.” The colonel started, but remained silent, and The Gentleman from Texas continued: ‘*My dear colonel, Buckskin Mose went off in high hopes of finding a way through the lines of the Jackal; but he is now bound hand and did ea foot, a prisoner.” ** By Heaven! do you speak the truth?” ‘* 1 do, sir.” “He is in the power of the Jackal?” | ** No, sir.” ** You said he was a prisoner.” ‘*So he is, but to me.” “To you?” ‘Yes, for I simply —— him, and left him in a snu until I saw you.” * And shat ne t —————e, ata LL LL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LL LLL LL LLL LLL LLL LL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL —— “‘T will release him, for he is nec in nthe) about the exchange I intend,” “ The exchange?’ ‘* Yes, Colonel Eldred, for I intend to offer myself to the Jackal, in exchange for Miss El- dred and her friend. " I confess, sir, that you speak in riddles to me. ‘*T will explain: the Jackal has two valuable ube with which to bring you to bis terms; ut there is one more in bis eyes that is far more valuable ‘Why, sir, I himself.” ‘*Time will show, sir, whether you are right, or I wronged by your suspicion; but I offer now to go and bring Buckskin Mose to you, and you can send him under a truce flag, to the Jackal, as soon as it is daylight, and makea proposition to him.” ** Well, sir, what is it?” “Tell him that you have in your power Gold Spur, of Texas, whom you will deliver up to him in return for his two lady captives.” ** And he will make the exchange?” ** Most gladly.” * Why should he?’ ‘““Ah! therein lies a secret known to the Jackal and myself only.” ** You are a most mysterious man.” “*T am here, sir, to clear up a mystery; but do you accept my offer?’ ‘ ‘*T certainly can do nothing else; but what will be your fate, if you are surrendered to the Jackal, taking you with the idea that you are not the man himself?” “It matters not, sir; simply let Buckskin Mose seek the chief and tell him that you have me in your power, doomed to death, and that I will be executed, unless he gives up the two captives, and he will gladly reli upon them to save me,” ‘* You a most remarkable man, Gold Spur, or whatever you may call yourself. ns Colonel Eldred; but do you ac- and that one is myself.” believe you to be the Jackal ‘* Thank P fea) cept my offer? ‘IT do.” “Then I will return with Buckskin Mose within half an hour,” and, like a shadow, the strange man glided away in the forest.” CHAPTER XXX, THE HOSTAGE. For some moments after the departure of The Gentleman from Texas, Colonel Eldred to and fro in the deepest meditation. Then he bitterly censured himself for not having raised the a and captured the daring man, saying an 3 wt was a toot to believe his strange story; he only wished to spy out our actions from some motive, and has gained his end, and may even now be moving pgs us with his red-skins, for somehow I cannot shake off the idea that ho is reg}ly the Jackal. “*] will speak to Gregory and Rockwell upon the matter.” He walked hastily to where those two officers wero lying asleep, their cloaks and sera gig around them, and quietly awoke m. Silently they arose and followed him, and go- ing to the spot where he had had the interview th Gold r, he told them all that had oc- “T do not believe it, colonel, for Buckskin Mose is no man to be mee napping, and he is a giant for strength,” said the major. ‘Yet the Texan handled The with ease, major.” “True: but Mose is as cunning as an Indian; besides, what motive can the fellow have in coming here to give himself up to you, to serve as a hostage for the Jackal’s captives?” This remark of the major seemed unanswera- ble, and the more the three officers talked over the matter, the more they were puzzled, and at last stood silently together, neither knowing what to propose or sa **] cannot believe that Mose was oper by any man,” said Riley Rockwell after a ‘You is off thar, pard, fer I were tuk in slick - } : as fallin’ off a log.’ All started at the well-known voice of the scout, and beheld Buckskin Mose standing al- most in their midst, having apparently risen from the ground. And he was not alone, for by his side was the tall, elegant form of The Gentieman from Texas. Like phantoms they had | peo, to the spot, and suddenly confronted the officers, “Tam back, Colonel Eldred,” said the deep voice of the Texan. “ ‘‘So I see, sir. Well, Mose, what means this?’ “Tt means, kernul, thet I went off with good intentions, but I mistuk, fer, as I was creepin’ along around a rock, with everything lovely in my mind, I suddenly felt myself ina grip thet woe hold the leg o’ a kickin’ Government mule. “ This gent are ther one who hed me, an’ I soon found out it wa’n’t no use rastlin’, an’ [[g’in in, throw’d up my hand and ia “You were taken prisoner, you mean.” “That are Gospil, kernul, fer 1 was tied tighter than ther knot o’ matrimony in less than (Efe) IJOO eom (E CS inquish his hold