Beadle's Dime Library No. 147 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

- —- Checking the animal suddenly Gold Spur leaned far over, seized the red-skin in his pow- cree an — after a wee my y he e cavern, and turning e le - gan to descend the pep cet path. “‘T have heard of him, a most remarkable character.” ‘**So he is said to be, sir; well, he put the erful and dragged bim up to him, and the . struggle was of but an instant’s duration, before To accomplish this feat was no matter, | colonel on the right trail, in fact led the troop- the second savage had lost his life. but his rider left it wholly to the animal, and | ers to the vicinity of the Jackal’s retreat, and To divest himself of the irons around his then mysteriously disappeared, and I, knowing booted legs, and strip the Indian’s body of its clothing, and throw it on himself, hurl the dead warrior over the precipice, back the pony toa step by step he descended, until at last he reached the water’s edge, and unhesitatingly entered the stream. A short swim, and be landed where a buffalo that it would be madness to attack the renegade in his stronghold, offered myself in exchange for Miss Eldred and Miss Gerard.” spot wide enough on the shelf path to turn him | trail crossed the river, and a few moments ‘*Of course the offer proved that you thought around was the work of an instant almost. after, the animal was flying like the very wind | yourself of more value than the Jackal con- Then Gold Spur mounted, and instead of con- tinuing on up into the hills, where was the In- dian village or camp, he took the trail leading back the way he had come. eee it branched off he followed the one he had seen the mounted warriors go, and wassoon going ata canter directly after After a ride of a mile he saw forms ahead, yet did not hesitate, seemingly knowing that it was one of the advance guards around the vil- e. 2 was right, for there were three Indians there, two of them lying down, the other stand- ing up and leaning against a tree, smoking his tomahawk-pipe, and their ponies feeding not far away. At his approach they all stood on the alert, and one of them called out in the Sioux tongue: ‘*Ts it the Blue Buffalo?” ‘““No. It is the Comanche chief, Red Coyote,” lied Gold Spur in the same language, know- ing that the Jackal had a number of Comanche braves with him,one of whom had been his , and whom he had killed. “The Comanche goes after the Jackal in his ride to the white man’s fort?’ queried the Sioux. _** Yes; the Red Coyote guarded the pale-face risoner to the village, and the Jackal told him follow on his trail.” “He will have to ride fast, for the warriors on the trail will go like the wind.” ‘“‘The pony of the Red Coyote is good; he will run like a wolf,” and so saying Gold Spur moved on, and had escaped from the cordon of ds that the Indians ever kept around their mountain retreat. **Now, mustang, if you die under the run, ou have got to carry me to my own gallant rse within the hour,” he said, and down the hillside he urged the horse at a speed that was most reckless over the rough ground, and was killing to the animal. _ But The Gentleman from Texas was bound on a mission that he was determined to accom- plish, be the consequences what they might. CHAPTER XXXV. THE GARRISON SURPRISED BY A VISITOR, - ALL Indians are cruel masters, and when drive their squaws to perform tasks they would shrink from as warriors, it may be cer- tainly conceded that a brute under their power would not fare well. Knowing that their lives, and perhaps with a view to their personal comfort too, opine — their horses, they care for them well, ye dian them without mercy; but though the In- brave who had owned the mustang which Gold Spur had captured, had doubtless no emeadtion to the rule, it is certain that he found his new master wholly unmerciful, for the lash was descending constantly upon him, and he was — over rough trails, and up and down hills, at a (omer that was killing him. Though he knew the horse under him was dly failing him, The Gentleman from Texas id not abate his urging a jot or tittle, but kept at his pace most x wre g is but a mile more,” : ee brute, for it cried ners as the animal swayed badly with weakness. Jn, on, he went, until at last there was be- fore the tired animal a river, that brought a low: neigh of delight from him. ‘** Here, old fellow you have done well; ha! it was too much for you, old horse,” he cried, as the mustang and fell from sheer ex- ustion. . But without tarrying an instant he stripped from him the Indian bridle and trappings, and started to climb the hiilside. | A rapid climb of a hundred yards, and he a path, which the mountain sheep iy dare go, around the face of a bold,craggy ce, that projected out into the river. It was where the river had cut its way i _ through a mountain, it seemed, for immediately ss the stream there was another abrupt pice, and the range ran on until lost in the which he i In the face of the precipice u was a cavern-like cavity, across the rolling prairie, and the moon po above the horizon, fell full upon the steed an rider, and revealed Featherhoof and The Gen- tleman from Texas. Without urging the fleet animal kept on, un- til mile after mile had been left ind, and then with a far different feeling from that shown for the Indian pony, Gold Spur halted to rest and water his horse. A short stop, and on once more flew the ani- mal, and at last far in the distance, was visible a glimmering light, and Featherhoof gave a low whinny of de ight. * Yes, old fellow, there is rest, and you need it, for I have driven you hard; come, old boy, afew more miles, and we will be there, and if ou have not gained four hours on those devils, am surely no teller of time,” and Gold Spur oe his horse with affection, and the splen- id creature bounded forward with renewed speed. At last, just as the gray of dawn was giving a sickly hue to the light of the moon, Feather- hoof came toa sudden stop at the stern com- mand of the sentinel at the garrison gate. ‘Halt! Who comes there?’ “A friend!” replied Gold Spur, whom the sentinel could only indistinctly see. ‘* Advance, friend, ana give the countersign!” was the order. ‘“‘T know no countersign; | come from the command of Colcenel Hidres, witw orders tor Captain Moreland, and they ere important,” said The Gentlernun from Texas almost inm- patiently. There was a short parley at the gate, the sentinel called the sergeant of the guard, and he sought the officer on duty, and at last there came the command: ‘‘ Advance, sir, for Captain Moreland will see you.” Gold Spur instantly obeyed, and as he rode into the garrison, a dozen voices cried: ‘The Gentleman from Texas!” ‘* Ay, seize him!” cried a lieutenant, who was the officer on duty. ‘‘ Back! I came not here to be seized and put in irons, but to see Captain Moreland, so lead me to him, or there will be weeping and wail- me cen e stern, e words of Gold Spur checked the advance upon him, and, dismount- ing, he walked aoe toward the quarters of Captain Moreland, who met him at the door. * Well, sir, you have come to surrender your- self, I suppose?” said the captain. | ‘“‘T have come, sir, to warn you of a fearful danger threatening this garrison; but first kindly have some one look after my horse, for I have ridden —_ seventy odd miles between darkness and light; then, sir, I will tell you why I have come.” Impressed the manner of the strange man, Captain Moreland called to his own ser- vant to look after Featherhoof, and invited The Gentleman from Texas into his quarters, the soldiers standing in groups around, and won- dering what new adventure the Texan had on the tapis for them, and greatly surprised that he had again entered the garrison, so soon after his daring escape from it. “Well, sir, be seated, and tell me why you here, sir, to warn you of a t danger.” ‘‘What! has aught befallen Colonel Eldred or are you currying favor by some cock an bull story?’ ‘“‘I curry favor with no man, Captain More- land, and I act now from no desire to win Pp m ‘‘When I left here, as you may remember—” “Yes, I remember it distinctly,” dryly said the officer, and then he added: “Pll give you a thousand dollars for that horse you ride.” ‘“‘ No, he is not for sale, and money will not buy him, sir; but the the question on hand: ‘Lam listening.” ‘“T went to the camp of Colonel Eldred, for he had bivouacked near where the Indian band had halted—” ** Under the Jackal?” ‘“‘-Yes, under the Jackal, who so cleverly de- ceived Buckskin Mose, that he moved on to his ———ee sidered you?” said Captain Moreland with a sneer. ‘You are wrong, sir; the Jackal accepted me as an exchange for the two ladies, and they were delivered in safety to the colonel.” ** Do you tell the truth, sir?” Gold Spur’s face flashed with anger, but he replied calmly: ‘* I did not come here to lie to you, and I beg that you will not take advantage of my being alone and friendless in the fort, to agaiu insult me, ‘*T beg pardon,” frankly said the captain, im- pressed with the dignity of the man and his utter fearlessness. “* Tt is ted, sir. Yes, Ido tell the truth, Captain Moreland, and I tell you that the ladies were given over to the colonel’s charge and I was carried to the retreat of the Indians.” ‘* And when was this?’ ** Last evening at sunset.” ‘“* And yet you are here now.” ‘““T am, sir, and, as I said, to warn you of danger which I suspected from one pledge the colonel had to make with the exchange.” ‘** And that was?” ‘* Not to attack the Jackal in his retreat.” ‘* And the colonel agreed to this?” ‘* By all means, for it would have been mad- ness for him not to have done so, even with treble his present force, as he has no idea how large a village lies up in the hills; but this pledge excited my suspicion, and I had not reached the Incian camp, whither I was being taken under the charge of two braves, when I discovered the cause of the demand.” ‘‘And what was it?” ‘‘ That the Jackal, knowing that Colonel El- dred would keep his pledged word, could take 4 y his whole force in warriors on the war- path, ‘‘ And attack the troopers in their camp?” ‘* No, Captain Moreland, for they would have been beaten off, and gotten only hard knocks and no booty, if successfuleven. Their destina- tion was elsewhere.” ‘* Where, for instance, Mr. Texas?” ‘‘ THIS GARRISON!” was the startling response of Gold Spur. CHAPTER XXXVL GOLD SPUR TELLS A STARTLING STORY. For an instant Captain Moreland was startled by the sudden announcement of The Gentleman from Texas, as to the point of attack at which the White Jackal was aiming; but after an instant he cast off all anxiety, and said, con- teraptuously: ¥ ! Sir Gold Spur, I have in this garrison three hundred men, and—” ‘* About two hundred of which,” interrupted Gold Spur, ‘‘are fighting men, with a large number of the balance teamsters, servants and hangers-on generally, who cannot be readily “a into action. ‘“« They have to take care of a hundred or more women and children and defend a vast amount of valuable stores.” “You seem well informed, sir, regarding this ‘Tam, sir. I knew, also, that there are two “Come, the brute must die to save the hu- | have run your head into a noose, by a com- | settlements within a dozen miles of here which - man; itis the law of mankind,” he again ing into this garrison?’ said Captain Moreland, | can turn out half a hundred more men; but I soho urged the mustang up a steep hill, as he motioned Gold Spur to a chair. also know that, a mC ypem| danger, these set- down into a ravine that seemed like a “T was not born to be hanged, my dear cap- | tlements can be overrun and devastated in an huge split, dividing the mountains. tain, so threats disturb me not; but I came P “ And the Jackal, you say, is to do this, and with the force at 2 Apo, 2" “T do, sir.” “Why, he cannot number over two hundred men, for he had his whole force in the attack on the Gerard wagon train some time since. “He had his immediate force of renegade Sioux, Cheyennes and Comanches, sir, but, feel- ing his power, Two Lance, Bad edicine and Old Whistler are his allies, and their villages are all in the hills I have just left.” ‘‘ And they are with the White Jackal in this raid you say he is coming upon?” asked Captain Moreland, for the first time since the interview showing anxiety. “I do, sir; besides his own band those chiefs will be under the command of the Jackal.” ‘‘And you are said to be the man of ene: you speak,” said Captain land, untly. . deme att, I am sadd to. ba a that is bad; ut w eed my warning YT will hack retreat, leaving the soldiers still in camp, and ' the next morning had so .-" oA oremee So “Why, : mtr bL es; wil oa atest trace whic OlOWw ou ma w 00 > Dut sg — ra ~ Colonel Eldred and his men will doubtless ar- “In this predicament Colonel Eldred was aided by an old man known as The Hermit of the Republican.” ) rive to-day, and—” feel confident, did break camp unti] sc ‘ e ; 5 . - — - ww ed Vi ~- - jnse on o é s . . . > . e ane * be hy 7) 7. 7 aaa —~