Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 148 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

~~ << eee ._--* we ee el and scout, was still absent; but in the course of an hour be made his rance, and, to the joy of all, he bore upon his shoulder the hind- quarter of a deer, of which he knew the fugi- tives stood in great need. Malagua was a tall, powerful Indirm of the Ottawa tribe. He was in the very prime of manhood, and in ws of physical strength and skill as a scout he had no equal on the pen- insula. He had long been known as a friend, to the whites, yet there times when nobody knew upon which side his 0 br se a and there were times also, when he grew sul- len and morose, often refusing to see an inti- mate friend. But no one could accord these eccentricites to treachery harbored in his mind, for he had long been such a valuable acquisition to the force of scouts employed by the govern- ment that all were loth to believe he was other- wise than true. As before stated, the guide’s appearance in camp was hailed with joy by the fugitives. However, without manifesting the least emo- tion, he advanced slowly toward the women and children and deposited his venison on the flor at his feet with the triumphant air ofa king. Then, as if to note the manifestations of jy and thanks, he glanced furtively from one lo the other of the party, permitting his gaze to linger a trifle lon upon the pretty, bright tace of Helice ne. “Well, Malagua,” said Colonel Bliss, ‘‘ did you make any discoveries in your scouting?” ‘*See no Injuns,” replied the Indian, speak- ing the English tongue fluently, ‘‘ but there are many Ojibwaysin the woods. See their tracks here—there—every where—lots of ’em.” “Do you think they were aware of our being in these ruins?” ‘“Can’t tell. Tracks point here — there— every where like they bunt for lost trail.” ‘*That may be the case, for we took eve precaution to conceal our trail a mile back, replied Bliss, ‘‘and if your young friend, Nor- ton, holds out till he reaches Pomt Michigan, we may except assistance by to-morrow morn- ing.” ‘ And perhaps Philip will be with the party!” laughed pretty ry Bliss, glancing at Helice Arvine, who, pursing up her lips at her tormentor, replied, in a playful manner: “Never mind, Miss Margery. I know a se- cret about a pair of lovers that you would not like to hear about.” It was Margery’s turn now to blush, for there was a secret in her love affairs that was known to no one but her and Helice. In fact no one but Hellice knew that Margery loved at all, for she dare not make known her love to her father. Not but what it was a pure love, but because the object of her affections was a young En- glish captain of the royal army, then in America; and she knew her father’s hatred of the English would never be conciliated to see his only and motherless child wedded to an enemy.” The venison brought in by the scout was sliced up and broiled for supper, and, after the meager re was over with, ds were sta- tioned at various points, while Malagua was sent outside to in the forest. Despite the fatigue of their day’s journe Hellice and Margery could not eit down cam rest easy, so they stole away and n ram- bling about within the fort, inspecting, with maidenly curiosity, the grim old walls of the fortress, within which the stately soldiery of France had once paraded. They found many things to attract their mere’ and when they had at length grown tired of rambling ~ae they ascended a pair of rude stone steps an seated themselves upon the edge of the parapet and conversed in whispers over the vast and future. The moon soon came up: and relieved the surrounding vicinity of much of its gloom and brought out in bold relief all adjacent objects. Around them was the grim, black, intermima- ble forest, in which lurked unknown dangers; and between the woods and the fort was a clearing severul rods in width, extending all around the fort, and across which an enemy could not pass unobserved. “Margery,” Hellice finally remarked, when their conversation had turned upon the sub- ject, ‘“‘ I don’t believe your father places per- fect confidence in our Indian guide, fr 4 ‘‘ He has said nothing to me on the subject Hellice,” replied Margery, ‘“‘since we esca from Mackinaw, and he ‘most always tells me his thoughts on such thin Yet, he may not have implicit confidence Malagua, for you know no one has. He acts so curious some- times that people don’t know how to take him. But I think, aud don’t you, Hellice, that he has shown a devotion of friendship to us since our flight began, that certainly can not be construed into a motive of treachery ?”’ ‘‘That’s all true, Margery,” replied Hellice, “ but I never liked Malagua. He always looks at me with such a strange light im his little ene eyes that has caused me to fear and hate im.” ‘‘He has every chance, and has had, to be- tray us into the power of the bad Indians were he so or you know he is out alone | | Neen n nn nm nner nnn en crnn nner — ———SSSSlSssSsSS-ll Sl>SSSth_tesssstenseste=—eeeee TT One-Armed Alf. However, time will tell — + — - -——- — most of his time. what Mal is, and I pray you will not of- fend him, Hellice, by word or act while we are so completely in his power, for you know that trifles often engender a deep, revengeful spirit | in the heart of an Indian, and—” * Gh, ry! look yonder!” suddenly in- terrupted Hellice, in a loud whisper, grasping | —— are besieged her companion by bis arm. | 4g V———— elevated in the air, while his tail wagged with slow, panther-like lashes. “By Jupiter!” exclaimed the Giant Scout in an undertone, ‘“‘he ‘points’ a red-skin, boys, and look sharp. If we should meet with dan- gers that separate us, let it be understood that we meet at the old nch fortress, where our ”? fore either of his friends could reply there Margery looked in the direction indicated | was a fluttering among the undergrowth, a and beheld an Indian warrior crawling upon rush of many moccasin his hands and knees across the surrounding opening toward the fort. He was coming di- rectly toward them, but appeared to be igno- rant of their presence upon the parapet. They | feet, and a score of red-skins were upon them. Fully apprised of the number of the foe, our three friends saw that resistance would be use- less, and so they turned and fled. But the trap could see every lineament of his grim, poune of the evening had been well set and_ success-~ e face, and the very glow of his snake-like eyes — sent a shudder to their wildly-throbbing earts, ‘‘Let us run, Hellice, and give the alarm,” said Margery. They arose to their feet and were about to descend the stone a when the report ofa rifle suddenly broke the stillness of the night, and was succeeded by a groan of agony from the Indian, who was seen to leap upwardand fall back lifeless to the ground. The person that the shot stood at the foot of the wall outside of the fort, and before the maidens could withdraw, Malagua, the friendly Ottawa, sprung over the wall and stood at their side, the smoke curling from his death-dealing rifle. “Oh, Molexua!l” cried Hellice, “it was you that shot the bed Indian!” Before the Ottawa could reply, a savage yell extending in a circle around the fort, t out in horrifying intonations upon the air, and rung in quavering echoes through the aisles of the forest. CHAPTER XV. THE GIANT SCOUT’S TEST. OnrE-ARMED ALF and his two companions old Jack Eller and Captain Philip St. John, pursued their Bm course, after leavin the ruins of the cabin, as fast as possible. they had not eyed far when Sultan, the scout’s hound, to act in a manner that to his master indicated the presence of danger. This induced greater precaution on the part of the three men, and led to the belief that they were being followed by savages. However, they traveled on till dark, then halted for a few minutes’ rest. When they were about to resume their journey the hound betrayed great fears by cowering in front of his master, then ee away into the woods to return imme- iately. “There’s somethin’ wrong, boys,” said One- Armed Alf, ‘‘and I dare say that there are In- dians about, and so 5 apes to test the fact.” ‘* How’ll ye do it, Alf? how’ll ye do it?) Don’t poke yourself into dangers when there’s no need o’ it,” said old Jack; “‘ by using a little strata- gem we may outmaneuver the varlets and es- cape without givin’ battle.” ‘IT will not leave this spot, friend Eller, and yet, if there are any red-skins within an hour’s unt of here, we will know it.” “Humph!” ejaculated the old borderman *‘one’d think, from the way you talk, friend Alf, that you were the Spirit of the Woods.” ‘The scout made no reply to Eller, but calling his dog to his side, addressed a few words to him that seemed 1 ey Seer oe to the animal, for he immedidtely away into the dark- ness. ‘* Now, boys,” said the scout, “sit down and let us await the return of Sult.” young officer and Eller complied with the request, but they had scarcely done so when a strange noise was heard off to the south of them, a direction entirely opposite to that taken by the scout’s hound. And scarcely a moment had elapsed after the noise had sub- sided when the patter of feet was heard ap- proaching, and the scout’s dog came bounding to his master’s side. The three could just distinguish his outlines, and see that he carried something in his mouth, that proved upon inspection to be the head- dress of an Ojibway chief. ‘ That’s how I ascertain when thar’s Indians about,” handing the article to St. John for in- ‘ ay 1A Ia? ‘Lordy, who'd ’a’ thought a dorg could have so much ginuine human gumption?’ old Jack exclaimed. ‘Well, it proves that we’re in danger.” “6 '¥ oni pier Ay re from the direction in which the animal brought the fillet,” said the captain, ‘‘the enemy are in the rear.’ ** That’s it, exactly, captain. Sultan always comes to me directly from the Indian, so we have got to be moving at once, boys.” So saying, they arose and resumed their jour- ney, moving with extreme caution and silence, with every faculty on the alert. A low whine from the dog suddenly brought “Dagon hispered th k his ‘Danger !” w e scout, keeping - eye upon the movement of his dog. . ‘he sagacious beast had come toa stand, re- fusing to move a step further. His nose was fully sprung, and ere they werescarcely aware of it, our three friends were completely sur- rounded. Captain St. John and old Jack Eller attempted to fight their way out, but their ef- forts were fruitless; they were overpowered and made prisoners. The old borderman, how- ever, was not conquered without some deter- mined efforts on part of his foes. One-Armed Alf had been more fortunate than his companions. Witb a few swift and vigorous sweeps of his huge cane he cleared an opening in that line of living demons; then, with the agility of a deer, he bounded from their midst: and esca into the forest, closely followed by his faithful hound, Sultan. CHAPTER XVI. STRANGE PROCEEDINGS. To Captain St. John and old Jack Eller it soon became evident that they were not to be executed then and there, but conveyed to the Indian stronghold to the northward, This was in a measure accounted for when they heard and recognized among their captors English voices, speaking in tonesof authority; all of which convinced them that they had fallen into the hands of a scouting of British and Indians, They were sa now, or at least hoped that English authorit would hold them from Indian tortures, notwithstanding the horrors of English prisons. As long, however, as One- ed Alf, the Giant Scout, was free they could entertain a of escape, and at length, when so ordered, they arose and were conducted away through the grim old halls of ew The journey was perenan in silence, and for more than an hour they held on their way with nothing to break the monotony of their travels save an occasional outb of anathemas from old Jack, but a blow or kick followin oath, finally proved an incentive to to silence, em h flected the when a light, reflec among of some tops was suddenly + Mean short distance ahead. The party at once came to a halt, and a couple of scouts sent forward to reconnoiter the vicinity of the fire, and ascer- tain who were encam there. This, how- ever, required but a few minutes’ delay. The scouts came back and gave their in a tone inaudible to the prisoners, This led old Jack Eller to suspect they were in close prox- imity to the camp of white fri who were being threatened with an attack by the Indians, and so he resolved to give notice of their ap- proach, and put the on guard, and at once gave utterance to a shout as vociferous as his iron lungs would ad- mit; and then, in addition to the blow he re- ceived for his impertinence, ju of his as- tonishment when he heard himself thus answered. from the camp-fire. ‘* Dry up thar, ye darned old ! Whar’s the use of sich bellerin’ round the ears of a peaceful soul that’s courtin’ slumber?” The tone of the er as well as his selec- tion of words, was readily ized as that of the notorious whisky-trader, Jabez Muggins, by all the , and as they moved forward, and approached the camp, they saw the burly form of the trader reclining on yooh be- fore the fire, his head res on his whisky- keg, while his whole face was enveloped in a cloud of obnoxious tobacco smoke, and as the filed into the light of the the trader coolly turned his eyes and glanced at the oe resumed his careless, indifferent attitude and air. “An accursed cool salutation by a professed friend,” exclaimed one of our friends’ captors, who was a white man, and wore the uniforms of an English officer, ‘‘a very cool salutation, indeed, Mr. Whis Shame, ‘*That’s that in i whisky-trader, Cap,” said old Jack Eller to his fellow captive, took sides with the In last night at the scout’s cabin. Lordy! I war loose, I’d spile his physiog in the snap of a finger, the y re ? Indeed, gentl ” said the whisky-trader, rising to his feet, “‘I’d have you know that. I’m a peaceable citizen of the empire, and am n’utral and goin’ to stay so durin’ this war, and won’t be insulted by my own fireside had journeyed three or four miles foliage ered a —no, sir-te, wpa # So a a unof myse property or : celia ao ie if I don’t discombobarate somebody’s solar system and cause a tilt over 0)(0)(0) Colm cS Cc (Ele)