Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 148 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

14 distance of the fort: and during their journe together an mtimacy sprung up between No and Morasty of more than friendly relations. Heltice saw this, and although she said nothing about it then, she was satisfied that Margery had been smitten by the young officer. An this proved, in a great measure, true, when on the following day while they were rambling in the woods near the fort, they were met by North again, and a long interview took resin between him and Margery. And so these secret prsceipen ocenrned almost daily, and be- fore the war bad begun he and Margery were pigated lovers, though no one knew it but ellice. The circumstances under which they met now would test the sincerity of the young offi- cer’s love for Margery. lt was evident from the remark with which be greeted Malagua, that he had been sent there to meet the Indian, and yet neither of the captives could believe that one so young and noble in all outward ap- rances could be guilty of complicity with alagua in their abduction; but, with an as- sumed air and tone of doubt, Hellice said: ‘*Captain North, it is fortunate then that we have met with you, but it is strange why we have been made the victims of treachery and ed here where you appear to have met rd A by appointment, - “T will give you credit, Miss Arvine,” the young officer said, smiling, ‘‘for more than ordinary keenness of ‘perception... I did come to meet Malagua, but Iam acting under orders of General Brock, who sent me here to: conduct you to his head-quarters; and I am glad that.he did send me.” “Then Malagua is a traitor to the whites?” said Margery. “To you Americans. He has long been a secret spy of General Brock’s army.” ‘‘ But why are Margery and I victims of this night’s treachery ?” ‘I can not say exactly. There is something wrong somewhere—a deep, villainous motive in your abduction. There isan Englishman in camp who, I am inclined to think, wields t influence over Brock, and whom he has induced to bring about your capture.” ** He succeeded well so far, but you surely will not. deliver us into his power, will you, Paul?” asked remot “*Do you think Iam the man that would disobey the orders of my superior?” he replied, gazing down with admiration beaming in his eyes upon the pretty pale face of Margery who sat ust before and facing is ‘Tam deceived in you, Paul, if you would obey such. orders.” | ‘God bless you, my sweet Margery, for the compliment; but you can have no idea how lit- tle mercy OF favoritism there is in military dis- cipline.’ ‘Why does Cap’n North waste time talkin’ with silly squaws?”’ Mala suddenly put in, a dark ant frown settling upon his face. s< a coward and traitor that you ply eal d forever hide your evil face an eep silent!” exclaimed Hellice; her eyes flash- ing with scorn and contempt. “For years have the Americans trusted and treated you as a friend, and now when your assistance is most needed you turn inst us. Mind, the Great Spirit, will visit judgment upon you!” A low, indignant ‘ Ugh!” escaped the In- dian’s lips, and bis hand mechanically sought the h of his tomahawk, but Captain Paul North called his attention to the fact that he me 4 addressed by a prisoner and a female a t. “And now, Malagua,” he continued, “I will dispense with your further service, and take charge of the captives myself, You can report to General Brock as soon as you desire.” he Indian gave the captain a quick, suspi- cious glance tha» implied a volume of mean- ing; then he quietly arose and stepped ashore, and the next moment disappeared in the dense shadows of the woods. “The dismissal of that sullen, vindictive traitor may cause me trouble,” Captain North said, when the Indian was out of bearing, Then be took up the paddle and sent the canoe out into the middle of the creek, when he paddling and permitted the craft to float at the will of the current. The young officer was silent several moments, as were the maidens also. At length, however, the captain said: ‘“‘ Ladies, I bave been thinking. There has been a desperate struggle going on in mind and bene’ hegeeen my heart’s desires and the right of duty. “T pray the former will gain the victory,” said Margery, ber soulful eyes swimming in tears and her lips quivering with a silent ap- peal that she could not utter; ‘‘I say th cause I know, Paul, that the desires of your are pure and honest,” “Tf it then I will have violated the laws of People king.” Better violate the laws of man than the laws of God, although I without knowing to what you refer, as t of pana ft “T refer to your abduction and the part in trusted to me uy General Brock.” | One-Armed Alf. cea EEE EEE ‘‘Then you think it your duty to deliver us belplens, tae into the power of our enemies, 0 you! oF do not think it right to do so, but it is my orders, and to violate them would subject me to the stern hand of the law of our military, and no doubt would result in my being shot.’ A little cry escaped Margery’s lips, and rais- ing her eyes to those of the captain, she said: ‘It would hardly be right for us, then, to ask you to violate your obligations to your country, whatever your inclinations might be; and if in your heart you think you are doing right Paul, conduct us to your commander.” ‘No, no, dear Margery, this I could never do. Such a creature would not be wortby of any one’s love, to say nothing of one so jure and noble as you. will conduct you forth- with \to a point of safety and take the conse- uences, whatever they may be,” “T would not think it right in us, vsyale North,” said Hellice, “to ask you to enddngep your life, when you were not instrumental in placing us in our present situation.” “T know that, Miss Arvine, and rather than lead you into danger. I would renounce my country and king, even if youn should hate me for it. I know that I owe my country no favors, other than the love of family associa- tions that found birth on English soil, “Then, if you are not an Englishman at heart—have no patriotic love for your king and country, why are you here in arms against the Americans?” asked ery. ‘‘For the reason that we, common English subjects, have not the liberties of you free-born Americans of a democratic government. wh my own free will I would never have rai arms _— America, for the establishment of whose nen my father gave his life- blood at the battle of Brandywine !” ‘Then you are an American by birth?’ * No; was born in England, but when quite young my father emigrated to America, leaving a large fortune in England. After his death, T went to England to procure father’s ossessions, and was compelled to remain there some time, and when war came I was literally forced into the ranks; and through the influence of relatives who wished to win my affections from America, I was given the commission of a captain of Light Horse. And now that all my future bapetnaes is protected by American arms, I embrace this opportunity of renouncing England and her king.” ‘*T should think you had aright to, “yee for under the circumstances you are an Amer- ican, and could not be looked upon as a traitor or deserter to your king country,” said ery. pa This then, settles my course, fair Margery,” he replied. ‘*T shall proceed with you to what- ever point of ope! you may designate.” She expressed a desire to return at once to her friends, and he dipped the paddles, turned in to the shore, and assisted them toland. In a few moments more they were under cover of the wood, and on their way toward the old French fortress. They moved in great silence, Captain North carefully picking an easy route for the maidens, sto occasionally to give them rest, and words of caution and encouragement. They had traveled nearly or quite a mile, in this manner, when their course led them into a little opening bare of vegetation. In fact, it was nothing more than a bed of white sand glaring ghostly white in the pale starlight; and as er emerged into this opening, they were brought to a sudden halt by sight of the figure “4 an Indian lying prone upon the sand before em. It required but a second glance to tell them that it was the form of the traitorous de; and at first they su he was asleep, ut knowing that such a g would be greatly at variance with the usual precautious character of the Indian, Captain North mistrusted that all was not right, and leaving the maidens he ad- vanced toward the prostrate form. To his surprise and horror he found Malagua was stone dead. He saw that he had been uite recently slain, too, for the warm blood was stil wel from a bullet-hole in the breast. The Spirit of the Woods bad been there! CHAPTER XXT. THE MYSTERIOUS FIREFACES. For hours, long and weary, those of our iends whom we left in the old French fort, awaited the return of Malagua after his depar- ture with Margery and Hellice, unable to ac- count for his protracted absence, _ In the mean time ey, had been seen of the Indians 0 around the fort in the w and the very facts of their having made no ther demon- mecha) n the orate and the non-appear- ance oO ean them to suspect somethin of the truth. was a traitor, and bh decoyed Hellice a away from the | fort into the hands of enemies. This view was eres by the fact of mg gee ony. er SAREE, they pase a deadly fire argery accompany when about to leave. However, they hed beard no sound that in- dicated trouble outside of the fort, more than The red the faint report of a rifle, but this emanated from far down the creek,a direction almost op “a ges taken by the maidens and their uide. Colonel Bliss became almost frantic over the unknown fate of his idolized daughter, and his friends could hardly restrain him from rushing out in search of her, a step that would have en- TT LSet ———— - — = dangered the lives of all. When silence and calmness had been restored, new measures of defense were at once suggested and ay en Tom Koder, au experienced scout and Indian- ~ Feng was at once sent out to reconnoiter. hen he returned he reported the woods alive with Indians; but, as Tom was given to exag- geration when excited, a due allowance was made upon his story; yet, the presence of In- dians about at all, was evidence of their danger, and the difficulty that would attend any effort to escape from the fort during the night. Under the circumstances what were they to do? If Malagua Aad turned traitor, the chances were that he would give the Indians such in- ota as would enable them to carry the ort. As the minutes wore away, one of the suddenly came running into the cabin, where several of the men were assembled, greatly ex- cited. He reported that he had seen the figure of a man §s ing among the weeds on the in- side of the fort north of the cabins. A close search was at once instituted, but nothing was found or seen of the skulker, They did, Safi pled find a beaten path leading along the of the eastern wall from the little channel worn by the.water from the spring, as hitherto mentioned. The path followed along the works several rods, being screened by weeds and vines. Tom Koder inspected the trail and pro- nounced it that of some kind of animal Whore home was in the earth. The presence of several large holes in the ground within the inclosure, made his guess probable. But for all this, Colonel Bliss was not pip Sa accept this as conclusive, and roposed. to.make some. further investigations; ut the fearful cry of ‘‘ Indians! Indians!” rung from the lips of one of the sentinels posted near the gate. e sound was taken up and repeated by his companions, until finally hushed the wild, demoniac yells of the horde of red demons. without, Then arose a scene of confusion and terror that beggars description, in and out of the fort. The yells of the savages, as they hurled them- selves with terrific violence against the feebl gate, made the night hideous; and to these sounds were soon added the crash of fire-arms, shouts of the men and screams of the women and children. For awhile it seemed that the s vages could never withstand the fire poured upon them by the little ban efenders, for they were constantly e while the whites were well defended from bullets by the grim old wal's of the fort. But there were voices— the voices of English leaders—cheering them on, They reached the walls of the fort; then quick and heavy fell the blows of tomahawks u ¥ yee crumbly old gate, until at length it yle Then, by the dozens, the yelling, screeching horde of .savage demons poured into the fort. The gallant little band of defenders retreated. into an angle of the inclosure, where, ally covered by the cabin in which the females were sheltered, they continued to pour their deadly fire into the ranks of the foe. But, even there they cannot hold the two- score of infuriated fiends at bay; but they can die fighting, and it is to the death they have re- solved to fight, rather than be taken alive, couraged by their success in gaining the interior of the fort, the savages press on, The lion voice of old Colonel Bliss can be heard, high above the din of battle, shouting words of encouragement to bis men and deri- sion to the foe. he latter, however, are fast ining upon the little band of whites. They king them on the right. Some have climbed ever the parapet in the rear. ers have crept around behind the buildings, while others are pressing hard in front. A minute more will decide the fate of our ut har e sharp, shrill twang of a horn suddenly breaks out above the din of battle. Ir is answered by a yell that seems to issue in chorus from a hundred throats. There is a lull in the conflict; the combatants enpear paralyzed with sudden terror. en out from the walls of the opposite side of the fortress floats a score of human forms concealed behind masks of dull, glowing fire. They are almost nude, wearing nothing but loin-cloths made of skins. Their skin is white yet they appear like spirits from demon-land with faces of burni me. They are armed with rifles and pistol oes © of the red A short, decisive con- flict ensues; the strange and terrible Firefaces close in upon the savages, with unearthly yells. ins become filled with terror and fear ; of EORNIC OOOKS (EO)