Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 148 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

. ih i ee ee 6 pression, ‘‘why, I have a message from One- Armed Ateeit™ “‘A message, did you say?” ‘Yes, a rou the Giant Scout, and may God have mercy on the settlers of the Peninsula. There it is, captain—written upon = oak leaf. Look upon it—read it for your- self. As he concluded, the old borderman drew from his pocket a small memoranda-book, which he opened, and then upon one of its white op te he laid the green oak leaf just plucked from the waves of t uskegon. Then Captain St. John read the startling message that caused a groan to escape from his lips CHAPTER VI. THE MESSAGE, Tus strange message which old Jack Eller handed to Captain St. John to read, was indeed written upon an oak leaf, the letters having been cut or pricked with a sharp pointed in- strument, and when laid upon the white page of Eller’s memoranda, each letter showed plain and distinet in white with but little irregulari- ties where the point of the instrument had _crossed the fibrous veins of the leaf. It read- “Iam surrounded. Haste the news. Mackinaw to fall in two days! ALF ”’ This Captain St. John read aloud, ‘* That’s what it says, cap’n,” added old Jack. **My God! then all w lost!” cried St. John; ‘I can never reach the garrison in time to warn them of their danger, and they’ll not be expecting an attack so soon. I hope this message may prove to be a mistake.” * Nay, nay, Cap,” replied Eller, “‘ One-Armed Alf is never mistaken in these matters. He alers makes sure before he speaks. His way of finding out facts isa mystery to me and every one ge ben be that as it may, it’s sure, every pop. way of communicatin’ by leaves car- ried down e current, isnot new with the scout. He does it whenever he wants to tell us how things are goin’ and yit don’t want to be seen in these ie Hey I dare say, thar’s a hundred leaves jist like this one floatin’ on the Muskegon at this minute. You see the object —if one don’t reach the place, or should pass without being seen, mebbe another will It’s an original ijee with One-Armed Alf, and a good ’un too, for who, unless he war in the secret, would pay any attention to a few leaves floatin on the bosom of the river that traverses a hun- dred miles of forest?. Ay, Cap, a bigger and nobler heart never pounded human ribs than that of that identikul One-Armed Alf.” “But he must be in trouble himself, Eller, for he says he’s surrounded,” said Horace Gaskell. “‘ He must be surrounded by savages.” “It must be so, Horace, and as men, we stand in duty bound to hasten at once to his assistance. you can tarry, Captain St. John, until we can get the scout out of his trouble, lll raise half a dozen men to escort you to Mackinaw, for it ’ll not be safe for you to start alone.” “I am much obliged to at for your kind consideration and promise, but, perhaps I am more able to make the journey alone than you are to spare the men from Point Michigan.” ‘Nay, nay, Cap. we'll have to pull up and strike out for Chicago or Detroit at once. We can make no defense here against the Indians now If it wer’n’t for that cussed British cruiser we could take to the lake and reach Chi easily and in alittle while. But, pull hard for shore, Gaskell, and let’s make every minute count ’ Gaskell plied the paddle vigorously, and ina few minutes the opposite shore was reached. Having landed, the three proceeded to the quar- ters of Jack Eller, where the settlers were all summoned and the state of affairs made known. For awhile excitement ran bigh, but when quiet was again restored, preparations were at yD made to go to the assistance of One-Armed f. Old Jack Eller, whose age and experience fitted him for the position, stood at the head of the military department of the little village. His judgment, in fact, on all points could relied upon, despite his bluffness and reckless- ness of character. At heart he was an honest and straightforward man, and what was lack- ing in education was made up in instinct and years of experience. From the settlers he selected Your ric men who readily assented to gees at im to the cabin of Dike Armed Alf, and from thence to Mackinaw with Captain St. John, and who at once pre themselves for the poureey One of the four, whom Eller introduced to St. John as Darcy Mayfield, was a man about the captain’s own age, and whose general ap- pearance struck St. John as being decidedly re- markable. He — a form, noble and commanding, and features that were strong, open and manly in expression. His eyes of a dark blue, shone with the light of intelligence and honesty, and bis mouth and fine-carved lips bore evidence of great firmness and decision of character. His hair was of a dark-brown, and strange as it may appear, was thickly sprinkled with threads of silver. His premature gray- | One-Armed Alf. ee ness St. John knew was not the result of illness nor feeble health, for his physi was stron - robust. a. there was a oe ee e) voice, a compression of the lips, and a strange, wild vaeancy of the eye that told of an aching, troubled heart. evertheless, he wasa man calculated to win friends at first sight, for there was that about his looks, ad- dress and deportment that not only invoked friendship and admiration, but a feeling of si- lent sympathy. ‘It is the fact then, Captain St. John,” May- field said, after being introduced, ‘* that we are upon the eve of a terribie war?” ‘* Yes, such is the case, Mr. Mayfield, I re- gret to say; and there is no possible chance of evading it now.” ‘* Have the armies of England and America met in battle yet?” ‘““Not that I know of. General] Hull, how- ever, began the invasion of Canada several days ago, and it may be that a hard battle has been fought between him and Proctor. Macki- naw, I just learned, is threatened, and should it fall, God only knows what wiil follow.” ‘“Are there women and children at Macki- naw?’ asked Darcy. ‘Yes, there are over fifty women and chil- dren—officers’ and soldiers’ families.” ** Have you relations there?” ‘‘T have no relatives there, Mr. Mayfield, but —but—” : “IT understand, captain, what you would say,” interrupted Mayfield; “that tell-tale blush speaks plain as words. I pray Heaven, captain, that your life may not be blighted like mine has been by the ruthless hand of the savage. And as we are pe oes be companions for awhile at Jeast, let me ou that I will show no Indian, especially an Ojibway, mercy, even after he is down. I hate them, curse them, worse than I hate a serpent!” and the man’s eyes fairly blazed with the fire of indig- nation stirred within him. ‘ Yes,” he con- tinued, ‘“‘I hate them! They have made a per- fect devil of me toward them, and I take more delight in slaying them than in any thing else on earth. I make it a point to hunt them down like deer, and even now I am impatient to be off upon their trail. I know itis a fear- ful passion for one to let remain in his breast; bus I dare say, captain, it would be even so with you should you, when you return to Mackinaw, find that she, upon whom you have centered all your love and future happiness, had been cruelly murdered or carried away to a fate worse than death by the savages. Yes, I repeat it, captain, it would make a demon of you toward those accursed barbarians!” Before Captain St. John could make reply Jack Eller made his appearance and announced all in readiness for immediate departure to the assistance of the Giant Scout. The captain had, however, heard enough to satisfy him of one thing Darcy Mayfield was the terrible avenger—the Spirit of the Woods. As all were arxious to be off, the little party, including St. John, took their departure up the river. By this time it was dark, and in the forest the shadows were black and desolate; still, under the guidance of Darcy Mayfield, the eee, moved on quite rapidly. They journeyed in silence, although it was all the guide could do to keep bluff old Jack Eller — his blood having been aroused to a opp: fmm heat. As they neared the lonely cabin of the Giant Scout the gloom seemed to thicken around them. They stopped to listen for some sound that might aid in directing their course, but all was silent as the grave, save that weird, solemn moan of the wilderness and the gentle murmur of the Muskegon hard by. The deep hush of all animated nature was a foreboding oe full of meaning and significance to the train borderman., At length, when all was ready to resume the journey, Darcy Mayfield said: ‘Let each one now observe the greatest pre- caution, for, if our friend Alf is in danger, the first indication of our approach may precipitate ” “Ugh—humph,” ejaculated Old Jack, with closed lips. The moved on a short distance and ae came to a halt by direction of their ide. a ow far are we from the scout’s cabin?” asked one of the party, growing impatient. ‘* Hist!” commanded young Mayfield, and his form seemed to up in col proportions before those who now bent their eyes upon him through the darkness. A deep silence reigned Then there is heard a sound like the snap of a dry twig close by, followed by the quick soft fluttering of feet and the rush of a body through a clump of adjacent undergrowth. The tae before our friends had suddenly vanished—they saw that their guide, Darcy Mayfield, was gone ! ‘* Pardition take the furies.” blurted Old Jack Eller. ‘‘Darcy has gone—shot away from us like a dart. hat can he mean by such ’tarnal actions! I tell you, men, that boy acts like he war teetotally decomboborated sometimes,” “Wh spon umateneld o =~ willl a ou num on’t you erstan eee Cee ee lieve whenever he gits into the atmosphere of an wi bway. ‘* Yes; and 1] dare ey,” added ae St. John, ‘‘ that when you find out the truth of the matter yuu'll find heis the reputed Spirit. of the Woods.” **Oh, Judas!” exclaimed old Jack; “sich a thing is onpossible.” ‘Ts the bore of his rifle large or small?” asked Captain St. John. ‘Small, captain, small,” said Paul Engle; 'there’s not a rifle in the settlement that takes as small a bullet as Darcy’s.” ‘Then that is almost positive proof of his being the Spirit,” said the captain. ‘1 can’t b’lieve,” said old Jack, “ but — harkee !” The sharp yet delicate intonation of a rifle came to the ears of the party. It came from the direction in which yfield had gone. All listened intently, but the report of the piece was succeeded by a profound silence. For some time our friends stood wrapt in si- lence and doubt. They were afraid to move on lest Mayfield would be unable to find them again. in the darkness, Several minutes had been spent in speculating over their situation when they were suddenly startled by a light, soft tread which could be faintly keard approaching from the river quite idly. ith bated breath and eyes distended, our friends peered into the gloom, out of which they suddenly saw a dark figure—a mere densi- ty of shadows—float. It appeared to he crawl- ing, or rather floating parallel with the earth’s surface, and behind it could be seen the merest speck of dull, blue fire, which in no way could be accounted for, and which filled our friends with emotions of sudden fear and surprise. The shadow paused when but afew paces from our friends, then followed a sound like an animal sniffing the air, and at the same time two dull, scintillating orbs of fire became visible near or against the shadow. But these lasted only for a moment. ©The shadow and orbs float- ed away into the gloom, but close behind them and bolt upright, stalked in human form, an- other dark shadow of Brobdignagian propor- tions. But this shadow also passed away so quick that the silent watchers could scarcely be- lieve that they bad seen any thing at all. ‘* No, no, boys,” said Jack Eller, after they had discussed the matter at length, ‘‘thar war nothing material in what we see’d. look into the matter in a philosophic /ight. That shadder war nothin’ but an illusion of the eye; or it might have been a concentrated shadder.” | ‘* Who ever heard of a concentrated shadow?” questioned Paul Engle, scouting such an idea, “Why, boy if ye only knowed any thin you'd know thar are such shadders. I’ve see’ them standin’ stock-still afore now ina dark, wooded valley; but the instant the sun or moon skipped out from behind a cloud, away’d go the shadder like a big giant.” _“T can’t indorse your philosophical explana- tion of what we have seen, Mr. Eller, although such a thin But su we may be a drop the subject and look after the object that brought us here, for time is precious, you know.” “Sartainly, sartainly, captain,” replied old Jack; ‘*let us be movin’, come weal or woe.” They at once resumed their journey, movin slow and cautiously; but they had journey but a short way when they were again brought to astand, this time by a sound like that which would be produced by some dying, strangling creature gasping for breath. ‘‘What the mysteries can it be, anyhow?” asked old Jack Eller. ‘‘It appears to be something or some one. gasping for breath,” replied St. John. ey listened and at once becaine convinced that the captain was right, though it might. have been a by an enemy trying to de- coy them intoan ambush. St. John, however impatient to test the matter, drew his pistol and moved silently but briskly toward the sound. He soon issued into an open area, or glade, where the starlight reached the earth, unob- structed by foliage; and there, in the center of the opening, he saw an Indian warrior, reclining against a stone, his hands lying limp and help- less at his side and his chin drooping upon his naked breast. He wasin the last throes of death, being totally unconscious, aud a moment after our friends found him, there was a sudden con- vulsion of the body that jerked him almost to bis feet. This was followed by a relaxation of on muscles, and the Indian sunk lifeless to the h. Captain St. John saw that he was neither sca] nor mutilated, but had come to his death from effects of a gun-shot. There was a tiny round bullet-hole on the naked breast in the on of the heart, and no sooner had old Jack vered this, than he exclaimed: ““ By Judas Iskarot, the Spirit of the Woods. has laid it across that Ojibway !” “Yes, or rather Darcy Mayfield,” added St. John. CORMCOOOKS You -mustt t. (El)