Beadle's New York Dime Library, Vol. II, No. 15 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

EEE / -—— A black mass soon appeared, floating ra- ther than swimming on the water, and noise- leasly advancing toward the spot where the hunters were in ambush. At the end of a few moments this body, whatever it might be, stopped, and the cry of the prairie dog was heard several times repeated. At once the howl of the coyote broke forth forcibly so near the three men, that, spite of themselves, they shuddered, and a man hanging by the hands dropped down from an oak tree, scarcely three yards from the oe where they were. This man wore the Mexican costume. ** Come, chief,’’ he said, in a low voice, though not venturing down to the river, ‘come, we are alone.”’ The man thus addressed emerged from the water, and clambered up the bank to join the person awaiting him. ‘* My brother speaks loo loudly,” he sald. ‘In the desert a man is never alone; the leaves have eyes, the trees ears,” ** Bah! what you say has not common sense, Who on earth would play the spy onus? With the exception of your war. riors, who are probably concealed &) the neighborhood, no one can sce or hear us.’’ The Indian shook his head. Now that he was standing only a few paces from the ad- venturers, Bellumeur perceived that Eagle- head was not mistaken, and that the man was really the Black Bear, The two men stood fora moment silently gazing at each other, The Mexican was the tirst to speak. ‘““ You have maneuvered well,” he said, in an insinuating voice. “I know not how you managed it, but you have succeeded in en- tering the fort.’’ ** Yes,” the Indian replied. ‘* Now we have only our final arrange- ments to make. You are a great chief, in whom | place the utmost confidence. Here is what | promised you. I ought not to pay you till afterward, but I do not wish the slightest cloud to rise between us.” he Indian silently rejected the purse the other held out to him. , ‘* The Black Bear has refle ted,’’ he said, oe ‘* On what, may I ask ?”” ‘* A warrior is not a woman vo waste his words, What iny brother offered the Black Bear, the Apache chief refuses.”’ “ Which means ?” ** That all is broken off.’’ The Mexican repressed with difficulty a sigu of disappointment. ‘ Then,”’ he said, ‘you have not warned your warriors? When I give the order you will not attack the hacienda ?” ‘* The Black Bear bas warned his warriors. He will attack the pale-faces.” * What did you say this moment? Icon- fess that I do not comprehend you, ehief.’’ ““ Because the pale fuces will not compre- nend. The Black Bear will attack the ha- dienda, but on his own account.” ‘* That was agreed between us, I fancy.”’ ‘* Yes: but the Black Bear has seen the éinging-bird. His hut is empty: he wishes to place in it the young pale virgin.” * Bcoundrel !”? the Mexican shouted, in his a wt **you would betray me in that way ** How have I betrayed the pale-face ?” the Indian replied, still perfectly calm. ‘“ He offered me a bargain; I refused it. I see nothing dishonest in that.’’ The Mexican bit his “3 with rage; he was caught, and could make no reply “TI will revenge myself,” he said, stamp- ing lils foot. ‘The Black Bear is a powerful chief; he laughs at the croaking of the ravens. The pale-face can do nothing against him.” With a movement Swift as thought, the Mexican rushed on the Indian, seized him by the throat, and drawing his dagger, raised it to strike him. But the Apache carefully watched the actions of his opponent: by a movement no less swift he freed himself from his grasp, and with one bound was out reach, “The pale-face has dared to touch a es, he said, in a hoarse voice; ‘he shall e. The Mexican shrugged his shoulders, and seized the pistols in his girdle. It is impossible to say how this scene would have ended, had not a new incident happened to change its features completely. From the same tree in which the Mexican had been hidden a few moments previously, another individual suddenly fell, rushed on the chief, and hurled him to the ground be- fore he could make a gesture to defend him- self, so thoroughly was he off his guard. ‘* By Jove!’’ Belhumeur muttered, with a stifled. laugh, “there must be a legion of devils in that tree.’’ The Mexican and the man who had come so luckily to his help had securely tied the Indiau with a reata, ‘“‘ Now you are in my power, chief,” the Mexican said, “and you will be obliged to ae The Tiger-Slayer. consent to my terms.” The Apache griziwed, and uttered a shrill whistle. At this signal fifty Indian warriors ap- peared, as if they had sprung from the ground, and that so suddeuly, that the two white men were surrounded in an instant by an impassable circle. ** Deuce!’’ Belhumeur said, in an aside, “that complicates matters. How will they get out of that?” ‘* And we ?”’ Louis whispered in bis ear. The Canadian replied by that shrug of the shoulders which signifies in all languages, ‘* We must trust in Heaven,’’ and began ,ooking again, interested as he was in the highest degree by the unexpected changes of scene. ** Cucharés!” the Mexican said to his companion, ‘‘ hold that scoundrel tight, and at the .east suspicious movement kill him like a dog,”’ ‘* Be calm, Don Martial,’’ the lepero an- swered, pulling from his yaquera boot a knife, whose sharp blade flashed with a bluish tinge in the moon's Bye ** What decision does the Black Bear come to?” the bl pana bi went on, addressing the chief lying at his feet. ‘* The life of a chief belongs to thee, dog of the pale-faces; take it if thou darest! the Apache replied, with a smile of con- ono. g “T will not kill you; not because I am afraid, for I know not such a feeling,’’ the Mexican said, ‘* but because I disdain to shed the blood of an enemy who is defenseless, even if he be, like you, an unclean coyote.’ ** Kill me, say, if thou canst, but insult me not. Hasten! for my warriors may lose patience, sacrifice thee to their wrath, and thou mightest die unavenged.”’ “You are jesting; you know perfectly well that your warriors will not move an inch so long as I hold you thus. I propose to offer you peace.”’ ** Peace !’’ the chief said, and his eyes flashed. ‘* On what conditions ?”’ “ Two only. Cucharés, unfasten the reata, but watch him closely,”’ The lepero obeyed. “ Thanks,’”’ the chief said, as he rose to his knees. “Speak; I am listening—m ears areopen. Whiat are these conditions?” ‘* First, my comrade and myself will be free to retire whither we please.”’ ** Good—and next ?” ** Next, you will pledge yourself to remain with your warriors, and not return to the hacienda in the disguise you have assumed for the next twenty-four hours.”’ ‘* Listen to mein your turn, then, pale- face. Iaccept your conditions, but I must tell you mine.” 4“ peak.” - **] will not reénter the hacienda save with the eagle-feather in my war-tuft, at the head of my warriors, and that before the snn has thrice set bebind the lofty peaks of the mountains of the day.” ** You are boasting, Apache; it is impos- sible fur you to enter the hacienda save by treachery.”’ ‘* We shall see;’? and smiling with a sinister air, he added, ‘ the singing-bird will 6° into the hut of an Apache chief to cook me, The Mexican shrugged his shoulders con: temptuously. ‘Try to take the hacienda and carry off the maiden,” he sai “IT will try. Your hand.” ** Here it is.” ' The chief turned to his warriors, holding the Tigrero’s hand elasped in his own. ** Brothers !’’ he said in a loud voice, and with an accent of supreme majesty, ‘ this pale-face is the friend of Black Bear—let no one molest him.’ The warriors bowed respectfully, and fell back to the right and left, to leave a passage for the two white men. “Farewell !’’ the Black Bear said, sulutin hisenomy. ‘In twenty-four hours I be on your trail,”’ ‘*You are mistaken, dog of an Apache,”’ Don Martial replied, disdainfully ; *T shall be on yours.” ‘Good! we are, then, certain of meet- ing,” the Black Bear said. And he retired with a slow and firm step, followed by his warriors, whose footfal soon died away in the depths of the forest. “On my faith, Don Martial,” the lepero said, ‘I belicve that you were wrong to let that Indian dog escape so easily.” The Tiger-Slayer shrugged his shoulders. “Were we not obliged to get out of the wasp’s nest into which we thrust our - heads ?” he said. ‘ Bah! it is only put off foratime. Let us pe and find our horses.’’ ““One moment, if you will grant it me,’’ Belhumeur said, leaving his hiding-place, and advancing politely with his two comrades. “What's this?’ Cucharés said, pullin out his knife again, while Don Martial cool- 4 ’ ‘ys - AS ly cocked his pistols. ‘This ? caballero,” Belhumeur said, quiet- ly; ‘‘ I faucy you ean see plainly enough,” **] see three men.”’ ‘‘Indeed, you are not at all. mistaken. Three men who have been unseen witnesses of the ee SP ended so bravely—three men who held themselves ready to come to your aid had it been necessary, and who now offer to make common cause with you, to prevent the plunder of the hacienda by the Apaches. Does that suit you ?” “That depends,” the Tigrero said. ‘I must know first what interest urges you to act in this manner,” “That of being agreeable to you in the first place,’’ Belhumeur replied, politely, ** and next, the desire to save the scalps of the poor wretches menaced by those infer- nal red-skins.”’ : ‘To that case I heartily accept your of- er. ‘* Be good enough, then, to follow us to our camping-ground, that we may discuss the plan of the campaign.” So soon as Cucharés noticed that the men who presented themselves so strangely were really friends, he returned his knife to his boot, and went in search of the horses, which had been leftia short distance off. He arrived at this moment, leading the two horses, and the five men proceeded together to the camping-ground. ‘* Take care,’ Belhumeur said to Don Martial; “‘ you have made yourself an im- placable enemy this night. If you do not make haste to klll him, one day or another the Black Bear will kill you. The Apaches never pardon an insult.’’ “I know it; so I shall take my precau- tions, you may be sure.”’ ‘That is yourconcern. Perhaps it would have beeu better to get rid of him, at the risk of what might bave happened alter- ward.’’ ‘* How conld I imagine I had friends 60 nearme? Oh, had [-but known it!” ** Well, it is of no use crying over epilt milk.” ** Do you believe that he will keep seru- pulously the conditions he accepted ?” ‘*You do not know the Black Bear; he is aman of noble sentiments, and has awa of his own for understanding the point o honor. You saw that during your entire discussion he disdained to play avy trickery; his words were always frank. “They were,”’ ‘*Be certain, then, that he will keep his promise.” The conversation was interrupted, Don Martial had suddenly becDme pensive, The Apache’s menaces gave him a good deal to think about. The camp was reached, and Eagle-head immediately set to work rekindl- ing the fire. ‘What are you about?” Belhumeur ob- served to him. ‘ You will reveal our pres- ence.”’ ** No,” the Indian said, shaking his’ head. “The Black Bear has retired with his war- riors: they are far away ut present; 80 we need not take useless precautions,” The fire soon crackled again. The five men crouched round it joyfully, lit their pipes, and began smoking. “I don’t eare,’’ the Canadian presentl sald. ‘* Had it not been for the extraordi- nary coolness pa displayed 1 do not know how you would have eseaped.” “Let us now see how best to foll the plans of these demons,”’ the Mexican said, “It is very simple,’ Louis interposed, ‘One of us will proeced to-morrow to the ‘hacienda, to warn the owner of what has passed this night. He will be on his guard, and all will be right.” | ‘*Yes, I believe those are the best means, and we will employ them.” ‘Five men are os nothing against five hundred,” Eagle-head observed; ‘* we must warn the pale-faces.”’ “That is assuredly the plan we must fol- low,” the Tiger-Slayer remarked; but which of us will consent to go to the haci- aoe a Neither my comrade nor myself can 0 80. “T fancy there is some love-story hidden under all this,” the Canadian said, cunning: ly. ‘I can understand that you would find a difficulty in—”’ “What need of further discussion?’ Louis interposed. ‘ With to-morrow’s dawn I will go to the hacienda; I undertake to ex- plain to the owner all-the dangers that men- ace him in their fullest details.’ ‘That is agreed on, then, and all is set- tled,’’ Belhumeur said. “Then, so soon as our horses have rested, my comrade and I will return to Guaymas,”’ ‘No, you will not, if you please,” the Frenchman objected. “I ca it is proper that you should know the result of the mis- sion I undertake, for it concerns you even more than us. I suspect—” The Mexican repressed 4 lively movement comirebooks:con —— coe Poe