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

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

The Tiger-Slayer. a . tt “T thank you for my daughter and my- self. ”” “And now, sir, a8 we are already indebt-’ ed to you for such good advice, complete pons task. In my place, what would you Oo da ‘(My advice is as follows,”’ Louis answer- ed, seriously. “The Apaches will attack ou for certain reasons I know, and which t is unnecessary to tell you, They make a int of honor of the success of that attack. ence, intrench yourselves here as well as youcan. You have a considerable garrison composed of tried men; consequently, nearly all the chances are in your favor,” ‘‘T have one huudred and seventy resolute Frenchmen, who have all been soldiers.”’ ‘* Behind good walls, and well armed, they are more than you want.” ‘* Without counting forty peons; accus- tomed to pursuing the Indians, and whom I brought with me,’’ Don Sylva said. ‘* Are those men here at this moment ?” Louis asked, sharply. “Yes, sir.” ‘‘Oh! that simplifies the question ma- terially. If you will believe me, the In- dians have now every thing to fear instead ou. “Explain.” ‘*Tt is evident that you will be attacked from the river. Perhaps, in order to divide your forees, the Indians will muke a feigned attack from the side of the isthmus; but that point is too strongly defend- ed for them to attempt tocarry it. I repeat then, all the enemy’s efforts will be directed up the side of the river.”’ ‘* T would call your attefftion to the fact, sir,”’ the lieutenant said, ‘‘ that at this mo- ment the river is rendered unnavigable by thousands of trees torn from the mountains by the storms, and which it bears along with it,” ‘Tl know not whether the river is navi- gable or not,’?’ Don Louis replied, firmly, but of one thing I am certain, that the Apaches will attack you on that side.” ‘In any case, and not to be taken by sur- prise, two of the guns will be moved from the isthmus battery, leaving four there, which are more than sufficient, and laid so as to enfilade the river, care being taken to mask them. You will also, Leroux, mount a culverin on the platform of the ml- rador, whence we shall command the course of the Gila. Go and have these orders ex- ecuted at once.”’ The old soldier went out without any re. ly, bs aeter to carry out the commands of chlef. ** You see, gentlemen,’”’ the count then said, ‘ that | hasten to profit by the coun- sels you are good enough to give me, I recognize my utter inexperience of this In- dian warfare, aud | repeat that Iam happy at being so well supported,” “This gentleman has foreseen every thing,’ the haciendero said; ‘like him I be- lieve that the house is most exposed on the wiver front.” ‘*A last word,’’ Don Louis continued. ‘* Speak, speak, sir.”’ “Did you not say, caballero, that you brought with you forty peons, accustomed to Indian warfure, and that they were still here Y”’ ‘Yes, I sald so, and it is perfectly true.” ‘Very good. I believe—and be good enough to take it as a simple observation ee peons hidden by you will attack the Indians in the rear.so soon as the action has com- menced between them and us.”’ “That is it.” “ But the Apaches? Do you believe they will allow a troop of white men to retire without harassing them ?” “The Indians are too shrewd to oppose them. What good would it do them to at- tack a body of men who have no baggave ? The fight would pot profit them, but cause their position to be discovered, No, no, be easy, caballero, they will not stir: they have tno great an interest. in remaining invisi- 6.’ ‘**And what do you intend to do ?”’ “The Indians certainly saw me come in this direction; they know I am here, If I went out with them it would betray all. I 6hall go away alone asI came, and that im- mediately.’ ‘The plan is so simple ard well arranged that it must succeed, Receive our thanks, sir, and be kind enough to tell us your name, that we may know the man to whom we are indebted for so great aservice.”’ Don Louis hesitated, though unable to ac- count to himself for the reason that made hiin do so. He felt a repugnance to give up his incognito as respected the count, The two men, however, pressed him so politely, that having no serious reason to offer for the maintenance of his incognito, he allow- ed himself to be vanquished by their en- treatics, and consented to give his name, ‘* Caballeros,”’ he at length said, ‘I am the Count Louis Edward de Crancé.” ““We are friends, I trust,’’ de Lorailles said poling out his hand to him, “What I have done is a proof of it, I think, sir,’’ the other replied, with a bow, but not taking the offered band. **T thank you,” the count went on, with- out appearing to notice Louis’ repugnance, ‘*T have acted in aecordance wilh my con- science; you owe me no thanks,” The three men quitted the hall, and pro- ceeded toward the isthmus battery, talking of indifferent matters, About half-way they met Don Blas, the capaiaz. Don Sylva made him a sign to join them, and when he was near them explained to him iu a few words the events that were preparing, and the part he would have to play. ‘** Voto a Brios |’ the steward exclaimed, joyously. “I thank you, Don Sylva, for this good news. We shall have a row at last, then, with those Apache dogs! They’ll see come fun, | swear,” “TI trust entirely to you, Blas.” ‘* But at. what place must I await this caballero ?”’ + True; we have not fixed the place of meeting.’ ‘* About three leagues from here, on the Guaymas road, at a place where the road makes a bend, there is an isolated hill; you can ambush there without any fear of dis- covery. I will join you at that spot with my friends.”’ ‘* That is agreed, At about what hour?’ ‘*T cau not say for certain; that must de- pend on circumstances,” A few minutes later Don Louis was riding back to the prairie, while the Count Ve Lo- railles and the two Mexicans, made prepara- tions for an active defense of the colony. “Tt is strange,’ Don Louis muttered to himself as ho galloped on, “‘that this man leaned against each other, ard whose strange colors wearied the sight. Numerous canoes made of horse-skins sewed together, and mostly round, or else hollowed out of trunks of trees, traversed the river in every direc- tion. The warriors dismounted and set their horses free, which immediately pro- ceeded to join a number of others. The chief went toward the huts before which feather-flags and the scalps of re- nowned warriors fluttered in the breeze, passing through the women who were pre- aring the morning meal, But the Black ear had been recognized immediately on his arrival, and al] got out of his way with respectful bows—a respect all Indians, with- out exception, pay to their chiefs. The gold fillet adorned with two buffalo- horns, placed on the Black Bear's brow, caused him to be recognized by all, and the liveliest joy was evinced on his passage. He at length reached the river’s bank. On ar- riving there he made a sign to a man fishing a short distance off in a canoe; the latter hastened up, aud the chief passed over to the island. A hut of branches had been repared for him, It is probable that invis- ble sentinels were watching for bis arrival, for the moment he set foot on land, a chief called the Little Panther presented himself before him, ‘* The Kreat chief is weleome among his brothers,” he said, bowing courteously be- fore the Black Bear. ‘ Hus my father hada good journey ?” “T have had a good journey, I thank my brother.”’ “Tf my father consents I will lead him to the jacal built to receive him.” ** Let us go,”’ the chief said. The Little Panther bowed a second tim and guided the chief along a path forme through the shrubs, Theysoon arrived ata jacal, which, in the mind of the Indians, offered the ideal of what was comfortable, through its size, the brilliancy of the colors with which it was painted, and its cleanii- ness. ** My father is at home,” the Little Pan- ther said, respectfully raising the blanket which closed the jacal, and falling back to let the Black Bear pass, The latter en- tered. ** My brother will follow me,”’ he said. The Little Panther walked in behind bim, and let the curtain fall. This abode did not In any may differ from that of the other Indians. fire burned in the center, The Black Bear made a sign to the other chief to sit down on a buffalo-skull, He then chose one for bimself, and sat down near the fire, After a moment's silence, employed by the two chicfs in smoking gravely, the black Bear addressed the Litue Panther: * Are the chiefs of all the tribes of our nation collected on the island as I ordered?” “* They are,” When will they come to my Jacal ?”’ “ That depends on my father, They awalt his good pleasure.” The Black Bear began smoking again al- lently. A long period was thus spent, “Nothing new has happened during my absence?’ the Black Bear asked, shaking the ash out of Lis calumet on his thumb. “ Three chicfs of the prairie Comanches have arrived, sent by their nation to treat with the Apaches.” “Wah!” the chief said. “ Are they re nowned warriors ?”’ who is my countryman, and for whom | shall » —I say 1 believe that it would be a master- risk my iife ere long, inspires me with no They haye many wolf's tails on their stroke, which would insure your victory, to sympathy.” moccasins, They must be valiant. lace your enemics between two fires. ‘* Indved it would,” the count exclaimed; ‘but how to do it? You yourself said, only a moment ayo, that It would be the hight of imprudence to send out a scouting- Suddenly his horse shied. Roughly star- tled from his reverie, the Frenchman looked up. Peagle-head stood before him. The Black Bear nodded his head in affir- mation, ** One of them, it is said, is the Jester,” the Little Panther continued, “Is my brother certain of what he says?” party.” A> me di the chief asked, sharply, it i said, and I repeat it, the grass and “The Comanche warriors refused to give woods are at this moment filled with eyes ’ CHAPTER XL their names when they learned the absence fixed on the bacienda, which will let no one pass out unnoticed.” “ Well ?”’ *« Did I not also tell you that this war was one of stratagems and ambushes ?”” “You did; but I do not understand, I confess, what you are driving at.” ‘* Senor caballero,”’ Don Louis said, turn- ing Don Sylva, ‘‘do you intend to remain here ‘Yes; for certain private reasons I must remain some time here,”’ “Very good, Have you among your peons a devoted man on whom youcan count #8 on yourself?” ‘‘ | have Blas Vasquez, my steward, and I can trust to him as to myself in matters of danger.” ‘* Give him instructions to put himself at the head of his peons within an hour, and ostensibly take the road to Guaymas; but, 60 svon as he has gone two or three leagues toa point we ehall settle on, he will halt. The rest will be the business of myself and friends.” x “Ob! I understand your plan now. The THE MEXICAN MOON. Arter his visit to the hunters the Black Bear set out, at the head of his warriors, to process to a neighboring island, known by he name of Choke-Heckel, which was one of the advanced Apache posts on the Mex- ican frontier. He reached the isle at day- break. At this spot the Gila attains its baal width; each of the arms formed y the island is nearly two miles wide. The island which rises in the middle of the water, like a basket of flowers, is about two miles long, by half a mile wide, and is one immense bonquet, exhalin the sweetest rfumes, and melodious with the songs of irds, which congregate in incalculable uum- bers on all the branches of the trees by which it is covered. illumined on this day by the splendid beams of a Pann sun, the place had a strange and unusual appearance which had ® powerful effect on the imagination. As far as the eye could reach over the island and the two banks of the Gila, could be seen tents of buffalo-hide, or huts of branches a at a ee ee . - . + om #P * | ao ee eT: of my futher, They answered It was well, and that they would await his return,” 3s Rope They are chiefs, Where are ‘They have lighted a fire, round which they are camping,” ‘** Time is precious. MY brother will warn the Apache chiefs that l await tnem at the council-fire,” The Little Panther rose without replying, and quitted the jacal, : For about an hour the Indian chief re- mained alone buried in thought; at the end of that time & sound of several approaching men conld be lieard outside, The curtain was raised by the Little Panther, who walked “ Well ?”’ the Black Bear asked. “The chiefs are waiting.” * Let them come in.” The chiefs made thelh: appearence. They were ten in number; each had put on his best ornaments, and all wore their war-paint. They entered silently, 3 me themselves silently round the fire, after silently saluting eres chief, and ng the hem of hia z "co choo ‘Ss — * = \ o> 4 2 3 ~