Beadle's New York Dime Library, Vol. II, No. 15 — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

—_ The Tiger-Slayer. lightly, Don Sylva. One of their runners was telling the sachem the result of a mis- sion intrusted to him. Among other things he mentioned that he had discovered a pale- face trail and that among the pale-faces was a woman.”’ pe af’ the haciendero exclaimed, in terror, ‘‘are you quite sure of that, Don Martial ?”’ ‘The more so because I heard the chief makethis reply. Be attentive, Don Sylva—” “*T am listening, my friend: go on.’’ **¢ At sunrise we will set out in pursuit of the pale-faces. The chief's lodge is empty ; he wants a white woman to occupy it.’’ “ Caramba!”’ “Yes, Then, finding I had learnt suffi- clent of the expedition the red-skins were undertaking, I slipped away and regained our camp so soon as possible. You know the—”’ ** Yes, I know the rest, Don Martial,” the haciendero said, almost affectionately; ‘and I thank you most sincerely, not only for the intelligence you have displayed on this occasion, but also for the devotion with which you compelled us to follow you, Instead of being disgusted by our mad sloth.’’ ‘*T have done nothing but what I should do, Don Sylva. Have I notsworn to devote my life to you ?”’ hat my friend, and you keep your vow nobly. Since the haciendero had knowf Don Mar- tial this was the first time he had spoken openly with him, and gave hiin the title of end. The Tigrero was touched by this expression; and if he had hitherto felt some slight gran against Don Sylva, it was suddenly dissipated, and only left in his heart a feeling of profound gratitude. Dona Anita awoke during this conversa- tion, and it was with indescribable joy that she heard them talking thus amicably to- gether. When her father told her the cause of the hasty journey she had been forced to undertake in the middle of the night, she warmly thanked Don Martial, and re- warded him for all his sufferings by one of those glances, the secret of which only wo- men.in love possess, and into which they throw their whole soul. The Tigrero, de- lighted at seeing his devotion appreciated as it deserved to be, forgot all his fatigues, and had on:, one desire—that of terminating happily what he had so well begun, So soon om she horses were saddled they mount- **T leave mynel in your hands, Don Mar- tial,”’ the haciendero said: ‘‘ you alone can save “With the help of Heaven I shall suc- oeedy: the Tiger-Slayer replied, passionate- Trney entered the river, which was rather wide at this spot. Instead of crossing it at right angles, Don Martial, in order to throw the savages off the scent, followed the course of the river for some distance, and made re- peated curves. At length, on reaching a point where the river was inclosed by two calcareous banks, where it wus impossible forthe horses’ hoofs to leave any mark, he landed. The party had left the desert. Be- fore them stretched those immense prairies, whose undulating soil gradually rises to the slopes of the Sierra Madre and the Sierra de los . They are no longer sterile and desolate plains denuded of wood and water, but a luxuriant nature, with an ex- traordinary productive force—trees, flowers, ; countless birds singing joyously be- neath the foliage; animals of every descrip- tion running, browsing and sporting in the midst of these natural prairies. The travelers yielded instinctively to the feeling of comfort produced by the sight of this splendid prairie, when compared with the desolate desert they had just quitted, and in which they had wandered about so long hap-hazard, This contrast was full of charms for them: they felt their courage re- kindled, and hope returning to their hearts. About eleven o’vlock the horses were so fa- tigued that the travelers were compelled to encamp, in order to give them a few hours’ rest, aud thus 8 the great heats of the day. Don Martial chose the top of a wood- ed hill, whence the prairie could be survey- ed, while they remained completely conceal- ed among the trees, The r-Slayer would not permit them, however, to light a fire to cook food, as the smoke would have caused their retreat to be discovered; and in their present position they could not exercise too great prudence, as It was evident that the Apaches would have started in pursuit at sunrise. Those crafty bloodhounds must be thrown off the scent. In spite of all the precautions he had taken, the Tigrero could not flatter himself with the hope of having foiled them; for the red-skins are so clever in discovering a trail. After eating a few hasty moutifuls he al- lowed bis companions to enjoy a rest they needed so greatly, and rose to go on the watch. This man appeafed made of fron—fatigue took no hold on him: his will was so firm that he resjsted ee, thing, and his désire to save the woman he loved endowed him with a supernatural strength. He slowly descended the hill, examining each shrub, only advancing with extreme prudence, and with his ear open to every sound, however slight. So soon ashe reached the plain, cer- tain that his presence would be concealed by the tall grass, in which he entirely disap- peared, he hastened at full speed toward a somber and dense primeval forest, whose trees approached almost close to the hill. This forest was really what it appeared to be—a virgin forest. Thetrees and leaves in- tertwined formed an inextricable curtain, through which a hatchet would have been required to cut a passage. Had he been alone, the Tigrero would not have been greatly embarrassed by this apparently in- surmountable obstacle. Skillfuland power- ful as he was, he would have traveled ’twixt earth and sky, by passing from branch to branch, as he had often done before. But what a man so desolate as himself could do was not to be expected froma frail and weak woman. For an Instant the Tiger-Slayer felt his heart fail him, and his courage give way, But this despair was only momentary, Don Martial drew himself up proudly, and sud- denly regained all his energy. e contin- ued to advance toward the forest, looking round like a wild beast on the watch for rey. Suddenly he uttered a stifled cry of Joy He had found what he had been seek- ng without any hope of finding it. Before him, beneath a thick dome of ver- dure, ran One of those narrow paths formed by wild beasts in going to water, and which it required the Tigrero’s practiced eye to de- tect. He resolutely turned aside into this ae Like all those made by wild beasts, t took innumerable turnings, incessantly coming beck on itself. After following it for a sufficient length of time, the Tigrero went back, and re-ascended the hill. His companions, anxious at his lengthen- ed absence, were impatiently expecting him. Each noticed his return with delight. He told them what he had been doing, and the track he had discovered. While Don Mar- tial had been on the search, one of his peons, however, had made, on the side of this very hill, adiscovery most valuable at such a mo- ment to our travelers. This man, while ener about the neighborhood to kill time, had found the entrance to a cave which he had not dared to explore, not knowing whether he might not suddenly find himself face to face with a wild beast. Don Martial 8 peg oben with joy at this news. He seized a torch, and ordered the peon to lead him to thecavern. It wus only a few paces distant, and on that side of the hill which facedthe river. Theentrance was 80 Obstructed by shrubs and parasitic plants, that it was evident no living being had ever penetrated it for manya long year. The Ti- grero moved the shrubs with the greatest care, in order not to injure them, and glided into the cavern. The entrance was tolerably lofty, though rather narrow. Before going in Don Martial struck alight and kindled the torch. The cavern was one of those natural grot- tos, so many of which are found in these regions. The walls were sofas and oe the round covered with fine sand. It ev dent- y received air from imperceptible fissures, as no mephitic exhalation escaped from it, and breathing was quite easy; in a word, al- though it was ey al kag pa it was habit- able. It grew gradually lower toa species of hall, in the center of which was a gulf, the bottom of which Don Martial could not see, though he held down his torch, He looked round him, saw a lump of rock, prob- ably detached from the roof, and threw it into the abyss. Fora rang time he heard the stone dash- ing against the sides, and then the noise of a body falling into water. Don Martial knew all he wanted to know. He stepped past the gulf, and advanced along a narrow shelving age, After walking for about ten minutes along ha’ he saw light a consid- erable distance ahead. The grotto had two outlets. Don Martial returned at full speed. ‘« We are saved!” he said to his compan- fons. ‘‘ Follow me: we have not an instant to lose in reaching the refuge Providence so enerously offers us,’’ They followed him. ‘What shall we do, though,” Don Sylva asked, ‘‘ with the horses?” ‘Do not trouble yourselves’ about them; I will conceal them, Placein thegrotto our ovisions, for it is probable we shall be orced to remain here some time; also keep by you the saddles and bridles, which I do pot know what to do with, As for the horses, they are my business, 33 Each set to work with that feverish ar- dor produced by the hope of escaping a danger; and at the end of an hour at the most, the baggage, provisions and men had all disappeared in the cavern. Don Martial drew the bushes over the entrance, to hide the traces of his companions’ passage, and breathed with that delight caused by the success of a daring project; then he return- ed to the crest of the hill. He fastened the horses and mules together with his reata, and descended to the plain: he proceeded toward the forest, and entered the path he had previously discovered. It was very narrow, and the horses could onl shoe in single file, and with extreme did. culty. At nie yy he reached a species of mo key where he abandoned the poor an- imals, leaving them all the forage, which he had taken care to pack on the mules, Don Martial was well aware that the horses would stray but a short distance from the spot where he left them, and that when eee were wanted it would be easy to flad em. These various occupations had consumed a good deal of time, and the day was consid- erably advanced when the Tigrero finally uitted the forest, The sun, Meld low on the horizon, appeared like a ball of fire, nearly on a level with the ground, The shadow of the trees was disproportionately elongated. The evening breeze was begin- ning to rise. A few hoarse cries, issuing at intervals from the depth of the forest, an- nounced the speedy re-awakening of the wild beasts, those denizens of the desert a during the night, are its absolute n zB. On reaching the crest of the hill, and be- fore entering the grotto, Don Martial sur. veyed the horizon by the last rays of the ex- piring sun. Suddenly he turned pale; » nervous shudder passed through his frame: his eyes, dilated by terror, were obstinately fixed on the river; and he muttered in a low voice, and Bre ed with fury : ** Already? The demons!” What the Tigrero had seen was really startling. A band of Indian horsemen was mighotety J the river at the precise spot where he and his companions had crossed it a few hours previously. Don Martial followed their movements with growing alarm. On arriving at the river-bank, without any hegi- tation or delay, they took up his trail. Doubt was no longer possible: the Apaches had not been deceived by the hunter's schemes, but had come in astraight line be- hind the party, exercising great diligence. In less than an hour they would reach the hill; and then, with that diabolical science they possessed to discover the best hidden trail, who knew what would happen ? The Tiger-Slayer felt his heart breaking, and half mad with f, rushed into the rotto. On seeing him enter thus with vid features, the haciendero and his daugh- ter hurried to meet him. “What is the matter?’’ they asked. “We are lost!” he exclaimed, with de spair, ‘“* Here are the Apaches !”’ “The Apaches !” they muttered, with ter. ror. “Oh heavens, save me!” Dona Anita said, Se - - _ falling on her knees and fervently clasping her hands, The Tigrero bent over the fair girl, took her in his arms with a strength rendered ten- He by grief, and turning to the hacien- ero: ** Come,” he shouted, ‘‘ follow me. Per- oe one chance of salvation is left us.” nd he hurried toward the extremity of the grotto, all eagerly following him, They Pent ag = sr Ect open he tb ” wy. Fae n mos ntin e er love head on the Oe ationider, He stilt ran on. ‘*Come, come,”’ hesaid, ** we shal} soon be saved.” His companions uttered a shout of joy: they had perceived a gleam of daylight be. fore them, Suddenly, at the moment Don Martial reached the entrance, and was about to rush forth, aman a It was the Black Bear, The Tiger-Slayer leaped back with a howl like that of a wild beast. “Wah !”’ the Apache said, with a mock-. 2 Ab “my brother knows that I love this woman, and to please me hastens to brin her ya rr ou have not got her yet. demon!’’ Don Mart moh Lapege pel himself be- ore Dona Anita, with a pistol . ue pend ane take her.” >>” eae" Pent pidly approaching footsteps were heard in the depths of the posh The Mexicans were cangnt between two fires. The Black Bear, with his eye fixed on the Tigrero, watched his oer movement. Suddenly he bounded forward like a tiger-cat, uttering his war-yell. The T fired both pistols at him, and seized him round the waist. The two men rolled e inter twined sites olla Dos. -Syive like two serpents, w <¢om Petia Ebooks Cc