Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 158 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

rT — ——-—_ - — — But sucdenly up to them dashed a s’ender form, and he beid in bis arms a bundle, while he said quickly: ‘“ Come, throw these Indian tog you and come with me. ‘* Masten, or all wil be lost,” veries around They were paralyzed with fear and did not move, and instant:y Le threw a blanket over the shou'ders of each and a bead-dress of feathers on them, ar for God’s sake, d said, earnestly: for these are not In- a yr TOUDe, dians. but John Leigh’s Danites, and your fate will be worse than death. Come!” His words sent a chill of horr of through them, but roused them to action, and, springing to their feet, they quickly followed him toward tke shelter of the biils. “My father! ob, my father!” cried Hortense, pausing in an agony cf grief, ‘** Died like the brave man he was; but come, for the v'll nof kill you.” There wes a s:gnificanco in his tones they could not fail to understand, and they darted zleng by his side with a speed they did not be- liove themselves capable of, and each the rattle of firearms and cries of cembatants grew fainter and fainter in the distance. At last their strange loader paused for a mo- ment and listened. Ajl was silent behind them, and ha said sad- jy, and yet with tr:umph in his tones: “Those snakes in the grass have finished their red worl, but you two, who were their intended victims, have escaped them. ‘But come, for you are not yet safe.” And once more they continued their rapid flight. CHAPTER. VIII. THE FLIGHT, ‘‘ Tiere we halt,” and the unknown guide of e | the two maidens, and whom they had trusted themselves to without the slightest doubt of him or fear that be might be one of their foes, stopped in a small canyon. It was dark there, for the foliage of over- hanging trees kept even the starlight from pen- etrating the spot; but their guide bade them remain quiet an insite: t, and disappeared from their side as silently and mysteriously as he had approached them in the camp. Several minutes, which seemed more like hcurs to them, passed away, and he did not re- turn. What could it mean? Who was he? Cerfainly not one of the train men, for both maidens knew all of them weil. Had he led them there to the better get them in their power? In their grief at the fearful massacre, which still was before their eyes in all its horrors, they were almost crazed, and knew not what to do, But Dolores ‘* Cheer up, Hortense, Ww orsf, I have this.” ‘‘It is a pistol,” whispered Hortense, ‘+ Yes, one which once saved the life of Cap- tain Monerief, ond he gave it to me, and it may eerve us bi th,” ‘Gut how, Miss. Dolores?” ‘‘1f I.see that thero is no hope, Hortense, I will kill you and then send a bullet throngh my own heart.” a he young girl shuddered, but made ne re- py, for death then seemed to ker less terrible than life. vy. “Come, my horse is ready.” Is was the voice of their strange preserver ard bo was by their side when they believed him nowhere near them. Silently they followcd him through the can yon until they came into a valley. Eere stood a fine large horse, who gave a low neigh at the sight of bis master. ‘One of you must rido belind the other,” said their guide. **And jou, sir?” asked Dolcres, “Oh! Iam used to trotting over tha moun- tains, and will go cn foot; Lws Comrade will carry you both with case, ’ With a strength that surpriscd the maidens he raised them to geats tpou the back of his patient horse, Dol res being in the saddle, and at.once sect ci on alapid walk down the val- ley, the animal following like a faithful dog. Ail through the night he kept up bis untiring pace, over hills, along valleys, and across plains, until the daylight dawned, and tle calmly: comes te the at last said, for if it moment | — nd —e ee ee ee ee a ae ee The Doc omedl Dozen, ee a maidens saw before them a broad, swiftly run- ning stream. But, without hesitation, their guide plunged in and, holding bis belt above bis head, swam to the other shore, followed by bis horre, | Still keeping on, he held his way up into the -mountains, until he balted before a rocky | cavern, ‘Hero we can rest for awhile,” he said, and he lifted the tired maidens to tho ground, But in spite of their grief and fatigue they gazed upon him with unfeigned admiration, for in years, now that they saw him in the | daylight, he seemed but a youth; in fact, it ) ' woman, and now and then a child that had fallen before the merciless bullets and knives of their foes, All had been rifled of their money and valu- ables. and many of their clothing, while the smoldering fires showed where the wagons had been burned, after being despoiled of all _the murderous band could carry with them. “Strange that not one dead man of tho at- ' tacking party can be seer,’ muttered Buffalo was the same young man that had called upon | and this moccasin has como off a wounded | foot, Mrs. Moncrieff in her city mansiov, and de- nounced Mercer Aldrich; but now his dandy costume had heen changed for a hunter’s suit, far more fitting the wild life ho wus leading. He saw their earnest gaze, and, as if to put them at their ease, and pitying them in their grief and helplessness, he said, softly: ‘You can rest here without fear, while I look us up some breakfast, for you look tired ' and hungry.” ‘‘No, no, Iam not hungry, I am not fired, I am broken-hearted, for my poor, dear father is dead,” groaned Hortense. “Tt was all that villain Leigh’s work, and I wish I could have overtaken you a little sooner; but I could not, and only got there as they made the attack. ‘*LT saw you two hide by tho tree and de- termined to save you, and only wish I could have saved your father, miss; now, lie down on my blanket and rest.” He spread his blankets upon a bed of soft grass near, gave them a drink of water from his canteen, and, mounting his horse, rode away in search of game for breakfast, But ill-fortune seemed to dog his steps, and it was long before he could kill a deer and re- trace his way to the little cavern in the moun- tains. At last he reached there to find no traco of the maidens. He hailed, and no response came, and, dis- mounting, he picked up his blankets, which lay just as he had placed them. Throwing them across his saddle, again he called aloud. This time there came an answer, for a bul- let whizzed by his head, and half a dozen forms darted out of the cavern upon him, CHAPTER IX, THE DANITES. Tuer sun had soared to quite a hight above the hurizon, the morning after the attack upon the encampment, as a horseman rode along at a rapid pace, following the trail leit by the wegon-train, One glance at bis horse was sufficient to show that be bad been urged bard, and upon. the rider’s face was a Jook of anxiety, and he con- stantly kept his gaze fixed upon the trail far ahead of him, It was Buffalo Bill, the scout, who was thes following the track left by the train, and, hav- ing delivered his dispatches at the tort, for | which he was destined, when he first came upon the party under Captain Harmon, Le bad |sietermineg to head them off ere they could | cross tbe Green river, and warn them of the danger they would meet by following the di- rect course to their destination, He bad crossed their trail as he had ex- pected he would, and pressed cn at a hard pace, even for the splendid horse be rede, and knew that ere long he must soou come in sight of the white tilts of the wagovus, But instead he saw a smoke risivg from the timber in bis front, and cautiously he ap- proached, to- suddenly rein his horse back, while a cry of horror broke from bis lips, The ery seemed wrung from him by mortal grief, and springing to. the ground he stood with uncovered head upon the spot, gazing spellbound upon the fearful, sickening scene. And the sight that met his gaze was fearful indeed, tor the dead of the train lay about him, mutilated almost beyond recognition. Here was Revolver Nick, his knife still grasped in his band, and uround him wero others of the train. There lay the body of Captain Harmon, and near him were several women of the train, the Bill. ‘*This looks like Indian work, as does also the scalpless heads; and yet I don’t believe it. ‘* | will see ‘* Yes here is a tomahawk, and here a bow, ‘“* All Indian their dead; red skins.” So saying Buffalo Bill looked arcund until he found the trail leading away from the fatal encampment, and a low call brought his horse to his side, while he muttered: ‘‘Tronheart, there are two that I do not find here, old fellow.” The horse gave a low neigh, as though un- derstanding what wes said, and Euffalo Bil continued: ‘Those two not being here are alive, and it will be better to look after the living than tarry here to bury the dead, so we will jog along, Ironheart.” The scout then threw bimself into his saddle, signs, especially carrying off but paint and feathers don't make ' and the rest having refreshed bis horse he set | wives of emigranis, who had seemed to fly to him for a protection he could not give them. Beyond, trainmen, emigrauts and hunters ‘**'Too late! too late!” ly lay thick, and all dead, with here and there a off at a quick pace along the trail left by tho. murdering band, “They came across the prairie, and retreated this way after their bellish work. ‘“Oh Heaven! but a fearful retribution shall follow this red deed,” and Buffalo Bill’s face was white and stern. Suddenly he drew rein, for his experienced eye had detected some sign. ‘* Ab! here is where they branched off to bury their dead, and they bave covered up their tracks Ww ell; but I shall soon see what secret the gravo will tell.” With an instinct that was reniarkabie ho followed the faint trail, and soon halted bya spot whero his scout’s eye told him the ground bad been disturbed. Leaves, blown from the forest lay about in piles, as though left there by the winds; but beneath those wes scft earth, and Buffalo Bill’s knife scon manufactured for him a wooden shovel which quickly threw out the dirt. It was not a long task, as he worked un- ceasingly, and a be dy was soon reveal d. ‘‘Iniull war paint and feathers, but a pale- face,” be muttered, cs he rubbed the dusky cheek of the dead. ‘‘ And another, and another; well, the train made a gocd fight of it, and rid the earth of a few of these devils, ‘* But alas! they went under at last. . ‘Yes, they are all white men, not one red- skin here, and, as I thought and feared, they are Danites. “Now, to the rescue of those two whem they have spared to make Mormons of them.” | With a muttered curse he again sprung upon his horse, and once more followed the trail. But soon it branched off, the main force go- ' ing to the right and a smaller one to the left. An instant did Buffalo Bill hesitate and then he made up his mind which course to pursue and he followed the smalier trail. It led him down the valley and then up into the hills again, and he was about to give his horse rest before attempting the climb, when he heard ringing shots not far away, and with the speed of the wind he rede in the direction from whence came the sound, CHAPTER X. AN UNEXPECTED ALLY. WHEN the men in tue cave dashed ont sud- denly upon the youth who had saved Dolores and Hortense from the massacre of the train people, only to have them fall into the power of the party who had so swiftly trailed. him, they expected to see him surrender to them, and at least thought they held him at their mercy. But with a cry to Comrade, that sent him spinning around, as though on a. pivot, the youth drew a revolver in each band, and mer- rily they rattled forth deadly music to his as- sailants, He saw rushing upon him six or more men. col EOMIGDOOKS —