Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 183 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

; Pa ' 4 4 q Be i az my =3 he msi — ‘their Gilbert, the Guide. painted faces and blood-stained forms ‘closing in upon him with savage yells. Gilbert raised his bar, and at one swoop, the two foremost savages dropped senseless to the earth. Then, with a snarl, like a tiger, be rushed in among them, dealing blows with wonderful force. **Oonah!” was the cry, as they fled before him, they who had dared to come between him and his revenge. CHAPTER XVIII. THE POISONED SHAFT. On all sides the battle still raged, and the Americans performed prodigies of valor. In number, those actuelly engaged upon the American side could not have been more than nine hundred, while opposed to them were over two thousand men, nearly all of them the pick and choice of ten tribes, and gallant warriors, whose valor had been tried upon many fields. They were desperately contesting every inch of ground, fighting with the stubborn valor which was inherent to their natures, and yet in heart feeling that they were no match for the trained legion of Wayne. ampbell, turning their flank, wassbot down; Van Rennsalaer shared the same fate, and Lieutenant Covington took command of the dragoons. Two Indians who threw themselves in his way were cut down by his own hand. The Indians were assailed at the same moment upon the front and both flanks, and at length they began to be demoralized, and broke u into inextricable confusion. Their flight throug the woods being cut off, they were forced to take to the river, and in crossing the prairie to reach this they suffered fearful lossat the hands of the dragoons. In the hot pursuit, the savages were even pursued into the stream by the horse- men and there were slaughtered. The field was strewn on every side by the dead bodies of the Indians and their white allies, nor did the pur- suit cease until the savages had found shelter under the very walls of the fort which the British bad built in this place. The British officers were spectators of the closing scenes of the battle, which took place under their noses, but the garrison saw fit to remain passive spec- tators of the battle, although nothing would have better suited the ardent Wayne than to have them take such ashare in the combat as would enable bim to charge the fort and take it at the point of the bayonet. But the com- mandant of the station chose rather to regard the matter as a very surprising thing indeed, and made no movement while for three days the army of Wayne was within easy distance of the fort, destroying not only the improve- ments and property of the savages, but the houses and stores of Colonel McKay, the British agent, who had been the principal cause of the war. It was a fact well understood that these stores had been accumulated at this point by, and were the property of, the British nation, and had been brought here to sustain the Indians in their war against the United States. General Wayne, accompanied by his officers, made a survey of the fort and found it a regu- lar military work of great strength, the front covered by the wide river and five guns mounted. The rear, which was easiest of access by nature, bad two strong bastions defended by eight pieces of artillery, with horizontal Pp ckets extending from the parapet over the itch, From the bottom of the ditch to the top of the parapet it measured twenty feet. About the work was a strong abati«s furnished with a numerous garrison, yet Wayne could hardly restrain the desire to storm it. His careful inspection of the works brought forth the following note from the British com- mandant: ** Miami river, Aug. 21, 1794, “‘Sir:—An army of the United States of America, said to be under your eommand, having taken post on the Miami for upward of the last twenty-four hours, almost within reach Of the guns of this fort being a t belonging to his majesty, the king o Great tain, occupied by his majesty’s troops, ch I have the honor to command, it becomes ny duty to inform myself, as speedily as possible, in what light [am to view your making such near ap- proaches to this garrison. I have no hesitation upon my part to sey that I know of no war existing between Great Britain and America, ‘**I have the honor to be, sir, “Your most obedient and humble servant, WILUJAM CAMPBELL, ‘Major commanding 24th Reg't.”’ To this note Wayne at oneo returned the fol- lowing characteristic reply: ‘*Camp on the Miami, Aug. 21, 1794, “Sirr:—I have received your letter of this date, requiring of me the motive which h s moved the army under my command to the position they now occupy, far within the acknowledged jurisdiction of the United States of America, ‘* Without pieetoning the authority, or the pro- priety, sir, Of your interrogatory, I think I may without breach of decorum, observe to you, tha were you entitled to an answer, the most full and satisfactory one was announced to you from the muzzles o OF small arms, yesterday morning, in the action against the horde of savages in the vain ity of your post, which terminated gloriously to the American arms, but, had it continued until'the In- dians, etc., were driven under the influence of the post and guns you mention, they would not much have impeded the progress of the victorious army under my command, and no such post was estab- ed at the commencement of the present -war between the Indians and the United States. ** I have the honor to be, sir, ‘Your most obedient and humble servant, ‘** ANTHONY WAYNE, ‘“*Maj-Gen, and Commander-in-chief of the Federal Army.” These letters were written upon the day fol- lowing the battle in which Darromed fell under the powerful arm of Gilbert the Guide. Upon returning to look for the body of his foe, it was nowhere to be seen, Either he had managed to crawl away during the struggle or had been so mutilated by the hoofs of horses and the tramp of men that he was unrecognizable, as they searched in vain for the body. Satisfied that the battle would terminate gloriously for the Americans, the Guide withdrew from the con- flict, and casting himself down upon the turf in a secluded dell, covered his face with his hands and moaned like a child in agony, his whole frame quivering with emotion, “God knows [ have not willingly broken my vows,” he murmured, ‘“ I swore never to leave the pursuit of Helen, but the great calamity which overtook my comrades turned me back against my will. am alone; Owasco, the gal- lant companion of many perils, the chivalrous Waterman, and poor, misnamed Handy Pat, are gone, Which way shall I turn, what shall I do, to save myself from the fate of the oath- breaker? But I will not go back. The path is before me, and I will tread it to the end. ** Peace or war?’ said a stern voice. Gilbert bounded to his feet and found himself face to face with Gandelion, his quondam friend, who laughed lightly as he saw who opposed bi m. “Ha, my Knight of the Flying Wings,” cried the young soldier, gayly. ‘“‘1 give you good-day. As Llive I am glad to see you, al- though you did give me the slip so shabbily the other night. I must crave your help in a little matter here.” ‘* You are wounded,” said Gilbert, anxiously. **T hope not badly.” **T still live,” replied Gandelion, in the same tone as before, holding up his bleeding right arm. ‘* One of your dragoons yonder, in an un- skilled attempt to cut off my head, only suc- ceeded in mutilating me in the manner you be- hold. Are you surgeon enough to stop the bleeding?” ‘*Let me see,” said the Guide, taking the wounded member in hisown. ‘ Rather a bad cut, you must allow, but I think I can manage it somehow.” He opened his pouch and took out something without which he never took to the woods, a large needle and some thread and a quantit of linen-cloth, cut into strips. A smail cree ran close to them, and taking a large mussel shell from the bottom, Gilbert scooped up a little water and carefully washed the blood from the wound. Then, threading his needle, he drew the edges of the wound together, and sewed it as neatly as a surgeon could have done. Then he washed off the blood again and swathed the arm in the linen bandages, sewing them tightly in their places, and the work was done. “Thank you, Gilbert,” said Gandelion, a brilliant smile lighting up his handsome face, ‘“‘Few men would do as much for an enemy, although an enemy who always fights fair. You know what I am, a soldier of Britain, ready to go where I am sent, and to do the orders of my superiors, but lam not so base as not toseé honor even in the mask of a fores; guide.” ‘*T was not always so,” replied Gilbert. ‘“*] know it; language, everything you say and do, tells me that you were born a gentle- man, Hark tothe elamor yonder! Your Mau Anthony is driving this ragamuffin army into the river, and he is serving them right.” ‘* Where is your company ?” ‘‘ Like Falstaff, I have led them where they are peppered, and I should have been as fot to march through wen with them &s was that doughty officer with his command of jail- birds. Confound it, man, do you think I care anything about the scoundrels who followed me? Let them go where they like, and end as they like, for I am tired of it all, Do you know what has become of Morena? I have not seen her for some days.” ‘‘Neither have I, but the girl can take care of herself. You don’t know the little maid as well as I do, or you would be certain that she is safe in this country, for her hand is always ready to defend herself against white men, and no Indian would do her wrong. There is only one way in which she could come to harm, and that is through her own loving heart. God judge the man that dares to wrong her, and man’s vengeance light upon him! T’d follow him to the end of the earth to take his villain- ous life.” ‘* Well said, old hero! well said; so would I!’ cried the young Englishman, striking bis unwounded hand into the open palm of Gilbert. “I don’t know how to begin, but I may as well make you my confidant. I love that Indian girl with as pure a devotion as human heart ever felt; I would peril my life to save her, and yet I know not what to do.” “Marry ber; she would make youa good and true wife,” said Gilbert. ‘“*My family—” began Gandelion. “That is it; your accursed pride of race and family name is the stumbling-block before you. Cast it all aside, and do justice to yourself and to her, or else leave her and never speak to her again. You owe her the one or the other.” ‘*T could not do that,” said the young man, earnestly. ‘‘ You do not, cannot know how much I love her, or how deeply my happiness is bound up in her. But, let it pass; at least I shali do her no wrong, and if she cannot be my wife, I will be a friend to her through all time. The battle rolls to the south.” ‘Yes, what can these painted red-skins do against the trained forces of Wayne and Scott and Barbie? It was foo.ish in them to force a battle, and they have reaped their reward at last. My work is done here, and I must away, to find the girl we lost in the upper passes of the river, Helen Carlyon,” ‘**T heard somethin» of it, and am interested in her fate. Morena is wrapped in admiration of her beauty and goodness, and is roaming up and down the river in search of her. ‘*T hope she ey be successful,” said the Guide, rising. ‘‘I have lost my companions, three as noble fellows as ever pulled trigger, each in his way the type of a true man.” “ Who do you mean? Trust me, | shall make no use of anything you may tell me, to do you harm.” | “The Irishman known as Handy Pat, Clin- ton Waterman, and Owasca the Onondaga, We were set Se while endeavoring to follow the trail of Helen, by a portion of the braves of Darromed, and in the struggle became sepa- rated, and what became of my companions I do not know.” “Tam sorry to hear it. Clinton Waterman was the only Indian agate I ever knew who had the good of the Indians at heart, and did his best for them. McKay, now,in bis cursed blindness and stupidity, has drawn the Indians into a war which will drive them back from the Miami country and leave it in the hands of the Americans. I have labored against it for three years, and now all my plans are baffled by this ignorant Scotchman, who thinks of nothing but the wealth he can gain as an Indian agent. ar You are a little hard upon McKay, but he deserves it all. As for me—” ‘Take the vengeance of Darromed!” cried & savage voice cicse at hand, A bowstring twanged, and an arrow flew, hissing through the air. , The Guide instinctively dropped upon his knee and threw up his arms, and as he did so, an arrow a ac completely through the fore- finger of his right hand, while a demoniae laugh echoed through the forest. Gandelion drew a pistol with his unwounded hand and darted into the thicket, but the Indian was one. When Gandelion came back, the Guide was was looking intently at the arrow, with a troubled face. It was not the ordinary war- arrow, but a small, light shaft, with a thin steel head. The Guide drew it from the wound and held up his finger to the light, and he could see wl panes circle passing cut from the wound. ‘*Give me your hatchet,” he cried. ‘Do not hesitate, for quick work must be done, or I em one. The arrow was steeped in the venom of he rattle-snake. ‘' The hatchet!” ** What do you mean to do!” “The batchet, I say!” hissed the Guide, *‘ Do you think 1 can die now, with my mission un- performed?” Gandelion gave him the hatchet without any further words, and closing all his fingers ex- cept the wounded one, the Guide laid it egainst the trunk ofa great tree and drew back the hatchet. “Thud!” The finger flew into the air some feet, from the force of the blow, and the Guide turned with unshaken courage to the other. ‘What bave you got in that flask?” ‘* Brandy,” replied, Gandelion, “Give it to me,” replied the other, quietly. “Some of the venom may have got into my veins, and there is nothing like liquor to coun- teract its influence.” The flask was a large one, holding nearly a pint, and the Guide began to drink, stopping only to take breath, until be had finished the flask, while Gandelion managed to bind up the wounded hand. A queer expression began to spread over the face of the Guide, and he leaned against a tree for support, giving utterance to short burrahs from time to time. ‘“Wha’s ¢ matter a me, Gandy, eh? Things seem to go round like a top,” be hiecoughed. ‘*You are drunk,” replied the Englishman, ‘‘Nobody could drink nearly a pint of that brandy and not get salubrious.” ‘‘Hi, vip, I ain’t drunk, am I? Never wag drunk in my life, hi, yip—hi!” CORDIC OOKS.€0)