Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 196 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

color of the suit had been. 14 ‘‘And you ask me to drink with him, a hor- | home, my heart warms to you as a country- rid wretch that eats babies!” man, aithounn your skin is red and mine is ‘**Oh, but not here, mam’selle; you need not | white. And then, truly, too, youare more than be alarmed; we wouldn’t allow such a thing in | a countryman, for if you are of the Seminole France of course; he is quite civilized now.” tribe you are a neighbor, for I was born in “Can he talk?” Florida.” “Oh yes! speaks our inetens very well in- There was a slight sparkle of intelligence in deed, that is, you know, when I say that, one | the dull orbs of the Indian as, for a moment, he must make some allowance for such a barba- | allowed his eves to wander from the brandy in rian. Talk with him, mam’selle—try a couple | the glass to the countenance of the gir). of glasses of wine upon him; I am sure he will ‘**Florida—land of flowers—much big,” he much amuse you,” and with this sly bid for | ejaculated. trade the host returned to his counter. ‘** Yes, but big as it is, 1 have trodden over The girl watched the savage attentively for a | nearly every foot of Southern Florida, from moment, a strange expression upon her fea- | Tampa Bay and Eau Gallie to the Everglades, tures which were as resolute as they were beau- | I have dwelt in the wigwams of the Seminoles tiful. Then she called one of the waiters. and learned to k their tongue almost as well “Garcon, bring me a bottle of wine and a | asmyown,’’ and then, asaclimax to the declara- couple of glasses, and then ask monsieur the | tion, she pushed the glass of brandy toward the savage yonder, the Big Drum, if he will do me | savage; an instant only the fragrant liquor the favor to join me.” sparkled in the light, and- then down the throat The waiter, a smart lad, leaned upon the table | of the chief it went. in a confidential way. The liquor swallowed, he leaned his elbows ‘*Does ma’m’selle wish monsieur savage to | upon the table, and, tapping one long and skinny talk, eh?’ ; fore finger upon the other, spoke: ‘Yes, why else do I pay for his wine?’ ‘*The white girl is a child of Florida—er “Try brandy, then,” and he winked, know- | skin is white, yet she has dwelt in the wigwams ingly.. ‘‘One sup of brandy is worth a whole | of the red braves, and she can speak their bottle of wine to unloosen his tongue. It is a | tongue?’ shame if ma’m’selle wished to hear him talk~— ‘* True, every word!” and he is comical enough when he gets a-going ‘The chief no understand bow this thing can —that she should spend her money for nothing; ry Brandy warms him, and he talks; wine he| ‘‘Nomore dol, and that is the reason why I drinks like a fish, but it makes him sad and as papesone ss the aid of my red brother.” dumb as an oyster.” The red-skin shook his head as a sign that he “You are a brave lad!” and rm her | did not comprehend. purse she slipped a franc piece into his hand; ‘* Has the chief ever been lost?” thereby for a moment transfixing the waiter | The savage blinked; the question seemed for- with astonishment, for two sous was about the eign to the subject. extent of the tips he generally received. ‘Has the chief ever wandered in a trackless ‘*Now a bottle of your best brandy.” jungle, not knowing which way to turn to brin “Our best is five francs, and a small bottle | him to the huts of his people again, weari two, ma’m’selle,” stammered the lad, reluctant | wich the chase, faint with hunger perhaps? If to ‘‘stick” the customer who had feed him so | s0, would he not have welcomed, as a good liberally. spirit,, the sight of the human wko could put ‘** That will do; bring it and then call the sav- | him on the right track again?’ . ? The chief nodded gravely and slid his glass e waiter -fairly flew to obey the order, | across the table as a sign that more brandy thinking that he had got hold of a princess in | would be acceptable. isguise. , ‘*T am lost here in Paris, and I seek a guide.” The brandy was brought and the savage in- Again the Indian shook his head; the riddle vited. With stately steps he abandoned the big | was too much for his dull wits. drum and advanced to the table, his watery, ‘*T know not who or what I am, and I seek a faded eyes glistening as he beheld the liquid re- ley ga hand to lead me to the truth; the se- freshment which had been provided. cret. which lies hid in Florida, here in Paris, The Indian was about the medium size, and | must be told. If you are a Seminole chief you apparently a very old man, for his copper-col- | can tell me what I wish to know.” ored face was deeply lined—that is as much of ‘** Chaf-a-la-ya is a great brave of the Semi- it as could be discerned free from the war-paint { nole tribe!” exclaimed the red-skin, sententious- which the chief wore lavishly, as if he was | ly, and he pointed at the empty glass signifi- ready to take the trail against a foe. mre’ . His head was cleanly shaven with the excep- ‘* Chaf-a-la-ya!” repeated the girl, as though i to remember whether she had ever tion of the sealp-lock upon the crown, in which | stri half a dozen colored feathers were braided. | heard the name before, but apparently no chord The color of the hair, too, which had changed | of recollection was touched. from a raven black to a dingy gray, seemed to ‘‘Great warrior—many scalps in his wig- indicate that the warrior was an aged man. wam,” and gut again came the talon-like hand He was dressed in a buckskin hunting-sbirt | for the glass of brandy which the girl had not and leggings, but the garments were so stained | neglected to replenish. with and wear, so disfigured by patches| ‘‘ How long has the chief been in this coun- and darns, it was hard to tell what the original | try?” ‘ Many moons—so long that the red-man can- He seated himself at the table opposite the | not tell.” girl; she filled a glass clear to the very brim | ‘‘ Was my brother in Florida when the mas- with brandy, and pushed it over to him. He | sacre of Tampa took place?” swallowed it at a draught and then held out the | The red-skin beat his brawny breast with his glass for more. hand. She replenished it immediately; and the sec-| ‘‘ Chaf-a-la-ya led the red warriors when they ond dose of potent liquor soon followed the first | swept the pale-faces from the Jand which they gull t. down the th e had stolen.” ‘It is heap good!” he muttered, ashe pushed | A puzzled look came over the face of the girl the glass across the table. and she surveyed the Indian in a manner which “Very Lg she observed, as she slowly | plainly showed she doubted his word, poured out the liquor. ‘‘ What tribe is my bro-| ‘‘ My brother led the Seminoles at the mas- ‘ ther?” sacre of Tampa?” “*Seminole,” replied the chief, like a parrot in ‘* The chief has said.” ‘ repeating a lesson. ‘*My red brother’s memory pas pared him ‘*A Seminole? That is good, Iam an Ameri- | false for it was Tiger-tail who the Semi- can myself—from Florida.” noles.” The white girl lies,” said the Indian, pla- | The savage straightened himself up in a dig- cidly, and never taking his eyes off the brandy. | nified manner. ‘* Tiger-tail isa boy! Chaf-a-la-ya is the big chief of the Seminoles!” Although doubtful in i a to the savage’s statement, yet the girl refrained from disput: ing as she had good reasons for so doing. ‘The chief was at the massacre, then?” “ Chat-a-la-ya walked in blood that day.” ‘* Were there many prisoners taken on —_—_—_—_ | : CHAPTER XXI. A LITTLE OF THE PAST, THE girl laughed; the bluntness of the Semi- nole seemed to amuse her. ‘*Qho, I lie, do I?’ and she pushed another glassful of brandy over to the chief, which he v swallowed instantly, ‘‘ Well, Master Savage, | occasion?” whether it is true or not, one thing is certain— | ‘‘ None—the red-men killed all—men, squaws you are not very polite or else you would not | and children.” ‘ tell a lady she lied, even if you believed shewas | ‘‘ Oh, yes; but there was one prisoner taken.” not speaking the truth. But why do youdoubt| ‘“ No!’ my word?” ** Yes, there was, a child—a little girl who ‘ No fool chief—many moons live in Paris.” was carried to Tiger-tail’s camp by the waters ‘*And I suppose lam not the first who has | of Lake Okeechobee, and there remained until claimed to be an American?” ‘she was ransomed by a French trader from Eau ‘* Chief know—no fool’um,” and the savage | Gallie. [f you were in command of the war- shook his head sagely, pushing his empty glass | party you ought to know something of this pris- toward the young woman in a very suggestive | oner,” manner. ““A child—yes, there was a child,” said the ‘But I am not trying to deceive you,” the | Indian, very slowly. girl replied, filling up the Indian’s glass again. ‘‘ And the French trader, do you remember “‘T am, honestly and truly, an American, and | hi ‘ m?” meeting you here in this strange land, far from * ‘‘Oh, yes, Bienville.” sib a Y ee “‘It was he who brought you to this coun- tr ,? if Yes—by a trick; he enticed me on board of his vessel, gave me rum. [ slept and when I awoke the sea surrounded us,” **He brought you to France for the purpose * PENS you to the people at so much a ea ** Yes—a great Seminole chief to be stared at like a wild beast,” and the old man scowled in anger. ** Where is Bienville now?” “ Dead.” A look of surprise appeared on the face of the woman. ‘“‘ He is dead?” ‘Yes, the Great Spirit punished him for kid- napping the Seminole chief. On the sea a storm came up and the demon of the lightning struck the ship. The white men thought that she was sinking and they took to the boats, leaving the great chief on the deserted vessel to die, but the Great Spirit willed it otherwise, and the red-man standing on the deck of the wreck saw the boats of the false white men swallowed up by the angry waves; all perished but the Seminole chief who was rescued by a French ship.” ** Ah, that explains the mysterious disappear- ance of Bienville; his absence was never under- stood, and for ten years I have waited for him to return,” observed the girl, in a low tone, resting her chin upon her hand, the elbow of which was placed upon the table, and gazing abstractedly at the floor. The observation en, was not intended to be overheard by he Indian but his eager ears drank in every word. ‘“*Bienville dead who else can pee my for- tunes but myself?” she continued. Then she lifted up her head and looked at the savage. *“You were the great chief of the Seminoles and you led the warriors at the massacre of Tampa?” 4 es,”? ‘“‘And did you know the French planter. Morel, who was killed in the massacre an wane child you bore away with you as a cap- ive The Indian shook his head. “But you remember the child—the little girl?” The savage nodded. *“Would you know her now if you were to mee her?’ queried the woman, anxiously, and she looked the Indian right in the eye as she put the question. The chief stared vacantly at the of the girl and then shook his head; ** It is so many moons oy and he muttered. ** But her face could be brought back to your recollection. You have forgotten me, although I remember you very well. You are older and so am I, but in my case the change from a child to a woman has been so great that it is not: strange you should not remember me.’”’ Then she poured the last of the brandy into the glass and bestowed it upon her guest. ‘ This is no lace to talk,” she observed, as the Indian rained the glass to its very dregs. ‘‘To-night, when the café closes, I must have speech with you. Where can ycu be found?” The Indian named his lodging-house, watch- ing closely the face of the girl as he did so, but if he expected to see evidence of emotion there he was disappointed. She merely nodded, said she would call upon him, and then de- CHAPTER XXII. THE PATIENT IS FRACTIOUS. THANKS to the condition in which the fresh parent arrived the proprietor of the retreat po difficulty in placing him in the apart- ment which had been prepared for his recep- tion. He had the new-comer stripped and a night-shirt put “pos him, and then he was snugly tucked up in bed. 7 attendants assisted the ‘‘ doctor ”—big, muscular fellows, almost as powerful as Pelo- ton himself, but as they surveyed the stalwart. roportions of the stranger they shook their hata, and one of them remarked to the master of the institution that he hoped to Heaven that. the new monsieur was not inclined to be violent, for if he was it would be a terrible task to keep him in order. The ‘“‘deaf and dumb” servants. evidently had tongues and ears, and well knew how to use them! Peloton affected to make light of this idea, but in reality he was seriously troubled, for he had a suspicion that the man was no more af- fected in his mind than he was himself, and that his incarceration was an ingenious trick on the part of the man who had placed him in confinement to get him out of the way, hut that was nobody’s business, according to Peloton’s ideas; in anticipation of just such cases he had set up his institution. The people who paid for the ae ing of such patients were not apt to haggle about the bills. But before he retired that night he confided to his wife the suspicion that there would be a deuce of a time in the morning after the patient had recovered from the effects of the powerfyh pretty face (EO HAI ONCKO KS Cc (0) e H