Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 20 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

The Bandit at Bay. 29 The young men were in despair, but Fray Ambrosio, on the other hand, was delighted. He had only one desire, that of seeing the band quit of Dona Clara, who, according to his views, impeded its progress and prevent- ed it marehing with the speed circumstances required: and now, instead of one woman, two had gone! The worthy monk could scarce contain himself for joy; he listened with asympathiz- ing airand expression of condolence to the vice and complaints of his comrades at this extraordinary flight; but, in his heart, he was delighted. Still, as there is no perfect happiness in this world, and wormwood must always be mixed with the honey of life, an unexpect- ed incident suddenly troubled the beutitude of Fray Ambrosio. At thos Red Cedar, while concealing the object of his journey, had dropped hints to his comrades that he would bring them allies; moreover, he informed them that his excursion would not last more than three or four days at the most. In the desert, especially in the Far West, there is no regular road ; travelers are com- pelled, for the prey part of the time, to march ax in hand, and cut a path by force. The gold-seekers knew this hy experience and hence were not surprised because Re va did not return at the period he had xed. , They were patient, and as their provisions were beginning to give out, they scattered on either side of the river, and organized great hunting expeditions to renew their stock. But days had slipped away, and Red Uedar did not return; a month had already passed and no news or sign arrived to tell the ban- dits that he would come soon. _ Another fortnight also passed, and pro- duced no change in the position of the gold- seekers. By degrees the band began to grow dis- couraged, and soon, without any one know- ing how, the most sinister news circulated at first in a whisper, but then they acquired ‘the almost certainty that the squatter, sur- prised in an ambuscade by the red-skins, had been massacred, and that consequently, it was useless waiting for him any longer. These rumors, to which Fray Ambrosio attached but slight importance at the outset, became presently so strong that he grew auxious In his turn, and tried to dissipate them; but this was difficult, not to say im- ‘possible. Fray Ambrosio knew no more than the rest about Red Cedar’s movements; his fears were, at least, as great as those of his com- rades: and whatever he might do, he was com- pelled tu atlow that he had no valid reason to offer them, and was completely ignorant of the fate of their common chief 7 One morning the gold-scekers, instead of setting out to hunt as they did daily, as- sembled tumultuously before the hut, which served as head-quarters for the monk and the squatter’s sons, and told them plain- ly that they had waited long enough for Red edar: as he had given them no news of his movements for upward of two months, he must be dead; that consequently the expe- dition was 4 failure; and as they had no in- clination to fall some tine morning, into the power of their foes the red-skins, they were going to return at once to Santa Fé Fray Ambrosio in vain told them that, even supposing Red Cedar was dead—which was not proved—although it was a misfor- tune, it did not cause the expedition to fail as he alone held the secret of the placer, and. promised to lead them to it. The gold-seekers, who placed no confi- dence in his talents as guide, or in - his courage as a partisan, would not listen to any thing; and whatever he might do to check them, they mounted their horses and rode off from the island, where he remained’ with the squatter’s sons, Andres Garote, we five or six other men still faithful to m. | Fray Ambrosio saw them land, and spur their horses into the tall grass, where they Yo disappeared. The monk fell to the nd in despair; he saw his plans for a ortune irredeemably ruined—planus which he had fostered so long, and which were crush- ed at the very moment when they seemed on the point of realization. Any other man than Fray Ambrosio, after such a& disaster, would have -yielded to de- spair; but he was gifted with one of those energetic natures which difficulties arouse insteud of crushing; and, in lieu of re- jee apes his schemes, he resolved, as Red Cedur did not.return, to go in search of him, and leave the island at once, , DRE 4 OG An hour later, the little party set out on its maréh, By an extraordinary coincidence, they set. out on the we day when the Apaches start- ed to attack t e C when accident interposes it dues not do omanche village; and as. things by halves, {t led them to the vicinity of the village at the moment when the des- pte contest was going on which we have escribed in a previous chapter. Their predacious tnstincts invited them to draw nearer the village under the protection of the darkness, in the hope of obtaining s0me Indian sealps, which were very valu- able to them. It was then that they heard Shaw’s cry for help, to which they responded by hurrying up at full speed. They rushed boldly into the melée, and saved the young man and the precious bur- den he still held enelasped; then, after dis- patching several Indians whom they con. scientiously scalped, as they considered it imprudent to venture further, they started off again as quickly as they had come, and reached a forest where they concealed them- selves, intending to ask Shaw, when he re- ined his senses, how he happened to be at he entrance of this village, holding Dona Clara in his arms, and fighting alone against a swarm of Indians. The young man remained unconscious the whole day. Although the wounds he had received were not dangerous, the great quantity of blood he had lost, and the extra- ordiuary efforts he had been obliged to make, plunged him into such a state of prostra- tion, that several hours still elapsed after he had regained his senses before he seemed to have restored suflicient order in his ideas to beable to give an account of the events in Which he kad played so important a part. It was, therefore, Fray. Ambrosio’s advice to grant time to’ recall his thoughts before beginning to cross-question him, and hence the affected indifference of the gold-seekers toward him, an indifference which he profit- ed by, to seek in his mind the means. to part company with them, carrying. off for the second time Dona Clara, who had 60 "m- ‘happily fallen into their hands again. ——— CHAPTER XXVIIL. THE DEPARTURE, On the day after the battle, at sunrise, there was a busy scene in the Comanche gil- lage. he criers, mounted on the piles of ruins, summoned the warriors, who arrived one after the other, still fatigued by the dances aud combats of the previous) night. The war-whistles, the shells, the drums and chickikouis, made an infernal disturbance, and hence the entire population was speedily assembled. Unicorn was. chief of great prudence. Be- ing on the point of undertaking an expedi- tion which might separate him fora long time from his friends, he did not wish to leave the women and children exposed defenseless to an attack like that of the previous evening. As the season was ad- vanced, he resolved to abandon the village detinitively, and escort those who were not selected to accompany him, to the winter vil- lage of the nation, situated no great -dis- tance off, ina virgin forest, and in an im- a eergar position. he appearance of the village was most picturesque; the warriors, painted and arm- ed for war, formed two companies of one hundred men each, collected on the square, having:on each flank a squadron of eine five horseman. Between the two detach- ments the women, children, and old men pees themselves, with the dogs fastened to e sledges, which bore all valuable proper- ty; such as furniture, furs, etc. Unicorn, surrounded by his stuff, compos- ed of the subordinate chiefs of the. tribe, held in his hands the totem, and gaye his orders with a word or a gesture, which were immediately executed with an intelligence and dexterity that would have done honor to the, most civilized nation. Valentine was also on the publie square, With his comrades and prisoners. The two maidens, calm and smiling, were side by side, conversing Loge tnes, while Cu- rumilla was holding his head down and frowning. Bloodson had gone off at.daybreak, with his band, to.try and surprise, in his turn, tixe. 1 ai village, which was no great distance ) It was a strange fact, bni the hunters and Mexicans felt an extravrdinary pleasure at the departure of this man, whe had, how- ever, rendered them an immense service. Certainly, it would have been impossible to explain th Still, when he was no longer among them their chests, expanded, and they breatied with greater ease; in a word, it secmed as if, an immense weight had becn suddenly re- And yet, we repeat, the hunters and Mex- icans had only terms of praise in which to allude to this man’s treatingnt of them, Whence came this instinctive repulsion is feeling, which all experienced. with which he inspired them ?—the truth was, that Bloodson had something about him which caused those whom accident brought into contact with him to feel disgust mingled with fear. A great noise was suddenly heard in the square, and two or three Indians came up to speak to the chief. Unicorn uttered an exclamation of anger, and feigned the greatest disappointment, ‘“ What is the matter, chief?” Valentine asked, with the most indifferent air he could assume. ‘Our most valuable Apache prisoner,” Unicorn said, “‘ has found means to escape, I do not know how.” ‘That is a misfortune,” Valentine said: ‘still, it may not be irreparable.” ** How so?” ‘“‘Who knows? Perhaps he may have es- caped very recently: if you were to send eouriers in every direction, it is possible that he may he recaptured. “ Besides, if that measure did not produce the anticipated result,” he added, as he gave the young Spaniard a cold and stern glance, which made her start, ** it would, at any rate, tell us what has become of our Apache en- emies, and if they have not left round the villaye spies ordered .o watch our move- ments.’ The sachem smiled at this proposal; he made a sign, and a dozen horsemen galloped out in the plain. While awaiting the re- turn of the scouts, the final preparations for departure were made. After overhearing the conversation -be- tween the Gazelle and the Pirates, Curumil- la repeated it to Valentine. The latter thank- ed him, and begged him to watch the move- meuts of the girl and Pedro Sandoval. The advice Valentine gave the chief, and which he readily followec, was intended to unmask the Apaches, compel them to retire, and hence deprive the Pirate of the assistance he expected in effecting his escape. n fact the Apaches on seeing their enemies spread all over the plain, not knowing their intentions, but fearing lest they should be surprised by them, fell back, and thatso rap- idly, that the scouts returned to the village aunont seeing anything, after a two hours’ ride. On the report they delivered of all being quiet in the neighborhood and the road quite clegr, Unicorn gave the signal for departure : the immense caravan set out to the sound of musical instruments, mingled with the yells of the warriors and barking of the OBS Valentine, for greater security, placed the two women at the head of the column, in the group of horseman ed by the sub- ordinate chiefs. The day had opened with a pure sky and dazzling sun. The caravan unfolded like an immense serpent on tle prairie, adyancin in good orfer through an enchanting land- scape, - They pushed forward rapidly toward a virgin forest, whose gloomy spurs stretched out nearly to the river’s bank, and which they reached after two hours’ march. On reaching the first trees, the caravan halted for a while, in order to make the final ar- rangements, before burying itself beneath the gloomy dome which would serve as its shelter for several months. Before leaving his friends, the white hunt- ers, the Comanche chief had the neighbor- hood beaten up, but no trail was visible; the Apaches seewmed to have definitely de- clined further fighting, and had gone off. In fact, it would have been signal folly for them to try and attack the Comanches, thrice as strong as themselves, rendered haughty by their last victory, and who, be- fore entering the forest, would have liked uothing betterthan to have a parting fight with their implacable enemies. But nothing disturbed the calmness of the desert. ‘* My brother can continue his journey,” ' Unicorn said to Valentine; ‘‘the Apache dogs have fled with the feet of antelopes.” “Oh, we do not fear them,”’ the hunter replicd disdaimfully. * Before the eighth sun, my brother will see me again,” the chief continued, ‘ee Good. ” , ; od “Farewell ” d they separated. he Comanche warriors entered the forest; for a while the sotnd of their footsteps and the tinkling of the beils fastened to their pd necks re-echoed under the gloomy ar- cades of the forest; then silence was gradu- ally re-established, and the hunters found theniselyes alone. | They were six resolute and well-armed men, who feared no danger; they could con- tinue their journey rfect safety, ‘* Are we still fur from the island where Red Cedar’s bind is encamped ?” Valentine asked the sachem of the Coras. | “ Scaree four leagues,” Eagle-wing ans wer- ed, ‘““Were it net for the countless tarn- licbooks