Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 202 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

é j 4 ‘ one side, while he, looking forward, saw Tiger DS —— OE ———— ooo must not be cf red skin. If the Apaches knew of our home, we should not be safe there one my fore James could answer, Red Tiger turned toward them again. ‘*You can have your way, white maa,” he said, inan even voice, ‘‘ We will trouble the pale squaw no more; but 1am Apache does not take such things tamely, and we shall some day meet again. When we do, Red Tiger will take your scalp.” “That is fair, and I ask no more,” James re- plied. ‘Then we will go,” said the red-man. He was turning when James spoke tersely. ‘* Stop!” he said. They obeyed and looked at him with stoical faces. ‘*T do not trust you very much, Apaches, and I must request the honor of going first myself. A few yards in that direction takes you to cover from which you can drive an arrow through my body. Let me amend the plan, Pray remain where you are until this lady and myself have gone from the canyon.” here was a sudden glitter in Red Tiger’s eyes as James unfolded his plan, but it was gone by the time he finished speaking. ‘* An Apache never lies,” was the somewhat haughty reply, ‘‘but the pale-face may again have his way. Go, and Red Tiger will wait.” He cast his bow a rod away and then sat down on the ground, folded bis arms and stared hard at the western cliff. His companion fol- lowed his example, and then they looked as in- nocent as a pair of bowlders. ‘‘Let us go at once,” said the girl, hastily. “They may change their minds.” There was wisdom in the idea, but as they moved off James watched the warriors nar- mate ‘‘ There is a trick somewhere in this,” he said. “Po not for one minute mrppoee that: two brawny Apache warriors would give way s0 tamely to an unfledged fellow like me. I pene- trated their first scheme when I stopped'them from seeking cover, but they have another in mind, and I suspect it is to cut off our retreat “ You are right,” she said, quickly. ‘‘I, toe, thought strange they should give way so tame- ly. They think they are sure of their prey and prefer to secure us by cunning.” ‘‘T don't imagine they care to secure me; it’s my scalp they hanker after. If they can way- lay us, they will try to shoot me and then cap- ture you.” ““We can foil them if—” “Tf what?” “If you are willing to fight.” ‘“You remember | offered to do so before,” said James, a little piqued. ** Would you shoot one of them?” “T certainly would if they persisted in mo- lesting me.” Then listen to my plan. Just around the bend the canyon turns sharply to the right and runs along the mountain until it lessens into a mere depression. Wecan reach that point in safety, by running, but if they make a straight line to intercept us they will not be far behind. Having arrived there, we can hide, but if they follow they must either be forever silenced, or else the secret of our cave refuge will be re- vealed to them.” The girl spoke with a firmness which showed that hers were no weak nerves, and James com- Pe what was expected of him. ‘Tt shall be so,” he said. ‘* These red hounds are mere barbarians and murderers, and fur- ther hostility ought to seal their fate if it does not. They had almost reached the bend in the canyon, and though the Apaches sat in their old attituda, the young people prepared for prompt action. Rounding the bend moderately, they waited for no more but ran swiftly up the canyon. James would have given aid to his fair compan- ion, but she proved as fleet-footed as he and they ran side by side for a hundred yards, when the way changed to the rocky depression of which she had spoken. They confidently ad they were first on the spot, but as they looked for a_ suitable refuge a bow-string suddenly twanged and an arrow sped toward James’s breast. He could not himself have avoided it by any means, but Providence seemed on bis side. If struck bis rifle-barrel and glanced nesmlcesly * - Tiger standing erect near a large bowlder to see the result of his shot. Hot anger at once assailed the young man, nd his rifle leaped to his shoulder. He was a ood. shot if not a veteran borderer, and the report almost instantly followed. iger had not dreamed of such prompt action on the part of the man he had doomed to death, and the mistake was the last of his life. The bow suddenly fell from his Brasp, his arms were flung upward, and then he fell for- ward in a heap and his blood gushed out on the bowlder in a stream. The girl had seen what James had not—the second Apache close beside the first, and the _ as soon as they can safely move.” a inne Cactus Jack, the Giant Guide. click of her rifle hammer followed fast on the heels of the other. Only the clck, for the weapon failed to explode. In a moment the astute savage came over the bowlder with a catlike leap. He comprehended the situation, and, with one of the dreaded rifles empty and the other useless, he resolved to win glory in a hand-to-hand conflict. As he darted forward, knife in hand, James looked astonished, and promptly drew his re- volver. He had it in his power to shoot the red buck in his tracks, but he was not sure that he wished to do it. Not much time was given him for thought, but, under the impulse of the moment, he mapped out a novel idea. As the Apache camo near he fired with so deadly aim that the ball went straight through the red hand and the knife went spinning some yards away. Then James sprung forward, seized the war- rior and endeavored to throw him to the ground, | A watch could not have ticked many times before the rash young man was devoutly wishing he could let go; for, maimed as he was, the buck settled down to his work and James found him- self in the grasp of a giant. His revolver had fallen to the ground, and when the girl picked it up and looked for a chance to use it, their rapid evolutions shut her practically out of the game. CHAPTER XI. DuRING his residence around Black Bend, James had heard a good deal about the wild Apaches, but, as was natural with one of his years, he had always underrated the danger and seriousness of the business, until he that day found himself in the grasp of the brawny warrior. way, for one thing, he would have been uickly worsted. While in the States he had thoroughly learned the art of wrestling, and now, though far inferior to the Apache in strength, he managed to keep his feet. His success in that line gave him a new idea. Surely, there were scientific “ locks ” unknown to the Indian—he would try a few of them. The result astonished him more than it did any one else, and as his opponent went down at the first trial, he immediately fell heavily across the body. The shock seemed to slightly stun the buck, and James had turned his head to call for his revolver, when a dull thud made him look the other way. A strange change had taken place in the scene. The Apache lay motionless, and at his head stood a man whose look was as strange as his appearance on the ground was unexpected. A man old in years was he, bué in stature he was no more than a boy; and an ugly hump between his shoulders destroyed all claim to beauty. Still, he looked hardy and strong, and he was glaring down on the red-skin with a face terrible in its show of anger and hostility. Strange and uncanny as he was, James Town- send had seen him before. Some weeks pre- vious he had been in the village one day when the odd old man stopped at a store for supplies. No one knew him, but they showed an inclina- tion to make up in readiness what was lacking in actual knowledge, and he was Jiberally plied with questions. } They might have saved their breath. He evaded their questions at first, and when they began to banter him, sent back such cutting an- swers and glared so from his deep-set eyes that even they, bold men that they were, grew cautious and ceased their nonsense. He me away, after paying for what he had purchased, and when ets saw that his course was toward the gold hills, they had many a jest at his expense, and laughingly named him ‘**Old Prospect.” The incident had almost faded from James’s mind, but it was vividly recalled, as he saw “Old Prospect” glaring above him, and he was not long in gaining bis feet. He looked for his weapons and the gir! put all into his hands. “The danger is past,” she ha said. ‘‘ Mather has dispatched the second brave.” ‘‘ Your father—” he said, in confusion. ‘This is he,” and she pointed to the hump- back, as calmly as though he had been a model of grace and beauty. For amoment James was amazed and con- fused, but the old man himself saved him from the awkwardness of an immediate reply. ‘¢What means all this?’ demanded Old Pros- pect, as he glared from one to the other of the young people; and his eyes still had a wild, unnatural look. The girl glided forward and laid her hand on his arm. James saw that her touch was a soothing one, and the wild eyes began to losey their glare. ‘These Apaches tried to capture me, father,” she softly said, ‘‘ but the gentleman came to my rescue.” ‘The red hounds! How dared they venture near our home?” cried the old man. i “OLD PROSPECT.” a ‘*We need have no further fear; their mis- chief-making is forever over.” | Old Prospect looked first at the man at his feet and then to where Red Tiger lay across the bowlder. The sight seemed to please him, and he chuckled: **Good!” he said; *‘ very good. They would have meddled with our affairs, but their loping is now over.” ‘* Father, have you forgotten the gentleman ?” The strange man turned his gaze upon James with aimost startling quickness. ‘“So!” he commented. ‘‘I see. This man, I take it, was he who shot the first red-skin.” ‘Yes, father, and—” ‘* Who are you, sir?’ Old Prospect abruptly asked. James could not doubt but that be was in the presence of a man almost if not entirely insane, _but it was policy to keep him in an amiable mood, and he frankly answered: ' My name is James Townsend, and I live at Black Bend, near the fort.” ‘What are you doing in the hills?” ‘*T was out for a ramble when chance made me a witness of this lady’s peril, and I gave what aid I could.” The girl looked appealingly at her father, as though to implore him not to indulge in an ugly or insane freak, but some unexplainable impulse impelled him to hold out his hand as though to an old friend. **'You bave done well, young man, excellent- ly well. I thank you in the name of my aughter, Nola, and myself, and we will be pleased to see youin our cave at once. Other Apaches may chance this way and make it warm for us if we stay where we are.” James instinctively glanced at Nola, as the girl had been called, but she smiled graciously. ‘*T echo the invitation, sir. We have lived the lives of hermits, but I feel sure you would not be the man to betray any confidence re- posed in you.” ‘* Rest assured I will tell nothing whatever,” James promptly answered, not pausing to think how much the promise implied. ‘*' Then let us go,” said Ol4 Prospect. | ** Would it not be well to get rid of the bodies of these red bucks before we leave?’ James asked. *“ Ay, that it would, and it is easily done. y Remain where you are, you two, and I will soon dispose of them.” The strange man stooped and lifted the body of the nearest brave, rejecting the aid of the hunter, and then strode away as though he carried no more than a babe. ‘*Do not heed any vagary he may show,” said Nola, hurriedly. ‘‘ He means well and his heart is kind, but he is often mentally deranged, as is the case at present. He is harmless at all times, and I have never known bim to injure a man with a white skin. For the Apaches he has an intense hatred, of which I will speak anon.” ‘‘Is it possible you two live alone in the hills?” “Why not?” ‘The life is wild and—” ‘‘T have always been accustomed to it. The wild prairie or the wild forest is my home. I never knew a — other than my father, but together, we have encamped on many of the bi Sent Aap mountains between Yuma and Mani- oba. The return of Old Prospect, who bad cast the body of the Apache into a chasm, interrupted them, but he at once went away with all that was mortal of the redoubtable Red Tiger. Some additional words were said, and then he once more returned and they went up the billside together. The old man led the way, James followed and Nola walked a pace behind. He had offered his arm, but the girl declined it with a quick and, James thought,somewhat ap- prehensive glance toward the bunchback. The young man was wondering greatly at all he saw, Old Prospect was a curiosity in bim- self, the meeting with Nola was a surprise, the fact that she claimed the deformed man as her father was more astonishing than all else; and the statement that they dwelt in a cave hinged much on the marvelous and romantic, Mae would come ae s they went on, Old Prospect kept up a run- ning fire of comments on the atidacity’ of the Apaches in venturing near the hills, and as Nola did not once interrupt he bade fair to soon work himself into a fever of rage. Suddenly, however, he turned abruptly to the right and entered a thicket of pines, and Nola aroused as from deep thought. ‘‘Our cave is just beyond, sir,” she quietly said. ‘‘If you will enter, you will see the en- trance.” James needed no further invitation, but — through the fringe of bushes followed y Nola. The deformed man stood where a flat-faced rock was broken by a hole the size of a common door, and he waved his hand toward the dark- ness beyond. ‘* Here is our dev,” he cheerily said. ‘ En- ter, young man, and see how we live in the caves of the earth and the cliffs of the air.” S wa ECoOMmIcboo ’ + ‘ . - . eee ae se...