Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 202 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

‘your voice the rifles and revolvers: and on all sides the Apaches could be seen charging here and there | where a white man was to be seen, each man | for himself and life or death for them all. — ne ee es Se a eee ae steep for some distance, and it was not until a —_—_——— Cactus Jack, the Giant Guide. quarter of a mile had been traveled that a scalable place was found. Then the right-band Here a red buck couid be seen in pursuit of a | wall dwindled to a biuff and they succeeded in miner who had been pressed into momentary flight; there, a stalwart miner had a mustang by tha head or his rider by the throat; and every where men fought on foot or in the sad- ' dle as circumstances made necessary. In the midst cf it all a cheer sounded from up the street and the soldiers left to guard the fort came charging down at double-quick, their bayonets glistening and their blue coats show- ing well in the sun. Yet, Bozeman, who had seen soldiers fight be- fore, fairly groaned at the sight. If the Apaches knew their business this handful of brave but indiscreet men would soon be wiped out of existence. He groaned because they were too few for a charge on open ground and too muny to be slaughtered. : Quickly he sprung to his feet and waved his hat above his head. ‘Back! he shouted; “‘ you are comin’ ter your death. Break an’ fight from cover!” CHAPTER XXXII. A SHOWER OF LEAD, CAPTAIN BRIGHAM did not hear the savage ynestion with which his subaltern turned upon 5 oa Townsend. For a brief space of time Sergeant Springer believed they had been de- coyed intoa trap by the young man, but bis ac- cusing gaze was unfalteringly met. The Captain looked further and saw more than Springer. He saw painted faces beside the rifle- barrels which protruded from the seams in the cliffs, and though not a veteran Indian-fighter, he was not long in perceiving that the ambushed men were Apaches. James Townsend, too, seemed to discover as much, for, disregarding Springer’s words, he scowled and muttered: ‘Red bucks, by thunder! blocked.” The exclamation sounded natural enough, and yet there were people in and about the Bend who had so little faith in James that they might have misconstrued his meaning had the words fallen on their ears instead of the friendly ones of Brigham. A pause ensued. The boys in blue expected a volley but none came. The rifle barrels kept their places and so did the red faces; but the rest of the grim warriors’ persons were hidden in the crevices and seams, Brigham hesitated to begin hostilities. The Apaches had given no actual sign of evil inten- tions, and so long as they kept the peace it must not be said a quarrel had been forced by Uncle Sam’s men. “Hello! there,” he finally shouted. ‘‘ Who is running this museum, anyhow? I see Apache warriors before me, but where is the chief who speaks for them?’ ‘‘The eagle builds his nest on the highest crag. Is the red-man less wise?’ a voice suddenly and clearly asked, speaking in good English. ‘I’m afraid you won’t relish a nest where you now are, Indians. Other birds have nests near at hand, and you may get to pulling out tail-feathers.” ‘‘'The Apaches are not children,” was the re- ly. ‘*They come and go when they see fit. hose business is it?” ‘‘ It strikes me,” said Brigham, keenly, ‘‘ that smacks a deal more of You may be Apaches, The game is white a 1 re: but I doubt it, and— Just then Sergeant Springer touched the cap- tain’s arm: ‘‘There are more men up the canyon,” be said. “They are skulking near the base of the rer ee I believe we are in a trap as I at first said. “TI reckon a screw is loose somewhere,” was the cool reply, “but we will baffle the rascals et. Men, when I give the word, start down the canyon at double-quick. They will natur- ally expect us to fizht our way back, and_ this mere on take them by ‘surprise. Now, ready He glanced over his command and saw that all were attentive, and then he gave the word ga and they dashed down the canyon, away from the men in the crevices and straight past the holes where the League of Goid had once lived. Profound silence followed their abrupt ce- parture, but it was uickly broken by the patter of bullets and, had they looked back, they would have seen the riflemen peering from the crevices to see the result of their work, What they saw could not have been particu- larly pleasing, for, by some lucky chanee, each and every blue-coat escaped injury and they went on at double-quick. Brigham, however, was not disposed. to give up so tamely, and after a short time began to leok for some place where they could gain the level. He had come out to bunt the Black Masks and he had uo intention of turning his back permanently on the force in the crevices, but # would be madness to stand usderneath and let them do all the shooting. ascending. After tat, no time was lost. They faced to the ea t again and merched rapidly along the back-track, keeping a sharp watch for danger as they went. The walls of the canyon, however, were very | to the canyon and taken position there to watch for the gold robbers. {t was mere chance that the soldiers ap- peared before the biack ldasks, but it hed been a fatal one for the painted pale-faces, Such was their story, but it was enough to arouse Brigham. If the Apaches were hover- ing near the Bend, the sooner be returned there the better it might be for the town. Brigham wished in vain for the aid of Cactus | Jack or Bozeman—the guides were at that mo- | ment chewing a morsel at the bend of which | they could not let go. The way was still rough and broken, with gigantic bowlders and little knolls in the way, and everything was so favorable for an am- CHAPTER XXXIL FIGHTING THE APACHES. ZEKE BOZEMAN’S waruing to the blue-coats | was one they should have heeded, for it was bush that the captain grew cautious and finally | halted his command. “Remain here with the men, Sergeant Springer, while | goon a scout, he briefly said. The subaltern instantly demurred. It did not seem the proper thing for their leader to assume such a duty; it would be far more systematic to send a private or—or himéelf. He had ar- rayed himself on the wrong side, however, for really madness for such a bandtul of men to charge in among the Apaches. ‘The hard- fighters of the red band would make short work of the “regulars,” and in the meanwhbile it | would be hard work to impale even one enemy Brigham had made up his mind and intended to | carry out the programme. He gave a few directions and went away. Although not an experienced scout, the cap- tain possessed good judgment and caution, and be made a detour and skulked along through | the bushes and among the rocks in a way which was careful if nct scientific. About balf of the distance had been traversed when, as he was about to glide from a thicket, a | limmer of light from the slope above brought | 1im to a halt. to him; be had seen it bundreds of times before | That glimmer was nothing new | when a bright sun struck the polished side of a _ bayonet. ower in the bushes crouched the soldier, and as his eyes ranged the slope he saw more of the tell-tale gleams, and here and there a dark form lying flat on the ground. He gauged the situation at once. on thebristling bayonets. Luckily, the fortunes of the fight had carried Cactus Jack nearer the soldiers than Bozeman was, avd he leaped up from the ground, where he had just settled a dispute with a brawn ‘‘buck” and confronted the brave but ra biue-coats. ‘** Hold on, there!” he shouted. your death if you keep on. The only way to fight is Injun fashion. Scatter to cover and your rifles will mow them down in beaps.” His voice more than his words carried con- viction to the minds of the soldiers, end as several bullets whistled viciously past them they looked for targets, blazed away wherever they saw an Apache and then sought cover be- hind cabins and rocks. The fight was at a fever point. Outnumbered as they were, the miners were not men to give ground in any case, and on every side they were fighting like heroes. The Latile field had “You go to | gradualiy widened until nearly the whole vil- lage was a scene of desultory fighting. but the grim defenders noticed that when they stumbled over a corpse it was usually that of an Indian. _ They were making their mark nobly. In some | way, perhaps through spies, the enemy had | learned of the return course the soldiers were pursuing, and on the slope they bad crouched | down to await them—a capital place for an am- | bush. Nothing was wanting except the hare; once caught, they could quickly cook him. Brigham smiled grimly. ‘‘ There they are, the beauties!” he said. ‘‘It is the same gang that tried their hands on us in the canyon, and now they banker to take an- other turn at the wheel. Good! we will now see who laughs last, and be these fellows red or white, Pll try my best to give them a lesson.” Back to his boys in blue went the captain, and then by the same route he led them around to the rear of the ambush, leaving ten men under | Springer to bar the way of retreat if the paint- ed enemy took to their heels. All being ready for work, Brigham gave his orders, and as one man the soldiers arose from their cover and charged up the slope. The men in ambush had quick ears, whatever may have been the quality of their brains, and | they quickly took the alarm and seemed to re- lapse iuto confusion and dismay. A _ hoarse | voice shouted an order to fire, and three or four harmless bullets sped down the slope; but it was a fatal indiscretion on their part. Brigham shouted an order in turn and the blue-coats sent a volley up the hill, many a ball finding lodgment in human flesh; and then they went on with presented bayonets. The unknown leader tried to induce his men to stand firm, but a Iucky bullet cut short bis career, and the dismayed men broke and fled. Over the crest of the hill they went with the soldiers close in their rear, and then Sergeant Springer’s detachment took a hand in the game. It was running a risk to fire, but the blue-coats were all veterans and no mistakes were made. Foes, not friends, received their leaden cards, and the yoy # Apaches, or whatever they | ai were, lost all claim to order. Some threw down their weapons and surrendered, others tried to | skulk away, and a braver Parton set their teeth. | ing. and tried their luck at fight Confusion reigned for awhile, but the blue- | coats held the winning cards, and in the end the whole gang was either killed or captured. Fifteen prisoners and about the same number of dead men were on the hands of the victors, but Brigham did not waste much time. He took the prisoners to the nearest water and gave them an application which brought off their paint and left them as nearly as white- | skinned as himself. So far, all wes well, but be wanted more light. Conseqnrently, one man was taken apart from the others and invited to explain who they were. He at first refused, being a modest man, but the introduction of a bayonet near his ribs opened his mouth and the truth came out. A band of Apaches, including, also, some thirty white renegades, had taken to the war- trail. The red-men were even then hanging about Black Bend, hoping for a chance to do mischief, but the white allies, knowing some- thing of the League of Gold, had gone at once | | Bill Bush, fighting like a gladiator, at all times watched Cactus Jack, and every minute increased his admiration for the man, The fame of the giant guide was great along the Mimbres, and as Bush saw him move like a spirit of destruction among the Apaches, he knew the reputation had been fairly earned. One more thing the king of the Fata Bend saw anon. Old Tom Knott bad not been conspicuous among the defenders; indeed, Bush had not seen him since the fight began until, after some time, he appeared quite near to Cactus Jack, who was fighting hand-to-hand with a huge warrior. The stranded man held a revolver in bis hand, and with quick steps he approached the two. Bush believed he was about to help the guide, ve half-unconsciously, he paused to see the re- sult. Then a cry of anger burst from his lips, as he saw the fellow thrust bis revolver against Cac- . tus Jack’s head, even while the latter was strug- gling with the Apache. Realizing that a murder was intended, Bush quickly raised bis own weapon, but, before he could use it, Knott threw up bis erms and fell to the ground, his life-blcod spattering both contestants. A chance bullet had struck him full in the head and ended his career forever. Such was Bill Bush’s interpretation of the shot, and it was pretty certain that Tom Knott never knew what burt him: he bad died almost in the act of committing a foul and cowardly crime. Unconscious of all this scene behind his back, Jack dashed down the Apache and stood over bim a panting victor; then a surge of the battle ace up both bim and the mine-king, and the work went on as before. The defenders began to feel worried. Their loss was small compared with that of the In- dians, but the force of numbers began to tell and the wearied men fought with more of des- peration than heart. Twice the savages had tried to fire the village, but prompt a in each case frustrated their scheme. At this critical moment came a welccme in- terruption. A ringing cheer sounded above the noise of battle, and as red-men and white looked up they saw Brigham and his blue-coats charging at dowble-quick. _ Amore complete reaction can not be imag- ined. The tired defenders knew that the day and their town were saved, while, in such a place, the Apaches had none of that comtempt they could show for thé soldiers when on neu- tral soil—dodge them tbey usually did on the prairie or amid the mountains, but in Black Bend tbey had not a gbost of a chance, The miners echoed the cheer, but the red- skins wheeled for an unceremonious departure. Not a blow did they strike after that first cheer reached their ears, but Brigham was not dis- to let them go so easily. A telling voMey was sent after them, empty- ing many a red buck into the sand, and then the blue-coats made a dash for their horses. | The miners did not join in the new order of things. They had no horses at hand, and, be- sides, they were tired out and aware that the (EOL € on had © (eo) f - IJOOKS