Beadle's Dime Library No. 204 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

and realized that she was again in the Dear- born, she dréw.a sigh of relief, and ratsing herself on her elbow, asked in a whisper: “ Father, bave you seen a bear?” “Yes, my child; but the beast is harmless now. 1 have killed him. Why did you leave the Dearborn?” Disregarding the question, Belle asked an- other, in a hesitating manner, as if she feared to be ridiculed: ‘‘ Papa, tell me, have you seen an Indian?’ ‘Yes; but, in the name of wonder, where did you see him?” The colonel was filled with amazement and regret. ‘Please don’t ask me, papa; but, for my sake, do hitch up quietly, and Jet us leave this horrible camp. Let us go anywhere—any- where, so that we leave this dreadful spot. Every thicket is full of terrible things.” At this instant, piercing shrieks sounded from down the river—sounds like those made by a panther in agony. “Tt shall be as you say, my dear,” agreed the colonel. ‘Don’t be afraid, Belle; there is nothing that can work youharm.” Sosaying, and arousing the negroes, he ordered them to hitch up without noise; and, in a little time the Dearborn with its precious freight, followed by the Conestoga, moved s'owly and silently out from the timber of the Rio Medina, and then along, parallel with the same for some miles east, when Colonel Bowen ordered a turn, striking out in a southerly direction, over the plain. toward the San Miguel. CHAPTER IX. THE MUSTANG SNARE. Witp WotF had not taken half a dozen whiffs at his pipe, when Warnona glided like a specter along the trail, and stood for a moment gazing at the senseless form of George Adler. Then the squaw spoke: ‘“‘Has knife of Mestizo found heart of our white brother?’ The Waco chief said not a word, but pointed toward a glittering object in the trail, War- nona stepped forward and picked up the cuchillo, and examined if. ‘‘ Mestizo’s blade is not stained with the blood of our white brother. Itis good. War- nona is not blind. Wild Wolf's bullet has left its mark. Mestizo’s blood is on the handle of of his own knife.” ‘ Waugh!” was the satisfied exclamation of the Indian. ‘‘ Warnona cooks the venison of achief. Her eyes are sharp. Wild Wolf is not ashamed that she sweeps his lodge. The waters of the Medina will bring our white brother back from the dark lands.” Taking a gourd from the saddle of the still prostrate horse, Warnona darted toward the river, saying: ‘‘ Let Mestizo beware. A Waco squaw will send him on the long dark trail. A Waco squaw fears not a coward who crawls like a snake inthe bushes, and sounds not his rattle before he jumps.” “ Waugh!” repeated the chief in his pride, as he stood erect, and gazed for a moment after Warnona. He then stalked up to the horse, which lay with its eyes rolliag in pain. Nine times out of ten the lasso trap would have broken a horse’s neck, if the animal was going at a gallop; and, had the horse escaped the noose, and the same caught about the neck of the rider—as it certainly, but for the coy- ote, would have done in this case—it would have been instant death. Wild Wolf caught the bridle, and drew the animal half over uponitsknees, He then assist- ed it to rise, the poor horse groaning deeply as it regainedits feet, shook itself, and stretched its wounded ueck. Just then Warnona reappeared upon the scene. With a gourd of water in her hand, she knelt upon tbe ground and drew the head of George Adler upon ber knees, pouring the water over it, and between his parched lips, With a groan, that seemed an echo of that given by bis horse, George opened his eyes and looked into the face of Warnona, at first in surprise; but, as the trees and waving moss above caught his «ye, and a side glance showed him his horse ond the Waco chief, he recollected what had occurred, and with the assistance of the squaw staggered to his feet. Then, grasp- ing the gourd, he leaned forward and poured the remaining contents over his fevered head. ‘‘Thanks, Warnona,” he said; “I shall not forget your kindness. You may have saved my life.” oe eee Ne eee” ‘“My white brother was in the dark land,” Big Foot Wallace. said the chief, who stood by the horse, with bis arms folded. ‘* Your words describe my past condition to te le'ter, chief. I was launched there so sud- deniy. thut fur my life I can’t tell what sent me, lloid, | do remember that a coyote crossed the trail, and frightened my horse. He must have stumbled and thrown me.” ‘‘ Had coyote been on other side of Medina, my white brother would have gone to his fathers.” ‘What do you mean by that, Wild Wolf?” “‘Come,” said the chief, making a gesture for George to approach; and, as the latter reached his side, he pointed out the mark of the lasso about the neck of the horse. He then stepped forward, picked up and handed to George the severed noose. “What in the name of wonder does this mean, chief?” ‘“*Mestizo try catch my white brother with mustang snare.” ‘Well, I am amazed! cowerd than I thought. Then he really did escape death inthe river. I could have sworn [ had choked the life out of his foul carcass. How did the coyote save me?” ‘* Coyote scare horse. Horse jump up and get head in lasso. Coyote no come, horse go straight on trail. Rope catch my white brother. Break neck.” ** Look!” broke in Warnona, advancing with the knife; “‘ when our white brother was in the dark land the knife of Mestizo was over his heart, but bullet from Wild Wolf’s rifle send it in grass. See. Blood of bad man stain his own knife. Our white brother lives. War- nona is glad.” George took the knife and examined it, recog- nizing it as the one the half-breed had upon two occasions endeavored to sheathe in his breast. The mark of a bullet was now on the handle, and also fresh stains of blood. The young man grasped the band of the chief. ‘Wild Wolf, you have saved my life. I shall remember this night as long my life lasts. You shall have the best rifle thatis to be had in San Antonio, and Warnona shall bave a pair of handsome red blankets.” ‘‘ Wild Wolf wants no riffle,” said the chief, somewhat angrily. “He fights not for guns and blankets. My white brother is the friend of Big Foot Wallace. The great scout of Texas, is the brother of Wild Wolf. It is enough. Talk no good on war-path.” George Adler wisely changed the subject, by asking if the chief thought his horse had been badly injured. ‘Horse no good,” said Wild Wolf very de- cidedly. ‘‘Eat grass on Medina one moon, then good go on trail.” “Where can I get another, chief? I must go over the river immediately, and see which way the trail points.” “What is my white brother’s name? What Wild Wolf say when want call?’ ‘““My name is George Adler, chief.” “Name no good, Wild Wolf say white brother’s name, Water Warrior. Fight Mestiao in Medina. It is good. What Warnona say ?’ ‘Water Warrior good name for our white brother.” ‘* Good,” said the Waco. white brother?” “T should say that name would fit me to adot. Itis very appropriate. All right. Water Warrior want horse.” “ Warnona will lead mustang here,” said the chief, with a wave of his hand. ‘‘ Wild Wolf want mustang. Water Warrior want mus- tang. War-path open. Squaw no good on trail. Warnona stay in lodge on. Medina. Wild Wolf will come back. His belt will be heavy with scalps.” The young squaw glided down the river to obey the orders of the chief, the knife still clutched in her hand, “You must think I am a fool, chief, not to have made a sure thing of that Mestizo, after being hand to hand with him twice; an! then to allow him to set a trap for me witi. such success that he would have killed me, hud you not come up when you did.” “Wild Wolf tell Water Warrior keep eye open. A Waco’s eye like eagle, but no see rope at night. Wild Wolf no ride fast in bushes. Ride slow. Look sbarp!” “Well, I reckon I have learned something in the last few hours; and the next time I get a chance at that half-breed i’ll put a ball He is more of a “What say our through his head. He seems to bear a charmed life. Why did you spare him, chief? Why did you not shoot him dead?’ ‘‘No want kill yet. War-path no good when noenemy. Want Water Warrior learn much heap on trail. Mestizo learn my white brother. Keep eyes open. Keep hand. on knife. Keep rifle ready.” ‘‘Thanks, very much. But 1 don’t care to have my heart carved by my teacher. You must excuse me, but I must kill that Mestizo the first chance I get.” ‘‘Want save for torture,” explained: the Waco. ‘‘No hurt Water Warrior now. No fire rifle. No hold knife. Wild Wolf shoot fingers off. No good now on war-path,” ‘“The villain must be furious with those fingers shot away. Besides it may kill him this hot weather.” “Wild Wolf say Mestizo no die easy, Cut off big piece tail of snake when sun come, Snake he crawl over ground, swallow young prairie dog before sun say good-by.”’ “‘T believe you are right, chief. The half- breed is more like a snake than a human, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him throw a lasso, or use a knife skillfully with his left hand.” As George. ceased speaking, the prolorged howl of a black wolf sounded from the direc- tion of the ford, and the Waco whirled about, his nostrils distorted like those of a blooded race-horse at the starting line, bis black eyes glittering and glaring into tbe darkness, bis sinewy form bent forward, and his hand clutching the hilt of his scalping-knife, as if the war-whoop of a foe had cut the night air. Only for an instant stood the chief thus. The next, and the peculiar cry of the chaparral cock rolled rapidly over bis lips, and then the howl of the black wolf once more sounded, as if in answer. George Adler stood, with open mouth, gazing in mingled wonder and inquiry, from Wild Wolf into the dark sbades along the bank of the river. Again the Waco chief bent forward, listen- ing intently, as did bis white friend, and soon the sound of a horse’s hoofs was heard, coming down the beaten trail, mingled with the swish of branches and tbe labored panting of the steed, which indicated a long and wearing gallop. The next moment an Indian in full war paint, mounted upon a foamflecked mus- tang, bounded into the smail clear space in which the listeners stood, bringing his steed to a sudden halt by a quick and bard jerk of the jaw-strap, the animal’s fore-feet pawing the vir just in front of the Waco chief, its tail sweep- ing the sward. ‘‘ Black Bear is welcome,” exclaimed’ White Wolf. ‘‘Do buzzards fly low? Are coyotes thick between Medina and Big River—(Rio Grande)—tbat a Waco warrior rides at night to find bis chief?” Black Bear cast a questioning look toward Adler. ‘Water Warrior friend of Wacos,” explained the chief. ‘‘He brother great scout, Big Foot Wallace.” The new arrival sprung from his steed to the ground, grasping the proffered hand of the young man, and pressing the same to his painted breast, saying: “ Water Warrior friend of great Texas scout. Friend of Wild Wolf. He friend of Black Bear. It is well.” Then turning, chief: ‘Buzzards fly low. Coyotes thick. Black wolves howl on prairie, for Comanches on war- path. Braves from Big Plains make many camps. Ride fast toward Big Water. Kill heap horses. Kill heap long-horns. Mebbe so kill heap white men, squaws, pappooses, before moon grow small.” “Who chief?” inquired Wild Wolf. “ Rolling Thunder,” was the reply. ‘How many braves?’ Black Bear opened and closed his hand, out- stretching his fingers and thumbs six times, thus indicating that there were sixty Comancke braves. ‘‘How many my braves hunt mustangs on Nueces?” ‘‘ All in camp, Bandera Hills.” ‘‘ Good,” said Wild Wolf with satisfaction, the war-spirit of his people blazing in his eyes, and shown in poise of form and motion. ‘ Let Comanches come. Big Foot Wallace and bis brother brave will go on war-pathb, Black he made answer to the Gomicvdooks —- I ee ee hf . Ee Ee (E(0) eae SS - ee