Beadle's Dime Library No. 204 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

ee —_—--* Big Foot Wallace. rible sight; then he laid down his rifle, and rose erect, setting his teeth firmly, and with an effort controlling himself. His momentary weakness was now past, woe to any Comanche brave who stood in his path. Nothing buta satiety of revenge could bring the scout of San Miguel back to his free and easy, gay and happy self. Tenderly he cut Juan and Antonio loose, and laid the corpses on the green sward; then _ going into his once neat and tidy dwelling, he secured two blankets from a closet, and wrap- ping ons of the bodies in each, he carried them | to the smoke-house, and laid them side by side | on the floor. At this moment Big Foot Wallace and Sharp Eye came galloping up from the corral, each mourted upon a fresh and fiery steed. ‘Hyer we air, pard Bill,” said the Giant Scout; ‘‘an’ we hes foun’ some nags what An- tone an’ Juan lariated ter trees in ther bot- tom, a Greaser, but I’m a snake-eatin’ Piute ef our boyees warn’t slam-up XXX white men, from ther ho’r ter ther toe nails!” “You are right,” said Sharp Eye; must be off on the trail. Think of poor Mag- gie!” ‘‘ Hold yer mustang,’’ replied Big Foot; “I hain’t hed time ter think. I’ll gi’n yer a show ter plant lead inter red meat soon, so don’t yer fret. I knows ther snake-eyed, dog-eatin’ scarifiers clean through, an’ I’m a-gamblin’ Giner'ly speakin’ I don’t count hefty on | “but we. for some miles, when, fording the stream, they passed through the timber, galloping over the north plain. When Colonel Bowen assisted Belle and Rosa from the wagon, they all crawled on their hands and knees toward the dark line of timber which marked the course of the San Miguel, knowing tbat within the thick under- growth they could conceal themselves with some hope of safety. But the river was a long distance away, and often were the poor fugitives forced to halt, crouched together and rest, their hands bleed- ing from contact with the sharp blades of wire- grass, which, although seeming a soft verdant carpet, cut the flesh like so many tiny knives. | the Medina. and body that we had to endure since leaving Again, I pray most earnestly that I may be forgiven my selfish act in bring- ‘ing you here. Belle, if your life be spared, remember me kindly, for I have striven to make you happy. This last unlucky move, _ though I was actuated by selfish motives, I most truly thought wouid be for your comfort, releasing you from the persecution of that un- principled wretch, Frank Ames.” While Colonel Bowen was speaking, they had all thres been crawling stealthily to the southward; but their guardian angels had evi- | Colonel Bowen was now upon the rack, in | his anguish of mind; vividly realizing, as he now did. that he had brought his fair child from a happy home, in which she was sur- rounded with all the luxury that a refined mind could crave, and dragged her to these bor- der wilds amid savage and lawless men, where danger in some of its worst forms had already come to her. He strove to forget that but now, she had been bound like a slave, but the humiliating fact hovered continually before his tortured mind. But through it all, Belle Bowen was her own bright self; and, by forced cheerfulness and words of hope, strove to instill into her father and Rosa, courage to go on. heavy thev doesn’t git ther bestest o’ a man | what chaws ther bark offen an acre o’ post | every mornin’ jist ter git up a appetite.” Fost Oak Bill beckoned the two men now, to | come tc his side, and pointed to the blistered hands of the Mexicans. The moon smiled brightly down upon their misery} seeming in league with their foes; for, had darkness fallen upon the earth, they could * Wa-al, dod-blast my ole skin,” exclaimed | Wallace; moniment over ’em! ther re's they could ter grass, they dusted ter pertect Maggie, an’ hed ter climb ther burnin’ bark te do hit! Bat, pards, [’'m kinder in clernated ter think that we’-uns hes a hefty ole he job ahead o’ us, an’ hit’s gut ter be did on the wings 0’ chain-lightnain’.” As Big Foot spoke, be began changing the equipments of his jaded horse to the one he had just brought up, and his companions were not slow in following his example. A slight examinxtion of the surrounding paths was suf- ficient to put them upor the right trail. The Comanches had gone down country. Spurring on in the lead, the Giant Scout at times dismounting to examine the “sign,” all proceeded toward revenge, and the rescue of Maggie Moore; hoping that Wild Wolf, whe had left them tc gallop northwest over the plain, and hasten his braves on the war-path, would make his appearance ‘in time to do good service. CHAPTER XVII. AGAIN TAKEN CAPTIVE, THe score of Comanches who had been ob- served by Maggie from the oak, the evening previous to the attack on the ranch, galloped over the prairie to the eastward; but before they had proceeded ten miles they crossed the river, when they were brongbt to a halt by an ejaculation of surprise from the leading chief. Checking their balf-wild ponies on the mar- gin of the bottom, their black eyes glittered with the prospect of a fight, for they saw a long scattering line of horsemen approaching the timber, and about to enter the same ata borse-shoe bend, a half mile below. They son perceived that the night-riders were heavily armed, anc too strong in num- bers for them toattack; and, as they continued to sweep the plains, they also discovered, afar off on the prairie, a wagon which was follow- ing, and probably belonged to the party who were riding from the east. With a quick, guttural order, the chief of this littie band of war-painted Indians whirled his horse, and re-crossed the stream, followed by his braves, and rode down the San Miguel, shielded from the view of the night riders, by the bottom timber. Scouts were sent on foot to inspect the camp in the bend and ali waited in the dense shades until the return of their spies, with information in regard to the encampment. The chief then dispatchea one of his braves on the back trail, tc the main war-party, with the intelligence gained; then, with his warriors, he again went dashing down the Miguei on the south side, ‘ef I doesn’t sot some kind of a | Arter they hed sent all |, have risen to their feet and in a short time bave reached the safe sheller of the dense ' thickets in the bottom timber of the San Mig- uel. As it was, they dared not stand erect, for fear of being seen by some of the bandits; who might, at any moment perceive that the mules were traveling an irregular course, without guidance; and then, when they found that the driver was dead, and the captives gone, gal- lop on the back trail, beating the grass to find them. At times, however, Belle would elevate her queenly head, and peer toward the west. Then she would see, afar off, the white top of the wagon, and shudder as she thought of the dead man who held the reins, while she thanked God that they were free, although suffering as they were. The poor fugitive had passed half the dis- tance between the point where they had left the wagon and the timber of the San Miguel, when Belle caught sight of some moving ob- jects issuing from the timber, and she trem- bled violently as she realized that they were horsemen. The colonel and Rosa were lying upon the ground, in order to relieve their limbs from the fatigue caused by the unnatural position they had been compelled to assume in crawling over the ground. As Belle gazed fixedly for a few moments in the direction of the horsemen,.being reluctant to alarm her father, she began to perceive the character of the new danger that threatened, and her blood froze, while she almost gasped for breath; for, on like the wind toward them galloped a score of Indians upon their half- wild steeds, their long hair flying in the bright moonlight. The appalled girl gave out a choking, gasp- ing sound, in an endeavor to speak, and burst out, in a hoarss, unnatural voice: ‘‘Father in Heaven, protect Thy helpless children!” Colonel Bowen raised himself to a sitting posture, and glanced in alarm at his daughter. Then, guided by her fixed eyes, he looked southward, ‘‘Great God, forgive me for dragging my child into such a country! Belle, my darling, our time has come. Weare lost, we are lost!” No sooner had the colonel spoken, than Belle recovered herself, and desperate daring was stamped upon every line of her features. “Father, you fought Indians in Florida. Don’t be so hopeless and despairing, but let us fight to the last. Quick! Crawl to the east. They bave not discovered us yet, and if they do, I will shoot one of them, if you are not firm enough to point the rifle.” ‘‘T bave the gun, and I will use it,” said the old man, ‘‘I will defend you to the death, my child. Feeble as I am, I féel the strength of a dozen men providentially given me. But death is preferable to the tortures of both mind oe ie | dently been taking a nigot off, for, although they had not been seen by the Indians, the latter, as if guided by a fiendish enemy, swerved from the course they had been travel- ing, directly toward the crouching fugitives, The panting steeds were now close upon them, and fearful of being maimed, or crushed to death, all three arose to their feet. As they | did so, the hot breath of the horses fanned the weapon; | their cheeks, as the animals sprung ip affright to the right and left. The colonel sprung with his rifle directly in front of bis daughter and Rosa, and leveled but suddenly Belle realized that if he killed an Indian he would be brained before her eyes, or if not, that their chance of escape would be much lessened, and with the quick- ness of thought she caught the gun and thrust its muzzle to the earth, at the very moment that her father had pulled the trigger. ‘‘ Father, you would have been killed before my eyes,” cried Belle, ‘‘if vou bad shot one of those vengeful braves. We were insane to think of defending ourselves against such a horde. Let me bave the rifle, and allow me to act as my judgment prompts. We may even yet escape.” | Belle spoke these words in a rapid, nervous _/manner, and the colonel made no effort to re- tain the weapon, which she took, and advan- cing fearlessly to one of the Comanches, whom, by his dress she took to be the chief, she passed the rifle into bis hands. This act was followed by “Ughs” and ‘‘ Waughs” from the circular | mass of braves who witnessed it. The young girl then returned, and clasped the neck of her father, while the terrified. Rosa clung tothe colonel on the other side, thus | forming a tableau of brilliant beauty, and | helpless daring, and proud, grand old age. It was a sight that, for the moment, drew the admiration of even the merciless Comanches; the knocking down of the rifle, and thus sav- ing the life of one of their number, impressing them greatly. The chief, however, issued his orders in a rapid manner, which were at once obeyed by three warriors springing to the earth, and toss- ing the jaw-straps of their horses to three of their fellow braves. This done, the dismounted Comanches tightened their belts, and then an rapidly over the trail by which they had come, toward the bottom timber of the San Miguel. Other warriors then quickly bound the hands of the captives, assisted them to mount the horses which the riders had given up, and then secured them to tbe peculiar saddles used by the Comanche tribe— being somewhat similar to pack-saddle, except much smaller, and having a wide strap of buffalo- skin extending from horn to cantle, and upon which the rider sits. This done, all whirled their mustangs, those to which the captives were bound being led by the three Indians, and then sped on the back trail toward the river; for the chief was too cunning to risk being caught on the plain, with his small force, by the desperate and well-armed Texans and Mexicans who were encamped further up, and who, he felt sure, had heard the report of the rifle fired by the old man they had captured. It required but a little thought on the part of the chief to decide that those he bad found on the plain, without horses, and seeking con- cealment, had escaped from the wagon which he had seen, and that the men encamped above would, when they ascertained that their cap- | tives were gone, connect the report of the rifle | with the latter, and hasten in the direction whence the sound had proceeded. Hence he urged his braves and captives with all'speed to cover, although he felt sure they had been observed by the four men who had before been noticed galloping from the north, and now were within half a mile of the camp at the bend, as was also the wagon; but both approaching the same from different direc- tions, <eom Ebooks : a'« SS a »,