Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 23 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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14 no wicked thoughts in our head; and they whisper good things to. us which we must obey. Will my sister tell me what’ the angel told her in her dream ?” “Yes; they bade me not to harm the White Flower, but to help ona to win her for his wife, for so the Great Spirit had ordered. I have come to do it.’ The effect of these words upon Lagona was singular and intense. The red blood mounted into his cheek, which had paled with long sick- nan; kia eye flashed as if it looked upon a hattle-feld ; his nostrils dilated, and his frame ewelled, as if with new vigor. “ How can my sister help me?” he asked, tnoughtfully. “TY have thirty brave men at my back, and plenty of money,” said Ada, proudly. “ Where you can count one warrior, : na can count half a thousand,” said the chief, uecudly. ‘But I have promised. the Seen chief not to steal his daughter while I ‘l] vithin his lodge. He has promised to ive her to his nephew for a wife, and in two : a I must see it, or go away,” he added, mournfully.” “You need not while you are under his roof,” said the wily girl. “ Leave there, now ; say to-day that your heart is too héavy toatay, anc that you will not go back to your tribe. Lo this; then, when night comes, with my braves I will make an attack at the gate, whic will draw the attention of the men from the house ; then you ean take her from her cham- ber, and fly with her to your own land, and the will of the Great Spirit will be done.” The young chief listened to her words, and ‘ooked into her earnest eyesas if ne would read her very sonl. She seemed so calm, so n her intentions, and her advice so well ae- corded with his own desires, that he said ;. “wiv sister speaks words of wisdom; the eome fom the Great Spirit, and Lagona wi give heed to them.” “It is well—let my brave brother go to the camp of his sister and see her braves, then he | ean go and take leave of his friends at the plantation and return here, and to-night he can do as the Great Spirit wills it should be done.” The chief obeyed without hesitation; and turning his horse, followed her into the dense grove. For a quarter of a mile or more, they pressed on through the underbrush. whic grew thick among the great trees, and the they suddenly emerged into, a small grassy area, entirely clear of timber, where the camp- fires of Ada’s party were seen, and where some thirty men were grouped, with their horses picketed near. As Ada was seen, they sprang to their feet, and Jack Malerson, with an angry curse, looked upon Lagona—whom he at once recoguized—as if he meant to attack him. “Not a word, or an ill look,” said Ads, sternly. ‘ Lagona is my friend and brother— receive him as such.” : The men seemed sulxy, but Malerson in- stantly changed his looks and tone, and ssid ; “ fny friend to the queen of our vcr friend. You are welcome, Chief of the Comanches. If you will eat, here is good ecw-teef, that cost us only the killing; as good ecir-dodyers as ev.r were baked in the ashea; and if you are thirsty, why, here in my flask is some brandy that would wake up | s dead man.” And he offered his flask to prove his last as sertion. “Tam not h . When I am thirsty, I drink that which the Great Spirit sends down to me from heaven, not the accursed fire-wa- ter of the pale-faccs,” said Lagona, haughtily ; for he recognized Malerson, even though not now disguised as before, and he hated him. es: Well, every one to their taste—some like water, but I go brandy whenever I can get it,” said the captain, suiting the action to the word, taking a hearty pall. | “Iwill go to the lodge of the pale-faced chief, and tell him I am going back to my people— then I’ll return here,” said Lagona, addressing himself to Ada. “ And mind, no treachery, Mr. Comanche!” said Malerson. “'lhat is the trade of the pale-faces ; I have not learned it,” said Lagona, haughtily, as he turned and rode away. “ You had better be cautious how you offend that man, Malerson,” said Ada to the captain. ‘‘ Indians never forgive.” “T know some white men who don’t, either ; but let us know what is abead, Miss The New at eee I suppose you've formed some “ Yes, a pan is formed, or partially so—will be entirely when he returns. Then you and the men shall know it.” Thus saying, Ada dismounted; and while one of the men respectfully approached and took charge of her horse, she walked to a small tent set apart from the main camp, and entered it. “ There's a,girl for you, lads—a girl of spir- it—knows how to plan first and execute after- ward—is no more afraid of blood than she is of water. Here's to her—a health to Ana, THE Queen or THE Free Ranocers!” And Malerson again kissed his constant compan ion, the brandy-flask. The men, by their looks and actions in imi tating his bibible example, showed their preciation of his sentiment; and very likely would have cheered, had not a noise beer strictly forbidden. They were a rude-looking, but well-armed, band, well supplied with saddle and pack horses, and, in their camp, made quite a mili- tary appearance. ut we are wanted elsewhere. CHAPTER XXX. “ You surely do not mean what you say— you will not leave us now, when a day of fes- tivity is approaching!” said Mr. Delorme to Lagona, when the latter told him, in the pres- ence of his family, that he was going back te his tribe. “TI never eat my words! I am going back Ds BY people!” said Lagona, quietly but ff Has anvthing been done to offend vou ?’ “No. “ Will you not rema.n if J ask you to stay ?” said Stella, anxiously. The proud Indian's lip quivered, and he turned away his head, when he said, in a lower tone, No!” “Tf you will go, at least give ws time to pre- pare some presents for you. You must not o back empty-handed to your people!” said r. Delorme. “IT brought nothing; I will take nothing away,” replied Lagona, and he turned to go. “ Accept this from me, atleast,” said Stella ; aud she took a golden chain from her neck, and offered it to him. “T will keep it for the White Flower—I will wear chains for ne other,” said he. “ Accept this from me,” said Paul, advanc- ing and offering him a handsomely inlaid ipe. t No—nothi from you—nothing !” said he, fiercely ; he turned upon his heel, and, without another word, left the apartment aud the house. Mo unens his horse, with only the arms which he had brought from the prairie, he rode away at, full speed, “Singular man—noble heart!” said Mr. Delorme, almost regretfully, ae the young chief dashed away through the gate. “I now understand why he leaves us. He still wildly loves you, Stella ; still adheres to the dream which he says led him to your rescue ; and he felt that he could not remain and see woe wedded to the husband of hit choice. With an honor and a delicacy which would do credit ‘o any white man, he prefers to go away and hide bia grief from us, to whom he has ren- dered so many favors.” “ He is noble in his way, but I could nsvev love him—even though he has saved my life three times! I am sure Paul would have done as much if the opportunity had been af- forded to him.” “TI surely would rescue you, or perish with u, if you were in peril,” said Paul. “ But Rein my heart I pity the noble fellow, and for- give him for hating my more fortunate self.” CHAPTER XXXI. It was night once more, and all was still at La Bolsa de Flores. It was near the retiring hour of Mr. Delormeé and his family, when a sentinel, or look-out, hurried in from the tower over the , and said that an armec band of white men—evidently robbers, from cheir lan- nage and threats—had demanded admission at the gate, and being refused, were endeavor- ing rade an entrance. | ‘‘ Heavens! Are we never to be at never to rest?” moaned Mrs. Delorme, who latterly, from unrest and nervousness, been rapidly wearing down and wasting away. “To arms, my brave boy—I can trust you” York Library. now! Hurry to the gate, and I will follow with all the foree I can bring!” «ried Mr. De- lorme to Paul, as he sprung for 213 wsspons In a few moments, the tower' at the gate was fully manned, and a sharp fire opened upou the robbers, who had converted some warous and timber, which had been left outside, ints breastwork, and fired from behind it wits considerable security. The firing was con- tinued for some time, apparently, with very little damage on either side, if any. Sudden- ly, during a luilin the firing, a pierving scres&ro was heard in the direction of the house, and a moment after, a loud and terrible yell fione the lips of aa Indian—the Comanche’s whoo» of triumph—was heard. “ Paul Malerson !” shouted a yoice from the robber band, which he too well knew, “ this is the second stroke from Ada McAlpin! Be cu your guard for another—it will come!” “QO God! Stella—it ‘s Stella’s ery!” groaned Paul; and both he and Mr. Delorme ran to the house, with their utmost speed. When they arrived there, Stella was no- where to be seen, and Mrs. Delorme lay sexs. less upon the floor. From a few terror-stricken domestics, thay iearned, that while the firing was going on nt the gate, an Indian, hideous with war-paint, had rushed in, seized Miss Stella in his arnw, and fled with her, as if she had been oniy a child in his mighty grasp—utte,ing, as le went, the terrible ye!l which had startled the wretched father, and almost distracted lover. Whence the Indian had come, or how de- parted, no one seemed to know. Paul and Mr. Delorme hurried back to the gate; but the robbers, the moment after the tower Lad been first left by them, mounted their horses, and rode away at full speed. Their attack had evidently only been a ruse to distract attention from the house while Stella was abducted. The agony of the father and lover was ut. terly indescribable. Neither of them wonula believe that the noble Lagona had been him who seized her; the servants had not recog- nized him—could not, in the paint and hide- ous apparel of the being who took her away. All that Paul felt, all that he dreaded—all that was worse then the agony of death to him— was the thought that she was in the power o! Ada MecAlpin, who would do anything, every- thing, to her, to be revenged on him, the for. sworn and faithless lover. “ Let u- to horse, at once, and follow them,” cried Paul, when all search about the premises resulted in not finding even a trace of Stelle and her abductor. “ We know not how or where to trace then: in the night! We must send again for the brave and generous McCullough; hic s#ui alone will serve us. He can almost treck a bird, not to speak of a band of robber: ; end his tried forces, too, are nece:sary, to meet and punish them,” said Mr. Delorme. “I will send a messenger for him.” * (will be the messenger,” said Paul, “1 know the course to his station; rest I cannot until once more I have found my poor Stella, dead or alive.” “Bless you, my brave boy. A father’s hopes and fears go with you. Hasten to brin the Rangers here; refreshments and fres horses await them. Go, God bless you, go!” Paul needed no urging. In less than ten minutes, he was riding the swiftest horse, at ite full speed, upon his errand. CHAPTER XXXII. While Stella and her step-mother were lis- tening, in an agony of fear, to the firing at the gate, the poor girl was terror-stricken at the appearance of the warrior described so briefly in the Sale chapter. He gave her no time to fiy, or to sak & question; but bounding to her side, lifted her, like a feather, with his left arm, and turned -to the door, which he reached at a bound. She uttered a piercing scream ; but in a mo- ment, he bound wer scarf across her mouth, and then bore her, with rapid strides, to a spot the wall, beneath a tree, and, by a branch b of this, he aided himself to the wall, and over 6 Upon the other side was a snow-whifé horse, _ which she too well knew; and, for the first time, she felt that she was in Lagona’s hands. She did not try to scream or struggle any more ; for hope that, at the worst, he would not harm her, came in an instant to her heart. Still clasping her in his powerful arm, he niGboo (E(0) cS (€ (0)