Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 23 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

here?” cried Ada, as she spurned Lagona with her foot, and strove to rouse him from the spot where he crouched in his fear. “The Evil Spirit has come upon us!” said ona. “The Evil Spirit has come upon us!” “ Yes; in the shape of a pale-face ; and your best horse and your captive is gone! A pretty Indian are you, to let a pale-face beat you in this way!” said Ada, scornfully. “The Evil Spirit talked first-rate English, and told Stella Delorme that he was a friend of her father, and would take her to him.” Lagona uncovered his head, and caught a glimpse of his white-steed, flying like the wind out through the gorge, along a path which it knew full well, but which no strange horse could have gone over at a faster pace thana walk. And while he looked, the Ran- ger’s shout of triunyph, and the well-known crack of the revolver, came back upon his as- tonished ears. “ Where is the White Flower ?” he asked. “Tn her father’s arms, by this time, while you and all your boasted braves have been on your knees, scared to death by nothing but one poor rascal of a pale-face !” said Ada. At first, Lagona could not realize that this was so. Herushed into the inner lodge, and found that Stella really was gone. Then, snatching his weapons, he rushed to the front again, and pealed out his war-cry loud and long. But never before were his warriors 80 slow and faint in their reply—never before se dilatory in gathering to his side. When they did gather, he knew not what to say —he could not rebuke them for a fear which had taken possession of his own breast. Nor did he like to acknowledge how he had been duped; although he fully comprehended how it was, after Ada had further explained, and told him the precise words used by the one who bore Stella off. He had sent a war- rior to the mountain-side, where the fiery figure had descended, and a piece of the lasso had shown him how the descent had been made. bn “The White Flower which the Great Spirit bade me take, has been carried off by an vil Spiri t—she is in the hands of her friends! But Lagona will not give her up. We must o after them, and take their scalps, and bring bat back. Lagona has spoken!” The answering shout of his warriors was feeble, for they were not yet relieved of their terror; but they began to gather in and mount their horses ; and soon, Lagona was upon another steed—but not such a one as his favorite, for ita equal had not been seen upon the plains. CHAPTER XLII. When the major had lifted Stella upon the back of the plunging steed of Lagona, and loosened its rein, and himself mounted, he whispered another word or two of hope and encouragement in her ear, and then headed the frightened animal for the gorge. Wildly it bounded on—the guard-fires marking and lighting the way ; while the terrified sentinels either shrunk back from the path or fell upon their faces, helpless from terror. At a pace which, with a horse unused to the erilous path, he never would have dared to eep, McCullough thundered through the orge, firing one of his pistols as a signal when Fe neared the spot where he knew he would meet his own men; and in as little time—ay, less—than I have taken to describe it, he was out upon the free prairie, and bounding to- ward his own little camp. The next moment, Stella was in the arms of her father and Paul, weeping and sobbing for joy; while the major, without pausing to re- move the paint from his person, was hurriedly putting on the garments which he had laid off when he undertook his adventure. “ Ob, major, what do we not owe you? My life, my whole plantation, shall be yours!” eried Mr. Delorme. “ You'll lose the first, and never reach the last, if you stop here for talking,” said the major; and he ordered one of his men to bring his own horse. “ You can still ride the white, Miss Stella,” he said. ‘ He must be tired with his long journey; but you are light weight, and he must carry you. I wi’ keep a hand on his rein.” The Rangers now quickly gathered te the pide af thair laoJar. “ Mount, men, mount, andaway! We must put many a league between this spot and where The Red Warrior. 1 mm a re es ee - ° we are at daylight; for we'll have thousands | you used to the Indians. I begin almost to upon our trail. Loose reins and ah spurs —keep close, and follow me!” he cried. With Stella on the swift horse of Lagona, the major’s hand upon its rein, and her father and Paul riding close by her side, the gallant band now swept away swiftly, and in silence— uttering no shouts, speaking no words—the hoofs of their horses scarce ‘uaking a sound upon tLe grassy earth. On, ca—like a black shadow sweeping over the face of the earth— they passed, leaving the rushing Rio Pecos and the gloomy hills of the Charrate far in their rear. Tke rescue had been effected. And never in tue of ancient chivalry, never in record of belted knighthood, never in history of modern bravery, had the story of a more daring deed been found—never greater peril met, or more gallantry overcome, than there and then. It was a long time before Lagona could get his terrified warriors ready for service; and when, at last, he led them through the gorge, the day was dawning. He rode to the spot where the Rangers had encamped; but only the smouldering embers of their fires were left to show that they had been there, and had been gone, also, for hours. With a bitter look of anger and disappoint. ment, Lagona, at the head of over a thousand warriors, took their trail. His horses were fleet and fresh, and he felt no doubt but that he would overtake them. Therefore, urging his horse to its utmost speed, he led the way, followed by his now re- assured warriors—who, as they rode on, seem- ed to forget the terrors of the night in the hope of the scalps which the trail they follow ed promised to so large a body. CHAPTER XLIII. The Rangers, and those whom they escort- ed, kept on until the blue of dawn began to lighten the blackness of night, without for a moment lessening their speed; but when light came, and they could see about them, the ma- jor began to spare his horses, so as not utterly to break their wind, and render them useless, in case of a forced encounter on the prairie. In their rear, far away, could still be seen the black, rough hills of the Charrate, and in the distant eastern horizon the fringe of trees could be distinguished which marked the can where they had captured Malerson and his ang. . «Do you think that we will be pursued ?” asked Mr. Delorme of the major. “Yes,” was the reply—* probably not till daylight ; but surely then would such a war rior as Lagona take our trail. He probably has by this time seen the lasso which helped me down the mountain, and found the ‘nife which I dropped when I eut his horse loose from the picket, and understands what kind of a devil he had in his camp last night. I can't help laughing when I remember how the red wretches dropped, and scattered, and hid their heads when A dashed in among them: five hundred of my Rangers with their six-shoot- ers in hand never would have begun to terrif them #. Even Lagona, whom we all we know to be as brave as a lion, fell to the earth, and, wrapping his head in his blanket, lay and trembled when I passed over him. When I rode through the gorge, some of the sentinels jumped into the water—some drop- ped as if they were shot. A more frightened set of curses I never saw before, and never ex- pect to see again while I live. I shall taugh about it till I’m white-headed with age, if I’m so unfortunate as to live that long. Lagona will never forgive me for his fright. if he were our prisoner, he would kill himself in very shame.” And the brave, noble-hearted major laughed loud and long, as he thought of the ludicrous terror of the Indians. “T should have been as much terrified as they were, had such a looking figure come up- on me in the night, and I not aware of what it was,” said Mr. Delorme. ; “Your daughter was not terrified in the least,” said the major. “She made scarce a breath of outcry when she saw me, and was as silent as a mouse when i took her up to bring her off.” “ The hopeless are dead to terror, I believe, * said Stella, with a smile. “I felt that I was in Lagona’s power, and not even death would have added to my terror.” “A few more adventures like this will get —— et Pa your perils andescapes. You'll throw us Rangers completely in the background,” said the major. “ Ah, sir, were it not for you, my adventures had been ended before now. I can never for- get by whom I have been rescued.” “ Have a care, fair lady, or your compli- ments will raise Mast r Paul's jealousy,” said the major, with a smile. “ He is terribly jealf ous—wanted to fight Lagona single-handed— would hardly trust me to go alone after you.” “ All the jealousy which I ever feel where you are concerned, major, can be put in your pipe and smoked out,” said Paul. “Oh, ho! Isee! You think that I’m like a bear—so rough and ugly, that I can’t wake up the tender passion. But mark you, Master Paul—a bear is great on hugging.’ “Tf you always hug to so good a purpose as you did last night, you will win applause— not blame,” said Paul, with a laugh. And he rode up by the side of Stella, and, for the hundredth time at least, pressed her hand, and looked the love and joy which no words could then express. CHAPTER XLIV. By the time the sun had reached its merid- ian, McCullough and his party had nearly got to the fringe of timber before spoken of, where he had left his gang of prisoners under guard. But, while they were yet a mile or more dis- tant, the keen eyes of the Ranger chief detect- ed a long line of dark specks far away in the rear—a Slack and swiftly-rising masa ; and, as he pointed to it, he said : “There will be bair lost before sunset.” “ Are we pursued ?” asked Mr. Delorme. “Yes; the whole horde of Comanches and Lipans is after us. They probably number thousands; and, if we can't keep out of their way, they Il run us down by the mere weight of numbers. But they’ve got to eat lead first,” said the Ranger, grating his teeth. “Our horses are already tired with many days’ travel: to escape them by flight will be impossible!” said Paul. ‘ Their horses are all fresh |” “ That's so,” said the major; “but I'll tell| te what. you can do, Master Paul — your | orse 18 &@ good one, and the one Misa Stella rides can’t be caught by any four legs on the prairie. You ride on, steering east, for dewr life, with her and her father, and we'll hold back and fight the red devils, and check the ursuit, till you get a start which you os eep.” “Major McCullough, you do not know me «" said Paul, hastily, while the red blood mount- ed through his cheek, and up to his very tem- ples. “I love Miss Delorme, and I know that she loves me—but she woud despise me aa much as 1 would myself, if I left you to fight while I tried to escape! No, sir—I do not leave you, but share your fite, whatever it is |” “You are right, Paul; that is an answer which makes you more dear to me than ever!” said Stella, in a low tone. ** Well—perhaps it will be all the better for us to keep together,” said the major. “ Spur up, men—drive your nags to the uttermost ; we'll change horses again when we get to the woods !”” The io obeyed ; and the party, keep- ing on at their topmost speed, soon reached the spot where Jack Malerson and his gang had been left. That worthy and his band were in 4 pre- cious ill-humor—stiff and sore with the bonds that confined them ; but all safe. “Hurry and get in the fresh horses, and change your saddles!” cried McCullongh, to his men ; “‘ we’ve no time to lose here !” “So you've got the girl, have you? I 8’pose you'll let us go now, won’t you?” asked Malerson. “ No—curse you, no! We'll leave you here for the Comanches to play with!” said the major, bitterly. “Secure all the arms and ammunition, men ; we shall need every ounce before niebt. I'm thinking |” “For Heaven’s sake, untie us before you oe groaned the captain. “I’m almost !” “ When you're quite so, the world will be no loser, and hell one devil richer!” said the ma- or, a8 he mounted a fresh horse, which one of is men led up to him. “Tf you won’t let me loose, do lot one of your men give me a sip of ram—do it, if (e(@) Gomie JOO S