Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 239 — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

. preserver, as that ; —+ jist a-b’ilin’. 30 lam of sounds and having had but a brief rest. Soon Lionel arrived within a pistol-shot of his bated foe—of the dastard who had mur- dered Captain Warrington, only that he might fasten the cowardly crime upon himself; who had caused him to fly from his butchered father's corpse to evade an ignominious death, Who hid made him to be, as far as he knew, an outlaw; condemned to roam the wilds, it might be for his lifetime. And now, the fiendish dastard, who had assassinated the father, clasps the daughter in bis polluting arms, aiming at her ruin, both in body and soul. A fierce and vengeful yell bursts from Lionel, as all this rushes through his maddened brain. A few more bounds of his horse, and the crisis comes. ‘Bird Blackwell! Coward, wmiscreant, devil, halt! Halt, Isay! Or, by the gods, I'll cut the flesh from your bones by inch pieces, while you yet live’ Til skin you alive! ‘* Halt, I say! And if but a hairis gone from that fair girl’s head, I'll burn you bya slow fire! ‘*‘An Apache is not more merciless than I am toward such as you, Bird Blackwell—I, Lionel Lacrosse!” As the last words were yelled, the horse of the young planter was close upon thaf of the outlaw, and the latter, with ashen face, and abject terror in his eyes, gazed over his shoulder. | The vext moment, the bowie of Lionel crashed through the shoulder of the bandit; and Winnie was caught by the left arm of her of Blackbird dropped paralyzed by his side, and bis horse came sud- denly to a halt. The steed of the outlaw rolled over upon the leg of its rider, holding him, beyond escape; and, at that moment, Single-Eye rode up, ex- claiming: ‘““Dog my cats, Lionel! ‘Yer hes gut leetle Winnie at last. Keep an ormighty tight grip on her, I ’vises yer, though I reckon we'll make ther riffle.” ** But, ef Uncle Samwell’s boyees didn’t come in on ther right deal this hyer time, I'm chawin’ scorpions fer reg’lar grub ther nex’ six moons, ‘*Ther Tonk’ jist waded in, an’ tore ’Pache ha’r, till he got cooled down a leetle; fust cff hidin’ ther lootenant whar he wouldn’t git burt- ed, Gi’n mea gazeet Winnie. Hit’Ildomy peepers a heap o’ good, es well es Skip’s.” ** Poor Winnie,” said Lionel; “‘ she has indeed had more than ber share of suffering and bor- rors. Let us hope that happiness may be hers henceforth.” ‘‘Dang'd ef thar bain’t bin a heap o’ cussed- ness scooped up, an’ slung onter both on yer! ‘* She shows bit in her purty face, es well es you does; but we'll be O. K, arter this, I reckon. ‘Dang thet condemned cuss of a kiote! I'd like ter choke his dang’d breath out. What's a-goin ter be did with him, Lionel?’ Thus adjured, Lionel addressed the prostrate outlaw; “You acknowledge, Bird Blackwell, that you shot Captain Warrington, from a thicket on Salado Creek; and that you did it with the intention of fastening the crime on me, in order that you might have a clear field to win the daughter of the man whom you murdered? ‘Not only this, but that, just now you were specding toward Mexico, after, like the coward that you are, deserting your fellow criminals, having abducted this young lady—you whose hands are stained with the blood of her father?” “Yes,” groaned the outlaw chief; “Tl acknowledge anything, if you’ll pull that beast off me. My leg is crushed to a perfect jelly!” Just then, the old scout cried out: “Come on, Lionel! Spur fer yer life—fer Winnie's life! Therred scarifiers air a-comin’, Blackbird, so long! Lone Wolf air a-comin’ ter interduc’ himself.” As he spoke, both men drove spurs, speeding northeast to evade the surviving Apaches, who, with Lone Wolf in the lead, sped from the timber. At the same moment, piercing the air, in dread and horror, came the shrieks of Captain Blackbird, as he realized that he was there fastened in the track of the retreat- ing Apaches. And weil might the wretch shriek in terror; for the frantic Indians sprung from their ee ee The Terrible Trio. horses and cut and hacked the bandit chief in pieces. Then, with exultant whoops, and waving his scalp in the air, they dashed to- ward the Rio Pecos. Single-Eye and Lionel, with their precious charge, circled around, returning to the scene of the fight; Turtle meeting them at the edge of the timber, while by his side stood the com- mander of the detachment, Such bad been the surprise of the outlaws, undisciplined as they were, and their chief haying deserted them, that they fell an easy prey to the Apaches; and the charge of the cavalry in the rear of the Indians, came near ending in their complete annibilation. But the cunning and strategy of Lone Wolf never deserted bim. Ordering his braves to follow him es soon as he saw the utter madness of attempting a stand against the “‘long-knives,” all galloped into the thick timber beyond the Concho; thence up, and across again, lashing their horses toward the Pecos, and leaving fully one-half of their number pierced by the bullets of the boys of the Second Cavalry. Captain Reynolds, who commanded the de- tachment, sent two of bis men back to Camp Jobnston for an ambulance, with which to convey Lieutenant Warrington and his niece to the station. The outlaws in their demoralization, bad fal- len an easy prey to the Apaches; those who escaped deatb, and fled to the opposite side of the stream, being filled with arrows by the infuriated followers of Lone Wolf, in their re- treat from the cavalry, the bodies of the slain being horribly mutilated. The ringing war-cry of the Tonkaway was not unheard in the terrible fray, and being recognized by the frenzied Apacbes, made them more furious; but where his eagle feathers flaunted in the fight, there fell many a brave before his sinewy arm. The timber in the vicinity of the bandit camp was strewn with the slain, both red and white; and the once pearly stream was deeply ensanguined. Five of the cavalry boys lay dead, their sabers tight clutched in the death-grip, and others were wounded. Captain Reynolds ordered an immediate re- moval to their former encampmrnt, and the burial of the slain. The wounded were borne upon hastily-con- structed litters to the cavalry camp, where all was done that could be done to relieve their sufferings. Lieutenant Warrington and Winnie were tenderly cared for, and nothing was left un- done that could promote their comfort. The joy of Single-Eye at the happy termi- nation of his war-trail was manifested in ex- travagant language, mostly, however, ad- dressed to Skip-lively, who received his full share of praise for bis herculean exertions on the run to save the captives. Turtle, the center of all eyes, stood with folded arms near Winnie and the lieutenant, the greater part of his time, when not wander- ing in the bottom for game with Single-Eye; and, although his stoical face showed nothing of the joy that he felt at the safety of his white friends, the feeling was there none the less, His daring entrance of the Apache camp was the talk of all, and the gratitude of Winnie and her uncle knew no bounds. Four days later all returned to Camp John- ston, and Lieutenant Warrington, having re- ceived a sick furlough, decided to accompany his niece to Salado Creek. His consent was freely given to her union with Lionel La- crosse; but he advised the latter never to ven- ture again on the frontiers, although he bim- self vowed eternal vengeance on the Apaches. In due time, escorted by Turtle, Single-Eyo, and Lionel, the ambulance arrived at the ranch of the Browns, on the Salado; and great re- joicing there was at their return, especially on the part of Lionel’s friend Baldy. Another great gathering of the rancheros, with their wives and children, followed the ar- rival of cur friends, and the most interesting part of the proceedings was'the marriage of the hero and heroine. Single-Eye and Turtle were of course pres- ent, and none had heartier congratulations for the happy pair. By look and manner, if not in words, every one showed their pleasure in the return of the young ranchero, and their sincere regret aud sympathy for his having been so unjustly - ek ae mere ere + = ——— — forced from his home, through the foul crime of another, When the father of Bird Blackwell was in- formed of the terrible end of his wretched son, be could not but give a sigh of relief; for he had dreaded that he might again visit bis boyhood’s bome, and in some way add to his already fearful guilt. Lacrosse Ranch was rebuilt in the same manner as previously; Lionel striving in every way to bave the dwelling resemble the only home that he bad ever known, and which he hoped now to make his and Winnie’s while both should live. His father, as well as the murdered negroes, had been buried by the rancheros, and a mon- ument was now erected over the victims of the Indian massacre. The body of Captain Warrington was, at his daughter’s request, brought from Powder House H ll, and placed by the side of Major Lacrosse; thus enabling both Lionel and his wife to sit by the graves of their murdered parents, and weep over their tragic ends. Thus situated, united at last, and as happy as they had been previously wretched, we leave Lionel Lacrosse and his charming wife, Winnette. We will only add that the cattle, horses and mules of Lacrosse Ranch became well known as superior animals, and that Lionel became a wealthy ranchero; while merry little ones played amid tbe prairie flowers around the ranch. And often, Single Eye and Turtle, upon re- turning from the long trails taken in avenging many a massacred borderer, might be seen upon the broad veranda, the master and mis- tress of which were happy beyond comprehen- sion in the presence of their beautiful children, and these two noble and tried friends, Skip-lively always came in for a share of the warm welcome tbat bis master was sure to receive; and, on more than one war-trail, the vengeful yell of Lionel Lacrosse mingled with the wild whoop of the old scout, and the ring- ing war-cry of Turtle, the Tonkaway. Lionel had not forgotten his terrible torture, nor the oath that he bad sworn over the mutilated corpse of his father. And on Salado Creek, our hero and his fair wife still reside. It is a bappy bome; their happiness being, as the reader knows, well earned and merited—a recompense, even in this life, for terrible ex- perieuces, unjustly inflicted, and nobly borne. THE END. 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