Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 256 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

| é ’ . al a * wee ee LE A A A A TI I LL LT ~—_—- — « - ae —_---<-e- ee eee he whirled about and stole stealthily forward, | with a hiss of caution to Roy and the captain. reached the border of the timber, the same be- ing curved northward, allowing a clear view west along the timber-line, and the open plain beyond, All parted the bushes, after sinking mpon their knees; the scout giving a whispered warn- ing. The sight that met their gaze was appalling. Full three-score of hideous paint-daubed Apache braves were within view—those in the lead, who had made halt, being but a rifle-shot off—two-thirds of them yet galloping in an ir- regular manner down the margin of the timber, and apparently greatly excited in regard to the halt of those in the lead, Their balf-wild steeds were prancing and snorting, and the outer braves in the front were pointing with their quirts toward the plain, along the grass, which grew tall and rank by the timber, and for some distance from it being covered now with a heavy dew. In another moment balf a dozen warriors had sprung from their mustangs, and passed the jaw-straps to their fellow-braves; and then, half-bent, they glanced along the top of the grass toward the pian, afterward turning about and entering the timber, their knives glittering in their clutch. *Pards,” whispered Big Foot quickly, ‘‘ ther red heathun hev diskivered ther trail o’ ther evss, Le Grand, when ke come from ther San Miguel; by ther dew bein’ brushed offen ther grass. ‘*They’ll mos’ likely find Rosa; but ef yer ever hopes ter resky her, don’t yer make idgits 0’ yerselves, an’ lunge outer breathe bard. If yer does, hit’s by-by, an’ a speedy trip ter king- dom come!” As the scout ceased whispering, a most pierc- ing shriek of horror shot through the timber, and at the same instant Big Foot sprung upon Roy Randolph and Captain Ray, gathering the clothing at the back of the neck of each in a vise-like grip, while he planted a knee in the middle of each man’s spine. And well it was that he did so, for both were gathering themselves to bound from the thicket toward the point whence the cry proceeded, regardless of the scores of war- painted fiends in their front, That fearful shriek tore through their very souls, for they knew it was from the lips of her whom they sought, and called forth by the hideous Apaches, who were now bending over her, and gazing into her fair face with hellish exultation, “Dang my ole heart, ef I doesn’t put a chunk 0’ lead 4603 through the brains 0’ both on yer!” etowled Big Foot, as he held the panting, strug- gling men down. “1 know’d yer’d make idgits 0’ yerselves, Id ruther bore yer, than hev ther *’Patch torterers git yer! ‘*Lay low, an’ listen ter me, er I sw’ar bhit'll be wossfer yer! I'll git ther leetle gal from ther hellyuns, ef yer'll only keep cool. Air yer goin’ ter afferdavy on hit? Don’t breathe hard, er we’re all goners anyway!” Had not the captain and Roy been out- stretched on the ground, a position which Big Foot had been careful to instruct them to take, the scout, gigantic and powerful though he was, would not have been able to have prevented them from bounding from the undergrowth into plain view of the Apaches, in an insane attempt to rescne Rosa at the sound of the harrowing shriek which she uttered; and, as it was, the strength of the scout would not have been equal to the task of holding them down more than a few moments. However, his prompt action and strength Pan saved them froma terrible death; bis words, and their own reasonings cheng ey by those A words, causicrg them to realize the dread and awful fate they had so narrowly escaped, and the idiotie madness they had allowed, for the moment, to rule them. CHAPTER XXX, CAPTURED BY APACHES. “Hit fills me full o’ glad ter see yer come back ter reasonerble sense,” said Big Foot, as Royand Captain Ray assured him that they were ready to follow his directions; “ fer thar’s acall fer a heap o’ solid hoss sense, an’ pure ‘sand,’ an’ panther-cat manooverin’, ter git ther dig gal outen ther clutches o’ ther red hea. un! “ Hit’s enough ter make a pilgrim chaw bis years off wi’ hyderphobic indig’, ter think what a heap 0’ hellishness hey bin piled onter yer darter, cap’n; an’ what she’s a-sufferin’ now. But hit can’t be helped jist yit. Um opinin’ thet ther sight o’ ther painted skunks tuck ber sense erway; an’ef so, she ain’t bein’ tortered now by lookin’ et ther snake-eyed, greasy sks opm _ “IT bes started in ter fix things squar’ wi’ yer, an’ I never bucks. Ef yer hes conferdence inter me, takin’ inter ’sideration what yer has heerd o’ me, an’ see’d o’ my doin’s, so fur, say so by a grip 0’ my paw, an’ [’ll’low yer ter meander wi’ me, Ef Ay I shell lunge out ter run this thing, erlone, __ Double Dan, the ‘““T'm goin’ ter git Rosa ’way from ther howl- | | in’ hellyuns, er git my b@ad skinned a-tryiu’. In a very short space of time our three friends | SS SSS — ~ _— Ef yer boun’ ter go on makin’ idgits o’ yerselves, an’ get tuck an’ tortered, I can’t help hit; though hit’ll bother me a heap. “IT shell save ther leetle gal, an’ ef yer wants ahandin ther game, foller me lively, without kickin’ sticks, er brushin’ bush ter count!” Both Roy and Captain Ray were now almost beside themselves with hopeless despair, but the words of the giant scout impressed them greatly. There was no other way but to wait, and do all in their power to aid bim in what seemed to be an utter impossibility. There seemed no hope; in fact, it appeared madness to make any attempt to rescue the most unfortunate and deeply-wronged maiden from her terrible position. That six men could aceomplish anything against sixty fierce Apaches, even to the extent of avoiaing capture and death themselves, seemed absurd to think of: but from what the scout had already done, and from the tales of his skill and prowess which they bad heard re- counted far away on the Brazos, they felt that he could do wonders in the present case, that he understood the situation much better than they did, and that be would not assert so positively that he wouid save Rosa—thus raising hope in their breasts—unless be had good reasons, or had already formed a feasible plan for its ac- complishment. Consequeutly both men grasped the hands of the scout, and wrung them in heartfelt grati- tude, expressing thus the trust which their lips could not utter, so deep was their anxiety and anguish, ‘*Foller me!” Thus spoke Big Foot Wallace, as he stole silently back to the place where they had left Le Grand and the three young planters. ‘‘ Jark thet condemned cuss erlong, an’ ef he starts chin music, jab yer stickers through ther bestest part o’ his natermy. Come on!’ With these words the giant scout led the way, all stealing after him, tothe bandit camp, the planters forcing Le Grand in the rear, and the latter trembling in abject terror, for he realized that he had now no hope—that all chance to preserve his life had been taken from him by the Indians—for he had heard the sbriek of Rosa Ray, and he understood its cauce, as much through the looks and actions of Big Foot as augbt else, hen the border of the camp was reached, the scout paused, and turning, spoke directly to Roy and Captain Ray. ‘* Pards, yer wants ter work lively, ef ye’re goin’ ter help me in this biz) Lead our critters from yunder, whar we left ’em, ter ther river. Take yer frien’s ‘long ter help, an’ lay low t’other side ther drink, ontil yer sees me. ‘Pll fix this hyer cuss,” he said, grasping Le Grand, ‘‘so he won’t be lierble ter pester an civerlized human ag’in, er steal innercent pox 4 from thar dads an’ hums, Hump yerselves fer ther critters, an’ no noise! rter yer gits ’eross, lead ther nags ’way from ther drink, er ther reds mougbt bear ’em; fer ther hea- thun’ll be hyeraways in "bout fifteen minnits by ther moon.” Without a word the five men glided toward the horses to carry out the orders of the scout; for they saw that not only their lives, but the life of Rosa depended upon Big Foot Wallace. The latter dragged Le Grand toward the swaying corpses of the bandits, the miserable wretch being so appalled and borror-stricken by a nameless dread, knowing that some awful doom was in store for him, yet unable to im- agine the character of it. The movements of the scout were rapid. He secured a lariat, and attaching the end of it to the belt of Le Grand behind, tied a knot even with his neck. Taking a turn around it, Big Foot then tied the rope under the knot that he had previously made, running the slack over a limb, between two of the dead bandits. Hauling Le Grand up, free from the ground, the scout made the lariat fast, and the trem- bling wretch bung in almost precisely the same position as the corpses around him, the turn about his neck forcing bis bead into an un- natural position, the same as though he were really being hanged, yet not choking him, his weight being supported by his belt. So filled with horror and dread was the miserable man, that be could not utter the pleading prayers for life, though he strove with all his strength to do so, “So long, Mister Le Grand!” said Big Foot as he stepped back, and viewed his work. «] reckon this air ther las’ time we shell ever gaze et each other in this worl’, er ther nex’: fer doesen’t opine ther good Lord air goin’ ter sen’ me ter ther same place in ther great hyerarter, es yeou bees ’bout ter locate inter. I’m bettin heavy yer won’t shoot another man from ahindt, er steal another gal from her ole dad, ** Ap’in I ses, ‘solong’. Ther reds’ll gi’n yer a big circus, I reckon, ’fore soon; an’, es ye’re in ‘mong ther dead-heads, hit won’t cost yer a picayune!” With a mocking gesture of adieu, Big Foot Wallace stalked from the bandit camp. t ee ee Then Le Grand realized fully his. horrible ‘ doom, A horde of Apaches were in the vicinity, and would find the camp, discover that he was alive, and would tben torture him to death. | All bis worthless and criminal life passed be- fore him in review; and bis eyes bu!ged in hor- ror as, at times, the corpses, twisted around on the lariats, seemed to fix their glassy eyes upon him, exulting in his ignominious fate, The giant scout strode but a few paces from} the camp, and then sprung into a tree, and dise appeared among the moss and foliage. He was now in his old perch, reviewing the camp be- low him. But a short time elapsed, when he discovered the tufted head of a warrior on the north side of the ‘‘open,” peering through, But it was only for an instant. Then, the crashing of bushes betrayed the fact that the brave, filled with superstitious horror at the unexpected, and, even to him, terrible sight, was bounding on, as though the bad spirits of his traditions were at his heels, to reveal his startling digs covery. Big Foot would have invited Roy to accom- pany bim to his station in the tree; but he feared, that if Rosa Ray should be conveyed into the camp among the hideous Apacbes, the frenzied young man would bound down to her rescue, and his own death, A moment after the sudden and speedy de- parture of the Indian spy, the scout discovered a most fearful object—one which caused him to start, and to utter a grunt of extreme astonish- ment, Not a sound came from beyond the screen of timber that shut out the plain, the Apaches be- ing. evidently engaged in examining “sign”. hat Big Foot perceived was nothing else than the creeping form of Capitan Antonio, From each side of the bandit chiet’s bead, where the ears had been close severed, ran tiny streams of blood, and his clothing and lon black hair were dripping with water; while a eyes flashed fury, and a longing for revenge. On, slowly, be crept, bis wolfish gaze fixed upon the swaying form of Louis Le Grand, whom he had undoubtedly recognized by his garb; and noticing not the mutilated forms of is followers. By the terror filled eyes of bis ig employer, Antonio knew that be still ived. Still, on glided the mutilated bandit chief, in- sane with a craving for revenge and blood; and, before half the distance had been passe between the border of the ‘‘ open,” Big Foot be- held some two-score of feather-bedizened heads break slowly from the foliage, around the north and east borders of the camp—their posi- on showing that they were on hands and nees, Only sufficiently far beyond the leafy screen to gain a full view of them; yet the scout could plainly see their looks of superstitious awe at the suspended gory forms, and the creeping, earless buman being. Inured from cbhildbood to scenes of cruelty, torture, and blood, as had been these Apaches; never before had such an impressive, nge, and uneartbly view been presented to their dumfounded vision. Big Foot knew that this was all an inexplic- able enigma to the savages, and he was re- joiced at the arrival of the bandit chief :t so opportune a time; as, if the Indians had come up previous to this, and examined the camp, they would have at once decided that there was a strong force of enemies in the vicivity, indeed. close at hand, This fortunate arrival of the bandit chief would distract the attention of the Apaches for a time and serve to explain the preence of Ray alone in the thicket. They would reason that the earless man had placed her there, thus preventing an immediate search of the bottom. Had no one turned up in this way, the scont knew that the war-party Would have imme- diately searched the undergrowth up and down the river, and although too dark to discover the “sign ” and follow the same, would prob- ably cross the stream, and then he and his friends would all fall into their power. Big Foot had bopes of something occurring that would favor the release of Rosa, and he realized that the coming of Antonio was rrovi- dential indeed, for he knew that but a score of braves were on the plain and that these were hampered by having to hold the mustangs of those who were now viewing the camp. This, then, was a most propitious time to make a dash and rescue Rosa; but the scout felt that a more favorable time would soon come, for he believed that the Apaches would not allow Antonio to murder Le Grand, but would capture and torture them both. ‘he strangeness of the scene evidently so confounded the Indians that for the moment they were incapable cf reason or action, and it was no wonder. The number of blood-smeared dead, all sway- ing at the ends of lariats from limbs of the trees; the presence of one who was apparently hanged in the same manner, but still alive, and the mutilated and bleeding Mexican, who crept Eomicbooks owe e —_—_—— = (E om x, ~ - ©