Beadle's Dime Library No. 309 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 -Colonel a - - tive, had not gone but a short distance from the point at which he had stolen up behind the youth and felled him to the earth, when he ar- rived at a small clear space on the margin of the river, where he halted to rest and to hold counsel with himself. In bis own estimation he had performed a most daring and valorous deed. He had seen the boy, Paul, shoot his brother brave, as the latter was about to slay a white man, which fact caused the Comanche to think that be bad captured a young warrior of dis- tinction and bravery among the whites, This had satisfied him for the nonce, He had no desire to stand and meet the big Texan, who stood, as be thought, awaiting com- bat; and it was the greatest of wonders to him in what manner his comrade brave, who bad lost bis life, had gotten the big white man in his power. It wasa matter of great self-gratulation to this young Comanche that he bad been able to bring his captive thus far; for it had been no easy task, and he had feared pursuit. Indeed he fully believed that the big white man bad panei’ him, but that he had cunningly eluded im; and this was also a matter of great pride and satisfaction. Knowing that nearly all of bis party, who had left camp with Black Fox had been slain, he was aware that to return tocamp alove with a white captive would be a great honor to him; and he did not in the least regret that his fel- low brave bad been slain, as his death had been the means of procuring him a captive. He bad won a name in bis tribe by this even- ing’s work, and he was as vain of the fact as could be imagined, He knew that did he return at once to camp, he would not receive the amount of praise, or be as much appreciated for his act, as after the re- turn of Big Foot and the war- itt Indeed, the longer be remained secreted, the more sur- prise he would cause, the more envy he would create among tbe young braves, and the more his act would be appreciated and praised by the old warriors and their chief. In consequence of this knowledge, he resolved that he would have a little diversion by himself, and right at that particular point, as be was there less liable to be intruded upon by friends or enemies than either up or down the stream. He therefore proceeded as he had often seen his elders do; securing Paul to the earth while the youth was still insensible, in the way which has been described, and as was witnessed by the Young ranger and Pearl. For a long time he sat, contemplating his captive, before gathering a quantity of sponge- like muss, which he held beneath the surfac> of the water, but a few paces from the captive. Then, returning, he allowed the water to run off upon the face of Paul quite copiously. Soon the poor youth revived, and his anguish, as he thought of bis father, perhaps slain—and, for all he knew. his darling sister also—was most poignant. Far stronger was if than the terror and concern he felt at his own position; for, in his own case, death would be welcome if his father and Pearl were no more. He understood but too well the occasion of his father and Old Rocky dashing into the timber- cove, as told by Bud Blossom, Pearl had, as usual, gone on ahead of the train, had entered the cove, and had been cap- tured by Indians, Then the old ‘scout bad fol- lowed, and tbe colonel also, Had the former been slain? lf not, there was hope that he would rescue Pearl; but it appeared as though Old Rocky must have been killed, else he would have re- mained with Colonel Pemberton, who would himself have been slain had not Pel arrived at the very instant that he did, Baby had not his father been killed later on - It seemed to the poor boy that this must be the case, or certainly be would follow the brave who had captured his son. Perhaps this very Comanche had killed him! This seemed only too probable, and a shudder convulsed Paul’s frame, as he now gazed upon his hideous captor, who, for all he knew to the _ contrary, might be his father’s murderer. It pleased the young brave bugely thus to see his captive tremble, but a crashing in the bushes cau the Comanche to dart from him, and from the river inland; where he shrunk into a thicket, appalled at the sight of none other than emberton, whose appearance, in bis headlong dasb up the river in mad search of his dost ones was simply terrific. Waiting until the mad rider was at some dis- tance up the stream, the young brave returned, congratulating himself upon not baving kept on with his captive, for be recognized the ran- chero as the big white man, whom his boy cap- tive bad saved from the knife of his comrade brave, and he knew the white chief—for his aspect proclaimed the horseman as such, as did his lone dash in the direction of Big Foot’s camp—was on the trail of himself and the young white brave. When the fierce whoops of the Wan pare of Big Foot rung in the ears of the young brave, it awakened the war spirit within him; and he at Ra ybold, the Rattling Ranger. } a —— ee —————— eee once built a fire, knowing that he was safe from | the spirits of the slain whites, who were now observation, and that, in the din of battle, no | coming back to earth for revenge! one would hear him. Believing that no living human being could As for Paul Pemberton, be was greatly | make the plunge from that high cliff. and retain alarmed at the sounds, and knew that his | life, the young brave, when he saw Rattler, the father’s train was being attacked as soon as bés, Ranger, arise to the surface, and strike out, be- heard the ringing of the rifles and the rattling of the revolvers. Indeed, be bad no doubt that the teamsters were then being massacred; and at the thought, tears burst from his eyes, Such horrors were too terrible! Why, oh, why bad his father persisted in coming to this dread San Saba region? And the young brave stood and stared at his weeping captive in the greatest wonder and scorn, That this young white warrior, who had shot his fellow-brave, should shed tears like a squaw —that ‘eye rain” should fall over bis cheeks— was passing strange; and Paul lost all prestige with his captor, who began to believe that Fa had not, after all, done such a valorous deed as he had supposed. Instantly, then, he began the torture-dance, and regained his favorable opinion of his cap- tive when he saw that his most horrible gri- maces and yells were not noticed by the youth, whose eyes became suddenly clear, having in them a desperate light, while the flash of wea- Picoa age in his face caused not a wink or inch, * Then it was that the Joud explosion occurred, followed by the piercing sbriek which drew Paul’s gaze; and to his joy, mingled with hor- ror, he saw Pearl, bis sister, leap from a dark cavity in the cliff, on the opposite side of the river, into the stream! This was torture the most terrible to Paul, who struggled in vain to free bimself. But the amazement of the youth, at the sight of his sister in that strange place, was as noth- ing when he perceived none other than Rattler, the Ranger, afar up the cliff, and standing upon the very verge of the same, More than dum- founded, and also agonized with the most dread concern, was Paul, when he saw Rattler leap from the dizzy bight and shoot straight down into the river. He heard plainly the awful plunge into the waters. He even saw the spray, as it flew high and the poor boy felt sure he had seen the last of his sister and ber lover. It seemed the very hight of cruelty that, situ- ated as he was already and agonized in body and mind to the very soul, the Fates should or- dain such a scene before bis eyes, that were so soon to close in death—that the two so dear to him should, af that particular time and place, plunge to destruction before his eyes, But, after listening intently, Puul heard a regular movement in the waters as made by a strong swimmer—the same ro'ling up tbe bank, for the stream was there deep and narrow— and a thrill of joy came into bis heart, for he began to believe that the ranger had survived that awful plunge, and his object was now plainly apparent. Rattler had, it was certain, bounded from the cliff to save Pearl from drowning; and he fh ag accomplish his purpose, if ib were pos- sible. But how, in the name of wonder, the young ranger happened to be on the San Saba at this most horrible of horrible times, was, note most providential, very strange and uzzling. So thought Paul Pemberton, upon whom the strange and awful occurrences of the evening were beginning to have a remarkable effect, considering his extreme youth, But Paul was a true Texan boy, * He resolved that he would, in some way, effect an escape, and join Rattler and Pearl, Then, ke could find his father, if indeed the col- onel was yet alive. a Old Rocky had not been slain; indeed Paul could not believe this to be so, for be had been confident that the the hand of the red-skins, Desperate and determined, hoping for the best, and, by an exertion of will, putting back and crowding down all depressing thoughts, Paul now bent his mind upon endeavors to es- cape; planning all manner of ways and devices to that end, for ‘he felt that his captor would soon start with him to the camp of the war- party, and this, he trusted and hoped would be is opportunity. Upon looking around, bowever, Paul could see nothing of the Comanche, and he was as- tounded. The fire was now dying down. Whither had bis captor disappeared? Had he gone for help to bear him away? Such were the thoughts that ran through the youth’s mind. The explanation is soon made. The young brave was dumfounded on hearing the shriek from the cliff beyond the river, but when he saw the beautiful white squaw dart into the water, all his superstitious fears were aroused, The plunge of Rattler from the awful hight was more impressive still, and the Comanche was for the moment paralyzed. What could it mean? The cliff beyond must be peopled with old scout was invincible, and not born to die at’ lieved that a supernatural being bad come for bim expressly; and, without a thougbt of his captive, the Indian shot like an arrow from a bow into the depths of the dark woods, crashing over and through obstructions as though the fiends of his traditions were after bim, as he felt assured they really were. Thus, the shriek of poor Pearl Pemberton was the signal for the strange. indeed mysteriov . happening on the San Saba bank. CHAPTER XIV. OLD ROCKY’S RUSE. ‘“WaA-AL, by ther bleed, an’ meat, an’ bones of ole Davy Crockett! Somebuddy kick off my knee-pans, pull out my toe-nails, skin me from bead ter heel, and then chuck me inter ther San Saba fer catfish bait! ‘‘Pouble up an’ dang my ole bestest bleed mersheen, ef I ever war tuck back this-er-way, afore er abind either; an’ 1 can't quite under- comstan’ hit. Ther bull dang poperlation 0” this hyer big ball o’ dirt, red, white, an’ yaller, an’ ther critters tu, bev gun plum lunified! ‘“Hyderphobic indig’ an’ bellishness air scat- tered ’roun’ permise’us-like, an’ my brain-box air on ther biz buzz, like forty swarms o’ bees hed crawled inter my years. Jumpin’ Jeru- salem, an’ Jericho counted in! Ef I doesn’t b’lieve ther eend o’ everythin’ air purty nigh! ‘“Thar’s my nag gone back on me, fer ther fu’st time in bit’s life. I w’u’dn’t hev b’lieved he’d low any human critter ter ontie him, far less ter straddle him; but he’s levanted, dead sure an’ sartain!” Thus Old Rocky expressed his surprise and indignation, as he reached the base of the craggy cliff, in his headlong rush, and found bis horse gone, The old man was terribly excited and agon- ized, in regard to the destruction and death which had overwhelmed the outfit of which he was guide; although no blame could be attached to him, for he had warned the ranchero that the very catastrophe which had already hap- pened was liable to occur. At the same time, be bad not thought it possi- ble that Indians were so far down-country at that particular time. But the state of affairs was one that was always taken advantage of by Big Foot The Comanche chief knew that other war-_ arties had been driven beyond Fort Belknap y the rangers, with great loss: consequently, he had swooped around, in a semi-circular trail, and reached the point near where the others had been met by the rangers, and turned back to their villages. The terrible sounds of battle filled the ears of the old scout, and he knew that the train was doomed—tbat all would be slain, who happened. to be with the wagons at the time Big Foot and his braves charged upon them, ' He bad no doubt, at the time he reached the lace where he had left his horse, that Colonel emberton was with the train, and that he, to- Pe with Paul, would be killed. But Old cky was not one to pass such an unusual thing as the taking of his horse, without a criti- cal examination of the ground where the ani- mal had stood; and he proceeded at once to do so, after standing a moment, listening to the sounjs of the conflict, venting his feelings rapidly as recorded, all the while ejecting tobacco-juice and chewing more vigorously and spitefully than, perhaps, ever before. As he sunk upon his knees, to look for *‘ sign,” he continued his characteristic soliloquy. ‘“‘Cuss my cats, an’ catermounts, an’ wile- cats, an’ ther catercombs what Joe Booth used ter tell about, throwed in, ef I ever war so wor- ritated an’ sot back! Sich a conglomerated, whirligig’d, tossed up an’ tumbled every which way mess o’ mush I never see’d, an’ I hopes I never will ag’in. ‘‘Purty Pearl gobbled up, an’ Rattler, I reck- on, tu; an’ ther bull outfit gune ter smash an’ kingdom come, in a few flickers of a June-bug’s wing! Paul an’ ther ole mulish curnil sended on ther lightnin’ whiz ter ther t’other world, without hevin’ a show to say a pray, or hev a shake with a ole pard; though, ef ther leetle gal air gobbled, an’ Rattler, tu, an’ this hyer ole raw-hide ripper doesn’t yank ’em outen ther red ha’r-t’arers’ clutches, bit’s a good thing ole man Pemberton air gone on ther long, dark trail, fer he’d never eat or sleep ag’in, I reckon, fer fotchin’ his darter byeraway. “What! Why, dang an’ double-dang my ole gizzard, ef ther curnil ain’t turned out hoss- thief, an’ commenced by freezin’ ter my four- huffed pard! ‘Ther ole coon must ha’ dusted back hyer on ther rampage, an’ hev skuted arter Peart, jist in time ter save his carkiss from bein’ scarified. 1 reckon ther ole hoss’ll take him cl’ar o’ ther red hellyuns, But whar’s leetle Paul? ‘‘Dang me, but I'll save ther boyee, ef I gits my head skinned a-tryin’!” Gomileboo (C <S (ele) —S