Beadle's Dime Library No. 309 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

. 16 Raybold, the Rattling Ranger. agreeable in itself, would be ever after as dread to her as the Jaughter of fiends—the splashing of waters as the exultant braves dashed through the ford, and then on at terrific speed, with ter- rible yells, ~ After the first glance at the repulsive, war- striped faces, Pearl had closed her eyes, and silently implored that she might be taken from the midst of these horrors. Utterly hopeless, utterly broken was the poor maiden then, and not again did she unclose her lids until after the wild and bounding steeds had been jerked to a halt. Then sbe felt herself taken by otber hands, lowered to the earth, and heard a hell of sounds from savage throats. She opened her eyes, but it was to behold a sight that froze her blood. She was in the cove of the timber, the shat- tered wagons of her father’s train strewed the ground, aod near ber lay a long row of hideous Jomanche corpses. But it was in front of her that there was that which brought a deathly chill upon ber. This was the wagon.master, Bud Blossom, bound to the}jwheel in the manner we have described, his features expressing the torture be endured, To the opposite wheel a teamster was also bound. A most brutal, most fiendish-looking Indian, with ornaments of silver, and the imitation of a footprint in blood-red vermilion upon bis breast, was gazing into her face, with gloating triumph, and the most hellish glee. At a gesture from this huge savage, Pearl found berself lifted upon the axie-tree of one of the demolished wagons, and then bound to a pole, which, upon a cross-bar at its top, sus- tained—oh, horror of horrors!—scalps; fresh, red, and dripping with blood! While, whether she looked to the right or to the left, a face so full of agony was before and below her, quite mear—the faces of those why were being tor- tured beyond endurance! Their lips were cracked and bleeding, their eyes glaring, rolling, and protruding; while their muscles were strained outin great knots, and beads of agony drawn perspiration oozed from every pore, and rolled downward—all through which, the most unearthly, rasping groans issued from their throats, Half benumbed, her brain until this having suffered and experienced such horrors as would have killed most women, or men either, bad dazed poor Pearl’s brain; a fact which Raybold had noticed, and wondered not that it was so, bis great heart being wrung at the realization. Pearl Pamberton bad arrived at a state of mind, when nothing could further appall; but the sight of the agony of those tortured men, and the scalps of those with whom she bad spoghed and jested but a few hours previous, as she bad also with the two unhappy survivors —all this was more than the danger and torture that bad been her own. Witb one wild piercing shriek, the head fell forward upon her breast. she had again become unconscious! CHAPTER XVIIL. THE TRIO ON THE TRAIL, Oxp Rocky, Rattler and Paul—the latter ten times more agonized since he knew that his r girl’s n mercy, darling sister was really in the hands of the’ ruthless savages—proceeded stealthily, but quickly, to the darkest thicket, where the ranger secreted his horse. Then all at once, led by the old scout, they made their way to the huge tree, from the branches of which the latter bad viewed the Comanche camp. The war-party seemed to have forgotten that their bead-quarters was up the river, Old Rocky, however, had not; and he had been constantly on the watch for a messenger from the upper camp. He felt sure that one would be sent down the river to Big Foot; if, indeed, as he feared, Colonel Pemberton had been captured. This was why tke o'd scout, before ascending the tree, laid his hand in caution upon the shoulder of Rattler and Paul in turn, with a low “ bu-s-s sb.” At the same time be whispered: | Gozo west’ard "bout a minut’!” Although nervously impatient, in fact in- sanely eager to gain a view of the camp of the Comanches, Raybold bent his keen eyes in the direction indicated. Here and there arrows and bars of moonlight shot down through the limbs and foliage; and, but a moment had the trio thus watched, when they all saw the painted face of a savage flit through one of the silvery bars. Tt was but for an instant. That, however, was enough for the old scout, and also for the ranger. | ‘Ther cuss air comin’ ter tell Big Foot thet they’ve peoples another victim fer ther tortur’! I’m takin’ my b’iled down afferdavy on ther Alermo, ’zactly on ther spot whar Crocket spill- ed his bestest bleed, thet air the size o’ bit! Jist linger, boyees, unt!l I splits ther scarifier’s wee- zen Old Rocky glided, serpent-like, from the side of his comrades, as be spoke the last word. __ Both listened intently, knowing that life or d:ath, and it = be fer all, depended upon (the skill of the old scout; for, should the brave | give his death-yell, the Comanches, infuriated | while watching the young ranger closely, and to desperation by the slaying of such a number of their fellow-warriors by their much dreaded and detested enemy, whose mark they well knew on the slain, and who would consider his capture of more account than a score of ordi- nary white men, would rush directly to the spot indicated by the yell, and fight like fiends to se- cure all three of their foes. Only for a moment, however, did the terrible suspense last. : Both Rattler and Paul heard aslight cracking of bushes, the violent thrashing of limbs, as of men ina terrible death conflict, followed by a gurgling sound and hoarse gasping. Then all was silent, and they felt that all was well. The old scout bad pounced upon the runner, but a few yards from the huge tree, andy soon he joined bis friends with the reeking trophy of his skill and prowess. “Now, boyees,” he whispered, ‘‘lunge up- ‘ard; an’ all I hes ter tell yer air ter keep yer grip on yer vim, an’ bees cool es yerkin. Ef yer gits flusterated, we-uns air ruinated, an’ ther leetle gal air a goner, Clar beads an’ quick hands may git Miss Pearl cuten ther scrape, an’ notbin’ else kin; so keep on yer level, ‘“'Thet’s solid sense, an’ yer knows hit, Rattler, by ’sperience. Glide up’ard, an’ ormighbty easy, fer thar’s sharp years, an’ plenty on ’em, ’roun’ hyeraways; though I did thin ’em out, sorter some consider’ble. Thus whispered the old scout, keeping a tight grip on the arm of each of his friends, until he bad finished. Then all stole up into the moss-draped branches of the huge tree, Old Rocky in the lead; the three making no noise, for even Paul was a practiced climber, and the knowledge that his sister was in the clutches of the red fiends was so terrible to think of that his torturing wounds were forgotten. As for Rattler, he was almost paralyzed b this last terrible occurrence; blaming himself for having left his darling behind, when he went, in answer to her pleadings and prayers, to - rescue Paul. But it had been a necessity, nevertheless; for the ranger had left her, considering, indeed having little doubt that he would be forced to fight his way, and expecting to meet Indians on the opposite side of the river when he crossed atany point. In that case, the danger to Pearl would have been great. In a very short space of time, our three friends were in the same position occupied a short time previously by the old scout; there being penty of room on that side of the tree, to furnish perches for a score of men. A low groan burst from the young ranger, and was echoed by Paul Pemberton. ** Hus-s-sh!” came from Old Rocky, in cau- ion. / And, indeed, it needed all the powers of self- control that could be brought to bear, to view the fearful scene below them, and not fairly yell out in frantic fury, at the merciless tor- tures, which have alreudy been described, of the wretched teamsters, But there was still another sight, and one that wrung the beholders to the very soul, rendering them mad with a thirst for vengeace, Standing on the middle portion of the axle- tree, upon the wheels of which the teamsters were bound—or, at least, upheld, in a standing position, by thongs about ankles and waist, and around her breast directly under the arms, thus binding her fast to the scalp-pole that bas been described in a previous chapter—was poor Pearl Pemberton; her head sunk upon her breast, ber long hair vailing her face, and reaching, in its luxuriant abundance, below her waist, Upon either side of her was a teamster, bound, as we have seen, in a most cruel man- ner, to the wheels; while, over her head, dan- gled, slow swaying in the breeze, the scalps of the slain teamsters! For one thing, the three borror-stricken be- bolders were thankful. Pearl was happily un- conscious of ber awful situation and surround- ings. It was evident that the poor girl was in- sensible, No more terrible, more heart-rending tableau could possibly be imagined. Even Old Rocky, so long accustomed to In- dian cruelty, as indeed was Rattler himself, had not expected or believed such usage was eo to one so angelic, so winning, and beanu- iful. It did more to prove the merciless cruelty of Big Foot, than any previous recorded act among his many barbarities. Rattler trembled like an aspen leaf at the touch of a human hand, and bis face was corpse-like, ® ground his teeth, and tore his fingers into the bark, to retain his position on the tree. ‘* Easy, easy, boys!” whispered the old scout; **hit’s gut ter be bored, though kit’s ormighty tough, Pllsw’ar. Dang mv dorgs, an’ cuss my cats, cutermounts, an’ wile-cats ef I doesn’t leave my karkiss right hyer, afore ther smoky sons o’ Satan shell tortur’ thet leetle gal!” His auditors were speechless in their agony. ‘*Somethin’s gut ter be did, ter skeer ’em scme more,” he continued, after a pause, mean- | studying the emotions upon his face. Paul now sobbed, as though bis heart was broken; his fortitude baving completely for- saken him, at the terrible sight of bis darling sister thus situated. ** You’re rigbt, old pard,” said the ranger, at last, in a husky whisper: *‘ something must, and shall be done. I cannot endure this for any length of time, although 1 give you my pledge I did not expect to be tried quite so bard.” It has been mentioned that, while our friends were on the river-bank, the Comanche camp was filled with hideous howls, indicating that the savages were,.performing some ceremony over, or were moving, their dead. The explanation of these howls was plainly to be seen by Old Rocky, who-had taken notice of the dead, as the same lay in a line, side by side, on his previous inspection of the camp. He now saw that the blood smeared corpses had been placed in a circle, around the axle-tree and wheels to which the captives were bound; the feet of the dead braves were inward, their faces upturned to the sky, the silvery moon playing upon their sightless eyes with an awful effect, as viewed froin the tree. A score and more lay there, all of whom had been slain by the heroic teamsters, in their brave fight in defense of the train; when they knew that they were doomed unless, as was most improbable, belp was in the vicinity. The brave who bad been slain by Paul bad been found and placed with the others; but quite a space was left to be filled, and, as Old ocky saw that more were missing than those who had been dispatched by tbe stampede, he had an idea where the absent ones bad gone, His suspicions were soon confirmed, Of the main war-party, as the same charged upon the teamsters, there bad been three-score. Of these, one score had been killed in the fight, and balf a score more by the terrible old scout himself, when be got his *‘*hyderphobic” up— these being the ones who were in pursuit of the herd. A balf.dozen more had been sent in charge of the stampede, which would leave thirty-six dead and absent; but Old Rocky saw that ten more were missing, Where were be At first he believed that these were lurking in the bush, watching for bimself; but he knew after reflection, that this was not so. They ha gone, he felt assured, to bring in the dead that e bad slain and scalped. Those whom Rattler had killed, including the brave whose captive Paul had been, belonged not to the same war-party, but were young braves who had been sent down to cepture stragglers, or those who rode ahead of the train. The consequence was that of the main party there were left but one half of the original number, or thirty; the warrior-runner, killed by the old scout, and who was, as they sup- posed, conveying the news of the capture of Colonel Pemberton, belonging to the guard, or reserve, at the old camp; and Olid Rocky believed that thev had quite a number of extra animals there which required guarding, or else camp-cequipage. Were this not the case, it was only reasonable to suppose that Big Foot would have sent for the reserves to join him in the present camp, It was possible, indeed, that the chief bad recently done so; but certainly the messenger had not arrived at the old camp when the run- ner who bad been slain by the old scout had left there. Big Foot and a score of his most trusty war- riors now encircled the captives and the dead, all with lance and shield in hand; proving that, although they were probably all aware that there could not possibly be more then a band- ful of whites who had escaped the massacre, yet these, they feared, might make a charge to re- capture the prisoners, Old Rocky was a host in himself, and he was known by the Comanches to be around and eager “fer biz,” he kaving already “‘ scooped in” ten of their br: ves. Tt was possible that they did not suppose any whites «except the old scout to be in the'vicinity, for the reader will remember that not one of the young braves, who were sent down theriver from the main camp under Black Fox, had sur- vived to tell their experience, The stampede had so ground the warriors, who had been slain by Rattler at the ford when he attempted to rescue Pearl Pemberton, into the sward, that it was doubtful if anything was known as to what had become of them, Perhaps, indeed, they were now supposed to be at the upper camp. Old Rocky saw that, since his first inspection of the timber-cove, there bad been no further work in tte way of rifling the freight of the demolished wagons. Thus positioned was the camp, but onengee were soon to be rung, as the scout and the ranger knew, These, however, will be detailed later on. CHAPTER XIX. PEMBERTON’S RIDE. | COLONEL PEMBERTON, his long gray-sprinkled hair disheveled, begrimed with dirt and dry Gomicbooks Eom -_* hes — « > ee ee patos