Beadle's Dime Library No. 309 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

See ) 22 Se 4 Raybold, the Rattlng Ranger. mustangs—and thus the work went on, until thirty-one beasts were thus laden; the animals snorting, prancing and rearing upward in fran- tic fright at the scent of human blood and the unaccustomed loads which had been bound upon them. By this time Old Rocky and Turtle had returned and mounted the tree, toe Tonkaway being as warmly welcomed by both Paul and Rattler as the pair could, under the sad circum- stances, express themselves. But no sooner did the old scout and Turtle discover what had been going on in the camp of* Big Foot—see the mob of snorting and terrified mustangs, with their ghastly bardens—than, with ejaculations of surprise and gratification, they both hastily descended the tree, Old Rocky for once being brief in his remarks, He simply said; ‘‘Cuss my cats, Tonk! Thar’s a show fer a slam-up leetle circus, what'll count fer we-’uas, Come on!” Poor Pear! still stood, like a statue of marble, seemingly as devoid of all motion, there being nothing to sbow that life remained to her ex- cept the wild and insane stare, bent straight ahead, as at first; as if she was gazing beyond this earth, with its present horrors, to the great unknown, ‘Paul, I can endure this no longer!” exclaim- ed the young ranger. ‘‘l must move, walk, act in some manner, or my brain wi!l burst! ‘*Remain here, my poor boy, and keep per- fectly quiet, and as composed as you can. ‘Thank Heaven, your poor sister does not realize her fearful position! Let us hope she may not, until we have an opportunity to rescue her, Farewell for a while!’ Paul was 100 much overcome with emotion to make any reply, as the Rattler stole down the tree and into the dark shades, to lead his brave steed nearer the point of action. Both Turtle and Old Rocky proceeded, ina systematic manner, to carry out a_ project which they bad agreed upon after reaching the foot of the tree. A stray saddle-horse which had belonged to Bud Blossom bad been discovered by them, the neck-rope of the animal having been entangled in the undergrowth. This horse had, doubtless, darted into the shades from the stampede, The old scout led the beast into the denser shade, to some distance from the cove; Turtle following, with several halves of lariats, which he had cut from the slack of the mustangs of the Comanches, which were secured on the bor- der of the cove. Soon the intentions of the pair were plainly manifest. The three braves who had been sent to scout after Old Rocky, and who had been killed by the latter and his Texan pard, were brought and bound fast to the borse in natural positions, one in the rear of the other, and all secured together, with pieces of deadwood between, to brace the backs of the corpses, thus causin them to have a more natural appearance, al- though most unnatural, repulsive, and horrible, did the trio appear, even in the semi-darkness, Much more so would they look, when in the clear moonlight. The ankles of the dead were bound fast be- neath the belly of the mustang, and the arms of each inclosed the waist of the one in front. The first held, or appeared to hold, the rope which Old Rocky bad placed in the borse’s mouth and which was tied about the under-jaw, like a bridle, As these preparations were completed, the Rattler rode up to his pards, mounted upon his superb borse; but both the scout and the Tonkaway, although considerably amazed, had recognized the ranger by his signa! before he put in an appearance, **Now, Rattler, old pard,” cried the old scout, reprovingly, ‘‘ jist bang fire fer a few fleetin’ periods, an’ I sw’ar I'll perceed ter fix things so es we kin make a shut-an’-cut lunge et stompede speed ter save ther leetle gal. “Don’t worritate ther, ole man! Things air workin’ moderately agreeable, an’ don’t push 7em, er mebbe so yer’ll be ther means of purty Pearl’s bein’ butchered right afore our peepers, without our gittin’ a show ter help her. **Dang an’ donble dang ther mixed up biz! I’m purty nigh on ter bein’ Junified an’ I shell be ef yer goes on ther rampage, pard Rattler!” So saying, Old Rocky tore off a prodigious chew of nigger-bead, ‘Rattler, he Turtle’s brother. Turtle say, wait,” put in the Tonkaway. ‘‘ Rattler, he reat warrior. Plenty fight when time come, ight now, White Face, she lose scalp, Turtle say, Rattler wait. It is good.” ‘I have go a gure until my brain is on fire. I have looked upon that terrible sight until 1 am nearly insane, and I should have elled out in madness to give vent to my feel- ngs, had I not come down from the tree, **T realize that your counsel ,is good—indeed, that there is no possible hope now for a dash to the rescue, without it being the means of con- demning that poor girl to death. Ill secrete roy berse nearer to the camp, and there wait, praying that some opening for us may eome “© could not eontrol myself, however, if KS Pearl was conscious of her surroundings. Her shrieks would shoot through my brain like shafts of white-hot steel, and would drive all prudence from me, I will be patient, if I can, a little longer,” ‘**Thet’s solid hoss sense, Rattler! Crawl up with Paul. Ther pore boyee ’ll be gittin’ wild, an’ he'll yell out, an’ sp’ile ther bull biz. ‘*We-’uns don’t want ter hev ther bull fam- bly ter resky. Wonder whar in thunderation is ther ole curnil? I wish’t he’d skute back with my nag, but I’m reckonin’ he’s tied fast up et t’other camp. ‘Keep a stiff upper lip, Rattler! We're goin’ ter start a circus, what may make a openin’ fer biz. Tonk an’ me’s goin’ ter break up thet big funeral, what I furnished some 0’ ther game fer,er git bu’sted a-tryin’. Skute, an’ git a front seat, Rattler; fer, by ther jumpin’ Jerusalem, hit’s goin’ ter be a r’arin’, tearin’ ole sight!” Witbout a word in reply, the ranger slowly rode through tbe dark shades, on his return. Secreting his horse, and rejoining Paul, be in- formed him of the latest peculiar freak of the old scout. Both now watched the scene below, with ex- pectation, and the beginning of hope. They began to understand the intention of Old Rocky. He hoped to stampede the animals of the Co- manches, that bad | een Jaden with the corpses, The scene was beyoud description. The hideous, paint-daubed braves, all armed and ready for the foe, yet. forced to hold in con- trol theanimals upon the backs of which were bound the blood-smeared corpses, the mustangs lunging and rearing, and growing more fran- ic each moment, Big Foot was evidently puzzled. He could spare but few braves, to go with the slain, and those few woulkl be in danger from the terrible avengers—Old Rocky, and Turtle, the Tonkaway! A ring of fiendish Comanches and wild-eyed, corpse-laden mustangs, rearing and snorting around that dread torture scene, the braves being obliged to exert all their strength, to hold the frantic animals in check, Such was the picture. Could it be more horrible, more infernal? Big Foot stood apart, gazing upon bis camp, inapparent perplexity and anger; which emo- tions were doomed to sudden change—doomed to be transformed into the most intense fury, amazement, and concern, for the safety of him- self and his braves, CHAPTER XXVI. DESPERATE AND DETERMINED, Tu indecision of the Comanche cbief was of short duration, but was entirely too long, as it proved, for bis good, for, out from the dark shades, shot the powerful half-breed horse of Bud Blossom, digging its hoofs into the ground, in frantic terror, snorting at every bound, its ears pricked forward, and its large eyes bulg- inggbe shining like coals of fire. jaculations of superstitious horror and sur- prise burst from those of the warriors, who caught sight of the terrible spectacle; for bound upon the back of the borse, as described, were the three scalpless braves, each with one ear severed, and all bloody from knife-wounds; while a fourth was dragging on the earth be- bind, by a lariat which was secured to the ropes that bound the dead, and thence to the stump of the tail, where but a loose knot bad been tied, which drew tighter at each bound, thus camaing asa hi the animal, and increasing its terror an speed, Even Big Foot was appalled by this unex- pected and horrible sight, which he knew was calculated, as were many other occurrences of the night, to utterly denoralize his braves. Right inamong the massed mustangs with their ghastly and repulsive burdens, dashed the frantic horse; the heavy load upon its back, and the drag forcing the animal to strain ever muscle, while it spurned the earth with tremend- ous bounds, Then followed a scene of wild commotion. Warriors were hurled to the earth, others being dragged here and there, in their berculean efforts to hold in check the mustangs. Right through the thickest portion of them broke the mad- dened horse, and then, whirling, dashed back; caring not, in its terror, to leave its kind, Thus it increased the fright of the mustangs, some of which broke loose, galloping around, and amid the others, It seemed that it would be impossible to pre- vent a stampede—a stampede with the dead! At this juncture, down from the open plain, in the clear moonlight, and into the timber-cove, yelling one minute like a fiend, and filling the air with wild and insane laughter the next— galloping at terrifie speed, upon Old Rocky’s horse, the animal scalp-decorated, as has been previously described—down dashed, toward the thunderstruck Ccmaches, Colonel Pember- ton, befeathered and paint-daubed in the most fantastic manner conceivable, and waving a! long lance over bis head. Down, between the timber and the Indians, he dashed, takiog no notice of the terrible tab- ‘ leau. Then, suddenly, he whirled the horse about, and poising his Jance, dashed directly toward the mob of mustangs and red-skins; piercing shrieks issuing from bis lips, horrible to hear, while his eyes glared with the fire of in- sanity, and a thirst for blood. This fearful sight brought to the front all the superstition, which had been wavering baek and forth in the minds of the braves during the night, and every one let loose his grasp upon the jaw-strap, when, thundering in a frantic stam- pede, filling the air with snorts of fright, away out from the camp dashed the corpse-laden mustangs; the crazed colonel close in their rear shrieking like a demon, and prodding the hind- ermost with his long lance. We may imagine the consternation, The signal yells and whoops of Big Foot sounded amid it all, but they were unheeded. Every brave made a break for the shelter oZ the wheels and axle-tree to which the captives were bound; some, in doing so, being trampled by the frantic mustangs, This movement of the warriors was all that prevented a rescue of Peari in the confusion; for Rattler, regardless of all warnings and pleadings to wait, sprung upon his horse, and was ready for the dash into camp. The congregating of the Comanches around the captives, however, proved even to Rattler, that to charge into the cove would be the death-signal of the beautiful captive. Many horrible scenes bad there been enacted, during the evening and night, by that wild San Saba ford; but none were more horrible, or more calculated to demoralize the superstitious red-man than this. Thirty-one horses, each having a dead Cc man- che brave bound upon its back, speedit gy head- long over the plain; a madman shrieking, as ho followed close in the rear, bis steed decorated with reeking scalps, the bair of which swept the prairie grass and flowers; while, behind this last, and struggling to keep up with him, bound- ed the terrified horse of Bud Blossom—three 1n- dian corpses seated upon its back, and a fourth being dragged bya lariat in its rear, rolling and starting up in a manner terrible to look upon! Crouching about their tortured captives, like wild beasts at bay, a circle of steel-pointed lances projecting outward,their black and snaky eyes flashing expectant glances around upon the bordering shades, as if they believed some other horrible spectacle was soon to be pre- sented to their view, or an attack baving for ils object a rescue—such was the next scene in the timber-cove, Even Big Foot himself was at length silent; and, although he did not betray it, he was filled with superstitious terror, es- pecially after again, as he strove to prevent the stampede being brought under the strange in- fluence of the straight forward, staring, and ex- pressionk ss eves of Pearl Pemberton, Most certainly must the Comanches have thought that the ‘‘ bad medicine ”—the death of a brave occurring in the midst of the death- smoke—had been an omen of what had begun to work, For some time not a sound was heard. The wild cry of the mad ranchero sounded but faintly, and at intervals, from over the south plain. Then some of the braves glanced toward the ford, as if expecting, after the commotion, to discover their brother braves, who had been sent out to secure the scalp of Rattler, the Ran- ger, returning. But not a living, moving object was within view. Big Foot noticed these looks, and instantly, frem his throat shota piercing and far-sound- ing signal yell, which all knew could be heard in the caverns of the cliffs, on the opposite side of the San Saba, All listened intently for the reply. The answer that sounded caused the Comanche chief to regret having given the signal, It was the taunting, exultant, mocking war- ery of Turtle, the Tonkaway, and itcame from the direction of the cliffs. All now felt sure that they kad seen the last of their brother braves, who so recently had de- pariees fully armed, for the scalp and body of attler, the Ranger, This, again, was fearfully demoralizing. None who had left the open of the timber- cove bad returned, except tke one party that had gone to bring in the dead, and those who had recovered the stampeded animals. But these bad only passed through a short belt of timber, Py the track of the stampede, or, it was probable that they too would have been slain. Two thirds of the war-party that had charged, with wild whoops, down upon the wagon-fort, were now dead, But a score, including the chief, now remain- ed of that warlike horde. Half the slain bad lost their lives, through the cunning and skill cf three men—Old Rocky, Rattler, and Turtle, the Tonkaway. Tbe former and the latter, the Comanches be- lieved to be still alive; but these two, in the mode of warfare they practiced, were a host in themselves, Had Big Foot ordered another brave into the Eomichboo GO| Wee. a a