Beadle's Dime Library No. 309 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

= re ee — shades, he—or even were a number of them sent—would have sung a death-song on the way; confident that, in some mysterious and unlooked-for manner and moment, they would receive their death-wounds. And well knew those warriors that, at that very moment, did they not have the captives, their terrible enemies would dash upon them with their fast-shooting guns, against which on were almost powerless. he war-ery of the Tonkaway, however, served not ealy to render the Comanches fran- tic with rage and fury, as well as a thirst for revenge; but it banished, to a certain extent, the superstition that had been born of the vari- ous startling occurrences. Who the madman was, that had caused such terror among them, they knew not; but not a brave would bave lifted a weapon against him. There had been ‘* bad medicine” enough for one night, and such an act would have brought complete destruction upon them in some man- ner, they fully believed. That this strange madman bad been in the camp up the stream, and had slain some of the young braves, or that these had been killed by the terrible scouts, and afterward scalped by the madman, those who took notice of the trophies upon his horse felt assured. his had also increased their demoralization, but the whoop of the Tonkaway rendered them desperate, and revenge was now the paramount feeling with them. To, in a measure, satisfy that revenge, Big Foot resolved that they would now torture, to the death, the men upon the wheels, Springing out from among his braves, the chief cried out: “Are we coyotes, that crawl in holes when black wolves yelp? Are we squaws, that have ¢<ome on war-path? “The Bad Spirit has sent bad medicine on our trail. Our brother braves have been blind. The knives of our enemies have found their hearts. : ‘“‘The Manitou is mad at bis children. He has scattered our dead on the plain. He has sent the Tonkaway to laugh atus. The great white chief, Old Rocky, cuts off our ears, for we have been deaf, ‘Our squaws will laugh at us. The squaws of our dead brothers will throw mud at us, when we go back to our villages, They will say we are not warriors, but squaws, Sir siege + will call Comanches squaws, Apaches will call Comanches squaws, We took many mules from the white men of the wheel-lodges. Where arethey? On the prairie, Our dead braves bad mustangs. Where are they? On the prairie, ‘*Shall our dead go unburied? Shall the bad medicine drive our mustangs to the Apaches? Shall we go back to our villages with empty belts! Big Foot says, No!” F The chief brought this out in a voice of thun- der. ‘*We are not squaws,” he continued, * but #arriors, Our dead shall be buried. The trail whall be wide and hard, when we drive mules and horses to our villages. Our belts shall be heavy with diablo Texanos’ scalps. “We are few, but our war-cries will be as ¢he thunder of the Good Spirit. The white uaw goes to our village. She is good medi- ‘tine. She shall sweep the lodge of your chief, ‘‘Let the white men die, for the moon rolls fast. Our war-whoups shall make the cheeks of Texanos pale.. Tney shall hear us on the Rio Llano, Big Foot, your chief, bas spoken, ‘md his tongue is straight. It is not forked.” A wild and ringing whoop rung from every 4broat, as the Comanche chief ended, Bounding forward, Big Foot then cut the thongs that bound back the heads of the team- sters over the wheels; but so long had they been kept in that painful position, the poor sufferers were unable to lift their heads to a natural one the muscles having become stiffened beyond their control. : The chief, with a cruel blow of his great fist, knocked each head upward, when heart-rending groans were uttered by the poor wretches. Big Foot made a hasty sign, and two braves each brought a gourd filled with water, and be- an slashing the liquid over the sufferers’ heads, Some of the precious fluid was then poured be- tween the cracked and swollen lips; both the men striving, with insane avidity, to swallow, But their swollen throats refused to allow more than a few drops to pass; the action of attempt- ing to swallow racking the frames of the tor- tured men, and nearly throwing them into spasms, It was a sight that was calculated to change a p-ace commissioner into a scalp-bunter. The men in the tree, who were compelled to witness it, ground their teeth, trembling with the intensity of their combined pity and rage, CHAPTER XXVILI. ON TO THE RESCUE, KNowING that neither Old Rocky nor Paul were provided with horses, the Tonkaway, just revious to the arrival of the crazed Colonel emberton, had gone in search of stray ani- Raybold, the ings t ES —_—— SS ——————— mals, that had been c ucht by drag-ropes and thus prevented from aceping with the stem- pede; and it was when on ttis mission toat the signal-yell of Big Foot sounued, which Turtle understood, and in consequence sent back his own taunting war-whoop in reply. The Tonkaway well knew that the corpse- laden mustangs had stampeded, but be knew nothing of the advent and departure of the mad ranchero, although he bad heard the strange wild shrieks and screams from some unknown source. Very much surprised was he in regard to these sounds. He was unable to account for them, except by supposing that perhaps the captives were being tortured. If this were so, matters in the cove had come to a crisis, end he was needed. Fortunately Turtle secured a mustang, and to his astonishment, happened upon a steed that was fully equipped. This was poor Pearl’s horse. With these two animals, the Tonkaway re- turned to join his pards. To describe the amazement of our trio of friends, who were in the tree during the ab- sence of their red comrade, when Colonel Pem- berton in the condition that has been described dashed into the camp of the Comanches, would be impossible. Disguised in paint and feathers, as well as Indian toggery, though he was, they all recog- nized him; and the agony of Paul was great at seeing the evident mental condition of his father. All kad expected to see the colonel dash up to Pearl and endeavor to release her, but he had not seemed even to notice his daughter, appear- ing to be entirely bent upon stampeding the corpse-laden mustangs, and creating as much noise and confusion as was possible. He made no hostile demonstration toward the Co- manches; in fact, he seemed to repudiate their presence, ig as lost to his natural heart’s prompt- 1e ranchero appeared to have been, as was Pearl to her natural fears and correct understanding. But there was a change in the camp. Again the captives were surrounded, some twenty paces from the wheels and axle-tree, by a circle of lances, the points being thrust into the earth, and shields, quivers and bows hang- ing from the shafts: ready, however, to be clutched at an instant’s notice. **Cuss my cats, ef I kin stan’ any more hell- ishness!” exclaimed the old scout, squirtin tobacco-juice most viciously. ‘‘ Es ter sottin hyer an’ gazin’ et ther cantankerous smoky sons Satan while they scarifies Bub ang Jim, I ain’t goin’ ter do bit! ‘Pll go an’ crawl] inter a hole in ther rocks, t’other side ther drink, fu’st. But what in thunderation’s ter be did, Tonk? What d’ yer *vise, Rattler? Dang ef I ain’t gittin’ b’ilin’ chuck over wi’ pure double-distilled byderpho- bic mad! Fightin’ indig’ air runnin’ on a stompede, clean from the ruts o’ my ha’r ter my toe-nails!” “Tf I thought we could break through them, and get to poor Pearl before any of those mur- derous miscreants could kill ber, | would not hesitate a single instant,” returned the ranger, his eyes with an expression that was unutter- able in its agony; ‘* but that seems impossible. To break cover would, J fear, be her death- signal.” “The eyes of my white brothers have been blind,” asserted Turtle, with firm decision. “The knives of the Comanches will not be stained with the blood of White Face.” ‘*What do you mean, Turtle?’ demanded Rattler, the relief and joy in his glance proving how fully he believed in the Tonkaway’s know- ledge and sound judgment. “Ya-as,” put in Old Rocky, in some excite- ment; “spit her out ormighty suddint-like, Tonk! What in thunderation hev yer gut inter yer noddle, creepin’ ’roun’ under tbe ruts o’ yer ha’r? Shoot off tongue lively, fur I’m tor- tur’d bad!” “White Face, she Big Medicine! Great Spirit speak in ber eye. Make Comanche ’fraid. Big Foot heap scare when look in White Face eyes; eyes of White Face look straight, ‘“No see Bud. No see Jim. No see colonel, when ride in all paint. No hear whoops. No see stampede with dead braves. ‘Why? White Face look in spirit-land. Co- manche know hand of Good Spirit on White Face head. Big Medicine. No dare hurt. “Tf burt, no rain fall. Buffalo all run fast to land where white rain fall. Turtle is a Tonka- way chief. His eyes open, ears open on war- trail. Turtle has spoken. Lies build not nests _ on his tongue,” ‘*Dang my dorgs, Tonk, shake! Yer hes spit out ther fu’st comfort lingo I hes heerd since we struck San Saba. Dang an’ double- dang hit, ef yer doesm’t sling stud-horse sense, too; an’ I goes hefty enough on yer say-so, ter lunge in, ef so be ther Texas Rattler grees ter stan’ ther rifflel What yer say, pard?”’ “You must be right. Turtle. Ll noticed, too, Ratthng Ranger. 23 ee ee appearance bad upon Big Foot and his braves, e willdash in ypon the demons, and might will be upon the side of right.” Paul Pemberton crawled along the branch, and put his band in that of the Tonkaway, who stared at the trembling youth for a moment with sometbing like contempt, and then said: ** Young white brave like squaw. Eye rain on cheeks, where war-paint on warrior, Eye- rain good for sick squaw.” ‘* Let bim alone, Tonk!” said Old Rocky, rather indignantly. ‘‘ Thet’s his sister—what’s tied ter ther scalp-pole, an’ hit war bis dad what stompeded in, roarin’, ragin’ bhyder- phobie. ‘* He’s killed one Curmanch’, an’ bin tortur’d by another. We’uns reskied bim ‘fore yer ’roved. He’s game clean ter ther back-bone, but he can’t stan’ everything, ot quite!” tostantly, upon these words, the Tonkaway placed the youth’s hand upon bis breast, saying: “Turtle ah warm for young white brave. Tongue cold, hard, on war-path. Want scalp. Want bear Comanche death-how!l! “Turtle friend, brother to young white brave. It is good. Come! War-path open. War-ery on Turtle’s lips. Come!” One glance below them now showed that the Comanches were once more circling, in a tor- ture-dance, their knives in their hands, while the most bloodthirsty yells filled the air, Clearly there was no time to be lost! The wretched captives were about to be scar- ified with the knives and arrow-points of the fiendish horde. Poor Pearl remained in the same condition as before. Both the young ranger and the Tonkaway were soon mounted upon their well-ctried steeds, The old scout, bowever, continued, cursing, chewing, and spitting, for some little time, around the half-wild mustang, before he could mount it; he being bare-back, with but the In- dian jaw-trap for a bridle, which placed him at a disadvantage. Paul, although he bad been ordered to remain in the shades—in fact, the Texas Rattler and Old Rocky pieaded with the youth not to ac- company them—refused to listen. He sprun upon poor Pearl’s horse, vowing that be woul have a hand in his sister’s rescue, if he lost his life in the attempt. ‘‘Now, pards,” said the young ranger. in a deep, stern voice, as he examined his revolvers, ‘‘we must arrange our mode of action before- hand, It will be t for all, except myself, to everlastingly pop into the red torturers, while I dash directly to the side of Pearl, cut ber loose, and make a break into the shades across the cove, “Turtle can do bis best to save Jim, and you Rocky, go for Bud Blossom; altbough I don’t believe you can get the helpless captives up be- fore you on ‘aoe horses, and escape with them, The poor tellows will be as limp as wet buck- skin.” ; ‘*Thar won’t be no use tryin’ ter resky ther boyees,” said the old scout; ‘‘ fer ther red hell- yuns will jab’em wi’ thar stickers, the fu’st thing arter gittin’a peep et we’uns. But we'll pervent ’em havin’ ter die by inches, wi’ tor- tur’; which, 1 knows. they’ll thank us for.” ‘*Come on then! Let every man do his best; and, you Paul, keep along by my side, but not near enough to binder me, when we get near the captives. Just one dash! Do all you can in a minxte, boys; and then spur for cover, on the other side of the cove, or we'll all be killed. Are you ready?” ** All sot, Rattler! Skute, an’ chuck lead in- ter red meat every time!” “Turtle is ready,” was the laconic reply of the Tonkaway. Paul gathered the bridle-reins, and then all, with revolvers in hand ready, walked their horses slowly toward the undergrowth, which bordered the timber-cove and the camp of the Comanches. Two more superb specimens of men. and horses, than Turtle and Rattler upon their steeds, were rarely to be met with. They were like two thunderbolts, when it came to a charge; especially when nerved by - the object in view. Chewing his ‘‘nigger-bead” vigorously, the old scout muttered deep curses, as bis restive mustang danced about, maddened at control. This promised well for the dash upon its recent masters. ; Upon coming within a few feet of the border of the undergrowth, al] halted, and ranged themselves neck and neck. The fierce yells of the Indians, and the rage into which they had worked themselves, pre- vented the latter from hearing the crashing of bushes. ‘‘Spur, pards! Spur for life, or death!” Thus cried out the young ranger: end, as the last word left his lips, every one jabbed. spurs rowel deep; the borses, with grunts and snorts of pain, shooting in tremendous |.ounds through the screen of branch and bush, into the bright moonlight, Like arrows, the spur maddened steeds shot acroes the intervening space: but the snake- the strange influence that Pearl’s manner and ' like eyes of the Comanches discovered their / GOmIGDoOOo