Beadle's Dime Library No. 309 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

‘river. followers from returning to SS Raybold, the Rattling Ranger. iato her past terrible state of mind, or gone hopelessly insane, had not her gaze been merci- fully directed in another quarter. Then it was, that she perceived the man sbe most longed to see—Rattler, the Ranger, and mount- ed upon the magnificent steed that she remem- bered so well! In hot chase was the ranger and with bim was the faithful Old Rocky, and also an Indian, evidently a friendly red-man, and pard of Rat- tler and the old scout. She saw, too, another; and the sight of him caused a cry of relief and joy to burst from her lips, nothwithstanding her terrible position. It was her brother, Paul, who was striving to intercept his evidently insave father. Rattler then, had saved Paul, from the savage who had been about to torture him when she sprung from tbe cliff. This was a source of great joy to Pearl. It gave ber hope that the ranger would save pe as well—that he would overcome ull obsta- cles. Her father and brother, both of whom she had feared were slain, yet lived: and tiiis was more than she had dared hope for. Scili something more did the maiden see. This was the half-score of hideous braves, gal- loping like the wind; and she sbuddered at the fearful spectacle, Could it be possible that, after all she bad suffered, she was yet to falla victim to savage cruelty? Could it be possible that, after Rattler, Paul, and her father bad so miraculously escaped death, they were yet destined to fall before the pointed shafts or knives of these fiendish red raiders? Pearl could not bring herself to believe that this would be permitted. Still she had faith and hope, And still, on dashed Big Foot, his captive watching, with insane eagerness, the changing scenes upon the moonlit plain. Suddenly, however, all was shut out from ber view, as the Comanche chief again darted into the cool dark shades, But a few moments after the horse of Big Foot sprung free of the thickets ard into the ‘‘ open” —the first Comanche camp—a fire blazing in its center, and a sickening sme! pervading the air, The chief gave a Joud yell of fury. The young braves, as be had half expected had been all sluin by the madman—the “ba medicine ”! Not a corpse, however, was within view. Neither was there a mustang to be seen, Lances lay upon the ground, and thesward was stained, here and there with gore. On the outer side of the fire lay the charred remains of a buman hand, three fingers of which were closed, and the fourth pointed to- ward the plain. Big Foot gave a whoo> of vengeful fury. He knew that his young braves had been all killed, and cast into the flames. And this, by the madman! It was the crowning blow of his degradation. He sprung to the earth, held Pearl with his left arm clutched around her trembling form and then caught up a lance from the ground. At that moment, bis ten remaining warriors dashed into the ‘‘ open,” and up toward their chief; their black eyes flashing fury, when they saw that the camp was deserted. Big Foot gave a signal for attention, and then pointed with his lance at the charred hand on the bor- der of the flames, The next instant, a peculiar whoop shot from his lips, and every brave sprung from his mus- tang, and gave one look at their chief. Big Foot stood braced, his lance poised, and pointed at the side of his panting steed; the weapon being directed to strike just behind the seen of the shoulder-blade, Every other lance ame instantly, poised in like manner; each brave’s weapon, toward the same point on the body of bis mustang. Then followed a yell, and every lance was lunged into the quivering flesh with terrible force—the points projecting on the opposite side of the unfortunate beast! With shricks, that were almost human-like, the poor steeds reared upward, the blood spurt- ing in arches on either side. Then, staggering and quivering, they fell, one after another, to the earth where they la straggling in death. A single whoop, and the Comanche chief, with Pearl Pemberton in his arms—the poor girl having fainted at the horrible sight, ex- pecting that she herself would be slain the next moment—sprung into the shades, toward the Every brave followed, but by a differ- ent route, in order not to leave a plain trail. As Cortez destroyed his ships, to prevent his pain, so had Big Foot killed his mustangs, that his warriors might not return to their village, where naught but contempt and disgrace awaited them, _ Death, before dishonor, was the decision of the Comanche chief! Vengeance he would have, and he would do all in his power to remedy the disaster that had come upon his war-party. But, never more would be return to bis tribe. He would either die seeking revenge, or he -would join the Apaches. _ The warriors needed no explanation, Tuey knew the object of their chief, as wellas if be had spoken at length iv regard to his future movements. Soon tbey all joined him, upon the bank of the river, and Sg ing in, they swam to the north side of the Rio San Saba. Then, still bolding bis beautiful captive with his strong left arm, bis page oan, knife tightly clutched in his right, and a tiger-like look in his face and eye, Big Foot darted down the river; skirting the cliffs, and going down the gulch toward the ford. He had struck the same trail which Rattler had -been following, wben he discovered poor Pearl in the ford. What horrors had been theirs since then! The chief recalled the fact that there was a cave—the same in which Black Fox had re- ceived his death wound—and on he went, along the rocky shelf, and thence up ino the cavern; the bloody trail being plainly visible in the clear moonlight. Upon reaching the dark passage, Big Foot ordered one of bis braves to strike a light; and a torch being found it was ignited. Then the cave-cbamber was discovered, all forming a refuge that was easy of defense; the sight of which caused grunts of satisfaction. he torch was thrust in the same crevice in the rocks, that had been used for that purpose by Back Fox; and the senseless form of the fair captive was laid in the same place, as on the previous evening. Now, as then, she was happily unconscious of her surroundings. The chief, as soon as he had thus disposed of his burden, waved his koife in the air, say- ing: ‘Big Elk stay in cave. Take care white squaw. Lose squaw, losescalp.” gpeys turning to the assembled braves, he said: ‘*Come! Our brothers must go to happy hunting-grounds with scalps on head. Come! Diablo Texanos, diablo Tonkaway, shall hear Comanche war-whoop! Our knives shall drink their blood! Our :quaws shall know us no more! Shall they hoot? Shall they throw mud at Big Foou? Sball they say his braves are squaws} ‘*No!” he thundered; ‘we will sing death- ti or our trail shall lead to Rio i’ccos. Lone Wolf, the Apache, wili weleome us to his vil- lage. Itis good. Come! Big Foot has spoken, He is a chief in his nation.” As he ended, the speaker sprung from the cave-chamber, followed by all except Big Elk, who stretched himself across the passage where, the previous evening, the young Texan had lain, stricken by the tomabawk of Black Fox. All was now silent in the cavern, silent as death; the form of poor Pearl, her face white as the driven snow, upturned to the flaring glare of the torch. Big Elk knew not how soon he might be called upon to sing bis death-song. Indeed, he might be stricken down by those terrible scouts, so suddenly, that the death-yell would die on his lips; consequently, he resolved to take ad- vantage of the time left him, and have a smoke. This he proceeded to do, at times casting a glance at the apparently dead captive maiden, and muttering, in a grumbling manner: ‘*Bad Medicine!” Directly, and in haste, Big Foot and his braves returned to their camp, after crossing the ford; when, to their great relief, they found the corpse-laden mustangs standing, covered with foam, and panting Jaboriously. It was no longer possible to stampede them, At once the animals were led across the ford, the dead cut loose and secreted in a thictet. Then a sufficient number of the animals were led back to the camp, to convey the braves, who had been killed in the dash of the scouts to the attempted rescue of Pear! across the river, This was done, the corpses of the teamsters scalped and mutilated, as has been seen, and the trophies on the pole taken down. In a few minutes, the Comanche camp was deserted; the demolisbed wagons and goods, however, re- maining, as well as the corpses of the ill-starred teamsters, Bud and Jim. Another cave, near the ford, was discovered; and, before our friends arrived at the big tree, and found that the red raiders had again been in the camp, the slain, under the direction of Big Foot, had all been laid in the cavern. ‘The mustangs had then been started up the gulch, toward the northern plain, the poor ani- mals walking slowly, some staggering, in their fatigue after the terrible run, when they had been stampeded by the mad ranchero, CHAPYER XXXII. ‘“‘ ANYWHERE, OUT OF THE WORLD!” THEIR dead having been disposed of, the mouth of the cave in which the corpses bad been placed being walled up with loose rocks to prevent wild beasts from gaining entrance, Big Foot and his braves proceeded up the cliff-side, amid bowlders and clumps of cacti, on their re- turn to the cavern which they had chosen for their retreat in case of being hard pressed and iu which to rest and partake of food. One of the mustangs had been led into a side branch of the gulch and there killed, and the hams brought with thern to serve as food, Thus far they had observed no signs of their euemies, and they began to believe they had de- ceived them in regard to the direction they had taken. The scouts would without doubt, suppose that the Comanches had gone toward the west, with the intention of returning to their villages; hay- ing killed the mustangs in order not to leave a plain trail for some distance; and besides, other animals could be easily captured, upon which they could continue their journey over the vast plains. Thus reasoned the Comanche chief, and he de- termited that, although he had but few braves he would secure the borses that he had started toward the north plain, after the avimals bad recruited, and then return to bis village. Now that he bad the scalps of the teamsters to prove that be had been in desperate action, he believed that his defeat would be looked upon by the civil chiefs with leniency. With these thoughts in his mind, Big Foot, followed by his braves, stalked along the rocky shelf and into the cavern. The torch cast its fiery rays through the er- trance to the cave-chamber, and upon the form of Big Elk, wbo was now in a death-like slum- ber. With a “Waugh!” of anger and contempt, the chief sprung over the sleeping warrior, He then gazed around the cavern. Not a living object was visible! Coming from the outer light, his eyes might be dimmed, Thus thought Big Foot, and he closed his lids for a moment, and then gezed upon the spot where the white squaw had been placed. Only the bare rock met bis view. Pearl Pemberton was gone! With a snarl of intense rage, he sprung back- ward, clutched Bigt Elk by the hair, aud jerked the warrior to lis feet. Without an instant’s hesitation, the chief thrust the brave }efore him, waving his hand for bis warriors to follow. Down the rough rocks to the shelf, the disgraced brave was forced; bis stoical face showing noemotion, but from his lips sounded the weird notes of his death-song. Straight along the shelf, to the same point from which Rat.ler had made bis wild Jeap to Pearl’s rescue, Big Foot forced Big Elk. Reach- ing the verge of the hight, be snatched the scalping-knife from Big Elk’s belt, and thrust it into the owner’s hand, saying: ‘Big Eik is a squaw. The spirits of his fathers whisper in his ears, He must go where his sleep will be long. Big Foot has spoken.” For a few moments the death-ch -nt sounded monotonously over the chasm, floating up and down the San Saba. Then the face ot Big Elk was turned upward, the terrible blade was elevated at arm’s length, and the next instant was buried in the warrior’s breast, by his own hand! The death-yell shot out, the strong form of Big Elk swayed for a moment, and then down went the corpse beneath the surface of the water, At that very instant, the taunting war-cry of Turtle, the Tonkaway, came up from the shades, With a yell of fury, the chief sprung to the spot so recently occupied by the doomed brave. Ove sweeping glance showed bim the form of Paul Pemberton, outstretched on the sward, in the little ‘‘ open,” on the margin of the opposite side of the river. A cry of exultation burst from his lips, He felt quickly for his bow and arrows, buf then remembered that he had hurled the wea- pons aside in the cave, Signaling one of his braves, he pointed out tho sleeping youth. On the instant, bow was strung, and an arrow fitted. The feathered end of the shaft kissed the painted cheek of the warrior. His fingers were about to loosen, to send the arrow on its errand of death, when loud rung the report of a revolver. The arms of the brave came together spas- modically, the bow and arrow fell from his nerveless grasp; and, with a horrible death- yell, he also shot down the steep, to join Big Elk on the ‘long dark trail.” A whoop of war burst from Big Foot, fol- lowed instantly by another loud report; and one more brave fell upon the cliff-shelf, shot in. the back. It was evident that their terrible enemies: must be near the cave, One yell, in signal, and Big Foot dashed back into tee cavern, followed by his terrified braves. All now seemed to be doomed! ““Cuss my cats, an’ dang my dorgs, ef thar ain’t two more o’ ther hellyuns wiped outt ‘Tonk war on t’other side ther drink. Wonder what thet greasy son 0’ Satan war goin’ ter shoot et? C’u’dn’t ha’ bin ther Tonk, fer he w'u’dn’t ha’ showed hisself. Dang ef we bain’t bin thinnin’ °em out purty some consider’ble, an’ we’ve gut ’em kerral’d! ‘‘ All what worritates me air es ’gards ther leetle gal. She hain’t done no screecbin’ o’ late, an’ I opines she’s off inter another o’ her spells. Ef she air, hit air lucky, fer hellishness hew Gomichoo 7 a A ; ie Pe