Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 328 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

- the two rivers, the ee ing told upon them. They lost their color, be- coming wan and worn, and their eyes assumed an unnatural and glassy appearance, Ere long the Basin Bandits arrived at the con- fluence of the San Saba and the Colorado. It was now midnight of the same night during which the exciting scenes occurred at the big bend of the former stream. Fording the Colorado, below the junction of continued, at a slow pace, along the margin of the timber of the San Saba; following the trail of the herd of mares, as ha Daring Dick and Turtle, the Tonkaway. When Mickey McCafferty recovered from the terrible blow he had received, which was some time after, he sat up bewildered, and looked about him for his battered *‘ plug ” hat. This he crammed on the back of his *‘ cabase,” and strode, at a lively pace to the ranch, mut- tering to himself, as he went: ‘Be tha piper o’ Ballyhack! But there bees the divil’s own doin’s goin’ on. The murtherin’ blackguards, that’s been st’alin’ horses an’ sich, hes carried away the ger-ruls; but, bedad, Ill be afther ridin’ for the captain’s, an’ it’s our- selves that'll go for thim! ‘‘ Be gobs, I niver was much of a sojer, but it’s Mickey McCafferty that'll fight like the divil for the ger-ruls. But, musha, what’ll the colonel be afther sayin’ when he hears that Miss Lola’s been run away wid? Sure, he’ll curse every thing black an’ blue, an’ ride on the thrail like a wild Injun!” Without informing the negroes of the abduc- tion, the Irishman equipped he fastest horse at the ranch, sprung in 6 saddle, and galloped toward the Brazos ford. The steed plunged into, and through the river, raising a shower of spray; and then on, down to Knowles Ranch where a crowd of rancheroes had met, to attend the murdered man’s funeral. Galloping at full speed into the midst of the assemblage, nearly riding down and trampling some of the men who clutched the bridle-reins, thinking Mickey had gone mad, he yelled, as ho caught sight of Colonel Landers: “Thundher an’ turf, colonel! Sure’s the divil’s till pay, an’ no pitch ho‘, at the ranch be- ant! Be cripes, thin, but Miss Lola an’ Miss dna Edwards has bin tuk by the divils o’ thaves, an’ carried aff entirely. Sure the black- ds knocked m2 es blind es a bat; er be the ole in me coat, I'd ha’ battered the hids o’ thim!” Colonel Landers rushed forward, and dragged Mickey from the saddle, demanding: tdo youmean? What aro you trying tosay? Are youcrazy, McCafferty?” “i May the curse o’ Cromwell rist on me sow], if the ger-ruls ain’t run away wid! An’ it’s be the horse-thave3, that sprung onto me, when Miss Lola an’ Miss Edna was shootin’, in the woods below the ranch. “Sure I was almost kilt intirely, mesilf; an’ whin I come till mesilf, I galloped like the very divil, to tell yees.” “ Which way did they go? Gentlemen, King Kent is at the bottom of this. The fiend, who shot his own father, has stolen my child!” Edwards also sprung forward with Colonel Landers, and throwing his arms in the air, came near falling to the earth. ‘* Merciful Father!” ho cried out, in his agony of soul; ‘‘ preserve my pet, my Edna, from those fiends!” ‘* Death to King Kent!” ‘‘ String up the condemned cuss “Choke ther life out’n ther or’nary hellyun what shot his own dad!” ‘‘ Death ter ther hoss an’ gal thieves!” Such were the cries that camo from many, in furious, vengeful rage. ‘¢ How in the divil’s name d’ye think I c’u’d tell which way the thaves wint, an’ me layin’ there widout sinse or r’ason? All I kin te is, that they cum up the Laon, be gobs!” This nt teate Mickey gavo to the colonel and others. ; A moment after, all ver confusion, the ran- cheroes rushing for their horses. Colonel Landers and Mr. Edwards wero first in the saddle. Then it was that a well-known ranchero, who had served with the Texas Rangers, galloned headlong down the river, as ha Mic ey Mc- Cafferty. , All gathered, upon their horses, filled with surprise and curiosity. Jerking his horse to his haunches, the ex- ranger yelled: ‘** Boyees, I’ve foun’ the trail whar, I reckon, ther hoss-stealers hangs out! Hit leads down towards whar ther San Saba runs inter ther Brazos, an’ I reckon we'll find’em in ther crotch © ther drinks.” A yell of satisfaction burst from the assem- bled rancheroes. ‘*‘ Lead on!—for God’s sake, lead on, Jim Ri- cord! The fiends have carried off my daugh- ter and Edna Edwards! Oh, Heavens! I shall £0 mad!” vei Edwards could enly groan in his an- uish. ‘ Then all galloped headlong toward the ford, !? SN ee rr rrr — “e King Kent. leaving the negroes howling over the corpse of Captain Knowles—the funeral being broken up. t was now long past sunset, and hours were spent, with torch-lights, following the trail. This was difficult to trace, even by daylight, and when the rancheroes reached the basin, the birds had flown. They were, therefore, forced to encamp in the outlaws’ stronghold until morning, when the fresh ‘‘ sign” of the departing bandits was dis- covered. Not only this, but shreds of the dresses of Lola and Edna were found on the thorns of the bushes, thus proving to the ran- cheroes that they were on the right trail to res- cue the abducted maidens. But the progress of the trailers was slow, in comparison with that made by the pursued, as after leaving the vicinity of the Lecn, the ban- dits had sued over the soft, springy sward, and the season being dry, it was an casy matter to eee. the run of the “ sign.” © consequence was that the rescuers and avengers of the Brazos and Leon were more than a day’s journey in the rear, when King Kent and his followers, with their fair captives, proceeded toward the big bend in the night-time, after crossing the Rio Colorado. CHAPTER XXII. PREPARING FOR THE ATTACK. OLD Rocky, Single Eye, Daring Dick, and the Tonkaway crouched in the bushes, awaiting the advent of the Comanche trailers. The two Greasers, Antonio and Juan, lay bound and helpless, in abject terror; for they now feared that their captors would steal awa in the undergrowth, and that the Indians find- ing them, would torture them to death.: Recent the sounds which proceeded from the herd, which were continuous, and the usual natural noises of the night, naught could be heard by the Comanches, to indicate the near presence of human beings. There was only one thing which gave our friends any concern. This was the possibility that the Indian trailers would discover their horses, which were secured but a short distance from the point where the neighing of the mus- tang had sounded. The latter had evidently gotten the scent of the horses of the scouts. As the silence continued, Turtle could not re- main inactive with this concern on his mind; and he sunk to the earth, crawling toward the spot where the horses had been lef t, saying not a word, nor giving a hint of his imtenticns. But the scouts well knew his object. Here and there the moon shot down bars of silvery light through the foliage, which was less dense bere than below them. Turtle soon reached the vicinity of the ani- mals; and, as it happened, just in the nick of time, for he discovered, crawling toward the thicket in which the beasts were secured, a Comanche brave; the war-painted face of the trailer being, for a moment plainly revealed. The presence of the animals in the thicket was betrayed by their stamping, and the whisking of their tails at the flies that tormented them. Silent as a serpent and with movements just like one, the Tonkaway wound his way with the object of intercepting the creeping trailer, whose attention was centered upon the thicket. A low ‘**‘ Ugh” camo from the Comanche, and revealed the fact to Turtle, that the former had entered the thicket, was examining the horses by feeling them with his hands, and had found that they were saddled and bridled. It was now quite dark around them. Turtle arose to his feet, and drew his scalping- knife, but at that very moment a furious snort struck his ears; and then came a fearful crash- ing of the bushes, followed by an awful yell of agony. Close following this, came a tervible stamp- ing, as of a horse rearing upward, and dashing its hoofs forward. Then came a death-howl, and the crashing of bones. The Tonkaway sprung into tho thicket, and striking a light, cast the same upon the leaves, which he blew gently, and the same blazed upward, lighting the thicket that sur- rounded him. It lit up a strange and horrible scence. ““ Skip-Lively,” the horse of Single Eye, stood with its solitary optic blazing like the orbs of an infuriated panther, its fore hoofs gory, and imbedded in the mangled body of the Comanche. Its jaws were closed tight in the shoulder of tho brave, whose face—the only portion of him that was unmntilated—was contorted in terror and agony. The fierce beast had trampled him to es i maa had broken every Bos in his With a ‘*Waurh” of intense satisfaction, blended with astonishment, although this was not the first time he had known the strange horse to do a like deed, the Tonkaway turned to kick out the fire, when five Comanches, with ex- ultant whoops of war, sprung into the ‘‘ open,” and hurled themselves upon the red chief whom they so hated and feared. But close at their heels bounded the two old scouts and Daring Dick. y The scene that followed beggars description. There was no opportunity to use revolvers. mmm eee ae a ee f Bo y gall dry p 17 ——————— ee Ee eee Steel glittered and gleamed in the fire-light, clashing in a terrible manner; Turtle, the whites, and the Comanches, being mingled ina writhing mass, their arms and legs interlocked, throats clutched, and sounds of deep panting and gurgling mingling with the clach of steel. The scouts had the advantage, as they sprung upon the Indians from the rear, and their fury was intense at perceiving the great danger of their red pard. The conflict was brief. In a minute all was over, and then the five Co- manches lay dead, with many gaping wcunds, and covered with biood, upon the carpet cf leaves. The horses were all rearing in fright, except Skip-Lively; this strange animal still keeping its jaws closed upon the shoulder cf its victim, he victory-whoop of the Tonkaway chicf rung through the timber as he proceeded to scalp the dead. ‘*'Whoop, hooray! Bully fer Skip!” sung cut Single Eye, cxultantly. “Jist gazo ct thet, boyees! Ther only fault I find wi’ Skip, ho doesn’t skin heads. Ef he’d take thcr scalps o’ his victims, I’d hev ’cem hung onter his mane an’ tale fer ornaments.” ‘*Dang me, ef yer nag ain’t cn ther war-rpath ag’in, old pard!” said Old Rocky, in ecimiraticn. **T sw’ar hit does git me chuck-full o’ surprise ter see how he takes reds in cuten ther Cew. He’s a warrior—Skip air—an’ he orter hev ther eagle-feathers of a chief cnter his head,” Old Rocky talk heap good. Horse, ho war- rior. Have cagle-feathers. Kill Comanche quick with hoofs. Comanche heap scare. ‘Yell like sick squaw, Skip best horse in Texas. bbe Daring Dick had heard the sccuts speak cf this peculiarity of Single Eye’s horse. Now he had proof before his eyes of the animal’s skill in making way with hostiles, and he lockcd cnin wonder until the scout went up to his stecd patted the animal, and spoke scmo words ct commendaticn. Skip-Lively then released his grip cn the dead Comanche, and rubbed his head against Lis mas- ter’s shoulder. Turtle jerked away the mangled corpse and scalped it, as he had dene the c*hers. ‘That was the most remarkable scene I cver witnessed,” said Dick; ‘‘I alyays thought you were fooling me when you told about that hcrso killing Indians. It is wonderful. I sce, how- ever, he has no hatred toward Tartle, though his skin is red.” ‘‘Skip thinks a heap o’ Turtle, though he knows a *Pache cra Curmanch by ther scent. But I see ye’r’ slashed up a leetle, rard Dick. Vil jist mash somo prickly-pear, an’ cock it cnter ther cut,” Not ono of the party, it was found cn czami- nation, had escaped Lnife-wounds, though none of them severe ones. Old Rocky unloosed tho horses, and Ied them to the timber-cove where tho hcrd were, and Turtle hastened through the bottom-timber, soon entering the cove with the mustangs of tho Comanches, the animals being equinped with the peculiar saddles of that tribo and tho ustel jew- straps of buffalo-skin. Tho chief then spoke: ‘‘Turtle ride fast. Drive other herses here. Old Rocky, Singlo Eyo tic dead braves to sad- dies of mustangs. Stampede into Comanche camp. = Malo Rolling Thunder heap mad. Make young braves heapscare. Itis good. Wauch!” unding upon his black steed, tho Tcnk- away galloped out on the plain, to drive the other portion of the herd cf mares to the timkter- cove—thus re-uniting tho stampeded animals of Colonel Landers. ‘‘ Thet’s a hunky icco o’ ther Tonk’r,” asserted Old Rocky; “I reckon ther Curmanches air *,0ut chuck-full o’ hyderphobic, pard Dick, ot your gittin’ car?” ** T°}] never ferret what you did for me—” " ‘* Thet’ll do o’ thet sorter gab. Whar’s Single P oF? wo if Gone ter take a et ther Grcaserr,” an- swered that individual himself. ‘I reckon wo'll gi’n ’em a ride wi’ ther corpusses inter ther Curmanch’ camp. Hit’ll be a reg’lar circus, I opine; an’ we'll “low Juan an’ Antono ter bo dead-headed through. I goes in ter fun cn ther half-shell.” ; ‘* We-uns kin jist everlastin’ly scoop in King Kent,” asserted Old Rocky. ‘‘ But, I say, pards, le’s s’arch ther or’nary scum 0’ ther irandce, an’ seo ef they hain’t gut some o’ tho pesos King Kent paid ’em. a Th do hit, Old Rock; but, by ther bleed o' Crockett, I hates ter put my hands inter ther pukes’ pockets!” So saying, Single Eye walked froises. from which he soon returned. ‘‘Cuss my cats, ef they warn’t kerrect! Fer, I sw’ar, they never gut this much o’ ’Nited Siates gold by ’tendin’ stock fer Curnil Landers!” Thus spoke the old scout, as he laid out a num- ber of twenty-dollar gold-pieces.” ** Look-a-here,” he continued, “thet . talks plain, an’ sart’in sure hit come from King Kent. He’s es crooked es agrape-vine. Here, take ther stuff, Dick, an’ keep hit ter show thcr Vigi- lantes.” ‘* All richt, Single Eye! Astothose Greasers I don’t care what becomes of them. Put, is it not rather reckless, for us to tempt tho fates by eo ICO "EOE ‘iS ee ee te