Beadle's Dime Library No. 362 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

= —E 2 ee Se nn 13 — ee him the leaping-pole and other traps of the | ther clown o’ ther menagerie,” and having Flyer. Once upon the other side he came upon a ridden near to the scene of the fray, Frank Gourard caught sight of Ginger Sam bound dead Indian, the warrior who had been slain | to the tree. by the Mad Hercules, while guarding the ponies, and taking the trail of the animals, he went off rapidly in pursuit, just as the guide and General Carr rode into the timber, to discover the strange scene there awaiting them, OHAPTER XXIII. THE DEATH SENTENCE. THE command of General Carr, in march- ing to the scene of the Custer massacre, had been delayed by the roughness of the trail which it had to follow, as the wagons and ambulances were not able to make as good time as he wished, yet the commander dared not leave his train behind. Congratulating himself reached the river’s hehe the general gave orders to press on hard, as the traveling would be better, and Frank Gourard had just ridden on to scout ahead a mile or two, when he discovered the trail left by not only the mad Hercules, but Buffalo Bill and the Sioux Leaper, of whom the scout had been in chase. He called to the bugler, who was near, to blow a call that would bring the general, who had gone back toward the rear to bring on the column, and it was these rotes that had reached the ears of the scout and his prisoner. Then the guide rode slowly on until he came to the spot where the warrior had fall- en before Buffalo Bill's shot, and noticing the red stains upon the ground he dismounted and awaited the coming of the general. ‘‘Thar hes been music heur, gin’ral,’”’ he said, as General Carr rode up. ‘‘What kind of music, guide?” asked the officer. ‘‘Ther dead march hev been played fer somebody ter dance si ‘*You see signs, then, Frank, that there has been trouble?” ‘< Yes, gin’ral, I does. **T seen fust an’ foremost ther trail o’ ther mad critter back yonder.” ‘““The Mad Hercules?” ‘‘Thet same.” sowrelly” ‘‘Then I seen whar Buf’ler Bill were hot travelin’ arter a Injun thet jumped thirty feet at every clip, he were so skeert, an’ here are whar he stopped his jumpin’.” “‘You are sure it was the Indian?” some- what anxiously asked the general. ' Tis fer a fact, gin’ral, fer thar are ther boot-tracks o’ Bill, an’ heur are whar ther Injun clawed round right sharp.” ** But where is he?” “Thar yer hes me; but I guesses them Le oid will illoocidate ther question, gin’- r . ’ ‘‘Then come on, and let us ride into the timber.” “"* ‘*Better let me reconnoiter fust, gin’ral.” *“No, I will go with you. ‘*Oome, guide, let us lose no time.” The guide threw himself once more into his saddle and followed the general, who could not withstand his impatience to see what secret the timber might reveal. He had a high regard for Buffalo Bill,* and knowing his daring nature, prone to recklessness, constantly feared that he would run into some danger, when in playing a des- perate game with Death the scout would be the loser. ‘‘ Waal, ef there hain’t been a ring-tailed monkey cirkiss right heur, call me a liar, in’ral,” cried Frank Gourard, as he rode into the timber by the side of the general and beheld the bodies of the dead Indians, the smoldering fire, and the general appearance that a hot fight had been waged there. ‘*There has been hot work here, guide; but I am glad I do not see Buffalo Bill sunong the slain.” ‘‘No, Bill are ther kind o’ pilgrim thet cashes a durned sight 0’ checks, but don’t git lis own chips calt in somehow; but thar are upon having * Bnffalo Bill has served under the most promi- nent Indian fighting generals upon the plains, among whom mzy be mentioned Sheridan, Crook, Terry Custer. Carr, Merritt, Gibbon, Royall, . and many others, and the author thinks he can boldly assert that there was not one of them that did not regard the famous scout with high esteem and feel- ings cf real fvicendship.—THE AUTHOR. The general and the guide at once rode toward him, and the captive scowled sav- agely at them. ‘«Who are you?” asked General Carr. ‘*A blind man c’u’d see | were a poor fel- ler in misfortin’,” was the surly answer. ‘* And a blind man could tell by your re- sponse, sir, that you are very insolent,” quickly returned the general, nettled by the words of the prisoner, and disgusted with his cruel, evil face. ‘‘P’raps this heur little dockymint may tell yer suthin, gin’ral,” and Frank Gourard took from the tree the slip of paper left by Buffalo Bill. ‘‘Ha! it is from Cody.” ‘*Then he are right side up with car’?” ‘‘ Yes, and hear what he says,” and Gener- al Carr read the note aloud. ‘‘ Jerusalem fleas! you is then Ginger Sam?” cried the guide, dismounting and fac- ing the captive. ‘‘No! Buf’ler Bill are a howlin’ liar. ‘He don’t like me fer nothin’, an’ jist trumped up thet lie ter git ther gin’ral ter shoot me,” said the captive. ‘‘T guesses not, fer Buf'ler Bill hain’t afeerd ter burn a leetle powder hissef, in a good sarvice, like killin’ you, ef yer is Gin- ger Sam.” **T say I hain’t.” ‘* Waal, 1 hes seen yer advertized, an’ I re- members it said yer hed one ear cut through by a bullet, thet left a round hole an’ a scar behint it, an’ ther third finger o’ yer left hand were missin’, not to speak o’ ther fact thet yer hed a pair o’ spades crossed, drawed in- a4 yer hide on yer right arm with Injun ink.” With his knife the guide ripped up the sleeve of the captive’s left arm, and the ‘*crossed spades” pricked into the skin with India ink were revealed. ‘Oh, gin’ral, this are Ginger Sam,” cried the guide. ‘*T have heard of the wretch, and as Cody leaves it to me to deal with him, I shall or- der a platoon and have him shot, as soon as the command comes up,” responded General Carr, sternly. ‘‘ They shoots brave men, gin’ral, an’ hangs things like him,” said Frank Gourard. ‘‘It is a most disgusting sight, guide, to see a human being dangling in the air at the end of arope, no matter what his crimes may have been to cause such a fate, and I am not the one to order such a spectacle. ‘*T have heard of this man and his numer- ous crimes in the past, and as he has been sentenced to death, I shall execute him v. ith- out delay. ‘*Now, sir, if you dare raise your face toward heaven, ask for mercy after death, for you have not half an hour to live,” and General Carr fixed his gaze sternly upon the outlaw, whose face was livid, and whose whole form trembled with terror, for he felt that there would be no mercy shown him on earth, and he dared not hope for any from Heaven. : wh CHAPTER XXIV. AN INTERRUPTED EXECUTION. GENERAL CARR was no man to trifle, and knowing something of him, and of his valu- able services upon the plains when colonel of the gallant Fifth Cavalry, Ginger Sam was aware of that fact, and set it down in his heart that he must die. The outlaw had a cringing fear of death, and yet had dealt many a back-handed blow at victims without mercy. He loved life in these wild hills, hiding away from his fellow-man, rather than live in constant terror of his life ending from the end of a rope. When he knew that certain and sudden death must follow if he remained in or near the settlements, he at once sought safety in the wilds, and many believed him dead, and the hunt for him ceased. He had allied himself with the Indians, by being ever ready to tell them where they could get a pale-face scalp, and he had mer- cilessly dealt out death to any luckless trap- per or hunter who boldly entered that por- tion of the country in pursuit of his and crossed his path. ' ing Brought face to face with the end at last, and seeing the head of the column entering the timber, Ginger Sam appealed to General Carr for his life. The general is* a born soldier, and yet one whose beart is in the right place; but he is no man to sympathize with one guilty of in- tentional crime, and to such can be merci- less, where duty demands that he should be, so that it was with no particular amiaility ; that he heard the pleadings of Ginger Sam | for his life. ‘You are showing yourself an arrant coward, as well as a hardened villain, and it is my intention to deal summary justice up- ae and upon all of your clique whom I find in these wilds, urging the Indians to make war upon your own race, and preying upon your fellow-beings with the thirst for blood that a wild beast possesses,” was the stern remark of General Carr. ‘‘T kin do you sarvice, gen'ral, ef you spar’s my poor life,” whined the wretch. ‘1 do not believe you, and more, | do not care to accept service from such a one as you are,” ‘*T knows Sitting Bull, gen’ral,” persisted Ginger Sam. ‘*T do not doubt it, and more, I believe you are one of the renegades in part respon- _ sible for the evil deeds of the Indians.” ‘*No, gen’ral; I hain’t as bad as that.” ‘‘You are worse; but, tell me, do you know aught of the Custer massacre?” quick- ly asked the general, ‘* Hes thar been a massacree in these parts, gen’ral?” The officer looked the villain straight in the face, to read his very thoughts if it were possible so to do, beneath the mask of sin and assurance he wore. ‘‘ There has, sir, been a fearful massacre.” ‘What Injuns did they massacree, gen- ‘‘Bah! I waste time in talking to such as you. ““Come, if you have ne to say, say them, for my command halts here but half an hour, and half of that time is gone.” ‘‘Gen’ral, yer hain’t got noright ter hang me,” said the villain, assuming a bullying tone, ‘“‘T do not intend to hang you.” ‘Qlory hally—hally—hallylujah!” shouted the wretch. p “Do not hug false hope to your heart, man, for I intend to shoot you.” 4 ‘Oh, Lordy! but yer hasn’t ther right ter oO it.” ‘*T shall assume the right, sir.” ‘‘They will try yer for it.” ‘‘T will take all responsibility in the mat- ter,’ was the calm reply, while Frank Gou- rard, who stood by, said bluntly: | “Say, Ginger, ef they does anything with ther gin’ral fer shootin’ yer, Gov’mint will promote him fer riddin’ the kentry of sich a varmint as you be.” ‘‘Come, no more of this nonsense,” said General Carr, sternly, and turning to a young officer near him he said: ‘‘Adjutant Forbush, now that the com- mand has arrived, detail a platoon to execute this man, and it must be done at once!” ‘* Yes, sir,” and as the officer turned away to obey the order, Ginger Sam called out: “‘Gen’ral, ef yer’ll spar’ my life, I'll guide yer straight to ther camp of Sitting Bull.” ‘‘T have an honest man, anda guide, here, » who can do the same. ‘“You appeal in vain, sir, for you must die,” and General Carr was turning away, when it flashed upon him to ask a few ques- tions regarding the presence of the dead In- dians there. 4% “By the way, answer me a few ques- — tions,” he said. Rey Si, ‘‘ Yes, gen’ral,” eagerly said Ginger Sam, catching at a ray of hope. ) ‘‘Who killed those Indians?” ) ‘‘Bufier Bill kilt some, an’ I kilt t’others, fer I comed jist in time ter help him out 0’ a pee ; : ‘« Where are their ponies?” | . ‘‘Buf’ler Bill tuk ’em with him.” ae ‘And Cody bound you here, after your aiding him, you say?” : ‘*Yas, gen’ral.”’ * General EB. A. Carr is now one of the most ; tinguished offi ers in the service, and deserves 2. honors he has won, and wears them like the true soldier he is.—Tue AvTHOR, ‘ 4 “4 4 $A . ee NiGDoo (C