Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 38 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 wee ‘Let them fight, chief, but you and your tribe keep out of it,” the white cautioned. The old chief grinned. . “Talk fight much, maybe, but no fight. “Will the chief take the Water-bird?” “ And what must I do for her?” Velvet Hand was evading the question. a ‘‘Not much,” and the old chief looked inquisitively in the face of the white as if he rather hesitated to commit himself further. ‘But what, chief, what must I do?” ‘“The white chief will do it?” ‘‘Let me know first what it is.” It was diamond cut diamond between these two, “The Water-bird is a fine squaw—no better squaw in all the McCloud nation,” ‘‘ She is a fine girl,” the white assented. “She is as dear to the heart of the chief as the little stars to the sky, but for the sake of his white brother the McCloud war- rior gives her up.” “é Yes. ” ‘Tt is only right that my brother should do something for so fine a: squaw; many a young brave in the McCloud nation would give twenty ponies for the Water-bird.” ‘She is worth much,” Velvet Hand said, sententiously. “And yet, the McCloud chief does not ask his white brother to buy her; he gives her freely, for my brother is a great chief. All he asks is a favor.” “‘ Bxactly, and that favor is—” “The great chief of the McCloud nation is a lonely man; his wigwam is empty,” said the old warrior, impressively, and bring- ing his greasy face close to the ear of the white man. “ Ah, I understand; you want a squaw?” “My brother speaks with a straight tongue; the McCloud chief does want a squaw,”.... | : ‘And you desire my assistance in the matter?” The chief nodded. “ And in that way I am to requite the gift of the Water bird?’ Again the old warrior nodded assent, “ And the squaw—who is she?” “She is a white squaw.” nee “‘T supposed so,” “My brother once owned the mine in the white lodges up the river called Cinnabar.” Velvet Hand could hardly restrain a start of surprise. “ Well, what of it?” “The bad white men took from my A emg pe his ; he made them dearly, for it, but he never got it back again. And now Ve ee Eiend’s tat to nod. — “My brother can help the McCloud chief to his squaw and at the same time be revenged upon the chief who has the mine.” “Qho!t I think that I guess the squaw you mean.” “‘ She rides the spotted pony.” The truth was out now; the greasy red butcher, the brawny old chief of the McClouds had cast his evil eyes upon the dainty Californian girl, Blanche.delColmal, = The old warrior had watched the face of the white with an eager eye, but not a single movement of the muscles rewarded his scrutiny. The face of Velvet Hand was a face of wax as far as betraying his feelings was concerned. “My brother will help me?’ the old red-skin asked, anxiously. “Tt will be difficult,” the white responded, gravely. “Tt is difficult to tear the Water-bird away from the young braves of her nation,” the! old chief.responded, “but for the sake of his white brother the great McCloud chief has done it,” “And if the chief should get the white squaw the white war- riors would follow and tear her from him; the white squaw might cost the best blood of the McCloud tribe.” The old heathen shook his head and a cunning expression appeared upon his bronzed features. . | : ** The chief will hide the: squaw the mountain where the foot of the pale-face has never trodden. My brother shall lead the squaw into an ambush, the red chiefs will seize her and carry her to a lonely canyon where a bird alone can track her. Who then shall say that. the warriors of the McCloud know anything of the white squaw?’ Velvet Hand laughed—a bitter, sarcastic laugh. “You put vengeance right into my hand, eh, chief? The brother holds my property; the sister I stealand give to you. Why, it is as easy as rolling off a log!” ‘My white brother consents, then—he will do the red-man’s bidding?” exclaimed the McCloud, in great glee. “Why, it is not in mortal man to refuse such an offer,” Velvet Hand answered, “‘ but it will take time,” ‘“c Yes. ” “‘T will send you a méssage.” “Yes; will you take the squaw now?” “No, let her wait for me with her tribe, After I put the white squaw in your hands will be time enough to claim her. Let one of your braves watch this spot by day and by night in readi- ness to receive a message from me,” “It shall be done.” “And till then farewell, and as I keep my promise so keep you yours,” -“~ ——_—_—— CHAPTER XIL A STARTLING PROPOSAL. “Tim white chief speaks with a straight tongue and the red- man is satisfied,” said the old warrior, although, to relate the away; there’s many a defile in . Beadle’s Dime Library. exact truth, the wily savage was far from being satisfied with the ambiguous giving out of the Cinnabar sharp. The white man had not refused, neither had he accepted, and the Red McCloud was sorely afraid that the pale-face was vw playing it” upon him, to use the term common to the wild est But there was no other course open to the red-skin, than to appear satisfied even if he was not. “The McCloud girl will wait with her people until the great ae ee comes for her,” the old warrior continued. “ It is good! But, it was not good, and Koo-choo, the Hog, was not the only chief in the McCloud nation who was to have a say in the matter for the moment the old warrior finished his speech, forth from the line of red braves stepped a young but brawny chief. Little Horse he was called, and as a warrior he stood second to none in all the nation. “Koo-choo, the Hog, is the great chief of the red McCloud; Hula-ha-ha, the Water-bird, is his child, and it is his right to say. to whom he will give her, but the warriors of the red McCloud are not children that he shall say to them: ‘This is a great white chief; bow down and obey him.’ What red chief of our nation gains the right to braid the eagle-plumes in his hair and call himself a brave until he has proved his courage and skill? Why should the great McCloud chief seek a husband for his daughter in the smoke of the white lodges, when amid the hills of Shasta there are red warriors as brave as the mountain lion and as wily as the wild-cat?” A little hum of approval went round the savage line at these bold words. And then before the old chief, who was totally unprepared for this demonstration, could collect his thoughts to reply, forth step- ped another brawny chief. A brave of middle age this time, and as ugly a customer as the eye of mortal man had ever loo&ed upon. The One-eyed Crow he was called, and his reputation as a warrior was great, but a more bloodthirsty ruffian never foot upon a war-trail, Little wonder was it then that when he came a-wooing to the dainty Water-bird, the dusky beauty turned a deaf ear to his suit. “Straight as the eagle darting upon his prey go the words of the ‘young McCloud warrior to the mark,” said the old, searred- faced chief; he had suffered the loss of an eye in early youth, hence his name. “There are as great warriors in the McCloud nation as can be found upon the solid earth. Why cannot the daughter of the great McCloud chief select a husband in her own tribe? Why should she seek to mate with the false white men who have stolen the land of the red chiefs? Is this pale-face a greater brave than can be found in the red McCloud nation? I for one deny it! Let him prove that he isa better man than the McCloud warriors can boast before he seeks to take the fairest jewel of the tribe for his squaw.” Again there came a hum of approval from the lips of the red- men, and the wily Koo-choo saw that this demonstration was one not to be easily passed over. | As for the Cinnabar man hé saw himself placed in a most unpleasant position. It was very evident that these two bold- speaking warriors meant “business.” If he warited the red maiden they intended that he should not get her without a strug.) gle. Now when it is considered that he hadn’t the slightest idea of” forming an alliance with the dusky daughter of the red McCiouds, and that he had merely temporized in the matter so as to gét out of the predicament in which he so unexpectedly found h with as little difficulty as possible, to become involved in a quar- rel with two red warriors was far from pleasant. As brave as any mortal living was the cool, keen-eyed man of Cinnabar; utterly reckless, too, of his own life, caring but little whether he lived or died, having but few ties to bind him to the world; yet to enter into a life and death struggle with these envious red chieftains solely for the sake of a woman who was no more to him than any other dusky damsel of the woods was ~ — utterly ridiculous; but, how to escape from the embarrassing position was a puzzle, True, he might openly declare that he did not want the Water- bird, and simply declined the honor of the alliance which old Koo-choo the Hog, had arranged for him; but, in that case there | was little doubt that the baffled chief would raise the war-shout, and that, instead of encountering the two warriors, he, single handed, would have to fight all the savage host. As to the McCloud chief he was not sorry that affairs had taken this sudden and unexpected turn. The white man would be forced to declare himself. He must either fight for the girl, thus practically accepting her, or else decline the alliance alto- gether, and in this latter case the old red butcher mentally prom: ised himself the pleasure of “lifting” the scalp of his esteemed white brother on the instant. But, the old chief wished Velvet Hand to accept; he coveted the fair Californian girl, and he believed that he could easily secure her through the aid of the white man. He therefore determined to force Velvet Hand into the contest. “The ears Of the great McCloud chief are always open to the words of his warriors,” began the old scoundrel, gravely, “He cannot blame the McCloud warriors that they are angry at the thoughts of the Water-bird leaving her people to sing in the lodge of a pale stranger. The white chief 1s @ great brave; moons ago he fought the warriors of the red McClouds and brought sorrow to their wigwams. Koo-choo knows it, and therefore is he satisfied to receive the white man as a son-in-law; he is proud to havé so great a chief wed a daughter of the McClouds, just as long ago he wed the queen of the Shastas, But, it is only right that my braves should call for deeds az well CORMIE DOC) eeowX—_, —- (E@)