Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 394 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

YX There were LY ee we them both on foot and horseback in fcur sep- arate bands. mounted, and the attack was from four differ- ent quarters. double the number of Indians against the outlaws who were opposing the sol- diers, and with half as many foes to face them. ‘* By the gods of war! but I would be glad to see the red-skins wipe those fellows out, but for I Surgeon Powell’s presence in their midst,” cried Captain Burt. ** Yes, sir; and they meet the attack so brave- W I feel like helping them almost,” answered ieutenant Ames. ** You have struck the right key-note, Ames, rely for, be they what they may, on Powell’s ac- count I will become their ally in this fight, and help beat those red devils back,” and calling to his bugler, Captain Burt was about to order him to sound the march when Lieutenant Ames called out in clarion tones: _ “Attention! stand ready, for here they come again!” ‘rhe attention of all was at once taken from the outlaws, and once more the soldiers had to face the red-skins’ charge. It was more desperate than before, and the soldiers wavered a little under the rain of ar- _ rows, but the Sioux again broke and ran to the ae shelter of the divide. Here and there a soldier was stretched out dead, a horse or two had fallen, and half a doz- Pons en men reported themselves wounded, so that Poh affairs looked blue. a. ** Now is the time we need Powell,” said the ' captain, sadly, as he turned to do what he could for the wounded. oy ‘The outlaws seem to have suffered, too, sir, but they beat off the red-skins at every quar- ter,” remarked Lieutenant Ames, who had BAN again turned his glass upon the Red Angels’ MBAS 9) ‘‘Yes, and they fought with fewer men a x much larger force than we did, Ames; but then, those reckless devils are fond of bloodshed and ih a, fight with a halter about their necks,” es ‘*And we with a_ scalping-knife suspended + over our heads; but I believe, sir, the red-skins het. > | are going to consolidate against us.” ‘* By Jove! but you are right, for see, they > are leaving the outlaws and coming to join their comrades, ‘**It looks dismal for us, Ames, and I would to Heaven Night Hawk was here, for he is worth a score of soldiers in an Indian fight.” | The soldiers also saw that the red-skins, that had attacked the outlaws, were moving down to join their comrades, all of them being now | 4 mounted, and leaving but a small force to follow 7 with the dead and wounded, whom they had aprepped upon the backs of ponies, The soldiers having wavered under the charges of the Indians before, what would they not do when they had to face a much larger force, was the thought in the minds of Captain Burt and : his officers, and it was no wonder that one and all were anxious as to the result, for Indian ‘mercy was not a virtue known to those who met them in battle. Watching closely the troopers saw the two ___ forees unite and then assemble for a council of 5 or - @lancing Pag! toward the outlaw camp, they beheld the Red Angels apparently taking things with a great deal of indifference as to what eS ght occur, _ . *We are in for it, Ames, that is certain, so let the men do as the outlaws have done.” ———s **: How do you mean, Captain Burt?” * © Kill a number of horses, range them in a -__ gircle, the saddles on top, and throw up sod and __ dirt with their knives to make as good a breast- ‘work as possible,” - -** We can then make a good fight, sir.” + Yes, we can fight it out to the bitter end, and die in our tracks, Ames,” was the stérn re- sponse of Captain Burt, . The order of the captain was quickly obeyed the dead and wounded horses being made use 0 - first, and then others were slain when needed to 5 vata up the circle. Thus, with the horses, the saddles, blankets lie and traps, and sod and dirt hastily thrown up, the breastwork was a fair protection against _ —-—s the =Indian arrows, and even more than an In- dian pony would care to go over. The red-skins coolly watched the work of the - goldiers, as though they felt assured of their prey, and still kept on holding their council of 4s as war. | _. ** he outlaws are working like beavers, too,” _ gaid Lieutenant Ames, and upon looking toward them it could be seen that the Red Angels had not only not been idle, but had completed a -. breastvvork far superior to the one the soldiers ~~ had built. bats ‘*That looks like Powell’s work, Ames; but - what in the mischief is the matter with the In- dians?” “They are coming again, sir!” , $tand ready all! Let no man waver, or we are all lost. ¢ ‘Be firm, aim true, and we will yet beat core ak te 4 ai’ J ~ . — _ those red devils off!” shouted Captain Burt, and a cheer answered his words, which ended in mG Cae Two of these bands were on foot and two | of voices: ** The Night Hawk ! the Night Hawk ! * Bravo! he is coming !” forgotten, and they saw a dozen horses dashing | swiftly toward them, and upon each animal was a rider. At their head were two persons, one none other than George Powell, the Night Hawk Scout, and the one by his side was a young girl —Janette. Behind these, riding two by two, were the black cowboys.from Prairie Rest Ranch. ‘* Bravo! yonder small band are a host in themselves for us, men,” cried Captain Burt, cheerily, and three ringing cheers were given for the daring ones who were coming to their aid, even at the risk of self-sacrifice. The excitement among the Indians, which had been mistaken for another charge, was now understood, for they had first discovered the relief party dashing over a rise in the prai- rie bawrurd the besieged soldiers, Chagrined that the relief “A 3 would reach the little fort before them, the ndians vented their fury in yells, and, continuing their charge, although not organized, rode swiftly down upon their foes, ‘*Be ready to receive them!” shouted Night Hawk, and his words brought the soldiers to a sense of their danger. Then, when within a hundred yards of the soldiers, Night Hawk wheeled his horse to the | madea merry rattle rightabout, Janette and the cowboys at once | pall over the brave | did the same, and a line was quicklv formed. ‘Good God! can the scout mean to try and check them?” cried an officer. But, as the words left his lips, the rifles of the daring band cracked, and ere the smoke drifted away the effect was seen upon the In- dians, who were staggered by the galling fire, while Night Hawk and his brave followe s dashed on to the fort. ‘* Over!” cried the scout, to the negroes, and then to the soldiers: ‘* Stand away all!” Straight at the barricade they went, and amid a breathless silence among the soldiers, the horses of Night Hawk and Janette shot into the air and came safely down within the circle, while amid the wild hurrahs that greeted them, the black cowboys followed two by two. The red-skins answered the cheers of the sol- diers with fiendish yells, and drawing nearer to the little fort, showed by their actions that they intended to attack in a very short while, for they seemed driven to madness by the losses they had sustained ‘*The reds think you are the easier party to run down, so united their forces on you first, captain, and will then take ig the outiaws, if successful,” said George Powell, the scout, as he sprung from his horse and aided Janette to dismount. ‘‘And what chances of success have they, Powell?” asked Captain Burt, as he stepped for- ward to greet Janette, ‘** Life is uncertain, captain; but whatever the chances, this brave girl insisted, upon coming with her brave followers to share them with you, and you see that they are here.” ‘*And most welcome, too, for you add great strength to our force, sweet lady, though you increase your own peril. ‘*It certainly was most self-sacrificing on your part, and [ will appoint you chief of our ospital and give you a place here,” and the captain led Janette to the httle inner circle, where the wounded had been taken, ‘*See, Captain Burt, the Indians are prepar- ing for a grand rush,” cried an officer. ‘Yes, and the outlaws are retreating,” cried Lieutenant Ames, as horsemen were seen riding out of the berricade thrown up by the Angels. ‘‘ By Heaven! they are flying in safety, while we are left here to be massacred,” said Captain Burt, bitterly. ‘““You are mistaken, Captain Burt; the Red Angels are coming to our aid,” said Nig ht Hawk. “Tt is so, by the Lord Harry, and the Wizard Doctor leads them !” shouted Lieutenant Ames, as the tall form of Frank Powell was seen at the head of the Red Angel horsemen. CHAPTER XXXIV. AN ASSASSIN FOILED. THE words of Lieutenant Ames, at the close of the last chapter, stated the situation exactly in regard to the Red Angels having left their little barricade, with Doctor Powell at their head as leader. To explain the situation to my kind reader, I shall have to take him again into the outlaw camp, and at the time when the Sioux made their combined charge on foot and mounted, and the most desperate one, upon the Red Angels. They had failed in effecting a surprise upon the outlaws, bad been beaten back in their at- tack, but felt that by a decided rush from four different points, with warriors mounted and dismounted, their very weight of numbers would push them over into the barricade, and, Beaver, the Exile of the Platte. one long yell and the words, shouted in a chorus ; | k ee rn ene once it came to a hand-to-hand conflict, they new the fight would quickly end, for no brave could retreat then, and, by hurling themselves , upon their enemies, they could bear them to the All eyes were now turned in a direction op- | ground. posite to the Indians, who were momentarily | i ——— — | | | i me a lls ess Doctor Powell observed their plan of attack, and at once arranged to meet it. He divided his men into two bands, in spite of the four attacking parties, and left each defend- ing force two of the enemies’ advancing columns to keep back / ‘Fire on the mounted warriors first and stampede them, and then turn upon those on foot with your revolvers,” he ordered. The men saw the wisdom of his plan and every gun and weapon was brought into requi- sition, Several of the outlaws had been seriously wounded, and one had been slain, but the for- mer were willing to do what they could in the defense, encouraged as they were by seeing Dead Knife Jim ready for action, and Captain Kit, even, with ammunition by bis side to load the weapons as rapidly as he could. The reader has seen, as the soldiers saw, that the red-skins retreated under the withering fire of the Red Bri ie but only one person saw the coward act of Van the outlaw. The more the Wizard Doctor arose in the ad- miration of the outlaws the more Van hated him, and in the heat of action, when a Co- manche had been killed and several more wound- ed, while a few shots were fired by the red-skins and the crack of riflesand revolvers in the fort and the smoke hung like a ittle band, renegades from justice though they were, he, the cross-grained envious Red Angel lieutenant, determined to en the days of the very man to whom he and the others owed their lives, Watching his chance, he suddenly turned his revolver muzzle toward the Doctor Scout, who was crouching near him, little dreaming of treachery so great even from Van, the ouilaw, and his finger was upon the trigger to send the bullet on its unerring course into the brain of his hated foe. But, anxious to make no mistake, he lingered just an instant too long in taking aim, andas the report of the weapon rung out, the muzzle had been struck up, and the bullet whizzed above the Doctor’s head. ‘*Pve a mind ter knife yer fer that, Van, so help me God, ef only ter show yer that ther hand ther Doc left hain’t grieved inter weak- ness 0’ ther loss o’ its mate,” and Dead Knife Jim grasped the wrist of Van, the outlaw, ini e writhed with pain, while he hissed — orth: : ‘* How dare you spoil my aim, Dead Knife?” — “Tll sp’le it right heur, an’ ferever more amen, ef yer tries thet game on ag’in, an’ yer shows yer coward natur’ ter want ter take ther life o’ thet man.” r 7 ‘*T do not see why you should be friendly to im,” | ‘‘T hain’t; he are my inemy clean through; but he are actin’ squar’ fer us, squar’ fer ther chief an’ me, an’ durned if I are goin’ ter act mean ag’in’ him, an’ if yer attempts it ag’in, I'll let ther boys know your little game, an’ knowin’ thet ther Doc are ther only man we kin depend on now, ter git us out o’ this etarnal scrape, they’ll dose yer with a leed pill without gittin’ ther perscription from him, or I lies like a law- yer on ther wrong side o’ a case.” ‘Well, drop it, Dead Knife, and I'll do no more to harm him until things look better for ‘““T]] watch yer all ther same, Van, for I don’t intend ter die o’ this hurt arm, when a Doc kin be kept alive ter look arter it, an’ ther chief are my way 0’ thinkin’.” ‘ All right; I had forgotten your arm and the chief’s wound, and I was wrong, for we do need a doctor in camp now; that is certain.” “ Yas, an’ afore ther sun sets thar’ll be more nor a few o’ us thet needs a sargeon, an’ some on ’em will be whar ther Doc kin do ’em no good, I’m a-thinkin’.” During this little scene the Indians had been routed, and the outlaws breathed more freely, while Captain Kit called cut to the prisoner leader: ‘* Powell, you are well-named the Wizard Doc- tor, and 1 can swear that you are a Wizard Fighter, for we Owe you our lives.” “Thank you, Captain Hyena,” answered Frank Powell, who almost invariably called the chief by the name he thought suited him best. Then he added in a tone of significance: ‘¢ My own life depended upon the conduct of our band, and I was anxious to see them do their best. . : “You have a brave lot of men, Captain Hyena, and I am sorry to see them prefer throat-cutting to gain gold rather than work for it honestly.” The chief made no reply, while Doctor Powell went on quietly looking at the wounds received by the different men, dressing them as best he could, and at the same time watching those who were unharmed, and whom he had set to work strengthening the breast works all in their at It was not long before the outlaws saw the In- 1 sf ice ichooks. Teel "ys wh Lan. ‘ “ > - com — a y Aes ~g > . v= <2, ~™