Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 394 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

os \ a» - * big aa - ‘“Yes; did not George say that she bor- rowed the major’s black cowboys to come and look you up?” ‘‘Tt was very noble of her; but, George, I wish you would guide her back across the river on her way to Major Monkton’s, where she will live, at least for the present.” ‘‘T’]l do it with pleasure. Frank, but there is no need of a guide, as she has those black cowboys.” ‘“True, they are indeed good guides, and fighters, too.” ‘‘The captain wishes Miss Joslyn to make her home at the fort, Powell,” said Lieuten- ant Ames. ‘‘She can do as she likes, of course,” an- swered the surgeon, and he was about to bid the lieutenant farewell when Captain Burt approached, accompanied by Janette, and said: ‘‘Surgeon Powell, I wish you would use your influence with Miss Joslyn and get her to accompany us to the fort, and make it her home.”’ ‘‘T know that Miss Joslyn would be more than welcome there, and find many kind friends; but I do not feel at liberty to urge her in her decision,” said Powell. There was something in the surgeon's manner that the young girl seemed to fathom, for she looked him squarely in the face, while she answered: ‘You are at liberty, Doctor Powell, to bid me do as you think best, and I would be governed by your wish; and believing that rou would prefer me to return to Prairie Rest Ranch, as I would myself prefer, 1 will do so.” Both Captain Burt and Lieutenant Ames looked disappointed, but the former said, with gallantry: “There is no standing out against a fair lady’s decision, so 1 yield; but, Miss Joslyn, we will, as a protegee of our gallant surgeon, consider you an adopted Daughter of the Fort, and come over to see you at Prairie Rest Ranch, while we will expect to. see you often at our fort, where you will find your- self a heroine. ‘‘ Doctor, as Miss Joslyn has signified her intention of taking her leave, will you take a few men and esco:t her part way?” ‘Tt would give me pleasure to do sounder other circumstances, Captain Burt; but, as I told you, I am under parole, and must now return to the Red Angel camp.” ‘‘ Nonsense,” and the captain bit his lip with vexation, while Janette said quickly: ‘‘T certainly would not permit Surgeon Powell to leave his duties to go with me, es- pecially as I have ample escort in my brave black followers.” ‘‘And pardon me, Miss Joslyn, if I urge that you remain here for the present, as there would be danger in your leaving.” ‘What? Do you expect an attack from the outlaws?” 5 ‘No, captain, but did Miss Joslyn depart with her black escort only, the Red Angels might follow her, and if you send an escort with her, it would weaken your force so that they would, perhaps, attack you, and I would offer a suggestion, if you allow me.” ‘Certainly; speak out, Powell.” ‘* 1 would dispatch a courier at once to the fort, to have the major send a relief party with ambulances to you, and also a squadron of cavalry to track those Indians, for I no- ticed Wolf Fang was the chief at their head, and, if they are ‘not pursued sharply, they will tarry long enough to doa great deal of damage to the scattered ranches, ‘As for yourself, | would hold my _posi- tion here until the outlaws departed, which I trust will be soon, and then remove your po- sition to the stream three miles away, and await the coming of aid, for some of the men are too badly wounded to remove except by ambulance, or stretcher.” “Your advice is good, Doctor, and shall be followed to the letter. 1 will start a scout at once, and—” ‘Shall I go, sir?” asked Night Hawk. “No, Night Hawk, you are too useful a man to spare, and I rely upon you for ad- vice.” ‘* My brother also is a pretty fair surgeon, captain, and the wounded will need him in my absence.” «You still persist in returning to those Red Devils, as they should be called?” ‘I do, sir.” Beaver, the Exile of the Platte. “Powell, I will not allow you to sacrifice | ‘“There may have been a large relief party yourself, and before I submit to it will have | ordered here, sir,” said the man, with a sar- you seized and bound,” hotly declared the | castic grin. captain. ‘‘ Ah! did you so suggest, Powell?” The eyes of Frank Powell flashed fire, and ‘*] did not, sir.” his face paled; but he said with perfect calm- “‘He would say so, captain whether he ness: had or—” | ‘““You have the power, Captain Burt, to The sentence was not completed, for, quick arrest me, and put me in irons if so you will, | as the flight of a bird, the Doctor Scout for I will not resist the solders of my Govern- | sprung to his feet and sent his fist hard in the ment. face of the outlaw, felling him like death ‘But, sir, should you do so, I will take it | would have done, and stunning him so com- as a personal affront, and hold you responsi- | vletely that he lay motionless where he had ble for the act the moment I am at liberty.” | fallen. All present knew Frank Powell well, and | Captain Kit laughed and said: that he was in deadly earnest not one doubt- | ‘*You hit hard, Powell, and have laid Van ed. Out senseless. Captain Burt also so understood it, but he ‘‘He seems to have a devilish grudge was a great admirer of the surgeon, regarded against you.” him in the light of sincere friendship, and ‘‘It matters not to me, for I prefer his wished to save him from the power of the , hate to his friendship,” was the coo! reply. Red Angels at whatever cost. | ‘Yes; you seem not to know the word ‘* Powell, Heaven knows I want no quar- | fear.” rel with you, and neither do I wish tosee | ‘‘ When I learn it, I would wish to die, you return to the clutches of those fiends, so for a coward’s life must be a fearful exist- let me sent a messenger to them offering a | ence indeed. ransom ?” | ‘I believe I would rather be as vile a sin- ‘‘'They will accept none, sir, for I offered | ner as you are, Captain Hyena, than a cow- every dollar I had in the world.” | ard,” ‘Then, while you are here, keeping your The words were uttered in the low, musi- parole, I will take my men and attack them, | cal voice of the Doctor Scout, but they were if they do outnumber me.” | burning with sarcasm, and the chief felt their ‘‘ Be warned, captain, and do nothing rash, full force, and changed the subject by say- for you saw what a few of those men did ing: against a large force of Indians. | ‘*T suppose that you told Captain Burt of ‘No, sir, 1 must go at once, so will say | my dummies?” good-by.”’ ‘*T did not, sir.” ‘‘ Well, I will be governed by your advice, ‘That was strange.” Powell.” ‘On the contrary; for had I done so, he ‘‘ And I also, Doctor Powell,” said Janette, | would certainly have attacked you, to keep me from coming back to you. sadly. | A few words of farewell, and Frank Powell | ‘‘He thinks your force greater than his, rode away from the little barricade, while | and it is best for him to so believe.” all gazed after him with sorrow in their ‘* And it is best for me to be on the move, faces, for they feared that he was going to | especially as the captain’s relief party may be his death at the hands of the merciless Red | a large one, as Van suggested.” Angels of the Overland. | | for nothing was said about that; but I think | you had better be on the ao as you have 'no water here, and until your men recu- CHAPTER XXXIX. | perate, you had best seek a safer camp.” THE RED ANGELS RETREAT. | ‘*That is advice I will follow, for I deem FRANK PowE.t did not ride back in a gal- | it good. lop to the outlaw camp, the same as he went | ‘‘ Please kick Van, there, back to his to the bivouac of his comrades in arms. senses, and we will move at once.” His heart was not in his return to the Red | Frank Powell stepped forward, and by an Angels. exhibition of his great strength, that won the He knew that death stared himin the face, | admiration of the chief, he raised the out- and there was but one of the entire band ; law to his feet, and held a small vial of am- whom he would not have seen hanged for | monia, which he took from his case, under their crime with but little regret. his nose. That one was Dead Knife Jim. To his surprise Night Hawk had told him how he had been warned by the suffering, one-armed outlaw. Dead Knife Jim had said nothing to him about his noble work, before or after; he had simply known how anxious the Surgeon Scout had been to warn his comrades of their danger, and when others had refused the tempting offer of five hundred dollars to do the work, he had quietly slipped out of the camp and accomplished it, though suffering untold agony. ——— ell, and, half-strangled, darted away, while owell said, with a smile: ‘I knew that he was shamming, as he re- covered his senses some moments ago; but, Captain Hyena, you must not laugh, sir, for you are by no means out of danger.” ‘*] cannot help langhing at Van, for he shot off like an arrow; but 1’ll be quiet.” ‘You will need to be, and the sooner you reach a safe camp the better for you and that brave fellow; Dead Knife Jim, too, for ‘“‘That is a remarkable man, and he will | still.” . find a good friend in me,” the Doctor mut. ‘‘ Anxious about an outlaw?” sneered the tered, his thoughts upon the maimed outlaw | chief. as he rode up. ‘* Well, Doctor, you are back again. ‘‘Your word is gilt-edge in this camp now,” said Captain Kit, as the surgeon dis- mounted and advanced toward him. ‘‘A man deserves no credit, Captain Hy- ena, for keeping his word,’”’ was the cold re- sponse, ‘You found work to do over there?” ‘Yes, but my friend was not as bad as I feared, though several of the men have dan- gerous wounds,” ‘‘A horseman has just ridden away from the soldier camp, captain,” called out Van, the outlaw, coming forward. “Ha! what does that mean, Doctor Pow- ell?” said the chief, suspiciously. ‘‘It means, sir, that I suggested to Cap- The captured Indian ponies, with the out- tain Burt to send a courier to the fort, asking | laws’ horses, were then brought in, the effi- for a relief party to be sent to him, and also | gies were mounted and started on the way that a squadron should be put on the trail of | quickly, to keep up the deception to the anxious about myself, for if you die on my hands your men will kill me, and, if you live, you may do the same, if the reputation you bear does not belie you.” ‘* Powell, you are the most fearless man I ever met.” ‘‘Don’t flatter me, Captain Hyena, but watch yourself and try and recover, if only to give me the satisfaction of some day see- ing you hanged, if I should survive long enough to witness that very interesting spec- tacle.” The outlaw chief bit his lips but made no reply, while Frank Powell gave the order to the outlaws to strike camp and get on the march. A CC LLL LLL LE LLL LLL LL A Wolf Fang's band, to hasten them along in | soldiers, and the wounded followed under _ the care of the prisoner surgeon, who was seen by his comrades in the distance slowly their retreat,”’ - | ' riding away in the midst of the band of Red ‘‘That is so; 1 can see nothing against that, Van.” JOO <eom (S S) ‘‘It may, or may not be, Captain Hyena, © The effect was magical, for Van gave a I am anxious about him, as he will not keep — ‘‘Yes, as a patient, but in your case Iam — i¢ J ’ 4 Eo | f } : |