Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 394 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

G ~ os. f= who threw away his cigar, and rising, devo org to the task of eating with an evident relish, * CHAPTER XI. THE OUTLAWS TAKE THE TRAIL, As Captain Hyena, as his men always called him in whispers when he was in a temper, fin- i ished his supper, his eyes fell upon two of the i band approaching him. | He recognized them as the two who had } created the alarm by dashing into camp, but as they halted near him and saluted, he made no sign of seeing them, but rose and called out: ‘Brick, bring the hounds for their supper.” The negro stepped back in the timber a few : paces, and soon returned, leading by chains six massive and ferocious-looking Cuban blood- | hounds. The brutes growled savagely as they drew it near, but noticing their chief they gave a sullen sign of recognition, and accepted the food thrown | from his hands with greed, though not with ap- _—- parent gratitude. Hh ‘‘ Well; what have you to say?” and the Red Angel turned to the two men, as Brick led the hounds back and fastened them. bis ‘*We wants ter tell yer, cap’n, bout our 7 chase o’ ther gal an’ her father,” said Slick | §$am, or Sam Slick, for he was called by both ‘aa names. ) ** There seems little to tell, for I sent you and two others, believing I could trust you to bring back the emigrant and his daughter, and lo! back you two cowards come, bound hand and 1 foot, while your comrades were killed, and . those I wanted escaped. Is not thisall you have i 9 AS to tell? ‘** No, cap’n, not by a hora-full!” Hy ne what else is there to say? Out with i 2 it! | | **' You hain’t on ther right trail, cap’n, an’ we _ wishes ter set yer squar’,so as yer won’t mis- ie Jedge us.” fm ** Out with it, I repeat.” . ‘‘ Yer see, sir, arter you seen them as you wanted in partickiler hed escaped, an’ sent us four arter ’em, we jist went along as rapid as we ‘ oo an’ soon struck ther trail, en’ follered it » ) Jively. ie ‘* Waal, sir, toward arternoon, right upon us, I. over a divide o’ ther pararee, rode ther old man an’ ther gal. “We was tuk aback, but as he begun shoot- in’, one o’ us shooted back—” ‘* Hal after my orders not to harm them you dared fire?” ‘*'Yer see, cap’n—” «Which oneof you fired at them?” and the an- gry light in the eyes of the chief caused Slick am to say 0 “Tt war Buster Ben as did it, cap’n.” | “Curse him! But ge on with your story.” | “Waal, sir, arter Buster fired, they turned and run, an’ we went fer ’em fer all we was wu’th. They was mounted well, an’ the’r hoss- es was comparative fresh, so they dropped us clean; but we held on ontil we struck a single trail, an’ Buster tuk off on it, while we pushed qahead arter ther old man an’ his darter. ‘“Waal, captain, we got throwed off ther trail when dark come, but we heerd a shot an’ went thet way, and thar we found ther old a man on his back about ter —_ in his chips, an’ | ther gal by his side, while they was surrounded by coyotes thet was about to run in on ’em when we rid up.” Pike", “The emigrant was dying, you say?” | Yas, cap’n, fer Buster’s shot hed hit him, an’ he went on ontil he c’u’d go no further, an’ then -__-Jaid down ter tarn up his toes.” HP 3 ‘« And he died?” asked the chief, in a low, deep }. .. tone. f Cap, do you mind thet thet leetle gal turned on us an’ she’d ’a’ bored us ef we hadn’t kept off?” hah | ‘OCowards |” ‘“A gal kin kill, cap’n, an’ so we jist hung _ back ontil we see, as we believed, Buster com- ing up. We a Now, cap’n, I is goin’ ter tell yer how noble ‘we was tuk in, fer thar come buster’s horse, only, when he drew up by us, it wasn’t our rd as was on him,” ** Who in Satan’s name was it, then?” * “Ther man ther Injuns calls ther Wizard | ‘“By Heaven! Frank Powell, the Doctor Scout!” and the chief sprung to his feet. ‘¢ Yas, cap’n, it were him, an’ he were on ther rampage wuss’n a wolf, fer he hed us kivered and gave us a invite ter hands up, which we is free to admit we accepted, seein’ as who it _ > were.” | ~~ - * Go on!” sternly ordered the chief, as the man paused. ‘* Waal, cap’n, in course he tu’k ther gal’s | and jist told her ter rope us while he kept us covered. , _ —- * She begun ther work, when Buck kicked ss ag’'in’ it, an’ ef he hed time ter know what kilt him, I isa weepin liar.”’ | The Doctor killed him?” 4s ae “Shot him through ther brain, cap’n, an’ _ agsked us ef we'd take a pill in ourn? ’ i? Se pay = ¢ tempting camp meal before his strange Save & —_—_—— i ou - — ‘**'We stated as how we wasn’t sickly, an’ ther al roped us, ‘Then ther Doc tied us as yer seen us come inter camp—told us he hed kilt Buster, an’ s’pected ter be at our passin’ away with a rope about our necks,” ‘‘ And he may be, too,” remarked the chief with a laugh. ‘**T’m a-hopin’ I won’t be thar, ef he is,” ‘Well, to your story.” “Thar hain’t much more ter tell, cap’n, for ther Doc were called ter look arter ther old man, an’ they was all so tuk up with what he war a- sayin’, thet my pard an’ me jist concluded ter light out, an’ we jist did it on ther quiet like.” ‘* This is a strange story you tell me, men, and I am glad to know it, for I shall at once break camp and go in pursuit of the girl and that famous Doctor Sent, who, I learn, is deter- mined to take my scalp. Sound boots and sad- dles, Brick, and we'll take the trail.” In obedience, the negro took from a tree, where it was hanging, a small silver bugle, and the notes rung in many an echo through the timber, and roused the outlaws to busy action. In less than ten minutes the command was ready to move, and giving his orders to the negro, to go to a certain rendezvous with half of the men and the pack-horses, the chief and half a score of the band, with three bloodhounds tied to his stirrup, started off, under the guid- ance of Slick Sam, to the spot where he and his comrade had left the dying emigrant. CHAPTER XII. BETWEEN TWO FIRES. HAVING introduced more particularly to the reader the Red Angel band of outlaws, I will bring to his mind the fact that, in their pursuit of the Doctor Scout and Janette, they were ob- served to halt at the stream and then dismount, as though having given up the chase, Unconscious of their real motive Doctor Powell rode on with Janette, heading north- ward, The prairie to the northward of the stream was lower than beyond it on the other side, and far more rolling and broken, while one in the timber, where the outlaws were, could see far ahead of the outlook of the Doctor Scout. It had been by no means the intention of the Red Angel chief to give up the chase of the fu- gitives; but, just as he was about to leave the timber and cross the stream, his quick eye fell upon something that riveted his gaze to a point a mile beyond the Doctor. ‘‘ That ‘‘something ” he gazed at fixedly for a while, and then muttered: ** Sioux!” ‘Yas, cap’n, an’ thar is half a hundred of ’em,” joined in Slick Sam, ‘*Dismount, men, and seek the shelter of the timber, for we have not been discovered et.” j In obedience to the command of their leader the men quickly dismounted and hunted cover while Captain Kit, as he was familiarly callec by his band, took a field-gluss from its case and turned it upon the Indians. They were fully a mile and a half distant from the timber, and just coming over a roll in the prairie, stretched out in a scattered line. ‘* Fully sixty in number, and the Doctor Scout does not see them, nor do they see him, and they will ride almost upon each other before they make the discovery. ‘‘And what then?” said the chief, speaking aloud, but to himself, for his men were a little apart from him. With considerable interest he noticed the Doc- tor Scout riding leisurely along toward the rise in the prairie before him that hid the Indians from view, while they, little dreaming of foes near, were coming toward the stream. The nature of the ground on either side of the Doctor Scout was such that the Red Angels saw that he could not turn either to the rightor left, if he retraced his way upon we the Indians, without coming back to within a few rods of the stream. There the Jand was unbroken, and he could fly upor down the stream; but to gain this point he would have to come within easy range of the outlaws in the timber. ‘* With the Indians before you, and the Red Angels behind you, my gallant Wizard Doctor, you are between two fires, one of which must burn you, for, with all your skillas a pitino, your fame as a reckless rider and dead shot, you have no escape, and have coolly run into a trap,” and the chief kept his eyes upon the re- ceding fugitives as he spoke, eccasionally turn- ing his glass upon the coming warriors. ‘* No, one can run over that land to the right and left of him and he has either to come back here, or attempt to cut through the Indians’ line, Which will hedo? I hope he will come this way, for at all hazards, I must capture that girl, so I will dash out to his rescue—yes, rescue him from the red-skins to have him die as I wish him to die.” After a silence of a few moments, he con- tinued: ! ‘¢ Those Indians are well mounted and armed, and it will be no easy thing for us to beat them ’ White Beaver, the Exile of the Platte. EE issn sss ss rrr see + = _——-.— --- —— back; but then we have the timber and this bend the river in our favor and these give us a great advantage, But, whatever the odds, I will risk them to capture that girl.” After a few more minutes of silence, the chief called out in a voice that reached the ears of his followers from their shelter: “Men, look to your arms and your saddle- girths, for if that man runs back upon us we must take him and the girl, and if the Indians capture them we must rescue them. Remember, the Doctor Scout and girls are not to be hurt under any circumstances.” A chorus of voices answered that they heard his orders, and having looked to hisown weapons and horse, the chief again turned to gaze at the Doctor Scout and his charge. ‘* | wish to have my glass on him when he sees the Indians,” he muttered. The red-skins were now ascending the slight elevation upon one side, and had contracted their line, on account of the broken nature of the round and were riding more in single file, while. ‘rank Powell, with Janette by his side and the led horse trotting along behind, was almost at the top of the gently-sloping hill. A few more paces and suddenly a shout of warning went up from an Indian throat and the whole body huddled quickly toward the top of the hill. It was evident that the Doctor Scout had beer taken by surprise, not expecting to see Indians just there. He had caught sight of the feather head-dress. of the chief, who was leading, just as the red- skin’s eyes fell upon him, and he had quietly drawn rein without the slightest show of excite- ment and said calmly: ‘‘ We are between two fires, Janette.” ‘** Oh, we are lost!” cried the girl, as she saw a. number of Indians dashing into view. ‘* No, indeed; we are only in a tight place. ‘*Come! we must go back.” ‘*Back into those vile outlaws’ asked, with intense surprise. ‘* Not if we can help doing so; but I need not. disguise from you that our danger is great, and we must take the chances most in our favor to esca @, ‘See, the Indians are preparing for a rush upon us, so we must run for it, as soon as I have given them a hint not to crowd us.” She saw him raise his rifle quickly to his shoulder, and with the report, a warrior fel! from his pony. ‘* Now, come,” said the Doctor Scout, in tones utterly unmoved, and away they dashed back toward the timber, the led horse following close on the heels of his mates. That they were between two fires, in fact, in a desperate situation, Frank Powell made no effort to conceal from the young girl, for he felt. that she could fully realize all. That the Red Angels were not visible in the timber he knew was no sign that they had gone, and a glance about him showed plainly the nature of the ground, and he was aware they had seen the Indians a long way off, and that. this had accounted for their not crossing the river to keep up the chase. . The Indians, Powell was also aware, had not caught sight of the outlaws, and they little dreamed that foes were concealed in the timber as they came dashing along in full pursuit of the fugitives, yelling like demons, maddened as they were by the death of their comrade at the Doc~ tor Scout’s hands. Straight toward the timber Frank Powell held his way, Janette riding by his side, and wondering how the a, ee could extricate himself and her from the dangers that now sur- rounded them. But she held faith in his powers and kept up her nerve, while she quietly asked: ‘ x Do you not think the outlaws are in the tim- er? ‘*'Yes, they are there.” ‘* And can we not turn off to the right or left- here?” ‘* No, Janette, for those ravines that you see on either side are impassable, and we will not: be able to turn off until we get within a hundred. yards of the river.” ‘* And then, sir?” ‘* Then we can go down the river- bank.” ‘** But the outlaws?” ‘‘ They will doubtless attempt to check us, but we must dash through them; but let me tell you now, Janette, should any accident befall me, you keep right on down the stream.” *¢ And desert you?” ‘Oh, don’t mind me, but think of your own fate, for if I should fall, your remaining would not help me, while you would be lost. “Do as I tell you, keep right on down the river for some miles and you will come to a well-defined trail leading northward, ‘* Follow that and it will bring you to a ranch where lives my friend. ‘Tell him that I sent you, and let him know your story, and you will find a home, ‘‘But we must ride faster, for the red-skins are gaining.” They quickened the which were not at their power?’ she —_—_ of their horses, p Speed, and in a few more moments would have reached the plaim MmicbDooks (El) : 5 ‘ 8 lege ey, es | ef + iS sie sot bgt ow i" al * e