Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 394 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

re Ly ts * e 7 oo J} 2 4 : got a new dorter an’ thinks yer is young ag’in,” and old Phoebe called out to her master, as he left the cabin to.ride off at the head of his black cowboys to see if the red-skins intended any hos- tile demonstration against his ranch, CHAPTER XVIII. THE BLACK COWBOYS’ GIRL CAPTAIN, As soon as Major Monkton had ridden away, for the ranchero had won his military title in the Mexican war, old Phoebe looked after the welfare of Janette with all the tenderness a mother could have shown. Janette was worn out and hungry, for she had had nothing to eat since the evening before, it will be remembered, and Phoebe soon prepared for her a most tempting meal, the poor girl the meanwhile glad to pour into sympathetic ears the story of her sorrows. ‘** Po’ chile, you has indeed had troubles; but you is all right now, honey, and I is mighty glad massa hab found you, for he done hab a | dorter onst, but she got married and go’way, and die ob a broken heart, ’cause de man she lub was bad gambler an’ treat her awful. Massa kill him in a duel, chile, which sarve him right; but den it didn’t fotch poor Missy Kate back ag’in, an’ massa hab always wear de hurt in his heart, ‘* But, chile, you wants clo’es, an’ you shall hab ’em, for massa hab a trunkful here de dress- maker send for Missy Kate, an’ she die afore she eber got ’em,” ‘¢ But 1 cannot think of taking them, my dear Auntie Phoebe, for—” ‘* Now, chile, I is de boss o’ dis house, an’ you hab to do as I says, for ef yon 1s massa’s dorter, an’ he says so, den you hab de right to wear his dorter’s clo’es.” Remonstrance was in vain with Aunt Phebe, so Janette soon appeared greatly refreshed, after a bath and with fresh clothes on her that — her as though they had been made for er. After dinner she threw herself into a shuck hammock, ingeniously woven by old Uncle Ike, the husband of Phoebe, and was soon in deep slumber. But it was only a short while before she was awakened by the trampling of hoofs, and up dashed several of the negro ranchmen, crying in aig alarm that their master had been captured y the Indians, his horse having been shot, and falling upon him had pinned him to the ground. ‘* Where are the remainder of your men?” wie Janette, quickly springing from the ham- mock, ‘*Dey is watchin’ de Injuns, missy, while we comed back for ammunition and provisions so’s we c’u'd foller ’em an’ sabe massa,” ‘*Get ready in all haste then, and I will lead you to his rescue!” cried Janette, in tones that startled even herself, and in a few minutes she came from the house once more attired in her riding-habit and hat, and having a belt Of arms ore around her slender waist. 3" @ spotted pony had been saddled for her, Uncle Ike dragging out from its hiding-place the side-saddle that had once belonged to his young mistress, and springing to her seat, the daring girl shot off from the cabin, the sable horsemen at her heels, and followed by the prayers of the negroes remaining on the ranch. After a rapid gallop of a few miles, Janette rode over aroll of the prairie, to discover the rernainder of the negro ranchmen slowly follow- ing upon the trail of a small band of Indians, in the midst of whom she beheld the white-haired prisoner tied securely to a pony. A ae showed her that they were the same ted-skins who had pursued her, with the ad- dition of a dozen more who had joined them, and whose coming had emboldened them to turn against their foes, and slowly follow the ranchmen back toward the ranch, Zip, the leader of the sable troop, and a stal- wart, fine- looking young fellow, with a fearless face ard iron muscle, told her that the coming back of his master and his men had checked the advance of the Indians and caused them to re- treat. Arriving at a ravine, the Indians had sudden- ly turned and charged, and though they beat them off, his master’s horse got beyond control, and, dashing away with him, fell under the fire of the red-skins, and the major, though he fought a hand-to-hand fight, was captured and borne off. ; ‘‘We must rescue him, Zip, even if they are ee and we but thirteen,’ said Janette, firm- y: ‘**We will charge ’em if you say so, missy won't we, boys?” was Zip’s brave response, an his words met with a hearty affirmative. Janette smiled, and looked carefully over the sable command which she so suddenly had taken the captaincy of. She saw a dozen as fine-look- ing specimens of physical manhood as her eyes had ever before beheld. Their faces were black, brt their hearts were fearless, and they were a daring band of men to meet in combat. They were all splendidly mounted, rode well, and were armed with a rifle, pair of revolvers and a knife each. In their broad-brimmed light som- breros, buckskin bunting-shirts, cavalry boots a dangerous and . ¢ and spurs, they presen : wed . , 4 P "4 ‘i ae mM 4 f~ - J&P a *. , Mae ig wa ds P 4 p goa” 4, + ‘ ‘ Fb rs a>, -— —_ ill ‘ J — e : = g ‘ ae & ?, “gw. fe 4 : Pa - € . ‘2 ae nA } << 48 * ; zg nie’ ‘* < 4 ‘ 4 oe pam ar 4 = , emg : - —_ ’ « N ; White B believed they ee . : a: > F ) x striking appearance, and Janette, now whol- | ly reckless to personal danger, felt no dread in | leading them to the rescue of tneir master. ‘*‘Come on; and we will charge the In- dians. Use your rifles first, pour a standing fire, but be careful in.your aim not to harm Major Monkton! then draw your revolvers and follow me.” ‘* We'll be there, missy, nebber fear,” respond- ed Zip, enthusiastically. Having decided upon her course, Janette, a young girl, who, a few weeks before, in her | tastern home, had been as gentle asa dove but whose long trip across the plains, and following scenes of carnage and sorrow had made her a perfect Amazon, now rode to the front of the sable cowboys and led the way on tke Indians’ trail. The red-skins quickly saw that they were being pursued, and the determined manner of their foes caused them to hasten on, anxious to reach the shelter of some cottonwoods ahead; but this intention Zip divined and urged Janette to go at full speed, which she at once did, and the tired ponies of the Indians were quickly gained on by the fresh one in chase. ‘*Halt here! Aim well and fire!” cried Janette, drawing rein just in range of the In- | _ ward the timber, where that brave doctor fell, dian’s arrows. The red-skins at once’came to a halt, and al- most instantly raising her rifle, Janette cried: Fire!” The steady rifles cracked almost together; then followed in the clear voice of the girl lead- er of the black cowboys the one word: ** Charge!” CHAPTER XIX, THE RESCUE. THE volley fired by Janette and the black | cowboys under her command, was thoroughly, well aimed, and completely demoralized the In- | dians, especially as they saw their foes charging | upon them at full speed. Another circumstance to aid in the demoral- | ization was the fact that their enemies were black men, led by a young girl, and one who had so cleverly escaped from them when they d her in their power. This band of Indians, from the northern coun- try, had never seen a negro, though strange stories were told in their tribe regarding them. At first they had believed them to have their faces blacked, but a red-skin who spoke English | after the capture of Major Monkton, had asked him regarding them, and had been told that. they were really-black-skinned, with a few ad-_ ditional facts, or stories about them, which would have greatly surprised the colored cow- boys had they heard their master’s words. What the major said was quickly interpreted by the English-speaking red-skin to his com- rades, and the result was tbat all seemed to feel a kind of superstitious horror of the black cow- boys, and would have put their white prisoner to death for thus exciting their fears, had he not, suspecting the plot, told them that the black horsemen with him were but the advance-guard of a large army that would trail them to their villages if one hair of his head was harmed. It was in this superstitious humor that Janette found the red-skin band, and, after the deadly fire of the black cowboys, and their wild charge, it is not to be wondered at that the Indians were attacked by a panic which sent them flying over the prairie, leaving the horse to which their prisoner was tied to go flying off alone, for no one in particular seemed to have it upon his mind to take charge of the major at such a mo- ment, Seeing the animal dart off, Janette rode rap- idly toward him, while the black cowboys press- ed hard on the heels of the flying red-skins. To catch the pony and release the major was but a few moments’ work, and then taking a small bugle that hung about his neck, and which the red-skins had not robbed him of, believin it some medicine charm, the ranchero sound a recall for his men, : It was a running fight, hotly pressed, with the advantages on the side of the sable ranchmen, for they had killed several of the red-skins, while only two or three slight wounds had been received upon their side. Having at eal ag the rescue of their mas- ter and punished the Indians, upon hearing the recall Zip,gave orders for the return, and, with a shout*of triumph, they went flying back over the Ab fo i ell, my dear child. we are quits, for you have saved my life,” said Major Monkton, warm- ly, as he grasped Janette’s hand, when he had sounded the recall upon his bugle. ‘‘Tam so happy to have served you, sir! but I could have done nothing without your brave men,” answered Janette. ‘* Nor they without you, for I am confident you planned the pursuit, for Zip is reckless and would have cnarged in pell-mell and lost, for it was your deadly volley that hurt them, as four Indians and two ponies fell dead, and several were wounded under it. **T tell you, Janette, that was as well-planned as any Officer at the fort could have done it. ‘* But here are the boys and we will get back to the ranch, for 1 have a little wound or two eS be . , ; : : iF. ty 7 4 a eaver, the Exile of the Platte. : 9 that is worth looking after, and I see several of my men have felt an arrow-point, too.” The black cowboys just then dashed up witha cheer, and the major called out: ‘* Well done, boys! You covered yourselves with glory that time.” “The brave young missy showed us how, sah,” declared Zip. ‘* Well, I will appoint her as your captain in — a ee eee ee | future, for lam getting too old to follow such wild riders as you are,” said the majcr, with a smile. ‘* Tankee, sah! an’ we is glad to hab Captain Missy; hain’t we, boys?’ Zip’s question was answered by a hurrah and the waving of sombreros, and the major said: ** Now, Captain Janette, you are in for it as an old man’s ward and the leader of the black cowboys!” Janette blushed, and her lips quivered; but © she answered: ‘*T thank you, Major Monkton—” ‘* Father Monkton now, my child.” ‘Yes, sir, it shall-be Father Menkton, for I feel that | have indeed found a father in place of the one I have lost. ‘*But, sir,” and she controlled her emotion with an effort, ‘‘as we are well on our way to- can I take some of your men and ride there to see if we can discover any trace of his fate?” “Certainly, my child; but, as you are worn out, let Zip take a half dozen of the boys and—” ‘** No, sir: I had food and a short rest, and I would feel better to go myself.” ** You can, and but for the wounds several of us have received we would all go. ‘* But your horses are fresh, and I know Zip will not let you run into danger. Remember, Zip, Captain Janette commands you, but you are to take care of her all the same, and none of your recklessness while she is along!” ‘*Go, sah; Pll skedaddle ef I sees a Injun,” meekly answered Zip. ‘* Yes, or an outlaw, too, unless he is dead. ‘**Come, Janette, be off at once, for it is get- ting late, and while you lead your band, I'll lead the ab ‘bons back to the ranch.” With wishes for her success, in learning some- thing regarding Doctor Powell’s fate, Major Monkton, who had received several painful wounds, and four of the negro cowboys, who had likewise been wounded, started for the ranch, while Janette and her eight black horse- men went at a swift gallop toward the scene where the Doctor Scout had so daringly sprung from his horse to allow her to escape. CHAPTER XX. THE DOCTOR SCOUT A CAPTIVE. I WILL now return to Frank Powell, the Doc-— tor Scout, at the time of his springing from his horse, and leaving Janette to go on alone. The firing of the outlaws upon them, as théy seemed about to round the head of the ravine in safety, showed him pape conclusively that. they would not spare the girl if they could kill or wound him. In the nobleness of his nature, he determined to offer himself as the sacrifice, and, if not im- mediately slain, to trust to his own prowess, so vat se a often tried, to extricate himself, . He was no man to shield himself behind a ~ woman. He saw that the white horse could not e the double weight of himself and Janette, ahead — se of the fastest horses of the outlaws, and, if they continued the chase, he knew that they would continue to fire upon them. . Acting from impulse, he slipped off of the back of the horse, urging him on witha slapand | ey a cry, and stood alone in the midst of his foes! He had made every calculation in his favor, | and this at once failed him and left him at bay before the outlaws. es That calculation was to ur pei the led horse, the animal that had belonged to RichardJoslyn, the father of Janette. = Ae He had raced close behind them up to the mo-— ment of the Doctor Scout’s springing to the ground, and he had expected to seize his rein — and mount him, after he hed emptied his revol- vers at the coming outlaws. : But the perverse animal wheeled far out of his reach, and turning, darted back toward the outlaws, at the very instant when he could have been of such use to the doctor. ; Thus thwarted, there was nothing for it but to stand and fight it out. fight. He had been placed in positions a score of times when life depended upon acoolhead,an iron arm, nerve and deadly aim. He had no idea of throwing his shots away. He saw that Janette was safe,andaglarcein the direction from whence he bad come showed him the Indians coming on with a rush. The outlaws were pressing upon him, it was true, but the red-skins were pressing upon them, : or would be in a few seconds, an@ it was whether he could stand them off and be eaptur- ed by the Indians, or must go under to his ii 2 foes, the Red Angels. | e saw all in the time of a lightning’s flash, © a chooksicom <€om cS oo he Frank Powell was no novice ina stand-up ss