Beadle's Dime Library No. 411: The White Crook — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

'. She did not need to go far ‘Sarpy came in a hurry to the ed 12 ‘ “3 - +4 - The White Crook. who were taking delight in torturing him, pre~ paratory to putting him out of the world. “They were having quite a picnic over friend Manuel,” continued the host, **‘ aad if we had not stepped in just as we did, there would soon have not been enough of him left to swear by.” It appeared that the savages had murdered the Mexican’s wife and child; that after bis rescue he had attached himself to Hark Sarpy, and that he was chiefly distinguished by his devo- tion to ‘“‘ Miss Hettie” and his intense hatred of Apaches. oth of these men carried rifles which they seemed never to lay aside, and they had come to consult with their chief concerning the reliaf of Barney Driscoll from the duty of guarding the Shawnee Jim was directed to take the Irishman’s lace, and the host and hostess, as night was hen coming on, retired with their guests to the house. An excellent supper followed, and afterward the men sat out on the broad porch and enjoyed their smoke in the balmy night air, with the further blessing of the presence of Hettie Sarpy. That was special blessing to one of them, at It was soon evident to the most careless ob- server, not only that Mark Stepney admired the young lady, but that there was a mutual attrac- tion between them. In fact, ew had not been seated out there an hour when t ey monopolized each other, and Jack Bunn was left to the society of his host and Barney Driscoll and Manuel. Hark Sarpy doubtless noticed these indications, but did not consider them objectionable, as he commended both of his guests to the considera- tion of his daughter. of her voice. find him, and Hark of the cliff, calling her father at the le the come this way.” ‘ing the party narrowly through ere, and beckon to them to | CHAPTER XVI. PULLED OUT OF PERIL. Hark SARPY’S orders were immediately and implicitly obeyed, Barney Driscoll hurrying in one direction, while Hettie and Jack Bunn ran off in another. He was not a bit idle himself, but hastened with Manuel toa big tree at a little distance he busied just at the edge of the cliff, where iimself with some ropes, Having finished his work there for the pres- ent, he and Manuel joined Stepney in waving and beckoning to the people below. ‘‘ They see us!” he joyfully cried after a little of this exercise, which was then renewed with fresh vigor. ‘‘'Yes, they see us for sure, and have sense enough to understand that help is intended. They have changed their course, and are com- ing toward us.” ‘* How can we get down there to help them, or how can they get up here to us?’ demanded Then he suddenly broke away from his com- panions, and cantered after her down the slope. This double escapade was too much for those - who watched the performance from the edge of the cliff. They could not begin to understand it. That two white persons, and one of them a girl, should desert their own people and rush into the arms of the cruelest of all enemies, was utterly incomprehensible. Hark Sarpy was the only one who made an effort to solve the problem. ‘‘That girl must be an Indian,” he said. ‘‘ It can’t be explained in any other way. Yet, I could almost have sworn that she was white, and there was something in her face that drew me to her.” ‘‘ Supposing her to be an Indian,” observed Mark, ‘‘ how would you account for the queer action of the man, who is undoubtedly white?” “Why, didn’t you know him, Stepney? If you had looked through my glass, you would Mark. “‘ Why should they believe that they can | have recognized him as the man we met at get help from us?” ‘** Because they see that we are white, and they know that we would not hold out false hopes to them, and 'they trust us. Thereis Barney with the horses. Come with menow, and I will show you how we can help them.” Stepney accompanied his host and Manuel, who had also joined them, to the big tree, reach- ing it just as Barney came up with two horses on a keen run. Attached to the tree was a beam that was lowered to a horizontal position by a stout chain, Through the end of the beam a rope ran over a pulley, and was fastened toa broad, square platform, which was then resting on the ground. their companions, and Hark gies a 8 fie ass, at is — was more particularly direc the girl, who had fallen behind the foremost of we. rest’ when they stopped and gazed at the girl. | eee en EEE EE Paddy Byrne’s—the missionary from Michigan —the friend of the poor red-man—Mr, Crankeye, as poor Pat called him.” ‘Has he been crazy enough to go to the Apaches of his own accord?” ‘‘That seems to be about the size of it. He has found his friends, and will soon learn what sweet and tender creatures they are. We can only hope that they will give the poor devil an easy death.” By this time the white people below, perceiv- ing that the seceders were beyond their control or recall, were hastening toward the cliff, and were rapidly approaching the platform, which had nearly reached the ground. The Apaches were evidently more surprised ‘They soon began to fire at the ascending load of human freight; but the rifles of the four men on the platform cracked and kept cracking. (ae accompanied by Jack Bunn and followed by | the party. At the same time Hark Sarpy and his two. ty Shawnee Jim and Barney Driscoll, Manuel being “Amhat girl cannot be &n Indian,” he said, ests joined the music, and the fifing became mS on guard at the pass. | « ae she is nearly dark eng to pass for brisk while the people on the platform were Bes. “Hettie tells me that you have seen Apaches | one. No, she is’ surely white. Heavens and | rapidly becoming less available as a mark, aks 4: below there,” he said, as he reached Stepney. earth! what does that mean?” The Apaches had already suffered from the Se Mark heey to the two parties in the valley The girl had suddenly turned her horse, and, | fire of the white Sig ows and were not disposed the where the fact that they were fugitives and | deserting her companions, was galloping like | to face it recklessly. fet, pursuers was becoming every moment more | mad toward the re 5 Brave as they were, they were strongly in rhs —— | A sudden of surprise and dismay burst | favor of having the biggest chances on their et, ‘glance told Hark the Hater the truth, and | from the lips of every person on the cliff. own side, while in this case the advantage of pega he was instantly all excitement and action. She was evidently too good a rider to allow tion was with their foes. et “It is a fact!” he exclaimed. ‘‘Those are | the supposition that the horse had run away Perhaps they might have been spurred up to _~—~—ss- white settlers pursued by Apaches; and they | with her, and her strange action was apparently eater temerity, if it had not been for the fire ee will surely be overtaken and murdered unless | due to design. om the-top of the cliff, but the people up there ee we can help them. But wecan help them. We This fact was made certain when she contin- | could pick them off at their ease, and run no aN must and will help them.” ued her flight until she joined a young Apache | danger of being hit in return. ae ‘What can we do?” demanded Mark, who rode forward to meet her. A few of the foremost Apaches dismounted et “*You will soon see, If they have sense The meeting was evidently a friendly one, if | and threw themselves on the ground, as if hop- a). enough to know help when they see it, we can | not affectionate, and she rode with her savage | ing to get better chances by crawling forward; A help them. Barney, get two horses and gear | companion across the creek to the other side of but the Ser fire from above teaey ¥ them so ee for the derrick, and be quick about it! Hettie, | the valley. : uncomfortable that they abandoned the effort. gl dear, run to the house and get my field glass, | Before the group on the cliff had recovered | Thus the savages kept at sacha distance that, oo Bit, with my rifle and cartridges! Go with ber, Mr. | from their astonishment at this remarkable | though there was‘a great deal of firing, nobody | ee Bunn, and bring your rifle and your friend’s! | occurrence, another surprise was sprung on | was hurt, with the exception of a very slight pa All may be mi You may stay right here, | them. reg Were di , wound that Ben Boggs received at the opening ae. Mr. ang é a to attract the attention of | The tall man on the bony horse halted with | of the engagement, = ot ; own In a little while the platform safely reached. the top of the cliff, and was swung in and low- A. ‘*T have only known my young friends for a The other end of the rope passed around a | by the arrival of Ephraim Cronkhite among a little while,” said he; ‘‘but in that short time I | drum at the foot of the tree, and terminated in | them than by that of the girl, and it appeared a have learned tolike them and believe in them. | a hook that could be attached to the gear of the | to upset them for the moment. P A man who has served with Major Powell, as | horse-team. | But they speedily recovered from their aston- a9 Mr. Stepney has, is sure to be the right sort, Mark Stepney needed no explanation of this | ishment, and he was taken in charge by a couple ) i and Ican certify to Mr. Bunn as a man who | arrangement, and all turned their attention to | of bucks and led to the rear, | he: has brains and knows how to use them,” the approaching party of white people. Then the savages, seeing their prey about to | is Before the young men went to sleep that The scene in the valley had become more | escape from them, started forward as if they . hy night they warmly declared to each other that | exciting since the fugitives changed their | had resolved upon a grand coup and meant to | ea the longer Hark Sarpy should choose to remain | course. do all the damage they might before the fugi- ert at Bella Vista and keep them there, the better The Apaches, fully aware of the presence of | tives could ascend tke ciiff. oe they would be pleased. white people on the cliff, had hastened the pur- | Hark Sarpy leaned over the edge and shouted | 4: After breakfast the next morning there was | suit, asif hoping to cut off their victims before | to those below: again a general sallying forth. they could receive any succor. ‘*Turn your horses loose and jump on the Bea Hark Sarpy had many matters to attend to heir foremost horsemen were getting peril- | platform! Wecan haul you all up together.” ie about the place, and when he went to look after | ously near the fugitives, when four men of the Tuere was nothing else to be done, and the cs them he was accompanied by his guests and his | latter halted and delivered a fire that did some | chance must be seized at once. oy daughter. hfe damage and checked the advance. Though the settlers must have been greatly 2S After a while, quite in a natural way, and as Then the four men mounted and rode after | grieved at parting with their four-footed SET if they had not the faintest intention of purpose- | their companions, who were rapidly approach- | friends, it was a question of their own lives, and he es ly separating themselves from the rest, Mark | ing the cliff. they could not hesitate. ae Stepney and Hettie Sarpy strayed away and ‘* Those folks are no fools, and I don’t think Dismounting as soon as they reached the foot aan wandered about as it pleased them. we will have any trouble about saving them,” | of this cliff, they gave each horse a cut that eee They strayed to the Western side of the pla- | said Hark Sarpy. sent him galloping down the valley, and hasten- hg teau, as the young lady declared that she could Jack Bunn and Hettie came up almost breath- | ed to get on the platform. PA never get enough of the view that was to be | less, their steps having been hastened by the It was pretty well crowded by the five of oa enjoyed from that elevation. sound of the firing. . | them; but those who were watching from above a As they stood there together, gazing down Hark Sarpy took his rifle and his field-glass, | could see that the woman was placed on the aan into the valley, or at the rugged and lofty hills | and Mark and his friends prepared for ac- ; side next the cliff, while the men handled their ae beyond, Hettie suddenly pointed downward and | tion. rifles and faced their foes as well as they could. wet northward. The platform had been rarer over the edge | It was necessary that they should do so, as be Look!” she eagerly exclaimed. ‘‘ There are | of the cliff by Barney and Manuel, who were | the enraged Apaches were coming up the slope ) ae some people coming this way!” lowering it in the sight of the fugitives. ata rapid rate, and were then nearly within : eg Mark looked and saw them plainly. It had been known for some time that there | rifle range. | He He counted seven persons on horseback, and | were two women in the party of white people, ‘* Haul up!” shouted Hark Sarpy as soon as | ox had no doubt that they were white people. and it was then evident that one of them was a | the platform was loaded, and Barney instantly | ve “There are some more!” cried Hettie again. | matron and the other a young girl—points | started the horses, which had been standing Pe, | “There are others coming down the valley | which highly interested and excited Hattie | hitched to the derrick rope. after them. Are they white people, too?” eare: It was a pretty hard pull; but the machine ~~ A brief inspection convinced her companion | The sight ‘of the platform as it was being | had been fitted for heavy loads, and Barney and that the others were not white people, — lowered undoubtedly had an exhilarating effect | Manuel both took hold of the rope and helped Bee; “Those are Indians,” he said. ‘They must | upon the fugitives, as they waved their hands | the horses, so that the platform came up quite | ‘eae be Apaches in pursuit of the white people.” to their friends on the cliff, and pressed forward | rapidly. | Pes} ‘May the good Lord have mercy on them! | with renewed vagrvy’ he mounted men of the Apaches rode on at nea oi F4 er must know of this at once.” The four men in the rear were closing up to | their best speed, and the warriors on foot hur- * a startled fawn she ran over the plateau, ried forward. | ,00 Eo com Ying ame = ; — , i 4 A. °s a FP _ ‘ . * — x : . on o ’ > - a — Cc S) a eee ee y ( A .s