Beadle's Dime Library No. 411: The White Crook — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

———— — a at a safe distance from the rifles on the cliff. ‘was apparently free and allowed to do as she and Taos brandy, which they found quite ac- ning, ‘‘and then ag’in we moughtn’t. On the queer.” ‘does look that way sometimes. That man is m ‘money matters, f’rinstance; but he’s clean gone ‘the Sarpy, ‘and they surely seemed to be. I looked a : “4 - A, A + ; 7 - . ‘es _ —~ > - ~*e ts * e White Crook. 13 ered to the ground, where the settlers stepped off, overjoyed at their escape from a peril which they fully appreciatec. CoUAPTHLR XVII WHO WAS EVA DUNNING? Trz fugitives were warmly welcomed by the poople of Bella Vista, and as warmly expressed their gratitude for their rescue, Mrs, Dunning was immediately taken posses- sion of by Hester Sarpy, who found her vacil- lating between joy at her escape and grief at the loss of Eva. Few explanations were made at that time, as the men were all occupied in intently watching the movements of the baffled savages. The first movement of the Apaches was to pursue and recover the abandoned horses, at which Captain Dunning grunted and growled. Then they moved down the valley in a body, As they went, it could be seen that the girl pleased, while Ephraim Cronkhite was dis- mounted, bound, and otherwise treated as a prisoner. The Apaches did not go far, but halted with- in half a mile of Bella Vista, as if they meant to camp there. Leaving Barney and Manuel to watch them, Hark Sarpy led the way to the house, followed and accompanied by Hettie and all his guests. ‘‘This is a mortal fine place,” said Captain Dunning as he walked along. “If I'd. ha’ knowed it was here, I reckon I’d ha’ tried to strike it afore now. Air you the owner of it, mister?” ‘‘T am the owner,” answered Hark, ‘“‘and my name is Hark Sarpy.” ‘““Sho! You don’t say! Then you must be Hark, the Hater, the man who has laid out more of those cussed ’Paches—” ** Hush!” whispered Hark, as he pressed tho settler’s arm and pointed at Hettie. ‘‘ We don't need tc tell all we know, and I hope that my daughter there has never heard of Hark, the Hater.” ‘* Allright, Cap! Dll be mumas a mouse and put a muffler on the boys. But you’ve donea mortal good work, all the same, and this last job of yourn is one that I and my folks will be everlastin’ ly thankful fur, Jerusalem crickets! is that your house?” When they reached the house, Hettie was on hospitable thoughts intent, and bastened to help Shawnee Kate prepare a dinner for the large arty. sd Mrs. Dunning, after she had »xamined Ben Boggs’s hurt and discovered that it was hardly worth noticing, followed her young hostess into the kitchen, where she insisted on rolling up her sleeves and bearing a hand in the household labor. She did bear a hand, and proved to be so useful, that Hettie was allowed to do nothing but ‘stand around” and direct her com- ‘panions, Hark Sarpy seated his guests on the veran- da, and brought out some American whisky ceptable after the labor and excitement of the morning. Having learned who the new arrivals were, ‘where they had come from, and the particulars of their flight from their home in the valley, he led up the conversation to the events that had occurred just previous to their rescue, ‘We mought ha’ got away safe if it hadn’t been fur your help,” remarked Captain Dun- whole I’m inclined to believe thatthe red scamps would ha’ got our scalps, which they was achin’ fur terrible bad.” “6 As it was,” suggested Sarpy, “‘ you lost two of your party.” “Yes: but that warn’t no fault of ourn, as they scooted off o’ thar own free will, and one of ‘em the Injins was friendly to, and t’other may chance to pass fura crazy man. So I’ve got hopes that they may both be safe.” ‘‘T have met that man before,” said Hark, ** and my two young friends here were with me when I met him. It was at a lone liquor sho on the other side of the range, and he talk about the poor red-men and their wrongs in a way that made us suspect that his head was ‘Wal, I can’t say as he’s crazy, though it wife’s cousin, Eph Cronkhite—Cranky, as I ca him—and heis smart enough in some things, in respect o’ the red-skins. Eph means well, Mr. Sarpy; but he don’t know.” ‘*And he won't believe what is told him by le who do know,” observed Jack Bunn. “That's a fact; but he’s likely to find out something fur sart’in now—dead sart’in, as I may say. I don’t want any livin’ white man to be worried by the red scamps, but I have some- times thought that I could stand the loss of E ph Cranky, if he should turn up missin’.” ‘You say that the Apaches were friendly to 1 who ran away from you,” remarked at her closely, and took her to be a white girl; oe ee SS OO CTC od but Isuppose, from the friendship of the Indians, that she must have been an Apache.” ‘* Not she!” emphatically replied Captain Dunning. ‘* Half-breo2d, then?” ‘* No half-breed, neither. I’ve been among ’em enough to know tho reds and the half-breeds when I see ’em, and I’m mortal surc that thar’s not a drop of Injun blood in that gal’s body.” ** Who is she, and where did she come from?” ‘“‘That’s more’n I kin say; but I know whar she came from last. I stole her from a band of ’Paches on the north side of the Mogollon Range. She didn’t want to go with me; but I took her home to my old woman, and we growed to be mighty fond of her, and it hurts me mighty bad, Mr. Sarpy, to think that my Eva is gone,” ‘* Eva?” exclaimed Hark, with suppressed ex- citement. ‘‘Is her name Eva?” ‘*Eva is her name, and we called her Eva Dunning, fur want of any other handle.” ‘You gave her the name of Dunning, then. Did you also give her the name of Eva?’ ‘*No. She fetched that with her. She onl knowed a few words of white folk’s talk when got her, though she picked it up right fast with us; but she Caan her name, and she said ‘twas Eva. It don’t seem as if the Injuns could ha’ give her that name.” ark Sarpy was then visibly excited, and he bent forward, speaking in a low tone, but very earnestly. ‘*Of course they did not give it to her,” said he. ‘*She was stolen from the whites so long ago that she has lost the recollection of every- thing but her name, and she must have been a mere child when she was stolen. How old is she now?” ‘She don’t know nothin’ about her age, of course, I call her sixteen, and the old woman puts her at seventeen. I reckon she mought be somewhar between sixteen and seventeen.” ‘*Mr. Dunning,” said Hark Sarpy, speaking yet lower and more earnestly, ‘‘ ten years ago my wife and her babe were murdered by Apaches, who carried off my little girl. She was then a child of six years of age, and would ied be a little over sixteen. Her name was va, ° ‘* Marciful Heavens!” exclaimed Captain Dun- ning, and a strong current of sensation ran through the group on the veranda. ‘*She had black hair and eyes and a dark skin,” continued Sarpy. “When I looked through my glass at that gat to-day, 1 seemed to bring up the image of my lost child. As sure as there is a God above us, I believe that the girl you rescued from the Apaches, and who left you this morning, is the daughter that was stolen from me.” Captain Dunning was so overcome by this an- nouncement, that it was some minutes before he recovered from his astonishment, | Then he made a remark that was calculated to highten the interest of the scene. “Tf that’s the case, Mr. Sarpy, I reckon the truth kin be shown, and you won’t have to go far to git at it.” ‘* How so?” eagerly inquired Hark. ‘‘When I took her away from the ’Paches she had a leetle gold chain around her neck; but it was gittin’ too small for her, and the old wo- man took it off and kept it fur her. I reckon she’s got it with her now. Wait till I fetch Em'ly.” Captain Dunning found his way into the kitchen, and soon reappeared with his wife, whose sleeves were still rolled up, and who was not pleased at being disturbed in her work. He whispered in her ear a few words that opened her eyes wide, and made her cheeks flush and ‘urn pale. “Ts it Eva’s chain you want?” said she, “Yes, ve got it right here.” From some mysterious recess in the bosom of her dress she brought out an old leather wallet, and tock from it a small gold chain, which she handed to Hark Sarpy. i He devoured it with his eyes as he held it in his trembling hands, and seemed about to burst into tears. “She is my child!” he hoarsely cried. ‘‘ This was my Eva’s chain. I remember it well, and remember when I first clasped it around her neck, See! here are the initials of her name, KE. 8. God help me?” His head dropped upon his breast, and his hand shook as he clutched the precious relic. ‘Eva is Mr, Sarpy’s daughter,” whispered Captain Dunning to his wife. ‘*Sakes alive! And now she’s gone back to the ’Paches!” ‘*One favor!” said Hark Sarpy, suddenly rousing himself. ‘‘I must ask you all to do me one great favor. My daughter in there must know nothing of this. If she should learn that her sister is alive; that she has been rescued from the Apaches, and has gone back to them, and that she is now so near us, the effect upon her would be terrible. You must all promise me that you will not breathe a word of this mat- ter in her hearing, or give any hint by which she might guess at it.” The promise was eclopty siren by all. “Dear me!” moaned : phecaing fo “This has gi’n me sech a turn that I don’t know how SSS Sst I’m goin’ to git over it. I’m glad that dinner’s ready, and you men folks may come in as soon , as you want to.” sgn CHAPTER XVIII. BELLA VISTA INVADED. DINNER came as a relief to all, with the pos sible exception of Hark Sarpy. Even he seemed to brigkten up as he minister- ed to his guests at the table, though there was a, cloud upon his brow and a weight upon his mind which he could not shake off. Hettie was also somewhat gloomy and occu- pied with her own thoughts, and when she was asked the reason of her silence she confessed that she was thinking of the girl who had gone “4 back to the Indians!” ‘‘She was a white girl, father,” said Hettie. ‘*Mrs. Dunning is sure of that, and her name is Eva. My little sister’s name was Eva, too. ; How strange it is that she went back to the In- 3 dians!” ‘* Very strange and very sad,” replied Hark Sarpy, who was quite willing to drop the sub- ject. He renewed it after dinner with Captain Dun- ning and his two young friends, whom he took out into the grounds for the purpose of a private consultation. Captain Dunning told how Eva had seemed not to have been weaned from the Apaches, as was shown by her occasional fits of restlessness re and moodiness. He said that when he stole her from the red- ig skin band she was dressed in the highest styleof = Indian gorgeousness, and had evidently been : well treated and made much of among them. ty yee That fact was further evidenced by the story — she told of her betrothal te a young chief named os Carroh. 5)? He was doubtless the Indian rider who had -, called to her as she was approaching the cliff, ota and she had recognized the call and gone to _— him, shi These were sad and serious details to Hark : Sarpy; but through the darkness he thought he saw a little ray of light. : It was possible that in going back to the ee ih fae ches Eva bad obeyed a sudden impulse of which she might afterward repent, and in that event her recovery would not be hopeless. Whatever the caso might be, every effort must be made for her recovery, and the only yar question was of the best course to adopt. a rs As the force of Apaches then in the neighbor- Aes hood of Bella Vista was clearly too large to be : openly attacked, Hark Sarpy proposed totakea few good men and hang upon their rear when ma they went away, picking them off until hecould procure sufficient assistance to overcome them, ~ Gey Captain Dunning, who was nearly as anxious sy about the girl as her father was, at once volunm- teered to make one of the party, and Mark Ste es ney and Jack Bunn entreated that they might ‘oii counted in. t For the carrying out of this plan it was neces- sary that the movements of the Apaches should be closely watched, and sentinels were posted in addition to those who had been already detailed for that purpose. It was learned that the Indians had camped — but for a short time in the valley within sight of Bella Vista. They had then, as it was supposed, gone aside into the lls, but were believed not to have left the vicinity. Two or more of them were discovered, in the ; course of the afternoon, sneaking up the oe that led across the range, and they were fred he sf upon, but without effect, unless the firing may ~~ have deterred the main body from taking that course, as. 3 When the day was ended it was decided that oS ¥ all the people at Bella Vista, with the exception — of Manuel, who was to guard the path up the Die. 5 eastern cliff, should go to bed and get a good ae noe the monies Hark a posed, hese n the morning, as Hark Sa ro ee and Captain Dunning would ay My scout to as- ) ae certain what had become of the enemy. | ee In the morning, however, there was amost __ Cmanpeoted and surprising change in the situa- on. A: Just at daybreak, as the inmates of the house were beginning to stir, they werestartled bythe sound of a rifle-shot, eid coming (ie —7% A ” We heii the eastern sido of the plateau. + As soon as ible all the men were outof _ their rooms and on the veranda, most of them — with their weapons in their hands, ; Hark Sarpy was the first to get outside; but — he was not as quick as Shawnee Jim, who had slept outside, and was at once ready for action. ee wR t was supposed that Manuel, discovering some sneaking Apache in the pass below, had fired at him, > ee Nobody thought that the shot could mean anything more serious than this, as it was be- lieved that no enemies could succeed in getting access Lo the plateau. a _ Thus it was curiosity, rather than a sense of danger, that brought out the inmates of the house in such a hurry, ire But they soon learned that the alarm wasa > aoe serious business than they had supposed it == 9OO (ECO MICE cS * soy a Ay ea aK