Beadle's Dime Library No. 411: The White Crook — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

—- * * ‘ goog pe The White Croo >, an o~ a7” a » aD o 19 side of the canyon, and you will hear from me after a bit.’’ ** How’ll we hear?” ‘You wili hear my rifle speak. Don’t bother about me, as I will be quite as safe as you are. All you have to do is to stay right here, and if the Apaches should happen to come down to hunt what hurt them, you will know what to do to them.” ‘* That’s a fact, anyhow.” Captain Dunning grumbled that the leader wanted to have all the fun for himself, but re- mained where he was posted, and obeyed the in- structions that hud been given him. Uark, the Hater, entered upon his solita campaign systematically and in a style which showed that he was thoroughly in earnest about it. He examined his rifle carefully, took his bear- ings exactly, and speedily disappeared in the darkness at the right of the gorge. No Apache could have surprised him in the silence and secrecy of his movements, and Shaw- nee Jim and Manuel would have envied him if they could have seen him. Among the rocks and scattered shrubs at the side of the canyon he crept noiselessly, gradu- ally ascending after he struck the rise, and keeping himself well covered without trusting to the darkness to conceal him. When he had reached a point opposite to the Apache camp, he was at a little distance above it, and in a position similar to that which he had occupied with his young friends at the time of the first attempt with dynamite, Before him was a rude breastwork of rock broken and seamed; beneath him was a small space of rock that was nearly level, and behind rose the steep and rugged mountain, While the position had its advantages for at- tack and defense, there was clearly no retreat except to go back.over the course by which he had arrived, and in that event foes below him could easily cut him off. It seemed to be a very rash enterprise that he had engaged in, but he evidently knew what he was about. He felt about on the rock beneath him until he found a flat stone, which he raised and set on its edge, Tho stone had covered a hole in the rock, very dark at the time, but deep and wide enough to easily hold a man. There could be no doubt that Hark Sarpy had been there before, and that he was well ac- quainted with this hole and the uses to which it could be put, As the high portion of the pass just below him had long been a favorite camping-ground for wandering Apaches, it may be supposed that he had proved the capabilities of the position. It was possible that venomous serpents might inhabit the hole, and he felt in it with his rie butelicited no rattle and touched nothing sott, Then he was ready for business. Through a break in the rock before him he made a careful survey of the enemy’s camp, Most of the Apaches were on the rocks at the other side of the gorge, solemnly and sedately assing a pipe about, and the fire cast a weird ight upon their bronze forms and painted features. Eva was seated further down the pass and uite alone, seemingly in an attitude of medita- tion, and there was a fierce light in her fa- ther’s eyes as ho looked at her and then at her savage Owners, _ On the near side of the gorge, and almost directly under the position of the spy, was a white man, bound to the trunk of a blasted tree, He was naked to the waist, and the dead wood showed on each side of his lank body. Though it was difficult for Sarpy to get a! just then, view of him, he was sure that the white man was Ephraim Cronkhite, and could see that his face was pale and woebegone. It was apparent that the savages proposed to |» amuse themselves with the manly sport of throw- ing knives at their victim, the game being to see which could strike the nearest to his skin with- out cutting it. The young and ambitious bucks stood up near the fire, and were preparing to begin the game when Hark Sarpy looked down upon them. One of them threw his knife and made an ex- cellent shot, the sharp blade striking the wood close to the white man’s flesh, and quivering as it held there, The Apostle of Peace lifted up his voice against this cruel and dangerous sport. ‘‘ Beware, my red brethren!” he cried, pit- eously. ‘When you hurt me you harm your best friend! Lord, have mercy upon these igno- rant and wrong-headed savages! His words of entreaty were not understood, and served only to raise a laugh among those to whom they were addressed. If they had been understood perhaps the ridi- cule would have been greater, The other young buck was about to throw his knife, when the amusement was suddenly in- terrupted. It was not Hark Sarpy who interrupted it, . é ys eee esses sees | (ries but his Apache daughter, who seemed to have just awakened to a knowledge of what was going on. She ran like a deerinto the midst of the camp, passing the fire, and placed herself in front of the prisoner, facing his persecutors. In that position she addressed to them some vigorous language in the Apache tongue, which Sarpy did not clearly understand, but he knew that she was interfering for the protection of the prisoner. As she touched her head significantly more than once it was to be supposed that she was | endeavoring to persuade them that Ephraim Cronkhite was a crazy man. The Apaches, however, with the aid of Zeke | i | Stebbins, had formed their own opinions on that | point, and Carroh and another warrior started toward her. ‘* She has white blood in her, anyhow,” mut- tered her father, as he made ready to shoot down any person who should attempt to harm her. But the Apaches, though they dragged her away forcibly, spoke to her good-humoredly, and their violence was reasonably gentle. | | | | | That cause of disturbance being removed, the | with him, and did so, and he was able to attend two knife-throwers stood up to resume their sport. It was then that Hark Sarpy interfered to put | a complete stop to the performance. As one of them rai shot forth from the rock in front of him with a loud report, and he fell dead, Instantly came a second flash and report, and his comrade dropped beside him. A third shot from the Se a | Winches- oo added a third savage to the list of the slain. The first shot had aroused the Apaches to the most energetic action. It was as if a bolt of lightning had fallen among them, except that its souree and intent were only too well known to them. Instantly half a dozen warriors started to- ward the rock, and it would take them but a few seconds to climb it and discover their se- cret foe. It was this for which the spy had prepared. He dropped into the hole in the rock with his rifle,and drew the flatstone over the opening. Directly the Apaches came swarming up the his knife, a lance of fire | rock and over into the position which he had so lately occupied. No person was there. He could easily hear their ejaculations of won- attack of the A i der and dismay as they thoroughly searched the | locality and found nothing. They called to their companions, and some of them hunted back along the route by which he had come, but were equally unsuccessful in that direction, With the concealed spy the only question then was, how long they would keep up the useless | house while | ’ : search, as he was aching for a chance to get | out and play the same game again. He knew them well enough to suppose that they would camer A come to the conclusion that there was something supernatural about the mysterious affair, and would get away from the dreaded epee It was not the first time that Apaches had been secretly slain at that spot, and there might be some in -the band who knew of what had eat tet ha ed there. But he ho to get a few more shots at them before they left, in the hope of reducing their numbers, so that his party should be more near- ly an equal match for them. While he was listening and waiting for his chance he heard from the backward trail the notes of a cavalry bugle. Though. the sound was naturally a cheering one, as indicating the near presence of friends, the spy was not at all disposed to welcome it as it gave the alarm to the Apaches, and would precipitate their flight. : a might not get a chance for those few more shots, , _As he crouched in the hole, the sounds that came to hisears told him of the effect of the bugle-notes. he horses were being hastily got ready, and the Apaches were preparing for their immediate departure, . At one time he was quite sure that the search- ers in his vicinity had gone away, and he was about to raise the stone and come out, when voices hear him taught him the necessity of con- tinued caution. He remained in the hole, fretting over his compulsory inaction until not a sound was to be beard anywhere about him. | | } | It had been quiet genough immediately after~ the departure of Hark Sarpy and his party, and Hettie had needed the combined efforts of Mark Stepney and Mrs. Dunning to cheer her up << when she realized that her father had gone om. an expedition of danger. Gradually she recovered her spirits, and walk-- ed out in the grounds with Mark, visiting the: scene cf the dynamite explosion, and lamenting” the loss of her favorite horse which had been carried off by the Apaches. To the young man that day was preductive of” much pleasure, and it was natural that be should congratulate himself on having been leit behind. in such good company. As the young lady’s father could not have- failed ‘o perceive the attraction of the two <7 young people for each other, it was reasonable» » to suppose that he had considered it when he left» = Stepney in charge of his daughter. It was not long before they learned that they were lovers, and Mark, who bad arranged with Barney Driscoll to take turns in watching the - sane grieved when bis turn came to go on- guard. : Hettie, however, proposed to stand his watch | to hisduty witbout taking any time from pleas-. anter occupations. Though there was not the least apprehension | of any danger, the etary being supposed to- be far from Bella Vista, the instructions of: Hark Sarpy were strictly obeyed, and no pre- caution that could be taken was neglected. ey Thus the day passed pleasantly, and when ~ night set in Barney relieved the other half of — the garrison at the pass, and Mark and Hettie —_— transferred the scene of their delight to the house. eS After supper they sat out on the veranda, — enjoying the clear and balmy air of evening, ‘ ‘ales and naturally were in no hurry to goin and make > re an end of the day that had nsoeventful to | them. eg Mrs. Dunning sat out there with them an hour ms oid or so; but, easily perceiving that they were: ORs wrapped up in each other, she finally concluded . that her presence was not indispensable, and re- oe tired for the night. oie Shortly after she had gone inside, the reveries. of the lovers were rudzly interrupted byashot, — é5" and then another, coming from the eastern side __ of the plateau, just as had happened when the- ches was announced. This sure] etokcned a new danger, and — Mark besought the young lady to go into the ee | e should wait and learn what was, at 1 “ * ’ . he * * zs the matter. aoe. She refused to leave him, and he was still © urging her when there was another shot,anda bullet flew so close to her head that she turned Png * Pd r a le. | “e ‘ a then led her in, got his rifle, and hurried, ack, ; o> - He reached the veranda just in time to.) catch sight of Barney Driscoll, who was run— — ning toward the house as fast as his legs would. carry him. ll ** Tnjuns!” almost breathlessly cried the Irish= man, as soon as he came within hearing dis-- tance. ‘‘ The ’Paches is come back, an’ be durned: rae bt behind the fugit ms : shot from ind the itive gave point to his words and Stepney fired at the Basta oe Again and again his Winchester spoke,and; answering bullets rattled against the stone house; but he held his ground until he caught lb” by the hand and hurried him mside. Ie By > ve WAae 3... ® j ¥ og /< ou a he Then they both opened a vigorous fire AT — the stone walls upon the advancing: ES oe. er oe y a Barney was right in saying that the Apachess had come back. ‘_ re These raiders were, in fact, one of the com— bined bands that bad see otra attacked ft; besieged Bella Vista—the same band that had split off and gone up the valley, thus causing> — Hark Sarpy much wonderment and a little un- easiness. | \ ae cole The band was acting under the guidance axils Ing: advice of Zeke Stebbins, who promised the Apaches that they should beamply revenged up-- nite i on Hark Sarpy if they would follow his instruc—~ tions, - wo, AF te Herightly judged that the Hater, learning of the departure of his enemies, would f whe them for the purpose of picking off some of the: ‘ — warriors, and that he would not go alone. This would leave Bella Vista with few defend- ers, giving the Apaches a good chance tocap~ ture the house and its inmates. 5 vm As one of the inmates was Hark - 5 * 9 Pas at e 7 Then he raised the stone by degrees, listened | daughter, the blow would be the severest that. looked around, and finally lifted himself out of the hole. was scattered, None of the retreating red-men were in sight, and he had missed his chance for , Dunning’s ranch, he remained in hid those few shots more. CHAPTER XXVII. BELLA VISTA IN PERIL. In the mean time, the quiet which the owner | and enter the hills on the other of Bella Vista had expected to reign there in his absence had not reigned, RS +. ° xy A: gf e : a * A Thus qs - Ate i? - es i oPate ect cee tke c) mee . ~~ + » ~ ’ d ’ ’ The Apache camp was deserted, and the fire | could bedealt him. eae With this object in view the renegade di> “a rected the Indians to keep on up the valley un- —s_— til they were out of-sight of Bella Vista. Pay While they were engaged in ane Captain — ng below, to watch for chances that would allow himto, — ~ e aes carry out his plans. 5 oN i‘ Greatly to his delight, he saw Sarpy and ~ his party issue from the pass, Foseabe v im e, ae be He was able to count them, and it added to a : his delight to learn that there were seven men, _ J é “« ‘e he 4 : ‘e “ » GF ~~ Ss x ..