Beadle's Dime Library No. 411: The White Crook — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

Dunning to follow later with the soldiers and the others. He had then come to the conclusion, having talked the matter over with his friends, that Jack Bunn had found his way into the Apache den, and had not been permitted to leave it, It was therefore necessary to follow his trail, find the way by which he had got in, and rush an overwhelming force upon the Apaches. Of course it was easier to form this plan than to carry it out; but Hark Sarpy was deter- mined to do his vtmost to rescue his young friend, or avenge his death. Before he reached the spot where he and Jack had separated, he ordered his two companions to halt, as he intended to go forward alone. “T know the route the boy took,” said he, ‘Cand I think I can follow his trail better alone. So I will make a little scout, and will come back to you shortly. Don’t stir from here unless you hear something.” He went on quietly, and with the greatest ossible caution, naturally suspecting that if Sack had found his way into the Apache strong- hold, the savages would be on the lookout for more white men in that quarter. It was well that he moved cautiously, as he had hardly come in sight of the place where he parted with Jack, when he saw something else. This was only a feather, scarcely distinguish- able from the foliage near it; but Hark Sarp at once knew it to be part of an Apache head- dress. He dropped down behind a convenient rock, and waited and watched. The Indian was evidently waiting for some- thing or somebody, and he would wait for the Indian. The truth was that the Apaches, discovering the escape of their prisoner, were also speedily made aware of the fact that Eva had assisted him and disappeared with him. Unable to find any trace of the fugitives at the time, or to guess how they had got outof the basin, they sent scouts through the only outlet that was known tothem, to look for the prisoner and the traitor. The Apache upon whom Sarpy had nearly _ stumbled was of course one of those scouts. _ Hark saw the feather move, and was con- ___. firmed in his suspicion as to what was under it. ala Directly the head and shoulders of the owner of the feather were raised, and he peered about _-—_— and listened, as if he heard some distant sound. _ ~—~—~—-—s Sarpy listened intently, and was almost sure that he heard voices in the distance. pee _ Jt was then broad daylight, and the sun was up and shining brightly, and Hark was getting : tired of waiting, when he was quite sure that he heard voices. The Apache scout subsided into his conceal- / ss ment with a grunt of satisfaction, and the white /——s man kept close behind his rock. ~~ - Down an incline at the left came two young ____ people, and the Hater could scarcely restrain ~ ie Pinel? when he perceived that they were Jack and Eva. ~~. ‘They halted at a few paces from the Apache, and Hark watched intently. _._ _ He could not suppose that the scout in ambush i would kill either of them, as their capture, if ~~ they had yeally, escaped, would please the re ae vastly better, and that could be easily 5 3 ae e = ° oy” We r a co cted, as Jack was unarmed, | « -‘It was quickly made evident that the case -—s-was one of escape, as the Apache rose suddenly ‘before them, and Eva uttered a cry of alarm, _-~—-while Jack picked up a stone as the only avail- able weapon. ~~ The savage was about to advance upon the --—-young man, when a bullet from Sarpy’s rifle ‘went spinning through his head and put an end to all his earthly efforts. -—-—s- The shot produced a sudden change of scene. _™’ As Hark Ramps rose and showed himself to the young people, Dpaches came running down the little ravine, and at the same time Manuel and Shawnee Jim hurried up to join their leader. Clear out, you two!” he shouted as he point- ed the way down the glen to Jack and Teva. _.. They ran miele i and he settled down behind his rock to wait for the oncoming Apaches. As they came in view his rifle cracked again and again, and each shot told. “fh ay eg ah a « UF an! ; Ps -. Manuel and Shawnee Jim came running up to __ him, and in a few minutes there was no longer any fight left in the Apaches, «If there were any more of them near at hand, they did not show themselves. Jack Bunn, who had only gone far enough to fe E gee that Eva Ray: safe, eee back to his friend as speedily as possible. _-He found Manuel anxious to enter the pee ar a ~ > __ -which he had explored to his sorrow, and ot Sarpy restraining him. “Don’t try it!” cried the youngman, “ That 6 is where I went in, and I was gobbled up so quick that it made my head swim. Itisa very marrow pass, and one man could keep out an A yaad Spahr his ammunition lasted.” = “ demanded Hark. “Not that way. Bya way that could never ff, - be worked in the daytime and could never be struck at night, Eva found it for me from the Ob w did you get out?” ~ = é ry ae as hg Le : . ay = P ‘ <j . 7 ‘ , . 4, -, ; .<*.c8 ~ iui¢ P - -” _s -- /- Cee EEE | career tnatintiat ne OO EE «eee — —— Ds aes “a J i lk on ae The White Crook. inside; but that was another matter. It was she who saved my life. Come and see her.” Hark Sarpy was glad enough to do this, and he accompanied the young man down the path, leaving Shawnee Jim and Manuel to watch for more Apaches. They found Eva seated on a rock, and Jack took her by the hand and led her to Hark. ‘¢ This is your father, Eva,” said he. ‘“F don’t know him,” she briefly answered, and there was no look of recognition or of awakened affection in her face. ‘* And I would not have known you,” said her father; ‘‘but I am sure that you are my lost child. Never mind, little one; we will get ac- quainted with each other before long, and I shall not lose you again.” “Tt don’t know you,” quietly observed the girl; ‘‘ but I know Jack,” ‘*Oh, you know Jack, hey? It don’t seem to have taken you long to make his acquaintance. Well, Iam glad that you know Jack and that you have done him such a great service. As you and the young lady are on such good terms, my boy, you had better bring her along.” Jack did bring her along, and she went with him willingly enough. Hark Sarpy called in Shawnee Jim and Manuel, and followed the young couple down the glen. He had found his child and recovered her, suc- ceeding in the object to which he had been true through so many years of his life, bunt she was not his daughter yet—she did not know him, and took no interest in him—and that must have been a torture even to his stout heart. But he controlled his feelings, as he was ac- customed to do, and was content to wait for her affection. It was easy to see that just then the young man whose life she had saved was all in all to her, and it was to be expected that Jack Bunn would prevent her from wishing to go back to tbe Apaches. Her father only hoped that the two might go through life together as they were then walking together. shortly they met Captain Dunning and his son, who were overjoyed at seeing Eva and de- lighted at the safe return of Jack. A little further down the mountain Captain Lang was met with a portion of his command, and there were more rejoicings and congratula- tions, with more story to tell. The officer, when assured that the hiding- lace of the Apaches was discovered, was anx- ious to go up and capture them; but Hark Sarpy and Jack Bunn succeeded in persuading him out of that idea, convincing him that he would lose more than he could gain by the at- tempt. ‘* For my part,” said the Hater, ‘‘I am not in the humor for worrying them any more. have killed my last Apache, unless it should be in self-defense. If they will let me alone here- after, I will let them alone.” ‘ ‘What shall we do, then?” demanded Captain ang. 7 Yast go away. I have recovered my lost child, and all I want now is to take her home.” “Home it is, then. I shall not have a bad report to make, as the expedition has turned out well, though I must confess that little credit is due to the military portion of the party.” CHAPTER XXXVII, ‘*] SMELL ’PACHE,” Home it was, though Captain Lang was not entirely satisfied to make the start until after he had closely questioned Jack Bunn and Eva. Eva was not disposed to wish any more harm to the Apaches, who had been kind to her in their way, and she declared that she could give no information, except that it would be useless for the white men to try to get into their hiding-place. : Jack Bunn assured the officer that it would be impossible for him to find the route by which he had left the basin in the dark, If it should by chance be found, it could not be followed at night, and in the daytime it would be quite impossible, as the Indians could pick off the invaders as fast as they a gree ; It was decidedly his opinion that the Apache stronghold was impregnable, and Captain Lang, after listening to a minute account of the escape, was forced to the same conclusion. With this, the knowledge that he could no longer depend upon his irregular allies had much to do. Hark Sarpy and Captain Dunning were satis- fied with the recovery of Eva, and the former had declared that he was no longer a ‘‘ Hater,” and the others were not disposed to ‘‘ tackle” the Apaches any further. Captain Lang well knew that without their assistance his soldiers would not be of much use in those mountains. ‘*We can afford to let them go,” said he, ‘‘and give the Mexicans a chance at them. If my men have killed no Apaches, it is a con- solation to reflect that no Apaches have killed them.” Home it was, and the combined regulars and irregulars packed their belongings, their horses, and started on the return journey. ' ‘ : elvis €8 ead, et & > a ? % 2 . oa eon PT Saw - Wet ‘4~ =a _? we Stas - é : ite. 4 - 7 — r ¥ —_, “- ‘ * en * % > be : ia it > t+ 7 7 ¥) ay ee i ; =, , 4478 - : a tte 7 * A . . * 5 ‘ ‘ « + ‘ </ . : x | Wi oft Pa! ‘ mounted | where abou Hark Sarpy was happy, Jack Bunn was very . gay, and Eva was more than contented. ta’ anuel was the only one of the party who cast longing glances backward at the mountains, 11% grieving because he had not been able to slaugh- ter more Apaches, A horse was provided for Eva, which she per- sisted in mounting man-fashion, her reasonable excuse being that there was no side-saddle in the party. She also ees in riding with Jack Bunn, and it was the pride and glory of that young - man to be permitted to act as her escort. To this arrangement her father made no ob- jection, but plainly showed his approval of it. ‘‘She is still an Apache,” he said to Captain Lang. ‘‘She has no recollection of her family or her former life, and she can’t have cared much for the Dunnings, as she was so ready to leave them.” ‘*She saved the young fellow’s life,” observed the officer. ‘* Yes, and that was because she had taken a sudden fancy for him. She is an impulsive little savage—no doubt of that. This fancy will be the means of civilizing her, and when she is civilized she will be my child again. The scheme is working to suit me very well.” If association with Jack Bunn was to civilize the girl, she seemed to be getting civilized very fast, as they stuck to each other like a pair of burrs. Jack had a great deal to say to herin addition eo matters that specially concerned himself and er. To no other person could she have listened sm er go ven when he endeavored to recall her to er past life and to interest her in her family and friends. He told her of the murder of her mother and her baby brother by the Apaches, and bow her father,:returning to his home, had found it in ashes, his wife dead in the ruins, the mutilated body of the babe near by, his youngest daugh- ter stolen from him, and the elder only escaped by her absence from the scene of destruction. He went on to describe the sufferings of her father and his long and tireless search for his lost child, which had at last ended happily, though as yet she did not seem to know him or care for him. As Jack had heard only the outlines of the sad story from his friend, he was obliged to call him in to supply the details, and thus the father began to get acquainted with his daughter, and | the work of restoring her to civilization pro- | gressed favorably. Hark told her of her mother and her sister, and brought up incidents of her life as a child that made her eyes open wide, and produced the beginnings of a remembrance that was sure to grow. Then he told her of his pleasant home at Bella Vista, and of the sister who had given her up a for dead, but would welcome her as one return- iE ed to life. , ‘‘She will never care for me,” objected Eva. , ‘“ because IT am an Apache.” ‘‘ You are not an Apache, my child,” answer- ed her father. ‘‘T suppose I am not; but I had lived with them so long that I thought I belonged to them, and after I went back os them I would never have got away if it hadn’t beem for Jack.” **T am sure that I would never have goti away,” observed that young gentleman, ‘‘if it hadn’t been for Eva.” This was quite satisfactory to Hark Sarpy, | who declared that he hoped that neither of them would get away from him. During the first day’s march the returning party met with supphes of provisions and am- munition which Captain Lang had directed to be sent after bim, The ammunition was not needed, but the pro- visions were thankfully received, and the irre- ars received enough to take them to their omes. After they had crossed the Gila they continued up the north bank of the river until they reach- ed the San Carlos, when Captain Lang and the soldiers kept on toward their post, and Hark Sarpy and his party started to follow the valley up to Bella Vista. Those who were mounted on army horses kept them, promising to send them back by the sol- diers who had been left at Sarpy’s place. ‘ During the journey thus far Manuel had kept casting longing glances backward in the direc- tion of the mountains they had left, as if his mission had not been fulfilled. After they started up the valley he seemed to have abandoned the hope of inflicting any pce damage upon the Apaches he had followed so tar. \ He had, in fact, abandoned that idea; but it was only to take up with another one, which stuck to him persistently in spite of the in- credulity and occasional ridicule of his com- panions. | ‘*L smell ’Pache!” was his new craze. No Apaches had been visible since they started to return, nor was there the slightest reason to suspect the preeee of any hostile Indians any- em. 4 Hark Sarpy, whose sense of smell as regarded _ ‘;OmIc