Beadle's Dime Library No. 417: Tucson Tom — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

a iy —— Ce eee ——_ a ~ where he had left her in company with the faithful Buckskin. As he rounded the rocks a deep thud that was full of significance reached his ear, and he was just in time to see a dusky figure fly- ing through the air, with arms and legs projecting in every conceivable direction, and finally vanishing in between a couple of rocks. Tucson Tom jumped at conclusions. The attitude of his steed told him what had occurred. Buckskin had found an opportunity to en- ter his vigorous protest against such a back- banded game, and as his hind hoofs struck the skulking Apache full in the chest as he was about to seize upon Dancing Feather, the result must have been to break some of the fellow’s ribs. Just as he appeared upon the scene a couple of guns spoke. One of the bullets tore through the sleeve of Tom’s coat, whiie the other hummed past his ear in a cheerful way. He dropped in his tracks. Dancing Feather was frozen to the spot with horror, and from the shelter of the rocks near by came two yeliing, exultant devils glorying in the belief that they had finally ‘‘downed” the best man who had eve! defied their tribe. Half-way across the little plateau came the two Indian warriors. The game seemed in their hands, and all they apparently had to do was to stretch out their hands and take it. In this, however, they made a little mis- take, and one that was to cost them dear. Tom’s stratagem had proven a complete success, and his foes were now just where he wanted them. His arm was sudden] came a sullen Plunging shot—a little wreath of white smoke curled up, and the leader of the Apache braves fell heavily on his face. This did not stop the other, He knew that only one course was open to ‘him, and as the white ranger sprung to his knees the red-skin dashed forward. There was some hope of his reaching the hunter before he could fire, but this was in- stantly put to flight. As the Indian advanced he found himself glaring into the fatal tubes of that weapon which had already proven so destructive to his companions. The ranger saw he had a brave man to deal with, and it cut him cruelly to be com- pelled to send the death-bullet; but the devilish ]ook on the face of the Indian told that nothing would prevent him from carry- ing out his fiendish desires after death. So his doom was sealed by the heavy re- port of the terrible revolver, Tom had come out on top of the heap, and so far as he could now see his way was clear. The Apaches had run against a hard cus- tomer when they tackled him, and there must be mourning in their tepees for a long pc to come, over the terrible results of this trail, lt was easy work for the ranger to catch one of the horses, After this he mounted Buckskin, and with Dancing Feather at his side, rode toward the east, keeping on the border of the bad lands, He knew full well there were other bands of the Indians in search of them, and that too much care could not be taken in their further progress. Once during the morning they sighted foes. The Apaches were far out upon the legs and could hardly be told from ante- ee om had secured a couple of Indian baokete, and these the fugitives now don- ned, At the same time they took care to hide themselves among the rocks at the first favorable opportunity, and remained there up the hostile band had passed from sight. _ he Indians were heading toward the point where our friends had first struck the bad lands, and if they kept on in this line, the result of the morning’s desperate little affair must soon come under their notice; this meant a fresh pursuit. thrust out—there |. Tucson Tom, the Bowie Bravo. eee eee lain, across yawning arroyos that ribbed the land: and still on toward the land of the ris- ing’ sun. The day passed without any disturbance, and as night gathered her sable mantle over the scene, the brave ranger drew a sigh of relief, believing they were secure. He could not see into the unknown future, or he might have despaired of reaching the end, New troubles awaited him. CHAPTER XIV. BUCKSKIN ON GUARD. THe night was not so dark as that preced- ing it, the stars seeming to shine with a bril- liancy they had not then shown, Tom and his fair charge made a frugal meal from the exceedingly small stock of provisions which the ranger carried. The latter was not entirely satisfied with their position. Had the horses been less fatigued, and his companion a tough man instead of a frail girl, he would have insisted upon proceeding further before halting for the night. As it was, they had been compelled to draw up upon the comparatively open plain. True, no enemies had been in sight at sun- down, and if he could be positive that their arrival had not been seen from some one of the many timber patches around, the Texan would have drawn a free breath, He had no reason to complain of the con- duct of Dancing Feather, Through all of the astonishing trials that had come upon him, she had acted nobly, and Tom’s heart had gone out to her more on this account than because she was pretty. He now looked around for a place where she might sleep. Gathering a heap of moss and leaves, he made as comfortable a bed as lay within his power. Mabel thanked him sweetly. He left her to seek slumber, while ke made the circuit of their little camp to see that all was right. : If was in a patch of timber; the trees grew sparsely, and a little stream, bubbling out of the earth, flowed some ten yards or more and then vanished, to reappear again some distance off. The murmur of this little spring made soothing music, that ‘lulled the soul to slumber. - Tom halted outside the motte, and listened long and earnestly, while his eyes endeavored to pierce the darkness in the direction whence they had come. e heard nothing suspicious, The cooling night breeze fanned his bronzed cheek, and brought to his ear the sounds that may be heard during the hours of dark- ness upon any southwestern plain, but for these he had not a thought just then, Finally he returned to the snot where he had left his charge. Dancing Feather was asleep. He had just reached her side when through the scant growth of trees toward the east he caught a quick glimpse of a moving light. it flashed for an instant and then vanished. Tom was startled, Was it a signal? He had seen a torch waved thus by an Apache and as readily understood by anoth- er miles away. Filled with new apprehensions he hurried again to the edge of the little timber motte, and this time looked earnestly toward the east. , All was darkness there. He could distinguish the faint outlines of one or two patches of trees close by, but they were almost wholly swallowed up in the great black chaos of uncertainty; yet around him, so peculiar was the starlight, he could s | almost make out the blades of grass. For ten minutes he stood there and looked earnestly toward the east. No further sign was vouchsafed him. He was thus left in a dilemma and could not positively declare one way or the other. What he had seen might have been the signal torch of an Indiaa, or else a meteor flashing through space. There was nothing to make him believe one thing before the other. As he saw nothing more of the strange | light as time went by, he was inclined to be- 9 | mysterious flights through space of a meteorie | body, and upon this ground rest the case. With this view of the matter he should have rested easy, but it was plain to be seen that he did not. Once more he returned to camp. The young girl still slumbered quietly, and for this Tom was glad, as she would need all the strength she could gather for the balance of her journey. He looked around the camp for the last time preparatory to seeking rest himself, The horses, fastened by lariats, were feed- ing upon the clumps of sweet grass to be found between the trees. They appeared perfectly contented. Tom fondled the velvety muzzle of his favorite steed a short time. In Buckskin he knew he had a sentry who would signal the presence of danger should it come in the person of Indians, for whom he entertained the liveliest hatred. More than once in the past, while Sami alone on prairie or mountain, his master ha been aroused by his shrill neigh or snort of alarm, and aroused himself just in time to escape danger, perhaps death. He could generally sleep soundly even in a hostile country, when he had Buckskin to keep watch and ward over him. On this occasion it was different. He was not worrying now about himself, but on account of the charge he had, His recent experience had proven that the Apaches were abroad in force, and that they would spare no effort to capture or destroy the daring man who had carried off the fair god they worshiped as the princess of the sun. This was what made him unusually anx- ious and kept sleep from his eyes for some time. Nature is all-powerful, however, and her demands are very hard to resist. Lying there, Tom finally dropped asleep. The cropping sound from the horses was the last thing he remembered hearing, as *% was also the first he heard when he awoke. He knew he had been asleep, perhaps for an hour or two. Raising his head, he listened intently, the worrying thoughts that had occupied his mind before laying down coming back to him in the first moment of his wakefulness. There was nothing suspicious to be heard. Making up his mind to this fact presently, the Texan ranger once more shut his eyes, and allowed the drowsy god to steal away his senses in the lethargy of slumber. Time wore on. The heavenly constellations continued their never-ceasing march toward the west, and midnight had arrived ere Tom again awoke. This time he did so with a start, Some sound had arousedthim. Ah! it was repeated—the snort of a horse. Buckskin’s signal of danger. The ranger was now fully aroused, and his mind grasped the situation. He could still hear the cropping sound, but this was caused by the mustang of the young girl, which, being an Indian horse, had no particular reason for stopping his feeding even if red-skins were around. Tucson Tom slowly raised his head, and then assumed a sitting posture, leaning up against a tree, at the foot of which he had been sleeping. He seemed to feel the spirit of danger in the very air, and yet his quick ear caught no unusual sound that wouid tell of peril hov- ering over them. The wolves had come nearer, and their’ — howls went up from just beyond the fiinge of trees, as though they scented fresh meat, which was of course not so, as there was nothing of the kind in camp. This being the case, Tom wondered what had brought them around in such force. In itself this was nothing to him. Many a night he had slept as soundly as ever a babe.could, while a circle of the un- canny brutes around his tent made the live- long night hideous with their howling chorus. Tucson Tom was not lomg in making up his mind that there was something about that needed investigation, He had drawn a revolver, and as he sat there. cast his eyes around him. 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