Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 48 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

But this uneven conflict could not last long. ” “Little by litfle’the great man’s strength fails him. His breath comes quick and hard—almost in gasps. The wolves press closer and closer, and finally roll forward like a wave. A wail of agony rose from the valley. ' The moon hid her face behind a great black cloud. And Frank and Billy, exchanging significant glances, turned their backs upon the valley of death, CHAPTER XXXIV. BILLY BRADY IN TROUBLE, Frank CASELTON and Billy Brady at once set out for Lake Tahoe with the rescued maiden. The way was rough and diffi- cult, and rendered very dangerous by the gloom of night. Billy acted ‘as guide, while’ Frank escorted the fair Zoe along the ragged way. After hours 6f weary traveling they reached the lake, when they were met by an unexpected difficulty, Savages were swarming along the shores, and jin his search for a canoe, in which to éscape to! the island, Billy Brady ran into a party of savages and was captured. Frank and Zoe were not far away, but fortunately their presence was not discovered, and they es- caped their friend’s misfortune. Billy struggled like a young tiger, but the odds were against him and :he»was compelled to succumb, He was disarmed, and at orice marched back into a narrow defile, where a halt was made and a fire lighted. ' As the flames flared out and cast their light upon the scene, the young prisoner glanced around him; and his heart sunk with hopelessness in his breast when his eyes fell upon the tall, power- ful form and stolid, sinister face of the Indian, Tall Pine. The warrio® was seated upon a rock a little to one side, smoking a clay pipe. His eyes were cast downward, anda sullen, morose look clouded his stoical face. He seemed engaged in thought, He never looked up—never glanced toward the captive. A short consultation was at once held regarding the disposal of the prisoner, and they were not long in coming to a decision, Billy was thrown prostrate upon his back. His arms and legs were then spread out and forked sticks driven over them, there- ‘by pinioning him to the ground. What awful torture the youth was about to undergo he never knew; for presently Tall Pine arose to his feet and uttered an exclamation that called the attention of his friends from the ob- ect of their intended barbarity. Then for fully ten minutes Tall Pine addressed the party in his native tongue, and that Billy was the subject of his remarks was evident from the glances that he occasionally gave the youth, Billy could not understand a word that was said, but he knew, or at least supposed he did, the import of the speaker’s words. | He believed he was pleading for his—Billy’s—life, that tlie promise he had made the Boy Hunters but a few days pre- vious might be honorably fulfilled, He had promised by .the Great Spirit that the first prisoner taken by the red-skine should be set at liberty to consummate the conditions of his parole; and that: there was honor in this savage, no difference how strong his ill-feelings toward Billy were, was manifested in his pleadings for the lad’s life. After Tall Pine had concluded his speech, a general conversa- tion ensued, which finally terminated by Tall Pine drawing the ons from over Billy’s limbs, and bidding the lad to rise. ‘The pale-face boy is now in Tall Pine’s power,” the Indian said, as the youth stood before him, his hands crossed behind his © back; “ he knows the boy who gave Tall Pine his life, and Tall Pine remembers his promise, and he will keep it. Let the pale- face go free into the woods; but when he is taken again he shall — die.” “All roight, me honey,” said Billy, with a bow of mock po- liteness, and turning, he he walked slowly away into the shadows, But no sooner was he concealed from the view of his captors than he took to heels, and ran, a8 he never did before, toward es the water, he plunged in, and struck out for the floating island. He was an excellent swimmer, and, was soon out of reach of the shore, his lithe form cleaving the waters - qrithout scarcely creating an audible sound. , Meanwhile Frank Caselton was not idle. He could not, nor would it have been prudent to, leave Zoe to go in ‘search; of Billy. His first duty was to see that the maiden was safe, then ——, — .~ eee [icemelllisdbeamesunnasillineanssementdiieesalll go to his friend’s assistance. He well ‘Imew’ that she would be safé nowhere except upon the island; ‘and while he was wonder- ing how he could get there, a canoe, with a couple of savages'in it, put into the shore within a rod of where they were concéaléd. The savages landed, and ‘pulling the canoe partly on the beach, went away into the woods, As soon as they were out of hearing, Frank led Zoe down to the water’s edge, and launching the canoe, embarked with her therein. iy In ‘a very few moments they were beyond reach of danger from the shore; but there were other canoes besides their own afloat, and they were compelled to bend their course saci gn ally to avert being run into. Suddenly Zoe grasped Frank by the arm in an excited en ner, and whispered softly: “Frank, some one is Hanging td our canoe!” r Frank drew his revolver and turning upon the seat; gazed along the edge of the canoe, | The darkness: was so intensé that he was compelled to look some time before he could perceive the outlines of a human'head alongside of the boat, | © a There was an ominous click as the youth drew back the hei mer of his revolver, : ! “Whist there, now, Frankie!” a voice suddenly. said in a low tone, ‘and b’ the Mother av Moses it’s: me, Billy Brady.” “Thank the Lord for that,” murmured Frank, rieaiitesh his revolver to its sheath, and assisting Billy into the canoe, “Then you gave the enemy the slip, eh, Billy?” **No, I got off on parole—on the strength of that en Pine affair thit mees were telling yees about.” ‘* Indeed! I had no idéa that the savage would keep his word,” replied Frank. | “Nor mees;' but, Holy Virgin! the wather, the shore — the air is full av red-skins to-night.” ! , 4 Hark }? "Tae The dips of a paddle and the swash of water was heard near by, and before the trio had time for a second thought, the side of their canoe was stove in by the prow of a strange craft run- ning afoul of them. A cry of horror’ pealed from Zoe’s lips as Seen the three sunk in the cold waters = the bay. ; Z CHAPTER XXXV,._. IDAHO TOM AND THE MAD TRAPPER ON THE MOVE. By'a dim fire that burned on the hearth of the Mad Trapper’s eabin, satthe old borderman himself and Idaho Tom.) Without it was night, black and gloomy. The door of» the cabin was closed and barred. The little — dow also had been fastened up, and every available point strengthened and guarded with extreme care, as mem tees dp was apprehended. ‘Yes, yes,” the trapper. was saying, when we tniride upon the privacy of their conversation, ‘“‘ the days of peace are all over with hereaways, Thomas. Old Molock has: been stirred up, and he in turn has stirred up the red-skins,”’ “And one might aswell stir up a hornet’s nest,” added Idaho Tom, || ) HOY th “Yes, the condemned sapien are mean and devilish; and they’re swarmin’ over from the foot-hills’ like muskeeters, Shouldn’t wonder if we’d be Gréven out 0’ here in _ than a week, »” } ‘¢ But I can’t see, for the life vy me, rege agaist: Ton, but his words were here cut short by a clicking sound starting sud- denly up im the big pine’ chest in the corner to the left of the fire-place, The old trapper started to his feet, and glancing toward Tom, at the same time assuming an attitude of intense listening, raised ‘his finger as if to: enjoin silence npon the lips of his companion, The clicking in the corner lasted for only a moment or two. Well, if I must, I must; tor I won’t ask you to go out,”’ the trapper said to his companion, as he turned and advanced to- ward the chest. Reaching it; he inserted a key, turned it, and then lifted the lid, revealing to the Ee is of the age . @ telegraphic battery. “I thought so from the first night I staid here, friend Dee,” the youth said, pointing to the iristrument. ‘‘] "lowed you’d hear the thing click; but nthe it’s no use keépin’ a sécrét from a friend,” teplied the ‘trapper, with an air of philosophical gravity. ‘That, Tom, is an undefiled, giniwine, ‘ Jightnin’-geared telegraff machine; ‘and I’m the child that fingers this end of the communicatin’ thingumbob, Zoe Leland Varned FOMINIGDOOKSHE (0)