Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 492 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

an’ IT hev my leetle weaknesses. _ the settlements an’ see a chap amblin’ ’round in - @ swaller-tail coat, tall hat, shiny boots, cane an’ eye-glass, my narvous systerm rises right up one of great and constant peril. and become rich at a bound,” Border ** Hold mp. thar! What be ye skimmerin’ *roun hyar fur?” ‘‘ Brother, [ am one of Storm-Cloud’s war- riors,” was the reply, in very clear English. ‘‘Wal, what in hurl—I mean Halifax—do ye want hyar?” ‘¢T would talk with my white brother.” ** Would ye?” “Thave spoken,” ‘‘T heerd ye say nuthin’, but ef you’ve spoke, why d’ye want ter keep on spokin’?” ‘Brother, [ would talk with you privately.” ‘Land o’ Goshen—I mean, jest so, jes’ so. Ain’t ye talkin’ with me private? Don’t be so egregious—so moral sly an’ secret. Speak right out, Injun! I’m a white man, an’ my heart is big as a full moon. Say your little verse, Sioux!” Yank did not find it easy to drop his charac- teristic forms of speech, but he did his best. ‘** Brother, you a soldier of the White Father,” pursued the Indian, with dignity. ‘No, I ain’t, fur ’'ve cut an’ run. Ima free agent, an’ a universal slasher. [’m a shootin’ comet on a tower. Want ter take lessons in military tick-tacks? My grandfather was a Revolutionary relix—that is, 1 be one; an’ not that, either, but I wear the blue, you see. I consait you ketch on, though it’s mixed up like hurl— Halifax, I mean.” ‘*My white brother isa jolly dog, and I think he don’t care very much who he serves as long as he rakes in the tin.” ‘*Hullo! strikes me you are an atrocious fanny Injun!” quoth Yank, suspiciously. ‘‘T am no more an Indian than you are, though I have gone in Storm-Cloud’s band for two years. To express it bluntly, 1 am a rene- gade. I turned my back on my race and color, some time ago, and became as near an Indian as nature would allow.” “‘ Mister, why do you tell me this?” “T have a motive. How would you like to become rich at one bound—marvelously rich?” ‘‘T reckon ef thar was a chance, my ‘bound’ would be a big one, by hurl—Halifax!” ‘““You have deserted the army; would you desert Nolaw?” “You are gettin’ on del’kit ground now. [ll trouble you ter keep yer promise an’ do some talkin’; don’t make me do it all. I can’t tell yer story for ye.” Nevermiss was really perplexed. ‘““T will explain in few words. I lately dis- covered a gold-mine which I know is good for at least one-quarter of a million, 1 have de- cided toabandon Storm-Cloud and get rich. In yonder hut is a woman named Agnes Prior. I want her for my wife. To get her, I must have your aid, and I make this pro to you: Let us both desert the allies, wrest the Prior woman from Nolaw, and goto my mine, I will give you one-half of the gold obtained on condition that you join me, help me secure Agnes, and then give her wholly to me. There is the pro- . What do you on nil The white Indian spoke earnestly, and Yank grounded his musket, crossed his hands over the muzzle and looked as earnestly at his com- panion, *T’ve b’en a sojer twenty-odd year,” he delib- erately replied, ‘‘ an’ fit all sorts o’ atrocious in- sex—l mean hostyle critters—an’ I’m as wal u in the tick-tacks o’ war as the next one; but P be thrashed ef that ain’t the most singularest proposal I ever heerd. It is, by—Halifax!” ‘* Isn’t it fair?” ‘Fair! It’s prodigal! it’s lavish! One-half @’ a gold-mine o’ fable-ous richness, Ain’t gota bushel er so 0’ nuggets in yer vest-pocket, fur samples, hev ye?—an’ I can’t expeck ’em in yer vest-pocket, neither, fur ye don’t seem ter wear any clo’se ter speak on.’ ““T have no sample, whatever, but the gold- mine will speak for itself.” . * Does it speak English?” ‘‘Tt speaks the language of gold.” “Land o’ Go— mean, lando’ gold. You tickle my ear; you do, by mighty! One-half f fur me?” ** Yes,” “‘ No mortgage on the mine?” **1t is known only to me,” “‘Mister, you tempt me sore. I ain’t ‘When arfict, go ter inenvy. I'd druther be sech a chap as that than a peacock—lI had, sure as you live.” ** All this you can be.” _ ** Moreover, I ain’t so very much in love with military tick-tacks. Blue cloth is sorter pooty, but the egregious Injuns will use it asa targit, an’ when a man is a deserter, the t’other blue- coats are apt ter take a shy at him.” “Tf you remain with Nolaw, your life will be Abandon him, Yank glanced at the lieutenant’s quarters. He and his fellow-deserter were still talking and Sar hand _ ** You say the idee is fur you an’ me ter pitch =n | in like hurl—I_ mean Halifax—an’ lick Nolaw, an’ then take the female an’ skedaddle?” “ Exactly.” ; ! s deal ~ rr 7 a = a j d * . J Bullet, the Prairie Sharpshooter. ‘‘Nolaw has a man with him.” ‘We are good for two men.” ‘* Land o’ Goshen! yes, I should say so. Mis- ter, give me yer hand. Your offer seems ter me like a benevolent scheme all through, an’ the pedigreen o’ the Yel— That is ter say, I’m all ready.” ‘*Good! Now let me say that I think prompt action necessary.” ** So do I.” ‘You will be relieved presently?” ‘Jn’ bout an hour,” Yank confidently as- serted, ‘Then why not move at once?” ** An egregious good idee.” ‘Then hear my plan. Do you call Nolaw to the door, and, the moment he gets there, I'll cover him with my revolver. At tbe same time, you draw a bead on his companion.” This plan did not suit Yank, who knew that Nolaw would recognize him asa _ bogus soldier, even if his true identity was not revealed, the moment that his face wsa exposed to strong light. This must be avoided. ‘‘ No,” he replied. ‘* Decoy Nolaw ter the door an’ overpower him without givin? bim a chance ter call out, an’ then when his frien’ comes ter investigate, sarve him the same way,” ‘Will it work?” ** To be sure.” “Well, we'll try it. ‘*T be, mister.” Yank smiled grimly as he thought how his present companion was bein proposed to make the white Indian a tool in the rescue of Agnes, and then deprive him of all the fruits of the victory. The gold-mine he set down as a concoction and fraud—in any case, it had no charm for him. All he wished was to rescue Agnes, and the renegade had no claims to good usage. They consulted for awhile, and then proceeded to put their plan into effect. The renegade took place at one side of the entrance, and Yank, barely exposing one blue-clad arm behind the blanket, asked Nolaw to step to the door. Promptly and unsuspectingly the lieutenant obeyed, but as he came out the renegade, who was an extremely muscular man, seized him by the throat and swung him off his feet. He was laid upon the ground without the utterance of a word of alarm. Yank let the blanket fall fully, and then sprung forward with the ready cords. In a very se Sas space of time, Nolaw was bound and gagged. This success encouraged the singularly-match- ed allies, and they decided to attack the second man’ in the same way at once. Yank again brushed the blanket a little aside, showing his arm but not his face, and informed the man that ‘the lieutenant” wanted toseebim. The trap worked well, and the victim was ready. He came out, and, in a very short time, was tied up pac laid beside his superior—and all without an arm. The renegade slapped Yank upon the shoul- er. ‘‘ Ha, ha! my bully soldier boy; how’s that? I don’t want to boast, but Pll bet something you haven't the muscle these arms of mine Are you ready?” ‘*T dar’ say not. I’m rayther weak, o’ the two. Used ter be strong enough, but army life never did agree with me. It’s sapped my ani- mal muskle, an’ gi’n me a turn o’ the newrol— I mean, 0’ the roomatic fever, the wu’st way. Now, s’posen you go in an’ get the woman? I'll wait byar. But, hold on! Your Injun ex- terior will scare the wits out o’ her. Can’t you scrub off the wu’st on’t?” ‘* No need of that; Pll simply tell her I am a white man in disguise, and my voice will prove it. Ill convince her I came here as a friend— Wait! I have the idea, I'llsay I come from Yank Yellowbird. Il tell her Yank and I are working together, and that he’s just outside the door. How’s that? Ha, ha! on’t that be a rich joke?” | ‘‘It will, by hurley!” the mountaineer agreed, chuckling. ‘* And when she comes, you pretend to be Yank, eh!” “*T will, ef ye sa **T do say it. but, really, Yank Yellowbird’s ally. Best joke of the season!” eg, peat again, the renegade entered the hut, while Nevermiss looked after him, nodded, and muttered: ‘*T'll be condemn’d ef it ain’t a pooty fair sort 0’ a joke!” so.” ere I go—Indian to look at, Ha, ha! CHAPTER XXXII. TOO LATE! YANK did some rapid thinking when left alone. He had intended to continue the decep- tion on the renegade until they were outside the deserters’ camp, but there was great danger that the exposure might occur before he wished, y Agnes recognizing bim, and so near to the larger hut that the sleeping men would be awakened and alarmed. Such being the case, he decided that the best place to settle the matter with his temporary ally was right in Nolaw’s hut, The result would deceived. He; fac ty soon be known, and the worst encountered, Acting on this theory he entered the hut. He was just in time to hear his name quickly spokem ¥ ee ‘‘Yank!” she cried. ‘‘ Yank, near at hand?” ‘‘-Yes, madam; just outside,” the renegade replied. ‘‘ He’s waiting for you, and the quicker we get away the better.” ‘*T am all ready.” **' Then come on!” There was a rustle in the inner room, and the white Indian appeared, a grin on his face. He was not yet through relishing his ‘‘ joke.” Agnes came quickly forward, and at sight of Yank she hurried forward and caught bis hand, ‘*Oh! Yank—dear old Yank!” she exclaimed, “this is happiness indeed! You came like aw angel from paradise!” ‘* f ain’t one, leetle woman,” the mountaineer good-humoredly replied. ‘* You never see am angél rigged out in sech a blue suit as this, or ef e did, I consait it didn’t fit so monstrous bad. teva admit that I am an angel when my trowsers don’t reach more’n four inches below my knees, an’ thar is loose cloth enough ‘round my waist ter make a baby a winter duster. But this ain’} ter the pint. Mister, do you smell any rats or mice?” The speaker leaned upon his musket and looked fixedly at the renegade. The latter had seemed surprised when Agnes so readily ac- cepted his “ ally” as Yank Yellowbird, and the last question brougbt a look of uneasiness to his e. ‘¢ What do you mean?” he asked. ‘‘T mean that your leetle joke is double-bar- reled, an’ that this young woman ain’t tooken im half so much as you be. In brief, mister, I am the real, ginerine Yenk Yellowbird!” ** What?” ‘* Jes’ so.” . ‘*-You are joking.” ‘¢ Not a bit on’t.” ‘‘ But—your uniform—” ‘‘] borrered it of a sojer I tackled, tied up an’ chucked into the bushes; an’ then I took his place, as I was wal qualified ter do, sence my ran’father was posted in military tick-tacks. ow, mister, you hev bragged about ycur muskle, so ri ere yea chance ter try it ag’in” a weak critter like me!” Yank set his musket up against the wall and grasped the renegade by the arm. The latter was dumfounded, and temporarily incapable of action, but by this time his wits had returned. He realized that his ‘“‘ally” was telling the truth, and saw the snare into which he had rum through his own scheming. He was, however, - a thoroughly brave man, and with a flerce ex- clamation he grappled with the tall mountain- Fr Another moment and they were staggering back and forth, lecked in a close, but far from friendly, embrace. Ped Agnes clasped her hands and stood looking om like one in a nightmare. The repeated scenes of strife and danger she had witnessed had reyed upon her until it seemed to her she coulé face no more. Every nerve was in active revolt, yet some other power neutralized this, and she stood like a statue and watched with dilated eyes and a face from which nearly alk color bad receded. Yank Yellowbird was beset with no suck fears. He knew that the renegade was a mus-~ cular man, yet he went into the fight with con- fidence, In grim silence, and with every muscle strain- ed to the utmost, the two fought on, The rene- gade’s first confidence was gone. Yank’s grasp was almost like that of a grizzly bear; his quickness of motion would have done credit te aman of half his years; and every effort made by the white Indian to throw him was a fail- ure. But the end was near, and it came abruptly. One moment the renegade was on his feet, and bis chances seemed as good as ever; the next, — he was lying flat upon his back and Yank was kneeling upon him, The victory was won, just as was to be expected, but the mountaineer was: afraid that his prisoner would cry out. He drew a knife. ‘“Not a word!” he ordered, in deep, sterm tones, scarcely recognizable as genial Yank Yellowbird’s. ‘Ef you screech 1’ll do sutbin” desp’rit—I will, by hurley!” And he waved the weapon before the rene- gade’s eyes. ' That person, however, was not afool. He knew the tall veteran well by reputation, and had no desire to invite death by any stubborm course. He promptly replied: ‘‘T surrender !” ‘« An’ won’t screech?” | ‘* Not a screech.” ‘‘T shall hev ter tie ye, as I did the rest.” ‘“T haven't a word to say,” groaned the prisoner. ‘It is pretty rough, and—my cursed stupidity will make me sore of mind for many a day to come, but I'll take my bitters like a little man. Iam not fool enough to defy Yank Yel- lowbird, when I’m the under dog in the fi bt.” “You mav be a dog, mister, but P be thrashed ef I owh up ter bein’ one o’ the spe- cious, bottom or top, Hows’ever, that don’t oO ’ , ‘> iow = Sy colt : - ‘ " . . . Age ak Pods «gt 5.) ees eer | fF : e m 1 ey QO (@\@) < ' ; = eS