Beadle's Dime Library No. 51: Red Rob, The Boy Road-Agent — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

34 : Boake s stae aa foc _ An alarm at “once spread through the ppticta camp, oe As soldiers and settlers at once, flew to their arms and formed in line of battle. But all became quiet when the cause of the excitement became known. . 7 . ** What is this creature you call Centaur?” asked Captain Rushton. Dakota Dan described the animal, and then, accompanied by the captain and a squad of soldiers, they repaired to the river bank where the women had seen it. But, to their dis- appointment, they found it had disappeared. Hoofprints, however, were found in the yielding soil along the bank, which was evidence of its having been there. And so, none the wiser, the party returned to camp, . By this time the sun was nearly down, and a gray mist was gathering in the valley. A faint noise like the rumble of distant thunder. was heard afar-off in the mountains. Dakota Dan shook his head ominously. | “We're goin’ to have a storm, boys, I’m afeard. You can hear the old weather-dog a-growlin’ over in the moun- tain now. The. rain may not reach us from the clouds, but I’ll bet it ’ll come a-boomin’ down the river from up the ‘mountain. But, let it come, captain; I’ve detarmined on one p’int, and that is to foller the track of that animal to its hidin’-place. I’m goin’ to know whether it’s man or beast, flesh or spirit. *) ‘* But night is coming on; how can you see to follow the track?” .. ‘Smoke of Jerusalem, man! don’t you know anything "’bout Dakota Dan, the great Triangle of the West? Hu- mility, my dorg thar, can foller a year-ole trail, and I can foller him, Humility leads, I command, and Patience, my mare here, brings up the rear in reg’lar military order... Both of ’em animals are as sagacious critters, capt’ in, ag ever sunk tooth or boxed American soil. Thar’s good blood in them, capt’in, as ever leaped in equine or Canine veins. I could trace their pedigree cl’ar back to Noah and the ark, I sw’ar I can. But, capt’in, I’m goin’. Keep lots of guards out to-night, and then post men to watch the guards, , Thar’s no tellin’ what ’ll happen in this. world.” _ The ranger took his dog and left the camp. _ The night came on dark and gloomy. The wind soughed dismally through the pinons, and rumbled in hollow, sullen tones among the hills, The gathering storm moaned in, the distance OHAPTER XXIX. TRAILING A CENTAUR, Daxora Dan put Humility on the track of the Centaur and moved rapidly away in pursuit. The creature had, fol- towed down the del los Pinos to its junction, with the San Juan, when it, turned and continued on down the latter stream, Night had already blended mountain and plain in chaotic gloom. The sky was overcast with. black, scudding clouds. The heavens were one quivering sheet of vivid flame, ren- dered more terrible in its awful grandeur by the constant roll of thunder afar off. Such storms as that threatened. were not of infrequent occurrence in this volcanic latitude, though now and theu a fearful wind-storm swept over the mountains and plains of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. Dakota Dan had become familiar with the country and its climatic freaks, and knew exactly what to depend upon. On the night in question he prophesied a heavy rain along the eastern range of mountains, but he was satisfied that it would not- extend as far westward as the del los Pinos valley; that is, that there vould be little rain here, but he had no doubt but the wind and thunder would be terrific. He was satisfied, also, that, . if there was a heavy rain to the eastward, the streams and gorges would empty their flood into the San Juan and fill it to overflowing, even endangering the valley with inundation. - But, nothing daunted, he pushed on for miles Suddenly Humility came to a stop, and manifested signs of having sighted the game they were following. A prolonged glare of sheet lightning revealed the form of the Centaur moving along, with the lofty, majestic tread of a stately buck, a short way before him, its bearded face turn- ing from side to side and glancing backward over its shoul- de:s, as though it detected the presence of danger. It was f lowing the river bank where the trees grew sparse, a a now and then when situ animal ascended a little rise in the surface of the ground, the ;hunter could, see it ontlined against the blazing sky and appearing like some Titanic monster, grim and grotesque. ‘Several times the ranger was tempted to fire upon it, but, as he could not aim with any certainty of success, he finally concluded not to run, the risk of a shot. through. fear of frightening it away; and so he followed on—on after the horrible creature that at times loomed up in the lightning’s glare, then sunk from view in the blinding gloom that fol- lowed, Sometimes he was close upon it, then again far be- hind. The creuture moved on all the time with the same proud, stately gait, while its bearded face kept that constant movement from side to side, as though the lightning’s.glare blinded it. Suddenly the ranger came to a halt, and exclaimed , aloud to his dumb companion: ) ‘‘ Humility, whar the nation are we goin’, pup?—crazy? What are we follerin’? and what. are we follerim it fur? Have we journeyed through life all these, years—through a thousand dangers, to be led to death by—by what? Durn the thing, what is it? . It ar’n’t human, nor it ar’n’t beast, but it’s both. Ah! now I’ve got it!,, Heavens, pup, what con- demned fools we’ve been! That’s the devil—the veritable old skeezicks hisself! and like hundreds of others, we’ve been follerin’ his Satanic majesty, scareely knowin’ it. . Queer you didn’t smell brimstone in his track, Humility... Thar’s no mistake ’bout it bein’ the superintendent of the sulpbur-dig- gin’s. - He’s got a human head, pup; cloven feet, and—well, he’s got no: horns now—reckon it’s sheddin’ time for horns; but it’s no use whinin’— it’s the old imp, and so we’d better make the best of our fool’s errand, and turn noses promptly, and go ba-— Jerusalem!” | A human cry burst suddenly upon his ears. It cume from down tthe river,’and on the wings of the storm, ‘it seemed like a wuil of distress. Q* Dan listened for a repetition of the cry. Away off'toward the, mountains: he heard a faint rolling, Yrushing; roaring sound, as if the sluice-way of heaven had been rent asunder, and rivers of water were pouring down and spreading over the valley in one mighty, resistless tide. ‘“By Judea, pup, she’s comin’!” exclaimed Dan, accus- tomed to talk aloud to his dumb companions as though they comprehended what he said. ‘‘ The rain’s been awful up mountainward,, The gorges have all emptied their water into the river at once and now, it’s: comin’ a-howlin’.. How it-sounds! _ Heavens, but it’s awfull. In ten. minutes more it will be here and the, river ’ll be rushin’ on bank-full. . Yes, pup, and it’s beginnin’ to rain a, Jeetle sprinkle here, and now let us git to shelter.” They turned from the river and started away toward ‘the bluffs. “There again!” suddenly burst from Dan’s lips, ‘* Broof!” barked Humility, softly. Both had heard that cry of distress from down the river again. ‘¢ We must see into it, ole dorg,” said the ranger, and turn- ing, he glided rapidly down the river. Those cries of distress grew plainer and plainer before him, the roar of the advincing »valanche of water louder and louder behind. Still he hurried on—he could not turn a deaf ear to suffering humanity, He suddenly discovered that the sound came from out upon the river. He glanced off in the direction from whence it came, when in the lurid glare of the lightning he saw that which sent a shudder to his soul. In the middle of the river was an island barren of Vegetation. It loomed up against the glaring waters plain and distinct... A post was planted in the center of this island, and to the post, was bound a man in an upright position. From this helpless creature’s' lips issued those cries of dis- tress, for well he must have known that the torrent, whose thunderous tread was plainly audible, would sweep him from existence. The quivering sheet-lightning that illumined the surround- ing with the glare of the midday sun, showed the ranger how securely the helpless man was lashed to the post, The water that separated the old borderman from the island ‘was quite shallow, and the ranger was about to step down the bank and wade over to the helpless man’s assistance, ‘when he discovered the forms of several men standing on the Opposite shore with rifles in their hands. st IP is EONNIE OOO; KS5(EO es