§

  
   

 
 

 

 

 

 

‘ vim \‘   «..\\;;\<:;:  G: (V
 mm” “‘ ,.\\\\ _, .- '  xxx.“ ,   \.:-_.7_ l7\  -
IIHIHHi—H _ ._...m.;._.mm-lmw :‘l-diml‘gll-l'l-“IH-H-I“I‘M-“llMilli-IIIHHHII IHII ‘ ‘IthM J ..:XIII1|IIIK\\\
83.50 a year. Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y.. at Second Class Man Rates. Copyright, 1883, by Emma AND Anna. December 4. ma.
Sin 1e PUBLISHED \VEEKLY BY UEADLE AND ADAMS Price,
VOL XIII‘ Nun er- No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. , 5 Cent'- NO' 

 

 

 

 

FRIO FRED; or, The Tonkaway’s Trust.

BY “BUCKSKIN SAM‘tuMajor Sam 3. Hall,

AUTHOR 014~ “OLD lux‘Kv's BUYERS," “GIANT GEORGE,” ET(:., E'rc.

 

(If

. ' ~ . ‘  -
2/53,
I r 5.47 ~"','.“"  '

,-' ’)

MOWED THEIR WAY IN AND OUT OF THE MASS OF WRITBING, YELLING FIENDS.

 

 

 

2

Eric Fred;
THE rouxawav’s TRUST.

A Tale of the Lone Star State.

 

‘BY “ BUCKSKIN SAM" (Minn six s. Hum,

.,AUTHOR or “ cannrme car," “GIANT GEORGE," “ 0L1)
aocsv’s sovsss," ETC., ii'rc. '

CHAPTER I.
ssvnni .

Ova first scene opens amid the bottom timber of
the Rio Llano, at a point midway between the con-
fluence of that river “’th the Rio Colorado of Texas,
and Fort Mason.

The time of which we write was a. score or more
years a 0, when the localit mentioned was unset.
tied, an in the line of marc of the maraudin Co-
manches, Apaches and other fierce red-men o the
Southwest; when proceedin against the settlers in
the vicinity of Austin am. San Antonio, who, on
their return from their bloody raids often dashed
to the very guard-lines of the military stations,
shooting down at their doors the settlers that had es-
tablished themselves within a few hundred yards of
the U. S. forts, and who deemed themselves perfect-
ly safe from the merciless savages.

The dense, towering timber is thick] entwined by
flowering vines of man varieties, an each and ev-
erg limb was draged With festoons of S anish mos
w ile beneath t e trees were tangle thickets o
luxuriant undergrowth.

The timber extends fully half a mile on either
side of the river, and, at the more narrow portions
of the stream, forms a dense archway of verdure, as
if the noble trees had confederated in lovingly guard-
ing the cool waters that nurtured their roots, from
the burning rays of the Southern sun.

To the West of the line of timber stretches the
open, flower-decked prairie broken here and there
between the Rio Llano and ’Rio San Saba by patches
of oak openings, and at times by solitary mottes, of
a uarter or half-acre in extent.

irectly on the bank of the river, in. a natural
opening, is a camp-fire burning;1 brightly, about
which are several negroes of hot sexes busied in
cooking; the blaze illuminating the arched opening,
for the setting sun casts no rays within the dense
bottom-timber.

A half-dozen, white-tilted, heavily laden wagons
are standing in the west side of the " open." But a
single mule is to be seen, however, in the encamp-
mont—a beautiful, glossy black pony, with large,
bright eyes, lon mane, and a wavy ta i that brushes
the flowers an grass, as the beast impatiently
Whisks the flies and gnats from its sides.

At a glance one would judge that the pon was the
favorite of a lady, es easily as a side-sad le of fine
workmanship hangs rom a limb near the animal
and also from the fact that the intelligent eyes 0
the beast are often directed to a fair maiden. who
forms one of the group which we will now inspect.

Seated upon blankets, which are spread upon the
green sward upon the very bank 0 the river, and
near to a Dearborn, are a party of three persons.
One is a young girl of surpassing loveliness of er-
haps sixteen years of age. Her eyes are 0 a ark
haze], and most expressive; her hair is dark-brow
wary, and ha girl-like, below her waist, hel
pa ally from abandon by -a tiny flowering
creeper twined amid its meshes.

Her face is of Grecian mold. rfect and bewitcli-
ing; her cheeks, the color of t e prairie-rose when
first bursting into bloom. _

0f medium $ht, and With a form just developing
into womanh , she is indeed one that woul
attract and hold the attention and admiration of
even one of her own sex; and that in the most aris-
tocratic gatherin of civilized life.

A ridin -habit, omespun, and of grayish tint, fit.
ting her ust like a glove, shows the contour of her
sylph-li'ke form in every line.

About her waist is clasped an embossed belt,

 

supportin a small silver-mounted revolver and
dagger. er sma well-formed feet are incased in
morocco boots, W ch extend nearly'to her knees.

Thus she sits, gazing in wonder. as the extent and
magnificence of the grand cathedral of Nature,
within which she rests, is ful appreciated.

Near to her,l ng at full ength upon his back,
and half asleep, a lad of perhaps fourteen. and so
stroneg resembling the maiden that the most
casua observer would at once decide that he was
her brother.

A belt of arms was also clasmii
waiisrt while a pair of rides res
the .

Beyond them was a. third person, evidently their
father; every cast of his features indicating this
relationship. He sat With his hands clasped about
his knees. and seemed to be of powerful build and
great muscular strength.

He was clad in homespun. and buckled about his
waist was a r of army-size Golt's revolvers, and a
huge bowie 'nife; while, upon the ground near him,
is. alon -barreled, hea rifle—a muzzle-loader.

mt e manner of t man it wasevident that
he was anxiously .expec some one. for be con-
stantly swept the western side of the “o n" with
eager and flashing lances. That all t ree were
weary from a long y's ride was ap arent: and
alsoh that they had ut just encamped w ere we find
t em.
As has been mentioned, it was the sunset hour,

about the boy’s
against a bush at

 

Frio Fred.

 

and the bottom-timber was filled with gloom; the
waters of the river rolling inky black before the trio,
except in rplaces where the light from the fires
turned the ppllng waters into molten gold, increas-
ing the darkness of the shades beyond.

ut the faintest zephyr stirred the drooping moss
that hung in masses from theboughs, thus increas-
ing the weirdness of the silent eve, and im ressing
the gazers with fee Akin to awe. ven the
perspiri_ blacks, flitting around the fires, seemed
seized Wit superstitious dread, as they cast furtive
lances around them, and toward the group near
he river-bank.

_Not a word from human lips broke the semi-
Silence of nature. The stealthy movements of the
blacks as they lided here and there, seemed as if
fearful of distnr ing the weird spell.

It was a stran e and most impressive scene. The
white wagon-t ts the Dearborn, the pon , the
negroes and the trio of whites, all revealed ty the
lurid flash from the camp-fires—a picture 0 wild
beauty seldom seen, and never except in the beauti-
ful land of which we write.

Suddenly the silence is broken b the flapping of
huge wings high u in the natural ome of verdure,
an a mammoth uzzard, just dropping from the
sky through a clear space between the limbs,
(.11 ches a view of the human beings below and at
once checks its downward course, clutching at a
limb and craning its neck, while its repulsive eyes
were fastened upon them.

The pony bounds With a snort to the end of its
lariat, With arched neck and uivering nostrils, its
bright eyes fixed in wonder, whi e the maiden sprung
to a Sitting posture, and, with lips apart, gazed at
the red-jowled bird. The man unclasped his hands,
rapidly clutched his rifle, aroused from his dreamy
musings by the strange sounds which suddenly
broke the stillness. So wrapped had they all been
in their own thoughts, and oppressed by fatigue,
that they were for the moment speechless, all evi-
dently being apprehensive of some possible great
ganger, an unable to quite decide what it might

e

Only for an instant stood they thus, when the huge
buzzard darted direct] between the youth and the
maid toward the mit die of the “open,” just as a
coyote—the loathsome bird‘s associate—ran by
them. cowering and dragging its belly upon the
sward, while it trembled with terror.

Catching up his title the boy dashed forward as
his sister uttered a half-stifled scream, and crushed
in the skull of the coyote with a single blow of the
weapon; but, at this very moment, the voice of the
man broke out, in mingled pleading and command,
gasping as if life and death depended upon his words
~88 indeed, they did:

“ orine and Louis, stand in your tracks! Don’t
move a muscle, or you are doomed!"

Before, however, the words were half spoken both
the cxyouth and maiden had partially turned and
sto gazing up into the trees that towered above

them.

“Oh, deari Oh, papal"

These ejaculations burst from the pallid ii at of
the young girl at the first glance upward. ien,
still as a statue she stood, her eyes fixed in horror
upon a low swa n limb, upon which crouched a
huge anther, c wmg the bark with nervous mo-
tion, ts white teeth learning, and its eyes blazing
like coals of fire wbifia it prepared for its cat-like
bound downward upon the beautiful maiden, his
coveted human rey.

The words of t e girl, addressed as Lorine, bespoke
the relationship between her and the man, who,
With rifle readv, stood firm in his tracks, but pale
as a co ; his eyes fixed upon the terrible beast
that at any instant might spring upon his darling
child and rend her limb from limb.

Thus he stood, knowing that any suspicious move-
ment would cause the beast to spring; be having
gained his weapon a the ve moment that the
panther crawle free rent the onset foliage.

The youth also stood still as death, fully realizi
the dread situation, his heart in his throat, and a
his wer of self-control forced to the front to with-
hol himself from bounding between his sister and
danger—a movement that be well knew would
cause the panther to ring at once.

All suppressed their reath. The negroes beyond
stood horror-stricken; douhlfirgo from not being
aware of the nature of the t atened dan er.
terrible moment it was to our three frlen per-
haps more terrible to that father, upon whom the
lit}; of his child depended, than to the daughter her-
se .
Slowl ,very slowly,b ahardl perceptible move-
ment, t e long rifle nos}; to an aim so gradual that
to him who held the weapon, and who not for an
instant allowed his fiaze to wander from the anther,
it seemed hours. e feared that he won (1 never
bring the gun to the desired elevation, yet he dared
not make a m0vement that would draw the light-
ning~like gaze of the beast and hasten the moment
that might deprive him of his child.

He dared not think of the ssibility of failing to

lant his bullet in the pan her's brain—crushing
higw‘ni every such thought through fear of marring

in.

Faster the ringed tail lashed the sides of the fearful
beast; faster the to rrible claws tore the bark, scat-
tering fra ents upon the nude owth. Then,
suddenly, t e huge cat crouched bac ward, its eyes
blazing, its back arch its whole tremendous mus-
cular strength athere for the ion bound down
11 n the angelic maiden who, chill with horror,
3333.4 as if trifled.

At that ifstant a thunderous report broke the
awful stillness, echoing and reechointg thro h the
arches of the bottom-timber, and ollow by a

 

.-. ._——_

tearing of claws that curdled the blood in the veins
of the trio. Just then the panther‘s form shot out
from the foliage, writhin while yet in air, and fell
at the very feet of the f r girl, who stood unable to
move or s , so great was her horror.

The moment‘ that the writhin beast struck the
earth, the gouth, with uplifted wie, sprung in a
mad and efigerate bound upon the animal, and
buried his b 6 again and again in the Vitals of the
beast, all the time the deadly claws tearing up the
grass, and flowers in the spasms of death.

“ My Godi I thank thee!"

This cry came from the ii 3 of the man Who had
fired the rifle; this, in soul-fe t accents, as he threw
down his weapon, and sprung forward, clns ing the
now trembling lin his arms, while be ad ed:

“011. m dar ng, my child! Thank Heaven, you
are spar to me! You assed through the terrible
ordeal like a heroine— 'ke a true woman; belle?
than most men!“

 

CHAPTER 11.
mm rm: DEPTHS.

So great was the reaction, from almost certain
death, in a most horrible form, that Lorine. sunk
trembling, without the power of speech into the
arms of er father, her gaze yet fixed, in dread lior-
ror, upon the dying panther at her feet.

Louis. the yout . sprung erect, with blood-drip-
ing knife and plantin his foot upon the quivering
east, circ ed his blade n the air, crying out:

“ Hurrah for us, fatheri We laid the monarch of
the Llano low. Lorine, you had a very narrow es-
ca 1"

he blacks stood spell-bound, not daring“? :5)-
proach; each in the same position as when m ;
he pony snorting with terror and striving to break
free, while the buzzard had flapped its huge wings,
and soared aloft, beyond the towering trees, af-
frighted at the re rt of the rifle.

“It was terrib e, indeed—a fearful strain upon

upon Lorine's nerves," replied the father to his

son.

“My or child, calm yourself, for the beast is
dead. tremble to think of the consequences that
would have followed, had I not ri htly decided the
cause of the coyote’s sudden dash rom the thicket.
Had I not gained a favorable position with my rifle at
once. the panther would, upon discovering me a
moment later in the act, have sprung at once.

“It was amazin —those three sudden surprises.
The appearance 0 the buzzard, the dash of the
wolf. and the discovery of the panther each follow-
ing the other instantaneously. An it was not
strange that we were all com etely dunifounded."

“ I was nearly asleep," saic Louis' “ and it was a
right lively time for a few minutes, but i was quick
enough to get the dead-wood on the coyote. The
buzzard made me mad, disturbing our quiet camp,
and the wolf ot the benefit of my indignation first,
the anther ierward.

" tell on, sis, it made my scalp craw-l, to see the
beast‘s g aring eyes, and to realize that it was about
to spring upon you, leaving no opening for me to
defend you. It seemed hours, father, before you
grilled trigger. and I wondered what caused your de-

; but or my life I could not tear my gaze from
the anther.

“ e skin would have made a fine robe, and it
would be agood idea to keep it as a memento of
this dread occasion, but I've slashed it bad with my
bowie I’m afraid.”

Louis spoke rapidly, and in much excitement, the
younfi girl at length replying to her father:

" O papal I never was so frightened before. I
really had no ho of escaping; or i have, as you
know, witnesse the .fearful- work of panthers,
when I have been hunting With you.

“I realized. in &,mOmeht. In great ril' but I
had been so astonished- and a armed t at i could
not 3 ring out into _the ‘open ‘ to avoid the beast.
I can dnot move a limb, even had you not spoken
to caution the a ainst it.“

“ It was provi ential that such was the case," re-
turned her father; “for, had you run. the nther
would have sprung instantly upon you. 9 must
guard against suc dangers in the future. Beasts
of prey are numerous and bold here, not having
been hunted to any great extent. .

“You Were so deeply wra ped in contemplation],
Lorine, that I did not wis to disturb you. 01'
should have hurried up’the negroes; for I am very
33g. besides feeling anxious in regard to Mr-

n. . ,
“ He ought to have re rted before this time."
“Speak of his InferngloMafgsty. and his ap ar-
ance is assured!" cried out uiS. With 9- laug , as
he proceeded to cut off the claws of the panther.

Such was indeed the case for the sound of a fast-
gailo ing horse, and swishing of branches, were

on from the wefigé3 and soon a man mounted
upon a pantin ho , , dashed at headlong speed
from the tim r, crashing through the under-
growth, and haltin near the group. his features
stamped with anxiety _and apprehension, which
however, vanished as his eye roved around the

cam .

“\g’bat in the name of Wonder, caused you to
shoot, Oo'ionel La Costa i“ asked the new-comer, ex-
citedly. '“I have had a. hard rim, tearing through
the brush; for I was greatly alarmed, knowing that
we were in a locality, where you would not shoot
unless in an extreme case of danger."

“ You are right, Jackson," returned the colone
intigf significantly at the dead nther. “ Had
elay firin a. moment. that t would have
torn my dang ter in pieces."

Jackson gave vent to her feelings, in ejaculations
of surprise, and con tulated Lorine upon her
escape, and the coio on his nerve.

 

 

Frio: Fred. ‘

 

This last arrival was attired in buckskin leggins,
and blue woolen shirt, with a sombrero, and high-
topped boots, upon the heels of which were ion
spurs; while his belt held the usual revolvers an
bowie. He was a man of strong bmld, bearded, and
of medium hight. His skin was much bronzed by
sunandcamp-flre, and he was a typical Texan in
appearance, although a man of fair education and
excellent manners.

Jackson was the wagon-master of Colonel La
Coste.

“ What have you to re rt?" asked the colonel, as
his employee dismounte . “Ihave been quite anx-
ious on account of your long absence."

“ I presume I have been away much longer than

it, seems to myself, colonel,“ was the reply; “ and I
will e lain my delay.
“In he first lace, I was forced toorder the team-
sters to drive t e mules up the river, fully a quarter
of amile, and then herd the animals, as the grass
was notas good directly west from this camp as
further up. Then, being anxious in regard to the
scouts, I alio out over the plain some three
miles, thin ing might see them returnin from the
San Saba- but not a glimpse of a human eing did i
discover.’

“ And what is the occasion of this delay in the re-
turn of Mr. Fred Fontaine and Old Rocky? Have
you an fears of their having met danger? Do you
think t ere are an ' Indians on the San Saba?"

Lorine, who ,ha entirely recovered herself, and
manifested an anxious interest in the words of J ack-
son, after the latter had mentioned the scouts, put
these questions in a hurried manner, that betrayed
her deep interest in the absent ones.

" I have no idea what has detained them, Miss La
Corne," answered Jacksou' “and I cannot inform
you whether there are an lndians in the vicinity of
the San Saba;although have a strong suspicion
that the river is not free from the red demons at this
season of the year."

“ The scouts will doubtless return before morning,“
said the colonel, in a thoughtful manner. “ Did you
intend to keep the herd out on the plain all night,
Jackson?”

" Not by any means. We must be prudent now.
I shall have the mules driven into the timber near
our cam in about three hours. We must run no
risk, bu guard against a stampede. The red
thieves would risk much to capture such a herd of
fat mules."

“I resume so; but let us eat our supper, and
banis all thou hts of the Comanches, or our diges-
tion will he s 0 ed. Come, Lorine and Louis, I hope
the panther Sid not spoil your appetites."

The four then proceeded toward the fires, where
the negroes had s read upon a iece of canvas a
feast that could no have failed 0 be appreciated
by any hungry human; the scent of broi ed turkey
venison and fish filling the air, while the aroma 0
Rio and Java floated about the camp.

Seated upon bundles of blankets the quartette of
whites were now waited upon by the silent, but deep-
ly impressed blacks, who east freqamt curious and
solicitous glances upon Lorine, for the felt that
their oung mistress had been mirac ously pre-
serve from a most terrible death.

All were curious, and were, besides, filled with
su *rstitious wonder at the strange happenings of a
br ef moment.

The meal was eaten in silence by all except
Louis, who rattled of! many comments in regard o
the recent peril of his Sister as well as upon the
absence of h‘red Foutaine an Old Rocky, the miss-
in scouts.

e colonel was oppressed with fears in regard to
the absentees, as Well as was Jackson and Lorine.
This was evident by their silence and was stamped
u on tneir faces whenever Louis made mention of
t e names of the scouts.

However, all ate heartily, and then returned to
their former resting-place; two of the blacks having,
agreeably to orders, dragged the carcass of the
panther from the camp, and spread it into the
river. The blankets were now thrown on the bank,
at some distance from the former position, and at a
point where there could be no danger of wild beasts
springing down upon them from the large branches
0 the trees._

Then. Lorme. having changed her riding-habit in
the Dearborn, seated herse , and Louis resting his
head in her lap lay outstretched; the sister toyin
with the brother 3 curls, while her‘ gaze wander
from the dark waters of the river to the dense
shades, she, at $111163: glimmering as if her imagin-
ings, were too real and the weird somber ni ht
was regnant with horrors more terrible than Ina

 

t er.

p8'(lilolonel La Costa and_Jackson seated themselves
near at hand, and igniting their pipes, converged in
low tones; while the negrocs, atter'partakin of
their evenin meal, put thin s to rights, an m-
pairedto thefr assigned posit ons about the camp,
with guns in hand, to act as scntinels, the Women
seati themselves in a group, atarespectful dis.
tance rom their master.

. Thus an hour passed, Lorine declining to retire
into the Dearborn, and go to sleep, saying that she
felt in no way inclined to slumber.

Louis slept soundly, his head reclining upon his
sister's lap, and her hands upon his curls.

The myl lay down also, writing his neck, and
resting 0 upon his shoulders, soon becoming
oblivious to aught but nine dreams.

Colonel La Coste an Jackson conversed in low
tones, frequently gaz at Lorine. who still set up-
right, her e 'es open. an ap ntly in deep thought,

or greatly mpressed by her surroundings.
The two former frequenth swag. the camp and
shades with keen gaze, and eld

eir rifles across

 

their knees; yet. for the time mentioned, no sound,
nor sight of au ht to create apprehension or even
to attract the s ghtest notice, was seen or heard by
any in the encam ment.

The fires were e t burning by the negroes‘, who
by turns guarded e camp, an the “open ' was
thus kept illumined to such a d we as to enable
any object to be clearly seen with n the clear space;
even between the wagons and the border of under-
growth on the western side of the camp.

But a change, far more sudden and startling than
had been occasioned by the recent advent of buz-
zard coyote, or panther, was destined to transform
the feelings and positions of all parties, and create
abject terror and an uish. For, but a little time
had passed, when be no La Costs, with a piercing
shriek, s rung to her feet, causing the sleepin
Louis to e thrown roughly from her lap, and stem -
ing erect with staring eyes, and form trembling
from head to foot, the maiden, with quivering arm
outstretched, pointed directly at the mar in of the
river-bank, but a short distance below t elr posi-
t on.

Colonel La Costa and Jackson bounded upri ht,
the click of locks sounding with steely snap as t iey
cocked their rifles both following the direction
pointed out by Lor ne.

There, upon the bank, in a natural position, the
fireli vht playi upon its eyes, its side covered with
bloorl and ga 25 gushes, stood the anther, that
all knew was tl)e , and not only that, at had been
buried into the river.

Onlya moment stood the anther thus; not long
enough for the dumfounde observers to reason-
then it sunk to earth, and its disappearance was
followed by the sound of a heavy splash in the
river.

At the instant that the panther sunk, another
piercing shriek that expressed the deepest horror
and despair, followed by a pleading cry for help,
which ended in another shriek of deadly terror,
aroused the agonized father, Jackson, and the half-
awakened Louis, and they darted forward, only to
see the deathlike and despairing face of Lorine La
Eoste sinking beneath the black waters of the Rio

lanoi

The blood congealed in their veins as, b the side
of that loved face, the for an instant dist nguished
the hideous, paint—dau d features of a Comanche
brave, contorted with exultant hate.

This was only for a moment. Then the inky
waters rolled on, the rl pie drowned by the Mir,
despairing, agonizing cr es of the tortured father
and brotheri

 

CHAPTER III.
THE TWO scours.

“ DOUBLE up, and dang my ole puserlanlmous r-
ergrinatin‘ pictur', ef hit doesn‘t make me ‘bou es
mad es a rattler in dog-da s, to guide a party 0' white
humans tum an‘ brash nter red-hot hellishnessl

"‘Spes ly, pard Fred, when thar‘s a otty-eut in
ther lay-out. Purty air a time word or sling in
’ ardin’ Loreen. But what in thunderation an'

angnation air ther curnil wantln’ ter skute sich a
len‘thy; stretch toward sunSet for?

“ W y in ther name 0‘ Crockett an‘ av‘rid 0 com-
mon-sense can‘t he squat nigher ter civer ize, an’
not run chances o‘ losin' his beautiful leetle gal an‘
his own scalp an‘ outfit, sayin‘ nothin' o leetle
Louis, what air a slam-u kid, that‘s up ter all tricks
an' don‘t skcer wo’th a p cayune?

"Mebbe so ther curn l s’poses he knows his own
biz; but I m i'nclernated ter opine that he‘s a dan ‘d
long wa from knowin’ what sort 0’ onhumans t ier
red hea hun bees. He thinks he kin stan' of! a war-
part 0' torturers with a few niggcrs, an’ a half-doz-
en ‘ lack-snake ’ snappers; but he’ll want tor crawl
inter a kiote hole when he gits his idoes stompedcd
by ther war-whoops of ’bout a hundred painted per-
rarer piruts. An’ hit's comin', pardi

“ I smells a pepper time ahead; but I‘m dang‘d
ef ther scarifiers shi dance ’roun‘ ther leetle [its],
Loreen, long es Ole Rock keeps his grip, an’ in
crawl an’ chaw t"

“ It is very strange to me also old Rani, why
Colonel LaCoste will venture beyond the lo Llano.
There are a thousand splendid locations to establish
a ranch, where he need not fear of bein crowded
by neighbors for many years to come, if t at is what
he is afraid of.

“He has an idea of passing his declining years in
solitude, caring to associate with none except his
son and daughter; all which seems to me to be some-
what selfish and inconsiderate in him.

“ Miss Lorine ought certainly not to be torn away
from all association with her own sex. and should be
surrounded with all that delights and makes attrac-
tive civilized life. As to the dangers ahead, none
know them better than we do and consequently we
can be of u e to the victims of this mis ded man's
selfishness, as we can with truth call t. Between
you and me. and the corral-gate, however, old pard,

confess that I am sorry we ever struck the La-
Coste lay-out.”

“Cass my cats, an’ dang my dogs! What‘s ther
difficult' with yer 0‘ late, pard Fred? Ef we-’uns
hedn‘t run ag’in’ 'em, they (1 be) t skulped outen
ther dew, dead sure, an‘ nobudtfyu ter resky ’em.
Atween me an’ you, an' ther kerral-gate, I‘m chuck
(filing o’ glad on ‘count 0' hevln’ struck ’em es we- uns

“I declar‘ ter thunderation thet I feels ist es
though I war bein’ sawed in two with a oil rain-
boyv when Loreen sots her purty p‘ee rs outer me;
an when she siifaks d‘rec’ly chuc 0 me, I 'feels es
though every 3}: o' my scalp war a jaw s-harp,
“Pgln' five at all kinds 0‘ tunes.

m

 

o ht narvous,thinkin’ mebbe so,
3119'“ belt!!! tel' gyet me; fer, of she did, I'm

 

. 3

 

 

dang’d sure I‘d go plum crazy. turn inside out. like
a wagon-tilt struck by a norther, an‘ iiip-tlo ) like a
bobotalled buzzard toward ther Roarer ow-te-
Alice. es Joe Booth used ter call ther perrarer-iire
streaks up north‘ard.

" But I plum fergut what I war goin' ter ax yer.
Yer ’pears onni in; blue 0‘ late, an‘ strange-like;
an' I epines, par red, thet ther bright peepers o
Loreen hes shot plum through ther bestest part 0'
yer ’naterm ."

The ape ers were the scouts, Old Rocky and
Frio Fred; both mounted upon splendid half-breed
horses, marked well for speed and endurance, be~
sides being thoroughly armed,

The first-mentioned was an old-time scout of great:
celebrity, small in stature, and thin in flesh; being,
to the eye of a casual observer, little more than
bone and muscle. His eyes were dark-bin keen
and piercing, and were continuall dartin g noes
here and there, through habit ormed y a life
ripest amid the deadly dangers of the southwest

er.

Frlo Fred was (youn —not past three and twenty
—above the me turn ht, and handsome in form
and face as an Apollo. He showed, in sinewy limb
and broad breast, reat strength; and his eagle eye
roved nervously w lle his supple movements were
in consonance with those of his horse. Taken altos
gether, he was one to please the eye, and who would
claim attention and admiration in any assemblage,

lall from female eyes.

tti in Mexican style, with a profusion of but-
tons, fringes and embroidery, and a red silk sash
about his waist, Fred Fontaine would have been a
striking and attractive ob ect wherever mot. His
arms were like those of is comrade. but were
hi hly ornamented in silver fil ree work.

iy the side of the old scout e appeared almost
fopplsh, a dandy of the border; but one lance into
his manly face and fearless 9 es would any
such thought in connection wi h his character.

The horses showed signs of a hard day's ride be-
neath the hot sun; but the timber line in their
front, marking the course of the Rio San Saba
promised a cool retreat, water and rest—in fact,
on] a couple of miles intervened between the riders
an the river.

For quite two minutes after Old Rocky had made
his home-thrust question Frio Fred remained silent,
his eyes fixed u )0“ the orn of his saddle. as if ob.
livious of his po tion, or of the words that had been
uttered.

At length he looked quickly into the face of the
old scent and spoke:

“Old pard, 1 have no secrets from on. My rea-
sons for regretting having met Colone La Coste and

famll are good ones; for, from the moment I gazed
into he eyes of Lotine, when she was thet-lag
flowers on the prairie down-count , and e stam-

pede of mules came near tramp ng her into a
shapeloss mass~ from the moment that I rddeup,
clutched her in'my arms, and galloped with herto a
mint free from danger—from that moment Old
{ocky, I have been a changed man, as 1 well ow
you have realized.

“ To sum it all up, and sift it out plain and square,
I love Lorine La Coste better than all the world-
better than life!"

“Wa-al, what of hit? Thet’s jist ’bout how [put
things up- but what sticks in my crap air why yer
feels so ang'd p'lson 'bout hit. I alwis thought
thct when a young pilgrim 0‘ our age run ag’in' a
female ‘oman what struck his ancy thet hit made
him feel extry cart, an‘ chuck-full 0' pure glad,
’stead o‘ wishin' e'd never see‘d her.

“ Does yer s‘pose Loreen feels sorter soft-soddered
in e-our direction?"

‘ If you mean to ask whether she loves me or not, I
will say that I do not believe she knows the m
of the word.“

"Does she tumble tor yer? Does she know yer

bankers arter her?“

“Most certainly not! I would not tell her for the
world: and that s what bothers me. I am afraid of
betraying myself when with her."

“ ‘(‘os why?"

“Because it is foolish in me to think of her. The '
colonel is a mad man, and wealthy. He goes
heavy on “b no blood:' while I am nobody, and
have literall nothing.“

"Thet‘s w at‘s ther matter, air hit? Thet‘s why
yer feelin’ bad 'bout havin‘ fell in with the fambly? '

“Yes, certainly; and it is reason enough, lshould
judge. She is not for me—I know it-—but i shall
never meet another that will have the power to en-
slave my heart as she has done.

“You know that I insisted on accompanying you
on this trip, although you wished to go alone, and I
own up that I did not dare stay in her presence. I
could not kee away from her in camp; and if I
thought now i at she was in danger, I would take a
bee~line for the Rio Frlo, on the jump. ' '

“Although I feel that I am slowly sinking in the
quicksands of ho teless love, still I cannot leave her
on this wild fron ier. exposed to the deadly perils
which her foolish father re udiates."

“Wa-al, I sh‘u‘d smilei an 'd of I doesn't hev a
heft appertlte ter laugh, rlgh squar‘, out an' out, '
an' would ef hit warn‘t yeou, pard. Sich sort 0
lingo makes me sick enough ter puke u my knee-

ansfidang‘d of hit doesn‘t! I never ow'd yer
er wilt on a long trail, or be short 0‘ sand in a
$9151; scrimmage; so don't go back on yer record.
r

“i asserwates thet thou h Loreen air a slam-up
an i. an‘ jlst es nice es kin tigerduced on this hyer
o‘ dirt, er won‘t be brin ' her down a single
peg by hitc in’ outer her. Thar ain’t a better ro
slinger, er saddle~straddler o' yer age nowhar or
ther sun; an' no female 'oman ever frlz her peepers

 

 
   

4

Frio Fred.

 

 

on a better slapped together human in er out o‘
liuckskin. Ye’r' a man, every inch 0’ yer!

“Dang ther odds. whether yer hes picayunes
or not, hit‘s all ther same, an‘ Ole k asserwates
thet Loreen hev gut solid sense enough ter cotton
ier yer. She knows yer hes 1plenty 0 good p‘ints,
an‘ no failin’ an‘ thet‘s all t et's needcessary.

“ Kee rlgh on, an‘ ef ther leetle gal doesn t wilt
right ingzr er socks when er gaze et her, an' tells
her what‘s troublin‘ er, I‘ squat in adog-tOWn, an'
take snakes fer gm ther rest 0' my pilgrimage on
this hyer ball 0' rt.

“But I'm bettin’ she’s gut a hankerin’ arter or,
an' hes bed since yer skuped her up from store het
stampede; but yer can’t ‘3 ct a gal 0’ her eder-
rate an” fotchin up ter slob r all over yer, an' roll
ll her eyes, an’ sw‘ar she’ll blow l;er eye-winkers
OH with a smooth-bore, ef yer doesn't vow yer loves
her like ther cussed fandang‘ skippers at San An-
tone, what’ll borrer four hits on yer nex‘ minut’ fer
ter t some chile—can-carne.

“ an iation take ‘em! They rub thar war-paint
06 on 0 e Rock‘s shoulder an‘ hev thar perlaver fer
nix. I never opens my pouch, not much.

“ What in thunderation an’ dangnation’s ther dif-
ficult wi‘ yer, pard Fred?"

The last portion of the old scout‘s remarks were
unheard by Fred Fontaine, for he jerked his horse
quick] to haunches, unnoticed by Old Rocky, he
being n the rear of the old Texan, who, however
turned in his saddle and perceived that Fred had
halted. This it was that brought forth the last ex-
clamation of the old scout.

For an instant on did Old Rocky glance: then,

ided by the fix stare of Fre , e turned his
Euead toward the SanSaba. At the same moment the

young man yelled:

“ Look dead ahead, old rd! There‘s danger and
death on the San Saba! od help the La Costes if
there is a large war-party! What does it mean? It
seems to be reds chasing a red!"

As he spoke. Frio Fred spurred up to the side of
Old Rocky, who cried out in a frenzy of appre-
hension:

“Cues my cats an' dang my dogs! Ther con-
demned Ourmanches air chasin ther Tonk! Spur,
Fred spur fer life! We'll save Turtle, or lose our

ha‘ri'“

 

CHAPTER IV.
eons-ream'rxon rs can».

Comm. LA Cos'rn and his son Louis, as they gave
Vent to their bitter anguish at the si ht of the death-
iike face of poor Lorine, disa pf: hgdbeneath the

e

black wate side b side wit eons, paint
daubed he of theyoomanche brave, both leaped
with des rate bound into the river- but Jackson

more m and realizi the utter i'oolishness of
Inch a roceeding, s in his tracks, his rifle in
hand, alghough for his life he could not decide what
movement to make in this dread emergency.

Full ten feet. the two. father and son, were forced
‘to leap before striking the water' then they sunk
from view, but soon reappeared, tthng the cur-
rent at the int where Lorine and her savage cap--
for bad sun from s ht. _

Jackson, seeing t iat they were splendid swim-
mers, and realizing that it would be useless for him
to seek to influence them in the least for the present.
but confident that they would soon exhaust them-
selves and return to the camp, turned his attention
toward the w , us. from which now came cries,
and moans. and mentations—the terrified negroes,

ards included, having rushed en mam into one of

0 vehicles.

Jackson perceived that not only was the camp in
danger of being captured by lurki savages, but
that the teamsters on the plain were able to be at-
tacked, and the mules stampeded.

Destruction and death threatened the outfit, as
well as the lives of Colonel La Costa and his famil
and slaves; indeed there seemed to be no other on -
ing for the night, and the wagon-master felt that he
was the only reasonable man the only available
force to contend against the Indians, who, he felt
sure, were in the vicinity.

Therewas but one hope, and that was founded
upon the possibility that the two Comanches who,
by their strategy, had succeeded in getting Lorine
into'tbeir power, were scouts of some war-party.

This. upon reflection, appeared reasonable, else
wh had not the camp been attacked at once?

(zinva that this must be the true state of the
case, Jae rushed to the wagon, and yelled to
the terrified negroes:

“ nah your noise, every one of you, or you’ll
draw the whole Comanche nation down upon us!
Jump out here, boys, and guard the camp, or Ifll
blow ardly brains out! Are you afraid of
two Ilia}: Indians that have alread fied ?"

“ Gol a‘ ghty. Mars’ J acksonl" spo e one of the
slaves. in a trembling voice; ” I see'd more’u a bun-
dred red debils. De woods am full on 'em!”

“That's all boshl Tumble out here, and obey
orders, or the camp is lost, and you‘ll all be tor-
tured. Your yells will guide the savisfiges here, 11
there are any hear at hand; so keep st as death—
that is the only hope. J im. kick out those fires this
instant!"

Jackson soon saw that but little could be trusted
to the aflrighted blacks, in case of an attack They
were all trembling as with the agne. The appear-
ance of the dead nther had been more than they
could unde Realizing this ackson quickly
explained the situation, causing the men to crowd
down somewhat their fears, an to mutter vows of
revenge when the capture of their young mistress
was made known to them.

The wagon-master knew, however, that this would

 

be but temporary; that, upon the first alarm, the
terror of the ne would return.

It was a help ess and discour ng sition, but
Jackson kept cool and collected, w le irecting the
slaves, and quieting the women and children by
well-selected words. He then stationed four of the
blacks at different points about the wagons, with
orders to remain firm at their posts, and shoot the
first and every Indian they discovered; impressi
upon them the fact that the lives of all depende
upon them.

Upon second the ht he delayed the extinguish-
ing of the fires until t ese arran ements were made,
and the Dearborn drawn ami the other wagons.
Then he repgated his orders to the two blacks, who
proceeded ward the fires to kick the fagots aside.

Tossing his rifle up into the hollow of his left arm,

with a satisfied expression at having reduced the
fears of the negroes, Jackson stood sweeping the
surroundings of the camp for the last time. know-
ing that it would soon .be in utter darkness. He began
now to be filled With apprehension at the non-
ap arance of the colonel and Louis.
e two slaves, with rifles clutched, proceeded with
cautions ste s toward the two fires, but suddenly
came to a alt, in terror and superstitious horror;
for, out from a thicket, sprung he self-samepan-
ther its sides gashed and covered with gore, and its
glar ng eyes reflecting the fire-light.

For about ten feet, the horri le thing lided, and
then arched its back fora bound upon t e blacks,
who were struck dumb, and incapable of motion.
It was only for an instant. Then, the startliu re-
port of Jackson’s rifie awakened the forest ec oes.
and. with a blood-curdling death-yell, a Comanche
brave s rung into the air, the panther-skin falling
from 3 form.

The same moment that the shot rang out, the ne~
groes whirled in their tracks to run. and iercing
shrieks again sounded from the wagons; nt the
lvoiceIrii‘fddackson broke through the commotion, as

e e .

‘ Stand your ground, boys, or I‘ll blow your
brains out! About face, and march up to that dead
Indian. who has been masquerading in a anther-
sldn. Its about time to get over our foo ishness,
for on have got tofight now or e!“

“ ’clar‘ ter de Ior‘, Mars‘ ackson,”returned one

of the blacks' “ hit‘s enough ter skeer de wool off‘n
our heads. Iiif dey‘d fight human-like, I‘d stan' an'
take hit.“
“Oh you‘ll get used to this if you travel west
much further, and don't get killed; but I‘ll tell you
honestly, on are more liable to become a victim if
you run, t an if you stand firm."

The two slaves and Jackson reached the side of
the dead brave, the wagon-master rolling the Indian
over with his foot, and exposing the hideous paint-
daubed features.

Jackson would not have ventured in the fire-light,
had he not become convinced that there was no
force of Indians in the thickets—the roceedin s of
the savages, thus far, indicatin that t ere had en
but two engaged in the strate 0 attempts to secure
captives, and thus gain glory by their daring achieve-
men s.

“ You need not kick out the fire," he now said,
“ for I don’t think there has been more than two
Indians about the cam , and here lies one of them,
his last whoop sound Hasten and quiet the we-
men! Their noise may attract others.’

Hardly had the two blacks left the side of Jack-
son. when the attention of the latter was drawn to-
ward the river, by heav groans and the splashing
of water, and w th ri e reloaded. he ran quickly
forward, discoveri to his joy, Colonel La Costc
climbin up the ban , his form dripping with water,
and his ace the pallor of a corpse.

J “gawk Eleaven, you ihave returnfitll tiflivgg" sail}

ac cklyandnasym ec neo
voice. nz‘fiiaves at one of the red eathen. Where
is Louis? And have on seen-your daughter?"

The colonel drew mself upward, his eyes filled
with hopeless des , his strong frame convulsed,
and stood thus. pantin for breath.

Jackson waited for emplo or to compose him-
self, meanwhile running his p ercing gaze fig and
down the river; but naught moving caught eye
except the inky waters, and they told no tale 0
what had occurred in their depths.

At last Colonel La Coste found utterance.

"My God!" he «claimed “this is more than I
can bear. My darling child is in the power of fiend-
ish savages. and for a ht I know, my boy Louis
also. For the love of eaven. Jackson, give me
some hope! Shall I ever again look upon my little
Lorine, so like her dead mother? Shal I ever fish:
gee my brave boy, who dashed to the rescue e s

cm

“Speak! For mercy‘s sake. speak: or else ut a
bullet through my brain, and end this fearfu this
unendurable agony !"

“Calm yourself. colonel!" returned Jackson; “in
the name of reason, calm yourself! Do not allow
the he s to Witness your weakness. Brace up,
and think, and work! In your present state you are
of no more use than a wooden man. There are but
afew Indians here now—perhaps none except the
one who captured your dau hter.

“ Louis is a keen-st hted, rave lad. and may have
disoovered the red end, and is at this very mo-
ment following him to save his sister. I believe this
is more than probable. Think of this, colonel, and
cast aside {our ho less grief.

“ Mourn ng for e loss of Lorine will not help her.
We must act, and promptly. or all be massacred;
for if that Comanche esca , he will bring down a

horde of his fellow-hum ers upon us. Let us stir
ourselves at once.
“ The herd must be driven in, or themules will be

 

stampeded and the teamsters slain. All de nds
upon your being and actin your own self, a rave.

man. Bend all your ener es upon defense and the
{ficoggrty of your son an daughter, and hope for
e 8

“If Frio Fred and Old Rocky were here I should
feel safe. We must dispatch a man to the San Saba
in hot haste. The negroes, with the teamsters,
must defend the camp, while you and I search the
bottom for sign or trace of your son and daughter.
Never despair, colonel i”

From the moment that Jackson began to speak,
Colonel La Coste seemed to recover himself, banish-
ing his fears, as the wagon—master proceeded; and,
when the speaker ended, the bereaved father ex-
tended his hand raised himself to his full hight, and
said. with deep eeling in every accent: .

‘ God bless you. Jackson! You have more solid
sense than a dozen common men. I will follow your
very reasonable advice and act. banishing my misery
to all the extent in my power. Your programme
must be acted upon. I will attend to the ne-
groes.

“ Order the herd to be driven in and then put the
teamstcrs on uard. Had you no better go for the
scouts yourse H We cannot depend u on any man
in the train, when close hunting after r. Fontaine
and Old Rock‘y is considered.

“Life and eath to us all may depend upon the
early arrival of those two brave and skillful
scouts!“

“Perha s it is better that I should go," was the
reply. “ he herd shall be driven in immediately;
then you can take Big Bill with you, and search for
your children.

“ By morning I hope to have the scouts here, and
then the trail can be found and followed. Carry out
the bill and keep cool, colonel. I’ll do my part, or
die in the attempt!"

While he was speaking, Jackson busied himself
etiiuippinf his horse; and as he ended he sprung into
h s sadd e, drove spun, and waving his sombrero,
dashed across the ‘ open,“ disapgearing in the un-
dergrow th westward toward the erd.

 

CHAPTER V.
mm, ran msuwu.

Anov'r two hours previous to the time that Old
Rocky and Frio Fred discovered Indians dashing
from the bottom-timber on the eastern side of the
Rio San Saba, a horseman guided his animal slowly
amid the trees on the western side of the above-
mentioned river until he gained the extreme margin
of the timber, at a westward bend in the stream,
from which point he could command a view of the
far-stretching prairie beyond.

The horse was black as ebony, with long, arching
neck, and clean limbs. that proved speed, while its
flashing eyes spoke of fire an endurance. Its mane
and forelock were trimmed with scalps and tin ,
silver ornaments, with fish-bones and feathers, wh e
a aw-strap served in place of a bridle.

he saddle was of Mexican make, a turtle shell
serving as a born; a gourd, blanket and lessees being
attached by buckskin strings.

The rider was a man—a nobleman by nature. This
was proved by poise of form and glance of eye,
although his skin was red.

He was nearl six feet in hight, and straight as a
forest pine. e stood erect as he dismounted, bold-
ing the slack of the jaw-strap in his hand, his keen,
black eyes seeming to pierce the foliage in his front,
and his sense of hearing strained to catch the
slightest noise.

Naked from the waist up, he stood, his deep-
fringed buckskin leggins and moccasins rich y
bedecked with beads, porcupine—quills, and bear-
teeth. A red sash about his waist supported his
leggins, while his arms Were an army revolver and a
long scalpingz) a.

A short, 5 ut bow and a quiver of arr0ws hung

fully at his back; the uiver as well as the
w-sheath bedecked with soiflps.

In his left hand he clutched a Colt's carbine, carry-

a “ blue whistler," or an ounce ring.

or an Indian. his features. new daubed with the
paint-bars of war, were regular if not handsome;
while his gaze was open and dauntless, and free
from gnile or deceit.

Upon his broad. bronzed breast was drawndn
different-colored pigments, an exact re resentation
of a turtle. with cad and paws exten ed, in imita-
tion of energetic action.

A bronze Apollo he was, indeed, with sinewy
frame. his flesh firm, and his muscles bulging out in
knots; as his arms, half-bent, clutched strap and
gun in agrip that, seconded by the contortions of

is facial nerves and blaze of eye, seemed to hold in
check a volcano of hate and revengoful fury.

Only an instant stood he thus. but during that
brief space he had, without close inspection, decided
the character of the sights and sounds, although yet
afar off on the lain.

Hastil secu ng the jaw-stmpto a sapling, Turtle
the Ton away, the friend of Sam Houston, and a
true Texans, crouches low and gains a position
whereégiarting the leaves, the open plain is clearly
reveal to him.

And, although he now sees fully threescore of
horsemen dash ng toward him, who, be well knows
would yell with fiendish delight as they torture
him to death—who would consider him a more im-
portant captive than any white man, hatin and

caring him as they do, more than even the de sted
Texans—though he knows all this yet not a shadow
of fear or apprehension is shown in his stoical face;
paught excepé setttheet‘lli and eyesI that:m flash glitches

u,expresng eerypasson tseees
his rain and breast.

 

 

5,.

 

Frio Fred.

 

Nearer and nearer they come. Threcscore of
Comanches, their lances fringed with scalps, the
steel ints glittering in the sunlight and feathers
flaun in in the wind of their terrific speed—on
half-hen in their saddles, the wild-flowing manes o
the mustangs fluttering in their hideous faces,
bounding, with headlong speed. while their boots
threw the flowers and grass on all sides.

On, in a mad, savage mam, like the rush of a
fierce norther, and Turtle knows that the hideous
horde will directly by his covert toward the
more strai fit course of the river.

The To away bounds to his feet. jerks his bow,
and adjusts the string; then drawlilrfi an arrow, he
inspects it and fits the feathered s t ready for its
errand of eath.

Fora moment he stands, with left foot forward,
his weight upon his right, and facing the point
which the blood-craving fiends must pass.

His nostrils are distended at every breath, his
broad breast swells, his black 6 es seem to shoot
out shafts of fiery hate, while is lips curl away
from his white, clinched teeth.

A moment after, with the rush and trembling
sound of a stampede of mustangs, on like an ava-
lanche came the paint-daubed devils along the bor-
der of the thick undergrowth.

Just as the innermost mustangs shot past his
cove brushin against the very leaves and thgs
in his rent, the ow of Turtle bent until the feat l-
ered end kissed the Tonkaway's painted, check. A
twang, and the deadly shaft cut the air and was
buried to the feather in the side of a burly braw,
whose arm was upraised to lash his steed.

A horrible yell rimg out and with arms upthrown
the doomed warrior sunk backward, falling over
the hams of his horse, to be trampled by the
of the fast-galloping and dumfounded horde.

Then there burst rom every throat a far-soundin ’
whoop, and the war-party came to a halt. Jus-
then came the wild. peculiar and unmistakable war-
whoo of the Tonkaway from the bottom, given in
tauntiu cxultation, and causing a score of red
braves o lash their steeds in a headlon charge
crashing into the undergrowth with bows alt-bent
and arrows fitted to the strin rs.

But he who had braved amost certain death to
satisfy revenge, was as cunnin as he was during,
and not to be caught at a d sadvanta cl:y over-
whelming numbers; for, at the instant is released
his bow-string, and uttered his taunting yet], he
s rung upon his sable steed, and dashed northward
tllrough the timber emerging from it on the op-
posite side of the bend from the Comanches; all
sounds made by him while breaking through the
undergrowth being drowned by he confusion
amon the war-party, as they {crked their mus-
tangsllo a halt, in their amaze at warm the death-
signal from the rear, and the war-cry of he Tonka-
way that so close followed it.

Heading his horse to pass around the bendto-
ward his foes, Turtle cocked lis deadl?v carbine,
resting the weapon in the hollow of lislcft arm,
jerked revolver and bowie to the front of his belt,
ready for instant use, then gave a peculiar cry to his
horse that caused the animal to shoot forward like
an arr-.w sent from abow; the noble beast Well’
knowing what his rider required of it.

It was a grand and magnificent sight. The bronzed
Tonkaway chi-f, eagle-feathers and midnight hair
flaunting in the wind, his graceful form slighth
bent forward, his bright black eyes blazing Wit
vengful fury—the war-s irit of his tribe to the front,
the waificry of his peop e ready to burst from his
Famed psi

0n, like a catapult projectile, shot the red rider
and his sable steed. swooping around the bend upon
a horde of painted demons, all eager for his blood.
and craving to hear his (Ting gas 3 at the torture-
stake—-on, to almost certa n deathl)

N o more daring act could be conceived. Reckless
of lifa insanely eager for revenge, for the blood of
his enemies—on, like an avenging spirit, darted the
fearless Tonkaway chief. And, as his sure-footed
honecplunsed headlon':. with fierce snort at the re-
new: signals of its master. around the bend to the
south, the war-cry of Turtle burst, on the air in
piercing intonations, filling the astounded cars of
the Comanche; as they sat u n their steeds unable
to com preheno the true posit on of affairs.

That a single Tonkawa .as the war-cry of the
latter had indicated ha fired the fatal shot, and
braved capture and death. was beyond their belief;
but they were destined to have startling proof that
such had been the case.

On shot the Tonkaway chief his wh00p of war
rin lag, his black steed headedto ass southward,
wit in twenty yards of the dazed omanches; and,
before the latter recovered themselves at beholdins: a
single foe ch g u :1 them, the carbine of Turtle
vomits the an i hurting through the massed
Comanches, while howls of death. and snorts of
prancing mustangs burst from the demoralized

ends of braves.

A frightful whirl 01 made up of a mass of fren-
zied steeds and ma riders, and from which dashed
and blawd a hundred fury-filled. snake-like eyes, was
now before him. And, into this mass, cut and tore
five deadly slugs, one after the other in quick suc-
cession; each far-sounding report of the Tonka-
way’s weapon being the signal of tearing wounds.
and fearful bowls.

The paralvzed horde realized, when too late, the
nature of the thunderbolt that shot at them; for

hoofs

the cloud of feathered shafts that g nted through
the hot, hazy air, in the rays of the declining sun,
fell short, and were welcomed by the victorious
taunting war-cry of the triumphant Turtle, who
skimmed over the flower-bespangled prairie. quar-
tcring toward the Rio San Saba at terrific speed,

 

and scorning to gaze backward at the yelling mob
following him in mad pursuit.

On, and on, flew 'l‘urtle, until he rcavhml the bor-
der of the timber. Then he jerked his steed toa
half, and turning in his saddle, gave a gesture of
derision, seconded by his whoop of war, that rung
back into the ears of the Comanches.

Then he shot into the screen of trees. and through
the same, b winding paths, to the river. This he
forded, an thence on to the border of the bot-
tom—timber on the east side of the San Saba.

Here he sprang from his faithful horse, and
sweeping the eastern plain with keen gaze, uttered
a single ejaculation, expressive of both surprise and
anxiety.

“ Waugh 1"

Afar toward the Rio Llano, were two small black-
ish obiccts upon the plain, that none but the eagle
eye 0 the ‘onkawa could have distinguished as
white horsemen; but urtle could not be deceived.

“Turtle, heap big fool," he soliioquizcd; “Co-
manche hunt or urtle. Come over San Saba.
Then see in white brothers. Mcbbe so Old Rocky
i‘izvse scalp. rlo Fred lose scalp. Turtle lose sealp.

an i!“

Thlii last was said in self-condemnation. Then,
as the yells of his )ursuers reached his ears, be ad-
ded. as he rcloadc his carbine:

“Turtle sound war-er . Lead Comanche on
plain. Then white brot icrs see. 'l‘hen no ride
intodtimber where Comanche hide in bush. it is
800 In

Barely was the Tonkawa
saddle, when the crashing o the undergrowth in his
rear warned him that iis foes were upon him.
Whirliug his stced, he faced them, as by twos and
threes, they broke from the thickets with vengeful
and exultant yells; some of which were Changed to
death-howls, as the terrible carbine again vomited
fire and lead.

A moment after, Turtle 5 ed over the plain, two
score of yelling Comanches lll hot pursuit- air! this
was the view that caught the eye of Frio 'rcd, and
brought forth the vehement, deep~meaning exclama-
tion of Old Rocky, which closed a previous chapter.

again seated in his

 

CHAPTER VI.
rmmwrmsonans.

Pooa Lorine La Costc when she perceived the
fearful-looking panther. its sides covered with the
gaping gushes inflicted by Louis, and which she

new had been supposed dead, and had been
thrown into the river was filled with wonder and
terror; for the Indian had so cunnineg adjusted the
skin, and was sitloncd in so natural a mar-nor,
that in the scm darkness, it seemed to he really the
horrible beast, with yet his enough remaining to do
mischief.

liut the shriek that Lorine uttered, upon being
thus ai‘frlghted, had barely died away, when the
maiden was chilled with horror at feeling hers: If
clutched, and dragged down the river-bunk; anothi r
piercing shriek breaking from her ii is as, turnin:
tulckly, she saw the hideous pain'ed ace of an in-
(lizm near her own. The next moment shc was in
the dark depths of the Rio San Saba.

Overwhi lined with horror, the beautiful l'l sunk
into insensibiiit ', and was happily unconsc ous dure
in” the time s u was being dragged throu h the
cillll waters. This, however was but for a itting
moment; as the cunning omanche, clas inf his

aims over Lorine‘s mouth, darted, as qul’c y as
he waters closed over him, directly beneath the
same and emerged, hidden by a curtain of over-
hanging grass, and holding the head of the sense.
less maiden above the surface.

Intense exultation flashed in the glittering eyes of
th-- savage, as, peering out, he bchcld Colonel La
Costa and Louis swimming frantically about the
river, and searching cvui‘ywhere, except at the
point nearest the camp where they dreamed not,
and with good reason, that the marauding Indian
would lin er.

The coo water revived the unfortunate Lorine.
and as she gave si us of returniu'r consciouxnci,
the bravo qu ckly t rust a wad of Ebuckskin, which
he drew from his belt, into her mouth, effectually
g ging her. Then, holdin both her wrists in the
ig tclutch of one band, 8 easily maintained his
position; standing in the water, his feet upon the
more shallow bottom by the bank, his head only
above the surface, while be pressed the fair girl to
his side, his arm encircling her slender waist. 'l'hus
held by her captor, Lorine Ls Coste, with a heavy
sigh. opened m'i‘ eyea- and gazed around, it pulled
at finding herself thus, and in almost tota dark-
ness.

8’) benumbed was her brain by the terrible shock
she had experienced at the sight of the su posed
mother. and at finding herself in the clutc of a
hideous Comanche. that she did not, for the mo-
ment, even realize that she was gagged. -

Theri ple of the river, and splashing of waters
rung in ller bewildered ears, and she strove to cry
out; then, not only becoming conscious that she
was gagged, but that a strong arm was about her,
sustaining her head above the surface of the river,
while her wrists were held in a vise-like grip that
pained her exceedingly. .

instantly the near ast flashed u n her mind, all
the horrors of her posntion darting t rough her brain
like a flash of ii ht. bringing with it naught-but the
most hopeless (lispair; at the same time the poor
girl‘s blood almost congealed in her veins. as She
detected a pair of glittering eyes within afew inches
of her face, and felt the fetid breath of her captor
upon her cheek.

Lorine trembled like an aspen leaf. and. shudder-

 

She now knew that she was in the power of the

savage who had dragged her from the side of her
Saber and brother, and down the bank into the
ver.

The indian tightened hisulgrip and biased in her
ear, causing her fresh rep sion and itorror. Tor»
tured as she now was, terror driving the bloc d to her
heart, yet she was doomed to still greater an uish
by the merciless fiend, who seemed to lost an ex-
2, t with intense satisfaction at her man estatlona of

arm.

It was quite dark behind the screen of grass, but
the Comandie slowly [arted the drtoping blades,
and revealed a sight that, had Lorine not bet in
gagged, would have brought a shriek of joy to her
lps; but only a gurgling sound vacated her, and this
was instantly checked by the. clutc of the Indian
about her throat.

The siglit was most tantalizin to the wretched
irl, for 0 saw, not thirty feet rrm her pomticn,
ier father and brother battling franticull against
the current, and plunging here and there, lving be-
neath the surface.

The pi or maiden realized that the were search-
in for her, and at once undcrsu'o the cunning
tr ck of her captor, for she knew, by the play of fire-
light on the trees 0 posite, that she “as beneath
the very s oi where e had been rcclinirg near her
father an: brother.

ilow long she gazed thus, ten thousand torturing
thoughts caring through her sinsitlve brain,the
hapless girl knew not; and her anguish of mind w: a
far beyond the power of words. he the of whatever
language, to express. But, when lli'l‘ rother disap-
peared dou u the river, and see u ireg unnoticed by

ier frantic father, whorze search .or her was ex-
tended up the stream, thrn all hope left cor Lorine
as the “ u sh “ of an exulting c't n'en'pt roke from
her captor‘s lips, and l:eclutchcd her. ‘paratory to
lunging forward from the cover into t to river. '

Then the mind of the horrified 'maiden was so
shocked, that she l)( carve for a time dazed, and in a
nearly senseless condition; durin which time file
was tom-d over tle stream, into i e rushes on the
0}) (mile hank.

ere the Cl manure i-kulked for a time. brewing
that the is; m. l ad to (n tl orcughl ' ini- ccttd by the
two whites, and watched Colonel .a ostc climb up
the bunk into the camp.

The Indian was now filled with uprthtusion for
his own safety; for he had hvmd the report of
Jackson's rifle, and the death-yell of his crnipanion.
But, no somu-r had the colonel draggfdhirnrelfu
and over the bank, than the Comanche cluuht
Lorine in his stron arms, and darhlr into the
timber, proceeded town-stream, paialle with the
same; the biautiful and psilid face of tie maiden
resting on his shoulder, and her l0l g hair but ging-
over his arm.

At times the Indian wruld stop, stundirg silent,
and still ll: tenin intintly; then he would game
gloating] ullm t .c pale iaceof hlscaptive, his own
conform n th in ingled hate and triumph. After
this he would hasten onward.

It “as during oi e of tlzcse balls that little Louis
who had dragged himself from the water, and cast
his (ripping form pione u on the bankmnntin and
exhausted. and on be very verge of insanit — twas
at this mum-ht tlzat tic 'outh detectld t emove-
ment of a branch, and rs sin his head, discovered
to his mingch 0y and relic , thou h not an ed
with horror an apprehension, the omanche ' ve
holding Lorine, limp and apparently sensech 0
forms of both being plainly revealed in a patch of

moonlight.
So startling, so total] unexpected was the strik-
ing. and. to im, terrib e tableau. that the bty lay

with ut {ower of 6 tech or motion; and vs
providen iaily was it t at his MT!” 8 Were thus blun
ed, for he i ad time to realize that the least outcry
or sound wou d have caused ti eIndian to dash away
ii.io the tl-lck ls, sndtake more careful precautions,
or perhaps murder Louis outright.

But the youth was as running as he was brave and
dating. an] n as gifted with a sense and reason

'ond lzis years. This he proved by remaining r-

retly uiet until the Comanche again dashe on
thrr u the timber, when he sprung to his feet. and

lidx. in pursuit; his bright eyes .flashin with fury

,Isr, features filled with stem (eterm ation and
(.8 n . '

Hisgrevolver was of course useless since his lingo
into the river, but he clutched his bowie-knife, and
stole onward. with set teeth: his eyes borin into the
rhades niuad, and his sense of hearing rained to
catch the slightest sound. as of the breaking of a
twig. . '

Had not Louis been so oppressed with toning:
anxiety in regard to his sister, he would re s:
bly have practiced more caution, and protl ed by
having witnessed the Indian halt now and then, to
listen for sounds of ursuit.

As it was, he forgo this fact, or failed to consider
it; and the cautious savage upon again halting, rid
straining his keen sense of hearing, detected be ad
him the sna pin of a dry branch—sufficient warn-
ing, under t e c mumstances, to cause him to dart
into a thicket, and there crouch to await his e cted
pursuer; first, howewr, casting the terrified rine
roughly to the earth.

The next moment his form bent forward, his ea
eagerly scanning in front of him, his knife clutc ed
firmly, on came little Louis La Costc, using r t
care and caution, but at the same time 

uickly, bis saturated garments clinging 0 his

ender form.

The lndian at once reco nized the hey as one of
the two who had plunged nto the river in search of
himself and his captive: and this gaw it e brave

ing, tried to {recherself from the repulsive embrace. ; much satisfaction, as he felt that the other must

 

 

5'6

Frio Fred.

 

 

have given up the search and returned to the
camp.

So intent was the Comanche upon watching the
approach of his intended victim, and gathering his
stren to bound out from the thicket, that he
noticed not the slightest movement in his rear, and
lost sight of the fact that his captive had not been
secured in case she should revive.

And this was a fortunate omission for those most
concerned, as doubtless it was the means of saving
the life of Louis, as will be shown; although it di(
not otherwise better the condition of our friends.
The shock received by the captive s the Indian
cast her to the earth ave her great bilin pain, but
served to relieve her mum to some extent; as she

rung at once to a sitting posture. and, to her in-
tense relief, saw the Comanche some paces from
her, at the same instant realizing that she was no
longer in bonds.

Quickly tearing the gag from her mouth, Lorine.
in great bewilderment, strove to reason as to her
future proceedings and as to the cause of her cap—
tor‘s having left her, and being positioned as he
'now was with uplifted tomahawk and bent as if
ready to bound forward. ’

L Ahtning-like came the conviction that the brave
was unit on murder; and, who could be his intended
victim, unless it were one of those who had been
searchin for her in the river?

With t is reasoning and conviction, she aban-
doned her first formed resolution to s rin to her
feet and bound away into the thicket, s rie ing for
he] , and decided to do all in her power to save her
f er or brother—whichever it might be—who, she
believed, was now approaching.

Bending her head. orine discovered throu h the
foliage her brother Louis coming toward her 'ding-
place as described, and her blood ran cold as she
saw that the burly Comanche would without doubt
send his tomahawk crashing through her darling
brother‘s skull did she not romptly prevent it.

Without making the sllg test noiSe, Lorine, with
clinched teeth, arose to a standing posture, and
stepped lightly forward timing her movements to
the moment Louis should arrive abreast of the mur-
der-bent red-man, whose tomahawk was held pro-

' Lifting over his shoulder, the arm that sustained it
bl ing braced, and the muscles knotted for a terrible
ow.

Lorine LaCoste well knew that she could not
wrest the weapon from the grasp of the Indian but
resolved to clutch it with both hands and bear own
with her whole weight and strength.

At first, the poor girl trembled as if tricken with
ague; but when she fully realized that the life of
her brother depended upon her, she banished all
else, except her determination to prevent his being
murdered. But a moment or two was she thus kept
in her terrible suspense, and life and death depend-
ed upon the next.

She caught a glimpse of the flowing hair in a patch
of moonlight, and then, as she detected the hatchet
thrust a few inches bac :ward to give more force to
the blow, Lorine grasped the wea n with both
hands and quickly jer'eel it towar her. At the
same instant she gave a piercing scream of warnnig
and then shrieked out:

“'an, Louis! For God‘s sake, run, or you are

Totally unexpected was the strain, slight though
it was to the Indian, and bein from behind him and
not be' braced against it, e lost his balance and
tell bac ard, losin his hold on the tomahawk,
and clutching at the nife in his belt.

Horrible as Lorine felt as the savage fell nearl
“gm her, she sunk but to her knees; and then, wit

quickness of tho ht, she raised the hatchet in
theairand brought t e blade down with all her
wer into the face of the Comanche. who was then

' the act of rising, his features contorted with baf-

fury.
. The keen blade was partly buried in the face of
the savage, severing the nose and crushing one o e,

but the struggll wretch in his rage sprun to is
lee covered wit gore, and with up knife,
ed at his assailant.

All this was in one flittin moment of time. The
next, little ‘Louis bound over the bushes, and

rln forward, grasped the imife-wrlst of the

mane e, plungggg his own blade to the hilt in the
broad, paint-dad breast. In a frenzy of fury at
the act of his sister and her dread peril, Louis jerked
out his bowie, and sent it crashln , with a horrible
gating sound, again and again rough flesh and

he, is arm nerved with double strength, as poor
Lorine sunk senseless and death like upon the
award.

With a fearful howl of death, the Comanche’s
strong form tattered, his eyes became fixed upward,
his jaw fell, and a gurglin sound came from his
throat, as the life-blood we ed from his lips, and he
fell with a sodden sound to the earth, by the side of
iii-e beautiful girl—dead' she. too, seemingly lifeless!
m‘flOhHGodl spare Lorine! My brave,1my darling

he I‘

Thus cried out Louis La Coste, as he sunk to his
bees, and bent over his sister. pressing his lips to
hers, and chafing her delicate hands.

And there, b the side of the hideous, blood-reek-
lnficorpee of t e Comanche, the brave boy wept and
.0 bed. until Lorine opened her eyes, sprung up-
ward and clasped her arms around him.

Both were bless with relief, and joy, and
thankfulness, or they deemed the danger past.

But asthe thus upon their knees embraced and
wep‘tatheir 0y and thankfnlness was changed to

and t e deepest despair, for upon sp nan
to their feet at the sounds of crashing bushes, t
thinking that their father and Jackson had come, a
half-dozen Comanche warriors bounded upon them

 

wifh “Ughs” of vengeful exultation from all
si( es.

“Father in Heaven, ‘protect and guard us. Oh,
God! hast thou forsaken us?"

Thus cried out poor, terrified Lorine from her in-
most soul, as she was, as well as her brother Louis,
bound hand and foot and hurled roughly upon the
ground; the braves meanwhile uttering deep and
meaning howls, as two of their number bore the
mangled corpse of their comrade away through the
darkness.

 

CHAPTER VII.
THE DEMON CHASE.

“Cass my cats an‘ dang my dogs!
demned Comanches air chasin’ ther Tonkl
Fred—spur for life!
lose our own ha’rl"

No sooner had these words left Old Rocky’s 1i ,
than both he and Frio Fred darted forward over t e
level plain southwestward, their former course hav~
ing been toward the northwest.

urtle had realized at once upon perceiving his
white scouts, that to ward them from danger of
death or capture, he must lead the Comanches on a
chase at a far angle from his friends, who might
thus escape notice by the infuriated savages, who
were bent u on his own life.

Thus the onkaway placed himself in great peril
to detract the observation of his foes from the
whites, for he could have galloped u the river and
dashed into the timber beyond the line of his pur-
suers, there secreting himself where it would have
been im ossible for them to have found him before
the sha es of ni ht would aid him in making his
escape to the Rio lano.

The self-sacrifice of the noble Tonkaway. however,
went for nothing, as the reader already knows;
for the daring scouts turned their steeds and imme-
diately dashed to the assistance of their red pard—
his position, now, that of a single Indian pursued b
a war-party of the same color; and the fleet blac
steed, together with a peculiarity in riding, to say
nothing of aconviction that he was somewhere in
the neighborhood, each and all convincing the
scogts beyond doubt, as to the identity of the pur-
sue .

Not only this; but they reasoned that the keen-
eyed Tonkaway must have observed them; and,
fearful of being the means of their capture, was
leadin his foes and theirs in a direction to. if
possib e, insure their safety. This filled them with
admiration and nerved them to more determined
efl‘orts to oiii the Tonkawa ', and, at the risk of
their lives defeat the plans 0 the Comanches.

Full but a mile had Turtle alloped from the
timber, before the keen glance o Frio Fred discov-
ered him; the Comanches being half that distance
in his rear, and the far-away re orts of the Tonka-
way‘s carbine had not been noticed, on account of
the (pro-occupation of Fred, consequent u on the
rapi conversation of the old scout upon t e most
gilptfg'tant of subjects—Fred’s love for Lorine La

05 .

That the situation was most des erate and dan-
gerous, both scouts realized; and he only hope of
success in savmg Turtle and themselves, was to join
the Tonkaway—thus removing anxiety on both
sides and workin together in common defense,
trusting to escape y strategy, for they well knew

Ther con-
Spur,
We‘ll save Turtle’s scalp, or

they could not depend n on their horses, after a'

long run. as the day’s ri e beneath a hot sun had
much fatigued the animals.

On, like a horde of fiends swept the war-painted
savages, after the detested onkaway, whose asso-
ciation with their pale-faced enemies had filled
them with the deepest hatred, and longing for his
blood. 80 er were the , so watchful of every
movement of rtle. that t ey for once failed to in-
spect the plain, and perceived not the white riders

Well knew the Tonkaway that, did his noble black
meet with no accident, he could keep clear of his
foes, as their mustangs were flecked with foam,
and panting laboriously, as the had swept ast his
covert on t e west side of the an Saba; an be felt
no anxiety in regard to his own safety, his breast
swelling with merited pride, as he thought of his
rehient exploits, which would sound in his death-
c nt.

But the anxiety that was dee in re ard to his
white lpards at the start became ess as e realized
that t e Comanches had not betrayed, by the usual
yel their discovery of the scouts. It was, however,
dou led, upon seeing that Old Rocky and Frio Fred
had changed their course. and were coming, like
the wind, _t0ward him; whirling their sombreros in
air as a signal for him to join them.

This was now the only m'ove to make, and Turtle

With of, that he had gotten his friends
into a t ht sea, by recklessly seeking revenge
upon his oes or the mere sake of revenge, and not
to save others from their fury. as had been his cus-

tom.

The Tonkaway deluged not a moment. but jerk-
ing jaw-strap, guided is horse into a course direct-
ly north almost at right angles with the pursuers,
who quickly took advantage of his movement, and
quartered toward him, with fearful yells, which
were increased as the Indians caught a view of the
two whites. The chan e of course of the daring
Tonkawa would ve t e Comancbes a chance to
get with n bow-s ot distance, did he not swerve
more to the cast; but he scorned to avoid them,
and reloading his death-dealing carbine on the run,
he rode on, ready to give another exhibition of his
prowess.

The opportunity] soon came. The Comanches,
notwithstanding t e destruction the had witnessei

among their own party, when Turt e. on two occa-
sions, opened fire, galloped forward, with fierce war-

 

whoops, and their bows half-bent. As presentvd to
the fast a preaching scouts, the warlike scene “as
grand antFto them most tan‘alizing, from the iact
that t ey could not reach the point in lime to take
a hand in the game; and as, from their osition, the
Comanches seemed much nearer to Turi 9. than they
real! were both Old Rocky and Frio Fred were
fill with eep concern and anxiety—the old scout
rattling off “ cast iron ” words, and ejecting tobacco—
juice spitequ , at every bound of his horse.

At length i'tie began to perceive that his life
depended not only 11 n instant action, but uner-
rin skill; for three 0 his foes were far in advance,
an were making ready to send their deadly
feathered shafts into his vitals.

Instantly his carbine sprung to his shoulder; but,
at the same time that he pulle the trigger, anarrow
shot ast his head. the feathered end brushingl is
temp 0. But the brave who sent the same, as he
fitted a second one to his bow-string, threw up his
arms in the air, his bow gripped in the agony of
death, and sunk over the hams of his mustang upon
the prairie sward. His horse, with wild snorts,
turned about. and dashed back to its mates, as an—
other sounding report broke on the air, followed by
another death-howl, which caused the pursuers to
send a cloud of arr0ws at the dauntless Tonkawny.
as be swept on past the point of favor to them; his
taunting and exultant whoop of war torturing their
ears, as (lid the file of the Texans, who now grad--
ually swerved iom their course, and in a moment
after were galloping by the side of Tmtle, the Tonk—
awav—the trio, with eyes bent upon the frenzied
horde who were again in fast chase, turning west
to dash into the friendly cover of the timber.

This was now their only hope of safety, for the
Comanches were scattere Over the whole plain to
their south, and all galloping furiously up the river.

“Whar, in thunderation an” dangnation. did yer
skeer up thet big batch o’ ha‘r-t'arers. Tonki"
b_Thus yelled Old Rocky, as he half-cocked his car-

ine.

“ tOver San Saba,” answered Turtle, pointing
wcs .

“ How many hes yer sp‘iled fer futur' fightin‘?"

“ Mebbe so, so many;“ extendin fingers, then clos-
ing. and again exteiidin —indica ing eight.

‘ How came they to d scover on? ' at in Fred.

“Turtle see Comanche come. urtle iidein woods.
Heap mad. \\ ant hear death-howl. Shoot with
arrow. Then jump on mustang. Shoot gun fast.
Ride quick to San Saba. Comanche yell heap. Want
Turtle scalp. “'aughl Comanche heap fools, squaws.
Turtle. show red wolves he warrior."

“ (‘uss my cats, an’ dang my dogs, ef Ver doesn‘t
do hit evory time, Tonkl" jerked out Old Rocky,
gazing at his Tonkaway pard with pride.

“But why didn‘t yer strike plum ter meet as?
Didn‘t yer know who We-‘uns war?"

“Turtle know white brothers faras buzzard see
dead buffalo. No want Comanche see. Mebbe so
tie Fred, tie Rocky, to torture-stake. Turtle ride
other way.”

“Don‘t never do hit again, Tonk, but head right
for your pards. We three hev cut our way through
a big er heap 0‘ howlin’ devils ‘fore now.‘

“ eap more over river. Big war-party when ai‘.
Palo Pinto. Some ride Bandera. Some. ride Colo-
rado. Some here. Mebbe so some on Llano.“

“ By Heavens Turtle, don’t say that, unless on
are sure of it! on torture me," said Fred, quic ly.

“ I hopes ter be nibbled ter death by dipper ducks,
an’ bashed by red ants, ef yer didn‘t stop ther biz. o’
my bleed mersheen by thet sort of gab, ’l‘onk'."
burst out the old scout, excitedly. “ \\ hat makes

er think thar's any 0‘ ther red hellyuns on ther

lano? We-‘uns haiu’t see’d no sign thet-a-wa '."

“ Why Comanches ride fast to San Saba? nrtle
say they send braves to Llano. Mebbe so see train.
See wheel-10d es. Then meet war-party on San
Saba. Tell chief, then ride in night to Llano. Ride-
in white men camp. when Texans sleep."

“ Wa-al, ef ther condemned, or'uary perrarer
pix-tits war comin’ on ther hum, hit does ‘pear like

hey ’spected ter meet some 0’ thar pesky advance
spies et a ’pinted time hyeraways fer thar warn‘t
no hurry fer em, ef somethin’ o thet sort warn‘t in
thar p’ogramme. But I swan I’m hopin’ hit man
somethin’ else what put ’em on ther whiz. Yer war
too brash ter show yerself, Tonk, thet-a-way; an‘
yer‘li sli up on hit some time.

“ Yer’ better laid low, an’ watched ’em, a blamed
s ht; ‘speshly es yer c’u‘dn‘t harvest that ha‘r,
E yer‘d bin nosin‘ roun’ ther San Saba, I sh'u‘d
s’pose er’d struck ‘sign,’ ef any 0’ ther smoky
sons 0 Satan glided past hyer, towards Llano-
wa ."

“Turtle see trail. 80 many braves ”——indicating
twelve, by extending fingers—“go fast to Llano.
Know my white brothers kill if 569. Want wait,
count war-party. No care follow trail of spies."

“ A dozen is enough to do mischief, if they strike
La Coste‘s camp," asserted , with anxiety in
voice and feature. " We must get out of this,
scra ,fland return to the Llano, to-night, pard

Roe .

"Ffit’s gut for be did." agreed the old scout:
" though hit ‘ ars ub‘ous ‘bout now. I‘m feelin’
punispokeris . Me be so thar‘s some 0‘ ther red
skun la n‘ for we~’uns in ther timber."

“No ri e in WOOd yet." advised the Tonkaway.
“Ride up river to bend. Go in trees, hide. Dark
come soon. Then €13 fast to Llano. My whiter
brother‘s friends on lano. Heap bad. Comanche
spies they crawl in night. Get scalp, get captive for
torture. No sound war-cry. Waugh! Heap bad.
Comanches dogs."

“ By Heavens!“ exclaimed Fred Fontaine, “the
more I think of it the more 1 fear that something is
wrong in the camp. The red fiends must have been.

 

 

a, ‘

Frio Fred.

 
   

7

 

 

hid in the Llano timber to-day, or we would have
met them on the plain."

“’l‘het ain‘t so sartain," asserted Old Rocky.
“Ther painted piruts c‘u’d ha’ hid in a motto of

the see‘d we-‘uns comin‘. Thet air, ef they‘d gut
ha -wa towards ther river. I sw‘ar I‘in ittiu’
half-fu rod

0' hyderfobic indifi; an‘ must has
meat or bu‘st. Ther yells o’ t er heatliiin makes me
bilyus.

"’ionk’s advice air good. Strike up crick out 0‘
shot from timber, an’ dash in a mile from liyera-
wa s."

Ayll now rode side by side, neck and neck, and
speaking ra idly during this hasty consultation, the
yells of the ‘omanches sounding close in their rear.

Their course, agreealélcy to the suggestion of their
Indian ally, was chang , quartering up, and in the
direction of the river; then, keeping out of bow-shot
from the timber, they proceeded for a mile at head-
lon gallop, making aspurt to get as much ahead
of t e war-party as possthle. .

When at the distance mentioned all urged their
horses into the timber, disappearing from the view
of the infuriated Comanches, who well knew, by
this time, that they had lOSt their advantage and
that the capture of their cunning foes was now, to
say the least, doubtful.

CHAPTER VIII.
1N nouns.

Tan sudden and unexpected change from free-
dom and security, gained b a most esperate and
darin act, to captivity, wit 1 probable torture. or a
fate ar worse than either, was most terrible to
poor Lorine La Costa.

She had, through the negligenCe of her first cap-
tor, become free and had removed her gag, bcsnlcs
being enabled to, without doubt, save the life of her
brother—Louis having in turn done the same by her
——and for a short time had believed that the way
was open for her return to the camp and her Sor-
rowing father, but the appearance of the savages,
evidently drawn b the death-howl of their coni-
rade, the bindin 0 her brother and herself, so a —
pulled and ter ed the poor girl that herdes air
was as deathlike as possible, and yet be enable to
live through it.

Louis was horrified beyond measure, more on his
sister‘s account, however, than his own. For he be-
lieve i that his search for her had placed Lorine in a
far more dangerous position than before. for but

.one Indian had then held her captive, and now a

half-dozen braves had them at their mercy, the war-
riors bein infuriated at the death of one of their
party at t e hands of himself and Lorine.

Besides this the boy had heard the report of a rifle
soundin: from the direction of the camp, and
thought that the Indian had been killed w 0 had
masqueraded in the pantlier‘s skin to favor the one
now dead in capturin Lorine. If this were so, it
would incense their re captors still more.

Louis believed that the partner of the Indian,
whom he had, with Lorine‘s help, slain, would have

oined his mate, had he not been shot in the camp
a conse uencc of this, the reflections of the ou h
caused him to re ret most bitterly having al owed
himself to lose sig t of the Indian who bore Lorine
away, and whohad evidently stopped to listen, and
thus heard his approach. Louis was filled with self-
condemnation, ut repining was worse than use-

less.

He felt no hope of rescue by his father, as the
latter could know nothing whatever of trailing, and
all the blacks and teanisters would he wanted to
guard the wagons—the negroes being of little use in
an emergency, through their terror of the Indians.

If the scouts returned from the San baba, whither
they had gone to ascertain if any war-party of
savages was in the vicinity, Louis well knew that
they would use every effort to rcche himself and
sister; but their return was not looked for until the
following n ht, and who could tell what might
transpire du ng that time?

These thoughts and conclusions flashed throuis'h
the mind of the brave outh, during the time he was
beiiidg bound by the ideous Comanches, and he
ahu dered with dread for his )00!‘ sister, as their
snake-like eyes flashed glances of hatred into his,
and their exultant taunts met his car.

He could see that the braves were infuriated by
frenzy as the dead warrior was borne away, and
that they brandished their weapons toward the

cam .

Thea satisfied Louis that the new-comers had dis-
covered the wagons, or the mules on the west plain,
and had followed the trail of the latter far enough
to judge of the location of the camp. He also indged
that the savages were aware of the inability 0 those
in camp to attack them with any chance 0 success,
or they would at once have hastened from the spot,
knowing that the death-howl of the brave must have
been heard at the wagons, and the shriek of poor
Lorine as well. .

However. Louis knew if these sounds had been
heard, and their character rightly interpreted, that
his father and Jackson woul rush to the rescue,
consequentl he was anxious for the Indians to move
on, for he elt sure that if his father followed he
would be slain. .

He had been nearly insane with anguish until
meeting Lorine, but now he felt cool and calm;
forcing himself to feel thus for her sake. It was a
comfort to be near her—a cmive with her—and he
vowed that he would kce wits about him and
strive in every way to rec himself, and reease

her.
Side by side lay the captives, and Louis turned his
, and into the face of his loved sister, dis-
coverin t her eyes were fixed upward upon a
patch 0 sky, discernible through the tree-tops.

 

She did not appear to be conscious of her son I the brother and sister. and forcei wads of buckskin

roundings.
their expression, and her fair face drawn with
terror, and pale as the face of a corpse.

It was agonizing to Louis to look at her.

The youth feared that his sister was dying of
fright, or losing her mind, and he cried out:

‘ Lorine don't despair! While there is life there
is hope. fi‘or Heaven's sake, look at rue—«speak to
me! Do you hear me, Lorine?"

Slowly the eyes of thexf'oung rirl rolled in their
sockets, her head turn sli it y, and she gazed
into the eyes of her brother. ut such a gaze!

It caused the youth to feel faint and sick.

“For God‘s sake, sis, don’t despair! What has
come over you? Don’t ou know you are the bravest.
girl living, and, but a s ort time since, nearly killed
a savage with his own tomahawk? Cheer up! li‘rio
Fred and Old Rocky will follow thesc fiends and
save us yet.“

At the mention of the scouts the eyes of Lorine
brightened into a more natural look; and, after a
few spasmodic efforts, she cried out, in a gasping
whis icr:

“ h, Louis! Do you think we shall be rescued?
Do you believe that the scouts will return from the
Sim Saba in time? Frcd Fontaine is so good and
brave, and knows so much about the Indians, he
might save us."

"And he‘ll do it, Lorine—ucvvr you fear!" re-
turm-d the boy, delighted that he had impartx-d
some hope into his despairing sister’s mind. “ Fred

~and Old Rocky are the best trailers in Texas. and

they won‘t stop to sleep. aftcr they find we have
been captured, until they trace the inhuman ‘lIlOIl'
sters up.

“if they give us a couple of days' res ite, before
braining or torturing us. we’re all ri t: for the
boys will bravo everything before you s iall come to
harm. Bt'Slili‘S, I‘m lot going to lie like a stick of
wocd, if I am tied. I‘ll watch item for chances to
outWit these merciless torturers, so, Lorine, do try
and brace up, for they might take a notion to torture
us if the saw we were weakening and likely to die
on their ands."

"You are a brave little fellow, Louis,“ said his
sister in a more natural tone. “You liavo suvvd
m Ii 6 to-night, and proved yourself a man; and 1
re y greatly upon ou in our most fearful position.
But for you, I shou d have died of fright and despair.
These lndiuns are most llOl‘l‘llliO-rlllore so than I
ever dreamed of. Ohl I shudder to think of our
fate should we not escape from them."

“We‘ll get away, sis; i feel confident of it. All I
ask is for you to bear it as well as you can until
somethin turns up. If they intended killing us
the. Wou d have done so at once. They think 0
tak ng us to their village for torture, but I don‘t iii-
tend they shall do so—not much!

“Here they come! Make believe you don‘t care
for them. Don‘t show any more fright than you
can ossibly help."

W iilc Louis and Lorine had been conversing the
four Comaiichos had stood at the ver e of the
thicket, listening intently. But, as i in youth
announced their return, and adVised his sister. the

uartette of demons strode to the side of their cap-
tves; a peculiar signal having sounded near at
hand, followai by the tramping of horses.

Lorine and Louis were immediater clutched by
two of the braves and carried roughly from the
thicket, and thence to the side of the two warriors
who had borne awn the (lead Indian.

These braves he] the jaw-straps of a number of
mustangs in hand; and, after a short. conference
in their native tongue, the captives were seated
upon mustangs, bound to the backs of the animals
in haste. then the warriors all mounted, and pro-
ceeded toward the river. fording at once, and con-
tinuing on through the timber. toward the western
plain. -

Upon the margin of the bottom-trees bein
reached, the captives were taken from the backs o
the mustangs, and bound to two so dings, in standing
positions; the mustangs being minted to trees,
where the animals could crop the long bottom-grass.
This was done in a hasty manner. and then, five of
the braves. in single file, strode away, headin south
toward the wagon-camp: leaving one of the r num-
ber to guard the two captives.

“Here is a splendid opening for us to escape,"
said the boy. “if I could onl get my hands loose.
Have they Il('(l you very tght, Lorine? Do you
suffer very much "

“I am not secured tight enough to prevent free
circulation,“ was the reply; “ but I cannot hope to
work myself free. They made sure of that before
leaving me. Is there any prospect of your loosing
your bonds?"

“Not that I have found out so far, sis; but I am
working for escape, although I do not feel much
hope in that direction I must confess. Do you
know where the braves ave gone?"

"No," said Lorine; “do you?"

" I haven‘t the remotest idea, but I ‘opine.’ as Old
Rocky would 8&3" that they proceeded at once to
our camp: andl expect soon to hear the crack of
Jackson a rifle. and some revolver-shots."

“Oh, Heavensl They will kill pa ai Would to

we had not come 0 this awful order. Why,
oh, why, did we not remain in our old home?"

“ Don t commence to fret now. As to the camp
they are all right there; for I know Jackson won d
have the mules driven in, as soon as he knew the
Indians were about, and among them the can de-
fend the wagons. lndeed, I honestly be eve that
those five braves will never return here; and if that
should be the case, I reckon one warrior won’t be
able to keep us in this fix very long."

At this moment, the single brave strode toward

Her eyes were glassy and unnatural in 3

i

l

l

 

into their mouths, reventing further conversation.
He then cast himse f upon a blanket, lying at full
length. his elbows on the ground, and his head sus—
tained in his hands.

Thus he lay, gazing toward the point where his
comrades had (isappeared, listening intently for
an sounds from that direction.

oor Lorine, her long wav tresses disheveled, her
alpparel torn and spattere with blood from the
s a n brave, her face Pullid and he ard, bound to
the sapling, gazed w th anguish an dee appre-
hension toward her brother; presenting a cture, in
the bars and arrows of the moonlight, t lat would
have melted a heart of iron. The brave boy, beside
her. strove not to be affected by her ap )earance,
but assumed a hopeful aspect, and strugg ed still to
free himself, although each movement gave him ex-
fil'llflttilng pain, as the cruel cords cut into his

on i.

hill half an hour passed thus. Poor Lorine‘s head
graduall sunk forward, her long hair vailing her
face. am liangin below her waist.

The sudden c ange, from hopeless despair to
freedom and the presence of her brother. and the
plunging a aln into the same state as at first, only
increased y her lovod brother‘s ril, and from
fearing that the warriors who had astened toward
the cam would slay her father-all this avalanche.-
of dre anguish benuinbcd her overtaxed brain,
and she sunk into a comatose state.

Louis suffered great mental torture, witnessing
the bowed form. and realizing the state of his sistA" ;

but he was soon destined to feel nearly as dcspondi .it-

and despairing as Lorine, for, with a headlong rush,
crashing through the under rowth into the little
"open," like fiends of the night, gulloped a half-
dozen more. paint-duiibed. hideous Comanchcs, who
gavo a whoop of exultation as they perceived the
cnfitivefl.

' his provod to Louis that they were full aware
of the strength of his fathm"s party, an feared
thenrnot; indicating that more of the fiends were in
the vicinity.

 

CHAPTER lX.
A 'rsiuiirs.

IMMEDIATELY upon the disap earanco of the trio—
Turtle, Old Rocky. and Frio red—~into the shades
of the timber a peculiar yell rung from the Coman-
che chief, followed by a series of signs and gestures
to a number of his braves, who were near to the
timber south of the bend, where our friends had en-
tered it.

These braves quickly waved their hands, in com-
prehensive answer, and lashed their horses into the
bottom timber, passing through the same, and cross-
ing the river; roceed ng at once to take positions
at different po nts on the opposite side of the stream
from the scouts, to make sure that their enemies
did not ford it.

The main war-party, directed by the chicf,sta-
tioued themselves at intervals. completel around
the bend on the mar in of the. timber, al on foot:
the mustangs being eft in the care of a guard at
some distance down the river. Each brave had
attached the jaw-strap of his animal to the beast‘s
fore leg, removing the loop from the jaw to the
neck; thus allowing the mustangs to feed, but pre-
vented by the strap from running.

The chief now had the hated Tonkawav and the
two white scouts completely surrounded y a cor-
don of braves, and he felt positive that, upon closing
in. the trio would be at his mercy, and could easily
be captured.

Should he accomplish his object and be enabled
to carry the three as captives to his village, it would
be more honor—more of importance to his nation,
than had be driven two thousand horses toward the
Llano at the end of his wantrail; for the scouts and
Turtle had sent many of his warriors on the " 10!)
dark trail,"and were more feared than a score 0
mere ordinar enemies of the Comanches.

(‘onse uent the chief Rollin Thunder, was de-
termin that our friends shou d not esca is him.
and stalked from one end of the crescent o braves
on the river-bank to the other, and around the bend.

K

giving his directions, and promising that any war-.

rior who should effect a capture of one of the hated
trio, should wear an eagle ft ather in his fillet, as a
reward, and a sign of a V'anCement toward the rank
of a war-chief.

Notwithstanding the hundred and one daring es~
capes of the trio, when escape was deemed im ossi-
ble. and that many braves had sounded their eath-
howl on each occasion-all of which was known to
the Comanches—yet they were confident now that
their dreaded foes were at their mercy.

But to return to our friends.

No sooner had Turtle and the scouts entered the
timber than each s rung from his saddle and led
by the 'Tonkaway, roceeded toward t 0 river.
one after the other. go ng in a viindin way around
thickets, and avoiding the breaking of gwigs as much
as possible. although they well knew that in half an
hour it would be impossible for the Comanches to
follow their trail. '

Before reaching the river the Tonkaway led his
horse into a thicket. soon emerging into an “ open,"
entirigy isurrouiipliedm by dense and thortnyh under-
grow , m as e netrate, exce a e oint
where be 1.33 entered.” p p

Frio Fred and Old Rocky followed; the latter say-
ing in a low voice:

‘ Reckon yer‘ve bin hyer afore. Tonkf Dan ‘d ef
this ain’t a condemned cosey hole ter lay low nier!
Cuss my cats, I needs aleetle rest es well on my

nag!"
‘ Little rest we’ll get for the next two t '-f
hours," said Fred in a despondent tone. “ Olld3Ro‘c‘llrl,‘

 

 
   

8

Frio Fred.

 

I shall go mad if we lin
We are wanted on the
feel it in my very soul!“

“Talk no good on warpath," exclaimed Turtle
quick] . “ Comanche ot sharp ears. Go to Llano
when ark comes. Turt 0 say we go. Turtle's tongue
is not forked. I have s ken."

By this time the brid es were sll ped, hung on the
horns of the saddles, and the rt 8 loosened; then
all proceeded to rub down the r horses with green
grass, while the animals tore the same from the sod
with Avidit . This done, the Tonkaway tightened
his belt, an by a gesture indicated his desire for the
scouts to follow h .

At the entrance to the “ open " he made a halt,
saying in a low tone:

‘ My white brothers sta here. Comanche come
down trail. Kill with kn fe. Turtle go see what
Comanche do. Turtle belt empty. Want scalp."

With these words, the Tonkaway glided from the
side of the scouts, and disappeared in the thickets;
Old Rocky whisperln to Fred as he did so:

“Cuss my cats, an dan my dorgs,ef ther Tonk
ain't et his ole tricks! I'll et a half-dozen ’Merikin
8 Ice ag‘in‘ a J une—bug that he scoops in some ha‘r
th trip, an‘ its thcr persish 0‘ every red-hellyun
in ther outfit.“

“I presume he will," admitted Fred, in the same
grade of whisper; “ but it will take him a lon time,
and the lives of all at the Rio Llano ma epl'lld
upon a few minutes' delagin our reaching t e camp.
I think it is useless for )th of us to remain here.
We ought to know if the way is open, should we
decide to ford, and make a tidal": around the red

rhere any length of time.

no river, I am positive. 1

fiends."
“ Jumpin' Jerusalemi"
Old Roc nearl s rangled in hm endeavor to

whis er th s e acu ation, in his sudden excitement,
with mout full of tobacco-juice; but he recov-
ered, and continued manifesting proofs, by gesture
and grotes ue rimace, that a no very agreeable
thought be fine ed upon his mind.

“ Pard Fred. we-‘uns air a nasal o' )userlanimous,
soft-headed dang'd fools! her Ton ain‘t no bet-
ter. What yer hes jist spit out 'hout ther river sent
a idee inter my brain-box thet knocks n:e ’bout
blind. We-‘uns hev glided in hyer wi‘ our nags an'
shut ourselves plum up without a show fer not min‘.
Dang hit! We can‘t stir in ther bush wi‘ ther hos-
ses, without ther red scum hearin' us, an' makin‘ a
rush outer us, whar W0 hain't gut any more show
than a mouse in a rattler‘s hole.

“Ther hellyuns'll crawl inter ther bottom, all
’roun', an’ lay fer ter ketch outer our locate. Ef we
starts out in ther dark, they'll jump us afore We kin
cl'ar the timber. Ther tram 0' our nags jist gives
us away. Don‘t yer see, par ?

“ Now yer hes spoked 0‘ hit, thar's biz over ther
drink fer us; but we-‘uns can’t skute thct-a-way
with our nags. Hit ‘u‘d be jist like our settin‘ to ter
scalp our own kerbases, an‘ makin’ a die 0‘ hit.
Cues my cats! What war we thinkin‘ ’bout? We-
2.11:8 .ain‘t scouts; we‘re idjuts—dang my dorgs of we

a n ti‘

" I believe you are right, but it was the only thing
we could do, situated as we were. But what do you
pro so doing, ever the river?“

“ it warn't ther only thing, bya ug full! We
c‘u‘d ha' pinied plum ‘crost ther p in, fer ther
Llano."

“ Why, in the name of sense, did
it, then; and not now when it is too ate! By I- eav-
ens. you are right! 'We should have struck for the
Llano. But would our horses hold out? There is
the Rinching point. You forwot that, I fancv."

" ot bya dang'd sight! e‘But I ’iowed ther red
hellyuns' nags war sorter fresh, which war wrong,
'00s that Tonk said they comed ’crost ther west

lain jist on ther whiz, we c‘u'd keep clear on 'em
‘m dead sure; but they’d ha‘ lunged in on ther
cam soon arter.
“ ow I‘m jist h’ilin’ over wi’ pure indlg‘ an’ hit
makes me sick enough ter puke up my toenails,
- ter think we hes spilled our own gravy thet-a-way.
Ther Tonk air allers so hot arter ha’r thet he doesn‘t
Ligineer things squar' outside 0' his hankerin‘ ter

on not pro ose

I

a skulls.

“Thar' only one way out 0' this, but by the
bones 0’ av Crockett, we‘ve gut ter meander
toward ther no at we hes ter wade knee-deep

through Curmanch‘ bleed!"

‘i‘dBu pose you explain yourself, nowyou‘re at it,“

as .
“ We hes ter leave ther nags, glide over ther drink
an' let go hot an’ hea fer ther red scum, what I'm
d sure bees watc n' 'long ther river. We’ve
gut ter ist tortur' 'em an' make 'em yell, ist like a
thousan wilecats, which ’11 draw ther he t o’ ther
lurkers this side over 'mong us; they thinkin‘ we’re
skutin' fer free ran e thet-a-way.

“ Arter we’ve 50b led a few an‘ gut all ther ye‘i
outen ’em we'll it thar wizens an' skin thar heads,
an' then come on theragfihtnin' skute fer our nags.
Nex’ we’ll make a d through ther few what’s
hyeraways. an‘ then everlastin’ly whoop-er-up fer
ther Llano, an' Lorine."

Fred clutched the hand of the old scout and
wrung it warmly, as he said:

“Good for you, old pard! You‘re worth a thou—
sand common men in an emergency. Every word
you have spoken is solid sense. We were fools I'll
admit, but the mistake was excusable in our excite-
ment and worr . You propose the only way out of
the scrape. the. I see.

“I have been so anxious in regard to the train
that I’ve not had my usual wits about me. I wish
Turtle would return. He thinks more of a seal ,
than anythi else when Comanches are arou ,
and I have ways thought his intense hatred to-

ward those of his own color very strange."

 

“Cuss my catamounts an’ scarin my scalp, ef
er wouldn t be jist es bilyus ag‘in' em ef yer war
n his flx! dThe}: cogdgmned Comancthe: stotred his

uaw ter eat wit er pap a er reas -
gpturin’ her when he war onpoaoslfunt, 'sides fillin‘
his ole dad an' marm’s bestest ’natermy with
arrers."

“Great Heaven! Is
a word in regard to it.

“I reckon not. An‘ ef yer sh‘u‘d spoke 0' hit
yer'd wish er hedn’t, fer he'd go r‘arin an' t‘ariu'
wi’ hyde obies an' skute fer Curmanch' ha‘r, no
matter w ar he war. 80 take keer. pard Fred."

“ I‘ll not mention it, then; for surely be is venge-
ful enough at any time, and no wonder. I‘m afraid
he’ll be too darin yet and be taken.“

“ I‘ll risk ther onk, an' I'll bet he'll show up soon
enough fer we-‘uns ter kerry out our p’ogramme.
Lot’s step waggln' tongue. Let‘s listen, fer hit‘s
time some 0' ther scariflers war nosin‘ ‘roun‘ hyer.
LaFy low, pard!"

or a long time the two scouts sat, a dead silence
ruling the bottom, which grew darker and darker.
The noise made by the horses tearing grass was now
scarcely perceptible. The intense anxiety and im-
patience of Fred, in a measure shared by the old
scout, were at length, however, relieved b the low
“waulgh " of the Tonkaway, who, in wh spers, re-
veale the state of affairs—namely, that they were
surrounded by Comanches, and escape by the river
was cut off, by a guard being there stationed, who
could, with safety to themselves, shoot them from
their horses, if they attempted to swim the stream.

Then Old Rocky ex lained his plan. which was
received with approbat on b Turtle; and, although
it was a move which they di not like—thus to leave
their prized steeds—they were under the necessity
of doing it nevertheless.

Just after sunset, the trio made their way stealthily
to the river, and down the same: the Tonkaway
springin upon, and kniflng the sentinel next to the
bank wit out creating an alarm. Then all swam the

that so? Turtle never told me

San aha, at a point above the guards, and made
their wa to the rear of the line. The crisis was now
close at and.

A half-dozen braves were there stationed, Turtle
having ascertained the exact position of each during
his reconnoissance; and three of these must he slain,
without their iviug a death or danger yell—a most
difficult feat, ut which was duly and promptly ac-
com lished.

A er this. at a given signal, each sprun upon a
particular one o the remaining braves, om the
rear, with lessees. They then bound and disarmed
them, amid their terrific yells. Next, having secured
them to the trunks of trees, they slashed of! their
scalps and ears, and otherwise mutilated them; glid-
ing up the river again, and swimming across it,

while the bottom rung with the shrieks of their vic- ‘

tlms, causing the greater number of the warriors on
the east side of the stream to rush, with sounding
whoops, lunge into the San Saba, and swim to the
scene 0 commotion and combat—all believing
that their three hated foes were escaping in that

way.

Before the Comanchcs full realized the nature of
the ruse, Turtle and the exans were 
madly through the timber on the east si e o the
river' the rattle of their revolvers and the howls
that followed, roving that the had met with some
opposition in t eir flight from t eir covert.

The San Saba bottom was now filled with a demo-
ralized mass of Comanches, incapable of reason or
action; and, during that time, our friends cleared
the timber. and shot forward over the plain, toward
the Rio Llano,where they were, at the time, anxiously
looked for, net to say greatly needed.

“Dang my ‘dorgs, an’ cuss my cats! If we-‘uns
didn‘t bamboozle ther cussed scarifiers!"
SaThusbyelled Old Rocky, from the safe side of the
n a. '

 

CHAPTER X.
I N 'r n s o A u r .

Arum the departure of Jackson, the wagon-
master, to order in the herd of mules, and then to
gallop at full {freed to the San Saba, for the purpose
of finding 0 Rocky and Frio Fred, and etting
them to return to the rescue of Lorine and Ollie—
after this, Colonel La Coste hustled about the camp,

iving orders to the negroes, and putting every-

ing in shape and. order for the defense in case of
an attack.

Although suffering great mental “011?. the Old
man strove to conceal it, and to cheer up the slaves
who had been greatly terrified.

Takin into consideration that the colonel felt
keenly t e fact that he was responsible for it all, in
ha brought his children and servants into dan-
ger, w en warned and advised against it; his mind
was most certainly in a fearful state of torture, and
only by a herculean effort of will, was he able to re-
tain command of himself, and refrain from grasp-
ing his rifle, and wildly flying through the dark
woods in search of his darlings.

The herd, 'of some fifty mules and a dozen extra
saddle-horses were soon driven in by the six team-
sters, three of whom were Mexicans; Big Bill, the
herd-master. and two other Texans being the only
ones that the colonel believed he could depend upon.
For the Greasers Were greatly terrified; muttering,
as they cast glances of dread into the dark shades
of the timber:

" Lo: Comam-hss! Les Diabloa .”'

Certain mules. that were re lzed leaders by
the other animals, were , and the others
allowed freedom; of which. however, the beasts did
not take advantage. having had time to graze suf-
ficiently, and bein fa ed by the da ‘8 travel.

The herd was d ven c osely in, stan g about the

 

secured animals on the border of the camp; as
mutilht tfie give warning of danger approaching as
a e .

hen the camp was in a favorable condition, Big
Bill and the two other teamsters were summoned to
a consultation by the colonel; the Mexicans and
the negroes being stationed as guard, at different
po nts.

The negresses and their children, after the arrival
of the herd and the teamsters, being assured that all
was safe, fell into deep slumber; all huddled to-
gether in one of the wagons reserved for them on

he trail.

Colonel La Coste now revealed to his men all the
occurrences of the evening; but hardly had he
ceased to speak—Bi Bill being engaged in medita-
tion—when a lo ng shriek broke the silence of
the bottom-tim r, soundin from down the river,
but some distance awa . shriek was followed
by the fearful death- owl shot out by the Co-
manehe, as Louis lunged his main and again
in the breast o the brave, y so terribly
wounded by Lorine.

Colonel La Coste sprung from his sitting posture
to his feet, trembling and ghastly pale, as he cried
out, in agonized voice:

“ Oh, my God! The red fiends 'are murdering my
child! Lorine, my darling, I come—I come!“

Unheeding the hasty remonstrances of Bill and
his pards, the colonel hatless. his rifle clutched
tight , and his gray hair flying wild sprung madly
upon he first horse, he came to. dashing fur ously to
the river, plunging down the bank into the stream,
and swimming the horse across.

Bi Bill cried out, as the colonel mounted:

“ addle up, pards! Quick es yer kin fer yer lives,
an‘ we'll hump hit speed arter ther boss! Thet
war ther leetle al’s yell, cad sure; an' I sw‘ar, ef
sge’s hurted, I’l hash every red in ther Llano bot-

m ‘

In less than a minute the three Texans had forded
the river, and dashed in search of their employer,
and to rescue his children, pointing down the
stream; but the colonel was not to be. seen, or
heard. He, as well as the teamsters, passing to the
cast of the thicket. where Lorine and Louis la
bound. The braves there lay listening to their me
through the undergrowth; sounds that caught not
the ears of the bound captives, dazed b the sudden
chan e from freedom to torturln captivity.

Au on galloped Colonel La te on the bare-
backed horse; the animal rendered frantic, as the
rider, by furious blows of the rifle-barrel, still
plunged madly here. and there; his eyes staring into
 thicket, as if expecting to discover a horrible
s g t.

And close in pursuit, gallo ed the three teamsters
at intervals apart, until knew that they had
passed beyond the distance from which the shriek

lad been uttered. Then they came together, and
spurred with increased speed, until finally they sur-
rounded the crazed colonel. and urged him to re-
turn to the opposite side of the river.

This he a reed to do, becoming suddenly as pas-
sive asa ch ld; big tears rollin down his cheeks,
and relieving his overburde brain. The rough
Texans themselves, were eatly impressed, and
brushed their eyes with the r sleeves, at the sight
of this strong man in his agony of heart and soul;
and the thought of what had probab happened to
his children, both of whom the love so well.

The stream was forded, an the trio proceeded
more moderately, carefully examining the thickets,
and passing within half bow-shot of those they were
in search of, just previous to the arrival of the last
half dozen savages. The whoop ( f the Comanches,
as they discovered _the captives, caused the four
Texans to jerk their horses to a halt in sudden
amazement; for all the Indians had dined in the
shoe , which broke the silence of i e night in a
start! ng manner. and caused the whites to judge
that] there was a much larger number than there
roe y was.

But they were destined to be much more startled
much more amazed; for, before they could whir
their horses to venture toward the last point of
alarm, the most fearful shrieks of dread and hor-
ror lung from the camp ahead, fl llowed by a few
rifle-shots and ringing war-whoops. Then came the
thundering crash of the ten-iii: d mules, signrding
toward the west Ilain at headlong sp ' the
Egreamsi of the negroes breaking continuously on

e a r.

The Texans eat their horses, dumfounded for a
moment. Then Bill yelled:

“ Come on, Ci]! 1! Come on boyeesl Thor dang'd
red pimts hes bu‘stecl up our hull outfit!“

Co on] La Coste spoke not a word, for he had not
the power; his appearance being woeful to contem-
p ate.

Ruin. utter ruin and despair seemed fated to be his
portion for the remainder of his days upon earth.

childless in his old age. wilh t! e consciousness
that he had been the means of its own sad bereave-
ment, wishing and praying for the death that would
not come to relieve him, he sat, stolid in his misery.

Must this be his fate?

Thus he questioned himself; and settled that ques
tion b vowing. with uprnised. clinched hand. thatit
ShOllli not. be so—that. if his darlings had met their
fate, he would die avengin them“ that the same
blood-stained hands that ha slain them, should he
slain by him, or slay him—he cared little which!

Not in words was this vow made. but in thouizm
and in spirit; his tongue and lips quivering in inef-
fectual attem ts to form the words.

All this as t e tumult. so suggestive of massacre
sounded from the camp; and before Big Bill could
recover from his amazement to shout out the words
that we have recorded.

 

m

Frio Fred.

9

 

 

Then, like an avenglng spirit. on, crashing through
the undergrowth, with cocked revolver in hand
dashed the old man; his eyes blazing with fury, an
a thirst for reven e, his snorting, frenzied steed 'o'gf-
ing, regardless of ush and brier, like an arrow shot
from a bow, through the bottom-timber, leaving the
teamsters in the rear, all convinced that their em-
ployer had lost his mind and would surely meet his

oath at the cam , at which they could not hope to
arrive in time to he of any assistance to him.

Yet they urged their horses, by prick of bowie, at
terrific speed, though having li t e hope that the
Mexicans and negroes were alive.

But to understand matters, we must return to the

cam .

Afger the colonel and his teamsters had left on
their important mission, nothing was heard exce t
the movements of the animals, hat, pestered by i’r’i.
sects, kept up a continuous whisking of their tails
and stain ing; the Mexicans and no roes, although
they diso yed orders, and collocte together near
the wagons, with one exce tion, conversed in regard
to the situation in guarde mutterings; though they
felt safer from attack since the Texans had ventured
into the timber—believing that if the Indians were
near, the whites would immediately detect the 1pres-
ence of the red marauders, and that they shou d be
warned by the sounds of conflict, near as it was to
their position.

The exception referred to was a daredevil Mexi-
can who, carbine in hand, took his ost at the very
spot where Lorine had been dragge into the river'
he sitting on the bank, his legs asking over, and
lgeefiing his eyes on the river, and the opposite

an .

The fires were kept burning, for the very good
reason that it would have been quite dark in the
“ open " otherwise, and thus have favored the lurk-
ing savages. did the latter make an attempt to enter
the camp, or to stampede the animals.

The guard, in a group, however, took the prth
caution to stand between two wagons, in order to
avoid serving as a target for their lurking foes
should any approach. The howl and shriek prove(
that there were Indians at some distance, but as the
Texans, guided by those sounds, had gone to inves-
tigate, t one in camp felt less apprehension than
previously.

Hence Pedro, more than all others, reasoni
thus quietly puffed his corn-shuck ci arotte am
toyed with t e lock of his carbine, his ck to the
camp, where, as a matter of course, no danger was
to be apprehended.

However, the Mexican was luxuriatlng in false
security, for but little time assed when the form
of a Coman e stole slowly a on the limb of a tree
to the left of Pedro, the eyes of t is brave glittering
with a thirst for blood, and perfectly panther-like in
exlpresslon.

ad Pedro gazed over his shoulder upward he
would have seen this warrior, and, could his eyes
have pierced the foliage of the thicket at the foot of
the tree, he would have discovered four more
braves e or] watching their comrade, who must
remove t e exican without cam lug an alarm to
make a way across the “ open," where the herd of
llllllles were now principa ly standing and half
as ec .

Without the slightest noise the brave worked his
way until he reached the nearest point to the
Greaser that the strength of the limb allowed, then
he gathered himself like a wild beast _for the spring
downward, his long scalping-knife tightly ciutche
in his hand.

The doomed Pedro still smoked listlessly.

The moment, with the savage, for action. arrived
and he shot downward, striking the Mpxwan on. the
shoulders, and sending him headlong into the river.
At the same instant the Indian dived into the whirl-
ml formed by Pedro's plunge, and, as he arose,

f-strangled and wildly beating the wow”. the
palm of e warrior was ressed tightly oyor his
mouth, the glittering blade overing but an instant

: that there were no captives held

 

in the air, and then plunged, with sickening sound, .

into Pedro‘s throat, severing the jugular vein.

As the blood spurted, niinglin
waters, the Comanche thrust his v ctim beneath the
surface, and with a gurgling sound the ill-fated Mex-
ican sunk in the waters of the Rio 0.

The brave then climbed from the river, where he
was met by two others, and the trio,‘ screened by
the bank, pipoeeded along the same until they
gained the rder of timber that lined the sout
part of the "open," there separating to crawl
in among and sever the rOpes of the mules that had
been secured.

This accomplished on each side of the camp, the
animals, snorting and prancing, and thoroughly
awakened, otting more frightened each instant.
Just then the ye p of a block, a prearranged sig-
nal, sounded on the night air.

the same moment the yell of the newly-3r.
rived Indians, where Louis and Lorine were con-
fined, rung through the arches of the bottom-tim-
her, and a flight of arrows glinted in the flrelight,
wounding several of the nefii‘oes and killing one.
Then came the stampede of t e herd of mules.

Pandemonium followed. The Mexicans and blacks
bounded into the wagons, and blazed awa at their
foes in an irregular manner. Two fell dea , and the
remainder bounded on after the herd, leaving the
amazed Greasers and blacks muttering prayers and
thanks for their deliverance; while the women and
children tilled the air with their shrieks of terror.

But a moment after, Colonel La Coste plunged
wildly into the camp on his terrified steed; but no
too was there—not a human being was in sight,
except the corpses of a negro and the two Co-
manches.

Soon, however, the teamsters spurred their horses

with the clear;

 

into the camp, gazinfiin amazement at the harness
thrown from tie es and trampled, and at the
dead; while, out mm the w as, crawled five
negroes and two Mexicans, the :- faces ashen, and
the cries and lainentations of the women and
children proving that they were certainly alive, al-
though t e tumult they created would have led one
to suppose that they were all desperately wounded.

The Texans did not linger a moment, however;
for B Bill shouted:

“A right here! Come on, boyeesl We must
stop the stampede or we are lost. How many reds
do on find, Antonio?"
1 ialMexlcan thus addressed held up three fingers
n re y.

“ oop-er-ufl, be see! We‘ll clean 'emi"

And away ga oped the four Texans, the colonel
again riding madly in the lead.

CHAPTER XI.
0 a I 0 K it A 'r n D .

Tim moonlit plain, west of the Llano timber line,
was destined to be the scene of startlin and amaz-
inievents durin the night that followe .

t the same ime that the herd of mules and
horses broke from the timber, and stain ded head-
long over the rairie, the two scouts, 01 Rock and
Frio Fred, w th Jackson and the faithful onk-
away, Were within view; and, in their rear, thun-
dered a score of Comanchcs in hot chase, with
others in a scattering line on tagged mustangs, yet
further back.

The six braves, who put in an ap arance, were
from down the Rio Llano, at the ‘ open,“ where
Louis and Lorine were bound to trees, after passing
a few words with the single warrior who guarded
the captives, in regard to the state of affairs, hast-
ened immediately to goin the stainpedln -party;
leading the mustangs o the stain leders wit them,
and guided by sound, which cnab ed them to reach
their comrades, by taking a quarterlng course, at
the point in the timber where the herd of mules
broke forth.

The three warriors quickly mounted the horses
that had been led to them, with ejaculations of
satisfaction; and one, being of rank, immcdlau’ly
ordered two of the new arrivals to return, and start
with the captives toward the Rio San Saba.

Then the seven Indians, in a long line, sped on,
'elling like fiends of the night, and urging the af-
rl hted mules at renter speed over the plain.

ery mifortuna ely, Colonel La Coste and the
three teamsters did not break from the timber for a
moment after the two Indians on detached service
had lunged into the saine' or they li'l ht have
gme in chase, with awakone sus )lcions n regard

finding the lost ones, by thus fol owing.

But this was not fated to be and the Texans, with
great speed, skimmed over t e prairie, in hot pur-
suit of the seven braves who were running the ani-
mals; resolved to sin the lndians before amen“);-
in‘fi to head off the inn cs—a feat that would be (i ‘
c t, and that would necessitate a long gallop.

But the bewildered anil agonized nilnd of Colonel
La Coste underwent a change when he discovered
by the savages; that
neither Louis nor Lorine were in the arty. Not
daring to entertain the idea that his c ildren had
been slain, he res 9lved to abandon the chaSe, 11111.
tolsriearch the Llano timber again; this time by him-
se .
In fact, the colonel was in a sadly demoralized
state; and no wonder, as the reader must admit.

The old man had gradually, as the thoughts ruled
him which led to his decision, failed to urge his horse
as before, and he fell into the rear; consequentl his
men sped on without him, their interest in the c are
preventing them from noticing his absence until too

ate to ask explanations; alt ough the Texans
Ludged correctly as to his intent ons, and did not lay
lame to him.

And thus, the parties in our frontier drama were
posdioned on the realistic stage—that is, the stam-

ede sweeping over the plain to the west; six yelling
omanches urging the animals to frantic 5 ed. and
the three Texans in the rear of the lnd ans, with
weapons ready, to let fly “ blue whistlers " into the
boots of their red foes, who were not aware of any
pursuers being in their rear.

And beyond the stampede, to the west, were Old
Rocky, Fred, Turtle, and Jackson, ralloping upon
their panting, foamfleckcd steeds; aving caught
sight of the stampede, and filled with deep appre-
hension in consequence. They had been greatly
agonized when, on meeting Jackson, they learned of
the capture of Lorine, and the disappearance of
Louis: while the hideous band of Comanches thun-
dered in their rear, but too far distant to bethe
cause of any great anxiety.

The scouts With Jackson and the Tonkaway,
pointed directly; for the stampede, to head the ani-
mals, to turn t em in a quartering direction back to-
ward the Rio Llano; for they discovered the team-
sters in the rear of the stanipcders, and endeavored
to playdinto the hands of their friends—Big Bill and
his r s.

T is was accomplished most admirably, as the as-
tonishment of the stampeders was so great on per-
ceiving whites approaching with an lndian in t eir
com ny, that, although they erked their mustangs
to amlt, they failed to hear t e on-galloping team-
stersin their rear, until they were startled h a far-
soundin report—~the three carbines of Big illand
his par :5 exploding as one, at close range, each
bullet finding its mark.

Three of the seven braves, with horrible howls of
death. threw up their arms, and fell from their
affrighted steeds, that, now riderless, gailo d in
among the herd of mules. For a moment t e sur-

 

 

. viving reds were dazed and thunderstruck, and that ,

moment sealed their doom: for Big Bill and his
pards were upon them with their revolvers, sending
s herlcal messengers of death tearing through the
v tals of the savages.

With yells of exultation. the teamsters now guided
their horses to the north, and were soon assisting
the scouts and Jackson to turn the frenzied mules.
This necessitated a wide deviation to the south from
the course to the cam on the Llano; which, how-
ever, was not taken vantage of by the pursuing
war- y, as they knew not the ocation of, or
acgyt ng in regard to the camp of Colonel La

ste.

On over the plain bad the swept like a whirl-
wind, with naug t but the lac of quirts. the snort
of mustangs, and the rattle of arrows in the
skin quivers; but as th‘f‘y reached the point where
the seven braves lay de . and scalped by the Teak.
away, who had left his white parthi to manage the
stam de for the purpose of gaining these trophies
—as is (,omanches came upon the mutilated slain
of their advance scouts, they filled the prairie air
with fiendish whoops, yells of fury and howls for
the slain; not knowin previously the cause of the
report of tire-arms, w ich they had but faintly dis-
tln uished in the distance.

us was the scene changed, and most l(quickly;
the stampede flying on the back track,d yen y
the scouts and teamsters, with Jackson and Turtle
—seven brave, determined, and daring men—while
the seven reds, who, but a few moments previo’i‘i:i
had been hastening on the stampede, l n d
and scalpless on the prairie; while a hor e 0 their
comrades, who had arrived too late to assist in
securing the valuable herd, or in saving their lives,
were howling ovor them, and giving vost to their
flfli‘y and thirst for revenge, in bloodecurdling whoops
0 war.

And the silvery moon rolled on in the arch of
blue, illuminating the savage scene, as well (mothers,
of more interest to us; for the strange liapaienlngs,
and the maddening disappointments, an catas-
t5i)pll()fi, Were not destined to fall upon the lndians
1 Oil“.

Thus far, during the time that the various actors
mentioned had been on the plain, the whites had
had the advantage in every move; their forces be-
ing joined, the herd turnid, and on the way back,
and the stampeders all slain. llut now,a change
was rung° for suddenly, the horde of Comanchea,
with terr tic whoo s of exultatlon lashed their
niustaii s on a son easterly course, toward the Rio
Llano— he herd and drivers going directly out;
their whole attention bent u n kuping the mules
from turning in any other d rection.

The whoo s of the savages, however—the si iiflca-
tion of which was under-st by the scou and
Turtle—caused them to bait, and gaze with amaze-
ment to the north; when a sight met their view,
which filled them with the most intense apprehen-
sion and anguish.

At the instant that this met the eyes of Frio Fred,
he reeled in li‘s saddle, and cried out:

“ By heavens! There are Lorine and Louis! They
are lost—they are lost!“

But, notwithstanding his despairing words, he
drove spurs home, and shot north, as fast as his
overtaxed home could bound; Old Rocky fairly
shrieking out, in his surprise and dread:

“Cuss my cats, an‘dang my dorgsl Thar‘s ther
leetle ones sure as shoctln "

lie then followed close after Fred, as did Turtle
and Jackson: the teamsters bringing up the rear.
and all lashing and urring without mercy.

No anxiety about he camp any longer ruled the
whites or the Tonkaway and the stampedlng mules
were entirely forgotten lor the time be ng.

Yet at the start there was no hope; for the horses
were all badly faggcd. and they perceived that the
mustangs, that came from the timber of the Llano,
fairly fluw over the plain.

U on two of these were bound Louis and Lorine
La ‘-ste, the mic faces of each being plainly seen
by their agon zed friends it was the extreme of
torturo—soul-racking, sickening tori ure—to all con-
cerned, except the cowardly Comanches.

And none were more agonized than a single horse-
man, who gallopcd shrieking in the rear of the
Indians, who were lashing the mustangs, to which
the captives were bound, at headlong ed. This
was none other than Colonel La Coste, w 0 had dis-
covered his darlings from the timber, and who was
now alloping madly in pursuit.

On three Indians were with Louis and Lorine,
but t ese were on fresh horses, and sped like the
wind to join the war-party with their captive yells
of (xultation shooting from their lips, and c s of
tapntiilig, as they gazed in their rear at the pursuing
co one . , . .

But the old man had procured a fresh horse, that
had been caught in t e bottom by the drag-r0
(lyingiaround a sapling trunk during the stamped:
and e spurred the animal on with his bowie, in a
state bordering upon madness, feelin that his brain
Would burst, and his heart crawl u nto his throat
and stifle him, did he not save his c lldren.

And all this his friends saw; and all realized that
it was among the inipossibilities for them to hope to
reach the untortunate youth and maiden before they
were swallowed up by the thundering horde from
the Rio San Saba. But, for all that, the plunged
onward, although they Well knew that t. ey were
killing their alread overtaxed animals.

And Colonel La oste gained upon them to idly
for he had secured a remarkably fleet animal: an
the frantic man erked his revolver as he drew near

rLorlne an Louis—they turnin their heads,

heir features drawn in an a ony o apprehension
and terror, gazing back at th r father, and then at
the scouts, and realizing that, nothwithstanding the

 

 

 

10

Frio I-‘red.

 

 

 

 

d efforts which the and the Tonkaway were
putting forth to rescue t em, they were doomed.

At length the hindermost of the three braves, who
were in charge of the captives, halted, with bow
half-bent and arrow fitted to the string, and the next
instant sent his feathered shaft through the air in

rear.
The colonel fell from his horse to the prairie, as if
shot through the brain, and both Louis and Lorine
uttered piercing cries of anguish, the latter sinking
forward senseless, and her lair mingling with the
mane of the mustan to which she was bound.
Frio Fred grew aim: and sick; and his brain
seemed like molten lead as he saw a brave dart for-

ward, and sustain his arling, holding 11 her fair
head by the hair with his murder-curse hands—
all the whites vin ven .ful yells, when they

say;d the colonel all ram is steed, as the believed
e .

But a few yards intervened, at this time, between
the war-party and the captives; and Fred, rendered
frantic struck his bowie-knife into the hams of his
wearied horse.

With a cry that was almost human, the poor
beast sprun into the air, and fell prone upon the

rairie; the lood gushing from its mouth and nos-
riis Fred himself being buried senseless to the
cart .

At the same moment, Louis and Lorine were sur-
rounded by the Apache horde which turned m mum
and hastened headlong, on the backtrack, towar
the San Saba.

“Cass m cats, an’ dang my dorgsl Somebuddy
knock m rains out, an’ feed me carkidge ter eat-
fish! T s hyer big ball 0' dirt air flip-flopped til-er
wrong way)

Thus ye ed the old scout, as he jerked his horse to
a halt, gazing alternately at Colonel La Ceste’s body
in the distance, the stunned Frio Fred, who lay near
his dead steed, and the galloping war- arty.

1 "Then he added, as he ejected a squ rt of tobacco

u co:
“ I’m sick enough ter puke up my knee-pans!”

CHAPTER XII.
memo A news.

UNDER the circumstances, taking the general char-
acter of his mode of expression into consideration,
it was not strange that Old Rocky made use of the
language with which our last chapter closes; and
the outcries of Jackson, Big Bill and his pards, in-
dicated little less astonishment and hopelessness, as
they joined the old scout, all sitting u on their pant-
ing horses, and gazing after the ast-fiying Co-
mifiiche horde, with Louis and Lorine in their
111 st.

0! all the actors in this savage, warlike scene, who
were on ‘the cause of right, none seemed to have
their wits about them, except Turtle the Tonkawa ,
who, with a “ Waugh!” tha expressed much of d s-
gust and anxiety. sprung from his black steed, at

he s at where Frio Fred lay, and poured water
from is gourd over the face, and between the lips
of the young scout, who soon sat up on the sword,
in a bewildered manner; his temple, bruised, swol-
len and bleeding, from an ugly blow, received when
he was thrown from his horse, by his carbine, which
he held in his hand, striking his head as he was hurled
to the earth.

A portion of the war-party had halted at the

int where the seven braves lay dead; and, grasp-
ng the co scs, they drew the same up before them
in their dies, jo ning the main Earty, who had
charge of the- ca tives, with their ideous burden;
thus addingto t e a pulling look of the situation,
although Louis and rine were now, providential-
ly' senseless, as the observers well knew.

Big Bill hastened, with his pards, to ascertain the
condition of the colonel, who, it was found had been
struck by the arrow on the side of‘his head; the
same making a ragged furrow in his scalp, and
stunn him.

The exans had soon the satisfaction of seeing
their em loyer olpen his eyes; he, as well as Frio
Fred, be unab e to comprehend the near ast.

But neit er of them remained long in t s state.
The surroundings, and the sight of the fast-moving
horde of Comanches dashing back toward the San
Saba bringing all the dread truths to their mind;
and it is probable that no other two men on earth
sufi‘ered greater mental agony, as they realized that
Louis and Lorine were being borne afar over the
plain toward the haunts of the wild tribes, by the
merciless Comanches.

The colonel was assisted to where Fred stood, all
collecting at that point. and Old Rocky breaking
out, in the style of a leading spirit:

“Cuss my catamounts! Ef t is ain’t bilyus, boyees
-—dangnation bilyus—but thar ain’t no use standin’
byler gapin’ at ther last eend o‘ ther cirkus. Es ter
w oopin’ up on ther whiz, an‘ lun n‘ arter ther
condemned fisrs, hit can't be di( , owin’ to our
critters bein‘ slimsy es wet buckskin. Ef we‘d ha’
bed fresh stock under us, we’d reskied ther leetle

 

ones. .

“Don‘t look so dang‘d down in ther mouth; cur-
nll' but brace up, an' we’ll git up an’ git fer camp,
fixin’ for ,fun, an' then skute on ther fly for ther

San Saba.

“ Oh, In God! East thou forsaken me?"

Thus ed out Colonel La Coste, from his inmost
soul, hiseyes fixed and staring upon the fast dis-
ap horde of merciless red fiends, who bore
away wi them all that he loved on earth.

As for Frio Fred, doubtless he would, in his
frenzy, have rung u n his horse. and dashed in

ursuit of the ndians raving almost certain death

rescue Lorine and Louis, were it not that his

horse la dead upon the plain.
The ttle time which had forced, from various

 

causes, all to reason on the situation, only prevented

a disastrous dash to certain death, without order, or
dam of action; and, from thus reasoning, all were
orced to accept the advice or orders of Old Rocky,

and proceed at once to the camp on the Rio Llano.

As some of the horses, from which the Indians
had been shot, were wandering on the prairie, one
was now lassoed for Fred, and the colonel’s caught
also; then all proceeded toward the Llano, discover-
ing that the stampeded herd had made a halt on the
borders of the timber, the animals being new quietly
feeding“:

Old k , as the party had covered half the dis-
tance. crie out to his pard:

"Fred, ther Tonk hev got some sort 0‘ fresh idee
inter his kcrbase, ter sarcumvent ther condemned
kiotes—I’m takin‘ my aiferdavy on hitt ‘Cos why?
Thar he air, jist shootin‘ inter ther timber ii e
sixty.’

And such was the case; Turtle. having. without a
word of explanation, gnlioped ahead alone.

“Jum in' Jericho! Ther Mexicans er ther nig-
gers ‘11 s oot him, dead sure!"

Thus exclaimed Big Bill, as he drove spurs,
figd galloped in haste, to prevent injury to the Ten-

way.

“ Dang‘d ef Bill ain‘t kerrecti“ answered the old
scout, with some concern. “The ‘1] think ther
Tonk air a Comauch’, ther blamedi iots!

“ IIowsomever ”—more relieved—“ they shoots so
ormighty wild, bein‘ so scarey o‘ ther reds, thet they
might pop away, ther hull caboodie on ’em, an' not
harm a ha‘r."

A somewhat disconnected account of the occur-
rences at the cam after his departure was gained
from the colonel, y Jackson; both Old Rocky and
Frio Fred listening ea or] ' in regard to the search
for Louis and Lorine, t e s ooting of the Comanches
in the camp receiving due attention from the scouts.
Old Rock gave his opinion of the matters, after a
short deliberation, and tearing off a fresh quid of
“ ni ger-head."

“ oyees, thing; hev bin mixed up in a cur‘ous
sort 0‘ way. Ef ed bed stop Jed a lindt, ther hull
biz o’ ther reds ’u‘d ha‘ bin bu sted, an‘ ther leetle
ones ‘u‘d be him , ’stid o‘ in a tight box."

These words added fresh misery to the young
scout‘s mind; not so intended, however, by his old
pard. who proceeded, after a vigorous squirt of
tobacco-'uice over his horse‘s ears:

“Thar s one danlg‘d sure thing an” thet air, ther
condemned scum’ skute back h or arter bleed.
ha’r, an‘ mules. Ef thar nags hedn t hm in a faggcd
fix, they‘d ke ’ on, an’ stud a good show ter Wiped
we-‘uns out 8 ick an’ clean, while we war scattered-
iike; an’ then scooped in ther hull camp outfit.
Tiler corpuses on ther perrarer, made ‘em red-hot;
an’ ef hit hedn’t bin fer seein‘ ther captives,
ther hull batch on ’em ’u‘d ha’ lit down on us. Hit
‘u‘d ha’ bin ‘ Good-by, John,‘ then, fer ther hull on

usi
.“ They’ll strike ter ther San Saba, dance an‘ howi
over ther corpuses, an‘ rest thar nags; then ther
heft on ’em ‘ll strike back 11 er chuck-full o’ hyder-
hobic, eager fer bleed. ‘hcy‘ll leave some wi’
ouls and Loreen in a sly ]place, is in‘ low fer thar
coxnin’ back. Then they‘ mean er towards ther
head 0‘ ther Brazos.

“ Hit war dang’d stran ehow we~’uns didn‘t strike
no sign on ther Llano t iat ’u‘d i‘n us a‘ idee thet
reds were sneakin‘ man”. They p ayed a purty thin
an‘ wored out old ame on ther curnii, which they
wouldn’t ha’ tri on, ’cc tin‘ they knowed, by
‘zaminin’ ther outfit he war resh.

“I sh’u'd jist lau h m errigatin‘ ditch sore ter
see ’em lay a pan her-s in game on me or Fred.
Thet’s w y all ’u'd ha‘ gone hunk, of yer’d stopped
ahindt, ard.”

“For caven's sake, don"t cause me to feel more
misery than I am burdened with new, pard Rock,"

leaded Frio Fred, in a tone that proved how deeply
e suflered.

“It was to be, and there is an end of it. The
thoughts of what Louis and Lorine are now sufler-
ing nearly drive me mad. I must have a horse that
is of good bottom and speed, at once; for I will not
sleep until the colonei’s children are free, or I sleep
the sleep of death. Every moment of this suspense
isf agon zing. Their fate is too terrible to think
0 .9!
Colonel La Costa reined his horse nearer to that
of the speaker, and clasped his hand with awarm
and thankful grasp; but he could not for
emotion, the tears running down his chee s. The
overwhelming numbers of the savages had plunged
him again into hopeless despair.

The old scout witnessed this act, but quickly
turned his head; a moisture in his own eyes, that
his voice and manner gave the lie to.

“Thar ain‘t no use in bein’ womanish ’bout this
hyer thing curnil; fer hit only bothers an‘ hinders
ther smooth runnin’ o‘ what‘s t ter he did. Hit‘s
plain sailiu’, fur es I kin see. har ain’t enough on
us ter go in brash, an' rake things; an’ ef thar war,
thar wouldn’t be so much show ter git ther leetle
ones out, wi’ no skin broke. Ther Tonk, an‘ Fred,
an‘ this hyer ole raw-hide ripper kin play our sly
games on the painted plruts, es we hes man a time
afore. Hit ’u d be ther bestest 'rangement er yeou

wi‘ ther wagons, niggers, an’ Greasers,

ter stay
’long 0’ Big Bill an’ his two

“ Yer’ll hev ter move camp up toward Fort Mason
er mebbe so ther‘ll be a hefty ’nough crowd o’ scari~
fiers run in on yer ter scoop yer in. Then we’d be
in ’bout es bad a fix es afore, even if we did whiz
back wi‘ Louis an’ ther leetle gal."

“Don’t ask that of me, my old friend," returned
the colonel, in a feeble voice, which, however, grew
aronger as he continued; “ I shall go and fight like
a demon to get back my darlings. What

 

train, or the slaves, or even my own life, when put
in the scale with their safety? They are in the most
deadly peril. The savages may murder them at any
moment, and you cannot, by anything you may say,
change this belief, or my urpose.

“I shall 0, as soon as can get a fresh mount,
even thong I should go alone.”

“ Thet‘s jist what I s‘posed yer’d spoke," said Old

ky; “an’ I can’t saya ward agin’ hit. But ei’
yer goes wi‘ we-‘uns yer hes ter 0 as we sez, er
yer‘ll spill yer gravy, an’ ther leetle ones‘ll be tor-
tur‘d 'sides all on us bein‘ scooped in. I hes sed
thet hit‘s gut ter be worked under the bush, by sly
scoutin’.

“ We-‘uns must sarcumvent the red hellyuns some
sort 0’ way; fer thar ain‘t no show ter win by
lu n‘ in brash on sich a hefty war-party.

“ hy, they‘d ab thar stickers inter ther leetle
ones fust pop, e the even see‘d thet we-‘uns war
makin‘ a lun e inter t ar camp."

“1 am will ng to act under your orders, Old Rocky,
to be sure." agreed Colonel La Coste' “ but, for
Heaven‘s sake, don’ts ak of the red fiends mur-
dering my children! know that you and Fred, and
your friend Turtle, whose brave deeds are known
near and far, are experienced in the ways and habits
of these monsters; and I know nothing about them,
except what I have to-night learned by the most an-
guishing experience.

“ You have asserted confidently that the Coman-
ches will not kill or torture my darlin ones before
reaching their village; and this fae relieves me
greatl , as it leaves hope of rescue before that time.
Shoul the . or a ortion of them, return to the
Llano, and e defea ed in their plans to capture the
train and herd, would they not become infuriated,
and in this state, when they went back to the San
Saba, have the captives both tortured, as a balm
for their disappointment, and to assuage their
my
"I cannot help thinking that it would be so, and
this is my great fear now. But. you. my friends,
know them, and perhaps can satisfy my great dread
on that oint.”

“ We‘ resky Louis an’ Loreen afore ther con-
demned ha‘r—t’arers gits back ter ther San Saba. er
I‘ll chaw b‘iied owls fer grub theruex' six moons:
So jist sot thet down in ermem’rander book. When
Turtle, an‘ me, an’ Fre goes for heavy biz on ther
jump, things hez gut ter squirm an’ wilt, I kin' tell
yer; an’ don‘t er disremember hiti

“Dan my orgs ef we-‘uns ain‘t gut inter camp.
an‘ I ha n‘t sorry, I swa’r! Cuss my cats! What.
did I tellyer?

“Jist gaze et our Tonki Somebuddy choke me
right smart, er I shill laugh, even when I feels es
thoufih I war bOund to iant my hull fambly an‘ dis-
tant iced relations. ca 3 an‘ dorgs counts in! Ef
that ain’t a purly sight, I'll swailer a catfish, tail
fust an’ without cutt u’ off horns—"

W en Old Rocky first be an to speak, the colonel
had quickly jerked his revo ver, cocked the weapon,
and would have fired directly over his horse‘s head.
had not Frio Fred spurred up, and clutched the old
man‘s arm in a vise-like grip; saying, in a low voice,

not interru ting his old ard:
“ Hold, olonel La Costei For Heaven’s sake,
don‘t shoot! That’s Turtle, the Tonkaway-i"

Just ahead of them, and approaching, mounted
upon one of the Comanche horses, equi ped in the
same manner as when ridden by its s in master.
was Turtle, attired in the costume and weapons
taken from the corpse of one of the Indians slain
in the camp. His turtle team was covered by a
breast-plate, and the war stripes of his foes were
daubed upon his features.

So well arra ed was his disguise, that the colonel
had attempted shoot him.

CHAPTER XIII.
ON T0 was an BABA!

“ WHAT sort of aidee‘s gut crawliu’ 'roun‘ under
ther ruts o‘ yer ha‘r now, Tonk?" asked the old
scout, as Turtle seated on the wild-e ed Comanche
mustang, rig ed and painted exactly 11 imitation of
its former der, now slain, presented himself to
their view.

“ Yer doesn't mean ter sashay toward ther San
Saba an‘ lunge inter ther camp 0’ ther red hellyuns,
es things ‘pears ter ’int. does yer?"

“Turtle ride to omanche camp," asserted the
Tonkaway. “Save yOUIiifi white brave. Save Lily-
Face. ‘Comanche no k like Dove-Eye, Turtle's
s uaw. ’

he eyes of the Tonkaway blazed like those of an
infuriated ipanther as he thus spoke; but his stoical
face exhib ed no emotion otherwise.

Old Roc had not heard his red pard mention the
tragical fa of his squaw for a year and more, and
he now knew that the Tonkaway was in a verifeful
mood that would brook no dictation or even a vice.
Consequently he guarded his next words to his In-

ian comrade.

“ Can’t er wait awhile fer we-’uns, Tonk? We‘ll
jump fres stock an“ skute quick es we kin, an‘ I
sw‘ar we need yer now, of any time.

“I’ll gi‘n in thet I’m wo rated a hefty sight
’gards yer goin’ fer they’ll fin out yer ain’t simon~
pure Curmanch , an‘ the ’ll toriur' er. This hyer

hing ’1] end in our hevin a bigger jo on our paws
than gittin’ Louis an’ Loreen outen thar clutches,
I‘m afeard."

“Comanche get shot in wheel-lodge camp. (‘0-
manche get kill with knife in bottom. Young white
brave, he kill. Try; save Lily-Face. Both get free,
but more Comanc e come. Tie both up. Big Fox
get kill in camp, when braves run fast; stem do
mules. Mebbe so other braves no see die. Bi ox,
he Comanche. Turtle, he Big Fox now. Wang ! lt

isthelisgood

 

 

Frio Fred.

 

i.

Without another word the Tonkaway whirled his

uirt in the air, bringing the torturing lash around
t e hams of the mustang with a hiss and soundin
whack, and the animal, with a snort of pain an
:fright shot throu h the party of Whites and disap-
peared, crashing t rough the undergrowth in their
rear toward the plain which had been so recently
the scene of the startling and Strange events We
have recorded. ,

Old Rocky ejected a uirt of tobacco~juice vi-
ciously into the bushes an then said, in a tone that
shOWed his disa pointment: _

“Hit's too ang’d badl Hit makes me sick
enough ter puke up my ham:strings_ ter see ther
Tonk git onter one 0‘ his r’arin‘, t‘arin’ stompedes
arter bleed an‘ h'ar.

“He’s bilyus es 3. hungr yaller wolf, an’ yer
c’u’dn‘t rsuade him ter ma ’e a crook in ther trail
he’s deCided enter, no more’n yer c‘u’d drive a
wile-hog on a bee-line!

“Dan ’d of Iain‘t afeard he's checked through
ter king om come, without ha’r; an’, jist es likely
es not, thar won’t be enough meat left on his car-
kid e arter ther torterers gits through with him ter
fees a new-horned catfish.

“Fred, we~'uus hes gut ter run ther thing alone, I
reckon. We hes ut tcr save Louis an’ Lorine. an”
mebbe so ther onk besides. Things air gittin'
mixeder an’ mixeder."

All had, by this time, started on toward the camp,
as Turtle disappeared; the old scout grumbhng thus,
as he rode b t 8 side of Frio Fred, whose features
mld Plainly 0w desperate and hepeless he consul-
ered the position of the maiden whom he secretly
loved; notwithstandin, the encouraging words Old
Rocky had made use 0 since the sad scene on thc

lain and which Fred knew were spoken for the
neflt of the almost crazed father of the captives.

“I’ll risk Turtle," said the young scout, striving
to throw off his despondency. “ We know that he,
speaks the Comanc ie tongue as well as that of his
own tribe: and, although it may be known that Big
Fox was shot, it Would not seem strange or remark-
able that he was not killed, and had returned.

“The Tonkaway understands his business, and
will doubtless arrange everything; for his life hangs
by a hair if he enters the Comanche camp, which I
have no doubt he will. Few men would take such a
risk to save others, and they of a different race, and
with whom he has never even spoken. 'lurtle is
one of Nature‘s noblemen, it“ his skin is red.”

“Thet’s whar ye’re litin’ him down fine, whar he
b’lon s. Dang hit] I 'hat did he mean ’bout Louis
fittin away with a Curmanch’, an’ sottin’ Loreen

reef He s foun' out somethin’ fresh since he
struck ther Llano, an‘ that’s what‘s sot him a-goin‘.
Ef Louis socked a knife through a brave, Turtle
’u‘d 0 through fire ter free him.”

"I§e's a true man. that friend of yours,” ex-
claimed the colonel. arousing
rinth of dread thoughts. “ _ i
u on his exertions. Perhaps Bi Bill Will 'now
w at the Tonkaway discovered n regard to my
children. and where they were secreted.

“ Turtle must have had some time to investigate,
for we have necessarily traveled slowly since he left
us in the first place.”

“ Wa-ai, hit may all come out hunk; but I’m wor-

tated ’bout Tonk, ’cos he‘s so ormighty brash.

ecan‘t ’spect ter keepa rip on his ha’r alwis;
’specially when he’s runnin’ is head luminter ther
wustest Curmanch‘ lay-out he lain nd. Hyer we
air, boyeesl An‘ Bi Bill hev gut things straight-
ened out. Reckon e kin ‘splain what. ther Tonk
hev bin doin’ since he ‘roved.’

As the old scout spoke, all broke into_the.camp,
flndink that the fires were blazing, and Bi Bill with
his pards bustling about, having re lacet the har-
ness and set the negroes to men ing the broken

rtions. The mules and horses were all huddled
ggether in the “ open"; having been driven in from
the plain b the two teamsters. Bill had ordered
this, as he ashed on alone to prevent any harm be—
falling the Tonkaway, w om the Mexicans and
negroes would sup ose to be a. Comanche.

Several tine die-horses were lariated to a
wagon-wheel. These were in ood condition, show-

but little bad eflects from ihe stampede.

e Mexicans and the ne roes were in a sadly de-
moralized state. the latter ing greatly mected by
the killing of one of their number b the Coma“-
ches. But they were all lly rejoiced at the re-
turn of their master, and hose who they felt would
protect them 'rom murder or capture,

Bill had ordered the women to prepare a meal
and extra food for the trail, and also toprepare
coffee immediately upon his arrival.

For this Jackson complimented him on having
more solid sense on the occasion than any one in
the party. In a few words Bill explained that Tur.
tie had sprung from his horse as soon as he reached
the camp, the speaker having overtaken him and
prevented the guard from firing at him, but with
much difficulty.

The Mexicans had reported the disap arance of
Pedro, and the direction from whence t ie shriek of
Lorine. and the whoo of the Comanchcs had been
heard was pointed on to him.

Turtle had then darted into the timber on the run
with torch in hand. tostud the “sign.” He h
then discovered the body of the Mexican, caught by
a fallen tree that lay partly in the stream.

The Tonkaway succeeded in finding the place of
conflict between the Comanche and the youth and
maiden, and also the place on the wwt side of the
river, where the two captives had been secured to
saplings. This had been more from instinct and a
knowledge of the direction whence the sounds had
proceeded than aught else.

“There is no doabt,“ said Bill, “that Louis killed

himself from a laby-
feel that much (le , ends

 

the Indian that had Miss Lorine captive and that he
then rescued her, but both were retaken by some
new arrivals."

“Dang’d ef leetle Louis ain’t a rip-shorter fer his
inchesl Curnil, yer orter be proud of him, an’ I
sw’ar I begins ter think he kin do aheap towards
makin’ ther git-awa eas arter we cuts him loose.
Thet air, ef we-‘uns es ucky enough ter ’complish

fl

“ There is no time to talk or lin er," said Fred al-
ready en aged in saddling a frcs horse. “Ishall
go mad i we are not soon on the plain."

Colonel La Coste, with a hard, set look that was
ainful to behold. also hastily equipped another
orse. Our friends were soon ready.

“Thet’s ther p‘o ramme clean t rough," agreed
Old Rocky, “but I lows we-‘uns hev gut ter load up
wi’ some grub an’ coffee afore we starts on ther
rampage, ’sides packin’ somethin‘ ter chaw ’long 0'
us. I‘m goin’ for coffee on ther jump, fer that’s
heft biz ahead, er Pin a double-barreled liarl

“ e—‘uns '11 need all the strength an‘ vim the law
’lows. ter scronge through ther scrape without git-
tin‘ our heads skinned; though I’m sottin‘ out cal-
kerlatin‘ ter git ther leetle ones, or sarve es ther big-
gest draw in the Curmanch’ fandango. I allers
’spected ter draw my last breathes ter the music 0‘
Injin yells, wi‘ ther condemned scaritiers hop in’
’roun‘ me: an‘ hit won‘t stop this liver big ball 0‘
dirt from whirlin' cf I goes on ther fit; ter kingdom
come, on ther San Saba, tryin‘ ter res y a gal angel
from ther red whelps o‘ Satan."

The old scout now whispered to Frio Fred:

“Hit ’pears ter me, pard, thet yer kinder givin'
yerseif away, es ’gards Loreen. I sw’ar yer hez
acted as though ye thought a heap more 0’ her than
her own dad does; an’ he couldn't help noticin’ hit,
of his head warn‘t full 0’ grief an‘ tortur‘ hisself.
All ther t‘othcrs hes see‘d tliet e're actin’ a dang‘d
sight more bilyus than ther th ng calls fer, without
ther gal war a bleed-relation; an’ they doesn't sot
hit down thet-a-way.”

“ Thanks. old pard," returned Fred; “ but I can‘t
help it. I believe I‘m going mad. The thoughts of
Lorine being the victim of that hellish horde of
demons will drive me mad. I must act.

“ She must be saved at once. Think of the pos-
sible consequences of ten minutes‘ delay! Great
heavens! I dare not think of it. And that brave

'outli. too—think of him, dying a lingering death
1;" torture, that would put the very {leads to the

ush l"

“Hit won’t do ter think 0' nothin‘, ‘ce )tin sar-
cumventin’ ther condemned kiotes. Yer rain air
on ther whirl, an‘ yer won‘t be wo‘th shucks, ef yer
donsn‘t simmer down ter biz. Therleetle oncs air
safsii fer half a moon, fur es thet gOes—I'll nfferdavy
on i tl

“ Ther cusses hes lost some braVes, what gut thar
heads skinned, an’ ther squaws ct ther village ‘ll
howl fer victims ter tortur'. They‘ll take ‘em up
toward ther head 0‘ ther Brazos, an‘ we-‘uns ’ll hev
plenty 0’ show tcr reskv ‘em, ef we plays our p’ints.

Iit‘s bad enough ter ev ther ole man ’long. One
crazy human in ther outfit ’11 do a hea 0’ (iamidge,
I'm lowin’, without hevin‘ two: whic I ’ll bii‘st us
plum up, an‘ ther leetle ones ’11 be goners.

“ So, brace up, an‘ come ‘roun‘ nat’ral ef yer
wants tor hev Loreen kick parrarer flowers free an‘
airy ag’in, while yer walk ’longside 0’ her, an” she
shoots love from her peepers inter yourn, es she
thanks yer fer savin’ her life.”

" Thanks, again. old pard,“ said the young man,
with much agitation. as he grasped Old Rocky's
hand' “1'” be myself once more, and more than
mvse ; for there’s the strength of a giant—~the will
of a dozen men—in me, from the time we get near
the red demons.

“ Ye gods! How I could rush into that war-party!
I believe that we two, with Turtle, could save .orine
and Louis, by a headlon dash, if we could get near
enough to them, on the orders 0 their camp.”

- “ Hit’s too risky, an‘ yer knows hit, Fred. Ef thar
war a red, nigh ter ‘ein. he‘d knife ’em at onc‘t.
We-‘nns hes ter glide easy-like, an‘ I swa’r I b‘lieve
we’ll have ter tie ther curnil, or he'll bu’st up ther
hull biz.

“ Howsomever, we’ll watch him, an‘ see ef mebbe
so he gits more nat’ral-like."

One of the negroes now summoned all the party
to break their fasts; and this was a welcome call to
the two scouts, who had not eaten Since the previ-
ous morning in 

They now persu ed Colonel La Coastal) eve
possible argument, to fortify his stomac wit
nearly a quart of black coffee; Jackson taking this
time to request him to make one of the party, as
well as Big Bill, who had felt hurt at being left out,
by a parentl common consent.

“ gang'd e I thought 0’ hit afore!" exclaimed the
old scout, speaking with his mouth nearly full of
corn-pone.

“I reckon, ther two pards o‘ ourn kin take ther
train up-stream, an' sorter lay ow inter some bend,
whar hit’s easy ter stan’ off ther reds, ef they runs
up towards Fort Mason, which I air opinin’ they
won‘t dar’. ‘

“Jackson an‘ Bill yer kin come erlong, es we~ uns
can‘t jist ’zactly tell what sorter game we hes ter
piiay; that is, ef ther curnil ’11 risk his outfit in sicha
c rcus.

“Ther niggers won’t be scarey. arter yer glides
outen this camp. What did yer say, curnil? Thet
yer’ll take ’em long?"

“ We‘ll take all the men. and let the women run
the train, if there is use for them.“ answered Col-
onel La Coste, quickly as he rec0vered artially
from his fit of mental abstraction, u n be at: thus
direct! addressed; and, hearing t 6 question re-
Peaied. he said:

 

11

 

"Let the train go to the dickensl 'If I can 0' ly
get back my children, I care for nothing else in the
wide world.“

“ Ya-as thet‘s all very fine," remarked Old Rocky;
“but we- uns don‘t 'low ter lose nothin’, ef hit kin
be helped.

“ Jackson kin git ther train hitched u , es soon es
he kin, an‘ start 'em off. Yer kin go, ackson, an”
Bill too; fer yer won’t be needed. Yer two ards
kin run ther train, an‘ keep things straig t, I
reckon."

In another minute, all was hustle and confusion in
the camp.

The mules were quickly harnessed, the utensils:
packed, and the women and children, relieved and
elated to leave, what they one and all considered an
accursed spot, all clambered, without more ado.
into their wagon.

The dead negro had been buried by order of
Jackson, so there was no further delay; and the
slaves, with tears in their eyes, and much lamenta—
tion at leaving their old master, who might be
killed, and in regard to the two missing ones—their-
young master and mistress—took the places of the
dead teanisters; one of Big Bill‘s pards, acting as
wa on-master.

e train rolled out of camp, with orders to turn
up the river upon reaching the lam, keeping on the
border of the timber, and not 3) halt for ten miles.

Fifteen minutes after, the two scouts with
Colonel La Coste, Jackson, and Big Bill, a well
mounted and the latter leading the black steed of
the Tonkaway—Jackson also having two extra
horses—all proceeded to the lain, and galloping
down the river, on the border 0 the timber, for five
miles or more, turned upon the plain, going at head-
long speed toward the Rio San Saba, west. Thus.
keepin such a distance from the war-party, in the
track hey had taken in their return; aiming to»
strike the San Saba, some five miles north of the
point at which the (‘omanclies had formed their“
cordon around the scouts and Turtle. and where the
Indians, with their captives, would undoubtedly
encamp upon their return from the Rio Llano.

CHAPTER XIV.
LEAVE nora BEHIND.

Warm the half-dozen Comanches, on their wild-
eycd steeds, plunged from the unde rowth into the-
sinall “ open,“ on the. border of whic 1 Louis and his.
sister were secured, the former was most terribly
concerned and for three reasons.

First and foremost, nothwitlistanding the crashing
of bush and branch, and the snorting of the tortured
mustangs together with the whoops of the hideous
savages, orine manifested no knowledge of the

rescnce of the new arrivals; her fair form being

ent forward, her whole weight upon the bonds.
which bound waist and wrists to the saplings, and
her long hair ban ing nearly to the sward, com-
pletelg' vailing her eatures.

To c_ho|d this was most agonizing to Louis, who
had striven with all his power of will to control him—
self, and not to reveal to his sister the hopeless
despair that Overwhelmed him upon her recapture,
and himself being taken by the lndians.

Secondly, the arrival of the Comanches at the
point where he had slain the brave who had first
captured Lorine, and this second party led the youth
to decide, with good reason, that there were many
Indians in the vicinity who by runners had com»
municated with each 0t er.

’I‘liirdiy, from the fact that the present party had
given a low whoop, simultaneously, so near the
camp, the location of which their manner proved
mus be known to them—this indicated that the
had no doubts as to their being able to massacre all
in the camp, and then plunder'it.

As they figlloped away, with the horses of the first
party in t lead Louis had no further doubt in
regard to a regular] organized plan having been
carried out to slay a i that belonged to the wagon-
train, and ap ro riate all their effects.

As all this as ed upon the mind of the intelligent
bo , who fully believed that his father had been
kil ed by the Indians—and the teamsters and ne-
grfi: as well—he almost shrieked, in his agony of
sp r .

From the fact, that the herd of mules, which he
knew had been on the plain grazing, had been
driven in, as the stampede proved Louis knew that
his father had returned rom his search after
Lorine, to the camp, and had ordered in the animals:
consequently, the colonel, and the whole force of
teamsters, must have been with the wagons at the
time of attack, and all, without doubt, had been
malmrfif'd t r m

A ter e epar ure 0 e six braves. the outh
observing that the sin le Indian who uarde them,
was faced t0ward, an intently liste n to the did
at the camp, made a most desperate e ort to break.
loose; ano, as he had previously worked at an at.
term t to burst the buckskin thongs, perspirin
muc in his exertions, which served to moisten an
stretch the skin—he, to his joy, realized that he
could pull out his right hand. .

This meant freedom to him, and to Lorine.

In his ket was a jack-knife, which, in the haste
of the ndians. had escaped notice when they dis-
armed him. He uickly thrust his hand in now,
and jerked out t e knife, 0 nin the blade with
his teeth, and trembling great y, in is excitement.

The next moment, he had slashed himself free
but he remained in the same position as heh
been. endeavoring to think what next he should do
or, in other words how he should proceed to kill
she single brave, who stood between him and free~

om

 

And now to his utmost disa intment
upon despa'ir, the brave half tugnpgd, and #3533535

 

    

12

Frio F red.

 

 

to readjust the saddles on the mustarnfs' after
which he threw himself upon the swa , directly
appeal“ Lorine, where he could watch both cap-

ves.

To describe the feelings of Louis La Costa, at this
moment, would be impossible.

All chance of llbert seemed wrested from him,
forhe knew that if e made a movement, which
gave the supple, sinewy brave the slightest sus-
picion that he had leesened his bonds, the Indian
would pounce upon, and rhaps kill him at once;
for, except his pocket-km e, he was without a wea-

pen.

So excited and nervous was the youth, at this un-
locked-for state of affairs, that his brain reeled, and
the sweat stood in great upon his forehead;
for he feared that he would fall prostrate, and thus
end all hope of escape.

He quickly leaned backward ainst the sapling,
placinguhis head against it, an clutching at the
rough k to maintain his position, as it had been
when bound. He dared not now look at the hideous,
Eaixit-daubed fiend at his feet, lest he might betray

is secret in the mere glance.

Thus the boy remained for a long time, being
forced to bring all his strength of will and body to
the front to retain his osition, his limbs at tunes
trembling l«greatly; an when at last the warrior
arose quic y, and steppedto his former position to
listen again to the sounds of the stam )erlo, and the
yells now far away toward the west 1) in—then the

rave youth set his teeth and determined that he
would risk all in one grand attempt to slay his C0<
manche guard. .

The warrior had left his bow and quiver of arrows
on the ground where he had been lying; but Louis
well knew that he could not draw that bow sufficient-
ly to send an arrow with any force.

This he had learned from Old Rocky, as it required
practice from childhoo 3.; the bows being made more
stiff each year of practice with them.

There was no other weapon at hand, however, and
he determined to clutch an arrow and plunge into
the back of his red foe, at a vital point.

The long scalping~knife in the belt of the warrior,
he might, b ' a sleight of hand, obtain, and use it
with electi c-like velocity the next instant after

hanging in the arrow. Dela , he had learned, was

angerous; and, as his thong its were like flashes of
light, the lndian had not stood a moment w'aen the
dari youth clutched an arrow, and with one far-
reac ng bound, plunged, with all his strength, the
steel- inted shaft into the warrior-‘s back below
the s milder-blade; the weapon luckil failing to
come in contact with either rib or back- )oue.

No sooner had the arrow cnterei the Indian than
the latter, with a horrible yell, wrihcd backward,
attempting to whirl and grapple wizh Louis, at the
same time clutching wild y at his knife-hilt. But the
lad was quicker, and jerked the scalping-knife from
the belt of his foe, drivin~, with the quickness and
strength of desperation, t e weapon to the hilt in
his victim‘s painted breast. .

But the brave caught Louis in his death-grasp his
features contorted with awful agony, his snake- ike
eyes bulging, his mouth agape, and blood welling
over his lips. _

Thus, reelingbtrembllng: and pant: g, stood the
pair; a white y and a urly red brave—the boy
sick with horror, and the brave on the borders of
death! Thus. for an age it seemed to Louis, they
stood. Then the eyes of the Comanche rolled sky.
ward, a horrible death-howl, almost stifled by a
burst of blood, came from the doomed warrior. and
he fell with a sickening thud to the sward, bearing
Louis with him as he went.

Thus both lay for a moment; the youth so para-
lyzed with sickening horror, and weakened by his
herculean efforts and the fear of fai are, that he
could not move—tho death-clutch of the Indian upon
his throat, impeding breath. ' _

At this moment poor Lorine revived, and raising
herself erect, tossed back her hair by a movement
of her head—not knowing where she was or what
had occurred. The first si ht that met her horrified
gaze was her brother clutc ed in the grasp of a Co-
manche both prostrate and covered with blood an
arrow 0 moonlight playin about the ghastly ace
of Louis, now rendered all! more 0 from contrasts
with the stains of gore.

She could not see his eyes, but the glaring and
glassy orbs of the dead brave seemed to gaze into
and pierce her very soul, congealing the blood in her
veins with horror.

In the uncertain ll ht, she could not see that
Louis was pantin -—-t int he lived, and that the
Comanche was co! and dead!

For an instant, Lorine‘s tongue clave to the roof
of her mouth; but it was only momentarily, or her
heart would havie broke:i1 fl k h n ed
- She vea ercng e , ereyes 2: upon
Louis;€:nd thag shriek acted upon the outh like a

lvanic battefiy. He wrenched himse f free from

o hideous an revolting corpse, and sprung to his
feet, tottering as if stricken with palsy, bloody
knife in hand to his sister; who. wit fixed stare,

ed, as in a trance, as much affected by the sud-
5:: relief, at finding him still alive, as she had been
when she discovered him, as she supposed, mur-

dered.

Gasping for breath, and s bless, Louis at
length reached the side of his s ster, and slashed the
cruel cords that had cut into her tender flesh; the
maiden falling forward unable now to stand, on ac-
count of impeded circulation.

Himself as helpless as his sister, Louis fell with
her each clasping, in a stiff and unnatural manner,
their benumbed arms about the other. But soon
there followed a crashing of bushes, and two
mounted braves urged their mustangs into the

 

“open,” nearly crushing the brother and sister he-
neath their boots.

With yells of fury, and bowls for the dead the
warriors sp to the earth: and, before uis
and Lorine full comprehended the terrible change
they were bound upon the backs of mustangs. an
being hastened through the wood westward; the
den brave being also secured to his saddle, his
limbs bound beneath the animal's belly, his bow
lashed to his back and head, kee ing him thus in a
natural position on his last earth y ride.

The two braves urged the horses of the captives,
and that of the corpse at headlong speed; soon
breaking from the timber, and out upon the moon-
lit lain, over which they were now rapidly forced,
bot dazed with this new despair.

Twice had they been free, twice nearl read to
hasten from a slain foe; and then found themse ves
again bound captives, before they had time, in
their bewilderment, to realize what had occurred.
This was enough to break up all liege, to be forced
to decnde that they were doomed; ut et another
most tantdlizing ex rience was des nod to be
theirs—again were t eir hopes to be awakened,
on! to be dashed to fragments, and they once more
Eur ed linto the most ense and dark depths of

es ll‘

ot a word had passed the 1! s of either since
Louis had cut Lorine free from t e sapling.

Under the circumstances, this was not strange.

These sudden changes, from captivity to free-
dom and back to ca itivity; the suffering from their
cruel bonds; the at' ue and agony consequent

 

upon impeded circu ation; the horrible scenes l
throu%h which the had assed, and the but too
proba le dread an awfu torture and death to

come—all this nearl seared their brains; and it -
was some minutes a ter they had set out upon the
plain. before the unfortunate victims of lndi.:n
cruelty realized that the had gotten free from the
dark bottom-timber, ant were now speeding over i
the prairie, in the calm moonlight.

Both had closed their eyes in an endeavor to Co]-
lect their dazed thoughts; and, when they gazed
over the plain, and discovered the strange panor—
amic scene—that is, the stampcdin herd, with
the Indians in pursuit, and the whites in the rear of
the reds, in chase of the latter—all these gallo in:
west; while, from that direction, gallopod t iree
white men and an Indian, cvidentl pursued by a
large body of Comanches—when t iis sight burst
0g the view of Louis and his sister, they were dum-
i’ unded with amazement.

This, however, soon merged into relief and intense
10y. as they saw the whites shoot down the never

ndiaus, and realized that both parties of their
friends would soon be together: while the large
party of ursuing savages were quite a dis‘ance oil'.

The an; t gave Louis new life and hope, as well
as to Lorine; the former or ing out with joy:

"Look, Lorine. Look! T ey have not killed our
men. There is Old Rockteand Frlo Fred, and J ack-
son! Yes, and I verily lieve there is the Tonk-
atwayt Indian, the scouts have told us so much
a ou .

“Thank Heaven! There is a chance for usyet.
0h, sis, wasn‘t it terrible, to be taken again, after
such struggles to be free? But you must bear up, or
you will die!"

“Oh, Louis! I cannot hear to think of going
through the same horror again. Where can poor
father be? And why has not some effort been made
to rescue us? Surely our lives are of more import-
ance than the mules!"

“ We have experienced enough of changes and ter-
rors," said the boy, “to know that events may oc-
cur that we would not have dreamed of as possible.
We know nothing of what has happened to pre-
vent them from rescuing us. I do not believe that
they could trace us up but I am sure they have done
the r best. But do look in our rear, Lorine! As sure
as fate, there comes father, riding like the wind,
and all alone!"

The excitement of their guards. and a deviation
from the course previously traveled caused Louis
thus to look behind them; when he discovered their
father riding wildly in pursuit.

But poor Lorine, thus directed by Louis, no sooner
saw her parent, than she burst into tears of ‘oy the
most intense. This, the words of her brot er in-
creased, as he again cried out:

“ The scouts are coming, Lorine! And all our men
are with them, as I live! They have discovered us,
and will save us!

‘~ Logk, do look! It is perfectly fearful! There is
a larg war-party, who are trying to reach us in
advance of our friends; and these red devils are
urging our herses toward them. But they can't—
they must not!

“ Oh, Father in Heaven. save us! save us! Do not
allow the merciless demons to conquer!"

"I can see nothi of all that, Louis,” said the
girl. “i am blindet by tears that I cannot wipe
away. What do you mean? Are we not to be saved
after all?

“Oh, what did you say? I shall die—I shall die.
if Fred does nor rescue us! I am faint—deathly
faint—and my tears seem to be drying up 1"

Side by side the captives rode, and the youth was
now prevented from saving more, by realizing that
one of the guards was about to shoot at Colonel La
Costa, who was now fast nearing them, with revol-
ver in hand.

The poor bo could not articulate a word.

His agony o mind was terrible.

Lorine’s eyes cleared, just in time to see her loved
father shot, and fall from his horse to the prairie
sward.

Then she
a groan of

 

. and the yellin
’. one mad whir pool, that was, for a moment

vs a piercing shriek, and Louis uttered '
eopest anguish. l

Both then gazed toward the scouts and the team-
sters, and Were Just in time to see Frio Fred‘s horse
fall dead and the young scout himself hurled to
(till!) t«iaarth, where he lay motionless, and apparently

ea .

Then, oils of exultation. of savage jo , almost
deafene them; and they found themse ves amid
a great horde of wanpainted. feather-bedizened
Fomémches—the main war-party, that had now gal-
o e up.

gurely now there was no hope!

Their friends could not save them!

Lorine sunk forward, her long hair mingling with
the mane of the mustang to which she was bound;
demons, on all sides of her, 813

back in the direction of the San Saba, and now lash—
ing their mustan at headlong speed.
‘Oh, God! Ta ’0 us home!” cried out Louis La
Coste, from his inmost soul.
But his prayer was not answered.

CHAPTER XV.
A FonLonN HOPE.

Arum was the long suffering and most agonized
Louis tortured beyond conception.

Had there ever, since the world was created, been
a youthful mind more overwhelmed with exem-
glating agony of heart and soul, in so short a

me?

Louis believed it to be impossible.

Had he not been blessed with an even! balanced
and strong mind, he would most ce nly under
such an awful strain, have gone insane. fie had
seen his father shot down in an endeavor to save
his children, and this sight had well-nigh blinded
him and ate pod the beating of his heart. Then the
fall of Eric red‘s horse, hurling the oung scout to
the earth, apparently lifeless—an all this in ‘a
moment.

The failure of the scouts and teamsters to cut off
the pair of savages, who held himself and his sister
captive, was a most unexpected and despairing fact;
and, as the horrid horde of yelling demons SWept
down upon and inclosed them in a rfect mass of
snorting and frenzied steeds flying ere and there,
bearing their frightful forms,with daunting feathers
and scalp-decorated lances, it was asight that Louis
La Coste felt could never be for otten by him were
he to live a thousand years. In eed, it must, in da

I as well as in ni ht dreamsfhaunt him, for it had 9.

been indelibly randed upon his brain.
And. to cap all this horror, the sight of poor Lorine,
senseless. and upheld b her ion air in the saddle,

f by the clutch of 9. rec, fiend-ii e Comanche, who
; galloped by her side, her death-like, angelic face

upturned to the silvery moon—held thus, in that
crgilel clutch—this was most agonizing and most ter-
l'l B.

In the an uish of his soul,poor Louis shrieked
aloud; but h s cry was drowned amid the clamor of
the yelling horde, as they sped on. their qulrts hiss-
ing through the air; on toward the San Saba——
toward torture and death; death to him, and fat
worse than death to the beautiful, innocent, and
helpless Lorine.

And awful as were the si hts, and sounds, and
thoug ts, to the suffering you his dread surround
lugs were made more fearful still. For, with devilish
object, the galloping demons caused all the mustangs
upon which the dead were lashed—extra horses hav
ing served for this purpose—to be driven in around
the ca tives.

Le a thanked God that Lorine was unconsciou
that she saw not this terrible sight, that she h
been insensible during the hellish gallo . And he
prayed most fervently, for strength to r it all,
to preserve his faculties for his sister’s sake, although
there seemed not the slightest hope that he or an
one else could be of further use in mitigating her 3 -
ferings, or saving her from a fate of which he dared
not even think.

So great had been, and was, during the scenes on
the p ain, the strain upon the boy‘s mind, that, be-
fore half the distance to the Rio San Saba was passed,
he had arrived at a state of mind between sanity
and insanity; his brain, being as it were, partially
benumbed. and beyond the feelings of intense mis-
ery, anguish and despair, that had so tortured him
previously.

And on flow the fiendish horde, like demons let
loose from some inferno, for the night, to curse the
earth; and who, bent upon improving their brief
allowance of time, flew like dry leaves before a
gale; the hoofs of their mustangs fast iiyin
through the prairie grass, causing a weird an
rushing sound, like the warning breath of a fierce
“ norther. “

This speed. however, was moderated presently,
from necessity; for the mustan could not ion
maintain that headlong gallop. uine animals 0
other blood and rean'n , would have drop dead
upon the lain. Yet, 8. though there seemed to be
no object or this terrific speed, it was certain that
the red chief, Rolling Thunder, Would not have alo
lowed it except to favor his future plans.

He had realized, at once, that the scouts, the
Tonkaway, and the other whites would, with their
fast-shooting guns, kill at least half of his war-party,
before he could hope to capture them.

Already he had had proof sufficient to make him
prudent. He had not givon u the idea of securing
the mules, and plundering t e camp on the Rio
Llano: but he resolved to move toward the object
with aoertainty of success, having decided to return
to the 931‘ Saba. organize a stronger party of
braves. as far as numbers went. and then mount-
 fresh mustangs, gallop toward the Rio Llanoat

e.

His haste was occasioned by the knowledge that

 

 

Frio Fred.

13

 

he would be forced to send out some of his onng
warriors, to collect the small scouting-part es to-
gether for the pro ed ex edition.

The death of sue a num rof his warriors, man
of whom had been seal (1, infuriated the chic ;
and he knew that the on {way to cover up the dis-
aster and death, and to cop his followers from
i yiug this to mismanagement on his part, was to
secure as many white ca tivos as possible for the
torture. That Turtle, he Tonkaway, must be
taken. Rolling Thunder hud sworn by the bones of a
thousand chiefs. _

The renegade red must die by slow torture, amid
the hootings of the squaws and young ones, of the
village at the head of the Brazos.

He would not allow an arrow to he shot at the
hated Tonkaway; who must be taken. even were a
dozen warriors sacrificed in the. attempt.

At length the Comanche horde. long before the
day began to dawn, gallopcd slowly to the, limb“.
that marked the course of the Rio San Saba; and
were greeted by fearful howls, as the seal less
dead were discovered, followed by exultant yo] 3, as
the white ca tives were unbound from the panting
mustangs, a ter the river had been forded.

It was an admirable position for a camp, that
chosen by the Comanches; being upon the west
bank of the river, the ground for some distance
from it adually rising, and clear of bushes or
stone. car t of dead leaves, compact and
s ringy, cover the ground, upon which not a spear
o grass was visible: the space described being
arched with branches, from which do hdeddroo
ing moss in festoons, that contribu a weird 100
to the wild scene.

A space fully a hundred reet long, extending back
from the river some sixt feet, the bank of the
stream without unde rowt , and some twenty feet
above the water, wh ch, directly at the bank, was
thick with reeds and rushes. Such was the peculiar
“open,” the like of which is often seen in the local-
ity of which we write.

Poor Louis and Lorine were immediate] ,with
jeer and triumphant ejaculations, hurrie in a
rough manner to the west side of the camp, the fair

irl as yet unconscious, and carried in the arms of a
urly brave. She was there placed against a tree-
trun , in a standin position being secured to the
tree while sustainet y the fndian, and the lariats
wound about her in a way that would have caused
her great suffering had she been conscious. im-
peding circulation and thus benumbing her whole
system.

Louis groaned in agony of soul as he witnessed
this merciless and most cruel act. He was then
thrown upon his back and four stakes having been
driven into the un , the savages bound his wrists
and anklesto t e same, drawing his limbs tightly,
and leavin him in a crucified position. in which he
was force to look upward into his sister‘s face.

And poor Lorine—should she recover—must wit-
ness the torture of her brother also.

The words of advice given by] Old Rocky to Turtle
caused the 'l‘onkawa to view is provesed plan in a
somewhat different ight. He an to reason be-
fore he reached the border of the 'o Llano timber
that it would not be prudent to join the Comanches
on the plain, as his failing to join the party with the
captives would be judged as very strange, even
though he had been supposed to be wounded and
would serve to draw the attention of all the keen-
eyed Comanches upon him.

All the stam ng party had been slain, and the
two braves w 0 were with the ca tive robably
knew this and that Bi Fox had *en nstantly
killed. Thus reflecting tie decided to follow the
war-party, but to keep far in the rear and av0id be-
i seen. He could then skull: into the camp, and
With greater safer and much more hope of success
in assisting the captives, from the fact that he was
now in the “make-up " of a Comanche warrior.

This dedsion he communicated to one of the
teamsters, who had been delayed b along chase up
the river after a valuable horse that had broken
away from the stampede, and he bade the teamster
inform the scouts that he would be on the lookout
for them as soon as he had ascertained the position
of affairs at the San Saba.

By this change of arrangements, the Tonkaway
was forced to _ lgflmore to the north, striking the
timber of the l0 Saba at some distance from
the camp of his foes. Then, mider cover of the

timber, he roceeded as near to the camp as was
prudent, th his horse, and then left the animal in
a dense thicket.

Fifteen minutes later the faithful Tonkaway was

reconnoiterlnfilthe Comanche camp, crawling snake-
like throught e unde owth, and thus ascertain
ing the position of all t e sentincls. ”And, from the
limb of a tree, over the singular open," he in-
spected the whole encampment: 110than especially
migiyrfarticulars in re ard ti) i“if? captives. Whose
to u ng positionscoudbe an seen.
The sight of “Lily-Face,‘Pas T’t'irtle had dubbed
Lorine. caused him great, anxiety. He longed for
the early ap rance of the rescuing-party, for he
feared t at he or girl would die f not soon re-
lieved from hot her mental and physical agony.
But they must speedily arrive.

The onkaway we knew that the scouts and the
other members of their party would reach the San
Saba noon after he himself did, as they would not
delay in the Rio Llano camp, and besides would
have fresh horses, which they would by no means
spare.

Still, for 3,11 this, there might not be time to er-
fect and perform a. plan of rescue before day ght
would be upon them, and force them all to delay
proceedings until the following night. -

 

a

With these thoughts filling his mind, Turtle made

his wa u the river again to the place where he
had lc t h horse, without having been detected in
his most hazardous mission.

Just as he reached the thicket a chorus of most
hideous howls, from at least twoscorc of throats,
sounded frotn the Comanche camp.

“Waugh!” burst from the 'l‘onkawa', with an
intonation that expressed his great satis action and
relief.

The horrible howls preved that the Comanches
Were solemnizing the death-(lance over their slain.

No more agreeable sound could. in the estimation
of the listening Tonkaway have disturbed the night
air, for it gave promise of drawing the. attention of
the warriors from the captives, and in that way
favored a rescue.

While listening to the demoniac sound, a panther-
like. shriek, followed uickly b an imitation of the
how] of a black wo f, repea d three times. was
detected by the keen-cared Turtle, and with another
“ Waugh!“ exgressing increased relief and pleasure,
he bounded t rough the undergrowth and up the
river.

 

CHAPTER XVI.
mum son rm; masons.

“‘HEN Turtle had reached such a distance from
his horse, as he believed placed him in the vicinit
of the point from whence the signal had proceedet ,
he halted, and imitated several times the hoot of an
owl. This was soon answered by another wolf-
howl near at hand.

Two minutes after, the Tonkaway glided into the
thicket, passed through. and emerged on the 0 pc-
site side, into a small moonlit space. Here he s ood
erect, with folded arms, and within a few feet of five
men who there sat their horses.

"bang my dorgs, old pards, of ye hadn‘t s it ther
pertickler music I 'spcctod, I‘d ha‘ plan ed my
sticker deep inter yer ‘natermy', fer I sw‘ar ye've
jist ther pictur‘ of a cussed Cnrmaneh."

Thus rattled off Old Rocky, in a low voice.

" Lil '-Face tie to tree. No know nothing. Young
white )rave tie on ground. He heap torture. Heap
good time save on tives."

“Then, for s sake, let us hasteni" said the
colonel.

“You must not go colonel," put in Frio Fred.
“You will hazard the ives of your children, for you
do not realize the extreme caution that is necessar .
How is it, Turtle? Can we take the horses nearer “

“Turtle mustang two shoots—J pointing toward
the Comanche camp —" Lead all musta up river.
It is good. Stay with horses, while air chief.
Comanche got sharp ears."

All now dismounted, (‘oioncl La Coste groaning

and in a woful state, at being denied the pr vile _ e of
assisting in the rescue of his own flesh and h cod;
but, as all led tl cir horses up the river steallhilv
‘rio Fred, in a low voice reasoned with the old
man, and finally succeeded in pacif lug him— r-
suading him that his friends knew w at was hes in
the. emergency.

The colonel was then left in care of the animals,
and in a state of mind bordering upon insanity.
Each moment was an hour to him; in fact he cou d
not have suffered more mental agony and anguish,
and continued to live.

But a little distance from where the had left the
Colonel, the scouts, with Jackson, Bil , and Turtle,
halted for consultation; the latter explaining the
position of the camp, and where the guards were
posted. These, it so happened, were just five in
number—one for each!

“Every dang'd one on ‘em must be wiped out "
said the old scout, “an‘ not ‘lowed ter gi‘n a death-
yell; er we‘re bu’stcd, dead surel Me an’ Turtle ‘ll
take ther pa’r on ther south side; Fred, ther cuss
hack 0‘ ther camp, nex' ter ther leetle ones, an‘
t'other two, Bill an‘ Jackson kin hash as they re a
mind ter.

“Thet‘s ther p‘ogramme, an’ of hit kin he did,
we'll play a lect e circus outer them, that‘ll skeer
tner b all outen thar scalps.“

“Go . heap good! Old Rocky great brave!"
agrfied Turtle. ‘Comel No time talk on war-

at .H
p “ Hold on a minut‘ i“ ordered the old scout.

He then gave ex licit instructions to Jackson. as
to the manner in w ich they should proceed to kill
the sentinels, without allowi them to give a
danger-signal, or death-yell. o Tonkaway then
pointed out to Big Bill and Jackson the two guards,
wimse lives they were to end.

The arty then separated on their desperate mis-
sion, ail full ' instructed in the terrible pro amine.

Leaving t em thus, we will now proceed inspect
the Comanche camp.

At the time when Turtle, ering down from the
tree-branch, examined each etail, that might favor
a rescue, or prove the reverse the Comanches were
feasting u n the flesh of ahorse which they had
killed for t e purpose.

But this repast lasted not long' for, after the de-
parture of 'hirtle from his lurking-place, Rollins

hunder, the Comanche chief, issued an order, in a
low, guttural tone; and all the braves proceeded to
repaint their faces in a more hideous manner than

ore.

This done, Rolling Thunder indicated his further
wishes by rapid gestures, his eyes blazing with venge-
ful fury toward the captives. At this several
braves rushed to the spot where Louis and Lorine
were bound, the fair girl havin now partially re-
covered consciousness, though azed With horror,
at the awful position in which she found herself.

Most a propriate now was the cognomen of ‘Lily-
Face" w ich Turtle had bestowed upon her: but
Perhaps “ Snow-Face ” would have been even more

 

 

so, as she was now the pallor of death, and indeed
nearer death than life.

When the savages a roachod her it caused not
the slightest change in 0 expression of her coun-
tenance, or any lifigt in her eyes.

Both she and uis were cut loose and roughly
dragged into the middle of the “open;" but, being
unable to stand, they were bound to the same stake,
hack to back.

This was Stuck] accomplished, and then the
blood—smearc , sen less cor see of the slain braves
were laid, in a horrible circ e, around Ihe tortured
pair; the bodies being placed u on their backs, and
the glassy eyes seeming to gare fixedly at the
Cliftlvcfl.

ouis shuddered, but Lorine‘s frozen face betray-
ed no emotion whatever. .

The poor maiden was beyond being further

up iallet or horrified.

hen, forming two circles, one within the other——
the outer one being the braves of inferior rank—the
hellish horde gave vent to a series of denioniac
howls, such as would curdlc the blood of the bravest
man who ever lived. But the hapless pair started
not.
At the first howl all assumed a crouching position,
and the red fiends, with slow ho and gesticuiatlon,
keeging time with their howls, c rcled around their
den and the ca lives—the inner ring one way and
the outer ring 110 opposite—then, changing, and
moving in faster time, to the horrid accompani-
nient.

These sounds betrayed nothing to the Tonkaway,
beyond the fact of the death-dance. He had no sus—

icion that Louis and Lorine had been removed
From the border of the camp where, by the removal
of the guards, they could have been approached
without the rescuers being observed.

For a long time the death-dance was continued;
chan ing, at length, to terrific bounds in the air, the
war ors whirling like tops, and jumping on every
side hackin the air with their weapons, and feign-
in lo hurl t cm at the captives.

rtle, although the interior of the “ open " could
not be. seen, knew at once by the yells and whoops,
that the ions which had been made were now as
naught—t at the captives had been removed to the
middle of the “open.”

Bending forward a short distance—Old Rocky at
his side, and perfect] safe from discovery—the
Tonkaway halted. an pointed forward, clutching
w.th the other hand the shoulder of the old scout.

“Cnss my cats!“ hissed Old Rock ; "our avy‘s
spilled, dead sure! Tonk, we've gu for (13.8 l in on
our t‘llltel‘s er ther leetle ones air onersi"

“ Goodl u-tle sound war-cry w on on mustang.
Ride fast. Shoot quick. Save Lily-Face. Save
young white brave. Come! Got Fred. (let other
white brothers. No time talk. Whoop heap. Shoot
heap. Ride heap fast. Waugh!"

As it providentinlly happened, Frio Fred had not
gained much distance from his pards. lie was now
caught by them, and dragged backward' the old
scout taking him in charge, and explaining. at a
safe distance the situation of affairs.

The relief of Colonel La Costa, upon being told
that he was to have his wish, and charge to the res-
cue of his children was intense. All now sprung
upon their horses—Old Rocky saying, quickly.

“All onyer, cut. slash, an shoot es much as er
kin an‘ es ively es yer kin; on‘ me an‘ Ifi‘ed‘ll ist
wade in wi‘ er, fust dash, on ther edy trigger-

ullin' biz; ut nary one on yer ma 0 a move for

hertleetle ones, fer that‘ll bu‘st ther hull ‘i'ango-
men .‘

“ All set i“ came from the whites.

“ War-cry of Tonkawa on Turtle‘s lips,“ was the
quiet response of the pard of the scouts.

“Then foller sn‘ glide can -like, ontil yer hears
me whistle. en everlasting Job spurs, an' split
yer throats a-yellin‘. Gil I"

The five determined rescuers, with teeth sot, reins
in left, and "sixes" in ri ht, at full cock with
every nerve braced for the esperate attem fr-cer-
tain death before them, if the slightest in ss was
made—all stole through the bottom-timber, toward
the whooping horde, dyet whirling and bounding
around the corpses, an the captives.

CHAPTER XVII.
our or DEBPAXB Aim burn.

Tan rescuers all knew, that, at the instant of
alarm, the captives would he butchered in cold
blood, if those who sprung forward for this hellish
purpose were not instantly shot in their tracks.

‘hey knew, too, that success depended upon Lorine
and Louis bein cut loose at once.

If all had th object in view, it would end in the
one hindering the other, and thus be the means of
the death of all; hence the arran ement that Fred
and Old Rocky should attend to th spurt of the bust»
noes—the others, tos ur in between them, and the
foe, and cover their re reat.

With slow co, the horses were walked, until on
the edge of t e undergrowth. ,

With his bow ready. and arrow fitted to string,
revolver and knife in belt for use also, Turtle now
shot forward, giving his signal. Like an avalanche
of death, the exans close followed Old Rocky and
Frio Fred in the front, and dashing through the
space that had been caused by the Tonkaway s pur-

oser sendin a hurtling hail of. lead into the

reasts of the raves, who strove. after the monien-
t-ary amazement caused by his arrow shot, to reach
the side of the youth and maiden. and lungs their
knives into their hearts. Never was t ere a more
complete surprise.

In the wranlgle and struggle that followed, and
amid the signa yells of Rolling Thunder, the scouts
succeeded in cutting the captives loose, and catching

 

 

  

    

s .

Frio Fred.

 

them up before. them on their horses; the colonel
and Turtle, like avenging fates—the former filled
with insane fu and herculeau ‘stren tli—mowed
their wa in an out of the mass of writ ing yelling
fiends, t at Were being trampled u on by frenzied
steeds, that flew here and there, snor ing with terror.

The flash and glint of knife and hatchet and a hur-
ryln of red forms to positions designated by the
c is ,in a moment after the first terrible char 0,
proved that Rolling Thunder still retained is
presence of mind, and, before our friends had re-
alized it, they were encomKassed on three sides by
a double row of braves—t e fourth side being that
of the camp nearest to the river.

“Git fer ther drink, er ye're gonersi Git, an‘
glide down ther bank 1“

As he thus elled, the old scout with Louis in his
arms, urged iis horse forward, followed by Fred
with Lorine. The next moment the horses were
swimming with the current, as sounding plunges
were heard in their rear.

Turtle and Colonel La Coste, battling for life,
saw Jackson and Big Bill dragged from their horses
and cut to ieces. They saw, too, that the scouts
had esca into the river; but the maddened
colonel fought on, bleeding from many a wound.
At last the Tonkaway, with a whoop of defiance
clutched the bridle-rein of tho colonel‘s horse an
urged the beast overinto the ink depths at the ve
instant thata cloud of arrows ew over his he
some of them tearing his e le-feathers as his steed
shot down into the R 0 San aba.

The waters of the river were shaded by the high
bank from the fire-light of the camp, and were con-
sequently quite dark mecinliy to the Comanches,
whose eyes were b1 . by the blaze; and the ar-
rows, as the lndians shot into the river, were with-
out aim at any ob ect.

“ Hyer we air, onkl“ cried out Old Rocky, when
Turtle and the colonel had gained some distance
down stream. “ Cuss my cats, of we didn’t sarcum-
vent ther hellyum-li Curnil, filide up hyer speedy.
Wth in thunderation, air Bi an’ Jackson?‘

“ On long dark trail," replied Turtle, laconically.

“Jumpin’ Jerusalem!” exclaimed the old scout.
“ Wa-al, hit can’t be helped. ES hit is, thar‘S a fa‘r
Show ferali the rest on us ter git out with our ha’r."

Colonel La Coste spurred quickly to the Side of
the animal ridden by Frio Fred, but called out, as
he saw his daughter safe, thou h unconscious:

“Keep her, r. Fontainel ou have saved my
darling, and She is yours, if God spares her. I have
not been blind, and I know what you have felt for
each other!"

This he said, and then spurred to the side of Old
Rocky, who held Louis, still benumbed and helpless.
The old colonel felt young once more.

“ No time fer ga l" warned the old scout, as the
colonel 'ri-eted Louis. “Feller the Tonki' Ef he
can't g1 we-‘uns outen this speedy, hit‘s good-by,
big hall 0‘ dirt."

‘Waugh 1“ was the exclamation of the Tonkawa ,
as he listened, and interpreted the Babel of soun s
over the stream. " Ride fast. Keep in bush. Meb-
be so all scalp, all torture."

With these words Turtle lashed his mustang
through the timber, followed by his friends.

U on gaining the eastern border of the timber. all
in t eir rear became still as death—ominous of the
death that it seemed impossible almost to escape,
for all knew that the Comanches were, by this time,
mounted. .

Here, Turtle, in place of turning down~stream,
headed his mustang southward, and all proceeded,
at as fast a pace as possible, and keeping within
and on the border of the bottom-timber. Thus for
a quarter of a mile; then, as the stream ma e a
bend westward, they emer ed from the trees, and
galloped at full speed. sout . until the gray streaks
Of mornin began to light 11 the orient.

By thiSt me the reach a point where the oak
0 Rings extende from the River San Saba to Fort

on and at once headed for that military post.
There hey arrived, in a most exhausted condition,
before the middle of the day. '

A detachment of infantry, with five dayS’ rations,
was at once dispatched o the Comanche camp,
much to the amusement of the scouts and the
Tonkawa , who knew that the Indians would be
aware o the approach of the soldiers, and would
either defy them, ambush them, or ride away from
them at their leisure.

Not one of our friends was free from wounds. but
all were kindly cared for—Lorine being nursed by
the wife of an officer at the fort. Soon all were
full restored.

T ie wagon-train bei found. was escorted to the
post by a detail of sold ers. on the da followin .

It is almost needless to say that CO one] La oste
gave n his resolution to locate be 'ond the San
Saba. at only so, but he returne and settled
on the Rio Guadalupe, where he lived, rosperous
and happy, for many ears, and prou always of
£15 bravo son-in-law, inedefick Fontaine, or Frio

1' .
Louis became a noted and daring scent, and after-
ward an extensive ranchero; but none of our friends
ever forgot the services of the faithful Tonkaway
who was always Welcome at the home of “ Lily-Face 'Y’
and frequent y accompanied, on long scouts, Frio
Fred, the ha‘pfigfiy man in the Lone Star State, and

MW, 01
either were the services. and death in their de-
fense, of Jackson and Big Bill forgotten.

Tlieir remains were buried with all the honors
of war beneath a moss-draped oak near Fort Mason.
There they sleep woefully, though the same fierce

In

whoo of war the Comanches have often
soun ed over their graves.
THEEND.

 

Waverley Library.

 

1 THE MASKED BRIDE. B Mrs. Mary R. Crowell.
2 WAS IT LOVE? By Wm. ason Turner.
3 THE GIRL WIFE. B Bartley T. Campbell.
4 A BRAVE HEART. y Arabella Southworth.
5 BESSIE RAYNOR. By Wm. Mason Turner, M. D.
6 THE SECRET MARRIAGE. By Sara Claxton.
7 A DAUGHTER or EVE. By Mrs. Crowell.
8 HEART To HEART. By Arabella Southworth.
9 ALONE IN THE WORLD. B author of “Clifton.”
10 A PAIR or GRAY EYES. y Rose Kennedy.
11 ENTANOLED. B Henrietta Thackeray.
12 HIS LAWEUL IEE. B Mrs. Stephens.
13 MADCAP. By Corinne ushinan.
14 WHY I MARRIED HIM. By Sara Claxton.
15 A FAIR FACE. By Bartley T. Campbell.
16 TRUST HER NOT. By Margaret Leicester.
17 A LOYAL LOVER. B Arabella Southworth..
18 HIS IDOL. By Mrs. . ary Reed Crowell.
19 THE BROKEN BETROTHAL. By Mary G. Haipine.
20 ORPHAN NELL. By Agile Penne.
21 Now AND FOREVER. y H. Thackeray.
22 THE BRIDE or AN ACTOR. By the author of
“ Alone in the World,” etc.. etc.
23 LEAP YEAR. B Sara Claxton~
24 HER FACE WAS ER FORTUNE. By E. Blaine.
25 ONLY A SCHOOLMISTRESS. By A. outhworth.
26 WITHOUT A HEART. By Col. P. Ingraham.
27 WAS SHE A C0%UETTE? By H. Thackeray.
28 SYBIL CHASE. g Mrs. Ann S. Ste hens.
29 FOR HER DEAR AKE. By Sara C axton.
30 THE BOU UET GIRL. By Agile Pei-me.
31 A MAD RRIAGE. B Mary A.Denison.
32 MARIANA, THE PRIMA ONNA. B A. Southworth.
33 THE THREE SISTERS. By Alice eming.
34 A MARRIAGE or CONVENIENCE. By Sara Claxton.

35 ALL AGAINST HER. By Clara A mm.
36 SIR ARCHER‘S BRIDE. By Arabe Southworth.
87 THE COUNTRY COUSIN. B Rose Kennedy.

88 HIS OWN AGAIN. By Ara ella Southworth.

39 FLIRTATION. By Ra ph Royal.

40 PLEDGED To MARIIY. By Sara Claxton.

41 BLIND DEVOTION. By A ice Fleming.

42 BEATRICE, THE BEAUTIFUL. By A. Southworth.

43 THE BARONET‘S SECRET. By Sara Claxton.

44 THE ONLY DAUGHTER. By Alice Fleming.

45 HER HIDDEN FOE. By Arabella Southworth.

46 THE LITTLE HEIRESS. By M. A. Denison.

47 BECAUSE SHE LOVED HIM. Bv Alice Fleming.
48 IN SPITE or HERSELF. By S. . Sherwood.

49 HIS HEART‘S MISTRESS. By Arabella Southworth.
50 THE CUDAN HEIRESS. B Mrs. Mary A. Denison.
51 Two YOUNG GIRLS. By lice Fleming.

52 THE WINGED MESSENGER. By Ma Reed Crowell
5’3 AGNES HOPE. By W. M. Turner, . D.

54 ONE WOMAN’S HEART. B George S. Kaime.

55 SHE DID NOT LOVE HIM. yAi-abella Southworth.
56 LovE-MAD. By Wm. M. Turner, M. D.

57 A BRAVE GIRL. By Alice Fleming.

58 THE anN MASK. ByaMary Reed Crowell.

59 A WIDow’S WILES. yRachel Bernhardt.

60 CECIL’S DECEIT. By Jennie Davis Burton.

61 A WICKED HEART. B Sara Claxton.

62 THE MANIAC BRIDE. y’Margaret Blount.

63 THE CREOLE SISTERS. y Anna E. Porter.

61 WHAT J EALOUSY DID. By Alice Fleming.

65 THE WIS-E‘s SECRET. Bv Col. Juan Lewis.

66 A BROTHER’S SIN. By Rachel Bernhardt.

67 FORBIDDEN BANS. By Arabella Southworth.

68 WEAVERS AND WEST. By Mrs. M. E. Braddon.
69 CAMILI.E. By Alexander Dumas.

70 THE Two ORPHANS. B D‘Enneia'f

'71 MY YOUNG WIFE. By XYoun ife's Husband.
72 THE Two WInows. nnie T Iomas.

73 Ross MICHEL. By aude Hilton.

74 CECIL CASTLEMAINE‘S GAGE. By Ouida.

75 THE BLACK LADY or DUNA. By J. S. Le Fanu.

76 CHARLOTTE TEMPLE. By Mrs. Rowson.

77 CHRISTIAN OAKLEy‘S MISTAKE. Bly Miss Mulock.

78 MY YOUNG HUSDAND. By Mysel .

79 A UEEN AMONGST WOMEN. By the author of
“ ora Thorn."

80 HER LORD AND MASTER.

81 LUCY TEMPLE.

82 A LONG TIME AGO. By Meta Orred.

Si PLAYING FOR HIGH STAKES. By Annie Thomas

84 THE LAUREL BUSH. By Miss Muloc .

85 LED ASTRAY. By Octave Feuillet.

86 JANET‘S REPENTANCE. By George Eliot.

87 ROMANCE or A POOR YOUNG MAN. By 0. Feuillet.

88 A TERRIBLE DEED. By Emma G. Jones.

89 A GILDED SIN.
By Mary Howitt.

By Florence Marryat.

90 THE AUTHOR'S DAUGHTER.

91 THE JILT. By Charles Reade.

92 EILEEN ALANNA. By Dennis O‘Sullivan.

93 LOVE‘S VICTORY. By B. L. Fargeon.

94 THE QUIET HEART. By Mrs. lighant.

95 LETTICE ARNOLD. By rs. Mars .

96 HAUNTED HEARTS. By Rachel Bernhardt.

97 HUGH MELTON. By Catharine King.

98 ALICE LEARMONT. By Miss Mulock.

99 MARJORIE BRUCE’S LOVER. By Mary Patrick.

100 THROUGHFIRE AND WATER By Fred. Talbot.

101 HANNAH. By Miss Mulock.

102 PEG Worr'INGTON. By Charles Reade.

103 A DESPERATE DEED. By Erskine Boyd.

104 SHADOWS ON THE SNow. By B. L. Fa eon.

105 THE GREAT HOGGARTY DIAMOND. y W. M.

ckeray.

106 FROM DREAMS To WAKING. By E. Lynn Linton.

107 POOR ZEPH. By F. W. Robinson.

108 THE SAD FORTUNES on- THE REV. AMOS BARTON.
By George Eliot. '

109 BREAD-AND-CHEESE AND KISSES. By B. L. Farjeon

110 THE WANDERING Hum. Bv . .

111 THE BROTHER’S BET By E. F Oarien.

112 A Ham. By Miss Mulock.

 

113 PAUL AND VIRGINIA. From the French of Ber
nardin de St. Pierre.
114 ’TWAS IN TRAEAIAIAR‘S BAY. By Walter Besant
and James Rice.

115 THE MAID or KILLEENA. By William Black.

116 HETTY. By Henry Kingsley.

117 THE WAYSIDE CROSS. y Capt. E. A. Milman.

118 THE VICAR or WAKEFIELD. By Oliver Goldsmith.

119 MAUD MOIIAN. By Annie Thomas.

120 THADDEUs OE WARSAW. By Miss Jane Porter.

121 THE KING or NO-LAND. By B. L. Farjeon.

122 LOVEL THE WIDOWER. By W. M. Thackeray.

123 AN ISLAND PEARL. By B. L. Farjeon.

124 COUSIN PHILLIS.

125 LEILA; or THE SIEGE or GRENADA. By Edward
Bulwer, (Lord Lytton.)

126 WHEN THE SHIP COMES HOME. By Walter
Besant and James Rice.

127 ONE on THE FAMILY. B James Payn.

128 THE BIRTHRIGHT. By rs. Gore.

129 MOTHERLESS; or, The Farmer‘s Sweetheart. By
Colonel Prentiss Iiigraham.

130 HOMELESS; or, The Two Orphan Girls in New
York. By Albert W. Aiken.

131 SISTER AGAINST SISTER: or The Rivalry of

Hearts. By Mrs. Ma Reed rowell.
132 $01.31 I'th OLD; or, [Kimost Lost. By Mrs. M.
. c r.

133 LORD ROTH‘S SIN; or Betrothed at the Cradle.
By Mrs. Georgiana Dickens. -

134 DID HE LOVE HER? By Bartley '1‘. Campbell.

135 SINNED AGAINST; or, Almost in His Power. By

Lillian Love 0y.

136 WAS SHE HIS VIEE? By Maria}' Reed Crowell.

137 THE VILLAGE ON THE CLIFF. Miss Thackeray.

138 POOR VALERIA. By Margaret lount.

139 MARGARET GRAHAM. B}; G. P. R. James.

140 WITHOUT MERCY. By artley T. Campbell.

141 HONOR BOUND. By Lillian Lovejoy.

142 FLEEING FROM LOVE. Ml‘S. Harriet Irving.

148 AaDUCTED. By Rett Winwood.

144 A STRANGE MARRIAGE. By Lillian Loveigy.

145 Two GIRLS' LIVES. By Mrs. Mary Reed rowel].

146 A DESPERATE VENTURE. By Arabella Soutliworth

147 THE WAR or HEARTS. By Corinne Cushman.

148 WHICH WAS THE WOMAN? By Sara (‘laxtom

149 AN AMHITIOUS GIRL. By Frances H. Davenport.

150 LOVE LORD or ALL. B Alice May Fleming.

151 A WILD GIRL. By Co nne Cushman.

152 A MAN‘S SACRIFICE. By Harriet Irving.

153 DID SHE SIN? By Mrs. Mary Reed Crowell.

151 HE LOVES ME NOT. fiyLillian Lovejoy.

155 WINNING WAYS. By argaret Blount.

156 WHAT SHE (‘OST HIM. By Arabella Southworth.

157 A GIRL’S HEART. By Rett “‘inwood.

158 A BITTER MISTAKE. By Agnes Mary Shelton.

159 LADY HELEN'S Vow. B the late Mrs. E. F. Ellet.

160 BUYING A HEART. iliian LOYeJO .

161 PEARL or PEARLS, y A. P. Morris, Jr.

162 A FATFFL'L GAME. By Sara Claxton.

163 THE CRFOLE COUSINS. By Philip S. Warne.

164 A Si'A“HING OLDEAL. BY Geor iana Dickens.

165 A STRANGE Gnu. By 1‘ lbert .Aiken.

166 A MAN‘S SIN. By Rett Winwood.

167 THE HAND 0F FATE. B Arabella Southworth.

168 Two FAIR WOMEN. By m. Mason Turner.

169 TEMPTED THROUGH LOVE.  Lillian LOve'ov.

170 BLIND BARRARA’S SECRET. sy Marv G. Ha pine.

171 A WOMAN’S WITCHERY. B ara Ciaxion.

172 BLACK EYES AND BLUE. y Corinne Cushman.
173 THE COST or A FOLLY. Bv Georgiana Dickens,
174 THE PRETTY PI'RITAN. By Parson’s Daughter.
175 Is LOVE A MOCKERY? B Arabella Southworth
176 ADRIA, THE ADOPTED. lyoJennie Davis Burton.
177 FOR THE WOMAN HE VED. By Agnes Mary

Shelton. .
THE LOCKED HEART. By Corinne Cushman
PARTED BY TREACHERY. B Harriet Irving.
WAS SHE A WIRE? By Rei Winwood.
UNDER A CLOUD. By Sara Claxton.
AN AMERICAN QUEEN. B Grace Mortimer.
A POINT OF HONOR. By illian Lovejo .
PURSUED To THE ALTAR. By Corinne Cushman.
PUT To A TEST. By Georgiana Dickens.
THE TERRIBLE TRUTH. By Jennie Davis Burton.
OL‘ngTED DY HERSELF. By Arabella South-
wor .
FLORETTE. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.
HER GUARDIAN‘S SACRIFICE. By Sara Claxton.
PRETTY AND PROUD. By Corinne Cushman.
A WOMAN‘S MANEUVER. By Lillian Lovejoy.
THE BITTER FEUD. By Jennie Davis Burton.
BREAKING THE FETTERS. By Geor iana Dickens. .
194 THE MYSTERIOUS GUARDIAN. By orinne Cush-
man.
195 IN THE BALANCE. By Arabella Southworth.
196 JULE, THE J EWESS. By Dr. Noel Dunbar.
197 A SISTER’S CRIME. By Agnes Ma Shelton.
198 WILMA WILDE. By Jennie Davis urton.
199 THE BEAUTIFUL DEMON. By Franc1s Helen Dao
venport.
200 in no.“ BEECHES. By Corinne Cushman.
201 A YOUNG GIRL‘S ORDEAL. By Sara Claxton.
202 HER EVIL GENIUS. By Harriet Irving.
203 PASSION’S REPRISAL. Bv Lillian Lovejoy.
204 ELEGANT EGSERT. By Philip 8- Warne.
205 A MINISTERING ANGEL. By Georgiana Dickens.
206 OUIDA’S LOVE. By Henriette E. De Conde.
W A HASTY MARRIAGE. By Mrs. M. L. Fordham.
208 BOWIE, THE KNIGHT or CHIVALRY. By Philip 33.

Warne.
209 CHERRY. B Arabella Southworth.
210 CARLYON'S EAR. By James Payn.
211 AN IDOL or CLAY. By Harriet Irvig.
212 THE LADDER or LIFE. By Amelia . Edwards.
A new issue every week.

For sale by all Newsdealers. rice five cents each.

or sent, postage Said, on moi of six cents.
BEA LE AND A AMS. Publishers,
98 William street. N. Y.

178
179
180
181
182
183

 

 

i

 

> BQY’S

  

 

 

A BY. 

 

l Adventures ofnuil‘alo Hill. From Boy-
hood to Manhood. Deeds of Darinfi and Roman.
tic Incidents in the early life of Wi lam F. Cody.
By 001. Prentiss Ingraham.

2 The Ocean Hunters; or The Chase of
Leviathan. A Romance of Perilous Adven-

ture. BiV Captain Magus Reid.
WA?! rtra Largo umber. ‘

3 Adventures of Wild Bill, the Pistol
.Prince. Remarkable career of J. B. Hikok.
(known to the world as “Wild Bill,"€sgiving the
true stor of his adventures and ac . By 001.
Prentiss raham.

4 The Prairie Ranch; or, The Young Cattle
Herders. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

5 Texas Jack, the Mustang King. Thrill-
in Adventures in the Life of J. B. Omohundro,
" exas Jack.” By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

6 Cruise of the Flyawa ; or, Yankee Boys
inCeylon. By C. Dunning lark. I

7 Roving Joe : The HistOry of a Young f‘ 301‘-
der Ruffian.” Brief Scenes from the Lite 01'
Joseph E. Badger. Jr. ByA. H. Past.

8 The Fl awa Afloat' or. ankee Boys
’Round th’é World. By C. D’unning Clark.

i Adams Old Grizzly Adam-9

9 BS: gal-d. By ’Col. Prentiss Ingrahaul.

10 The Snow-Trail ' or. The Boy Hunters of
Fur-land. By T.‘ c. Iiarbaugh.

11 Old Grizzly Adams the Bear Tamer;
or, The Monarch of the Mountain. By Dr.
Frank Powell.

12 Woods and Waters; or, The Ex loits of
the Littleton Gun Club. By Capt. F. W ittaker.

13 A Rolling Stone : Incidents in the Career
on Sea and Land as Bo and Man of Colonel
Prentiss Ingraham. By of. Wm. R. Eyster.

14 Adria on the Prairie, and Amateur
Hunters on the Buil‘alp Range. By
Oil Coomes.

15 Kit Carson, Kin
Mountain Paths and
Aiken.

16 Red River Rovers' or Life and Adven-
tures in the Northwest. y C. Dunning Clark.

17 Plaza and Plain ' or, Wild Adventures of
“Buckskin Sam " (Major Sam s. Hall.) By
Colonel Prentiss ingraham.

18 Rifle and Revolver; or, The Littleton
Gun Club on the Buiralo Range. By Captain
Frederick Whittaker.

19 Wide-Awake George, The Boy Pioneer;
or, Life in a Log Cabin. Incidents and Adven-
tures in the Backwoods. By Edward Willett.

20 The Dashing Dragoon; or. The Story of
General George A. Custer, from West Point to
the Big Horn. By Captain Frederick Whittaker.

t1 Deadwood Dick as a Bop or. Why
Wild Ned Harris, the New-En land arm-lad, be-
came the Western Prince 0 the Road. By Ed-
wardL. eeler.

22 The Boy Exiles of Siberia; or. The
Watch-Dog of Russia. By T. C. Harbaugh.

23 Paul be Lacy, The French Beast Charmer-
or New York Boys in the Jungles. A Story oi
Adventure Peril and Sport in Africa. By C.
Dunning .

24 The Sword Prince 3 The Romantic Life
0: Colonel Monsteiiy. (American Champion-at-
arms.) By Captain rederick Whittaker.

25 Round the Camp Fire or Snow-Bound
at “Freeze-out Camp." By an. it. Badger, Jr.

26 s'mw'snoe Tomi or. New York Bo s in
the-Wilde ess. A Narrative of s .t
in Maine. y 'r. c. Harbaugh, P°‘ amlyi’eril

27 Yellow Hair, the Boy Chief of the
Pawnees. The Adventurous Careeroi Eddie
Burgess of Nebraska. By Colonel Prentisa 1n.
81mm. 1

28 The Chase of the Great White Stag
EEC}; Camp and Canoe. By C. Dunning
l' I

of the Guides; or
airie Trails. By A. W.

’29 The Fortune-Hunter; or. Roving Joe

as Miner. Cowboy, Trapper and Hunter. By'

A.H Post

30 Walt Ferguson’s Cruise. A Tale of the
Antarctic Sea. By C. Dunning Clark.

31 The Bo Crusader or How a Page and a
Fool Save’d a King. By ‘Cap't. Fred. Whittaker.

32 White Beaver the Indian Medicine
Chiefirorfi‘l'he mantle and Adventurous

Life of .Frank Powell. ByCoLIngrah

33 Ca tain Ralph the Young
rue'oonupede Amon’gthgnoes

am.

By .Dunning

; or,-

 

Bear Hunters. A Story of
Mishaps of a Party of Bo "ill;
0

34 The Young
the Haps an
the Wids of Northern Michigan. By
Redwing.

35 The Lost Boy “'halers or In the Shadow
of the North Po e. By T. C. arhaugh.

36 Smart Sim the Lad with a Level Head.
By Edward Wi ett.

37 Old Tar Knuckle and His Boy Chums; or,
The Monsters of the Esquimaux Border. By
Roger Ste rbuck.

38 The Settler’s Son; or, Adventures in the
Wilderness and Clearing. By Edward S. Ellis.

39 Night-Hawk Geor e and His Darin
Deeds and Adventures in t e‘Wilds of the Bent
and West. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

40 The Ice Elephant; or, The Castaways of
the Lone Coast. By Capt. Fred. Whittaker.

41 The Pampas Hunters°
Boys in Buenos Ayres. By T. 

42 The Youn Land-Lubber° or Prince
Porter's First raise. By C. Dunning ark.

43 Bronco Bill the Saddle Pri .
Prentiss lngrahazfi me By COL

44 The Snow Hunters- or, Winter in the
Woods. By Barry De Foredt.

45 Jack, Harry and Tom. The Three
Champion Brothers; or. Adventures of Three
Brave Boys with the Tattooed Pirate. By Capt.
Frederick Whittaker.

46 The Condor Killers ' or, Wild Advent
at the Equator. By T. (3. Harbaugh. .

47 The Boy Coral-Fishers or, The Sea-
Cavern Scourge. By Roger Star uck. '

48 Dick, the Stowawa ; or, A Yankee Boy‘s
Strange Cruise. By Char es Morris.

49 Ti Tressell the Floater: or Fort esand
wisnlhgunes on’the Mississippi, Byullilldward
e .

50 The Adventurous Life of Nebraska
Charlie, (Charles E. Burgess.) By Colonel
Prentiss ingraham.

51 The Colorado Bo s or Life onanln o
Plantation. By JosephyE.;Badger. J r.‘ dig

52 Honest Harr ° or, The Count B Adrift
_in the City. By h’arles Morris. W CY

53 The Boy Detectives' or, The Young Cali-
fornians in Shanghai. By C. Harbaugh.

54 California Joe, The Mysterious Plainsman.
By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

55 Harry Somers, The Sailor-Boy Magician.
By S. W. Pearce. .

5 6 Nobody’s Boys ; or, Life Among the Gipsies
By J. M. Hellman.

57 The Menagerie Hunter; or, Fanny Ho-
bart. the Animal Queen. By Major H. Grenville.

58 Lame Tim, the Mule Boy of the Mines; or,
Life Among the Black Diamonds. By Charles
merris.

59 Imd Lionheels, the Young Tiger Fighter.
By Roger Starbuck.

60 The Young Trail Hunters; or, New
Yor'Boys in Grizzly Land. By T. C. Harbaugh.

61 The Young Mustangers. By C. D. Clark.

62 The Tiger Hunters; or, The Colorado Boys
in Tiger-Land. By Joseph E. Badger; Jr.

63 The Adventurous Life of Captain
Jack, the Border Boy. (John W.‘ Crawford,
the Poet Scout.) By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

64 The Young Moose-Hunters; or. Trail
and Camp-fire in the New Brunswick Woods. By
Wm. H. Manning.

65 Black Horse Bill, the Bandit Wrecker: or,
Two Brave Boys to the Rescue. By Roger
Starbuck. .

66 Little Dan Rocks; or, The Mountain Kid‘s
Mission. By Morris Redwing.

67 ’Lomzshore Lije; or. How 9. Rough Boy
Won His Way. By C. Dunning Clark.

68 Flatboat Fred; or, The Voyage of the “ Ex-
periment." By Edward Wiiiett.

69 The Deer-Hunters; or. Life in the Ottawa
Dountry. By John J. Marshall. . '

70 Kentucky Ben, the Long Rifle otthe Plains:
or, The Boy Trapper: of Oregon. By 3086?
Stu-buck. , .

71 The pay Pilot; or. The Island WNOROI‘B-
Dy Col. Prentiss ingraham.

72 You" Did! Talbot. By Albertw. Aiken. J

or, New York
Harbaugh.

 

73 Pat Mulloney’s Adventures; or.8iiver
Tongue, the Dacotah Queen. By C. L. Edwards.

14 The Desert Rover; or, Stowaway Dick
Among the Arabs. By Charles Morris.

75 The Border Gunmaker; or, The Hunted
Maiden. By James L. Bowen. ‘

76 The Kit Carson Club; or, Young Hawkd
eyes in the Northwest. By T. C. Harbaugh.

77 Len-Handed Pete, the Double-Knife. By,
Joe. E. Badger, Jr.

'18 The Boy Prospector; or, The Scout ofthe
Gold Ravine. By Roger Starbuck. . ‘

79 Minonee, the Wood Witch; or, the WT
Secret. By Edwin Emerson. '

80 The Boy Cruisers; or, Joe and Jan's Bl:
Find. By Edward Willett. ,

8 l The Border Rovers; or. Lost on the Gun-
land Trail. By J. Milton Hodman. _ I

82 Alaska, the Wolf Queen; 015mm
Brothers’ Double Crime. By Capt. C. Howard.

83 The Young Nihilist; or. A Yankee Bey.
Among the Russians. By Charlestrls. ‘ '

84 Little Rifle; or, The Young Fug-3mg. '
By Capt. “ Bruin " Adams. $ ,

85 Fighting Fred ; or, The Castaways ot-
Grizzly Camp. By T. C. Herbangh, . . _. ' I;

86 Dr. Carver, the “Evil Spirit " of them;
or. The Champion Shot of the World.  Ool.
Plentiss Ingraham. '  _

87 Run“ Robsart and His Dear. 
“ Bruin " Adams. . . .

88 Pony, the Cowboy. By major EB. m-
dard. "

89 Gaspar, the Gaucho; or, Ltd: on the .
Pampas. By Captain Mayne Reid. ’ ‘ ' ,

W117: Extra Large Numbnfl - r ‘
90 Texas Charlie, the Boy Ranger. w Col.
Prentiss Ingraham. ‘

91 Moscow to Siberia; or, A Yankee Boy

to the Rescue. By Charles Morris. ' . -

92 Boone, the Hunter; or, The Backwoods
Brothers. By Capt. Frederick Whittaker.

93 Oregon Josh, the Wizard Rifle; or. The
Young Trapper Champion, By  sm-
buck. . . -

94 Christian Jim, the White Man's him.
By Edward S. Ellis. , I ~ _‘g ._ _

95 Plucky Joe, the Boy Avenger. [53.3.
Hartman. ~ "  w

96 Roving Rifle, Custer‘s Little Scout “By-T.
C. Harhaugh. . ;- ~ :2.  ~

97 Hurricane Kit; or, Old Lightning»
Rampage. By A. F. Holt. ’ ‘ ‘ ‘

98 Sam Spence, the Broadhorn Boy“   ,

Willett. 4 I
99 Little Buck, the Boy Guide; or, The. Gold
“ Eye " of Montana. By Barry Email. ‘ ‘
100 Revolver Billy, the Boy Ranger «my. 1
By Colonel Prentiss Wham- - t I ’-

101 The Riv" Rifles; or. The'Fate'Ohthe 0.

Flatboat. By Capt. J. F. C. Adams. . '
102 Captain Fly-by-Night; or.'l‘he com,
Boys on the War-Path. By Joe. B; Jr.
103 Alone on the Plains; or, The outlaw.
Plot. By Edward Wiliett. _ ’ , H
104 Silver Horn and His Bil” Russ,
death. By Roger Starhnick. ' »: sv 
105 Exploits oi‘ Hezekiah m; :fid
Backwoodsman. By Emerson Bedlam.
u n5 is orado Ohm .-
106 g,  J mitiheOoi lay \
107 Mariano, the Outlaw Girl; at. The.
Mysterious Canoe. By Edward 8. Bill.

108 Old Traps; or, The Boy Rivals.  V.

Ringgold.
A new tum every web. l
Bamnn's Bar‘s Luann~ r a for sale by V have»
deals five cents per cdpy. or sent by on r.-
oeipto six‘cents. - ‘_ ‘
BEADLE AND ADAMS. Palm. .

ca WilliamMN.‘o . .

"\

  

 

  

 

-------‘IliflElllJIDJLJEiii

llfilllfilllfiélllEllEli

 

 

JEJIJEEIILALJEEIIL

——

 

 

1 De dwood Disk, til;- l’Llnc-e of “LB/our. By‘E. L. Wheeler.
WOO .- . Joseph ‘ d r r.
as. Kin . By Bud'nlh mil. (in... Cody.)
4 he Wild-1 orse Intern. By Captain hilyue itsid and
Captuln Frederick W Ittnkrr.
5 V"nb..d Joe the Young Wsndering Jew. By 011 Coomss.
Double number 0 cents.
iddon Tr pper. By Edward R. Ellis.
lying uh e0. ' By Colonel l’n-ntlsu lngrnham.
1‘ .Cth Jones; or The ('nptlvw oi tii- Frontier. By E. 5. Ellis.
Adventurea o Bur-on Mnm-lmusen.
Nut Todd or, The Fairy o! the Silnux ('npiiws. By E. S. Ellis.
i'lse 'l‘wo Detectlves. By Albert W. Aiken.
Gulliver’s Truvela. A 'oyngu tn Liiipuz, and a Voyage to
'1

itrulidineuax. liy Dealt Swift.
‘ e Dumb Spy.
A midin; or, u
'l he Hell-Ont.

linll Comnel.
Wondcrful Llunp.
By Cnptnin i-‘rmiyrick \Wiitial- er.
(‘2? lllunirnilnnuz lix iii-inn.

u—uu HHH
9.9M: ICU-‘36

Iloltilnson Crunoo. ,
17 His} ll Ito , the Boy Buccaneer. Bi fol. i'n-ntias lngrnlm‘m.
1N lilm had t e Huilor. From tlm Amman NIKlill.
19 The Phantom npy. By llurl‘nlu am.
90 The Doulsle Dunne". By Edward‘L Wheeler.
“1 The Frontier Angel. lly l‘klwnril S. Ellil.
22 '1']. flea, ~erpeut; of, The liny ltnliluaon ('rnme. By J. Lewis.
Bil Nis- o‘ the Ni lug or Tln- Bo ' Spy of'i6. liy 'l‘. C. Hnrbaugii.
24 Diamond Dirlg. v (kiloan 'renilu ingmimm. ‘
$5 The lioy Cu tlsin. ll ' Roger Sturbui k.
26 Clown loo , the Hull'a 0 Demon. Br Edward L. “'licoler.
2? Antclope A the Boy Guide. By Oli (‘oollmm
98 Boil’nlo “en, t u Princeof the Plain]. lly F. L. Wheeler.
2” The Dumb 1 age. Bv Cupinin Frudu-rlrk “'lrlttnkur.
a? item-inc "Ill Rat-.ku‘ood. liy Hurn' St. Grange.
8 keen-Knife, 'rlm‘e oi tlw l'rairias. H ' U l CoOillmt.
82 Bob \Vooli’, the Border ltntiian. By Edward L. Wheeler.
' ‘lle 04. n Bloodhound. Br 5. W. Home.
84 “ref.” 01. lly Cnpulln J. F. C. Adams.
85  lid lvun the Boy Clnude Duvsl. By E. L. WheelJ.
no 1 he 15:: Clown. By mm. s. Fin.
8? e a den Lodxo. By 1‘. C. liurbauch.
8" . ed 'fltie, the Boy Ssout. By Tutu Junk.
- ace, the Detective. By Edwnrd L. Wheeler.
Ben. l'l Joth. Maw-hall.
Moo tick. the aunt: Muntan er. B ' OllCoomes.
42 The? unions liner. By wsrd . “'llcelrl’.
Durtin , the l’onfi' Express Rider. By Capt. Whittaker.
Bttiin Ru 0. By rry St. George.
rd AV. unehe the Great Auniliilnwr. By E. L. Wheeler.
(i ll" J. F. C. AtiNIll.

E

2

Eye, tins Nat Shot of the Wsst.

n‘ o- n t or, e orrli ta ns. y nrbauui.
“a at N t Th 1" Cap l n ii i
«('1‘ John, the Road-A ant. B Joseph E. Bud er, Jr.
Milo "ll. the Muhod error. By Edward L. 'lleelsr.
WEI!“ , the Trapper. ByC. E. his-lilo.
he 0 little. or,'lheUndeImund Comp. By A.C.lron.
u s- l “91'” “'3 “'5 ll? (6.2;? 1"n no». i

I r.,ts y x. B' . 'aeer.

M  flu 1, t s tut-y Trapper. By Capt? J. F. C. Adiuns.
55 “1&- 0, the nknqwn Reout. By Balalo Bill.
50 Nick hi ea’ Pet. Bv Capan J. l". C. Adnms.
:7 Poodwa Dick‘s 119:. By Fki’wurd L. Wheeler.

also Kin. s Secret 00. B Oil Coomos.
53 It 3 or, thin '
00 T ndinn.

M d ' Ellls's Rudp. .By any St. George.
61 Buck o Bill r Th Bad Bills T rs. B ' E. L. Wile lor.
as n. a?» ' " ' ' M ’ '

 

3282:3833:
Ed=e=zee
S

C.
gloat"
Whit y Captain J. F. C. Ada-vs.
W Ship. By Colonel Prentlas lniprahim.
Brotherhood. By W. J. llnlnllton.
64 Dnnd Jack. By T. C. liurh ugh.
65 ""4." "111. By Jose-pit  "Mm-r, Jr.
66 Hingle llnml or, A Life for a Lita. B vW. J. Hamilton
6'? Patent-hrs“. or Joe. B Philip 5. tune.
on The Border Rollinjlood. By Buflnlo mu.
89 Hold me lhn Shu homer. By Edward L. “'heoler.
70 Old p'a Cahin. yCaptsln J. F. (I. Adams.
Delaware Dick, llir ounfi Ranger Spy. By Oll 000m”.
lid TUIII Western the unn Rnngsr. By “'J. Hamilton.
78 Deadwood Dick on 'Deok. lty Edward 1.. Wheeler.
1’4 lluwk-eye ll r . By Oil Coomrs.
75 The 110] Due In B Colonel l‘rsntlu lnnharn.
78 ADO 0. i, the Crow-K” or. B Alb." “'. Alkeh.
rduro Ginny-lie, the Buy llnn'o. By E. L. Wheeler.
a sari“ . méBsptnirl‘l Mayne Reid.
t It r . B'AlbetW.Alkn.
5 1305. find???“ “’heeler.’ c
> o ,y ‘4- in n .l-‘.C. Adams.
fit; the “Valid—Hawk. By T. C. llarbnngh.
88 Rollo, the Boy "anger. By 011 Coomes.
1d, .10. if! Miner. ily Edwsrd L‘thlor.
’ .d  zfiT “By (flaptuén .1. F.  At‘lnlril.l n
n 01- tm . nn mn xns. G. Wu do town.
87 The find Pi'rflivcl. ll ' Cumhlu Ma 'lie Reid.
uph mm. min, .m. y rm. Wheel".
89 lain Jinn. ii ' tho author oi“ Jsck Harkaway."
90 The Dread RI r. B George Waldo Browns.
913530 inofthc C uh. B)‘ vabridu Horn .
99 anod- ‘ at, the Counterfeit" Chief. By E. L. killed".
:8 The Be tIJIItI-‘re.’ Bv Ed‘sz Elalls. ' '
0 new. sat. vT.C.Harha h
93 Thglllfivnl Binders. By Lieu. Col.'ilmitius. u‘ '
96 WatchJfiyo, the Shadow. By Edward L Wheeler.
97 she Outlaw Brothers. By John J. Marshall.
9! ohin M the Ontiswed Earl. B Prof. Gildenleeve.
99 T The Two. By (loom “raldo Browne.
lis'vi Dietil Lendviii By E. L. Wheeler.
nrlsoway in New Yor . Braeshridge Hgmyng.
d E50. By Colonri Prentiss inch-ham.
0 Ben. By Colonel Dells Sara.
Wood Dick’s Device. Iiy law-rd L thslsr.
bid ube, ths Hunter. B Captain ll. Holmes.
Did Frogty, the Guide. il'y T. C. Harbaugll.
ile‘ 8 o B§Jamoa L. Bowen.
vy, the 01mg Rolf-Killer. By B. St. Game.
Deadwood Dink on Directive. By E. L. Wheeler.
File Block Steed oft e l'rniries. By J. L. Bowen.
'1"; Ion-Devil. By Colon-l Prentiss ingrahun.
'he Mod Iii-ter- By Burton Sue.
118 Juk floyig, ill. Young Speculutor. By L L. Wheeler.
114 The Block Schooner. By Roger Btarbnek.
115 The 11nd Miner. By George Waldo Browns.
1K The llssssor Onptssin. By Col. Prentiss hpshsn.
117 Gilt-Edged Dick. By Edward L. Wheeler.
118 Will Ion-era, “‘0 30! Delective. By Charlo- Morris.
119 Mustang Sun; or. The King of the Plains. By J. E. Badger.
120 The Branded Hand. By Frnnk Dnmont.
191 Cinnamon Chip, the Girl sport. By E. L. Wheeler.-
192 Phil llnrdy, the Boss Buy. By Charles Morris.
1.. Kiowa Chorley, tlas White Mustang". By T. C. Hubsukh.
124 Tippy. the Texan. By George Glunaon.
195 Bonnnsn Bill, Miner. By Edward L. Wheeler.
1126 Picayune Pete. By Charles Morris
12? Wild-Fire, the Boss of the Rand. By Frank Dnmont. ‘
128 The Young Privnteer. By H. Cs-vendlsh.
129 Dendwood Dick’s Double. By Edward L. Wheeler.
130 Detective Dick. By Cllnrlu Morris.
181 The Golden "and. By George Waldo Browne.
189 The Hunted Hunter. By Edward S. Ellis.
188 Boas Bob, the King of the Bnotblscks. By EL. Wheeler.
184 Sure Shot 90th. By Oil Coomss.
185 Captain Paul. By C. Dunning Clark.

 

 

us
3
6

IL"

85“

I'

us

 

u

8:

DD
5"
?
I

a
O!

HHHH
§ 2
A u... ‘AA‘h:

"§§ s

 

us
n
U
.2

 

no Night-Howl! Ku- By ’mrh E B-drer Jr-

131 The lleipleu Ila-d- 3! C-rt-l- M-yn- Raid- I

188 Blondie liiil. By Edward L. “Meier.

189 Judge Lynch, Jr. By To 0- "Munch.

140 Blue Blues. Bl‘ ank Dummlh

141 Solid Sam, the Boy Bond-Agent. By Ed. L Winn-let.
142 llnndaome llurry. ByCharles Morris.

143 Roar-F1100 linnl. By Oil Cooums.

144 Duinty Lam-e, Ilia lit-y Sport. By Jululill E. imdcsr, Jr.
11") Cuptnin Ferret, tin New York Dctertive. 15) “healer-
1-16 Min-r Months BO) Knight. By rill (Mamet.

1-17 111" \l’ildiire, tho 'l'lmrouglilireil. liy Church Morris.
14% Sharp Built. By J. Alexander l'ntiun.

149 A Game 01' Gold. By Edward L. \Vlioeler.

150 14151100 IllNl Loaao. iiy Cnptnin Frederiuk “'hlttllkfll’.
17,1 l’nnther Paul, the l’rniriu l’irnio. By Jon. E. Bridger, Jr.
152 Black Bean, Will Wildfiro’s RtM‘t'l'. By Charles Morris.
153 Euglo Kit, the Boy Demon. lly (ill Gnomes.

15.1 The i-iwm-tl lluntera. liy (‘an l-‘ruderlrk Whittaker.
155 Gold Trigger, lliU Sport. By '1‘. C. linrlmuuh.

156 Deadwood Dick 0 Deadwood. By E. L. \i’heulor.
153’ Mike Merry, the llnrlmr l'niice. “my. liy (,‘imrles Morris.
158 Fancy Frank of Colorado. By linrl‘nlo liiii.

169 The Loat Captain. By Cnptuln Fmicrir-L Whittaker.
160 The Black Giant. By Joseph E. Bridger, Jr.

161 New York Noll. By Edward L. \Vlicrler.

108 Will “'ildtlre in the “'oodu. By Charles Morris.
163 Little Tex-a. the Young ilustanger. By Ull Commas.
164 Dandy Rock’s Pledge. By George Waldo Browns.
105 Billy Baggage, the Railroad Buy. By Charles Morris.
166 Hickory l'lurry. By llnrry St. George.

167 Ann Scott, the Stemnlmnt Boy. By Edward Willsti.

168 Deadly Dosh. By Joseph E. Dttd‘ol', Jr.

169 Tornado Torn. By T. C. Hurbsugh.

170 A Trump Cur-d. By Cluu'lel Morris.

171 Ebony Dull. By Frank Dnmnnt.

I?» Thunderbolt Torn. By Harry St. Guorge.

178 Dandy Rock’a Riv-l. By Geotge Waldo Browne.

174 Bob Roche“, the Boy Dodger. By Charles Morris.

176 ('uptnln Arizona. By Philip S. Warns.

176 The Boy Runaway. By Lientennnt H. D. Perry, U.8.N.
1's"? Nobby Nick ofNevndn. By Edward L. Wlisslsr.

178 Old Solitary, the Hermit Trapper. By Oil Coomos

179 Bob Roekett, the Bnnk Runnnr. By Charles Morris.
180 The Ben Trailer. By Lieutenant H. D. Perry, U.S.N.
181 “'I-ld Frank ofMontnnn. By Edwnrd L. Winsoiar.
1149 Little Hurricane. tin Boy Csptnln. By 011 Cooxnes.
188 The llisiden "and. By Charles Morris.

1814 The Boy Trailer-n. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

185 Evil Eye, King of the Cattle Thieves. By Frank Durant
1B8 Cool Deansond. By Colonial Delia Sam.

1“? Fred llnlynrd, the Life Boat Boy. By Charles Morris.
1R8 Ned Tel-pie, the Border Boy. By T. C. llarliauglt.

189 1101) Roekott, the Crucksmnn. By Charles Morris.

190 Dandy Dnrko. By William R. Eyster.

191 Buffalo Billy, the Boy Bullwhuker. By Capt. A. B. 'l'sylor.
192 Captain Kit, the Wl.l-o‘-ths-Vl'isp. 9y Lient. Parry.
198 The Lady Road-Agent. By Philip S. Wnrno.

194 Bulaio Dill‘l Bet. By Captain Taylor.

195 Dendwood Diek‘a Drcnns. By Edward L. thsisr.
196 shadowed. By Charles Morris.

19? Little Grit, the Wild Rl-lsr. By Col. Prentiss inn-Allan.
198 Ark-nauw, tlm Man with the Knife. By T. C. llarbaogli.
199 Feltller'elght. By Edward Willett.

900 The Boy Bedoulna. By Capt. Frederick Whittaker.
201 The Blnck ililla Jezebel. By Edward L- Wheeler-
202 Prospect Pete, o! the Boy Brlgndo. By Oil Coomsn.
908 The Boy Pnrds. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

904 Gold Plume, the Boy Bandit. By Col. Prentiss lngrnhssn.
905 Dondwood Diek’n Doom. By Edwsrul L. “'bselsr.
906 Dark Paul, the Tiger King. By Charlss Morris.

90? Navajo Kick, the Boy Gold Hunter. By T. C. linrban‘ll.
208 The Boy llerculea. By Oil Coomes.

909 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective. By Edward L. Wh or.
210 Faro Frank of lligh Pine. By Wlilism R. Byster.
211 Crooked Cole. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

212 Don-hing Dove, the Dandy Detective. By Charles Morris.
’18 Fritz to the Front. By Edward L. W'henler.

214 Wolfgang, the Robber of the Rhine. By Capt. Whittaker.
215 Captain Bullet, the Raider King. By T. C. llarhangll.
216 Dillon Bill, the Prince of the Rains. By Col. P. Ingrahsm.
917 Chptnin Crack-Shot. By Edward L. Wheeler.

218 Tiger Tom, the Texan Terror. By Oll Coomes.

919 Deapnrd. the Duollat. By Philip S. Warns.

920 Tom Tanner, SralawagnndScnpetrrM‘e. By Chas. Morris.
221 Sugar-Coated Ram. By Edward L. Wheeler.

2292 Gm. the Bravo Sport. By Col Prentiss ingrshsm.
928 ilzark Alf, King oftho Mountain. By Edward Willntt.
924 Dashing Dick. By Oil Comm.

925 Sam Charcoal, the Premium Dnrky. By Chsrlss Monk.
226 Snoozer, the Buy Sharp. By Edward L. Wheeler.

221’ Dusky Darrell, Trapper. By E. Emerson.

998 Little Wildfire. By 011 Coomes.

229 Crlmnon Kate. By Colonel Prentiss lngraliam.

980 The Yankee RAIIIII. By C. Dunning Clark.

231 Plueky Phil. of the Mountain Trail. By T. C. Hnrbnugll.
282 Gold-Dull: Dick. By Edward L. Wheeler.

938 Joe Buck ofAngels. By Albert W. Aiken.

234 Old Rocky’s “ Boyeea.” By Buckskin Sam.

935 flhndow Salli, the Messenger Boy. By Charles Morris.
986 Apollo Bill. By Edward L. Wheeler.

98? Lone Star. the Cowboy Captain. By Col. ingrnhsm.
288 The Purl-on Detective. By Oil Coomos.

989 The Gold-seeker Guide. By Capt-in Mayne Reid.
240 Cyclone Kit. By Edward 1.. Wheeler.

' 244 Sierra Burn.

 

.41 Bill Brovo and Ilia Bear Pnrdn. By 1". C. Hubsugh.
.48 The Two “ Bloods." By Charles Horns.

248 The Disguised Guide. By 0“ Cooulss-

By Edward L. “'heeler.

245 Merle, the Middy. By Colonel Prentiss lngmhnm.
946 Giant George. By Buckskin Sam.

24? Old Grizzly and "la Pets. By (‘an “ liruln ” Adams.
248 Sierra an'a Bet-rot. By Edward L. Wheeler.

24” Milo Homer, the Anlmnl King. lly Onpt. Fn-«l. Whittaker»
250 The Midnhipmnn Mutlm-cr. liy Fill. l‘. ingruham.
251 Light-house Line. By Cnptuln J. F. C. Adams.

2.52 Diek Dnahuwuy. By Clinrlol Morris.

2615 flierru Sum’n l’ur-d. By Edward L. Wheeler.

25-1 'i‘lleAliulizulood. By Edward 3. Ellis.

25:. Captain Apollo. is,» ’I‘. c. llurlmuuh.

256 Young Kcntuek. liy Cnptuin Mnrk Wilton.

257 The Loot Hunters. By Capt. J. F. C. Adams.

258 Nierru fluln's iii-yen. By Edward L. Wheeler.

2.39 The Golden Ilurpoon. By Roger Sturbuck.

260 Dore-Devil Don. liy Oil Coomel.

261 Fergu- Fear-naught. liy (.‘enrgu L. Aiken.

969 The Young His-null. By Charles Morrlr.

268 Deadwood Dick's Divide. By Edward L. Wheeler.
204 The Floating Feather. By Col. l‘. lngrnhsm.

265 The Tiger 'i‘nluor. By Cltptnln Fred. Whituiker.

966 Killb'nr, the Guide. lly Ensign “'urren.

96? The linekakln Detective. By T. C. llarbrmlh.

968 Deadwood Diek'a Doutll Trail. By E. L. Wheeler.
269 The Gold ship. By (‘oi. Pnntlss ingruhnm.

210 Bliss-rd Ben. By Captain Mark Wilton.

271 The Huge Hunter. By Edward 8. Ellis.

8" liinkakin like. By Oil Coomos.

278 Jumbo Joe. By Edward L Wheeler.

274 Jolly Jinn. By Charla Morris.

275 Ari-on. Jock. By Buckskin Sam.

23" Merle Honte’s Cruise. By Colonel Prentiss lngrslisna.
277 Denver Doll. By B'siwnrd L. Wheeler.

978 The Three Troppora. By Major Lewis W. Carson.
279 0111 Which, the Rifle King. By T. C. Harm-ugh.

230 Merle Monte’a FER. By Col. Prentiss lngrahnm.
281 Denver Doli'a Victory. lly Edward L. Wheeler.

289 The Typo Detective. lly Edward Willett.

288 indian Joe. By Major Lewis W. Carson.

284 The Ben Marauder. By Colonel Prentiss lng'rnlnln.
285 Denver Doll’s Decoy. By Edit-rd i.. Wheeler.

'86 Jot-ll, the lloy Tender-foot. By Capt. Mark Wilton.
9R1 Billy Blue-Eyes. By Colonel Prentiss lnmksm.

981-1 The Scalp King. By Captain J. F. C. Adams. -
989 Jolly Jiln’u Job. By Cllnl'lrl Morris.

990 Little Foxfire, By Oil Coonm.

991 Turk, the Ferret. By Edward l.. Win-elsr.

BBB Sancho Pedro. By Major R. L. St. Vrnin.

298 Red Claw, the One-Eyed Tnippor. By Captain Comatoch.
994 Dynamite Don. By T. C. liarI-uugh.

295 Fearless Phil. By Edward Willett.

296 Denver Dollia Britt. By Edward 1.. Wheeler.

292' The Tarantula of Tun. liy Buckskin Sun.

298 The Wotar-llound. By cllll’lrl Muan

H 299 A No. 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. By Edward L. Wheeler.

800 The Sky Des-on. By Oil Coomes.

801 Lc-sdviliie Nil ' By Major E. L. St. Vrsln.

809 The Mountain Detective. By T. C. Harbsngh.

808 'Lil. Jone, the Girl Mina. By E. L. Wheeler.

804 The Dead Shot Dandy. By Colonel Pmtlss 111‘?!th

‘aos Doahnwny, of ham... 3, Charle Morris.

806 Neck-Tie Nod. By lidor H. B. Stoddard.

801 The Struc- Pnrd. Br Buck-kin Sun.

808 Reno Kit, the Boy Bugler’s Pard. By Col. 1’. inguinal;
80,9 Deadwood Dick's Big Deal. By B. L. Wbssisr.

810 The Barre-ea Wolf. By Joseph 1:. Bsdpr, Jr.

811 The Roving BM By Edward Willstt.

813 Redup Rube, the Vigilante Hues. By lid. E. L. St. V1131.
818 (‘ilurron Jock. By Frsdsrick Dewey.

814 The Iyateriona Marauder. By Col. r. ingrslum.
815 Ned. the Collin Boy. By Jack Fumrnt.

316 Old Eclipse, Trump Card of Ariwna. By T. C. Harbnugh.
81? l'eneoolt Pete. By Lieutenant Alired Thorns.

818 Ker-whoop, Ker-whoa! By Buckskin Sun.

319 The Block Rider. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

820 The Sea Sorrel-ens. By Jack Farragut.

891 Deadwood Diek’a Doscn. By Edward L. Wheeler-
829 Nemo, the Detective. By Edward Wiiistt'.

898 Arkananw Jack. By Harry Hazard.

8“ Ralph RendY,'tlie Hotsl Boy Detective. I!) Ln. Morris.

8% Kelley llieke & Cons an the Si ths o! l'hilsd 1 hi .
By minim L.W «i... p y’ '“ .. “P "

826 The Ten Pnrdn; or, The Terror of Take-Notice. By T. C.
Harbaugh.

827 Creeping Got, the Cnddo. By Buckskin Sam. .
828 The Sky Detectives. By Major Mickey Free.

829 Red-Skin Tom. By Harry Hazard.

880 Little Quick-Shot. By Edward L. Wheeler.

331 Block Nick, the Demon Rider. By Capt. Fred. Whittnksr.
332 Frio Fred. By Buckskin Sam.

338 Brimstone Bo and His Ll ht
totte. By Major .. L. St. Vrnln. ' “h” nu“ 0"”

88-1 Kangaroo Kit; or.Ti-s Mysterious Miner. By E. L. Wheeler.
885 old Double-Fiat. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.
836 31¢ Benson. By T. C. Harbaugli.

A New Tune Every Week.

The Half-Dime Library is {or nle by nil newsdeslers. Ir.
unis per copy, or sent by msl.‘ on receipt of six cents each.

BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers,
98 William Street, New York