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GLASS‘EYE, The Great Shot of the West.

wr.‘_‘>..

BY CAPTAIN J. P. C. ADAMS,

AUTHOR ow “OREGON son," mm, mm

 

 

 

 

aims-m TO THE RESCUE.

 

 
   



 

1 those few seconds, that he was mounted upon a

 

‘3 , Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West.

 

, Glass-Eye,

was GREAT SHOT of the WEST.

BY CAPT. J. F. C. ADAMS,
AUTHOR or “ cannon so ” me, are.

 

 

CHAPTER I.
A BID]! FOR LIFE.

“ Lost on the prairie !”

These were the terrible words that Rosa Beck-
with repeated to herself, in a. scared whisper as
she reined up her black stallion, and took a ter-
rified survey of the surroundings. This morn—
ing, for the twentieth time, she had ridden out
from her father’s we on-traiu,‘ relying upon the
fleetuess of her s to carry her away from
endanger. but, by some means or other, she
had wandered so far away that she had become
bewildered, and here she was with the afternoon
half gone, and with not the slightest idea of the
direction she should take to rejoin her friends.

She was facing westward, and in that direc-
tion naught but billowy prairies stretching
away untll they joined the far horizon met the
e e. . To the southward the view was nearly
t 0 same, with the exception that miles off the

white cone of a mountain peak rested like a...

fleecy cloud against the summer sky.

0n the east was a ridge of hills covered with
strs gling sage and underbrush, stretching ir-
re arly away to the northward, and scarcely
a undrsd yards from where her foamy, pant-
ing steed had halted.

“I cannot remember that I ever: saw them
before,” she said to herself, “ and it is strange
that I can’t find any clew to guide me out of
this solitude. I wonder whether that is a. amok
or a cloud yonder?” -

A thin, misty volume in the far-ofl horizon
was the object to which she alluded; but it
really made little difference to her whether it
was one form of vapor or another; for, it it
came from a camp-fire, it was certain that it
had not been kindled by any of her party.

But, at this moment, her stallion pricked up
his ears, and turned his nose in the d rection of
the ridge in such a way, that the attention of
the fair rider was instantly attracted.

“What do on see, Saladini” she asked, as
she stroked t e glossy neck of the beautiful
 “Does some wild animid threaten, or is

At that moment; Rosa herself observed a.
movement among the-stunted trees, that was
plainl made by something besides the wind,

and s e steadied herself in the saddle, as she

looked intently in the direction to see what it
I, but. . .
a

ppeared as if some animal were steal-
ing among the ‘au erg-o the girl was,
a ‘ f ,.or possibly a >
‘ bewildered buffalo, when to hermazemeVnt we

quite certain that. was

alarm,.nn Indian horseman suddenly made‘his
appearance, and strikinghis steed into a‘ gallop.
headed directly toward her. She saw, uring

net

 

 

 

magnificent horse, and was himself a. Sioux
warrior of almost gigantic size.

As he started forward, he swung his arm over
his head and called out something Which Rosa
did not understand, and the meaning of which
she did sto to inquire. She had no weapon
of any kin in her possession, and she gave the
rein o Saladin, who pointed his nose to the
southward and sped awe in the directional!
the clould-l
beckoning him Into some safe harbor.

But the trouble with this noble stallion was
that he had been on the gallop almost unremit-
tingly since early morning, and the spume-
flake from his distended nostrils, and the lathery
foam that covered his glistening sides, proved
how nearly he was used up. He was capablerof
very little more in the way of work, but, 'as
conscious of the terrible duty required of him,
he shot awn like an arrow and with a spirjt
that seems able to carry him my a league
toward the tropical south. .

Rosa looked back, and in her terror was cer-
tain that her demon-like pursuer would over-
take her, for esides the splendid manner in
which he was mounted, it was plain that he
was quite fresh, and in this respect held a vast
advent vge ovar the fugitive. At any rate the
Sioux meant to do that same thing, if it were
within the range of the omibilities, and he
bent himself to the task in dead earnest;and
as if the hope of paralyzing the gallant little
animal that was straining every nerve to carr -
his beautiful mistress beyond danger, the re -
skin at intervals gave out a. shout, loud and
horrible enough to wake the dead. ,

But the outcry seemed, if possible. rather to;
add wings to the flying:1 heels of the stallion,
and, as Rosa witnessed is noble efforts, a thrill '
of hOpe cameto her at the belief that possibly
she would escape after all. The play of Saladin s
muscles vnis like that of some splendid machin-
ery in its tireless movements. _

“ Heaven protect us, my truest friend,” she
exclaimed, asshe' atted his far-reachin neck.
“You deserves tterlot thanto kil your-
self in trying to save me.”

Just then theASioux let out his whooping
screech again, and theterrified girl, certain that
it sgunded nearer than the other, turned her

as .

A moan of despair came from herlips, as she
saw-that such indeed was the fact. Less than
a hundred yards separated the two, and the
Indian was steadily‘galhing. What earthly
refuge had she? V

In her extremit of terror, she glanced
right and left, an indeed In all directions,
With a. woful, prayerful look, but not a sign
of help was to  Alread the ridge
from which the painted red—skin ha isued, was
a mile or more behind them, and the white
mountain-peak against the blue horizon seemed
as far of! as ever. .5.

“ gay keep up the struggle, 'Ssladin?" she

, as she drew the rem. “You mayas

 you own life, When tbe'losing of it

flagging a d th
, V - er. a 'venu in‘ as air e
(1 had not, and for’tlg first ime heprefhsed.
to obe5' his mistress. When she increased her

ike peak, asi it were a light-house, 1

     
   
    
    
  
   
  
   
    
  
   
  
  
    
   
  
  
   
  
   
  
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
  
   
 
   
   
   

 

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7 .
AA...

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Glass-Eye. the Great Shot of the West. I

737‘

 

ure upon the rein he took the bit between

is teeth, and flirted his head, as if to say to

her that the time had come for him to assume
char 6 of himself.

“ 0 on, then, as I cannot check you," she
said, after she had repeated the effort several
times. “ We are both doomed, beyond all pos-
sibility of escape.”

“ Whoop !” again that terrible outer sounded
above the thunder of the horse’s hoo s; and as
the shivering fugitive once more turned her
head, she saw that less than fifty feet separated
them. The yell of the Sioux was now more of
exultation than anything else, for the game
was in hand, and Rosa saw in that one terrified

lanco that he held the coil of a lasso in his left
and while the loop was gathered in his right,
and he was on the very eve of throwing it.
He had dropped his horse’s reins upon his neck,
for tho sagacious animal understood as well
what was required of him as if he were strug—
gligglto place his master alongside the wounded
11 a o.

The despairing girl knew the meaning of that
circling serpent in the hands of the rod-skin.
She was well aware that. like the rattlesnake, it
was drawing itself together for the purpose of
making its fatal blow. and a. shudder ran
through her beautiful form as she placed her
hand against her white throat, as if to keep the
reptile from strangling her to death.

At that instant there came a hissing whiz,

’ somethin flitted like a shadow before her eyes,

I.

pad she new that the warrior had thrown the
asso.

Thrown it, he had, with the unerring dex-
terity of the Mexican ranchero, and the ellipti-
cal coil had inclosed her shoulders and waist,
with as much ease and race, as if dropped there
by herself. It was no tightened when around
her, throat, for the Indian probably meant to
use no violence toward her at this time, but it
settled down over her waist and still lay loose
and undrawn, while her horse continued plung-
in forward.

braced herself in the saddle and attempt-

ed once more to check Saladin, for she was fear-

ful of being pulled from his back and dashed to

pieces u u the round' but the stallion shook

is hea vicious y, and seemed really to in-
crease, rather than diminish his speed.

The thunder of the horse’s hoofs sounded
closer than ever, and once more the Indian
yelled—giving out a sharp, sudden cry, diRer-
ent from anything that had yet been heard.
The girl turned her head while the unearthly
screech was still ringing in her ears, and saw
the Sioux throw up his own arms, and his head
and shoulders dropped backward upon his steed.
Then his head swa ed fora moment from side
to side, like that o a. drunken man, and sud-
denly he toppled over and rolled to the ground
his mome m causing him to roll over an
‘over severe times.

. Finally he lay motionless and perfectly dead.

.,_._
CHAPTER II.
GLASS-EYE, THE can.“ sno‘r.
Foamxrnnr indeed for the lassoed lady, the

' Sioux warrior, at the time of whirling the coil,

held the other end loosely in his hand, instead of

 

having it ringed to his saddle, as would harm
been the case had he been ursuin wild horse
or mustang; and so, when 0 topp ed headlong
from his steed, the loose hull-hide dangled ovar
the ground, like some serpent, fastened by its
own fangs in the body of its fleeing victim.

Several minutes passed before Rosa com re-
hended what had taken lace. Seeing the cop
still loosely around her dy, she _ sped it in
one hand and flung it over her end. Then,
failing to hear the clamp of the bonds hoofs,
she looked behind her.

There he stood, several hundred yards distant,
perfectly motionless, with his head bent down,
and apparently snnfling around the dead body
of his master, as if there was some myste
about the whole thing which passed his know -

go.

At this juncture, Saladin found the danger
was OVer for the present. and be rapidly check-
ed the tremendous 5 ed at which he had been
goin . and coming own to a walk, his rider was
speedily able to bring him to a stand-still, when
she sprung from the saddle.

“ There! my champion, there is an end even
to your endurance, and you have reached it.
Rest while you can, for who shall say how soon
you will need your strength again?"

The black stallion seemed ready to drop from
utter exhaustion, and began weakly munching
the grass which grew exuberantly around, while
his rider, leaving him to recuperate as best he
could, looked around upon the wide-spreading
prairie to see whether there was yet any sign of ,

ope for her.

She could dimly make out the figure of the
Indian, stretched out upon the greensward, with
his charger still nosing about him—but not an-
other living creature was in si ht. The ridge
from which the Sioux had issue lay fully two
miles to the northward, while in every other
direction the rolling prairie united with the
horizon in the far distance.

“ What killed him?” was the awed question the
beautiful Rosa asked herself, as she looked upon
the prostrate form.

Worlds would not have tempted her to ven<
ture near enough to the form to learn by what
means the Sioux had met his death and yet in
spite of the peril in which, she st . she felt a
natural curiosity to understand the cause of her
gremlineg miraculous delivery from impending

eat .

“ Further away from home than ever." she
repeated to herself, as, shadin her eyes from
the re s of the declining sun, 5 e gazed off to-
ward he white mountain-peak, as if expecting
to find something there that beckoned her to the
refu e she was seeking. .

“ his is a unishment for my own foolish-
ness,” she adde . “ The pitcher may go to the
well once too often, and the prophecy that
father made last week has come true at last. He
said that if I did not stop wandering "my, I
would be cut 08 by the Indians, or would ose
myself entirely—and here I am, with scarcely a
possibility of my getting shelter to-night.” '

She continued communing with herself in this
way for some ti me. still looking a tly to the
southward, with a feeling that it was from that
direction help was finally to come, when she

/

  

i4

was recalled to her situation by the whinny of
her horse, which had stopped cropping the grass
and was looking off toward the ri go.

A profoumler surprise awaited her, when she
saw a'second horseman galloping toward her,
and already within a short distance. With a
gasp o! terror, Rosa started to flee to her horse,
when she paused, for the reason that she knew

(an attempt at flight was useless, and she saw
V that the approaching stranger was a white man.

And yet, for all that, he might be as danger-
ous as the most ferociou: Sioux or Crow, and
she stood beside her jaded stallion surveying

‘the stranger with an apprehension peculiarly
painful to one in her position.

He was heading toward her on an easy,
swinging gallop. and was still some distance
away, when she was surprised and somewhat
relieved by the appearance of the stranger. He
was attired in the rough, savage dress of the
border, with a small skull cap, and a belt
around the waist, which fairly bristled with
pistols and bowie-knives. His face was covered
with a neatlytrimmed beard, black as jet,

, while the cap was drawn down so low that his
handsome dark eyes .had barely room to look
out upon the world. He set his horse likea
contour, and his form was a marvel of symme-
try and grace. A long rifle lay across the sad—
dle in front, and had be worn a slouched hat. he

. would have suggestedone of those brigands that
loiter around the plains oi Marathon, to rob
and murder the wayfarers Passing that way.

Rosa was at the mercy 0 that man, whoever
he might be, and she concluded to act as if she
believed he could be nothing else but the very
friend whom she longed to see.

As she stood, with one hand resting on the
neck of her beautiful steed, her attitude, taken
without a thought, was the very one calculated
to bring out in bold relief her remarkable grace
and symmetry of figure. Her weight was sup-
ported mainly upon one foot, while the tiny
shoe of the other peeped like a jewel from be-
neath her dark dress, and the brilliant shawl,
or rather cipe, which she always were when
riding over the prairie, was Secured at the
throat by a dazzling ewe], and the folds sweep-
ing back over her s oulders, left revealed the
Grecian-like form of the upper portion of the
body. Her tasteful hat was surmounted by a
crimson feather, that had come all the way
across the Atlantic, and her urplish-hlack hair
rippled away over her shonl are. far below the
waist. The cheeks had a.deeper glow, as her
lustrous eyes were dried inquirineg on the ap-
proaching stranger, and the rosy lips were
parted just enough to give a glimpseof the
pearly teeth.

The horseman reined up his steed, when a few
feet distant, and without retrieving his hat,
made a military salute, and called out, in a
voice that sounded rather coarser than she ex-
pected to hear: ,

“Good—evenin’, gall This yer’s hardly the
place a chap would expect to find such a high
creetur’ as I take you to be, from your dres
and on .” , -

“ And t is hardly the place I expected to be

,- invmyselffi’ she rap ied. “ It is through no will

. of my own that I am here, lost on the prairie.”

 

~Glass—Eyo. the Great Shot of the West.

 

.4

“ Lost on the prairie, you say, eh! But, whal'
did you cum from? You didn't grow in these
parts—that I’ll subscribe to. Whar did you
come from?” _

“ I belong to a wagon-train that started a
couple of weeks ago from St. Louis, and we are
on the way to Upper California, where a' num—
ber of friends have preceded us and made pre-
parations for founding a colony. I had formed
a dangerous habit of riding ahead of the train,
and today I lost my way, and have not the
slightest idea of the direction I should take to
rejoin them. Have you seen any thing of my
friends!” ’ ‘ '

The horseman shook his head. , .

“Nary hide nor ha’r. I’ve been of! on con-
siderable of a tramp sin’ sun-up, and I reckon
that you must have slid a powerful heap of
miles to get into this neighborhood, whar the
Sioux ar’ as plcnt as musketers in August.
The wonder is that that 'ar’ purty top-knot of
yourn hasn’t been hung to the ridge-pole of
some of the varmints afore this. You’ve been
mighty lucky, young gal.”

“ I have had one narrow escape. already,” re-

plied Rosa, pointing to the other horse and the

inanimate form. “ He had 'already. thrown his
lasso over my shoulders, when he threw up his
arms and fell dead from his horse.”

“ What sent him under?” asked the stranger,
looking at the object indicated.

“I can not tell; it is a mystery to me. He
acted just as if he were shot.’ ' ' I .
“ Come, go over with me, and I’ll find out."

Rosa’s regugnance caused her to hesitate,
seeing whic , the horseman added:

“If you ain’t used to such sights, I reckoni‘

you’ll hev to be More you See Californy. So.

come along, gal, and see what we kin see.” 7

Through fear of offending this strange charac-
ter whom she was so anxious to conciliate, the
girl walked along, be turning the head of his
horse in th-t direction, and riding slightl in
advance. Like all of his kind, this rough or-
derer was quite loquacious, and he rattled away
as they movad slowly over the prairie,

' “ Don’t s’pnse you’Ve heard tell of me. Them
us know me call me Glass-Eye, which ain‘t be—
cause I wear one of thorn ornamental orgings,
but some folks say I kin see further-than an
eagle, and I don’t dispute ’em. I b’lon to the
peraries a nd mountains, andhate the sett ements
worse nor p’ison. ’causo nobody lives thar hut
seamps and skunks-that is since you’ve come
West. My ranch lays over yonder, behind
t'other end of the ridge, and I reckon you’ll hev
to find gnarters thhr for the night, ’causo
it’s a lest , too late, and your animile is aleetle
too far gone to ‘hunt up the wagon-train; but
here’s our man, and we’ll make a deggnoasis of
his case, as the doctors say." ._

CHAPTER. III.
THE FRIEND m Nimlr. ,

As Glass-Eye uttered the Words just given, he
leaped out of his saddle, and advanced to where
the Sioux lay upon the greensward, while Rosa
halted a short distance away. and looked in an-

other direction, unwilling to look upon the a

ghastly scene. I
But the hunter seemed not to understand that

i

 

        

   
 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

a

. A

Glass-Eye. the Great Shot of the Welt.‘ 5 ’

 

any one could have any such compunction, and
he had scarce] reached the body and looked at
it, when he on led out:

“ Come here, gal, I’ll show you suthing.”

Forcing down her repugnance, she advanced
resolute] forward, never halting until she stood
directly side her strange friend.

“See that,” he added, pointing toa round,
dark orifice in the shaven skull of the Indian
directly above the eye. " Thor’s what some-
body’s powder-pill went in and sent that warri-
or to his hap y huntinfygrounds, and you tell
me that nobod)y didn't fire it."

“Who could have done it?" asked Rosa, seiz-
ing the excuse for looking away. “ The ridge
yonder is the only place that could conceal a

erson, and that is o l of a mile distant. It was
but such a short time ago, that we could see
any such marksman, for he has not had time
enough to get out of sight. Can you detect any
one?”

Glass Eye stood erect and looked carefull
around in ovary direction before replying.
would seem that a crouching bird in the grass
could not escape the sweep of that eagle-like
vision; but the result of the survey was as
might have been anticipated.

“Your observation, gal. is co-rect,” he re-
marked. “Thar ain‘t a liviu’ soul, within a
mile and a half of us—fur the ridge yonder is
all of that—and thar hain’t been any one nearer
than that, when this Sioux passed in his checks
and waltzed under.

“Perhaps he shot himself,” suggested Rosa,
her curiosity scarcely less than that of her com-
panion.

Glass-Eye’s large frame shook with silent

laughter at the idea.
\ “ Thar ain’t many fashions of the whites that
the varmints liain’t introduced among ’em, but
suicide is suthing that they don’t banker arter;
they don’t seem to (yearn fur it, but, howsum-
ever. it’s easy to flu out."

With which, he stooped over and drew a re-
VOIVer from the belt of the fallen Indian. A
minute’s examination showed that each of the
four chambers held its charge. The rifle still
resting upon the saddle of the horsa was also
loaded, so that last explanation was taken awa
from the two who were in pursuit of know '
edge. .

“ Ah! I understand it,” added Glass-Eye with
his chuckle, “ this painted skunk, arter he killed
himSelf, held on long enough to load up ag’in,
just on purpose to bother us. That’s the style
of them critters—they hain’t the first touch of
honor.” \

Speculation was useless as to the cause of
what was certainly a most singular occurrence
and Rosa turned her head away as if resolve
to shut the revolting sight from eye as well as
mind. Standing thus a moment, the continued
silence caused her to look back again at her
companion, and she was startled to see him
vazing fixedly at her with such astrange, pierc-
ing glance that a thrill of alarm passed through
her frame.

He removed his eyes the instant he saw her

I turn, and then asked in a lower voice: .

“ I’ve guv

r you my name, gal, now' what’s
yours." I I '

 

“Rosa Beckwith—and my father’s name is
Oscar Beckwith. We have lived in Missouri
aptilwa few months ago. Why do you start

'is'

His sudden start and evident embarrassment
had startled her, and lookin intently| as ho
withdrew his gaze abruptly, s e detected some-
thing in his look and manner that recalled the
past, that suggested to her that she had en-
countered them before, although where and
when she could not conjecture.

But this summer day was drawing to a close,
and it was wasted time to stand here indulging
in hadiuage and speculation. The hunter
seemed to awaken to this fact, and chan ing
his manner to a more prompt, husiness- ike
form he said: i

“ We], gal, it’s time we dusted out of this yer
latitood. l’m allers opposed to the waste of any
raw material, so I’ll take these shootin’irons of
the red-skin with me, and your hose-flesh is so
well tuckered out that I advise you to drop him
and take this other animile, that seems powerful
docile just now.”

“Oh, I couldn’t think of leaving my od
Saladiu,” Rosa hastened to say. ‘ We ave
become too much attached to let anythin ex-
cept death part us. I would not give Se. adin
for all the horses in the world.”

“ That ar’ is nat’ral, I s’pose,” assented Glass-
Eye, “ ’cause I feel rather tender toward Blun-
derhus here and wouldn‘t sell him under no cir<
cumstances whatsoever—unless some one should
offer me a fair price for him. It would be too
bad to leave this other animile here, with no
one to look aner him, ’cause when he ows old
he needs some one to rub him down an put him
to bad. So I’ll take him along with me, and you
kin mount your Slapdam a in and we’ll take it
slow back to the ranch. ust wait a. minute
and I’ll Igive you a boost." '

But osa had vaulted into the saddle, and
Saladin, seemingly much refreshed by his rest,
showed his pluck and spirit, and was ready to
bound away ike an antelope. ’ -

Glass-Eye having possessed himself of the
effects of the defunct Sioux, turned his own
horse’s head to the northeast, the captured ani-
mal following with the docility of a dog. Ross
was somewhat in the rear, seeing which the
guntgr held his steed back until they were side

y si 3.

She did not feel exactly safe in his company
and more than once a thrill of fear used
through her, as she caught him gazing at or in
that furtive, intense way to which We have re-
ferred, and, at such times, there'came also that
flash of suspicion that he was not an entire
stranger to her, but rack her brain as much as
she chose, and she could not explain the mean-
ing of such a strange suspicion. , ‘

he concluded finally t at the resemblance _to
some person she had met was accidental, and
hosed that the man under whose protection lha‘ >
be placed herself, although rou h of speech
was still a true knight, who wo d defend her
against den or of all kinds and into when)
ower she m ght place herself without alarm.
his, we say, was her hope but shown for '

from feeling assured upon t a point, therefo- A 

maining dust enough uncertainty to make her ‘ l.

e , ’\
.

  

I" . .. semi

 

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West.

 
 

 

uneasiness of mind absolutely distressing at
times.

Glass-Eye seemed to be in quite exuberant
spirits, and rattled away at a. rate that would
have been very interesting at another time.

" My ranch lays just over yender,” he said,
pointing with his finger in the direction of the
ridge. “It ain’t the (place one of your Wall
street operators woul pick out as a country
residence, though there be plenty of b’ars and
bulls, that can make ’em dance 'round rather
litvely, if they got ’em whar they had a chance
a e ,

" Are you all alone in your dwellingi"

” Ginerally—but the latch-string is out to
them of my own color, and now and then I
have a visitor or two—but it ain’t often, and
you’ll be the fu’st white gel that ever stepped
into the ranch.”

“I should suppose so,” returned Rosa; “al—
thou h such a fine-looking horseman as you are
woul have no difliculty in pemundinngome bird
to come to your nest.” ’

“Tharl tharl no more of that!” interrupted
Glass-E e, in great agitation. “ Thar ar’ some
things t at I’m tender on, and that ar’ one of
’em. 80 shot down on sich palaver as that."

Rosa craved pardon for having offended him
in this fashion, and as he seemed abouttore-
lapse into a gloomy reverie, she skillfully drew
him out by a number of questions about his
ranch and his manner of livmg in such solitude
as this. The hunter became quite animated
again. and she learned that he had lived in this
section for some two or three ears, but that he
had not built the house. He ad purchased it
of a company of men who had been led into the
neighbor ood by some wild report of diamonds
and gold, and after prospecting thoroughly, had
sold the place to him and left in disgust. ,

It seemed just to suit Glass—Eye’s urposs,
and he was Very free to say he expecte to stay
there until he died of old age, or until what was
more probable he should “drift under," sunk
by the bullet of some bloody Indian, all of whom
were over on the watch for such work.

CHAPTER IV.
. onus-ems sncnnr.

A SHORT distance further at this leisurely
gait and the two began ascending the ridge
whose utmost elevation was not more than a
hundred feet. A few spare cottonwoods helped
to add to the loveliness of the scene, while the
dim twilight that was deepening in ever di-
rection and shrouding the prairie in the g oom
of an early summer evening assisted to make
the hour one of a most dismal character. At
the very base of the ridge, something caught
the eye of the hunter and caused him to check
his horse and utter the exclamation:

“What in thunder does that mean?”

At first Rosa was unable to discover what it
was that had aroused the Ire of her companion;
but the next instant, Glass—Eyeball leaped from
the saddle and stooped before one of the trees,
and bending his head forward, began peering at
a small. inted handbill or poster that was pin-
ned mat the bark of the’trunk. In the dim

nose he was able. with some difficulty
tom the following'curious “ proclamation :’

 

 

 

“ III was Mme-r on Line W: as: IN Durst"

“’l‘hereisno knowin when the shaft of death
will strike us down, iches take to themselves
wings and fly away. The Rich Man of today is the
Beggar of to-morrow. The most poignant anguish of
amen, when called u n to shuffle off his mortal
coil, is the thought t at he is about to leave the
dear ones behind im, without the means of kee ing
the wolf from the door. Therefore, get your ves
insured in the Star-Spangled Banner nsurance
Company. Liberal terms given. All policies non-
forfeitable.

“ JEFFERSON J ours, Agent.”

Glass—Eye read this poster through from be—
ginning to end, speaking each word in a tone
loud enough for the girl to hear. When he had
finished, he stood for a minute, perfectly dum-
founded. How, in the name of all that was
wonderful did that specimen of civilization
come to be posted up there, in that spot in the
wilderness? It was so close to his ranch that
he knew it was not there that morning. It was
placed in such a conspicuous place, that he
could not have failed to see it. and he pronoun-
ced it as great a m stery as the shooting of
the Sioux, when ga loping at full speed over
the rairie.

“ ’ll be skulped if thin s ain’t gettin’ poker-
ish in these parts,” he exc aimed, in an under—
tone, turning about and addressin Rosa. “ I've
been through some qu’ar adventur sin my time,
but this beats ’em all. It’s ’nough to find you
waltzing over the perary, but when you come
to add to that, the way that varmlnt sailed un-
der, and then this piece of printed paper—we],
matters is gettin’ a lcetle too hefty fur me. The
next thing, I s’pose. will be aSunday-school pic-
nic in the heart of the Sioux country; but,
come, the ranch is clus by, and I’m keepin’ you
out-doors too long.” -

Once more he started his horse up the slope,
and this time nothing interrupted them, until
they reached the very top. when he once more
leaped to the ground, walking back to where
the bewildered girl set upon her animal. ’

“ Are we to halt here?" she asked, looking
around. “ I see no house or ranch.”

“ ’Causs the darkness isa leetle too plenty;
but let me help you down.” ’

She gave him her hand as he spoke, and, as he
helped hear her light weight to the ground, she
felt him tremble with emotion, and the old mie-
giving came back to her, and made her think
that, escaping the Indian, she had fallen into a
great danger.

“ I don’t s‘pose your animal will run away,”
he remarked imiluirin ly. A

“ No—he wil not save me; we love each
other too much for one to play deserter.”,

“ That’s the we with my critter—but Idon’t
know ’bout this p ece I’ve captured, so I’ll take
him down the other side, and make him fast
with a lariat so he can’t slip away in the night
—--so just stag where you be, gal. fur a minute.”

Rosa saw im walk away in the gloom. lead-
ing the Indian’s horse with him. Once ortwice,
while she was waiting, she fancied she heard a
slight movement among the trees behind her,
and Baladin showed some uneasiness; but she
saw nothing, and before she had time to con-
jure up any dreadful fears, Glass-Eye came up:
the slope alone. ,

   

  

 

   
 

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the Want.

  

7

 

A “ranch” is generally supposed to be a sort
of cattle or stock farm such as are found in
Texas and the Southwest, and consequently the
name was a misnomer when ap lied to the resi-
dence of the protector of Rosa eckwith, as he
had not a single animal upon it besides the
three horses, and did not support so much even
as a dog. .

The ouse was a curious compound of logs,
trees and stones built by the disgusted diamond—
seekers, and proved that they had among their
number several who were quite skillful at
manual labor. The building was over twenty
feet square, and the lower story was divided
into two rooms: above this were three apart-
ments and finally a third one quite narrow and
intended principally as a lookout, surmounted

I them all.

The entire house was banked in by stones and
brush in such a way that a arson might pass
Within a. hundred feet wit out suspecting a
human being dwelt there. The ground floor
was literally named, as there was naught else
upon whic to rest the feet; but above was
genuine planking. The walls of the first story
were composed of massive bowlders, the door
being an ingeniously-arranged “ swinging rock,”
while a critical examination of the entire struc-
ture would have shown an astonishing amount
of strength, and such a capacity for resistance,
that it could Ver well be used as a fort against
any number of ndians.

All was such utter darkness that Rosa was
forced to stand where she was until a. light was
brought, which speedily appeared in the shape

' of a genuine lantern in the hand of Glass-

Eye, and then she stepped forward, not with-
out acertain misgiving into the curious habi‘
tation. .

She indulged in many natural expressions of
delight and wonder, as she gazsd about her,
whi eher friend gave the history of the place,
and how it was that she came to see so many
“civilized” articles about her. When all this
had been explained, he gave her a lunch of 'cold
buffalo-steak, but she ate sparingly, for her agi-
tation of mind was so great that ittle appetite
remained to her.

“ You are wearied and need rest,” said Glass-
Eye.in a tenderer tone than he had used hereto-
fore, “and I will show you to your sleeping-
chamber.” '

As she signified that such was her wish, he
took the lantern in hand, and walking to one
corner, ascended a ladder, and led the way over
the plunked floor to one of the smallera rt-
ments, which was secured by a massive 001‘.
Here he set down the lantern and motioned her
to enter.

“ Rest in peace,” be said. with the courtesy of
a chevalier; “ no one can enter my ranch with-
out fn’st passing over my dead body. i shall
guagd you as faithfully as if you war my sis-
ter.

There was a strange look in his eyes, as he
uttered these words, and saluting her with that
half-military movement. which seemed to come
natural to him, he bade her good-night and
walked away. .

Making his way to the lower story, he did not
light another lantern, but tuck his seat in the

 

gloom and darkness, where he gave way in utter
dejection to the most depressin reverieu

“Am I like Salathie , that am doomed to
walk over the earth, seeking rest and finding
none?” he said, his hitter voice sounding like
that of another person, while that rude mode
of speech was gone al ether. “Cast of by
Rosa Beckwith, the gir whom I ,loved more
than my own life, I have come West and put
on the garband manner of a half-savage hunter,
hoping in the excitement and danger of such a
career to drown the memory of in great heart-
sorrow. And so when the ot er diamond—
seekers left, I staid here, and when I have
to forget, fate sends the girl herself here—here,
hundreds of miles across the prairie, ri ht in
this perilous country, and it is doomed or me
to rescue her. Ay, at this moment, she is sleep-
ing above my head. How the thought makes
my heart throbl I knew her the minute I saw
her, though I was not absoluwa certain until
she told me her name. She does not sus ct me,
but it was hard to keep my secret. I 1 her 03
toward the dead. Sioux, so as to give me time to
collect my thoughts. My heavy heard, my
change of speech and voice have kept her from
suspecting me. I would not havo her learn
who I am for worlds. She is more beautiful—
more lovaly than ever—but harkl there is some
one outside 1”

 

CHAPTER V.
THE INSURANCE AGENT.

As Glass-Eye heard the slight disturbing noise
outside, he did not move nor speak, but sat still
and listened. He plainly detected the sound of
some one movin about, and a moment’s further
listening satisfle him that whoever it might be,
he was not on Indian. There was too much
awkwardness in his motions, which would have
aroused a war-party of Sioux long ago.

Convinced at last that he was searchin for
the entrance to the house, the hunter indu ged.
in a rather vociferous sneeze for the purpose of
directin him aright.

“ He] cal” exclaimed the stranger, in a sur-
prised undertone, as he paused to listen; “ that
sounds like the blast from my own bugle.
Surely some one finds shelter in these parts,

and if my vision does not deceive m eyesight V

I observed a lady under his escort. t’s blam
near that I can’t find the door. I’m used to
t at sort of business, but I think this man must
have taken his in to-night.” , _
Convinced h this time that there was noth-
ing to fear rom this character,‘ Glass-Eye
stealthil arose, lit a lamp, and hang it over-
head, w ere its light filled the whole interior.
This answered the purpose, and a minute later,
a tall, angular figure stooped at the open pas-
sageway and peering in, called out: ‘
“ Good-evening. rdner."

And without wa ting for a reply, or an invi- I
c i

tation, he walked into the. “ran

and handed a card, to the owner.
He was fully six feet in hight, very thin,‘

dressed in a swallow-tail cost, which was otthe

took aunt,

same color and material as vest and trowrs. '

The wool hat man also of the same Inufl tint.

and indeed thereseemed scarcely to- be ‘any

other color about him—his gutters partaking . ,

\

i;

,«l,

   

 

 

'2 ' ; akin-Eye. the em: a...“ the West.

 

W

of the same hue, while his beard and counte-
nance had a decided leaning in that direction.
He sported a long, straggling mustache, and a
thin, attenuated oatee, while there was a
sharp; Speculative ook in his eyes, as he sat
dowa u on one of the rude chairs, removed his
hat an waited for his host to read his card,
which contained the handsomely- rinted words:

“Jeflerson Jones. Agent Btar— pangled Ban<
ner Insurance 00m ny. Insurance eflected
upon the most libera termsi” -

“What in the name of thunder brings you
into these parts?"

Mr. Jones threw one leg’over the other, ele-
vated his eyebrows, leaned back and “ Opened:"

“Merely a stroke of enterprise, sir—enter-
prise entirely. I represent the greatest insur-
ance company ever organized on this terrestial
footstool, sir—branch omces in every city in the
Union. The people are rushing to us in such
multitudes to get insured that I was being over-
whelmed, and was forced to dust. Occurring to
me that the prairies and mountains offered a
newfield of enterprise, I determined to be the
pioneer. I come out with a surveyin -party
that are huntin up a route for a ran across
the plains, and insured every one of them. be-
fore we were ten miles out of Omaha. Upon
the reservation we were lucky enough to meet a
whole com any of Sioux chiefs, and I have sent
on the app ication for every one of them.”

"Do you-remember any of their names?”
asked Glass Eye, feeling some interest in his
visitor.

"Quite a number. There were Big Foot,
Hard Heart, Lone Wolf, Thunder Hawk, Dirty
Face, Lame Bull, Wide Mouth, Long Legs—
and a great many other romantic names I have
in my note book.”

“But how is it you are so far south as this?”

“Enterprise sir, enterprise, I repeat; I take
to myself considerable honor that I was the first
to think of the extra risk you men run, who’re
exposed to p’isened arrers and all that sort of
th ng. Men that are in danger of losing their
lives more than others are the ones who are
most in need of getting them' imured. Of
course. the risk is the greater for us; but then
our philanthropy prevents us seeing that. And
now. sir, I want your a plication. I have
enough knowledge of me icine to act asvex-
aminer.’ Stand up, and let me sound your

lung” . .
‘ ands off,” growled Glass-Eye. “ I don’t
want none 0’ yer oolin’ round me.” ‘ V,
And the ready-tougued agent, in deference to
the words and manner of h a host, stepped back
a co or'two, but he did not relinquish the
fig. for ‘no insurance agent ever did.
“ When a men talk: that way I’m always
sure to get him ,” observed Mr. J eflerson Jones,
with a winning smile. “ You_ ma y as well come

‘ ‘- down stones, for there is no getting away from

me. when I go tor a man.”

Glass-Eye scow1ed}'for he was not in the mood
tonight to enzoy the peculiar ways of the per-
reve ng 3 en, . ’

“Why 5 ould I get n:me insured i” he asked

' , in his gruflest manner.

“80 that. when' you peg out, on will not
leave any of your triends unprovi ed‘for.”‘
. ’ 7 ' \r

 

“ I haven’t any friends to leave behind me. "

“ No wife, or aged tether or mother?”

“ None at all.” '

“ No brothers or sisters-no close relations?"

“ Not one in the world.”

Jefferson Jones scratched his head. He was
hardly repared for this. But it was morally
impossigle to catch him on the hip. Again he
broke out in that Winsome smile.

“Show yourself a patriot or philanthropist
then, and leave it to your country or some
charitable institution.”

“ Country be hanged!” growled the hunter.
“ I want on to understand, Mr. Jones, that
you’re we come to my ranch, and kin go and
come when you choose, but I don’t want yer to
try any more of yer nonsense with me, for I
won’t stand it. hain’t no time for any such
tomfoolery.”

“Su pose Imake your place the head-quar-
ters 0 our department of the Far West,” said
Jones, with a sparkle of his speculative eye. “ I
will ay you a reasonable rent-—"

“ 0, you won’t; I ain’t in that sort of busi-

ness. Come and go when you’ve a mind, but r

let me alone. I km tell you, howsumever, that
you’re a little the biggest tool that I ever see’d
to come in these parts with the idea of starting
in that business. All the insurance companies
in the United States can’t save your scalp, and
I don’t onderstand how you hev yer ha’r on yer
head this minute. It’s a l I kin do to keep mine,
and I’m sure I know the peraries better nor on;
but do er know what I thinkf’askedGass-
Eye. loo ing sharply at him.

“ I shall be happy to hear your thoughts.”

“ You’ve come out fur our healt ; you’ve
been speculatin’in bonds. ou‘ve shOVed our
company’s securities onto Wall street an lost
’em all, and then stole half a million and hev
started fur Europe by the overland route, and
when the little affair blows over, will come
back a ’in, and settle down on Fifth avenue,
while t e widders and orphans that you’ve
cheated can starve to death.”

“ Give me your hand,” exclaimed the delight-
ed agent, leaping to his feet and extendin his
digits. “You talk as ii! you‘ve been there. on
ain’t such a tool as I took you to be. ' I don’t
know what I might have done, if the folks had
given me the chance, but I don’t git a grab at a»
pile big enough to tempt me. But you told me,
a few minutes ago, that you had no particular
friends. I observed you had alady guest. Wh
not insure and leave it to her; or. t hat wool -
n’t be exactly the thing, make your policy in
my favor. " ,

“ See yer,” said GlaseEye, straighteni up
and placing his hand upon his revolver n a
threatening manner, “ I’ve warned yer once,
and it ain’t in style to do it ag’in; but I do it
new the secon time, and it’s the last.”

“1' uses we?ll drop the subject of life-insur-
ance or the present,” assented Mr. Jones.
“ Who is that'young' lady, that I mum has
retired to rest ‘ "

" None of yer business.”

Banner Company insures ladies and gentlemen.’
However, I can present (that matter to her on ‘

b

. “I esswe’lldro thatsnb moo, ust 1,? 
hut Iggislr toremagkz that heStar 

i‘—,.W§§.flg;,;;. s

m‘r.

 

   

qw-

, ner,” she said, musingly.

Glass-Eye. the Great Shot of the West. 9

 

the morrow. I have left my horse grazing out
there and will retire to rest.’

“Thar’s your bed," said the hunter, pointing
toa blanket in the corner. “Sometimes I it
wolfish in my sleep and dream I’m flghtin’ n-
jins. When I do, I, generally fire off my revol-
vers promiscuous like, and cut and slash every
thing around. Howsumever, I feel a. little
peaceable tonight, and p'r’aps I‘ll let you
alone.”

“ My gracious i" exclaimed Jefferson Jones as
he iprepared to retire, “I wish I had anot er
pol cy of insurance on my life.”

 

CHAPTER VI.
SHADOWS AND REALITIES.

WHEN Rosa Beckwith found herself alone in
the sleeping-apartment to which Glass-E e had
conducted her, she sat down in a sort 0 mazy
wonder, and looked about her like a mariner
who concludes that it is time to take his bear-

in ..

ghe was contrasting with a half-smile, her
present situation with that of a short date pre-
vious. A month ago she was in her own luxuri—
ous home in the East; a day before she spent the
night in one of the sleeping—wagons belonging
to the train, and to—ni ht she was under thepro—
tection of the strange unter, who called him-
self Glass-Eye, and seemed pleased to speak of
his home as a ranch.

“ Heavsn saved my life in a wonderful man-
“ The Indian could
not have been stricken more suddenly by a bolt
from the sk , and this man seems to think of
naught but efriending me. I had no hope of
flndin such a home in a place like this.”

L30 ing around she saw that the room was
nearly a dozen feet each way. The bed consist-
ed of a hammock swung from the beams over-
head, and there were two rude semblances of
chairs in the room, in one of which she seated
herself while she placed the lantern in the other.
Signs on every hand indicated that the builders
of this structure had brought a rent many
articles from a Ion distance, and at for the
danger to which we a situation was exposed,a
residence for a short time would have been any-
thing but unpleasant.

The outside walls, as we have already stated,
were made of massive bowlders, fitted nto each
other, with the skill of genuine masonry, and an
oblong opening at one end served the purpose
of a window, without any sash or panes.

After Rosa had examined the room for sev-
eral minutes it occurred to her that her lamp
might attract dan erous attention from the out-
side, and after ma ing herself familiar with the
location of everything in the room, she quietly
extinguished the light, in the hope of avoiding
an such peril.

on making sure that the massive bar of.the
door was in place, she made her way to the win-
dow, where she sat down and looked out.

The scene was culiarly im ressive. The
new moon was in t e sky, and be light from
the crescent was ust sufficient to givo that dim,
uncertain view 0 her surroundings which gives

lay to the imagination, and causes one to be-
ieve he detects danger m every rustling bush
and falling leaf. She had been in this position

 

buta few minutes, when she saw a horseman
dismount a short distance away and approach
the ranch. This was the enterprising insurance
agent, and from her place she distinctly heard,
in the still night air, every word that passed be
tween them.

When, at last, the voice of Jones became quiet,
and he lay down to rest she withdrew her at-
tention from him and looked out over the ridge
and prairie. The sky had cleared in acertain
sense, and as the moon ascended. she found her
view considerably extended. The slope of the
ridge, upon which the house stood, seemed not
only to have the scattered trees of which we
have s oken, but ubounded with a nourishing
kind 0 grass, that she had not notiCed upon the
opposite side, and i‘, was the use of this, by a
larger number of animals than were now there,
that had probably suggested the idea of making
a. genuine ranch of the place.

The sound of the ni ht-wind, as it occasion-
ally stole through the ranches of these trees,
made the most mournt'ul kind of music, and
Rosa fancied that beneath every one she could
detect a shadowy form lurking, and more than
once her heart quailed at the fear that the Sioux
wipuld steal up in the night and overwhelm them
a .

“He is a strange being,” she repeated, allud-
ing to the hunter below, who seemed to have
sunk asleep, “ and he is a puzzle to me. There
is something about him that suggests other days
and other scenes, far sadder thun this—hut what
it is I cannot make out. Whether it is in his
voice, or some trick of manner, I cannot tell. It
must be one of those accidental resemblances
which we so often meet with anion new faces.

“But tomorrow we start. to rejo n the train,"
she added, with a rebound of spirits. “and I
feel very ho -ful that we shall reach it, for
Saladin will given a good night’s rest, and
there is no steed of the prairies that can ever—
take him. Giass-Eye knows the country so well
that he can lead me by the shortest route, and
ere the setting of to-morrow’s sun I hope to see
father, my dear and only parent, again. ’

There was somethin in her stran e situation
which caused her to Sit by the win ow a much
longer time than she would have done at ordi-
nary times, and that kept her awake after those
below her were sound asleep. She could detect
the sound of ri pling water near at hand, and
she remembere hearing Glass-Eye say that it
was one of the sweetest and purest springs in
the West.

It was now near midnight, and Rose became
conscious of a certain drowsiness stealing OVer
her, and she was on the point of seeking rest in
the hammock, when she became certain that
some stranger was upon the outside. She dis-
tinctly saw a movement near one of the trees
about twenty feet distant down the slope, an
she had watched but a few minutes when she
made out the dim figure of a man beyond all
mistake.

“ ’Tis an Indian, too,” she re eaied to herself,
as she saw him still more plain y, “ and he ma
be the forerunner of a large —some Icon
sent out to find whether the way s clear or not.
I am afraid Glass-Eye does not know the (Ian.
get that threatens,”

 

 

10

In a few more minutes the Indian advanced
still nearer, and paused so close to the stone wall
that he could be seen almost as distinctly as by
davlight.

She saw that he was of large size, and as he
had the hunting-shirt, leggins and “ top-knot “
similar to the one worn by him who had lassoed
her on the day previous, she concluded that he
belonged to the same tribe.

His manner showed that he was engaged upon
a reconnoissance, and, like all of his people, he
moved about as noiselessly as a shadow.
Whether he concluded that everything was fa-
vorable or not, she had no means of jud ing;
but shortly after he stole away as noiseless y as
he had come.

He had scarcely disappeared from view, when
Rosa’s heart gave a great bound, as she heard
some one moving softly ovor the planking on
the outside.

“ It is Glass-Eve," she whispered, in terror, as
she expected next moment to hear him try her
door; but he passed by, and the sounds the next
moment indicated that he was making his way
to the lookout above.

“He has not been asleep, after all,” she re-
peated, Vastly relieved. “ He has seen the In-
dian, and has taken a position that gives him a
much more extended view. I wonder,” she ad-
ded, as a new thought occurred to her, “ whether
he does not possess some extraordinary power
of vision that gives him his name. That must
mean something or he would not bear it. It
may be that he is some sort of owl or Tycho
Brahe that has the ability to see much further
than ordinary human beings.”

She waited a long time, in the hope of hear-
ing him descend, and return to his position
down-stairs. but the silence remained undisturb—
ed. and finally her head drooped where she was
sitting and she became unconscious.

When she opened her eyes again it was broad
daylight, and the sounds below-stairs indicated
that preparations were making for starting on
their journey to join the wagon-train. She
could hear the sound of voices, and she saw Mr.
Jones, the insurance agent, returning from a
visit to the spring.

Arranging her toilet as best she could, with
the limited facilitiesat her command, she hasti-
lv descended to the lower floor, where she found
Glass-Eye had the morning meal waiting. In
the rude fire-place at one side, a fire was smol-
dering and over this he had broiled a juicy ante-
lope-steak that must have been procured the
day previous. This was spread upon real plates
and nives and forks were ready upon the stand
to be used in the participation thereof.

The hunter greeted her pleasantly. and direc-
ted her to the spring, which he supposed she
wished to visit before partaking breakfast. As
she passed out the door, she met Mr. Jones
coming in, and Glass-Eye introduced them.
Rosa paused long enough to be courteous, and
then assed on, the agent making no attempt to
explain his business, as he had no wish of ex—
citing the ire of his host, who had forbidden
film to do so, until he received permission from

m.

In a few minutes Rosa returned, and the three
sat down tofitheir morning meal, laughing ,and

 

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West.

chatting in the most pleasant manner, and all
on the best of terms with each other. A half-
hour later, the three were mounted, and the
eventful journey was begun.

The hunter had decided that it would be more
prudent to make for Fort Union, where the
wagon-train would be sure to halt, and where
they could be certain of intercepting it.

 

CHAPTER VII.
THE SIGNAL-FIRES.

“I TELL you what, gal, we’ve got a ticklish
job afore us. Thar’s a pack of them varmints
that hev been follerin’ us for the last six hours,
and they’re cute enough to know the p’int we’re
aimin’ arter, and that’s jest the pint they’ve
swore we sha’n’t get without makin’ a fight fur
it. It’s goin’ to be some time afore we reach
Fort Union, and it ain’t goin’ to be any child’s
play neither.”

“ Who are they?”

“Who are they?" repeated the hunter, in ,

amazement that such a question should be
asked. “Who could thev be but Indians, and
the vs u’st pack of the wu’st tribe this side of Big
Watcr—reg‘lar Northern Sioux thet hev drift-
ed gown yer’ on purpose to raise a rumpus with
us.

“How many are there?”

"Nigh onto twenty of ’em—all mounted on
the best of ponies."

“ But I see nothing of them.”

“”l‘ll soon show you more nor you want to
see.

Glass~Eye and Rosa had ridden some twenty

miles from the ranch, aleisurely gait, and now ‘

at noon, they had halted at the base of a slight
swell in the prairie, where the words just given
passed between them.

The insurance agent had separated from them,
before they had passed half this distance. pro-
mising to join them at Fort Union, although
neither had requested him to do so. He had
laid out a. different route from them, and was
quite sanguine of accomplishing considerable in
the way of business.

Glass-Eye had been reserved and taciturn on
the 'ourney, and what few words he said re-
lated) to the danger which threatened both. His
manner showed that he considered this danger
of the gravest character. and once or twice, he
seemed on the point of turning back. As it
was, instead of pursuing a direct line to the fort
which was their destination, he deviated first in
one direction and then in another, until the
route became of such a circuitous nature, that
it was certain they would have to spend several
davs on the road.

The face of the country underwent a material
change, the prairie losing that monotonous,
rolling character, and becoming broken with
woodland, and crossed with numerous streams
of water, some of which were so deep that they
were obliged to swim their animals over. At
such times, Glass-Eye took Rosa in his arms,
and by great care, managed to get her across
without so much as wetting her feet.

They were now within several miles of the
largest river, the bed of which was so low and

.4.

59"»,

 

 

.I—v

    
 

 

flat that it could not be seen until they were
close to it. The shores were lined with as ecies
of tall weed or grass extending severe rods
back from the shore, and it was among these
that the hunter believed the Indians were wait—
ilg.

“You see, if they get us thar,” he added, as
they dismounted from their horses, “ they will
have us foul. If they make a. dead run for us,
they can’t catch us, but thar they kin keep hid
till we‘re right among ’em, and then raise on us.
We’ll stop here, fur, if we go clean to the top,
they may cotch a glimpse of us, and find out
what we’ve s’picioned.”

They halted before reaching the top of the
swell, in such a position that they could look
over the plain extending beyond, without ex-
posing more of themselves than their heads.

E “ Now tell me what you see,” whispered Glass-

V9.

Rosa looked as sharply as she could, for sev-
eral minutes, and then answered:

" There seems to be a level stretch of plain
for over a. mile where the grass becomes taller
and of a din y brown color.”

“And right thar is the stream of water, and
among that tall grass, I s’pect the varmints are
waitin’ and watchin’. You see, we’re follerin’
the trail that leads to the fort. It ain’t marked
very plain, but the varmints know it as well as

do. I started on another route, which I
thought would clear’em, but it didn’t, and I had

,' to come back to this,and I’m afeered I hain’t

 

done any better. Now, take another peep. ”

As he spoke, he drew from his pocket a small
telescope, which he slid out to its full length,
and handed it to her.

“I understand,” she said, with a smile, as she
took it, “ why they call you Glass—Eye, when
you use such means to increase your strength
of Vision."

Pointing the instrument in the direction of
the river, the girl stood for several minutes,
gazing intently, as if she meant the slightest ob
ject should not escape her. She was surprised
at the power of the small telescope, which
showed the tall, waving grass with startling
distinctness. It seemed, indeed, as if she stood
within a few rods of the river; but, look and
examine as much as she chose, she could dis-
cover nothing unusual, and she so declared, as
she passed it back to her protector,

He said never a word, as he settled himself
for along and searching scrutiny; but he held
it only a few minutes, when he shoved it to-
gether again, with a spiteful clamp.

“ They’re thar! The whole pack are scroochin’
down in the grass, expectin’ we’ll walk right
into thar jaws; but they’re powerful mistook.”

“ What are we going to do?” inquired Rosa.

“ Whv, we’ve got to change our course ag’in,
and if it keeps on this way, it’ll be a month
afore we cotch sight of the flag that’s allers a-
wavin’ above the fort.”

“Is there no way of reaching it without
crossing the river?”

“ We might, by goin’ ’round, but that would
take us five hundred miles out of the way, and
that‘ll hardly pay. We may as well mount and
be of]? ag’in.”

In the, hour of peril, Glass-Eye was cool and

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West.

 

 

11

prompt. He seemed to comprehend the situa-
tion at a glance, and was wonderfully fertile in
his resources. Satisfied that the Sioux were
hiding in the grass ahead, it was very natural
that 6 should decline to cross the river at
that point.

The case would have been very simple had
nothing more than this remained to do: but the
fact was, that in order to reach Fort Union, he
had ventured to cross a most dangerous belt of
territory, and found, as he had dreaded, that
the Indian war-parties were everywhere.

Assisting Rosa into the saddle, with the grace
and courtesy of a cavalier, he made another ab-
rupt turn to the left, and they struck their
steeds into a sharp gallop-both of the animals
being well able to keep up such 0. swinging gait
[or hours at a stretch.

In order to reach the river at the point con—
templated, it became necessary to make a cir-
cuit of several miles, passing a large grove of
timber, which, as a matter of course, they kept
on their right, in the hope of interposing it be‘
tween them and the Sioux. The trouble was,
that before reaching this, they were com lled
to enter upon rising ground, where the ioux
would be certain to descry them.

“ Why not remain on this side of the stream
and out. of the way of the Indians until night-
fall?” asked Rosa, after her champion had ex-
plained the difliculties before them.

“ We kin do that when we can't do anything
else, but the varmints are doin‘ thar purtiest to
gobble us up. Do you observe that hill layin’
’way 011’ yender to the north’ard?” he asked,
pointing to an elevation on the other side of the
stream, so far removed that it had a dim, hazy
appearance

As the girl turned her head in that direction,
the hunter added:

“ Now, if you’ll twist your head squar’ around,
and look back. ou’ll see another, so much like
that, that you km very well take ’em for twins.
Wal, now, if you should take a squint at them
through my ‘glass-eye,’ you would see a faint.
switch of smoke curlin' up from the tip of each.”

“And what is the meaning of that?” inquired
Ross.

“Cuss ’em,” growled the horseman, in the
grufl‘est kind of a voice, “ they’re Injun signal—
fires, and what makes me so rippin’ mad is that
I can’t tell what they‘mean. Last winter, when
I was on a scout among the Apaches and Co—
manches, I got the hang of thar tricks, and I
brought a party of United States cavalry right
through the heart of thar country, ’cuuse I war
able to read thar signals, and I knew just what
to do: but these Sioux hey a way of thar own
that I don’t understand, and can’t get the hang
of, and that's why I feel like rippin’ out. You
see,” continued Glass-Eve, glancing from one
hill to the other, “they’re on both sides of the
river, and we’re atween ’em, and thar's some on
’em eat that eyes on us all the time."

“How, then, do you propose to do?” asked his
companion, not a little disheartened at the pic-
ture he had drawn of the situation.

“It’s jist come d0wn to this: if we kin strike
the river a mile or so ahead of them, we’ll git
time ’nough to swim our hossos over, and make
start ’nough to let ’em whistle fur us; but, it

  

   

    

’12

 

Glass-Eye. the Great Shot of the West.

 

they swoop down on us when we’re in the mid-
dle of the stream, why, to draw it mild, we’ll
be in a tight fix—that’s all."

 

CHAPTER VIII.
SIOUX CUNNING.

WHEN Glass-Eye reached the rising ground to
which we have alluded, he called his pocket-
telescope into requisition again, but to his
chagrin was unable to discover the least traces
of them. Whether they were still among the
high grass, which was now so far removed that
even the telescope failed to reveal them, was a
question which could only be settled by conjec-
ture.

The hunter was inclined to think the Sioux
had detected the change of route, and had been
prompt to offset it by moving further up-
stream, or by signaling to their friends on the
opposite side, and, in either case, the attempt to
cross the stream under such circumstances,
would be dangerous in the highest degree.

As Glass-Eve expressed it, he was beginning
to feel “wolfish” at this continual baffling of
every attempt he made to circumvent the Sioux,
and he expressed the wish, more than once, of
mixin in a hand-to-hand row with half a dozm
of their leaders. that he might have the privi-
lege of “ unburdening ” his feelings toward
them.

“ I’m afeard we’re stuck," he said; “ them
Sioux know who I am, and they’d give a half-
dozen of their best warriors fur the sake of git<
tin’ my top—knot. They know I’ve got a al
with me, and can’t move round as l‘d like to 0;
but wait till they run ag'in’ me, and I’ll show
them a thing or two.”

When they were opposite the piece of woods
land of which we have spoken, Glass-Eye sud-
denly halted and proposed that she should wait
where she was, while he rode forward and re-
connoitered the river, with the purpose of find-
ing out where his enemies were, and, if it were
possible, to learn their plan of action.

At first, this was rather a startling sugges-
tion, but when it came to be understood, there
was nothing alarming or even imprudent about
it. She was mounted, it Will be remembered,
upon one of the flaetest and most intelligent of
horses, which was now in fine condition.

Her position would be such, that she could
detect the approach of danger from any direc—
tion, and, in case any attempt was made to cap-
ture her, she had only to give Salaliin free rein,
and leave all her pursuers behind.

Untrammoied by her presence, Glass—Eve
could move with a freedom that Would permit
him to learn and do far more than he could in
her company, and so he had scarcely made the
proposal, when Rosa acquiesced, and, giving her
a few words of warning, he galloped away in
the direction of the river.

Left alone, the girl’s first and natural course
was to take a survey of the surroundings, and to
make certain thats e was prepared for what-
ever might come.‘ She watched the hunter, as
his horse dashed away, his body rising and
linking regularly with the motion of his animal,
until he swerved enough to one side to inter-

 

pose the woods, so as to shut him out from
view.

Looking back over the ground just traversed,
she saw a stretch of prairie, upon which the
grass was so stunted and short that a poodle do
could not approach without being seen. A bal -
mile ahead was the river, with its tail reedsand
bushes—nothing was to be feared from that
point while the hunter was there.

On the left, the prairie was so broken and
irregular, that she could not feel such a degree
of safety as was desired. It seemed to her that
an Indian might, unobserved, steal up close
enough to deliver a shot, while the woods on
the right were open to the same objection; but
as she could not increase her distance from
either, without bringing herself that much
closer to the other equally dangerous cover, she
wisely concluded to remain where she was,
without turning to the right or left, but ready
to dart away upon the instant appearance of
danger.

The afternoon was half gone, and they had
not pat-taken of a mouthful since morning, nor
had their horses made any halt, except to take
a few swallows of water; but animals used in
the West are accustomed to this sort of thing,
and it seemed scarcely to affect them. In a cer—
tain sense the prairie traveler also speedily ac-
quired an indii erence to hunger and thirst, and
he often surpasses his animal in undergoing pri~
vation.

Glass-Eye had intimated that he would return

in the course of an hour, but when double that'

time had passed, and nothing was seen or heard
of him, she became conscious of a growing un-
easiness, which made her situation of the most
trying nature, tempting her more than once to
ride beyond the woods in hope of gaining some
knowledge denied to or in her present situa-
tion.

Rosa was still in this uncertain condition of
mind, when she detected an appearance in the
woods on her right, which was perplexing to the
last degree. That some one was there was cer-
tain, but whether a friend or an enemy, was
more than she could decide. The trees not only
stood closo together. but there was such an
abundance of undergrowth that a foe could not
have desired a better lurking place.

A disturbanc \ among these bushes proved that
some person was moving about. and was close
to the margin of the wood. The action was
such that no wild animal could be the cause,
and she was unable to tell Whit the object of
such a maneuver cnuld be—consisting mainly of
an agitation of the shrubbery, without reveal-
ing him who was the cause of it.

“ I wonder whether it can be Glass-Eye,” she
whispered, as both Saladin and herself looked
intently in that direction. “He may have
chosen this means of making himself known,
but I cannot understand what is to be gained
by it. Time is precious and night is not far
away, and if he does not appear very soon I
shall begin to believe that something has be-
fallen him.”

This misgiving was intensified by the sound
of a gun in the distance, immediately followed
by a second discharge—both sounding dull and
faint, as if they came from the opposite side of

 
   

 

~o

,-_.‘.

.}

 

the river; and our heroine had about made up
her mind to advance and begin a recounoissance
in her own way, when her attention was again
drawn to the wood upon her right.

At the precise point Where she had noted the

rplexing exhibition, an arm now presented
itself, holding a hat or cap, which was gently
waved to and fro, precisely as any person would
have done who wished to convey a caution sig-
nal to some friend.

“It looks like the cap he wore,’.’ she added,
more bewildered than ever; “it must be Glass-
Eye too, but what does he mean? He is so near
that he could make me hear him without call—
ing in aloud voice, or if afraid to do that, he
might, at least. show himself.”

Rosa could believe that circumstances might
arise which would make it imprudent for the
hunter to call her name, but if he dared show
his hat and a portion of his body, there was no
reason why he shouldn’t rereal enough to es-
tablish his identity; and it was this incompre-
hensible action which prevented her from riding
nearer and calling to him.

Saladin seemed to be equally interested, and
standing with head erect, ears pricked, and a
somewhat more rapid breathing, he and his
mistress formed a picture which would have
delighted the heart of a painter or sculptor.

This aimless fiddling continued for ten or fif-
nfeen minutes, when the stranger did reveal him-
self. 'He first gave out a faint whoop, that was
not calculated to soothe one’s nerves, and then
stepped forward into full view, showing as he

fidld so, a Sioux Indian in full paint and war-
( ress.

This was enough, and Rosa concluded the
time had come for her to leave, but at this mo-
ment her pony gave a slight start, a shadow
glided from the rear round to the front, and the
next instant, she saw that another red-skin had
seized the bridle of her horse and she was a
prisoner!

Like a flash, the whole thing came to her.
Detecting her position and watchfulness, these
cunning Sioux had formed an ingenious plan
for her capture. Knowing that it would be im-
possible to steal up unobserved, one of them
adopted this means of holding her attention
riveted, while another crept forward and played
the part of captor,

The scheme worked beautifully—so that the
sagacious Saladin did not discover the danger
until it was too late. He did his best to break
away from the red-skin, for he appeared to
comprehend the blunder which he had com-
mitted, but the wily dog had been to too much
trouble to allow his prize to slip from his grasp
in this manner, and he held fast with a gripe of
iron.

Poor Rosa almost swooned with terror, as she
looked down in the horrid face before her, and
saw the dBVlllsh, exultant expression which
shone in the black. fateful eyes. She gazed
around in a pleading, helpless wav, as if won-
dering despairingly Why Glass-Eye did not
come. Then the terrible belief came that he had
fallen, and the cap of his had been removed and
used as a means to decoy her to her destruction.

She spoke to Saladin, and tried to urge him

to break away from the Indian, but the latter

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West.

 

13

 

raised his knife in ii threatening manner, and
she was forced to quiet the animal through fear
of her own life.

Still holding the bridle in his rigid grasp, the
Sioux started toward the wood, where his coni-
panion awaited him, and the black stallion bad
no choice but to step briskly after him, carry-
ing his lovely mistress with him.

 

CHAPTER IX.

ANOTHER MYSTERIOUS suor AND A TERRIBLE
RIDE.

WHAT a mistake that Rosa Beckwith had not
accepted the revolver, which Glass-Eye had
offered to placed in her hands that morning
before starting for Fort Unionl She had not
believed that an emergency was likely to arise
culling for its ass. and her natural timidity
regarding deadly weapons made her reluctant
to carry them about her person.

But now, as she sat upon her faithful Saladin
and looked down u on the head and buck of the
Sioux warrior, lea ing him toward the wood,
where his companion impatiently awaited his
coming, she saw how it could be made to save
her honor or her life. In such a case the In~
dian would have been at her mercy, and she
could have lodged a half-dozen bullets in his
skull, and then turned and sped away beyond
all danger.

It was useless to lament,and she could only look
around and pray that Glass-Eye might hurry
and come to her rescue before it was too late.
She knew he was equal in might or prowess to
two of the best warriors to say the least, and
that was all that she believed were within strik-
in r distance.

but alas! even this miserable consolation was
denied her, for while they were still fifty yards
from the timber, she detected a greater distur-
bniice within it, and two others stepped forward
and joined the one who had managed the strata-
gein with such skill.

At this juncture, the pony suddenly checked
himself, standing so firmly, that the exaspera-
ted Indian holding him by the bridle, turned
furiously about for the urpose of striking him.

He had drawn his orig hunting-knife, and
doubtless intended to kill the beast that had
already irritated him so much; but he had
scarcely drawn it back, when he threw up his
arms with a yell, and pitched forward on his
face, deadl V

In that brief, terrible instant, the whole scene
was pictured so visibly upon the mind of the
imperiled girl, that she could never for at it to
the latest period of her life. She saw t 9 track
of the bullet in his forehead, and knew that he
was dead before he struck the earth, the wound
showing her, too, that the ball had come from
the open plain over which she had ridden with
Glass-Eye, and which, it will be remembered
did not contain enou h cover to bideasmall
dog, within a radius 0 sevsral miles.

As before there was not heard the sound of a
rifle, nor was any one visible who could have
fired the fatal shot—the same mystery attending
it as on the day preceding.

But it was no time now to speculate upon
such a question. Her golden opportunity ad

 

 

14

 

 

come with the shot, and heading the stallion
toward the river, she called out:

‘;,Away, Saladin, it’s life or death now with
us!

The stallion understood what was required of
him, and sped across the plain like an arrow,
carrying his mistress as close as was prudent to
the broken country on the left, and as far from
the shots that the Sioux were sending after
them.

These shots, however, were aimed more at the
horse than at the rider, for, above all they
wished to capture this beautiful white girl,
whom fate had so well-nigh placed in their
hands. It was not often such an opportunity
was presented, and without a desperate fight
being necessary, and they were not likely to
give up the struggle, so long as there was the
slightest chance of success.

A wild Indian, in these later days, is never
seen without his horse, and although, when Rosa
first caught sight of these three, they were
standing, yet all were upon their ponies in a
twinkling, and dashing away at full speed after
the flying fugitive.

All now depended on the girl taking the right
direction; for, if she undertook to cross the
river with those red-skins so closely in pursuit,
:ho could not escape running into their hands.
So long as an open road lay before her, and
none of her foes presented themselves in her
immediate front, the matchless speed of Saladin
would keep her safe from harm.

She leaned forward so as to shield her body
as much as possible from the flying bullets, but
the shots were wild—fired mainly while the
Sioux were making ready for pursuit, and none
of them so much as scratched horse or rider.
When the three red-skins were mounted, they
ceased firing, apparently believing that they
were quite sure of their prize, which consequent—
ly they had no desire to injure in any way.

Men leading such lives as these wild riders of
the plains, are accustomed to death in the most
repu sive shape, and they scarcely glanced at
the dead body of their fallen comrade, as they
thundered by.

The prompt movement of Sdladin had given
him abouts. hundred yards the start, and he
now not only maintained this lead, but slowly
and surely drew away from his pursuers. The
three Sioux branched out as much as possible,
no as to head him off, whenever he attempted
to change his direction, or possibly to double
upon his own tracks.

A8 soon as Rosa. settled in her saddle, and
satisfied herself that her beast needed no fur-
ther attention, she glanced ahead, still wonder-
ing where Glass-Eye could be, if he were indeed
alive. She had already passed far beyond the
woods, and the prairie widened out before her,
stretching right and left to a vast extent, with
the muddy river-bottom rapidly drawing
nearer in her front.

Not a living creature was visible as she looked
ahead, but when she glanced back there was no
mistaking the three fierce red-skins, who were
bearing down upon her at tremendous speed.
The fact that they had already branched apart
fully fifty feet suggested to Rosa the {peril into
which she was running.

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West.‘

Straight ahead meant capture, and she must
turn to the right or left, or lose irrecoverably
the great advantage, already gained by the
promptness and speed of her matchless stallion.

This conviction had hardly flashed upon her,
when the splash of mud and water thnlled her
with the fearful knowledge that she was already
in the wet river bed—a few plunges more were
all that were needed to carry her forward to
the river. A startled look ahead, and she saw
the broad, muddy river Sweeping along before
her, the opposite side apparently a full halt-mile
distant.

Before she could draw the bridle-rein, Saladin
turned himself—heading to the left and up-
stream—still keeping at the terrific run with
which he had started, although the ground was
heavy, and be sunk to his fetlocks at every
bound, with the mud flying in every direction.

This was the issue for which the Sioux had no
doubt prepared, and which seemed to make the
effort of the stallion all in vain. This change
compelled him to describe the two sides of a.
triangle while the single Indian was given the
shorter hypotenuse and much better ground in
which to head him off.

Like all his people, this painted imp let out a
yell of exultatiou, as he took in his glowing
chances of success, and once more Rosa felt asif
cruel fate had decreed that there was to be no
e§cape from the dreaded beings who followed
her with such persistency.

Where was the mysterious marksman? Would.

he interpose again at the critical moment? Here
were three of the Sioux wretches all hearing
down upon her, with the ferocit of so many
tigers. Could the same agency, t at had inter-
fered twice to save her, stretch forth its hand
again, and snatch her from her impending
doom? Had it the power to repeat that wonder-
ful exploit to the confusion of a whole trio of
human wolves?

These frantic inquiries flashed throu h the
seething brain of the terrified girl, as s e saw
the monstrous disadvantage under which her
steed labored, and felt that each pulse-beat was
in reality lessening the distance between her
and the foremost Indian.

But Saladin outdid himself, at this frightful
trial. If he had been doing his best at first. he
seemed now to be given supernatural strength,
and with neck straightened out, and at the full
bound, the earth seemed to fly beneath him.
Heading straight up the river-bank, be bounded
away like a meteor, the Indian forcing his ani-
mal to the utmost, and swinging his lasso round
and round above his head, as an earnest of what
he was about to do.

Up to this point, the chase was very much
Vlike the one of the preceding day; but it now
took n decidedly different turn.

This Indian meant to lasso the horse instead
of the rider, and he had the thong “ringed”
upon his saddle and ready. A lightning-like
whiz, and awav the loop shot out in the air,
like the loop of the hoop snake, and thrown with
such marvelous accuracy that it could not fail
to settle over the head and shoulders of the fly-
ing steed.

Provided the latter permitted it todo so, but

 

   

like the trained mustang he knew what was

  

 

\W—.~ «anth- r or

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p-

 
  

a  yaw-aw A...“ ,

ll
3

 

"Was. a...

 

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West.

15

 

coming, and as his bright eye caught the shad-
owy coil in the air, he gave his head a quick
flirt downward and to one Side, and the loop
slid fruitlessly along his streaming mane, over
the fluttering dress of so Beckwith, and to
the ground, from which the Indian proceeded
hastily to gather it up for the purpose of throw-
ing it again. V

 

CHAPTER X.
new on swear BAND.

EVERY second of respite was worth worlds to
Rosa Beckwith, for at each plunge of the throb-
bing horses, they were placed more in a direct
line of the pursuers and pursued, with the same
surface for the hoofs of each.

galadjn gradually shied to the left, so as to
bring himself upon the flrmer ground, where his
tremendous exertions “could be made to tell
with more effect, and he still remitted not the
slightest eflort.

The Sioux undiscouraged by the failure of his
throw, prepared as quickly as possible to repeat
the effort. Knowing from t 8 action of the
stallion that he was too cunning to be caught
by another attempt, be determined this time
that the fair rider ersolf should be lassosd.

But Rosa expected as much, and she took
lesson from her intelli ant animal, knowing no
reason why, if the tric answered in one case,
it should not in the other. Leaving Saladin to
himself, she kept an eye upon the movements of
the Indian:

The latter had no time to s are, for his own
steed could keep up this death- illing race but a
few lunges longer, and as soon as he could get
the lasso in shape, he swung it aloft, and shot it
forward, with the same venomous skill as be-
fore.

At this instant, the equestrian leaned over
and clasped one arm around the neck of her
loved friend, and, as she expected, the loop,
striking upon her shoulder, slid over the back of
the steed in the same vain manner as before.

it was too late now to gather and throw
again. Ere the red-skin could do that, the gel-
lant stallion was beyond reach of the longest
lasso that was ever made from the hide of the
buffalo.

Expecting that they would fire at her, when
it became evident that her present capture was
impossible, the fugitive kept her position, lean-
ing forward upon her horse, with one arm en-
foldlng his neck, and praying that whatever
bullets were sent after her, might speed as
harmlessly by, as did thosa of a short time be—
fore. {\t the same time, she closed her eyes and
waited in themost painful suspense.

But not a single shot was fired, and gaining
courage aftera time she stealthin raised her
head. All three Indians were sitting motion<
less upon their horses, fully a quarter of a mile
distant, seemingly watching her in her mad
flight. Speaking to her horse, be instantly
Blackened his speed, and she straightened up and
looked more closely. ‘

Yes; they had givan over the pursuit, as if
convinced that it was useless to continue longer,
and they were willing that she should have the

 

freedom for which she had so gallantly strug-
g e .
But, brief as had been the experience, of Rosa
Beckwith in the West, it had been a terrible
one, and had taught her that chivalry was a.
quality as foreign to the nature of an lndian, as
generosity is to that of a miser, and this ap-
parent yielding upon the part of the Sioux had
nothing real about it. [t was intended only to
throw her off her guard, and to insure the suc—
cess of some other scheme, to be tried at the
earliest opportunity

But how was th s dearly-bought freedom to
be used, now that it was hers?

This was the uestion she asked herself, as she
drew her steed ( own to a walk, and took a sur-
vey of her surroundings, so far as it was ossi-
ble to do so. Night was close at hand, an still
nothing was to be seen of Glass-Eye. Without
him, it was useless for her to hope to reioin her
friends, or to find any assistance at a 1. She
was like a shipwrecked mariner drifting in
mid-ocean with no sail in sight, and little as she
fancied Jefferson Jones, the insurance agent, she
would now hail the sight of him use. perfect
godsend. ~

On her right flowed the broad, silent river,
with the tall weeds along shore, nodding and
rustling in the twilight, and the sun already
below the horizon. Dimly visible in the far
distance were the whitish blue outlines of a
chain of mountains resembling an irregular
bank of clouds against the horizon, and between
them and the turbid stream, stretched the
broken prairie.

She was approaching a portion of the country,
wooded and hilly, and knowing how sorely her
horse needed rest, resolved to penetrate to a
safe distance in the solitude and give him time
to recuperate his energies, which were likely to
be sorely needed when the sun shone.

“The Indians can not follow our'trail in the
night-time,” she said, giving expression to her
thoughts, “and by the time the sun rises we
will be under way again: but am I doomed to
wander thus a one?" she asked, bitterly.
“With the companionship of such an ex-
perienced hunter as Glass-Eye, I feel that we
would have got through some way or other,
sooner or later. If he has fallen, nothing but a
miracle of good fortune can save me.”

As soon as she reached the margin of the
wooded section, she paused and looked back.
She could see nothing of the Sioux horsemen,
and turn in whatsoever direction she chose, the
“ coast ” seemed clear.

She did not forget to look across the river,
but the view in that direction was equally void
of anything calculated to disturb her peace of
mind.

“And now, I wonder if the wood is clear,"

she added, permitting he: animal to move for-

ward again upon a slow walk, “ but, whether it
is or not, Saiadin, we must take the risk. There
is no safety in such a country as this, and we
must take the semblance for the real.”

She speedily found that her horse had under-
taken a difficult task, for the ground in many
places was so broken and jagged that it required
the greatest care for him to make his way with-
out stumbling. Under such circumstances, it

 

  

16

was more agreeable to walk than ride, and she
took the lead. Saladin following her like an

affectionate dog.

Rosa had gone but a short distance when she
noted that she was walking over a sort of trail,
and which, she fancied, had been used quite re-
centiy.

“ his will never do.” she said, in some alarm,
“We are liable to meet some of these Indians at
anIy moment. e must soon turn aside."

t was some time before she could find a place
where this could be done with safety; but rad-
ually the ground became more level an she
made an abrupt turn, which to her surprise and
delight, speedily brou ht her to a small run-
ning stream, with an a undance of grass grow-
ing along the margin—the whole making the
very spot which she would have selected as a
cam iug-grouud had she been given an entire
day in which to search for it.

But what a position for a young lady! She
was a-hungered, with no means of procuring
food; surrounded b danger from wild animals
and wilder men, Without the slightest weapon
with which to defend herself. No human
friends were within call, and none knew where
to look for her. Night closing in, and she in
the very center of the land of solitude and deso-
lation—could .the situation be more gloomy and
despairing?

Poor Rosa Beckwith sat down upon the damp
earth, and covering her face with her hands
wept aloud. It seemed as if her heart would
break, for her calamity was enough to crush
the stoutest heart, and even in that dread mo-
ment, her anguish was as much for her father’s
sake as for her own. She was without a mother,
and her only brother was in California hope-
fully awaiting her coming, with no thought of
the terrible situation in which she was placed;
but her parent must be in a torture of anxiety
on her account—a torture to which the news of
her death would be a relief.

As the tempest of her grief passed over, she
became more calm, and looking up at the few
st “'8 that were twinkling through the branches
overhead, she felt that Heaven would still pro-
tect her, and that in some way, though she
could see it not, she would be brought out of the
dark valley in which she was now groping.

Suddenly she was recalled to her situation by
the action of her horse. He had been cropping
the grass near her, and he now stopped abrupt-
ly, raised his head and seemed to be looking off
in the direction ovar which they had just come.
The gloom and shadow was too great for her to

erceive anything for more than a few feet

rom where she was sitting, but the action of
her friend convinced her that something un’
usual was going on, and that the danger from

which she believed she was haply free for a
time, was near at hand again.

Saladin stood as motionless and silent as a
statue, while the girl herself scarcely breathed
in her suppressed excitement.

Sure enough scarcer five minutes had passed
when the stealthy tread of some person was
heard only a few feet away. Rosa would have
crept further into the recess of the wood. but
she did not dare stir for fear of drawing atten-
tion to her hiding-place.

“address me in that distant, forma

 

  

 

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West.

Little need of that. As if directed by fate,
the figure continued cautiously to advance in a
direct line toward her, until she could distin-
guish the outlines of a man, nigh enough to be
touched with the hand.

“Well, there, Miss Beckwith, don’t you think
that the time has come for you to send in your
application to the great Star Spangled Banner
Life Insurance Company? We will give you
the most favorable terms of any Company in
the country."

 

CH AFTER XI.
OLD ACQUAINTANCES.

ROSA Bncxwrra was so relieved at the dis-
covery that it was indeed a friend instead of an
enemy, that she sprung up and exclaimed, de-
lightedly:

“ Oh, I am so glad it is you.”

“ So am I. You do seem rather pleased, and
if you feel like throwing your arms about my
neck and hugging, why I won’t object. Don t
be bashful.”

And Jefferson Jones acted very much as if
they were accepted lovers, oi! on a little picnic
of their own, where such a thing as danger or
disturbance could not come.

“Where is Glass-Eye?" asked Rosa, disregard-
ing the badinuge of her companion.

‘ Haven’t seen him since I left the ranch this
morning. I’m quite ho eful that he has chang-
ed his mind, after a ay’s reflection, and con-
cluded to take out a policyin the Star Span led
Banner. How is it with yoursell‘, my ear
Roan?”

“ Leave that question until some other time,"
replied the girl. “Just now there are more im-
portant matters to look after."

“ What can be more important than the ques-
tion of life and death?” asked Mr. Jones in a
solemn voice. “ Speak not so slightingly of
such a grave sub'ect.”

“But tell me, r. Jones—"

“Tut, tut,” interrupted the insurance man,
touching her shoulder with his fin er, “don’t
manner.
Dear friends should not do so. Call me J eff. ”

" Well, Jeff, how came you to discovor me?"

“Saw you go by my lodging- lace.”

“What do you mean?" she as ed in astonish-
meat.

“I drove in here a con la of hours ago, picked
out my camping-place, thered my horse, re-
clined upon the earth in an easy attitude, and
began studying the latest circular issued by the
S. S. 8., until it got so late that I couldn’t see
any longer, and then as I was getting ready to
start my camp-fire, who should ride by but you?
I was a little surprised but concluded that you
had changed our min ,and determined to take
the policy I hunted about this morning. I knew
that Glass-Eye was quite prejudiced in the mat-
ter, and I thou ht it like y that you had nar-
reled, and you ad left him and come bat: to
hunt me out, and give you your application.
Was I mistaken in my supposition, my dear
Rosa?"

“ Slightly,” she replied, seeing that it was
necessary to humor the fellow. “Not a word
has passed between Glass-Eye and me upon the

 

. asks—ex, _

  
   
  

 
 

  

y—

M".

 

 

subject of life insurance. nor hava I had a

single thought regarding it since I left you this

morning. And, off, if you will agree to say

nothing ahoutit, except to answei‘niy questions,"

I will promise you to take the matter into sari-

ous consideration as soon as we reach Fort
nion.”

” I will make the bar ain,” replied the wide-
awake agent, “ provider you don’t take advan-
tage of it, and fail to answer me any questions
at all.”

This, as may be supposed, was the very
“ paint” Rosa was aiming at; but, as there was
no .way of circumventing the man, she was
obliged to accede to his terms, and the matter
was dropped for the immediate present.

As no preparations for camping had been made
by the girl, she accepted the invitation of Jones,
and accompanied him to where he had selected
his own site. She caught the twinkle of his
campfire, and was considerably surprised to
find the comfortable manner in which he had
things arranged.

His supper was cooked and resting upon some

reeu leaves, ready to be eaten. He had fash-
ioned a cup from the same material, his blanket
was spread upon a bed of green houghs, the
whole making the mOst inviting couch that hun-
ter or traveler could wish. It was evident that
he was a man not only of unabashed persever-
ance, but of great natural ingenuity.

.Stirring up the fire with his foot, he waved
his hand in a lofty way toward the couch.

“ Seat yourself there, dear Rosa, I shall give
you the best fare at my command."

She gratefully accepted his invitation, and
partook of the well-cooked meat, with the keen-
est of a petites, and a certain wondering respect
for the individual who could play so successfully
the role in such a country as this.

“Have you had no encounter with the Iii-
dians?” she asked, as she recalled the terrible
trouble which had followed her all day.

“Nothing worth speaking of,” he answered,
indifferently, as he put his teeth in the juicy
steak. “I shot nine or ten, and then the others
took ofl.’ their hats and opened a way for me to
pass through. The rudest people respect true
courage, and you ought to have heard ’em
hurra. I’ve been thinking very seriously of

openin a branch office among the noble red—
gen ,9 the West. What do you think of the
i ea?

“ I prefer not to think about it just now. Do
you believe vou can reach Fort Union without
the aid of Glass-Eye?"

“ I can reach any point that I start for," said
the modest insurance agent. “ I came out West
on a wager, because they thought I didn’t dare
to_do it, at the home office. One of these days I
think people will begin to learn what a talented
young man I am.”

“ No one could doubt that, who is in your
company for a. short time,” replied Rosa; “ but
tell me, Jeff, do vou think we are safe here?”

“ Haven’t the least doubt,” was the calm re-
ply. “ I have got the best horse in the world;
never afraid to go anywhere in his company,
and always lay down to sleep when the time
comes. no matter where We are. If there come
any Indians nosing around he gives me notice,

Glass-Eye. the Great Shot of the West.

 

1‘7

and all 1 have to do is to climbonto his bar];
and mosey out of the wilderness."

“ A good horse is life, and a poor one is
death, in these parts. It would have been all
over with me a long time ago. but for my
matchless steed. I have had a terrible chase
within the last few hours, and it seems that with
two such sagacious creatures near us, we ought
indeed to feel some security against the ap roach
of our enemies. The most that we have 0 fear
is that this campfire will catch the eyes of some
of them."

“Can’t do that onless they’re mighty close;
for don’t you see how weare walled in by shrub-
bery, roc s and undergrowth, on every hand?
I thought of all that when I was prospecting
for a place to spend the night. I’ve been in the
country long enough to know something about
the ways of their people, and I never had a
camping place in which I felt more secure than
I do here. Ah, my dear Rosa, if the subject of
life insurance had not been forbidden by your
sweet lips, what a charming evening We could
spend! How I would unfold its beauties to youi
How you would hang enthralled upon my lips,
and how, in a very brief space, you would be
willing to pawn the very shoes from your feet
for the sake of procuring a policy in the Star-
Spangled! Ali! my dear one, you know not
how much I endure for the sake of her who ex-
acted that cruel promise of me.” .

“And you cannot appreciate the hight and
depth of the relief of escaping the din about
that same matter. I suppose it has become a
second nature to you, and you are really a mo-
nomaniac upon the subject of life insurance—"

Rosa suddenly paused in her chaflin , for both
her horse and the one belonging to ones are
out a whiiiny of alarm, which said as plain y as
words themselves could have done, that trouble
was at hand.

He leaped to his feet and started off in the
gloom, the very picture of terror. This stran e,
contradictory being seemed now to be filled w th
a timidity tenfold greater than that of the de-
fenseless female with him, and for the moment
he was petrified, not knowing1 which way to
turn to escape the danger that ad so suddenly
appeared.

“Thunderation! I guess it means Indians!"
he exclaimed, in a whis er. and then, without
another word, he turn and ” scooted" OR in
the darkness, like a chicken that sees the hawk
swooping down upon her. '

Left alone with the danger impending, Rosa
was at a loss to decide what to do. She waalotli
to follow the one who had so cowardly deserted
her, and thinking it as likely that he had gone
wrong as right, she started in an opposite direc-
tion.

But she had not taken a dozen steps, when,
with a gasp of terror. she leaped back again as
she found herself face to face With the very
Sioux Indian who had made the attempttolasso
her a few hours before, and she was still staring
in mute dismay at him when the other two came
forward as silently as shadows, and took their
stations near her.

The cunning wretches had laid their plans
with the treacherous Sagacity of their people,
and the result was all they could wish.

 

 

   

 

18

 

With the skill of veteran Scouts they had
managed to trail the horse for a considerable
distance into the wood, and then separating and
reconnoitering in the gloom, with all their senses
on the alert, had finally struck the camp—fire,
and the prize was theirs after all.

CHAPTER XII.
A FRIEND IN NEED.

Rosa Bacxwxrn had become too much ac-
customed to just such peril as this tolose her
presence of mind at the fearful change in her
circumstances. The three Indians spread out
about her, so that, if she attempted to escape in
any direction, no matter which, they would be
sure to cut her off.

Scarcely a minute passed, when from the
depths of the wood came a sound, like the chirp-
ing of a bird. It was faint, and yet ;distinct,
and instantl arrested the attention of the
Sioux, who ooked at each other, and then ex-
changed something in their low, guttural voices.
- Rosa could not decide from what direction
the bird-like sound came, but when one of the
red—skins turned about and moved silently awa
in the gloom, she knew that it was the signal:
which was the cause. The chirping continued
several minutes after his departure, and then
all became quiet again.

During this time the captive was standing as
motionless as the trees near her, and the Indians
were so occupied with what they had heard
that they seemed to have forgotten her alto-
gether. She was not long in noticing this, and,
as they stood somewhat nearer each other than
at first, she suddenly resolved on attempting to
escape from their clutches.

The thought had scarcely entered her head,
when one of the Indians, with a spasmodic gasp.
flung up his arms and fell dead. The sound of
the rifle was heard this time, and taking it as a
sort of call to put forth an effort in her own
behalf, she darted away like a flash, into the
wood.

But quick as she was, the remaining Indian
was at her side in an instant, and, exasperated
at the fate that had befalien his comrade, he
raised his tomahawk for the purpose of braining
her, when a dark form leaped forward from the
gloom, there was a lightning-like circle and
flash of light, and the savage went down beside
his comrade, slain so suddenly that he had not
time even to make his usual outcry.

“Oh, Jeff! there is another one yet! Let us
hasten away 2"

“Who you calling Jeff?" growled some one,
“and what do you mean by saying thar’s an—
other varmint, when thar ain't a live one within
a mile of us?”

“Glass-Eye!” exclaimed the delighted girl,
springing forward and clasping the hand of the
hunter himself, “ I thought you were dead 1”

“So I did come higher going under than I
wanter ag’in till the last flunk comes.”

“ Oh, what a terrible time I’ve had,” she said,
as she still held his hand, and the two walked
back toward the fire, “ but I knew when you
staid away so long that you were either killed
or were revented from joining me.”

“Yes, ' he said, in that grulf way of his, “I
made a fool of myself. When I got over by the

 

 

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West.

 

  

river I sce’d signs of trouble, and I kept scoul-
ing so long that store I knowod it I got on
t’other side of a party, and I had to do some of
the tallest kind of dodging to get around so as
leave ’em behind me. Now and then we ex-
changed shots. I got into a few scrimmages
that war rough to tell you ‘bout. I knowed that
if you staid whar I left ye, and ’heyed orders

you warn’t likely to git into trouble, though I
tried’as hard as I knowed how to git back to
yer.

“ How were you able to trace me here?” asked
Rosa.

“ Wal, it war on gineral principles, as they
say. When I got sight of the perarie whar I’d
left yer. it war just beginnin’ to git dark, and of
course I didn’t see nothin’ of yer, so I went to
thinkin’ and axin" myself what you’d be most
likely to do, and I concluded you wouldn’t be
likely to make your boss swim the river, ’cause
that ain’t the kind of work that a gal of your
sex likes, and I concluded you‘d make fur cover,
and so I started after you, and I hadn’t gone fur
afore I struck your trail—l'

“ How could you do that when it was so dark?”

Glass-Eye laughed as he answered:

“ I’ve tracked an Apache for fifty miles at
night, and follered him among the mountains
whar it was as dark as a prize nigger, and done
it too when we hadn’t nothin’ to guide us but his
trail. In course thar had to be some sharp feel»
ingdone, and any body lookin’ at us then would
have thought we war studyin‘ the deaf and
dumb alphabet.

“As I observed, I war lookin’ fur your trail,
and when I reached a place whar I thought it
war likely to be, I slid off my nap: and Went to
playin’ the piauner on the ground around me.
When I struck boss’s tracks I know’d they war
yours, ’cause they war smaller than the boots of
the Injin ponies would have made. When I got
to the edge of the wood, other animals’ tracks
begun to mix with ’em in a way that made me
sar ’iu thar was trouble of some kind. Wal, it
ain’t any use of tellin’ yer the rest, ’cause you
kin guess it. And now, gal, I ain’t goin’ to run
such a risk ag'in. I may have to leave you
now and then fur a few minutes afore we reach
Fort Union, but I don‘t intend to go fur enough
to :l’ow another set of the varmints to git atween
us.

Rosa had made several gentle attempts to
withdraw her hand from that of the hunter, but
each time, be increased the pressure, so as to
hold it captive. She noticed a certain tremor
about it that told her she had been rather im-
prudent in showing such exuberance of feeling
upon first meeting him.

She observed, too, that his band was not only
tremulous, but was small, and shapely as a
lady’s and the thought suddenly flashed into
her mind that this hunter, so rude of speech and
manner, would make one of the grandest of
men, if he could be given a year or two of civil-
ization. He was handsome beyond all question,
and, as she stole a glance at the face, so nearly
hidden by the immense silken heard, she felt
certain that if that were removed; the contour
and features would be found of the some pre-
possessing character.

There was something in this physical beauty,

‘5‘...

  

 

 

  
   

     

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West;_

“' this rough courtesy, and strong manliness cal-
. ,, culated ti win the respect and love of woman;
 and Rosa Beckwith became conscious of a cer—
tain strange pleasurable feeling as she managed
at last to withdraw ilPl' hand, and step back a
little beyond his roach,
' “You have had yer hash!" said Glass-Eye,
looking around, upon the signs of their feast;
F that remained, “ and I s’pose yer don’t want to
‘ stay in this yer country longer nor you hev to.
Is that so?”
. 1 “I am ready to travel night and day,”re-
lied the girl, “ to get out of this terrible neigh-

l rhood. We have already been delayed so

" long, that I begrudge every minute of rest we
take."

“ What’s become of that Star Spangled Ban—

' ner fellow?" asked Glass-Eyh, looking inquiring-
] around. “ if he wants to travel with us, it’s
’ out time he showed himself.”

As if in answer to an incantation, Jefferson
~ Jones at this moment walked forth from the

gloom of the woods, and as he did so, he glanced
to the right and left, at the cold inanimate
forms of the Sioux arrested in the very midst of

their infamous career.
“It’s lucky Ididn’t effect an insurance upon
. those chaps. The company would have thought
-1 rather stranre of it, to hear of three deaths,
 right on the eels of the issuance of their poli-
cies; but there is an impressive lessonl in all
7 this, which I bola} will not be lost upon those
‘ who Witness it. a want no stronger reminder
of the fact that in the midst of life we are in
, death, and I myself could not make a more
.i powerful appeal in behalf of the liberal and en-
. terpriging Star Spangled Life Insurance Com-

- panv.

“What made you scoot so fast, when these
varmints came down on yer?" inquired Glass-
Eye. scowling angrily at the young man.

“What was to be gained by my staying
here?” asked Jones. in turn. “I’m under no
contract to slav three red-men at a time. You
see, Mr. Glass-Eye, I always look at such things
from a common-sense stand-point. I considered
that the interests of my dear Rosa were above
all others—«obscuring, for the moment, even
those of the Star Spangled. I reasoned that
there was no way in which I could benefit her—
so I was polite enough to withdraw and make
way for you. What more could I have done? ’

This ingenious logic could not obscure the
: fact, that the conduct of the man had been of a

' cowardly character, and Glass-Eye gave him to
:‘ understand that his logic was all thrown away,
{z adding:

 

“'We’re going to make a new start fur Fort
UmO“. and if you want to j‘ine us, see that yer
boss is ready."

 

, CHAPTER XIII.

’ THE NIGHT JOURNEY.

i MR. JEFFERSON JONES, insurance agent, had
no wish to leave the company of Glass-Eye, now
that another attempt was to be made to reach

» Fort Union, for he had learned that in pursuing

5 his legitimate business in this section, be was

 compelled to carry altogether too many ” risks ”
himself.

He concluded that hereafter, he would aim

 

19‘

for those points whoro ho was likely to find a
number of men gathered together, and Wherr,
while urging his claims, he could not feel a very
strong suspicion that some one was liable to
steal up behind him and run away with his
scalp.

Viewed in this light, Fort Union was the
place of all others, which it would pay to visit,
and accordingly, viewing the matter in a pure
business light, his decision was a wise one.

Glass-Eye himself had partaken of nothing
since morning, and, although acme meat still
remained from the meal that Joncs had pro—
vided, he would not pause long enough to par-
lake ofit. The few hours’ rest had given the
two horses all the time needed to recuperate,
and his own he declared was in prime condition,
and capable of going twenty hours at a stretch.

W'hile they were hurriedly preparing, Rosa
mentioned for the first time the inCident of her
being saved by the mysterious marksman.

Glass-Eye paused abruptly, and turning to-
ward the unsuspecting Jones caught him savage-
ly by the throat.

“See yer. old Star Spangled,l b’lieve you
know something ’bout that .”’

“Me?” gasped the terrified agent. “I—I—
know no more about it than you know of the
benefits of life insurance.”

“Then you don’t kn0w nothin’,” added the
disgusted hunter, “ and what's more, you never
will; butl want you to understand," be con-
linued, flashing up again. “ that if you try any
of yer tricks onto me, I’ll snrve yer Just the
same as one of them howlin’ Sioux."

“I trust,” said the agent, in a lofty tone of
offended dignity, “ that the Star Spangled Life
Insurance Company is too mindful of its posi-
tion to descend to tricks of any nature.”

The preparations of the trio were too simple
to require more than the briefest time to com—
plete them, and in a. few minutes all three,
mounted upon their animals. were wending
their way out of the wood on tlicir night jour-
ney toward the distant frontier post, where
they expected to find complete safety from
these harassing foes.

Glass-Eye explained that it was his intention
to make direct for the river, and, after reach‘
ing the oppOSite side, to strike direct] for the
Sioux trail, a‘ d to follow it, unremittingly, un~
til they should catch sight of the flag waving
above the Stockades of Fort Union. He said,
that during his reconnoissance that forenoon, he
had come upon a couple of canoes, moored
among the reeds, one of which he intended to
appropriate to their own use. He had fixed the
locality in his own mind, so that he was sure of
making his way immediately to it, where. in
case the boats had not been withdrawn,they
could be made of the greatest benefit.

It was easy enough for the hunter to cross
almost any stream on the back of his horse—
but to do so always comrelled a thorough wet-
ting of his garments—a very trifling matter to
one. accustomed to his manner of life, and es-
pecially at this season of the ear. But it is
easy to understand how exceedingly disagreea-
hls such a thing would he to Rosa, and so long
as there was any possibility of her avoiding it,
so long it was certain she would do :0.

 

 

 
 

The streams heretofore crossed had contained
solittle water beyond the depths of their ani-
mals, that Glass Eye had managed to save this
affliction to his charge; but the river they were
now approaching was of such breadth and depth,
that it would not have been possible without the
aid of some artificial float.

It was this knowledge, which had influenced
the hunter, fully as much as the certainty that
the Indians were so close at hand, in his hesita-
tion and reconnoissance of the shore for such a
length of time, before venturing to cross. In
moving out of the wood, he took the lead as
usual, Rosa following next, and the insurance
agent bringing up the rear.

He warned them against tilking, or making
the slightest unnecessary noise, and added a due
notice to Jelferson Jones that if he attempted
to introduce the subject of life insurance, he
would demolish him instanter, and Mr. Jones
gave his promise to do all he could to hold in,
until they should reach some point where the
matter could be discussed without so many dis-
tracting accompaniments.

Just as they emerged from the broken-wooded
tract, the moon appeared above the chain of
mountains in the distant horiz )n, and gave such
light that they could detect objects for some-
thing less lhun a hundred yards around them.
Clouds were constantly moving before the face
of the moon, as it climbed higher and higher,
and the light was thus rendered treacherous
and uncertain.

0n the edge of the prairie Glass-Eye reined
up and looked and listened. His vision was too
c rcumscribed, as we have shown, to discover
anything that was not comparatively near him,
and he could hear nothing calculated to cause
any uneasiness. There was something very
mournful and dismal in the sound of the breeze,
as it rustled the branches behind them, and in
the soft flow of the broad river in their front.

“The val-mint are on the lookout, too,” add-
ed Glass—Eye, in a whisper, while they paused
thus for a few minutes; “ they’re on both sides
of the stream, expectin’, no doubt, that we’ll
try to cross somewhar, and ye must be more
careful now nor ever to keep from makin’ any
noise that’ll let ’em know whar we ar’. And
that reminds me, gel, that I don’t think you’ll
obje’ct to take charge of a revolver now, will
ye?

Rosa replied that, after the experience she
had gone through, she saw the necessity of car-
rying such a deadly weapon with her. Accord-
ingly, he passed over to her a small silver-
mounted pistol, apparently intended to be con-
cealed in a very small space.

“It’s little,” he said, “but it makes it the
handler, and it’ll shoot as for and as straight as
a bigger one. . Thar ar’ six chambers loaded, so
you needn’t take the trouble to carry any am-
munition, fur it ain't likely vou’ll have a chance
to use any more bullets. El? old Star Spangled

ets to talkin’ on insurance, you’ll find that one
arrel will be ’nough to stop him."

Turning sharply to the left, the hunter now
led the way in a direct line for the river, and a
few hundred yards sud-iced to bring them in full
view of it.

The riVer looked deep and dangerous, as it

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West.

,,._A m, ,4. 4., s. W.‘.._______..__..

 

 

flowed swiftl downward on its way to the dis-
tant Gulf. here was enough ripple and agita-
tion of its surface, as it glimmere’l in the uncer-
tain moonlight, to give it the appearance of
some vast inland sea, fretted by the gathering
storm, and it required strong nerves and a dar-
ing purpose for one to plunge his animal into
the powerful current, and breast its might in an
attempt to reach the other side.

The three reined up just beyond the line of
tall grass, where the ground was hard and firm,
and where they coul be at full liberty to turn
and speed in any direction that should become
necessary, upon the sudden appearance of dan-

er.
“ Where are the canoes?” asked Jones, when
lthey had sat their horses a. 10W minutes in si-
ence.

“Off yender, to the left,” replied Glass-Eye,
pointing upstream. “It won't do to ride
straight up to ’em, ’canse you see some of the
varmints may he waitin’ thar fur this very
thing. I’ll have to leave you ag’in fur alittle
while,” he said, addressing Rosa; “but I prom-
ise yer, it sha’n’t be anything like what it was
to—day. Whether the skunks are hangin’ round
thar or not, don’t make no difference—I sha’n‘t
be gone long—that I’ll promise yer.”

“ And what are we to do to amuse ourselves
while you are gone?" inquired the insurance
man.

“ Set still and keep yer mouth shet,” was the
reply. “It may be purty hard fur you to do,
but it’ll be a blamed sight pleasanter fur the gal,
than fur you to get started on the insurance
question. Remember that it’s very likely that
some of these Sioux are hangin’ round. and yer
must watch that they don’t creep up onto yer.
You’ll find that’ll be ’nough to keep yer from
gettin’ asleep.”

“ And suppoze danger does appear?”

“Put back again over the perarie, leavin’ my
boss behind. Ef they catch him, thar won’t be
any that kin hold him, and we’ll manage to find
each other afore long, and then I’ll hunt you up,
and we’ll try it ag’in."

And, without any more words, Glass-Eye si-
lently dismounted, and began stealing through
the tall weeds, hoping soon to return with the
coveted canoe in his possession.

CHAPTER XIV.
THE lLECONNOISSANCE.

GLASS<EYE was now engaged in an enterprise, .

which called into play all the subtle skill and
power of which he was master. It partook more
of the nature of a mental than a physical test,
and it was the kind in which he delighted more
than in the measure of his prowess asa warrior.

He knew precisely where the two canoes lay
motionless in the tall grass, and whether there
were any Indians or not in the immediate vicin-
ity was the question which he had set about
to determine, without making his own presence
known. r

This task was tenfold more difficult than the
approach to a hostile camp, whether in the
wood or upon the open prairie; for, in either of
these cases, he could force his body forward
without noise. If in the forest, the sense of
touch notified him, when the snapping twigs lay,

. :L

-‘AL_\&1‘-  -:_ Us

 

 

 

 
  
  
   

    

. ~

‘z—/~"

 

in his path, and it was easy enough to remove
them or to turn aside, and, if on the 0 en plain,
the soft yielding grass was silence itse f.

But here he was compelled to step through the
water, and make way with his hands at every
foot he advanced. There was no avoidance of
it, and the hunter had “ stri ped for the fight ”
by leaving his rifle with his riend, and by car-
rying no weapon besides his knife and single
revolver.

Fortunately the ground proved not so soft as
seriously to impede his progress, and pausing
only long enough to make certain of the proper
course to pursue, he began working his way
further out into the river.

The water slowly deepened, a fact for which
he cared not. a whit. Indeed he would have
preferred to find the boats where the current
was deeper, as, in case of perilhhe would be
more at liberty. He was a swimmer and a
diver of remarkable skill, and in the darkness
and among the weeds, he would have dodged
and played about his enemies like a loon on a
mountain lake.

As he progressed further out in the stream,
the flow of the river became more perceptible,
and here and there it rippled over or around
some root or larger weed with a gurgling noise,
which the hunter was glad to hear, as be con-
sidered that it helped obscure to a certain de-
gree, his own approach to the dangerous point.

When Glass-Eye stood in the water up to his
waist, he was convinced that it was time he
saw the canoes, for here was the very spot
where he had seen them moored a few hours be-
fore. He was able to identify the disturbance
of the weeds where the little boats had moved
alon . .

“ g'm steered the skunks have come back and
took ’em away,” was the thought of the exas-

erated hunter, as he looked carefully about

im. “ It’s jest like them blasted varmints; I
never knowed ‘em to do a ’bliging thing yet,
except when one of ’em come awa from the
gal to—night in the wood, when I ma e the signal
to him, and he wouldn’t have done that If he
hadn’t thought it war the private signal of
Creeping Panther, thar biggest chief.”

At this moment, the moon, which was new
quite high in the heavens, and which had been
obscured by a bank of clouds, came out into full
view and greatly increased the extent of the
hunter’s vision, who, as much from instinct as
from reason, stooped softly down so that the
water reached his neck, and his head might
have been mistaken for a stump, or a matting
of the upper portion of a bunch of the grass.

As he did so, he caught the faint outlines of
the stern of a canoe on the margin of the open
water. It was there in such a motionless shape,
as to show that it was probably made fast to the
weeds themselves. A slight rippling along its
sides showed its puny resistance to the current.
A second glance convinced him that no one was
in it.

But where was the second boat? This was the
( uestion which instantly came to the lips of

,1ass.Eye, who, by no means, was satisfied with
the appearance of things. Some one had cer-
tainly visited this place during the last few
hours, and it looked as if a trap had been set for

 

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West. 21

 

him to walk into, just as he had seen attempted
many a time before. He stood for several min—
utes istening and peering around in the gloom
as well as he could, and then he began stealing
forward again. the depth of the water enabling
him to do so without any noise, although it was
all he could do to keep himself from being car-
ried off his feet.

Stealing along in this manner, he was sur-
prised a few minutes later to catch sight of the
Second canoe. perhaps a dozen feet abova the
other, and like that resting clear of the grass
and weeds, while one end was fastened to them,
so as to prevent its being carried away by the
current.

All this was what he expected, but, at the
same moment, he saw something which was not
so expected nor so agreeable. In the very mid-
dle of the upper canoe, sat a Sioux Indian, with
his back toward him, and as motionless as the
boat itself.

This fellow had doubtless been placed there to
watch and guard against the very stratagem
that was now being attempted. It was morally
certain that he held a loaded rifle in his grasp,
and upon the slightest intimation of the ap-
proach of this daring foe, he would he as quick
as a flash of lightning to lodge the bullet in his
brain. It followud therefore, that some of the
red—skins had learned of the reconnoissance of
our hero, and, as he himself suspected, had ar-
ranged this little game for his benefit.

Having learned this much, the next thing that
Glass-Eye set himself tolearn was whether there
were any more of these red-skins in the imme-
diate neighborhood. A few minutes sufficed to
convince him there were none, unless they were
crouching within the first canoe, which was now
within arm‘s length.

But even this contingency was impossible, for
the fragile boat rested like an egg-shell upon the
water, which it was impossible for it to do,
while it contained anything that weighed so
much as fifty pounds.

The problem then narrowed itself down to the
question, whether Glass-Eye had the power to
withdraw the first boat from its frail fastening,
without notifying the Indian who was a guar .
It was easy enou h to steal forward and quietly
put him out of t 9 way, as preliminary to tak-
ing possession of his property, but such a course
was more distasteful to the hunter than perhaps
the render imagines.

In sooth, GlassE e was no human butcher,
who took the. life 0 an Indian foe, in mere wan~
ton cruelty, as do too many marauders on the
plains of the West. Although he knew he was
held in deadly hatred by all the red-skins with
whom he came in contact, yet he never raised
his hand against them, unless he was literally
compelled so to do.

In the present instance, he would much rather
undergo the delay and risk attendant u n the
pilfering of the boat, rather than go orward
and cut the Gordian knot b one sweep of his
hunting-knife. He believed e could do it, and
he set about it at once.

Taking a step further, he suddenly found him-
self beyond his depth; but he managed to keep
himself afloat, without the slightest disturbance
of the water A faint, flutter-like movement of

 

 

22

the feet was all that was required, and be con-
tinued to approximate to the prize, until at last
he laid his hand upon the gunwale.

It was imprudent to break its fastenings, or
to start (10wn-stream with it, until he made
sure of the present status of the Sioux sentinel~
The sky was still clear, so that everything was
favorable to his purpose, and he peered around
the side of the canoe at the savage, the result of
which was the discovery that the Indian was
looking directly at his bout.

Could it be that his suspicions were aroused?
Had his keen ear detected something of a tell»
tale nature in the rippling water? Such, at
least seemed to be the case.

Glass Eye watched him in his stealthy man-
ner, and in the dim, misty gloom, he saw dis-
tinctly his broad, painted face, and the cat-like
glitter of his eyes. It might have been all very
natural and by the way, but when the staring
was continued for full a minute, the hunter
knew it meant something more.

At this critical juncture. the scout purposely
made a slight disturbance in the water. and, as
he anticipated, the Sioux instantly dipped his
paddle and with a stroke forced the canoe loose
from its fastenings, and sped straight as an
arrow for the very spot where the eyes and
nose of the hunter were above water!

CHAPTER XV.
STEALING A Lax IE.

THE action of the llldlllu was exactly what
Glass-Eye intended to make it. So long as he
held a glimmering suspicion that all was not
exactly as it should be, so long he was certain
to be unusually vigilant in watching his charge,
and the difficulty of taking it away from under
his eye unobserved was increased tenfold.

But let him make a thorough examination,
and become satisfied that all was right, and his
vigilance was sure to relax to that extent which
was indispensable. When, therefore, the canoe
shot toward him, he quietly dropped beneath
the surface. and shifted his pesition so as to
come up a dozen feet away.

As he did so, he discovered the Indian pad-
dling around the opposite side of the stationary
boat, and a moment later, he returned to his
former osition, where be fastened it again to
the wee s, and came to a rest as before. Thus
far the “pot was boiling precisely as the cook
wished it to boil.”

The sentinel indulged in one scowling glare,
as if in anger that the mute object should have
disturbed his rest, and then he sullenly turned
his head away.

“And there he’ll keep it,” concluded Glass-
Eye, “unless I’m fool enough to make some
blunder that will let him know what I’m doing."

Swimming stealthin to the stern of the boat,
he found that asmall cord was tied around a
few bunches of grass, and this slender fastening
was quickly severed with his knife. Then, in
the same cautious manner, be grasped the gun-
wale, so as to hold it against starting away too
suddenly.

Another glance at the Sioux showed nothing
but his head and shoulders, and Glass-Eye now
began the wonderfully delicate task of extract-
ing the canoe from its hiding-place without

Glass-Eye. the Great Shot of the West.

 

arousing the Indian sentinel within twenty feet,
who had been placed there to guard against that
very thing.

It is impossible to magnify the difiiculty of
this exploit, and the only way in which our
readers can realize it is to go West and person-
ally attempt it. There is no doubt but what
they will “ know how it is themselves.”

Had the Sioux been gazing at the boat during
the next ten minutes, it is not likely that he
would have suspected what was going on. It
was literally inch by inch that it stole over the
surface, until the figure of the red-skin rew
dim and more indistinct, and finally ma ing
sure that he was in clear water, the scout turned
down-stream, and his boat assumed a motion
characteristic of a. man who was in a hurry to
get away with it.

Some fifty yards or so from the starting-
point Glass-Eye raised himself above the water,
and by a skillful movement placed himself iu«
side the boat, where he seized the paddle, and
with one sweep sent the vessel ahead, like some
crouchin animal that leaps upon its prey.

Inste of keeping close to the outer edge of
the grass and weeds, he turned the bow of his
birchen toy toward the middle of the stream,
not pausing until he had reached a point where
even with the aid of the moonlight he was barely
able to catch a glimpse of the waving grass and
the shore beyond. Here he headed up—stream,
his speed against the powerful current seeming
almost as great as in still water.

His knowledge told him when he was nearly
opposite the point where the Sioux was station-
ed, when he came to a halt and held his boat
stationary.

Just as he. had expected. The Indian had
discovered the absence of the other canoe, and
had started in search of it. Slight as was the
noise made by his paddle, Glass-Eye heard it
distinctly, and could follow the movements of
the boat by the faculty of hearing alone. Lay-
ing down his own paddle, he stretched out in
the bottom, and bringing his pocket-telescope to
the aid of his naturally strong vision, be per-
mitted himself to drift with the current, while
he watched the movements of the Sioux.

The latter kept close to the edge of the bushes,
knowing that if the wanderer for which he was
searching, had drifted away of its own accord,
it was not likely that it had floated very far
away in the stream.

With their relative positions nearly the same,
the two went down the river for some distance,
until Glass-Eye judged that they were nearly
opposite the point where he had left his friends,
when by a. slight exertion of the paddle, he held
his canoe motionless until his man was out of the
way, when he shot his boat in among the weeds
ns far as it could be driven, and stepping out
into the water, which was only a few inches
deep, walked out upon dry land.

At first, nothing was to be seen; [but the
faintest possible whinnies from his own horse
apprised him in which direction to turn, and a
few minutes laterhe placed himself beside Rosa,
who was scarcely more pleased to see him than
was Jefferson Jones himself.

“ It was all I could do to keep him uiet,” she
said, alluding to this gentleman. “ e insisted

A #«vfp—w

 

u.—

that you had gotten into deep water where you
were drowned, declaring that he imew from
your build that you did not know how to swim,
and he ought to go to your assistance. A few
minutes’ longer absence, and you would have
had him after you.”

“It was all genuine philanthropy. If your
life had been insured, the Star Spangled w’d
have been desirous that you sh‘d not have per-
ished; but I, thinking only of yourself and your
interests, was more anxious than ever to pre—
vent such a catastrophe. I trust you areman
enough to appreciate my motives."

“I rather reckon I am," growled Glass‘Eye,
“ but next time when I’m off on a little private
business of my own, you’ll wait till you hearme
yell for yer afore you come arter me.“ Wal,
things’look lovely, and we haia’t no time to
s are.

pHe explained briefly the plan he had decided

upon.. The canoe was large enough to hold all
three, while the horses must be left to them-
selves. His own animal was so well trained
that he onl needed starting right to swim
traight to the other side. Saladin’s own intel-
ligence would lead him to do the same.

“And how about yours 3’” he asked, turning
to the insurance agent.

“ We insure animals in the Star-Spangled
Banner, but I haven’t any policy on him.”

“ Hang it! that ain’t what I’m talkin’ ’bout,“
exclaimed Glass-Eye. “I wonder if you ever
think of anything else besides that infernal in-
surance business? VVal, if he won’t foller the
others, you’ll have to walk the rest of the way
to Fort Union—that’s all.”

“ You meant to ask whether mine would keep
company with the others, eh? Well, why don‘t
you say what you mean? If a horse has to be
trained two or three years to make him do that
sort of thing, I have my doubts, ’cause I‘ve
never trained mine to that sort of business; but
a man who has been as long as I have in the in-
surance—” 4
“ Tharl that’ll do; let’s be orY—no time to
talk.”

The baggage of the party, such as was liable
to be injured from coming in contact with the
water, was removed from the animals prepara-
tory to being placed in the canoe. The remain-
der was securely strapped to the back of their
animals.

Then Glass-Eye took the bridle of his own
Blunderbuss, and led him among the grass and
weeds toward the river. Saladin, at a word
from his mistress, followed, but Jones had to
use some shar urging before his animal would
'oin them. inally they moved 01! in Indian

le, stepping carefully until they got beyond
their depth, when each in turn began swun-
ming, all aiming for the opposite bank, and go-
ing ahead With a steady, even progress, like
hrutes who appreciated the labor they were set
to perform.

GlaSS-Eye stood among the weeds, watching
the long heads of the horses lying upon the wa-
ter, until they faded out in the darkness, when
he returned to where his friends awaited him,
and told them that the time had come to make

'the venture, upon the success of which so much

depended.

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West.

23

With that same rude courtesy that had dis-
tinguished him from the beginning, the hunter
picked Rosa up in his arms, hoping, as he did so,
that his own garments were not wet enou h to
cause her any annoyance, and then walks out
to where the canoe was awaiting them. De~
positing her carefully in the but, he turned
around, expecting to see the agent, but he was
not visible.

“1 do believe he expects I’m goin’ to fetch
him on my shoulder," laughed Glass-Eve. “ It
won’t do to holler. so I’ll hev to go back and tell
him to walk out himself.”

But reaching the mainland again, Mr; Jeffer-
son Jones was still missing, and the hunter not
only wondered, but began to feel a vague alarm
at the shape things were taking.

 

CHAPTER XVI.
o N '1' a a n 1 v a n .

GLASS-EYE was unwilling to wait long for the
absent Jones, for time was of inestimable value. and
a few minutes‘ delay at this critical juncture was
ver likely to be fatal to the entire party. Still he
ha: no wish to leave the fellow to his fate, when
there was a possibility of saving him—and he stood
listening and watching, expecting and ho iiig that
he would make his a pearance until near y a half-
hour had passed. an not the slightest thing had
been discovered to indicate what had become of the
agent.

This would never do, for Rosa herself was endan-
gered by the delay, beyond the mere tardiness in
crossing the river, for unable to understand the
cause for the prolonged absence of. her friends, she
might attempt to save herself, With what results
could not be conjectured.

“I guess he‘s cotched sight of an lnjin and has
gone off to get him to take outa policy. I‘ll leave

is hose on t'otlier side. and he can come when he
gita ready."

A few steps took the hunter to where he had left
the canoe. and the girl. as may be understood. was
found in a, state of great trepidation rnd alarm. He
explained in an undertone what he meant. and then
carefully introduced himself into the canoe and took
up the paddle.

“Hain't you heard nor seen nuthin'?“ he asked.
in the same cautious voice.

“I haven't even anything unusual " re lied Rosa,
“but several times 1 detected a rustling n the rass
off there to the left, which frlghtene mea ttle.
but I guess it was made by the current of the river."

" If it war," added Glass- {0, “ it’ll be made ag‘in,
'cause the tide from the Gal don‘t come up quite so
far as this. So gist listen a hit.“

Both sat mot onloss and silent for several min-
utes, at the end of which time our heroine was
cgiinpelled to declare that nothing had been heard
0 t

“Still it maybe all right,“ said Glass-Eye. as he
took up the paddle again. “It might be some rep-
tyle that was sqiiirmin’ amongst the grass ‘cause f
i war an Iniin he wouldn’t have been like to have
him ofl so oug. Now, gal, I‘m goin' to s ove out,
and want or to kce as mum as er know how."

Rosa. no (led her and to sign fy that she was
ready to execute her part of the contract, and the
hunter began pushing the little boat through the

rass. doing it with a skill and silence that would
have been impossible in one less experienced than
e.

The absence of Jones led him to believe that the
Sioux in some wa or Other had somethin to do
with it. and made iim all the more careful n these
preliminary movements.

The sky, which. up to this time, had given no in-
dications of an elemental disturbance now showed
serious signs of a coming trouble. A dark. heavy

 

 

 

24

bank of clouds that during the earlier portion of the
evening la so low in the horizon, as to attract no
attention, ad been gradually stealing upward for
the last hour or two, and its ragged edges already
obscured the face of the moon.

There was something so culiar in the a roach
of this turmoil, that Glass. [ye held his pa (1 e mo‘
tionless for a few seconds w ile he watched it. The
heavy impenetrable wall of blackness that kept
creeping up the sky, was like the insidious approach
of night itself seeking to smother the moon in its
murky robes.

A coolness of the atmosphere was also percepti-
ble, as a steadily increasing breeze swept across the
river and fanned their faces, and it was very evident
that elemental commotion of some nature was upon
them, and would be delayed but a very brief time.

This change was not Without its advantages to the
fugitives. Glass-Eye saw in the increasing darkness
his opportunity for a greater freedom of movement,
and abetter chance for eluding the Sioux in case
their hunt should become too hot for comfort.

By the time the outer margin of the grass was
reached the moon was blotted from the heavens,
and a pail of midnight darkness had settled over the
river. Glass-Eye could scarcely distinguish the fig-
ure of Rosa, who cowered in the other portion of the
boat, with something of that terror which creeps
ovgra dumb animal at the approach of the sun's
ec se.

“ on't be scared," he said, in a reassuring voice,
“it‘s a good thing to ggt this inky weather about us,
fur. don‘t you see we ‘11 pass that much nearer the
varmints without thar seein' us?“

There was some consolation in this fact. and she
assured him that he need have no misgivings about
her timidity.

“ Go ahead and act as though I was not with you,“
she added. as he cautiously felt his way out into the
l'lVSl‘.

“Not exactly," be re lied, as much to himself as
her. “Ef I war alone. wouldn’t be dodgiu’ them
red-skins quite so hard as this. I'd run a little more
risk of a scrimmage with them. Bars and cata-
mounts. but it ar‘ dark!"

The gloom was now absolutely impenetrable, and
the hunter would have headed directly across the
stream. addling without intermission until he
reached t e other side, if matters had not taken a
rather alarming turn at this juncture.

Directly before them and at the very point at
which Glass-Eye was aiming, a signal-fire suddenly
flashed out to view. It burned with a steady in»
tense brightness, that sent its rays far out upon the
murky river, and caused the hunter suddenly to
check himself, while he studied its nature.

“ Some of the blamed varmints are thar,“ he mut-
tered, angrily. “ They’ve found out we‘re on the
river, and they're bound we sha’n’t git off it. Let
‘em hinder us if the can—"

" Look!“ gasped be frightened Rosa. from her
part of the boat, “ the seem to be all about us.“

That which caused t is exclamation was the sud-
den agpearance of a second fire, on the shore which
they ad just left, and so close, that the girl in-
stinctively shrunk back fearful that she would be
discovered.

As nearly as Glass-Eye could make out, it was
upon the very spot where he had parted from the
insurance agent. and. taken in connection with his
disappearance, convinced him that some deep
scheme of the Sioux was under way, the precise
nature of which he did not understand.

The fire upon the far shore was much larger than
the nearer one, and there was an evident communi-
cation between the two. The former burned with a
steady glare, like that of Venus, while the. one near‘
gr to bhim showed some appearances altogether dit-

eren .

The hunter was watching it intently in the expec-
tation of discovering the passage of somebody be-
fore the blaze, when a torch was suddenly lifted,

Glass-Eye. the Great Shot of the West.

 

 

and whirled around three times with such rapidity
that it resembled a wheel of fire more than any
thing else.

This done, the torch was mer d into the fire
burning upon the ground, and lass-Eye looked
across the river at the distant glimmer to see wheth-
er there was to be any response from there.

It came next moment and both he and Rosa dis-
tinctly saw the swee o the torch until it had made
a revolving circle our times—and then that too
vanished in gloom. Once again the same thing was
done at the fire near them, exce t that five revolu-
tions were repeated, and then, or the present, the
si 'naling ended.

his was Sioux telegraph , and what was more,
Glass-Eye was able to r- a it. Like the operator.
who stands within hearing of the instrument and
reads the message from the sense of sound, he was
able to “ capture " this as it went by.

" The varmints thar have notified the varmints
over yonder that we’ve left the shore and ar' on the
river atween ‘em. Them four circles meant that they
understand it, and would send out some of thar
warriors to cut us off, instead of waitin‘ tell we
landed. And then these dogs ag‘in make five circles
which says ust as plain as if they had bawled it out
in English 1 at they’ll do the same thingsz on see
the fire we‘re put in, my alwwith ‘em on bo h sides
of us, and you see, too, ow lucky it is the moon
has gone out of sight—fur if we had that to tight
ag‘in‘, I can't understand how we'd manage to pull
through."

“ And now i”

“Thar’s no telliu‘ what kiu be done in a half<
dozen such hours as these. Ef I kin keep from run-
nin' into a fleet of 'em I don't think thar’ll be much
trouble in reachin’ t‘other shore."

“ But it looks as if they had our animals “

“Don‘t think they hcv, ‘cause Blunderbuss is a
little too cute to be cotched handy—but 'shi—fur a
whisper may let ’em know whar we are."

 

CHAPTER XVII.
“ AT SEA."

HUNTER and maiden were now adrift upon a
“ moonless sea,” where all the consummate skill of
the veteran was needed to Elliot them through the
breakers and to prevent u ter wreck. He was like
the captive who undertakes to run the gantlet blind-
folded. There was no conjecturing when or where
he would come out, if indeed he was to succeed in
coming out at all.

Stealthin the paddle was dipped into the swiftly-
flowinq current, and the cunning hand of Glass-Eye
impelled them forward without the least ri pie or
misc. Could human vision have penetrated t e star‘
less gloom, it would have seen the canoe creeping
on over the fretted waters. like the head of some
monster of the deep that had come to the surface.
and was noiselessly stealing up to the twinkling
camp-fire in quest of its prey.

Rosa remembered the warning and made no at-
tempt to s eak even in the lowest whisper. She
could see t e dim outlines of the hunter, as he sat
bolt-upright in the boat, speeding it forward with
that silent skill that had marked every movement
since he came out from amon the tall grass. She
could detect the movements 0 his arms, as he shifts
ed the long ashen blade from one side to the other,
but it was like pantomime, or the flickering shadows
on the wall.

Glass-Eye was puzzled to decide what point he
should aim at, for the Sioux, understanding what a
prairie genius they were seekin to outwit, would be
certain to employ their most su tle powers against
him. It did not seem natural that he would addlo
directly toward the signal-fire, and because it id not
seem natural, might be the very reason for the red-
skins to conclude that the scout would do the same
thing. The same objection obtained whether he
rowed down or upstream, and it was these perpler

    

  

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mg conclusions Which led him to drive the birchcn

st ructure forward t a moderate speed, without nim-

mg at any sEarticu point, and content to make

garner ore wh ever it could be done with
. Y-

He called into action his utmost power of vision,
and was on? fairly out upon the broad river when
he faintly iscerned the outlines of‘ a large canoe,
containing a number of Indians. It was directly
in end, its course at exact right-an leg with his own.
lhe stealth and quiet with which t icy were proceed-
38ey§3£ttge leastes‘logifid having tracheal the ears of

' rov . 0 were u ) w t 6 sum x tricks
with himself y l L

It was an even chance whether the two would be
seen or not. With the some power that he had
called into €121 during the last half-hour. Glass-Eye

I held his litt e at motionless, while the phantom-
“ke figure crossed her how, and the next instant
vanished in the gloom,

Still our hero failed to resume the progress which
had been made with such extreme caution u to
this It was |not because he was afraid 0 at-
‘mc‘; n3 attention from the canoe which had just
disapprared, but because he was well satisfied that
Oihers were _da.ngerons1y close, and there was as
much safety in drifting with the Current as there
was in breastlng it.

did not understand the cause of this delay,
but she neither stirred nor spoke, and she was won-
de Why he lot so much precious time puss, when
hers ruined ear caught just the faintest warming
{Wile—so faint, indeed, that she knew not whether

t came from the air above her, or from the shore.
0" the river: but Glass-Eye recognized the direction,
salt]! it confirmed his worst fears. There were Sioux
be ind 11101, In front, and indeed on every hand;
and. for the first time since starting from the shore,

e became certain that it was impossible to reach
the other bank in their present form.

There were more red-skins afloat than he had sus-
Bmed. and turn in whatsoever direction he might.

e was sure to run into them.

Amman effort was necessary. and he leaned
1‘0"” i so as to bring his face close to that of the
frightened r].

n 3053. e whisfvered, s airing her name for the
i rsttlme since the r meeting, and in such a tender
h h t1i’llyuwhisper the h it was, that it stirred

E‘I'YM: Rosa. I shall ave to leave you again."

both 0“ “9 W159." she replied. “If we cannot
990393. It is Prudent that you should see to
Your own New. - G0 at once, and if you should
:‘f’eh'irfiengf giggle; tell h‘l'm my last thoughts were
on

nag? (iofile for me." 5’ or a i that you ave so
ass- 6 started as if stun nd

he“ kg 1}; ngrgwful an ,0" g by a serpent, a
You 11 am use enon h for that .’ Do
, You bel eve that anything in tin s gorid could lead

38:0 desert you for my own safety? I would rnth r

i :0 you had fired every chamber of your revolvgr

n“ E1331?“ bi'east “gain to havcfisalid that.”

9 me ass-e e. misunderstood on
but ISeason would dictatL" y ’
ever mind. now," he added in something of a.

mm hopeful and cheerful tone. “ I hope to settle

a(tillccount with you at some other time. I have
$1, 9 u my mind that there is no getting the canoe
6 f0 be other side to-nlght. when we are both in

it. I m Iicing to my the paddle in the boat, and

Min be ad it. with my hands against the stern. If
‘henvay is clear, I'll get you to the other side in time,
though it won‘t be at locomotive speed. If the val"
mints do come u and take the hon . they Won’t git
me, and if they tgke charge of you."
b t hutouromem%rmhaln gifiogndzsomewnerl;

0 5nd naver cave t go you on 0
441m ' . hag up n heart. She var-

‘oro-s' little thic or on t a river than I’vebeon
to seeing '4: but I’ve no doubt we‘ll pull

  
 

t

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the Waste,

n't make any '

 

In
one: all. 'i‘here ain’t 8591 that walks the"

,as,

 

nirth that I’d do as much fur, as I would for you," ’

Rosa.‘

Again she felt the strange thrill, which had stirred
her very soul. more than once, since they had been
together. Something seemed to tellher that the
hunter held feelings toward her which were difler~
out from those of ordinary friendship. and a 
delightful suspicion came over her that her own
heart was drawn toward him, in these hours of
fearful Bern that the had spent together. .

For t e moment 9 forgot that they were walled
in on every hand by the most implacab e of enemies.
and she saw only the strong, manly form of the
hunter, who was so ready to lay down his life for
her sake. A halo of glory and beauty surrounded
the bronzed face. such as no other could wear, and
she could have listened to his sweet, delightful words
the night through, had he been given the chance
to utter them.

But it was his very love for the girl that made it
impossible to for oi: the demands her safety
made 11 n him. ‘{while he was talking, he hurl
fustene his rifle to is back. It was of a make 1)
which he could immerse it in water, for anyhlengt
of time, without damage to the charge with .

Above all things he wished rfect freedom with
his arms and limbs), and havmg secured it, he was
now ready to play the part of water-s irit.

“I can see better with my hood own near the
surface." said he, “and it may be that you‘ll git a
chance to do something by hiding yourself. If I
want you to lower your head, so that no one can
See you, without lookin over the innwale, I'll shake
Hicflboat and you’ll rstand w at I want you to

o. ‘ '
Rosa re lied that she comprehended his wishes.
and woul Be ck to obey them whenever he chose
to make them nown.

“ I don’t know but what that insurance agent won
the wisest after all, in taking another course. It 110*
had staid with us, he would have been gone sure
before this, for he couldn’t kept his mouth closed
for suchalong time. Well. cod-by.” ' '

As he spoke. he let himse I over the stern of the
canoe. going down in the water. as silently as if he
wfrgre his own paddle, which he had thrust in so
«1 en. ‘

Rosa. listened. but she heard nothing of him, and
she concluded that he had left the boat to drift with
the current. until she became aware that there was
a gentle change in its direction and the soft ri
pling of the stream against its sides, shawed that t
was still under the control of the some pome
arm that had guided it so for on its way. ‘

“ Can he make his way through this lohyrlnth of
danger?" she askedd herself. peegngngito the 
rounc mg 2 com an e ting e glance ‘
clutch sight of the dram canoes stealing toward

er. . ,_...._ , '

nor-mm mo consul-mun. ' 1
Km the darkness continued otthot dense nature

which had marked the firstobsmration of themoon,‘ '

it is here! ssible that Glass-Eye might have:
worked in: 3:300 11 to the other bank, but,
the elements that had been, so favorable thus for
now to not them. ' ‘ '
Despite the mass of in
sky, and the cool wind milled the vows; there
was not the faintest rumble of thunder; or Mo!
lightning. nor dvop of water  them.
It was one of mmgngemdior mm or 0 elements
which seem indig unto t.
indicative of no serious, disturbance at ‘ail. ‘
There came a. lifting nowof this dents pail-4
tial dissolving of the merit blockuou that ad

the moon—pennittin a nonofthem tir- 
thgne the river helownn'"

3 through and
W Rosa found her Seed of vision who
ncrense '

d. ' .
She found that she could see fully fifty feét in I 

clouds which m the ‘

he mt West; saw;

7 «3“
w,

 

 

   
   
    
   
 

26

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West.

 

every direction, and she had scarcel made the dis-
covery when it was followed by anot er one, alarm-
ing enough. Toward the shore which they had so
recently ft. was distinctly visible the figure of a
large canoe, with fullyhalf a dozen Indians—«its posi-
tion and appearance such as to rove that it was the
one which passed so near em, and which was
now retumin on its search.

It was so painly seen, that there was scarwa a
possibility that its inmates could fail to detect the
smaller oneso close by and this thought had scarce-
ly entered her head, when she felt a jarring of the
boat. as if it had struck somethin in the river.

This was a reminder from Glass- ye that she must
conceal herself. and she instantly leaned forward,
resting upon her side, so that every portion of her
body was below the gunwale of the canoe, and in
this attitude she awaited the ending of this terrible
state of suspense.

In this position, with all her nerves at the highest
pitch, she could feel the slight but regular pulsation
of the propeller, as he shoved the boat forward
through the water. He was swimming in that cau-
tious, silent manner which made it seem as if some
tiny screw were stealthily working the vessel toward
its destination.

But the Sioux would not have been Indians had
they failed to discover the prize for which the were
searching, when they were so close to it, an Rosa
heard a tturai exclamation, which, she was well
satisfied her mind. accompanied the detection of
the boat, and then her suspense and anxiety were
intensified until the issue should become apparent.

It seemed to the girl as if discovery itself would
be a relief to this continued and terrible tension of
the nerves, and if fate had determined that she
should not escape, she desired to know it at once.

It must be known to these red-skins,«0r at least
suspected, that there was an empty canoe adrift on
the river, and seeing no one in this, would they con—
clude that it was the unoccupied one?

It would seem that such could scarcely be the
case, and et Glass-Eye placed some hope upon it.
lie knew t e Sioux were moving rapidly about the
river. and Would not stop at anythin less than that
for which they were actually search ng. and ii con-
vinced that nothing was here would ass on.

But the hope was without cundat on. When the
Indians detected the canoe, the headed directly
toward it, approaching at a cant one rate, for they
held this wonderful hunter iu wholesome dread, and
there was no easing what scheme he had under
wa for their scomflture.

of their warriors had ahead bitten the dust
from dread rifle or terrible righ arm. and leav—
ing one of their number to mangfie the single pad-
diee the held their was. as re y for instant use,
as he nee between e two was gradually less-
ened, and the crouching lion still resolutely kept
himself out of sight.

As minute after minute slowly passed awa , Rosa
Beckwith began feeling a painful revival 0 hope
when all at once, there was another slightjarring of
the boat. and looking up, she saw in the gloom the
horrid face of a Sioux Indian almost against her

own.
“ 0’ hi" he exclaimed. with an exulting 1e,
“ whl flower—much find.” gum
And then two others {Joined him, and the terrified
girl raised herself to t e sittin position, with her
mad almost amo these red-s ins, who as may he
:gposed were exu taut enough at the success which
n rewarded their perseverance—a success, how-
ever, thatwas only partial, for the had set their
hearts upon securing Wall-winger, t e Great Shot.
whohad slain so many of their warriors, and for
,  xtlrggtion they had come a long distance.
of t m seem d to have a partial knowledge
oflinglish, and the rst inquiry they made after
discove she was alone. was:
."Where Wan-wings?" V ,
. “Who is he?" asked the trembhngRosa in turn.

 

“ Wah-winga. the Great Shot—kill many brave
Intiinsnhe paddle ofl with white flower—where he?"

‘ He left the boat some time agn," was the truth-
ful reply. “ You cannot find him." '

So it seemed, indeed; but if they had known how
near that same individual was to them that minute,
perhaps they would have diflered in opinion; but as
it looked as f he was beyond their reach, they gave
over further thought of him and bestowed their at-
tention upon the prize in hand,

One of the Sioux stepped his tly into the canoe,
and as the other started for lan , he followed, keep-
ing a short distance in the rear.

There was one feature about this proceeding which
struck Glass-Eye as a redeeming one. That was that
instead of taking the boat back to the shore theyhad
just left. they aimed toward the one which he had
been striving so long to reach.

Few ersons could have seen anything speciall
romising in this. but in Glass-Eye‘s estimation it
a in the fact that Rosa would be upon “ the right
si e ” of the river, which in realltg'as the great
chasm that. up to this time, had so rcal‘v im-
passable. Between this stream and Fort Union
there was nothin of a similar nature that could
possibly occasion t em any trouble and so, if they
could once secure a fair start, he ad no doubt of
their safe arrival at the post.

The hunter‘s words and actions showed that he
had no doubt of his ability to recapture her, as
indeed he had already dnne, and his maneuver-
ing. in fact, forced the Sioux to do a it of
the actual carrying of the lady toward her estiha-

ion.

This knowledge prevented the position of our
heroine from being one of utter despair, although
the com anionship of these savages was sumcient
to horri y any one. The one who had taken charge
of her boat swung‘ the paddle with an easy move-
ment. that proved is training in the delicate art of
managing the frail vessel; but Rosa noticed that as
they proceeded across the river they gradually fell
behind the large boat, whose occupants were mak-
ing no effort to take the lead.

t seemed to escape the eye pf the single red-skin,
until the other was Just vanishing in the gloom, when
he expressed his surprise by a guttural exclamation
and instantly applied himself with renewed elfort
to close the gap between them.

For a short time everything went well, and he was
rapidly gaining. when in spite of his efforts, the boat
began dragging again—and a jarring resistance was
perceptible which satisfied the red-skin that some-
thi was wrong. , ‘
Sn 1 he persevered in his work until his comrades
vanished entirely from view. when he laid down his
paddle and sat perfectiiy motionless for a minute or

wo, which he devote to a careful study of the
“ disease " of the canoe. The result was the con-
viction that there was something in the water,
which was playing the mischief, and he stealtheig
leaned over t e stern. knife in hand to cor
glib trouble, the nature of which be fully suspect-

CHAPTEB XIX.
on ma ornaa sins.

Jusr as the Sioux leaned over the edge of the
canoe he caught sight of the well-known head of
Glass- ye, who seemed to make no effort to escape
his scrutiny. ' 7

"Ugh!" exclaimed the redskin, as he raised his
wea n aloft.comprehending on the instant the cause
of h s trouble in locomotion.

The next moment. the knife was raised ~aloft,
and,” it descended, with a spiteful force, tasty
palled Rosa gave utterance to a faint scream 0 ton

ror. - .
But the alarmwas unn ' fordespite the. " .

disadvantage of tions, the he’rcuiean hunter.

grasped the wrls of his enemy like a visa,

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‘rv run é...‘ nan-nu‘

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fi‘fl:

Glue-Bye. the ‘Great Shot of the Welt.

2'."

 

. t
H I
3th a prodigious eflort,’drew him headlong into the
ver.

The Sioux went down with a loud s lash, and
- for a minute or two, the ml was para yzed with
Eh; evidence of the fierce s ggle gonng on so near

But it was brief aslt was terrific, and while she sat

, Certain of the worst, the canoe gave a frightful

.lurcb, and the dripping form of the brave borderer

came over the gunwa e, and the next instant the

paddle was in his hand.
“ Now we have another chance,“ said he, in a low,

« cautious vowe. and Without the least a ) Jarent ex-
, citement, at the awful conflict from which he had
,, emerged; “keep quxet and we may come out all
right at." .

As a spoke he dipped the paddle in the water,
turning the how completely about and drove it
swiftly toward the shore, the out ines of which
were fairly discernible through the darkness of the

zht. - he tall heavy grass seemed to offer an
,lmpenetrable wall to their further progress. but
it was this same shelter which he coveted now
7 more than an thing else and he made toward-it
with a speed which seemed dangerous under the em-

cumstances. _

The other canoe, containing the SIOUX was but a
, short distance away, and they were  with
a carelessness that enabled Glass- ye to ocate
them without the least difficulty. and conse uently
gave him all the guide he needed to keep c ear of
 coming in collision with them.

His is e) e was turned in every direction, pene-
' trating t e darkness, on the watch for the insidious
approach of his enemies. and Rosa scarcely dared
draw a breath of relief until the soft rustling of the
, mas, against the bow of the boat, indicated that
the were_ forcing their way through it.

at 3 ago of an lndian had yet been seen, and
both the occupants felt a stronger hope than ever,
that they were to succeed in pulling through the
vast difficulties which had hedged them in so close-
ly and so long.

As the rass grew denser. and the water more
shallow. G s-Eye ceased paddling, and used the
blade as a pole, shoving the boat forward. with us
much stealth and caution, as if certain that the
rushes were alive with his enemies.

In this way, it required but a few minutes for
him to approach within a rod of the hard, firm
earth, where he ceased his labors and came to a
:1 dead standstill. '

.. All was silence, and nothing of a threatening
- Character could be seen or heard.
‘ “What will they think and do, when they find
‘ nothing of the other canoe?” Rosa. ventured to ask.
leaning forward. so that her head was close to that
. Of her protector. .
:’ “Don‘t know," was the answer. "It'll bother
i‘ their brains a considerable, I reckon, to understand
‘3

    
 

What tricks he has been u to.’
“They will miss us pre ty soon, will they not?"
“Yes, and will begin to make a hunt for us—so
you see we're not out of the woods yet."
1’ “ I’l‘ad we not better land, and make ofl while we

" ' “There's the 'trouble " he said. with some per-
ty of manner. “ We‘re a full uarter of a mile

low where our horses landed, an them varmiuts

are amv’e us. We've got to get by ’em to reach our

“ on we not make a circuit out upon the prairie,
10 u w M around them i" inquired Rosa, who
hired that this delay W8! do“
u rye been thinking of that. but I opine. I kin git
one or the bosses at leastfiandflfotch him down hyar,
».ll9tter than wekingow "n-
1» y do you no land then and do it while I wait
.  for you i“

v Thatseemstobethebest thing “,3th
M9: and yet I almost swore I d never leave you to

the

chance of getting cotched in another such “

 

 

scrape. The varmints may come down on er while
I‘m gone. and then tharllbe thehardes kind of
work to do: but, mind, if such a thin does ha pen,
that you mustn’t git down in the mout , furI’ll otoh
you out of our trouble ef I bay to foller you all the
way to the d River 0 the North."

‘ i do not doubt on in the least," returned Rosa
with considerable eeling; “ you have already rlske
your life over and over aga n for m sake, and no
matter what the result may be, I she] be as grateful
as ever. '

“ I wish I could do ten times as much," repeated
Glass-Eye, more to himself than to his companion.
“it is a strange chance that has thrown ou in my
way. and I can see the workings of evidence
through it all. I pray that He may not forsake us
now in the crisis 0 our peril."

The heart of Rosa was thrilled by these word
which sounded to her like the earnest, im assume
pleadings of some lover kneeling at her eet. She
could make no reply. for she knew not what to say,
and there seemed indeed no reply required.

For a moment or so there was sdence between
the two. the emotions of Glass-Eye being such that,
for the instant, he fo ot the peril by w ich he was ,,
surrounded and for t e first time in his life, he was
recalled to his duty by the words of his companion.

I “gill! it be safer for me to wait here than upon
an

"lguess we'll try the shore," said the hunter;
“they‘ll go hunting for the canoe, and will be likely
to find it retty soon, toov~but they won’t know
where to ook for you—that is before daylight
comes."

Glass-Eye cautiously raised himself to his full
hight in the boat, so that his head towered above
the grass, and he looked in every direction. Right
and left was the rustling grass. and back of him
flowed the broad, rapid river, dimly visible in the
pale light of the moon, and without an object dis-
cernib e upon its surface.

Directl in front was the rairie, stretching away
to a dis nee almost illim table in the loom and
darkness. The signal-fire which had can: t the eye
of the hunter, and aggrised him of the mischief
afoot, was extinguish , and it was night every-
where aud in whatsoever direction he looked.

But the Sioux, those creatures of the hi ht. were
prowlintg all around, imd {’10 onehcould tcfiat what
momen , nor pl’uclse y w ere x 6 would ri
from the earth. y 3p “8

“I see nothing of them,“ said Glass-E e, as he
crouched down again. “it isn't likely t at we‘ll
have a better chance. How I wish that ink-blanket
would spread over the moon again—but it won‘t, so
we’ll make a strike.”

Ste pm carefully into the water, it was found to
be on y a ew inches in depth; and having adjusted
his weapon so as to leave his arms free, he raised
the maiden as thou h she were but the merest child,
and walked carefu ly through the grass until he
stood upon term m ma.

“There,” he whispered, as he set her down with

some reluctance, “ we‘re across the river at lost. If
lcan‘t find the bosses, l'll come back and take you
to Fort Union in my arms. It would be happiness
to do so. and if I believed it possible, it should be
done." ‘
Having placed her 11 n her feet, he still kept her
small hand imprisonetan his own. and theyw ed
carefully forward u n the prairie, all their senses
upon the alert, and ully aware of the peril in which
they were placed.

Rosa saw no reason whg they should not hurry
forward in this manner an accomplish all the dis~
tance possible while darkness was at their com-
mand; but Glass-Eye knew it would never do. be -
light was ahead close at hand, and every loot u
this direction on separated them that much tmxn
theirindispensa 6 horses.

No matter how lar the might journey on foot.
they could be easily traied as soon as the sun

 

 

 

 

' stood silent and listening,

1"

About a hundred feet southward

as.

should rise. and speedily overhauled by the Sioux
sweeping over the plains mounted upon their swift

 

CHAPTER XX.
.mrnnson JONES ON A scour.
. Mn. Jnmasou J ONES, insurance agent. has al-
ready proven himself a entleman who will _not he
put down, and it is but 3ust that we should give him
a few words of attention.

His separation from Glass-Eye and Rosa was with-
out any premeditation on his part, and the conse
quences were as little foreseen as those of that
eventful ride which Rosa took from her father‘s wa-
gon-train, a few mornings before. i ,

Jones saw from the manner of the hunter that he
‘had no intention _of carryin him out upon his
shoulders, and knowing that t e canoe in waiting
had been found. he thought there was good reason
to believe that he might discover one lying so closa
against shore that it might be entered dry-shod. In
case he did, he meant to take charge of it and i -
dle across upon his own account, a procee ing
‘which he was sure would tend to increase the re-
spect of the hunter for him.

So he rode off down the river-bank. keeping a
“ sharp eye to windward,“ while he walked as close
to the grass as ,circumstances would allow. It is
scarcely necessary to say that he failed to find that
for which he was hunting, even though he went a
long distance away from his starting point.

e gloom was so great that he could scarcely see
his hand before his face, and on this account, it may
be. that his sense of hearin was all the more acute;
for he had stood still scarce y a minute when he was
certain he heard some one walking over the grass
toward him, with a. stealthy. cat-like movement,
31ml? was calculated to make the bravest man trem-

e.

What should he do? If he turned to run, he was
afraid of betraying his position and inviting a rifle’
shot; and if he stood still, he was sure the Indian
would run against him, and then there would be the
mischief to ay.

However, econcluded to stoop down and abide
the result; but. when he became more satisfied than
ever that the red-skin was about to tumble over him
he attempted to steal to one side in the grass, but
as luck would have it, it entangled his foot in some
way, and he almost turned a somerset before he
could stop himself. .

Believing a row was inevitable, Jones held his gun
in hand. ready to discharge it at the instant he could
locate his foe: but. with his own mishap, everything
became as silent as the tomb around him.

There was no doubt of the Indian being very close
at hand, but the trouble was that the two might
have touched each other without knowi it in this

loom. The situation was such an excee ineg try-
one to Jones that he concluded to back out at
any cost, and he began a retrograde movement,
which seemed to succeed, for soon the steps were
heard no more. .
. Amid the stillnesst gloom of the night, as he
6 heard three low, can-
tious si nals. which, it will be remembered, caught

'the not es of Glass-Eye, while he was carefully

guiding the canoe across the river. This seemed, to
some extent. to make him uneasy as he could
not fgsl certain of what these calls and replies
mean . , ,.

" They‘ve found I'm off here somewhere," he con-
cluded. " and they’re gathering a force to attack
me. They know. it’ll take a i number, and so
they're going to heel e me on al sides, firing from
the four quarters of e compass at the same time.
Under such ’an arrangement, it‘s best for me to

.make a change of bane."

This was easily enough done, the agent locating
He would have

us still further. but for the partial clearing of the
‘ , which he was afraid would draw too much

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West;

 

 

.- 7.. ._ .u. __.i . 7m ,. »..‘.-_..__a

tcntion to his movements, and he paused once '
row, with his feet ankle-deep in the water of the
I‘lVel‘.

Standing thus and looking in eve direction .in
turn, he became aware that some 0 ject was ex-
tended along the ground. a few feet in front of
him. He was only able to detect the barest out-
lines, and could not for the life of him make out
what it was.

Moving forward a few steps, he finally saw that it
was a canoe, resting in the shallow water.

“The very thing for which I've been looking so
long," he delightedly exclaimed to himself. “ Now,
I'll appropriate that shoot across the river, get my
horse, strike a bee-ine for Fort Union, get in a
couple of days ahead of GlassEye and my beloved.
insure the whole garrison and wagon-train, and
smilin ly await the coming of the hunter, who I
don’t t ink will be able to hold out much longer."

By this time, he was within reach of the canoe
and, placing one hand upon the gunwale, stepped
softly within.

As he did so, he placed his foot squarely upon the
stomach of some one asleep in the bottom of the
boat, who gave out a fearful grunt, and seized him
with tremendous power.

“I surrenderl" groaned Jones; “I surrender!
Why don‘t you let go and run?"

CHAPTER XXI.
'rna secure or ran snore.

GLASS-EYE moved off across the rairie, with the
cautious stealth of a Wild-cat. He eh. that it was a
critical period for his companion. The river passed.
the way was now open to Fort Union, and rovided
they could get possession of their horses, t ere was
a air prospect of their leaving this dangerous
re ’on in their rear. 

e had proceeded some two hundred yards in this
manner. when his trained ear detected the slightest
possmle sound, and he paused and listened. All v
seemed still, but suspecting what it meant. he
stooped down and ap lied his ear to the ound.
Yes; it was the faint t ump of horses’ 1100 s u n
the earth, and it needed only aminute’s close at en-
tion to discover that they were moving down the
river. and in a direction that led directly away from
the hunter, who sprung instantly to his feet, and
dashed through the darkness. like a man running
from deadly peril.

It was a proof of the remarkable skill and knowl-
edge of these men, that the hunter not only'dis—
covered the direction these horses were pursuing
but the precise distance they were off, and all
through his single faculty of hearing. A rapid run
speedily brought him in sight of three animals,
walking away, conducted bya huge Indian, who
sat upon the middle _one, and was leading the horse
of Rosa upon one side, and that of the insurance
agent upon the other.

“ Blast his picture i" muttered Glass-Eye, when he
recognized the state of affairs. “Such im udence
as that ought to be made an example of. eidea
of he, a genuine red-skin, getting astraddle of my
horse—it’s too much—too much i"

His ride was already at his shou der, when be
reflected that the crack of the was n would be
likely to mix thin s; for a large num er of the red-
skins were close a band, under the impression that



the fugitives were still upon the river and their mis-  ' .

take would thus be made known to them.

But Glass-Eye had set out to rescue the horses,
and he only substituted one scheme for another,
Lowering his rifle, he ran softly forward, giving ut-
terance to a low whistle, when a rod or two distant.

Blunderbuss instantly halted and prloked up higteahr:

for he identified it on the moment as the call _
master. ' '

The Indian noted it also. and his suspiciousth ‘ 
told him at once that some mischief was up. and he ‘ -'

turned his head List in time to catch at ht of dirk
figure that boun ed forward. landing lil‘i‘ea beam

 

i4
1
$1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

- swish of a canoe forcing its we.

- which was

b-.—.‘._ .- ,__.. ,.._.l

the haunches of the steed. Glass-E 6 had his knife
in one hand, and made a clutch at t e red-skin, but
the latter was too quick for him, and was on the
animal like a shot.

“ ‘Tis With-wings. the Great shot!" exclaimed the
Indian, speedirlifi away like the wind and leapinr
from side to e, and contortiu his body in al
sorts of ways, so as to distract t e aim of the ter-
rible hunter. who, he expected, would fire every

~m1nute. _
But Glass-E e did not consider the ame worth

the candle an the very instant he caug t the reins
of Bluiidenbuss. he wheeled him about and gallopcd

» back at full speed toward the point where Rosa was

awaiting him, the other two horses following close
athis heels. The wide-awake girl heard them ap—
proach, and advancin some distance over the
prairie toward him, on ed his name in acautious
v01ce.

“ Here I am!" he re lied, in his gruff way, as he
caught the faint soundp and hurried in her direction.
He had scarcely caught sight of her form, when her

. own mustang gave utterance to a Joyful neigh of
recognition and dashed in ahead of him. Rosa

scarcely needed the help of the hunter’s outstretched
hand, when she was in the saddle again, and they
were ready for their ride to Fort Union.

They were still close to the river, ml in accord-

~ ance with his cautious nature, GlaSS- ya reined his

horse down to adead stand-still. whispering to his
charge to do the same, while .both listened intently
in the hope that their ears might gain some knowl-
edfi‘e which was denied their Sight.
this respect, they were not disappfinted. The
sound of a paddle was heard. and t en the soft
throu h the tall
grass, very near the spot where t 6 two hemseives
. landed but a short time before.
f‘Let us hurry away.“ suggested Rosa, who as
might be expected, was growing ver uneasy at the
tardiness of her friend. “They m
a few minutes more."

“Be patient a few seconds,“ he returned; “that
doesn't sound to me like the party that have landed
there. Hark!” ‘

At this instant. in the still night air, a well-known
voice was heard:

“ When I stepped over the canoe and sat down, I
was in such a hurry that I didn't observe that you
was taking a nap there. else! wouldn’t have sot
down on our stomach and woke you up. But I‘ll
make it a i right, by giving you preachers’ rates in
the'Star Spangled Banner Insurance Com any—"

, “That b amed fool don‘t know what ( anger he’s
in," whispered Glass-Eye. “ If he stays there flvu
minutesmore. he’s a dead dog sure. Hold on a
minute till I try to raise him.”

Rosa was glad enough to hear that he contem-
plated tlus deed of mercy and she rayed for his
success, while the hunter drew his gorse round to
the right, and cautiously advanced until he could
learn the position of the parties.

lass-Eye had not exaggerated the danger of Jeff-

_ erson Jones, who was really in more peril than he

been at any time since leaving the “home
silica," and coming out West. Upon entering the
the canoe. upon the other side of the river, where
thevsleepinv Indian lay, it would be hard to say

the most amazed. The red-skin, however.
was the first to recover his self-command, and
caught and. disarmed the agent in a. twinkling.
Clutchmg him by the throat. he was on the very
point of burying hi knife to the hilt in his body,
when another sav e came forward out of the
loom, and the wor was stayed a moment until
e could consult msglether. ' ‘

e result of this art conference was the con-
clusion that it was best to extract some knowledge
from their risoner before tti him to death.
And so, all Six-9e arran ed t emse vesinthe boat,

V and while one of the re -skins used the paddle, the
. otherquestioned him in broken English V

i

Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West. ‘ 89

discover us in .

gation for the

 

i

 

Jeerrson Jones lied amazingly, and yet it is
scarcely fair to speak of it in that fashion, inasmuch .
as he had no certain knowledgfi of the whereabouts
of GlassEye and the lady. e did his utmostto
befriend tie two by locating them where he. was
certain they could not be; and h the time the
other shore was reached, he was qui e sanguine that
they were completely astray, as to where to look
for the young lady. whom hey were all so anxious
to secure. ‘ '

It was here that the captors by a species of tele-
graphy unknown to the one most concerned had
arranged that the white man was to be killed and
scalped—a fate which they would have been only
too glad to visit upon the greater and much’more
feared Glass-Eye. '

Jones had just completed the observation which
we have already reached. when he was horrified by
the sudden discover ', that the two red-skins were
on the point of ta ing his life. They had com-
pletely disarmed him, so that he was without the
means of resistance, and the poor fellow knew how
utterly useless it was to make any appeal to their
magnanimlt or mercy. One swnrtby wretch stood
upon his rig it hand and the other upon hisleft, each
apparentl waiting for some signal before doing
their devi ish work.

The agent had but one desperate recourse left and
that was to cut and run, a recourse which, it would
seem, could only defer his frightful fate, seein that
both were much more fleet of foot than he. ut he
did not hesitate; suddenly ducking his head. to
avoid the blow that was read to descend, be bound-
ed away at full speed. As e did so the red-skins
leaped after him. both with upraised knives, and
side by side. At that instant the thunder of horse’s
hoofs was heard, and the mighl‘tjy mustang, u n
which sat the infuriated Glass ye, with one re-
mendous lun e, crushed one of the wretches be-
neath his iron eet, and leaning forward. the hunter.
with one terrific swoop of his right arm. smote the
other to the earth, as if stricken bye bolt from
heaven. '

Jones, ignorant that he had been saved, was speed-
ing away for life, when the plunging horse was
almost upon him. Still he did not look up, nor stop,
but tore ahead, with des )air in his heart. and the
momentary expectation o feeling the hunting-knife
buried between his shoulders. _

But, instead of that. the hunter still speeding onv
ward, leaned over the side of his horse. and. catchin
the belt that girdled the waist of the terrified fugi-
tive. swung him clean oi! the ground. and by one
mighty efl'ort landed him sprawling and kicking
upon the horse in front of him! And bidding the.
agent be still as death. Glass-Eye pushed on. until
he saw dimly looming through the gloom the figure
of Rosa Beckwith seated upon her horse with that of
Mr. Jones near by. In a twinkling, as it were, all
three were on their way, and they headed at once
toward the distant fort. which had seemed to elude
them for so long a time, like the igniavr’utmw; which
recedes at the traveler’s appronc As there was
reason to believe that there were 'Indians in their
immediate neighborhood, they picked their way
along with considerable care unti they were fully-
a uarter of a mile from the river, when the guide
refiled up, and indulged in a word or two of explan-
neiit of his companions.

“ Now ‘ sai he “it‘sastraight trail right upto the
flag-staff at Fort finion, and we've got .to do some .
hard riding to reach there in time. You know‘tbat
daylight is close onto us. and ist as soon as them
critters can make out our trai . they’ll be after us.
like so many wolv‘es after a wounded buffalo.
The ‘ve ot the best kind of horses. too, and they’ll
put em t rough like the very blazes.“ ' . '

So they 5 ed on until a gradual lightening of the
s showe thatday was breaking. "

this time they had ssed over several ridges
broken portions of he prairie, so that the
were all of a half-dozen miles fromthe river. an

1

\

 

30 Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West.

 

entirely beyond sight of it. As the rairie was
slole revealed to their gaze Giass- ye scanned

irout for "sign." as
the trapper: term that significant warning of the
presence of Indians, for which the hunters are ever

allthat was visible, on the loo

searching and yet ever dreadi

all; to find.

“I don t see anythin back 0 us that need make
us skeery," he remar ed, after making as full a.
reconnoissance as possible; “there ain't a blamed

copger-skin in sight as fur as i kin diskiver.”

ut where is the trail that you said we were to
hollow?" asked Rosa, looking around. “I do not see

“You remember the light on the ridge made us
take aroundabout way to it. It‘s 'bout a quarter
of a mile beyant that timber, where we‘ll stop long
maugh to git something to eat and give the bosses a

The place to which he alluded, consisted of
two or three acres of sparsely wooded land, the
eing filled in with luxuri—
ant undergrowth, while it stood in a valley]r so low as
nd game

' and a very ugly quarter in w ich to be discovere
" by some of the red-skins who were known to be
searching for them. Glass-Eye was well aware of
this, and he told them that their halt must necessa-
rily be a brief one, for he seemed to consider it more

spaces between the trees
to suggest that it was the ve place to

than probable that trouble was close at hand.

A few minutes’ brisk gallgg biolughtittalaem to the
, an we ready 0

wood, where all three hal

advance or retreat while Glass-Eye made a rapid
‘ circuit of the grove to satisfy himself that it would
be safe to enter. He shortly rea peared with word
that everythin was right, and t ey rode in beneath

the shelter an dismounted.

To their surprise and disa polntment, not a drop
of water was found—a fact w ich puzzled the hunter
himself, who said that it was a rule where vegeta-
tion of such a character was seen, there was always
sure to be a spring or brook near by; but the loss

was not serious, and all could afford to wait.

“ Keep quiet here.” added Glass-Eye. “ while I
make a search for fodder. I won’t be gone long.”
He was as good as his word, and was scarcely out

of sight when the crack of his rifle was heard.

u

“I ens not," was the indifferent re iv of Jones:
“if t Indians were after him. he won d have yell-
ed for me to come and help him out of his trouble.
Like enough he has shot a red-skin, and means to
make a dinner from him. I shouldn’t wonder now
if: fricasecd indinu would go pretty well. Let’s get

. ‘ ready for him."

Glass-Eye had told the agent to prepare a fire as
speedily as possible, so that no time should be wast-
ed. an he proceeded to gathers lot of sticks and
ignite them, while Rosa paSSed to the margin of the
grove to guard against any of their foes stealing

'1 down upon them, when they were unprepared.

Jones wasnot tardy in performing‘ his appointed
fa r

task; but by the time the tire was

\

of a fine antelope in hand.

“ Now, we‘ll have a breakfast in the quickest

I style,” he said; “ we‘ve got to cook and eat on the
filmy. for there ain’t any time to fool away. Well,

ias how many red-skins did you see?” he
asked, ast 0 girl came timidl back to the camp-

fire. “ Fifty or a. hundred, or ve hundred?"

f ' ‘ " None at present, and I feel as though I can
- ‘ {fever “bier to look upon another again, I so loathe
m .

  
    
  

0 that s sart’in.
uh

V meat was broiled upon the live
' . nourishing and substantial nutrlment.

iii,

at may mean danger,” said Rosa. startled at
theksudgenness of firing. “He may have been at-

ly under way,
the hunter was upon the ground with the shoulder

“ The ain‘t the urtiest thing in creation to look
ell. here we are, and now pitch

in an incredibly short space of time, the sliced
, and the savory
morsels were grateful to all who felt the need of

 

 

Time was precious, and the rate at which the din-
ner was swallowed was enough to make all three
dyspeptic under ordinary circumstances, but none
were injured as it was. ‘

“ Now you had better get into the saddles and be
ready," added Glass-E e, moving briskly about;
“ and while you are do g that I will ride up the
hill and find out whether any 0 the varmints are
close enough to make us trouble."

Not long after both were alarmed by the sound
of guns, and looking up the girl exclaimed: '

“ Merciful heavens! Glass-Eye is killed and we
are lost!"

Scarce] a. hundred ards distant the hunter was
en aged n a, despera e hand-to-hand combat with
ful y a dozen mounted Indians. Having disc
his rifle, he had out his revolvers, one in each hand,
and was blazing away at the painted lm who were
closing inu on every side. With a c ivalry that
would have one honor to Chevalier Bayard, he kept
pressing no the ridge where there was the greatest
danger his purpose being to draw the sav es away
from t e wood where he had left his frien , so the
latter might be given the more opportunity to es-
ca e. -

out by foot the daring Glass-Eye fo ht his way
over the ridge, and when at last every c amber of
his revolvers was emptied, he flung them in the
faces of his assailants, and with a defiant yell sw
his clubbed rifle round his head, and smote right an
left like an infuriate Hercules. The red-skins Went
down like ten ins, and a moment later the horse of
Glass-E e, wit a desperate lunie, disappeared be-
yond t 9 top of the hill, wit the whole party
swarming after him.

Then it was that the girl aroused herself to her
position, and looked aflrightedly about her. To her
great consternation, no one was near her. Looking
about,.Jefferson Jones was seen a quarter of a mile
distant. having just rained up his horse while he
was beckoning excitedly to her and shouting in a
voicg so loud that she distinctly heard eVery
wor :

“Come. Rosa! nick, or the Indians will have
,Eoulln Come, flee w th me. Never mind about Glass-

Ve '

Even in that fearful moment the heart of the
maiden was filled with loathin at the shameless
Boitroonery of the man, and s 0 held the rain of

er mustang taut, loth to join one who had deserted
tigtilnfblevhearted hunter when he stood in such need
0 e .

Butghe could not remain quiescent even when she
so willed; for at this moment a couple_ of Indians
appeared on the brow of the hill, as if they had

sen from the ground, and with their horses at full
speed dashed dewn in full pursuit of her.

The splendid stallion Saladin needed no urging

. from his mistress, but at one tremendous bound was

off like an arrow in pursuit of the terrified Jones,
who, seein the indlans coming. put hisanimai on a.

dead run, etermined that there should be no close"

acquaintance between him and those whom he held
in such dread.

Rosa" felt- little fear of her gursue forher steed
was com aratively fresh an had aready raven
his matte in more than one similar con . he
urged him not, and indeed paid no heed to his
course at all; but, as he had headed toward the fly-
in agent, she let him continue in that direction.

ve minutes showed conclusively that herhorse
was by far the fleetost of the  He steadily
and rapidly gained u n Jones, an as steadily and
rapidly drew away mm the red-skins who were
urging their animals to the utmost.

The endangered agent kept glancing over his
shoulder, and as the girl came abreastand forged

ahead, he yelled like a Comanche to his mu . .

and the creature bent every muscle to the center .;

but in spite of all he could do, Rosa continued to. f .

draw ahea

d. » .
Saladin. with the sagacity which always dlsflnj

 

 

 

 

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,. 27'":

 

 

,.
9-—

Glaul-Eye. the Great Shot of the West.

31

 

finished him, continued edging off to the left, until
a gradually slackened his speed, aware that he
was entire] out of the fight. for the Indians, con-
vinced that, it was useless to pursue him, turned
their whole attention toward the one that fate seem-
ed to have marked for their own.

Slower and still more slowly Went her noble mus-
tang. until he came‘to a dead halt, and gazed u ion
the'thrillin scene with scarce] less interestt an
his rider, wgose gaze was rivete upon the impend-
ing‘tragedy. ‘ ' .

he red-skins were gaining very surely and per-
ceptibly. The terrified rider still urged his beast
to the utmost, and he seemed to be thundering
away with the speed of the arrow from the how.
The ursuers realizing that the genie was their
own, ad ceased firing, and did nothing but follow
at that tremendous gait, which the fleeing mustang
strove so hard, but all in vain to equal.

One of the red skins was a rod in advance of the
other, and was increasing the lead. _when, Without
any warning, he threw up his arms With a yell, and
rolled head ong to the ground. he shot was heard,
and he was evidently picked off in the same in s-
terious manner that so many of his race had fa] en
during the past day or two. not knowmg from what
point came the avenging rifle-ball.

The second savage seemed not at all affected by
the awful fate of his comrade, but kept as per-
sistently in the line of the_ pursuit, as if assured it
were impossible that a similar Nemesis should over-
take him.

It came nevertheless. when he was within strik-
ing distance of his prey. He had indeed raised
his arm for the purpose of flinging the fatal encir-
cling lasso, when his life went out, ‘and his horse
too galloped riderlcss over the prairie. Jones never
loolljie’ifig back, but fleeing in the same mad manner
as ore.

By this time, Rosa Beckwith fancied she heard a
faint report, as if made by a rifle in the distance.
and turning her head, saw a horseman coming to-
ward her with the speed of the Wind He was still
so far away. however, that she could not. identify
him. but, sup osing him to be another lndian_ hast-
ening tower the. spot, she was on the point of
moving away. when some influence restrained her
into waiting until she could make certain whether
it was a friend or a fee.

A wild thrill of ileasure ran through her breast as
she recognized lassE' e, the hunter, whom, up to
this minute. she had believed to be, (loud.

“ Thank Heaven! he is saved!“ she exclaimed, to
herself. us her beautiful face flushed; “ what a
noble, brave man. and how much he reminds me of
another, who has long since been lost to me."

He came forward at the same terrific rate, until he
reined up his mustang with a suddenness that
threw him upon his haunches.

” Thank Heaven! I find you safe. and unharmed,"
he said, in a low, paSsiouatc, loving voice. “I was
fearful that our good fortune. could not carry us
through this new and fiery ordeal."

started. These were not the words she was
accustomed to hear from him. She had noticed
more than once before that he talked like any-
thing but the rough, ignorant hunter he professed to

‘I‘ Why do you look at me so strangely?" he

‘ asked

“ There is some mystery about you that I ‘do not

 

understand. At times your manner reminds me of
a dear and valued friend I once had.“

“ \\‘ho was he?"

“ l honor his memory too much to pronounce his
name," she replied, with suppressed emotion.

“ Was it Harry Delmar—i" '

“ Good Heavens! did on know him?”

“ I am he I" replied G ass-Eye. “driven away from
home. out upon the prairies, in this wilderness. b
my hopeless love for you. Oh, dearest Rosa, is t
still 110 )eless ?"

Had. e not caught the girl she would have fallen
swoonin from her horse. For a few minutes she
was una le to say anything, but after awhile it was
all explained.

The story was a. sim 19. but sad one. Har Del-
mar was the accepted over of Rosa Bockwit i, and
the marriage day had been appointed, when he.
while absent, in a western cit . received a letter
Signed by her, dismissing him orever. in the bit-
terness of his anger and despair, he crushed the
mi. ve beneath his heel,- and bidding good-by to
Cl .ization and friends, became a wanderer overthe
prairies and mountains of the Far West. And not
until to-day, did he learn that the letter which had
caused all this trouble and sorrow. had been skill-
fully forged by a rejected suitor of Rosa's, who re-
newed his attentions. in the hope of success, but
only] to be repulsed as decided] as before.

e poor girl was almost cart-broken at the
disappearance of her lover, and supposed that he
was really dead. They had not met or heard of
each other for three years until they encoun-
tered in the strange manner re ated at the beginning
of our story.

As they rode along in the blissful communion of
love, Harry related t e in story of the shots to
which frequent reference as been made. It was
he who fired them all. In St. Louis, be procured a
singular gun, with telescopic sights, and by n‘eansof
another telescope whic i he carried concealed
about his person, 9. was able to exhibit apower
of marksmanship that often bordered u on the
miraculous. He chose to keep it a secret rom all,
until the present time, because it gave himape-
gulfinr reputation that was often of incalculable use

0 im.

Some distance further, the half crazed Jefferson
Jones was encountered, having at last made the
discovery that he had no more fleeing todo. He
was made acquainted with the singular history of
the two, who, in their hip luess. promised iim
that, upon reaching Fort Uri on. both would permit
Rim lto take out a policy of insurance upon their

ves

The continued their journey until 11 htfall, when
the w shed-for haven was reached, on their trou-
bles and dangers for the present were a Hero
Oscar Beckwlth was found with his wagon-train,
while he had a. dozen scouts on the hunt for his
daughter. The joy of the distracted parent. at the
return of his beloved daughter. ma be imagined in
a degree but it cannot be described.

Han elmar laid aside forever his character of
Glass- yo, and accompanyi the part across the
gains, settled in Ore n wit the dar ‘n bride of

s heart for whom e had suffered an riskedso
much. and the indefatigable insurance agent, Jeffer-
son Jones, met with such abundant success n his
new field of operations that he was soon onab ed to
retire on a comfortable competence.

THE END.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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