8 2.50 a year. Entered at the Post Office at New York. N. Y., as Second Class Mall Mather. Copyright. 1883, by BEADLE ASD ADAMS. December 5, 1883.

 

 

Si :1 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS P 1
V0].- IV. an'lllbgl’. NO. 93 WILLIAM STREET~ NEW YORK. ’ FiverCceeliu. NO. 

 

 

 

SEVER HORN, And His Rifle, Firedeath; °2§§§$€§R§i§$s

BY ROG-EB STARBUCK,

AUTHOR OF “OLD TAR KNUCKLE AND HIS BOY CHUMS," “THE BOY CORAL msmms,” ma. ETC.

,l, 3' ,
"was “~
A r "x.

/ f1,

,1

WITH A LONG, DlZZYING SWEEP, TEE CANOE DESCENDED THE CATARAC'I‘.

 

 

' Silver Horn, and His Rifle, Firedeath.

 

 

 
  

I Silver Horn,
And. His Rifle, Firedeath;

)

n The Boy Heroes of the War-Path.

~ BY ROGER STARBUCK,
AUTHOR OF “ OREGON Joni.” “ run nor ruesrsc’ron,"
' FL. '01.]: ran KNUCKLES,” ETC., ETC.
; , 7

_. CHAPTER I.

I3 « mam vrsirons.

“CREAKZ creek! there it goes again! Some one is
tryng to break into the store! It‘s time I was
u

 

. The speaker. thus talkin to himself, was Will
Winton, a boy of fifteen. e sprun out of bed, :
dressed himself, ulled a brace o loaded pisv
2018 from under is pillow, and looked out of the
window in one side of the small front room he 0c-

‘ 4 cuxpied.
' . t was a. moonlight night—about eleven o'clock.
’ Not for be ond t e roofs of about a dozen log«
' houses, in t a distance, rose the stu ndous peaks
' , of the Rocky Mountains, near whic i, in the wild

_‘ ~ Northwest Territory, this little settlement was 10-

' . cated. The moon‘s rays falling on the be '3 form,
 revealed a slender. compact figure. a brig t. good-

l looking face of resolute expression. That great
confidence had been placed in the lavl’s courage,

was shown b the fact that his uncle, John Moray,

. who, had late y come from Texas, and established a

i- . _ trollingi station at this place, had left Will in charge

« , of his ttle house and store, while he went off to a
- distant int to await the arrival of some goods he
'93: cc .
B only occupants of the building besides this
youth, were Mr. More ‘s dau hter, Kate, a beauti-
ul girl of fifteen, and or sun , a womnn of middle
,age, whose sleeping-room was in the back of the
house. - . ‘
The latter was two stories high. rudely and vet

» comfortably built, mestly with good stout boards.
The lower floor was used for the store, containing
powder, knives, pistols, rides, clothing. and many
other articles of the kind required by the settlers,
hunters and miners of this far-away region.

Unfortunately. although Will was shrewd, watch-
ful 'and quickwvitted, his eyesight was not ve
good. This defect hindered his seeing‘a young ru -
flan who, while the others were endeavonn to open
the door of the store, was trying a bunch 0 keys in

, the lock of a private door. beyond.

' Neither did Will’s imperfect vision permit him to
see three horses in ,the shade of some willows, a few
yards on.

' » He could just make out the two forms of the rob-
hers at the storedoor who were strong, stout men
wearing slouched, felt hats, deerskin jackets an
pants and heavy boots. Around the waists of each
was a belt containingnplstol and a knife while,
slung to‘ the back was an enormous “pcssi le " or
wallet, probably for receiving the goods to be
sto en.

lAs Will looked he heard a. bolt slide, and knew b

. this that the rob rs had already succeeded in cu -

_ Eingthrough the door, so as to reach the fasten-

   
  
 
 
 
   
   
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
    
   
   
    
  
   
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
  
  
   
  
 
    

: fie quickly descended the stairs, not willin to
trust to his aim from above, and entering the 5 ate,
posted himself behind a barrel opposite the door.
' As he did so, the last bolt was shoved back. the
door was cautiously 0 ed, and the two robbers,
' one provided with a rk-lantem' came in. The
boy waiting until they were close to the barrel, rose
, suddenly, and, aiming a pistol at each, fired both
weapons at once. ~
One of theme]: dropped to the floor wrth a groan,
the other. a strong, muscular fellow, with fiery e es
 whiskers, stooped, in time to avoid the at

t for himself.
 ' rung toward Will, pointing a
piagil at head. bu the lad glided behind a cask
738 5 re .
‘ “ “Rather! I've ot you nowl A knife will make
i. ..shorer work! We less of yer kin d e that!"
« ~ He had caught the; boy by the throa , had drawn
' a long knife from his belt, and was about to lunge
it In his breast, when Will contrived to kic over
, a piloof powder-kegs at his side. ese ice 3 came
tumbling about the robber's shoulders an arms,
, knuckle the knife from his grasp, besides which he
was balf—stunned‘by one of them striking him on the .
cad. 'His lantern, which he had reviousl ' laced
one barrel, was overturned by he shock: ailing
upon the menu an open keg. Will a to
,«ward the of the store. at hesame moment
' there when lurid flash of light, a. filming col me .of
fire shot up, and with a tremendous roar, t e keg
intowliich the burning lantern dropped ex-

, ere was a hideous 1011 of pain from the robber.
Scorched and half—an ed, he ran out of the store,

' L- mounted one of the horses. and dashed off.
4 , " mehlle, with a bucket of water at hand. Will,
who was unhurt, soon extinguished thenames which
'  were beginning to shoot along some of the rafters of

the s .
 Just then he heard the shrieks of his cousin Kate,
-’ thorn, with which fimthiglendedgthgbmgiiifih tone: of
a m an a voco e 'sanu.
"§%mslnllaz;irrn" when a ..
, . a o e s o a nu; n e
' . counter hegran to see a3 evil-looking youth of. h-

       
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
   
 
        
 
   
   
 
 

 

 
 
 

teiene savoring to carry Kate Moray down e.

 

stairs ‘with one arm, while, with his other, he point‘
ed a istol at her aunt, thus keelping her at bay.

Kn e, although She was a fine y formed girl, rosy
and healthy, was, of course. no match in strength
for the strong, vigorous young million who dragged
her. He was a wiry, active person with straight
black hair, dark skin, and an lndian cast of counte-
nance in fact, Willy, by the light of the lamp car-
ried by the elder woman, recognized him as a half-
breed named Phili Demon—~21 person of bad reputa-
tion, who had late y asked Kate to be his wife and

ad been refused by her.

On seeing Will, he aimed his pistol at his head,
and both be fired at once. Neither shot took ef-
fect. Kate iad saved Will by Pushing Dorion‘s arm
aside, and the iman escaped icing hit through the
lntl‘s imperfect sight, his bullet just grazin his
temple. In an instant the boy dealt him on the end
with his em ty pistol a blow that caused him to
stagger, ha] -stunned. and fall to the foot of the
stairway.

“Now ust bring me a rope and we’ll have this
chicken ant!" cried Will, as he pounced upon the
prostrate youth.

Kate's aunt helped him hold the fellow to the floor.
while the ll‘l brought some pieces of rope from the
store. W th the assistance of his fair companions,
Will succeeded in fastening the legs and arms of the
half«breed.

f‘Now. Phil Dorion, what's the meanin of this?"
said Will. “You were going to carry ate. off—is
not that so?"

“ It's none of your business!" growled Dorion.

“ Isn‘t it? I think you are a little out there.” As
he spoke, Will looked at Kate in a way that showed
how dee was his inteust in the beautiful girl. Ai-
tbough to kind] returned the look, yet it was

lain she merely ad a. sort of sisterly regard
or Will. In fact only a week before she had told
him so, when he inted something about love and
makin her his wife.

Furt 1er conversation was interrupted by the ap-
pearance of some of the settlers who had been
aroused b the shots, the explosion of the powder-
kearand t e screams of the women.

ill soon explained. The robber in the store
whom he had shot, and who was dying, told the
truth before he expired.

, Dorlon had engaged him and the rufllan who had
escaped, to come and rob the store. while he went
tip-stairs, to carry off the girl. They had horses
ready under the willows near the house. Dorion
had ntended to convey the girl to some dl tant part
of the country, and by threats endeavor to compel
her to be his wife. '

The affair caused some excitement in the settle- ‘

ment. When John Moray retu
raged that he would have killed
had not his neighbors prevented him.

Lynching was s oken of, but he was finally tarred
and feathered, w ipped, and driven from the set-
tlement, With threats of speedy death, in case of his

re 1:.
“ One rival is out of the way," was Will's mental
comment “but there’s another coming, and I’m

med he was so en-
Dorlon on the spot

afraid he’ll be successful.“ . i h

The person to whom he alluded was a yout;
nineteen named Tom Trainer, who, Mora had hr

was coming soon to trap in the viclnlt’y of they .‘y‘v

tlement.

Although Kate's father had never seen this young
hunter but once, and then only a. few minutes, five
yearsbefore, in Texas, while the boy was convers<
ng With a. half~brother. lust before setting out for
the Northwest yet is had heard such good accounts
of him from his rel the, that he was now resolved
to invite him to his house the moment an op
tunity should ofle‘n He hinted to Kate that he
hoped she would receive him favorably, and that
the two might like ouch other well enou h to m ,
for he bed can told»by his brother thag'this yout -
ful tra Per was as enterprising and um yes he
was g ant and brave. ‘ ‘

CHAPTER 11.
Russell.

re Dorion presented ssvhe moved

rectlonmf the mountains, but not a
:vord escaped him until I: , out of sight of his
orme -

utors. . ..
“ ’ hi“ he then cried, a king his clinched fist
in the direction of the settlement. “You've
sealed your doom! Did you think Dorion was the
man to put up with such treatment? You will hear
giic‘ilx'n me before many days! Curse youi curse you

He hurried on like a madman, to finally reach the
mountains. Just as he arrived near a spring where
he intended to try to remove the tar and feathers
from his arson and wash himself, he heard a grunt,
and bobs d an Indian emerge from behind a rock.

“U hi What that?" inquired the savage, as he
raise a rifle and pointed it at the uncouth form.

The Indian was of the Crow tribe. wearlnvelgg-

ns, moccasins and a short blanket. His 3) -

ress of red and black feathers drooped over his
forehead, almost hiding a pair of fierce, evil-looking

eyes.
“Hold up, Leapin Bear, hold upl" shouted the
half—breed. "I am P ll Dorlonl"
In an instant the other lowered his piece and

advanced.
this way!" he inquired.

 

Amnnous,
OR in the

“ How came my brother
“ He looks like a man-birdl'
Dbl-ion soon explained. ,
“Ugh!” muttered Leaping Bear.
has been badly treated! He wants revenge!
it in his eyes!"
"Yes," cried Dorion, in a hissing voice. ." Death

x

“My brother
see

' owing to

 

to every one-4,0 every cursed man of that settle-
ment! Leaping Bear will help the son of one of his
tribe in his revenge i"

“ The pale-faces are many. The Crows are passing
awn *l"

" here are no whites within ten miles of that
settlement,’,‘ said Dorion. “Leaping Bear has been
a brave chief. Will he now turn squaw? Did not
this same Moray and some of his settlers refuse. a
few days ago, to give up the old Sioux root-digger
whom some of the Crows chased to the settlement—
and did they not threaten to fire upon them if they
did not go awn i" '

“It is true,’ answered Leaping Bear, his savage
orbs blazing like fireballs. r _

It was plain that Dorion had great influence With
the Crows. He knew how to fan into flame the
fierce passions rising within the breast of this
savage.

One morning, three days later, Will Winton was
out among the mountains hunting game. He finally
saw what he took for a deer upon a lofty rock above
him, and was about to fire w en the supposed deer
called to him: '

“Is the white boy so blind that he does not know
Calesco?”

‘ “Helical” cried Will, droplpin

ece. " By the hookiesl l on‘ think I‘ll come out

unting again in a hurry if my eyesight is so had as
t is amounts to i"

Calesco, whose bendin posture over a rocky
bowlder had caused Wi , owing to her (leerskin
robe, to mistake a young Indian girl fora "deer."
now came uickly to his side. She was a. tall, supple
beauty of 8 Snake tribe, wearin .a round beaver
hat with a red feather; from whic her 1011 black
hail):- hung down over the shoulders of her eerskin
r0 8' u .

“There is another reason wh I the white boy
should not fire," said Calesco. ‘ Fifty Crows are
not far off, going to the settlement for white scalps.
The would have heard his shot!" .

“ at?" cried Will in dismay, knowmg that the
few settlers were entirely un re ared for an attack.
“You don’t mean to say t e rows are going to
attack our place?"

“It is true! Seal" .

And she pointed toward a group of Willows,
through wh ch many dark human forms ,were

lidin .
g Thel‘ae were the Crows, most of them armed with
rifle but a few having bows and arrows, besides the
toma awk and knife. _

“ There's not a moment to lose-.1" cried Will, who,
however, owing to his imperfect vision, could barely
see the savages.

Had his eight been better he would have noticed
that Phil Dorian, the half-breed, was among the
foremost of the band.

Calesco laid a hand on his arm.

“ Where would 11you go? The Crows will see you,
and your scalp w' be at Doricn‘s girdle.”

“I will try to keep out of ther sight. I must
we.an the settlers, and prepare them for what's
co n l , .

He bgroke awn from the girl and hurried off. 1'-
had no. ~. rose (1 the base of the mountain. when,

{iis imperfect sight, he missed his footing,
in leapingefrom one rock to another, and fell a. dis-
tance of 11 feet. his head striking a bowlder with
force enough to stun him.

When be fully re ained his senses, Calesco had
his head u on one 0 her arms, and was bathing his
f and emples' with water from a spring, near
t? lace where he had fallen.

‘; my long have 1 been lying here?” he lil-
qu re ‘ ’

d. . ,
" a hour has passed,“ re lied the girl. _

."‘God help my friends—t e settlers, than," cried
Will. as he staggered to his feet.

1 “ lat; your for warning,“ said Calesco, solemn-
y. or 1’ ‘

The rattling of rifles, the yells of savages, the
shouts of wb te men, together with the screams of
women and children rose in the distance.

“ They are attackin the settlement now) Kateis
lost!" cried Will, in ay. "You" ml ht have hin-
dered this. Calesco. “by did you no yourself go
and warn the whites in time?" I -

“Calesco only knew what the Crows were going
to do, after they started. She sat in the hollow of a
rock asthey passed. and she overheard Dorian speak
words to the chief that told her the truth."

Meanwhile the dreadful noises in the distance
continued. '

the muzzle of his

As the new trading-station canth but fifteen ,

men in all, besides the women and Children, the
Crows had an! icipated an easy victory.

They came rushin from a thicket, within fifty
yards of the place w 119 most of the men were at
work on their lan , and at once commenced to shoot
seal their intended victims. Foremost was
Phil ’DOl‘Rfith dark face distorted with rage, his,
eyes blazing like those of a fiend. .

Hither and thither he ran, encouragln and assist-
ing the savages, using rifle, knife an temahswk
w th an unsparlng band. '

“How now. Jo n Moray? How new, you cursed

ale-faces all? Did you think Phil Dorion’l Indian
Elood would stand such insults as you hen “P011
him?" he cried, as he made a dash at the he 0f 3
dozen warriors, toward the unfortunate Texan,
who had snatched a rifle, and had fired just one
shot from the window of the store killing an Indian
who had been about to hurl n iomahawk at his
head. Several of the settlers. running toward the
store from the fields were instantly brained by Do
rlon’s associates, and now ulliug a pistol from his
gergi the half~breed aim at Moray‘a head and

   

 

 

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fig ,_ _- when..- .

 

Silveri'I-I'orii, and His Rifle, Firedeath.

 

 

 

The bullet struck the Texan slantineg on the
forehead, tearing its way through his scalp, but the
old man, shouting to Kate and her aunt to conceal
themselves, and wishing to give them time to do so,
caught up a huge broad-ax as his foes wished into
the store. and wielded it with such fury thalth one
minute. he laid three of the Crows dead at his feet.
Another would have fallen beneath the uplifted ax.

- had not Dorion got behind the brave settler and l t

tripped him. ‘1

lvleanwhile, outside, men, women and children were
bcing ruthle sly slaughtered and scalped. In ten min-
utes after the attack, but one white man was living
to tell the story of the massacre at the station.
Only one woman, Moray ’s sister, was spared. John
Moray, after being tripped u) by Doricn, would
have been butchered ythe ndinns, had not the.
half-breed, who craved a more terrible reverrm than
he could obtain by instantly killing the rostmte
man, pe ed the savages to spare him or future
torture.

After plundering the store the Indians set fire to
it, and to the few huts near it. Tin-n, with their
booty and their prisoners. they left the place.

From the mountains Will coull see the smoke and
flames when the work of death was finished.

“It’s enough to drive a boy mad!" he grouned,
“to see that sight! And then to think Iwas not
able even to warn them of their danger! Kate is
dead! she is lost, now—I feel sure of that!"

“Why speak so much of Kate?" said L‘ulesco.
“ The white girl would not be his wife."

“How did you, know that?” inquired Will, sur-

prised.

" Calescc has quick eyes. She has seen the white
girl and her cousin together. ’l here was no love in
her look when she spoke to the white box."

‘* What of Iii-it? l’m not the one to give u ship
at the first shot! I‘d have persevered. and 11 bet
I'd have gut Kate to consent to marry me at last!”

"It mm- nc so." answered Calesco, With droo lug
lashes. Then, sweeping the country with her een
gaze, she added: ‘ The Crows are coming back.
The white girl may not have been scalped. I see
prisoners—one woman and a white man,‘

I Will vainly. endeavored to make them out,

‘- I vgish I ‘new if Kate was one of the prisoners,"
he sai .

“Night is comin ," said Calesco. “I cannot tell,
but if the white y_ will creep into this hollow
here," she added, pomtmg to a small cave near,"
and stay here till I come back, I Wlll watch and let
him know.” '

Will consented to do this. He had. remained in
the hollow about an hour, when the girl returned.

" Crows have gone past," she reported. “ Far
from here now. Calesco watch. and she see two

risnners. One is John Moray, and one is his sister,
int feel sure Kate is not there though there
might be other prisoners kept out of sight. ‘

- “ That shows she has been killed)" cried the boy,
indespair. “ I will go to the ruins of the settlement
and search until I find her body!" he added, stag-
gering to his feet.

30 must not go tonight. Here}! she added,
spreading her ornamented blanket out in die hol-
low. “ ero isabed for him. Go to sleep. Calescb
will watch to see that he is not harmed. In the
morning he may feel better; than he can go to look
for body of white gig.”

Will was in fact dizzy to walk. .

He threw himself on the blanket, and bowed his
face on his arms. As may be imagined, it Was,
hours before he fell asleep. V ' ‘

He awoke early in the morning, feeling as strong
as ever. The Indian Igirl came with some venison
for him to eat, and wit some water from a spring.

" Calesco been scout last ni lit," she said.

“She have news for the w its boy! Crows been
attack by Blackfeet. and Blackfeet drive Crows
swat, get plunder from them, and get prisoners,

“The prisoners? Well, I don’t know as they will
be much better off."

, “ Snakes and Blackfeet friends now. Cslesco will
go far to the country of the Blackfeet, and she will
see the Blackfoot chief and try to get him to agree
to risoners being ransdmed.’

‘ Lose no time. Calcsco. Go at once."

“I 0 now. The white boy must wait for meta
come ack, near the ruins of the settlement."

She waved her hand. and awn she went, lightly
s ringing from rock to rock un il she was out of

s .

Will lost no time in making his way to the burned
settlement.

The siglllit of the dead bodies—among them those
of littlec ildren, made him shudder. He searched
carefully for the body of Kate Moray, but he was
unable to find it.

“.What can have become of her?" he muttered.

Fixin his gaze on the ruins of Moray’s house. it
sudden 37 occurred to him that Kate might have
succeeded in hiding herself in a secret cellar. which
the Texan had dug under the building, and where
he kept a part of his stock. The trap leading to the
cellar beingconcealed by the artful arran ement of
an old striped piece of oil-cloth, had pro bly not
been noticed by the savages. Any person in the
cellar while the building was on the, might have
escaped death by creepng into a deep recess or
hollow at one side.

Will noticed among‘the charred remains of tim-
her. now half filling t e cellar excavation, n rfion
of the stone ste ending into it clear of o struc-
tions. Descen lug these ate the boy moved
among the blackened ruins, 100 mg carefully about
him. but he saw no sign of Kate.

“ No use," he muttered, gloomily, “ there’s no use

of trying to keep back the truth any longer! Kate

 

   
    
   
 
  

 

 

was killed in the house, and her body was burned
up after the building was set on fire 1”

As he spoke his gaze was fastened on some
charred human bones among the ruinsl

CHAPTER III.
THE STRANGER.
“A BAD sight!” came a voice behind the specta-

or.

Will, with a or of surprise, turned to behold,
standing before im, a boy about his own age,
whom he felt sure he had never seen before.

The stranger was of slender, graceful form, had
fine features bright eyes and a dark skin. He was
rather fancifully attired in an ornamental hunting-
jacket, fringed leggins, moccasins, and deerskin
cap, the latter con aining a bri ht, red feather.
Carelessly grasped b his right and, which was
small and tapering, e held a rifle, and in a belt
about his waist, were a pistol and a knife.

Although Will’s imperfect sight prevented his sec-
ing the exact expression of the face, yet he was
conscious that the be before him was very hand-
some, and that be pro uced upon him a singularly
agreeable impression.

“Yes, it is a sad si ht," continued the stranger.
“ I had friends living ere, and now, I am quite sure
that all have been slaughtered by Indians. Can you
tell me how the thing ha pened?"

Will explained aboutt e massacre.

“ Then." said the other boy, “my sister may have
been taken prisoner. God grant it may be sol“

“ What is your name?" inquired Wil .

" Ned Warner," was the reply.

“ O esi There were a other and a daughter
here 0 hat name.”

“ The father was killed?"

“It must have been so." said Will. “ There was
but one white man John Moray, spared by the In-
dians, and taken 0 a captive.“

The face of the youth, instead of being overcast
by the news, lighted up with a peculiar expression.

” You do not know who the female captives were Y"
be inquired. .

“One of them was my aunt; I don’t know who the
others were."

ain the stranger’s face beamed with pleasure.

“ 1: us be f ends,“ he said, holding out his
hand. “ We must t to recover those prisoners."

“ I am with on herel" Will answered, as he
shook hands wi h the lad; “ but I wish my cousin
Kate was one of the prisoners, instead -—"

He pointed to the charred human bones among

the ruins.

“How do you know those are her bones?" in~
quired Warner.

“I am afraid they are," said Will.

“ No," res onded the other. “ Those are not the
bones of a girl; they are too broad and large every

 

wa for that." .
‘ Then itr is amistery what has become of her.
It’s my car eyesig t that deceived me. I‘ll be glad

  

nlcanseethlngsaswellaslused

sight is not good 1"

s crossing the American Desert, com-
t ‘ fetched ’ my e es. They tell me the
Y pass away in tune, but somehow I

t. is; r
"How does it aflect you ?“

“ Well, there always seems to be a sort of mist
between in eyes and anythinghl look at. Here’s
your face, or instance; it’s r’ t in front of mo
and yetI can‘t see it plainlya all, on account of
that mist. ”

“That's too bad. Ihope youlll get over it.”

“ An old doctor here said I would.”

“You are hardly fit to travel, then—at least,
alone.”

“011, I can get along. I've good ears, and I can
see, game well enough to fire at it and sometimes hit

5‘ Well, then, let us start at once on our errand to
get back the prisoners.”

“ We must wait for Calesco. She will guide us.”

“ Calesco i"

“Yes, she is a friendly Indian girl of the Snake
tribe, who has often come to this station. All the
white people here liked ”

“Is she a handsome g > ‘ »

“Yes. As I was saying we must wait for her.
She has gone to seek the Blackfoot chief, and to
learn from him if he will ransom the prisoners.”

“When will she come back?"

“ I don‘t know. I think in a few days."

“ Where in the mean time, will we wait for her 9"

" There is a cave in the woods.”

“ Any danger from Indiana, now i"

"No. The Crows are at present flying before the
Blackfeet, and will have no time to come this way."

The two went to the cave in the woods. It was
about ten feet deep and seven broad.

“ Well. here we are, now, and the first thing to do
is to have somethi to eat."

As he spoke Ned amer took from his wallet 8.
can of reserved salmon, some sweet crackers, and
some c eesc.

The two boys remained for a week in the woods
before the lndian girl arrived.

" Calesco, this is a new friend of mine,“ said Will.
“ He thinks his sister is amo the prisoners."

The Indian girl started. er keen, clear eyes
were for a moment turned with a stead gaze, upon
1garner, amide she seemaritimeb3$téo3 spe 1.312811 (able

y ave r 9. ac , ant ca. -
esco gumed asidepher head—a half still
about her lips. ‘

“ Did you find out if Mora and his sister-were the
only risouers?" inquired ill.

“ a. Red Wolf would not tell. He saith would

i“ . . ."

 

not harm the prisoners if you want to ransom, but
he must see you about how much ransom before he
Willingto give them up. The Blackfeet been have
some trouble lately with white people, and not feel
friendly as did not long ago. Red Wolf say he
keep the prisoners for one month, and if you not
come to ransom by that time, he exchange with
Crows for Blackfoot prisoners which they been take,
now and then."

“God forbid that they again fall into the hands of
the bloodthirsty Crows!” cried Warner. "Come,
Will, we must lose no time. We must set out at
once to ransom and save the lives of our friends."

“ Calesco will guide us " said Will.

“Yes; Calesco will 0 her best for the white
boy," answered the girl. “ But had he not better
stay behind? It is not safe for him to go with his
half-blind eyes. There will be many dangers on
the way, for the count is full of roving Crow
scouts, and Dorian is on t 2 watch.”

“Perhaps that rascal knows what has become of
Kate,” said Will. “ He ma have contrived, unseen
by the savages. to hide an shut her up somewhere
durin the massacre. and have afterward taken her
off. must , forI may have a chance to put a
bullet throng the villain?s head l" '

Guided by Calesco, the two boys started. Now
and than t 6 girl would turn and speak in a low
voice to Warner. In fact they seemed to take
to each other at once. Will did not wonder at it
for Warner certain! was a handsome boy 
Calesco was fine-loo ng and well formed.

At length they reached the mountains.

It was about noon, and having had a light break—
fast, both Will and Warner were Very hungry. . 4 '

Colesco, looking about her, saw a small antelope
on a crag that projected from the edge of a W
pines. .

In a. moment she had fitted an arrow to the string
of her bow and sent the shaft whizzing on its way.
Struck in the side, the animal fell upon a rock, a
stewards from the party, badly wounded, but not

e .

An expression of deep pity fell upon 5Wamer’s
face as the antelope turned its soft, melancholy
eyes toward the arty. As quick as thought the
boy raised his ri e and put a bullet through the
creature’s head.

“There!” he cried, with a look of relief, “its
suffer-in are at an end I"

Will s ared in surprise at the speaker.

“ Come, now," he said. ‘* You are too ‘soft’ for
a hunter."

“ If it‘s soft not to like to see an animal lumen.
then I'll own I amigo."

“No oflense meant. only it isn’t common for
people to be so out this way." '

As he spoke, Will whipped out his knifeand
helped Calesco to cut up the antelope.

A fire was made with fagots frm a grove near
the place and the three soon_were enjoying an _

exce lent repast. I .
“The meal is end, even if the antelope did -
fer," said Will, ughing. “Hope we’ll get pie
more on our journe ." I .

“Must not use ri e too much ” remarked Galactic.

“ The Crows now are miles off, ut if they had been.
near, they would have heard the shot and hover?
come upon us.“ .

“ How long do you think we'll be on the hump!”
inquired Warner.

“ Seven days—perhaps eight," answered (3318300...
“will pass before we reach the next settlement,
where there is a fort,‘ and where we get help for
ransom." I

Little did the party dream that at that very mo. f
ment Dorion was watchin them from behind a '
{wed rock not ten feet' istant. The half-biped

heard the report of the rifle when he was a"
uarter of amfleofl', andhadcometoseewho hul'

ed. -

Twice be lifted his rifle and aimed it at the head at
Kate’s cousin, but be lowered it again, as i! he had
changed his mind. ‘

“ Ransom the prisoners.” he muttered, as he
finally walked away. “ We‘ll see about that. If!
don’t soon have t e whole three in a. trap then I‘m
mistaken! I could easily shoot that young rascal,
Kate‘s cousin; but there would be too much riskin
it at resent. besides it would be too mild a death
for t e fellow. To see him with andtwlst himself
in the fire-torture would better satisfy me and ‘9
me my full revengel So eat awa , in fine ‘buc '
and fatten yourselves for the b ood— anestl The
grows will have you in their clutches before many

ays.

 

CHAPTER IV. ,

ms warsmqum. ‘ “ ' ..
THREE days of the Journey . sed without any
apparent sign of a foe being recovered. Oaths.
evening of the fourth Calesco, who was in advance

of her companions, paused, suddenly bent her ear to v

the ground and listened.
“ What is it?" inquired Will. : ,
“ Indians been this w .” answered the gut v ' 
W"How do you knew? see no sign of them-,1i said.
arner.

In fact, as they were now on rocks, no print ofa
moccasin could be seen. _
“My eyesight is'getting a. little better than it
was.‘ remarked Will, "but I must ownlcauspot
no redvskin marks." , ' .

Calcsco pointed to a little indentation in the rock.
where a few b . scarcely perceptible grains, and.
“Walfsth’gg liablir'éd w ' d dirt?"

‘ a s ’ nqu arner. ‘san or' ’

.“ Neither; it in tobacco ashes. and it has not born
there long. Indian has smoked pipe here not an.
hour ago!" .

I

i «

 

 

4.-

 

SilverHorn, and His Rifle, Firedeath.

 

“You beat me there," said Will. “How do you
know it’s from a. red-skin’s pipe? Might it not have
been-a white man'sl‘f

“No. Some Indian not cut tobacco so fine as
white man when he put it in pipe and make more
coarse. Like more strong."

“I believe you‘re about right there," said Will.
“I noticed, whenever the red-skins bought. plug
tobacco at uncle's store, that they did not cut it
very fine to gut in their dudeens.”

Leavin er two companions,
cautious y scouted about the place.

She could, however, discover no further sign of a.

Calesco now

as.
‘fBest stay here till morning," she said. “Keep

good lookout. Better to 0 on when it is ligh ."
They found a cave, which they made their quar~

rs.
Calesco stood the first watch.

Will and Warner soon were fast asleep. .
All at once they were awakened by the Indian

“What’s up?" inquired Will.

, “ Hist! not too loud speak. Been see Indian boy
skulk behind rook. Dark. but see shadow of boy.
lore will come. We must 0."

“Do you think we will be attacked?" inquired
Warner, in a tremulous voice.

“If we are," whispered Will to him, sternly
“don‘t you go to showing the white featherl i
swear! be in to think you’re only shamming
‘hunter,’ an haven‘t much pluck after all."

“I will do my best," replied Warner, who seemed
not at all oflended at the other’s remark.
~ “ If you do, all right. Just ‘ pack’ what I said to
you. for I didn‘t mean anything," responded Will.

“ Come," said Calesco. ,

The three moved forward.

They had nearly reached the entrance to a. deep

6, into which poured the broad sheet of water

in a cataract, when Calesco, who had been

sharply scanning the rugged sides of the narrow
valley, suddenly whispered to Kate’s cousin:

“Indians there—on one side of the gorge. They
wait for us. Quick, follow this way." i

. As she spoke she turned from the path they were
pursuing, so as to get round the edge of the valley
“ism” iftl’ th ' 1 l d n ‘ sh

ovmg aw yon, e r e 18 way, 11. art
distance, then she turnegl abruptly to the right,
tlireadin her we. between rugged masses and over
inlerv ng bow ders. The waters of the cataract
where its fall commenced. showed diml through
the gloom. Suddenly the girl disappearc , as if she

had lunged into the rapi s.

. “ hat’s become of her?” said Will to Warner.

The latter took his arm and led him on.

“Come, you cannot see very well," he said.
“ There is a hand—Calesco’s——beckoning to us.”

They soon “Wed where they were able to see
Calesco, beneat them, where she had clumbered
down among the rocks, close to the sheet of falling
water. _.

"Come," said the girl.

Warner carefully assisted Will down the steep

ent.
, "Thanks," said be. “I’m almost as blind as a
haven in the dark."
“’ on should not have come with us " said War-
ner. in a. voice of so much concern that the other was

aurp .
. “See here ” he answered. “You’ll have enough
to do to take care of yourself, without troubling
nbont me." r

Calesco ot upon a shelf of rock, directly behind
{freshest 0 water, which, falling in the form of a.

bow. lea. be and the edge of the latform.
Clouds 0 9pm ell around it, but only a ew drops
water atru the place where size stood. Even n

, daytime she could not have been seen here, on
account of'tl'le fleecy curtain of s ray.

. Her companions soon were by nor side. ,.
 ‘."Dam quarters,“ remarked Will, while Warner
wrung t e spra from his black hair. He wrapped
his rifle in a ru her blanket he carried to keep the
weapon dry, and Warner took similar precautions
with his own piece.

“ Wh have you" brought us here?" continued Will.
“ghneiddgrn; been wait to head us off. Me see ahead,
1?“ We‘ll get soaked. The spray-mist goes right
through us. How long are we to stay here?"
. j' Don‘t know. Must wait and see. Moon been go

Morning come in few hours. Then tell bet-
r what to do.“

“ I‘ll o and look if I can see anything yet," said

Will w n half an hour had passe .

'r‘ You see nothing,” said Calesco.
“I‘m not Talia so badly oi! as that. I’m much
mistaken! _ e cool spray hasn’t done my eyes

, He leaned over and thrust his head through the
curtain of spray when an ic hand caught him by
the throat, and jerked him orward. At the same
oment the out] he of the blade of a knife whisked
fore his eyes. Comprehending his danger at once
Will, .wlth ready presence of mind, twisted himsel
sideways. The knife penetrated his hunting-shirt,
 he felt its keen edge over his ribs. He caught
assailant b the hair. and pushed him with such
fierce that he ell headlong down the steep slope of
rocks soon disappearing m the gloom. '
Will bent forward, watching the dim outline of
the form as long as he could see it. .
“I think I‘ve sent a red-skin to his account," he
said, returning to the platform.
On learning what had happened. Calesco wont to
.reconnoiter.
“Indian look for us," she said, when she came
back. “ He wonder what become of us. "

 

" Do you think they will come this way?” inquired
Warner.

k “Ca‘lesco cannot tell. There should boa watch
ept.‘

" I’ll stand watch," said Will. “I can see well
enough to make out an Indian, before he can come
up to me.”

So saying he passed through the spray-cloud, and
was soon among the rocks, outside.

Just as the llfihi} of dawn was beginning to creep
through the dar ness, the boy heard voices, seeming
to come from the base of the mass of rocks among
which he sat, and which bordered the cataract.

“ Those are red-skins, I'll bet," muttered Will to
himself.

Peering over the ed e of a rock, he could see the
dim outlines of dusky orms below him. They were
probabl collected about the body of the Indian
whom ill had hurled down the precipice. Now
and then they gazed upward, as the boy could per-
ceive by the motions of their heads.

A minute later one cautiously ascended the rocks.
Will watched him throu h a crevice in some bowl-
ders in front of him, an noticed that, when he ar-
rived opposite to the cloud of spray. screening
Warner and Calesco, be bent his ear toward it, as if
suspectin there were foes behind the watery cur-
tain. Wi saw him beckon with one hand to the In-
diuns below him, while he slowly and cautiously
crept upward. In an instant the .boy laid his rifle
across the rock, taking quick aim, and fired.

“Ughl” gruntcd the savage, turning his gaze in
the direction of the shot.

He was a. hideousrlooking Crow, wearing a. dirty
blanket, leggings and moccasins, and armed with a
tomahawk and a. long knife. His face was streaked
with ochre, and his e cballs glaring like coals of
fire, were fully ex ose to Will 5 gaze.

“ Hol hol ou irty ‘ bummer l’ " cried the boy.
“SoImisse killing you after ,all. Well, I‘ll soon
have another shot ready for you i”

As he spoke and proceeded to reload his
whoops and yells rose from below, and half a ( ozen
Indians commenced climbing the rocks to the assist-
ance of their comrade, who had been struck in the leg
by Will’s shot. The savage drew his wounded limb
after him, and, loosening a tomehawk from his belt,
he sent it flying at the b0 ‘5 head.

“ No you don’tl" crie the lad, as he dodged the
missile. “ That’s no gel“ 6

The whiz of an arrow from Calesco’s bow was
now heard. It struck the Crow in the side. and he
rolled down the rocks with the shaft sticking in his
body. In his descent he clutched a loose bowlder,
which went crashing down the precipice with him,
causing his companions to spring to one side to
avoid it. The rocks they now occupied were so
slippery that they slid together in a heap, to the
foot of the elevation.

“3131.: the same moment Warner and Calesco joined

“ Come," said the former. “ No time to lose.”

“ Why are you for making tracks?" in uired Will.
“ Why not stay here and ‘ pe per’ the vi lainsl”

“I think we had better go, ’ said Warner.

“ See here!” cried Will, “it seems to me you are a
sort of a ‘ skim~milk ‘ fellowl Here you are shaking
as if you had the agile! You must show more plan
if you want to stay with us."

Warner colored deeply, but made no reply.

“It was the damp of the waterfall," said Calesco.
“ It has chilled him. But we must go because there
are twelve Crows, and we have only three people."

“ One of them isa. ‘muff,' " said Will to himself, in
a. low voice, "and the other (meaning myself) is
half-blind, so that he can’t fire a straight shot.”

Calesco led the way and the three were soon
moving rapidly forwar .

iece,

 

CHAPTER V.
PERILOUS courses.

As the fugitives sped on they heard the whoops
of the savages behind them.

“You, Will, and you, Warner, stay here," said
Calesco, pointing to a hollow s ace among some
huge fro ments of rocks. “We. 1; here till Calcsco
come bac .“ ,

“ Where are you going P“ inquired Will.

“Crows will see Calesoogmunning, and will think
others with her. They willkeep on, and so will pass
this lace."

“ at? do you think we ar¥oing to leave‘you
that way in the lurch?” cried ill. “Not a bit of
it!"

“ Don’t be afraid of Calesco—she can take care of
herself. Crows not get her. Come, the white boy
must do as 1 say. ’

“ Can’t I go with you?” said Will. “ We can leave
Warner here in this hollow."

“No. no; don’t leave me behind!" said Warner,
looking alarmed. , '

“Calcsco can do better alone,“ continued the
Indian girl. “ Have no fear; she will soon be With
you.”

As she s oke she darted off. The pursuing Indians
soon caug t sight of her head above the rocks, and
they hurried on passing the place where Will and
his companions a concealed. _

The former cou d hardly resist the temptation to
fire upon them from his covert. In fact he had
raised his piece to do so, when Warner caught his
arm.

"No, no: don‘t!" be whispered beseechingly.

 y n Y’ . .
“It will bring the red-skins upon us, and Will spoxl
Calesco‘s plan."

“Yes; but don’t
from that poor girl
“and she’s only a. woman! Come, now, haven’t you

on see we‘ll turn them awe

 

e are men," added Wil , ‘

’ pluck enough to help a woman? Let’s both fire on

the ‘redsl’

“But it will do no good. We‘ll only be killed for
notbin . Calesco can save herself. She has mun.»
good p an of her own."

By this time the savages had disappeared among-
the rocks.

Half an hour later Calesco returned. She had
doubled on her ursuers by taking a secret ath but
little known. he foe were now several mi es from
this place she thought.

k A: soon as they had finished breakfast. the three

e on.

hey wended their way through rocky paSSIIE‘ES,
and climbed difficult crhgs. Warner then showed
Signs of exhaustion, but his companions did not.
seem much fatigued.

“ There is u willow stump," said the wearied boy.
“I tlnnk I‘ll sit down and rest awhile.”

“ A stump?“ said Calesco, thoughtfully, as she fixed
her e 'es on the object.

" es, there, right ahead of us."

Calesco quickly fitted an arrow to her bow-string.
and sent it toward the stump. The moment this
was struck it showed signs of life. Up it sprung,
revealing the form of a young Crow as masses of
bark fell away from his rson. which when he
crouched with the bark art ully arranged about him,
had presented the apgearunce of a. stump.

The Indian, with alesco's shaft sticking in his
leg, lim d away hurriedly, and soon disappeared,
descenc ing by means of the stems of trailing vines
into a chasm.

“Other Crows not can be far off," said the girl.
“ This one scout."

The young savage as he dropped out of sight, had
uttere a peculiar cry, and now manyother Indians
appeared on a. clifl‘, not far off, coming in pursuit of
the three travelers.

Will and (.‘alesco might have ditanced them. but;

for Warner. who was so tired that they were obliged I _

to help him along.

“For God's sake, exert yourself!" cried Will.
“Dgn’t you see those red rascals are gaining on
us?

“ I am doing my best," answered Warner.

“You drag one lrg after the other. Come! can‘t
you lucku alittle strength?” -

“ elieve am a sort of ‘drag‘ upon you both,"
said Warner. “Go on, save yourselves, and leave
me to my fate."

“There——that shows good pluck," said Will.

ght; but when I
desert a comrade, you can bet it ll be because I
don’t know what I’m doing.”

The position of the save as had forced the fugi-
tives to take a direction w ich they now perceived
was a perilous one. They were upon a lofty plateau,
with a deep chasm on each side of them, and the
edge of the plateau not more than two hundred feet
ahead of them, overlooked a valley too wide to be
leaped over! But they were obliged to keep
straight on toward the brow of the hight, for, on ac-.
count of the chasms, they could turn neither to the
rl ht nor the left.

9 Indians had 'already reached the commence-
ment of the lateeu, and several shafts, followed by
the bullet rom a rifle, now whizzed about the
heads of the fugitives. ’

Will would have returned the shot, but Calesco ad-
vised him to save his ammunition until a better
chance presented itself for hittln his toes.

At last they reached the edge 0 the plateau. and
saw, hundreds of feet below them, the bottom of
the deep valley. ’

" What are we to do now?" inquired Warner. un-
easily, looking first far below him, and then at the
savages, who now were not more than a hundred
yards behind the rty. /‘

“ We must flg tl" said Will as he cocked his
piece. “There‘s no getting over that nowl”

Calesco leaned over the edge of the hight.

hAlbout eleven feet below it, there was a rocky
s c .
“ If we go there,” she said, ” Crows could not
reach us." ,

“But how are we to get there 7” cried Will.

The girl pointed to one slender vine, which having
taken root in a. crevice, hung down nearly to the
platform:

“That vine is a_sl pery customer," said Will. “ I
couldn’t get my life nsured if it was known I meant
to tr it. The stem will not bear m wei htl"

“ alcsco will try it first. If. it or er, it will
bear the boy.“ .

“No, by the bookies! if any one hit: it, I‘m the
one to do it. Here goesl”

Both Calesco and Warner anxiously watched the
daring lad as he hung swaying by the vine over the
far depths of the den erous valley.

Twice the vine crsc ed as if 21 out to give way,
but the boy safely reached the led e, at last.

" Now you go," said Calesco to amer.

The latter turned pale. but, seizing the vine, he
quickly descended, his light weight makln/g little im-
pression upon it. .

Calosco who was heavier than Warner, then com-
menced the descent.

Whooping like demons, the savages now not
more than twenty yards off, were iflfi iowal‘d
the edge of the plateau. Cnlesco was not alf—wa
down the vine when they came up, and one, wit
his knife, severed the stem as the girl hung swaying
over the frightful abyss below.

The Indian maiden vs herself up for lost. She
closed her eyes as s e felt herself going. but the
next moment Will‘s arm was around her. drawing

“You are not so ‘muify ' as I thou

, her in toward the ledge. As her feet struck it, War-

ner also clutched at her, and she was thus saved
from a terrible death!

Wan ’9, ;'

   

.MW--. 

\

 

 

 

 

3'
i,

 

 

-..«- .‘ . 5., .

 

 

 

Silver Horn, and His Rifle, Firedeath.

 

 

 

 

“ Bluest" cried Will. “My teeth were on edge
for you. Calesco. that time."

Meanwhile. with arrows and shots, the Crows en-
deavored to hit the trio, but as the side of the preci-

iic: bulged a little above the ledge, they were una-
lc to reach them with their missiles.

“ Hey! bang away 168 there as much as you like,
you varniintsl"cried ill, derisively.

“You couldn’t hit a barnyard if you should fall
over it! Ho, ho! what a set of shooters!”

The Indians replied with fierce yells.

“G0 it!" cried Will. “ What are you doing up
there? Why don’t you set up u singing-school of
screech-owlsi“

The savages now stopped firing their pioces and
discharging their arrows at the occupants of the

e me.
Some of them remained near the edge of the pla—

teau, while others, taking a roundabout course,

.finnllv stationed themselves in the valley below.

"Well, Calesco. how are we ever going to leave
this place?” inquired Will. “ Those rascals will keep
us 11 here to starve to death."

“ ‘alesco must think.” replied the girl.

Will now thought he saw o. chance to hit one of
the Indians below. He raised his piece and fired,
but the savage had dodged behind a rock in time to
avoid the shot.

It was plain that the foe could easily escape any
bullet that was fired from above, and so the trio re-
solved to save their ammunition.

Colcsco looked closely at the rock from which the
ledge projected. There was it crevice there all the
way around a section of the rock. The girl directed
Will‘s attention to it.

“ Well, what of it?" said the boy.

“ Calesco believe there is hollow behind that rock.
We can pull the rock out. for it is only a piece. But
we must wait till night before we try it."

They had provision enough i their wallets to lost
them for several days, so the did not go hungry
while they waited.

As soon as it was dark enough on the shadowed
ledge for their movements to be concealed from the
savages above and below the three endeavored to
.dislodge the fragment 0 rock. It was loose, and
came out more easily than they had expected. There
was now an openin before them.

Calesoo a plied_ er ear to it and listened, to
hear 3 ion roaring noise coming from the inte-

rior.

" It must be water," remarked Warner,- who also
heard it.

“Yes, and the assage must be deep,” said Will.
“I’ll go in and ta ‘e a look.“

Warner could not hel smiling.

"I think Calesco wo d do better," he said; "she
has sharp eyes.”

“ Well. I can feel, if I can’t see!" cried the Lad.
“ I’m bound to o, anyway."

He started, fo lowel by Calesco, who advised War-
ner to remain on the ledge to keep watch.

 

CHAPTER VI.
A nmosnocs ran.

CAT-LIKE, the Indians near the edge of the pie-
tenu had keptn sharp watch upon the movements of
the three persons below them. True they could not
see them in the gloom. but they were quick of hear—
ing. and the noise made b movan the rock had not
esca ed their attention. y means of thongs tied
toze her. an Indian, with a body as lithe as a snake‘s,
descended to within a few feet of the ledge, and was
thus enabled to discover what was going on there.
He climbed back to tell his compali’ilo‘ig who just
1;an were joined by Dorion, the half- ,

"So they’ve left only one on watch on the led e,"
Mid Dorion. “ Good! we’ll soon have the fol ow
in our clutches; then we‘ll go on after the others."

Enough thongs werefastened together to nearly
roach t e ledge. Then Dorian descended so quickly
that Warner was unaware of his presence until he
found himself confronted by

7. uttered a cry, but. ere he could ve an-
, rion had the point of a hunting-kin e at his
.  no noise, or I'll cut you up!" he said,

u forms were now with him, the sav es
’ " oilseed mug bin;l mdmli leiile'wrist:

: . en In an t on s

d is back ’

   
 
  
     

 “said Dorlon us he cre t into the
e which Will anci' Calesco huh entered a.

-. fore. .

,». _, trembling like a leaf, obeyed. Behind

v ~. - ieballs of a demon, the fierce

, I 1.9 Crow, who old a tomahawk ready to

, him if he refused to roceed. I

, while Will and C esco were far ahead on
the bflnk of a swift stream which, sweeping
fishing. evidently formed a cataract a. few yards

or: or on.
f‘Com‘e.“ said the girl. “We will go to take a
long]; at the wagers." ed id} a!
saying. 5 0 "10" 1‘3!) Y on a. mass of
roclis betweedn ’whicéi fiolgeitlhtbegistxl'eozng.l
“tis goo ’inutere e P.88816 scanned
the outlines of the rocks through the gl m, u Ca.
knows this place. She has been he a before.
month ago she was fishing here for trout."

“The stream has a smft current. Suppose we
:luylfied iii—where would the current carry us to?"

, ~ boy jump in there, never come out alive," was
the answer. ‘ There are falls ahead. We would be
dashed on the rocks."

“ If we 0 had a canoe, now.“

, l e over falls in canoe. but much dan-

ger, 'saxd Cniesco. ‘- we must wait till morning.

It

 

Can do nothing. The rocks very slippery. Could
not find canoe in the dark."
“ You mean to say there is a canoe about here?"
“Yes. Calesco had one when she fish for
Now best go back. Come again in morn»

They rte-entered the passage. but unknown to
themselves, they now moved into a second one that
branched oi! from that leading to the ledge. They
had not proceeded far when they discovered their
mistake. They were among aperfect labyrinth of
rocks, in a lar e cavern, from which they vainly
tried, therein t c gloom, to find their way back to
the passe e.

“ Hard ines.” said Will. “ Warner will be fright-
ened to death at being left so long alone."

“ It is true. Calesco feel sorry for that boy.”

For hours they vainly strove to extricate them-
selvelslt from the labyrinth in which they were
caug .

At last, worn out with their exertions, they were
obli ed to pause for rest.

V ill unconsciously dropped to sleep.

He was awakened by a tremendous crash. Open-
ing his e es he looked about him to perceive that
the dim ight of dawn was now stealing into the
cavern through crevices in the lofty roof above.

Cnlcsco had just tired lier mile at a huge black
wolf,_which had been aboutio spring downinpon Will
from the top of a lofty granite column. The latter
was but loose] supported on a slender stem, and
the shock of t e re ort had caused it to give way
and topple over. T e wolf, only wounded, came
down with it, rolling over close to Will. and making
asnap at him with its fangs, which, however, the
boy ensin avoided. He then drove his long knife
deep into the bruie‘s side. The creature sprung up»
on the lad and was about to fasten its fangs in his
throat, when Calesco sent an arrow through its
body. This finished the animal, which rolled
own from the prostrate youth and cxpmxl.

“ ome, we must not lose more tune. Calcsco
been look and she find the way out of this place,"
said the irl.

“That s good. Calesco, you’re a trump!
saved my life!"

“The Indian irl do all she can for boy, because
he is her frienfi," she answered, with downcast
9 es. ‘

She led the way out of the cavern, and the two
soon were on the borders of the stream they had
visited the night before. Ahead of them they could
See the cataract, which fella distance of about fif—
teen feet into another stream below.

“ Where is your canoe?" inquired Will.

Calesco searched among the rocks and found the
canoe—a small one of birch bark.

“Now, if Warner were only here we might set
out," remarked Will.

“ Caiesco go for him—you wait here ”

She darted oil into the passage. Shé had not been
gone a quarter of an hour when the sharp crack of
a il-(ifle was heard, coming from the direction she had

en.

A minute later fierce whoops were heard, and
Calosco suddenly made her appearance from the
passage. running swiftly.

“Quicki we must get in canoe!" she cried. “In-
dians have got on ledge. Warner prisoner. The
Crows are coming!"

“ But can we shoot the falls? It seems tone that
it will be perilous work." ,

“ We must try. No other way i" and she inted.
as she spoke, to a. steep. rocky barrier whic would
hinder their progress along the borders of the
stream.

“Well, here goes!" cried Will.
wherever you lead!"

The rl and he sprung into the canoe. She pushed
it out nto the stream and seized her paddle. Away
went the light vessel rapidly shooting along.

“Look out!" cried Calesco. " Stoop down!" She
pointed as she spoke to a savage who had just
emerged from the passage and was aiming his rifle
toward the canoe.

This Indian was a hideous-looking Crow with a
scarred, painted face, and a short, sturdy. half-
naked form.

“ No, no, I’ll not dodge the varmint while I have
a nod loaded rifle!" cried Will.

he spoke the Indian fired.

Calesco’s paddle dropped from her hand. The
blood flowed from a wound in her arm.

“Take that, you bummer!” cried Will, as be dis
gm? :3 his piece at the savage. The man was un-

uc .

“Just my luck, I ‘swan ‘," cried Will. “I might
as well have lass 4» es as those I‘ve got.”

“ uicki to e p die—Calesco can use it no more,
now l ' said the girl.

Will saw the dangerOus cataract only a few yards
ahead. He seized the sddlo and worked with might
and main to keep the ttle vessel steady.

A moment later the canoe was drawn into the
foaming. tumbling waters near the brink of the
falls. Half a dozen Crows, now emerging from the

assage, fired. As the deadly missiles cut the air,

he little vessel went over the brink of the cataract
like lightning, so that the bullets passed harmlesst
over the heads of its two occupants.

With a long, dizzyin sweep, the came descended
the cataract and struc ' the stream, below. It shi -

d ngood deal of water, and for a moment. roe —
ng and whirling in the foaming boiling caldron.
with clouds of spra enveloping it. it seemed unit
it must he swamps . And so it would have been
but for Will’s presence of mind. Although he could
not see very well, yet he contrived to keep the frail
vessel clear of the rocks. and it was soon gliding
smoothly and swiftly with the curieiit around 9.

You’ve

“ I’m with you

.,

 

mass of high bowlders, which hid it from the gaze
of the savages. . _

“ Cslesco, ou are badly hurti” cried Will, ganng
at the girl‘s leading arm.

“It is nothin ," she answered. “ But for the
wolf, this woul not have hap ned. The Crows
hear noise of rifle, and that m 9 them come back
into passage, which they were gomg to leave, think—
in we been escape." .

ill tore a strip of cloth from some he carded in
his wallet, and bandaged the bleedin arm. Calesco
blushed, and her eyes shone brig fly under her
drooping lashes whi e the boy held her wrist. The
canoe gliding on, was finally caught among rocks,
so that it could go no further.

“ Come," said the girl. “ Now we go and have
breakfast; then we try to find Warner and save
lifel"

“ But your arm."

“ It is nothing—only flesh wound. Soon get well."

Shoving the canoe among some rock, Calesco
moved along until she came to a thicket whens she
found some slippery elm, with which she soon pre-
pared a poultice for her wound. She and her cum-
panion now partook of a hasty meal, after which
they hurried on. ' A

“Calesco know place where Indians never find.”
she said. “Here it isi"

As she spoke she entered a small but one rock near
the shore of the stream.

“It seems to me it’s just the place they’d ‘spot'
the first thing," cried ‘Will. ‘

Calesco went to the middle of the room. and pulled
with one hand upon what looked like a slight pm—
tuberance of the rock. In an instant thisportion of
the rocky floor was lifted. showing that it was not
more than half a foot thick, and was attached too.
small, neatly-fitting.r traprdoor » which being thus
raised, disclosed a little vault, below.

“ Old trapper once tell Calesco about this place,”
she said. “This where he stow his skins, so that
Crows not can come and steal."

Will went into the vault, which was reached by
means of a rude ladder.

Calesco followed, carefully closing the neatly-fit»
ting trapdoor after her.

" A good place for a blind bat like me!" said Will.
“It is so dark that theie is no need of eyes. Are you
going to stay here long?"

“Crows come and oak. We wait until go pat.
Then we try to save Warner.”

“I'm afraid it‘s all up with his ‘goose‘ before
this " said Will.

“i not think so," said Calesco.

“ Why?"

“ Never mind. Calesco have reason," she answer-
ed, her eyes shining through the gloom. “ But don’t .
know how lo g before they kill him. Must save soon
as can. You will help?"

“You needn’t ask, Calesco. I’m not the 'coon to
desert a comrade in trouble."

CHAPTER VII.
run niscovnnv.

Nor long were Cslesco and Will in the rockwault
when they heard the voices of the searching sauces
above them, as they peered into the hut.

By means of a rope attached to the underside o!
the trap Calcsco kept it held firmly down, so that.
even were the Crows to pull upon the rocky prom
bernnce, they would be unable to move it. But the
Indians. hav ng no suspicion of the existence of the
trap in the hut, hardly noticed the projection. They
soon went away, and Calesco sai :

“ Come, we get on trail, and try help Warner."

They emerged from the vault, and soon they were
cautiously f0 lowing uglier the savages.

They had not gone r when Celesco sto '.

An opening in the sbrubbemoaled t e Ind!“ ’1

in a clearing, where they had
 was not Witgigheml
' to you so," w pered
his Ropers for him i"
“ 0." said Calesco.
“How do you know i“ .
.‘fCro'ws all there, and his scalp is not at this

9.

“ You are right, but where is he?“

“ Dorian been take him ofl.”

“Dorian? Why should he do that!" . 7 - .

“ Calesco think so," said the girl, evasivcb’.
“ Dorian not can be far off. We look for him!"

“ All right—I'm with on."

The two new retr their steps.
upon a trail leading on from the
had pursued. . '

They followed it for some distance. All.” once
they paused near the entrance of one of those W ,
coves so common among the Rock Mountains. ,

Voices soundéd in the cave. lion‘s could he.
heard. though what he said could not be dish
guished. He spoke loudly and fiercely as if he was
threatening Warner, who answered in the tremolous
tones of one who was much alarmed.

ill, with on -

Will, “ they‘ve maid

com
thesavoges

"Poor cub—timid as ever,” said
tempt. “Come. I‘ll lend the way," added the boy.
as he pulled a istol from his belt.

“Ill; crfiterod t e opininghofut‘l‘ihe five codified gone ‘
o aewstepswen, r0 epsrt loom.
he beheld Warner tied to a column of 

Dorion near him, with the muzzle of his rifle pro-sea ; ' 7

against his head.
“Come,

chancel" the half-breed was saying. .
“No.” answered Warner. firmly. “I would sinner

die than become—" '. ;
The rest of the sentence was internipted the »

re rt of Will’s pistol. which made a ,

no se in the hollow cavern. ,
The bullet only grazed Dorion‘s cheek.

 

 

will you or not! I give you one more I ‘ fl

 

 

 

 

 

' 6

Silver Horn, and. His Rifle, Firedeath. l

 

“ Confound in luck! I was a}ngch shot before my
eyesight was in uredl" cried II, as he now point-
ed his rifle toward the liar-breed, who had turned
audalmed his piece at the intruder.

Both fired at once. Will's bullet as usual, missed,
but Dorion‘s would have one through the boy‘s
skull had not Warner kuoc ed up his arm, causing
the shot to ass over him. In a moment Dorion

'_ had drawn h s knife.

“ Your time has come!" he cried

“Don’t be too sure of that i” said Will, as he pulled
his own knife from his belt.

.A bloody conflict would have followed had not
Calesco sent an arrow, which struck the half-breed
in the arm, causing the blade to drop from his
ms .

8 ngh a bowl of rage and pain, the villain turned
and darted ofl', evidently leaving the cave by an
opening at the other end.

Vill quickly springing to Warner's side, freed him

from the column of rock to which he was bound

“You have saved my life!" said Warner, grate-

ll . '

"Ibelieve youl but don’t make too much of it.
You may have a chance to save mine before we get
throu h, You've more pluck than I gave on credit
for. heard you refusin Dorion sonnet ling, even
at the muzzle of his pisto . What was it?"

‘ Had Will‘s eyesight been better he would have

seen that Warner crlored deeply as he replied:

“ He wanted me to—to—do the same thing as turn
traitor."

Just then Calesco came up.

“ No time to lose,” she said. “ Dorion will go to
Indians, and quick have them on our trail.“ ‘

The three hurried out of the cave, Warner on the
way giving an account of his capture, etc. Calesco
taking the lead, kept on among the mountain cm s.
Evidently her wounded arm ained her, but t e
have girl did not seem to heed er suffer-in s.

' .‘f’l‘herefi' she said, as they ained a lof y peak,

, “now you can see fort we mak ng for from here.“

. Warner was able to dime descry the plane fiointed
out to him, for in themisty distance, but Wi could
not see it. '

All at once Calesco gave a slight cry of surprise.

“ Seel‘ Crows have headed us of! l” she exclarmed.
“There they are—not a mile off!”

In fact the Crows, headed by Dorion, were fpst

reaching.
, sgirl turned and followed by her companions,
took a new direc ion.

The three kept on, with but brief pauses for rest,
until ni ht. Then they halted under an overhan in
rock, w are Warner and Calesco were soon as
asleep. with Will on the watch.

The dian girl felt secure enough here; for she
-benev' she had misled her pursuers, and that they
wereincreasing the distance between them by tak-
Ing the Wron course. Therefore, she had deemed
It safe enoug for Will, with his impaired vision, to
have the watch.

«'As the boy walked to and fro, with his rifle over
his shoulder, he thought he saw somethin dark on
thewaters of a wide stream at the base 0 the cliff

heoccnpied. He was sure 9 had not noticed this

“object before. Whatever it was, it now lay motion‘ .

less on the stream.
“ I must go and take a look at it," he muttered.
_ ‘ ,fiewas soonon the bank of the stream, to dis-
 cover that the thin he saw was an old scow—a
'mn one which ha evidentl been used by trap—
a to conga; skins or Provis ons toward the fort.
. boat h apparent y drifted with the current
to this point, where it had been can ht by the ro-
‘ ducting -‘ trunk of a fallen tree, whic preven its
going when
“Hey! J crusalemi here‘s a treatl" muttered Will.
“ If I’m not mistaken. I heard Calesco say that the
current of this stream flowed» in the direction of the
tort we are trying to reach. If we ct aboard this
boat& we’ll have a floating stronghol from which we
can eep back the Indians if they attack us.”
In fact the scow hnd bulwarks breast-high on each
side, which would be of great advantage, in case of

combat.
 Thebo resolved to board the craft and take a
Jack at! . He walked out on the fallen tree, and
sprung upon the deck.
, There were a few large logs lying‘there. .
. As he looked around him,he became aware that
 was in motion. It had been only tempo-
rarily held by the tree, past whose swaying trunk it

had sligged.
The y went from side to side, looking for a
. chart, on to firing ashore. But both banks were too
for “(for is purpose. He did not like to lose the
snow, and he stood debating whether to leave it and
swimashore or wait for the chance of its being

' i caught by rocks or some, other obstruction, before

ramming toiget to land and make his way back

whim compan ons. There was a sort of dark cubby-

bole forward formed of rough planks. , The lad
crawled under this, for it was a cloudy night, and

of mm were falling.

' ' / l at once, to his surprise, he heard a heavy
’ suturing near him. He listened, to become convinced

that'the sound came from one of the logs lying close

.'  shelter!

.  ,‘ I have Itl” he mentally cried. “ The log is hollow,

‘ ’ ind something is inside of itl"

What the something was. Will determined to find
out»; He peered into the log and, imperfect though
his vision was, he could dim y make out the form of
an Indian 1 r

3 At the same moment, he heard a slight noise
~ hold“ him, 3nd,.turnin, . he beheld a second savage
emerging from another ogl
- Thetrut flashed-upon him. There was an Indian

din each a the five logsl The intention of these

 V. \

 

 

people doubtless, had been to keep themselves hid-
en, and in the da time let the scow drift along the
stream as a lure or the three fugitives, who, seeing
it, would be tempted to get aboard and make use of
this transportation toward the fort which was their
destination. The Indians had crept into the hollow
logs for shelter and repose through the night, but
the scow had drifted from its fastenings while they
were asleep.

Will dodged back into the dark hole forward, under
the boards, ere he could be seen b the savage who
had come out of the log. This ndian now went
from log to log waking his com anions. They came
for-war near the place where ill crouched without
seeing him, and he could hear their guttura voices,
close in his ear. Finally one seized the end of a rope,
and, with it swam to the bank, where he made the
rope fast to a tree. The scow being thus held, Will
hoped that the savages would go back to their logs
and give him a chance to leave the dangerous craft.
In fact, four of them did so, but the other remained
as in n watch. A minute later, however, he seemed
to have decided to choose the cubby-bole instead of
his hollow log. He crawled toward it, and when
close enough. discovered Will doubled up there.
The boy saw the round, cat-like eyes of the savage
gleam with fur .

“Uth whot ‘s?” be inquired, starting back and
raising his tolnahawk—“ quick tell. or kill!"

Will’s knife was Ill his grasp. As quick as thought
he sprung forward and buried it in the heart of the
savage, who rolled over without a groan. Then he
rose and pushed the dead body into the cubby-hole,
and by means of the rope, went hand over hand, to
the ank.

“This is too good a craft to lose “ he thought.
“ With Warner’s and Calesco‘s help, Imay get pos-
session of it."

The scow had not drifted far from the base of the
hight, so that Will had no trouble in finding his way
back to his two comrades. He awoke Calesco. re-
lated his adventure, and proposed capturing the
scow.

The Indian girl approved of the plan, and Warner
having been awakened, the three started for the
scow.

 

CHAPTER VIII.
SILVER HORN.

“WILL there be bloodshed? Will we have to
attack the Indians?" inquired Warner, as they ap-
proached the scow. ‘

“ Yes, I ho e Iyou’ll'give a good account of our-
self,” said il. “ ou’ve grit’ enough i you
choose to think so." .

“ I do not like bloodshed,” said Warner, shudder—

m . -

g You will see none of that " responded Calesco.
“ We‘ll leave you to watch on the bank.”

“ There’s 0 need of a watch,” remarked Will.
“ We ought 0 have Warner’s help, for there are
four red—skins to deal with.” ‘

"There should be a watch kept," said Calesco.
“ The other savage cannot be far off." a

“ All ht,”answered Will, “if on choose to en-
coura e amer‘s chicken-hear ness I have no
more say.”

Calesco made no regly and the three moved on, in
silence, and Warner avmg been left on watch. the
girl and her companion went hand-over~hand along

he rope to the scow. All was silence there.

“The ‘ bummcrs ’ are still in the hollow logs,“
whis cred Will,

0 esco, rifle in hand, cautiously approached one
of the logs, and looked in. There was no one there.
The other logs were also found empty.

‘9 What can it mean?“ said Will.

“ Think Dorion been see us, and o to scow to get
Indians to come and attack. Yes, t at must be so.
Calesco see now," and . she pointed through the
gloom toward the outlines of some dark forms,
which were stealing along the bank of the stream
toward the rocky hight t e three fugitives had oc-
cupied. Having descended the elevation on the
other side, Calesco and her companion had not been
seen by the Indians as they moved toward the scow.

“ We’re in luck I" said Will. “This scow will take
is. if we let it drift, within a few miles of the fort,
will It not?" ,

" That is true, but there, are rocks in stream. and
we must be careful not to catch against them, or
scow will stick fast." .

“If it does, wecan leave it. 'l’here'll'be so much

distance gained any way."
' Calesco, in a low vorce, now called to Warner to
come aboard. As the craft was only a few yards
from the bank, the be easily reached the deck.
Then the rope was cast oose, and the vessel was al-
lowed to drift with the current, Calcsco and Will,
by means of a le aboard, keeping the bow steady,
while Warners od watch forward.

For a couple of hours the clumsy craft was car-
ried swiftl along by the current. Then Warner
called out t at he thought he could see rocks ahead.

,Calcsco having taken a survey, as well as she
could through the darkness, endeavored with Will’s
assistance to keep the scow clear of shoals. but the
vessel was so heavy and clumsy that it could not be
managed so as to as the obstructions. It ran

amst them with a eavy thump, and there it lay.

the efforts of Will and his companions failing to
get it clear. « .

“ Well. Calesco we have gone three miles or so,
at an rate," said the boy. " Now all we have to do
isto ootita n."

"We have 0 waitlor Ii ht, so as to see our way
to shore," said the girl. ‘ Strong tide here, and the

water foam and whirl about rocks. Current too
strong for swim. " ‘

 

 

 

The light of dawn stole about the scow afew hours
later, and the three were aware that by means of a
rope, which they found aboard, they could reach the
bunk. Calesco took the rope, and, making a noose
at the end, she was about to hurl it so that it would
catch over a rocky column ashore, when all at once,
with a wild whoop, a party of adozen Crows showed
their heads above some fragments of rock among
which they had been concealed. At their head was.
Dorion, the half-breed.

“It was a cunning trick I” he cried, “ but you can
never get the better of Dorian." ,

The chief of the Crows. Leaping Bear, flourished
his tomahawk and added in a loud voice:

“ Nol the Crow warriors have many eyes. True,

on 0t aboard scow, but what of that? Indians.

en eaveit to hunt for you for Dorion come and
say he seen you. Now the three pale-faces better-
surrender."

“ Yes, better give yourselves up," said Dorion,
“ and we will keep you prisoners until on are raw
som‘ed, but, if you show fight we will kill and scalp

on

“ N ol" shouted Will, “ we‘ll not give ourselves up
to you] We‘ll fight to the last: Iou can make up
your mind to that.“

“We will fight because the Crows have two
tonrgiues," added Calesco. “They never keep their
wo .

The eyes of Leaping Bear rolled fiercely. He
shook his tomahawk at the speaker, and then gave-
the word to commence the attack. Half of the
party had rifles—the others were provided with bows
and arrows.

Dorion was the first to fire. He aimed his piece
at Will‘s head, but the bullet struck the woodwork
of the scow behind which the three whites nor:
crouched. Before the savages, after firing. cm'ld
reload. Will and Cnlesco, watching their chance.
pointed their rifles and blazed‘away.

“Ho, there! my sight must be gettin licmrl"
cried Will, as a stout Crow in a tatterm llaul of.
sprung up, threw aloft his arms, and fell back stone
dead.

Calesco’s bullet killed another.

The second fire from the Indians was as unsuccess-
full as the. first. _

The sava es with Dorion then crouched out of
sight behin the rocks. and it was evident that th( y
were holding a consultation. _

}An hour passed, and still there was no sign of
t rem.

All at once Calesco, who had been looking keenly
about her, pointed out six of the Indians stealing
along. half :hidden by the shrubbery that fringed the
shore of the bank.

“ Good ! they are running away i" said Will, as she
pointed out the. foe.

“No!” said Culcsco. “ Crows going to get to top
of rock where they can fire down upon nsl" _ '

She alluded to a steep rock which rose to the hlght
of twenty feet on that side of the stream, op osite
to where the Indians had first appeared ould
they gain the summit of this rock it would command
the deck of the scow so that the-occupants of the
latter would be unable to screen themselves.

Warner looked at the logs on deck.

.“We can make a protection of some kind with.
these—-—can we not?" he said.

“The logs are too heavy to lift," said Calesco.

“ Then can we not get ashore, now that the
savages are gone?" continued the boy. looking much
alarmed.

“Come, don’t be frightened," said Will. “We.
are cornered, and we must make the best of it.
We can kill some of the varmints. I he . before

'we are'shut down. As to going ashore—t at is out

of the question, for all the Indians have not left the
rocks!‘

As if to show the truth of this remark a rifle in:
that moment spouted fire from the rugged masses
and the bullet assed so c ose to Warner s ears thair
he uttered an involuntary cry of alarm.-

Wlll’s lip 'curled with contempt. He raised his
wea on to return the fire, but Co. 6500 checked him.

“ ait," she said, pointing to the to of t
oln 1the other shore, ‘you soon have ettefi‘ V
510 _ ‘ ulna 

There were rocks all along the shore wWfliffi’oald
screen lhe’Indiaus as they moved towers; the ewe

5K. ‘, tt'w V,

    

   
    
 

lion. - ‘

“How are they going to cross?" in
As he spoke there was a crash. /A .
roots were loosened by the watercl 4
they grew, fell, pushed over by the v
further end landing on the other side’ofi-   ,
and thus fornun a bridge. Across this mm,
with Dorion lea ng, were seen to crawl w ‘ “(r
side. a 

Will could not resist the temptation for. debut at
them, but his bullet missed. At the same  1;
an arrow from among the rocks where the re in.
ing Indians were crouched, passed through the
sleeve of his huntingchirt, and another shaft, which
quickl followed it, would have gone through his: '
body. ad not the watchful Calesco quickly drawn
him down behind the bulwark.

Then Will reloaded his rifle. and now the three ,
kieptj thfir gaze upon the'rock which commanded
t e co . ‘

They had not watched long, when as the Indian
girl had thought would be the, ca Orion and his
party appeared on the summit of t e elevation, and
commenced to fire from behind a ridge upon the oc-
cu ants of the scow.

y crouching in the cubby-hole, forward, the,
three were afforded some slight rotection- from the .,
bullets which were sent from t e hight. Thev re-
turned the fire as well as they could, the boy, Ware
her, now behaving better than Whl had. expected‘

I
y ,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
   
   
 
 

. shelter to their enemies.

‘ hose of

_ Silver Horn, and His Rifle, Firedeath.

'7

 

although his arm trembled every time he raised his
icce.
p All at once some of the savages commenced to
hurl pieces of rock at the boards which uflorded
These were, in this way,
soon broken, and now the three were fully exposed
to the shots of their assailants.
“ We have to crawl in hollow of logs now.” said
Calesco. _
“Where is Warner?" inquired Will.
“ He has crawled already in one of the logs,” said
Calesco, smiling. _
In spite of his anger and contempt. Will could not
help laughing.
‘ Come," said the girl.
She got into a log.‘ and Will creptinto an adjoining

one.

As the bullets rattled about these logs. the two
would now and then creep half way out and tire at
their toes.

Meanwhile, the savages who had been lefton the
other side of the stream had. by means of a rope,
reached a flat rock, within a few feet of the scow.

Leaping Bear who was very active, was the first
to make a spring for the vessel. He succeeded in
clutching the rail. and was about to draw himself
aboard, when the crack of a rifle was heard from a
bill, a hundred yards back of the stream. and the
chief. with a grunt, let 0 his hold, and f-sll head-
£ong into the water, as a. ullet crashed through his

rain!

Looking behind them. the Indians beheld. on the
summit of the hill. the figure of a hunter, who was
raglfly reloading the rifle he had just discharged.

1‘ e they were dragging the body of their fallen
chief upon the rock, the huntcr again fired, and an-
other of their number toppled over and dropped
dead into the stream.

Such unerring shots filled the savages with (lis-
may.

" Now-r mind him i" yelled Dorion from the rocky
elevation opposite to them. “ Get aboard the scow,
and scalp those uccurscd people there. I’ll see to
the fellow on the hill 1” ‘

He looked keenly at the hunter as he spoke, and
turned slightly pale.

"I thin I know him.” he said. “ltis ‘SILVER
Hons. the Firedeath.’ who never misses his aim!”

~0n hearing this name, thcre was a grunt from the
Crows. and their evil eyes assumed a blended ex-
pression of admiration. dread and hatred.

Every rifle was at once iuted toward that soil-
tary form on the hill, an the roar of a volley fol-
lowed. The hunter never budged. but stood coolly
reloading his lace, and when he fired again, an-
other savage w 0 was trying to board the scow was
sent to his doom,

The others a. pulled by these unerring death-
shots, from the and of him whom they now knew
to be the dreaded Silver Horn, hurriedly made their
we back to the shore and crouched among the
toe s. But even here they were not safe. for again
the deadly rifle rung, and one of their ' umber re-

ceived awound which disabled him for life. There

were now but three Indiana left on this side. and
these skulked along shore to the hollows of some
distant rocks. where they would be safe from the
hunter‘s fire.

The latter now quickly descended the hill. and
hurryi along behind a. ridge of land that ex-
tended oward 3. Willow thicket on the bank of the
stream. he suddenly disap red.

There wasayell of exu Lotion from Dorion and
his party, who believed that the hunter had de-
camped to escape their rifles, which had been pour-

an almost steady shower of bullets toward him.

‘ at, all at once a different sort of cry came from
them. for their readed foe havm crossed the
stream. at some int above, sudde y appeared on
 elevation on heir left, which commanded their

n. Scarcer had the cry escaped them, when
us! went the terrible rifle again. and Yellow Belt,
one of their bravest warriors. gave a leap upward.
and came down on “ all-fours,” with a bullet
thro 11 his back.
Part sheltered by a natural breastwork of rock,
Silver om commenced to reload his piece. but the
Crown did not wait for his next shot. Dorion was
tbs first to scamper, with the Indians closely follow-
ing. all seeking some place of shelter further down
the shore of the stream. Will and his companions,
who had been able. by now and then emerging
from the logs, to see what was going on, made use
of their rope, and got ashore, where they were soon
joined by the hunter, who had, without doubt,
saved their livesl

 

CHAPTER Ix.
BUFFALOES.

Tim hunter was a youth of gallant bearing and
not more than nineteen yeaIs 0! e. A little above
the middling hight in stature. his arm was lithe and

wertul tapering below the shoulders, which, like
bin Hood, seemed to measure almost a
cloth yard in width. His bronzed face. one or man.
b beauty, was lighted b blue eyes. find and one
hating, yet full of , mature: and from un er a
round, catskin cap. his light. brown hair hung nearly
00 his neck. He wore a neatly-fitting hunting-shirt,
domkin leg us, moccasins. a bel d from which

Protmded along knife. and his pow er—hom. slun

Ernesttu at his side. was ornamented wit
of chased silver, which had won for him the

I apellation already menth

he .
“Well friends " he said. “ that scow thar war 5
mrlgox' tgilfi'shnt up in, and I’m mou'ty glad you
0 M0 '
“ Which we‘d never have done but for on," said
Will. “You can shoot some. and no awake."

 V I.  V};

I

 

“I believe I am rather hand with the rifle." an-
swered the other. carelessly. ‘ But never kin b‘ar

to shoot any only—not even an lnjun, unless thar’s ,

good reason for it."

“ There you are right!" said Warner.

“Yes, I believe I am," answered Silver Horn.
“And now, of I kin be of any further sarvice to
you. jest let me know."

“I wish
reach Fort ker," said \Vill. "Wc are going to
try to ransom some friends of ours who are prison-
ers among the Blackfeet."

“What mou‘t be the name of your friends?” in-
quired the hunter.

"My uncle, John Moray, is one; his sister and ‘

some others are with him. They were captured by
the Crows.”

The boy went on to explain. _

“ l’ll go with you,” said Silver Horn. “You‘ve a
long tramp yet to make to get to the fort, and I like
to help people in trouble. Thar won‘t be some
fightiu to do on the way, for the country is full of
prowlin‘ Injzins jest now, an‘ thar’s war among/
some 0‘ the tribes. The reds are cantankerous crit-
ters at scch times.”

Accordineg the four journeyed on together,
Calesco and the hunter keeping a sharp lookout as
they proceeded. _

“I reckon Dorion and his varmints have had
enou h of it.” said Will to Silver Horn. “Your
rifle ias so frightened them that I don‘t believe
they'll venture within reach of it, again."

“Thor’s mischief brewin‘,” the other answered.
“ The Crows are u to something, or they wouldn’t
be uite so onvisib e.“

“ wish we were at the end of our journey.': said
Warner. shuddering. “I‘m tired of tlus fighting.”

Silver Horn looked at the s ,aker in some sur-
prise, especially on seeing him cast a Wild and
rather alarmed glance about him. “

“ Warner isn‘t over-fond of fighting," said \\ ill,
laughing. “ He likes a hollow log better."

“Thar I don‘t blame him. I don't wonder he re-
farred sech a hiding-place aboard that scow, w ich
was sartintly in a. bad predicament.”

Warner colored and slightly bent his head.
while he continued to cast uneasy glances about

him.

All that day, however, no sign of an Indian was
seen.

Next morning. after sleeping in 8. inc thicket.
among the mountains. where a goo watch had
been kept through the night, the party descended
to aglaln covered with long grass, which had been
parc ed dry by the hot rays of the sun. Neither of
the four wallets had much provision left in them,
and only a scant breakfast had been made. To-
ward evening the young trapper paused, looklng
about him.

“ A buflier rump wouldn‘t go bad for dinner," he
remarked. ” Thar’s nothin‘ to compare to agood
steak from that animile.”

“ There are no buffalo here." said Will.

Silver Horiipointed far away, where a slight mist
lay on the pi n.

“Thor’s a herd of ‘em thar.” he said. “and I’m
goin’ to take my pick of one on ’eml”

“ If ‘you can get close enoug ,” said Will.

“ E I kin get within two hundred yards that’ll be
close enough," was the answer. “Jest wait hyar for
me. and keepa good lookout. while waitin’ for In-
juns, which mou‘t try to steal up in our rear."

So saying, he got down upon his hands and
knees, and crawled rapidly through the long grass.
The buffaloes, about tiventy in number, were mov-
ing slowly in a direction away from him. He gained
fast upon them, and, when w thin ahundred and fifty

ards of them. be selected a lar e, fat fellow and
glazed awa . The Well-directed ullet struck the
buflalo’s sp he and laid him dead almost without a.
struggle, while his alarmed com anions. now be]-
lowing. went scouring 011' over t e plain, plowmg
the ion grass with their horns.

Only he head of Silver Horn was visible, as he
again fired. shooting another of the animals. All at
once he disappeared. The crack of two rifles was
heard, at the same moment, and the smoke of the
wee us went rolling above the spot where the
hub or had vanished. ‘ ‘

“ What’s up now i" inquired Will.

“God help that or fellow!" cried Warner. in

alarm. “ I’m afrai he has been killed 1”
"Not et," said Calesco. “You can see grass
move.

ht  on i"
Followed by i1 and Warner, she ran toward the
spot, her kni e. in her uninjured hen .

As the three approached the grass parting showed
the hunter engaged in a desperate struggle with a
gigantic Crow.

“*Him have hard time. It is ‘Spotted Wolt.’ him
fight with. and Spotted Wolf great Crow bravel“

“Greasy warminti” shouted Silver Horn. as he
and the Indian rolled over and over. striking at each
other With their knives. “That’s no boy’s play
about you. ar‘sa fact. and you hev the strengt
of a bull, but f I don't wind up yer gizzard for yer,
I’m not good or snakes l"

“ Ughl” grunted the savage, whose hideous.
painted face. with its eyes of’flre. was now and then
seen on the ground like that of some ugly reptile.
“Spotted Wo'lf will have scalp! Hus! have scalp.
Seal isgood.’

“ 00 good fur you, {or weasell" answered the
other. “.When you lit my ha’r, you’ll seeawlld-
cat’s tail hangin’ from the moonl" '

“Ugh! oodl goodi good 1" cried the savaggss
he plung his knife three times through his oppo-
nent’s hunting-shirt. ‘-

But the young tra per, twisting himself. received

I the strokes slanting along the skin over his ribs.

 

ou could keep us company until we ;

Spotted Wolf was on top of him, holding his arms
down with his huge knees.

All at once Silver Horn drew up his legs. and dug
. both knees against the lndian’s stomach. taking
; away his breath. and causing him to start back. He
‘ then pulled the savage‘s face down close to his own
. and, havmg diseng ed his arm, he thrust his knife
g (leap into t 6 back 0 the Indian, between the shoul-‘
( ers.

Making one more futile effort to use his knife.
Spotted Wolf fell heavily upon his assailant, and
, then rolled over on his face. stone dead.

I Just then Calesco and her companions came up. ‘

"Are you hurt?“ inquired Warner, anxiously.

“Not a bit of it,” was the answer, “ and now for
that buffler; but we must look sharp. for I’m sar-
tint thar‘s more of those varmints about.”

“ Are you sure of that?” said Warner, uneasily.

“ I‘m shore of it; but they may be some wa s cm
1 The one I fou't with was probably one o ther
, scouts.”

They moved on, but the could see nothing of one
of the buffaloes which ha been shot. ,

“ Where can it be?” inquired Will.

“That’s easy told.” replied Silver Horn.

“ Thai-ls

, a wallow thar in the high grass, or a boiler of some

' lfrifid, into which the critter must hev rolled when it-

e i“ .

This proved to be the case. The hollow appeared.
to be about twenty feet deep, and the sides, which,
were uite steep, were covered with a thick growth
of big grass, packed and dry like that on the plain
around it.

“ One on us must keep watch while the rest go in—
to the holler to cut up the bufiler," said the young
trapper.

“ \ ‘arner can keep a lookout," remarked Will.

“ You don‘t think any of the Crows will come this
way i" inquired Warner turning slightly pale.

A ain Silver Horn loo ed at the boy in surprise.

“ ‘ lo tharl Shorer you‘re not steered. are
you?“ he said.

“1—1 am not a very good shot.” replied Warner.
‘* but I don‘t think I will be afraid.”

" That‘s right; don’t let any of the var-mints steal
a march on you.”

Warner posted himself near the hollow and. his
companions descended into it.

The boy walked to and fro, casting uneasy glances
around him. Every time the grass was agitated by
the wind he would start as if he expected to see an
Indian leap up in front of him. Gradualldy, how— ‘
ever, as none appeared, his alarm subside a
walked his post With a firmer step.

him. He stood motionless and listened, his heart
beatin loud and fast.

“Hi 0 thar, Warner, this way," the hunter just
then called.

The boy run to the edge of the hollow. The twi-
light was merging into the shadows of night. and he
 not see the three persons below him dlsfi

inc .

“ ere I ami” he cried. * ’

“ The ’arth round the upper part of this hollow
has caved in. so that we kin never git out 'thout

on; assistance. You must give us a. helping

n .‘

earth, robably loosened b the recent rain, had
fallen to the hollow. so t t all the
I was too steep to climb further than with ten teet
of the upper ed 6. " _

“What can do?" said Warner. V
and enough now if I should be attacked by

ans.”

“ Never mind the Indians, but help us,” cried Will.
“That’s all you have ,to think of just now.”

“ Stand b to catch thisl" said Silver Horn
threw up t 1e end of a line, which Will had
from his wallet.

Warner caught the line. ‘

“Make it fast to one of the horns of the other

continued the trapper. ,
The boy moved toward the buflalo. He had tied
the line to the horn and turned. when between 'him
and the edge of the hollow up sprung the dusky
form of a. savage with blazing eyeballs and a hide
ous head-dress o feathers. ’ ' ‘

CHAPTER X.
newsman.

Win! an inartlmilate , Warner  his
piece but as the savage fixed a tomabawk, in the
act of hurlin it at his head, the boy shookso v10:
lently that s rifle dro pad to the ground! I "

Now the Indian be 1) him at his mere ,hurlrd
his weapon with terrific area. but the lad dgdg‘ed it,
and crouched behind the buffalo in abject ‘ 1101:.
Drawing his knife, the savage lea
tiger, caught the shrinkin youth y the hair of the
h . and was about to ~unge his blade deepintor
his breast. when the cm: of a rifle sounded behind
him, and making a wild lung'e with the We,
through the empty air he fell ovum thehut-
falo as a bullet passed through his h .

“Hillel that critter’s gone under. shomi"csmo
the voice of Silver Horn. . '-

A moment later Will and Celesco also
from the hollow by means of the line.

Silver Horn ha now walked up to Warner, who .
still crouched behind the bufialo. There was light
enough for the hunter to see his halfdroopiw'nce.
whic was very pale. , r
“ y the Lord! What’s the matter?" he in nixed
" Your ha'r is safe op yer head, and yer bug's still,
on shoulders l" , '
'arner staggered to his feet. and stood before the

 

nd he ‘ '-
Suddenly he heard a sort of rushing noise behind .

Looking closely, Warner perceived that masses of '
roundrit '
“It wouldfle '

so he ‘
we

dead huflalo. which is near the edge of the hollow," l

forward like a 

me? A

 

.,\

     
   
  

v

.

 

  

. you couldn’t perform. You’d iicv (lozi ‘

l

   

 

8 _

speaker with downcost eyes. He made no reply.
but he trembled from head to foot. ‘

“I wish I m be dogged of I kin understand yer '

conduct," the unter said. “Such a skcerv ’coon
as you are ain‘t fit fur the company of gentlemen
like we 1"

“1%.” said Will. "I swear I did not think he was
quite such a. coward! What is his rifle doing here
on the ground?”

“ He dro ped it " said Silver Horn. " Yes. by the
Lordl he dropped it. when he niou’t hev throch
the red-skin cold with it! I saw it all jest as I
clombed by the line out of the pit!"

Will advanced as if to collar the lad and give him

ashaking, but both Silver Horn and Calesco inter— , K t
. a c.

posed.

“No——no——don't harm the poor critter." said the
hunter. “ No one kin liel beingns he's made.
fault of the thing are his coming' out lifttr, whur
tliur‘s red‘skins to fight. jest as of ie war one on us,
when in reality thar's a chicken‘s licart under his
huntingshirt.’

" Yes, I think I made a mistake." said Warner.

. .“ I thought I was braver tlluz I 

“ o, no, this child knows better n ll
Silver Horn. “You knowod yei- own 11 xvi-ll
enough. and you had no bizness to on [wit-Iii. - wfut

:\ l“il}i
‘tci', hiring ourself out as a nurse for it hos:

.“ He oug t to be tarred and feather-nil for 1H L 
malice!" said Will, bluntly. “A ‘ quill ' of his kind
might make 3 00d deal of trouble for us."

“Thur‘s tmt i in that!" said the hunter. “Tell
yr 1. what it is. young boss!" he added. stornly mi-
drissing Warner. “ Don’t 'ou know you mou‘i. iii-.v

  

 

 

  
 
 

what makes a. crime of each conduct!”
Warner him his head. Then. all at once, to the
surprise of h excompanious,he began to 501) and

weep. in a piteous manner.

'dl

“Ki. kil' cried Will. shrugging his shoulders in

list. “ What a. softhearted cub l“

alesco went up to him and tried to soothe him.
" I'd not bother myself with such a chicken-heart-
ed kid. if I were you." said Will.

But Cniesco continued her efforts. until Warner
suddenly turned away.

“I don‘t care what becomes of me now. I’ll start
at once to go on alone to the fort. If. as Silver

. Horn says. I am apt to et the rest of you into trou-
' ble. the sooner I co the

etterl" 1
He was stalking off. when Will Seized him by the

arm.
‘ “No, no i” he said. “Now you are with us, you

" must stay with us!"

Warner struggled to break loose from him, and
this caused the collar of his hunting-shirt to tear
apart about the neck. the dazzling whiteness of
which, as well as its .uliar form ition. was now
Visible in the light of t e moonl

Sliver Horn uttered a cry of surprise.

I: » “gilllol of it ain't a woman, then you kin shoot

* I Will to the blusbl

- the Indians Were about the
. to o with me. but she must nave been seen by the

“the Lord'aave any 28.1 from seen a. fate!"

_ to rev going with you. if you knew who I

moi
“A woman)" cried Will, while, covered with

. hl'ishes.the forson addressed proceeded with the
= assistance 0
» collar.

Calesco to arrange the disordered

.‘ “Own u i" said Silver Hom—“ own up that you
are of t’ot er sect!” ,

In spite of his bluntness, there was an air of re-
spect in his manner, and he raised his cutskln

ca .
'Q‘Thcre is no use of denying it now.”snid the

other, her soft feminine voice contrasting! with the

confralto, boyish tones she had hitherto assumed.
.Willuosoouer heard that voice than he leaned

forward, eagerly. saying:

, ‘-?I know you now. You are Kate Moray. "

5 “ es. lam Kate Moray."

W lgdveu cryof o.

 

' 3' .
. “ Alive and well I" 9 said. “Thank God for this!
' Jerusaleml had I'kuown it was you. you would
-- . not. give caught me blowing you up, as I did Just
 now. '

“Nor I," said Silver Horn. “Even as it ls.I feel
warm ashamed of myself."

, “It beats me toguess how you escaped the red-
sklns when they smocked the cttlement." said
gir .

. “I run down in o the cellar." answered Kate
“ and there I staid while the house was burning am
lace. My aunt started

In before she could reach the tra door.‘
“I should hav thought you'd hev eon roast-(l
brown." said Silver Horn. “ By the Lord! it must

' hevbsen oncomfortabie thar!"

“ No, for there in a passage leading from the col—

..I No a hollow under a rock, some yards back of

choose. Uncle dug out the passage to that hol-
low in order that he might have plant of room for
the stowage of his goods. Among t 9 things he
_ there were some suits of hunter‘s clothing, and
‘I put on one of those. he “‘2. if I should be taken
by the snvnzes, the min t think I was a man; for I
have heard.“ ad ed Kate, blushing. " that the
Indians sometimes force their white girl-captives to
be their Wives "
' “Thai-Vs truth in that." said Silver Horn. “And
a “ But why didn’t you sa who you were from the
first when you met me?" nqulred Will.

"‘ One reason was that I feared you would object
was."
it not been for mglim erfect sight. i think I
would have known you, s§te of your disguise."

us

. said Will
, “I think likely," said Kate. “Cale-sci) recognized
» me at once. an

(i so (1 Dorian lot the time he
captured me. He too me to the cave. and there

i i

l

l

The ,

 

fastened me to the rock. as you saw. and by threats
tried to force me to consent to be his wife. '

“ The mean skunk," said Silver Horn. “ E! be
ever comes in range of FinEnnA'rH——this rifle of
mine v» tbar’ll be some lead in his bones. shore."

As the hunter spoke his gaze rested with a. look of
respectful admiration on the beautiful girl, whose
face caught additional loveliness from the clear light
of the moon falling upon it.

“ Ef I‘d known you war a gal." he continued, " I'd
not hev forced you to trump it with us at seek an
onniarcii‘ul rate. You must be almigbiytired, and

we won’t go another step to-night, so that you kin .

rcst till morning."
“ No, I would not interfere with your plans," said
“I am ready to move on if you say the
woleI
“We would not go far at any rate,"
hunter. casting a quick glance uround him.

said the
“ Ei‘ I

.niistako not. thar's Crows skulking not far from

i
1

' been the means of gettin' a l our ha’r lifted? ’l‘liar‘s I

liynr, like snakes in the grass. You Shall rest in the
hollow—you and Calesco. while Will and I keep
watch."

By means of the line, Kate and (‘alesco entered
the hollow.

Silver Horn also went there, and gathering a
quantity of the dry grass growing on the sides of the
linlliow, he made a comfortable couch for the white
gir .

She thanked him. and us he met the gaze of her
dark, expressive eyes, he said:

" Fuck it, gal. pack it! Share as you‘re alive, l’d
go through fire and rattlesnakes to starve you!"

Will heard the words.

" 1 don‘t like this." he muttered, uneasily.
seems to me that bummer is making llifnStlf loo
olh'cious."

He descended q]uickly into the hollow.

“Can I do unyt iing for on. Kate?" hc inquired.

“ No." she unswvi‘ed. ‘ Silver Horn has made me
very comfortable.”

“I'll see to her hereafter," said the boy, scowling
at the hunter.

“or course. We’ll both hev enough to do to see
to the gul’s welfare. But you‘re making a had coni-
nieiicenient. You shouldn‘t huv left your post. I
kin tell you thar never was more need of our keep-
iuz our eyes about us! ’

“I don‘t know that I am under your orders,"
answered Will. _

Before Silver Horn could retort, Kate‘s reproving
voice was heard:

“ Come, Will,

.lv
i

on must not make any trouble. It
is I who now 0 or you to go lian to‘yonr post.”

The boy sulkily walked away, an graspin the.
line, he had drawn himself )ialf-wuy up the sic e of
the hollow. when down he came. rolling back. head
over heels into the cavity. A merry es] of lau h-
tor broke from Kate. especially as she now that er
cousin was unharmed. but Silver Horn looked grave.
cocked his rifle, and gazed u )ward.

It was the giving way 0 the rope which had
caused the boy to full, and the hunter knew that
the line rcoul not have parted without being
loosened by some person above.

CHAPTER XI.
'rnn PERILOUS ann'rizns. '

Tm; Silver Horn's conjecture was right soon was
prove . ‘

In the long grass. all about the edge of the hollow.
alppeared the dusky outlines of savage faces with
t air eyeballs glenminr in the moonlight. Ono
swift glance around t e 11 per edge of the pit
fictive the hunter that the p ace was encircled y

e co.

“Injuns!” he said in a low stern voice to Will.
“Your leaving your cat has caused us to be sur-
prisedl We are sart ntlv cau‘giht in a trap. now.”

“What is it?" inquired ill. whose imperfect
vision prevented his seeing his half-concealed ene-
mics.

"Injuns. I sayl Crow ni gers. boy! They’re all
round the edge of the 1:01 ow, and we‘re sarcum-
vented, shore!"

Jlngo! and so it‘s my faultl" said the lad.
i‘Well. I'll fight to the death to pay for it, any-
iow ‘ '

“Hist! boy, not so loud. Don’t act as of you see
'em.’ Thor's a kind of earth-hollow, jest to the
right of us. We must git the gal to go thar, first,
and then we’ll folleri" ,

He leaned over, and whispered to Kate to or???
into the hollow, which she quickly did. Before
Will and the hunter could follow, a. ring of rifle-muz.
zies was inted toward them from the edge Of the
hollow. he voice of Dorlon was then heard

‘No use! we have you. now! Take your choice.
Leave your rifles and knives down there. and cqme
up here to surrender. or vou are dead dogs!"

" What will vou do with us if we surrender?" in-
quired Sliver Horn in order to gain time.

“ e Silver Horn knows what the custom of In-
dians is. especially when so many of their number
have fallen under his rifle! But Dorion has influ-
ence with them. and if you surrender. he will try to

 

give you a chance for your life—especially if you
persuade the white girl to come up, first!"

“ Waghl you set a high valuation on life.I must
. allow!" cried the hunter. “ But how kin we git up.
i thar. seeing you've onfastenod theiine?"

“I kin fasten it again.“ was the reply.

“I don’t think you kin!" cried Silver Horn as he
1 suddenly seized t e rope and ulled it down into the
i (army. “Now. boy!” he ad ed, in a low voice. to

The latter understood him, and darted into the
earth-cavity. where Kate and Calesco were already
ensconced. ‘

“ Fire!" shouted Dorlon.

\.  . .
_ , /.‘. a

Silver Horn, and His Rifle, Firedeath.

I

 

: front of them.

 

 

The rifles ointed at Silver Horn roared at once,
and a cry 0 anguish escaped Kate. on seeing the
hunter drop flat upon his face.

“Killed! Silver Horn is killedl"
fiercely.

With a yell of exultation. the savages all sprung

cried Dorion,

‘ to their feet.

At the some moment n stream of fire seemed to
spout from the face of the prostrate man, and one
of the Indians rolled down into the cavity with ebul-
let through his heart! Before the ohers could re—
lond, the hunter who had thus sent a fatal shot

‘ while lying prone on the ground. crept into the.
earth cavity.

f You are not even hurt. then?” said Kate, joy-
u y.

“No. The‘varmints aimed fur my head, and, by
dropping in time. I ’scaped the‘r shots.”

Cl‘li‘S of Vengeance rung upon the air. Shot after
shot was fired. hilt the party crouching in the cavity.
could not be hit.

“ You’d better suri'endori" shouted Dorion.

“1 Come und take us. of you want us!” cried Silv: r
Horn.

These were about ten savages in all.
now were heard. as if in consultation.

“'lhey‘ll contrive to come down lure. and then \20
are surely lost!"‘said Kate.

"Not a. bit of it, miss. of I may differ from yor,"
replied the hunter. “They’ll unit long ‘foi'e ilu‘y
try that. fur they know ct llu-y conn- doun h 'm'.
that they’ll never go but k ng‘in.’ Bthuen ii
01119800 and I. from behind this breast work 0‘
earth." he added. pointing to n clum l of ground in
“We could shoot I ie hull kit on

Their vr iu‘s

’em I” v

“ Yes," said the Indian girl. “ for Culrsco can use.
l‘er arm. now, and she can shoot the iiile as well as
the arrow."

“ You‘re a. trump. gal. and no niislal e.“ said 11.0
hunter.

" I can use my rifle. too." said Kale.

W ill laughed.

‘I‘dWe all know how you used it, awhile ago,” to
em .

“ But I was alone, then," unsweer Kate. “Now
it is different."

Meanwhile Silver Horn was keenly scrutinizing the
upper (dges of the hollow.

‘ The varmints are being reinforced.” he re-
marked. “ Thur are about thirty on ‘em, now.”

“’I hen we Lre lost!" cried Kate.

“Not a, hit of it, gall I hev a plan nn’I kin bet
it‘ll not be onsuccessful."

A few moments later some of the savages lowered
a line, made by fastening a number of thongs to-
gether. into the hollow.

“ They tire going to come into the pit,” said Will.
H " You kin bet lhey‘ll not come fur,” replied Silver

orn.

As he spoke he crept swiftly from the earthAcnve.
and with matches prone-cried to set fire to the long.
(113; grass on each of the four sides of the cavity.

he bottom of the pit being in shadow. he was
not seen by the sava es until the fire began to glare.
Before he could he s 0t at. he was back in the earth-
cave.

There was a light breeze. and the flames crackling.
hissmg and rearing. swept up the sides of the pit.

“Thar you are!" cried t e hunter. as ells of
bullied rage broke frtm the Indians. “ 19 var-
mints don t like sech fireworks. you kin be shore."

“ But will not the fire reach us?" inquired Kate.

‘ “ No. that‘s no grass in the bottom of the pit, and
the blaze‘ll creep up." ‘ i ‘

In fact, with t e exception of their quarters being
made rather hot. ard smoky. ibry suffered no incon-
venienoerfrom the fire. it steamed rapidly upward.
and in spite of the efforts of the mm s to extin-

guish it, it soon communicated with t 6 dry grass V

above on all sides. The cries of the Indians were
new board fast receding, as they fled before the
flames. These spreading roeein ofty tongues and
columns until the whole sevens were tinged with
[he lurid reflection.

" How long will it last?" inquired Kate.

uNot long,’you kin be shore.“ snid Silver Horn.
“Ef l’m not mistook. we’re gomg to hev a heavy
shower. which’ll soon ut it out." .

Half an hour later. 8 rain commenced to pour.
As it struck the rolling sheets of flame it made a
noise like the hissm _ of thousands of snakes.

“The Indians wll come back as soon as the-fire is
out.“ said Kate.

“They‘re Welcome. They’ll not find us hyar,”i

answered the hunter.

In about an hour the heavy rain had put out the
fire, Soon alter. the heavens cleared and the moan
shone 1's brirbtly as before. For t e space of a
mile. on ouch side? of tie pit, the scorched and
blackened Ilain presented a singular appearance.

“We must get away from hyar, soon as we kin,”
said the hunter. » A

“How are we to get out of the hollow?" inquired
Will. “ We have no rope now fixed to climb by."

“I reckln we kin manage it et 1 give you a lift.
We kin stand ,ten feet below the edge of the boiler.
By gettin' on my shoulders. boy. you kin olomb up
to the edge."

The arty went out of their ret at. and placin
himsel in a good position, Silver~ H n allowed Wi
to climb up to his shoulders. Stand on those, the
lad was enabled to reach the edge of t ecnvity, upon
which he soon scrambled. Then the end of the to
was thrown up to him. and, bracing himself firm
against a ridge of land he contrived to hold it until
i- a hunter. lightening he strain by planting his feet
as he climbed. into the side of t e cavity. had
ascended by means of the line. The two ivere‘aoon
joined by Calesco and Kate. '

I \

   

 

 

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nun»:

Silver Horn,'and His Rifle, Firedeath. L 9

 

 

Then Silver Horn returned to the hollow, the girls
assisting Will to hold the to e. . 

" What are you going to 0, now?" inquired ‘5. ill.

“ I’m going to deceive the varmints. so that
when they come back, they’ll think we arv- still in
the earth-cave."

Seine of the skin which he had taken from the
dead buffalo in the hollow, h».- iiow twismrl into the
form of the on i he ivnre, and placed in such a posi-
tion in the on h—cave that, seen thus in obscurity,
from above‘, it would have the nppccranco of being
on the head of some person crouching there.

"Thai-l thatlllgive us time to make tracks," he
said, when he had climbed back to his companions.
“The varniiiits will her to git into the liol ow and
take a close look, ’forc they find out the trick we‘ve
pla ed ‘em."

clinc having been coiled and placed in Will‘s
wallet, Silver Horn led the we. across the plain, in
the direction of a spur of t 6 Rocky Mountains,
looming up in the distance. This the party reached
at midnight, and they then made a halt that Kate
might obtain rest.

 

CHAPTER XII.
THE TRAP.

Tun hunter stood the first watch. His position
was on the ledge of a preCipice overlooking a dense
pine thicket which extended back from the base of
the hight.

The moon was now gone down, and a deep gloom
rested on the wild scenery about the precipice.
Silver Horn resolved not to awaken Will, but to con
tinue on the lookout until morning, for he was aware
that the utmost vigilance was necessary, at resent.
As he walked to and fro, just as the dim ight of
dawn was beginning to break, 11!; fancied he saw
the outline of dark forms moving through the
thicket.

“ Injuns or wolves; it‘s hard to tell which," he
muttered.

IIe descended the precipice, and cautiously ad-
vanced to the edge of the. thicket. Peerin into it,
he saw dark forms movmg away from im, and
knew them to be wolves. He returned to his post,
and remained on the watch until daylight, by which
time his three com anions were awake.

No sign of an Indian was to be seen, and Kate par-
took ot’the breakfast of buffalo-steaks, which was
soon pre ared. with a keen relish.

After breakfast the party were again on the

move.

‘The days of their ourney passed, without an In-
dian showing himse f. They were now among the
inountaind, within about fifty miles of the fort for
which they were bound. At noon, when they halter-l
for dinner, and the hunter went with Will to a creek
for fresh water, he looked sharply and suspiciously
at a small feather lying on the ground. O

Finally he picked it up and scruiinizcd it closely.

“You hunters are a 'ttle to; smart,I reckon,"
said Will. “ It‘s likely that feather dropped from
a bird "

“ Don‘t you be too shore of that," said Silver Horn.
“Thor’s been a rod-skin hyar, lately, or this child is
mou’ty mistaken.“

“ How doyou know?"

“ This feather tells the hull story. It has dropped
from the head-dress of a Crow!"

“ How know on it didn’t come from a bird?"

“ You kin see or yourself, boy," said the hunter,
as he pulled a short- hair from the feather. “ Hyar‘s
the varmint‘s h’ar!" I

“ If the Indians are about, do you think they know
where we are?"

“ To my thinkin', they‘ve had scouts trackin‘ us
all along, waitin‘ fora chance to strike, which we
hem” yet given ’91“, as I've contrived to keep in
good persitions to meet any attaCk-H

Silver Horn, as he s ioke, thought of. the forms he
had seen, two nights More, skillklnfi 1" lhe thicket.
and he was now of the opinion that some of them
were Indians.

“ Go back to the gals," he said to Will, “ and wait
with 'em fur me to come back. I'll go forward a
little to have a look at thin s. In case you should
be attacked, ’fore I come k. you YB 80'? 9- 800d
persition, and kin make agood stand.’ ‘

“ You can bet I will," answered the boy. ‘Any
red-skin shall walk over my dead body before he
harms Kate." -

~ “ Thor’s whar it in, boy! on mustn’t bev a dead
body to be walked over-l ou must keep alive for
the zal‘a sake, and you kin do it, at you stay behind
the led e, wharyou’ll be posted,"

The wo now sclparated, Will returning to Kate
and Calesco, and Si ver Horn hurrying along through
a pine thicket, closely scrutinizing the ground as e
went.

He saw no sign of an Indian trail. If the Crows
had been that way, they had carefully concealed all
traces of their p ress.

He soon found 'mself in a small clearing in the
woods. He had advancal to about the center of it,
when, all at once, the earth seemed to give waybe.
math him, and. down he went into a gal 3’ about ten
feet deep.

This fissure had been carefully concealed by sticks

across it, with sods so artfully arranged on to

that they had iven to it the appearance of soil
find. The Width of the Eu“! ll'asvgreatcr at the
torn than at the top measuring about eleven
feet. As the hunter fell, lightly on his feet, he
heaiii a hoarse growl, and saw the gleam of fiery

eyes ' « »

Directly ’before him crouched three 5mm hungry
wolves 0 large Biz", and of a gray 00 or. hat the
cicatures would attack him in a few moments, be

doubted not, and he hesitated whether to run the

/

 

risk of drawin Indian foes that way by firing his
rifle, or to sole y rely upon his knife for defense.

“This trap may be the work of Injuns,” he mut-
tered, "or it may hcv been made by some white
hunter, fur the catchin’ of h’ars or other animiles."

Having three wolves to contend with, he concluded
to use his rifle; so, cocking his piece, he sent a bul-
let through the head of one of the creatures as they
bounded toward him.

Whirling his rifle round, and grasping it by the
muzzle. he struck another of the hrutes a blow on
lt‘hefskull; then, dropping his weapon, he drew his
'11] e.

The wolf he had struck had partly avoided the
blow, and soon joined the other in the attack. The
hunter plunged his knife deep into the side of the
foremost one which fell dying at his feet, but before
he could use i; again, the otherbeast springing upon
him. knocked him down, and its long she fangs
were about to be fastened in his throat, w en the
report of a rifle mug, and the brute fell over on its
si e as a bullet passed throu h its skull.

Silver Horn rose, and, 100 ing up, was surprised
to see Kate Moray standing on the edge of the
gully, her smoking rifle showing that it was she who
had fired the shot!

“ Hellol Kin I believe in eyes?“ cried the youn
trapper. “How on earth id you ever git up pluc
enough, gal, to shoot the animile ?"

“It was to save the life of a friend, Silver Horn—
you must remember that. Besides I was in no
danger!"

“I don‘t keer—it wara plucky shot. Thar‘s not
every gal wliosc nerves would liev been ‘stiddy'
enough fur sech a ‘ benevolent ’ action.”

“ 1 hope you are not hurt," said Kate, blushing at
{in compliment. "I came as soon as I could get
iere."

“ Whar’s the rest on ‘em—Calesco and Will?”

' “'Il'ell me first if you are hurt," said Kate, anx-
ious '.

h“ o, my good gal, I‘m not hurt—I kin truly say
t at.‘

“Well, then, Will, Calesco and 1, hearing the
bowling of the wolves, thought ‘you might have
been attacked by the animals. e ran to assist
you, but the others went oil! the wrong way, mis-
taking the direction of the noise, probably, thinkin
I was following them. But I kept straight on as
was going, and, fortunately, got here in time to
help you. I hope you think better; of me now, Silver
Horn, than you did when you reproved me for
cowardice."

“ By the 'tarnall I’d never hev reproved you had
I known you war a woman! Now kin truly say
tiliatklnhav the most onhounded admiration for yer

uc .

Calesco and Will came up, a minute later, and, by
means of his rope, the hunter, with their assistance,
was soon out of the gully.

Will was su riscd on hearing that it was Kate
who had tired t e timely shot, but Calesco smiled

" When woman see friend she like much in dan-
ger, it make her arm strong," she remarked.

"She would have done it for any one, for you or
me,“ said Will, scowling.

“ I don‘t thank her any the less fur it, on that ac-
count," said Silver Horn. “ And now, of we don’t
see In nus soon, I’m mou'ty mistook. 1 reckin it
was t em varmints who made that trap, thinkin'
we would all be caught in it.“

As he spoke be commenced to reload Findeath,
which he had scarcely done when his attention was
caught. by a slight rustling behind a pine, a few feet
to t 8 left of the 5 0t where Kate stood.

With one tiger- ke bound, be reached the tree,
shouting:

“Come out from behind thar, you mean wea-

sel i"
As he s ke he raised his rifle and sprung to see
who was bind the tree.

It proved to be the half-breed, Dorlon, who stood
there, rifle in hand.

In an instant Silver Horn's piece was on a line
with his head

“Yer time's come, Dorian!" he cried. “You are
a gone 'coon now, but tell me fust at it wasn’t you
that set that ’fa‘rnal trap, and tell me also how long
yer’ve been hyar by this tree."

“I have ‘ust come," answered Dorlon, with the
utmost coo ness. “I don't mind owning I was the
one who set the trap, either. but 1 don’t think you’ll
shoot me, for a good reaso ."

: Out with it: say what yer hev to Tom I plug
. u n

“This is the reason!" answered Dorlon, who now
found himself confroni ed by the rest of the party.

As he spoke he aimed his rifle, with his finger on
the trigger, full all the head of Kate Mora l

NOW. thrn. don't one of you move, an don’t you
fire, Silver Horn! The lnstant- I hear the click of
110W rifle-nigger. or the instant one of you stirs, I'll
blaze away at the girl here, and put a bullet through
her head! ’

“For God's sake! don't fire, then!" cried Will to
Silver Horn.

"That‘s no need of yer tellin‘ me that, boy, " said
the hunter. “ The mean cuss would hev time, that's
a fact, to shoot the gal ’fore I could hit him, ct he
fired when I pulled the trigger."

“ I'm glad you take in the situation," Said Dorlon,
with an ugly leer.

“ l’ll allow you hev the best of us jest at present."
cried the young trapper. “I 8’ use yet mean ter
keep 1;?! hyar while yer friends, t e Crows, are com-
lll ll

“ o matter What I mean,” chuckled Dorlon.
“Herefll am—one man—with three of you in my

power.
“Don't be fright‘ed," said Silver Horn to Kate,

\

 

woman [he had ever seen, and the news the

who, with that rifle pointed toward her. trembled
from head to foot. “The raskil Won’t dare to
H

“Move one step and on will seel" cried Dorian.

At that moment Ca esco, whose sharp 2: es were
rapidly turned in every direction, said quick y:

“ Crows are coming!”

CHAPTER XIII.
, unnanuinnn.

CALESCO was right. In the distance the dusky
forms of savages were swiftly moving toward the

rtv. ' r '
pa“What an ugly fix we are in!" cried Will. “Here
are our enemies coming, and we cannot lift a hand
against them i"

“ M friends shall not be sacrificed on my account!"
cried ate, in a faltering voice, but V\ ill noticed that
her gaze rested on Silver Horn, as though it was of
him only that she thought.

“Thar’s no way you kin help it, gal!" said the
hunter.

“ Yes, there is," said Kate.

And the brave girl was about courting her fate by
making a leap for the nearest tree when Silver Born,
who, so cautiously as to be unperceived by Dorlon,
had been gradua 1y drawing up one noiseless foot
after the other so as to get a trifle nearer to the
half-breed, suddenly sprung between the mantle of
his rifle and Kate Moray.

So rapid was this unexpected movement thatas
Dorion now pulled trigger, the young) trapper
knocked up the barrel of his piece with t e‘muzzle
of his own, causing the bullet to pass over his head.
Silver Horn‘s rifle being at full cock, also went off,
the shock having brought the hammer down upon
the nipple.

With a yell Dorion sprung off, dartinglike a deer.
first behind a tree, which caught a bullet that Will
discharged after him, and then on inward the ap-
proaching Crows.

“It was unfortunate!" cried Silver Born to Will,
“ that you tired so quick! You should hev waited
till ou got a better show at the raskil!"

T e noble manner in which he had saved her life
at the imminent risk of his own, aroused Kate’s ado
miration.

Meanwhile. the hunter had reloaded his piece,lmt
having perceived that intervening trees would pre-
vent his hitting Donon, saved his ammuniticn for a
better use

He took Kate‘s arm, and helped her rapidly along
to the position which he had freviously selected.

This was on a high rock t at rose from among a
mass of f ments to the hight of twenty feet,
could only is scaled from the front, as it was too _
steep to be climbed on its other sides. There was a _
ru shelf on which the par? could stand and a
ii 21? on the edge of it won] serve for a broom-
WOX‘ .

“ Now, then, h at we are,” said Silver Horn-~
“ settled as com ortable as ef we had not left the ‘
persitlon in the lust place. We kin hes the var-
mints back from b) er, ’tbout much troub e, so long
as we hev powder and shot." , ’

The In inns did not emerge from the edge of the ’
thicket, not caring to come in ramgeof Firedth
especially, as they knew nothing was to be gain
by running such a risk. Having senta few useless I
shots, they withdrew into the shadows of the
woods, where not a sound now was to be heard. ‘

“ Come," said l’i ill, who was tired of St eing Silver
Horn admired by Kate. “Can we not ken on the -
tramp, now? The Indians seem to have t the .
place. At any rate, it is likely we can get another
position before the venture to attack us again.”

“No,” replied Si vei- Horn, “we must stay V
fur the present. The Crow varniints are keeping a.
sharp lookout, you kin be shore, and they would be
upon us ’fore we could go far. So long as our
der (ammunition) holds out, we her the best of ‘cm
in this place,"

" But will our provision hold out?" imam WE:

“ We hev enough fur a few days. r‘s notch;
ing what may happen after that.” i ‘ ,

“ If we could on get possession of the powder
that Dorion and h s Indians stole from in uncls‘a
store we would have a good sup ly,” said ill.

When night came. a sharp ookout was ‘kept.
Once, ust at midnight, Silver Horn caught fight at
some usky forms of Indians, apparent! striving”
ascend the rock, but a shot from h s rifle soon
caused them to scam r. ‘ e v

The noise awoke a rest of the any, but the
hunter soon uieted Kate’s fears, and nduced herto
go back to t e couch of grass and leaves he had .
made for her in the hollow of a rock. Will noticed
how much greater was the influence of this young
trap or over the _irl than his own. ,

“ wish he ha never joined us," was his mental
comment. , '.

As soon as he thought Kate was again Who
went up to Silver Horn and said:

“Idon‘t suppose you know that that girl is as
good as engraved?" I .

“ How should I know it? I haven‘t inquired into
her affairs," was the answer. '

“Well, i thought I might as well tell you,” said V
Will bitterly. “so that you might know there‘s no
hope either for you or me in that barter. She is,
expected to marry a person of her ather’s choice,

n s _.

a he has as good as promised she will.’
“ It’s not fur me to t to sarcupivent any man
critterin his love affairs,“ answered Silver

,“1 shall purtecttlw poor gal so ion as l mend
when} see she will be safe atthe forts, I shall go my
w»

lemmas rha as] ttone of sadness" his
voice, forheggmirgfi Kala? more than any
WIS

r

 

 

 

 

 

\

‘ . ,‘so that the mouth was within alf a foot of the un-

" v assoon as he had nearly filled it with powder, Do-

- [‘ralséd‘his rl e and tired t him.
The

 

 

' ‘rion ad lighted asmail pine-knot, which distinctly

‘ blow up the summit of the rock, and so kill or maim

‘ point of his OWn
,' hen Ehe lad contrived to triphmup. The half-
~  e

, “been two rocks about six feet be ow, where he was

" - “There‘s a keg of
is
sup, if you don't leave i‘

    

.y

,10

Silver Horn, and His Rifle, Firedeath.

 

{ to marry some other person was not at all pleasant

to m.

“Why not go your way now?" said Will. “The
fort is not so very far off, and Calesco and I can see
to Kate."

"You may as well pack that, boy. You are not
goin' to git rid of me Jest yet. I‘ll stand b that gal
until I’m shore thar's no more danger fur er."

“ Well, don't you 0 to thinking you can f shine
up ’ to her—that’s al ."

“ It’s no mortil‘s bizuess what I think. Ev’ry hu-
man critter has a right to his own tho ghts and id
advise yer to say no more to me on th s suhiect.“

“Suppose Kate, herself, would rather you‘d clear
out?" ’

” She kin hev no reason fur wishing that.”

“We’ll see about it,” said Will, as he walked

away.
N ext morning, as soon as she was up, the boy said

to her:
“I think Silver Horn had now better leave us—
‘dou’t you, Kate?"

h “ No!“ promptly answered the girl. “ Why should
at”;
“ Because Calesco and I can see to you, now."

" I don‘t think so. Our situation is far from safe.
and were it not for our hunter friend, I should feel
ve much frightened."

Silvery Horn looked leased at this, and Will fancied

‘he ave him‘ a triump ant glance.

“ hen," cried the boy, springing to his feet, " you
shall take your choice. Either he or I will go away
from here!" '

Kate told Will that he was acting very foolishly.

“Ef you go 011' alone, you‘ll be it gone coon for sar-
tin ," said the hunter. “ The Crows hev their eyes
on us. and would be shore to foller you."

Calesco also endeavored to change Will‘s inten-
tion, but all to no urpose.

As soon as the s es of another night had fallen.
.the boy descended the rock in a frame of mind
which made him feel as if he did not care what be-
came of him.

He had reached the base of the hight and was
about to pass around it, when he fancied he saw
the dim figure of a man with a keg under his arm,
stealing into a hollow that opened among the rocky
fr ments.

-’ “ orlon, if I’m not mistaken,” thought the, lad.
“I must see what he’s up to before I leave."

He glided into the hollow. All was darkness there:
but looking upward, he was SUI used to see the out— “
line of the form he had detect , movmg that way.

This convinced him that the rock was hollow near-
ly. to its summit. and that Dorion was passing over
an ascending ledge. ‘ ’

By feeling about him. \\ ill soon discovered the
ledge.«and crept along after the figure. The latter
pausedon reaching a shelf of rock that projected,
apparent] ', directly under the summit of the hight

noccu ied y Silver Horn and his companions. Do-

revealed his form and his movements to Will, who
now crouched behind a rugged alcove, facing the

e. r

e half~breed poured from his wallet a large
quantit of powder into the keg he haul brought,
and Wh ch he had placed upri ht on the rocky shelf,

der‘side of the summit of the elevation. In the keg,
paper wi

rion laced 9. Ion
- “ 'Fh gthought

s .
o villainl‘ the lad. “He wants to
those'who are on it!"

' As the h -breed lighted the end of the wisp, Will

6 however. ust missed him, and the
next women , seeing by the smoke whence the shot
had come. Dorion darted toward the alcove.

As he could not handle his rifle and his torch at
the same time, he thrust the latter into a crevice.
and this gave him full command of his piece.

Before a could tire. Will sprung out from the at
cove, and dashed the muzzle aside, causing the bul.
let topass him. Then he and his enemy clinched,
pd a! desperate struggle took place—there, on the

a

I .was not a, long one. Dorion caught the blade
of thdad’s knife in his hunting-shirt, and had the
dagger at hiso ponent‘s throat,

ll over the edge of the led e, in a crevice be-

' the hollow below."

The boy heard fragments of rock falling around l
him and hastened to leave his perilous quarters.
! At the same moment the yells and whoops of sav-
‘ ages rose on all sides. and as the dusky forms drew
nefir, Will crept undera mass of rock to hide him-
se

He heard the Indians moving over and around
him, but he listened in vain for the voice of Silver
Horn or either of the two girls.

Had they heard his warning in time, or had they
perished?

As soon as he thought the savages had passed
him, he crept swiftly up the ascent. Dusky forms
were near the sumnut. and his heart misgave him.
, These were Indians, and as they were not on top of
' the hight, the boy surmised that this had been
blown to atoms!

He feared that Kate and her companions had not
eacapnd, otherwise he thought he would have seen
or have heard them before now.

Cronchin behind sledge of rock he listened, to
soon hear t no voice of Dorion.

“ So that bummer escaped after all." was his men-
tal comment. “I had hoped he'd break his head
when I tripped him over.”

“Grows,” Dorion was sayin to the savages, “our
enemies, all except the white oy. are no more, and
we have had our revenge. Have not my brothers 4
seen the white boy i"

"We have not," answered one of the Indians.
“ We would like to have his scalp, and the scalps of
his friends. If his friends are dead, as you say,
where are their bodies?”

“The powder blew up the rock under their feet,"
said Dorion. “It opened and they fell down into

“Did my brother see them fall?"

“ N o; it was too dark for that, but they must
have fallen there. Let us look."

Led by Dorion the savages descended the rock.
Will, concealed by the shadows, followed them. He
heard them enter the hollow.

“It is strange,” said Dorion, “what could have be-
come of them. By looking up, my brotl ers can see
that there is a big hole where there was solid rock.
The foe must have fallen through.”

One of the savages carried a lighted torch, which

Ithrew a lurid glare about the hollow, but no sign of ,
the bodies the Indians had hoped to find could be ‘
discovered, although the place was thoroughly
searched.

“They have eacaped." thought Will. who had
been watching the hollow. and who heard enough to
convince him that the search was unsuccessful,
“but where can they be?" .

He moved round the base of the rock, which he
had scarcely done when he heard a low voice near

un.
“Hist! Will. is that you?" ‘ .
“Where are you?“ inquired the boy, recognizmg
the voice of Silver Horn. .
“H or I am, in this hollow. I'm hurt a little, so .
that have dii‘ilkilty in walking. Hev you seen Miss
Moray?”
“ Jerusalem! noi She has not been killed l"
- I reckin not; fact is, I‘m pretty shore
she hasn't.”
Will soon discovered the hollow in which the hunter

la .

x It's my opinion," he said, “ that Calesco and the
other gal are together. We heerd your voice jest
after t e musket-shot, and l hurried the gals away
from the top of the rock. I hel ed Miss Moray
over the ledge, but ’fore I could allow the rocks
bu’sted behind me and u. iece struck me on the
ri ht leg. I was mou'ty s ow in gettin’ over the
is e, and when I at over 1 could see nothing of the
gals. I reckin ‘Ca csco is guidin‘ the white gal to
some safe hidin’-place not far from hyar. You bet-
ter go and look for ‘em." .

“ And leave you? No, not if I know myself.”

“ I kin take keer of myself. .Never you mind me.
Soon as the Injuns are gone I’ll try to drag myself
to whar the rest of on will be."

“ No, the red-sk us will find you if I leave you.
Come lean on me and lwill help you."

Finding that persuasion was useless and that time
was only lost thereby, Silver Horn permitted Will to
have his way.

Half supported by his com nion he limped along
toward the higher rocks not or off. Meanwhile the
gamma]; were evidently still continuing the search in

e o ow.

 

so fast.

a torch having become extinguished, Will could
not see him plainly, but looking upward, be per-
cdved the fire spouting from the powder-wisp, and
could hear it hiss. ' -

There was no time to lose if he would save those
upodthe‘ rock; Doubtless they had heard and man f

. veled at the report of the rifle beneath it but of l

coursotghey had no suspicion of the danger directly ,'
er cm. i
“look out there—look out!" yelled the lad. '
wder under the rock where you ‘

standand it amost lighted, and will blow you

9

CHAPTER XIV.
urn”: passion.

' ' Home that the crust of rock was thin enough

m his words to bowlaeifld, Will ‘now gtagteg (11pm)
.. ledgesooureac e0 nngo te oow,
washout/ed out another wax-nit): . .

’ ly done so when a broad, bright

' a had scarce
- flash mad the whole length of the hollow, and, I;

’witha catching roar, the contents of the powder—
moxpioaed: _ l
.I _ V}

l
l .

“ They’ll soon be after us.” said the hunter. “ But
of I kin find a rock to lean on 1 kin use my rifle and
throw some of the var-mints cold.” ,

“ And I can help you,” said Will. "I think my

that, fur you’re a good lad

eyesight is improving."

“I‘m lad to beer
with plenty of pluck. and bu‘st me of I don’t wan
to, see you fortunlt in all your ondertakin a. How
happens it you’ve givenup that notion o leaving
us ‘

“Because you are in trouble. Jingoesl do you
think I could desert on at such a time?“

“Thor’s a good sp ritl Hark!”

Low voices. as of two persons talking, were
heard a few feet distant.

"One is the white gal,” said the hunter. “I‘d
know the music of her voice anywhar.”

Ashe spoke a light form came gliding out from
between some rocks, where the murmur of a stream
was heard.

The form was that of Calesco, who soon reached

the two. , .
“The white boy is‘safe. It is good.” she said
'oyfull . “I‘ was coming to look for him and for
ver 0 ‘

 

“ Yes; h or we both are," answered the hunter.
‘Whar is iss Moray. Calesco?" ,

1“Calesco find good hiding-place,” was the re- A
PY-
She led the way along the rocky borders of the .

stream to a place where some branches and drift-
wood had been caught in a cleft of the rock and
overhung the runnin waters.
. “Where is Kate?" 'ill anxiously inquired, peer~
mg about him through the gloom.

‘The white girl is here," answered Calesco.
“ Come!“ And as she s ke she lifted the ends of
the branches and crawle under them.

Will assistin his companion. followed. The four
now found t emselves again together under a
cano y of leaves and branches, which formed a
close y-screened bower above a broad shelf of rock,
overhanging the waters of the stream.

“ You are hurt, Silver Horn," said Kate, in a voice
of concern.

“Not much," replied the hunter.

“ A piece of

rock struck my ankle-bone and bruised it, so that I '

um lame fur the present, but it'll ass off soon—
‘specially of I di it in water. Thars nothing like
cold water, you in be shore, fur the cure of hurts
of that natur'."

He thrust the hurt leg over the edge of the rock
and allowed it to hang, partly immersed, in the
stream.

Will now described to the girls his meeting with
(1130111211 m the hollow and the explosion of the pow-

er— eg.

“It's a do -gone shame for so much good powder
to be waste ,” said the hunter. “ It would hev done
us a heap of cod."

Will was about to speak when Silver Horn laid a
hand on his arm.

“ The varmints are comin‘ this way," he whis-
pered. ,

The uick ear of the listener had caught the sound
of a ri e knocking against a rock. A moment later
the voice of Dorion was heard.

“They cannot be far off," he said.
must find them if they move quick."

A few seconds after the four heard the savages
brush against the branches as they hurried on.

Hours assed. At dawn Culesco cautiously
emerged rom under the leafy screen and went to
look about her. She climbed a rock and from be-
hind another, scanned the country far and near,
without seeing the Indians. In the distance rising
from amon some spurs of the mountains,s esaw
acolumn o smoke. "

" White. peoplel" she muttered, and she returned
to her friends with the news.

“How do you know they are whites?” inquired
Kate. *‘ May they not be Indians?"

“No; Grows not make fire to let us flee where
they are. Other Indians not make fire either, for
there is war among all the tribes now.”

“ My brothers

“If you are sure they are whites we should

contrive to let them know where we are and our
situation.” ‘ c r

“ Ef I could limp thar, I'd go,” said Silver Horn.

“No, your ankle gains you. I can see that it is
swollen. You are urt more than you will let us
know," said Kate.

‘* It 11 pass off—it‘ll soon pass off," answered the
hunter, cheerily.

"I will 0 " said Will.

“Idon‘ think it’s best ” said Kate. “Some one
must stay to rotect and 00k out for Silver Horn,
and a boy is etter for that than a girl. I will go!"

“ N01 noi don’t yer think of it!” cried the hunter.
“Let Will go. I kin take Rear of myself, spite of
this screech on my ankle.”

"Calesco is the best one to go.” said the Indian
girl. “ She has guick eyes and cars."

But Kate woul not hear to this. ,

“You and Will shall stay here to take care of
Silver Horn." she id, “and I will undertake the

mission." '

“ You’ll be scal d for sartintl" filed the hunter.

“ Yes," said Wi l.
the messe V er."

But Kate was firm.

“ It is not far. I am sure I will not come to
harm,” she said. \

Without another word she. started, but Calesco
accom anied her a part of the distance—to a posi-
tion wgence th could see the persons they wished
to reach, and w 0 proved to be a. party of white
hunters.

Before taking leave of Kate Calesco carefully
scrutinized a plain which lay between them and the
mountains w ere the hunters were collected. But
for the slight mist about the two, they might easily
have signaled these

Calesco watched
until she saw her disaggear among the rocks
which she returned to ill and the hunter.

. CHAPTER XV.
ms om. Insomnia.
KATE Momv kept resolutely on. s .
As she hurried along among the rocks of this side
of the mountains, she thought more of Silver Hor
than she did of her own risk. v
Her bosom swelling with ity for the dung trap.
per who had dOne so much or her and er com au-
ons, she was anxious to bringlpeople to his re ,
for she believed that the hurt 0 had received was

after

 

ate. more serious nature than heyould acknowl- '

2e.

She would have traveled many miles, braving
worse perils than she believed were now beforeher,
for his sake. , . >

In a word the gentle girl could not but confess to
herself that she took more interest in the handsome
hunter than she had done in any man she

I hitherto seen. ‘ .

Then she thought with regret of Tom Trainer—the

' f

“ Either I orCalesco must be

e. ,
to as she crossed the plain, ,3

 

am
I‘(

  

.l,’

like
urts
'00]:

the

with
ow-

ider
Lone

Id a
'his-

und
iter

iers
iges
isly

be—
ear,
dug
saw
nod
ired

iere
for

mid ‘-
our
.t is
; us
the
one
in,
ll"
30f _
lian ‘-

of
the

or.
the

scp

nte
illy '
But
iin
iln, . 2
tier

ide
urn
ap-
an-
lef,
wl- '

lug

 

‘ Then she know they

4 .

suv‘er Horn, and His Rifle, Firedeath.

 

 

person her father wished her to marry, but whom
she was now confident, she could never love.

Thus musing as she walked on, makl her we
up the rocky paths of lofty elevation, an with di -

‘ ficulty crossing steep crags, she finally reached a

point, which she thought would afford her a view of
the party she was striving to reach. _

But, to her surprise, she now saw no sign either of
them or of the smoke of their fire]

“ They must have left the place where they were
and have gone’on," she muttered, “ and are now

robably screened from my sight b the rocks bor-

erin some deep valley, into whic they have de-
scen ed.”

She kept on, hoping she would see them ere long,
but when, at last she sat on a rock shelf to rest,
and still could see nothing of those 8 e sought, she
became alarmed.

She was so far among the steep crags with huge
peaks rising all around her, that she oubted s e
would find her way back, even if she wished to do

so.

As she looked about her, she suddenly heard the
re 011 of a rifle.

‘ That must have been fired by some one of the
party I am looking for,” she muttered. “I will
press on, and even if I do not find the white hun-
ters, I can still try to get to the forti"

Far awa in the misty distance, she fancied she
could sec 1: e fort; but, in reality._she was mistaken.
What she saw was merely a high ridge of land,
hearing some resemblance to a breastwork.

slid rose and resolutely moved along, until she
came to a narrow ledge on each side of which was a
deep ravine. To cross the perilous path she slack.
ened her pace, and finally got across, when, an at
once, she was startled by a deep, angry growl be.
hind her.

Turning, she beheld a huge grizzly, which had
probabl emerged from behind one of. the very rocks
on whic she had rested, crossing the narrow foot-
wav, over which she had just passed.

he animal was an enormous. one, apparently
more than eight feet in length, thh patches of dirt,
and mud, which adhered to its coarse, black hair,
adding to the hideousness of its appearance.

It was of a brownish-bl k color, with huge feet
fully seventeen inches long, I nd its claws seemed to
measure not less than five inches in length. There
wasa wound in its thick neck from which blood

' was flowing, and the gain it suffered seemed to en.

rage the beast. whic ,bas it came on, with its red
mouth wide open and its ‘fangs disclosed, new and
then uttered a gmlongt‘d. gurglingi sort of growl,
that might have can heard a long stance.

At sight of this monster coming straight toward
her, Kate stood motionless, With blanc ed cheek
and starting e eballs, gazmg, as if fascmated, upon
the terrible ob cot.

As it drew nearer. she recovered the use of her
limbs, and turning. fled, but she had not gone ten
steps, when further rogress was hindered by adee
ravine too wide to eap over. on the edge of whicfi
she stood. .

Turnin round, she saw the bear now w1thin a
few yar s of her, its glaring eyes and enraged
nsgect showing that it meant to attack her:

he had heard hunters speak of the gnzgly, and
she knew that, ferocious at all times, this man.
ster when wounded, is one of the most terrible cres-
tures that can be encountered.

She endeavored to control her nerves sufficiently
to discharge her rifle at the brute, but hei- arms
trembled so that the bullet went Wide of the mark.
The animal rushed toward her kisfury, and the
next moment its paw was lifted for a deadly. blow
when an arrow came whizzm through the air, an
sunk deep into its body. Turn mg to see its assailant,
its breast received another shaft, which cut the
hearts in twain, and laid it dead at the feet of the

rl.

The latter perceived, to her surprise, that her
rescuer was no other than the Indian girl, Calosco,
who was now advancing across the narrow lode".

“Save white irli that, is good." she said. “Glad
Calesco come t is wayl’
“You came in good time," said Kane. um an_

other minute I must have been killed."

The girl advanced to her side, and looked at the
wound in the animal’s neck.

“ Some one been shoot with rifle before Calooco
come. Did the white girl do it?”

“No,” answered Kate. “ A little while ago I
heard a rifle-shot but who fired it [know not. It
must have been that ride that inflicted the wound.“

“Caiesco hear same shot. After white r1 leave
her, she get again on high rock, and ook for
hunters we been see, but she could not see a.
0 on, and that white gir not
gndf‘and she come 1- her to tell her beat to go

so .“

“I will not go back." said Kale. “ For the sake
of Silver Horn, I will keep on until I reach the fort."

And she pointed toward the distant laud-ridge.

” That not fort-that nothing but high land. Fort
more far on than that!”

" Well, I wiillkecn on until I find it."

“Best not," said Calesco. “I think shot which
wgund bear been fired by Indian. 111de not far
0 i

“ They may not see me. I will still go on.” ,
‘ “Then Calesco will go with the white girl a part
of the distance.“ ‘

She would hear no refusal, and soon she was lead-
ing the way.

“ Win 1 love Silver Horn ” she said, suddenly,

when they gone a few )7; s.
Wholly unprepared for this remark, a brig“: rose-
?ll’lor inst t y ovempread the smooth chee of the

 

“ Why do you think so?" she inquired. '.

“Calesco know it—she not think. It is love that
makes the heart of the white girl stron . She
would not be so brave if it were not for that: ’

“ Calesco,” said Kate, suddenly turning her
hitherto downcast gaze upon the speaker. “ I have
guessed a secret of yours. You like my cousin Will
better than any other person you ever saw. Come,
is it not so ‘3” »

“ It is true,” answered Calesco, in a low, soft
voice, “but the white girl must neverspeak of it to
others.“

“ You can depend upon me,” replied Kate. “ I am
sure he likes you." ‘

“Liking not is loving," said Calesco. “But the
Indian irl does not ex ect more. She knows that
the white girl holds is heart as a bird holds the
feather which ‘she is going to ut in her nest."

“ You are right, Calesco. y cousin Will’s heart
may well be compared to a feather which can be
blown about by every wind. I have known him to
fall in love wit other girls besides me. Believe me
when I say that he will end in liking you better than
he could any other human being.“ ,

Calesco‘s eyes shone like stars. Her face looked

rettier than ever as a rich color blended with the

rown of her com lexion.

As merrily as a mi she tri ped on, now and then
lending Kite a helping him when they came to
(lifficu t places.

All that day and the next she remained with Kate,
when as they were now in sight of the fort, she
bade the white zirl adieu, and started to return to
Will and Silver Horn.

She made good speed, for she had seen the tracks
of the Crows here and there, and she feared that
they would find the hiding place of her friends. She
hoped to distract their a tention by turning it upon
herself, and thus lead them away from their present
course. which she had every reason to believe was
toward the retreat of Will and Silver Horn.

CHAPTER XVI.

l mu omrvss.

“ How is your ankle, now?“ inquired Will of Sil-
ver Horn, on the second morning after Kate and
Calesco had left them.

“A heap better,” was the reply “ Ef I war out-
side, now, I think I could walk.’

As he s ke he emerged from under the leafy
covert, an stood u .right.

“ 'Coons alive!” 8 remarked. “I kin walk al-
most as well as I could used to—und—"

Will was about to peer forth to learn the meanin
of the sudden pause, when the rattle of rifles, f0 -
lowed by the demoniacal yells of foes, fell upon his

ear. ~

The boy sprun from his hiding-place, to see the
rocks alive with rows.

Silver Horn had )laced himself behind a la e
bowliler, and he he (1 his rifle pointed toward t e
savages, who, although there were as many as
twenty, skulked in crouching attitudes before that
unemng piece,

"You mean varmintsl" cried the hunter. “ You’ll
oblige me by kee )in' as fur from us as possible] We
hev’n't had brea (fast yet i“

“ We’ll ut you where you’ll want no more
breakfastl ‘ shouted Dorion, who was perched upon
a crag, behind a safe ledge, which commandid the
hunter’s sition. As he spoke be aimed at the
head of t e oung traigaer and fired. The bullet
just grazed t e top of liver Horn‘s skull, passmg
through his catskin cap. -

“Living catamountsi” he cried. “You‘ve nearly
sp’iled as good a cap as ever war skinned from a
wild-cat. That cap war a present to me from Dash-
ing Ned, ‘fore he went under—mar by the Black
Hills, and it's adog-gone shame to hev it pureed by
the bullet of sech a mean skunk as you arei“

So saying, taking aim at the t0p of Dorion’s head,
which, unknown to himself, rcg'ected about an inch
above the lodge, the hunter re .

Had the head remained where it was, Dorian
would have been shot dead, but, it chanced that be
shifted his position and thus escaped the bullet.

Ere Silver Horn could reload. the savages made a
dash for the bowlder behind which he and Will
stood. The boy shot the foremost Indian dead, and
the hunter drawing his knife, was about to plunge
it into the heart of one of the others, when sit a
dozen of the fierce band, who had crept along be-
hind a wall of rock, on the right, and had come up in
the rear of the twain, pounced upon them and made
them p sonar-s.

“ ptoored. by the ’tarnall" cried the hunter, as
the'sav secured the w sts of the two behind
their bac ‘ with thgggs of eerskin.

The Indians cape about the pdsoners.'fldufish-
if? their tomahawks and uttering demoniacal yells
o triumph.

Dorion, who was with them, stood looking fiercely
at the mo.
 last," he said, “ you are in my clutches. It is
we . , g

“I differ with you, thar, you cussed raskil," an-'
swered Silver Horn. "It is unwell but jest tell us
why the varmints hev 5: red our h ar."

“It is owing to me. told them not to kill you,
yet. Many of the Crows have fallen before your
rifle, and we must save you for torture. My bro-
thers want their full revenge.”

“That’s nateral to a red-skin, and I s’pose we
must make up our minds to it, so we‘ll say no more
on that subfeo’. I always expected Id com, 9 to
sech an een , and so I‘m not onprepared: but I do
feel sorry for my young cummarade I’ll allow."

“Don‘t worry about me, Silver. om.” said
“ Whatever ha pens. I’ll bear it as .well as I can."

“We’ll see ow you bear it when we make some

   

 

holes in your body with pixie torches," said Dorion.
with a malicious leer.

The two were now led off to a plain at the base of
the mountains. -

Some wood was brought, and a fire was kindled.
The captives were stripped to their waists, and tied.
to some stakes thrust. upright in the ground.

Dorion picked up a burning brand. ‘

” Your eyesight is bad, Will Winton," he said, as
he held ,the flaming wood before the lad. “I will
make it still worse for you 3”

He was about to thrust it into the boy's eyes
when the crack of rifles, followed by the whistling o

bullets cutting the air about the heads of the party,’ I

was heard.

Whoogls and yells at the same moment rung from
a pine t 'cket not far off, and a large party 0 Sioux
came rushing forth to the attack.

“I’m not going to lose my pre, ,” cried Dorlon.
dropping the brand and drawing his knife, while his
Indian comrades at once took to their heels.

As he spoke he raised the blade to thrust it into
the heart of the boy, when Silver Ho ,whose legs
had not been fastened, drew off and dea 1; him in the
stomach a furious kick, which sent him sprawling
and gasging to the ground.

“Goo Lord!" shouted the hunter, "ef ever thar
was a mean skunk. Iyou sariintly are the meanest on
the face of this 'art i" ,

Dorion staggered to his feet, and as the Sioux
wailre now very near, be made off after his com-
1‘ es.

Some of the Sioux pursued their enemies; others
halted about the captives.

Several of them peered into the faces of the
prisoners with their evil eyes the expression of
which was fierce and revcn eful. _

“Ughl” grunted one, as e surveyed the traaper
from head to foot. ‘ War-chick know you. ‘ -
chick has seen you before.” >

“Yes, 1 rec in you boy," replied Silver Horn.
“Thar‘s few of the reds that lievn‘t seen me; some.
on ’em, I‘ll own, under onfavorable circumstances."

“ I! is the white trapper, Silver Horn," said
another savage—a short, stout erson, wearing an
old grav blanket over his shoul ers, and rusty leg~

ins. “ Ughi he is a great white brave. The Indian

nows him well.“

“Most on ’em do—you kin bet yer posserbles on
that," answered the hunter. cool!

Y- ‘
“Been kill plenty Injunl" said Warchlck. “Been ‘

a

shoot Sioux once.’

A‘No,fllnjun, I hev never yet shot one o’ yer,

“Tell liel” interrupted Warchick. “Find Sioux
bravle'fieen killed on plain. Other Indian tell he see
you '1 .” _ v

“Warchick you’re a kantankerous fool. of you
don‘t know the dit‘f‘rence between a bullet-hole. and
a knife wound. ThatI put in knife cheat in the
gizzard of one 0’ your braves, ‘ll own, but the var~
mint tackled me fust, and ef Ihadn't killed him,
scmethiu’ mout’y worse would hev happened, fur
he‘d liev killed me!” ‘ a.

“ Warchick must have reven c," said the savage.
as he drew his tomahawk. ‘ Hev scalp now, and
save trouble.”

“ Hadn’t yer better wait awhile? I onl make the r

suggesti’n, as I’d fust like to hev a t e withione
on er worst enemies-that half-breed, Darius,

andI ace to face and letus
take my ha‘ri” r

This roposal seemed to meet with the approval of
the In ians, who were fond of with g spectacles

of the kind mentioned by the trapgar. , " .
i ‘ e"le wait 

“ It is good,‘ said Warchick.
see if his braves take the half-b
The Indians sat down near the twain, conversing

together in their native tongue, and now and then; '

turning their fierce eyeballs toward the captives.
"Do gm think thev will capture Dex-ion?”~
inquired ill, in slow voice. '

f To tell the truth I don’t," answered the hunter. ‘

in the same ton “bui we
mints are aftert e half-breed. ,

11

who i robable be captured by Egg-lgijunsk Put, he ,,
i on , ore you -

gain time while the‘ m- ,

Ml...“ a...” -i-L.‘Au 1".

 

 

"i'It will do us no good." said Will, hopeless  ‘ ‘

’d sooner meet death at once, when I know i;
must come, than to wait for it."

“I don’t think we‘ll hev to wait for it 10
the hunger. “The red-skins after Dorianw soon

e .
But Silver Horn was niiaaken. -

t Niggt came, and the absent Sioux had not re-
urne . , - .
The savages held a consultation. Then theyarose.

and, nnfusteninsr the captives‘ bonds, moved u?

with them, in the direction their comrades ind I

taken.

They proceeded several miles before they came to I
ahalt. in a ¥ine thicket that skirted the side of a , »

lofty hill. hey made no fire. but, havingsecure
fastened the legs and aims of the prisoners, they

lay dgwnr sleep, leaving lone of etiheir number on 5:)
guar . s peison was a ynx-ey 3701.“:chf sown, gs,
dress flaming '

who seemed proud of an ugly head
red feathers,

He strutted to and fro, his actions now and then 

gleaming upon the captives
Wildnbelft" su H ddenl hispered talus
‘ ar ver orn Bu yvr
com anion, " that‘s someone comin’ this way i"
“ hear no one,” said Will

e the prize of some

“That‘s because yer ears bevn’t had ion tmgnnfi . a '
flag: on. .

boy. . I kin beer a noise quicker nor an I
der, though, this varmlnt watchin‘ us
caught the sound.”

peered m h the loom. A
went, glidingugos swig

.“uio. '

"t yet 5

As he he the young Indian Ipaused, tumodmud 1 V
at once away he‘ ‘
ly and stealthin as a saw ‘.

 

  

.i' 1

 

Silver Horn, and His Rifle, Firedeath.

 

toward aclump of trees that sloped from the hill-
side, not twemy feet distant.

Several minutes passed, when a violent rustling,
with which was blended the gas ing of two persons,
indicated that a combat was ta ng place.

CHAPTER XVII.

ammo.

“BY the Lord!” whispered Silver Hob to his
companion, “I'd like to know who’s tackled the
young red- skin, but it’s darker nor a tack o’ buf-
fiers, and nothin’ kin be seen."

Although the struggle continued for some min-
utes the noises ma e were not loud enough to
awaken the sleeping Indians.

At lenfgth all was silent, but the risoners looked
in vein or the approach of some friend, whom they
lgad hoped the ndian‘s assailant might prove to

e

. Suddenly Will felt the hands of his companion, as
he strove to unfasten the bonds about his arms.

“ How is this?" whispered the boy, “your arms
are free!”

“Thar‘sa fact. Ever sense dark, I‘ll allow that

I hev been trying to it my wrists cl'ar,” replied the

young trapper. “ ile lying hyar I felt my elbow

rub ag’in’ a stone, which knowed, by the feel. was
partly in the ground. I worked at it with m elbow

illl got it out, and could tell it was jagge on one

.side. Irubbed the thongs ag’in' it, and at last my

hands are free.“

I With nimble fingers he unfastened Will‘s bonds;

' then the boy loosened those about the ankles of his
friend. as the latter could not reach them.

w _' ._ “I wish I could git my rifle and knife, which one

" ‘ of the vamiints has got under his arm, but I'm
afeared, of I tried, it would wake him."

“The Sioux have m knife and rifle, too " said
. Will, " as the Crows lc t the weapons they had taken
from us behind them, when they were attacked by
x _ their enemies."

 ‘ "I’m goin’ to try to git my beauty Firedcath,"
. . . said the unter. .

“No, I would not, if I were on," whispered Will.
“You can bet it'll wake the uinmer the moment
he feels the rifle move under his head."

“ I don‘t keer, I’ll risk it," said Silver Horn.

He moved cautiously to the side of the Indian,
and was about to grasp his rifle, lying under the
arm of the sleeper, when some one jerked his leg
violently, at the same time uttering a shrill, warning
crv

 

The slumbering savages awoke, and were on their
feet in an instant. Ere Silver Horn could break
from the person who held his leg, and ere Will

7 could raise an arm the two were surrounded and
' ' hurled down by their enemies.
r ~ " What this mean :7" cried Big Dngna huge Indian,

 

"1 . with bow legs. “Think best kill, and save more
. trouble."
- “ Hadn’t yer better wait till the half-breed Dorion

is found?" inquired the white hunter. " You ll miss
some rar' sport, I kin tell yer, ef yer don’t.”
A pine torch had been lighted, and the rays flashed
nave the prostrate form of Winwosh—the young In-
d n who had been on watch. It was he who had
 a, ‘ held on to Silver Horn. He was mortally wounded
a, «full of ghastly cuts—but he had contrived, for all
Y  that, to crawl up on his hands and knees, and, as
shown, warn his comrades of the prisoners' attempt

toesoape- . .

“ Dorlon been come behind trees " he gasped, in a
13bit voice, "Winwosh‘hear, and 9 go to see who
a . 4 v ,made noise. Dorian stab with knife in side, before
' _ Winwosh could see. Then he and Winwosh tight;
. but the Indian’s blood was running fast and he was
i r weak. Ugh! that is why Dorlon give death-wound,
» s- andthenrunawa l"

> . As he uttered e last words, the young savage

. , rolled over, and, in a few minutes. he exgired.
f . “We keep pris‘ner till get Dorian." as! Big Dog.
*. The We were again securel bound Next mom-

' fing'tbe other Sioux who had n absent returned,

gmfiugbthey could not find the half-breed. A con-

- to n was held, and it was resolved that the

admires should be killed and scalped without de-

_ i. i‘bevtomahswks of two Indians circled for a mo<
' Walnut the heads of the prisoners; then they
; wreaked to deal the dead] lows, when the clear
finfig- voice of Calesco was eard behind them:
3 -“ the Sioux hold their handsl Strike not!"
‘ As she spoke, Calesco, emer ng from the shrub-
«' ' boxy. near. a rung between he Indians and their
' edvic ms.
"($5330 cages at a iglad tiilne,"' evalld tlge fight
1 ,row upon egir. ' ysou we
31% have the scaxigs of the white hunters?"
“Fig , I hope is not one of those who forgjet
j their prom " seal Caieseo. “Once he told t e
"-. girl that he would never refuse her a favor. "
' ’ g Dog remembers," answered the chief, “be—
cause Calesco once saved the life of his s uaw from
wolves It is well! He will keep his wo ."
" 1% set the prisoners free. They are Caleaco’s
en

.,

 

x 17 . " Them was a murmur of disa proval among the
othermd savages, as Big Dog stood n a thoughtful atti‘
e

- , “Thar ills!" cried Silver Horn to Will. “You
mou’t as well tryto keep a wolf from tackllmra

- Weasel. as to purvent an In an from takin‘ a scalp."

A “talk"w~as now be! between Bi Dog‘and

1‘ awamm at the end of which the chic turned to

"Ugh!" be granted. “Bl Do promise to never
refuse the girl a favor, but is s not a favor she
. e whites are fees, and always will be foes
. 2 , the Indian. They steal from the Indian—they

keep nottheir word with him i"

 

3

/

 

“ Goodl” grunted the other savages, slightly shak-
ing their hideous head-dresses. as they nodded.
" Bi ' Dog says well!" ’

“ ell, it is so! Big Dog, if he
foes, would not do her a favor!
her a wrong!“

"These are not Calesco’s fore—they are her
friends I“ cried the girl.

" L‘alesco's talk is that of all squaws,” replied Big
Dog. “Their heads are light! They know not a
friend from a foe! They shake hands with a white
hunter whose knife is red with the blood of their
brothers. They have no eyes in the brain. Their
eyes are in their hearts."

Again there was an approving murmur from the
savage auditors.

“See hyar, Big Dog!” cried Silver Horn, at this
juncture. “ Yer logic may be good enough furan
Injun, I’ll allow, but it seems to me that of you’d
wait till you found Dorion, it would be better. Then
you’d see sport."

Ashe spoke he glanced at Calesco, who at once
took the hint he meant to give her.

“Dorion is not far from here,“ she said to the
chief. “Calesco saw him, an hour ago. He can
easily be taken, for he is wounded."

Big Dog asked her where she had seen him.

She romptly described the place and it was agreed
that t e lives of the captives shou d be spared until
some of the Indians should bring in the half breed
as a prisoner. -

They do arted for that purpose, but hours passed
and they id not return.

When ni‘rht came Big Dog‘s suspicions seemed
he watched Calesco, shai )ly, thinking
she had deceived him which was real ' the. case.
She had hoped, while box-ion was being unted for,
to contrive to rescue her friends. But no such op-
portunity offered. The chief and his men watched
the girl keenly, giving her no chance to even speak
to the prisoners.

Just after midnight the searching party returned.
They had really struck Dorion‘s ti‘ai , but they had
afterward lost it, and had been unable to find the
half-breed.

_ “ it is weil,"said Big Dog. “When the first morn-
mg light 0 ions the In ians‘ eyes. the two white peo-
ple must e!"

Calesco vainly be‘sought him to make another
search for Dorion.

“The tongue of a s new is too lon ," he said.
"Calcsco‘s talk goes t rough both 0 Bi Dog's
ears. It does not reach his brain. The pae~faces .
must dic—I have said it 1‘}

isipared Calesco‘s ,
0! he would do I

1

|

aroused.

CHAPTER XVIII.
A TERRIBLE NIGHT.

Ans-s. Calesco left her, Kate Moray continued on
her way. Next day, iate in the afternoon, the fort,
with a flag-staff nsing above it, was visible, until
she descended into a deep, wooded valley.

0n climbin the other side of the valley she
found hersel amon lofty rugged hights. with a
ravine lying before er. alesco had directed her
to ass through this, and she now entered it.

t the other end there was a cliff, which she found
easy to ascend. But now, on aining the summit,
she could no ion er see the on, asit was hidden
from view by a sight mist which had gathered in
that direction.

She kept on among rocks and crags, but soon be-
came confuse] as to the locality.

As she was passin along the edge of a ru
wall a loose pn-ce 0 rock gave way beneath er
feet. She caught at a vine as she felt herself going,
but the vine gave way, and she landed about five
feet below on a rock ledge, so narrow that she
could hardl stand up ht on it. Her situation was
now a peri one one. e ledge she occupied rose
steeply from a rushi . brawlin torrent, a ut four
feet beneath her, an she coul see no way to leave
it, without tr in to cross the stream on some loose
bowlders pro ec n from the surface. \

She ore t ong a narrow wall on her hands and
knees unt she felt dizzy and could go no furtl-er.

As she paused, looking about her, she suddenly
heard a crash, and to her surprise saw a tall willow
tree fall from the opposite ban of the torrent,
across the stream, thus forming a narrow bridge,
over which she thought she could muster courage
enough to venture.

But what had made the tree fall?

Had it come down because the roots were decayed,
and without human agenc , or had some person
caused it to fall? She imag ed she had previously
heard a noise, like that made by digging, in the
slirubbery on the opposite bank, but the sound
might have come from some deer or other animal
chewing branches. Still it hardly seemed probable
that a tree should come down of itself to form a
bridge at the very moment she most required it.

She list need a rmg time, but could hear no sound
to indicate the resence of any one on the opposite
bank. At last e ventured to speak:

“ Who is there?"

But there was no reply.

“After all, the tree must have fallen without bein
made to by any person." thought the girl. “Sac
things do happen, near as it seema" /

She slid down to he and of the tree, which rested
gaifist the rocky ledge, and stepped upon the

n ‘ , 1 ‘

 

As a Western girl, Kate was not unused to climb-
ing rocks ortostepping over difficult places. The
light, easy manner in which she walked over the
narrow tree-trunk showed that it was not the first
time in her life she had crossed a footway of this

kind. . .
Arrived on the opposite bank, she was moving

 

I forward when, behind a mound of earth, rose the

form of Dorion, the half-bro
He approached her with a limping gait, for he had
evidenily been wounded in the leg during his combat
wit? the young Indian, \Vinwosh, on the previous
nig it. '
H8 held a pistol, which he pointed at the girl‘s
e

a .

“ Stand, and don't try to run, or you will get a bul-
let in your head l" he cried. “ You shall not escape
me a sin."

f' on had better let me go on," said Kate.
Will do you no good to prevent me."

“ o, I will not let you go until you consent to be
m wife."

‘That will never be," said Kate, firmly,

"We sl all see. Iwill starve you into consenting.
Now, you keep along ahead of me. My friends, the
Crows, cannot be far off, and we must join them."

The terrified girl, seein the pistol still pointed at
her head. moved forwardg.

Doi‘ion follmved. As he was wounded in the leg,
Kate thought she might escape him by running.

Awaiting a favorable chance, when by darting be‘
hind rocks, she might avoid a pistol-shot, she start—
ed off to the right. She glided behind a large bowl-
(lcr and sped on.

Dorion did not fire, but uietly followed as fast as
he could go. Punting an nearly breathless, Kate
suddenly ound herself on the edge of a precipice
with a wide chasm before her. Here she was ob iged
to pause, for she could go neither to the right nor
the left, owing to steep walls of rock which would
have barred her progress.

Dorion soon came up

“This is a ood ha ting-place for the night," he
said. “ Yom er are my Crows" he added. pointing
to a distant hill, where Kate could dimly make out
the forms of men. ,

Dorlon, with a kerchief, tried to Signal them. In
51; ite of the gathering gloom the signal was perhaps
hetsfilfd, for the Indians were seen moving down

ie .

“ Here is where *ou must stay till my friends come
up,” said the half. reed, pointin to a small hollow
at the base of one of the rocks. e seized her arm,
and pointing his pistol at her head, forced her to en:
ter is hollow.

There she crouched, trembling in every limb, ex-
pecting soon to see the fierce savages arrive.

To prevent her slippin out in the darkness, the

n It

, half-breed placed some ieavy bowlders of rock, dif-

ficult to climb over, in from; of the entrance of the

hollow. He seated himself, pistol in hand, within a

few feet of the. bowlders to keep watch. The girl

vainly waited for a chance to climb over the bowl-

ders and escape. Every lime she looked out, she

islaw the gleaming eyes of Dorion turned toward
er.

Several hours had passed, and she heard Dorion
mutter to himself:

“The Crows are lazy rascals. Thr‘ must have
seen my signal, and yet they are in no iurry to come
“ .1,

[its he spoke, hoe-suddenly turned, and Kate was
startled to hear the report of his pistol. Then fol-
lowed a horrible, unearthly sort of scream. andrin
the darkness she made out the outline of adark
form bounding through the air toward the. half.

breed.
“Ho, ho! Ah, curseiti” cried Dorian. “The ani—
mal must have tracked me by in wound! Take
THAT!" he a ded fiercely.

that! and Prank—Ed
’lhe girl saw e

plunged in and again into the brute which had
attacked im, and which she inferred was a pan-
er.

For several minutes there was a d to strug-
gle between the half-breed and his h assailant.
Kate could dimly see the two forms rolling over and
over, while the growling and snarling of the beast
blended with the curses and groans of its intended
victim. Suddenly from Del-ion burst forth a ro—
longed shriek of pain that made the girl shud er.
It was followed by a terrible, crunching sound. and
Kate inferred that the panther had the head of the
unfortunate man in its jaws. One half-smothered
gurgle escaped him, then his cries were heard no
more, while that horrible crunching noise, continu-
ing, indicated that the fierce conqueror was devour-
in: its prey.

sickening sensation came over the girl, who,
for an instant felt as if she would swoon. But she
thought of Silver Horn and this seemed tostrength-
on her nerves.

“I must be brave " she muttered. “The fort

cannot be far off, and I may reach it before many

hours!“

She hesitated about leaving her retreat. at present;
but she finally concluded that this was the best
time. as, while engaged at its horrible work, the
panther would not be likel to notice her.

Slowly and cautiously s e climbed over the rocky
bowlders in front of her. but scarcely had she done
so. when she beheld the round. fiery eyes of the
panther gleaming toward her as the creature turned
ts head. But it merely uttered a threatening growl
andidld not seem inc ed to desert its prostrate
vict m.

Tremblinglv the girl glided away, trying to retrace
her ate in the darkness toward the torrent she had
crosse . But she lost her way among the intricate
rocks and firmly, exhausted by her_. late hardships,
she paused on he summit of a high rock, where
she crouched, expecting every moment to get a
glimpse of the anther coming toward her. This
dread hindered or from sleeping that night and
she was glad enough when dawn at last arr-iv .

Looking careful] about her, she could see noth- ,

ingot the fierce east she so much dryaded, and

x

l

outline of his knife as it was I "

 

she ':
held
hows
seem

Sill
she i
walk

F0:
(ill, 5
then
% hil}

eyc
she i
grou

.. .1
reacl

sprui
and 1
geroi

emei
She
heltli‘
pre <
u E

inaiii
It 
M C
enen
tell 5
save
know
It I
We
will
she v
‘ As
in th

she s
the C
Ka

 

 

 

use the

‘ he had
combat
.revious

ie girl‘s

at a bul-
escape

c. “It
t to be

lenting.
ids, the

m. In
erliaps
; down

8 come
hollow
>r arm,
- to en‘

ob, ex-

ss, the
:k dif-
o the
lthin e.
:0 girl
bowl-
:t, she
oward

Dorion

L have
) come

Le was
on fol-
ind in
I dark
2 half-

e sni-
like

2.
it was v

hind
lpan-

snug.
iilant.
er and
beast
ended
l. ro~
id er.
:1. and
"f the
hered
rd no
ntinu’
evour-

,who,
It she
ength‘
: fort
many
agent;
best
i, the

rocky :

done
I the
irned
growl
strate

trace
e had
icote
Ihlps,
where

Silver Horn, and His Rifle, Firedeath.



 

she was overjoyed when, for in the distance, shebe-
held the fort she was so anxious to reach. meg,
however to her having lost her way, the earthwor '
seemed urther 011' than when she had last seen it.

She carefull noticed its direction, and us soon as
she had iii-ta en of some of the pI‘OVISIOIl in her
wallet, 5 e resumed her journey.

For hours, occasionally stopping to rest, she kept
on, sometimes get-ting a glimpse of the fort and
then again losing sight of it. At last she arrived on
a hill near the base of which there was a thicket.
Bayou 1 this, probably not more than five miles off
she now beheld the fort, which stood on elevate
ground.

“ Thank God!" muttered Kate. “1 will soon
reach the fort, and send assistance to Silver. Horn."

CHAPTER XIX.
TEE person.

As Kate oke she descended toward the thicket,
through which she would be obliged to pass. She
found on entering it a. narrow path, along which she

roceeded. But she had not gone far when she

eard voices, and, looking in t e direction of the
sound, she beheld in a. clearing not a hundred yards
ahead and a, little to the left of the path, the tents
of Indians, with several dusky forms moving near
them.

She quickly shrunk behind a tree, for she at once
recognized her enemies—the Crows.

Here they were, between her and the fort, and her
heart sunk within her, for this obstacle to her jour-
ney seemed the worst she had yet encountered.

Was it possible to pass the Indian camp unob-
served?

There was a fringe of shrubbery to the left of the
clearing, but would this; screen her from the watch
ful e es of the savages .

Fol: a long time she healtated about making the

l attempt to pass the camp, but at last she concluded

to t .

Shrg moved cautiously forward in a stoopiu
position behind the shrubbery in the woods, an
finally ined the thinner frl of bushes beyond.

Slow y, carefully she _lid 310211;- At one time
she thought she was iscovered and her heart
throbbed wildég. An ugly savage was advancing to-
ward the bu es andfibe believed that he saw her.
On he came until within thirty yards of her position,
when he stop to ull up some. plant which it was
evident was a that ad'drawn him to the spot, for
having obtained the plant he turned and retracted
his ste s.

The Igirl glided on, passed the cam , and was
overjoyed at her success, when, as s e emerged
from behind a. clump of trees, at the end of the line
of shrubbery, she beheld an Indian woman seated
on the bank of a stream ahead. The woman’s pro-
file was toward her, but she was apt to turn her one
at any moment. _

Kate uickly glided behind the clump of trees and
watcher? through the openings between them, bopv
ing that the woman would soon go away. But she
remained, and, now and then. the girl got a glimpse
of her dusky face, as it was turned toward her. '

All at once there was a rustling in the shruhbery
near her, and a. little Indian boy of about four years
came forth with an armtul of flowers and seated
himself in front of the clump of trees. At the same
moment Kate heard a 11135ng sound, followed by a.
slight rattling noise, which she knew must come
from a. rattlesnake. I

She saw the snake within half a foot of the little

y, its head elevated from the grass, its body
coiled, as if it was in the act of darling upon the

c . -

Obeying the true impulse of her sex, Kate at once
sprung from her hiding-place, caught u the boy,
and carried him away from the vicinity o the dau-
gerous reptile.

The Indian Woman saw her the moment she
eme d from behind the tree and ran toward her.
She t en heard the noise mode by the serpent, be
held the creature as it glided off, and at once oom-
prehended that the girl had saved her little boy.

“ How this? Where white girl come from?” she
inquired as Kate set the child on his feet.

‘ I am trying to reach the fort,” was the re 5:;
“ For God‘s sake do not betra me to our peep e!

“ Crows been look for pale— ace '1' . She is their
enemy, butshe saved Wanda‘s chi] and Wanda not
tell she been see!“ answered the squnw. “ But why
save enemy’s child? The white girl must have
known Wanda would see her.”

“ I thought nothin of that when I saw your little
one‘s peril,“ said Ka _.

“ Good! the whitqgirl has a big heart and Wanda
will not tell the Crow men she has seen her. No,

she will help her."

As she spoke, she pointed toward a. range of hills,
in the distance; vailed by a light mist.

“There is where the white girl Will. find the fort,”
she said, “ but her pace must be qmck, for already
the Crows have seen her!" '

Kate saw her ' toward a dusky form, up in a
tree, near the cam . he figure was that of an Indian,
who was leaning orward, apparently watching the
two women. . ‘

The girl at once darted off. running over the open
stretch of country between her and the hills. Look-
in behind her, she saw the Indian women hurrying
with her boy toward the camp, from which a part
of Crows had now started to give chose to the fu -

tive. Kate kept on. As much as a. quarter of a mile ,

intervened between her and her pursuera, who
reached the open a ace she had crossed, to see her
disappear among t e hills. v

Almost out of math, the
at resent, to go further.

rl sunk down, unable,
e heard the whooping

an yelling of the savages, as they came on, and the

 

moment she had regained her breath. she continued
her wagi ‘

Rem: 'ng the summit of one of the hills, she beheld
the fort not a mile ahead of her, and she waved her
kerchief rapidly, hoping the people there would see
her signal, and know that she was in danger.

The savages were about two hundred yards oif.
They fired several shots, and Kate heard the bullets
strike the ground near her. Again she mustered all

soon beat so fast that she could not go a step further.
Half-fainting from the great exertion she had made.

pointing rifles and arrows toward her, while others
moved forward, in ursuit.

The bullets cut t is air in all directions, and an
arrow struck the ground at her side. She rose, tot-
tered forward a few paces. but was too weak to go
further, and again she sank down.

At that instant she beards cheer from the direc-
tion of the fort, and to her great joy, she behold a
large part of mounted trappers coming with the
speed of t e wind to her rescue!

The savages were making all haste to come up to
obtain her seal before the arrival of the other
party, but so 3‘ ‘ t was the speed of the latter that
they were within a hundred feet of her by the time
the Indians had arrived within half that distance of
the knoll behind which she now crouched. This bit
of rising laud protected her from the shots and
arrows which were discharged, and soon a shower of
bullets from the opposite direction whizzed over her
head. The Indians took to their heels, and in a few
minutes, all had disappeared over the brow of the
hi

1!.

The rty from the fort came up. They were
hardy— coking fellows. wearing the usual buckskin
garb of hunters and trappers.

"Well, gal,“ said one-a. stout, broad-shouldered
fellow, with long, curling, black hair, hanging nearly
toms shoulders—~“I ho e yer’s not burted by the
varmints. It made my lood b’ile to see ’em shoot
at secb a delicate critter] It war a. dog-gone shame I"

“ You're ri ht, tharl" cried another—a slen-
der, wiry litt'e man, with the look of a. r-
feet . daredevil in his black eyes. “ I’d ev
liked to get my hand in one of the varmints‘
to knots. Tell us all about it, gal. Whur
di you come from, and how Ion hev yer been
runnin‘? Dashing Ned. hyar," be m (led, pointing to
the stout man. with the black, curling hair, ‘f was
the fuel: to sight yer from the fort just as yer got
atop ofthe hill."

On hearin the name of “ Dashing Ned." Kate
looked nick y at that personage, for she had heard
Silver orn speak of a. friend of that name, who he
said had been drowned near the Black Hills.

“ Are you the “Dashing Ned ” whom I have heard
Silver om mention?“ she inquired. “ If so. let
me say that you can do him a great service by going
to his assistance, as he lies hurt about twenty miles
from here, and is like! to fall into the hands of the
Crows, when they 0 uck that way. But he told
me that you were rowned—that is if you are the
person he meant.”

“ Hillo thar, gall you are right. I am the ‘coon he
meant. ur he and I hev been cummarades and
friends on many a trappin‘ expedition. and we've
been in some tight places, 'fore now. It was naterul
he should think I was drownded, though I kin 'shore
vou that such war not the case! We war fightin’
Injuns. at the time, on the hi it bank of the Big
Ham A shot from a. rifle struc me slantin‘ on the
temple, and tuk the sense out 0’ me. [tumbled into
the riventhe current tuck me off,a.nd,Silver Horn new
erally thought I war gone under. But the cold water
brou ht me to life, and I swum to the bank fur be—
low, whar 1 fell "1. Arter that, i couldn’t find Silver
Horn, and I hev sense been steered the red-skins
got his h‘ar, and mou’ty glad I am to beer news of
him now."

“ You will go to help him?“

“ Won’t I? E! I don’t. I‘m jest one of the almight-
iest meanestest cusses that ever skinned a. b'arl ’

As soon as Kate had been conducted to the fort.
the party of hunters, havin obtained from the girl
as good a description as s e knew how to give of
the spot where s e had left Silver Horn, and her
cousm Will, started off upon their fleet horses, to
look for him and to render him whatever assistance
he might require.

1 CHAPTER XX.
THE DEATH ROCX.

Bocun band and foot. Silver Horn and Will saw
the gray light of dawn steal around them.

The savages were up, convemin among them-
selves in low voices. and now and than glancing at
the risoners. .

“ ime has come," said Big Dog, several hours
later, turmn to Silver Horn. “ But Calesco has
spoken muc for the pale-face prisoners, and Big
Dog's heart is not made of stone. No, it is the heart
of a man." .

“ He is going to set us free!" cried Will joyfully,
turning to his companion.

“Don‘t yer b'lieve it. boy. He kin brag as much
as he likes, but his heart are as tough as a butfler—
hidel Well, Big Doghgo on and finish what yer hev
003%,” he added tu rig to the Indian.

 

8 well. Big Dog now tells Silver Horn that
he me have 9. chance for his life! Do the red-men
i often 0 this thing? No they do not. Big Dog does

 What kind of a. chance is in" inquired the hun-
ter. “1 hope it arn‘t one of them almight moan
tricks, wharby the reds always git the best 0 a bar-
g’ u.

l
l

|
l

 

l

 

' in a rage.

h‘fThe Silver Horn is a good climber?" said the

c is .
“ I kin do somethin‘ powerful in that way. I'll al.
low,” answered the hunter.
bogfind how is the white boy? Can he climb,
“I reckon I‘m not bad at it," replied Will.
“A mile from here stands a. black clifi. The
white hunter knows where it is. It is called the

her strength and started on the run, but her heart ] DcuthRock!”

“ Yes, I know it as well as I know my own ha’r."
“ The hunter and the boy shall be led to the top of

she sunk u on the ground. Looking behind her. slie ! the cliff, and they shall climb down the side of that
saw the Int ians on top of the hill, some of them 1

rock. If they get 10 the bottom alive the Indians
will shoot at them, and if they are not hit, they wili
try to make them prisoner's again. But there will
be a chance for them to escape, for the red-men will
not leave the rock until they get to the bottom of
it. ‘ ‘

Silver Horn gave a prolon ed whistle.
, " 'Coons alivel" he cried, ‘ this are“bout as marci-
ful as an Iujun kin be! The Death Rock are so
stee , on the side we are to clomb down, that a.
bee! e couldn't git his legs fast to it!"

“Silver Horn and the white boy must try. If
alley, fall, it is good! If they do not fall, it is good,

0

“ By the ‘tarnal: I kin say that yer logic are most
extror‘nuryl It‘s worse nor horse-logic!” cried the
young tra '1 er.

“Come, said Big Dog. “ We have waited long
enough. Before the sun looks at us, we must be at
the Death Rock.”

The legs of the prisoners were then unbound, and,
with a guard about them, they were conducted to-
ward the hight they were to descend. As they were
gassing through a wooded valley, the noise of

arses hoofs was heard, not far off.

Silver Horn and Calesco pricked up their ears.

The Indian girl, who followed a little in the rear,
suddenly disappeared in the shrubbery.

Her absence was soon noticed, and the chief
gentt several Indians to look for her and bring her

no .
Then, as the sound of hoofs drew nearer, Big

ordered his men to crouch in a. gully, overgrown I.

wig;I grass and  i st 1 d
esnv es ro na 00 ng ure,an
the chief gid to t e risoners, a: he mened his
tomabawk from his be t:

“Make no noise, or quick kill!”

“ I was never, in my life, so tempted to bowl as at
present, I must own,“ said the hunter. “It are
awful provokin’ to know that hyar are white fakes
cumin . and we hev no way of signalin' ’em!"

The horsemen evidently drew nearer. In a. few
minutes, from their lurkin‘grglace. the party caught
a glimpse of about fifty st y fellows, in buckskin,
dashing past the valley!

Only for a moment were they seen. They went by
like): flash, and vanished in the shadows of the
we 3.

“ I hope 1 may be dogged, ef that won‘t an al-
mi hty mean bizness!" cried the hunter. .

ig Dog now proceeded on his way, followed by
his men with the prisoners.

In a short time they reached the Death Rock.
when the arms of the captives were freed from the

thou s.

“Igow, let Silver Horn go first!" cried the chief. '

The hunter shook hands with Will.

“ Good-by, of we never meet ag‘in,“ he said.

“Good-by,” responded Will, shuddering, as he
legned over the edge of the hight and gazed at its
in e. ’

This, as stated, was very steep but there were a
few places on the rug wnl such as narrow.
ledges, rotuberant kno
afford sight support. It seemed, however, all if
even a skilled gymnast could not safer descend“):
the base of the elevation on this side.

Silver Horn was imber, active and strong. Re
also had stead ne es, and he fearlessly com~.
menced the per ous descent.
ing good p egress until he ed a placeabout
twenty feet be ow the top when he paused. '

The Indians yelled and booted in triumph. The '
hunter now looked in vain for some support be-
neath him. He had still adistnnce of twent five
feet to 0, but he could see no we to d tur- ‘
ther. here was within his renc , on the right. a '
slender vine, dangling‘from a. crevice to sledge ten x
feet below him, but e doubted if this was
enou h to
run t e risk.

He seized the vine, and his feetvnearly touched

and dangling roots to '

Down he went, mak’ - I

v,..

hear his weight. Emily be resolved tog _ '

the, ledge when the slender support snapped in 

twain.
The hunter threw himself against the rugged wall
and thus kept his balAnce. ' I r
“By the ’tarnal!” he muttered, the ration
starting from his forehead. “ The (am never get
so far as thisl He‘s a gone ‘coon. of e tries it."

Below the ledge the wall was too smooth for any! ,

human being to obtain a hold.

Silver Horn glanced beneath him at a shallow
stream with a sandy bed, a few feet from the base
of the rock. ’

“I. think I kin do it,”he muttered “butthsr‘s
nothin‘like gainin’ time. Hillo thar! ’ hoshouted
to the spectators above. “ How do you e t I kin
go .the rest of the we 9 Thai-‘5 nothin’ elow me .
“iii? “Van'ié‘é’st fit”??? 1.: h t

‘ on‘roa i . tewieflnel‘
is toi "fall. he’ll fall. (go g ‘
oo< . ‘

“ Come down yer-self, yer ’farnal old cuss, undue

how good it is!" cried Silver om.

em I have acidic. ,Itis. .

! Go on, or I give orders to fire!" yelled 

 

    

’14

.l,

W Silver Horn, and 

i   ,

/

is Rifle, Firedeath.

 

 

“ Injun," answered the hunter. “Now, I'll jest
put the question fair and squar‘ to yer face. Kin 8.
mm tread on air? Kin a chap hang on to a. rock by
his grinders or toe-nails? or to ut it more power-
ful, kin yer hold on to a 'coon's toil arter it hev been
greased?"

The chief’s patience was exhausted. He was about

lving the order to his men to fli'e,when facing round,
gilver Horn leaped out from the ledge nto the sandy
bed of the stream, below. He sunk up to his knees,
but he was uuhurt, and as the lndians now fired, he
crouched under the low bank of the stream, moving
along as fast as he could go in that position. The
bullets and arrows struck the bed and the bank, but

-, the hunter thus far remained unharmed.

3 A little ahead of him the stream lost itself in low
weeds and grass, and was so shallow that the bank
could no longer aflord him rotcction.

H3 therefore left it, an mode for a thicker. be-
on .
y Big 'Dog sent some of his warriors in ursuit.
goonwhile the rest continued to fire at t e fugi-
vs.

C," ’ “Hero “ said the chief, holding a loaded rifle to«

* ‘ , ward Wi . “ The white boy may be 3 00d shot.

' Let him‘flre at his ale-face friend, an if he hit
him he need not cl mb down the rock‘wall. Ho
alibi be set free, and can go his way."

“ No," the boy romp! y answered. “ I would
sooner die twenty t es over, if I could, than shoot
a. friend!"

“ Comol" cried Bi Dog, enraged. “ The white
boy shall fire at his f end, or we will take his scalp,
' now i”

I As he spoke he held his tomahawk poised over the

. lad with his right hand, while his left extended the

rifle.

This rifle was Will’s own piece.
A quick glance showed the boy that all thoIndians
excc t the chief were several yards from him, still

n to hit the fleein hunter.

Will it the rifle, on raising it quickly, shot. Big
Dogthrough the headl on away he went, dash-
ing at full speed down the th of the rock over
w ich he had been conducte to the summit. Ashe
wont, he took good care to keep as much screened
, as bk! by the rugged projections about him,
an , in this way, he reached the base of the night,
unharmed

. .Tlie oiling Sioux were after him like fiends.
.. many a ots whistled about his head. but on he went,
v ' diverging a. little from the direction taken by Silver
~ Horn, but also heading for the woods. He was a
swift runner, and having had the start of his pur-
suers, he was about a hundred feet ahead of them.
Eugen-lo overtake him, they did not now stop to
fire, and the lad hoped he would be able to reach
the thicket. He was, in fact, only a few yards from
it, when his foot struck a clump of earth which had
escaped his imperfect sight, and he fell. Two slen-
der young Sioux. ahead of the others, were within a,

. few feet of him when he arose. One of them hurled
his spear at the lad, who, however, knocked the

n snide with his ride, as it came whistling to-

war him. The other savage flung his tomahawk,
but, fortunately, the boy escaped it by a turn of the

. He now struck the savage nearest to him

‘ with the butt of his piece, knocking him down sense-
less but, ere he could deal a ascend blow, the other
on was u n him, hurlin him to the earth, and,
was (prostra , raising his spear to

 

  
   
 
   
   
   
 
   
     
     
   
  
       
 

  
  
  
     
 
 
  
  
   
    
     

   
    
 
 
 
   
 
    
 

  

 
 
    
   
    
  
 
    
   
   
  
  
 
  

  
 

the moment
pin him to the un .

Will thou ht is time had come. The point of the
spear had endy touched his flesh, and was about
toponetrate his abdomen, when there was a wild
cheer from the woods, followed by a. rifle volley
, oneof the bullets of which laid his 0 poneut den

at his side, the spear dropping from h s grasp as he

' - u’vPlum center by the ’tarunll” came the ringing
:voiee of Silver lilorn, as, followed b twenty sturdy
active fellows, in hunting-shirts on loggins, he ran
toward the other say es. Colesco, who was
among the y, hurried o Will‘s side.
“‘ You 11 hurt?" she anxiously inquired.

“Not a. bit. I‘m as fresh as a salmon," answered
. ’ boy. .- “ So you were the means of bringln those
» fellows here to our rescue?" he added, look ng to-

llward the hunters before whom the Indians were

fleck: fast.

I“ 1%,» white girl sent them from the fort, but they
. would not have found us, had not Colesco, after she

stole own from the Sioux, headed them off and
broughtt em the right way. We first met Silver
Horn as he come into the woods' then we turned to
‘ save the white boy. It was Silver Horn’s bullet
’ " ad the Indian. He got rifle from Dashing

v Meanwhile the shots of the hunters, whining
sitar the retreating savages killed several of their
number. The res ran out, and were soon out of
sight among the rocks and trees. I

 

     
   
  
 
  
         
    
   
 
 
   
   
  
   
    

 

CHAPTER XXI.
, , , rannnsou.
. . Soon ter the savages had disc peered Silver
' -horn on his companions joined Wil and C esco.
.54 “This has been a. happy day for me,"said the
 hunter to the boy. f‘Hyar we are, saved from them
mean vermlnts, and hyar’s myfrlend, Dashi Nod,
{whom I thought had gone under that by the lack
“Mia, but who, is seems, was not drownded, arts:-

1 : mm» Ned shook hands with Will, givin his

on 0130 of those cordisl, vise-like grips wide on
ml to the Western hunter.

,1 v "You kin o to the fort now under an escort," he
sold; "and kin bet. yer that not one of them dog-

2’

rolled red—skin varmints will Show his head on the
was. '.

“Ef he should," said Silver Horn, looking loving-
ly at Firedealh—liis own good rifle, of which he
had regained possession by shooting down the sav-
age w 0 carried it~“ of he should, he’ll never show
it ag’iu in the some way.“

The arty now entered the Woods, where the men
from t e settlement had left their horses.

Silver Horn, Will and Calesco were conducted to-
ward the fort next morning.

They had arrived within a mile of it, when Silver
Horn shook hands with Will and the rest of the com.

pany.

" Good-by," he said. “We may meet ag’in, and 1
ho a it’ll be in fav'rable times.”

‘ You are not going to leave us?" said Will.

“ That’s how it is,‘ replied the hunter.

“ But why?"

The other drew the boy to one side. Leanin on
his rifle, he looked thoughtfully at the grouu be-
fore he spoke:

“Tell you what it is, bo ," he said. “I've always
tried to do the honornb e, and seek is the case at
present. I hope to be dogged, if ever Silver Horn
will trifle with affeckshuns hat‘s already ‘ hitched.’ ”

Hitched?"

“ I allude to yer cousin, Kate. That I liked that

gal a. hen more n any gal I ever see’d I‘ll allow. But
'oursay s e's arter another ’coon, and that he’s urter
er '

“ I have every reason to think so,” said Will.

“ Wpen yer face, and say you're shore, boy."

“ ell, yes, 1566 it in that light.“

“Then, of course, thar kin be no hope either for
you or for me, and so I‘m goin’ to make tracigs ’fore
my affeckshuns gits hitched to a gal ose own is
already hitched to another critter. ou kin ive
my r cks to her, and tell her that. now s e‘s
safe on well, I‘m no ion r oneasy about her."

“Iwill do that," said ill, who, in fact, was glad
that Silver Horn was not to meet Kate again.

“Well good-by, and take keer of yerself," said
the hunter as he turned away.

He wave his hand to the rest of the party, and
stalked off toward the thicket beyond, in the sha-
dows of which he soon disappeared.

The compan moved on to the fort. This was
about two hun red feet uare, and contained sew
eral buildings which serv as quarters for soldiers
and hunters; while the settlement, consisting of
aboltlt twenty houses, lay just beyond the south par-
ape .

From one of the buildings in the fort awoman
and a. girl issued as the party entered the inclosure.

The woman was the wife of one of the officers,
and the girl was Kate Mora .

Will Joyfully rim forward to meet the latter. She
seeme glad to see him, but he noticed that she

lanced more than once at the rest of the party, as
if looking for some one who was not present.

All at once she turned pale.

"I—I—hopc lie—he has not been killed l" she fal-

tered. ,

“ Who?" inquired Will.

“ The hunter, Silver Homl"

“ He is safe enough," answered Will, coldly. “ Ho
mow??? of us a mile from the fort.“

. y n

“Because he had other business to attend to, I
suppose,” replied the boy, careful not to say any-
thing further as to the cause of his departure.

He went on to describe their adventures since the
girl left them, to all of which Kate listened with

much interest—especially to everything relating to

Silver Horn.
0n the next day. accompanied by two of the
hunters, Will, with Kate and Calosco, started for
the camp of the Blackfeet, which was ' about thirty
miles from the fort.
For some time previous to the present, these 1n-
dians and the whites had not been on very good
terms, and many of the settlem believed that it was
only the vicinity of the fort that revented their
breaking out into open warfare aga nst them. The
hunters who accompanied Will and the two girls
were warned to be well on their guard.
In ncouple of days the party arrived in sight of
the lodges of the Blackfeet.
Men, women and children came forward to look
at them as they aplprooched.

The chief—o. to u ly Indian, in a. drooping buf-

falo-robe, stepped f0

“Ugh! What do you want?" he inquired. “ I am
Red \ 'olf l Who are you ?"

“These are the ale—faces Calesco spoke to you
about," said the ndian girl, indicating Kate and
Will. “The whites for ransom are your on tives.
The ransom will be sent to you from the to after
you (give them up."

" ome we must have a. talk,"said the chief.
“Red Wolf knows that the white man is the irl’s
father and the boy’s uncle, and that one o the
women is their aunt. They should give much for
the ransom.“

He led the way to his tent, but he could not per-
suade the two hunters to enter. Knowing the
treacherous nature of the Blackfeet, they kept out-
side on the lookout.

Wolf wanted ten rifles and flft
powder for the captives but Will sai t l: eight
rifles and forty pounds of powder wore enough.

For some tme the lad and the chief were unable
to come to terms. but they final? agreed to com-
promise. Red Wolf was willing 0 take forty-four
pounds of powder and nine rifles, and the boy agree-

ng to this. the bargain was closed, altbou h some of
the other Indians who were present di

ifrom among the crowd.

unds of

not seem

' satisfied

 

 The goods wcrato bowl; from the fort on the

 

day after the arrival of the captives there, but the
chief s oke of keeping Kate asa hostage for their
safe dc ‘very.

"No, none of that!” cried Will, indi lantiy.
_“ When lgive my word, that is enough. on may
be thankful that we come in this peaceable way for
the prisoners, when there are men enough at: the
fort to take them own from on."

The e es of the chic flashe flre. .

“If t e pale-faces should come, Red Wolf would
know what to do. The Blackfeet are not squaws.
They are all warriors. The white boy should know
that they would take the scnlps of their prisoners if
the whites should come. Now, I have said it. The
prisoners shall not go unless a. hostage is left. The

ale-faces do not think too much of their word. Red
t’l’olf' knows that well. The white boy knows it,

oo.‘

“Kate shall not be left here. You can make up
your mind to that, old fellowi" said Will.

“Enough!” cried the Indian girl, stepping for-
wgfi‘di “Qalesco is friend of the white boy. She
wx s ay.‘

The chief at first objected, but finally be con-
sented. ‘

‘ Then the prisoners were brought to the tent, and
In ma. omens Kate was in her father‘s arms.

With the addition of the late prisoners to their
number, the party, leaving Calesco with the Black-
feet, started on their return to the fort.

Next morning, just before dawn, as the hunters
were keeping watch in a thicket, where the rest of
the little com any were now fast asle one of
tthemfheard a sight rustling in some shru bery, not

or 0 .

“ I think I kin smell lnjun," he said.

He stole cautiously forward, and looked among
the bushes, but he saw no person there.

It was thought best however, to awaken those
who slept, that all mi t be on the alert.

“Iwish I had a rffle,” said John Mora , Kate's
father. “ Hyar, Will, just lend me yours, or a few
minutes."

“ What are you going to do?" inquired one of the
hunters.

He had scarcely spoken, when Moray, pointing
the rifle upward toward the branches of a tree, a
few feet distant, pulled trigger. The crack of the
weapon was scarce] heard, when the outline of a
dark form was dim seen descending through the
air, and the next moment it fell, with a dull thud, at
Morsy’s feet.

It roved to be a. Blackfoot Indian, who now lay
doub ed up like a ball, stone dead, the bullet laving
gone through his heart.

"The truth is," said Moray, “Iwas lying on in
back, hyar, Whar I’ve been awake for the last ha -
hour, when up in that tree, I saw an Injnn. I
knowed it was an Injun by his eyeballs, which shone
down upon me through the dark like ncat’s. Of
course thar must be more near hyar, waiting to
pounce upon and tackle usl" -

In fact he hpd scarcely spoken, when a rustling,
not far off, indicated the approach of a. large party
of the savages. ‘

“I see howit is!" cried Will. "The mean var-
mints got dissatisfied with the terms of the ransom,
after we left them, and are now coming up to at-
tack us

“ Thor's plenty on ’em, too,“ remarked one of the
hunters, “ and the sooner we make tracks for the
hill, the hetterl"

"The hill?” said Moray. “Whar is that?” _

“ Jest beyond the woods,” was the reply. “ That's
a. but on t0) of it and, as the hill kin only be
clombed in ront, it s about as good a place as we
kin flnd fur makin‘ a stand.”

The party hurriedly made their way to the top of
the hil . where Kate and her aunt were placed in the
huthyéhich, although it was an old one, was in good
con i on.

 

CHAPTER XXII.
coNc'LstoN. ' '

Tan light of dawn now enabled the watchers on
the hill to see the dusky forms of many Indians
skulking in the woods. .

All at once, yelling and whooping, they discharged
rifles and arrows at the party.

One of the hunters dropped dead, and the other
was struck by an arrow in i e le .

Will took good mm with his piece and fired,
wounding one of the savages, who was seen limping
behind the trees. ,

~‘ Hyar, boy, Just let me have a shot.“ said Moray,
as his nephew reloaded. “I’m old, but I reckon my
eyesight 3 better than yours."

He. fired and shot one‘oi’ the savages dead. Then
he returned the pieceto the lad, and took possession
of fire one which had belonged to the fallen hunter.

While the boy and he were loading, the Indians
broke from the woods and rushed forward, headed
by Red Wolf, to ascend the hill.

Partly screened by the cover of the but, Will,
Moray and the hunter now delivered their shots
with good effect, sending three of their foes tum-
bling to the round. v 

0n came t e_rest of the Blackfeet, and they would
finally have gained the top of the elevation, but for
a. do. feat Performed by Will Winton. '

Just elow he summit of the hill there was a huge
bowlder, which was nearly detached from t 6
ground, in which it had been imbedded, and which
needed only a slight push to loosen it.

Will, leaping to the spot. in the face of a storm of
shot and arrows shoved the howlder. sending it
rolling with swift velocity down the steep Hi].
There was no room for the Indians to escnrn ti 9
rock, and several of them. were crushed by it.
while the rust were delayed in their atleyn'pfig

1‘

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omen-1:1.m = RZOE‘L‘! 27:?!

fl FE O"!

 

    
       

 

         

if?!"

.

.

 

 

 

 

  
  

. you had left t

" stars, stood wat :hing Silver Horn as ie spoke.

ti stop its course, which they did not succeed in
doing until it was nearl at the bottom of the hill.

The loosenin of the owlder caused the earth to
cave in and fa in clumps about the spot where it
had been, thus leaving a steep bank which could not
be climbed without the assistance of a ladder.

“ Good i” cried the hunter, shaking hands with
Will when he returned. “Thar never was a better
move than that. and I may be dogged at I don‘t like
yer pluck. ” .

“ You can bet he’s ‘ true rltl‘ " said Moray, while
Kate‘s eyes beamed with a iniration upon the dar-
ing youth. “That feat of his has saved us all, fur
the present anyhow."

The savages now withdrew into the woods, and
for several minutes not an Indian was to be seen.

All at once they again emerged from behind the
trees b ' which they had been screened and com-
mence to discharge flaming arrows (fired b means
gf pitch attached to the points and lighte )at the

t

u .

In spite of all the eflorts of the part to prevent a
conflazration. the but was soon in a b 8.28.

“Hillol we are sartintly in a bad flx now!" cried
the hunter. “ We'll hev to leave our quarters and
no mlstskel”

In fact the space on the hill about the but was so
small that the flames, blown downward or toward
the bottom of the elevation by the wind, streamed
in great lurid sheets about the party, rendering their
position unendurable.

As the retreated to the extreme edge of the
bank m_ e b the fallin of the bowlder, the sav-
ages, With ye is of trium , commenced to send their
s ots and arrows towar them.

Meanwhile the heat, even here, was unbearable,
and the were obliged to drop down to the base of
the bank, where they ensconced themselves among
the clumps of earth, which would serve as a slight
protection from the shots of their foes.

Loading and firing the hunter and his two armed
companions, keeping themselves in front of Kate
Moray and her aunt, used their rifles with good
effect, but so t was the number of their toes
that there was lttle hope of their escaping ca ture.

At the head of twenty of his warriors R Wolf
again advanced up the hill, and the sava 8 band
were already within a few yards of the litt e party
when a ringing, well-known voice was heard at the
base of the elevation.

“ By the mortil blazesl thar they are, boysl Give
it to the mean varmlntsl Ker-whoo-oo—pl"

“ Silver Horn, shore as you're alive!"
cried the hunter who was next to Will.

At the same moment the clear, shar crack of
Firedeath smote the air, and Red Wol , his bran-
dished tomahawk dropping from his hand, reeled
backward, turning a somersault as he fell dyin
upon the hillside. Twent other rifles rattled, an
that number of gallant fel ows from the fort, head-
ed by Silver Horn and Dashing Ned, side by side,
came lea ing up the hill.

The In ians turned to confront their new foes, en-
deavori to fight their way through, them but not
man of t em escaped the hardy trappers. When the
brie combat was ended, and Silver Horn came up
to shake hands with the people he had again rescued
from a terrible late, Moray looked at him long and
earnestly, waiting for a. chance to speak to him.

h “ Youvc‘ame just in time,“st Will. “ How did it

a en.‘

‘PR war simple enou b." said Silver Horn. “After

e fort thought I would go thar to
see Dashing Ned. oil, I went, and, hearing that
you had gone oil, with only two hunters fur purtec-
tion, it seemed to me that war hardly enough. Them
Blackfeet varmints aren‘t to be trusted, and I got
skeered, ’specially on the gal’s account. So I jest
got Ned to muster twenty men. and we sat out with
present results, which, of we‘d been a minute later,
would hev been most onfortiinitl”

Kate, blushing like a rose, and her 6 es shining gke

ut
her father now took the hunter by the arm, and led
him OR, a little way down the hi .

They spoke earnestly together for several minutes,
when they returned to the rest of the pariv, so oy-
ful an expressi n on the face of Silver cm at
all who noticed twere surprised. There was also,
on Mora '5 via 6 a look which Kate had never seen
there be ore. is eyes twinkled, and a mischievous
smile played about the stern mouth. '

“Come. Kate,”he said, “ you and 1 will take a
little walk."

The two sauntered off a short distance, when
Moray said to his daughter:

“Just after we left the Blackfoot camp on told
me that you feared you could new: 1 9 Tom
Trainer—the person I wanted you to have for a hus-
band—that you had seen another—a hunter called
Silver Horn, whom you were sure you thought more
0! than you ever could of Trainer. ’

‘; lgesfi fathom”;1 [altered Kate.

‘ 'e , now, mm are reasons wh I refer that
you should marry Toni Trainer and give pup an idea
of an other personl"

“O , father!" said Kate. “At least you will not
insist on my havin any husband at all, if I cannot
Lave the one I won d preferl" -

‘9 Toni Trainer is your maul" answered Moray,

ste y. ' -
‘; will never marry him i" said Kate. with spirit.
‘ We shall seal" cried the obdurate father. .
Tears rose to the girl’s eyes, and her bosom heaved
with emotions of blended anger andgrief.
“ “ Tom Trainer is on hand, now 1" continued Moray.
Ila is on hand to claim his bride i"
Where?" inquired Kate, casting a startled
glance about her, but she saw only the hunters near

joyfully

,‘ the summit of the. hill, and, at its base Silver Horn,

 

 

Silver Horn, and His Rifle,lFiredeath. ’

who stood apparently looking down at one of the
slain Indians. .

" You have never seen him," said Moray, “ and
therefore you would not know him, if you should.
But I kin tell you that he is hyar, among the very
party of hunters that have done us such good ser-
vicel“

" Who? Tom Trainer?"

“Yes, Tom Trainerl“ _

As he spoke Mora made a secret motion of the
hand, when Silver orn advanced and confronted
the girl, leaning on his rifle, his bright eyes flashing
glances of fire upon her lovely face. I

“ Here he is now I” said Moray. “ Silver Horn and
Tom Trainer are one and the same person .”‘ '

A startled look of surprise—a joyful trembling of
the frame and then Kate bowed her blushing ac
on her father‘s breast.

“Father, it was cruel of you to deceive me so,"
she murmured. “Surely, you have not told him——
Silver Horn—that 1—"

“ Not only have I told him, but I have already as
good as ‘given away ' the blade, as they call it, but

didn‘t do it until he first owned that you were
dearer to him than amillion of mink or beaver would
be.”

" You kin add to that a million of silver-fox skins.
which would be a heap dearer than t’other!" said
Silver Horn, in a voice of emotion. "Say you will
be my wife, gal, and ef I don‘t make you agood hus-
band, on kin raise my ha’r and welcomel’

Still eeping her face against her father‘s breast,
and allowing Silver Horn to see onl one dark eye,
which was sh 1y turned up towa him, Kate ex-
tended her litt e hand to him for an answer, and, in
a moment, both his closed upon it! )

Thus the compact was made, and when Moray
told the other hunters, a cheer, so loud that it seemed
as if the inn 5 of these men, like their shirts, were
made of hue skin, went ringing to the skies! There
was only one unhappy person there, and that was
Will Winton.

“ How did you find out that he was Tom Trainer?"
the boy inqu1red of his uncle.

“ Well." answered Moray, “ you know I only saw
him once before, when he was quite a boy, and was
talking to my half-brother, and that only for a. few
minutes as he’d just come all the way from a neigh-
boring village to say good—by to him before start-
ivi‘ilg; upon his trapping e edition to the Northwest.

en I saw him to- ay, or the first time since he
was who , which was five years ago, his face looked
familiar 0 me, and I got to thinking whether he
mi ht not be Tom Trainer himself. So I walked off
wit him a little way, and asked him his name. He
said it was Tom Trainer, and I knew I had guessed
right. ‘ But how is it,’ said I, ‘ that Kate, after being
so li’ing in your company, has not found out who you
are ‘

” ‘ I never happened to mention my real name
to her,‘ said he. ‘ I 'called myself Silver Horn from
the flrst.‘ "

” That is true." said Will, " and little did I suspect,
when I was telling him that Kate was expected to
marry a certain trapper whom her father had chosen
for her, and whom she was ready to accept, that
this very hunter to whom I was speaking was that
person."

“ Hol ho!" laughed Moray, “had you onl men-
tioned the person‘s name, the ‘ cat wou‘ have
wicklz/ been at out of the .' "

The patty reached the fort on the next day where
they were soon after joined b' Calesco, w 0 had
contrived to escape from the lackfeet, soon after
th'ila‘fi left their camp.

8 joy of the beautiful girl. on seeing Will safe
and unharmed was ex ressed in her face. and the
boy was touched by i i, for, next to Kate, Calesco
was the young woman whom he most esteemed.

Moray now resolved to set up store in the settle-
ment, near the fort. and he at once proceeded to
erect a new buildin .

When it was finis ed and stocked, he told Silver
Horn and Kate, that they could get married as soon
as they liked, at his house.

The marriage ceremony was ertormed a week
later, and a month from that me, there was an-
other wedding-that of Will Winton with Calesco.

Whether it [was that on account of the curing of
his defect of vision by a skilled doctor, at the fort.
he could now see the beauty of the tall Indian girl
moreclearly than before, or whether the marriage
of Kate Moray had influenced him, certain it is that
he had awakened all at once. to an up reciation of
the artless charm of manner and won erful loveli-
ness of this child of the forest.

THE “D.

 

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l Adventures of Buffalo Bill. From Boy-
hood to Manhood. Deeds of Daring and Roman-
tic Incidents in the early life of Willi-um F. Cody.
By Col. Prentiss Ingrahani.

2 Tile Ocean Hunters; or. The Chase of

' Loviatlmn. A Romance of Perilous Adven-
ture. B Captain Mayne Reid.

Rig-An a'tra Lame Number.
3 Adventures of “’ild Bill, the Pistol

’Prince. Remarkable career of J. B. Hikok,
(known to the world as “Wild Bill,“) giving the
true star of his adventures and acts. By Col.
Prentiss ngraham.

, 4 The Prairie Ranch ' or, The Young Cattle
Herders. By Joseph E. edger, Jr.

5 Texas Jack, the Mustang King. Thrill-
in Adventures in the Life of J'. B. Omohundro,
“ exas Jack.“ By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

6 Cruise of the Flyaway; or, Yankee Boys
in Ceylon. By C. Dunning Clark.

7 Rovin Joe : The History of a Youn “ Bor-
der Ru an." Brief Scenes from the lie of
Joseph E. Badger, Jr. By A. H. Post.

8 The Flyaway Afloat; or. Yankee Boys
‘Round the World. By C. Dunning Clark.

9 Bruin Adams, Old Grizzly Adanns’
Boy Part1. By CohPrentiss Ingrahaui.

10 The Snow-Trail ' or. The Boy Hunters of
Fur-Land. By T. C. arbaugh.

l 1 Old Grizzly Adams the Bear Tamer;
or. The Monarch of the. Mountain. By Dr.
Frank Powell. _

12 Woods and .Waters; 01-, The Ex Ioits of
the Littleton Gun Club. By Capt. F. 'ttaker.

13 A Rollin Stone : Incidents in the Career
on Sea and Id as Boy and Man of Colonel
Prentiss Ingrahana. By Prof. Wm. R. Eyster.

l4 Adria on the Prairie, and Amateur
Hunters on the Bull‘qu Range. By
011 Coomes.

15 Kit. Carson, Kin
Mountain Paths and

iken.‘ .

16 Red River Rovers; or Life and Adven-
turns in the Northwest. By c. bunning Clark.

17 Plaza and Plain ' or, Wild Adventures of
“ Buckskin Sam " (Li’sjor Sam S. Hall.) By
Colonel Prentiss lngraham.

18 Rifle‘ and Revolver; or, The Littleton

, Gun Club on the Buffalo Range. By Captain
Frederick Whittaker. ‘

19 Wide-Awake George, The 8617 Pioneer;
or, Life in a. Log Cabin. Incidents and Adven-

, tures in the Backwoods. By Edward Willett.

.20 The Dashing Dragoon; or. The Story of
General George A. Custer. from West Polntto
the Big Horn. By CaptaimFrederick Whittaker.

21 Deadwood nick as a Boy; or. Why

' Wild Ned Harris, the New-En land arm-lad, be-
came the Western Prince 0 the Road. By Ed-

, ward L. Wheeler.

25 The Boy Exi es of Slim is; or. The
Watch-Dog of Ru 9.. By T. C. arbaugh.

, 23 Paul De Lacy, The French Beast Charmer"

. or New York Boys in tho Jungles. A Story of
Adventure Peril and Sport in Africa. ByC.

‘ Dunning Clark.

~24 The Sword Prince : The Romantic Life

of Colonel Monswxiy, (American Champion-st-
orms.) By Captain derick Whittaker.

35 Round the Camp Fire or Snow-Bound

. at “Freeze-out Camp." By 09. B. Badger, Jr.

26 Snow-Shoe Tom; or. New York Boys in

the Wilderness. A Narrative of Sport and Peril
in Maine. By T. C. Karbaugh.

27 Yellow link, the Boy Chief of the

gawnees. The Adventurous Career of Eddie
ass of Nebraska. By Colonel Prentiss In-
graham. ‘

28 The Chase of the Great \Vhitc Stag
$121k Camp and Canoe. By C. Dunning

of the Guides; or
airie Trails. By A. W.

‘29 The Fortune-Hunter; or, Roving Joe
(As guitar. Cowboy, Trapper and Hunter. By
. . ost.

' 30 “Walt Ferguson’s Cruise. A Tale‘of the
Antarctic Sea. By C. Dunning Clark.

31 The boy Crusader; or, How a Page and a
Fool Saved a King. By Capt. Fred. Whittaker.

82‘Wllltc Beaver the Indian Medicine
Chief or. The Bomantic and Adventurous
Life of r. D. Frank Powell.  Col. lngraham.
33 (‘3 tam Ital h the Young ’Ex loror; pr,
ThepCentipede Agodg the Floes. By .Dunnmg

- Clark. ' .
. '\

 

34 The Young Bear Hunters. A Story of
the He .4 and Mishups of a Party of Bo's in
the Wi (is of Northern Michigan. By A orris
Redwiug.

35 The Lost Boy \l‘hnlcrs ' or. In the Shadow
of the North Pole. By '1‘. C. arbaugh.

36 Smart Sim the Lad with a Level Head.
By Edward Willett.

3‘1 Old Tar Knuckle and His Boy Chums; or.
The Monsters of the Esquimaux Border. By
Roger Stu rbuck

38 The Settler’s Son: or, Adventures in the
Wilderness and Clearing. By Edward S. Ellis.

39 Night-ltawk George, and His Daring
Deeds and Adventures in the Wilds of the South
and West. By 001. Prentiss Intraham.

40 The Ice Elephant; or, The Castaways of
the Lone Coast. By Capt. Fred. Whittaker.

41 The Pampas Hunters' ‘ or, New York
Boys in Buenos Ayres. By T.  Harbaugh.

42 The Young Land-Lubber' or Prince
Porter’s First Cruise. By C. Dunning Clark.

43 ,Brouco Billy, the Saddle Prince. By 001.
Prentiss lngraham.

44 The Snour Hunters; or, Winter in the
Woods. By Barry De Forest.

45 J ack, Harry and Tom. The Three
Champion Brothers; or, Adventures of Three
Brave Boys with the Tattooed Pirate. By Capt.
Frederick Whittaker.

46 The Condor Killers' or, Wild Adventures
at the Equator. By T. C. arbaugh.

47 The Boy Coral-Fiche":- or, The Sea-
Cavern Scourge. By Roger Star uck.

48 Dick, the Stowawa ; or, A Yankee Boy‘s
Strange Cruise. By Char es Morris.

49 Ti}: Tresscll, the Floater: or, Fortunes and
1653103111103 on the Mississippi. By Edward
6 .

50 The Adventurous Life of Nebraska
Charlie, (Charles E. Burgess.) By Colonel
Prentiss lngraham.

51 The Colorado Boys ; or Life on an Indigo
Plantation. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

52 Honest Harr ; or, The Country Boy Adrift
in the City. By harles Morris.

53 The Boy Detectives' or, The Young Cali-
fornians in Shanghai. By . C. Harbaugh.

54 California Joe, The Mysterious Pluinsman.
By Col. Prentiss Ingmham.

55 Harry Somers, The Sailor-Boy Magician.
By S. W. Pearce.

56 Nobody’s Boys; or, Life Among the Gipsies.
By J. M. Hoffman.

57 The Menagerie Hunter; or, Fanny Ho-
bart, the Animal Queen. By Major H. Grenville.

58 Lame Tim, the Mule Boy.of the Mines; or.
Lite Among the Black Diamonds. By Charles
Morris.

59 Lud Lionheels, the Young Tiger Fighter.
By Roger Starbuck. '

60 The Young Trail Hunters; or, New
York Boys in Grizzly Land. By T. C. Harbaugh.

61 The Young Mustangs". ByC. D. Clark.

62 The Tiger Hunters; or, The Colorado Boys
in Tiger-Land. By Joseph E. Badger. Jr.

63 The Adventurous Life of Captain
Jack, the Border Boy. (John W. Crawford,
the Poet Scout.) By Col. Prentisslngraham.

64 The Young Moose-Hunters; or. Trail
and Camp-fire in the New Brunswick Woods. By
Wm. H. Manning. ‘

(15 Black Horse Bill, the Bandit Wrecker; or,
Two Brave Boys to the Rescue. By Roger
Starbuck. _ I , r

66 Little Dan Rocks; or, The Mountain Kid's
Mission. By Morris Redwing.

67 9Longnhorc Lije; or. How a Rough Boy
Won His Way. By C. Dunning Clark.

68 Flatboat Fred; or. The Voyage of the " Ex-
periment.“ By Edward Willett,

89 The Boer-Hunters; or. Life in the Ottawa
Country. By John J. Marshall.

70 Kentucky Ben, the Long Rule of the Plains:
or. The Boy Trappers of Oregon. By Roger
Starbuck.

71 The Boy, Pilot; or, The Island Wreckers.
By Col. Prentiss ingraham. '

 

72yYoung Dick Talbot. By Albert W. Aiken. J

73 Pat Mulloney’s Adventures; 01-. Silver
Tongue, the Daeotah Queen. By C. L. Edwards,

74 The Desert Hover; or, Stowaway Dick
Among the Arabs. By Charles Morris.

75 The Border Gunmakcr; or. The Hunted
Maiden. By James L. Bowen.

76 The Kit Carson Club; or, Young Hawk-
eyes in the Northwest. By T. C. Harbaugh.

7 7 Left-Handed Pete, the Double-Knife. By
Joe. E. Badger. Jr.

78 The Boy Prospector; or, The Scout of the
Gold Ravine. By Roger Starbuck.

'79 Minonee, the Wood Witch; or, the Squatter’s
Secret. By Edwin Emerson.

80 The Boy Cruisers; 01-, Joe and Jap’s Big
Find. By Edward \Viiiett. '

81 The Border Rovers ; or, Lost on the Over-
land Trail. By J. Milton Hoifman.

82 Alaska, the Wolf Queen; or, The Girty
Brothers’ Double Crime, By Capt. C. Howard.

83 The Young Nihilist; or, A Yankee Boy
Among the Russians By Charles Morris.

84 Little Rifle; or, The Young Fur Hunters.
By Capt. ” Bruin ” Adams.

85 Fighting Fred ; or. The Castaways
Grizzly Camp. By T. C. Harbaugh.

86 Dr. Carver, the “ Evil Spirit ” of the Plains;
or, The Champion Shot of the World. By 001.
Pientiss lngraham.

87 Rufl‘ Robsart and His Bear.
“ Bruin ” Adams.

88 Pony, the Cowboy. By Major H. B. Stod-
dard.

89 Gaspar, the Gaucho; or. Lost on the
Pampas. By Captain Mayne Reid.
Writ! Elma Largo Numbenfl

90 Texa Charlie, the Boy Ranger.
Prentiss Ingraham.

91 Moscow to Siberia; or, A Yankee Boy
to the Rescue. By Charles Morris.

92 Boone, the Hunter; or, The Backwoods
Brothers. By Capt. Frederick Whittaker.

93 Oregon Josh, the Wizard Rifle; or, The
Young Trapper Champion. By Roger Star-
buck.

94 Christian Jim, the White Men’s Friend.
By Edward S. Ellis.

95 Plucky Joe, the Boy Avenger.
Hartman. - 1

96 Roving Rifle, Custer’s Little-Scout By T.

, C. Harbaugh. I > 
97 Hurricane Kit; or. Old
Rampage. By A. F. Holt.
98 Sum Spence, the Brosdhom Boy. By Ed.
Willett.
99 Little Buck, the Boy Guide; or, The Gold
“Eye ” oil Montana. By Barry Ringgold.
100 Revolver Billy, the Boy Ranger of Texas.
By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham.

101 The luvs;- Biiles; or. The Fate 0!
Flatboat. By Capt. J. F. C, Adams.

102 Captain Flyfiy-Night‘; or, The Colorado
Boys on the War-Path. By Joe. E. Badger, Jr.

103 Alone on the ,Plainst or, The Outlaw’s
Plot. By Edward Willstt.

104 Silvor Horn and His Rifle, Fire.

death. By Roger Starbuck.

105 Exploit: or Hezekiah Smith, the

mckwoodsman. ooEmerson R0dm"n.
0 Jake‘ the lorsdo Circus .
“1° §?ll’r§i.'m"‘samb a. a B”
[07 Mariano, the outlaw Girl; or. The
‘ Mysterious canoe. By Edward 8. Ellis.

108 Old Traps; or, The Boy Rivals. By Barry

Ringgold. . .

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