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diff --git a/old/65487-0.txt b/old/65487-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f925d6d..0000000 --- a/old/65487-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4400 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Lightning Jo, by Capt J. F. C. Adams - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Lightning Jo - The Terror of the Santa Fe Trail - -Author: Capt J. F. C. Adams - -Release Date: June 1, 2021 [eBook #65487] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: David Edwards, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (Northern Illinois - University Digital Library at http://digital.lib.niu.edu/) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIGHTNING JO *** - -+-------------------------------------------------+ -|Transcriber’s note: | -| | -|Obvious typographic errors have been corrected. | -| | -+-------------------------------------------------+ - - -LIGHTNING JO, - - -THE TERROR OF THE SANTA FE TRAIL. - -A TALE OF THE PRESENT DAY. - - -BY CAPT. J. F. C. ADAMS. - - -NEW YORK: BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS, 98 WILLIAM STREET. - - - - -Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by -BEADLE AND ADAMS, -In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. - -(P. N. No. 9.) - - - - -LIGHTNING JO, - -THE TERROR OF THE SANTA FE TRAIL. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -THE CRY FOR HELP. - - - “TO THE COMMANDANT AT FORT ADAMS: - - “For God’s sake send us help at once. We have been fighting the - Comanches for two days; half our men are killed and wounded, and - we can not hold out much longer. But we have women and children - with us, and we shall fight to the last and die game. Send help - without an hour’s delay, or it’s all up. - - J. T. SHIELDS.” - - -Covered with dust, and reeking with sweat, with bloody nostril and -dilated eye, the black mustang thundered up to the gate of the fort, -staggered as if drunken, and then with a wheezing moan, shivered from -nose to hoof, and with an awful cry, like that of a dying person, his -flanks heaved and he dropped dead to the ground, his lithe, sinewy -rider leaping from the saddle, just in time to escape being crushed to -death. - -Scarcely less frightful and alarming was the appearance of the -horseman, so covered with dust and grime, that no one could tell -whether he was Indian, African or Caucasian; but, whoever he was, he -showed that he was alive to the situation, by running straight through -the gate of the stockades, into the parade-ground, where, pausing in a -bewildered sort of way, he glanced hurriedly around, and then shouted: - -“Where’s the commandant? Quick! some one tell me!” - -Colonel Greaves chanced to be standing at that moment in converse with -a couple of his officers, and upon hearing the cry, he moved toward the -stranger with a rapid tread, but with a certain dignified deliberation -that always marked his movements. Knowing him to be the man for whom -he was searching, the messenger did not wait for him to approach, -but fairly bounded toward him, and thrusting a piece of dirty paper, -scrawled over with lead pencil, looked imploringly in his face, while -he read the words given above. - -And as the colonel read, his brows knitted and his face paled. He felt -the urgency of that despairing appeal, and he saw the almost utter -impossibility of complying with it. - -“When was this written?” he asked, of the dust-begrimed courier. - -“At daybreak this morning,” was the prompt reply. - -“How far away are your friends?” - -“Forty miles as the crow flies, and I have never drawn rein since my -horse started, till he fell dead just outside the gate.” - -“How many men are there in this fix?” - -“There were twenty men, and a dozen women and children. When I left, -about half that number were alive, and whether any are still living, -God only knows, I don’t.” - -“I hope it is not as bad as that,” said the colonel, again glancing at -the paper, and involuntarily sighing, for despite his schooling upon -the frontier, he felt keenly the anguish of this wail, that was borne -to him across the sad prairie. “Not as bad as that, I trust; for if -they have held out two days, we may hope that they are able to hold out -still longer. But how is it that _you_ succeeded in reaching us, when -they could not?” - -Feeling that some explanation was expected of him, the messenger spoke -hurriedly, but as calmly as possible: - -“Twenty of us were conveying a party of women and children--the -families of merchants and officers at Santa Fe--through the Indian -country, on our way to that city, when the Comanches came down on us, -in a swarm of hundreds, and finding there was no escaping a fight, -we ran our wagons in a circle, shut the women and horses inside, and -then it seemed as if hell was let loose upon us. Yelling, shouting, -screeching, charging was kept up all that day into the night. We picked -off the red devils with every shot, but the more we killed the thicker -they came, seeming to spring up from the very ground, until the prairie -was covered with them At night we had a little rest, and we thought -perhaps they would draw off and let us alone. Why they didn’t make a -charge upon our camp that night, I can not tell; but they only sent a -few stray shots, more than one of which was fatal, and at daylight the -fun began again, and never stopped till the sun went down, when there -wasn’t much of a pause then. That was yesterday, and we had it all -through the night, and since we halted the day before yesterday, there -hasn’t been a drop of water for horse, man, woman or child, so that you -can see what an awful strait they are in.” - -By this time quite a group had gathered about the messenger, enchained -by the thrilling tale he told, the truth of which was so eloquently -attested by his manner and appearance. - -“But you haven’t told us how _you_ got here,” reminded the colonel, as -the man paused for a moment. “_You_ have succeeded at least in insuring -your safety.” - -“We made up our minds about midnight last night that something of the -kind had to be done, as it was our only hope. Two of our men tried to -steal through, crawling on hands and knees, but both were caught within -a hundred yards of the camp--one shot dead, and the other so badly -tomahawked, that he died within an hour of getting back to us. So I -told Shields to let me have his mustang, which is the fleetest creature -on the plains, and I would either get through or do as the others did. -So, just about daybreak, I crammed that slip of paper in the side of -my shoe, stretched out flat on the mustang’s back and give him the -word. Away he went like a thunderbolt, with the rifles cracking all -about my ears, and the Comanche thundering down upon me like so many -bloodhounds. I fell more than one bullet in my legs, and I knew the -horse was hurt pretty bad--it didn’t hinder his going, and the noble -fellow kept straight along till he brought me here. But you act as if -you didn’t know me.” - -“Know you?” repeated the amazed colonel. “I never saw you before.” - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -THE ANSWER. - - -The powdered, begrimed face was seen to expand into something like a -grin, and raising his hand, the courier literally scraped the dust from -his cheeks and eyebrows, and then, as he removed his hat, a general -exclamation of amazement escaped all. - -“Jim Gibbons! is it you?” called out the commandant, as he recognized -a man who had been employed at his fort a year before. “I thought your -voice had a familiar sound, but then your own mother would not have -recognized you.” - -“But come,” added Gibbons, moving about uneasily, “we’ll talk over -this matter some other time. I’ve brought you the message, colonel,” -he added, making a graceful military salute. “I had heard in St. Louis -that you had been sent to another command, else I would have known whom -to ask for. Now, can you help us or not?” - -The officer folded his arms behind his back and walked slowly over the -parade-ground, signifying by a nod of his head, that Gibbons should do -the same. - -“I _must_ help you,” he said, in a low voice; “such a call as that -can not pass unheeded. But, Jim, you see my fix. We ought to have a -full regiment to garrison this fort, and the Government allows me but -six hundred. Two hundred of these men are on a scout up toward the -mountains, and won’t be in till dark. Do you know there is some reason -to fear an attack upon the fort, from a combination of several tribes -under the direction of the infernal Comanche, Swico-Cheque?” - -“Why he is at the head of the devils that have our friends walled in. I -know him too well, and have seen him a dozen times, circling around on -his horse, yelling like a thousand panthers, and tiring about a dozen -shots a minute. I have fired at him five or six times, but never grazed -him once.” - -“Well, I think it is more than likely that we shall have an attack -from him. Now, you know something of life on the plains; tell me how -many men you need to bring your friends into the fort.” - -“We ought to have a hundred, at the least.” - -“You ought to have five hundred at the smallest calculation. I tell you -the Indians in this part of the country are among the best fighters and -hunters in the world, and if I send a hundred men out into the country, -where they are sure to come against old Swico and his band, the chances -are that they will all be served as were Colonel Fetterman’s men at -Fort Phil Kearney, a month or two ago. You know that over a hundred of -them went out, and never a one was ever seen alive again.” - -“But, if I understand that matter right,” replied Gibbons, who was -becoming impatient and uneasy at the delay, “these men were entrapped -and massacred; I don’t think there is any likelihood of that in our -case. But, colonel, pardon me; I wish to know your decision, either one -way or the other, at once. If you conclude that you can not spare a -hundred men to go forty miles away to help this party, then let me have -a fresh horse. I will return, sail in and go under with the rest.” - -And Gibbons attested the earnestness of what he said, by starting to -move away; but Colonel Greaves caught his arm. - -“Hold on! you shall have the men you need. I have been trying ever -since I heard your story to decide whether I ought to risk the safety -of a hundred men to save one-tenth that number; but I can’t think. It -seems to me that I hear the wailing cry of those women and children -coming over the prairie, and if I should turn my back upon them, their -voices and moans would follow me ever afterward in my waking and -sleeping hours. Yes, Jim, you shall have the hundred men. I will lead -them myself, and we will make hot work in that gulch before we get -through.” - -The colonel, having made his decision, did not hesitate for a moment. -Turning sharply upon his heel, he beckoned to the adjutant, and gave -him peremptory orders to make ready a hundred men for a scout into the -Indian country. They were to be armed with rifle, revolver and cavalry -swords, and to be mounted on the best horses at the fort. - -As he turned about to say a few words to Gibbons, he saw the tears -making furrows down his grimy cheeks. He attempted to speak, but for a -few seconds was unable to articulate. Taking the hand of the colonel, -he finally said, in a choking voice: - -“I thank you, colonel, and God grant that this may not be too late. Oh, -if you could have seen those pleading faces of the women, those cries -of the helpless children for one swallow of water, the dead bodies of -the men, that we had drawn in behind the wagons out of reach of the -red-skins, and the screeching devils all around, you would send your -whole garrison to their rescue. Where is Lightning Jo?” - -“He went out with the scouting party this morning, and that is what -caused me to hesitate about sending the company to the help of your -friends. I always feel tolerably comfortable when I know that he is at -the head of the men.” - -While the bustle of hurried preparation was going on within the fort, -Gibbons accompanied the colonel to his lodgings, where he washed the -dust from his person, partook of water and refreshments and explained -more in detail the particulars of the misfortune of his friends. He was -equally desirous that the wonderful scout, Lightning Jo, should lead -the partly, as he was a host of himself, and having lived from earliest -childhood in the south-west, he was as thorough an Indian as the great -chieftain, Swico-Cheque himself, and the daring Comanches held him in -greater terror than any other living personage. - -But the case was one that admitted of no delay--even if it was certain -that Jo would be in at the end of an hour. Half that time might decide -the fate of the little Spartan band struggling so bravely in Dead Man’s -Gulch, and the release of the beleaguered ones was now the question -above all others. - -It required but a very short time for the party to complete their -preparations. Out of the seemingly inextricable confusion of stamping -horses, and men running hither and thither, all at once appeared full -one hundred men, mounted, armed and officered precisely as they had -been directed. - -An orderly stood holding the horse of Colonel Greaves, until he was -ready to mount, while another was at Gibbons’ disposal. - -The next moment the two latter had leaped into their saddles, and -placing themselves at the head of the cavalcade, rode out of the -stockade upon the open prairie, which had scarcely been done, when a -new and most gratifying surprise awaited them. The march was instantly -halted, and the face of Colonel Greaves and of Gibbons lit up with -pleasure. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -LIGHTNING JO. - - -That which arrested the attention of the company riding out of the -stockade of Fort Adams, was the sight of another party of horsemen -coming through a range of hills about half a mile distant, one glance -only being sufficient to identify them as the scouts already referred -to as being under the guidance and leadership of the great western -celebrity, Lightning Jo. - -“Now, that’s what I call lucky,” exclaimed Colonel Greaves. “Jo is the -very man of all others that we need.” - -The horsemen rode down the declivity at an easy gallop, and shortly -reined up in front of the stockade, with a graceful salute, and an -action that indicated that he awaited the commands of his superior -officer. - -The scouts, or hunters, had turned their time to good account, as was -shown by a number of buffalo carcasses, or rather the choice portions -of such, supported across the saddles of their animals; the appearance -of the beasts, too, indicated that many of them had been subjected to -the hardest kind of riding. - -A few words explained to Lightning Jo the business about to be -undertaken, and he at once assumed his position as leader of the -company that had just prepared to start, the colonel withdrawing into -the fort again, where it was his manifest duty to remain, while the -desperate attempt to relieve the beleaguered party in Dead Man’s Gulch -was being made. - -The scout did not take a fresh horse, and when pressed to do so, he -declared that his mustang was as capable of a fifty mile tramp, as he -was upon the morning he started upon the hunt from which he had just -returned. - -“Come, boys! business is business,” said he, in his crisp, sharp tone, -as his steed carried him by one or two bounds to the head of the -cavalcade he was to lead. “Come, Gibbons, keep yer place alongside me, -and yer can explain as we ride along.” - -And as the company of brave men gallop to the southward on their errand -of mercy, each man a hero, and all with set teeth and an unalterable -determination in their hearts to do all that mortal man could do to -save the despairing little band that had sent its wail of anguish -across the prairie, we will improve the occasion by glancing at the -remarkable man who acted as their leader. - -Lightning Jo had gained his appellation from the wonderful quickness -of his movements, and his almost miraculous skill as a scout. His -celerity of movement was incredible, while his equally astonishing -strength excited the wonder of the most famous bordermen of the day. -It was a well established fact that Lightning Jo, a couple of years -before, at Fort Laramie, had been forced into a personal encounter -with a badgering pugilist, who was on his return to the States from -California, and who had the reputation of being one of the most -scientific hitters that had ever entered the prize ring, and who on the -occasion referred to was so completely polished off by Jo, that he lay -a month at the fort before he recovered from his injuries. - -It was said, and there was every reason to believe it, that he was -capable of running miles with the speed of the swiftest mustang of the -prairie; that he had traversed the Llano Estacado back and forth, times -without number, on foot, passing through the very heart of the Comanche -country, without any attempt to disguise himself, or conceal his -identity in any way; and yet there was not a mark upon his person to -attest the dangers through which he had passed scathless and unharmed. - -His horsemanship was perfect in its way, and no living Comanche--the -most wonderful riders on the Western Continent--had been known to -exceed, and very few to equal him. For the amusement of those gathered -at some of the posts which he had visited, he had ridden his mustang at -full speed and bare back, throwing himself from one side to the other, -and firing from beneath the neck or belly of the animal, picking up his -hat from the earth when galloping, at the same headlong rate, striking -a match upon a stone on the ground and carrying the blaze lighted in -his hand. He had thrown the lasso, with such skill, as to catch the -hoof of the plunging buffalo, and then by a flirt of the rope, flung -the kicking brute flat upon his side, as the daring rider thundered -past, and slapped his hat in the eyes of the terrified animal. He could -fling the coil with the unerring certainty of a rifle shot, and would -manipulate the rope into as many fantastical convolutions as a Chinese -conjurer. - -His prowess with the rifle was equally marked, and the tales of his -achievements with his favorite weapon were so incredible in many -instances, that we would not be believed were we to repeat them. He -carried a long, murderous-looking weapon, the mountings of which were -of solid silver, and had been presented to him by one of his many -friends, whom he had been the instrument of saving. - -At the home of his old mother at Santa Fe--the only living relative -he had upon earth--he had rifles, swords, guns and every manner of -weapon, of the most costly and valuable nature, that had been given -him by grateful friends. His revered parent during his absence was -literally overwhelmed with attentions and kindnesses by virtue of her -relationship to Lightning Jo, the scout and guide who had proved such a -blessing to the settlers of, and travelers through the West. - -The hero was about thirty years of age, slim and tall to attenuation, -with high cheek-bones, eyes of midnight blackness that snapped fire -when he was roused, and long hair, as stiff, wiry and black as the -tail of his mustang. His countenance was swarthy, and with a little -“touching up” he might have deceived Swico himself into the belief that -he was one of his own warriors. This was the more easy as Jo spoke the -Comanche tongue with the fluency of a genuine member of that warlike -tribe; but he scorned such suggestions when made to him, declaring -that he was able to take care of himself anywhere and in any crowd, no -matter who were his friends or who were his enemies, an assertion which -no one cared to dispute in a practical way. - -Looking at his profile as he rode along over the prairie at a sweeping -gallop, it would have been seen that his nose was large, thin and -sharp, the chin rather prominent, and the lips thin. The mouth was -rather large, and the upper lip shaded by a thin, silky mustache of the -same jetty hue as his eyes. The rest of his face was totally devoid of -beard, except a little furze in front of his ears. He had never used -the razor, nor did he expect to do so. - -Of course he sat his horse like a centaur, and, as he rode along, -those keen, restless eyes of his wandered and roved from side to side, -almost unconsciously on his part, as he was ever on the alert for the -first appearance of danger. Such in brief were a few of the noticeable -points of the great scout, Lightning Jo, who was a leader of the party -of rescue, and who is to play such a prominent part in the thrilling -events we are about to narrate. - -As he rode beside Gibbons, whose anxiety was of the most intense -character, and who could not avoid giving frequent expression to it, -the scout at length said: - -“Just stop that ’ere fretting of yours, now, Gib; ’cause it don’t pay; -don’t you see we’re all stretching out on that ’ere forty miles, just -as fast as horse-flesh kin stand it? Wal, that being so, where’s the -use of fuming?” - -“I know, Jo, but how can a person help it when he knows not whether his -friends are dead or alive? There is philosophy in your advice about -whining and complaining, and it reminds me of one of the members of the -party--a young lady, whose disposition had something heavenly in it.” - -“Who was she?” asked the scout, in an indifferent way. - -“Her name, I believe, was Manning--Lizzie Manning--” - -“What!” exclaimed Lightning Jo, almost bounding from his saddle, “is -_she_ there, in that infarnal place? How in the name of Heaven did she -get there?” - -“She was one of the party that left St. Louis, and of course shared our -dangers the same as all.” - -“The sweetest, purtiest, best little piece of calico that has been -heard,” repeated the scout to himself. “God save _her_, for she’s worth -all the rest. Come, boys,” he called out to those behind him, “ride -your hosses as you never rid ’em afore. I’d dash through fire, water, -smoke, brimstone and blazes, to save _that_ gal!” - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -THE PARTY IN DEAD MAN’S GULCH. - - -Leaving Lightning Jo and his party riding at a tremendous rate over the -prairie to the rescue of the sorely beleaguered company in Dead Man’s -Gulch, we must precede him for awhile to that terrible spot, where one -of the most dreadful tragedies of the many there enacted was going on. - -The party, numbering over thirty, two-thirds of whom were hardened, -bronzed hunters, had been driven tumultuously into the place by the -sudden appearance of the notorious Swico-Cheque and his band, where -they had barely time to throw their men and horses into the roughest -attitude of defense, when they were called upon to fight the screeching -Comanches, in one of the most murderous and desperate hand-to-hand -encounters in which they had ever been engaged. - -Our readers have already learned, from the hurried words of Gibbons, -something of the experience of the beleaguered whites during the two -days and nights immediately following the halt, and preceding his own -departure, and it is not our purpose to weary them and harrow their -feelings by a recital of the horrible incidents of that stubborn fight. - -When Jim Gibbons, hugging the neck of his mustang, dashed at full speed -through the lines of the Comanches, he left behind him ten able-bodied -men, or, more properly, ten who were still able to load, aim and fire -their rifles. More than that number lay scattered around, among the -wagons, on the ground, in every position, killed by the bullets of the -wonderful red riders and riflemen. - -The wagons, as is the practice at such times, had been run together -into an irregular circle, one being placed in the center (as the safest -spot), into which the women and children were tumbled, and where, for -the time, they were safe from the bullets that were rattling like sleet -around them, and striking down their brave defenders upon every hand. - -This done, the men devoted themselves to keeping back the swarming -devils, that made a perfect realization of pandemonium as they circled -about the doomed band. - -In what way Dead Man’s Gulch gained its name no one can tell with any -certainty, but most probably from the number of massacres and deaths -that had taken place within its horrid precincts. It was simply a -hollow, somewhat resembling the dried-up bed of a small lake, and, -instead of being properly a gulch, was more like a basin, so that to -enter it from any direction, one was compelled to descend quite a slope. - -The trail which the party were following led directly through the -center of this place, it being by far the most feasible route, in spite -of the ascent and descent, on account of the broken nature of the -country both to the north and south. - -Dead Man’s Gulch, occupying an area of several acres, was strewn and -covered with bones, as if indeed it were the site of some ancient -catacomb, that had been rent in twain by some convulsion of nature. - -A slight examination would have shown that these bones were those of -horses and human beings, telling in most eloquent language to the -beleaguered whites that the fate which threatened them was that which -had overtaken many a one before them. - -Dead Man’s Gulch indeed was a favorite point of the Comanches, who were -always roving the prairies in search of such bands as these, and it was -consequently well known and dreaded by all who were compelled to make -the journey; and the scene to which we now direct the attention of the -reader was, as we have shown, a repetition of what had been enacted -there time and again without number. - -The first day’s fight was especially destructive upon the horses, it -being found almost impossible to shelter them from the aim of the -Comanches. As a consequence, the second morning found but few of these -indispensable requisites in a journey of this kind. Those that had -escaped, however, were secured and sheltered in such a way as to keep -them from the other bullets that endeavored to seek them out. - -Captain Shields, a sturdy borderer, and a man who had crossed the -plains a score of times, suspected from the first that the only -possible hope for his company was for some one to get through the -Comanche lines to Fort Adams, and that was the reason why he so -carefully protected the two or three remaining mustangs from death. - -This, as a matter of course, was the last desperate resort, and was -only to be attempted when it was absolutely certain that nothing else -could avail. - -His first hope was that by a determined and deadly resistance he could -convince the red-skins that it would not pay to keep up the contest, -for the warlike Comanches have the reputation of possessing discretion -as well as bravery; but, in the present case, they certainly were -warranted in concluding they had the game in their own hands, and, -despite the murderous replies of the whites, they refused to be driven -away, and kept up a dropping fire, circling round and round the hills -above, and preventing any attempts of the whites to move out. - -For some time Captain Shields and his men fired from behind their -horses and wagons, but they soon improved on this, and taking their -positions in the wagons themselves, found that they were quite well -able to pick off their assailants, while they were tolerably well -protected from the return fire, the red-skins being compelled to fire -more at random. - -And lying in this posture, they were compelled to see the remaining -horses shot down, excepting the single one upon which Jim Gibbons made -his escape. - -And thus the fight--of itself one of the most bitter and sanguinary -among the thousand and one of the West--raged, and as it raged there -were exhibited some of the most daring performances upon both sides, -and among them all was no loftier nor higher-souled courage than that -of our heroine--the young and beautiful Lizzie Manning of Santa Fe. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -THE PARTY OF RESCUE. - - -The sun was past the meridian, when the hundred men, under the command -of Lightning Jo, left Fort Adams and struck off in almost a due -southerly direction. - -It required sharp riding to reach Dead Man’s Gulch by nightfall; but -all had strong hopes of doing so, as it was summertime, and a goodly -number of hours yet remained at their command, while their mustangs -were toughened and fleet, and they were now put to the full test of -their endurance. - -Lightning Jo knew very well the location of the fatal gulch, and -although he did not say as much, yet he had very little hope of -reaching it in time to be of any earthly use to the poor wretches -cramped up there and fighting so desperately for life. - -Swico could not fail to know the meaning of the flight of Gibbons -through his lines. He must know that he was making all haste to Fort -Adams for succor, and that, if he did not speedily complete the awful -business he had taken in hand, without much longer delay, the chances -were that he would be disputed and compelled to fight a third party. - -The prairie continued quite level, with dry grass that did not prevent -a cloud of dust arising from the hoofs of the horses. The plain -was broken here and there by ridges and hills, some of the latter -of considerable elevation. Between these the rescuing parties were -compelled frequently to pass, some of them being so close together that -the thought of an ambuscade was instantly suggested to the mind of -every one. - -But Jo was not the man to go it blind into any contrivance that the -red-skins might set to entrap him, and his practiced eye made certain -that all was right before he exposed his brave men to such danger. - -He was rather expecting some flank movement upon the part of his old -enemy, but he was disposed to believe that, whatever plan he adopted, -he would not “try it on” until the whites reached the vicinity of Dead -Man’s Gulch. - -“Mebbe he’s got things fixed to tumble us in there too,” he thought to -himself; “and mebbe ef he has, he’ll find his flint will miss fire.” - -The company galloped steadily forward until something like -three-fourths of the distance was passed, and the sun was low in the -west. They were riding along at the same rattling pace, all on the -alert for signs of their enemies, and they were just “rising” a swell -of moderate elevation, flanked on both sides by still higher hills, -when the peremptory voice of Lightning Jo was heard, ordering a halt. - -The command was obeyed with extraordinary precision, and every man knew -as if by instinct that trouble was at hand. Naturally enough their -eyes were turned toward the hills, as if expecting to see a band of -Comanches swarming down upon them, and in imagination they heard the -bloodcurdling yells, as they poured tumultuously over the elevations, -exulting in the work of death at their hands. - -But all was still, nor could they detect any thing to warrant fear, -although the manner of Lightning Jo indicated clearly that such was the -case. - -He did not keep them long in suspense. - -“Some of the Comanches are there,” remarked Lightning Jo, in his -offhand manner; “whether old Swico himself is among ’em or not, I can’t -say till I go forward and find out. Keep your guns and pistols ready, -for there may be a thousand of ’em down on ye afore ye know it.” - -And with this parting salutation, or rather warning, the scout started -his horse on a gallop, straight toward the rise, as though he purposed -to ride directly between the hills already mentioned. But seemingly on -the very point of entering, he turned his mustang sharply to one side, -and instead of passing between, circled around the hill upon his right. - -All this time he sat as erect and proud in his saddle as though he -were approaching the stockade of the fort, which he had made his -head-quarters for so many years. - -The cavalrymen, as a matter of course, scrutinized his movements with -the intensest interest. - -“How easy for a stray shot to tumble him out of his saddle!” was the -reflection of nearly every one watching the daring soldier. - -This action of Lightning Jo speedily carried him over a portion of the -ridge, and out of sight of the horsemen, who could only surmise what -was going on beyond. - -But the sharp, pistol-like crack of a rifle, within five minutes of -the time he had vanished from view, proved that the fears of Lightning -Joe were well founded, and that the drama had already opened in dead -earnest. - -Indeed it had. The scout had detected all-convincing signs of the -presence of his old enemies upon the hill, and the simple artifice -of turning aside, at the last moment, had given him the advantage of -flanking his foes, and coming upon them from altogether an unexpected -quarter. - -As he passed over the ridge, Jo saw about twenty Comanche Indians -sitting quietly upon their horses, and in a position that indicated -that they were composedly expecting the appearance of their prey from -another quarter. Instead of turning to flee, the scout saluted them -in his customary manner by bringing up his rifle, and boring a hole -through the skull of one of the astonished red-skins, before the rest -really suspected what was going on. - -“Tahoo--oo!” called out Jo, as he witnessed the success of his shot, -and he followed it up with another yell that was peculiarly his own, -and which was so impossible of imitation that he was known by it from -Arizona to Mexico. - -The Comanches were not men of wood to sit still upon their animals, and -remain targets for one of the most skillful riflemen living. - -Identifying their assailant by means of his yell, they instantly -scattered, as if a bombshell had landed among them, and they scampered -down the other side of an adjoining hill, and out of sight of Jo, -carrying their fallen comrade with them. - -This, it would seem, ought to have satisfied the scout, but it did not. -He suspected that a larger party of Indians was in the neighborhood, -and determined to make sure before returning to his men. - -The actions of the Comanches seemed to indicate that they were about -making an attempt to surround him, and he made ready to guard against -it. - -“Let ’em surround me! I feel wolfish to-day, and I think it’ll do me -good to let off some of my extra steam among ’em.” - -He gazed furtively over his shoulder, nevertheless, for he had no wish -to be taken off his guard, in such a desperate encounter as this was -certain to prove, in case a collision occurred. - -His mustang stepped very carefully, with his head raised and his ears -pricked, for he fully felt the delicacy of the situation, and knew that -at any moment they were liable to be enveloped by a horde of their -enemies. - -The sagacity of the horse was the first to give notice of the approach -of danger. He was stepping stealthily along, his senses on the alert, -when he suddenly paused, with a slight whinny. - -At the same instant, Lightning Jo caught a peculiar sound, as if made -by the grating of a horse’s hoof upon the gravel, and he turned his -head with the quickness of lightning. - -There they were, sure enough! - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -LIGHTNING JO IN A SCRIMMAGE. - - -Yes; Lightning Jo found that the Comanches were coming, and at a rather -rapid rate, too. There was no flinging himself over the side of his -mustang and making him a shield against the blows of the red-skins, for -the latter were on every side of him. The fact was they had recognized -that peculiar yell of his, and hastily laid their plans to make him -prisoner. - -But Jo wasn’t made a prisoner yet, by a long shot, and finding that he -was at a disadvantage on the back of his steed, he quietly slipped off; -looping his rifle by a contrivance of his own to his side, he whipped -out a couple of revolvers, one in either hand, and the fun began on the -instant. - -It wasn’t the way of Jo to await the opening of a game like this, but -to open it himself, and the instant he could cock the handy little -weapons, he began popping away right and left, the astounded Comanches -going down like ten-pins before the savage “bull-dogs,” who had a way -of biting every time they gave utterance to a bark. But there were but -ten such “bites” available, and carefully as the scout husbanded his -ammunition, the barrels were speedily emptied without any sensible -diminution of his peril. - -There was no one Comanche, nor no single half-dozen of them, that -would have believed it possible to secure possession of Lightning Jo, -and so they went into the scrimmage in such overwhelming numbers that -escape upon his part looked impossible. By the time the barrels of his -revolvers were emptied there were fully fifty Indians surrounding him. -Nearly, if not quite all of them, were mounted, and they were not the -men to show mercy to such a character as Lightning Jo, who had worked -more mischief against the tribe than any dozen frontiersmen with whom -they had exchanged shots. - -Had this indomitable scout been alone upon the prairie his lighting -would undoubtedly have been of the most terrific nature, and he would -have died, like Colonel Crockett at the Alamo, with an “army of dead” -about him; but with all of Jo’s wonderful prowess, he saw that the -assistance of his friends was needed, and without any hesitation he -gave utterance to his “call,” which reached the ears of his listening -cavalrymen, who were equally prompt in responding to the cry. - -But the time that must elapse between the call and the arrival of -reinforcements, short as it was, was all sufficient for the Comanches -to encompass the death of a dozen antagonists, unless they were checked -by a most stubborn and skillful resistance. - -And just that resistance and that fight now took place. - -Instead of clubbing his rifle and using the weapon in that shape, as -almost any man would have done, Jo now had recourse to that wonderful -science in which he was such an adept, demonstrating that to such a man -there is no weapon at his command like the naked fist. - -It was a treat to see him use his powers, and had he only possessed a -rock or wall to back against, so as to prevent an insidious approach -from behind, he could have kept off the Comanche nation, so long as -they lunged up to him in such a blind, headlong fashion as the present. - -The posture taken by Lightning Jo was according to the latest “rules of -the London prize ring,” and consisted in having his arms up in front of -him, the left slightly in advance, while he balanced himself upon his -left foot, so poised that he was “firm on his pins,” or ready to leap -backward or forward, as necessity demanded. - -The foremost Comanche, who had dismounted, was almost up to Jo, when he -thought somebody’s mustang had kicked him fairly in the face, and he -made three back summersets before he could put the brake on. And then, -just as he was getting up, he was knocked down again by a couple of his -comrades going over him, and then, as those arms began working like -piston-rods, and with a velocity a hundred times as great, the cracking -of heads was something like the going off of a pack of Chinese crackers -ignited together. - -Heads were down and heels up, as the red-skins leaped from the backs -of their animals and charged in upon the scout, who, as cool as when -partaking of a leisurely meal, allowed every one to come just within -reach of his iron knuckles, when he let drive like a cannon shot. - -Finding that it was impossible to take him afoot, several of the -red-skins attempted to ride him down; but there was something in his -appearance as he thus acted on the defensive that prevented them from -approaching too close, just as the bravest horse will recoil from the -bear when he faces about. - -Then, too, as it became apparent that there was no capturing the scout -in front, the Indians exerted themselves to the utmost to steal around -in his rear, and to fling him to the ground. This kept things lively -for the time, and the way Lightning Jo spun around and danced upon his -legs, striking incessantly, and occasionally putting in a terrific kick -now and then, was a marvel in itself. - -Now he seemed to be down and out of sight, but the next instant he -popped up from some other point, and sent in a volley of blows with the -same lightning-like force and skill. The Indian that clutched at him -and was certain he had got him, clutched the empty air, and did get, -along the head, in such a way that he ever after held him in the most -vivid remembrance. - -All this was thrilling and, in a certain sense, amusing; but after all, -despite the extraordinary skill and quickness displayed by the scout, -it could not really extricate him from the difficulty. A man has but -two arms with which to guard himself, and when he is pressed from every -point, with an increasing pressure, no human being can keep such a -swarm at a distance. He is like the man set upon by thousands of rats. - -Furthermore, although Jo knew that his friends were making all haste to -his rescue, yet he saw things could not remain as they were even until -then. - -He therefore determined to make a desperate attempt to break through -the surrounding lines. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -THE ANGEL OF THE PRAIRIE. - - -In the awful sufferings to which communities and companies are -sometimes doomed, it is often found that the most delicate and refined -females display the greatest fortitude and the truest heroism. When -the terrible calamity came upon Captain Shields and his party, it -was generally supposed that the first to succumb, from sheer terror -alone, would be the frail, blue-eyed, laughing Lizzie Manning, whose -gentleness of heart, and mirthful ways, had won the affections of all, -before the journey from St. Louis was fairly begun. - -There was a blanching of the damask cheek, a faint scream of fear, -when the half naked Comanches suddenly burst forth to view, and sent -in their first volley, and she scrambled nimbly into the “fort,” as -the refuge wagon was termed, thoughtful enough, however, to be the -very last one to enter. By the time she had taken her place upon the -straw-covered floor upon the bottom, her courage had returned to her, -or more properly speaking, she rose to the situation, and displayed -a lofty courage and a rare good sense that excited the wonder and -compelled the admiration of all. - -By her aid, the screaming, terrified children were speedily quieted, -and the scarcely less frantic mothers were made to realize that -their own safety lay in retaining their self possession, and keeping -themselves and their children out of range of the rifle-balls that -were clipping the canvas covering of the wagon, and burying themselves -in the planking all about them. By this means something like order -was obtained in the crowded little party, and they had nothing to -do but to watch furtively the fighting going on all around them, to -look at the horrid Comanches circling back and forth, with wonderful -contortions upon their horses, to see their frightful grimaces, and the -flash of their rifles almost in their very faces, as they seemed to be -rushing down as if about to overwhelm and crush the little party out of -existence. - -It was a thrilling sight that they looked upon, as they saw these -Indians pitching headlong from their saddles; but their hearts were -wrung with anguish as they saw more than one of their own number -fall, some at full length beneath the wagons, and others among the -floundering horses, where their deaths were frequently hastened by the -hoofs of the frantic animals. - -Suddenly Lizzie Manning sprung from the wagon, and heedless of the -hurtling bullets, started to run across the open space inclosed by -the irregular circle of wagons. She had taken but a few steps, when a -young man dashed out from the rear of one of the lumbering wagons, and -excitedly waved her back. - -“For Heaven’s sake, Lizzie, back this instant!” he called out, walking -rapidly toward her in his anxiety; “it is sure death to advance. Wait -not a second!” - -She paused, as if the voice had a familiar sound, and stared in a -bewildered way at the speaker, a fine, manly-looking young fellow, -whose hair was blown about his face, and whose pale countenance and -flashing eyes showed that he appreciated the danger, and had the -courage not to flinch before it. - -Only for a moment did the young maiden pause, and then (only a few -feet separating them, as he had continued advancing from the first) she -pointed to the prostrate figure of a man beneath the wagons. - -“There is Harrison, who has been so kind to me, ever since we -started--he fell just now, and stretched out his arms for help. I must -go to him.” - -“He is past all help,” said the man, solemnly, “and you will only lose -your own life if you venture near him, for he took one of the most -dangerous posts of all.” - -“Nevertheless, he may be alive, and I may be of help to him.” - -And as she spoke, the maiden hurried on to where the prostrate and now -silent figure of one of her defenders lay. The distance was short, but -as Egbert Rodman had declared, it was encompassed with death; and for -one moment he meditated seizing the arm of the girl, and compelling -her by main force to return to the shelter of the wagon; but something -in her manner and appearance restrained him; and, forgetful of his own -peril, he gazed with an awed feeling, as he would have watched the -tread of an angel upon this sinful earth of ours. - -With a somewhat rapid tread, but without any undue haste, and certainly -without any fear, Lizzie advanced straight to the wagon where the -poor fellow lay, flat upon his back, and directly between the wheels, -motionless and with one knee drawn up, as if asleep. - -Kneeling down she took the hand still warm in her own, and with the -other brushed back the dank hair from the forehead of the man, and -asked, in that wonderfully sweet voice of hers: - -“Oh, Mr. Harrison, is there nothing I can do for you?” - -He opened his eyes, and looked at her with a dim wildness, his face -ashy pale, and then something like a smile lit up his ghastly features, -as he pointed to his breast. - -“My wife--my babe--darling Nelly--” - -She understood him, and drew from his breast-pocket a photograph of his -wife--with a rosy-cheeked, smiling cherub of a little girl, laughing -beside her knee. - -“Tell them--my last thoughts--my last prayers were of them--” he -stammered. - -“I will--I will,” said the girl. “Is there nothing more I can do--?” - -He made an effort to speak, but the words were choked in their -utterance, and with his eyes fixed upon hers, he died without a -struggle. - -But that one soulful, grateful look of those dark eyes, as they faded -out in death, amply repaid the brave-hearted Lizzie Manning for the -noble deed she had done, and she rose to her feet, glad that she had -heeded the mute call of the dying man, who could have scarcely hoped, -at such a time and under such circumstances, any heed would have -been paid to it, unless it were the mocking taunts of the merciless -Comanches. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -A DARING DEED. - - -In the mean time, the battle was raging with infernal hotness. All -of Captain Shields’ party were unerring marksmen, and they were so -accustomed to the most desperate contests with the red-skins, that -despite the terrible strait in which they were placed, they preserved -their coolness and equipoise like true veterans, and loaded and fired -with such rapid sureness, that to this alone may be attributed the -severe check, which kept the Comanches from making an overwhelming -charge, that would have carried every thing before them. - -The first night passed with little disturbance, as we have already -shown, and the second day the battle was renewed and kept up with -scarcely an intermission until nightfall. - -This day, especially the latter portion, was very warm, and the -suffering of the little band was terrible--so much so that many of -the living envied the dead, who had been so speedily released from -their distress. The thirst felt by all was a perpetual torment, from -which there was scarcely the slightest relief. Many of the men, -despite the great danger, dug into the ground, until the damp soil was -reached, which they scooped up and placed in their mouths as a slight -assuagement of their anguish. - -The females stood the trial like martyrs, for their own greatest -suffering was that of seeing the half-dozen moaning children piteously -begging for water, when there was none to give them. - -The history of the world has proven that men will run any risk, no -matter what, for the sake of satisfying the maddening thirst, that -threatens to drive them raving wild; and, it was this that was the -cause of one of the most daring deeds ever recorded, upon the part of -young Egbert Rodman. - -The Comanches could not but be aware of this fearful distress of the -whites, and with a fiendish malignity, characteristic of the Indian -race, just at nightfall, when the Dead Man’s Gulch was bathed in mellow -twilight, one of the red-skins was seen to leap off his mustang and -walk toward the encampment, with a large tin canteen in his hand--a -relic undoubtedly of some massacre of United States soldiers. - -There was a lull in the firing at this moment, and the whites, at a -loss to understand the meaning of the proceeding, stealthily peered out -from their coverts in the wagons, to learn what new trick was on the -_tapis_. - -It looked as if he were going to summon them to surrender, or call for -a parley, as he walked straight forward until he was within a hundred -feet of the nearest wagon, when he paused and held up the canteen -before him, contorting his face into the most grotesque grimaces, and -shaking the vessel in front and over his head. - -The stillness at this moment was so profound, that more than one -distinctly heard the gurgle of water in the vessel, and, if any doubt -remained of the red-skin’s purpose, it was dissipated by his calling -out, in broken English: - -“Yengese--come--muchee drink--hab muchee drink--” - -These words were scarcely uttered, when _crack, crack_ went two rifles -almost simultaneously, and the foolhardy wretch made a scrambling leap, -and his taunting words ended in a wild howl, as he fell prostrate -across the can, that he had brandished so tormentingly in the faces of -the sufferers. - -It is strange that such a dog should not have known the risk he ran in -making such a taunt. - -The Indian had scarcely fallen when several of his comrades started -down the declivity to bring away his body. At the same moment, Egbert -Rodman, who was in one of the wagons, sprung out, and was seen to run -at full speed in the direction of the fallen man. - -“Come back! come back! or you’re a dead man!” shouted Captain Shields, -divining his purpose on the instant. - -But the young man’s lips were set, and he was determined upon -possessing that canteen, if it were within the range of human -possibility. He saw a horde of Comanches swarming down the gulch on a -full run, screeching like demons, and evidently certain of securing the -daring Yengee, whose torturing thirst had stolen away his senses. - -But Egbert was not to be deterred by any such appalling danger as this. -Now that he had undertaken the desperate task, nothing but death should -turn him aside! - -In far less time than it requires to be narrated, he had sped over the -intervening ground, and was at the prostrate figure. He was fleet of -foot, and he ran as he never ran before, reaching it, however, only a -few seconds in advance of the rescuing Comanches, one of whom actually -fired and missed him, when scarcely a rod in advance. - -One tremendous jerk of his arm, and Egbert threw the dead Indian off -the canteen, and catching it up in his hand, he turned about and -started at the same headlong speed for the encampment, clinging to the -vessel as if it was his own life; but the Comanches were all about -him, and it looked as if it was all up, when he whipped out his only -weapon--his revolver, and blazed away right and left in their very -faces. At the same instant the whites opened fire, and made such havoc, -that in the confusion Egbert made a dash, and sped like a reindeer for -the wagons, and leaped in behind them with the canteen and the water -and himself intact. - -Then a shout went up from within the little band, and making his way -to the central wagon, Egbert first furnished the moaning children -with several swallows of the delicious--(oh, how delicious!) fluid, -no argument inducing Lizzie Manning to take a drop, until all her -companions had first done so. - -Then the brave fellow made his way from man to man, every one -partaking of the soul-reviving cold water, whose delicious taste could -not have been approached by the “nectar of the gods.” - -All drank moderately, for they knew that Egbert was to come last, and -nothing could induce one to cut his allowance short; and so he let -several swallows gurgle down his parched throat, when he carried the -remainder to the women’s wagon, and placing it in the hands of Lizzie, -said: - -“Keep it for the poor suffering little ones and for yourselves! We are -hardy men, and can stand thirst better than they, and know how to chew -our bullets, when we have nothing else!” - -With many a fervent blessing upon the noble fellow’s head, the canteen -was accepted and preserved as he requested. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -THE LOVERS. - - -The second night the moon, that rode high on the sky, enabled the -little party of white men in Dead Man’s Gulch to detect the Comanches -as they prowled about, and our friends proved their vigilance by -picking off every one who thus exposed himself to their deadly rifles. - -For the first half of the night little rest was obtained by either -side--the spitting shots continuing with a rapidity, and in such -numbers, as sometimes to resemble platoon firing--but, shortly past -the turn of night, the Comanches seemed to grow weary of the incessant -din, and being a fair target for the whites so long as they remained on -the hill, where they were brought in fair relief against the sky, they -assumed safer positions, and for a long time perfect silence remained. - -By this time, despite the respite afforded by the captured canteen, -the condition of the party was as desperate as it could be. Although -the whites had been very careful in exposing themselves to the aim -of the Comanches, yet so deadly had it been that there were now only -ten men left, including Gibbons. Shortly after midnight two of these -made the attempt to steal through the environing lines, and both lost -their lives, in the manner recorded elsewhere. This left but eight -able-bodied men to continue the defense, and Gibbons began arranging -his flight with Shields, they keeping it a secret from the rest, as -it was feared that there would be a strife as to who should go, every -one being anxious to get out of such a hell as Dead Man’s Gulch by any -means, so long as a suitable pretext could be found. - -But one horse was left unharmed. The others were dead, stretched in -different places around the open space, and, under the warm sun, an -odor of the most offensive character was beginning to rise from them. -Worse still, there were men here and there, and some of them in wagons, -to whom the right of sepulture could not be given; and they lay, with -dark, discolored faces, staring up to the sky, happier than were those -who were left behind to struggle and fight on, only to die at last a -still more dreadful death then had come to them. - -All was still, and in the large wagons, devoted to the shelter of the -women and children, the latter were sound asleep, as were most of the -former. Lizzie Manning had endeavored to inspire hope in the despairing -ones around her, and was now sitting, with folded hands, upon a -blanket, her shawl gathered over her shoulders, and in that attitude -was awaiting sleep, when she heard a faint footstep near her, and -turning her head, descried the figure of Egbert Rodman advancing, with -a hesitating step, in that direction, his actions indicating that he -felt considerable doubt as to the propriety of that which he was doing. - -Believing that he was seeking an opportunity to say something to her, -Lizzie spoke to him in a low, reassuring voice. - -“Well, Egbert, is it I that you wish to see? If so, come nearer, where -your voice will not be so likely to be heard.” - -“I was wondering whether you were asleep or not,” he replied, making -his way to the rear of the wagon, where her face could be seen looking -encouragingly out upon him. “There is no fighting going on at present; -it won’t do for one to go to sleep, and I was thinking that possibly -you might be awake, and with no ability to close your eyes in -slumber. But, if you have, don’t fail to say so, and I will wait until -to-morrow, or until there is a more favorable opportunity.” - -“You need not leave, Egbert,” said she. “I did not sleep a single -minute last night, nor can I do so to-night. I am glad that you have -come, that we may have a chat with each other, without disturbing any -one else. Somehow or other, I feel a strong conviction that this is the -last night that will be spent in the gulch.” - -Egbert had thought the same for hours, but he had kept his premonitions -to himself, and it cut him to the heart when the gentle and ordinarily -light-hearted girl spoke of it in such positive and hopeless tones. - -Yet nothing was to be gained by denying the existence of such a -desperate strait. - -“It does look so, indeed,” he replied, in a low voice, as he leaned -against the wagon in such a posture that his head was brought close -to hers. “It is not likely that any diversion will be created in our -favor, and we can not keep up a successful resistance much longer. _Our -numbers are getting too small._” - -“I hope they will end this struggle by firing into and killing us all -together,” returned Lizzie, in her sad, sweet tones, and her heart -gave a great throb as she reflected upon the fate of falling into the -hands of these tiger-like Comanches. “Do you not think they will do so, -Egbert?” - -He could not answer in the affirmative, so he did the best thing -possible, making answer: - -“You know that we shall keep up the fighting as long as any of us are -left. When our men become so scarce, or are nearly all gone, the women -can take their places, and thus compel the death which I know would be -welcome to all.” - -“Well, Egbert,” said she, in tones of Christian resignation, “it is -only a step between this and the other life. Father and mother and -sisters and brothers will mourn when they learn of the death that -Lizzie died, but then she has only gone on before--just ahead of them.” - -“Yes,” replied the young lover, who felt soothed, albeit saddened, by -the words of the sweet girl. Reaching up his hand, he took hers, and -with a solemn, sacred feeling, said: - -“I suppose, Lizzie, now that we stand in the presence of death, you -will permit me to declare how I loved you the first time I saw you in -St. Louis, and how that love has increased and deepened with every hour -since, until I feel now, like the romantic cavaliers of old, that it -is sweet to stand here, and to die, knowing that I die defending your -honor and your life. Lizzie, my own dearest one, you have all my heart. -None who have seen you can fail to respect your sweetness of character, -and the veriest slave was never held a more helpless captive by his -task-master than I am by you. It would be idle for me to expect any -thing like a similar emotion upon your part, but I am sure you will not -be offended at what I have said. Tell me that.” - -“No; I am not--” - -Egbert fell her hand tremble in his own, and a strange yearning came -over him to hear what she had checked herself in saying. Could it -be that she felt in any degree the same emotion that penetrated his -whole being? No, impossible; and yet what meant this trembling, this -agitation, this excitement? - -But she said not the words he was so anxious to hear, and they talked -awhile longer upon the desperate situation, and then, kissing the dear -hand that he had fondled and held imprisoned in his own, he bade her -good-night, and returned to his post of duty. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -AT FULL SPEED. - - -All through this singular fight, Lightning Jo had kept within reach of -his mustang, which occasionally put in a kick now and then, in the hope -that he might be turned to account; but the tumult and uproar became so -terrific, that he finally became panic-stricken, and with a whinny of -the wildest terror, he made a plunge among the scarcely-less excited -animals, when his furious struggles added to the fearful uproar, which -was already sufficient to drive an ordinary man out of his senses. - -Lightning Jo, as we have said, knew that his friends were coming over -the hills at the topmost bent of their speed; but the flight of his -horse, and the rapid closing in of the Comanches, made further delay -fatal, and with the promptness that was a peculiar characteristic -of the man, he grasped his loaded rifle in his hands, and made his -desperate struggle for freedom. - -This was simply an attempt to dodge beneath the horses’ bellies out -beyond them, where he knew his own fleetness could be depended on to -carry him safely into the company of his own men. - -And now began a most extraordinary performance, and an exhibition of -Lightning Jo’s miraculous quickness of movement was given, such as -would seem incredible in a description like ours. He was walled in -on every hand by the swarming Comanches, but by the matchless use of -his tremendous arms, he kept back the scores from entangling him in -their embrace; until, all at once, he was seen to make a leap upward, -directly over the shoulders of those immediately surrounding, and he -shot beneath the belly of the nearest mustang like a whizzing rocket. - -And, as he did so, he gave utterance to that strange yell of his, -like the yelping prairie-dog, whose bark is cut short, as he plunges -headlong into his hole, by the sudden whisking of his head out of sight. - -The Comanches who caught the dissolving view of the scout, made a -desperate struggle to capture him, and those who were still mounted, -and saw him leaping beneath their animals, turned them aside, and cut, -slashed and thrust at him in the most spiteful fashion, while others -sprung off their horses, and did their utmost to intercept and cut -him off, or to trip him to the earth, or to disable him in some way -that would prevent his succeeding in his threatened escape from their -clutches. - -It would be a vain attempt to follow his movements in the way of -description, when the eye itself was unable to do so; and, despite the -astonishing celerity of the Comanches, whose nimbleness of movement is -proverbial in the West, they were completely baffled in every effort -they made to entrap him. - -Here, there, everywhere, he was seen, shooting out sometimes from -between a horse’s legs, and then was in another place before the animal -could resent the shock given him--in front--in the rear--leaping -to one side--backward--forward--and threw the whole troop into -confusion--every now and then giving utterance to that indescribable -yell, so that the red-skins were actually in chase of _that_--and all -the time steadily approaching the outer circle of mustangs, and ever -keeping in mind the proper direction for him to follow, to meet the -much-needed soldiers. - -And all this took place in one-tenth the time required in our -references. The bewildering dodging and doubling of Lightning Jo -continued until he shot from beneath the last horse, and then with a -triumphant screech, he sped away like a terrified antelope. - -Hitherto the efforts of the Comanches had been directed toward -capturing the redoubtable scout, and they soon dashed their animals -after him on a full run, in the hope of riding him down before he could -reach the assistance which they knew was so close at hand. - -It proved closer indeed than they suspected; for they had hardly -started upon the fierce pursuit when a rattling discharge of rifles -rose above the din and confusion, just as the whole company of United -States cavalry thundered over the ridge, and came down upon them like -the sweep of a tornado that carries every thing before it. - -There were a few exchanges of shots, and then the Comanches would -have excited the admiration of a troop of Centaurs by their display -of horsemanship. Speeding forward like a whirlwind, the shock of the -opposing bodies seemed certain to be like that of an earthquake; but, -at the very instant of striking, every Indian shied off, either to the -right or the left, and by a quick, rapid circle of their well trained -animals, they shot away beyond reach of harm from cavalry, and skurried -away over the hills and ridges, disappearing from view with the same -astonishing quickness, that made successful pursuit out of the question. - -Driven away in this unceremonious fashion, the Comanches were -compelled to leave their dead upon the field--the wounded managing -to take care of themselves, and to get out of harm’s way, ere the -cavalry could swoop down upon them. The fashion of giving quarter, in -the contests between the Indians and white men, has never been very -popular, and at the present day, it may be considered practically -obsolete, so that the Comanches displayed only ordinary discretion in -“getting up and getting”--if we may be permitted to use the expressive -language of the West itself, in referring to an engagement of this kind. - -Accustomed as were these men to the exhibitions of the wonderful powers -of Lightning Jo, they were astounded at the exhibition of their own -eyes, of the deeds he had done during the few minutes that he had -engaged in the encounter with the red-skins. The troop gathered around -the battlefield, and were commenting in their characteristic manner -upon his exploits, when the scout himself, seeing his mustang near at -hand, made haste to secure him, and leaping upon his back, he lost no -time in placing himself at their lead, and turning his face toward Dead -Man’s Gulch, he said, in his sharp, peremptory way, when thoroughly in -earnest: - -“Come, boys, we have lost too much time. We must git there afore dark, -if we git there at all.” - -Gibbons, the messenger, placed himself beside him, and, as soon as they -were fairly under way, Jo remarked to him: - -“I hardly know what to make of it. Old Swico is not with them skunks, -and I am disappointed. It has a bad look.” - -“Why so?” inquired his comrade, who was partly prepared for the answer. - -“I ain’t sartin--but it looks to me as if the _business is finished -down at the Gulch_.” - -“Then why should not the chief, released from there, be here with his -men?” continued Gibbons. - -“This is only a part of his men; there wa’n’t many Comanches among the -hills. I think the old dog sent them off on purpose to bother us and -keep us back as much as they could.” - -“While Swico and the others have taken another direction?” - -“Exactly, and carried the women and children with them; and if so, we -might as well turn back to Fort Adams ag’in.” - -But the scout, as he uttered these chilling words, set his teeth, and -rode his mustang harder than ever toward Dead Man’s Gulch. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -THE VALLEY OF DEATH. - - -The wagon containing the females and the children was that which -carried the provisions--the others being piled up with the luggage -belonging to the different members of the party, and which they had -formed into rude barricades from which they fired out, with such deadly -effect, upon the Comanches, who, from the nature of the case, were -unable to make any kind of approach without exposing themselves to that -same unerring fire. - -One of the men, at stated periods, visited the provision wagon, and -brought forth lunch for his comrades, who felt no suffering in _that_ -respect--their great trial being the lack of water. But for the -providential supply, secured in the manner already narrated, human -endurance would not have permitted the whites to have held out longer -than the beginning of this terrible, and what was destined to prove the -last, day--the one following the departure of Gibbons, the messenger, -for Fort Adams. - -It should be made clear at this point also that, of the half-dozen -women, and the same number of children, not one had husband, or father, -or blood-relative among the defenders, so that, while their situation -could scarcely have been more trying, it was deprived of the poignant -anguish of seeing the members of their own household shot down in cold -blood before their eyes. - -No pen can depict the gratitude and love they felt for these men, who, -it may be said, were giving up their lives to protect them; for, at -the first appearance of the dreaded Comanches, every one of them could -have secured their safety by dashing away at full speed, upon their -fleet-footed mustangs, and leaving the helpless ones to their fate. - -But of such a fashion is not the Western borderer, who will go to -certain death, rather than prove false to those who have been intrusted -to his care. The party had been sent to St. Louis, under an agreement -to bring this little company to their homes in Santa Fe, on their -return from an excursion to the Eastern States, and there was not one -of them who would have dared to ride into the beautiful Mexican town -with the tidings that they had perished, and he had lived to tell the -tale. Far better, a thousand times, that their bones should be left to -bleach upon the prairie, rather than they should live to be forever -disgraced and dishonored, and to carry an accusing conscience with them -for the remainder of their days. - -The children, during the first twenty four hours, probably suffered -the most, in their cramped, constrained position, being compelled to -remain within the wagon, lest, if they exposed themselves by appearing -upon the ground, they should be slain by the Comanches, who availed -themselves of every opportunity to retaliate upon the whites. - -After it became pretty certain that Jim Gibbons had penetrated and -passed through the Comanche lines, Captain Shields prepared for a -deadly charge from their enemies, and from his place in his vehicle he -called to the others to make ready also. - -The men thus talked with each other, while their faces were -mutually invisible; but the little circle permitted the freest -intercommunication. His advice was followed, and every rifle loaded and -kept ready to be discharged at an instant’s warning. - -It was terribly annoying to feel, at a juncture like this, that they -must husband their fire on account of the failing supply of ammunition, -and at the same time manage the business in such a way that the -Comanches themselves should not be permitted to discover the appalling -truth. - -“Don’t fire too often,” called the captain, in his cautious way, “and -when you do make sure that you let daylight through one of the red -devils. I think they will open on us in some way, and very soon, too.” - -It seemed strange that the uproar and tumult which had marked the -flight of Gibbons should be succeeded in its turn by such a profound -silence as now rested upon the gulch. From the place where our friends -crouched not a single Comanche could be seen, nor could their location -be detected by the slightest sound. - -From far away on the prairie came the faint sound of a rifle--but in -the immediate vicinity all was still. - -Captain Shields was of the opinion that Swico, the chief, had gathered -his warriors around him, just outside the gulch, and was holding a -consultation as to what was the best to be done, as it was now as good -as certain that, before the dawn of another day, a heavy force of -cavalry would be down upon them. - -There were some who really believed that the Comanches would now draw -off and disappear altogether from the place where they had suffered -such a terrible repulse; but for this very reason, the experienced -frontiersman, Captain Shields, was certain that the contrary would -prove to be the case. The incitement of revenge would prompt them -rather to make the most desperate charges and the most furious assaults -upon the little Spartan band. - -And while the old hunter lay upon his face in the wagon, stealthily -peering out, and listening for the first approach of his foes, he -coolly calculated the chances of the day. - -“Six of us left, and we average three rifles apiece--to say nothing of -revolvers that are scattered all among the boys. We can load and fire -these, perhaps four or five times apiece--not oftener, certainly--that -is, if we can only get the opportunity to load and fire them. After -that-- Well, everybody has got to die some time.” - -At this, he stealthily moved around, and peered out at the wagon -containing the helpless ones, and he muttered: - -“All seems to be quiet there, and I guess none of them have been -reached by these bullets whizzing all about them, which may be either -good or bad fortune.” - -Then as he resumed his position of guard, he cleared his vision with -his hand, and added: - -“It’s mighty rough on them. We men are always expecting such things, -and are sort of ready for it; but for helpless women and children-- -Helloa! what in the name of Heaven can that be?” - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -“WHAT IS IT?” - - -Captain Shields might well give utterance to this exclamation, for just -then his eyes were greeted with the most singular sight he had ever -seen in all his life. He rubbed his eyes and stared, and finally turned -to young Egbert Rodman, who just then crawled into the wagon. - -“If I was a drinking man,” said he, “I would swear that I had the -jim-jams sure. Look out the wagon, Rodman, and tell me whether you see -any thing unusual, or different from what we have been accustomed to -look upon for the last day or two.” - -The young man did as requested, and the exclamation that escaped him -convinced the somewhat nervous officer that his head was still level, -and his brain was playing no fantastic freak with him. - -The sight which greeted their eyes, and so excited their wonder, came -first in the shape of a horse, which, walking slowly forward, steadily -loomed up to view, until it stood directly on the border of the gulch, -where, at a hundred yards distant, and with the clear sunlight bathing -him, every outline was distinctly visible. - -But it was not the horse, but that which was upon it, that so excited -the wonder and speculations of those who saw him. Close scrutiny gave -it the appearance of an animal standing upon all-fours upon the back of -the horse, like Barnum’s trained goat Alexis. It was, however, three -times the size of that sagacious creature, and an Indian blanket was -thrown over it, so that little more than the general outlines could be -discerned. - -This enveloping blanket reached to the neck of the “what is it?” -leaving the head entirely exposed. This was round, and bullet-shaped, -and moved in that restless, nervous way peculiar to animals. It seemed -as black as coal, and resembled the head of one of those giant gorillas -which Du Chaillu ran against in the wilds of Central Africa. - -A strange chill crept over the two men, as they felt that this animal -was looking steadily down upon the encampment, as if meditating a -charge upon it, and only waiting to select the most vulnerable point. - -The steed supporting this nondescript stood neither directly facing -nor broadside toward the whites--but in such a position that their -view could not have been better. The horse remained as stationary and -motionless as if he were an image carved in bronze. - -No other living creature being in sight, the eyes of the little band -of defenders in Dead Man’s Gulch were speedily fixed upon this strange -phenomenon, and its movements were watched with an intensity of -interest which it would be hard to describe. - -“It is some Comanche deviltry,” was the remark of Egbert Rodman, after -he had surveyed the object for several minutes. “They have grown tired -of running against our bullets, and are about to try some other means.” - -“But what sort of means is that?” asked the captain, who beyond -question was a little nervous over what he saw. - -“That is rather hard to tell, until we have some more developments; -but you know that the red-skins, from their earliest history, have -been noted for their ingenious tricks, by which they have outwitted -their foes, and you may depend upon it that this is one of their -contrivances, although I must say that I do not see the necessity for -any such labored attempts as that, when they have every thing their own -way; and, if they would only make a united and determined charge, we -should all go under to a dead certainly.” - -Captain Shields, however, like many of the bravest men, was -superstitious, and he was inclined to believe that there was something -supernatural in the appearance of this thing, and, although he -hesitated to say so, yet he looked upon it as having a most direful -significance concerning himself and his friends. - -Still the horse remained perfectly motionless, and the quadruped, with -the blanket thrown over his back, was steadily gazing down upon them, -from his perch upon the back of another quadruped. - -The profound stillness that then reigned over the prairie and in Dead -Man’s Gulch was rather deepened by the sound of the faintest, most -distant report of a gun that seemed to have come from some point miles -and miles away, in the direction of Fort Adams, proving plainly that -the pursuit of the flying messenger was not yet given over. - -Egbert Rodman concluded that there was a very easy and speedy way -of settling the business of convincing the awed captain that there -was nothing possessed by this curious animal that was not the common -possession of his race. As he stood, partly turned toward him, he could -not have desired a better target for a carefully aimed rifle, and he -determined to tumble him from the back of the horse, and thus put a -speedy end to that bugbear of the captain’s. - -Without saying a word as to his intentions, he carefully thrust the -muzzle of his rifle through the aperture in the canvas of the wagon, -and sighted at about where he supposed the seat of life to be. He held -his aim only long enough to make certain, and then pulled the trigger -and looked out to see the “what is it?” pitch to the ground, and reveal -his particular identity in his death-struggles before their eyes. - -But what did he see? The creature, standing in precisely the same -posture, and looking steadily down upon them, as unmoved as though such -a thing as a gun had never been invented. - -But Egbert, although very much astounded, was not yet prepared to admit -that the nondescript was impregnable against a good Springfield rifle, -even if those about him were under a superstitious spell. - -And so, with the same steadiness of eye and nerve, he reached out and -took a second rifle from beside him, and shoved this through the “port -hole.” - -The same unexceptionable target remained, and he resolved that this -time there should be no failure. He was a good marksman, and he made -certain aim, while more than one breathlessly watched the result. - -The same as before! Not a sign of the thing being harmed in the least! - -“Shoot no more!” said Captain Shields, in an awed voice, “there is -nothing mortal about it! It is sent to warn us of what is so close at -hand!” - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -“THE COMANCHES ARE COMING.” - - -When Egbert Rodman fired and missed the second time at the apparition -at the top of the gulch, his emotions were certainly of the most -uncomfortable kind. - -He was now certain that in both instances he had hit it fairly and -plumbly in the very point aimed at, and it was equally certain that he -had not harmed it in any way. - -The mustang did not stir an inch, nor did any movement upon the part of -its strange rider indicate that he or it was sensible of the slightest -disturbance from the two bullets that had been aimed at its life. -Clearly then it was useless to waste any more precious ammunition upon -it, when it was simply throwing it away. - -Still Egbert was too intelligent and well educated to share fully the -belief of Captain Shields, although he could not avoid a cold chill, as -he proceeded to load his two discharged pieces, for, to say the least, -it was inexplicable, and no man can feel at ease when face to face with -a danger which proves to be invulnerable against effort upon his part. - -With the exception of Egbert, the other men believed the same as did -their captain, and the vim and spirit that had marked their courageous -defense up to this point, now deserted them, as the sad, despairing -conviction imparted itself to each, that all hope was now gone, and -they had but to wait the coming of inevitable doom. - -The mustang with the moveless apparition upon it deepened the spell of -terror that rested upon the whites, by starting down the hill in the -direction of the encampment. He walked with a slow, deliberate tread, -like a war-horse stepping at the funeral of his master, and it may be -said that the blood of the staring bordermen froze in terror at the -sight. - -Undoubtedly their senses would so far have left them, that they either -would have dashed out of the gulch, or cowered down in terror behind -their barricades, like children frightened at the approach of some -hobgoblin. - -But this last great calamity was spared them; for, while yet at a -considerable distance, the mustang came to a sudden and dead halt, -paused a moment, and then, with a snort of alarm, turned about and -dashed away at headlong speed. - -The mustang was gone so speedily that there were many who were not -aware of the manner in which he had made his exit, and were ready to -believe that he had vanished like a vision of the night, a proceeding -in perfect keeping with their idea of the phenomenon itself. - -The hours dragged wearily by until noon came and passed, and not a -sign of an Indian had been seen, nor had the frightful apparition -reappeared. When the survivors saw that the sun had really crossed the -meridian, there were several who began to feel the faintest revival -of hope, while one or two were inclined to believe that the Comanches -had withdrawn in a body and would be seen no more, discouraged by -the desperate resistance they had encountered, and the escape of the -messenger, and the probable coming of a body of cavalry from Fort Adams. - -While Egbert Rodman could not share in this belief, yet, to relieve -the suspense which oppressed all, he determined to pass outside the -encampment and learn whether or not there was any foundation for such -belief. - -Of course, great risk was incurred by doing this, but all had become -used to risks, and he leaped from the wagon and ran at quite a rapid -rate up the hill, the entire group watching him with an interest -scarcely less than that with which they had scrutinized the approach of -the apparition. - -The relaxation in the vigilance of the Indians had been taken advantage -of by the whites, especially by the women and children, the latter of -whom, with the innocence of their age, were running back and forth and -frolicking, with as much gayety as if playing upon the green at home, -with no thought of death in their minds. - -“That chap will never get any sense in his head till it is put there by -a bullet,” remarked Captain Shields, as he stood attentively watching -his young friend, secretly admiring, in spite of his words, the -intrepidity which he had displayed from the first. - -“Why did you permit him to go?” - -“Good heavens! I didn’t permit it; the first thing I knew, I seen him -jump out of the wagon and start up the hill. Didn’t I try to stop him -when he was after the red devil with his canteen, and what good did it -do?” - -“It seems to me that it would be so easy for him to run directly to his -death.” - -“So it would, and for that matter, it would be powerful easy for any of -us to do the same; but he’s about to the top of the gulch,” added the -captain, turning away to watch his progress. - -Such was the case, and every voice was now hushed, and every eye was -fixed upon Rodman, as he slackened his gait, and, stooping down, made -his way as stealthily to the top of the declivity as the most veteran -scout could have done. - -When he should reach there and look around, all knew that he would give -a signal which, indeed, would be that of life or death to them. - -They marked him as he crept on his hands and knees to the very top, and -then, removing his cap, peered over. Then he rose partly to his feet -and turned his head in different directions, and just as the trembling -whites were beginning to take heart again, he suddenly wheeled about, -and came running down the gulch like a madman, waving his hand and -shouting something to his friends which was incomprehensible from his -very excitement. - -“Back to the wagon, every one of you!” commanded Captain Shields, -turning to the women. “Don’t wait a second! That means that the -Comanches are coming! To your stations, boys, and let us die like men!” - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -THE LAST DAY IN DEAD MAN’S GULCH. - - -Only a few seconds and Egbert Rodman was in the middle of the -encampment, breathless and wild. - -“The whole horde of Indians are coming back!” he called out, as soon as -he could frame the words. “They are but a short distance away and will -be here in the next minute!” - -The words had scarcely been uttered when the borders of the gulch were -swarming with yelling Comanches. The women had barely time to scramble -under shelter, when the red-skins were upon them. - -“Fire, as you can load and aim!” called out Captain Shields, while yet -his men were leaping to their places. “Don’t wait, but let them have -it! We may as well die fighting like men!” - -Crack! crack! barked the rifles of the scouts, in a regular fusillade -among the horsemen, the fatal results being instantly seen, in the -Comanches here and there dropping from the backs of their mustangs. - -This destructive fire accomplished the best thing possible, in that it -prevented the wholesale charge that was so much to be dreaded; as it -could not fail to be deadly fatal almost on the instant. - -The incessant sleet of bullets sent into the ranks of the red-skins -created an unexpected confusion, and just as our friends had reached -the last round of their ammunition, they fell back out of range, and -dismounting, crept to the edge of the gulch and began firing down upon -the encampment, just as the scouts themselves would have done had the -position been reversed. - -Despite the exaggerated assertion of the startled Egbert, as he dashed -into the camp, Captain Shields became well satisfied from the glimpse -he had gained, that the Comanche force was divided, and he was now -fighting against only a portion of those against whom he had been -pitted before, the others, as he rightly suspected, having followed -on in the pursuit of the flying messenger, and with the purpose of -entrapping and ambuscading the cavalry that would be sent, in all -probability, to the rescue of the little band of whites. - -But there was little consolation to be derived from this discovery, -as there were certainly over a hundred Comanches at hand, and they -unquestionably had the power, when they should choose to put it forth, -to crush out of existence himself and every one of his brave men. One -single determined charge, a few minutes’ appalling conflict around the -wagons, and then not a man need be left to tell the awful tale of the -last appalling massacre of Dead Man’s Gulch. - -The red-skins kept up the cautious policy of lying flat upon their -faces, just over the edge of the ravine, and aiming deliberately down -into the encampment. By this time the canvas of the wagons was riddled, -and knowing pretty well at what points to aim, the greatest caution was -necessary upon the part of the scouts to escape the bullets that were -flying all about them. - -Fully a dozen of these merciless wretches directed their exclusive -attention to the wagon which they knew contained the helpless members -of the party, and such a steady fire was kept up on it that the canvas -in a few minutes looked like a sieve, pierced in every part by bullets, -many of which imbedded themselves in the impenetrable planks of which -the wagon-body was composed. - -This was the first time since the opening of this dreadful siege that -such a demonstration was made, and the unrelenting malignity which -characterized it, excited the wonder of the scouts, who believed that -the Comanches were so infuriated at the losses already suffered, that -some of the survivors who may have lost their closest relatives, were -bent upon exterminating every one, man, woman and child, without -awaiting what might be considered the inevitable capture of the females. - -But provision had been made against this very thing from the first. -The sides of the vehicle, behind the canvas, had been walled up with -packages and bundles, in such a skillful fashion, that so long as the -little party could be made to keep between them and near the center -of the wagon-body, they were as impervious to the rifle-shots as if -incased in an ironclad of the navy. - -This steady stream of fire from the boundary of the gulch continued -until the greater portion of the day had passed. So long as it -continued without any concentration upon the part of the Comanches, -Captain Shields was satisfied, for nothing short of a cannonade could -demolish the barricades that had withstood such a terrific fire for so -many hours. - -With the sole purpose of preventing any _coup d’état_ upon the part of -the red-skins, the intrepid captain called to his men to send a shot -among them now and then, taking care, however, that in every case the -rifleman discharged his gun at a fair target. - -These opportunities, fortunately for our friends, were few, and they -were thus saved the fatal revelation that could have had but one -terrible result upon the part of the valiant defenders. - -Captain Shields was thus kept so incessantly employed, both in body -and mind, that he had little time in which to think of the apparition, -and the ominous warning which he fervently believed it foreshadowed; -but, now and then, in the heat of the conflict, it came to him with its -dreadful depression of spirits, and made him sigh and wish that the -“last minute” would come and the agony end. - -This fearful fire continued until darkness descended upon the prairie, -and when the light failed, a lull came so sudden as to cause a ringing -and peculiar lightness of the head that almost drove away the senses of -those that remained. - -Captain Shields waited a few minutes, and finding a possibility of -this quiet lasting for a short time, he determined to make the round, -and exchange a few words with his friends. He was alone in the wagon -which he had chosen for his sentry-box, and stealing cautiously out, he -hurried across the clearing to that containing the women and children. -He found them stunned, paralyzed and nearly dead from the awful ordeal -through which they had passed, but a little inquiry proved them all -untouched by the bullets that had been sent so inhumanly after them. - -Then he made the rounds of the other vehicles, and a blood-chilling -discovery awaited him. Out of the five defenders besides himself, only -one, Egbert Rodman, remained alive, the other four having been struck -and killed by the balls of the Comanches! - -“What is the use?” said the stunned officer as he took the hand of the -young man and helped him out upon the green sward; “we two are the only -ones left, and I have fired my last round of ammunition, even to my -pistols.” - -“So have I,” returned Egbert; “we may as well go to the women and die -defending them. The last moment is at hand.” - -“It is here!” said Captain Shields, in a clear voice. “Look! there they -come!” - -As he spoke, he pointed up the sides of the gulch, where, in the dim -light of the early night, the horsemen were seen gathering for the -final charge. The next moment it came! - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -THE RESCUE. - - -The next moment a strange, wild yell broke the stillness, or rather -sounded above the thunder of the horses’ hoofs, and the two men, -standing sullenly by the wagon in the center of the encampment, and -awaiting their doom, like those who, having done all that was possible, -could now do nothing else. - -Again that indescribable yell rung out over the prairie, and Captain -Shields straightened himself like a flash, and gave a gasp of amazement -if not terror. - -“Did you hear that, Egbert?” he demanded, clutching the arm of the -half-stupefied man at his side. “By heavens! they are not Indians, but -Lightning Jo and his men from Fort Adams!” - -The next minute the clearing within the encampment was filled by a -score of men, who, leaping from their horses, and leaving them outside -of the circle of wagons, came rushing in upon the little party from -every direction. - -“Helloa! here, where are you?” shouted the famous scout, “this ain’t a -game of hide and seek. Come out and show yourselves.” - -This was uttered in a cheery, hearty way, but mingled with the voice -could have been detected a tone of awe and dread, like one who in -reality was afraid to hear the same answer which he had demanded. - -“Here we are,” replied Captain Shields, as he and Rodman walked forward -to meet their deliverers. - -“But the rest of you--where are they? Speak quick, old fellow,” added -Jo, taking the hand of the two, both of whom were his acquaintances; -“we are in a hurry, and want to hear all that is to be heard.” - -“There they are,” returned Egbert, pointing to the wagons; “some are -beneath them, and some are within them, but every one is dead!” - -“What!” exclaimed Lightning Jo; “you had women and children with -you--they are not all gone? I heard that Lizzie Manning, the sweetest -little girl in Santa Fe, or anywhere else, was with you. Where is -_she_?” - -“Oh, she is all right,” returned Captain Shields, who had misunderstood -the full import of the question; “they are unharmed.” - -But by this time Gibbons, who knew just where to look for them, called -out that they were safe, and he and many of the soldiers gathered about -the wagon to congratulate and give them what assistance was in their -power. - -Their kindnesses were needed, for during the latter portion of this -day all had suffered the most agonizing thirst, the scant supply which -had been furnished them so unexpectedly lasting them but a short time, -and then seeming to intensify that intolerable craving that drives the -strongest man mad, until all were overcome by a sort of stupor, in -which they were sensible only of dull, yearning pain, that could not be -quieted. - -Expecting as much, the soldiers were prepared, and more than one -canteen of cool, refreshing, delicious and reviving water was offered -to the suffering women and children, and almost instantly new life was -imparted to all, and they awoke to a realizing sense of their position, -and to the fact that they had been rescued. - -“Are you there, Lizzie?” asked Lightning Jo, crowding forward, and -peering among the group, who were dismounting from the vehicle that had -proven such a friendly shelter and fort to them. “Helloa! I see you! -Thank the good Lord! I was very much afeard I’d be too late to save -your sweet self.” - -And taking the half-fainting girl in his long, brawny arms, he pressed -her to his heart and kissed her cheek, just as affectionately and -gratefully as he would have done had she been his only daughter -restored to life. - -And poor Lizzie, now that she saw that the awful danger had passed, -could not prevent her woman’s nature from asserting itself. Resting her -head upon the bosom of the brave-hearted scout, she could only sob in -the utter abandonment of feeling. She knew that so long as Lightning Jo -stood near her there was nothing to be feared from any mortal danger -that walked this earth; and the tense point to which her mind had -been strung for so long a time, now fully reacted, and she became as -weak and helpless as the youngest of the children, who were beginning -to awake from their stupor. And so, without attempting to speak, she -simply sobbed, and allowed her friend to support her in his arms. - -The rest of the cavalry were not idle. They made a circuit of the -wagons, and, as they learned the dreadful truth, something like a -heart-sickness and awe quieted their boisterous voices, and they -conversed in low tones, some muttering curses against the red scourges -of the plains, while others expressed their sympathy for the brave men -who had perished before relief came. - -The life of the soldiers on the frontier is such as to accustom them to -the most revolting evidences of the cruelty of the Indians; but there -were thoughts that were suggested to the cavalry, by the sight in Dead -Man’s Gulch, such as did not often come to them. - -The long-continued and heroic defense of the little party, the torment -of thirst, the vain attacks of the ferocious Comanches, the unflinching -bravery of men and women, the steady dropping of the scouts until only -ten were left, the total giving out of the ammunition, and then the -sullen despair, in which the last defenders awaited the last charge: -these pictures came to the minds of the cavalrymen in more vivid colors -than they can to the reader who has seen nothing of the wild, daring -life of the frontier. - -Gibbons quickly told his story to his friends. After the diversion -created by Lightning Jo’s scrimmage with the Comanches among the hills, -he and his men had put their horses to the full run, and reached the -neighborhood of Dead Man’s Gulch just as the lull in the conflict -occurred. It was their purpose to charge down upon the red-skins, and -give them a taste of vengeance, such as they had not yet encountered; -but the cautious Swico had his scouts out, and the approach of the -cavalry was signaled to him while they were yet a long way off. - -In the hope of still accomplishing something, the majority of the -cavalry started in pursuit of the Comanches, while Lightning Jo and a -score of his friends hurried on to Dead Man’s Gulch, where the chief -interest now lay. - -The horses of the soldiers were already exhausted, and they were -speedily compelled to return, after having exchanged a few shots with -the band of Swico-Cheque, as they skurried away in the darkness. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -HOMEWARD BOUND. - - -There were too many horrors hanging around Dead Man’s Gulch for the -whites to spend any more time there than was necessary. Several of the -wagons were overturned upon each other, and then fired, and by the aid -of this huge bonfire, which sent a glow out upon the prairie for miles, -like the rays of the Eddystone light-house over the ocean, they set -about their work of mercy. - -In one of the wagons were placed all the bodies of those who had -fallen, and the other was fitted up in the most comfortable manner for -the women and children. To these several of the cavalry attached their -horses, and making sure that every thing that could be of any possible -use to the Comanches was burned, the rescuing party started out of the -ravine, which was ever afterward to cause a shudder whenever memory -recalled the awful experiences to which they were there doomed. - -The moon had only fairly risen when the procession slowly wended its -way out from the gulch, and off across the prairie, in the direction -of Fort Adams. They were indeed what they looked to be, a funeral -procession, and another vivid comment upon the terrible errors which -have governed the associations of the white and red-men from the very -first meeting, nearly four hundred years ago. - -The dragging of the two heavily-laden wagons across the prairie could -but be a tedious and wearisome task, and in all probability would not -be completed until the second day after starting. Of course there was -a possibility that Swico would return to the attack, if a suitable -occasion should offer, but it was not deemed necessary that the entire -one hundred men should remain to escort them into the fort. - -And so when the eighty rode back from the fruitless pursuit of the main -body of Indians, the arrangements were made for dividing the company, -it being well known that Colonel Greaves could ill afford to spare so -many men, and would be pleased if such a course could be carried out -without any ill results flowing therefrom. - -But, first of all, the steeds and their riders needed rest after the -tremendous charge over the prairie, and less than a mile from Dead -Man’s Gulch, where a sparkling stream of cold water wandered through a -grove of trees, the camp was made for the night, the sentinels being -stationed at every point, and such precautions made, as to cause every -one to feel perfectly safe against any disturbance from the malignant -red-skins, who had too much discretion to rush in where they knew they -would be only too gladly received by the cavalry. - -Several fires were kindled in the grove, and food cooked, the -camping-ground being one of the most pleasant that could possibly have -been chosen, as there was an abundance of rich grass for their animals, -and every thing that could be needed by their riders. - -At one of these fires, a little apart from the rest, were three -persons, engaged in the most pleasant converse. The long, lank figure, -stretched lazily upon the ground, supporting himself upon his elbow, -was Lightning Jo, at his ease, with his nature all “unbent” and his -humorous self at the surface. As he talked, his black eyes sparkled, -and his handsome white teeth were constantly exposed as he asked some -question, or made some reply to Egbert Rodman and Lizzie Manning, who -were seated upon the opposite side of the fire, rather closer together -than was absolutely necessary, chatting with each other and with the -scout, who kept “chaffing” them so continuously that they had little -opportunity for any private conference of their own. - -“You may as well wait, younkers,” said Jo. “I don’t object to you -squeezing each other’s hands, jest as you tried a minute ago, when you -thought I warn’t looking; but you needn’t try to talk to each other -when I’m about. So wait, I tell yer, till some other time, for you -ain’t going to get rid of me till you bunk up for the night.” - -“No one wants to get rid of you,” retorted Lizzie, as a blush suffused -her face, and her eyes sparkled in the firelight. “What do we care for -you? I have no wish for any private talk with Egbert.” - -“Of course not; nor he with you; any fool can see that in both your -looks, ’specially in his. But that’s always the way. I had an aunt -once that always was interfering when any young dunces got to fooling -round. She had a son, that she thought all the world of. He had learned -the shoemaker’s trade, and when he was about forty or forty-five, he -got tender on a cross-eyed girl, with red hair, that lived near him, -and he went for her. My aunt didn’t like it a bit, and done all she -could to break it up. She said if her boy would wait till he got to be -a man, she wouldn’t object, if he would pick out a young lady for her -worth instead of for her beauty, as he had done. She done every thing -to torment the poor feller, giving him medicine to make him sick when -he had a special appointment with her, sewing big patches all over his -coat, so that he was ashamed to wear it, and locking him in his room -and giving him a good strapping when he got sassy and gave her any of -his lip. - -“Cousin Josh didn’t mind that much, as he said the old woman had been -a little peculiar ever since he had been ’quainted with her; but there -was one thing that he couldn’t get used to, and that was her way of -bouncing down upon him and his senorita, just as they were beginning -to act like you two folks, and thought nobody wasn’t looking on. Three -times, Josh told me, he had got down on his knees and clasped his hands -and shut his eyes, and was making his proposal to his lady, and was -just in the sweetest part, when he opened his eyes and saw his mother -standing afore him with a sweet smile upon her countenance, and more -than once, when he reached out his arm to put around the young lady’s -waist, it went over the old woman’s neck, who was alistening near, and -who cuffed his ears for being such a fool. - -“Josh stood it as long as he could, but finally he got even with her.” - -“In what way?” inquired Egbert. - -“He got a big skyrocket made, and fastened it to the old lady’s dress, -and got a little boy to touch off the fuse. The last seen of my aunt -she was whizzing and bobbing through the air, until she went out of -sight. As she never came down ag’in, Josh wasn’t bothered any more, and -he went on with his courtship and at last got married and lived happy, -as such a good boy deserved to be.” - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -ON THE BRINK. - - -The sentinels on duty at the grove detected more than once through the -night the Comanches prowling around the encampment; but they evidently -saw enough to convince them that it wouldn’t pay to disturb the -sleepers, and so they slept on, on, till the bright summer sun pierced -the camp, and all was active again. Then, as the preparations were made -for resuming the journey to Fort Adams, and a careful reconnaissance -of the surrounding prairie was made, not a shadow of a red-skin could -be seen. - -“I was in hopes that I could get a crack at Swico,” remarked Lightning -Jo, as he rode at the head of the company, with Egbert Rodman and -Lizzie Manning by his side, he insisting upon her keeping him company -when no danger was thereby incurred, as he declared there was no -telling when such an opportunity would be given him again, and, as a -matter of course, she was only too happy to comply with his wishes. - -“I was saying that I had hopes of getting even with Swico, and he and -me have an account that must be squared one of these days, but I wasn’t -given the chance to draw a bead on his shadow. Howsumever, we’ll get -square one of these days, as my uncle used to remark when he cheated me -out of my last cent, and then kicked me out doors when I asked him for -a trifle. They’ve got some purty big devils among the Comanches, but I -think Swico goes ahead of ’em all. Do you know what sort of ornament -he has made for himself, and which he thinks more of than any thing he -ever had?” - -The two replied that they had never heard mention of it. - -“He wears a shirt of buck-skin, made without the usual ornaments of -beads and porcupine-quills, but hung with a full, long fringe _formed -from the hair of white women and children_! You needn’t look so -horrified,” the scout hastened to add, as he noted the expression upon -the faces of his friends. “I’ve sent word to Swico that him and me -could never square accounts till I got hold of that same thing, and I -never can get hold of it till I wipe the owner out, so you can see how -_that_ thing has got to be settled atween us.” - -“And if you hadn’t come to Dead Man’s Gulch as you did, that fringe -would have been ornamented with _my_ tresses,” said Lizzie, looking -with an awed, grateful look at her preserver. - -“I s’pose,” was the matter-of-fact reply; “the old scamp was expecting -me, and I wonder that he waited. But he sloped when some of his scouts -sent him word that we was coming. Howsumever, what’s the use of -talking? I don’t see as you’ve got any reason to think any thing about -him.” - -“Where do you suppose this Comanche chief and his band are now?” -inquired Egbert. - -“Off over the prairie somewhere, looking for more women and children. -That’s his _forte_, as they say down in Santa Fe, and I rather reckon -that there are plenty more in the same boat with him.” - -The subject, at the present time, seemed distasteful to Lightning -Jo. The fight was over, and he considered all danger at an end, and -despite the bier, with its awful load, that followed in the rear of the -cavalcade, he seemed to feel a certain buoyancy of spirits that was -constantly struggling for expression in his words and manner. - -The morning was clear and bracing, and but for the lumbering wagons the -whole party would have been bounding forward at a rate that would have -carried them to Fort Adams within the next few hours. - -No interruption occurred until noon, when a halt was made for dinner, -the cavalry being provided with sufficient rations to make it -unnecessary to use the rifle in quest of game. - -By the middle of the afternoon, they were within a dozen miles of the -fort; and, as there had been no signs of Indians visible since starting -in the morning, it was concluded to be no violation of prudence for -the main body to gallop on to their destination, leaving the wagons to -follow at their leisure, it being confidently expected that they would -come into the stockade shortly after nightfall. - -Lightning Jo and a dozen of the best men, including Gibbons, Captain -Shields and Rodman, remained with the smaller party. All were mounted, -fully armed and provided with an abundance of ammunition, so that no -one felt any misgiving as to the result of this proceeding, which at -first sight might seem imprudent in the highest degree. In case any -formidable body of Indians should put in an appearance, and it was -deemed best to avoid a fight, the wagons could be abandoned, and the -women and children taken upon the horses with the men, and the flight -would be as rapid and sure as could be desired. - -Nothing but the sternest necessity could induce Lightning Jo and his -party to abandon their dead friends to mutilation and outrage at the -hands of the Comanches; but they deemed that necessity so remote as -scarcely to require a thought, and so they separated, and the main body -rapidly vanished from view. - -A few miles further on, the prairie was broken up in ridges and hills -of such size as to merit the name of mountains, and Jo declared that -several miles could be saved by passing through these. He had done so -several times, and knew of a pass through which the wagons could be -drawn with as much ease as upon the open plain. - -Before entering this, however, he displayed his usual caution by -galloping ahead and making a reconnaissance, from which he returned -with the announcement that nothing in the shape of Indians was to be -feared. - -“There seems to be a heavy storm coming,” he added, as he glanced up at -the darkening sky, “but we can stand that in the mountains as well as -upon the prairies; so let’s go ahead.” - -As the little company rode into the ravine, and marked the ominous -gathering of the elements, more than one was sensible of a singular -depression of spirits--a strange, chilling foreboding such as sometimes -comes over us when standing beneath some impending calamity. - -And indeed, had Lightning Jo suspected the appalling danger which was -already gathering over his brave band, he would have gone a thousand -miles before venturing a rod into that ravine! - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -SHUT IN. - - -The little party of horsemen had scarcely begun their passage through -the hills, when it became evident that they were to encounter the -storm of which Lightning Jo had spoken. The warm air became of chilly -coldness, and blew in fitful gusts against their faces, the sky was -rapidly overcast by dark, sweeping clouds, and the rumbling thunder -approached nigher and nigher, rolling up from the horizon like the -“chariot-wheels over the court of heaven,” while the forked lightning -darted in and out from the inky masses, like streams of blood. A few -screeching birds went skurrying away in a cloud of dust, and the -appearance of every thing left no doubt of the elemental tumult that -was on the eve of breaking forth. - -“We’re going to catch it, you bet,” remarked Jo, as he looked up at the -marshaling of Nature’s forces, clapping his hands to the top of his -head, as if fearful that his cap would be whirled out of sight by the -tornado-like gust of wind, “but it would be worse out on the perarie -than down here.” - -He had to shout to make himself heard, although the lovers, Egbert and -Lizzie, were riding close to him. - -The former shouted back the return in the question: - -“Can we not find shelter before the storm comes? We shall all be -drenched to the skin, if we are exposed to the deluge for the space of -five minutes.” - -“Certainly, we can find shelter, and that’s just what I’m going for -this minute. We’ll make it afore the deluge comes. If we’d been on the -perarie we’d had to hold our hair on, and we’d have got such a basting -that it would have taken a lifetime to git over it.” - -“Couldn’t we have found shelter in the wagons?” yelled Egbert. - -Jo’s face could be seen to expand in a grin, as he made answer in the -same vociferous tone: - -“Shelter in the wagons? I’ve seen that tried afore--when the covering -was slathered to ribbons in the wink of an eye and the wagons went -rolling over and over like a log, going down the side of a mountain -till they went out of sight, and when we rid our hosses ’long over that -same route, we made our camp-fires with bits of wagon for the next -fifty miles. I reckon you haven’t had a storm sin’ you left St. Louey?” - -“Certainly nothing like _that_,” was the answer of Rodman, who thought -the scout was drawing things with rather a “long bow.” “We had several -storms, such as struck us all as being very severe.” - -“S’pose you thought so; but they were the gentlest of zephyrs alongside -of some that I’ve butted ag’in’. I came over the plains with a party -in ’48, when I was purty young, and took my first degree in perarie -storms then. We were ’bout a hundred miles out of St. Louey, when we -butted ag’in’ a dead head-wind, that got so strong that we see’d purty -soon we shouldn’t be able to stand. When I see’d how things was going, -and that my hoss was a-slipping backward, I jumped off my hoss, and -laid down flat on my face and held onto the ground; but it wa’n’t no -use. I see’d my animal going end over end over the plain, looking like -a dough-nut turning summersets, and, finding I was blowing loose, I -crawled into the wagon in the tallest kind of a hurry.” - -“And there you were safe,” remarked Egbert, knowing that something -stunning was at hand. - -“Yes, I rather think we was,” he answered, ironically. “When I crawled -into the ox-wagon, I found all the rest war there, and the old -shebang was already going backward, and gaining every second like a -steam-engine. You see the wind was dead ahead, and the cover of the -wagon acted like a sail, and it warn’t long afore we was a going over -the perarie at a rate that you never dreamed of. You can just bet -things hummed. I looked out of the side of the coach, and see’d the -wagon-wheels going round so fast that you couldn’t see any thing but -the hubs, and they had a misty sort of look, from buzzing round in such -style. Some of the women got a little nervous, and said they preferred -to ride at a little slower gait, and axed me, if it was all the same to -me, if I wouldn’t shut off a little steam. All I could do was to put on -the brakes, and the minute I done that, I see’d a flash and they was -gone!--jist like a pinch of powder--burned up by the friction. - -“So I told the folks to compose themselves, as I reckoned we war in for -it, and we’d all go to pieces together. Well, now, that shebang kept -going faster and faster. I jist tell you things buzzed for awhile. I -looked out the tail of the wagon (we war going tail foremost) and see’d -ourselves going right straight for Devil’s Humps--which you know is -two mountain peaks, something like a quarter of a mile apart. Thinking -every thing was up, I jist scrooched down in the wagon and watched to -see ourselves go. I s’pose you will think I’m exaggerating, when I tell -you we went right up the first mountain-peak, which was half a mile -high, as quick as a wink, but there the wagon struck a rock, turned -summersets; but it was going so fast that it shot right across from one -peak to another, and happening to light right side up, we kept straight -on for St. Louey. That ’ere jump from one mount to another rather mixed -us up, and some of the women complained of being jarred a little. - -“Howsumever, we got straightened up after a bit, and then begun to -watch things. I knowed there was fun ahead, when I see’d a thundering -big drove of cattle right in our path. They tried to get out of -our way, but they couldn’t, and we went right through them like a -cannon-shot, and when I looked back I see’d a regular tunnel through -the drove of bufflers knocked to flinders. You see there was several -purty good-sized streams in our way, and when we buzzed through them, -some of us got our clothes a little moist, but we had to let things go, -and, to make a long story short, we never held in until we reached St. -Louey, where we shot straight through the biggest hotel, and into an -old lady’s cellar afore we stopped. - -“Of course we was a little shook up, but that was nothing to what we -met next day--” - -Lightning Jo suddenly paused, in the very middle of the sentence, and -his companions saw his face blanch, and his eyes flash, as though he -had caught sight of some new and appalling danger. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -THE TERROR OF THE PRAIRIE. - - -There was no need of Lightning Jo telling what it was that so startled -him, for following the direction of his own gaze, every eye saw it on -the instant. - -On the upper margin of the precipitous chasm or canon, through which -they were making their way, at a point about a hundred feet above -and directly over them, was the apparition which had so startled -Captain Shields when in Dead Man’s Gulch. The mustang was standing as -motionless as then, and the same quadrupedal nondescript was perched -upon his back, its black head turned a little to one side, while it was -evidently gazing down upon them with a fixed, intense stare. - -“The devil will be to pay now,” growled Jo, just loud enough to be -heard in the roaring wind; “but it’s too late to put back, and we’ll -press ahead.” - -And resolutely compressing his lips, he drove his mustang to the head -of the cavalcade and forced him into a gallop along the canon, the -others, of course, following his example. - -Neither Egbert nor Lizzie had made the least reference to this -apparition, while in converse with the scout, for the reason that -each knew he bore the reputation of being a practical man, and would -only laugh and tell them that it was a “spook,” that their fright and -sufferings caused to appear to their own minds--an explanation which -both were inclined to accept up to this point. - -But Jo had scarcely started ahead, when several large drops of rain -pattering here and there in the gorge, warned them that the threatened -deluge was at hand. The winding of the canon, at the point over which -they were now hurrying, was such that there was comparatively little -about them, although it moaned and sobbed over their heads like the -desolate wailing of lost spirits. - -“Hurry up, Jo!” yelled Gibbons, from directly in the rear of the -lovers, “or we shall be drenched!” - -No need of shouting to the scout, who at that moment made a dash a -little to one side, and then wheeling his steed squarely about, halted -and motioned to the others to join him on the instant. - -The shelter was reached. - -The horse of the scout stood on the same level with the bottom of -the canon; but, the rocky side of the latter, instead of sloping -perpendicularly upward, inclined far out over their heads, so that -the upper margin projected fully twenty feet further over than did -the base, thus giving them the very protection for which they were so -hastily seeking. - -The party lost no time in arranging themselves beneath this roof, and -in a few minutes the two wagons came lumbering up, the horses forced -to a much more rapid gait then they had yet attempted. - -They had barely time to reach the spot, when the bullet-like drops -that had been pattering faster and faster, suddenly and prodigiously -increased, and the storm broke forth. - -The scene was fearfully sublime--and such as our pen scarcely dare -attempt to depict. The rain came down in such blinding torrents that -the top of the gorge was shut out from the view of the whites, and -a dim, watery twilight gloom enveloped them all. The thunder, that -had been somewhat diminishing for the last few minutes, now burst -forth in rattling, tremendous discharges, as if heaven and earth were -coming together--while the vivid, intense lightning seemed to be -everywhere--rending rocks and trees, and playing along the canon in its -arrowy flight, setting the whole air aflame. - -All stood awed and hushed--no one daring to break the stillness, and -scarcely moving during this war of the elements. It seemed as if it -were blasphemy for man to seek to speak or interpose during the moments -when nature herself was speaking in such trumpet-like tones. - -But the storm was as short as it was violent; and, as the booming -thunder retreated and gradually died away, in sullen reverberations, -the fall of rain slackened, and just as the afternoon was drawing to a -close, the last drop fell. - -The appearance of the mustang and its strange rider seemed to have -produced a remarkable effect upon Lightning Jo, who had lost all his -vivacity and humor, and was thoughtful and silent. - -“Are we to remain here all night or go forward?” asked Egbert, walking -to where Jo stood, leaning against the rocks, with arms folded and -moody brow. - -“Go forward,” he replied, almost savagely, as he raised himself. “What -do we want to stay here for?” - -“I see it is nearly dark, and Fort Adams is still a number of miles -away. We shall not be able to reach there until far into the night. -Why not encamp where we are and finish the journey leisurely in the -morning? There seems to be no particular danger.” - -“I tell you there _is_ danger,” was the fierce reply of the scout; “did -you see that _Thing_ on the mustang?” - -“Yes; and I have seen it before.” - -“And so have I, and I can tell yer it means something. When that comes -’round, there’s the worst kind of deviltry close on to its heels; you -can bet on _that_.” - -“Then we are not yet through with the Indians, after believing we were -perfectly clear of them.” - -“I didn’t say _that_--but what I mean is that some deviltry is brewing; -we’re right in the middle of these hills, and the best thing we can do -is to get ahead while we can.” - -“Hush!” exclaimed Lizzie Manning, in an awed voice; “what is the -meaning of _that_?” - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -A FEARFUL RIDE. - - -A dull, increasing roar, like the moaning of the Indian Sea, when the -cyclone is being born, struck the ears of the whites, all of whom -paused in their conversation and listened, wondering what it meant. - -The horses showed signs of restlessness and fear, but they were held -sternly in check, while the riders bent all their faculties into that -of hearing; and by a common instinct, every eye was turned toward -Lightning Jo, as if inquiring of him an explanation of the strange -sound. - -What the scout thought can only be conjectured; but there was a scared -look upon his face that gave all the most gloomy forebodings, and they -awaited his words and actions with an intensity of anxiety that can -scarcely be described. - -The roar, which now drowned every other sound, was like that made by -the approaching train, and it had that awful element of terror which -comes over one when he feels that a peril is bearing swiftly down upon -him from which there is no escape. - -“Onto your hosses, every one of you! Cut ’em loose from the wagons, and -don’t wait a minute!” - -The voice of Lightning Jo rung out like a trumpet and was obeyed on -the instant, while by another imperious command of his, the women and -children were taken upon the backs of the animals in front of the -hunters. - -Quickly as all this was done, it was not a moment too soon. In reply to -the questioning looks of his friends, the scout pointed up the ravine -in the direction whence they had come. - -At first sight, there seemed to be a mass of discolored snow spinning -down the canon; but the next moment all knew that it was the foam -and spray of water, rushing down upon them with the impetuosity of a -Niagara. - -“Hold fast!” called out Jo; “but there’s no use trying to fight it!” - -Even while the words were in his mouth, the appalling torrent came upon -them! - -There was a blinding dash of spray and mist, and then every horse, with -its rider, was carried as quick as a flash off his feet, and shot down -the canon like a meteor. - -Egbert Rodman, the moment he realized the nature of the danger, reached -forward and caught the hand of Lizzie Manning, intending to place her -upon the horse, in front of him, as many of the other scouts had done; -but ere he could accomplish the transfer, the shock was upon them, -and in the stunning, bewildering crash, he was only sensible of going -forward with tremendous velocity, down the canon, among his friends, -who were all impelled onward by the same resistless force, that made -them, for the time, like bits of driftwood heaped in the vortex of the -great maelstrom. - -“Lizzie! where are you?” he called out, in his agony, groping blindly -about him in the tornado of mist, and driftwood, and water; “reach out -your hand that I may save you!” - -He heard something like an answering cry; but in the rush and whirl, he -could not tell the direction nor the point whence it came; and had he -known that only a half-dozen feet separated them, it was no more in his -power to pass the chasm than it was for him to turn and make headway -against the _chute_ that was carrying every thing before it with an -inconceivable velocity. - -It would be impossible to describe the appalling scene in the canon. -Those who lived to tell of it, in after years, shuddered at its -recollection and declared that its terror was greater than any through -which they had ever passed. The little group who sat waiting and -conversing upon their horses had scarcely been caught up and shot -forward, when the gloom of the approaching night deepened to that of -the most intense, inky blackness, so that no man, speaking literally, -could have seen his hand before his face. - -It would have made no difference had it been high noon, so far as the -question of helping themselves was concerned, although it might have -lessened in some degree that shuddering, shivering dread that possessed -all, under the expectation every moment of being dashed to fragments -against the projecting rocks, or crushed by the _debris_ that was -carried tumultuously forward in the rush and whirl of the waters. - -“_Stick to your hosses, and take things easy!_” - -The voice of Lightning Jo seemed to come from a point a thousand -yards away--whether above or below could not be told by the sound; -but all knew that he was somewhere in the torrent, and there was -something reassuring in the sound of his ringing voice in this general -pandemonium of disaster and death. It encouraged more than one -despairing and helpless, and they clung the more tightly and took some -courage and hope. - -“Jo, can you hear my voice?” called out Egbert Rodman, with the whole -strength of his lungs. - -“I reckon so,” came back the instant answer. - -“Tell me, then, whether you have Lizzie with you, or whether you know -where she is.” - -“No; can’t tell; thought you and her were together. We’ll fetch up -somewhere purty soon--daylight will come in the course of a week--and -then we’ll hunt for each other. No use till then--so you keep your -mouth shet, and look out that you don’t get your head cracked.” - -These seemed heartless words to Egbert; but they were really dictated -by prudence and common sense, and he acted upon the advice, so far as -it concerned the questioning of the scout. - -The mustang of our young friend was swimming as well as he could down -the _chute_, striving only to keep himself afloat. His body was beneath -the water, his nose and head only appearing above. Up to this time -Egbert had maintained his place upon his back, himself sinking of -course to the armpits; but when he heard the warning words of Lightning -Jo, he understood how the projecting point of some jagged rock might -pass over his animal’s head, and crush his own. - -Accordingly he quietly slipped back over the animal’s haunches, and -submerging himself to his ears, held on to the tail of the animal, in a -position of greater safety--if such a thing as safety can be named in -reference to the party caught by the torrent in the canon. - -Egbert had scarcely adopted this precautionary measure, when he had -reason to thank Lightning Jo for the timely warning. - -Something grazed the top of his head, like the whiz of a cannon-ball, -proving with what amazing velocity he was shooting down the canon. - -“How can any one get out of this horrible place alive?” was the -question he asked, as he realized the narrowness of his escape. “We -must all be shattered to pieces before going much further. Ah!--” - -Just then a wild cry rung out above the din and roar of the waters--the -cry of a strong man in his last agony. Driven as if by a columbiad -against some flinty projection, he had only time to make the shriek as -the breath was driven from his body. - -As this spinning downward through the chasm continued for several -moments, Egbert endeavored to collect his senses and to think more -clearly upon his terrible position. - -He was morally certain that a number of the party had already lost -their lives, and a twinge of anguish shot through his heart as he -reflected upon the females and the tender children exposed to this -perilous war of elements. And then, too, the wagon containing the -remains of those who had fought so gallantly in Dead Man’s Gulch--what -a ghastly fate had overtaken them! It seemed, indeed, as if nature -had joined with man in heaping unimagined horrors upon the heads of -the weak and defenseless, and that nothing remained but to await -shudderingly the fate that could not be postponed much longer. - -But amid the rack and turmoil and swirl of the canon, the thought of -his beloved Lizzie Manning would present itself, and he could not help -wondering, doubting, fearing and hoping all in the same breath. - -Was she living and had she survived the ordeal uninjured up to this -time? Or had her gentle nature succumbed at the first shock? She had -proven herself a heroine in Dead Man’s Gulch, and was she equal to -this? If still living, how much longer could she bear the strain upon -her system? - -But ere Egbert Rodman could conjecture any replies to these questions, -he was called upon to make a still more desperate fight for his own -life. - -His mustang, encountering some obstruction, made such a sudden, furious -plunge, that his tail was drawn from the loose grasp of Egbert, who, -aiming to renew it, clutched vaguely in the darkness and was unable to -reach his faithful animal. He could hear him floundering and neighing -close at hand, but there was no use of attempting to reach him, and he -called to the horse, in the hope that he would succeed in making his -way to him; but he was disappointed in this also, for the noise of the -struggles speedily ceased, and he concluded that the faithful animal -was dead. - -Rather curiously the young man had clung to his rifle ever since he -was caught by the water tornado, and now that he was somewhat cooler -and more collected, he resolved that nothing but “death should them -part.” It was troublesome to swim with it grasped in one hand, but he -was quite able to do it, where the current possessed such extraordinary -velocity, and he moved forward with little effort on his part. - -All this passed in a tenth part of the time taken by us in writing it, -and Egbert Rodman had scarcely gained a connected idea of what was -going on, when he made the discovery that the channel through which he -had been dashed was widening and considerably decreasing. The deafening -crash that had been in his ears from the moment he was carried off -his feet, now sunk to a dull noise, proving that he had emerged from -the canon, and was floating over what might be termed a lake--caused, -undoubtedly, by the widening of the pass through which Lightning Jo had -attempted to guide the little party, with its two wagons. - -With this discovery of the comparative calmness of the water, came, -for the first time, something like returning hope to Egbert Rodman, -who, feeling confident that there must be a tenable foothold at no -great distance, began swimming forward regularly, so as to avoid being -carried around in a circle. - -Of course such a basin as this must have an outlet as well as an inlet, -and it was his purpose to prevent himself being carried away into -another similar canon, from which it was hardly possible to make such -an escape over again. - -This required severe effort, but happily it was accomplished sooner -than was expected. While swimming vigorously forward, his feet touched -bottom, and although scarcely able to maintain his foothold, yet by -using arms and legs and grasping some branches that brushed his face, -he succeeded in drawing himself out upon land, and found himself free -from the flood. - -“Saved at last, and thank God for it!” was his fervent ejaculation. -“But what of the rest?--what of the women and children? and -Lizzie--where can she be?” - -All was of inky darkness about him, and he hardly dared to move for -fear of plunging himself into some inextricable pitfall. Only by -feeling every foot of the way as he advanced, did he manage to get away -from the immediate neighborhood of the din and rush of waters. - -Sinking down upon his knees, he crept along for some distance in this -manner, until, as near as he could judge, he was in a sort of valley or -ravine, much broader than the one in which he and his friends had been -overwhelmed by the flood, and which seemed to have escaped the rush of -water that had been driven through that. - -Finding that it remained comparatively level, he finally rose to his -feet again and advanced with more speed, but at the same time, with the -caution due such a critical situation. - -The wind was still blowing with a desolate, wailing sound, but the rain -had ceased entirely; and the night, pitchy dark and cold, could not -have been more desolate and cheerless. - -“Halloa!” suddenly exclaimed the astonished Egbert, “yonder is a light -as sure as the world! Who can be camping out to-night? Be he friend or -foe, I must find out.” - -With this resolution he started toward the star-like beacon. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - -THE LONELY CAMP-FIRE. - - -The twinkling light of a camp-fire at such a time as this, and in -such a place, was enough to make any one cautious, and Egbert Rodman -approached it as stealthily as a Comanche would have done himself. - -He was somewhat surprised when yet some distance away to observe that -there was a single person sitting near it, in the attitude either of -deep meditation or intense listening. - -“There must be others close at hand, or else he is not aware of the -danger he runs,” muttered the young man, as he continued his advance. -“Strange, but there is something about him that reminds me of Lightning -Jo; and,” he added, the next moment, “Lightning Jo it is; helloa! old -fellow, how came you here?” - -And forgetful of all else for the time, except his delight in seeing -the true and tried comrade, Egbert Rodman rushed forward to give him -appropriate greeting. - -He saw at once that something was the matter with the scout. He was -sitting upon a large stone, with his rifle between his knees, and -supporting his chin, was looking absently into the fire, like one whose -thoughts were entirely removed from his present surroundings. He merely -looked up at the spontaneous greeting of the young friend from whom he -had become separated some time before, and staring at him for a moment, -again lowered his gaze without saying a word or shifting his position. - -But, if he was in a sullen, thoughtful mood, Egbert was not, nor did he -intend to keep any prolonged silence in deference to such a whim. He -believed he understood the scout well enough to know how to approach -him, and in a cheery manner, free from any rude familiarity, he placed -himself beside him, and touching his shoulder, said: - -“Come, Jo, don’t sit idle here. You seem to be depressed; but rally, -and tell me what the matter is.” - -The scout seemed to appreciate the consideration shown him, and -straightening up, he heaved a great sigh, looked fixedly at his young -friend again, but still refused to speak. Egbert was determined to -press the matter. - -“What is it that troubles you, Jo? Come, out with it; what are you -thinking about?” - -“_Little Lizzie Manning!_” was the reply of the scout, in a voice that -was sepulchral in its solemnity. - -The shaft of a Comanche’s poisoned arrow, driven to the heart of Egbert -Rodman, could not have startled him more than did this reply. He gave -a gasp as if of pain, and almost fell to the earth, before he could -compose himself sufficiently to sit down and collect his thoughts. When -he did so, he looked across from the opposite side of the camp-fire, -and asked, pleadingly: - -“What about her, Jo? Is she living or dead? Can you tell me what has -become of her? Don’t keep me in suspense!” - -“You didn’t seem in quite so much suspense a little while ago,” he -remarked, somewhat resentfully; and then, as if regretting the words, -he hastened to add, in a more considerate voice: - -“That’s just the trouble, Roddy; you know when the fresh came, we -hadn’t any time to look after each other, but we went spinning down the -kenyon as if Old Nick was arter us. I heerd you yell, and of course you -heerd my answer, but there wasn’t much to be seen then, and so we each -kept on sailing on our own hook.” - -“But Lizzie! Did you hear nothing of her?” inquired the breathless -lover. - -“Yes; I did hear her,” replied Jo, with another sigh; “some time arter -that I heerd her call out somebody’s name.” - -“Whose was it?” asked Egbert, with a painful throb of his heart, and a -staring, eager look that brought a wan smile to the face of Jo for the -instant, but passing instantly as he made answer: - -“As near as I could make out, it was your’n. In course you didn’t -hear it, but as I did, I called back to her, and she know’d me on the -instant. I axed her how she was fixed, and she said she was on the -back of her horse, but had no idea where she was going, or how it was -possible for her to get out of this scrape. You can understand that it -wasn’t very easy to gabble at such a time, with the roar of the kenyon -in your ears. I told her to hang on to her hoss, no matter where he -went, and there was a chance of her getting through somewhere. At the -same time I didn’t think there was much chance of any one ever coming -out of that place alive. I could tell by the sound of the gal’s voice -that she wasn’t very far away, and I worked as never a poor wretch -worked before to get to her. I tired my hoss out, and when we got down -to that ’ere lake, or whatever you’re a mind to call it, I struck out -fer myself. The minute I left the mustang, I sung out to her, but I -didn’t hear any answer. I yelled ag’in and ag’in, but it warn’t no use, -and I swum ashore and made up my mind--well, no--confound it,” added -the scout, fretfully, “I haven’t made up my mind, either, that the -little gal has been drowned, and we ain’t never more to hear her sweet -voice. That’s what I’ve been feeling, and what I was thinking about -when you come sneaking up so sly that you thought nobody could hear -you.” - -“You think, then, that there is a possibility that she may have -escaped, after all?” - -“Well, there’s the trouble,” returned Lightning Jo, with something of -his old familiar look. “When I set to thinking about it, I can’t see -any way under heaven by which she could have come out alive, and I -s’pose I couldn’t have seen any way how you folks were ever to get out -of Dead Man’s Gulch, if I could have knowed how things were there. It -is mighty hard, and you feel it, too, if you thought half as much of -that little gal as I do.” - -Poor Egbert was inexpressibly shocked at this remark, and looked -reprovingly at the scout. He made no reply and assumed a thoughtful -attitude upon the other side of the small camp-fire; but just then the -scout roused up. - -“Confound it! what’s the use! I ain’t going to make a fool of myself! -This will never do!” - -And stretching and yawning, he suddenly raised his voice, and emitted -his peculiar yell, that rung among and through the rocks, gorges and -ravines with a power that must have carried it a long distance over the -prairie. - -“What in the name of heaven do you mean by that?” asked the astonished -Rodman, suspecting that he was out of his head. - -“Some of the poor dogs may have managed to crawl out as did you, and -that’ll tell them where to look for me. What do you s’pose I kindled -this fire for?” - -“To dry your clothes and keep the chill off.” - -“Not a bit of it; the night ain’t cold, and there’s nothing in damp -clothes that you or I need mind. If it hadn’t been fur these sticks -burning, you’d never have found your way here, and it may do the same -for others. No, Roddy,” said Jo, in a more natural voice, “we’ve got -nothin’ to do but to wait where we are till morning. Then we’ll take -our reckoning, and make a search for the gal.” - -“And never give up till we find her, dead or alive,” added Egbert, in a -low, earnest voice. - -“That’s the style. I’m with you there. I s’pose you feel a little -hungry and tired?” - -“I have hardly had time to think of such a thing as hunger, while -I have become sensible of the weariness only after seating myself -here--wondering all the time how it was you managed to have such a fire -in so short a time.” - -“No trouble ’bout that; you see I come down ahead of all the rest, and -I wa’n’t in the basin two seconds afore I paddled out. I’ve been in -these hills so often before that I know ’em purty well, but there was a -little too much darkness for me to make out where I was. I pitched over -a half-dozen precipices something less than a mile high, and finally -lit here. It wa’n’t any trouble to start a fire, as this rain was a -quick and not a soaking one. Falling right on the top of things, it -floated off, and I found all the dried leaves I wanted; and after they -was started the rest was easy enough.” - -It came out further, that overwhelmingly sudden as was the flood that -overtook them in the canon, it had not found Lightning Jo unprepared. -His rifle was securely “corked” at the muzzle, so as to keep out the -water, and his ammunition and a quantity of matches were all preserved -in waterproof casings, so that, barring the saturation of his garments, -he came out of the terrible bath as well as he went in. - -True he had parted from his horse, but that cost him scarcely a -thought. The mustang was so well trained that if he succeeded in -escaping with his own life, he would manage to find his master with -little difficulty; and, in case he had perished, there was no dearth -of animals in the West, and there was little fear of Lightning Jo -suffering long for such a part of his outfit as a horse. - -As Egbert saw his companion heap more fuel on the fire, he could not -avoid the thought that he was incurring great risk thereby, as both of -them were rendered the best of targets for any skulking foe. - -There were trees growing around, most of them of a stunted nature--but -the light of the fire could be seen for quite a distance through the -hills. The night-wind soughed with a dull, desolate wailing, through -the branches, and the roar of the canon sounded distant and faint, -growing less every hour, and proving that it was being emptied as -rapidly as it was filled. - -Finally Egbert Rodman could not forbear asking the question: - -“Is there nothing to be feared in the shape of Indians, Jo?” - -“No; there’s none here, except--except that _Thing_ that you saw on -his hoss. Didn’t I tell you that his coming was to give us notice that -something else was coming, and it was on us afore we knowed it. It’s -always so.” - -“Then you have seen it before?” asked Egbert, who was rather curious to -hear what the scout had to say about the creature, which certainly had -caused him no little wonderment since he had first set eyes upon it. - -“I should think I had,” was the reply, in a hurried voice. “It’s -five years since I first heard of it, though Kit Carson did tell me -something about some such thing as that being seen in the Apache -country more than ten years ago. But the chap that told me was the only -one that was left out of an emigrant party of over twenty. He said it -come up to their camp one night just as the sun was setting, and arter -looking at them for a few minutes rode away at a gallop, and it wa’n’t -two hours afore the red-skins was down upon ’em.” - -“Is its appearance always the same?” - -“I b’l’eve it is, but I ain’t sart’in. Leastways, I could never see any -thing different. It always had the blanket thrown over it, and its head -was as black as a stack of black cats. The first time I run ag’in’ it -was down in the Staked Plain, where a party of us were arter a lot of -Comanches that had made a raid on one of the settlements near the Texan -frontier. I remember there was a kind of a drizzling rain falling and -we was smoking our pipes, with our blankets drawn up round our chins, -when the critter rode down on us, and stopped jist as he did with you. -There was four of us that blazed away at him, each one aiming at the -spot where his heart would have been had he been like other animals; -and, when his horse turned about and galloped away with him, without -his showing the least oneasiness, you can make up your mind that we was -slightly surprised. There was several of us that heard of the Terror -of the Prairie, as he is called by some, and we concluded that this -was the gentleman, and that a row was sure to take place; so we made -ready for ’em, and we had one of the tallest scrimmages that night that -any of us ever got mixed up in; but you see we was used to that sort -of business, and it wasn’t good policy for the Terror to come down on -us and tell us to make ready. We was a little too much ready, and the -red-skins got a little more than they counted on. We riddled a dozen -of ’em, and got away without losing a man or a hoss, though most of us -have got scars that were made in that muss.” - -“Wal,” added Jo, “I won’t take time to tell all I know ’bout that -critter, which ain’t much, ’cept in the way he has played the mischief -round the country. I s’pose when he took a look at you down in the -gulch, it meant that he and his folks was coming to visit you, and we -got there just ahead of ’em.” - -“Captain Shields seemed to know nothing about him, at least he told -nothing of what you have just described.” - -“Shields was in that party down on the Staked Plain, and got two -bullets in him, that he carries to this day: so I reckon he does know -something, arter all.” - -“And he is somewhere in our neighborhood, unless he has taken a sudden -departure.” - -“Yes,” added Lightning Jo, in a husky whisper, and with a wild, scared -look; “and he ain’t fifty feet from where you’re setting this minute.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - -THOSE WHO ESCAPED. - - -At this startling announcement Egbert Rodman sprung to his feet, with -a bound that carried him entirely over the fire, striking Lightning Jo -with such sudden violence as to throw him backward almost flat upon the -ground. - -“What in thunder is the matter?” exclaimed the scout, laughing outright -as he regained his seat; “did he prick you?” - -The young man was not looking at Jo, but backward in the gloom, -in which he discerned the unmistakable outlines of the terrible -nondescript, known as the Terror of the Prairie. It was but a glance -that he gained; for, while he looked, it began silently retreating -into the gloom, like a phantom born and sent forth by the night, and -returning again to its natural element. - -Like a flash, Egbert raised his gun, pointed toward the point where -it had vanished, and pulled the trigger; but the percussion exploded -without firing the charge that had been wetted, during its rush through -the swollen canon. - -“Never mind,” remarked Jo, with a laugh, “it done jist as much good as -if you had fired it; so rest easy on that score.” - -“You needn’t tell me that,” was the dogged return of Egbert, “every -living creature has some vulnerable point, and that is no exception.” - -“All right; if you want to make yourself famous jist find the spot, -and pop in a bullet there. Howsumever there always are some folks that -think they know more nor others, and p’r’aps they do, and then p’r’aps -ag’in they don’t.” - -Egbert felt a little irritated at the taunting words of the -scout--which irritation was doubtless increased by the keen sense he -had of the rather ridiculous figure he had just made; but there was -no use of showing any resentment toward Lightning Jo; and, resuming -his seat, he began withdrawing the damaged charge from his gun. When -sufficiently composed, he asked the rather singular question: - -“How many times do you suppose you have fired at this thing, Jo?” - -“I don’t know exactly; the first shot told me that it warn’t any use; -but I s’pose I’ve let fly at him a half-dozen times more nor less, and -I’ve seen five times as many balls sent after him by others. What do -you want to know that for?” - -“In all these cases did you aim at any particular portion of the -animal--his head or his body?” - -“We always p’inted our bull-dogs at the spot where his heart would be -reached--that is, providing he had any to reach.” - -“That proves beyond a doubt that the Terror can not be killed in that -manner. How is it that you never aimed at his head?” - -Lightning Jo seemed to be surprised at this question, and stared rather -wonderingly at Egbert, before he replied: - -“Hanged if I know what the reason is. You know it’s the custom among -us chaps to aim at the heart instead of the head, the same as we do in -a buffalo, ’cause you’re surer of wiping out the critter there than -anywhere else. There’s more than one critter that walks the airth -that wouldn’t mind a volley in the head, more than they would so many -raindrops.” - -“Very well then; the next time you or I shoot at him we’ll send the -bullet into his head, and then, if he don’t mind that, I’ll be inclined -to think there is something strange about it.” - -“You will, eh?” replied Jo, with a grunt; “that’s very kind in you, and -I hope you won’t forget it.” - -“As you say the appearance of the Prairie Terror is always a sure omen -of coming disaster, what, in your opinion, does its coming foretell in -the present instance? What additional calamity is about to overtake us?” - -“We’ll l’arn that afore long; there ain’t any use trying to find out. -All I care to find out is what has become of Lizzie, and as soon as -the first streak of daylight comes I’m going to find out whether she’s -in the land of the living or not.” - -The heart of Egbert said “_amen_” to this, and his prayer was that the -long, desolate night might hurry by, and the opportunity come for them -to do something together for unraveling the fate of the maiden, for -whom both entertained the strongest affection. - -Egbert, at the advice of the scout, attempted to sleep--but he had too -much on his mind to succeed in doing so. His draggling garments did not -give him special discomfort, as the night was only moderately cool and -Jo kept the fire burning quite vigorously. - -But between his sad forebodings of the fate of Lizzie, whom he seemed -to love with a devotion such as had never permeated his being before, -and the haunting fear of another visit from the Terror of the Prairie, -there was little likelihood of his falling asleep. - -The strange tales that the scout had told him of this remarkable -creature, and of his extraordinary meetings with him, produced their -effect upon Egbert, who, although of a practical nature, with an -intelligent mind, was not without a certain imagination, peculiar to -those of his age, which made him susceptible to the influences of the -time and the place and his surroundings. - -The roar of the rushing canon had died out entirely, and probably -that very part over which the whites, men, women and animals, had -been carried with such tremendous velocity, was now almost entirely -dry again. Through the matted, overhanging branches Egbert caught the -glimmer of several stars, showing that the storm had cleared away -entirely. There was no moon, however, and, in the valley in which -they had encamped, the darkness was so profound as to be absolutely -impenetrable beyond the circle illuminated by the camp-fire. - -Young Rodman found the suspense so intolerable, that he proposed that -they should leave this spot and wander among the hills until daylight. -He believed that they would encounter some of the survivors, and -possibly might learn something regarding Lizzie, who might be in need -of the very assistance that would thus be afforded her. - -But Lightning Jo had made up his mind to remain where he was, and no -persuasion could induce him to change his location. He declared that he -could accomplish nothing by stumbling around in the dark, while Egbert -would be pretty certain to break his neck in some of the pitfalls that -were to be encountered at every step. - -And without attempting to depict the dismal expedients which the -wretched lover resorted to, to while away the unspeakably dreary hours, -we now hasten forward to the moment when the unmistakable light of -morning stole through the hills, and Lightning Jo, springing to his -feet, declared that the moment had come when the terrible suspense was -to end, and they were soon to learn the worst that had happened to the -party and to the one dear one--Lizzie Manning. - -The first point toward which the two directed their steps was the -canon, through which they had had their memorable passage. This was -but a short distance away, and, upon being reached, it was found as -they had anticipated, entirely clear of running water. Here and there -were muddy, stagnant pools collected in the hollows and cavities, but -nothing of any living person, or animal, or _debris_ of wagons, was -discerned. - -“Had we not better descend and follow the canon to the outlet?” asked -Egbert. “We shall not miss any thing then on the way.” - -Lightning Jo acted upon the suggestion, and after a little searching -for a safe means of descent, the bottom was reached, and they pursued -their way in silence, agitated by strange emotions, as they recalled -the memorable experience of a few nights before. - -They walked side by side, neither breaking the impressive stillness by -a word, but carefully scanning every foot of ground passed in quest of -some remnant of those who had been their companions in the terrible -descent. - -Suddenly the scout pointed to a wagon-wheel that was driven in between -two jutting points of rocks, where it had been immovably fixed by the -tremendous momentum. - -Both scanned it a few minutes, and, seeing nothing more, passed on for -fully a quarter of a mile, when the basin to which reference has been -made was reached, and here a great surprise awaited them. - -It being quite shallow, the water had been carried away by several -outlets, and not a man had been borne beyond. Fragments of the wagons -were scattered in every direction, and at one side of the dry lake were -to be seen Captain Shields, Gibbons and a number of the men covering -up a large grave, while seated around were several women with their -children, as miserable and desolate-looking objects as could possibly -be imagined. - -Not having dared to hope that so many could have escaped, the two -paused in mute silence and stared at them, their looks after the first -startling shock being directed in anxious quest of _the one_--Lizzie -Manning--a look that was unrewarded by a sight of the beautiful maiden, -for whom both were ready to do and dare any thing. - -Still hoping that she might be somewhere in the vicinity, they hurried -forward and put the all-important question. - -Sad to say, no living person had seen her or knew aught regarding her. - -And then their own sad story was told. All, of course, had been hurried -irresistibly into this basin--some bruised, and almost senseless. Three -of the men were killed, and also a mother and her two children. The -ghastly cargo of the wagon, containing the remains of those who had -fallen in the fight in Dead Man’s Gulch, was also there. The soldiers, -who had charge of the women and children, clung bravely to them, and -the shallowness of the water enabling the horses to touch bottom almost -immediately, they were not long in floundering out upon dry land, where -the miserable group huddled together until the coming of day should -enable them to see where they were, and to do what was possible for -themselves. - -When the dawn of light showed them the dreadful number of inanimate -bodies, their first proceeding was to give them a decent burial, as it -was out of the question to think of taking them to Fort Adams after the -destruction of the wagons. And so, from the contents of the wagons, -lying everywhere, they gathered up a half-dozen shovels, and as many -men went to work with such a vigor and skill that in a few minutes a -large, shallow grave was dug, and into this all were tenderly placed -and covered up from mortal sight, all shedding tears of the deepest -sorrow over the terrible death that had been decreed by inexorable fate. - -While they were thus employed, others were absent among the hills in -quest of the mustangs, and Jo and Egbert had exchanged but a few words -with their friends, when they began coming in with the animals, that -were all browsing at no great distance. - -Their purpose was to mount the horses as speedily as possible, and -to make all haste to Fort Adams. The women and children were in a -deplorable condition and needed care and a rest of several days before -continuing their journey to Santa Fe. - -When this proposal was mentioned to Lightning Jo, he indorsed it at -once, telling them to lose not a moment. They had not a particle of -eatable food in their possession, and it was extremely difficult to -procure any in these hills, which, rather singularly, were known to -have been for years almost entirely devoid of game of any description. -Consequently, as nothing at all was to be gained by remaining here, the -dictate of prudence was that they should depart at the very moment they -could make ready. - -As a matter of course, Lizzie Manning was among the first that was -missed by the group that huddled on the banks of the basin, and so -great was the concern regarding her that during the darkness Captain -Shields and two of the men groped around the neighborhood in quest of -her, calling her name and searching along the shore of the basin for -hours. The search was made more extended and thorough, when they had -the daylight at their command, but it resulted in an entire failure. -Not the least trace was gained, either of her or of the horse which she -was known to be riding. - -One of the men who had helped to bring in the mustangs took occasion to -tell Lightning Jo, in a confidential way, that he had detected signs of -Indians, and he believed there was quite a number among the hills, and -that it was impossible that they should know nothing of the presence of -the whites so near them. - -This information surprised the scout and caused him no little -uneasiness. He questioned the soldier closely, and became convinced -that he was right, and that the whole company were in great danger of -attack. Under these circumstances, he took it in hand himself, and told -them all of the urgency of haste in reaching their destination. - -Scarcely fifteen minutes had passed when every man was upon his -mustang, and the females, with their offspring, were distributed among -them. Lightning Jo and Egbert Rodman placed themselves at their head, -and the scout cautiously led the way through another narrow pass for -something like a quarter of a mile, when they reached the open prairie -once more. - -“And now go,” he added, “and never pause or look back until you ride -into the stockade of Fort Adams.” - -And his advice was taken and followed almost to the letter; but, even -then it is impossible to imagine whether they would have succeeded in -reaching the shelter after all without being harassed by the Comanches, -but for the fact that ere they had gone three miles they met a party -of rescue sent out by Colonel Cleaves, who had become alarmed at their -failure to come in during the night. Under the escort of this powerful -company of cavalry, the journey was completed in safety, and we now bid -them good-by at the friendly fort and turn our attention to those in -whom we have a more immediate interest. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - -COMANCHE HONOR. - - -With the departure of Captain Shields and his party, Lightning Jo and -Egbert Rodman set about the task of trailing the missing maiden, if -such a proceeding lay within the range of human possibility. - -There was something strange and mysterious in this failure upon the -part of all to discover any traces of her or her horse. Had both or -either of them been dead, this scarcely could have been the case. Every -member of the party, excepting herself, had been accounted for, and -was either buried in the quiet grave among the hills or else was within -the stockade of Fort Adams, beyond the reach of the Comanches in the -South-west. - -“Where can she be?” - -This was the question that the two men put to each other and to -themselves a score of times in as many minutes, and to which no -satisfactory answer could be given. All was conjecture, and even that -was of the most vague nature. - -Lightning Jo had very little to say, but he was in deep thought as he -moved morbidly about, with his eyes upon the ground, seeking out some -clue by which he might take up the hunt for Lizzie, with some slight -probability at least of success. - -There were two facts which were constantly recurring to Egbert Rodman, -and which caused him an apprehension positively tormenting. The Terror -of the Prairie had been seen by himself and Lightning Jo but a few -hours before, at no great distance from where they were standing -at that moment, and he could not avoid connecting this with the -disappearance of the maiden. Precisely in what way, it was hard for him -to define, but he was convinced beyond a doubt that the two bore some -relation to each other. - -Furthermore, the declaration of Lightning Jo that the appearance of -this nondescript boded coming calamity might be said to have been -verified in the present instance; for quickly on the heels of its -vanishment came the knowledge of the disappearance of Lizzie and the -presence of Comanches in these hills, proving the closeness of the -connection between the two. The loss of the maiden to whom his heart -clung with such yearning devotion was certainly the greatest calamity -that had as yet befallen young Rodman, and he involuntarily shuddered -as he recalled that awful ride down the canon, followed as it had been -in the case of Lizzie by some after experience, that was all the more -appalling to her friends, inasmuch as they knew nothing positive of its -nature and could only indulge in the wildest conjecture. - -The only thing that afforded any thing like relief or consolation to -the lover was the fact that he had the companionship and assistance of -Lightning Jo in this search. Whatever was possible to be done for her -rescue and safety by mortal man would be done by this wonderful scout, -who was already busy making ready, and fully satisfying himself before -he fairly started to work in the matter. - -Every thing indicated that the two men could not remain long in these -hills--for, aside from the fact that the demands of hunger could not be -postponed for a much longer period, the probability began to present -itself, that the girl was also gone from the vicinity. - -“Do you not think it likely,” inquired Egbert, when his comrade paused -for a moment, “that when she emerged from the basin, as she did do, -that she has managed to reach some hiding-place among the rocks, where -she still remains--perhaps asleep?” - -This possibility seemed to have been entertained already by the scout, -who instantly shook his head in the negative. - -“If she’d have done that, some of the boys would have come across her -hoss, for he would have managed to get himself into the company of the -other mustangs, and would have been seen by them, in looking for the -others.” - -“But there are our own animals yet; we have seen nothing of them.” - -“But the boys did; they told me they see’d ’em both, and I’ll have my -critter in sight in less’n two minutes; see if I don’t.” - -As he spoke, he uttered a low, quavering whistle, not very loud, but -sufficiently so to be heard a distance of several hundred yards. Then -pausing a moment he repeated the signal in precisely the same manner, -and added, in his way: - -“That animal will be here, if he’s got forty Comanches trying to hold -him.” - -“I only wish I could recover mine so easily,” laughed Egbert, as the -scout composedly sat down upon a large stone to await the coming of his -faithful mustang, “but I am afraid Mahomet must go to the mountain in -my case.” - -“When I parted company with mine last night, the understanding was that -he was to go off and hunt a little something to eat on his own hook, -and he expected to be told when I wanted him.” - -“And knowing that he will obey like an obedient child.” - -“Exactly--there he comes this minute,” replied Jo, as the tread of some -animal was heard but a short distance away. - -“Look out, Jo, that it is nothing else,” warned Egbert, stepping back, -so as to give the scout free room for whatever might come. - -“I know his footstep,” was the response to this, accompanied at the -same time by a precautionary movement, consisting in the guide raising -the hammer of his rifle and bringing it to the front, where he could -discharge it, if necessary, with the quickness of lightning, posing -himself at the same time upon one foot, so as to be prepared to leap -forward or backward as the case might be. - -This precaution had scarcely been taken, when the mustang of Lightning -Jo put in an appearance, accompanied by a Comanche Indian, who, sitting -astride of the sagacious beast, was in blissful ignorance of whither he -was being carried. - -His position was the quiet one of ease and self-possession, showing -that he had no thought of any impending danger. From this fancied -security he was awakened by the sight of Lightning Jo, standing -scarcely a dozen feet away, with his rifle pointed full at his breast. - -The mustang at a word from his master stopped short, and thus the -red-skin was brought face to face with the man, whom he recognized on -the instant as the most deadly foe of the Comanche race. - -“Get off that hoss, you old galoot! he belongs to me. Slide mighty -quick or I’ll slide you!” - -The substance of this was uttered in the Comanche tongue, so as to -make sure of its being understood, and the action of the red-skin -demonstrated that he had no difficulty in comprehending it on the -instant; for he slid off the back of the mustang as suddenly and nimbly -as if it had all at once become red-hot beneath him. - -The savage held a long, beautiful rifle in his hand, and he was -evidently on the alert, either for a chance to use it or to dodge away -from his captor. - -Had the circumstances been any different, the marvelous quickness of -the copper-skin doubtless would have enabled him to accomplish his -treacherous wish; but neither he nor any living Indian could play it -on Lightning Jo. If he thought he could, let him try it--that was all. - -The scout wasn’t particular whether he made the attempt or not, as -there could be but one result; but the moment the Comanche’s feet -touched ground, he ordered him to approach within a half-dozen feet, -and then drop his rifle to the earth. The red-skin showed some -reluctance in obeying this; but when he caught the glitter of the dark -eye fixed upon him, he changed his mind and carried out the command -with an amusing alacrity. - -“Where are the rest of you devils?” was the first rather pointed -inquiry, uttered also in the Comanche tongue, and with the muzzle -of the rifle pointed threateningly at the breast of the savage, who -replied, with a gesture peculiarly his own: - -“There are but a few among the hills--no more than so many (holding up -the fingers of one hand); they are hunting for food; they will soon -take their departure to join their brother-hunters far to the south.” - -“It would be a thundering sight better if they’d all join each -other down below,” was the conclusion of Jo, who continued his -cross-examination: - -“Have any gone away in the night? Did any of the Comanches depart -before daybreak?” - -“No; there were none here.” - -The slight hesitancy, a certain peculiarity that accompanied this -reply, convinced Jo, on the instant, that the Indian was telling a -downright falsehood, and that, after all, he was gaining a slight clue -to the trail of the missing maiden. - -His conclusion was that there were a few Indians among the hills, but -that the greater majority had left before daybreak. Precisely why they -had done so was more than he could understand; but their departure -unquestionably had something to do with the disappearance of Lizzie -Manning. - -Jo was rather abrupt in his questioning, for the next was the pointed -demand: - -“Tell me where the great chief, Swico-Cheque, is; I want to raise his -hair.” - -The look that crossed the coppery face of the savage said as plainly as -words could have done, that he would have been extremely delighted to -see the scout attempt such a thing. - -“I don’t know where he is,” he replied, without any embarrassment in -his manner; “he went away before the light came.” - -There it was! the incautious Indian had let it out after all. -Swico-Cheque had taken his departure with the band that went off in the -stillness of the night. - -The red-skin seemed entirely unaware of the slip he had made, and -awaited the further questioning of his captor as the heroic martyr -awaits the creeping up of the consuming blaze. - -“I don’t know as I want any thing more of you,” remarked the scout, “so -I guess you can travel. It would be hardly the thing to scalp you after -I look you prisoner, though I’m sure you deserve it.” - -This order was unexpected and surprising to the Indian, who stared a -moment, as if uncertain that he had heard aright. - -“Come, ’light out of this, old greaser!” added Jo, the next instant. - -This was all-sufficient. The Comanche stooped down, and picking up -his rifle, turned about with a certain dignity and walked slowly -away, disdaining to run, although no doubt anxious to get out of that -immediate neighborhood with as little delay as possible. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - -A DESPERATE HOPE. - - -It was not the nature of Lightning Jo to remain idle when he had -any work like the present on hand, and leaping upon the back of his -mustang, he told Egbert to follow. - -“I’m not going to ride and make you walk,” he laughed; “we haven’t -started yet, but are only making ready. Come along.” - -He rode scarcely a hundred yards through the roughest part of the -hills, when he dismounted in a dense mass of undergrowth, and, without -fastening his mustang, said a few words to him, which would insure his -remaining where he was until his return, by which time Jo was quite -confident that he could secure an animal also for Egbert, as it was -indispensable that he should have one at once. - -When it was certain that there were Indians in the immediate vicinity, -the greatest caution was necessary upon the part of our two friends, -and Lightning Jo made his way through the ravines, gorges and hills, -with as much circumspection as if he were reconnoitering a Comanche -camp. When he halted, they were on the very summit of one of the -highest peaks of this spur of mountains, which afforded them a most -extensive view of the surrounding prairie. - -Glancing at Jo, Egbert saw that he was looking off to the westward, -with an attentive, searching look that indicated something; and, as he -did not remove his gaze from that point, he imitated him, straining his -vision to the utmost. - -The young man had looked but a moment, when he detected a party of -horsemen moving in a southwesterly direction. They were so far away -that it was impossible to identify them; but there was scarcely a -doubt of their being Indians, and most probably the very ones for whom -Lightning Jo was searching. - -“Well, you see them, do you?” was the question of Jo, as he looked -around and started to move away. “I s’pose you know ’em, too?” - -“I suspect that they are Indians; but I conclude that not from any -certain knowledge of my own, but simply infer it.” - -“Yes; they’re the Comanches that left the hills before daylight. -Swico-Cheque, the biggest red devil that walks the earth, is at -their head. He’s got enough of butting his head ag’in’ United States -soldiers, and he’s off to recruit his health.” - -“But what of her--of Lizzie?” asked Egbert, in a trembling voice, -dreading to hear the answer that he was almost sure would come. - -“Why, she’s with him, of course. He’ll keep her till he gets tired of -her, and then he’ll have some more fringe for his hunting-shirt.” - -These words were uttered in the very desperation of vengefulness, and -the scout wheeled about with a spiteful air, and exclaimed: - -“Stay here till I come back! If you see any of the infarnal -copper-skins, bore a hole through ’em. If you see anybody, break his -head! Look out for yourself! keep cautious, and rest easy till I come -back. I won’t be gone long.” - -And with this rather contradictory advice, Lightning Jo wheeled about, -plunged down the hill, and was gone almost on the instant. - -He had been gone but a short time, when the near crack of a rifle broke -the stillness, and Egbert started and looked around, thinking that, -perhaps, some treacherous Comanche had stolen up and sent a bullet -after him; but he could see nothing, and he concluded that Lightning -Jo had something to do with the discharge of the gun, as, indeed, it -seemed to have a certain familiar sound. - -But little time was given him for speculation when the scout himself -put in an appearance. - -“Come, Roddy,” said he. “I’ve found your hoss; we’re ready now; and -there’s no use in waiting longer.” - -“Where did you find him?” asked Egbert, not a little surprised and -delighted at the unexpected news. - -“There was a red-skin on him; he ain’t there now, and I guess won’t -bother us more.” - -Sure enough, a few rods away, the identical steed which Egbert had -ridden from Dead Man’s Gulch was found secured to a bush, and, leaping -upon his back, it required but a few minutes for the two comrades to -reach the spot where the faithful mustang of Lightning Jo was awaiting -the return of his master. - -“Now, let us get out of this infernal place,” added the scout, as the -two reined up their animals, side by side. - -“Whither do we direct our course?” asked Egbert. - -“Straight after them devils, and we’re never to stop till we cotch up -with Swico, and him and me square up our accounts.” - -A little care and patience, and in a few minutes the two horsemen found -themselves upon the edge of the prairie, and they headed due west, -straight in the path taken by Swico-Cheque and his band, and the -mustangs were instantly put to a full run. - -About the middle of the forenoon, when the heroic Egbert felt that he -was taxing himself beyond his strength, they struck a deserted camp, -where a party of United States cavalry, ranging through the country -upon a scout, had spent the previous night. Here were found the remains -and fragments of their meal scattered all about, and it gave to both, -what they so much needed--a nourishing, substantial meal. - -“Now,” said he, straightening up like a giant refreshed with new wine, -“I am ready for any thing, I don’t care what it is.” - -“I think you’ll get enough of it afore long,” was the significant reply -of Lightning Jo, adding, “we’re close onto the copper-skins, and if I -ain’t mistook more than I ever was in my life, we’ll strike their camp -inside of an hour.” - -This was startling news, but was singularly verified; for scarcely a -half-hour had passed when the scout, who was riding a short distance in -advance, ascended a small swell of the prairie and almost the instant -he reached the top, wheeled his mustang about and galloped back again, -motioning to Egbert to do the same. - -“We’ve reached their camp,” he said, in explanation, and cautioning -the bewildered man to resist every temptation to stir a foot from the -spot until his return, the scout moved up the prairie-swell again. -Egbert saw him crouch down like a panther about to leap upon its prey, -and then he vanished from view as noiselessly as a shadow, leaving -the lover to the trying task of waiting, fearing, hoping, watching, -listening, and to despair. Lightning Jo passed down the opposite side -of the swell, and, as was his custom in reconnoitering the camp of a -foe, he made a circuitous route by a small cluster of stunted trees, -which struck him as offering the very shelter he so much needed. - -He had no thought of any of his foes being here, but he had scarcely -approached the margin when he became certain that he was close upon one -or more of them. - -In his stealthy manner he insinuated himself among the trees, and -the next instant was greeted with the sight of the great Comanche -chieftain, Swico-Cheque, reclining upon the ground in a sound slumber! - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - -AT LAST. - - -Yes; there lay the great Comanche chieftain, Swico-Cheque, sunk into a -heavy slumber--deep and profound--and yet of that character which would -have required but the slightest noise to awake. - -Lightning Jo paused in his creeping, stealthy movement, and stared -at the savage, his own eyes gleaming with an exultation as ferocious -as would have been that of the red-skin himself, had their relative -positions been changed. The murderous and outrageous crimes of which -this fiend had been guilty, his relentless war upon unoffending whites, -his scores of murders of weak, defenseless women, and even the nursing -babe, had placed him outside the pale of human mercy, and there was -not a settler or soldier in the South-west who knew of his revolting -character that did not feel that he deserved to be strangled to death, -or put out of the way by any means that happened to present itself. - -He had on, this moment, the very hunting-shirt to which reference has -been made, fringed around with a broad band of human hair, from the -long, dark, flowing tresses of the innocent virgin, to the light, -silvery locks of prattling childhood. And his seamed face, daubed and -smirched with paint, had the horrid look of that of some sleeping -gorilla that had been feasting upon its human meal. - -And yet in this moment of triumph, when Jo felt that he had him -at last, there came a strange feeling to the scout, which can be -understood, perhaps, by his whispered exclamations to himself. - -“Confound it! it will look as if I was afeard of him, when I shouldn’t -like any thing better than to have a fair stand-up fight. He might keep -all the knives he wanted, and I would use nothing but my fists. How I -should like to play some trick upon the infernal skunk!” - -Ay! at this very time, when he had every thing to make him serious and -thoughtful, there came a strange reaction over Jo, and an irresistible -desire to play one of his practical jokes upon the Comanche. He -concluded to wake him up to witness his own demise--but to arouse him -in an original fashion. - -It was a delicate task; but with that skill for which the scout was -noted, he drew out his flask and poured out a stream of powder, -moving the flask along from a point on the ground directly beside the -Comanche’s ear, for several feet away--the particles all being united, -so that the connection was perfect. Then, when every thing was safe, Jo -drew a lucifer from the little safe he always carried about him, and -struck it upon the bottom of his foot. As it ignited he held the blaze -close to the black grains, and then spoke: - -“Swico, my own loved cherub--” - -This was enough; these words were barely uttered, when his snaky eyes -opened, just in time to see a serpentine line of fire rushing toward -him, and going off in a big puff directly under his ear, in a way that -scorched his face and caused him to leap to his feet, with a howl, -followed by an instant rush out from among the trees. He had caught a -glimpse of his old enemy through the whizzing, and he was gone like a -shot. - -This was unexpected by Jo, who had hoped that he would maintain his -ground, and the two would have fought out their fight on the spot. He -did not anticipate any such flight as this, which was made so suddenly -that he had no time to interfere ere he was gone. - -The scout had the intense chagrin, also, of feeling that his propensity -for waggery had led into a piece of foolishness that most likely -would militate against the captive Lizzie. Knowing that she had one -friend, at least, so near at hand, they would be sure to adopt greater -precautions, and instead of waiting to be attacked by Lightning Jo, -would, most probably, attack him. - -And acting upon this supposition, he backed out as speedily as -possible, and resumed his circuitous approach to the camp-fire of the -Comanches--the locality of which up to this time, he had been able to -determine only by the smoke that rose from the opposite side of a small -ridge several rods away. - -But the chief, Swico-Cheque, suspecting that a large party of United -States cavalry were upon his heels, concluded that the safest plan for -him was to get away with as little delay as possible, to accomplish -which he sent back several of his warriors to dispose of Lightning Jo, -and to keep the rest in check until he could secure his retreat with -his prize. - -Consequently the scout had stolen along over the broken ground but -a rod or two when he found himself face to face with a couple of -herculean warriors, who, approaching the cluster of trees in the same -cautious manner, encountered the great Indian-fighter sooner than was -anticipated by either party. - -“That’s good!” exclaimed Jo, “for now I will get warmed up to business. -I’ll try a left-hander straight from the shoulder upon this chap, and a -right upon t’other.” - -The terrific blows were simultaneous with the conclusion, the startled -red-skins turning back summersets upon the ground, where, with an -incredible celerity, the frightful bowie-knife, which Jo whipped out -from behind his neck, completed the ghastly work. - -“Ain’t there any more?” he growled, glaring like a wild beast thirsting -for prey. “By heavens, if they don’t come to me, I’ll go to them!” - -And he was striding directly toward the camp of the Comanches, but, ere -he could advance half-way, who should leap into view but young Egbert -Rodman, his face white and scared, and panting from excitement and the -great exertions he had made to find his companion. - -“Oh, Jo! there’s something wrong!” he gasped; “the Comanches are -fooling us both, and we shall not get Lizzie after all.” - -“What’s up? What’s the matter?” demanded the scout, his muscles all -aquiver. - -“They are retreating; I heard the tramp of their horses’ feet on the -other side the ridge, and, oh, heavens! Jo, I heard the moans of a -woman--it must have been Lizzie--and that set my brain on fire, and -scarcely knowing what I did I left both the horses and rushed to the -ridge--but they were gone; I could see nothing of them, and then I -turned to hunt for you. In God’s name, can we do nothing?” - -Scarcely giving his companion time to finish his words, and vouchsafing -no reply, Lightning Jo shot over the hill like an arrow, straight in -the path of the fleeing Comanches. He did not pause to leap upon the -back of his own mustang; he had no time for that. - -Down the hollow, between the ridges, he shot like a thunderbolt. His -practiced eye saw on the ground around him the prints of the horses’ -flying feet, and he knew that he was on the right track. Still he saw -nothing of them--but look! Six horsemen on a full gallop were seen -thundering over the ridge in a direction at right-angles to the one he -was pursuing--fleeing as they supposed from three times their number, -but in reality from a single man. - -The excited scout could not avoid giving out his wild, peculiar yell, -as he recognized among the half-dozen the chieftain Swico, and saw that -he held in his black arms the beautiful Lizzie Manning. - -The Comanches heard that strange yell, and identified it. Only one -living man could give utterance to that frightful cry, and once heard -it could never be forgotten. They glanced over their shoulders and -saw the single man bearing down upon them; but they continued their -headlong flight, and the next moment were shut out, for the time, from -view by the interposing ridge over which they had just passed. - -No doubt they believed that the single scout, rushing down upon them at -such terrific speed, had a whole company upon his heels, and they could -not pause, just then, for the delightful privilege of killing such a -noted enemy as he. - -Lightning Jo kept on down the hollow, following a course at -right-angles to the one taken by the Comanches, until he reached the -point where they had gone over, when he bounded up the declivity, -expecting to come up with them the next minute. - -As he did so he was met by the discharge of two rifles--one of the -bullets striking him in the fleshy part of the thigh; but although the -sting instantly warned him of what had taken place, he did not pause or -even look down to see how serious was the wound, but he made straight -for the Indians, who were now in full view again. - -But hold! what meant that which he now saw? Instead of six, there were -but five Comanches, and a glance sufficed to show that the missing one -was Swico-Cheque, with the maid. - -By what means had he disappeared in such a sudden and mysterious manner? - -The moment Lightning Jo became aware of the state of things he paused. -His experienced eye told him that the Comanche must have made another -turn, the instant he passed over the ridge, leaving his comrades and -taking a course precisely opposite to that of the scout, so that indeed -the two actually met, with the back of the ridge shutting out each from -the view of the other. - -One sweep of his eagle eye was sufficient to tell Jo this, and he made -straight for the stunted trees, somewhat similar to those in which he -had first met him, certain that Swico was either among them, or fleeing -beyond. - -The correctness of this conclusion was verified the next moment, by -a glimpse of the red devil, with his horse still under full speed, -fleeing up the hollow beyond the clump of trees, apparently with every -prospect of making good his escape. - -Jo was through the clump of trees in an instant, and then, as he -found himself gaining rapidly, he gave out his panther-like yell. The -Comanche, who was no more than a hundred yards distant, managed to turn -in his saddle, and pointed his rifle at the scout, who did the same. - -But the treacherous red-skin, with a cowardice peculiarly his own, -forced the form of Lizzie Manning directly in front of him, like a -shield, and succeeded in screening himself in such a way that Jo found -he was as likely to strike the one as the other. - -In this strait it only remained for the scout to attempt to escape the -bullet, and he made a lightning-like leap to one side; marvelous as -was his quickness, it could not equal that of a rifle-ball, and he was -struck. - -“You shan’t escape me yet,” hissed Jo, as he dashed in with the purpose -of drawing the Comanche from his horse, and finishing him with his -knife. - -With superhuman energy he passed fully one-half the intervening -distance, ere the startled Swico could urge his steed forward again, -and then he dropped like a shot to the earth. - -Even then he would not yield--but with an amazing power of will, rolled -over on his face, and rose on his uninjured knee. In this position he -raised his rifle again; but the malignant Comanche had his eye upon -him, and the same instant the fainting form of the girl was whirled -around in his front, and the infuriated scout, who, for an instant, -had meditated shooting both, finding himself baffled at every point, -dropped back again in despair. - -“No use; I may as well go under,” he muttered, giving up entirely. - -The exulting Comanche, still fearful of the wounded man’s rifle, rode -on, intending to return at his leisure and scalp the man who had been -so long such an effective foe. - -But his career was at an end. He was still looking at the prostrate -form of the scout, when the near crack of a rifle broke the stillness, -and the great Comanche chieftain, Swico-Cheque, rolled from his -mustang, shot through the heart! - -In his fall he dragged Lizzie Manning with him, and he would have slain -her in his dying moments, had he not been killed as instantly as if -stricken by a bolt from heaven. - -The maiden, rallying to a sense of her terrible position, tore herself -loose, and the next moment was caught in the arms of Egbert Rodman. - -“Thank God! thank God!” he exclaimed, as he pressed her to his heart; -“saved at last!” - -She joined her murmurs of thanksgiving with his, and then with a noble -sympathy characteristic of her, she raised her head, and said: - -“Poor Jo is hurt; and I’m afraid he is killed! Let us go to him.” - -The two hurried down the hollow where the scout lay as motionless as if -dead; but he roused up when he saw them. - -“I’m pretty badly hurt,” said he, “but if I can call my hoss here, I -think I can ride him to the fort. You’d better get that one yonder for -the gal. Bless your heart! I’m glad to see you alive,” he added, with a -kindly light beaming in his dark eyes. “I say, Roddy, help me down to -where that red-skin lays. I want to take a look at him.” - -Lightning Jo made the signal to his mustang, and then, almost -carried by his friend, he was helped to where the stiffening body of -Swico-Cheque lay stretched upon the earth. - -“I won’t scalp him,” muttered the scout, as he looked at him, “’cause -he can’t see it, but I’ll take charge of that fancy dress of his, and -send it to Washington for the Peace Commissioners to look at.” - -And this was done.[A] - -A few minutes later, the mustang of Lightning Jo came trotting over -the ridge, followed by the horse of Egbert. With considerable care the -wounded scout was placed upon it; Lizzie mounted the Indian horse, -and the three instantly started on their journey to Fort Adams, which -was reached without any incident worthy of mention. The other ladies -were found just preparing to start for Santa Fe under a strong escort. -Egbert and Lizzie joined them, after being assured by the surgeon of -the fort that the wounds of Lightning Jo were not of a serious nature, -and barring accidents, he was sure soon to recover his usual strength -and activity again. - -Tried in the fire, as were the two lovers, the bond of love was so -deepened and purified, that nothing could occur to weaken and mar it; -and when, some months later, the handsome couple were united in Santa -Fe--the jolliest guest of all, and the one in most general favor, was -Lightning Jo, who had a story to tell the young husband and wife when -he gained the first opportunity to see them alone. This story was -nothing more nor less than the clearing up of the mystery of the Terror -of the Prairie, as he had learned it from a Comanche prisoner brought -into the fort. This noted creature and Swico-Cheque, the Comanche -chief, were the same. It was a ruse of the sagacious red-skin by which -he obtained any desired knowledge of a party he intended to attack. -Well aware of the superstitious nature of the bordermen, he blackened -his face in a fantastic manner, wrapped several thick blankets about -his body. These were bullet-proof, and although he incurred great risk -of being killed, and was wounded more than once, yet it was left for -Egbert Rodman to fire the bullet, that killed Swico-Cheque, the Terror -of the Prairie, and at the same time gained him his lovely wife. - - -THE END. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[A] A short time ago, while on a visit to the Land Office, I was shown -by Mr. Wilson, the accomplished Commissioner, a singular relic of a -late fight on the Plains. It was a garment taken from an Indian chief, -after death. A shirt of buck-skin, made without the usual ornamentation -of beads and porcupine quills, yet graced with something quite novel in -the decorative way--a full, long fringe, _formed of the hair of white -women and children_. It was a ghastly adornment--indeed, the entire -garment was a very unpleasant thing to inspect. The only point in it -on which the eye could rest without horror or pity, was a small round -hole, beneath which the raging heart of a human wild beast came one day -to a full stop.--_Correspondence N. Y. Tribune._ - - - - -A MARVEL OF BEAUTY! - -_A New Series by the New Art!_ - -THE ILLUMINATED DIME - -POCKET NOVELS! - - -Comprising the best works only of the most popular living writers -in the field of American Romance. Each issue a complete novel, with -illuminated cover, rivaling in effect the popular chromo, - - -And yet Sold at the Standard Price--Ten Cents! - -Incomparably the most beautiful and attractive series of books, and the -most delightful reading, ever presented to the popular reading public. - -Distancing all rivalry, equally in the beauty of the books and their -intrinsic excellence as romances, this new series will quickly take the -lead in public favor, and be regarded as the Paragon Novels. - - -NOW READY, AND IN PRESS. - - - +No. 1+--+Hawkeye Harry, the Young Trapper Ranger.+ By Oll Coomes. - Ready. - - +No. 2+--+Dead Shot; or, The White Vulture.+ A Romance of the - Yellowstone. By Albert W. Aiken. Ready. - - +No. 3+--+The Boy Miners; or, The Enchanted Island.+ A Tale of the - Mohave Country. By Edward S. Ellis. Ready. - - +No. 4+--+Blue Dick; or, The Yellow Chief’s Vengeance.+ A Romance - of the Rocky Mountains. By Capt. Mayne Reid. Ready. - - +No. 5+--+Nat Wolfe; or, The Gold Hunters.+ A Romance of Pike’s - Peak and New York. By Mrs. M. V. Victor. Ready. - - +No. 6+--+The White Tracker; or, The Panther of the Plains.+ By - the author of “The Boy Miners.” Ready. - - +No. 7+--+The Outlaw’s Wife; or, The Valley Ranche.+ A Tale of - California Life. By Mrs. Ann S. Stephens. Ready. - - +No. 8+--+The Tall Trapper; or, The Flower of the Blackfeet.+ By - Albert W. Aiken. Ready. - - +No. 9+--+Lightning Jo, the Terror of the Santa Fe Trail.+ By - Capt. J. F. C. Adams. Ready. - - +No. 10+--+The Island Pirate.+ A Tale of the Mississippi. By Capt. - Mayne Reid. Ready Nov. 10th. - - +No. 11+--+The Boy Ranger; or, The Heiress of the Golden Horn.+ By - Oll Coomes. Ready Nov. 24th. - - +No. 12+--+Bess, the Trapper.+ A Tale of the Far South-west. By - the author of “Boy Miners,” “White Tracker,” etc. Ready Dec. 8th. - - -For sale by all newsdealers; or sent, -_post-paid_, to any address on receipt of price--_ten cents_ each. - - -BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, - -98 William Street, New York - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIGHTNING JO *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. 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