WHAT FATE HAS ORDAINED.
Adele had for ancestors, on her father's side of the house, valiant
Frenchmen, and she inherited some of their courage.
Red Goliath had paid no attention to her after Mason so suddenly
appeared upon the scene of action, and in this disregard he proved his
complete ignorance of the young girl's bravery.
When she saw the one she loved so well in the power of this rough
assassin, all fear fled for the time being from her heart, and she was
brave.
While she alone had been threatened Adele could not help being
terror-stricken, but now the case was quite altered.
The revolver that had been knocked from Mason's hand (General Custer's
revolver) lay near the young girl. Her eyes had followed its course
through the air mechanically, and as she realized what power lay in the
little weapon, her eyes flashed. She sprang forward and picked it up.
Just at this instant a man clad in a buckskin, and whose face bore the
impress of nature's nobleman, stepped into view. He held up a hand
toward Adele, as if telling her to remain a passive spectator, and she,
willing to trust her cause in such hands, suffered the revolver that
had been raised with so determined a purpose to fall to her side.
One bound, like that of a panther, served to bring Bolly Wherrit in a
position where he could enter into the game. As his iron hand came down
upon the brawny arm of the giant Hercules, the latter looked up with a
startled look. It was his last word upon earth, the curse he uttered;
for the ranger buried his knife in that broad chest, with the force of
an avenger, and threw the dying monster upon the rocky floor. Mason
sprang up and took Adele away to the other end of the cavern, in order
that she might not witness what a terrible thing death was.
I shall not dwell upon the convulsive movements of the stricken giant.
Twice he essayed to pull out a revolver, but each time Bolly kicked
his arm; and thus foiled of his devilish purpose, the savage man died,
foaming at the mouth.
Bolly stood contemplating the body with folded arms.
There was something fascinating, and at the same time repulsive, in the
bulky form lying so quiet in the arms of death, and the gray-haired
ranger shook his head as he turned away.
"It run agin the grain, that blow did, but 'twar either his life or
yers, and I took the choice. He was a fine man in shape, but a devil in
mind. Wal, it's the fate o' us all; and the only wonder air how ye've
'scaped so long. Young feller, I reckon az how yer name must be Mason
Pierrepont?" said the ranger.
"It is, sir, and to whom are we indebted for this great service," said
the boy, clasping an arm tighter around Adele than the circumstances
seemed to warrant, seeing that she was only an adopted daughter of his
mother.
His words contained a dignity that compelled Bolly to respect him.
"Bolly Wherrit air my name, tho' that ain't o' much consequence. Yer
mother engaged me to come arter the leetle gal yonder. Unfortunately I
war taken prisoner, but escaped during the fight yesterday. Kin ye tell
me anything about it?"
Mason graphically, but concisely, gave an account of Custer's
annihilation, at which the old ranger stood aghast, and it was several
moments before he recovered.
"Heavens! but thet war orful. Arter that I'm death on the reds. And ye
say my chum Pandy Ellis war in it? If they've rubbed out--but no; sech
a thing air impossible; Pandy couldn't die so easy. Custer kilt Black
Sculley wid his last shot, did he? Then thar's another boarder jest
gone. But poor Custer, an' Cooke, handsome Cooke, and Yates, wid whom
I've bunked many's the time. Poor boys, it's a bad piece o' bizness,
but ef they've kilt my Pandy Ellis, then the world won't be big enuff
ter hide ole Sitting Bull an' his chiefs from Bolly Wherrit's rifle;"
and the set teeth proclaimed every word meant as it was uttered.
By comparing notes, Mason and the ranger came to a good understanding,
and realized the situation of affairs across the river pretty
accurately.
It was while they were debating as to their future course, that an
alarm occurred in the shape of the sudden appearance of an Indian, who
had stumbled upon the cave by accident, as his surprise would seem to
indicate.
The prairie ranger proved too quick for the red American, however, and
hurling himself upon the Indian, he brought him to the ground.
Here he was speedily secured, with Mason's assistance, and rolled into
a corner for safe-keeping.
Fearing lest more of these unwelcome guests should make their
appearance, Bolly took his station in the passage leading to the
cavern, and there remained all night, while Mason and Adele slept
within, or at least made a pretense of sleeping.
But the darkness passed away without any alarm, and daylight found them
in the same order, only that all signs of the dead giant had strangely
vanished from the cavern, in which mystery Bolly was a participant.
Leaving the others, the ranger went out on a scout, and came back in
an hour or so with the news that the remainder of the cavalry were
intrenched among the hills on the other side of the river, and battling
with the Sioux.
Bolly also brought with him the choice portion of a deer he had shot.
It took but a short time to gather fuel, and soon the olfactories of
our friends were greeted by the delicious aroma of roasting venison.
Breakfast dispatched, the situation was discussed again, and at the end
of the council it was decided best to remain where they were, and await
the movement of the troops.
Mason being acquainted with Custer's intended plans of operation, knew
that Terry might be expected, and it might be safer for them to leave
in the care of the soldiers, for the vicinity seemed swarming with
Indians.
Thus the day passed.
In the evening Bolly took another scout, and witnessed the arrival of
General Terry's men.
He was soon with the heroes who had fought so long under Major Reno,
and almost the first person he ran across was his chum.
It would have done a philosopher good to have witnessed the meeting
between these great-hearted men, each of whom feared the other was dead.
A pressure of the hand that spoke volumes was followed by the
expressive glance.
Words fail on such an occasion to convey the idea that other things can
tell.
Bolly did not wait to see any of the officers, although many of them
were known to him, but rushed his chum to the other side of the river,
where he made him acquainted with Mason and Adele.
That night the quartette of friends spent in the cave, enjoying
themselves with yarns and good cheer.
In the morning, Bolly proposed a start, urged by the young girl's
desire to see home, and the agony of that lady mother in the Southern
city, whose tears had accomplished what money alone could never have
done.
After reaching Laramie, rapid transit was obtained, and, before many
days passed by, the city of New Orleans was reached.
Madame Pierrepont fulfilled all her promises to Bolly, and still thinks
that everything she owns would be inadequate to recompense him for
saving her dear son and adopted daughter.
I have grave suspicions (aroused by some of young Mason's warm
_brotherly_ actions) that the time is not far distant when his wealthy
mother will receive pretty Adele as her own daughter, but perhaps they
are too young as yet for more than surmises on my part.
Pandy Ellis and his partner started for the field of action again,
and by the time this reaches the reader's eye, they will doubtless be
at the side of impetuous Major Burt or some other of Cooke's gallant
officers.
On their way we lose sight of these princes of the prairies, but let us
hope it will not be forever.
Alas! poor Custer!
His memory will ever be green in the memory of his fellow-soldiers.
The whole country mourns his loss, and well they may, for a more
dashing, chivalrous, valiant cavalry chief never led his men to battle,
and though willful at times, his other qualities completely hid this
fault.
Who among us can stand forth, and pointing to himself, say, "Look at
me, and take a lesson. I am faultless?" Not one, I am sure.
And with Custer fell the flower of the army; noble men whose names
shall ever be cherished by all lovers of the good and brave.
That Pandy Ellis was their first real avenger the reader already knows.
Whether retribution shall overtake Sitting Bull and his warriors, or
not, time alone will tell.
As to the movements of the troops under Terry, also those under Cooke,
the reader can glean fresher news from the daily papers than I can give.
At present it seems that the Northwest will be the scene of a bloody
Indian war which can only terminate with the extermination of the
warriors engaged.
As to Pedro Sanchez, he has recovered from the wounds received at the
hands of his former companion, Red Goliath, but trembles whenever left
alone, for he has in some way heard of the terrible oath sworn by Pandy
Ellis to have his life; and if there is one man in the world whom the
French Spaniard fears it is the veteran trapper chief.
From the limited papers at my command I have drawn this tale out of the
terrible death-ride still so fresh in the public mind, and now that
Custer has gone to join his brave fellow-officers in the spirit world,
I hope all his faults, such as they were, may be overlooked, and due
reverence shown for the name of our missing hero.
[THE END.]
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474 THE JAMES BOYS AS TRAIN WRECKERS. By D. W. Stevens.
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Transcriber's Notes:
Added table of contents.
Italics are used to represent _italics_.
Retained inconsistent spellings in dialect (e.g. "yallar-haired" vs.
"yaller-haired").
Retained some inconsistent hyphenation (e.g. "red-skin" vs. "redskin").
Page 2, changed period to question mark after "fight fur her cubs?"
Page 3, added missing apostrophe to "thar's" in "thar's eggscitin'
times comin'." Corrected "Indion" to "Indian" in "through the Indian
camp." Changed "Scully" to "Sculley" for consistency with later
appearances.
Page 4, corrected "entertained suspicious" to "entertained suspicions;"
"on the drags" to "on the crags;" and "had accidentally became" to "had
accidentally become." Corrected "Bowle" to "Bowie."
Page 5, changed "cry of a participant" to "eye of a participant."
Changed "powder-begrimmed" to "powder-begrimed." Corrected "Wherritt"
to "Wherrit" ("Bolly Wherrit proved too willing").
Page 6, removed duplicate "a" from "battle and not a massacre." Changed
comma to period after "all sorts of plunder." Added missing "r" to "I
can and do affirm."
Page 7, added missing period after "sumpin important." Corrected
"detestion" to "detestation." Changed "world" to "word" in "that word
'gal.'"
Page 8, corrected "cautiousty" to "cautiously" ("slowly and
cautiously"). Corrected "firs" to "furs" ("pile of furs lay just
within").
Page 9, corrected "disiinguished" to "distinguished" ("slain his
distinguished foeman"). Added missing apostrophe to "Pedro's hands
failed to do their duty." Corrected "miscreat" to "miscreant"
("flattening the miscreant").
Page 10, corrected "puled" to "pulled" ("Bolly pulled it out again").
Page 11, changed "know" to "known" ("is already known"). Added missing
apostrophe to "think I can't tell." Corrected "semed" to "seemed"
("familiarity he seemed to resent"). Corrected "uuder" to "under"
("every man of 'em had gone under").
Page 12, changed "gripe" to "grip" in "grip like a vise." Corrected
period to question mark in "Kin ye tell me anything about it?"
Corrected "situaiion" to "situation" ("situation was discussed again").