SETTLING ACCOUNTS.
The savages gained rapidly upon our friends, and near the mouth of the
corridor they were brought to bay.
“I see we’ve got to fight the demons,” said Kit South, dropping the
traitor, whom he had carried from the scene of his final defeat. “I
hear my boys outside, and I will cry them to us.”
Then he sprung to the opening, just large enough to admit of the egress
of a single body, and a peculiar cry pealed from his throat.
The call was answered, and as he turned to battle with the Modocs, he
saw his companions pour a volley into their ranks.
The shots staggered the red-men, and they quickly sprung to shelter.
“Now,” said McKay, in a low tone, as he extinguished his torch, “now
for freedom. Quick!”
Evan Harris was the first to crawl into the bright starlight, and
’Reesa was pushed up to him, and Lava-Bed Kit brought up the rear,
dragging his old enemy after him.
“Leave the carcass in the hole,” said the half-breed. “What do you want
with a dead man?”
“D’ye s’pose I’d take a corpse about?” returned the scout, with an air
of injured innocence. “This fellow isn’t dead, and I’ve got several old
scores to settle with ’im. But--Jehu!”
The scout staggered back as a flame darted from the darkness of the
corridor, and a score of bullets cut the air about his face.
But fortunately no one was injured, and the next moment the fugitives
returned the fire, and started forward.
Cohoon cocked his carbine and flung it to his shoulder, but Kit covered
the lock with his brawny hand.
“Boy, don’t you know the red chaps?” he said, looking into the Indian’s
face with a curious smile, and Cohoon dropped the gun as he recognized
the leader of the party.
The new-comers comprised a detachment of McKay’s Warm Spring Indians,
and at last the hunted ones were safe.
The Modocs dared not follow above the lava caves, and it was with great
difficulty that the half-breed could prevent his scouts from rushing
into the corridor, and punishing Jack while he was so near.
“Now, ’Reesa, they’ll never get you into their clutches again,” said
Kit South, turning to his daughter, who walked beside her lover.
“You’ve lost one home, but you will gain another. I can soon hew a good
one from the trees; but I can’t--”
“No, father, you can’t replace mother.”
Kit was silent, and with gritted teeth he commanded the party to halt,
and confronted Rafe Todd.
The deserter was not even severely wounded. Cohoon’s bullet had failed
to penetrate a vital spot, and he was walking beside the Indian.
“We’re on safe ground now,” said the scout to McKay, “and there’s one
man in this party who is not going into camp.”
Then every eye fell upon the painted traitor.
“Rafe Todd, you know who that one man is,” he continued, looking the
doomed man steadily in the eye. “Here you pay the penalty attached to
crime. Were we to take you into camp, Davis would send you to Fort
Crook, and you would be hung in the presence of your old comrades.
Therefore, I s’pose you would rather meet the bullet here.”
“That I would, Kit South,” was the reply, in a tone fearfully calm. “I
would sooner burn over a slow fire, than hang before the boys.”
“You shall have fair play, Rafe. Cut him loose, Cohoon.”
The Indian obeyed, and once again Rafe Todd was free.
“It will never be said of Kit South that he shot a white man in cold
blood; therefore, we put ten paces between us, and fight a fair duel.
If you slay me, all well and good. I’ll molest you no more. But first
tell me how you came to play the New York Harry? ’Reesa says she saw
you thrown into the river for dead.”
The traitor smiled, and glanced at the scout’s daughter.
“The man shot by McKay while bending over you and Cohoon asleep in
Jack’s cave was Harry,” said Rafe, addressing Kit. “I was to spy in the
camp that night, so I exchanged garments with the chief, and hired him
to strike you while you slept. I scarred my face in exact imitation of
Harry’s, and the deception deceived you. Harry fell as you know; now he
sleeps in the river, and when I discovered that Jack believed me dead,
I assumed the entire _role_ of his chief.”
For a moment silence followed the unraveling of two mysteries, and Kit
looked at the traitor again.
“Are you ready now?” he asked, quietly.
“Quite ready.”
Then Cohoon, acting as the deserter’s second, led him from the group,
which dispersed, and left the lava-bed ranger standing alone.
The men being placed, a pistol was put into the hand of the deserter,
and the word was given. The reports of the two pistols blended
harmoniously together, and the traitor dropped on his knees then fell
forward on his face--_dead_!
“The old score is settled at last,” said Kit South, lifting the heavy
head and beholding the bullet hole in the brow. “Rafe Todd, you sent
the red devils to my home. I sent you to the lake of torture. Yes, the
score is settled, forever, now. I can tell Gillem, now, that my dream
has come true.”
When the twain rejoined the anxious party, the scalp of Rafe Todd the
deserter, which at Fort Crook was worth two hundred and fifty dollars,
hung at Cohoon’s belt!
Daylight was breaking when the party resumed their journey, and all at
once the sound of a heavy gun fell upon their ears. Several seconds
later a hissing noise told them that the mortars had opened on the
Modocs’ new stronghold, and then they quickened their steps.
The camp was reached in safety, and ’Reesa South felt that she was free
once more.
“I’d like to know,” said Kit South, addressing McKay who stood beside
the Generals, watching the effect of the shells, “yes, I’d like to know
what that young Indian was going to tell Jack that night when Cohoon
and I was lying to him about Arrow-Head. You know I jerked him up and
killed him.”
“He was the Indian who shot me with an arrow when I started after you
Klamaths,” answered McKay, with a smile. “No doubt he saw you and
Cohoon ‘fixing up’ by the river, and was following you when he ran
against me. I recognized him directly after you had killed him.”
“And so he war going to tell Jack that Cohoon and old Kit war jest
playing Klamath,” said the scout. “Well, that would have made a pretty
mess; but I reckon he’ll never get to open his news bag.”
“I should think not,” added McKay.
The last page of our Far West romance has been reached.
’Reesa South remained in the Union camp until the close of the Modoc
war, in which, to its finale, her father, lover, Cohoon and Artena,
continued to do valiant service. The scouting trio assisted in the
capture of Captain Jack, who was surprised to learn that Artena was
really Gillem’s spy, and he regretted that he had not taken her life
when opportunity offered it to the sacrifice of his knife.
Already Cohoon, openly calling Artena his wife, has left the army,
and intends passing the remainder of his life among the Lost River
settlements.
From the ruins of the Oregonian’s cabin, a new house, Phœnix like, has
arisen, and Evan Harris claims a share of its comforts, for ’Reesa is
his wife.
Certainly he has deserved the maiden, and Lava-Bed Kit is satisfied
with his daughter’s choice.
But the old man can not forget his failure to kidnap Captain Jack,
and to the day of his death he will curse Rafe Todd for baffling his
well-laid plans.
The Lava-bed Rangers, headed by our giant hero, Donald McKay, came out
of the Modoc war covered with glory, and remained with the army to
witness the punishment of Mouseh and his fellow-murderers.
THE END.
DIME POCKET NOVELS.
PUBLISHED SEMI-MONTHLY, AT TEN CENTS EACH.
=1--Hawkeye Harry.= By Oll Coomes.
=2--Dead Shot.= By Albert W. Aiken.
=3--The Boy Miners.= By Edward S. Ellis.
=4--Blue Dick.= By Capt. Mayne Reid.
=5--Nat Wolfe.= By Mrs. M. V. Victor.
=6--The White Tracker.= Edward S. Ellis.
=7--The Outlaw’s Wife.= Mrs. Ann S. Stephens.
=8--The Tall Trapper.= By Albert W. Aiken.
=9--Lightning Jo.= By Capt. Adams.
=10--The Island Pirate.= By Capt. Mayne Reid.
=11--The Boy Ranger.= By Oll Coomes.
=12--Bess, the Trapper.= By E. S. Ellis.
=13--The French Spy.= By W. J. Hamilton.
=14--Long Shot.= By Capt. Comstock.
=15--The Gunmaker.= By James L. Bowen.
=16--Red Hand.= By A. G. Piper.
=17--Ben, the Trapper.= By Lewis W. Carson.
=18--Wild Raven.= By Oll Coomes.
=19--The Specter Chief.= By Seelin Robins.
=20--The B’ar-Killer.= By Capt. Comstock.
=21--Wild Nat.= By Wm. R. Eyster.
=22--Indian Jo.= By Lewis W. Carson.
=23--Old Kent, the Ranger.= Edward S. Ellis.
=24--The One-Eyed Trapper.= Capt. Comstock.
=25--Godbold, the Spy.= By N. C. Iron.
=26--The Black Ship.= By John S. Warner.
=27--Single Eye.= By Warren St. John.
=28--Indian Jim.= By Edward S. Ellis.
=29--The Scout.= By Warren St. John.
=30--Eagle Eye.= By W. J. Hamilton.
=31--The Mystic Canoe.= By Edward S. Ellis.
=32--The Golden Harpoon.= By R. Starbuck.
=33--The Scalp King.= By Lieut. Ned Hunter.
=34--Old Lute.= By E. W. Archer.
=35--Rainbolt, Ranger.= By Oll Coomes.
=36--The Boy Pioneer.= By Edward S. Ellis.
=37--Carson, the Guide.= By J. H. Randolph.
=38--The Heart Eater.= By Harry Hazard.
=39--Wetzel, the Scout.= By Boynton Belknap.
=40--The Huge Hunter.= By Ed. S. Ellis.
=41--Wild Nat, the Trapper.= Paul Prescott.
=42--Lynx-cap.= By Paul Bibbs.
=43--The White Outlaw.= By Harry Hazard.
=44--The Dog Trailer.= By Frederick Dewey.
=45--The Elk King.= By Capt. Chas. Howard.
=46--Adrian, the Pilot.= By Col. P. Ingraham.
=47--The Man-hunter.= By Maro O. Rolfe.
=48--The Phantom Trucker.= By F. Dewey.
=49--Moccasin Bill.= By Paul Bibbs.
=50--The Wolf Queen.= By Charles Howard.
=51--Tom Hawk, the Trailer.=
=52--The Mad Chief.= By Chas. Howard.
=53--The Black Wolf.= By Edwin E. Ewing.
=54--Arkansas Jack.= By Harry Hazard.
=55--Blackbeard.= By Paul Bibbs.
=56--The River Rifles.= By Billex Muller.
=57--Hunter Ham.= By J. Edgar Iliff.
=58--Cloudwood.= By J. M. Merrill.
=59--The Texas Hawks.= By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
=60--Merciless Mat.= By Capt. Chas. Howard.
=61--Mad Anthony’s Scouts.= By E. Rodman.
=62--The Luckless Trapper.= Wm. R. Eyster.
=63--The Florida Scout.= Jos. F. Badger, Jr.
=64--The Island Trapper.= Chas. Howard.
=65--Wolf-Cap.= By Capt. Chas. Howard.
=66--Rattling Dick.= By Harry Hazard.
=67--Sharp-Eye.= By Major Max Martine.
=68--Iron-Hand.= By Frederick Forest.
=69--The Yellow Hunter.= By Chas. Howard.
=70--The Phantom Rider.= By Maro O. Rolfe.
=71--Delaware Tom.= By Harry Hazard.
=72--Silver Rifle.= By Capt. Chas. Howard.
=73--The Skeleton Scout.= Maj. L. W. Carson.
=74--Little Rifle.= By Capt. “Bruin” Adams.
=75--The Wood Witch.= By Edwin Emerson.
=76--Old Ruff, the Trapper.= “Bruin” Adams.
=77--The Scarlet Shoulders.= Harry Hazard.
=78--The Border Rifleman.= L. W. Carson.
=79--Outlaw Jack.= By Harry Hazard.
=80--Tiger-Tail, the Seminole.= R. Ringwood.
=81--Death-Dealer.= By Arthur L. Meserve.
=82--Kenton, the Ranger.= By Chas. Howard.
=83--The Specter Horseman.= Frank Dewey.
=84--The Three Trappers.= Seelin Robins.
=85--Kaleolah.= By T. Benton Shields, U. S. N.
=86--The Hunter Hercules.= Harry St. George.
=87--Phil Hunter.= By Capt. Chas. Howard.
=88--The Indian Scout.= By Harry Hazard.
=89--The Girl Avenger.= By Chas. Howard.
=90--The Red Hermitess.= By Paul Bibbs.
=91--Star-Face, the Slayer.=
=92--The Antelope Boy.= By Geo. L. Aiken.
=93--The Phantom Hunter.= By E. Emerson.
=94--Tom Pintle, the Pilot.= By M. Klapp.
=95--The Red Wizard.= By Ned Hunter.
=96--The Rival Trappers.= By L. W. Carson.
=97--The Squaw Spy.= By Capt. Chas. Howard.
=98--Dusky Dick.= By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
=99--Colonel Crockett.= By Chas. E. Lasalle.
=100--Old Bear Paw.= By Major Max Martine.
=101--Redlaw.= By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
=102--Wild Rube.= By W. J. Hamilton.
=103--The Indian Hunters.= By J. L. Bowen.
=104--Scarred Eagle.= By Andrew Dearborn.
=105--Nick Doyle.= By P. Hamilton Myers.
=106--The Indian Spy.= By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
=107--Job Dean.= By Ingoldsby North.
=108--The Wood King.= By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
=109--The Scalped Hunter.= By Harry Hazard.
=110--Nick, the Scout.= By W. J. Hamilton.
=111--The Texas Tiger.= By Edward Willett.
=112--The Crossed Knives.= By Hamilton.
=113--Tiger-Heart=, the Tracker. By Howard.
=114--The Masked Avenger.= By Ingraham.
=115--The Pearl Pirates.= By Starbuck.
=116--Black Panther.= By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
=117--Abdiel, the Avenger.= By Ed. Willett.
=118--Cato, the Creeper.= By Fred. Dewey.
=119--Two-Handed Mat.= By Jos. E. Badger.
=120--Mad Trail Hunter.= By Harry Hazard.
=121--Black Nick.= By Frederick Whittaker.
=122--Kit Bird.= By W. J. Hamilton.
=123--The Specter Riders.= By Geo. Gleason.
=124--Giant Pete.= By W. J. Hamilton.
=125--The Girl Captain.= By Jos. E. Badger.
=126--Yankee Eph.= By J. R. Worcester.
=127--Silverspur.= By Edward Willett.
=128--Squatter Dick.= By Jos. E. Badger.
=129--The Child Spy.= By George Gleason.
=130--Mink Coat.= By Jos. E. Badger.
=131--Red Plume.= By J. Stanley Henderson.
=132--Clyde, the Trailer.= By Maro O. Rolfe.
=133--The Lost Cache.= J. Stanley Henderson.
=134--The Cannibal Chief.= Paul J. Prescott.
=135--Karaibo.= By J. Stanley Henderson.
=136--Scarlet Moccasin.= By Paul Bibbs.
=137--Kidnapped.= By J. Stanley Henderson.
=138--Maid of the Mountain.= By Hamilton.
=139--The Scioto Scouts.= By Ed. Willett.
=140--The Border Renegade.= By Badger.
=141--The Mute Chief.= By C. D. Clark.
=142--Boone, the Hunter.= By Whittaker.
=143--Mountain Kate.= By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
=144--The Red Scalper.= By W. J. Hamilton.
=145--The Lone Chief.= By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
=146--The Silver Bugle.= Lieut. Col. Hazleton.
=147--Chinga, the Cheyenne.= By E. S. Ellis.
=148--The Tangled Trail.= By Major Martine.
=149--The Unseen Hand.= By J. S. Henderson.
=150--The Lone Indian.= By Capt. C. Howard.
=151--The Branded Brave.= By Paul Bibbs.
=152--Billy Bowlegs=, The Seminole Chief.
=153--The Valley Scout.= By Seelin Robins.
=154--Red Jacket.= By Paul Bibbs.
=155--The Jungle Scout.= Ready
=156--Cherokee Chief.= Ready
=157--The Bandit Hermit.= Ready
=158--The Patriot Scouts.= Ready
=159--The Wood Rangers.=
=160--The Red Foe.= Ready
=161--The Beautiful Unknown.=
=162--Canebrake Mose.= Ready
=163--Hank, the Guide.= Ready
=164--The Border Scout.= Ready
BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York.
Transcriber’s Notes
A number of typographical errors were corrected silently.
Cover image is in the public domain.