Frank Reade Library No. 12: Frank Reade and His Steam Man of the Plains — page 7: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE STEAM MAN OF THE PLAINS. —[— $— _— ———————KK——— SSS teack stretched away before them, its expense only broken by grove which uppeared not away. No sign could be seen of Chariey. a mighty mountain torrent, rahg in the ears of the wate hunter. Dash Hallett knew that flying before a prairie fire as they were, it would be vain for any of the “We must make for that island name | foremost ones to halt, or attempt to obstruct the piven to the little grovss that dot the p ), and | progress of the main body, as the throng in the ve some dinner under its trees,” said Frank, | rear still rushes onward, and the leaders are com- who was getting hungry. **That’s sinsible,” eapprovingly said Barney. ** Me insides have been crying out to me for the peat hour, so they have.” In a few <uinutes the steam man dashed up ‘to foo ert Gnd cams to a halt in the shade of its Barney and Frank oe to the ground, the amen holding his fiddle and his bow in his ‘I'll get the dinner,” said Frank. **And I’ be afther playin’ ye a chune,” said the jolly Irishman. ‘‘T’ll use black log here for a sate.” He seated himself astride of the black log, as he sup it to be, and had just got his fiddle into pes on when a chorus of loud yells rang through © grove; the log raised up with a jerk, and be- fore Barney knew what was the matter, he was epeeding over the plains on the back of a wounded black buffalo, while a party of well- mounted Indians dashed after him with cries of hate and vengeance. **Hoora!” roared Barney Shea, throwing his leg under the buffalo’s belly. ‘‘Come on, ye Ynurtherin spalpeens! Listen, while I play yea chune chat’ll warm the cockles o’ yer heart!’ And with the red-skfns in hot pursuit, Barney Shea, safely mounted on his woolly steed, put his fiddie in position and played them ‘‘The Heart hat Once Goes Througn ’s Halis.” ‘*Och !” cried Barney, ‘‘this is illigant, intirely.” CHAPTER VIII. THE LIVING BRIDGE. Wrra Dash Halictt clinging like a cat to his back, the brave horse lea far out from the brink of the rocky chasm. There was a ringing and buzzing sound in the rider’s ears as the steed vaulted powerfull through the air; and then there came a sud- den shock as the stallion landed safely on the op- posite side of the leap. Dash Hallett was safe! He leaped from his horse, and the noble ani- mal, thoroughly exhausted, rolled over on fta side and for breath. It nobly performed its duty; but that last tremendous leap, succeeding the long and severe run, proved too much for the stallion, and beet Ser was dying. Dash ‘Hallett looked back over the sloping uod and yawning abyss, but no sign was to seen of the red-skins. They uad turned back in order to escape tho doubls chances of death that awaited them at the leap. The mighty thundering sound that boomed out heavily on the air, told him that the im- mense platoon of buffaloes were still rushing on in advance of the flames. “‘Curse the reds!” savagely muttered the hun- ter, as he gazed upon the form of his dyin horse, and brusbed a tear from his eye. ‘“ wish they had come on, for I should have knock- ed over enough of the wretches to avenge Tem- pest, and poor Fitznoodle, too. I'll nang on to at crew until I wipe every imp out. Poor old Tempest! we've been travelin’ together many a year, and now we've got to part. Curse them Osages! I sw’ar I'll stick to ’em as long as them’s a single red murderer left alive for to veak or draw a knife.” e horse breathed heavier and heavier with each breath, and in a few moments rolled over and died. ‘*Gone !” said Dash Hallett, looking sorrowfully at his dead companion. ‘ Well, it enly makes a longer list agin the reds, and I'll die tryin’ to uare the debt.” he thunderin thousands of ra hunter that tho boom of the approach of the dly approaching hoofs told the € was swiftly approaching the adge of the awful chasm, hemmed in by the fan- shaped wall of fire. allett -knew by experience what must surely happen. he removed the saddle and bridle from the body of the dead horse, and took them with him | th to a secure post behind a tall and strong tree pelled to advance, even though destruction awaits them. The hunter had over the edge of the chasm, and knew te eel that many of the herd | his must be forced over tho brink, only to fall through the empty spnoe and crash their bones on the rock-broken waters which appeared below. Silently he watched for the appearance of the brute army. The thundering tread approached nenrer still, and the foremost ranks, an array of splendid bulls, ran at full speed up the shelving hill to the brink cf the abvas. As the foremost ones arrive there they rear on their hind legs snd attempt to turn back from the awful chusm. Ah! there is no possible retruat now, no chance of escape! The terrified leaders shrink back from the brink with terror. The solid ranks behind, terrified by the near approach of tne prairie fre, dash forward with increasing 8 is The doomed bulls, standing on tho very brink, roar and kick, bite and gore, and in their way, at- tempt to evade the certain death thatuwaits them. They are fighting aguinst fate ! The crowd in the rear, maddened and despe- rate, spurred on by the singcing flames, rush on with increasing impetuosity, and the aggregate force hurls the struggling leaders successively into the rocky siream where certain death awaits em. The maddened followers rushed blindly on, and dozens at a time were hurled into the gulf by the steady preasure behind. Ina few moments hundreds had fallen from the bai of the precipice. ec the dead and wc unded buffaloes, and in less iuan three minutes the la t herd of beasts were dashing by the con hunter, for the carcasses of more good buffaloce ever kill in my days. ul. that ever I see a livin’ bridge.” The buffaloes continued rushi and haunts by the pnuirie-fire. While they were ing by, Hallett noticed that several bears, otaly Y 1 shuddering when he reckoned on & man’s chances for life among the terrified host. ** They’d chaw him up in lamb’s tail,” said Hallett to . When they had all gone by, Hallett arose to his feet and gazed wonderingly after the av alght moving columns, for it, was as wonderful as as he had ever beheld. The afternoon was on the wane before he was enabled to move away. ‘* Five miles to the lone tree from here,” mut- tered the hunter, as he tightened his belt. ‘‘ Well, there’s something of a storm coming up, and this place won’t afford much shelter, so I'll tramp to the big oak.” He shouldered his rifle, and tramped away, just as the sky grew dark with a long, black cloud. A few rain he 4oon pattered down on the travelers head, but the storm or shower fell further away. Steadily onward tramped Dash and just as nightfall came on, he rested himself under the wide-spreading branches of a noble ouk that had s the storms and blasts of fifty long years. He ate a rade meal of dried meat, washed down with some whisky, and was then thinking of lying down beneath the tree whezx it occurred to him that the safer place for him would be among the thickly-woven branches of the tree. He was a good climber, and inspite of the dark- ness was soon up in the tree. He secured a lodging in a forked branch, atthe distance of about thirty feet from the bottom of e tree, and nicely shut in by the yo | in- terwoven twigs and leaves, he began to nod his whtich sprouted up from the crevices betweun tne | head Nearer, and nearer sounded the thundering Thousands of horny hoofs were beating the plains. A continued roaring sound, 28 of the voice of The night grew pitchy dark, as black as Dash Hallett had ever seen. He must have been asleep when the sound of a rough object scratching over the bark of the tree awakened him, and with every sense on the alert he listened for the repetition of the sound. hasm became closed with the hodi-s of rtion of the mighty cealed their fallen comr- panions had afforded them a path across tho abyss. “By Jupiter!’ muttered Hallett. ‘‘ There's ne to thunder than I'll t was wonderful—wonder- By Jupiter, that’s the first time in my life past Hallett’s resting-place for some time, and after them came numerous other animals, driven from their lairs and black ones, formed pero the flying cavalcade, and he could not p just two quivers of a imself Scratch—scratch—ecratch ! The hunter listened keenly, and he knew very well that some animal was crawling over the tree in his direction. He rory soon decided that it must be one of the bears he noticed among tho flying cavalcade of wild beasts. The sounds drew nearer and nearer, and the man of the plains cluched his knife with one hand wnilee placed his other hand on the barrel of e. He carefully drew the weapon up in front of him as he sat securely in the fork of the branch and felt with his fingers to see that it was in good shooting condition. His knife was loosened in his belt ready for in- stant use. The scratching sound ceased as the foliage of the fork was stirred, and two piercing b 8 7 pemes for ® moment upon the e A low growl rang out with a rumbling note. ‘A black boar!” decided Dash Hallett, as he covored the space betwoen the two flaming orbe with his rifle. ‘Tako this pill, ye varmizt!” He pulled the trigger. There was a flash and a roport, and then came a growl of fury. Hallett knew what that meant. The monster muat havo moved as he trigger, and the bullet which was aim tween his eyes, had ure’s body. The infuriated beast was crawling toward him. This hoe could tell by tho near approach of the flamiing cyes. Hallett placed his gun behind him, with the strap securing it to his shoulders, afd drow his keen knife. The woapon was long, heavy, sharp on both sides of the blade, and the end a point liko a necdle. Grasping this formfiable weapon firmly ip pe trong hand, the hunter awaited the time to strike, Tne benr slowly drew near. At length Hallett could make out the huge out- lines of the long, dark body. It was a black bear of unusual aize, and, now that it was wounded, would prove an implacable enemy. The bear was advancing cautiously, probabil fecling insocure on account of the wound it received. At this time Dash noticed that tho tree was shaking and trembling. Boon a chundoring rambilag camo to his keen ears, and he knew the hard plain was vibrat- lied the to go be taken lodgmont in the creat ing beneath the tread of thousands of advancing oofs. He thought that the buffaloes might bo coming again, but that {dea was soon knockod in the head, for ho was enabled to locate the direc- tion of the sound. It came from tho direction of Shallow Stream, and a few ae bey off the course ho had taken. ‘‘ Either buffaloes or wild horses,” decided Hal- ett. All this time he kept his eyes fixed upon the slowly advancing bear. At length the Jutter was within reach, with all his force, Hallett struck at the full neck of the rr growling brute. The 6 arp pont sank deep into the neck of the beast, and tily withdrawing the heavy weapon, the hunter lunged forth in and in, at the broad mark, until the blood was heard falling upon the leaves. Louder and louder sounded the regular tramp —trimp, of the on-coming horde. Whatever they were, advancing columns were hending for the tree. The bear's many wounds rendored it doubly savage, and it crawled more quickly apon the bold hunter. Hallett was forced to retreat, little by little, stad by step, until he had reached the end of the g e On came the enraged bear. It was useloss to think of atriking at the mon- ster now. #0 daring Dash Hallett laid his hands i tbe bough, and swung by his arms from the mb. Swiftly on came tho thundering army of mov- ing animals, the foremost ones rapidly advancing ons line that would bring them y under the As they drew nenr, the boar cautiously crowd- ed towards the hunter's hands. Bruin stretched out his neck and made a mosé vicious snap at the man’s fingers. Hallett let gu his hold. He fell squarely astride the back of one of the , and at the same moment discovered the COmiIcoooe C SS o(CO)