California Joe, the Mysterious Plainsman | Page 8

uncommunicative regarding the past, and
one, young as he was, who certainly had some mysterious history,
some strange story to tell, would he but tell it, he was yet not taciturn,
for once his lips were unlocked upon ordinary matters, he had plenty to
say. After having warned the train of their threatened danger, and
guided them to a place of safety at the Bluff camp, he had ridden off at
a gallop as though the kiss given him by little Maggie Reynolds had
reopened wounds he had thought were healed. He had not gone very far
from the camp before he saw a form suddenly spring from the grass
before him. Then another and another, until two mustangs which had
been lying down by the side of their masters, were flying away at full
speed, and upon their backs were their riders. But Joe did not hesitate at
sight of them, but, on the contrary, let his horse increase his speed.
"They are Bad Blood's spies, and they know just who I am," he
muttered. After a while, as he gained rapidly upon the flying red-skins,
he said: "If I was anybody else, I'd have got an arrow in me, but they're
afraid of me." Urging his white horse to a still greater speed, which the
splendid animal seemed readily capable of, he soon drew within close

pistol range of the two red-skins. "It don't seem exactly right to shoot
'em, when they won't shoot back, thinking I'm a spook; but they'll
report mighty soon that I was coming from the pale-face camp, and
then they won't believe I'm an evil spirit, so I guess I'd better kill 'em.."
With this, Joe threw his hand forward quickly, and it held a revolver, a
weapon at that time almost unknown upon the plains. Instantly
followed two sharp reports, and the two riders fell from their saddles
without a cry, for Joe's aim was deadly. Although relieved of their
weight, the ponies were no match for the white animal Joe rode, who
was alongside of them in a minute's time, and both were quickly caught.
Then back to where the Indians lay went the boy, and he found them
just as he knew he would, dead. It was but the work of a few minutes to
place them upon the backs of their mustangs and make them fast, after
which Joe started off on the course he had been going when he saw the
red-skins. A ride of several miles brought him to a range of hills and
through them ran a swift stream, with high banks. Here the boy halted,
turned his own horse I loose, with perfect confidence that he would not
leave him, and staking out the ponies, relieved them of their ghastly
loads. To remove the two scalp-locks, with a dexterity that showed he
had had practice in the art of scalping, was but an instant's work with
Joe, after which he took their weapons and robes, and threw the bodies
into the stream. The current carried them swiftly away, and then the
strange boy built a small fire in a ravine, cooked some dried meat upon
the coals, and spreading the robes of his slain foes down upon the
ground, rolled his blankets around him and was almost instantly asleep.
The coming of dawn did not seem to disturb him in the least, but when
the sun rose, he got up, cooked his breakfast, and, leading his two
captured ponies, started on up into the hills. At last he gained a point of
observation from whence he could see the distant bluff and camp of the
emigrants, and, after a close observation of the surrounding country, he
again settled himself down to rest. When the sun drew near the western
horizon, he mounted his horse, and, leading the ponies, started to
descend to the prairie once more. It was dark when he gained the level
lands, and, as though resolved upon his course, he went off at a lope in
the direction of the emigrant camp. A ride of several miles brought him
in sight of the camp- fire, and, then he went along at a slower pace.
Drawing nearer, he at length came to a halt and looked ahead of him for

a long time in silence. "They're coming!" He uttered the words in a
matter-of-fact kind of tone, and, dismounting, at once ordered his horse
to lie down. The intelligent and faithful animal at once obeyed and then
Joe went to one of the ponies and ordered him down too. Whatever the
brute might have done for his redskin, master, he certainly would not
for his pale-face captor. But in an instant he was hoppled and thrown
upon his side in a manner that proved to