Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1892 — ROYAL RANGER RALPH; on He Waif of the Western Prairies. [ARTICLE]

ROYAL RANGER RALPH; on He Waif of the Western Prairies.

BY WELDON J. COBB.

CHAPTER XXV—Continued. The Indian prin ess had extinguished the light. Darrel stepped forward and called her name. She steppod slowly into view and peered suspi dously into his face. Then she siezei his hand impulsively. “Tho ranger's friend!” she cried. “Yes.” “Then you escaped from the Crow, as my father prombed?” “I did. Have you heard from the ranger?” “Xo. But ho is alive and on tho trail of his enemies ” “How do you know this?” “The mountain hermit says it must bo so, although he lias not been ablo to iind him.” “It was he I saw with you a few moments since?” asked Darrel. “Yes. How comes the ranger's friend here?” Briefly, Darrel informed her of his adventures since last they met. She told him of be ng at the cave when Despard had come to demand Inez Tracey’s fortune She had secured the casket of jewels, and had become lost in the hermit s place of abode in the mountains. When she fouud her way to liberty, amid its intrica ies, the ensuing day, she found that her father’s tribe had gone. “And was tho girl Inez a prisoner with them?.” asked Darrel anxiously. “Yes. ” She went on to say that she had started after them, when she came across the old hermit Walford. He had lost trace of Banger Ralph, but was himself determined to rescue tho daughter of his old friend Tracey. Together they followed the tribe. Two days previous they came up with a woundod warrior of the Modocsi He told them that a portion of Despard’s band had pursued and overtaken tho Modocs. A fierce conflict had ensued, resulting in the utter defeat of the Indians. The outlaws had wrested a large treasure from Shadow Snake and forced him to fly. “And the girl—lnez—the Modocs took her with them?” “No." “The outlaws rescued her?” : “Yes. ” “Then the camp on the mountains ” “Is theirs. They have the girl with them, and are seeking their old leader, Despard ” Darrel Grey became greatly excited at this Intelligence. “And the hermit?” he asked. “I traced the out'aws here, and visited the neighborhood of tbeir camp an hour since.” “You saw Inez?” “I saw tho covered wagon in which she is. I returned to the hermit. He decided to rescue her. ” “How?” • “By strategy. He will tell me nothing, except that ho believes he can secure her. Stay! you are not going?” “Yes. ” “To the outlaws camp?” “I must. I will aid Walford. ” “You may. defeat all his plans. ” “Ho. I will act with the utmost caution. ” A minut9 later he was on his way toward the point in the valley where a narrow path led to the cliffs above. Meantime, Walford had preceded him at somo distance. The old hermit was certainly an adept at disguises, for he presented no familiar resemblance to his natural character. He reached the cliffs and looked soarchingly around him. Some distance away he saw the reflection of a campfire and made his way toward it at once. As he neared it he could make out a score of figures and a covered wagon. For a moment he paused, engaged in deep thought, as if to decide on a definite plan of action. Then he placed the reed he bore in his hand to his lips. Immediately a wild, weird strain awoke the silent echoes of the scone. At the camp Despard and Danton had just been welcomed with the most extravagant exhibitions of delight The entire band started in suspicion and alarm as the strange music reached their hearing. “What is that?” demanded Despard. The others seized their guns and stood on the defensive. Nearer and nearer camo the music. Into the open space where the camp was a strange form suddenly emerged. At him the outlaws stared in the profoundest surprise To all seeming he was some demented creature so engrossed in his music as not to notice them. It appeared as if ho would walk past them and on through the woods. A suspicious look came into Despard’s face. “This means something,” he whispered to Danton. “You think so?” “I do.” “What?” “Treachery—a spy—a trap. ” “I think not. He seems to be some crazy woodsman. He don’t even look at us.” “Probably all assumed. ” “I’ll find out. ” Danton caught the old man by the arm. “Stop,” he ordered. The disguised Walford halted, and stared at him wouderingly. “What do you want?” he asked. “Who are yon?” “The king of the woods.” “Well, what are you doing here?” “Getting ready for my show. ” “What show?” Walford tapped tho box on his shoulder. “Have you got a show there?” asked Danton. ” “Yes.” “He's stark mad,” said Danton to Despard. “I don’t know that.” replied the latter. “See here, stranger; who sent you here?” “No one. ” “You're a spy.” “Am 1? Nobody ever called me that before,” replied Walford, innocently. “See here gentlemen,” he called, “I am about to begin the greatest show on earth. Admission free. Gather around and see if the old king of the woods ain’t a regular professional.* And executing a caper that seemed to remove all suspicions of his sanity, Walford flung his hat on the ground and faced the amused and curious outlaws. CHAPTER XXVI. THE RESCUE. So fantastic and unreal were the actions of the hermit, that Despard had evidently abandoned/his suspicions of his being a spy. Like Danton, he began to believe that their strange visitor was some one of those demented creatures ■often met with on the frontier. The hermit had opened his hat and had taken from it several small packages. . "T “The first thing , will be a balloon ascension,” he said. , He had produced and lighted a small alcohol lamp, and he allowed the hot air jit produced to ascend into a fine rubber object he had in his hand.

“Watch tho balloon, gentlemen,” he said, “and you’ll see It ascend and explode In midair. ” The bag began to fill, and finally aroso in the air. Every eye was lifted to watch its course, and the hermit prepared for his final move in his clever game tee delude the bandits. Tho balloon arose a few feet, [suddenly it exploded. Simultaneous howls of pain arose from the throng. Every man seemed gone w.ld suddenly The balloon, as Walford had intended, in exploding had releasod some cayenne popper, -which had fallen into the eyes of the gaping bandits. Blinded and in paiu, they were for the most part helpless. Despard and Danton, however, had escaped the general suffering, as they had watched the hermit at a littlo distance. As Walford noticed this, he Hung a package of powder over tho lamp. Immediate y a dense vapor spread over the scene. “ r lhe girl—the wagon!” cried Despard. “This is all a trick of our enemies. See, the man has disappeared!” The hermit had certainly left the spot xvhere last they had S9en him. Despard and Danton made a simultaneous rush for the wagon At its rear stood tho man they sought. Danton seized l>im by the arm and held him firmly. Despard tore aside the canvas and peered into the vehicle. “The girl is gone!” ho cried. Walford started, fully as much amazed as the bandits. “Gone?” echoed Danton, incredulously. “Yes. It was all a plot Who has taken her?” he demanded of Walford. “Tell me, or I will kill you.” “I do not know. ” “You do—it was some friend of yours. ” In his rage, Despard dealt the hermit a blow that felled him to the ground insensible. Then he rushed back to his men. By this time they had got the pepper out of their eyes, but were still in deep pain. Hastily, Despard explained what had occurred. He divided the men into paities, and sent them out in search of the missing Inez. He himself and Danton, with several of the men, also started on the quest They learned later what had really occurred. Darrel Grey had rescued Inez Tracey. He had reached tho bandit camp, and while the hermit engaged the attention of the outlaws, had hurried her away. He went diroct to the ravine. The happy Inez did not delay their flight by questioning him. Together they reached the place where White Fawn awaited them. Darrel hast ly explained all that had occurred. “We must not remain here,” said tho Modoc princess “Is it not a safe retreat?” “No.” “Why not?” “We will be pursued. “But the hermit ” “He will care for himse'f. Come. ” She led the way rapidly down the ravine. “Look!” she said, after they had proceeded some distant e “We are pursued. ” They could see hurrying forms behind them. “We must reach the cliffs,” said White Fawn. She Anally found a path loading from the valley. It was a toilsome ascent, but they finally gained the ton of the cliff. It proved to be a kind of natural foitification. On tho other side a stream flowed fifty feat below. There was no way of going on. They must remain where they were, or retreat tho way they had come. “We are in a trap,” murmured White Fawn. “The outlaws may not traco us here,” remarked Darrel. They crouched behind some rocks and waited. White Fawn watched the ravine below. It was just beginning to get light. Day was breaking. She saw several dusky forms coming up the narrow mountain path. “We are pursued,” she said. “Let tho Ranger's friend prepare for a desperate conuict. ”

CHAPTER XXVI. THE ESCAPE. There was little doubt but that tho outlaws would soon discover the fugitives. Several of’ them were coming directly up the path tne latter had pursued in their flight, and must inevitably come upon Darrel and his companions. The breaking light of day showed a grim determination in the faco of the Modoc princess. “You are armed?” she asked of Darrel. “No, my revolver was taken away from me by Despard.” The princess handed him a small revolver, and herself poised a small rifle she bo:e over the edge of the natural fortification behind which they were concealed. This commanded a view of the path leading up to the place. “We must hold them at bay,” said White Fawn determinedly. “They may not find us ” “Yes; they are coming directly up the path ” There was a brief spell of silence. 'Through the interstices of their rocky barricade; the three beleaguered fugitives watched the advance of their enemies. One party was searching the ravine for them. Dost ard led them. The other divison of the outlaws, headed by Danton, consisted of half a dozen men, and these were rapidly nearimr the crest of the cliff. Crack! The rifle in the hands of White Fawn gave forth a sharp report. Its echoes ended with the yell of a wounded bandit fifty feet be ow. Instantly the bandits knew where their enemies were located They disappeared behind sheltering rocks as if by magic. “You have revealed our hiding-place to them, ” said Darrel. •They would have come upon us, and got still nearer if we had not done so.” replied White Fawn. “Take my rifle and fire if they make any advance.” “Where are you going?” “To see if there is not some means of escape from here. ” Tho Indian princess crept cautiously in the shelter of the rocks toward the other edge of the cliff. Darrel watched the mountain -path and rivine closely. He saw Danton retreat cautiously to the valley. Here he joined Despard and his party, and a close consultation was held. They seemed to be devising some plan to surround and capture the fugitives. Darrel’s observations were interrupted by the appearance of White Fawn. “What have ■ you discovered?” he asken. “A means of escape; But it is a nerilous one.” “In what wav?” “We must lower ourselves from cliff to cliff, to the other side of the valley. ” “Then let us not delay.” “Some one must remain here to keep back the outlaws aud give time for the escape. ” Darrel glanced anxiously at Inez, but Said,. “I will do that ” “Come,” said White Fawn to Inez. The latter cast a tender bok at her brave lover, and followed the Indiaa girl. Darrel’s attention was now entirely centered on the foes he was to keep at bay. He had confidence in White Fawn, atid knew that her long familiarity with frontier life constituted her a safe guardian of the woman he loved. Despard and his men, to Darrel’s satisfaction, did not apparently suspect the attempt to escape. They appeared instead, to be combining their forces for a general assault on the summit of the

cliff, where the lone defender vu stationed. Several times they started boldly forward up the torturous mountain path. Darrel's steady fire, however, dismayed them, and drove them to cover again. Each onslaught brought them nearer to the fort of rocks, and this fact the young scout noted with some anxiety. A glance behind him showed no sign of his recent companions. White Fawn and Inez had disappeared, and he hoped they had found a means of escape to the val ey in safety. Meantime it hal begun to rain, and a dim mist began to gather over the ravine. It partially shut out the position of his enemies, and he feared would enab’e them to mako a secret advance to his stronghold. In this his fears were not groundless, but tho climax came In a different manner from what he had apprehended. It seemed that the bandit leader had, a few moments previous, been made aware of the exact position of affairs. A man he had sent to reconuoiter had returned very much excited. “Well, what have you learned?” asked Despard. “That there’s only one person in the fort up yonder. ” “Then the girl who escaped?” “I don’t know whore she is; she ain’t in the place there.” Despard looked perplexed. Ho had believed that, xvhoever was defending the fort, the rescued Inez was also thcro. “If there is only one person,” ho said to Danton,‘“the girl has been sent away, ” “Where?" “Perhaps there is a descent to the other side of the valley.” Danton started. “Ha! I never thought of that,” he muttered. “And'whoever is in the fort is simply holding us at bay to eover the girl’s escape. ” “What shall we do?” “Some of us hurry around to that side of the ravine.” “We can’t do that, Captain, ” spoke the man who had reported the state of affairs. “Why .not?” “Because, we’re in a had fix. ” “A bad fix! What do you mean, man?” “Indians.” “What?” “Yes, Captain: Modocs. I saw them In the valley from over yonder. ” Despard looked very much concerned. “Are there many of them?” “Two to one against us.” “Shadow Snake s men ” “They look like it. I saw them before the mist came down upon us. ” Despard and Danton discussed the situation for some time. They finally decided to continue their ascent, but in a line beyond the fort. Their enemy did not notice their movements, or did not care to attack them, for their progress was uninterrupted. They rea'heJ the eminence, and Despard at once began to investigate the! other side of the cliff. In li s wanderings he came to a pla e where some twisted grape vines showed signs of a recent passage from rock to rock. A bit of cloth torn by a bramble from a dress told him that Inez must have fled this way. “We’re on the right trail, ” he said to Danton, confidently. “You think the girl has gone this way?” asked the latter. “I am sure of it.” “But there seems no way to reach the valley.” “Except by careful climbing from rock to rock.” “Can you go that way in safety?” “The girt seems to have done so.” “Very well; we can try it. ” [to be continued.]