CHAPTER X.

ADELE.

Only for a few moments did young Mason remain in this state. Then his active brain aroused him to the necessity of making each second count.

His plans were only partially matured; but it would not prove hard to fully arrange them as time wore on, and his first move was really characteristic of the boy.

Pulling out a piece of water-proof cloth, he quickly wrapped it around his revolver, and then stepped boldly down into the river.

A few seconds later he was swimming silently for the other shore, holding the revolver out of the water as much as possible by means of his teeth, in which it was clasped.

The current carried him a little distance down the stream, and he landed some ten or twelve yards below the spot where Red Goliath had left his boat.

Thanks to his buckskin garments, the water did not soak through, and after emerging from the river Mason found himself little the worse for his swim.

What to do now might have puzzled some old stagers; but the boy's action was prompt and to the point.

Stepping up to the boat, he felt along the side until his hand came in contact with a ring, and when this was found he gave an exclamation of satisfaction.

Leaving the water he struck off in the same direction the giant had taken but a few moments before, passing by the dead Indian without even halting to examine the body.

Red Goliath must have been moving very slowly and cautiously after his fight, for Mason, who had, either through good luck or excellent management, hit upon the exact line of travel pursued by the giant, caught up with him before the outskirts of the village were gained. A moving form, crouching low, and yet showing the immense bulk in spite of this proceeding, was seen not ten yards ahead of him.

This was what attracted Mason's eye and kept him on the watch.

When the first lodges were passed, the danger thickened around our boy friend.

He had two sources to guard against, the giant on the one hand and the inhabitants of the village he was in the midst of on the other.

It may be surmised from this that Mason was very careful of his movements.

In spite of his size, which one would naturally suppose conducive to clumsiness, Red Goliath managed to get over ground with almost the noiseless powers of a serpent.

He seemed to be somewhat acquainted with the arrangement of the village, for he passed by dozens of lodges without giving them the least attention, his aim being to all appearances a certain spot not far from the center of the encampment, which was of so great a length.

There were several things in favor of this spying expedition which counted in the favor of the giant, and also his unseen follower.

In the first place, the night might be called dark, for the crescent moon was at the horizon, and although one might distinguish a form at ten yards distance, it would be next to impossible to declare whether the man was white or red.

Then again there were but a few hundred braves in the village, and these scattered along its entire length did not serve to even partially fill the lodges.

Where some of the late inmates were the reader knows, for brave Custer and his men fought hard, and each dragoon slew at least one Indian before going under.

What the main portion of the Sioux were about at this time will soon be made manifest, but a suspicion of the truth might be gleaned from the occasional shots that were borne by the wind from the north, where Reno had entrenched himself on one of the bluffs overlooking the river.

Red Goliath kept on his way as if he had been among the lodges before, and, to tell the truth, this was not his first visit to the village. Several nights before he had made one with the same purpose that he now had in view; but an unlucky tumble over a drunken brave had brought the Indians swarming around him like so many bees, and it took all the power the giant possessed to escape. He managed to do it, however, and by means of the canoe which we have seen him use, in coming to the point once more.

After moving forward some ten minutes, even Mason, some distance in his rear, could hear the boisterous sound of laughter and loud talking.

Where it came from would not prove hard to say, for a brilliant light, within a dwelling that seemed to be half cabin and half lodge, proclaimed its whereabouts.

There could be no doubt but what it came from white men, or at least men who were pale faces in looks but red devils by nature.

Goliath crept towards this lodge, and in another moment was beside it.

The boy moved around on the other side, and by dint of using the caution that seemed to be a part of his nature, managed to gain the dense shadow of the northern side without making an iota of noise.

Then the thought intruded itself, what if the giant should take a notion to make a circuit of the lodge?

He would certainly be found out, and Mason knew that discovery by this man meant death.

This action was promptly executed. The skins composing the lodge were loose at the bottom, and a pile of furs lay just within.

A glance at the two inmates showed that they were interested in the contents of a suspicious-looking keg, and paid no attention to anything else.

It took the boy but a moment to glide like an eel under the skin of the lodge, and hide among the furs.

From here he could watch the two men and hear all that was said without being in danger of discovery.

They were not a very nice-looking couple to gaze upon, not being overly well burdened with good looks, but the boy had seen one of them before, and it would be hard work to find any uglier man than Pedro Sanchez in this sphere of ours; so his companion might be said to possess some claims of beauty when compared with the noseless, one-eyed French creole, whose face bore the scars of some fearful combat.

Pedro was tall and slim, with the agility of a tiger combined with the ferocity of a grizzly bear.

He addressed his companion as Hoskins, and between the two they seemed to be effecting a compromise in regard to some bargain of which the nature was soon made manifest.

A faint long-drawn sigh, that told of unspoken misery close beside him, made the boy give a start, and it was with the utmost difficulty that he repressed the exclamation that arose to his lips when his eyes were turned in that direction.

From the pole of the lodge a long torch was stuck out, and the light of this served to illuminate the half where the men sat, but the cabin part was rather dim.

Guided by that sigh, however, the boy had little trouble in making out a small girlish form that crouched rather than sat upon a pile of furs, and seemed to be intently regarding the two men who laughed and grew merry over the whisky keg.

"Adele!" was the cry that arose to that brother's lips, but he bravely repressed it, and also the longing that had seized upon him to clasp that dear form to his breast and defy all enemies.

Although his ears were drinking in all that the two men said, yet his eyes were steadily glued upon the light form.

Hark! the Creole was speaking while he held up a tin cup that had lately belonged to one of Custer's men, and squinted with his one eye at its contents.

"_Carramba!_ Hoskins, my price I think exceedingly reasonable. If you only knew the time and money I've spent in this matter, and what deadly enemies I've made by my exploit, you wouldn't begrudge me a picayune. _Begar!_ I sent one of them to his long home in the fight to-day," and Pedro gave a hoarse laugh that grated on the nerves like a file, and would have set a sensitive person crazy.

The boy started, and unconsciously his hand sought his head where the bullet had glanced from it.

He knew now to whom he owed that debt, and gritted his teeth as he inwardly resolved to pay the amount with interest when the proper occasion presented itself.

Hoskins did not share in his companion's mirth, but appeared to be reflecting.

He soon looked up and took a sip at the liquor.

"Wal, mebbe the gal's worth it, squire. I've taken a mighty shine to her purty face, and, being in want of a wife, I guess we kin come to a bargain. Two hundred shiners, you said, and the hoss I own. We'll consider the question settled then. Now let's take a look at my property."

Pedro jumped to his feet with alacrity, and led the girl forward, much against her will.

As the torchlight fell on that sunny head, with its masses of golden hair and tear-bedimmed face, Mason ground his teeth in mingled rage and pity, and at the same time drew out his revolver. It was fated differently, however.

Hoskins feasted his eyes upon Adele's delicate beauty, and the grin that came upon his face told Pedro that he was satisfied with the bargain.

"Old hoss, we're squar on that. Gal, look up. Ye're mine now, body and soul. D'ye hear me? I've bought ye with a price, and I'd jest like fur the man to show himself what's goin' to take ye from me," said Hoskins.

There was a queer ripping sound. Mason saw a shining blade cut the skins of the lodge as if they were paper, and through this opening leaped Red Goliath, with a revolver in one hand and a knife in the other, and the brief exclamation of "I'm the identical chap."