CHAPTER XII.
YELLOW ELK.
The writing of the answer to Gilbert's communication had taken severalminutes, and now Yellow Elk was entirely out of sight. But Pawnee Brownwas certain of the trail the Indian had taken, and by a little fasterriding soon brought the rascal again into view.
Yellow Elk was now descending into a valley bound on the north by arolling hill and on the south by a cliff varying from twenty to fortyfeet in height. Even at a distance Pawnee Brown could see that theIndian was having considerable trouble with Nellie Winthrop, who feltnow assured that her first suspicions were correct and that Yellow Elkhad taken her far from the boomers' camp.
"I will not go with you!" cried the girl, and did her best to break fromthe warrior's grasp. But Yellow Elk's hold was a good one, and she onlysucceeded in tearing her dress.
"We be dare in few minutes now," replied the redskin. "Den all beright--you wait and see."
"I won't go with you--let me down!" screamed Nellie, but he silenced herby a fierce gesture which made the boomer's blood boil. It was only bythe exercise of all his will power that the great scout kept himselffrom shooting down Yellow Elk on the spot.
The end of the long cliff was almost reached when the Indian chiefreined up the mare and sprang to the ground, still holding Nellie tight.As he held the girl by the wrist with one hand he led Bonnie Birdforward with the other. In a few seconds, girl, mare and Indian haddisappeared from view in the midst of a thick fringe of bushes.
They had scarcely vanished when Pawnee Brown was on the ground and hadtethered his horse in a little grove of pines a hundred feet away. Thisdone, he stole forward to what he felt must be the mouth of the caveYellow Elk had mentioned.
The great scout knew he was on delicate and dangerous ground. There wasno telling how many Indians beside Yellow Elk there might be in thevicinity, who had left the reservation without permission; it was likelyall who were there would be in war paint ready to kill him on sight.
"The reds who train with Yellow Elk are not to be trusted," he muttered."Yellow Elk wouldn't like anything better than to scalp me just for ataste of his old blood-thirsty days. Making a 'good Indian' out of sucha fellow is all nonsense--it simply can't be done."
Pawnee Brown had dropped down in the long grass and was now wigglingalong like a snake through the bushes and between the rocks. Soon theentrance to the cave was gained, hidden by more bushes. He hesitated,looked to see that his pistol was all right, shoved the bushes aside andslipped within.
It was so dark inside that for a moment he could distinguish nothing.But his ears were on the alert and he heard the footsteps of Yellow Elkresounding at a distance of fully fifty yards. He could hear nothing ofNellie, and rightfully concluded that the Indian had been compelled topick her up and carry her.
An instant later he stumbled close to his mare. Bonnie Bird recognizedhim with a snort of joy.
"Sh-sh!" he said softly, and the gentle animal understood and made nofurther sound. But she gladly rubbed her soft nose up and down his neckto signify her pleasure.
"Good Bonnie Bird," he whispered. "I'll be with you soon again," andwent on after Yellow Elk.
The Indian had now come to a halt and was striking a match. Soon somedry brush was set on fire and the redskin heaped upon it some stout treebranches, for the air in the cave was chilly.
"Now me and white girl have long talk," said Yellow Elk, as he motionedNellie to a seat.
"Where is the boomers' camp?" she faltered, hardly knowing how to answerhim.
"Camp ten miles from here," came the short reply. "You here all alonewith Yellow Elk."
At this the frightened girl gave a scream of terror.
"You base wretch!" she sobbed. "Take me back at once."
"No take back--Yellow Elk no fool. White girl stay here--make Yellow Elkgood squaw, maybe," and he grinned into her pretty face.
But now an interruption came which all but stunned Yellow Elk. Leapingfrom his hiding place, Pawnee Brown pounced upon the redskin, caught himby the throat and hurled him backward and almost into the midst of thefire!
"You miserable dog!" came from the scout's lips.
"Oh, sir, save me from that Indian!" came from Nellie, as she quicklyturned to the man she felt sure would assist her.
"I will, Miss Winthrop, don't fear," answered Pawnee Brown. "So, YellowElk, we meet again. I reckon you remember the man who kicked you allaround the agency two years ago because you tried to steal his new pairof boots?"
"Ugh!" grunted Yellow Elk. He had just managed to scramble out of thefire, and was beating out the flames which had caught on a fringe of hisgarments. "Pawnee Brown."
He muttered a fierce imprecation in his native tongue. Then, beforePawnee Brown could stop him his pistol flashed in the fire-light. He tookaim at the scout's head and fired.
But though the action of the Indian chief was quick, the movement of theboomer was quicker.
Many times had he been under fire, and he had learned to drop whenoccasion required as rapidly as it could be done.
With the pressure upon the pistol trigger he went down like a flash andthe bullet intended for his head merely grazed the top of his hat andflattened itself upon the cave wall opposite.
"Bah!" hissed Yellow Elk, when he saw how he had missed. He attempted totake him once more, but now Pawnee Brown hurled himself on the redskin,turning the barrel of the weapon aside, and both went to the stoneflooring with a crash. Nellie Winthrop let out a shriek of terror.
"Do not let him shoot you! Make him throw the pistol away!" she cried,as she wrung her hands. She would have liked to assist Pawnee Brown, butcould not see how it could just then be done.