THE FOREST MONSTER - a YA Western with action, adventure and loads of romance E-Book

Chas E. Lasalle

• Herausgeber: Abela Publishing
• Kategorie: Abenteuer, Thriller, Horror
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

This is a Western book for young adults. But this is not your typical Western, it has bucket loads of thrilling suspense plus action and adventure aplenty and a good measure of romance as well.

Fred Hammon is travelling West in a wagon train on his way to Oregon. Why? For fun, action and adventure and whatever life may bring. One evening a woman rides into their camp and warns them that they’re about to be overrun by the Blackfeet braves. The train hurriedly breaks camp and makes it’s escape.

Later Fred is told that the woman was the mysterious Lamora, an unspeakably beautiful white woman who lives among Indians and warns settlers of danger and ambush. Unable to stop thinking of her, Fred changes his plans and rides after her.

In those same woods, three trappers –- Black Tom, Old Stebbins, and Teddy O’Doherty –- are making their way back to the trading post after a successful season of trapping. Their pelts collected and stacked, they stumble across a river,  flowing with gold...but the danger in the forest may be greater than the gold is worth.
They are stalked by a grotesque, seemingly bullet-proof monster with the limbs of an elephant and the jaws of a crocodile, surrounded on all sides by Blackfeet braves.

Keeping watch for any settlers and other white men, who may try and stake a claim to the gold, the trappers set up camp and start panning for gold in order to make their fortune.

Fred Hammon is also there, though, friendly enough but he is keeping his cards close to his chest. However, Lamora, it seems, knows all the secrets of the woods, from the care and keeping of the monster to the location of the secret village of Christian Indians. She falls in love with Fred but is reluctant to leave her adoptive father. Lamora finally consents to leave the forest under the protection of the trappers, so long as their path isn’t crossed by violence –- or greed."

But we all know what happens when gold and the promise of untold wealth gets under the skin of men.

What happens you may ask? Well you’ll just have to download this book and find out for yourself.
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KEYWORDS/TAGS: animals, beautiful, Blackfeet, body, camp-fire, cañon, cavern, creature, danger, discover, Fred Hammond, friends, fur, gold, gun, horses, hunters, hyar, Native American, nature, Indians, Lamora, love, mining, monster, O’Doherty, Oregon trail, panning, party, prairie, rifle, six-shooter, sky, Stebbins, Teddy, Tom, trappers, tribe, vanish, wagon train, wealth, West, Western, white, young

Leseprobe

TheForest Monster

OR,Lamora, The Maid Of The Canon.

A ROMANCE OF THE FAR WEST.

BY

CHAS. E. LASALLE,

Originally Published ByBeadle And Company, Publishers, New York

[1879]

Resurrected by

Abela Publishing, London

[2019]

The Forest Monster

Typographical arrangement of this edition

© Abela Publishing 2019

This book may not be reproduced in its current format in any manner in any media, or transmitted by any means whatsoever, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, or mechanical ( including photocopy, file or video recording, internet web sites, blogs, wikis, or any other information storage and retrieval system) except as permitted by law without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Abela Publishing,

London

United Kingdom

2018

ISBN-13: 978-X-XXXXXX-XX-X

email

[email protected]

Website

Abela Publishing

Contents

Chapter I. The Mysterious Rescue.

Chapter II. What is it?

Chapter III. Teddy O’Doherty’s Encounters.

Chapter IV. The Demon at the Camp-fire.

Chapter V. In the Canon.

Chapter VI. Black Tom’s Adventure.

Chapter VII. Gold!

Chapter VIII. The Lovers.

Chapter IX. “I Had a Dream Which Was Not All a Dream.”

Chapter X. The Wonderful Cavern.

Chapter XI. Around the Camp-fire.

Chapter XII. Hunting Wealth by Firelight.

Chapter XIII. Between Two Clouds.

Chapter XIV. Conclusion.

CHAPTER I The Mysterious Rescue

The wind was howling over the prairie, with a sharp, penetrating power, while a few feathery flashes eddying through the air, showed that although it was the season of spring, yet in this elevated region of the Far West, there was scarcely the first premonition of its breath.

The night was closing in, and the vast peaks of the Black Hills, that had loomed up white and grand in the distance, were gradually fading from view until they merged into the thickly gathering gloom, while the blasts that whirled the snow in blinding drifts about their tops, came moaning and sweeping over the bleak prairie, as if searching for someone to inclose in its icy grasp, and to strangle out of life.

Now and then the desolate howl of the mountain wolf, came borne on the wind, adding to the gloomy desolation of the scene, while the dark, swarming multitude of buffaloes hurried over the frozen ground, as if fearful of being caught in the chilling blast. It was a bad night to be lost upon the prairie.

Is there no one abroad to-night?

From the grove of hardy cottonwood yonder, a starlike point of light suddenly flashes out upon the night. Surely that is the light of some hunter’s camp-fire.

A party of emigrants have halted for the night, and this is the first camp-fire that has been started, for it is not only cold, but there is cooking to be done, and a fire is indispensable.

The emigrant party numbers some twenty men, a half-dozen women, and about double that number of children. They are on their way to Oregon, and have penetrated thus far without encountering any obstacle worth noting, although for days they had been journeying through the very heart of the Indian country.

Among the party was a man named Fred Hammond, who had joined it more for the purpose of adventure than anything else. He was mounted on a magnificent black horse, was an amateur hunter, and a general favorite with the company.

Among the latter was not a single experienced mountaineer or prairie-man. They had secured the service of an old man, who professed to be thoroughly acquainted with the overland route to Oregon, but there was more than one who suspected his knowledge and believed he was nothing but a fraud.

Extremely good fortune had attended them thus far. They had caught sight of numerous parties of Indians, and indeed scarcely a day passed without something being seen of them. They had exchanged shots at quite a distance, but no harm had befallen the whites, and they had penetrated thus far on their way to distant Oregon.

But Hammond and one or two of the members were filled with misgiving. Through the day they had seen evidence of an immense Indian party being in their vicinity, and they feared the worst. It was with pain that they saw the huge camp-fire kindled, and Hammond called his comrade, Beers, to one side, and said, in his earnest voice:

“I tell you, things look darker than ever before.”

“So I think.”

“I believe we are followed by over a thousand Indians, and they intend attacking us to-night.”

“What shall we do?”

“God only knows; I don’t like that camp-fire.”

“Let it burn for a short time; they don’t need it long, and then it can be allowed to die out.”

“But it will betray our position.”

“Do you suppose there is any means possible by which we can conceal it?”

“Not entirely, but partly.”

As the night deepened it became of intense darkness. There was no moon, and the sky was entirely overcast with clouds, so that there was scarcely any light at all. The few flakes of snow that were whirling through the air had entirely ceased, but the wind still whistled through the grove.

“There is a moon up there,” said Hammond, “and if the clouds break away at all, we shall have enough light to guide us on our way.”

On account of the danger, which all knew threatened them, a number proposed that as soon as their animals had had sufficient rest, they should move out of the timber and continue their journey; but this was finally overruled, as they were not only likely to go astray in the darkness, but the Indians could easily find them, from the unavoidable noise made by their wagons.

If attacked on the open prairie at night, they were entirely at the mercy of their assailants, who could easily encircle and tomahawk and shoot them all, while in the grove they could make a fight with some prospect of success.

So it was prudently determined to remain where they were.

In the course of an hour, when there was no imperative necessity for a fire, it was allowed to slumber and finally die out. The wagons were placed in a rude circle, with the animals within, while the women and children, and such men as were relieved from duty, sought their quarters for the night, and soon silence rested upon all.

A double guard was set. Ten men were scattered around the outer edge of the globe at regular distances from each other, on the alert for the first indications of danger.

Beers and Hammond stood next to each other, and the former finally left his station and took his position beside the latter.

“What’s the use?” he muttered, by way of apology. “When it’s so dark that you can’t see anything, where’s the good of straining your eyes? As we have got to depend on our sense of hearing, we’ll help each other.”

The air was so sharp and keen that they had great difficulty in keeping themselves comfortable. They dare not stamp their feet or swing their arms, and such movements as they made, were made with a stealth and caution that nearly robbed them of all their virtue.

At the end of an hour the sky gave some signs of clearing. It was somewhat lighter overhead, but still the earth below was little benefited thereby. There was scarcely any variations in the wind, although several fancied that it had somewhat decreased.

Another hour passed drearily away, and then Beers suddenly laid his hand on the arm of Hammond.

“What is it?”

“Hark!”

Borne to them on the wind came the distant but distinct sound of a horse’s feet, as he galloped over the hard prairie.

The rapid clamp of the hoofs were heard for an instant, and then the varying windswept the sound away from their ears, and all was still.

But in a moment they rallied out again with startling distinctness—then grew fainter—died away and rung out once more.

“Someone is riding fast,” said Beers.

“And he is coming this way,” added Hammond.

A few minutes convinced them of the truth. A single horseman was riding at great speed over the prairie, and was manifestly aiming straight for the grove where the emigrants had halted for the night.

As a matter of course, all the sentinels had observed it by this time, and there was great excitement among them. They gathered about Hammond to receive his directions.

“Go back to your stations,” said he. “Keep your eyes and ears open for others, whether they be mounted or afoot, and I will attend to this one.”

His orders were obeyed, for he was looked upon as having authority in this matter, and with an interest difficult to understand they awaited the coming of the horseman.

As the latter came nearer, he seemed to be heading straight for the point where Hammond and Beers were standing.

During the last few moments, the sky had cleared so rapidly that objects could be distinguished for quite a distance, and the two men strained their eyes through the gloom to catch sight of the stranger.

“There he is,” whispered Hammond, as the dim outlines of a horse was discovered through the darkness.

The horseman had reined his horse down to a walk, and was advancing quite cautiously. He continued onward until within a dozen feet of the two men, when he reined up.

“Who comes there?” asked Hammond.

“A friend.”

“What do you seek?”

“You are in great danger, and I have come to warn you of it.”

“Good heavens!” exclaimed Beers, in an undertone; “that is a woman!”

Hammond had noticed the wondrously soft and musical voice, and he now walked forward, so as to stand beside the horse. The dim light showed that Beers spoke the truth; it was a woman seated upon the horse.

“May I ask your name?”

There was a moment’s hesitation, and then the female answered:

“I am Lamora; and I speak the truth.”

“We do not doubt it,” responded the amazed Hammond. “What is it you have to say?”

“A thousand Blackfeet warriors are coming down on this grove, two or three hours before sunrise, and if you remain, there will not be one who will escape alive.”

“What shall we do?”

“Make ready as soon as possible and start westward. Let there not be a moment’s delay, and you will be saved.”

“But they can follow us to-morrow, (if not to-night,) and attack us by daylight.”

“They can, but they will not,” replied Lamora, with the greatest earnestness. “This is a great war-party on their way southward to fight the Cheyennes. They are to meet a long ways off to-morrow; the Blackfeet have given themselves just enough time to massacre you and your friends, if you remain in this grove, as they expect you will; but if they come here and do not find you, they will have no time to follow up your wagons, and thus, you see, if you improve your time, you will be saved.”

“Beers,” said Hammond, turning to the man beside him, “rouse the men and have this thing done without a moment’s lost time, while I make a few more inquiries of our unknown friend.”

Beers darted away, and almost immediately was detected the rapid moving to and fro, and the bustle of getting ready to start.

“Your orders are being obeyed,” said Hammond, addressing the lady, who still sat her horse beside him.

“It is well that they are,” she replied, with a sigh of relief; “the Blackfeet know that you are encamped here, and they have no reason to think you will not be here when they are ready to strike.”

“Do you know where they are?”

“Over that ridge of hills, several miles to the northward. They have been riding, throwing the tomahawk, and making every preparation for the great battle which is to come off to-morrow between them and the Cheyennes.”

“This, then, is only a diversion?”

“That is it; they naturally think that, as they find you in their way, they may as well indulge in a little preliminary practice.”

“We were fearing an attack, as we knew that there were a large number of Indians in our vicinity, and we heard the sound of your horse’s feet long before we heard you. Being thus warned and prepared, could we not have made a successful defense, with the shelter of these trees, which you probably know are very numerous about us?”

“No,” was the instant answer of Lamora; “if there were no more than a hundred Blackfeet, you might repel them; but a thousand would overwhelm you. There are sounds of preparation upon the part of your friends.”

“Yes; we shall soon be on the move.”

“Keep straight to the westward; there is now enough light to prevent your going astray, and you will find, when daylight comes, that Heaven has brought you out of all danger. Farewell!”

Ere Hammond could interpose, or even thank her, the horse had wheeled about and was off on a gallop. Almost instantly, he vanished in the darkness, and the rattle of his hoofs grew fainter and fainter, until they, too, died out in the distance.

“Lamora,” repeated the young man. “I surely have heard that name pronounced by other lips than hers.

“Who is she? Where did she come from?

“She was sent by heaven, most assuredly.”

While conversing with the girl, Hammond had approached her horse as near as possible, and had managed to gain a distinct view of her face. There is something in the dim, misty moonlight which softens the asperities even of the repulsive countenance, but he was certain that the most beautiful creature upon which he had ever looked was conversing with him. Her half-civilized dress, and her wealth of flowing black hair, partly assisted in her enchanting appearance; but the face itself was one of unsurpassed loveliness.

The peculiar circumstances under which they encountered gave Hammond an equally peculiar interest in her, and a pang of disappointment went through his heart when he found that he was standing alone, and that she had left him so abruptly.

But he had important matters in hand for the time, and he gave his whole thought to them.

Everyone was working with the energy of people who were convinced that their lives depended upon the result. The teams were harnessed, the wagons loaded up, and at the end of half an hour the whole train moved out of the grove, toward the west.

Before starting, men had ridden out on the prairie in every direction, and returned with the announcement that nothing could be heard of the Blackfeet, and all pressed forward with the greatest vigor and determination.

With the passing of the immediate danger, the thoughts of the strange woman who had befriended them returned to Fred Hammond. He felt a powerful interest in her, and, as he was riding beside the guide of the company, he turned to him rather abruptly, and asked:

“Have you ever heard of Lamora?”

“Heard of her?” repeated the latter, in surprise; “wasn’t I telling you all about her the other day?”

“So you were; I was sure I had heard her name before, but I could not recollect from whom. Who is she?”

“She is a white girl, living with a tribe of Indians, somewhere up north of us, and she has done many such things as this for the white people crossing the plains. I have heard of her for years as doing the same thing.”

“What kind of a looking person is she?”

“Just the handsomest creature that ever lived! Wait till you get a good look at her.”

Hammond was not long in finding that their guide knew very little more regarding her than he had already told, although he gossiped and chatted about her until daylight.

When light at last broke over the prairie, many eyes were cast anxiously backward, but not a sign of the Indians was visible. The warning of Lamora had saved them!

Fred Hammond could not drive the thoughts of this beautiful being from his mind, and finally he determined that, as he had joined the company for the sake of adventure, he would turn back and seek adventures of the most romantic kind.

So, on the afternoon of this day, he quietly withdrew from the company, and started at an easy gallop in the direction that the guide had indicated led toward the home of the mysterious and beautiful Lamora; and, leaving our hero for a time to himself, we must now bestow our attention upon others, who have a part to play in this narrative. Love, the passion of our nature, will play the mischief with all of us, and Fred Hammond was soon off on this great “love-chase” of his life.