Gentleman Joe's Double Eagle; or, A Dance at Frog Back Curve — page 25: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

No. 381. ee CR -- -— ——_—_—_ lying scattered around on the ground with all the fight knocked out of them. While some of them were struggling to their feet and limping away leaving a trail of profanity behind them, the Gilt-Edged Sport lighted his pocket-lantern. He wanted to get a glimpse of the faces of some of the men who wore the black masks. Just as his light flashed up the sharp report of a pistol rang out and the lantern was knocked from his hand by a bullet. The masked men had suspected his intention, and one of them with a well-aimed shot had made it impossible for him to carry it out. But the shot aroused the fighting blood of Gentleman Joe once more, Leaving his lantern on the ground he drew a knife and sprang at the crowd. But they saw the movement and took to their heels, leaving their opponent alone on the field, Mournful Mary had run away at the first appearance of the masked men. CHAPTER XII. THE ROUT OF THE RANGERS, The following morning Gentleman Joe slipped out of town at an early hour, and hurried away to the ravine in which the rich gold mine was located. Knowing that a number, if not all of the mysterious in- dividuals known as the Shadows of the Hills, were lurking about the town back of Frog Back Curve, he had decided to make another search for the hiding-place of this gang while there was a probability that he would be free from interruption. He had already decided upona plan which would end the work he had undertaken to do, provided he could carry it through successfully. The success of this plan depended on his finding the headquarters of the mysterious band of men who were in possession of ‘the Hamp Hull Mine. Gentry spent the day tramping up and down the ravine, and over the wooded hills without substantial results. Again and again he had found foot-prints and trails across the hills which he had followed in the hope that they would lead to some secret cave. Each time he had been disappointed, and, finally, he gave up the search. All he had accomplished was the finding of a new en- +rance to the ravine in which the mine was located. It was late in the afternoon when he approached the} ever got into.’’ opening in the hill-side which led to the rich deposit of gold. As he came in sight of the place he was surprised to see ——————ee - - ~— 28 —_~—---—- ee eee ——_ —————_——_—————_———_—_—$_—— LT —— A sharp cry followed the report of the rifle, and the long knife dropped from the broken hand of the man at the end of the ladder, and came tumbling down the side of the cliff, narrowly missing the four startled men who had been saved by the lightning shot of Gentleman Joe. Major Hays and his companions heard the shot, and saw the flash of the knife as it shot past them and dropped to the ravine below with a dull thud. For a moment they stopped, and looked up at the cliff above them, and down to the ground below, but failed to see either the man who had attempted to hurl them into eternity, or the one who had fired the shot just in time to save their lives. All four of the men knew that they were in danger, and they lost no time in clambering down to the ground below. As they stepped from the ladder Gentleman Joe came forward with a smile on his face and greeted the major. ‘‘What the devil are you doing h3re?’’ cried the old war- rior, who was startled by the sudden appearance of the man who had several times before warned or saved him from danger. ‘‘Practicing a fancy shot with my rifle,’’ replied Gentry, with a smile. “Then it was you who fired the shot we heard just now? ‘*Were you firing at us?”’ As the major asked this question, he threw back his shoulders with a martial air and made a bluff as if he were going to draw a pistol. _ For answer, Gentleman Joe picked up the knife that was sticking in the ground close by the foot of the cliff. For a moment Major Hays looked from the knife to the man who held it, and then with a glance along the ladder to the top of the cliff, he seemed to understand the situation, ‘*You are a whole handful of trumps!’’ he exclaimed, with a show of enthusiasm, as he stepped forward and ex- tended his hand to Gentleman Joe. | The latter accepted the offering of friendship with a quiet smile of satisfaction. “Tam glad I was in time to do you a good turn,’’ he ‘‘What the dus6 does it all mean, anyway?’’ asked the major, as he again surveyed the rope-ladder which he had just descended. | “Oh, that is used to get up and down the cliff.”’ “Who put it there?’’ ‘‘T do not know; it may have been the miners, or pos- sibly some of the outlaws who infest this region.”’ ‘*It was the outlaws, I will wager. They seem to be everywhere around here. This is the toughest country I + ‘“You have encountered more of them?”’ ‘‘T run across them atevery turn. We have done nothing | but shoot and run, run and shoot, ever since we have been four men climbing slowly down the long rope-ladder that; here. Look at this, sir.’’ led from the top of the cliff above. As the major spoke he took off his broad-brimmed hat, It was evident from their movements that they were| and held it up for inspection, and threw back the sides of unfamiliar with this method of getting up and down a|his overcoat. cliff, Gentry cautiously approached a little closer, and by the time the men were half-way down the ladder he had rec- ognized the one in the lead. Major Hays and his men had made one discovery—that they had not located the mine for which they had been searching. It was the major and his mining experts who were slowly and laboriously climbing down from the top of the cliff. Jt was amusing to watch them, and Gentry stopped to see the fun. The four men were fifty feet or more above the bottom of the ravine, when Gentleman Joe, glancing up to the top of the cliff, saw a man bending over and watching them climbing down the ladder. j Suddenly the fellow on the top of the cliff drew a knife from his belt and reached over to cut the rope. | Gentry was a hundred yards away, but fortunately for the men suspended in mid-air, he had brought a rifle with him that day. : Quick as a flash, he raised the weapon, and taking quick aim, fired at the man on the cliff. There were bullet holes in both. “Why, sir, I went through twenty battles in the late war before I had as many bullet marks as that.”’ ‘You seem to have had a lively time,’’ said Gentry, who was thoroughly enjoying the excitement of the major. ‘‘Lively? Why, sir, we have had a —— of a time.’’ ‘Have you found the mine for which you were search- ing?’’ ‘‘No, we have been too busy dodging bullets.’’ ‘“Do you expect to find it?”’ ‘*Young man, if we find our way back to the railroad station, and get safely out of this devilish country, I shall consider that we are in big luck.’’ ‘Then you have given up the search for the mine?’’ ‘*We have—the richest mine in the world would not in- duce me to spend another three days and nights in this wild country where you are shot at wherever you go, and ae too busy dodging bullets: to even look for traces of gold.”’ Gentry was very well satisfied with the decision of the major, but he made no comment. He told the party how to find the shortest way to the railroad station, and then walked with them a short dis-. “DOOKS.COmM