Gentleman Joe's Double Eagle; or, A Dance at Frog Back Curve — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

0 tance down the ravine to make sure that they got safely past the entrance to the mine. At parting, Major Hays shook hands with. Gentleman Joe very warmly, and thanked him profusely for the favors he had done, at the same time apologizing for his curtness when first warned of his danger. With a smile of satisfaction, Gentry stood and watched the little party until they disappeared from sight down the ravine. Their going + removed one of the complications from the work he had .4 hand. It was now late in the afternoon, and as he did not to spend a night in the woods, Gentleman Joe shortly started to return to Frog Back Curve for the night. He found that he could save a little time and walking by taking the short cut across the ravine to the east from the mine and climbing the steep hill on the other side. On the other side of the ravine, he found a narow foot- trail which led up the side of the hill. On both sides of this trail, there was a dense growth of underbrush, with rocks and bowlders here and there, making many sharp turns necessary. He was half-way up the hill when the sharp snapping of a twig in front of him caused him to look up with a start. Ten feet ahead the trail made a sharp turn to the right | rift between two hills he saw the red glow of a camp-fire, around a bowlder some ten feet high. Gentry stopped short when he heard the breaking of the) followers of Mike Molony, ‘little fright to see if they would not follow the example of twig, and a moment later a man walking. with a quick, nervous step turned the corner around the bowlder. The eyes of the two men met, and recognition was mutual. The man coming down the trail in such haste was Billy Gramer, the gambler. ‘‘What the dickens are you doing here?’’ he exclaimed, jn a tone of surprise, as he thrust his hands into the side pocket of his coat, where two bulging points revealed the presence of pistols. ‘‘Go easy, there, my young friend. You are not as quick with your guns as you are with cards,’’ said Gentry, ina quiet tone. ‘“T’m quick enough to get the drop on you. . Put up your hands and explain what you are doing here.”’ ‘Allow me to suggest that you do not make a test of your assertion that you have the drop. If you do, you will find that your luck has deserted you.”’ ‘You cannot bluff me with your talk.’’ ered the moment you came in sight.”’ Then, for the first time, apparently, Gramer noticed that the man in front of him held a rifle across his left arm. The muzzle was pointing straight at the breast of the gambler, and Gentry had his finger on the trigger. ‘‘Vou hold the trumps again, old man. I’ll get out of the | game,’ said the gambler, as he slowly took his hands/ ‘camp, there came a rattle and roar of rifle shots followed from his pockets. “Then maybe you'll explain what you are doing here?”’ ‘‘T have business with some miners up the ravine.’’ ‘“You mean the ones who work in the Hamp Hull Mine?”’ Gramer gave a sudden start, and shot a quick, search- ing glance at the man who had asked the question. “What do you know about the Hamp Hull Mine?’’ ‘‘Byerything. I have just taken possession of it,’’ replied Gentry, quietly. For a moment the young gambler stood and gazed at the man from Denver with a half-frightened, half-puzzled ex- pression on his face. ‘‘Then you are the man they sent out from Denver to investigate?”’ “Tam, and if I am not mistaken, you are the man who sold the claim.’’ g ‘‘How did you find that out?”’ ‘(Never mind how I found that out. I reckon we under- stand each other a little better now.”’ : ‘‘You seem to understand the situation pretty well, any- how.”’ “Tf you have any doubt about my having located and taken possession of the mine, come with me, and I will prove it to you.” | ‘‘I’]] take your word for it. , mistake.”’ You’re a wonder, and no THE LOG CABIN LIBRARY. care | young sport | ‘tered the stamping-ground of the Rocky Rangers. ie A . "eh See eae eee a . = Ww Fla - ’ No, 381. me ‘Then we might as well go back to town together if you have no objection to my company.” ‘Excuse me, Mr. Gentleman Joe. I know when the cards are running against me. I have had enough of this game, and I’m going to get out of it just as fasf as possible.”’ “T think you will see it through to the end. We may need your testimony to establish the claim of the com- n Ce, . ; ‘Well, whistle for me whenever you want me. As Gramer spoke he bounded into the bushes at the side of the trail, and was off like a deer. Dodging from tree to tree, he ran down the ‘side of the ‘hill toward the ravine at a tremendous rate of speed. Gentleman Joe did not attempt to follow him, for he be- lieved that the gambler would keep his word and get out of the game for good, now that he realized that the cards were indeed running against him. Gentry remembered the due bill for twenty thousand dollar§ which Gramer held against the owner of the Red Star gambling-house, and he knew that he could find the later if it developed that his testimony was absolutely necessary. : When the gambler was out of sight, Gentleman Joe resumed his journey, and crossing over the hill, again en- It was getting dark by this time, and down in a little Suspecting at once that the men in the camp were the he decided to try giving them a set out of the way without more ado. Major Hays and Gentry found Approaching the camp-fire cautioasly, that he was.correct in his conclusion. The Rocky Rangers had camped for the night in a small ‘open space at the foot of the hill where.a spring of fresh water gushed out from under the rocks. Creeping up within a short distance of the camp, Gentry was able to distinguish the tall, slender form of Con Con- way, the ebony face of Black Joe, the fiddler, and the hunchback, Dinky Dobbins. ‘ The big leader of the gang was nowhere in sight. Gentrywwas turning over in his mind a plan for giving the Rocky Rangers a fright that they would not forget in a hurry. : 7 But the Shadows of the Hills saved him the trouble. While he lay hidden in the underbrush watching the movements of the outlaws, who were preparing their sup- ‘‘T never bluff. IT heard you coming, and I had you cov- | per, he heard a series of wild, blood-curdling cries coming from the wooded hill beyond the camp, The outlaws started up and grasped their weapons at the strange sound. | A moment later a score of tall, dark forms seemed to spring suddenly from the dark woods. They came down on the camp with a rush like a whirlwind. As the black spectre-like forms rushed down on the by wild cries of pain and terror from the frightened ‘Rocky Rangers. The latter were taken unawares, and seemed to lose all thought of resistance at sight of the dark forms rushing down upon them so swiftly. Throwipvg down their rifles, they turned to fly. Black Joe, the fiddler, was inthe lead, and at every jump he made he uttered a shriek of terror that echoed and re-echoed far over the surrounding hills. | By the light of the camp-fire, Gentry saw half a dozen of the Rocky Rangers throw up their arms, and, with cries of pain, fall headJong to the ground. This time the Shadows of the Hills were shooting to kill. Whatever the cause of the strife between the two gangs ‘might be, it was evident that the men with the black ‘masks meant to make this the battle of extermination. Those of the Rocky Rangers who escaped the well- aimed shots of their adversaries fled in all directions, without any attempt at resistance. The fight was over in a few minutes, and it ended in the complete rout of the Rocky Rangers. Fully half their number lay on the’ ground around the camp-fire killed or wounded, while the others were flying ~ away in the darkness in a wild rush to escape. <2 = . EF esl ~ ee o® > < C is sa 8 a) L, - eo ‘ a a ae * a. eo ee opal - ; me aye «Se es ~s p= t Os, 5 Pia . ; « SW, ee" ‘- ”, ’ ' * f - “ee, | « we ‘ “ ‘ fp * Se “,» « - 4 ss, , he ta The men in the black masks did not attempt to pursue — ie be ’ Wee ae | me ap . aay Ss . comicbooks com