Frank Reade Library No. 12: Frank Reade and His Steam Man of the Plains — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

shoulder, the pistol was discharged Hallett sank, wounded and dying, to the grassy CHAPTER XXIIL DASH HALLETT’S LEGACY. As Dash Hallett sank back dying to the ground, our young friend Chariey Gorse threw his rifle to his broad shoulder and covered the form of Jack Reeves. A whip-like crack, s and clear, rang out, and then the deserter tumbled over backward to the plain, his life going out before his falling body reac we groan . The re ing robber leaped from the wagon, and tried to run away. “ Oh, no, me foine laddy,” cried Barney, start- after him on a full jump, and brandis his well-used blackthorn stick. ‘‘This would be elightin’ us, do ye see. We couldn’t think o’ partin’ wid ye, not jist now, anyhow.” And then he leaped upon the flying man and made a clip at him with his shillelab. The man turned and drew his knife, which pleased Barney very much. * An’ it’s a foine boy ye are,” he said, making another clip at the enemy’s head, which the lat- ter blocked with his drawn blade. ‘Ye have the rale stuff in ye, and I'll fight fairer wid ye for that same. Howld on one breath, and I’ll throw me stick away.” TME STEAM MAN OF THE PLAINS. He ran to the spot where Caarley Goree was {ust as I thought I was going under, I was saved. now supporting the form of Dash Hall The head of the dying hunter was piliowed on Chariey’s shoulder, while the boy’s tears fell upon the parpecs upturned face. The not known each other long, but their uaintance had begun amid wildest danger, and when brave hearts meet under such circum- stances the tie contracted is usually as true and etrong as could be the tried friendship of calm and uneventful years. ‘Poor Dash,” munnured Charley. ‘Can't I do something for you?” ‘“* No, boy,” returned the hunter, “‘ my call has been trumpeted and I’ve got to obey the great captain of rangers. I haven't anything to regret, except that I should like to have died in a square stand u fight. But I’m glad I wasn’t put under by a redial n. I'd rather die by the hand of a white man, for the reds would cruowin’ for a if wer put Dash Hallett out of the way. ‘“ Who?” asked Frank, who was now bending over the dying plainsman. ‘The man who shot me.” “Lying by tho wagon with Charley's bullet through his skull,” said Frank. “Then I’m satisfied,” suid Dash. ‘I can call it a square deal.” Frank thrust his hand under she blood-stained shirt of the hunter and felt for the wound. He had but little difficulty in finding the hole, for it was a large, ragged cut, that was big enough to let out a dozen lives. ‘‘It’a no use, my boy,” said Dash. ‘I've got my last sickness, and nothing on earth can kee me from the happy hunting grounds. Ain't it The fearless fellow really would have thrown | so?’ his shillelah away, and fought the outlaw with his knife, to show his approval, if the robber had given him time. ‘Go to thunder, you blundering Irish fool,” he cried, and lea upon Rooney with upraised knife, his aim being to get inside the guard formed by the Irishman’s stick. ‘“ Take that!” He © a desperate plunge at the Patlander, but Rooney, although unable to bring his shille- lah into quickly enough to stop cae blow, to defend himself equally as well by kicking ovt wit& a will. His heavy boot struck the descending blade from the hand of his foe. The man dropped to the ground as if shot, and the knife went whistling into the air. Barney wes about to step forward to examine his prostrate opponent, when the hand of the rob- bor flew up and Barney Shea caught the blue of a pistol-barrel. It is doubtful whether the man had effected his arep any quicker time than our Irish friend ex- ecu , He realized that the pistol would off, and that in all probability the muzzle would be point- ed at his body, therefore he wisely concluded to fall as ne as a pancake, and to do so as quickly as 6. down went Barney Shea, and at the same moment the pistol went off. The ball flew harmlessly above the form of the shrewd Irishman, and in less than a moment Benes wee upon his feet. He dashed down upon the enemy like some in- furiated race-horse, and before the fellow could rise, the son of the Emerald Isle was showering blows upon him. ‘‘ Take that—and that—and that!” cried he, be- etowing his cracks with a liberal hand. ‘I : ad Tm afraid you've got your death wound,” said rank. ** Of course I have—who's that?” For just at that moment came the cowardly pis- tol shot fired by the outlaw. Frank could not tell, but the next moment he and the rest heard Barney's voice utterin mations as he rained blows upon the robber. Ina few moments the Irishman came up to them panting and puffing, his shillelah besmeared with blood from the nose of his foe. “Tare oF een a is he 7m he roee gazing upon Dash, who lay upon ey’s bro ahoutder with closed eyes. ‘* Hush,” said Frank. Hallett opened his eyes. ** Yes, I’m going, Barney,” hesaid. “ The trum- net nes sou ed and a aet BO | pone: peters I want to say something. I’ve semethin oo leave. What do you call it?” 7 : “Al » said Fook. ‘That's it,” said Hallett. “I’m dying, and I don’t want to dite unless I can leave things settled in some sort of shape. In the first place I want you all to promise me that ye'll not desert poor itznoodie. I want you to see that poor greeny back to the border towns. Will youall promise?’ They all gave him their solemn promise rot to desert Fitznoodle. ‘Now that you've to do that I'll talk about my legacy,” said bh. ‘“ Frank, put your hand inside my vest.” Frank did so. “Do you find a little pocket?” a6 es t} } “ Feal inside and you’ll come across a flat tin bacco box.” “T have it!” adid Frank. He drew forth the tobacco-box, and handed it thought ye wor a mon afther me own heart, but I’ to Das foind that ye’re a murtherin’ spalpeen at best. Do ye call that any sort of a dacint way to do? Flop some down upon the grass loike ye’re wounded or dead, and thin whin a mon is com- ry co ake ye, what do eco uae iad wid a P and bang away at him. ought ye war & mon worthy to be a descindant from l- kenny whin ye faced me in such foine sthyle, but now [ foind that ye’re only a big throtter after all. o’ that, and tell me, darlint, do ye loike the flavor?” And while talking he had been constantl abowune his hearty blows over the body, head, and shoulders of the robber, until the latter roll- ed from undur the shillelah and nimbly leaped away from the Irishman. Barney leaped after him, but the fellow had put on an extra burst of speed, and the Irishman was unabie to catch him, so ho gave up the chase and eame back, mu : **Onyhow, bedad, head'll be afther aching for six weeks to come, an’ there’s a devilish little vartue in a blackthorn sthick. Shure it was only a bog throtter be was, afther all, 80 he was hardly an equal match for one of the Sheas.” eo soon as tne Last of his enemies had vane wagon Frank Reade shut off every particle o steam and leaped to the ground. h. ‘* No, I can’t open it now,” said the dying hunt- or) banding the box back to a i The strength gone from my fingers. Open it.” Frank obeyed. 7. Le small sheet of paper, carefully folded, lay in e bottom of the box. = aah you got the paper?” asked Dash. 6¢ es.” ‘“‘Then you’ve got the map that'll guide you to the spot where ten thousand dollars in gold has been buried for two years,” said Hallett. ‘It was in the charge of a fellow that hired me to across the plains with him. I never knew who he was, or whut he was, or to whom the money belonged, for he never told me. We had a light wagon and two good horses, and I’ve often thought as how he stole the money from some re ar companys Well, we was attacked, and this fellow was killed; so was the horses. I fought like a crazy man; there was only three reds, and I laid them all out, although I got fear- fully wounded. I was too badly wounded to carry apy money away with me, so I lived on the Sale be it in the wagon for a few days, then uried tho gold, and managed to limp away, first making a rough sketch of the place where the gold was sunk. I was lucky enough to fall in with a friendly tribe of reds after a few days, and , jest open that paper.” J k carefully removed the paper from the box und unfolded it. ‘J have opened it.” ** Can you make out the sketch ?”’ 66 es 9 Y e “But the locality ain’t marked, is it?” asked the dying hunter. Frank looked closely. ‘*No,” he said, “you have marked everything in plain style, but where is the ; “Mark it down,” said Hall the grove called Three Islands.” 46 re) on.” ‘Then také up & course weet by sou-weet.” ** West by sou-west,” repeated . the directions down. “And follow it for just about two hundred miles.” 66 Yes.” = vom you come to a grove like Three Islands.” 6 ea.”” ‘‘ And in that grove runs a stream,” feebly con- tinued the dying man. ‘‘ There's a tall cotton- wood grows by the bank of the stream, right hand facing the sun. When the sun is about an hour high, you can see the shadow of the truuk ex- tend over some rocks in the water. Under the furthest rock that the shadow touches lays the gold.” Ho paused a moment. ‘* Have you got it all?” “Yes,” suid Frank. 7 Then good “bye,” Baid the owe , enjoy care of that greeny, ou’re welcome to enjoy that gold hetween $0. Good-bye.” And then the eyes closed, the hands relaxed, and Dash Hallett, brave, true son of the western prairies, passed quietly away to the land of shadows. They made him a grave bereath the green sods of the prairies he roamed for many long years, and = virgin soil was moistened by their rn tears excla- | sad, h , heart- ' —D CHAPTER XXIV. THE NIGHT BATTLE. LIKE a devastating hurricane the rs, under the lead of Bill Carter and HB Hale poured down upon he Brethren of the Plains. Their hoarse cheers, sounding like the trumpet note of doom, rang and vibrated through the arches of the groves. Their lurid torches lit up the scene with a wild, unearthly radiance. The robbers, red and white, well knew the meaning of that terrible cheer. It said as plainly as words could say, that their deadliest enemies were pouring down upon them, eager for theif blood, determined to sweep them from the face of the earth. They recognized the cry, and knew the mon from whosc throats it pealed. These were no n emigrants, who, however brave they might be, were unused to the tactics of rairie warfare, but a band of well-armed and ined plainsmen, terrible fighters, dead-shots rfect riders, and as fearless as the grizzlive o: e mountains. Therefore they grew eppalled when the shout saluted their ears, and when Harry Hale and his brave followers poured down upon them with istol, rifle and knife, they were too much terri- ed to fight. Their ranks were broken, they were thorough- ly demoralized, and their leaders were unable to collect them quickly enough to make a stand. Captain Slasher struck down an Indian who had turnéd to fly. “Halt!” he shouted, trying to stem the tide with his authoritative tones. ‘‘ We are twe to their one yet, and we can whip them.” “There he is!” shouted Bill Carter. He touched Harry Hale on the arm. de Who?” ** Captain Slasher.” ‘** Where?” demanded the detective. ‘** That chap yonder flourishing a knife. That trapper had no time to oA more, for the enemy, partially reassured by ptain Slasher and his orders, began to atrike back blow for blow, and Bill Carter was in reseipt of delicate and per- sonal attention from three tall sons of the west- ern wilds. Harry Hale shot one ce of flerce hatred at Captain Slasher, and n threw up his carbine and fired. At the same moment the captain raieed his knife to strike down an em t. The bullet struck the e, turned the blade into the body of the Oemre tree ne steel sank coOmichooks.com