Frank Reade, Jr., With His New Steam Horse Among The Cowboys; Or, The League Of The Plains — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

Vi 3 | om t > oo ~ 2 he ae tt —— or. en —. 14 * Lead the way.” Senor will follow P” OR.” The boy touched his mustang and dashed away across the plain, while Frank followed him with the Steam Horso at a gallop. Around an angle of the mountain rance they went: Here, to Frank’s surprise, they passed directly into a small chaparral, and thence into a narrow pass. Up through the hills it led for several miles. Lhen, where the mountain walls seemed to converge, making a vast amphitheatre, Juan drew rain. : st oe - a “4 aattnanmieslaiiiay a ys owe Pep eee eR we we Vary BL, atl! oe — 7 ‘ ta eens “te ee 4 —— .% ~ — = ~ Caereal wr ee ee ee eee i ee =. == - = ~ er . Cee re —! oe = = ot . ed na Tt ate aa tn i ch es \ - ~ = - 2 =. " 5 ~~ , : é : THE LEAGUE OF THE PLAINS. Whereupon, all sprang back and sought shelter beyond a distant angle of the canyon. ily Pomp ran the Steam Horse down the | | gorge lor some distance. , There was a brief interval of most op- wit pressive silence. Then there came a sudden roar, an ran explosion that shook the eanyon walls. Bu Tons of broken rock fell into the can- - A mighty aperture was revealed, as beyond which, the dark depths of the ame, secret mine could be seen. | oo And now, barely had the smoke and hoe dust cleared away, when down over the heap of rocks there came the tall, slender « Hewent straight to the smooth wall | figure of a young man. i of the defile. His face was pale, and he showed signs =} Picking up a huge stone he pounded | of long-continued mental distress. Be upon the wall. It was Arthur Bentley, the prisoner of = J A hollow sound came back. the secret mine. | : mee i Frank was now by his side. For a moment he stood with radiant os “The mine is beyond that wall, senor,” | face and drinking in the pure air of the a he declared. Listen !” canyon. | La _ Frank placed his ear against the wall Then Juan Almado, the Mexican boy, Ls ie by Juan’s direction. To his amazement sprang to his side, with a rapturous ery. 1 Na a voice came to him through the stone. “Faithful Juan,” eried Arthur Bentley, 7 » “God be praised, you have come back | joyously, “ this is your work. You have | i i to talk with me !” , brought these people here to rescue me.” By. ‘itis the prisoner,” said Juan, in reply | “And youare saved!” cried the boy, PM to Frank’s questioning glance. meéey talk withhim.” — Prank put his lips to the wall and shouted : ‘“ Who are your” “Tam Arthur Bentley, a prisoner in this awful place,” came back the reply. “Who are you P” ) “ft am a friend !” replied Frank. *‘ Keep ae your courage. We are here to rescue OU. ‘‘ Heaven be praised !” “Frank turned to Barney and said: *Brme me from the waggon one of those dynamite tubes, Be lively.” “All roight, Misther Frank.” Barney obeyed the command in double quick time. The tube of dynamite was the inven- tion of Frank’s own, and he knew how it would work, | Searching a few moments, he found a _erevice in the wall, into which he thrust ‘the tube. | Frank, having connected a fuse with _‘. the tube, lit it. Then he eried: gets “ Back, all of you, for your lives!” ‘ Senor | joyously. “The Virgin be praised !” Frank came forward extending his 9 | ‘So this is Arthur Bentley,” he said, , i pleasantly. “Tam glad to meet you.” We: “And Iam glad to meet you,” eriec : pang young Bentley, fervently. “You can ee hardly realize as fully as I can what it gee means to be released from that fearful fata place. | “TY can imagine what it means,” replied Frank, “but let me introduce myself: I am Frank Reade, jun., and I am from your father.” | ‘My father. Is he well ?” “He is, and sends youhis love. But i. he has feared the worst for a long time, +: Resta not having heard from-you.” oa “Lt could not communicate with him,” replied Arthur. “TI have been a prisoner for nearly a year in that awful place. pF Do L not look like one df the: victims of 1, the Bastille ?” | a ) Indeed, that was a fact. et Young Bentley was a sorry-looking spectacle. His clothing was tattered and “ae bedraggled, his skin was pallid, his hair Ye and beard very abahovoliat Sk ae ees