Frank Reade, Jr., With His New Steam Horse Among The Cowboys; Or, The League Of The Plains — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

i —— ———* a , -— i «. PRS eR ae A ers om RS Ree es LO -- Ca . - = ins : a - * — poet oJ o. > - ro be owt "a 4 . tae te wi Swe - 3 » 4 ‘ . . 3 A - oh ae Dc RESCUBD FROM THE SECRET MINE. 15 : a In fact, he showed all the evidences of “ Of course I am. Horrors! the deadly } =his long confinement. His emaciated | plot is to burn the ranch, massacre the -? frame and ghastly pallor were sadly in | faithful cowboys and carry Helen Voso 7 contrast with his usual, health and | away captive.” 3 | __ physical beauty. | “Great Heavens!” cried Frank, “ what e)) i “A year in that dark hole ?” eried | a fiendish plan !” ) Frank, with horror. “Mercy on us! “Ttis awful!’ % How did you ever subsist t” “But will not Major Vose be fore- b. *© “Oh, I was fed regularly, by order of | warned?” | © Sack Harding. Every day large pieces “ Impossible | More than half the band x of meat were thrown down. the shatt. at Comfort Ranch are traitors.” es There was a spring in the cave andi; “* Abt. . } © managed with this to keep soul and body “They will see the major hanged betore a _ together,” they will betray the truth to hin.” q i “Tecan hardly conceive it,” exclaimed “Then all depends upon us!” cried >) Frank; but pardon me, did you not men- Frank. “ We must take action, and at- oe tion the name of Jack Harding ” once. There is no time to lose.” | om “TI did; he was my captor.” “Give me weapons! eried young bal Frank gave a great start. Bentley, rigidly. “I will lay down my life Hae “Then Harding really is in collusion | before Jack Harding shall earry off Li with the League of the Plains ?” He is more—he is the recognized loader.” “ Tust as I supected!” “He is responsible for your confinement here P”’ 66 Yes.” “ What—what was his motive ?” “T hardly know, unless bitterly hates me.” “Tf so, why did he not kill you out- right P” Helen.” ‘¢ He must be a treacherous villain “He is, and unless Major Vose is 1? eried Frank. | warned at once he will lose all.” “Ah!” exclaimed Frank, “but I know that Helen had fathomed Harding.” The young Easterner turned an in- quiring as well as joyful gaze upon Ts it is that he | Frank. + What do you mean ?” he cried. that really so?” “Of course it is. I overheard her reject “ For some inexplicable reason or other, his offer of marriage with scorn, and she - I know not what. Perhaps he thought it was better revenge to torture me with irksome confinement.” ‘Ah! very likely. same Lieutenant Harding claim friendship with Major Vose and family ey A great shiver ran over Bentley. He turned deadly pale, and cried: Qh, Heavens! now it comes to me. Something must be done at once. Major -Vose and Comfort Ranch are in deadly peril.” «What do you mean ?” “Tt is frightful. We must lose no But does not this | ley, then and there accused him of knowing something of your disappearance.” ) “Thank God!” whispered young fervently, “ Helen is true to me.” Frank gripped the young man’s hand. Bent- ‘¢ Be sure, of that, sir. Also accept my : | services and those of the Steam Horse in the righting of ipa wrongs.” , Arthur looked bewildered ; but at this moment, around an angle in the canyon wall, came Pomp with the Steam Horse. Young Bentley stood like one stupefied. gazing at the, to him, strange spectacle, “ Upon my word!” he gasped, “ What time. I tell you before midnight ‘the | manner of invention is that ?” ‘ranch will be in ashes.” Frank was amazed, “What are you talking about?” he cried. “ How do you know that?” “T know it well. I overheard Harding, Durgin and Buxton talking it over last night. , “ What, that an attack was to be made ‘upon Comfort Ranch to night ?” .” Yes.” it “ Are you sure ?” : » od ye ed + “Tt is a Steam Horse,” replied Frank. “Come and see my invention.” Like one in a dream, Bentley allowed | himself to be led up to the side of the wonderful Steam Horse, while Frank. ft showed him its wonderful workings, until gradually the feasibility of the machine — awned upon him. | Then he declared : “Well, sir, you certainly are the most wonderful man on earth to invent sucha =~ yy pa," A, 4 ry) > d “a % . ‘y = Ig ‘ ) : , ‘ = . yp ¥ ‘ : : comicbooks FY eee ” le Ae, ee SI : — al * ber. -- sie: : *+e- - . ° o> ~~. ~ # > —-< ee a wh ea aE ee eo —. 2 Ano. 7 ——— te == =" — —