Frank Reade, Jr., With His New Steam Horse Among The Cowboys; Or, The League Of The Plains — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

: Be * Lead them out twenty paces, and six i eae of you with rifles may riddle them until a oth they are dead.” Bk The order was partly obeyed. SA tial The two prisoners, with hands tied 1 ane behind them, were stood side by side a aes near the corner of the ranch building. eS Six of the cowboys with Winchesters stood twenty paces distant. Ma ier Harding stood by, ready to give the hee word to fire. ee It certainly looked as if the fate of the ie _ prisoners was sealed. pea “God help us!” murmured Arthur | Ly Re Seen “We are surely done for, Magee Nrank.,”’ ae ___ Bat the young inventor accepted the Situation stoically. He made no reply, _ ~~ but faced the deadly rifles in silence. ~~ One thing was certain, the two victims Beat had clearly determined to mect death ee like men of nerve and courage, et ; <sstna Pda: a eruel smile upon his i)... face, stood by. . pat ta _ * Ready !” he cried. 1 Pipe ok LR six cowboys threw their rifles to | their shoulders. Ly 4 spk bees, The command to fire was already aioe _ trembling upon Harding’s lips, when a ne Wie thrilling thing oceurred. | Be, ‘There was a sudden shrill scream of agony and terror, and a light form came flying through the gloom. /* The next moment the astounded crowd i Hy oe spectators “ae the Den oes ~~ ful young girl clinging to the form o j Be Ie Aathor Bentl ey. “t Sees, _.__ Instinctively, the six cowboys dropped ee DAN the muzzles of their rifles to the ground. >>, * Arthur, they shall not, kill you!” was Un ee Se wild, agonised ery which pealed | =~ from the lips of Helen Vose, for she it it ieee. Was, Ht Be os “Helen,” eried Arthur, hoarsely, “you 4) sObring me joy, that I shall see you once 4 © more before I die.’ . ~ - » - F; ~ * = Eo y Se hee ey a ew ae a, ie Se 4 w& . ees | . oe —~ , o4 “Scoundrel!” exclaimed Arthur, hotly. met * You have much to answer for.” git “ Not to you, though !” “ I defy you to do your worst.” “You will not say that when you come to face death.” “I am not afraid to die.” } emg vi “ That will do very well for you to say. “+ E know better,” so “Do your worst, Jack Harding, I will s- haunt you after death.” . a Tho villain shivered, but turned to his "men and said, authoritatively : THE LEAGUE OF THE PLAINS. sueh a sacrifice P” *Y Jack Harding’s face was black as a thunder cloud. He saw the affectionate attitude of the iy lovers, and it maddened him. i ‘Perdition !” he hissed. “ Pull them apart! Take that hussy back to the cabin.” | the order was heard by the cowboys, and a couple of them sprang forward to lay hands upon the gir. But she turned like a tigress. “Hold!” she cried, with flashing eyes, “do not dare to lay hands upon me.” | The men instinctively shrank back. There was a fiendish light in Harding's eyes as he took a step forward. “Helen,” he cried, hoarsely, “this will avail you nothing. You cannot save the lives of these men.” ‘“ Wretch!” exclaimed Helen. with ° virtuous indignation. “Would you fr blacken your soul with murder ?” ‘a ‘“T am a desperate man. These men tp are my enemies.” cr ‘And you seek their lives ?” os “They seek mine.” ‘4 “Tf you kill them: you will first kill me!” she eried, with a ring of defiance. | The villain shrugged his shoulders. 4 “Come, ma chére,” he said in a softer By tone, “listen to reason. I do not wish Be to use force to take you from here.” ‘You had better not,” ef “ Will you listen to reason P” , "ae ‘There is nothing reasonable to me but the sparing of the lives of these men.” A sudden light came into the villain’s es. | “T have it!” he cried. ~—— * . ey “T will spare the lives of these men since you desire | it !” : A light of joy leaped from Helen’s iz eyes. | 5 “ You will 2” she eried. ‘Yes ; but wpon one condition.” For a moment the young girl was silent. Then she drew herself up with cignity, and said, slowly : : “What is that condition 2” “That you accept my proposal of marriage.” a “Seoundrel!” cried Arthur Bentley, a hotly, “do you think I would consent to a But Helen Vose raised her hand. “Wait!” she said, in a clear, lis- tinct voice. ‘Let me have time to think,” “ eo, . J / iG ; es - ys ; 9 : Ly : : « - ¥ : : q a ty We 4S S,) ; yr éf + > ” Pr * oo» ed 4 > oN 5 s She. ol a “=. ~ -h) - DPilwe : ’ p>, -