Wildcat Bob, the Boss Bruiser — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

. i ap i a - — ¥ is zs \ The New York 22 he New York Library. ‘Vol, T.. g lazily a prelude to her seocturnal rest, in the glare of the dying light. Insects were droning leisurely wets ee and «, few night birds had commenced their evening eongs. bg ne POR ERY SOs GiowaDs, in radiant and the breeze was filled with the per- faine of honeysuckle and other exquisite flowers. Away over hills, into valleys, and through streams; on—on, and the foam flew from the flying horse, whose nostrils were dila- ted and eyes balging. out from its tremendous ex- ertions. And white, nervous, and fearful, Car- chica de Monterey sat in his saddle, and watched ead for the lo -for goal. ener ow . e. Ae o'clock train was at the depot m Denver, xan tient to dart away over ice ron trail through the wil- ward the great. east. W Pild Carlos saw it from the crest of a neighboring hill, and shrieking like a demon he spurred madly to- ward the station. But no one noticed or heard him. The conductor strode down the platform and yelled ‘“‘ All aboard;” there was a scramble for cars; the bell’ elanged, the whistle eli and the eastern-bound train moved put of station, on its journey. And then, wiicen it was out of sight, and it was too late to stip it, Wild Carlos was seen rushing madly up. CHAPTER XX. SAVED AFTER ALL—THE BATTLE OF THE TRES- TLE-BRIDGE—VICTORY. ** Srop! stop that train for God’s sake!” shout- ed the outlaw, frantically, leaping from his ani- mal onto the platform as the poor beast fell dead at the end of its journey. ie eens mnal it, I say, or ed headlong to every person aboard w destruction!” ctio ** What?’ cried the station-master, in alarm— “what is this you say?” ** Stop the pe agll gasped Wild Carlos; then the blood rashed into his brain, and he fell to the floor, insensible. ‘“ Heavens! what can the matter be!” ejacu- lated the station-master bending over the pros- trate form. ‘I reckon he’s dead, sure pop. **No,” replied a bystander, tearing open the outlaw’s vest, and la. bare his breast, ‘‘ he has only been overcome y hard riding and ex- citement. Bring some liquor, somebody, and we'll uickly fetch him to.” at’s all rau Sie hat’s the matter?” de- ee a tall, portly gentleman hurrying up, he having i from the depot as Wild Carlos dashed up. ‘* Who have you got here?” “That we do not know, sir,” was the general reply. ‘‘It’sa man what rid upand yelled fer ter the train or all the ers’d be hurled he’d foremost inter destruction, an’ then he kerflummuxed right down here in a heep, yer honor.” - no By George! that is strange. There must be eaning at the bottom of it, that we can- not oe tathione said the new-comer who was one of the directors of the road. “T say, Duncan, ed grain and telegraph to the Woodpile and have in flagged, until we can find out more about this matter. Quick, now, or you will be $00 late!” The station-master sprung to his feet and hur- ried into the depot, while the director aided the others in restoring Wild Carlos to consciousness, Water was carefully applied to his heated face, and liquor down his parched throat, after which the crowd parted to one side and allowed the cool. evening breeze to fan his cheeks. The effect was magical, for after a few sec- onds the strong man gave arelieved gasp, and sat bolt upright. ‘The train! the train!” he articulated, faint- ly; oh God! I remember now. I got here too late!” ‘*On the contrary,” said Director Manning, “vou came in the niek of time—” * And the train has been flagged and is wait- ing at the shee gal pee ee the station- roaster, CO Oh! God, 1 thank thee,” murmured De Mon- terey, burying his face in his hands, Then, as he perceived that the director and ivikanders were growing impatient, he said: “*Gentlemen, you behold in me one who has sone tela a of terror in ane ld regions— Carlos, the Gold Robbe tell you this that there may Se no niecrderdieckting he tween us. With my band I have for ‘the past year roamed through this section in quest of wealth. At the same time another gang of desperadoes who have committed scores of murders where and my band have airy Lssg Ds com Plame ae residing here, also, and I get the notoriety an eredit for their inhuman deeds. They style nega ‘ Bloodhounds,’ and it is a befitting ti ** Well, but a few nights ago they murdered an old miller in Pompeii’s guich—sawed him to death—and, now, they have plotted the destruc- Fon. of this eastern bound train, due at the © bridge at midnight!” Tr Hal” gaoned the director, ; ‘say you so, man? Great Heaven! thare are twenty 4 NX bo : <a ing So Sa, Oe ol A sme Soper, and a hundred thousand dollars ° 0 BS I learned, when by chance I overheard the plan to destroy the train. of Big Hank’s spies, named Jake Fale be? ascertain that a large consignment of the east was to go out on this train, and 7 chief and sub- chief laid their pee acccnnliaaty. Gentlemen, do you remember, years ago, when a wildcat train on x ur road ran over a fair young girl who was held upon the track by one of a band of border ruffians?’ ‘Yes, yes!” exclaimed Director Manning, ex- citedly. ‘‘I was conductor on that very train, and delivered the headless body to the proper authorities, here in Denver!” ‘True, sir, and Ihave you to thank that I ever civ the remains of my aflianced wife ‘“Yes, I! The maiden who was sacrificed to rove the worthiness of a would-be member of he Bloodhound Band, that night, was my be- trothed, and was to have wedded me on the night subsequent to her frightful death. * But listen, and I v tell B hig how these Bloodhounds propose to Gestroy th e train. Each pillar that supports the trestle bridge is long ere | this heavily Paatoed with powder, and when | the eastern ‘bound train, passes onto the bridge | it will be blown to atoms!” The director shuddered, as the terrible pic- ture of such a railway ae a rose before his mind’s eye. After a moment the outlaw continued: **T will now tell you how these ruffians can be thing.” providing that you will promise me one thin nd what is that?’ “This: that if Jake Corrigan is captured, he be turned over to amy tender mercies.” ‘** Was he the murderer of your betrothed?” ‘* He was!” ‘* Then it shall be as you say.” ‘“Very well. Telegraph for the train to come back. “When, send a locomotive with two cars down the road. When the trestle is almost reached, the cars, which shall be loaded with armed men, will stop, and I will head a rush upon the outlaws. Very few, if any, can escape, as we shall have them at a disadvan- ‘Are yousure the plan will work?” asked the director, anxiously. ‘Yes, It cannot fail, as the enemy will not be ex ting us.” en it shall be executed. Duncan, go quick and telegraph for the express to run back here, at lightning You, Pelverton, go and order out engine Number 2, and see that it is coupled to those three em sty cars on the switch. I will go and collect a d of- fellows to £° along with us. * Get as many as posible ” said the outlaw, as the director hurried away into the town. “* We'll need them.” Ten minutes later the eastern bound express came thundering back into Denver, and acrowd of angry passe a, ay poured out from the cars, demanding in sullen tones to know the cause of their delay. The station-master and Wild Car- los soon made known to them the death lying in wait for them at the trestle-bridge, and ten of the men volunteered tu go in the attack against the Bloodhounds, Engine Number Two was coupled to three empty freight cars, and all was in readiness for a start when Director Manning should arrive with his men. He soon came, accompanied by two-score of armed fellows, for see most part miners, with here and there a sprir wie dm citizens and new arrivals. All were hustled into the cars. Wild Carlos and Manning got aboard the locomotive with the engineers, and away shot the train of vengeance into the night, that had now fallen over the scene, In order to make up for the time lost, so that they would arrive at the bridge by midnight, the engine was let out to the top of its speed, and on they ray flew. “‘I fear that they will hear us coming, and when the train ; to let us off, they will smell a rat and git!” said the director, w atching the roaring fire in the furnace, ‘+I have been thinking of that,” replied Wild Carlos, ‘‘and maybe you are about right. But I think we can fool them, even when they least ex it.” ** And how? I can see no way.” ** Listen, and I will tell you. When we are within two miles of the bridge, slow down our speed to a creeping pace, and by so doing we can get within a a mile of the enemy with- out being heard. Here we will dismount, and steal onutibonly around and across into the "gully | where the Bloodhounds will be, at the time of | the explosion, In the meantime the engine with the empty cars can back up the road to the switch, thereby giving us time to reach our des- tination. Then, the cars in front of the engine, they can be wildcatted down the track toward the bridge, and when most there the locomotive can stop, and let the cars go rushing onto the trestle. Of course the explosion will take place, and the bridge will go down with its load, fee golden horizon, like a ball ot molten fr, | sngers aboard, and » hundred thousand dollars | wheréupon the ruffians will rush forward to se- cure ; Pee Then will be our time te his hands ct ha, in his exithuniaate i" tie a. nea excellent plan, sir. You are fit to com- mand an army, my friend, with your cleverness of foresight. Of course the loss to the road will be a small item, but the triumph of ca or killing these inhuman Bloodhounds repay the loss. The bridge is but a papordey" affair at the best, and the cars, being heavily constructed, Me stand the fall without much damage to them, Arran gements were accordingly made, and after a Sild, swift ride, the train was slowed down to a snail's pace, when within about two miles of the trestle. Then they crept silently forward throu pall of gloom, until they were but half a mile distant from the bridge, where the Bloodhounds. were doubtless awaiting their coming, exulting in anticipation of an easy victory. Here a halt was made, and the cars unloaded of their freight of lives. “Now,” said the director, after he had given his instructions to the engineer, ‘ * go back to the switch as carefully as you came, and be sure not to come down on us before the lapse of thirty minutes. Then, blaze away, and look out that ithe locomotive does not go over with the cars!” The engineer nodded, and a slight jerk at the lever sent the train gliding backward over its iron trail, out of sight in the Stygian gloom. ‘Now, form in line and-ter ward ordered Wild Carlos, leadin away, out across the rairie toward a belt of timber, which skirted he ravine that the trestle-bridge crossed, - Keep step, and mind that you make no useless noise. Then away they went, like a grim army through the black night. the outlaw leading at an easy, swinging gait. He was thoroughly con- versant with every inch of the country, there- abouts, and had no difficulty in leading he band toa position directly in the rear of the enemy. Leaving his men in a safe waiting-place, the outlaw badd them remain there until he return- ed, after which he crept forward on his hands and knees toward the ge eee of the Blood- hounds. Soon he oe a spot where he could overlook them, and at the same time overhear be they said. A! ey were crouching in a little contig- uous to the ravine, aia were ORIp wboae wo hundred yards from the trestle, which loomed up grim and ghostly, in the foreground. A torch held in the hand of the ruffian, Corrigan, lit u the scene with a sickly light, and showed the en of a fusee that was to explode the blasts of pow- der beneath the pillars of the bridge. The ruffians had evidently been listening for the express a long time, for Corrigan at last broke ont, impatiently: “Curse the luck!” he growled, taking out and siting his pipe; ‘‘w’at in the devil ken keep thet Must hev broke down, an’ bu’ sum- thin’, else they’d a-been ‘long afore this time. ru £0, a plug of Navy thet it’s long past mid- nig “Pll take ther plug!” announced one of the Bloodhounds, pullin out a watch, and holdi it before the fire, ‘‘ Et’s percisely twelve o’cloc by a brea i “Thunder! whar'd ye git thet watch, Bung- hole?’ demanded the ciher eager! see “Whar'd I git it? Wal, hooked it on my own account, so et don’t make no difference ter ye. Ar’ ye goin’ ter fork over thet Navy?’ ‘Oh! you go to blazes!” was the warm reply. Conversation now ceased for a moment, while of t Sp oa ste ede ring ears to catch a sound of the approaching train. But they weré disa inted. Not the first sound came Hom the die The ats all” its coming. * ats all— nted Corrigan, fing sul- lenly at his pi either express dt Danvers -er at seven—an ‘well, maybe she'll kim along “Shall we kill all the passen asked one of the men. ate Accents “Kill ’em, of course, De’d men tell no tales, pe Me ones foi Me nuthin’ else. I opine the all frum the e wull about fix” if not quite.” ag on ty Wild Carlos crept back to where he had left his rty. 1ey’re all there,” he said, nodding in the direction whencé he came, ‘and ready ie their work. When the explosion occurs, they will probably light their torches and rush forward to secure their plunder. Then, when I givea shrill whistle, draw your revolvers and follow me.’ “Your man—Corrigan?’ questioned the direc. tor,“ What about him?” “None of you are to harm him.\I will give him my attention, and if, at the close of the comin battle, you do not gee me, you will know tha Carlos de Monterey did his country one redeem ing service, at least!” “Hark!” whispered one of the men. Ali tened, and heard the roar of the een a then there was a shrill peerage locomotive—the signal that told comicbooks ee ss a ee