Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1064 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

Darrel isn’t a prisoner himself by this time, you kin call me a hoss-thief.” half so much as the disappointment— _ ‘tojgo on—I must go on!” 4 ‘‘If that is the case, then wantin’ wid me ?” Barney aske ‘*{s yer head so thick that yer can’t grip on- ter what’s told ye? It’s ther Right Bower as wants you.” Steps were heard approaching, and ina few minutes another man appeared upon the scene. At sight of him, Barney O’Linn’s breathing was quickened, and all the “‘ fight” in his nature rose to the surface, Face to face with one who had terribly wronged him, yet powerless to make an effort to avenge his wrongs! He was a prisoner and helpless. ** Well, my fine buck,” this Right Bower of Darrel greeted him, ‘*‘ we have got you in a trap this time, I takeit. This is'the third hook-up we have had, and the third time never fails, you know, I[risher,” **The curse av Heaven upon yer head, Owen Maron!” Barney fiercely cried, ‘‘Give mea fair chance, an’ O1’'ll foight wid ye here an’ now, Let me but dismount an’ get me knife in me fist, an’ ye may come forme, That is all Oi ask av ye, ye detistable villain!” ** Keep up yer paws!” sung out Handy Henry. He had come nearer, and his weapons enforced his order, ‘* No, we'll have none of that,” spoke Maron. He, too, covered the prisoner wiih revolvers. “You and your master must hang, and we'll risk nothin’, now, so make him secure, Handy,” aod both men laid hold upon him, In afew minutes be was helplessly bound and secured to the bak of his mule, is captors then brought forth their borses, and he wes led away down the canyon, pawet do ye be CHAPTER V. MYSTERIOUS WARNING, From another direction, on this sanv after- noon a woman was approaching the wiid camp of Satan’s Delight. She was well mounted, ber animal being a big, spirited bay; was roughly but serviceably clad, and rode upon a side-saddle, one néatly booted foot appearing from under her skirt, A jaunty sombrero adorned her shapely head, gauntlet gloves were upon her small, firm hands, .and a Mexican jacket, short, scant, yet prettily ornamented, added beauty to the graceful sym- metry of her supple form, Otherwise her attire was of a serviceable, dark-gray flannel. Her age was uncertain, It might bave been apo at anywhere between twenty and thirty. he was dark—very dark, and at first sight the idea conveyed that she was Spanish. She was armed, a brace of small, but efficient revolvers appearing io the belt that circled her waist. A hand-bag hung suspended at her left side, In short, she looked like a fearless traveler, in- dependent, and quite able to care for herself, Any one watching ber closely, however, would have discovered that she was getting more and more nervous the further she proceeded; until finally she brought. her horse to a stop. **T can’t go another step!” she exclaimed, and peered ahead through the dismal way. Then she looked behind her in the direction she had come, Her head was inclined, as if to catch the faint- est sound, while a hand touched one of the wea- pons in her belt. For some moments she remained thus on the alert, when she started forward once more; but ere she bad proceeded a dozen rods she stopped again, this time with firm decision, and turned her horse’s head in the opposite direction, “No; not another step!” she cried, looking in the direction she had been going. “IT know not what it is, but I do know there is danger there,” She started upon the back trail, at a walk at first, but presently urging her animal to a can- ter. Some unseen—some inexplicable influence 3 controlled her, “I never before felt as I do now,” she told herself, ‘‘ What itis [cannot imagine. It has grown upon me since | entered this awful can- yon, and I could not shake it off.” She the horse to even a faster gait, Now -her one t — seemed to be to get out of the canyon as quickly as possible, ** W hat is it that has come over me?” she ques- tioned. ‘‘Am I foolishly afraid, or was there really some danger ah for me? I cannot be- lieve that [ am so cowardly, and it must be that some unseen danger threatened. Whatever it was, my plans are now upset. I shall be obli to camp out to-night, but I do not mind 2, at ey bas become of me! I ought ‘ Dandy Dick Decoyed. Stopping immediately, she looked back, her resolve almost changed. One look down into that dismal depth was enough, and with face a shade more pale than heretofore, she continued ber retreat. **No, no!” she exclaimed, ‘‘!l would not go back in that direction for the world! Whatever it is, danger is lurking there, and I have nar- rowly escaped it I know. On, good boy, on!” to her horse. ‘** Let us get out of this dreadful place as soon as we can. Perbaps we have es- caped death, you and I, old fellow!” ith no further thought of stopping, she bur- ried forward, and a ride of a quarter of an hour brought her out of the canyon into a pleasant little valley. Now the sun was getting low in the west, and other perplexities began to assail this fair, lone traveler. That she was a stranger there was evident, and knew nothing of ber surroundings, When she had proceeded into the valley fora distance, she stopped. “There is only one thing for me to do,” she meditated. ‘‘ I must find a good spot, at a safe distance from the trail, and camp for the night, { shall have to fast, but my horse will have plenty to eat. In the morning we will go on again, old fellow, and perhaps by that time the danger will have passed, if there has been any— but I cannot question that, now,” Turning aside from the trail toward an in- viting clump of trees, she was soon in their friendly concealment, and there dismounted. Scarcely had she done so than the sound of ap- proaching hoofs fell upon her hearing, and peer- ing out, she saw coming along the trail toward the canyon a woman, She was young, handsome, and with a spirited dash about ber that made the unseen observer her friend immediately. Riding sidewise, but without saddle or even folded blanket beveath her, she held her position like a frue equestrienne, ber long, rich hair floating upon her shoulders like a mantle. She was roughly but tastefully dressed, and looked like a genuine wild rose of the Western mountains, ‘*{ must stop her!” was the spoken thought of the woman in the clump of trees, “If there ten pecan for me, there surely is danger for er. Quickly fastening the bridle to a limb, she ran out, and reached the trail in time to inter- cept the rider, who drew rein abruptly at sight of her, cheerily demanding: ‘* Hello! stranger, who are you?” ‘** A traveler like yourself,” was the response. **'You don’t seem to be traveling just now.” ‘* True; my horse is under the trees yonder. I heard you coming, and ran out to warn you of your danger.” ‘* My danger!” aa face of the pretty girl paled a little at the word, She was not more than eighteen years of age, as the woman on foot could now see, ‘“'Yes, your danger. There is danger in that canyon, and for that reason I returned and ents here, where I intend to camp for the night. ** But what is the danger? Surely there can be no danger, so near the camp as this. Satan’s Delight is less than three miles away, and that is where Iam going, Lam Flora Dunbarge, and my hg home is at that Paria ‘What the danger is, ] do not know,” the other had to admit, *‘ but I do know that it is there. I was half-way through the canyon, on my way to the camp you mention, when I was so overpowered with a sense of danger that I turn- ed and came back, I hope you will heed my warning and go no further,” Miss Dunbarge laughed merrily, ‘*'You have been frightened at the darkness and the dismal appearance of the place,” she de- clared, ‘‘If you were going to the once et your horse and come along with me, I wil bear you company.” The other shook her head, *“* You do not know me,” she returned, ‘‘I am not easily frightened. It was more than that, I assure you—something which I can neither ex- plain nor understand, I was forced to turn, and hereIlam., Make of it what you can, but I beg of you to take warning and remain here,” That is impossible,” the younger woman made ly, now seriously. ‘*‘Were I to re- main out after dark, father would be worried about me, { caanot believe that any barm will come to me, and I must on. I see you are armed, and so am I; I think we could make it interesting for any one who attempted us in- WT Perbape: but that does not alter the situa- tion so far as Iam concerned, I am armed, as you say, yet | had not the courage to let go unbeeded the warning which came to me so mysteriously. I have-warned you, and I can do no more. Pray do not go on—at least fora time,” By this time the young woman was deeply impressed, as her manner proved, ‘*' Who are you?” she asked, ‘*My name is Inez Monica,” was the reply: “TIT am a Mexican, and am taking a wild trip just for the excitement of it,” “Tf that is so, and you have such courage as that would demand, I can believe there must be something in the warning you have received, I will stop here with you till the moon rises, if then you will bear me company.” “I will do that,” was the ready promise. ‘*That will give ample time for the danger_ to have passed; if not, together we will face it.” **So be it. I will go with you to the place where you are camping, and there we will wait.” Slipping to the ground, she walked beside the Mexican, leading the horse, ‘* Your home is at Satan’s Delight, you say?” ‘“'Yes; my father, Jackson Dunbarge, is man- ager of the Gold Drop Mine.” ‘And you are the pet of the camp sume? That is usually the way, I beli such cases,” ‘*Ob, I don’t know. I suppose it is so, for I do pretty much as I please, My wish is law, with most of the rough characters there,” So they chatted, on their way tothe trees, and were scarcely mindful of approaching night, until sounds from the direction of the canyon aroused them; when, listening, they made out that horses were approaching from that direc- tion, I pre- eve, im CHAPTER VI. DARREL OWNS DEFEAT. : HORSEMEN are coming,” spoke the Mexicam ady, ‘You are right,” Miss Dunbarge agreed. ‘‘ And if they have come through in safety, there certainly can be no danger.” ‘‘ Unless it was they who were the danger,” suggested her companion, ‘‘ Rest assured that my premonition was not born of idle fear, 1 had no thought of fear, none whatever,” ‘Wo may perbaps be able to decide, Let us. steal out to the trail, under cover of this little gully and the bushes, and we can see who they are, Perhaps | may recognize them as friends,,. and if so, will speak tothem, They can not dis cover us, and it can do no harm, certainly,” ‘*T am with you, heartily, Come on.” The Mexican led the way, and in a few mo- ments they were at a nt where they com- manded a close view of the trail. The borsemen could be seen approaching at a distance, and when they drew nearer, in the gathering gloom, the two women received some- thing of a shock at what they discovered. The men were masked! ‘*'What did I tell you?” the Mexican demand- ed, catching her companion by the arm. ‘ Hon- est men do not go about with masks over their faves. You see I bad good reason for my fears.” “Yes, indeed!” assented the other. ‘' They must be robbers. 1 bad no idea that such char- acters were around, I[t will not be well for them if my father gets after them, I can assure you.. But, they are talking; let’s catch what they say, if we can,” . The men’s voices could now be heard, There were two of the fellows. ** Yas,” one was heard to say, ‘‘ther dorn critter hev gi’n us ther slip, sure enough, We couldn't help it if she didn’t come erlong, could e?” . . “Wull, no, in course not,” agreed the other, ‘* but ther boss will be madder’n a hornet about. it, you bet.” ‘*Can’t help itifhe are, If ther durn shemale aa come our way, how was we ter git holt on er ‘*But ther boss may think we hev played him crooked in ther game.” . ‘We'll have ter chance that ar, anyhow,” And that was the last the listeners were able. to catch of the conversation, as the men had now passed, ‘‘Was I not right?’ demanded the Mexican. woman, | ‘* Yes, indeed!” her excited companion echoed ‘* But, whom did they mean?” **T cannot guess, unless yourself. We know from what we have beard that they were in th can zon waiting to capture some girl,” | erhaps it was you?” ag ‘Impossible, They can have had no knowk ty me \ “ y sa ay” ae : ; : ‘ | : t , wy / 7 @ : Ss q x a ve 7) , » «2 : ¢ ‘ ¥ : cs ; * SE 7 LD ees ti : A, "? 3 "I i