Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1041 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

“ss tn = ‘ ; > * : “What are you going to do with him, Mr. Welland?” pointing at the outlaw. Old Rattlebrain shook his head slowly, seem- ing undecided about that point, but he still re- fused to speak. *‘ It is our duty to see if the unfortunate ras- cal is seriously injured,” declared Fred, turning to Chris. “That is so,” was the instant agreement; ** and if he is not fatally injured, it is our duty to hold fast to bim till justice can settle bis ease, Perhaps we may beable to pinch the truth from him,” They bent over the man and removed the hood from his head. He was conscious and be- gan to beg for mercy. ** Strike a match, Fred,” said Chris, “and we will see how hard he is hit.” Fred did as directed, and the cowboy ex- amined the man’s wound, When he had done this, he took a handkerchief from his pocket and calked the bullet-hole’ with it to retard the steady loss of blood. Telling Old Rattlebrain to watch the fellow close, Chris drew his pard aside, ** How is it”? asked Fred. *“*He has got it pretty hard, but there is no reason that I can see why the wound should be fatal.” ‘The you will not have his life on your hands?” **) trust not,” ** But what are you going to tell bim?” “T want to pump him, andl am going to make him believe his chances are decidedly small,” “You are going to attempt to make him be- tray his comrades?” ‘Yes, If we can get the trnth frorn bis lips, we may be able to quickly save the girls and destroy this dastardly band of robbers.” “ That is true.” They returned to the spot where Welland was silently crouching beside the wounded man. ** What is it, pards?’ asked the unfortunate wretch, faintly ‘‘ Am I booked fora funeral?” ** Well, you are bard hit,” confessed Chris, “ But is there a chance for me to pull through?” **T think there is,” was the candid confession, The man seemed to revive somewhat at that, **'You hain’t foolin’ me?’ he eagerly asked. * You are not telling me this for some game?” “Fam telling you whatI truly believe. But I cannot see why it should please you,” You can’t? Well, do you think [am anx- ious to kick the bucket?” **T don’t see how you are going to escape it,” ** But you jest said there was a chance for me] What do you mean anyway?” ‘*T mean just this,” and Chris crouched lower, so he could look the fellow fairly in the eyes, despite the darkness—‘‘I mean that J should bless my lucky stars if the wound were fatal, providing I were in your shoes. It isa great deal better and more satisfactory death to die than to stretch hemp,” A low cry came from the wounded man’s lips; he understood the cowboy’s meaning at last. “Oh, but I hain’t done anytking that means hanging—indeed, I bain’t!” he falteringly pro- tested. ‘‘ You can’t hang a man for nothing, pard.” ““'You are one of the Black Phenix’s followers, Stop! I know you would deny it; but, what do you take us for—fools? }t will be folly for you to lie about it, and so you may as well tell the truth, That is the only course that will avail you anything.” “‘How are you going to prove I am one of Black Phenix’s men?” ** We have bees enough, Weare convinced ourselves, and we can easily convince others, Do not waste your time by beating around the bush,” For a few moments the outlaw was silent, then he gogued) asked: * Wal, jest what is it that you want, any- how?” “We want you to peach,” * You want me to give my pards away?” “€ Just that!” “ And if I refuse?” **T willsee that you are hanged for your fool- ishness!”’ = Wal, go ahead with your fun! I’m stillasa m This was not exactly what the young cowboy had expected, but he did not reveal the fact b any outward sign. When he next spoke his | yoice was cold and metallic, In a few brief words he painted anything but a pleasant pic- ture for the wounded man to contemplate; he described the horrors of the fate before the un- lucky bandit; he held the nooge dangling before } Ps x . te be . hy : lees 4 > 7 ae - ; * ye ee ee Ss Yeas ’ 2 , of a) "2 pa ea Fhe EAs ~ ~ | Fr: ; ; v ; , ot , > (a® its > » : ieee fas "> we wore ' ak a ee wf oo se © 1-46 Sra ; . ' : : J “= t t yl wD rer wr 4 ; ee os et wee, Ulf de — 4 Loved! Oy eAse ROL Stiri acne Soli kein) ict Warp cgyi SRN MRT Hae S: Can SPCR i aes moe eee A BRM 2. | iF r ; ih ae 4 we Ye Loe! J 7 my wield ape Gee att ee, ys / ’ . »- ‘ ae, - fan), 2 af j ty ‘ be5 Lye . Bis "ph ‘ mt hue » rn Pa v hee ' aw’ Oe ee ~ % r A nn r* y‘. oS o me tab. *F - wer : : “¢ ' -. i) bs) atrae © . phat we a pa ap yt = ste bed a ’ yale : 7h ane te: tt: MIAN Gey. ae oe er “7 Pap C ) on we ‘- Ts : we 4. ae -_* at . d j 4 a 2 = * ‘2 a » ws ) » + / f . ; \ thy ' hg } | ave’ ’ he aye os ee ee, me ¢ s nT) SS @ wg, an SP, 4 os a - = be ee boy Be . ie erga an . ; ’ in * ie te Tm « ° * > Viae ters 7 Pe 4 es <~ : ee ‘oN ee . tn - - ~ WJ . A ot ; 4 — 5 L a ane n> bpn ~- - a nee oA as oe Cowboy Chris to the Fore. the Black Hood’s mental vision. A cold sweat broke out upon the forebead of the wicked wretch and he shuddered in spite of himself, ‘All this you shall suffer if you refuse to peach on your pards,” Chris concluded, ‘‘ You cannot escape it, for you need expect nothing like mercy when you fall into the hands of Cy Robinson, There is only one way open by which you may hope for life.” “And what is that? Will you pledge your word to release me when I have told you where Black Phenix’s retreat is? Will you let me go free at once ?” **No, for you might lie to us, The chances are you would, I imagine it is as natural for you tolie as to breathe. We would hold you prisoner till we were sure you had told the truth,” ‘* And then wipe me out anyway. the fool you take me for, pards.” ‘You will be a bigger fool than I took you for if you do not taik, for I did think you would care a little about your own life. But lam not going to dally with you. If you will not con- fess, we will pack you on the back of my horse and take you to the Robinson Ranch. There you will bave to deal with old Cy Robinson, and he will force the truth from your lips, if he bas to give you a taste of the Inferno, You will wish you had never been born if he gets at you.” The man seemed to hesitate, and Chris added I am not impatiently : **Come, come! We have no time to frol away! It is many miles tothe Robinson Ranch, and we will have to be moving at once, Make your choice: either tell us the truth now and here, or face Cy Robinson and the noose,” ‘* Well, perhaps I had better peach now; but if you do not wipe out the chief with the rest of the band, he will surely kill me for turning traitor to save my own neck,” *“*Cy Robinson has taken an oath to destroy the Black Phenix, and he isa man who always keeps— Ha! what’s that?” A few loose stones and a small amc unt of dirt came rattling down from above, causing three of the men to start to their feet, The outlaw partially strnggled up, as the others dashed out from the base of the precipitous slope <A strange, rushing roar came from above. ‘* A landslide! a landslide !” The words came in a shriek from the outlaw’s lips, as he saw his companions of a moment be- fore disappear in the darkness, The roaring sound grew louder and the advance couriers of the landslide rained about his ears. He strug- gled to his feet, stumbled, sunk on bis knees, his hands upraised appealing to the beavens he had so often blasphemed, bis last wild cry ringing through the night to be beard even above the roar of the avalanche! Then a tumbling mass of earth, stones, bowlders and debris shot down upon him, and he was forever buried from the sight of human eyes! CHAPTER XIII. BLACK PHENIX AND THE CAPTIVE BIRDS, SHORTLY after the appearance of the outlaw chief in the cave, Ruck Pike brought in the second captive, Cy Robinson’s daughter. The treac! erous cowboy had hired with Robinson that he might be a spy in the rancher’s house- bold, and, finding the chief’s orders had gone amiss—for he was conversant with them—and the wrong girl had been carried away, he ven- tured to kidnap the other. Nina was conducted to her captive friend as soon as the cave was reached, and the two girls threw themselves into each other’s arms, the rancher’s daughter bursting into tears, Brave little Nell held the weeping girl close to her warm heart, resolutely keeping back the tears which sought to dim the luster of her own dark eyes, Into Nina’s ears she murmured soft words of ,consolation, almost forgetting for the ae eon her position was as bad as that of her friend, The two desperadoes, Jim and Mike, were still lolling in front of the fire, which they replenish- ed occasionally from a mass of wood near at band, As'may be imagined, the appearance of Nina greatly relieved their feelings and filled them with delight, “* Reckon this saves our bacon, pard,” chuckled Jim, ‘* Ther boss hes got both gals now, an’ he can’t kick very bard,” ** Mebbe he won’t want but one,” “Then he kin give t?other ter me. Leetle Black-Eyes is clean grit. No snufflin’ an’ snoz- zlin’ *bout her! Some might like Vother best, but she’s too much of erdoll fer me, Black-Eyes is er beauchy, an’ I'll jest be glad ter take her an’ take keer of her.” confessed she did care for the young cowboy, AS 11 ‘* You might fine ber er mighty tough leetle critter ter break inter harness. She’s got claws,” ‘*Wal, I'd break her in ur break her neck, | You needn’t worry ’bout thet part of it, pard,” If Nell heard the words of the two ruffians, she paid no heed, Leading Nina to a place where they could sit down,she still held the weeping girl in her arms, as she softly murmur- ‘““Cry to your heart’s religf, my dear friend, You will feel the better for it. The clouds are dark to-day, but to-morrow the sun will be shining again, We must put our trust in the friends we know will do everything in their power to find and save us,” When Nina was calmer she told bow she had fallen into the hands of the treacherous cowboy, having stepped out of the ranch a moment to get a breath of fresh air, feeling faint from working over the wounded men. Pike had approached her with some excuse, quickly throwing a thick cloth over her head and suffocating her into in- sensibility.. When she returned to conscious- ness she was far away on the plain, held upon the back of a swiftly-galloping horse, which bore the double burden of captor and captive, Then Nell told of her own capture. After awhile one of the hooded outlaws op proached ard called the two toughs aside, speak- ing a few words to them in a low tone, Both of the men left the vicinity of the fire, and after that the girls were no longer under their sur- veillance, but the hooded outlaw gave them toun- derstand they would be watcked all the time, and any move that looked suspicious would be promptly checked, Still they were given the privilege of a wing of the cavern, a large por- tion of which was not lighted hy the fire. After some hours food was brought them, Nina had no appetite, but Nell encouraged ber to eat, “You must eat, dear friend, if you would keep your strength, and be prepared to leave the cave when our friends come.” ‘‘ But, will they ever come?” ‘Of course they will! They will surely find aud rescue us. Your father isa man who will not know the meaning of the word rest till his daughter is safe at the ranch once more,” “ And there is Chris—” Nell glanced swiftly at Nina, as the rancher’s daughter suddenly hesitated. Nina saw that glance, and a soft blush stole over ber face—a. blush which betrayed her secret, ‘‘Oh, Nina!” laughed Nell, ‘‘ [neverdreamed of—of that! Heisa brave, noble fellow, and—” ‘‘Of course he is,” swiftly interrupted the other, ‘And hetbinks so much of Fred that he will lay down his very life to aid in your reseue, . if necessary.” But, Nell was not to be deceived. She caught Nina in ber arms and kissed the rancher’s daughter wit girlish impulsiveness, crying: at “Oh, you can’t fool me! Iam too old a head nh for that! You love Chris, and thereisnoway | | for you to get out of it. Come now; ownup - . like a dear!” Nina shook her head, protesting, but betrayed by ber blushes and her appearance. Nell still insisted, and finally the ranckman’s child coyly “* " ‘ 7 * 14 ¥: ‘the least wee little bit.” And having been cheered somewhat, Nina helped her friend dispose cf a portion of the food. {a The weary hours dragged slowly by, spent by the girls in talking, sleeping and_waiting—wait- ing. It almost seemed as if they had been there «© _ days, ouly catching a glimpse of a flitting hooded figureinow and then, when suddenly the sbriJl ~ ~ whistle sounded through the cave once more, ; Three times it rung out clearly, then there was - pause, which was followed by two shorter blasts. ‘‘It is the chief of the outlaws!” exclaimed Nell. ‘* Black Phenix himself is coming!” Sbe was right, and in a short time the dreaded Scourge stood before his captives, regarding them through the twin holes in the cowl-like hood which was, drawn down to his shoulders, They shrunk before this marauder who had made himself the dread of northern New Mexico, A muffled langh came from beneath the dis- oe 1S. , ees et ‘¢This is more than I bargained for,” he con- me a fessed. ‘*I only expected one bird, but my jolly > lads captured two, Well, the more the merrier, — i; I am having considerable amusementin the vale ley of the San Juan just at present.” OS Nell’s eyes flashed, and the daring girl turned — mg 4 fearlessly on the chief of the cattle-lifters. = ae “Tt may be amusement for you now,” she = cried; ‘‘ but the time will come when your Lan) sae = we See wed ~