Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1041 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

he ruffian who bad attacked her. h —. Kick an’ agnare but it won’t do nary leetle bit A ‘ a eh ee ’ . - , i ‘ p d t , ' ; e : ' dat . we : is * - hy : ¥ ° . 44 ‘ » + ? a . a) * « .. 4 * * a5 . Cowboy Chris to the Fore. —peceerC eene Why?” “We might have put Old Spot on the trail.” ‘True, lad, dern my ole head fer not thinkin’ eof it! Ther dog w’u’d ’a’ tracked ther critter ter his hoel.” ‘* But now—” ‘Too late! Ther trail hes bin trampled out ‘by our hosses. Ther only chance is ter keep on, ** And that is no chance atrall.” “You can’t tell,” doggedly. ‘‘ Black Phenix’s hoss may take a tumble an’ break a leg.” So the chase continued. But it was time wasted, for in the end they were forced to give it up, no longer having any- thing by which to be guided, the cries of the de- ranged father being heard no more, The cowboys drew rein to give their mounts a breathing-spell, while they discussed the situa- tion. That Fred Anthrop was in despair was plainly evident, although he spoke few words, and then only when he was addressed, ‘There is one point about this affair I cannot understand,” asserted Chris. * 'W’at’s thet?” “Tt is why the note from Black Phenix was addressed to Cy Robinson, and spoke as if hts daughter was the one captured.” “T ‘low ther critters must hev made er mis- take, lad. Black Phenix him own self never kerried off ther gal: his !s done thet. He writ ther letter an’ tended fer’em to scoop in Miss Nina, but they made er mistake an’ tuck other ’un.” ‘] believe you are right, Rube. It is—” He was interrupted by a cry from one of the cow boys. ** Look yender! ter ther East?” Every man turned in the direction indicated, and Jying low down against the horizon they could distinguish a faint red flush that grew Jarger and plainer with each passing moment. “Is it the moon?” ** Not by er derned sight!” * Thar bain’t no moon fer ter-night.” ** Then what is it?” éé Fire y That word solved the riddle, ‘But thet hain’t in ther direction o’ Cy Rob- inson’s,” ** No; it is far to the east of there, “* Ther Dimon’ Ranch !” ** Sure pop!” ‘Ther buildin’so’ ther Tenderfut Rancher are afire! This is more o’ ther Black Phenix’s work! Ther devil hes bruek loose ter-night fer sure! Spurs, pards, spurs! It’s as near ter ther fire ~ ‘tis back ter Cy Robinson’s, We're wanted thar! One of the cowboys was detached to give the alarm at the Robinson Ranch, if they had not already discovered the fire, while the others dashed through the darkness toward that red beacon, which was rising so swiftly, painting the eastern sky with a ruddy tinge. W’at’s thet light ’way thar It is—” CHAPTER V. IN RUFFIANLY HANDS, WHaT small and seemingly insignificant things sometimes make vast changes in the lives of buman beings. Had not ber bair become Joosened from the dainty coil in which it was arranged, Nellie Welland would not have asceuded to the chamber that she might have the aid of a glass in re-coiling it; and had she not ascended to the chamber, she would not bave fallen into the hands of the ruffian who ‘had gained entrance to the house and was bid- ing there like a beast of prey that is lying in wait for its unsuspecting victim. As she passed into the chamber she was seized €rom behind by powerful hands which held ber helpless, and a thick cloth that gave out a sick- ening odor was pressed over her mouth and nose, preventing her from uttering the shriek of terror which arose to her lips, The desperate wretch had not made a sound till he clutched the girl, and she had no warning of another presence in the room till she found herself in his hands, powerless to resist. Powerless? Even though it was so, she strug- gied with all her fresh young strength, Like a flash, thoughts of a borrible fate passed through ber niind, and she made despairing efforts to break from that powerful grasp or to free ber ~ mouth frcm the nauseating cloth long enough to utter a cry that would alarm those below. “°Tain’t nary bit o’ use, lady bird!” hissed * You kin er Uncle Jim’s got his claws onter ; ‘ ene A TL LL LL LI LL LL LL LLL LLL LLL LL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL ye, an’ ye can’t break erway frum him, you bet! For one instant her eyes were free of the cloth, and she caught a fair look at the man’s face. A feeling of horror came over her, for, although his face was turned aside, and he was watching the open doorway through which she had entered the chamber, she recognized him as Whisky Jim, a brutal ruffian who had caused her much trouble in the past, Tbe realization that sae was in the hands of this dastardly wretch seemed to rob ber of all her strength, and she surk helplessly into his arms, her senses beginning to reel. Strange thoughts ran riot through her brain; wild fancies held high revel there. In scarcely more than an instant of time, a hundred shifting scenes seemed to pass before her view. Then she felt herself lifted and borne through the air as if on the back of a mighty bird. She could feel the motions of its body as it swept forward through space, the strokes of its enormous wings making its body move like the regular undula- tions of ocean waves. It was delightful! <A ereat calm seized upon her, even though it seem- ed as if they were moving so fast she could scarcely catch her breath. The delightful movement seemed to affect her like some rare old wine that sends one into a dreamy state of torpor. But, suddenly, there was a shock and she felt herself thrown from the back of the monster of the air to go whirling downward through limit- less space. Down, down, down! Would the frightful fall never end? She knew there could be but one termination—she would be dashed into a thousand pieces! Instant death would meet her the moment she should strike the earth! With bated breath she waited for the end, It came! There wasa second shock—a thou- sand lights blazed before her eyes for an instant —utter darkness followed—she was unconscious! She never knew anything of her removal from the ranch; it was accomplished while she re- mained in a senseless state. Her senses came slowly back to ber, and long before she could stir hand or foot she was conscious that two men were talking close beside her. Their voices seemed vague and far away, and although she plainly heard their words, she afterward could not remember a single thing they spoke. For all of that, before she could stir at all, she real- ized the men were desperadoes of the lowest type. Something seemed to restrict her breathing; ber jaws were aching as if from a severe strain; she tried to swallow and only half succeeded, There was a gag in her mouth! As the realization of this flashed through her head, she became fully conscious in the twink- ling of an eye. She remained perfectly still, making no move save a slight strain which told her that her hands and feet were bound. She understood she was lying on the bare ground. Utter darkness was all around ber, and from overhead camea soft rustling she could not un- derstand at first, but she this finally decided wascaused by the Jeaves of trees, Then she must be in a piece of timberland somewhere, The voices of her captors once more attracted her attention, and she listened to the words they were saying. They spoke in guarded tones, making it plainly apparent they feared detec- tion. They were not yetaware their captive had recovered consciousness, “ Slickest job I ever worked, Mike,” grunted the harsh voice of Whisky Jim, ‘‘It wuz jest like rollin’ off erlog. Galnever uttered so much as er whimper,” ‘“Wal, I dunno as I wonder,” confessed a voice which the girl recognized as belonging to Nevada Mike, Whisky Jim’s partner in crime, “You musta? squozed her thrapple ur else she’d bin kickin’ by this time.” ‘‘Nary squoze, Pard Mike! I wuz gentle as ermammy with her kid, I jest ketched her fast an’ putt ther rag over ber mouth, same as ther boss said. She did kick an’ squarm, but I held to her fer business,"bet yer ducats! Ther reg an’ ther stuff w’at I emptied onter it from ther leetle bottle jest done ther work.” ‘* Hanged ef I hain’t skeered thet it done it too well!” and Nevada Mike bent closely over the captive and peered into her face, during which inspection Nell closed ber eyes and feigned unconsciousness. ‘‘S»e don’t seem ter kem round’ wu’th er dern,”' © Oh, don’t you go ter fussin’!” came contempt- uously from the whisky teough’s lips. ‘* Ther boss knew w’at he wuz doin’ w’en be guv me ther stuff an’ tole me how ter useit. She'll be all O. K. ez soon ez we wants her to, Ther stiller she is now ther better et will be fer us.” | LS LTE ET rr ct ‘* She'd be still ernough anyhow with thet gag atwixt her jaws, We'll hev ter take thet out—” ‘‘ Wal, not yit erwhile, by er derned sight!” ‘‘ No, not tell we are safe beyend hearshot of ther critters back thar at ther ranch. We don’t keer "bout gittin’ them critters arter us, eb, rd?” ‘“Wal, I’lows not! Ihain’t hankerin’ fer er hemp necktie yit erwhile, an’ thet’d be what it’d mean ef we wuz ketched, They w’u’d string us ter ther nearest tree.” ‘“Cuss’em, yes! It makes me kind of fidgerty ter think of it. I wonder ef ther boss will keep his word?” sé How !”? ‘Wy, in leadin’ ther cow-punchers on er false scent.” ‘* Ef be don’t—” ** We may fine ourselves in hot watter.” “ Kirec’, But, w’y in thunder don’t they kick up er hocus at ther ranch? They hain’t made er stir. ‘‘Hain’t diskivered ther gal’ gone yit. Wait till they do, an’ Vll ‘low you’il see all ther hocus we'll keer fer. Arter ther boss takes ’em off on ther felse scent, we kin git outer this bresh- patch an’ lean fer ther Retreat.” ‘“‘ We might ‘a’ bin er good long way on ther road by this time ef we’d started at fu’st,” ‘But I’m ’beyin’ ther boss’s orders, ev’ry time. He said ter lay low hyer tell he led ther critters off t’other way, then ter git.” ‘““Ef you wuz allus so keerful *bout ’beyin’ orders, you w’u’dn’t bin hafe-shot w’en you went after ther gal ter-night, I didn’t ‘low you'd ever git erway with ber.” ‘‘ I hed ter bev ther whisk’ ter brace me, pard. Tt wuz er derned ticklish job. Is ther bottle clean empty?” ‘‘Nary drap lef’,” **Wal, thet’s tough. smoke then.” In the darkness Whisky Jim produced pipe and tobacco, whittling small chips from the plug with his bowie-knife and grinding them between bis horny palms. ‘* Better git low down w’en\ye strike ther match,” suggested Mike. ‘“‘ Ef some prowlin’ critter st’u’d ketch ther glimp’, ther devil’d be er pay. The whisky tough profited by the suggestion, and soon bie pipe was working finely and he was — out great volumes of rank-smelling to- acco-smoke, ‘“Thar’s nuthin’ like takin’ things easy w’en yer hev ter,” he chuckled, Mike said nothing, but stretched bimself on the ground, and for some time there was silence between them. At length, Whisky Jim asked: ‘“ Who do you reckon ther boss is, anyhow?” ‘‘T bain’t reckonin’ nary derned thing *bout it,” was the sharp reply, ‘‘ An’ I’low you’d best not reckon.” as Ww *y 9”? ‘* It’s plain ther boss don’t keer bout any of us knowin’ who he is,” ‘‘ All ther same, thar are some of ther ban’ as knows it.” ‘‘Thet may be; but we are néw members, He said this job wuz tertry us. Ef we done ther work well, then he’d know he e’u’d trust us, 1 reckon we’l] know all thet’s necessary w’en ther time comes fer it.” ** Ail ther same, I am kind of intrusted ter know who Black Phenix is an’ I hev my ’pinion, It’s plain he’s er Greaser,” ‘‘ Ef he heard you say thet, he’d snuff ye out in er jiff’. Best take keer of thet tongue, Jim, ef ye wants ter live. They don’t none of ’em fancy bein’ called Greasers,” Whisky Jim grunted, and Mike added: ‘““Ef he’s got Mexican blood in Lis veins thar’s one thing sart’in: he hain’t no cowar like ther most of ther critters. He’d never made ther name be bas ef he hed bin er coward,” ‘‘ An’ thar's anotber thing mighty sure: be’s er derned hard cuss ter kill. Tbey’ve hed him I reckon Vl hev ter still kickin’.” ‘“- Yep; an’ he’s goin’ ter kick up er mighty rumpus in this hyer section afore long. This is only ther beginnin’ of his work; nobody kin tell whar it will en’.” ‘‘T s'pose he’s scoopin’ in ther gal fer ther puppose of gittin’ er ransom outer ole Cy Robin- so: 7? ‘* Most likelv,” ‘© Ole Cy will pod over lib’ral.” section too mighty warm fer comfut—you heur man he c’u’d tackle.” \ : ‘ eA - mg a Son GO) 6 Gi rs -_ J ae eee ee eee dead no less then hafe er dozen times, but he’s ‘‘Ef he has ter; but, he will make this yere me shout! Ther boss is buckin’ erg’in’ ther wu’st - For a few minutes Whisky Jim smoked im 4h -< . ay < fm e ‘ - . # - . » -~\Yy : 4 se oy — JZ -—> ~ “nr 7 - Pe he » *% - >, ned .* (Ae ~~ ~