The Half Dime Library, No. 1042 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

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She > 4 e *. i. v4 7 teem a > . 5 . . ° y's f e art i" - . & a _ believe?” Piet a “Your father is Daniel Benton, a stock-ten- Pati: der for the Pony Express Company?’ os o> ** He is.” ¥ “Why does he remain in this wild land?’ ** He is peor, and sought here to make a liv- ing for bimself and child.” % ‘‘ A living on the poor pittance he receives Bi). as stock-tender?”’ dh It is sufficient for our wants.” **Ts he not a miner too?” cc Y es. p> | ** And has feund gold?’ ! ‘‘No, be has been particularly unfortunate in. his gold-digging.”’ ‘‘ Are vou certain?’ Yes,” ‘*Girl, would you lie to me?” and the strange woman laid her hand upon Bessie’s arm. ** How dare you, because you are false your- self, accuse me of wrong?’ said Bessie indig- nantly. “Pardon me: I deserve your rebuke, and I believe you: but it is strange that a man of education, such as I know your father to be, and who has a daughter whose beauty would make her a belle in any land, should remain in this wild country, throwing away his time for a few dollars a month,” ‘You know him then?” asked Bessie quick- y ‘* Yes, I bave met bim,” *‘He hopes to find gold, which will enable him to return home again and live in comfort.” ‘““Why came he-here? ’ Bessie did not reply, and the woman again a “ Why did he come to this wild land?” ae ;, ‘‘ Misfortune brought him here.” te * Are you sure?” ‘- Tt was not crime that drove him here?” “Do you insult me because you have the power?” “Worgive me again: if your father is not the pauper he seems, and if he is a criminal, ~~ hiding from justice, 1 believe you do not know it; but I am forced to take you with me.” | © Whither?” “Where do you think?’ After a moment of hesitation, Bessie re- plied: ' wh a ** It is said that you are the ghost of a lady » who was murdered in the Haunted Canyon, _ some years ago; but my good sense causes me - to laugh at the superstition.” _° Then why did you fly from me?” _ +“ will tell you; the bandits came to my ~ father’s house, and because he would not give his gold, which they said he had, up to them, -.. they hanged him, and—” ““Do you mean this?’ quickly asked the wo- . man. ‘ = 86 eg,” _. “He was hanged before your eyes?” . “ Yes.” , iy ** And is dead?” »- | * Alas! I left him hanging to a beam in 2) sour cabin, while I started for Rocky Glen Sta- a ‘For what purpose?” » To rouse the miners to er _the almost savage reply. “And you were there alone with your fa- ther when the bandits came?’ : _ . * Who led them?” » “A man they called Pet,” ~~ “Ah, he is a pet of Satan.” _. You know him then?” ry A “Yes: but how did you escape from him?” fhe Wild Rider dashed up—* ' Just as the man, Pet, ordered his follow- ers to hang me, as they had my father, for _ they had the rope around my neck.” _ And this Wild Rider rescued you?” ’ He came into the cabin, and single-handed 5 ays sed them, released me, and putting me ta i 14 Y ; + * ey ‘ La teat ) ] Ps i’ , : ~ ye ss : ee - | . i vee Oe a 7 ‘ : pa \ tue Lt Meg © ar ‘ faa J 7 jal pei “a 4, Ay 4 mG * Wee ~ : Re > ~~» % “ 2a i 7 af avenge him,” was ~ »e ‘Cow C/~ ’ Ga WS A sensi as Pe eee — a tn ow? ‘ ¢ . La ¢ A. "ie be of ' * - 1 S ¥ Wie p vs ‘ / - ee a ‘ . wie or Little Grit. the Wild Rider. ee —— —_ En on a horse sent me to Rocky Glen Station for help.” ‘‘ Your station is not on his line of run?” ‘No, not now that he has taken the longer run which broke the other riders down.” ‘“Were they not a little afraid of me, the Spirit of the Canyon?” ‘‘T think so; but Little Grit did not fear you.” ‘‘He fears nothing; and he the trail?” ‘6 Yes.” “Tf he escapes death he bears a charmed life, for I tell you frankly the stations for fifty miles are to be raided to-night.” ‘‘ How know you this?” ‘“T have a way of finding out,” was the significant reply. “And yet, being a woman, you did not warn them of danger?’ indignantly asked Bes- sie. “Tt was not to my interest to do so,” was the quiet response, “ How mean you?” “Tama member of the Mountain Bandits.” “You f” “ Yes, am I not viie enough to be anything?” was tne bitter question. | “Thad not suspected you of this: I have heard of the Spirit of the Canyon for a long time, but believed the Pony Riders were governed by their superstitious fancies, until Wild Rider said he saw you,” ‘Yes, I tried to frighten him one night, but he gdve chase at once, and I barely escaped him.” ‘But I cannot believe you belong to the Mountain Bandits.” ‘‘ How e’se could I live in this wild region?” “T know not; but I had not believed that of you.” “T told you I was wicked; but come, you are my prisoner.” ‘‘ A prisoner to the Bandits?’ asked Bessie, in alarm. ; ‘Yes: but I pledge you no harm shall <be- fall you.”’ ‘‘You are but a woman, and what will they care for your word of command?” ‘‘ You shall see; come!” ‘‘Oh, do let me go, for oh! I am so very wretched.” | | “You entreat in vain; you are aprize that may be found most valuable to me, but again I pledge you my word that no harm shall be- fall you.” : Bessie buried her face in her hands and burst into tears, and looked up only when she felt a light touch upon her arm.’ re It was the Spirit of the. Canyon, and by her side stood her snowy steed, and then the mai- den saw the secret of the noiseless hoof-falls among the rocks. His hoofs were muffled, and his tread gave back no sound. CHAPTER XIII. THE STOCK-TENDER’S STORY. © « Rocky GLEN was a scene of considerable ex- citement, shortly after noon on the day follow- ing the eventful night that opens my story, for much had transpired, even in that lund of wild adventure and strange-scenes, to arouse the rude denizens of that border retreat. Knowing by long and frequent experience that it would be impossible to overtake the Boy Bandit and bis men, after Little Grit had come in and reported the pursuit of himself and Helen Hewlett, the miners had passed the night in gambling and discussing the advisability of raising a force of Vigilantes to hunt to death the curses of the Overland, Had poor Bessie Benton arrived with her sad story, the entire population of Rocky Glen would have been up in arms, and over a hun- dred horsemen would have taken the trail at once; but the reader will remember, that the maiden had been run down by the Spirit of the Canyon, and could not bear the tidings to the station. | At dawn the gamblers sought rest, but a few t : at . : ‘. } i : Ps phe ‘* HA 5. ‘ is at "S a Vida’: Oe? ‘ 1? 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"3 ~ bo Ps 2 —* yO hota) fou, é: ” ~ 4h ze : Se ; : A aa ees . e ENS f. end a t Mp oard Wily See eae 4a BAS tal ee ws / hours after they were up again, when the Ps A news flew around that a train was coming inte/ ~~ the hamlet, and Colonel Hewlett and his party, found a curious crowd to greet them, as they rode‘up to the Riders’ Rest, “ Ah, colonel, glad to see you back, sir,” said the hospitable host of the tavern. “Thank you, sir; I bave come to ask for quarters for myself and daughter for a few days, as a courier has just overtaken me with orders to establish a new post, or fort, in this \ vicinity, and 1 shall at once select a site, for | f am anxious to put down the lawlessness on this i border.” ‘‘You will find it no easy task, colonel, as crime is deep-rooted here; but I can give you fair .accommodations, and plenty to eat, as long as yourself and daughter are my guests. “You look a little pale after your adventure last night, Miss Héwlett,” and the judge ushered his guests into their rooms, the best two in the rambling, one-storied tavern. Half an hour.after the wagons were corraled on a piece of meadow-land, the soldiers, a small battalion, were encamped on the banks, of a pleasant stream) and with the few emi- grants that had come West with the train, to find new homes, the settlement of Rocky Glen presented a most stirring scene, and the gam- bling element, at the head of whom was the | Kid Glove Sport, flattered themselves that they ‘would now have some pigeons to pluck of their golden feathers. After the noonday dinner at the Riders’ Rest, the idle denizens of Rocky Glen were wont to assemble upon the natural lawn in front of the tavern fora smoke and gossip, and as many had not gone to work that day, in the mines and at their various other duties, there con- sequently had gathered a large crowd to dis- cuss the late arrivals, the building of the new post, and other topics in which the settlers were interested. | ““T tell yer, pardsgthet ‘Boy Bandit an’ his gang is going to find it interestin’ fer em now | ther sogers bes comed an’ we hesa larger com- | munity o’ folks,” said Trumps; removing his Indian pipe from his* mouth, and Jooking around upon the crowd as though he bad just made some very wise remark. ‘‘T-dunno, Trumps, ef he are or not, for he’s ascreamer, an’ nobody’s get clutch on him | yet, an’ it’s seldom any o’ his pards is tuke in | out o’ ther wet,” responded Bony: Bob. ‘They does say nobody knows who’s ‘ther gang, for it can turn out. at times over halfa 195.4 bundred men, an’ I has allus noticed when they was raidin’ in force, thet fellows round heur were mighty scarce.” -** You don’t mean to assert, Trumps, that any of our citizens here are secret members of the Boy Bandit’s band?’ said the Kid Glove Sport, removing a cigar from between his lips, with his daintily gloved hand, and looking fixedly into the miner’s face. ‘‘T does say as how thet thar were a thinnin’ out o’ folks in Rocky Glen, both times the Boy Bandit made a grand raid on ther south- ern trails; why you wasn’t heur yerself, Kid Gloves, ary time.” ‘Am Ito understand that you mean to im- ply that J being absent from here at the times, you speak of, am a secret member of the Boy . Bandit’s band?’ and the Kid Glove Sport arose and his eyes burned menacingly. ‘If ther shoe I gi’n yer fits, my festive pard, yer kin jist put it on an wear it,” was Trumps’s cool reply; but before an angry retort could be made by the Kid Glove Sport, 4 man sud- denly appeared in their midst, and from his lips came the trembling words: ‘Men, my child, have you seen her?” It was Daniel Benton, and his face was heg- gard, white and stamped with both mental and bodily pain, while around his neck were the cruel marks of the lariat with which he ha been strug: up the nivht Dc.ore, ‘ . “Yer chila, zor gai, Dan; whar is she?” asked bar orga lotornd turning to the stock- tender, whd was well known at Rocky/Glen. “Yes, Trumps, she started for this place last 4 Wer wae Ve a Ne re om al \4 we RS! | a Vi ee a) , . eo ae 7 a rips “LAE {* } fn * o*uy - t ae ?¢ & is wil : Pa Br Oty: - fis comicbooks.c