Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1063 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 ‘* Wild Bill is a dangerous man, if reports con- cerning him are true, ‘‘T care not how dangerous he is, He is my enemy and my game!” ** Look, look!” softly cried Pedro, ‘‘ They are going to the Gulch!” ‘* All but one,” ‘* That one remains a guard,” Wild Bill led the way down toward Moanin Gulch, and three of bis comrades followed. It happened that Big Bruno was left on guard, Gin- ger Jim being forced to take bis turn in the ulch with the others, Little did the miners dream they were being watched by three men who were concealed far up amid the rocks and pines, They had no thought that there were white enemies near, Big Bruvo sat down outside the cabin and lighted his pipe to have a good smoke, having watched his comrades till they had vanished at the mouth of the gorge. ‘‘ It is scarcely necessary to leave a guard over the cabin,” he muttered, after be had smok- 6d in silence for a long time. ‘* There are no red- skins amid the Hills now, and as for whites— Hello! Great Scott!” He leaped to bis feet in amazement. A white man who did not belong to their party stood be- fore bim! It was Black Bat! Big Bruno’s band flashed toward his hip, but he was covered by a revolver in the hand of the other, and a stefn voice cried: “Go a little slow, pard, or eat bullets! Iam in this game, and I holda full hand! You can see— He suddenly stopped speaking, staring in as- tonishment at Big Bruno’s face, For a moment both were silent, and then the man with the re- volver almost shouted: “Bruno Bradstone!” The big man fell back against the cabin wall. ** My God!” be gasped, ‘‘ Bat—alive?” CHAPiER VI, TROUBLE BEGINS. THE miners took their dinners down into the Guich, and they did not return to the cabin till night. Darkness was spreading a dusky vail over the Hills asthey approached the place where they had lft Big Bruno on guard, ‘*T don’t -ee nothin’ 0’ our pard,” observed Crab Zeb, Ging_r Jim wagged his head, **Oh, he’s prob’ly in ther cabin asleep,” he said, ‘*‘ You won’t find nobody that’ll watch ther place same asI do, Now, I’m allus waitin’ fer ye w’en ye come back at night,” ild Bill said nothing, but led the way with rapid strides, The cabin door was standing wide open and he entered. As hedid so, he stumbled over a dark ai on the floor. ** Hello!” he cried. ‘* What is this? Hight! Is that you, Bruno?” e quickly produced a match and lighted it, dropping on his knees as be did so, “It’s Bruno,” he said, steadily, as the light flared up. ‘ He’s been used foul! Bring the slut.” ‘* The ‘‘slut” was a candle made of a rag that floated in a tin dipper of grease, It was brougbt and lighted. Then they saw Big Bruno lying on his back, his hands and feet made secure andta gag fastened into his mouth, His face was cov- ered with blood, buf he was not dead, for his eyes were wide open and restless, ‘* The devil isto pay!” declared Wild Bill, as he thrust the ‘‘ slut” into Ginger Jim’s bands, Crab Zeb assisted in releasing the helpless man, an Ned brought some water to wash the blood from his face. Bruno tried to speak as soon as the gag was taken from bis mouth, but he seemed unable to handle his tongue for a time. ** Are ye bad hurt, pard?” asked Old Zeb, The big man shook his head, ** Reckon not,” be mumbled. * Who did it? asked Wild Bill, an ugly look in his usually mild eyes. ‘* This is not red-skin work. The dogs shall pay for it, and pay dearly!” ** White men,” nodded Bruno. ‘Caught me foul,” ** How many?’ ““T only saw three, but they said there were a dozen of them,” ‘“* Well, this is interesting! So we are not the cag agar ans pn Hills?” sl * o, and they claim the placer in Moanin Gulch,” : : “So? How is that?’ _ “Say they discovered ita year ago. Strike a Here, ' < ol Wild Bills Weird Foe. let me wash the blood off, It is only a little rap up here in the hair, but it bled in great shape.” “* How did you get it?” asked Bill. ‘¢ Was stfuck over the head with something.” ‘*Tt looks more like a knife cut,” ‘“Well, it knocked me very silly, anyhow, and it bled as if I had been struck.” Bruno washed off the blood, and then he answered their questions, Zeb having assisted him to bind a bandkercbief about his bead. ‘** How did it happen?’ asked Bull, ‘Well, yousee, I was smoking outside after you had gone to the Gulch, and I was just thinking there was no need of a guard at the cabin, when, all of a sudden, a fellow appeared before me, He bad the drop, and I recognized him as an old enemy I supposed was dead. He told me to fling upjmy hands, and I was obliged to do so, We were chinning, when somebody struck me on the bead with something, and I was knocked flat, Then three men jumped on me and bound me before I could recover from the blow.” **Go on!” How Wild Bill’s eyes were glowing! **When I got the bee out of my bonnet, they tried to force me to tell them where our gold was hidden, but I bluffed them off, though they swore they would kill me, Then this old foe of mine swore be was the original discoverer of the placer in Moaning Gulch, He said he dis- covered it while passing through the Hills with a party of friends last year. His friends were all murdered by red-skins, be alone escaping. With two companions, he bad returned to the Hills, only to find us in possession of what was his by right of discovery.” ** A likely story |” ‘‘ A dad burned lie, I low!” was Zeb’s obser- vation, ** Well,” continued Bruno, ‘‘ he swore be would possess the placer by fair means or fou) and he gave us warning to get out.” ‘* Ther gall o’ bim!” “He said he would kill me, but one of the party was opposed to that. Then be decided I should convey bis warning to you. He was es- oat bitter against Wild Bill, whom he said e hated most heartily,” Bill’s jaws were set, ‘* After they had searched for the gold, which they failed to find, though they came mighty near it, the youngest one said never mind, they would have it anyway, if we refused to get out. They would all come down ov us and wipe us out, Not one sbould be left to tell the tale.” ‘Wal, we'll be reddy fer ’em\” howled Gin- ger Jim, although his face was pale with fright. ‘Did you tell ther critters J wuz byer?” Bruno paid no attention to the question, but weut on: ‘‘ They wished me to render thanks for our horses, which they said they would appropriate, When they bad left me here, I beard them get the animals out of the stable.” Cries of rage broke from the lips of the miners, and they all hurried to the stable. The borses were gone, ‘* That settles it!” fell sternly from Wild Bill’s lips. ‘*I did hope that here in the Black Hills I would only fiud it necessary to kill red-skins, for I am tired and sick of being forced to take the lives of white men, even though they be ruffians and desperadoes. But it is the old story over again, It is too dark to follow a trail to-night, but to-morrow I shall go after our horses,” They all knew what that meant. Woe to the thieves if Wild Bill overtook them! Old Zeb was also furious. ‘“Ther consarned hoss-stealin’ varmints!” he spluttered, ‘*Do they think they kin drive us out o’ hyer? Waal, they'll find they bev made a big mistake, We’re hyer, an’ right byer we’re goin’ ter aay Bh, Pard Bruno?” ** You bet your boots!” nodded the big man. Nervy Ned said not a word, but as the say- ing goes, he was ** doin’ a heap o’ thinkin’.” Ginger Jim strutted and blustered till Bill silenced him with a word, Big Bruno gave them all the particulars of the affair, and the Pistol King listened atten- tively to every thing, saying very little. But they all knew that when Bill said the least be was thinking the most, Nervy Ned wandered off alone and made the rounds of the place. Then they all entered the cabin and ate supper. * Wild Bull ate the least of any. In fact, he seemed to crowd down what he did swallow. Suddenly, without a word, he started up from the block of wood on which he had been seated and abruptly left the cabin. Fifteen minutes later, Nervy Ned found bim standing by alone bowlder down toward the _-- taouth of Moaning Gulch. Bill appeared to be watching the moon, but Ned knew the scout was fully aware of his approach. **] say, Bill.” ** Weill, pard?” ** What do you think of this business?” “Tl think there is war at band,” ‘‘ You believe we shall bave trouble?” ‘‘ Trouble has already begun.” Wild Bill did not take his eyes from the moon, as he answered the questions of the other, His manner was strange, but Ned thought noth- ing of that, for he looked on the Pistol King as a man who could not be fathomed. ‘* We have ugly foes to fight,” said the youth, Then Wild Bill turned and looked Ned straight. in the eyes, ‘* Pard,” he said, soberly, ‘‘ I wish it were only humans us we have to deal with.” Then, without another word, he turned and ee toward the dark mouth of Moaning ulch, CHAPTER VIL. THE GHOST OF THE GULCH. ‘* WHAR'S he goin’, boy?” Ned started at the question, and turned to see Crab Zeb near at band. ‘¢ You know as well as I,” replied the youth. ‘* He did not tell me.” ** Fe seems ter be strikin’ fer ther Gulch,” sé Yes,” ‘I'd like to know w’at takes him down thar now,” Ned said nothing. ‘“ Bill is in an ugly state,” muttered Zeb.. | “He's reddy fer any kind o’ er rumpus "bout now, an’ woe ter ther galoot thet rubs bis fur ther wrong way. I tell ye, young pard, I saw blood in thet man’s eye w’en Bruno wuz tellin” his story a while ergo.” Ned simply nodded and sat down on the bowl- der. Davis stood watching the young man for some moments, but Ned did not seem aware that any one else was present, The old miner shook his head slowly, and then turned away, *T can’t understan’ thet boy no more than I kin Bill,” he said, to himself. ‘*They’re both riddles, an’ thet is facts, by Moses!” He went back to the cabin and told Bruno and Jim that Bill had gone down toward the Gulch,. Both were surprised. “ Wow!” exclaimed Jim, ‘* W’at fer kin ther man want ter go thar at this yar time of night® Why, i w’u’dn’t go thar now fer all ther gold thar is down thar! I tell ye l hain’t skeered of ary livin’ thing thet is human, but thar’s su’thin” too spookish fer me "bout ther bowlin’ of thet wind. An’ ter listen ter it in ther night! Hol sassafras! It’d make ’most uny critter’s ha’r turn white!” Big Bruno did not express his surprise in words, but it was evident on his face, He seem- ed strangely nervous, and complained that his head pained him, For some reason, he took up the “slut” and passed by the window with it, As he did so, the wind blew out the light, Ginger Jim gave a gasp of dismay. ** Light her up quick, pard!” he gurgled, “TIT fee] like thar wuz er bull regymint of spooks lurkin’ round!” Bruno stzuck a match and lighted the rag, but be had not much more than done so before it was extinguished again. ‘Ve will hev ter come erway frum thet winder ef ye want ter make her burn,” observed: eb, The ag Boge moved away from the window,, i then he bad no difficulty in making the rag urn, “The breath of air that comes through that window is cold as ice,” he observed, and he closed the opening witb the slab arrangement made for that purpose, Sitting on the bowlder outside, Nervy Ned scanned the dark slope that rose back of the cabin. He was thinking how a bundred Indians might creep down on the little cabin and wipe out the entire party. “We shall vo well if we ever get out of these parts,” he thought, ‘I seem to feel death im the air!” This isa region of mystery, and it op~ presses me strangely, Still there is something about that moaning gorge that fascinates me. Why is it the wail of the wind so often seems like her voice? If I only could— Ha! what's that?” Far up the dark side of the slope, where the moonlight did not reach, a light suddenly gleam- ed out and vanished. He watched, and he saw it appear and vanish again, Three times did that light flash out and disappear, and then the pine-clad steep lay silent and black in the shadows. , comicbooks 2 Ss ee. ye “tal = os Ti # w. - ye “8