Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1089 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 Mustang Merle’s Fight for Life. The light that lit up the scene came from a | glance at Jack, who had brought down upon his The next moment Don Ignace leaned toward number of torches made fast to the trees in the grove and all threw a weird glare over the t spot. Pitted stood apart from the men of the band and looked at their leader with undaunted mien, He expected no me he 5 The brief trial and the flimsy accusation had told him that none would be granted and he was bidden by these things to prepare for the noose, “The beginning of this trouble stands yon- der!” suddenly exclaimed Fred, and bis hand covered Jack Jordan who quailed the moment the words were spoken. ‘* He hates me use I happen to be the es- cort of the Seng Jady who was coming to visit Mustang Merle, her cousin,” be went on, ‘‘ He insulted Olive ere we left the North and wished that she might fall into the clutches of bandits, That young coward and outlawed vulture of so- ciety dares not step forth and meet me hand to band before Captain Silver Belt carries out the infamous sentence of his court,” All eyes were turned upon Jack Jordan who stood near by and met the accusation with pal- lid face, He seemed to shrink from the outstretched fin- ger of the young man, and when Fred suddenly wg. toward him he actually recoiled. “Draw a line on the ground and I will mark it. I will meet him now and with any weapons he may cnoose. I brand him coward in the midst of his friends and cowards never fight!” Captain Silver Belt looked at Jack who bit his lips and lared at Fred while blood mounted to his temples and colored them, “Fight him if you have a drop of cool blood in your veips. Don’t let bim cow you like that,” and similar expressions were heard on every side, while every brigand looked at Jack Jordan. All at once the’ycung rascal moved. His figure seemed to leap up in the torchlight and he shouted hoarsely. : ‘‘Draw the line on the ground and [ will fight!” he cried. ‘I will show him that there isn’t a drop of coward blood in Jack Jordan’s body. He has challenged me and I accept. choose revolvers, distance ten paces and the spot where we stand!” ‘* That suits me! I have longed to face you ever since [ heard of your infamous wish breath- ed in Olive’s ear. Draw the line!” The bandits fell back and went to work at once. A line was drawn in the ground near the tree and the torches arranged so as to throw all their light upon the spot, Fred was given choice of revolvers from the many at band and selécting one from the belt of a bandit, he took his place and an- nounced himself ready for the duel. Jack did the same and in a little while they one back to back waiting for the deadly sig- na . amon CHAPTER XII. A CHANGE OF MASTERS, THOSE who watched the youth from the North, expected to see bim shrink from ‘the ordeal to which he was being subjected, but they were disappointed, He held the six-shooter with a firm grip, and waited calmly for the signal. On the contrary, Jack Jordan seemed to re- coil from the duel, as if he did not look for Fred to face him to the end, and when the bandit who was to deliver the signal stepped forward for ba purpose, a shiver of dread passed over his rame, ‘*? don’t want to cheat the court,” he suddenly cried. “I won’t do it, but will let the sentence of the tribunal be carried out,” A murour of dissatisfaction was heard. ‘*That is little short of cowardice,” said a voice, and the speaker, who was Captain Silver Belt himself, looked at Jack and smiled, ‘“*‘T wou't fight bim, He pele. to you!” “T waive ay rights if you will stand up and carry out the duel.” A ~ Jack shook his head and dropped his and, ** You won't, eh?” cried Captain Silver Belt. ** T will not.’ . A smile of derision took possession of Fred’s ace. “Jack Jordan, you are a coward,” he said, **You are an insulter of young ladies, and re- fuse their friends the proper redress,” The young bandit colored, but made no reply. Seeing that the duel was at an end, even before it had a commencement, Fred handed the revolver back to its owner with a contemptuous - ¢ "ST “Dla , “ be * & Ao ee eM ex, BN Fi ) pe Ade Ns head the derision of the whole band, *““'You know where the road is,” said Captain Silver Belt to Jack. ** ‘What do you mean?” ‘* We don’t want cowards in this camp.” Jack was astonished. He did not look for any treatment of this kind, and for a moment stood bewildered before the captain of the Black Feathers. **Do you mean that we are to separate here?” he stammered at last, **T mean nothing else. We don’t want cow- ards with us,” Jack turned upon Fred with a glare of mad- ness in the depths of his eyes. Captain Silver Belt stood pointing toward the western confines of the camp, and when he had looked at him a moment, he (Jack) walked off with the surliness of a beaten desperado, **T will make him remember this,” he growled under Lis breath. ‘I willsee that he recalls this incident before his career.is ended. I know that the boy intended to kill me the first fire, I saw that in his eye, and I wasn’t going to take any chances,” | The amused bandits watched him as he walked off, his figure gradually disappearing, and when it had vanished altogether, they laughed outright. ‘* My case will be settled now,” thought Fred, ‘* They will turn upon me and carry out the sen- tence of the court,” But he was mistaken. A revulsion of feeling in his favor seemed to have taken place, for in- stead of being conducted to the noose, he was remanded back to the tree where he was left under guard, In all probability his coolness and bravery had saved his life, though he could not believe that it was for long. He was still in the hands of Captain Silver Belt, and it was more than rps that the bandit would soon play a deadly and, He was yet to learn that the expedition to Mesquite bad resulted in no success, that Olive had escaped from the men of the border, and that Captain Silver Belt was incensed at the state of affairs, and would renew his oath to wipe out the boy ranch king of the plains, he sun Came up and began to move down the western slope of the sky. Fred had been treated with some considera- tion since his coolness in fighting Jack Jordan, and now and then a bandit would steal up to him and enter into conversation, By this means he was told about. Olive’s flight, but not that she had been rescued by Mus- fang Merle, @ was overjoyed to hear of the girl’s escape, and doubted not that she was really safe among friends. The afternoon was half spent when a man was seen by Fred looking down upon the camp from a slight elevation. This person was mounted, and for some time he was supposed to be one of Captain Silver Belt’s own men, but when he rode forward Fred saw that he was quite another person. The bandits spied him and watched him with some curiosity, for he rode straight toward the Samy, and~at last drew rein at the very edge of i ‘“* Tt is Don Ignace!” said some one. The Mexican touched bis hat at mention of his wild name, and when Captain Silver Belt came forward, the two shook hands and drew close ager n a little while the Mexican came\toward Fred, whom he eyed’ sbarply, and all at once turned upon the leader of the Black Feathers, and exclaimed: “So this is the chap, eh? He looks like a young hawk. Has he given you any trouble yet Captain Silver Belt shook his head. : ‘** But he will if you don’t shut bim off soon,” he wenton, ‘‘Heis a young fox. I know his father. Long ago we had a brush near one of the forts, and I owe the old captain sometbing ee little scar I carry as a memento of that ght. The bandit laughed, ** Maybe you would like to take out some ven- geance on the son?” he said, ** Nothing would please me more,” ** He is yours,” “* Cantain Silver Belt waved his hand toward bis captive, ~ ** What, mine?” cried Don Ignace, his face suddenly glowing with true maliciousness, **Do vou tell me, captain, that this boy is mine?” “* He is yours!” ; Fy ; » oles bt PR ook Sis ‘ Corr ’ Oe A : ae - ih lay a ek th Te 6 ii a Fred and covered him with his dark orbs, ‘*T will take him, I will show him that I haven’t forgotten his father. Come, boy; you shall see something of life beyond Captain Sil- ver Belt’s camp.” There was no help for it, and within five min- utes the change of masters had been effected and the youth was being conducted from the fe with Don Ignace—grinning, handsome Don Ig- nace for bis escort. For some time the Mexican did not speak, but continued to conduct his prisoner over the country, now galloping at a rapid gait, but nearly all the time proceeding at a moderate pace, Fred fell to studying the face of the man into whose hands he had fallen, It seemed like dropping from the frying- pan into the fire. He heard of the cool- ness and cruelties of Don Ignace for whose bead there was a standing reward, but had never dreamed that he would some day become his captive. Don Ignace kept to the broader trail for some time, when he suddenly turned into one not so plain and this they followed some distance. began to wonder where Don IJgnace’s camp would be found, and at last rounding a hill, they came in sight of several men seated on horses, The rough-looking fellows saluted Don Ignace and in a moment Fred was among them, His arrival called forth expressions of aston- ishment and when he had been subjected to sev- eral rough jokes he was seized by the arm and led away by Don Ignace. ‘* What is your father worth now?” asked the brigand of the plains, ‘ N oO more than when he met you some years ago. ** Ah, no lies, boy.” ** You are getting none.” ‘tT am Don [gnace, I know this country and l can bide you so that the whole army would never bring you to light.” ‘The army would not hunt for’ me,” smiled red. “It would not, eh?’ and the bandit seemed surprised, **Tt would not.” The robber of the Southwest looked disap- pointed. | ‘You came out with a girl who is at Mes- quite Ranch?” sooner exclaimed Don Ignace, ‘*T was escorting Olive to Mesquite when we were ambushed by Captain Silver Belt’s men. . Pa you carry a letter to the girl for me ** A letter from you to Olive?” “Why not?” The proposition thrilled the young North- erner, | ‘“* Let me have it,” and he put forth his band. ‘Mind you, boy, it must be placed in her hand,” said. Don Ignace, ‘* It shall be taken straight to her.” Don Ignace took a piece of paper from hig pocket and bending forward in the saddle, bee gan to write, ‘**Ts he fooling me?” thought Fred. ‘* Does he intend to lift my hopes so high and then dash them to earth? I can’t trust this yellow bandit very far. He is as full of tricks as a fox,” But Don Ignace continued to write on as if he had thrown his whole soul into the letter before him and when he had concluded he looked up and folded the letter, ‘*Take this to the girl. It is a letter from Don Ignace,” and he extended his letter which the boy eagerly took, ** You must show me the trail.” *] will,” and Don Ignace kept his word by taking Fred beyond the camp and pointing in a certain direction. “Stick to that trail and you will find Mes- quite,” said he, Bred Fuller smiled his thanks and rode for- ward, The events of the past few hours seemed a dream to him, He could not realize that he was actually out of the clutches of the bandits; but when he-did so he urged his steed over the trail, and rode as if the demons were thundering be- hind him, CHAPTER XIIL OLD JOE KEEPS A PROMISE. MustaANG MERLE and his friends pre to receive another attack from Captain Silver Belt whose failure to take the ranch must have nettled bim, and they were sure that another at- tempt would be made, red = | cpDOoO Ks.c = a Ss >> ~~~ eee - a ee — ee li ee ~~ os ———————_