Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1089 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

—— ee - --= é _ ‘4 ra + - — = aay q ° po — oe oe a ore oy ees - es NS Oe a aa ee ee ee as 4 7 bees : : ° 4 > a »* —_—~ {= » 2 ley aa Mustang Merle’s Fight for Life. 11 It was night when a man entered Tagus City ‘and proceeded to the Plaza where were situated the drinking-dens of the place. There was nothing out of the way in the ap- pearing of this person except that he was rather tall and angular, | He bad a silent, cat-like tread and when he entered the Square he looked about him and made his way to one of the dens, Peering in at the open door he noted the in- mates and then withdrew, . It wasevident that he had come to the border town for a purpose and that a certain person who had been watching his movements thought as much, The tall man went back to the edge of the pe and met there a young Indian who had n waiting for him. The two came close together and talked in low nes, **] did not see him but some of his men are there,” said the white man. ‘** Maybe you did not look in all the dens,” **T did not.” ** Did you look into the one at the end of the reet?” és No. 7 **Red Hawk will do that.” ** But, if you are discovered, chief—” ** Red Hawk is too sharp for the foxes of the order. He will keep a watchful eye in his head, and when they see him it will not be for long.” The next minute the young Apache glided off and in a moment had vanished. The white man, who was our old friend, Joe Bundy, remained where he had just joined the red-skin and looked for a little while toward the town. All at once the stillness was broken by a pis- tol-shot, and the lust of the Bundys sprung up and listened, ‘* They have found thered! I told him so,” he said while he waited for another sound, ‘ He did not play fox well enough for once, «It will cost him his life if he is caught prowling here where Captain Silver Belt has many friends, In another moment a figure came flying to- ward him, and the ald scout, drawing a pistol, waited for it to come up. When it came along, the hand of Old Joe was thrust forth and closed on the runner. ‘* Here Iam,” he said. ‘ In the name of com- mon sense, Who are you tryin’ to distance?” Red Hawk, the Indian, stopped and Jooked into the face of his old companion. ‘¢] round him!” he said with a faint grin. ** Captain Silver Belt?” Tt Yes.” “* And he let fly at you?” ** No; some one else did.” ** Tell me,” Whereupou Red Hawk told in brief the story of his adventure, He had extended his crawl almost to the end of the town for the purpose of discovering if Captain Silver Belt was there at that particular time when he saw a man stand- ing near the last den on the street, @ appeared to be watching for some one, and while the Apache regarded him the door of the den opened and the tall figure of Captain Silver Belt himself came out. For a moment the young Indian was surprised, but in a little time he saw the other man move, and a six-shooter glittered in his hand. Believing that the life of Captain Silver Belt was in danger, and they were to abduct him at all hazards, he sprung forward to prevent a crime ern the man with a pistol, hearing his step, hirled suddenly and fired at him point-blank, the bullet grazing bis face, and for a second throwing him off his guard, In a flash, as it were, Captain Silver Belt van- ished back in the den, and Red Hawk had beaten a hasty retreat, Joe Bundy listened to this narrative with a good deal of interest, He wondered greatly who the bandit’s enemy could be, but of course the young Indian could not enlighten him. | ** Listen!” he said, clutching Red Hawk’s arm. ‘‘ They are wide awake back yonder, hitb not get to steal Captain Silver Belt to- night, he Apache listened with a curious face and the two heard the confused”sounds of human voices, P Gres at once some one Was seen coming toward em, Red Hawk thrust Joe back and crouched on the ground like a panther. **It is the bandit of the border—the very man we want!” suddenly whispered the Yankee, st On, on came the person so closely regarded by | hi the two friends, and when he reached a spot opposite Red Hawk, they sprung at him and he was caught unawares, ‘It is only turning the tables a little,” said Joe, as the man struggled, ‘* You will save your breath by keeping quiet,” The captured one glared at the two and let an oath escape him. ‘**To the horses, Red Hawk! We have the eagle and all we want is to get away with the bird,” Captain Silver Belt held back a moment, but a cocked revolver soon brought him into sub- mission and he quietly said: ‘* You know how to play fox as well as other people. But you must remember that the game is not yet played out,” Two horses were discovered near by and the sullen prisoner was ordered to mount one, which 5 did, and in & moment all three were riding off. The capture of the renowned bandit of the border had been 80 neatly accomplished that both Joe and Red Hawk had need to congretulate themselves as they rode along, For a long time Captain Silver Belt said noth- ing, but maintained a sullen silence, “Captain,” said Old Joe, ‘do you ever eat paper The bandit was startled by the absurdity of the question. ** What do you mean?” The tall scout took a bit of crumpled paper from his pocket and held it up before his eyes in the faint moonlight, ‘This is the paper you left on the porch the night you stampeded the cattle and I swore that [ would cram it down your throat some day, 1 think my time bas come now and Ill perce to carry out my promise, so hold still, please— 4 But Captain Silver Belt fell back and began to struggle, ‘* It’s got to be eaten!” continued Joe, “Ima man Of my word and when I set out to doa thing I ginerally do it.” The power that lay in the Yankee’s limbs was too much for even the agile man of the border and in the end he forced the paper into the bandit’s mouth and sbut his jaws behind it, ‘Thar, I feel better,” ejaculated Old Joe. ‘You kin swaller it or spit it out just as you like. That’s what I call eatin’ one’s own words,” The mad look that filled Captain Silver Belt’s eyes was the only answer Joe received and if his hands had been free there would have been a struggle to the death, ‘ The three rode on and the house of Mesquite came ip sight at last, lying in the moonlight, he porch wes reached and the guard who challenged the little party uttered acry when he saw that one of the horses carried double, ‘** We've got him,” said Joe, The alarm was instantly sounded and Mustang Merle stood face to face with his old enemy. Captain Silver Belt was taken across the threshold into a room where he stood erect with the mien of an eagle and glared at the boy ranch king with all the fury of bis wild na- ture, ‘There can be peace between us,” said Mustang Merle, pointing at length to a paper which be had placed on the table. ‘‘ There are the terms I have drawn up and it remains for you to sign them,” - The captain of the Black Feathers ste pee ton mare and read the treaty, for it was nothing else, His lips curled proudly and he threw a look of defiance at the Boy Rancher and bis friends, ‘* Peace on those terms? Never!” he cried, | His figure straightened and he fell back with a& curse On his tongue, ‘It is the only chance, If you refuse to sign you wil! be tried in this house by a court made up for that purpose,” ‘*Try me!” . The coolness of the man was something amazing, | Once more he Jeaned forward and looked at the terms submitted in the treaty on the table, ‘The pen!” be said, seeming to bite his nether Pp. Joe Bundy stepped forward and placed a pen in his band, “ T can’t sign, tied as I am,” said the outlaw. Mustang Merle made a sigan and the bonds were severed, Every eye was fastened upon the famed rider of the Southwest, : He stood at the table with the pen ip his hand asif about to sign the paper lying ready for m. Those by whom he was watched gripped six- shooters in their hands and were ready to cover him at the slighteat show of treachery. Captain Silver Belt. lowered the pen until it almost touched the sheet, but all at once he dropped it and leaped toward where Olive was a silent spectator of the scene, He seized the fair girl and lifted her from the floor, He whirled and ina jiffy was holding her between himself and the pistols of her astonished friends, It was the work of the tenth part of a second and Captain Silver Belt had calculated the play to a nicety and the lookers on were thunderstruck, CHAPTER XLV. THE BLACK FEATHER’S FLIGHT. ‘*¢ Drop the girl!” cried the last of the Bundys but Captain Silver Belt showed no intentions o doing this, Three revolvers were leveled at hirh, but he held the Boy Rancher’s cousin in such a position that to fire at him would be to endanger her life, and he knew that he bad secured an advan- tage if not a decided victory. Still clutching Olive, he moved backward toward the door. Beyond the porch stood the horses which Jve and Red Hawk bac ridden co Tagus, and once ov the back of one with his captive he might bid defiance to the men of the ranch, But an unseen danger lay in his path and it soon manifested itself, The door behind the bandit opened suddenly and a youth of splendid proportions threw him- self forward. It was Fred Fuller, whom we saw last making his way to Mesquite with a note to Olive from Don Ignace, The youth came into the room in the nick of ime, Realizing the situation at a glance, he threw himself upon Captain Silver Belt and that wor- thy was forced back against his will, when Red Hawk leaped to Fred’s assistance and Olive was released, But despite this sudden advantage, the vic- tory over the bandit was not yet won, To the strength of a giant he united the agility of a cat, and the struggle he made was desperate, red was torn loose and flung across the room; Red Rawk received a blow from the clinched fist of the outlaw and ere Merle and Joe could reseize him he had reached the door and in a flash was gone, Yes, with a defiant laugh Captain Silver Belt had disappeared and the astonished tenants of the ranch heard his footsteps on the porch! Old Joe bounded to the door and gained it in time to see a man pallop away, but he senta bullet after the cool bandit ere he turned back to the excited group. Captain Silver Belt’s escape was so astonishing that those whom it affected could not fully real- ize what had bappened for some time, ‘* It will be swift war now,” said Merle at last. ** We shall now have the final struggle for exist- ence and it will be a bloody one.” ‘**Let it come} I’ve bed the satisfaction of cramming some of his own words down his throat, and I want another chance at him. Joe Bundy smiled ira iba ye when he thought of bis exp)oit, but it was not much, viewed in the light of Captain Silver Belt’s suc- cessful play. The night passed without any furtber inci- dent worth recording and the new day came, Mustang Merle went out and looked over his acres and then walked down to the old mine, In the depths he took an oath that he would clear the earth of his old-tims foe, and then went back to the house, | Olive, pale from her exciting adventure with the bandit, met him in the room and drew him to the window, ‘You don’t think of Conproe has with this man, do you, Cousin Merle?” the fate girl asked, y With Captain Silve Belt? You donot know me! ‘‘T am glad of this, You will meet him when he comes and fight him to the finish,” * T shall do nothing else, Olive, while this man is our living foe there can be no security at Mes- quite. He intends to carry out his vow or per- ish in the attempt. But the letter Fred brought you? You promised to show it to me,” The girl blushed and drew from ber bosom a letter which she handed to Mustang Merle. The boy read it with rising color, and then looked into the young girl’s face. | “This is almost enough to provoke a laugh,” he said, “It is simply a declaration of love or y Of ‘ , , ‘ :