Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1089 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

> —, . saw bim last his battle with Jack Jordan, who seems to. : man “— ee ee ee ee ee —_ — Mustang Merle’s Fight for Life. He had stolen Olive so adroitly from the guard who as yet seemed not to have discov- ered the trick, that he could bardly keep back a laugh despite the danger of the situation, and when he found himself out of the cavern where the rescue had taken place, he turned to the girl and said: ‘* This is better luck than I looked for; but we must not think of self-congratulation yet, for we are yet ‘in the woods,’” ‘* But we are out of the hands of the guard and that is something,” was the reply. ‘‘ I can- not say what has become of Fred, but let us hope that he will escape,” A few steps further on and the cousins stop- ped again. The following moment a loud cry rung through the mine, ‘*Heavens, what has happened now?” gasped Olive. ‘* That was a signal!” In ancther second the sound of some one run- ning over the hard floor of a dark corridor smote the ears of both, and Mustang Merle drew Olive against the wall. | “She has escaped,” they heard a harsh voice say. ‘‘1 can’t tell just how it happened, but, of course, she is somewhere in the mine, for not being used to it, she does not know the way out. Let every point Le watched. Don’t lose a single sound and follow every one you hear.” ** We are lost!” said Olive, ‘* They will guard the entrance and when we attempt to make our way out we will be discovered.” ‘Tt may not be so bad as that,” was the re- tort, ‘‘I know this old place as well as the chambers of the ranch castle. Weare at home here, more so than the rascals who have taken possession of it,” sinculated Olive. ‘* Thank Heaven!” fervently abel of sounds — then moving lights crossed the line of their vision, The Black Feathers were looking for their fair risoner, who had given them the slip, though atallr nsible for her liberation, At last they seemed to have reached the end of their tether, for they were confronted by a were, recognized as Captain Silver Belt’s com- panions, ** This to be the end of our flight,’ But Merle did not think so, He stepped back against the wall and reached u said he, ‘There are niches in the wall and they lead up nearly one hundred feet, Can you climb, them, Olive?” and her answer was full of assurance. ** Are all the niches like the first one?” “They are.” / ** Forward, then!” In a jiffy the courageous girl had placed her foot in the first niche and was moving upward. they had reached a point of forty feet above the floor the men with the torch passed directly under them. stalwart men of the border and saw them pass on in the futile search, : ** Shall we go on now?” asked the girl. overhead, Can you hold out?” ‘*With life at stake, I could climb to the stars!” | ascended to the caverns above, and when they left the wall they were safe some distance above the lower chambers of the old mine. another entrance than the main one and they were moving toward the ranch, Gaining an admittance by the back door, they For some time they heard a hey were not aware that Mustang Merle was light and behind it marched several men who ‘There is no escape now,” said Olive. This is the Chamber of the Padre’s Ladder,” The hands of*the young girl felt the first niche “Then, I can go up the ladder.” It was a perilous climb in the dark and when Both Olive and Merle looked down upon the ** Yes; all depends on our reaching the floors In this manner, band over hand, the cousins Mustang Merle led Olive from the mine by entered the secret room, where Olive sunk into a/bair with a smile of relief. ‘Who is this? cried a man, coming in and halting in front of the young girl. ** My eousin, Olive Oram,” said Merle, **One of the ngers of the stage, eh?” and Joe Bundy bent over tbe girl’s pale face and laughed. ‘‘ What’s become of the other one?” “ Of Fred, do you mean?" said Olive. ‘I can-. not answer you, and am very sorry I cannot, I in the camp of the bandits just af- whom he me ere we ter bi belong tv Captain Silver Belt’s gang. I have grave fears cantereiog Predee tor the young man Whom he whipped for - Se - 4 - a “Zs of 5+, - — “a «6 ~ 43 ~~ a” bee } : "7 “Tr es leo ee ioe Teds d., at May J ‘ Lt. anid 3 left the States is his mortal enemy, and will not leave a stone unturned to get even with him by any means in his power,” oe fell back, and for a moment longer re- garded Olive, when he said: ‘*Hang it all, I wish she hadn’t come just now. We're in a peck of trouble.” ‘* Of course, but Olive is to be defended to the last extremity.” ‘“‘Sartainly, Captain Merle, for it’s ag’in’ the Bundy religion to go back on a needy female while danger menaces, I’m in for the bull war, an’ will give the young lady all the assistance in my power. Yours truly, J. Bundy.” Olive smiled and thanked the old scout for his loyalty, when the Boy Rancher turned to admit another person to the room. This person was Red Hawk whose eye took in the situation at a glance, and ina moment he had stepped to Olive’s side, ‘* Red Hawk stand by white girl to the last!” he said, taking her hand. ‘‘ Him fight for her till his blood all out,” ‘* That’s§the young red all over,” suid Old Joe. ‘*T’ve seen his mettle tried and thar’s not a big- ger Injun for bis size out 0’ doors.” Suddenly there came to the ears of all a sound which drew the three friends acrogs the room, Fists hammered on the door. ‘* Are you there, Captain Merle?” cried a loud voice, ‘* Here!” answered the young ranch king. ** What bas happened, Merrit?” ‘‘ They have stampeded the cattle again and the herds are running off like mad.” ‘‘More Dagger Brands,” quietly said the Boy seeoer through his teeth, ‘‘ What else, Mer- t ‘There if a fire burning over near the stacks.” ‘The match!” and Mustang Merle turned to- ward Red Hawk and Joe. ‘** You know what that means,” ‘Which way is the wind?” he asked the man at the door. | ‘** Blowing toward the house, sir,” It seemed that at that moment the face of the young rancher of the border lost every vestige of color for he fell back from the door and gripped tighter than ever the revolver he had drawn, Probably at that time he thought of his bat- tles with other bandits, He may have recalled the fight for the ranch with Captain Red Jacket, and the defense be had made against Dolores Dick and his pards; at any rate, bis face was fousely drawn and determination was stamped here. . ‘** Open the door!” he said to Bundy. The long hands of the old scout took down oe stout baricades and he waited for the next order. . Mustang Merle went over to Olive who was wondering what was going to bappen and led her to the opposite side of the chamber. ‘*This way, Cousin Olive,” he said, touching a button in the wa})l and a secret dvuor swung open. ‘** You see steps before you. Go down and keep on till you come to a door. You will find un- derground a safe asylum—one, the existence of which is not known to the Black Feathers of the We will join you sooh. Go!” ~ He pres the fair girl’s band and saw her step fearlessly into the dark opening which closed at once, ‘*Now for the bandits of the Southwest,” be said, turning to his companions, ‘“ The grass is very scant just now between us and the stacks, and, then, the wind may shift,” Opening the door whose barricades Joe Bundy had removed, Merle led the way to the porch, Indian and Yankee were at his heels, ‘** Look, the stacks!” cried he, pointing away to where the sky was being lighted up by a fire. ‘* That is the work of the outlaw’s matcb,” They stood side by side on the porch sheltered and hidden by the vines that shaded it, Higher and higher Jeaped the flames, The tebe grew intenser and fell upon the house i : ! All at once a figure leaped upon the porchand was ence by the supple hand of the old scou ** Will it reach us?’. asked the Boy Rancher, seeing that the man was one of his own men, ‘*T don’t know. The grass is burning like powder,” ‘* Between us and the stacks?” “6 Yos.” yar At that moment a mounted figure appeared in sight and drew rein in sight of all, and afforded a splendid target in the ruddy light of the burn- ing stacks, : _ “That is Gilded Gid, the fellow who got away é ‘* £ f : ‘eo Sta WY . <) * Pa od 4s is > Pe ht an GS a a ‘ Ss a, 5 oh cv, Ee sot 7 eat. 4 oth 4 bet ss from me!” cried Joe Bundy, and his Winchester was at his shoulder, ‘‘ I'll just give bim a dose of ‘ Doctor Bundy’s Sure Shot,’ and—” ‘*No, not now,” said Merle, interruptingly, and his hand fell across the rifle-barre], and his eye met the old scout’s Jook. ‘* Postponed for a spell,” said Joe, dropping the gun. All fell to watching the figures of man and horse as they were presented in the light, and suddenly the form of Red Hawk sprung from the porch and disappeared. ‘* By the etarnal, what is Reddy up to now?” cried the man from Yankeedom, CHAPTER X. A BREATHING-SPELL, THE young Apache warrior, ever on the alert, had caught sight of something which had caused the sudden vanishment. He ran to within a short distance of the line, and there stopped, crouching on the ground like a panther, with his eyes aflame and his bosom heaving with excitement. Nothing had ever daunted the boy of the on e remained in this position some time, when he arose and crept off to the left, disappearing, but not for long. In a little while he came back, creeping over the ground, and still watching the fire, By this time the flames had reached a spot near the house, and the grass was shriveling up before the fierce beat. Up to this time not a bandit had been visible, but it was known that they had come, and all thought they were playing some deep game by which they expected to get possession of the ranch without much loss to themselves, Suddenly a figure was seen running toward the house, and those on the porch noticed that it staggered like a wounded person, ‘* Chipita!” cried Mustang Merle. In a moment, the figure, watched intently by every one, Was seen to spring upon the veranda, and in mgne of the group it threw out its bands and cried: i he ‘‘Chipita, the Outcast queen, had hoped to live long enough to pay Captain Silver Belt back for his rascality, but she bas been shot, They are out yonder—the ruffians of the border —and all have taken an oath not to give up until they have reduced the houses of Mesquite to ashes. Look! Where yon fire is sits Captain Silver Belt on his horse watching the flames as they creep toward the house. Why do you stand bere idle, Captain Merle?” The next moment she had staggered forward and leaned heavily against the wall. There was a deathly pallor on the woman’s face and ber breath came fast. Tbe Boy Rancher sprung to her assistance and caught her before she could fall. Cbipita was carried into the room and left in charge of Old Joe, who professed to know about wounds, while Merle and his friends on the porch prepared to meet the strategy of the ban- dite. — | But all at once the fire seemed to fade, The stacks were destroyed and the heavens no longer were lighted up by the conflagration. The grass: had prevented the. flames from leaping onward to the house, | : . It looked as though the bandits of the border had been providentially baffled. After awbile the form of Red Hawk ename gliding back and he presented himself to his young master. “The captain of the Black Feathers has departed,” said the young Indian. Mustang Merle started, ‘* Tt can’t be, chief!” he cried. | ‘¢ Go out and see,” and the Indian pointed to- ward the waning fire, ‘‘Heand his men have ridden back and there is no enemy out yonder,” ‘Did you see them ride off?” ‘‘ Red Hawk saw them turn their ranch,” ae : ‘This means something deep; it is a° trick which must be watched, I know something about the cunning of Captain Silver Belt and—” “Tt is a trick!” and Chipita appeared sucdenly before the two friends, ‘* Captain Silver Belt is full of tricks and will not let the voung owner of Mesquite escape him for long, That is his oath and he will see that itis carried out to the letter, if be can.” : | ‘*‘ But Red Hawk maintains that he bas taken of bis had burned out and the waters of the little creek his departure,” said . ‘*He may have gone but that is one tricks, He will come back and when be comes it will be in another guise,” ‘| tote s4 Va % backs to the 7 4 — - oe — A < a ao 5 5 * ae tt ee ek ais > — ~ oo ° © hee - = €. a =" ? . | a 4 oo * ’ a)* me — aes Or ? i> + : —_— <? ee. if fey ns “J ._ > “cy 4 “1 ’ iii a. a . —, yada s ee) to a: _ 4 > ~ -