Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 1106 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

—- Z. Arriving in Virginia City, Captain Oliver be- came interested in several mines, and Ned bade farewell to Spitfire Pete, the old guide, who said to him at parting: “Lad, you'll makea man some day, and a good one, or I is no jedge o’ human natur’. ‘‘ This here huntin’ fer silver and gold in ther ground may be all right, and yer may git rich one o’ these days; but ef yer doesn’t, and things co wrong with yer, come back to me and I'll Parn yer other trails, and yer kin allus make a honest livin’ guidin’ trains across ther plains. “‘Good-by, lad, and, don’t yer fergit old Pete.” ‘*T never will, and I hope to see you often, Pete,” said Ned, who had learned to really love the old man. Thus they parted, and his uncle being busy with his mines, the boy was allowed to have pretty much his own way. With his horse, rifle and the faithful Turk, who had stuck to himin the long march, Ned svent where he pleased, kept the table well sup- lied with both fish and game, and got a reputa- ion of being a dead shot and utterly fearless. A few months after his arrival in Virginia City, a scene occurred that made Ned more of a hero. It seems there was a stranger stopping at Wright's Hotel in the town, who was not known to any one, and, as he gave no account of him- self, some reckless spirits at once surmised that he was a horse-thief, one who had of late stolen a number of valuable animals from the various camps, and run them off to confederates in the mountains, who had hidden them beyond re- covery. A quarrel was picked with the man in the bar, and he was set upon by several desperadoes, one of whom he killed, but sorely wounded and with the odds of a dozen to one against him, he turn- ed and ran up the stairs leading to the second story of the log-house hotel. His pursuers were quickly following him, and loud arose the yells from a dozen lips: ‘* Hang him!” ‘Up with him!” ‘‘ String him up, pards!” ‘¢Show no mercy to ther horse-thief!” ‘‘ Make a example o’ him!” But suddenly at the head of the stairs stood a slender form, and the men halted for an in- stant. It was a young and lovely woman, the sister of the young proprietor of the hotel. ‘“\What means this chase of this poov man?” she cried, in a voice that all heard. ‘‘ He's a horse-thief, missus, and we is going to hang him,” said one. ‘He jist kilt one o’ our pards, miss, and he’s got ter swing!” another called out. Then came the reply, and the young. girl’s voice was clear and firm: ‘“This man is a guest in my brother’s hotel and you shall not harm him. ‘“We is wounded badly, and you must await my brother’s return, for you shall not hang the man unless he is guilty, and you can prove him so!” ‘Them is brave words for a gal, but we wants the feller and we intends ter take him,” said one of the gang. “Vas. fellers, Ict’s take him, but don’t hurt ther leddy, fer she means well.” ‘© Go back, or Pl] kill you, Turpin!” It was not the girl that spoke now, but Ne Oliver, who suddenly glided up the steps, wheeled in front of the desperadoes, as they stood on the stairs, and with a revolver in each hand confronted the reckless miners, ‘Boys, if the lady wants to protect that wounded man you drove up-stairs just now, you sha’n’t sa’y no, for l’ll shoot the man who crowds her!” It was astartling surprise to all to see Ned suddenly place himself at bay between them and their victim, and the miners hesitated. They all knew the boy well, and were aware that, young as he was, he was a dead shot. Another thing in favor of Ned, was that his uncle was the employer of the miners, was very popular, and could make or mar any one of them, while all liked the boy also. : Seeing that the men hesitated Ned said: ‘Come, boys, don’t frighten the lady any more, but wait until her brother comes, and see what he has to say about the man you want to hang.” ‘That's squar, pards, for I guesses ther feller is hard hit and can’t git away,” said one. Such seemed to be the general way of think- ing, though one burly fellow said hoarsely: “You hain’t going to let a boy back yer down is yer?” Nevada Ned, the Revolver Ra eet LC A LLL LLL LLL LL A few voices assented in this, and the man went on, seeing that he had some backers: ‘The feller is a horse-thief sart’in, and the gal jist wants ter pertect bim fer show, while thet kid boy thar, hain’t a flea-bite in my way.” ‘You'll find a bullet hits harder than a flea, Jack Hollis, if you attempt to come up these stairs,” said Ned firmly, and the crowd laughed, whiJe some of them, not liking Hollis, who was always causing a disturbance in the camps, urged him on, honing Ned would kill bim. ‘* Does yer dare me, boy?” asked the desperado, angered by the laughter. ‘*No, I simply tell you not to attempt to crowd Miss Laura Wright,” was the lad’s firm reply. ‘*1'll crowd you, youngster, and make yer re- member Jack Hollis,for TJl put my mark on yer ear,” and the huge bully suddenly drew his knife and sprung up the stairs. A murmur arose from the crowd, a startled ery came from the maiden, and above all Ned called out: ‘** Don’t press me, Jack! ‘*Stop where you are!” But the bully was nagged on by the crowd, and he said hoarsely: ‘* Tl clip yer ears, kid.” Then came a pistol-shot and the knife Seopa from the bully’s broken arm, while Ned cried: ‘*T winged you that time, Jack. "Don't make me kill you, for I don’t want to.” The boy’s voice was pleading, and seeing that the desperado was cowed, the men of better na- ture in the crowd sprung forward and inter- fered, dragging Jack Hollis down the stairs and into the bar, where the camp surgeon was sent for to dress his wounded arm, the bone being ey shattered by the bullet from Ned’s pis- tol. A few moments after Will Wright, the hand- some and daring young proprietor of the hotel, returned, and he quickly told the men that the stranger was his friend, and engaged to his sis ter, andthat his accusers were doubtless the horse-thieves. The stranger was found to be seriously wound- ed, though the doctor said he would pull through all right, and Ned became considerable of a hero, for the daring manner in which he had gone to the rescue of Miss Laura Wright. Several months after Ned was surprised to receive as gifts, a splendid horse, from the stranger he had saved, a handsome Mexican saddle, bridle, blanket and complete camp out- fit from Miss Laura Wright, and a rifle, pair of revolvers and knife, all of the latest pattern from Will Wright, as souvenir of their regard for him, and his courageous act. Ned was perfectly delighted with his presents, and exhibited them through the camps with pardonable pride, where he often heard the warning from friendly miners: ‘‘ Look out for Jack Hollis, Ned, for he had his arm cut off, you know, and he means you harm.” CHAPTER VI. A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE, WHILE in Virginia City, Ned had pretty much his own way. There was an old schoolmaster in the camps, who taught the boy for a couple of hours each day, and after his study time, which was when- ever if was most convenient for the teacher and his pupil, he was wont to go among the mines, learning what he could of mining life, his uncle intending that he should be skilled in such things, so as to take charge when old enough to do so. There he devoted his time to hunting, fishing and practicing with his rifle and revolvers at targets, until his fame as a shot began to spread far and wide. A favorite sport of the boy’s was to goto a wild stream some distance away, and pass hours in swimming where few men dare ven- ture. ‘‘ You'll lose your life there some day, Ned,” said his uncle, and this prophecy was often made by others, for it certainly was a most hazardous thing for the boy to attempt to swim in the wild torrent, Ned lived with his uncle in the camps, and they had pleasant quarters, both of them seem- ing to enjoy the wild life they led, and the boy was a great deal of company for the man. One night Captain Oliver came home to his camp, and his negre servant told him Ned had not returned, As night came on Captain Oliver asked: ‘‘ Where did he go, Tom?” nger, ‘‘T think he went hunting, sah, for he took his rifle and pony,” answered the negro. But it grew late and Ned did not return, and Captain Oliver began to grow very anxious about him, He knew that Ned often stayed out until after nightfall, but never without telling Tom he meant to do so and where he was going. “Tom, take a run threugh the camps and see if any one has seen Ned.” ‘*’Y es, sah.” ** And Tom?’ ** Yes, cap’n.” ** See if Jack Hollis is in his camp.” ‘*T’}l do it, sah, and if he hain’t, then I guesses he knows where Mars’ Ned is, for he don’t like him nohow since he shot his arm eff.” So Tom took a run around the camps, but no- where could the boy be found. Jack Hollis sat in his cabin, morose and scowl- ing as was his wont since he bad lost his arm, and the negro asked him: ‘* Hain’t seen nothin’ o’ Mars’ Ned, has yer, boss?” “Curse you, no! I’m not the young devil’s keeper, so why do youcome to me when he’s lost? ** Git!” Tom “‘ got” very quickly, but he muttered: Ow he know Mars’ Ned were lost, I won- der? Of course nothing could be done to find the boy that night, but Captain Oliver sent word round to the different camps that Ned was lost, and that the miners should turn out in force in the morning and hunt for him. At dawn scores of men had passed the Oliver camp, to know if Ned had put in an appearance, ty finding that he had not they went in search of him, There were many who looked with suspicious eyes upon Jack Hollis, knowing tbat he had sworn vengeance against the boy; but no one had seen him leave camp, and so be could hardly be guilty of having killed Ned, though he was none too good for it all knew. Toward noon, Captain Oliver and two miners were riding through the woods when they heard the neighing of a horse, {iding in the direction from whence the sound came, they suddenly beheld Ned’s horse tied to a tree growing near the bank of the stream, where it had been prophesied so often the boy would lose his life. There they also beheld his rifle, belt of arms and his clothing, hat, boots and all, lying upon the bank. ‘‘ He has been drowned! I have feared it!” groaned Captain Oliver, who had’ begun to look upon the boy as his own son, The pony showed that he had been hitched there for long hours, and all indications were that Ned had, as had been often his wont, gone into the wild torrent to swim and lost his life. His clothing and arms had been strapped upon his saddle, and Captain Oliver led the pony sadly back to camp, while, when the discevery was made known, a gloom fell upon al) in the — who had known the dashing, handsome ad. CHAPTER VII, FRIENDS ON THE TRAIL. Ir was the day after the disappearance of Ned, when Jack Hollis, who sat alone in his cab- in in the hills, was startled by receiving a vis- itor. That visitor suddenly appeared before bim, as he sat musing in his cabin, looking out through a open door at the scenery spread out before im. The one who ertered caused the desperado to start and his face to flush. He had an evil face, scowling eyes, and a large form, marred now by the loss of his right arm, ‘‘ Good-mornin’,” he said, sullenly, as his vis- itor stopped in the doorway. ‘‘ Good-morning, Mr. Hollis,” was the reply, and then came the words: ‘‘T have come to have a talk with you, Jack Hollis.” ‘* Well, spit it out,” he said. ‘*T have come to say, Jack Hollis, that you have made many threats of getting even with the brave boy, who prevented your dragging Mr. Oddie out and hanging him for a crime of which you are guilty.” ae you accuse me of being a horse-thief, al? ‘‘T shall accuse you publiely when I do, sir; but now I wish to ask you where you were com- ing from day before yesterday when I met you re eet eee, ~ tg - f hb 3 oe ss comicbooks.com