Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1126 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

mA A Boks a es MS a Arizona Jo?, a ee. ee a SP are rs 3 +e + fence, and not a sign of a horse or any cattle was | little sum, and had already sent the money, te be seen. | nearly a thousand dollars, to his mother. But the loss of his home and his little wealth | He also invested a couple of bundred in cattle, did not impress Texas Jack as did the sight that | turning them in with the herd of Texas Jack, his eyes rested upon not far away. and considered that the foundation of his for- | There, tied to the groundon his back by stakes | tune was laid, driven so as to make his hands and feet fast, was Asa cowboy he could not certainly get rich, poor Star. while in Arizona he might do so, and, as Mr. “ He is dead,” said Joe, in a whisper. Duke was not at his ranch he decided to go. “Yes, he is dead, and he was tortured to His experience on the plains in the adventur- death, for see how they have mutilated the | ous life he had led, and with such a teacher as poor, noble fellow. Texas Jack, had caused him to feel perfect con- “We saved the settlement, Joe, but we are | fidence in himself, and he determined to start about ruined. alone for the Arizona mines where Allan Mose “ But I will be avenged for this; I swear it, | had settled, . and mine is no idle oath. _ He had his own well-tried horse, the one that “To-morrow I shall go back to the settlement, | fad belonzed to the Indian chief, and two others t me a pack-horse with a good outfit, and take ; which he had picked out of the lot of captured the trail of those Indians, going by the Duke | ones, : r manch to leave you.” One of these be made a pack-horse, and going * Jack!" to the fort sutler, he purchased all that he @ ** Wel) Boy Pard.” could possibly need. “Do you think I would desert you now? Jack had given him a fine young dog, a cross “ No, indeed! I’m but a boy, but I'll not leave | between a bloodhound and_ bull-dog, and the you in your distress, captain who commanded the settlers on the ‘My mother is not in want; she has enough | might of the Indian raid, had made him a present to live on for a year, about, and I will stay with | of another one, and a splendid brute it was. you until you get settled again, for it won’t take ‘**T don’t fear to have you goalone, Boy Pard, you long, I guess!” for you ca - take care of yourself about as well ‘““Not after I have let a little blood flow to | as any man I ever saw, and those dogs will be ‘avenge poor Star, for J will feel better then. true as steel, while two of your horses will be “ Come, Joe, let us camp here and give the | bard to catch. ponies a rest, and then we will go back to the ‘*Good-by, the Lord bless you, and don’t for- settlement, and I'll start anew in life,” said the | get that this is your home.” lucky scout, with no sigh for his losses, but So said Texas Jack, when Joe left him and eep sorrow for poor Star’s cruel fate. started upon his long and dangerous trail to Arizona. CHAPTER XIV. JOR LEAVES TEXAS. ® WuHekn Texas Jack and Joe rode back to the settlement and made known what had happened, the settlers felt the deepest compassion for the brave scout, and a party of volunteers at once started for the scene, with ox-wagons, axes, and all necessary tools to rebuild the home for the brave man who had saved them from ruin and death, The scout readily obtained two good horses from the s*ttlers also, and using one as a pack- animal, and the other as an extra, in case of need, he set off with his Boy Pard for the coun- try of the red-man. it is not my desire to carry the reader with young Joe Bruce during the months he passed with Texas Jack upon the trail of the Indians, for their lives were in daily and nightly peril, they were forced to keep moving from point to pat, and bad many a. skirmish with their oes. One day two Indians unexpectedly rode into his camp. He was on the alert, and stood ready to grees them as friends or foes. They appeared friendly, however, and one of them spoke to him in broken English, saying: ‘* Me triend.” ‘' So am |,” said Joe. “Young white brave heap all alone?’ **Oh, no, I am not alone,” and Joe cast a si nificant glance at bis dogs and horses, the | en seeming anxious to get a bite of Indian esh. ‘6 Yes.” ** No bite” | ““T never saw them bite any one,” | ** Which way go?’ | ‘€ Arizona,” ‘“* Go for heap silver?” | cs Yes,” ‘* Red man hungry.” | Joe gave them something to eat, and then they | departed. | ut Joe felt that he was not rid of them, and | feared there were more of them near. | He determined to be most cautious, and he started on bis way, but followed the t. ail of the red-skins, He soon came in sight of them, and seeing him they pretended not to do so, and rode away to the left. ‘* Those rascals,are up to mischief, so 1 will look gut for them when | camp to-night. ‘They warned me of the outlaw band known” as Silver Kings, but I think they are to be dreaded even more,” said Joe, and he sought a good camping-place that night, for somehow he felt that he would need one, CHAPTER. XVI, NOT CAUGHT NAPPING. THE spot chosen by Joe fora camp was in @ short canyon, It ran back into a. high hill, from, the valley through which he bad been following the trail westward, and penetrated hardly more than a hurdred yards. There was a quantity of dry brush in it, : 17 a few logs, for a fire, at the upper enc,: grass grew abundantly near the opening in % valley. The canyon had two bends in it, so that an one passing along the valley could see no tite light at the further end. It was early when Joe went into camp, and he hastily cooked his supper, as soon as he had staked his horses out to feed, There was a brook wear, and so the youth | | | | i | | | CHAPTER XY, TWO VISITORS ™ CAMP. WirTs the first di-covery of precious metal in Arizona, there at once sprung into existence a | band of men who sought to rob those who got | their money by bard work in the mines, As these outlaws were wont only to rob the silver trains and those known to possess riches, they soon became known as the “Silver | Kings.” They had their haunts in the mountain fast- nesses, and they were wont t) make an attack when least expected, upon some of the trails | running to and from the mines, Now it wasa mule train they pounced upon, then a stage-coach, and again they would make a dash upon more isolated miners. There were a few troops in the country, but they were kept busy fighting the in:omitable Apaches, an‘l it would have taken a regiment of _ The scout gleaned much valuable informa- |} soldiers to hunt down the small band of Silver could not bave wanted a better pe ee tion the while, which enabled the soldiers at | Kings. When it grew twilight he brought his horses’ As for the miners, when, driven to desperation by their losses, they organized and became Man- Hunters, the outlaw band could nowhere be found, and they had left their mines on a fruit- less errand they very soon discovered. That the Apaches realized the Silver Kings as being robbers, warring upon their fellow pale- faces was evident from theTact that though they | too, were the relentless enemies of the whites them- O selves, they never disturbed the outlaws, and, | hat at one end, the boots at the other, it had but for the red-skins which they had also to | the appearance of being a sleeping form. feur, the miners might have run down tb Then Joe called to bis dogs, nearer to the camp, staking them out a hundred feet or more away from the fire, | Then he drew bis saddle and paek-saddle a’ short distance beck from the firéyand ‘made a — shelter of his india-rubber blankets, the nearest fort, to. make several successful ‘attacks upon the red-skins, and on one occasion Texas Jack sont doe for a force of settlers and ‘avd-a severe blow was struck which greatly demoralized the Indians and made them glad to tch up a <“mporary peace with the whites. for hts rary only could it be. hen Jack returned to bis ranch he found that it was a better one, and a stronger one by far than he had formerly had, and the good wives of the settlers had furnished it in the best | ‘ | | | | | frontier style. eid Be 687% From the red-skins he had captured many | pests of the trails, the canyon. Ne Sets ponies, and these started bim again asa ranch- As he progressed on his lonely trail it was A thicket on a bowlder was just’ the place ke - seldom that Joe met any human being, and, in fact he was rather anxious fo avoid any, as he | had been told that he would find lawless men on | his way. ‘* Avoid settlements as much as possible, and camps,” Texas Jack had said to him. ‘For though you may tind good friends in all, there are always some desperadoes lurking around, who, knowing your frail, would go ahead and ambush you for your. horses and arms. | ‘*There are plenty of men, Joe, who’ would kill you out in these wilds for a revolver ora man. as he sold a number and bought cattle with them. yr But he greatly missed bis negro comrade, Star, an‘ as he clanced at the faithful follower’s ve said grimly: ene Yon have been avenged, poor Star.” Texas Jack was anxious to have Joe remain with him, but the vouth hed visited the Duke Ranch and found all the ‘family away, and the man in charge had no authority to hire more help than he then bad. But Joe had found there a letter which await- ed hin, havine come to the care of Mr. Duke. -~ dogs up after bim. j led them perfectly, and The thicket concea could also see his horses and the cam which he bad built up afresh before leaving. ‘¢T mav be losing sleep for nothing, but some how T don’t think ag himself in position, Darkness bad fall dog aroused bim. - +s a+) & - i His hat and heavy coat he placed upon a) blanket, putting an extra pair of boots there ~~ and went down — 7 * 1 4 - ai 5 = ” *, " ver these he threw a blanket, and with the ee Seng : ‘ 7 - ?* ws ~ a a » x . + ot 7 rea * - " as >» ~ ws * be os : - ~ a ce D Td caw ade ns 3. +p > Pn Py kts oe bead - et. - ee a ere —_ a on A we ps © Sits - 2 Se te ~~ ‘ = ~_ Pr * * : - = Shen *.s = . . palo Te? ~~ - © - sue; Ns © > ‘aw *™ = wv £ s tty 4 oa ‘~. = ‘ ow at oe d wnat ’ 7 *3 a. : 5a oo _ ee . — ——* ee ® + ie ee a . - J = — me se ; <i 2 > = ll oe ay ore Se. rte “s se — a a ‘s - -& ata? As = Pie “ a ua ~~. 2 “Ee = a” i , % a ae" EST Ty ae wanted, and he got up there, calling the two ea Aga . from there he had a look down the canyon, and’ i mused, as he placed en before he got settled, end) ‘then an hour or two passed, and Joe was nap- 9 > ping, when an uneasy movement of his largest p he | < _* m i we pe AM ; Rs'; ne: . pm ph a Tais letter was from one who signed himself | ten-dlollar bill.” |. “Be still, Grin! Silence, Grab!” he whi 7 | ‘eye zt Allan Morse, and he was the poor emigrant From what he had already secn of the coun- pered, and the wel’-trained and thoroughly a ; He CU ke! whom Joe had befriended so well when with the | try, Joe Bruce came to the conclusion that it | dient animals uttered no sound, but their ge wf: hi train. ' would be better for him to’ keep to himself, | were kept fixed own the canyon, m ae f : an) He stated that the money with which he had | dodge the settlements and keep a good lookout Joe knew that something was wrong. for nee 9) 5 Pope been provided, through Joe’s kindness, had | for the Indians. | ther Grip or Grab ever deceived him. eT bait | enabled him t: push on upinto Arizona, where; Jark had drawn him a rongh map of the They had been trained to utter no bark, orloud ~~) 5 44) SM Ke | he had a brother who was mining, and that svon | way he was to go, and he kept wide »wake and | growl, and their actions alone warned rie | al a Att after his arrival he had “struck it rich,” and | followet it closely, though of course he bad , master of danger about. | 4 Ba wo). was in a fair way to make a fortune, and wish- ; himself, to rly unon only, Soon a dark form was seen creeping slong. - | Te pe HN ed Joe to come there and join him, | He traveled. slowly, camped early, did: not | one side of the canyon. ie 1S my be Joe was anxious to “strike it rich” too. stert early, ancl spared his horses all he could. It was surely an Indian, Then Grip torned Ay ride | He lonved to make a fortune and place his He shot what game be needed, and ‘really | noiselessly and looked up into his 1s face. ~ i > mother bevond want. fr liked the lng, hard trip. for he felt that he was | It was to show him another dark form crea. > ey Bed. I His share of the horses captured from the In- | gaining experience thereby which he could not ing along on their side of the canyon! and with- >. he had sold in the settlements for a snug in a few feet of the bowlder. 7c}. | ne en dx : . “} ae a ne ry - Neha att ny - »| ; % g ° ‘4? ; { hie Ay ite ! “aH } : uf he i ‘ Ne * . . ; cotent x ; ; ; . Awl Fa is 4 wa ’ ve ys ; “ : + 7° ¢ ‘hoe hanes: 1 Ke [ Abevet ier wel ; _— 4° Fadi « Sie a” ‘4 . 4 iA ‘y ee. a yl Vue) he dani dies wit SM ve : ‘ ght ee » , tle a>, ee ete a) :, ~ . 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