Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 115 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

$< ed garb, a wild-looking mansprung toward the savage horde. Unheeding alike their deafening yells and deadly blows, nothing stayed his course. Glaring upon him in amazement, the victors’ cries turned to shrieks of terror. The fight suddenly ended. With one accord the red-men fled like frightened hares. Close upon their heels pursued the strange be- ing, and thus all disappeared. **Jeems Stopple!” cried Rock, with a breath of relief, ‘‘ef thet don’t kerflumix me! But didn’t that Wild Wind jess walk through ’em slick! He’s jess the chap fer fun,” ‘‘ Where are the others?’ asked Seth, freein himself from the clutch of a dying savage, an joining the Texan. ‘‘Have they all been illed?” ‘Dunno. Mebbe; it was old-fashioned, hop- vin’ fun. Let’s look over the funeral.” The two made a hasty examination of the jlain, but to their surprise they could not find one of their friends, save the body of him who ‘yad keen killed so mysteriously. Even Ned Austin, the last to fall, was nowhere /o be found. Puzzled, they continued the search until they | vere fain to give it up. Quite anumber of the dead Indians lay about, 4 most assuredly only the form of a solitary ivhite. ‘* Let’s git,” whispered Rock. ‘* Ireckon spooks are out, and we hev got to huff it like the Old Nick in hot water! It beats all nater to tater-strings! S’pose we hunt up the ‘aosses ?” So they returned to the ee where they had eft their animals, to find to their increased surprise that they were gone! “Wal, this am a go!” muttered Rock. “Them pesky varmints toted ’em off, and we shall hev to huff it all the way to Silverstone. Howsum’dever, {1 reckon that is better than ‘being skulped.” ' “Rock,” exclaimed Seth, abruptly, “ there is something wrong about this.” “Wrong? Ef ’tain’t all wrong may. I. be turned into a rattler and be trod on by the alerfant hucks o’ the big aligater o’ Mexico!” ‘“* Yes; shall we go direct to the city?” ‘*Sartin. . Straight es a bee-line in Jinvary. We ar’ a goner ef we don’t! Hark! I hear tho 'tarnal coyotes a-screeching like mad peccaries! E.em; lively’s the word with us!” Quickly striking into his loping gait, Rock eet up the valley, with Seth close upon his eels. As the twain advanced they could still hear the noisy savages, away to their left; but the sjunds gradually receded and soon were heard no more. ‘*Who and what is that Mad Miner?” asked Seth, when they had gone perhaps a mile, and sackened their pace a little. ‘Ye hey axed me a stunner!” declared Rock, in reply. “Thar am one thing sartin as the "ose on yer face, when ye tum’le down, head fnstest wfth yer toes up; he saved our topknots lar-night.” “And he saved my brother’s life and mine yesterday.” “Wal, I reckon, He’s a tearer though and jess the 'coon fer fun. Jeers eh oxy he’s got more raal fun in him than the hull o’ Gold- dust Hollow! Why, he'll jess peel the winkers off yer peepers and ye won’t see yerself fer the smoke!’ ‘But don’t you know where he came from, or who he is?” Wal, ye wind me kerslap! He hain’t been in these hyar digzin’s long. He says he keems frum Spur’s Pocket, but he’s so stark, staring mad ye can’t depend on him any more than ye can a windmill. But Temperance Tim says, and he won’t lie for no galoot, that his name is Windham Gray, and that his dal was sum pun- kins down in Frisco, till a pack 0’ coyotes b’usted him and Wind was druv to the mount?ins. The boy made a big strike thar, but a lot of roughs knocked him down the crusher’s shaft, and strikin’ on his head they picked him up for dead. Howsum’dever, he didn’t turn up his toes then, but he ain’t been hisself since. me Snes "ll pick him off soon mabbe, ef he don’t odge his head. But Rock Randel ain’t the bea- ver toforgit a favor and he’ll dig the funeral o’ the first cuss es harms him.” ‘Very well,” said Seth Harlow, harshly, ‘‘yvou may consider him in the light of a friend if you choose, but though he has done me two ood turns—saved my life twice—I consider San my mortal foe!” “Sho! Ye don’t think he is a spook?’ ‘‘ Man or demon, he killed my brother!” ss — The Mad Miner. ‘“That all?’ exclaimed Rock in evident re- ief. “All? Is not that enough?” cried Harlow, hoarsely. ‘“*Scuse me, old hoss; I meant to hev’ said sumthin’ else! My tongue got twisted some- how. Hark! What was that?’ A wild, plaintive cry was borne to their ears; and succeeding it was heard a deep, hoarse voice evidently raised to its highest pitch, and repeating in regular succession the singe word! ‘Gold !” For a hundred times or more this sound rung the length and breadth of the valley, until every tree and rock seemed to take up the meaning- less exclamation. The two miners looked upon each other in wonder. The-Man-from-Texas fast yielding to his dread of the supernatural, began to tremble like an aspen. Truly, no one is so brave and reckless but he has in some particular a weakness and will show it at times. Dandy Rock, inured to danger of every sort as he was, seemed but a child when facing the mysterious. O wonder now. Seth Harlow turned pale and was paralyzed with dread at the awe-inspiring cries. Allat once they ceased, and a silence succeed- ed unbroken even by the creatures of the night. Then, as if mocking the oppressive stillness, a strong wind came sweeping over the mountain pete and went shrieking through the tree- S. haking off at last their dread, the couple were about to move ahead, when Rock exclaim- ed, huskily: ‘In mercy’s name, look there!” Seth Harlow suddenly saw a human form ap- pear in the semi-darkness a few rods in front. A moment it was seen in the weird starlight, and then it vanished. Gone but a moment, judge of their dismay when it was again seen and again went out of sight! There was no mistaking the man’s figure, and his white face shone in the night plainly. ' Spellbound, the spectators looked on in si- ence. Seeming in mid-air, three times more did the being flash before their gaze and as many times vanished in the night! The twain dared not discharge their fire-arms for fear of arousing their enemies, or they would have fired at the mysterious person, be the consequences what they might. As it was, they watched and waited. Still no change. Ever and anon the shadow would meet their eyes, and then be lost from view. Rock seemed powerless. At last Seth Harlow said: ‘*Do you keep a close look-out, and if there is any change apparent warn me, while I will solve that mystery if ’tis possible.” Clutching his revolvers nervously, while he rigidly tried to stifle his fears, he slowly and cautiously approached the dreaded spot. eh the phantom-like form came and went as ore! CHAPTER IX. WAS IT AN ABDUCTION? ‘*GoLp! gold! gold gold!” Once more the Hollow echoed with the sound of that single word. Seth paused in his course, _ Rock Randel gave a cry of mingled terror and amazement. Every other noise seemed hushed, Even the wind lulled and no longer swayed the forest. sPpscctilens the mivers only listened and wait- ed. Soon the cry died away, and once more silence reigned throughout the valley. “Let's git out o’ this quicker!” gasped Rock, with chattering teeth. ‘‘The Hollow is chock full 0’ spooks!” ‘Wait a moment, Rock,” whispered back Seth. ‘Do you see that form now?’ “Nary a chip, old hoss! Let’s git, My top- knot feels queer!” They could see nothing of the mysterious fig- ure, and after waiting and watching several minutes it had not shown itself. The hoot of the ow] now came from the moun- tain side, and once more the screech of the night- bird awoke the valley, while again the wind tossed the slender saplings, and even moved the giant oaks to and fro. ——_—-- — —_——— oe ‘¢ Jeems Sto a EE EEO a le-ter-Hopper!” groaned Dand Rock, ‘‘ I feel ‘kee an ieupkle in TS ouery | Let's git afore we gi’n out!’’ Before Seth could answer both were startled by the reappearance of the phantom form stand- ing in mid-air! ‘“We ar’ a goner!” shrieked The-Man-from- Texas, and he tried to spring up, when he fell headlong into the bushes, As if frightened by the movement the man shot swiftly back out of sight ‘* Are you crazy, Rock “Remdel?” asked Har-. low, sternly. “'Whar’s that spook?” ‘‘Gon— Ha! there it comes again!” ‘* Ain’t ye afeerd—” _ Afraid? What have we to fear? I am go- ing to know the meaning of that!” ‘Sho! Wal, ef ye are so plucky, all I hev to say is thet Rock ndel’s a dog-goned fool!’ exclaimed that worthy, overmastering his ter- ror with a mighty effort, “Ginus yer paw, old beaver, and this ’eoon won’t squawk ‘gin. He’ll foller ye like a tail to a comitl” Without another word the twain crawled forward. Again the phantom-like being darted before them and then fled. Before it was repeated, however, they reach- ed the spot, to discover a strange phenomenon. Suspended from the top of a bending saplin and swayed back and forth by the strong win was the lifeless form of aman! The mystery was a mystery no longer. It had been seen only when the wind was blowing - quite smart. But, how came the body there? As their gaze became fixed upon it, while noting its pendulum-like movement, Seth ut- tered a cry of dismay, and exclaimed huskily: ** It is my brother ys It was indeed the mortal remains of Charles Harlow! “It can’t be!” cried Rock, but he added quickly, ‘it am!” ‘* Yes,” exclaimed his companion. ‘' But, help me to rescue the body from that horrible position.” Aided by the Texan, Seth soon cut the thongs: that held it in the air, and laid the form upon the earth. ‘*'We must not leave it exposed here,” said he, anxiously. ‘‘I began to bury it yesterday, but through some mysterious means the y disappeared. Will you help me prepare a grave for it now?’ “Sartin. It’s monty Maa bizness, but Rock Randel ain’t one to go back on a friend. May- hap he will want some one to dig his funeral one 0’ these days. Kem, I reckon we had bet- ter go back inter the valley furder. It will be easier digging.” Bearing the body with them, they finally paused about midway in the valley, and but a few rods from where they had found the re- mains. Selecting the most desirable place as , ed removing the earth, they commenced their laborious task working in the manner Seth did the day before. ; with perspiration they stop- _ last, covered “Ty guess that’ll do,” said The-Man-from-Tex- pe as, ‘by bringing up some o’ the frum ’’em up so nothin’ can’t dig the crik and pi through.” They turned to get the body and place it in the pit, when to their amazement conuster- nation, though it had laid within a few feet, it was now missing. Vividly to Seth’s mind returned the event of the preceding day. As he had searched, they wildly looked for tle remains, and as before in vain! ‘* *'Tain’t no use!” affirmed Rock. ‘TI know’d it war a spook, and ’tain’t no more use to shove] dirt on a pesky spook than ‘tis to kiver up smoke with yer eyes shut!” Puzzled and dumbfounded, Seth could make no reply. They had paused just in front of the grave they had dug. In the midst of his painful meditations Har- low chanced to look at the growth before the and saw the bent sapling from which they ha freed his brother’s body. One glance, and he staggered back with a groan. duets saw all that he did and cried out with ismay. Suspended from the tree as before, and still Swinging to and froin the night breeze, was the form of Charles Harlow! At last The-Man-from-Texas found speech te EComichbooks m (E@)