Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 131 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 Eo EEEOEEeeee The movement was so quickly and unex- enor td done, that it was over before any one ad time to understand it, The maiden had fallen, almost overcome by her sufferings. Knowing that immediate action was his only hope of escape, Silver Dust raised her in his arms and started toward the exit of the cav- ern, just as the horde recovered from their surprise. Springing to his feet like an enraged tiger, the leader yelled, hoarsely: ‘Surround him, men! Shoot him!” In his haste to escape, Dare had no time to select his course, but rushed for the nearest opening, bearing the helpless girl in his arms as if she were a child, With shouts and curses the banditti hurled themselves close upon his heels, Had Dare been armed he would have felt quite confident of escape, but with only the knife he snatched from. the chieftain’s belt, he had little to hope for in a last resort. Still, he had reached the in advance of his foes, and plun sed into the kness that marked its way. If the desperadoes, had not used their firearms it was only because they had not had time. As the miner was disappearing, however, they sent a volley of bullets flying around him, though he was fortunate enough to be spared. ** Follow him up, boys, and he is ours,” cri the foremost; ‘‘that passage leads into the mountain and has no exit!” Dustin Dare heard the words as well as his ursuers, and his heart sunk; and yet he could ut keep on. As they once entered the darksome way, the bandits as well as their fugitives were obliged to grope their course somewhat slowly. “Quick! a torch!” yelled one. By this time the maiden had so far recovered that she realized the burden she was to the other. ‘*T can walk, now,” she said, ‘‘so please do not let me incumber you so.” ** No incumbrance, I assure you,” he replied, quickly, thongh acceding to her request. ‘‘ Do you know aught of this passage?” ‘*No,” spoken hurriedly. ‘“‘I do not think tis the one we entered the place by when I was captured.” ‘*T fear then we are lost!” Meanwhile he was going forward as fast as possible. In the blinding blackness it was only through their utmost endeavors that they could advance at all. The pathway seemed strewn with loose rocks and bowlders, while the j wall, formed of sharp angles, ever and anon inter- cepted their course. ustin shielded as best he could his compan- ion, but often she was forced to cry out in pain as uhey; time and again, fell against the rugged roc He was flattering himself that they should escape, as the footsteps of the outlaws seemed sreduolly dying out, when suddenly a light ap- in the distance. They had a torch, and now would soon over- take them! What a wild race followed, Faster and faster the pursuers seemed to gain upon them! Whither should they turn? t could they do? ‘‘ Hunt ’em down!” cried a hoarse voice in the rear. ‘‘A hundred dollars to the man who kills the dog and brings back that girl to me!” It was the chief who spoke and the chase was for life or death. ‘Let mecarry you!” exclaimed Dare, as his companion was unable to keep up with his pace. ‘No, no! Let me go! You may escape alone.” ‘‘T cannot leave you!” and the brave miner more than half carrying her, still hurried on through darkness, not knowing where he was going—only hoping to escape. Nearer and nearer came the mad horde. Still no way of escape save by rushing on—on to what? Soon the pursuers were so close behind that Dustin Dare was forced to pause *“‘ It’s no use to go further!” he panted, and in- stinctively he his knife, resolved to be defiant until the last. Then, as the desperadoes were so near that he could see their faces by the blaze of the leader’s torch, he drew back into a niche in the ledge, and placing, himself in front of the terrified maid, he waited for them to reach the spot in breathless silence. ‘Quick! we are almost upon them!” cried the sqrenneeh; as he and his followers plunged Dare saw by the glare of the light that there were a dozen or more of them; and he saw also that, near to him, the pathway diverged into two, while the place where he was standing after extending back a few feet made an angle, and possibly continued in a passage for some distance. All that we have noted Silver Dust saw ata prance; and then the mad rabble had reached m. In an instant a daring resolution had formed itself in his mind. The party carried but one torch, and ere the had discovered him, he sprung from his conceal- ment, when, with a well-directed blow, he dash- ed the brand from the man’s ‘ Extin ae by the fall the scene was instant- ly shrouded in a Stygian darkness. A wild yell went up from the disconcerted gang, who had had time to barely catch the glimpee of a form darting before them to quick- y disa ; Dustin Dare regained his companion to seize her in his arms and hurry silently and as swift- ly as ible along his new course. With renewed yells their pursuers paused in a mass. Left thus suddenly in the gloom they were momentarily bewildered, With rage that found vent in fearful oaths the leader groped for the lost firebrand. At last he held it in his hands and with an ex- ultant cry called for flint and steel to relight it. Seve moments , however, before it was accomplished; and then they began anew the chase, to discover the different passages, when again they were at their wits’ en During the interval Dustin Dare was improv- ing his advantage. inding the pathway to continue as he had hoped, he threaded its course somewhat faster than he had been able to previously do as its surface was less uneven and its direction not so much defined with sharp turns. ‘Shall we escape?” asked the girl anxiously. “T trust so. But I shall be forced to ‘ain. you to your own support,” and Dare was orced to acknowledge that the strain of his ex- ertions was beginning to tell. “‘I know not how to express my gratitude,” she exclaimed, earnestly. ‘‘I wish you would leave me, for alone I you would escape, while now you may not.” u “y rs not ij I eee a? ou; donot men- on it again,” he rep quickly. ‘‘ May Heaven reward you if I cannot,” and “Pe ye he could not see the grateful look m- ing from her countenance the sweet voice thrilled his very being and he seemed more than paid. Ay, already deep down in his heart the maiden had aroused the first spark of love. His answer of tenderness, however, was checked by a different though joyous cry. Pron, aiess of light suddenly shone in the space With exclamations of joy, they soon reached the ope ing of the underground way. " nk God we are saved!” ciatulated Dus- tin, but the words had barely left his lips when he saw that they had come out upon the precipi- tous side of the mountain! Twenty-five feet below lay the valley. As they gazed downward upon a blackened waste of land, unrelieved bya single thing of vegetation, and saw the place hemmed in on eve 5 Sahin by an insurmountable barrier, Dustin are exclaimed in surprise: ‘“The Lost Mine!” 7 Ere. his companion had time to answer, their pursuers were heard close upon them! CHAPTER XIV. BLOWN UP. In an instant Rock was himself. Snatching his revolvers from his belt, he stood upon the defensive, as he asked, defiantly: ‘What will you have?’ “You, dead or alive!” was the quick reply. “Then why don’t you take me? ‘* Then you surrender ully?” “Yes; when I surrender at all!” “ Dog of a Texan, don’t hg see your folly? Men, capture him, and if he makes the first move I will send a—” Before the | er could tell what he would send and where, k had sprung tg one side of the clearing with the agility of a deer, and at the same moment a bullet from his pistol sent Pete Clark to the earth. The masked leader discharged his own weePne, but the nimble miner was too quick for la Quick, men! surround him!” yelled the | molest you upon the condition — we ’ ee es — amazed man, and before The-Man-from-Texas had time to gain the i of the ravine below, he found his retreat cut off. Big Sandy, no longer, disguising his enmity, was the one to meet him first. ‘*Hyar!” shrieked the traitor, “‘reckon yer game’s up!” and with a hasty aim he fired his rifle at the oncoming Texan. But once more Rock was too quick for his assailants. Bounding to the side of the giant he dashed the ruffian’s firearm from his hold even as he pulled the trigger, and, thrusting his own weapon into the baffled man’s face, fired. With a shriek of pain Big Sandy bit the dust, or at least he fell there. tf the same instant too, one of the black leaguers reeled and dropped as if dead. , The shot intended for the Texan had struck, by a strange fatality, another than its expected victim! A volley from the others went hurtling around Rock’s head as he plunged into a neighboring thicket. ‘Don’t let him escape!” roared the chief in mask, and he had scarcely uttered the command when the remainder of his followers came rush- we og the scene. ‘k bounded into the ravine for dear life, while the infuriated league sprung after him. Fleet of foot, the Texan’s escape seemed more than probable, had not a new-comer appeared upon the scene. Just as Rock reached the bottom the Golden Hand dashed into sight, right in front of him. ° Though he had nothing to fear, as far as he knew, from the mysterious rider of the mus- tang, our adventurer paused in wonder at the other’s sudden appearance. ‘Hold! Another step and you die!” com- rapes: a the unknown, and his rifle covered the itive, t the same instant the League in Black came into sight, when he uttered a cry of amazement, and unconsciously turned from ‘k to face the others. The masked band paused in equal surprise, and the three parties so antagonistic to each — stood for a brief spell motionless, speech- ess. Finally the Golden Hand said: ‘* Why is it, League in Black, that you have so rashly unheeded my warning—that you still remain-in Black Pocket valley? ‘“*T opine your question is not called for, Mis- ter Golden Hand,” was the defiant reply. ‘‘ We are here, and here we are going to stay. Just turn that rifle muzzle of yours aside so we can recapture that dog of a Texan.” “Stand!” came the clear reply, and the speak- er eyed them with the watchfulness of a tiger guarding its prey. The masked leader muttered an oath, but re- mained without moving. “Let us have the Texan and we won’t molest you,” he exclaimed. : “Never! Why do you make war upon him?’ “* He has killed two of our friends.” ‘But not long since you claimed to be more than mortal. How is it, then, that he has slain two of your number?” , “Oh, they were not of our spirit league, but earthly friends,” ‘“‘Bah! I have no time for such folly. oe in Black, I warned you out of the valley, and by defying me you have sealed your own doom— every man of you. Ha! two of you are “ay now. Where are they? Did not my knife fin their life-blood? Leave the Texan tome. Though I am no friend to him, I will not see him hunted to death by you. Dare to molest him while he is in the Lost Mine lead and [ will hasten your fearful doom. Away, while you can.” “We will go,” cried the leader, fiercely, ‘* but not as you wish. We are still a league of twelve, and we defy you to lessen our number.” With the defiant speech the masked man slow- ly slunk back from the way he had come, and his confederates followed his example. ‘“‘ Rock Randel,” said the Golden Hand then, . i do you still stay in the Black Pocket val- ey ‘*T came to find my friend.” “* He is dead, is he not?’ « Yes. ” “Then you have nothing to keep you here now?” arin a chip.” ‘* Will you leave and never attempt to enter the Lost Mine if I suffer you to de in peace?” ‘« Jess let this ’coon huif it, and he will never ask to look on this igen place ag’in. Jeems Stopple! my skulp feels queer now.” — ~- All right, Rock Randel, [ oe ripe not to hat you leave (E(0) EO MME OOO! KS