Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 131 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

here forever. Remember, if you break your word to me, your death shall be the forfeit.” ‘**T reckon this ’coon knows beaver from ’pos- sum. So fer once he gits. Goodluck, old pard and if ye ever git into a tight scratch, jess send for Rock Randel.” Then The-Man-from-Texas turned down the ravine, and, to use his own words, “ huffed it like mad.” Watching him until out of sight, the Golden Hand rode swiftly away in an opposite direc- tion. ‘‘ Jeeman!” muttered Rock to himself, ‘‘ I got out o’ thet fix slick es a rattler shinnin’ a le! Wal, poor Silver Dust is gone under and ill hes gone to the city, so I have nothin’ to keep me up hyar. I reckon ’tain’t no place for me. This spook bizness don’t give a chap no show fer fun. Howsumever, I should like to show a dozen o’ old Texas Rangers up this way. Guess ’em chaps in mournin’ would think their funeral —” Rock had been rapidl volving the thoughts in his mind, and his medi- tations were abruptly ended by the sound of a a ara in the dense growth that lined the ra- advancing while re- e. Ever on the alert for danger he instantly leaped one side just as a lasso went whirring above the spot, to fall harmlessly by his side. He had escaped the trap set for him, but be- fore hecould escape any further attack, half a dozen men sprung upon him, and in the twink- Be an eye he was borne to earth, and in spite of his mad resistance overpowered. ‘At last, Man-from-Texas, you are our game,” cried the exultant leader’ of the assail- ants, and Rock saw the League in Black swarming about him. “What are you going to do with him?’ queried one. ‘*Take him to Big Sandy, and let him fix his punishment.” ‘‘Good! Tl warrant we shall have no more to fear from him.” Then Rock was placed upon his feet, and with his hands bound behind him, was made to walk between a couple of the masied men, while the remainder of the party followed close upon their heels. A few minutes’ travel brought them to the rock-ridge which barred the entrance to the Lost Mine. They were near the base of the mountain and where formerly existed the pass to Black Pocket. Rock saw to his surprise that work had been commenced to blast away the huge bowlder that had filled the pathway. Men were even then at work upon the task, and were evidently laboring in conjunction with the league. He was all further lation, how- ever, by the ap nee of Sandy, who, with his head bandaged up, came forward, smil- ing like a demon. ‘So ye hev got ‘im?’ ‘¢ Yes: and leave his fate in your hands.” “Wal, that’sclever! Tl fix ’im.” After a few moments’ conversation with the chief of the leaguers, Sandy turned to Kock, saying: ‘Look a-hyar, Cap’in Randel, on one condi- tion we will spare your life.” ‘Wal, spit it out. I reckon I ain’t a gone coon yet.” ‘‘Swear thet you'll wipe out thet Golden Hand and ye ar’ free to go. Will ye do it?” ‘“No,” replied Rock, tersely. ** Fool! e throw away yer only chance fer life! Yeshall die the awfulest death we can get fer ye. Yeshall be blown up!” ‘‘ Makes nary difference. No side show with Rock Randel. Blow me ae and when I kem back Ill dig yer funeral, true es I live!” ‘‘ Bah! let him die as he deserves!” cried the nasked leader. **We can take care of that Golden Hand.” ; “B ‘im “long, boyees,” yelled Big Sandy. ‘‘ Bf we don’t git sum sport out o’ this may I blowed, too!” The rabble dragged The-Man-from-Texas for- ward to the spot where they had begun to clear the “Lash hands and feet, and then put ’im on top the rock. Thar’sacha ready fer ’im ond ef ’tain’t bi a - ‘ist oo om Bim it ’¢ drop ’im below the top o’ the mountain!” Many aod many times had Rock faced deadly ril, but never it seemed to him was he so near death. In fact, as his captors threw him upon the top of the ledge, and pe to fire the fuse he closed his eyes and the last spark of hope di ed out. ‘* Hooray!” yelled Big Sandy as he applied The Golden Hand. the spark of fire to the match; ‘‘a purty ride fer ye, Rock Randel!” and the ruffian hurried to join his companions, who had sought safety further down the valley. Slowly the fire crept along the fatal line, and the demoniac horde watched its course with fiendish satisfaction. Poor Rock! an awful moment for him. Un- told the agony he suffered. “See!” cried Big Sandy, ‘“’tis almost there! Ha—ha—ha, Ruck Randel! reckon ye’ll wish ye hed taken up—” A sudden sh-sh-ssh drowned his words, and as a flash darted from the rock, a report so deafening, so terrific that it fairly made the mountain-side tremble, awoke the valley and resounded far down the rugged country. Then the air was literally filled with the frag- ments of stone hucled upward with lightning- like velocity. Amid the clouds of rocks and dust was —_ ly seen the form of the doomed man, hurtled up —up, until with the debris around him he seemed but a speck in the sky! CHAPTER XV. INTO BLACK POCKET. ** We are lost!” exclaimed Dustin Dare’s fair companion, and as they heard their pursuers fast reaching them, and saw that all further retreat was cut off by the perpendicular descent before them, it seemed truly so. Silver Dust glanced hurriedly around for some way of pm Hy but none presented itself and his heart sunk. To attempt to descend to -- valley would be certain death. e realized ina breath how hopelessly they were hemmed in, and with his coolness prepared to sell his life as dearly as possible. ‘“*Must those dreadful men get us?’ cried the maiden in terror. ‘‘ Oh, I had rather die!” ‘Be brave, lady, and I trust we shall escape. There must be some way to get from here,” and he crawled out of the cavern upon the very brink of the cliff, With a shudder he glanced down into the dark depths below; and then, as he looked up- ward, a glad cry came from his li Growing upon the side of the mountain some feet above was a tree of considerable size, and one of its branches had grown to such a length that it had bent down over the ledge and was within his reach. He saw that near the trunk of the tree was a surface of a few feet in extent where a foot- hold could be easily gained. In an instant he had formed the wild resolu- tion of scaling the ledge to the place by the aid of the limb. True, he might be no better off then, but he fancied he saw a chance from there to descend to the valley. At least they could be no worse off and calling the maiden to him he began the perilous undertaking. Pie this time the banditti were almost upon em. Grasping the girl firmly in his right arm Dustin seized the branches in his other hand, and with her welcome aid began the steep ascent, For a moment it seemed as if both must be precipitated into the valley, but at last after almost superhuman exertions they gained the little plateau. “Thank Heaven for that!” exclaimed Dustin Dare, as he fell back against the tree nearly exhausted. At the moment the desperadoes reached the exit of the cavern. Listening in breathless silence our fugitives ake them moving to the brink of the dizzy ight. ‘They must have fallen off into the gorge,” one said. ‘* More’n likely then thet they were killed.” “Of course; such a fall would smash them all to bits!” ‘Very well: it has saved us a little trouble. Tam glad they have perished, for it wouldn’t be just the ered for us to have them living, knowing what they do of our retreat. come; let’s go back. It’s time we should have a call from that old Apache chief. You know he was to bring us he A e scalps of that League n Black.” As the words died away they heard no more of their foes; and after a few minutes they began to look for some way of escape. “I think we have no more to fear from them,” said Silver Dust, encouragingly. ‘‘Oh, Tam so glad!” she murmured, “ But how can we get away from this horrible place? Ob, I shudder as I look down from here!’ ‘That looks to me like a chance to descend,” said Dare, pointing to a rift in the ledgy moun- 11 = — —— eee eC t ee re tain-side, which extended as far as they could see gradually going downward. “ At least it is our only way of leaving this place.” Then slowly and with great difficulty they their perilous descent. n maintaining their position by sheer eee and anon moving quite easily along, they finally reached the bottom. The place they had entered was, as we have already said, entirely destitute of all vegeta- tion. Its surface was quite broken and a more dismal tract of country it would be hard to con- ceive of, much more to find. The valley was perhaps a mile or more in i and nearly as wide. ‘* This must be the Lost Mine, as it is called,” said Dustin Dare, as they gazed anxiously around. ‘*But, look!” exclaimed the other, ‘‘ there seems no escape, for we are walled in on every hand by a ered cliff. And what a drear, gloomy hole!” Silver Dust had not the courage to tell his companion that there was no escape from Black Pocket. Never had he been in a place of such utter loneliness. **Have you sustained no inj in our peril- ous adventure?” he asked, somewhat anxiously. Little wonder if he begun to feel a more than common interest in the fair unknown, for she was a maiden of surpassing loveliness, and better still, of gentle deportment. Ay, he had already learned to love her, and as he gazed upon her pnt features, and waving brown hair, she seemed to him the most beautiful crea- ture he had ever met. ‘‘No; thanks to your bravery,” she replied, in her sweet tones. ‘ But I hardly know how you will receive your reward, for I feel that any word of mine would be but a poor compen- sation.” ‘*Nay, my fair friend, allow me to differ with you there. I am more than paid for all the danger I have passed, with the conscious- ness that I have been so favored as to aid you. And you must remember that my life wus at stake as well as yours. But, Miss— Pardon me, but I fain w know your name. I trust we are to know each other better.” ‘‘Oh, thanks. My name is Real Greenwood. And now you must return the favor, Sir Stran- ger,” she said, with an arch smile. ‘*Real Greenwood,” repeated Silver Dust ; “‘what a pretty name.” ‘“* But, will you please tell me yours? I do not like to be at a disadvantage.” ‘* Pardon me; mine is Dustin Dare.” ** Odd and pretty, too.” ‘*T am glad you think so. But if you are not too tired, su we begin an exploration of this place. is must be Black Pocket, and, if so, I fear there is no escape from it.” ‘Black Pocket?’ Greenwood asked in surprise. ‘* Yes,” answered Dustin, in wonder. ‘You have heard of it before?’ ‘*Most assuredly. y father was a part owner of the fearful place.” ‘“ What!” exclaimed Dare, with increased sur- rise, ‘‘ you ean’t be the hter of Russel reenwood, who first came here with the Red- mond brothers?’ Oh, what a fearful time ‘‘He is my uncle. that must have been.” ‘You are indeed right. But I trust we shall get away without trouble.” ‘There is but one place of exit, I have been told, but surely we can find that.” ‘Yes; but I have been told that that is now impassable. It has been filled with huge bow]l- ders from the mountain-side. However, we will not despair until we know the worst. And as we try to find the pass I shall be pleased to hear the story of your captivity. Surely you are the same person who sought protection from the miners camped on the stream below here last night?’ “Yes; and what a dreadful time I have had, w= it don’t seem much to tell. ‘*My home is on Mad river, away to the east of the city. Day before yesterday, while a short distance from our house, as I was riding to a friend’s, I was suddenly seized and over- powered by a lot of savages. ‘‘ Without being able to warn my folks of my capture, [ was carried off by the Apaches to their village. But, as if in answer to my piay- ers, I succeeded by a bold attempt in escaping, and, pursued by the fiends, reached you onc your friends, when we were all taken prisoners. “At first I thought those d men in black were my friends; but when I plead for them to return and save you, I learned mv mistake, ICO cS (E <€om con