Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 131 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

14 -—— - — —_— —- friend, Rock Randel, who left us a little while | ago to scout out our enemy, but by the cries we fear he has been captured. By this time the men had reached them, and they saw that there were four of them, all tall, werful miners, as their garbs indicated the ast. ‘“We have heard of Rock Randel, and are glad to meet friends of his, for his friends are ,our friends. But I fear something of more than common moment has pain o> a on, here. Ah! pardon me; but are you not Harris Greenwood’s daughter?” ‘‘T am Real Greenwood,” replied our heroine. ‘*And you are Leon Redmond ‘You are right, fair lady; and these are three of yr brothers.” ‘Glad are we to meet you, too, Miss Green- wood, though we wish it was under pleasanter circumstances,” greeted the others. ‘‘ Excuse me,” cried Leon, ‘‘ but if I mistake not we have work on hand. Have not the Black ae cleared the pass?” he asked of Dave. “ee es, ** Then they are likely to enter the Pocket at any instant,’ ‘Ha! they are coming now!” exclaimed one of the others. ‘* Forward, then, quick! If they come with- in the cliff we are lost!” CHAPTER XIX. LEAGUER wo. 10. As the three miners dashed across the opening, and the Golden Hand disap to the right, an- other horseman came into sight from above. At first glance they saw that it was Harris Green- wood, and he was hotly pursued. “Quick! for the bottom!"’ he cried, as he saw the party. ‘* The red-skins are aoe ti Then a wild yell rung from the growth, and a horde of savages sprung forward. Dimon and his com Greenwood, and ip an instant all had disappeared in the ravine below. With increased yells, the Apaches followed. For a few moments wild excitement raged. Mounted upon their sure-footed horses, while the Indians were afoot, the whites soon escaped without a scratch. ‘* A narrow escape!’ exclaimed Harris Greenwood, as they at last paused for a brief respite. “Golden Hand and I ran squarely into an ambush, and if we didn't come near going under may I be shot! I fear he has not escaped as well as we have. The reds dismounted him. But, hark! I hear them below here! Ten to one they will discover the teams, and then our friends are lost. We must ride doWn and see to their safety." Spurring their horses quickly forward, they started down the valley. ee panions followed the lead of | you will lose Dashing through a line of shrubbery that skirted _ the bank of the stream, they came into the bottom, where they were enabled to make better speed. Harris Greenwood was in advance, and the others close behind him, when a rush was suddenly heard in the growth. Then, ere they could understand the movement, a party of horsemen bounded out of their conceal- ment, and surrounding the four miners ence Saee them with such poe t almost in the t n of an eye two of them were hurled from their - dies, while the others were covered with half a dozen rifles! “Hold, or you die!” thundered a hoarse voice. ** Bind them, boys, quick, for your lives!” To their amazement the discomfited miners beheld , the a Biack. ‘Ha! ha!” laughed the leader, as a of his followers secured the fallen men, while remain- der held Greenwood and Dimon inactive before their weapons. ‘Your gameisup! We have run you to the end of your race!” Harris Greenwood had no reply to offer. For once in his life he had been caught napping. Knowing the folly of giving resistance, he could only allow himself to be bound like a brute as soon as fallen friends had been secured in a similar manner. He saw but ten of the league, and felt that the others were not around. Perhaps the missing ones had been killed. ““ What shall we do with them?” asked one, when the prisoners had been rendered helpless. ‘Oh, we will hand them over to the savages. It ‘will save us trouble. But where are Nos. 9 and 10?"’ and the chief seemed nervous, “No, 9 was with us when we but I haven’t : en 10 since we were at the pass,”’ replied one of the ‘agruers. “We will wait a few minutes, they oe : come up.” Relapsing into silence, the party ed several minutes in anxious waiting. While thus, each one busy with his own thoughts, shrill cries were borne to their ears, and then suc- ceeded the crash of firearms. The masked riders started, and gazed down the valley, from whence the sounds had come. Harris Greenwood and his friends turned pale with dread misapprehensions, “ Good!’” exclaimed the chief of the leaguers, ‘‘ the reds have attacked your friends, and they will make it hot for them, Guess you think after a time —_ you had better kept out of Black Pocket valley, eh?” “Sir,” oried Dimon, speaking for the first time, after the fleei _ behind to gua | | | | ns when I n which they The Golden Hand. ‘“‘what reason have you for this treatment? We have no war with you, and it will be best for you to let us go peacefully on our way.” - !’’ yelled the other, ‘‘ you don’t know what you are saying, Dimon Redmond!”’ Wilder and higher rung the sounds from below. Harris Greenwood and his companions fairly groaned aloud. Dimon Redmond aroused by the unknown’s words struggled fiercely with his bonds, the movements cau his horse to leap forward, and for an in- stant it seemed that he would escape. “Stop the brute!” cried the leader. ‘Death to the one who lets either of them escape.”’ A couple of the leaguers had succeeded in check- Redpaoad's horse, when a rider was heard com- ing a the growt , and approaching them. Look sharp!’’ exclaimed No. 1. “It many eA toy gh In a moment the horseman had come boldly into sight. A single glance showed that he was one of the League in Black. ‘* Ho! where have you dallied?” greeted the chief. “Had to run the gantlet of five hundred enemies!" blurted out the other. ‘*Enemies? Where did you see them?” ry Right at the foot of the mountains. But you needn't be alarmed, I wiped him out!” “Him? You said there were five hundred! Ex- plain yourself.” ‘*Don't the Golden Hand count five hundred? It was him I met and rubbed out.”’ ‘* Have you killed the Golden Hand?”’ “Tf I hain’t ‘twan’t my fault. You needn’t fear him any more.” ‘*Good upon your head, No. 10. Now we will take our prisoners to the camp, and give ’em over to the 8. “Sho! So you have caught these chaps? Wal, that’s clever,” and the speaker became one of the guard over the captives as they started up the valley. Follo their leader the masked riders rode slowly up the hollow. All the while the wild confusion was raging fur- ther down the gorge. As men rode through the growth it was quite dark, the Leaguer No. 10 pressed close to the side of Dimon Redmond. Then the latter heard him whisper: *T am oing to cut your bonds. Ride for your life when I do! Redmond came near giving an exclamation of sur- prise. Still the horsemen moved slowly on, often obliged to a somewhat as the growth became thicker. ere the forest was the darkest, Dimon Red- mond felt the thongs cut from his hands, and then he was free! “‘Now!” hissed the deliverer. **Quick as a flash Redmond seized the bridle-rein that had been hanging loosely on the horse’s neck, and striking the animal furiously with his rowels, wheeled it and rode madly away. ‘**Good mercy !"’ cried Leaguer No. 10, the first to be alarmed spparenuy: “there he goes! Quick! or ells of amazement filled the air, and orses abruptly the horde plunged miner. , save three, who staid the rem captives. “Look out for them!’’ yelled the leader. men, quick, catch the dog!”’ Dimon Redmond was too old a hand to be easily caught. Gaining at the outset a good advantage, he almost instantly left his pursuers far behind, and at last they were fain to return to their companions, to fine astill more startling discovery. CHAPTER XX. THE VALLEY IN FLAMES! Leon Repmonp and his brothers sprung quick forward to the pass, closely followed by Dustin an In an instant turni their ** Here, Real. They could hear their foes plainly, and a portion of them had seemed to enter the defil e. ‘*‘ Let them come,”’ said the older Redmond, grim- ly. ‘Are you armed, Mr. Dare?” Receiving a negative answer he went on: “Well, you stand back with Miss Greenwood, and the rest of us will give the rascals a dose of lead.” Throwing themselves prostrate upon the earth be- hind bowlders that lay near the mouth of the pass- wag ~ four waited patiently for the enemy to come * Don’t fire till you are sure of your man,”’ whis- pered the leader. When a few minutes’ anxious waiting had passed, the miners saw several dark forms coming slowly along the way. “There they come!” hissed Leon. ‘“ Be ready to ve the word.”’ unconscious of the fearful trap into were going, the party approached the watchers. Finally they were near enough to see that they As the word rung out clear and distinct, the re- poets of the miners’ rifles succeeded with fearful ect. In an instant a wild c raged in the cut, Completely surprised, those of the red-skins who escaped the fire, too terrified to retreat for the moment, howled in startling tones their fear, danc- ing to and fro like so many fiends let loose from the lower regions. * Reload as quick as ble for another dose,”’ said Leon Redmond, and his brothers were not slow to obey. The sav however, were not to be caught again. Ere the whites had recharged their weapons me —EEE ———— —_, turned and fled, leaving four of their number Meanwhile the uproer among the Indians was in- Cc ‘We have got to look sharp now for they are crazy for blood,’’ declared Roy Redmond. “Yes; and for fear they may attack us, we had veers 4 make a fortification of these rocks,” said The others agreeing with him they began their work at once. Rolling in some of the largest at the bottom, they then piled the smaller bowlders upon the top, tilla strong wall was built across the mouth of the pass. When they had filled the crevices with bits of p eces of stones, save four apertures that they had left to fire from, they were entirely shielded from the bul- lets of the Apaches. ‘I think we can can hold them a siege here,’’ was the comment of Hart Redmond, as they watched for their foes, while listening to their uneartly outcry. ‘‘But what shall we do for food?” ed Silver Dust, anxiously. ‘‘Never fear that we are destined to death; at least for a considerable time,’’ answered Leon Red- mond, with a laugh. ‘‘ We have plenty of food at our camp on the other side of the ridge.”’ ‘*Pardon me, but I hardly understand you,” said Dustin. ‘“* Yous of a camp in Blac Pocket. Can it be possible you have been stopping in this lace?”’ a Quite possible,” replied the other, with a smile. rf We pave been in the Lost Mine, as it is called, a ong time.”’ ‘But—but, excuse me; I did not think any had ever been here since the death of those who came here a — ago. At least, I have been told so.”’ ‘‘ Without doubt; notwithstanding, we have been here ever since the fire. “Are you those who were said to have perished «he “ The same: we esca by another exit out of the Pocket, and have ved to come back here to work the mine ever since, though we have been care- ful to keep it from the world. e have never been molested until now. As a last resort wecan seek our way from this apiece by the other e I spoke of, though that hardly be less angero: as I think the valley below here is overrun with the red- skins. Hark! their cries are louder than ever!" * And there they come!”’ exclaimed Roy. Si er then, and don’t waste a shot.’ Crouching under the sides or crawling along the bottom, the dark forms of the savages were seen cautiously nearing them, There seemed to be a dozen of them, but more oul adventurers could not distinguish. Finally they paused as if reconnoitering the situa- tion. The mad confusion had somewhat abated outside, and within the Pocket all was all of a deathlike stillness. A few moments of silence posses within the defile; and then a or thud was heard against the breastwork shielding the miners. This was quickly repeated, when it was found that the red-skins were their long bows. ‘Shoot away, old c a ’ muttered Leon Red- mond, “ we will make it vely for you in a few mo- ments.”’ Finding that no attention was given to their firing the assailants grew bolder and an to advance. Then the miners’ rifles again belched forth their fiery contents with deadly effect. Repulsed, terrified the second time, the Indians made no —— to make a stand, Before the whites could reload their weapons they had fled from sight. “So far, so good,” said Leon Redmond triumphant- ly. “Reckon ey’ll get enough of that; butit won't o for us to be a na ping. anny ey | into silence the little party waited anx- iously for the next move from the red-skins, Five, ten minutes passed. ‘Hist! there they come!” A light had sud enly appearedin the defile, and was rapidly approaching. “What's up now?” ed Dustin Dare in wonder. ‘Some new trick— Ha! they want to talk; they have a white flag.” This last was now plainly seen in the hands of the leader, as he boldly advanced. ‘Tis a white man!’ exclaimed Roy. Sure enough it was big Sandy! Waving the torch in one hand and the truce in the other, the renegade continued to approach, until Leon Redmond cried sternly: * Hold! Be you friend or foe, stand where you are. Stopping abruptly the t tried to penetrate the semi-darkness ahead, without offe s ‘What will you have?’ demanded the miner. ‘] want to know who you are, and why you treat defenseless men in the way you have?” | ** As to who we are it does not matter. “Pears to me ye are purty independent. No one wanted to trouble ye, but as ye hev begun the war the reds nee the gorge ge ~ you surrender, or shall we you ou “Nary a surrender ! P proceed with the funeral!”’ was the taunting an “I should like to know who you are!” “ We are the Redmond brothers.” “Bah! you lie! They are dead.” Leon Redmond moved uneasily. “Beware!” he cried. “If you have no mare te say withdraw at once,” “Wait! Is Rock Randel with you?” “Then the e is ours,” and he turned back muttering: ‘‘ I wed thet Texan was wiped out!’’ com JOOKSTEONnY