Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 131 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

oe say at your hands!” came the defiant reply. " co the sane sarees he get his sec with ghtning-like rapidity, and glancing along its barrel pulled the trigger. Only the sharp elick of the hammer fol- lowed. Then the League in Black with one accord rushed wpon him. Swinging the rifle around his head Dare bounded forward. A volley of shot flew about him, but he reach- ed the brush growth and dashed headlong through it. The mounted leaguers could not well follow, and were obliged to diverge to one side. ** Don’t let the dog escape!” yelled No. 1, as he spurred furiously down the ravine. Silver Dust looked hastily to the priming of his firearms and placed a new cap on its tube, as he plunged along. Then as the wild horde rode down the gully and passed him, to make a stand in front, he tried to discharge the piece again, but still it failed! Disconcerted somewhat by this he bounded recklessly to the right. ‘* Stop him at yonder oak,” ordered the mask- ed leader. ‘‘ Quick, for your lives!” Dare reached the t just as three of the black riders confronted him. Before a blow could be struck, however, a hoarse came from the ravine above, and the Golden Hand rushed to the place. As his yellow mustang came to a halt, he raised his rifle and the hammer clicked twice in quick succession. , The weapon had not seemed to explode the cap. ‘Fire away, old Vengeance!” snorted No, 1. ‘** At him, , and the cur is ours.” Without a word Golden Hand snatched his knife from its sheath, and sweeping it in the air dashed upon the amazed throng. As he reached the nearest he drove the fatal blade to its haft in the leaguer’s breast! ‘* You ain’t steel-proof if youare bullet!” cried the enraged rider. Ere he could strike a second blow, however, the surprised band. fell back, and beat a hasty retreat, followed by the Golden Hand. Thus Silver Dust found himself quite unex- tedly free. Hurrying rapidly forward as he last sound of the horsemen died away, know- ing it would be folly to follow even his strange deliverer, he soon came where the ravine wid- ened into a considerable valley and away to the east and south strétched an extensive plain. Dare had gone perhaps half a mile, when he suddenly paused. : ' **Tt can’t be Lam wrong,” he said, half aloud; ** but nothing seems familiar!” Not willing to acknowledge to himself yet that he feared he was lost, he pushed on again. ‘*Wecrossed the brook twice. Once at a big pine, and then near some rapids. That race with those black riders has completely bewil- dered me; but Iam certain I have crossed the stream but once. Hark! I ought to hear Mad river from here. My faith! | have turned too far to the left, and the settlement lies away to my right. Whew! this is a pretty go! But I must make the best of it.” Bearing to the west, he still continued his course; but as he hurried on and the forest grew ‘ denser, while he was leaving the mountains far behind, he finally paused again, this time in dis- — e was lost ! It was then getting dark, and he knew he must look fs a stopping-place for the night, It was while thus gazing anxiously around eae discovered the glimmer of a fire near at Cautiously advancing, not knowing whether he should find friends or foes, he approached the lace, and soon saw four men gathered around ts ruddy blaze. Their garb showed them to be miners, and oe. were rough-looking, he:vily bearded. entarne at a hazard to address them, they all bound hand. **Tam only one, and peaceful at that,” said + Dare, as they glared upon him. — ‘“*Who might ye be?” asked the leader, a tall, muscular person, who seemed more of a moun- taineer than miner, | | | “My name is Dustin Dare, better known per- haps as Silver Dust. While prospecting in the val ey to-day I got lost.” ‘“Sho! Ye don’t mean to say ye are ’? in the Black Pocket valler all alone?” | “Thad a comp panion, but we got separa and I fear he has got into trouble.” eats to their feet in an instant, rifles in The Golden Hand. ‘Wal, ye hev got some grit, ennyway. Ye look like an honest chap, so j’ine us. I am old Gil Rey, frum the Rocker Mountains, and hyar am my chums, True Bill and Big Paws and Shelby Jack,” and with a wave of his long arm the mountaineer-miner sunk back upon his seat. Silver Dust saw that three of the men were past middle life, while the fourth, Shelby Jack, was about his own age. Just outside the camp-ground he saw four pack-mules, and a pile of picks, shovels, and other minin Mee together with sundry pots, pans, etc, ‘ ‘ j “T reckon we are in for it,” said the first aker, witha grin. ‘* We are on the trail fer lack Pocket! Are ye enny ’quainted up there?” ‘ Never was there before to-day.” “Sho! Wal, fix the chap sumthin’ to fill his crop, Big Paws, while he tells what he knows. Hev ye seen the Golden Hand?’ ‘Yes; he saved my life this afternoon.” *‘ Sho! Then he ain’t so bad es they hey told? But gi’n us yer yarn.” Commenc with his leave of Mad River ** City ” Tate tbarhooin to explore the valley, he told what the reader already knows. “What did ye say yer pard’s name was?” asked True Bill, suddenly interrupting Dare in the midst of his narrative. **Rock Randel, though he is generally called The-Man-from-Texas.’ “Rock Randel!” cried the other, excitedly. “D’ye mean to say my old chum 0’ twenty years is in this kentry?”’ “That was my friend’s name. Texas to this place, I think.” ** So hev I, and Gil and Jack hyar! Can it Rock is livin’ when I s’posed he was gone under long ago? He was , with long black hair and mustache. A regular whirlwind on the war-path!” ‘* The- -from-Texas must be your man.” ‘* Ken it be?” and the excited miner danced to andfro. ‘‘ Boys!” he cried, ‘I won’t know no rest till Rock is safe. _We must strike his trail in the mornin’ fer all the Pocket! Ef it should be the old boy I hunted with—” A wild cry in the ravine above caused every man toleap up. Then fierce shouts followed, and the report of firearms. A moment later a woman riding a bridleless mustang dashed into the opening, crying: Save me! Iam pursued by a hundred savy- ages! As she spoke, the woods rung with the war- whoop of the fierce Apaches, CHAPTER V. THE LEAGUE IN BLACK AGAIN. ‘‘ Quick! for cover, boys!” cried old Gil Rey. As the five men sprung back into the shade of the forest, and h “dragged the fugitive with ery the yelling red-ski surrounded the p 3 Howgh—ough !” shrieked the leader, and his followers ech the cry till it became deafen- He came from ing. Then the sharp crack of the miners’ firearms rung out and the war-whoop of the foremost savages became their death-cry, ‘‘Don’t giv’ ’em enny show!” cried True Bill. A volley of bullets and arrows from the Apaches came tearing through the growth. n a moment the fight was hand-to-hand. Clubbing their rifles they hardly waited to stand on the defensive, but met their wild foes in the edge of the timber. By the movement they gained an advantage, which Hey bad not. been slow to discover. While : “9 savages ware ey, jig Je ae opening, ey were partially en the darkness of # woods. | 4 Thus for a brief interval they held them at bay. But overwhelming numbers to tell. Gil Rey shivered the stock of his rifle over the head of the first savage, and throwing the now useless wea: aside, drew his long knife and closed in a life and death grapple with the next Apache that came within reach._ Big aws, one of the most skillful knife-men in the mountains, had relied on his keen-edged weapon from the first. Already the second enemy had fallen before it, and the third was True Bill and Shelby Jack were no less active. But side by side, were being pressed into Weel rom whence they must re , or die. ‘ Help! save me!” cried the female whom were trying toprotect.._. , Maver Bast wee wearest.In tact tt waa,hid strong arm which had borrg her frem the mus- eee ee eee “Ha! you lied, chief! tang, and was fighting nobly to save her from further harm. He saw her peril... She had been swept from bim by a body of the red demons, and as they dragged her into the clearing, at least half-a- dozen crowded around and with uplifted toma- <a were in the act of dealing their deadly Ows. With a defiant yell, he sprung to the spot, and reached the captive. At the moment high above the din of the strife rung the voice of True Bill, crying: ‘‘ Break, boys, or you'll go under!” ‘““Cache, every coon of you!” supplemented Gil Rey, as he overpowered his assailant, but saw the madness of continuing the fight. The next moment he cleared his way for the growth, and gained the side of Bill. Shelby Jack was no less successful. “Where am t’others?”’ cried the old moun- taineer, hurriedly. ‘‘Gone under meb—” ‘“‘ Howgh—owgh—ow—gh!” and the demoniac horde again pressed upon them, __ “My God! Silver Dust and Big Paws are a-goner!” cried Gil Rey, as with his companions he was forced to retreat. Away into the forest they were driven like hunted beasts, leaving everything behind. __ Dare, reaching the captive’s side, fought like a hero to keep the red horde back. Big Paws saw his endeavors and unmindful of his own safety bounded to the rescue. For a moment the gallant twain made fierce work for the yelling Apaches. Only for an instant, however. For every savage that fell a dozen rushed in, and inch by inch the brave men were pressed back, until escape was impossible. ile trying to defend his charge from a furious blow Dare fell. ) Big Paws was Overpowered and the red-men had conquered. Wild with glee they danced around their prisoners. : When. the excitement of their victory had somewhat passed, they bound them securely. This done they prepared for an instant depar- ture. ‘‘ Me take pale-face to great chief’s wigwam, then me see fun!” announced the leader, with a grim smile, The savages took the miners’ animals with them, but left the mining utensils behind, proba- bly not considering them worth the trouble of carrying off. Silver Dust soon recovered his senses, and it was light enough for him to see that the red- skins numbered full a score, to say nothing of those who had gone in pursuit of the other miners, or those who had staid behind to look after the dead. With his companions he had been placed on the back of one of the pack-mules, and was s¢- curely bound, while a guard walked on either side, making escape impossible. He could see by the moonlight that the woman was young. In fact, she was a girl of not more than nineteen summers, and extremely beauti- ful. He felt his heart go out to her as he witnessed her suffering from the cruel treatment of their captors, and his own agony was doubly hard to bear Big Paws bore his captivity with stolid indif- ference. He knew enough of Indian nature to put ona careless appearance, no matter what the reverse might be. A wile had been slowly passed over and they were coming upon a country less hilly and broken, when the savages halted. Wondering what had occasioned the pause, the prisoners glanced around to see approaching a band of horsemen. Silver Dust started as he recognized the e in Black. The Apaches seemed terrified and huddled close together. | When within a few rods the partg paused. and after a moment’s silence the leader said: ‘““ How is it, warriors of Long Wind, that you ain dare to enter the land of the League 1D Black?’ “White captive run away; Long Wind send braves to get her,” answered the chief in broken “Captive? Let me see,” and he rode nearer. You spoke of but one, when you have three.” | “Ugh! chasing white gal, we find pale-face, one, two, three, four, five. Some run—we get ” “< Well done, if true. Oho, Mr. Silver Dust! It seems you are in the net at last. That 4s Eomichbooks col ~