Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 144 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

mem eS land camp of the bank-robbers, in hopes of re- pairing the error. That night-ride of Uarry Ballou’s seemed fated to be: continually interrupted, for he and his comrade had not ridden more than three miles after leaving Bald Bisbee, when a dark figure stepped briskly into the road before them, where the right moonlight shone full into his face. By consequence, the faces of the horsemen were cast into the shadow, thou one” their shapes and figures were cl learly outlin “T lotted your gittin’ yer to-night, Lance,” cried the stranger, in a glad, cheer ul’ tone, as the horsemen pulled up their animals in order to avoid riding over the person. ‘‘’Peared like I knowed ye was comin’—” . ‘‘Guess you’ve made a mistake, stranger,” cried the banker’s son, sharply. “There’s no one here by the name of ce—” ‘‘ But that ain’t sayin’ we don’t know an’ cain’t tell you all ye want to know about your mate,” hastily interposed Steuben, giving Harry a covert punch of warning. “But to make sure our Lance i is your Lance, give us the rest o’ his name an’ oclkepation.” The chief of Vigilantes was entirely competent to put two and two together, and the moment the stranger— whose beardless face and changing voice betray ed his youth—ad Harry Ballou so confidently, he remembered that the erson riding—as he supposed—the missing orse had been mistaken for the banker’s son by both himself and Bald Bisbee. And remember- ing this, he believed that the youth now before them was in some manner connected with the horse-thief, t I’ve made a durn fool 0’ myself,” uttered the stranger, with a sort of sheepish laugh, ‘Beg yer pardon, gentlemen, but the light was on yer backs, and that gray hoss looks powerful like the one Lance was to ride, or J wouldn’t ’a’ made such a p’izen mistake.” John Steuben was taken considerably aback by these unexpected words, The stolen horse was a blood-bay, while the gray. horse alluded to was his own saddle nag ut he rallied sufficiently to add: “You didn’t answer my question; Lance who?” ‘“Jest Lance,” was the prompt response. ‘“‘'We pore whites cain’t a’ford to give our niggers more’n one name,” \s ‘* Nigger!” ejaculated Steuben, his last hope eein " Nigger—sixty y’ar old come next grass— white wool—one eye gone —rides a white hess—” The chief of Vigilantes uttered an oath of vexation at ha wasted so much time on a false scent, and gave his horse the spur so furiously that it dashed away at full speed nearly over-running the stranger, who esca only by a nimble side-lea ed Ballou followed rapidly, leaving the stranger staring after them in mingled doubt and anxiety. That was the last interruption, however, until the little town of Howard was reached. During the latter portion of this ride, they talked the matter over, and Harry decided to pace the matter entirely into the hands of his riend, naming the reward he was willing to pay for the Seyctaben's of his property. On his part Steuben was to the word around to the members of the Vigilance Com- mittee, and after a thorough search of the town, if the stolen animal was not found, to scour the country around in quest of it. Harry vg | paused <m enough at ye hotel to have his horse stabled and bespeak his cus- tomary room, then hastened to the house where his betrothed lived. Rose Harvey was anxiously awaiting his coming, for in the absence of a message statin the contrary, she knew that H would no fail in coming, unless something serious had oc- His reception was warm enough to have satis- fied the most exacting lover, for Rose, though pe and modest, was no prude when once her ove had been fairly won. And she had full faith that Harry was one in every way worthy of her virgin heart. An admirable match, so everybody said, and for once e oan Sreexbady was correct. Sans “Tea Rose was two years younger a apres, brunette, “podiewhns ane? the ae ght, but with a form as seminal and proportioned as that of Queen M here Like , the only child of pet, well todo in the matter of this world’s aye her love was fully sanctioned cai rey Th thus far not a single cloud had marred courtship. _ Dainty Lance, the ° Boy Pee Ballou was, as before stated, nearly twenty-one years of age, though looking several aed younger. He was tall and slender, hough his broad shoulders gave promise of a more athletic form as he grewin years. His face was smooth and guiltless of beard as any maiden’s. His long yellow hair hung iu ring- lets almost down to his | Shoulders: his eyes were blue as heaven itself; his features regular, though quite strongly enough marked to remove from them the charge of effeminacy, and form- ed a face far handsomer than is often to be found among his sex. This oo rg ange despite the discrepancy in age, epee J es perfectly to the young adventurer, ged Harry Ballou did not remain late with his be- trothed, being afflicted with a painful sick-head- ache, which experience told him could only be slept off, and after an affectionate adieu, dur- ing which he promised to come over in the morning immediately after breakfast, the lover returned to the hotel—the only one in the vil- lage, by the way—where he found John Steu- ben awaiting his coming. “The critter we want, hain’t nowhars in town, nur yit he hain’t bin here, ” the chief of Regula- tors began, when he and Harry were her ina retired corner of the large office. ‘ t- ways, nobody hain’t see’d nothin’ o’ the hoss, an’ I don’t reckon the thief hes bin smart enough to trade him off this airly.” “Then he must have turned off before re Harry, a little sourly. ‘I may as well gay good-by " first as last, to Marmion.” “ We’ tl set out at daybreak, ef he don’t come alon afore.” d come back as against you regulators, maliciousl rl But little more passed between the two, for Harry’s headache kept growing worse, and only pausing to register his name, he passed up-stairs to his room. Steuben, no whit disconcerted by the well- founded quip of his young friend, left the hotel and passed into the adjoining building, which was occupied on the ground floor as a bar-room and billiard hall. As he entered, he made a covert signal, and two men immediately arose from the card ard table | m and left the saloon. They were members of the band of Regulators, and understwod that they were to relieve their chief from bis watch upon the hotel and its stable. around, or else ing this place, ” said ou go—for luck seems ohn,” retorted > Fee that he had done eve ing he could, under the circumstances, until the new day should nen, Steuben challen a friend pre- sent toa game of billiards, and having full con- fidence in his subo the worthy chief cast aside all care, and passed a most enjoyable two hours. At the end of that time, one of the men de- tailed to watch the hotel, entered and called for a glass of beer making a secret signal which Steuben was quick to observe. Suddenly r an important engagement, he abandoned his almost won game, and left the saloon, being almost immediately joined by his spy. ‘“'What’s up now?’ he demanded in a hurried wethe. hoss stands yonder, hitched afore the door. The man as rid it, ‘long with another a end hes gone inside.” mothering an oath of exultation, Steuben My ewer: to wnthe the two horses were standing before the hotel, and made a hasty examination. bere oo the shade trees intercepted the rays of the d:scending moon, Steuben felt confident that one of the animals was indeed the stolen horse, and sent the man with him to hurriedly collect half a dozen of the Regulators, in order to make the canture of the thief a matter beyond |: doubt. During this brief interval, he stood over the horses, resolved to take the thief sin- a ey in case he should attempt to leave e hotel before reinforcements arrived. But this attempt was not made, and followed by his men, Steuben ascended the steps and en- tered the hotel. CHAPTER IV. PLAYING WITH EDGED TOOLS, THE consternation which followed the ex- cited announcement of Bald Bisbee that the wrong man had been captured, was so great that if Dainty Lance had 7 ehoges to make the attempt, he could have fled under cover before a hand or weapon could have been raised to check him, But apparently nothing was further from his mind than the idea of flight. 5 —— or Tall, erect and ocean he stood there, sur- rounded b y the bank-robbers, an amused smile playing around his short upper lip as he noted the result of the thunderbolt cast into their midst by the agitated old sinner. er Fair was among the first to recover his wits, and with a swift step forward, his heavy hand closed firmly upon the shoulder of Dainty Lance. ‘* Who are you, boy? What trick have you been trying to play off on us?” he uttered, stern- “T am Lance Daintree, as I told you from the very first,” coolly replied the youth. ‘* But you wouldn’t have if so. You had made up your mind that I was somebody else; so much so that I found myself obliged to knock down one of es number for insisting that I was a hairy boon, or some such outlandish animal.” “ But at the last—y ou acknowledged it—” “Not exactly,” interposed Lance, with a lightlaugh. “ i saw that you were all deter- mined to make me out somebody else, and as I didn’t care particularly about t rashing you all, one after another, I simply favored your hallu- cination by asking what would be the conse- = uencesif my {name was really Harry Ballou. t the same time I -warned you that I did not admit being the person you took me for.” “That plea, cunning as you seem to think “ will serve you little, young fellow,” said Fai his heavy brows contracting darkly. “ You have heard too much—” “Then tell me more,” tao a Dainty Lance, with a cool audac ‘ity that seemed ess. “This blunder may turn gut to be one of the wisest moves you ever made. “ As [said before, Iam out of work, just now, and on the look-out for a job which combines ———— with good pay. You have seen enbawe to-night to know that Iam no infant, but if you still doubt my being man enough for your business, I am willing to stand any and all tests of oe or skill which you may pro- spy—he only wants time to betray us!” grow Daniel we, arising from the ground with some little difficulty. ‘*T haven’t learned you to hold your tongue 7 pen are speaking?’ cried Dainty Lance “The third time I am forced to soil eae with you, will be the last—remember Haniel Rowe was no coward, and though he had been wholly disarmed by ‘Abe Tinker, ac- cording to orders, he rushed headlong upon his tantalizi enemy, from whom “hs would doubtless have received punishment even great- I » a before, had not Hammer Fair inter- wong i between the two, he closed with Rowe, twisting him to the ground as a child might bend over a reed, then turned sharply upon the independent youngster. “As for you, put a guard over your ton or I will have you bound and gagged. = your weapons over to Tinker, and consider eaten a prisoner until we can decide what tion to make of you.” ntil now, the outwerd appearance of the a ore had been that of one engaged in an amus- ng masquerade, rather than in enadventuie where his life might pay the forfeit of his av- ramon but at these words the smile vanished from his lips, his features grew stern-set, while a steel a glitter filled his blue eyes. a quick, sidelong leap, he reached and —_— lanted his back against the tree-trunk where iel Rowe had stood, ct the same time draw- ing a revolver with each hand. His voice was and menacing as he said: © one man can take them, nor your whole See ony, until after they have eaten the con- tents "Beyond a doubt the attempt would have been made and itis equally certain that bloodshed would have followed before the dauntless youth could be either disarmed or killed, but before Hammer Fair could utter the words that trem- bled on his aa Decoy Duck reached his side and made an appeal that turned the scale. “ Better a live friend than adead enemy,” sho said, in tones loud enough for all tohear. ‘He is ready to join the band, and where would you find a better or a braver ally? If you make an enemy of him, you must either him, or abandon the plan which has already cost us so much time and trouble. Besides,” she lowered her veice so that the ears of her father alona could catch her words, ‘‘there will be time enough to strike when you know he is playing us Swear him in, and I will watch his every movement. It is the surest plan.” Hammer Fair pushed ber aside, then con. Ehoo cS