Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 153 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

— ‘that looked — nnn ee ranean — ---- ‘‘ Blowed if he isn’t an outlandish lookin’ old seed,” responded Dick; ‘* but, see, he’s goin’ to launch that canoe and I expect he’ll come over on this side.” True enough the old stranger pushed the canoe into the water and then taking up his cane and ec t-sack was in the act of stepping into the craft, when another man glided from the bushes behind and seizing him by the shoulders, ex- claimed: ‘*No you don’t, stranger; that’s my boat.” The old man started esif a bomb-shell had exploded by his ear, and without turning his body he glanced back over bis shoulder, and with glaring eyes stared the mon in the face for full a minute before he ke. Then as a scowl settled upon his brow, he drawled out in a slow, contemptuous manner: ‘*Wal now, what are you?” ‘*T sir, am Professor Carl Jimrack, astrono- mer, geologist and naturalist,” was the response ; ““now who be you?’ “Judge Zelotes Prosper, from the’ State of a Bail t 1] ll t,” whispered Ned to ‘ ellows well met,” w his friend; “*I’ll bet both lied like pirates about their names and profession, for they look more like river dead-beats than judge professor.” Professor Jimrack was the opposite of Judge Prosper in form and looks. He was short and stout built, with a round fat face, a ruddy com- plexion, a corpulent form, and a pair of eyes hievously cold and scrutinizing- ly through their half-closed lids. After the judge had made himself known, Jimrack said in disdainful tone: ‘‘Then, sir, ’d have the court understand that she’s out of both her Jongitude and latitude when she undertakes to my boat.” ‘*See here, stranger,” retorted the judge from Car’lina flying into a passion, “‘ you don’t want to tramp on my toes or by the sword of Damo- cles I'll bounce you quicker’n a hound can lick a skillet. I’ve been judge o’ Car’lina too long to let little, ole pussy cuss like you stand up an’ accuse this ‘ere court 0’ bein’ subsedized. Ferfestor, the oleanders and oranges bloom anrtually over the graves of a dozen men that undertook to tamper with the judicial rooster, and as this is our fust meetin’, and as we may meet ag’in, I warn ye to tread keerfully. Iam up here for recreation—to tone up the judicial bench o’ Car’lina in the stiff, who e air 0’ Dakota. I don’t want to Saou anybody, but if ’m crowded and riled up, l’m worse than a nest o’ moccasin snakes and I'll fight; that’s the kind o’ a star I be, perfessor.” ‘* Yes, yes; a star of lesser magnitude—a sort of a fly-speck—a blot on humanity’s sky, as it were,” replied Jimrack. ‘* Perfessor, you aggervate the court—that’s clear contempt—you want to that back, or, by the sword of Damocles! I’}] show your scien- tific eyes a cluster o’ stars that beats the nubular theory all outen the solar system. I are a war- hoss, sir, sich as never smelt the smoke o’ battle afar, for I aré always in the smoke on the aber and though we’re here alonein this Da- otian forest, by the shaddo’ of the palmetto, I'll issue an injanction agaidst your imperti- nenee and erect a Corinthian column over them sleepy turtle eyes o’ yourn that you’ll—” words were interru by a stinging blow in the face from the of the professor, that sent him reeling backward several] paces; but, recovering his equilibrium, he uttered an imprecation, lunged forward and returned the professor’s compliment in a blow with his sledge-hammer fist that sounded clear across the creek. This was the signal] for a “ mill,” and for fully a minute the two comical, whimsical old stran- gers stood upand pounded each other in a lively and somewhat scientific manner. To the boys under cover on the te side of the creek it was the most amusing and ludi- crous affair they had ever witn ; but when they saw the men were in dead earnest, and that their encounter threatened a serious result over a trifling matter, Nebraska Ned suggested the Propriety of interfering and separating them. But at this very juncture—before the boys could stir from their tracks—a_ rifle on theirside of the creek rung out, and Judge Ze- lotes Prosper uttered a groan and sunk at the feet of his adversary—shot down by an unseen foe! ‘* My Lord!” cried Nebraska Ned; “ murder- ers are near! It must be Injuns or outlaws! Come, Dick, let us avenge the death of that strange old man, whoever and whatever he may have been.” The two young rangers glided from their covert in the direction whence the shot had ee | Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. come, but before they had turned to go they saw Professor Jimrack turn and flee mto the woods as if pursued by a demon, leaving the body of his late enemy lying prostrate upon the white sand. \ By this time it was nearly dusk. The boys were compelled to exert the utmost care and caution for fear of running into ambushed dan-— ger. They had proceeded but a short way, how- ever, when suddenly a horseman ed past them at a rapid pace, going west. “ There goes the assassin!” exclaimed Dick. sy - Dick; did you recognize his face?” “T did not.” ‘‘ Well, I did, and it bears the evidence of in despair she guilt; but, good God! can it be possible that | her friends. commi that man tted a murder? Dick, there’s a mystery "bout this; we must go back and find out who that dead man: is, for I don’t | sa believe he gave his true name.” ‘* Neither do I, Ned; but I can’t imagine who that murderer could be.” taeb “Tt was—” and Ned whispered the name i a a ear; as if afraid to speak it ‘The boys returned to the creek, crossed over on some driftwood and hurried back to’ the scene of the late pugilistic encounter; but to their surprise and disappointment the body of Judge sn aes was gone! There were blood- stains on white sand, and a plain trail showing where the body bad been dragged sory Ste the woods by some one whose tracks had been concealed by dragging the dead body over them. The young rangers looked at each other in ishment. “This beats me, Dick, all out of time,” said Ned; ‘‘ but I reckon that professor come back and dragged Prosper into the woods in order to rifle his body. The chances are, however strange it may seem, that the assassin and old Jimrack are in , and that they have hounded this old man to his death. The di ce of those horses from our corral may beva part of the scheme to effect this murder. Dick, I can’t ive this matter up till | know more about t. Come, let us search the woods for Prosper’s body, and if we should run across Jimrack, make him give an account of himself.” They turned into the woods and began the search. It was now so dark that they could follow no trail. They wandered epee rm: and down the creek—all the while kept working back into the timber. For two hours they kept up the search but could see or hear nothing of the dead or living. Their labors seemed a hope- less task, and they were n the point of iving up the search when they discovered the t glow of a light behind some bushes in under a high, projecting bluff. They listened and heard voices in conversa- tion, interlarded with an occasional low, sup- pressed laugh. ‘*We must know who are there, Dick,” said Ned. ' Upon their hands and knees the boys crept noiselessly through the shrubbery until they reached the curtain of vines: that separated them from the unknown. Putting out his hand Ned quietly pushed the green drapery aside and looked through upon a scene that ised and startled lim. He saw two men seated under a projecting ~ engaged in a desultory conversation. half empty bottle sat between them. The eye of one was bandaged with a red silk handker- chief. The face of the other was black and swollen almost to hideousness. But, notwith- standing the battered condition of these two men’s faces, Ned recognized the one with the bandage as Judge Zelotes r, well and alive, and the other, Professor Jimrack—to all ap ances the warmest of friends! young rangers were astounded by this discovery. It deepened the mystery which seemed to surround these two strange men and their still stranger conduct. CHAPTER IIL. LOST IN THE FOG. ‘** On, heavens, help me!” This appeal came from the lips of a young girl who sat upon her horse in the heart of a great prairie, the picture of hopeless despair. A dense black fog hung over and around her. The sun was obscured as if by the shadow of desolation. A silence that seemed born of the tomb was in perfect. keeping with the gloom. All day the heavens had been filled with a darksome mist and in a moment’s time almost— without the least warning—it had settled around the fair Mabel Vane and shut off all view of the surrounding plain, even concealing | | ' } | | | | ee me ee se ee ee 3 - - oe — — —» the camp of her friends from her bewildered gaze; and as she was following no trail, and as she had paid no attention to her course—being but a few minutes ride from camp—she found herself lost in the dreary, impenetrable fo~. She called aloud to her triends but no voice auswered. She turned her horse’s head and rode awayin the direction that she believed would e her into camp. She rode on for more than an hour, but disappointinent stared her continually in the face. The solitude of the plain and the density of the fog seemed to increase every moment. The r girl’s heart sunk heavy in her breast and ve up all hopes of ever finding he finally drew rein and sent up a fervent appeal for Heaven’s guidance. Her —o horse seemed imbued with her own spirit. It pricked up its ears, sniffed the air and pawed the earth with uneasiness and im patience. “Ob; why do they not signal to me?’ the maiden at length burst forth in the bitterness of her ray ‘I shall die here, in this dreary, dreadful fog. Oh, how foolish I was to ven- ture away from camp at all!, Poor papa! he will be distracted! This fog is growing thicker and darker every momen know! it must be ight is approaching, and oh, may the—” . r lamentations were here interrupted by a sound like that of some one whistling. She bent her head and listened. A light of hope flashed in her great brown eyes. horse turned his head and listened too. From out the fog came the joyful sound of a merry, boyish whistle, and a moment later a diminutive human figure from the gloom. It was the figure of a boy clad in a close-fitting suit of buckskin and carrying a = rifle. : tsight of the fair Mabel Vane, the lad stop- ped short in manifest rise and stared at her with bis big black eyes as though confronted by an apparivion. Mabel returned the look with equal surprise, for never in her life had she looked upon such a small specimen of humanity assuming such re From his appearance he must have been sixteen or seventeen years of age; yet it was evident to Mabel that be was a human dwarf—not deformed or repulsive as most of those unfortunate beings are, but per- fect in form and limb, with a handsome, hy ANE boyish face. He had a healthy, hearty look; his movements were as easy, agile and graceful as those of a young panther, and it was evident that he possessed the strength and endurance of a young bear. ‘Whew!” the little fellow whistled, as he dropped the butt of his gun to the ground and struck an attitude of ic surprise ; ‘*‘ who under the hidden sun have we here?” ‘* My name is 1 Vane,” the maiden re- 8 ed, her heart in a flutter of excitement; ‘“‘and I am lost on this prairie. I do hope you can set me right so that I can find my friends,” ‘Where do you b’long, Miss Mabel Vane?” the boy asked, advancing a little closer. “Our camp is at the mouth of Honey Creek,” she replied; “I left camp for a few minutes, ride, and I am sure I was not a quarter of a miie from camp when this fog descended; but I had not noticed the way I had come, and so I have been riding and riding aud can’t find my friends.” ‘* Whirlwinds and bats, girl!” the little fellow exclaimed, ‘‘you’re more’n ten miles from Honey Creek, but as I am bound for that holy spo come along and I will see that you’re lande safe in your friends’ camp. I s’pose it’s Major Dan Baron’s train you b’long to? “ Yes, sir; but may I ask your name?” ‘*Oh, you can call me Kit—Eagle Kit ’s what most of ’em call me, but then it don’t make much difference what I’m called, for I'm a sort of a knot of insignificance—a kind of a human wart—a wild, battish sort of a boy that don’t give a flash of sunshine for the biggist outlaw that rides these prairies.” “I think Lhave heard Major Baron speak of Eagle Kit,” said Mabel; “and I think you do yourself injustice. Where do you reside?” ** Upin a hole, cailed the Erie, on a mountain <8 live there with an old Ingin called ab. The eagles, and the owls, and the mountain goats are my companions, and I ex- pect 1 begin to look eagle owl-goatish, but, if I do say it, miss, ’m boss On the shoot and can jist Jay King David in the shade throwing a stone— Hullo! there comes a hossman! Reckon it’s one o’ your friends huntin’ you.” True enough, a horseman rode out from the gloom that hung over the plain toward them. He was mounted upon 9 mus*‘nane pony. Cressed Ss (ELKO) <€om (EO)