Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 153 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

4, — —_ oe ——— in a sors of a military overcoat, high-topped boots and slouched hat. ‘“lie’s a stranger,” replied Mabel, a feeling of rneasiness stealing over her, at sight of the ,ow-ch; brigandish-looking horseman. The man rode up to where the girl and boy stood, drew rein, politely lifted his hat and re to Mabel, then turned his eyes and skot a erce contemptuous look at Eagle Kit. “ Fair girl,” the stranger then said, ‘* what meags your meeting here with that imp of darkness—that Dwarf Demon?’ The man’s looks, his tone, and his — words struck terror to Mabel’s heart. In a faltering tone she replied: ‘Our meeting was accidental.” “Indeed! Then my meeting with you, fair girl, is provideutial ; and with you too, Boy Demon!” said the man, fairly hissing the last words between his set teeth. “You're an outlaw! you’re an outlaw!” shrieked Eagle Kit in a ae eee and, quick as a flash, he r his rifle and cocked it; but the man was on the alert, and whipping out a revolver leveled it upon the oh Together pistol and rifle rung out on the mal air. A cry burst from the boy’s lips and he sunk at ‘the feet of Mabel’s horse, while, from the lips of the man rung a demoniac laugh as he ree in his saddle as though and clasped his hand to his temple across which ran the red track of the boy’s bullet. Acry of terror burst from Mabel’s lips, and she turned her horse to flee, but before she bad gone a hundred yards, the outlaw, who had but slightly wounded, dashed alongside of her, and seizing her horse’s reins, said: “You must go with me, miss.” “ With you? where?” cried Mabel. “To the mountains yonder—this way.” **T will not! I will not!” shrieked Mabel. * Oh, but must, though! The death of that Dwarf Demon will not compensate me for the days that I have been here watching for him on this prairie. You're better off with me than to have been led off to the den of that imp, for I tell you he is half devil.” | Mabel Vane heard but little of the murderous scoundrel’s _ for, a unconscious, —— brain paralyzed with terror, she sat upon her horse unable to move, unable to speak, while the out- law, leading her horse, turned and rode away. it was some time before the maiden d fully realize her situation—that she was really a captive in the power of Eagle Kit’s murderer. Then her brain grew oe and her heart sick- ened. She would have fallen from her saddle but for the support of the outlaw’s hand, And through all this dreadful trial the bright, joyful and happy face of the manly little Kit, as it looked up at her from the tall so full of boyish pride, was before her; and in her mind she now pictured that same bright face, ghastly in death, staring up into the gloomy sky wit no friendly hand to close the lids over those big black eyes—no friendly hand to give the little body sepulture. ughts of escape never entered Mabel’s mind. She rode along with downcast eye, tak- ing no note of anything around her. was like one in a stupor. In the cour-e of two or three hours the fog finally lifted, and gathering into clouds broke asunder and let the rays of the declining sun fall upon the face of outlaw and captive. The light seemed to revive the maiden’s ees spit She raised her eyes and looked around. sigh escaped her li She felt that she had mn tue t green looked for the last time u rairie. She had a presentiment of death—of a mang tomb. Before them not far away she saw the moun- tain range clearly outlined inst the pale red sky. Behind them an interminable prairie stretched back into the twilight shadows of the corning night. | The situation was a sad one indeed wo ead Mabel: the mountains before them prom the outlaw a refuge, and her prison. {he sun at length went down behind the mountain range; the shadows of evening added new horrors to the soul of Mabel Vane; but swiftly and in silencethey rode on, to, at length, enter a dark valley in the foot-hills that u- ally narrowed and deepened into a black defile. Through this desolate pass they were making their way; the sound of their animals’ hoofs on the stony way gave back ghostly, hollow echoes. Nocturnal wings whistled and whirred over- bead. Strange voices seemed to be calling to each other from the hills in the distance; but amid all those strange sounds of night a shrill, sharp voice suddenly rung out clear and start- ] ng: Bo oon ee ——— ** Halt, there!” The demand came from before the outlaw and his captive. They involuntarily drew rein. The freebooter rasped his revolver in a nervous hand. A slight form glided out from behind a rock into the defile before them. ‘‘Kagle Kit!” burst from Mabel’s lips, for dark as it was, she recognized the little fellow in flesh and spirit. ‘*The Boy Demon!” cried the outlaw. Then the double report of firearms rung out upon the night and rolled and crashed through the hills in thunderous reverberations, while, from the hills above, a wild maniac scream came trailing down to the ears of Mabel Vane followed by a sound as if of beating the pliant air or of death. With this moment of terror, unconsciousness eting the shadows came to the relief of the maiden’s brain, andshe | want to tell fell fainting from the saddle in the presence of death. CHAPTER IV. THE BOY RANGERS’ NEW ACQUAINTANCE. We left Nebraska Ned and Dick Rodman, the watching the movements of the Prosper and Professor Jim- rack. 1s found themselves in a quan- dary asto what they should do—whether con- tinue their watch, make their presence known, or steal quietly away and resume their journey ; but, while revolving the subject in minds Prosper and Jimrack took a drink from the bottle that sat between them and then stretched themselves out before the fire and becamesilent. They had evidently “ turnéd in” for the night. They occupied tions on opposite sides of the fire, and, although both appeared to pass off into a quiet slum eye and steal a glance at the motionless Jim- rack, and presently Jimrack would peer from the folds of his blanket at the ‘* Judge.” From these movements it was quite evident that the two men had not, by any means, per- fect confidence in each other yet. -_-—-_———— Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. —_ —e | FT ——— | Grayson went West, and everybodys’ at once, the boys could see | that neither one was asleep. Every few min- | utes Prosper would half-open his unbe»daged | A child was born to them—a pretty, sweet little | known. John Henry hunted the South- me $$ —$— — ——=—=— srr think of the helletrope that attempted to shoot me? —_ think it war Ingin or outlaw?’ ‘Neither, judge,” replied N “but I did think it was some one in league with Jimrack.”’ “ Alligators and moccasins! that couldn’t be, Ned, I reckon; for, it war old Jim, himself that pulled me off into the woods and seein’ | war only stunned by the assassin’s bullet, poured some of his liquid reginerator down my throat and in a little while I pulled into land again. Then we come off here, built a fire, had a social chat—a drink from his bottle—then a ditto, and then to bed. But he’s gone, that’s sure, and mebby the pussy old bloat ‘ll. come ‘round in time; if he don’t, put it down that you're right and Perfesser Jimrack is a treason- at, hollow wings , able, treacherous old reprobate. But say, Ned, d’ye know I’ve been wantin’ to see you?’ ‘* You intimated as much awhile ago.” ‘« Well, it’s a fact, and now that we’ve met I i what I want, and then you can tell me whether I can have it or not.” ‘‘Very well; go on,” and the three seated themselves by the fire. Fixing his lone eye on Ned, Prosper began: ‘‘ Six months ago, John Henry Grayson died —<died in—well, he died that’s certain. Before he the rubicon of life he called a friend of (so lam told, now mind ye), one el Gamaliel Blower, to his bedside, and told him he’d been a little wild-oaty in the pens —Snee he’d. not alers done a daylight, Sunday business, and therefore wanted to unload his breast of his sins for fear he’d swamp gittin’ over the Jordan with sich a cargo a So he went on and told all his wrong tomes and good s to Colonel Blower, but Vl jist narrate that as what'll be pertinent to our case.” ‘‘Rifteen years before he died, John Henry e to California; but it turned out. that be war Sante Fe where he married a beaucheful little gal, with just a blood enough in her veins make ita frisky fandango for Jobn Henry. thing that John H. fairly worshiped, and see- ing as what he did, that prickly ash of a wife of his, whose love’d turned to hate, ups and leaves him with the baby, and fled to un- estover r n to snore in a manner that was | for his gal-baby but found it not, and so, nighly Pr indicative of unfeigned slumber, ture, then to his feet and, casting a glance around him, stole quietly away into the dark- ness. Presently Prosper started from his sleep and | gave utterance to | finding his companion gone, an imprecation unbecoming the mora) dignity of a judge. seemed a favorable moment for the Boy Rangers to introduce themselves to the redoubt- able Zelotes Prosper, and rising to their feet they pressed their way through the foliage and confronted him, hats in hand. ‘“By the jumpin’ General Jackson!” burst from the astounded man’s lips, as he raised the bandage from his eye as if to aid the right, ‘‘has my companion, Perfessor Jimrack, dis- “Te into a pair of young bucks?” ‘és 0, friend left before we a ‘steal away ‘bout ten minu ‘Vampire sap that man! H ; we saw him and a few moments’ later Jimrack rose to a sitting pos- | sir,” replied Ned with a smile, “‘ your | 0.” the dam-aged- | distracted, he returned to his former home and thirteen years after’ards died, leavin’ the snug little fortune of one hundred thousand dollars to his daughter, but if she couldn’t be found it was to go to some charitable institution, But. here let me upon your minds thata few days before J. Henry demised, he heard that his cac- tus-burr—I mean his wife—had died in Omaha; and so he made a special request that his execu- tor, Colonel Gamaliel Blower, investigate mat- ters; and if his daughter Iona was living, spend half of his fortune to find her and place her in ——— of the other. Wal, Blower investiga: the matter far enough to ascertain that the dead woman had been living for some years in _ Dakota, and it is supposed her child, if living, is somewhere here yet. Now, as 1 war comin’ to this country to see the sights and recuperate my health, a friend of mine who war acquainted with John H. Grayson’s affairs, writ Colonel Blower ’bout it and told him L war a good, hon- rae and would be a good man to help him out. Blower writ me a letter and asked me est old Gordian Knot 1 ever un’took to wrassel | to assist him, saying the finder of the gal’d git with, and if he trifles much more with me I'll | quicker nor a | — the daylights outen him nd pup can dress a skillet. But, lookey here, my young kids, give an account 0’ yerselfs. ye “ er of you be Nubraska Ned, the Boy nger?’ ‘“‘That’s who I am,” responded Ned. ‘Sword of Damocles!” you are the wry cat- tapillar I seeketh—put her there, boy, and have the distinguished honor o’ shakin’ the hand v’ Judge Zelotes Prosper o’ Car’lina. Ha! ha! ha! de d—impled little prairie bot, whar ye been eepin’ yerself?’ “Been looking after you ever since that un- seen foe shot you down on the bank of the creek this evening.” ‘* Hepsidam! then you see’d that?” “ Yes—also, your meeting and trouble with Jimrack.” ‘Don’t mention that affair; it war ad ce to the jurisprudence of the nation; but then, by the sword of Damocles, Pll fight rep see i Bengal imp of darkness afore dirt can be das ed in my peepers. The rs are a family of fighters as well as scholars. The oleanders and oranges bloom annually over the graves of a dozen fellers that tried to come contempt upon this court. No, sir, they can’t enny of ‘em climb this judicial rooster. But, boy, what d’ye one thousand dollars. Now, I never saw Colonel Blower, but we arranged by letter to meet at Fort Scully the last of this month. You see I’m several days ahead of time, but I thought I’d go to lookin’ around a little afore the colonel come, and if I should find the gal, ’'d come in for the hull reward. I don’t want ye to think I’d take any advantage of the colonel —I’d die first—it’d be unbecomin’ in a judge. But to business: now, hearin’ as what you're the boss vagabond of these prairies, | thought as what yon might know of some stray gal, or at least help me hurt her up. Of course, she’s either living with the or some white huntersor settlers, if she’s living in Dakota at all. Now, what do ye know?” ‘« Well, I know a few girls here and there in — but I pop or the life of me, say whether your girl is among my acquaintances,” answ Ned; ‘‘ and, as to sees you in your search, I can’t at present, I already have on hand the job of g Major Baron's train through to the Black Hills. Even now the train awaits our coming, not over five miles away, and I assure you we must be moving.” “« Well, I believe I'll go with you, and still I hate to go off and leave Jimrack. But then the dam-aged old shad-belly had no compunction ‘pout leavin’ me like an Arab, and so I guess Eomichbooks (E (EO)