Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 153 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

—_—_— Ill go with you, and put Jimrack down as a boss fraud. “All right, udge; come along,” and they all started rapidly down the Beaver. The night was dark, yet the way was perfectly familiar to Ned. They were nearing their destination, when the report of s fell upon their ears. = came from the Sibcticn of the gold-hunters’ ars am afraid the folks are in trouble,” Ned had to confess. ‘It sounds a little warish down there,” added the judge, ‘‘ but I thought the Ingins were on a peace-footin’, hereaways?” “They are in one sense of the word, but there are a few outlawed Ingins bidin’ away in the mountains and consortin’ with white out- laws and robbers, and with them go hand in hand in robbin’ and plunderin’ the unprotected. Doc Middleton’s gang are now operatin’ 3B in. this t of the country. “111 put an injunction on. their bre , apparatuses if they come within the ju tion of my court,” observed the judge. ‘ — a dreadful ugiy mess for a violator of the law to stumble Why, boys, the oranges and oleanders bloom aos over the mounds of twenty men who saw fit to buck against the mandates o’ this judicial rooster.” The three moved on and soon came in sight of the camp, or rather the glow of the camp- fire, for the camp had been ao in a dry swale, : or what is more y termed ‘* buffalo wallow,” so deep that ¢~<- the to of ay tilted wagons could be seen above the level f the plain. One end of this depression ter- nina at the very brink of the waters of Creek. It was about a hundred rods to ‘pes .om of the on wg oe me zc re was a silence hanging over camp that to Ned seemed like ond se of over- shadowing dan around to where he could obtain a ae of the interior of the camp, he saw enough at a glauce to con- vince that there was something wrong-—that the camp was in a state of siege, although an enemy could not be seen., He saw the horses and mules were all corraled inside of the wal- low, and that the wagons were arranged so as to afford a means of defense. ‘“There’s trouble afloat, friends,’ whispered the young ran er, ¢ eae we may have no little in feel confident guardin’ h and aiti nf ow, every approac waitin’. for a favorable moment to strike. But I'm goin’ to crawl into camp if it costs:me my life.” = ee when you're safely there,” added Dick “Tl follow suit.” a will have to be very careful, warned Ned; ‘Sif you are not accustom Ingin cunnin’ and’ border da , I'd, advise you to remain under cover of the woods until you can enter camp with some ceanee of piety? ““Don’t let my safety worry y Neds it court knows herself like a i. eae alligators, ahd moccasin | swamp angels, and knows no -oaee downto no outlaw that ear aid a pon a co his soul viva pistol in. his belt. The oranges and oleanders bloom yearly over the dumping- grounds of more than a score of sinful) varlets that undertook to kick against this dispenser of justice. No, no monty don’s worry "bout, me; oo ahead -_ bad er folks that Judge Zelotes come boomin’ along afteria hile ike a team of speckled alligators in a cane-brake.” Ned left his friends and crept cautiously down to the creek and then under cover of its bank be reached the mouth of the ‘ buffalo wallow ” and the camp of his friends in safety. A shout of joy greeted his return; but, sad and terrible indeed was oe news, to bim, ' that Mabel Vane was missing—that she had gone riding that aad See and had not returned, though careful been made for her before night ‘set ‘in, and signal had been fired every few minutes. Mr. Vatie, Mabel’s father, felt satisfied she had fallen into the hands of the outlaws who, during the nigot had made an attack upon the camp, but had n repulsed for the time “ Ind few minutes Dick Rodman made his ap- pearance in . To him Ned broke the news Of Mabel’s absence as gently. as possible, for well Ned knew by Dick’s own confession that he loved the pretty. little Mabel. Poor Dick was nearly distracted, by the news, and. it ee all Ned could do te-restrain bim from rush- > y off in search of the inaiden. e Boy Rangers now becdime eager andanx- ions for the appearance of Judge Prosper. But reful, judge,” | Eagle Kit, the the Boy Demon SS -_-e— Pe hours wore i and he did not come. The poms grew uneas ortunately the robbers did not renew their attack that ai ht.. Morning dawned and nota soul, friend or foe, was to be seen outside of the camp. The continued absence of Judge r called for action on the Boy Rangers’ hey felt it was a duty incumbent upon them to 7 ak after the old man, and shouldering their rifles they made their way from the swale and pro- ceeded to where they had left Prosper, the n a before, But on arriving there they could no trace of him whatever. While they in aclump of undergrowth, deliberating as to what they should do, they saw a villainous look- ing outlaw witha knife between his teeth creep- ing toward a low, flat rock whose shelter he was evidently trying to gain, but for what pur- pose they had no idea, ‘As he was plainly ex- posed to the boys’ gaze, re was evident that their presence was wn to him, but his move ments were so sly and stealthy—the look on his face so murderous that Ned felt satisfied the villain meant mischief to some one, so he re- solved to nip the game in the bud; : but, just as he raised his rifle to his oe ee he saw the head and skoulders of a man pop up from the opposite side of the rock the outlaw was trying to gain; he saw the man settle his elbows on the rock and level a pair of glittering little Der- ri ringewe full upon the outlaw, and then heard him ‘* Avaunt, Satan! he’s qninet EE ’ Prosper, as ve!” whispered ec. re r it was, wg Wesig wi is left eye still bandaged, his face ae and epg ES is occupying a position e m liberate coolness and reckless abandon; but the look he fixed upon the outlaw with his ‘lone eye was fierce and deadly. “Dick,” whispered Ned, ‘‘ just look at that old man; I tell you he’ sa singed cat, He knows more than we think—heis a mystery.” The outlaw was not only taken by surprise, but at as great a ce he bad intend- ed to take the judge.” He was still twenty feet from acy with the rock between them, and pm ees, not Corin to move through fear a em I have met the enemy and certain death frem those murder- ous little derringers. ‘Rise up thar,;/William Riley,” commanded old Sesame ‘‘and go along with me! Don't trifle now—[’m ugly as a hungry alligator.” The — rose to his feet, 2 { Sioa up, William!” soanpinges the judge, and when t outlaw obeyed, he went on: “ Now, sir, Tin ’ to disarm you, [pus Suet ie me say, if’ you twitch a muscle Tl lug you end nor a hound pup can tick a let. 1, r,am Judge Zelotes Prosper, of Car’lina—none e es bb | -haired pilgrims. The oleanders and loom; annually cver the graves 0’ Charen that offered contempt. to, this court, and Lj repeat ie that if you bat an eye I'll lift you | outen this world “with a double-geared habeas co This: and— Great Hepsidam!” ‘exclamation was caused by a yell hard by in the woods, and turning his eye, the judge saw four men in Indisn disguise a anther toward them with tomahawks in. hand, ‘Quick, Rodman!” exclaimed Ned, seeing their old friend’s peril, ‘‘ quick or the judge is a dead mat!” CHAPTER V, THE WINGED MESSENGER. AS the echoes from the rifle of Eagle Kit and the pistol of the outlaw rung through. the hills, both Mable Vane and her captor fell from their saddles, the one in a swoon, the other with a bullet through his brain; but, before the body of the maiden had reached the = the form of the dwarf, Eagle Kit, leaped through the shadows with the agility of a panther and caught her helpless form in his arms and broke the fall that otherwise might have been fatal. The riderless horses whirled and dashed away in terror through the pass. A great bird—a monstrous eagle—perched itself Secale a projecting cliff and craning its nee peered down upon the boy and inanimate Night fell black, moonless, starless, for the sky | was Overcast with gray, fleecy clouds, When Mable Vane recovered from her un- consciousness the dull ee of a light was the first thing that met. her Her mind, how- ever, was still in a con en and bew ildered state, Her. head was throbbing. with pain She soon realized she was in a strange place A A A EE I I A AL LL LAL ALLELE LAL LLL LL, © Pe Bp, | A fp ln erent’ black rock “hung over her. to collect her thoughts and recall the past. Fyey: a voice fell upon her ears. ae t enchained hermind. She rose te Sthag posture. Before her sat the little yaa 5 —— eee She tried It broke —— - of the human Eagle Kit. She recognized him at a glance. Involuntarily the girl sbrunk back with a shudder. She recalled what the outlaw had said of the Bo rock with its Demon; and the overhanging amp mold, its lurking shadows, and the dull glow of the fire seemed confirma- d_| tory of wa er captor had told ber. Ho! by the p’izen monkshood!” exclaimed the dwarf, “the moment he saw that Mabel had recovered from her swoon, ‘I’m dyin’ glad to ou rash Miss Maple Vane. been His looks oo voice dispelled all fears from Maber's breast. ‘* Where is he?—the outlaw?” she asked, look- erg her. gal, deader”’ n Seva: year’s daisies,” was lion didn’t kill me did him; but, it was a close shave, mi ye see that welt ‘long this cheek? That’s where his bullet kissed me; but stunned. You see, there’s not much of me and the wind from a sparrow’s wing’ll kick me over; but then, I’m ole boss when it comes to makin’ trouble for road-agents and robbers. I’m little, I know, but them as fools with me ’cause I’m a dwarf finds they’re kickin’ a to o. Besides I have an advantage that no other boy that ever lived had. When they git me jae I take wing and fly. “What do you mean byt at, Kit?’ asked Mabel. The boy turned and uttered a low, quavering whistle, when, at once, the rustle of mighty wings was heard at one side and, from a dark niche in the great rock under which they were sheltered, a monstrous bird descended and settled by the side of the boy and uttered a strange, jar cry. An exclamation burst from Mabel’s lips, for = I’ve pag the sence othe lopin on the prairie t I war onl low of the fire the bird look- in the waverin ed like a w inged emon with its great beak, its monstrous talons and fierce gray eyes “Tt won't hurt you,” assured the boy: “it’s my dear, ole pet eagle, Whirlwind; an | tell a noble ole bird and knows more tian He came from South America, He was _captered when a little cod it came. My father live where he married a nicelady. He was enge ed in catchin’ wild horses and tamin’ them. One dq when I was a little two-year-old shaver, and bi Ber than a kitten, I toddied out o’ the cabin oor, when, down swooped a mighty eagle from the Andes, took ne in his talons and carried me off to feed her young with: but just as that eagle descended to her nest, a mau auioad the crags hard by shot the old bird and saved me. | alive, and that eagle is my Whirlwind. | red med that the hunter that saved me was a orth American Ingin who had gone there with father, and as he saw’whose child I was, he took me hliome; but when he got there he found my mother had died with terror and grief for she never expected to see me alive again. A year after father was killed and then old Macomah, the Indian, was_ali the friend I had except Whirlwind. ‘Muvomah came back to this pen? and brought me and Whiriwind with him e came back becanse he had a lovely daughter here that he worshiped, but he found when he got here that his daughter had been deceived, betrayed and murdered by a bad white man, who claimed to be a hunter and scout. This broke Macomab’s heart, and he sought the solitude of the hills, where us three have lived for several years. Once in awhile Macomah goes to the agency for food and ammunition; but he is alers stil and silent and sad—alers on the look-out for the man that killed his child, and if they ever meet one or to’ther ‘I! ‘have to dia. But ye see me and Whirlwind’s grown up from boyhood together, and sich a bird he is! Why, he brings to the Eric, as we call our cave, rabbits and birds and fawns and young ante- lopes—oh, lots of things that we use for food. And, sir, one day he came sailin’ in with a full grown antelope that beat anything ever heard Yao 8 he’s r,and I'll tell how in South America One of the young eagles he took ib “The eagle, I have always heard,” sad Mabel, i is the strongest bird that flies.” “Yes, and a gentleman that I met once told me Whirlwind was the largest bird in the world. of the kind, But, one day, after he brought that antelope in, I went to work and rigged a harness atwixt ‘his legs and over his = (E@) AMIE OO (SC <S (E@)