Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 153 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

e prairie, yet withal sessed of a woman’s heart —a pure, kind and loving heart. Ned lingered at the side of the maiden ap- Reet, forgetful of his mission; but at length e started from his blissful dream, bid her good- by and galloped on. Cassandra watched him out of sight, then she turned her horse’s head, plunged down the little hill, crossed the creek and started homeward. She had gone but a short distance when she discovered a man on foot hurrying down from the west as if to head her off. Drawing rein in a clump of bushes she watched the man. As he approached a mischievous smile played about her lips, and placing her hand in her pocket she drew forth a handsome little silver-mounted re- volver and pointing it at the man’s head, cried out: ‘* Halt! throw up your hands or die!” The man storied: short and looked at her in amazement, The man was none other than the redoubtable Professor Jimrack. ‘Horned catapillars of Joppa!” burst from the astounded man’s lips, “‘ what in the natiou are you? gal or boy? imp or impess?” ‘[’'m a road-agent,” was the cool and desperate reply, given in a tone of convincing firmness. ‘Road nothin’; you’re jokin’ now, gal, I know; Iam the noted Professor Jimrack here on a scientific expedition, and mustn’t be trifled with. Put up that pop-gun and tell me whose gal you be.” “* Professor Jimrack, I am your gal, if you don’t hold up your hands; you’re the man l’ve been watchin’ for. I mean what I say, sir; Ti shoot. ‘‘Pshaw! I never see’d a woman in my life that could shoot.” ite didn’t? well, do you see that bird yon- er ‘“* Yes,” he replied, ‘‘a blind man could see it.” = Well,” said the girl raising her revolver and killing the bird, ‘‘ now do you see it?’ Jimrack shru his shoulders and said: ‘‘ Holy stars! you’re a young wild-catess—a catamountess—a witch, bein’t you?’ “‘ Hold—up—your—hands!” came the meas- ured reply from the girl’s lips, again bringing her pistol to bear on the old man. ‘* All right, up they go,” he exclaimed, resign- edly; ‘ I'd as lief be your prisoner as any body’s. Every man. woman and child [ve met yit in these diggins has taken me captive; but it’s all right, it’s all right. U'm yours to command, Joveand obey, gal. I’m a willin’ captive—them eyes of yourn have done the work for me.” “Then turn and move along that road before me,” she said, ‘“‘and if you try to get away Ill pop * tne over.” me on, sweet captor,” the professor re- plied, ‘‘come along, my Josey,” and he turned and started off down the valley. Cassandra rode along behind him, her eyes glowing and her lips compressed; but she could not restrain her emotions long, and she finally burst into a peal of bewitching laughter that rung in merry echoes through the valleys. Jimrack stopped and looking up at her in surprise asked: | ] ‘Are ye madt stark, maniac mad?” “No, I’m jist jokin—Im not a road-agent, old softy. I—I was just foolin’ you,” and again her voice deny Fertig the hills around in peals of happy laug iter. “Tt’s too late now, gal, ’m your captive; you must take care of me. I’m willin’ to be taken —jist trot me right along.” ‘ Good-day, sir softy Jimrack,” she exclaimed, and with a wave of her hand, she dashed away, ae the professor alone in the valley, the worst dumbfounded and outwitted man in the west. ‘He-avens!” he snarled, “that beats the speckled Jews all to thunder and Mars. Id like to know what kind of a rip-roarin’, hyena- laughing’, sure shootin’, little black-eyed ani- mal she is, anyhow? Somethin’ nateral history don’t mention. She ought to be in a cage, and —a thousand dollars by snakes! I’ve struck the right trail. Yum, yum, now, if that slum- ickin’ old Jack Drew war only here, we could lay for our game. Oh, never mind a young wild witch,” and he shook his fist in the direc- tion Wild Cassandra had e; “never mind; you’ve had your day and Til have mine!” And the essor turned and trudged off ey whistling to himself. CHAPTER VIL. A VILLAIN FOILED. Major Daniel Baron was a man of some thirty- five years of age. He See poessanes Of S00 per sonal appearance, a fair education and quite a down the v Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon, ES $e T knowledge of the world; yet fortune seemed to | be against him for he was comperatively a poor man. However, the new gold fields of the | Black Hills were inviting him to its hidden | and I to be more than the best of friends to each wealth, and thither was he bound with the friends he had induced toaccompany him. But the worst of all the major was in love—in love with Mabel Vane, and it was this regard for the | fair girl that impelled him forward to her rescue. But what reason had he to think she was in the mountains whither he rode so straight and fast? And why had Nebraska Ned followed him? It could not have been the spirit of rival- ry for Nebraska Ned loved Wild Cassandra, could not have been for envy for Ned had , right, and changed the su none of that element in his composition. Major Baron rode straight for the hills and was lost in their shadows more than two hours before Nebraska Ned. As he entered the he glanced round like one looking for familiar objects. He reined his horse into a walk and whistled softly while his thoughts were busy. Finally the major turned to the left and en- tered a narrow defile which soon debouched into a little y valley or opening. Here he dis- mounted, turned his horse loose to graze and then laid himself down to rest under an cver- hanging rock on the edge of the valley. Here he Jay in deep meditation, The sun crossed the meridian; the hours went by. But at length he was started from his re by the sound of voices. He started up. He saw two persons coming down the valley—a girl and boy. An exclamation of joy burst from his lips when he recognized the girl as Mabel Vane. The boy with her was le Kit. Baron advanced to meet them. Kit drew his pistol for the man was a stranger to him. ** No, no, Kit!” cried Mabel, *‘’tis Major Baron —a friend! Ob, Mr. Baron! I am so glad to meet you; is father well? is the train safe?” Sbe ran forward and in her joy and excite- ment extended both hands to the major. ‘*Yes, my little woman,” he replied, clasping her hands in his, and gazing down into her king eyes, ‘‘ all are safe, but we have been istracted by your absence.” “Oh, dear! I knew you all would be; but thanks to Eagle Kit, I was rescued from the outlaws. Oh, such a dreadful, dreadful time as I have had!” “Come, sit down and tell me about it,” said Baron “No, indeed, major,” replied the girl, impa- tiently, ‘‘ we are anxious to reach camp before nig The train is threatened, and it is a long wa) Honey Creek.” en she told him, in a hurried manner, of the intercepted message taken from the neck of the carrier-pigeon. The major betrayed no little surprise and un- easiness when he had read the paper; but then, as a smile played round his mouth, he said: ‘* Well, you need have no fears, Mabel; we have their message, so those at head-quarters will never know of Middleton’s wants.” **T don’t know ’bout that argyment,” said Ea- gle Kit; “they might have sent two messages; it’s best for us to be sure.” ‘Then take my borse yonder and go, Eagle Kit, and put the train on its guard,” command- ed Baron, putting the message in his pocket; “‘I will follow on with Mabel.” “Well, it’s just as Maple says,” replied Kit. ‘“‘Tt will be satisfactory to me, Kit,” said Ma- bel, feeling the utmost confidence in Major eee “do go at 6nce, and tell father I am well. Thus it was settled. Kit was soon mounted ~ ¢ > the Baron’s horse, flying eastward through the hills and over the prairie. Major Baron watched the little mite of hu- manity out of sight; then, as a smile of inward et eee his face, he turned to Mabel and Sal . ** Now let us move on, Mabel; we have a tire- some journey before us.” She took his arm and they moved slowly away, but no sooner had their journey together begun than she felt a strange uneasiness ara | over her. She knew not why it was—she ha confidence in Baron. Mabel took no notice of the course they were pursuing. a Bg Mea about the outlaws, the dangers of the plains, the hills, and in fact every thing their surroundings suggested. Finally n turned the conversation upon a oie that Mabel had hoped might be evad- ed. It was love—a subject never failed to bring up when alone with her. mn 1,” he said, “‘we will soon be at our journey end, and then all will settle down to busy life of miners. If I only had the as- surance of that for which I have sued so often— i | — ——— your love—I could go on with a light, cheerful eart, and—” | ‘‘Mr. Baron,” replied the little girl, seriously, ‘*] wish for 5 our sake it were possible for you other; but this cannot be, and I will tell you why, knowing you will accept my reasons as good ones: I love another.” ‘* Another?” he cried, as if her words cut to his very heart, while a look of pain settled upon his face that caused Mabe] to regret what she had said Fortunately, for her relief, she caught sight | of a horse browsing antong some bushes to their | | ject by calling atten- tion to the animal, which was bridled and sad- died. She recognized the horse at a glance by the red blanket rolled up and strap on the saddle behind as the one ridden by her captor on the previous day, ‘‘T shall endeavor to catch the animal for you. to ride, Mabel,” said Baron in his usual pleasant tone. Having seen her pleasantly seated under a tree, the major started off after the horse. The animal, whose feet were tangled in the rems hobbled off as he appreached. He followed it up and was soon lost to the maiden’s view, be- lind a turn in the valley. Mabel was sorely troubled. She knew she had wounded the major’s heart, and a know- ledge of the fact pained her. However, she tried to dismiss the matter from her mind by diverting her thoughts to her father, Eagle Ki and he who was ever present in her mind an heart—Dick Rodman, the handsome youn ranger. Thus engaged she leaned her tirec body and throbbing head back against thé tree- . trunk and closed her eyes. She sunk into a. doze from which she was started by the sound of footsteps. Po gene | her eyes she saw a tall man with a mask, made of a handkerchief, over his face, standing over her. In his hands he held ared blanket outspread, and before she could utter a single note of alarm, he threw it over her head and shoulders, and then seizing her around the waist held the blanket firm against her efforts to remove it. Her cries to a Baron died within the thick folds of the blanket —her struggles were futile against the strength of the man, who, lifting her in his aris, started away with her. After carrying her some time. he came to where a horse was in waiting, and mounting the animal with the maiden his arms, he rode away. The pte girl made repeated efforts for liber- ty, and cajiled for Major Baron’s help, but all was in vain. Only the hoof-strokes of the horse answered her. Her captor was silent and dumb. And thus they rode on for miles. To Mabel it seemed an age since she had been shut up in the folds of that blanket. She was numb in limbs and body from her cramped position lying across the animal’s withers in the arms of her eaptor. But finally the man removed the blanket from ber head. She felt the cold aiz upon her cheeks, but she could not see. It was night; darkness enveloped them although the moon and the stars were in the a A chilly air pervaded the pass through which a were moving. eigning unconsciousness Mabel endeavored to get a glimpse at her captor’s face, but failed; it was still masked. Suddenly the man started with a quick, nerv- ous movement and gilan back over his | shoulder. Then he w rein. The far-off ring of hoof-strokes came to the ears of both captive and captor. he latter settled himself into his saddle, gathered the reins in his disengaged hand then spoke in a quick, sharp tone to his horse. The sound of his voice almost forced a cry from Mabel’s lips. ‘* Halt! surrender or die!” The voice that made this demand was un- doubtedly that of a female, who, enveloped in a cloak, with a pistol that glinted and glimmered in the moonlight in hand, rode from the sha- dows of a clump of bushes and leveled the weapon upon the breast of Mabel’s captor. Involuntarily, so it seemed, the man raised the form of his captive before bim asif to ward 7 the His right, the Hens ait a his be ; tae t arm bein engage suppor Mabel prevented nies From rawing hab ve: volver. “Pye got you, girl-thief,” exclaimed that rlish voice, “ you can’t conceal your big, sin- 1 bod behind that helpless the and so don’t ou budge a hand or foot or pad pede aga tween the eyes, Drop that gir throw up your bands!” ECORNIECLOOG