Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 153 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

abductor was—Major Dan Baron ! ‘ure from one whom we «x true gertleman,” said ee ee oe No sooner was this demand made than Mabel | “No, indeed, my brave, fearless little girl,” | the i 2 Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. slipped {rom the villain’s arms to the ground. | replied the boy. spe 3 e same instant the man attempted to draw | | Well, I was havin’ a little ride when I dis- Lis revolver, but the eye of the little cloaked | covered that old scamp gallopin’ off with that fizure was upon him and as he raised his revolver | Jady, andso 1 made up my mind he’d got to ) I | shadows for some distance. when the there was a flash, a report and -acry from the villain’s lips, and he dropped his weapon from a shattered hand. Then, as he attempted to slip trom his saddle so as to cover his body behind his l.orse, that unknown’s revolver rung out again with a clear “ ping,” and the villain’s horse pi forward with e. snort and almost human cry and fell dead—shot through the brain. As the animal sprung away from its master the man’s hat was knocked from his head, his mask fell from his face, and in the mellow moonlight the stariled Mabel Vane saw that her CHAPTER VIII. TROUBLE IN THE PASS. MABEL VANE was astounded by the discovery that her abductor was Major Baron; but ina 1:0ment all was clear to her. Her rejection of | is love was doubtless the cause that had turned tae a pina and lover into a villain and cap- ae t he might possess her even against her will. As the man’s wounded horse sprung away from him and left him standing uncovered in te moonlight, he shot a quick fierce look at liabel, and then at the cloaked figure on the beorse he hurled a fearful malediction, Likea Crunken man, his bleeding, torn hand hanging #5 Lis side, he then reeled back into the shadows of the bluff and Sas ppeses- A clear, ringing augh burst from the lips of the little cloa figure on the horse before Ha that rung in startling echoes through tu. hills around, Mabel turned to her strange rescuer. from whose head and shoulders fell the mantle that enveloped face and form, revealing the face of a young girl—a wild, elfish-looking little crea- “Oh, mercy!” burst from the strange girl’s lips, and_she brought a little fist down into her alm with such force that it fairly crac ‘ITam_so sorry I didn’t kill that feller outright, for. tryin’ to steal sich a pretty little lady as you are.” , At this. juncture a horseman flying down the drew rein before the maidens—glanced at 12 deadshorsey at Mabel Vane and then at the xixl upon the horse. ) “Nebraska Ned!” burst simultaneously from the two girls’ lips. “My ness! what does this all mean?” the astonished Ranger cried, . “ft means that J have rescued that youn i:dy from the scamp that you’ve been ’bou Lreakin’ your neck to overtake,” was the reply new Ds wile Cassandra! girl : t is ssandra! girl, are you mad?’ the boy exclaimed, . . “Yes, sir, 1’m mad as a hornet,” was the re- spotise, ‘(and have been mad all day.” “Oh, Ned! she is a brave girl—she rescued ner: die il considered abel. of 5 know to whom you refer; Major Dan “Isn't it dreadful, Ned, that he should be a man “Yes, indeed; but where is he now?’ “He skipped. out after IL shot bis horse and rappei him over the knuckles with a bullet,” sud Wild Cassandra, ‘‘and I’m mad now as.a kornet to think I didn’t plug him right through his wicked heart.” “He deserves it, Cassa,” replied Ned; “ he is a bad man, although I never dreamed of the fact until I detected him tryin. to assassinate Judge Zelotes Prosper a few evenings ago on Beaver Creek. When I found he’d gone in of Miss Vane I resolved to follow him. I could trust him no longer. On my way here I met Eagle Kit who tald me wrere you were, Mabel, and also of the, message taken from the dead pigeon. That Captain Handsome, it struck me at once, was Dan, Baron; and if so, then Dan Baron is the once notorious robber-chief ~who infested the hills end prairies south of bere afew years ago. But I cannot imagine why - lied A Mle OO ced DG BO a es tN Ae Se Rtn AMT on Dead wl AB Cette tn Bil oe Uleetk os TM SNe te at Rt et, AD IS IE LOG EA TEE LOL } —— eee he should want to murder Judge Prosper unless | he is afraid the judge will place bis villainous | neck in.the halter where it, belongs., By Eagle Kit’s.directions I, was enabled to strike his trail ' disgorge, as they say at the Agency, and so jist put old Lilac under whip and cutting across ot in ahead of the fellow and ambushed him, h, mercy! but old Lilac made the gravel fly and the pass ring! I never rode so fast in my life—we just ‘ sizzed.’” ‘Well, as you are a long ways from home, Cassa, and as there is danger of that gallant | major finding his old companions in sin and giv- ing us trouble, we had better be getting back out of this defile.” ‘“‘ All right, Ned,” replied the wild girl of the hills, ‘ poet boost that young girl up here behind me on Lilac and we will go it a-kiting—make the old pass smoke.” Mabel was assisted to a seat behind the little heroine and facing southward the three began retracing their steps through the defile. e moon now in the zienth shed a soft, dreamy light over hill and valley, The night winds stirred the pines on the rug- ged range into a gentle murmur. Night-birds whirled in and out. of the shadows —over the heads of the three young. people— upon whistling wings. Wild Cassandra’s voice ran incessantly. Hers was a wild, free spirit, She knew no fear, Now and then her girlish vivacity would burst forth in peals of rippling laughter that would start a hundred elfin voices ringing in wildest glee among the rocks. They rode along in a walk, The eyes.and ears of Nebraska Ned were constantly on the alert. He Bn that he had now a double care upon his ands. Finally they. rode from the; defile into a wide and sparsely w pass running at rigbt an- les with the defile. As they did so; half a dozen rsemen rode from the black mouth of a defile on the opposite side of the pass and fell in along- side of them. Neither party was awareof the presence of the other until they were together; and at a glance Nebraska Ned saw that the strangers were a party of robbers or outlaws. ' The pass being devoid. of timber where they had met, the moon shone full upon them. an the. stars ‘above us!” cried an outlaw4én astonishment, “ what outfit is this?.what have | with, the,emigrants, after which he “Nebraska Ned and a pair of little butter- flies!” answered another who had recognized Ned, | The Boy Ranger had never been so completely taken by surprise before; He saw that they had, despite his precaution, ridden into a trap, from whence there appeared but little hope of escape. An outlaw rode up alongside. the _firle, who were 1 little in the, rear of Nebraska , threw up the wide brim of his hat in front, and glared into their.faces with a leering smile, | . ‘Sir, co not insult those girls!” cried Nebraska Ned. laying his band upon his revolver, . “ Peace, youngster,” said an outlaw,. ‘or you'll never go gallavantin’ through these hills with sich pretty gals again; I only want to re- lieve you of souk double burden— “Touch one of us, you darned ole robber!” burst from the lips of the brave but. irreverent ‘‘and Pll knock your head off—jist yor Why, vou little spitfire, youn” ‘*‘ Why, you little spitfire, you-- _ The . villain’s.words were bere cut short. A pe in the hands of Wild Cassandra flashed in is face, and with .a horrible gurgling cry, he started back, clutched at,his horse’s mane, reeled in his saddle, and as his -horse dashed away in affright, hurled him violently to the earth. With an. oath a comrade..of the dead man K agt alongside Cassandra’s horse, seized it by the bits and jerked it back almost upon -its haunches. ‘* Jump, Mabel,..jump!”. cried. Cassandra, and together the two 5 aanat to the ground, and like frightened fawns darted across shadows of the roeky bluffs, _, ant Nebraska. Ned turned. and, endeayered to pro- tect the girls, but the oade. were against him. An outlaw rode up behind him and. dealt him a blow. that fea ast i stunned him so that he was made prisoner with- out further resistance. and. follow him up;.but I.am surprised to see | .. Two.outlaws.leaped from their horses and ran » Cassandra.” ., - \ oo 00 in pursutt.of the maidens, | ‘you're: always surprised,” she said, Noe | go of, the, high, ndicular oY ss surprised, “Alone nae e little petuiantly, “art you disagpuinted this | bluffs grew, patches of, brushwo tic: o?” ‘| Cassandra and Mabel had fied. Cassandra led ; ; ; — ——— -— ee ee a neal —- -- el as if accustomed to such adven- ture. her right hand she clutched her unerring little derringer while with her left slic parted. the bushes.betore her. In this mauncr thev dodged along through the under eri? one naily came to an overhanging ledge where the carl- ' ' | hours outside of narrow, | moonlit. valley, and disappeared. among, the | him out of: his saddle and | ness was. intense. ere they stopped and listened. Mabel was shivering with fear; Wild Cassandra was calm and cool. The voices of the outlaws could be heard call- ing to each other out of the darkness. _ ‘They’d better not foolaround us,” whispered Cassandra; ‘“‘I’ve three more loads in my re- volver and I'll make every onecount. [I’m mad now, Mabel, and I’m not afeard of anybody, if he’s big as this mountain.” “Oh, Cassandra! they’re coming this way in search of us! they’re near us now,” exclaimed Mabel. ‘* Let ’em come, gals,” said a strange yet as- suring voice from out the shadows near them; ‘‘and they’]l be the wust surprised critters that’s lived since Noah’s ark sailed over. the mountains of Asia. .I are Judge Zelotes Pros- per, o’ Car’lina, gals, and I are a hull school 0’ speckled alligators in a fight. Jist docket yer case afore this court and .’ll see that you git a judgment—” ere the flash of a pistol in the hands of the speaker, mysterious Judge Prosper, was fol- lowed by a groan of agony and.the fall of a body: e of. the advancing. outlaws had paid the penalty of his villainy with bis life; but the other one believing that Cassandra had fired. the shot, leaped forward into the darkness where. he had seen the flash, but instead of seizing a maiden be found himself seized by the rude hands ofaman,,.../,. The two foes grappled and the next moment were whirling, and crashing through the under- growth in a fearful death-struggle, | CHAPTER IX. .., ) EAGLE KIT’S VISIT TO CAMP. THE situation in camp at the mouth of Honey Creek had not materially changed, after Ne- braska Ned’s departure, from what it had been before. It is true, the place still remained in a state of siege.: An.outlaw. or Indian could be seen here or there on the plain or in the woods, evidently watching movements at camp. Judge Zelotes Prosper ate a hearty beeokiast the party’s physician dress and patch up his bruised and Saitatod face. But no sooner was this done than the odd old.stranger. announced; his inten- tion of departing for the hills; that: too upon foot in the very face of surrounding dan- gers. Dick Rodman tried. to proved on him to stay, but_he would listen to nothing, and finally took his departure, ' Dick Rodman had fully realized the responsi- bility resting upon him since Ned had left. He was fully sa that the outlaws had not re- linguished their determination to capture ‘the train, nor would not until every effort had been There were two women in the party besides Mabel Vane; and for these a place of safety had prepared in case of an attack. All the party could do was wait and watch until those ho had gone in, search of Mabel Vane returned. vet Mr. Vane was almost prostrated over the ab- sence of his child, He knew not certain what had been her fate, and the strange conduct of Major Dan Baron and of Nebraska Ned had a tendency to still add to his. doubts and fears. Dick Rodman seemed to share Mr. Vane’s trouble with him. The boy’s eyes were ever fixed with an eager, impatient look toward the west... A dozen times he expressed the wish that he had gone in Ned’s place. It told its story— Dick loved the missing girl. The day wore slowly away. The sun crossed the meridian and shone hot and sultry on the besieged, Nature seemed hushed in a painful silence. .Not asign of life had been visible for e ‘‘ wallow;” but all at once a large bird was seen sailing down from the direction of the mountains—now and then cir- cling around and around and then darting for- WARLUDOR, A #1ES wing. y nthe great bird was directly over camp, where. it seemed, to stop and stand motionles: upon airy wings as.if. to search the interior of the camp, then it glided forward and began circling ownward until it seemed it was guili~ to light, when, with.a frightened,scream, it shot suddenly away,.and finally settled in a tree-top half a mile south of camp, .. 6 atae . To..the, plainsman, there is always a signifi- cance in the movement of birds; but in all his EOMMIEOOO KS (E (El)