Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 168 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

» —— — po. CC Deadly Dash. | Se ‘Time enough for asking and answering questions when we can do so without the danger of having the punctuation done with bullets,” impatiently added Dudley. his was enough. Bedell choked down his wonder at finding himself served so gallantly by perfect strangers, and under his guidance, the rescuers pressed rapidly through the wood heading for the road by a course that would gain them rather than lose distance. Meanwhile, Tom Mason and Simon Heywood had recovered from the stout blow which had hurled them headlong from the wagon, and while the former headed a portion of the crowd back to the village in quest of horses on which to chase the fugitives, Heywood led the remain- der in hot pursuit along the broad trail through the timber. The settlers had only lacked a determined leader, and now that they found this want sup- plied in the person of young Heywood, they pressed forward boldly enough. Thanks to the nature of the ground, the ner’ suers, though upon foot, could make nearly if not quite as rapid progress through the timber and undergrowth, as the horsemen in front. Heywood gave no thought to the possibility of an nealing in his fierce eagerness to over- take and wreak vengeance upon the supposed assassin of his father, and the destroyer of his brother Mark, whom he had left behind him, senseless, bleeding, and to all ap nce dead. Nor was Tom Mason any the less r. Horses there were in abundance to be found in the village, and mounting the first that came to hand, without much regard to ownership, he and his men followed upon the hot trail, reck- lessly risking their limbs and necks in their ea- gerness to be in at the death. The fugitives were less than an eighth of a mile in advance of the footmen, when they came upon the road, but that was enough to shield them from a fusilade, and as they could see no mounted men in pursuit, they felt no ap- prehension as to the ultimate result. ‘‘ By the hairy britches o’ old Pan!” exclaimed Sampson, as, with beard on shoulder, he watch- ed the rapid charge of the footmen, led by Si- mon Heywood, now irregularly strung out like the links of an enormous joint snake, as those lighter of foot forged ahead of their more slug- gish comrades. ‘Ef they was only red-skins, or it was only lawful to pull trigger onto white men, what a gay old time we mought hev, pick- in’ off the critters one by one!” **We must not burn powder unless at the last extremity,” said Dudley, seriously. “They have never injured us—” “They would have hung me like a dog!” grated Bedell, his eyes glowing fiercely, his fists chpgns Saar eey ‘* You know best whether you deserved such a fate,” coldly returned the youth. ‘It may save words if you understand at once that we did not risk our lives to rescue you from the rope because we believed you unjustly condemned. Had we known you to be a tenfold murderer, our action would have been the same. You were in the bands of a mob—that was enough to insure our assistance.” Joshua Bedell was silenced and not a little rplexed by this strange speech. Nevera very uent speaker, he attempted no reply, but si- lently pointed out the route to pursue. This change of course took them at an abrupt angle from the high road, along a narrow trail through the timber, where they were forced to ride in single file. He gave no reasons for this choice, nor were there any questions asked. That his life de- pended on keeping out the clutches of his pur- suers, Was ample assurance that he would take the best method of evading the pursuit. After progressing thus for a few hundred rods, the fugitives came upon the edge of a long, not very wide prairie-like expanse, cov- sned with a thick growth of rank grass. Half a mile ahead la of which rose river. 8 Straight across this intervale dashed the fugi- tives, but just as the pursuers came to the edge of the timber recently abandoned by the coveted e, Sampsom, who was in advance, wrenched up his horse with a grating curse. There was no necessity for speech. One and each of the fugitives caught sight of the alarm- ing object at the same moment—a horseman just ——— his way through the line of bushes. And behind him could be seen others—evident- ly a considerable force. Their animals were turned to flee at right angles, but then a glad ery broke from the lips of Joshua Bedell: more timber, over the top e distant hills bordering the “They are friends—it is Seth Hovey and his men!” the first move, to strike the first blow. ‘ Dudley felt a return of his former suspicions | let me tell you this much: If it comes to the - that the escaped prisoner knew more about the pinch, all who come will not go back on their~ doings of the outlaws than a strictly honest own feet. When we burn powder, it will be te». man should, but this was no time to be too fas- kill—mind that!” | | hard laugh. ‘‘ We are waiting for you to make tidious, while a score of enraged enemies were ‘Then thar’ll be so much the more oe straining every nerve to get near enough toed. You’ve run this country mighty nigh as= slay them, and he urged his horse toward the | long as you kin—fer sense you come out as thee: new arrivals upon the scene. mouth-piece, I reckon what Black Dan Boller~ Joshua Bedell raised his voice in a loud, glad | said must be true; that you’re the head one o” shout of recognition, and as Seth Hovey real- | this devil’s gang—” ized the truth, he bade his men remain under, ‘‘ Rash words for a man whose heart is cover-- cover. |ed by twenty good rifles!” exclaimed Hovey, The pursuers witnessed this meeting, and | with a gesture toward the imaginary skirmish—. seemed to scent danger ahead, for all of them | ing line behind him. ‘“ Best bridle your tongue, abruptly halted and seemed rather inclined to | or it will need a stiffer shield than a white rag retreat to the friendly shelter they had so re- | to save your carcass from some of my hot-- cently left. All save Heywood, and his pace | heads!” slackened when he found himself utterly de-| ‘Say the word, boss, an’ I’ll make the critter~ serted, and halted sullenly when Sampson, un- |look sicker then the hoss-fly that Hercules: slinging his rifle from his saddle-bow raised the | bu’sted!” cried a shrill voice, and Sampsom- weapon to his shoulder with a menacing ges- | arose from the grass, bis rifle leveled. ture. Hovey was but little less surprised than Tom, Hasty but comprehensive explanations were | Mason, at this significant addition to his owm ees on both sides, and Seth Hovey, a fine- | threat, but he managed to control his features, : ooking young fellow, who was evidently born | and as he waved bis hand, Sampson sunk dowms for better things than to be the leader of an out- | in the rank grass again, lawed band of desperadoes, warmly greeted the ‘‘Go back and tell your friends this. Say- two men who had dared so much on behalf of | that Joshua Bedell is ready and even eager tex his loved one’s father. submit for trial to any legal tribunal, but not te» His advances were rather coldly received by | a mob who would 84 an angel on the bare- Dudley, but Sampson more than made amen word of a devil. If they want him, let them for this, interlarding his h with so many queer and—to them—incomprehensible expres- sions, that it was little wonder the majority of his hearers at once set him down as “cracked.” come and take him—if they can !” Mason made no reply, but turned and strode» hastily away, no doubt relieved when he was= beyond range of those twenty dead shots. By this time the horsemen led by Tom Mason ovey found Sampson back to the timber be-- reached the miniature prairie, and thus re-en- | fore him, and gave him due credit for his keem-. forced, the settlers gave unmistakable signs of | forethought. grass om to char x lighted at th ; ampson appea c at the prospec of a free fight, but, Dudley shook his head nega- tively, and the immense influence be had over the veteran was strikingly made manifest by the prompt obedience yielded him. He saw that the outlaws were outnumbered, nearly two to one, but believed that cunning could shift the odds, where the cover was so fa- vorable for maneuvering, and in a few words explained his idea to Seth Hovey. hat worthy fully approved of the plan, and at once set his men to carrying it into execu- tion, causing each man to show himself for an in- stant, as though accidentally, in taking up the ition assigned him, then, to withdraw care- ully and repeat the same maneuver in a differ- ent spot. The good effect of this ruse was soon made manifest in the irresolute demeanor of the ene- my, and Sampson put the cap-sheaf on when he led forth the entire force, each man dropping down into the rank grass, but allowing frequent | glimpses to be caught of their persons as they | and entered it again at the further arm of. the» advanced. For, if the advance guard of skirm- | bow, following back in the watery bed and: ishers numbered a round score, what must be | going down stream. A simple but cunnin —- the strength of the main force? pedient, as a little reflection will show. hey” The settlers rapidly beat a retreat to the line | were forced to travel a quarter of a mile further~ of timber, and satisfied with the impression he | in the water than if they bad taken to it at the had made, Sampson passed the word for his | first crossing, but that very fact would make - allies to retreat, using every possible care to | any pursuers naturally conclude they had gone» hide their movements end leave the enemy un- | up-stream instead of down. der the impression that they were still holding | The rocky bed was followed for more than & their positions in the grass. | mile, then a gravelly spot was chosen, blankets: Reaching the timber unobserved, he made an- | were laid down and by repeated shifting from: other brief show of his men, then yielded the | rear to front, the trail was broken to a distances The party held their ground for nearly am. hour longer, closely watching the movements af the enemy, who appeared equally reluctant te» either advance or retreat. During this interval, Dudley and Sampsom had an earnest conversation, only the import af which need be given; their reasons for so decid—- we eho appear in the proper place. e concluded to accept the cordial offer of Bedell and Hovey, to bear them company until» the present storm should blow over, or until. they could be escorted or danger. Leaving two men behind, with orders to» watch the enemy and show themselves upon the edge of the timber from time to time, the re~- mainder, including our two friends, carefully~ led their horses back until out of sight, them mounted and rode rapidly away toward the» distant hills, There is no particular necessity for closely~ describing their movements, beyond saying thats they shortly reached a winding creek, where it: made an abrupt bend; crossed the stream once» i — a command to Seth Hovey. of several hundred yards from the water. “Tl eat every man jack o’ that lot that ven- All this consumed time, and the sun was set-- tures to cross t openin’ afore the sun goes | ting when it was accomplished. A further ride. down! But mebbe it’d be best to leave a man | of several miles through the woods carried them or two on the watch, to bring ye word how the | to another stream, where the same tactics were- old thing works.” repeated. Before Hovey could make any reply, Tom his stream was followed for a few rods,_ Mason was seen to leave the opposite line of | when Hovey drew rein, and turning toward our timber and advance across the intervale, bear- | two friends, with a pleasant laugh and a wave» ing a handkerchief tied to the end of a ramrod, | of the hand, said: his evident purpose being a parley. ‘*At our journey’s end at length, gentlemen t© ‘** Better go out an’ meet him hafe way. | Be so kind as to alight and honor our mansior=. *Twon't do fer him to cross the skirmish line, or | by entering!” come nigh enough to count noses,” hastily ad- | Dudley and Sampson stared around them i Sampson. | but keen though their eyes were, no trace of Apparently Hovey entertained the same idea, | the “ mansion ” could they discover, for he sallied forth and crossed the imaginary line of skirmishers, then halted to await the de liberate veteran. The latter wasted no time in preliminaries but at once fell to business. e said that Joshua Bedell had committed a wanton murder, and demanded his immediate surrender, to- — with the two strangers who had assisted | to escape from the rope to which his life was justly forfeited. The first and most natural thought of our twe> hey’re not so far off—why don’t you come | friends was that the ‘“ mansion” ughingly «!-- and take them?’ retorted Hovey with ashort, | luded to by the outlaw chief, must be a cave of “com S CHAPTER IV, DEADLY DASH AND OLD MYTHOLOGY. A rocky cliff rose almost ndicularls — from the edge of the stream. The face of thie was dotted here and there with shrubs and» stunted trees, while wild vines and creepera: grew in rank profusion. | Gpoo