Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 169 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

—_ a ——— ee oe nected with the dilemma in his head, when he felt a hand on his arm. Turning quickly he looked into Injun Jack’s fuce. ‘*T have a plan,” murmured Jack, although his lips did not seem to move. ‘* Yonder is the end of this Indian band; the last two horses are ridden by Injun boys—two chaps what ain’t a toothful fur you an’ me. The tribes are bound | to find out that we're in this kentry, if they | don’t know it already. So, what’s the differ- ence?” : ‘* Wal, state yer plan.” “Tt is to creep down thar, knock the little niggers off their hosses an’ ride fur life with a hu I tribe at our heels.” lt was a desperate venture tersely proposed, but uttered in a fearless tone. ‘‘The plan strikes me hard,” answered Tom. **T’m ready on one condition.” “Well?” ‘““Thet we ar’ to resume the fight at the first opportunity provided we run the gauntly sa ae ‘“‘Of course,” returned the man from Red Core. ‘* These Injuns hev only interrupted our business, not put an end to it.” ** Now for the young pinks ov the mountains.” A minute later the two men were gliding toward the objects of their attention, who oc- cupied the backs of their horses, dreamless of the foe so near. Suddenly they leaped up like tigers from the of the jungle, und the two Indian boys were sent reeling from their perches—their first warning of the nearness of the enemy a stun- ning blow. Almost before the-victims touched the ground, the two men were on ile Indian blankets, and the next instant two horses flew toward the western end of the pass! ‘We're in fur it!” cri.d Tornado as a wild cry that seemed to shake the night rose behind 5 them. | Yes, they were in for it. The pass was barely wide enough for them to keep side by side, but they managed to do so though their legs touched. The entire party of Indians seemed thunder- ing behind them; they made the night hideous with their maddening cries, and now and then a far reaching bullet whistled past the white men’s heads. Once out of the pass, a dim ¢eountry lay be- fore them. ‘* Keep together! Remember the bizness we’ve got on hand,” reminded Tom us they rode from the unlucky place, then down a little valley they dashed to pause at length on the banks of a swift mountain stream like those that flow through the canyons of the Far West. Their horses were jaded and almost exhausted, but the chase seemed to be over. At least its sounds no longer reached the ears of the twain. ‘“T guess we outran them, but it would be best to put the river between us,” remarked In- jun Jack. ‘* Ef the hosses kin make it,” was the reply. ‘We can try them.” Into the stream plunged the two men, to be carried away as if they were mere cockle-shells. But the horses soon got the hang of the current, and struck out boldly for the opposite shore, dimly seen in the starlight. - fojun we've struck the devil’s own stream,” broke suddenly from Tornado’s lips, as his horse, lunging backward, sunk almost out of sight. ‘‘Ef these infarnal quicksands get in their work, we'll never fight it out—never!” There was no reply, but Tom thought be de- tected a gleam of ioe in Injun Jack’s eyes. | ‘*Oh, yes, you want the sands to wipe Tor- | nado out!” he thought. ‘‘Then you would have it all your own way, an’ you could go cn makin’ maps in the sand, until vou find the prize, an’ t thar’d be nobody to dispute it with you.” The speaker’s horse was now struggling val- iantly for life between two enemies that seemed ‘eager for his destruction, the water and the | hidden quicksands. ' Injun Jack watched the battle with no ({ittle ‘interest. His own animal was getting on com- ‘paratively well. pmAll at Shale a cry which the bravest cannot always suppress was mingled with the noise of w a ce _ = * > — - —— bt the waters, Tornado’s horse was giving up the battle, and the man from re saw him Ln backward and disappear beneath the waves At the same instant Tornado Tom sunk out j of sight. , 9 s opncuaied satan Jack. ‘“‘1’m left | alone to hunt the prize. By jingo! he was a = wan of grit.” pe a re ae Tornado Tom. --- —a- mee awe ae ee ee ewe = = | ee +e & eee | - oe But the next moment two human hands shot | nearly have | broken it a thousand times! Yat, above the waters, then a head, and the hard face of Tornado was revealed to bis foe. ‘*T can’t leave ‘iui! Better to save *im an fizht it out fairly than let the water have ‘im!’ The last word was followed by a plunge from a horse whose head and buck were just visible above the current; Injun Jack had leaped to the rescue of his mortal enemy. Quick as a flash his right hand shot toward the drowning man, his left still clutched the mane of the Indian horse: and, as Tornado sunk again, the viselike gripe of Lis foe was at his shoulder. Then the horse pushed bravely toward the shore, as if he knew that the iives of two brave men depended on his efforts. He dragged them through the water, but at the edge of the shore he gave up the struggle, and fell back into the river exhausted and dying. But he had not failed in his undertaking, for one man dragged another up the grassy slope, and then sunk beside him. ’ ce | minutes passed amar. when at length Tornado Tom moved, opened his eyes and part- ly rose. * Jehu! whata tight rub!” he gasped. ‘* That’s what I call knockin’ at death’s shauty. Hello! Injun?”’ he inanimate form of the man from Red Core lay at Tom’s feet, and be had just espied But there was no response to the exclama- tion. ‘* Mebbe the river got the best ov bim,” con- tinued Tornado, and then he said as a ray of triumph lit up his eyes: ‘“* What ef it did?” Then he proceeded to shake his enemy with such a result that once more they erect and face to face. They could resume the fight now, and the soft grass of the river bank was a better place for one to die than the rough mountain pass. Once more they drew their knives; but all at once Tornado Tom threw his dirk at his feet with a hard border oath, ‘Thunder! we’re fools, Injun!” he exclaimed. “ Arter such a tussle with death we oughtn’t to be enemies. Ef it hadn’t been for you, Tornado Tom would be in a quicksand coffin at this writin’. Hyar, what’s the use ov bein’ lunaties when thar’s enough fur both ov us Put it thar, pard. Shake’ The brawny hand of Tornado Tom was out- stretched to his foe and there was eternal friendship in his eye. ** No, wo can’t be friends'” was the unex- pected response. ‘What Injun Jack wants ou hunt, and he will never divide with an iving man—never! Besides, be’s not buntin’ wv for himself but. for—Olive’” ‘* Olive!” echoea Tora who had been staring speechless at the speaker, ‘‘ who in the name ov thunder is Olive?” A flash of minglea pride and defiance lit up lujun Jack’s eyes ** Olive? her, touch her if you dare!” And with the last word which was eceom nied by a farewell wave of his band, Injun ack turned his back on Tornado and deliber ately walked away. ‘Wal, I’m squelchei ef he isn’t a reg’lar daisy!” muttered the bewildered man gazing after the retreating figure. ‘‘So he’s buntin’ fur Olive, eh? Doesn’t want an ounce ov it fur himself. By grammany! I offered him my fist; but he wouldn’t take it, preferrin’ to be enemy still, Wal, I’m satisfied. Take care, Injun Jack! The next time Tornado Tom offers you bis hand thar may be suthin’ init. Queen ov Red Core, eh? Thet’s a deuced pretty title fur these parts. I'd like to see ber,’pon my life I would! Mebbe she’d suit Tornado Jr. Pshaw! what am I[ talkin’ about. Queen ov Red Core! By Jehu! I’m goin’ to see the animile.” —_——_—_e ee - > CHAPTER IIL. TORNADO JR, “Wuy doesn’t he come back? He said he wouldn’t be gone more than half an hour; he promised faithfully to return within that time or I should have insisted on going with him. What drives him hither and thither anyhow? That’s what I'd like to know. Why, only yesterday I caught him making lines on the ound with his ramrod. He’s hunting some- ing. A gold mine? That’s what I think sometimes; but he made me swear that I would never seek to know his business in this wild land. What a foolish oath that was! and how meme 22 She’s the Queen of Red Core; dunt eee SS LL come or not, eld fellow, 'm not going to wait any longer, for here’s one fellow who is goimg%.. sleep.” ‘These words fell from the lips of a boy wm stood at the mouth of a mountain cave wart an old hunter would have taken for the lain «a, grizzly. It was a balmy night in midsummer; bat We air was bracing, and the stars that glittered & a clear sky showed him his surroundive:—. mountains! He was a handsome lad of seventeen, #t built and supple, and the clear blue eyes fist a possessed held imprisoned a ray of good-tarsu«: But bow came he there? We shail see aren Having proclaimed his intention of se@vr sleep, he went into the cave, dropping ows + aperture a network of mountain vines whkii+ hand had raised. If he slept, however, the nap was oue of %» > duration, for an hour later he reappeared itt &%» starlight, this time armed with a rifle antl‘. revolvers, the latter at convenient places .m Bix belt. There was an expression of anxiety and Mayge- tience visible on his face. “Something unusual has happened be fice nado. I am sure of it!” exclaimed the vem. ‘* He left me at dusk; it must be midnight mre hg go as far as the winding pass and lock ti im.” Shouldering the rifle, the youth started afwe an agile gait, eager to reach the spot mentions. He had visited it before, for he seemed Ww know the way be took, and did not have te sams to take his bearings like travelers in doubt ‘‘Here I am, but no Tornado!” fell from is lips as he halted before one of those mountay ravines gloomy enough at noonday, but tw. fold more repulsive at night. ‘‘ It’s darker Sime - a bear’s den. Tornado, old fellow, where wor you, anybow?” At that moment the gold-hunter am enemy, Injun Jack were leagues away stemdiy, face to face w th bowie-knives in their ham The only answer vouchsafed the boy’s @o-«!- tion was the echo of his own words at whieh «& any other time he might have laughed, * +”. now— “Then stay away till you're ready to*: ive back!” he said, petulantly. “‘Idon’tknow .+ I followed you to this country. You did* \<#* a good turn in Omaha, Tornado—you te 25 away from those men who were going te». ‘S a professional gymnast out of me, and Its. & pay you back by nursing vou when yor mut aid up by Lucky Ben’s bowie. Somels« ««& other, we just drifted together, and whe: v1 wauted to come ovt here after somethé~. ¥ know not what, ard asked me if I'd come «4. bless me if | could say ‘no,’ and cut loose: y « you. So I’m here, but where are you, *)- nado*” Did that stone which bad rolled down * *« mountain side to fall at the boy’s feet amr © him: At any rate he started and looked up wt #. balf-suppressed cry. Something had started that stone—sc meteayr that lived. The youth saw it as his eyes told, and baci, from the spot he cocked his rifle. “Steady!” he whispered, self-enconragintes. ‘It is your first red-skin, Tornade Jr, at maybe you can show the old fellow a wt) when he comes back.” The boy’s keen eyes bad not deceived Br «. Thanks to the stone his life had been saved, t+ that Indian bad just been crawling tigertii. upon bim. Another instant and a dead boy would mvx been waiting for Tornado Tom at the wine,» SS, The Indian rose as he saw Tornado Jr, wy 7- ing away, but, quick as a flash, the boy sri lea to his shoulder. “Halt! Another step and there'll be a vaca chair in your parlor,” cried the youth, “@.» Jove! you’re the boss target.” If the savage understood he did not obey, fc the next moment the boy saw fit to send a bai let crashing through his head! A wild cry and a heavy thud followsi*t»- death-shot, and the young marksman, as 7f stu tled by the fatality of bis aim, turned and tee. never thinking of the scalp that lay at div Tornado waa? mercy. ‘“‘T’m a fool for running. laugh at me!” he niatteted halting, "but ‘ws until he had put several hundred yards’ betes him and his first Indian. “I wonder # | body else ever run from a,dead man? -Pshaee ~comicbooks.c Cc