Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 169 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

me Tornado Tom. ‘By Jove! we’re euchere1!” was the exclama- “<axom heard on all sides. ‘‘She lied to git the saemd drop on us.” _ “Well might the Brethren of the Gold League weas exclaim, for, standing in the doorway, - orth a rifle at her shoulder and fire flashing “Ytwem her eyes, was the Queen of Red Core. ““# Hie!” Yes! a lie will not be recorded ‘ -@gainst any one when it was coined to bafile fvach beings as you are!” came over the aphaing hSyarrel of the deadly repeater. ‘“ Injun Jac » would have replied to your early knock with the ‘zonbents of his revolvers if he had been at home Mo receive you. When he is absent J do the honors of the house. My hand is on the trig- yer. At the first sign of shoot on your part, PU end a bullet crashing through your leader’s ‘erain. He isin my power.” If the mask had at that moment been lifted “from one face in that grotesque line, Olive would have seen a spectacle of fear. “What do you want? Tell me. I will deliver your message to Injun Jack.” “We want to see him.” “Not for good?” “That depends.” “Who are you?” “The Brethren of the Gold League.” Olive started slightly. “Twill tell Injun Jack. Iam eure that he ‘would have remained at homeif he had expected - you, Will you call again?’ A moment’s silence followed the question which was put in the most sarcastic of tones. ““We will if we don’t find Injun Jack else- cwhere,” suddenly cried the captain of the League. ‘Tell him that he has to kill thirteen -emen before he can put his hand on one ounce of ‘the gold he seeks, We know what brought him, to these parts just as wellas you do. ) mare ‘here for the same pu We have band- »@l ourselves together and taken an oath to find “the big bonanza, and to kill all who stand be- “tween us and its ores! As for Injun Jack, he “ontight save his life by leaving the country at onee, and you, my tiger-girl, you would improve -syour health by followin’ him!” The first answer was a silvery laugh full of ‘alefiance that came over the weapon that cov- vered the captain’s heart. “Injun Jack came to these parts not to find ‘he gold mine for himself, but to enrich one “avhom he loyes best!” said Red Core’s queen. “When you suggest that he might save himself hn only proves to me that you don’t know him. Weare going to stand tugether— Juckand I And whenever you desire to open ‘the battle I am sure that you will find us ready. Zam not so sure but that I ought to begin hos- tilities now.” The Gold League captain instinctively re- coiled in his saddle as he saw the girl’s eyes re- turn to the rifle, and Olive’s lips curled with a : tuous smile at his exhibition of fear, “Gol she said. ‘“‘When you come again — will be iyo Be fe lb Ot be aapeee ack ‘and I against the Brethren of the League. “We accept the challenge. Now depart!” ae look here, my tiger-girl—” “Give me a word—just one!” “Not a word! Ill empty your saddle if “ yon pereit in speaking. About face or die. i _ “The captain of the masks ground his teeth. Then, with a mad oath, he turned—his men ~owere already wheeling—and the next moment _ Whe Queen of the Red Core saw the backs of ber morning callers. “Give her the last word, Salvo. Tell her hat we’ll slit her pretty ears for this!” said the veaptain to the mask at his side. I'd be a corpse, cap’n, afore I could get two wwords out, so please excuse me,” answered | , turning two eyes full of fear upon his “leader. ‘I’ve faced the bowies of Shasta, but » they’re nothin’ compared to the finger at the eS r back thar.” command was not,repeated, and a mo- tment later the horses were spurred into a gal- _ op, and the Queen of Red Core was left in soli- ‘ ne grag of her second battlefield. es, let the white hoods come back!” she ~exclaimed, ‘They will find us ready for the ~vontest.” Half an hour Jater the gir] was again called * to the door of the cabin; but this time she utter- -.@aery of joy and sprung into the arms of In- ig.m Jack. “ Did you see them?” “Them? Who?—No!” “The Brethren of the Gold League. They st }.ov hoods hyar like they had amon have to kill them all before you touch one ounce of the lost gold.” ‘“‘They did?’ was the reply. ‘All right, Queen Olive. The gold is going to be ours in spite of the masked thirteen!” She gave him a look of pride. CHAPTER IX. SET FREE BY MISTAKE, “Kn I git out? Tornado, you must!” A hundred times Tornado Tom had asked him- self the question just recorded, only to answer in the words that followed.: ‘Tornado, you must!” And the echoes of his underground prison bad as often said ‘‘ must /” But was not every avenue of escape shut against him? Had he not felt every inch of the wall as far up as his hands could reach? Had he not subjected the floor to the same scrutiny? Aud this a thousand times. His scarlet foes knew well the dungeon to which they had consigned him— that while there he would never find the boss bonanza, and that he would perish miserably where he had fallen. He possessed his knife and a brace of revol- vers, but of what avail were they? ‘*T must think of nothin’ but how to git out!” he exclaimed. ‘‘ Never give up! That’s the idee, Tornado. Never say die while yer breath- in’ aparatus ar’ in order.” But the hours passed away, the day whose morning had witnessed his imprisonment gave place to night, but Tornado knew it not. Where he was it was always night. More than once he had savagely attacked the walls of the dungeon with his knife but had sud- denly desisted with the words: ‘‘] must keep my knife fur su’thin’ besides stone—fur throats an’ hearts!” He had discovered that he was in an old mine; the floor was covered with pieces of stone that had been clipped from the walls by a miner’s pick, but where had been the miner's egress? He knew now why his pretended friends had blindfolded him. Their s:eming alliance had from the first but one end, and that, they no doubt believed they had accomplished. All at once—it was at the end of his thou- sandth journey around his prison—a sound struck the ear trained to catch theslightest noises. Old Tornado ceny and looked up although he knew he could see ehher) 2 But suddenly a light not like that produced by a. torch, but simi- lar to the light of an electric spark, flashed star- like in the darkness overhead. “They think that they’ve come back to hold an inquest over ye, Tornado,” murmured the gold-hunter, and the next instant he lay on the groppe like a man killed by falling from a great ight, but from under the arms that partly hid me tiie *4 kept bis eyes fixed on the now bril- n : As he looked he saw more clearly, and all at once an object appeared far above,a human head, as he verily believed, but such a queer- ] 3 one! * at in the name of saltpeter does that mean?” he thought. ‘‘ Hev they got an order the Shasta mines? By Jupiter it begins to look thet way.” Then another hooded head appeared beside the first, and another and another, until the as- tonished man counted seven, and the eyes of each were intently fixed upon him! For several minutes this inspection of the mine and its occupant went on, when one of the masks said: ‘The fall would have killed a cat. in foing down there.” ornado’s heart gave a great leap. ‘ Those hooded men were coming down to im! ‘* Mebbe, cap’n—” ‘‘Mebbe thunder!” was the interruption. ‘He hasn’t moved a foot since he struck. I'll bet my life on that. Here, the rope.” The hoods talked as if they were familiar with the circumstances of his last mishap, and Tor- nado could not but grind his teeth as he lis- tened. ‘*T see through the hull blamed thing now,” he suddenly cried. ‘‘ Whar war my eyes? In- juns! The devils what put me hyar ar’ up yon- der, fur ain’t thar seven heads ranged along the top ov the wall?” it was all clear to the gold-hunter. Presently he saw the end of a rope drop over the edge of the wall; it contained a loop—a stir- rup for a foot. Then the body of a man glided into view, the stirrup was filled, and Tornado saw one of the Tae tb he No harm "it, 48 1A Dente : . 2 OUL ‘ ro “~*" & ah | mc ES ES a os the mask to the brethren who were loweri him into the pit. ‘‘ Move the light back a little —it dazzles my eyes—thar! Now a little faster. Vil feteb up proof of the old fellar’s wipin’ out.” How intensely the seeming dead man at the bottom of the old mine watched the brother of the Gold League cannot be told. Thoughts did not chase one another through his brain. He allowed but one to occupy it, and that was the thought of escape. Tornado actually tnought that the time had come. Nearer and nearer to him came the gray hood, and at last he saw the man land a few feet away. The next moment he left the rope and came toward the captive. ‘* Well, old chicken, dead as a nail!” Dead? All at once one of the arms that should have been rigid leaped at the muslin guarded throat, and a second later the Gray Hood of The Gold League lay at Tornado’s feet. ri blow had followed the grasp, and all was still! ‘‘Now fur the top!” fell from the gold-bun- ter’s lips as he sprung to the rope that dangled over the wall far above, and thrusting his foot ee the stirrup he gave two quick impatien? jerks. Ha! the rope grew taut again. He was rising! Swiftly butnot before he could collect his thoughts, Tornado Tom approached the top. Strong arms were rey him from his’ dungeon, and he was keeping his eyes fastencd overhead, Hand over hand the unseen Hoods puiled away, and at last Tornado put up his right band to seize the edge of the wall. ‘““Hyar ye ar’, capt’n!” exclaimed several rough voices, and the next moment the gaunt prisoner clutched the cliff. But his ears were immediately filled with cries of genuine horror, and the several masks oo looked over the edge suddenly disap- ared, Ad the same time the rope was liberated, end fell from his foot, and he found himself sus pe over the abyss by the frail hold of bis ands The sight upon which the three members of the Brotherhood had looked was enough to startle them, for instead of the Gray Hood of their order they saw the haggard but vengeance lined features of Tornado Tom. With the shouts of amazement, the light shot pee him, and went out on the dungeon floor; ut he still clung-to the top of the wall, for to fall was to die, | ‘‘ Now or never, Tornado,” he said to himself. Remember, old fellar, that ye must git out.” — He did exert himself to the utmost, and by the mightiest effort of his life in the self-liftin line, drew bimself from the very jaws of death! Once out of the pit he did not pause for self- congratulations, but drew his revolvers and started toward a star that seemed ona line with his eyes, but so far away. af: | Tornado ar’ himself ag’in. Now therll be somebody hurt. Ef you won’t come on, stan’ whar ye ar’, you miserable night-faces, an’ Pl meet ye on yer own ground,” But there wes no response, and the rescued man found himself in the starlight without a foe in sight. ‘‘Thar ’re more’n me an’ Injun Jack arter the boss bonanza,” he said. ‘‘Seven white men im masks. Thar war seven but thar’s only six now!” and his eyes glittered with triumph as they glanced tackward at the old mine. ‘It war a tight rub, the tightest one ov yer life, Tornado; but mebhe you’ve got to experience a number ov ’em afore you find the hidden gold.” Always the lost gold mine! The fresh mountain air seemed new life to the man, and he might have drank it in indefin- itely if a voice at his side had not startled him. ‘* Still huntin’ fur it, pard?’ Tornado turned abruptly with a revolver in his hand. ‘*Put up the toy. See! I’ve got the persim- mons over you,” continued the same voice, ‘* What do you say to poolin’ our issues and--” ‘‘ Thunders! is it you?” Tornado Tom had halted before the wen toward whom he had spreng with mad intent and was staring into his face. It was Injun Jack from Red Core! CHAPTER X, THE BRAND OF THE BOWIE. THE enemies stond face to face again. -a ot KS COMNEDOO!