Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 170 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

2 Oth toward ** We are on one end of their trail,” announced CHAPTER V. A TRAIL THROUGH THE SNOW. “T's sun rose clear and bright, pouring its ra- giant beams upon the ivory-like surface of the nxew-fallen snow, until the whole face of the earth glistened under its white vail. The storm of the previous ni bat had left its mark in fifteen inches éepth of snow, and in a biting cold which the ay! rays of tho sun failed to alleviate. ear the spot where the struggle of the pre- vious night had taken place rode three horsemen, their animals struggling with difficulty through the yet unbroken snow. It wasa dreary pros- pect through which they passed. On either side sose the skeleton trees of the forest, their, bare limbs fringed with white, while the soughing wind sent misty flakes trembling downward through the air. Thesky was of a steel-blue Ister, having none of the tender softness of summer. <A shiver ran through the frame of the horsemen, as they halted a moment to ob- serve the scene around them. “This should be near the spot,” remarked ‘tl Wildfire, who was foremost of the party. * [5 is lucky the snow did not last long after our #® ruggle. it we once get on their track I fancy wecan follow them.” ‘“ What is that odd white bunch ahead there?” avked a tall, gigantic fellow, whorode a mighty wae mie It don’t look as if it belonged to the TOR, lis horse, at the same moment, gave a fright- ev: neigh, and reared as if in dread of the ob- je in question. “Quiet, you brute! Quiet, now!” commanded tichorseman angrily. ‘“‘It is nota spook, hang a! And nothing with teeth to bite you. tet, will you?’ Meanwhile Will Wildfire had ridden his more ‘tructable steed. “Aha, gentlemen!” he exclaimed. ‘‘ We are enthe spot. It is the borse I rode last night, ti» poor creature who was shot under me, She ig blanketed in snow, r devil. If I can fihd _ the chap that killed her, hang me if she shall nm. t be revenged.” The other two had ridden forward by this time, the huge rider having conquered his skit- sh horse. It was easy to trace the outlines of a prostrate steed under the shroud of snow, though scarce a trace of the animal was visible. _ “You can see the marks of the struggle,” re- marked Will, pointing to where the snow had bern fiercely trampled. ‘‘The tracks seem to lead into the wood at this point.” Turning his horse he forced him to enter the ‘warrow path into the forest, A few yards brought. him to the deserted hut. Throwing the bridle on the neck of the docile creature he entered and explored the interior of the ruined habitation. Traces of its late occupancy were _ very evident, some ks yet remaining in the a-hes of the fire on the hearth. Quickly emerging he followed the track of Zovtsteps the hut. Here horses had avideatly, as er under a ruined shed, and the track of hoofs I the road, though by another Wie Joy fully to his comrades, who had followed hinr to the hut. : hd here is where they mounted. If the track only holds as clean as this we will run them down sure. Let ‘us away, gentlemen, before: ether hoofs get on the snow. ‘Their trail is now ns clear as if made in butter.” Wading back through the: deep snow he re- mounted his horse, and the three companions’ rede away along the forest avenue, The tracks of thé horses they were in pursuit of were well defined. Considerable snow had fullon since they were made;. destroying the «ear-cut marks of hoofs, but the deep impres- eons in the snow were only partly filled up, si a blind man could almost have followed t »se’ breaks in the broad level. Near them were other, less defined impres- eins, which Will recognized as the hoof-marks of jis own horse, and that of his fellow guest of t.c Golden Lion. “{f would give something handsome for a good eiei;ch,” ne remarked, as the horses trudged slowly onward. ‘*This is too heavy work on cur animals. We may be able to get one at the Glen Lion, if the track leads in thabé di- reetion,” io was about eight o’clock on that midwinter morning, when they reached the front of this f irous_ hostelry, and beheld the sturdy figure ef Solomon Tims, resting easily egainst one of the pillars of his porch, : / . i t had utterly passed, | | ward, dragging the heavy sleigh in the snow, to a deep hollow back of . “This was their lurking: place. ' YOnder go the hoof-marks, leading to the road. *| % ¥ Sy > MY i ro - A A Trump Card. “* Hollo; the !” roared Will : “* Remem- ty i fea lomon?’ ee ould ou were oung ‘that stopped at the Golden Liow last. t ar ‘You've hit it there, old man,” replied Will, amid a burst of laughter fram his companions. “Can you let us have a two-seat sleigh, and a : of horses? Our own animals are played out with the drag.” “} ain’t so sure,” was the slow reply. ‘The snow ’s not broken, you see, and I’m afeared to trust my critters to such fly-aways.” “ Put in four horses, then,” cried Will im- patiently. ‘‘ And we will break the snow for you. And quick as lightning, too, We are going to make them travel, my jolly host. But if we hurt them we will pay for them, and leave our own horses in pledge. Hurry up your peo- ple, now, for every minute counts when men are in haste.—And hark ye, Solomon!” ‘‘ Ay, ay,” answered the host. ** Mix us up something less than a half-gallon of the Golden Lion nagar We're chilled an inch deep below the skin, and want one of your famous thawings out. Stir yourself now, old man, It’s a matter of life or death.” Somewhat mollified by the last order Solomon rolled away, to give orders for the preparing of the sleigh, and to mix a stiff brewing ot his fa- vorite beverage. In ten minutes more the three travelers were away again, the warmer for their deep draught of steaming punch, which indeed seemed neces- sary on that bitingly cold morning. Fourstron horses pulled the sturdily-built sleigh which ha been prepared for them, the road being far too heavy for any lizhter vehicle. Bolouion wanted to lend them a driver also, but Will firmly objected. ‘*We have to make time,” he declared, “and want no extra weight. And don’t take the foolish notion into your brain that we can’t drive your ferocious beasts. I'll bet you a dou- ble eagle that you have not a man about your pa at can handle the reins with Will Wild- ' Solomon responded, in his slow way. ” ‘* Will Wildfire?’ repeated the host in surprise. ‘‘- Yes, That’s the name I sail under.” ‘Drive ahead then, in Lucifer’s name! I’ve heard tell of ye, and ain’t afeared, But, don’t quite kill the poor beasts.” ‘Will showed his white teeth, as he laughed in ee to Solomon’s earnest warning. He gathered the reins into one hand, as he said: ‘We are on the track of a gang of murderers, old man. If we could run them down sooner by killing a score of horses I would doit. But, as good animals are scarce, I would rather have A se tare than dead. Good-by, and wish me uc At the same instant he laid the whip lightly on his impatient team, who sprung eagerly for- ’ r them as if ‘it had been made of cork. Down the road the ani- mals broke at full gallop, Will standing upright and grasping the reins with both hands, as he 4 cheered them on with his voice. briskly, now, my noble Mae 4 nga apf now is what we beauties! Step and ‘want, and the horse that first shirks is in for a dose of the whip. Letout, now! And I'll bury ng in oats if you bring us within eye-shot of e runaways.” The ho as if sharing his impatience, tore with all ble speed through the heavy snow, Peo agus the tracks which were yet plainly e. But it isno trifling matter to break a road through fifteen inches of virgin snow, and de- spite their strength and spirit the progress was not satisfactory to Will’s impatient mood. ‘‘There is one thing sure,” he muttered, ‘they could make no faster time than we are making. But then, they have eight hours the start. Unless they stopped to rest somewhere on the road we have no chance.” “They could not have calculated on this ehase,” replied one of the others, a short, stout- built young man. ‘*Don’t you swallow too much of that, Ben, my boy,” returned his huge comrade. “It is a miracle if they haven’t pushed, the whole night through, for the city. We have only one chance in a hundred.” ** And we will work that chance to the finger- bones,” a See Will, fiercely, as he touched the off-leader smartly with the whip. A half-hour of this furious driving brought them to the front of another roadside inn. Here the snow had been greatly broken up by passing feet and vehicles, yet the tracks they were following continued easily distinguish- able, turning in toward the house. “They have here, sure as shooting,” setnrinet en. ihewr en Will, to the porch. It will be well to ask some questions of our The questions asked elicited- some very inter- esting ivformation. Four men, mounted on three horses had ,an bour after midnight, and had spent. the remainder of the ight there. ree of them. were described as. rongbly- dressed, erous-looking —_ while the other had a fresh, handsome face, was attired in the garb of a gentleman. _ men, for a thousand!” ejaculated Will. ey are not here yet?’ “No. They are a good two hours gone. They hired a sleigh, put two of their horses to it, and left the other as pledge for the sleigh. They are off on the Middletown, road, yonder.— What’s up, gentlemen, anything wrong about them?” ‘* Only that Meo been harboring a gang of road cutthroats,” Will curtly replied. ‘‘ Give way, my beauties! We'll see if four horses are not more than a match for two. Lay down lively, and we’ll have them yet.” The horses seemed to understand him, and te share his excitement, to judge by their telling action, The sleigh tore through the heavy snow, heaping it up, and tossing it to the right and left, as a vessel tears its way th the foaming waves. Will seemed a very u as he stood upright in the front of the vehicle, his whole frame whitened by the dashing snow, while he grasped the reins y in one hand, and held the uplifted whip in the other. “This is what I call life,” he shouted, turn- | a face florid with excitement to his friends. ‘Talk about your sleighing over smooth roads; what is it along with wild work like this?” He ceased speaking as the horses came to the brow of a long declivity, down which they plunged at a breakneck pace, Will leaving the reins loose, although the sleigh leaped tue a feather bebind them. “It is neck-or-nothing, gentlemen,” be cried. “If we are going to kingdom come. on this road, it can’t be helped. When I am in chase, I mean work.” ‘Let them go!” replied his gigantic friend. re tse. look out, my boy, that they don’t stum- e. out of the race.” 4 Will, at this warning, tightened the reins, . headlong though taking care not to check the speed of the plunging animals. The track of the sleigh of which they were in pursuit continued clearly defined, being the only vehicle, with the exception of a single wagon, which had yet passed on that road. or an hour and a half more the pursuit con- tinued over a very hilly country, the road being broken into frequent ascents and declivities. And it becere gradually more and more, brok- en up, as the dsy advanced. But the track which they were following remained clearly de- fined, and could not be confounded with any of the numerous crossing and parallel tracks. Finally they found themselves on the summit of a lofty hill, from which a long outlook,over the country in front was obtainable. The road was plainly marked out by its two dark lines of fences, and by the path it cut through the occa- sional groves that crossed it. ‘“Yonder they are!” cried Will, enthusiestic- oly: as he pointed to a distant spot on the road. ‘Not more than two miles ahead of us, and we'll eat that up in notime. Hey! gentlemen, didn’t I tell you we would run them down or burst? There’s never a burst; so 1 fancy we'll make it a clear run-down.” ** Don’t halloo till you are out of the woods,” returned his huge comrade. ‘ There’s many a slip between the cup and the lip. There’s a brace of good old proverbs for you.” Nor was his doubt ill-placed. The road.ran downward here with a sheer slope of twenty feet on the right-hand side, while the protectin fence bad been broken down. A short turn a the summit led into this long precng Witha firm pull on the right-hand reins Will guided the horses around this turn, and faced them at full speed upon the warmers slope. Unlucki- ly he had pulled too strongly upon the rein. The leading horses sheered over until upon the very brink of the precipitous roadside. Then, with a snort of dread, they leaped back ata short turn, followed by the shaft horses. The sleigh was whirled short round upon the hill- side. For an instant it ran on one runner, the other being lifted into the air. Then it over- turned, flinging its occupants heavily down the steep descent, while the frightened horses ran wildly onward with the overturned sleigh, (ECO AMICE ooo) a agin andl A fall, at this pace, would put us clean ' { <S5,(6(0) TT eeereremmertemnaennnmmmmmtion - 2 — —_—_——_— 2 —~