Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 185 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 __ Evil Eye, King of Cattle Thiex a \ '; Fa TS ST wiil never again behold the light of day. Death by starvation would be a blessing to you compared to the fate in store for you. Even should you guess for years, you would be un- able to divine my intentions. It will be a loathsome death—one that should strike terror to your soul, and one that will repay me for the trouble you have caused by yonr inter- ference.” ‘*Fiend and monster! Leave me to my fate. Ido not fear any death you may have in store forme. I can meet my doom like a man. I will be amply avenged, and my com- rades will demand blood for blood,” cried Powell. The outlaw gave vent to a mocking laugh, and, turning to a Mexican at his side, he spoke a few hurried words to him. The Mexican departed from the vault but shortly returned with two small boxes which be placed in the hands of the robber chieftain. “‘In these small boxes you will find the means of your death,” said Evil Eye, “a death that will ba lingering and _ horrible. Leave the vault, men, ere I open these little cages. Sto)! one of you hold the torch sol may see the stairway after raising the lids.” Powell glanced toward the boxes in question and his brain was in a whirl to ascertain the contents of the mysterious little cages. Evil Kye noticed the look of inquiry resting upon the features of his prisoner. ‘You wonder what it is that I have within these boxes? I will satisfy your curiosity. In one cage I have about a dozen deadly centipedes, whose poisonous touch is certain death, and such a death! The mind sickens at the very thought of it. In the remaining box I have the venomous tarantulas. Can you now see the manner of death I have selected for you? I will allow these deadly insects to crawl upon your bare bosom. One movement and you are a doomed man. Your veins will be filled with the virus and your body will swell with the loathsome poison of the tarantulas. All ready! Look out for the door and the torch.” Evil Eye emptied the repulsive insects beside the prostrate youth and hastened out of the vault and locked it. The hideous bairy spiders and centipedes crawled upon the helpless captive and crept nearer and nearer the bare bosom. Ct ee ee eee CHAPTER VIL JACOB ENTERS THE ROBBERS’ DEN. Ir will be remembered that when the band of Mexicans dashed toward Powell, who then stood at bay upon the verge of the chasm, a concealed person discharged a weapon, killing one of the mounted bandits. In the confusion that followed Powell’s cap- ture, the hidden marksman was lost sight of by Evil Eye and his band of exultant cut- throats. The Mexicans bound the youth, and both he and the maiden he had sought to save from the cattle thieves were conveyed in the direction of the outlaws’ mountain rendezvous. It was then that the concealed person emerged from the interior of the decayed tree that stood be- yond a mass of mesquite and wild cactus, He gazed after the cavalcade as he stepped forth and then strode toward the dead Mexican, who still lay with upturned features, upon the spot where the fatal bullet had stricken him to the earth. His comrades had departed, scarcely designing to look upon the unfortunate wretch much less to bexr away his corpse. The person approached the body and closely scrutinized it. **He vos ded—ded as a smoked herrings,” said the person after an examination. ‘‘ Vota rascal looking feller dot vos,” contemplating the features now distinctly exposed to his by the bright moonlight. i ‘*'Yust so sure as My name vos Yacob Slaus- horn I hit him mit de bullet right square in der bull’s-eye!” The stout German seemed evidently pleased at his handiwork and a thrill of pride swept through him as he again looked upon the dead bandit. ‘* By jimminy crackers, I vos getting to be a sharpshooter. I recommember der time ven I couldn’t hit der side of a house, unt now I can hit a mans in der middle of der eyebrows. Dot’s von of dem cow-robbers! Dot’s one of dem fellers wot goes mit Evil Eye—dot snoozer mit a crooked eye! By himmel, dot made me mat to see dem fellers catch Harry Powell like dot; but, vot kin one Dutchmans do against a whole crowdt like dot? I vonder who it vos dot lady is? By himmel, dot gal got some plucks! She fights like dem vild cats dot I hear tell about! Now, vot is to be done yet? Me unt Harry Powell come’d over in dis coun- tres togedders, and it von’t do dot I go home to der fort separated mitdout him! I yust hided mineself in dot tree ven dem crowdt come along, but I fixed one of der spitzboos, anyhow! Now I tell mineself just vot I vill do: I vill be brave like a shackass unt follow der cow-thiefs and see if I can’t heilup Harry Powell unt dot nice little gal too! Here is a goot chance. I vill take dem clothes off dot robber unt dress me in dem; and by jimminy I vill be a Mexicans! Dot’s vot I vill do.” Without further ceremony Jacob began to remove the clothing from the dead Mexican and to trunsfer the garments to his own per- son. ‘“Now den! [Tm a Dutch Mexican!” ad- miring himeelf, ‘‘ unt den next ting vot I do is ter follow on der track of der thie!s unt see if I kin bellup Mister Powell unt der lady of dem troubles out.” Jacob really looked every inch a Mexican in his fantastic garb. His obesity was perhaps the only drawback, but he found no difficulty in forcing his stout figure into the wide, loose garments of the dead man. He now started on the trail of the cattle- thieves. He still retained his rifle, and after slinging the weapon across his shoulder he commenced a dog trot after the bandit horse- men and their captives. “By himmel!” he cried, suddenly. ‘TI never thought of von t’ing yet vot is great im- portancs! I can’t speak von vord of dot Mexi- can langvitch.” _This discovery seemed to stun him for a few moments and he stood undecided whether to go forward or retrace his steps. ** Dot’s all right!” he exclaimed, as a brilliant idea seemed to suddenly dawn upon his mind. “I’m got Mexican clothes on and if I gets in a fix I vill talk Dutch todem. Dey von’t know der diffrens, onyhow; such fools villt’ink I am a new kind of Mexican vot uses high-toned langvitch. So, dot’s all right, go *hed, Yacob Slaushorn, unt you keep your mout open unt your eyes wide shut,and you vos all right! You vos alvays a schmard feller, unt I guess youcan fool dem greasy Mexicans so easy like eating limburger.” Jacob’s complimentary remarks to himself restored his confidence, and he again pursued his way over the rough trail. Over hill and dale, through chaparral and over sandy plains the German followed the plain trail, until he finally reached the valley where Evil Eye and his followers had found an entrance in the base of the giant cliff that towered up like a barrier upon all sides. Far above could be seen the walls of the rob- bers’ retreat, built upon the plateau overlook- ing the glen. ) “By der great plpe of my gran’fadder!” ejaculated the German, as he gazed upward, “‘how der tuyvel did dem build a house up dere? Howcandem get up dare mit out lad- ders? Dot’s only a yall, anyvays. How der tuyvel can I get in dot place?” His question seemed to be answered by a shrill whistle that startled the echoes of the wild glen. Jacob had but time to crouch down behind a mass of wild vines, when a form emerged from the tangled underbrush and vines and again Vv cee Ea ahah SNARE MAL ERR NE a ae a mee eee ame es, -. gave vent to the signal. From his place of com cealment the German could see the person dis. tinctly, and to his great surprise, he recog- nize Rafael Sanders. Jacob was on the point of rising and going forward to meet Sanders, when he again ob- served that the deserter was attired in the gay and picturesque costume of a Mexican guerrilla. ‘“Dot beats der Dutch!” whispered Jacob. ‘“‘ Dot feller is acquainted mit olt Evil Eyes, I bet you. Dot’s der reason he deserted. J yust tought of somedings. Dot spitzboo is abad frent to Harry Powell, and if dem two young mans meet each odder, dere vill be troubles, and—” His remarks were interrupted by an incident that caused him to stare and gape as if he was awakening from a nightmare. Tae spot opposite Sanders had been under- going atrans.ormation while Jacob was giving vent to bis ideas. A buge rock in the base of the massive cliff was swinging around, disclosing an aperture in the beretofore solid mass of granite bowlders, ‘Vell, dot does beat der Dutch!” Jacob clapped his hand over his mouth for he had blurted out his favorite expression in a loud tone. Sanders walked toward the opening and dis- appeared in the entrance. Slowly the rock swung buck into its place and the same silence reigned in the wild glen. ‘‘T vish somebodies vould kick me, yust to see if I'm sleeping, or if my eyes is yet vide avake,” said the German, gazing toward the spot in the cliff where he had seen Sanders enter by means of the revolving mass of rock. ‘‘T know vot I vill do,” said he, rising from the bushes, ‘I vill go right away out dere unt vistle yust like be did, unt gorightin. By himmel, I’m going into dot places ant dot sed- dles it.” Jacob walked boldly forward and placng his fingers into his capacious mouth blew a discordant whistle that rung from crag to crag. He waited a few moments and repeated the signal. To his great delight he saw the rock slowly revolve and he quickly glided toward it. In a few moments it had swung half-way around and the yellow face of a whiskered Mexican peered through the opening. The bandit seemed somewhat surprised to see the person who was seeking admittance. He scrutinized the German from head to foot. The features puzzled him, but the garb seemed to satisfy him, to a certain degree. “* Oui vive ?” said the Mexican tiler. ‘* Yaw, dot’s all right! Open der door!” re- plied Jacob. ‘“‘ Caramba !” hissed the Mexican. “Yaw, cramberries; dot’s goot!” The Mexican evidently was puzzled, and be- gan working the lever in order to close the aperture. But quick as a flash the German darted into the opening, and seizing the unsus- pecting Mexican dragged him out into the open air and dealt him a tremendous blow. The Greaser fell headlong to the earth and his head striking a rock, he was rendered ob- livious to everything. | ‘‘Dot’s der kind of a man vot I am,” an- nounced Jacob, with a smile of satisfaction. ‘““VenI hits a man he can make up his mind dot it vos a mule vot kicked him!” Jacob now seized the inanimate body of the bandit, and taking the sash from about his waist he secured the fellow’s hands, Having accomplished this he dragged bim into the deep underbrush. ‘‘ Now, Yacob, you can valk right in, yust as if dot house belonged to you. Now den, be bold as a shackhorse, and brave as a lion, and you will be all right,” The German entered the opening and finding the lever he slowly closed the huge rock. } The narrow passage was plunged into gloom but he groped forward, scarcely knowing in what direction to find the principal en- trance to the robbers’ stronghold on the cliff above. : EoOmicboo cS i ee