Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 185 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER VIIL AN ALARMING DISCOVERY. WHEN Sanders entered the passageway he proceeded upward by meansof a winding stair- way of rougb slabs and timbers. He spoke a few words tothe guardian of the entrance, previous (0 mounting the stairway, and from that worthy be obtained a lantern that served to illumine the difficult ascent and aid him to pick his way over the uneveu roadway. He toiled slowly upward and bad barely emerged into a large circulur chamber when the sound of many voices fell upon his ears. A moment jater and the well-known form of the cattle-thief appeared from an opening in the side of thie rocky walls. Evil Eye extended his hand to the new-comer and both rascals greeted each other warmly. ‘‘T heard that you were here,” said Evil Eye, *‘ and I am pleased to have you among us. I have just returned from over the river avd I feel highly elated over the plunder I’ve bagged.” ‘*Glad to hear of it,” said Sanders. ‘I hope I will bave a hand in the next excursion. I’ve been here almost a dy and a night awaiting your return. Thanks to our previous acquaint- ance and friendsbip, I was enabled to make my way her», gain admittance and make my- self at home unidl your return.” “Consider ths Vultures Roost your home, and I’m glad to add you to the Vultures of the Rio Grande as your countrymen call us.” ‘*Not my countrymen!” said Sanders hotly. ‘‘My mother was a Castilian and my father a native of Texas when that State was under Spanish rule and ere she was wrested from Mexico I bear the Americans no love, I as- sure you. I have borne their ridicule for years, because my heart and sympathies were with Mexico. True, I entered the American army but it was because it aff rded easy times, good pay, and allowed me to be near my countcymen, But I have turned my back upou the United States forever.” “Vm glad of it. But tell me why do you come to me instead of making your way to somwe Mexican city and there mingie with the gay population; why do you preter a life in the saddle and among the mountuin retreats?’ The roliber chief glanced half-suspiciously at the new addition to his ranks, ‘‘ Because I have an object in view,” de- clared Sanders. ‘‘ Were I to seek the cities I should be cheated of the revenge I contemplate. Joiving your Vultures I will enjoy the wild, tree, and reckless life that my heart yearns for. Iwill be near the object of my hatred and sooner or later my vengeance will be satis- fied.” ‘Who is the object of your enmity?” ~ ‘An American stationed at Fort Duncan— Hariy Powell!” Evil Eye started; then a strange smile flitted acioss Lis byena-like features. ‘‘Harry Powell? Then I bave news for you! The very man you seek is beneath the rocky flooripg of the next cavern—-my pri- soner!” Had a thunderbolt exploded at Sanders’s feet he cou'd not have leapet more wildly or his features expressed uvreater astonishment. “What! Powell here—your prisoner?’ he cried, fearing that be had misunderstood the bandit chief. ‘Yes, he is here, doomed to-an awful death. Even now the horrible device employed for his destruction, is at work, and he is perhaps a Curp-e. “Ob, the news is too good to be true,” San- ders exc‘aime.i in a delirium of jov. ‘Can I see bin? Can I behold him with my own eyes to kuow th-t my enemy is here—bhere in your power and doomed ta die?” “Is not my woid sufficient? J hate the man, ant goo! cause I have for so doing. 1 tell you that he will never see daylizht again. ite is bound hand and foot in a vault, cut out uf the slid rock and prepared expressly as an execution chamber, He lies there surrounded by centipedes and tarantulas, which are even now craw ing upon bis bare bosom—p. isoning | and thus endeavor to seek an outlet. the flesh at every puncture, sending the deadly virus into every vein. You know the effects of the sting of a tarantula? You koow tbat the bite and very touch of the centipede is far more poisonous than the scorpion: why then doubt that the man must die surrounded by sucb horrible insects?’ ‘**] do not doubt it; I merely want to listen at the door of the vault—listen to his cries and then allow him to either look upon me or know that Iam near. I wish to mock his groans of agony—to taunt him with my presence, and remind him of my oath of vengeance. I want to make his dying moments a perfect bell if I can,” The face of the scoundrel grew livid as he uttered the threats. ‘“* Never fear; he is enduring a world of tor- ments, ut the present moment. You may go and listen at the entrance if you choose, but I will not consent to open tbe door. Here, Manedo, show this gentleman to the prison vault of the American.” The Mexican attendant bowed and motioned Sanders to follow, which Sanders did readily. Evil Eye, followed by the remainder of bis comrades, sought a large chamber where a blazing fire dispelled the chilly cavern atmos- phere, While the cattle thieves regaled themselves with aguardiente and some trijoles, Evil Eye stepped into the small chamber set apart for his private use, and began to change his attire. He robed bimself in a gorgeous suit of dark blue velvet, trimmed with silver lace, and a profu- sion of buttons composed of the same shining metal. He wrapped a brilliant scarf about bis waist, and lavivg perched a gaudy sombrero upon bis head, was ready for inspection, *‘Now then, to visit my fair captive,” said he. ®* I will bandy no words with her. Why should I? Why should the King of the Cattle Thieves allow a woman to swerve him from his purpose? No! she shall be mine, and tears or entreaties will avail her naught. My mind is made up aud [ will act quickly.” He passed out of the apartment into a pass- age leading toward the adobe building upon the plaza of bis mountain fortress. While the leader of the cattle-thieves is pur- suing bis way toward the prison but of his beautiful prisoner we will follow the footsteps of our German friend, Jacob Slaushorn. Muttering to himself, and cursing the intense gloom that pervaded the place, he slowly groped forward until be reached a spot in the side of the passage where several planks lay upon bowlders as if to prevent incursions in that di- rection. Jacob had scarcely touched the planks when bis foot slipped and he fell against the timber in such a manner that the planks were displaced and both Jacob and the wooden bar- rier were hurled into a dep pit. He floundered about in the depths of this pit, having escaped with a few bruises but no bro- ken bones. ‘“Vot a fools Iam! Dem boards vas placed across dot places yust so dot nobodies vould fall in—unt [ had to go yust lke a fool and fall mineself in. Dots a vonder dot I don’t got my het broke unt my backbones smashed. Vere der tuyvil am I? Dot’s sodark by dis place dot I can’t see my face right before my noses. 1 must got out some kind of way, any- how,” Suiting the words to the action he com- menced creeping forward. He noticed that, as he proceeded the way in- clined upward very much after the manner of a log ‘‘sboot.” Upward he to led, grasping at projections, securing a footing here and there, until he finally paused, blowing like a steam engine, ‘* Mine gracious! vot a kind for place is dot? I’ve been climbing up now for more as a half- hour unt I can’t see vere I am going, yet. If I keep on climbing dis vay I vill get close by heiven or der sky, becquse it is up in dis vay. Vell, I vill start again,” Evil Eye, King of Cattle Thieves. | 7 Jacob once more began his arduous ascent: He fin- ally paused agaiu, for a mass of rock barred further progress in that direccion. “Vm dished again!” he growled: ‘after all my climbing up, I can’t get out. I vonder if I couldu’t fiud a mouse hole some place vere I could creep in?’ He felt around in all directions. Nothing greeved the touch of his bands but the cold, damp rock directly in advance. Large ir- regular masses of stone interlocked as if some upheaval had tbus thrown the mass in wild confusion yet presenting a formidable wall and barrier fashioned by tbe hands of nature, As Jacob was groping about near the base of this wall his hand came in contact with an object which he instinctively grasped. It proved to be an implement resembling a _pick- ax or old-fashioned mattock. He was able to determine this much by the sense of touch and examination. This discov- ery prompted him to another one—for he felt in the pockets of the dead Mexican’s clothing, which be wore, and to his great joy he found several matches and a coil of some material which proved to be a thin waxen taper or fuse. In a few moments he had struck a light and the flame of the taper disclosed the strange spot where he now found himself, revealing the rugged barrier of dark granite. Even as he listened to the sputtering taper his ears suddeuly caught the faint sound of a human voice—a subdued groan, coming ap- parently trom beyond the rocky barrier. Once again the sound came distinctly to his listening ears; then he drew nearer to the wall and in a low voice he called: * 'W ho’s in dot!” ‘Ts that you, Jacob?” came the faint reply. ‘Help me or I’m a dead man. _ It’s I—Harry Powell. I’m in this vault, bound hand and foot.” CHAPTER IX. OUT OF THE TOILS, JACOB alinost sunk to the earth with aston- ishment at the call of the well-known voice. “Ish dot you, lefftevant?” ‘‘ Yes, Jacob; for the love of Heaven aid me. I am surrounded by poisonous insects and cannot defend myself,” came the reply from beyond the wall, * Hold on a minute, Mister Powell; let dem bite you till I come inside, den I knock der brains out mit dis pick-axes vat I got.” He placed the taper coil upon the ground and then with the old broken mattock he began dislodging the leosened masses of the wall. One by one the pieces of granite ga\e way, at length disclosing an aperture sufficiently large to admit the German, Eagerly he seized the light and crawled through the opening into the vault, but started back with a Jow cry of horror. His eyes fair- ly leaped from their sockets as he viewed the spectacle revealed. Upon the floor lay the young lieutenant, with bared bosom and both bands and feet firmly secured. But, what caused the exclamation of horror was the loathsome objects that crawlea about the body of the prostrate man. Large hairy spiders—large as a man’s fist— crawled about upon the helpless man. Then the repulsive centivedes glided here and there, seeking the bare flesh of the victim. The 1 rays of the light interrup ed the borri- ble insects and they paused as if petrified. Their little green, fiery eyes flashed back the light of the candle. Jacob did not really know the dénoevous creatures he had to deal with, for he pluckeu the ugly spiders from the body of the your, m:n and crushed the insects Leneath h's heels, Even as he began his wholes»le + xterm’nation of the deadly creatures, a violent bow upon the heavy door of the vaull startled both men, TEOmiIGcvooks don’t Ay EO