Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 197 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

~*~ oe —/ - and wi bh her hands held above her head the woman known as the Spirit of the Canyon, ad- vanced slowly to where the youth had halted. ‘“Who are you?’ he asked, gazing fixedly upon her white-robed form and partially vailed face. “IT am called the Spirit of the Canyon.” ‘True, and as such frighten the superstitious fearfully.” ‘* Yet vou do not fear me.” ““ Why should I when I have no belief in the supernatural? It is that pistol in your belt that I stand in awe of.” ‘““Ah!” and the woman drew her robe over the tell-tale weapon, while Little Grit, at the movement of her hand to her waist, quickly dropped his upon his revolver. **'You doubt me, I see.” “Why should I do otherwise, when you go masquerading by day and night along the trail I ride?’ “You are a brave youth not to draw off the Pony Line at the threats you have re- ceived.” ‘‘ Why should I? as long as there is life there is hope, and I take my chances.” “‘ And fearful chances they are.” **T care not; I came to ride this line for a certain time and I shall do it,” was the bold remark of Little Grit. ‘If Death does not catch you.” “Yes, but I have ridden in company with Death so often we have become good pards.” “Why do you ride Pony Express?’ suddenly asked the woman. 4 ** My reasons hold no interest for you.” “You are mistaken; but we will not argue that now, as I wish you to do me a favor.” ‘Wish me to do you a favor?’ asked the youth, in surprise. << Yes.” ** How can I?” **T will tell you. You know Bessie Benton, the stock-tender’s daughter, I believe?” “Yes, what know you of her?’ asked Wild Rider, with eagerness. “She is a prisoner.” “That I feared; then the Rocky Glen boys have not rescued her?’ “Ha! ha! ha! their errand is as futile as their attempts to capture the Boy Bandit.” “TI do not know but that Bessie can be rescued and the Boy Bandit captured, too,” said Little Grit, confidently. “No, neither can be done unless I wish it,” said the woman, solemnly. “You! What have you to do with it?’ ‘“‘Much; I will prove it by saying that you can accomplish what the Vigilantes and sol- diers from Rocky Glen have failed to do.” ‘* And what is that?” “Rescue Bessie Benton.” *‘T intend to try, at least,” “you can accomplish it with ease} through me, “ How?’ ‘You have just come from a long ride, and your face shows that you suffer, so go on to Rocky Glen and seek rest until to-morrow night, when the Vigilantes will be back. ‘‘Then go tothecabin of Daniel Benton, and tell him that if he is willing to give ten thousand dollars for the restoration of his daughter, you will bring her to him.” ‘Why he has not a hundred dollars to his name.” “You do as I say, and he will give you the money.” ‘*T say he has no money.” ‘“‘And Isay he will give you the amount I name, and I wish you to bring it to the Pilot Tree in the middle of the Sweetbrier Prairie. “I know the spot; but why there?’ ‘That you may not be treacherously dealt with; as you leave the foot-hills on the north I will leave the timber on the south, and Bessie Benton shall accompany me.” ‘You promise this?’ “ Yes.” “‘ At what time to-morrow night?” | ‘* Meet me at midnight,” Little Grit, the Wild Rider. “The Pilot) Tree will conceal a dozen men.” “True, but if you doubt me get the money before night and go there by daylight, though I cannot come until midnight; then you can see that an ambush is not intended. “So be it; I will trust you; but if I do not bring the money?’ ‘You cannot have the girl!” ‘Pll risk that.” “Then our arrangement ends here, unless you pledge yourself not to attempt the rescue of Bessie Benton if you do not get the money.” “At that time, yes, | pledge myself; but look out for squalls afterward.” “Pll be on my guard; now we understand each other?’ “Yes; but how did you get possession of Bessie?” ‘*T captured her.” *‘ And who are you?” “The Spirit of the Canyon I told you; but mind you, do not speak of my meeting you to any one, nor tell how you rescue Bessie; will you promise this?’ “Oh yes.” ‘“Then good-by,” and wheeling her white horse the woman rode down into the Red Ra- vine, while Little Grit went skimming along once more on his way to Rocky Glen, deeply impressed by his meeting with the strange creature and what he had heard, and deter- mined to keep his word and engagement with her, though every bone and musele in his body ached, and he was almost blind from toss of sleep. CHAPTER XVIIBE. WILD RIDER ON TIME. “By Heaven! there comes the boy, and on time, or I am a sinner!” and Judge Hunter, who had been anxiously gazing down the trail, danced around in his glee, as he saw Firefly come bounding along toward the tavern. His words brought to the rude piazza both Colonel Hewlett and Helen, besides all who were loafing in the bar-room, and every eye was upon the Wild Rider as he came in on the home stretch. “‘ He’s not riding in his old easy style, and no wonder,” said the judge, as he called to the stable man to call up Tiny Tim to send on the next run. ‘‘No wonder, sir, if he has made the four hundred and sixty odd miles you say, in fifty hours,” said Colonel Hewlett. ‘‘ My life that he’s made the clean run, and of all the gamblers here, there are not three bets against him,” cried the judge, as he sprung down from the steps and grasped the hand of the Wild Rider, just as Firefly came to a halt, “Great God! what a change!” cried the colonel aloud, while Judge Hunter said anxiously: “You made it, my boy?’ ‘Yes: but can Tiny Tim go on?’ ““Oh yes, though he’s not well; any news?” **Poor Bart is dead; killed by Hank Haw- kins, Colonel Hewlett, from whom I saved your daughter: but I avenged him. “Here, judge, lift me down lightly, please, for Tam worse beat than a stove up govern- ment mule.” “You are game to the backbone, Little Grit. Steady, boys, for don’ t yousee him wince with pain, and he’s no child to cry out at an ache; there, now take him into my room.” The two men who had lifted Little Grit from his saddle, obeyed, just as Tiny Tim, a small, wiry man with a clean-shaven, deter- mined face, came out to mount an iron-gray that the stable-boy was holding for him. ** Look out for squalls, Tim, and ride hard,” called out Little Grit, catching sight of him. ‘* All right, lad, and the whole line shall hear of what you have done: good-by all!” and away went the iron-gray with Tiny Tim and the express bags on his back, while the Wild Rider was carried into the hotel and eared for by willing hands. ** Helen, that boy’s face haunts me by day il and night, and recalls memories from the past, that I had hoped were forever buried,” said Colonel Hewlett, as himself and daughter re- turned to their room. ‘‘T felt that something must have influenced you deeply, father, to have seemed so unkind to him as you were the other night,” replied the maiden. “Something did influence me, my child; something I never expected to speak to you about, but which I will now tell you of, as I must speak to some one about it, must find out who that boy is. ‘You are aware that in early life, a year before you were born, I was engaged in a duel?” ‘Yes, father, there were plenty of busy tongues to tell me of it at school, though you never spoke to me of the painful circumstance, and if it is unpleasant to you to recall, do not tell me now.” “T say I must, Helen, for I am deeply troubled. ‘* Before I met your mother I loved a young and beautiful girl that I bad fairly idolized from ber childhood, for our families were on most intimate terms, and in Virginia, where I lived, our estates adjoined. ‘‘When she was but sixteen we became en- gaged, and were to have been married upon my return from the West, where I was ordered for a year’s service among the Indians. ‘‘A young man I met in service in the West, a surgeon of my regiment, had a fortune left him, and shortly after my arrival at the com- mand, resigned and was to start home, when my horse fell with me one day, and my arm being broken, he remained to set it, and kindly cared for me for several weeks. *‘T was so attached to him that I gave him a letter to my family, and to Corinne, for his home was on the Maryland side of the Potomac, not far above where I lived. “Alas! my child, he used that letter of in- troduction so well, that he won my intended bride from me, with stories of my wild life and gambling, and more, he persuaded Corinne to run away with him and become his wife. ‘*My child, I am, as you know, of a hot- headed nature, and I did not allow this false friend’s treachery to go unpunished, but two years after tracked him down, and he fell in a duel with me. ‘‘ What became of Corinne I never knew, or cared, for some months after I saved from drowning, in the surf at Newport, a young girl who afterward became my wife, and your mother, Helen, and the image of that treacherous woman I took out of my heart for- ever. “Now, my child, up from the grave, as though it were Lester Lamdell himself, comes this boy they call Wild Rider, and when I look at him, the image of false Corinne rises before me, and I would take my oath that he is their son,” and, as though to shut out the phantoms of the past from before his eyes, Colonel Hew- lett buried his face in his hands and leaned on the table before bim, while Helen, with deep sympathy, said: ae ‘‘Father, I hope that such may not be the case, that it is only a fancied resemblance; but I will solve the mystery for you, as to who this Wild Rider really is, and if he be their son, then let us go from here; get ordered else- where, where constantly before you will not be one to call up only bitterest memories.” “No, Helen, as I have sown so will I reap: I was unkind to him, and I will not be again, for if I have much to forgive, he has too, and he has heaped coals of fire upon my head by sav- ing you from what I now know would have been worse than death. ‘*] will go now and see if I cannot help the boy, and you send to the Hospital steward and sutler for all that he may need,” and hav- ing determined upon the course ne would pursue Colonel Hewlett went to the room where Wild Rider had been taken; but at the door Judge Hunter met him with the report that he bad been well cared for and was fast asleep. GONG JOCKS. EO