Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 198 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

7 _—— ewe 14 Arkansaw, the Man with the Knife. He were with an oath. w The mob was nearer than he thought; the moonlight had betrayed him, and so he faced the avengers and waited. After all what had he to fear! Was he not the employer of all those men? They owed him for the bread they ate, and a flash of satisfac- tion lit up his eyes as he thought that by one blow of the hammer he could destroy his mines, and send them away breadless, each one to shift for himself. ‘‘ By George! it’s Goldy!” exclaimed a dozen men as the mob brought up before him, and ee pistols were withdrawn from before his ace. ‘‘That’s just who I am,” he answered. ‘ Do you want me?” The leaders exchanged questioningvglances, Suddenly one of the Five said: “You war thar?” “é l was. ”? _ ** What did you do to save the cunnel?’ ‘‘ What could I do? Did I know that that devil and his bowie were so near? If SilentSam were here—” ‘¢‘ Hyar he is!” and several hands pushed the man in question forward. Conrad turned to the keeper of his mine of ruin, ‘‘Tell them what I did, Sam; and tell the truth.” The mob fastened its tigerish eyes on Sam, and more than one pistol crept toward his breast. “The truth; that’s what we want. We're goin’ to wipe out all thet hed a hand in the cun- nel’s death, an’ we’re goin’ to be squar’ with you, cap’n, for we say thet never did the men ov the Bar go more’n an ounce ov dust on ye.” For a moment Silent Sam stood between Gold Conrad and the mob, afraid to speak. ‘‘ Wal?” began the stalwart leader. ‘* Wal, Sam, give us the story.” Thus commanded, the silent man related for the second time that night the story of the colonel’s death. He had told it before to the mob congregated at the Howling Wilderness, where their doings had been witnessed by Ar- kansaw and his companion. He told it in a manner intended to shield Gold Conrad, but a ae words brought forth several startling ques- tions. *¢ Didn’t he bev a chance to wipe out the Queen afore the cunnel interfered?” Sam admitted by a look that he had. gear: the bowie would hev pricked him, en?” Sam did not answer; he saw the aim of the interrogators, ** Whatdo you say now, cap’n? You hesitated ; ou let the cunnel interfere, an’ he got the ife. An’ when he got it, did you hunt us up? No. You came down hyar towards the cunnel’s shanty. What fur?—the gal what he swore war a boy? We'll hev to take you in charge, cap’n. There was a general assent to this decision, and Gordon, with sudden flashes in his eyes,” stepped back asif about to resist the arrest. ut twenty bronze bands shot forward, and as many revolvers instantly covered him. ‘* We kin run the Bur without ye!” came over the wicked barrels. ‘‘If you hed stayed at head-quarters the cunnel would be alive in his boots now. You = death with ye every time you come hyar. Last summer you came to see us an’ the same day a shaft accident killed ten men. Hev ye furgotten thetcap’n?”’ The meaning of these words could not be mis- n. ‘*T am to be killed, then!” said Gold Conrad. ‘Tn order to get me out of your way, so you can take ——— of my property, you say that I might have saved the colonel and make your lie an excuse for my death. Well, I am ready when I have given my last instructions to Sam.’ The mob stepped back. Gordon was not to be feared now; he had been disarmed. Silent Sam came forward and Conrad whis- pered: ‘** You will obey me, Sam?’ The guardian of the fuse nodded slightly. ‘** Go back to the cavin and hit the cap with your hammer.” The eyes of the listener sparkled which as- sured Gordon that one man at least in the mob respected his commands. ‘That is all, Sam. Do your duty well.” sient Sam straightened again and stepped ¢e ‘‘ Ar’ you ready, cap’n?” asked the leader of the mob, A a ea a a a eet eT A a AE ee ® “T am ready.” The next moment he was seized and marched away. Sam did not follow but turned and glided to- ward his own cabin. At a rapid pace Gold Conrad was conducted ett the hill not far from Colonel Thunder’s cabin. When the men of Vulture Bar saw the door standing wide open they exchanged significant glances and then looked at their victim, ‘You war hyar since the cunnel’s death, cap’n?” ‘Find out if you can!” was the defiant an- swer. “The gal war suthin’ to you. We allus knowed thet, fur the cunnel ’d never let you see her. You came hyar an’ found her. Did you kill her?” ‘* Wind out!” A dozen fierce oaths replied, and if the arm of the leader had not dashed as many lifted re- volvers aside the life of Gold Conrad would have ended then and there. But he passed the cabin safely, and was taken over the brow of the bill and halted un- der @ tree whose giant limb had evidently borne the hangman’s fruit before. In a moment a lasso-like rope was dangling over his head, and a noose fell upon his should- rs. ‘‘ This is fur the cunnel!” said the chief of the avengers, stepping back. ‘*We own the Bar from this night, cap’n. The cunnel war a brick; he war our fav’rit’, an’ to Davy Jones’s with the man who stepped back an’ let him die! Pull, boys!” The noose tightened and the rope grew taut above his head. Gold Conrad felt bis body leav- ing the ground, and he was bracing himself for the terrible ordeal when a strange thud was heard and he fell almost upon his knees. The three men who were pulling on the rope staggered back, and fell upon each other in a ludicrous heap, for the cord had been cut in twain, and that by a_huge bowie-knife which quivered in the tree! ™ ‘That man belongs to me! [ll spatter you all with the brains of the first man that lifts a hand against him. I am the Queen of Fate, and Iam here with my death angels to enforce my commands!” These words, clear and distinct, fell upon the ears of the startled mob. Every eye was turned toward the speaker. She had spoken truly; she was not alone. She stood between the stalwart figures of Ar- kansaw and the Rosebud, and at the latter’s left stood two Indians, Eight revolvers covered the mob—eight in- stead of ten, for one of Arkansaw’s hands clutched that terrible weapon which seemed equal to an arsenal—his fourteen inch bowie. alleck was not to be seen. ‘ CHAPTER XVI. QUEEN MERTA’S REVENGE. THE tableau a ae to the mob was enough to make it recoil. The wolves of Vulture Bar knew that the hands that gri the out- stretched revolvers would not hesitate to send death into their midst if another arm was lifted against Gold Conrad. The words “‘ He is mine!” also meant ‘‘ let that man alone;” and the threat that followed was almost useless. . Conrad Gordcn saw his deliverers, but not until he had glanced up at the knife in the tree —the bowie which had cut the lynchers’ rope. But while he stared at Queen Merta and her companions, he was listening for a sound that would make his heart leap for joy. Silent Sam had reached his cabin before this; then, why had he not carried out his (Gold Conrad’s) commands? Sam had reached his cabin, tenanted only by the dead, for the body of Colonel Thunder, cov- floor. The lamp was still “surning, and taking it up Sam unfastened the door that led to the fuse room. | . The next moment he had raised the trap door and was bending over the fuse,a hammer in yaa sh and his dark eyes beaming with wild elight. Suddenly he lifted the hammer and dealt the cap a smart blow which produced a small re- port like the explosion of a cap of a toy pistol. As he struck Sam leaped up and listened at the open door. A second passed away, another and another, a minute waned, five went into eternity: but no result!” What was the matter? Why had the fuse failed? ered by a buffalo-robe, lay in the middle of the | Sam’s face grew long and full of disappoint- ment as he Jistened. The explosion had not taken place; the mines were still in good work- ing condition and the demons of the Bar would find them so when they had lynched their owner. With a mad oath Silent Sam sprung to the le again and examined the cap. is blow me ag ct it; then, why had the great scheme ailed? After awhile he raised the cap and saw—the severed wire! His eyes suddenly dilated, he stared and gasped, and then started back with an oath. Somebody had destroyed the current. He thought a moment, and then bounded from the cabin, muttering the name of The Man with the Knife! Meanwhile, the mob under the deaih tree had been rendered prisonerless. ‘*Co Gordon come here!” the Queen of Fate had commanded. ‘‘ Men of Vulture Bar, let him obey me!” A singular light flashed up in Gold Conrad’s eves at this command, and the next moment he walked forward and halted almost against the muzzles of the eight revolvers. He seemed more than ready to exchange the anes cord for the pistols of the avenging eague. ‘Then he halted his eyes encountered the burning orbs of Queen Merta. She was victor now: an hour ago she had stood before him awaiting the blow which he had nearly dealt, The hate of years was in the eyes of each; but the Queen of Fate mastered her passing thoughts, and glanced over Gordon’s shoulder. ‘*Go back and bury your leader,” she said to the mob. ‘“‘I will attend to this man. You follow us a step at the peril of life. Go back!” ‘“We will on one condition,” said the leader. Well?’ ‘Give us thet man,” and the speaker’s hand described Arkansaw beneath whose mustache a smile was lurking. ‘*Ask for my right arm,” replied Queen Merta. ‘*‘ However,” she added, with a smile, ‘“‘if Arkansaw desires to become your captive I shall not object.” She glanced at Thé’ Man with the Knife as she finished, and he vty a forward. At the same time his right hand went up and all saw the blade that glittered in the moonlight. ‘‘ Ef you'll let me try my new bowie I'l) jine yer ranks,” he said, in a tone that made the stoutest ruffian shudder. ‘ Allright. Silence gives consent they say, so, I'll jest pick out my man. Tbe next moment the mob was falling back in a good deal of confusion, and the glowering look in Arkansaw’s eyes became a twinkle of humor. ‘‘ Hold on: I can’t pick ’im out while ye ’re movin’ thet way,” he cried. But the wolves of Vulture Bar did not obey, but stood not on the order of their going and continued to fall back. The Man with the Knife laughed as he turned to the Queen and her companions. ‘“‘No knife p’int in theirs ef you please,” he said. ‘* Ar’ you ready, Queen?” ‘“T am ready.” A moment later Conrad Gordon was bei conducted from the spot where his life had nearly been choked out of existence. The re- volvers of the Rosebud were near his head, and one leap for liberty would have ended his career forever. Not far from the tree the party halted beside four horses upon orfe of which Gold Conrad was helped by the arms of the two pards. He looked at Merta, but the Queen of Fate averted her face asif determined to tell him nothing beforehand. The cavaleade galloped toward the mines. Scarlet hands held Gold Conrad’s bridle-reins, and tkeir owners never took their midnight eyes from his person. Vulture Bar was left behind, and no rein was drawn until the road to Lodeton was reached. Gold Conrad looked around. He saw the jag- ged rocks of the overhanging cliffs, and the stunted treesethat grew on the brink of the canyon. As he took mh this wild scenery, he saw the Rosebud draw a coil of rope from be- neath his capacious jacket. The next minute he had thrown one end of it over the point of a rock forty feet above. ‘““'My time has arrived !’gsaid the voice of the Queen, “Ten years ago you had your day. e were happy among the mines of Armosillo, and my husband, your partner, worked for your interests as hard as he did for his own. But you wanted all. He had to get out of your way, and the man in whose heart Arkansaw’s (ECO) AANMKELONOME) cS CO