Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 198 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

> A ra SE a i" OO TE te ke Ok Se oe ew ae er er ee ————_—— - ‘Well, as you like it, I will make you keep it forever. ady |” Five bronzed fingers glided to the five revol- vers in the watch-dogs’ hands. ** Whar is he?” No answer. “That ends it! Die like a fool and never know who she was.” This time the words spoken once before that same night, and by Colonel Thunder, too, only brought a look of yearniug to Halleck’s eyes, and made him shut his hands as if to nerve him- self for the ordeal of death. | Esmer had not watched the imperiled young man for several moments; she had seen no one but her guardian, and with almost devouring impatience she waited for the command that would kill. All at once his hand was uplifted, bis lips parted and the signal was about to fall from them, when our heroine sprung over the inter- vening space and threw herself before Gold Conrad’s foe, ‘*Drop your weapons!” she cried, as she faced the swartny five. ‘‘ Down with them or die!” Her revolver moved restlessly right and left ee her pale face; her eyes emitted flashes of me. The watch-dogs involuntarily started back and glanced at their leader. Colonel 'Thunder started forward and stretch- ed forth his arm. ‘* Nothing must stan’ between us an’ duty!” he thundered. ‘‘Shoot yer way to Halleck through the body that covers him. Fire!” CHAPTER VIII. “FOR THE QUEEN!” WAILE these thrilling events were transpiring under ground, others almost as exciting were taking place in the starlight, and the lamp- light not far away. e have mentioned that Esmer while hunt- ing Colonel Thunder and his pards saw the second messenger sitting in the light that re- vealed the interior of Silent Sam’s cabin. Establishing his identity by a glance, she moved away, and her place at the window was almost immediately filled by a wild face covy- ered with dark hair. The pair of eyes that looked into the cabin now saw the same scene that the girl had just left. Silent Sam was one of the characters of Vul- ture Bar; he seldom spoke, and when he did his words were monosyllables, but spoken to the point. His cabin consisted of two apartments, the larger one of which, at the time of which we write, was occupied by Gold Conrad’s messen- ger and himself; a strong door, secured by several strong iron bars, led to the other room, which did not have a single window, This dumb man held a responsible position at the Bar. Let us see what it was, The man at the window kept an immovable position for many minutes. After awhile, the messenger. from Lodeton looked up and encountering Sam’s expression- less gaze, drew a fuse from his pocket. At the same time he made a sign that caused Sam’s eyes to twinkle. ‘The cap’n sent this,” he said, extending the fuse which Sam eagerly took. ‘‘ He said thet you hed better fit this one on right away. uthin’ might require its use afore long.” Silent Sam nodded and moved toward the barred door. Without a word he removed two of the bars, and opening the door disclosed a dark room into which he motioned the messen- ger to follow him. Just inside the room hung a lantern which Sam lighted. The messenger looked disap- pointed for the little room was comparatively empty. ‘*T don’t see whar you’re goin’ to fix yer fuse?” he remarked. **Tll show you.” Sam stooped and lifted a trap-door in the Sse this action showed the messenger an ap- oot solid iron rod driven into the ground, ut Sam unscrewed a brass top, and proved it to be hollow. Then he drew forth a fuse which felt quite damp: the messenger shook his head when he had examined it. ‘* How Jong has this fuse been there?’ he asked, glancing at the rod. ‘*Three months.” “That’s too long for one fuse. other?’ Sam shook his head. ‘“*This one would have failed. Put the new one in; right away, the cap’n said.” The guardian of the e stooped and ina minute had fixed the fuse to the top of the You had no a was about to return the trap to its place when the messenger touched his shoulder. Sam looked up inquiringly. ‘*How does the blamed thing work? all goes up when you fire it?” ‘*Everything!” said Sam, showing his teeth ip a grin. ‘*'Thet’s a good deal,” was the reply. doesn’t burt the Bar, does it?” ‘*No; but the mines. Now I will tell you,” Sam continued, growing talkative. ‘* What if we should have trouble? What if the Indians or some white men should try to take the mines from the cap’n? I would fire the fuse when, whiz! crash! the old mountains would fly apart, and the mines would be useless.” ‘* Not with powder?” wm et No.” . ** Dynymite?” Sam’s eyes sparkled as he nodded. At the same time he shut the trap. ‘*T would be safe hyar,” he said; ‘‘ the Bar would shake, that’s all; but the mines! ah! they could never be worked ag’in.” ‘* Tt would ruin the cap’n.” ‘* Yes; but his foes would die poor.” ‘‘ By George! that’s a complete thing!” sud- a yRe exclaimed a voice at the door which Sam had left open. ‘I’m anxious to see how the fuse works. Tll jest tap the cap with the hilt ov my bowie.” Silent Sam and the messenger stood before the speaker like persons suddenly struck dumb. Their eyes seemed ready to fly from their heads, and volition appeared to have left them as they stared at the burly man who was stepping toward the trap-door with a bowie-knife clutch- ed at the point. ‘Pll jest giv’ it one tap,” he continued. “I don’t believe you kin blow up tbe mines with sich a thing as you ’ve rigged up hyar. You’ve been givin’ this fellar a game ov wind—Sam, you ’ve been lyin’!” The man who was none other than Arkansaw was at the trap-door before Silent Sam recov- ered. As for the messenger he had retreated to the door with a face as white as ashes. ‘*Stop!” commanded Sam, laying his hand on the intruder’s shoulder; ‘‘ stop!” There was a threat in bis eyes. ‘‘Stop? I will when I’ve tapped the cap!” said The Man with the Knife, turning away. Silent Sam said no more, but hastily collect- ing hisstrength he threw himself upon Arkan- saw. | The two men went to the floor together, and for a moment, having been taken ata disadvan- tage, the bowie-king seemed in a perilous situ- ation. For the guardian of the mine of de- struction had produced a revolver with which he was hunting in the dim light for his antago- nist’s head. But all at once Arkansaw whirled and knock- ed the weapon up, just as Sam’s finger was about to press the trigger, and the next mo- ment the body of the guardian fell in a heap in the darkest corner of the room, ‘‘Pyve got the same kind ova dose fur you ef you want it!” cried Arkansaw turning to the door; but this sentence concluded abruptly for the messenger from Gold Conrad was gone. For a moment a contemptuous look beamed in Arkansaw’s eyes; but without expressing his thoughts, he bent over the trap-door and ex- amined the fuse. Below the cap, which he removed, he discovered a little wire which he What $$ —— ee —_leOSOSs pionage glided along the cabins until he reached the one occupied by Colonel Thunder, and his protegee. Fora moment he applied his ear to the crack between jamb and door and listened. ‘** Not at home—not even the gal thet he calls a boy,” muttered Arkansaw. ‘‘Suthin’sup. I see’d’em all at my show. Ef I thought the kernul ’d come home alone I gr in an’ wait. “Tt | Pll go in anyhow, an’ take a squint at the in- terior of the nest.” He lifted the latch and stalkedin. At the same time the six figures sprung to the door. Five of them were Indians, the sixth was a white man; but one who might have beena king among desperadoes. He Jaid his left hand, armed with a bowie, on the latch, and listened while he looked over his shoulder at his fol- lowers, He was waiting for Arkansaw to strike a light as certain words told him that the bowie- king was hunting for a candle. All at once an exclamation told him that the object bad been found, and then came the cap-like report of a pair of lucifers. ‘*Ho! ho! blood on his bed!” exclaimed the man inthe hut. ‘‘I winged the Vulture. Con- found it! when I go back to Arkansaw Ill never say a word about the heart 1 missed at twenty feet. Never!” The next second crash! went the door, and mg saw the six human tigers that leaped at him, The candle fell from his hands, but alighted right side up on the table, and continued to burn, but a second later the naked arm of one of the Indians swept it o1 and put it out, But not before Arkansaw had _ recognized the bronzed leader of the scarlet wolves, ‘Waal, Rcsebud, you’ve gone cl’ar back on the Queen!” he cried. These words had a magic effect. The Rosebud of the Pink Forks whirled upon his own followers and with one sweep of his pistol-arm dashed aside the arms that were trying to get at Arkansaw’s heart. ‘‘ Back! back!” he hoarsely shouted. ‘‘The person ov Arkansaw is sacred! He is still in the sarvice ov the Queen. Thet makes us bro- thers!” The Utes stared into the face of the speaker, and shrunk back, but not without many a menace. What had come over their leader? They saw him turn to Arkansaw and put for- ward his right hand. ‘‘Fur the Queen?” he asked, hesitating just the least. sé Yes. 7 ‘* Put ’er thar!” and the bands of the two men met. ‘*T came hyar to wipe you out,” the Rosebud ie on. ‘I thought you had gone back on er. ‘*Tf you think I hev give me the hull length ov yer toothpick, Rosebud,” was the answer, and Arkansaw tore his shirt open with one mad wrench of his right hand, and bared his breast to Resebud’s bowie. But the man from the Pink Forks shook his head and sheathed his knife with the emphasis of an oath. CHAPTER IX. PARDS ONCE MORE. “Go down thar an’ wait fur me,” said the Rosebud, turning to his red comrades, while he still grasped Arkansaw’s hand; ‘‘ down whar drew out and cut off with his bowie three inches | I found you.” below the top, thus destroying the connecting The Indians departed and the two men were current of electricity which the explosion, or | alone in the cabin, firing of the fuse would send to the mines, ‘The Queen sent me down hyar,” be contin- Then he replaced the cap, shut the trap-door, | ued, lifting bis eyes to Arkansaw’s face, now and glanced at Silent Sam. That worthy was | visible in the mellow light that the moon was lying on his face, and consequently had not | throwing into the rccm. witnessed the tampering with the train. “Vl tell you why I war bhuntin’ you, pard. She said jes’ afore I “T’ve got things pretty much in my own | left: ‘Ef you finds any traitors at the Bar giv’ hands,” The Man with the Knife said with a | ; ’em the best hslf ov yer bowie.’ An’ I know malicious grin as he left the room, the door of | thet she thinks you thet kind ov a chick.” which he left open. ‘‘ I'll go an’ see how Colo- nel Thunder ar’ gettin’ along. ; I missed his heart since I diskivered the mine. By the widowed Jingo! I never thought he hed rigged up such a thing ez thet to keep sech fel- | lars ez Arkansaw from gittin’ the best ov ’im!” | There was a broad smile of triumph beneath the profuse beard and mustache that the bowie- king sported, and the next minute the cabin was left to its unconscious tenant. Out inthe starlight a figure standing at the window dropped suddenly to the ground and followed the Vaite-Shrower: Presently another renee another appeared until six were on bis trai : Arkansaw, apparently unaware of this es- te" “ ‘‘Me? Stan’ by me until I prove thet a lie, Vm kinder glad | Rosebud.” ‘**T will do thet—so will my red boys.” “ They ar’ yours, then? I killed one an hour ago. ‘‘The knife went cl’ar through him. You’ve kept in practice, I see.” ‘* Ef you hed seen my throw at the Howlin’ Wilderness you’d hev thought thet I hed lost my ” wi: I came too late; but I heard ov thet throw. The kurnel doesn’t object to it bein bis shoulder thet took the bowie, I reckon?” ‘Ov course, not,” and Arkansaw smiled. ** You saw the Queen—” ‘* Yesterday at sundown.” (EC) AMUCEL OKO) cS (ECO)