Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 207 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 ‘‘Thar’s a dozen ov us no longer. You heard the revolver? It wiped out the Boss Cactus. Whar ar’ the Injuns? I don’t see ’em, an’ my eyes ar’ ez good ez they ever war.” ‘*Nobody’s seen ’em, cap’n; but we’ve heard ’em, which ar’ jes’ ez good!” ‘“‘ Not by along shot,” retorted Carlos. “‘ You don’t see an Injun, but you know they’re up thar because you’ve heard suthin’—is thet it?” The eyes of his followers dropped before his accusing look. ‘We'll go forward. Mount!” The order was obeyed, but the next instant the sharp cracks of Indian rifles awoke the echoes of the mountains, and one-half of Twelve reeled from their saddles to strike the ground dead! Captain Carlos grated his teeth. ‘‘Down! the devils are going to charge us!” It was true; thecharging whoop of the Nava- joes rung out like a clarion blast, and as the mountain men dropped behind their steeds once more their red foes came thundering forward. They were permitted to approach until Carlos uttered the word “‘ fire!” then six rifles emptied as many Navajo blankets, and the remainder of the band drew back. ‘‘Keep it up!” said Carlos.. them time to reform,” The gold leaguers needed no such commands; they were continuing the battle and a perfect hail of lead was leaping from their deadly repeaters. he Indians, unable to withstand such punish- ment, drew off, carrying with them those of their number who had fallen; but as they did so, they sent up a yell of defiance which told the mountaineers that they had by no means given up the contest. Navajo Nick fought in self-defense among the gold-seekers, The first deadly volley of the Indians had spared him; in this it had proved more merciful than Mohave Bill’s pis- tol. Besides, he hated the red foes; for had they not fastened him with a lasso to the tail of his own horse? He knew that his smallest movement was watched by his captors even in the thickest of .the nocturnal battle; but pretending not to lnotice this espionage, he fought as though the. mountaineers were his comrades. After the repulse a council of war was held, and the gold hunters discussed the propositions submitted by Captain Carlos. It was Nick’s first experience of the kind; but he took no part although he listened attentively. He was anxious to learn what Carlos would do. It was decided to hold the ground till morn- ing, for the mountaineers had sworn not to turn their backs on the mountain of gold, and in their leader’s expressivo words, they would ‘‘ keep the vow or die!” An hour of strange silence passed away; the wounded horses had been quietly put out of their misery, and side by side they lay in the starlight with their late riders. The Boy Gold Hunter, crouching at the foot of a bush with a cocked carbine waited for a renewal of hostilities. Captain Carlos, thought- ful but a veritable watch-dog, almost touched him with his broad shoulders. The suspense was terrible. “They are not going to attack us again,” he ventured to Carlos. ‘* They have left us.” ‘* Don’t you know the Navajoes any better than thet?” was the reply. ‘‘ They will attack us ez sure ez death. I wish they would!” As if to realize the captain’s wish, a sound entered the silent camp; the men prepared to receive the charge. ‘The tug ov war is hyar!” said Carlos. win er die. Let every shot tell. The man thet misses sha’n’t hev a hand in the ‘divide’ when we get it.” Nick held his breath as he raised his carbine. ‘*Hyar they come!” At that moment the foe that never sleeps— the red Indian—poured «4 volley into the gold league’s camp, but it was badly aimed, and i slew no one. Quick as a flash the shots were answered, and then came the wild war-whoops of the second charge. ‘Stan’ firm!” cried Captain Carlos. ‘We win er die!” As the Indians had a goodly distance to ride over before reaching the gold hunters they were compelled to do so in the face of a hail- storm of carbine bullets which despite the un- certain light emptied a number of saddles, Captain Carlos and Nick stoed side by side, protected by two horses. The boy wasactually a prisoner, for the leader of the Twelve had se- cured him to bis own person with a stout lariat **Don’t give ‘We. | Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. which encircled his waist. Carlos was de- termined that the boy with the secret should not be separated from him. Those who assert that the Indian invariably shelters his body while fighting would have changed their opinion if they had seen the Navajoes riding fearlessly upon the death deal- ing weapons of the determined enemies who opposed them. he carbines were fired so incessantly and with such a deadly effect as they advanced that for a moment they recoiled. But a loud shout from their leader took them forward again, and they rode into the very jaws of death. Our young hero saw Captain Carlos throw his carbine aside with an oath; it was 9 the foe was upon them; he could not reload. Drawing his revolver the mountaineer thrust his long arms forward and fired with a rapidity that astonished Nick, who with an empty rifle could no longer assist in repelling the assauit. All this scene did not seem to last a minute. The valor of the Twelve did not appear to avail them aught. The last charge could not be resist- ed by a handful of men, desperate though they were. The Indians came down upon the camp pee : pack of woves maddened by the scent of ood. ‘“Come! You an’I fur the bonanza, boy!” said the harsh voice of Captain Carlos, and Nick felt himself almost lifted from the ground and hurried away. He was not loth to leave the battle field, not eyen when his conductor and preserver was the man who would have his secret or his blood. Carlos had escaped at an opportune moment, and he and Navajo Nick did not pause until in a little gulch a inile away, they heard but the echoes of the Indians’ yells. ‘* Let ’em cheat Carlos out ov the golden hill ef they can!” he exclaimed, his eyes Mashing with triumph. ‘‘ We’re worth a hull nation ov dead men. There don’t live the red-skins what kin beat our cold deck. Hit, eh?’ ‘*[’m not hit,” said Nick, starting. ‘*T thought you war from the way you looked. bh see anything do you?” +s 0. The boy’s heart was beating strangely and well it might. A shadow if not a substance was not far away, his stare had been seen by Carlos, but, thanks to his presence of mind, it had not be- tray ed him. ‘*Dagobert!” thought the young gold hunter. ‘** Dagobert, my friend! Ah! I knew you would not desert me.” What! if the eager eyes of Captain Carlos should see the figure crouching scarcely ten feet away? A spring ora shot and the career of the would-be rescuer would bo ended for- ever. But the Ieader and, perhaps, the sole survivor of the Mountain League did notsee. He turned upon Nick after listening to the echoes of the battle awhile and asked abruptly: ‘*Do you know whar you ar’?” The boy shook his head. “‘We’re within a hundred rods ov Navajo Canyon, our first objective p’int.” The boy started. NavajoCanyon! He could not forget the name. From that place he knew the actual hunt for the gold mountain must be- n. ‘‘So we are near the canyon?’ he said. ‘*Good! I am willing that we shall go to it. The sooner the better perhaps.” Captain Carlos started off and Nick followed. He was still lasso-joined to the man who wanted his secret. Although the young gold seeker was afraid to even glance over his shoulder, he believed that Dagobert was gliding along. The Man with two Names would not think of deserting him in such a situation; Nick felt that he was only waiting for an opportunity. All at once at the end of the narrow gulch a fizure leaped between Captain Carlos and his prisoner. A knife severed the lasso as it had been twine, and as the leader of the Twelve turned upon the rescuer he was flung away, revolvers and all, to fall in the shadows of the towering cliffs of Navajo Canyon. Our hero uttered a cry of joy as Carlos reeled from the fist of his deliverer, and he did not hesitate to follow the hand that closed on his wrist; and led him away. He was free at last! He and Dagobert had met again to triumph over all their foes and to find and to enjoy the riches of the hidden inountain. “Tm payin’ him back, cuss his onery pic- ters!” exclaimed the rescuer as he halted, ‘“You did not think thet I’d turn on Carlos? No! I guess you didn’t from the way_you stare. I’m the Boss Cactus ov Arizona. Who d’ye think I am?” avajo Nick could not speak; he could only stare into the wild face which, until that mo- ment, he had thought belonged to his stanch friend Dagobert. He instinctively recoiled from the sight. ‘*'You’ll git used to me,” said the gaunt fellow following him up with alaugh. ‘I’m no sage bush. I’m one ov the lost arts, as it were; a cactus whose spines sometimes kill! Me an’ Cap’n Carlos hev dissolved. The Boss Cactus is your friend. You kin trust ’im. What d’yer say ?” tint that spy? Nick thought of his first in- troduction to him, the carrier pigeon, and the face at the window in Mohave city.’ “You think |’m gettin’ up a cold deck on ye,” said the Cactus; ‘‘an’ I don’t blame you either. [ll not ask you ag’in to trust me till you’ve tried me.” ‘* Yes,” replied Nick, ‘‘ Pll try you first.” CHAPTER XIV. THE TRAIL OF BLOOD. THE man upon whom the Boss Cactus leaped at the mouth of Navajo Canyon was not long scrambling to his feet, but, quick as he was, the sound of Nick’s footsteps had already died away. ‘The Cactus! the traitor!” be exclaimed. ‘‘ Alive! an’ turned squarely ag’in’ me, He wants the secret too, eh? huntin’ it on bis own hook I ’spose, an’ now thet he’s got the boy, he’s crowin’ over the bdactatgh he hez jes’ won. What ailed my eye when I kivered his head awhile ago? War it ordained thet I should merely graze him? Next time I'll hit center. Take care, Cactus! Captain Carlos ison yer track!” The leader of the Twelve went down the can- yon with his fingers at the triggers of his re- volvers. His mad eyes, but keen, saw every bush, every crevice; his ears caught every sound. He had lost for the present the Boy Gold Hunter and his secret; for the present only. He was not the man to think for a moment that the great secret had slipped through his hands forever. ‘Ef I could find Mohave an’ fix matters right with him,” he muttered. ‘‘I war too mad to talk decently to ’im when lsaw’im last. His blood war hot about Dagobert killin’ Monte, which war bound to come to pass some day. Mohave nearly shot the secret from my fist, but a miss in such cases is a mile. I could count on Mohave’s help ef 1 could find him. But whar is he?” ‘Yes, where was the half-breed’s Avenger! Weleft him lying on the Man with two Names in thecave in Navajo Canyon. Helen bad fired at his unhandsome face and fled: she did not tarry to inquire into theresult of her shot, but the fall of the desperado told her that it had killed. That was enough; Dagobert and his hunter might sleep in death together. Captain Carlos continued down the gloomy gulch until the mouth of the cavern yarned be- fore him. ‘The old rendezvous!” fell from his lips. ‘‘ Hyar’s whar we lived all Jast summer while huntin’ fur the gold mountain. 1 never ex- pected to come back alone; but alone I am— the last man ov the Twelve,” The opening seemed to invite him; he went in just as the long arrows of another daylight were entering the canyon. To Carlos, as we have just heard him re- mark, the cave was not unknown; the names cut in the stone walls told the story of the ren- dezvous. He soon found himself in the great apartment which sti]l contained an unnatural heat, that did not escape the man’s notice. The warmth of the fire kindled a few hours before by Dagobert still remained, although the cinders were cheerless and dark. Carlos was surprised to discover the few live coals which his feet unearthed, and for a while he crouched beside them, using his eyes and ears, and with his hand on his revolvers. But as nothing disturbed him, he fanned the rai into a blaze with which he lighted a torch, ‘*T’ll look around a little afore I settle down,” he remarked in a half audible tone. “I want to know who left this fire.” Starting up with the torch he took a step to- ward the stone stairway, but the next instant a noise made him turn to the right, ‘¢ Mokave Bill!” he ejaculated. The figure of a man was braced against the EGOMmicbooks ? (E(0)]