Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 217 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

Captain Crack. was exoused, Calamity and Joe doing the dig- ing. r ‘This might seem more interesting if we were getting pay-dirt at the same time while digging for liberty,” Wildcat Joe remarked, jocosely. ““Geld is hardly to be compared to liberty, as I leok at it,’’ Calamity replied. They worked rapidly and faithfully, and gseon had quite a hole dug. Skip, en the outside, was working as sturdily as they, as they could judge by his heavy pant- ing, and the sound of flying dirt, and he was evidently making nearly as great headway, $00, as were they. Liberty seemed near at hand, but just as they were thinking this, the sound of rapidly- approaching footsteps and a man’s savage eurses were heard. Was Metcalf returning! Next eame more curses—cries of ‘ Get out, you devilish pup!’—-then several shots were fired im rapid succession, the bullets striking upon the stout oaken door like hail, but not penetrating through, Then Skip was heard to leave his work and leap away with savage growls—then came mere eaths, more snarls and angry yelpsof the dog—maore excited cries of the man, and finally: ‘Help! help! my God! h-e-l-p!” ‘‘Mercy!” Calamity gasped, her face paling. “Tf the poor wretch don’t get assistance, he will be tern to pieces. Skip is like a panther when he’s thoroughly aroused.” Wildeat Joe sprung forward, and hurled his bedy against the door with great force, The old hinges loosened by the powerful sheek, and Joe and the door went crashing out- ward te the ground! CHAPTER XIL CONCLUSION, Tame crash occasioned by the falling of the door frightened the dog, evidently, for he leaped from John Metcalf, whom he had “downed” and was biting in a horrible man- ner. That was enough for the unlucky speculator. Bloed-blinded, as it were, he needed no urging, and springing to his feet, as soon as the dog drew off, he ran with all his might toward tbe distant moite, howling and cursing with pain at every step. Skip would have renewed pursuit, but Ca- lamity sprung from the cabin and called him. Skip was very much pleased to see his mis- tress, and received loud praise from both Lady Myra aud Wildcat Joe, all of which he seemed to enjoy. “ You weren't going to be made a target of, were you, Skip?’ Calamity said. “1 don’t blame you much for going for the ornery skunk.” ‘Then sho turned to Wildcat Joe, “Well, we owe our freedom to you then, rather than to Skip—and now that we are free, we must decide what is our next best move. Frem what we saw and learned there isa sort of eme-horse rebellion goiug on between the roughs aud the citizens, sowe must fight shy of tle one, and join the other party with whom my husband must be. But, before we can do this, with safety, a reconnoissance must be made. Allowing you’re a good scout, and all that, I reckon you’d better stay somewhere in this neighborhood as protection for Lady Myra, while I go and see what show there is for our getting into the citizens’ camp. ‘i ‘‘Don’s you think 1 bad better guf If I get my skuli proke, it isn’t of so much account as yours.” ‘Don’t fear about my getting hurt,” Calam- ity repiied, nonchalantly. ‘‘I’ve roughed 16 too leng in the wild West, to be easily burt, un- less taken by surprise. Besides, I want to scare up that husband of mine, if he is to be found, for the looking. Up yonder I see the mouth ofa darkravine. You and Lady Myra eo ee ee ee go there and secrete yourselves, until I return, which will be as soon as possible—or, at least, as soon as it is safe to ’tempt to reach the camp.” Leaving them Calamity crept toward the motte, accompanied by Skip, who was as good a guard as she need have, as his keen nostrils never failed to scent danger, when it was around, In due time she reached the grove, or motte, which looked dark and forbidding. She paused in the outskirts, to listen, but hearing nothing, she advanced, stealtbily, un- til a terrible sight just im front of her caused her to stop short, with an exclamation. A man was bound to a tree—a dead man, at that, and a stranger to her—with a knife driven to the hilt in his breast. ‘Some one has done bad work here,’’ Calam- ity muttered, with a shiver—‘ probably that wretch whom Skip chewed up. I wonder who this is? Lady Myra’s father, Pll bet! Heaven forbid that it is so!” © She had no time to ponder on the possibili- ties of the case, and so passed on by the tree, Near the further end of the motte she paused again, Skip having sniffed the air and. given vent to a whine. ‘* Hello! what’s up—what do you scent, Skip?” she said, pausing and listening intently. The dog whined again, and wagged his tail, Then Calamity heard a sound, asif some one were groaning. ‘Perhaps it is Dick in trouble,” she thought suddenly—‘‘ or else why does Skip whine?’ Then to the dog she said: “ Who is it, Skip? is it Dick?” The dog wagged his tail, and whined again, piteously. “Then, if it is your master, go find him at once.” This command seemed to please the intelli- gent creature, for putting his nose to the ground, he trotted away in the direction whence came the sound, and with eager foot- steps, Calamity followed. As a result they soon came to where Dead- wood Dick was lashed to the tree, A joyful meeting it was between Dick and his lost bri€e, whose hands were not slow in liberating him from his captivity. ‘*] was rather dubious about getting free this time, with my accustomed good luck,” Dick said, after burried explanations had been given; ‘‘and, eveathough I am delighted to be reunited to you, I have work to do. roughs set out to attack the village,and [ cannot rest until I strike in defense of the citizens, I must go and see what the roughs are up to, and if [ cannot get in a blow in favor of the other party.” ‘*Then Ill go with you,” Calamity said, de- cidedly. ‘‘I reckon I ain’t a-goin’ to let you venture into danger again, without having my share of it—and you know how I am when there’s any fighting to do.” ‘IT fancy so,” Dick reptied, with a light laugh, ‘“*Come on! we will again work together as a team in behalf of the right,” Accompanied by their dog; they quitted the motte, aud crawled stealthily toward the town. ‘T reckon they’re ap to fire,” Dick said, as they crawled along, pointing toward the cloud- ing sky, where a reddish glow began to ap- pear. ‘‘If they fire the buildings that the de- fenders are in, I’m afraid there will be dread- tul work.” Creeping rapidly, they soon reached the top of the eminence, where stood the shanty before mentioned, and from where they could com- mand a view of the main part of the camp, Here they paused to take observations, The ruffians bad evidently not fired any buildings yet, but that they were preparing for some plan of attack was probable, They had built a big bonfie in the street, just out of easy rifle range from either of the shanties that sheltered the defenders, and were adding fresh fuel to it. Just what their future plan of action was Shot, the Girl Brig-and. TR ET eee The - 13 Dick of course could not guess, but coneluded that he could not get a sightlier position tham he at present occupied wherefrom to nete the movements of the enemy. ‘ ‘‘We cannot well reacl: the shanties without making a wide detour, and yet if they make an attack, | don’t see what aid we can give them from this point,” suggested Calamity, “Not much, unless we can get weapons. You wait here, and I will explore this eld shanty and see if we cannot have our needs supplied ” The door in front was locked, but he soon discovered a rear entrance open, and went inte the apparently deserted building. He was gone quite a time, and Calamity had about made up her mind to go in seareh of him, when she heard him returning. A mo- ment later he appeared around the corner of the house, hauling after him an old howitzer, It was rusted and battered, yet looked capable of doing duty. ‘‘ Hello! where did you find that?’ Calamity asked, running forward to help him pull ®, ‘‘Oh! I found the wheels and the gun in the back shed,” Dick replied, ‘‘and I didn’t know but what we might establish a little battery of our own, sol contrived to remount the piece,” ‘‘Not a bad idea, for look! the roughs have really fired the tavern, and several are skulk- ing in a roundabout way to fire the ether buildings, while the rest are standing ready te make a rush upon the citizens when they shall be forced out by the fire!” “Tll see if I ean’t seatter em,” Dick said, grimly. ‘‘In the shed you'll find a small keg of coarse powder. Go feich it, while I gather some coarse gravel for bullets,” Calamity obeyed, and Diek collected a num- ber of quartz heard-heads of the size of hens? eggs, for the bright moon afforded plenty ef light for their work. When Calamity returned with the powder, he proceeded to load the gun as rapidly as pos- sible, using dry grass for wadding, in lieu of anything better. He soon had the gun well charged, then he carefully trained its muzzle so that the load would carry about into the center of the ruf- fians’ temporary camp. Procuring a long pole, he wrapped a paper upon one end, set fire to it, and then, getting at a safe distance, touched off the piece, A thundering report followed, that fairly made the eurth tremble. As soon as the smoke cleared, the eyes of the two artillerists sought the rufflans’ camp, The volley bad done no harm, Inexperience in training field-pieces had caused Dick to level his weapon too high, and, as a result, the shot had riddled a shanty just in front of the ruffians, and between them and the tavern, The attack had, however, been instrumental in creating confusion among the roughs, and a score of them were setting out, with hoarse shouts of vengeance, toward the hight, on a run. ‘¢ We shall bave to take leg bail for security, now!” Calamity said, exeitedly. ‘¢Pooh! I don’t agree with you, in that,” Dick replied, pouring some more powder inte the elevated muzzie of the gun, and reloading rapidly. ‘'I reckon I can cateh ‘em ‘fore they catch usJ” He finished loading in a jiffy, and then, springing to the top of the guu, he waved his hat and shouted; ‘Back! back! or Pil sweep you! Fair warning!” But it was a warning they evidently did not see fit to heed, for they came swiftly on, fir ing as they ran, their bullets buzzing unpleas- ant.y around the spot where the two gunners stood, Springing down, Diek once more carefully trained the gun to bear on the crowd, while the quick-handed Calamity placed the long- handied torch ready in his band. Bang! the report was terrible; but not less terrible than the destruction the volley made, ’ | IJOO) (SCO AM) € <S.cOl