Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 24 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

~~ aed — > at ee Se * ee we Te =~ ae te.- cow TS 29 -*e® “See @ Be Qe} See oo 20s O- Seer Iu 1th ow >. =e" @ ir Be + = .BD**ea™. “i eS SDE OPO WE BT EP OOM KR HT ee EE ARP er «eerie SSR. as > iars + "2 - 2° 297 £9 a? CN? FORT Fee Sor ee aes Te “Yer did?’ cried several voices. ‘* Yes. being half man half Beadle Nee —_—- - | was returning from the Sioux camp, and I hope y, it | he has a lair some where here—see, the party seemed. When I first saw him he was bound- | that left this trail is not far ahead of us,” and ing away over yonder, and in his arms he held | the guide the captain!” ‘* Durnation!” exclaimed Prairie Pete. “True; but I would not risk a shot and so shouted for you. Come!” Throwing himself into his saddle, Diamond Now, we will follow him. | i inted to a distant clump of timber, above which curled up a column of blue smoke. A mile more, and they saw men and horses through the timber. e: t is the party we are looking for—yon- der is Captain kham.” “Yas, we’ve found them,” replied Prairie Dirk dashed away at a swift gallop, followed by | Pete. his comrades. Over the shallow snow they pursued the bounding trail, through valley and up and down hillsides, until miles had been left behind them. Emigrant’s Gulch was , and then before them were visible vast volumes of white smoke, it seemed. ‘*Durnation! the earth’s on fire, said Prairie Pete. , “No; we are nearing the geyser region. That is steam from the boiling spring,” said Diamond ra and he urged his endid animal on still aster ‘‘Ha! yonder is our game. Come!” They had come to a small hill, and were look- ing down into a valley. . a mile away was a huge form bounding swiftly along. It was the madman of the Yellowstone, and in his arms he held Burt Belford. Beyond the valley there arose volumes of white vapor—the steam from the hot lakes—and directly toward this cloudy mass the madman was bounding, with the same mighty, untiring leaps that marked his trail throughout. “* That thar is the Devil, an’ he’s inakin ’ tracks fer his hell-hole, sartin,” said Powder Bob. ‘Ef he ain’t, ’m asinner. I say, boss, we’d better lef that thar rooster alone—he’s ther Devil,” called out Prairie Pete to Diamond Dirk ins yonder smoke ~ Come on, you fools! if he him, ’ the guide, as he we will lose ,’ called bac bounded on. “We wants ter lose him, we does—don’t we, boys?’ said Powder Bob. A universal assent followed. They would fight gs door g human; but when it came to the Devil himself, that was another question, and they came to a halt and called loudly to their comrades to return. But Diamond Dirk was of a een he feared nothing earthly or unearthly, an a his steed swiftly on in pursuit. t then became a hot race, and the horseman steadily gained upon the fugitive: but a few more Scania bounds carried the madman into the mists, from the boiling springs, and he disappeared from view. The next instant Diamond Dirk drew rein, suddenly—forcing his steed back upon his haunches—he was upon the brink of a rocky basin, from which was hurled into the air hun- dreds of tons of boiling water, which fell back to the earth with heavy thuds that shook the rocks and gave forth a roar like thunder. Slowly, up and down the spot, did Diamond Dirk ri feeding his steed event into the hot mists ; but nowhere could he see aught of the monster fugitive—he had disappeared most mysteriously—perhaps rushed to his death in the seething n of water. hh gs the guide slowly retraced his way to- Ww. his comrades, who still stood on the dis- tant hill watching him most anxiously. As he rode along, Fart gg and experienced eye caught sight of a trail in the snow, winding the base of the hill. Beckoning to his comrades to follow, he struck the fresh tracks, and soon discovered that he recognized them. vinding that they were not going in the di- rection of the infernal regions, as they called the boiling lakes, the companions of the guide a ov him. ‘Well, boys, I chased the Devil home—but Belford, I fear he has gone to his I’ve struck a new lead.” ’ e = Yas, i¢ looks like the old trail.” ‘‘It is the one we were following, and it is fresh—we will go into camp near here, and then solve this mystery, for I will find the captain, dead or alive,” and the spoke with a de- — tion that proved that he meant all that geeeeanebow ron bes tet ic. eee Se it, an’ it a nice young man, as was ties sana to hey ter go ter the devil, so suddint-like; but he’s got him sure.” is oath ee Seren avebery taal this—that some m fellow wa Gs same one that fied by me when I you bet,” gether. ‘* An’ hev lost ther man as was lookin’ fur ’em,” answered Powder Bob. ‘* Yes—lost the one who was searching for those whom we have now found; but I hope all will come round right in the end—yet I fear for the captain,” and the guide’s voice was full of sadness, for he had become deeply attached to Burt Belford in the time thev had been to- CHAPTER XV " IN A QUANDAR ~, WHEN the party of Diamono )Jirk had first been discovered, Lord Gilbert aad his compan- ions at once placed themselves on the defensive, bea Pompey and Jake sought secure hiding- "eS But Leo Markham soon discovered that they were all white men, and, shortly after, recog- nized Diamond Dirk, whom he had often seen at the fort. “They are friends—yes, I know them all: but what can have brought them here?” ‘‘Doubtless heard the firing yesterday, and wa followed our trail,” suggested Lord Gil- rt ‘It would be just like Diamond Dirk to come to the aid of those in distress, yet I cannot un- derstand what*can have brought them into the Yellowstone region—had they been a scouting y from the fort I would have known of it; ut we shall soon know— Ho! scout; we are glad to see you: but what brings you here?’ cried Leo Markham. ‘We have found what we came for, captain, and I am glad to meet you, as we were in search of you,” and Diamond Dirk threw himself from his horse and grasped the soldier’s hand. ‘‘ Anything wrong at the fort?” ‘*Oh no—our business is unofficial—in fact I do not know what it is: but we came as a body-guard to—to—what in thunder is his name? boys do you remember the captain’s name?” im ‘* Nary—never heerd, as I knows on,” replied ete. ‘Strange, I should have forgotten it: but to explain—shortly after you left the border, a ae gentleman rode into town—there’s his orse—and asked for a guide and men to follow you—he was most anxious, for some reason or other, to meet with Lord Gilbert.” © With me?” and the Englishman stepped for- ward. ‘Yes, sir—he said he would go to the ends of the h to meet you, and hence we started on your trail.” ‘* And where is he now?’ ‘“‘God only knows—we camped at your old battle-field early this morning, and he walked off alone—shortly after ‘three shots were heard in rn we succession, and we ran to his aid. ‘““The ground and snow were tranipled and gh ME and but one trail led from the spot. ate That trail we followed, and an hour since came in sight of the boiling lakes, and the fugi- tive, a monster, human-shaped and of great size— “The madman!” cried Leo Markham then he ckly continued: Go on, guide, I have met the same monster.” ‘He carried in his arms, as though a mere child, the captain, and disappeared in the mists , and not a hundred yards ah of me—whether to die in the boiling waters, or into some den known to him alone, God only knows, for I could find no trace of him.” cq ey ae this man was in search of me?’ “ And for what reason you cannot tell?’ hows a gave no reason—only seemed most anxious you. ** And you cannot recall his name?” ‘For the we Soe at I heard it put once, and we o captain. “ Was he an officer?” “That I do not know, sir—I learned nothing of him, excepting that he was not an American and had traveled much.” “Describe him, please,” and Lord Gilbert seemed deeply interested and greatly puzzled. “He al a slender-formed, agils man of ’s Half-Dime Library. pe — ——— eee twent rhaps—possessed an almost womanly face ant socio’ of a rather sad nature. “He was ‘well mounted, well armed, rode passably well, was utterly fearless of danger, and most liberal with his money, for he gave me ample to fit out for the trip. n ‘** A mere boy, you say? “In looks, yes, yet not in manner—he looked twenty, he acted forty—he was a fine fellow, and I liked him immensely.” ‘* This indeed is remarkable—I can think of no one whom I can place in his position—can you Jules?” ‘*None—a friend would hardly have gone to such trouble, expense, and danger to find you,” replied the Frenchman. ‘And I know of no man who would track me _—_ from hatred—there is a deep mistery in all this.” ‘So it seems—this land is full of mysteries: but now that I am hereI am determined to solve some of them.” ‘*From the Indians I learned that you were aided in hed fight, by an angel—” ‘Ha, hay and so she was, guide—a pretty lit- tle sunburnt angel in buck-skin petticoats—she led us out of danger, to a good place for defense, and then, when we were about to be wiped out, brought some Banack braves to our aid—” ‘*T was surprised to know that there were Banacks up here?” ‘““Yes—a huntin Fork ee they did not come above ree oc ige ulch; we left them at came on here after the angel, the battlefield an following her trail to this piece of timber,” said Captain arkham. : * Was she an Indian?” ‘*Oh, no; but nearly as brown as one—she was a utiful girl, and when she had saved our lives, slipped through our fingers as nicely as you please—but she leaves a trail, and hence cannot be an angel.” ‘*And dwells in close vicinity to the Devil’s dominions, captain,” and Diamond Dirk point- ed toward the vapory clouds from the boiling akes. Then he continued: “Well, this is another ‘mystery that needs solving—an angel to be found, the Devil to be captured, and our captain rescued. We will at once seek a pleasant and safe camp, and set to work.” ‘‘ Agreed. I am delighted that you have come, and our united parties need not fear In- dians. Lord Gilbert, my friend Diamond Dirk is the crack scout of the border—we are lucky to have been found by him. Now let us at once seek a permanent camp—the horses are jaded and need rest—then to rescue your friend from that madman’s power—first insnare the Devil, and we will then be worthy to entrap an angel. Guide, whither shall we bs Diamond Dirk glan quietly around him, and soon took in the nature of the country. Then-he mounted his horse, and followed by the whole party, set off for a distant range of An hour’s ride brought them to a most delight- a > —— ee 24 “74 eee with plenty of rich grass for the horses, cool runnin streams filled with delicious trout, and the tim: ber the haunt of big and little game. Here theetents were soon pitched, a rustic cabin built, the horses ho ai and turned out to feed, ee ompey — or — brave with num se wor a Ww reparing a Se tal int th . begin sol m po e party were solv- ing the mysteries of the wonderful and beautiful land of the Yellowstone. CHAPTER XIV. DIAMOND DIRK TRAILING. At an early hour that night the whole party retired to rest, excepting Powder Bob and Prairie Pete, who were on pe - =_ i Sy OES Omit, wate Bie loss of rest and fatigue, was sleepi cefully; but a slight touch aroused him = § one to welestathade. Well, Pete, what is it?’ he asked, for the plainsman bent over him. ‘*That’s what I wants ter know.” Diamond Dirk hastily threw on his clothes, buckled his belt of arms around him, seized his rifle, and walked noiselessly from the brush cabin, or rather shelter. “Well?” “Tl tell yer—I was on the at onder an’ durn meer I didn’t see ther De at Es passed right by me.” ‘Was it the same fellow we trailed?” ‘ Yas or his hangin he wa trottin’ along, an’ went down wa and Prairie F pointed toward the boiling es. P JOO <S EoOmie (E@)