Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 240 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

~ EO ——— — — ‘* And now, they’re Kit for running the Mormon Prophet through with the sword during their combat the other night. If wedo not do something for him at once we shall not be able to help him!” ‘You say he has made efforts to secure my lost child for me?’ the witch demanded, her features working and her wild eyes directed toward the gallows, now nearing completion. ‘*Of course! A finer fellow does not exist, and if he gets free he will undoubtedly endeavor to find Bertie and restore her to you.” ‘‘T believe "you, atid we must free him from this accursed Mormon mob!” ‘*Come!” she said, setting out toward the up- per end of the village; ‘‘I think I have a plan going to hang this Cyclone that will secure his escape, and also vengeance | for myself.” Grim followed, keeping his eyes well about him, for he bad fears of the old witch, of the peril Kit was in, and of the general result. He placed none too much confidence in the fidelity of the Irishman; he was afraid Meg did not know just what she was about; still, he fol- lowed her. In the course of five minutes they came to a large shanty, and taking a bunch of keys from her pocket, Meg softly unlocked the door; then, motioning Grim to follow her, she flung open the door and entered the front room of the shanty. ‘The detective followed, and closed the door after hin. They found themselves in a very commonly- furnished room, where a man was seated at a table, engaged in reading by candle-light from a book, evidently a Bible—a man of middle age, who was red-haired and bearded, and of portly build—a man with keen gray eyes. He sprung up with a startled cry as he beheld the unceremoniwus iptrusion of the witch and Grim. He reached toward his hip-pocket, but a motion from Meg warned him to desist, and he obeyed. ‘‘Hal ha! you know better than to pull a weapon on me, Joe Bird!” the witch cried. “You fear my vengeance, and know better than to trifle with me!” ‘“Who are you? What do you want?” the Mormon demanded in a gasp, looking in alarm first to Grim and then to the witch. ‘You know who I am!” Meg retorted, fiercely. ‘‘I am the one you left to shift for herself when you turned nae, rae, to join the accursed Mormon gang of thieves and cut- throats. I am the wife you promised to love, honor and protect.” Bird was silent. His head was slightly bowed; his eyes were fastened upon the floor, while Meg went on: ‘* You turned me loose with the wolves in the mountains, and there I have since remained. Where is our child, Joe Bird? Speak! Tell me where she is |”! “IT do not know,” wasthe reply, in a sort of whine tone. “I’ve heard she is missing— thougbt likely you had her.” ‘* You lie, Joe Bird—you lie! You knew bet- ter than that, and had not a care what had be- come of her; Do you know what I’ve sworn to do, Joe Bird?” ‘No; I know nothing about you, woman.” “ Well, Pve sworn an oath that I will kill you and rid the world of such a viper as you are. What is the present number of your Mormon wives?” : ‘‘ Six” was the unblushing reply. ‘‘ What! so few? I supposed you had a score at least. Well, sir, you can depend upon it, then, that you will have to die six deaths to pa for your folly. But not yet. I have other wor for you do do, by doing which you will prolong your lease of life. You have heard thata young man named Cyclone Kit is about to be exe- cuted?” Bird nodded. » ‘‘ This man, Cyclone Kit,” Meg went on, ‘‘is the eldest son of Judge Carlison, who once helped you to get money to save you from going to the war. Put on your hat. ou have got to secure for him his liberty and save him from hanging.” — ‘‘T cannot do it!” the renegade husband re- plied, nervously. “1 cannot—really I cannot!” “But, you will, though, or die right here, in your tracks. _ It’s your only chance to prolong vour life! Take your choice; Free Gyclone Kit, or die!” ; _ “How can I free him?” the man asked, growl- 2s ‘‘T am not his jailer, or his judge!” '** No, but you have access to the temple, and can easily slip in and set him free, before he is led forth to execution. Quick! decide! Ifyou do not obey, Pll kill you, and attempt his res- cue, myself!” Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator. a Ol = Bird reached for his hat, proving that he knew what was best for his personal safety. ‘*Go ahead, and I will follow,” he said. ‘* Hardly!” Meg sneered, ‘‘ you go ahead and we will follow. ‘That will look better!” Undoubtedly Bird would have demurred, at this, only that the sight of a cocked revolver, in Meg’s hand did not seem to inspire him with any great amount of courage. So he led off, Meg tollowed, and Josh brought up the rear, in great anxiety. The parley in the shanty had been a source of agony to him, He feared that they would be too late, in reaching the temple, to save Kit—and he was net wrong. On reaching the queer stone structure, Joseph Bird softly unlocked the front door, and enter- ed, A moment later, he came out, and paused | upon the steps. an ‘You are too late!” he announced. “ They have already taken the prisoner to execution.” ‘Then you die on the portals of this sacrile- gious church!” Meg cried; and raising her weapons, quickly fired. With a groan, her faithless husband placed his hand over bis heart, and fell, never to rise again in life, as she supposed. “That is murder, probably, but it is at least ridding the world of one viper!” she gritted, turning to Grim. ‘*‘Come! we’ve work to do. Plan your own actions, and execute them—l will do likewise, and see you later!” ) Then, she was off, like a deer, and out of sight ere the Yankee could speak, Seeing that he was left to work by himself, he turned his footsteps hurriedly toward the bonfire. When he arrived near the place of execution, he paused, and gazed sharply around him. ri few of the villagers noticed him, and nod- ded, seeming to mistake him for some one of the Mormon miners, The scaffold had'been completed by this time, and looked ominous and uninviting enough, as made plain to view in the light of the roaring bonfire. Cyclone Kit stood at the bottom of the stairs, in charge of four strong men. Atan open window of his mansion, Don Juan sat, bolstered upin a chair, so that he could have a good view of the gallows, | Beside him was a revolver, which he was to fire off whenever he wanted the prisoner brought upon the scaffold. Ringing a bell, at his right hand, a servant soon entered the room, ‘‘ Bring me a glass of brandy!” he . The waiter obeyed. With a gulp the wound- ed Prophet downed the fiery then smacked his lips. ‘That imparts new life!” he said, a glitter in his baleful eyes. ‘‘I shall get well, yet, in spite of them. But that fact shall not stay the execution. Oh! no!” He raised the revolver, and fired it out through the window, aiming the shot at Queen Cordiz, whom he saw standing below, the majority of the sturdy men of the town at her , and all noticeably well armed—a fact he had not noticed, until now. Immediately after the shot was fired, Cyclone Kit was led upon the gallows; then his feet were bound, the noose placed around his neck, and all was in readiness! ‘Cyclone Kit, this is your chance to utter a short prayer while I count one! two! three!” Don Juan called from the window. ‘ You are too great a man to live in this age—you must emigrats to the Better Land. One!” No answer from Kit. Brave fellow that he was he evidently disdained to speak to his enemies. je mee wf fe ae the ay eagerly hree—a r peril!” a voice the next in- stant hissed tt his Oar! iquor, CHAPTER XIII. AT THE GALLOWS, Wird an oath born of cowardly fear, Juan Cordiz jerked bis head around, to behold the horrible grinning visage of Old Meg, close to his own. “Sh!” the witch hissed again, her upraised hand clutching a large glittering knife; ‘‘not a word, or ’li cut your throat from ear to ear, you wretch !” | ‘Curse you! get away!” Juan gasped, shudder- ‘Hal ba! no—not until I have made you spite rai Phy uot the wie Pik —if ou eave you tering, your eas: e’s blood. Direct sdae-men ad give 13 a - ee ee -——— Cyclone Kit his liberty, and I will leave you to die a natural death!” ‘*No, no! You shall not cheat me of my vengeance!” Cordiz gritted. ‘‘ Three!” Promptly, as the words burst from his lips, to the hearing of the 2 res ie the trap of the scaffold dropped, and—” Bang! the report of a rifle was next heard, and, instead of dangling in mid-air, Cyclone Kit dropped through to the ground, unharmed. The bullet, sent by the unerring aim of. Josl Grim, with a rifle be had secured, had cut the death noose in twain. A murmur of mingled approval and dis- approval burst from the spectators ;—then came a great cry as the crowd of Queen Cordiz rushed forward, and drew up in line confront- ing the other villagers, with leveled weapons, (@ueen in the lead. “Halt!” she cried, in a stern, shrill voice. ‘Henceforth, 1 am ruler of Gold-Flake, and Mormonism is at an end. Surrender, or we will shoot you down, like the dogs you are!” ‘‘ Never!” aman cried, springing to the lead of the Mormons, “Rally, subjects of Juan Cordiz, and members of the Mormon church, and we will sweep these renegades from the earth!” The appeal was not in vain. Compréhending the peril that menaced them, the Mormons drew their weapons, and re- sponded to the call—men, women and children joining in, as a rush was made upon the in- surrectionists, Wild yells, ringing commands, fierce curses and screams, and the deadly rattle of pistol shots were the sounds of the next few moments —a spell when it seemed that pandemonium had broke loose. Fierce and deadly waged" the conflict, each party fighting with all the power they possessed. t was a rind sight, too, nearly two-thirds of the ‘Mormon force being composed of sturd women, while only one woman headed the a tacking party. Men were there in Queen Cordiz’s force who were Centre Seen their Mormon wives, who had refused to forsake their faith in the church. Josh Grim, as soon as he saw the condition of affairs, withdrew a short distan and then made a roundabout circuit through the darkness so as to reach the Cordiz house from the side, and without being observed. He was successful, but to his disappointment, found no mode of entrance to the dw on that side, and was obliged to make a retreat. In the darkness, at a safe distance, he stood and watched the conflict, kno it must soon oe. He Mega do no more, until it was safer to nv | And he was right. The Mormons soon broke, and beat a retreat: toward the falls end of the locked valley. The victorious band gave ch but speedil ve it up, as their eneinies d every whe in the darkness, and succeeded in making good their eRe | _ The anti-Mormons then returned to the vicin- ity of the bonfire, and held a consultation. hile this was going on, Grim saw several of them enter the Don’s mansion, enly to speedily return with some communication that seemed to cause a deal of excitement, among their com- panions. | Shortly afterward, water was thrown on the bonfire until it was entirely exti ed, and darkness reigned supreme, in the locked valley. For once in his life Grim was at a loss what to do. But, one thing—it was necessary for him to maintain his liberty, in order to accomplish the mission on which he had come to this wild and outlawed country. ' In the mean time, what had become of Cy- clone Kit? | | So suddenly after his drop from the gallows had the battle goomeaed, Miss sphitienty A no. one ip Josh Grim had taken the second thought of him. When “two” was spoken by Juan Cordiz, Kit: had nerved himself for the final end. And when ‘‘ three” came, and the trap gave away, “he had but one thought—that was ex- pressed in prayer. | But, when after a sharp jerk on his neck, the rope parted, at the instant of the rifle report, and he dropped upon the groan, he knew some one had befriended him, if only temporarily. His wits were not so strangled out of him but: what he knew enough to fall forward on the See ap with his face downward, and lay per- ently still—and that was probably what saved fe, although he had no thought of its oing his 80. (G| o (aie) com CS (eo)