Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 240 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

Cvclone Kit, the Young Gladiator. —_—— 15 ‘*Emphatically, once and for all, no!” the gladiator replied, firmly. ‘‘Very well. Your fate be on your own head then. Ihave come to the conclusion that you would be a dangerous party to have around, at best, and not wishing to kill you outright, I have prepared a better scheme for getting rid of you. I’m going to send you on a long voyage, down-stream, and if you don’t happen to get spilled out and drowned, you will eventually find yourself in the gulf of Mexico, providing you are not rescued. Bring him along, boys.” The men cut Kit loose from the log, and rais- ing him, carried him to the shore of the creek, where they deposited him upon his back, in a small skiff, and pushed him off into the current, as they did so giving vent to some of the wild- est screeches Kit had ever heard, the Queen joining in with them. But Kit did not reply. He knew something that caused him not to mind their yells. In cutting him loose from the log, one of the men had accidentally, and without noticing the fact, cut one of the ropes that bound Kit’s wrists. Waiting till the boat had drifted into the cover of the chaparral, Kit sat up in the boat, and freed his wrists. By this time the frail craft had dashed into the tunnel, and all was inky darkness, the rush- “3° waters making a terrible roar, Hor fear of getting his head severely bumped Kit had to lie down, again, in the boat, an work to get his feet frée, in that position. The boat was going with much velocity, owing to the rapid descent in the water-course, and he knew he was in imminent peril, unless he could soon get free; besides, he was bein come further and further from the lock valley. Finally he succeoded in freeing his feet, and nerving hiaself, he dropped overboard, still re- taining a hold on the boat. The water was up to his waist, and nearly swept him from his feet, but he struggled man- fully, and at last reached the side wagon-trail, and landed himself and the boat. _ He calculated that the little craft might come into play at some future time, if not now, and accordingly stood it up on end in a dark, rocky niche, beside the trail, where he thought it would not be noticed. Then, wringing out his garments as best he could, he set out up the gloomy tunnél trail, thanking Providence that he had got out of the scrape so luckily. “Tf I know myself, that’s the last time Cy- clone Kit gits roped in hereabouts,” he mut- tered, as he tramped along through the dark- ness. ‘Dll g° back and capture my Bird, hunt up Grim, and then light out, you bet!” The boat had carried him a greater distance than he at first had supposed, and it took him over an hour to get out of the funnel. In the glade he’saw the bodies of the victims of the affray that he and Grim had participated in,and noting the fact that they were well- armed, he proceeded to gang 2: himself with a ep pair of revolvers, a e, a rifle and a ull cartridge-box, Then he crept along the bank of the stream, until he came to the open valley. Just ahead of him lay the camp of Queen Cordiz, and not desiring to run the risk of re- capture, he waded across the stream, and dodged along the opposite side of the valley until he was in close ee the cam where the Mormons were gathered aroun several fires, engaged in cooking their suppers. From his position, Kit could see his renegade brother, Arthur Carlison, and his temptation to shoot him was great; but he desisted. Bertie Bird was not among the crowd, he concluded, for he could not see that any of the females were guarded, or under any restraint, whatever. ‘He must have her concealed in some of the habitations,” the gladiator muttered, “‘ and now is my time to search for her, while the houses are deserted. He forded the stream, once more, and begen a hurried inspection of the shanties, nearly of which boasted of open doors. Soon after, the fire broke out—first in one lace—then in another, until buildings were on re nearly all around him. “It’s high time for me to be getting out of this, as soon as convenient,” was his conclusion, as he saw that it was indeed destined to be a general conflagration. | ‘‘There’s one cabin, yonder, however, whose ae is barred outside, that I would like te ex- ore, ‘ > So he ran over toit, and listened. ‘“ Who's there?” a voice cried from the inside, which he recognized as belonging to Josh Grim. ‘* For God’s sake, whoever you are, open the door and save us from being burnt alive!” “Certainly!” Kit replied, cheerily, and open flew the door. Josh uttered a joyous cry, when he saw who was his rescuer, and there was a hand-shake, after which Kit said: ‘“Come! we must not get hedged in by the flames. Let’s get to one end of the gulch, or the other.” ** Then, let it be to the falls end,” Grim said. They accordingly left the village by the dark- est route possible, and succeeded in reaching the edge of the chaparral in safety. Here they paused to view the conflagration, which was making all parts of the gulch as light as day. Look!” Grim said, pointing Mormon camp. toward the ‘*Some one is coming this ys 5 ure enough, they saw a man coming in the direction of the chaparral. As quickly as possible they got in under cover and waited. The man, who was Arthur Carli- son, came and entered the thicket. He was zone about ten minutes when he returned, eading Bertie Bird by the arm. ‘* See!” he said, pointing to the flames; ‘‘ the town is oh fire, and now is our chance, during the confusion, to escape. What do you ha will you go with me, willingly and peacefully, x a kill you on the spot, and end the mat- r ‘Kill me a dozen times, you wretch, but I will never yield to your villainous purpose!” the brave 1 cried, scornfully, drawing her figure to its fullest hight. ‘Nor need you!” Josh cried, leaping from the thicket, followed by Kit and Dumb Tom. ‘‘ Arthur Carlison, I arrest you in the name of the law for wife-murder!” The renegade glared at the confronting trio an instant—then, before they could prevent him, he drew a knife and plunged it to his eart! Three days later, Cyclone Kit, Dumb Tom, Grim and Bertie left Phantom Acre forever, taking with them all the gold they could carry —not from the Mormon Jo amgeoat ut from the pile old Meg had hoarded up in her cave, The poor woman, it was found, had been killed by some avenging Mormon. , Cyclone Kit proceeded with Miss Bird to Bos- ton, helped her settle her business there, and then, accompanied by Dumb Tom, returned to the Far West. 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