Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 240 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

; ‘Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator. 5 When he had fully determined to come into the locked valley in quest of Bertie Bird, he knew he would have trouble, and had made up his mind that it behooved him to establish a reputation from the start which would give him prestige and position. : Well satisfied that he could look out for Num- ber One, he had, on reaching the Mormon town, made directly for the saloon, presumimg he would be able to set the ball a-rolling, in the way of a fuss, and at once get up a reputation. The Don’s proposal accordingly gave him much ‘satisfaction. ‘* Have to fight, eh?” he said, looking the Pro- phet over from head to foot. ‘‘ Well, I don’t mind, providing you know your business. [ dislike to measure arms with a man who is not at least my equal.” ‘I dare say you will find me all you can ac- commodate,” the Don sneered, with a harsh Jaugb. ‘‘ What way can you fight best?” ‘*Oh, it’s immaterial. I am a good shot, as shooting generally goes; Ican dig you in the ribs with a bowie or a sword; ain’t bad at rough-an’-tumble or a scientific knock-down; chewin’ off noses and ears I can do up brown; am a tolerable fair booter; an’ when it comes to breaking necks, gouging out eyes or wrestlin’, Tallow I'm thar!” ‘Il may infer from that, that your specialty as wrestling. Very well. To-morrow night I will meet you in the coliseum, adjoining, and cordially throw ‘es over my head and rok your neck. Until then [ shall have you watched to see that you do not steal anything. Out of my way, sir, and allow me to pass.” ““Not until you take back that insinuation that I am a thief!’’ Kit cried, sternly, and ad- vancing nearer to the Prophet. ‘Either chaw your words, or Pll show you a trick you never saw before, ‘“‘Hal ha! Indeed! Know once and for all that Juan Cordiz, Mormon Prophet and gentle- man, never takes back what he utters. Out of my path, vagabond!” ¢ And drawing bis sword once more, he strode toward the door, despite the fact that Cyclone blocked his path. But Kit didn’t back at all. Standing his ground fearlessly, he waited un- til the Don poised his sword preparatory for a dunge; then, with a lightning movement, he threw himself forward upon his hands and made a wonderful handspring that landed him neatly upon his feet on the other side of the Prophet. pring quickly around, he caught the astounded Don by the leg and shoulder, and by the strength of his powerful arms, raised him above his head and hurled him with terrific foree against a window near at hand—the en- tire action occupying but a few seconds of time, ‘There was a crash of glass, and the anatomy of the Prophet disappeared from view in the dark- ness of the night without. | ‘* Next!’ Kit said, turning to the bystanders. “*Ts there any one else who wants to try me a whirl?’ **I guess not,” Prairie Phil answered, shaking his head. ‘ You’re too rich for our blood, or we'd try and accommodate ye. Reckon the Prophet will interview ye again, though, as soon as he can reach you,’ ‘No, I don’t think so,” Kit replied, going to the window and ring out. ‘‘There he goes mow, limping, and swearing like a pirate, for- ar of the tting, very likely, that he is a each Ho! ho! hot” and he — ed merrily. And it proved so. The Don did not return, evidently having got his fill of the young gladi- ator. Satisfied that no direct or open attack would be made upon him for a time, Cyclone Kit lounged about the saloon awhile, watehing the peo who came in and out, after which he took bis departure and went out into the basin. The hour was about midnight, and it was ea dark and beginning to rain. e must find some place in which to spend the remainder of the night, and with this object in view, he set out, groping his way through the inky gloom. He had not gone far before he heard the sound of two voices just ahead of him, and pausing a moment, he me satisfied that the owners of them were also advancing in a like direction with himself. _ Something impelled him to glide swiftly and cautiously nearer, in order that he might learn if the topic of their conversation was anything that had a bearing upon his case, He got so near that even in the darkness he could distinguish that both were figures clad in male attire, even though one of them had a de- cidedly feminine voice. — ‘thus, as otherwise. — ‘* There isn’t the least doubt about the matter in my mind,” one of the persons said, in an em- phatic manner. ‘‘ The whole circumstances of the case indicate that he came to this section, and if achild exists around here bearing his name, there can be no dispute but what it is the link we are looking after.” ‘*In that case, what good is it going to do you? The old man and woman are living, and you’d have to adopt the whole family, in order to make anything out of the child.” ‘*Even that would pay, were it a matter of necessity, which it is not. If the child, or rather, young woman we are on track of, is the right one, she isa bonanza. The old folks must be pacts old, and would sell out cheap, no doubt, and I could make my own terms as far as the girl is concerned.” “You don’t know. Tve seen women that even you couldn’t attract, with all your suavity and Beau Brummel perfection.”’ “Very few, [ll wager!” ‘‘Ay, more than a few. But, now, through my treachery to the faith, you have learned so much, what next do you propose to do?—how = ou. propose to work your plan, here in Gold- lake? ‘*T shall adopt the plan of introduction to the Prophet Juan, which you suggested to me!” ‘Yes, that will be your best plan. And re- member, if we meet, bereafter, we pass as strangers.” ‘‘T understand—strangers. It will be as well Here is your money!” Kit saw them pause, a moment, and he aused. Then, when they advanced, he did ikewise. He followed them for some distance further when, to hissurprise, they abruptl disappeared from view, and at a point where there was ap- parently no means of their doing so, naturally, the ground being open, and level. ‘‘] wonder what the blaZes this means!” Kit grunted, coming to a temporary halt. ‘‘Is it some more of the witchcraft that pervades this vicinity, I wonder?” He peered ahead, but no sight or sound of the strange couple, did he gain. ‘*T'll be shot if they ain’t gone, for a cer- tainty,” he muttered, ‘‘ and it didn’t take ’em a seooend to become scarce, neither. Maybe it was by way of the secret exit from this place?” After a moment’s reflection he continued on, until he had come about to the place where he had seen the last of them, and made an inspec- tion of the surroundings. There was nothing he could see having a sus- picious look; there was no apparent place close at hand where the twain could have hidden, or where there was any chance for them to have weet out of sight, except by sinking through he earth, and he could see no opportunity for even that, unless they had swum down tho stream, near by. ‘* Reckon I shall have to cave in, on solving that puzzle, for the present,” was his conclusion. I opine, though, that I’ve got onto the idea of a little scheme that is in course of development. It seems that there is another man, heaiies myself, who wants possession of Bertie Bird. It be- hooves me, therefore, to look out for Number One, if I hope to secure her. I wish I could bave got a view of the plotters’ faces—I should be bet- ter prepared to pursue tho case.” It was beginning to rain harder, now, and he knew it was advisable to get in under some sort _ shelter, soon, as he would get drenched to the skin. So he struck out again, and in the course of a short walk came to the Mormon temple, or church—a large structure of stone, used by the *“‘ saints ” as a place of worship, and possessed of as many queer angles and abrupt turns, as ert ety 5 peepee M4 House > an Gables.” wonder can ta night's ng in this place?” Kit mastered, ganeing mt to see if any person was watching him, and then mounting the =e It ought to be a healthy place, as long as it is a church.” He tried the ponderous door, but, as e found that it fastened on the other side. “That settles that, as the egg said to the coffee,” he mused, “I guess they don’t keep open house for tramps, wonder Rene the door is fastened?” A thought occurring to him, he tried the panels, until he found one that rattled. Once upon a time he had read of a Mormon edifice in Salt Lake City, the door of which was a marvel of mechanism in the way of sliding panels, and so forth, and he resolved to test the door before him. Not a little to his surprise, after working the loose panel a few minutes, it suddenly swung open, making quite an aperture—sufliciently | large for him to reach in his arm, and undo the. bolts that secured the door. In a twinkling thereafter, he was within the vestibule of the temple, with both the door and panel securely closed, All was inky darkness within the vestibule, so he groped his way forward, into the church itself. Here he stumbled around among seats, until he reached the heart of the place, when he lay down upon one of the rude seats, which con- sisted of unplaned planks laid upon blocks, and was soon fast asleep, from fatigue and exhaus: tion. It was broad daylight, when he next openea bis eyes, and lay a few moments, gazing up at the vaulted ceiling of the rude wilderness tem- le. . At first he failed to remember where he was, but presently all became clear to him, and he sat up and gazed around him. A Nin: light had struggled into the church, through a single window, and by its aid, Kit could better contemplate bis surroundings, than when he had first entered. There was a pulpit, and the wooden seats, and that was about all the noticeable features except that a door opened into a room, in the rear of the pulpit, ‘““T guess this will constitute my place of abode, during my stay here,” Kit observed, rising and sauntering down the aisle, ‘* That is, unless I am found here, which, I suppose, ac- cording to the Mermon faitb, would be a sacri- legious sin. Ha!” ie paused and listened. A sound had reached his acute hearing. It was well he listened. Footsteps sounded in the vestibule, and were evidently coming into the audience room. Something must be done at once, To be dis- covered there would not only ruin bis chances — for further might bring him into serious trouble, which un- til he had an interview with Bertie Bird, Cy- clone Kit did not desire. There was no safe place of hiding within the auditorium, and so he madea rapid flight to- ward the door in the rear of the pulpit. Before he reached it, however, he discovered a trap-door, just behind the puipit, and where the Prophet must evidently stand, while exhort- ing to his flock of polygamous lambs. : lodging in the temple, but also Quickly raising this trap, Kit saw a stairway, beneath, which he was not slow in descending, and closing the trap, after him, which left him once more in darkness, Shortly after, be beard footsteps overhead and, as there appeared to be no probability of any one descending, he erept close up to the trap, and listened, through a wide crack in the oor. A voice soon spoke, ang he recognized it as that of Don Juan, the Prephes. ‘*Danites of the Mormon church!” he was saying. ‘“ You have beard of the insult your riest and Prophet last night received, at the nd of a strolling vagabond, who gave out his name as Cyclone Kit. He is not only a rm flian, but also ra villain, and I believe that be comes here with a view of getting data as to the valu- able mineral resources of this gulch, that he may bring down upon usa sufficient foree of miners to drive us forth, and take peaenee. e danger himself. You will, therefore, see th with which we are menaced, and realize that it becomes us never to allow this fellow to leave Gold-Flake alive!” A murmur of approval was then audible, evi- dently coming from several persons, s Therefore,” the Don continued, ‘‘ you, Chief, a thousand dollars will issue placards, offerin clone Kit, dead or to the person who takes alive, and post the same about the town. Do you understand?” ‘““T do, Prophet,” a voice replied. ‘‘ Very good. And now, before we adjourn, we had best turn the bloodhounds loose in the church, as the infernal enemy may take a notion to invade the sanctity of our place of worship!” And, a few miautes later, Cyclone Kit was by no means elated to hear the pattering of a number of animal feet, followed by sniffs, and a sharp howl peculiar to the man-hunter. CHAPTER V. OUT-GENERALED. THE howl of the hound spoke better than words, to Cyclone Kit, that he was discovered. They had scented him, already, and it would be a matter of only a few minutes, until they ware him as far as the trap-door behind the pulp | (C(O | O)(O)C@ t