Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 279 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 as pear a horse, capitan, but it is riderless,” said. ‘‘Say you so, Benz?” exclaimed the ranchero. “Tam not so certain about that. Stir at your peril. The band that slew the master is not afraid to kill his slave.” Benz gave the speaker a look, which bad to pass over the glittering barrel of a leveled re- volver. _ The sound of the approaching hoofs grew more distinct, and nch Rob was straining his eyes through the night to catch a glmipse of the animal rapidly coming up. “ By Jove! you’re right, Benz. The horse has no rider!” fell suddenly from his lips. ‘‘ He’s going to pass us on the left. There he goes!” Both men now saw the steed which bad come in sight, and was dashing past on their left, al- though within a Jasso’s cast. Allat once, and while Ranch Rob still eyed the animal, a man rose on hi: back, and the next instant a noose settled down over his (the ranchero’s) shoulders. A mad curse and a start was the reply. Then the ranchero was jerked from his saddle. A shout of triumph burst from tthe guide’s throat. It brought Ranch Rob to his feet. “Traitor, take that,” he hissed, and from the flash of bis revolver Benz, the traitor, reeled and fell from his steed. ‘I’m ready for you now!” ha grated, whirl- ing upon the lasscer; but at that moment he was jerked from his feet, and a laugh of re- venge and victory sounded in his ears. » knew that he had fallen into the hands of one who was called sometimes Pedro, the Mer- cilesss ‘‘Never mind, I’m not weaponless!” said the ranchero. ‘I've been in tighter places than this in my life. Come on, villain, and let me give vou a bullet that itches to pierce your heart,” Ranchero Rob lay amid the yielding grass that covered the rich pasture ground, ready rea to confront the man who had lassoed im, Tre lasso had tightened around his body, pinioning his arms to his side, but he was confi- dent that he could use his revolvers with effect on any enemy who dared to approach him. But no one-came up. Suddenly something red like the lantern of a will-o’-the-wisp danced before his eyes. It grew larger, and he watched it until all his doubts vanished. “Great Gol! Pedro the Merciless doesn’t be- lie his name!” fell from his lips in accents of borror. ‘Unless I can escape from this ac- cursed coil, lam doomed. The fiend has fired the grass CHAPTER XII. FROM FIRE TO FLASH. Ta ranchero’s situation was appalling! When he attempted to spring to bis feet the lasso tightened, and he was jerked rudely back again. He doubted not that Pedro the Merci- less was at the other end of the infernal cord. ‘* Advance upon me, demon!” he shouted aloud. ‘“ Ab! you dare not face the man you have entraped. Iam helpless, weaponless and yet you keep aloof, coward that re are.” There was no reply, and Ranch Rob did not waste any more words on one who must have heard yet would not answer. He could see that the flame which at first had appeared no r than the light of a lucifer, was fast becom ng a ng and devouring fire. The tongues of crimson leaped above the son Pe serpents, and the wind was blowing fa ce. The horse ridden by Benz, the avenger’s con- off, but the ranchero’s With distended nostrils and flery eyes the animal stood almost within touch of his mas- ter’s bands, and eyed alternately the burning grass and the men on the ground. Where was Pedro the Merciless? If Ranch Rob could have looked through the black smoke, and over the top of the fire, he would have seen the author of his peril. Standing beside the horse that had carried him to the spot, the little Mexican’s aa, watched with dancing orbs the progress of the ref destroyer. “Pedro hears the ranchero, bat he will not answer,” he murmured when Ranch Rob had ceased to taunt him. “ He will never shoot another man whe leaves to him the truth which he calls alie, Sacrissima! he will irm like a serpent when the fire touches Pedre, the Merciless, as we have just seen, ee See ee eee ee UETEEEIIEEEE Old Winch, the Rifle King. owe ee ee was not at the lasso, The cord was fastened to a sharpened stick forced into the yielding ground, so that when the caught ranchero at- tempted to rise, it would tighten and throw him igain. “A man must fight to the last!” grated Ranch Rob, ‘“ 1f Pedro, the Merciless, will not come to me, I will go to him!” Believing that the giant held the end of the cord which he could not see, be clutched his re- volvers with a firmer grip, and began to creep toward the van His horse followed him, asif there was a bond of affection between man and beast, which only death could dissolve. The fire was continually approaching. If the grass bad been entirely , and a strong wind to fan the flames, Ranch Rob would never have reached the end of the lasso alive. Fully expecting a death-grapple with his enemy, the ranchero was eager to get to the end of the cord. The whole scene was now revealed by the glare of the billowy sea of crimson that rolled toward him. His crawl, while it was full of de- sire, b came cautious. Pedro, tae Merciless, might be waiting for him. At last be reached the end of the rope, and found instead of the giant—a stake?” ‘Curse me! why didn’t I find this stick sooner!” he exclaimed, as he threw himself for- wardand pulled it up. ‘‘ Thevillain has ridden off and abandoned me to my fate. Ah! there will come a day ora night of retribution for eo fiend. He has added a new enemy to my ist.” While he spoke the ranchero was loosening the lasso which he did nct fling aside but ap- propriated as he turned to the one faithful friend —bis borse. ** You can outrun a fire, Meza!” he exclaimed, throwing himself into the saddle. ‘‘ Now take me away, and help me to live for vengeance. Benz didn't get to show me Gold Georgie’s trail, but never mind. We'll find the pear! of Gold Valley, and come out on top yet. The yellow fiend is ridivg off confident that amon the ee grass when the flames bed aad on, will lie only the bones of Ranch Rob. was man so terrioly deceived before!” The herder king could hardly oe a wild ery of victory when he found himself being car- ried swiftly over the ground in advance of the fire. He looked back more than once and saw the whole valley in flames. Hundreds of ran- cheroes would curse the hand that fired the grass, and on the morrow the sun would rise upon a scene of desolation. The ranchero’s steed was an animal of ac. knowledged swiftmess; but bis greatest efforts were not required to keep his master ahead of the flames. He bore him across the doomed ure lands, nor felt a rein drawn until the fty foot-hills of the Sierra Nevada hid the flames, but not the spark-kissed sky. ‘*Here we are, Meza, safe and sound without a hair singed!” cried Ranch Rob, smoothing bis steed’s heated neck. ‘* Let me see, where are we?’ and he looked up at the towering trees and oo sloping sides of the bills that surrounded em. : He knew almost exactly where he was, for the mountains that looked down upon Gold Val- ley were as familiar to bim as the trails of his own ranch. But it was night, and his surround- ings were likely to prove ptive. ‘ We'll go on,” he said, addressing his horse, which he now urged forward again. ‘‘If Iam not mistaken, this path leads to a spot we bave frequently visited, Meza. We went through it when I was og sts to a horse’s back. am ever going there in a better condition now.” The horse was now wu into a gallop, and Ranch Rob was emer into a little basin, when a man’s voice gree his ears. ** Hello, thar, stranger! I wish ye’d stop, fur I don’t like ter shoot, although I expect ye’r’a fellar what richly desarves killin’ like the most ov mankind in Gold Valley.” The first three words made Ranch Rob draw rein, and while the speaker continued, he Jeaned forward with his fingers at the triggers of his revolvers. ‘““Who are you?” he demanded, catching a Grimapee of a human figure among the mountain ushes perhaps twenty yards away. ‘*Thet’s no secret. I’m Old Winch!” was the nse, n exclamation of amazement fell from the ranchero’s lips. “Kind o’ surprises you, eh?’ the old bear hunter went on. ‘‘Mebbe you've heard how I tumbled froni my boss, down in ther valley, an’ war dragged away danglin’ from ‘ther stirrup. i ie I’ve bed many queer adventures in my time, but thet one | wouldn’t hev repeated fur all ther claims in Californy. I’m hyar, though pretty nigh used up, but ready for bizness all ther same. 1 know you. ‘‘T hey’n’t heard yer voice fur a long time, but I bev’n’t furgot it. Don’t Il recollect how you ordered the boys ter lash me to ther tres the day you broke camp away up in northern Californy? You didn’t git the Diamond ov So- noma, Ranch Rob, but ye’ve done better with the gal. Whar is she?” Captain Rob had by this time seen that Old Winch beld a rifle against his shoulder, and that he was talking over the barrel. “From Pedro the Merciless to Old Winch— curse the change!” grated the rancbhero to him- self. ‘*J can’t hoodwink a man who has cause to bate me, if any man living has, 1 must get out of this scrape as best I can, or the victim of Starvation Camp will complete his revenge.” He looked at the old grizzly-fighter again. ‘‘T am Ranch Rob—the map you've been looking for ever since that day,” he confessed. ‘* You've reccgnized me already. Now shoot and cancel the debt of blood!” “Thet’s not fur me to do, Ranch,” was the answer, and the man among tbe bushes ad- vanced, but unsteadily. ‘‘ You hey’n’t answered my question: Wahar'’s Gold Georgie ?” ‘*You would not follow mef’ “Try me!” A strange gleam was in the depths of the 2 a eyes which were fastened on Old inch, Did he read in the old man’s unsteady step and unnatural look signs of approaching deatb? The Old Rifle King stood at bis horse’s head, ane was eying him with his piercing eagle orbs. ‘Where's your horse!” asked the ranchero, “Ready fur me,” was the answer. ‘ You will take me to Georgie?’ ““ Yes.” : ‘(Fool me, Rob—play me false, an’ the buz- gards ov Gold Valley will fiad you dead to- morrow.” It was a threat which Old Winch would not hesitate to carry into instant execution at the first sign of treachery. ‘‘IT am ready,” the ranchero resumed, still ee em the old man. iar cal] by the bunter brought a horse forward, and after two attempts he seated bim- self in the saddle. ‘‘ He’s a dying man!” ejaculated the ranchero in an undertone. ‘That ride at the stirrup h s nearly finished bim. I will complete the work at the first opportunity.” “Go ahead, Ranch,” ordered Old Winch as he fell in behind the herder whom he watched closely while be held his cocked rifle in his bands. ‘Don’t furgit the buzzards thet’ll sail above Gold Valley when the sun comes up ain,” “eThe ranchero voucheafed no reply, but sent his horse forward with a light touch of the spurs, The fierce eyes of Old Winch did not leave him for a moment. “I've got ‘im now!” he hissed. ‘ The fool will take me to Gold Georgie an’ thar the gal’s trail will end. What ef he knowed thet she war ther Diamond's child? If he war aware ov thet, he’d stop his boss an’ we’d hev to shoot it out hyar.” next moment the flash of a revolver leaped from the dim starlight abead, and the man on the foremost horse ng erect in bis stirrups with a loud cry, and pitched forward over his steed’s ea rs! : ‘‘ Who did that?’ yelled Old Winch. ‘ Let the coward who bez cheated Gold Georgie out ov her man show bis carcass, if be dares!’ There was no response. CHAPTER XITI. AT THE HEELS OF HIS OWN HORSE. OLD WINCH repeated question and challenge, but the person who had shot the ranchero with- out warning neither replied nor showed him- self. ‘The shooter’s a coward !” grated the grizzly- hunter. ‘ He’s afraid to face an old man whose life lease hez about expired!” And as there was still no answer, he moved forward and bent over the ranchero. A glance told him that the sbot bad not proved fatal for the hed of Gold Valley was searing init) his face, and a grim smile was visible at corners of bis moutb. ‘‘'m hard to kill, you see!” he exclaimed. gh | don’t think the red-skin drew a drop of (E@MMIE! OCC) Ss com ~~ — » a a 4