Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 312 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

a% (Pinte — a eee ing, began to go up slowly, all the while watch- ing for undesired observers. Unknown to himself, he was watched in turn; his boldness had gone a step too far, and trouble was brewing. A sentinel posted near the place had some time before decided that he wasa supernumerary, and sitting down with his back to a neighboring shanty, had kept quiet during Rube’s preliminary movements simply because, until he began to climb, he was not sure he was an enemy. Having decided on the latter point, he was too cautious to risk himself alone; but, creeping away, he collected half a dozen companions and returned to the scene. Thusit was that Redtop Rube, when half-way up on his difficult climb, was startled at seeing crowd of men dart around the corner and to- ward him, Another moment and, before their rush, down came plank, Rube and all; and the youth only saved bimself from a bad fall by an agile leap into the very midst of his enemies. Quick to think, it had been clear to him that only by desperate exertion could be free himself, and as a result he went in with all possible vim. Two Regulators divided the honor of receiving his weight, but it proved too much for them, and down they went like logs, while Rube, with the lightness all men envy in youth, made a second leap and struck squarely on his feet, ‘‘ Here’s a letter home!” he cried, with grim facetiousness, as he planted his fist in anpther man’s face. The blow, or the pun, prostrated the fellow, and then those who remained standing had a vanishing glimpse of the Vigilante as he dodged behind a shanty, and then settled down toa hard run, But he was not so easily to escape. None of the roughs were severely injured, and, looking over his shoulder, he had a glimpse of them in rapid and furious pursuit. t needed no magician to tell him that this chase would result to his misfortune unless he could outwit them, for the village would soon arouse, so, instoad of going ina direct course, be took advantage of the shanties and the dark- ness, and, by skillful doubling, soon had them entirely off the scent. ‘‘T reckon the time is ripe for the coming of the Vigilantes now,” he thought. ‘I’ve waked up the hornets, and, if ~iven time, they will be dangerous.” Thus it was that a moment later a shrill, far- penetrating whistle rung out on the air, and before any one had succeeded in learning what it meant the Vigilantes came down at a hard gallop. Redtop Rube was soon in his place at their head, and then, as the Regulators rallied to meet them, that fight began which was heard by Brown Ben and Zella, as before described. CHAPTER XVIIL. THE DOOM OF TORPEDO GULCH. THe Vigilantes struck heavily, for the older men caught the dash and spirit of the wild cow- boys, and as they battled with the enemy the night air was made vocal with their yells. At first all was in scattering form, and every one fought about as he pleased, but, gradually, the fight centered around Beldick’s saloon and waged hotly. Again and again the assailants hurled themselves on the solid force that would have gladly been assailants themselves had they been strong enough, but for a long time all was in vain. The Regulators, however, were affected by the absence of Lefferts, and Tom Trufant could not make his place good. Not that he was so very oie ee 8, in any way, but every force fights best when spurred on by a leader’s com- mands, eT He came justin time. The line was weaken- ing when he darted from the door. . “Forward, charge!” he yelled, wildly. ‘* Sweep them back or you are dead men! The saloon is on fire an’ it’s gettin’ nigh the powder.” Was there ever a stronger incentive? The Regulators rallied and, by 4 powerful effort, forced their enemies back foot by foot. Redtop Rube saw the danger and managed to spur his horse to the side of Sam, who was on foot. ‘‘Dog! I have you!” the Vigilante shouted; but just then a horse collided with his own with a force which knocked his revolver from his hand and almost unhborsed him. It was Sam’s chance, and while he grasped bis collar with one hand, the other raised aloft a knife which glittered ominously in the light of the burning saloon. For a moment Rube’s life seemed lost, but he | Redtop Rube, the Vigilante Prince, ee ee 15 had been in hard places before. There was but one way of escape and he tried it. Out of the saddle he came, swinging one arm around Sam’s neck, and catching his knife-hand with his own muscular fingers, and both men fell. They arose quickly, each armed with a knife. ‘* Will yer fight it out here?’ Sam demanded. *‘To the death. Stand back, all!” **Come and see me!” ** Age first; I’m waiting!” Rube spoke coolly, and then as his rival eaped forward their knives crossed with a sharp clash. ‘“T’ve got ye this time,” hissed Sam. ‘*So you thought when you tried to blow me up with powder, Try again! Ha! you vile coward!” From out his pocket Sam had drawna re- volver, and tried a quick, treaeherous shot, but he had to deal with one not easily outwitted. Redtop Rube leaped to one side, and the bullet only bored a hole in his shirt, and in a moment more an upward swing of his foot lanched his boot against Sam’s arm, sending the revolver eat feet away, and almost breaking the one, ‘*Help, here!” the Regulator lustily yelled; and then his gang swept forward again. The fresh attack not only saved Lefferts, but forced back all the Vigilantes. In vain Rube called on them for a last effort to reach Bel- dick’s; only the cowboys responded, and the young leader would not fling those seven brave fellows against four times their own number. Accordingly he sounded a retreat, and as they were not pursued, reassembled his force at the upper end of the village. The temporary dismay of the miners had vanished and they de- clared they were ready for another dash, but Rube bad a new plan. ‘‘How many of you object to firing the town?” No one objected; on the contrary, even those who owned shanties there promptly declared themselves in favor of the project. ‘So be it then; apply the torch to every cabin near here, and we’ll reduce Torpedo Gulch to ashes. The wind is favorable.” Every man was ready to help, and in a short time a dozen shanties were being licked by the eager flames. They had just finished the work when, look- ing toward Beldick’s, they saw a thrilling sight. One-haif the building was wrapped in flames and everything in the vicinity was plainly visi- a while on the roof they saw a youth and girl, ‘Brown Ben and Zella! they must not perish there, horse!” Need enough was there of action; at the best the fire was fast making the building a fiery pit, and to leave it was to fall into the clutches of the Regulators. ‘‘ Boys,” cried Rube, “let this be our last charge. We have no time to hesitate. Unless we strike bard and decisively, Brown Ben and the girl are doomed, See! even now the smoke arises and hides them. Forward, Vigilantes!” They replied with a cheer, but at that mo- ment the earth seemed to shake beneath them with a deep, rumbling noise as though an earth- quake was abroad; a crashing, tearing, boom- ing sound followed, and then in a mass of flame, cinders and pieces of wood, Beldick’s saloon arose in the air io a thousand pieces, The powder had exploded. ‘Merciful heavens!” cried Redtop Rube, “they are doomed. Brown Ben—Zella—they are blown to atoms!” It was a terrible thought, but it could have but one effect on the wild cowboys. They burst into almost fiendish yells and, waving their already bloody knives above their heads, swept on the Regulators with the rush of a deadly norther. Vengeance for Brown Bill! Down with ther Black Regulators!” The roughs heard the cry and felt almost in despair. The persistence of their enemies was strange even to them, hard fighters that they were, and the explosion had served to highten the feeling of dismay caused by the firing of their cabins, _ Truly, judgment had come to Torpedo Gulch in a flood. Down swept the Vigilantes, and the blindest of the party could not but see that their chances hadimproved. The Regulators seemed like a crowd of birds fluttering around a nest rather than like the fiery wasps of former ocva- sions. ’ ‘* Down with the Regulators!” ‘* Hurrah for the Vigilantes!” Good heavens! To horse, men, to Wildly pealed the yells, but as they dashed into pistol-shot and delivered their first volley, the foe melted away. No one took heed to Ins neighbor, but each went in his own fashion and ath, and it was noticeable that all seemed to ave an engagement away from the village, Beldick’s saloon was in ruins. The victors collected around the remnants, which still burned briskly, and all looked down on the two or three mangled bodies which lay in front of the former door, wondering if they were those of Brown Ben and Zella. Suddenly one of them uttered an exclama- tion, and all looked around to see a blackened, wretched-looking being who had staggered from the cover of a cabin and toward the group. In one hand he held a knife, and they could not mistake his motive, but only a few stagger- ing steps bad he taken before he fell dead. ‘hus died Sam Lefferts. The surprise was scarcely over when two more persons come from the darkness, and the crowd almost yelled themselves into pieces when they recognized Brown Ben and Zella, alive and well, The cowboys made a rush and both were lifted and borne around in triumpb until the near approach of the fire forced all to evacuate the eihaaé and take to the hills, And how had Ben and Zella escaped? First, when the former realized their danger, he had heroically descended to the saloon and rolled the powder kegs away from the immediate reach of the flames; and then studying the posi- tion of his enemies, had first shown bimself on the roof with Zella, to deceive them, and then escaped by the window unseen. Sam Lefferts had received his injuries by the explosion, thus meeting the same fate to which he had so coolly doomed his rival. When day again dawned Torpedo Gulch was in ruins and the Black Regulators scattered far and wide, Evil indeed had been the day when they molested Redtop Rube. The latter, accompanied by bis band, went forty miles away and founded a new town, There they were successful, and to this day Redtop Bar is known to the majority of miners. Ellice Norton is in an insane asylum. Of ber we need only say that she sinned and now she suffers. Zella went to the new “city” as the ward of the ex-Vigilautes in general, but we suspect she grew devoted to one in particular, for a few weeks ago she became the wife of him whom at times she still playfully calls ** Redtop Rube!” THE END. Beatles Weekly The Best Weekly of Popular, Entertain- ing and Useful Literature Pub- lished in America! {ts Unrivaled Corps of Contributors, almost all of whom write erclusively for its publishers—embraces the following authors of world wide repute— Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, Albert W, Aiken, Capt. Fred. Whittaker, Capt. Mayne Reid, Joseph E. Badger, Jr., Edward L. Wheeler, Charles Morris, Oll Coomes, C. 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