Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 312 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

“You may feel wholly at ease.” ‘But these men—they will kill us all;” and she shuddered and looked around the room, ‘* Are they as bad as that?” ‘‘They are perfect demons. My father has always said that if any thing occurred to draw their anger upon him he would be killed with- out mercy. Now—now you see what has hap- pened.” Reuben grew thoughtful. If matters were as bad as she said there was indeed reason for fear. He knew Torpedo Gulch had a bad name, but he was learning that it was worse than’ he thought it, “Do you live in the village?’ he asked, er A aah sé es,”? ** How far away?” ** A dozen cabins, or so,”’ ‘‘ We must go there at once and take your fa- ther. The wretch who shot him is now uncon- scious from my blow, and we must not wait for him to recover,” ‘But how are we to carry my father?” Zella asked, ‘lf these fellows let us alone I can do it my- self— Ha! he opens his eyes!” , Halpine did, indeed, recover at that moment, and that he wasin full possession of bis senses was shown by the keen glance he swept around the room, At sight of Zella he looked freshly alarmed. ** You, here!” he exclaimed, **Yes, with you!” she answered, firmly. ** Better be in a den of lions.” “Whatever the danger, my place is beside you,” she replied, and Reuben wondered at such firmness in one of her years. ‘*Are you able to leave here?’ he asked, ad- dressing Halpine, who had not stirred. ‘So far as strength goes, I am; but I am not so sure the roughs will let us pass, Ihave been plainly warned that if I ever raised my band against them I should seal my own fate,” Up to this time the speaker had not stirred, but he had not been idle. His gaze had been used to good advantage and he saw his worst fears realized. Beyond a doubt the roughs were ready to bar the way if they started. Reuben Redtop, knowing less of Torpedo Gulch, failed to discover all this, ‘‘Let us at least try,” he urged. “If we wait until that young ruffian recovers—” He ended abruptly as a good imitation of an Indian war-whoop arose from the further side of the room and Sam Lefferts came striding for- ward, a revolver in each hand and with an un- mistakable purpose stamped on his face. Halpine bounded to his feet, drawing his re- volvers as he did so. ‘* We've got tofight!” be exclaimed; ‘ there’s no help for it. Don’t be sparing of lead, youn man, for ieee is neither given nor set in Torpedo Gulch, Fight your way to the door and escape from the town, néver to-return.” ‘* Look out, Redtop Rube!—I’m a-comun’!” The words were howled by Sam Lefferts as he strode across the floor, and his allies began to close in on every side. Zella grew very pale and clung to ber father, who was calmly des- perate, but Rube retained his wits more than any one else in the room. learly enough he saw that to engage in an exchange of shots against such odds meant sure death, and he resolved to try an old trick. . Up went his revolvers, two reports followed as one, and then with a jingle of glass out went. the lights and total darkness fell over the room, Another instant and Rube grasped Halpine’s arm. . “The rear window!” he whispered; “ they will not think of looking for us there,” {lalpine caught at the idea and yielded obedi- ence as men will when a strong mind comes to the surface in a Crisis. The noise made by the roughs, all of whom seemed called upon to loudly comment on the loss of the lights, drowned what noise the trio made as they glided across the floor, and for a moment it seemed as though they would reach the window in safety. . Suddenly, however, their way was barred, and as some one laid hold of Rube he laughed triumphantly, | ‘Ha! ha! Ive got ye, my young rooster! Now. come down here!’ The last order was accompanied by a jerk and a thump against Rube’s feet, but the young man did not “come down.” On the contrary, he avoided the peril and, catching at his adver- sary him over his head with remarkable quickness. His heavy fall was the signal for hostilities, - Redtop Rube, the Vigilante Prince. 2 however, and as one of the roughs tried a shot, Halpine and his young ally no longer hesitated. They were hemmed in by foes, and it was clear they must make an opening or die like dogs in the wretched room, ‘‘For your life, fire!” exclaimed the elder man. Reuben had seen enough of the roughs not to hesitate longer, and as Halpine led the way their weapons began to crack steadily. A terrible tumult ensued, for the roughs were not at all reluctant to engage in the exchange of lead, but the two men had the advantage of knowing friend from foe and they pushed steadi- ly toward the window, At times it seemed to Rube that others were helping them, but in the uproar everything was uncertain, and just as their revolvers were ae they reached the window. ‘or a moment escape seemed certain, but just then the crowd hurled themselves forward and the strife became hand-to-hand. Several times Rube saw a chance to escape, but he remembered Zella and did not turn until, dashed back by the very force of numbers, be went crashing through the window without any effort on his part. Narrowly escaping a severe fall he recovered his balance just as several other men came leaping through the opening and to bis side, He had slipped a cartridge into his revolver; but the sight of Halpine reassured bim. ‘*Come, old man, away from bere, or you aré doomed,” said one of the strangers, catching bim by the arm. ‘‘Zella!” cried Halpine; ‘*I will not leave without her. She is captured!” ‘It is death for us all to stay. Leave her for now, and we will rescue her later. We will help her; I swear it!” Just then a bullet whistled past them, and it became so evident that they would soon bave the entire lot of roughs at their heels, that Hal- pine yielded, and they glided away in the dark- ness, Rube Redtop had resolved to cling to the for- tunes of the man who had met misfortune in bis service, and as they moved off he closely scanned the two strangers who made up the quartette., Both had the appearance and motions of young men, but in the darkness little more was to be told, though it seemed that they bad re forces with the smaller party in good aith, Behind them arose the angry yells of the roughs, who had plainly been thrown from the scent for the time being, CHAPTER IU. WHERE IS ZELLA? HALPINE did not go far. lle had left his daughter in the hands of the roughs, and though be realized the importance of taking care of bimself, he did not intend to rest in idleness. ‘‘nough of this!’ he said, suddenly pausing. ‘‘T am going back for my daugbter.” ‘‘T am with you,” said Redtop Rube, ‘* And I,” added each of the others. Halpine looked at them keenly. ** J don’t know either of you,” hesaid. ‘You backed my cause in the saloon, and I thank you; but it’s a strange fashion for Torpedo Gulch.” ‘“We don’t belong here, and we follow a fashion of our own. We’re cowboys from Texas, come here to hunt for gold. We’re young, I acknowledge, ‘but we know how to use our sixes, and we are with you in this game. I’m called Brown Ben, and my friend is Jack Silver.” The voice of the cowboy had a manly ring which impressed Halpine strongly. ‘*Pd like your aid till I get my poor Zella out of the hands of those fiends, but I tell you fairly that you risk your life in bucking against them. There isn’t a harder place in Arizona than this same town,” ‘‘ ‘We never show the white feather in a good cause, and in this we’re with you clean througb. Ain’t we, Jack?’ ‘‘ Clean through,” replied Jack tersely. “We are four resolute persons,” said Rube, with emphasis, “‘and such a force may do a good deal of execution. Let us lose no time, but at once move to rescue Miss Halpine. Lead the way, sir, and we will follow.” “Correct!” said Brown Ben, ‘‘and I opine if Redtop Rube, as they see fit to call you, gets at them in dead earnest, he’ll spread himself so that they’ll weep. What say, Jack?” ‘“ They'll weep,” agreed that young man. By this time all were striding toward Bel- dick’s saloon, led by Halpine. They had re- loaded their revolvers, and it was arranged that if they could rescue Zella they should at once flee from the village never to return, None of them had anything to leave in the way of valuables except Halpine, and as his gold was cached, he could return for it at some future time. The cabin he had erected amounted to nothing. Pursuit had been made after their fligbt, but as it was not a promising undertaking it had soon been abandoned, and the saloon was as quiet as usual as they approached it, Halpine stopped his allies a few yards away and then went forward to reconnoiter. He re- turned at the end of five minutes. ‘*They are all there, and Zella is with them,” he said, in an unsteady voice. ‘'They have bound her to a post and are now engaged in looking to their wounds. She is for the time left in peace, but I could see that young ruffian, Sam Lefferts, look at her as he cared for Tru- fant’s burt and it made my blood chill,” ‘* What’s your plan?’ Rube tersely asked. **Go boldly in and demand her,” said Brown Ben. ‘‘ Useless!” uttered Halpine, sadly. * All of you are strangers in Torpedo Gulch, you do not know these fiends as 1 do. . tell you they know no mercy,” | ‘*T begin to understand them ” said Rube, ‘fand I see, too, how we must deal with them, I see they have their lights going again, but it will be easy to put them out, IL propose that we do this and then make a dash for Miss Zella, The roughs will not for a mo! iont dream that we would be so rash as to venture back, and in that very fact lies our hope of success.” * Right you are,” said Brown Ben, ‘‘and you can depend on us to the death, can’t they, Jack?” ‘* To the death,” replied the second cowboy, Halpine was silent for a moment, for though he was willing to risk bis life for Zella. it seemed like madness to venture among that crowd, ‘*Time is fleetin’,” added Ben. ‘**T can see no other way,” muttered Halpine. **Then let us try that, by all means,” said Rube somewhat impatiently. ‘A bold dash will often do wonders, as I myself know.” The remark settled it. The young stranger had a way of making others think as be oid, and Halpine was so far impressed that he asked him to take the lead. Rube was not at all reluctant. These people had met their trouble through Halpine’s mis- taken idea that he—~Rube-—needed help, and he was resolved to see them safely through, while he was well aware that the only way to accom- plish the work was to strike at once, and with a vim which should carry all before it. The young leader led his small force to where they could view the interior of the saloon and quickly formed his plans. _ ‘““You,” he said, addressing the cowboys, ‘must go to the rear of the place, and the mo- ment I shoot out the lights, open a rapid fire with your revolvers, which will make them think the point of attack is there, and, under cover of this feint, Halpine and I will slip in and secure the girl. I suppose you’ve heard a Co- manche yell?’ ‘ Right you are.” bracy ‘Weil, when you hear it again, just draw cif and make for the front of the shanty, You may see us by the way, but in any case make for the bills to the west. We must get out of the town.” His systematic plan pleased every one, and the cowboys hastened to their station. Rube Redtop had been furtively scanning the captive girl. Slightly younger than himself, she had a well-developed figure, and a face so fair and refined that bis resolution to aid her re- ceived fresh strength. , ‘‘ Are you ready to follow?” he asked, turning to his companion. , ‘All ready,” Halpine firmly answered, Rube raised his revolver. Two dim lights bad been placed side by side, as Was necessary to get any degree of light, and be felt fully capa- ble of extinguishing them. Crack! crack! Q Two reports sounded almost as one, and amid a fresh rattling of glass the room was again plunged in darkness. Almost at the same moment the second fell in pieces, Rube bounded through the window like a cat, and, without waiting to see Halpine beside him, glided toward the captive girl. The room seemed to have been turned into a veritable menagerie. The roughs, long accustomed to have everything their own way, were in the last stage of fury, and amid their shouts and GOmicbooks