Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 328 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

——_—_—_—_—_—_——_—_— ae eee A revolver gleamed in the hand of the little sheriff, and it was known that no man in the mines looked more truly over the barrel of a weapon than did Jack Hays, so Crowell, who was really a shrewd fellow, was not foolish enough to invite a shot from the sheriff by drawing a weapon. No, he waited until the sheriff was close to fob and then made a swift, hard kick at iim. He came at him in the stomach, and little Jack Hays doubled up like a ball and fell to the ar, Then, with a signal-cry to his men, the leader of the outlaw gang bounded like a flash through an open window and disappeared from view. “After bim!” cried one. **Stop him!” said another, ‘Nive hundred dollars for him, dead or alive!” yelled one of the sheriff’s posse, and the reward caused nearly all in the saloon to rush out and bunt for the fugitive. Bat almost as soon as he was out of the saloon Dick Crowell had twenty choice spirits about him, and when the ian-bantedn eager for the reward offered, made a rush for the defiant outlaw, his men met them with a hasty volley that killed one, wounded half a dozen more, and made the rest rush for cover. Jack Hays’s men were busy trying to get him in breathing condi‘ion again, and the unorgan- ized loungers did not attempt to further pursue the compact and well-armed gang. The consequence was that when Jack Hays came back to a natural condition Dick Crowell and hi, men were out of sight. ‘Where is be?’ roared the sheriff. ‘‘ Where is that Dick Crowell?” se Gone )? ** Where?’ None of his men knew. A voice from the doorway said: ‘*T know!” They all looked up. Ben Bradley stood in the doorway, with ‘Harry Brown, Jack Slasher, and Harley Willis ee Aba!” roared a dozen men, recognizing the ‘‘That’s Ben Bradley!” ‘* He’s a thief!” ‘Secure him!” ‘We'll string him up!’ Pistol in hand Ben advanced into the room, ‘Tf the man who called me a thief will stand out from the rest,” he said, ‘‘1’ll put a bullet in his heart.” ‘“* And if the man will follow who proposes to string him up,” announced Harry Brown, in his cool style, “Tl try to do just as much for him.” ! ‘‘ And if any galoot in the shebang, or an half-dozen wants me to jump clean down their throats, just let ’em put a paw on the kid,” growled out Jack Slasher. Harley Willis didn’t say anything, but he gripped his pistols with a resolute expression. his determined exhibition had the effect of quelling any intended movement, and then Ben spoke again: ‘* Where are your brains, my old-time friends? Hasn’t the sheriff tried to arrest Dick Crowell, | Simpson and the rest of the gang of outlews and robbers? Can’t you see that Simpson and Crowell put up that job on me? Capture the villains, and I'll make them own up at the point of the knife.” ‘“‘ Guess the boy's right.” ‘Tt looks like it.” “Sure,” And in a mom<nt his old enemies, who a mo- ment before had been ready to string Ben Brad- ley up, underwent a change of feeling, and crowded around the boy with outstretched hands. “Sheriff,” said Harry Brown, “I know the retreat of this robber and bis men, andif you will follow me we will make them prisoner or else wipe them from the face of the earth,” “Who are you?” ‘ Harry Brown, a New York detective.” “And what is your business here?” the sheriff sked. ‘“‘T hold a warrant of arrest from the Gov- ernor of the State of New York fora party ‘ named Walter Storm.” ‘¢ And do you know where he is?” ‘‘T think I shall find him when you find Dick Crowell,” was the reply. “ Haste, sheriff, and let us get on after the rascals before they have time to mount horses and get away.” ‘* How many men do we need?” “Your party and mine will serve the pur- pose, We have no horses, You are a sheriff - : The Sky Detectives. 13 in pursuit of fugitive prisoners. Levy on the town for horses.” “*T will.” Within ten minutes after that the sheriff and his posse, numbering fifteen men besides bim- self, and accompanied by our four friends, rode out of Golden Gulch, well-mounted and well- armed, At a swinging gallop they swept away from the town, Harry Brown leading the way. On they dashed at arapid rate, and to Ben who was riding at his side, Harry Brown sai in a stern tone: ‘*T feel that the end is near at hand.” “The end of what?’ asked Ben, “Of my search; my mission,” “Why, do you expect to find the murderer of my parents? ‘* No, I don’t say that, but I do expect to find the man who ruined your father and sent him out here to the West, where he met an untimely death, and when I find him I may Jearn some- thing abov* the murderer,” ‘*| never saw the men’s face,” said Ben, “ but tbe mark on his arm may yet bring him to jus- tice. I can always swear to the block cross.” ‘*This man who ruived your father, holds or did hold a fortune, a stolen one, which belonged of right to you and your sister Annie,” said Brown. ‘‘I did intend to try and make him re- store that ill-gotten wealth, but now that neither of you need itI shall say nothing about the mouey, which pees went long ago,” ‘‘T only want revenge,” exclaimed Ben, with flashing eyes. ‘' J’m rich, already, without tak- ny Fey gold from the stream,” 4 t that instant a shout rung out from Jack ays: “There they come!” Hs pointed tothe bottom of a little valley, along which were walking Dick Crowell and bis men, burdened with packs of plunder that they were removing from their cave, Like tigers the mounted men swept down up- on them, CHAPTER XIV. ‘Sen, THE BLACK CROSS!” WHEN the outlaws saw the sheriff’s band sweeping down upon them, they were consider- a surprised, but, nevertheless, turned to § Their bundles of plunder were cast aside, and they stood upon the defensive. be parties were about equally matched in oint of numbers, the only advantage possessed y the attacking party consisting being mounted, while the outlaws were on foot. ‘*Here’s @ bullet to wing the leader,” cried the sheriff. He took aim at Dick Crowell’s right arm, and as the sheriff was a crack shot the outlaw leader would have been rendered useless at the begin- ning of the fight, bad not one of his men hap- pened to move in front of bim. The fellow was pierced through the body by the bullet intended for Crowell’s arm, and fell ead, With an imprecation on his bad luck, Jack Hays gave the order to fire. A volley from bis pasty rung out, and was almost instantly returned by Crowell’s men. Then the two parties met. The horses were abandoned, and the dis- mounted men fought on foot and hand to hand with their eager foes, s In a moment the pure air of the’ little valley was thick with smoke and dust, while the dis- charges of weapons, the clash of steel, the shrieks of the wounded, and the groans of the dying, made up a series of sounds and sights not to be easily described, A gigantic outlaw, armed with a rifle which he had clubbed after first discharging it, was raging around like a fury, and nobody seemed anxious to tackle him until Jack Slasher caught a glimpse of him. ‘* Oho!” cried the former bully of Golden Gulch. ‘‘Come here, you big buck, and hit a feller yer own size.” A moment later they closed in with a shock. Slasher had picked up a gun from the field of battle, and with it met the sweeping blow aimed at him by his opponent, The force of the blow and the parry knocked the guns from the bands of both combatants. — With a common instinct they grinped their knives, and hacked away at one another like twin furies, ; _ Just at that moment the Sky Traveler came into view, moving majestically toward the bat- tlefield. mF: Half a dozen rapid parries, a few severe cuts on either side, and then Slasher knocked wis opponent’s blade flying from his hand, and drove his bowie through the outlaw’s heart. Ben had dashed fearlessly into the fight, Har- ley Willis at bis side, , The New York detective seemed to be prompted by a desire to protect the young miner, and wherever Ben Bradley went the keen eye of Harry Brown followed him. A revolver was grasped in either hand by the cool detective, and bis aim on all occasions was sure, An outlaw leaped with an upraised knife upon Ben. The boy turned pluckily to meet bim, but before he could close in with the man, Harry Brown had drawn a bead upon the fellow and drilled a hole through the rascal’s head with a bullet, ‘Now, hae young whelp!” It was Dick Crowell’s voice, Ben heard him, and turned to meet the eyes of the outlaw chief turned upon bim with an expression of bate. Crowell’s sleeves were rolled up, just ase butcher might do when about slaughtering cat- tle, and a long knife was flercely gripped in his right band. The once bright blade was now red with blood, and Crowell himself was covered with the crimson stains, He looked very ferocious as he stood there, — Ben didn't hesitate a minute about meeting im, ‘‘' You dog!” he cried, while his trusty bowie- knife flasbed in the air. ‘* You thief, who tried to rob me of my a name, You’re a man, and I'm oul a boy, but in fighting you lam rs cet ing for life and honor, and I'll cut your black heart out!” ; The boy was flushed with a just rage as he uttered the ringing words. powertully- made form seemed to grow stronger and bigger as he spoke, and bis tone and mannel aimost made Crowell quail. Then the outlaw chief, who had so long de- ceived the unsuspecting miners of Goldem ‘| Gulch, laughed in bis well known sneering style and made a slash at Ben’s throat. The boy parried with great strength, and the blow was turned aside. A moment later the fire flashed from their blades as they met with a succession of rin ging © sounds in the air. Harry Brown had been tackled by two of the outlaws, and had his hands as full as possible, otherwise he might have picked off Ben’s oppo- nent with one of his cool shots. The Sky Traveler bad now arrived within a short distunce of the battle-field, and wa. rest- ing motionless a few feet up in the air, and perhaps three hundred yards away. The jovial face of Dennis Malone peered over the side of the car, and behind the jolly lrish- man was to be seen pretty Annie Bradley. — The balloon was maintained at about the one position, and the occupants of the car had a first-class view of the exciting battle. With great fury Ben and Dick Crowell at- tacked one another, The boy was strong, and skillful in the uee of the knife, and desperate fighter as Dick Crowell was, he bad his hands full when he tackled brave Ben in mortal combat. Suddenly Ben dcdged down to evade a pecu- liar thrust, and at the same time the bare rigbt arm of his foe went up in the air. ‘ The boy’s eyes, glancing upward at the very instant, caught sight of the peculiar mark that appeared upon the white skin of the robber cbieftain’s arm. His eyes blezed, his form expanded, and in a piercing shriek, he cried: “9 e, the black cross |” A’ d he pointed an unerrip mark which at once branded the murderer of his parents! So loud and piercing, so peculiar was the cry, that almost all the combatants heard it. Harry Brown heard it, struck down the man who opposed him with a swift blow, and turned to look at Ben. He saw the boy; he saw the outstretched, in- dicating finger; he saw the black cross on Crowell’s arm, and then, bis voice ringing out in ~ estan ery, be rushed toward the outlaw chief. But Dick Crowell didn’t wait for Brown to reach bim. : From the very second when Ben uttered the astonished accusation, a sort of terror had upon him, and without waiting to strike again at Ben he turned, and fled from the spot. He happened to go in the direction of the Sky cComicbooks:-¢o finger at the ick Crowell as