Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 347 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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14 _— oe With a growl he took the keys from his pocket, and flung them at her feet—then, with a terrible oath, dashed through an open window out into the wild, watery abyss below. Z + lights were still burning in the upper a Ruth expected every minute to feel the build- ‘ing swing off its foundation. At the front end of the hall she saw jets of flame darting up through the cracks in the floor, seemingly endeavoring to reach the roof. The prisoners in the rooms were vainly trying to burst open the doors. or an instant Roaring Ruth stood like one ‘dazed, so fast had the exciting events crowded upon her; then, seizing the keys, she uttered a cheering cry, and ran to the rescue, The first door she opened, and Jefferson Jack- son stepped forth! Without pausing for breath, she ran on to the others, and in the time if takes to tell it, the doors were unlocked, and Kid Karl and Judith Green were free. ‘* May the Master above rewurd you for your heroism, Roaring Ruth!” Jefferson Jackson said reverently, as the quartette for a moment huddled together. And the others echoed the words. ‘*There’s no time for gratitude now,” the daring girl answered. ‘‘I fear we are doomed as it is, for the water is nigh up to tre second story, and the building will be sweptaway. To attempt to swim to high ground will be as good as saying good-by to this world. Our only chance is to get on the roof and wait till the building is dashed against the rocks—then jump for our lives, It’s a terrible risk, but our only chance!” ‘You are correct!” Jackson declared. ‘It’s our only chance! Leclede, you look to Miss "Green, and I'll do all in my power to assist Miss Ruth. Where can we reach the roof?” They soon found a trap-door and gained the ridge of the roof in safety. At one end of the gable the flames were already bursting forth, and reflected with horrible realism upon the furious flood below. If the building did not soon swing off, the house-top prisoners were in danger of being burned, should they prefer that rather than the fate of drowning in the angry waters below. At a considerable distance away—further than they had ever seemed before—the moun- tains loomed up like mocking monsters. Nothing could be seen of the escaped miners, but above the roar of the waters came their discordant cries, In spite of the rain the flames were eating rapidly into one end of the roof, and gradually lignting up the night and its wildly picturesque scene. Ah! A great surge of waters—a spasmodic trem- bling, then— The Argyle slowly rose upon the waters from. its foundation, and like a mighty thing of life moved ruajestically away with the current— away tocertain destruction against the rocky narrows of the gulch below, bearing upon its root four pale and horrified human beings, the terrified expressions of whose faces was vividly betrayed by the light of the burning roof! CHAPTER XIV. IN THE MINE. Two weeks had ‘sere The flood had subsided toa great extent, but the bottom of the gulch was considered no safe place to rebuild a town, The miners who had eseaped from the ill-fated Argyle, had scattered in many directions, and but few remained of the former citizens of Dévil’s Diggings. These few had struck a streak of paying ore, up in a mountain pocket, and there daily delv- “ et: news should reach them of some better ‘ find.” Of the whole number—there were a dozen only, left. Of these, Jake McBride was cap- tain-in-chief, of course, for there were now no Kid Karls or Roaring Ruths to dispute bis au- thovity, Besides McBride, the camp population includ- ed old Jonas Argyle, who, M having most of his money in an Eastern bank, lost but little by the flood, except his buildings and their fur- nishings; Dutch Jake, Judge Tamarack Splin- ter, who had descended from the bench to the ick and pan, through need of money; Satan, he former barkeeper; Jerry, Roaring Ruth’s , oo Ary 7 Deadwood Dick’s Ducats. = * - ** 2 - ~= ° aX = > vl“ <"° — ‘ = : 4 P | ‘ — —— : . . . * t * « ’ ._ = < ’ * . » , a 4 « i ~ 5 . ee : PD 4°. ae MIC — | : P 4 - ie: PT hk. : burro, who was counted a good citizen, and half a dozen miners, whose names it is needless here to mention, A temporary cabin had been thrown together, and formed the camp proper. In the day the grim dozen worked at the pick; at night they slept in the cabin. It was a surt of monotonous existence, which these few remnants of the Diggings’s past “ef seemed loth to give up, uutil some boom sho d break them into a stampede. A search for the Deadwood Dick mine, under the guidance of McBride, had been instituted on half a dozen different occasions, but without finding itv. As a matter of opinion, there could be but two ways about it:—either the storm-wash of the mountain had so transformed the typogra- phic features of the locality of the former en- trance to the mine, that McBride really could not find it, or— On each occasion he had led the searching party on the wrong trail, knowing at the time, exactly where the mine was located. This latter theory, if it had gained any cre- dence among the miners, was carefully sup- pressed from their utterances, for, as a general rule, they feared the burly gambler, who, since the flood, had grown more savage and brutal than before; then, too, he might in an unguard- ed moment betray himself, But McBride seldom left the camp, and when he did, it was but for balf an bour at atime, when he invariably returned with game for their table; so that, if be was hold- ing the secret, he was wine it well, There were two men in the camp who, while not appearing to do so, kept a vigilant eye upon the ruffian. One was Jonas Argyle, the other was Dutch Dave, Roaring Ruth’s former com- panion. The latter, in particular, seemed to regard the gambler with no good will. There were three beings in the camp who seemed more gloomy than the rest—Jonas Ar- gyle, Dutch Dave, and Jerry, the burro. The loss of the Argyle, which bad swept away one quartette of precious lives, seemed to be the chief cause of their sorrow. And what, the reader will ask, was the fate of the four house-top prisoners? At the mountain camp, after a tedious but earnest search bad been made, a verdict was rendered: *‘ Roaring Rutb, Kid Karl, Judith Green and Jeff Jackson came to their death by drowning.” The fate of Masked Mose noone knew, All that McBride could tell was that he last saw him inthe Argyle. But few pieces of the hotel were found, al- though miles of the gulch were searched—and no clews leading to the fate of the house-top prisoners, To follow the thread of our narrative, after a few necessary explanations, it now becomies our duty to pursue the floating hotel—a specta- cle to be seen, probably, but once in a life- time. Proudly the great building swept away, very little of the upper story being submerged; so that nearly the whole structure was carried along on the surface. It rounded the bend nicely, and dashed on to- ward the narrows half a mile below, through which it could not pass without either going to pieces or becoming wedged in. On—on! The prisoners nerved themselves, and prepar- for the leap for life—a leap of uncertainty and extreme danger, The opportunity soon came. The Argyle went driving furiously between the beetling, jagged rocks with a deafening crash. There wasa cracking and creaking, a breaking and splitting of timbers; then the wreck of Devil’s Diggings’s once pretentious hostelry was borne on in pieces. Upon a ledge of rocks above the roaring tor- rent three persons stood safe and unharmed. They were Kid Karl, Roaring Ruth, and Ju- dith Green. Jefferson Jackson was not with them. They stood for some moments, in terrified awe and grateful prayer. Then Karl spoke: ‘‘Poor Jackson! I fear he was not as lucky as we. Undoubtedly he leaped too late, and is lost!” ‘‘He was at my side but an instant before I leaped,” Ruth cried. ‘‘ We must make a search.” A diligent search was made but no trace of Jefferson Jackson could be found. ‘We might as well give it up!” Kid Karl fin- | ally said. ‘I caneasily find our way to Dead- wood Dick’s mine, and we bad best go there at once.” ‘‘ Are you not afraid he has men there? You know what sort of a reception McBride and Masked Mose got.” ‘‘] can explain that. There were two trusty Pawnee red-skins, who used to bring us meat, and guard the mine, when we were both away. They probably were there, when the ruffians tried to enter the mine, and recognizing them as enemies, drove them off. Come! I'll guaran- tee all will be right.” They followed him, and in due time, the mouth of the mine was reached. 7 Then, leaving Ruth and Judith outside, Kid Karl entered the dark fissure. He was gone but a few minutes, when he re- turned, accompanied by another person. To their astonishment, the girls beheld and recognized Jefferson Jackson! ‘‘ Ladies!” Kid Kar) said, “if you will step into the mine, I have something to explain.” Wonderingly they entered the great cavern, where numerous camp fires were burning. Around some of them were grouped a lot of masked men, numbering perhaps two score, ‘+ Ladies!” Kid Kar] announced, “‘I will sur- prise you with a discovery I bave just made, myself. This gentleman, Jefferson Jackson, who reached this place in advance of us, is the man whom it isclaimed I attempted to mur der—Deadwood Dick!” ' ‘‘T suspected as much!” Ruth muttered, while Judith looked her surprise, as the famous ex- Prince of the Road removed his disguise, and turned his handsome face toward them, ‘‘This gentleman, Deadwood Dick, is not positively assured that 1 did not attempt to assassinate him; therefore, 1 propose to prove my innocence, With that honorable liberality characteristic of his nature, be has freely of- fered to make me his equal partner again, when I prove myself the man he always thought me. He has placed the mine at your disposal, as a place of safety, until you choose to go elsewhere. And, now, hoping to find you here on my return, I will speak a word with Miss Green, and bid you au revoir.” He took Judith one side, and they held a short consultation—then, Kid Karl took his departure. “ How did you escape, that night when I left vou for dead?’ Roaring Ruth demanded of Dick. ‘I will explain,” he said, ‘* I was not wound- ed balf as bad asl os, pets The bullet never barmed me, mortally. 1t was a case of suspend- ed animation brought on of course by tbe bul- let shock and excitement and loss of blood. When I recovered, I left a paper, which you found. I left it asan indirect way of inform- ing you that I wasalive. Later, I played the ghost, boping the rus» would result in_pre- venting people from visiting this vicinity of the mountain.” ‘‘ And your buried treasure?” ** Ts still safe.” ‘‘ Who are these men in masks?” ““Why, they are a party of Leilows who were formerly the road-agents of one Raiaon Ravec, who deserted them, carrying away all their lunder. The band is now disorganized, and I ave given them shelter until they can get a chance to escape to their homes. Some of them, I believe, have expressed a desire to remain here and work in the mine.” ‘*Ramon Ravec?” Judith cried. ‘“ Ramon—Ramon Ravec!” gasped Roaring Ruth. ‘“‘ Why, what do you know of him?” And she turned to Judith, in eager surprise. ‘All I want to!” was the reply. ‘For a long time, until yesterday, I have been a pris- oner in bis retreat. 1do not know bow long, for he told me I had lost my reason for awhile, He stole me from somewhere, but I know not where, or how long age. My memory of the past is gone—alas! gone,” The rose-color tad all left the face of Ruth, but the eager expression was still in ber lumim ous orbs, ‘‘ Speak !” she cried—‘‘ do you not know your name—your own true name?” ‘‘No! no! I have often tried, in the past few days. but could not recall it.” ‘Nor your parents?” ‘* No! pee remember even them!” ‘Please remove those goggles. Some subtle instinct tells me that [know you. Oh! Heaven can it be possible—yes, I fee) that it is! Ro al Roya! do you not know me—yonur sister, Bethel Brainard?” Judith tore away the Boggles, and gased inte the face of the other, searchingly—then, an unm | comicbooks.com : \ | | | 7 JS Pid pry > ’ y gfe : - i Ate wv 4 Sy Sm oh all