Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 348 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

oo. a | = . -. 4 + » ie . ” a * ee fe meter! . Lam) ns . " * wag 7 _? eb = @ 8 \ ; _ 9 . at ¢ >. “ | : -_—— et ~ ~~ » a Fireheels; Old Skinflint, the Death-Shadow. BY ROGER STARBUCK, AUTHOR OF ‘‘THE GOLDEN HARPOON,” ‘ THE BLACK SCHOONER,” ETC., ETC. f cS 4 CHAPTER I. : WAYLAID. _ “On, father, what a gloomy place! I be- lieve this is where a coach was attacked and robbed, two years ago.” ‘I tbink so, but you need not feel alarmed. If there are any robbers here, now, they would have shown themselves before this,” The first speaker was Bell Danton—a lovely girl of sixteen, with black eyes, a rosy, piquant ce and a round, supple form. Her father, who had replied to her, as shown, ‘was an energetic-looking man, now on his way ‘to establish a salmon factory, near the Salmon River mountains, Idaho Territory. The traveling-coach in which the girl and _ her parent were seated had just entered a gloomy gorge, the rocky walls of which were thickly covered with shrubbery, while below, on each side of the road, extended a dense ‘thicket of willows, adding to the gloom of the locality. The coach, containing gold-dust, taken in at Montane, was on its way to Salt Lake City. There were, besides the two passengers men- tioned, ten more, five of them, who wore slouched hats and heavy boots, having the ap- pearance of miners. Three of the others were elderly women and the remaining two were heavy, sleepy-looking Germans. All the male occupants of the vehicle were armed — the miners, especially, being well provided with re- volvers and knives. Presently both Bell and her father leaned forward, peeping through a window, on seeing @ young hunter half-hidden by the willows, seated on a rocky ledge, apparently gazing at the coach. The brief, indistioct glimpse the two obtained of him showed him to be a mere youth of nineteen, of handsome, manly ap- pearance. He wore a hunting-shirt of dressed deetrskin, a catskin cap, leggins and moccasins. In his right hand he held a rifle, and ina broad belt about his waist were a pistol and a knife. ‘““A trim-looking fellow, I should say,” re- marked Mr. Danton, “ although I caught but a ‘flying’ glimpse of him.” ‘‘He looked well enough,” replied Bell, a blush suffusing her smooth cheeks. “I only glanced at him.” Her father laughed. ‘‘The glance was a long one, at all events,” he remarked. The vehicle had nearly passed through the orge, when suddenly a couple of men sprung rom the shrubbery and seized the horses’ reins. At the same moment a noise was heard on the roof of the coach and the driver tumbled sense- jess to the ground, “There are only two robbers!” cried Mr. Danton, drawing a revolver from his pocket and addressing the miners. ‘‘Come, we can easily drive them off!” As he spuke, he opened the window, but ere he could raise bis weapon, two of the supposed miners held their pistols at his head, while another struck his wrist with a force which caused his revolver to drop from his grasp. The other two miners, with the muzzles of their pistols jammed against the heads of the Ger- mans, tbreatened to blow out their brains if oF attempted resistance. ell, with a shriek of terror, clung to ber pa- a when she was rougbly ordered to let go of im. The coach-door was opened and three villain- ' on m. y ous-looking fellows, attired like the pretended miners, who it was now evident were their con- federates, rushed in. ‘Come, gal,” said one, ‘stop yer squawking, or we'll stick yer with this!” And, as he spoke, he pulled a formidable knife from his belt, “You had better keep silent, Bell,” said Mr. Danton. ‘* Your cries can do no good. There is, evidently, no person in this wilderness at o* hand to help us.” “Yer may think yerselves lucky to git off with yer lives!” exclaimed one of the gang. ‘* All we want is the dust, and what little val febles, in the shape of gold watches, jewelry, _ > ~~ ‘ . ‘ Ye a “- od *— é i a — a % ad a G 7 ~ we a +4 =. » “= ‘, ft > “we ,_ = * Fireheels; or, Old 8 > «ay ' ok fit. Ty <4 - "ve oe ‘ . rug etc., you and the other passengers may hev about ’em.” **So, then, per took passage in this coach to rob it?” said Mr. Danton, in order to gain time, for he fancied he heard approaching foot- steps. cs Yer might see that with oneeye. Come, fork over—you and yer gal heer, or it’ll be the worse fur yer!” *‘T have not much money with me, and my daughter has no jewelry.” ‘*As ef we badn’t our eye on the gold watch she tuck out a moment sence.” ‘That watch was a present from her mother, before she died. Surely you might let her keep B60 oz. At that instant the sharp ring of a rifle was heard, followed by a groan near the coach, as’ one of the robbers holding the horses dropped dead, shot through the brain. ‘‘This way, pards, this way!” came a Clear, trumpet-like voice, and, from the dense willows, rushed half a dozen sturdy fellows, in buckskin, headed by the same youth who had been aes the coach go past the ledge on which e sat. Both Mr. Danton and Bell could see him through the window, as he dashed toward the vehicle, Cries of rage escaped the robbers. They jumped from the coach, and, in a moment, all disappeared in the thick shrubbery, on the side of the gorge opposite to that from which the hunter and his companions had advanced, The youth already alluded to had entered the coach, He was, as stated, a fine handsome fellow. His face, bronzed by sun and wind, glowed with health, be had clear, blue eyes, long, brown hair, and a firm, handsome mouth, graced by a slight mustache. Raising his catskin cap, he said: ‘* Ladies and gentlemen, I am glad to say that my pards and I hev driven off the robbers, It was fortunate that we were near enough to hear the crack of the varmint’s pistol. We sus- spats how things were, and came like white- igbtning, at your sarvice!” Mr. Danton smiled and shook hands with the speaker. ‘“ After I get settled near Logville, where I am building a salmon-factory, I shall be happy to have you call on me,” ‘Thanks, I shall be happy to come,” said the outh. ‘‘But the place is a oe way from yar. You'll bev to foot it for at least twenty miles, and ef you like, 1’d be pleased to be your escort,” ‘Oh, yes, sir, that is if it would not be too much trouble,” said Bell, blushing. ‘*None at all, miss,” answered the youth, his blue eyes sparkling with pleasure. ‘*T should be glad of your company,” said Mr. Danton. Meanwhile the coachman had persuaded the other hunters to go with him a short distance, as he was afraid of a renewal of the attack by the robbers, further on. The six men were therefore in the coach when the driver, who had recovered his senses, again started his horses. A ride of about thirty miles brought Bell and her father to the station where they would be obliged to leave the vehicle. They were fortu- nate enough to hire a wagon and team, when, in company with Frank Belton, they kept on for the new settlement—tben called Logville. There they finally arrived, when Belton, politely declining an invitation from Mr. Dan- ton to go to his house with bim, but promisin to call upon him in a few days, took leave o father and daughter. ‘‘Do you know that young fellow?’ Danton inquired of some rugged-looking hunter-settlers, who were busy about their houses. “Oh, yes, sir, that’s FIREHEELS.” ** Why is he called Fireheels?” ‘Because once, when he was captured by Snake Indians, he escaped by running through a burning thicket, which they bad set on fire, - t+ - -— « < Skinflint, the Death-Shadow. a _—_ OO or --—C OO r-e n a— eeesS oeeee — — — — —————— — ee— — — — e t™ Since that the Indians have all given him that | yere name,” s i how could he being Burned to death? : ‘‘Well, yer see the thicket had jest begun to burn, hyar and thar, but fore he got through he was almost in a cage of fire. Thenhe took off his buckskin shirt, and wrapped it round his head fur the rest o’ the way.” oe ‘So then, besides having other good qualities our friend is a salamander,” Mr. Danton laugh- ingly remarked to his daugbter, as the two moved on. Bell smiled, but made no reply. Oo into the fire without has moved to another settlement. who was a widow and an invalid, fancied that the climate a little further North would do her good. Lately, however, Lorne beard that the Upon my word, I don’t thin A few minutes later she and her parent en- tered the new house which bad been erected and prepared for their reception by one of Mr. Dan- ton’s agents, CHAPTER II. THE QUARREL. Mr. DANTON had not been long in ille, ' when he became tolerably well acquainted with his neighbors. Among those who called upon him, wasa young manof twenty, named Luke Lorne. He appeared to be an intelligent per- son, although his manners were ccarse, and he had a habit of using violent expletives, when provoked. He was rough in appearance, with large fea- tures, thick lips, and a constant twinkle in his blue eyes. His hair, of an auburn tint, curled closely about his round ‘bullet-head,’ and a heavy mustache of the same hue flourished on his up- rlip. In stature he was about the middling ight, broad in the shoulders and otherwise powerfully built. It was of this person, who owned several] houses and many plots of ground in Logville, that Mr. Danton had purchased thesite for his salmon factory, now being erected. Lorne was said to have inherited much money from a relative, who had died at a distant settlement and made him his heir. ‘‘A worthy young man,I should say,” re- marked Bell’s father tothe girl, one day after Lorne had paid them a visit. *‘ He wants a wife —he hinted as much to me. He even went fur- ther, saying that what first attracted him to you was a startling resemblance, which you bear toa fair cousin of bis named Ellen Board- man, of whom he was very fond. He told me that when he first beheld you, in the street, he thought you were his cousin, Ellen, and was going to address you as such, when he saw me come from my factory, to meet you, and heard me call you by your first name, which showed him his mistake. “If so fond of this cousin why did not he marry her ?” ‘*Oh, well, be did not like herin that way, you know—only as a brother.” ‘‘T must confess I hive a curiosity to see this girl who so much resembles me.” ‘*Tt seems she does not live here now. She Her mother widow was supposed to be dying, and he seemed rouch affected by the news, for he has a heart— this Lorne—besides being a person of means, you could ‘do better.’” ‘*] suppose you are jesting, father,” said Bell, ‘* but if you are not, I sbould let you know that Mr. Lorne is a man whom J never could wish fora husband. Heis too coarse~too—” ‘* Pooh!” said her parent, ‘‘ you mistake his gruff backwoods air for coarseness, For my part I admire the manly bearing of our Western pioneers.” ‘‘So dol,” said Bell. ‘“‘Ido not dislike the rough frankness of the trapper; but Mr. Lorne is different from the wild prairie-men. There is something vile—something mean and cunning in bis way, which reminds me of the wolf and fox combined.” ‘‘Upon my word you give him a good name,” remarked Mr. Danton, rising and leaving the room For half an hour after he was gone Bell sat silent and thougbtful. ‘‘“Where have I seen his face before?” she asked herself, as she had done several times since becoming acquainted with Mr. Lorne. “I have certainly seen it somewhere before we came here.” | All at once the truth flashed upon her mind, /** Yes, the more I think of it, the more I am convinced that it was there i saw that face,” she continued—‘‘in the coach which was at- tacked. It was the face of one of the three rob- bers who rushed into the veticle. Owing to the slouched hat and a high cost-collar, I could not see the eyes; but the nose, the mustache, and the sneering smile were this Lorne’s,” Then it occurred to Bell that possibly she might be mistaken, It was likely there were other faces in the world like Lorne’s; and so even if she clung to her suspicion, she would say nothing about it to her father or to any other person. As time went on it seemed evident that Lorne, undiscouraged by Bell’s coldness, was making as he had owned to her father, ‘a dead set? aguinst her affections, Mr. Danton reasoned with his daughter, cit-