Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 408 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

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You wouldn’t, eh?” " Wall, that’s no reason why I shouldn't.” “But you remember that I saved your hut from having the torch put to it.” ‘* That you did, lovey!” “That shows that I’m your friend, don’t it?” ‘‘ All the more reason why I shouldn't trust you. It’s our friends that betray us. We're not fools enough to let our enemies get the chance!” ‘* But I have no wish to betray you; and it’s only good advice when I tell you not to get in the way of the villagers just now. Remember, they’re not very well pleased with what hap~ pened last night.” ‘** Are you well eagge with it?” ** At any rate, l’m not disposed to vent my spite on you for ‘what I don’t like about it.” ‘*Oh! you ain’t, eh? Ha! ha! ho! ho!” And the old hag chuckled to herself like a malicious ghoul. ‘Will you go home and wait until I come for you? I have something that I want to say.” ‘Oh! PU go home fast enough; but if you | have anything to say this side the grave, now’s yer time to say i!” ‘What do you mean?” cried Little Leather- Breeches, alarmed at her voice. “Life's a weary pilgrimage till ye come to the end on’t, and then we all wish that it w as a day’s march further on. Ha! ha! ho! ho! we're brave in the morning; we lie basking in the sun at noon, but when night comes on—when the darkness begins to gather, then we shiver with dread, and try to recall for gotten pray- ers!’ She looked down at him with a wicked smile, her eyes glittering with snake-like cunning. Her hand came into view over over the ori- fice. Something flashed-in the sunlight. Then it was no longer clearly distinguishable, as she reached down through the openin ‘*Good Heavens! that was a ‘knife !” cried Little Leather-Breechés, his hear leaping into his throat. ‘* Hold on!” he cried, aloud. about there?” ‘* Puttin you out of harm’s way, lovey!” “Stop! What are you doing?” He foared to ask her if she was cutting the rope. If he was mistaken, he dreaded to put the a into her crazy brain. ‘Ha! ha! ho! ho!” she chuckled. “ It’s dead men’s bones that does it. I’ve been in luck ever since the spell began to work. His flesh to the fishes, his bones to old Mumbo Jumbo, and his soul to the devil! But he was a brave fellow was Tom, and he died with his boots on! And now he brings grist to my mill! Come here, little loveys, and look. Here’s another of them! Ha! ha!ho! ho! Here’s a brave lad that’s not afraid of death—not he!” ‘*Good Heavens! what can I do?” cried Little Leather-Breeches, within himself “One!” cried the old hag. “Ho! ho! this was made for hanging men ‘with! It’s a thou- sand pities to spoil it! And we're in want of more, instead of less, now that the pretty, ten- der-handed and tender-hearted misses are taking to the sport! Ho! it’s rare sport, this sending men out of the world!” Little Leather-Breeches gazed up at the old witch as if fascinated. It seemed as if he could scarcely breathe, not to say speak. But a quivering of the rope caught his eyes, and sent a thrill through his heart, “Two!” said old Mumbo Jumbo, ‘“ Ha! ha! ho! ho! like a rat in a trap!” ‘Stop! stop!” shouted Little Leather-Breeches, 6 ing forward and seizing hold of the rope. s dismay at the thought of being left in that en of unknown horrors and having the only avenue of escape for himself and Belle cut off—and that to gratify the freak of a crazy old —he scarcely kuew what he did. Involun- hs hae held up the rope, as if to stay it in its !” he cried, *‘ or I will shoot you!” And he whipped out his revolver with the full ‘What are you ee | ern of ihe out his threat. ok ny x i* rf M4 noe -o Ril, + “ie ic ae. r =. : ; Little Leather saa abi ROIS Sl SP But the old hag only cackled: ‘*Ha! ha! ho! ho! three!” ~ And the rope dropped, coiling about him like a snake! He shuddered with horror! done beyond recall! He was stupefied. He no longer felt any desire to execute his threat. He would have shot her to prevent the catastrophe; but to seek such a revenge would now be futile. She chuckled at him, cursed him, and then withdrew her face. He was alone! Then, recovering himself, he, shouted to her wildly, ‘hoping against hope ‘to move her to Tey: But it was too late. She was gone. ere was nothing left him but to seek Belle, no longer with the hope of being able to restore her to life among men! The thing, was CHAPTER X, HANDS UP!” ‘*CONFOUND such a country! were buried in the snow, and to-day we are hub-deep in mud! I say, ‘driver! is it this way the rear round, out here?” Vaal boss, | judge we’ ve got about as much climate to the squar’ inch in these h er parts as anywhar between the two frog-ponds ‘“*H’m! it looks like it!” ‘* Tt ain’t often as the doctors growls.” te Eh?” The outside passenger, who sat muffled up to the chin, started and looked sharply ectenil at the Jehu. He thought that he detected some covert sig- nificance under the words spoken. ‘What do you mean by that?” he asked, Hen Halladay chuckled softly. ** Waal, boss, ” he said, looking out of the cor- ner of his eyes at the man at his elbow, ‘I thought as you had a kind o’ saw-bones way with ye.” ‘* How do you make that out?’ asked the pas- senger, his eyes quickening with curiosity. Taal, ye see any one could tell that you got yer livin’ ir craft.” ** Craft?” ‘*Head-work. So I says, says I, he ain’t no gospel-slinger ; he pays as he goes, He ain't given to swappin’ lies fur to cheat widders an’ orphings; he don’t have the cheek o’ that sort. He don't dress the politician, nor come the soft- sawder with an ax to grind. But he looks as if a good fat fee wouldn’t turn his stomach; so Junge e he’s a salivater.” irae scr go smiled, but did not gratify the sone Last night we iver’s curiosity. guess the chances are that he has caught a slime of my instrument case,” he said to him- self ‘‘ Are we Boing to strike some dinner before long?” he as Waal, stranger, at this rate, I judge we'll make the Glen not fur from sun-down.” The passenger settled himself further down in- to his muffler and grunted his discontent inar- ticulately. “Confound a man who will go to the world’s end on a fool's errand!” he reflected, moodily. ° ‘¢ The boy’s rubbed out, as they *! years $ ago; and as em bealth, bah! this one infernal ride has used me up more than a year’s practice at home!” Turning to the driver, he asked: “Tsay, friend! do you know anything about the massacre that took place out here a dozen or fifteen years ago?” ‘‘ Fourteen by the watch, stranger! ! Waal, ef I don’t, thar’s no use in your goin’ further for information!” ‘*- You know all about it, I suppose?” ‘“‘D’yesee that thar groove that ye kin lay yer finger in?” The driver took off his hat and held over his head so that his passenger might satisfy himself that this was no exaggeration. The stranger was content with merely looking at the spot. ‘Waal, that thar means massacree! They laid yer humble sarvant out as white as tripe; an’ it was fool’s luck that I didn’t git my hair raised.” ‘Then perhaps you can tell me if there were any other survivors.’ . ne est kin, boss, ef ’'ve a mind to,” ave you & mind to?” ‘““T hain’t nothin’ ag’in’ it.” ‘* ‘You would oblige me greatly.” ‘Waal, boss, thar was jest twokids that come through that scrimmage With hides that would hold Prakaies ved kids, the Mad Millionaire, and yer humble sarvant, 9! ** Kida?” ‘Young ones.’ “* Children.” “No! Who told ye?” “T gathered it from your somewhat enigma- tic expressions. * ‘*Smart boy! Go to the head o’ the class!” ‘Who were these children?” ‘* Now ye’r’ gittin’ me!” **'You don’t know?” ‘*Bein’s as I was jest put onto the hine. I hadn’t been in the place au hour, when it was whoop! crack! bang! an’ the devil to pay! They didn’t leave not fin'o o’ that thar burg but a grease-spot an’ a hole in the ground! ¥ ‘** But the children escaped?” a Somebody had the good sense to tie ‘em to a hoss an’ then cut the critter loose. He run ’em out without nary scratch, which shows that hoss-sense beats the human,” ‘What has become of them?” ** They fetched up at the Glen, an’ a good wo- man adopted ’ em both.” ‘‘At Glendale?—the very place we are ap- pr sedhine w ‘* Exactly !” ‘* But was there no attempt made to trace the parentage of the children?” ‘““Who'd give it away, with everybody what knowed huntin’ their hair?” ‘You spoke of a mad millionaire.’ ‘Clean gone, boss! He got a ne on the knowledge-box, ‘like I did. I managed to crawl into the bushes, whar they found me laid out the next day. He must ’a’ had "nuff sense to git away in the woods; but when the folks in the Glen come up to reconnoiter, they found him peesin’ away ata minin’ claim, as crazy asa bed- ug, the which he hain’t been no better ever sense. Thar wa’n’t no one to dispute his title, an’ the claim panned out big money, while ye couldn’t make grub-stakes anywhar else. He’s shar rp enough to look after the pay-dirt, but that’s all. ‘* An’ now, boss, you’ve pumped me dry.” Without a word’ the passenger handed over his My ket-flask. e stage-driver laughed as he accepted it. ‘‘ Stranger,” he said, ‘‘ you’d win the heart of a lime-kiln, you would!” “You haven’t told me the name of the people who adopted the children.” ‘‘ A widder, boss, what answers to the name 0 Briggs They call the boy Little Leather- Bivechts. ‘* Waal, 1 sw’ar!” The ejaculation was called forth by the sud- den coming upon a solitary horseman, as the see swept round a bend ina densely-wooded glen The stranger had a carbine at his shoulder, and cried in ringing command: ‘* Hands up!” The pranc and snorting stage-horses were drawn u 19g out of the surrounding thickets appearec * Blea horsemen, ‘* H’m! it seems that we are to have a taste of true Western life,” said the passenger, coolly, having complied with the order of the road- agent. - That’s right, stranger. Take the thing quiet- ly, an’ it’ll save stickin’-plaster !” ‘Do you observe a peculiar limp in that horse?” asked the stranger, as the road-agent advanced. ‘*T jest do!” ‘*Tt may be worth remembering.” ‘*T don’t see what good kin come of it,” ‘* We may see it again some time.” An’ spot the rider?” hae <a ‘* Boss, you air a cool hand! before?” es No. bP ‘Waal, you’d better stay, This hyar is jest the country fur such as you.” ‘Tsay, about that gent’s clothes for his war supplies. ” ‘* Pard, I hear ye!”. Ever been West And the driver complied, but, having passed his hands over the body of his passenger, was — forced to report: ‘* Pard, he ain’t heeled, an’ that’s a fact!” ‘‘ He has no business in this country, then.” “Don’t you be too sure o’ that!” The passenger now spoke for himself, a Ont principle, I am opposed to cheating the lls hangman,” he said, coolly. ‘I understand that) e a you have effective executers of justice in this part of the country.” The highw ayman laughed. “You're welcome to call on Judge Lyn you think he can ca 2 you out, ” he said. just now we'll troubl here.” y . - r : ‘ te oF 2 PS, aati eo ohnny! stop yer chin-music, an’ feel © Me e’you to get down off of an 2°. Ie a», ; of. a = = . - a, * ? a” » ° a > . . at . Pe z I ‘ “4 - 7 = : » - - — ¥ = _" ‘ ‘ . = 7 -_f oe? FA d =. iG ; - . a We cs *% . 3 * & - - om > . « » ‘= ~ _ ~ * " ink, oe a > =~, * + : rn" ¢ , . 4 3 ’ * ° . y "Je" Ps oe a ef & . ae > —— ‘ < - ya 2 her t SS Y woe ey ane te . 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