Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 42 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

SR RE SORTS acrcasomesin blacken her name, but she held her own, and was re- by the ruffians—her greatest foes. Cambre she believed to be an arrant knave, yet she feared him the least of all those whom she had encountered, although she could not expe ust why. He rode furiously up, but reined in when he per- aes that her finger pulled the revolverhammer back to full-cock—and that the weapon never qua- vered a particle. He had heard of her prowess, and om nee it his wisest part to stop and hold a par- te wenly" he interrogated, his face flushed with anger **what do you want? Wha want?’ she returned, putting ques- t do tion for question. ‘I want to pass. Are you a highway robber, that you block the way?” “If you choose, yes. You are in pursuit of Leone Harris and her boy. You ought to know that she is not without friends, and I will tell you, further, that any attempt to steal her child will be useless.’ You cannot go any further in this direction, until she has had time to reach Bonanza Basin, where she will find a protector that you will not cate to face. “ e ex-lieutenant uttered a furious oath, ai. hig ped his hand toward his belt. At the sa there was a flash and a report, followed by ] of = and a! as a bullet from her revolver or arm near the elbow, causing a stream of blood spurt therefrom. “ That’s the ticket ,”’ she cried, with a cool —_ bh. “That is as ort-trip ticket. Try any more pretty moves, and I’ I give you a. that will take you ae ety on lightning tim Face- about, ap y e spurs, and away you £0, ‘Eureka- ward, or I'll make a case for the coroner's investi- gating committee |”’ Cambre uttered a flercer curse than before. He would have drawn a weapon and killed the girl, only that he knew that she would kill him. But one alternative was left, and that was to obey her com- mand. So he turned his animal around, me Nell, with an e n of savage ferocity n his countenance t would neve fi frightened ess fearless girl. ‘Go along, now, and get out of range as quick as possible, les lL be a a ge to bullet-doze you yet!”’ She exclaimed, recoc her revolver, leisurely. ‘And mind that you don’t have business up this way Ay while I’m around, or there'll be one clock sto oy Ont h! I'll have tthe SR for this, baffled villain cried. ‘Look out for me, for your life shall pay the ss tovtett: or I’m a liar!”’ ‘Bah! spitz poodles are to be feared, for their bite is polsenons, but not such mongrel curs like you. Any time oe re want anything of Noisy Nell, you know where to — did not rent except py a string of Lh ey nis foaming ani ou she cat!’ the as he put spurs down the gulch toward Eure oul watched ids till he nad a disa; from view around a bend. Then she turn er own an- imal, and gall toward Deadwood Dick’s Bo- nanza, a contracted expression of her brows betray- ing some anxiety about something. ‘He does not mean to give up?’’ she mused. ** Doubtless he can rhe plane” friends with money to er him carry out e rode on, and fifteen minutes later stood - best miner’s camp in Bonanza Basin. Leone was th having arrived safely, and Old oN baa Be tickled to death over her and young The old man was very fond of children, and 4y held the litthe bundle of humanity upon his proudly as if he were its grandfather. Leone and Nell were given the hospitalities of the camp. It was a snug, secure little spot here in the basin; it reminded Leone of Flower Pocket, the home of Harry Redburn and Alice, whom Dick had once taken her to visit. knee, as The day qui , and ht once more threw her shadows over e land. ne grew un- easy as darkness aaroateees for it brought to her a foreboding of danger. And jt came. One of the miners returning fro ment that a crowd of armed, swarming into the basin! CHAPTER XT. | A “SCRIMMAGE ''—THE PHANTOM AGAIN. Pm su probably wit ae fa hth m the announce- masked men were . aaa was that Cambre had come Non hs to make an attack upon the cam ey the intention of capturing its su ously meee gol old, and Leone or her child. ham-bone thet ‘old Joner gnawed on!” ex- cheiniade ‘the Annihilator, instantly springing to his feet, unmindful of the baby who was ne in his lap, that youngster being under the necessi- ty of taking a tumble to the soft sandy cane, ““ To arms, boyees! ‘Gather yer spitzbe , an’ perpare fer lively music. Woooray| I'm ther very disease w ‘at des ter innocculate etself amongst a o’ ther enemy—ther great roarin’ flukin’ snow starm 0’ Norweej —ther great awe-insp irin’ terrific demic o’ demoralization an’ electric annihilatio w’at sweeps thru ther northern lattytudes an "longy’ toads like a dose 0’ powdered fizzic thru an’ elefant’s constitoochin!’’ The miners gathered in a compact body, and look- ed to their vospoer The fire was kicked out, and the blackness of the night became more intense. All around lurked a thousand shadows that might easily screen ambushed foes from observation. The two women were thrust into the single tent, and this wag surrounded by half of the men, while the other half, under command of Keno, by Avalan- che’s orders, ‘withdrew to the further ‘side of the gulch. When the attack should begin, they were to Beadle’ s HalfDime Library. circle round the basin, to the tunnel entrance, there- A the escape of the enemy, en ent was made we his satisfac- tion, Avalanche, h Florence, aad as pda AL his side, crept off to reconnoiter. Rot ef sound been given uring the last ten minutes, betraying the presence of enemies in the gulch. They were doubtless ting for the co 4 midnight, or else were creeping up from all si meaning to attempt rise. Old Avalanche crept along with less noise than a cat would have made, — eyes sharply, and oc- casionally pausing to listen for although his ears were shaven off close to his grizzl grizzly old head, his sense of hearing was just as acute as when he pos- sessed these ornamental appendages, Old as was the Annihilator, he had lost none of his ria Spi nor wariness upon the trail. seemed his powers in this respect, in a gi eat arra followed his com on, the billy goat. The with sense and owledge almost human, sometimes; it had learned the of the prairie and forest trail, and in o degree crept peareny, along, and not less cautiously seemed endow uirements ers of our stories, we have illustrated some of its fighting ac- complishments, On more t one occasion had it kA its worth to the satisfaction of its dauntless st Steady, Florence, skeeter made when he ; not much noise as ther ell down stairs and broke his neck, Keerful, like,”’ the veteran cautioned, as the skulked along “EP these ornery skunks don’t git salibasted in 5 hake meter, ye can call ther a- tion a condemned fraud. How I'd like ter entwine a otis in sum ha’r, jest about this percise Both stopped stock still, and listened, A draggin sound through the soft sand, warned them t i some one was approac ‘ And it was no doubt an enemy, as friends were not expected, now. Evi ently the comer was also on a vad eh atone foe the sya of his movements betrayed an attem ats “Watch out, now, ny, beloved j’int!”’ dates the old scout, softly, an’ we'll errupt this varmint’s constitoochin’, in less time *n et takes a bumblebee ter sock his we er Hyg yer cheek. Just you creep around, an’ his rear, while I hold ther front in solid shane". Florence seemed to understand the words, for with a sniff of assent he turned a cig oa to the ‘left, and made a wide detour through the darkness, in order to get ei Seagiong the enemy. Avalanche crouched u knees, in the dense gloom, tiently, w niet that not many moments would elapse ere he would be signalled to attack, or be at- And it came sooner than he had expected, and very much different There was presently a oud shrill bleat; a vicious ‘““ba-a-ah!”’ it was; then like a meteor the form of the goat came pl through the air. A vain at- tempt the old scout made to avoid the calamity, but vain it NAS, for the sledge-hammer head of the ro mal struck him full in he stomach, and rolled him over and over like a aber ball. In the darkness Florence had mistaken his victim, wrongly suppo sing Avalanche to be the enemy. It was several minutes ere the old man could com- mand breath sufficient to but when he could, he rolled forth such’volumes of oratory to the poor nda Piha oe have astonished a Phillips or even a r We will not attempt to put it down, for now a wild shout arises a different rtion of the basin, Pthat breaks and there is a roar of fire-arms in upon the stillness of the night. Forgetting all about the injury done his bread-bas- ket, Avalanche scrambled to his feet, and, rifle in hand, ao away babe the sound of the con- flict, Ww ae eo be at the camp, or in close proximity tat “ Florence was close at his heels, apparently regret- ful of his e, and bound to be rs Suet upon the enemy for his deception, The two circled around, and reached the camp from another side, a few moments later. The fring oy ate he A oer that eo a eg Re at e enemy withdrawn, pro y only to prepare for a fiercer and more determined onslaught. Of their numbers those in the camp hed no idea except that there were swarms of them, all arm with_rifles, “‘Great ham-bone thet fractured the jaw of old Joner!”’ the old scout exclaimed. ‘‘ Let em cum, ef they wanter encounter a small-sized tornader—a cotchin’ disease o’ ther pra'ries. I'm thet disease— I an’ Flor’nce, my goat, an’ Prudence, my mare— we're thet great eppyzootic. Lordy, my friends, I jest wish ye knew o’ all o’ ther terrific exploits we three ’ve bin thru! It'd fill a book bigger’n a dozen Bibles. Sum apted historian once attempted ter in- terdoose us into the psalm-books, but they thort et war sacrili ous ter our names.”’ “*T’ve 0’ a old_skinflint by your name, sumwhere,”’ said Keno, wi one eye and e ing a huge quid of fine-cut. *r’aps et was you.” ust now a rifle re Ape ig rung out, and one of the miners dropped tracks, with a groan. Then came a sonbe ot triumphant yes but no attack, The enemy were Hees a, and picking off a man opportunity off. rs Stood at midnight. Neither 1 the outlaws nor the miners had 4 paar ly ed any advantage, for several had en on either sidie, a making the loss about even. sitions were not changed, worth mention- e suspense of waiting was more harrowing to the miners than would have been a pitched battle. bel ae eh sok The, Po All were men who had fought life and foes witha strong hand—just that sort of men who would at any time rather fight than eat. But matters could not forever remain aoe, and a short time after midnight, an attack w earnest, from the north and south side of t the basin. Pes half mS. ae pen, Saeee my oe Alf Coyle took coolly, and fought with a te oo that told upon the enemy, who wilted ta rapi - a deliberate fire. Nothing as yet had been heard from the men un- der Keno, although a signal had twice been given for assistance. Their peey a an unaccountable, — the enemy with greatly weak- ened in numbers, and when. Adfony: reneired the attack they had consolidated th eir separated forces into one body, on the south side. en on they came once more, with evident determination to sweep all before them, without further delay. Little Alf’s men had suffered a ‘loss. of over half their number, and the forces now stood four to one, if not more. But bravely the miners met the onset, mci my Bae life and liberty with a desperation that was in heroic. Revolvers were used in the place of Lr and the conflict became hand- tohende Slowly, but surely, the weaker y were driven back toward the northern wall of the basin, and they must have suffered total defeat, only that when all seemed lant, there was a shout of encouragement, and Keno an his men attack. d the outlaws in the rear, mowing them down like ow before the reaper. Unexpected, the ruffians, was this timely aid. They made a feeble attempt at resistance, but in vain, They were shot down without mercy, not a man escaping the death he so richly deserv Victo ag Ses cay the brave miners of Dead- wood D but at what cost! Out of a gang of ity men, n had pulled their last trig- ger. Nor ay this all, During the last attack the defenders had drifted amAy, mn the camp, which was left for;the time un- ee ed. As soon as the last shot had been fired, valanche and Little Alf hurried toward the tent, where the two girls had been left, but to their horror, found that they were missing. Ex-Lieutenant Carlos Cambre, was the instigator of the attack upon the Bonanza miners, but he took no part in it. He left all the management to one Jean Jago, a confederate in crime, while he remain- ed just outside the tunnel-entrance, in Eureka gulch. His orders had been to kill off the ‘miners, take pos- session of the mine, and the two girls, Leone and Noisy Nell. As soon as the victory was complete, he was to be thus informed by a messenger, when he would come in and take command. Outside in the gulch he waited for the 4 to appear, but in vain. Midnight came, with sounds of oe desperate battle; two o’clock, said the hands on his jeweled watch, and the sounds of con- flict were hushed in the basin; still no messenger. “Can it Sechelt Pe fee ere eae of dirt- hip them ?’’ he growled, angrily. ‘It must gated i A ogee long ere this have been in- formed. the Juck! I will have to go and see for myself, hem expect."’ He waited a few minutes longer, and not being re- warded for his pees he turned into the tunnel and hurried along, wearing i in a manner frightful to hear. This was 5 bendient mode of expressing his r SE iid sack dake Mien: lomes'tis ttahehs dna hatte, and he oy nay om that all was as he surmised. He saw the miners hurrying about with torches, con ai tm among them being Avalanche and his goat. told him that his men were extinct or had been jen prisoners. “They are searching for some one or something!”’ he muttered. ‘ Perhapsitis the two females? Some of my men may have smuggled them off, and are waiting for a hanes to escape. In that case the will bring them to ee eg so I will get ou lest I be seen, and this crime be thrown upon my good name.’ He laughed sarcastically at the idea, and then turned back into the gunned, and after a "brisk walk of a few moments he gained the end opening out in- to the gulch, and was about to step out, when his became riveted upon an apparition so Seigestol, that he was rooted to the spot, and ad pallor came over his dusky features. That mysterious spirit of the air ws Rape — oe a few yards away te ghos rounded by ey need halo ne bluish ish ight Which was es of bu rimstone ae of the in 2, mn had heard of the Phantom—heard hardy miners tellof encounters with the specter—seen men who claimed to have s - weeks in trying to kill or capture the thing; but he bad never ore seen it self, and therefore hie terror. He trembled oo every limb, but was powerless to move, and a clammy perspiration broke out upon his face, as he perceiv that the ghostly thing was coming nearer and nearer in a ‘noel a prise one fi tched nger of the outstre - err ieee: a tiny bull’s-eye. ly toward him, and the end Nearer and nearer came the Phantom, until but a few feet only intervened between them; then there was a strange ra — as of skeleton bones, and a low, unearthly la ng such as might emanate from such a creature as Thoroughly horrified, Cambre stood like a statue, his terror Sere his glaring, tigerish eyes. aes was no coward; but, rather, was ed 0 before this But even that wil Words came, after a pause,in a low, sepulchral Po ike coin’ te tt ghost it ghost or devil. EOMMICLOCO KS G