Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 44 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

Rattling Rube. —-- 11 —_——- When the mountain-top was reached, it was almost sunset. Down in the valley wg left, the shadows were alread scollng © sO many ghosts, hurrying here, there and every- where as if detecting and closing every avenue through which the light might force its way. True, on the other side where they now found themselves, it bade fair to remain light for an hour or more; Resolved to make the most of this time, they urged their horses forward, and went down the declivity at quite a rapid pace. At length the shadows began creeping around them; twilight, so gentle and soft in its shades, was now retreating before the rapid advance of night. Spencer thought it would be dangerous to go any further over this unknown ground, but Rattling Rube had caught a glimpse of an opening ahead, which he thought they could gain before darkness settled in. A few minutes later and it was reached. In the dusk of evening they found themselves looking upon the blackness that indicated a valley in the heart of the mountains. Outlined against the western sky, and also to the north, they could see the rough tops of the high hills that inclosed the place. Did their trail end here? Rube caught sight of a light away down in the valley, which shone like a beacon or a star. It came from a window; the valley was in- habived. CHAPTER XVIII BRIAN THE WOLF-HERDER. ‘‘ WHAT, in the name of all that’s wonderful, is that?” The still silence of the night had been rudely disturbed. Even as our hunter-friends looked down toward that solitary light, and wondered what would attend their efforts, success or fail- ure, a terrible din arose in the valley. First a single howl sounded, clear and distinct; then a second joined in, and a third, and a fourth, until the two men actually gaped in amazement. _—— Spencer’s question could hardly be heard above the racket. “Hang me if I know. I could have sworn that they were wolf voices; I’ve heard enough to know ’em, but that’s impossible. Them crit- ters ain’t in full chase of any thing, but cooped up, every time. Reckon it must be some hun- ter, with’a yard full of hounds, though I'd like to swear that there’s wolf-blood among ’em.” The clamor was now gradually dying away, and they could hear a man’s gruff tones shout- ing the words: ‘Hold yer noise, ye varmints! Quiet, now, or I'll take the hides off some of e,” accom- panied by the sharp cracking of a whip, The hunters stood listening until silence came. Both were now convinced that it was an im- mense pack of dogs, although the wolf-hater would not give up his idea that there was wolf- blood among them, for his trained ear was ever ready to catch their detested notes. ‘* What shall we do?” asked the major, quite willing that his older and more experienced friend should take the lead. **Go down, of course, and do our work. First of all we want to hide our horses somewhere near here. We will reclaim them again for a owners, if we live through the tussle,” said ube. Dismounting, they led their animals to one side and fastened them securely with their bridles, to some of the rocks. Then the descent began, The | pao was not as rough as they had expected, and would probably have been much smoother had they been able to see where to place their feet. After perhaps twenty minutes of this sort of work, they reached what was, without doubt, the level of the little valley, hidden among the very wildest mountains of Kentucky. Soft grass could be felt underneath their feet and the low murmur of a running brook sounded from the unknown region to their right. They went straight forward. The gloom was even more intense down here than on the mountain side, and all they had for a guide, was the light which still flashed from the window. It was larger and brighter now, in conséquence of their being much closer. As they drew nearer, their caution became redoubl All at once the light seemed to go out as they thought. Rattling Rube realized the true state of affairs a few momente later, phen ee , and in trying to save himself from a fall, ba up against a high fence made of long pi with a board here and there nailed over some than crack larger the Halts It was this that had come between the tand themselves. His accident necessarily made a little noise. The response was almost instantaneous. Even Rube started back in dismay as a prolonged howl rung out within a yard of him, followed by a chorus from half a hundred throats. The clamor so close to their ears was perfectly fearful. Duke put his hands to his head, but upon eegng spears of light show through the cracks in the high fence, he gems followed Rattling Rube’s example, and springing for- ward, glued his eyes to one of the crevices. The inclosure was a yard, perhaps twenty eadse square. A two-story house stood at the her end. From an open door, a gigantic man, heavily bearded, had suddenly come forth. In one hand he carried a lighted lamp, while the other held a long black-snake whip, which he cracked with a vicious snap as he spoke, The yard was a perfect mass of leaping, howl- ing animals. There might have been fifty; there might have been two hundred; the major could not tell. At first he had taken it for granted that they were bunting-dogs, but he quickly re- alized his mistake. They were gaunt wolves. Astonishment kept both the hunters mute, and they watched the colossal figure that had ap- peared so suddenly upon the scene. ‘Quiet, ye varmints! Ye act asif the devil had got into ye. Thar will be no sleep for Brian to-night. As sure as I’m a living man [ll clean out half of ye to-morrow. Quiet, I say.” His words, accompanied ye fierce cracking of his whip, which the animals in all pg pers knew only too well, served to stop the fearful racket, and absolute silence fell upon the scene. Then Brian, as the man had called himself, withdrew. “Thar,” said Rube in triumph,” I knew a wolf’s howl, Reckon if I was dying I'd rise up to have a crack at the varmints after nearly setting me crazy that time. Now, what do you make of this, major?” ‘**T am beginning to understand it somewhat. When we were with the Regulators I heard them mention this man’s name. was a noted wolf-hunter who lived somewhere among the wild mountains spending all of his time in hunting wolves, for the scalps of which he received a certain amount from head-quar- ters. The animals have been so bad the last few years that the authorities took this means of ridding the state of them,” “IT see, I see,” said Rattling Rube, ‘‘ and this old coon found the trade so profitable that he has actually started a wolf farm. Now the ques- tion is, shall we find those we seek here?” ‘“That can be easily answered; let us move forward toward the house. Keep away from the fence, or you will have the brutes in full cry in. I can hear them sniffing at the cracks,” and the major stepped ahead as he spoke. “My hand is itching to raise every one of their scalps and [ll do it too. When that neat job is accomplished, poor Joe Burns my old comrade will be well avenged. Howl away, ye brutes; the time for your extermination is draw- ing near. How’s that, major? Are we drawing near the house?” ‘** Hush! the window is just beyond us. They- *°ve drawn a curtain over it. We will move along to the door. Have your gun ready, Rube. There may be some tough work ahe pered the major. Passing the window, from which the light had been entirely hidden, they went on, expecting to | find a door. Nor were they mistaken in their . e door was there, sure enough. Rattling Rube now took the lead. The major expected to see him knock, but instead of thi he lifted the latch, and quietly eo in. They entered a hall that was quite dark. A narrow strip of yellow light told of a door beyond, and to this Rube walked. Beyond it the low murmur of voices could be heard, and after listening half a minute they distinguished the voices of Dare-Devil Dick and Brian_ the wolf-slayer. There was at least one other but they had never heard it before. 4 ‘Ready boy?’ asked Rube, his hand on the oor. “Ready,” answered the major in a steady voice. ** Then the curtain will go up.” With these words the bold hunter pushed open the door and popped into the room to find himself face to face vith five men. CHAPTER XIX. $01 Rae PEERS. RaTTLING RUBE was a little astonished self. He had expected to see two men in the room, pernans three at the outside, but not five. Although may have been the case he did not for an instant lose the admirable presence of him- They said he | > wWhis-_ el — mind that, almost invariably marked his move- m ents. ‘“‘ Rube Rand by the eternal!” : As Dare-Devil Dick uttered this exclamation, he sprung to his feet. He had been seated at a rough table, along with the rest, and from their attitudes, together with the glasses that were in plain view, it was easy to judge that the prince of horse-thieves, whom they looked up to asa man to be obeyed, had been regaling the others with an account of the disaster that had over- taken his band. As a general thing he was lightning on the trigger, but Rube got the ‘“‘drop” on him, asa Texan would say. While the outlaw’s hand still rested on his pistol, he realized that the | | | | i j ' — EE | hunter’s rifle was bearing directly on his heart. ‘“*Stop!” said Rube, sternly. Not a hand moved in all that room. _ Just be- hind the hunter a second form had made its ap- pearance, and major Spencer stood there, revol- ver in hand. ‘‘What have you done with the girls, Dick Darke?’ ‘‘T’ve done nothing with them. Kitty chose to come with me, and Madge couldn’t be left alone. I suppose the se is up now, but if there was any show I’ ight Soy totheend. J doubt not but what you call this a fair thing, twenty to five,” said the horse-thief in a savage tone. Major Spencer should have been wise ep to have kept silent, but the taunting tone of the outlaw made him speak before he realized what he was saying. “You are mistaken; the odds are in your favor; it is two against five,” he said, quickly. “Then Turner and his wildcats are not on hand. Boys, do you hear that?’ cried Dare- Devil Dick turning to his friends. ** Clean sweep, my hearties. Leave the hun- ter tome. At ’em ye go and—” butthe balance of Brian’s words were drowned in the crack of the hunter’s rifle. Fate seemed to have decided that Rattlin Rube should not kill the brother of the gir whom he loved, even though he did his level best to bring such an event to pass. Once be- fore had the horse-thief been in just such a situa- tion, and he had escaped the death that hovered over his head. Some sense of intuition must have told him when Rube, urged by the warlike movements of the fierce men opposed to him, was about to pull the trigger, for just at that very instant he made a quick leap to one side. The bullet buried itself harmlessly in the tim- bers composing the wall, and yet Dick had a very narrow escape of it, as the slit in his sleeve testified. One of his ruffianly-looking friends was not so fortunate. The crack of Major Spencer’s revolver sounded directly after the | rifle-shot. A horrified shout of intense agony burst from the man at whose broad breast the weapon had been aimed. He fell back as though struck by a heavy club. One frantic grasp at the emp air for support, as a drowning man might clute at a straw, and the fellow toppled over. Death had come with terrible suddenness, and in all probability his life was gone before he touched the floor. The others made no halt. Common sense told them that to do so was to waste the precious seconds, and enable their enemies to keep their advantage. They were still two to one, Rattling Rube knew he would have no time to draw his six-shooter, so he instantly clubbed his rifle. The giant wolf-herder and Dare-Devil Dick assaulted him. é: What occurred during the next minute would take five times as long to narrate. Brian was much larger than the hunter, and in a hand-to- hand conflict, his brute strength might have overcome Rube’s suppleness, but the latter had no intention of meeting the ruffian wolf-herder in that way. : Anxious to close with the hunter, Brian rush- ed forward. In his haste he Cone discretion. Down rushed the clubbed rifle with all the force Rube was capable of throwing into the blow. It took Brian square on the side of the head, and sent him over into a corner, where he lay like one dead, all huddled up and quite motion- less. The wonder was that his was not crushed, as nine out of ten would have gone in like an eggshell, Rattling Rube had now but one enemy to deal with, and that his mortal foe, Dare-Devil Dick. The hunter saw the horse-thief across the room with a pistol in his hand, and felt for his own weapon. To his dismay it had cupped from his belt, probably when he stumbled against the ence; at any rate it was gone. (E(O) im GDOGKS (E()