Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 44 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 _— —- a He was actually defenseless, and Dick had his revolver ready. The two men who sprung to meet the major were savage-looking cases, whom he would have no more compunction in slaying than so many wolves. Always providing the fortune of war decided in his favor. By a quick movement he dodged the shot of one of them delivered at short range. As he sprung aside, the major managed to pull back the hammer of his revolver. When the weapon spoke, one of his foes staggered up against the wall, all the fight taken completely out of him, for he had a ragged hole in his breast through which his life-blood was spurting with every heart-throb. Before the major could make use of his weapon again, the other fellow had sprung forward and closed with him. Locked in each other’s arms, they were so evenly matched in strength, that had they been alone the two might have struggled on for hours, until ex- haustion overtook one or both of them. Rattling Rube’s chances of escaping a shot were very slim. He must either leap at Dare- Devil Dick, or else try to pick up a heavy re- volver that lay close to his feet. He chose to attempt the latter. As he stooped over, the horse-thief took a dead aim. It looked as though Rube had but one chance in a hundred, but they had not calculated on a new actor making his appearance upon the scene. Dare-Devil Dick’s back was toward the lar A ee ey over which the curtain had been pulled. Even as he raised his revolver there was a tre- mendous crash, as a large body bounded through this, breaking both glass and curtain. The horse-thief turned to find himself face to face with the wild man of the mountains! Fire Wolf, in all his hideousness, stood before him, a ee od burning torch in one hand, and the nife red with the blood of former victims in the other. For once the daring chief was frozen literally le horror, and could neither move hand nor oot. ““At last!” yelled the horrible man-wolf, springing forward. A blow, swift and deadl as the bolt from heaven, and Dare-Devil Dic fell to the floor, stabbed through the heart. The prince had stolen his last horse. CHAPTER XX. FIRE WOLF’S LAST BLOW. ‘‘My Gop! I am killed!” burst from the lips of the dashing outlaw. His left hand was pressed against his breast, and between the white fingers, oozed the crim- son tide of life. There was but a minute left him at the most. His glaring eyes were fixed on the form of the wolf-man who seemed to be looking upon his work with satisfaction. With a last effort Dare-Devil Dick raised the arm that held the revolver. Giving one of his hor- rible cries, the fearful creature sprung forward as if he realized his danger, and intended trying to distract the other’s aim, He was too late. The pistol sounded, sharp and clear. Dare- Devil Dick fell back dead, and the form that toppled over upon him, had no more life in it than was contained in the horse-thief’s body. Fire Wolf had lived to see the last of the band whom he seemed to hate so heartily, go under, and had then given up the ghost. Our friends now had their attention directed to another quarter. When the fearful form of the man-wolf made its appearance, Major Spen- cer and his antagonist had involuntarily let §0 each other. Now that the tragedy in that di- rection was over, the horse-thief saw a chance to escape, and ran from the room. Rattling Rube and the major followed in close pursuit. Whatever object the fellow had in view I can- not say. Perhaps he intended using the girls as a means of saving his life. At any rate instead of running out of the door, he darted up-stairs. Here a lantern swung in the hall. e man tried to force an entrance into the first room but failed, owing to the fact that the girls had locked the door. Into the next room he plunged, nearly wild with fear, and hotly pursued by the ranger. Thinking only of the danger behind, the fellow took a flying leap through the window, carry- ing sash an h him. This might have ing all wit saved him only for one unfortunate thing. It happened that he chose the wrong window. ube heard loud cries below. Then came a pistol-shot, followed by a terrible howling. The man’s shouts grew fainter. He had leaped into the den of wolves, and perished miserably. Beadle’s Half-Dime | Another moment and Major Spencer had wane in his arms. Rube spoke a few words to Kittie, whose first thought was her brother and before she could be prevented, the girl had run down stairs to where he lay. Kitty loved him in spite of his faults, nor did Rube think ws: ! the less of her because of it. He took hold of the dead Fire Wolf and drew him away, after which he looked at him more closely. It was a man of immense build and without doubt crazy. With an ingenuity that could only originate in a madman’s brain, he had invented a head-covering in exact imitation of that of a gigantic wolf. This Rube removed, totally icious of the great surprise in store for him. He uttered a cry, and bent over the dead man. ‘*Great Heavens! what mystery is this! my chum, Joe Burns!” It was even so. Further scrutiny revealed evidences of Fire Wolf’s being that person, that were beyond dispute. The great m mss was never solved by Rat- tling Rube. ow his chum had esca from the wolves he never knew. The only theory that seemed plausible, was that Joe Burns had gone crazy in the tree, and either fought his way through the savage creatures or remained in his perch until they left. The bones Rube saw must have been those of an Indian. Per- haps he fell at the hands of the madman; this could never be discovered. But this theory did not explain the presence of the crazed hunter in his native country, his hatred for Dare-Devil Dick, what injury that personage had done him, and why his crazy no- tions made him assume the guise of a wolf. These questions were a matter of speculation to Rattling Rube long after he had committed the body to the grave, but Fire Wolf’s secret was buried with him, It was about an hour after daybreak, when the Regulators came in sight. Rube had been at work for some time past, popping over the ravenous wolves. Seated in the upper room of the house he banged away at them until every one had bitten the dust. There were exactly sixty-three dead wolves. . As to the owner of the ranch, he was lying, bound hand and foot, in a corner of his own house. The Regulators had a little interview with the giant wolf-herder. When they left the ranch he was kindly suffered to remain behind, but in such a peculiar situation that he could not a ems the advantage his high sition sho have given him. Another Ren tucky rope had been used, and Brian the wolf- herder was no more. Relieved of their untiring foe, Major Spencer and Madge hastened to join the latter's r- dian, who was leading a rigorous search in another part of the State, where he thought he had a clew. Thinking he might as well have it done with, now that he was in the East, Major Spencer pro- posed something to blushing Madge and urged the matter so strongly that when he went back to his border post he took a bride with him. So you see the uncle lost his birdie after all, although by fair means. Handsome Rube had long loved Kitty Dar- ling. It was her brother who had separated them, and the dashing hunter soon won her hand, as he had long before won her heart. Some of the Kentucky ators still live. Among them I might mention Wildcat Turner. 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