Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 467 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

6 es 14 oe Disco Dan, the Daisy Dude. o h 7 v was Only one short laugh it was, though, for | He first removed the men’s revolvers and | ‘*T understand, sir, and will do as you re- instantly Disco put his hand over his mouth with | knives from their pockets, and then he removed | quest.” : no gentle force. ‘Thunder, pard, that slipped me afore I thought!” the ‘‘ cyclone” muttered in apology. ) J sy doing. I And Dan listened attentively for a moment. ‘‘ They did, as sure as fate!” he exclaimed, an instant later. this way.” ‘Tl be hanged if you ain’t ted-eye exclaimed, in a whisper. hear anything, an’ that’s a fact.” ‘*One is coming all the same, and we must get out of sight. Come, get off the trail as fav as you can, and don’t make a sound in doing it.” Quickly they drew aside from the main trail and lay down at full length behind some small rocks and bushes a short distance away. Nor were they any too soon, for barely had they concealed themselves when one of the men passed by, revolver in his hand, A short way beyond them he went, and then he stopped and returned, muttering to himself, Disco Dan and Red-eye did not move, and they were not discovered. ‘‘Tt is strange,” they heard the man mutter; ‘“‘for I could swear that I heard a human voice.” When he rejoined his companion the two started on, and then our friends rose from their concealment and followed them as before. . Passing the Poor-man’s Find, they continued on for a short distance further, and then they turned abruptly into a trail that turned away from the main road at right angles. As soon as they left the main road they put the girls down and allowed them to walk, but s5ill kept a tight hold upon them. What the poor girls suffered, can perhaps be imagined, and it seemed hard for Disco Dan not to rescue them at once; but he was near enough to protect them from bodily harm, and since the villains were playing their game right into his hands, he readin to give them time to run the full length of their rope. ‘‘ Where are they going?’ Dan“asked of Red- eye, when he found they had turned into the other path. ‘Is this the way to the old cabin you spoke of?” “Ves,” Jim replied, ‘this is th’ trail, pard, an’ that’s whar they’re goin’, fer sure.” ‘Well, we will be with them, I guess, The more the merrier, you know.” Just then there caine a momentary interrup- tion in the advance of the party ahead. Edith, hearing her blind sister sobbing behind her, despite the cruel gag that had been forced into her mouth, stopped short and allowed Bes- sie to run against her, to let her know that they were still in each other’s company, in spite of their misfortunes. But that was unnecessary, had Edith known it, for Bessie’s quick ears had detected_her sis- ter’s step the moment she was put down to walk. ‘“Come on, my lady!” exclaimed her brutal captor, as he gave herarm a jerk. ‘“‘ Let us have no foolishness, now, or it will be all the worse for you.” And he hurried her roughly on, Disco Dan heard the words, and his blood fair- ly boiled. ‘How much further is it to that cabin, Jim?” he asked. ** Only a leetle ways now, pard,” was the re- got sharp ears!” ‘“*7 didn’t ly. ‘Well, get your revolvers out and ready for business, and come on. We must put a stop to this affair.” ‘ All right, pard; out they is,” the “‘ cyclone” responded, ‘‘I’m all ready for the fun, so lead right on.” In a few moments more the old cabin was reached by the villains, and a few hasty strides then took the two friends forward. One of the masked men was just in the act of unlocking the door, and the rescuers were not discovered until they were actually upon them. Then Disco Dan exclaimed: ‘¢ Up with your hands, you human devils, or I will drop you in your tracks!” With angry oaths of surprise, chagrin, and dismay the two rascals sprung back a step, and attempted to draw their weapons, but another word of warning from the sport caused them to think better of it, and their hands went up. ‘* Now, pard,” said Dan, ‘‘ you step forward and ahaebh thoee masks from their faces, and we will see who they are, although we know them well enough as it is. them, first, though.” Red-eye obeyed. “One of them is coming back Take their weapons from ‘Well, you want to be careful what you're | shouldn’t wonder if they heard you.” | | i ‘ ————— ee i ee ee — ——. -—- + their masks; and lo! Barton Barker, the ‘*saint,” and Karlo Kenton, the ‘ parson,” stood forth confessed. CHAPTER XVI, DRAWING THE CIRCLE. ‘“‘ Just as I thought,” Disco Dan remarked, as he peered into. the faces of his two prisoners. And he added: : “The jig is up, my beauties, and you are my prisoners. ‘* Jim, secure their hands.” ‘*How in Hades did you two escape?” the “saint” demanded, unable to repress bes curi- osity. “Oh! easily enough,” Dan replied. told your precious friend, the ‘parson,’ this evening, I have as many lives asa cat. When your hired assassin came to kill us, he found we had flown.” ‘‘ Whathired assassin? What are you talking about?” ‘‘Oh! that game will not carry you any fur- ther, my man, for you have reached the end of your rope.” ‘** We shall see about that.” Red-eye Jim had by this time tied their hands securely; then Disco Dan released the two girls from their cruel bonds. ‘‘How can we ever repay you for the services you have rendered us this night?” exclaimed. ‘* By saying nothing about it,” Dan answered. ‘‘T am thankful that I have been able to be of service to you; and now I suppose you would like to be conducted back to the town, would you not?” ‘*¢ Indeed, yes, sir.” ‘“*'Very well, I will arrange to have you taken back at once,’ ‘* How can we ever thank you?” Disco Dan felt that he could trust Red-eye Jim to a certain extent, but no further. 10 leave him to guard the prisoners while he escort- ed the twin sisters back to the town, he dared not, for Red-eye might be induced to turn against him, under promises of rich reward, and allow the villains to escape. Nor did he care to trust him to conduct the girls back to the town in his stead. There was no choice in the matter, though, and he had to allow Red-eye to play that part. ** Jim, can you disguise yourself?” he asked. “What fer?’ the ‘‘ cyclone ” inquired. ** To take these young ladies back to Ben Ban- tam’s house, and then find Ben and bring him up here, without danger of being recognized.” Red-eye thought perhaps he might do it, if Dan would help him, and so they undertook the task. Dan cut the man’s beard all off as close as pos- sible, hiving only a knife to do it with: made a slight change in his attire; and then told him to change his voice and walk with a limp, and he thought he would pass all right. ‘** And now, miss,” Dan said, turning again to Edith Baker, ‘‘may I have a few words with you in private?” ‘Certainly you may,” the girl’s sweet lips an- swered; and she stepped with him a short dis- tance away from the others, ‘‘ What is it you wish?” ** Are you armed?” Dan asked. Yes,” Edith replied, ‘‘I am. I always carry a revolver, sir.” ‘* Very well,” said Dan, conduct you back to Mr. Bantam’s house is something of a rascal at heart, and if he should make one treacherous move, do not hesitate to * Ag ft eat dith ‘‘This man who will shoot him. I think, though, he will do his part all right, but I tell you this to put you on your ard, ‘‘ Thank you, sir; I shall watch him.” ‘‘ He may be all right, and I hope he is. He bas promised to serve me faithfully, but I do not feel free to trust him far out of my sight. ‘When you get to Mr. Bantam’s, you please tell him that I want to see him here at once, and that Red-eye Jim will conduct him to me. ‘‘This must be said strictly in private, and Bantam must leave the town unobserved. “T shall prepare a little surprise party for this town of Domino Divide, and shall spring it upon the citizens in The Den before to-morrow night. ‘‘'You intend to sing there to-morrow night, do you not?” “Such was our intention, sir.” “Well, please be there, for what I shall have to say will be of interest to you. “‘1f Red-eye Jim should desert you and ‘take to the woods,’ as the saying is, let him go; and you tell Mr. Bantam where to find me.” i i ‘‘T would accompany you myself,” Dan ex- plained; ‘*but I dare not trust. that man to guard my prisoners.” ‘*T see how it is, ‘* And now we will go. And again thanking Dan for what he had done for them, the two girls, guided by Red-eye Jim, set out for town. Disco Dan turned his attention to his pris- oners, To record the conversation of the following ten or twenty minutes is next to impossible, for we are nearing the end of our allotted space, Our closing chapter, however, will make all ylain, and the reader’s imagination will lead bigs to guess what it naturally must have been. perfectly,” the girl said. We will say, though, that when Disco Dan made himself known to them, they wilted at once and begged for mercy. They offered to give him every cent they pos- sessed, if he would only allow them a chance to escape. But Dan was firm, and their prayers were all in vain. Meanwhile, Red eye Jim was proving himself faithful to his trust, and in due time the twin sisters were restored to the care of Mrs, Ban- tam, Ben was found in the house, he having just returned and released his wife from her more than uncomfortable predicament; and he was just on the point of going out again to alarm the town and organize a search for the two girls, As it was, the girls were again safe beneath his roof, without the public being aware of their adventure, Full explanations were soon made, and while the town was still in a state of great excite- ment over the escape of the prisoners, and while the friends of Barker and Kenton were search- ing for them, Ben set out with Red-eye to go to ais old cabin where Disco Dan was awaiting tim. ‘** What I would like to know,” Ben remarked as they went along, “‘is how you an’ th’ sport got out o’ th’ jail.” Red-eye explained it all to him, and added: ‘Ye kin jest set it down fer fact, Ben Ban- tam, that this heur Disco Dan is a whole he-hoss on wheels, an’ no mistake!” And Ben exclaimed: ‘‘By ginger, Red-eye, I believe ye!” When they arrived at the old cabin, there was a long conversation between Ben and Disco Dan, after which Ben returned to the town, while Dan, Red-eye Jim and the prisoners re- mained at the old cabin. The next day was a red-letter day for Domino ivide. An air of mystery hung over the place, such as the town had never before known. The coming of Disco Dan, on the previous night, had seemed to be the signal for the town to get right up and turn itself inside out, as some one there expressed it. And where was that cool sport now? Where was Red-eye Jim? How had they managed to get out of jail, if not set free by the man now held L laceior’ Where were the “‘ parson ” and the “ saint?” Very little work was done that day, and The Den Saloon did a good stroke of business. Barry Barleycorn did not have a great deal to say, and it was noticed that he was a little pale at times. Once during the day, when a crowd in the saloon cheered him up a little, he ventured to say: t Well, boys, wherever the ‘Daisy Dude’ is BOW ve got his revolvers and cane to remem- r him bv. ‘* Th’ deuce ye have!” some one exclaimed, “Yes, I have, fer sure. You know I put ’em right down here in th’ closet, when they took bene phe on him last night; an’ Red-eye Jim's aiong wi em. ‘* So ye did!” some one else cried out. “ Trot ‘em out, Barry, an’ let’s see’em.” “ All right, I will,” said Barry, and he stoop- ~ wd and opened the door of the little closet » get them. But pry was his surprise to find them gone. . Be ys,” he gasped, “‘ by heavens they’re gone!" ‘Gone !” ; “As sure as I’m tellin’ you!” There was another mystery ripe for debate. , Veneers could the arms be? Who had taken them? And it was a busy day for Ben Bantam, Had any one watched him, he would have (@ - ¢ 4 ~ 7 _- hall 5 a eh J ¥ ' ‘ff ay 200 om