Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 469 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

——__ — eee eee OC the hunchback desperado was dead or only wounded St. Limo knew not. ‘“Sho! now; are thet a fact? Yaas? Wal! ‘wal; thar’s no a’countin’ fer ther things thet happen in this hyar wale ov tears,” and Ugly Mike evolved a lugubrious sigh. ‘**'Yaas, sur; sum’ derned queer things do happen, Now, in snakin’ ther gal out ov camp ; cher hull three ov us kem mighty nigh a-cashin’ ~in our chips. Wheezy Ben wheedled her out ov Nowhar all right, an’ got her safe inter ther canyon; but w’en we went ter lay han’s on her, we found we hed miskalkilated sum’, fer she outs witha brace o’ ‘sixes’ an’ shows signs ov firht. ‘*Afore we c’u’d rekiver from our s’prise, inter ther canyon pops ther dirty fat cuss w’ot has bin’ passin’ hisself off in camp es a Dutch tramp, an’ atween ’em they got ther drop on ts in ther wu’st way Lever see. Then ther two ov ‘om sized et up thet they c’u’d take ther three ov us inter camp, ter be booted by King Gabe till we w’u’d tell who hed putt up ther leetle job on ther gal. ‘*T hed whistled fer ther purps, but afore they ¢’u’d git down from ther cave, ther Dutch son- ov-a-gun hed bracelets—bracelets, do yer mind —yround ther wrists ov Pete an’ Ben. In course ‘thet took all ther starch out ov ther boyees, an’ they wilted, wharupon ther fat cuss laughed an’ let et out thet he war Bolly Dorrit, ov ther mountain detectives, an’ thet he hed bin doin’ sum purty tall listenin’ ’round ther Fair Play, an’ hed got on ter ther gal racket. W'ile he war blowin’ away, ther purps kem down an’ lit _ inter him, an’ then thar war ther purtiest leetle scrimmage ever yer see. ** I see’d in a minute thet ther dorgs war goin’ ter be too much fer Bolly, beka’se ther fat cuss cu'dn’t shake a leg fast enuff ter keep out ov their way; so leavin’ ther boyees ter watch ther fight, 1 grabbed the gal an’ putt off fer ther cave, whar she now are. ‘** Wile I war gone, ther dorgs downed Bolly, an’ war jest a-makin’ mince-meat ov him, w’en ther boyees heerd Jeems Rivers an’ a pack ov galoots kemin’ lickety-split up ther canyon. Bein’ as how they war han’cuffed an’ in no fix fer a fight, they up an’ cut fer ther cave, escapin’ ‘thout bein’ see’d, ‘* Rivers an’ his men cleaned out wat war left ov ther pack, an’ got Bolly stretched out more ceed than alive, then went a-moseyin’ up an’ own the canyon lookin’ fer our hidin’-place; but ther secret path leadin’ up ter ther cave war too much fer ’em, an’ so they finally up ’ith ther (at cuss an’ putt back fer ther camp. ‘‘Thet war purty nigh two hours ago; sence thet time thar hes bin no sign ov life in ther canyon.”’ Julian St. Elmo smiled grimly. He recalled the gathering at the office of the Yellow Boy Mine. He readily understood why there had been no signs of life in the canyon during the past hour. ‘Ther job ov stealin’ ther gal war a success,” continued Ugly Mile. ‘‘ But ther Cripples won’t be see’d around Nowhar much arter this, fer King Gabe are a holy terror, an’ he’ll hev a rod in pickle fer ther boyees.” ‘Quite true,” said St. Elmo, quietly, his long fingers toying nervously with the haft of the bowie in his belt. ‘‘ You say Pete and Ben are in the cave?” The chief nodded assent. ** Alone with the girl?” ** 'Yaas,”’ ) ** Then who is that?” and the gambler, spring- ing half-erect, pointed with the index finger of his left hand toward the cave. Startled, Ugly Mike turned his head and glared in the cirection indicated, , St. Elmo’s knife flashed in the sunlight. A swift, downward stroke, and the long blade . sunk to the hilt in the back of the tricked des- erado, amare You, Jule St. Elmo—did you do thet?’ he gasped, whirling over and staring with fast ’ vlazing eyes at the face of the treacherous gam- bler. ‘* W’at; hev I done thet you sh’u’d stab me ‘in ther back? Cuss yer! hain’t I sarved yer long an’ well?” ***Dead men tell no tales!’” quoth the mad homicide, and with the jeering response, the life of Ugly Mike ebbed rapidly away. ° CHAPTER XII. JESSICA RELATES A STORY. ‘* HE has gone the way of all flesh,” muttered St. Elmo, turning from the lifeless form of Ugly Mike, and moving cautiously toward the cav- ern. ‘‘ All that now remains for me to do to free myself of all entangling alliances, is to rid myself of Wheezy Ben and Pious Pete. Luckily / The R ——— —-—-——--—— me eee they are handcuffed, and with my revolvers in prime condition, the affair will be altogetber one-sided. ‘* Adroitly performed, the act can be made to give mea hero’s prestige in the eyes of the ro- | mantic girl, too; and, once in her good graces, | I doubt not that I shall be perfectly competent | to lay successful siege to her heart and hand. | ‘*There is nothing like turning these little matters to account, for it is the trifles that count up and swell the total, ‘*Tortunately, the girl has not seen me since that day on which occurred our first and only | meeting, and the change in my appearance isso | marked that the chances are a hundred to one | that she will never recognize me, ‘After she is once Mrs. Jason Dyke, how- | ever, [ don’t care a picayune how quickly she | opens her eyes to the real facts in the case. I think I can depend upon myself to see that no secrets go out of the family. ‘* But here is the cavern entrance. Now fora glimpse inside, then ho! for the bold, heroic dash!” | Perfectly familiar with the cave and its vicinity, the crafty villain had so,arranged his approach as to remain unseen by any one chanc- | ing to look forth in quest of Ugly Mike. | The secret haunt was a roomy, well-lighted | place, and the forms of its denizens were easily | discerned by the gambler as he darted a single piercing look through the narrow, cunniugly concealed aperture serving as an entrance, At the rear end of the cavern, seated upon a large flat stone, her hands bound securely with a rough rawhide thong, and her head fey, clown, was Jessica Morton, the blonde giant’s sister, Just within the entrance sat the two ruffians, side by side upon a narrow ledge, conversing in low tones, and anon regarding their manacled hands with rueful looks. As St. Elmo noted the respective positions of “ three persons, an evil smile curled his thin Ney would not have it better,” he thought. ‘* A single leap, a brace of shots, a little artful rodomontade, and I shall be face to face with the fair charmer, and deep at one bound in her good graces.” . Withdrawing from the strained position he had assumed, the gambler abruptly stepped be- fore the narrow aperture in the rock, each hand clasping the butt of a weapon, his eyes glowing | fiercely, his athletic form bent slightly forward, and his muscles bunched for a mighty bound. An instant he swayed lightly back and forth, then shot forward with ‘the ease and suppleness of a panther, alighting face to face with the brace of astounded ruffians. ‘** Hands up, or die!” he shouted, the words falling swiftly, his full tones filling the cavern | with strange, ringing echoes. ‘*What! you show fight! Then—take—it!” The hiatuses between the last sharply hissed | words were each filled with the crack of a re- volver, and the two desperadoes, each with a | bullet hole in the center of his forehead, fell | lifeless upon the sandy bottom of the cave—_ killed before they could utter a word. For a moment St. Elmo stood quite still, with his smoking weapons gracefully poised, his | gleaming blue eyes peering into the darker | corners of the cavern, and his bearing that of a man who expected an immediate and deadly at- ck, **Can it be possible there were but three of them?” he ejaculated, the words just audible, ‘* And the fair captive—where—is—- Ah!” With the exclamation, he deftly returned the revolvers to his belt, then glided forward, for | the girl had started to her feet. in evident | } er Den alarm. ‘* A thousand pardons, miss, if I have startled | ou!” he murmured, bowing as he deferentially ifted his hat. ‘* Prompt, decisive action was necessary, as it was evident that those two ruf- fians were bent upon making a desperate fight.” ‘**An apology is not to be thought of,” return- ed the girl, promptly. Then, with a peculiar smile hovering over her pallid face, she added: | “The men were desperate fellows, and would | have fought to the last, no doubt, handcuffed | though they were.” : ‘* Handcuffed ?” | | The exclamation teemed with artfully simula- | ted surprise and chagrin. | ‘Yes; they were handcuffed,” repeated Jes- | sica; then, in a few brief sentences she related | the ironing of the two ruffians by Hunki Hans. | ‘‘Tt must have been that the glitter of the | manacles misled me,” mused the apparently | crestfallen gambler, as if the words were intend- | ed for himself alone, ~————— ee ‘*T was morally sure that | finement in this noisome place.” . 4! _lanche, | turned away, sick at heart, well-know- ae Py ? gambler, bowing low, fied!” ival Giants of Nowhar. —_———— ee ——e eee Ce SS i + + es “Ts “Ube each had drawn a weapon. Then, too, I was expecting a determined resistance, for I had just headed a terrible struggle outside with the red-bearded member of the trio. , ‘I shall never excuse myself for my haste,” he continued, aloud, addressing his words to the girl. ‘It is inexpressibly galling to a man of spirit to find that he has slain a comparatively helpless foe. ** But permit me to free your hands. And I | dare say a glimpse of the outer world would be bota agreeable and reireshing after your con- Ee Jessica Morton mutely extended her hands. Under the keen edge of St. Elmo’s knife, the = | rawhide thong parted and fell away. ee ‘Thank you,” she said, quietly. Then, as she ug noted the interest glow in the gamblers eyes, a > her glance shifted, and a faint flush crept over oa her face, 4 Inwardly exultant at the successful working oa of the plot evolved from his crazed brain, : St. Elmo turned and led the way from the : cavern. In passing the body of Wheezy Ben, the girl | 4 stooped and drew from his belt a heavy revolver, ng she instantly concealed in the folds of her aress, ‘How long have you been a captive in that den, Miss—Miss—” ‘* Miss Morton,” supplied Jessica, as the emerged from the short passage. ‘‘ I don’t thin I've been there more than two hours. I was | enticed from Nowhar this morning. | ao Ff ‘* From Nowhar, you say? If you had friends in that camp, Miss Morton, I have sad news to : . é impart,” and the gambler’s face assumed a > serious expression. | we ‘*Sad news! Oh! what can it be?” cried the 5. girl, sinking upon arock, facing the canyon, an . wringing her hands despairingly. St. Elmo averted his face to conceal a look of 4 triumph. ; ; ‘If you had friends there, my dear Miss Mor- . ton, pray prepare yourself for news of terrible import,” he said, with immeasurable gravity. At that instant, the girl started sharply, and a look of great relief crept into her face. _ : ‘* Friends!” she exclaimed almost impatiently, tity her face in turn eluding the gampbler’s glance. ** The last of my kindred—my brothers—were there.” ‘**Then, lady, I have for you the worst news possible, = ae ** But little more than an hour ago, an awful |. a avalanche swept down upon the, fated camp, burying everything beneath tons of earth. Out of all owhar, not a man escaped: At last FF ‘* At last you—have what?” interrogated Jes-— re og al wheeling and staring him full in e face, e . St. Elmo hesitated, and bit his lip. His reel- A. | ing brain had led him almost into making anir- > reparable blunder ‘At last I have discharged a disagreeable duty,” he concluded. ‘Oh! is th: t all?” and a cold smile flitted over Jessica Morton’s face, : te - i The gambler was nonplused. He had expect- ed a wild outburst of grief. ewan 07 ‘‘But are ycu sure no one escaped from the dcomed camp?” continued the girl. ** Positive,” replied St. Elmo. ‘* From a spur of the mountain overlooking the camp, I Wi nessed the descent of theavalanche, Nota man escaped, many attempted to flee, only to be crushed beneath the mass of rock and earth.” | A moment of silence ensued. ' “gf ‘* How did you discover that I was a captive in the cave, Mr,—” * ‘** Donald Clark, ismy name—a tourist, tramp- ing these hills for pleasure and adventure,” said St. Elmo, seating himself on a rock. ‘ In reply to your question: After the falling of the ava- t—— ing that I could be of no assistance to the poor fellows buried in the valley_ below me. tae chance, [laid my course in, this direction,amd = again, by the merest accident, Overheard a por- tion of the conversation of your captors, You» know the result.” c ‘‘ My abduction this morning seems to have been a very fortunate circumstance, in some re- spects, Mr, Clark,” observed Jessica, after a m0- ment’s thought. ‘At all events, it led to my escaping the avalanche. _“* But now that I am alone in the world, how shall I ever get back to civilization?” | ‘*T am at your service, dear lady,” cried the ; Mentally, he added: ‘‘ And, hang me! if you ain’t selfishness personi- X S, 2 - by a ~~ S528 oe a ened ion. Y P. Nee ao % Lo eet 2 Ny ¥ ye dco t — * — ; ~~ ee ‘s 4 ; rs. * i ltt - 7 ~~; ~ — The girl shot a covert glance at his face, while : - J . - } a ‘ ¢ i & s