Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 47 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

“« ing room, and not for the handling of pistol and gun. A wide-brimmed hat set on his head in devil-may-care style completed the bandit’s ap ance. is white followers were similarly but not so well clad, and the Indians wore leggings, and, with one or two exceptions, a coarse buck-skin jacket or hunting frock. This was the band dreaded by adventurers and miners en route to the inexhaustible cop- r mines of Lake Superior, Its terrible forays ad been told beyond the Wisconsin woods, and a few trains, knowing its accredited haunts, had skirted the dreary shores of the upper lakes, and, escaping the rifles and tomahawks of the Indians, eat reached the mining country in safety. But that route was long, toilsome and exhausting, and many who resolved to try the shorter one and run the risk of being attacked by the bandits, discovered, when it was too late, that the long way was the better one, None knew anything about the identity of the handsome man, called Captain Dave by his men. Occasionally a sensational journalist, seated in some cosy city sanctum, tried to con- nect him’ with the young bank cashier who mysteriously disappeared between two days; or xroved conclusively, to himself at least, that he Robin Hood of the North- west was the young Spanish hidalgo who flashed for awhile in avenue society, and then fled after knifing a rr to turn bandit and terrorize a romantic and, If they did not demonstrate their theories to the satisfaction of their readers, they filled several columns, and that was something. Pushing through the woods with the youn outlaw slightly in the rear, the cavalcade movec with much caution. Ri resting carelessly across the pommels of saddles obtained by some night attack upon a rich train, were d by determined hands as ever wielded the deadly weapon. Captain Dave did not speak to the man who rode at his side and never took his eyes from is face. “Don’t I know that there was a gal in Col- lyer’s train?’ chuckled the man, who was Rafe rmstrong, already introduced to the reader. ‘*Hal my cap’n, you may say that you settle the matter when you say there warn’t; but that doesn’t settle it by along shot! Fire and furies! did I go into the train yelpin’ like a devil with my eyes shet? Didn’t I see the gal crawl under the wagon what the oxen over- turned when they fell over, an’ when I went to look for her, arter the fray wasn’t she clean gone? These are facts, my Cap’n Dave, which are gospel, an’ mebbe, beside thet, Funk an’ me didn’t see the gal—or suthin’ mighty like a female creetur—runnin’ into the bush when we war tryin’ old Collyer himself.” The brigand seemed to enjoy his communion with self. It relieved him vastly, and he looked as if he had convinced the forest Apollo in a mi 1 Epes argument. “ ; +!” Instantly every rein was seen and the bandits looked eagerly forw | The curses of men and the whips cracking over the heads of the plodding oxen were falling distinctly upon their ears. | The position of the train was now closely re- vealed and the brigands were eager to attack, ‘‘Put on the mufflers!” Captain Dave said in a low tone, and a stout buck-skin sack was quick- ly thrust over the mouth of each horse, ‘‘ Hey they got any horses, cap’n?’ yentured Armstrong. , “It is not likely that Captain Rough would embark for the mines without them,” was the reply. With less speed and increased caution, the forest foes crept upon the train. They heard it come to a sudden halt which ca an expression of anxiety to flit across the brigand’s face, and when signs of commo- tion became apparent, he looked around into the dark features of his men. | “Something’s wrong!” he whispered. “We have been betrayed.” : “The gal!” said Armstrong, ominously. sé Ca 'n, e—” “That will do!” was the interruption, as the speaker’s eyes flashed baleful light upon the venturesome man, ‘I will not put up with your infernal fears any longer. Rafe Arm- strong, you can do one of two things, and that right now. You can leave me forever, or prom- ise to keep your mouth shut in the future.” **Do you mean it, eap’n?’ “T mean pothing !” was the firm reply. ‘What are you going to do? Open your mou and say quickly. with the co Nightingale Nat. ““T’ve been with you nigh onto five years,” said Armstrong. ‘*We’ve been good triends, Cap'n Dave—” ‘*No preliminaries!” interrupted the leader of the brigands, out of patience with the man. ‘““We can’t stop here and listen to a long rig- poor of nothing. Go! or keep your mouth shut, **’As long as I stay with you, cap’n?”’ ** So long as that,” . *T can’t do it! it’s impossible. By my beard! I will not keep my mouth shet fur any man!” With uplifted hand the bandit chief pointed into the depths of the forest, from which they had lately emerged. ‘*T understand the p’intin’, cap’n,” Rafe Arm- strong said, with a vicious twinkling of his deeply-buried eyes. ‘‘ When a man will prom- ise to keep his mouth shet, when he knows he can’t, he oughter to be tied to a horse’s tail. Oh, ’'m goin’, Cap’n Dave. Mebbe you’ll wish by an’ by thet you’d let old Rafe have a little tongue run, T will prove thet I wasn’t blind thet night, mind this, Cap’n Daye!” Steadily that hand pointed to the west, and Rafe Armstrong wheeled his horse. ** Good-by, boys!” he said, as he rode through the group of astonished men. “I won’t tas talkin’ for any livin’ man. This isn’t the you'll see of Rafe Armstrong, !’m thinkin’.” The white bandits, to the number of six or eight, muttered ‘‘ good-by;” and the Indians nodded, but did not speak. Slowly the deserter disappeared among the shadows, watched with conflicting emotions by the man who had bade him go. “Tf it hadn’t been for the noise!” he murmur- ed, significantly, “‘ there would be blood on his saddle now,” and then he turned to his remain- men: ‘Let nobody succor him!” he said, merci- lessly. ‘‘ We are better off without the gabbler.”’ The party advanced again. At the leader’s side rode an athletic and evil-faced Indian. ‘** Ride ahead and leave us!” the young bandit said to this red-skin in an undertone. ‘‘ You know what to do. Follow him with caution, and see that he is as dead as a stone before you come back to me.” A meaning nod from the savage told that the words were understood, and he rode ahead. The white bandits seemed to divine the move and exchan looks, but said nothing. They knew that their chief had thrown one of the most cautious and malicious scarlet fiends of the North-west upon Rafe Armstrong’s trail. Heaven help the deserter if Sharp® Knife sought his life. : On, on still went the cavalcade. It crept upon the train, and strange voices, which seemed at variance, came to their ears. “They’re having a Saha among them- selves!” the leader of the bandits whispered, gleefully, to hismen. ‘* Now, ready!” The clicking of thirty rifle-locks was heard. A moment’s silence followed the deadly sound, and then a deafening volley was poured upon the train. “Charge!” shouted Captain Dave. r thieves!” It was a wild moment, for, like thunderbolts, the Vultures of the woods fell upon the train. ‘Down CHAPTER IL A HAND ON NAT’S THROAT. THE onslaught of the outlaws ao the train occurred at the moment when Nightingale Nat, having heard Shadow-Shot’s determined words, crept closer to him for that protection which they promised. As might be expected, the volley, though fired almost at random, threw the adventurers into a confusion which seemed from the first destined to prove disastrous to them. ortunately no one was hit, but several bullets found a lodgment in the bodies of the faithful oxen, which, plunging with pain, overturned the wagons, and added to the uproar. ‘* Down with the copper thieves!” yelled the ore who dashed through the dim light upon e train. The explorers ee ing meer A sprung to — e e which Nightingale Nat picked up brutal <n ugh had shaken from his grasp, and sprung instantly to the side of his b] uncouth Pn ete whose eyes flashed with the light of forest battle. ‘* Stan’ by me, leetle one!” cried Shadow-Shot, pancing at the boy. “ We're in fur it now, an’ ’m thinkin’ thet thar’ll be some toes turned up to the sky afore the stars go down!” A few shots which emptied several saddles 3 —— -—-— —- ——— answered the initial volley, and then the greater rt of the train-men, seized by a sudden panic, ed ingloriously from the fray. After all, Cap- tain Rough’s followers were, for the most part, quite unused to ‘dance with death,’ and ost instinctive y fled from it. Shadow-Shot saw the desertion and gritted his teeth. “The skunks!” he hissed, rmenite t ** Leetle one, they’ll leave us alone presently. No use fightin’ the wood cats, an’ fur sech a scamp as yer capt’in. But wait! thar’s one feller what needs a leaden pill.” The long rifle struck the speaker’s shoulder, and the report that followed the action sent a white plunderer headlong from one of the wagons. It was a death shot. ‘** Look!” suddenly cried the boy, grasping the ranger’s arm and pointing excited!y to the right. ‘‘ What does that mean? Captain Rough and that outlaw are friends.” “The — old Harry!” ejaculated Shadow-Shot, starting at the picture exhibited to his ‘ ‘*Sech scamps ought to be friends; but, Pll make one of”em friendless. Yer rifle, boy.” *““No! no!” said the boy, withholding the weapon for which the great bronzed hand of the ranger was eagerly kote “Don’t shoot Captain Rough now. . He knows something that he must tell one of these days!” re - Suthin’ about you, leetle one? Well, he shall The speaker’s lips closed firmly behind the last word. ‘‘They’re lookin’ fur us—them two devils! It ar’ lucky, p’raps, thet we’ve escaped so long.” Believing that the flight of the train-men had left the train completely in their power, as in- deed it had, the Vultures had fallen to plunder- ing. With that insatiate greed which charac- terizes brutes of their stamp, they were ransack- ing the wagons, caring for nothing save the few valuables which were thus offered to them. The shadows and the greed of the outlaws had providentially screened Shadow-Shot and his young protege from observation. The shooting of the man on the wagon had not drawn their attention to the slayer. The others no doubt deemed him slain by some lingering miner who had delivered the shot before joining his com- nions in flight. Well might the sight to which Nightingale Nat called Shadow-Shot’s attention cause that worthy to start. pag to Rough was shaking hands with Cap- tain Dave the outlaw! ‘“‘ Birds of a feather!” the ranger said, looking at the twain. ‘‘ We'll clip their wings afore long, praps. Come with me, leetle one!” e boy was nothing loth. With Shadow-Shot he would be 5? Sie: the reach of Captain Rough’s ates tot e would find a protector in the person of the old ranger, and he did not hesitate to follow. ' The two plunged into the forest. Side by side et Bt into the ohana | depths; the boy holding ig tewe A to the hand of his protector, and keeping pace with his long and rapid strides. ‘Hyar we are!” said Shadow-Shot as he came to a sudden halt. Nat tooked wonderingly into his face. ‘“T want you to stay hyar till I come back,” the ranger continued. ‘‘ The hole is big enough to hold your carkiss, I guess.” What hole? The boy saw before him the dark trunk of a great tree, and closer scrutiny revealed an + ttn about four feet from the ground; but it did not look large enough to admit his body. oF run “Tt held me once!” the ranger said, noticing the youth’s incredulous look. ‘‘ Hyar! Tl lift you into the place. Plenty of air, boy, anc room at the m. Ill be back soon. Thar’s suthin’ I want to find out back yonder at thc wagons. Thar’s new deviltry afoot in thesc , an’ Shadow-Shot will have new enemie: rom this hour, I’m thinkin’.” with all the confidence of a persor of his few years, et ale Nat allowed him- self to be lifted ily m the und, anc soon found himself snugly ensconced in the nove! lace of concealment. ** No b’ars in these ee were the last words that the ranger said to the boy, and then the sound of footsteps which rapidly grew indistinct saluted Nat’s ears. Shadow-Shot had departed, and he was alone in the oe ai age hollow of a tree in the wild woods of Wisconsin. The situation so novel and startling to the as ape his senses on the alert. is ears clung with tenacity to the footsteps Eomichbooks:.co