Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 478 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

a a es — + peer ys : a eS . = - > ‘ — x —_— Pe aa atm “bay ~ = jae .—_* < > +> es - Cie t- —-* aie oe ater _ > iene. —- —_ ~~ wie vo = + rs Seeing soe Wet ee a - ” oy = at) — - . > iy 4 = -<, mer cass as ae —_"* * Sn) h crt io ~~ 7 “om * p, as a a bi), ae = * oS, : °% = o. * ee at 2. a ge ——_ =~ i e 2 4 pe ee A} © i os 4 : +p | bee ta s wa? .f=, 4 Oty wx , - iS - ~~ 4 -~ | > “ gr- Ts « fej . - , * * < <<“ « a. . é. ee a Fe at Ais ~ ~ 10 Old Tom Rattler, What d’ye see, Rat?’ “ Hossmen! and they’re comin’ a-flukin’, too!” “The devils are after us, sure,” exclaimed Ban have some stiff old fightin’ to do, but then we’re them as can do it.” ‘** Laramie,” said Old Kit, ‘‘ jump yer hoss and line out and save that gal, Zulima.” ‘* Yes, that’s so, boy,” added Rattler, leaping from the saddle, ‘‘ go save the gal, and if we go under, you—” ‘*No, no, old friends,” interrupted the boy, **T will never desert a friend in the face of dan- er. If there’s going to be some fighting to do, want a hand in it.” ‘*But look here, boy, you and the gal are young, and there’s a deal o’ life before you yit,” argued Old Rattler, ‘‘ while me and that old Ruins o’ Babylon there have ’bout rounded out our full measure 0’ years.” “That may all be, but my sense of duty will admit of no desertion of you,” replied Joe; ‘‘ Td rather die an honorable boy than a conscience- stricken old man. No, I shall stay with -you, for I can plainly see that you will need my help. There are Indians among those horse- men.” The approaching enemy could now be seen quite plainly, and, as near as possible, Old Kit made out about twenty in the party, the ma- jority being savages. They were riding rapidly, a line of dust hanging on the air marking their trail back almost to the hills. ‘““We've got big odds to fight, boys,” the de- tective said, ‘‘ ey here in the open plain it’s go- in’ to hustle us to kill’em all afore they git in some work, I hate arfully to deestroy so many rome that might be useful to society.” ‘* Bandy, you're a hull Quaker-meetin’-house full o’ Christianity—a rooral deestrict of sim- plicity, a female seminary o’ tender-hearted ness,” said Old Rattler; *‘ you’d ought to’a’ been a deetective in the land: o’ love instead o’ the hills and prairies.” ‘*Let us hurry forward to yonder eminence, folks,” said Laramie Joe; ‘‘there’s a spring there where we can get water, and besides we can command the approach on all sides to a bet- ter advantage.” ** A good idea, lad,” replied Rattler,” for we'll need some advantage, sure sartain.” The three hurried forward and took their po- sition on the eminence and got their rifles and revolvers, mcluding those taken from the out- Jaws, in readiness for the struggle. By this time the oncoming foe were within lialf a mile of them, and as the trio gazed upon the flying horde, a look of desperate determina- tion settled upon their features. To the two old men Laramie Joe looked beroic in his un- wavering, resolute courage, and his calm, manly demeanor. To one unacquainted with the skill, courage and fighting qualities of those three whites, an attempt to repel that horde of infuriated sav- ages and outlaws would seem like'criminal fol’y, and could have but one outcome, and that cer- tain death to the three. But the idea of surrendering to their enemies never once entered the minds of the whites, They knew it was victory or death. They calm- ly awaited the approach of the foe, never mov- ing until hey, were within two hundred yards. Then Laramie Joe dropped upon one knee, and resting his elbow on the other, leveled his car- bine on the foremost of the foe—a red-skin—and fired, The boy had measured. the intervening dis- tance with the eye, but the distance was longer than he had calculated upon, and the bullet fell short of the mark, but it was not without ef- fect, for the savage’s flying horse was shot through the brain and the red-skin flung heels over head to the earth. A shout of triumph burst from the lips of Bandy and Rattler, and was answered by a de- fiant war-whoop from the foe, ** By the horn o’ old Joshua!” exclaimed Ban- dy, ‘‘ you fauged that feller, Laramie, sure!” ** No—only his hoss,” said Rattler; “‘ but try another shot the same elevation and you'll get a red-rind.” The enemy had come to a stop in some con- fusion, The unhorsed red-skin was evidently the chief of the party, and taking advantage of their halt, Laramie Joe sent a second bullet down among them with the effect of killing a ares and wounding an outlaw. ‘“*Whoop! that fetched a persimmon, boy!” _ ghouted Rattler; ‘‘ that shot war a compound ler, and I guess [ll see if I can’t pluck a deWberry, too.” Quickly the unhorsed chief sprung to his feet, mations oi) . . - : Bk ee ete > ld we dy. eves, boys,” said Rattler, ‘‘ we're goin’ to SS sss — steer SS i and seizing the reins of the dead savage’s horse, vaulted upon its back and again led the charge up the knoll toward the three intrepid plains- men. Never moving from his kneeling position, Laramie Joe took careful aim and again brought down the chief’s horse, which accident Kit,” observed Rattler, wiping the perspiration from his brow, ‘* Yes, it does; but I’ve been in as close a fix | haydoogins o’ times and allers pulled through some way. In the thirty years of active ser- vice on the prairies and in the hills, among the wu’st men and dangers, savages and wild agein threw the savages into confusion; but | beasts, I’ve encountered hundreds o’ scrapes this lasted only for a few moments. The foe | like his and concluded the jig war up with Kit realized that they were now within easy range | Bandy. Scores and haydoogins o’ villains have of the three deadly rifleman, and to dally was to court sure death, so, with one accord and without their chief, they thundered on up the knoll yelling like demons possessed, * Crack! crack! crack!” went the plainsmen’s rifles, and at every discharge a savage or out- law tumbled to the earth or swung out of the ranks to the right or left seriously wounded. The deadly repeating carbine of the Boy Knight and the breech-loaders of the old hunter and de- tective, enabled them to keep up a hot fire in the face of the enemy, nearly every shot taking effect on man or horse. But inspired, no doubt, by their superior num- bers, the savages displayed unusual courage and pressed on, determined upon the death of the dread young Pantherfoot, whom they had never had at such an apparent advantage before. As soon as they were within pistol-shot the three whites dropped their rifles and took up their revolvers, With yells of defiance the savages began throwing their tomahawks and the outlaws to discharge their revolvers. Fast and deadly flashed the weapons of the brave trio almost in the very face of the foe. Up to within twenty feet of them charged the warriors, and then, when it seemed but another step to victory, a wounded outlaw turned aside with a cry of agony, and his words and actions struck terror to the hearts of his friends, and like panic-stricken sheep they turned and fled in the wildest disorder and fear. But as they turned, an outlaw, with a muttered curse, fired his revolver at the three brave victors, A gasp burst from Laramie Joe’s lips. He staggered forward, clutching his brow, and fell limp and lifeless to the earth! *©Oh, Lord!” groaned Old Kit, ‘‘in the midst of victory there is defeat, The poor, brave boy has been slain!” __ ‘‘ Great Rosycrusians! I hope not!” cried Old Rattler, hurrying to the side of the prostrate form of the youth. Joe had fallen forward on his face, Rattler turned him over-on his side. A groan escaped the old man’s lips. |The handsome, boyish face was all covered with blood. There was adeath- pallor around his mouth, ‘‘'Yes, Bandy, he’s gone,” said the hunter, feeling the lad’s pulse; ‘‘it’s all over with the Boy Knight. Laramie Joe’s dead !” =. CHAPTER XI, CAPTAIN RACHEL’S ARRIVAL ON THE FIELD. For a few moments Kit and Rattler stood and gazed upon the motionless form of Laramie Joe, a look of sadness upon their faces, ‘¢ Yes, the career 0’ the Boy Knight’s ended,” Bandy said seriously, sorrowfully. ‘“* And it'll so be with us, too, afore long, for them varmints have drawn rein and are preparing to give us another charge.. They’ve seen that our best man’s down and will return with renewed hopes, But then, if I’m to die, die it is; nor do I keer what they ‘do with my old carcass arter the |, spirit’s gone, but I don’t want them to mutilate this boy’s, nor they sha’n’t if Icanhelp. Let us bind his body on his hoss and turn the animal loose. Them devils have got nothin’ that can catch it.” ‘‘ Anything, old pard, anything,” answered Rattler. , So the horse that had been picketed near be- fore the fight began was unfastened and the sad- dle removed, Then the body of the young knight was tenderly lifted and placed on the animal’s back and securely bound there with the lariat. This done, the animal, already frantic with af- fright, its strange burden and the scent of blood, was turned loose, and it at once dashed down the knoll and away across the plain with its voice- less rider. The old plainsmen watched. the animal for a few moments, then Kit turned away, saying sadly ; 4 Pity it couldn’t ’a’? been me, Rattler, for I’m gittin’ old and wouldn’t been missed by a soul on earth. This is a queer old world, purd, and full o’? queer things, but to God all, is plain enough, and when He wills it we will foller the a Tt begins to look as though our time’d come, I brought to justice and to judgment, and did I not know the eend justified the means, I ex- pect ’d died long ago with remorse for the de- ception, the wholesale hypocrisy, lyin’, cheatin’ and rascality I practiced in order to circumvent crime and its votaries. Buta detective has to resort to these things.” ‘*T ruther think it comes nateral, Bandy, for they say it takes a rogue to catch a rogue,” ‘If that be true, Rat, you’d surely make a good rogue-catcher,” responded Bandy, with a grim smile. And thus the two old plainsmen conver ed and badgered each other until they saw three horsemen—outlaws—leave the party on the ae and start away in pursuit of the Boy night’s horse. ‘‘ Ha! the devils ‘ll never catch that hoss,” said Kit, grimly. ‘* Nor will there be another charge on us till them three fellers git back, I reckon. But that’s all the better for us. We can git our persimmon-pickers in good shape.” Carefully the old men reloaded their guns and revolvers, then they slaked their thirst and bathed their brows at the little spring whose waters boiled from the side of the knoll and erent away through the grass and disappeared in the plain below. In the pouch on Laramie Joe’s saddle they found some dried venison, which they divided and ate with a keen relish, for they had no breakfast that day. Suddenly, Bandy, whose eyes were ever on the watch, pointed across the plain far beyond the foe in the valley, and said: ‘¢ Thar comes another horseman, Rattler.” ‘‘'Yes, and by the Rosycrusians! it’s a wo- man! It must be Captain Rachel, the lady to whom you tumbled so gracefully this mornin’.” ‘* And it might be my wife, Sabina, for she are abroad in the Jand, Rattler, and ruther ’n encounter her, give me a hull brigade o’ red- skins—a rigemint o’ outlaws.” ‘* And even if it’s that Captain Rachel, and she’s got her ire up *bout that affair this morn- in’, and then gits it up still higher when she sees them karkidges along down this hillside she’ll make it bilious for we old pilgrims, Ti beet fag ake so hot now the hair on her head’s tinkin. At a lively speed the woman approached, and long before -she reached ber friend’s Kit and Rattler saw that it was the female outlaw, Captain Rachel, sure er ough. She was received by her friends without any apparent demonstration. Evidently they were . not in a spirit for enthusiasm at that time. Too many of their friends lay stretched along the hillside and writhing in agony around them for rejoicing. he woman conversed with her allies for nearly an hour, neve1 for a moment quitting her saddle. Finally she turned and rode at a walk toward Kit and Rattler, her friends re- maining behind, some in the saddle, some on the ground. ‘‘Bythe horn o? old Joshua! she’s comin’ up here, Rat!” exclaimed Bandy; ‘‘ what d’ye s’pose ’sim the wind now?” ‘t Deviltry o’ a kind you and me arenot up to, Kitsie, I’m afeard, She may be figgerin’ on our havin’ too mucb robust manhood to strike a wo- man, and intends to take the advantage of her sex toslip a chunk o’ lead through our an- ose And then, Kit, it may be a mission 0” ove, ‘* Well, we'll have to watch her closely,” said it. ‘‘ Hullo! see thar, Kitsie Band, she waves a handkerchief—flings to the breeze a flag o’ truce! - Do you know what that means, you old god- dess?#—understand that, you old buccaneer?” ‘¢ Means she wants a conference, I reckon.” ‘* Ha, I believe she’s in love with you, is that Queen Cleopatra and she’s anxious to speak to her Mare Antony.” ‘‘T rather think she’d prefer sendin’ a bullet through ny heart instead o’ a Cupid’s dart. No, no, Rattler, you need not feel envious—that gal’s not dyin’ of affection forme. She’snorea- son to; on the contrary, she’s reason, if not. a just one, to use all the deception and treachery Nee BR vo) o’ her wicked heart to kill me, ButI maybe . 4 mic “ - , - ‘ : Ls - * » : . 4 : . ; : ' : ; " i? | ‘ J s ~ ' f , vv - het oe ’ ' Vie he \¢@ (ere , ; t = het im 2 we . " int ee | "3 oM ~s i . » Wi r * x > - ri kh. — -_ a oe =~ = ae” r =e -_ lpg SS - - te rhs <i e « ae : 7 anss ie; - £ . 2 , yr F. "] . *” : ~~ - —_ - . = . ef. 4: ° . os - eo] Z oP <i as - ‘ha ¥ = om ro Pk ™.. —ore i Co *, * — ~ “~ —_ nd is