Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 478 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

-center-shot, he’s as good as—I be, i ke ee 14 eee ee eS _———— oe store-room, that wash-basin, soap and combs, those assorted kinds o’ pipes and abundance 0’ tobacco—all tells me that the Redmon Ranch- men are men o’ intellect. I know them to be brave and darin’, for under the lead o’ the penton boy that ever hopped, Laramie Joe, have see’d them tried. To the gallant boys ©’ Redmon’s Ranch—to ‘Our Hosts,’ me and that old buccaneer, Rattler, owes our exist- ence to-night, and language fails me in ex- pressin’ my thanks and deep sense 0’ gratitude to them.”’ Bandy’s speech was enthusiastically cheered; then followed another appropriate song by the “ rlee-club,” after which Fred Danton an- mounced this toast: ““Kit Bandy, the famous mountain “detec- tive’—response by Tom Rattler, the hunter.” A slight commotion stirred the little audi- ence, smile lit up the faces of all, for they now expected something peculiarly novel and interesting. Old Rattler rose, and with a dana in his eyes and: that innate spirit of humor lurking about his mouth in a faint smile, said: ‘*My respected friends, speechifyin’ are not in my line o’ business, [ am free to confess, yit the subject onto which !m to speak is one so deep and eloquence-inspirin’ that I can’t he’p but swat it hghtly. It has been ms gorg’ous pleasure to know Kit Bandy personally for two days, and in that time I’ve found him to be an old wild-eyed rouser, I find he combines all the elements o’ character that war ever repreesent- ed in the home-circle, the meetin’-house, the hall o’ Congress, the insane asylum or the ead eetenshary (applause by Bandy). I met him under ‘bout the same sarcumstance that a hungry ki-yote meets a wounded deer—lI bein’ the wounded deer, I hev see’d him stand like @ majestic oak, with both hands up, kivered by a revolver in the hands o’ a masked woman, and—lie like a trooper (applause). I have see’d him on the full retreat—I war with him at the time—and I can bear witness to the fact that his instinct o’ self-preservation is strong. I have stood by his side in battle, when the air was full o’ death-whistles, and hearn him cuss the foe’s poor marksmanship, Tve see’d him— from the brush—in the presence o’ a beaucheful woman, his face a honey-puddle o’ smiles and smirks, talk love-stuff like an Ambrosia god, I’ve stood by his side, pinned to a wall by the hands of red and white demons, and sass them ina defiant way borderin’ on suicidal reckless- ness. My friends, thar be no diskount on Old Kit Bandy. As a mountuin deetective, he’s a behemoth success—a pte 9 hummer, As an Ingin-fighter, he’s a hull litter o’ hyenas and ‘a Jersey bullian throwed in. As a liar, with fancy trimmin’s, he beats that ’un the feller struck when nations heard entranced, As a As a love- maker to outlaw weeimin, he’s a velvet-throated gagger. Nor are these all his noble traits fapplause). .He is possessed o’ as much piety as a Mormon temple, the serenity and calmness 0’ a buzzard bangin’ high above on airy wing. His modesty is like unto that o’ a dreamy Ingin maiden, and his meekness and innocence is like unto that o’ a hull Sunday-school o’ Congo- colored urchins. Jn fact, he’s as many virchoos as war.ever planted in a big grave-yard; and to sum it all up, friends, a bigger, braver, nobler heart war never crowded into a human breast than that o’ Old Karistopher Columbuss Bandy.” A round of. Reerey applause followed this tg speech, and then, after another songz, a jig-dance by one of the cowboys and another waltz by Kit and Rattler, and the banquet ended with a supper, prepared by the colored cook of the ranch, that would have been a credit to a far more pretentious affair. Finally all retired for the night, a peyare room having been carefully and neatly fitted up for the fair Zulima. The remainder of the night was passed in quiet sleep, but all were astir early in the morning, and shortly after sunrise the party, bound for Last Lick, were in their saddles, ‘* good-byes” were said, and the journey began. Laramie Joe, with Zulima at his side, took the lead, with Kit and Rattler next, and the escort of rancheros with the pack-horses bring- a the rear, he first two days ot the journey were attended with no excitement, and would have been voted monotonous by men who love ex- citement had it not been for those two jolly old men, Bandy and Rattler, who kept everybody’s spirits in highest+glee with their whimsical dbumor and rollicking stories. ~ n/ the morning of the third day, however, Pr ah Ps ,* > a. Q . ; _—t : L< 4 Hiegery Vere by, oy ‘Cs tr wre, ~ ’ 4 ~~ Oe + Tahir My ae re 4s % athe a ; ; ee me. ee ee —— CC af.” > bi - ie Va eu , weesve * AF a _ AL (i ane —_ ‘, — . . 5 alka < pe ja 7 oft % ar ms ren . ri ~s + Pe Old’ Tom Rattler. $4 < ‘E ‘hae vs id pa } ‘ yt s JERR ION aN Vee ne an - oe Bye 3 ieee i = eee FS A tae »® yas rv tan. ou . an = oa As ‘eo? t Aecelat te | ; AS aA RS A mn al an A ; ¢ eA’ | , ?-.# 3 a,” j “S + » se : the party was suddenly thrown into a momen- tary excitement, just as they were breaking camp, by the sudden appearance of a woman on horseback from a wooded canyon, putting into the one they were following. She was recog- nized at a glance, It was Captain Rachel, the female outlaw, or Sybil Bell, as we shall know her hereafter. ‘“By the horn o’ Joshua! it’s Cap Rachel!” exclaimed Old Kit, in astonishment and sur- prise, ‘‘It are, by the great Rosycrusian!” added Rattler. ‘*And look out for a band of outlaws at her emt exclaimed a cowboy, grasping his trusty rifle, The woman approached the party that had drawn rein to await her coming, A look, half- joy and half-surprise, was upon her handsome ace, ** Oh, Sybil! Sybil!” cried Zulima, as her false friend rode up, ‘is it possible that we have met again?” ‘Yes, Zulima, and I thank God for it,” re- plied Sybil, in a tone of humble penitence, ‘for you more than all others have I longed to see and talk with. Of course you know all. The friends [ see around you have told you all. But I am surprised to see Laramie Joe at your side alive, heard he had been slain; and you, Mr. ive we I had fears would never escape the horde that pursued you and your friend across the plain,” ‘* Didn’t you intend us to escape, Miss Sybil?” asked Kit. ‘I certainly did, and yet, before you disap- peared from sight on the plain, the Indians seemed to be gaining on you so rapidly that I became uneasy,” ‘It wer’n’t me but the message to your fa- Hing you were most concerned about, wasn’t i ‘**T admit that it was, and through fear of its never reaching him, I resolved to go straight to Last Lick and see him, come weal or woe.’ ‘*A sensible gal,” Bandy said, ‘‘so come ride right along with us. We’ll cheerfully accept you as one o’ our party.” ‘* As an officer of the law, I presume you will consider me under arrest,” the girl said, biting her lip to keep back the feeling of distress surg- ing A ale in her breast, ‘Not by a darned sight, Miss Sybil. I are not makin’ war on weomin. I know ’bout the extent o’ your outlawry, bein’ the darter of an outlaw. Come right along, and consider your- self as free as anybody. ‘Thank you, sir,” she said, her proud, defiant spirit hopelessly crushed; ‘‘ I do not merit such treatment, nor could I accept of it, were it not my desire to see my dying father.” ith this understanding the party rode on. Kit rode at Sybil’s side, and they conversed about various things. The old detective en- deavored to draw her mind from her troubles and revive her spirits, but he made little head- er yt little impression upon her broken eart, Zulima treated her with the utmost kindness —such as is due to one in sorrow and trouble. She made no allusion by word or act that would in any way revive a single incident of the ter- rible past, On the afternoon of the fifth day of their jour-+ ney, the party rode into Last Lick. All was quiet in the camp, for most of the miners were at work. But the news of their coming soon spread abroad, and in a few minntes every one was headed toward the Randall cabin. As the cavaleade drew up before Zulima’s home Old Deborah, her old colored friend and servant of years, reaching back into her baby- hood, came running from the cabin, her hands up, and one cry after another pealing from her ps. ‘* Bress de good Lawd in heaben!”’ she shout- ed, and she clapped her hands, and then rushing up to Zulima, clasped the maiden in her embrace. ‘* Bress der Lawd, for sendin’ my chile back to me! Oh, honey, how weary you look, chile— and dar am Miss Sybil; but oh, poor chile, I’se sad, sad news for you!” ‘*Is my father dead, Deborah?” cried Sybil, a wild, distressed look upon her face. sg Yes, he is; he died jist few hours ago,” re- plied the negress, A shriek burst from the girl’s lips, and she sunk sobbing to the earth. Kit and Zulima went to her side, and spoke words of hope and encouragement to her. By this time the whole population of the town had assembled at the Randall cabin to congratu- late Zulima on he” safe return, and her rescuers for their noble work, had sustained by the sad news of her father’s death, she expressed a desire to look upon his remains. Deborah led the way to the door of the room wherein the body lay dressed for burial on the morrow, and Sybil passed in. Those outside heard a wild, piercing shriek come from the room, then there was a long si- lence which was suddenly broken by the spite- ful bark of a pistol and the fall of a body in that chamber of death. ‘*My heavens, Kit!” cried Laramie Joe, ‘ There’s something dreadful happened in there!” ‘* ’m afraid so, fad,” replied Bandy. Together the two rushed into the room and found their worst fears realized. Sybil was lying on the floor, a smoking derringer still clasped in her hand, motionless—dead / ‘Poor child!” sighed Kit, a tear glistening in his eyes, ‘‘it’s all over with her and she’s at peace.” CHAPTER XVI. THE CONCLUSION. ' THE tragic death of Sybil Bell threw a gloom over the spirits of the miners of Last Lick, and no one felt the force of the blow more than Kit Bandy—not that he felt a guilty wncip yg orm but because the force of necessity had brought such a dreadful result through the exposure and death of her father. As soon as the excitement of the hour had subsided Old Kit hastened to the Pick-and- Shovel to see his friend Laclede, the French artist whom he found fast recovering from the effects of his wound. Shortly afterward, Ralph Hatton, the Vigi- lante with whom Kit had spoken on the night of the tragedy, called at the tavern in compan with two others of the Vigilantes to converse wit the detective and pay over the reward offered for the apprehension of Judge Randall’s assas- sin. ‘“‘Mr. Bandy,” Hatton said when they had been seated, ** I presume you are entitled to the reward for the detection and bringing to justice Randall's murderer.” ‘‘Then all Last Lick is satisfied that Bell is the guilty party, eh?” replied Kit. ‘** Fully satisfied,” responded Hatton. ** Did he make a confession?” ** Yes, a short time before his death—when he saw he must die, he confessed that he had mur- dered Randall, and that his true name was Zandt, and that he bad been the leader of the outlaw band known as Captain Rachel’s band. He said Captain Rachel was his daughter and the title of ‘ captain ’ was only honorary—that while she was a queen in the respect and obedience she commanded of the outlaws, she had never led them on a single expedition of outlawry. Zandt admitted that at the time of Randall’s murder he had no intention whatever of ab- ducting Zulima, but it seems that one of his men had seen Zulima and become greatly en- amored with her beauty and resolyed to pcs- sess her; and rather than try to win her by fair means he resolved to abduct her at once, and ave Zandt to. understand that he must have is assistance, and as Zandt knew of his bein a desperate man, having a full knowledge o his—Zandt’s—crime of killing Randall, he could not refuse him, To allay suspicion they ar- ranged that Sybil be abducted with her. Barks- dale, the scoundrel that wanted Zulima, and | three confederates lay concealed in the moun- tains near, with extra horses for the captives, waiting for an opportunity to meray the girls. Of course Sybil was let into the secre ‘* Well, they’d waited some two weeks when at last Laclede’s entertainment seemed to prom- ise the desired opportunity to strike. Zandt at- tended it ay to allay suspicion, but it would | have been better for him, perhaps, had he stayed away. He had been so worked up over the remarkable skill of Laclede that he could not control his emotions when, after so good a picture of Judge Randall had been produced, as he fully believed, from his clairvoyant reve- lation, the artist declared that he would reveal the face of the murderer; and in a moment of excitement he drew his revolver and fired at the artist.” ‘* Ha! ha! ha!” laughed Bandy, ‘‘it war ex- ted when the idea o’ that war entertained hat Randall’s murderer would give himself away when the time come, but we never ’spect- — ed he’d shoot.” ‘¢ But would the Frenchman really have drawn his picture?” asked Hatton. ‘**' Yes, he would.” After Sybil had recovered from the shock she ~ : ® ‘ e ‘ ae od ~” 7 . ai a < * ‘a ye “~~ comicbool i ; iT) f be Nn 4 . . ' af i. - . 5% - Je \ * ¢ > ‘ , Zz a / 5 Ne \ + » * . g =P, 2 e