Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 486 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

—— ye ne rere re ee ee. ee eee ze =. ee et cae oi <8 ~~ —- ee ee a ee - ee ee —_——_— - as a sunflower in springtime. Better jine me, you fellers, fer it will be dark soon, an’ I jedge thet one man wouldn’t stand a smell of a show, alone, wi’ ther wild animals in these moun- tains.” Nick looked at Jakey, and Jakey looked at | Nick. ‘“Vot you tink?” queried Jakey. mit der tuyfel, or got ead up py der vild ani- mals?” ‘‘T reckon we better go “long wi’ dat pusson,” was Nick’s conclusion. ‘* We done keep our eye 0 ee ee te ee” | | | sé Ve 20 peeled fo’ any funny bizness, an’ run if he axes | s’picious.” ‘* Well, are you going?” demanded the Gnome of the West. ‘* Yas, we’se gwine!” replied Nick. ‘‘ Yo’ jes’ let off down de gulch an’ we foller at a ’spectful distance behind you!” Thede uttered a dry sort of laugh, and strode away down the gulch. Nick and Jakey emerged from behind the rock and slowly followed. ‘* Der vas some foolishness apoud dat veller!” Jakey declared to his sable companion in a low tone. ‘‘Dot big bead vasa dead yvifavay. Id vas no human head, und you bet your swect life on it!” “You are right there!” Thede responded, turning around. ‘* The head is an old one my father used to have before he was hung. I cut it off, hollowed it out, and wear it as a me- mento!” | ‘* How you know I say somedings?” Jakey de- manded, in startled surprise, ‘* Because I can read your mind, You are thinking, even now, that [ am a detective!” ‘‘Gott in himmel! you speak der truth. I goes no furder mit you!” ‘‘Come on! come on!” Thede cried. ‘‘ You two have no reason to be afraid of me. What are you going to Hunki-Dori for?” ‘To see our boss!” Nick replied. ‘* Who is your boss?” ‘‘Sealskin Sam! We done got separated from him in de mountings.” ‘* Ah! so Sealskin Sam is in Hunki-Dori? He is one of several persons we want to see. I won- . der what brings him to these parts?” asked the Gnome. They soon reached a bend in the rugged gulch, and there found a mule cropping the leaves from the bushes, and a little child was_resting upon a grassy knoll—a bright little girl, between two and a half and three years of age, but rath- er large for her years, and possessed of a, pretty, thoughtful face, sunny hair, and large blue eyes of winning expression. _ \ She jum up joyously at sight of Thede, but gazed wonderingly at Nick and Jakey. ‘I’m rested now, papa!” she said. to goon, Who are these men, papa?’ ‘“Only a couple of persons I met, who are going with us, dear!” the masked man replied, lacing her in a sort of hamper on the mule’s ack, so constructed that she was in nv danger of falling. ‘‘ Now then, come on, boys,” and, taking the mule by the bits, he led the way down the gulch, Nick and Jakey following. ‘‘ Der vas some fooney pizness ’boud all dis!” the latter whispered to Nick. ‘‘ Vot der tuyfel vas dot feller doin’ mit dot shildt, I vants to know?” “*T want ea CHAPTER VIII, | IN DURANCE. SEALSKIN SAM, as soon as he was left alone, manazed to put himself in a comfortable posi- tion, and here he lay meditating over the un- enviable situation his coming to Hunki-Dori had entailed. *“T doubt if I am known here,” he mused, “but itis very evident that the members of the this outlaw gang abound in numbers at the gaming-saloon, and theysaw a good opportu- nity to screen themselves by shoving this con- founded unpleasant charge on re, What will be the result? The prospect for me is certainly rather dubious. The gang 1s a power’ul one, and undoubtedly contains some of the most pepuiar citizens of the camp. L[can, therefore, ardly expect to escape the noose—unless I can get out of here and, by keeping shady, burst up | mci again into the vernacular of the | | this precious piratieal party, and clear myself. | 1 would prefer that, instead of being forced to | particularly encouraging. betray my, identity, to save my neck from_the noose. If my three—Nick, Jakey and Hero were here, I might stand a somewhat better show.” . keine | His mind went back to Mlle, Circe. ‘““Sbe is my enemy!” he muttered. ‘‘She, and that infernal Vigilante leader, Lije Landers 2 I get free I’ll endeavor to give them my com- ! heed The oe eg EE emer ee - —— - Sealskin Sam, the Sparkler. pliments. Then, there’s that girl who calls herself Placer Poll. If I mistake not, she is more a friend than an enemy to me! One can never tell, however. The best of apparent . friends often proves false!” Outside the wind howled dismally, and the sleet dashed against the single lhttle window up near the eaves. He could hear the men talking who were standing guard. There were two of them; the others had gone away, evidently. The hcurs passed, and the streets became silent, as one after another the citizens had turned in for the night. By and by the men outside began to slap their hands together vigorously. ‘*Cuss my boots ef I aint frizzin’!” one of them grumbled. ‘“‘A good swig o’ whisky wouldn’t go bad, would it, Murphy?” ‘*Bedad an’ it wouldn’t, at all,” perfectly agreed Murphy. ‘ —- —- ~ ~ too narrow to escape through, could it have been reached, ‘*The prospect is dubious!” Sealskin Sam had to admit, glancing at bis fair companion. De you see any possible chance for our escap- ing? ‘**Not at present,” composedly. ‘‘I ain’t de- spairin’ yet, though. Thet ain’t my way.” Sam suddenly thought of something which, ts excitement of his arrest, had escaped his mind. ‘*My cane!” he ejaculated. what became of it?” 5 Yes. 'Ma’m’selle Circe had it the last I saw of it.’ ‘“Who is that woman?’ the Sparkler de- manded, ‘‘T know no more than that she is said to have come here when Hunki-Dori was but a patch to its present size in company with a dis- solute fellow named Jack Dean, who announced her to be his sister. He built the Cremonia. ‘“‘Do you know ‘* Then let’s slip up to Jim Fadden’s and get a | Afterward he was shot, and since then she has horn. back. how!” And Sam heard them walk away. ‘Tf I were only band-and-foot free, now,” he muttered, ‘‘ ’d make it lively in here.” The footsteps had but fairly died away, when the prisoner heard another noise that instantly attracted his attention. It was within the cabin! His eyes had become slightly accustomed to the intense gloom, and he peered around him inquiringly. t took but a moment for him to ascertain that a dark figure was creeping toward him from the furthest corner of the cabin. He at once suspected that it was some one of Lije Janders’s pals, who had been purposely re in the cabin, and that his object was mur- er. ‘* Who’s thers?” he demanded, sternly. **Sh! not so loud!” a low voice replied. am a friend+not a foe. Iam Placer Poll.” Sealskin Sam felt like uttering a shout of joy at this welcome intelligence, but he desisted. ‘*How came yon here?’ he queried calmly, ‘*T thought I was alone.” She had reached his side now. ‘*T entered before you did, and took advan- tage of the darkness to crouch in yonder corner unobserved.” **T am afraid you have boldly risked your reputation, my dear lady, if not your life. How can escape from here be effected until the doer is unlocked by parties on the outside?” ‘* That’s more than I can tell you. We'll have to investigate first. I have with me my dark- lantern!” and she uttered a dry laugh. ‘Pll re- lease you first!” She drew a knife and severed the thongs that held his feet and wrists. ‘‘ What interest had you in attempting my rescue?” he asked. ‘* The interest of one human for another!” was the matter-of-fact reply. ‘‘I knew you were not guilty, and made up my mind they should not have you. You will have to fight shy, though. The Tribunal is a power, and then, too, you don’t know all the things about Hunki- Dori camp!” Her language was not the slang of the camp. ‘¢ One would naturally suppose that I wouldn’t want to after the experiences of to-night!” Sam responded as he arose to his feet. ‘Yet you do!” Placer Poll said, more posi- tively than interrogatively. ‘* Perhaps. I mus‘ not neglect to thank you for thus releasing me, I°arm only afraid it will get you into trouble,” ‘“ Never fear. The folks of Hunki-Dori don’t bother me much. They know I am about the safest kind of a girl to let alone rather than quar- rel with. Let’s listen!” They did so. Nosound was heard of the returning guards. ‘*T don’t reckon they’ll turn up for a half- hour!” Polly said, shooting the slide of her lan- tern and letting forth a bar of light. ‘One drink ain’t a drop, scarcely, for them galoots, We'll investigate our prison, now!” Here she ines, disclose anything I allow he’s asleep, an’ he’s bound, any- 66 F The investigation did no g The cabin walls were of logs, the floor was of logs, and the roof was of logs, The place had evidently been built by some man who meant to live in nerfect safety. The door was one great slab, hinged and hung into trouble yet! The prisonerll be all right till we git | run the Cremonia, and has always been haltf- masked as you saw her,” The Sparkler was silent for a few moments— deep in thought, evidently. ‘*T must recover my cane if I get out of this!” he said, directly. “By the way, would you consider it impertinent if I were to be so curi- ous as to ask you What you are doing in Hunki- Dori in your present attire? I judge that you have not always been accustomed to this sort of l'fe and the associations that are in keeping with it.” ‘‘ Perhaps not!” she replied. ‘‘ Tt is, however, a secret which I cannot explain to any one. Here, Iam Placer Poll—a wild, devil-may-care sort*of creature—a waif of the mines; a friend to friends, and one whom few men care to insult. When they dc—well, there is a way to settle such things, even where there is no law, Why I lead this life, no one has, to my knowledge, ever trutbfu.ly guessed. The secret will die with me. Iam simply Placer Poll.” Sealskin Sam did not press the matter further —knowing it would be quite useless. She was one of those many women with a past—a bitter one, perhaps—who could fight her own way in life, and preserve her secrets and her honor. : And yet she was but a girl. They were both silent several minutes. Deep thought evidently had possession of their minds. ark! Footsteps were ale eee oh | + The guards are coming back!” Polly said, com- _ pressing her lips. ‘* I must douse the glim!” The guards were coming back. One of them soon pounded on the door loudly. ‘* Phat tha devil be yez doin’ wid the light in thaire?” Murphy’s voice cried. ‘*None of your business!” Sealskin Sam re- torted, reaching over and taking a pistol from Poily’s belt, he having lost his own at the time of his capture. ‘* Be ready!” he added to the girl. ‘‘ None av me bizness, is it?’ repeated Murphy. _ $f Bedad, I’ve a moind to give ye the toe of my boot. | ‘* Bah! get out, you Irish loafer, You’re noth- in’ but a Mick!” ‘* Dye hear the lilzes av him now?” the Hiber- nian queried of his companion, ‘‘ Faith, an’ it’s a moind I have to be afther goin’ in an’ blackin’ his eye for him.” | ‘*Tt wouldn’t do him any hurt, I'll agree!” ac- quiesced the other man. ‘ Wemight go in any- how, and see if everything is all right. ’ ‘‘Nary time, me boy!” the Irishman declared, weakening. ‘‘It’s nary a scrape yell get me into. The divil’s imp moight be loose, an’ w’'u'd ley the two av us out.” After that they relapsed into silence. ‘*A failure. ey’re too keen!” Sam _ whis- pore to his comrade, Placer Pcll, ‘I thought could get them to open up shop in that way!” ‘‘ Little hope. Wemightas well sit down and take it easy ” ! They did sit down, and relapsed into silence. Thus the wild November night wore on, and there seemed no possible chance of their making their escape. Placer Poll’s brave act was likely to get her CHAPTER IX, THE DECREE OF DEATH. | THE entrance of Lieutenant Lee to the Coun- cil-chamber of the Tribunal of Ten, caused not _ Min on the outside. 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