Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 498 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

oO ee . —— = mar - 7 P oe + | & - . ees - “a 1 ‘ +. \pe: 2 a Cu! 4 > = d Pres bh , - << ; - o ee RE PEE 5 Ret a SL . ~~ ». - Mogul and the Kingpin—afforded employment at fair wages to all who chose to accept it, Many there were, however, who preferred delving for the yellow god * on their own hook,” and yet others who toiled uot at all, but depended wholly upon their wits. Tue feeling of bitter strife and rivalry existing be- tween Major Axfell, of the Great Mogul, and Rufus | Darnley, of the Kingpin, had extended to the em- ployees of each, and as a result fights of more or less consequence were of daily occurrence So'much for the camp, and the state of affairs ex- isting therein. A few vedi ges to the dual attack upon the ‘‘ hearse ’ of Old Buck Bridger, there had appeared in Nabob’s Bar, late one afternoono,a squad of six men—bur'y, rough-looking fellows, afoot, but rather well-clad and armed to the teeth, and purporting to be gold seekers. Who they were, or whence they came, proved too much even for the most patiently inquisitive of the Barites, for they held themselves aloof, and, when by chance thrown into contact with the denizens of the camp, were close-mouthed unto surliness. And s > it came about that these mysterious stran- rs were dubbed “ The Silent Tongues, ov No Man's amp,” and the quaint appellation bid fair to stick. These Silent Tongues had pitched their camp and thrown up a large wickiup in an isolated spotin the southwest quarter of Nabob’s Bar, directly upon the bank of the creek and above a large, deep pool. For two or three days the new-comers and their frail habitation were kept under a suspicious sur- veillance by the denizens of the Bar, without regard to faction or clan. Fully aware that their every move was under jealous eyes, the Silent Tongues took things quite coolly, staying clese by their quar- ters, save a detail of two, who each morning appear- ed at the general store, run in connection with Lim- erick’s Palace, and purchased the day’s supplies, paying therefor in virgin dust. Then. just as it had begun, the watchfulness ceas- ed, and the Silent Tongues settled down to plot their deviltry unmolested. For they were in the gold-camp upon a mission of wrong-dvuing—to accomplish a deed bold, vet dark and terrible. At about the hour Perdido Fernandez so suddenly appeared at the Eldorado, two men approached the wickiup of the Silent Tongues, coming from the di- rection of the Golconda trail, and were met with the challenge: “Hold, perds! Give an account ov yerselves In tones guarded but stern and menacing, came the words. from a man sitting upon the creek bank, di- rectly before the entrance to the shel er, and in the lurid glow from his sbort black pipe gleamed a pair of reyolvers drawn and leveled. Instantly came the response: “ We aire stranzers—friends ter honest men, foes ter all others!” The sentry lowered his weapons, thrust them into his belt, then removed his pipe from his mouth, say- ing calmly: ‘Ter such ther latch-string ov the honest miner aire allers out. Ye wiil find friends inside.”’ With an exclamation expressive of satisfaction, the foremost of the two men lifted the blanket serv- ing as a door to the wickiup, and glided inside, leaving his companion with the sentry, On the interior of the dimly-lighted shelter, seated at opposite sides of a high, flat rock, were two men, a pack of cards and a bottle before them. ** Parson Paul, fer half ther world!” At the deep-toned voice, the two men sprung to their feet. ‘* Bravo Brice!"’ they exclaimed, in a breath, “Yas, Bravo Brice, pards—tired, hungry, payed out from A to Izzard, but ready fer work thet romises ducats,”’ was the response of the redoubta- ble outlaw, as he sunk wearily beside the rock. Not a whit le-s ugly. nor ashade cleaner or neater in appearance than when last we saw him, was the iron-nerved lieuteaant of the Serpents of Cimarron, His swarthy face was beaded with perspiration and he wa; breathing hard, as if from an arduous walk, y*9 “ Whar’s ther band?” queried the outlaw addressed . as Parson Paul, resuming his seat and pushing the bottle toward bis leader. “In ther brush, a mile back,” returned Bravo Brice, after a liberal potation. ‘‘ Whar’s t’other boyees?” t “Ye passed Jim Murty es ye kem in, I reckon. Jaques, theré Thug, aire coin’ time ont’other side, High-Card Hank an’ ther Gypsy Gent aire up at ther Bar, layin’ ther ropes fer ther swipe. An’ Leatherskin—’’ a short nod at his companion at cards completed the sentence. * Have ye seen ther captain?’ *“ , Bravo Brice laughed—a grating, rasping sound by | leasant to hear. eep out ov his way till ye’ve su’thin’ good hings hev gone rough no means * Then fer his ears ” he advised. ‘ith ther dainty cuss ter-day, an’ ye bet he airein a | rage.”’ Gone rough? How, pard?” The outlaw lieutenant was silent a moment, “Ter answer thet question, I'll hev ter go back an’ look over this Axfell it.” be at length replied, ‘ Ye know, Parson Pau! how we left New Mexico ‘thout ther captain. an’ ra we got wor ter push fer Golconda, lickety- split. done a’ter we got thar.” ‘Lay in ther brush an’ waited—thet war all!’’ in- terpolated the outlaw Leatherskin—a shrill, piping sort of voice “ Rignt,” assented Bravo Brice; “ but ther captain war et work, ther same, an’ we never puttina ee oe | Brice. ob from ther time we tackied | ye!” uttered Brice, sternly, as he plucked a revolver An’ Il reckon et aire not new ter ye w’at we | t actus Burr, the Man from Hard Luc | day ’thout word from him. An’ we c’u’d afford ter | wait, fer w’en Old Nick Jolly, Doc Skaggs, Sweetsie Smith an’ Poker Pete—ther four boss deviltry- hatehers ov ther band— war sent on ter Nabob’s Bar —-we all know’d thet ther game bein’ played war fer high stakes.”’ ‘Ter steal a gal!’ sniffed Leatherskin. ‘* Yes, ter abduct Major Axfell’s darter, fer whose ransom $10,000 w’u’d bev ter be paid,’’calmly con- tinued Bravo Brice. ‘“*An’—” ‘‘We laid thar in ther brush, a-waitin’, fer three mortal weeks, w’en we c’u’d ‘a’ swooped down on ther camp et any time an’ snucked ther gal off atween two days, jes’ es we did ther kid afore, et Golconda,” broke in Leatherskin, irritably, a scow! on his cadaverous face as he restlessly shuffled the pack of cards. **So we all thought, until after Parson Paul hyer and you fellers had packed traps fer Nabob’s Bar,” retorted the outlaw lieutenant, with an evil smile. ‘Ef the mere stealin’ ov ther gal war all, we c’u'd ‘a’ hiked her off through ther brush ter-day, fer she war plum-center‘in our grasp.”’ Parson Paul started sharply. ‘*Ther Sarpents held up ther hearse ter-day ?”’ he queried, “Bs ter thet—TI'll tell ye later,” replied Bravo Brice. ‘‘An’ you gerloots set yer teeth on yer tongues an’ keep quiet, fer 1 hev a good deal ter say. “Ther day a’ter you fel'ers left Golconda, a sweet youn’ female critter callin’ herself Priscilla Trueheart kem a-sailin’ inter our camp, an’ asked fer Mr. Brice. ‘An’ thet female war Captain Redblade, in dis- Zuise. “Wat he said that day putt a diffrent light on ther natur’ ov our doin’s. ‘Stead ov workin’ fera $10 000 ransom, we war booked fer ther biggest strike one reord! ‘* Ye see et war jest like this: Ther Sarpents war not goin’ et on they’re own hook, but war a-fightin’ ayz’in’ one gold-bag, an’ fer another!” ‘*Snow-capp'd Rockies! I see ther game—we aire fer Rafe Darnley, ov ther Kingpin Mine, ag’in’ Maje Axfvil, ov ther Great Mogal!” excitedly ex- Slalvated Parson Paul. * Prezactly,”’ assented Bruce. “ Darnley wishes ter crush out Axfell an’ regain possession ov ther Great Mogul Mine. an’ he hes set ther Sarpents ter work ter do the fu'st act on ther programme. “Ter do this, ther Sarpents w’u’d hev ter devise ways an’ means ter squeeze from Axfell eyery dol lar he c’u’d raise with which ter make ther last payment on.the Great Mogul. ‘Captain Redblade’s fir-t idear war ter kidnap ther gal an’ break ther old man by extortin’ ransom money. An’ so Old Nick Jolly an’ his pards war sent on ter worm ther way inter bis good graces an’ get ther lay ov ther land. A’ter thet, you fellers yar sent hyar fer ter be in readiness ter yank her out ov camp es soon es ther dust kem fer ther pay- ment. ‘* But sarcumstances altered ther case, fer Jolly found thet on a sart’in day ther gal herself was ter go ter Golconda an’ fetch ther lucre.”’ “An’ ef we c’u’d get ther coin by hol’in’ up ther hearse, thar’ war ho need ter kidnap ther gal,” ob- served Parson Paul. ‘** Jes’ so,”” acquiesced the lieutenant, ‘ An’ ther day before ther gal war due in Golconda, Old Nick an’ his pards showed up at ther camp, au’ ther hull thing war mapped out. So w’cen Miss Axfell started fer Nabob Bar with ther stuff, she hed fer feller- yasse'gers Priscilla Trueheart. an’ them four rattile- rained old sianers, Uld Nick & Co. “Ther captain hed it all arranged fer ther Sar- yents to hold up ther stage ata sart’in p*int. Old Jick war ter gain possession ov ther wealth, an’ he war ter be ther fu’st one held up; thcn ef things went wrong, we c’u’d cut our lucky quick. ‘Oh, et war all jest es scrumptious es everything eu'd be, an’ ther dust war jest es good es in our hans, when out from ther roadside, *ithin a mile ov ther spot named by ther captain, pops a toll-taker, dressed fer all ther world like a ginuine Cimarron Sarpent, vith his guns up in proper style, an’ stops ther hearse es ef a bolt ov lightnin’ hed bic et. * An' ther gang war so dead sure that everything war straight, thet, fore they c’u’d diskiver thet ther galoot in ther rond war not theyre man, Old Nick guv et away thet he hed secured ther dust! ‘An’ ter cut ther matter short, fore they c’u’d | decide w’at ter do, this cool gen’leman ov ther high- way, Captain Noname, riddles ther entire party, from Old Buck Bridger down, Ov every cunce 1» theyre weasel-skins, an’ then plays ther measliest trick ov all—han’cufts ther Sarpents in ther hearse, Priscilla Trueheart included!” “*Han'cuffed ther gang!’ chorused the two out- laws. starting up in mingled amazement and con- sternation, “That's w'at I said,” coolly continued the villain ‘““Han'cuffed ther five ov them, then sent ther hearse onward, giving Bridger a note ov some kind fer ther Marshal ov Nabob’s Bar.”’ “Ther deuce!” Leatherskin ejaculated in un- mistakable alarm. ‘‘Sech bein’ ther case, T’ll bid ther camp good-by ter wonst!” * Drop, an’ keep quict. or ye’ll no’ git far away ‘fore su’thin’ else goes off—su'thin’ thet'll overtake from his belt and laid it upon the stone. ‘“*“Ther pris’ners ner ther m: ssage never reache ther marshal an’ so he kin know nothin’ sart’in. Fer when ther hearse reached ther sharp bend in ther trail whar we had bin sta‘ioned, we reskied Red- blade an’ his men, an’ no amount ov s‘archin’ brought ther note ter light. Lridger must 'a’ lost “wren we found that this Captain Noname hed forestalled us in gittin’ ther major’s dust, we war fer takin’ bis daughter, then an’ thar. but Redblade war ag’in’ et, es sech a move w’u’d interfere with his plans. ‘We rustled back ter our camp in ther bresh, an’ succeeded in gittin’ ther irons off ther boys. Dis- guisin’ themselves, they putt out fer ther Par. “Ou ther way, hey war met by a messenger from Darnley, sayin’ ef ther hearse hed not yit bin tackled, ter Jay in wait an’ secure ther gal with ther dust Ther bird havin’ slipped through our fingers, all ther captain c’u’'d do war ter send ther mes- seng@p on ter our camp, with oreers ter me ter join ie ‘qui an’ fer us ter be reddy fer work at his signa ‘Darnley hes diskivered thet ther movements ov himself and his ally, Idaho, aire bein’ piped by a spy in ther employ ov Axfell—one Elegant Fitz Jim, a faro-dealer at .ber Eldorado. To night, this galoot aire ter be putt out ov ther way, sech a ruction bein’ created as will draw ther hull camp, an’ so leave ther coast clear fer kidnappin’ ov ther gal. “Ther time set aire w’en ther moon aire an hour high. Ef cverything aire in readiness, we hed bet- ter—”’ Suddenly pausing in the middle of the sentence. the outlaw raised his hand to betoken silence, then bent his head in an attitude of listening. ‘* Wire-arms!”’ he enunciated, bis eyes filling wit! » fitful glow. ‘Ther circus has opened, an’ ther ti: fer ction is at hand. Come, pards! look ter . we’pons an’ le’s ter work!”’ CHAPTER XIIL A RAY OF LIGHT. Tue wild ejaculation uttered by Perdido Fernandez as he finished reading the me sage of warning from the mysterious Walking Death did not escape the ears of Saul Temple and Major Axfell. Starting guiltily, the two men exchanged glances, “To what mando yon have reference?” inquired Temple, turning to Perdido, A iook of annoyance shot athwart the sport’s dark fac . A moment he hesitated, then thrust the crum- pled paper into the marshal’s hand. ‘Read that,’’ he muttered, curtly. Temple com Sigs then compared the message with that addressed to him. ‘Written by the same hand,” he avowed. ‘* Who is this Walking Death, Senor—Senor—” Perdido hesitated strang. ly a moment, then said: **Call me Axfell—Leonridas Axfell,”’ The major started as f stung. Staring hard at the imperturbabl: face of the sport throug the murky Hight, he shrunk back coldly. ‘++ Axfell—Leonidas Axfell!” he repeated mechan- ically. ‘That is wheat L said,” ntt-r d Pcrdido, by way of iteration. ‘ Leonidas Axf*l) tle black sheep of the family, and late of the Ohio Penitentiary.” His voice was full cf bitterness. “We are brothers,’’ said Major Axfell, quietly. ‘** Brothers be it.” The hands of the two men met in a strong clasp, pag Saul Temple looked on in wide-eyed won- er. A few words from Major Axfell. and the marshal and Perdido were on a friendly footing. ‘‘But who is this Walking Death?’’ repeated Tem- ple, during a lull in the brief conversation. he sport related what he knew of the leper, “ All this reminds me that I, too, was the recipient of a secretly delivered message while at the Eldora- do,”’ suddenly spoke up Major Axfell; and, drawing a piece of paper from bis pocket. he smoothed the wrinkles from it and in the dim light of the window re 3 Magor Axret..:—Return to your room at the Palace, and there await a glad surprise. | “Tt bears the signature ef Elegant Fitz Jim,” he added, “ and therefore is as good as gold.” A few words more, and then the party separated, with a mutual understanding as to their later ac- tions, PerJido returning to Idaho’s Eldorado, while the owner of the Great Mogul with Saul Temple hastened toward Limerick’s Palace, When Perdido crossed the threshold cf the gam- bling bell, the man from Hard Luck was nowbere visible: a perfect quiet hung over the interior cf the place, broken at intervals by a chuckle of satisfac- tion, again by &@ mutiered curse. from the crowd about the faro-table whereat s: t Elegant Fitz Jim. it required no second glance from the treined eyes of the sport to determine that a game for heavy stakes was in progress, The deserted bar—the very quietude of the place, bespoke as much, Skirting the throng, Perdido at length reached a oint whence he pushed his way through to a posi- tion at the dealer's left, : Reached that position just as Elegant Fitz Jina wearily laid aside the silver box and in a cold, monotonous voice announced: “Gents, the bank's bu’sted—the game's ended! Our misshapen friend, Diamond D.ck, bas sueceed- ed where a thousand others heve failed!” The black eyes of the hunchback glittered ner- vously, His keen white teeth shut together with a sharp click, - ‘ _ “ Fu’st your dust, then your —- A grating. snarling ery from Perdido broke in upon the deadly strains of the hunchback’s voice, is dark face aflame with rage, his great black orbs fairly glowing, the reckless sport sprung niam- bly upon the table, 4 band. “Gurse you for cowardly dogs!” he gritted, in- stantly sinvling out two men immediately oe eer Diamond Dick—one other polished weapon in each tall and gangling, : on nts PS Le » Fae: - : ¥ —_*. ry fA red \ J ff | » = 7 A a se ws