Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 518 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

mine, and never was one. That is all an idle tale.” ‘‘Oh, I know better,” the outlaw leader ex- claimed, impatiently. ‘You tell me to ask any of the Utes, but I know better than that. understand exactl how the land lies, and you cannot fool me wit all your cunning. ‘You are the princess of the Utes, the only S child of their last great chief, and the g! soul e «1 the tribe who knows the secret of the idden Mine.” ‘‘T see that it is useless for me to continue to deny, since you will not believe me!” exclaimed $ the maiden inscorn. ‘ But it is the truth, and if you should keep me here until doomsday you will not be one bit the wiser at the end than in the beginning.” ‘Oho, you are going to be obstinate, then?” the road-agent leader exclaimed. “ Well, we will see who has the stronger will, you or I, ‘* At present I think the advantage of the sit- uation is on my side, You are my prisoner, and 1 will keep you here until you reveal to me the secret which I desire to know. “ Sioux Sam will wait for you in Red Bluffs a lone time unless you conclude to alter your mind and speak.” ‘T cannot tell what I do not know!” the girl replied, as coolly and indifferently as though she was not in the power of a ruffianly gang. “JT will give you a little time to reflect upon the matter. When you come to think it over you may change your mind,” the road-agent re- marked. ‘And you, Mister Billy Taylor, if you are wise, you will counsel this obstinate creature to yield to my wishes, for it will be the worse for both of you if she don’t. ‘When you get through talking to her you will find your quarters ready for you on the op- posite side of the house.” And with this remark the outlaw withdrew. ' Dublin Mike shook his head ina dismal way after their jailer had departed. ‘‘T tell yer, we are in an awful scrape!” he ex- claimed. ‘Yes: this man is a desperate villain.” Se ‘* Well, you see what kind of a hole a man gets An | into sometimes, just by being good-natured |” Dublin Mike remarked, in an extremely doleful to help Sioux Sam and way. “Tf IT hadn’t gone in : Derive * wouldn’t be in this fix you in your love scrape, now. “his man lies when he says that Sioux Sam revealed to him that he was waiting for me in Red Bluffs!” the girl exclaimed, abruptly. ‘Oh, no; I reckon not,” Dublin Mike replied, a little disconcerted by this unexpected declara- tion, although he had such a perfect command ee ps over himself that he did not show it. . Se ae ‘ How could he have known anything about - the matter if Sioux Sam didn’t tell him q” ‘“Tdo not know, but 1 feel sure that Sioux Sam did not reveal it to him.” ‘Oh, I reckon he must, for I don’t see how he eculd have found it out otherwise. M “But, Lsay, we are inan awful tight place 1 hyer, and if I were you I would git out of it ifl i could. eG ‘What's the harm anyway if you do tell the - Se Oe secret of this hyer mine?” the man continued, in ar’ ay. his most persuasive manner. ae ee ‘Your Ute tribe is about all broken up now; = Hg. thar’s only a handful of you left; the whites It oe have over-run all your old hunting grounds, and zs - what does it matter if you do give the secret of (a the mine away? I'll tell you how, the thing might be worked!” he exclaimed, as if the idea ES had just-come to him. ‘Pell me whar the mine is his at the brilliant scheme. continued, rubbing } winking, cunningly, a thought he had struck a his clutches. ‘He talks big now go to him and say, story is a fraud, but the bucks from giving 'em to the whites, and reckon, from what she five thousand dollars’ would jum and be gl “Then, you in Red Bluffs rest of the gold, for that is your idea, Is dark eyes the hal to let us go. know, you could ” * aa , st | With her lustrous, -.) 6), maiden looked Dublin a ' a 4 te fs * » "sf = «4 Cool Colorado in N located and I will drive a bargain with this galoot !? Dublin Mike hands together and girl as though he “Tt will not take much gold to git us out of about’ the mine and how he * wants to gobble the hull business, but if { should fe thar ain’t no mine—that the gal knows whar her old dad buried a lot of the red bullets, so as to a says, that thar’s tour or worth, the odds are big he at the chance to collar the wealth, join Sioux Sam and would be able to give bim the -breed Mike full in the face for re a Ch . - ne i Ee as ay), ae ; ‘ * ’ 2 ‘ou . — are tise ne “i ‘y= , e - F aS e ORS, NA ee hat ee oe 4 . , was oes - a moment, as though she would read his very soul, and then she shook her head. “T see that you do not place any more faith in my words than this stranger,” she observed. “Tt is remarkable how ready men are to be- lieve these idle tales of secret mines. ‘Have not the whites overrun the whole country once owned by the Utes? “Ts there a valley into which the eager gold- seekers have not penetrated? “Do you think that if any rich es of precious metals existed, these eager hunters would not have discovered the treasure?” The girl spoke apparently in the most perfect good faith, but Dublin Mike felt sure she was deceiving him. In spite of all the pains he had taken to win her confidence, it was plain she did not feel dis- posed to trust him. He was disgusted at his failure, but he con- cealed his annoyance by putting on an anxious jook, shaking his head, gravely. « Well, [’'m sorry that you can’t fix the matter up in that way, for I am afeard that thar is a rough time ahead for us if we don’t make this galoot satisfied. He's an ugly customer! Any one kin see that with half an eye, and I tell yer, a feller of his stamp had jist as lief kill as not!” ‘ Heaven will rescue us from his power; the Great Ruler above will not let this villain triumph,” the girl replied. Dublin Mike shook his head. ‘* Well, [hope so,” he observed, “but sometimes such durned galoots as tuis feller seem to have things all their own way. ‘Pll go out and have a talk with him, and see if I can’t get the cuss to go light on us.” Then Dublin Mike withdrew. A flash of fire came from the dark eyes of the girl. “The villain!” she exclaimed, ‘‘it was he who betrayed me into this snare! ‘“T begin to understand the plot now! been deceived from the beginning! ‘Tt was all a deep-laid and carefully planned scheme to lure me to Colorado. “The man is a snake in the grass; league with the other. that passion to lure me into the trap. before I eth the secret of my tribe!” And from t was plain quences and determined to brave them, The road-agent captain—who, I the reader has already guessed, was Spader—was waiting for Dublin other apartment of illuminated by a candle. Old Nick had removed his mask, and was waiting patiently for Dublin Mike to make his ap other entered. ‘“ That’s bad.” ‘Yes, it isn’t going to her race, and I reckon fight afore she gives im,” ‘* We will bave some way,” Nick Spader remarked. not do to be baffled by a woman’s obstinacy.” ‘Oh; no, but i Mike observed, ead. with a shake of his easil ce would jump atany chance, but lam really she has smoked durned cunning!” Erni then he repeated the Spader observed, thoughtfully. as serpents sometimes.” “Thar ain’t the least doubt I am really afeard this gal has a some e has been played upon és Well, it doesn’t diet a is safe in our hands,” Nick 5 “We must go slow for aw all the sweet talk you can. time, you know, and finé her.” der remarked. I have he is in “In some way they managed to learn of my love for Sioux Sam, and they took advantage of “ But it shall not profit them much; I will die e way in which the girl spoke, it that she had fully considered the conse- presume Nick Mike in the the cabin, which was also pearance. “ Well, what luck? he asked, the moment the ‘None at all.” was Dublin Mike’s reply, as he helped himself to a seat. ‘ She is obstinate?” ‘ Asa mule!” - g to be as easy a matter as we thought. This girl has all the obstinacy of she will make a tough to bring her to a confession in “It will it will be a tough job, Dublin s ‘“T thought that she was so crazy after Sioux Sam that we could work the trick pretty ” T reckoned, you know, that when we got her hyer, just within reach of her lover, so to speak, that rather than be kept away from him, she the game, for these Injuns are the doubting words of ee “Maybe she has smelt out the trick,” Nick As you say, these red-skins are as cunning about that, and suspicion that r much, so long as she ile, and you get in We will give her finally, if we find she is rs —? oe 4 wo it- i ae ‘Ts , Pa, bg B - - . * Pe a. ee oe a eee © , 4 ho i - P ’ , 4 ’ £ * : a? - + York. obstinate, we will put the screws on—we willtry what nae and thirst will do.” As will be seen, Old Nick was as ruthless a ruffian as could well be found in all the wilds of the West. Three days passed away, but the girl re- mained firm, and then, Nick Spader having to visit Red Bluffs for supplies, returned with startling news. | _ Sioux Sam had been in Red Bluffs, and mak- | ing inquiries in regard to the Ute princess. { CHAPTER XII. L A DEEP-LAID SCHEME. For a moment Dublin Mike was astounded by — the intelligence. il “Kinder astonishes you, eh?’ Nick Spader i observed, with a grim smile. ‘¢ Indeed it does.” f ‘‘ And what in Satan’s name does it mean?” the desperado exclaimed with a frown. ‘‘ Durned if I know.” | ‘“ Just by the luckiest chance in the world, L happened to hear the news, for the fellow was not in Red Bluffs, but absent in search of the girl.” Fg) isn’t any doubt that he is arter the al? uk Not the slightest! too, by a man who is a very he gets upon a trail.” ‘You don’t say so!” cried Dublin Mike, -. “Ttis the truth, and I have no doubt you And he is accompanied, bloodhound when know the man, for he possesses a great reputa- tion here in this section.” ‘‘ What is his handle?” ‘‘ Cool Colorado.” | “Great guns! You don’t mean it?” exclaimed | the other, evidently deeply impressed by the disclosure. | “Yes, it is the truth. wi 5 ez to you.” | ‘Oh, no; and I reckon that ’bout ever body who has hustled around Colorado seth has © heered tell on the critter. He is a terror, and no | oo I see the fellow is no mistake.” “There isn’t the least doubt about that!” Nick Spader observed, in a tone of firm convic- tion. ‘Tt is said that Cool Colorado is a son of the famous Wild Bill, and I reckon it is the truth,” Nick Spader observed. ’ as desperate and willing to take Wild Bill was, but he isn’t and impetuous as ‘* Yes, he’s jest big risks as ever anywhar near as neeerong his dad; on the contrary, he is as cool as a cucumber, and that is whar be gits his name.” _ “He is a dangerous foe, and there isn’t a man in all the wilds of the West, from General Mc- Cook of Denver down, that I wouldn’t rather have on my track,” Nick Spader remarked with a grave face. “ That’s so, that’s so!” Dublin Mike observed, | shaking his head doubtfully. | “Why, it hardly looks possible; but that fel- | low hunted me clear from Colorado to the East, and he managed to run me down, too, although ~ I turned and doubled on my track like a hunted > iB . ‘‘Tts like the man! That's the reputation he has. When he gits on a man’s trail he sticks to a it as closely as the hungry wolf to the track of a | wounded buffalo.” —_* _ “Yes, he ran me down, and it was in escap- ing from the officers whom he put on my trail, that eS leaped into the river and encountered ou. ‘** T see, I see.” et He’s a natural-born bloodhound, and there isn’t a doubt in my mind that it is through him Sioux Sam has got on the right track.” “Not a doubt on it.” ot om Cool Colorado bas marvelous instincts in the detective line. Why, he jumped clear’ from Colorado to New York, and hunted me up in the little Long Island village where I had taken refuge. ; : “And now, in this case, there isn’t the least doubt in my mind that he has detected our ~ me—has jumped clear from New York to Red luffs, thinking to be able to spot us. “Of course, as an old resident of the State, the yarn of the Hidden Mine—the secret of which is only by the Ute princess—is known to him, and when he heard of the girl’s disap- pearance, he immediately jumped to the conclu- Ye sion she had been decoyed to the West by some one after the hidden gold.” “Do you s’pose he got on the track at Gunni- son?? Dublin Mike asked, anxiously. ‘* You know we halted there two days while you organ- ized the gang. “No, I don’t hardly think he did, for you were both well disguised ? . Ny ‘" 4 : % ‘ * a, ¥ “s « ie vs “3 % a Le er ‘oe eS “— P va s,.com £ . . me , | % : a ay ey A 7 = | * — 7 us : J | | XX © (eo; 6 | LY yp pa =