Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 519 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

ee aw digi — =. SRE net - a Pd ar y Sy ot ae ’ «Looker ther bloody slashin’ he’s done. With a muffled roar the buge animal obeyed his master’s command, savagely attacking the <rowd, In less than a minute the Border Boom- «rang and his dog were the victors. Red Robin lay in a senseless heap on the floor, where he had been stricken down bya treacherous blow from behind. Old Bombshell knew that as soon as the crowd recovered from their first defeat, they would * again turn on him, therefore, with a cry of de- ' fiance, he threw open the door, and, followed by his dog, sprung out into the darkness, CHAPTER IV. OLD FOES MEET. Op BOMBSHELL had escaped, but Red Robin was a prisoner. The knife in the reckless man’s hand had done terrible work. Although not a man had been slain, half-a-dozen had _ received dangerous cuts—gaping wounds that might prove fatal. For a moment after Old Bombshell disap- peared through the doorway, the roughs silently crouched in their tracks, still grasping their weapons in their hands. Only fora moment, then fierce oaths and curses sounded through the room, ‘“ Hell’s delight!” snarled Big Burg, as he sprang toward the unconscious form of the red- breasted man, a murderous light gleaming in his evil eyes. ‘‘ We’ve got one of ther cusses. Stamp him out! Kill him!” ® sprung up in the air, intending to plant his feet fairly in the unconscious man’s face, but even while his feet were suspended over Red Robin’s face, a strong hand grasped him by the collar and jerked him backward. The rough staggered back to see a cocked revolver leveled at his head, and hear the thin, sharp voice of Simon Small, the barkeeper, exclaiming savage- ly: vi Enough of this! The man is down. No cold-blooded murdering in this ranch. You hear me !” Big Burg uttered a grating curse, but he dared make no move while that leveled re- volver covered his brain. ‘“Ther devilish houn’!” cried the bully. Two digs on me, an’ almost every one o’ ther boys kin show er cut from his stabber. Let up, Sim! Let us at him!” ‘‘No! Back with yer, every one, or I swear there will be cold meat lying loose around here!” The barkeeper’s eyes flashed fire, and the crowd that faced him knew that he meant every word he spoke. ‘* But ther p’isen cur—” _ But Big Burg’s words were cut short by Small. who continued: ‘‘The fellow is unconscious. Now is the time to make him your prisoner, and—” ‘Then we'll hang him!” cried a voice. ‘‘ He will undoubtedly hang,” allowed the bar- keeper. ‘‘ Did you not hear some one call him Captain Mystery just before the fight? There isa price on his dead body, but twice as much will be paid to the one who takes him alive. He is our prisoner. If you have a purse of money, will you throw one-half of it away ” #4 The crowd was silent for a moment, Evi- dently Small’s words were of heft with them. Then some one asked: ; ‘‘ How do you know this chap is Captain Mys- tery? What proof have we?” ‘No proof, except that he is a suspicious character,” the barkeeper admitted. ‘‘ But the one who accused him of being the road-agent offered a thousand dollars for him, if captured alive. He is in our power and we will corral the ducats.” “ But who was it as made ther offer?” cried another voice. : Each man gazed inquiringly at his neighbor, but no one answered. “ Looker hyar,” big Burg now spoke up, ‘I believe this are sum’ durned game. I don’t be- lieve anybuddy wants ther galooternuff ter pay er thousan’ Eee fer him.” A mutter of unbelief came from some of the rough’s more intimate followers, but many of the crowd were silent. Simeon Small saw that he must talk straight and plain, if be would hold the ground he had gained. He paid no heed to the buily, but ap- pealed to the crowd: i aes Now, gentlemen, let us not be hasty in this matter. The fellow is in our power. We can hold him until the one who offered the sheckels for his capture shows up. If he fails to appear, why, then we can hang him.” “ Blow this foolishness!” cried Big Burg. **‘Hang him, at—” Captain Mystery. —— ——_— _— = += eo awe oe toa 5 SS —— — ‘¢ Shut up!” came sharply from Small, ‘‘ Open your big mouth again, and by the gods! Pll let daylight into you!” he speaker’s revolver was leveled fairly at the bully’s head, and the barkeeper looked as though he had rather shoot than not. Burg- man dared not continue his hot speech. ‘‘Gentlemen, we have this man foul. We ean securely bind him while unconscious, then carry him to the jail. There he will be secure. We can hold him for the reward. If he proves to be Captain Mystery, this night’s work will be the best ever done in this camp.” The majority of the crowd seemed to agree with the barkeeper. Big Burg saw that, and knew that, for a time, at least, any attempt to take Red Robin’s life or to hang him would be thwarted. With sullen anger, he turned and strode away toward the bar. ° Simeon Small bent over the unconscious man, hastily examining his wound. But Robin had received a terrific blow on the back of the head, cutting open the scalp. The barkeeper saw at a glance that the wound was of little ac- count, The Reckless now showed signs of returning consciousness, and calling for a rope, which was soon brought him, Small deftly bound his hands and feet. Then he secured the prisoner’s weapons. ‘‘Now,” said the barkeeper, ‘‘ some of you fellows sack this chap ter ther jail. I will choose three men to stand guard over him, one inside ther jail, two outside. Silent Joe, Tom Blain, and Sam Hawks are the men for the job.” This seemed to’ meet the approval of the ma- jority of the crowd. The three men named stepped forward at once, and giving the prison- er into their charge, Small warned them to use the utmost caution to prevent bim from escap- ing. If a rescue was attempted, they were to fire their revolvers and alarm the camp. The guards nodded their comprehension, and with the assistance of several others, they soon carried the prisoner to the little log jail. He was tossed down upon the floor, or rather upon the ground, for there was no floor in the building. Silent Joe was chosen to remain in- side with the prisoner, while the other two guards were to remain without. A light was furnished for the benefit of Silent Joe, and after everything was satisfactorily ar- ranged, the crowd retired, the door was securely fastened, and, with ready weapons, the guards stood on duty—that is, they stood on duty when they were not sitting down. As soon as the jail door was closed, Silent Joe sat down with bis back against the wall, and taking a pipe and tobacco, made preparation to enjoy a square smoke. é paid little attention to the bound prisoner, who had recovered consciousness and was silent- ly regarding him. When he had filled the pipe, Joe lighted it, and, sitting down in a comfortable position, be- gan puffing away in a lazy manner. He could hear his companions outside talking in low, muffled tones as be sat there smoking and think- ing. Whatdid they want of a guard in there, anyway? The prisoner was all right. The mumbling conversation of the guards outside grew fainter and fainter, it sounded far away, and seemed still receding, and then— Silent Joe sprung to his feet, fully awake, jerking forth a revolver as he arose, He knew he had slept, but how long he could not tell. Something had awakened him. His first thought was of the prisoner, but it took only a glance to show him that Red Robin was safe. But the jail door was open, however, and a man was advancing through the doorway into the room, The visitor wore a full mask, that completely concealed his features. Quick as thought, Silent Joe covered the masked man, crying sharply: ‘* Halt, there! Who in blazes—” But the stranger madea quick movement with his hand, and instantly Joe lowered his revol- ver. ‘*T didn’t know—” * All right, Joe,” interrupted the masked man. _/* You were right. I came in rather paddeniy. ° - ¢¢ Guess I must ’a’ been a-snoozin’,” said Joe, with a rueful grin, ‘I set down ter smoke, an’ I sw’ar I must ’a’ went clean off ther hooks. ‘Scuse me—” ‘Never mind it now, Joe; I see the prisoner issafe. I came in to see him, Thought per- haps he’d liké the pleasure of making my ac- qnaintance. If you will give us the room—” “Certainly; to be course I will,” and with a curious, questioning glance at the masked man, Joe left the room, carefully closing the door, leaving the prisoner and his visitor together. The masked man stood over the prisoner, and with folded arms regarded him silently. Red Robin scrutinized his visitor closely, and finally, thinking the man was never going to k, he said: ‘** Good-evening.” Yet the masked man did not speak. There he stood, grim and silent. Red Robin uttered a harsh, scornful laugh. ‘‘Dumb or deaf; perhaps both, Now that’s too bad, for I don’t know a single letter of the deaf mutes’ alphabet.” ‘ Neither deaf nor dumb, Morton Dunbar!” The man’s voice was hoarse, evidently from suppressed emotion. or a moment it seemed that a look of startled surprise flitted over Red Robin’s face, Butonly fora moment, and then he looked his visitor fairly in the face, saying coolly: ‘‘ Now don’t go to calling a fellow names, just because he’s down. It ain’t fair, any way you ut it.” ‘‘ Bah!” fiercely exclaimed the mask. ‘“ Don’t try that on me. I know you—know you well, hatever you may call yourself now—” **Red Robin is the name 1 go by.” “Yes, I know that is the name you go by, but your true name is Morton Dunbar.” The Reckless laughed shortly. ‘‘ Perhaps I don’t know my own name. It is possible that | may have laid it down somewhere and picked up the one I now carry arcund in its place.” “That's just it. bore years ago and assum you are now known.” ‘‘ You seem confident, but you may be in error just the same. As good men as you orl have made mistakes before this date.” ‘*But I have made no mistake. I know you, Morton Dunbar. You cannot bluff me, and an attempt to bluff me is but time and breath weston” You dropped the name you the one by which ‘‘ Well, naow,” slowly drawled the prisoner ;” you are the most knowing chap I have struck for many aday. You actually know too much tolive. It’s a wonder that you ares —” “Oh, let up on that!” exclaimed the masked man. ‘I tell you it is useless to try to bluff me. I know your whole story. If you doubt my word, I will tell it to you.” ‘‘A story? Is it interesting? Anything for amusement. Drive ahead.” The masked man sunk down beside Red Robin. A red light seemed to gleam from the eyes that could be seen through the holes in the sag He began; speaking slowly and distinct- v. “Twenty years ago, in a large Eastern city lived a prosperous merchant who was the proud father of a queenly daughter, If ever earthly woman was utiful, this one was. She had scores of lovers, any of whom she could make her devoted slave by a look or asmile. Men of rank, men of money and men of talent sought her hand, only to meet with disappointment, Among her lovers were three persons with whom my story has to deal. Two were friends and companions, aged respectively twenty-one and twenty-eight years. The omie of the older was Barret Dorne; that of the younger, Faton Stone,” The masked man paused, closely scanning the listener’s face. But he saw nothing to satisfy him—not a visible sign of emotion. He continued: , ‘““Barret Dorne was a big, good-natured fele low, with a frank, open face and hearty man- ner. Faton Stone was a nervous, hot-headed, impulsive fellow. Dorne had a lucrative posi- tion in a prosperous manufacturing establish- ment; while on the other hand, Stone was noth- ing but a poor dry-goods clerk. ‘The name of number three was Morton Dun- bar. He was a handsome, dark-eyed chap-~ just the fellow to capture the beart of a golden- aired blonde. He was a telegraph operator, at a salary of sixty-five dollars a month. ‘‘ Now all three of these fellows were desper- ately in love with Ethel dhs ZR Again the narrator paused, closely scanning the face of the man before him. For a moment a strange, uninterpretable look rested upon Red Robin’s face; but a second later his features were rigidly set with the stern, hard look com+ mon to them. The masked man noted the look, and a short laugh of triumph broke from his lips. “That name brought you, as I thought it would. You bad been preparing for it, but could not control yourself when I uttered the name. But to continue: “Stone proposed, and to his chagrin, he was quietly rejected. Dorne followed suit and met JNA comicboo .cor