Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 589 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

' : : * ee for gentlemen like us to entertain, Pedro! No; we'll not dip our hands in the sanguinary fluid, etce., this round, We apr to play a finer game than that. We'll simply wrap up his hands so he can’t injure himself in any way; clap a stopper in his mouth to keep him from unduly straining bis voice; and march him be- tore the Great Mogul and his cohort in session assembled. ‘It’s a great scheme, Pedro; and when the yellow boys are divvied, don’t forget to say that I suggested it. In fact, that it wholly originated beneath the massive and corrugated brow of yours truly! Ih, Pedro?’ The sport turned a laughing and sarcastic face toward the flashily-dressed Mexican at his side. He was Hammond’s lieutenant; and one of the shrewdest and most daring of the men be- longing to the villainous organization calling itself the Silver Circle. His mocking words were arrested by the sounds of approaching footsteps. ‘*So, the long-awaited comes at last, like a tardy lover to the arms of his sweetheart. feared, Pedro, that he might be tarrying too long at the wine cup—as you do sometimes, Unkink your lariat and get ready to gather him in.” The detective came steadily forward through the silvery moonlight, all unaware of the snare | that awaited him. His mind was filled with thoughts of the work in hand. He bad made considerable progress during the day, and had succeeded in winning over some of the leading men of the town, He had expected to be dogged and followed, and kept a wary watch in hisrear. But he did not anticipate an assault so near the residence of honest Jobn Mitchell; for the trees under which the plotting pair lay stood almost at the corner of the house, Suddenly a dark line, like a leaping serpent, shot across the moonlight, and the noose of anh riata settled firmly about Brentwood’s neck, There was a quick and powerful jerk; and, before the detective could raise a hand to release himself, or shout for assistance, he was thrown so heavily to the earth that his neck was almost Sergi and the breath quite knocked out of im, At the same instant a lithe form bounded lightly forward, a keen knife glittered in wavy circles before his eyes, and a firm knee was planted remorselessly on bis breast. .« ““Stow your fancy flourishes, Pedro, and tie him!” hissed the low voice of the sport. ‘' We haven’t any time for theatricals. We may wake up a hornets’ nest if that fall was heard in the house. I’ve got bold of the lariat, and if he tries to get up I'll scientifically yank bis head off.” Pedro dropped the knife and quickly tied the hands of the prostrate man, Then, before he had fairly regained his scattered wits, a merci- less gag was thrust into his mouth, ‘*Good boy!” cried the sport, approvingly. ‘**Pedro, youre wasting your talents. ton might become a great light among the bow- string gentry of the far Orient.” Pedro showed his appreciation of the compli- sear by a marvelous display of milk- white teeth, ‘‘ He’s coming to, and may kiék up some kind of a rumpus, even if he is tied, If you'll get that stretcher, Pedro!” The Mexican darted beneath the tree and quickly returned with the desired article. ‘*Now we'll place bim on that and lash his feet so hecan’t fallout. There! That’s good. He weighs a hundred and eighty, Pedro, if he weighs a pound! I heard my back creak when I lifted him. <A man of that weight, built as he is, he make a nasty fight if pushed to the wall. ‘* Now, we'll travel!” A suppressed groan came from the gagged aws of the detective, as the forward movement an, ‘* He has regained his senses, my good Pedro,” said the sport, peering mockingly into the wide- open eyes below him, ‘*He can’t call out, but he can groan, you see! If he should draw the attention of any one by that music we'll say that we’re carrying ina pard of ours who has been thrown from a broncho. ‘If their curiosity prompts them to be dan- gerously inquisitive, we’ll put a knife into our esteemed friend here and slide!” The detective could scarcely repress a shud- der, so much mocking fiendishness was com- pressed into the words. But no one was encountered; and in due time ee Wet me "Ae ed ae . ‘coe Mes eo ae On J wes nM bd er ats dap a, A. cad S bi * . ah va rf ar : yey 7 aut bas ~\ =." 7 Ka : iat ae lyr St b OE A ba WT MED be - “ws ayy a> < i Oe ade rh eke ie ® Fe, ya oe ‘ : ‘4 4 2 £ a. Pa ae a ; PY iw ‘ Ri eo : i» hay: Ne mee) a gh oe yl eet (oS o> ee Oe atk oe oe +5 2S Ue : - ¢ : LA me <1 aul Je i 2 a ” : = toa 4 ss ast Bg ¥ ft nage a vi ~~ oa” a. given | ! ee | Tom-cat and Pard. way. But that’s too cold-blooded a suggestion | the litter, with its burden, reached the shadows of the Edgerton Mine buildings. The cowboy could scarcely repress a roar of astonishment when he saw Brentwood, bound, gagged and helpless, in the hands of his ene- mies, ‘* Whoop!” he cried, with difficulty toning the exclamation down to a whisper. ‘* This hyar gits me! Never knowed the boss to git tangled up like that afore.” His first impulse was to burst through the door with mad precipitation, and fight his way to the side of his friend, “"Twon’t do!” he concluded, when he had himself time to consider the thing. ‘ Bet- ter be one o’ us loose to kinder skirmisb around on the range. Ill wait an’ see what turns up. I mustn’t fergit that I’m a shadder, now, an’ not a screechin’, fightin’ Tom-cat, An’ then, thar’s Molly! No; 1 can’t afford to be laid out jest yit awhile,” . ze again stooped and peered through the key- ole, ** You got him, I see!” said Hammond, with a short, hard laugh, addressing Bonanza Bill. ‘* Yea, verily! We gathered him in,” was the characteristic reply. ‘‘ Thanks to a little brain- racking of mine, assisted by Pedro and his rope. Don’t forget to remember us, Hank, when you make your will.” | Hammond strode forward and removed the gag from Brentwood’s mouth, ‘** You sneaking coyote, do you know what we intend to do with you?’ he demanded, fiercely, ‘**You’ve been cutting a pretty wide swath lately, but we’ll throw your running-gear out of plum in pretty short order, now that we’ve got you.” *The detective made no reply. Perhaps his jaws were yet too stiff. Perhaps he did not coasider the threat worthy of an answer. His eyes were roving restlessly around the room, and, as his feet were now free, he may have been considering the chances of an escape, In this survey, his gaze rested for an instant upon the partition door. ** He’s a-lookin’ at me!” whispered the Tom- cat, excitedly. ‘‘ Ef Ic’u’d jest give one teenty meow, he’d idee ‘at they war a friend near that he kin bank on every time. But I dassent! Some o’ them fellers hev heerd my gentle voice, an’ they’d be likely to recognize it.” ** You needn’t beso sullen, Bruce Brentwood,” continued Hammond, ‘' We know you, and we know that you’ve been trying to arouse the town against us. We have no quarrel with you personally, but when you stretcb your length across our path, we'll step on your head as we would on the head of a rattlesnake. ‘* You might as well understand first as last that you'll never leave this building alive. So if you have any mementoes that you wish to transmit to your friends, you might as well rake them together,” Brentwood made no reply, but there was a slumbering fire in his dark eyes which showed that he did not intend to die without a struggle, ** We don’t care to shoot you. A shot can be heard too faron a night like this. And then, doubtless you would prefer shooting, when you know you have to go. No; we'll simply stretch 8 rope over that beam and weight an end of it with your worthless carcass,” Written words cannot indicate the terrible and fierce fiendishness with which this threat was conveyed. Pedro seemed to understand it as a command, for he cast his ri#ta over the beam indicated and allowed the noose to dangle suggestively near the prisoner’s head. ‘* Now, up with bim!” shouted Hammond, striding forward. CHAPTER IX, A FIGHTING TOM-CAT, *'WHooP! Mariar! Mee-ow-ow!” The Tom-cat fairly screamed his war-cry, as he cast himself precipitately against the light oor. It yielded to the powerful assault, and amid a shower of flying splinters he bounded into the room. The members of the Silver Circle shrunk back at this unexpected rush. Their first thought, evidently, was that it was an attempt at rescue in force. None could imagine that any one, hoWever rash, would: thus cast himself singly into the lions’ den. ing some such emotions depicted on the faces of the recoiling men, the Tam-cat drew his revolver and shouted, as he rushed to the ns of the room where stood his prisoned para: 7 ‘¢ Down with ’em, boys! Down with ’em! Whoop! Mariar!” And seizing the suspended coal-oil lamp he hurled it into the midst of the excited crowd, An explosion followed; the air seemed filled with flame; the Silver Circle gang was aghast with terror, while above all rung the cry: “Sp’t! Sp’t! Meeow-ow-ow! Mariar!” Grasping Brentwood by the shoulder—for the detective was rooted to the spot by the very audacity of the cowboy’s charge—he pushed him toward the broken door, “Git!” he shouted, ‘‘ Git, er you'll be burnt to death!” A roar of fright arose from the retreating men as the blazing coal-oil lamp descended into their midst, The explosion that instantly followed changed this into a succession of shrieks and curses, The volatile and burning fluid seemed to con- vert the very airinto a sea of flame. Haixy® beard .and clothing crisped and crackled; and, as the blistering fire ate its way to theirflesh a common rush was made for the doors and win- dows, The Silver Circle became converted into a mass of fighting, screaming men, each intent on his own safety and careless of the lives and limbs of his fellows, Within two minutes the building was emp- tied, As the blistered and excited rascals were tumbling pell-mell over each other in their frantic haste, the Tom-cat leaped through the broken door by which he had entered, almost dragging the partially-bound detective with im. ‘Git’s the word!” he continued to shout, ‘Git! afore the flame shrivels ye up like’s ef you war a horned frog in a prairie fire!” With one blow of his heavy boot he smashed the window into a thousand fragments; then he stopped for an instant to sever the detective’s bonds, ** Now leap through, and I'll follow,” ordered the detective. ‘Look out that some one don’t shoot you from the outside.” As soon as Hammond could collect’ his scat- tered wits and take stock of the injuries suffered by his men, he found the condition of affairs much better than he anticipated. There wasa great array of shriveled hair and beard and enough damaged wearing apparel to start a second-hand clothing-store. Some severe burns had also been received; and the clothing of a few was still scorching and smoking, No one was fatally or even horribly burned; and as soon as this was known the air again flamed, this time with sulpburous maledictions. Not that the members of the Silver Circle were angry because they had not been cooked outright! They were mad, fighting, ferociously mad, because they had been whipped by one man. As they gathered at the side of the building, taking an inventory of the damages sustained, they could hear the flames leaping and crackling as they ate into the floor and walls of the va- cated room. ‘*Surround the house and shoot the first man that appears!” shouted Hammond, drawing his revolver with his left band, for his right was so burned that the skin seemed ready to slip from the fingers. ‘* They’re in there yet, I think, and we'll down them, if it’s the last act of our lives, Curse that cowboy! That coal-oil has just about eaten my hand off!” ‘‘Hyer they go!” shouted a man, rushing to the nearest corner, Brentwood and the Tom-cat were out of the house, and attempting to gain the open ground beyond the buildings. Unfortunately, the mem- bers of the Silver Circle were between them and the open road to liberty. A retreat in the op- posite direction would bring them to the swift and arrowy river, which the strongest swim- mer could scarcely hope to breast. Then there was the additional danger of a fatal shot should they attempt the almost impossible feat of cross- ing it. Bastar their advantage, Hammond’s men spread out in the shape of a fan and commenced a hurried advance upon the retreating men, fir- ing their weapons as they came on, ‘“*We must find shelter somewhere!” Brent- wood said, anxiously. ‘‘ A few volleys like that will be likely to lay one or botb of us out.” ‘*'You bet!” stopping the cat-screeches, which he ae again commenced, long enough to make a reply. | A ball had cut through! his precious catskin cap, and another had scraped a strip of skin from his left shoulder. ‘* Let’s hustle fer that stone buildin’! They