Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 597 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

fi - Ee —EeE———————— _—> 12 the detectives, upon approaching the camp, had given them to the concealed sentinel without at- tracting the attention of the prisoner. He rode up to the quarters of the general, who ealled out: ‘* Back so soon, Edgar?” ‘‘ Lordy! you is a detective yerself, and I are a durned fool clean through,” growled the pris- oner,. ‘* Yes, chief, 1 bagged some game, so brought it to camp.” ‘* Who is he?” ‘* He answers to the namo of Texas in Golden Gulch, and is also known as Satan’s Cub,” ‘‘ Ah, yes, [ know of him, and some of my Soys doubtless know him, ‘* But what do you make him out?” ‘*‘ A secret member of the Black Bravo band.” ‘“* Tt are a lie, fer I hain’t.” ‘* Well, he is valuable, for we can find out what we wish to know about them,” said the generai, ‘** fT can tell you what you wish to know, gen- eral,” said the young Texan with a smile, and he turned over his treacherous guide tothe two men whom the chief bad called to take him in charge, Then be sat down at the quarters of the chief, and told him all that had occurred. General Cook grasped the hand of the youth and said warmly: ‘*'You are a perfect dare-devil, Edgar, and will be my best man before long, ‘*But can you lead us to the camp of the Bravos?” ‘* Yes, sir, without doubt.” ‘*‘ How many are there?” ‘‘{ should think they range about a score in camp atone time; but there are others out on duty all the time.” ‘* Well, if we strike at the fountain-head, and catch the leader, then we can run the others to earth afterward. ‘‘ Now let us prepare to go just as soon as [ cau call in my men from their duty in the cainps,” ‘We can wait until after the hanging, sir, for I can capture this Bill Curran that day, and you knowthe Bravos think that Texas is with me searching for my uncle,” and the youth laughed heartily. ‘* True, and we will wait, while you attend the hanging at Gold Dust; but there may be some of the Black Bravos there and recognize ou,” ‘*T had thought of that, sir, so wished to ask you about a disguise,” **T can rig you out finely, for in addition to my own traps, 1 have the entire outfit of a traveling show company that fell into my hands by my advancing money on it, for the players to go home, ‘* There ure wigs there and all you wish.” The next morning the youth rode out of camp dressed a3 a soldier, and wearing a blonde wig and otherwise disguised. He knew that the Bravos had seen so little of him that he would pass muster very well, and as two other of the detectives went witb him, he had n » fear of detection, for these two men were attired as soldiers, Edgar wearing the uniform of a junior lieutenant, Their destination was Gold Dust City, and they planned to arrive there on Friday, the day set for the hangmg of Lucky Jim, when the young detective determined to arrest Bill Cur- ran, the scarred desperado and any other of the Texans he might recognize, for he was sure that he would find that they had been with Brandt the Bravo in the attack upon his home, ‘The news that there was to be a hanging at Gold Dust City had filled the town, miners com- ing from camps a day’s ride away. An ordinary Jynching could not draw such a crowd as it would be upon the spur of the mo- ment. But to have a man hanged by the law, under the sentence of Buck Baldwin, landlord, post- master, storekeeper, and last, but by no means least, lustice of the peace, was something the miners felt that they must see. Then, too, Lucky Jim was known to be a des- perado of the worst type, and the miners wish- ed to see how he would step off into eternity. The morning of the hanging broke clear and pleasant, and Gold Dust awoke to find itself crowded. The pet was full of strangers, and the Palace Hotel and store belonging to ‘‘ Jedge” Baldwin did a tremendous business, while the bar was crowded so that it was almost impos- sible to get into it, | ** Judge Buck,” as his intimates called him, wasin his element, and what between his se- ———~s ~ riousness as a judge, and his delight at the harvest of gold-dust he was reaping, it was hard for him to blend his happiness and stern- ness intO One expression. There were Black Bravos there, and all knew it; but, without their black suits and masks who could tell them? Then there.were Rocky Mountain Detectives there also; but no one could pick them out, and to many of the crowd this was a deep regret, for they cast a damper upon the proceedings, the more because they were unknown, Into Gold Dust City there rode three soldiers and put up at tae Palace Hotel. The judge found them quarters, and they stuck close to their room; but why the young lieutenant and his men bad come no one could guess, and their presence created an uneasy feeling in many hearts, for why had they left the fort but to return with a prisoner, was the general decision. At last ‘‘ court” was called upon the piazza of the hotel. The crowd assembled about, to get a good view, and the judge took his seat before a dry- goods box, his feet being in the box, and placed there too were a couple of repeating rifles and several revolvers within easy reach of the hands of justice, Landlord Jim Patrick, from Golden Gulch, had been invited to a seat by Judge Baldwin, upon the principle that a ‘‘ fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind,” for they were in the same business, Behind the judges stood a number of the em- ployees of the hotel, and they all had their guns ready for business, while, if any one noticed particularly, the cunning limb of the law had other backers stationed at the front windows of the house, to be on hand if needed, Lucky Jim had -been sent over by General Cook, and two of the Rocky Mountain Detec- tives who sought no disguise had the prisoner in charge, and, at acall from the judge brought him out upon the piazza, The prisoner was as white as a corpse, and glanced over the crowd as though seeking for sympathy. ‘¢ Prisoner, you are called Lucky Jim,” said | the court, sternly, *'T are.” ‘* Well, I have a number of charges, and they can be proven without witnesses, so we won’t waste the time of the court by calling for proofs, but at once proceed to business, ‘* You have been twice sentenced to death be- fore, but escaped, and in escaping have taken human life. ‘*T have here a letter from General Dave Cook telling me that you are the right man, and with bis list of charges against you, and asking me to hang you in the name of the law, and Iam only sorry I have not more of your stripe to swing off with you.” ‘* Tll give you another to hang, judge,” cried a voice in the crowd, The speaker was the Dare-Devil Detective, who, as he uttered the words, leveled a revolver at ae head of a huge desperado who stood by his side. CHAPTER XXII. AT THE ROPE’S END. THE words of the young officer, as Edgar Du- mont was supposed to be, fell with startling ef- fect upon the crowd, Especially did it startle the man of whom he spoke, That man was a burly ruffian with one eye, a scarred face, several fingers missing from his left hand, and the Jook of one who was at war with his kind, He was the terror of all who knew him, and in watching the proceedings that were to end in the hanging of a human being he seemed to take positive delight, As Edgar Dumont, disguised as an army officer, uttered the words, he stood by the side of the ruffian, and instantly had his cocked re- volver in the face of the man. ‘The desperado was fairly caught, He had his weapons ready, but his hand was not upon them, and so he determined to brave it out. ‘‘ What ails you, sojer?’ he cried, in a voice of thunder. ‘* Hands up! quick!” The response was threatening, and he obeyed, but with a growl like a grizzly bear at bay. ** Here, Saunders, take this man’s weapons, and you, Knox, put the irons upon him.” Edgar turned to the two men who were dress- ed as soldiers, and who stood near. The Young Texan Detective. | ee eee | | | stout cane, Saeed te ee EN a E—EE——_— Eee They obeyed with an alacrity that was sur~ prising. ‘* Search him, Knox.” This order was obeyed, and the things found upon him, with his weapons, were placed upon the dry-goods box that served as a desk to the judge, : Then Edgar Dumont went upon the piazza with his prisoner, the crowd giving way for him, for, reckless as they were, no one cared to oppose the military. — ‘* Judge, this man is Bill Curran, horse-thief, raider, murderer and Black Bravo all in one. ‘* He is outlawed in Texas, and I know there was a price on his head there. ‘‘T turn him over to you as a sentenced fu- gitive from justice, so you bave him to hang» along with that man, Lucky Jim.” ‘* Oh, Lordy!” groaned Bill Curran, crushed and cowed by having been so quickly and cleverly caught. ‘‘T know the map, sir, and I can vouch for his being a terror; but give me your name to substantiate your charge, and if satisfactory Vll hang bim,” said Judge Baldwin.” ‘‘- Yas, we'll hang bim ef we has ter try ther case arterwards,” chimed in Landlord Jim Patrick, feeling that he was associate judge for the occasion. The young Texan stepped forward and handed the judge a slip of paper, which had a few lines written upon it, He glanced at the supposed soldier and read again, out in a Jow tone to Jim Patrick. {t was as follows: “The bearer of thisis on special duty for me, so obey his bidding. * DAVE Cook, ‘* Chief Rocky Mountain Secret Service Men.” There was the official stamp upon it also of the chief, and belheving that the bearer was also an army officer, Judge Buck Baldwin said aloud: ‘¢? am satisfied, sir, and will make it a doable hanging, for it is just such men as these are that we must rid the mines of,” Bill Curran swore loudly at the youth and the judge, and Lucky Jim chimed in to help him out, though glad of company in his desper- ate situation. ‘¢T cbarge both of these men of being secretiy members of the band of outlaws known as the Black Bravos,” said Edgar Dumont. ‘‘Can any one else substantiate this charge?” asked the judge, who was anxious to have jus- tice wholly on his side. There was a movement of the crowd and an old gray-baired man came forward, his body bent, his steps tottering, though he carried @ ‘*T know them as Black Bravos,” said the old man in a feeble voice. ‘‘ Who are you, old pard?” asked the judge. The miner bent over and whispered. ‘‘Don’t start at what I tell you; but I am Dave Cook, Chief of the Rocky Mountain Men.” ‘Ah! that is all right, and I need no other proof,”and the judge turned to the prisoners and continued: ‘‘ Bill Curran, and you, Lucky Jim, let me tell you that you have got to die, and I give you but ten minutes to ask pardon of Heaven for your crimes, though I am doubtful about your getting your prayers granted.” ‘* Nick Rawlings, you are to guard the pris- oners until they quit life, and you, Ben Price rig another rope over the beam yonder,” and the judge pointed to a beam that had been placed from the shed of the piazza to a tree near, and over which hung a rope with a noose in the end, The two prisoners cursed savagely, instead of praying, and Ben Price soon had a second rope ready. Theu the dry-goods box was made to do duty as a scaffold, and the two men were ordered to mount upon it. They obeyed, though with bitter oaths, and the judge, acting as executioner, placed the noose over their necks, The other ends of the rope were then thrown out into the crowd, and Judge Buck said: ‘‘ Pards, give us a hand, and when I say swing ’em off, pull with a will.” A shout greeted this, for it was as though the judge had taken them into bis confidence, and they were to have a band in the hanging. ‘* Now, pards! All together—swing ‘em up!” | The crowd obeyed as the dry-goods box was dragged from beueath the two doomed men, and their forms swung out over the heads of the motley gang, swaying to and fro, and with the fearful spectacle fairly enjoyed by fully one- half who were present, | * » "2 .