Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 66 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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i) a es — S$ $$ = Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. that I joined them in earnest. If you fear to | fa old man wants to know which way to ride trust me I will leave you.’ ‘‘T have told you before that I am willing to trust you, my dear boy; I believe that you will be true as steel, but 1 fear that you put your life in danger.” ‘‘ As to that Ido not care apin. I am ready to meet the danger at any time if you trust me. Will you take my advice then?” ‘‘Let me hear what you have to say,” repi-ed the captain. ‘Let us ride back and take up the prisoner and carry him to your house. en call in the rangers and give him in charge and let me go to Duke's camp and offer him in exchange for Lill ” “You would not dare to do that.” “Try me and see how much I dare do for your sake and Lilly’s. They won’t dare to harm me while you hold the captain.” ‘“‘T think you are right; leadthe way.” The turned and rode back at the same pace at whic they had come, and had nearly reached the nlace where they had left their prisoner, when they saw a number of shadowy figures ee upon the prairie near the scene of the late struggle. They were gathered about the body of Davidson and seemed to bein doubtas to who had killed him. Ned caught Hardin’s horse by the bridle and forced him back. ‘‘ Indians!” he hissed; ‘‘turn back, and get out of range.” They fell back in silence, and placed a clump of timber between themselves and the enemy, and from this point watched their motions. As they gazed they heard the charging cheer of the rangers and saw that the savage band were leaping confusedly into the saddle to meet a sudden onslaught. ** Hurrah!” cried Ned. “It is Single Hand and his men, and the rangersare at them. Come on!” Captain Hardin was as eager for the fray as Ned, and, urging their horses, they plunged at once into the thickest of the fight. The contest was not of long duration, for the Indians scat- tered over the plain with the rangers in hot pur- suit. Ned Cla singled out the gigantic chief and attacked him with knife and hatchet, but the wily chief saw that his men were scat- tering, and, crrcum § suddenly back, he thrust his long through the neck of Ned’s horse, bringing to the ground, and then, wheeling qui , darted away across the plain. Hardin with his boge recalled the rangers from the pursuit, and they came back sullenly and picked up the scalps of the fallen. ‘We've got business on hand, er ” said Ned, coming up on foot. ‘I say, ack, lasso one of those horses for me; be sure and pick out a one, for that rascally Indian has d mine through the neck. t us see r our prisoner, captain.” The two hurried to the bushes and found Tom Duke as they had left him. ” had ter not id the ooo ret we have captain, or they won illing to let ee’ go. Most of them have a spite I'll relieve you of this gag As the handle of the bowie was removed, the prisoner drew a long breath and looked steadily e did not speak, but the ex- at Ned Cla ression of his face was something , and ose who saw it shuddered. ‘*‘ Look here, Ned,” said Captain Hardin, ‘‘ I think that to insure your safety the sooner we tuck this fellow up the better. His hatred of you is something beyond any thing of which 1 ever heard.” ‘Don’t fear for me, captain,” replied Ned. ‘There is no love lost between this man and myself, and but ge te 2 coming he would have been under the by thistime. I was mad then, and should not have loosed my hold.” “DP remember you in the time to come,” Master Ned Clayton. Captain Hardin are you aware that this young scoundrel is one of my band, sworn to keep our secrets?” said Duke. — “So he has tol me,” replied the captain quietly. ‘‘For your own g I warn you not to let the men know who you really are, or [ am afraid that I should find it quite impossible to restrain them. What is it, Jack?” The companion of Ned Clayton had come up, and was looking at the captive with wildly-di- laked eyes. si The devil! Who have you got here?” he ‘* Keep your tongue between your teeth, Jack,” whispered Ned. ‘‘We don’t want the men to know him yet.” ‘‘T should think not. They’d tear him into a hundred pieces as sure as my name is Jack. ‘** Home, tell him. Get aspare horse for the prisoner, and be quick about it.” Five minutes later the party were in motion, riding toward Hardin’s ranch. The prisoner rode between the captain and Ned Clayton, with two lariats about his neck, the end of one fast- ened to Ned’s saddle-bow, and the other to that of the captain. A sullen silence had fallen upon the prisoner, and he rode with bent head, writh- ing in his bonds as they galled him. ‘That camp of which you spoke will be an un- safe place to visit, with the Indians on the trail,” said Hardin. ‘‘ Are you not afraid you may fall in with Single Hand?” “I think we have given him a lesson,” re- plied Ned, “and he will not stay long in this section. I have heard that he was in league with a band of white horse-thieves; but I am not sure. “Tell all he know, Ned, my a said the prisoner, without looking up. ‘‘ Why not say that he is in league with me?” ‘*T would not swear that he is not,” replied Ned; ‘‘but Iam not certain. I think you had better keep a civil tongue in your head, or the men may hear you.” “Tm notafraid, my boy. If I understand it, I am to be exchanged for this girl.” ‘That is the idea; are you willing?’ “Not exactly willing, Ned; but sometimes circumstances over which we have no control compel us to do things which do not suit us. Yes, I will give the girl in exchange for my li- berty oe one condition.” ‘* And what is that?” ‘That I am not betrayed to the rangers. To do this, it will be necessary for me to keep m isguise—of course the captain knows by this time that it is a disguise—until the exchange is ase will to to that, Captain ou willin agree that, Ca Hardin? asked Ned. a? “ ee! it is not much to ask, after all. You must, however, give Ned credentials in order that he may show himself safely in your camp, @s well as to tell him what course to pur- sue ““T am willing,” replied the prisoner; ‘‘ but oh, how I will e you suffer for all this, Ned Clayton.” * ! Don’t threaten like ‘a six-year-old boy. Here we are at the ranch, captain. Go in and tell your wife what has happened, and tell her, too, that I will not come back unless I bring eg ts: me.” - k out for the prisoner,” whispered the captain. him.” Ned showed his pistol in a oe way, which convinced both the captain and prisoner that he would use it if n without remorse. The captain sprung out of the saddle and ran into the house, while Ned hel his prisoner from the saddle and led him into the ‘ ‘That carroty-headed son of a gun needs a little lariat,” muttered Prairie Joe. ‘‘I don’t like his looks, not a durned bit.” ‘‘He does look pizen, old man,” said Jack Evans, who had become quite popular with the rangers. ‘‘I reckon he’s a night-bird; Im sure he looks like it.” ‘*Don’t try to ig Tom,” said Clayton, as they stood in the hall. ‘It will be painful for me to shoot you, but I shall ce y do soif you try to run—so look out for yourself.” “Tm not going to try it my lad,” replied Tom, with a side-glance. “You are heaping up trouble for the time to come, I warn you.” ‘All right; Pll take the chances, Here comes the captain again, and now we’ll go ahead and see what kind of a prison he has got for ‘“Why not let me go? I promise to send the girl safe home.” ‘We can’t trust you, captain. Men of your sort, when desperate, often forget their promis- ed word of honor. No; I will go myself, and bring the girl back.” “Then I must trust you, it seems, although you refuse to trust me.” - “That seems to be the programme, captain. Here is a table with pen, ink and ee ae Sit down and write a note to Joel Bennett, telling him to give up the girl.” He sat down and wrote a note, with sparkling eyes. a you would like to read it?’ he ‘You know how much depends on said. ‘‘'No,” replied Ned, quietly. ‘Of course it will be better for you to make it strong, for the rangers will kill youif Iam not back here in three days.” The outlaw looked troubled, tore up the note which he had written, and wrote another—this time one which seemed to suit him better. Ned thrust the letter into his pocket, and helped the captain put handcuffs on the prisoner. ‘*You dare to degrade me with irons, like a felon?” he hissed. “ Wait until my turn for re- venge comes.” They took him between them and led him down to a strong cellar, into which he was thrust, and his feet manacled. ‘Now understand me, captain,” said Ned. ‘Tam going to the camp of the outlaws, and when once there, I shall try to get Lilly. Whe- ther I fail or not, I shall come back as far as Deep Canon within three days. If that is not done, you will know that there has been foul- lay. Jack will wait for me in the canon for hree days, and if I do not come back, you know what to do.” The heavy door clan upon the prisoner, and he was alone; but shortly after he heard a man pacing up and down before the stout door and knew that he had a sentinel. Dragging his heavy irons to the small window, not wide enough to permit the passage of a man’s body, he looked out and saw Ned Glayton and Jack in the act of mounting their horses. They were detained at the last moment by Mrs. Hardin, who came out to bid Ned God-speed and kiss him. The expression of the man’s face became demoniac. _ “The older she grows the more beautiful she is,” he muttered. ‘If it were not for Coral, I don’t know what J might do. Poor girl! she at least has been faithful. I want that young hound’s blood, and I will have it.” While he thus muttered, the two adventurers touched their horses and rode away at a rapid pace heading for the scene of the late conflict. “Tt is the game of life,” he murmured, ‘* Who wins?’ CHAPTER VIII. THE FAIR CAPTIVE. WE left Lillian Hardin a prisoner in the hands of Joel Bennett, the trusty aid-de-cam of Tom Duke. The man had been well selected. A glance at his face would have convinced any one that he would do his master’s bidding, and destroy the innocent girl if hard pressed by his pursuers. It was well for her that he nitned the Sa of the chaparral before they could over- take him, for twice, when hard pushed, he had ey his hand upon his knife to accomplish his ell purpose. But, no sooner was he in the cha 1 than he dismounted, with a malicious grin upon his face, and waited for the coming of his compan- ions. What was his rage when he knew by the voices upon the edge of the thicket that Tom Duke had not su ed in his attempt to stop Captain Hardin and Ned Clayton. “lll bet a thousand dollars they’ve e un- der,” he muttered. ‘Ef they have, Little ’un, you'll wish you had never been born. See here —lI’m going to take my hand away from your mouth, and if you yell, Pll kill you on the spot. Understand now, for I mean it. ‘*T shall not scream,” said Lilly, ashe removed his broad hand. ‘It would be useless now that we are in the woods, but, don’t think that I am afraid of you, coward that you are.” The man laughed at the spirit shown by the oung girl. * You're the , miss,” hesaid. ‘Blame me if you don’t beat my time all to nothing. I spose you’d stick a knife into me if you only got the chance.” “Try me,” replied Lilly, boldly, ‘and you can convince in car Hae that point. I would take your life as I would that of a viper.” “Good!” said Bennett. “I knew 4 cen ghee oe Come, we’ve * to eeper e cha 1; ['m afraid Cap- Fain Duke has gone unde? ap oe thing for the world if he has. <A de- spicable villain who steals into an honest bouse under the cloak of religion, and betrays those bi gabe him.” ® ete dena won’t be very good for you © 1s dea my er replied Bennett, 50 for your fate will be a one, I’m thinking. Come along, and, - you go, pray that Captain Duke may be ve. He took a lariat and bound the arms of his prisoner behind her; then, with the other end of the rawhide rope in,his hand he ordeted her in front, while he led_the horses, directing her which path to take. In this way they kept on for over an hour, through tangled paths, until the chaparral became more open, when they again mounted and rode on at a rapid pace. illy was sitting behind the horseman, and, you was EGomicbooks |