Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 662 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

42 **'Yes, chief, and I need hardly report that the coach went over the cliff with all in it.” ‘“No; for I saw that by the wreck and raves,” ‘* I took these things from the body, sir.” “Curse it, man! keep them, for I don’t want them,” **[ thank you, sir; but Iam sorry we missed the paymaster’s money.” **Soam I; but you have my share of other robberies with you?” ‘* Yes, sir, for here it is in bills.” ‘Thanks; and now let me tell you that you are captain of the {Mounted Miners, for I must go my way on a different path. ‘* Success to you, and good-by,” and pretend- ing to write something for a minute, the chief turned and walked back to the coach, ** Waal, pard, did he fleece you heavy? asked Bob Burt, as the stage rolled on, with the two again on the box together, “Not so badly, for I gave hima check on a bank I have not got a dollar in.” Bob Burt broke forth in a hearty laugh, and Said; “Waal, pard, all ther sharp ones hain’t out here on ther border, be they; but whar is you going?” ‘* To California,” was the answer, and the face of the outlaw wore a strange look—one that was unfathomeble. CHAPTER XIX, A REMEMBERED FACE, WHEN Paymaster Barber and his clerk ar- rived at the fort, and reported his adventure, and the fact that the Specter Highwayman had acted as a guard for the coach, thus gay- ing the Government money from the Mounted Miners, it added more mystery to the haunting rider of the Overland. ‘He seems to be atoning in the spirit by good acts, for his crimes in the flesh,” said Buf- falo Bill with a laugh, and Colonel Carter asked: “* Well, Cody, what is to be done about it?” ‘I guess Ill have to ask for leave to go ghost- ‘hunting, colonel,” ‘Your experience has not frightened you off from spirit-trailing then?” ‘* Not exactly; but I shall not go alone.” **Ah, misery loves company; but who will you ask to accompany you, for my command seems to be pretty much demoralized upon the subject of the Specter of the Overland!” “Now if Surgeon Frank Powell were only here?” said the scout, referring to his boon bor- der pard, or surgeon of the 5th cavalry, and one of the best prairie men on the frontier, ° ‘Yes, if he were only here, then we could hunt down this gee of the Hercules; but as he is not I must get some one else,” ** How will I do, Mister Cody?” All turned upon the speaker, and from each one came the name: ‘“* Butterfly Billy!” A tall, slender youth, perhaps under twenty, ‘with a face that was bold, fearless, resolute and winning, and a form, though thin from suffering, showing activity and endurance, stood in the quarters of the colonel. He was dressed in the gay attire of a Pony Rider, which had given him the name of Butter- fly Billy, a scarlet cap and silk sash, a blue jacket adorned with buttons and silver lace, white corduroy pants stuck in handsome top- boots with tassels and gold spurs, a slik shirt, black cravat, buckskin gloves and a belt of arms, He was a_ handsome picture, in spite of his pale, haggard face, **How did you escape Surgeon Delamater, Master Butterfly Billy? asked Colonel Carter approaching him, “Oh, sir, he gave me permission to come and pe tees respects to you, for I am well able to be about.” ‘And glad I am to see it, while I congratu- late you upon your escape from what was cer- tainly a very close call from death,” ‘“* Yes, sir, and death would have won in the first place, but for Scout Cody, and then again had not Surgeon Delamater shown such devotion to my case, ‘lamas good as ever now, sir, only a trifle thin and weak.” All present shook hands with the handsome _ Black Horse Rider, who then asked again: “Why cannot J go with you on this ghost- hunt, Mr. Cody?” **' What ghost-hunt?” ‘Oh, I know all, for I have heard the whole story and it seems I have got to kill the Giant General over again.” - 7 rw ’ ~' . pp ane r : = o sme De ar 7 a ej\-™ er” owe \ : - : d » ay f ~ 4 par | od wen f > or \ . 4 ‘ - “ ; €) ; , Th bSonee et uk p } . ces . rir aa? ; . I 9 a” | eal ‘ ‘ its at , ‘ : 7 Fea 43° (- a" any See me $ sieigicy ids: FAR Ob? aR Do > hots -* “ * =A : 7 t a r y od 2 us "ae 1 Pe Butterfly Billy’s Bonanza. “Tt’s his specter now, Billy, and it has re- formed, for he has not robbed a stage-coach since his death,” said Captain Allen pleasantly. vs Pa they do believe it is a ghost, do they noti ‘Oh, yes, Buffalo Bill has both seen him and heard his groans,” ‘* Well, I would like to meet this specter, for I = sure I would try the effects of a bullet upon im, ‘* Not even Cody seems to have thought of do- ing that,” said the colonel with a merry twinkle in his eyes, “TH think of it next time, sir,” responded Buffalo Bill, ‘* He is mounted, is he not?” “Just as he appeared in life, Billy, only his face is as white as snow,” Cody returned, ‘* But I did not kill his horse, so how could he have the ghost of his horse?” This question of Butterfly Billy caused all to laugh, and Buffalo Bill answered: ‘*[ see, Billy, that you will have to go on the ghost-hunt with me, so how long will it take you to get strong enough?” ‘ : could go to-morrow, but give me a “Tf Surgeon Delamater says so,” the colonel remarked, and then he added: ‘*Come, Butterfly, Miss Ivy Allen is visiting my daughter to-day, and they will be glad to welcome you back from tbe borders of the Shadow Land. ‘“‘T will return in a minute, gentlemen.” and Colonel Carter led the youth from his office into bis home quarters and suddenly surprised two young ladies seated in a cozy sitting-room chat- ting together, s Butterfly Billy crossed the threshold he heard his name upon tbe lips of Mattie Carter, and his face flushed crimson, ‘Mattie, Miss Ivy, I have brought a visitor for you to entertain, but don’t talk him into a fever again, for he is mye 4 himself yet,” said the kind-hearted officer, and he retired, leaving the youth in the doorway, The welcome he received certainly gladdened the heart of nf apo | Billy, and was better than any medicine he could take, Both were beautiful girls, Ivy Allen just merg- ing into twenty years, and a brilliant, witty, lovable woman, while Mattie Carter was just verging on “‘sweet sixteen,” and pretty enough to turn the head and hurt the heart of any man. After a pleasant half-hour with the young ladies the youth arose to depart, and as he did so a gentleman entered. 6 was a man of distinguished appearance, hardly appearing to have lived two-score years, and with a darkly-bronzed, foreign-looking face that was striking and attractive, His hair and eyes were black, intensely so, and a dark mustache, twirled up at the ends, shaded a mouth that was mobile and expressive in the extreme, while his teeth were even, solid, and of snow-whiteness. He was dressed in the garb of a Mexican gen- tleman, and certainly was a grand-looking man, the cavalier par excellence, “Don Emilio Soto, let_me present to you, senor, the hero of Fort M——, whom we all know under the sobriquet of Putterfly Billy,” said Ivy Allen, as the Mexican entered the room. In a voice low, musical, ut marked with a decided foreign accent, the Mexican seid, as he extended his hand: ‘*] have heard of Senor Butterfly Billy, and it is a pleasure to meet him. ‘* Wo shall be friends,” The eyes of the youth looked straight into his own, and there was an expression in them that was unfathomable, He even uttered no response to the polite words of the Don, but bowed and continued on his way out of the house; “A handsome fellow, but spoiled by. the ad- miration you ladies have heaped upon him,” said the Don, ‘ Now you wrong him, for, on the contrary, be is not spoiled, Don Soto: but he is just up after a long siege of suffering froma wound that well-nigh proved fatal,” said Ivy, warmly. ‘* Yes, he is no more spoiled than I am,” Mat- tie Carter remarked, and the Don said in re- sponse; ‘You must get some better comparison, Miss Carter, than yourself, as Miss Ivy will admit,” and with a laugh Mattie left the room to let the lovers be alone. When he left the house, Butterfly Billy met Buffalo Bill, and he said: ore Cody, who is Don Emilio Soto, of Mexi- co ‘A Mexican gentleman of wealth, once an ’ wl ’ ‘ Ys 2 yo} , aa ee Pd 4 ; Wits! here AD he AE 4 ae AD i aes r 2 a, a Orn 7 4 v AES , Me Md 4 »' in < 2 ak tu? .« {<< ‘ 1 2 7 co.) (UG eee era army officer, and an old friend of Captain Allen and his daughter; in fact, I believe he is engaged to Miss Allen.” ‘I just met him, and, Pard Bill, I have met - him before, ‘* Somehow it came upon me that we had met under feelings that aroused my hatred and fear, and I believe I was actually rude toward him before Miss Allen and Miss Mattie.” | ‘You must be mistaken in the man, Billy, for he is a general favorite here.” ‘No, I know him, only [ cannot, if life de- pended upon it, say when I have met him; but certain it is that I have reason to hate him, and. that V’ll swear to. ‘* He is engaged to Miss Allen, you say?” «cc Yes,” ‘ . I am sorry, for that man isa villain, Pard ill,’ ‘Why, you are awful hard on him, pard, and I feel sure that you have confounded him with some one else,” ** And I'll take oath that I have not; but let us go and decide upon a plan for this ghost- hunt, for I believe him the Hercules, and I will be only too glad if the man is uot dead, for I wish to know what he can tell me,” Ten days after, the two, Buffalo Bill and the Black Hor-e Rider of the Overland, started up- on the hunt for the ghost of the Hercules, and Butterfly Billy said in saying good-by to Colonel Carter: | ‘I will have my bonanza yet, sir.” CHAPTER XX, LASSOING A SPECTER, BUTTERFLY BILLY recuperated with wonder- ful rapidity, once he had been allowed to step outside of Surgeon Delamater’s hospitable home, The truth was that the skilled surgeon bad feared that Butterfly Billy might overtax him- self, and so he had held him down days after he ~ was really able to be about, and built him up all in his power at the same time, When he saw that the wound was realy healed, and the Black Herse Rider was himself again, he allowed him to leave his quarters and oO over to visit the colonel, well aware that vy Allen and Mattie would do much to hasten on his recovery. ; From that day Butterfly Billy rallied wonder- fully, and when he rode away with Buffalo Bill one night, to hunt down the ghost of the Hercules, he expressed himself as feeling as well as ever before, and taat several days’ work would soon harden him up to his old strength and style, ** Well, Billy, what is your little plot to start on, for I know you have formed one, and if I do not like it, L will tell you my plan?’ said Buffalo Bill, as the two awoke the next morning after their first camp, f ‘This man must be taken alive, Pard Bill.” ‘*'You still believe that you did not kill the Hercules?” : ‘*Certainly, for who else could it be that ig masquerading as a ghost?” f ‘*That’s what puzzles me, Billy.” ** Well, the man must be taken alive?” $ Yeu" ‘* He certainly travels the Overland?” ** Sure.” ‘* And if his retreat is not the old one} then he has some other spot to hide in,” ‘* Certainly.” ‘* Now let us go to the old retreat, or rather, do you remember a chasm in the rocks on the way there?” °F Eb 0." ‘‘ It is some twenty feet high, and about forty wide.” *“*T remember,” ‘There are cedars on the top of the rocks, and through this chasm the man must pass, if the old retreat is still his hiding-place,” ‘You are right.” Then let us finda prc near to hide our horses in, visiting them to change their feeding- ground each day, ane. eri up our camp upon f) those rocks, you on 0 » 1 upon the other,” ‘*T begin to see.” ‘**Tf the Hercules does not pass through within a few days, he certainly has changed his retrea and we can find some place upon the Overland to also lie in wait for him in the same manner,” “Correct, Billy.” “You can make your lariat fast to a tree, and throw for the horse, while I can mine and catch the rider, and thus we get both by throwing at the same instant, ‘‘With you holding him covered from the rocks, Ican slip around and disarm and iron him, do you see?” Ke Perfectly, and there is no need of proposing } iw 7 {"# * A” + So . - ~~ ¢ + > " mes a aw | 7 ' 3 ) im «6 | | 3 ined vs 1 Wy i _ ‘ ry Gutter mere Ame . ; 7 od .