Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 662 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

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Se Ee, he a Peer ee Pe eee 9 *T left the cabin and went to the Overland station, which Jake Reeves has charge of, and he greeted me with a story about Bob Burt hay- ing seen the Hercules Specter, and he also.” * What, before you had told your story?” ** Yes, sir, aud the Hercules had ridden by his station in the moonlight, his horse making no sound with his hoofs, and Jake had opened fire as soon as he got his nerve back and been greet- ed with wild shrieks. “This was when?” “The night before the one I passed in th eabin, sir, and the same on which Bob Bren had seen the specter, as did also the passengers in the coacb. “While I was there, up dashed Cricket, the Pony Express Rider, and he had seen the specter also, and knew nothing of what Jake and Bob Burt had witnessed, but only that word had one along the line that the Hercules had been illed by Butterfly Billy.” ** It grows more interesting, Cody.” ** Yes, colonel, and there is more to tell. **I did not speak of my experience at the cabin to either Cricket or Jake, nor have I re- ferred to it to any one here, sir, ‘*But I left the station anxious to solve the mystery, and soon after dark rode upon the Hercules myself, or whatever it is that resem- bles him, ‘*The moon was at its full, my horse gave a low whinny, and I saw distinctly the Hercules ride across the trail, not a hundred and fifty feet from me, *“‘T heard no sound of hoofs, only saw the man and horse, and the moonlight glimmering upon his uniform buttons and epaulettes. **T called to him to halt, and spurred forward, and vet when [ reached the spot he had disap- peared in the thicket of pines,’ “This is most remarkable, Cody; but heard you no clatter of hoofs?” ‘None, sir; and more, I camped right there until the morning, when [ hoped to find a trail,” ** And you were a plucky fellow to do this, Cody.” ‘*No, sir; I only was determined to know what it meant.” ** And the trail?” **T found none, or at least no marked trail that I could follow.” ** And then?” “*T decided to return to the retreat of the Hercules,” ‘For what purpose?” ‘“*To open the grave and seeif the body was still buried there, for I felt convinced that the man, after all, had not been mortally wounded, but had escaped death, and for some reason was playing some game upon us.” ** And you went to the retreat?” ** Yes, sir.” “With What result?” ** T opened the grave, sir, down to the body.” ‘It was there?” ‘* Yes, sir, I found the blanket wrapped around the large form in its uniform, just as I had laid it in the grave, and more I cared not to see, for it told me that the trick was at least not played by the Hercules Highwayman.” ‘*Some of the Mounted Miners, allies in lawless acts,” ** No, sir, I do not believe that they are his al- lies, and besides, men of the size of the Hercules are not often found.” “You are right; but what conclusion have - you come to, Cody!” **T do not know, sir, more than that Surgeon Delamater told me that Butterfly Billy will be able for the war-path in a couple of weeks, and then perhaps we can solve the mystery of the Hercules’s ghost.” k ‘*T sincerely hope so, for this superstitious read will spread like an epidemic, and I won’t able to fet my soldiers to leave the fort after awhile,” Colonel Carter said, half in earnest, half in a joking humor. _ But all the officers were certainly impressed with what Buffalo Bill had had to say, for they knew him too well to feel that he was &@ man to be led away »y a will-o’-the-wisp. . perbaps, his CHAPTER XIV. BOB BURT ON THE ROAD. ‘No one who ever rode over the Overland with Bob Burt ever ores to like the large, fine-look- ow. had a heart like a woman, yet possessed the courage of a lion. _ Then, too, Bob Burt was the best driver on the pod, and would go through the worst trails on Ta dark, stormy nights, when the other men of the ee * bi a ’ : , ‘ a a would not dare venture away from a sta- ion. Bob had been wounded more than once in rushing by road-agents when commanded to halt, and though threatened with death a hundred times, he yet lived on. Bat Bob Burt was no fool, and he realized when all odds were against him in a flash, and wisely surrendered when there was no prospect of folng through, nd wben Bob Burt stated that he had seen the specter of the Hercules Highwayman, no one thought of doubting him for a minute. If Bob Burt saw the ghost of the Hercules, 3 then there was no use saying there were no such things as dead men’s spirits walking the earth, was the verdict along the stations, Some days after the conversation which Buf- falo Bill and Colonel Carter had, Bob Burt start- ed upon the run westward with several passen- gers, One of these was a lady in black, and she wore a vail that completely concealed her face. Bob Burt, when he was about to mount the box, saw his friend, Driver Dorsey, approaching to speak to him. Dorsey had just brought the coach in to the dinner-station, and Bob was to carry it on. ‘* Any orders, pard?” he asked Dorsey, ‘Yes, keep your eye on the woman in black, for she carries a big boodle, ‘““This order comes from the Boss in Omaha, and fight to save it if you are attacked, ‘*The fellow in the parson’s outfit hain’t no preacher, and he'll chip in and help yer out, if it comes ter shootin’, for he’s a pard o’ the woman, but don’t pretend ter know her on the road. é See?” oe Bob did see, and mounting his box drove off, og that he carried a valuable cargo along. There were two other passengers aboard, both miners going back to the mines, so naturally al- most dead broke, or would be by the time they reached the end of their journey. ‘“‘T hain’t afeerd 0’ bein’ robbed by the Her- cules, now, but I is afeerd o’ meetin’ his ghosts, for I do be scared o’ dead folks, ** Besides, if he were a-livin’ he wouldn’t seek ther woman, for that were not his way, and I guess his ghost hain’t goin’ ter do what ther flesh of it in life wouldn’t do. “But I hope we won’t meet them durned Mounted Miners, for they’ll take all thar is in ther lay-out and cuss ’em fer not havin’ more, ‘** Dorsey says fight, ef we kin. “Waal, Pll fight ef thar is ther photograph o’ a chance, “Tf not, then we has ter submit; but I prays we doesn’t meet ’em.” So mused Bob Burt as he rode along on his high box, his horses going at a steady pace, A halt was made at a supper-station, and the trail from there on was good up to the relay where Jake Reeves held sway. It was just dark when the coach rolled away from Jake’s, and he had told Bob Burtof Buffalo Bill’s visit and what he had seen, and also what Cricket the Pony Rider had discovered in the way of the ghost of the Hercules. So Bob was in an awed mood as he drove on not from fear of the Mounted Miners, but fro. a dread of seeing that which he could not accour 5 for, the Specter of the Overland, | ‘Ther moon will be up in an hour, and thet is ther time thet ghosts do walk, I has heerd,” he muttered, and on he drove, The moon did come up as Bob had said, and the trail running around the side of the moun- tain was brightly lit up by it. The moon was but @ day on the wane, so its light falling upon the whitish rock of the mountains made all on the trail brightly visi- ble, and Bob Burt kept his eye always ahead to pick out any danger. The road was good there, winding in and out of heavy bowlders, and a couple of miles away A age into the shadows of the forest-clad vallay, To iurn there would be impossible, and so Bob knew if the Mounted Miners were to halt him there he was in for it, Suddenly his keen eyes detected several hun- dred yards ahead, two forms appear in the trai). Then others were visible upon varicus rocks until Bob Burt counted six. oe we is in fer it, so I guesses I better give the signal ter fight, forit strikes me ef we open on ’em when they calls halt, we kin git away with ’em—and maybe not,” He was leaning over ‘to warn those in the coach that the Mounted Miners were on hand, and that he would fight it out and drive through, when he saw four men in the rear, These were mounted, and close at hand. ‘**It’s no go,” he muttered, and so he called out: ‘*Pards in thar! we has six road-agents ahead on foot, and four behind on horseback, so does yer say fight, or hand over yer chips? Pi Pm yer friend either way yer says, so shout, CHAPTER XV, THE SPECTER GUARD, THE two miners in the coach were opposed to fighting the Mounted Miners. They had no money to lose, so were willing to be robbed, and cared not to risk their lives for the property of others, And they said so very decidedly. This reduced the fighting force to Bob Burt and the parson, for the woman was not expected to fight, nor in fact was a man in clerical garb, ‘* As itis, pards, I kin only help yer on ther first round, for [Pll shoot, and aim ter kill, and then drive through and my critters will give me all ther fun 1 want, yer see. ‘*So when I open the ball, yer must furnish ther music, and play it lively.” ‘* How wany are they?” asked the parson. **Ten,” responded Bob, who had drawn his horses down to a watk, ‘Then we might fight, for—” ** No yer don’t, yer don’t git us hurted making a fool o’ yerself, shootin’ at ten outlaws,” said one of the miners. “*T guess the odds is ag’in’ us, pard, inside and out; but ef yer says fight, I says go, if it’s death ter fsllow.” ‘What do you say?’ and the parson turned to the woman in black. “The odds are fearful; but leave it to that brave driver, and if he sees a chance and calls on us, why we will be ready.” ‘** Perhaps they won’t rob a woman,” said one of the miners. . “*Don’t nurse yerself on thet idee, pard, for them is Mounted Miners, and they would rob their grandmammy’s coffin o’ ther handles on it,” said Bob Burt, leaning over the stage door. ‘* Well, driver, we leave it to you, and we are ready at your call,” the parson said. ‘All right, pard, Pll act on sarcumstances; but keep yer guns ready ter explode ef yer hears me shout,” and Bob Burt drove on. The Mounted Miners evidently knew by the coach korses being drawn down to a walk, that they had been seen, and a consultation as to re- sisting was going on. But it did not disturb them, as the men on the rocks merely dropped down to shelter, and the two in the road maintained their position. The four horsemen in the rear had slackened speed with the ccach, so came on, yet no nearer than when first discovered, Tbe moon revealed the situation perfectly, and the coach rolled on once more at a slow trot toward the fate that awaited it. The miners within seemed nervous, while the parson and the woman in black were perfectly calm, and sat side by side in silence, Bob Bx ct was unmoved, but watchful, The slightest chance he could discover of es- cape, even against odds, he was ready to take advantage of it, and his repeating rifle lay across his lap, under his knee-robe, where he could catch it up.in a second. Then, too, his reins had been knotted, and were ready to drop over the brake in an instant while his rifle was seized, to be again taken hold of as his team started along. “Tf hopes we'll git through, for it will bea feather in my sombrero, if them parties hain’t looted,” said Bob, quietly, as he drew near the spot where the two men stood in the road like . statues, their revolvers ready. oe. Thct the other outlaws were in hiding and watching, Bob well knew, while a glance over his shoulder showed that the four horsemen were coming along at the same pace as before, ready to dash forward the moment the order was given by the leader to halt. It was not long in coming, for soon the man on the right held up his band, and called out: - Hold up, Bob Burt, for you have booty x. ** You lies, yer road-thief, for I has only two bu’sted miners, a sky-pilot and a woman in black, an’ ef yer kin git blood out o’ sich tur- nips, yer is welcome ter try,” ‘Well, I can, for the woman in black is an army paymaster in petticoats, and the sky-pilot is ae and they’ve got money by the thou- sands, ‘*Ha, ha, ha! Bob Burt, Pm onto your game