Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 682 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

_ ee ee - > 5 ow fo. FP Raed ao ») « i. & Sead | aeree Tecover the lost one. I came oung man, allow me to congratulate you Bon baving found a father and a sister.” “Keep your congratulations for those who want them,” was the low, fierce reply. “And let me tell you, if Nida Errol is my sister, I would rather kill her with my own hand than have her become the wife of such a scoundrel as I believe you to be!” Then the youth sprung upon the back of the horse, regardless of Danglar'’s muttered oaths and threatening gesture. The party decided to press on without wait- ing for Wild Vulcan’s return, satisfied that the lainsman would overtake them before long. hey had not moved far when the faint far- away boom of the Prairie Thunderbolt’s rifle came to their ears. ‘*Thet is ther death-knell o’ ther red varmint ¥v’at tried ter lay ye out, lad,” said the guide. An hour later Wild Vulcan joined them, His manner was a little wild as he threw a reeking scalp on the ground in front of Paul’s horse, cry- ing: “There is proof that the would-be assassin did not escape!” During the forenoon the young plainsman summoned sufficient courage to ride along by the side of Nida for a while and exchange a few words with her. Making sure that no ‘one would hear them he bent toward her saying: ", Don’t give up hope, Nida; it may not be So, ‘I pray God that it is not,” was the reply. ** It does not seem that fate can be so cruel.” He saw that she had all that she could do to keep back her tears, and with a few words more, he left her with oldSam. Paul saw that Mr, Errol had been watching him, and he was tempted to join the ranchman and demand an immediate explanation. But, finally, he decided to wait the gentleman’s inclination, for he knew that Elias would tell him all, in due time, It is not necessary to describe the tiresome day’s journey. Suffice it to say that they were not molested by any of the outlaws, although they fancied that several times they detected skulking figures in the distance. At night they encamped in the dry bed of a creek, the place eing admirably adapted for defense, A small spring of water rose near the camp and madea tiny stream of water that was soon absorbed by the sand; but it provided water for the party aud the animals. The poor horses were only too glad to eat the grass around the spring and crop the stray tufts along the watercourse. Anothef day’s journey would bring them to the plains and the river. That night Paul and Mr, Errol had a long talk together, The ranchman questioned the youth closely about his life, but Paul could tell him nothing that he did not already know, “IT would give much if Nick Rickway was alive, poor fellow!” said the rancher. ‘“ He could tell if those marks were on your arm when he snatched you from the Indians. If they were, it is proof conclusive that you are my son, But I do not think there can be a doubt about it, Years ago I pricked a heart pierced by an arrow on the arm of my little boy, who was then two years old. Within the heart I pat the letters . K. E., which are the initials of his name and stand for Edwin King Errol. The marks on your arm have grown faint, as if they had been there for many years, for even India ink mark- ing will fade in time; but they are quite distinct, You _ must be my boy,” ** Was your so a peured by Indians?” hoarse- ly asked the youth. ‘* No; but he was stolen by my bitterest enemy, Lyman Mesurado. Never mind why we were enemies, That is really of small importance; but we were foes, He was an evil man and hated me with an undying hatred. Once he swore to kill me; but when my child was born be declared that he would kidnap it. These threats frightened my wife greatly, but I laughed at them. However, when the child was two years old, a desperate attempt to kidnap it was made, and came near succeeding, Then I be- came really alarmed. I offered heavy rewards for the capture of the would-be perpetrators of the crime, but justice never laid her hands on them, if there were more than one, Of course this alarmed me, and, fearing that the wretch might succeed, I marked a heart and arrow on the child’s arm and placed his initials within the heart. The work upon your arm is an exact counterpart as 1 remember that which I did, My worst fears were realized; my child was pale stolen, although we guarded it closely, I will not tell of the grief that the great loss us, or of the fruitless efforts which I Years passed, and to believe that the child was dead; but — — eh NN Wild Vulcan, the Lone Range-Rider. . now I am satisfied that you are the long-lost one —you are my son!” ‘he young man talked with Mr. Errol for a long time, but in the end he was obliged to con- fess within his heart that everything indicated that the rancher was right and that be was the lost Edwin King Errol. He carefully avoided speaking of Nida. j Although he was weary of body, his mind could not rest, and that night was a long and dreary one for the young plainsman. We will pass over the minor events of the suc- ceeding day. At nightfall the party had reached the fertile land of the plains and left the desert behind them. But they did not halt. During the day they had again seem distant horsemen, who appeared to be watching them, and they feared an attack, therefore they wished to reach the rest of the party and join forces, Shortly after nightfall they were joined by a cowboy who had been sent out to look for them. He said that suspicious-appearing persons had been seen lurking in the vicinity of the camp and Riata Rube had moved the entire party to a small island in the river, which could be easily defended. At one particular point the water was so shallow that a horse could pass to the island without swimming. The horses were nearly exhausted, but the party urged them on, and before the hour of widnight were passing through the water to the island lying in the midst of the moonlit river. The cowboy guard on the island soon awoke the sleeping camp, and the returning ones were re- ceived with shouts and cheers of joy. It was a grand reunion and everyone seemed happy, but there were hearts filled with anguish in the midst of all the joy. When the first excitement of the reunion was over, Mr. Errol took his wife aside and told her of his remarkable discovery. She was amazed and asked him to bring the youthful plainsman to her. But at that moment a wet, dripping a appeared in the midst of the party and cried: ‘‘ Prepare fer war, fer ther varmints o’ ther Bad Lan’sare cumin’ er leetle millyon on er raft, calkorlatin’ ter take ye by s’prise w’en ye least *spect sech er thing. Git ter ther upper eend 0’ thr islan’ an’ fignt fer yer lives an’ ther ladies!” CHAPTER XVIII. THE MISTS ARE CLEARED AWAY. THE words of the water-dripping man created great consternation and excitement on the island, which was augmented by the sudden sullen boom of Wild Vulcan’s rifle near at hand, followed by a cry of mortal agony some distance u™ the river. ‘* Foller me!” yelled Sam Krick, as he seized his a and rushed toward the upper end of the island. ; With a cheer, the cowboys followed close to the veteran’s heels. When the upper end of the island was reached they saw a large raft crowd- ed with outlaws and [ndians floating directly toward it and but a short distance away. The outlaws had timed their approach well, and but forthe warning of the unknown man who had evidently swum to the island they would have taken the party by surprise and accomplished their dreadful purpose. But our friends were warned, and it suddenly began to look as if the outlaws crowded together on the raft would get the worst of it, for they presented an excellent target, ‘Ha! ba!” laughed Wild Vulcan, standing in the moonlight and waving his hands, each of which held a heavy revolver, above his head. “They are coming to their doom! I have sent one of the demcens to the lower regions, and his comrades shall follow! Ha! ha! ha!” ‘Reddy, boys!” called out Sam Krick. ‘‘ Take er good aim an’ guv ’em an interduction ter Helen Blazes! Now, reddy, aim, fire /” At the word, a heavy volley rung out and the terrible sound rolled away in a dense volume Over the silvery moonlit water of the river, to be followed by shrieks and groans «f mortal agony. When the smoke lifted, those on the isj- and saw that they had not wasted their lead, fou more than one half of the murderous ruffians on the raft bad been hurtorslain. Disaster had suddenly overtaken them at tLe very moment when it seemed that they were about to accom- plish their wicked designs, and it was a swift, sure and justretribution. Those who were un- injured were leaping into the water and swim- ming toward the shore, filled with borror at the unexpected fate of their comrades. ‘** Hooray!” bellowed old Krick, taking a war- dance in the moonlight. ‘* We hev socked thun- der ter ’em! Ther tug-o’-war is past an’ ther ly, as some of the men bent over him. 15 vict’ry’s ourn. Let ther rest o’ them cusses go; thar hain’t ernuff left ter tackle us erg’in.” And so the party refrained from firing on the swimming men, an unexpected mercy under the circumstances, ‘* Thet’s w’at I call business in er minnit,” ob- | served the water-dripping man who had warned the party of their danger, as he stepped out into the moonlight. ‘‘In fac’, we guv’em glory ter Gideon.” **'W’at!” yelled Sam, turning on the speaker whose tall, lank form loomed up in comical contrast to the guide’s short figure. ‘*‘ Who ure you, anyhow?” | The tall man removed his wide-brimmed hat, as he drawled: ‘* Sam-u-el Krick, you are ther most partwick- erler man I ever saw.” Then there was a scene, for the moonlight re- vealed Old Nick Rickway, alive and grinning in a manner that threatened to break his jaws. When the excitement and surprise caused by the astonishing discovery that Nick was alive had subsided in a measure, Sam cried: ‘*You contemptible ole fraud! won’t northin’ kill ye? [’'d good mine ter put er bullet through ye and see ef thet’d do ther job. We all s’posed yer carcass wuz in Pearl Lake. How in ther name o’ ther prophets did ye escape?” * Wal, I did cum nigh goin’ under,” acknowl- edged the strange old plainsman, ‘‘ But fer er leetle metal locket I hev worn in ther breast o’ my shirt fer y’ars, I sh’u’d ’a’ bina goner. Thet locket caught a bullet an’ saved my life, but I thort I wuz shot at ther time. Wen we all took er souse inter ther lake, I changed my mine an’ finished off one o’ ther outlaws. Then I tuck his place and rode away with his companions, In their excitement they never notissed ther cheat, an’ w’en we j’ined ther party with ther gal, I tried ter resky her. I sh’u’d ’a’ failed ef thet yere Wild Vulcan hadn’t gi’n me er helpin’ han’. I knew ther gal wuz all right with him, an’ so [| follered ther outlaws an’ stole er hoss frum ’em. Ther annymile tuck me out o’ ther Bad Lan’s, but [ lost him arter I hit ther river. I got erlong jest ez ther out- laws an’ red varmints wuz embarkin’ on ther raft, an’ I made er clean jump ter git hyer an’ warn ye.” ‘Which gave us another victory,” said Mr. Errol, taking the old ranger’s hand. ‘ Nick, you have done nobly.” The current swept the raft past the island and it floated on down the river, bearing its ghastly freight, Suddenly several shrieks of alarm came from the women on the island, and every man sprung to discover what the trouble was. Mrs. Errol, met her husband, crying wildly: ‘‘ Nida, Nida! he is carrying her away!” She pointed toward the lower end of the island, and at that moment the crack of a re- volver came to their ears from the point. Led by Prairie Paul, the men rushed forward to dis- cover what it all meant. On the lower shore they found Wild Vulcan supporting Nida on his left arm while his right hand clutched a faintly- smoking revolver. A few feet away close to where a canoe rocked at the water’s edge lay the body of a man and the moonlight revealed his face It was Colonel Delos Danglar, **The game is played out,” he muttered, faint- ‘*T have got it for good, Will some one blow this whistle three timesfor me? It isnot atrick, but will call one to my side whom [ wish to see before I die,” Riata Rube took the silver whistle which the wounded schemer had produced, and gave three short, sharp blasts upon it. They all recognized the sound—it was the same whistle that had shrieked in the midst of the camp during the first attack of the outlaws. The entire party gathered near the dying man, and he was placed upon a blanket and made as comfortable as possible, for when he had examined Danglar’s wound, Mr. Errol as- serted that it would soon end his life, ‘“‘T knew it from the first,” said the baffled. plotter, calmly. ‘* But for that man "—pointing at Wild Vulcan, who was standing grim and silent near at hand—‘‘I should have been suc- cessful in my attempt to carry Nida away. He shot me just as I was about lifting her into the canoe.” _ At this moment a canoe was seen to shoot out from one Of the shores and rapidly approach the island. In it sat a single white-robed figure, and as it came nearer mutterings of amazement came from several of the party, for they recog- nized the occupant of the craft as the girl rider of the white horse—the so-called ‘‘ White Spirit of the Niobrara.” !