Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 702 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

Z What they left behind them wasa scene to send a thrill of horror through the blood of one who Debeld it, for the rosy rays of the setting sun feil upon a human form suspended in mid- air, and gently swaying toand fro with a mo- tion as easy as the throbs of life passing out of the body of the one whose end had been thus bragic. One of the horsemen who left the spot where a tragedy had been enacted, rode slowly along a trail which no one else of the party followed, He was dressed as a miner, with woolen shirt, top boots, corduroy pants, and a slouch hat, He came toa halt before he had ridden very far, and seemed lost in deepest meditation. Then he mused aloud: ** My doubt increases each moment that they hanged the right man, I will return and see if he is dead.” Quickly he wheeled his horse and rode back to the fateful spot. There swung the body, to and fro, like a huge pendulum marking the seconds of ebbing life. The sup was on the horizon now, and its glow falling upon the ,pallid face of the victim of man’s inhumanity to man, caused the horseman to start and say aloud: ‘“* He is not dead! I will cut him down.” He rode near at once, his bowie severed the lariat that served as a hangman’s rope and the form was gently lowered to the ground. Then the horseman dismounted and loosened the strangling noose, spread the man upon his back and began to chafe the swollen neck. Going to a brook near he filled his canteen with water and bathed his face, head and chest, Then, as he placed his finger-tips upon the pulse, and bent his ear to the broad breast he took from a saddle pocket a small flask of liquor and forced some between the white lips, gasbed by the sharp teeth in the death-strug- gle. ‘* He lives, that is certain; but this would cost me my life did the Vigilantes return. ‘*Tt would cause me to fight, or be hanged for what lam doing, for these men stand no un- doing of their work. ‘‘ Ah! there was a sigh, and I believe I can bring him around.” More water was brought and the neck was rubbed bard, and more’ liquor forced between the shut teeth. At last just as twilight was falling, the eyes slowly cpened, the breast rose and fell in strong gasps, and in a hoarse whisper came the words: ‘* Am I dead?” ‘‘No, but you came as near it not to bein Shadowland as any one I ever*knew, pard.” ‘* Where are they?” ** All gone.” ‘‘ They hanged me?” ec Yes.” ‘‘ And found they had made a mistake—that 1 was the wrong man ?” ‘* No,” ** What then!” ‘‘T had my doubts, so returned.” ** Alone?” ‘ce Yes,” ** God bless you!” ‘‘T hope the prayer may serve me, for Iam an awful sinner,” ** Who are you?” ‘** One of the Vigilantes,” ‘* Yes, I recall your face; but that does not answer my question.” ‘*T am a miner hunting a fortune.” ** What is your name?” ‘*7 am called in the camps Lariat Dick,” ** And I owe my life to you?” ‘** Tf the Vigilantes do not come back and hang us both.” ‘* Ah yes, that means, you risked your life to save mine.” ‘*I took the chances on your being alive, as your neck was not broken.” ‘*ThLen you are in danger here?” ** As you are.” **T can leave, with your aid.” ‘*Mount my horse and I'll take you tomy cainp until you get able to travel.” **One moment?” +s Yes.” **] must still be considered dead,” **Of course,” ‘** Are you willing to dig a grave near here?” ‘Yes, I understand, for the cut lariat over the limb there, and a grave, will tell the story that some one cut you down and buried you.” “That is it.” **T'll soon dig a grave, pard, and you can sit by and thank God you are not going to fill it.” “But for you | would bavedone so. Iam not one to forget,” was the low reply. Blue Jacket Bill. The grave was dug, a log rolled ina blanket placed in it, and then it was filled in and stones piled on top te keep the coyotes out, Then the man who had so narrowly escaped death, mounted the horse of bis rescuer, the lat- ter led the way and they moved off in the dark- ness on a trail leading into the mountains, CHAPTER IL. THC SETILER’S DAUGHTER. A WEEK uifter the scene just described, two men are winding their way up a rugged trail to- ward the summit of a range of hills. One was farin advance of the other and on foot, the otlier following, and mounted, but rid- ing slowly. The pedestrian was he who had called himself Lariat Dick, while the rider was the man who had been hanged by the Vigilantes of Colorado, They were many miles now from the scene where one had so neurly lost his life, and, still enfeebled, the rescuer was taking him by easy stages to bis home, Suddenly the horseman saw the one in advance halt, then spring to the top of a rock and bring his rifle to his shoulder. A long time he held it there, the muzzle con- stantly moving, as though following the object at which it was aimed; then came the puff of smoke followed by the sharp report, The horseman pressed forward now, for he saw his comrade disappear over the summit of the ridge, as though in haste to get the game he had brought down. Arriving at the ridge, the horseman beheld a scene that caused his pale face to tirn to the Lue of death, . What he saw was a young girl stauding upon the brink of a narrow canyon which split the ridge below in twain, and through which dashed n foaming torrent speeding on to the river at the base of the hills, Her horse stood near her, his head drooped and his body trembling. Lariat Dick was hastening towerd the young girl with long strides, ‘‘My God! it is my child! my Ruth! Could he have fired upon her? No! no! no!” and with the words the horseman, gaining renewed strength from excitement, followed Lariat Dick to the spot where the young girl stood, still peer- ing into the foaming canyon below. ‘* Bravo for you, miss! but that was the gamest leap Lever saw made in my life, andIam no slouch as a rider, myself. ““T wish to shake hands with one who has got the grit to ride a horse over that slit, and you can see the animal is nearly scared to death,” and Lariat Dick held out his hand to the girl, who said with a grim smile: ‘* As lam, sir; but you fired that shot?” ‘*'Y es, miss.” “You do not know from what you have saved me,” ‘‘T only know that I saw you pushing for all you could, and the man was following you, hot! You took the leap, and he was game enough to follow, so caught him in the air andI guess horse and rider are on the trail to the lava beds now, for that’s an ugly place to fall into,” and Lariat Dick coolly looked down the fifty feet of the chasm into the surging torrent that swept into the river a hundred yards away. As he did so he was startled by two cries; ** Ruth!” ‘* Father!” He turned to behold his comrade spring from his horse and infold the maiden in his arms, ‘* Now this is a game I can chip in,” he mut- tered as he quickly turned to regard the canyon Stream once more. His glance took in the ridge upon which they stood, the.chasm which the young girl bad dared to leap, and below, beyond the river, a fertile valley where was visible a settler’s cabin home and outbuilding, and haif a bundred acres rudely fenced in and under cultivation. There were some bundreds of cattle feeding in the valley, a droveof sheep and ascore of horses, showing that the settler was well to do, A glance too had shown Lariat Dick that the young girl he had rescued was about eighteen, with a willowy, handsome figure and a face most attractive, She was dressed in a homespun riding habit and wore a broad-brimmed slouch-hat, while a belt about her waist bad a holster in which there was bo revolver. Her hair, a dark brown, was worn in long braids down her back, and altogether she was a handsome, dashing border girl. ‘‘He said his home could be seen from the ridge, so I guess that’s his daughter, and if so, I’m too glad,” muttered Lariat Dick, just as his comrade came toward bim, + mr — ———-— Oe Oo eer OOF ———————— ae ** Lariat Dick, you have just done more for me than you did when vou saved my own life, for this is my daughter Ruth, and she tells me that the one you shot was our bitterest foe, and he sought to kidnap her, ‘** Ruth, this is Lariat Dick, as I only know him, a young miner*of Colorado, to whom I owe my life and yours. ‘*He was coming with me to our home, for I have not been well of late, and would not Jet me come alone,” Ruth again grasped the hand of the young miner, in whom she saw a tall, fine-looking, bronzed-faced man of thirty. He bad a look of marked intelligence, while his eyes had a reckless flash in them which per- _— had been the cause of much trouble to 1im, Altogether he was one to seek for as a friend, to shun as a foe, He was dressed as a miner, but with neatness, and there was about him an air that was very winning. He blushed at Ruth’s kind words, and asked bluntly: “Who was the villain, miss?” ‘*A man whom in the long-ago my father be- friended as he would a brother, and who cruelly wounded him in return. ‘*He holds some secret of father’s which he sought to sell to ine on certain terms, for he came to my home this morning. ‘* | defied him, and he said he would send my fatber to the gallows, and unless I became his wife he would do so. ‘*‘[ drove him from the louse with my re- volver, and when I rode up in the hills two hours ago, hoping to meet my father, who has been gone far longer than he expected, I met this man again, and dashing upon me he struck my revolver from my hand and said he would take me with him and bring bim to terms, ‘*T wheeled my horse and fled, in my despair taking the wrong way, and so had to take that fearful leap or be captured by him. ‘You saved me, sir.” Lariat Dick had listened {attentively to the girl’s story, and then asked: ** What was his name?” ‘We knew. him long ago as Hammond Hughes, but his close resemblance to my father caused him to take his name, Trent Baxter, and under it he committed forgery and other crimes,” ‘* His close resemblance to your father, miss?” ** Yes, | remarked it as I tried to cover bis aye! heags my rifle, for they are indeed striking- y alike, ‘““Ilam so glad I doubted, Pard Baxter, for those Vigilantes did indeed bang the wron man; the right one is at the bottom of tha river,” said Lariat Dick, impressively. —_— —— CHAPTER II. THE UNKNOWN NAME. THE home of Trent Baxter the settler, had an air of comfort about it which Lariat Dick had not seen for many a long day. Ruth saw a wistful look come into his eyes as he gazed about him, like One who was reminded of a past happy home, and he gave a sigh ashe sat down and was lett to himself by the settler and his daughter for a short while, Ruth had her household duties to look to, es- pecially as she had an bonored guest, and the settler wished to lie down and rest awhile before 7 r, he said. ere was a pretty lawn to the bouse, some domestic flowers, and wild ones too which Ruth had begun to cultivate, and a neat fence sur- rounded the cabin, which had four rooms, di- vided by a wide hallway. _The latter was used in pleasant weather as @ sitting-room and dining-room, while the ends were closed up in winter. A piazza surrounded the house, and in therear connected to it were two rooms, one a kitchen, the otber a store and general utility roum. Beyond were a couple of cabins for servants? uarters, with a barn and sheds for the hérses, cattle and sheep, The view down the valley was a grand, one, with the high range of rugged hills and the river to the right, the meadow lands and a dis- tant range to left. It was an ideal settler’s home, and Lariat Dick could not but wonder how men could so mistake as to accuse Trent Baxter of being the outlaw chief known as Blue Jacket Bill, and hang him up as such. ‘“‘Tt was & Close call, and but for my doubts he would be dead and this poor girl an orphan—y wi for that fellow would have kidnap er. —— —_ wm ly — a