Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 708 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

— ; - ~~ on % a: we) * t S : OM . Ny a *. " ¢ Vue BY 5k ye Shope is eas) ys 2 7 a - ; ‘y ur? ; ~ » es 4 We : Fra aes > zl PP. 4 et Light-heart Lute’s Legacy. the half contemptuous look which bore those curt words company, than the question itself. A man must fall low indeed when he can bear even an implied charge of cowardice from a woman, without a sense of burning shame. “Tbhey’ve bit the river trail, like they was ullin’ foot fer town,” Huck Shaw sent back over is shoulder. ‘‘ You know ’em, Joe? Surely they hain’t tryin’ a mix in this job?” **It don’t seem possible, but—that fellow’s a very devil!” **What’s he gwine off, foot-free, fer. then? What'd you give the wink to play easy, Roxy?” an ugly look in his bull-dog face matching the vicious snar! in bis voice. ‘** You tell, cully!” and one strong hand closed “The old man, Joe?” whispered the woman, gazing intently into the face of her companion. ‘You bad all signs blotted out? They couldn’t have stumbled across the—anything?” ‘* Not if he was a hound running on four legs in place of two!” was the prompt response. ‘* Yet--I’m free to own it makes mea bit un- easy, old girl! And--I’m going to crowd the game a!l I can, from this time on!” ‘We've got to win, of course, Joe? There isn’t to be any jumping the game before the bo- nanza is ours?” ‘* Not if twenty devils, each one worse than the Lad of Luck, jump in between!” was the vicious response, ‘‘ It’s the one chance of a life- time, Roxy, and when fairly won, we'll be able on Hoover’s shoulder, ber glowing eyes staring | to skip this risky way of living, and play tony keenly in the face. ‘‘In one word: Live or die? Wasn’t it you that said, a bit ago, we’ve got to win this game?” “Live, if he'll heep hands off! But—reckon he meant anything more than showed on the surface, Roxy?” * ‘*T could give a better guess if I knew more about the fellow. He said Jobn P. Green; is that his right name?’ ‘*No, He’s Luther Larrimer, better known as Light-heart Lute, and the Lad of Luck—devil toast him!” Roxy Ringgold gave a start, ber expression changing to a degree. , She had heard more than one story concerning that dashing adventurer, and for the first time she began to realize the ex- tent of their peril if—but how could he suspect aught? “Talk quick, cully !” she said, frowning, after a glance that showed her the two strangers just vanishing from sight at the crook in the river trail. ‘*’Tisn’t too late to call the turn on ’em, even yet! Is it follow and shoot, or—what?” ‘* Let ’em go, if they will, only—if Shaw could play spy long enough to make sure this retreat isnt a dodge, why—” ‘Take the scent, Huck!” sharply cried the Amazon, striding to the door, ‘* Don’t let ’em throw you off before you are dead sure they’re playing white. Go—you know enough without my Spe you!” ** That’s what!” grimly grunted the human bulldog, looking to his revolvers as he took up the trail. ‘Try to hear what they talk about, pard!” the goon aie sent after him, ‘‘If our game— drill em both, for keeps !” ** Bet I will!” Huck Shaw was watched until he passed that turn in the trail, and then, turning to face her companion squarely, Roxy Ringgold said: ‘** He’s not much for pretty, but—Huck Sia wouldn’t have taken water for any one devil: red, white, black or yellow! While you—” ‘Showed better sense,” interpolated the gam- bler, with a forced smile, beginning to rall after the unnerving shock he had received. ‘* Shall I prove that to you, Roxy?” “T only wish you could, Joe!” with a partl smothered sigh, a wistful glow chasing that half- contemptuous light from her big eyes. ‘I al- ways did hate a cur, and the mere thought of you being—- I'd have to smite my own lips for daring to utter the nasty word, Joe!” ‘And I'll smite them for—so!"’ as he pressed his lips to hers. ‘“‘I didn’t take cover simply because I recognized the Lucky Lad, Roxy, my girl. He’s a bad man, Ill admit, but I’m no slouch, my own self!” ‘‘ Then—but you did hunt your hole, Joe!” ‘*Because I knew the devil would smell a ran ge loud mice were be to catch a square look at your servant, Roxy! I don’t like his coming here and asking for Elton, I don’t like his hurrying off at such a late hour of the day, instead of closing with your offer of bed and rub; but, if be’d known I was here, he’d have Been dead sure something was wrong! Didn’t I ever tell you about that Old Mystery affair, Roxy?” aa ‘‘ What! this isn’t the same fellow?” “The very same!” with an ugly snarl in his tones. ‘' Only for him, and his giant pard, I’d have made my everlasting stake that whirl! As it was—well, [ was mighty lucky to get off with a whole skin!” For several minutes there was silence be- een the evil pair. Both had ample food for hought, and both were plainly dreading the out- come, gate Ringgold was the one to break silence ‘You don’t really think he’s playing the same role now, Joe?” ‘It don’t seem possible! How could he have learned anything? We covered our trail too thoroughly for that,” | - + ‘ ‘ ' ; : IE ES ONE alias » i eh. © ee Econ s “ ? 4 a 5 sa * : 7 + ‘ ’ a aan - r “2 Sa ae ~ high-rollers across the big drink|” ‘Just you and me, Josey? Huck couldn’t figure in a role like that!” * Just us two, Roxy! And—you’ll not kick too nasty over my playing off with that little girl? It’s the only way—don’t you see? You tried to scare ber, and failed, If I can win by lying, why not?” ‘* Don’t try to make it too real, cully!” slowly warned the jealous amazon, tappivg ber bosom with a finger, recalling the wicked weapon which found a sheath therein, ‘‘l’m mighty apt to strike as I love; once for all!” A frown flitted across the gambler’s face at this unreasonable suspicion, but he held his impatience well in hand, simply saying: “You can follow and listen, if nothing less will suit you, Roxy; but don’t forget that girl is far from being an idiot, and if she has the least cause for doubting that Iam working flat against you and Huck, at the risk of my own sweet life—good-by Jobn!” “T know, I'll trust you from start to finish, since I’ve got to trust you at all, Joe. Go make your lay-out, Ill have a little bunt of my own, in here, while waiting for Shaw to report.” he turned away and entered the chamber, Hoover gazed after her, irresolutely. This sud- den yielding looked suspicious in his eyes, Yet, what could he do? With Light-heart Lute in the field, he dared not waste more time. And he bad seen enough of Grace Elton, himself unseen, to know that it would be a work of time, patience and great in- enuity, to break her will and extort a full con- ession from her lips, He left the cabin, moving rapidly along in the direction taken by Huck Shaw with his cap- tive, only pausing before that leafy curtain to make sure there were no curious eyes watching his movements, ‘She'll be coming—devil toast her for a jealous fool!” he viciously muttered, barely above his breath. “ All right! IVll give her eee chew on, if that little spitfire don’t drop to the track too soon! And—if I could carry off both bonanza and girl, it’d no more than serve my top-lofty madam just right!” By which it may be surmised that, while Roxy Ringgold might be jealous, she surely wore ab the fool Showy Joe called her—in his min Creeping under the mass of vines, Showy Joe Hoover cautiously made his way into the cave, pausing when pretty sure the fair prisoner must have noted his approach, through her sense of hearing. ; ‘*T say—Miss Elton!” he whispered, in gure ed tones, pausing for an answer which did not come, then adding: “I can’t see you, but I know you're nigh enough to hear my words, Miss Elton, They tried to keep it from me, but I watched that ugly brute bring you bere, and —I’m risking my very life to say this much, Grace!” ‘Who are you?” — “Your friend, if you'll let me prove it. Grace!” ‘* My name is Elton, I don’t know you, but— you are a friend to the Shaws?” “They rockon so, but—can I trust you, Miss Elton? You laugb—” ee: ‘“*T really couldu’t help it, sir, ‘You are free, of course, since you came here of your own ac- cord: Iam bound, band and foot; yet you seem to fear I can harm you!” — ‘“My very life rests in your hands, Miss Elton!” earnestly declared the gambler, moving a bit nearer, striking a match and holding it so the light fell upon his own face. ‘One word from your li ne little hint to those two dey- ils, back at the house—as to this visit, or that I offered to aid you against them, would consign me to death as surely as though a bolt from heaven had smitten my poor bead!” ‘You are astranger—I never saw you be- sme Cac iLL LL LLL fore!” said Grace, as the short-lived light van~ ished, ‘* Perhaps ’twould have been better for me if I'd never seen you, Miss Elton!” sighed Showy Joe, throwing a bit of sentimént into both words and tone. ‘‘ But—having seen you—lI ean’t stand by and see those wicked people tor- tnre you as they bave schemed, I couldn’t do it, Grace, though I knew it meant my certaim death to interfere!” ‘* Yet—you are one of them?” slowly uttered the fair captive. ‘* Ooly in name, notin heart, dear Miss Elton,” was the hasty reply. ‘‘Ican explain it all—L can make you see that I’m really not account- able for what’s been done, or what is still im- pending. But—tbere isn’t time, just now. I’m risking life every minute I spend in here! One or the other may come here, at any moment, and if ’m found—you can guess what would be my fate!” ‘* Why do * linger, then?” ‘* Because I’m a fool, perhaps!” with an ae~ cent of gloomy bitterness. ‘* Because ’m not. stony-hearted enough to stand idly by with fola- ed arms while an angel—while they carry out their evil plot!” ‘“‘Tf you are honest, as you say, and my friend,” slowly uttered the unseen captive, after a brief silence; ‘‘tellme why my fatber does not come home?” ‘* Because he can’t!” ‘ ‘What! you don’t mean—he is not—” qua- vered Grace, ber wonderful nerve not quite proof against the sickening dread conjured up by that blunt sentence. ‘“T don’t think it’s quite as bad as that, dear Grace,” soothingly spoke the villain, draw-. ing still closer, resolved to ‘‘ crowd the game” as much as it would stand. ‘I really believe: your poor father is alive—as yet !” ‘‘ Where? Why does he not come then?” panted the tortured girl. ‘* Because they’ve got him confined, much as: you are, dear Grace,” he hastened to assure the maiden. ‘‘I Jearned that much, but I couldn’t make out just bow, or where, or when they cap— tured him. I learned, too, that they counted on making him tell where his bonanza lay, by swearing to torture you—poor child!” ** Oh, sir, if you could only—” ‘home, ‘* Hist!” for your life—not a word of my | visit!” hastily whispered Showy Joe, shrinking: close to the wall as there came the souna of heavy footfalls on the loose stones without the entrance, Huck Shaw entered the cave, cursing the darkness, and while he was striking a light, Showy Joe stole out of the den, unseen, CHAPTER XII, LEMUEL’S REMARKABLE EXPLOIT. “ Just to make it more binding, you know!” laughed Light-heart Luke, as be fired those shots, aiming at the rocks beside the fleeing spy, rather than at his person direct. ‘* A skunk is- terrible fond of music, and—didn’t the lead screech just elegant, Don Lemuelo?’ Glancing from the rocks, whistling sbrilly as their battered surface rent the air, those bullets caused Hnck Shaw to execute some won- derful bounds and comical contortions, without* lessening the speed of his flight. ** Fo’ de good Lawd!” gasped Lemuel, staring” in wide-mouthed amazement at this totally un- expected result of that pitch. ‘“Making a home-run off your pitching, Lem,” laughed Larrimer. ‘“‘You want to do better than that when you poseas the Spanish Dude, or the enemy will just naturally knock you: out of the box—sure!” ‘¢ Shell I ketch de warmint, boss} I kin do it —des as easy |” ‘““Would you dare tackle him, Lem?” curi- ously asked Luther. ‘¢ Ef you say so, boss, I'll done fotch de critter back beah fo’ suah!” was the eager response, ‘¢ Doan’ no fool w’ite man make no home-run off me—no sah! chile!” There was no pretense there, and Light-heart. Luke gave a nod of grim approval. There was good metal lying inside that dusky bide, and it. was with a comfortable sense that he conld de- pend on Lemuel in a tight pircb, that Larrimer patted the ‘‘ colored phenomenon ” on a shoulder’ while saying: | ** Never mind, pardner. Let the rascal go, for the present. If we really want him for any- thing, Pll know right where to clap a band om his shoulder.” **Den—you done knowed he was dah, all de w'ile, boss?” “ There's mighty little that I don’t know, Doan’ make no bome-run off dis - _ - a F | . ‘ a wow oS ie 5 : ‘dan Aa om ° - 4 # a : a Mh pT * 4 - > re gk [ie : 4s ‘ r. Fr < 4 @: ‘\* _ Au ; ae a, ir “* se , cbhooks.com % Ee \ “.. een lt. =