Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 708 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

> Ce eS ae et be ee -_—— : D < Headlong Lemuel Claybank shot down the chimney, his outstretched hands saving his neck when the heavy shock came, yelling wildly, seemingly furnished with a dozen legs, each one of which tried to outkick all its mates, And through the vail of smoke and sparks and ashes, his big eyes shone, his wide mouth yawned, his face took on a score or more of different expres- sions, the mildest of all being quite enough to scare a body of ordinary nerve into convulsions, Huck Shaw made a break for the front door as he howled forth the words placed on record. Showy Joe Hoover tumbled over his own chair, while Roxy Ringgold—proving herself so much a woman—leaped on top of the stout table, gathering skirts tightly around her legs, giving one shrill scream. But she was the first to rally from that sur- prise, and recognizing a human being in that tattered shape, as Lemuel rolled out of the fire to the heartb, she cried aloud, fiercely: vs Kill bim! It’s a spy, you fools! Kill him, or— The front door swung violently inward, caus- ing Huck Shaw to stagger and nearly fall as it struck bim in the act of turning in response to Roxy’s savage cry. “What's the matter with playing ye don’t, my hearties?” cried a clear, mockiag voice, as Light-heart Lute, the Lad of Luck, sprung across the threshold, striking two blows in swift succession, each one of which sent a stout knave reeling to the floor, *“* Kill the dev—” Roxy Ringgoll was in the act of repeating, when that bold rush paralyzed her tongue for the moment. “*Come off your perch, Roxy!” cried Light- heart Lute, gripping the table and upsetting both it and its burden squarely across the two rascals who had fallen before his blows, but who were now struggling to regain their feet. ‘You're a fallen angel now, if you weren’t be- fore!” ** Fo’ de good Lawd, boss!” poor Lemuel was sputtering, when Light-heart Lute grip his bony neck and sent bim flying through the open door, following after and jerking the barrier to behind him, ‘*Run, ye imp!” the Lucky Lad cried, stern- ly, giving Lem another impulse that sent him a dozen feet in advance, ‘‘ You've spoilt my pud- ding, now see if you can’t save your own bacon!” Taken so completely by s uarters, Roxy Fy atl coul than seek to save her that fall, She fell across her two companions in evil, and then Light-heart Lute completed his fan- tastic pyramid by pitching the table, legs up- ward, on top of them all. Of course there ensued a mad scramble, in which limbs seemed wonderfully tangled and owners mixed up, while tongues spat curses and venom at random. _ Roxy writhed her way from under the table, just a little too late to catch a parting glimpse of their unceremonious visitors; but she heard suka tail Wak Mata ooetnn and qoitk wi cien end her fierce ions and quick wit ig se oe js ‘ p, ye devils!” she screamed, plucking from her bosom the dagger with which eo bad that day menaced Showy Joe Hoover. ‘“‘Up, and kill! Up, and follow—kill! Ye'’ve got to, or the jig’s up with us all!” She tore the door open, aud springing across the threshold, glared viciously about in search of the audacious enemy, * ‘There—that way!” she cried, pointing to- yen the a pie: She bad—in truth or in ancy—cau _& glimpse of the fugitives. ee Chase and—kill, ye devils !” sin By this time the two men had rallied sufficient- ly to get outside the cabin, and catching her savage ardor, Huck Shaw growled to his mate: “Got to, Joe! It’s clean work or a plum’ fizzle—ye mind?” “There—that way, ye sluggards!” fiercely panted the woman, seeming ay beside herself with impotent fury. “Ob! if Vd only bad a un! I could have dropped ’em both. while— hall P devils, I say! Chase and kill—kill— The two ruffians darted off through the dark- ness, Roxy Ringgold keeping pace with them for a short distance, only falling out then because she fell in—a ditch, through catching her foot in a creeper. | | Past the point indicated by Roxy Ringgold the two knaves dashed, pistols in hand, read for a flying shot the instant they should sight the enemy; but nothing could be seen of either Light-heart Lute or the negro who had intro- rise from all do little more ace, if not her bones, from rt errr LS CL eee a ——_— SS ee Light-heart Lute’s Legacy. duced himself to their attention after such a novel fasbion. ‘““We’ve got to ketch ’em—jest got to!” snarled Huck Shaw. ‘* They’ve dodged—you go that way, I'll take this!” as hurriedly panted Showy Joe Hoover, veering a little to the right without waiting for argument or amendment, With the stars alone to shed light upon the earth, and with the broken ground multiplying the shadows in every direction, it was a very simple matter for the two men to become lost to each other almost instantly. Then what was to insure the one against mistaking the other for one of the fugitives? Possibly it was some such reflection as this that caused Showy Joe Hoover to abruptly use, crouching low behind a gray bowlder, seeping his ears on the strain until he could no longer catch the sound of Huck Shaw’s beavy footfalls. And it may have been for this same reason that, a few moments later, the gambler was gliding as rapidly as the gloom and a feel- ing that silence would bea very good ally, just then, ee course which promised to carry him past the Elton cabin, and to that part of the cliff in which the little cave was situated. In that same den, still bound beyond the pos- sibility of escape unaided, Grace Elton was pass- ing the long, weary hours in thoughts gloomy and bitter enough to have turned a brain less clear and evenly balanced. For the most part her thoughts were on her missing parent, but at times she recalled the words whispered through the darkness by Showy Joe Hoover. Would he come again? Had that scheme been abandoned, or—could it be possible that he meant to betray his associates, not her? She was thinking of this at the very instant when the gambler gained the curtained en- trance, and she was bardly surprised when bis voice reached her ears through the darkness: ‘‘Not a word, Miss Elton, if you would not foil our last hope of escape from worse than death!” he panted, creeping to her side in the utter darkness, and using a knife to set her limbs at liberty, ‘‘ I’m offering my very life to save you—don’t bring the blood of a poor, mis- guided devil upon your head by betraying bim to those demons!” “You mean to set me free—without condi- tions?” ‘*T’ll guide you to your father, and only ask that you trust me—that you tell him the simple truth—how I risked death in a thousand forms rather than stand idly by and see you tortured like— I can’t say the word, dear Grace!” breaking off with a shivering sob. “ 7 the way wr then?” ‘* If you don’t delay me—yes!” as he grasped a hand to guide her out of the dungeon. “I kicked up a racket—never mind how—we must get away from here!” in tones that betrayed genuine agitation, this time, ‘' If we’re suspect- ed—if we’re caught, salt won’t save me! And you—come! Iswear that I’m leading you away from worss than a score of ordinary deaths!” “Tl follow—move faster!” muttered the maid- en, seeming to catch some of his excitement. “Once out of this miserable hole— Ob, thank heaven for this!” giving a little gasp of intense relief, as the mass of vines gave way and per- mitted her to catch a fair view of the star- studded vault above them. “Not a word—not a sound, for your life!” hissed Showy Joe, his grip tightening on her wrist, bis other hand fast to a revolver-butt as he cast an uneasy look toward the cabin. 4 aac! if they sight us now, we're gone up!” race Elton offered no resistance, seemingly to be full as anxious as he to leave those perils well behind them; and as rapidly as the diffi- cult nature of the ground would admit, they pressed on through the night. Only when fairly out of sight of the cave, did her guide seem to breathe freely, and at the same time to remember that the maiden was taking his wonderful sacrifice entirely too much for granted, ‘‘ Tf you only knew—but no!” with a passion- ate outflinging of his free band. ‘“‘ Why should I tell you all ve gone througb, since making up my mind to rescue you from those vile clutches, or give my own life as @ poor atone- ment for having been duped so long? What do you care for all that? J’m naught to youn worse than the dirt beneath your feet! ‘Not that, only—is this the time for idle talk?” With a heavy sigh, like one crushed by the weight of hopeless misery, Hoover led the way for a time in silence, then paused close to where two horses were tethered. 13 ‘* T stole them, for you, Miss Elton,” he said, with a hojlow laugh, pointing out the animals, ‘* A horse-thief! ube teres my mad, insane, hopeless adoration for you, my angel—” ** Stop, sir!” cried Grace, sbaking off the hand that would have drawn her nearer. “If you are really my friend, if you are really honest in your protestations, prove it now, before we take another step! Give me one of the revolvers you, are carrying, or I'll go no further with you! ‘* What—what do you mean?” a touch of an- ger in bis tone, ‘That Pll go no further in your company,, without the means of defending myself should you dare—” aes cursed fool! I'll take you in spite ra) he , But before his fierce grip could fairly close ‘upon Grace, a heavy blow crashed against his skull, bringing him to the ground in a heap! CHAPTER AIV. TAKING HER OWN PRESCRIPTION, ALTHOUGH fiercely angry with Lemuel Clay- bank for ruining his growing hopes of getting at the very heart of the Elton mystery, Light-heart Lute could do no less than to chip in to save the negro from paying the penalty due his disobedi- ence of orders, And, having snatched him ‘“‘ out. of the fire” in a double sense, the Lad of Luck fully intended to keep the negro under his own guardianship, at least unti] the hue and cry which was sure to ensue, had died away. For atime he did this, urging Lemuel on to speedy flight across the rough ground, knowing that they would be at some disadvantage through the superior acquaintance of their ene- mies with that immediate section. But then, thanks to the thick-lying obstacles to speedy flight which met them at every stride, and the necessity of swift dodging and abrupt turns, the twain became separated. Listening to the angry shouts of the nai in their rear, Light-heart Lute did not immedi- ately notice this division, and when he did, pausing to peer through the darkness, deceived by first one and then anotber of the many shadows cast by the rugged rocks, he lost a few more precious moments by guardedly calling to them. —not to Lemuel! ‘‘ All right!” was his final conclusion, scowl- ing as he caught the sounds of Huck Shaw com-~ ing in chase. ‘*A fool for luck, they say, and if that nigger hasn’t proved his right to claim that protection this night, then I don’t want a cent!” Calling aloud to Lem, would only give the en- emy a double guide if the colored lad should hear his summons, And, though he felt fully able to hold his own with either or both of the two rascals whom he had seen at the cabin, Light- heart Lute had no wish to come to blows, just then. ‘*Tt’d be kill or get killed!” he muttered, re- suming his flight. ‘And it’s information, not gore, l’m thirsting for just now!” Still, the Lucky Lad did not entirely drop the idea of saving Lem from the punishment he cer- tainly bad done bis level best to deserve, and while taking good care to cover his Own person, he still made noise enough while fleeing, to keep Huck Shaw foirly close to bis track, For fully balf an hour, Light-heart pursued these tactics, and making sure that he had not shaken his pursuer off, as yet, he abruptly changed bis manner of fight, turning sharply aside from the line he had been following, mov~ ing through the gloom with perfect silence,, aughing in his sleeve as be heard that human u ing, athirst for gore! ‘Holler if you get lost, my covey!” muttered the Lad of Luck, once more changing his course, this time beading almost direct for the lone cabin. ‘‘Sorry to shake ye, but—ladies first, always!” ’ As hinted, Light-heart Lute had managed to gain a point from whence he could both hear and watch the trio of schemers as they held their consultation, and though the unfortunate interruption caused by Lem had cut that eaves- dropping short all too soon, he bad heard enough to prove his first suspicions correct: Grace E]l- ton was a captive, and held in confinement at. no distant spot. Just information enough to make him hungry for more. And Light-heart Lute mentally vowed to learn the rest before the rising of an- other sun! ‘*T don’t reckon Roxy joined the hunt,” he mused, while making his way back to the lone cabin. ‘‘She wouldn’t, if the little girl is held a prisoner under that roof—for sure! Her im (eo. -dog go blundering past, cursing and growl- — ore