Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 708 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

— ss y — ; > a é > 5 . ~* ae 4 t ; - o tee ; ‘ ee $5287 => . - S = e~ ~~ +, ey ~ a ela e oe es oe le ke wk 14 Se et ee’ Light-heart Lute’s Legacy. thead’s too long to run it into a possible snare, dike that! "So—good as old wheat!” He caught sight of the cabin, and by the light which streamed out through the open door, he saw Roxy Ringgold in front of the building. ‘““T want you, Roxy—want you bad!” the adventurer muttered, moving rapidly forward, yet taking care not to expose himself unneces- sarily. When the Lucky Lad wanted anything par- ticularly bad, he generally got it, by hook or by crook, and he was resolved that tbis should not prove an exception. Still, he knew enough of Roxy Ringgold, by reputation, not to take success for granted sim- ply because he had one of the weaker sex to cope with, He knew that she was more dangerous ‘than many a stout man, and that she would not thhesitate to strike or shoot should he afford her the slightest opening for so doing. Fortunately he needed to alter his line only a few yards, when he had the corner of the cabin as a cover to his advance; and without a sound to betray his coming, the Lad of Luck quickly reached the end of the stone building. Peering around it, he caught a glimpse of a dress just vanishing across the threshold, and fearing to lose more time in listening for other enemies, lest Roxy close and bar the door, he glided forward and leaped upon the woman ge rhe at 5 aken by surprise, Roxy Ringgold was tri ped up Light-heart Lute anathering her ary of angry fright as they fell together. Then, with more haste than modesty, Larrimer muf fled her head in her own skirts, thus effectually disabling botharms and her tongue for the time being. As neither blow nor shot had greeted him while doing this, Light-heart felt pretty well assured that neither of the men were aft the cabin, and he took time to make his capture sure by knotting a stout thong around that handy muffler. This done, payiug no attention to the smoth- red cries and curses which came from his cap- tive, leaving her to roll aud kick as savagely as her humor dictated, the Lucky Lad made a hasty but thorongh search of both chamber and kitchen. Vainly. Grace Elton wasnot to be found about the place, and convinced that fur- ther delay would endanger both his life and the retention of his captive, Light-heart Luke gave over. None too soon, as it proved, for Roxy Ring- gold had managed to draw that dagger from ber bosom, slitting open the skirts with which her head was muffled, and then sawing away at the ‘thong itself. . ‘*Play ye don’t, Roxy, dear!’ mocked Larri mer, as he deftly avoided the venomous thrust which the desperate woman aimed at his breast, at thesame time catching her wrist and wrest ing the weapon from her grasp. ‘‘ I know it’s only a love-pat, but I’m too busy to waste time in such soft nonsense!” , “You devil! PVll—Joe—help, for-—-” ““ Joe’d sooner face the real devil, Roxy,” laughed Larrimer, as he deftly crammed a por- ‘tion of the severed cloth into her mouth. ‘‘ When I really want to interview the dear fel- ow, be sure Pll know how to find him. Until then—leave a silent kiss for your lover, dear! I must take you on a weenty bit of a jaunt, don’t you know?” It looked like a case of overloading, but Light- heart was a marvel of elastic muscle, and with Roxy Ringgold in his arms, he left the lone cabin, striking into the rocky tract, seemingly not.noticing her desperate kicking and writh- ings to win free. Pausing once or twice to rest, and to shift his grasp on that uneasy burden, Light-heart Lute was not many minutes in gaining the point which he had in mind; a massof rocks where, in case of need, he could readily “‘ stand off” a dozen men, each and every one to the full as ugly customers as either Huck Shaw or Showy ~ Joe Hoover. Once here, he set about making the prisoner a bit more comfortable, yet giving no chances away. She was far too precious—viewed as a ro a him to take any unnecessary risks, “I'm going to remove that gag, my dear madam,” he said, in cold, even tones, “ But I want to give you a word of warning, first. ‘*{ know who and what you are, I know what dastardly crimes you, in company with your mates, have committed of late. And— though 1 never to date laid a rude finger on one of your sex—T’]l kill you rather than Jet you go free, without first getting my full price! ys 0559999000899 - He removed the gag, but kept it in sight, at the same time shaping the cloth into a still more effectual form, Half-suffocated, the woman gasped forth a vicious curse, but only to have the mass of cloth clapped over her lips again. ** Curse all you like, Roxy, but beware of how you lift your sweet voice! Showy Joe might hear it, and come to learn wkat his honey wish- ed. Then—ZJ’d wipe out all debts, both old and new, and you’d stand in sore need of a supply of widow’s weeds!” Light though his tone, there was something in those coldly blazing eyes as they looked down into hers, that awed the woman. She knew that this man would surely make his threat good if the occasion arose. *‘Don’t—I’'ll not—mercy!” gasped Roxy, in smothered tones. ‘* You’ve earned it, haven’t you?” mocked the Lucky Lad, but at the same time removing his hand and leaving her lips free, ‘‘ But: I never try to drive too tough a bargain with a cus- tomer. And, Madam Ringgold, you’re owner of something for which 1 have an ardent long- ing. Reckon we can come to a trade?” ‘*T don’t understand you!” muttered the cap- tive, sulkily, - You'll be wiser before the end isreached, my ear. ‘What do you mean by this shameful out- rage? How dare you insult a lady without—” ‘‘Meaning yourself, Roxy Ringgold?” curtly interposed Larrimer, his lips curling, a Jook of scorn leaping into his eyes. ‘“ Shall I go over your past record, to show how much you are entitled to call yourself a lady? Shall I begin at this end and run back? Shall I start with Adam Elton—” “What do I know of that old fool? If he’s skipped the—” ‘** You know that he was to be put out of the way. You know that he was shot and buried. But you don’t know that—well, we'll keep that little point in reserve for the pres- ent.” ‘* What—what do you mean, you devil?” hoarse- ly panted Roxy. “Well, 1 mean so many things that you’d hardly recover if I was to fling ’em at you all in a bundle. So—for one thing, I mean to cheat Huck Shaw and Showy Joe Hoover most abom- inably! How, do you ask? By trading you to them in even exchange for a true lady!” He laughed softly as he noted the start she gave, He could read her thoughts almost as readily as though they had been printed in bold letters upon her brow. ‘““You hope I'll try it on, so your rascally associates may have a chance to stick or shoot me from behind your skirts? Is that it, Roxy?” “f don’t—you’re all wrong, sir,” her tones softening, her face taking on a meek, injured, reproachful expression, ‘“‘ I’ve done no wrong, beyond playing a little part, this afternoon, when you called. I thought you wanted to drive us from our poor home, believed that -~ old man had sold his place to you, as well, and— ‘Oh, Roxy!” drawlingly interjected Larrimer, ‘*'You make me tired\” “ T swear to you, sir, that ’m—” * A wild and srecmany re od from the ground up? If not. that ought to be the ending you bad in view Can’t you see that J know you, Roxy Ringgold? Can’t you mak. up your mind to meet me as yourself, not as something you are not, never was, never can be: a woman! ‘“You, Showy Joe and Huck Shaw are play- ing for the bonanza Adam Elton owned, be that real or imaginary To gain it, you three plotted his death. Between you, he was shot down, and buried!” “No! no!’ ‘“‘T said it, and I have the proof. I found the poor fellow, and oe ed him out of his living tomb— Does that bite, Roxy? It ought, but I’m giving it to you straight asastring! Adam Elton was alive when buried, and alive when I chanced upon his grave, I helped him out, and he told me all about his bonanza, bis daughter, his enemies and his fears. I swore to do what he was too weak to attempt, and I’m here to keep that vow. Now—where have you hidden Grace Elton?” ““Tt’s a lie! She went with him—her father!” 3 7 the gm lips sh Ro “Tt is a lie, but your lips sha it xy Ringgold,” was the cold, stern retort: "You refuse to accept the one chance that I can offer you? You still refuse to tell me what I ask?’ “*T can’t tell you what I don’t know—can I, you devil?” **'You can pay the penalty due your crimes, a oa Pe Ty RIS 5 - ioe, ee ee AL Clk ech be: ete = ~ = a eee Te b f ‘ . f \ . : . . ‘ : . ee e . 4 atany rate, 1 hate to think of fitting a noose about the throat of one built like a woman, but —unless hie confess in full, Roxy Ringgold, I swear to hang you like a sheep-killing cur, be- tween your two partners in sin!” CHAPTER XV. “WHEN ROGUES FALL OUT,” SHowy Jor Hoover fell like a log beneath that blow, so deftly delivered that he never caught a glimpse of his assailant. Not a sound had come to his ears in warning, and never was a knave caught more completely off his guard, How long he lay unconscious, he could only surmise by the relative position of the twinkling stars overhead; and during those first minutes of painful restoration, the gambler had no room for calculations, His head seemed spinning ’round like a drunken top, at the same time throbbing as though a particularly impatient imp was imprisoned within his skull, out of which be was doing his best to burst. His first thought was of Grace Elton, and he stared dizzily around in quest of her, again an again staring stupidly at the point where he re- membered having left the two horses hitched. They were gone, but even after fully realizing so much, the dazed gambler could not realize that other equally evident fact: that Grace Elton was gone, too! : Little by little the truth sifted through his tangled up wits, and for a brief space Showy Joe cowered by the side of the bushes, hand on pistol as he glared about him, expecting to see each dim shadow suddenly turn into that dread- ed enemy—Light-heart Lute, the Lucky Lad! But his rallying wits were working with greater accuracy as he recovered from the shock of the stroke that had laid him low, and meas- uring Larrimer in his own bushel, he grew pretty well convinced that another band than his must have dealt that blow, and robbed him of his precious prize. ‘** He'd have butchered me, double-times over! He’d never leave mea chance to come back at him! Then—who didit?” | With his fears lessened greatly by this reason- ing, Hoover groped about the spot in quest of some signs by which he might solve the mystery, but with poor success, All he could swear to, was the vanishment of both maiden and horses, “Tf I knew! If I could only guess!” he groaned, mechanically turning toward the lone cabin, ‘* If those two fools had only backed me up, as bonest pards should, why— By Satan!” It seemed the work of magic to Hoover, but in that instant he believed he saw the entire truth, which had puzzled him so thoroughly. “Pil kill him! Til kill’em both if they’ve tried to play me dirt!” he viciously snarled, hastening toward the cabin, hand on pistol. A treacherous cur himself, it was not difficult for him to picture Huck Shaw playing much the same game, and in those first moments of savage rage, Hoover was positive the human bull-dog had followed and tricked him out of the golden prize. Still, his rage was not blind enough to make him forget all caution, and as he came within sight of the cabin, Hoover slackened bis pace, crouching low and looking for ible traps. Not for long. Hecaught sight of a human firurc nearing the hut, and beard voice of Huck Shaw calling aloud to Roxy ‘‘She’s in it, too, eh?” snarled the half-crazed gambler, advancing swiftly, holding bis drawn revolver close along one thigh, bidden in the loom, but ready for instant use. “Who's thar?” harshly challenged Shaw as he caught sight of that moving figure. ‘* Yelp out liver , or Pll bore ye, too—” ef ‘Tt?s me, pardner—don’t shoot!” interposed the gambler, choking back his venomous hatred for the moment. ‘ Where’s Roxy?” ‘You tell! She cain’t be in yender, or she’d show up when I cailed out. Reckon—she didn’t join the chase, Joe?” “Tsn’t she with the girl? Didn’t you leave them both together?” se ‘‘Didn’t I—why, ye dug-gun fool!” in sudden heat. “ Didn’t I go chasin’ them cussed critters? An’ bain’t I jest got back? An didn’t you— whar’s the gal an’ Roxy, Joe Hoover! 7 “That's it, Huck Shaw—where are they? Out with it, ye dirty cheat! toward ye now, not my back! they?” fa Stiddy, critter!” rere Shaw, too utterly puzzled to at once take in the enormity of those epithets and insinuations, “Ef the gal’s gone, it’s you an’ Roxy playin’ me dirt, an-— What’ve bere are the familiar It’s my face that’s