Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 718 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

wing, though I expected he’d be far more bother than profit. Still, I wouldn’t let him go starve, you know! ‘*T was heading for Happy Valley, to get shut of the boy, when we got mixed up in a mighty curious adventure. That was the discovery of an old miner, who had been shot and stabbed, then hastily buried, for dead! , ‘‘He had partly uncovered himself when we found him, and we did all we could for the poor fellow. He couldn’t tell who hurt him, but he did say that the deed was almost surely done because of a belief that he had found a rich bo- nanza which he was working to great profit. ‘*He gave me this information, then begged me to see that no barm came to his little girl, a his only child, then, as we both thought, ho died. ) | _ Weput him safely in a cave, out of the rain, then looked up his cabin, meaning to do what we could for his little girl. ‘** Instead of finding ber alone, waiting for her ae father to return, we found the cabin jumped by at Ts & man and woman, who claimed to be Huc Shaw and wife. But the woman—you've heard me speak of Roxy Ringgold, Poley?” ‘* The she-sport?” r ‘* A thoroughbred, too, for those who have a taste that way,” nodded Light-heart Lute, with a grim smile. ‘‘l dare say the world contains many 4 Worse woman than Roxy, but [ doubt if there was ever a more dangerous adversary to be found in petticoat kingdom. But that don’t count, just now. ‘*T knew Roxy at sight, but she didn’t know me, and right there’s where I got the bulge on "em, which was mightily needed, too, old man! | Sp “ When I asked after Adam Elton, which was the name given me by the poor old fellow we pulled out of the grave, Roxy gave mea fairy | tale, in great shape, The old gentleman had | layed them for suckers, and sold them a worth- | es claim for a big price, then taking his girl and pulling out for the Kast. ! ‘‘Of course I had to swallow the dose, in seem- ing, for there was no sign of the little girl to be . seen, and I backed out as gracefully as possible, | But I didn’t give it up soeasy. I couldu’t, I'd sworn to one whom I believed was dying, that 1d look after his daughter, and now I knew - Roxy Ringgold was mixed hips the affair, I had a clearer idea of the peril that daughter was running. | ‘* Tt’d take too vere words to give the whole story, just now, sol'll boilit down and merely ' . punch the main facts. They are these: ‘‘ Adam Elton had struck a mighty rich de- coi and the wolves were after it, three in num- er: Roxy, Huck Shaw, and Showy Joe Hoo- ver. ** Jest his holt!” groffly rumbled the giant. ‘*He lost bis hold, this bout, though, please the pigs! They had Grace Elton imprisoned in - alittle cave, not farfrom thecabin. They tried to scare the secret of Elton’s bonanza out of her, but failed, Then Showy Joe tried the old trick: pretending to be her friend in secret, meaning to run her off and coax or frighten her into marry- ing him, when he’d come in for the gold, of course! . ‘* Lem backed me up in the end we got the best of them, helped along | by a quarrel which arose between Shaw and Hoover. I came up just as they got to work. Showy Joe downed Shaw, for keeps, and was running away when he saw me. He was close | to the river, which ran between high banks just there. He tried to dodge me in the dark, and tumbled over into, the drink, just as I began - shooting. That ended him, and—” “ Sure?” abruptly asked Applejohn, ‘ You plugged bim, then? oF hit him, yes. But the fall would have done his business, even if [I had missed.” ‘But you found his karkidge, o’ course?” per- sisted Poley. ray **T didn’t take the trouble to search,” with a shrug of his shoulders. ‘I saw that he didn’t come up, after the plunge, and that was enough. Why do you ask?” ae, ‘* Beva’se sech critters ain’t tu be called dead ontel you see ’em an’ feel ’em that way. Nur even then, ontel ye kin smell em, loud!” “That's all get Joe’s too dead for skin- ning. Let me tell you the rest, or dark ’ll catch us before I’m through. ‘*T turned Roxy lovse, being a woman, and she struck out for safer quarters. We found Adam Elton living, baving been in a trance, so to speak, when we thought him dead, We brought father and daughter together, and I t shape, and in V ma say that the old gentleman is nearly as “= swe as ever at the present time.” wedi; “An? the gal? slowly asked Poley Apple- ; ay oe PEACE Sr ih: he a +e" Teva Uae sees se mei, nay ee De Se: i i, 3 AT yh ; : >, jobn, covertly but keenly watching that face. ‘** You called her a little gal. Yit—Showy Joe wanted to marry her?” ** Elton called her his little girl, and I looked only for a child, at first, It was just his way. Grace is old enough to get married, and—mar- ried she will be, if I pull through the job I’ve taken up!” ] ‘**To you, lad?” “To me, Poley, you loved Chiquita.” Silently their hands joined, and after a long, kindly gaze, each into the other’s eyes, Lute re- I love her fully as much as med: ** Huck Shaw wasn’t dead, though not very far from it. I did what I could to make his last minutes easy, and before the evd came he repaid me a thousand-fold! For, Poley, I be- lieve he has given me a positive clew to my poor father!” ** An’ he’s—still livin’, pardner?” Light-heart Lute drooped his head, slowly shaking it, negatively. ‘*I fear that’s too much to hope for, but ’'m going to cling to hope as long as I can finda single ray. But—even at the worst, Poley, 1t’ll be some satisfaction to know just how and where father died—if he is dead!’ There came a brief silence, Applejobn was sympathetic enough, of course, but he knew how vain empty words would sound. Then, giving his head a backward toss, like one casting aside all gloomy thoughts, Luther Larrimer spoke again: ** You’ve heard some stray talk about a crater of gold, which many claim surely exists, but no one seemss to know just where, or in which direction it lies. Well, Hack Shaw swore, al- most with his latest breath, that.-a clew to the golden crater had been in his hands only a few months before, and was still bis property. ‘*He had given it considerable thought, and sometimes fancied that he could give a guess as to where that crater of gold was to be found, but something had always turned up to prevent his making the search, And when Showy Joe Hoover and Roxy Ringgold—who was really with a proposition to down Adam Elton for bis secret bonanza, Shaw gave the book containing all his clews to the gold crater, to—Tiger Trick McAllister, for safe keeping until his return to claim his property !” . ** An’ Trick’s got that book now? And you're gwine down yen’ way to git hold of that book?” “That’s what’s the matter, Poley.” ‘* An’ you reckon Tiger Trick’ll give it up?” ‘Why not?” with a faint smile coming into his face. ‘‘ Huck Shaw has given me a written order for it.” . ‘* That moughbt do, ef Tiger Trick don’t know how much that book’s wu’th, an’ ef ary other man was to do the axin’ fer it. But you— an’ him makin’ his brags that the fu’st time you be met up ‘ith each other thar’d be cold meat er— ‘*So much the worse for the Tiger, Poley,” smiled yourg Larrimer. re ‘*Ef his gang was counted out, yes,” nodded the giant. ‘‘ Nary one man’s got no business with you, lad, but a gang—waal, that’s wuss.” ‘With you to match the gang, Poley? Get out, man! Why, it'll just be a picnic! And McAllister will be only too glad to get shut of us so Cheaply, by handing over the papers,” ‘* Waal, say you git the papers, Then what?” ** T'll follow the clew to the very end! I don’t care for the gold crater, if there is sucha thing, but I’ve sworn by my mother’s grave to never cease trying until I’m dead or I’ve found my father, if alive, or his grave, if dead. I'll never give over until I solve the mystery of his disap- pearance; if no more, I'll find his bones!” Another brief silence, then the big fellow spoke again : “ Ef you say it like that, lad, we’ll do the job, of course, An’it’pears the fu’st step is gittin hold o’ them . Now comes in the how, Ef Tiger Trick cuts up rusty, an’ fuses to fork over, what then?” “Tll try a little game of bluff, first, and if ‘I can contrive to get my grip fairly fixed on McAllister, before he drops to my identity, may- he I can get all | want without pg Fg a cap.” ‘‘ Tiger’s a tough critter to skeer, lad.” ‘‘T know, but there’s a knack in these little jobs, and if I can get the right send-off, l’m gee | on an win, Still, if my little bluff fails, Pil come down to solid business,” — ** Which is—joest what, lad?” — “Tl cripple the Tiger, and turn him over to ou, Poley. ‘“‘ You'll carry. him off, makin or this point, and I'll stand 8ff the gang unti you’re both safe under way!” | Pik ea Light-Heart Lute’s Last Trail. married to Joe, he assured me, came to him |- —— And Light-heart Lute was thoxoughl 7 in ear- nest as he spoke. Ga. CHAPTER III, A BOLD GAME OF BLUFF, POLEY APPLEJOHN gave agrimace of disgust, then exploded with: ‘* An’ I’m to be runnin’ off ‘long o’ that p’izen critter, while you’re buckin’ the hull gang? Ketch me !” ** Which is just what you mustn’t let ’em, old fellow,” nodded the Lad of Luck. ‘‘I’d only have to tote Tiger Trick myself, in that case and unless report lies most ane 4 Pi need both bands to stand off that gentle gang of toughs.” ‘* Me runan’ you fight? Ketch me doin’ of it!” repeated the giant, his beard bristling and his eyes glowing with honest indignation. ** If I say it’s got to be that way, Napoleon?” Those eyes wavered, then fell, the big fellow looking ludicrously like a frightened schoolboy before a stern master, as he muttered: ** You won’t say it—please don’t, pard!” Lute laughed softly, more like his olden self than he had been at any time since he first pointed out the Half-Way House. The oldsmile came back as he reached over to grip Applejohn by a hand, but there was an unusual gravity in his tones as he spoke: ‘You ought to know how much this chance means to me, pard. You do know, if you only stop long enough to think. It’s the best show ve ever had yet to clear up the mystery sur- rounding the fate of my poor father. But, to use it, l’ve got to have those papers Huck Shaw told about. Trick McAllister holds them. He bates me, as you say, and has sworn to even up matters if ever the chance came his way.” ‘** 'Yit you stick to sayin’ that vou'll give him the chance lad?” “Tf he’s smart enough to take advantage of the opening before I can call game—yes! I’m betting he don’t. Andif I once get inside his guard before be drops to the truth, he’s my meat!” . ‘Don’t I know? That part’s all right, an’ easy ’nough, ef I’ve made out the meanin’ o’ the bundle you’re ondoin’, lad,” persisted the big fellow, watching the rapid movements of his chum, ‘I’m lookin’ to the afterclap, ef Trick kicks over the soup--see?” ‘** Allin the day’s work, Poley,” laughed Lar- rimer, holding up a wig and full beard of black hair. “Vl cripple Tiger, and you'll tuck him under an arm, striking out for cover, I'll see that the gang don’t come too brash, and if you’ve got a spare hand, you can chip in, of course. nly, don’t forget; we’ve got to have Tri:+k McAllister, alive and fit for talking! Got to, you understand, Poley!” ’ Although Napoleon Applejohn was twice as big as Larrimer, and a man who could act both promptly and boldly when cast upon his own resources, he never even thought of going against a decision made by the Lad of Luck, particular- ly when that cold, even, metallic tone was used. nd from this moment on, he offered no further objections to the reckless plans of his young partner. Disguised with false wig and beard, Light- heart Lute led the way into the valley, both men marking the best line of retreat in case they should be forced to fight for their prize. ; ‘* [tll hardly come to that, Poley,” confidently assured Larrimer, as they paused where they could steal a look into the lighted bar of the Half-Way House. ‘‘ You know what I’m called. My good luck never went back on me in a tight pinch, and I’ve got too mighty much at stake here for a fizzle. On top’s our position, and on top we'llstay!” , ‘Ef we hev to tumble off, thar’ll be a plen big cushion t Yxetch the both o’ us, anyway! grimly muttered the giant, hand on pistol. ‘Steady, for luck, pard! If Tiger Trick is in yonder, why—” ‘* Thar he is now!” bissed Applejohn, gripping an elbow as the words passed his bearded lips, ‘*T see him,” came from Larrimer, almost in the same breath. ‘‘Now you understand the law, pard—I’m going in, You're to stay out- —_ for that mighty hulk defles all disguise, and— : “T'll be whar I kin see, though,” interposed Poley, grimly adding: “ An’ ef the bigness of a finger is turned to’rdst you, lad, I’m comin’ all in . beap. You know what that means!” “If I call, not before, Poley,” warned Lute,. fellow’s hand tightly, _ ‘Don’t forget that this means more than life and death to me, old fellow!” ; pausing to grip the bi “IT know, It’s bluff, ef bluffll work, | ker \ y -, tad BERT SORA UP ORES foe eae a ‘ : e 4 - a" Aa® But ef Te “] " hy - " ay