Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 721 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

sounds? There’s a cellar below or I’m greatly mistaken!” *“*Tll be hanged if there isn’t an opening of some kind down there,” agreed Frank, ‘but how can we reach it, since we cannot displace the rocks that separate ue from it?” ** The rocks ain’t very thick, and I believe we could break through if we had—” “There! that is the very thing to do it with,” exclaimed Frank, pointing to the rock which Nat still held in his hands. “The idea, exactly!” affirmed Nat. ‘*‘ Now for buginess! But, we must be careful, or the noise may be heard by the guard,” “Yes, but I think we can manage that part. ‘We can deaden the sound of the rock by poring one of the sheepskins in the hole, and work only when the guard is not near, Just wait till Itake a peep at him,and then we'll begin work.” As he spoke he approached the window and red out, ** Nat,” he called in a low whisper, ‘‘ we can’t doitnow. He’s right here by the house,” Quickly the light was extinguished and the two men stood by the window, waiting for the guard to move, e was leaning against a little tree not five paces away. Slowly the hours went by, and sti)l the guard without kept within close range of the jail, It was t midnight when Frank turned from the window and spoke to Nat. ‘** There’s some one talking to the guard,” he whispered, ‘‘ Perhaps they may take it into their heads to come in and see if everything is all right, so be ready to throw the sbeepskins over the hole in the floor if I give you the signal,” or some time the two men on the outside continued in close conversation, Then, suddenly, they withdrew to a little grove fifty or sixty yards away. ‘** Now is our time, Nat!” cried Frank; ‘‘ they have gone to the little grove up yonder, and can’t hear the noise we’ll make,” The two prisoners now hurriedly bent over the hole into which Nat had thrown a piece of sheepskin to deaden the sound of the battering- ram, and then lifting the huge stone, they dash- ed it down, end foremost into the cavity. A dull, hollow sound came from the floor, but the rock did not yield. Again and again they re- ated the blow, and then—the rock broke hrough, the splintered fragments falling with a dull echo into an opening beneath, ** There! (ll be hanged if we hain’t done it!” cried Nat, in a joyful whisper. ‘‘ Now jist keep an eye on the men while I go below and reconnoiter,” Quickly Nat relit the candle and placed it by the opening, A musty odor came from below as he commenced to descend through the ragged hole, which was barely large enough to admit his body. The next moment he dropped about six feet onto a rocky floor, and found himself in blackest darkness, “Give me the candle,” he called back to ipa | ** it’s blacker ’an a stack of niggers down ere, Frank hurriedly passed him down the light, and then resumed his watch at the window. By the aid of the candle Nat began to examine bis surroundings. He wasina narrow. cellar about eight feet long by four in width, inclosed by walls of rock built without mortar. These be found could be easily removed, and turning ‘ tothe side pext to the ravine, he commenced to remove the stones and place them in the Opening behind him, Presently he caught the gieam of a star between the rocks, He could hardly suppress the cry of joy that rose to bis lips. Only a few moments’ work now and the passage tuo the outside would be opened. He was just in the act of communicating this welcome intelligence to his companion, when the candle, which bad burned to the end sput- tered and went out, leaving him in total dark- ness. At that same instant he heard the voice of Frank, at the hole above calling to him in an excited whisper. “ Whut is it?” asked Nat, groping his way over the loose rocks. “The guard is coming this way,” replied Frank, in a cautious whisper, The sound of footsteps could be plainly heard, approaching the jail. Suddenly they ceased. en came the sound of a key turning in the rusty lock, _ CHAPTER VIL. A NEW SENSATION. | isoners stood scarcely breathing the outer door swing open, THE two cms tbey h f Maverick Mose, the Arizona Detective. Then, with a noiseless step, Frank approached the partition door, and crouching there in the darkness, made ready to spring upon the guard should he enter the room. Nat Barker had anticipated his friend’s action, and was drawing himself up through the hole in the floor as noiselessly as possible, But, at this juncture, they heard steps in the room beyond. Then all was silent, For a half minute the two men held their breath and listened. Presently the steps withdrew from the room; the door closed; ihe key turned in the lock, and they heard retreating footsteps. Frank stole to the window and looked out, He saw the dark figure of a man moving swiftly in the direction of the town. Frank watcbed the figure until it had disappeared, then turned from the window, ‘* He is gone,” he cried, drawing a breath of relief, **Good!” ejaculated Nat, in an excited whis- r ‘tand so shall we be, in a few moments. ’ve got an openin’ almost completed, bot the pce is out, and we'll have to work in the ar ‘** What?” exclaimed Frank, in astonishment; ‘do you mean to say you bave found a way out?” ‘* You’ve said it, pardner! Pll soon show you.” In a few moments both men had dropped into the cellar below, and groping their way over tho loose rocks, they reached the wall and com- menced removing the loose stoves witha will, The moon was just rising, and its faint beams stealing through tbe crevices in the wall, en- abled them to progress rapidly with their work, In a very few momeuts a hole of sufficient size to admit their bodies bad been made. Then Nat crawled to the outside, and found himself in the small ravine under the eastern wall of the jail. Frank quickly joined bim, and the two prisoners were free} ‘* What next?” questioned Frank. ‘‘ Foller me,” answered Nat, and he led the way toward the low hills that lay east of the town, They were ascending a little hill not three hundred yards from the jail, when they paused and glanced backward. A solemn stillness lay over the town, Their flight bad not been dis- covered, Suddenly the two men started back, a cry of horror upon their lips! A great tongue of livid flame had shot fully fifty feet above the jail, instantly followed by an eppalling crash that shook the earth asif a hundred guns bad been discharged at their very side, Then came dark- ness and the sound of falling rocks, | ‘My God!” gasped Frank, ‘ the jail has been blown up!” ** (reat Caesar!” ejaculated Nat, ‘‘ what does that mean?” For several moments the two men stood as if stupefied with horror and amazement, ‘*Nat,” g Frank, in a hosrse voice, ‘*that is the work of that devil, Mockton!” ‘*T believe you, my boy, and we ought to thank Heaven that we were not in the jai) when that explosion took place,” ‘* Amen!” responded Frank, in an awed voice, ‘* But listen! The whole town is alarmed!” Plainly now could be heard the sound of excited voices and hurrying feet. ‘* Come! we must get out of this,” urged Nat, ** those devils will be after us as soon as our ab- sence is discovered!” ‘* But, where can we go? It will soon be day- light, and we shall be captured again!” " Come, we haven’t a moment to lose!” and the two men ran with all speed in the direction of Nat’s cabin, ** It is no use; we shall never be able to make our escape,” declared Frank, as they reached the cabin and entered, almost out of breath, ‘*Tt looks perty bilious,” admitted Nat, ‘‘ but, I’ve got a plan—” “Then let us act upon it at once,” exclaimed Frank. ‘* We have no time to lose.” ‘Correct, my boy. Now listen! And in a few words Nat unfolded his plan of action. Frank uttered an exclamation of astonish- ment, ‘* Do you agree to it?” asked Nat, “TI do,” responded Frank. ‘It is our only chance,” Jist foller me, and The greatest excitement prevailed in Desert City the next morning. A crowd of angry and excited citizens bad gathered about the ruined jail, discussing the startling events, That: the suspected parties bad escaped and then blown up the jail, was the verdict, and if ————— ee ww COO a RR ee ee ee there had been a doubt as to the guilt of the prisoners, it was now utterly dissipated. There were two men in Desert ity. however, who fully believed that when the debris of the ruin- ed jail should be removed, the dead bodies of the two prisoners would be found beneath; but it is hardly necessary to state that Mockton and the city marshal kept this opinion to themselves, ** It’s a plain case,” obseryed Mockton, ‘‘ that the prisoners were guilty. them up as soon as they were caught,” ‘That is just what should bave been done,” assented the city marshal, who bad just returned from the bills on a pretended se rch for the fugitives. ‘But, where could they bave gone to?” ques- tioned Mockton, ‘‘ Every part of the surround- ing country has been searched, but not a trace of them has been found,” ‘*And that isn’t the worst of it,” added Jack Neal, the proprietor of the Montezuma Hotel; ‘‘ they have already committed another robbery while we have been searching for them,” ‘The deuce you say!” ejaculated the marshal in astonishment, ‘It’s a fact,” averred the landlord. “A couple of prospectors reached bere about day- ligbt, and it seems that they were met and robbed on the Tombstone road, not three miles from the town, There was two of the robbers, and it must have been the two escaped pris- oners,”’ ‘* That’s a different tone to what you used last night!” blurted Mockton. ‘‘ You were one of the idiots that believed the prisupers were Sun- day-school superintendents!” ‘*T only told what I knew about one of the prisoners,” faltered the landlord, ‘‘ He claimed to be a son to the Hammond that owns the big ranch across the mountains, and it did seem as if he was what he pretended.” ‘* Seem, the devil! You didn’t know anything about either of these Hammonds, You'd better keep your mouth sbut after this!” replied Mock- ton, savagely. ‘* Where are these two strangers who were robbed?” asked the marshal, , ‘*Down at the hotel,” responded the landlord, ‘* Well, I will godown and see them, They may furnish some clew as to the whereabouts of the fugitives.” With this the marshal led the way to the hotel, followed by an eager mob, They found the two strangers at the hctel, surrounded by a little knot of citizens, who were busy discussing the robbery. : The strangers were dressed in the garb usually worn by prospectors, and appeared greatly ex- cited over their recent loss, The older of the two could not have been less than sixty years of age, judging by his white bair and yellow face, | while his companion might have heen a score of years younger, and p:ssessed a busby red beard that almost covered his face. ‘* Gentlemen,” said the marshal, approaching, and addressing the strangers, ‘‘I bave just been told that you were robbed on the Tombstone road this morning, Iam the city marshal, and am anxious to bring the villains to jusiice. Per-. haps you can give me some clew thet will lead to their capture.” The older of the two prospectors shook his head, ‘*T wish I could tell ye whar ye could put yer han’s on ’em, but I reckon they aire meckin’ tracks many miles from byar fore this,” ‘“‘How many were they?” ~« “We only see’d two, though thar might ’a’ b’en a dozen hidin’ in the bushes an’ rocks,” **Can you describe them?” ‘Wal, they wore masks, and I didn’t git much uv a peep at’em, It was dark, an’ it all happened so sudden like,” ‘Where were you at the time?” | ‘‘ We war camped 'bout three miles from byar on the Tombstone road.” ‘** Do you live at Tombstone?” ‘“‘Ken’t say that I do, though I’ve b’en knock- in’ ’round thar consider’bly. We'd b’en out rospectin’—me an’ Jim Fits thar, an’ had got a. little dust, an’ war comin’ in ter Desert City ter injoy ourselves when them on’ry cusses held us. up fer our pile—tbat 1s most uv it, but thar’s a little left that they didn’t find, enough ter bu some guns to goin s’arch uv the blasted rascals with. If we run across ’em thar won’t be no trial—we'll jist bore ’em through an’ let the kiotes hold the inquest.” ‘4 good plan,” decided the marshal. “ Now what’s your names?” “Hits an’ Hunter,” replied the old man, “Jim Fits an’ Zeke unter, prospectors; per- m’nent address, Tombstone,” and the old mam uttered a low, chuckling laugh, My idea was tostring | *pooks.com pict & <a ae ee ewe OD et ct ct @ a TST