Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 721 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

= 8 Maverick Mose, the Arizona Detective. out of here. There’s some deviltry afoot in this lace, ‘‘ Which way shall we go?” asked Frank. ‘*There’s a place a little ways down the cliff where we can climb out of here,” returned Nat, and the two men stole cautiously forward through the darkness. A few steps brought them to the place where their horses had been picketed. They were one. ‘‘The cussed varments have left us afoot,” hissed Nat, ‘‘ but I reckon even that is better ’an beiu’ scalped and burnt at the stake.” Again the red light fell over the pass, and turning about, they beheld a strange spectacle, Upon the summit of the cliff a dull red light was streaming over the jagged rocks, and within the circle of the glow stood the dark figure ofa monster in human shape—sometbing resem- bling a man in form, but so completely coy- ered with long, black hair, and of such weird and hideous aspect, as to fill the stoutest heart with fear. Near this strange monster stood a white human skeleton, its long bony hands stretched out toward the valley below as if im- parting a hideous warning to all who might ven- ture within the rocky walls of tbat gloomy ass, : The next moment the light vanished, and the blackness of night lay over the great canyon. CHAPTER VIII. THE ROBBER QUEEN. ‘“ WHatT in the name of ole Tom Walker was that?’ gasped Nat, bardly crediting his senses, ‘Tt looks as if the Ole Boy himself had taken ssion of this place!” ‘That beats anything I ever witnessed,” de- clared Frank, in astonishment. ‘‘ What can it mean?” queried Nat in an awed voice, ‘1’]l be hanged if you haven’t got me,” de- clared Frank. ‘‘I can’t imagine what it can be, unless it is some one who is seeking to frighten us away.” ‘* But who’d want to be doin’ that?” ‘*‘T can’t tell. At any rate, whatever it is, it has served us a good turn by frightening the reds out of their senses, and |’m not going to umble,” “Correct. And now let’s be gittin’ out of this. We've got a long tramp before us, and the sooner we’re on the road the better.” For nearly a quarter of a mile the two men traveled along the base of tbe cliff before they reached a point where they could ascend to the table-land above, Having accomplished this with great difficul- ty, they set out on their journey, taking an eastern course as near as they could guess, The night being intensely dark, it was with the greatest difficulty they made their way over the rough path. Hour after hour they ae wearily on. It must bave been two o’clock when, suddenly, they arrived at the edge of a great precipice, Not an instant too soon did they discover their davger. Another step and they would have been precipitated into the black depths below, The two men recoiled, a cold shiver agen through them as they realized the‘deadly peri they had been ip. ‘*Do you know where we ard?” asked Frank, as they drew back from the precipice. ‘‘ We must have lost our way.” ‘‘That’s about the size of it,” admitted Nat. “I’ve been through these hiils before, but don’t remember jist where this place is, lf we have traveled straight East, I can’t see why we hain’t got out of the hills long before this. e’ve lost our way, boy, shore as shootin’,” ‘* What is to be done then? Wecan’t goon.” ‘*] reckon we'd better not try. It ain’t long till daylight, and we'll jist wait till we can see our way.” ‘“‘T won’t mind taking a little rest, myself,” declared Frank. ‘‘I’m about used up tramp- ing over these rocks,” The two men threw themselves on the short grass and were soon asleep, | It was broad daylight when they awoke, and prepared to resume their journey. at approached the precipice and: looked into _ the deep canyon below, Then he gazed at the hills about them—the tall summits of the moun- tains lying to the north, a look of astonishment sweeping over bis countenance, SH: “Frank,” he said, suddenly, turning to his companion, teks to git away!” » Frank looked surprised. ‘It’s a fact,” went on Nat. ‘‘ We must’a’ got ; / % ng ‘“T’l] be hanged if we ain’t back at. Urkos Pass—and after travelin’ most of the turned around somehow in the dark, and travel- ed back to where we started.” ‘* You are right,” admitted Frank; ‘ we’ve had the night’s tramp for nothing, but it can’t be helped now.” Suddenly Nat caught his companion’s arm, and pointing across the bill, exclaimed: ss pore ” Frank glanced in the direction indicated and saw a large, low building with gray walls half covered with clinging vines, only a short dis- tance away, nalf bidder in a grove of cedars. Quickly the two men approached the build- ing, and as they did so, they discovered that it was an old ruin—of Aztec or Toltic creation, such as are sometimes found in the wild regions of Arizona anc Mexico, It was a long, narrow structure, a row of broken stone columns stand- ing near the wall which had evidently once sup- ported a veranda, The door was open, and as they drew near they saw that the shutter, which was evidently of recent construction, was made of long ge we poles, standing vertically and held into place by cross-bars of same material. The walls, which were composed of a grayish cement and blocks of stone, were crumbling with age. As the two men entered this building they saw unmistakable evidences of recent occupancy, A few cooking utensils were scattered here and there about the roum, and in one corner a pile of ashes showed where a fire had been, The walls and ceilings were of a hard, smooth ce- ment finish, ga gon floor’ was composed of great square blocks of stone, fitted closely to- gether. The bouse contained three rooms, but there was only one door leading from the outside, Nat and Frank passed from one room to the other through the open doorways, and altbough they discovered unmistakable evidence of habi- tation, it was clear that the place had been abandoned by its late occupants, Far a half-hour the two men remained in the strange old building. Then, as they emerged from its gloomy walls, they ‘caught the sound of horses’ hoofs coming across the hill, Ina moment Nat and Frank had concealed themselves in a thicket by the wall. Nearer and nearer came the sound of approach- ing hoofs; then two horsemen appeared in sight. They were aerity armed and had their faces concealed by black masks, A few moments and. the horsemen had disap- peared across the hill behind a clump of trees. ‘**Outlaws, or I’m a liar!” gasped Nat, in a low tone, ‘‘and Ill be abated by a grizzly if they hain’t got their rendezvous somewhere in these parts,” ‘*You are right, and that ma the strange sight we witnessed last night. They evidently wish to frighten every spy away and have taken that means of doing so.” ‘*Tt may be as you say. Anyway, I’m sure Merto, the Robber Queen, and her band of cut- throats and road-agents ate in these bills!” ‘* Merto, the Robber Queer? I have heard of her,” responded Frank. ‘‘ They say she is a desperate character, and that she and Red Rufus the outlaw are in league.” Nat nodded his head, ** She is a devil in human shape!” he hissed, a ferocious light gleaming in his eyes, ‘ But, some fellers call her perty. Maybe she is. I’ve been wantin’ to see her fer a long time,” and he Jaughed a low, mirthless laugh. - “You have seen her, then?” queried Frank, in surprise, ‘S Yes, 1 have seen her,” and Nat nodded his head in an emphatic manner. ‘* T have heard that she has bafflei the skill of all the detectives and officers, and as she is still at large, there must be some truth in this re- port.” ‘* Yes,” answered Nat, ‘‘ she’s managed things perty slick, She escaped several times when they thought they had her cornered,” . -**T heard in Desert City that Maverick Mose, the great Arizona Detective, was still on her track, though he failed to capture her at Tomb- stone, after having caught a member of her gang,” ; ‘Yes, she left there with Red Rufus, I heard ‘em say.” '‘* And he is still with her, I suppose?” “TYes, but he’s got a different name, now,” ‘* What is it?” “ Bill Mockton.” Frank started up, an exclamation of surprise falling from his lips. ‘*¢ Are you sure of this?” “Sure as I’m livin’,” responded Nat, ‘‘ When did you find t:-is out?” | account for a - a ~~ . » ot tt t====}= ens ee aes eee . ‘* When he took us to jail. I saw he had false” whiskers; then I knew he was Red Rufus, I had suspected him before, but 1 am now con- vinced,” ‘Then let us return to Desert City and de-— mand him, and have him locked up before he — escapes!” cried Frank, excitedly. Nat shook his head. ‘* Young feller,” he responded, ‘‘I see that you lack judgment. Can’t you see what a mess we’d meck of the hull thing if we’d do as you suggest? Who’s goin’ to testify against bim? Would they take our word for it if we told them he was Red Rufus? I reckon not! Hain’t we already looked on as robbers? Didn't we break jail there? No; I ain’t ready to go | to Desert City jist yit.” ‘*T see that you are rigbt,” admitted Frank. ‘*T understand the situation; but, what is to be done? Surely you don’t intend to let that vil- lain run at large, knowing what you do?” “Time enough yit, Then I have got another idea—if we captured Red Rufus, we’d miss get- tin’ Se Robber Queen, and that is just the main pint. “‘T can see now why it was that Mockton was so anxious to have us convicted of the crime of which we were accused, He is indeed a villain of the most desperate and dangerous type.” ‘*He is that. His gang of cut-throats bave ot a rendezvous somewhere in this region, and wean to find it before I leave this place,” ‘* What! you mean to say that you are going to undertake this dangerous task without assist- ance?” Nat nodded his bead, ‘‘ But, let us go to the ranch and get a dozen cowboys and return. What can we two accom- plish against a dozen ora score of such men as we'll have to deal with?” _*T see that you don’t understand my plan. What I’m goin’ to do now is to locate the game, and capture it when the sign is right. Dm not goin’ to put my head in any bornets’ nest. But with a dozen men with me, what could Ido? Simply alarm the robbers and put’em on their guard, and lose the game entirely.” Frank beld out bis band, ‘¢ Whatever danger there is to encounter in this undertaking,” he said, ‘‘ remember I am with you, And if you are willing, we will un- dertake the task of locating the robbers at once,” | The two men shook hands warmly, ‘‘ *Nough said!” responded Nat, ‘ There ain’t a man in Arizony I’d rather have for my pard- ner than yourself—” The sound of horses’ feet came from across the bill. The two men grasped their guns more tightly, and peered eagerly in the direction from whence the noise had proceeded. Suddenly a horse dashed across the hill a bun- dred yards awuy, bearing on bis back the form of a female, a mass a raven hair falling about her sbapely shoulders, A red cap, ornamented witha white plume, surmounted her head, while a broad sash of scarlet silk was tied about her — waist. For one brief moment the two men stood speechless with surprise; then the horse and rider oe ie gina across the bill, into the ravine ond. a By the shader of ole Christopher Columbo!” ga ain’t Merto, the Robber Queen ! CHAPTER IX. AT THE MUZZLE OF A WINCHESTER, ‘*THE Robber Queen!” ejaculated Frank, ‘*Then let us follow her at once, and discover the outlaws’ rendezvous!” and Frank made @ step as if to start in pursuit of the rider, at laid a detaining band upon him. ‘* Don’t be in too big a hurry!” he advised, ‘We have a set of cunnin’ rascals to deal with, and this may be a trap to draw us into an am- — bush,” ‘* But, do you suppose our presence in the hills has been discovered by the outlaws?” questioned Frank. ‘““T am afraid so, That sight we witnessed last night makes me think hey knew of our presence; still, it might ’a’ been for the benefit of them savages.” | ‘‘It looks, then, as if the outlaws would at- — oy if they knew we were here,” responded rank. “They might and then they mightn’t, They may bave seen us and think we are only pros- tors, and don’t want to tackle us if we don’t ther ’em.” Ato ** We must keep on the lookout, at any rate,” returned Frank, Rb caer — ’ $ - wf 3 ote * r * = > Nat, ‘‘I’m of liar and can’t see if that — oy f «a a, >) tee