Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 729 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

¥ re finally touched the level, only a few rods from the two fires. The only sound that came to their ears from the immediate vicinity was the light stroke of a hoof, as a horse yave an idle stamp. And then Buck Horton, keeping tbat tree-trunk in line with the fires, glided swiftly forward, to pause again with his figure blending with the gray bole. Still no suspicious sound, and pening around the tree, he grasped the belt of arms, flashing a keen glance around as his right band came half-way to a level, forefinger on the trigger. ‘‘T reckon it’s all clear sailing, pardner,” he said, a moment later, ‘‘ There are three horses here,” came the voice of the half-blood, but from a quarter almost di- rectly opposite that in which Horton looked for a reply. ‘‘ If one should suit my brother—” How did you—let?s bave a look at ’em,” abruptly breaking off, but with a better opinion of the half-blood’s capacity tban he had up to that instant entortained; for this was his first intimation that Silverblade had stirred from the rock behind which be had left him crouching, only a brief space before, It was as the Shoshone said: there were three horses left at picket by the enemy in their mad chase, but a single glance told the Border Beagle that neither one of the trio belonged to him, ‘* 1m too old in the business to turn horse- thief now, pardner,” he said, with a short, hard laugh, as he turned away from the uneasy ani- mals, ‘*Til have my own nag, or kick up a recious racket while failing. And—I reckon e's coming, right now!” From down the valley came the clatter of many hoofs, striking echoes out of the flinty soil, and touching Silverblade on an arm, Big Horn Buck glided across the valley, crouching down under cover, far enough away to be in little danger of discovery without an actual search, yet near enough to the camp-fires to both see and hear, They were not kept long in suspense, for Dave Darnell and a dozen others came trottiug into view, the giant growling harshly as he swung himself out of the saddle near one of the fires. Devil fly away with ’em all, say 1! "Twas all I could do to keep my knife from his throat! Only for him— hy couldn’t he be satisfied with bullet or steel? Zhen, all would have been right, and the Border Beagle would have yelped along the death-trail, if any!” ’ Mebbe om’ll ketch the critter, even yit, ‘‘T hope he may, and his death at the same time! hat right had he torun any— Who's cribbed those tools?’ his voice deepening to a hoarse svari of bot rage as he stared at the tree where the belt of arms had been left hanging. ** Who's dared touch— Fire and fury! Ten to one that devil has rounded on us and armed himself!” Big Horn Buck nudged Silverblade with an _ elbow, a silent but hearty grin on his bronzed face as he took notes. And it was enough to make even a modest man feel proud, just to see ' how those dozen knaves shrunk and cowered as they flashed uneasy looks around ip quest of a single man, Only one, yet that one was the Border Beagle, and with his hands fully armed, he was one to be dreaded. ‘““Stop! no come—spoil trail, mebbe so!” -grunted an Indian, then snatching up a blazing _. brand from the nearest fire, and springing with - it to the base of the tree to which the missing arms had been fasteued. ‘Stand back, all!’ commanded Dave Dar- nell, catching at the idea. ‘* Let the Injun work, and if— You howled because I drew you off a blind trail, down yonder, lads, but how now? If Buck Horton has come back to arn himself, what comes next? Curse the tongues that wagged so freely before such ears! And yet— hat is it, Injun?”’ ; ” He come, sure!” nodded the red-skin, glanc- ing up. ‘Dis he heel—mek like so!” turning slowly aroun’ to sweep all sides with his glitter- ing eyes. “Big Horn git guns, Look fo’ fight, mebbe. Mebbe hear um holler; dat way, when cap’n choke off.” ‘Mebbe the red buck is getting the thing down just a mite tvo fine-for our health, Davie!” whispered the Border Beagle, pausing for no more, but moving silently away, after touching Silverblade on the arm as a signal to follow. They passed out of sight and hearing in a short space, and then the half-blood took time to whisper: _ * What comes next, brother?” | *““T’ve got my guns—here’s the one you loaned ane, by the way,” as his hand went back to meet i es ” fon OSs . _ eee . 7 —_—_—— rr eee ee eee rm Silverblade, the Half-Blood. that of the young Shoshone. ‘* Thanks, my boy! Now Ill neither borrow nor lend, as the good woman had it!” ‘*TIs this a time or place for laughing, bro- ther?” sternly inuttered Silverblade, moving forward until they were abreast. “Well, a man don’t cheat death by such a narrow margin every day, Davie, and I’m just bubbling over with fun! This playing with the hounds makes me feel as gay as a dog-fox in March, but if you want to get right down to sober business, all right, ou asked—what next? My horse, of course!” **It is down this way, then?” ‘Tt must be, for none of those fellows rode it back, and we didn’t find it staked out. I only hope we'll find Tom Frinkle acting as horse- guard, pard!” You will lift his scalp?” ‘* And both head and carcass along with it! Didn’t you hear me tell the rascal that I’d serve him just as I served John Godfrey? All right lad, I hear and see, too!” By this time the two friends had covered con- siderable distance, and were now not far from the spot where they bad abandoned the crippled horse, to take to the rocks rising from the edge of the valley. And there, dimly visible by the starlight, aided in a slight degree by the rising moon, though its face was still hidden by the eastern hills, they caught sight of several horses standing in a little clump. At the same time there came a harsh call from ar, the rocks, ‘* What is it over there; found anything?” ** Jest a tumble, an’ I ketched it on the shin o’ me—wuss Juck !” CHAPTER X, SILVERBLADE DECLARES HIMSELF, “xn put a golden salve all over it, if we catch that devil of a Big Horn!” added the first speaker, beyond a doubt none other than Tom rinkle himself. ‘‘ Don’t throw away a single chance, boys! I know he must be in hiding, for we pressed bim too mighty close to give him a chance to steal away without being heard, after letting that rock slip under his hoof! Find him! We've got to find him!” “Durned sight easier said than done, I’m doubtin’, pard!” ‘* But we'll come out on top, if you only do your duty asI do mine! Stick to your knitting, boys, and Ill see that you don’t lose anything by it. Vil pay you your price, if it makes me a beg- gar for the rest of my life!” ‘*That’s white, an’ my name is Stick-tight, pardner!” laughed the other rascal, once more moving ahead, On that clear, frosty night, each word spoken came distinctly to the ears of the two partners, as they crouched under cover, waiting, watch- ing, and listening. At the last words, Big Horn Buck chuckled softly, for he could enjoy that ie search far more than the chief enemy was oing. ‘*They are fools,” muttered Silverblade, in strong contempt. ‘‘If they really wish to find, why yelp on a blind trail so loudly?’ ‘To give Big Horn a chance to run away, I reckon,” grinned the owner of that title, then noiselessly shiftiug his location until his keen eyes caught sigbt of an armed inan acting as borse-guard, ‘*They’re not all such fools, though! They’ve tried to make sure I don’t double back and lift four legs to spell my pair of trotters!” ‘‘ Shall Silverblade tie his tongue—with this?” came in a low, hissing whisper, as the youth lifted a bare blade before the eyes of his com-~- panion, : ‘‘No. That’s too Injuny for my stomach, if we can get along with anything milder. Stay here, and I’Jl sing a sleepy song in the fellow’s ears, I say—stay here!” his whisper turning ri as the Shoshone made an impatient ges- ure, Without waiting for argument, Buck Horton swiftly crept from cover and passed further into the narrow valley, then rising to his feet and trotting forward like one coming from the main force above, | | ‘* Stiddy, thar!” the horse-guard sternly cried, turning at the first patter of feet, his rifle drop- ping to a level as be added: ‘‘Show up, or go down, fer keeps, critter!” ‘* Agh! g’way wid ye, man!” cried the Border OO ay copying the very accent of the red- eaded Irishman, together with his voice. ‘Shoot the divil’s grandmother, av ye loike, but—” “* What is it, Nuckolls?” came the shrill voice of Tom Frinkle, from high up among the rocks, ' 4; 3 ee . - - , f. Te * Vea ST <¢ \« ‘ 4 { et inl at . ay Fre cet Ay t«! , / 3) ' ke “4 * ¥Y E ry rw * ¥ ¢, a " 4 ae a ? “ »/ tile * came into view, as a plainly signified. And having made this sign, “Trish Pat, who wants—wbat do ye want, any way?” ‘*TDivil a wan o’ me wants the loikes av ye, ould knuckle 0’ baafe, annyway,” retorted the counterfeit Milesian, rapidly advancing toward the horse-guard, whose rifle was shifting to its former position, now that his first suspicicns faded away. ‘‘It’s the cap’n wants—down ye go, if you were as big as a mountain |” Near enough for one long leap to carry him within stroke, and fearing lest the horse-guard discover the imposition if be ventured any fur- ther as a genuine messenger would move, Big Horn Buck shot forward, bis right fist in_ad- vance, his left hand making @ grasp at the Win- chester. A neater blow was never dealt, in the ** squar- circle,” or outside of it, and the stalwart horse guard went down before that hard bunck of bones without even a gasp ora groan. But— worse luck! The Winchester escaped that quick clutch, and turning over as it flew back behind its owner, the hammer struck a rock and the weapon exploded with an echoing crasb! Instant cries came from the searchers among the rocks, and knowing tbat further caution would be worse than wasted, Big Horn Buck cried aloud as he sprung forward and grasped the knot of horses: ‘This way, pard! Who’s fool enough to hoof it, when horseflesh comes so cheaply?” ‘““Down, men!” fairly shrieked Tom Frinkle, recognizing that mocking voice, and sending a stream of lead before him as he plunged reck- lessly toward the valley. ‘‘It’s the Border Beagle and—” ‘* Good-night; Tommy!” mocked Horton, leap- ing into the saddle which his own horse bore upon its back. ‘‘Take care of your neck, for I’ve got a mortgage on it!” | Silverblade came with a rush, and leaping upon one of the horses, he sent the others ahead of them down the valicy, lending them spur's in his wild, cbilling yells. The bullets whistled viciously around, but it was blind shooting on the part of the enemy. Tbe light was dim, they did not pause to steady their aim, and the mark was in swift motion. It was a waste of good ammunition, so far as bringing down their game was concerned, but the wild racket thus kicked up was sufficient to bring the rest of the gang to the rescue, The two pards did not wait for that, as a matter of course, They were armed and well mounted. Their enemies were all behind them, and whut more vatural than that they should - make all haste to win the perfect security that. surely lay abead of them? But before a mile of the valley was passed over, the two pards slackened their pace, as though from the same impulse, “What is it, Davie, asked Horton, leaning a bit nearer the Shoshone, the better to reig| > face by the rays of the moon, just now coming into view over the top of the eastern range. ‘One horse is enough for Silverblade, and he ~ has a better than this, cached in the,hills, back yonder. Big Horn can take this.” ‘¢ And you, David?” ‘¢ There is no David here, the Ghost Dancer,” ‘* Haven’t you got rid of that bee, lad? Surely ou don’t— Never mind!” turning to the right and as a side-pass showed itself by the light of the moon, ‘ We'll let those imps follow the strays, if they see fit, pardner. Come! and I must have a bit of a powwow, and I’ve got the proper cover mapped out In this noggin of mine,” Silverblade seemed to hesitate, like one in doubt, but when Horton bent Over to grasp his reins, he said; ‘Since my brother wishes it, so let it be. Lead on, Silverblade will follow. After all, there is a time when talk is good and wise, This may be a time like that.” ‘“ 11] do my level best to make it so, anyway,” with quiet resolution in bis tones as they turned into the pass. ‘‘ Whereabouts did you cache your horse, Silverblade?” ‘‘]T will lead the way there, if my brother thinks best.” “ All right. If we need to move from there, I reckon we'll find a way open.” ; For some little time they pressed on in silence, A restraint seemed to have fallen over them poth, and Big Horn Buck kept close watch over his ae companion, like one who more than half expects an attempt to break away. But nothing of the sort took place, and at length the point for which they were headin esture by the half-blood I am Silverblade, : ; ! j get “ -_ 9 ‘ein You | - ——— ay — — =~. - » a ee . eminem tile ami —— -—_ - | !