Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 729 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

he alighted, turning the horse loose to wander at will. *¢7’]] just slip the bridle, so if can feed with- out risk of getcing head-fast,” muttered Horton, suiting the action to his words. ‘* Your nag is in yonder, then, Davie?” ** Why does my brother call the Shoshone out of his name?” coldly demanded Silverblade, facing the detective with glowing eyes. ‘* There may once have been a David Woodbridge, but he is dead, and from his ashes has risen a Sho- shone brave, every drop of whose blood is red, and free from white blood as that which gives life and strength to the Indian Messiah himself,” ‘* You surely are not carried away by that foolish craza, boy?” - Silverblade reached out a hand, to touch an arm, then said; : * One of us two is foolish, but it is not the son of Weenamoo. If my white brother doubts the truth of my words, he has but to listen to the true words Silverblade stands ready to speak in his ears,” ‘* All right, pardner, if you'll just come a bit further, first. We can catch a glimpse of the valley from those rocks, or I’m off in my guess. I want to hear what you have to say, but I also want to see if those rascals will stick to the old scheme, Will you come?” For answer, Silverblade led the way until a were where they could look down into the valley, though they could see little but darkness, Save where the deserted camp-fires still cast out a red glow, Without waiting to be questioned, Silverblade rapidly but clearly told the full tale of his pilgrimage to the Indian Messiah, under the guidance of Wab-pa-doo-tah, the medicine-man of the Sioux. And after describing that _ wondrous vision, and repeating the words of the spectral figure, he added: “This is what the Shoshone heard, this what he saw! Now—can you ask why I believe? Can you still say that this is no more thana foolish craze?” ‘** First, do you know who and what this Wabh- pa-doo-tah really is?” ‘‘A prophet, and the mouth-piece of the Indian Messiah !” ‘*Tben the Messiah is mighty hard up for good material to make his salvation trumpets out of! I know Red Leaf, and you once knew his son, David Woodbridge. John Godfrey was that son, and Red Leaf is Zeno Godfrey, with a round dozen prices hanging over Lis head!” “That is hard to believe, brother,” slowly ‘Spoke the half-blood. ‘Still, I will not give To the lie, Silverblade was once all white, all ard of heart and full of scoffing. The Messiah ‘reached down and touched his heart with a merciful finger, and now he isa believer! Now he is going to join Sitting Bull, the chosen re- presentative of the Great Spirit on earth!” You are mad, boy!” harshly growled the de- tective. “If you go to that scheming demon, you cy to your death!” “If so, 1618 so written, If Silverblade falls in the fight, he knows that h i the Mossiab speaks!” © wil'ive again, when ‘‘Hark!” as the confused rumble of far-away hoof-strokes came floating up the valley to their ears, “ | are coming back, to— one word, first, David Woodbridge, or Silver- blade, since you will have it that way! You said your Messiah cursed all the whites, all the Indians who proved true to their salt?” “No! The true and faithful were to be saved, but the false ones were to perish!” _ ‘Different terms for the same thing,” with a short, bitter laugh. ‘We both mean the Friendlies, All rigbt, Silverblade! You hear those devils coming, hot-foot? They are going to make a raid upon a peaceful family of those very Friendlies, a ed can warn them. Wh <n : on mount and join them in their bloody wo CHAPTER XI. PLUNDER IF NOT REVENGE. ToM FRINKLE was first to reach the valley after that alarm broke forth, but he acted more like a lunatic than a wise man, and the friend who chanced to stand before him just then, would have fared little better than an enemy. He was fairly wild, and growing wilder with each passing moment, for with them came the swiftly falling boof-strokes, and on their wings were borne the mocking laughter of bis bated oe, For the second time that night he was chasi his prey without the faintest chance of asta ing it, But now, as then, he plunged blindly along the shadowed valley, working his guns until they refused to talk louder than a whisper, ~ 4 Silverblade, the Half-Blood. His mates were less headlong, for they were beginning to form a very respectable opinion of this Border Beagle, who laughed at death and mocked its executioners. Of course they would “‘take him,” dead or alive, if once the slippery knave was cornered; but tbat was the trouble! Just when they mo they had him, he turaed up somewhere else! Two of the men followed after Frinkle, though they were already beginning to realize how fool- ish such an unequal race must be, but as one of the others caught sight of the fallen borse-guard, he slackened bis rush and called aloud: ” Hyar, boys! Nuckolls needs— I say, pard- ner! But Nuckolls was beyond saying, for the present, and the hand which was caught up by the outlaw, fell heayy as lead as those fingers unclosed as the rapid clatter of hoofs came from up the valley. ‘* Kiver, boys!” the fellow quavered, seeing an enemy in every shadow, and hearing another in every sound, ‘*Kiver be durned! It’s the cap’n comin’ back, an’—head up, boy Nack! Ef ye’re dead, why don’t ye say so?” There was bardly time for the trio of knaves to shout forth a friendly warning and greeting before Dave Darnell and his men came pie 5 ing down the valley, drawn back by that wild alarm, The loss of a score of moments in making their meaning known, would have made all the difference between life and death, at least to the senseless horse-guard. As it was, the excited giant swung his band a few feet to the right of where that figure lay, reining in barely long enough for a word of hasty explanation, ** Doubled on us all, boss!” spluttered one of those who had elected to remain with Tom Frinkle when the split came, ‘ Laid out Nuckolls as stood horse-guard, then up an’ stampeded what they didn’t straddle!” ** Who was it?—quick!” ‘* The Border Beagle, or I’ve done lost my ear fer music, boss!” ‘‘Come on, boys!” howled the giant, sending his steed forward with spur and rein-ends, ** We've got to rope him, or—just got to /” ' Dave Darnell fully meant what he said, but even a thoroughbred knave must ieee 5 lose his grip, and this was the hig fellow’s off- night, Fie caught up with and passed Tom Frinkle, who seemed tireless in his fury of excitement, He had lang-power to keep him in swift motion, with surplus breath to spend in cursing at every stride. ** Rope him! Nail bim alive, by me, and lll be your nigger for life, cap’n!” he fairly shriek- ed after the giant as the mounted party swept ast, ‘Tl hang him, and tie you to his heels as a neck-breaker!” was the barsh retort; but even this quickly Dave Darnell was beginning to see how little chance there really remained for them to pick up Big Horn Buck, now taat he was in the saddle, and with other animals to give him a change whenever wanted. There came a few breathless moments, not long after, when the neigh of a horse came clearly up the valley. Guns were cocked and nerves strained for the hot encounter, but before a shot was fired, the trut) made itself known. ‘* It’s our nags!” Daroell cried out, hoarsely, as a riderless steed came to his side as he invol- untarily tightened his reins, ‘*Eyes open! They’ve taken to the rocks again!” But that belief lasted only a short time. The rejected horses had kept together, maintaining their mad pace only a short time after Silver- blade cea to spur them on with his yells, They were picked up, and all accounted for but two; one belonging to Nuckolls, and the other that from whose back Big Horn Buck had been pened by the deftly-cast lasso in the hands of om Frinkle, **T reckon that does settle it!” sulkily growled Dave Darnell, when this conclusion wasreached, ‘If he didn’t just know he had the edge over us would Big Horn let goa shift, like this? Devil roast Tom Frinkle, along with his brother! Only for him, we'd have nune o’ this bother, and by this time be playing circus over the range!” The Indian who had so quickly named the man who secured the belt of arms at the deserted camp, now proved himself equally as expert in scouting. He had manufactured a small light, and rapidly searching the valley below where the stampeded animals had been found, now came back to report that no horses, mdden or free, had passed down beyond that point, — Tom Friakle came pantingly along, just in time to catch this report, and found breath “ws D spe to speak of the side-pass which he had noted while running down the valley. ‘*) reckowed then they’d turned in there, and now I know it!” ‘* Let ’em turn, and be cursed!” growled Dar- nell, remounting his horse. ‘ 1 hope they have, if yowre fool enough to think of chasing ’em any further this night, Tom Frinkle! And I hope they’re laying for a fellow just like you! You’re too mighty smart to live in a common world like this—you are!” ; That seemed a case of ‘‘rubbing it in,” for the lank avenger was too nearly exhausted to fight, and he knew that an angry retort would amount to just that. So, as Darnell wheeled and trotted briskly up the valley, Frinkle sen ab into one of the empty saddles, and fol- owed, Still, Darnell drew rein when at the side-pass, and once more the Indian trailer gave a sample of his skill, With only the moonlight to aid his eyes, he declared that two horsemen had turned into the pass, : ‘¢ Never mind looking closer, Injun,” growled Darnell, as the savage almost brushed the ground with his sharp nose, ‘ It was Big Horn, of course, and the devil who helped set him free,’ ‘‘Big Horn boss, sure!” grunted the trailer, leaving the spoor with evident reluctance, ‘Me know dat, Me know hoss, by hoof,” ‘‘And that’s the demon you helped cheat death by sticking out for a hanging, Tom Frinkle!” snarled Darnell, turning toward the avenger. ‘‘Can’t you guess why he turned aside here? Car’t you figure it out why he didn’t keep straight ahead, when he had such a sure start?’ ‘‘ You reckon he—could he have heard what we talked over?” AD ‘* Of course he heard, and I’m betting my head against yours—and I can’t think of no longer odds!” with a coarse, ugly Jaugh. ‘‘ I’m bettin my head against yours, Tom Frinkle, that he’s making a circle in hopes of getting there in time to tell ’em we’re coming!” ‘* If I could only know it was so!” **7T know it, and so would you if you had a. grain of sense left!” | ‘*Then—there may be a chance, even yet!” with fierce excitement in voice and face, as he set his horse in motion up the main valley. ‘* We can get there first, and if he does come up, we can nab him!” “Kill him, you mean,” as he forged to the head once more. ‘Kill bim on sight, and if ou howl for a hanging, by the devil we serve! ll fit you out as the airy dancer, Tom Frinkle!’ Thus it came about that the two men on the crest of the range, both heard and saw the law- less gang coming back to their camp-grounds, where a halt was called by Dave Darnell, long enough to gather up their traps and better pre- pare for the ride which lay before them, ‘* Just one word with you, Frinkle, before we | make a break, Are you all crazy, or can you play half-white for a few hours?” “T reckon I was crazy, cap’n,” submissively muttered the lank rascal, with a sickly smile, but meeting that frowning gaze witbout flinch- ing. ‘* But it’s working off, and I begin to see that you’re in the right of it,” ‘* ‘What do you see?” } ‘““That we haven't any of us acted any too wisely, if you'll not kick at the rob, cap’n, It looked a dead sure cinch on Big- Horn, but we had no call to tell bim all about what we had laid out todo, He gave no signs of wt , of course, but that makes it all the more likely he was cool enough to take notes, If so—well, he'll try to warn Big John Dancer, or some of the others.” “Big John, for choice! He knows seem | i of the lay of the ground, and must know tha the others are too far away for a night-dash from this ay If he gets there first, we'll catch more lead than dollars, but I’m going to — try it a whack, anyway!” “And if we get there first—as we can! we'll ick up both revenge and plunder, besides scor- ing yet another point agairst the fools who hang back and call themselves Friendlies!” | By this time all was in readiness for the night-dash, and taking the lead, Dave Darnell rode briskly up the valley, heading for a pass which offered an easy method of putting those we hills behind them, when they would have good riding up to the very bearthstone of their chosen victims, | ; There was no time spent in laying plans or | giving orders, The plot had been elaborated several days before, and each man knew just what was to be done, not only by himself, but | "ATs by the gang as a whole, ; | y wah Wal . : ' ‘' } ve ry os i wm ol 3 - : ¥ , ol ; o ak Pa 4 ’ = . , ? ae \ é ee ae ps > 7 \-* we ‘ eS) ee — « ~ ‘e* ., bs ie & * nde oe. / , rid 3 if al J 7 Ww * ‘ he 7 a | ey — ' a amit 4 Me | | ~ ww we > , ren re ; ta { , 2 rs . : - ' Bars | , » ‘ ‘ ' : * 4 ¥ . - ~~ : : 4S - .4 : ~~ — 4 * : : yey { 7. pred ‘ Ss. + = (ee @ 4 C48,