Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 778 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

(Rn enna IT **To be sure, Harry,” replied Bildad ;‘* and oh! if you could only git in another o’ your Billy Tell shots on that t’other red demon— Ah! hold, Death-Pop! you'll kill the gal!” ‘* Don’t shoot, young man! For God’s sake don’t shoot!” added Hanover, excitedly ;*‘ you'll slay that girl!” These excited commands and appeals to the voung mountaineer were occasioned by the situation acrossthe river. The savage had suc- ceeded in dragging Kitty Boyne from her sad- die, and was holding her struggling form be- tween himself and the point whence had come the shot that slew his friend; and in this way he was walking backward toward the bluffs, povering his own body with that of the maiden against the shot of that deadly Wizard Rifle! ighland Harry saw that the Indian with his captive would soon be out of danger behind the bluff, and yet he involuntarily lowered his rifle svhen the two men shouted to him, ‘She will be better off dead than in that fiend’s power alive,” quickly responded the boy, and again raising his rifle he glanced along the barrel and fired. A groan burst from Uncle Bildad’s lips, and he turned away like one sick at heart as he saw the savage stagger and with his burden fall to the earth, ‘*Boy, your luck is gone!” he sighed; ‘* you have slain Kitty!” ‘* Yes, murdered her!” exclaimed Hanover, in a bitter, excited tone, that sent a pang to Harry’s sensitive soul. The young rifleman, however, made no re- sponse, He stood with his eyes on the spot where the savage and Kitty had fallen, and when he saw that neither rose to his or her feet, nor even stirred, his fine face grew pale, a deep- drawn sigh escaped his lips, and then the words of Hanover cut anew into his very soul like poi- soned barbs, There was a minute of painful silence, which xvas finally broken by Uncle Bildad saying: ‘* Harry, ’'m awful sorry for you and poor Kitty !” ‘* There was little excuse for firing that shot!” added Hanover, in that same bitter tone. Highland Harry made no reply to the stran- ger. While he felt that no crime had been com- mitted willfully, if indeed at all, he thought he could afford to take the stranger’s insults, at that time. He knew they had been spoken un- der the impulse of the moment, and that for- bearance on his part might react upon the stranger. ‘*T have a canoe up the river aways,” the youth said, calmly, ‘‘ and I will get it and cross over and know the worst.” ‘* David, let’s gallop up to the ford, cross the erick, and investigate the matter for our- selves,” suggested Bildad. To this proposition Hanover assented, and mounting their horses they rode away at a gal- lop. By this time the sun was down, and as dark- ness soon comes on in the mountain valleys af- ter sunset, but little time was left for the three men to make their investigations. Highland Harry succeeded in getting across the river and reaching the scene of the maiden’s capture justas Bildad and Hanover came up. But never weremen more astonished, alumfounded than those three. Neither of the red-skins’ bodies, nor that of Kitty Boyne, dead or alive, was to be found! But an examination of the place disclosed a pool of blood on the stony ground where the rst savage had fallen; and,a little distance from that, and right about where the second one with the girl had met his fate, was another and larger pool of blood. That both red-skins had ‘been shot there was not a doubt, but the fate of Kitty Boyne was a mystery. Hanover still adhered to the belief that she fhad been killed; Harry had nothing to say; while Uncle Bildad had so far’ changed his opinion that he thought there was one chance in ‘a hundred that she had escaped the bullet of the Wizard Rifleman. _ Harry and Bildad searched the ground over carefully between the river and the bluff, but by this time it had grown so dark that no trace ‘whatever of the bodies could be found. ‘“ Well, I’m satisfied o’ one thing,” Bildad ‘finally said, ‘‘ and that is, that the bodies were Spirited away by other red-skins while we war ‘crossin’ the Gallatin.” i ‘* Then what object would a red-skin have in carrying off the dead body of Kitty, if she were lead?” asked Harry. . = To lead friends in search o’ it, and ambush “em. | ‘1 do not think so, Uncle; I do not even be- 7 4 ; i f « LY - ia v ’ " G Highland Harr lieve the two fellows I shot were Indians at all, but white men—outlaws in disguise—and that their bodies were carried off to conceal their identity. And, be Kitty dead or alive, the same murderous wretches have carried her away, There is one chance’in a thousand that she escaped while we were crossing the river, fled into the hills and made her way home. Kitty was a brave and fearless ene Having thus expressed himself, Harry turned and walked away toward the bluffs, loth to give up the search despite the baffling shadows of the deepening night, ‘*T don’t see as we can do any more, David,” remarked Uncle Bildad, ‘‘’cept to hurry to camp and le the alarm.” ‘‘ That, perhaps, would be most prudent,” re- plied Hanover. ‘‘ Harry has gone into the hills; the brave lad feels bad enough, for Kitty Boyne was the idol o’ his heart— Great Lord! listen to that!”’ It was the short, sharp bark of half a dozen revolvers that startled him. The report came from the hills whither Highland Harry had one! ‘ For a minute th@two men stood as if stunned by the shock, As the sound of the weapons reverberated through the hills they watched for the return of Harry, but, as he came not, Uncle Bildad leaped upon his pony, saying: ‘“Come, David! the boy, I fear, is done for, and to remain here longer will be death to us. We must warn the village! Ride, David, ride with whip and spur!” And, as they dashed away, a rifle on the bluff above them rung out, and a bullet went shriek- ing closely over their heads like a shot from a howitzer. CHAPTER III. AN ASSASSIN’S SHOT, It was night at Red Bar, and the greatest ex- citement and profoundest sorrow prevailed in the little village in consequence of threatened danger, the unknown fate of Kitty Boyne, and the supposed death of their young scout, High- land Harry. In a few minutes the entire place was under arms, and a double line of guards stationed at exposed points. Vord had already been sent to Mr. Boyne, Kitty's father, of the girl’s disappearance. His cabin stood about half a mile from themain ‘ok of the village, being the most isolated of all. David Hanover became the guest of Judge Kinny, and, after he had been provided with a sumptuous re board his host invited him to at- tend the settlers’ meeting at the school-house, which invitation he accepted, and at once start- ed with the judge for the place of meeting. The gathering at the school-house was not large, owing to the number of men on guard. ithout delay those assembled entered upon the discussion of the situation, the uncertainty of Kitty’s fate, and the dreadful fear that High- ra Harry, their gallant young scout, had been slain. But,in the midst of their discussions, what was their happy surprise and infinite joy to see Highland Harry, accompanied by Bill Boyne, enter the room! A yell of joy greeted the Wizard Rifleman’s appearance, and for a moment all was happy confusion. Uncle Biidad and David Hanover, who had‘reported the boy dead, looked perplex- ed; but the old settler quickly recovered from his confusion, and crowding up to Harry clasp- ed his hand, saying: ‘*God bless your eyes, boy! we reported you dead—riddled by that Mae 0’ pistol-shots !” ‘¢ The villains fired entirely too high,” calmly replied the youth; ‘‘ but it was all owing to the darkness in the woods. I was afraid you’d think I’d been shot, and so I ran out on the bluff and, as you rode away, fired a shot over your heads, in hopes you’d catch on to it.” ‘‘You young scamp!”’ exclaimed Bildad; ‘‘ we thought that was a cannon-ball fired at us. But, what about your darter, Kitty?” This last question was addressed to Boyne, ae ee lips there escaped a low sigh as he replied: ‘*God only knows. I don’t.” Mr. Boyne was a short, stout man of some fifty years, His face was covered with a closely- clipped beard, which added to the peculiar im- mobility of bis features and utter absence of all exp on. He hada dark-gray eye that seem- ed as fixed as that of a stone image—always seeking some object, usually on the ground, when talking,and keeping it ther’ until his con- versation had ended. No one had everseen him y, the Wizard Rifleman. excited: he was always of the same even, dis- passionate temperament, and from this fact he was called ‘‘ The Sphinx” by those who knew what that was, and by others, ‘‘ Stony’’ Boyne. He was the very opposite of his handsome, viva- cious daughter; but, despite his eccentricities, he was wellliked. He wasa man of good parts well informed, and since he had resided at Red Bar had conducted himself entirely contrary to the opinion that had at first been formed of his character by his downcast and quiet appear- ance. The crowd gathered about the new-comers and plied them with many questions, and while thus engaged Uncle Bildad introduced Boyne to David Hanover. ‘*The Sphinx” took the stranger’s hand in a mechanical sort of a rapa and those who had their eyes upon him at the time saw him give Hanover a quick, furtive glance. At the same time they saw the faintest smile flit over the bearded face of the stranger, and thought they detected a coldness in his voice as he said: ‘‘ Mr. Boyne, you have my sympathy in your affliction.” The house being called to order, Highland Harry was called upon to make a statement as to the situation, and astounded his friends by the declaration: **[ do not believe there is an Indian within forty miles of here—not a hostile, at any rate. I am satisfied that Kitty was captured by white men in disguise. Those that fired on me were not Indians, but they were the friends of those I shot—the same that removed the bodies of their dead friends while we were crossing the river. Kitty may be dead, but I did my best to save her from a fate worse than death. The shot was a long one, and the setting sun almost before me. If she is alive, she will never be found, in my opinion, short of the Teton Basin, the Stronghold of the Outlaws.” ‘*T never expect to see her alive,” spoke up ‘*Stony” Boyne in a reproving tone; *‘ it was rather a reckless act to shoot when the Ingin had his body covered with that of the gal.” “That has been said to me before,” said Harry with a twinge of pain, ‘‘ but, God knows—’’; ‘* Highland Harry!” interrupted David Han- over, ‘“*I, in a moment of excitement, used such accusing language, and I now want to withdraw my severe words, and beg bgp r- don. I believe, now, that you did right. Your skill asa marksman, I fully believe, warranted so risky a shot under the circumstances.” ‘‘Thank you, Mr. Hanover,” answered Harry, feeling greatly relieved; ‘‘I forgive the past, and hope for the best in the future.” : ‘But, I don’t understand, Harry,” spoke up Captain Dalton, ‘‘ why you think those fellows were outlaws.” ‘* They did not act at all like Indians,” Harry answered, ‘‘is one reason; but I think I have another and better, still.” ‘* What is it?’ exclaimed Uncle Bildad; ‘‘ let her flip, Harry!” ‘* Yes, let it out,” added Dalton, eeeeenams 4 Harry shook his head as he ran his eyes quick- ly over the eager, restless crowd. ‘*No,” he replied; ‘‘I do not know but there may be ears right here that should not hear; but though there are none such, secrecy may be the besé policy for the present.” A momentary silence followed this announce- ment, then David Hanover arose and said: ‘“‘I do not blame the young rifleman for his refusing to give a secret publicly in the hearing of a stranger—one he knows nothing about, therefore I will withdraw.” ‘* Stay, sir!” quickly exclaimed Harry ; ‘‘ even with you away, I will not give my secret in this room,” ‘‘Can’t you give us a hint o’ how and where you got it, so we can guess at it?” Uncle Bildad asked, with a laugh. ‘“T shot it out of the heavens with my rifle,” the boy answered; but it was plain toa that he spoke in riddles, and knowing it would be useless to question him further, all fell to speculating upon his secret. Finally the young rifleman pro to retire to his private room, in Captain ton’s cabin, let the meeting select three persons to visit him there and hear his secret, and they to decide as to whether it should be made public or not. | This proposition was readily accepted, and Captain Dalton, Judge Kinny,and Uncle Bildad were named as a committee to hear the scout’s secret and report at once to the meeting, which took a recess of half an hour, or until the com- mittee returned. Most of the settlers arose and went out into the street to await the return of the trio, a few “=