Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 786 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

3" tous! No, thankee! — - ~ * > * ' pied eet ye gee he a 5% Lone Hand Joe. 11 be made to go by a falsehood, she saw no harm in uttering it. many offenses of deeper dye were daily committed about her, that it is not to be wondered at she shouid so lightly regard this act. Among Joe’s first questions was one concern- ing Irene. But he spoke almost at the same time of the Specter Horse, and of the vision seen on the canyon wall, ‘*T think I can explain about the horse, but I am just now more anxious to talk about Irene,” was Sidney’s answer. The young ranchman’s mind seemed set wholly on her, and it gave bim no pleasure to speak or think of anything else; and he forthwith pro- ceeded to rave Over her in a manner that was not pleasant to Old Joe. ‘‘] know she’s purty, an’ has got a voice like a medder lark,” the old nomad confessed, after listening to one of Sidney’s rapturous outbursts, ‘‘ But purty is as purty does, I don’t like the way she tried to throw me off the trail to-night. I can’t believe that that wuz jist a square deal, She said you wusn’t byer, when she knowed better.” “You must make allowance for her training,” Sidney urged, He had been trying to give some thought to the reasons which must have actuated her, and it pleased him to think that a desire to retain him with her was among her inspiring motives. It was a flattering fancy. - ‘* What's botheriv’ me is, how we're goin’ to git out o’ hyer,” Old Joe observed, endeavoring to turn the conversation. ; ‘Don’t you think she will help us, as she did before?” Old Joe sighed disconsolately. ‘*Tt’s ‘she,’ ‘she,’ all the time! My boy, I’m afeard you’ve tumbled bead-over-heels in love, If you hev, you'll find yourself wadin’ in sorrer up to yer neck. I’m a-speakin’ by the book, I am. I’ve bad experience in love an’ matrimony, ’mong my other accomplish ments,” ‘*T am in love,” was Sidney’s honest avowal, “Pm not ashamed to confess it, I couldn’t help being, after I'd seen her, Do you know, old pard, [ don’t know whetber I want to leave here or not? If it wasn’t for these bonds, I really think I'd like to stay.” Old Joe turned from him with a groan; and as he did so, beheld Maverick Bill walking to- ward them, There was a fire burning ip the center of the large apartment, and by its light Maverick was visible, “You came alone byer to-night?” he ques- tioned, looking sternly at the old man, ‘What if I did, an’ what if I didn’t?” The presence of any of the outlaws always irri- tated Old Joe. ‘‘Tt may mean a good deal to you. If you brought any men witb you, we might take it into our heads that the safest thing to do would be to put you two out of the way, I think you was alone, though, fur no other men have been seen.” Maverick Bill did not desire the death of these prisoners. He was bloody-minded enough on occasion, but he was sufficiently sensible to realize that deliberate murder of this kind might make it go hard with him, should he ever be captured by the authorities. He was sorry Old Joe and Sidney had ever come there. He did not wish to kill them, and yet, the knowledge they possessed made it unsafe to release them. That was one reason why he had brought Sid- ney back from Cheer Ranch. “I don’t know what I’m to do with you two,” gazing earnestly at them, “You might cut off these strings an’ let us go,” Old Joe suggested. ** An’ have you bring the troopers down on- might doit, But I couldn’t trust you,” “If we'd promise?” Old Joe asked, - * 1) te}] you what it is, Maverick, 1 jist come hyer to git this boy out uv his diffikilty. If you'll let us o, we'll not say a word about what we've geen at Prairie Gibraltar.” Maverick Bil] shook his head. “T couldn’t do it,” he declared; thea turned and walked away, * ‘Pm glad be wasn’t asking me to do the promising,” Sidney whispered, as he listened to the outlaw’s retreating footsteps. ‘“‘I don’t think I'd agree not to come back, as long as he Keeps [rene here. | “You're a fool?” Old Joe blurted, in momen- tary disgust. ‘‘I reckun, now, you wouldn’t eet gone if he’d’a’ cut you Jooss an’ told you “You mustn’t ask me hard questions, Joe,” laughing a little at his companion’s temporary - = nya t “a8 * oa Sh page \, eax, : anger. ‘“‘I’d go in a minute, if Irene could go with me; and likely I’d go without ber. I don’t say that I wouldn’t.” ‘* But you thought it jist the same!” With this tbrust Old Joe turned frcm him and would say no more, CHAPTER XV. STARTLING NEWS, From bis brief interview with Old Joe Connetty and Sidney, Maverick Bill went to the apartment i by Lrene. A lamp was burning ina rocky niche of her room, and by its faint light he saw she had been crying. on What's this about?” he demanded roughly. He was not always kind to Irene, and this evening was extremely ill-tempered. He had seen her talking with Old Joe in the corral, and had discovered the bridle on the horse she had brought forth. “You have been working against me ag’in!” when she did not reply to his question, “I won’t have that, Irene, an’ you’re old enough to know it. If we're to git along well together you mustn’t try to mix in my business, I ought to know what’s best for us better than you do, an’ I say I won’t have it!” She turned on him with blazing glance, but checked the hot words she was about to utter. ‘“‘)’ve been watching you purty close, Irene, an’ I’ve bad the men watchin’ you, an’ I don’t like the way you've acted lately. You helped that young man git away, an’ Il think you let Old Lone Hand loose, too, But you can’t play that trick ag’in. If you try it, you'll be seen,” ‘There was something very threatening in all this, the manner being even more threatening than the words, ‘“*{T don’t intend to let him go!” she exclaimed, ‘Qh, you don’t! That’s because you know you can’t, What was you doing out in the corral? What was you talkin’ to the old ranger about?” She set her lips and refused to make answer, ‘“*T think J know very well. You was plannin’ to smuggle the young man out there, so that the old tramp could help him in gitting away, That’s the trick you was up to, Irene! An’ I shouldn’t wonder if you sent for the old chap for that very purpose,” Irene smiled bitterly and scornfully. Her fatber was bitting wide of the mark. ‘“*Waso’t that what you was driving at?” ‘*] sha’n’t tell you what I was driving at!” ‘You meant to let the young feller loose an’ show bim the way out there?’ ‘‘ You're mistaken, father; I didn’t; I didn’tin- tend to do anything of the kind!” ‘‘Mebbe you think you can fool me, Irene; but you can’t, My eyes are toler’ble keen. You're in love with that young chap!” She gave bim a swift, odd look, ‘* What if I am?” “It might mean a good man one thing, it would mean that you to be true to me while he’s around, can see it would mean that.” things, For couldn’t trust You ‘** But if I dou’t want him to go, father? What then?’ He stared at her in astonishment, f [ don’t really want bim to go!” she avowed. arent abot ernie live i he — go!” ve no hesitancy in makin this confession, Se etites , averick Bill was evidently puzzled. ‘You don’t want bim to vO Do you think he would stay with us and join our band? If you do, you’re a fool!” ‘*No! No! Notthat!” putting out her hands as if to ward away the hideous suggestion. ~e shouldn’t want him to beeome—a— ‘¢ A cattle-tbief!” sneeringly. Her face flamed. : ‘*Oh, I don’t know what Ido want! I don’t want him to leave here, and I don’t want him to join the band!” . Maverick Bill got up and strode angrily across the narrow room, ‘‘Tt seems to me you’ve got the least sense, Irene, of any woman I ever saw. Why should you go and fall in love with that puppy? He’s cne of your father’s deadliest enemies. One of your deadliest enemies. Nothin’ would please him better than to be able to destroy all of us, If that ain’t his wish, why should be an’ that old pard of his come foolin’ round byer?’ A sob told him she was crying again. ** What do you want me to do, Irene?’ facing her fiercely. ‘Shall I left them go an’ bring ae devils of ranchmen an’ cowboys down on “*I tell you I don’t want him to go!” was her hysterical hematin ty 3" ‘*T suppose you want me to send fora priest. an’ have you married to him right away!” The mocking tone aroused her to open rebel- lion, ‘‘T won’t have you speak to me in that way!” She leaped up, and her eyes bad as fierce a light as he had ever beheld there, accustomed as. he was to her passionate outbursts, ‘* IT suppose love makes a fool of every one ‘ie ‘** You sba’n’t speak to me that way!” and she stamped her foot, wrathfully. ‘* Vil scratch your eyes out, if you do!” Pll-—I’ll kill myself!” He gazed at her bewilderedly. ‘This is a sweet critter!” pursing his lips and stepping backward to avoid a half-expected onslaught. ‘‘A reg’lar lunatic on the subject of love!” A look of hate swept over her face, but she did. not stir. “Tf you'll yd tell me what you want me to do, Irene!” be pleaded. ‘* You rile me up like a catamount!” ‘Ob, I don’t want you todo othe a !” and she sunk back into her chair with a revulsion of disgust. ‘“‘ You can’t do anything, and I don’t want you to do anything! I don’t want. ou to try todo anything! I don’t want you to. other me!” ** See hyer, Irene!” settling again into his own chair. ‘‘I think you an’ me had better have a sensible talk ;—if we can.” “If wecan! That’s well put! I don’t think you could talk sensible, father, if you’d try a. week !” This did not augur a pacific conclusion to the: interview, “Your interests are my interests, or ought to: be,” be declared, striving not to notice her rasp- ing tones. ‘‘ Il ought to be nearer to you than. this stranger—this young man you never saw until a short time ago. How do yeu know that. he cares anything for you? In my opinion, hh wastin’ your time thinkin’ about him.” he had more than once feared that this might. be true, * You oughtn’t to side with him ag’inst me,” seeing with pleasure that he was making some headway. “It ain’t natural, an’ it aio’t right. If he was in love with you, it might be differ-. ent; but [’m certain he ain’t!” ** Don’t say that!” she implored, ‘' You'll kill me if you say that!” ‘** It’s the truth, Irene, and you ought to see it, How could he, when you’re so much of a stranger to him! Nodoubt he’s got a sweetheart some- where, and he’s worryin’ at this minute because be can t git back to her.” A hot fiush leaped into ber cheeks, and an ominous light shone in her eyes, ‘You'll tempt me to kill him myself, father? You mustn’t talk to me that way! You don’t. know what a crazy girl I am sometimes!” He laughed disagreeably “If you should kill him, I reckon it’d save me: the trouble. [low that’s what Ill have to do, sooner or later, to let em go.” ** Leave'me alone! plored. ‘I must have time to think!” She covered her face with her hands, and cowered in a disconsolate heap. He stared at her for a moment, tugging furi- ously at his heavy mustache, He could not un- derstand her moods, She seemed a child of the wind, as fickle and changeable. ‘* All right!” be said, and he got up and left the room, thinking it best to let her indulge in some serious thought. He was aware of a great hurry and bustle, as he stepped into the larger apartment, and it was soon made known to him that an absent member’ of the band had returned, bringing important. news, ‘“ What is it?” Maverick inquired, advancing: on the new-comer. ‘* What’s up, now?’ The message was not of a quieting character, It was to the effect that Ben Stetson had formed a combination with the troopers at Fort Yucca, | and that the latter were to march at once on Prairie Gibraltar. ‘ ‘* When did you learn of this?” he asked of the. messenger, ' p ‘Only yisterday evening, an’ I’ve about rid my horse to death gittin’ the news to you.” ‘An’ when were the troopers to move “ Jist as soon as they could. Last night, if they could git ready. They thought they couldn't: move at one’t, but them that wuz away come in unexpected.” t oath against. faery, ) Maverick Bill swore a Stetson for this act of treac ‘‘ They may be on the way, now, then?” he in- ' ‘yy e 7 : I can’t think it would be safe: Leave me alone!” she im-- A | aa i ~ \ y EVOOKS:-com