Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 786 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

“— C= Lone Hand Joe, 9 The colonel quietly put away his papers before repl ing. ‘T shall send couriers to burry the troopers in,” he promised, ** and just as Soon as enough of them have arrived to make an advance seem safe, I will give my orders to that effect.” This was as much as Stetson could hope for; and, thanking Tomlinson profusely, be deemed it discreet to withdraw. CHAPTER XI. AN UNCANNY SIGHT, ‘A PLAGUE on the sogers!” Old Lone Hand grumbled, as he continued on his way toward Sidney’s ‘Ranch. ‘They ain’t no good, The main pint isto git Phil out o’ the hands o’ the pack o’ wolves up at Prairie Gibraltar, an’ sogers wouldn’t be wu’th shucks fer that. If they done anything—whieb I’m doubtin’—tbey’d light in on the cattle-thieves, and there’d bea fight, an’ likely the young chap’u’d be killed. That’u’d be the outcome uv it; an’ I don’t want nothin’ like that to happen. 1l’d ruther, a good deal, trust to myself} This is a case in which one’s comp’ny, an’ more’s a great big crowd! [’low the Com- mittee o’ One is enough to tackle this byer busi- ness!” In spite of the fact that he had scarcely dared bope to find Sidney at the Good Cheer Ranch, be was noticeably disappointed on approaching it to see that it was still silent and deserted. None of the cowboys bad returved, a thing utterly in- comprehénsible to the old man. He vented his spleen by denominating them a set of recreant renegades, and, having given the place a thorough examination, turned his tired horse into the corral, determined to give it and himself a long-needed rest. He gave the animal a supply of grain, and _ then went into the ranch-bouse, He found plenty to eat in the pantry; and when be had satisfied his cravings in that line, he rolled into one of the cots for a few winks of sleep, It was almost sundown when he awoke, and darkness was settling over the face of the earth when he turned once more toward Prairie Gib- raltar, The continued absence of the cowboys irritat- ed him, but his ravings could not bring them back, nor explain the cause of their remaining away; and so he tried to divest bis mind of all thoughts on the subject and to concentrate it on the work thatlayabead, —_ Much as he hated Ben Stetson, he was thank- ful for the information that individual had given tim. If Stetson had not lied, Philip Sidney was very probably again bebind the walis of Prairie Gibraltar; and if Sidney were there, Old Jos re- solved to rescue bim. _ He purposely made his approach on the outlaw stronghold after nigbtfal! to prevent all chancé of discovery. The sentinels would be more alert and keener of eye than ever, and Old Joe could afford to take no risks. : The prairie was mantled in deepest gloom, as he drew near the place. As on his previous vis- its, be picketed his horse some distance up the valley, and made his way toward the rocky walls on foot. Everything about the massive pile was silent. The unceasing wind whistled through the grass aud waved the tops of the willows and the few stunted trees, Connetty moved with extreme caution, a8 he made his way toward thecorral, He was great- ly surprised when he found it empty. The ab- sence of the borses appeared to indicate that the outlaws had taken their departure, A heavy fear settled on the heart of the old borderman, Where bad they gone? Had they taken Sidney with them? Was the young man yet alive? These were the questions that distressed him. “Tf barm’s come to that boy, Pll bunt Maverick Bill to the eends 0’ the earth!” and be set his teeth hard, as he mae this threat, He felt toward Phil Sidney almost as if the latter were bis own son, He could hardly have loved him more if such had been thecase, They had long been intimate, and there Was something iu Siduey’s character that appealed irresistibly to nim, In this time of trouble be forgot Sidney’s faults and weaknesses—forgot the young _ man’s headstrong heedlessness, and tbe capricious impulses that frequen trolled bim, impulses PI con tl “Maverick B wiah he’d never set eyes on | SRE ROY ! again peering into the gloomy corral make sure he bad not overlooked the horses, | _ He was depending more on ear than on eye in , . this investigation, ‘knowing that if any borses were there, they must surely betray their pre- sence by sounds, _ From the corral Old Lone ‘Hand crawled id sreithily ‘toward the walls of the stronghold it- self, After a long interval, in which his keen Ce ee AAAS poh Mia oe big ith 4. ‘ OOOO EE ee enn mE ion Se hearing was given full play without anything being discovered by it, he climbed over the corral inclosure and moved toward the opening which he knew to be there, He recalled the other opening to which he had been piloted by Irene Romero, but that was at the other side of the stronghold and coald not easily be visited until later. If the present silence was maintained, going to show that the place was vacated, he purposed to make his way into the interior. He well un- derstood the dangers that might attend such an attempt. The silence might not indicate a de- sertion of the place, but rather the fact that his 544 eM aaa bad been discovered and a trap set for im, ‘*T can’t afford to let Maverick set his claws on me, now,” be whispered, as he thought of this, ‘“*If he shouli, somebody’d bev to help me, ’stead 0’ me bein’ able to help the boy,” Jt was this consideration that made him so careful in all bis movements, Nota pebble was suffered to turn beneath his feet; not a rock was allowed to brush against bis clothing; not a stick was permitted to crackle under bis tread. As he neared the opening—which be could not see because of the darkness—he fancied he heard a slightsound. Hecould not tell from whence it came, but it caused him to look about, He beheld a sight that startled him, while at the same time it almost froze the blood iu his veins, There again was the Spook Steed, ¢lid- ing ghost-like up the steep wall of the canyon! He had seen that before, and had there been no more than that, be could have viewed it with comparative equanimity, But, seated on the back of the horse was Philip Sidney, and on Sid- ney’s face was an unmistakable look of fear, oe sunk down, shivering, thrilled through and through with an indefinable apprehension, The horse and its rider had about them an un- real look, The appearance of fear on the young man’s face made Old Joe groan in spirit: He could not believe he saw before him a real borse and a real rider, nor could he account for what be did see. There was an impression on him that the singular vision was a portent of evil. Slowly the horse and horseman slipped up the wallof rock! There was no word from the rider, no sound of footfall from the steed. ‘* It gits me!” the veteran confessed, bis eyes glued to the precipice, ‘I reckon, now, that can’t be Phil’s spirit, 1f I believed in spirits, I’d think ’twas. There’s somethin’ about that fiery hoss that I never could understand, An’ come ‘pears the boy has gone into a sim’lar ine! He scarcely breathed as he gazed atit. Only at that one point was the rocky wall visible, On eitber side lay chasms of darkness, It was as if the shining coat of the Spook Steed had il- luminated the Stygian space about it. Even as Old Joe stared and wondered, the Spectral Steed and stranger rider disappeared— vanishing over the top of the bluff, as he had seen the phantom horse vanish once before; and as the twain were swallowed up in the darkness, the lone spy cried aloud in his agony. CHAPTER XII, IRENE’S APPEAL. | | It was a full minute before Joe recovered, even in a measure, from the shock, Then, be was strangely shaken and nervous, “If that thing comes ag’in, I'll take a shot at it!” he gritted, tremulously drawing out bis revolver. He had shot at the Specter Horse before, as it ascended the rocky wall, and had beheld his bul- let smash against the granite. He could not ex- ect a different result to attend a second effort, Nevertheless, he resolved to fire at it; if it ap- peared again. ‘‘T don’t know what to think of that air,” he dubiously asserted, staring at the place where the vision had faded out, ‘‘It beats my time! An’ to think that Sid wus a-ridin’ uv the thing!” That was what puzzled and distressed him. He began to wish, now, that be had called out to the shadowy rider, though he could not make himself believe he would have received a reply. What he had seen looked like Sid, but surely it was not Sid! “If I thought the boy wus playin’ me a Meas Dd hev a settlement with bim the fu’st me—” The threatening sentence was not finished. The thought recalled him to the fact that he was ek for tbe young ranchman and knew not where to look for bim; and again Old Joe groaned in anguish, ' He started, as a light step sounded beside him, and a light hand was laid on bis shoulder, It will be remembered that he was not far from the opening which led from the corral into the interior of the strongbold, Connetty uttered a startled exclamation and stared upward; and then he saw the dimly out- lined form of Irene Romero, . **Wh-whbat in thunder—” ‘‘ Hush!” she warned, stooping toward him, ‘¢ We must not be heard talking here.” ‘¢' Wh-where did you come frum?” He could not resist the question, ‘From within the fort, of course! Where else should I come from? I knew you were out here, and [ slipped out to warn you to leave, You will go, will you not, before trouble comes to you?” here was something very soothing in her voice and touch. It brought to him an unusual quiet and peace. He leaned back passively, de- siring her to go on, for he liked to listen to the music of her tones. “Tf I could git you to talk to me all the time, { don’t think I’d be in a hurry to go,” was his grave statement, ‘*] don’t think I ought to talk to you long. It might bring peril to both of us,” ‘“You make me think uv my own girl,” he con- tinued, with uncommon tenderness, ‘‘ She that’s been dead an’ gone these many years, I used to love to set an’ listen to her by the hour,” He sighed deeply, as old memories flocked to him. ‘You wil) go, will you not?” she urged. ‘‘ Whur’s Phil Sidney?’ he abruptly question- ed, She drew back as if to evince surprise, “Tsu he was with you. Is he not?” . ‘‘ Tf be wus, d’ye think we’d be bangin’ round this bald hornets’ nest? Not by a jugful! It’s my p’inted opinion tbat he’s inside of this hyer Prairie Gibraltar this blessed minute. That's why I come hyer, an’ [ ain’t a-goin’ to take the back track tell I know somethin’ about him, If you’re anxious to hev me leave these premises, you kin see by that what’ll be the quickest way to git Old Lone Hand on the move.’ She laughed, queerly. ‘* Did you not see him go up there?” she asked pointing toward the cliff. ‘* Follow him and + pe be safe. If you stay bere, you will be illed! Old Joe could not fail to note that this was contradictory of her former statement, re Then, you seen that?” he anxiously demand- — ed, ‘‘Tsaw Phil Sidney, as you call bim, and a shining borse go over that wall, They must be far from here, now. You will be wise to follow them.” : It did not strike Joe as being so very strarge that beshould thus be conversing with this girl at thevery entrance to her father’s stronghold. He was accustomed to strange things, and the girl had showu him her good-will by releasing him from Maverick’s clutches, That was suffi- cient .proof that ber intentions were friendly, whatever he .might think of the oddity of her words. ; *eier ‘‘T ain't a-goin’ on no wild-goose chase after hosts,” he doggedly asserted, ‘That wusn’t hil Sidney, if it did look like bim, I don't know whatit wus, but I know it wusn’t him, An’I hev my doubts about the hoss, A boss couldn’t climb a clift like that!” Again was heard her musical laughter. _ ‘*Some horses might, You haven’t seen all there are in the world,” Ker votce deepened into seriousness, ‘* Will you not go# Let me urge you, for your own sake,” alll ** Not tell I know more about Phil Sidney.” ‘““He is not here,” she averred. ‘‘I don’t know where he is, but he is not here.” - Here was another change of front, ‘You're as fickle as. the wind,” was his dry observation, ‘“‘ One minute ou know all about him, and the next you don’t know nothin’, Pm ’most afeard I can, trust you!” Sie bad now wholly dropped her bantering manover, ’ ‘“T know that you eame here to search for him: and when I saw you out here awbile—” | ‘How did you happen to be lookin’ fer me?” be interru . ‘That does not matter. I saw you bere, and knew the danger you would getin if you re- released you before, but should you be taken now, I might not be able to doit, Father isnot — in a pleasast temper to-vight,” rile ‘Then he is in there?” DOOKS Iran a great risk incoming toyou. I