Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 794 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

a ag " 5 ce x «ee ,uig fully. thing unusual. in the bushes.” its crest being strewn wit all possibility of release or escape from eir position. They could only remain there, like trussed-up fowls, and discuss the situation in mournful tones, ‘* Wal, pard, I reckon our goose is cooked this time, sure pop,” said Rufe Ruffle, dole- ‘These durned rascals have had the bad Iuck for us to nip our little scheme in the bud, an’ I'll allow we're pretty small pertaters at the present time. Je-rusalem! How the loots did pile down onter us! I’m sore rom head to foot from the maulin’ I got.” ‘Ay, Rufe, our present situation could scarcely be worse,” admitted Headlight Harry, in whose grave countenance could be seen nothing of its customary cheerfulness, ‘I’m free to admit that my brilliant scheme for outwitting the enemy ha8 proved a most dismal failure. Confound the luck! -It’s exasperating to be nabbed so neatly at the last minute, when triumph seemed almost assured,” ‘‘T reckon that cuss, Black Jerry, isn’t so big a fool as he looks. It seems that he sas- pected the truth, after all, an’ his pretended departure was but a clever ruse to draw as from oxr hole. An’ we, like a pair o’ darn- fool idiots, walked straight into the trap that was set for us!” ‘‘Tam mystified, Rufe, to know what the scoundrels intend to do with us, now that we are wholiy in their power. Ihad expect- ed we would be shot down in cold blood, but the fact that we have been brought to this out of-the-way spot would seem to indiGite that Kirby has some particular object in view.” ‘‘I s’pose he thinks an ordinary death is too good for us,” muttered the fireman grimly,” so he’s 08 stowed us away here in safe keepin’ until bis master mind kin con- jure up some infernal torture that ’ll be better suited to the enormity of our offense. Meantime, we're at liberty to make our wills, say our prayers, an’ cuss the evil hour when we ventured like a pair o’ born fools inter this nest o’ human vultures, all for a show at a dead man’s treasure.” ‘‘No punishment can be too severe for that fiend, King Kirby, to inflict upon his victims, I’m afraid,” was Headlight Harry’s response, ‘‘ We need expect no merty from a villain who would deliberately place an innocent man upon the track as he did, to be crushed and mangled by the first pass- ing train. Alas! the miner’s treasure seems destined to be our Jonah. I’m afraid we shall never live to finger those precious nuggets.” ‘“Cuss the precious nuggets! Satan fly away with the hull durned bizness! All I ask, now, is freedom. I'd give five years 0’ my life to be perched at this very minnit in the cab of old Number Nine.” ‘‘ And I,” hissed the engineer, as he glared fiercely at the distant guards, ‘‘ weuld give a half interest in my prospective fortune for one blessed minute of liberty, with a good re- volverin my hand, I’d break up yon poker game so Tee Hello! What's the matter with you ?” For Rufe Ruffle,had suddenly given a violent start, and was now staring straight ahead with an expression upon his face that betokened some interesting discovery. | ‘Hist, pard!” he whispered, cautiously. ‘* Jest cast your eagle eye along the cliff be- hind the guards, an”tell me if ye see any- | I'll swear pe some object movin’ with the caution of a panther there ly . / The spot in question was a ledge which precipitously to a copetderable height, small bowlders and densely fringed with bushes, It tow ered directly behind the group of card- players, who sat upon the ground ,at its very base, bee As the captive railroaders continued to 5 watch the top of the cliff, they were sud- ee ————eeeeeeEeEeEeeeEeEeEeeeE—eeEeEeEEeEE———EEEEE—EeE———E—————————s Eee “CCC ROOD OS Oe LE Headlight Harry’s Hunt. through the bushes, and waved warningly toward them! An instant later the mys- terious hand was followed by its owner, and, to the utter amazement of the Rail- road Pards, the squat, ungainly shape of the Spider was revealed! Onlv for an instant did the dwarf expose himself to view, meanwhile making what were doubtless intended as encouraging ges- tures to his friends below; then, shaking his fist threateningly at the gamblers, he vanished as abruptly as he had appeared. What a thrill of exultation swept through the breast of the amazed young treasure- seekers, aS they witnessed this unexpected scene! Dark despair yielded at once to re- newed hope and courage, at the welcome discovery that a friend was near at hand, seeking to accomplish their rescue! “The dwarf hasn’t gone back on us, after all,” whispered Headlight Harry. ‘‘ He’s right on deck an’ ready for biz! ti won't be long before we hear from him, you may depend on it.” With joyously-beating hearts, the Rail- road Pards eagerly watched and waited for the materialization of the Spider, while the six ruffians serenely continued their game, blissfully ignorant of the interesting tableau that had just been enacted. Meantime, the dwarf was at work after his own peculiar fashion, seeking the libera- tion of the strangers to whom he had become sO Laine altached, True to his promise, the Spider had kept a watchful eye upon the gambler’s hirelings from the very moment that he parted from the Railroad Pards at the ‘ hotel,” after warning them of theirdanger. He had been anear but unseen witness to the exciting scrimmage that resulted in the capture of the escaping men, and had overheard Black Jerry give his men directions to conduct their prisoners to a certain spot in the moun- tains. ‘No sooner had the six chosen ruf- fians departed with their bound and there- fore helpless captives, than the resolute hunchback was also on the way to the same rendezypus. He did not follow the party, being perfectly familiar with the location of the spot indicated, out struck boldly out in a trail over the kills, It was daybreak when he reached the noijtering, he was enabled to locate the exact position of the ruffians and their prisoners. From his commanding position at the top of the cliff, he peered down into the little glen which had been chosen for the camp. The Spider’s first move was to attract the attention of the captives and apprise them of his presence; and how successfully he ac- complished this purpose, without exciling the suspicions of the guards, we have seen. This done, however, a far more difficult problem presented itself to the would-be res- cuer. How was he to achieve the proposed rescue, Single-handed, with the odds six to one ugainst him? True, he could shoot down one man— perhaps two—from the very spot where he stood, before the gang could realize what had happened; but this would still leave so strong a force to cope with that his own death or Capture must be the inevitable re- sult of the effort. This conviction dawned upon the hunch- back as he crouched in the leafly covert, glaring like a hunted wolf upon the group of card-players below, and nervously finger- ing his revolver as though unable to further resist the impulse to send a bullet flying into their midst; but, great as was the temptation to this vengeful child of the wilderness, the prudence of calm reason curbed his mad de- sire for blood. _ Having abandoned the idea, of attacking the entire gang, single-handed, the dwarf, far from being discouraged, resorted at once to strategy to accomplish his purpose, It designated locality, and, after some recon- | ho PEs Ae ROR, “yr ys e4ti ne ; and set them at liberty, if possible, thus de- creasing the odds three-fold, and increas- ing in equal proportions the chances for success in the subsequent fight with the guards. To accomplish this feat it would be neces- sary to make a wide detour, passing entirely around the glen, and approaching it again from the opposite side. It was a movement fraught with peril, and success was by no means assured, but the in- trepid Spider did not hesitate to make the attempt. He immediately backed away from the cliff, and moved through the wocds with stealthy, cat-like tread, But the would-be rescuer’s plan was doomed to sudden interruption, for he had proceeded scarcely two hundred yards when he made a most surprising discovery. There, not twenty feet away and directly in his path, he beheld the slender, boyish a stranger, who was seated carelessly on a bowlder, his elbows on his knees and _ his head between his hands, the picture of one who was lost in contemplation. His back was turned to the dwarf, and he sat ap- parently oblivious of the latter's stealthy approach, An evil grin distorted the’ Spider’s face, and his hand sought a pistol-butt as he moved stealthily toward the unsuspecting strancer. ‘* Han’s up, mister!” The dwarf’s harsh warning grated upon the ears of the unknown, who instantly leaped to his feet and confronted the in- truder, A-low cry of amazement escaped his lips as he bebeld the impish being who stood there, grinning ghoulisbly, with a re- volver leveled at bis head; but. his hand- some face evinced no trace of fear, nor was there the slightest tremor in his voice as he replied: ‘* All right, partner! You've got the drop, I see; so there’s no use kickin’, What’s your little game, anyway? If it’s plunder you're after, 1 opine you’ve tackled the wrong | chicken. However, you’re welcome to what little I possess,” The youth had promptly elevated his hands in obedience to the hunchback’s command, and now he nonchalantly resumed his seat on the bowlder. As for the Spider, he continued to stare at the unknown with an expression of ingen surprise and curiosity upon his ugly ace. ‘*See hyar, young feller,” he exclaimed, at length; ‘‘I reckon you ve mistook my pur- pose. It hain’t plander I’m after, not by a durn sight, but jest a leetle straight informa- tion,’ , ‘‘Indeed! It’s truly a relief to know that my valuables are safe,” laughed the youth. ‘‘ But, what sort of information are you seekin’ at the pistol’s point, my friend? Let me advise you in advance that [’m no walk- in’ intelligence bureau,” ‘‘Ye kin answer w’ot I waater know, I reckon,” growled the hunchback, in response. ‘‘Now, look a-hyar, youre a stranger in these parts, I opine. ho are ‘be anyway ? an’ w’ot are ye doin’ hyar? That’s w’ot I wanter know, d’ye see!” ‘‘In answer let me tell you, then, that I | am a white man, free born and partly civil- ized; an’ as to what I’m doin’ here, I reekon that’s none o’ your confounded bizness, Now, how does the information suit you?” ‘Ho, ho, ho! You're a sassy young cuss, blame my ugly hide if ye ha’n’t,” chuckled the Spider. ‘‘ Now, see hyar: thar’s no need o’ gittin’ ver back up, jest because ye’r’ asked acivil question. Keep yer information if e wanter; I reckon [ don’t need it, any- ow, since I’ve got yer pedigree down purty fine, a’ready,” ' “Indeed!” * Oh, yes; I’m. onter gure of ye, young feller! 4 “4 >? hE <2 : ‘ \* +A *% \ i ' a4 + ye FP ie we ’ ‘ 7) , : You’re the very identical galoot who beat off a ee denly electrified to see a human hand thrust | was his object now to reach the two captives | the road-agents two nights ago, while comin tn a an Lr \ 0 ee ‘e ’ f . ‘ 4 * oS ° a pY i ' rs , | ag ee ge pee dah: fons } » " } ides A4 a a mi J rie AT od a ain oa pe ik zp cae 4 . phy; Wb. Tn nf ee ASL See . vy Ne rye A Oa ay ~ n m | 5d es Lona Fee | a DC D