Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 811 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

, . y aie oo - « ’ . ° F = oa ¢ : : « . . > { ’ Z - ‘ b 4 7 a ly heeding where he went, the youn 4 rs yet — en eater Pere ignorant of his whereabouts, the youth hesitated to advance, and it was with the utmost caution that he moved ahead, His first steps precipi- tated him into a treacherous hole filled with water, from which he extricated himself with difficulty. Undaunted, Headlight Harry again started, but after a few minutes’ blind stumbling among the treacherous bogs, with several narrow es- capes from disaster, he wisely concluded to wait for the light of day ere venturing further into the unknown mazes of the swamp. Reaching a neighboring tree, he ensconced himself upon a Couveaient branch. Under the circumstances slesp was out cf the question, so, chilled to the bone, the youth waited impatient- ly for the dawn of day. After hours that seemed as days to the wea engineer, objects began to grow distinct. tt was a dreary prospect! In every direction, as far as the eye could reach, spread a cheerless expanse of swampy land. waste of foul, slimy waters; low islands densely covered with ares? moss-grown trees; quagmires and bogs, ngerous to the foot and overgrown with rank rass and weeds; aregion dismal, awe-inspiring, t only for the habitation of its natural denizens —owls, bats and hideous reptiles! Headlight Harry shudderingly gazed upon this forbidding waste, through which he must make his way. He was at a loss which way to proceed, but after due deliberation he com- menced the ae journey, shaping a course which he believed would soou bring him to the edge of the swamp. © proceeded slowly and laboriously, leaping from bog to bog; or when the distance was too great to cover by jumping, he pluckily waded or swam the stagnant waters, slime-covered and reeking with misty vapors, over which myriad water-snakes, hideous but harmless, hissingly glided to and fro, Undaunted at the many obstacles confronting him, Headlight Harry kept determinedly on. Luckless youth!. Unconsciously he bad taken the wrong direction, and every step only led him deeper into the weird mazes of the vast swamp. For long, weary hours he pressed hopefully onward, until, though ignorant of the fact, he was fairly in the center of the marsh. Reach- ing an elevation higher and dryer than the others, the youth concluded to snatch a few mo- ments of much-needed rest ere continuing his laborious way. Approaching a group of rocks, he threw him- self upon the nearest, rejoiced to find even so comfortless a resting-place for his exhausted frame. Ominous sounds reached the young man’s ears, and he bounded quickly to his feet again. Tue spot was a veritable den of snakes, scores of which writhed hissingly at his feet, stirred into activity by the sudden and unwelcome in- trusion ! With a yell of horror, Headlight Harry fled madly from the ideous reptiles. Long, power- ful bounds carried him swiftly from the ob- jectionable spot. Suddenly bis flight was checked. As, scarce- engineer crashed into an adjacent thicket, the ground opened beneath his feet, and he fell down, down into utter darkness! CHAPTER IX. IN THE TOILS. HEADLIGHT Harry dropped swiftly through space, bringing up witha jar that nearly drove the breath from his body, Fortunately, he landed upon his feet, escaping serious injury; and after assuring himself that hisanatomy was still entire, the youth hastened to examine the place into which he had been so abruptly pre- cipitated. He found himself at the bottomof a pit or shaft, sunk perpendicularly into the ground toa distance of perhaps twenty feet. The shaft was only a few feet in width, and the top was care- fully covered with a pila of brushwood, through which Headlight Harry had involuntarily made his way. By the light that streamed through this open- ing, the youth could see an object hanging upon the side of the pit, which, on closer inspection, proved to be a narrow ladder, neatly construct- ed of rope. At the foot of the shaft a tunnel led to some unknown point underground, Headlight Harry was greatly astonished at this discovery. The underground passage, the ‘shaft with its cunningly contrived exit, were all doubtless the handicratt of man, He felt that . 4 . e " r The White Phenix. human beings were in the vicinity ; perchance, | as the fiend reached out to sieze him, the adroit the very gang for whom he searched. The young engineer the mouth of the tunnel]. Utter darkness reign- ed, and he had no means of procuring a light. Determined to explore the mysterious passage, the youth advanced courageously. He proceeded with the utmost caution, lest a chance misstep might plunge him into some un- seenabyss. The tunnel was narrow and seemed to ascend gradually. After advancing, as he judged, fully three bundred yards, Headlight Harry was surprised to find that the passage abruptly terminated. On all sides he was confronted by the solid earth. While marveling at this peculiar situation, a happy thought led the engineer to examine the root above his head. His hand touched what were, unmistakably, boards. This, then, was the exit from the tun- nel. By pressing against the boards, he found that they could easily be uplifted. But Headlight Harry now hesitated. Anxious though he was to penetrate the secret of the un- derground passage, yet discretion held him back, To leave the tunnel meant, perhaps, to walk into the very midst of his enemies, and, alone ané unarmed as he was, such @ move was suicidal, After long hesitation, however, the young man’s curiosity mastered his fears. Nerving himself for what might follow, he threw his shoulders against the frail barrier, which in- stantly yielded, Boards and bearskins were hurled one side, and Headlight Harry, popping up through the opening like a jack-in-the-box, uttered a sharp ery of amazement, for he found himself looking into a small apartment, and face to face with his friend, Ralpi Renwood! The surprise was reciprocal, In mute wonder, the yoOude pe pear stared at the familiar figure of his friend, who had risen through the floor asif by magic, still dripping with the waters of the swamp. ‘* Headlight Harry! he managed to utter. ‘* It's the genuine article, old pard; real flesh ‘and blood, you bet,” assured the engineer, rush- ing eagerly to the side of his pinioned friend. ‘‘But I say, old feller, how come you here, hey ?” For Harry was amazed to find Ralph Ren- woud in this place. Nothing bad been seen of the superintendent since his sudden disappear- ance, the very night that Grace was boldly ab- ducted from the Garland mansion, and his whereabouts were clothed in profound mys- Is it you, or your ghost?” tery. Matual explanations were at once in order, Ralph first related his adventures—how, after being brought to the swamp-island, he at last succeeded in escaping with Grace, only to fall againinto the hands of the outlaws, as they were returning from their plundering expeclition, Then Headlight Harry told of the train robbery, and briefly depicted his subsequent adventures, ending with the lucky discovery of the under- ground passage which conducted him to the side of his friends. Ralph Renwood was already aware of the robbery, for, as he explained, he obtained the information from Ruth Sharon, who now shared with Grace the adjacent room. Headlight Harry was gladly welcomed by the trio of disconsolate prisoners. Always light- hearted and cheerful, the presence of the intrepid young fellow inspired his friends with renewed hope. mmediately the two young men planned to leave the island. Although the subterranean passage was available, there was no means of traversing the watery expanse by which they weresurrounded, unlessone of the outlaws’ boats might be obtained. This could only be accom- plished under cover of darkness. Therefore it was decided to wait till night, before attempting the escape. In the mean time Headlight Harry was to retire to the tun- nel, carefully replacing the flooring, while Ralph retained his bonds, in order to divert suspicion, should any of the gang visit the hut. Their plans thus satisfactorily arranged, the engineer bade his friends a cheery ‘* Good-by,” and turnefl to leave the cabin. At that moment the door flew open, and there stood the distorted form of the dread Swamp- Demon. A ferocious snarl escaped the monster’s lips, as he gave a prodigious bound forward, with long arms outstretched to grasp the retreatin engineer, Taken entirely by surprise, Head- light Harry had no time to reach the tunnel, but eered inquisitively into | tween the great bowed legs. chair, his head bowed thet ab ae’ eo oe s youth bent suddenly and darted Jike a flash be- When the baffled negro turned, Harry bad reached the coor, | Dashing pell-mell from the hut, the youth found himself in the very midst of the Swamp Outlaws, who, hearing the disturbance, were hastening to te scene, Headlight Hurry’s only chance was in prompt and fearless action. Like a human thunderbolt he shot among the lhandits, striking out ener- getically with his fists, which were his only weapons, In rapid succession two men went down like ninepins, and, taking advantage of the mo- mentary confusion into which his tempestuous rush threw the enemy, Harry cleared himself of the group and raced madly away. Flitting lightly among the trees, he quickly reached the shore, Three boats were drawn up on the bank. Into one of these perc Harry bounded, Confusion! The oars had been re- moved! The craft was practically useless, No time to reach the other boats, for the out- laws were in hot pursuit, With a defiant shout the engineer leaped into the water and swam desperately away. ha robbers came racing down to the shore. The pale-faced chieftain led the van, and in his hancs he held a long lariat, which he uncoiled asheran. There wasademoniacalsmile wreath- ing the lips of the White Phenix, as be noted the frantic efforts of the swimmer. Pausing on the bank, he coolly measured the distance, and with the utmost confidence made his cast, For years a cowboy, the hand of the’chief had not lostitscunning. The lassosped through the air likea great black snake, and the noose unerr- ingly settled over the head of the receding swimmer, Struggling vainly to throw off the cruel cord that encircled his neck, Headlight Harry was dragged backward through the water by re- morseless hands, and finally landed on the bank, nearly suffocated by the noose, and in an ex-. hausted condition. The outlaws gathered around their prisoner in high glee, ‘**So, my slippery young friend, you are again our guest,” laughed the White Phenix. ‘‘ This time I’ll see that it be don't depart so uncere- moniously. Smart as you are, it’s dollars to doughnuts you’ve cut your last caper, Headlight Harry.” ) , Tne young engineer was securely bound, and placed within the prison hut to join his compane - ions in misery. The prospects were dismal enough, now; and the feelings of the captives once buoyant with hope, were suddenly p unged to the depths of despair! CHAPTER X, THE PHENIX IN MISCHIEF, _ Sucu events as have been depicted in the pre- ceding chapters had served to plunge the good people of Richville into a state of feverish ex- citement nigh bordering on frenzy. First, theabduction of Grace Renwood, coupled with her husbana'ssudden disappearance, arous- ed atic pe indignation and furnished ample food for conjecture; then quickly followed an afterclap, in the form of the Express train wreckage, which resulted in the loss of several lives, to say nothing of the valuable property carried away by the audacious freebooters. These successive outrages were all-sufficient to kindle the wrath of a righteous community. Gilbert Garland, the wealthy railroad mag- nate, promptly offered a reward of $10,000 for the recovery of his daughter and apprehension of her abductor; while this was supplemented by en equally liberal offer,in behalf ofrthe com-- pany, for the capture of those concerned in the train-robbery. Stimulated by such munificent promises strenuous efforts were being made to apprehen the offenders. Parties of armed men scoured the country in all directions, with ill-success, | yet ever hopeful; while among those whom cir- cumstances compelled to remain at home, the recent outrages formed an all-absorbing topic of conversation. It was the night following that of the mem- orable train-robbery, when Gilbert Garland, the . millionaire, sat alone in a cosey corner of his magnificent mansion. This room, bis own vate study, was located in one of the wings, its thing in the luxuriously furnished apartment owner, Here sat the great magnate in his cosey easy- y~ as, f “com » > se he ie na windows looking upona verdantlawn, Every- | pointed to the wealth and refinement of the = etween his hands—a picture of misery and despair, Bereft of + ase chooks.com cb Ss é J SF A . «*% in i ny ‘ } Ge vs ‘ee ” tow . ool