Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 820 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

; ’ * 4 a “ Be EO Nobby Nat, the Tenderfoot Detective. ‘toni 4 NE Ee SRE SRE Pe et al hae ee ee re ee ts te el oe es Pee VY ee oe ee ee ee eee ee a et LOR. Ses his daughter an’ git holt o’ some property. The man he killed hed found out he wuz a villain, an’ wuz goin’ ter fire him. It’s derned queer how much he looked like you!” ’ The captive’s face had paled strangely, and he growled: ‘What do I care about that, old fool! Don't talk to me of your stage villains!” ‘“‘T reckon you don’t like ther com- parison,” grinned Billy Bedam, running his fingers through bis shaggy whiskers, ‘‘ Some- how, I got a noshun you hev bin doin’ some- thin’ that makes ye feel guilty. I hope you hain’t bin killin’ nobody fer ter git ther gal an’ money?” ‘Curse you!” “That’s wicked—awful wicked! Seems to me I heerd a story ’bout Graham Grant, ‘‘ What was he up to?” asked the girl. | have possessed the nerve to be abroad on the ‘He was going to rob me,” replied Hus- | lonely prairie at that time of the night, but tler Hal} ‘‘ but your appearance prevented his accomplishing his purpose. He did not get a thing of mine.” This for all of the fact that the vagrant | had carried off the watch marked ‘‘G, B. | 1 99 ‘‘How did he happen to have you in such a& position?” ‘Took me by surprise—roped me, like I was a steer.” ‘You were following him?” ‘-Yes.” sé Why?” ‘‘T thought him crooked, and I meant to find out.” ‘Well, you succeeded.” ‘ ‘*T should say so!” | Gertrude Grant was not built of common material. The moment she reached the crest of the swell, she discovered something unusual had occurred at the ranch, for lights were flitting here and there. Even as she looked, a bright glare sprung up at one of the upper | windows. FrReE! She knew in an instant the ranch was threatened, and, with her heart in her mouth, she plied the whip and went thundering down toward the house. Something told her her enemies had been at work. “If so, they are dastards!” she muttered, moistening her dry lips with her tongue. - sna) 4s 5 te ete => a MS FD A et ia ee j owner 0’ ther Cross Bar, being killed. I They caught a glimpse of the rider of the | ‘‘ Nobody but the most miserable cowards t don’t s’pose you know ary derned thing o’ | white horse far ahead. He was looking back | would resort to such a means of warfare rb thet?’ to see if he was pursued, and in the most { against a girl!” ) t ‘Who are you, old man?” saucy manner imaginable he waved his tat- ) As she approached the house, she saw ¢ \ ‘'Me? Oh, I’m only jest Billy Bedam, I’m | tered hat at them. with relief that the fire was not gaining g a worthless ole rip.” Hustler Hal’s horse was a fine animal, but | headway. In truth, it was being subdued, "t ‘You are not what you seem.” it was forced to strain every nerve to keep up Then a sudden cry broke from her lips. Ds ‘Think so?” with Git Thar Gert’s noble black. They The flames were in Ivy’s room! t ‘*T know it.” were making great “time,” still they did not ;} Again Midnight felt the cruel whip, wield- ( ‘‘Mebbe you're right, an’ then ag’in, meb- | seem to be overhauling the deceptive old | ed with all the strength of his fair mistress’s y be not. I reckon you wuz follerin’ me ter | rascal on the white steed. arm. find out ’bout this yere p’int. It’s dangerous The pace proved too much for the cow- In a few moments the ranch was reached, f chasin’ Ole Billy, fer he has a way o’ bob- | boy’s animal, and he finally began to show | and, flinging the magnificent black on his q bin’ up serenely. I reckon I'd better look | signs of lagging. Then they came from the | haunches, the girl leaped to the ground, t through your clothes an’ see w’at I kin; ravine and saw old Billy Bedam further ‘What has happened?’ she demanded, find.” - away than ever, catching a cowboy by the arm. . ‘‘ How did Se y ‘*Do so, if you dare!” Richards might have uttered some un- | this fire start?” | e, S The vagrant laughed. printable words if his companion had not ‘Looks like it was sot, miss,” was the re- | ‘* Can’t’skeer me thet way,” he asserted, “You are making yourself a highway robber!” ‘‘ All right; I don’t keer.” Despite Hustler Hal’s furious threats, the old man sat on his chest and searched his pockets thoroughly, examining everything brought to light, At length, he discovered a handsome gold watch in a hidden pocket. On the inner side of the watch case was a monogram, the lettering being ‘‘ G. B, G.” Old Billy whistled softly as he looked the watch over. | “Il ‘low G. B. G. stan’s fer Graham B. Grant,” he observed. ‘‘ I wonder how you kem ter hev this ticker?” The cowboy was sullen and silent. ‘‘Lost yer tongue, eh?’ went on the vagrant. ‘‘ You may /ev ter talk right soon. Did you ever know a fellow called Colt Harvey?” The foreman of Cross: Bar Ranch turned very white. been Git Thar Gert. madly. The Girl Rancher was cool. ‘It’s no use, Richards,” she said; ‘‘ your horse is no match for that old fellow’s white nag, and you cannot keep pace with Mid- night, so you may as well turn back.”’ “And you?” “Tam going to John Killbuck’s. Thereis to be a meeting of nesters there this evening. I can still keep on my way by following this mysterious man.”’ | The foreman could sce that was the only course for him to pursue; so, with some parting words of caution, he halted, allow- ing Gert to continue the pursuit. ‘May Satan catch that old imp!” grated Hal. ‘ Whoishe? andwhatishe? Hanged if [am not beginning to fear him! Why, what does he know of Colt Harvey? And what does he know of that other affair? I would give five hundred dollars for that watch!” As it was, he raved ly. ‘ Set—and in Ivy’s room! Where is my sister?” ‘*T hain’t seen her, miss!” Up the stairs dashed Gertie Grant. The fire was quite out when she reached the chamber above, and Richards, with one or two others, were contemplating the ruin it. had wrought. Gert caught the foreman by the arm, “ Where is Ivy ?” ‘‘ Haven’t seen her,” he replied. ‘* Then search for her!’ screamed the Girl Rancher. ‘' Seatter—search! Find her!”, . They did search, but they did not find the missing one. ‘‘ Merciful Heaven!” cried Git Thar Gert. ‘Ts this a blow from my enemies?” CHAPTER XII. A NIGHT FLIGHT. No one saw the dark figure that crept down on Cross Bar Ranch an hour before “4 2 “Colt Harvey?” he repeated, ‘‘ No, I ‘Will Gert be able to overtake him? If | Git Thar Gert’s return. ey -y. never knew a man by that name.” she does, it would be like her to march him ‘If those infernal dogs do not scent me, I Just then the rattle of iron hoofs came to | back to Cross Bar at the mouth of her revol- | am all right,’’ muttered the prowler. their ears, and Old Billy started to his feet, | ver. That is the handsomest and nerviest Everything seemed silent about the ranch. Pie « being in time to see a black horse come into | girl I ever saw. Every day that passes sees | From one of the upper windows shone a | -{ View, bearing a.rider on its back, me growing more and more madly in love | faint light. age The rider was Git Thar Gert. with her. She shal/ be mine! I swear it, ‘“ That’s Ivy's room,” observed the man. PE ka f ‘ll see you later, mister,” grinned the | now!” | ‘* Ha! ha! Ivy, my fair young bride! The 4 vagrant, as he ‘suddenly hastened to his| He sat there until pursued and pursuer | girl is still madly in love with me, If H)) horse and climbed into the saddle. ‘‘Good-| were but specks against the horizon, and | everything works right, I will lure her ae A rt, day!” then he turned his horse’s head toward Cross | away to night, while Gert is absent.” | “a1 @ Away went the white horse and its queer | Bar Ranch. Somehow, both the voice and the figure | 5 _ Master, The Girl Rancher had resolved Old Billy | were like those of Nathan Kirk, — | ve should not escape her. She did not believe Beneath the window from which glowed FP thy See CHAPTER XI. there was a horse in the entire country equal | the light ran up’ a trellised frame for the ] | VANISHED. Git Tar Gert leaped from her horse &s she reached Hustler Hal’s side. ‘* What’s the meaning of this?” she cried. ‘*It means that old devil is a ruffian!” re- lied the foreman, entirely forgetting his ialect. ‘‘Cut me free—quick /” The Girl Rancher lost no time in doing so. Leaping to his feet, Richard gave a peculiar whistle that brought his horse trotting to his to her Midnight, and she was confident of | support of some vines. The prowler paused _ finally overhauling the rider of the white there and examined the! framework. _ a, animal. ‘“Tt’s risky, but 1 am going totry it,” he But never was there a greater deception | muttered. eA hy : than that miserable-appearing old white| Then he ventured his weight upon the nag. Although Midnight did his best, he | trellis, was unable to gain a foot on the animal; in It supported him. : fact, Gert was forced to confess the white | Slowly and surely he climbed toward the horse was wideniiig the distance. lighted window. The framework cracked f At last, she gave up the chase, for it was , beneath him and threatened to go down, but. A —, ~ a 7 * ° us ~ ee ee eee ___ a side, beginning to take her somewhat out of her . it still stood. | fe: “Come on!” he exclaimed. ‘‘ Let’s run | way. : | | In a few moments he had reached the win- nal the old whelp down! He can’t escape us!” The succeeding night proved to be some- | dow. To his disappointment, a gauzy cur- ABS: - ad In another moment they were away after | what overcast, and it was at a late hour : tain hid the interior of the room, the light a het Old Billy, who had disappeared down the | when the girl reached a swell overlooking | being burning near the curtain. — ° | > ‘ravine. | Cross Bar Ranch, Not many girls coud | Cautiously he tried the window, and he nS 4 my Bios OS