Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 886 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

ge 2 ‘Old Disaster, the Border Nomad. Ea rif ee _ ——— Pu 2 = - — —— « > ~ “ . *¢ ? : $ at a> ——— er a ae _t e - 2 eee — _ - — - ~ : m5 Fim 2 <9 fe ll. - ©)» == > — 1‘ ‘toward them five mounted warriors, and in their midst a captive. . The last was a white maiden! The moment Sherman’s eyes rested upon the red-skins’ captive he became excited. As they approached his excitement increased. By main force Cobb dragged the younger man back so that there would be no danger of his be- ing seen by the Indians. As he did so Sherman gasped: ‘*God in heaven} I believe that is Amy, my Jost darling!” i CHAPTER XIV. REUNITED LOVERS. ‘*To kiver!” hissed Eben Stone. Thick bushes were near at hand and into those ‘Stone glided. ‘* Never!” gasped Sherman, endeavoring to break from Jabez Cobb’s detaining grasp. ‘‘I will save her or die in—” ‘¢'You’ll never save her this way!” growled the big miner, in a low tone. But Sherman seemed deaf to reason, The ex- eitement of the unlooked-for discovery had robbed him of his usual cool judgment. ‘¢ Let go!” he commanded, hoarsely, ‘‘ let go, man! te want torun from a few savages, go! Jshall rescue that girl!” ‘*Yewon’t do northin’ o’ ther kine!” retorted ‘Cobb, looking the excited young man fairly in the eye. ‘“‘Ilf you w’u’d save. her, listen ter veason, Thar hain’t no show ter resky her Dy jumpin’ out an’ lettin’ ther reds drap ye. Kf we git ter kiver byer we can lay low an’ drap two or three o’ ther varmints when they cum erlong.” Sherman hesitated. ‘‘ No time ter lose,” breathed Cobb. ‘‘ Don’t be er fool! V’ll gree thet we'll save her ef ye act sensible. Toller Stone.” The young man’s better judgment—or rather, Jabez Cobb’s better judgment—prevailed over ‘the thoughtless impulse of a hot-head, and quickly he followed Stone into the bushes, Soon all three of the men were crouching just beyond amass of branches which would conceal them from the eyes of the Indians, Both Stone and Cobb possessed Winchester rifles, carrying sixteen cartridges in the maga- zine. Sherman was armed only with the revol- ver which Stone had placed in his band as he ‘was about to leave the burning cabin the night before. ‘¢ Are ye er dead shot?” asked Cobb, Sherman shook his head, and it was evident that in his present excited condition he could not shootanyway. ° ‘‘Then don’t ye use thet weppin,’” warned the big miner, ‘‘They’ll be pritsy nigh, an’ ye might spot ther gal. Stone an’ I will’tend ter therInjuns. Youkeepcoolan’laylow, They’ll think er reg’lar cyclone hes struck ’em,” ‘¢ Hush up!” admonished Stone. In silence the three awaited the appearance of the unsuspecting red-skins, Soon the steady tramp of horses’feet could be heard, and the rifles in the hands of Stone and Cobb stole to their owners’ shoulders, | A moment later the Indians came in view. Three were in advance and the captive rode ‘between the two which brought up the rear, ‘‘Take ther leader,” whispered Stone. ‘Til drap ther one ter ther right o’ ther gal,” wRirect,” . ‘‘Reddy then; one, two, three!” At the final word both rifles sounded like the report of one. The Indian near the girl plunged headlong to the ground; the other uttered a shriek, threw up his arms and fell upon the neck of his horse: then the frightened animal went galloping up the ravine, POarens a lifeless en. With incredible rapidity Stone worked his rifle, and a second shot followed his first, This time he dropped the other savage on the further side of the girl. Cobb was not far behind, but in the excitement of the moment, he only inflicted a harmless flesh-wound. Like a flash the two remaining Indians disappeared behind their horses and the animals dasued away up theravine. Stone sent ‘a shot after them which brought down a horse, and Cobb redeemed himself by dropping the ‘ruoning red-skin. Ere this Sherman had left the cover of the ‘bushes, and was fortunate in securing a hold upon the bridle of the horse ridden by the | est hour of m She could say no more, and when Sherman drew forth a pocket-knife and cut the cords which bound her upon ths horse’s back she fainted in his arms. Stone was careful that the horse did not es- cape, and Cobb turned his attention to Sherman and the maiden. The young man was covering the beautiful face of the unconscious girl with kisses, while he moaned: ** Dead, dead, my darling! You have hit her with those accursed bullets! Doad, dead!” ** Shucks!” drawled the matter-of-fact Jabez Cobb. ‘‘She hain’t dead nomore’n Ibe. Ther gal's fainted.” The big miner soon succeeded in convincing Sherman that the girl had indeed swooned, Crouching, the young man held her head in his lap whiie Cobb produced a flask of liquor. his Sherman seized and poured a few drops between the unconscious girl’s lips. Then he began chafing her wrists, and in a moment or two she uttered a faint, fluttering sigh, her eyes unclosed, and she looked straight into the blue orbs of her lover. _.” She knew him, and a look of unutterable joy transformed her face. : ‘* Ethan!” she softly breathed. He bowed bis head until his lips were hers as he answered: ‘* My darling!” For several moments they were silent, gazing into each other’s eyes, down into their very souls. They saw nothing but true love, undying devotion, j ‘* Oh, my loved one!—my beart’s treasure!” he murmured, ‘‘I can hardly realize that this great joy is mine! It seems that I must be dreaming. I have often seen you in my dreams, but truly this is no hallucination. I hold you in my arms—close to my heart! We will never part again!” And She replied: ‘* Never, Ethan!” He knew then that she had never been untrue tohim. Whatever had happened was beyond her power to control,and by no word or hint should she know that he had ever doubted her for an instant. ‘*T thought you dead,” he said, still gazing upon the strange beauty of that pale face, ‘* At times I have felt certain that you were, and have been ready and willing to lie down and die myself, I have sought danger, courted it; but sometbing has preserved me for this the happi- whole life,” ** And I—1 have thought—” She faltered. How could she tell what she had thought during the long, dreary weeks that she had received no word from him? How could she tell of her heartache and doubt? No, no! She could not! He saw the strange look on her face, and, with quick intuition, interpreted it aright. His own experience told him what she had thought, and although for an instant it gave him a heart-pain, yet he was ready to check na arenas which might cause her an unpleasant ‘*Tt is all right now,” he smiled. ‘‘Sunshine comes after shadow, little one. We have found the blessed sunshine at last, thank Heaven!” **But I didn’t know—perhaps you were dead,” ** And at times I thought ow must be. They told me that you were with the train destroyed in the Red Canyon massacre.” ‘¢ And so we were.” . ** Yet you escaped.” ‘* Yes, father and I, I know not how it came about, for I had been struck senseless during the wild, horrible excitement, When [ recoy- ered I was with him. He had been wounded close to ‘on the head, and was weak from loss of blood, but in some way he had saved himself and me from the slaughter. He must have carried me in his arms veryfar. The blow on the head had affected him strangely, and at times he is delirious,” ‘*Then he still lives?” ‘Yes; since then we have been living in a great cave not far from here. Nothing would induce father to leave these parts until he wreaks revenge on the man who led the wagon- train into the trap—Marshal Baylor.” ‘ ‘¢ Marshal Bayior!” cried Ethan, remember- ing what he had heard concerning his sweet- heart’s wealtby suitor, OE _— CO ern OC eee eee es eee would hands. ‘* Where is this man now?” ‘*He is chief of a band of desperate men who, father says, are searching for a fabled cavern of gold, There is a passage that runs from the cave which we occupy to a place where we can look down into the cavern where they are. An old passage of the cave which they occupy has caved in, and they are blast- ing through, hoping by following the closed passage to reach the fabled Gold Cave.” ‘*And you and your father have lived within a cavern ever since the Red Canyon massacre?” ‘Yes, Father has been away twice for a week atatime, [| think he must have gone to some camp, as he returned with clothing and provisicns.” At that moment Stcne announced that they must be moving. The horse was ready for Amy, and Sherman lifted her tenderly and placed her upon the animal’s back, ; A ay nate are we going?” the young man asked, ‘* Back with me, surely,” said the girl; ‘‘ back to the cave. You will be safe there,” ‘‘ Waal, we mus’ git somew’ares durned sud- dint,” drawled Cobb, ‘‘ One o’ them measly red dogs got erway, an’ we'll hev er passel o’ ther varmints onter our trail afore shortly,” They decided to return the girl to her cavern home and at once set out, resolved to delay no longer in reaching a place of safety. As they moved along Amy told them how she was cap- tured by two warriors while only a short dis- tance from the secret: entrance to the under- ground passage, 4 They hastened onward until the sun was high in the heavens. Finally they entered Dismal Gorge, and when they reached the spot where the path ran down the steep bank, Sherman recognized the place. Hetold the girl how he had heard the voice in song, and she acknowl- edged that she had heard him call her name, but had been too frightened to respond. The miners were delighted to learn that the cavern was located so near the spot where their cabin had stood. While Cobb sought a place to conceal the horse, the others waited by the entrance to the great cave, Cobb finally returned, and one by one they disappeared into the passage, the girl closing the secret door which her father had constructed, CHAPTER XV, JACKWOOD TAKES A HAND, JACKWOOD was amazed when he discovered that the mysterious boy of the scarlet sash had vanished. He looked around in every direction, half-expecting to discover him a short distance away, but no such sight rewarded his gaze, A look of bitter disappointment shadowed the young miner’s face, ‘‘Gone!” he muttered. ‘‘ He has left me,” He ncticed tae disappointment apparent in his own voice and laughed shortly, ‘‘ Why should I care?” heasked himself, ‘* He was nothing but a stranger boy: yet I do care. I like hisface. There is something bewildering- ly attractive about it that I cannot fathom. ButIam more than half-angry'at the way he has deserted me,” He still gazed backward longingly, faintly hoping that Scarlet Sash would appear. ‘There is something unfathomable about the lad’s face—something nameless. Were he a girl, 1 might know what to think; but now I hardly fancy that I am in love with an unknown pay the penalty should he fall into their boy.” ‘ ackwood laughed. Surely the idea was quite ridiculous, ‘¢What shallI do? I have a desire to turn back and try to find the boy, but I fancy that is not the best move to make. Perhaps I hed bet- ter capture the horse. Then I will turn back, and possibly I may find little Scarlet Sasb.” Slowly he approached the feeding horse. The animal lifted its head with a sudden snort and regarded him steadily. — ‘¢T shall have trouble in catching the beast,” thougbt Jackwood. But the feat was even more difficult than he thought. When be had approached a little nearer, endeavoring to attract the white horse with softly-spoken words, the animal wheeled swiftly and went galloping away. Jackwood uttered an exclamation of dis- 14 | maiden, In another instant he had the animal ‘‘-Yes—a vile creature who deluded my fa- | appointment and anger. | under control. ther into believing that he was a fine gentle- ‘‘Coniound the beast!” he cried. ‘‘ Dll bet | * Amy!” he almost shrieked, as he gazed into | man. Baylor was in league with the red-skins, | he’ll lead me 4 chase. fe | the white face of the rescued girl. ‘‘ Jt is, thank | and father says be is a fugitive from justice, And lead him a chase the white horse did. hepesod!” Through some treachery to his red allies, he | Whenever he would approach within two or |. “Ethan!” gasped the girl, has since been outlawed by them, and his life | three rods of the feeding animal, it would dash ae mo = vt Tt | | eyvat | | EP OM ET 2 EN Se BEER thee Speci: SEL le bes aa Shit Uns Oy COMIC DO S.cOomM