Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 838 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 With a great leap a man bounded to the spot and struck out twice, left and right. The young man was Harker Hazen, who had just succeeded in slipping his bonds. So far, little attention had been paid to him, save to see that he was, as the outlaw supposed, securely fastened. The neglect, however, did not make him fee] any the more sec ure. He was sure his ‘time would come, and that he had little to shope for if he remained a prisoner until “Captain Kill took leisure to attend to him He did not waste his strength in frantic efforts, or attract attention to himself by un- guarded movements, but very coolly and quietly continued his efforts) The result was, just at the critical moment for Clean Grit he slipped the cords from hands and feet, and was ready for flight. Had he so chosen Hazen could have stood a good chance to escape, for the outlaws had their attention directed toward the scene at the fire. Fortunately forthe boy hustler the at- tention of Hazen had been drawn in the same direction, and it was the sight of what was going on there that hastened his move- ments. He did not stop to consider, but the moment he was loose struck straight j in to the rescue, all unweaponed as he was, Without a word he snatched from the belt of the outlaw a knife, and slipped it through the cords on the boy with careful strokes. He knew escape was the only thing which could save Clean Grit, and for the instant forgot his own danger. ‘Up and away!’ he shouted as he caught the lad by the shoulder and swung him to his feet. Still retaining his hold, Harker would have turned to flee, but C lean Grit held him back long enought to snatch at the revolver in the belt of the already rising outlaw. Flourishing the pistol 1 in his hand the boy hustler broke away, and together the two started in a wild flight down the gorge. Under the circumstances it could be little else than an excited flurry; and ‘unless luck aided them it would be strange if both made their escape, Luck was against them, too, Three men appeared in front, with extend- ed hands. Clean Grit expected a shot and was not waiting for it to come. ** Out of the way!” he shouted, throwing up his own hand, and as he saw no shrinking in the men who barred his way he nS, trigger. Only a click followed. He was about to hurl the apparently use- less weapon at the outlaw nearest when second thought caused him to change his mind. ‘To the bush, pard, it’s our only chance!” With the hasty exclamation he leaped to one side, and almost immediately vanished. Harker Hazen would have been willing enough to follow suit, but there was only the one line of retreat which Clean Grit had followed, and already one of the outlaws had sprung forward toward the spot where the boy had disappeared. ‘‘ If I have to die it will be while trying to make my teeth meet,” gritted Hazen, and he bounded at the single outlaw with a swift- ness that threw the others out. His only weapon was the knife which he had snatched from the road-agent a few minutes before, so that he had to come to close terms if he wished to do harm, The fellow in front of him had eyes for nothing but Little Clean Grit. He had seen the pistol of the boy, and sus- pected that when the trigger was pulled sheng more than a simple snap would fol- Ow He was slackening his pace,’and peering around to get a glimpse of the fugitive when the knife landed between his shoulders, Had not Hazen struck a second too soon the blow Poker Pete’s Double Dodge. ‘ é 1 “ ; Pre would have been instant death. As it was, Hazen felt the blade bite deeply, and had hopes that that one bad man was out of the combat, Perhaps he was, but he did all the damage that could be asked of him. Down to the ground he went like a flash, and over him sprawled Harker, who was too close to turn. Then, the knife was kick- ed out of his hands, and the young man found himself again a prisoner, while one of his captors was none other than the man known as Jolly, and who had already shown such savage hate because of the killing of his pard, Brick. It was almost the last moment for Hazen. Over him stood Jolly, his revolver poised, and the few muttered words he spoke show- ed clearly enough what it was he intended doing. ‘‘ Easy with that, Jolly, or let me get out of the way before the job’s done. The old man laid down the law to us about him, and I reckon it still goes, The outlaw with Jolly spoke promptly, and acted more promptly still, for, as he began his caution, he tossed up the muzzle of the weapon by a careless blow, and then stood watching with equal closeness the two. The lesson was not altogether lost. Jolly held his fire, and growled; * All right, ou. Keep on the trail of the wolf-cub and I'll take this in to camp. The gang are coming and the boss won’t want to see you fooling time,’ Away darted the fellow, paying no atten- tion to the wounded man. The knife had slashed the latter badly, but he was in no danger of his life. Captain Kill was not with the crowd that came up, and there was a cheer at sight of the retaken prisoner stepping out toward the camp in front of the muzzle of Jolly’s re- volver, Ata word from the captor they made no halt, but darted on after Little Clean Grit, while he strode back with the prisoner, his finger on the trigger, and evidently itching to give the pull which would end Harker Hazen's career forever. Captain Kill had not joined in the pursuit, but was standing moodily by the fire, not far from the spot where he had staggered to his feet. Hazen had hit him the hardest of all, and it took some moments for him to fully recover. ‘“Ah, you have him, then? As wellif you had ended him then and there. I had wanted to save him for another purpose, but the son of Satan won't let me do it. It’s expensive, too, unless you do your own work. The last man I had swung off priv itely [ paid a cool hundred for.’ ‘‘T’ll take this job at half the money,” torted Jolly quickly. ‘Tie him up hand and foot again, and this time see there’s no mistake about it, Vl take your offer into consideration, Jolly, but I’m afraid you wouldn’t do the subject jus- tice. It’s a thrust and a shot with you, and it’s over. Ill want it done a little slower, so it will tell. You can watch him, though, and if there is a chance of his getting away, send him sky-high.” ‘‘And there will be fifty in that, besides getting even for my poor pard, Brick *” ‘* That’s the size of it,” said Kill, shortly, as he strode away from the spot, leaving Jolly alone with the prisoner, whom they had bound securely and flung back into the wagon. Jolly glared at the young man viciously. ‘Curse you!” he exclaimed, shaking his fist at the brave young fellow. ‘7 just got back from burying my old pard. I swore then Id have it out with you, and what the Cap has said lets me out on it. In one way or another 1’ll send you to glory before the day is over.” Hazen said nothing. The outlaw meant ok q \ Pi . ' Ty tA ' : on. - . MIL AL ‘;Y lead es j iy. : \ rh Saks Jb ere to Su ae, - ‘OGe (a ~ Tu Mit Hi ‘ h what he said, and he knew it. The closer he kept his lips, the less likely he was to goad Jolly into proceeding to immediate ex- ecution. But Jolly needed no goading. All that made him hesitate was an uncer- tainty as to the exact meaning of the cap- tain. ‘‘Curse him! he said sky-high. Did he mean it? Where be wants him to go is gen- erally supposed to be in the other direction. Pll try it, and run the risk. I think he is getting away now. From the wagon the scoundrel took out the keg, and removed the plug in one end. From his pocket he drew a piece of fuse which he fixed in the hole, and placed the keg under the wagon. Then he lighted a match, and touched it caref ully to the end of the fuse, and the road-bandit smiled like a fiend as he watched the lighted fuse, CHAPTER XI. AT BAY. CLEAN Grit had been deprived of his wea- pons when made prisoner, and the revolver he had snatched from the belt of the road- agent was by an unlucky fatality unload- ed. Had it been otherwise, it is more than likely he would have done a deal of work: with it before he would have become sepa- rated from the man who had risked so much in coming to his aid. He had no idea, however, of entirely de- serting Hazen when he sprung away, even though he knew Helen’s lover was not fol- lowing him, He remembered that when he was cap- tured he had a number of cartridges loose in his pocket, and was pretty sure they had not all been removed. If he could Rr © mo- ment or two to himself he might recharge the weapon and be ready for successful re- sistance, while, men in front of him, there could only be one ending. He would ‘be again a prisoner, After disappearing from view he had a few seconds to himself, and he made the most of them, Fortunately, the lay of the land was in his favor, and he was cool enough to take ad vantage of it, Before him stretched a natural path, which one in headlong haste, and desirous of get- ting away from the dangerous locality as soon as possible, would be likely to follow. Clean Grit did nothing of the kind. He turned sharply to the right, and ran back toward the outlaw camp, keeping just within the cover until he was sure he had thrown pursuit off the scent. Then, he halted for a breathing spell, and to search his pockets. There was an expression of disgust, and something more, on his face as hed scovered his pockets had been turned inside out as it were, and that it was only by chance a single cartr idge had escaped the search. For a miracle it fitted the revolver in his hand, and he had at least one life to command, By this time Jolly was escorting Harker Hazen toward the camp, and the young hus- tler, puzzled as to his best course, stole si- lently along within easy pistol range, and waiting for an opportunity, He might have shot the outlaw down at any time, but that would have called attention to the spot; and he was not sure how many men remained in the camp. Asa result, he followed on, and was a witness of the interview between J olly and the chief, and afterward watched the pro- — ceedings of the road agent with breathless interest. divined his intentions, ‘‘Good heavens!” muttered the boy as he “ “ ‘ saw the match applied to the fuse. ‘It’s too late now to shoot Jolly and make — a dive for Harker. Before I could reach him — he would goto kingdom never-come- again. And if I snuff the fuse my last sh te i 00! Es a ' ; : é iy . | : =. ost ce yo) cae OR if he hesitated with these ° It was only at the last moment he ei a! ‘a “i ; ne “ih ks.com ¢