Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 838 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

Petts oP, Cums Sate — * -*, _ * ao ‘tens rar oe ee Se {So <a " —— vik iT * a f e 4 _ a Ne “te Gn - the spot, following a course he had mapped ete’s hasty description of out from Poker the lay of the land. Fortunately, as it seemed, the nature of the ground changed somewhat, and before he had gone far he deflected from the course he had been pursuing enough to throw any one who had been following off of his track. He had a tramp of some miles before him, for he was aiming to strike the mouth of the gorge in which Captain Kill had located his camp. Nothing was heard of the outlaws in his | rear, and eventually he reached a spot which seemed expressly created for his occupancy. Certainly, the Killers would never think of looking for him there, and there was little danger of his being discovered by chance alone. 7 He lay hidden for some hours. There was nothing to be seen or heard of a living soul, and it began to look as though the gorge had been evacuated. At one time he almost thought of giving up his watch. But, call it guess-work or presentiment, he had an idea he was to learn something here as to the fate of Helen, and decided he would not leave the spot, though sorely tempted to | explore the ground, and see if by any chance the outlaws had moved theircamp. When he became thoroughly nervous, and almost | convinced his watch was a piece of folly, three men came out of the gorge, and moved leisurely away. They had some particular point in view, | for they were never at a loss, and after they had proceeded far enough to make it safe, Hazen struck into their trail. He could stand the inaction no longer, and though neither of the men was Captain Kill it was barely possible they might help him locate the camp of the Red Owls. They were evidently on a mission of some kind, and young Hazen could think of noth- ing but Ezra Ford’s daughter. It was no light task to follow, just far enough away to escape detection, and not so far away as to be left behind. Had not the lay of the land beenin his favor he would not have been as successful as he was. From time to time he dodged under cover | and remained motionless while they passed some point from which their chance of see- ing him was better than common. After each of these halts he had a run to recover the lost ground. He had forgotten altogether that there wasa possibility of there being some one on his own trail, and exposed him- self recklessly from the rear. Yet, danger did not overtake him from that direction, As he darted into one of these covers his - feet tripped over something, he did not at once know what, and he fell at full length to the ground. The fall wasa hard one, but there was more to follow. Something dropped on him, nearly squelching the breath out of his body, and before he could make an effort a rough hand was slipped /over his mouth, while a low voice grated into his éar: ** Not a whisper! be a noise it’ll be that they’re a hearin’ bark. It’ll be all ther same ter me, an’ a heap-sight w'uss fur you.” An outcry could not save him, and resist- ance was impossible, so Hazen lay still. Un- less the chances were altogether against him he did not intend to tamely submit, yet, un- til he knew better into whose hands he had fallen, he was willing to make the best of a bad predicament. | For some moments he lay there, the knee of his captor grinding into his back, though the hand was withdrawn from over his mouth. When the men he had been following had abundant time to get out of sight the knee was withdrawn, and the same harsh voice, at a somewhat louder pitch, rasped out: ‘*Now, cully, git yerself up in shape. Thar’s a gun borin’ in- ter ther back ov yer neck, an’ ef ther hez ter Poker Pete’s Double Dodge. | Jest cross them hands behind yer back, an’ | don’t try ter monkey with yer boss er there’ll be dead meat fur breakfast.” The cold steel was still against his neck, land Hazen thonght it best to obey orders. | As his wrists met a cord was skillfully ' knotted around them. Then, a cloth was fastened over his eyes, and he was told to | get up. ‘‘[’m goin’ ter try ter take yer inter camp, young man, an’ it may be roughon you, but ' you better make a goov it. Idon't want ter slaughter, but it looks ez though that’s what Pu _ it’ll come to ef you don’t git a move on. steer, an’ you walk mighty straight.” sxuided by the hand of the fellow, who- ‘ever he might be, Harker Hazen attempted | to move off. CHAPTER XIV. { AGAIN UNMASKED, ‘‘Drpn’r see any of the rest of the boys lying around loose, did you?” asked Little ' Clean Grit, as he moved away from the spot | where they left Harker Hazen. ‘‘Tf I picked up any of the rights of the | thing, they must have been left somewhere | about where we struck Sailor Sam.” | ‘* Didn’t see ary thing ov ’em, an’ it’s fu’st ' time I knowed thet it war Sam ez brung you inter ther trouble. Ef yer wants ter i hev me do full jestice ez a pard, yer better ' give me all ther p’ints. What war Sam | doin’ round thar, anyhow?” asked Pete, ‘* You can’t prove it by me. Kill wanted to have that same question answered, and _ wouldn’t believe me when I said I didn’t | know any more about Sam’s business than ihe did. Wanted to burn the secret out of ime. Would have wound up with a regular | barbecue if it hadn’t been for Hazen.” ‘*Oh, come, now. Kill ain’t a nat’ral born | fool, an’ he wouldn’t hev so sot on it ef thar | warn’t s’uthin’ ter set him a-goin’. You kin |open up ter me, Pay Dirt knows Poker Pete, an’ Il say it ain’t afeared ter trust | him.” ‘‘ Neither am I, Peter; but the fact is, I’ve néthing to say. I suspect Sam tried to tell me something about the treasure and the coach, but I didn’t eatch onto it if he did The Killers came a little too soon.” | ‘*That’s jest ther idear. W’ot did he say? P’raps I kin make a tail outenit ef you kin gi’mme ther head,” ‘No head nor tail, no hide nor hoof, can I give you. I’m a dry well, as far as that goes. I’m more interested in finding the trail of the boys and doing something for : Miss Helen, It’s a tough contract; but I'll | carry it through or something will drop,” They had been going at a stready but rapid gait, keeping side by side since they started, but at this moment, through an al- | most imperceptible slackening of speed, the broucho ridden by Poker Pete dropped a | trifle behind in its position, The movement excited no suspicion in the ; mind of the boy hustler, but as he spoke he | i _glanced over his shoulder, and so caught a : change in the gambler’s countenance which | was never intended for his eyes, and he saw Pete’s hand drop to his revolver. In that glance there was a whole revela- tion, and witha quick movement Clean Grit flung himself forward and to one side, at the same time that the man spoke. ‘‘Ourse you! you know me now, do you? | I thought you could give me the pointer, ———— but if fire nor friend can draw it, there’s nothing left you to live for. Die!” His pistol was rising, but the savage hate in the disguised Captain Kill’s tones, told why he had lingered a trifle too long on his aim. He did not see the revolver Clean Grit had drawn from his boot as he flung himself forward, nor the muzzle of it as it came up under the neck of the perfectly-trained He thrust back the hammer of his own weapon, and at that moment Clean broncho, Grit’s little gun spoke. — ee Se eee eae enn nnn en EEE EES eee see oo eee 13 The horse of the well-disguised outlaw swerved, wheeled, and then darted along the almost imperceptible trail by which it had come. Now, however, the positions were re- versed. Captain Kill was lying with his arms clasped around the neck of his broncho, while Clean Grit sat upright, the smoking weapon in his hand, ready for a second shot. He wheeled his own horse, and followed in eager pursuit, yet on the lookout for treach- ery or surprise. Kill had already a fair start, and the boy hustler was too wise to risk throwing away ammunition on such an uncertain mark. It, was too precious for that. | Besides, though he had taken the shot without aim, be believed the man was badly wounded, and expected to see his arms loosen, and a nerveless body drop to the ground. “After that,” thought the boy, as he dashed along, ‘‘I’M believe ’most any thing. To think Pay Dirt never dropped to the fraud, and that he could ring all th changes on it. If there had been a meetin,- house and a court-room there I'd not be sure: he hadn’t been playing judge and gospel sharp as well till I got my eyes on them all together. There is one thing scandalously certain, though. He has the best mount,” So it seemed to be, for the other broncho, though unassisted by its rider, was forging ahead, and it began to look as though over- taking the outlaw was something chance would have to do with, if done it was. There was a strong probability of run- ning against some of the men at any mo- ment, and if Clean Grit fell into their hands. now he would be a fool if he did not know what to expect, At length, hesaw a motion in the frame of the clinging man, and gradually he rose to an erect position in the saddle, shaking his. head as though trying to throw off his be- wilderment. A few strides more and the outlaw was himself again. He felt of his head, and dashed aside the blood from the spot where the bullet had creased him. As yet he bad not checked the flight of his broncho, but he glanced back over his ‘shoulder to see if he was being followed. In that hasty look he saw nothing of Clean Grit, for upon noting Kill was recovering his wits the boy had drawn aside his horse, and hastily taken to cover, Though it would be risky work attempting to*sdog the steps of the captain from on horseback, yet there was a chance of success and the boy hustler in- tended to try it. Probably Kill thought the boy had been only too glad to be relieved of his presence, for he seemed to take it for granted, after the one look, that he had not been followed. He stared around him, seemed to recognize landmarks he was in search of, and finally, moderated his speed. Clean Grit was at some distance yet, and now proceeded more cautiously than ever, When Captain Kill halted he was fortunately well concealed, yet could see what was going on in the distance, A man came out of the mesquites, and pointing downward at the land which lay below spoke for & moment in what was apparently from his actions a low tone. Whatever he said the’captain appeared to be well-pleased. He nodded to the man, drew from his pocket a white handkerchief, looked at it reflectively, and then, with a word and a nod to his companion, once more moved forward, but more cautiously than ever, ‘“There’s something in the wind, but if I want to see what it is Pl have to go mighty slow,” thought the boy. ‘‘When men begin to get up out of the ground there's no telling how soon they will come a-shooting. Go slow, lyoung man, and you'll get there all the sooner. If I didn’t | = * bas + $4. "x." yal ‘4 = * + tll gl — > . Pa +. ote