Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 838 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

is ayes # yoke 7 a, + ae a y ‘ e, & J ee + Pe ye é a tA 4 ~4 _ ne - s ge Sg eee — yr ¥ ' = ~ .t— os ~~ sn her Sane st - rT — C= ® al = * ea ~~ +f , _ threat of firing upon the coach. With a sud- ig, Say ae fogs ' *. ‘ . .* 4 ye. a Ya “La ot eh “rede a <a Ate ‘ 7 f : °K u oT y ’ fe ah 4 "-) : be” ad ine oF u knew for a certainty what Sailor Sam and his guard intended to do, Only three men were in sight, but it was probable there were half » dozen more with- in supporting distance; and as those three men had the drup, Hazen did not think Sailor Sam, after what he had lately said, would be apt to offer much resistance. With this in his mind Hazen went sliding down the hillside below the trail, expecting every minute to be followed by a_ shot. When he had reached a rock which was large enough to offer protection he halted, and with drawn revolvers listened to hear what was going on above. It seemed to him his retreat had not been noticed. He had lost a few words, and Sailor Sam was talking, while there was no such haste on either side as there would probably have been had his absence been noted. | ‘‘Hands are up, captain, and while all things are balmy perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad scheme to prepare for a big disappoint- ment. If you are looking for big money this isn’t the place to get it. You can run over the purser’s list and if there’s anything on the waybill you want you’re welcome: but you'll find it a water-haul or I’m a Dutchman,” ‘Don’t you trouble yourself about us. We'll get what we want. But, if any one tries funny business it will be so much the worse for the whole crew. Throw down your weapons there, and then step down yourselves. We want you allin a row.” “Flag of truce a minute, captain. Talk straight, and p’rhaps we can come to terms; but we want to know what the outlook is afore we drop our guns.” “You'll find out without much flagging if you don't get a move on. Cast your eyes up yonder and you will see some Winches- ters that have a mighty handy look, and they’ll be spitting death and destruction if there is any more monkeying. Down with your arms, and we'll 7 you go,sure, when we're done with you.” A glance in the direction indicated told it was only too true that the coach was com- manded from above, and that resistance was a folly under the circumstances. ‘All right. We'll take your word for it, and down they go.” Handling his belt gingerly, Sam dropped it into the trail, and the rest followed suit. , Then, one by one, the guard dropped to the ground, and stood ranged alongside, their hands well elevated above their heads. ‘‘Good enough as far as it goes; but we ‘want the rest. Where's the party inside? If he don’t show up in a minute by the watch we'll just riddle the hearse.”’ Sailor Sam looked back over his shoulder toward the coach, anxiety on his face. He had been so interested with the outlaws in front he had not seen Harker Hazen take his departure, and was afraid the young man was going to attempt resistance just when ‘the men Fo Pay Dirt had got themselves ‘in a shape whence it would be impossible to ‘take a hand in. But Hazen did not show up. By this time he was satisfied he was screened from observation, and it was not likely he would be seen until there was some- thing like a regular search for him. His position was a bad one for offensive or de- fensive operations, though had he chosen to retreat the way was open. He determined to try to improve it. Cautiously but in haste he crept along the hillside, crouching low, and inwardly pray- ing no displaced rock or stone might reveal his presence there. He had decided to gain the road again beyond the obstructions, and ‘then, if hostilities opened, he would be on and. The road-agents did not carry out their aa i. Sl tering *-* : ‘ ‘ Lb > 7) < : + ew A ; : It hl . “a : Puy : J. sn 5, a ee | nie ee eee + wy : . ; nS eo - . . e . . 5 my! Delos ee A . 4 V * co ae , ~ , oan Poker Pete’s Double Dodgre. LP. ee ™* 3 a> ay 9 > a“ yes ‘, Ag eat, Be Wee, ery bith FLD ke eas Pe ose ee gy eh He ee, _—— 4 “ARS 4 | J Bins den growl the leader of them sprung for- ward, poising his revolver so as to be ready to take a snap shot at any one who appeared within the coach, With a dexterous twitch, which showed he understood well the work- ings of the latch, he threw the door open and glared within at the empty space. There was no possible place where a man might be hidden, and the outlaw turned sav- agely on Sailor Sam ‘“Say, you! Where is the tenderfoot? No nonsense, now. He didn’t go with the other hearse, and he ought to be with this one. Talk mighty straight or, down you go.” Sam was more taken aback than the out. law. ‘Shiver my timbers if I know what to say. He was there, and he’s not there now. When the squall struck him he must have gone down with everything standing. If he didn’t, you can’t prove it by me.” ‘If we don’t find him you'll be apt to go down after that fashion yourself. Where- abouts along the road did he drop out?” ‘“Can’t say. Dash my deadlights if I knew he was gone at all. What’s the dif’ in the reckoning? Go on with your work, he won't try to hinder.” ‘* Dry up on that. are after. It’s the tenderfoot we He’s our meat. ‘* Ahoy, up there!” There were some hasty questions and orders, The men above had fortunately been a trifle late in taking their positions, for the coach had made a shade better time than was expected. Nothing had been seen by them of Harker Hazen. When it was too late they looked down the precipice, and two men went back along the trail some distance to search for traces. No one thought of going the other way. Sailor Sam saw the outlaws were posted. If these men had waylaid them for the pur- pose of capturing the tenderfoot there was no doubt they had arranged to have a like attention paid to the other stage. He began to fear for the safety of Ezra Ford and his daughter. There was a stronger guard with them, to be sure; but that only made the danger greater for the two. If afight began who could say who was fated to stop a bullet? Here, anyhow, the agents were having their own way; and a very disgusted way it was. A thorough seagch of the trail and the ground below it showed nothing cf Hazen. Inside of the coach there was nothing to re- ward the outlaws for their labor. But they did not hesitate to lighten the pockets of Sam and his men, nor to take from the rear boot the one trunk which it contained. Then, to the surprise of the men from Pay Dirt, who had expected to be allowed to go on their journey without further molesta- tion, the horses were taken from the vehicle, which was then backed to the edge of the trail, and sent thundering down the preci- ice. Below, there was a crash as the convey- ance struck a bowlder as large as, itself. They could see it lying there hopelessly shattered. *““Now, then, Mister Man, you and the other men of this outfit, right face, forward march! Hands well up! We mean sport and you'll get enough of it.” ‘‘But you said we were to be turned loose,” said one of the men, not forgetting to obey the order, “When we’re done with you, yes. But ao noe done with you, yet, by a blame sight.” t was too late to think of resistance: at least, until the conditions were more favor- able than at present. Off went the proces- sion, the prisoners in advance but so closely followed by the guard there was no danger they would attempt to dart aside. And 7. )4 * = Re ae ® ‘ . ; 7S) x te with the outlaws was the team, also. All seemed to be fish that came into the net. For half a mile, perhaps, the march along the trail was kept up in this order. Then, there was a halt, and a moment of anxious listening, From the rear came the noise of distant firearms. ‘Got him!” exclaimed the man who was in command, ‘“T knew it would etch him; but 1 wish they could bring in the blame galoot alive.” CHAPTER Y, A ROUGH DEAL, Ir was easy enough to guess what had happened. An ambuscade had been left behind while Hork Hazen had lain hidden for some time, in a spot where his presence never would have been suspected. The retiring outlaws and his own friends had passed within a dozen yards of him, but he was lying concealed, and unsuspected, behind a rock. Had he been content to re- main there a trifle longer he might have escaped observation altogether, but after waiting until it seemed to him there could be no danger he crept out, and back, to see more thoroughly what fate had overtaken the stage, He saw the ruins below the trail, but had no chance to investigate. From above came a hail, and he knew that he was discovered. Around he turned like a flash, a revolver in his hand, and without waiting to take aim fired at the spot the sound had come from. There was a cry of pain, followed by a shot in return, and Hazen staggered back- ward, his pistol dropping from his hand. Before he could guess how badly he had been hurt several men came charging down upon him. There was a brief flurry, in which the young man gave a good account of him- self, and by a straight left-handed stroke sent one of the outlaws backward with a force which nearly knocked the breath out of him. His strength was still unimpaired, and there was a chance for escape at that in- stant, but he lost it stooping to regain the revolver which had been shot from his fingers, Before he could regain an upright position he was down, and two men on his back, fighting to bind his hands together. He did his best, but the struggle was of no use, for he was too entirely at a disadvan- tage. His hands once corded together he was helpless. ‘No use, cully,” growled one of the cap- tors. ‘“May ez well give it up. ’Twon’t make not a differbittern’s, in the long run, an’ls save yer a heap ov proddin’ up ez we go erlong. Ther Cap wants yer bad, an’ w’ot he says hez ter go. But ef yer hez killed Brick I dunno ez Jolly ’ll be apt ter wait tell yer gits that fur, Them two war pards, they war.”’ The feliow stood with his revolver con- venient to Hazen’s ear, and from the seowl on his face it looked as though he would not object very strongly to pulling the trigger if some one in authority gave the order. His partner had hurried up the hillside and by this time had haited by a motionles heap, scarcely to be discerned from below since it iay ina littte gully which had been washed out by the fate rains. He bent over and iooked down into the face that was upturned in the evening air. Then he felt over the heart of the fellow, who had caught a bullet by the merest chance. ‘*No use, Tony, Brick are done fur! Got it solid in ther neck, an’s stiff ez a poker a’ready. Sheil we plant him, now, er leave ety v2 ‘ . i = J - _ : / , : : ‘ A 4 _ a nn . y, ( | 5 ‘ =m - ) ) » ye r+ : Ph . a . r ° : NT ibe. ei chaa oie yf MRS Magee oh ater ii Teme © ee