Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 840 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

» me @ Mato at ere Ma, A -# i ¥ oF a * we is oa = *, fe ; s + Fete Testa ot ot a wT : a 2 —-,* oy ie a mee ae oztee a: 2 s a, A * * ox * ~ ane iy Ot agit! = hen mF r - p= §, yn i .) ———_: - a4 - ‘ . - i ak ~~ “ : of ee Bee Paes hk ——s . ~ A “4 - Doh pee J arene ~ ? ‘bys .. 2, “Mae a * 7 : * me the danger, or Mr. Cooper who has pro- ‘vided the pleasure for me, Ill have to be candid and thank you both. However, I do not anticipate any danger, Mr. Hartz.” ‘“‘There its always danger where Captain Crusher is concerned, Miss St. James, and had I power to do so I would forbid your going there to-morrow.” CHAPTER VII. SOME SNAP-SHOTS TAKEN. On the following morning the little party set out upon their excursion. The happiest man of all, if appearances counted, was Mayor Gibson, though if it had been voted, Cooper would have contested the honors with him. They were. all mounted, and Miss St. James and the other woman of the party rode side by side, Patsy O’Glory coming just behind them, the other members being in advance. | Nothing of interest took place on the way; and their conversation can well be omitted. It was past noon when they reached their destination. Their horses had been left further down |! edly. the trail, and they had accomplished the last stage of the journey on foot. ‘“ What a small place!” Miss St. James ex- claimed, as she came out upon the narrow shoulder of rock with the others, and she hugged close to the wall as if afraid of fall- ing off. ‘‘Ts it not as 1 described it to you?” Cooper asked. ‘Yes, yes, it is just as you described it. You are quite an artist in words, Mr. Cooper— No, I must take that back; I find a flaw in*your picture.” “* Where?” ‘There; on the tree; you said it was a revolver, but it is dagger instead, I see.” ‘‘The deuce!—your pardon.” ; «Why, it was revolver, for I saw it my- self,’’ declared the mayor. ‘* So did I,” yet another attested. tain Crusher has no doubt seen fit to change ‘it > _ And it has been done since the last time I was here, too,” Cooper averred. ‘‘ Well, dagger or revolver, the meaning is the same, no doubt. Now, Miss St. James, for your pictures,” The lady carried a photographic outfit, and she removed it from the strap by which it was suspended from her shoulder and ad- justed it. ® Her first picture was of the tree that cross- ed the gorge, after which she snapped several others in succession, finally declaring herself satisfied and returning the instrument to its place. ‘‘ And now for the pleasure of hearing the warning voice of Captain Crusher,” Cooper suggested. : “No, no,” the young woman quickly ob- _ jected, ‘‘you must not take any risk on my account, sir; I will not allow it.” ‘‘ But, that is half the value ofthe visit,” the man urged, ‘‘I will step upon the tree and go out far enough to be seen, and the warning will come and | will make haste to get back again to cover.” ‘* But, is there not danger that there will bea bullet first and the warniug after?” ‘“‘T think not; that has not been the ex- perience of others.” - “T- should like to hear the warning, of course, but I do not like to have you assume the risk. Let me try it myself.” ‘* No, no—” e< By | dhe powers, no!” cried , Patsy O’Glory, sternly. ‘““Av ye do dhat same, miss, it will have to be over dhe dead body av Patsy O’Glory, now moind Oi’m telling The youn g@ woman laughed merrily. “Very well, Patsy,” she said, ‘‘it shall ‘ Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Clutch. os “Cap- | echoed with the report of a rifle. i nae OO rere - - * ‘ > ¢ \ : , * he) é E , ele “SS Ta es ‘ 6 ‘ar. +. 7 ta Th i.’ uae X€ i, eee Ye aA See yl be as you say. Suppose yow oblige us by walking out there and securing the dagger.” ‘* By all dhe powers and Brian Boru, Oi wouldn’t set me wan fut on dhat same tree fur all dhe gold in dhe whole Wild West, and don’t ye furget it. Oiam no fool, aven av Oi am not as bright as some.” , The whole party laughed heartily, all but Patsy himself, who seemed deadly in earn- est. ‘‘ No, we cannot think of allowing you to take any such risk, Miss St. James,’’ Cooper assured, ‘‘but you shall not be denied the pleasure of hearing the warning, if the ras- cal is on guard.” With a wave of the hand, at that, to brush away all further objections, the man sprun up upon the butt of the tree and advance slowly out upon it, The two women stood with clasped hands and apparently with bated breath as well. ‘*T should account the danger of falling great enough, without anything else,” Miss St. James remarked. ‘* Yes, indeed,” said her companion, Cooper was advancing with a better show- ing of boldness than ne would have exhibited had there been no one to look on, undoubt- In the presence of ladies, especially, he had to make a pretense of bravery whether he possessed the genuine article or not. He had taken but a few steps over the chasm when a voice rung out: ‘*Stop! Advance at your peril! Cross the death-line, and death will be your por- tion, swift and sure! The death-line is the dagger before you. Heed the warning of eae Crusher and live; disregard it, and you die.” ‘* Goodness!” was Miss St. James’s woman- ly exclamation. ‘‘Do hasten back again, Mr. Cooper!” ‘‘Yes, for I have no desire to stand and argue the matter,” the man answered, with a light laugh, as he turned. The next instant the whistle of a bullet was heard, accompanied with a sharp clip / and a second later the gorge echoed and re- Cooper, as white asa ghost, almost lost his balance, but recovered, and in the next second leaped to the rock, where he sunk down upon the ground for the moment com- pletely unnerve The women had screamed, and the faces of the men blanched. ‘ ‘‘Begorra, phwat was Oi afther telling yez?” cried Patsy O'’Glory. ‘ Dhat was a close call, Oi’m t’inking,” ‘‘T should say it was,” said Cooper him- self, removing his hat. ‘‘ A couple of inches nearer and my Dame would have been Dennis. Just look there,” He thrust his little finger through a bullet- hole in the brim of his hat, not more than an inch from his head) ‘Tt was a shot to kill, no doubt about that,” declared the mayor. ‘* No question about it,” Cooper agreed. He replaced his hat, having in a measure recovered from the shock, and got up from his undignified position. ‘*See what you risked,” chided Miss St. James. ‘‘I told you not to undertake it, but you would not heed me. I am thank- ful the bullet missed, for had you been kill- ed—” ‘What if [had been killed?” as she hesi- tated there. _ ‘fT should ever have blamed myself for it, sir.” ‘‘Nonsense! But, it missed, and a miss is as gocd asa mile, you know, You will not catch me venturing out there again, however, I assure you.” ‘* No, one wouid think not. But, tell me,” the young women added, ‘‘why does the outlaw guard this pass across the gorge so carefully? I cannot imagine, for it certain] is not his own highway to and from his hid- ing-place.” ¢ r lp fh é % - : ; é . | ‘Ff on he hs ‘. wit . | YP 4 i — wv» = : : 4 J @ } ‘ | i Z | Sa a x ee ks Ot a Aden ue Aa 72 ‘Ha! how do you know that?” demanded the mayor quickly. ‘Tt is easily read, sir; the tree is not worn by travel.” ‘* You reason well, miss.” ‘Tt must be because it leads direct to his place, I suppose,” explained . Cooper. ‘“Maybe another passage, somewhere, is equally well guarded.” ‘Yes, [suppose you must be right. Well, Tam ready to return, if the rest of you are. Iam thoroughly satisfied, and I have some- thing to write about this time with a ven. geance.”’ * And I guess we are all willing to go,” answered the mayor. ‘But, a moment,” the young woman de- tnined them. ‘‘ Could you tell me whence that shot came, men?” ’ ‘*Tt was down in the chasm,” ‘said Cooper promptly. ‘‘I was where I could hear the report before the echoes began to resound. It seemed half-way down in the dismal hole.” ‘“Then before I go I shall try some snap- shots in that direction.” The young woman said it as coolly as though snap-shots were an every-day pastime with her. ‘*Good heavens!” cried Cooper. ‘‘ How will you do it? You can see down into the narrow gorge only from the tree, and we certainly will not allow you to go out there!” ‘‘Can I not lean over the edge here?” . ‘‘No, no!” cried the mayor. ‘* Your firing would invite a bullet, and you might come off less—’ : Her merry laughter interrupted him. ‘¢ You misunderstand me,” she declared. ‘‘T mean simply snap-shots with my camera, not with firearms.” They had to laugh, one and all. “Well, that might be done,” Cooper agreed. ‘‘ Still, had you not better forego the idea than take the risk? It might invite a bullet, you know.” ‘Be hivvins, dhere is no use y’ure talkin’ against it, sor,’ here spoke up Patsy O’Glory. ‘‘ Whin ye see dhat glitter in dhe off eye av me mistress, dhat’s dhe toime sabe m’anes business.” ‘‘Patsy, you have too much tongue,” the young woman chided. ‘‘ Yes, I mean to secure a few such pictures, while Iam here,” she firmly added, ) | She unslung her instrument once more, and stepped boldly to the edge, | Her timidity, as first shown, had been overcome, There was little of fear in her movements now. Lying down upon her side, she cautiousl pe out her arm over the edge of the.shoul- er of rock, and in her hand was a small, round mirror, Into this she looked, steadily, moving it this way and that, and it was a matter of curiosity to those who lookedon. Who, but this gifted young woman, would have thought of such a thing? No bullet from below could reach her, and et she had full command of the depths be- ow. True, her arm not a vital part. Satisfied, presently, she drew back the Ni exposed, but that was glass, and with both hands held her camera over the edge and made several snaps in suc- cession, at different. angles, after which she drew back and rose to her feef. The men of the party had been standing ready to grab her, at the slightest indica- tion of her slipping, and the imayor and Cooper had exchanged a glance that might mean much or little. It had not been lost to the keen eyes of Patsy O’Glory, for he noted everything that was going on around him at all times. The party set out upon their return, the young lady promising to show her pictures permanent on as soon as she had made them the plates. : 4 . a. % : ' . , “ks bs , " . = >> % . ; be o 4 a, ‘ : a? ¥.. 7% a 9