Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 888 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

oe: sat Td 4 \ ates ‘2 “s . 4 : coat: i ‘ é “es ‘ it alte > é 7 IA te 4 ix ‘ a As then Monte went one way, and the kid an- other. I dodged after Monte, to see if 1 couldn’t get a shot at him, but he dodged under cover before I had the chance, and as I could see the fat was in the fire, and conldn’t. hear of any one else being dead or badly wounded, I lit out for the home base,’ ‘‘And how did you come to strike him, after all? If youtrailed him in, you let him have a comfortable time listening before you gave us the office.”’ ‘*All pure, hog luck, I thought I'd see if I couldn’t hear a little of what was going on, so that, maybe, I’d have a chance to run Jimmy. Icameup mighty quiet to where I thought I could hear you buzzing, and dropped on the kid before he knew I was around, He’s notoverly big; but he’s aw- ful nasty. What. you going to do with him ?” “Get rid of him on the spot,” growled the road-agent, his hand dropping to the knife af his belt. ‘‘He’s bad medicine, if he is done up in a small package.” There was no smile on the face of the dashing road-agent now, and the boy be- lieved he meant qety word he said. It looked as though he had a very short lease on life, and so perhaps he would have had but for an interruption that came as a sur- prise, He had not guessed Clark Bruce was in the party, for he now heard his voice the first time. ‘Not much, if you please. I don’t ‘want a corpse lying around here. It’s not likely any one saw me come out, but who knows? If they found him, there are always infernal idiots to put one and one together. Take him along, and when you get him off my stamping-ground, do as you please. Right here I don’t want the thing done, and I won't have it.” ‘Good as wheat,” responded Charley, without showing the least sign of anger at the interruption, ‘* Here, little boy, run along home. You don't know a thing anyhow, and pard, here, willbe glad to see youinthe morning. Let him go, Andy.” “Tf you can stand it, I guess I can, There has been a botch all around, and I don’t see he can make it any worse.” Bruce spoke carelessly, but his hand dropped to his hip, and he watched the boy narrowly. “Perhaps you are right,” said the cap- tain, thoughtfully. ‘‘ Jimmy, l’ll give you one more job, ard see if you can’t do it right. Take him to the den, and have him there when I come in,” ‘‘ Aloive or did?” asked Jimmy, anxious- Me Alive for choice, but it makes little dif- ference.” Jimmy took posscssion of his prisoner and turned away. He knew that his carefully laid scheme had been a failure and he want- ed to hear nothing more about it, Had he lingered a little he might have heard the particulars of the conversation which Andy had managed to listen to, though it did not seem of much importance save for the fact that Monte Saul had made an appointment for the next day at the Break of Day Mine, with the boy. ‘‘That’s business, at last!” exclaimed the captain, Tf you say so, Clark, we'll lay for him, and down him somewhere along the road. I was sort of saving the gang up for the grand coup, but a man more or less won’t make much difference to Dead Latch, and if he gets away with the whole of us that will be the end of it.” “Thanks, but I prefer not. It all depends on how he goes to the Break of Day. If he cuts across the country, and crosses the Rog at the ford, I'll be ready for him my- : | : : Lng oh) : ay to ne . . ' Oey er on { “i re os pe tk ; om , “* ,! ie shy iy i s Ye if "4 . 7 B : ‘r r e* f e 4) a, » 7 -~ TPP er OA BER VER WI A Sg hays 0d Beet PUA, ge Vt een Vrgh WRI bo ae US a ee eae eS ere Monte Saul, the Sport. CHAPTER XI. THE WORK OF AN ASSASSIN. CLARK Bruce had rapidly run the matter over in his mind, and come to'’a quick con- clusion. From what Monte Saul had said it seemed as though he did not care to pass through Dead Latch on his way to the mine, and though that might be a mistaken idea, yet Bruce saw how he could take advantage of it if it was correct. To go direct from Honey Dew to the mine by way of the ford would save several miles, and for a man on foot the trail would be about as easy as the one leading through Dead Latch, There was one place where, to take the shortest cut, the way would lead up from the river by a narrow path along the face of the bluff, but for a man who looked a little to his footing it offered little of danger. He said nothing further of the plan which had darted into his head, but continued: ‘*Let Monte alone unless I set you on him again. I began the racket, and Vl finish it up Where l want you is with the old man; and this time there will be no failure. I'll double the wages and be on the ground my- self, to show how the thing ought to be done. Winor lose in the game for Monte’s life, the time will soon be here to strike,” And as, an hour later, Clark Bruce turned away from that midnight conference’ he shrugged his shoulders, muttering to him- self: ‘‘ There’s a heap sight of gratitude in Hold Up Charley. I saved his life once and he’s willing to take half.a dozen to make up for it—provided I throw in a proper consider- ation for boot. He’s not a half bad man to have for a friend; but I’d hate awfully to have him on my trail as an enemy.” Bruce had made no mistake about the probable intentions of Monte Saul. For the present, the sport did not care to be seen in Dead Latch, and the way by the ford to his mine was the shorter course. When he left Honey Dew he'followed the trail for the mill, which branched off from the one to the town, and swung along at a lively pace, There was a mark on his shoul- der, und over that a patch, but he was none the worse for either, The revolyers with which Diamond Dave had supplied him were convenient to his hands, and he had no fears that his progress would be interfered with. When he reached the river he halted for a moment, and looked toward the cottage of Angus Ames, and the mill in the distance, What were they thinking about there? How much did they know of the danger he believed was threatening them? His gaze was wistful, but he shook his head, and murmured somewhat bitterly: ‘*Now, now. A man who bears the name of Monte Saul would hardly be received with a welcome by straight-laced Angus Ames, evenif he came with a warning on his lips that was worth the hearing. Some other day, perhaps. Yet I wonder if he really suspects. I might have told more of the truth in that letter—and only made mat- ters worse.” He drew himself up, turned his face, to- ward the river, and slowly made his way across the ford, Right there the water ran over and be- tween rocks which, by daylight, gave him a footing, and save for a little moisture on his high boots he could hardly tell that he had been in the water, His course now led along the bank of the river, and it took him altogether closer to the cottage and the mill than he cared to go, but he was screened somewhat by the tim- ber, and near the dam he turned a little and struck into the path which took him up the timber-lined bluff, toward the Break of | Day. ee tone te Ronee o aey ele “od ames Dah ; ‘ ~ sd a bs > a 7 ” vy « oh 4” oS « o's e* i! . an 7%}, Mey ny . +a + 1L It was narrow, and fairly clung to the edge of the steep incline, winding its way upward over a “ledge that cropped out bare- ly enough to furnish a good foothold. There: was little danger, yet one wanted to guard his footsteps somewhat, since a stumble would most likely mean a fall to the level of the river, with either broken bones or a cold bath at the bottom. As he began the ascent Monte glanced up- ward, The way seemed clear, and he hardly re- membered that the path wound in and out of sight, as ié went upward, Twenty feet or more above the level of the stream he paused and looked over to- ward the mill and the cottage. The mill was quiet and deserted. Men were back in the timber, cutting logs, but. they were too far away for him to hear the: strokes of their axes. So far as he could. see, nO One was in range Of Vision. ‘* All the better,” he thought, and then— as he turned an angle of the rocky wall a. club came swooping down on his head with. a force there was no resisting. Monte did not even stagger. He threw up his hands with an instinctive: motion of defense, but at the same time went pitching downward from the path. As Clark Bruce bent over the ledge there: was a splash; and as he looked a little longer the body arose to the surface, and he uttered: & Savage curse ashe saw that Monte Saul was paddling after a mechanical fashion, with just enough life in him to keep him- self afloat as he slowly drifted down the stream. ‘* Brought him ther fu’st clatter!” chuck- led a voice immediately behind him, and its. owner crept out from the niche where he and several other men were crouching. For answer Clark Bruce pointed at the > + “body in the river, ‘*Curse him, will nothing kill him?” he ground out. ‘*'The clip would have sent you or I over the range, and he goes swimming away as. though nothing had happened,” ‘* Ef he don’t put on more steam, he won't swim very fur,” replied the other. ‘* He’s gittin’ ther force ov ther current. now,an’ afore he knows arything he'll take: ther shoot over\ ther dam, By that time thar won’t be much ov him left ter bury, Reckon yer rid ov him now,” ‘‘ There will be enough for Dead Latch to: recognize Monte Saul, and it’s ten to one the body will float right along down to the town and then lodge on the bank to rise up in judgment against us. Quick! We must, hesd it off, drag it out, and bury it some- where. It would be too risky to bring it. back and sink it in the dam with a stone to it. Follow me!” He darted down the narrow path; and yet. paused once, as he caught a view of the river, and the body with upraised hands, trembling on the breast of the dam. It was a sight to haunt one’s dreams, and yet his. ie thought was that it was fortunate the mill was deserted, and the man away. Deserted the mill was, yet the spot was. not so secure from observation as he had deemed, | It happened that Angus Ames and bis danghter were abroad as Monte Saul was. making his way up the bluff. Though they did not recognize him, they saw his figure and aimlessly followed it with their eyes, : When he reached the angle in the path they saw him throw up his hands and pitch back- ward into the river. ‘‘ Heavens! There must have been some: one lurking there. He fell like one who had received a blow.” alt Had Angus Ames looked upward then he = would have seen the crouching form of Clark ¥ TT Bruce, but his gaze wason, the form that seemed scarcely to\have strength to struggle: bs 4 o 2 Hid t A wl " R - books.com CO 4 BY | | with the water, + |) ae *%