Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 888 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

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A number of hours had elapsed since he set out to search for Monte and in that time much evil might have beén worked, He hardly knew what he expected to find as he crossed the ford and made his way toward the house. So far, he heard no suspicious sounds, and’ all was dark when he came near the building. He began to think he was in time, and to wonder how he could best arouse Angus Ames without making too much outcry. He came up silently, and there was John, seated on the steps, fast asleep, with his double- barreled shot-gun over his arm, | The moonlight shone directly in his face, and he made no very charming picture, for his back was humped up against the wall, his chin was hanging down, his mouth was wide open, and he was snoring like a steam calliope with the nightmare. Harry had a spice of mischief in him, that would show itself at times no matter what the risk. ) The man had to be wakened up before anything could be done toward cautioning the inmates, and the boy took his own way doing it. He picked up a small pebble, and cast it into the open mouth, at the same time crouching quickly down at the edge of the porch. / John awoke with a yell, and without wait- ing to see what was the matter raised his gun and fired both barrels in the air, Then he executed a rapid retreat into the house, slamming the door behind him as a window . opened, and the voice of Angus Ames was heard, exclaiming: ‘“ What is it, John? Who is there?” ‘‘Tt’s all right, Mister Ames, it’s jest me. I found Monte, an’ he sent me back ter tell yer ther news, Gita hus’sel on an’ let me in, fur I reckon thar gin’t much time ter cut ter waste.” Ames recognized the voice in a moment, and did not delay. Before John had re- covered his wits the door was open and [Harry was in. He came quickly too, and pushed the door shut behind him, ‘“What is it?” asked Ames, as the boy stood silent, and in an attitude of listening. ‘‘ Ef [ hold on a minnit I reckon I kin save my breath. Hold Up Charley an’ his gang are a-comin’ ter make a scoop, an’ frum what I heared along ther trail frum ther ford I should jedge they war almost nytt now.” ‘* They would never dare attack the house!” exclaimed Ames, only half convinced the lad was in earnest, ‘‘Dare nothin’, Takin’ in you an’ Miss Ethel ain’t common amusement fur sich ez him. Why, they’re goin’ ter raid ther town!” The window was still open, and through it came the sound of clattering hoofs, while from behind them rose a little cry of alarm. Ethel had come gliding out from the other room and heard the news, CHAPTER XV. THE RAID OF THE NIGHT RIDERS, Tue cottage of Angus Ames was well calculated for defense, yet for a moment its owner trembled. : He had the courage of a lion when once actually face to face with danger, but he was not a fighter frorsthe love of it, and his experience in such matters was hardly equal to the boy’s. He was uncertain how far it would be safe to rely on the others for aid in his defense, and he knew he could not be on all four sides of the house at once. : And if rumor had not belied him, Hold Up Charley was a terrible fellow for just such affairs as this promised to be. He had cap- tured two or three rich men in his time, to : o he Bd +> : ¥ 16 AY» : : eee wept thes ty mo -. - sts > » * : vi : ; ; f ’ j ; Pr ste 4 : i : S14) of Nay Pasig bea HT eae ene Gea +! : AL ang Poet) Wa, 8 Nal at + wh ee “4 e: hed yt wl f / hold for ransom; and held them, too, until the sum demanded had reached his treasury. Ames had hardly thought himself of suffi- cient importance to induce such a raid, but if it came he knew it bad to be fought to the bitter end. ‘“* Steady, order. ‘‘Tf you are going to run at all, run now, If you are going to stay by me, load your gun and obey orders. We will give them a there, John,” was his stern ‘hotter reception than they dream of if they are really coming.” ‘“An’ what yer s’pose I'll be doin’?” chip- ped in Harry. ‘‘ You better plug it to ’em at long range, an’ John when they gits moderate near; but when they get close ernough fur my droppers’ ter reach ’em they’ll begin ter talk.” Then Ethel spoke up. ‘‘And I have not been handling fire-arms the last six months for nothing. Itisa terrible thing to do, but they bring it on themselves. We will beat them off if it costs a dozen lives.” ‘‘ That's ther way ter talk it. An’ ef we kin hold ’em level fur a bit I s’pect we'll hev help. Monte started out on ther war- path, an’ he won’t leave ther trail tili he hez ’em all a-runnin’, Lay out ther work, Mister Ames, an’ we'll git riddy fur ther doin’ ov it.” “Ethel will keep out of it until the last minute, and then take charge of the window to the rear,” Ames was deadly cool, and spoke deliber- ately, though the clatter sounded not far away. ‘* We three will watch in front, and do what damage we can until they divide, Then, Jolin will take the north side, and you, Harry, the south, until we can see at what point the most serious attack is to be made, { will hail them: first, and shoot soon after.” ‘An’ recomember thet shootin’ at night ain’t jest. a sure thing onless ye’r’ used to it. Blow yer horn!” The crowd was in sight, and coming on with unslackened pace, Angus Ames wait- ed no longer but called out sharply: ** Halt! Who goes there? Speak quickly or we let drive.” ‘Hold Up Charley and his whole gang. We know you have a little sack in the cellar, and this time we mean to make clean work, Step out of there, all of you, with your hands up. If you don't come in sixty seconds by the watch we blow up the'house, and cut thethroat of every creature we find left living.” | The captain spoke as though he meant it, and though the party pulled up somewhat at the challenge, which had been unexpected, they came on at a slackened speed. ‘*That for your answer!” shouted Ames, and he pulled trigger as he spoke, while John iet fly with one barrel of his shot-gun. Like an echo came a dozen shots, and had not the three dodged at the first, flash some one would most likely have been. hurt. More than one ball came tearing in through the window. ‘‘Swing low, and forward,«boys!” shouted the leader. ‘‘ There is no time for nonsense, now, and the fools must take their chances.” Every man swung bead downward, Indian fashion, along the side of his horse, and the charge swirled on, while, from a window in the rear arose a jingle of breaking glass, fol- lowed by acry from Ethel. . Some one had arisen at the side of the house, and threw something with a burning fuse attached through the window, The girl flung herself headlong from the room, while the thing lay hissing on the floor, and as she sprung to the side of her father there was a terrible explosion, which rocked and tore and shattered, until the cot- tage seemed ready to collapse, while under its cover the outlaws, leaping from their horses, swarmed against the house, The explosion unnerved Ames, who sprung to meet his daughter. John tumbled head- long out of the window,and lay with his heels up in the air, while Harry Carter sud- denly stretched himself at full length on the floor and rolled under a table.: He had seen a blast fired once before that evening and knew what the result was like. The ruse.had been only too successful. That moment of indecision ruined everything. Through the broken window, and the drift- ing smoke, came half a dozenof the outlaws, who hurled themselves upon Angus Ames, and bore him to the floor, Three prisoners they made in a twinkling, and then the house was over-run. Hold Up Charlic had sure knowledge of a certain. bag of coin, which he intended tohave, Fortu- nately he knew nothing of the presence of the boy. or he would have had him first of all. The coin could scarcely have been said to be hidden, since it was ina plain chest of iron, and a glad sbout arose asa key from the pocket of Ames was found to fit the lock, ‘Victory, beauty, and plunder!” laughed the outlaw captain. ‘* Attend to the prisoners according to or- ders. Then, bring up the horses and be off; Save the young woman, anyway, but if the old fool makes any trouble, choke him. Weought to do it anyhow, but this ain’t the place for it, and we'll give him a show, first.” ‘* Bedad, an’ av ye don’t doit byer Oi’m doubtin’ av yez do it ilsewhere,’’ put in Jimmy O’Brien, poking his head through the window, ‘It’s a hornets’ nest ye sthirred up in town, an’ it’s coming phor yez they are, in good earnest,” There was no looking for further booty, and Harry Carter continued to be over: looked, ‘The men trooped out, taking two prisoners with them, and were soon in sad- dle, leaving John bound hand and foot, ly- ing helpless in the shadow of the house. ‘They are coming in good earnest,” suid Hold Up, looking hesitatingly in the direc- tion of the river, ‘‘T would stay here and fight them, but they might get more help from the town be- fore the thing was over, We'll give them a chance later on, Off and away!” : He sprung into his saddle, but the mo- mentary hesitation had its price. The men put spurs to their horses and were in the act cf dashing away when some one, they knew not who, fired two shots with a revol- ver, And with peculiar wisdom he aimed, not at the men, but, at the horses on which the two prisoners had been placed. The shots went where they were meant to go, and one animal went down, while the other wheeled, gave an awful plunge, and went galloping madly toward the ford, Ethel Ames clinging to his back. ‘‘Stop her! After her!” shouted the cap- tain, setting the example, and fully balf the gang of road-agents went tearing down the trail, ; If Hold Up Charley had taken an instan for thought he would have hesitated about civing that order, or else seen that his whole force went with him, There was just one boy in their rear, and when he had fired those shots he fell back with a silent speed that took him out of the range of their sight before the men who re- mained behind located the spot from which his bullets hatl come. They fired two or three times in thejdirection where the skulker was supposed to be, and then made a charge, Which found nothing, Angus Ames came down on his feet when the horse fell, but unfortunately had no chance for escape. One of the men immedi- ately covered him with his revolver, and or- dered him with an oath to stand still; but i icpO ' mn : Pog ‘A at F ee ty iy : y / a ie \e } \ a. \ be N re _ \ a4 oa} 7 a Zs. ao a —- — i ~ ee ee em Sl Pee ee ~ = > 2 a 3 a) ‘ V* wat) ~~ O * : » mM