Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 900 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

: : the extraordinary size of it made it a weapon to be dreaded, once a taste of it had been administered. | This man was on the bills as ‘‘ Professor : Mordaunt, the Lion-Tamer,” but in private life he was known as Charlie McHartley. With his words, he thrust the others aside and faced the tion! The eyes of the man and those of the beast met, and there was & moment of terri- ble suspense. All who beheld it held their breath with very horror—or nearly all, for we must ex- cept the man who was standing on the wheel of one of the cages, him with the pistol in his hand. | The lion-tamer bent lower and advanced iuch by inch upon the beast, and the lion crouched and gave a warning roar, ¢ Mile. Lucie lay as still as death, her eyes turned imploringly upon her rescuer. Ay Suddenly Charlie McHartley gave a blow with the whip. The steel thorns struck the lfon on the nose, and the blood spurted forth instantly. With a roar like thunder, the lion releas- | ed its prey, crouched back, and the next in- | stant had sprung forward at its tormentor. " _Novsooner released, than Mile. Lucie was upon her feet, and, running for her life in | the direction in which her child had been led, she disappeared from sight at once. As though he did not see her, Sam Bruce stood as if rooted to the spot. His eyes were upon the lion and the lion. tamer, and he and Murray were almost the only ones to hold their ground. Murray had armed himself with an jron bar, and was ready toaid the tamerif chance offered, or if it was found that he needed aid, rt for, possibly, he would prove master of the ~ ale: situation. me But this could hardly be hoped for, aan: In order to save Mile. Lucie he had had to draw the rage of the beast upon himself, and the consequences could hardly be calculated. As the lion made its leap, McHartley dodged, and with the butt of his whip dealta ' blow on the head of the king of beasts that must have stunned an animal of less power than old Samson. | —** Shoot the lion!” some one cried out, _ “ Yes, yes, shoot it; that’s the only way!” Instantiy came one or two shots, but with- ut effect. , _** Mister, don’t you do that again, or I'll break your arm with this rod,” The speaker was Jumping Jack, and the man addressed was the fellow we have men- tioned as standing on the wheel of one of the cages, * ‘The man turned upon him instantly, his. face » ale. ‘What do you mean?” he demanded. +. : Wien vt I'm trying to kill that lion before it can do La ie i *T know better,” said Jack, coolly. ‘Vou aimed at Sam Bruce, straight as you * gould, and your bullet made him dodge. i Don’t you try it again, I warn ye.” Ale f -He was armed with a short piece of iron bar, which he held raised for instant use, (A te i) ot so ¥ou lie! you young jackanapes!”’ cried | Saee Al re y , ; p Bh ay e man. ohh ein | No, 1 don’t lie, either, and you know I Ho.) G7 bt on’t! Now I know what you and that Pay ae 0 er feller was talkin’ about, and—”’ Curse you! take that!” 1 Pa : . . The man jerk his revolver up to fire at ~) Jumping Jack, and did fire, but the iron - \) rod fell upon his arm just the second be- | fore the weapon went off and the bullet was ' buried in the ground. —_.. With a groan of _. the weapon and gra ey ba teot a loudly for help. es Bhai ache seeing who it was, ran to him mm ;) a -: Af rae a4 . 4 a i4 ca *, - a, “~~ at. : = . sa). Rs TT y fe ‘ & 5 e wa) 7 ‘ pie (agp sie tera ea pe Reagan ; i | __ Before it could turn to leap aside, the 4 We 7 , ¥ 7 role de (Ta - ~. ° 3 ar. uf we ab . i ’ et . a fe Poy P| . oy yy ~. ol? . ' * Bt a lh ote er RUE Choe ate ay ALND rh Yoaay ? - 4 ; ! a» ° * 7 ’ g t tar ~**) + y o * : ‘ a ' 17t. te is ¥ ’ 7 eh ee ‘ 7 : - 7 : 4 ” aRe al al t Sy hel : re t , 4 ae 4 . F} : >a o i Re " ee the boy had his weapon ready, | ain the man dro ped | bbed his arm, and Jack | lion, | “Ts she dead?” gasped Sam. ru is) ee * t¢ ale Jumping-Jack’s Jubilee. tamer was plying his whip upon it with all his might, bringing a spurt of blood at every crack. The lion turned; the blows fell upon its head and fuce, thick and fast, and it was more than the king of beasts could stand. With a wild scream it turned and dashed away. It had made its escape! Instantly rose the cry that there was a lion at large, and excitement reigned supreme. People in the great tent made a rush, the side of the tent was torn down, and in their mad haste they did as much harm to themselves as a dozen lions would have done, probably. All was confusion and terror, * | The man who had attempted the life of the clown tried to run away, now, but Jumping-Jack sprung before him, swinging his bar of iron with full intent. ‘‘Don’t you move,” he cried, ‘‘or I'll brain ye like I would a mad-dog!” ‘‘What’s this?” asked the clown, running up. x This man tried to kill you, that’s what,” said Jack. ‘* The little fool lies,” crled the man. ‘I fired at the lion,” “If you did, you made a mighty poor shot, that is all I can say,” declared Sam. ‘Your bullet came within six inches of my head, that I'll swear.” ‘Then it wasn't my bullet, that’s all. I was not the only one who fired. I had no reason to shoot at you; why should I have? This boy is crazy, and ought to be ina madhouse.”” ‘‘Maybe you'll say you didn’t try to kill me, too,’’ cried Jack, ‘ Mr. Bruce, it is just as I tell ye, and you don’t want to let him get off.” ‘‘T'll take care that he don’t, my _ boy, said Sam, and he laid hold upon the fellow. The man made an effort to get off, but it was useless, — Jack had partly disabled his right arm, but then he would have been no match for the clown, anyhow, | | «It’s a lie!” the fellow cried. ‘* What should I want to kill you for? And as to the boy, I'd scorn to think of doing sucha thing as to kill him.” ‘‘ Ha! a false beard!” cried Bruce. ‘Who is this fellow ?” The speaker was Murray. His face was white, and his eyes were flashing with passion, ‘A fellow who tried to kill me,” declared the clown. ‘‘ He was with that Mr. Tag- gard who gave me those papers to-day.” ‘And did you let that lion out of his cage, fellow?” “No, I didn't.” _ ) ‘+ Well, some one did, for the beast could not have got out otherwise. Five hundred dollars for the man who opened that cage, be he dead or alive!” “Sam! Sam! Sam!” Wildly rung out the cry, and the clown’s wife was seen running and seeking him, calling as she ran, and it could be seen that she was in great distress of mind, Had the Jion killed Baby Bess? ”? . “This way! this way!” cried Sam. The wife heard him and she ran toward him. | , : ‘*My God!" she came crying. ‘‘Sam!— Baby Bess!” | The clown reeled and almost fell, and his prisoner escaped bis grasp, Murray, however, laid hands upon Mul- vern immediately and detained him, while the clown staggered toward his wife. _ Bruce had only one thought in mind, the ' "No, no; she has been carried off! I do not know where sheis!? , «| ‘* Did the lion—” Met ‘*No, no, not the lion; £ Cae a Wag ‘ ¢ 4 Kits wae it 1 dub om a @ Aes 5 ' i % \g er - Tet é MHi« < be 8°) » he > 3 Vita 4 ¥ +4 : 4) iy Nea riers apy is abl x Ore a 7 wrest 8 ng ¥ ait Ths hs ete we eee * 4% ® : : ol ’ a 1 / { 7 - - 2 _ _— a ee Rp ~~ ‘were! ee —— i i ; wi Wal " nh -? - . we ” + A b ey ere . . : ' ‘ Fy '* ar Ye "8% ey 13 have been Hunter, in disguise. He took her and the horse just as she came from the ring,” ‘*Great heavens! I could almost say, better far that it had been the lion. Mur- ray, this explains it; it was Hunter who let the lion out, and he did it for just this- purpose,” ‘*Which is proof enough to clear me,” spoke up Mulvern, ‘* Not by a heapin’ sdsser-ful ing-Jack, ‘‘ It begins to loom up in ny orcs now, that you an’ him was in cahoots in this. deal, an’ you are as deep in the mud as he is. in the mire!”’ ‘*Boy, you have hit it!” exclaimed Sam Bruce. ‘‘Hold him, Mr, Murray, if you ever did mea favor in your life. I must make an effort to find my child, though God only knows where | shall look for her, Nerve yourself, Lucy, for this blow will kill you if . you don’t,” ; lob daras " tacey + ly cried Jump- —_—_—_—_—---~ CHAPTER XVI. FARMER COOPER’S SCHEME, “Tm with you,” cried Jumping. Jack, fol- lowing the clown and his wife, “*‘We must find the Rose of the Ring, or bu’st!” ‘Hold on, boy! I want you!” shovted Murray. ‘I want you to goand bring your town constable here to take care of this fel-. low forme. Then I want to use you fur- ther, and that at once.” ‘* Kerreck!” cried Jack. ‘‘I’m your jig- ger, boss; you have only to say the word and I’m up an’ doin.” He was off like a shot, and evidently knew where to go. | . Before the excitement had begun to sub- side he was back again with the man he had gcne to fetch. Instead of ®ubsiding, though, the excite- ment was on the increase, for the report that | a lion had escaped from the menagerie had spread like wild-fire throughout the town, , | During Jumping-Jack’s absence the fellow Mulvern had tried in every way to induce Murray to release him. Ve Gal He had argued first his innocence; them had offered to buy off, Ay only served to fasten the guilt upon him the more securely; and when the con- stable was brought Murray turned the pris- oner over to him, with strict caution against. _ allowing him to get away. ‘Don't you worry,” said Jack, ‘* Our constable don’t Jet nothin’ go by that comes. his way, you bet!” ‘Now, Jack, come with me!” the show- man ordered. *‘ I can do nothing here till the scare is over’ but, meantime, we'll go and gather up that man Taggard. If there is. anything in what you have charged, heisim, . a ‘In it!” cried Jack. ‘* He’s in it clear up to his ears. You want me to show you ~~ where he is stoppin’?” | | ‘That is it, my boy.” yi ues “Well, you won't find him there, for Tl . bet he wasn’t far away from here when the trouble commenced,” ae ‘“T don’t agree with you,” “Dont ye? Why not?” ee | ‘Because, 1 think he would keep away | on purpose to prove an a/ibz in got found out.” ae ‘Never thought of that. Bet you beans | to buttons that you are right, after all. wi)’ No,” rey han ae Aa ence Ah, “So much the better, I’ll not be missed — a few minutes, or if lam they will know — ’ wt ' ¢‘\ + r, a 4 iy vy) Ps oat st : ue’ af ' ; , a, T oy ? : y i ’ ere) t j y | 2h r | ‘| fy ne 4 f ht % v4 Fi ’ : | +P Te, 6 A 8 e ¥ #i » ae y | Ph be a } ao We } Baty aoe / ", eae mh fe! i - Ay ‘ “a ia ile } ‘ is fad - : ‘ ’ a ‘ : , ; iT aet * : *" 7 i 4 eh i: or . Poisi vy . 2 i. | 7 " : - i. : Ta ; a a Je = } ‘ , 4 *@? Yee» Wie 4 th , ef ‘ ; ‘ e i ‘ = 1, t hive pat we Eda Y Nya Val TAN: ere on NM. v4 , ¢ PA Nin | ai} — tr “aN ; ‘ Wal Sts } " x ho Pep) + ri i} | tah x ‘n ad , (et : Ved I rity eee OP as hide yy VAL ; WP: mitt ite ‘ iy + PEG al hae ihe B® re le ~ 4 Tt.” ‘ ‘ b+" AO aie) fu A " -~ te ; a” Ne Faye So a;* elt > ry: I OE ps Deo TSH, Nan, Ve yee AL "ie wf 4 ye » a Ho af 7 ¥ ‘ ep V0 ‘i Rae . 7. A. At b uh iy Stu 4 \ ai s Ns Se Onatas } VV At : 4 . a | ‘ a ‘ ' \y 4 74 . z ~~ ke P ay 'e y; } Sie ry Mey? So ey ‘ ‘ <<“? ’ . ete OY ' it 7) biog 2 t on a oe .) Ania ee | b 3 . ; . y ; 4 i. ¥ ‘eta / =e db ~ a . +m ore fis - cone a Se ' * a => “ bs Ae det caseanything : ‘a ; ve ‘ a ” F; 4 7 a. (pi Pai Ata ‘ 7 * ‘a g« k * k he ‘ uy ’ " 7; Mss 8 e + me ol M : 4 I \ » ‘ a ~ - ae", nah PD “yiha \ Ne tia yay m8 men &\ Wwe oa 4 t aay fl.) er) i “sf * as t 7 mst ‘ 7 ae. you know where he is puttin’ up, I i} aa show ye the way there in notime. Doye © || know?" — i Oy OL 4 Peed aS ENT we no Neh, be told me,” and Murray named Vi cad elie aaa bat Sr wie 1m RI. if he is there,” RR epg iar eth hd aia | Vy , comicbooks.com > To" ors el te