Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 901 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

% SS Pad i as ve _ bw ¢s -- already seen; and it is now in order to fol- low the fortunes of the deposed captain, Dead or alive his influence was still to be ‘felt, When the two recreants had cast him from the ledge he was still insensible, and he «dropped with no more sense of motion than ae log. | It was fortunate for him that it was | ‘so. Fate took his case in its own hands, and managed things a great deal better without his assistance than it could have *adone with it. | He was bruised a little, wounded a trifle more, but went sliding down where a living ‘man would have fallen, and his descent was _ whecked instead of broken. Though their forms were invisible from _ | «above, yet there were tenants to tie gorge, ; nd one of them, gazing upward in a vain effort to solve the question of what caused _ ‘the noise he had heard above him, received ©aptain Curse in his-arms, iS This skulker who so fortunately was there sans wered to the name of Sandy, and he was the individual who had been helping Kent Baker to locate a line for the proposed track from the Fair Isabel. ' His hand swung around to the back of the outlaw, and there fell upon a spot where it was wet and warm. _ Sandy had been staggered by the shock, ‘but his wits were all about him, and he gave a low whistle. The call was immediately answered by an- other from a point not far distant, and then, | several figures, thoroughly indistinct in the _ darkness, crept toward him. _ The noise bad not been made without Heh risk, but Sandy knew something had hap- A _ pened which might be of more service than hours of blind exploration. They were try- ‘ing to flank the position of the bandits, but go far had failed to discover the route which Pat Bandy was certain existed, and which _ tbey had tried to trace out from a distance while the daylight was with them. ‘This mar whom he held in his arms had ‘been wounded and cast out for dead, /but already there were certain tremors through his body which told that life was not extinct, and if he could be revived he might © Speak. . _. Hastily be explained to Diamond Dave, who had. heard something of what had oc- _ «urred, and guessed the rest when he knew . that Sandy himself was uninjured. ‘*Ett’s a case tew investigate,” the latter _ whispered, | 4 | | ‘* Ett’s some pore cuss ez they jist shot an’ _ throwed overboard. I know ett’s one ov th gang, ‘cause why, I kin feel his mask, He in’t dead yit, an’ ef we kin bring him tew _ life fur enough he’ll be gittin’ even the best _ way he knowsheow. Give mea light an’a at —_ ~~ '. we y { ... leetle rum anJI kin plaster him up long |) enough tew talk,” |, “Good enough, if that is the way it is ‘go- ‘ing to go. We'll have both in a minute, but vee | Tt at ho can stand the carrying, better take him | along to the hole in the rocks we ‘were aim- | ‘ng for. If it is the spot we hoped it was wma We won't need him. If it’s not, we'll have ae show to ask him the catechism without any da inging into they : eee ee of outsiders wringing if 5 By There was an opening in the side of the a ‘’ ; Ww Ds | ganyon which the watchers had marked, and Be ED rane they had decided to attempt to reach | after tue fallen, It might be but a simple + niche, or it might be the portal to a cavern, a Jag, Dut whichever it was it would screen them from observation, and thitherward the out- OS ae wascarried, } Bie a _ Then, Diamond lit the little lantern which _ he had not until now dared to use, and he “Tae and Sandy examined the body. hy, et ea Life had begun to’ return There was a gob and a gasp, The throat received the ee? oe uor poured into it without a ” * _» few drops of Ii J « on 2 Vey : 7. 5 { > kK . rs 5 r) - “ae es i Diamond Dave, le Pandy. mes proueiog yh) Pre het - : , a ? sid ! y : ~~ ~ ¥ aA f <i t —— serted itself. By the time the amateur sur- geon was through with his limited appli ances Captain Curse was looking at him with eyes that were dull indeed, but not without their fair share of light and reason. The mask had been torn from the face of the outlaw, but so far the features revealed had not been read for the purpose of recog- nition. Now, Sandy gave something of a start. ‘* Jewhilikins, Bill! Kin it be yew?” The exclamation left his lips before he had time to think, or he might have kept the fact of his recognition to himself, Yet that exclamation appeared to have been for the best. At the sound the bandit captain seemed to pull himself together, and the dull stare changed into a keen, searching look, while the pale lips moved faintly, though the sound they uttered was inaudible, ‘Dyin’? Not a but ov it!” said Sandy, cheerfully, interpreting the whisper by the movement of the lips. ‘*You have caught it hot, but it might be wu’ss. With a few more drops ov Jamaicky yew kin read yewr title clear to a consid’ rable smart lease ov life. Sorry tew see yew have been in sich ’tarnal bad company, an’ if yew would like to git even now’s yewr chaince. My friends, hyer, would just ad- mire tew glory in the dewin’ ov it.” With Sandy everything was rum which was entitled to the name of spirits, and he moistened’ the lips of the wounded man with a few drops more from the flask of whisky which Diamond Dave had supplied. Captain Curse gathered strength; and even had the courage to smile. ‘‘T remember you,” he whispered. ‘‘ I can’t call you pard now, but I used to in the old days when John Malloy and I were friends. The villain held straight enough, but I be- lieve myself I’m not going to die, And if I don’t!” | There was no trouble in understanding what he meant by that exclamation, The captain had occasion for adding up many such scores in his past life, and so far as he knew bad left not one of them unsettled. ‘*Gladtew hear yew, but I’m afeared we can’t wait. Yew may hev guessed ett that we hev business up there, an’ it’s ez good, mebbe, that yew ain’t thar. I'll give yew my word, which aire good fur all it’s wu'th, that we'll help yew out ov theshopple, but yew must help us back ag’in. Weill leave yew hyer fur a leetle, but [’ll be back ag’in. Now. how’ll we git at ’em?” | A cunning sort of a look came into the eyes of the apparently half-dying man. ‘¢T can trust. you, Sandy, but no man can speak for his friends. Have them swear,” ‘‘ See here, old man,” said the sport coming forward again. “7m not a rat-catcher, nor am I exactly an angel myself, though I profess to be square asa die. If you have ever heard of Diamond Dave, you know his word is as good as several oaths anda heap-sight of affida- - . - — a a vits. Help us to get those two young ladies out of the den up there, and when they are safely turned over to their parents or guardi- ans, l’ll do my level best to plaster you up and turn you loose for a new deal. It’s a mighty big bargain; but it’s for a mighty big case.” | The eyes of the captain roved toward Kent Baker. He was the really dangerous factor % the game for life or death which he had to ay. ; . j : is ‘* What are you all Waiting for?” exclaim- ed the young surveyor. : * If you hadn’t clapped the breaks.on with a hard hand, I would have been there hours ago, and shot or been shot. You are eating my heart out with your delay. I'll swear to anything so we can goahead. If we can re- , hat do I care for a lease the young Indies, w > I car : train-robber more or less? 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TW?” * f PS ak : ; ° hoo & Ae Z i” ; ’ oa i as oot ; " ‘ 4 , + | ¥ " i fa » i i . de ; Ft ; . -! hi - ’ : i e Gilt-Edge Shooter. wound with skillful fingers consciousness as: | happy, But you want to move soon or P’ll \> ledge go myself, I'll fool time no longer.” ! ‘‘Kasy, Baker! Easy, good lord!” drawled ; Dave, the Gilt-Edge Shooter, not a particle f moved by the outbreak. | ‘‘T can shoot a little bit myself, but these men are all past masters with the pistol. They are just as desperate as we are, justas sure shots, and it may be they can pull trig- ger a trifle faster, It may be I have as much at stake as you, and that is the reason | want to go slow and sure. But, if we can’t take them at a disadvantage, if there’s only a bit of a show for success [ll engage to be just as desperate as yourself. Now, Sandy, make your bargain.” Captain Curse had retained a hold on Dia- mond Dave’s flask, and had gathered strength as its contents decreased. There was a flush on his face now, and a fierce fire in his eyes. ‘‘Bargain, is it? Do you think Captain Curse would sell out the men with whgm he took the oath? Never. Like you, Diamond Dave, my word is good for all it was given | for!” An angry exclamation arose to the lips of Kent Baker, and as the wounded man de- clared his name the fingers of the young man twitched as though they were already on the trigger. If he could have had his own way he would have shot the outlaw, and gone on. Dave madea warning gesture. He knew that it might be hours before, unaided, they could find a way to go, and he felt there was more to come. : ‘*But I'll let you see how Captain Curse maintains discipline, or works revenge. Give me a few seconds more to be myself again in, and then—the way will be open be- hind me, and you can follow.” CHAPTER XY. AT THE LAST MOMENT. | Tue bandit had solved the riddle after his own way, though not altogether to the sat- isfaction of Kent Baker, who muttered: ‘- And if you dare attempt treachery to us I'll know better whereto aim. You'll never walk further with a bullet in the base of your brain.” Diamond Dave understood better, and an- swered heartily: ‘‘Good enough, old man. And if you. think it worth while you Can Swear me in as a special, for this night only—though, I con- fess, as yet, I am not as bloodthirsty as I might he. "Don’t you doubt it that we'll be close behind you, though we'll let you have the first shot.” All this had taken time, and Curse was not even yet ready to move, though he had gained strength in what was certainly a marvelous manner. When, at last, he di rise up it was with a spasm of pain on his features. } Sia | He mastered that, however, and pedro fora time supported by Sandy, began pick- ing his way along the base of the canyon ~ wall. The little alcove had nothing to do with the paih to the cave above. Ut It seemed to be a blind trail which he followed, but it was one which he knew well. » | uo There was a way of reaching the head. quarters of the gang, and slowly, but with unflinching nerve. he won his way upward —alwaysin the advance. | Rinkt ee TL He might have been outstripped had it not been for the revolver he carried in his hand, and his oft-repeated caution that there was . plenty of time, There was nothing like a threat in the words, but even impatient Kent Baker knew that if he wanted to lead he must first pass over a dead body; and he ~ was also horribly aware that Na game of snap shooting the chances were in favor oh Vu tiy So the outlaw... 9° 0% SONG USS Je aa When, however, they were gathered on a) eae ee A ‘ : oto ee { * G yea Rt i a a. A “4 wey) xy é PAS tet S 4 f eek to Se et Pane ae ‘Ki £ AFF | ee yA. os . iy, Nai “I , 2 4 ¢ s a rif 4 i ba a ad ; : 4 ; prs . i a - . 1 oe iy ib * A 5 - J . 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