Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 901 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

ee eu ‘ ih St --youa cent, so far as money goes. a J , — be ee ae . =, aes ‘ “4 et =e iS eor’s r + while was keeping up a separate train of thought in bis own mind, and trying to lay out a plan which would fit to the emergen- cy. Rakes was taking things coolly at last, and the words of the sport had suggested a pos- sible course to pursue, ‘Four cf us would be enough for a start. See Mrs. Vane and assure her that every ef- fort will be made to find her daughter. Then find Gross, if you can, and come back to me. We may be able to discover the direction taken bythe outlaws, andif it isitoward the Fair Isabel, we can get men there who will aid us, and men, too, who are fit for the work,” ‘‘ Right you are, my friend, but don’t for- get that little can be done before day- light. A start in the wrong direction might carry us a hundred miles out of the way be- fore we were done with it. Hold yourself steady a moment,and I'll be back, Fill in the time talking around, if you want to, but dont say too much, Captain Curse has friends where you don’t always think of looking for them.” The young sport glided away to re-enter the car. Mrs. Vane had fallen helplessly back, overpowered by the terrible feeling of helplessness which had mastered her when the truth had been blurted out in her hear- ing. Diamond Dave had not bcen the only one to recognize the handicraft of the notorious road-bandit, Captain Curse. There were other passengers in the car be- sides Mrs. Vane. Some few had remained, and others had come back. When they found the danger over they did not care to wander around outside in dishabille. ‘“One moment, Mrs. Vane,” said Dave, softly. ‘Try and be cool for a bit, and see if you can give us»a pointer as to what all this means. You are, already aware of the situation, or I would not speak so openly, To reassure you, I will say, in the start, that some of us aro going to sct things straight, but if we knew the ins and outs on the start we could get down to the contract all the sooner.” “Thanks, thanks! But, what can I know more of it all than the rest of you? My daughter was by my side when I went to sleep, and when [awoke she was gone. Now they say she has been carried off by Captain Curse. Oh, if you can save her, for heaven’s sake do it, and, poorly as I can reward the service I willdoso to the utmost limit of my means.” : ‘* That’s all right, madam, It sha’n’t cost What I - am after is to know whether you can give me avhint of any reason why Curse should; ‘have chipped, beyond a ransom for his catch. He's not the kind to trouble himself for anything under twenty thousand, and I understand from one who probably knows, that you are not in condition to pay that without a pretty severe strain on the treasure chest ” ‘* Not the half of it. It was to make an attempt to somewhat better my shattered for- tunes that I undertook this wretched jour- yo tOAn| Might make it warm for some one before you got through, then. Who is it? > a ‘That might be a clue.” _* No, no! Do not imagine it fora moment. Na This outrage could have no bearing on that, tis the work of brigands who imagine they ed game for gold, or so it ‘of it. ing Irish good-humor. seems now, to me.” And it looked as though the lady was not far wrong, for just then there was a shout outside, which suggested that intelligence of some kind had arrived. A man who had attempted to follow the course taken by the outlaws came stagger- ing back, He had been cleverly captured not a hundred yards away, and he brought with him a note addressed to Mrs, Vane which read: : “DrAR MApAM:—lI have your daughter and hold her subject to your order, upon payment of twenty thousand dollars. Re- main where you are, but raise the money. So soon as we can see the way clear we wil] confer in regard to the payment. If we are followed or interfered with, it will be at peril of your daughter’s life, So don’t tamper with matters but come right up to business, “ CAPTAIN CURSE.”’ CHAPTER VI. A BRAVE GIRL’S PERIL, Tue Fair Isabel Mine, on the mountain- side ten miles away from the railroad, was a property of unknown value, since none of its stock was on the market, and the com- pany which owned it kept their affairs as strictly to themselves as it was possible to do and yet make money. John Malloy had been identified with its fortunes from the time of its first discovery, and, though he had money in other direc- tions, this was, in the language of friends, ‘his best hold.” He held a controlling umount of the mine’s stock, and did pretty much as seemed to him best with the pro- perty. It was a little hard to tell whether John Malloy had risen from the ranks or not. He was Irish, every inch of him, and out here looked and talked like the men who slung picks and handled shovels in the drift. At least, he did when be was in public. There were rumors, though, that in the bosom of his family, or when off at Frisco, New York, or Denver, he was resplendent in broadcloth and fine munners, His family, by the way, was not large, but was remarkably good, what there was He dweit in a building which he had erected at large cost, und vast trouble, and which, in comparison with anything else to be found in the district, had almost a palatial look, though elsewhere it might have seemed a rather roughly built farm-house. At times his daughter was with him—Belle Malloy— the young lady after whom the mine was named, | When that occurred Belle was a very young lady, but since then she had had fine opportunity to grow, incarnation of the spirit of health and healthy beauty, and wis full to the lips with rollick- Her eyes were a heavenly blue, her nose was Grecian, her cheeks had a delicate bloom which could — defy sun and storm, and her lips at rest car- ried the double suggestion of a smile anda pout, | | | | As to her figure, that was heavenly! On ‘| foot or -on horseback, the fair Isabel was more than a picture to look at. _ While attending school she had several times spent vacations at the mine, attended She was the living he hoped to have things in such shape La could go abroad. After that—well, he™% thought he might be able to make some ar- © rangements which would put her in her proper sphere, So far, the young lady had not found © tiine or desire to complain. She hada big © box of new books, a pile of music, a piano. and violin, a couple of good saddle-horses, — and young Mrs. Trego—a widow, by the way—to keep her company. In addition, Patrick Bandy, a lad of all work, was at her disposal, and followed in her rides with alk the sedateness and discretion he would have exercised had she been taking her constitu- tionals in the Central Park, on the other side. of the continent, So, Miss Belle was not bored more thar the average young lady out of employment, and generally came to her meals with @ hearty appetite, and the consciousness that she had several secrets and aspirations which would make her father open his eyes if he knew of them! Miss Belle sometimes managed to escape from the surveillance of Pat Bandy, and took her rides alone. On those occasions she had — a sort of arrangement with herseif that she was not to go far, especially if Mrs, Maud Trego was not with her. She did not believe there was any especial danger, and did not know what fear meant, but had a wholesome regard for the feelings. of her father on the subject. | It was the surprise of her life when, om that particular morning she caught a glimpse, | in the distance, of half a dozen horsemen, who, half a mile below her, were aiming for the mountains, Perhaps their appearance would not have attracted her attention had she not seen, of imagined, that they had a young lady with them, who was a prisoner, . Miss Belle had ‘taken the early morning” ride for the purpose of clearing her head, and having a chance to consider some weighty problems she had been in vain trying to- satisfactorily urrange. \ She had saddled her own horse, and come: out without any special destination, For the sake of appearances she had brought. aiong a revolver, with the use of which she was well acquainted, At sight of the caval. — cade she was well satisfied that she had the® nig weapon. 4 It was not easy to guess what could be the» | meaning of it, but she instantly made up her’ mind to learn more about it, ‘Looks as though Captain Curse might. be about, VTll wager Nellie has the heels of’ anythin law has there, so I'll have a closer view if L have a race for it afterward. This way, — Nellie, if you please!” | i ee ‘‘ Nellie ’ was stout yet supple, with velvety skin, intelligent eyes, anda mouth which was: |. reasonably hard. She threw up her beadas. | her mistress gave a soft dig at her neck, | which was intended to be a pat, andthen started off at an easy amble, in the way in dicated by a light tug at the off rein. Nel- lie knew the road, and so did her mistress, It was done on the impulse of the mo. ment, though a little later Isabel was think- — ing it would have been better to ride back to the house at once, and give the alarm, She would have done so bad it not been. for a lingering doubt whether the girl she saw in the distance was really a prisoner, She knew what it meant to come to close «= quarters with these brigands, and that it, in the shape of horseflesh the out © J} by a companion, and found the hours did not hang heavy on her-hands, She had not yet reached that stage of age and experience when a matched companion of the other sex is absolutely necessary. | 7 - She was done with school, now, and had Rt come out for a more extended stay than ee | usual. John Malloy thought a great deal Thank you, thank you!” answered Mrs. | of his’ daughter, and did not care tu let her _ ‘Vane, wringing her hands; ‘‘ but, indeed, I | out of his sight at present, yet was too busy Save nothing to confide. It is only a wretch- | to look after her elsewhere, Ina few months an extorta ransom, I have heard of such things. But, oh, my poor daughter!”’ ie ‘IT don’t want to force your hand, Mrs, Vane, but just think it over, andif you can - gonfide in us, better do it before morning. It will be a heap sight easier if we know just the sort of a hand we've got to buck against. _ It might make our play a sure thing.” i ~ oe a - - Sj P4P af ma, “a » a) * bring out the force at the mine to rescue. one who was part and parcel of the odorous. ‘‘T’ll have a trifle nearer view if I can head oie a o>} ee) au ; st eat ‘ rh aL De tei ae e ‘ 4 A Fi $ ed is y - (a d ~~ them off and take a peep from the Black Rock. Ill have it between them and me Ps (a and if Tam seen there will be no trouble ine CaaS La - 7 g ~ is 6 * ao’ h ' <9 rtd sd r= a making my retreat good.” | : = er " al q ; & ‘ : a * ~ Fr ‘ ~ : % _ So she thought fe Vie ted ee” ret . , d *| i at 7 ri ? : ey : Cad! 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