Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 906 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

: Pay { 4 4 j ee t : —~ => - we ~——- * = > a * 7 . < <5 ¥e2/"2% + é , tay sae = . ~.. ee _ wersation, but Sam was too o”"? Safety Sam, the Cycle Sport. ws — Pe v way. But, no matter, here we are, safe and sound.” ‘And bound to escape.” “Sure; nothing in the way, now that.we are out of the camp.” Then they were silent for a time. Presently the man of the beard spoke further, ‘* You will have to guide me to some town where I can take stage or train,” he said. ** T’ll do that,” the response, ‘You see, that interruption changed my plans. Only for that I would have remained at Gold Lode for a day or two, or for the time for which I paid for my room, and then would have said good-by to you and gone away as I came.” ‘* I see.’ ‘* But, that infernal Hamilton had to chip in— Say, bow much will you ask to put him quietly out of the way?” ‘The one you tapped with the cane?” “Exactly.” ‘*Give me another hundred, and— what’s that light ahead?” ‘IT don’t know. It just caught my eye, and I was going to ask you. Seems to be a lantern.” “That’s whut it must be. Some fellow must be out looking for an honest man, like Diogenes of old. Wonder if he won’t take us for such? Ha! ha! ha!” But ‘*Ha!l ha! Not likely, if he is any judge.” ‘Maybe not. But, where has it gone to?” The light had suddenly disappeared, even while they were looking at it, and all was darkness ‘Well, that’s funny. It was too real and too bright to bea jack-’o-lantern, and besides this ain’t the kind of ground to produce such things, anynow. It must have been a lamp.” “Ora spook.” ‘“‘T take no stock in such things.” ‘* Well, no need of our stopping here, any- how, is there?” ‘‘{ should say not,” They had come toa halt, but they now proceeded. , * You say you will attend to it fora hun- dred?” asked the man of the cane and whis- kers. "ay es.” **And when will you do it?” ** Soon as chance offers, after I have guid- ed you out,” ** All right; ll give you the sum to-mor. row, 2nd trust to you to keep your part of the compact,” . ‘* Which I'll do, every time.” ‘‘ With the papers in my possession, and with Deerforth and Hamilton both removed, there is nothing in my way whatever, But, enough of this; there may be ears to take in what we say. And ears there Were. Safety Sam gave a stuart as he caught what was said. : On his way to Gold Lode, pushing his bicycle, with its lamp attached and lighted, he had caught the sound of hoofs and voices. He removed the lamp instantly from its place and put it in his pocket, and then stepped aside with his wheel to let the horse- men pass, for he had no idea it was any one in whom he had interest. When he caught these words, however, his whole interest was keenly awakened, and he knew that chance bad favored him, He allowed the two men to pass, and turned his wheel about and followed, ‘ It was impo-sible to ride just here, in the dark, but it was no trouble for him to keep the two horsemen in hearing distance, and in _ sight, too, where the gulch was Open enough to admit the little light there WS. he two men presently resumed their con- far behind them to catch what they said. : =? r a * ‘ _ ' . * 7 Powe ¢ - « “> . ” gh ome of ec Ava f & ~ ¥ \. 5 . «> = . 7 (. a i . by oe at ty v4 | > 4 \ o 7 ~» 24 r4 ™ . ® J - hd ete if =i5 see ia 71d LOOM % f ice ke » a hue Whee te eae aaa 2 4 -, . hte J p < 3 * \ . aed i; A — ed, * Se : wy o% ned = a 2, « ‘ —- rs OO = - 5 : z - . - 5 Fy » eae is “x In half an hour he came to ground where he could ride with safety. He still kept the lamp in his pocket. Here he ran up nearer to the two horse- men, his wheel making no sound that was at all likely to draw their attention. Still he could not overhear anything, but as no discovery followed he thought it safe to maintain that distance, and in this man ee they made their way down out of the ills, Finally Silver City was reached. Safety Sam had been wondering whether or not the men would stop here. By their course, he knew immediately that they did not intend to do so, for they turned to skirt the town. Here he knew every foot of the ground, and could ride his wheel without fear of any mishap, and when the horsemen increased their speed he went rolling after them with ease, Going around the town, they struck the trail again, and made off in the direction of Freeman, , Safety Sam’s mind was busy. Here, he had every reason to believe, was the murderer of Captain Deerforth. What he had overheard was evidence enough for that, yet there was something he could not understand, Who was Hamilton? papers referred to? what was the scheme in which he was inter- ested? ‘Things he must find out, if at all possible. Had there been but one man, he would have lost no timein attempting his arrest, but with two to contend against he hardly dared to risk it. . Should they wound him, to say nothing of killing him, they would escape, and perhaps the mystery of the fort would reimain a mys- tery forever. So he continued on, a silent shadower of the night, keeping the men-just visible in the darkness, and mile after mile was laid behind them. They crossed the river, and had cov- ered about a third of the distance from that | point to Freeman, when something took place that created excitement. Safety Sam lweard suddenly a command to halt, given in the true military style, and with ejaculations the two horsemen ahead jerked their horses to a stop. ‘“What’s wanted?” demanded one of the oer. Pee Who are you, and where are you going?” was the demand, in a tone cf assumed authority. ; ‘That for your answer!” cried the man of the black beard, and raising his cane the re- port as of a rifle rung out, a heavy bullet speeding close to the head of the man who had attempted the hold-up. CHAPTER XIV. PRESTO! CHANGER, ‘* AND that my rejoinder!” cried the man who had stopped them, firing a shot from his revolver that came us close to the other, “Surrender, or P’ll drop you both out of the saddle!” Safety Sam now recognized the voice. It was that of Captain Dettlinger, the man against whom suspicion had pointed. The Cycle Sport saw the opportunity for which he had been hoping, and at once took the step to improve it. ‘Yes, up with your hands, murderers!” he cried from the rear. ‘If you don’t, you. will be riddled with bullets from every side. Dettlinger, these are the slayers of Deerforth!” “ And you are Safety Sam?” Ss Yes. » In this brief moment the other two had exchanged some words, and now suddenly both dashed away. They had jerked their horses aside from ' sumed, ’- £ tof ‘ ane” fa ” - - "’ . . y tha | rola? : oe Oe “a omy Tee | L vf . i x > at * Fh) ar Te ‘s ets a RA “13 rs ¢ Pe : (Pant th a las CR ae ti 4 Pie ene ‘ros Freese. ihe fe) hv =>. a st £ * ’ J wy A 4 ~~ - ** ion a at ™ J =e 4 iA ad | a Erte? : gat Cais: oS SOR Sy ae os ‘* ¥ bs . ; . ; - . eS cm ee io. + Who was this man, and | the trail, in opposite directions, and were off — like the wind. Builets were sent after them instantly, but without effect. ‘‘ After the other!” cried Safety Sam, ‘‘ Vl. take care of this one!” ‘‘ Right; and make it a race to the death!” Sam was after the man of the whiskers in- stantly, and Captain Dettlinger spurred for- ward to keep the other in sight, As it happened, the man Sam was after had taken the direction that led to Fort. Fenton, while the other went speeding awa to the west along the river, where lay a wil- derness. Let us follow Safety Sam. He soon discovered that the man he was: after was mounted upon a good horse, and ame he would have to work to keep up with im, ‘* You had better stop, murderer!” he call- ed out to the pursued. ‘‘1f you don’t Pll be under the painful necessity of lodging a. bullet in your skin somewhere, and it may hit you hard,” . ‘‘Ha!l ha! ha!” came back the laugh. ‘‘Fire if you want to, and catch me if you. can, fool!” Sam fired, and fired to hit, too. He could not afford to let this man get. away from him, if a bullet would be the What were the | means of stopping him. Not that he wanted to kill him, for he did not; be wanted him alive; but, his bullets. missed the mark, aud the man «lmost disap- | peared in the darkness, The Cycle Sport dropped his gun into its. holster, bent all his muscle to the business. of propelling his wheel, and he was soon spinning over the ground at as rapid a pace as he had ever ridden. Useless to say that his bicycle could out-. run the horse;, facts and figures prove other- wise. PS . The speed mile for the bicycle is a ver little less than two minutes, as recorded, while that of the horse is a minute and forty seconds. But, for the long race, the bicycle is the» better steed, which Safety Sam knew full well, and his only effort was to keep sight. of the man he was pursuing and not lose him, Gradually, though, the forms of horse and rider grew more dim, and at last they were gone from sight altogether, | But Safety Sam had nothought of giving . up. Ahead of him was the murderer of Captain Deerforth, and it was now or never to cap- ture him. Pulling hard on the handle-bars, he made- every ounce upon the pedals count for all it was worth, and he held to as straight a course: as it was possible for him to take, Low down on the horizon was’a star, and it had been in direct line with that star that. the rider had disappeared. On and on, and yet on, sped the Cycle: Sport. He had the hope that he would again sight. the man he was in pursuit of, and he knew if he did the horse would not be able to dip- tance him asecond time. . The ground seemed to roll away from be- neath his spinning wheels, and there was. scarce a sound, save his own rapid breath- — . . > fen a , 4g ¥ = re oy Lf a «) y' Dis : < = 7.* .* > 4 -™% 7 + ~ 4@ ww jae — ° ’ x ‘ih > /, Py ' - 4 ’ ‘ * ") + ‘ *. i +. %. ing, and the hiss of the tires as they came in Ae contact with the earth, | Bee On, and still on. AAP Barres The pursuer kept a careful look-out om — | both sidesas well asahead. Heknewthere © wasthe possibility of his passing his foe, if = | the man stopped. Mie Maroa He did not attempt to use the light, for it. a? | would have been of no service, at the spee@ he was going, and would only serve to re veal his position to the man he wanted te =| AAs, vee ee, rei i" capture. , . PM ; a . . ; ” a Pa =. a ig) sf ‘ ~ Thus something like ten minutes Pi re « + * a’ ‘ oh UF : -_