Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 906 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

+4 —- a - * . - & ‘or ee ray “es - 7 ee 7 — —" Sr a ee = ot ~ Sor ~ 2 ey ~“ a — - = nt . *% . - 4 . a’. of is = . > 7 he 25 ~ “as ~ s - * ot spt tn, * {ee > 7 ry a? 4 —— . ° - & a —— eee - _* th ; = ” ’ ry - 7 ts . ——_— = "= : rt —— ae ~ art: a ' = . . —- i pa ~ owe — 2 . > é + . ~. “eS rae Y : Ad W AL ‘ee J ” - ii _) My ay “ma 12 Finally, away to the left, was seen a dark object, and Safety Sam turned and sped in that direction. As silently as a part of the night itself, almost, he bore down upon it, and it took but a moment to prove that the object was moving. A little nearer, and it resolved into ‘horse and rider, and the Cycle Sport was certain that once more he had gained sight of his man, and he looked upon him as already his prisoner, ‘The horseman was now going at a much slower gait, as if confident that he had Icft the sport far behind, Safety Sam fell in behind, and for some distance did not try to gain. Then he took a spurt and ran forward. - He was not heard till he was almost upon the horse and rider, and it was the horse that heard him first. The rider looked around, and an angry oath escaped him. “Throw up your hands!” cried the Cycle Sport, ‘If you try to get away from me again I'll tumble you out of that Saddle!” For answer the man leaned forward in the saddle, dug his heels into the animal’s flanks, -and the horse obeyed the demand with a ‘snort and a sudden leap into a sharp run, Safetv Sam fired three or four shots just -as rapidly as he could pull the trigger of the -self-cocker. Witha scream the horse reared and became ‘unmanageab.e. Sam ran in, making a half circle, and as ‘the came near he again ordered the man to ‘surrender, ‘* It will signal your death, if you do not,” ‘he gave warning. ‘1 mean business, now, ‘and either I take you or you do for me. What do you say?” The crack of a pistol was the response. The "bullet sped close to Sam’s body, and he fired again as quickly as he could. i” Curse you, Safety Sam, we may as well have it out here!’ cried the man at bay, throwing himself out of the saddle as his horse went to the ground, ‘It is your life or mine!” Safety Sam was amazed. The voice was not that of the man he had been following. . Another report, and this time the bullet came even nearer to finding lodgment in the ‘sport’s body. Sam now fired a couple of shots, having drawn his other gun, but running as he was hhe too missed the mark, and his enemy fired a Ae again, with deliberate aim. Sam felt the ullet graze his back. This would not do, and he stopped sud- -denly and threw himself to the ground, So quickly was it done, that the man who had fired at him was deceived and thought his bullet had done mischief. ‘*Ha! what did I say?” he cried, and he Same had not thought of playing such a trick as this, but he took the cue the instant he saw the man’s mistake, and as he lay there he released his rifle from ifs place on the bicycle frame. * uP the fellow came; running, revolver im | the world. hanc Sam’s rifle spoke, and the arm that held _ the revolver fell powerless to the fellow’s bits side, the weapon dropping to the ground. With a roar of pain the man stopped, grab- % bing first his wounded arm with the hand of yt other, but the next moment reaching for _ another revolver, determined to kill his foe ‘ ie possible. ‘Stop! cried Sa Mes bead on you with t you in a wink f? Drill and be darn pe was the retort. in warning. ‘‘ I have It was a couple of leaps or three to the ’s side, ang fs was there before he Nags ai his irae sini Bemen him, — si haps! as ac ooer 8 oA ow VST, fev: ; ac < sc ie ve Fh hae et ar ae a . ett i iy 2 Le gi uv en ony ae ty) is (he e- | wi Gey aie aes? > Rae 7 ey apc r Os i sii is: asta vs ‘. > . c Jha pad abs oo , 7 Safetv Sam, the Cycle han haar Coe | | oe wife, and ES can drill | all the way?” Spr “hi ree ee running forward, firing another Shot as | set about attending «to his wound with as _ ne came, — vate fa —_ ——— a ee ——-2e -—--—--— ———-—— a There was not much light, but there was sufficient for the two men to see each other's faces and to his surprise Safety Sam found that he had captured Grat Benson, the de- serter! The man of the black beard, the one who had undoubtedly killed Captain Deerforth, had made good his escape. CHAPTER XYV. SAFETY SAMS CLEAR GRIT, ‘We, kill me,” said the prisoner, be- tween his teeth. ‘*Oh, no,’’ answered Sam, ‘* You and I will take a little journey over to the fort, first.”’ ‘‘ And there I’!] be shot by a file of soldiers, Have mercy on me and drop me here and put me out of my misery, See what you have done to my arm.’ ‘*Your own fault. It would not have happened, if you had surrendered when I told you to. But, it is not likely that you will be shot when you reach the fort, so do not let that trouble you.” ‘* What do you mean?” “That you will be hanged.” ‘* Hanged?” ‘* Yes, forfthe murder of Captain Deer- forth.” ‘‘ Heavens! I have done no murder, Sam Hoffman! I bave not been to the fort, man.” “«-You swear to that?” sé Yes. »? ‘* Well, if that is the case you may escape hanging; if you can prove it,” ‘*Then Deerforth has been murdered?” sé Yes,” ‘* When?” ** Night before Jast—the same night you escaped from me.’ ‘“ And you thought I had gone to the fort and done the deed? Oh, no; I’m not a fool, if | am a villain.” ‘‘Then you own to the latter charge: ?” ‘* May as well,” The man auswered in sitions snarl-like sentences. . He was nursing his shattered arm, and a moan of pain escaped him occasionally as he did so, ‘ Well, we'll have to move on to the fort,” said Sam, *‘T can’t walk there, now that you have killed my horse,” was the growl. ‘You'll have to walk, unless you can ride my bicycle. It was your own fault that the horse got it.” ‘* You had better drop me here and leave me. Bi That would be murder. No, Ill bind up that arm, ‘and we'll push on. I am sorry I had to do it, but you would have it,” Tam only sorry that I didn’t get a bullet met first.’ know you are, but no matter,” Sam had disar: med. the man, and’ now he much care as he could have taken for a friend. He had brought his lamp into use, and the rascally Benson was glad enough to sit on the ground and submit to the opera- tion. A wound will tame the worst man in ‘By the way,” asked Sam, as he worked, ‘did you see anything of ‘another horse- man?” ** Where?” **In the direction you were going when ] overhauled you.” sé No. ” ‘Well, there was one, and he was the man Iwas after.” “Then you had not been shadowing me ‘* All the way from where?” 66 No matter, ” ‘No, I came across you by accident. Do yeu think you can Bere that you did not ill ees ea - “ “ : : + f i . | { : Sd > : hy Be ate A he ed ed ol ee 2/9 ““ 5 ude ! » BS : = 7 Pals a f a4 : a he ‘ my ne wi iy " MA BNG ae +e” a ’ i ' . yo] 4 Ny Sak "Fr, cf rg a; ; 2 Rey Pu ten 2 ‘i ng AD i "is r 4 vt at rae ee * nee et td. My it haa nee ' - 1) 4 ye i ae. —_ " : ~ l= as we eataicenns <p ae ‘ )- ae enh, iat iar. , 7 ope eg Bot Larerarwre sy Ye? ers ame TREND ou Jie A tel . i ~ — eo we wen _ Pato > wee , ‘¢T can swear that I did not.” ‘That will not do. Unless I can capture this other fellow, the crime is likely to be put.on you.’ ‘*Then he is the man that did it?” ‘Yes, he or some one he hired,” “Know his name?” **T do not.” ‘What kind of man?” ‘* Black whiskers, and carries a rifle.” Safety Sam, of course, did not know the rifle was in the form of a cane. ‘*T seen sech a fellow as that at Freeman, this afternoon, but he left there on the stage. He had a cane, though,”’ It was easy for the man to drop into the vernacular of such characters as he had late- ly been associated with, although Grat Benson was @ man of no mean education, really, ‘And what do you know about him?’ ‘ Not a thing, ‘cept that he acted rather queer.’ ‘‘Well, he had reason to, seeing that he was responsible for a murder, even if he did not do the work himself.” When the Cycle Sport had finished dress- ing the wounded arm, he rose and helped his prisoner to his feet, and when he had put the bicycle-lamp in its place on the wheel, they set forward. The night was far advanced when they came to the fort. ‘ Halt!’ they were there greeted. ‘‘ Who comes there?” ‘‘ A friend, without the countersign,” swered the sport. ‘‘ Who are you, friend?” ‘“‘ Safety Sam with a prisoner.” ‘* Advance, Safety Sam,’ The sport came on, forcing his prisoner along in advance of him, and they were al- lowed to pass. Ten minutes later Grat Benson was a pris- oner in the guard-house. Safety Sam did not call the commander, but threw himself down in a convenient place to get some sleep and rest, He had given orders that he should be call- ed atthe first streak of daylight, and had re- quested a soldier to have something for him tocat at that time, merely a piece that he could take in his hand, He was called promptly at the time de- sired. A sandwich was ready for him, and a cup of coffee, and he made haste with them, | Having done, he mounted bis wheel, leay- ing an explanatory word for the commander, and just as it was growing light he went speeding across the plain in tho direction of Freeman. He could follow his own tracks, and his objective point was the place w here he had lost sight of his other shadowed man. Making speed, he Came to the place just about the time the 8Un rose. He had tuken care not to mistake the tracks made by Grat Benson’s horse for those made by the other man’s. an- But, there was little chance for such mis- take. with Benson, and had captured him, he fol- lowed bis bicycle trail further. There Was the curve made at the time when he had first sighted Benson, and fol- lowing that he eventually came to the place where the tracks of the other horse were to be seen. And then the puzzle was made clear. In order to drop his pursuer, the man had turned sharply to the left, and Sam had thus missed him. ‘That was well done, anyhow,” said Sam to himself. ‘The fellow i is no fool, even if he is not acqurinted with these plains, and it is clear that be is not or he would not have: , gone in that direction.” The way the man had taken led rs the desert. . From the place where he bad the fight