Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 906 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

a ~ - - ee a Pn... = a a be del eee. oe “porn —retr ar ~~, ae ery , 7 a rs Ge - Y's - ~ ‘ , =~ <' eee . . > . . oe ~ a 3 p~ — , - _< gut oe ey —e-—* _—.. a . * > * - “ . # , a. - er ~ ~ * oe ee oy <a ; i omy ’ 3 - A mn & | nw a Aw’ f « iy ° 7 — 4 ~~ a - rit @ —" b abe - _" 3 ® - o ’ - - ¥ a er Z > = — ~- - w. a es > ~ a .. 7. oi ¥ ed ras = ‘ie pt, ~*+ J = ¥ Ps - res) L hte 8". ; a « " “@, 7 > y = s = ——s~ : * 14 iy enough, and he gave Sam a severe kick ‘that almost disabled the sport. It was useless for Sam to forbear further, and he did not do so. His fist shot out straight from the shoulder, taking the rascal between the eyes, and he dropped to the ground half senseless, ‘‘Now, you will do as I bid, or I will serve you worse!” cried Sam. ‘‘ I'll throw you across the saddle and tie you there, if you prefer to ride that way rather than to situp. I’m going to take you tothe fort, if I have to take you there dead, and you may as well make up your mind to it.” The fellow had evidently come to that con- clusion, now. He got up, after a moment, and offered no further resistance when Sam helped him to mount, | ‘Tl won’t tie you, if you are inclined to be- have yourself,” the sport said. ‘‘If you want to fall off it will be at the risk of your own neck,” While speaking, Sam had unfastened one end of the bridle, which he held in his hand, -and now mounting his wheel he spoke to the horse and started. : And in this manner they proceeded, Sam ye spr and the horse following at a gentle ope. ut, in the mean time, what of Captain Dettlinger and the man he had followed?. A word about the captain’s manner of leaving the fort. ‘While the fact that he had been set at liberty immediately after his arrest by the ere: if arrest it had been, had assured -him that be was not really believed guilty of the murder, yet he felt the weight of the evidence against him. He resolved to take leave of the fort im- ‘mediately, for the purpose of clearing up the mystery, if it lay in his power to do so. Laying off his proper dress, he assumed a disguise. With that he made his Way to the river, where he took a punt and drifted as far down as the trail between Freeman and Junction, Needless to follow his every movement, but at the time when he came again to our notice he was on his way to Silver City, from Freeman, with the intention of going on to Gold Lode. | Like Safety Sam, he believed that there ‘the rascal would be found, if anywhere, for there everything in the shape of humanity ‘was congregating, and’ there, if anywhere, he might hope to hide his identity and crime under some clever disguise until the excite- ment had died away, Meeting the horsemen on the trail, he was determined not to let them pass till he learned who they were. We saw the result. When Safety Sam started after the one, he gave his attention to the other in the manner shown, Dettlinger had a fresh horse, while that of the man ke was after bad come a long dis- tance already, to say nothing of the fact that it had been out nearly all the previous day, The fugitive immediately put his animal to its best, hoping to run out of sight in the darkness, but that was useless, Dettlinger was full of determination. He darted after him, and a race for life ‘was commenced, the one eager to get away and the other determined upon capture,. For nearly an hour they held their posi- tions, and then Dettlinger began to gain upon his foe, seeing which, the fugitive turned and opened fire with his revolver at man and horse. | Dettlinger returned the compliment, and the bullets of each came unpleasantly near. Finally the saddle of the fugitive horse wasempty. oa The moment he noticed this, and he be- lieved that was immediately, Dettlinger a a . ¥ ~ ~~. 4 _- ‘ 4 ‘ = > ~Y , ary : = a mel ——— i rc >vOlOD LLL SS sss tse P SE ° ° . d haa ty eer se 5 ae he ae Gs Lr : _— oq yt _ - “ns . a ae hs 4 4 c€ 5 7. 4 oe S < . ; ¢ ‘ . “4 Rat eT US 3 he ee Lad a . oo “* Ae “4 o ee oh 7 * © et, ee ee eae —_— <I a2 - 4 —s Safety Sam, the Cycle Sport. At the same time he shouted to the other horse, and that, too, reduced its speed to a trot, and finally stopped, glad enough to do so. Dettlinger looked and listened, hoping to sce or hear something that conld give him the clue to the whereabouts of his foe, and while he stood thus, just fora moment, he was fired at. Then came the report of a revolver, close at hand, and the bullet struck its object. Dettlinger felt a twinge in his arm and a dull pain in his side the instant he caught the flash and heard the report, and the next he knew was reeling out of the saddle. He fell upon his head and shoulder, but was not further hurt, and no sooner was he on the ground than he heard an exulting cry and saw a man rushing toward him. He drew himself together instantly, as well as he could. Fortunately the bullet had not broken his arm. As the man was about to throw himself upon him, the captain fired, but his shot missed. 3 “Curse you! didn’t I finish you?” cried his foe, leaping upon him, ‘‘I’ll do it now, for this bullet you have lodged in my shoul- der, curse you!’ Dettlinger met the attack as well as he could, and the two wounded men grappled with each other in a deadly struggle, each armed, but each trying to prevent the other from using & Weapon. It was a fight worse than that which fol- lowed between the Cycle Sport and his foe, for here it was deadly. Both men were wounded, both were bleed- ing, and each was determined. Tete One hand of each held a weapon, but that hand was confined in the other’s grasp, and thus they acing s es The captain knew if he was overcome his life would pay the forfeit, while the villain knew fully as well if he lost the fight he would be brought to answer for his crime. How long they struggled Dettlinger could never tell, but it seemed an age. His wound grew painful, his blood min- gled with that of his foe, and both men were wet with the life fluid and both were grow- ing weaker. Finally the captain realized that he could hold out no longer, for his head grew light and it was all he could do to keep his senses, and he thought that his end had come. After all his brave effort, to die thus miserably—it was awful! But, just when he felt his senses going, and felt his hold giving way, he realized that his foe had become: lifeless in his grasp. How long he was insensible the captain had no means of knowing, but he came to and found himself lying across the body of his enemy, who was still unconscious—or dead for all he knew. Exerting all his strength, he bound the fellow’s hands, and that was the last he knew till the sun was beating upon his face. When he opened his eyes he found his enemy struggling to free his hands, and he had nearly succeeded, too, but Dettlinger promptly made them fast again, his own strength having to a degree returned, Both horses were standing not a great dis- tance away, more friendly to each other than their masters, and Dettlinger had little trou- ble in capturing them, after which he went tothe river and bathed the blood from his hands and face and took a long drink. Much refreshed, he returned, carrying some water in his hat to his prisoner, and when he had drank and bathed his head he was assisted to mount, : It was some hours later when, by chance, Dettlinger and Safety Sam met with their prisoners. From that point they continued on toward the fort together. B +. yk Sat Jt 45 ee es a we eebe + 2 DE Van eet _ 4 oe GS, - —————— een rene “AV page ety 5 braryy lp a Pt I ae oe y! . ‘| heavily upon his arm, “ and, as far as ‘ . + : ¢ vA : Mo Tae wT One a 1a hy po yee ™ ee ae ee ee @ on ae ~~ CHAPTER XVIII. REVELATION AND CONCLUSION, RETURN we to Fort Fenton. | The old fort lay grim and forbidding in the morning sunlight. But, then, that was in appearance only, and that appearance had different aspects, according to the character of the beholder, To the oppressed, seeking a refuge, or to the honest man who could come there open- ly, there was withal a friendliness about the dull and frowning old place that was agree- able. To the outlaw, the grim and forbidding appearance was intensified. , On the top of the house of the comman- der, ason a former occasion, were General Fielding, and the short, plump widow, Mrs, Masters. The general had been scanning the hori- zon with his glass, and his face was stern, having about it something of the grimness of the old fort itself. It took a degree |of courage for the widow to lay her fingers on his sleeve. ‘‘My dear general,” she said, “it pains me to see you look so troubled, I wish it were in my power to take some of the weight off your heart and mind, but what can 1 do? This trouble that has come upon your peace- ful life here— Ah! me; only a wife could help you bear it.? ‘Tt isn’t the trouble, Mrs. Masters, it’s them scouts,” was the brusque and ungram- matical response. ‘‘ Some of them ought to be turning up by this time.” He viewed the horizon again. The woman gave a shiver, as the gram- matical error made her flesh creep, but she choked down the correction that sprung to. her lips. So used was she to training the speech of her daughter, that she came almost to cor- recting the general, and only caught herself just in time. That would have been some- thing terrible, as she said to herself. ‘Yes, but you have trouble, dear gen- eral,” Jaying her fingers just a little ayers am able, I want to be of use to you in helping you to bear it. I feel that I am in Some measure responsible for it, for if we had not come here—” / “Tut, tut. Not a word of that. But, here is your daughter, and if you will ex- cuse me for a few minutes J must go down and give some orders.” He lifted his hat and was gOne at once. Mrs. Masters watched him until he had disappeared, then turned to. her daughter. ‘Kate, I have been wanting to see you alone,” she said. ‘What is the matter be- tween you and dear Mr. Longman? It can- not be possible you will Jet slip such an opportunity.” Rt ‘Tt’g gone, mamma, dear,” was the smiling confession. : ‘¢ What!” ‘‘T say it’s clean gone. I have seen all J want of dear Mr. Longman, 8 you call him.’ | ‘‘ What is the trouble? Are you crazy?”. “ Not a bit of it. Why, he is the greatest coward on earth!” ; ‘What does that matter, so long as he is rich? J tell you you shall marry him!” “No, thank you, mamma,” still smiling- ly, “If you marry the general, that will | be sufficient for the present, won’s it? I have my cap set for a dashing lieutenant, don’t you know.” ‘Tf I marry the general— , What on earth are you talking about? You surely must be crazy, now.” | - | ‘‘Noét a bit of it. Ta-ta, mamma; see you later,” : And with that the young woman turned _ to the steps, to go down to the yard where the other young women were Calling her.. ‘< Well, well, who would have thought. J that she could read my heart,” the plump > | o> as ba ~s Fm, ae Ma» oe $e =