Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 906 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

ome Pi we , i“ pol, 4 += 2 ‘ 4 ’ ~4 eve 3 aM ae ud 2s} 7 v ¥t hee ey an each wae) 4 a ee . yy 4 eal] ~* Ad i a> 2 Safety Sam, THE CYCLE SPORT; High Hustling at Silver City. BY J. C. COWDRICK, AUTHOR OF ‘* BROADWAY BILLY,” ‘‘ SHERIFF STILLWOOD,” ‘‘ THE LAWYER DETEC- TIVE,” ETC,, ETC., ETC. CHAPTER I. THE SPORT ON WHEELS. **Sam, youcan’t doit.” | ““T’m going to make a try for it, anyhow, Hugh” ‘“But, you'll fail, and maybe lose your life besides, If they had only spared my mare—” “My steed of steel here will outdo any horse on the plains, Hugh, not even ex- eepting your bonny bay. I’m sorry the mare was killed, nevertheless, for she was a dandy.” | The speakers were as unlike as two men well can be, ‘ The first to speak was a bronzed, bearded fellow of forty years, clad in the fatigue dress of a Government scout. The other was a younger man, maybe thirty years of age, good-looking and with something of the air of a sport about him. He was clad in a bicycle suit of serviceable material and stood leaning upon the handle- bar of a fine safety bicycle. The little town of Freeman, situated upon the level plain and about equidistant from Fort Fenton and Silver City, was all excite- ment, For many months there had not been the sign of an outlaw or dangerous Indian in that part of the country, but now suddenly a band of outlaws and cut-throat Apaches in about equal numbers had put in their appearance. : When first sighted at Freeman, a lone horseman was seen, waving his hat, speeding in the direction of the town, with a score of others in hot pursuit, and firing as they came, The citizens of the town made ready in a hurry to receive the fugitive and give his pursuers a warm reception if they kept up the chase. he latter were gaining, but finally, seeing the men of the town coming ¥.. A. at x oe 4 . - ~ -< “p. ‘a oh #! % » 4 . out to the rescue, they swerved and rode off in the direction of Silver City without com- ing within bullet range. | The fugitive came on, but it could be seen that his horse had been hard hit, and, in a few minutes more, the animal stumbled and fell. The rider landed on his feet, but bis staggering was proof that he, too, had been struck, By this time he had been recognized as Hugh Mackey, better known as ‘‘ Long-dis- tance Hugh,” a scout doing service at Fort Henton,. <a The crowd hurried forward to his aid. He was badly wounded, but not fatally so, and he quickly told his story, The band had come upon him suddenly and unexpectedly, and had forced him to run for his life, and Freeman being the nearest place, he had headed for there, His great desire was that word should be carried tothe fort with as little delay as pos- sible, but alladmitted that it would be a dan- gerous undertaking, before night, and by that time the outlaws could do mischief much and be miles away. At that point the Bicycle Sport bad come forward and offered his service. Sam Hoffman was a resident of Silver City, . and was now known as“ Safety Sam,” hav- ing been the one to introduce the bicycle in- to that part of the country. Pa He was the only owner of a wheel there, as yet, though the country was of the ideal kind for the bicycle—save to the north of Sil- ae . . Ly ae ay 4 ‘> ; ; , Ng el ‘voy . ed % Us os —_ + ae Safety Sam, the Cycle Sport. nee eo. SNR Ae enn Ae le ver City, where the hills begar, and soon mérged into mountains, Sam had been making a tour to the South, and had that morning reached Freeman on his way back to Silver City. oe offer was met with the doubt express- e | ‘‘T don’t know, Sammy,” the scout stiil disputel—they were » well acquainted. ‘Seems ter me it would be a question of wind, and I know a hoss kin outrun a man every time. If they git after you the way they wus after me—’’ ‘They will get left behind, old man, you can depend onit. Youdon’t understand the bicycle yet. Ill carry the news to the fort for you, and any other information you have for the commander, and I'll cover the dis- tance in quicker time than you could do it with the best horse in the world.” | Well, I s’pose you know what you kin do, Sam,” ‘‘T ought to, by this time, Hugh, and I’m right in trim for a race, too.” “Try et if you waat to, then, Sam, fer I guess nobody else hyer ig dyin’ to undertake the job.” m » J Which was true; no ose was anxious to take up the scout’s work and carry to the fort the information concerning the outlaws, All recognized the fact that there was danger in the undertaking. It was thought that the fellows had come with the intention of stealing some horses, but it was probable that they intended a good deal worse than that. Perhaps the new mining-camp.of Gold Lode, to the north of Silver City, was their objective point. A boom was in the ascendency at Gold Lode. } Safety Sam had been about ready to con- tinue on his way to Silver City when the ex- citement arose. y His wheel was one of the finest, light but extra strong, and it was fitted with a pair of special pneumatic tires, On it he carried a rifle, and a sort of semi-military knapsack was swung within the diamond. A couple of revolvers in holsters at his hips completed his armament, and he looked like a bad snag to run up against. | He now prepared to mount, ‘‘And that’s all the news I’m to carry?” he made inquiry. ‘“That’s all,” answered the scout, ‘‘ You kin tell General Fielding to ’venge the death of the best hoss I ever straddled.” ‘*To say nothing about the bullet you got yourself. Yes, I’lldo that, never fear. But, now I’m off. With good traveling nearly all the way, I ought to make more than horse speed.” | He stepped lightly from the ground to the saddle and started. The crowd broke outin a cheer as they watched him spin away rapidly, and Safety Sam took off his cap and waved it in re- sponse, En CHAPTER II. FORT FENTON,—SAM'S ARRIVAL. Fort FEenTon lay dull and frowning un- der the slanting rays of the late afternoon sun, There was nothing to be seen, far as the eye could reach, ‘save the level and almost barren plain, excepting only the course of the river, which ran to the north-west. The river was marked by a long thread of trees and undergrowth that stretched away like a great, green serpent across the brown, sunburnt wastes, and through which, here and there, glimpses of the river could be caught, like flashes from the face of a mir- TOF. 6 : On the top of the house occupied by the commander of the fort were a manand @ woman, : The housetop was flat with a parapet on every side, and served the purpose of a point oY. ae > Lae Sh og a” ae a Te a : 4 : x , NL EE, a ane oa Re ea tee cant ae ; q ' —unless, perchance, looked for for a couple of hours yet. of lookout. In fact, it was a favorite resort of the commander’s for an hour or so after the heat of the day. General Fielding was the man mentioned as being there on this occasion. ‘The woman with him was a short, fleshy lady, with sil- vered hair, perhaps eightor ten years younger than the commander. She was a widow, visiting at the fort as chaperon to some younger ladies. «* And you have no misgivings as to their safety, general?” we find her asking. ‘¢None whatever, Mrs. Masters,” the hearty, strong-featured commander of the post answered. ‘‘There have been no dan- gerous characters around here in a long time.” ‘“‘T am so glad to hear you say that,” the plump widow gushed, “I should never forgive myself, general, if anything should happen to the dear girls, But, then, had there been danger, you would never have allowed your daughter to go.” ‘Correct, Mrs. Masters. Had I known of any danger, or even suspected such, I would not have allowed Fanny to leave the fort. They will return, all in good season, never fear. They are in safe hands, with Lieuten- ant McKenzie and Shandy Graff. Of course, they would not leave Silver City until toward evening.” “ And it is a long distance.” ‘‘AsT told you this morning. But, let us be seated; there is no use our looking for their appearance for a couple of hours yet.” The commander had his field glass in hand, and he raised it to his eyes to take a parting sweep of the horizon as he finished the remark, while Mrs. Masters sat down. Suddenly the general gave a start and fixed his attention upon a certain spot in the distance. The woman noticed his manner, and with cominingled interest and alarm demanded: ‘¢ What is it, General Fielding?” ‘“ Just what I’m trying to make out,” was the response. ‘‘ Ts it they?” | : The widow was precise in her grammfar, when she tried to be, which was all the time she was excited. you they could. not be Be- sides, this thing is coming from the direction of Freeman— Ha! now I make it out; it must be that fellow, Safety Sam.” ‘What a name!” ‘Ha! ha! Well, yes, it is rather odd, at first hearing. But, something is up, for he is coming likethe very dev— Your pardon, Mrs. Masters; but, really, he is coming like the very wind.” ‘It is evident that you draw a distinction between the two terms, general,” the wo- man remarked, in a would-be clever manner. “Bat, no matter; Iam growing used to the wild ways of your wild country out here, and such slight departures are becoming less shocking.” She was watching the commander’s face while she was speaking, looking up at him in a smiling way which, in &@ younger per- son, might have been suspected as an attempt at flirtation. And as she looked she noticed that his face ‘No, no; I told suddenly paled and that the lines around his - mouth grew hard, and she sprung to her feet in alarm, ‘¢General, what is it?” she asked, grasping his arm. | ‘¢ Apaches, by thunder!” The words were spoken in a voice akin to thunder, too, and there was now no apology for the profanity. : ‘‘Indians?” the woman gasped. ‘‘Nothing less, and the worst on the face of the earth.” + hon ‘‘Gracious heavens! What will become of your daughter and mine, and of May Har- very? to say nothing—” ‘What is going to become of that man - me ay « .* ‘ai 4 .. * : ‘. = * . “~ ~ a OE co ee . “a, a - “ <=» . e.'s* , wl Py ee