Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 917 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

A fierce oath broke from Griscom’s lips. He had been utter)7 fooled, and by a boy at that, ‘‘ After him!” heshouted. ‘* You are all old scouts. You can run him down, After him! Don’t lose a second, And when we catch him, we'll hang him on the spot. He shall see if he can play with Abel Griscom,” He then —s to the door and rushed through it. The others followed with equal haste. Ina moment they were all gone, and no one remained in the room but tbe silent figure on the beam. Flash had protruded his head, and was looking after them with laughing eyes and a gesture of contempt, CHAPTER VIII. TAKEN BY SURPRISE, FLASH remained in his covert until the sound of voices outside had died away in the dis- tance, Then he hal?-rose on the beam, and was on the point of letting himself down by the aid of the rope to the floor, when sounds in the other part of the house mace him fause. Footsteps were evidently approaching. He dropped down on the beam again and waited. In & moment more these steps entered the room, He had crouched down so closely that he could see nothing, and had to trust to his hearing. But the quick, light tread of one pair of feet gave him a start. He was sure he had heard that step before. He received. a greater start from the first words that met his.ears. ‘“ What did you bring me here for, you mean, low-lived atom of a man?” The voice was that of Bess Martin, raised to tones of fiery indignation, ‘‘Now, see here, gal, don’t you go and get me worked up, Dmaterror when l’m worked It was Jerry Jacobs that spoke. ‘‘A terror to mice, maybe; but not to men, You had to get a gang of bloodhounds to carry off one poor girl! You ought to call yourself a man, oughtn’t you, now?” “Tf wouldn't like to carry you off alone,” re- torted Jacobs, with a provoking laugh, “It would be worse than carrying a wildcat,” ‘* 'd scratch your eyes out, you sneak, if you tried it!” exclaimed Bess, in a white heat of rage, Flash now had his face over the beam, look- ing down on the indignant girl with eyes that beamed with admiration, When they fell on Jacobs this look changed to an ominous threat, Flash caught hold of the hanging rope, and began cautiously to draw it up. ‘‘Go on, my little beauty!” said Jacobs, ap- provingly. ‘‘1 like that. You are never 80 pretty as when you are mad,” ‘* ) wish Flash was only here!” cried Bess, ‘‘ If he’d only show his face you'd wilt like a dead leaf, you coward!” ‘‘Him! That rock-hopper! That blowing baby! Why, gal, the last time I saw him I knocked bim out ¢old, and he never lifted a fin- ger. That’s what I care for him!” .He snapped his fingers defiantly. If he had seen the look that was fixed on him from above he would not have been so brave, ‘* You knock him!” she ejaculated, contempt- rors € ‘‘ You must have done it with a club from behind.” Jacobs winced at this. She had stumbled too near the truth for his liking. ‘‘ Your Flash!” he continued, with a look of assumed scorn, ‘* Why doesn’t he come to help youif heisso brave? Heisa good deal nearer you now than you think, Why, gal, he could a’most touch you.” ‘¢+That’s a lie. If he were that near, he’d be on you like a catamount, Whereis be?” Flash bad drawn his head hastily back, fear- ing he was discovered, ‘¢ Near enough to hear every word we’re ant ing. We'll see now if he comes to your help while l’m taking that kiss you owe me,” He failed to see the threatening dumb play that was going on over his head, Flash looked down again at these words, and shook bis fist furiously as he opened a larger noose in the rope. ‘*¢ You lie!” exclaimed Bess, passionately. ‘‘ If Flash heard you now, there’s not a lock in the house would hold him.” ‘‘T tell you be isn’t tenfeetaway. Now /et us see if he robs me of my kiss again, I only wish he was right here to see me take it.” He caught Bess in his arms and attempted to 8 Flash Lightning, the Mountain Mascot, ae C08 8 OO eee eS press his lips on hers, She pushed his head | open a closet. ‘‘A half-dozen of them! --—u : away and fought him fiercely, but after a mo- | loaded, too,” ment’s struggle he caught and pinionedbothher | ‘‘Good for you, Bess, You’re worth your arms in a strong grasp. | weight in gold. Hand them out.—Here come Exbausted with the fierce struggle, she lay for | the rascals.” | the moment listless in his power. | Some one without tried to open the door, jerk- A laugh of triumph broke from his lips. ing at it furiously when it failed to yield. ‘‘So-ho, my lively beauty!” he exclaimed, ‘‘ Who the deuce is in there?” came an angry ‘¢ Where’s your Flash now? Why don’t he come | voice, when he’s wanted?” | ‘Your prisoners!” yelled back Flash. ‘‘ Ain’t Their struggle had brought them directly be- | you glad you’ve got ’em?” low the point where Flash lay on the beam with ‘* Open, or we’ll break the door down!” the rope in his hands, ‘¢ Ain’t this splendid!” cried Bess, dancing in As Jacobs advanced his head to snatch the | her excitement, ‘Shall [ shoot bim?” desired kiss there came a sudden drop of the| ‘‘No. Wait till I give the word,” open noose. It fell over his head and down | ‘‘ Then I'll fasten tho shutter.” around his body. The next moment it was | ‘Don’t go near it,” cried Flash, in alarm, drawn tight and Jacobs was a prisoner, to his | ‘‘ They might shoot through it.” utter surprise and consternation. | ‘* They’il climb into it,” declared Bess, ‘* It’s ‘¢You calledforme. Herefam. Anything | got to be shut,” more you want done?” queried Flash, as he| ‘Wait. Ihave it, We'll close up the win- dropped nimbly to the floor. dow and give them a target.” ‘* FH iash!” screamed Bess, in a tone of delight, He loosened the rope and lowered Jacobs to rushing into hisarms, ‘‘ Oh, Flash! Is it you, | the floor. indeed?” ‘‘ 1¥m ever so much obliged, Mr, Flash. You're ‘‘Pinch me, and see, Bess, It feels like me, | going to let me go, ain’t you?” asked the half- don’t it? I’m always on hand when I’m wanted, | strangled captive. —So, my jolly blade, what have you got to say ‘‘Oh, yes! Through the window. Here; for yourself now?” climb into it.” Jacobs had crouched down as far as the rope ‘* But you’ve got the rope on yet. I can’t.” would let him, while his face was a picture of | ‘* We'll see. Bess, take aim at him. If he | don’t climb, you shoot.” astonishment and dread. ‘Won't 1, though!” cried Bess, with a reck- Flash walked around him, surveying him as one would a menagerie specimen. less laugh. ‘¢ What shall we do w.th him, Bess?” ‘No, no! Oh, don’t shoot! IVll climb, Pl ‘¢ He ought to have tue rope around his neck | do anything if you don’t shoot!” instead of his arms.” | The window was narrow, and Jacobs’s form ‘‘Good! He knocked me down with a club. | fit tightly intoit. When he was half through I’ll hang him up like a smoked ham,” Flash caught and fastened the other end of the “Oa, good Mr, Flash! Oh, kind Mr, Light- ( rope. ning!” cried Jerry, wringing his bands in dis-| ‘‘ Hang there, now. If your friends outside may. ‘‘ Don’t hang me, please don’t! i was | want something to shoot at, you'll make a good only infun. Ionly wanted a little fun.” target. lf you try to get back, we’llriddle you.” ‘*Oh, then we'll hang you only a little—only A roar of fear and rage came from Jacobs, forfun. You're so fond of tun that you won't | whose legs hung inside the window, while the mind five minutes of it, | know.” rest of his body had disappeared. ‘*Mercy, dear Mr, Lightning! You »don’t While this was going on there had been know how it'll hurt, Five minutes! Oh, please ' silence outside. The villains were in consulta- let me go!” tion, ‘‘Then s’pose we say three. Just a little Soon there came another thundering knock. swing, you know; only for fun,” ‘Open, or we'll break it in.” ‘You wouldn’t hang me only ’cause I wanted “ Break, and be hanged!” yelled back Flash. a kiss?” pleaded Jacobs, ‘¢ We'll shoot you through the window.” ‘‘ What do you say, Bess?” ‘If you do, you'll burt one of your own ‘‘ Make him get down on his knees and beg | scarecrows.” pardon and say that he’s a sneaking coward.” This bb brought yell of fear from Jacobs. ‘‘’m a sneaking coward; everybody knows | He tried to draw back, but Bess prodded him that,” pleaded Jacobs, pitifully. with the muzzle of a rifle, and he hastily jersed ‘*‘ And deserve a good kicking.” out again, ‘*] deserve a good kicking,” rejoined the mis- The voices ceased outside for a minute, Some erable captive. of the villains had evidently been investi- ‘*Good! But he tried to kiss you,” declared | gating. Flash. ‘* He’sgot to be punished for that ” Then the pounding on the door was resumed, ‘‘ But I didn’t kiss her. Ste wouldn’t let me, | and pistol-shots were heard, as if they were Oh, don’t hang me, Mr. Fiash!” seeking to fire through the stout timber. * Allright. Il only truss you up a little, and ‘¢ That's waste lead,” cried Flash. ‘* Be ready, leave you toyour meditations. Tbere’s manya | Bess. You are not afraid of a rifle?” slip *twixt kiss and lip. You can study that out, ‘¢ Not much; you ought to know that,” she re- Mr. Jacobs,” plied, bringing the piece to her shoulder. He caught the other end of the rope, and with ‘‘If they come in, fire into the crowd. We Bess's help drew Jacobs up until his feet were | can bring down two, and then go for the guns clear of the floor, the rope tightening around his | behind us.” body andarms, He bung dangling in the air, ‘‘I'm not afraid of them,” declared the girl, pitifully groaning and lamentivg. bravely. ‘‘I can fight, if I have to.” Jacobs continued his prayers and groans, but Further words were interrupted by acrashing no attention was paid to them. Flasn fastened | sound atthe door. Something had given way, the end of the rope again and left him swinging | and the door flew open. under the beam. In rushed the villain, to be checked. by the ‘‘Now we've got to glide, Bess, before that | vision of the brace of rifles that stared them in other gang comes back.’ the face. Bess was darcing with something of ber old ‘‘ Down with them! Fire!” yelled Griscom. wild humor round the swinging captive and Crack! crack! went the spiteful revolvers snapping her fingers in his face. but their sound was lost in the louder crash of ‘*‘So. Mr, Girl-stealer, you wanta kiss from | the rifles. Bess Martin! and don’t care one bit for Flash Two of the villains fell, Flash and Bess, who Lightning! How do you like it now? Don’t | were unhurt by the pistol-shots, dropped their you find it splendid taking a swing?” ‘empty rifles and turned to seize two of those that ‘Let me go! Jil never doit again!” pleaded | stood by the wall behind them. the captive, in a tone of as enone - But before they could use tem Griscom rush- ‘* Why, it’s too lovely. wouldn’t for any- | ed forward, flinging bis revolver as he did at the thing rob you of your swing. It’s ever so much | head of the young champion. nicer than kissing.” Flash dodged it, but his foot slipped, and he “Come, Bess, we must make time,” called | went down onone knee, Ere he could recover Flash. | ior bring his rifle to an aim, Griscom was on ‘*Gracious! There they come now!” exclaim | him, ed Bess, looking from the window, Meanwhile Bess had fired again, but some- ‘“By Heaven, you're right!” cried flash | what wildly. The next instant one of the ruf- springing to ner side, ‘‘It’s too late to run | fians had caught her, and held her fast by the We've got to fight.” ' arms, despite her vigorous effort to escape. He sprung hastily to the door, closed it and | Griscom had brought Flash to the floor by his shot the bolt into its socket. Meanwhile, Bess, spring. A severe struggle began, which was who wasaready hand in an emergency, was quickly ended by two of the ruffians coming to searching the room, Griscom’s sid, ‘* Here’s a lot of guns!” she cried, throwing In a minute more Flash was a bound captive - ee _— a