Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 993 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

SO ——- — = — aa - — ——~ ite you have risen up toinjure me and defy the law, . bP ye Me Sheriff Huntway, of Montana. he The burly man refused to yield an inch, In- | but I believe you have been deceived by some stead he displayed a pair of handcuffs, one who wishes me out of the way. Criminals ‘711 put theso on, and then we'll talk,” said | hate andfearme, Will you permit yourselves the fellow, grimly. Valeria watched the two with a startled face, For the time she seemed utterly stunned. A to be led by suc!:?” “Hooray! Listen to him, lads. the darlint! Hooray fur the sheriff!” yelled Tim Quales at crisis was near at band, however, for a dark | the top of his voice, tossing his old hat high in mass of human beings was seen hurrying | ,the air. toward the house, and it was now evident that this was the ‘*mob” alluded to by the fellow who had attempted to arrest Huntway. Mis- chief was in the air surely, and the young sheriff realized that he must escape at once if he would, Loth as he was to flee from a danger thet he felt he had not invited, he yet believed tvat it was not his duty to permit himself to be sacri- ficed at the hands of a senseless mob. He caught the appeal in the eye of Valeria, and that look nerved him to desperate meas- ures. ‘*Stand aside,” commanded Huntway, as the agp officer moved to put on the hand- cuffs. ‘* Look out! He has a pistol!” called Valeria, warningly. Searcely had the words fallen from her lips than the man with the handcuffs went down like a log at the feet of Valeria. One instant only did the sheriff pause to grasp the hand of the girl he loved. He looked into her eyes and said: ae your sake, Valeria, I become a fugi- ive. He pressed her hand an instant, then sprung | Yells and groans foll»wed, and it was quite ovident **nt the mob was not pacified. Valeria had retired inside, but she stood at the window watching tho movementz outside with tho most intense interest. She saw pistols in desperate hands, and trembled for the safety of the courageous young sheriff who bad only con- sented to seek safety in flight to please her. **Oh! why does he linger? They'll shoot him | yet!” moaned the alarmed gir). And then she saw a hand lifted, clutching a cked revolver. The man who leveled the weapon at the heart of Clifford Huntway was the one who had ait- tempted his arrest. Valeria almost fainted at the sight. There was murder in the man’sheart. Huntway, all unconscious of treachery, sat his horse in the gathering gloom, a conspicuous mark for the assassin’s bullet, Valeria moved a little nearer. Her own band was raised swiftly. A single sharp report rung out, A cry of pain followed, and the arm of the murderous constable fell helpless at his side, his revolver falling to the floor. ** Heaven forgive me,” murmured Valeria, ‘*‘ it over the prostrate form of the man he had felled | was to save his life that I did it.” and passed into the house, By this time more than a score of men were in front of the house, rough, bearded fellows, some of them valiant through whisky that had been furnished freely by an interested party. ‘‘ Bring him out!” yelled a voice; ‘* bring out ther sheriff!” Valeria had now regained her self-possession, At the report of the pistol great confusion pre- vailed, ‘*1’'m shot! murder!” groaned the burly con- stable, and cries of ‘‘ Huntway did it!” added to the rage of the mob. Pistols cracked indiscriminately, and in the confusion the young sheriff galloped away, With loud yells the balf-drunken toughs rushed end she halted the blear-eyed citizens at the porch | in pursuit, firing as they ran. and in a firm voice said: ‘ ‘*Come no further, gentlemen, seek is not here.” ‘‘Tt’s a lie! The young vagabond is in the hous» biding like the sneak he is!” vociferated grim smile swept the face of the hunted The man you | sheriff, _ * Fools!” he muttered, ‘‘They’re only wast- ing their powder now,” . He made no effort to conceal his movements, the man whom Huntway had knocked down, just | but galloped down the main street, passing ex- now staggering to his feet, but with rage at his ate discomnfiture, ‘*Tt is not true, declared Valeria. right to enter.” Mr. Huntway is not here,” ‘*Stand back! You have no cited groups of citizens, At one point, in front of the Open Hand Saloon, a score of toughs were being addressed by an excited individual, Huntway noticed the man carefully—it was SteeleSharp No, 2, although the fleeing sheriff did As the foremost of the mad mob attempted to | nof know him then, rush past the girl he felt a cold ring of steel touch his forehead, and recoiled, Valeria, white and determined, held the fort for the time being. The gts fellow who had given the zirl the lid did not follow Huntway in- to the house, evidently fearing todo o. He was a dastard at heart, and when he saw an opportunity he slipped up bebind Valeria and threw his arms about her, pinioning her hands to her sides, ‘¢Come on!” yelled the constable, ‘‘ I’ve got ther gal fast. She can’t hurt you now.” In vain Valeria struggled. The mobsaw their oibexga: and poured over the porch into the house, They did not find the object of their wrath within, however, While they filled the place with oaths and rude ejaculations, a shout from the front of the house called many of them there, A man on horseback bad halted not twenty ces from the door, and stood regarding the orde with a calm mien. It was the bunted sheriff of Pine Forks. He had found the horse referred to by Valeria, and was bold enough to face the mob when once in the saddle, ‘‘'Tbhar’s the critter now. Go for him!” yelled a voice, ‘*Hold!” called Huntway. ‘Men of Pine Forks, I am still your sheriff, and I have a right to be heard.” ‘* Be jabers! listen to im!” cried irrepressible pee Saale, who had come out to look for Va- leria at her father’s request and had but lately arrived upon the scene, Tim was a friend to Huntway and mar- icant ey this display of wrath against the young ‘*Stut up, you lpeen !”’ Tim brought ste eck of his hand across the mouth of a brawny fellow, who, quite tipsy, bad elled ‘‘ Hang him!” at the top of bis voice. The w sent the inebriated individual sprawling on the ground, A laugh followed the tough’s dis- comfiture, ‘* Men of Pine Forks,” n called Huntwa “Tam your sheriff still, J do not know why 4 vd. : ’ > re eae . . y he *¢ : : _ >. iy ee fs , * : - a ey = ta Dy na N Ber: - a 6 ye ) It was almost dark ‘when Sheriff Huntway en- tered a mountain trail beyond the confines of Pine Forks, He had slackened his pace, and bad permitted his rein to fall loosely, when a man darted from the bushes, snatched the bridle and thrust a re- volver into the horseman’s face! CHAPTER XIV, ESCAPE AND CAPTURE. ‘‘QuIETLY now,” uttered the highwayman, ‘Litt a finger and you die!” Rather a sudden and unpleasant announce- ment, truly. Sheriff Huntway did not lose his presence of mind for anizstant. He recognized the man who had halted him and at once said, good-humoredly ; ‘*Put up your gun, Sharp. One good turn deserves another, and you have repaid my ser- vices by se'ting the mob at my life. I ought to love you after this surely.” There wasasting in the words of Huntway that caused the highwayman to drop his hand from the bridle-rein as though it was hot iron. ‘¢ Bless me, I made a misiake, Mr. Huntway,” exclaimed the man,whc wasindeed Steele Sharp whose life the sheriff had but lately saved at considerable risk to himself, Sharp’s revolver also fell at his side. ‘* Didn't you recognize me,Sharp?’ queried the sheriff suspiciously. ‘‘No, [thought you were a man for whom I have been looking for a long time,” ‘** What man?” ‘*Never mind now, sheriff.” And Sharp forced a laugh. “It was an awkward mistake, and I beg your pardon, [’d sooner cut off my right hand oak offer harm to the best friend [ have on earth, There was no mistaking the earnestness of the detectiye’s words, and the fugitive sheriff con- fessed himself puzzled, Valeria had but this night assured him that Steele Sharp was at the hottom of the uprising against him, and now here was the detective TEE ee declaring himself his friend. Was he a hypo- crite? ‘¢T don’t know whether to trust you or not,” declared the sheriff after a moment given to re- flection, ‘‘Do you imagine I could be anything but your friend after what has happened; Mr. Huntway ?” questioned Steele Sharp, in ean in- jured tone. ‘**‘I am looking after the man who robbed and attempted to murder Jasper Flake, Surely you and I ought to clasp hands on ap issue of that kind, you being the sheriff of the county !” Huntway was still puzzled. ?erhaps Valeria bad been mistaken in her surmise regarding the detective, It seemed pre- posterous to believe that a man like the detective should be his enemy, since both were con erva- tors of the peace. Perhaps jealousy actuated the man, professional janiousy, which sometimes is almost equal to that caused by the infatuation of love, ‘¢T have been misinrormed, Sharp,” said Hunt- way, at length, ‘* Although I xm sheriff-of this county de jure, I am at present not that officer de facto, You understand?” Aud Huntway laughed unpleasantly. ‘* No, 1 do not understand.” The fugitive sheriff then explained the situa- tion ina few words, An ejaculation fell from the detective’s.. lips when Huntway had con- cluded, ‘*T understand it,” he said, quickly. ‘‘ The: detective referred to by Valeria is the man calling himself Steele Sharp, He is an impostor. [ have not yet dropped onto his game, but I do know that he is in disguise, and that he has suc- ceeded in deceiving not only Rollin Longwood, but old man Grevoger as well. That man is: not a detective. Jam the only one who has a ight to the name of Steele Sharp. There's a. ot of some sort in the wind, and your ruinisa port of the programme, Mr. Huntway.” “A\It does look that way,” admitted the sheriff, ‘’ You have lilted a load from my mind, Sharp, and I feel better now.” ‘* You will not fear to trust me hereafter!” ‘*T wiil not,” The two men clasped hands in the dim light, and were once more friends. ‘‘The minds of many people in Pine Forks have been poisoned .gainst me, Sharp,” said the sheriff, slowly, as if weighing his words, ‘‘ The escaye of Grudge Grave and the burning of the jail seem to have aroused suspicion against me, and L amnow afugitive. Do you blame me Sharp? OughtI to have stood my ground an died for a sentiment?” ‘“Tthink you did rightin leaving town,” re- turned the detective. ‘' Miss Granger was quite right. Sbeisa noble girl, and worthy of your love, Mr. Huntway.” ** ‘You cannot quarrel with m- on that point, Sharp,” returned the sheriff, laughing. ‘* My flight, however, will convince many that I am guilty. Itisthat thought alone that troubles me, ‘Tf you had remained, the mob, urged on by the Humbug Detective, would have lynched you, After that, even though proof of your innocence was forthcoming, it could do the dead sheriff no good. We will ferret out all. this iniquity, Mr. Huntway, and in good time you can return to, Pins Norks vindicated.” The earnest friendship of Steele Sharp touched Huntway deeply. ‘*T thank you, sir,” he said, huskily. ‘‘ It is indeed pleasant to have one friend among so many enemies, You scarcely know me, and yet you trust me against great ods.” ‘*True, When you shot the panther and res- cued me from the hands of outlaws, that act convinced me that you could not be a friend to the foes of law and order. I believe you true as steel, Sheriff Huntway, and my future acts. shall be in conformity with this belief,” ‘* Again I thank you.” ** Please refrain. ‘‘ What vould you advise now, Sharp?” ‘Tf you wili listen to my advice, you will go at once to Helena,” returned the detective, “I did not go there asI intended, but have written a note that I should like to send. ris duty lies in this neighborhood at present. Will you take. the message I have to send?” ‘““T don’t know. Aren’t tes in danger here, S ?’ returned the sheriff, hesitating)y. - *Notin the least. I shall move about Pine Forks in disguise. I’ve an inkling of things that may yet rattle the dry bones of that town. If you wiiltake my message to Helena, I will return to the cabin that I left but a short time since, where bave a friend and a horse, and. where I left the letter.” —