Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 991 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

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A moment more and a man crept into view: and then another, Samson, the hermit of Heart-of-Gold Mine, turned upon his companion. “his is the child’s nest,’ he said, low tones. “It’s the best kept one in Shakedown, and she’s as neat‘as a pin. oe 8 ee . . . _ ied Px = ay 5, o4 ae ; Two Dudes from Doomed Camp. her murmur, and the little shanty was quiet once more. Footsteps passed and Nelly out, following a dark form with keen orbs. “@ome!” said Jake. “If Orson should looked her return and find us here—’” “He shall never do that. We will go.” Nelly had disappeared. Hugging her find to her bosom, the waif of the Mari- posa ran to her own shanty and en- tered. Hurriedly lighting her lamp, she set it on the floor underneath the window, so as not to let the beams reach the street. The door she had secured with a wood- en slide. ee ee a ae i iy v euge REN, ae RS Pes , ; “Diamond Donald, as he was fan? came to Shakedown on an important mis-_ ston, but Orson met him at the edge of | i the camp. Proof he wants and proof he Shall have. Will the sheriff take the, ac- cused into custody? ” The officer did not move. “Here Iam!” said Orson. “Take me! [ am your prisoner, sheriff. I am under arrest for the murder of the man called Diamond Donald. But remember, boy! There must be positive proof, for to fail in that is death to you, after this charge.” The girl stepped forward, but some one kindly pushed her back, and the people of Shakedown surged toward the middle Of the road. ‘“Whar’s yer witness?’ demanded Or- as They would rob her of it all. They She sat down, breathless, still and! son. with ‘ oui , s, § confidence. Produce hi es would make her walk from -omepgatete excited, and taking the documents from | say!” et 5 as poor as a spear of alkali grass, DUt| their hiding place she opened the pack- “Come with me!” exclaimed Bob. they shan’t, eh?” “They shall not,” avowed Jerusalem Jake, decisively. ‘“‘ Now for the other shanty, Samson.” ‘Yes. I gaid I would lead you to Or- son’s crib, and you shall search it for the stolen papers.” Samson tock a look outside and re- “From his lips ere he dies. you shall hear the true story of that crime by the white stone,” Bob Hanley led the crowd toward Mountain Kidd’s shanty. age, “These are the ones. I see the dust of the old mine on every one. These are the papers he took from Samson Peters. How lucky! They’re the very papers the two young men would like to see. But, what is their story?” She fell to reading the first one. a Te ae Pe ow Pa 2, — es « . 2 oS .. — a > 7? e ~— = ~~ Fy 5 a 6 eee ae oh Sater < : =. | 1 2a - ole © So Say > CHAPTER XII. 7a 3 pe) “ae. 4 g pa | ~_ pe Ay te a ba : , ee he a ye 2th “lags —_ aS -_ = Stn, age Taf f. eee. % Ps —— - “ —- Bae. ~ —— ney te = a ed <n i“ 4 ba . - ee MA FELIS > Ms Het al <a ;. dri oni a it, ae Pe paren role ee re Te, es i a ~, a © Aes “ A * ~~ % tors at a rt > “~*~ = ».* ad | «= fe 4 a, * i 7 -, —a— . . (ae e%. Ra 2 + ww ‘ported that he could see nething but a wrowd of toughs in front of The Comet, “with Billy Whiskers as entertainer, and the two agreed that the time for the visit to Crson’s shanty was most opportune. Soon both were in front of the place. It did not take the men long to effect ‘an entrance, and when they stood with- in they drew close together. “ No light,” said Samson. ‘have the eyes of owls.” “ That’s right. What we can’t find to- ‘night without a light must remain hid- den.”’ f‘or ten minutes they searched the in- terior, but fruitlessly. “Not found,” said Jake. “No. It’s queer. It was his track in ‘the dust; that I know. Orson stole the documents, but I can't turn ’em up here. We must try again.” . The second search resulted as the first: nothing discovered. “What's that?” suddenly asked Je- --rusalem, laying his hand on his reyol- -vyer. ‘* Hist!” Both listened in the dark to a noise at the door. The door was pressed with caution and some one entered. The men had glided to one corner. “Tt’s the girl,’ whispered Samson. “Tf it is Nelly, she must not find us here,” was the reply. “Let her find the documents herself, but not discover us.” -“T’ll look for the papers,” said a voice in the dark. ‘I’m afraid to strike a light, for fear of Or son, but I'll search Ais nest without one.’ - They heard her moving hither and thither in the cramped abode of the one-armed sport, on the side opposite from where they stood, and while she “We must worked Samson and Jerusalem Jake. held their breath. “What's these?—papers?” was _ sud- denly exclaimed, ‘These must be the documents stolen from Heart-of-Gold Mine. I have them at last, at fen Ss will and the proofs!” “The Last Will and Testament of Ban- dy Nickell, so-called.” Nelly stopped and looked up. Her face was pale and her eyes eager, despite their weird light. “TI bequeath to my adopted daughter, Nelly, the whole of Heart-of-Gold Mine with the nuggets in the secret chamber pointed out by the diagram accompany- ing this will. Unto her care I also give the other documents which are here found, and which tell the story of her birth and her parents’ history.” Nelly paused. She was on the thresh- old of a secret and did not have the heart to proceed. “Shall I go on?” the girl questioned. “My parentage is here revealed. Here is the story of my father and mother and their names. “T dare not—not now! I am not strong enough,” she went on. “He wrote this for me, but I will not read the story to-night,” so, folding the papers again, she again hid them in her dress, She went out and stood in the shadow of the cabin, listening for what she might hear, and looking toward The Comet, of seemed to see the crowd there seat- er, “Let him have his say,” she heard Orson cry out. “This is a free-for-all camp, and even the boy dude from the North shall have fair play.” She flitted down the street and stopped near the crowd. “Stand back! Let him stand out fairly and say it,” ordered the One-armed ter- ror. Then the girl took in the situation. Bob Hanley stood before the Owl, straight aS an arrow and erect. “T do accuse you, in the presence of Shakedown,” said the young trailer, calmly, ‘and say that you killed the Un- known found by Alkali Tom at the foot of the white rock, and will prove it by a competent witness.” “A witness, eh? Trot him out!” “ Where is the sheriff of Shakedown? ”’ | the One-armed. THE WOUNDED WITNESS. In his little cabin awaited Mountain Kidd, his eyes fixed intently upon the door. All at once he caught the tread of the advancing mob. The footsteps soon halted at the door, and then came a moment of silence, as Bob Hanley laid his hand on the latch. Mountain Kidd had raised himself o the cot, but he did not seem to bre “We. The door opened and the half- glazed eyes of the man on the pallet seemed fo. a moment to get a lively light. ‘Here’s the witness, gentlemen!” . The opening of the shanty door flood- ed the cabin with moonlight, and the faces that were pu..ed forward paused at the threshold. The Owl stepped inside, looked i Mountain Kidd, and then turned to the men at his back: “ Examine the witness!” he said, with confidence. Kidd had not said a word. His face was ghastly now; the man was nearly gone. The young detective sprang to the. couch and took the hand lying on the coverlet. “We are here,” said he. “I hsve ac- cused Orson, and he is here, defying me to produce proof against him.” Mountain Kidd heard the words, but seemed unable to answer. “ Lift him up!” said the sheriff. * “Don’t touch him! Let him tke his time. No man shall interfere with this witness!” cried Orson. fiercely. ‘‘ Stand back and give him air!” The crowd now in the shanty moved aside and the cool air of night came in and touched Mountain Kidd’s cheek. But the man’s color did not change; it seemed, rather, to become fixed ini! its pallor. Oars All at once Nelly, the waif, came into the cabin and sprang to the sport's side. “Take the girl away,” fairly howled “She shall not tamper with the witness.” on > ‘ ye ba - a, Ae ie L « — a Sa SS att Oe —— P . er ~ » , asked Bob, looking around, *“ Here!” and the man stenned forward. “ The murderer of the Unknown stands “Tf you dare!” was the prompt reply, as Nelly faced the desperado. “I will . i | © Gods! her eyes or fingers beat ours,” Hh speak to him. I will bring him back to Re tg ‘ejaculated Samson Peters at his com- 3 i ; panion: S ears. i Who’d have thought | yonder, in the person of Orson. the One-||} life if I can. He shall tell what he 7 i eae it’ Let her go! If she keeps them | armed!” averred the young detective. | knows.” re LS a ee _ thoy’ll answer the same purpose.” “The man he killed was known in other Nelly bent over the man on the bed; eae They heard the door open, but, imme- | places as Diamond Donald—” she smoothed back his matted hair, and | _ diately, it was shut again and Nelly “My God! it cannot be!” then she snoke to him. vee oan 7 x i _ dre Sc cuse | Nelly stood in the middle of the road, “Tt is Nelly, Mountain Kidd,” said she ae, metho Tll wait till he passes,”’ they heard it was she who spoke. in soft tones. “ They don’t want you: to. | Jai Bes ‘he : M t . . ‘ 4 * oy Bs . J : ee “ re . r . ; ’ “ ) eee? f “= fg ay we SPU TNS Pa awa. vo YT eet . 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