Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 768 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

tu tk nabob, The men who don’t want to see the Camp Spiders sting them to death have met and plan- ned; but it isan unequal fight. They are still in session.” ‘‘ Where?” eagerly asked the boy. ‘‘In the heart of Prince Phil’s mine—the Merry Mixer.” Ned drew back, ‘¢'You may be seen going thither. They will have sentinels out, and as Doodles, you will not be allowed to approach the spot.” ‘* But I am Doodles no longer.” ‘‘T know that, but before you could tell them so the deed might be done, and the sentinels would feel that they bad killed a spy.” Eagle Ned assured Alta that be was able to take care of himself, and five minutes later be was creeping through the shadows of the sban- ties to the mine she had named, He knew where the Merry Mixer was, He knew all the trails leading to the mines that made money for the toughs of Ragged Robin, and when he found himself near the mouth of the one he sought, be avoided the dark figure that pa- trolled it and glided into the depths of the old bonanza, Down the corridor went the flitting figure of the boy spy. He was looking for the meeting-placse of the mutineers, and when he stopped and listened to hear the hum of voices, be felt that Alta bad not guided him wrong. A glimmer of light ahead showed the boy the group of stern men who were resolving not to submit to the rule of the man with a dark past. It was worth their very lives to meet there and talk against the nabob of Ragged Robin. He owned ten mines, and the men who worked them and piled gold-dust at bis feet were his slaves, and some of them were the deadly Spiders of the Black Mesa. Eagle Ned crept on and crouched just witbout the rim of light thrown out by the torch, He bided his time. He saw the men at work, heard their curses against the boss of the camp, and when he beard the name of Doodles mentioned as included in the list of enemies of law and or- der, be sprung forward and halted in their midst, Twenty revolvers clicked around him; as many hands were thrust out to jerk him within a cir- cle of death when, throwing up his hand, he cried out: ‘*‘T am Eagle Ned! I hold the secret which more than condems the nabob of the camp!” The next instant every revolver bad dropped. CHAPTER XIII. A FRIGHTENED TOUGH, THE mutineers of the Black Mesa looked at one another asif in doubt of the truthfulness of the youth’s assertion, It did not seem possible to them that Doodles was Eagle Ned, Phocion’s protege. The boy had been missing so long and they bad heard the miner’s fears so often, that they were inclined to believe that a mine of deception bad beev sprung upon them and that the boy had been sent among them by Jack Jargo for the purpose of finding out their plans and identity. Bat the boy wasready to prove his declaration and in a moment, as it were, had established it to the satisfaction of all, He narrated his adventures in the Devil’s Tun- nel and the last doubters believed, and by the time Ned bad reached the end of his narrative he was the hero of the hour. What if they were watched? What if some spy attached to The Count’s fortunes had follow- ed Ned to the mine and bad sneaked into it, as he had done? But the utmost scrutiny showed nothing of this and the mutineers went back to the plans interrupted by the youth’s arrival, There was a stern determination on the part of the mien to break the bold of the nabob on the camp. They realized now that Jack was at the head of the Camp Spiders and that. un- less their grip was soon broken, not only Pho- cion and Stirrup Steve, but others would fall under the deadly dagger. It was late when the conclave broke up, but Ned did not quit the mine. The others went out and glided back to their respective cabins there to wait for the signal which was to be sounded the coming day, Phocion was not among the men who met in the mine. He was at work trying to discover the *he slayer of Durango Dave on which depended figu: “* own existence. The red-heard thought he name ,ald guess the slayer, but he said nothing while him. 5 saw the allotted time wear away with the nystery unsolved, Eagle Ned, the Boy on G@ Captain Jack had heard of the message brought to the palace by Redbolt, one of Selina’s ardent lovers, Hissister had met him at the threshold and told him what a serpent they had been harboring, that Doodles had been unmask- ed and that he bad effected bis escaps, Jack listened with a strange smile at his lips. “Til fix him,” he said, ‘‘ Tl attend to this young snake,” ‘* When it is too late,” said Seline derisively. **'You would not let me search his room, but let hin fool you with the Comanche war-whoop. See what has happened. He has discovered all he wants to know.” ‘** But be is powerless,” answered Jack. ** You forget that tae boy 1s in the midst of a cumpful of enemies,” ** He has Phocion for a friend.” ‘*Phocion is even now in the sbadow of death,” ‘* The girl will bide him if she can.” ey Selina of the tiger eyes hated Alta, the wal ** Don’t fear on that score,” said Jack. ** Noth- ing can save the boy spy. Heis as good as out of the way now.” ‘‘But he has carried the pearl with him; he took away the one he stole from the necklace.” ‘* You've got enough without it.” Selina looked but said nothing, and the next minute Jack was alone, He glanced at bis watch and went out. Passing tbe door of Black Burt’s den he looked in, made a sign and a map came out, ‘** Look here, Toby,” said Jack, facing the fel- low whose skin was almost yellow, showing bis Greaser blood. ‘*‘ We have unmasked a young vy. ‘ We have found out that Doodles is Eagle Toby fell back amazed and stared at the face before him. ‘* No, master, He lies in the Devil’s Tunnel.” ‘* We must ses, You shall pick a bole through the wall and go down and look for yourself, I diin’t more than half believe Selina, but she maintained that Doodles is Eagle Ned. Come!” The pair went down to the mine, and ina short time Toby was tearing at the wall which had closed the mouth of the tunnel, Captain Jack stood by and watched the pro- ceedings with much interest, He saw piece after piece of the masonry yield to Toby’s skill, and when a hole large enough to admit the body ofa man had been made, he motioned for Toby to go in. Down the tunnel glided the man with the torch, He was socn lost sight of, but Jack saw the gleam of the ligbt and knew that his man was On important ground, Suddenly a loud cry came from the depths of the tunnel, and in a little while the figure of Toby, hair erect und eyes on the stare, came into view, He almost fel] at the feet of the nabob, and when Jack caught bim by the collar and de- manded to know what he bad seen, he stammered something the camp boss could not understand. ‘* He is alive!” cried Toby. ‘** Alive, man? Impossible!” ‘*T mean the stranger who went into the tun- nel nearly a year age. Jack’s look became a blank stare, this could not be. ‘“*Ilsaw him lying on the ground as natural as when we left him tbere. If you don’t believe it go in and look for yourself.” ** But the boy?” ** He isu’t in there.” *‘ Be sure of that, Toby.” | “*‘ITam,. I took my eyes with me into the tun- ne}. I lost sight of nothing.” ‘** But the man we left there can’t be living.” The frightened look had by this time left Toby’s eyes, and he began to see what a fool he had made of himself. He looked down into the tunnel, and at Jast volunteered to go back and take another look, This he did returning soon with another re- port concerning the tenant of the underground corridor. The man was dead, but the boy was ne there and he had gone to the end of the tun- nel, Captain Jack said nothing for a moment, ‘I don’t sea how it can be,” said Toby. ** You say you heard him fall with a cry?” ‘*T did,” ‘‘T never knew any one to revive after inhal- ing such deadly gases, though if the boy fell on his face and thus kept them from his lungs, there might be a chance.” ‘*Then he found that chance and saved him- self. He is not here, but the other one is,” ‘¢ The other one will remain.” Toby’s trowel went to work again and the He knew uard. 11 mouth of the tunnel was walled up once more, When this had been done The Count and his map went back. Jack was silent, almost sullen, He seemed troubled over the escape of the boy and did not speak until they had reached Toby’s shanty. ‘What have you against the boy, captain?” asked the miner, looking at Jack, These two men had been friends a long time. They had few secrets between each other for danger had Jinked them together and Toby knew the nabob long before the date of our story. Captain Jack seemed to think before be an- swered the man who was eying him like an eagle, ‘* What have I against him, Toby?” he said at last. ‘* I don’t see why it need be a secret from you. That boy will be the doom of both of us if permitted tou play out the game he has inaugu- rated. He is positively dangerous.” ‘But he’s but a boy,” sneered Toby. ‘‘A young lion and dangerous because of his youth, He is looking for a sister who was spirited away years ago, almost before be knew her, Toby, did it ever strike you that the man in the Devil’s Tunnel might, in a manner, be connected with the fortunes of Eagle Ned?” Toby shook his head, ‘‘ There is a link that unites those two,” con- tinued Jack, ‘* You may not see it, but I do.” ‘Who was that man?” ‘* A straggler—a man who had roamed all over the country and who bad a tale of woe strange- ly like Eagle Ned’s, He was Joshua Meeks; he had been a wanderer for years and was not as ras he was thought,” ‘* But no gold was found on him.” ‘‘ You are right; no gold was found on his person, He went to his fate like a sheep to the slaughter-pen. When be died in the heart of the Red Rattlesnake be left behind nothing which the keenest eye of the boy could discover, However, he was the keeper of a secret. He was absolutely rich.” ‘* You never told me this before.” ‘‘ Because there was no need for telling it,” said Jack. ‘Toby, we have been friends a long time. You have never been rewarded for what service you bave given me. Ask for the reward now,” Tne snake-like eyes of Toby seemed to glitter. He looked at The Count and grinned, ‘*- You won’t give me what | ask for,” he said. “Try me.” ‘Then I’d like to become the busband of Se- lina,” Captain Jargo laughed. It was not a derisive laugh, but ove that teld a good deal. He would give his tiger sister to this man; he would make her the bride of Toby, the bronzed slave, and thus keep her under his thumb, ‘*She is yours, Toby,” he said. this hour is your affianced.” The man sprung up and seized Jack’s hand, ‘She might bave a say in this,” he cried, ‘But I will bring her around,” ‘** How, Toby? ‘If she refuses me, I will threaten to take her back to Chiquita.” ‘* That will clinch the affair. go back there,” Thus the hand of Selina, the nabob’s sister, was bestowed upon the ambitious Toby, but Se- lina herself was apt to have something to say before the carrying out of the compact. ‘*Selipa from She will never CHAPTER XIV. THE START OF A THUNDERBOLT. WHEN mornipvg came many an eye was turned upon Phocion’s sbanty, and the Spiders of Rag- ged Robin wondered what he bad discovered, if anything. His ten hours of grace were nearly up, and the sun, creeping over the granite hills of Arizona, told the men of the camp that Phocion was nearer the noose than he had ever beep, When the tall figure and red beard were seen to emerge from the cabin, the toughs who be- longed to the nabob’s faction looked at one an- other and smiled. They saw Pbocion come toward Black Burt’s saloon likea man walking into a trap, and when he had entered, they surged after bim, Not one thought for a moment that he would defy the camp. What could be do? It was Phocion against the banded toughs, and they thought that be might surrender, saying that he had been unable to discover the slayer of Durango Dave, . The figure of Phocion balted at the long coun- ter, and he looked at the sea of dark faces be- fore bim, If he was looking for a friend, be did ew es * r 8 On Sem ghee ‘ > Wy yy ~l b . =