Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 768 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

. a - ee e e ee ee ee | | Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard. 15 the shadows grew long withvut the figure of the nabob falling across the Plaza, all wonder- ed what bad bappened, By and by Selina came out. The face of the nabob’s sister was pale and her eyes bad an unnatural ligbt. She came toward the place where the Camp Spiders were congregated, and as she entered the den allsurged toward her and waited with bated breath for her to speak, ‘*Men of Ragged Robin, Iam your captain’s sister no longer,” she began, ‘) am not going back to Chiquita, neither will I become the wife of Toby,” and here she turned and fixed her eyes on the man who bore this name, Toby shut his hands bari and would have moved forward if u wave of Selina’s hand had not detained him, ‘Stand where you are,” she said, ‘* Captain Jack is in the saddle by this time. He has a rider at his heels for Eagle Ned, who was once Doodles, has been rescued by Phocion, though Phocion carries along his skull the mark of the Spider’s bullet.” The men who heard Selin looked at each other, but did not speak. “It is a strange story which you ought to hear,” she went on. ‘* You ought to know that Eagle Ned is on the trail of vengeance, that he discovered in the Devil’s Tunnel the body of a man who came to Ragged Robin nearly a year ago in search of astolen daughter; that the boy suspecting who had taken that man’s life, played spy,a part of the time in the palace as a half- breed hoy. He neglected no opportunity to find out something, He tracked Captain Jack, ardI was sometimes under his watchful eye, ‘When he thought the time had arrived for the transformatlon, he once more became Eagle Ned, the protege of Phocion. He took refuge in the Merry Mixer Mine, but with Alta, the girl, was discovered and captured by Dick and his men, He was afterward taken to the palace, there to face Captain Jack who forced him into acbair and left him for dead in the web of the Spiders, But Phocion came and found him there: he went toward Captain Jack when be saw him in the doorway, but a bullet sent him to the wall, not dead, but bleeding. That shot sent Captain Jack adrift, Though he was still nabob of Ragged Robin, he was forced to fly, for i came came between him and further rule in the Black Mega.” ‘You, woman?” cried Toby. ‘‘ Why, you are his own sister and you are wanted in Chiquita, Men, that woman is an outlaw despite her sex. There is a reward for her in Chiquita and—” _‘*Hear me through!” interrupted Selina, her tiger eyes flashing their baleful light on Toby. ‘Tl am not bis sister, though I have claimed that relationship to him all these years, Captain Jack knew that I was aware of the fact that no blood unites us, I followed bis fortunes because be knew a secret which would destroy my bap- piness if I were sent back to Chiquita, where once I killed an officer who insulted me, I have said that the boy, Eagle Ned, is after Captain Jack. Why? He knows by whose hands the man who now sleeps in the Devil’s Tunnel was helped out of the world, He kuows who that man was, and putting this and that together, be bad a desire to avenge his death, Master Toby, do you know who your victim was?” Selina turned full upon Toby, and the man’s cheeks blanched, ‘*Man, you helped Captain Jack with that job. You knew all the time that the old tunnel was inhabited; your hands walled it up afcer Eagle Ned bad been enticed into it by the nabob of, Ragged Robin; you opened it and went in to look for the boy spy, but found him not. You found your victim there, and for a moment you thought him alive. The necklace which the child-hunter bad in bis possession the night he landed in this cainp Came to me, but it has been an accursed keepsake, because it seemed to be stained with blood,” Toby made a movement toward the door, but Selina followed him, covering bim with her hand, ‘‘Will you take me back to Chiquita?” she laughed, ‘* Will you carry me across the desert, and present me to the authorities because I re- fuse to become your wife? Look here, Toby. Don’t be a coward.” But Toby did not stop. Clinching his hands, he continued to the door where he paused for a moment and then caught Selina’s eye. ** Your time will come,” he cried. ‘‘ You will 0 back to Chiquita when you least expect it, ou will yet feel the vengeance of the halter,” The laugh of the woman ringing in his ears was the last sound he heard as he left the den, and when be was on the Plaza he shut his hands and was heard to say: ‘* Beaten! A thousand curses on the head of that woman!” Meantime Selina had turned to the men in the saloon. ‘You are the Spiders of Ragged Robin,” she went on. ‘‘If you wish you can follow the for- tunes of your master who has both Phocion and Eagle Ned at his heels, Lazarus and Red Mart, who were killed after dark, died because they were survivors of the Vigilantes who long ago, and in another camp, wiped out a band of Camp Spiders whose leader was the man who is now a fugitive from justice. But why tell you this? You know why these two men were killed and some of you know why Captain Jack wanted Stirrup Steve and Phocion out of the way, Alta will learn in time that her father bas a grave nearer her than she thinks, The waif of Ragged Robin shall receive from me the jewels which rightfully belong to her, She—” Selina was interrupted by the looks which told her that some one bad entered the den and the next moment she was looking at Alta herself, The beautiful girl, escorted by Stirrup Steve, was coming forward with her eyes fastened on the woman from Chiquita, and when she stopped they were close together. ‘*That is the child of the man who sleeps in the tunnel,” continued Selina. ‘' Here are the necklace jewéls which belonged to her when a babe. I thought I would wear them myself, but what am [ but an outlawed creature upon whose head a price hes been set?” Alta saw a string of pearls glistening in Selina’s hands and,changing color, she seemed to reel forward, and when sbe paused she threw her hands to her head and cried out; ‘* Heavens! what astrange tale is this? If it is true, then I am Eagle Ned’s sister,” She sunk to the floov at Selina’s feet, but the hands of Stirrup Steve lifted her and placed the jewels about ber neck. ‘* She has guessed her identity to the letter,” said Selina, meeting the gaze of the young man. ‘* There are papers which confirm my words.” A minute later Selina was seen crossing the Square and the palace, that house of mystery, opened its door to her, Far away from Ragged Robin where we bave witnessed the startling events detailed in the foregoing chapters, a man was riding at_break- neck speed toward a mountain camp. which consisted of a few shanties, It was nightfall and the rising moon over the naked peaks on his left showed bim the trails which his steed followed witbout difficulty. A week had pussed since the last scene at Ragged Robin, The rider at last dismounted and entered a well-lighted place in the center of the camp. Everybody jooked at him, at his slashed baote. his keen black eyes and smoothly shaven face. Advancing to the counter which ran along one end of the saloon, be leaned against it and turn- ed to the curious crowd which bad surged for- ward full of suppressed excitement. ‘“'You don’t know me,” he said, with a grim smile. ‘* Dol look like any person you have ever seen?” At that moment two persons entered the den, and one, a boy, covered the man at the bar. ‘* Let me answer him,” said the youth. ‘ He not only looks Jike Captain Jack, the so-called Count of Ragged Robin, but he is that worthy. Phocion and I have tracked him mile after mile ever since his flight. He is the chief of the Spiders of Eagle Buttes and the head of the web of Ragged Robin. He is the man who left Joshua Meeks, my father, in the heart of the Devil’s Tunnel; he is the Spider that sucked the blood of Lazarus and Red Mart, Shall we bave him, men of Crescent City?” e answer was enougo. The men fell upon the tall figure at the bar and before the cool hand could follow the dictates of as cool a head, the web had been broken forever and the king Spider was in the toils. This time another court held a session in Hogeed Robin and Phocion was the judge there- of, We need not describe the scenes that followed: but we will say that the dead were avenged, that the mutineers of the camp saw tkat none but the really guilty suffered, and that Phocion took the place of the outlaw alcalde. As for Eagle Ned, the boy spy, be was happy because the past was a mystery no longer, for he had found the lost sister, and when the proper time came he gave ber away to Stirrup Steve and the wedding was for months the talk of the mountain camps, Tbe Spiders’ web was forever broken and ; 1] a nr a ea ee; — eS SC Ragged Robin, sincea flourisbing city, no longer feared the deadly sting. Selina disappeared soon after the triumph of justice which she bad helped along, and from that day was lost sight of by those who had known her. It is certain sbe did not return to Chiquita, and Eagle Ned who, as Doodles, had slept under her uplifted dagger, wus not awxious to bave her black eyes in his path, The boy spy became the owner of rich mines where he had fought the Camp Spiders, and lives to-day with Alta and Stirrup Steve, THE END. Beadle's Half-Dime Library. BY J, ©. COWDRIOK, 860 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery, 869 Shasta, the Gold hing}; or, For Seven Years Dead. 420 The Dvetective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without a Name, 424 Cibuta Johny; or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar. 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scout, 467 Disco Dan, the Daisy Dude 490 Broadway Bllly. the Bootblack Bravo. &06 Redlight Ralph the Prince of the Road, 514 Broadway Blilly’s Boodle. 5624 The Engineer Detective. 536 Broadway Billy’s ‘ Diltikilty.” 548 Mart, the Night Express Detective. 557 Broadway Billy’« Peath Racket. 571 Air-Line Luke the Young Enginee?. 579 The Chimney Spy: or, Broadway Billy’s Surprise-Party. 592 The Boy Pinkerton. 605 William & Breadway; or, The Boy Detective’s Big Inning, 615 Fighting Harry the Chief of Chained Cyclone. G28 Broadway Biliy’s Dead Act. 640 Barebsek Beth, the Centaur of the Circle. 647 Typewriter Tilly, the Merchant’s Ward. 659 Moonlight Morgin, the *‘ Pizenest ’’ Man of Ante Baz. 669 Broadway Billy Abroad. 675 Broadway Billy’s Best; or, Beating San Francisco's Finest. 6ST Broadway Billy In Clover. 696 Broadway Billy in Texas. 708 Broudway Billy’s Brand. 71il Broadway Billy at Santa Fe, 720 Broadway Billy’« Full Hand, 55 Broadway Billy’s Business. SS Broadway Billy’s Curious Case. 7 ‘ ~ + BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS, 546 Captain Cactus, the Chaparral Ccck. 568 The Dandy of Dedge. 576 The Silver Sport. 5S3 Saffron Sol, the Man With a Shadow 559 Tom-Cat and Pardy; or, The Dead Set at Silver City, 601 lappy Hana, the Dutch Vidocg. 611 Bildad Barnacle, the Detective Hercules. 622 Texas Tom-Cat’s Triad 681 Tom Cat’s Terrible Task. 638 Tom-Cat’s Triumph; or, Bleck Dan’s Great Combine, 646 Cow boy Gid, the Cattle-Range Detective. 657 Warbling William, the Mountain Mounttebank. 665 Jolly Jeremtahy the Plains Detective. 676 Signal Samay, the Lookout Scout. 689 Rilly the Gypsy Spy. 699 Silraple Skim, the Broncho Buster. 712 The Meamertist Sport; or, The Mystified Detective, 788 Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector, BY OLE COOMES, 5 Vagabond Joe, the Young Wandering Jew, 18 The Dumb Spy. 27 Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide. 81 Keen-Kunlfe, the Prince of the Prftries. 41 Laaso Jack, the Young Mustanger. The Border King; or, The Secret Foe. Pelaware Dick, the Young Renger Spy. Mlawk-eye Marry the Young Trapper Ranger. 88 Rollo, the Boy Ranger. 184 Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Rifleman, 148 Scar-Face Saul, the Silent Hunter, 146 Silver Star, the Boy Knight. 158 Fagtle Kit. the Boy Demon. 168 Little ‘i oxaa, the Young Mustanger 178 Old Solitary, the Hermit Trapper. 182 Little Hurricane, the Boy Captain, 202 Proapect Pete; or, The Young Outlaw Aunters, 208 The Boy Mereulea: or, The Prairie Tramps, 218 liver Tom, the Texas Terror. 224 Dashing Dick? or, Trapper Tom's Castle. 228 Little Wildfire, the Young Prairie Nomad. 238 The Parson Detectives or, The Little Ranger, 248 Vhe Diaguised Guide; or, Wild Raven, the Ranger, 260 Dare-Devil Dan, the Young Prairie Ranger. ZTSP Minkakin Mike, the Boy Sharpshooter. 290 Little Foxfire, the Boy Spy. 800 The Sky Demon; or, Rainbolt, the Ranger. 884 Whip-King Joe, the Bov Ranchero. 409 Hercules: wr, Dick, the Boy Ranger. 417 Webfooet Mose, the Tramp Detective. Baby Sam, the Boy Giant of the Yellowstone. 444 Little Buckskin, the Young Prairie Centaur, 457 Wingedfoot Fred; or. Old Polar Saul. 468 Tamarae Tom, the Big iy, <n Boy. 478 Old Tom Rattler, the Red River Epidemic. 482 Stonewull Bob, the Boy Trojan. 562 BRlundering Basil, the Hermit Boy Trapper, G52 Don Barr: the Plains Freelance, 661 Old Kit Bandy’s Deliverance, 670 Norway Nels, the Big Boy Mountaineer. 680 Dauntless Dan the Fretlance, or Old Kit Bandy in Areadia, yen 4 er re ee ae =e St wee ee Ee Pe --* I et BY ALBERT W. AIKEN, 11 The Two Detectives; or, The Fortunes ofa Bowery Girls 76 Abe Colt, the Crow-Killer. 79 Sol Ginger, the Giant Tra per. 288 Joe Buck of Angels in His Boy Pard. 447 New York Nat. A Tale of Tricks and Traps in Gotham, 458 New pg, “rT Nick: or, The Fortunes of a Foundling, 464 Nimble Nick, the Circus Prince. 498 Taos Ted, toe Arizona Sport. 510 Cool Colerado, the Halt-Breed Detective. 518 Cool Colorado in New York. A New issue Every Tuesday. 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