Beadle's Dime Library No. 1 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

ine * “That’s straight. I have nothing further 22 a ——— — —_ me ae ~~ a _ ‘*T am aware of the fact.” | * There is your e. ‘‘ Then how do you expect to escape?” | you to bag it,” said Nebraska ‘*T have *“ By making terms with you.” ut one request—that you will not shoot The ss: at are your terms?” | Red Hand, at least so as kill, but give him ‘I propose to betray The Red Hand into your | the full benefit of a rope-end!” r before sunset, and leave the rest of the) ‘‘ No fear but he’ll get his deserts!” muttered ys to shift for themselves. I have nothing | The Stranger, his eyes glowing like coals. against them; but I’d give my neck rather than Dividing his company into three parties, he he should escape the noose, ithout my help, | arranged asurround, the attack to begin at a sig- you might hunt for himtwenty years and be no nalfrom him. Himself heading one of the parties nearer finding him than you are now. The which was to move off at right angles on either rice of this help is an engagement on your part | side, leaving the third where it was, he placed t I shall go free.” t&e other under Dr. Chillingworth. Among his ‘‘ What evidence have we that you are not own party he numbered Poker Tom and Ne- about to lead us into an ambush?” _braska Larry, determined to keep them under ‘*Do you see that scar?’ asked the man, rais- his own eye. ing his black hair from his temple. As he did ‘‘One word,” said the doctor, grasping his so his face flushed purple, and his eyes glittered | hand earnestly. ‘‘ Do not kill The Red Hand until He looked like a demon of fury. outright. I must have a word with him before ** Well?’ asked The Stranger. ‘It is a rule in the band that we shall never address our leader, who is The Red Hand, by ‘I have no intention of givi any title. laccidentally began to call him cap- able a death as shooting,” repli tain, and some of the men here present saw me_ grim] knocked down before the words were out of my mouth. Do you think men of my stamp areapt Poker Tom cted great ea to forget such a thing as that?” _ ance, creeping forward with He drew himself erect, with flashing eye and | dilating nostril. He was a man above the ordi- nary level, as was indicated by speech and mien;.and the indignity must have cut him he dies. This isall important, believe me! Have I your promise?” him so honor- The Stranger, . “*T owe him too much for that!” And so they oo meee rness and vigil- is pistol held in readiness. Presently The Stranger saw him stumble, clutch hastily at a bush, as if to save himself from falling, and in the act his pistol exploded. it was done very naturally, and i a9 all of the party but two—The Stranger and Ne- ‘ ve had my finger on the trigger to shoot braska Larry—supposed it an accident. They him a score of times since,” he pursued; ‘‘ but I knew better. thought better of it, and reserved his neck for | he hangman. If you wish further security, let | me go on before you, where you can keep your pistol on me.” ’ ** That’s fair!” cried The Stranger, the smol- | dering fire of his hatred flaming up lurid through his eyes. ‘‘Lead on! Let me get my grip on the throat of The Red Hand, and I swear that no man shall raise a hand against you until he has passed over my dead body!” ger. His pistol belched forth a sheet of flame, and Poker Tom fell heavily to the ground. ‘*Come on, men!” commanded The Stranger in a ringing voice; and turning sharply toward the fire, he led the way through the brush with great bounds. ‘** Shoot every villain that resists!” he yelled, as he bounded into the open space around the camp-fire. ‘‘ Surrender, you black-hearted var- CHAPTER XXI. zts! Down with you arms, every mother’s son A STRANGE DILEMMA. of you!” eS — $< —____— — ‘* MEANWHILE,” pursued The Stranger, draw- Warned by Poker Tom’s treacherous shot, the ing his pistol and 2 pena, regener. ‘‘it is | robbers were already upon their feet, with needless for me to tell you that you will be held | weapons drawn. The Red Hand made an at- to strict account for your behavior, and any- | thing mipsee the slightest appearance of treach- | ery will forfeit your life. d on!” ‘Let me second the motion, Cap’n,” said Poker Tom, also drawing his weapon and com- ing to the side of The Stranger. ‘Il reckon the oot’ll git plugged, ef he don’t carry himself gph ” tempt to kick out the fire, at the same time aim- ing a shot at The Stranger, who was the first man to a, The one action defeated the | other, and The Stranger kept on unharmed. | ae more at his back, the robbers dis- | char a volley, and turned to dash into the | woods in the opposite direction. But they were met by the party under Dr. Chillingworth. ck out any other three men in your com- | Another volley, and they turned sharply to the pany j but I don’t want that hound at my | left, directly in the face of the third party. ;’ said Nebraska Larry, frowning darkly | ‘‘ Rally!” yelled The Red Hand. ‘“ Charge! at Poker Tom. ‘‘ Being in my rear, he’d find. an | No quarter! Freedom or the hangman’s noose!” excuse for shooting me inside of half an hour.” | A rattling volley, and the four men of the ‘*Maybe you think I don’t dast to shoot:you | third party went to the ground together. to yer face!” cried Poker Tom, with a fierce | ‘‘ Hurrah!’ shouted the robber chief. ‘ Now oath; and as he ke he aimed his cocked pis- | for it. Scatter!” tol at the breast of the other. But a deadly fire poured in from both sides Like a flash Nebraska Larry’s pistol shot forth, so that Poker Tom could look directly down the barrel. | ‘Drop that weapon, you cowardly whelp!” he cried, in a ringing voice. ‘‘ Drop it!” | sikil So imperious was his tone and look that the leg — was cowed. Blanching to the lips, he | t his arm sink to his side, almost involun- ght. A shot from Dr. lingworth crippled the right hand of the chief, so that his pistol tumbled him in a heap with a broken eg. One of the robbers lay on his face, stone dead. . Another was faintly gasping his last, with the blood streaming from a wound in his side. The tarily. ey Y easkon this hyar hain’t the time to quarrel third being supported in a partially sitting posi- a final with yeou,” he said, with a scowl of malignant tion by the trunk of a three, aimed shot hatred, ‘‘ After yeou’ve showed us The Red ' at his foes. Hand, I allow yeou’ll git attended to.” ‘* Surrender!” cried the doctor, hesitating to **IT want your word that that dog shall not | shoot him shoot me while my ae is off of him,” said Ne- braska y to The Stranger, not deigning another look at the gambler bully. “*T’ll guarantee that,” was the reply. up your weapon, Poker Tom. wanted, you'll be called on.” Scowling darkly, the | apa slunk away ** Lead on!” commanded The Stranger to Ne- aimed at his heart, shouting: Without more ado the robber turned upon his ‘“‘ That for your recompense, you treacherous heel and strode forward, followed by the others. | devil!” The sun was already below the horizon and | the woods were fast being enshrouded in the | to one side; and the ball sped harmlessly by. gloom of night, when The Stranger stopped his i Suspiciously he said: ‘* Never!” was the defiant reply; and aiming his pistol into his own ear, th | the gallows by suicide. en you’re | example; for he found himself in the power of two of his deadliest foes. But at that instant he caught sight of Nebraska Larry, and realized his treachery; and with a fierce oath of fury he istol upon himself; but Nebraska Larry’s heavy “Look here, my friend. I thought we were t kicked the weapon from his hand, to have The Red Hand before sunset.” The Red Hand next drew his knife; but he ** You know for yourself that 1 have come in | was disarmed, onl the most direct line possible; and when I tell | ing a slight wound on his right breast. on that we are within half a mile of the 7 | ‘Ha! ha! ha!” laughed Nebraska Larry. e is to camp in oe you will see that thus | ‘ Are we quits, old man?” - far I have preserved gi erity ” - ot eyes, foaming at the mouth with impotent sa 7 They now advanced with greater caution, and in due course of time they descried the light of a camp-fire, surrounded by four men. The Red Hand’s body-guard consisted of five men. One demanded Dr. Chillingworth. was still invalid from the wound hehad received | The Red Hand rolled his eyes until they found on the night of the duel in the Occidental Saloon. | the face of the last speaker. Then his features | ing expedition, and | rage. We are not vet quits!” said The Stranger, an avenger. One had been sent on a scouti were distorted rh laugh of fiendish malignity. was now about to betray his chief into the| ‘‘Ha!l Ha! ! Ha!” tae die enemy, Theother three werewith | Not a word; but he looked and laughed principal. . ‘ again: dro to the ground; while The Stran : j ERiity ed | es summed up their loss. e ruffian escaped | The . New York Library. : It only remains for | Larry. ‘Die! you inféfnal traitor!” cried The Stran- _ put his three companions beyond the power of | Bi Chill ra i ; | ' Seeing him, The Red Hand tried to follow his | ' ' Vol, I. — _ ———— + “Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!” Horrified by the hidden significance of that laugh, Dr. Chillingworth caught at a sapling for support. ‘* Where is my child?’ he demanded, hoarsely. ‘You devil! what have you done with her?’ Fide Ha! Ha! Ha!” laughed The Red and. ‘* Ah!” cried the doctor, with a sudden thought. ‘* We shall defeat you after all! The man who betrayed you into our power can lead us to your stronghold; and my darling will be res- cued in spite of you!” ‘“‘Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!” laughed the fallen chief again; and he rolled his eyes to the face of Nebraska Larry. ‘** We can depend upon your guidance, can we not?” asked Dr. Chillingworth, turning appeal- ingly toward the traitor robber. The girl is not at the stronghold—if you refer to Gentleman Sam/’s sister. e took her awa night before last,” replied Nebraska Larry, wi a shake of the head. ‘*Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!” laughed The Red Hand, more devilishly than ever. ‘** Do not you know where she is?’ asked the doctor, with painful anxiety. ‘Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!” came in that laugh again, like some mocking fiend. ‘‘No,” replied Larry. ‘* Make him tell you.” “Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!” laughed the robber chief. Then rubbing his hands in ghoul-like zlee, he repeated: ‘‘* Make him tell you!’ Ha! al Ha! Ha-a-a!” His laugh ended in a long-drawn shriek of mocking hilarity. _ It seemed to sting Dr. Chillingworth into new life, ‘Tl stop your merriment, at any rate, you accursed fiend!” he cried. ‘See what I have prepared for you!” As he spoke, he uncoiled from his waist a rope whose use was not to be mistaken. At sight of it, the men ‘set up a cheer; but The Red Hand regarded it unmoved, and laughed again. At this point, all were startled by a groan. In contemplation of the intense emotion of The Stranger and Dr. Chillingworth and the fiend- ish malignity of The Red Hand, the men had forgotten their fallen comrades. : ‘*“We have neglected these r fellows too long. Assist me here, men. d, doctor, here is opportunity for your skill.” ‘* | will do all that I can to alleviate their suf- ferings; but I must confess to you that I am not a physician. The title is part of a disguise I en while following yonder villain.” ‘** Well, let us examine them, and do what we can. This one is beyond all relief.” Of the four men who had comprised the third party, two were found to be dead and the re- maining two severely wounded, so effective had been the last volley of the robbers. In The Stranger’s parcyy one man had fallen with two bullets in hi y, dead, perhaps, before he struck the ground. The Stranger himself was bleeding from two wounds, one in the shoulder, and one in the side, where a bullet bad ran along a rib. In Dr. Chillingworth’s party, three men were wounded—one severely, two slightly. The survivors frowned darkly when they ‘Three dead men and six wounded!” said The Stranger. ‘Those fellows knew how to fight, at any rate.” “JT reckon their chief orter hang powerful high for this!” muttered one of the men. ‘No fear but he'll get hanging enough!” re- lied The Stranger, with one of his peculiar rowns. ‘‘ You'll find another out in the brush yonder. I settled his account, so as to savea bullet in the back, “Let him go. one of the men. | Had they gone to look for Poker Tom, they would have discovered that he was not to be found; but so enraged were they at his treach- ery, that no one cared to see whether or not he lay wounded, needing their care; but all ad- dressed themselves to collecting the dead and rhaps,.” reckon he'll keep,” replied | making the wounded as comfortable as possible. “ And now, gentlemen,” said the doctor, when “Ha! Ha! Ha!” laughed Larry, as he leaped | this had been accomplished, “let us have this rope over yonder limb, and test the efficacy of y With a fierce oath, the baffled chief turned his hanging’!” “You fool! you dare not hang me!” said The Red Hand, coolly. ‘And why not?” demanded the doctor, tying having succeeded in inflict- | the noose with his own hand; for the men h sprung to the work with a will, and the rope | was a eady dangling across the limb. | | confronting his fallen foe with the sternness of | ' ' ’ : ’ ‘For your daughter’s sake, I have placed her he appearance at least of | gone Red Hand only glared at him with blood- where she can get neither bread nor water, save from my hand. What will ome of her, do you think, if you = the breath of the only man who can find her?” “T intend to make your secret the price of our life!” replied the doctor, coolly, adjusting -‘* Have not J an account to settle with you?” | the noose about the neck of the robber chief, ‘Pugh! you are a fool, as I said before! Do ou think me such an idiot as to purchase my ife from you, only to be given over to these devils? Have you the dignity of the name of a Vigilance Committee, gentlemen?” e Red Hand spoke with a fierce sneer of mock courtesy. .eEom SVOOKS: EE 2 CI orm