The Brand Burners of Cimarron — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

_— The Brand-Burners of Cimarron. fully kept pace with the miscreants be- low. When she heard Dandy’s feet strike the rungs of the ladder, her heart quiv- ered with sudden terror. Then she re- solutely quelled her fears, tightened her grip on the musket and crept close to the east wall, at one end of the trap door. | The next minute Dandy Dave hung his . lantern on a nail and tried the trap. It refused to give. “It’s stuck,” the desperado grumbled. Then he braced his feet on the rungs of the ladder, bowed his head, and with his shoulders put forth a herculean effort. The rotten wooden fastenings yielded. With one hand he pushed the door up and slightly past a perpendicular, when the upper edge rested against the roof. 1 Fortunately for Ruby, the raised door € _ formed a screen, and she cowered closely in its shadow. si “Now we'll see,” exclaimed Dandy, ? a swinging himself into the garret, lantern ‘ e in hand. “ Hallo! there’s been some one ig here lately, too. There’s a blanket over , the window, and a bunk on the floor. oO. | But the place is empty, now.” 9 The desperado stood near the edge of se the trap, turning the rays of the lantern - | here and there, to penetrate the gloomy a corners of the loft. xe “We can’t do better than leave the girl right here,” he continued. ‘“‘ There’s a 9 hook on the trap, and a staple below, se so we can fasten her in. Just hand the tly jade up, will you, Noolan?” Noolan slowly ascended the ladder, and tly Swung the unconscious girl partially ait through the open trap-way. eg Dandy seized the captive, and, despite ;,, His injured hand, carried her to the dis- tant pile of blankets. “I reckon she’ll come to all right,” he muttered. “ Hang it all! a hold-up or a om Ge raid is more in my line than kidnap- ng. “Here, pard, take the lantern and get off the ladder. I’m coming down.” Ruby’s heart beat high with hope. ould she avoid detection another minute, she would be safe! Handing Noolan the lantern, Dandy waited until the ladder was clear, then seized the trap-door and prepared to des- cend. At that moment, a ray of light, shining through a crack in the floor, fell fairly upon the girl’s face, causing the bi outlaw to utter a sharp cry of surprise. DB §6Quick as a flash, Ruby sprang from fold) her covert. The clubbed musket swept hes® through the air. Dandy Dave threw up his hand to ward off the blow, but only has partially averted it. Then he staggered PUYand fell through ‘the hatchway, dragging | the weapon after him. Nerved to desperation by her peril, | th® Ruby hastily seized and closed the trap- aintsdoor. The rotten wooden fastenings had r been broken, and there was nothing to Hol prevent its being raised, but she felt safer she'S with it shut. Ther Lich ind- fair oor ° Then she knelt to learn, if possible, ‘the plans of her enemies. Although the force of the blow and the fall had partially stunned the desperado, he quickly recovered, and sat up. , Noolan regarded him with open-eyed astonishment. “Faith ! I t’ought yer was dead !’”, he lated de o t an ’twé Pp hefannounced. “ What was et?” re “A girl.” “In ther loft?” “Behind the trap-door, yes.” “Et was a man, mebbe.” “No, ’twas a girl—curse her! head will split !” “What’ll we do, now?” “We must get up there. We must cap- ure the she devil, and see who she is.” Yoolaf «111 put a pistol ball through the first & CaS“ ead that comes through the trap !” came iter “an a deep and terrible voice from the loft. vied: Fair warning, gentlemen !” n’s DE Both desperadoes started. they" « Surely, that was the voice of a man !” Jandy exclaimed. / “Just thet, pard ! ? ninuté « what'll we do?” 4 “Thet’s what I axed you. Seems ter 1 wi 1 give my com Lange I t’ought yer was > = “ " « iJ bz" »< ‘ ; > ~ Sen 4 ns Ore ; as wit 2? S f Y* ; a rh a 7 ’ *. i . ' wre . nd 4 - Te * * . ae , POF pb Oe Ms ore fii eet” ; = ah Sate te » = g@ -s. Fe DSR ee : * ’ ’ we Ag Fr a, : d me, tho’, we'd better camp right hyar till ther cap’n an’ some o’ ther boys come. Kf we cain’t git up thar, they sure can’t git past us.” “That’s true.” Satisfied that her ruse had produced the desired effect, Ruby at this juncture softly rose and stole toward the couch, where she could hear Polly Peggs quietly weeping. “’St ! Polly !” she warned, just above a whisper. The sobbing ceased. Then in a timid little voice came the question: “Who is it?” ‘é Ruby v9 “No! It can’t be!” Unconsciously, grief and terror gave way to a feeling akin to delight, on the part of Polly Peggs. In another minute, the two girls were seated side by side, conversing in low tones. But little time was consumed, just then, in explanations, for both maidens felt that there was not a breath to be lost, if they would escape. Accordingly, Ruby gave a few whispered directions, then stole away to the window. Removing the blanket, she examined the sash. Much to her relief, it hung on hinges. Opening the window, the girl peered out. Below, all was dark and silent. Thrust- ing out her hand, she grasped a branch of the friendly elm. A brief examination convinced her that the plan she had formed was feasible, and she returned to Polly. | Silently the two girls worked away in the darkness. At the end of a half-hour, all was in readiness for flight, and both stealthily approached the window. Just as they reached it, a frightful yell rang through the house, and there float- ed up from below the sounds of a desper- ate combat ! CHAPTER XVI. THE MANIAC. What had happened? Assuredly, something out of the ordi- ary—something fearful and terror-in- spiring. While the two outlaws were seated near the door of the eastern room on the upper floor, conversing in low tones, a shadowy form had emerged from the timber sur- rounding the old ranch house, and cross- ed the glade with quick, restless strides. In the dense shadows at the end of the building, this shape had stopped and crouched in a shivering, shuddering, panting heap, like a hound completely blown by the chase. For some minutes he remained thus, until the breathing had become less rapid, harsh and sibilant. Then the head lifted, and a pair of eyes appeared, glowing and gleaming in the darkness like those of a maddened animal. These eyes searched the vicinity slowly and carefully, then turned to the house, A cunning, half-intelligible chuckle fol- lowed, and with a long-drawn breath the being sprang up, and darted rapidly, but with the noiseless footfalls of a panther, around the corner of the building. A mo- ment later he appeared at the opposite corner, showing that he had completely encircled the house. Again he crouched, and with head clasped in hands remained in thought some little time. Presently, he arose, stretched out his long and heavy arms, and uttered a pe- culiar ery. This ery, scarcely louder than the warm south wind soughing through the distant boughs, rang across the glade with a low and mournful cadence. But the eyes snapped with fury, and there was a grin of wolfish ferocity upon the thick- ly bearded lips. Again slipping around the corner of the house, he stole along until he reached the door. Here, he listened a moment, then silently entered. Meanwhile, Dandy Dave and Noolan had filled and lighted their pipes, and were impatiently awaiting the arrival of “the captain.” a.’ - : e » i —<¥ ° “ ag” he abe Pe uP. » + 4 yt . ' . - ; 7 4 - i ice ar y : \ikggat . ie . : as » 13 “I never see things take sech a con- trairy whirl all ter onc’t,”’ Noolan grum- bled. “Well, never mind. They’ll be straight- ened out in jig time, presently. Then, too, we’ve got the soft end of duty to- night. Don’t kick, for you’re not hurt yet.” “*Tain’t thet. Id ruther wrastle Old Seratch then ter mope hyar in onsar- tinty. Blamed—” The ruffian stopped. His nether jaw dropped, and the pipe fell unheeded to the floor. : Dandy sprang to his feet, uttering a sharp oath of surprise. Something very like an apparition con- fronted the two rascals, and it was with difficulty they kept from uttering shouts of alarm. A tall, heavily-made man, hatless and wiih clothes hanging in almost countless shreds, had noiselessly appeared, and now stood a few paces distant, regarding them with a look of peculiar intensity. His bristling hair and beard were slightly streaked with gray; his features wore a deathly pallor, and from the depths of his dark eyes shone a fitful glow, like that thrown out by a half-dead coal. For fully a minute, this intruder re- mained silent and motionless, Then, just as Noolan hastily arose, a terrible cry pealed from his lips, and he bounded into the room. The first thought of the two outlaws was to draw and use their revolvers; but, before they could pull the weapons from the holsters, the madman was upon them, clutching their throats with the relentless grip of a Nemesis. The struggle that ensued was most des- perate. The three men whirled here and there, the maniac with his powerful arms outstretched, each hand grasping a throat; the two victims, with empurpled faces and starting eyes, each writhing, twisting, and tearing frantically at the huge hands, seeking to break that fright- ful clutch. Then, through the old building, and with a quick gesture the maniac sent the two men reeling in opposite directions. As luck would have it, Noolan fell against the old musket standing beside the wall. In an instant he was upon his feet, bleeding, choking, gasping and half dazed. Raising the ponderous weapon, he struck viciously at the madman; but the blow went wide of the mark, and the musket stock was shattered against the wall. A frightful roar escaped the maddened intruder, and he leaped straight at the desperado; then, the butt of the musket barrel, describing a sharp curve, struck him in the chest and hurled him back- ward, while the rusty bayonet, dislodged by the force of the stroke, rattled noisily to the floor. ) “ Quick, thar !” hoarsely shouted Noo- lan, to Dandy. ‘“ Hustle, an’ we'll drive off the crazy fool !” The ery was enough. Gasping stertor- iously, and hardly conscious of what he was doing, Dandy Dave lunged forward and seized the bayonet. The next breath, both outlaws furiously assailed the in- truder. But the madman was endowed with superhuman strength and activity. Al- though bleeding from a dozen wounds, he lightly parried blows that would have felled an ox, and slowly crowded his as- sailants to the wall. Suddenly wrenching away both gun barrel and bayonet, he flung them aside. Then, a sharp, fierce cry broke from his blood-flecked lips, and John Brown turn- ed and fled! Unnerved, and fairly quivering with terror, the two outlaws cowered weakly against the wall, unwilling to believe the evidence of their eyes. Noolan was the first to rally. Slowly, he crossed the room, closed and fastened the door. “Et was a keen call,” he remarked, with a’slight return of his reckless spirit. / com ea cl. " ee PH uabid = t wT # . ae _ a 7 * a hollow, mocking laugh rang . . a. “a ¢- > <i The ; inns / rs ® Ane