The Brand Burners of Cimarron — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

=) The Brand-Burners of C of Cimarron. 16 no fear for himself, Goldspur became anx- ious for the continued safety of the girls. Nothing could be done, the detective knew, until Luke returned, or danger threatened. Bidding the girls seat them- selves in the canoe and remain quiet, he silently retraced his steps a few rods and crouched behind a bowlder, to wateh the movements of the boats on the river. The outlaws were paddling aimlessly about, flashing the rays of the lantern here and there, in search of the missing canoe. “The more of that, the better,” Gold- spur muttered. ‘‘Aha! that is a new move !” In response to a signal from some one eoncealed along the shore, two of the boats had suddenly ceased their aimless movements, and were now headed straight for the southern bank. A glance told the detective they would touch the shore some distance above the clump of willows opposite to him, and he again turned his attention to the boat with the lantern. For some minutes, it continued its erra- tic movements. Then, a loud splashing, followed by the bellowing of steers, came from down the river, and the canoe steadied its course and pulled rapidly up the stream. Like a flash, the truth came to Gold- €pur. The brand-burners, mentioned by Luke earlier in the day, were at work ! The canoe with a lantern was a pilot boat in waiting to mark out the course to be followed by the men in charge of the stolen cattle ! The detective gazed at the scene with ihe keenest interest. Presently, a faint crackling of the charred twigs strewing the ground warned him of the approach of some one, and he crouched lower be- hind the bowlder. Then, two men suddenly appeared be- tween him and the river, and stopped within reach of his rifle barrel. “The boys have made a good haul this time, Noolan,” the smaller one remarked. “Faith, yas! Ther Creeks must be sev’ral thousand dollars poorer, Dandy. "Twill be a hard day’s rustle ter burn, brand an’ scatter thet herd.” “Well, you’re the man to handle it.” “Hah! Ye’re right. But better thet job than yours !” ‘Yes. Curse the girls! I don’t under- stand how they disappeared so complete- See “Nor I, unless they war caught in ther fre.” “No, they escaped, and are in hiding somewhere along the river.” “Yer shore ?” ** Positive.” Noolan shook his head, muttered a few words, and moved away, going up the river. After a moment’s thought, Dandy turned and disappeared in the opposite <irection. Satisfied, now, that it would require the s.reatest care to avoid detection and a bitter struggle, if not capture, Goldspur rose and silently made his way toward i:e@ point where he had left the girls. Meanwhile, Ruby Ranger and Polly }eggs, fully alive to the danger of the situation, had faithfully obeyed the de- .ective’s injunction, and crouched silent- ly in the canoe, side by side. The girls were worn with hunger and efatigue, yet neither was inclined to close 2 eye. Both were alert and watchful, znd nervously started at every sound. A moment after Goldspur walked away toward the river, a brace of dark and gtoulish forms crept from beneath a stony ledge near by, and stealthily ap- proached the canoe. Not a twig snapped, not a step sounded, to warn the unsuspecting girls of the foes erceping upon them. Nearer they drew; - then each suddenly flung himself forward, with a noiseless, panther-like bound, and, befere either could resist or cry out, both maidens were captives. Hardly a sound rose from that brief struggle to warn the detective, a few ‘ ae o eT | ‘bowlders, paces Ea BOER Er And when ‘he returned to the canoe, following the departure of Noolan and Dandy Dave, it was only to find that the maidens had disappeared! Nonplused at this mysterious vanish- ment, Goldspur peered keenly into the surrounding darkness. He could not, for the moment, believe that aught had be- fallen the girls, nor was he willing to be- lieve they had quitted the canoe of their own free will. Naught but the blackened trees and bowlders rose out of the dense gloom to coufront him, and with an exclamation of chagrin and alarm, he knelt and placed his ear to the earth. Here, he was more successful. The faint sounds of running feet could be distinguished, somewhere in the dis- tance; but before the detective could de- termine their location, the sounds ceased, and he was again at fault, Angry with himself for having aban- doned the girls, even for a moment, Gold- spur rose to his feet, and plunged into the woods at random. Ere he had taken a dozen steps, how- ever, he was startled by a faint scream, straight ahead, “Help ! hel—” That second cry was stifled and indis- tinct, as if checked by a firm hand press- ed to appealing lips, and the detective bounded forward—swiftly, silently. Some little distance thus, over logs and up hill and down, and then Goldspur stumbled blindly into a well- worn path, and the next minute sighted his quarry against the sky as they crossed the crest of an open knoll two hundred yards ahead. Anxious to close that dangerous gap, the detective again quickened his pace. When he neared the top of the knoll, he dropped upon all fours, and crossed thus, to lessen the chance of discovery. At a safe distance below the summit, he arose, and hastened onward. The pre- caution had delayed him, while the ab- ductors had evidently quickened their pace, and were now beyond hearing. At the foot of the hill, the path, en- tering a narrow valley, turned almost due east, following the course of a small creek tributary to the Cimarron. Just as Goldspur reached the angle thus formed, a man suddenly leaped out of a clump of charred and blackened under- growth and confronted him, while overa pistol-armed hand came the challenge: “ Halt, an’ han’s up, pilgrim !” Taken by surprise, the detective com- plied with the demand, saying: “Flip they goes, pard, gun an’ all! “ But what-fer game is this? Rope me fer a maverick, ef I ketches yer lay !” “ Still an’ stiddy, critter !” ignoring the questions. ‘“‘’Count fer yerself, will yer?” “A stray, jes’ now, humpin’ fer quart- ers. Fire run me t’ ther drink, an’ I dropped my hoss in the quicksand. Plum straight an’ shore, now! Ef et’s toll ye want—” “ Jest thet—fer one !”’ quickly. “ Ther eap’n will collect et, tho’. For’ard, now, an’ stiddy, straight down ther walley. Keep an eye on the leetle light over yon, an’ ef yer swings a ha’r’s bridth out 0’ line, w’y, over comes yer karkus !” The outlaw cautiously stepped back- ward, to permit the detective to pass. Goldspur moved forward. At the same instant, thevrifle in his hands descended with crushing force, hurling his captor to the ground. .Then, with the agility of a cat, the detective sprang upon and disarmed his prostrate foe. The rifle butt had struck the fellow fairly in the face, and he was badly dazed. Long before he recovered consciousness, his belt, quickly denuded of weapons and cartridges, had been cut into strips and fashioned into a gag, and bonds for wrists*and ankles. Assured, at last, that the captive would be unable to escape or give the alarm, Goldspur bore him a short distance into the blackened forest, where he concealed him behind a bowlder. That done, the detective returned to the path, carefully ramified the started toward the distant light, which he now believed marked the location of the outlaws’ rendezvous. It shone through the doorway of a cabin or a dugout, he knew, and here the girls had probably been carried. captured weapons, and A near approach proved the habitation to be a stout log house. It stood in the centre of several acres of broken land, on the north side of the little creek. Then, a glance through a window dis- closed the objects of his search, the cap- tive maidens, seated side by side on a rude bench, while opposite to them, talk- ing in subdued voices, were grouped three men, rough, desperate-looking characters, and all armed to the teeth. Goldspur listened a moment; but, be- yond the fact that the trio were awaiting the arrival of the chief and others of the crew, nothing was to be learned from the rambling, disjointed utterances of the ruffians, and he determined to act. Revolvers in hand, he sprang into the room, and sternly confronted the group. -*IT hold the drop, gentlemen, so— steady, all ! “Hands up, now, or the shooting be- gins !” Stupefied by that abrupt appearance and bold command, the three roughs mutely obeyed. Then, the rear door was suddenly flung open, giving entrance to a.number of armed and masked men, and in another minute Goldspur found himself complete- ly hemmed in! CHAPTER XX. CAPTAIN BRAND’S. MESSAGE. Mommy Pegg’s eyes were red with weeping when the cobbler re-entered his domicile, following that brief interview with Dr. Antitox and the disguised detec- tive, and she obstinately kept her face averted. “T’ve sent fer Luke,” Peggs tersely an- nounced. ‘ You dry up, Mommy, an’ quit yer snifflin’. Don’t ’pear,ter do no man- ner o’ good, an’ I reckon ther gals hain’t hurt. Vum!—no! Then—” “ Snifflin’, hindeed ! Hoh, my ’art !” “Yas, Missus Peggs—snifilin’ ! which same is a mis’abul habit, an’ leads ter wuss. Et’s a bad p’int in a woman—a bad p’int! Yer predwecissors, Missus Peggs No. One an’ Missus Peggs No. Two, hed no sech weaknusses. Reckomem- berin’ et, I regard ’em with rapter. Yas, Missus Pegs, with rapter! ’Specially, in sech moments es this.” The cobbler had turned, and was stolid- ly staring at two faded likenesses hang- ing on the wall. Unseen by him, Mommy lifted her head, with a wrathful flash in her eyes. “Now, thar was Melindy,” pursued Peggs. ‘“ Howbeit, her eyes was middlin’ weak an’ a bit crossed, she never sniffied! She was above et. Thet woman was a jewel! She—” The veteran turned quickly. Mommy had risen, and her glance made him quail. “ Willain! ” “ Hah hee “Hoh ! detistable wretch !” “Hah! ole woman, go slow !” «Hold woman ’— hold woman ’! Hoh, feaveus! ’ear ’im! Willain, Hi defy you !” “Defy me?” “Defy you! Hi’m harmed ! protect my life !” Mommy drew a rusty pistol from her bosom. The weapon was already cockd, and she turned the muzzle toward Peggs. A gleam of genuine terror appeared in the cobbler’s single eye, and he precipi- tately retreated backward. His foot struck an obstacle, and down he went, flat on his back. Mommy quickly followed up her advan- tage. on Help ! ’”’ groaned Peggs. “ Hill ’elp ye, ye bloody scoundrel ! “Confess !”" * * Cornfess?” Hi will ai et A A - | . Piney a — |