The Brand Burners of Cimarron — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

Ys FS oe =" LS tapped a wire, you bet! Belmont was Skeered. We, Us & Co. hed given him ther shivers. Ther game was gittin’ shaky, so he tuk ther toboggan ter avoid ther crash.” “ Fled? ” “Scooted! ” Goldspur whistled softly. tion surprised him. “Sure, bub?” . “Honest Injun, Pawnee! He bundled up his cash an’ pulled fer Guthrie.” “ And Spanish John?” “ Argied ag’in et, o’ course. But Rupert c’u’dn’t stand ther gaff.” “Did they say aught of the girls?” “Shore! They hed escaped, et seemed, an’ Belmont was afeard they’d git back ter Tiptop.” “Umph! I thought the scoundrel had greater nerve.” “Yep. But thet wasn’t all thet was S8tewin’ his mind, Pawnee.” “Well, Gimps, explain.” “Ghost o’ Jackson! Ain’t I?” “You’re doing well, I admit. But pro- ceed,” “Seems they war mixed up in cattle stealin’,’”’ “Ha! That was it, eh?” “Pop shore. A big drive was due f’'m ther east ter-night, an’ word hed come thet cowboy-detectives was hot on ther tiiail o’ ther gang. Altogether, et was toy much fer Rupert’s narves, an’ he bolted.” “That was all?” “No; they cooled down afore they split, an’ talked matters over. Spanish John agreed ter quit ther cattle biz ter-night, an’ ef all went smooth the’d putt a pus- sonal in ther K. C. papers.” “ What was it? Do you know?” “*R.—Drouth bu’sted.—B.’ ” “And then?” “Then Rupert sh’u’d come back an’ partake of-ther fatted calf.” “Good boy! ” cried Pawnee, approving- ly. “ You're a brick! ” “They didn’t say so.” “They suspected you, eh?” “Like tacks. They agreed thet Span- ish John sh’u’d bring me out with him ter-night, cluck me over ther head an’ drap me in ther quicksands.” “ The miserable scoundrels! ” exclaimed both officers in a breath. Gimps chuckled, then added: “ But et didn’t work! ” “Happily, no!” said Goldspur. “ But concerning the girls, Gimps—did you learn Spanish John’s intentions? ”. “Yer caught ther tide, perfessor! They'll be held fer ransom, an’ this Ma- jor—Major—” * Duncan?” “Yep; he foots ther bill. Privately, 1 think Spanish John will ‘travel fer his health soon es he gits ther cash, an’ leave ther gang in ther lurch.” , “Was he at the cabin, back there? ” “Not shore, but I think so. They left me with ther hosses.” Meanwhile the party had been pushing Steadily onward, and were now near the spot where Goldspur had left his prison- er. Bidding the others to push ahead, he turned aside and secured the outlaw. It was some little time before he suc- ceeded in rejoining his companions. Then The informa- he found them at fault. > . > r- - “They had dismounted and separated to baffie pursuit,” Pawnee explained. Not a sound is to be heard, and we are balked till morning.” “Unless one of these prisoners can be made to talk,” added Goldspur quickly. “Delay now may be fatal to both your ease and mine. A very few hours may suffice to put both the captives and the cattle far beyond our reach.” The deputy agreed to this view of the matter, and after a brief conference they began beating about for a suitable camp- ing place. A sectre location was soon found in the bend of a dry canyon. There a fire was kindled, the prisoners were more se- curely bound,’and the officers sat down to decide upon a plan of action. vy a . ‘ > . ape eae Sil ; a, F cry | he ye ae ‘ ~~ ae we x E Ee > fort ~ tee . a, . o> ie ts 24 : r i ¢ - . is . 1%. — . wt : * * > re om Oey ny Bi , 4 : a : me Soe ne n are 7 ‘ _ = ‘a 5 ‘ a ‘ . 4 . ° : ; > i - ita! . a > > aw este 7 . <_ —) 5 oe ey ay = 7 2% J 4 a ‘ a 4 ¢ t , “i CR a ee , “* ‘ne s is r Lt my j ea ea ae SAS ae oo eee fer 90 an ini. Sw es Scarcely had they seated themselves thus when a feeble step was heard, and a man, bloodstained and grimy, reeled into view, and sank inertly before the fire. Goldspur cast a startled glance at that pallid face, then leaped to his feet, with the ery: “By the Powers! foot! ” It is Luke: Light- CHAPTER XXVI. THE PRISONER TAIKS. Yes, it was, indeed, the trailer, wound- ed and bleeding, and his face, hands, and clothing revealed that he had within the past few minutes been engaged in despe- rate strife. He nodded faintly as the detective’s cry of recognition rang out, and said: “Yes, ’tis I, Goldspur. But the brand- burners came very near making an end of me. ; *T got the ponies of Old Abe, the Iowa, and returned to the beached canoe, but you and the girls were gone. “Then I hid the animals, and hunted around for an hour or more, hoping to find some trace of you, but vainly. “ Just.as I had given up and decided to wait till morning to lift the trail, I stum- bled blindiy upon five outlaws hurrying through the woods, with three captives. The two girls I recognized, and I believed the third prisoner to be yourself. “Taken by surprise and with the odds terribly against me, I was quickly beaten into insensibility and left for dead. When I revived, I discovered this fire, crept up, and saw who you were. “Those are the facts in a nutshell, Goldspur, and I say now that if the girls are to be rescued there is not an hour to lose, “The outlaws were headed for the riv- er, and it is my belief they intended to take canoes and thus thwart any attempt at trailing.” ‘“No time shall be needlessly lost, I assure you, Lightfoot, but to attempt pur- suit just now would be a random move. We must wait until we can proceed with certainty, or risk a costly blunder, “ Brace up, now, and I’ll look to your hurts, for you have indeed fared badly.” “Mere scratches, for the most part, I think, though I did get one ugly stroke over the head, which pains me severely,” the trailer returned, and Goldspur found this a fairly accurate description of the case. Handkerchiefs, some bits of adhesive, plaster ,and a small flask of brandy con- tributed by /Pawnee, coupled with some really skillful work on Goldspur’s part, served to get Lightfoot into comfortable shape, presently, whereupon he announc- ed himself ready, once more, for fight or frolic. Then the detective and the deputy stepped aside to renew the discussion broken off by the trailer’s sudden appear- ance, A very few minutes sufficed to decide the matter. A second fire was kindled a short dis- tance up the canyon, and Goldspur’s pris- oner taken there. The fellow, evidently alarmed by this move, shivered violently, then steadied himself, and resolutely averted his face when forced to seat himself beside the fire. “Easy, my man,” cautioned Goldspur. “ Resistance is not only useless, but fool- ish. You are in the grip of the law.” ‘Much I keers fer that! ” retorted the outlaw in a croaking tone, assumed to disguise his voice, “ Yer’ll find me game ter ther finish.” “You are a cattle thief?” “That ain’t bin proved! ” “ But will be.” “'Twon’t be no hangin’ matter.” ae No.” At that point the prisoner attempted a furtive glance at the detective. Their eyes met, and with a harsh laugh the outlaw flung up his head and stared de- fiantly at the officer. | | a | Pte ff ie. ¢ —" 7 “ss ' - Shige : a - _ af *“ja" a mS See! af < ¥, 4 4 et ee sc 21 Bruised by the blow from Goldspur’s rifle butt a short time before, his face was almost unrecognizable; yet the de- tective knew the man, and added: “But you are charged with other crimes.” “Which yer mean ter say—” “ Robbery, and—yes, murder! ” The fellow shivered and his eyes fell. “ Understand, I know you, Jack Rab- bit, and know where you are wanted worst. There is a price on your head! ” “Then I am doomed! ” suddenly drop- ping the vernacular and speaking in his natural voice. “ Say the worst, Goldspur, and have done with it—Curse you!” “Slowly, Jack—let us speak plainly and understand each other.” * You offer terms?” * Not yet.” *T am innocent of murder—I swear it!’’ “T have reason to believe you, Jack.” A peculiar click sounded in the fel- low’s throat, and he shivered again. Then his head dropped and he stared moodily at the fire. “It is useless—all useless,” he growled, after a moment. “I am in the net and that ends it, though God knows I am innocent of that double charge. Anoth- er hand than mine robbed and killed the man.” “T believe you, Jack.” “ Believe me? Then, in Heaven’s name, what mean you?” “That we must understand each oth- er.’*” “ Goldspur, tell me what you want! ” “Your help.” “If I give it?” * You shall have mine in return.” “T agree to that. Proceed.” “You are a brand-burner? ” “Yes, and no! Driven by circum- stances, I have fallen in with the band, but as yet have committed no act of out- lawry. “The night of the tragedy in the camp on the Arkansas, I fled south into the Cherokee Outlet, where I fell in with Denver Red, a ruffian I had often met in the mines. Like myself, he was in trouble, and we held on together, laying our course for the Cimarron, where, he assured me, he had friends. We arrived only a few days ago. When I learned the character of these friends, I would have continued my flight but for one thing. “In the chief of the band I recognized the man who had charged me with the murder.” “Ts it possible? ” 2. “TI cannot be mistaken, sir. This same man was in camp that night, I feel as- sured, and it was with the hope of fast- ening the crime upon him that I decided to remain.” “Ah! You have cleared my mind of one point, Jack! ” “ And that, sir?” “For an hour past I have been wonder- ing where I had met this Captain Brand, Now, I know it was in the camp on the Arkansas.” “ You’ve seen the captain, then?” Goldspur «@riefly explained. “Then, sir, if I may hazard a guess, you partially recognized the man through his eyes—one a dull, sombre black, the other beady, glittering, and sinister. Is it not so, sir?” “ Exactly, Jack. Now, his identity?” “T know him only as Captain Brand. I have seen him but once.” | “ And the band?” 2 “Tt is strong and well organized, and evervtbing, 1 understand, is reduced toa system. Th« cattle nearly all come from ranches in the Creek Nation. Return- ing from these forays, the band make it a rule to come up the Cimarron, crossing frequently, and, when practicable, driv- ing for miles in the shallow water to baffle pursuit. | “Some place above here is a creek, in which is a dam with a flood-gate. When the cattle reach the mouth of this creek, the flood-gate is closed, so the water he- a i 7 . . - é as “4 4 _& - oa a%. ~ i. Ue i we - tL.“ f “ low quickly empties into the river. Then ae eet *