The Brand Burners of Cimarron — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

He shook his head dejectedly as he noted the heavy bars guarding the win- dow. Dropping down, he took the bit of wire from his pocket, and began work- ing on the back of the rear door. In a moment, he knew the task was hopeless. The wire was too light for the heavy lock. It bent without throw- ing back the bolt, and he was compelled to abandon the attempt “Land o’ Goshen Bt’s growin’ light in ther East, an’ I’m clean disfiggered!”’ he grunted. “I cain’t make et by door nor windy, an’ thet chap in ther smoke- house is apt ter set up a yell any minute. Glory ter Jasper! I wish I hed a key! Might es well wish fer wings, tho’, then I c’u’'d— Cain’t I, tho’?” Briskly moving to the end of the cabin, Gimps examined the wide stone fire place and chimney, while hope again rose in his breast. long as possible, then quickening his pace in crossing the open. The timber was gained without discov- ery of the flight, and the trio began to breathe more freely. All felt that the critical moment was past. Skirting the head of the draw in which the corral was situated, Gimps laid his course as nearly due south as. possible, and hurried on until he came to a small creek, when he announced: “Gals, I got ter leave ye here. Ther perfessor’s in limbo back thar, an’ [ cain’t run away an’ leave him. ’Twouldn’t look right, ye see, bein’ es we’re pards. Ef—” “The professor?’ interjected Ruby. ‘Whom do you mean, boy?” “Ther perfessor, miss, jest es I said. We're pards, ye see.” “ But, who is he?” “A gent under my protection, le miss. He’s a nice chap, too, but an awful bother. He’d ’a’ bin an orphan long ago In another minute, with the aid of a but fer me. Allers in trouble.” rail from a pile near by, he had gained the roof, Creeping to the apex, he ap- proached the chimney, and peered down its yawning throat. “ You’re a brave boy, Gimps!” “TI know et, miss. Ye don’t tell me no news.” ‘“ But conceited!” The one glance decided him, and he “ Terrible!” deftly swung himself into the grimy “Tt is the detective, Mr. Goldspur, I | opening. Then—down, down, half-stifled presume?” with soot and ashes, until his feet rest- “T haven’t his card wid me, miss, or) ed on the wide hearth! I’d see.” Brushing the dust from his eyes, Gimps glanced quickly around the deserted apartment, then appropriated a brace of loaded revolvers, turned the light low, and approached the door leading into the next room. He started quiltily as the key clicked in the lock; but no challenge followed the sound. Leaving the door ajar, he crossed the room, and bent over the pal- let of straw. Both prisoners were asleep. Chuckling grimly, the lad laid his hand upon Goldspur’s lips. In an instant, the detective was awake. “Easy, perfessor,” warned Gimps. “Don’t be skeered. HEt’s on’y me, an’ we've got no time to lose.” * Gimps?” “Yer hes called et, perfessor.” “They'll murder you, boy! How did you get in?” “ Down ther chimbley. But, say! Wake yer pardner, so he won’t yell. I tell ye we got ter skip.” “Don’t be alarmed, boy,” Major Dun- can requested. “I’ve been awake all along. Closed eyes don’t always mean sleep” “Right ye aire, Nate, ole nae But keep a stiff upper lip, you chaps, an’ I'll hev ye out in a minute by ther clock.” Deftly, then, the urchin used his knife, and in less than the time stated both men were upon their feet free of bonds. Conducting them into the other room, Gimps pointed out the weapons, and bade them arm themselves. That done the light was extinguished, and the trio un- locked the rear door and departed. Not a moment too soon was the rescue effected, for the eastern sky was gray with the light of the coming dawn. In the shadows at the end of the cabin, Duncan halted, and turned to the de- tective. “That scoundrel stated that my daugh- ter was here. Can we not find her? To leave her—” *y She’s gone, ole boy,” Gimps interrupt- ed. “Gone?” “Yas. I run her an’ ther cobbler’s gal out o’ here over an hour ago. She's safe now, or ought to be,” and the lad quickly told what he had done, A brief conference followed. Goldspur and the major agreed that it was not safe for the two girls to traverse that outlaw- infested section without an escort, and it was quickly decided that the latter should follow and join the fugitives. Accordingly, Gimps led the way to- ward the creek. A few hundred yards in the timber, he pointed out the course to be eagwlg and explained his instruc- tions: to. th Baffled, Ruby Ranger smiled, and ask- “ What are we to do? Remain here?” “No. Keep straight up ther crick a mile or so, then hide, an’ wait till 1 come back. Ef ye don’t see me before noon, bear off straight southeast, an’ ye’ll strike Tiptop by night.” “ But you'll come, surely?” “Ef nothin’ pervents. Thar’ll e fightin’ back thar, by an’ by, an’ I expects ter take a hand.” “Oh, Gimps! You may be hurt!” * Or killed!” Polly added, in a frighten- ed tone. The lad inflated his chest, and in a deep voice responded: ““Sech is life, young ladies! We men must die, thet ther wimmen may weep! “Go, now, an’ on no account leave ther crick till ye see me or know I ain’t comin’ back. Wish I c’u’d go ’long, but I cain’t leave my pard.’ “Oh, Gimps! You area brave boy, and I was mean to say what I did,” cried Ruby, impulsively. “©’ course!” and the urchin calmly watched the girls move away. RR CHAPTER XXXII. THE ATTACK. Returning to the vicinity of the cabin, ' G@imps crouched in an obscure spot, and carefully studied the situation. , Goldspur was in deadly danger, he knew, and he chafed at the thought. But how was he to rescue him? The doors of the house were locked, and the win- dows seemed secure against intrusion. Then, too, there might be a number of the ‘outlaws inside, ready to pounce upon him the moment he piched a lock or opened a window. “Oh, perfessor! Ye’re ther trial o’ my } life!” he soliloquized. ‘“ Nothin’ but trouble, trouble, since I adopted ye! ”’ Ds Rising, he silently approached the cab- (oh al in. All was quiet within, and he stealth- | ‘ ily tried each of the doors and windows. As he had foreseen, all were properly secured. ‘ Then he again applied his eye to the hole in the curtain, and carefully scanned F: the apartment it ‘commanded. Greatly to his relief, it seemed to be deserted. The lamp stood on a rude ane table near the centre of the room, A -———s mumber of rifles hung on the walls, while on a bench in a corner were several ee revolvers and a box of fixed ammunition. 3 - “ & reg’lar arsenal,” the lad muttered, Aye his keen eyes noticed a key in the ¥ 3 T0 < of the door leading into the adjoin- ing apartm reece and he added: Be is of, O08, five got ter enter. ‘ak ES. 4 t f ~ “~~ . T i ste cir" es a tid5 “tie iter = * sv" . . - e _ g - , , " a a a A LL Es t #j “ - ce a \f i pe Ay ats ‘ > ote | + . ~ { T . e * & ‘ ‘ « 7 a by Y 4 » a - * » “i ¥ - P. “es Ps é 4 a & . 7 * be . ; . * . ‘ ‘ = *4 4 . f . ~ > - 4 . >" -* ae a * , . The Brand- Burners of Cimarron, e girls es ibe gene shore, bares banc th | 1 be y ety “3 ie \ ef ye keep straight up ther crick,” he assured, “All right, my boy. Now, a word about yourself before we part: You’re the greatest chunk of pure insolence, fool- hardy, brawny and reckless courage I ever saw in one of your years Happily, the two latter qualities outweigh the former. I am going to remember you!” “In yer will?” “In my will! daughter and myself, and the life of this brave man. You—why, bless me, Gold- spur! The rascal’s gone!” The detective smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “Who is he, Goldspur?” “ His name is Gimps.” “ Gimps?” “Joseph Gimps A protege of mine. His father was murdered recently, and—” “The father’s name, man?” “Solomon Gimps.”’ “Eh—eh? Solomon! By the Lord Harry! He—I say, Goldspur! take good care of that youngster, will you? I want him!” The detective nodded grimly, but made no reply, and in another minute the men parted—the major following the course indicated by Gimps, while Goldspur glid- ed in the direction taken by the lad. “This way, pard,’” Gimps cautiously hailed, a moment later, stepping from be- hind a tree. “ We'll hev ter hustle ef ye want ter see ther ’burners at work, fer et’s showin’ light a bit.” “ That’s exactly what I do want to see, if it’s possible, little pard.” Silently, the lad started away through the woods. The distant bellowing of cat-. tle could be heard, and, anon, the shouts of men, These sounds grew louder as the pair advanced, and presently Gold- spur was able to glimpse the fires in the corral. Keeping back from the edge of the draw, Gimps led the way into a thicket. which had escaped the fire, and in a very few minutes the two were in a posi- tion fairly overlooking the’ branding chute. For some little time Goldspur studied the scene, noting the men, the cattle, and the methods employed. Then he touched You have saved my > oe Gimps on the arm, and they silently quit- ted the thicket. “ Little pard, we must look up Pawnee and his men at once. Those fellows will be done and the cattle driven away in 2 few hours,” ? “ K’rect, perfessor. But we’re on ther wrong side o’ ther draw. We must git across, don’t ye reckon?” , “Yes, at the timber line down yon- er. 3” Quietly, then, the two stole away, and a little later reached the borders of the barren plain. Crossing the draw, they pushed forward at a rapid pace, keeping, just within the timber until a mile or more from the corral, : Then, on a rise in the plain, a short distance away, a troop of armed men suddenly appeared. In the leader, both recognized Pawnee Bill, the deputy. Beside him, strapped snugly on a horse, yet with hands free to point the way, rode the outlaw, Dandy Dave Quickly stepping into view, Goldspur waved his hat. The signal seen, the course was changed, and the cavalcade came up at a gallop. “Ho! Goldspur, it is really you, and alive! And the kid, too! “ Well, well! we had given you up as captured or dead, and this.is indeed a pleasant surprise. “But you have news, your face tells — me, and I shall be glad to hear you, for | I distrust the guide we have pressed into service.” So spoke Pawnee as he sprang from the © saddle and grasped the detective’s hand, — and both voice and mien betraye d deep feeling. “Yes, Bill; we are here, little ment F L he Ks there were bid raeneg oo: “ * , ai oF 2 i” HAL. sits eS a * - ¢ , HAE ae rane “* ‘, nea % », ¢ ‘ ; Qe ee eee oe ee i, sit “comicbooks. com