Beadle's Dime Library, Vol. XII, No. 145 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

| oe ‘Pistol Pards. meet. As for this “Sebble— they had better this place alive. He is not done with me; leave on the same boat.”’ | and, tosum up ina few words, that can per- Wilkins forgot the presence of the girl. His | haps be said as well here as elsewhere, for a hand dropped to his revolver, ‘ Now, let itbe | fair compensation will you give me a few days now !/” he began; but Kate threw ber arm of your time?” around his neck and placed her hand upon his | “ That's business, not talk. What do you lips, while the colonel, waiting for no answer, | want?’ and supported by a couple of stalwart men, | “Tl tell you that I went to the Star to- ee wheeled and disappeared through the side door | which was conveniently near. ' CHAPTER V. JONES OF CINNABAR SIGNS A POLICY. ALABASTER JIM seewed rather more puzzled | than the rest at the lame and impotent conclu- sion of the row. ‘‘ Well, dog-gone my topknot ef Id ’a’ b’Veved it! I thort that kunnel war full ov sand, chock-full. It war him I war layin’ fur; just holdin’ off with four kings an’ an aee, be- cause I thought when he come to, things would be lively fur the boys. He ain’t noslouch with ther tools, I kin tell by the twinkle ov his eyes —an’, mister, 1’m sorry to say he ain’t done with you yit. Ef you want to save your top- knot you’d better git. So long, now; I've got to go an’ look after my war-horse. Some ov them cusses would just be mean enough to steal it, to git outer town.” Free, easy and careless, he strolled out of the door, apparently without the least concern for the fact that he might run against three or four men who were his deadly foes. Kate Wilkins heard his advice to her father, and was by no means inclined to overlook it. “ Come!” she whispered, drawing bim to- ward the other door, through which she had entered, “Let us go. There is nothing to keep us longer in this dreadful place. While these men are busy with their talk, let us slip out,” “Take your ’s advice,” added Mitchell, who heard the whisper. ‘All this thing gets me, and I don’t guess what’s coming next. You're vot the man to be runnin’ your head into gamblin’-house rows, nohow. Come on! If I get yousafe tothe Angels I'll keep you under kiver until I see you both on, the stage, an’ then Ill forgit that two sich people ever lived. You’re no end of bother; but I don’t go back on a man I’ve took up with.” Wilkins seemed to see the propriety of fol- lowing this adyice, but hung back a little. The man with the bronze beard was still standing near, his arms folded, and the look of quiet un- concern still upon his face. He turned his bead swiftly, as the man whom he had befriended tapped him lightly on the arm, but be mapi- fested no surprise or interest; he was ready to listen, that was all. % aes es nothing better to do would you come with me? I have something to say to you—a. proposition to make that may or may my, his is not the place. for an interview, and I would like to have a few moments of your time at the Angels, where I am stopping.” ‘Tm with you, if you do the talking. And I ain’t half be company fer a sick man like you. When they Oe the street Mitchell gave a poriy ae’ ! He half expected to or some of the bullies that had dro train band with such marvelous If they were not fol- lowing in the footsteps of Alabaster Jim he was almost. that they would some attention to Wilkins on his way to the Angels, short the distance was. But for once the astute hotel proprietor was amiss in his ures, for nowhere could he obtain a glimpse of any lurking conspirators ; and the four walked unmolested away. When they had Se apined a fair offing Wilkins motioned to aughter to go on with aga his conversation with while he mre want than mn for standing up, in company with that other stranger, for me. Mitchell means well enough, I can see, but he is not the man that can cope with such roughs as those who would have attacked me there. It was of a preconcerted scheme, and to you I owe my, life, I am certain.” “Don’t say too much, Talk is cheap, and I don’t thank a man for it. When I ought to be around you generally find me there.” “No, bach T eave reason to beetieve tau thong was more in this thing than appears on the surface, I do not know this Colonel Dashwood, but he knows me, or I am much mistaken, and it was and is his intention that I shall not leave | night to find a man—or men—who would take | me through on this stage route, and yours was | the only face I saw that 1 felt as though I could trust. Evenif this fracas had not oc- curred I would have spoken to you before the evening was over. Name your, figure, and if it is not too bigh it shall be yours if you will agree to see me safely through the fifty miles north of this, From there I can, I think, safe- ly make my way to San Francisco.” ‘“‘'What’s the danger? I’m not a general fire and accident insurance company, but Ill _allew,in this case, I feel like taking hold if you ‘| can give @ reason.” ‘I’ve a premonition of trouble. I didn’t know what it might be until some one said, ‘road agents.’ ” Then he bent over and lowered his voice to a whisper that was scarcely audible to the sharp ears of the man from Cinnabar. “Tt’s a game that Captain Skull might choose to. play for, if be knew of it, and the stake is three millions. Do you wonder that Jam nervous?’ ‘Three millions and a handsome woman! No; 1 don’t wonder that you think he’d go for that with everything that was out; but I don’t see what that amount is drifting around here tor. You haven’t got that sum about you, have you?” ‘Oh, no, no, But it is worth three millions to somebody if I never turn up in San Francis- co; and somehow I have an idea that fate is looking that way now. Then what would be- |. come of Kate?’ “‘T've something else to do besides riding round the country; but I’ve got in the mix until I see you out. Old man, you may count on me for the trip. Then I'm off.” The man from Cinnabar, who up to. this time had spoken in a slow hesitating tone, suddenly changed in manner. He s with quick decision, and held out a which closed over the one placed in it with a “warm grasp. “ Balist our army, if you choose—the man who took my part at the Star to-night, might make a good lieutenant. At all events, he has nerve and skill, though he seems_ reckless, Alabaster Ji I believe he calls himself. Is he a friend of yours?’ ‘Friends with me are scarce, and this is the first time I’ve struck him, You can have him if you want him, but I reckon I'd better run the deal ough alone. He goes out on the stage, anyhow, but it ain’t always so Sap <ny which side chaps like him are going to He's fi on.” ‘ And as we seem apt to see considerable of die than each other eee tia. er han- | ‘the man from C m not y let " ppoetai | ovity Woataee name to suit itself, Cinna- | bar Charley—no, it was Soft Hand, was the e I carried down on the Feather river. me Jones if you. want to; it makes RO erence,” nd with this careless and uncertain act of baptism, the Seven Angels was reached, and the canvass of the few arran sary for the journey of the following. day was begun. ' ' P ; re CHAPTER VI. CHECK TO THE KING—OF ROAD AGENTS. HALF an hour before sundown two travel- ers on horseback plunged into the _ pass, through which ran the stage route, half a dozen miles to the north of Tierra Roxo, One of these travelers was a fine-looking man, near the middle age, tall, stoutly built, and seemingly of untiring muscle and nerve, By his side rode a woman. Very handsome was she, though the first bloom of her youth was gone, with a graceful figure, faultlessly developed and her face though bronzed somewhat by lite in the Onis ae air, was full of a vivid beauty. dark eyes had a look that said that x was one who could hate as well as love, and in case, to the death. the pass these two silently rode; ii careless through long continued safety a Tustling. pard, though, where he "hee of Py team would be apt to find ribbons, knew all this, arid wasted. foolishness, H i over the see had no thought of threatening aioe when suddenly as they reached a slight bend in the canyon they found themselves involved in a drama from which there seemed no escape un- til they had played their part. From the cover of a huge rock, almost be- side them, there arose two muscular rvuffians with a pistol ian either hand, and masked faces, who took steady aim, almost before their pre- sence was observed, at the same time together exclaiming in a low, stern tone: “* Halt thar, an’ be silent! Make a move er a sound an’ ye’ll drop on ther spot. Shet yer hands together, hold ’em up, an’ wait till ther frolic is over beyand. Then we'll tend to y. | mebbe.” Victor Page, as the man was named vi | was thuS menaced, was no stranger to (. ways of this wickedest part of the world. lL... was cool as an iceberg, moreover, and quick ¢. see When the chances were against him: 1: took no very sharp eye to see that the muzz'cs covered them in perfect line, and that if the triggers were drawn the result would be ce:- tain death. Under such circumstances it would be policy to wait awhiie, to temporize; for matters could scarcely arrange themselves in worse shape, and they might take a great deal better. Accordingly Page did as he was bidden, clasping his hands and bolding them above his head, while Varra Page, the woman at his side, ‘did likewise. Then each of the road-agents returned one pistol to its” holster, and stepping forward a pace or two, caught a bridle rein, and led the horses close to the rocky wall of the canyon, where in a niche, they would be screened from observation. “Now, keep quiet till we take ther gag off, er we'll lay yer cold forever.” The threat was delivered in a low tone, as if to avoid the chance of being heard beyond the turn of the pass. If they were not to use their mouths, their ears were at their disposal, and Victor Page and his sister listened in silence to catch the mr which they believed they must soon ear, Nor were they mistaken, since they had not thus remained more than a minuté or two when there was the noise of hoofs and. wheels. A coach was coming along toward the. ae" at a swinging pace. Then came fo the customary hail: : ‘Halt thar, driver! Up with yer banal an’ down with yer brakes, er they'll be dead meat!” Very suddenly indeed was the stop made, for there were few drivers who did not A an vane a job when he reached the end | ba Carpenter, the man who handled the his foot, and held it down, wt Jong, steady pull, tt at brought | bi At the same time, from a te the side of pass, there rode out | meu, with wea} ons in ct the wirdows ot the «cach, while a ste: from the middle of the crowd, gave that usually met with prompt obedience: _ ‘Open those doors and step Ogrtp And out, all you passengers, and see that you. eep your hands well up. The first show or ay, will just put tbat hearse fuiler | of holes a deamon” As it was to be supposed that such ; a pro- ori hi naturally be followed by more of life it seemed herdly necessary was any of further explauation. There es a + aoe inside, a couple. of short alarm, a curse or two, and t ng te dor ofthe conch tog the side road-agents was ne nea sides tumbled out. ifoar ‘of ‘then there were, three being men of various ages, and different degrees of rity; while the fourth was a woman, She short of mathe, of step, but whether she was young oo or. old, JOO (COMMINCE .S (E()