Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 156 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

b it \ . - -_- & from fear, and partly because they knew what he was capable of, and believed he would cer- tainly be victorious, “Tm yer man, my pretty, ef yer means fight,” said the captain. “*That is just what I do mean, and I shall eoare Fo8 to fight; so now, what shall it be ““T promised ter shake ther life out o’ yer, didn’t I?” a ‘“‘Then drap yer weepins an’ I'll do it.” “Lay your belt of arms aside, and I'll give mine to this gentleman, as you seem too cow- ardly to meet me with knifé or revolver,” was the calm response, “Curse you,” cried Captain Carl, nettled at the words; ‘‘ does yer call me a coward?” “Certainly; what else are you but a huge bully relying a ery your brute strength?” ith a howl of rage Captain Carl seemed about to risk a shot and spring upon his cool and provoking adversary; but there was some- thing in the handsome, smiling face and tremor- less hand that held the revolver that’ warned him off, and he hoarsely said: **Drap yer shootin’-iron and meet me with yer knife, as yer plays so game.” ‘Willingly; it isa matter of utter indiffer- ence to me what I kill you with,” was the smiling response, and drawing his revolvers from his belt he handed them to Dick Hazel, with a manner the perfect acme of indiffer- ence, and which called forth the remark from Kansas Kit: ‘Waal, he’s a cool one, he is, an’ I guesses he’s got sand ter back him ny of Seeing that he must meet his enemy Captain Carl also threw aside his revolvers, and drew his long knife, and a ring having formed around the two men, every eye was riveted upon them, the six prisoners, whose summary execution his coming had interrupted, gazing upon Velvet Face with a kind of fascination, that, in the case of four of them,. was piteous to behold. As they faced each other, Captain Carl it was seen was the taller and heavier man of the two, and his strength all knew; but there was that in the lithe form, broad shoulders and well- rounded limbs of the stranger, that proved he would not be so easily handled as at first had been supposed, while in striking contrast was the beauty of his face to the brutal countenance of the huge miner. ‘“‘Are you eer k Carl of Colorado?” asked the stranger, and a second time the bully started as his name came from the other’s lips, and he said gruffly: ‘* Yer knows me, does yer?” “Tt matters not; are you ready, Carl of Colo- rado?” was the evasive reply. “Yas, Velvet Face, an’ yer time has come,” and with a yell, Carl the Killer sprung upon adversary, while a cry of warning broke from half a hundred lips at his treacherous act. : CHAPTER IIL. TO THE RESCUE! ALTHOUGH confident in his own prowess and strength, Carl of Colorado was treacherous, and even ina combat with the most insignifi- a antagonist took every unfair advantage in wer, ence it was, when he believed that Velvet Face was expecting him to approach warily, be sprung upon him suddenly to catch him off But Captain Carl, shrewd as he was, and quick as had been his panther-like spring, had reckoned wrong, for his foe did not step back even, but caught his blade on his turned it with a skill and stre w the huge miner on his for he lost his equilibrium, and a curse broke from his lips, as he expected Velvet Face to uickly follow up his advantage and drive his into him ere uld prevent, The sation skill and sinensth exhibited by Vel- vet and the suave smile resting upon him at once in the estimation of the re closely around, face, raised crowd, and they gathered feeling confident now that it was not to bea one-sided affair, as they had 2 His not following up his advantage over the man who had been treacherous toward him also him other friends than Dick Hazel and Godfrey, and this Captain Carl discovered determined to peta 8 a to, hn <ger 0 his enemy by a fierce o1 caer he feet g the fighting, and once more the blades clashed to , and there re- mained for an instant. | It was a fearful tableau, and not a sound broke the silence, as the two men, with arms uprai mp dates pressed: Soar er, neither Iding under the powerful pressure, and gaz- into each other's eyes, , the one before the other, Captain Carl’s face black with pas- sion, his eyes paring and his broad breast heav- ing, and Velvet Face cool, determined, and that same smile upon t lookers-on now began to know was an indica- tion of danger rather than mirth. Atl bh Captain Carl again a + tack, ey aden? withdrawing his blade from SS | Velvet Face, the Border Bravo. and is lips, which the | —_—_—_— against his foe’s, and after a feint at a thrust, attempting to bring it down with terrific force upon the broad breast of his enemy, and a movement that again caused a cry of alarm to break from the crowd, for what could break, or check the weight of that huge arm inits de- scent? was the thought that flashed through ev- yi! brain. ut it was broken in its downward motion, and the wrist was caught in a gripe of iron, and bent with a force that wrung a shriek of pain from the lips of Captain Carl, while Velvet Face, throwing aside his knife, seized with his right hand the throat of his enemy, and with a ower that seemed supernatural, and which Eiacht a tet of applause from the miners, the huge bully was bent backward, and his feet, by a sudden kick, knocked from under him, causing him to fall heavily to the earth, yet still in the vise-like grasp that held him. At his fall another cry of admiration arose on all sides; but unheeding it, Velvet Face wrenched the knife of Captain Carl from his grasp, and bending over him, he said, as he pressed the point hard over his heart: ‘**T have a mind to kill you, Carl of Colorado, but I do not wish my hands stained with your vile blood, so give you your life; but steer clear of my path. me Springing back he allowed the man to rise, but ere he could seize upon his revolvers, Cap- tain Carl found himself again covered by one in the hands of his victor, and he hissed forth; ‘‘Pards, Lis yer leader, and I calls on yer ter captur’ thet iron-armed devil.” ‘No, Carl of Colorado, you are no longer the Bravo of Paradise Valley, for l’ve a notion ‘to that title myself; now begone, or I’ll string you up for trying to hang those six innocent crea- tures there.’ ‘You has earned ther champion belt, pard an’ yer desarves it,” said Hazel Dick, in a lou tone, and Captain Carl saw at half a glance that it would not be safe for him to tarry lon- er, so he turned away sullenly, with a look on fis face that meant no good to Velvet Face, should he ever catch him at a disadvantage. ‘‘Gentlemen,” and Velvet Face looked smil- ingly over the crowd, ‘‘I am happy to have ar- rived in time to save those you would have hanged for crimes of which they are innocent, for on my way to your valley I came upon two scamps who have been the black sheep of your settlement by their own confession, and | beg to present them to you, for they lie bound be- hind yonder rock.” A. p Samat men darted to the spot, and in an in- stant they returned dragging after them two miners well known to all present, but who had several weeks before started, they had said, for the California gold-fields. ‘‘In that bag across my saddle is the metal they had robbed their victims of, and I over- heard their plans to make another effort to get more gold, and then start for other scenes; the are the ones who need hanging,” was the si - cant en to the words of Velvet Face. Instantly the hint was acted upon, and the leading, praying wretches at once saw that their doom was sealed. “They shall hang for it,” cried Kansas Kit, and a hundred voices echoed his words, while twice as many eyes were turned upward at the bare limb of a storm-shattered live-oak, and in an incredibly short space of time the two forms were dangling in the air, the victims of Vigi- lante justice. But, as all eyes were turned upon them, there came an exclamation of surprise, as there was seen upon the hight above the form of a horse der, plainly relieved against the blue sky. But, strangest of all, the rider was a woman, oung and beautiful, and her eyes were gazing own upon the sickening scene far below her, while to those in the valley, seemed like an parition, and a thrill of horror ran through of nearly every miner, And, as they spellbound, they saw seve- ral dark forms spring from a covert near by, seize her horse, and dart away out of sight, while to their ears came the thrilling, pleading cry: ) save me ! Oh, save me!” , ““By Heaven, I will,” was shouted back in ringing tones from their midst, and paxowrittg himself upon the back of his splendid blac steed, Velvet Face cried as the animal bounded out of the canyon: - Qn, Midnight, for there’s work ahead!” Like an arrow from a bow the fleet horse sped hile, ide of the can- pe gt AT petit Fs "sheep could yon, where the Sodir find footing, clambered two forms to- ward the spot where the maiden had been seen, Those i were the Bannocks, Blue Snake and Red Dove. —___ CHAPTER IV. THE MASKED RIDERS. In one of the three scenes, pen-painted in the prologue, the reader will remember Muriel Merle as having been joined upon the mountain spur that overlooked Paradise Valley by others of her party, who, like herself, were breaking nn the monotony of the long march by riding ore horseback, As if preferring her own company to that of others, Muriel quietly turned away, leaving her companions rapt in admiration at the beauty of the scene spread out before them, and rode down the rough a eee to the vance below, and the same which had been taken by the handsome guide, Ralph Reno. Reaching another jutting cliff further down the mountain side, Muriel rode almost to the edge and glanced down into the canyon a hun-. dred feet below her. Instantly her eyes sparkled, for they fell upon a strange scene, one which was wholly new to her, and full of intense excitement, for she be- held the group of miners in the canyon, and the six bound prisoners whom they were to punish, more fo gratify their passions than because they deemed them guilty. pellbound she sat on her horse and gazed upon the scene, while every word uttered came distinctly to her ears, and her noble heart bled for those who were to be the victims of Vigi- lante justice. Yet she dare not cry out and beg for them mercy, for how would she, a prange girl, be able to wield influence among that rude band of men? Eagerly her eyes scanned the different faces, and when Dick Hazel and his pard spoke in favor of the prisoners, she held hope for them, which, alas! was but short-lived, for she saw that Captain Carl held undi uted power. “fT will cry out and beg for them; they are men, rude and rough though they be, and they will listen to me,” she said aloud, as Captain Carl said that Red Dove should die also, and the words were upon her lips almost to bid them hold in their murderous work, when suddenly Velvet Face had appeared upon the scene. ‘*Oh! where have I seen that face before?’ she asked herself, as like a statue she sat upon her horse, her ears drinking in every word that was said. ‘* \ fearless, splendid man he is, to face those madmen thirsting for blood, and how strangely out of place he seems in their midst,” she again said, half aloud, as she eagerly watched all that: was transpiring below her. At length, as she saw Captain Carl spring” upon Velvet Face, a cry of alarm broke from her lips, which, in the excitement reigning in the le none heard, and once more she mut- tered: ‘‘That face! Oh! where have I seen it before? It comes back before me now like a dream of the past.” ith bated breath und staring eyes she watched the knife encounter between the two men, and it was with the greatest effort at self- control that she restrained herself from a shout, of joy at the fall of Captain Carl. ut, as she sat with riveted eyes upon the scene below, she saw not that danger threatened her, and even her faithful horse seemed too deeply taken up with glancing down into the canyon, to observe dark forms stealing out of the sha- dow of a pine thicket and cautiously and slowly creep toward them. Nearer and nearer they came to their victim, five stalwart men, dressed in deep black, and wearing over their faces masks of cloth, that shielded them from all recognition, while their hands were gloved, as if to hide even the hue of their skin. In their belts were revolvers and a bowie- knife, and in their cautious, her-like ap- Broach upon the maiden, they showed the evi- ence of men well in the school of border craft and deviltry. Nearer and nearer, until they came close enough for the fatal spring, like tigers upon their prey, and the next instant the startled horse was in a grasp of iron, and Muriel Merle: was a captive. One loud cry for aid she gave, and then her horse was forced back from the sight of those in the conyoy, ane two mounted men darted from the thicket, and placed themselves upon: either side of her, while one said sternly: ‘* Mount, men, and follow, for that cry will bring the hounds upon our h,” Muriel glanced at the speaker, but he too was: masked, and seeing her look, he said, in the same: tern tone: “If you wish to avoid trouble for yourself, my lady, you will go willingly with us; but if ou cry out, or struggle, Is have to and ind you, for we have run a fearful ris oad cure you.” ‘But who are you, and why am I thus rudely borne away?’ asked Muriel, indig- nantly, - That the chief will 1nake known to you; come, men, let us not tarry,” and the leader the horses forward, turning from the wagon road into a narrow trail leading back into the mountains. ait and see,” was the short response, an again turning to his men, the leader said: ‘“We will make a detour round this spur,, and then descend by the Devil’s Ladder, men.” ‘‘Tt’s taking terrible chances, captain,” was the response, while the other men glanced at: 0 (00) <S,(€() f- Comic