Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 188 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

of ee em een we oS eae, Ct ORG, BH ee to decorate an Indian e-pole. "rut he had ‘bad one lesson, and profited by it, for experience was his teacher on that occa- si Tt was 9 his first visit, and he had been asked to take a drink by some new-found friends, all rough Lordermen. The ‘‘ bar” was a shanty, sheltering a plank on two barrels, and behind these were the bar- tender and demijohns. The former was an old settler, a returned Californian of ’49—that is, returned that far eastward—and he was a walking arsenal, ‘“What’ll you hev, Slicky?” he asked the young Easterner. All had said ‘‘ whisky straight,” knowing | that the ae aperion as to their likes was merely a it that there was but one liquor to be ar ‘A little pale sherry,” was the innocent reply of the oung man. ‘Pale thunder and lightning! you'll take whisky straight, and drink if out o’ thet tin cup. OF or thar’ll be weepin’ in Babylon fer a lost Suck was the reply of the bartender, and as he accompanied his remarks by presenting a re- volver, the Easterner took his whisky straight, | aod out of a tin cup, too. Profiting by his experience upon his first ee to the plains, the others of the hunting party | took things as they found them, and were voted by the natives “ dumned good gerloots fer ten- derfeet,” And this young leader of the hunters the reader has met before, for it was none other than Carter Conrad, the ey oung aristocrat from Boston, who had insulted Arta Preston, when she sung before the club windows, and who had pen Red Lucien De Leon for punishing the insult, And # was upon Carter Conrad that the eyes of the Dandy Sport fell, when he reéntered the Overland Rest, and crossing to where he sat he listened to the conversation of the party, end overheard the remark of the Bostonian: ‘‘ No horse can overtake the Phantom Ma- zePpe, , you say?” one has "vet been able to do so, though I have heard that a number have given chase,” responded Dave Perry. ie guess it is because the rider was not anx- ious,” and there was a slight sneer in the tone Carter Conrad, “Some brave men have met the Phantom Mazeppa, given it chase, and yet it has ran away from them,” remarked & & young officer from Fort McPherson. “If a brave man, well mounted, wished to run this pretended Specter of. the Plains dow n, he could do'so,” returned the Bostonian, Instantly Ramsey Preston, the ranchero, crossed over to the table, and said in his calm way: ‘‘Pardon me, sir, for addressing a stranger, but I overheard your remarks, and I beg to say that no man on these prairies owns a faster horse than I do, that | have yet discovered, and I defy any one to call me other than a brave man. There was something in the face and bearin 6f the ranchero that commanded respect, an Carter Conrad answered politely: ‘‘ And have you met this Phantoh: sir?” ‘‘T have, and on three occasions, ” was the calm reply. ‘Three times?’ and a general look of sur- prise hig upon every face. will you kindly sey ow near you were to the ber steed?’ asked Roscoe Howe, one of the hunte “On ¢ one occasion within fifty pase ade ‘“ And you saw the steed and rider?” Distinctly.” ‘Describe both, please,” said Carter Conrad, “A large, poe bbaied wh white horse, with long flowing’ mane and tail; a person, seemingly, from appearance and voice, a woman, bound upo bis back.” “ Indeed! she speaks then?” ‘Yes; she has been heard to cry for help, and more often laughs mockingly.” ‘And did you chase this white steed?” ‘Twice I ‘did, and on two occasions I fred | oy horse and rider with both rifle and \ ‘With what result?” ‘“* None that I could discover.” SI The Pune: fo eee em se ee me eee + - OC COW — A ne Ramsey n said this in a most impres- sive tone, and wheeling suddentit on his heel walked awa y- But, en ant by all he had heard, Carter Conrad said “TL wager high that I can run down the Phantom Mazeppa, mounted on my recer which I brought out here with me.’ ‘*T'll take the bet, sir.” The speaker was the Dandy Sport, and all eyes were turned upon him. ‘That I do not run the Maveppa to earth pis A the week?’ asked the Bostonian. ‘‘ Name the sum ” ‘What you please,” was Dandy Sport's in- different reply. ‘*Call it, say, two thousand dollars.” “Tam wil ng: here, Mr. Perry, I place my stake in your hand.” ‘‘ And I do the same, sir,” and Carter Conrad also handed over his money to Dave Perry. ‘‘Now, gentlemen, you have heard the bet; come boys, it is late, so let us go to the hotel, * and Carter Conrad and his friends took their departure for the night. CHAPTER XXXII. DANDY SPORT’S STRATEGY, WHEN Dandy Sport bet with Carter Conrad that he could not run the Phantom Mazeppa to earth, he had a motive in Por he the Stakes in the bands of Dave Per ry, for he wished tocurry favor with him for a point in view. After the departure of the hunters for their hotel, the young sport crossed over and sat down by the proprietor of Overland Rest and said, in a casual manner: “Quess I'll win my bet.” ‘Think so myself, pard.” “By the way, do you know [I think those risoners whom Ranchero Preston brought in night, can tell us more about the Mazeppa than any one else?” ‘“Why do you think so?” asked Dave. er Well, l’ve watched that fellow closely, and he seems to be the only one not surprised at | appearance of the white horse and rider.” You think he has something to do with it, and that it is a trick to serve some purpose of his own?’ “Yes, Mr. Perry, that is just what I think, and Iam willing to buy the secret from him, ”! ‘* How do you mean?” ‘‘Send for him to come to your private room, and he offer him bids for thé secret until his cu- pidit s satisfied.” We this?” at do you gain b ‘“Tll know what I am betting on, and, if safe, I'll take odds and make a large sum of money. “Pard, you may be r ight, and you may be | wrong; but if I knew I’d make thousands by it, 'd not take a prisoner out of jail, when he’s been intrusted to my keeping.” ‘* There is no danger ia it.’ ‘* There is, for if the crowd see him, they are “bg bi! enough of liquor to have a hanging mare But ‘they won't see him,” persisted the sport. | * Well, his gan might, and he’d be rescued, sure; no, "I don’t like to take chances with other ple’s i ae though I'll risk mine to the | ' ther one who Ma her ter-night didn’t do it ast dollar, Seeing that the honest justice was not to be | influenced, Dandy Sport made another strate-_ gic move. Leaving the saloon, after beckoning to several of Grizzly Gabe’s companions to follow him, he waited behind a lumber pile. Here three men soon joined him, and he said, bluntly : " , Pards, you are the Grizzly’s friends, I take “ Tooth and toe-nail, pard,” answered one. ‘*He’s ina scrape.” ‘*‘ Looks thet way.” ‘‘f wish you to aid me in getting him out.” ‘*Say the dhe t’s ter chaw glass **Do you know where three fast horses can be | procured to-night!” ‘Fer duckits [kin git anything, day or night. ” * Well, here is money, and I wish you to buy two good animals, and bavethem saddled and | bridled, and ready in the lane back of the jail.” ‘‘T] do it,” said the man who acted as spokes- | man. ‘‘Now, where can you buy a snow-white | _ horse?” rt ges ee oe —— ” | ee — pard, and we is with yer, ef | > ¢, q ” r r horse, and a cord bridle that could not be seen. Then, throwing over his clothes a white sheet. he sprung oe the horse, and, lying down upon his back, held himself securely on by the har- ness he had skillfully: made. “Now for the jail,” he said command the white animal prairie. Guiding him toward the main street he headed him directly for the jail, while he broke forth in peals of mocking laughter that were enough to freeze the blood with horror. j ‘*The Phantom Mazeppa!” arose the cry upon all sides, and men fled from the path of the weird horse and rider. Up to the gate of the yout be ran, and in ter- ror the keeper, whom Fanshaw had left there on duty, fled from the spot, leaving the prison-pen unguarded, Then, down from the back of his horse Rang eee Sport, Be iron bar was infastendd, an he called, quickly: “Come quick, Grizzly, and make for the prai- rie; there are horses in the lane at the baok of the jail.” ‘*Durn yer, ef yer didn’t skeer me out o’ my nat ral growth, fer I tuk yer fer ther Phantom Mazip, an’—” ee ‘you stop to talk you'll be taken! Go!” “*My chin music hev closed ; you is a boss, leetle one, an’ we’ll meet ag’in; go0d- -by, an’ ex- cuse haste, fer I hes ter hasten; come, Bedrock.” “Away! away! or all will be lost that has been gained,” impatiently said the Dandy Sport, at the same time again springing upon and at a word of bounded over the the white horse and placing himself in a recum- bent position. ‘‘T is off, pard,” and, followed by Bedrock Mose, Grizzly Gabe rushed tow the lane where the horses awaited him, while the Dandy Sport darted away like an arrow from a bow. As he sped away he saw two horsewen dash out of the lane and a third ride across their ath. Pa ** Halt! or I will kill you!” he heard in the stentorian tones of Beu Fanshaw, the jailer. But the two fugitives did not halt: then fol- lowed a pistol shot, and then others, and one Betet and one horse went down. The man was Bedrock Mose, shot through the | heart, and the horse was the one the constable rode. Bat with a rude laugh Grizzly Gabe kept on, and disappeared from sight, while the Dandy Sport dropped from the white horse into the long raizle grass, and said, savagely: rse that man! why ‘did that bullet not kill him, I wonder, for hecan make me trouble.” Making a wide circuit, Dandy Sport gained the town, and among the crowd of excited citi- | zens that were inquiring what had really hap- | pened, he looked the most innocent. Suddenly Ben Fanshaw advanced through the throng, and with him was Ramsey Preston, the ranchero, and Dave Pe ‘*Pards,” said the constab @, in a loud tone, addressing the throng in general; rds, thar hes been o’ late some some strange things hap- | penio’ in these heur parts, an’ ther strangest o’ all are ther sarxumstance o’ ther Phantom Ma- eppa “But though thet area phantom fer a fact, ' slick eno ugh, a know it were a dodge ter git | ther cuss ray Gabe an’ Bedrock Mose out 0” | jail, an’ it were did, though I tuk ther latter on. ther wing, an’ he has a ter climb them golden. stairs we reads o’ in Scriptur’, leastways them reads of who reads Scriptur’, fer I isn’t pious by rule, “* Now I offers heur, out 0’ my own dust, one ‘hundred dollars ter know ther gerloot ‘who played Phantom Mazep ter-night, an’ ther cat- tle king heur, Mr. Preston, says he will give | five hundred more fer ther same knowled e.” ‘‘And I put six hundred on that,” broke in | Dave Perry. “Waal, thar is twelve hundred dollars fer ther man as tells who were ther feller as played host an’ freed ther Grizzly, fer I let Bedrock se’s spirit out o’ jail myself, but did it in ther course 0’ my bounden duty. ‘‘Now, I know whose were ther horse, but who wants ter make twelve hund:sed an’ tel! ther ghost?” “Pay the money and I will tell.” It was the Dandy Sport who spoke, and a murmur of surprise ran around the crowd and. all eyes were fastened upon him. Abe Benton’s got one I could borrer, fer I | ‘tig you know, leetle pard?” asked the con- ‘‘ When did you last see them?” knows the ropes, but he wouldn’t sell.” “To-night, on my way to the town with two “We et him and bring him out on the aT do: - prisoners: he circled round us several times, bateie Pohiaar, and I will Join you there, and aug yer'll pony up ther nT ee fer ther | and then disappeared, coming in this direction.” Twill tell you what, to do,” ~ i “And may | ask what is your theory, sir, re- | The men promised obedience, and after a few ars I ‘will. more instructions they departed on their er- Right now? ations 2 this A$ Sia steed and rider?’ persisted | arter Conrad rands, while Dandy Sport went to his rooms in 4 “* Having urg ed my horse, that never needs the hotel. the spar, on in pursuit, with both rowels and | But he did not remain long, for he returned “ p knife, and been dro ropped steadily pint and | with a bundle under his arm, and walked qui- And my six hundred. | ay fired upon the steed and rider repeated ys 1 | | etly out upon the prairie, where he was soon The constable handed the money to Tiny Tim, | | have bu® one theory, for I am a dead sho at | after joined by a man leading a white horse, | who said, quietly, as he rolled the bills up and | | long and short range.” over whose was thrown a dark blanket to pocketed them, ell, sir, your theory is—” hide his color. Grizzly Gabe may be one of the worst men “To avoid the Phantom Mazeppa as some- Opening his bundle, Dandy Sport set to work in your town, but I am not one to seé a man thing supernatural and not of this earth.” and soon rigged a kind wy harness upon the ' who has served me go under if I can help it, ‘‘ Here are my one hundred.” | | “Yes, right out.” “ And my five,” _ —— ee # ¢ | * comicbooks ~ com i = B ‘ - mex. 2