Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 189 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

ik —— or 14 Wild Bill’s Gold Trail. bandit stronghold be reached by the attacking party. With a bow to Edna, he placed himself at the head of his wild company, and with Andy Rush by his side, continued on up into the mountains, while Edna returned to Poker City with Dan Dale as her escort, and Slick Sam following behind, and muttering Chinese oaths against ‘‘ Melican men” in general, but the Desperado Dozen in particular, for the cords that held him to his horse had cut the skin, and being forced to go a second time on‘ the trail, to point out the scene of attack upon the maiden and himself, for he had so reported it, he by no means relished. CHAPTER XXVIL. THE MINERS ON THE TRAIL. Wan Harvey Haviland found himself so suddenly in command of a company of miners, instead of a congregation of erring sheep, he took his honors calmly, and shosved at once a resolution aud knowledge of what was best, that won the respect of his hardy and reckless followers. ‘*We better go in lemmons an’ charge ther outlaw ¢ommunity,” said a miner. ‘‘T shall do what I consider best, sir, and please understand, that though I will ask for the advice of those I consider competent to give it, | yet will act as [ deem best.” : ‘Lordy! ther parson hey got ther bit ‘in his teeth, an’ I’ll git out o’ ther way o’ his heels,” muttered the man who had given his advice | voluntarily. **'Yas, an’ ef he preaches as he fights, he'll , knock Satan out o’ bis hearers, an’ pound ther siuffin’ out o’ ther ‘ Holy Book,” added another of the party. After a talk with Andy Rush, the parson decided to go to the scene of attack, and see if any discovery could be made by examining the dead, for he asserted that he knew his aim had beén true. Then if possible, they were to strike the trail of the man who escaped and follow it wherever it should lead. A ride of ten minutes brought them to the scene, and all suddenly drew rein, for a'change | had occurred there since the parson had left. A steed lay wounded by the roadside, and it was the one which had been ridden by one of the two suppused foreigners. Further on !ay a dead horse, and near him the body of his rider, who was none other than the pretended servant of the two strangers, who had put up at the Hikok Hotel. A bullet wound in bis forehead showed how he had died, and the parson said: “Now, cap’n, what is we to do?” ‘‘There are good trailers here, 1 suppose?” and the parson looked over the crowd. “Thar be men heur, Bible Pard, as kin trail a bird,” said one. ‘‘Then let us pursue the trail of the man who rode away and see what that will lead us to.” ‘That are sense from Senseville, pard,’’ cried a voice, and it was evident that the de- cision of all was to follow the advice of the parson, who said: ‘* First we have a duty to perform.” All looked at him in silence. ‘‘'These men are human and as such deserve burial at our hands.” ‘*buck ’em over ther cliff,” cried a voice. “‘ Let’s hang t’other, so they’!l sarve as warn- in’ to the’r pards,” “ Better see what they hes got in the’r pock- ets.” ‘Parson, you drag out ther mater’al they hes about the’r clothes, an’ then we’ll perceed ter Such were the remarks that went through the crowd, and Harvey Haviland said quietly: ‘‘See what there is about them, Andy to, identify them.” . The stage-driver at once obeyed, and some money was found, and in the pockets of the | hanging man a bundle of letters, which were | handed to the parson, who placed them in his — pocket with a mere glance at them, ‘‘ Now, my friends, set to work with your | knives and enlarge that hole there, and it shall be their grave.” “ Leave ’em to ther crows, pard.” ‘No, they must be buried,” was the firm _ reply. ‘‘ They hain’t no kin o’ ourn.” It matters not, they are human beings.” ‘‘They is a. hard crowd, an it don’t seem right ter put ’em under ground same as we would a pard.” ‘T shall repeat the service of the dead above them, be they what they may.” “Ef yer does thet yer may set ’em on ther wrong trail, an’ they’ll git ter Parydize, arter all they has did.” ‘‘When dead, all our animosity for them must cease.” * ‘‘Durned ef I turns a knife full of earth,” said one man doggedly. ‘» Then mount your horse, sir, and go back to Poker City for I want no man of your caliber “That man I killed, and I also killed his | horse and wounded the other; but what means | through ter Purgatory ef yer say 80, an’ it'll that?’ As he spoke, he pointed to a form hanging | toalimh. .— ‘*Didu’t yer hang bim, Bible Pard?’ asked Andy Rush. “By no means. He is the first I fired upon, and he fell, as I believed, dead, or mortally wounded. — ‘*Then I rode away with Miss Insley at full. speed, fearing they might~ have accomplices near, and now, only a half-hour after, I return — man hanging yonder.” “Waal, it are mister’us, I sw’ar; but it do look as tho’ somebody hed been heur sin’ you left,” said Andy Rush. “That is evident,” replied Harvey Havi- land. ‘‘ Perhaps he were wounded, and know’d he c’u’dn’t git away, an’ so saved ns ther trouble ° hangin’ him,” suggested a miner, ‘‘No, that man did not hang himself. “See here,” and the parsou pointed: to the es in a company I command.” The words of the young minister were resolute and stern, and the miners saw that he was in earnest, and the offender said quickly: “ Beg pardon, Cap’n Parson, I'll dig clean 'make ther down trail yy, for ‘em, as likely they'll take thet way. *“*Come, pards, ther parson says bury em, an’ we'll do it.” This settled it, and the two men were laid side by side in the newly dug grave, and over their bodies Harvey Haviland’s deep tones repeated a wees ovat = eee service for the dead. CHAPTER XXVIIL. A VILLAIN’S CONFESSION, HARDLY had the young parson and Edna dashed away from the scene of the attack of the outlaws upon the maiden, when one of the two, who had fallen under the aim of Hamey “ Haviland, arose on his elbow and glanced manner in which the rope wus tied to the tree, — and he added: ‘« Besides, his hands are been behind his back.” ‘Yas, Pard Parson, or ruther Cap’n Parson, ther pilyrim hev been reg'lar hung an’ no mis- | take, thet are sartin as pr eachin’. ‘“An’ moreover, he are ong o’ ther pilgrims as coms Over with me, an’ thar are t’other: but whare are number thee times?” and Andy Rush loged around, as thoagh he expected to | see the \)“Ay of the third stranger. ‘You remtember that I told you one rode off and made his escape?’ said Harvey Haviland quietly. ‘‘ Thet are 80, “Waal, waal, this one hev escaped too, an’ | around him. “Well, Satan has not forgotten me, for, though that bullet knocked the breath out of | me, it glaneed on my rib and the wound is not — worthy of thought. “That was that fighting parson who charged so suddenly upon us and thwarted my little game, and if he preaches as be fights, he'll convert every sinner in Poker City. ‘‘ But I must get away from here, or there’ll be Vigilantes on my trail. ‘‘Confound that Count Carlos, he decamped at the first shot. But fam not dead yet, and while there is life there is hope.” “ There is no hope for you, Dudley Duncan.” The man fairly sprung to his feet, and his hand. dropped instinctively to clutch a revolver and face the one whose deep, stern tones had so startled him. But a-form bounded before him and a weapon covered him, held in a hand, that The man fairly gasped the name, “That is what men call me.” *‘ And you have the drop on me? “* And intend to keep it.” “How did you know me?” **] knew you when I saw you in Poker and we had our little brush, and I thought had killed you. “Now, though yeu are evidently playing another game of deviltry under a false name, I know you.” ‘You would not kill me without giving me a chance for life?’ almost whined the man, “You know I am no murderer, and you know, too, that I take big chances with life and death, and I will take the same with you.” _ Name your terms.”’ “ First, who was the lady who rode away just now?” The man hesitated, “ Speuk, sir.” “ Miss Insley,” : “You and your comrades made an attack on her, as I saw from-yonder cliff, though I was too ‘far away to Le of aid?” 4 “1 will not be questioned by you, Wi! d ill’ ‘‘ Look here, Dud Duncan, Captain corsa 7 or whatever you choose to call MA hanya & 92 know that I killed your two brothers, sought my life?” “Yes, curse you, Wild Bill, and I will yet kill you ‘and avenge them, if luck does not fail me,” was the bold retort. *‘T know that such is your purpose, sir; but I tell you plainly that, as surely as I killed your brothers, if you refuse to answer my questions truthfully, and I can tell when you are lying, I will kill you. ‘But, if you answer, I will give you a chance for your life, theugh why I should not shoot you down, I cannot understand.” “You pledge your word to give me a fair chance?” se I do. ” “ And will keep your pledge?” ‘* You know me,” ‘‘ Answer yes, or no.” ac Yes,” ‘Then proceed with your catechism,’’ was the indifferent response, “* What know you of Miss Insley!” “Comparatively nothing.” “What motive had you for attacking h with the evident purpose of kidnapping Me! **T acted for another,” “ His name?” “That I will not tell.” ‘* Answer, or I fire,” ** Well, Captain Tiger.” “The chief of the Desperado Donen ce pre same, is “He paid you to dnap ‘‘T arranged to get her ita - "sll F ‘* Who were your accompli ‘“One was an_ally who | attack on you in Poker City,” “He lies there?” ‘« Yes,” ‘‘ And the other?” “Was one of the Dozen,” ‘Captain Tiger?” és No. ” ‘Which one?” “‘ His. lieutenant,” “ His name?’ ‘Hyena Harry.” “ Ah! I have heard of him.” ‘‘ Doubtless,” and the man spoke with a sneei . ‘“And the one who rescued Le ‘“Was a young preacher whom the Pokere call the Fighting Parso op. ‘He is a brave map. “és Yes, he is properly called a Holy Terror, 7 - ‘Now answer me, what are you to Cap- tain. Tiger?” “ Nothing.” ‘You are not one of the Desperado Dozen?” dé OF «But the ally of Captain Tiger, who for a service )ou render him is to return the “favor?” “Yes,” “You were to get possession of Miss Sey for him?’ se Yes.” ‘He was to aid you.in ng “ Yes, in talking wort ling I "ati hang you like a dog, Wild Bill,” was the honest and savage reply. > 7 ad fed me tn. my ‘“Thank you; but do you know, I never ex. pect to meet your fate,” comicbooks thet one also, but it are the boys beur thet | | never trembled and whose aim was deadly. they hev 2sscaped. («© Wild Bill!” — - a Geom