Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 189 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

| | . ad ae “Tell me, Mr, Insley, will you not have a friend to keep you company?’ ‘‘ Hush! she lies here dead, and even in death ur voice makes her shudder,” came in a oarse whisper. “Try and soothe him, Wild Bill, for the captain would not have him mad for a great ” ‘‘T am your prisoner, sir, but not under your orders please understand. “Ts that my prison?’ and Wild Bill mo- tioned toward the den, ‘Tt is, and that sentinel you will find cannot be passed, so even the famous Wild Bi!l will be safe in there, ““Come, pass in, while I keep this brute off of you, ‘* Down, Terror, down, sir!” The grizzly growled, but obeyed, and Wild Bill passed on into the darkness, ‘‘The place is so loathsome you'll excuse me if I do not go further; but make yourself at home, Bill, and if you need anything ask old Insley for it, and be will supply you, for he is provided with every luxury, as you will dis- cover. ‘“‘Good-by, Bill,” and with a mocking laugh, which his two comrades echoed, Hyena Harry turned away from the den, leaving Wild Billa prisoner with the man he had risked so much to gave, CHAPTER XLIX, SEALED LIPS, WueEn Wild Bill passed the savage grizzly, he did not shrink at the fierce growl, for he had met. monsters as terrible before, and sub- dued them in a hand-to-hand combat, Besides, he bad met men who were more merciless than brutes, Going back into the cavern he félt his way, and his hand soon touched the head of a human being. Instantly the hand was seized with fearful force, and it was only after a desperate strug- gie that he released himself from the grasp of the madman, and prevented him from bury- ing his teeth in bis flesh. “My poor, poor friend, it cuts me to the heart to see you thus,” said Wild Bill, when he retreated out of reach of the madman, for 1¢ had noticed in his struggle with him fhat he was chained to the rocky wall. ‘Whe calls Boyd Insley friend?’ growled the panting wretch, 3 “‘T do, for you are my friend.” ‘‘Your voice strikes a chord of memory in my heart, and comes back to me from the far- away past like some old tune. “Who are you?” - “ Hikok,” ‘‘Hikok? I_ know a hotel by that name, sir; are you any relation to it?” ‘Yes, for it was named after me,” answered Wild Bill, bumoring the madman. “There you lie, sir, be you whom you may, for it was named after my friend, Wild Bill.” ‘and I am Wild Bill Hikok, Mr. Insley.” ~ “Come nearer and let me see if you are,” ' “Yt is too dark for you to see in here,” “Then I can feel, and I know Wild Bill so well my touch can recognize him, “Come near me, I say.” Wild Bill advanced, but thoroughly on his d, and well for him was it that he was, for instantly the madman grappled with him again and another fierce struggle followed, the poor wretch shrieking wildly all the time. Again Wild Bill released himself, and with difficulty, hampered as he was with his irons, and muttered: ‘‘ He is as mad as a dog, and I must be care- ” Again he sought to soothe the unfortunate prisoner with kind words, but all to no avail, for ever and anon he would burst out with the dest ravings. “Well, I must give it up and get some rest, for I need all my energies now to save myself,” said Wild Bill, and, in spite of his seemingly desperate situation, he by no means gave up hope of escape, At last the dull glimmer of breaking day stole into the loathsome cavern, and, wearied - out with his ravings Mr. Insley sunk down upon tho rock floor to sleep. Wild Bill then had an opportunity to gaze ‘around him. His prison he took in at a glance, with all its'strength, discomforts and uncieanliness. older 'Tyenthe gazed upon the poor man who had won him by his dignity and kindly manuer, — vy *, é « Wild Bill’s Gold Trail. Now he was but half clad, chained around the neck like a dog, his hair and beard were unkempt, and his face was emaciated and full of suffering. He groaned in his sleep several times, and once the name of his daughter was upon his lips. His body, bare to the waist, was bleeding here and there, and a more thorough picture of misery Wild Bill felt that he had never looked upon, and in the wreck, which a few days had made, ho could hardly trace a re- semblance to the man he had known. “By Heaven! but that man shall pay for this, if ever I escape, and escape [ will,” he saidin hoarse tones, forgetting himself in the sorrows of Mr. Insley. From the madman he turned to the brute and contemplated the savage monster critical- oe “If they think I cannot master you in some way, they do not know me. ‘““If I were free of these irons, savage old devil that you are, you could not keep me in this “cavern,” he said, and the grizzly, as though he understood that he was not being complimented growled and showed his teeth, while he fixed bis glaring eyes, upon Wild Bill with a look that plainly indicated a desire to break his fast upon him. From the bear Wild Bill’s thoughts turned to Reckless Charley, and he smiled as he said: “*T guess he'Jl return to find that not only are the outlaws still here, but that they have me in durance vile; but I certainly expected that I would be able, with the aid of Red Dove and her braves, to break up this camp and bring just punishment upon the Tiger and his cubs, “Had it not been for Dudley Duncan I would have done so, “But how in the name of goodness did he survive that hanging? “And it is an equal mystery how he re- cognized me in that disguise, “I was half tempted to risk a fight with all; but concluded the chances would be bet- ter to surrender, and things don’t look half so bad as they did, for Red Dove and her braves are yet alive, and they are already preparing to find out why I did not return. ‘*T wonder where the vailed lady is, whom the Tiger had captive? ‘Well, i must find out all I can, and when I can act, act promptly.” Just then Mr. Insley awoke with a start and a cry, and fixed his gaze upon Wild Bill. “Who are you?” he asked with a seeming return to reason, evidently forgetting the events of the past night, and his struggle with his fellow-prisoner. ‘* Don’t you know me, Mr, Insley?” ‘ No.” “Tam Wild Bill, and I came hero to save you,” ‘‘No, you came here to drag from me the secret of where Ihid my gold; but you can- not, you shall not, for it was for her, my beau- tiful child, my Edna, “ As she is buried, so it is buried, and none can find it, “No, no, You can go to the umbrella rock and walk one hundred paces. due east, and then one hundred due south, and yet you can not find it— Oh! oh! oh! take the burning iron from out my heart, for it drives me mad with an- He half sprung up, as far as his chain would admit of, and Wild Bill tried to catch him as he was falling. But he fell heavily, and lay like one stunned. Placing his band upon his heart, Wild Bill knew that its pulsation had forever ceased, and said sadly- ‘* He is dead, and a bitter, bitter blow will this be to his poor daughter.” CHAPTER L. THE TIGER SHOWS HIS CLAWS, Poor Mr. Insley had not grown cold before & quick footstep was heard, and Wild Bill saw the form, of Captain Tiger standing in the cavern entrance, The grizzly bear seemed to know him, as he did Hyena Harry, and whined with delight at the coming of his master. “ Well, sir, how did you pass the night?” asked tho outlaw chief, gazing into the further end of the den until bis eyes became accus- tomed to the darkness, ‘‘T have passed many a worse night,’ was Wild Bill’s reply in an indifferont tone. °° ee SS OOO Ol OS NA ne “And my dear Insley, I hope all goes welt with you.” No answer coming, Captain Tiger continued: “Hyena Harry told me you were playing mad last night.” Still no response, and the outlaw said, impa- tiently: “ Tf he is asleep shake him up. “ He is asleep, Captain Tiger.” “ Wearied by his playing the madman last. night, doubtless. ** But, Insley, it will do you no gocd, for 1 have hit upon a plan to get your daugbier here, and then ) will unseal your lips uf the se- cret they bold.”’ “Captain Tiger you are talking to a dead man,” came in Wild Bill’s deep tones, “What is that you say, Hikok?’ asked the villain, anxiously, ‘“Mr. Insley, your victim, is dead,” ‘é Dead!” ‘Yes, he died an hour ago,” Curse you, villain, you killed him, if he is: dead,” yelled the infuriated outlaw. ‘*T killed bim?” cs Yes. ” “In God’s name why should I kill the poor man?’ “You got him to tell you the secret of where his treasure was buried, and then you killed him, fearing he might go mad and make it known to me.” ‘*Hugh Harcourt, for I know you in spite of your disguise, lowe you a debt I hope some day to pay, and when I do you shall be made to remember those words,” and Wild Bili’s See fairly quivered with passion, so deeply -as he moved at the accusation of the outlaw chief, ‘‘ Bab! you daring to threatcu when I have you wholly in my power.” “T have been a prisoner before, Hugh Har- court.” ‘‘Ay, and you shall remain one now until you give to me the secret that man told you, “Dead! by Heaven, I believe you lie,” He sprung into the cave and was stooping to place his hand over the heart of the dead man, when some instinct, or presentiment, caused him to spring backward with the quickness of a flash. He was just in time to escape being caught in the iron gripe of Wild Bill. ” ‘Hal you dared make an attempt upon my life,” he shouted in fury, and trembling with rage and terror at hiswarrow escape. ‘““Ay, had I gotten my gripe on your throat, Hugh Harcourt, the earth would have been freedjof its greatest villain.”’ “‘T could shoot you down, Wild Bill, as you stand.” ‘ ‘* But you will not.” ‘*Do you dare me?” “Certainly, for I know you, and as long as you believe I hold the secret you killed that old man to try and force from him, no power could make you barm me.” | ** Don’t you be too certain.” “I know you, Hugh Harcourt; but como, have this body taken out and given decent burial, that you may be able to tell the daugh- ter how you honored her father.” | “ A good suggestion, Hikok, and oneI will follow; shove ths body out.” “It is chained.” : “ Cut his head off and that will free him of his chains.” “ You forget I have no knife,” “True; but here is the key of his lock, so unchain him and push him where J will get him, and I will give him decent burial for bis sweet daugbter’s sake and the fortune he has left her, and which I will get.” He tossed Wild Bill the key of the padlock, and unfastening the chain from around the neck of Mr, Insley, Wild Bill pushed the body toward ths chief, who dragged it further away. “Now, Tiger, you see how little I care for your chains—see |” As we spoke he deliberately fastened the chain around his own neck, locked it, and tossed the key toward the outlaw chief. Captain Tiger was estounded at this seeming act of bravado and defiance, and, with a niut- tered oath, kicked the body out of the cavern and disappeared from sight, leaving Wild Bill alone to his thougbts. But the scout was no man to rrow meody in trouble and despair, and he at once begun to devise some method of escape. <u All day long no one came near him, and at dark a man brought food for himself amd ino (EO AMIKCE] OeKo) <S an 4