Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 189 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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a rattled, at a pace that threatened to demolish it, for Spikes certainly had a good team of horses, and even a slow pair would bave hast- ened, to escape a crash upon their heels. At length Mrs. Long begged Spikes to draw rein, that they might admire the grand view of mountain and valley, and hardly had the _ horses come to a halt, when a shot rung out on the still air, and, with a wild shriek the poor driver fell from his seat a dead man, At the same instant two men sprung out from the bushes near by and seized the bite of the frightened horses, while one shouted: ‘* All serene, cap’n.” ‘Yes, all is well, for here is my game. ‘* Miss Insley, you are my prisoner.” It was the Woman in Black who spoke, and ber hands beld Edna in a grasp she could not sbake off. Then the maiden realized that the hoarse voice of the supposed woman, now no longer disguised, took on the deep tones of a man, and she almost fainted with despair, and asked faintly: ‘Who are you?’ “Look me well in the face.” ‘‘ Hugh Harcourt!” With the utterance of that hated name Exina’s brain grew dizzy, and she sunk down in the vehicle unconscious, CHAPTER LIV. RECKLESS CHARLEY. THE few of the outlaws remaining in th» stronghold, after the departure of Captain Figer on his kidnapping expedition, were really ‘worried at the absence of one of their number. He had gone out several days before for a ride, and had not returned, though his horse had been seen roaming in the pasture. What bad become of him no one knew, and only surmised. He was known to be a daring fellow, and it was feared that he had beon killed. Not another man in the Desperado Dozen would have excited such interest as this miss- img one, and the reason was that he was the most popular one of the band. He always bad a kind word for all, was a dashing, generous-bearted fellow, and if any of the men were ill, he was the first to come to their side to nurse them. That man was Reckless Charley, whose ab- sence the reader, if not the outlaws, can readily account for. But on the third day following his absence, to the delight of all, Reckless Charley came walking into camp. His appearance was greeted with a shout, and the question in chorus: ‘‘ Where have you been, Charley?” 4 é prisoner,” was the laconic reply. “ yer mean it?’ “Who had yer?” “* Indians.” “e No.” “Tt is the truth.” “Good ’twasn’t Vigilantes.” “Yes, I prefer Indians to Vigilantes every time.” ** How did you git away?” ‘Much easier than I thought; but what is the news.” “ Nothin’ wuth pickin’ up.” “Where is the captain?” ‘Off on a trip.” ‘“And Hyena Harry.” “‘ He are heur.” “Well, I am glad all goes well.” ‘Yas, it goes better than waal, fer we has a priz’ner.” You?” ‘Yas, we picked up @ boss prize,” “From the coaches?’ -“Nary. He comed to us.” “* Who is it?” 46 Guess.” “T cannot,” “* Waal, it are Wild Bill.” Reckless Charley started, and cried: ; ‘Have you really that man in your power? 4é We has.”’ ‘¢ And he is here now?’ ‘‘ Yas, in the den.” ‘« How did you capture him?’ ‘¢ Oh, slick as fallin’ off a log.” ‘‘ But how?’ Jist took him in out o’ ther damp,” ‘* Whose chips did he call in?” ‘‘Nary body’s, fer he didn’t show fight, as he seen it was suddint death. ‘‘He comed heur ono night, sayin’ ho were Old Nick, an’ Lordy, Charley, how he were dis- guised. “ An’ he played it well; but yor know ther new man?” “Which one?” ** Corduroy.” ‘Yes, what of him?’ ‘* Well, he seen cl’ar thro’ ther disguise, an’ we jist lifted Wild Bill, an’ when ther cap’n comes back then ther cirkis will begin.” “What will the captain do with him?” “They do say he will be sot on fire, an’ I guess it will be warm for him!” Reckless Charley having heard “ the news ” of the camp, passed on to his quarters, and on the way discovered his own horse quietly feed- ing. “Ah! now I know Wild Bill’s little game. ‘*He made my horse bring him here, and he has been good enough to turn him loose, and not betray how he got him.” Having reported to Hyena Harry that the Sioux had had him for several days, the lieu- tenant told him he need not go on guard, in his turn, as he looked as though he needed rest. Thanking him for his kindness, Reckless Charley strolled in the direction of the den. Wild Bill recognized him before he came to the mouth of the cavern, and called out: “Well, sir, you kept your pledge?” “IT did, and I am sorry to see you here.” ‘* Not more sorry than I am to be here.” “Well, you did me a good turn in not hang- ing me, or burning me that day, and I’ll return it by setting you free.” ‘Do you mean it?” -> Go “You are not the caliber for an outlaw.” ‘‘T am sorry to say that it looks as though I am. “But are you heavily ironed?” “ I was.’ “And are not now?” ““No, for I freed myself, and intended to take French leave to-night.” ** But you could never pass this brute.” “Oh, yes, for old grizzly and myself have made friends. * See here.” As he spoke, Wild Bill walked boldly up to the savage beast and laid his hand upon his head. The brute seemed to instinctively recognize the master spirit, and laid down at his feet, Then Wild Bill walked out a free man, ‘‘Now go up yonder canyon, and remain until dark, and then I will come and guide you out of this place, and hope never to see you here again.” “Thank you, I will wait for you,” and a peculiar smile crossed Wild Bill’s face which Reckless Charley could not fathom. Following the directions of the young outlaw, Wild Bill found a safe shelter, while Reckless Charley returned to the camp, happy over his noble act in releasing the man who had been his friend. CHAPTER LV. CAUGHT IN A SNARE. _ TRUE to his word, shortly after it was dark, Reckless Charley set out down the canyon for the prison den, Passing it by, with a word to the grizzly guard, who was sentinel over empty quarters, be went to the pine thicket on the mountain side, where he.had told Wild Bill he could find a safe retreat. The valley, in which was the stronghold, was surrounded on all sides by mountains, to scale which was impossible, and ingress and egress was only through the arched way be- fore spoken of. Upon arriving at the pine thicket, Reckless Charley gave a low whistle, and it was almost instantly answered by a like signal. A moment after Wild Bill confronted him, “‘ Well, my friend, my horse, the same you rode here, is just out the arch awaiting you, and he will take you safely away from this devilish place, unless you should meet the cap- tain returning, or run upon the outer sentinel, and then you can protect yourself, for it will be man to man, “Here are your arms, which I took from where Hyena Harry had put them, and now I bid you good luck and good-by.” ‘“‘My dear fellow, I thank you sincerely for your kindness to me, but have a secret to tell you, if you will listen.” “Of course I will, though I advise you to lose no time.” s Gold Trail. 27 a ‘Oh, I havo plenty of time for the work before me, and first I will tell you frankly that you are my prisoner.” Wild Bill covered his head with his revolver as he spoke, one of the weapons just handed to him by the young outlaw. “Great God! can you do such a thing as this?’ cried Reckless Charley, evidently cat to the heart. ‘** Yes, for I am acting for your good.” “My good?” “Yes, let me explain. “You believed that you set me free this evening, but you did not, as my irons had been filed off an hour before you came,” ‘Ah! a traitor in the camp.” “No! but Red Dove, the young Indian girl whom you saw with me, ferreted out the secret trail, searched this valley lastnight and found me in that loathseme cavern. “With game her warriors brought with them, she fed the grizzly and he became her friend and she passed into the cavern and freed me of my trons, and to-night I was to aet.” , éé Act?’ “Yes, that is, take possession of this outlaw camp. “Now I don’t want you killed, so make you my prisoner, and when the camp is mine, then you are free.’” “Thank Heaven you are not what you mo- mentarily made me believe you.” “‘No; Iam not given to mean actions, even with my foes. “Now, my fripnd, I will not ask you one word regarding your camp and the number of outlaws there, but will secure you here until our return, “Tf we are defeated, you will be found bound, and not be compromisea in the eyes of your comrades. “Red Dove!” The maiden glided out of the shadow of the pines and nodded pleasantly to the young out- law. “Let Red Rain bind our friend here.” The maiden called the warvior referred to, and Reckless Charley found himself securely bound and tied to a tree in almost a moment’: time. “ Come!” Wild Bill spoke in bis low, deep tones, and Red Dove sprung to his side, and behind them came the warriors. As silent as specters they glided up to the camp. The cabin of the men had a light in it, and voices were heard there, while the tent of Hyena Harry was also lighted up. “Let Red Rain take those men with his braves. , ** Alive if he can, but kill if he must, ‘‘Red Dove, you come with me,” and Wild Bill walked toward the tent of Hyena Harry. Arriving there, he saw the outlaw officer seated at the table chatting with Dudley Dun- can, who had regained his former health. ‘You level on the Hyena, Dove, and I'll cover that man,” whispered Wild Bill, and then in trumpet tones, which reached the In- dians and served as a signal to them, he cried: ‘* Surrender or die!” The two men sprung to their feet, and Dud- ley Duncan drew a revolver just as Wild Bill confronted him. There were two shots, almost together, but Wild Bill’s arm was deadly, while Dudley Dun- ‘‘ At last, at last, and I am cheated of my revenge!” groaned the man, as he lay on the ground, with a foot of Wild Bill,upcn either arm. ‘* Yes, you are cheated of your revenge, and I get mine, Dudley Duncan. ‘You do not swing for your crimes, but this time there shall be no mistake.” ro With my last breath Icurse you, Wild ‘‘ Your curse will serve as a blessing to me. Ah! he is dead!” The last throb had run through his frame, and at last death had come in earnest for its victim. | Turning, Wild Bill saw that Hyena lay beneath the table, while Red Dove said apologetically: ‘I was forced to kill him, too, “It is a pity the wretch cheated the gallows but come, let us see what Red Rain has done. Red Rain had certainly done well, for though he had no prisoners to show, each one of his JOO <coim (S S (E(@)