Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 189 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

handsome boots, and upon her head was a jaunty hat with a crimson feather. Perhaps she was thirty, and yet she looked younger, and might be older. She wore around her slender waist an em- broidered belt, and in it was a knife and pair of revolvers, all silver-mounted. Certainly she was a strange character, and she was feared in Poker City as a madwoman, or at least as one allied to Satan. ~ Red Ruth she was called, and she was known in all the mines, for she had drifted through the mountains from camp to camp, and her was well known. me years before her home had been burned, her husband, mother and two children ow been killed, and she had been left for But, as she lay wounded upon the ground, she had seen who they were who had dealt her this cruel blow. They were white men, and their leader was an old discarded lover, Each face she had engraven on her heart, as she lay there in anguish of mind, body and soul, and when, long months after, she arose from her bed of suffering, she had become a fiend almost. The pretty ranchero’s wife, happy in her home and those who had loved her, became a cruel Nemesis, and at once set forth upon the path of revenge. She had gone to a mining-camp, and soon after a man had died suddenly, shot down by the revengeful woman, and she had given her fire stroke of vengeance. But there were many more living, and thus it was that she had gone from camp to camp, looking for those against whom she had sworn revenge. Soon she became known, and her purpose too, and men shrunk from her in fear, dreading she might make some mistake. But she was as true to her memory of the faces she had seen do the red work as the blood- hound to its scent, and in the seven men she had slain, not once had she made a mistake. Her purpose and her attire combined gained for her the name of Red Ruth, and thus was she known in Poker City, where she had dwelt for a year, living alone in her cabin, and living for the one aim of her life. Such was the woman that had startled Cap- tain Corduroy in his flight, by calling him by his real name. CHAPTER XIIL A FAVOR RECIPROCATED. “WEL, Dudley Duncan, what brings you here?” asked Red Ruth in a terse, almost im- perious manner. “* Revenge!” . The word was fairly hissed out from be- tween the man’s lips. “Then I can appreciate fully your coming; but you belie your looks if you have gratified your revenge.” “No, I now fly from the man I came to kill, and four allies who were with me are dead.” And so did Captain Corduroy believe. ‘*Ah! your plot and plan went awry then?” “Yes, but while I stand here palavering with you I am losing precious time, woman.” ‘* You speak as though you were in danger.” ‘*T am.” You are pursued?” **T will be,” ‘By whom?” “The incarnate devil.” “Indeed! TI hope he will come while I am here, for I have a desire to see his Satanic majesty.” “Then go and see my foe.” ‘* What is his earthly appellation?” ‘ Men call him Wild Bill,” ‘‘Ha! you have crossed his path have you?” “ Yes. ” “Then your days are numbered.” ‘How mean you, woman?” “Tf Wild Bill is on your trail he will kill you.” “So I know, and fool that I am, I stand here losing time with you. Fi. y, and some day we may meet again, Rath.” ‘** Hold on, Dud Duncan.” The man drew rein, “Well?” ‘* You say your life is in danger?” Yes.” ‘‘Whither do you go now?” **T know not,” Wild Bill’s Gold Trail. “You go to your death, if Wild Bill is to follow you.”’ ‘In heaven’s name what am I to do?” She gazed into the face of the man and saw there a hunted look which seemed to excite her pity. ‘‘ What have you done to Wild Bill!” “ He killed my two brothers, Ruth, and I sought to avenge them.” ‘* Had he cause?” ‘* That matters not.” ‘Tt does, for I have come to seek my re- venge, for my loved ones were slain for no reason in God’s world. ‘* But, Dud Duncan, once, when a man would have killed me, you saved my life. ‘‘Do you remember the time in Rip Roar- ing Camp?” ‘I do,” ** You had just killed one of your foes, and his pard drew on you, and I shot him.” ‘* Yes, and I have not forgotten the favor and will prove it. **Do you see yonder cabin back under the hillside?” “ce Yes. ” **Take your horse there, and then come here to my cabin.” “‘ But they will catch me here like a wolf in a den.” ““No, for I will destroy your trail, where you turn off from the path and none will seek you here.” The man shook his head as though in doubt, “You doubt me?” e Yes.”’ ** Well, I have lived in Poker City more than a year, and no one has yet dared cross «the threshold of my door. ‘*Do as I tell you, and you are safe.” “‘Gladly will I do so, and I thank you, Ruth. “You need not thank me, Dudley Duncan, for I do but return a favor. ‘*T do not like you, and I know you to be a bad man, and yet I will prove that I have not forgotten the past. ‘But quick, go to yonder cabin and leave your horse, and then return here, for there comes a horseman,” The man glanced quickly behind him, and cried; **It is Kit Carr, one of my men.” “Then I will give him shelter too.” A few moments after the two men, the sole survivors of the quintette who had gone to Poker City to kill "Wild Bill, were seated in the cabin of Red Ruth, talking over the scenes through which they had passed. CHAPTER XIV. RED RUTH’S DEMAND, THE reader will remember that Kit Carr, after his release by Wild Bill at the hotel, was exceedingly glad to make his way out of Poker City, and was en route from the town when he was signaled from a cabin under the mountain side. That cabin was where dwelt Red Ruth, and to his delight, Kit Carr found there his former leader, for misery loves company and he was very miserable, as his comrades were dead, Wild Bill had not been killed, and he had failed to earn the blood-money which he had engaged for. ‘Waal, cap’n, things look dismal, an’ ther moon hev got a red face as tho’ things were goin’ ter grow dismaler,” he said, when he was seated in the cabin, Red Ruth having taken his horse to the shanty that was intended for a stable, and which was situated in the rear of the cabin where dwelt the strange woman. ‘Yes, we failed in our work, and that devil escaped us,” said Captain Corduroy savagely. ‘*T supposes, as ther t’others has turned thar toes up I gits thar pay?’ ‘‘ Yes, when that man is dead.” “He are hard to kill.” ‘‘ True, but he must die.” ‘“‘T giiesses he is huntin’ us now: leastways he gi’n me ter understan’ that he’d be on my trail ef we meeted ag'in, an’ I guesses he are truthful,” “Oh, he'll kill us if he gets the chance, and there is that much more reason why we should first kill him.” ** But how?” “How did you escape him?” the warning sent by him to Captain Cordu- roy, who listened with marked attention, and was silent for some moments. Then he said slowly: “Well, Kit, our first duty is to seek safety, and then we'll plot to end his days, for he shall die.” ‘‘ And so shall we, cap’n,” ‘But not by his hand.” T’others did,”’ ‘* But we will not.” ‘Yer brothers did. “ We will escape death at his hands, I tell you, and either you or I shall kill him.” “Wish I felt as sartin of it as you does,” “ Wild Bill is game hard to insnare, Dud Duncan,” Both men started, as Red Ruth suddenly entered the room, for they had not heard the approach of her footsteps. “True, Rutb, but ther grizzly even meets his slayer now and then.” “He is more dangerous than a grizzly.” ‘+ Fact! first what I were a sayin’, fer he are a terrer with gilt edge, m'am,” broke in Kit, “ But, brave as he is, and dangerous and deadly as all his foes have found him, he can be killed if you go the right way about it.” ‘* And what is the right way, Red Ruth?” **)’ll tell you, Dud Duncan, but upon con- ditions,” ‘¢ Conditions?” ‘ Yes.” ** Gold?” ‘‘T seek gold from no man, sir.” ‘(Then name your conditions.” ‘You agree?” *‘ Name them.” ‘‘You and your hireling there must first swear to do as I tell you.” ‘‘ We will have to swear with our eyes blind- folded as it were.” ‘‘ What matters that to you, who have com- mitted all manner of crimes?” said the woman with a sneer. ‘* Go slow, Red Ruth,” and the eyes of Cap- tain Corduroy flashed. ‘‘Bah! don’t claim virtues, for you have them not, Dud Duncan, ‘‘-You are a villain and you know it as I know it. “But you did me a service once, and lam willing to repay it.” ‘* Do so then.” “TI like Wild Bill, and he had always a ready hand to aid those in distress; but I will save you from him, and give youa chance to kill him upon conditions.” ‘¢ And Isay name them,” “You swear to do as I demand?’ “Yes, woman!” savagely answered Captain Corduroy. ‘* And do you also swear to do as I deman of you?’ sé I does. ”? “Tf you break your oaths you'll find one upon your trail more dangerous than Wild Bill.” ‘‘ And who is that?” ‘* Yas, who are he?” ‘* Red Ruth!” There was that in the look and manner of the woman that made the two men shudder. For a moment there was a dead silence, and then Captain Corduroy said: ‘‘ Well, what are we to do?” “You have heard of the Desperado Dozen?” ‘ec Yes. ”) ** And their captain?” “Yes; he is called Captain Tiger, 1 have heard.” ‘‘ He deserves the name,” “Well, what of him and his red crew.” “The Desperado Dozen need recruits.” “ How mean you?” “The twelve must be kept up.” “Weir « ‘‘The number has been reduced of late,” ‘(It would be well if all were slain,” ‘“‘Yes, they is holy terrers, missus, an’ no honest miner like me are safe crossin’ ther Overland,” put in Kit. “Well, whatever they are, you two must join them.” Both men sprung to their feet and confront- ed the woman in dread amazement. But she smiled blandly, and repeated: Yes, I mean that you shall join t for you have both sworn to obey my demand.” Bad at heart as both men were, this strange Kit Carr told of bis capture by Edna Insley, | and startling demand from Red Ruth com- and then of Wild Bill’s talk with him, and ‘ pletely nonplused them. (E| 90 o) eom S) (E(o}