Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 189 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XV ‘“ COVERED.” ‘Ser there!” The woman pointed out of her cabin window as she spoke, and both men sprung forward to see what had attracted her attention. Instantly they sbrunk back and quickly drew their arms, for a horseman was riding slowly toward the cabin, having turned off of the trail leading on into the mountains. ‘‘It is Wild Bill, and by heaven! I have him new,” and Captain Corduroy sprung to one side of the window, while Kit Carr sta- tioned himself upon the other. “Yas, ther game are ourn this time, an’ I gits ther dust, cap’n.” It was just growing dark, for the sun had set, while a full moon had just risen, and shed a subdued light over the scene. Yet distinctly visible was the bold horse- man, riding toward the cabin, wholly unmind- ful of danger. ‘Yas, we has him,” growled Kit Carr, in lee. : ‘‘We will fire together, Kit,” said Captain Corduroy. ** Better let me do ther biz, as I are paid for it.” ‘No; I will fire first, and if I fail, then you fire.” “Does I git ther same duckits?’ ro.” “Nuff said; I are ready.” Wild Bill was now within a dozen lengths of the cabin, and rode at ease, though with a cau- tion that was babitual to him.” “* When he halts I will fire,” whispered Cap- tain Corduroy; and both men in their excite- ment had wholly forgotten the woman until od yoice broke stern and threatening upon them: ‘Hold! That man comes here to visit me, not to be assassinated.” ~ They turned, and found she held a revolver in each hand, and each man knew that he was - covered. ‘But, Ruth, I—” “Silence! Dud Duncan, you and that man hide yonder, and leave me to deal with Wild Bill now.” “ But, Ruth—” “Go!” They hesitated. "Go, or you both die. ** Quick!” They sprung behind the curtain hung against the wall, and which she had pointed out as a hiding-place, just as there was heard without in Wild Bill’s deep tones: “ Ho, Red Ruth! are you at home?’ “JT warn you,” she muttered toward the curtain, and then she opened the door, “Yes, Wild Bill, what service can I do for you?” she said quietly. ‘Pt is said that you have hundreds of dis- guises?” 44 Yes.” ‘I wish to purchase one.” ‘Well, what do you want, miner, old man, border sport—” ‘Give me anold man’s rig, Red Ruth, and name your price for it,” PY Return it when you have finished with ‘Life is too uncertain to take the chances, Red Ruth.” “Well, if you do not return it I will not care, but I ask no price.” ‘*'Yot I ask a favor.” ‘What is it?” “That you keop silent about my coming here, and the disguise I receive of you?” ‘My lips tell no secrets, Wild Bill. Wait.” She withdrew into the cabin, and after an absence of half a minute returned to the door with a bundle. ‘Here is the disguise, Wild Bill, and I hope it will serve you well.” ‘‘ And you will accept no pay?” No.” “] thank you, Red Ruth, and in some way hope to repay you one of these days. “ Good-by.” . She nodded in silence, and he turned his horse and rode away. As his horse’s hoofs struck the hard ground in leaving, the curtain was cast aside, and both Captain Corduroy and Kit Carr sprung out of their place of concealment, both with arms in their hands, and evidently determined to kill Wild Bill, ‘wild —— SSS a —— 4-0 Bill’s Gold Trail. le a le 9 — But, seemingly anticipating them, Red Ruth | tell you where you can find me when my yio- again had them covered, while she said, sternly: ‘Hold! I say that man goes free this time,” CHAPTER XVL OATH-BOUND. “Rep Rots, in Satan’s name, why did you thwart me in my revenge just now?” savagely said Captain Corduroy, when Wild Bill had ridden away. ‘To save your life.” “Save my life?” | Yes. ” ‘You mean his life?” “No; for he would have killed you, even though you had mortally wounded “‘ Besides, he should never have been killed at my cabin.” ‘Ab! I understand. “It would bave gotten you into trouble?” “Yes, and now, knowing as you do the dis- guise he has of an old man, you can easily kill him after he reaches the camp.” ** What camp?’ ‘* Your camp.” “But I have no camp, and you speak in riddles,” “You forget you are to become one of the Desperado Dozen.” ** Are you really in earnest?” “I have seen too much of the sorrows and anguish of life ever to joke, Dud Duncan, said the woman, sadly. “Call me Corduroy, and drop my real name, please,” “Tl do so, Captain Corduroy, if you like it best.”’ ‘“Now tell me, what have you to do with the o Dozen?’ ** Nothing.” “Then why do you demand that Kit and myself should become members of that vile band?’ “There is one in that band whom I seek.” ‘Ah! one of those whom you are trailing?” ‘Yes, one of the doomed, who brought all my misery upon me, and made me an avenging Sataness,”’ There was an intensity in -the tone and look of the woman as she spoke that showed Captain Corduroy how deeply she felt, and how deadly in earnest she was. “And you wish to get that man in your power?” “T do.” ‘But can we?” ‘You can.” ‘How?’ “Go to the band and become members.” ‘* But they will kill us.” * Not if you go right,” Ad ‘* And how is that?” “ As Wild Bill has gone.” “ Ah! it is there he has gone, then?” ‘‘Ot course; for what else would cause him to need a disguise?” “True; but will they admit him?” ‘Yes, for he will pretend to be a fugitive seeking safety, and arriving as he does, when the dozen is not complete, he will be taken, as you will be, into the band.” “‘T've half a mind to try it.” “You will do as I say, you and this man.” ‘Ob, VB do anything,” said Kit Carr. “Your face shows that, my man,” was Red Ruth’s quick reply. ‘* Now tell me, Ruth, who is this man you wish in your power?” “He is known in the band as Hyena Harry.” “‘T have heard that there was a man whose deviltries had gained for bim such a name.” ‘‘He deserves it; but how can we get him into our power?’ ‘Win his confidence, and some day get him away from the stronghold with you, and I will be near to join you.” ‘Pll do it, as I have to, and Kit will also; but how about Wild Bill?’ “If you go to the Dozen, denounce Wild Bill as a spy; you will have your revenge, for he will be tortured to death by them, and you will gain their confidence.” ‘By Heaven, Ruth, you are right, and I willingly undertake the work.” “ And so does I,” put in Kit Carr, ‘You are both wise, “ Now I will fit you out with disguises, and then guide you to a spot where you can readily find the Desperado Dozen. ‘‘Once members of their band, and I will, tim is in your power.” “You mean Hyena Harry?’ éé Yes.” ‘Well, we have sworn to do as you wish, and I will keep my oath.” ** And I swears that same, pard.” ‘Enough; now I'll disguise you so that Satan would not know his own,” and with a sinister laugh the woman took down bundlee of clothing from a shelf and spread them ovt before the two men. An hour after, baving assumed their new colors, they mounted their horses, and guided by Red Ruth, took the trail leading up into the mountains. CHAPTER XVII, CAPTAIN TIGER’S VICTIMS, THE pretended miner, who bad ridden on the box with Andy Rush, and so suddenly metamorphosed himself into a very different looking personage from what he assumed to be, was certainly nonplused at the sudden turn affairs took, when he believed he held the winning hand. The young clergyman he saw was the man who fired upon him, and hit bim too, though the wound was not severe, yet gave him a sudden shock, and to him too he knew that he owed the escape of the stage and its treasure, The gold carried in the coach be had been anxious to get, especially as he had promised the greater part of it to his men, if he cap- tured the passengers he had made up his mind to get into his power, and it was the treasure the band were most anxious to get their clutches upun. But, in the very moment of success, one bold man, and he wearing the garb of a clergy. man, had wrested from them their treasure. “But I have you, Boyd Insley, and your fair daughter, and therein I win the game I have played for, though the gold escapes me,” hissed the leader of the Desperado Dozen, as the stage rolled away. ‘‘ The ole man an’ ther gal hain’t gold-dust, tho’, cap’n,” cried one of the band. ‘Then mount and give chase to the stage and take the treasure,” yelled Captain Tiger, and several mounted their horses, hastily led from the canyon, and darted away in pursuit, but the result the reader already knows, ‘You see Satan takes care of bis own, Miss Insley, for that shot failed to kill me,” sneered the leader, turning to the vailed lady, while, in obedience to his orders, two of his men were binding the elderly passenger securely. The lady made no reply, while Mr. Insley, PRT Pe ren. - seeing that the chief of the outlaws had made © a mistake, said with joyous tone: “If you meant to seize my daughter, sir, then you are foiled, for that lady is not Miss Insley.” ‘Ha! do you mean this?” and Captain Tiger turned quickly to the vailed lady. ‘“‘ Ask her?’ was the response, “ Are you not Edna Insley?’ and he seemed to wait breathlessly the response, ‘I am not,” was the reply in a low, soft voice, “T believe you are shamming, and that you are Miss Insley.” ‘ You are wrong, sir.” ‘‘In Satan’s name, how could I make such a mistake?” and Captain Tiger was evidently greatly annoyed. “We are of a size,and both of us sere vailed; but, as you evidently meant harm te Miss Insley, and have no reason to hold me in your power, Iam glad that the mistake was made.”’ “Thank you, miss, for your kind words, and you have saved my daughter much misery, as I believe this wretch to be working in the interest of one whom I thought and hoped was dead, yet now feel assured must still be alive,” said Mr. Insley. ‘Who, for instance?’ asked the chief. “The name you bear, sir, would fit him well, for he had a tiger heart.” “His name?” “ Which one would you know!” . ‘* Has he two?” ‘“He bas a number of aliases.” ‘‘ Ah! by which one did you know him, may I ask?’ “| will call him Hugh Harcourt.” ** Hugh Harcourt !” The name fairly burst from the lips of the vailed lady, and ber start and words could not but attract the attention of the man, who (E(6) EOMICboOoks