Beadle's Dime Library No. 199 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

The noble anima! ridden by Dolores seemed to understand what was expected of him, and avoided all obstacles, though entirely unguided. Slipping another cartridge into her rifle, our heroine turnéd in her saddle, and seeing a num- ber of the bandits coming around the bend, she threw herself half around, took aim, and fired. One yell of agony, and the leading outlaw Medicine and Bowlder Bill bore Diamond Dick | | threw up his arms and fell backward to the earth, forcing his comrades behind him to draw rein; bué the next instant the rattling dis- charge of many revolvers awakened the echoes, and the leaden messengers of death cut the air, while the noble steed and his fair rider flew over the ground with greater speed. Glancing ahead, Dolores now saw some half- a-dozen miners coming at a headlong gallop toward her, lashing and spurring their horses | unmercifully to gain the point from which the sound of firing proceeded. On they came until within sound of her yoice, when she cried out wildly: “Back! Ride back! Whirl your horses and spur for your lives! A score of Wild Cats are behind!” It needed not the sight of some of the masked riders to cause this order to be promptly obeved. Turning seme they galloped on the | back trail, the brave girl bringing up the rear at headlong speed. Dashing Dolores had noticed that the Wild Cats were mounted upon animals superior in strength and speed to the ponies and half-breeds of the citizens; and not only this, but that they were fresh, the bandits having evidently but — started on a foray or raid. This know- edge forced upou ber the painful fact that it would be impossible to reach the trail by which she and the miuers had come into the canyon, before the outlaws would be upon therh; but she suddenly recollected that there was a trail ch _ near at hand which led up the south side of the canyon to the plain above. Resolved that she would save her friends and foil her enemies, she cried out: “Give the maskers a volley, pards! Then spur deep for the south trail. It is our only hope for life. If we gain the piain, we are safe!” A well-directed volley from the rifles of the citizens followed, and then the cry from Dolores: ‘*Down, pards! Down, or you are all dead men!” Every miner threw himself from his horse, just in time to escape a hail of lead that cut the air over their heads. Then came the order from Dolores: ** Mount and away for the south trail!” Though this decision of the girl to take the south trail up the side of the canyon seemed at the first to the citizens to be a foolish one which would expose them to the fire of the ban- dits, a second thought caused them to decide that it was the only course for them to pursue. Whether or not, there was not a man among them who would not have gone unquestioningly wherever Dolores proposed. Besides, when they recalled the lay of the land, they felt less concern and doubt as to the success of their attempt; for it was just possi- ble that the outlaws might gallop past the south trail, and dash down the canyon without observing them. : Ons the black horse, the miners now fall- ing into the rear singly, and turning around the bend close to the bank; the fair girl guiding a steed up the steep path, close followed by a Urging their animals forward the citizens azed back when half-way up the ‘winding rail, when thundering along the bed of the canyon dashed the masked riders, speeding past the trail, and unconscious that those whom they pursued were above their heads, straining every nerve to reach the plain and safety. Not so heedless as his followers was the ban- dit chief, however; for, being in the rear, and his eyes wandering suspiciously in every direc- tion, he caught sight of the moving forms on the canyon side, Witb a yell, he brought his rifle to his shoulder and pulled trigger. The Horse of the last miner in the line reared and fell backward with his rider, both rolling down the dizzy hight, and striking the canyon-bed with a sound of crushing bones. Dolores slid from her horse, a movement that was followed by the others, and at the same time they leveled their rifles over their saddles and fired down upon the horde of Wild Cats, who returned the compliment without, how- ever, doing any harm. As the citizens again urged their animals forward, they bad the satis- faction of seeing that two of the outlaws and - three of their horses had falien in the agonies of death. The amazement and rage of the bandits knew no bounds, as they saw the party they had made sure of killing or capturing lead their horses from the trail to the level plain. Suddenly Dolores recollected that Reckless Rube, to capture whom she had risked so much, must bave been left behind in the canyon by _ Abe bandits: and she, unobserved, walked her ‘horse into the scattering clumps of trees until safe from discovery by her friends, and then oo once more on the path of vengeance, up the bank of the canyon to the west. CHAPTER XI. LEVANTED. PUEBLO PETE, although to every appearance more dead than alive, was, at the time Big to the lodge of the Indian, fully cognizant of everything that was transpiring around him. That he had been forced into a duel with Dick was clear, and also that the citizens had dragged him to execution: but whether having seen Cache Charley dead before him was a reality, or a vision of his disordered mind, he | could not decide. He believed, however, that Diamond Dick was either dead or dangerously wounded, for | he felt confident that the shot which he had | fired had done the business, His thoughts were | still very much tangled aud chasing one another, and from the revolving kaleidoscope he could | make out very little with clearness; but as he |saw Bill and the Indian carry away Dick’s | senseless body, he began to realize that there was still considerable danger for himself. He had a faint recollection that a rope bad | been about his neck, and a soreness of the throat convinced him that such a thing had | occurred. Why he had not been hanged or shot, and how he had escaped the vengeance of | the miners, was a mystery. As Square Sim and the remainder of the crowd left bis vicinity and entered Placer | Palace, Pete quickly thrust his hand in his bul- with the letter, he thought at once of the | | ' | let-pouch, and his fingers coming in contact necessity of its being delivered. Sipping his hand around his, belt, he next found that his revolvers were gone, and this fact made him more anxious to “skip” the town, for the ~b- sence of his weapons appeared as though the cit zens bad suspected his true character. As he arose to a sitting posture a heavy groan burst from his lips, as severe pains shot through his shoulders and _ spine. nowing that he could not run, and doubting if he could even walk, he turned on his hands and knees, and, much to his joy, felt the blade of his knife, Grasping it firmly, he rolled over and over down the decline into a clump of cedars, where, after a sbort time, he ascertained, by a vigor- ous rubbing, that he could stand upon his feet. He then staggered away toward the range, among the bowlders and dwarf pines each, moment feeling more and more like his delect- able self. Once clear of the town Pete was greatly re- lieved, but at the same time much troubled at the loss of bis horse; but while thinking bow he could best remedy this, a man sprung from the pines directly against him—the new-comer evidently as much surprised and alarmed as himself. By the impulse of the moment Pete grappled with the stranger, and the next instant each, with knife in hand, the two men were in deadly conflict. | | Neither spoke a word as they struggled back and forth for some time, until at last both be- came weak from their exertions, and Pete dis- engaged his right arm by a dexterous move- ment, and delivered a terrible blow, his fist striking bis antagonist between the eyes, Pete having dropped bis bowie-knife in the struggle. The man fell senseless, and Pete, appropriat- ing the knife and revolvers of his prostrate foe, dragged the latter out into the moonlight. ‘‘ Jist es I s’posed,” he muttered; “ hit’s Bowlder Bill. mought ’a’ know’d he’d be this-a-ways. Ef I knife him, an’ ther cits dis- kiver ther corpse, they’ll stompede arter me. I’ skute.” Suiting the action to the word, the worthy ran on toward the south-west,, but, before he had placed half a mile between bim and Bi Medicine City, in his headlong haste he tripp against a stone and fell to the earth, where he lay as limp and senseless as bis late adversary, Bowlder Bill. “Taos Tim! Give the boys whatever they wish—all hands, It’s my ‘set ’em up’!” Thus spoke Square Sim, as he entered the bar-room, followed by the crowd of citizens. ‘* Pards,”’ he added, as the bar-keeper slid the glasses up and dewn the counter, *‘ [ know it seems wrong to allow Pete to go free,'for every- thing is dead against his being any ways ‘square,’ I’ve no doubt that he deserves hanging the worst sort. But you see how it is.” ‘*T give ther clean fac’s cl’ar through ther hull biz,” said Jim Jams, as with shaky hands he poured out a fullglass. ‘I see’d ther cuss war workin’ round fer arow, an’ he gut it. He mought ’a’ know’d he’d gut ter buck ag’in’ me an’ Bowlder Bill ef he laid his paw on ther dandy from Denver, ’speshly arter I bad chris- tened bim.” ; The citizens exchanged winks as Jim Jams spoke. A Where do you bury your dead, Jim?” asked im. ‘‘} never plants ’em. I jist "lows’em ter lay roun’ permiscus-like fer kiote luach,” Diamond Dick, the Dandy from Denver. . a Se ; : ' SSS sie Se A laugh followed this reply, and Jim. Jams added: ‘‘T never ‘lows no pilgrim ter rip up my tender feelin’s without be sots out p’ison fust off. I’m a sensertive individ’ when I’m dry. [Tm only a grief-struck relic of a human anyways. I’m forced ter rustle ’round from bar ter bar in my gentle, unobtrusive way, prospectin’ fer fluids, but often gits ther ‘grand shake’ when a fresh calls ther pilgrims up ter clutch crystals. My make-up an’ gin’ral ‘pearance air dead ag’in’ me.” ‘* Thunder an’ blazes, Jim Jams!” said one of the miners; ‘‘don’t be so cussed thin-skinned, I’m one o’ ther best friends yer gut on ther range, an’I tell ye yer orter cut clear from whisk’ anyway.” For some time the citizens stood at the bar conversing in regard to the events of the night, not one giving a thought to Pueblo Pete. Several rounds of drinks were ordered, and Jim Jams, baving indulged much more than was usual with him, returned to his old and favorite position on the bench, where he fell asleep. A sound of heavy footsteps was the next di- version; and Bowlder Bill, hatless and with his unkempt hair standing out in all directions, staggered around the screen. Relinquishin his bold upon it, Bill reeled into the bar, an brought his huge fist down upon the same with pa force, while the crowd looked on in si- ence. ‘* Feller-cits!” yelled Bill; ‘‘l’ve bin snatched bald-headed! I’ve bin salervated! I’ve bin waltzin’ on ther wrong eend! lve slid down ther range on my ear, an’ bit doesn’t need no afferdavy ter prove hit! Yer needn’t ’dress me es Bowlder Bill nary time ag’in. Hit’s i a name fersich a dang’d soft. Whar’s ‘*Reckon he’s dead,” replied the sheriff. ‘ We left bim laid out stiff under the tree. Where in the name of wonder have you been, Bill?” ‘*I’m a-reckonin’ yer’ll hev a funeral with- out a corpse, ef yer bes bin countin’ on Pete,” said Bill, in a hoarse voice. ‘‘ He’s jist ther liveliest ‘stiff? I ever bucked ag’in’. Give me sum whisk’, Tim, afore I wilt inter my boots,” Square Sim, followed by most of the citizens, rushed out into the street, and then to the tree beneath which they had left Pueblo Pete, more dead than alive as they supposed, but who had, as the reader knows, seosenper: All returned in haste to Placer Palace, where they found Bill seated on the bench, while Taos Tim was bathing his head, and applying plaster. Bill soon began to look more natural. ‘* Pete is gone, as I inferred from Pb words he had, Bill,” said the sheriff. ‘‘ Now tell us what has happened. The scoundrel will join the Wild Cats now, without our having gained any knowledge as to their hiding-place, by fol- lowing him as we had propaces. We were foolish to have Jefthim. loughtto have placed a guard.” ‘'Ya-as,” said Bill; “‘be’s levanted, dead sure, an’ tuck my shooters ‘long with him, ‘ Dod- blast ther galoot! Lif I ever gits a squar’ squint at him ag’in, Vil fill his carkiss as full o” holes as a porous piaster. You hearme? I’m a talkin’ simon-pure biz, now, pards!” ‘‘Where did you run against him?’ asked Sim. ‘‘Thar’s whar yer hes gut hit right in solid bed-rock English! I did run flopag’in’ bim. I war a-comin’ from Big Med’s locate, an’ ther pine ‘motte war pesky dark es I blundered through, an’ run inter ther cuss. He friz onter me, an’ we hed a hefty tussle. Arter a while he gut one arm loose, an’ knocked me clean out o’ New Mex’, G’in me another dose o’ terran- taler juice, Tim; I wants ter git my head cl’ar, an’ then I’m a-goin’ ter rip up ther whole range ter find ther dog-goned long-legged cuss what’s gut my shooters. Dang my cats! Hyer’s ther man fer my nuggets!” The last words of Bowlder Bill were spoken as Big Medicine, the Kioway, stalked around the screen, and stood gazing with stoical coun- tenance upon the assemblage. , ** How is Diamond Dick?’ asked Sim quickly. ‘‘ Kick bigh when sun come. Mebbe so one hour,” was the reply of the Indian. Bowlder Bill passed him a glass of whisky, saying: ‘Drink that, Big Med’, then skute roun’ an’ find Puebla Pete’s trail fer me, an’ ll gi’n yera new rifie an’ ten poun’s o’ terback. er’ll ba doin’ a big favor ter ther burg. What does yer pay ? He follow ‘*Big Medicine will find trail. Pete.” | With these words, the Indian stalked to the door, passed around to the rear of Placer Palace and disappeared among the rocks, the citizens following him from the bar, and watching him while he continued in view, ‘Feller cits o’ New Mex’,” said Bowlder Bill. ‘* Yer hed better snatch a few winks 0’ slot I'm goin’ ter see how pard Dick air siterva Thar’s bloody biz ahead for us, er I air ther ~ wistakenist monkey in ther mines,” With these perirs words, Bill started toward. the lodge of the Kioway; but, feeling weak, he returned to Placer Palace, deciding to allow (ECO AMIE cS ,OO a vo a - o.