Beadle's Dime Library No. 199 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

broodin 16 ahead, she caused her steed to gallop over the clay bottom of the *‘ wash-out” until she knew she was far beyond Diamond Dick. Rendered doubly desperate from feelings of humiliation that the dashing stranger must henceforth despise her, all her thirst for re- venge upon Rube Reynolds returned with treble strength, causing her to be as dangerous as ap enraged panther, and she urged her horse up the * wash-out,” filled with wonder and a nameless dread, as the unearthly shrieks of Reckless Rube sounded in her ears, followed by the scream of the terrified horse of Jim Jams, as the monster grizzly folded it in the embrace of death. Galloping toward the chasm, know- ing not bow to account for these strange sounds, but instinctively concluding that some new horror awaited her at the foot of the range. As Dolores approached the chasm, her eyes were fixed upon the point where the path led to the huge cleft in the mountain side, for she could not gain a view of the place where she had tied her captive to the tree, until nearly opposite the chasm and in the path. Suddenly she jerked her horse to its haunches, and her face changed to an ashen hue, whils her form trembled like an aspen; for, straight before her arose the horrible form of a huge monster of the mountains, its enormous jaws oripping with gore. he beast moved awkwardly down the path, then turned about and clasped something in its fore paws, which it dragged along, moving slowly backward toward a clump of pines. A line of cacti bordered and hid the path, as well as the prey of the bear, but there was not the slightest doubt in the mind of the horrified girl as to what that prey was. Dwelling in the wilds for so long a time, Dolores knew enough in regard to the immense strength and fierceness of a grizzly to prevent any further advance. Her one thought was of flight, but a horrid fascination caused her to use all her strength and skill to keep her frantic steed as near the dread motte as possible. However, the brute slowly backed from view. There was a cracking of branches, a sup- 4 growl, and then came to the ears of olores a sickening sound of the crunching of _ bones and the tearing of flesh. Neither human nor brute nature could stand this longer. Slackening her rein, while her horse trembled in every limb and snorted with terror, Dolores bounded back toward the “‘ wash-out ” with frantic speed. She had told Reckless Rube that a terrible doom awaited him, but she had not dreamed of anything like this. She had been cheated of ber revenge by a wild beast, but much as the victim must have suffered, she felt that it was still scarce one iota of what he had deserved. After all ber searching and waiting, when Rube Reynolds was in her power, she had been robbed of her long coveted revenge, The mind of poor Dolores, weakened by long over her — wrongs, nursing her vengeful feelings and gloating over her antici- pated revenge, had not been equally balanced previous to this eventful night—this has al- ready been intimated. And now so many strange occurences had transpired, each stirring her passions and emotions to the core, one way and another, each following the other in be- wildering quick succession, she was in danger of becoming hopelessly insane. Now peeping cautiously up and down the bank, she emerged from the darkness, but no living thing, beast or man, was to be seen. The same ghastly corpses lay on the basin- bed, and Dolores rode up toward them, but all at once the thought struck her that she had not met Diamond Dick—where could he have gone? It occurred to her that possibly he bad left the *‘ wash-out” at the foot of the range, and might be wandering about among the pines, and by chance happen upon the lair of the az\y. The weak mind of the poor girl was certainly taxed to its utmost, and she gave a cry like that of a startled bird as she again spurred toward the ‘‘ wash-out,” but the knowledge gained by border life was now of great benefit to her, for she easily discerned in the mixed sand and clay at the entrance of the big gully evidence that Diamond Dick’s horse had entered it and re- turned, the animal’s hoof-prints being much larger than those of her own steed. Dolores _ knew that Dick was safe, from the bear, at east. Vaulting into her saddle again the young girl was about to inspect the different outlets of the basin, when, to her great amazement, the deathlike: stillness was broken by o human voice. “ Dang my cantankerous cats, Dolores!) Am a. a Whar in thunderation am Di’mon’ ic CHAPTER XX. VEXATION OF SPIRIT. THE gray streaks of coming morning were now shooting up to the eastward. The eyes and manner of the balf-crazed girl, as she gazed upward showed that sbe was regaining her calm- ness and clearness of mind, + Diamond | LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LC LC ce Cat — ee ae cr D:ck, the Dandy from ‘*Whar’s Di’mon’ Dick?” repeated Bowlder Bill. ‘*How should I know?’ was the petulant re- ply. ‘*Wa-al, hit ‘pears ter me I see’d yer sashay off with him arter I sent his nag a-kitin’, when ther fandang’ war jist on ther home-stretch. Whar did yer peepers say by-by ter him last?” “‘T have not seen him since I left this basin with him, forit was too darkin the ‘‘ wash-out.” I left him assoon as I knew he was safe from the Wild Cats. Perhaps he bas gone in pursuit of the bandits, and got killed or captured.” ‘* Wa-al, dod-blast hit, 1’m surprised. I could a swored yer was together. So yer didn’t keep e a-playin’ pards? Wharin thunderation yer in?’ ‘“Up to the range,” answered Dolores. ‘“What in the name o’ Crockett tuck yer thar?” ‘*My horse.” ‘*Now, don’t yer goter be so dang’d sharp long o’ Bill, Dolores. 1’m a boss pard ter buckle ter, an I thinks a heap o’ yer. What mede yer skute from ther boys at ther south trail, an’ whar did yer glide when yer lef’ Dick’s hoss on ther bank?’ “T went down the canyon after Reckless Rube: the man [ was in hunt of—the one I[ chased from Big Medicine City.” ‘*Did yer s’pose he’d stop behind by hisself jist ter ’commerdate yer?” ‘*Ho couldn’t help himself, for I put a bullet through his shoulder at the time he galloped into the line of bandits. Thatis I shot his horse first, and then plugged him as [turned in retreat. He belongs to the Wild Cats.” “Wa-al, dang my felines! did yer git thet clos’t ter them? ‘* Yes, and came very near being captured.” 4 * And did yer kerral thet Rube, es yer calls im? ‘* Yes, I captured him.” **Good ag’in! Waz-al, I reckon he’z a bad aig. Whar mought ther no-’count cuss be now?” Dolores shuddered, and was silent. ‘Never mind, leetle gal,” said Bill; “ yer needn’t ’splain things. Hit hain’t none o’ my biz nohow. But I heza heap on my han’s, an’ I'd like yer help afore I plays my nex’ in this lively game,” From the moment that Border Bill had been recognized by Dolores, the latter had settled into a listless attitude, leaning against the saddle of her horse; but judging from Bill’s last words that he had something of importance to com- municate, she rode on past the scene of the re- cent ~, ie ‘Take yer nag roun’ ther bend, leetle gal, an’ tie him ter a snag; then glide this-a-ways.” In less than five minutes Dolores joined Bill, who, with a gesture of caution, bade her follow him, and both proceeded along for about a pis- tol-shot towards the range, the dwarf pines growing thicker as they advanced. At the distance mentioned the miner = d, and seated himself, inviting Dolores to fol- ow suit. ‘*Take a squat down, an’ rest. This hyer hez bin a tough ole night fer usall, an’ I’d ’a’ tuck my afferdavy ther warn’t a female woman in New Mex’ thet could a stud half what yer hez, an’ not wilted inter her stockin’s. Did yer hear a rifle-shot a while ago? Hit war then thet I see’d yer. I looked out kase I wanted ter see what war up.” ‘‘No, I heard nothing,” said the girl, as she seated herself. ‘‘ Who do you _ *% fired it? Could it have been Diamond Dick, do you suppose?” ‘““Why does yer ax thet?’ inquired Bill quickly. : Because if he had occasion to shoot, he’d do *‘Dang’d ef yer hesn’t gut him b’iled down fine! Thet air ’bout how I put it. Yer hesn’t see’d Big Med’sun while ye hes bin skutin’ roun’, hes yer?’ ‘*'No, but I hope he has come up with Dick. You don’t think the Wild Cats have taken him, do vou?” **Nary a time. Thet air ef ther red air with Dick; but I'd like mighty well ter crawl roun’ on a lone scout ter ’vestergate things. Ther Wild Cats would ’a’ tuck ther young sport in out o’ ther wet ef hit hadn’t bin fer thet black velvet shemale.” Dolores sprung at once to her feet. ‘*Do you know who that woman was, Bill?” “Sartin sure. Thet war Captain Halfhand’s right bower. Ther Wild Cats calls her the (Jueen, an’ she ’pears ter be ther boss o’ ther hull fit-out. I’m dead sure she air at ther present time. But squat yerself, leetle gal, an’ don’t git excited.” ‘*T will calm myself long enough,” said Dolores, ‘‘to tell you why I hold such a deadly enmity toward Reckless Rube, for I feel that something dreadful is to bappen to me be- fore long, and I wish everybody to know why I have acted so wild and strange, as also the reason that I have been wandering among the plains and mountains, far from those of my own sex.” © The young girl then related in detail the sad events «f her life; without, however, revealing / Denver. the last terrible scene which she had witnessed in the ~~ which led to the huge chasm where she had confined her captive. Bowlder Bill listened with wonder, and oes his teeth in a rage, as the perfidy of ube Reynolds was made known to him. ‘* Dolores,” he said, in a voice of deep sympa- thy, ‘‘I know’d yer hed a heap o’ trouble, but Ill sw’ar I didn’t s’pose thar war a human bad enough ter squeeze ther life outen his own help- less baby. Dang my cats! Ef I ever freezes my peepers onter thet Rube ef I don’t make kiote hash outen him, though I knows in my own mind hit ‘longs ter ye-ou ter send him ‘over ther range’ et aslowtrot. My rifle would go off et a half-cock ef 1 gut nigh ther cuss, But Vll change ther subject. I’ve gut Captain Halfhand tied ter a tree in ther motte yunder, an’ I wants yer to take a lay-down thar, an’ siester ther time away, ontil I ’roves back ag’in.”’ Dolores gazed at Bill in surprise and incre- dulity. ‘* Tm a-givin’ yer ther solid truth, leetle gal. Come an’ take a squint et ther cuss. He mought ’a’ bin a han’some man when he war fixed up in States togs, but he’s a or’nary-lookin’ spes’mun of a human ’bout now. I war ’tendin’ ter pump him an’ skeer him into spittin’ out whar bis hole in ther rocks war, but he hain’t gut no more sense nor a b’iled owl. He’s off his kerbase, an’ c’u’dn’t tell ther differ atween a camel an’ a kiote. Ef we’uns fights ther Wild Cats now, we is buckin’ag’in’ a shemale capitan, Least- ways she w’ars ther breeches, es yer see’d ter- nite, i While speaking, Bowlder Bill led the way to the motte, Dolores following him, with great curiosity. The two stepped within the pines just as the sun began to kiss the tops of the peaks along the range above them, and there was sufficient light to reveal to Dolores the form and features of the bandit chief, although she was under the necessity of taking Bill’s word as to the identi- ty of the man, as his most intimate friend would not have recognized him, Captain Halfband was secured to a tree, in a sitting posture, his back being against the trunk of thesame. His head was bent forward, bis chin resting upon his breast, and he was ap- — insensible to his surroundings. His air was tangled, bis clothes torn, and he was smeared with dirt and blood from head to foot. “Ther cuss orter hey his fortygraph tuck *bout now,” said Bill, stroking his whiskers in evident satisfaction. ‘ But, Dolores, ’m anx- ious ’bout Big Med’ an’ Di’mon’ Dick. Ill skute back fore long. Mister Halfhand won’t trouble yer, an’ yer kin snatch a few winks o’ sleep, fer yer needs hit bad. I ain’t ’tall afeared yer'll fall in love with ther cuss an’ low him ter levant,” Bill stalked from the motte, and Dolores threw herself on the sward; and then, with her weary head resting upon ber arm, she fixed her eyes in asteady stare upon the bandit chief. CHAPTER XXI. ‘HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE A WOMAN SCORNED.” WueEn the report of Big Medicine’s rifle burst on the air, the bandit fell dead by the side of Diamond Dick; and as the war-whoop of the Kioway sounded from the bigh bank, our bero found himself almost instantly blindfolded and bound upon a horse, which, from the previous order of the Bandit Queen, he supposed must be his own noble black. The next moment, with the sounds of rattling hoofs and deep curses filling his ears, Dick realized that he was being borne away at headlong speed amid the horde of Wild Cats. Although he felt that he was in a position from which thereseemed to be no chance of release, the young man was by no means hopeless. He knew that the faithful Indian would trail the bandits to their lair, and be felt positive also that Bowlder Bill was near at hand, or else that he had returned for Square Sim and the citi- zens, who would advance up the canyon en masse when they knew that there was a pros- ect of breaking up the band that had so long nfested the northern half,of New Mexico. But there were two things which puzzled him great- ly. One was the absence of Captain Halfhand; and the other, that Lucile had protected bim from the outlaws. He was very certain that those by whom he was surrounded would de- light in tearing bim limb from limb, in revenge for the death and disaster he had wrought ameng their band, and that they were only pre- vented or delayed by the—to him—unaccount- able conduct of the woman whom he so much detested. From all that he had observed, he knew that Lucile Luzerne was one who was desperate and entirely devoid of fear; that border life had changed her from a deep, designing adventuress who would commit secret crime to carry out her plans, to a bold, daring she-devil who would shoot down a man or a beast without feeling pity for one more than the other. The deep interest that she had taken in him, was an enigma, still he saw no other way in which he could extricate himself from his JOO =~ com (E “eo ———— . = com