Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 202 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

- sword. "You want to find the Black — 28 Cactus J ack, the Giant Guide. yon, the sides of which were cracked and cre- | the sand from bis face, spoke in the well-known viced as though from the stroke of a giant’s Cross-cuts ran in every cirection, some of them narrow but deep holes which ran well back and others ending in a steep incline near by thunder!’ where they began. By the advice of the guides, ten soldiers were | posted in the smaller of the clefts to watch and wait, andthen the leaders moved into one of the larger gps. “Go light and careful,” cautioned Cactus Jack. ‘*We are nigh the den and the tiger may teeth and feel like heroes. It was a dark and gloomy had led them. Barely four feet wide, its bight was some sixty odd feet, and the only sign of light was a faint glimmer when they looked di- rectly overhead. nag Sa vbexn a grave!” muttered Bill Bush, but Zeke caught bis arm and gave a warning pinch. There must be no useless talking there. Brigham began to feel uneasy. He did not like the idea of running his men into such a hole, but be had confidence in the guide and so said nothing. He held a revolver ready for use, ? show bis teeth at any minute. Grit your lace into which he and if trouble came his sword was close af | hand. Cactus Jack moved with surprising lightness, but it wasa part of his trade. the best, but he had warned the captain that hot work was to be expected. The outlaws, whatever might be their number, had the ad- vantage of position, and, unless taken by sur- prise, would probably make a hard fight. Were they destined to be taken by surprise? That was the question each of the attacking party was asking himself, but the matter was soon settled. Out from the darkness a voice suddenly sounded, the nature of the hole making it so hollow and odd that it could not be located, but the words were sufficiently distinct and not hard to interpret. ‘* Halt, there, you dogs in blue, and all the rest of your gang. You are getting into private grounds and there will be bad weather if you don’t square away.” ‘© Who speaks?” demanded Brigham, as his men instinctively halted. **One who knows you and your business. asks, do you? Look out, Captain Brigham, that you don’t bite off more than you can chew.” ‘‘Do you speak for the outlaws?’ continued Brigham, while the guides tried to locate the voice, a difficult matter where the rocks pro- duced such an echo. “ Fair names, old man, or you may get dis- liked. I speak for those you seek, What of ‘‘Simply this: I have come to fake you, and the easiest way is the best for you. Will you surrender?’ ‘“‘Not if Queen Vic knows herself, and she thinks she does. If you want us, come right along and transact your business; but I give you fair warning that the snake has fangs. Better keep away, my bold sojer boy.” At this point Cactus Jack touched the cap- tain’s arm. ‘‘Make no more talk,” he said; “‘you are wasting time. Order an advance an’ fight it out.” Brigham was ready to obey. He shouted to his men and the soldiers ground their heels in the sand preparatory for a dash, but somebody else was ahead of them. There was a sudden sound in front, the report of two or three re- volvers, an oath, a shout and a cry of pain, and then it became pretty evident that the robbers were forcing a figh®. Brigham again shouted ‘‘ Forward,” but just as he uttered the word something came down in a shower and he was beaten to the ground. Just what had prostrated him, be did not know, but as he arose and plunged forward in a blind “way, he ran upon something and bis hands filled with sand. The idea had just had time to circulate in his mind that it was like running against a sand- ‘bank when his feet were knocked from under bim and he went down again. Before. he could arise a heavy foot was planted on his breast, and something serious might have happened right away had not Zeke Bozeman spoken sharply. ‘* Hold up, you critters, bold up! Weare all friends hyer an’ in a durned pickle. Ther out- laws hev dumped sand in ther gap an’ buried | some of us.” A mocking laugh echoed strangely through the cut, but che assailants had been calmed by Bozeman’s voice and they began to take an ac- count of stock. As the mountaineer had said, a great pile of sand had been dumped down into the Bap, com- letely filling it, and it was that which first elled Brigham. After that, the foot of a — -buried and struggling friend had nocked him off his pins; but he was uninjured. sand can easily be scaled and we will He hoped for a oa ; } ; ' | | } As he stood there, a pair of feet began to. beat a lively tune on his legs, and, realizing voice of Cactus Jack: ‘* Lizards and lime-juice! that’s a new deal for this board. Buried alive all but my heels, ? A hurried examination gave them a correct idea of the situation. The robbers had arranged ** How are they outside?’ he asxed., ** Howling like coyotes.” . ‘‘Our boys can hold them in check for a while. Drake, you are now my right-hand man and I want you to show your nerve. Bassett and McKey are dead. Weeks has a broken leg and the devil is to pay generally. Where a great pile of sand and rocks at some point | above, intending to crush the soldiers beneath it, but the trap had been sprung a moment too soon, and it looked at first as though none of the attacking party was injured, though the giant guide bad been pretty thoroughly buried. W hether the outlaws themselves bad fared as well was uocertain. They had just made some sort of an attack when the sand fell, and it seemed as though they could not have wholly escaped, ‘‘ Where are the Townsends?”’ demanded Cac- tus Jack, suddenly. There was no answer, and when their names | were clearly called they did not respond. ‘*They are buried under tbe sand,” Brigham said, in a tone of horror. An angry exclamation, which was almost an oath, passed Cactus Jack’s lips, but he suddenly stopped and changed his key. ‘Forward, again!” he said, sharply. ‘‘ This make the dry bones rattle.” : ‘* But, James and Lucas—” began Brigham. ‘* Pris’ners, pris’ners,” said Bozeman, hur- riedly. ‘‘ Don’t ye see, boyee? Lead on your critters an’ we will soon see ther eend o’ ther fracas!” CHAPTER XXXVIIL. THE OUTLAWS AT HOME. IN a small chamber of the robbers’ den sat the new lieutenant of the Leagte of Gold, be whom we have known as “CC,” but he hardly looked like a hardy robber himself. His face was pale and frowning, and one leg was ex- tended on a pile of blankets in front of him and bandaged elaborately. He had been alone for some time, but a masked man suddenly burst into the chamber and he looked alarmed as he recognized the chief of the League: ‘* In the fiend’s name,” began the new-comer, hotly, ‘‘ what cursed folly have you been com- mitting? If signs go for anything, we are in an infernal trap and it is all owing to your stu- pidity.” ‘* Pardon me, am a cripple?” The lieutenant spoke in an anxious voice and pointed to bis leg. ‘‘ What’s the matter?” was the curt inquiry. “ Nothing, except that I am crippled for life,” was the gloomy response. ‘A bullet has com- pletely shattered my leg.” ‘‘Serves you right for making so bungling a job in abducting the gir).” ‘‘ Pardon, again, sir, but I was shot before the abduction. I had to trust the job to others, and though | gave careful directions they made a botch and stole one girl too many. I have wa Ry do'my duty, but I worked against uck, ‘Is that so?” said the chief, his voice soften- ing a little. ‘* How were you shot?” **T caught a fellow spying around the.en trance, a boy he was, but a man and a devil in venom, and when I tried to capture him he put a bullet in my leg. Of course he got away after that, and here I am, a cripple for life.” ‘‘ Not so bad as that, I hope,” and the chief seemed a little touched by bis follower’s gloomy tone. ‘“*I reckon we will pull you through, un- less the accursed soldiers string us all up. Like as not they will, for they are outside in full force. Wesprung the sand-trap on them, but the fools above pulled too quick and little damage was done. Who shot you?’ “] don’t know, but | thought from the brief elimpse I had of his phiz that he was a mulatto. He was only a boy, but he was chainu-lightning on the shoot.” “I don’t know him. But, about the abduc- tion; how in tophet did those fools make such a bull?’ groaned the chief. ‘*T don’t know,” said C, groaning in concert, ‘‘ but blunder they did, though I told them as plain as could be.” ‘‘ They should die for their folly if their aid was not needed. C, we are in a bad fix and only hard fighting can save us.. The soldiers are outside and several men from the Lower Bend with them. Who has charge?” *T left it to D, sir.” ** D, otherwise Drake. A good man. tohim.” And the chief strode away, leaving his subor- dinate ina mood far happier than his former one. Poor C had been deep in the valley of despondency, for! he had expected when the chief knew the result of the abduction business he would serve him as he had of late been serv- ing his other lieutenants. ne had been shot as a traitor in the cave, and another had hand at River Captain, but do you not see [ V'll go erished by the same merciless iff, but C had been more that-some buried man was trying to get out, be , Incky. seized the legs and pulled strongly. Then out came the man; who at once arose, and, dashing | The chief went directly to Drake, whom he greeted with a nod. are the girls?” __ ‘In the rear room, Captain.” ** Together?” “Yes, sir.” **Separate them. I may want to call on the fair Nola before long.” ‘* For what purpose?’ demanded a new voice, The chief wheeled quickly and saw Zina, an‘! he could not but see the angry flash of her eye: behind the mask. He advanced toward hey _ with both hands extended, but she put her ow! behind her back and retreated a step. ‘* What does that mean?’ he askad, in seem ing surprise. “Simply that, before you taka my hand, | want to know why the fair Nela has beet brought to this cave,” was the cold,reply. ‘* Don’t you know?” ‘‘Judging from appearances, I should say you wish to play the Mormon,” she answered bitterly. ‘Good Heeven! what a mistake. Why, ! left word to have all explained to you. Dix Drake fail to tell you?” ‘‘T forgot it,” muttered the man, as his leade) bent a keen glance upon him. ‘Forgot what? Tell me now,” Zina com | manded., a ee “T told him—” began the chief, but the gir] queen in ipcke ved interrupted. ‘Let the man tell his own story. I do no! believe you Jeft any message with ie: Drake, go on and bang yourself. Why was that milk- an i water girl brought bere?” Poor Drake was in the closest corner of his life. He had got to tell some lie, quickly and plausibly, and he knew not what tosay. If he made a blunder, the chief was liable to shoot him on the spot. Fortunately for Drake, his brain moved with the rapidity and brilliancy of a shooting star. 7 ‘* Why. yousee her father is supposed to have a good bit of gold hid in bis cave, and as the old man has slipped out, our only hope of get- ting it is to force the secret from the girl. That’s why she was brought here, but I forgot to mention it. I’ve been mighty busy.” Fear had sent an abundant perspiration to the face of the lieutenant, but the leader breathed freer for the lie bad been well told. He felt like clasping bis tool in a sort of grizzly hug. Plausible as the story was, Zina did not believe it. +] see that you are in league,’ she coldly said, ‘‘ but you can not hoodwink me so easily. eae the girl was brought here to usurp my ce. ‘‘Zina!” exclaimed the chief, reproachfully. ‘*T would not bave thought this of you. Have I ever been lacking in affection for you? I love you as devotedly as I did the day we join- ed our fortunes, and no one can do the work of the band as well as you.” ‘I know I have been useful to you, but the bond between us is one you can easily b when you tire of me. It looks to me as though that hour is at hand, but it remains to be seen whether I will be cast off so easily. My lord duke, another woman shall never reign in my place while I have a dagger long enough to reach her heart!” ' , The queen spoke with vebemence and fire, and ber wily ally settled down to the purpose of reassuring her. Had the situation been less critical be would have ordered Drake to convey her to a dungeon, but Zina had a long head and a sure revolver, and if the worst came her aid would be needed. So he sent the lieutenant away by a gesture, and in the old tones which had once been so musical to her ear, he labored to make her think him still true, Woman-like, she believed him after a time, and with her head upon his shoulder asked par- don for the angry words she had spoken, ‘‘ Let my excuse be my love for you, dear,” she said, softly, ‘‘for that love isso strong | would die to help you. The coming of this retty mountain girl alarmed me fora time, bat I see now how foolish I was.” ** We will forget it all,” answered the traitor, as he tenderly smoothed her hair. ‘' You are all in all to me, and now that this cloud has passed away we will smile again.” . ‘“ But—but the other girl?” ‘‘lt was a mistake that she was brought here, curses on the bunglers who did the work, and we will get her away as soon as possible, Keep out of her sight, if possible, Zina, for harm might come of it.” “The men are fichting outside the cave— what will come of it?’ ‘‘ Nothing serious, I hope, for on our defense depends our future. I think we can hold the fort—nay, we must, for we can not run. One of two things must be done: defeat the soldiers or die here like ratsin atrap. Let me go now and see how the battle goes on.” (eo ‘Ss e bd i :