Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 202 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

/ v4 or a man of small stature. 6 ae ea eee net themselves seen until the quartet was within a few feet. ‘Then the foremost man abruptly halted, ** Ballo!” he exclaimed. you?” “friends,” answered Bozeman, quickly, for he knew the unceremonious greeting would anger the giant, and perhaps cause a quarrel where none was neeced, ‘* What are you doing here?” ** Prospectin’,’’ said Bozeman, coolly. * What in thunder is it to you who we are, or why we are here?’ Cactus Jack demanded. *T like to know my neighbors, that’s all.” **Do you belong to Black Bend.” “We hang out at the mines, over yonder. I take it you are from the town.” ** We've been there.” The two parties eyed each other closely. Evi- cently, each wished to ‘‘s'zo” the other, while, on the part of the guides, at least, there was doubt and suspicion. ‘** What have we here?” one of the strangers suddenly asked, as he noticed the dark heap oa _ the ground, ** A man who tried to imitate Sam Patch and got the worst of it,” Jack answered. CHAPTER. V. A FIGHT AGAINST ODDS. Ture first speaker of the strangers strode for- ward and bent over the dead man. He lacked the light the guide had secured, but he almost Instantly uttered a cry of surprise and sprung \> his feet. ‘** Did you see this man die?” he demanded. **T saw him fall over the c)iff,” ** TT never got the fall without help.” ‘Who in thunder said be did?—thouzh for that matter I don’t consider it a difficult feat to fall off a rock.” “* He was too sure-footed for that.” “Then you knew him?’ Cactus Jack said, ‘** Who the deuce are — quick. _ “He was a friend of mine. Tell me how it happened,” The voice was peremptory, and the guides plainly saw that both he and his followers were staring at them with suspicion if not with hos- tility. One after another, each had looked at the c’? the deceased and, seeming to know him well, were awaiting with stern faces for further particulars. Cactus Jack was equally suspicious of them and bis hot blood was feeling their ccmmanding air, but he could be cool and reasonable when circumstances required. ** All we know is that two galoots had a fight on the cliff above, and one tossed the other over. The tussle was short, but it was a sweet- ener for this chap,” he answered. ‘*Ha!l Where is the other man?’ **Don’t see him now; reckon he has pulled the picket and run. Ho left his mark behind though.” “This man was flung et our very feet,” said Bozeman. Then the mountaineer pushed forward and gave a comprehensive account of all that had occurred, for he was anxious to avoid trouble, if possible. * This isa strane story,” the leading stranger said, at the conclusion of the narrative. . “Strange things frequently happen.” ‘You say that the second person was a boy, How could he worst a hardy man of our dead comrade’s size?” ** Didn’t I tell yer he took him unawares?” Bozeman was beginning to get angry. It was plain that his word was doubted, and he was not much more given to runniog from a quarrel than was bis fellow guide. “JT don’t believe the yarn!” the unknown declared. ‘It is altogether too thin. J think that you two killed Sturgis, by some means or other.” **T reckon you don’t know us, stranger.” ‘‘ But [| intend to before I leave you. This man was my friend, and his death is not going unpunished. If you fellers have told the truth — have only to prove it; but unless you do his, I shall hold you accountable.” Cactus Jack grounded his rifle with a thump. “Prove it?” he shouted. “ Who in_tophet wants to prove it? Durn your ugly mule-head. I wouldn’t go three yards to furnish you with the blockhead’s whole biography. Do you take yourselves for an intelligence office? How in thunder will you hold us accountable?” ‘* By the right of might,” retorted the stranger with equal venom. * W here’s the might?” the giant demanded. ** We are four to two.” ‘*T don’t keer a continental if you are forty. Don’t try to skeer me, you durned galoot. It won’t work. Mebbe you don’t know me? I’m free to tell you my name, for I ain’t ashamed of it. I’m Cactus Jack, the terror of the Mim- bres and the hot norther of the desert. Maybe you’ve heard of me.” There was a slight pause on the part of the kesman, 2 movement on the part of tbe followers, all of which went to show they had heard of him, and then the former once more coolly said: “Whoever you are, I believe you killed our a a ee ee —_—— — —- friend, and it ain’t the way of this region to let such things go, and so we propose to look it up. ‘*Bah! you are either all gas or all fool. We have told the truth; but even if we lied, what aro you going to do about it?” ‘We apy Foe to knock thunder out of you!” | was the belligerent reply. ‘‘Where’s your drum-sticks? They are necessary to make artificial thunder. But, see here, mister, I’m tired of nonsense. I’m a man of peace, too, but if you hanker after a fizht, I reckon we can oblige you. Cactus Jack, the Giant Guide. Don’t hurry the | funeral on our account, but let things slide as | though we wu’n’t here, and you'll find us hang- ing on by the tail when the kite goes up,” observed Jack, striking his rifle barrel sharply. lt.was plain tobe seen that the strangers, whoever they were, meant mischief, but the guides had no visible ambition to toss lead just then. The fellows might be honest miners, but even if they were of the Black Mask band the two pards had just as soon lay back in the ig pera and let the dance go on without them. At the same time, they were not disposed to show the white feather. They had made fight- ing their trade, and the fine sense of honor of the West recoils at the thought of back-down, ‘You are a noisy braggart,” said the spokes- man of the strangers, tartly. ‘‘Now you don’t ketch on at all, Look through a telescope and maybe you can siz? me. I'm a portable cactus-tree, sixty feet high, no limbs and all thorns. Come and feel of meif you don’t believe it.” ‘*My grip would break you in two,” ‘1 can hoe a pretty straight row after I’m cutin fours. I come of a fighting family and things bave to stir when we put our hands on the table.” ‘* Why are you in these hills?” “Because we seve fit. Any further. informa- tion may be had by reading the papers.” Evidently the stranger saw the folly of wast- ing further words, for he waved his hand to his men and they began to spread out in a way cal- culated to take the pair on all sides, Zeke Bozeman smiled grimly and placed his back eaanat the cliff, and the giant coolly fol- lowed his example. ‘* What do you make of them, Boze?” the lat- ter asked. ‘*T suspect they are ther robbers. They ain’t got ther cut o’ figure thet miners carry.” ‘*Tben we had better shoot a couple of them and carve up the other two.” ‘*Let them begin ther frolic,” Bozeman ad- vised. The precaution adopted by the guides frus- trated the scheme of the strangers, but they still faced them with four against two, They were keenly watched, however, for the part- ners were resolved to have the first fire if it was to bea ag Hog argument. If these glances had been more widely distri- buted it would have been much better for our friends. Absorbed as they were in watching the men beforé them, they had not seen that other dusky forms were near; they did not sus- pect that danger menaced them from another quarter. aaa would not have been so willing to give the other party the first blow had they seen the men in the shadows whisper among themselves and then lay down their rifles and uncoil lassoes from their waists. All these movements meant danger to the guides, but they knew not of them. Their first warning came when a noose drop- ped over the head of each, sett'ed upon their shoulders and tightened as though all by one movement; and as they realized the peril and bounded like bucks the lassoes were suddenly drawn taut; jerking them headlong to the ground, In a moment more, half a dozen men were piled upon them, as many pair of strong hands seized arms and legs, and they struggled in vain to fling off the crushing weight. For a time it seemed as though they would succeed. Their immense strength moved the enemy upward, and once Cactus Jack gained his knees, but was beaten down again by force of numbers. Then he managed to get one hand on bis belt and draw his knife. This done, he essayed to plunge it somewhere into the mass of flesh, but his arm was held back and his purpose thwarted. A terrible curse fell from his lips, but at that moment a revolver shot sounded not far away, and Zeke Bozeman’s voice rung out on the air. ‘‘Thar is one ther less, pard! Fight/on an’ don’t get weary. Fight for—” His words ended in a gurgle, but Cactus Jack wrenched one arm free and struck out with his whole power. His knife found a sheath of human flesh, the blood spurted over his hand, and cne of the enemy fell back with a dying groan, ~ ‘‘Curse them! beat out their brains!” cried a savage voice; and then asharp pain ran through the head of Cacius Jack, the well-known effects of a severe blow, and his senses deserted him. A blank followed, how long, he never knew. When consciousness returned, he opened his $s tls_st_neen~~n eyes cn a new scene. He saw a rocky room, thirty feet wide and of great length, higher than any house of Black Bend, and dimly lighted by a pair of pine knots thrust in a crevice. of the rock, Near these torches were a score of men, brawny fellows, garbed as miners, with red shirts and big hats, but there was one thing not. needed in digging for gold. Over the head of each was a mask, and it was no childish affair, which covered only the face above the mouth. Instead, it looked much like a bag, for it covered the head and neck com- pletely, with only small holes left for the eyes. Surely, they could be none other than the Black Masks of the Mimbres, So interesting had been this first view, he did not at first realize that he was in an unpleasant situation, but as he naturally moved a little from the recumbent position, he discovered that his hands and feet were bound. ‘* Trapped, by thunder, and by the Black Masks!” was his internal comment. Remembering Bozeman, he looked about and saw the mountaineer only a few feet away. Their eyes met, and the elder man grimaced as. though ip pain. The pill was certainly a bitter one for such veterans to swallow. ‘‘A durned pretty pickle for the portable cactus,” thought that unhappy individual. ‘“T never was took in and done for in such a way before. Durned if I ain’t ashamed of myself, after tramping these hills for fifteen years,” For once there was no exaggeration abou’ him. He was a vain man in spite of Lis manly qualities, vain of bis strength, prairie lore and cunning, and to such a man misfortune comes with full force, - All the masked men were busy talking, so Jack resolved to have a word with Bozeman before they came to prevent it. He rolled over twice and was beside his friend. ‘* What kind of a trail is this?’ “Ef 1 read it aright, them are the Black Masks, ’Tenyrate, they ere ther galoots thet set onter us in ther kenyon, an’ iar hev_ got, us fast.” ** Where are we?” “IT don’t know. They tied up my eves arter they got me foul and trotted off fur some time, ap’ when we stopped it was in hyer.” ‘*Have they confabed with you?” “Not yet.” ‘** What’s the prospect?” ‘‘Durned poor. They’yve got everything their own way, an’ if they see fit ter kuife us, we can’t prevent it.” ‘If they want to do it they had better hurry. I won’t stay in these strings,” The giant gave his bonds a vicious wrench, but they had been tied to stay and did not give. way at all. ‘‘T reckon thar ain’t any doubt about them bein’ ther Black Masks,” said Bozeman. ‘Not atall. We've found ’em sooner than we thought to do, and now I'd give a good deal for a chance to let go.” At that moment one of the masked mem glanced over his shoulder. The sight of the guides so near together showed him that Cac- tus Jack had recovered his senses, and he ati once arose and came forward. ‘Well, my gay bantam, I see you've got: your eyes open,” he mockin ly said. ‘*Meaning me? Well, I sha’n’t dispute you.” ‘* How do you like the situation now ?”’ “General, ’mafrank man. [I don’t like it, nor do I see your object in tying meup. What: good will it do you? ‘Tt will give me a chance toavenge the death of Sturgis and our other comrades,” ‘“Who are you fellows, anyway, and why are. you in mourning?” ‘“IT suppose you refer to our masks. Can’t. you guess who we are?” ‘‘Divila guess, Tell me, for the fun of the thing, will you?” The man was about to answer, though there was no evidence that he intended to rey “id with the request, when a murmur from the men caused him to turn, and then the guides. looked in wonder at a new sight. CHAPTER VI. ZINA. UNSEEN by the prisoners, a new actor had appeared on the scene, and as they looked they were amazed to see a woman advancing toward them. Wesay a woman, but, though her form and dress was feminine, the mask which ecv- ered her face made the presumed fact a little uncertain. } The robber, however, muttered one word as: he strode toward -her which, low as he doubt- oo At ace it, reached the keen ears of Cactus ack, ‘* Zina!” muttered the guide. ‘‘ That’s what he called her, Boze, and we mustn’t forget it. Treasnre it up in your noddle, for we may need. it later.” ‘‘ Like es not she is ther captain o’ ther band. pen how meekly ther male tiger bows: before er.’ The fellow was indeed showing all the defer— ence of a subject, while the masked. womam. stood erect and coldly listened to his words.. cbooks vv y : * ' : ha” ‘ wee '* eg) aS co % et ase — a