Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 209 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

16 The defenders reserved their fire, and watched for good chances, as it was clear that they were accomplishing nothing by rapid shooting. “You had better have your pistol handy, Mr. Hornby,” said Pratt. ‘‘ We may expect a rush now at any minute, and then may God a. us!” he firing from the front increased suddenly, and the party that was advancing there came forward more swiftly. ‘* Here they come!” said Hornby. ‘‘Not that way!” exclaimed Pratt. ‘' Look to the right or the left! [am afraid that—ah!” What he would have. said was choked off by a man who had climbed the wall at the side of the glen, and had fallen over upon him. A rough and tumble struggle ensued, with Pratt the under dog in the fight. Another and another came over the wall, and still they came! Hornby emptied his revolver among them, and received a shot in the left shoulder which rendered that arm useless. Rosina, astonished by the sudden onset, and dazed by the rapid firing, had scarcely recov- ered her senses when she was shocked by the face of aman who lea over the wall, It was the face of Manuel Vincente, She hastened to pull down her vail; but his look of malignant triumph showed that he had already recognized her. ‘‘This is my game,” he said, as he stepped to- ward her. The words were hardly out of his lips when Eeornby’s fist struck him on the cheek, knocking him down. Rosina raised her revolver, just in time to see her defender shot through the heart by a man who followed Manuel. The next moment that man fell under the fire of her pistol. As she looked around she was startled by a rattling volley of rifle and pistol-shots, and she could not tell from what quarter it came. It was followed by yells of pain and cries of terror on the part of those who had just cap- tured Parmenas Pratt’s fortification. Manuel Vincente, who had picked himself up, ran off as fast as he could, crouching as he went and darting from rock to rock. There was a similar stampede on the part of his followers. ‘*T feel as if I would faint,” said Rosina to herself. ‘‘ But that would never do. I must see the end of this.” She braced herself against the wall, and saw a number of dark forms rushing about in pur- suit of the flying raiders. Directly she saw that they were clothed in green, and wore ey masks. Then a thought flashed upon her min mer were the Green Guard, and she was safe! This assurance was made sure by the ped ance of Parmenas Pratt, who approached her with a smile on his face; but his countenance changed as he looked down and saw the dead body of Jacob Hornby. “The poor, dear, brave man!” said Rosina. “Help came a moment too late to save him.” One of the men in nm ste up to her and touched his hat with a military salute. ‘“‘T am very sorry, madam,” that this has oc- curred,” said he. ‘‘ We did not believe that this attack would be made so soon, or we would have been on hand to aid you.” “I owe you my life,” faintly replied Ro- sina, “‘ Bring out this lady’s horse, Mr, Pratt,” said the stranger, ‘‘ and take her back to Warneton. One of my men will ride with you. Hxcuse me, madam, for leaving you so abruptly; but an urgent duty calls me away.” Ata later hour of the same night the risiug moon again saw the Green Guard grouped near the tree with the outreaching arm that stood at the edge of Death Gulch. In the midst of the group, with a rope around his neck, the rope peng also passed over the outstretehing limb, st a bound and helpless man, pele and trembling. His face showed that he was an Irishman. “Sure an’ it’s a small thing: to be hangin’ a man fur, gintlemen,” said be, ‘‘Ivery:ody a’most is a-jumpin’ of claims, an’I only aeved undher ordhers.” .“Itisa hanging matter, Mike Rafferty, and you know it,” replied the leader of the Green Gnard. ‘It isa hanging matter to rob a stage, to rob a mine, and to add murder to robbery. But those are not the only crimes you are here to account for.” ‘*Phwat elee have I been doin’, bess?’ in- quired the Irishmany ‘*Look around you. Do you know this place? T see that you do, On this very spot you and three other fiends held in your arms a bound and helpless man, who had done you no wrong, and threw him into the bottomless pit of Dea Gulch.” “It’s a lie!” shrieked the culprit. did it! You ean’t prove it!” “Your innocent victim called you by name before he was thrown over, and warned you that he would return, living or dead, to bring you to account for that crime.” “fT never The Irishman’s face was livid, and his voice sunk to a whisper as he spoke again: “* How do you know that? Who are you?” ‘*T am the man you murdered,” replied the leader, as he removed the green mask from bis face and stepped forward. The drawing rope stifled a shriek, and in another moment Mike Rafferty was hanging from the limb over Death Gulch, When Parmenas Pratt called on Rosina the pexe day, she bad an important question to ask im. ‘Who was the leader of the Green Guard, a Pratt—the man who spoke to me last night? ‘I cannot tell you, Miss Rosina. I did not see his face.” “ But he knew your name.” “Tam a sort o yess character, you know.” *‘T wish I could find out who he was, Mr. Pratt. His voice was so strangely, so wonder- Feo | like that of a dear friend of mine, who is “Tam sorry that I cannot inform you, Miss Rosina. But I have a bit of news for you. I have just beard that the Green Guard tage one prisoner last night, and this morning he was found hanging from a tree near Death Gulch.” ‘“‘ Who was he?” she eagerly asked, ‘“‘ Manuel Vincente?” “Not Manuel Vincente. He was an Irish- man, named Mike Rafferty, and on his breast was pinned a paper, on which were written the words ‘Number RA “ Number Two!” exclaimed Rosina. ‘‘ What does it mean? Waitamoment. Let me.think, Bill Saunders and Mike Rofferty. I knew those men, and I have good cause to remember them, Bill Saunders and Mike Rafferty! -Number One and Number Two! I wonder who will be Number Three!” CHAPTER XXI. STRIKING BACK, At the distance of some thirty miles from Death Gulch was situated the Small Ho mine, controlled and partly owned by Farley Warne. It had been pressed upon them by an old proepecver named Durkee, who was a special riend of John Warne’s. He claimed that he could prove it to be a rich lead, if he could get capital to work it. They bad bought an in- terest, and hed named it Small Hopes, because they had small hopes of its success, retaining Durkee as manager. A few miles m the mine was a railroad station, a small and lonely building, occupied by one man, who acted as station agent and telegraph operator. At an early hour one morning this buildin was suddenly ontered by three men, mask and heavily armed, who seized the agent and bound bim, ~ Then one of the raiders, who seemed to know very well what he was about, sat down at the instrument table, and sent off a message, the captive agent being placed too far away to lis- ten to the en 8G. — — ny here was no robbery, and no attemp ure person or property. When the message had been sent, the o + tor pro tem. arose and examined the railway time table. “We will leave you as you are until the next train comes along,” ke said to the agent. ‘* You will not be likely to suffer before somebody turns you loose, I wish you good-morning and a patient wait.” ; At the office of Farley & Warne in Death Gulch only one of the partners was present that morning, Buck Farley baviug gone some dis- tance to the north on business of the firm. At the telegraph office in Death Gulch the operator was called by the station near tho mall Hopes mine. ‘‘Marsh must be sick to-day,” said he, as he noticed a “hand” to which be was unaccus- tomed. ‘I wonder where he got his sub.” He réceived the message, wrote it off hastily and put it in an envelope. ‘‘Here is bad news for Farley & Warne,” he said, as he handed it to his messenger boy. ‘Hurry over there with it.” The Selegram was handed to John Warne as he sat at his desk, and this is what he read: “PVanizy & Wane Gulch} “Small Hopes tunnel has fallen in, bers are burning. Captain Durkee is Come immediately.” John Warne handed the message to the man- AGRE REX, “Mr. Farley must know of this as soon as possible, Runnels,” said he. ‘* Write a dispatch, and send it to the nearest station, with direc- tions to forward it to Bluffton.” * Are you going to Small Hopes, sir?’ ‘Right away. Poor Durkee! I am not trou- bled about the mine; but he must be attended to. I will just have time to catch the train.” ~ He burried away, and Runnels sent off the dispatch to Buck Farley, ; e train had beer gone but a little while and the tim- injured. a Buck Farley, the Bonanza Prince. when a large man, wearing an overcoat und a slouched hat, came to the door of the office of the Death Guleh Minivg Co. After lounging about for a few muvates, be stationed himsvlf on the door-step. He was evideutly a stranger to the town, and the porter, wbo was also the guard, did not like his looks, and inquired his business. **] ain’t doin’ any harm here, am I?” stiffly replied the stranger. ** Mebbe you ain’t, and mebbe you are; but I want to know what you’re bere for.” ‘*'You needn’t be so uppish about it. I ain’t likely to steal your durned old buildin’. I’m jest a-waitin’ fur a man who promised to meet me here at nine o’clock.” As this was a legitimate reason for ren aining, and the man could not be driven away merely because he was a stranger and his appearance was unsatisfactory, the porter said nothing more to him, but kept a suspicious eye upon him. There was a short and narrow lane that ran down a ravine, and terminated near the office of the Death Gulch Mining Co, It was seldom traveled, as there were no houses in that direction, except a shanty that was oc- cupied as a saloon. s the oe of the saloon stood at the end of his bar that.adjoined the window, mood- ily eying his one customer, a bummer who was waiting for a free drink, and occasionally cast- ing a glance at the dirt-covered panes, his large ears caught the unusual sound of horses coming down the lane, He vigorously rubbed with his fist one of the dirty panes, until he could dimly see what was going on down the street, and counted fifteen orsemen riding slowly down the lane, in mili- wary order. s they drew nearer, he saw that they were all masked. ‘*What’s up now?’ he muttered, ‘Some durned galoots goin’ to try to take the town?” As soon as they bad passed the saloon they broke right into a gallop. The barkeeper ran around his counter, and looked out at the door. The bummer waked Dp enough to mutter, ‘* Don’t keer 'f I do,” and then wanted to know ‘Wasser masser?” The horsemen had halted in front of Farley & Warne’s stout stone building. As the horsemen came down the lane they were out of the view of the porter, but were plainly seen by the stranger on the step, who lakes in at the door when they broke intoa gallop. " at do you mean?” demanded the porter. “Clear out o’ this!” ' ‘‘’m skeered. Thar’s a ruction out thar.” ‘* Git out of the way, you durned galoot, and let me see!” But the form of the large stranger blocked the way, and the next moment the fifteen horse- ment baited in front of the door. Five of them instantly dismounted, throwin their bridle reins to their companions, an rushed in at the door, where the porter was struggling with the stranger. A blow on the head with the butt of a pistol ended resistance in that quarter, and the raiders poured into the office. The clerks had run for the weapons in the racks; but they were too late. Runnels, who had seized a rifle, was settled by a bullet in his head, and the others, over- powered by leveled revolvers, were driven into a corner, where two of the raiders guarded em. The others hastened to ransack the office, and their leader sought in Runnels’s pocket for the key of the safe. Finding it, he compelled one of the clerks who knew the combination to open the safe, and all the valuables it contained were s ily bustled into bags, and handed out to tke men in the street. His companions in the meantime were pulling open and breaking open desks and drawers over e whole office, and similarly stuffing into ba all sorts of papers, valuable and valueless, with no examination or any sert of inspection. In short, the sack of the office was complete, and the havoc that was raised with the furni- ture made it look as if a tornado had struck it. Of course such an audacious raid could not be begun and carried through without raising con- siderable excitement in the town of th Guich. The town was always oasily excited, and this occurrence was calculated to throw it into a frenzy. The report spread like wild-fire that raiders had taken the town and were robbing the office of the Death Guich mine, and from all sides the citizens ran out into the street, some of them unarmed, and others with whatever weapons they could lay hands on in their hurry. ee But the ten men whom the raiders had left © outside of the office vere well armed, and were posted so as to command the approaches to their position. The appearance of any person within range of them was the signal for rifle shots which caused all but the boldest to beat a hasty retreat. It became evident that the town was cap- tured, and that the raid was on too large a NiGDOOKS (E(0) (E (C(@) im ~ «= ee eee ae QO, Mee Meh A.