Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 229 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

' ; 4 a... — i => 4 SOO LE ae ae » Blaine. | Captain Cutsleeve. i haven't seen him since. What I want to get at is; what did you do with him?” “What did | dv with him? My friend, yew I hed my hands full with Hartford it’s Hart Blaine. air crazy Yew said Canley had it threw ther | 8 your meaning. Is he in any particular dan- er ‘* Some one is: mebbe it’s ther kunnel, mebbe There’s a right smart sprink- lin’ ov an ijea thet when them two comes to- lungs, an’ that’s all I know about it. Ef he’s | gether ag’in one ov ’em’II git bis las’ sickness, | An’ not wantin’ ter put up ary string games on missin’ yew berry’d ther corpus.” The doctor looked keenly at his visitor; and spoke in a way that would have convinced al- most any one else, It did not convince Touch-Me-Not. “That filly won’t trot. You and that snag- i er young leddy ez looks ez tho’ she kim frum ther States, | reckon ther odds ar’ fifty ter one thet Blaine ar’ ther best shot.” ** But what isit all about? Surely there can be no such desperate cause for hatred that this toothed grizziy, Cinnamon Cy, skipped out and | Blaine would attack a man in the presence of took the two with you.” “That air a statement that I mout contra- dict, fa’r an’ squar’; but *twouldn’t be no use, bekase yew hev yer mind made up, As I’ve diskivered it’s sumtimes onhealthy tew sug- gest tew a stranger thet he’s mistook, I kin merely say—prove if,” “That’s all_right. That brings it down mighty fine. You're in league with the gang, and when the cleaning-up day comes we'll wring you out dry.” The doctor rose up in wrath. His face flushed, and then came a sudden angry glitter into bis eyes. *“I hey bin here sence this camp war fu’st sot down here, an’ I’ve bin west ov the Rockies sence ’fifty-nine, an’ no man sed I b’longed to @ gang, an’ nobody shell say it. Take that air back, stranger, er ther’ll be blood on ther floor.” “I wouldn’t, doctor. I really wouldn’t. Don’t you see I have you covered? That’s the disadvantage of swallow-tails. “You’ve got to draw to shoot. Why, I’d have a dint in the bridge of your nose Before you could get that iron out that you're feeling for.” The jeering tone of Touch-Me-Not might have well maddened the man who heard it, but it seemed, on the contrary, to cool the doctor down wonderfully. His hand dropped away from his hip, and he took a step or two back- ward, while the ghost of a smile curled his thin s ** You’ve come in here tew make a riot, and ef I war to shute yew down, I gtiess you’d be paid fer, Yew air not in good odor in this camp. But I hev suthin’ else tew dew than buckin’ ag’inst every drunken rowdy as wants tew insult me. Mebbe some day I kin go tew it even.” “ You'll hardly make a fortune trying to get even with me. The fact is, you will be mighty apt to want some of your own pills and plas- ters. But there’s one question more before I skip, and Pllask it just to show my good will, What did you fellows among you do with Jim Canley’s daughter? [I tell you Ellen Canley has some solid friends, that will make no end of a row if she disappears.” “What air this no&sense tew me? I didn’t know he hed a darter, an’ ez fur Ellen Canley —thet’s his wife—she air ez crazy ez a loon.” ‘You'll have a chance to expound on that subject when the Vigilantes bring the matter into court. I’ve given you your chance; but you're as bad as the rest, and you'll have to go up with the gang. Good-night!” Touch-Me-Not spoke carelessly; bat be watched his man as he spoke, to see if there was any chance of his changing his mind. Dr. Coffin’s eyes met his steadily, and seeing this, Touch-Me-Not wheeled and stepped a pace or two toward the door. Then there was a little shoot of flame, a stun- ning report, and the room was full of drifting smoke, while under its vail Touch-Me-Not lay prone upon the floor. ' CHAPTER XVI. _ BETRAYED AND ENTRAPPED. Tovcn Mz Nor had made the mistake of tak- ing too much for granted, hen Colonel Canley dragged him out of Johnny Goodman’s, the little sport supposed that Ellen and her father had met, and that it was by reason of the story she had told that he sought his aid in the affair on the banks of Grizzly Run. That was altogether a mistake. Colonel Can- Jey had not seen the messenger dispatched to in- form him that his daughter had arrived, had not met her, and had heard next to nothing in regard to the stranger who had dropped in at Glory Gulch. On the contrary, he had taken him up on ac- count of what he saw, and if he made a mistake it was because he had not taken account of dis- turbing influences. Ellen omg accepted the report of the mes- senger she had seen dispatched in perfect good faith, though it gave her a little start. “It’s all right, miss, an’ ther kunnel’s no end d ter hear that ver hyar; but he ain’t prom- ernadin’ Broadway jist now, seein’ ezit wouldn't be ther thing ter interdoose Glory Gulch to yer notis with er funeral, You'll hey ter kim to his lay-out ef yer wants him ter enjoy ther comfort ov yer com y- With the experience that she had had of the mining-camp region, this, so far as she under- stood it, might seem startling, but not altogether unreasonable, Ellen delved for further elucida- eri am afraid that I don’t altogether grasp : a! — er the child he bad scarcely seen since she was an infant?” ‘Great Jewrewsulem, yes! They hed a row las’ night an’ didn’t draw. Ef thet thing war ter last, whar’d they stan’ with Glory Gulch. I tell yer, miss, they’ve got ter burn powder some time, an’ it’s on’y on ’count ov cirkum- stances ez it kin be put off ter-night. It’s got ter kim to-morrer s0 now’s yer chance. Ef yer don’t know whar he lives I kin offord ter pilot yer round. Ef him an’ Hart Blaine met on ther street, I tell yer you could step over dead mut- tin.” ‘ me | ‘‘And who may you be?” Ellen asked the question with a last remnant of caution. ‘‘ I’m Honest Hank, miss; an’ I woulnn’t tell a lie fur a millyun, Why ther sport cottoned right down to me, fust sight ov me voracious face. Didn’t yer see how he picked me out, an’ flung me a five? You kin hook onter me miss, an’ you'll find me stub an’ twist, A No. 1, old hoss-shoe nails an’ silver steel, I’m hefty.” ne And you advise me to go straight to my fa- er?’ ‘*Me? Blazes no. J don’t advise nothin’! I only tell yer what ther old man said,” “True enough. It was because be wrote me that, if he did not meet me I should come here and wait for him, that I did so. Wait a mo- ment, I will tell them that I am going and then I will be ready.” “Take yer time, I ain’t nothin’ on me mind ter make me worry, an’I got me pay in ad- vance 80 w’ichever way ther cat hops I’m se- cure.” Mrs. Goodman was a true western woman, understanding life as it was. She rather corroborated what Honest Hank had said, and offered no objections to the de- parture of her guest, so that Ellen went away without the least foreboding of evil. ‘Glory Gulch ain’t no slouch of a city, an’ ou’ll find it a right smart sprinklin’ ov a walk; ut jist foller me an’ l’ll take yer through, an’ ef yer can’t make it I'll git a wheelbarrer,” ‘*But where are Men taking me to?’ asked Ellen, as she saw that the way was getting more desolate than ever, ‘* Right out to ther Slap Jack. That's his lat- est find; an’ they do say ther strike ar’ [goin’ ter pan out three oughts sure, an’ ez many more ez yer dar’ ter stick on ter ther end ov ’em. You'll find ita regular fort, miss. Thet’s ther way we hev ter hev it out hyar,” The shadows of the twilight .were fading away into the darkness. With them went sight and sound of the Gulch, and a wall of thick blackness arose around her. They had turned into a narrow canyon. So far as knowledge of location went Ellen was lost utterly. She stopped short and peered around her, Honest Hank had sharp ears, or else he was aaraeting some such movement. He halted also. ‘I reckon yer ain’t got yer Arizony eyes yit. I didn’t think er that, Mebbe yer can’t see the “<7 ez plain ez you'd like?’ e asked the question with such utter sim- plicity that Ellen was almost dumfounded. ‘* See!” she exclaimed. ‘It is darker than a cellar. I can see nothing—not even you. What trap is this you are leading me into? I will not move another step.” “Oh, yes yer will. Yer a stranger byar; but it'll all come to yer in a few minutes. Hyar’s the path, plain ez a yee, yonder is ther Slap Jack; and thar’s ther light in the winder. Look right over me shoulder an’ ye’ll see ’em all.” ; “But I cannot see you, much less the things beyond.” ‘Why it ar’ plain ez day. Hold out yer finger an’ see if I don’t tech it the fust try.” Ellen was not yet frightened; she was firm. What Honest Hank said was beyond belief, and if he was trying to deceive her there was some motive bepout. Yet almost unconsciously she put his words to the test. Her right hand was in her bosom; rin held up her left, with the forefinger ex- n * Almost on the instant Honest Hank placed his own upon it, ‘‘Ha, ha! so yer think its dark? Bless yer soul, this ain’t nothin’. Less. ner a week ye’ll see right through it. They all does, It’s in ther climate. Kim on about ten oy more an’ then I kin leave yer in yer father’s buzzom. Ef yer can’t see, ketch on ter me coat-tail an’ I'll tow yer through.” ‘*I know nothing else that I can do,” Ellen advanced a step or two in the direction ' . | of the voice, and caught Honest Hank by the | collar. Then her voice ¢hanged suddenly. The touch of besitation went out of it. Something round | cold and solid pressed tightly against the skull i of Honest Hank. **] suppose this is all right but I wouldn’t he my father’s daughter if 1 didn’t iook after my safety when in such,a dubious strait—Lead | on now; but I give you fair warning that if } ee | | your road turns out to be crooked you will ave a bullet in the spot where your brains ought to be. I held straight to-day on the road-agents; and I’!]1 hold just as straight to- night on you.” onest Hank had the remarkable faculty of seeing in the dark almost as well as in the light, but Ellen’s movement was a complete surprise. Before he could guess her intention she had him at her mercy. “‘That’s confounded rough treatment ov me mother’s only darlin’; but ye’ll be ashamed ov yerself, Isw’ar yer will, I'll lead off, an’ when yer old man sees yer waltz me inter ther Slap Jack at ther muzzle ov er pistol he’il quan git up an’r’ar. Isay now, yer wouldn’t go back en a poor lone orfun boy, ez ar’ ther on’y support ov a widder mother? Go slow now, till yer see it ar’ all right,” Ellen nright yet have been deceived by his words, but at this instant she thought she heard a step bebind her, : It is possible that it was an involuntary move- ment, but her fingers tightened on the trigrer, and as the bammer fell a pair of hands seized her from behind. It was with a strange, thrill of utter help}ess- ness that she heard only a sharp click instead of a report, yet with it came a sense of relief that she bad not slain her treacherous guide, She neither struggled nor screamed as the pistol was wrenched from her grasp, while the grip of the unseen hands tightened. ‘No use ter squirm,” said a heavy whisper at her ear. ‘* Yer a pris’ner to ther Cutsleeves, lady-bird, an’ this stuff about yer father an’ ther Siap Jack ar’ ali bosh.” CHAPTER XVII. VOICES IN THE DISTANCE, ELLEN CANLEY was a braver girl than the most, and had already shown that, with oppor- tunity, she would not hesitate to defend. herself most desperately. But no chance had she now, as she very well knew the moment she felt the grip close over ae, Sn and she was not one to take life use- That consideration saved Honest Hank, for she might still have had time to fire a shot, and -. vo not likely that a second cartridge would ail her, Only for an instant did she hold his life in her © hands. Then the pistol was wrenched from her grasp. Honest Henk squirmed away, a mufiler was twisted around her mouth, and she felt her- self raised from the ground and borne along some little distance. Her eyes had become somewhat accustomed to the darkness, and now it seemed to her that she could see certain shad- owy forms around her.” t turf “‘Now, up with her!” exclaimed the same coarse voice she had already heard, “ Ther sooner we gif outen hyar, ther better. Thar will be lively times ef Jim Canley gits sot on our trail. Him an’ Hart Blaine ’u’d furgit the’r diffikilty and jine forces fur one’t., We'll. take ther gap-road through the mountains an’ be in ther hole long afore daylight.” ' The trampling of horses’ hoofs, low .and muffled, followed, and Ellen was flung up in front of a man, who grasped ber waist With.one arm, and a little procession started off. H bands had already been bound. After some time, in which the for the most part gently upward, her captor— was or, rather, the one in front of whom she was — being carried, spoke in a low tone: “ dy-bird, we ain’t ther sweetest ov angils, but we don’t car’ ter be rough on er woman ontil ther time comes when it hez ter be did, yer thinks yer would breathe easier without this hyar muffler ‘round yer chin, an’ gives yer word ter keep yer mouth shut, Vl slip ange tho’ it’s ag’in’ orders, If yer on ther squar’ with me, jist nod yer head. : It was not likely that such-a favor as this would be offered where there was much of its making any difference except in the matter — | of her personal comfort, Ellen was willing to sacrifice the chances—if there were any—for — sake of present ease, and without hesitation The knot bebind her head was once more she breathed free] ‘‘ What is the meaning of this outragef” Her voice was low; but spite of the self- possession that was really marvelous it would waver & little. yn “Turn about ar fa’r play. Yer ther bulge on some ov ther boys gp, reckon ther cap’ ar’ goin’ ter even up. er man—er woman ez gits away with er Cutsleeve hes ter answer fur ther life,” ** Can there Gomicboo be such brutes in the world as ta; S) oe ae : G ’ ‘ . (@) > . ¥ ~- * 4) 2. ,