Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 241 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

18 —_—_ — ee - his schemes—to close my fingers on his lying throat just once!” In gasping breaths these sentences rose in his throat, there to be smothered by the unyielding gag, but they were written in letters of fire upon his brain. Every minute was an age of torture to him as he lay there so helpless, His brain tortured him worse than the rope or the gash through his scalp, or the heat of the blazing sun. Ee until he stood erect, his body swaying swiftly from side to side as he sought to gain and pre- serve his equilibrium. : a ie At length he succeeded, though it was a terri- ble strain upon his cram muscles, but then | came the most difficult part of his forlorn hope. In bis mad love for the beautiful daughter of | his employer,-he could connect the devilish | schemes of Windy Jess with none other. His plots were all against her. Taking advantage of having been of service to them, he would be introduced to Pierre Debonay by the two mai- dens; the ranchero would receive him courte- ously, thank him politely, then turn him over to Lucille for entertainment, while he again buried himself with bis books. And then? Genteel Guy groaned aloud in bitter agony as he pictured the rest, his boiling brain fancy- ing he beheld the bold outlaw stealing away his treasure, riding madly over the desert through the night, clasping her i ae to his bosom, whispering vile taunts in her horror- stricken ears, bearing her away to—what? Tortured almost to madness by the horrible visions which rose before him, Genteel Gu rolled over and over, dashing his face and skull 6 tet the ground as he vainly strove to burst his bonds. Then—a hoarse, choking cry es- caped his lips, as the thong which held the gag in place, broke and let the wad of buckskin- covered grass drop from his aching jaws. This was a most fortunate incident. Only for that, the chances are that the young fore- man would bave gone mad, or have suffered a sunstroke before his desperate struggles came ee The crest nearest the Debonay ranch was considerably the highest, and he knew that should he once succeed in gaining it, he would secure an uninterrupted view of the surround- ing country for a goodly distance on either side. Unfortunately his face was turned in the opposite direction, as the ground upon which he stood, sloped eg that way, and he had taken advantage of that fact, thinking only of securing his perpendicularity once more. This he bad at length obtained, but now he must face around and attempt to gain the crest. With every muscle painfully strained, Genteel Guy made the attempt, on which he felt that so much depended, bending his knees slightly and making fittle jumps, of only a few inch spans, gradually turning himself about, until his face was toward the longed-for crest, which looked, oh! so terribly far away, as he began to realize the full nature of the task he bad set himself about accomplishing. . For the first few yards, though trying and straining enough on his hampered muscles, the task did not appear so hopeless, but with each succeeding jump, Genteel Guy felt his hopes steadily ebbing. It would have been bad enough had the feat been set for level ground, devoid of all obstacles; but here, on rising ground, with the coarse grass growing fully to the hight of his knees, with many an tt «ng in the sur- face, trifling when considered by any ordinary pedestrian, but terribly trying for one in his condition to surmount, the test was wholly be- toanend. That free, full breath of air, com- | yond the power of mortal man to accomplish, ing just when he was almost suffocating, acted | like a douche of cool water on an overheated brain, and Genteel Guy lay on his side, inhal- ing the grateful air, rapidly becoming his usual self “What an infernal idiot I have shown my- self, from first to last!” he muttered in tones of utter disgust. ‘‘ Have I altogether lost my wits, since that black rascal stepped upon the scene? It looks like it! Every step a false one —and why? Because I was a fool, and fancied I saw something in her eyes as J lifted her upon ey horse, to be sure of which I would give my life without a murmur!” For a few minutes he lay without motion, his blue eyes all aglow, the hot blood leaping through his veins as he recalled that glance, as he once more sought to read the joyous tidings which he had fancied—was it only fancy—he read in her glorious black orbs as he rescued her from almost certain death, that day. Then, like an evil cloud, the handsome face of the man who had outwitted him, came be- Dh pa gs the bright dream vanished to give place to stern reality. ** While I’m lying here idle, that cursed fiend is hard at work!” he muttered, scowling an- grily as he glanced down at the tightly drawn coils of rawhide. ‘‘Am I helpless? Is there nothing I can do? No rg of nag out of this scrape, in time to foil his plans? If Mark woukd only chance along— Ha!” With a quick exertion of his hampered limbs and muscles, Genteel Guy raised himself to a sitting ture, and glanced eagerly around him, only to have the eager light fade from his eyes, as nothing save the dreary waste of grass and an occasional stunted shrub, met his search- ny Sane ntil that moment, he had failed to realize his precise situation, but now he saw how cun- ningly Windy Jess had timed his assault, to leave him a prisoner, just where there was the least probability of his being discovered by any person going to or coming from the Debonay ranch. Behind and before him rose the twin slopes, each one making a gentle curve toward each other, and uniting into one, not many rods above and below where he now found himself, thus form- a | a miniature valley, less than a quarter of a mile long, by only afew yards in width. Un- less some one should cross that valley, he would remain undiscovered, without he could make his voice heard; and as that idea occurred to him, Genteel Guy raised his voice in a shrill, prolonged yell. “Tf I was only up there on the crest!” he muttered, after the lapse of a few minutes, thus employed. ‘But how? Can it be done? Let me think!” With knitted brows, he pondered over the difficult problem, wild fancies flocking through his heated brain, only to be discarded as worse than Me ai But then the perplexed frown a , and an inarticulate cry escaped his ps. : Shifting his position, so that he would have the advantage of what little slope there was, he essayed to raise himself upon his feet. It was me slight task, for his ankles were bound to- gether so tightly that they had not the slightest room for play, and more than once he fell heavily back, just as success seemed about to reward his persistent efforts, but still he would not admit defeat, and tried again and again, id Sos. a Genteel Guy doggedly stuck to his self- appointed task, jumping more and more rapid] as he felt the difficulty of maintaining his bal- ance increasing, great drops of perspiration dropping from his face, his breath coming in short, quick fiery care The coarse grass tangled itself around his ankles, more than once nearly casting him headlong, the young man only saving himself from an ugly fall by a series of tremendous efforts that rapidly sapped his powers. he coils of rawhide appeared to grow tighter and tighter, eating into the unnaturally-strained muscles of his legs, threatening to cut short the circulation; but against all these the young fore- man struggled and fought, as he had never be- fore given bactle in all his life. It was not to be, however. A knot of grass tangled itself around his ankles, and though Genteel Guy fought desperately to keep his footing, he fell heavily over sideways, the shock almost stunning him. A gasping groan escaped his lips, as he felt himself rolling over and over, rapidly losing the ground he had so hardly gained, but absolutely without the power to remedy the evil. His brain whirled and spun around, strange noises filling his skull, lurid flashes of light blinding his aching eyes—it seemed as though he was going mad. When he once more lifted his head, Genteel Guy uttered a gasping curse of utter despair, for he saw that he was still nearer the bottom of the slope than he had been when he first be- gan that terrible fight against fate. Worse than that, he knew from the dull, lifeless sensation when he attempted to draw up his 4 that they would require long and perfect rest before they could repeat the task of jumping up the bill. ‘(Tt will be too late then!” he groaned, closing his eyes in sullen despair, ‘‘ Even when I can try tt again, what good? No man on earth could keep going until the top was reached, and to pause means to fall—then another roll— Ha!” Genteel Guy sat up as me og as though a secret spring had been touched by some cun- ning finger, and glared around him, his eyes flashing with renewed hope. If he could roll one way, despite his most strenuous efforts to check his progress, might it not be possible for him to roll the other? Slewing himself around so that he would lie at right angles to the course he must pursue, Genteel Guy flung himself backward, and rolled over and over, a hoarse cry of triumph escaping his parched lips; for he felt that the trou»lesome enigma was solved at last! With frequent pauses for breath, to rest his painfully tasked muscles, and to correct his course, the young foreman worked on, slowly but surely nearing the goal. It was re work, bound so tightly, rolling up hill, tangle in the.coarse grass, but he had gained wisdom from bis former failure, and whenever he felt his powers failing, he wisely paused to rest, ly- ing on his back and grasping a bunch of grass, to keep himself from rolling down again, thea renewing his upward way. pres It was frightful work. Had only his life de- nded upon the result, Genteel Guy would cara ceased the struggle, long before success rewarded bim; but he thought of Lucille Debo- nay, whom he believed threatened by Windy Jess, and that reflection, with his great love, lent him the requisite powers to accomplish the tremendous feat. / TT Spitfire Saul, King of the Rustlers. His brain almost bursting, his parched and | swollen tongue hanging out of his cracked and | bleeding lips, his body aching in every fiber, | quivering as with a palsy, Genteel Guy lay on _ the crest of the land-wave, absolutely exhausted | for many minutes, though he knew that even | then his main hope—the coming of Mark Boyd —might be escaping him through this terrible inertuess. Then, with a desperate effort, the young man raised himself to a sitting posture, and swept his eyes around over the wide expanse thus pre- sented to his view. A hoarse, inarticulate cry gurgled up in his throat, as he tried to wave his hand, forgetting that they were helpless— then his powers failed bim, just when he felt that he needed them most; for there, not five score yards away, rode the Ranger lieutenant, Mark Boyd! Though he knew it not, Genteel Guy had been seen and recognized in that brief moment by his friend, who galloped rapidly to his side, and leaping from the saddle, cut the cruel coils of rawhide, his face sternly pale and hard-set as he began to realize what terrible torture bis friend must have endured, to score his hand- some face so dee 34 ‘* Who did it hat for?” hurriedly uttered the Ranger, as Genteel Guy opened his blood- shot eyes and pushed away the brandy-flask. ** Pell me by signs, if you can’t speak!” s Vey Jess—gone to ranch—evil to girls— quick! Faint and incoherent as were these broken sen- tences, they were sufficient for the keen-witted Ranger, and without losing any more time, he raised the body of his friend in his powerful arms, and placed it in the saddle, hastily bind- ing it fast to the high pommel witb a piece of the severed lasso, the better to guard against a fall while he was mounting behind. Then supporting Genteel Guy with his arms as he grasped the reins, Mark Hoya plied spur and dashed away toward the Debonay ranch, anxiously questioning his friend as they rode, His limbs set at liberty, with the motion of the horse and the strength of the brandy setting his blood in circulation, Genteel Guy was rapid- ly recovering his strength of mind and body, and loug ere they came in sight of the ranch, he had given the Ranger a pretty accurate.idea of how matters stood. Then, as they rose an abrupt slope which had for some time shut off their view of the ranch and its immediate surroundings, Genteel Guy uttered a cry of hot anger, crying: ‘* Yonder! by the Lord of Israel! it’s the hound himself!” Nearly half a mile away, they beheld a single horseman, going from them at a steady gallop; but had the distance been double what it was, the eye of hatred would not have mistaken its man, and with a grating curse, Genteel Guy snatched the Sharp’s rifle from its sling, and leaping to the ground, rested bis left elbow upon his knee, taking quick but steady aim, yin the hissing bolt over the plain in quest of the life of his bitter foeman. A sharp.curse almost blisvered his lips as he saw that his aim had failed him, and he cried: ‘** Follow the dog, Boyd! Take him, dead or alive! He’s only armed with pistols. I'll try to cripple his horse. Quick!” Not for an instant did the gallant Rayger hesitate, but pricking bis spiri steed sharply with the spurs, he thundered away in pursuit, while Genteel Guy, manipulating the long- range rifle as swiftly as possible, sent bolt after bolt whistling and humming through space, bis rage growing hotter and more fierce, as he saw the outlaw racing steadily away, the tiny dust- clouds rising behind, before, to either side of him, as the leaden missiles sped innocuously on their way. This very rage, his intense longing to brin down either horse or rider, killed or disabled? probably foiled the hopes of the marksman, for under ordinary circumstances, he would beaey have wasted a second bullet, over ground wit which he was so thoroughly familiar, where he could guess the distance of his target within a few yards. Keeping a little to one side, so as not to inter- fere with the aim of his friend, Mark Boyd rode on at full speed, intent on gauging the respec- tive powers of their animals, and before he had covered half a mile, be uttered a little laugh of exultation, for he could see that he was gaining rapidly upon the fleeing outlaw, who, judging from his frequent backward glances, was grow- ing uneasy as to the result. -On for another mile, when the intervening distance was cut down to a scant hundred yards, and the Ranger was beginning to think of put- ting a speedy end to the chase by using his re- volvers, when be beheld tbe outlaw draw rein and abruptly leap to the Sean at the same time turning bis horse broadside on, as though to provide himself with a breastwork. fith a wild yell, the lieutenant charged, drawing his pistols, but before he could use them, a spout of flame-tinged smoke shot out from under the neck of the Rustler’s horse, and with a spasmodic bound he felt his steed falling. It came so suddenly that he had scarce time to free his feet from the stirrups. Then he was comicbooks:co vo «owes