Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 241 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

af® ee 4 “Doe a a io / ny! hh ~ | humanity from bis heart and brain. Spitfire Saul, Kine “Yelp on, sweet Dixie, if if gives you an eomfort! We're alone now, with Lofty Dick for our only auditor, and I am not afraid of his interfering, passionately as the foolish boy must have worshiped you, to dare my ven- geance. Sing on, my nightingale! Your voice sounds very sweetly in my ears, and I would not lose a note for all the gold in the Territory. It is part of my revenge—part of the price I de- saan for the wife I have lost!” So horribly malignant was his tone, so sav- agely malignant his look, that Queen Dixie was recalled to a sense of her own peril, and her screams died away in a low moan as she re- laxed her efforts to break away irom his dead- ly grip. ‘“‘Obstinate as all the rest of your cursed sex!” laughed Spitfire Saul. ‘‘Give you per- mission to scream, and you lapse into silence. All the better. You can suffer just as much, and can listen to my farewell speech, at the same time, without making me strain my throat. ** You threw me over for that boy. If you had been content to follow the usual pro- gramme, and run away to enjoy yourselves, I don't know as I would have felt so badly; but you added insult to injury. You plotted my death between you, You resolved to enjoy my hardly accumulated wealth, while Lofty Dick wore my shoes as King of the Rustlers, Taken all together, it proved a bigger dose than I could swallow; sol kicked. 1 let the fool have free run, fora time, then I clipped his wings. By that means, I fancy I made you taste a lit- tle of the bitter beforeband. Now—wait and see! Leaping from the throne, Spitfire Saul drew a knife and leaping into the air, slashed the raw- hide lasso in two, suffering the corpse to fall to the floor with a sickening thud that drew a maa gasping moan from the lips of Queen ixie, He laughed malignantly at this, but said nothing, as be rapidly stripped off his robes of mock royalty, then stooped over the corpse and removed the handcuffs, afterward cutting the strong cords with which his ankles had been secured, This accomplished he proceeded to dress the corpse in the gaudy robes which he had him- self discarded, and lifting the body in his arms, bore it to the throne, placing it in a sitting pos- ture close beside the trembling, shrinking wo- 1 man. “ Bah!” he cried, mockingly, as he observed this. ‘*‘ You were not so fastidious, but a few hours ago. T’ll warrent you never shrunk away from the living lover: then a should vou do so from the dead bridegroom? Is it be- cause you are so modest? Because [ am look- ing on? Never let that trouble you, my pre- cious. Look on me as only the priest who unites two loving hearts, not as the deserted, betrayed husband!” Uttered in that tone, his words were horrible beyond description, and sick, fainting Queen Dixie would have fallen from the throne, only for the bonds which King Saul had applied, With the severed lasso by which Lofty Dick had been su-pended from the ceiling, he bound the corpse to the throne, taking sever+1 turns around Queen Dixie’s waist and drawing her close to the corpse, before he knotted it. All the time uttering the most cutting taunts his inflamed imagination could devise, King Saul forced one arm of the wretched woman around the bloody neck of the dead man,eclasping one ring of the handeuffs around her wrist. He bent the left arm of the corpse in the same fash- ion about her throat, forcing their heads so close together that their long, curling locks in- termingled, and then snapped the other ring around the other hand thus treated. With a second pair he joined their other hands together before them, then stepped back to gloat over bis devilish work, laughing hoarsely, madly, his eyes glowing like those of a madman or a veri- table fiend. ' “Thus do I wed you, my children, in the holy bonds of padlock! And what King Saul hath joined together, not even death or the devil can put asunder!” Ho went still further, but his words and ac- tions cannot find a place in this page. For the time being, he wasa madman, It is only char- itable to believe that be did not know what he was doing or saying, at'the time, The wrongs which he had suffered at the hands and through the plottings of these two persons, drove all He had thoughts only for vengeance, and studied only how to make his blows felt the most acutely. He knotted their curling locks together, then drew back egain, to view the frightful specia- cle, and satisfy himself. that there was nothing more be could do to complete that horrible em- brace, or render it more lasting. “Farewell, my precious children!” he cried, in a tone of hideous mockery, as he pretended to dash away the tears from his eyes. ‘I must leave you, now, but I have no fears that you will mourn my absence, at least before the first mad transports of wedded bliss are growing old! “ When you weary of your bridegroom’s ca- 5 ’ te - a . TTT . of the resses, Queen Dixie, call for your devoted ser- vants, and they will come—if your voice is loud enough. Once more, good-by! Be good to big ashe | my children!” and with a low bow, 1e turned and left the room, locking the door behind him, leaving the lights burning in the lamps against the walls. Left them alone, bound together, the living and the dead, beyond all! possibility of freedom, without aid from others! te CHAPTER XIX. AN IMPORTANT CAPTURE. ‘Haut! Han’s up, you ole sinner, or down goes your meat-house fer keeps!” Leaning far forward in the saddle, diligently plying his huge, bull-bide boots, the heels of which were armed with rusty spurs, against the steaming flanks of his horse, a wayworn, dila- pidated-iooking traveler had been pressing on over the dreary desert, like one exceedingly anxious to reach his destination. But as those swiftly uttered words came to his ears, and he caught a glimpse of several human forms risin from the grass which crowned the little knol directly in his front, covering him with their rifies, he abruptly drew rein. **Durn it all!” he uttered in a pettish whine, as he cowered lower in his saddle, one hand stealing toward the revolver at his side, while from beneath his shaggy eyebrows, he cast a swift glance to either side, as though to estimate the chances for and against a bold dash, ‘*Cain’t ye see that I ain’t the game wuth the yickin’? Ain't got a red cent o’ money, rags er kiverin’, an’ a durned ole hoss that kin gal- lop all day onto a billiard-table!” ‘*What ye take us fer, anyhow, you durned ole crow-bait?” indignantly demanded the man who had uttered the peremptory challenge, his weather-beaten countenance flushing hotly as he glared over his leveled tube at the cringing traveler, ‘*Pizen thieves ur pesky Rustlers!” was the defiant squeal, as the old nian suddenly wrench- ed his horse around, at the same time casting himself behind its body, but clinging to the pommel with one hand, while he jerked forth his revolver and took a snap-shot at the man who had halted him. A howling curse of angry pain, proved that his lead had not been entirely wasted, but be- fore the jaded horse could take a second leap in flight, several sharp reports rung out, and with an almost buman cry of agony, the poor crea- ture plunged heavily forward, dead ere it touched the ground, The traveler must have anticipated something like this, when he uttered that defiance and fired his shot, but notwithstanding, his horse fell so suddenly tbat it caugbt him unprepared, and before he could regain his feet, or secure either the revolver which the ugly fall had knocked out of his hand, or draw another from his belt, the enemy were upon him, and he fell back with a gasping groan as a riflo-butt crashed down across his skull. A little ery of wonder broke from the man who dealt that blow, for with the dilapidated bat, off flew a mass of coarse white hair, leaving an altogether different looking man from the one they had halted: smooth-shorn face, dark al- most as an Indian; black hair, close cropped; a broad, purple scar, running from one ear almost to bis chin. But neither he nor his fellows were men to give way to surprise long, while there was busi- ness to be attended to, and sixty seconds later the old man was disarmed, bis hands tightly tied behind bis back, and the noose of a lasso fitted snugly about his throat, The force of the blow bad been broken by his hat and matted wig, and scarcely were these precautions taken, than the prisoner began a desperate struggle, ceasing only when one of his captors thrust the cold muzzle of a cocked re- volver full between his eyes, ‘‘Simmer down, ole coon, an’ don’t make us waste powder!” ‘It’s a durned shame taat a honest critter cain’t take a ride on ‘portant business, ’thout hevin’ a wheen o’ p’izen road-agents jump bim an’ butcher his hoss—” ‘* Which we'll butcher more’n the hoss, ef you don’t let up that clatter. Road-agent nothin’! Do we look like them p’izen cattle, ye durned ole mole?” “‘Looks don’t count, now’days,” doggedly. “Ef you ain’’ no sech, why did ye stop me an’ shoot my hoss? Was I hurtin’ you? Not much! I was ridin’ on a matter of life an’ death—” ‘ Whar to an’ what fer?” ‘To the Debonay ranch. Take me thar, an’ I'll go bail the gent’ll sw’ar that I’m on the squar’,” he eagerly replied. “Rf you be, whar’d you git that hoss?’ de- manded another of the scouting party, sus- piciously. ‘‘I don’t know you from Mother Adam, but I kin sw’ar to the critter. That p'izen cuss, Windy Jess, rid it through these arts when Spitfire Saul an’ his gang made thar ast raid. Whar’d you git it?” ‘*Traded fer it, durn ye, an’ that’s enough. ustlers. ee R a ET 25 Won't give ary other yelp tell you let me go or take me to see ole ebsaise ; ” Et the boss says so, all right. Must see him usf,’ ‘** Boss who?” ‘* Leftenant Boyd, o’ the Rangers, Mebbe ye know him?” ‘*No, I don’t, nur I don’t want to, nuther!” sullenly. ‘* You want to take me to the ranch in a heap burry, or you'll never be sorry fer it but once—an’ that'll be fer all time!” ‘The shortest way is ’round by the camp. They ain’t no hosses nigher, an’ you’d fall all to yieces afore you could make the ranch a-foot- ack, Stump along, now, lively!” The prisoner pleaded and threatened A turns, but alike in vain. His captors strode along without reply, and if he lagged, the well- greased noose of the lasso closed around his throat, and ke was obliged to wend his pace, or be thrown upon his face and dragged at the end of the rope. Half an hour later the party entered a clump of low trees, where they were met by two men, both old acquaintances of the reader, Lieu- tenant Mark Boyd and Genteel Guy. With a low cry the latter leaped forward, and, grasping the prisoner’s shoulder, stared in- tently into bis face for a full minute, then laughed exultantly, as he cried: **[ told you my turn would come, Fred Blood- good, alias Windy Jess, alias the devil-knows- what all!” : ““Which I ain’t, nur you cain’t preve it, nuther!” growled the fellow, bis snaky eyes glittering venomously. “ I’m a honest—” ‘* You lie!” hissed another of the Rangers, thrusting bis anger-convulsed face close to that of the prisoner. ‘‘ You're Windy Jess! I give rou that wound on the face fer killin’ my little rother! An’ now Ill kill you!” A strong hand caught his uplifted arm and tore the bared blade from bis band, while Mark Boyd sternly cried: ‘* Back to yore place, Bevins. If this man proves to be the outlaw, as charged, be shall be fitly punished; but you can do no butchering | here, Fall back, and wait your turn,” Sullenly the Ranger obeyed. Few men cared to dispute him, when Mark Boyd spoke in that tone, The bronzed face of the captive turned a shade paler as he realized that he was recognized be- yond all hope of denial; but still he did not despair. He held one more card, and that he played with desperate calmness, ** It’s all a lie, an’ ef you hang me you’ll find out you bin doin’ murder one o’ these days. But even ef I was the p’izen critter you think,” pointedly addressing Genteel Guy, “ you dasse1.’ tetch me to my hurt. Kill me, an’ the ones you love better’n your own life ’ll pay the forfeit, Let me go free, an’ I'll give you two the richest pay you ever got for ary one life!” “What do you mean?” sharply demanded Genteel Guy. ‘* Set me loose, an’ I'll tell. Keep or hang me, ep yarn still find cut—but too late to do any good, The leader of those who had taken him pris- oner now came forwerd and bastily related what the fellow bad told them when first taken. Gen- teel Guy laugbed scornfully, ‘**Bab! you were riding there to gain the money Pierre Debonay ak Hinge you for restor- ing bis son, You think he will intercede for you; no doubt be would, but he'll never get the chance, Lieutenant Boyd, as one of your men 1 demand that this scoundrel be placed on trial for his life. I charge him with being a member of Spitfire Saul’s gang of cutthroats, with mur- der and theft.” **'You’ll weep tears of blood for this, I tell you, Guy Abbey!” hissed the priconer, throwing off all disguise in his anger. ‘‘ You have pro- nounced your own doom in uttering those words, With me dies my secret, You have your warn- ing.’ No attention was paid to his stormy speech. The Rangers set aban forming a wild-wood court, acting promptly, as though perfectly familiar with the details of just such scenes; and no doubt they were, They had too often lost the just rewards of their hard riding and harder fighting, by trust- ing their captures to the hands of the so called proper authorities. Money would hire un- scrupulous lawyers, and even grease the palm of justice. Red-banded murderers would be turned loose to take uP y ft their eareer just where it had been temporari abandoned. Withcash at their back, criminals laughed at the courts ” of justice. Sullenly the prisoner watched the proceed- ings. A jury was selected by lot. Lieutenant Boyd took the seat of judge. The prisoner was brought before him, and then the charges were made. To these, one and all, he gave a flat denial, Genteel Guy swore that he was the man who had introduced bimself as Fred Bloodgood nearly one month before that day. how he bad been knocked senseless, by a blow from behind, then left bound and gagged upon the prairie, while the accused rode on to the Debonay ranch. He briefly detailed the man- He told. | Lv a ee ain i. a. “ Ver’ ve eo -—s ee fads aot Fcomicbooks