Beadle's Dime Library, No. 261 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 our friends face to face with their peril, for an | answering shout of triumph from the band of raiders told them it bad been heard by their pursuers. ** Maledictions on the girl!” exclaimed Monte- zuma; ‘‘ they have discovered us.” ! | ' Black Sam, the Prairie : Thunderbolt. x CHAPTER XX. TRAPPED AGAIN, Every word pone by Balboaz to his men was plainly heard by the four fugitives in the secret cave, His final decision, ‘‘ There exists a page c) ‘* Jerusalem! what am we to do now?” said | through the mountain,” fell upon their ears li g po Sam. The lieutenant was silent. | an ominous prophecy. They had fancied themselves secure—when “ Follow me to the secret cave!” cried the In- | lo! the great secreton which they had based dian, darting past. ‘‘ Run as if you had wings; run for your lives!” He at once took the lead. . As he ran past the mortified girl, who too late bad realized her mistake, he said in quick accents: ‘* Watch my steps, and follow me as closely ible. I will lead you tw safety.” Without a word the young girl turned, and with compressed lips and flashing eyes bent all ber energies upon the swift tortuous flight up the steep mountain-side. It was indeed a task for that slender yet graceful form, Yet, though the agile figure of the Indian seemed almost to fly up the steep ascents, around rugged bowlders, over the narrow gul- lies, along a route impassable almost save to the practiced mountaineer, the slight maiden of only nineteen kept at his heels with the perti- nacity of a greyhound. She was determined to redeem the error that had nearly proved fatal to the little party. Close in her rear came the lieutenant, who could searce take heed to his own steps from watching the fascinating form that bounded on b fore him. Lastly came Sam, blowing and puffing like a huge porpoise. os this way they accomplished the steep as- cent in a marvelously short time. At last they stood near the secret entrance of the natural tunvel. They paused panting, and looked back down the rugged mountain-side. The mvon shone brightly in the west; but the forms of the pursuing raiders were concealed from view by intervening rocks and the wind- ings of the mountain path, ut their harsh exclamations and rude curses were plainly beard. “Tn for your lives before they catch sight of whispered the Indian, who had slipped ck the hidden door in the cliff, The maiden uttered a slight exclamation as she saw the opening thus suddenly disclosed in the seemingly solid rock. . But remembering her former error, she re- her astonishment, and hastily darted Peneatt the overhanging ledge into the secret unnel, The otbers foliowed, Montezuma being the last to leave the open air. He slid the stone barrier back into its place. It was then secured in such a manner that nothing but powder and fusé could stir it from the outside. Our friends were in darkness—and safety. ** Hist!” said the Indian in a sharp whisper, as Birdie was about to speak; “they will be here in another moment, Do not speak above a whisper. A very slight noise will penetrate the rock, and disclose our whereabouts,” After this caution all preserved a dead silence. The voices of their enemies were soon heard without, Cries of astonishment and disappointment bib dy exchanged among the Indians and out- aws. The voice of Balboaz rose above the rest in a high treble. *‘Carambo!” he cried, ‘‘are these demons forever to escape me? Speak up! who saw them last?” ‘‘Just below there I saw the flutter of the white squaw’s dress, as I was turning a rock,” said one keen-eyed Apache. “Did you see no one else?” ‘“No, Another rock hid them from me,” The point indicated by the Indian was a ledge just below the entrance to the tunnel. 4 hse Uso glanced up to the summit of the lee; as ‘they passed beyond this point,” he said, ‘they would certainty have been seen. The slope is even and straight.” He bent his head in perplexed thought. At omy be looked up—a demoniac gleam in his tiger-like eyes. “T have it,” he said. ‘These same two men escaped me in precisely the same manner, only an hour ago, on the other side of this ridge. Befere we could return they were in our camp, and stole my prize, Senora Lester. They flee, and just at this spot they again disappear; what is the inference?” Silence fell among those rough men as they listened to the shrewd reasoning of tbeir leader. It was by just such displays of superior intel- peepee that Balboaz maintained a despotic e over their rude, untutored minds. A moment’s pause—then the bandit leader exclaimed, triumphantly: ‘‘This is the conclusion, and the only one: there exists a secret passage through the mountain.” NT — —_ their hopes ef safety wasin the hands of their treacherous persecutor. One slender thread of hope remained. He might not be able to find the hidden entrance, It soon became clear that he would relax no effort in that direction. They heard the command given to search followed by the confused trampling of enter os among the scattered rocks and crevices of the mountain-side, The fair girl almost trembled at the prospect of discovery and recapture. Every approach- ing footfall found an answering echo of dread in her heart. Her three male protectors awaited the result in anxious but silent expectation. Once or twice they beard some one come directly beneath the ledge under which the stone door was cleverly concealed. In each case the steps receded without an- nouncing a discovery. ‘ The night was in their favor in spite of the bright moonlight, which could not dissipate the dense shadows lurking in the many crevices of the rocks. Probably half an hour thus passed away in agonizing suspense to the little party. Then fora third time they bear footsteps— this time the moccasined tread of an Indian =e0Ps yach dangerously close to the hidden rtal, ' Suddenly the voice of Balboaz breaks in once more: ‘* You have hunted long enough for to-night. We will return and resume the search by day- light. Four of you will remain as a guard, to see that the foxes do not leave their burrow.” The spirits of the four hunted fugitives rose pape. A whole night was a respite during which much might be accomplished by three resolute men. How fleeting the deceptive hope! Scarcely had the last words of Balboaz died away, than a sharp cry of triumph sounded without, almost at their ears. The cry came from the Indian who had crept within the sheltered entrance. The words were Spanish, and meant: **T bave found it.” Montezuma could scareely control bimself at these ominous words. They could not see bis features, but the two scouts could hear his strong teeth grind together in his intense cha- grin at finding his long-kept secret discovered. The lieutenant wondered how the stone wick- et, so nicely joined were the edges of the sur- rounding rock, could have been discovered in that shadowy recess where no ray of moonlight could penetrate. His curiosity was soon allayed. -The Indian’s cry at once brought around him the rest of the raiders, with their chief. The latter hastily struck a light with some flint and powder, and in answer to his luok of inquiry the Indian pointed toasmall shred of thin muslin, which projected from the rough surface of the s‘one. “ Carambo !” exclaimed Balboaz, overjoyed at the sight. ‘ My fair captive is certainiy be- friending us to-night. First a merry peal of laughter tells her whé@reabvuts, and now a sbred of her dress has disclosed to us the entrance to the secret passage.” The reader may imagine the hapless girl’s feelings on hearing this -ew misfortune. It ap- peared as if she were destined to bring destruc- tion upon herself and her brave defenders, The disappointment of the three men was ually painful, though from a different source, Still the little party preserved a strict silence, not venturing even on a whisper. Balboaz, immediately on the Indian's dis- covery, sent one of his men back to camp to procure a drill, powder and fuse. His purpose was to blow open by blasting the entrance to the natural tunnel. ‘‘We have no time to lose,” whispered the Indian when he became assured that such was the bandit’s design. ‘‘ We must make our way to the opposite end of the tunnel, Another half-bour and this cavern will be overrun’ by those rascally raiders. The tone in which he spoke these words showed how painfully the occurrence affected him. The little party had advanced some yards away from the entrance, and Montezuma now ventured upon lighting a torch, a store of which he had provided in one of the many crevices. : He then took the lead, and once more the devious passage, helf a mile long, was com- menced. In spite of the many dangers by which they 5 i were surrounded, Richard Moore and his faix- companion could not belp admiring the numer- ous and beautiful curiosities that attracted them on every hand. To Birdie Lester it seemed as though she were wandering through some new and wonderful world—a lonely world, sacred only to the Gods. of Silence—and whose ghostly inhabitants had long since departed, and in hand the tall, handsome soldier and’ ;, the gracefal maiden traversed the wonderful tunnel at the heels of the strange guide, Monte- zuma. Suddenly Montezuma balts when about half- way and points down to the spot they have pe met between two lofty and precipitous walls, ** You would not think that to be other than: solid ground?” he said, ‘* No,” answered all three. ‘* You will give a different answer if you ex- amine closely. It is a bridge of boards sli nd owe with clay, stamped down and ha ened. ‘“‘ How far does it extend?’ asked Moore, ‘About twelve paces. But, in fact, the- bridge is double.” ** Double!” ** Yes, as I will show you in a moment.” Montezuma handed the torch to the lieuten- ant and thén simply pushed aside a heavy stone: that lay against the base of the wall at one end of the bridge. Scarcely was the rock removed when a por-- tion of the narrow floor some twenty feet in length slowly rose till it assumed a perpendicu- lar position against the side of the cavern, There it could scareely be distinguished frem: the rest of the wall. But, strange te say, the narrow psssage seemed in no wise altered. A second floor stood in room of the first, and precisely similar: in appearance. The lieutenant, Birdie and Sum watched this: meh os phenomenon with amazement, ‘What is the meaning of all that?’ asked the: lieutenant of Montezuma.. ‘“ It means,” said the Indian with a curious smile, ‘‘ that were we to step upon that bridge as it now appears, it would break like pasteboard and bur! us to the bottom of a chasm bundreds of feet in depth.” ‘* A wonderful trap!” was the comment of the soldier. ‘‘But surely you will not leave it ip this shape?’ ‘‘Why not?” asked the Indian, sternly. “ Is not Balboaz and bis fiends behind us? Are thev not hunting us down like wild beasts!” No reply was offered to this. Only the lieu- tenant turned away with a shudder and gave the order to proceed.. The remainder of the journey was accom- plished in a few minutes, When they reached the wonderful rocking- stone, Montezuma said:. ‘** Balboaz bas probably left a guard at this end. Remain quiet a few moments while I see if the coast is clear.” With the words, he gently pushed the rock- ing-stone — sufficient to allow his passage. Stealthily creeping forth, he allowed it to close behind him. A few minutes of suspense followed to the three left within. Then the: sharp crack of @ rifle broke the silence. CHAPTER XXT. OUT OF THE TRAP, Ir was a moment of terrible suspense to those three waiting in tbe shelter of the gloom cavern after the he aah of the rifle scund- ed on the still night-air. Richard Moore eould scarcely restrain bim- self from pushing aside the stone barrier and rushing forth to the aid of his strange friend, the Indian. He knew the latter carried no rifle, and henee the shot, from whatever source, must bave been directed against him. Short as their acquaintance bad been, a strong attach- ment had sprung up between the lieutenant and Montezuma, The mystery that surrounded the latter? bis claim of descent from the royal race of the Aztecs, not more than his wonderful strength and agility had drawn toward bim both the esteem and respect of the American, Hence the fancy that the sbot be had heard had, proved fatal to his Indian friend filled him with sudden grief and remorse—remorse that all this danger bad been encountered in serving bim— and those dearest tohim. His fears were soon put to rest by the sudden movement of the rocking-stone and the appearance of Montezuma unhurt. The sudden rebound from grief and anxious suspense was almost painful, ‘ “Thank Heaven, you were not hurt, my friend!” exciaimed the lieutenant, impulsively. a, We were in torture after bearing that re- rt. The others re-echboed bis joy as earnestly. It was delightful to see the flush ‘Of pleasure that lit up the features of Montezuma on besr- ing ae tokens of esteem from his new rien Weak” rence ' — ee ~~ He who could be flerce and vengeful as & -