Beadle's Dime Library, No. 261 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

) : * é es . . ing it still locked. ahd ads as the bandit’s footsteps died away in the dis- tance. The next moment he had turned the key and entered a luxuriously-furnished chamber. There, kneeling on the soft carpet, he saw the form of Birdie Lester, her hands folded and eyes upraised in prayer, These words fell upon his ear as be entered: ‘“‘And send my brave Richard to rescue me from this horrible man.” Like an echo came the reply from Richard himself: ‘* He is here, Birdie, and will save you or die in the attempt.” CHAPTER XXXI. THE HIDDEN STAIRWAY, Brepre LESTER spruvg up at the sound of the deep, familiar voice. It almost sounded as if Heaven had heard her prayer and had sent the brave lieutenant in time to rescue ber from the hateful power of the bandit chief. She gave a slight scream of juy as she caught sight of Moore’s tall form, and realized that it was no dream. + “Quick, Birdie!” whispered the lieutenant, while he seized one of ber small hands in his warm clasp, ‘‘ there is not a moment to lose, if we would be off before the villain’s return.” Without a word, she allowed Richard Moore to lead her from the room, a joyful light gleam- ing in the blue Ne Sam and the Indian had been waiting outside during this little episode. When the lieutenant reappeared leading the fair girl, Montezuma closed and locked the doorin his rear, just as Balboaz had left it, only he retained the key. ‘‘What am dat fo’?’? whispered Sam. “To delay Balboaz. It will take him some little time to break in the door,” The party then hastened through the dark- ened corridor under the guidance of the Indian toward the secret door by which admittance had been gained to the inhabiied chambers. Montezuma did not dare to relight his torch while they were yet exposed to discovery in the open corridor, ; a He proceeded with as much certainty in the darkness as though surrounded by the full light of day. He odie the point where the door, worked by some secret mechanism, admits a passage through the blank wall. He tries by feeling in the darkness to find the hidden spring, but fails, ‘*T cannot open it without a light,” said Mon- tezuma. ‘“ Have you a match?’ Moore happened to have a box of lucifers, one of which he soon transferred to the In- dian. ‘* For God’s sake, hurry!” he whispered, anx- iously. Montezuma answered not, but struck the match against the wall. As the light flashed up his keen eye at once discovered the spot he had been seeking. . With magic quickuess bis hand darted to the spot and the stone wicket swung noiselessly in- ward, At the same moment a quick step, accom- nied by voices in earnest conversation sound- ed from the far end of the corridor. Instantly the match went out, and Monte- zuma said in an intense whisper: ‘‘In, for your lives, and step softly, if you would feel the open air this night.” There was no time for disputing about pre- cedence. Moore realized the full peril of the situation to the fair girl at bis side and lost no time in leading her through the opening. Sam came next, and lastly the Indian, who closed the friendly door noiseless!y behind hi im, Fortunately this had been done without rais- ing any alarm, and all drew a long breath of relief when they found themselves together and in safety. Safe they were—for the time being—unless something unforeseen should occur to disclose to Balboaz the secret door. This was scarcely probable after remaining so many years undis- covered. Meantime the little party heard sounds from the corridor without that required no seer to explain them. : . irst Balboaz uttered a cry of astonishment on finding the key gone. ° Then they heard him try the door and uttera series of maledictions in Spanish on discover- 4 Some moments passed in silence, then came the loud sound of some heavy instrument crash- ing against the door, ‘‘He will soon contrive an entrance,” said Montezuma. ‘“ We had better descend.” All agreed to this, and Montezuma lighted the torch which he stil. held, preparatory to lead- ing the party down the long, winding stair- way. We need not say that Richard Moore devoted himself to his companion Birdie; and, during the winding descent, interchanged accounts of the adventures that had befallen each since they had last met. They had taken but a few steps downward, when a heavier crash than they had yet heard, wey? ck Sam, the Prairie Thund 4 ets that Birdie’s late apartment had been orced, They hastened their steps, knowing that swift and earnest search would be made for the miss- ing captive, They reached the landing, through the floor of which another door would admit them to the little nook behind the waterfall, in much shorter time than it took them to ascend. Montezuma was the first to set foot on the stone floor of the landing. He suddenly drew back as if stung and turned upon those follow- ing with a warning gesture, “We are trapped at both ends,” he whispered, ‘*The room below is full of men,” We may imagine the consternation of the lit- tle party on hearing these words. Birdie clung to the lieutenant’s stout arm as if that alone would shield her from all barm., ‘*Return up the stairway a little piece,” whispered Montezuma, ‘“‘ while I find out the meaning of this,” The three thus addressed retreated a little way up, while Montezuma cautiously laid himself flat upon the stone floor of the landing... By applying his ear to a small crevice he could hear all that passed below, He remained thus perhaps five minutes. At the end of that time he slowly rose; and ascending rejoined his three companions. ‘* Well, what have you found out?’ asked Moore, in an eager whis;er. ‘*Much. We are io a bad fix.” ‘Those below are really bandits—our ene- mies?” 4 Yes. ” ‘* How did they find the hidden ndok?” “The bidden nook below us is known to all the bandits, but not this passage that leads from it, " Some one of the band was arr ‘about the valley about the time we went behin the screen of leaves. The light we struck with- in shone through and attracted his attention. He gave the alarm; hence the presence of him and others below.” ‘But what do they intend to do? What are they waiting for?” “They have sent a messenger to Balboaz and await his return. Finding the place empty, and no trace of a Jight, they were mystified, and are cursing the fellow for leading them on a fool’s errand.” ‘They have sent to Balboaz!” repeated the lieutenant, anxiously. ‘*That will be fatal, f fear. The cunning villain will guess at once from ‘hat direction rescue has come.” ‘‘As I said, we are in a tight place.” ‘‘Buc wo must do something. Is there no other passage that will Jead us out?” ‘None that opens into the valley. But they will be some time in finding the secret entrance.” ‘But if we are penned up in here we will starve,” ¢ ‘‘Time enough to think of that. But I hear them talking loudly below. I suppose Balboaz has arrived. I must hear what he says.” Once more Montezuma ascended and resumed his listening position. Hardly had he done so i ee of loud knocking commenced in the r below. They were sounding the walls for some secret entrance. The cunning leader of the bandits as Moore had hinted, went, at once to the root of the matter. : He conjectured; though he was unable to ac- count for such knowledge on the part of the two scouts, that they had reached the interior of his stronghold by some unknown path, and bad thus, a second time spirited away his beau- tiful prize. He had not reached ‘this conclusion until after the man sent from the valley below had an- nounced his seeing a light and hearing ‘voices in the room behind the waterfall. On receiving this information he at once sur- mised that through the hidden work the two scouts had reached his most private chamber. His first words on entering the place was an order to sound the walls for some hidden door. Of course they failed. Balboaz swore a little, but did not give up. “Try the ceiling! Down one of you on hands and knees. Pedro, your back is the broadest. Sam can stand upon it and sound overhead,” They did as directed; but as the one mount- ing the broad torso of the other, arose to an erect position, bis head struck violently against the stone above. To the amazement of all that part of the ceiling slid noiselessly back. CHAPTER XXXII. TRAPPED. A LUCKY, or rather unlucky accident had dis- closed what perhaps bours of diligent search would have failed to find. ~ Balboa¥ uttered a cry of triumph and step- ping upon Pedro’s back was the first to climb through the narrow if gS Meantime-how was it with Montezuma? The sounding of the walls below warned Lim that their concealment was no longer safe, Had he been alone be would have waited to see the final] issue of their search. But the lives of others depended on his pru- oo }¢ erbolt. dence. He must take no risks. When he heard Balboaz’s order to try the ceiling his course was plain before bim. He at once arose from his dangerous position, and with swift but silent step returned to the three anxious friends. Even then be did not imagine that the secret door would be discovered for an hour or so, His astonishment was great therefore, to hear just as he rejoined the two scouts and the rescued gir), a shout of triumph behind him—so clear— he a* once knew what had happened. | He uttered a fierce exclamation in bis own tongue; then, turning to those now wholly de- pendent on him he whispered: ‘Follow me, and instantly. They have found the entrance and will be on us in a mo- ment,” He checked the words that rose to Moore’s lips by a warning gesture, then sprung swiftly forward up the steep stairway. Thougb not wholly understanding the situa- tion of affairs, Richard Moore and Sam were: too prudent to disregard the Indian’s warning. Besides, the sound of some one climbing through the opening below came just then to emphasize his words. The lieutenant whispered words of encourage- ment to Birdie Lester, while mounting the stairs after Montezuma. They followed the steep windings for some minutes, and were finally brought to e balt by the form of the In- dian, who had stopped and stood motionless in the narrow, upwa rd path, ‘‘ Enter,” he said, pointing to a dark opening to their right. They obeyed, for their trust in Montezuma was implicit. . ; All this time they had been in darkness, for the torch bad been extinguished the instant the bandit bad discovered the secret opening. They entered the mystérious room in dark- ness, and the Indian followed, closing the en- + bebind him as silently as he had opened Ne eee + ee ** You are safe,” he whispered, ‘‘for the time at least, provided you make no noise to disclose your presence.” They had found this shelter in good time, for the noise of their pursuers’ steps sounded loudly on the stone stairway. Balboaz at their head, and waving a lighted torch, was carefully scrutinizing the walis on either side as he hastened up the steep ascent, He arrives opposite the ebamber in which stand the four fugitives, surrounded by dark- ness and peril. The hearts of theelatter almost stand stil] as the steps without cease for a moment just out- side their chamber of refuge. Sam and the lieutenant clutch their revolvers. fiercely resolved that it shall be a fight to the death in case of discovery. But the danger passes. The steps and rude- voices go by, and the little party once more breathe freely. ‘* There is a smaller room back of this,” said Montezuma. ‘Let us go there, and we can have a light without danger.” They all enter tue chamber indicated, the In- ‘dian’s footsteps serving asa guide in the dense gloom. After the door was closed behind ,them, the ‘Indian relighted his torch, and a flood of light illumined the narrow chamber. Like all the rest of this stran room seemed hewn by buman he solid rock. There were some flat, square sha scattered about the apartment. . used by the party for seats, The torch was stuck in a niche of the stone labyrinth, the nds out of the d stones hese were wall. ‘*We should have o guard in the first room,” said Moore, ‘‘to warn us of the enemies’ ap- proach,” Sam said he would a this duty, and at once returned to the first apartment. Moore and the Indian then talked over their situation, **Might we not escape by the waterfall en- trance?!” was the first query from the lieuten- _ ant, ‘Hardly! Balboaz has probably left a guard who will prevent any escape in that quarter.” ‘We might overcome them by making a strong dash with knife and pistol.” “We might; but it would be attended with great risk, and the almost certainty of recap- ture before we got clear away.” The Indian did not mention that Birdie Les— ter, their fair charge, would be a serious hin- drance to carrying outany such programme, Thé girl herself, who was seated on one of the stones close by, felt too well the vailed applica- tion of the remark. ‘*Go,” she said, raising her hands appealing- ly—‘‘ go, and leave me to my fate. ithout me you can easily escape. What am I that I should lead three brave men to lose their lives for me—” ‘* That will do, Birdie,” said Richard Moore, placing his band with mock authority on her ips. ‘* You have said quite enough. Another such remark and I shall n to think you pre- fer Balboaz’s company to ours.” \ Gomichboo KS — oe wt oe