Beadle's Dime Library No. 263 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

Tron-Armed Abe, the 1 Hunchback Destroyer. Seen ; earnest as is the rattlesnake when he strikes out | much as though he bad got to wind up his con with his venomous fangs, but Doctor Rube re- | nection with the world, and men don't take 17 ———— 9 om aD ~ ——_——— dress touched him, but though she looked directly into his face there was no sign of re- cognition, tained his presence of mind, kindly to such things as a rule. Boxfield had twice called at Griff’s cabin to He pretended to make light of the matter, | Did, or did he not. owe bis present trouble to report from the detective, and ec) ‘ime he re- | and to regard it as a joke, and Ben let him ta:k | Miss Templeton? Was she a genuine prisoner, turned in bigh spirits, Norola «au» -0 gracious that he had decided to woo Leora uo more, and he was already prepared to pronounce her a wily adventuress, ‘“Bevond a doubt she cabbaged the gold of Jicob Templeton, miser-millionaire, by sheer fraud,” he said, to Rube; ‘‘and I fear my sen- ior wasin the game. He’s so mad at the oppo- sition that he roars like a trapped lion and his face is red asa lobster. I’m ashamed of being in with such a gang.” In the mean while Bn Bolter was a literal Prieoues Bully and ruffian that he was, he because he wishedeto kill time until the train started, In the midst of it all, however, another per- son came around the mound and Bolter and his friends aroused. ‘A woman!” cried the leader. tongue!” One of the men did it with a promptness which prevented any alarm and they had another prisoner on their hands, They were **Stop her like himself, or bad she resolved to remove the | man who stood between her and a fortune, even at the price of a life? The last idea looked more likely to be true than the first, and yet— Doctor Rube felt a keen pang. was all bad it was enovgh human nature, Ben Bolter at last ordered a halt, and the entire party dismounted, the prisoners being If this woman to destroy faith in still in doubt what to do with her when a loud | freed from bonds. voice from beside the train called out, ‘* All aboard!” and no choice was left in the matter, It would not do to Jet her return and spread the ‘* How tall are you?” he asked, addressing the doctor. ‘‘ Five feet, ten,” was the wondering reply. ad a great dread of the law; and having no doubt but that Doctor Rube had given his de- scription to the police, after the attempted murder, he kept bis room almost as constantly alarm. | Ben took aspade, which one of his men had Thus, the train went on and the party by the | produced, and passed it along to Doctor Rube. mound stayed bebind, a wg yt a hole six feet long, an’ three wide,” he te as though barred in. All this worried him. To use his own expres- sion, he was a “bird o’ ther outer air,” and he growled and sulked in his room in spite of all that boon companions, cards and liquor could do to make him contented. “Et is all ther fault o’ that durned doctor,” he said, for the hundredth time. “‘ Why couldn’t he die like a man whenI chucked him in ther hi Sech onkindnéss to me hurts my feel- ngs. _ And Mr. Bolter looked as grieved asa cast iron mastiff, “Sommut must be done,” be said, anon. “Captivity is ojus an’ I can’t stand it. I must go out, an’ in order ter go out that doctor must get outer ther way. Ef men was men, nowa- days, somebody would knife him fur me, but ez they ain’t I must knife him myself. That’s ther VAN Pi ther world; ef you want help, help your- self.’ And thus it came about that Bolter asked one of bis fellow criminals, who was also a scholar, to write a letter for bim. This letter, reaching Doctor Rube’s office, proved to be expressed as ollows;: ¢ **Docror Leypgen:—If you want news in regard to Ee missing mad-woman, come to the Cervantes otel, Haverstraw. 1 know you by sight and will meet you there. Iam willing to do what is fair, *'N. B.—Come alone or I shall not make myself known, A. B, ci Having read this letter. Doctor Rube did just what almost any other man would bave done; he went to the police and told the whole story, and the usual systematic plan was arranged for securing the writer. The doctor took tbe train as directed, and, to all appearances, was alone, but in another car went three police officers, who were to take no visible notice of him, but “happen” around at the Cervantes Hotel at about the same time. Doctor Rube settled down to his ride as philosophically as possible, and the train rat- tled up the San Joaquin valley, after leaving Stockton, at an express rate. Darkness found him considerable short of Haverstraw, and they still lacked twenty miles of that place when the train stopped on a bleak stretch of land where no building was visible, . “What's the matter?” was the general in- quiry, and then the travelers alighted to find a loose rail ahead of them. We'll have it fixed in fifteen minutes,” said a train-hand, and then the passengers agreed that the whole affair was only a good joke. The majority of them re-entered the cars some watched the work on the rail, and still others strolled about to see what objects of in- terest the vicinity afforded, Among the latter class was Doctor Rube, who lit a cigar and strolled around in an ab- sent-minded way. A dark object near at hand attracted his attention, and, on closer ac- quaintance, proved to be a mound of uncertain age He started to walk around it, but had only reached tne further side when he met two men. One of them thrust a revolver against his breast with machine-like coolness. ‘* Not a motion, or you are &@ dead man!” he exclaimed. - It was an ominous warning, but the doctor did not see fit to obey. It flashed upon him that he bad been trapped, and with a quick, upward movement he flung aside the revolver, while at the same instant his other band came out holding his own six shooter. One thing only prevented music then. His pistol-hand was seized in a tenacious grip, while a second pair of arms encircled his waist, pin- ning down both his own arms, and though he sevagiod furiously for a moment it was all in vain. “ Better let up,” said one of bis first assailants with a chuckle. “It ain’t no sorter use.” **Ben Bolter!” exclaimed the doctor. “We ain’t goin’ ter Haverstraw ter-night, we ain’t,” said Bolter. ‘‘Es fur that letter, [m ther man you started to meet, an’ I reckon you hev met me!” : There was something very ominous about the OPE RS Of but Doctor Rube did not think of that, had been a part of Ben Bolter’s game; and he | saw, too, that the three police officers would go on to Haverstraw without suspecting what had occurred by the way. Bolter had made arrangements for leaving the mound as soon as the train was gone, but he saw an unexpected addition to his party in the shape of a woman, and he scarcely knew how to proceed. ‘ Bidding some of his followers take the doctor aside, he went to the one who was holding the woman, and motioned to him to remove his hand from her mouth. ‘You kin scream now, oh pretty,” he said, with grim playfulness. ‘‘Ther train is gone, an’ it won’t do any harm ter stir op ther echoes a few. I'll give ye five minutes for fem- inine screams.” ““I decline to scream,” she answered, with commendable coolness. ‘If you want to do me a favor, let me go.” ‘You don’t desarve it. It’s all your own fault you’re hyer. We didn’t want you. This durned ole mound must have a powerful ’trac- tion ter drawr ye hyer. Wall, you’re in fur it an’ must face ther music. You’ll know better next time,” Mr. Bolter had made his decision, and he turued away and spoke to one of his men, ak went aside and soon returned with five orses, There was one for each person except the woman, who had not been expected, but Ben took ber on his own saddle, She was sensible enough to see the folly of resistance, aud made no unnecessary words, Doctor Rube was placed on bis borse with his hands tied behind bim, the same cord being passed under the animal, Then, when the rein was taken by a stout ruffian, he seemed per- fectly helpless. Taking this view of the case he devoted his first spare time to surveying his companion in captivity. A fortunate choice of position gave him the desired chance, their eyes met and a simulta- neous recognition followed. The woman was Leora Templeton! Greatly surprised, he saw ber make a start which expressed the same emotion, but neither spoke. terhaps they had a dim idea that it would be just as well to give no sign. After a few minutes Doctor Rube grew sus- picious. This meeting seemed something more than chance, and he found himself wondering ff he did nét owe his captivity to the girl. In this case her own was a sbam, but that had not been bard to manage. ** Ay, that’s it!” he thought; “‘ they mean to get the chief witness out of the way. My lady has trappei me, and I dare say I shall be fed to the vultur s asa punishment for meddling with a million «0.1 *rs.” It was a natural decision, but it wavered when he looked at the rough brutes around bim. Surely, no such girl as Leora Templeton would willingly risk herself in such company; even the bond of mutual interest would not make it safe, ’ He was not given much time for thought, for Bolter rode still nearer to him, “Pill-maker,” he said, swaggeringly, “this ride is ter be ashort one. When it ends your life will be like a clock ’most run down. It'll tick mighty feeble. You'll be so nigh your grave that you'll feel ther damp. I say this so ou kin say yer prayers ef you know any. hey’re said ter be a free pass on ther railroad o’ ther hereafter, an’ ’!! work in convenient. *Tany rate, critter, you hev got ter die!” CHAPTER XXII. He clearly saw that the displaced rail | bad in his mind; but his e not intend to go very deep. “Bolter, a ee for myself. Vl not thank ‘**For what purpose?” ‘For a grave!” “For whom?” ‘* For whichever on us dies fust.” The doctor could not doubt what the ruffian ression did not change. He held the spade he bad mechanically taken, and continued to look at Bolter. ‘Wall, be you goin’ ter do it?” the fellow ronay asked. Wane Doctor Rube spoke calmly and, removing his coat, drove the spade into the soft soil and threw up the first amount, The rest of the party stood in a circle around him, as though to prevent escape, He could see that the men grinned as though a rare joke was in progress, but Leora’s face was in the shadow. She seemed to watch closely, but he could not tell with what emotion. For bis own part he worked steadily, though without baste. It was the first authenticated case which had ever come under his_ notice where a wan bad dug his own grave, but be did His obedience had arisen, not from mere cowardice, but from a desire to gain time in which to form his plans. ' So he turned uver the sods and threw up the finer dirt below, not pausing to think that it was a solemn affair, but wondering bow he could avoid its being a tragic one. He could think of but one way; to attack bis four enemies single handed, using the spade for the first blow and then making it a fight for life or death, The occasion furnished a good deal of merri- ment for the ruffians, and especially for Ben The latter chuckled as eaeh spadeful of earth was thrown up, and indulged in divers jokes at the expense of the “ pill maker,” little suspecting that his branded victim was soon to urn ab bay. Doctor Rube marked his time and, stooping as though to raise more. dirt, be suddenl cbanged the direction of his spade and dashcd it full in Bolter’s face, ' The blow would bave felled an ox, and Bolter made an eccentric acrobatic flight throvgh the air fora few feet and then struck the ground witb a dull thud. Before the sound came, however, Doctor — Rube, moving with wonderful quickness, had. snatched a revolver from the belt of bis nearest foe and emptied a bullet in its owner’s body; etter which beturned to contend with the other wo, : As he did so there was another report and one of them pitched into the grave beside him, while the only remaining one made a flying leap, gained a_horse’s back and sped away in the darkness. One bullet Doctor Rube managed to send after him, but it went wide or he out- rode it. The doctor scarcely knew the result; he was looking blankly at Miss Templeton, who was mandi beside the grave with a revolver in her and, ‘**You—you—this fellow—” he stammered, pointing to the man who had fallen into the grave, ‘*T shot him,” she coolly answered. There could be no doubt about it, and he im- pulsively put out bis hand. ‘*'You’re a heroine!” he exclaimed, c a she disregarded both compliment and and. ‘‘We seem to be masters of the field,” she said, in the same even way. . ‘Yes; we've made a clean sweep,” he an- swered, withdrawing his declined Te rage | bave to thank you for timely aid in my fight.” - **Don’t mention it; | was only looking out ou, for I know you dhin for me. Our wouldn’t have risked any and we worked interests happened to be mu _ together; that’s all. Don’t let us be hypocritical or sentimental.” "2 4 “> y —_ ws ” “hee es OS ee t= eS ‘*Ben Bolter, I am, my pill maker. Make a THE DOCTOR AS A GRAVE DIGGER. Doctor Rube’s face flushed in spite of bis 5 note on’t an’ remember my style, fur ef you was no reason to believe ‘Bolter was | sturdy manhood. So keen a rebuff at sucha howl lll scatter your seven wits, [ve got ye | joking, and as he edged away at the end of his , critical moment was enough to upset even a he an’ this time ye stay.” ominous statement, Doctor Rube was left to stoic. Pride ceme to bis rescue, however,and yond a doubt Mr. Bolter was as much in ' thoughts anything but pleasant. Itlookcd very he laughed iz au unnatural way. ge é ‘ “ ¢ te "od N a sa A: = anig¥ tall « & ay Re ae atl ‘ = i . a —. —_ 3 micbooks. com, 2 hy. ik a . Bal yes J ¥ , A , » ~ ant . io.