Beadle's Dime Library No. 263 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

— — -—- the same course, and ultimately disappearing behind the same hill, : Nor was this all; a third and a fourth fol- lowed, but nove of them emerged from behind the hill. Then the procession ended, but Doctor Rube had grown interested and was filled with a de- sire to know who and what they were. He started to arouse Griff, but, thinking better of it, resolved to investigate alone, So be put away his pipe, looked to his weapous, descended bis bill and made bis way toward the one behind which the unknown horsemen had gone. No more than ordinary prudence was needed, for great bowlders that hed once lined the bot- tom of the Jake were all along the way, and he saw no one during the journey. He reached the southern side of the bill and paused to listen. All was Silent; there was nothing to show that the strangers were near, bu he felt sure they had not left the opposite side, He was beginning. to wish he had brought Griff, but be would not return. He began the ascent of the bill, and pausing often to listen, ultimately gained the top. Once there, he peered over with extreme caution, The horsemen were visible, and not only the few he had seen, but a round dozen more. All were lying at their ease, and with the excep- tion of two or three, al] seemed asleep. A short distance away their horses stood in a group, Ati first it seemed no more than a sleening camp, and of little interest, but Doctor Ruve noticed a peculiarity, and others followed in rapid succession. he campers were strangely alike in every particular. Each one was clad in black, and the fa-hion of their garments was the same, even to the drooping helmet hats, All the horses, too, were jet-black of color, and against a rock leaned fifteen spears with black wooden handles and glittering steel blades. Doctor Rube could not see all this witbout remembering a time when he had seen similarly clad men in another place, and his lips framed three words: : ‘‘The Black Riders!” Ay! Unless appearances were Ceceptive, a detachment of Captain Diamon::’s horse soldiers were before him. hat they were doing so far from the City of the Desert was not clear, but Doctor Rube cared little so long as they were there. It flashed upon bim tbat by following their trail he could go to the secret city, and he only delayed for a more critical survey before returning to Griff. He was still looking when a hand was laid on his sboulder, but, so light was the touch, he scarcely started, believing it to have been from tbe hand of Griff or Ned; but when he looked around he saw an unexpected sight Tron-Armed Abe stwod beside him! It will be remembered that Rube had not seen him since the night in the City of the Desert when they were jointly eDpre sortie. KA save the girl from Diamond’s clutches. The Destroyer bad made a deep impression on his mind then, and he had often wondered what had become of him, but that they would meet thus he had never expected. “Well?” questioned the Hercules, calm] “Speak softly,” said the doctor; ‘‘ the Riders are just below.” », What of it?” Isn’t it well to keep them ignorant of our Black _ presence?” ** Perbaps so,” ‘Come with me, Iron-Armed Abe; I want to speak with you.” ‘‘Speak here. There is little danger of our ptero st alas and if we are it is of no conse- “You are the man I wish to see of all men. I judge that you bave not rauuen me?” 7 “ We were jointly engaged in folly,” was the curt reply, ‘The time was el ae ago; the scene, King Diamond’s city. We set ourselves up for knights of chivalry, or some such nonsense, and tried to play the gallant to a woman. “True, true. Abe, I have never known the end of that fight. I was struck down and put out of fighting trim. What was the end—what became of the girl?” The hunchback made a gesture of derision, “So your thoughts still run on her, You were very much interested at the time,1 re- member; tried to make me believe she was a Rersecutad angel or something of the kind, bh! she was a woman!” Doctor Rube mutely agreed that his own ex- perience had prepared him for this opinion. ** But what became of ber?" *‘T don’t know, When the Black Riders came upon us it was so clearly a waste of time to fight that Iran away. Perhaps this wasn’t heroic, but I would not waste any blood for that female and I thought you a fool for your infatuation.” The doctor winced. “You knew ber then?” ** No, I had never seen her, but it was clear to me that she was a fraud. You thought you Iron-Armed Abe, the Hunchback Destroyer. were taking her from a prea’ danger, but she did not want to escape. I could see it plainly. She pretended to be afraid of me because I ‘vas deformed. She was nothing of the kind; with ;ou as her chief protector she would have fol- owed a skeleton if he promised to take you away from King Diamond. The girl was play- ing a game that night, and what is more, the alarm she gave Diamond was intentionally given, Thatis why I didn’t care to He 3 her away, and why deserted when the Black Riders struck. If it hadn’t been for that I should not have dallied by the way: I would risk limb and life to aid one whom King Dia- mond wished to destroy. The girl was in league with him!” ; This was a view of the matter which Doc- tor Rube had never taken. He had looked upon the affair at the secret city as one where Leora Templeton had been honest and persecuted, and bad believed that she had afterward been over- persuaded and had entered into Diamond’s lans. ; Now that Iron-Armed Abe advanced the idea he was not reluctant to believe; but the ques- tion arose, what. had been the object? Time and again since that singular period in his life Rube had wondered why Diamond had brought him ell the way from Snicker’s Gulch to the City of the Desert to perform the amputation and had then abandoned the game so tamely und sent him back. ‘* Abe,” be resumed, after a pause, ‘* where is that girl now?” The hunchback chuckled. “You onght to know,” he replied. ‘I’ve seen you going into her house wot many days ago. They call her Leora Templeton now.” ** Isn’s that her real name?” “You know it isn’t, You know the real Leora died over a year ago in the railroad acci- dent, You know this butare reluctant to be- lieve. Why, it’s all clear enough. It was at first proposed to sever one of the girl’s hands, so that she could look exactly like the genuine Leora —for all San Francisco had heard how hr hand had been lost—but there was sume obsta- cle or other iy the plan and they finally omit- ted that and pla on their cards for a million dollars on a bolder basis, They won.” The statement removed Doctor Rube's last doubt—if, indeed, he had before been able to doubt the evidence of bis own eyes—and he saw Leora Templeton, so called, in all her mental deformity, which was as hideous as her outward enpeerepce was beautiful, he last feather was added which was neces- sary to send him to the secret city full of re- vengeful thoughts, . “Can you lead me to Diamond’s city?’ be abruptly asked, after a pause. or am no man’s guide, but you have the Black Riders under your own eyes. They are headed that way; watch them and you may see the secret city.’ The Hreronies had been looking over the crest of the bill, which was almost a cliff on the northern side, and he suddenly erected his head. **Look!” he ssid. “The stout man with his head on his arm is Redspur, chief of the Black Ri- ders. He is Diamond’s best man, for Camp is a coward, But Redspur is bri ve as a rock. Given a command he oheys without question; he is always ready to fight and murder, though far from being unnecessarily cruel by nature. The speaker raised a small stone and poised it in his hand. ‘What are nervously aske ‘Give valiant Redspur a start.” The Destroyer put aside the kand with which his companion would have prevented the act and dropped the stone. Doctor Rube watched its course with suspended breath. It struck the sleeping man squarely upon the shoulder, mak- ing a dull thud and then bourcing to one side. t brought Redspur up like a hi ing-jack and he arose with his weapons in his hands. Standing there he glared around like the grim desperado he was, and it would have fared bard with an enemy whom he bad at bis mercy. But a mocking Jaugh sounded from the top of the bill. ‘“‘ Look this way, Redspur!” cried the Hercules, ‘Look, with all youreyes!” The chief obeyed and, standing on the crest, he saw his old enemy. The sight was not sur- prising, for he knew enougb of Iron-Armed Abe to feel no emotion if he saw him at the North Pol It did occur to him, however, that it was a good chance to seize the man who had de- stroyed so many of bis Riders and his loud voice aroused the whole camp. : Not long did it take those experienced war- riors to get in motion, but when they surrounded the hill there was no sign of their old enemy. He had come as mysteriously as be always did and gone as sa ely and silently. Redspur would have given his office for Iron-Armed Abe’s head, but he was more likely to some time give his own head and get notbing in return, | But Doctor Rube, who had procipitately re- treated to camp and aroused his com ons, was in better spirits. He had lost sight of-the hunchback in the retreat and had no thought 7m going to dof’ Doctor Rube 21 LE ee of looking further for bim, but they were near the B ack Riders and the use of such prudence as Griff understood would enable them to go on to the City of the Desert. At least, such was his opinion, just then. CHAPTER XXVIII. THE CITY OF THE DESERT, “HERE we are, gentlemen; look for your- selves!” Tne speaker was Doctor Rube, and he ad- caressed Ned Boxfield‘and Griff. Thethree men stood on a high hill, which might well be called a mountain, of crescent shape, Within the space thereby inclosed was a valley, and in the valley was the City of the Desert. Yes, they had passed over all the intervening miles: and there at last, at daybreak, they stood and looked down on the secret city. The place seemed asleep, and the whole valley was silent and gray. Even the eastern moun- tain was as yet untouched by the sun’s rays. : “Ti’s ther same place,” said Griff, “but it hez changed amazin’. Not a house stood hyar when I was on ther scene last, and I confess I’ve bad my doubts ever sence we started cf ther house warn’t a Jnjin-fatuus o’ your brain. | But et is byar!” ‘‘ And to think that I spent six months with other guides trying to find it! If I had known of you, all that trouble might have been saved,” Ned and Griff took up the conversation, while Doctor Rube fell into thought deep and none too pleasant as he looked down at Golden Valley. There he first met her who was known as Leora | Templeton, There was batched the plot to se- « cure a million dollars. There he bad been ordered to mutilate the girl’s band and had almost—he would not admit anything further—fallen in love with her instead, At one time he bad given up the hope of ever seeing the place again, but Griff bad brought him safely through. We say Griff, because the trail of the Black Riders, encountered at the ory lake, bad been lost soon aftemit was “lifted,” What had become of them or of Iron-Armed Abe, Rube did not know, but once more he | looked on the mystic city. Others saw it too, and when the case of Alton vs. Templeton was tried, be would not be alone is — statement that the place was a thing of ac “Ther next thing,” said Griff, breaking in on his meditation, ‘“‘is ter gobble a few o’ tLer | } Black Riders,” ‘* Which is easier said than done, The non- chalance with which J. Q. A. Smith sat in his office and suggested that we bring bome two or three of them for State’s evidence was refresh- | ing. One would think they were fish, to be had A by the baiting of a hook.” “If your hunchback was here we might hire = to bag a few of ’em,” suggested Box- { eid, \ eam ** Have no fears, gentlemen; if you want the | Black Riders they are bere!” It was a new voice which made the aunounce- } ment, and the trio wh. led like one man, They sf were startled, and they had reason tobe, Before iy them stood Redspur, and behind were half T.? score of his ebon-bued followers. os “4 It dawned en Doctor Rube that they were © in a trap, and his hand dropped on his revolver. Before he had time to use it, Griff arose in the 4 air like an acrobat, shot over the bead of a man | who was in his line of advance, and vanished like a ghost among the rocks. A neater pice © of work bad never been done at the City of the rt, and it was almost miraculous when Griff’s gray bairs were considered, Redspur, however, was not the man to let a second prisoner escape in such a way) and at a wave of his band the Black “4 Riders—all were on foot, in this case—hurled : themselves on Rube and Ned. | There was a confused struggle for several | moments and then a knot of human beings slow- a ly untied and the two adventurers were visible *| with their hands tied behind them.. | Redspur looked at them with a grim smile | He was a brawny fellow who might have made 4 a model fora Roman gladiator, and es a black 4 beard persisted in coloring his chin and cheeks s despite frequent shaving te bad & particularly solid and grim appearance in general. ) **So you want to bag two or three of the Black Riders, do you, boys?” he asked, “I believe we mentioned the fact,” Rube “ie cooll replied, te . ‘Sup ou take me. ‘ f Nethiog ould suit me better,” est. ‘You are no chicken, I see. But why are stop you here?” Doctor Rube hesitated. ‘I’m afraid we can’t give any real reason. There is a legend that there is a secret city somewhere in Arizona, so we looked for it.” “That story will do for now,” Redspur evenly | observed, ‘‘ but you must understand that tie a rulers of yonder city will not believe it. Come re ¥ ** What sort of a wickedest city in Arizona ig this that can’t be looked in the acer? Boxfield. * <s) Eomichoo ~_. Se (¢