Beadle's Dime Library No. 263 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

— at peace-making by springing toward Camp like a e@ moment his saber whistled over his head, and then it went down with arush and flesh and bone before it. The sickening thud was followed y a pitch and reel on Camp's part and then he lay dead at the avenger’s feet. What followed the doctor never clearly knew. He had a dim recollection, afterward, of seeing the Black Riders come at him in a body, with Redspur at their head, and then his saber met opposing steel, He had some knowledge of the use of such a wea- pera and in his desperate condition he must have ought hard if the terrible encounter he afterward believed took place was not all a myth. Be that as it may it ended disastrously for him, and with an impression that the mountain had fallen on his head he lost his senses. CHAPTER XXXVII. THE DEMON OF SMOKY MOUNTAIN, R Rupe recovered consciousness after a lapse of time he had no means of computing. He returned to earth, if we = so express it, with an aching head and a vague idea that the mountain which had fallen upon him ought to be thrown off befoie be | would be himself. Tron-Armed Abe, the City of the Desert; at least not in the hands of those in power. Diamond had survived the ex- plosion, ike Abe, but he knew nothing of her. Red- spur only knew that she had slip away during the progress o/ the fight with Doctor Rube, Abe was sure neither Diamond nor Redspur knew anything about her. ewing this report, Griff seized a theory which none of them could shake. Norola was an accom- es swimmer; she must have leaped into Golden reek and made good her escape. Undoubtedly she was then hiding somewhere in the mountain. Iron-Armed Abe favored this. idea and agreed to | search for her, but he agreed with the others that new quarters ought to be found for themselves. “The demon of Smoky Mountain will not delay much longer,” he acknowledged, as a deep boom was heard from the unexplored depths, ‘‘and we must go. It would not be strange if the volcano should be in full force of operation. twenty-four hours hence, If this should happen, let King Dia- mond beware! Just as sure as the lava rises to the top of the crater, so sure will the City of the Desert 'meet the flery deluge, and if it continues long | | enough Bing Dare anes city will be buried forever from the sight of man.”’ And so they prepared to leave the strange retreat Putting out his hands he failed to find any larger | which had so long sheltered the Destroyer. When mountain than a bump the size of a hen’seggonone | the top of the crater was reached they were covered side of his head, and he sat erect. Of all the actors in the recent fight he alone re- mained. He was by the river, but even the dead dog had disappeared. nowhere visibla Feo have recaptured her and left me for dead,”’ he muttered, as he compressed his aching head. For a moment he was filled with despair as he thought of Norola's new peril and Griff's grief, but the strength of his nature speedily asserted itself and he staggered to his feet, “Back to Black Pit!” he muttered, reaypeh It was a difficult and wearisome road, for half his strength seemed gone, but no one molested him and he reached the mouth of the crater after a time. As he toiled down the side he could not but notice the continued change in the place. Heat, light and smoke had each increased, and he thought of the Destroyer’s predict on and did not doubt but that the “demon” of the mountain would soon awake in his might. Full of the unpleasant news he brought, Doctor Rube staggered along the passage to where he had left his friends. Entering, he saw Griff and Ned Boxfield side by side, but hedid not address them. Unconscious of the fact that he was covered with dust and blood and made a terribe picture, he sunk upon the floor and again lost consciousness. When he recovere his pains seemed a good deal eased and he lay on a comfortable couch, rude though it was. is mind, however, was not clear and he heard a sound which confused him all the more. It was a cradle song, a lullaby he had heard scores of times at his mother’s knee, and he was s0 LAr ame at being thus carried back along the road of Time that he opened his eyes, He was still in the volcano-cave, and only a few bsbeed away Iron-Armed Abe sat with The Wild in is arms and sung the old lullaby with all the melody and tenderness before mentioned. Doctor Rube looked at him in surprise, wondering how he had escaped from the explosion and fire, hut when he saw that both beard and hair were badly burned be knew the escape had been a narrow one, At this moment Ned Boxfleld perceived that his friend was conscious and he sprung forward with joyful words on his lips. Then Doctor Rube learned 10w he had a peer before them looking more like & dead man than anything else, and how they had worked over him for a long time after he fainted be- fore they were sure he was a live man. Well, they were once more in Black Pit, and_there was no danger for Doctor Rube. He had been hardly used and had lost considerable blood, but he would be all right in a few days. Of Iron-Armed Abe it was not safe to propery. He had returned to the crater half an hour before Rube, considerably singed by the fire, and ina frame of mind no better than that of The Wild. To all their questions he had been sypanenny deaf, for he had answered nothing. Going straight to * Little Nora,” he had taken Ties in his arms and sung the lullaby as tenderly as ever, but with his gaze fixed on vacancy. It was a great misfortune for the little party. With Norola once more in the hands of herfoes and the hunchback’s services lost, the se was dark indeed. True, Rube knew Camp would never trouble her more, but Diamond might have escaped; case, a city full of enemies remained. Utterly exhausted, Doctor Rube finally sunk to sleep even while Griff and Boxfie'd talked, His last impression of the actual world came in the shape of the net tones of Iron-Armed Abe’s lullaby. When he awoke no one was visible except The Wild, He arose and found himself far stronger than he had dared to hope. A day of rest would make him all right. He was about to seek for his companions when Griff and Ned entered. Their faces brightened at sicht of him, and after some minor conversation they told what news they had. The hunchback had aroused, as from a trance, and ne out to learn the state of, affairs at the village. é seemed never to tire, ear was some unknown to him. Griff and Ned were a good deal troubled by the state of affairs about the volcano. That interesting object was fast assuming a shape which they be- lieved warned them not to remain long in the dan- gerous retreat. He went with them to view it again. The work was going on, and where only the center of the crater had formerly been known to send up smoke, the whole diameter was now more or less filled. Heat and gases, too, arose In a way which alarmed the trio, and dep, subterranean thunders told that the demon of the mountain was moving restlessly. They had unanimously decided that the chamber was no safe place for them in this emergency when the hunchback returned. He showed no trace of ae mentai disorder, but was the calmest of any one ere, The news he ot ag was unexpected but far from being unpleasant, Norola was not a captive in | orola and the Black Riders were | | SSeS sss uhm in any | it, go and tell ' } | with ashes and the stones were uncomfortably hot where, one day before, they had been cool. Then they went away, never again to look into Black Pit, Denser and darker than of yore arose the smoke, and for yards around ashes strewed the earth and rocks. e demon of Smoky Mountain was indeed ee Iron-Armed Abe led them along the mountain-side toward a new refuge he hadin mind. They would have left the vicin Wy of Golden Valley had they dared, but, knowing the way would be watched by the Black Riders, a wiser course was adopted. Abe was fixed in the belief that the volcano would pour all, or nearly allits eruptive matter to the south, or into the Golden Valley, and that the mountain at the west would be perfectly safe. Doctor Rube, Griff and Boxfleld were worried by the necessity of ere this BP yn song by daylight but Abe was full of quiet confidence. He declare that he could avoid all their foes, because nothing escaped his attention, and a part of his assertion seemed almost proven true when he abruptly or- dered a halt by the way and then stole through a fringe of bushes at one side, Doctor Rube followed. Below them lay a ravine which was from ten to thirty feet deep. Along this, a hundred yards away @ horseman was advancing. Abe afterwar declared he had heard him through the rattling of his horse’s hoofs, and his ears were y very acute. But this was not all. Behind the man wasa second rider—a woman; and only one glance was necessary for Doctor Rube to recognize Norola. She had plainly been cap- tured by one of the Black Riders, and was being borne to the village. The hunckback seemed to think for a moment, and then, with a word to Rabe, moved out on a stout, dwarfed tree which extended horizontally from the side of the gulch, and hung over the path. Once there, Abe extended himself at full len his whole person concealed by the foliage, and seeming like a hideous spider in ambush. Rube saw a knife in his hand, and awaited the result with considerable confidence. Nearer came the Black Rider. He jogged on in a careless, contented mood, and seemed to take no note of what was transpiring around him, Norola was equally quiet, but the shadow on her fair face told of despair rather than resignation, Still nearer rode the two, until they were beneath the dwarfed tree. Then, like a boa-constrictor descending on his rey, a dark object swung down from the bush, a Enite gleamed the air, the rope which bound Norola to her captor was severed, and then, with searecely a perceptible effort, Iron-Armed Abe swung his arm around the girl’s waist, and raised her from the saddle, How it was done, Doctor Rube never clearly knew, but the hunchback showed his great strength by twisting back into the tree, burden and all, and then to a firmer support; and by the time the Black Rider had recovered from his s , the Destroyer’s mocking laugh was ringing in his ears. ‘Hal ha! ha! where is your captive now? If you want her, come and get her; if you don't care to try mond that she may be found with Iron-Armed Abe.” Evidently the man preferred to be a messenger rather than a fighter, for he no sooner heard Abe's voice than he put spurs to his horse, and galloped away. But Norola was in the hands of her father, and the rugged old fellow was not ashamed to shed a few tears in his joy at recovering her. “Et works on my heart like a spring freshet, little ‘yn,’ he said, ‘‘an' ez ther more effective ‘cause I rally had my doubts ef I ever see’d ye ag in; 1 had ’em sore |"’ He would have gone on caressing her forever, it may be; but Abe wasin his most practical mood, and he urged them on, ‘*Our cave is not far away,” he said. “Wait! said Norola. ‘“ There issomething for us to do first; I cannot leave Leora!” CHAPTER XXXVII. THE HOUR OF VENGEANCE. Aut the party heard these words with consider- able surprise, but it was Doctor Rube who quickly answered: *** Leave Leora?’ What do you mean?” ““We have been in a cave together, and she is there now, I sup . We had nothing to eat. and while she slept I stole out to secure something and was coptured by the Black Rider.” ; 4 ae why were you together—why were you with er?”’ “She has been very kind to me, and it was she who appeared and took me away last night after you were attacked by the men at Golden Creek.”’ “You don’t mean ra Templeton, do ye?’ Griff the Hunchback Destroyer. 29 -_ -——n asked. “Ef ye do, I don't go one yard ter help sich a critter. She hez b’en your worst foe—” “Wrong, father, wrong; Leora has been m friend. e has deceived the Diamond men, and it may be the same with you, but she is a dear and faithful girl." “Lead the way to her,” said Doctor Rube, a new hope making itself felt in Lis heart. And then they went on, unheeding Griff's asser- tion that he still had his doubts, and the cave was found, but Leora was not there, nor did a thorough search reveal her. She had completely disappeared, much to Norola’s grief, so they went on to Abe’s new refuge and were soon ey quartered. The Wild had grown some- what excited during the journey, but the hunchback fitted her up a cosey nook, and as he smoothed her hair he sung the old cradle-song until her weary eyes closed and she slept. In the mean while, Norola was indignantly deny- ing all attacks on Leora Templeton's character. ‘She did ot ‘lure’ me to the City of the Desert,” she said. “She came to our cabin, Father Griff, and said that you and one in whom she had an interest— who do you suppose that was, Doctor Rube?—were on the Rattlepan Plain and in danger, and so I left home and went with her. How we journeyed on and on, never overtaking you, and fin aan cap- tured by the Black Riders and brought to Golden Valley, | won’t tell in detail now; but she has been my friend all the way through, and she saved pi ioe capture last night. J say she is a dear r Here the speaker looked at Doctor Rube in a way so reproachful that he became confused and prone: but he was not disposed to give up the bat- e tamely. “But what of that conversation I accidentally overheard when Camp was trying to marry you? She took his part, advised you to marry him, was quite heartless and scornful; and if I am any judg belt nearly had a fight—if you'll excuse the last wo ” “Nonsense! that was all a pretense. Diamond approached her to become his ally, and as we could see no other hope, we decided that she must appear to become so. And when we were quar ng. Camp was listening at the door. So ere, now!’ With this feminine bombshell to close the debate, Norola hed her pretty ae upon Doctor Rube, but he was already conquered. More than that, he surrendered joyfully; if Leora was not all bad he was glad of it. ripple in her favor brought about a discus- sion as whether it was best to make any effcrt to find her, but Griff and Ned Boxfield opposed the idea so strongly that it was abandoned. ‘Since she is the ally of Diamond in the attempt to steal the million of Jacob Templeton, miser mil- lionaire, deceased, I reckon she don’t need any backing up here,” legally deciced the junior, This opinion, however, cost him the friendship of Norola for the time being, and he repented saying - as sackfui of ashes,” as he gloomily observed ube. The day wore on without events of t im- portance, There was considerable activity visible among the adhcrents of Diamond, but they f to find the new refuge of the little Ba of fugitives. Their old one had become uninhabitable. Smoky Mountain became worse every moment, and a dense column of smoke rolled up from Black Pit. The air was full of ashes, many of which were wafted by the north wind toward the valley, to fall like a warning snow upon the City of the Desert. It was deemed strange by the fugitives that the ea did not hasten to flee from the impending peril, but an apathy was shown which was remark- able, They were evidently relying on the fact that Smoky Mountain had done no harm in the past but they were defying common-sense to trust it now. The place had a strong attraction for Iron-Armed Abe, and he once went as near it as the heat would t,an hour or so before dark. He came back n a@ mood at once restless, exaggerated and im- pressive, “The end is near,’ he said to Doctor Rube, his melodious voice ringing cut powerfully. “The demon cannot much longer be held quiet, His heart beats with a sound like distant thunder, and he is blowing smoke and fire from his mouth. The end is near, and ere the rising of many more suns the valley below will be a plain of lava. Ha! hat where will Diamond's city be, then?” With these words the strange man went to the side of “Little Nora,” and laughed like a ha child, ending with the old mg but Doctor was not surprised, somewhat later, when he an- nounced that he was going to confront Diamond, accompanied by his sister. Griff and Ned Boxfield opposed the scheme as & suicidal one, but the doctor sponte only when ap- pealed to; then he added surprise to rise “Let them go,” he firmly said. “* Whatever comes of it, le them go. More than that, I am going, too.” “You?” wT 1% * Are you mad?” ‘Perhaps I am; I don’t know; but I am going to seek Leora Templeton, If I have wronged her, I Wat's mm "tis a te ination all their argum om eterm on ents *rfhan eas tne astldalge drew near, the three us it was as ght drew near, thet Doctor Rube, Abe and The Wild—left the cave and started for the valley city. Those who remained be- hind never expected to see them alive again. Such a night as that had never before been over and around the City of the Desert. Smoky Moun- tain was gore like avast beacon on the sandy lain. B Pit was one sad of light, deadened y smoke and ashes to a dull hue, but shooting high into the air and throwing yellow light over all that vicinity. No need then for lights of man’s manu- facture; one could see to read coarse print even in the streets of the city. And ever and anon, a boom, as from a far-away cannon, sounded on the air. It was a nicht of terror. ‘Ha! ha! the demon has burst his chains,” said Tron-Armed Abe. “The morning will see tho burn- ing lava flowing!” MMIELDOOKS (E@) | (E(@)