Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 271 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

Stonefist, of Big Nugget Bend. | ae a Re Ee so are you. Make one hostile movement, and I will blow out your brains!” Yates moved around so as to face them both, and stood smiling mockingly. A brief silence followed. Zora bad looked quickly from one man to the other, and already understood the situation. Aller’s tace was stern and rebellious, but he wus unarmed and at the mercy of bis companion, And what the latter was, Zora had already discovered to her sorrow. ‘Well, what are you going to do?’ Yates finully asked, *T havea proposal to make,” Allen slowly said. ** What is it?” “TI will meet you in fight, as man to man, and let the victory be to the fittest.” ‘‘Do you take me for a fool? No; I have the upper hand and I mean to keep it,” * Are yuu afraid?’ ‘Never wind; [ shall not throw away my advantege. Iam about to send you out of the world, young man. I bave the way and the will, and the fact that you are alive now is be- cause | wanted you to see that your lady-love was in trouble.’ He pointed to Zora, but for once the girl bad nothing tosay., Her heart felt like lead in ber bosom. She knew Allen’s danger, and she knew her own, Allen, however, had no intention of dying witbout a struggle. The chances were against him, but it would be cowardly to yield without an effort in his own behalf, “One word,” he said. ‘ What are you going to do with this young lady?” ‘*Marry ber!” replied Yates Fromptly, though, in point of fact, be had no definite plan, havivg seized ber because she bappened to fall into his power, ** You'll find it a lively honeymoon if you do!” Zora retorted, It was just the turn of affairs for which Allen had boped, Yates turned his gaze upon her, and the chance was pot lost by Allen, With a quick leap he flung himself upon the outlaw, grasping his revolver, and as they reeled bck Yates’s foot struck against a stone and he fell, while the weapon went flying away. The men went down together, but in such a way that neither gained an advantage. A move more and they were mixed up in a des- perste grapple and whirling about like two tops. Fore sprung to ber feet and tried desperately to break her bonds, Her feet were not secured and, had sbe not been tied to the tree, she might have made good her escape. As it was, she pulled in vain at the cords Yates bad well secured, Useless as this course proved to be, she tried the next best thing and sereamed for help, Both men heard ber, but it made no difference just then. They were struggling like panthers in a death-grapple, and so well were they matched every effort was nceded to avoid de- feat. With Yates it had become a desperate fight They were :o near the village that tae girl’s cries would surely be heard, and if help came, or Allen won the grapple, it would go bard with him, The blood of Big Nugget Bend was up and Ju’ge Lynch was liable to take a band in the game. The outiaw put forth every effort and the combat became still hotter. They whirled about so rapidly that it was difficult to follow their movewents; with teeth closely shut and labored breathing they strove for victory. Suddenly the grasp on Yates relaxed, Allen’s hard. tell down and be lay motionless, Yates sprun. ‘0 hie feet, He needed no explanation of the situation; bis enemy’s bead had struck against a stone and be lay senseless. ates looked for his revolver, resolved to fin- ish the affair once and forever; but, close at hand, a voice answered Zora’s continued scream- ing and the fellow saw bis danger, is resolution was quickly taken, He sprung toward Z ra, tore away her bonds and forced to accompany bim. Through the guich they went, the girl being almost com- etely carried and unable to resist, since her ands were still confined. A few yards away a borse stood in a niche, where he had been left by Yates, Tbe animal was well trained, and thougb be was tossing his head with excite- ment be would not leave the place, The outlaw lifted the girl to the saddle, sprung up after ber, gave the word to the horse and bastened away at all ible speed, The way was rougb, but Ten-Mile Valley was not far away, and he bad no fear if he could once get out of rifle-shot. The i. of his horse’s noofs had barely ceased to be audible, when the man who bad answered Zora’s cries a red in the gulch, his face flushed with the effort he bad made, It was Deacon Stonefist! He looked eagerly about, and then, seeing Allen, hastened to bis side. It was his ea that the young man bad been killed, but a brief examination served to satisfy bim on that point. Yet, on another he did not seem at ease. “He arose, and looked anxiously about. He had — et LL LL LLL LL: heard a woman’s cries, but n0 woman was visi- ble. Once, he started several steps away, as though to make a search, bnt dead silence reigned around and he returned to the unconscious man, There was po water near, with which to re- vive him: but, luckily, none was needed, Allen gave signs of returning consciousness; and, held in Blake’s arms, soon revived. He came back to life with a gasp and sbiver, but bis mind was clear and he flashed a quick glance around, ‘* Zora!” he exclaimed. ‘‘ What of her?’ Blake anxiously asked. Allen staggered to his feet. ‘She has been abducted!” be declared, after another look toward the dwarfed tree, ‘* Quick, Blake, or it will be too late!” ‘* Be calm, but speak quickly,” said the Dea- con, in a peculiar, bushed voice, ‘ What has happened #—where is Zora?” ‘* Abducted!” answered the younger man. ‘Yates bad seized her, and I gave him battle. My head struck 5 ey a stone, and I was dashed senseless. He has taken her away!” Not another word did Ston fist utter. He ran along the guich in the direction opposite to the one from which he bad come, and Allen followed close at bis heels, ; The gulch was not long, and they soon reach- ed a smoother place. From there, looking down they saw a horse galloping through a seoon guleb. It was doubly loaded, and it needed no peeaiclen to tell that it was Zora and ber cap- or. Blake’s face was strangely convulsed, but a for a moment did he lose his presence of mind. “The villain will take to the valley!” he said, ‘Quick, Sterling; go to the village, get the two best horses you can find, and ride with all speed to the tall tree yonder, I will keep them in sight, and meet you there.” Terse as bis commands were, they covered the whole ground, and Allen started to obey without a word, As he shot away toward the village, Blake went more leisurely down the bill, taking care not to lose sight of the kidnapper for a mo- ment. Yates bad a choice of two ways—to remain among the hills and be satisfied with slow pro- gress and a chance to play hide-and-seek, or to take the Ten-Mile Valley and’ meet sure pur- suit. He chose the latter, as Blake had ex- pected. The latter went to the tree where be was to meet Allen, and looked back anxiously. To look at his face then one would not have thought him a disciple of peace—his expression was mors befitting an ordivary avenger. It seemed a long wait for his ally, yet Allen came quickly. He led two excellent horses. Blake sprung into the empty saddle with the skill and agility of a cowboy, and the two dashed away. The kidnapper w for the weatern hills. If he once gained t cover, his chance for success was good; their’s seemed to lie in running him down on the plain, And © ee race beeen, wih all je horses going at full speed. Strong hopes the pursuers had a first, for the leading horse wae double laden, but it showed a remarkable speed, and held its wn gallantly. “ But,” said Allen, between his teeth, ‘‘ we sball run it down before the ten miles are trav- ersed; we must, or Z ra’s fate is sealed!” CHAPTER XXXVI. ON THE KIDNAPPER’'S TRAIL. NEVER before had Ten-Mile Walley seen such arace. Hemmed in on three sides by toweri peaks, braced, as it were, by rough foothills, it was a beautiful region down which the miners had once hoped Big Nugget Bend might extend and be the rival of Deadville, but the town had DOS preepstee and the Valley was still a thing of Nature. But the footing was good, and on this day the rival horses 5 along urged by frequent words, if not with blows, The borse of the kidnap lendid mas- animal and he spared no ¢ nose outstretched and never r was a ort to obey b ter’s will. Wit turning his head he swept down the valley, his flying feet scarce seeming to touch the ground. In the rear the pursuers followed with all the speed they could'get from their animals, but not a foot did they seem to gain. All depended. on the endurance of the three. Few words passed between Blake and Allen, but, once, when the latter turned his head, be was struck by the tense, anxious look on Stone- fist’s face. Clearly, he bad entered into the pursuit with even more zeal than when be tried to reform the Bend by pointing out their sins. Five miles were soon covered, but without a reeptible change in the relative positions of he two parties. Allen turned to his companion. ** Shall we succeed?” he asked. “We must not fail,” the reformer answered, but in a voice wholly unlike his usual severe, in- cisive tones, . . ee “Unluckily, our borses are but flesh and blood, while Yates’s beast goes like a phantom steed. Only a complete break-down can lose the race to him.” **Can you follow a trail?’ “To a certain degree, yes. I have been among the Indians somewhat in old times. Ags long as Yates hangs to his borse he cannot throw me off the track, but to follow his own trail is beyond my skill. And you?” ‘* 1 know nothing about the art,” The race went on; the aountains grew nearer and the leading borse held hig own gal- lantly. A scornful smile came to Yates’s face and he turned and waved his band derisively toward bis pursuers. They made no answer,. but urged their borses to fresh efforts. The effort was made in vain; the abductor struck the foothills with a good lead and disap- peared bebind a fringe of trees, Beyond them were the ragged guiches and revines where: there were hundreds of chances for him to hide, Again Allen glanced at Blake, but the strong: face was drawn in‘o a series of frowns and the s.eel-like eyes set for a point directly ahead, where the kidnapper had last been seen, They reached the place themselves, with fouming and exhausted horses. They dashed in among the trees, The leading horse stood panting by a ledge but his master and Zora had disappeared, The pursuers drew rein at the sume place. sp What now?” Blake sharply asked, “Heaven knows; 1 don’t!” Allen confessed. Stonefist leaped from his horse and var the ground ahead of them with an eagle-like glance. He was looking for the way Yates. would have been most! ikelv to take and, forming: his opinion, he ran up the ledge, He was following a fissure along which ram a vein of earth! So far his judgment bad beem correct, for in more than one place they found: the mark of heavy heels. But at the top the clew ended, and they were: at a loss. By Blake’s advice they s+parated and, keeping a hundred feet apart, ran up the ascent beyond. It was a mere chance, but Blake’s eyes wero always busy and he caught sight of the fupilives- away to the left. Both were there, Yates and Zora, and he saw them plainly, One moment they were visible and then some intervening ob- ject bid them from view, A call to Allen brougbt bim after his com- panions and they Increased their speed and dashed recklessly along the rough way. Blake led, and biscompanion had to vse every effort to keep near bim. Several minutes passed in this wild rece, hut they did not again sight the pursued until their notice was called in a manner which came near making anend of Allen, The crack of a rifle rung out above them and a bullet brushed the oung man’s hair. Another inch to the left and t would have plowed its way through his tem- e ple. They looked up quickly. Above them arose a cliff which at first sight. seemed im able, but a closer survey would, show a shelf of rock runving along the side, And on the shelf stood Yates, his rifle still im bis hands, It was safeenough for bim to show himself, for they had no rifle and he was beyond: revolver-shot, ‘* Here I am!” he cried, with’a mocking laugb.. ‘You ran you race hotly, but now you have the quarry at bay, let me see you take him, am ready!” Blake and Allen used their eyes to advantage and quickly summed up the situation. The shelf! ended just beyond where the outlaw stood, with. an opening like a cave-entrance behind bim, There was but one way of reaching tbe place,. and that the shelf along which he bad gone. “Where is your prisoner, dog?’ Blake shouted. Yates laugbed and disappeared momentaril from view. He reappeared, boling Zora in hb arms, Helpless she certainly was, but they could see, even then, that a brayc look was on ber face. ‘““We are all here,” said Yates, derisively,. “Tf you want us, come our way.” ‘You shall see us, never fear,” answeredi Allen, hotly. oy Notbing will oblige me more, and I particu- larly want you, my man. Look at this sbelf of’ rock! Itis the only road to my eyrie, and I could hold it against an army, Try your Juck: in getting at me.” ** Listen!” said Blake. ‘‘ Release the girl and: —_——_ you shall g0 free,” t “Your kindness is remarkable, but I am here: to make terms, not to accept them. I defy you: both. More than this, 1am about to cairy the- war into your own camp.” He disappeared from view, and while they’ vane or his return Zora’s voice suddenly’ rung out: “Bave yourselves, my friends; he is reload-. ing his rifle!” t was a timely warning, and they did not: neglect it. They back 5 es yet where they could watch the shelf. Yates soon ap- ‘J, but he looked in vain for a target for- (EMMI! NOC) (C SiG (0)