Beadle's Dime Library No. 278 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

' ~ @ —_ = ee ee Fe ~ : ; , - CLUULISCs UULUSVUL. . > 7 - - a . : °. ’ More than an hour had elapsed since she saw | you that I would arrange. to be alone when ter Silver Bow with ther bonanza we've set our the rough deseend into its gloomy depths. If he had found the laced hat of Tae Man of the Velvet Hand be should be avove ground again, victorious. She wus eager to ask Crimson Con whet had become of ber pard, the dwarf named Pigmy mete, and her steps soon brought her to the shaft. + The first thing that greeted her eyes was the rope stretched taut from the stone to the edge f the sbaft. Suddenly it swayed a little, and then moved back and forth, as if somebody was trying to make his way to the top by its aid. ‘*Con’s coming up at last!” cried Lola. ‘If he wears the big bat he’l! be the proudest man in Idabo.” Her eagerness to greet the man coming up the rope took her to the very edge of the open- | panied by a grin. ing in the earth. ‘Con! Con!” she exclaimed, ** Thank | Heaven! you have the hat with the shining | ace!” There was a reply the girl did not under- stand, It was midway between an oath and a groan, ran aprmninaie d it was it seemed to hold her to the | spot. All at once the head of the giant’s enemy ap- peared at the top of the shaft, Lola started up witb an exclamation of joy. **The bat!” she cried. ‘‘ Crimson Con, Lola can love you if you have it!” The next instant a different cry parted the lips of Pigmy Pete’s black eyed pard. The tan she had greeted threw himself from the mine by a desperate effort. She uttered a shriek of horror. It was Crimson Con, but such a sight! His clothes hung in shreds about and water dripped from every one, | His eye’s had the glare of a maniac’s, and, most terrible of all, there was a rent in his | throat as if made by th: teeth of a half-starved panther! Lola recoiled from this awful apparition that | had come up from the bowels of the earth, , ‘*My God! You cannot be Crimson Con!” welled from her throat. ““{ am Con! There is a dyin’ devil down * yonder. For God’s sake, Lola, cut the rope!” With acry the girlspruog forward, and three rapid strokes with a glittering knife severed the cord which disappeared down the shaft. At that moment Crimson Con fell back with | a terrible yell of agony. | Lola lost no time in reaching his side. | **] found ther owner ov the laced hat,” grated the sombrero-bunter, ‘* Lola, I’ve fought griz- | zlies, an’ tackled Injuns an’ panthers in my | time; but to-night 1 struck ther worst pill in ther box.” ** Hercules Goldspur?” ** Hercules the Devil! Look hyar, Lola.” The man turned toward the Poker Queen and with bis own hands opened the ghastly wound in his throat, : “With his hands be did it, Lola,” he said. “Tf I had them velvet fi»gers I’d never ask for ® bowie. The hat? It’s cost Crimson Con his life. To perdition with that laced sombrero!” The eyes of the throat-torn rough stared wildly at the girl who knelt in the moonlight | beside him, and then clinching bis bands on see ground: be grated his teeth and fell back a is person, It was a life for a bat. CHAPTER XXII. THREE TRIGGERS, THROUGH the first fash of a brilliant dawn & man astride of a quaint-looking donkey hers, bis way along a narrow mountain There was a smile of self-satisfaction visible on his bronzed face, and unable to contain the exuberant spirits that made it, he at times chuckled audibly. “ Got it? Ov course I’ve got it!” he would ex- ther boss bonanza ov our lives, Git along—a lpeniy ia old bard, I promised ter reach ther mH e . - . about day light.” r hold my confab with bim edonkey slowly pricked te and gradually increased bis ta PRIDE. nae At last, after emerging trom a_ thicket of | young trees, which grew so closely together that the donkey bad with difficulty forced bis way through, the man came suddenly upon a little mountain camp and opened his eyes at sight of a man who leaned egainst a tree with arms folded, and apparent)y waiting for some one. | ‘It’s him!” he exclaimed. “Ef he’s alone, we'll soon settle our little biz’ness.” All at once the man at the tree looked up and caught sight of the morning caller, A strange gieam lighted up his eyes, and be could bardly eoutrol bisagitation, ‘Wal, Pot byer kerréct on time,” said the man on the donkey. ‘‘ Whar's yer pard?” ‘*Gone away,” was the quick reply. ‘'I told | Wal, they’re a notch higher than sand. Two hundred thousand dollars.” _ mebbe it wouldn’t,” grinned the claim. ‘George you an’ me ar’ about ter strike | | | you came, | camp.” The rider dismounted and leaned against the ; mounted on a horse and sanlppes for the jour- side of his donkey, who lowered his bead ; ney upon which he thought he ha George whose exploits the reader has already | witnessed, | meekly, and looked quite unlike the Kicking | man from Silver Bow. I am the sole occupant of the | hearts on, an’ mebbe we won't.” By this time Sutter was seen returning, d for The Happy Rattler eyed him sharply from under his long lashes as he came up, and gave ‘* Wal, colonel, I'm hyer accordin’ ter agree- | the donkey a dig in the ribs which started bim ment,” he said. from Silver Bow. I’m thet same individual yet. What’s the reward now?” day when Irun ag’in’ ye, ez ther Happy Rattler | *‘T introduced myself t’other | forward. “It is to Zoe at last, thank God!” ejaculated the Arizonian, “I will surprise Car] when we meet again. Zoe—Zoe! I long to take you in Before speaking, the tenant of the camp left | the arms that have not held you since you were his tree and advanced toward the Rattler, whom | a he eyed intently. babe!” The two men rode side by side as long as the ‘Tn the first place, do you know where my | trail could admit of their doing so; but when | its narrowness prevented, the Rattler went ' abead, cbild is?” ‘* Wal, I calkerlate,” was the answer, accom- ** Ef I didn’t know anything about her, d’ye think I come hyer?” “T would think not.” - Right you ar’, colonel; right! Name the re- ward.’ ‘*T have done so. It is ten thousand dollars,” With a laugh indicative of disgust, the Happy Rattler turned to his donkey, and prepared to mount, “We'll proceed ter a more sulubrious cli- mate, my beau ideal,” he said, addressing the beast. ‘* Wear’ not appreciated hyer, my smiliu’ cherub. Good mornin’, colonel,’ ‘* Hold!” and Ferdinand Sutter, the father of Zoe, sprung forward and laid his hand on the shoulder of the Happy Rattler, at the touch of which the mountain dead-beat turned. ‘You may have terminated this interview, but J have not. Ten thousand does not seem to strike you. How much will?” ‘* What’s ten thousand fera man what the say hez ther biggest ranch in Arizona?” be said, rs Ain't thet daisy gal ov yours worth more’n thet?’ ‘The reward is not the price [set upon her, sir,” was the quick retort as Sutter colored, ‘** What's your price?” ‘** Now ye’r’ comin’ at it, What’s my figgers? er ten thou- The rancher seemed to recoil a step as if the sum coupled to the unblushing effrontery of the man, amazed him. “Tt doesn’t seem ter strike yer. I thought appy Rattler. “Two hundred thousand fer a gal you say is priceless. I’m old bizness. Ef you won't pay, you can’t take ther goods,” The lips of the man from Silver Bow closed firmly behind the last word. His air was insulting, his face enough to mad- den the man with whom he was trifling. “Do you really know where Zoe is?” asked Sutter. ** Would I come hyer ef | didn’t?” ‘*My God! no!” ‘*Let me say thet yer word fer them two hundred thousand is ez good ez gold. Give it _an’ yer long hunt fer yer gal shall end.” Sutter stood silent before the dead-beat. What! bargain with snch a lying viper for his own child? The thought chased the hot blood to the father’s brain. He took one basty stride which carried bim to within three feet of the Happy Rattler, and the next instant his revolver looked into the villain’s face, ‘*l mean business also!” he said medly. ‘I shall deal no further with you. Now, sir, where is my child! Tell me the truth and prove if truth by conducting me to Zoe, or by the eternal heavens! I'll leave you here, focd for the buzzards!” Not a rmouscle of the dead-beat’s face moved under this threat. He leaned composedly against the fore-shoul- ders of his doukey and looked calmly into the weapoa that covered biim, “See byer, colonel, thet’s liable ter go off!” be said, ** [Indeed if is, and go off it shall if you don’t come to terms. Decide instantly—I am in no mood for fooling. Years of bitter aieP int- ment have not softened my nature, ill you show me my child’ ‘*Fer how much?” * The old reward,” | ‘*T guess I'll bev to,” drawled the Happy Rattler. “Pll put thet two hundred thousand down in the loss column, We don’t allers hold ther best hand, an’ on more’n one occasion I’ve seen a revolver rake in ther pot. Ten thou- | sand, eh? It’sa bargain, colonel, ef it does cut | me down one hundred an’ ninety thousand, Ein ye 20 now?” 7 Son. ** Whar’s yer boss?” ** Will you wait for me here?” se Yes. 4 Lowering his revolver, Ferdinand Sutter turned away, and soon disappeared, although the Happy Rattler’s look followed him as long aS any part of him could be kept in sight. George, be called us, an’ made us show up,” he said, glancing at his donkey. ‘*Thar’s sna in ther old feller yet, Mebbe we'll yet go back A Oe “When will we reach Zoe?’ esgerly ques- tioned Sutter. ‘‘Afore long, colonel, She’s a daisy girl, I tell you—worth a bigger pile than I’m gettin’ fer my information, Ill hev ter go back to Silver Bow without enough ferone decent stake at draw-poker.” The Happy Rattler turned to Sutter as he spoke a countenance Jugubrious enough to open the heart of any man; but if did not ng ve the Arizonian’s. A|l at once the dead-beat drew rein and reeled in his saddle. At the same time he clapped a dusky hand upon his breast, and gasped: ‘‘ My—old—trouble! This infernal—heart o’ mine! Colonel, for Heaven’s sake—” , Without finishing the sentence, he fell for- ward on his donkey’s neck. Instantly the rancher urged his horse for- ward and drew up beside the Rattler. He put forth his band and tried to lift the man’s head. His heart seemed to stand still, his brain whirled. If the Happy Rattler should die there in the mountain trail, when would he find Zoe? ** You shall not die here!” be exclaimed. ‘*T calkerlate not to!” rung out meee as the bent figure of the villain from Silver Bow sprung erect, ‘ It’s my call this time! Throw duwn your hand!” The change so sudden and unexpected startled every fiber of Sutter’s frame. He recoiled, and his hand shot toward his revolver; but the Rattler’s words arrested it, — “Throw down yer band!” was uttered as Sutter found himself lpoking into the muzzle of a forty-eight-caliber ‘‘ bulldog” behind which glared the mad, tigerish eyes of the Happy Rat- tler. The tables had been completely turned; the sudden attack of heart disease was all a sham. ‘“‘Two hundred thousand, my plump sage- chick, er I'll keep all I know!” laughed the ras- cal. ‘‘I’m a daisy when I want ter raise ther wind. I laugh when I shoot, It’s my nature, an’ George grins while he kicks. Open | er head, colonel, an’ say what it shal! wo hundred thousand or scattered brains!” ; The ranchero’s eyes flashed before the leveled — weapon, ‘‘Treat with you for the sum you name? Never!” he cried. Bow. Now I will not give you a dollar for the — secret you want to sell. Zoe shall die before \ her father treats with a liar.” kal bis. “Then, my stubborn bollyhock, Pll scoop in both gal an’ranch. I'll make myself Colonel Rattler ov Arizony, an’ ther two pards ov Sil- ver Bow will end their days in clover!” A coarse laugh followed the last word, but ere the Happy Rattler could give the trigger of his revolver the required prissure a voice startled both men: ‘Drop that pistol er I'll drop you. Rattler!” 3 There was more than a threat in the startling tones. Removing his eyes from Colonel Sutter the dead-beat looked toward the speaker, and stand- ing on a rock further down the trail he saw the handsome form of Cold-Deck Curl with a rifle pressed against bis shoulder, ‘‘Down with yer weapon, Rattler! I'd sooner kiil you than a wolf,” ’ The Happy Rattler looked a moment and then lowered his revolver with a wolfish grow], “Take ther trick, Cold-Dec!:,” he snajped. ** But I've got ther secret safe.” | CHAPTER XXIL THE RATTLER'S “ TARMS.” “Wat, I failed,” remarked the man who sprung from the back of a donkey and let the reins hang at ease on_the bea&t’s neck, ‘Jes’ when I held a hand that.would make any man’s © eyes snap. Cold-Deck Carl said gently, ‘Drop thet revolver!’ an’ I lo: ’er go. But afore he ot up I guv George © dig in ther flanks, an’ yer Lam.” The Happy Rattler laughed beartily at thought of the manner in which be had out- witted the Arizonian after the failure to extort two bundred thousand dollars from him at the revolver’s muzzle. | His plan hed failed, and three hours after the episode he drew rein far from the scene of his > % con ICO ‘com (E KS the. “Shoot! dead beat of Silver > : i 4 ~. a® i be " * we. awa -