Beadle's Dime Library No. 278 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

had left behind, Five minutes later he in the presence of Zoe, whose eyes were full of eagerne-s when she addressed him. ‘* Where is he?’ she asked. back alone,” “Tt looks thet way, Zoe. He wouldn’t accept my tarms, consequently George an’ I came back unescorted.” The humor .of the mountain dead-beat was disgusting to the occupant of the cavern, It made her eyes flash. “Your terms?” she said, striding up to him as he folded his arms upon his chest and watch- aa ed her with a sardonic grin, “If [ had bat known this! I have relied on your word. You i promised to bring my father to me.” wet ‘Wal, he wouldn’t come to tarms.” | “What were your terms! You made them after you left me.” **Ovy course I did.” 4 **Name them, if you dare.” **Now, don’t go off like powder, my little 4 witch,” he smiled. ‘‘I went to yer father on bigness, an’ ov course [ hed tarms. They war pega A but he said no. I said, in my sweet- | mishap, and could afford to laugh at the men he | “You have come est voic® ‘Two hundred thousand fer Zoe,’ but nf he said he’d sooner see you dead than treat with xi me Ne Zoe appeared to recoil a step. oa “Did my father say this?” she exclaimed. Bh: ‘Nothin’ more, nothin’ less, Mebbe I struck Yim too high; but I arterwards got ther call on t him, an’ bed it when Cold-Deck Carl, his pard, _—s- got ther drop on my anatomy. Wal, I’ve got you left, Zoe, an’ Jil fetch him to tarms yet.” “Which means that for two hundred thousand _ _you’ll restore me to my father?” . * Thet’s about ther size ov it,” ‘ “ Not a dollar of it shall he pay!’ exclaimed Zoe, her eyes filling with indignation. ‘‘I did not know that you wunted to sell me tomy own father. ‘“ You shall not do that,” _ “Pm ther seraph what makes ther tarms,” be . senpel leaning against the wall of the cavern, ) is somewhat dumpy figure revealed by the fire that burned on tne earthen floor, ‘‘ Look at me, Zoe. I'm not exactly one ov Raphael’s cherubs, but ef you’d trace my ancestry back you might diskiver thet ther blond ov one ov them pards flows through my veins. Ob, I’m ther daisy jumper ov Silver Bow, somewhat ov a charac- Ni ter; an’ I make tarms with yer father, not eee FOU, Rt | “Make them and rue them!” cried the girl, looking bim in the face. “I havea friend.’ —— ws) “ Herenles Goldspur, I guess.” eee. Zoe's eyes brightened, —_, _ “Hercules Galdspur!” she exclaimed proudly. “Ther man with ther-silken hand!” sneered the Rattler! ’ ‘AF a “a es ” 1% “Thar’s a throat I'll bet itll never clutch,” and elevating his chin he smoothed his throat with one of his bronza hands. ‘I’ve heard ov Hercules... Yer pard, I presume,”’ “Tne man I love.” ee giant? You're a pigmy beside him, oe,’ a2 3" “It makes no difference. I owe him some- thing; why not give him my love?” she asked. ate _** He took me from the man who abducted me ites from the old ranch when I was a babe. He stale, me from that wretch at the risk of his life,” “But be didn’t take you home an’ say: “Pred Sutter, hyer’s yer child.” _ €No, he did not.” “He carried you from one place ter another an’ landed at last at You-Bet. An’ you love _ thet choker? Wal, I would, too,” _ The Happy Rattler’s voice was full of insult - and derision. “Don’t you see?’ he went on. ‘ Hercules __ Goldspur hez got tarms ter make with yer fa- ther, He'll hunt ’im up some day an’ say, _ *Give me ther ranch an’ take Zoe.’ We've | all got our price, Zoe, an’ the cherub thet ad- ae ata ey is one ov ther high-priced ones.” a “ He no price,” exclaimed the girl. ‘ Her- __ enles Goldspur would not rob my father of a — * dollar.” _ “Then, why did be run you out ov You-Bet _ when he diskivered thet yer father hed come _ fer ye? It’s too thin, girl.” Believing his question a poser, the speaker in- gerted his thumbs underneath his armpits and _ looked into Zoe’s face with a grin. “Time will tell,” she said. ‘ He will explain all some mig 6 - “Whar do you think he is now? Huntin’ _ * Lola, an’ not ther Happy Rattler. Wal. when be finds ther Poker Queen he'll git precious lit- tle information. I may ez well declar’ myself hyer. Two hundred thousand, er Ferd Sutter never gits his child!” _ ** We shall see!” , ‘*So weshall, my robin. When I struck yer trail [ knew at once thet I had found a new oc- Teg cupation, ‘No more loafin’ at Silver Bow till oP, + a cleaned Sutter out,’ I said ter Kickin’ ia : ~ a , acy: ‘ me George, an’ he winked an’ said: ‘ Rattler, them’s my sentiments, too.’ I could take yer ter Frisco an’ trade ye to a ea ay ez my niece, though I’m not so strikin ly bandsome ez y > 2. . S's . ; . ad s »* ‘\ - #5? WA. ,+.% 2 ‘ at? ‘ a perate work, -oldspur. — —-* - oo. <8 6 ere you ar’; but I prefar to treat with Ferd Sutter, ther bonanza prince ov Arizony.” wrt All at once, at the crack of a rifle whose bul- let whizzed past the Rattler’s ear, the red-skin With a look of scorn, Zoe turned away and ogee whom he was about to grapple staggered po walked to a darkened part of the cavern. ‘* Sbe’s worth ther hull ranch—such a gal ez thet!” ejaculated the Happy Rattler, followin her with bis eyes, ter wiv by an’ by. Rattler, you an’ George will go back ter Silver Bow ther dandiest pards in ther Northwest.” Certain that Zoe was safe in the cavern in Then another and still another shared the same fate, until the rest recoiled, with mad ‘*] struck a bonanza when | | made Lola give ’erup. Euchered by Cold Deck | j | inforcement, which she had kept herself concealed during his | absence, on a promise that he would bring her | father back with him, the dead-beatof Montana | turned on his heel and left the cave. He found bis mule where he bad left him, on the outside, with the lives lying on bis neck, and | locking as demure and inoffensive as usual. Taking the bridle he led Kicking George away. “ Hark, par’! he said, suddenly, halting some distance fLom the cavern, It was evident that the donkey’s ears had caught a suspicious sound, for he lifted them suddenly, and kept them elevated while the Rattler leaned forward and listened. All at once the oeast jerked back and wrench- ed the bridle from bis master’s band. “Thet means Injuns!” fell from bis lips. ** The smell ov ‘em nearly sets George crazy. Nothin’ else effects ’im so.” He turned half-way round aud ldoked down eS $e — — the trail, while his hand whipped out the re-| volver which he had lately presented at Sutter's head, ‘Whar ar’ they?” he cried. man from Silver Bow. I’m p’isen on foot when thar ar’ Injans about, Show up, cups, ef ferever bold yer peace,’ The last word had hardly left the Rattler’s | lips ere a stalwart figure sprung into tbe path about thirty feet in advance of him, and the red hand that wentupward made a certain sign | in mid-air. Quick as a flash the Happy Rattler executed | a retrograde movément which brought bim to where his excited donkey stood, and as he threw bis figure behind the beast, he let driveat | the Indian in the path. It was a shot of which Buffalo Bill would have been proud, for the red-skin leaped into the air and fell back, dead before he touched the ground. “That’s my sign, reddy! I didn’t understand yours,” exclaimed the Happy Rattler. «“‘ When compromise with an Injun [ll become a saint. No sirree! Put me down as an Injun-hater. Silver Bow is anti-red-skin ter ther bone.” For a moment after the fall of the Indian there was no reply to the Rattler’s defiance, Lut all at once the air resounded with yells, and several bullets whistled over his head. ‘A Jeetle high!” he said to his donkey. ‘George, if it warn’t so risky I'd draw ’em up an’ let you kick’en ter ther huntin’-grounds, | Mebbe they want Zoe; but they can’t have ’er while Ferd Sutter lives to pay ther two hun- dred thousand,” At this moment a dozen Indians appeared on the trail, and the Happy Rattler raised bis head over the donkey’s back and thrust two | heavy revolvers forward, ‘One ov R.phael’s latter-day cberubs, at yer | service!” he ejaculated, ‘‘ Stand off, my beau ideals, er I'll cultivate death among ye. I’m pisen on foot, Keep off! Don’t rile ther Rat. tler from Silver Bow, : It was far from the red-skins’ intention to ‘keep off,” for their eyes fairly blazed, and the yells that answered the Rattler foretold des- — The trail swarmed with Indians. | The deadly pistol-shot had apparently roused | an entire camp. Suddenly they charged down upon the repre- | sentative of Silver Bow society with yells that | made the air tremble, ‘‘We proceed ter bizness,” said the Rattler. “Pm a b’izness | my red butter- | “Stand yer ground, George!” | Sioux, who tumbled right and left as they were struck by the bullets, not peared to be thrown away “Tt’s a picnic worthy ther occasion!” laughed the Happy Rattler. ‘‘ Come on, you red devils! While | foafed around Silver Bow I Parned ter handle ther droppers,” His rapid firmg seemed to paralyze the In- dians, but he might empty the twelve chambers with deadly effect, and then have a score of enemies to overcome. He did this. With the last sbot the foremost Sioux bound- ed forward with a yell on his lips, and fell dead, his scalp-lock almost touching the don- kev’s feet, ‘‘ It’s hand ter hand now!” grated the Happy Rattler, shutting his teeth bard, and whipping out a ten-inch bowie, ‘“‘ I’m a trump card with this toothpick, my amiable daisies. Jes’ let me illustrate!” and he made a grab over the back of the donkey at the nearest Indian. A desperate encounter was imminent, for the man from Silver Bow was no mean antagonist, but help was at hand. one of which ap | ae eyes staring at the friends who had come to the white man’s assistance. ‘“‘ Jehosaphat! who’s helpin’ me?” exclaimed the Rattler, wheeling upon the unexpected re- ‘‘Blast my peepers! if it isn’t ther gal!” , Yes, a few rods up the trail and elevated so that she could fire over the Rattler’s head, stood Zoe Sutter, filling the Sioux with consternation with the repeating rifle, which she worked with the ease of a finished marksman. Back from those deadly bullets the Indians recoiled, and the man from Silver Bow leaped upon the back of the donkey and suddenly urged him toward Zoe at the top of his speed. Panting and excited, he halted before the fair gir) and sprung to the ground. “Vou’re a trump!” he exclaimed. “Pl raise Ferd Sutter another fifty thousand when I run across bim ag’in. Didn’t we drop ‘em, my gentle pigeon ?” CHAPTER XXIIL GOLDSPUR ON DECK AGAIN. Wer go back to You-Bet, the Sioux-raided town on the Northern Pacific, The reader wil remember that when last there, we left Lola, the Poker Queen, kneeling beside Crimson Con, who had lost his life in a vain attempt to recover from the depths of the Black Bonanza shaft the laced hat of his enemy, Hercules Goldspur, Lola did not remain long at Con’s side when she found that he was dead, : She sprung up and went to the shaft. Her hand had severed the rope at Con’s re- quest, and it had fallen into the abyss, thus de- priving Hercules, if he still remained alive, of his last hope of escape. Lola longed to look into the gloomy depths of the chasm; but her eyes, piercing though they were, were not equal to the task. ‘*'The mountain eagle will never tear another throat!” she said, while her eyes flashed. ‘‘He has torn his Jast one, and his soft talons will mdélder in the ooze of the mine. Now Lola will go back to Zoe’s trail. She will find the gir! and take her to her father and claim his ove. Lola, the Mexican, then, loved Ferdinand Sutter! She hoped to gain his love by restoring Zoe to hisarms, and for his affection she was willing to do anything—to kill, even. She did not leave the brink of the shaft un- til she had listened intently therefor many min- utes, during Which time not a sound came up to her ears, Perbaps Crimson Con bad finished the giant be had found in the shaft. la knew that a desperate struggle had taken place between the two men. Con’s tattered clothes and lacerated throat were proof of this. ‘“ Dead! thank Heaven! dead, to molest me no more,” she said, rising and leaving the mine. * A Dois! Senor Hercules.” She turned away with a glance at the dead man stretched out in the moonlight, his gaping throat hideous even at that weird hour. She went to the edge of the town and there mounted the horse that bed brought ber thither, ‘‘Now for Zoe—this time not to fail,” she cried. In another minute she bad put Y«u-Bet be- hind her, her thoughts not on the secret of the Black Bonanza mine, but on the victory she ex- pected to achieve by restoring Zoe to her father's arms, If she could have penetrated the dark depths of the shaft, the sight she would have encoun- tered would bave distended her dark eyes. In the water at the foot of the shaft stooda stalwart man with flasbing eyes and clinched The next instant the revolvers opened on the | bands. ““T can't do it!” he exclaimed, looking at the coil of rope he held in one hand, “I can’t throw this rope two hundred feet toward the stars and up a narrow shaft like this. Some- body cut the rope just ez I war about to foller Crimson Con. Ov course it war Lola, fer Con himself hadn’t strength left to do it. Jehut didn’t I leave my finger-marks in his throat? It war tough ez bull-hide, but I tore it! Wanted my hat, didn’s hef’ And the man in the water laughed. ‘A chap what teckles me fer m hat’s a blamed fool. But] must get out ov this, He leaned against one of the sides of the shaft and felt it with his bauds. It was not very smooth, but there were, no niches to help him out. “T can’t git thet tussle out o’ a, head,” he went on to himself, ‘‘ Ov course n thought me dead, er he wouldn’t hev ventured down hyer on the rope. When he fired at me, the bullet grazin’ my head sae eg me back inter the shaft; but I managed ter catch ther edge fera mop te couldn’t hold on. Down 3 fell, an’ ef i *tbeen fer the ladders thet hed lodged crosswise, in, ther suutt, | wouldn’t be IOC (E(@) mie -_-- “« - 2 ee