Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 28 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

Ee —2---= CHAPTER XIX. CRAZY BILLY TAKES A HAND IN THE GAME. For the second time that evening—almost within the hour—Zimri Coon stood face to face with a disagreeable visitor, and now, as then, he wished himself far away from the spot. Not that he feared to measure his skill against. the brute—he could show marks of at least two death- grapples with like antagonists, and his was truly a hunvter’s spirit. But since he knew that the enemy was upon their trail—possibly even then within earshot—he felt that a single shot raight prove fatal to his hopes. Hence it was, tiiat he did not attempt to use his rifle, though the pan- ther lay scarce twenty fect away, in the full glare of the little Coney ‘‘Mind your eye, little ’un!” he muttered, crouching forward in readiness to meet the threatened leap, holding his long knife firmly. *‘Don’t you remember — it’s him — Crazy Billy,” muttered Little Volcano, ‘‘and that’s the ne we saw—” \ * Jrazy Billy—yes, they call me crazy,” in- terrupted the hermit, turning back his ion tangled locks. ‘‘They laugh at me, and call me crazy—the fools! They are envious of me —that is all. I am too wise—they cannot un- derstand me—that is the reason. And yet— my head does whirl round and round, some- times, and aches and throbs until [ go to slee but that is only when I try to remember what happened ages and ages ago—before this world was built. y head never hurt then—I was so happy and contented with her! But he came —he crawled across our path—a cold, slimy devil! His evil eyes—they burn me now! There was honey on his tongue, but it could sting—it stung her, and she died—did she die? NV MIPY) UTTAR ‘ el _Hehale édumer Library: ——_——__—_- The panther, recognizing its name, arose and placed its forepaws upon Craz Billy’s shoul- ers, slpdaagih Far cheek against his face with a low, eager whine. ‘Kin you tell whar they be now?” eagerly demanded Zimri. : Crazy Billy looked at him vacantly, as though not understanding his words, but when Little Volcano repeated the query, his face lightened immediately, and he pointed toward the East, saying: vThey are there. They smoke and eat and drink around the fire, and tell their secrets to Beauty and I. I looked, but he wasn’t there, so I come on to find you, Harry.” ‘‘Ax him to take us whar we kin git a fa’r squint at the riptyles, little ‘un,” muttered Zunri. ‘‘No,” he added, quickly, reading aright the boy miner’s look, ‘‘I don’t mean to WY w S* : A\ \\ S = ~~ ty Ws ae AEXS AOGn KES \ NY .\s) Wy ck \ wy \ ' Oy ws NYO \\ \ Ry sy s \\ \ \ AN Ceeaats AS \ SON \ \ \\\ ——— “a LITTLE VOLCANO, WITH A QUICK AIM, DISCHARGED HIS PISTOL AT THE ANIMAL’S HEAD JUST BEFORE IT CAME ABREAST OF HIM.—Page 5. ¥ * Cold steel must do it—fer your !ife don’t burn wader!” The terrible beast drew back, sitting upon its ‘= haunches, quivering in every muscle as though about to launch its lithe body forward, grin- ning and baring its curved talons—purring loud- ly, like a mammoth cat. — Then—just as Zimri fairly held his breath in || expectation of receiving the fieie onset—a wild || looking figure glided into the firelight with the noiseless foot ot a bodiless spirit, pausing beside ‘| the panther, whose purr changed to a low whine _ of joy, as it rm-bbe i) man’s legs. its sleek head against the ‘Wal, I ber-durned!” snorted Zimri Coon, dropping his weapon in abject surprise. ‘‘ The null. Dane eienne ery bu’sted loose and come to give us a benefit! Call up the rist-—don’t be Seen) —walte: out the hull tormented outfit— oh, Lord!” They told me so—but I know they lied! He | stole her away, and hid her in one of the stars. I heard her call to me—I was going to help her, but he covered up the star and I lost my way. I look and look—but I can’t find it; can you tell me? Tell me where my angel is, and I will bless you—” The comrades listened to his incoherent out- burst with feelings akin to awe, so passionate was the hermit’s utterance. But before they could answer his appeal, his air changed ab- ruptly, and he spoke to Little Volcano, in a quiet, composed tone, entirely free from any trace of insanity: ‘Tam glad to see you, Harry. I have been looking for you, ever since that day—when I was taken ill. You are in danger—there are men upon your trail, sworn to have your life. | | _ came the old, restless look, brig I saw them—I listened to their words, They | ing _ hever guessed that Beauty and I were so near.” | make no fuss with ’em. We cain’t sw’ar they’re a’ter us, ye know. "Twon’t do to give’em no furder hold on us. They’s bin a heap o’ talk a’ready, an’ twouldn’t take much more to set the vigilantys hot-foot on our backs—an’ you know what that is; hangin’ fust, trial a’ter- wards, ’vidin’ they hain’t too busy stringin’ up some other critter. I jist want to git a look at ’em—to sorter mark ’em down in my knowl- edge box, so I’ll know jist whar to hit, when the time comes. Ax him.” ‘Will you take us to where those men are?” asked the boy miner, touching Crazy Billy upon the shoulder, to draw his attention from the fawning panther. The hermit started and looked up, but the steady light of reason was gone, and in its place ht but unmean- “Tisten! don’t you hear—that humming Eomicbooks (E(O)