Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 283 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

1 - Sleek Sam, the Devil of the Mines, Sleek Sam, THE DEVIL OF THE MINES. OR, The Sons of the Fiery Cross. BY JOS. E. BADGER, JR.., AUTHOR OF ‘DAN BROWN OF _ DENVER,” **OLD “49,” **SOL SCOTT,” ‘* JOAQUIN, THE SADDLE KING,” ETC., ETC. CHAPTER I. . FALLING AMONG THIEVES. “SLua bim!” é “Knife the cursed Yankee!” *“Down with him, comrades! All together! Don’t let him have a chance to use bis teeth!” Asinzle horseman spurring along the valley road, using his armed heels with an assiduity w a better reward. Puffing, wheezing, with now and then a ot geome groan, the near- ly broken down animal could not be coaxed into a gait faster than a shuffling fox-trot, and this was maintained only by the persever- sine displayed by the owner of those armed eels. He was looking eagerly ahead, ring from beneath the broad brim of his Snoched felt hat, which served to keep the bright rays of the full moon, whose silvery disk was just clearing the dark line before the traveler, from confusing his vision. He felt that the impatiently ex- pected goal was nigh at hand, and was looking tor some landmark by which to confirm his hopes, with not a thought of lurking danger. et danger there was, and all the more to be dreaded because of its very unexpectedness. With one of those spasmodic groans, the crip- pled horse stumbled again, and despite the strong band which tightened the reins, it plunged headlong to the ground with a sudden- ness that took its rider wholly by surprise and cast him heavily over its head. Then, dropping both ends of the tough rope by means of which they had accomplished their purpose, the dark forms which had been lying in ambush among the bushes and valley-grasses, rose to their feet and dashed forward, uttering those savage cries which but too plainly indi- cated their evil intentions. Half-stunned and taken wholly by surprise though he was, the traveler proved his man- bood as few could have done under the circum- stances and in the face of such overwhelming odds. ' With an angry shoéut hescrambled to his feet, just as the foremost of bis assailants were upon him, and striking out heavily with his left hand, knocked one of the ruffians heels, over head. His right hand was snatching a pistol from its scabbard on his hip, but even as the weapon flashed its silver mountings in the moonlight, a stout club encountered his wrist with a force that knocked the pistol high into the air and seemed to shatter the bones through the cushion of sinew and flesh. And at the same moment, a crushing blow descended on his skull from be- hind, and with a gas ing cry, the sssailed reeled, his hands clutching blindly, his eyes staring wildly, bis senses reeling, his strength forsaking bim. A sinewy band grasped him savagely by the aeck and flung him aarti | to the ground, ut- tering a fierce curse as the falling pistol ex- ploded with a loud report on striking the flinty ground. ' ‘‘Ten thousand curses on your clumsiness!” he grated, but cutting bimself short with an in- articulate cry. 4 ‘‘Bloody murder an’ massacreeation! The devil’s broke loose, an’ all o’ his imps is a-howlin’! Gi’ me room! Make way fer the cle man! Perleece! Cornstable! but ef you git in my road when |’m huntin my hole, don’t e onto me fer damidges ef you git burt!’ With almost incredible volubility burst forth these words on the evenibg air in a sbrill, cracked voice, startling the black-faced ladrones of the valley until they released their victim and stared blankly in the direction from whence came the une ted sounds. Crashing through the bushes, scattering the loose stones with his nimbly working feet, a phantom-like shape sprung into view amid the shadows which overhung the valley, dashin direct for the robbers, velling frantically, An now twin ts of flame shot out in front, while the cracked voice rung out more shrilly than ever: “I’m a innercent, harmless critter ef ye don’t me up too cluss, an’ I wouldn’t burt a suck- i arian r, but I Bo blind when I git skeered, an’ I kin split a dead basswood with my noggin’ ef it don’t gt out 0’ the way! Gi’ me room! Han’s off or Iholler fer the perleece! cornstable! Bloody murderation! why don’t ye come on, boys, an’ pull the ole man out o’ the wilderness?” That strange voice, the splintering of shrub- bery and the clattering of rocks; the whistlin bullets, with the deceptive shadows whic I ain’t a fightin’ man, . seemed to take on human shape, startled the night-rangers, and they involuntarily fell back from their still quivering victim, with little cries of wondering dismay. And then, as though in answer to the wild cries of the stranger, there came the swift clattering of iron-shod hoofs trom the opposite Don’t | let one cheat the hangman or go unwhipped of | direction, and a clear voice shouted: **Down with the bloodthirsty bounds! justice!” Spang! spang! came two pistol-shots, and | with the ragged lead whistling in uncomfort- | able proximity to their heads, the foot-pads | ‘‘Thar ye goag’in, with yer p’izen hints—an’ me @ pore ole cuss which mought be your gran’- dad!” whined the patriarch in an iajared tone. ‘Why fer should I slip off?” ‘*To escape the penalty due your attempted crime.” “1 knowed it! It’s jest my luck! I come here to bev a little peace an’ quietness, an’ the very fust thing the hull durned kentry turns upside down, jest tomux me upinarow! It’s a durned shame, an’1 don’t keer who knows it —so thar! Go on with your rat-killin’ and hang me, ef ye want!” The man who had been addressed as Talfourd turned as with one accord and darted toward | gazed wep into the face of the doleful speaker the nearest cover, | “‘Good Lawd! thar’s more a comin’! will scoot! Pll run yedown! Moly Hoses! ef I wasn’t so durned bad skeered P could only seé a open channel—ugh ! Hit a snag an’ 1 knowed it!” ‘Now I | Gi’ me room ’cordin’ to my size or | reply, be stepped forward and said: as though the tones were familiar to his ear, and as Oswald seemed about to make a sharp ‘‘ 1s was your voice that heard, just as they struck me down. You do not belong to that murderous gang. You came to my assistance Seemingly half-crazed with fear or excite- | when they had me foul.” b ment, the stranger came floundering on, slack- ing bis mad pace now and then to fire a shot straight ahead, apparently without aim, then plunging on, only to come into collision with the crippled horse, over whose carcass he tumbled, end over end, just as the second rider dashed up to the spot. “Who is it? What’s the matter? Speak quick, or I'll let daylight through your carcass in a holy minute!” Sharp the words and stern the voice of the speaker as be wrenched up his horse until its haunches almost touched the ground, bis right hand outstretched with leveled revolver. Blinded though h» claimed to be, the old man was able to see, and realized the new peril which threatened him, and with a how! of fear | he rolled swiftly aside, just in time to escape the bullet that sprinkled bis face with dirt, “Don’t shoot, boss!” he spluttered, as he scrambled to his feet with ludicrous haste. It’s only me, an’ I wouldn't burt asick kitten! Don’t shoot, or I'll holler perleece !” The mounted man seemed still in doubt, for the revolver clicked sharply and the black muz- zle closely followed the motions of the old man as he danced to and fro, ducking and dodging, twisting and turning as he strove to baffle the menacing weapon, squeaking out his appeal for a truce. f ‘* Who are you, and what has been going on bere?” sternly demanded the rider, ‘‘ Who bave you been murdering?” ** Hope may die ef Ll ever did, boss!” expostu- lated the old man, his whine more than ever accentuated. ‘‘’Deed an’ double ‘deed I never done it! I was jest whoopin’ up fer to git out o’ the wilderness, when that durned hoss-critter lunged up an’ snagged my D’iler, knockin’ me wéat-s6nd-an'-cronked: All Taxes o’ anybudy is fer to be let alone, an’ now you gits up an’ ’cuses me 0’ doin’ bloody murder! Ugh! it jes’ turns my ole blood to battermilk—so it do !” A convulsive shudder shook his frame, and he glared about him with a wild, hunted expres- sion, dimly revealed by the moonlight. Still the mounted man seemed unsatisfied, and still bis ready revolver held the trembling wretch covered, as be sternly uttered: ‘“‘There were more of you—where are the rest of the bloody gang? Tell the truth—lies won’t save you!” A gasping groan from the prostrate figure spared the accused from giving an immediate answer, and then the one who had been so ruth- lessly attacked, staggered to his feet, wiping the blood from his eyes, glaring confusedly around bim, bis hands mechanically fumbling in search of a weapon. As the light of the full moon fell full upon his face, a sbarp cry escaped the lips of the mounted man, and he leaped from the saddle, one hand grasping the staggering man by the shoulder, as he bent forward to stare intently into his face. ** Ts it—it is you, Talfourd!” ‘‘ Hands off!”and the other tore bimselfaway, utting up bis empty hands in a position of de- Tones. ‘You took me by strprise, or your whole gang couldn’t have downed me! Come—” is husky, uncertain speech was broken off as a soft, musical laugh broke from the lips of the man who confronted him, and once more he a the blinding blood from his eyes. “ hy, Talfourd, old fellow, don’t you know | me?” laughed the man who had so opportunely appeared upon the scene. ‘‘ Would youstrike a end who’s done his best to serve you - ge =n Ma you! What does all this mean, anyhow “ That's just what I wanted to find out,” laughed the man, grasping the hand which was thrust toward him by the bewildered traveler. ‘| was riding peaceably along, bound for New Babylon, when I heard the rumpus here, and spurred up to take a hand in the game, But when I recognized you, you might have knock- ed me down with a feather.” ° My horse was thrown, and a gang piled on me— “Which reminds me that— He!lo! you here, are you?” sharply uttered Oswald, as he wheel- ed swiftly and faced the old man, ‘I was afraid you had given me the slip.” ttt LC te ttl... latte ——— ee ‘*] don’t run with no murderin’ gang. - I was jest moggin’ along, huntin’ fer some place whar could take a soun’ snooze without hevin’ to pony up a bull gold-mine fer the privilege o’ feedin’ a host o’ bugs an’ fleas an’ sich-like, when I hearn a holy picnic bu’st loose—” **And you gallantly: rushed to the rescue!” impulsively cried Talfourd, grasping his hands and warmly shaking them. by gn you my life—you and Mr. Oswald, here.” ‘*Ef you kin make him b’lieve that, it’s all J ax,” the old man grinned, with a doubtful glance toward Oswald. ‘He rid up an’ tried to bu’st my cabeza wide open with a blue whis- tler, an’ would hev it thet l’'d bloody-murvered you—so he jest did!” ‘*T took you for one of the gang, but if I have wronged you, ’m willing to be forgiven,” laughed Oswald. | “Indeed you have,” earnestly uttered Tal- fourd. ‘‘ Il remember hearing his voice, just as those rascals knocked me over. I heard him shooting too, didn’t 1?’ “Waal, I should remark!” with a squeaking chuckle. ‘‘ Ef I didn’t jest turn a buil mule- battery loose on the p’izen varmints, then I wouldn’t say so! They was nigh a thousan’ of ‘em, but that didn’t fazoa the ole man. He jest litin fer all he was wu’th, an’ the way he aid scatter them whelps o’ Satan was a caution to a full-growed cyclone in a straw-siack! Ef a dozen or two 0’ them hain’t got thar everlastin’ sickness from the ole man’s pill-boxes, then my name ain’t Hector Ajax— Good lawd, fellers —le’s scoot!” : With a ludicrous change of voice and manner the old man crouched y = bad as though to hide bebind the goodly person of Talfourd, his voice quaking, bis limbs trembling as though with a sudden attack of ague, greatly to the amaze- ment of his companions, who stared swiftly around them in quest of the cause of his abrupt attack of terror. ‘*Look by the rock!” he hissed, layin’ fer us! Good-by! my hole, Jam!” The iron grip of Oswald fastened upon bis shoulder and held him fast, while with his right hand be covered the dark shape which all could now. see lying close beside a white bowlder, only a score yards away from their present position, as gave vent to a short, hard laugh, then “ There’s only one, and he’s acorpse! One of Sg two dozen patients, Doctor Hector Ajax! over and take his scalp as a neat little me- mento of this night’s adventure, old gent!” *°’Tain’t none o’ my work,” muttered the old man, with a sickly attempt ata grin. “ You done it—efitsacorpus!” . ‘‘They were gone before I got here—worse luck for me,” with a grim laugh. ‘I can’t de- pore you of your honors, my aged friend. You laid him out, that’s sure as gospel writ.” ' “Thar you go—an’ I jest wish you wouldn't now!” whined the old fellow, peeviskly. ‘I tell ye I ain't got no claitn to it. I was so bad skeered I didn’t know which way the rumpus ppang, I didn’t think o’ nothin’ but buntin’ my ole. 5 ‘But [ heard yoa shooting,” persisted Os wala, seemingly determined to fix teh death of the aig ~ the eget ** Jest to skeer the rest an’ k t- rets up eep my own sper * + ben you own up that you’re a coward?” “Everybody knows thet that knows me,” witha sheepish grin. ‘‘It was born in me, | reckon. Anyways, I cain’t git shet of it, no- how. It comesonto me by fits a an’ then [ don’t know nothin’ but to t my hole - quick a the we let. 7 ae a scan’alous act, gentlemen, ef I do say it ti matters little who killed the cur,” inter- posed Talfourd, whe. bed been a ed in stanching the blood which was & Owlng from bis gashed head. “‘I am a A agi Sls did not come by his death a6 my vn cir thane of bis mates ill, {I canever get on thelr track —I swear it Just at that juncture there came floating on man voices, and with ano oes 9, PRE ‘*They’re I'm goin’ fer to bunt JOO ‘COMIE Se: co!