Beadle's Dime Library No. 305 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

f - Bee, Silver-Plated Sol, THE MONTANA ROVER; OR, Giant Dave’s Fight With Himself. 2. : Silver-Plated Sol, the Montana Rover, BY CAPTAIN MARK WILTON, AUTHOR OF ‘' LIGHTNING BOLT,” ‘*HORSESHOE HANK,” “‘ CACTUS JACK,” ETC. CHAPTER I. A MYSTERY OF THE NIGHT. “No light! I reckon he must have become tired of waiting and sought bis popesta couch, though that is hardly the way of Roger Hillard, and he knows I never failed to keep an appoint- ment. If there’s one thing Silver-Plated Sol holds sacred, it’s his promise.” ‘The man who thus soliloquized was walking along a trail which led eastward from the town of Red Summit, Territory of Montana, and ap- roaching a cabin which stood by the side of the aintly-marked road. It wasa wild and rocky region, one where man had until very recently been but a nomad, but Red Summit had gained rapidly after its first cabin was erected, and a population of two hundred souls slept under its roots at the time of our story. Silver-Plated Sol, as the night wand-rer had called himself, advanced to the door of the cabin and laid bis band on the latch. The door was fastened. ‘*That’s odd,” he observed. Roger to use such care before. mean?” He fapned sharply, and then awaited an an- swer. one came. Twice he repeated thesum- mons, but all remainedsilent. Hestepped back and surveyed the cabin critically. It was dark and, somebow, seemed unnaturally silent and gloomy. He began to feel ill at ease. Never before had he known his friend to fasten the door, and he had felt sure of finding him witbin. Now, he believed that if he had been called away by imperative business he would have left the door open and some message visible. Thero was little worth stealing inside. “ Perhaps he is sick. Ill go in, anyhow, and Here goes{” He walked to the window and, after some trouble, raised it. This done, it was not hard to crawl through. | He knew where Hillard kept his lamp and matches, and he walked at once to theshelf, sae were in their place, and he soon had a he room, which occupied over half of the building, was empty, but he was at oncé im- prewed by asingular and suspicious fact. Con- sion reigned everywhere. The twochairs la on their backs, while in one corner the table leaned against the wall, crushed out of shape. Seeing all this at one rapid glance, the man- ner of the explorer perceptibly changed. His .nostrils dilated, his head became more erect, and he laid one band on his revolver, which was thrust in his belt. Then he pushed open the door of the inner room and strode through. Here the confusion was repeated, nor was that all. On the floor were red stains of blood, and im one corner was a motionless heap which speedily resolved itself into the form of a man. Silver-Plated Sol sprung forward and held down the lamp. ** Hillard—dead !” he exclaimed, in a tone of horror. It did, indeed, look as though the man was done with life, and all things spoke of the dark- est crime known to man—murder. The explorer was not one to lose his self-pos- session, and he quickly set down the lamp and proceeded to look for his friend’s injuries. At almost the first touch the latter’s eyes opened and he looked up at Sol, but the brightness was forever gone from them, _ Alook of recognition was on his face, how- ever. “‘T’m done for!” he gasped. “No, no!” said Sol, quickly. ‘*Tll dress your wounds, and you shall—” . **Don’t try,” Hillard faintly said. ‘I’m cut too deep to pull through; the best surgeon in the country couldn’t save me. Let me alone; itll **T never knew W hat can.it } all be over in a few minutes,” ** Who was the dog who attacked you?” . “That’s what I want to know. Who was it? Who could have wished me dead? [ had no enemy in the world that I know of, and there was nothing to steal. Why was the woman here?” ‘*Was there a woman?” “Yes, and she was the fiercest of the two. ‘Who was she, and why did she hate me?” The question was feebly »put, and Silver- Plated Sol knew from his manner that his life was fast ebbing away and might go before the mystery of bis death was even partially re- v “Tell me all abou it,” he said. _ story. ideo and perhaps you can find out who id i ‘**T will learn, and I will avenge you!” Sol de- clared, his face growing set and stern. **T no longer think of revenge; I am too near the grave for that. But you shall hear the Give me water; it will help me a little,” His voice was faint and ey but when Sol had obeyed his request it cleared somewhat and he spoke with more steadiness, **] was sitting here, perhaps two hours ago, and bending over the table as I wrote a letter, when the door opened and some one eatered. I thought it was you, though I’ had not expect- ed you so soon, and, without turning my head, I observed that I would be at liberty in a mo- ment. There was no answer, but, before I had time to wonder at it, I received a terrible blow ce my head which knocked me from my chair. ‘Probably my assailant had thought to stun me, but the blow did not fall just right, and I was up again quicker than might be expected. I wheeled about and saw a man and woman, and as I did so the latter exclaimed, ina sibilant voice: ‘ Kill him!’ “The man sprung forward and, before I could move to get a weapon, he closed with me. I was somewhat dazed from the force of the blow I had received, and my usual strength and skill seemed wanting. Still, [ made a hard fight, and we reeled back and forth through me room, upsetting the table and chairs as we id so. ‘‘For some time the woman took no part in the fight, but my adversary began to breathe heavily, as though losing strength, and he un- closed bis lips to utter two words: ‘ Knife him!’ ““T tried to whirl and avoid the blow, but it seems she must-have had»the weapon ready, for I almost immediately felt a sharp pain be- tween the shoulders, I had been struck bard and deep. Other blows followed, and from that time I have but a confused idea of the fight. Both were striking me, and I soon lost strength and consciousness. I fainted, and when I recovered I was alone—and dying.” This statement had been slowly and labori- ously made. It was broken by many pauses, when life seemed likely to leave bim forever, but he struggled on and told all. Still, it was clear that his minutes on earth were few. “And you bave no idea who these people were?” slowly questioned Silver-Plated Sol. ** None at all.” ‘*Robbery could not have been their mo- tive—” ‘* No, for I had nothing to steal.” ** Possibly you were heir to a fortune some- where.” ** Not.a cent,” “Then, what was the motive, and who were met l asked the question with sore perplexity, for he was resolved to bring the assassins to justice, and it seemed that no clew whatever was vouchsafed bim. ‘*T have no idea; not the slightest. But, whoever they were, they have done their work well, for I—am—dying!” The last words were spoken with a gasp, which gave Sol warning of what was coming, and he hastened to say what aman could in such a sad moment. But he could not hold back the ebb-tide, and in two minutes Roger Hillard was dead. : : For several minutes Sol remained gazing silently on the motionless face, The two men had been friends, though not close and intimate ones; their acquaintance had not been long enough for that; but Sol Colton had liked bim well and he was sincerely grieved by his un- timely end. ‘ Indignation, too, filled the mind of the survivor. He knew Hillard bad been a just and generous man, and he felt sure no wis- demeanor of his had led to the tragedy. What, then, bad been the motive of the unknown assassins? “I don’t know,” he muttered, “ but I’m going to learn. No such deed as this can go un- avenged, even in Montana. I'll discover the guilty parties and bring them to justice, The fact that there was a woman inthe game will help me immensely; unless the murderers travel almighty shy I shali be able to trace them. And [J] do it; ay, Pll hunt them down and re the law its deserts. I suppose the creed of ‘make me an avenger by knifo and revolver, but, in pO eg the law isa eaded than man’s un- .... orts, He aroused | with a start and strode from the cabin. V: e time might be going to waste, and it was w give the alarm an reson the assassins could oa before “liver Plated’ fol was a nomad of ‘ey bea was known about him, as he never stay long enough in place to take a history, and he was confidential only in regard to minor matters. It was clear that he had traveled over the greater part of the West, and, ing a to all who saw fit to apply, He was about twenty-seven years of age and a man of admirable form. An adept in boxing and wrestling, few cared to meet him after having once seen his prowess. He was also an excellent revolver shot, and it was from the fact that the greater part of these weapons were plated with silver that he had received his sobriquet. The alarm was soon given, and while others went to care for Hillard’s body, Sol took several reliable men and instituted a search for the mysterious man and woman. Success did not at once reward their efforts, however, for no such persons were to be found in the village, nor had any one seen them. But Sol Colton’s purpose was not to be changed. CHAPTER II. THE WILL AND THE WAY. BOwLpER Bar! It was not a very lofty name, yet it was well suited to the Moutana town which had been peu on the eastern slope of the mighty cky Mountains, Mad river furnisbed the “bar,” and Nature bad certainly furnished a plentiful supply of bowlders. Consequently, as people liked the name of their own choosing, they were as well satisfied as though ithad been proved acceptable to the world in general by generations of use. One afternoon, Joseph Danforth, the young town’s postmaster, was seated alone in his office and buried so deeply in thotght that bo did not hear the entrance of a second person who had come in lightly. The new-comer was a girl, and she paused and looked at bim with a bright smile onher fair features—for she was fair, with her bright, piquant face, brown eyes, light-brown hair and merry mouth, She had an unusually small f ; but this only served to enable her body to keep pace with her active mind; she was as quick of motion as a kitten. She was his sister, and, therefore, she was taking no liberty when she stole up behind him and suddenly brought her hands down on his shoulders, but he made a sudden spring which took him several feet from Lis chair. The girl laughed merrily. ** Bless us, how nervous we are getting to be. I hope I shall never fall in love if it has such an effect. Pray, do you start thus when Lois touches you?? Joseph had faced about, and had bis sister been in an observing mood she would have seen that bis face bors a frightened look, but it pass- ed away somewhat as he saw who had thus come upon him, He laughed uneasily. ‘You are baving a good time at my expense, but this post-office is scarcely the place for such surprises. My first pt was of road-agents, and you are lucky I did not have a revolver handy. Confine your playfulness to the house after this, Ettala.” ~The last sentence was spoken with a harsh- ness which caused her to pens for a moment, but ber irrepressible spirits soon broke loose again. er And would you deyge thus to Miss Lois Orme?” she asked. “I think not, No, you would—” She ceased speaking as~a shadow fell at her feet and turned to look at a new-comer. man had entered and stood looking at her, and he now raised his hat with ceremonious polite- ness. “How do you do, Miss Danforth? I hope m coming is notuntimely. Joe, good-evening. is there a letter for me The speaker would not have ceased addressing pretty Ettala so soon had he not seen that, if she spoke at all, it would probably he to tell him his coming was not a cause of great pleas- ure, whetber timely or not, Mr. Lxke Burbank was no favorite of hers; she knew him too well. He was a man who managed to live well and dress well, though he never did any actual work. It was generally said that if the Double Deck gambling-house did not exist at Bowlder Bar, Mr. Burbank would fold his tent and depart to other scenes. He was about the postmaster’s own age, a little short of thirty, small of stature, a pro- nounced blonde, yet not a man of irresolute character. Under his straw-colored mustache could be dimly seen tightly-compressed lips, in- dicative of a strong will, and his steel-blue eyes were cold and relentless of appearance. There was no letter for him, and when he was assured of the fact he went out with Joseph, much to Ettala’s relief. She bad co re- lieve her brother for a while at the office, and she did not desire his a 2 “Where away, Danforth?” the gambler asked, when they were in the outer air. ‘*To my supper,” briefly answered the post- master. = ‘1 will walk with you, as I-bave a word to say to you. It concerns ne sister.” cc d Concerns Ettala?” sa = in rp ise. Yes. You see, I am no rook agains charms like hers, and, to be brief, I have fallen | tenacious memory, was.a mine of’ inf ormation 2p ey with her. hy het eas you is for her han : Comic oxox) a Lk 4 | | : + tS a. ee ape , | ae pu’ « + ¢ ~ i ee