Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 339 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

Spread Eagle Sam. od ‘You can go your way, now,” he said, coldly, turning to the She Wolf. ‘‘ But take with you my last warning. If you or any of your tools make any further attempt to injure Morris Kirk- endall or his daughter, you will have to settle with me.” “You can threaten a disarmed woman, but wait until you meet my son! He will answer you for me as well as himself!” She darted away through the gloom, and Laughing Leo, partly supporting Luada in her saddle, rode slowly away from the spot, heading toward the distant dug-out where peat Kirk- endall lay feebly calling on his beloved child to return te him. CHAPTER XXII. SPREAD EAGLE’S BEST SCORE. ““STippy, lads! thar’s somebody a-comin’! I ketched a glimp’ o’ head as he crossed the ridge, yander. Ef it’s Old Misery, all right. Ef it ain’t—the critter must stop right here, an’ never bark oncet—mind that !” The speaker was Spread Eagle Sam, and the warning passed his lips with a sibilous sound that could not have been distinguished a rod distant. It was sufficiently plain to make the armed men who crouched in the thick gloom behind him, to lie still closer, each muscle ready for prompt and deadly action, should the occa- sion arise. But it was not to come just then. A faint, peculiar chirp came to their ears, and with a sigh of relief, Spread Eagle Sam ejaculated: ‘** All right, pard; we’re here an’ waitin’.” Old Misery rose from his crouching position and rapidly advanced. Though the big hide- hunter asked him no question, the gentleman from Missouri readily divined his anxiety. ** They’re thar, jes’ as 1 thunk they would be!” iG‘ In the ole hole?” ‘Fer sure! Ina hole like a rat-trap, with jes’ the one road fer to gitin or git out—the p’izen fool critters! It won’t be no credit to take sech- like to camp. I could doit my lonesome self, by takin’ kiver an’ starvin’ ’em out!” ‘‘Ef on’y the wicked ones would suffer; but while they was starvin’, I don’t reckon the little lady ’d be gittin’ very fat,” commented Spread Eagle Sam, with a faint laugh. ld Misery only grunted, and then delivered his report in a more concise form. “I snaked cluss up to the door o’ the trap, an’ then lay low fer to see what the prospects was. I hearn talkin’ that come from the holler in the hills, plain erst. an’ puttin’ the two things together, knowed that they must he the werry critters we was lookin’ fer. You said I wasn’t to run any extry resks, so I turned tail an’ was comin’ back here, when I ketched sound of a rumpus 0’ some sort inside. ‘*] thort it wouldn’t do no harm to wait an’ see what it all meant, but I didn’t lose much time. I ketched a glimp’ of one or two critters comin’ from the d’rection o’ the hole, an’ I tried te snake closer to’em. They tuck hoss an’ rid off *fore I could make ’em out fer sart’in.” ‘‘Not the hull gang didn’t?” excitedly ex- claimed Sam. ‘‘ They was on’y two hosses. The rest o’ the critters went back to the hole, an’ when I see this, I ups an’ makes fer you—all quick as the cussed dark ’d let me. Durn sech a kentry, any- way—longside o’ good old Mizzoury!” here was a brief silence after Old Misery concluded his report, then Spread Eagle Sam spoke, his tones low but those of a man who meant each and every syllable his tongue pro- nounced: ‘Mates, you know what we set out to do. The chaince is afore us now, an’ I’m goin’ to grip it fer all that’s out!” ** We’re wid ye, ould mon!” said Johnny Bull, warmly. ‘*T hope ye all be, but I don’t crowd any man into the row that’d rather stay out. They'll be fightin’, no two ways "bout it, an’ more’n likely some 0’ us ‘ll lose more blood then we kin spar’. Them as wants to, kin hang back in the dark so the rest cain’t see thar faces.” ‘‘ An’ T'll bate the back av thim till aich nose bl’ades foor viry shame, so I will, thin! Divil take me ay I don’t, now!” “We'll rope your heels fu’st, an’ then they won't be any runnin’, to speak of,” chuckled Old Misery. ‘‘No time to waste in chaffin’, boys,” a little sharply interposed Spread Eagle Sam, as Don- ovan turned indignantly upon the gaunt Mis- sourian. ‘Ef they’s any white feathers in our crowd, words won't hold ’em up to the ras, an’ the sooner they skin out, the better fer the rest. ‘« Now lis’en while I tell ye what we’re goin’ todo. I’m goin’ to make a break right through the critters, tail on eend, an’ never stop ontel I’ve found the little lady, or got to the furder eend o’ the hole. The rest o’ you'll wade in an’ shoot fer keeps. Don’t give no quarter, fer you won't git none ef them critters come out top o’ the heap.” an they drap you’fore you kin git through em “Ef I go down, Ole Misery an’ Johnny Bull must take my place an’ make red-hot fer the gal. Ef she ain’t got to afore that woman-devil kin ee ———— <a chip in, she’ll butcher her ’fore she lets us git her | eo of victory went up from the throats of the off.” Spread Eagle Sam did not stop to see what were the various opinions of his men regardin this plan, but at once bade Old Misery to lea the way to the retreat. In silence the gaunt Missourian obeyed. In silence he was followed. It was the second night after the rash flight of Luada Kirkendall with Jesse Purchass, and a little more than four-and-twenty hours after the She Wolf paid that visit to Morris Kirkendall in the camp by the wagons. As soon as he could fairly recover from the confusion into which the bold, dangerous action of ene Leo had cast him, Spread Eagle Sam bade Old Misery, as the craftiest, most skillful scout in the party, take the double trail and see if he could run it to a successful end. Unfortunately night was close at hand, and as Old Misery was obliged to move on foot, in order to avoid discovery, he was soon foiled by the descent of darkness, and returned to camp to await the coming of daylight. He and Sam had an earnest consultation that night, and Old Misery recalled to his memory the existence of the cave in the hills to the north- east of their present position. It was barely possible that their game might have sought refuge there, and while Spread Eagle Sam was to take Morris Kirkendall back to the dug-out in the spring wagon, Old Misery was to investi- gate the cavern. Their hastily agreed upon plans were faith- fully carried out. Morris Kirkendall was left at the dug-out, under care of the cook, while the rest lost no time in gaining the point where they were to meet Old Misery to hear his report. Nothing had been seen or heard of Laughing Leo since he rode off on the trail of the She Wolf. The party of rescuers advanced rapidly until Old Misery warned them that they were in the vicinity of the cavern, when they scattered a little and crept along silently as shadows, They had almost blocked up the path to the cave, when the rapid sounds of human feet were heard, coming from the rear. Instinctively each man hugged the ground more closely, strong hands feeling for knife-hafts. A pistol-shot might ruin all their hopes of taking the enemy by surprise. Then—there came a sharp cry in a feminine voice, and mingled with the quick scuffling came the hoarse, whining whisper of Old Misery: “Tve got her— Oh, Lawd !” A revolver rung out, blending with a gasping groan from the lips of Old Misery. And by the momentary red glare of the burning powder, the startled hide-hunters saw their mate stagger back, ae hishands. Saw amomenta vision of the She Wolf—then heard her wild, mocking laugh and her flying footsteps, rushing toward the cave entrance, ‘**Run in on’em, lads!” grated Spread Eagle Sam, as he set them the example, bounding with all his speed up the rocky slope and bursting through the leafy screen which fell before the entrance. He was close at the heels of Lena Burvenich, who was shouting at the top of her voice, bid- ding her men defend the opening. He saw her turn toward him with leveled revolver, but with one mighty bound he passed her by, striking her aside with a single sweep of his mighty arm. He saw a number of human figures starting up before him—saw the red flashes and heard the wicked explosions of pistols and guns—felt the cruel twinges which follow the tearing of flesh and muscle; but he did not fall, did not falter fora moment. He broke through their ranks, hurling strong men aside as ere they were but blades of grass, and then rushed at full speed along the narrow and winding passage, think- ing only of rescuing the daughter of his em- ployer, he child of the one woman whom he had oved since his earliest childhood days. He heard the wild yells and oaths of men engaged in a struggle that could end only in death; heard the rattling of revolvers and the occasional louder explosion of rifles; but he gave them not a second thought as he hurried on through the narrow passages, through one enlargement after another, until he reached the last of all, where the cavern came to an abrupt termination. And a wild cry escaped his lips as he saw a recumbent figure in the gloomiest corner. He leaped to its side, only to stand aghast, a fierce oath of wondering anger grating through his clinched teeth. It was not Luada Kirken- dall whom he saw, but Jesse Purchass, the man whom he once loved and called pard—the man whom he had sworn to kill without mercy, whenever fate should bring them once more face to face. Jesse Purchass, but bound hand and foot, looking more like a ghost than a successful schemer! For one moment Spread Eagle Sam stood there with his revolver covering the helpless man; then he wheeled and rushed back the way he had come, thinking it barely possible he had passed Luada by unseen in his mad haste. But this had not happened, as he was soon forced to admit. He saw nothing of her, and he reached the outer chamber, just as the wild ———* tie ~ = > —-— -— — _ _ le ie et ee ee _——— rrr EES ' . ee ee ide-hunters |! He rushed into the rock-chamber, to see the last one of the rascals go down upon his knees with clasped hands, praying for mercy. He saw Kanuck, covered with blood, wounded but. still active as a panther and to the full as blood~ thirsty, leap upon him with ready knife, and had barely time to catch the falling arm and save the trembling wretch from instant death. ‘You told-a we kill zedam dogs! You say spar’-a nossing at all!” hissed the half-breed, sullenly, but yielding. ‘The gal’s gone, an’ he’s got to tell whar un” how, fu’st,” hastily replied Spread Eagle Sam, drawing his captive into one corner where he could more securely guard him from the infuri- ated victors. If short, the conflict had becn bloody in the extreme. It could be no less, when two such bands met each other in such narrow quarters. Not one of the She Wolf’s band remained upon their feet, and she lay in the center of the floor, seemingly dead, her knife buried in the throat. of a ** sidvinbr.” Spread Eagle Sam was far too anxious to learn what had befallen Luada Kirkendall to stop then to count up the cost of victory. Hold- ing the trembling rascal by the arm, shoving the muzzle of a revolver into his face, he grated: ‘*Whar’s the lady you devils stole from our camp? Talk straight, or off goes the top o’ your head in a holy minnit!” ‘* Gone—rescued |” gasped the fellow, shrinking as far from the weapon as that mighty grasp would permit. ‘** Who tuck her, an’ when? Look out, critter! Ef I ketch ye in a lie, salt won’t save ye from sp ilin’!” ‘* Laughing Leo, the boys called him. Idon’t know him. He hasn’t been gone more than an hour, I should say.” ‘‘Ha! ha! Big devil!” cried a choking, yet mocking voice,as the She Wolf feebly raised herself to a sitting posture and shaking a bloody hand toward the startled hide-hunter. ‘ You lose, even as you think the gameis won! Find the girl, if you can—but find her quick, if you would not be forever too late to do her any good. Find her, you big devil!” A hard, merciless light came into the eyes of the giant hide hunter, and he beckoned to Ka- nuck, bidding him stand guard over the ca tured outlaw. Grinning as though he only wished the wretch would attempt to escape, or make even the slightest motion that could be thus construed, Jean La Vic stoed over his prisoner with bloody knife in readiness. Spread Eagle Sam stooped over the wounded woman, unheeding her vicious blows and clutch- es, satisfying himself that she was unarmed and not mortally injured. He bore her, still fight- ing him like an enraged cat, to the pallet in one corner, then spoke sternly, deliberately: ‘* Critter—fer I won’t insult the goed ole mo- ther that bore me by callin’ sech as you a wo- man. Critter, you’ve said too much not to say more. You've got to tell me all you mean ’bout Miss Kirkendall, or I'll wring your heart till it bleeds!” ‘*Torture me? Bah! big devil, I spit at you! and she actually did so. ‘“‘I am a woman, but you can’t make me speak when I wish to hold my tongue.” , ‘*T won't tortur’ you in your own body, crit- ter. You hev the shape of a woman, ef nothin’ else, an’ that saves you frem even a tech o’ my finger in the way o’ tortur’, But I’ve got your son a pres’ner, an’ I'll tear him limb from limb afore the two eyes o’ ye, ef you cain’t be made to speak sooner.” ‘* A lie! My son is far away an’ safe from—” Spread Eagle Sam did not wait to hear the - conclusion of her husky speech, but strode awa and soon returned with Jesse Purchass still bound and helpless, in hisarms, He stood him rae the woman, drawing his knife, as he said: ‘*Doin’ is better then talkin’. Hyar he is. Speak out in plain United States, or I'll skin the critter alive!’ To his utter amazement, she burst into a mocking laugh. ‘Do it--do it, and I'll laugh in perfect time to his groans and shrieks of agony! Bah! you big idiot! Do you think I would own a poor weakling like that for a son?” ‘* Before Heaven I am no relation to her!” sped Jesse. ‘* Don’t Isay so?” laughed the She Wolf. ‘“‘ My son! he is worth a million such puny abortions! He isa man, every inch! He is at liberty, and he has taken the dainty doll you seek with him. I wish you joy of what she will be when you find her—if you ever do!” Spread Eagle Sam stared from one face to the other, in a serious doubt what to think or do. The She Wolf laughed again. : ~ oe dullard! cannot you see through it e ‘‘Sam, as Heaven hears me, I speak the truth when I accuse the demon we know as Laughing Leo of being the son of that she devil! "He has whe us false all the time! She captured me and stole Luada, through his orders! She ad- mitted as much to me, only this very day!” S Eomichboo (E(@)