Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 340 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

—_— -— te a _—e od a s oo we —eec ay -“ - -—7 a -_—- " ee ene ee or ne eee ae =_- -—_= — -< ——— — _-~ — She looked sternly into Captain Noll’s face over the barrel of her leveled weapon. Did the desperado-sport look his last at the sky? No: his figure seemed to increase an inch in stature and he glared at Leo like a tiger. He might have seen the tpi that was com- ing up behind the beautiful avenger—the cat- like, yet human, figure that crept, stride by stride, over the ground without the least noise. If he saw it, it was why he did not say ‘* good- by ” to the world around him, All at once the creeper stopped a few feet from the Trailer. It was a man whose face was dark and in whose head burned a pair of mad eyes, All at once he leaped at Leo with the leap of a jungle tiger that bolts upon the prey he has tracked down. A cry half-human, half-brutish welled from his throat as he alighted against the ihe | taking her completely by surprise, and almos throwing her off her balance. ** Sacrista! Doctor Pablo holds in his clutches the viper that came to Pistol City to string him to death!” was hissed in her ear, **She had better have hunted him first!” Leo tried to escape from the clutches of her captor, but he held her fast. ‘In your hands?” she cried, glaring at him. ‘Don’t call yourself Doctor Pablo to me. I know you as Santa Cruz, the meanest snake thet ever crawled. Your infamous touch chills the blood in my veins! Unhand me, villain!” Of course the command was not obeyed. The Mexican’s answer was a fiendish laugh which only made his eyes dart forth lightnings of fury. ‘* Don’t choke the woman ter death!” sudden- ly cried Captain Noll, as his hand landed on the hand which had darted at Leo's throat, ‘‘ You forget, doctor, that this is Pistol City an’ that I’m boss hyer.” ** Peste, no! You forget that this northern viper wants my blood!” was the retort. ‘* Hands of till I throw her at your feet choked to death!” ** Not byer!” and Oregon Noll’s hand wrench- ed the Mexican’s grip from his victim's throat. ‘‘She wants my life as well as yours, an’ I heva say in this matter.” ‘** And so have J!” cried: Leo, at that moment forcine herself from Doctor Pablo’s grip. ‘“She has escaped!” exclaimed the Mexican. “You have Lae the viper freedom, captain; ut I will choke her yet!” Doctor Pablo saw only the woman who had utarted back, and, heedless of Captain Noll, he sprung at her again. This time he met with a resistance that told how desperate was the avenger from the North- west. Leo raised her revolver and fired full at the sallow villain’s breast, and the next second he fell back with a wild cry on his lips! ‘‘T had hoped to torture you; but you have forced me to slay you instantly,” she said, as the man struck the ground. ‘‘I feel that I have but half-avenged the deed committed on Her- mosa Hacienda, though I have killed the demon who planned and worked it out.” ‘‘Thet’s all right so far as ther doctor goes!” cried Oregon Noll. ‘ But I’m left, my moun- tain tigress, an’ [ll end this game to-night!” Leo was quick but this time the stalwart miner-rough was the quickest. She was in his clutches before she could send him after Doctor Pablo; a mad bound had se- cured her. ‘‘You've settled with the doctor,” laughed Captain Noll, ‘now, the hull camp will settle with the woman who hanged Monte Merle. Come with me. We'll find ther gold seraphs at Holy Hank’s!” CHAPTER XIX. A BIRD IN THE HAND. At the same time that witnessed the turning of the tables on Leo, and her capture by Oregon Noll, a well-built man came into camp from the mountains, and was soon lost to view among the cabins. If he had been a spy he might have seen Cap- tain Noll conducting his beautiful captive to- ward ie Hank’s infamous den—a place where she was likely to be received with curses and yells of rage. ‘** Don’t you know that you’re ina bad box?” said a voice so near the camp’s visitor that he turned with a slight start and laid his hand on the butt of one of his heavy revolvers. ‘“A bad box, my girl?’ he smiled, on seeing that the speaker was a young girl. “ You would istol City a good box for Cool Con- rad, would you?” ‘Rar from it,” was the answer; “but I am here, and not likely to go away at anybody’s command.” ‘“‘Heavens! how they want you! The note you sent back in Monte Merle’s dead hand made tigers of them all.” ‘T thought it would r’ile them. I did not do it ter set ’°em in good humor.” Cool Conrad ended his last sentence with an- other smile. Cool Conrad, — en TL SS : = Dua ze. —_ : = - He had penetrated again to the center of the old camp unperceived, as he thought, but he ad been seen by Floss, Captain Noll’s protegee, and she now stood beside him, and was telling him that the men-hyenas of the California ** city ” wanted his blood. He knew that—that the girl, whose inten- tions were good, was only resinging an old song, as it were. Of course they wanted him, and on the other hand, he wanted certain men who had years be- fore committed one of the most bru crimes ever committed between canyon walls. ‘¢ Yes,” continued Cool Conrad, after a_ brief pause, ‘‘ This is the worst den of hyenas I ever struck. I expected to strike my first blow in Frisco, but the man-trap at Monte Merle’s pre- vented. That incident confirmed what I had i discovered—that I was on the right trail. ‘“'Your escape was miraculous, Silver Chick seems to think.” ‘Perhaps it was. Anyhow, I got out of the trap. I didn’t come down to ‘Frisco to die un- der Monte’s faro palace. I came for revenge!” “Do you think they won’t recognize you?” asked the girl. ‘‘ You have discarded the dress of the vaquero, that is true, but your eyes have- n’t changed color. Do you think Oregon Noll and Silver Chick won’t know you?” ‘‘T’m willing to risk their wonderful powers of penetration,” said the avenger detective. ‘*T fear you overrate your own powers this time.” ‘Very well, girl. I heard a pistol-shot a few minutes ago. Who touched the trigger?” *““T don’t know. ‘The shot was fired near my cabin. Hark! what’s that?’ ‘* The howls of the hyenas at Holy Hank’s.” Side by side the two persons listened to the loud voices of men in confusion and rage that the cool winds of night wafted down the camp thoroughfare. ‘* Something of sr, eho has happened up there,” said Cool Conrad. ‘‘Mebbe Captain Noll is delivering Monte Merle’s funeral ora- tion.’ ‘* They buried him at sundown,” said Floss, ‘* Planted him in order, eh?” ‘*Tn madness, I should say.” ‘* Where is their graveyard?” ‘* At the foot of this street. fresh graves there now.” as Two?’ ‘*Yes. Monte Merle’s, and the man Red Roy shot when the crow to hold him at Holy Hank’s.” ‘* Which grave is Monte Merle’s?” ‘‘The one with head-boards, 1 am told; the common rough’s grave has none.” Cool Conrad drew back from the girl and looked down the street. ‘*T’ll see you later,” he said suddenly, and the next moment he darted away leaving Floss to follow him with wondering eyes. ‘‘ He’s a strange man,” she said to herself. ‘‘ He turns from the living to the dead. If he lives to play his wild drama through, he will never more be Cool Conrad.” Already the wee ed detective had disappear- ed, and Pure-Gold Floss was at liberty to make any movement that suited her. She did not remain long on the spot, but neat away, going up the street toward Holy ank’s instead of following Cool Conrad toward the mountain cemetery. ‘*T will see what keeps the camp roughs ex- cited,” she said, halting near the open door of the gambling-den. ‘‘Ah! there goes Captain Noll’s voice. Whose name was that he spoke? Heavens! have the hyenas caught a captive—a woman?” Floss sprung forward and did not halt in front of the door, but applied her eye to a crack between the weather-boarding, and looked breathlessly into the place. At first she saw only a crowd of dark-faced men, every one of whom she knew, for the ter part of her life had been passed among em. She saw the figure of Oregon Noll in the den, and all his band with the single exception of Silver Chick who was notably absent. ‘*They’ve got somebody in their clutches,” said Floss as she watched the men a moment. ‘*The wretches are more or less drunk, and mad enough to take the life of a child.” At that moment the crowd parted and an ex- clamation of horror rose from the young girl’s throat. ‘* A woman, sure enough!” she exclaimed. *‘ It must be the hte who sent Monte Merle home the other night with a knife under his shoulder. She'll meet with no mercy ir this camp.” Floss had scarcely finished ere the woman whom she had just seen was hel upon the counter, oa Captain Noll with a derisive laugh ste ck, o har she stands, pards,” cried the boss of the gold-camp. ‘‘Thar stands ther viper what stung Monte Merle. Isn’t she a dandy chromo? Take erin from head ter foot, an’ admire ther blushin’ daisy ov ther land ov gold. She came hyer fer blood. Only a few moments ago, my seraphs ov ther trigger, she had ther dead drop on yer humble servant, but ther tables There are two rave of the attempted — . as a me — he Dakota Dete ctive. war suddenly turned an’ I found myself on to 7 The crowd yelled and cheered at Captain Noll’s remarks, and Floss at_the crack saw Leo’s eyes flash. She did not quail before the camp wretches who had her completely in their power, but look- ed down upon them with fearless mien and un- daunted spirit. The sight was enough to stir the young specta- tor’s blood, and it did send it boiling through her veins. Leo the Trailer had apparently sealed her lips, for Captain Noll’s insulting language did not call forth a single word. ‘* Let’s crown her queen ov Pistol City. By Jove! she’s a daisy!” yelled a voice from the crowd, and the suggestion made in sport was loudly taken up from all quarters, ‘‘T’m afraid she’d rule us with ther trigger,’’ said Oregon Noll. ‘*‘ From what I saw ov her work ter-night, I don’t want her queen ov these diggin’s.” ‘You are right!” suddenly flashed the woman on the counter. ‘‘ Make me queen of this buz- zard nest if you dare! Il promise to vacate the throne when I have settled with a few of my subjects. One has been settled with. The sun, thank heaven! set on the grave of Monte Merle to-night!” “To yer hear thet, boys?” cried a six-foot ruffian whose face grew red with rage under Leo’s words. ‘Thet’s ther woman ye’r’ talkin’ about makin’ queen. I say down with her! By the gods! Monte Merle war my pard an’ friend!” ‘* An’ mine! An’ mine!” ‘‘- Yes; he was the friend of men who could hang a boy with a prayer for mercy on his lips!” hissed Leo, ‘‘The man whose carcass you buried in your mountain graveyard more than deserved the fate he met. You call yourselves brave men. You stand below me with cocked revolvers in your belts and with bowies half- drawn from their sheaths. Brave as you are, hyenas of Pistol City, you dare not lend me a loaded revolver two minutes. No! you are cow- ards all. The snake that leaves his track on the mountain road has more courage than you men whose boasted bravery is an infamous lie!” These words shot home, each one a shaft that penetrated to the quick. ‘‘ Oh, thunders! put an end to this farce!” was heard on every side. ‘“ Don’t let her sex save ther person who laughs over Monte Merle’s death.” The crowd surged forward toward the coun- ter, and Captain Noll found himself being push- ed at its head. , ‘‘ Who’s got a rope? By heaven! we'll crown this woman queen ov Pistol City, but with the hangman’s cord!” ** Halt!” cried Oregon Noll, as he tried to keep the half-drunken and infuriated crowd back. ‘* Wait till Silver Chick comes.” ‘* Whar is he?” ‘*T don’t know.” ‘* Wait till he comes, eh? Not much, Oregon! This is our picnic, an’ we wait for no more help, Down with the female viper!” Oregon Noll saw that 2 could not stem the crowd that was determined to have Leo’s ‘‘ Ef you won’t wait till Silver Chick comes, wait till I kin go home. Ill be back within five minutes.” ‘‘ We'll wait that long, an’ not a durned sec- ond longer!” was the reply. ‘*Take out yer watch, Hank, an’ count ther time. Five min- utes itis. Now skip, captain, an’ don’t play us false.” Captain Noll drew back and bounded through the door into the moonlight. ‘They don’t know what I’m goin’ arter,” he said; ‘‘neither does thet girl. I’m goin’ ter taunt her with the letter thet young gold-hunter wrote ter her just afore he died— ther letter I’ve kept all this e, an’ warn’t fool enough ter deliver!” The ker soon disappeared from the view of Floss, who stood at her place of observation, and the girl was permitted to turn again to the scene in the saloon. ‘They'll hardly hold out their five minutes,” she said, and then she saw Holy Hank look up from his watch and heard him say: “6 Three )”? - The word brought the wild-eyed, blood crowd of gold roughs a foot nearer the counter on which the doomed woman stood. Her life hung by a slender thread. The men beneath her had no mercy in their eyes. She had entered the lawless camp as an aven- ger, and they had caught her. Her sex would ere no safeguard among the roughs of the gold hills. — She could look for nothing but death. . Floss looked over her shoulder and listened for Oregon Noll’s footstep, looked for his fi ; His shanty was not far off, but not a sound in- dicated his return. ‘¢ Four!” suddenly said Holy Hank. ‘ Thar’s only one minute left, boys.” _~ oss toward the door with an excla- mation of horror on her tongue, The tigers of Pistol City touched the counter; IOO (ECOL (e gS) (E(0)