Beadle's Dime Library No. 362 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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16 _- So i i i or get your remains, Ginger Sam,” was the reply. ‘You is a ror'in’ terrer, Buf’ler Bill,” said the outlaw, admiringly. ithout heeding the compliment, the scout remarked: ‘*You see, Ginger Sam, it would never have done for me to have lost you, after I went to the command to release you. “Tf [ had, there are those who might not have thought I did my duty.” ‘*Who is them?” ‘‘Never mind, Ginger; but just march ahead once more, ** And see here!’ The outlaw watched the scout attentively 23 he mounted his horse and saw him tie the lariat end around the trigger of the re- volver. Now you see, Ginger, I just cock this wea- pon and keep it pointed at you. ‘*Should you slp over another precipice, or start to run, you will pull on this trigger and the result will be that you will shoot yourself, ‘* Now strike the trail for your shanty, and get there as soon as possible!” The outlaw knew that he dared not trifle, and, for fear that he might stumble and pull the trigger of the revolver, he moved off as tenderly as though he was stepping with bare feet upon broken glass, and made the remark: **{ hopes thet critter o’ yourn hain’t skit- tish, fer ef he jumps, I are a goner, from ther way thet weepin is p’inted.” ‘You certainly are, Ginger, so I ad- vise you to end the misery as soon as you can, by striking your cabin,” was the cool reply. CHAPTER XXIX. A QUEER ROOST. As if he realized that there was no help for it, Ginger Sam went moodily upon his way, and after traversing a couple of miles, which led through a wild and picturesque country, he halted suddenly and faced his captor. “Buf'ler Bill,” he said, earnestly, ‘‘I doesn’t know why ’twas yer saved my life ter-day, but I does know yer to be a squar’ man, an’ I axes of you a favor.” ‘*What is it, Ginger Sam?” “‘T are in yer power, an’ helpless as a child, as yer knows. . ‘* You is ther one ter make tarms with me, _ and I hes ter submit; but I does ax thet yer don't lead no man ter my cabin, an’ don't tell no man what yer sees thar. ‘Will yer promise me this, Buf’ler Bill?” “* Yes, suger Sam, if you wish it,” was the frank reply. “Good! now thet I hes yer word, jist come along; but whar we go yer horse can't come.” ‘* He can go almost where I can, Ginger.” ‘*iin he climb a tree?” ‘*Not exactly; but I have ridden him across @ stream on a tree that had fallen across it.” ‘I bilieve yer, fer he looks ter hev ther grit you hes got. ‘*But he will hev ter remain below this time, Bill, tho’ thar are good ’commodations fer him, sich as grass an’ water, where we leaves him.” Bill made no reply, and silently followed the outlaw down a narrow ravine. It led into a small valley, to which it seemed the only egress and ingress, and the opposite side of which was sheltered by the bold, precipitous side of a lofty hill, almost rearing itself into the magnitude of a moun- tain. At the base of this bluff grew a number of large-bodied, lofty trees, and to one of these the outlaw went. | ‘* Now stake yer animile out in this heur valley, Bill Cody, an’ he'll git boss feedin’.”’ “You are right, Ginger, and plenty to drink too. ‘Now where is your perch?” “Up thar,” and the outlaw pointed up- ward. “* You'll never make it, Ginger.” “Yas, I will.” ‘‘Not with the sins on your shoulders. ‘‘No, no; your road will be down when you die.” ‘‘Tain’t a-talkin’ about heaven, Bill.” “*Oh!” | | ee LS LE LLL LLL LLL LL Bill’s Grip. Buftalo _ - ee my lay-out are up thar, an’ 1 mean son ther top o’ thet hill.” ‘*How’ll you make it?” ‘*Up this heur tree—see?”’ Ile stepped to one of the trees that was hollow, with an opening large enough to ad- mit a man, and reaching his hand up in the darkness caught hold of something. ‘* Feel this, Bill.” ‘* What is it?—a bear’s claw?” ‘No, it ar’ a rope ladder.” **T see.” ‘‘Tt runs up inter the tree nigh to ther top.” **No.” ‘« It do fer sar’tin, so you jis’ untie my arms and then go up fust.” ‘*]’ll untie your arms, but you go up first, Sammy,” and the outlaw saw that Buffalo Bill doubted him. Unfastening the lariat that Bound him, Buffalo Bill set Ginger Sam free, and the out- law at once drew himself up into the dark- ness of the tree. Closely the scout followed him, and, as the rope-ladder was suspended fairly in | the center, there was little difficulty in going u called out: ‘* Say, old Ginger Ale, does this flue go on to heaven?” ‘¢ We'll be thar in a minute.” ‘« Where?” ‘‘Ter daylight, at ther hole in ther tree.” The words of the outlaw proved true, for he soon stepped out of a hole in the tree up- on a limb, and sat there. It was along, long way back to the ground, but the outlaw seemed utterly unmoved by being at such a eo The top of the cliff was yet some forty feet above them, and off from it the tree stood half that distance. The scout saw two stout strings goin off from the tree over the edge of the cliff, eae hold of these Ginger Sam took, while he said; ‘* Yer see these heur strings can’t be seen from below, but they is fastened to each end o’ a rope-ladder. ‘“‘ See, I pulls this one, an’ it brings one end o’ ther ladder over to ther tree, and makes it fast to this limb. ‘*When I pulls ther other string, it drags thet ladder back out o’ sight. ‘* Hain’t thet prime?” ‘It is indeed; but is this the only way you have of getting to your roost?” ‘It are,” “Then how did you had no ladder? ‘** Does yer see thet stump growin’ close in under ther bluff?” and the man pointed down from his dizzy hight. “<¥ Os,” ‘‘ Waal, thar growed ther boss tree of ’em all, an’ its limbs went up over ther edge of ther bluff. ‘*T jist made me suthin’ ter fasten ter m feet, ter give me ahold with, an’ one day clum up heur, an’ found ther place I wanted ter occupy. ‘‘Then I froze to this holler tree, got my rope-ladders in workin’ order, an’ burnt t’other tree down. ‘* Does yér see?” tie Se ‘* Waal, how is “Tt is solid.” “Tt don’t swim?” ** Only in the water.” “Then foller me, arter you see me reach ther bluff by this heur rope.” ‘‘No, if itis just the same to you I'll go with you.” “ Ther rope-ladder might break.” ‘* Yes, and it might break with me on it alone. ‘*No, I’m too high up to try experiments, Sammy.” ia yer think I'd cut it loose?” «c ie “‘Waal, waal, to think I’d take such a’ on- mean advantage.” ‘*No, Ud take a tumble, that is all, and if we go over to the bluff, it’s got to be united we crawl, divided we fall.” ** Waal, Dll risk it.” “T would if I was you, for that rope you first get there, when yer head on ther dizzy?” will hold my horse, if it is made firm at each | “Nary, fer I hain’t no preacher; but I say © end.” ft The outlaw was evidently thwarted in his little plot; but he said nothing, but hooked | the ends of the rope ladder over the two stout pegs, driven into the tree, and then passed one of the lines up over a branch, so that they could be unhooked by it, after the peril- ous trip to the bluff had been made. Venturing upon the rope-ladder, Bill in- stantly followed, and the two mounted to- gether. Once upon the bluff the outlaw unbooked the ladder from the tree, and drew it back with the aid of the lines, while he said: ‘*Now not a Injun’s eye kin see them lines from below.” In the mean time Buffalo Bill glanced around him. He saw that they stood upon a plateau of a lofty hill, with precipitous sides upon ev- ery hand and the way they had come to it was about the only way that it could be reached. There was a windlass with a long rope and wicker-work box attached, back from the bluff, evidently used in drawing up game from below. The plateau was a couple of acres in size, and mostly covered with dwarf trees growing p. 'in thickets. At last, as no light appeared ahead Bill | | built, and evidently comfortable within, Within one of these stood a cabin, well from its appearance without. A spring bubbled up from the rocks in one place, and found its way down over the cliff at another point, and the view from the pla- teau upon every hand was superb. “Well, Ginger, you live ‘way up,” said Buffalo Bill, glancing around him with the deepest interest. he outlaw made no reply, but led the way to the cabin. It was unoccupied. It had two rooms, and the furniture was evidently the handiwork of the outlaw, such as it was, for it consisted of a table, two chairs, and a bed in one room, the clothing of the latter being blankets and bear-skins, The other room had simply a bed in it and a chair, yet was neat in appearance, and the walls were hung with the skins of various wild beasts, while an immense buffalo-robe served as a carpet for the floor, of which it covered ei all of the space. ‘‘ Waal, Bill yer is welcome. ‘« Jist ’scuse me a minute, while I see ef thar hain’t suthin’ ter eat about heur, fer | are a leetle page t? ‘And so am I, Ginger; but who occu- pies that other room?’ ‘‘That were my son’s room; but he got kilt one day.”’ ‘* Ah! but hold on, and I'll search the lar- der with you, for, Ginger, I feel too fond an attachment for you to let you get out 0’ my sight.” ‘““Yer doesn’t think I c’u’d escape, does yer?” sullenly asked the man. ‘‘No, but J might, you know.” ce You 1 ¢d ‘Yes; a gun might go off, you know, and where would I be?” ‘* You still doubts me, Bill.” ‘‘T do; but see, your ladder is moving.” The man stated turned pale, and then said, bluntly: ‘Bill, I hes told you a lie.” ‘‘You never told aught else, Sammy.” ‘‘T told yer my son hed thet room; but it are my darter’s room, an’ she are a-comin’ now. ‘* Now yer knows my secret.” ‘Yes, and knew it before, you old sinner,” was the cool reply. heur yer is at my home, an’ i CHAPTER XXX. THE TREACHEROUS SHOT, ‘‘Yrer know’d it! yer know’d it! thet I had a darter?” yelled the outlaw, almost fiercely, as he heard the words of the scout. Wait and see if. your daughter does not know me,” was the calm reply. The outlaw did wait, savage in expression, and trembling, while his eyes were fixed upon | the edge of the bluff, which the rope-ladder | had been drawn over until it became taut. The scout waited too, and soon there ap- peared over the bluff the handsome face of Ella Wesley. Seeing her father first, she gave a cry of joy, as she sprung upon the rock and ran to- 7 Eomicbooks co