Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 367 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

4 oe. Amid wild cheers from his pleased ruffians, Aces-and turned on his heel and re-entered the house. He found Johnny’s Infant keeping gu ‘d over the prisoners, a look of sullen disgust on his mas- sive features. ‘* Hain’t done a durned crooked thing, boss!” he growled, sourly. Aces-and laughed, but more in grim pleasure at the smooth working of his lecture. Rachel had taken it close to her heart, and spent the time in soothing the injured feelings of her gal- lant boy. So well had she succeedad that Willie did not even flinch as Aces-and patted him tronizingly on the head, though he had to cast own his eyes to hide the look of more than boyish anger and hatred that filied them. It was for his mother’s sake, and he would control himself, ‘We are about to take saddle, my dear madam,” Aces-and said, in a not unpleasant tone of voice, ‘‘I will look after the kids while you get what wraps and things you think they will need. Make haste!” Rachel drust not remonstrate. She bowed her head and kissed each of the children, in a whisper bidding Willie care for Cherry, then hastened up-stairs. She was not gone long, fearing for her loved ones, and in a wonderfull short space of time Aces-and led them forth from the home which they were fated never again to enter, With Rachel he passed over to the stable de- yoted to the home saddle-horses, and had the one she indicated as her own, equipped for her use. She pointed out the pony belonging to Willie, but he shook his head in the negative. ‘** It could hardly mg pace with us, and one of the men will carry him on the saddle-bow. After all, you may not find if such a mighty long ride, when’the truth is told. rs. Brown ventured no remonstrance, for she felt that this decision was one brought about by the suspicions which still lurked in the crafty brain of the outlaw chief, and feared any objec- tion on her part would but serve to con these. Ten minutes later, Aces-and gave the warning whistle that was to call his men from their hasty plundering. While they were mounting, he guided Rachel to the wide spreading tree which grew in front of the ranch, and showed her the note she had written. It was pinned to the tree- trunk with a knife taken from one of the bound cowboys. *““T'd like to see the worthy Daniel when he first discovers that parting message!” the villain laughed, his eyes glowing oyity Ff wish you could!” impulsively exclaimed Rachel. Aces-and stared at her for a moment, then broke into a hearty laugh as hedivined her mean- ing. He was not offended. Asa winner so far in his desperate game, he could afford to be thick-skinned. Promptly his signal was obeyed, and the out- laws poured out of the gutted ranch, each one sce some sort of plunder, Rachel turned pee than ever as she noted this. Willie grew dignant, and only a warning, appealing look from his mother kept him from breaking out in Hox fs rage at this rude desecration of the house- hold gods. Aces-and cut the danger short by leading the way inthe direction of the Sol Scott ranch, Rachel, bearing Cherry in her a riding beside . Near at hand came big Darius Throop, holding Willie on the saddle-bow before him. Little fear that Rachel Brown would give them any serious trouble, as long as the hands of Johnny’s Infant held her precious boy! Aces-and kept a keen, anxious watch in ad- vance, for there was yet a portion of his bold stroke incomplete, but then a wild, impulsive ell burst from his lips as he oe sight of a tittle body of mounted men and sawa well- known figure spurring ahead of the rest. ‘* Johnny, by the eternal!” he cried, swinging aloft his hat in high glee as he dashed for- ward, Jt was Johnny-jump-up, riding swiftly toward them, swinging his hat in the air and making the welkin ring again with his wild yells. No need to ask how he had fared. There was complete success in his every movement, and even before his keen eyes could distinguish the figure of a woman with a child in her arms, rid- ing in the midst of the main party, Aces-and knew all had — exactly as a had planned. ** Good boy Johnny!” he cried, laughing grim- ly as the two horses met and halted breast to breast. ‘* Shake!” “Shake it is,” laughed the womanish-looking desperado, suiting the action to the word. ** But why all this gush? One would say you looked for a misplay on my part!” ‘Not through any fault of yours, though, Johnny,” was the cordial reply. ‘‘ But it’s a mighty big game we've set out to play, and that naturally makes me a little more anxious than usual.” ‘* Nerves, old man,” laughed the other. “I always said you had’em, and that right there lay your weak point as a gambler. ank the foul fiend I’ve nothing of the sort!” _ You had notrouble, then? You didn’t leave A Royal Flush. his brother, ignoring the slur at his nerve. ‘**No suspicions alive,” was the significant re- ply. ‘*Then you did—” **Saved Sol Scott the necessity of paying the wages due four of his best men—only that,” with a light, musical laugh. ‘*How—what led up to it? Curse it, man!” with a dark frown and impatient motion of his right hand. ‘ This is no time for folly. The stakes are too large for that. What happened —in one word!” Reckless though he was, Johnny-jump-up knew better than to play with his brother when in a mood like this, and in as few words as pos- sible he put him in full possession of the story. ‘*The madam tried to run for it, but the boys blocked that little game. They roped her horse, and when I made sure the four greens were past telling how the lightning struck them, we came on to meet you.” Aces-and frowned a little as he listened to the bloody recital, and his strong white teeth bit his nether lip until they were tinged with blood, But only for a breath did this last. With a short, hard laugh he again clasped the hand of his brother, saying: ‘*T wish I could have seen the sport, Johnny, but Ill take your word for it. You’ve done enough for once, and—” ‘““How sof” was the swift interruption. ‘You've altered your plan?” “About leaving word at the Single Pot Ranch?” ™ Or where the Single Pot Ranch now stands —yes. ‘* No,” was the slow response. ‘It won’t do for us to lose any time that can be saved. The lace must be burned, for we’ve sworn to strip ian Brown of every feather; but you needn't Oo it. **' You think I can’t be trusted, perhaps?” and Johnny-jump-up laughed very softly, but yery viciously. ‘**Don’t be an ass, lad,” impatiently retorted Aces-and. ‘You know better than that. No man in the gang can dothe work better, nor half so well, as you can, but—” ‘*Then why are you throwing me over?” “For your own sake, lad,” and the elder brother rested one hand tenderly, lovingly on the other’s shoulder. ‘‘ You shot the cowboy back yonder, and be sure none of those we left trussed up will forget that. You could hardly butcher them all, and when they got loose, salt wouldn’t sive you!” ** You forget the sort of safeguard I’ll have,” and Johnny-jump-up glanced toward the wo- men and their children, now united for a time. ‘It’s too great a risk,” persisted Aces-and, real anxiety in his faceand voice, ‘‘Ican spare Hy Fla of the gang, far better than I can you, Johnny.” ‘“Thanks for the compliment, old fellow,” and their hands met. ‘ But all the same, I’m going to stick to the line of play which we figur- ed out while shuffling the cards. Dan Brown won’t dare see me come to harza when he knows that the lives of his wife and kids depends on mine. I know the whole game, while none of the men more than suspect a part. It would take a good hour to explain it to the one chosen to succeed me, and even then you coulcn’t swear but what his nerve would fail him, just when the most depended upon it.” ‘*That’s true, and if I thought—” ‘** Don’t think anything more about it, for it’s settled,” decisively interposed Johnny-jump-up, making a move to pass on. ‘*Since you will have it, all right, but,” and the outlaw chief drew a long, deep breath, ‘‘if harm comes to you, they’d better have died ages before falling into my hands!” Johnny-jump-up laughed softly, and once more their hands met in a firm, lingering pres- sure, then he doffed his hat with a mocking bow to the captives as he dashed past them, riding back to the Single Pot Ranch—and to his fato! During this conversation between the brothers, the two women had met and interchanged tear- ful, agitated greetings. They could not say much, with all those rough, grinning ruffians looking on, but May Scott received sweet com- fort in the assurance that no bad news had come from her absent husband. And this thought, with the addition of being together, gave them both much comfort. They knew that their hus- bands would know no rest until they were freed from their horrible captivity. Aces-and did not waste many words with his new captive. In blunt s h he told her that the good of her child would depend on how lit- tle trouble its mother gave him. This, and then he led the way once more over the plain, veer- ing sharply to the right, in order to avoid pass- ing near the Scott Ranch. ey rode on at a steady pace without pause or break for two hours or more, when Aces-and, who had been casting frequent glances over his shoulder, uttered a low laugh and exclaimed: ‘There goes the signal for Dan Brown to hasten home, ladies!” ’ A dull red light was steadily growing higher up the dark sky as the captives glanced around, e Single Pot Ranch was ablaze! any ugly suspicions behind you, Johnny?” asked | a a GS ee a a a ae a aa LSS a i i a a a a SS Ai ne CHAPTER IX, BEGINNING A NEW DEAL, THAT night was one never to be forgotten by either Dan Brown or Sol Scott. All doubts were gone. They believed that Dough-ball Jimmy had at length spoken the simple truth; that their loved ones were in im- minent peril; that deadly danger threatened them from one beside whom a famished tiger might be considered merciful. hey rode as they had never ridden before, pressing on their good steeds with voice, hand and spur. They changed from one saddle to the other, almost without checking the mad speed of the animals in the least, On, without a word, though their good steeds carried them side by side as in generousrivalry. Their brains were too busy, their hearts too full for speech. And the only changes in that head- long race against time was the rapid shifting from saddle to saddle when the ridden animals began to show signs of their flagging beneath the burden. Then—a low, grating sound hissed through the tightly clinched teeth of Dan Brown, and a red- der light leaped into the eyes of the brother de- tectives as though reflecting that which was slowly, silently spreading across the horizon be- fore them. Dim, barely distinguishable at first, but then broadening, growing in upward extent, turning redder and brighter until—only one thing could represent it. The work of human hands was going up in flames! A little closer the horse ridden by Sol Scott edged to that bestridden by Dan Brown. Two strong hands metina grip that threatened to crush bones and sinew. Not a word was spoken but that grip told all. They knew that one of their homes was being destroyed by fire. At such a distance, neii her could tell which ranch it was for certain. They knew, too, that Dough-ball Jimmy had delayed his warning too long. They knew that Aces- and and his merciless gang of thieves and cut- throats had already dealt the first heavy blow in his boasted game of freeze-out! On with bloody spur. On with panting steeds,whose heaving flanks steamed and smoked in the cool, pure air of the fall night. On without check or pause for aught. Still on, though only too well did they know that the work of the flames would be complete long before they could cover the long miles that lay between them and the red beacon. The red light spread and grew brighter. It began to fade. It sunk lower and became less vivid. It faded into a dim, yellowish fog, then was swallowed up by the night. Midnight came and passed, but still those two im riders sped on, keeping their heavily labor- ing animals going at a rare pace, changing sad- dles with increasing frequency. Then, to rest the jaded creatures at least in part, the two de- tectives leaped to the ground and raced on foot, one hand wound in the tangled mane, more to retain control of their steeds than for the aid it lent them in covering the ground. And thus, riding and running, shifting their weight from one horse to another, the avengers pressed on, thinking only of reaching home in the shortest possible time. The small hours crept on, and now the two men had but three animals between them. One dropped dead beneath Dan Brown of Denver, but the detective came down on his feet and seemed to rebound into the second saddle. On they swept, without a seccnd rlance at the poor steed who had given its hfe to hasten 1ts master to the rescue. : A night never to be forgotten. A night that seemed a nightmare, black, terrible, hopeless! A night that aged those desperate riders more than years of ordinary experience. Here another horse drops beneath that killing strain. A few miles further on, and a third vic- tim lies motionless, with blood staining the dry, hard ground about its nostrils—blood from a broken heart. The gray of dawn shows the two detectives on foot, oe forward with dogged resolution. Side by side they run, pale, worn, haggard of face and hollow-eyed, but stern and dogged as when they first beheld the red light of that fiery con. Not a word is interchanged. A rosy glow is spreading in the east, and at the same moment the two racers catch sight of horsemen in their front. A single interchange of glances, then their right hands clutch their =, pistols and they press on with renewed speed. If enemies, let those before them be- ware! If friends, they must at least yield one horse apiece. : A loud, ringing cheer as the foremost rider recognizes the twain. A rush of horses, and a Babel of voices as the cowboys surround their employers. “ My wife—my children?” ‘* And mine?” Silence. The rough cowboys glanced at each other, loth to reply. Noneed, now. Their looks have spoken clearly enough, and Dan Brown leaps into the nearest saddle, ery Aerie! with row- els buried to the shanks in the flank of the snort- comicbooks ST a rm — =.