Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 367 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

a ' “y os ~ Jobnny?” si and passwords, de eyer hope to come out even. was the cool retort. * 22 vengeontous. Butitwon’twork. Iseethrough ye. knowed you was lying from the word ” ‘*T told you the plain truth!” gasped Johnny- pom twisting and writhing, striving to tear imself free from that agonizing strain. ' “Don’t send him even the shadder of a lie, not by me, Johnny,” was the grave response, as Enoch Dodge shook his head slowly. A cold thrill swept over the desperado, and his heart sunk once more. He knew before ‘*T another word was uttered that he had counted told you true, but you meanta lie from the first! | without his master. You've got all you want, and now you mean to | rourder me by inches! of hell forever follow Pha ‘*That’s all right, sponse to this wild outburst. you've got any more o’ that soothin’ ba’m, sup- a Aa play a gentle chune onto the gent?” ‘ T May the blackest curses | | ohnny,” was the cold re- | didn’t want to go to the infarna ** Top, old man, ef | bed o’ nettles.” ‘* You promised me life and liberty, if ’d—” ** Another lie, Johnny. I never promised you nothin’, I jest told you to age | true ef you regions on a ** Then it’s murder you mean, after all!” ‘“T didn’t say that, nyther. You're all right on’t 1?” laughed the wounded cowboy, | ef you gave us the true tip. But while we’re bringing a bunch of nettles into brisk play. | findin’ that out, you'll hey to wait in this section *‘T'd like nothing better than to grow gray- headed at just such work! Id like him to have a thousand lives, if I might have permission to sting them all away, one after the other!” *“ Enough!” shrieked the wretch, shivering with unutterable horror and ancuish as he felt that touch of fire on his swollen body, ‘‘ Take it away! Il confess!” “Not another batch o’ lies, but the truth, ificantly asked the veteran. ‘‘ Ef it’s more falsifyin’ it ain’t hardly wu’th while fer us to go to the trouble o’ lowerin’ you down jest to haul ye up ag’in. Is it straight an’ white talk, Jobnny?”’ | A feeble groan was the only answer, but evi- dently Enoch Dodge took the affirmative for granted, as he slackened on his own rope, mo- tioning the other men to do the same. Once more qobrty say Bp lay on the ground, and enjoyed a moment of comparative relief from the tortures of the damned. “The sooner you git to chirpin’ the quicker you'll hey a dose 0’ sweet ile onto them stings 0’ yours, Johnny,” admonished Enoch Dodge. **You said the gang was cached at the hole whar the Winans boys stood off the ’Patchies, but you lied. Whar be they? This time fer keeps!” ‘Two miles this side of there, at the cave. You know.” ‘Which is why I ketched you in the lie, Johnny,” laughed the cunning veteran. “I knowed ef the gang tuck that route they would n’t pass by a place whar they could hold thar own ag’inst a rijiment to take a crowded den like the one you spoke of. Now fer the other *rangements I spoke of, Johnny. Don’t you mako another mistake, or itll go mighty hard with you, my pritty boy.” “Tf I tell you all, I am to be set free, to go where I will, only so I keep away from the gang?’ huskily uttered the wretched desperado. “You talk fu’st, an’ then I'll sing,” was the cold retort. “You mean to kill me after all!” with a say- age snarl. ‘‘ Better be sure of revenge then. Wh should I speak?” ** Beca’se you cain’t help yourself, Johnny,” and Enoch grinned maliciously. ‘‘ Beca’se net- tles is cheap an’ easy got by them as knows whar to look fer’em. Beca’se I’m dealin’ the keerds jest now, an’ you got too much in the pot to even think o’ drawin’ out. It’s freeze out, you know, Johnny, You named the game your own self, honey!” ‘“Give me your pledge and—” **Tll give you the ropes an’ the nettles, Johnny, but I won’t make any other promises,” was the cold response. ‘‘ You’ve got to go it blind ef Business, ohnny !” - With a muttered curse the desperado accepted the situation. ‘TI told you the plain truth about the signs e saw no necessity for alter- ing them. We felt so sure that we had the deadwood on you while we held those women and their kids.” Enoch Dodge stood where he could obtain a fair view of the prisoner’s face, and as he re- mained silent for so long after this answer Johnny-jump-up opened his eyes and glance up to see what was the cause. And as Enoch met those bloodshot orbs, he laughed hardly, bitterly, his own eyes glowing wickedly, his tones hard and vicious. _ “You've got a gall epee s a bull Joey or you wouldn’t think to fool an old hand like me. You're keepin’ somethin’ back.” ‘*T’m not! [ve told you all you asked, and all that can in any way help you to rescue your _ friends,” was the sullen respo nse, If Enoch Dodge was not satisfied with the truth of this assertion then he played his part admirably. A low laugh bubbled from his lips, and he uttered in a cheery tone of voice: ‘* That's all right, Johnny. I just wanted one squint into your two eyes, without puttin’ you on your guard by axin’ fer it.” ““T’ve told you all I can, and now—I suppose you'll let that fiend of the devil torture me to death!” ‘** No, I won't, J ee jest yit, anyhow,” “I’m done with you fer the resent. We're goin’ to git all ready fer a indly call on Aces-and. Ef you’ve got any + message for him, mebbe we kin find time to. iver it fer ye,” el] him that I’ve pulled out for a healthicr _ ¢limate,” was the brief response, A —— — — rn OEE as patiently as you kin Johnny. It hedn’t ort to be so bard to do. ou ain’t sca’cely fit fer to travel as yit. Itll take a good week or more to smooth ye down so you'll fit in a saddle. The men we'll leave you in the keer of will look to all that. An’ when we come back with the skelps o’ Aces-and and his dirty gang, an’ in our middle you ketch a glimp’ o’ the women ’an’ children which you helped to run off, why it'll make ha heart slop over with joy as you ’flect that all this is part owin’ to the talk you slung at us sostraight!” Johnny-jump-up closed his eyes and averted his head with a low, savage moan. He quivered from head to foot, and his hands clinched so fiercely that it seemed as though the skin must part over the puffed-up flesh. ‘ Enoch Dodge stood beside him with folded arms, silently laughing, with an expression on his weather-beaten countenance that puzzled the brother detectives. They did not know what to think. Surely J se would not at- tempt to deceive them after those repeated warnings. And yet— ** But ef it shouldn’t be so, Johnny; ef any- thin’ should go wrong an’ we find out you’d made even one little mistake; then up would go our smoke-signals, an’ them in charge of you would play the nettles ontel your y swelled up an’ bu’st wide open! Ontel you was—” Apes pad ae uttered a oaning snarl, and turning his bloated face and bloodshot eyes toward his tormentor, gasped forth: ‘Enough! Ill make a clean breast of it now! Ili tell you all!” CHAPTER XVI. **ACES-AND” SORTS HIS HAND. Ir was not all lies that Johnny-jump-up gave Enoch Dodge. The gang of horse-thieves and rascals-at-large really made the best of their way to the broken section of country known as the ‘' Devil’s Hoof Range, and had their ride continued long enough, they would have brought ap at the natural amphitheater in which the Winans brothers had years before the date of this story, immortalized themselves by “ stand- ing off” a force of Apache warriors thirty-fold their own strength. But Aces-and was playing a desperate game the best he knew how, and keeping an eye open to all the chances, both for and against him. He fully expected to win in the end, but to lose was still a possibility. He meant to win if he could without firing a shot or striking a single blow with forged weapon. But if the worst should come to the worst: if the Royal Flush should run them down and try to win back their treasures by force of arms instead of through the medium of the gold he desired: better a lit- tle more risk while the battle remained unde- cided, for the chance of flight should the tide of war strongly against them. And in the amphitheater one could only fight to the end; for the defeated there was no flight unless per- mitted by the victors. And keeping all this in view, Aces-and ceased his night ride some little distance short of the point first named by John- ny-jump-up, and cut little time in waste while making his gat Seta for what must come, ‘* Like Johnny-jump-up, he had little fear that Dan Brown or Sol Scott would show much fight when those worthies came to fairly un- derstand the situation; but he would be pre- pared for them at all points before relaxing his efforts, ‘*Ducats first and then revenge, if we can work the oracle; but revenge at all costs!” were the words he repeatedly muttered to himself during that night ride toward the Devil’s Hoof nge en yet a little distance from the cave in which he had decided to wait for the return of Johnny-jump-up, Aces-and dismounted and leaving their horses behind to be cared for by the main body, he bade those in particular charge of the captives to follow him, leading the way along the steep path to the cave en- trance. With all the readiness of one who feels per- fectly familiar with his surroundings, Aces-and pushed aside the vines and bushes which so snugly screened the entrance, only pausing to give a muttered word of caution to his fol- lowers: ‘Don’t let them break their precious necks, or knock their brains out on the rocks, lads!” Tho entrances was low and dark. Theoutlaws _ silently forced the two women to bend their heads for a few moments as they passed on, and —————$——=—_——_—————$—$——_ TL then in obedience to a slight whistle, came to a halt until the splutter of a match and the grow- ing light showed them Aces-and a few yards in front, igniting a candle, And then, ashe added a second and third to the first taper, the light grew sufficient to give the captives a tol- erably accurate idea of their present surround- ings. The cavern was of moderate size, with a roughly-vaulted roof, from which had dropped fragments of rock until the flocr was thickly sprinkled with them, from the size of a barrel down to that of one’s fist. Besides the rude arrangements for lighting the main chamber, a few preparations had been made in anticipation of a more or less prolonged stay’ in the cavern. Wood was collected for cooking. Water was stored in a number of kegs, Provieitns were stored in one corner, high up out of the way of any prowling animal, Aces-and gave his captives scant time to look around them before leading them from the main chamber of the cavern into a narrow passage at the rear, which made several abrupt curves before terminating in a slight enlargement which might be called a cell or chamber, just as the fancy struck the beholder. Aces-and stepped to one side for his prisoners to pass by him, which they did under the im- ulse lent by Johnny’s Infant, who gave little be bor Brown a spiteful pinch before releasing im. ‘* Baby, go and see that the cattle are safely stowed away, except your own and two others. There’s a short ride before you yet.” Without a word of demur or curiosity the giant turned on his heel and disappeared from view, leaving the two women and their little ones alone in the presence of their merciless captor. or some little time Aces-and stood watching them by the light of the one candle which cast its reat gory Se over the scene. His left arm crossed his breast, supporting his right elbow, his white teeth slowly gnawing away at his doubled forefinger. There was a dull, reddish light in his black eyes, a mingling of savage hatred and venom- ous triumph in his face that sent the blood in chilling waves back to the wildly-throbbing hearts of the women. Not for their own safety, but in fear for their dear and helpless children. Aces-and saw this shivering shrinking, and it seemed to amuse him. A low, mocking laugh parted his bearded lips. ‘“T’m glad to see you haven’t forgotten the lesson I taught you at Single Pot Ranch, Mrs. Brown, since it will save a repetition now. Unless, indeed, your daintily-handsome friend there requires something of the same sort to bring her proud stomach down to the level of common people.” ‘* She does not—she will give you no trouble,” hurriedly muttered Rachel Brown, as May Scott shrunk back from the outlaw, hugging her child, now sleeping, more tightly to her boscm. ‘“So much the better for her and the kid,” brutally retorted the chief of horse-thieves. ‘*And yet, I’m not so sure but what I'd better let the Infant give her a little lesson. She is the wife of Sol Scott. She has lived with him long enough to become corrupted with the same aristocratic ideas that led you into rebellicn when | took up the dealing. A judicious pinch- ing of the kid might make all the differ—” ‘Harm my child and I'll kill you!” fiercely cried the little woman, with an intensity that fairly startled Aces-and. ‘‘ Spare her, and Pll obey the best I can.” Aces-and laughed maliciously at this abrupt change. His keen a be noted the warning pinc which anxious Rachel gave her friend, but for the present he was willing to pass that by. ‘‘ That's all right, my pretty little spitfire. I don’t want to damage the — I have for sale, more than I can possibly help; at least not be- fore the bargain 1s sealed and signed and the money paid over in good gold. Of course, until that bargain is fairly complete, it is the main point to hold fast to the s, Business is busi- ness, and politeness and chivalry has to take a back seat for that.” ‘‘Treat us with common decency, if not with respect, and we will give you as little trouble as possible,” coldly retorted Rachel. ‘* Set us at liberty, and we will pay you what- ever sum you may demand!” more impetuously added May Scott, her eyes glowing vividly, her fair face lighted up with a new-born hope. ‘** Aces-and flung out one gloved hand with a contemptuous gesture, his tones full of tae same sentiment, as he answered her: ‘Do you take me for an idiot, little woman? If [ were to loosen my grip on you before secur- ing myself, little gold would I ever receive from Sol Scott, unless it came in the shape of a bullet run particularly for my ecareass! No, no! I know a trick worth two of that.” ‘¢ Your reward will depend largely on hove wo are treated while in your power, Asa Sand,” coldly uttered Rachel Brown. ‘In your niind, lady,” laughed the chief of the kidnappers. ‘* Your husband will never know how you were treated until ho has paid 0)(6)(6) eGoim (a S = 9