Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 367 — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

7 ! { i] ; + ’ ; bi : . - ' , | tt ' t! ,. : t' eee a Soong - « es ~ > - . mo « ~~ = a nate tliat, Siete tel. «meal —~ qe ad noe gee cammatdee hea <i ~<a _—— ~ ~ — — - - + aed . = . - = ah = ‘ - —- ae , =. ae oem te = : 2 . ca : th - com el - Fi -_ a _ without running . mow w’ars, Dan kin walk right through the _ supplied Nor’ West Nick as the detective paused | me ea “The little gals is asleep,” softly called out afore we kin git through over yender, An’ the o) again. And then he gave him a revolver, oneof ' 9 | mT you understand. their safety, I mean, of course. Only for A Royal Flush. t where lay the stiff and lifeless body of the chief of the kidnappers. Without a word Enoch Dodge stooped and re- moved a few leafy twigs which until then con- cealed the head and face of the outlaw. The moonlight fell clearly upon a ghastly object, and short cries of wondering horror broke from the lips of the others, so wholly unexpected was this frightful sight. t was unmistakably the figure of the outlaw chief, but where had been the thick crop of jetty hair, the heavy growth of beard and mustaches, was now only a gory blank! In silence Enoch Dodge let the leafy screen drop over the frightful object, moving slowly ‘back a few paces, folding his arms over his bosom and gazing fixedly into the eyes of Dan Brown as he spoke: ** It’s the fu’st time in all my life that I muti- lated the body of a inemy, mates, It wasn’t so easy doin’ it now, black an’ foul as ye all know ‘the critter to’ve bin while alive an’ kickin’. To save my own life [ couldn’t ’a’ done it nur yit ‘to save that o’ the best fri’nd the hull airth holds fer me, ef that friind was a man an’ able to fight fer his own self. ‘** But when it come to wimmen—to the moth- ers o’ them pore little kids over yend’—I shet m teeth an’ tuck holt to stay! Aces-and was dead. It didn’t hurt him. Whar he’s gone to ha’r -wouldn’t last long enough to sw’ar by. I ood, but it mought be the couldn’t do him no means 0’ sarvin’ his betters; an’ so I tuck it off. “Ef they was time, I mought ’a’ left the hide it was hitched on to, but they wasn’t. An’ so— ye see, mates—yar she am!” _As he spoke, Enoch Dodge held out a ghastly se. an Brown caught at both it and the idea of the gaunt detective. It promised success, It gave him renewed hope of rescuing his wife too long risks of her injury. And that was enough to drive away all scruples, “°Tain’t so bad as it mought be,” chuckled Dodge, feeling a great relief as he read the changes in the countenance of his mate, ‘‘ lve dreened it dry, an’ tucked in a bit linin’ so’s it “~won’t—” **Do you think I care for that, old friend?” and Dan Brown caught him by the hand and ‘wrung it forcibly enough to have brought tears of 3p from the eyes of a marble statue—almost! “You give me a good hope of Epecung our dear ones, and—I can’t talk, but some day Ill prove my gratitude.” ‘Let it take off that cuss o’ yours, old fri’nd, an’ I won’t ax another cent!” chuckled Enoch Dodge, a moisture in his eyes such as seldom found its way there. Sol Scott took the hideous disguise and care- fully examined it. A grave expression rested upon his face, which Enoch Dodge hastened to banish by a little explanation: ‘*Tt kin be done, pard. You fergit how the critter hed his face all tied up, but I hain’t. With them ha’rs, them bandages, an’ the duds they is on the dead critter in place o’ them he gon up yender, an’ never hev a word said to im! **T know—I was thinking of something else,” slowly uttered Sol Scott. ‘* Not of his getting in while so disguised, but how he could take me with him.” ‘Tt wouldn't do—wouldn’t do a-tall!” splut- tered Dodge. ‘“*Possibly not,” was the quiet response. ** Well, about the children? Dare we leave them alone? And yet, it will be heavy enough odds for the entire Flush to meet. With an eye to ** We could lick double the bunch,” promptly Turk Elder. ‘‘ They won’t be likely to wake up ‘Will stay and watch over them while we go tobring his mamma to him again,” quickly utter- ed Dan Brown, hiding the grim ise as he strode forward and took the hand of Willie. “Tf I hada I wouldn’t be afeard,” slowly mded the little hero. ‘‘I shooted two men cause they was “ry ey to my mamma, an’ [ll shoot some more if they come ’sturbin’ the babies —so I will!” Dan Brown stooped and clasped the brave little fellow to his bosom, kissing him time and ose to Shey me possession of which Aces-and had rushed headlong upon his death—bade him prove himself father’s little hero, and keep faithful watch and ward over the little girls. And Willie omised, proud of his trust, even anxious for nsibility to begin. Another kiss and Dan Brown turned away, cold and hard, donning the ghastly disguise, i acl his clothes for those worn by Aces- an “T would wear his whole hide, if necessary,” he laughed, hardly, as Enoch Dodge drew back with an approving nod at his work. ‘‘ For their ll work—i‘s boun’ to work,” chuckled ct TT TT TT ee Dodge, rubbing his hands until the horny palms ‘to tell. I’m afraid J ohnny-jump-up has had bad sent out a grating sound. through hellhoun’s an’ git atween them an’ the | leddies. An’ when you do, jes’ open fire on the cussed critters, an’ we'll bounce ’em from be- hind. Atween us all, I don’t reckon many’ll stop fer the rope!” ‘“'You’ve got to take me with you, pard,” quietly uttered Sol Scott. Dan Brown started and stared into his face with open-eyed amazement. His brother detective laughed shortly, nod- ding confirmation. ‘Why not? It can be done—it must be done!” | with a sudden fire in his eyes and almost fierce- | ness in his tones. ‘‘ Think you Ill be content to. wait outside while you take all the risk on your shoulders? It is my wife in peril, to the full as : p> as that which threatens yours. Those. evils will try their best to even up the score | when the alarm breaks out. Noone man can | check them in such close quarters, if they make | a determined rush to kill their captives. It must be, pard!” ‘* But how?’ muttered Dan Brown, confusedly. ‘* Easy enough,” and Sol Scott laughed softly, the hard look vanishing like magic from his face. ‘‘ A captive to your bow an PERT most noble Aces-and! A spy caught skulking near | the cavern and brought in to share the fate of | the other prisoners. A notable capture—no less | than one of the Royal Flush!” ‘It mought work,” slowly uttered Enoch | Dodge, rubbing his chin as he stared fixedly at | vacancy. ‘‘ He kin hey a pa’r o’ irons put onto | his wrists, lookin’ mnighty safe, but so’s he kin | drap ’em off ata wink. He kin toteguns onder | his clo’s. It’ll work, sure!” | “*Tt must work,” coldly added Sol Scott, pro- | ducing the handcuffs and seemingly locking | them on his wrists. ‘It will keep the knaves from looking too , narrowly at the counterfeit of their head dog,” | nodded Nor’ West Nick, approvingly. ‘‘ They'll , have eyes only for the captive, and it won’t be | hard for our mates to get between them and the ladies, _Then—well, ’d bet my mine, the Jeal- ous Girl, that Dan and Sol could clean out the whole gang without our help!” ‘* But they won’t—they ain’t sech durned hogs as that!” impulsively cried Turk Elder, an anx-_ ious look in his eyes, ‘‘ We want some o’ the fun too, I reckon!” a S02 for a bite, pard,” grinned Nor’ West — Nick, falling in with the ex-pugilist as the , Royal Flush started toward the cavern to play | the last hand in the Big Game of Freeze-out. | ‘*Tf the count don’t lie, there’s thirteen of the p’izen critters in the hole. I reckon we can manage to have a little sport before their lights all go out!” Then all tongues were stilled. Each man knew how important it was to avoid awakenin suspicion, and like shadows rather than fles and blood, they stole along through the night, warily on the guard against running into any sentinel, perfectly familiar with the nature of the ground immediately surrounding the cavern in which the ponepters had sought refuge. Enoch, Turk and Nor’ West Nick were drop- | ped as soon as the cover nearest the cave en- rance was gained, and suddenly rising erect, one hand gripping the shoulder of his seeming | captive, the other tolding a cocked revolver, | Dan Brown of Denver strode steadily up the , ee we Sher, ensue rung out from the leafy screen, telli was on guard, and promptly he answered the | challenge by uttering in an admirable imitation of Aces-and’s voice: ‘* All right, my man! I’ve got a prize here for you fellows—an infernal spy whom I caught | skulking down yonder!” | A low ejaculation came from the cover, but whether of joy or discovery Dan Brown did not | stop to ask. It was a critical moment, but he knew how much depended on audacity, and — still gripping Sol Scott, he pressed forward, into | the narrow entrance. “ Give way, man!” he muttered sharply, as he | caught a faint outline before him. “ This devil | is hard to hold! Out and call up the lads for a | free circus!” The guard fell back, and the next instant Dan Brown stepped into the lighted rock chamber, his keen eyes taking in his surroundingsat a sin- tena e counted thirteen men, and his heart lea into his throat as he felt that had Tim Warden spoken the truth, Rachel and May must be left without a guard over them. He saw the dark at the opposite end of the chamber, and | with a wave of his armed hand he moved in that | irection, unheeding the cries which arose from | the lips of the wondering yet exultant kidnap- pers as they recognized Sol Scott. ** He’s Sol Scott!” ** Now we will hey a circus!” ‘Turn the durn bloodhoun’ over to us, boss!” Dan Brown shook his armed hand viciously as © these fierce cries broke forth, and the ruffians fell | | remaining behind were, it was terribl g him that at least oneof the enemy | ‘You kin walk right | luck, or he’d have been back before now. And if not—how could this bloodhound know where we might be found? How comesit that I caught him skulking down there, working up this way, as surely as though he really possessed the nose of a sleuth-hound ?”’ The low growling grew louder and more vi- cious. Evil eyes glared savagely at the pale, stern face of the seeming captive. Hands crop- ped to weapons. From growls and snarlings, came open threats. The ruffians were already lapping his blood in fancy. They would soon make the attempt in deadly earnest. ‘‘ Keep your distance, men!” sternly cried Dan Brown as he leaped back until near the coveted position. ‘* Not until he has spoken all!” Then—how it came about, who shall say? ‘‘ Dan—my Lusband! Thank heayen you have come!” came clearly from the rock-cell beyond and forgetting his disguise, the detective cried clearly in answer: ‘‘ Here, wife! to save you or share your fate!” A wild, savage how] burst from the lips of the outlaws, and ipeir weapons flashed forth as the saw through that daring imposition. And hurl- ing the handcuffs into their midst, Sol Scott jerked out a pair of revolvers, keeping time to the rapid succession of reports that were already coming from the tools grasped by Dan Brown, of Denver! Two men against a dozen, but those two! And from outside came loud shouts of encour- ngeeny from the remainder of the Royal Flush! ay. CHAPTER XXII. THE BIG GAME LOST AND WON. COOL-HEADED, steady-nerved though the trio trying for them to remain under cover while their two partners walked into the very jaws of death, as it were. They watched until they saw them vanish from sight as though melting into the hill, just after that low whistle came to theirears. And then they made their ears do duty for eyes, lis- tening breathlessly for the signal-shot that was to summon them to the feast of death. ‘“They’ve got a heap sight the reskiest part, but durned ef this waitin’ an’ hanging on by the eye-winkers ain’t a monstrous heap the nasti- est!” and in muttering this, Turk Elder did no more than express the sentiments of his com- rades. It was terribly hard to wait in idleness, even for those few minutes. Wait, knowing that each instant that passed might yg death to one or both of the friends whom they bad learn- ed to love so ph Wait, without the power of averting or of sharing their fortunes! And waiting became tenfold harder when they caught the echoes of those bloodthirsty cries coming from the kidnappers as they recog- nized Scott in the seeming prisoner. ‘* Mebbe the helhoun’s hev smoked the boss!” huskily muttered Turk Elder, who loved Dan Brown of Denver only second to Sol Scott. ‘*Mebbe they’ve mounted ’em without givin’ ’em a chaince fer to burn powder. An’ we a- squattin’ yer like a bump on a log!” ‘Lightning itself couldn’t stop. his finger from pullin’ trigger,” a little sharply retorted Nor’ West Nick. ‘‘ It'll come, never you fear. | But I’m fatter and shorter-legged than either of you, soI’m going to crawl a little nigher, to sorter equalize matters.” The fat detective actually suited. his actions to his words, and venturing from cover he began _ crawling up the slope. That was too much for even level-headed Enoch Dodge, and he broke cover side by side with Turk “Eider, breasting the slope with all the activity of a young lover whose sweetheart is beckoning him. Then it was that the first pistol shot echoed from the interior; and with loud, encouragin yells the remainder of the Royal Flush rush to the cave entrance, pistols out and trigger fin- gers itching. They were seen by at least one pair of eyes before they could reach the entrance, but in- stead of firing a shot at their dimly seen fig- ures, the outlaw stooped lower under cover, lift- ing a screen from a bed of glowing coals drop- ing on them a little powder that sent a ball of ste bet smoke rolling toward the zenith. Again and again in swift succession, casting frightened glances over bis shoulder toward the cavern, from whence now came a terrible tu- mult. Ball after ball of fire rose into the air, until there was a tall column that seemed strung together on invisible thread. The signal for Johnny’s Infant to put to death his three charges! Unseen by his eyes, cold in death as they now ay! : Seen by other eyes, no less eager to interpret its meaning! After all, the powder was not wasted. _ And inside the cavern all was fierce strife and back alittle. He moved afew steps nearer that bloodshed and death, the Royal Flush fighting important passage, as he apone sharply: ' for what they held dearer far than their own ‘Time enough yet, my bully boys! Sol Scott lives, the outlaws fighting for revenge and for shall die, but before he croaks, he’s got a story _ life, EOMMIC DOC) S) —_