Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 374 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

] ' ' his eyes from the door for a second. “He took ther iron blade off, didn’t he!” ‘¢+- Yes and said that when it came back we'd know it.” ‘¢‘ Which we probably will,” smiled Alaric. The last speaker walked to the bar without waiting for the Major’s reply and called for a drink. ‘*~ should have shot him down without a word—I see it now,” muttered Blister. ‘The next time it will be trigger argument wherever we meet. fool I let him go.” By this time Wild Alaric had finished his drink and the next moment he came toward Max Blister with a singular twinkle in his eyes. ‘Slipped through our fingers, didn’t he, Major?” he laughed. ‘‘The next time let me spring the trap.” “You tried it to-night. You went at Fred. I had the tiger in the trap, and like a | | wish ed the half-darkened hall without any ac- cident. The man-ape war creepin’ ahead an’ I war at his heels. All at once a door | opened at ther side ov ther ball an’ thar stood Mother Redbird as large as life. I stopped an’ jerked loose from the skeleton hand that clutch- ed my wrist. If thar had been a tiger on each side ov ther giantess, 1 would have done just what I did. I sprung at the witch ther moment she set eyes on me, an’ before she knew who I was, she war in ther room be- yond an’ I war chokin’ her with a pair ov hands thet took pleasure in ther work.” ‘* Did you kill her, Gideon?” ‘* No; but I wish I had!” was the answer, “TI from my soul I had! I forced her ter swear eternal silence about my escape, I Ferret like a tiger, but he threw you off as if | you war a baby.” Wild Alaric felt the force of the words thrown out like daggers. ‘* Remember that you had him in yer clutches for a minute before you face him!” he suddenly said. ‘* Don’t throw this failure at Alaric’s feet. It belongs to you, Major. If ther iron blade _ preceded me ter ther Spotter’s dungeon whar [ | ' this. comes back, as he says it shall, don’t blame this | pard for the coming. By Jerusalem! he won’t stand it!” With a haughty gesture, and eyes that.sud- denly lost their twinkle, Wild Alaric strode madly toward the door. ‘‘Don’t desert me,” cried the Sport of Two | Cities, springing forward, fear suddenly taking possession of him. “I'll let you set the next trap, and spring it yourself. I won’t have a hand init. I gave Fred Ferret too much string to-night—I see it now.” “ Allright!” wasthe reply. ‘‘If I had hand- led affairs hyer ter-night thar’d be a dead man along that counter. I accept ther trust, Major Max. From Alaric’s trap an’ Alaric’s trigger thar shall be no escape!” The sport of Coyote shook the Major’s hand from his sleeve, and repeated his last two words with a mad emphasis. CHAPTER XVII. ADELE IN COYOTE. Gipron Goupsirp did not believe that the young woman riding at his side over the moun- tain trail intended to go to Camp Coyote, yet as made her tell me about the man who met me in the cell when I went thar ter view ther bones ov Fred Ferret. I found that he had met meat the pier, had shadowed me to the hotel, an’ bad war caught. I made Mother Redbird reveal all Word by word I choked it from her vil- lainous heart. I know that a certain telegram from Sidney sent the night I left thar for New York prepared ther man called John Leopard tor my comin’, That war your work, girl! Gideon Goldbird was looking into Adele’s face when he finished. His eyes were full of accusa- tion, and his brown hands were tightly clinched. ‘*Your work, my tigress! Don’t deny it!” he went on. “T do not,” was the fearless reply. ‘‘ Yes, I posted John Leopard, Gideon. You had a nur- row escape!” ‘Was it ther intention ter let me die in that dungeon?” ‘* | guess it was.” ‘““Who is this John Leopard? What does he want ter avenge?” ‘* He is my friend,” said Adele coolly, **Oh, yes! I might have thought that.” **'You did not leave the city immediately after your escape?” ** No. war taken ter ther house ov Ajax, ther man-ape. Thar I lost my mustache an’ hid for many hours. I stole from ther city at night, but I longed ter find John Leopard. I wanted ter drive a bullet through his head.” ‘*New York is not the Black Hills, Gideon,” smiled the girl. ‘*T know that, but I would have killed that man if [ had found him. Never mind! I will mile after mile was passed over, he regarded | get him yet.” her with perplexing interest. ‘Tf I can only get her thar!” he said more than once to himself, ‘‘She most likely knows that ther camp would prove a bad place for her, if ther Major and Wild Alaric ar’ thar, yet hyer she keeps straight on as if she intends ter ride inter ther very jaws of death.” Adele was not disposed to talk, and for sever- al miles, the singular journey was conducted in silence. Gideon watched her like a hawk. He seemed eager to leap at her throat, but such was not his intention, for he wanted to take her into Coyote where he would confront her with Major Blister and his pard. All at once Adele turned upon the Custer sport and their eyes met. ‘How did you get away, Gideon?” she sud- nly asked. vat em that hole under Mother Redbird’s den?” was the reply. se Yes ” ve Not by ther same means that got Fred Fer- ret out,” said Gideon, grating his teeth, “TI don’t owe my escape to the tigress who betrayed us four years ago, an’ let ther Broadway Spot- ter go. I war met on ther pier by a man who never ceased ter shadow me till I war in ther trap.” ‘*How do you know that, Gideon?” ‘TI choked it out ov ther tigress herself!” Adele looked astonished, and Gideon burst in- to a laugh. ‘It is true,” he went on. news out oy ther old hellion with these yaller hands! I war three daysin ther darkness of that underground place. It made a muaciman out o’ me. One night I heard a noise beyond the wall. I got down an’ listened. Somebody war foolin’ with ther bricks; I could hear ’em distinctly. _For two hours [ sometimes I didn’t seem to breathe, I was afraid I would frighten that eee, of «1 i could not imagine who it was, but while ther noise sounded like a rat gnawin’, I knew it war a man’s fingers. At last. ther bricks war re- moved, an’ I war called in a whisper, but not by my own name, Ther voice said: ive?” an’ ther next minute I war at ther hole myself, Instead of a full-grown man, I found a dwarf—a misshapen creature that looked like Hike oe time ter tell me thet he hated Mother Redbird, an’ thet in helpin’ me out, he war fightin’ her. “T choked my | | ‘** When, Gideon?” ‘When we have played our game out hyer!” a ae the Sport. There was no reply, but Adele looked into Gideon Goldbird’s face ina manner which told that she did not believe his p gap k ‘* Wait an’see!” continued the Sport. ‘I want ter report ter ther Major. I warforced ter send a lie over ther lines. e believes that Fred Fer- ret still inhabits Mother Redbird’s cellar, Ther Broadway Spotter had escaped.” ‘Your master, the Major, may already be in possession of this fact,” said the girl. ** Who'd inform him?’ ‘* Fred Ferret himself.” Gideon seemed to recoil in his saddle. ‘*He will find among ther Black Hills ther men who walled him up in ther New York den. We have profited by experience, Ther moun- tain traps never let ther wolf escape.” ‘* We shall see, Gideon,” Jaughed Adele. During the rest of the ride there was but little said. The Custer Sport saw the night slowly give place to another day, and with the last lofty mountain behind them, the pair came in sight of the cluster of cabins called Coyote. _Instinctively Gideon Goldbird glanced at the girl. Her eyes were riveted upon the camp with a singular curiosity. * Thar it is,” ejaculated Gideon. ‘TI tell yer plainly, Adele, that ye’r’ likely ter find enemies thar if yer go down,” ** We are going down,” was the quick answer, firmly spoken. Gideon could hardly conceal the delight this resolution gave him. ** Allright!” he grated. ‘I askno better, my | tigress.” One hour later the two strangely met com- | panions rode down into Camp Coyote, and not never moved; | i] ; ' He called himself Ajax, an’ it took | \ } “T felt like embracin’ thet man-ape in all | i : ” hed Gideon continuing, ‘‘ He wEtbene ielaaal bacans he didn’t like ther boss hag ov ther Mulberry street trap. Arter a rest in ther cellar, we proceeded ter leave ther house. 1 follered Ajex up-stairs. We reach- | ‘ until they reached the suburbs of the place could Bho fully believe that the girl was going to enter. Nobody came out to greet them, for they had entered Coyote unseen and unannounced. The sun was up, and the mountain birds were mak- ing music among the bushes. All at once a tall man in dark brown garb stepped from a wooden shanty and stopped short at sight of Gideon and his companion. His curiosity was seen to Increase as they 1 ode up. ‘* Thar’s a specimen Coyoter,” said the Sport, glancing at Adele. ‘‘I have never been hyer afore, but they tell me that this is a reg’lar cata- mount den. Whenever a Coyoter showed up in Custer thar war a fight.” The solitary man continued to eye the two rid- ers until they tad almost reached him. He stood like a statue before the house from which he had Just stepped, and his gaze wandered from the girl to Gideon and then back again. —_—_ eee 15 “Ts this Coyote?’ asked the sport as both horses stopped before the man. és Coyote.” ** Ar’ yer satisfied now?” said Gideon smiling as he turned to Adele. ‘* Perfectly!” and then she looked at the tough. ‘I have traveled all night. Have you a place for me to rest in?” Gideon was the man most amazed by the question. What! was Adele going to sleep in the camp that probably held Major Blister and Wild Alaric at that moment? Did she court the jaws of the merciles trap set by two desperate men? ‘You kin hev my shanty ef et’s good enough,” the Coyoter said, ‘‘Tt ar’ no Crystal Palace, girl, fer we don’t hev thet kind o’ shanties hyer, but if Burt Browne’s nest ar’ good enough for a daisy, like you, come an’ hang up thar.” ‘*T will go,” said the girl with a smile. ** Any- thing is good enough for me. I will see you later, Gideon,” she continued to the astonis) ed Sport. ‘‘ We have had a pleasant trip, and I part from you with genuine regret. Good- morning, Gideon.” The girl was riding away guided by the stal- wart figure of Burt Browne before the Custerite found his tongue. ‘**T didn’t throttle her among ther mountains an’ she did mde inter Coyote!” he suddenly ex- claimed, ‘‘ That girl is as cool as ther thug John Leopard who run me down in Gotham. She comes boldly ter Coyote whar she knows ther Major an’ Wild Alaric must be, an’ now she goes ter sleep right in ther very jaws ov what will prove ter her a mountain trap. Let ‘er go. My duty is ter find ther Major an’ report.” He sat in the saddle hardly knowing in which direction to proceed. ‘*Hello, pard!” suddenly rung out a voice, and Gideon turned at the sound. ‘* Ar’ yer a friend ov ther cyclone thet war in camp last?” Gideon found himself confronted by a@ mam who was looking up into his face. ‘“ What did the cyclone do?” he asked, ‘*Oh, not much! He only threw Wild Alaric half-way across my saloon, an’ walked away from ther man called Major Blister,” ‘Heavens! then Alaric an’ ther Major ar’ hyer?” “They war last night, anyhow. Yonder is Alaric’s shanty,an’— But yer" off, Isee! Some- ’ thing important no doubt! Gideon Goldbird was een riding toward the little cabin designated by the Coyoter’s out- stretched finger. es, it was, ‘‘something im- portant.” At the door of the hut the messenger-sport drew rein and slipped from the saddle, The next moment the door opened and a voice that thrilled him said: ‘*Come in, liar!” Gideon had advanced to the very threshold of the cabin: he could not retreat now. If he had intended to do so he was roughly frustrated, for a great bronzed hand darted forward and closed on ae shoulder. The next instant he was jerked inside, “Wal, you ar’ back, I see,” coptinued the same voice that had branded him a liar, ‘* You had to telegraph a lie to Sidney from New York, an’ then, ter cap ther climax of perfidy, you fetch ter Coyote the very woman we don’t want ter see hyer! That your message was a lie we know ourselves, for Fred Ferret has been hyer. You lost your mustache somewhar alony ther line, Gideon. I have a notion ter deprive you of yer head!” Odeon Goldbird did not attempt to break from Major Blister’s grasp. “Tkin explain satisfactorily, Major,” he be- an. : ‘“Tisten to him—ZIJ will not, Alaric!” hissed the Sport of Two Cities. ‘If you catch him im a lie, report to me. My opinion is that you war a fool for comin’ back at all, Gideon!” And Major Blister went out, leaving the pale spor®’ with Wild Alaric. CHAPTER XVIII. THE MARK OF DOOM, Ir is safe to say that the mad Major left a breathless man in Alaric’s cabin when he went away. Gideon Goldbird expected no such reception from the. man whom he had served East and West. He began to believe that he was a fcol for coming back to Custer when there were @ thousand and one bhiding-places in the East; but he had come back, and now he was compelled to put up with consequences that promised to be very unpleasant. ‘“When did ther Major*go crazy?” were the first words he stammered when the cabin-door had closed on the form of Blister. “You don’t want ter put thet question ter ther individual mentioned,” said Wild Alaric with a smile. Gideon glanced at the door; he half-expected to see the Major come back. As the portal did not ee he opened the nar- rative of his trip to New York, and the thrilling adventures that followed his arrival in Gotham. Alaric listened without one intermission, and Eomicbooks (fay eee ee ee ee ae ow