Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 374 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

er ee ee ae oe —_ — Gotham would have stopped a bullet, but before even that brief period ended, a figure sprung across the threshold, and Wild Alaric felt his right arm grasped, ‘You kill that man on your peril!” said a voice, as the baffled rough looked with an oath and a scowl into the face of the interferer. ‘“T3 it you, girl?” he cried. ‘‘ Whar’s ther Major!” ‘*In tho first place, let that man out,” Adele went on, for the person who had come was the roung girl. ‘*T will not go,” said the Broadway detective, lifting his revolver again. ‘I came here to pay a debt incurred one night in New York. You know all about it, Adele.” “There he is,” said the girl, pointing at Wild Alaric, ‘‘I shall not lift a hand. One of the two survivors of the five is atthe merey of your revolver.” The occupants of the cabin heard the teeth of the Coyote rough crack as he straightened, and he blanched not before the revolver which again had the upper hand. “Turn about is fair,” he grated. kick when ’'m under ther table.” All at once a loud ery came into the shanty from the outside, and at the same moment al- most somebody reached the door. “ Alaric! Alaric! quick! for heaven’s sake!” was the cry. ‘Gideon has come back, an’ they’re goin’ ter noose him for Lariat Lige!” A wild ejaculation burst from Alaric’s throat, What' Gideon his old pard alive, and back? He knew the voice outside; it was Quartz Kid’s, “They swear he is Lariat!” continued the bo and the next moment the door opened. ‘ Gide- on is nearly fend but they say that—” Quartz Kid stopped abruptly, and stared at Fred Ferret and Adele, the situation at a glance, “By Jupiter! They’ve got yer, Alaric,” he exclaimed. ‘It’s a shame ter let a pack ov men-wolves hang a dyin’ man when he isn’t ther galoot they want. They call you Fred Ferret, eh?—the man who came all ther way from New York for vengeance! If you don’t let Alaric help Gideon Goldbird in his terrible strait thar’s not a speck ov manhood under yer_skin. Aes ther opinion ov Quartz Kid ov Custer ity. - The boy’s rebuke was cutting in its intona- ion. ‘I guess I'll hev ter help Gideon myself,” the young spy went on. ‘I’m only one ag’in’ twenty, but a man’s a man if he has been a city villain,” Quartz Kid stepped back with a final glance at Fred Terret. ‘Tf IT send you to help Gideon will you meet me afterward?” the detective said to Alaric. ‘‘-Yes! Name yer place.” “The two big rocks just outside of Coyote. You know where they are?” ‘Bet yer life!” cried the desperado. ‘Then go and help the neck in the noose.” Wild Alaric turned and cleared the threshold with an eager bound. ; “This way,” said Quartz Kid who kept at his side. ‘‘Vll show you the wolves who have Gideon.” **T never He seemed to take in CHAPTER XXII. COOLING A HOT-HEAD DOWN, wits ADELE’s appearance at Wild Alaric’s cabin in time to save Fred Ferret’s life was proof that Major Blister had not avenged himself upon her. We left that worthy on his way to Burt Browne's cabin eager to meet the girl who had sent for him by Quartz Kid, and the coming of Adele between Alaric and the detective seems to demand our return to him. see Major Blister never reached the girl’s quar- ters in time to see her, When near the cabin he was touched by a man who said quietly, when the Major had let slip an oath: ‘You don’t want ter go on in thet humor, Major Blister. Come with me till you cool off. The speaker was Burt Browne himself, tall, stalwart and with a face of bronze, “The young lady is in my cabin, and you shall not disturb her now,” the Coyoter went n. ‘‘ But she sent for me,” snapped Blister. ‘‘T don’t care if she did,” was the answer. ‘You don’t seo her in that humor, Why, you'd chose her.” ‘6 Mebbe I would an’ I don’t know who has a etter right.” ; P The Snort of Two Cities stepped back, but Burt Browne followed him up. ‘‘ Thar is ono place whar I’m lord, an’ that is in my own shanty,” he said. ‘Ther girl— Adele—is thar, I say, an’ no man shall disturb + ” her without my consent, There was resolution in the dark eyes of the nig oe ihe me,” he went on suddenly, link- ing his arm within that of the Custer Sport. ‘We'll walk yer temper off, Major. You will 1 esently.’ “Nal or Blister drew back at the touch, but Burt Browne did cid not releaso him, sss st 8 ee For once the Sport of Two Cities had found Major Blister, the Sport of T'wo Cities. : | his match where he was not looked for, and be- | fore he could remonstrate he was being walked away while Adele waited for him by the little | of Andros Ruby!” window of the tough’s cabin. ‘* Ts this the way you do business in Coyote?” asked the Major, when he had been walked to the suburbs of the mountain camp. ‘** Sometimes,” smiled the tough. ‘“Wal, it’s not square treatment,” flashed Blister. ‘‘ I’m going back.” ‘* Oh, no! you're not cool yet,” was the reply. ‘Tf you must see Adele, Major, you must do so with no hot blood in yerhead. We'llextend our walk,” ‘** Never!” and Major Blister broke from Burt Browne and started back. ‘ Hot or cold, I’m going back to ths camp!” he went on. ‘Then I go along!” was the quick retort, and Burt ai xed tothe Major’s side again, ‘* Not so fast, Major, We'll take our time to it.” Major Max ground his teeth and was forced to | Tom’s for a drink,” he said. obey. He darted lightning glances at the man | somebody will hunt me uP at his side, but made no reply aloud. ‘*Tll remember this interference,” he mutter- ed. ‘‘One of these days, Burt Browne, (ll call you to account for this work. You have cooled me greatly! My fingers itch to choke the girl who waits for me at the shanty!” The two men went back through the mountain camp, the Major eager to meet Adele, and Burt Browne in no hurry to witness the meeting. ‘‘ Hyar we are,” Burt said, halting in front of his cabin. ‘Now, Major, you willsee the beau- tiful creature who sent for you.” The big tough of Coyote opened the door him- self, and motioned the New York Ee inside. The next moment the Major stepped across the threshold. ‘* Here I am, girl,” he said. ‘‘ You never send for Max Blister in vain.” There was no reply and the two men saw by the little lamp that occupied a shelf fastened to the logs that the cabin had no tenant. “She is gone! This is your work, Burt Browne!” The Major wheeled upon his companion with fire in his eyes. “Your work!” he wenton. ‘If you had not walked me beyond this infernal camp, I would have found the girl. You knew of this.” ‘*By my life, I did not,” said Burt Browne, whose countenance showed that Adele’s absence was a surprise to him. ‘I fully expected to find her hyer. Shall we wait for her?” ‘*She will not come back. She repented of her action and was afraid to meet me here! She ought to know by this time that I am not to be fooled with.” tore Ore Ts ) commiserated the Coyote tough, while a smile appeared at the corners of his lips. ‘‘I am sure the girl will come back. I—” ‘Thar! Burt Browne, you have become the ally of this girl who calls herself Adele,” inter- she shall rupted the Major. ‘I tell you that never play out her part of the game,” ‘* Her part ov what game?” queried Burt, ‘Is it in any way connected with ther comin’ ov Fred Ferret ter Coyote?” ‘It is; it is closely connected with it, She shall never play it out, I say! You have made yourself her ally; you are that girl’s friend!” ‘“T am, by Jericho!” blurted Burt Browne. “Since things have come ter this crisis, Major Blister—since you an’ Alaric ar’ ag’in’ her—she will find a friend an’ an ally in Camp Coyote! Look me in ther eye an’ don’t misunderstan’ me. I, Burt Browne ov Coyote, am that girl’s friend. Ther man what touches her touches me! I guess that’s plain,” It could not have been made plainer, Burt Browne leaned forward while he spoke, and his face almost touched Major Blister’s. **T’ve heard a good deal since sunrise, ‘*the Coyoter went on, ‘‘ I knew something about ther iron blades an’ their work.” ‘*Mebbe you'd guide them to the hearts they hunt!” flashed Max Blister. ‘‘ We ar’ not com- pelled to make Coyote the battle-ground, Alaric an’ I can play our death game elsewhar.” Burt Browne iaughed, ** You kin play if out hyer for all I keer,” he said. ‘*Ther moment I heard thet you war daggered at ther Dolores in Custer, I said that thar wara blood leech after yer. Ther sur- roundin’ circumstances told me this. Then, when I heerd that Night-Ow] O11, killed hyer in Coyote by a dagger ov iron war a pard ov yours, I had my belief confirmed. Stay hyer an’ play out yer game, Major. You kin fight ther iron daggers in Coyote ter ther bitter end. But you must not touca ther girl who calls herself Adele!” ‘* For fear of you, eh?” said the Major, with a sneer. “T don’t want you ter fear Burt Browne. You hev only ter remember thet heis her friend. That’s all, Good-night, Major.” Before the Sport of Two Cities could frame another reply he found himself the sole occupant of the spot, and the heavy figure of Burt Browne vanished while he lo ked. For several minutes he stood there with now and then an oath slipping through his teeth then he suddenly turned and watked toward Alaric’s cabin. | was the sneering reply. >— ee ———— — as a I eR ho gee ee 19 ‘The girl has played the coward at last,” he muttered, ‘She hasn’t the courage to wait for ther man she wanted to see, when the crisis comes; she runs from the fingers. A few lengthy strides carried him to the door and he stepped inside, ‘Nobody hyer, either,” he said, in no good humor. ‘* Well, Alaric will not hear the re- port | am forced tomake. Confound that girlt wish I had her in my hands just now!” He did not know of course, that Accle tired of waiting for him at Burt Browne’s bad gone to Alaric’s shanty to hunt him up and that she had arrived in time to baffle the Coyote sport, and to render Fred Ferret a very imjortant service. If he had known this, it is probable that he would have cursed anew, The Major saw with mingled chagrin and rage that Alaric’s cabin was empty. ‘“ Always dry, Alaric has gone to Terrapim ‘By Jove! mebbe if I stay hyer. I have the iron blade thet Mark the Unknown drove inter this door after finishin’ Gideon. It. was stolen from me once in Custer but it bas come back, this time to stay till I give it back to its owner! Id like ter have the other one, to lay ’em side by side. Tl have it by an’ by. Aha! they don’t beat Andros Ruby—not even with daggers like this!” The New York sport had drawn the iron dag- ger from an inner pocket and was cying it im the lamplight while he spoke: ‘What is this?’ he suddenly exclaimed. “There are letters cut into this blade with steel. Itisa motto of some kind—the work of Mark the Unknown, Adele’s pard. That man isacrank, I never saw these letters before; he put them here after the blade was sfolen from me in Custer. ‘ Five times one are five !’ which means, I suppose, that five men have been doomed to be killed, one at a time. We'll see about that. I live, Alaric lives. Tracked from Gotham to the Black Hills need not mean that the trackers shall succeed! I swear before Hea- ven that it shall have no such meaning!” Major Blister went toward the door as the ex- clamation ended on his lips, He did not reach it before it opened, and the figure of a boy dashed into the hati ‘*Quartz Kid!” ejaculated the Sport of Two Cities. ‘‘I am glad you have come. What have you seen—the girl or Mark? Speak!” ** Give a feller a chance ter collect his breath,” said the boy spy, leaning against the table. ‘** Pve seen aoe things done in Custer when the Vigilantes ruled ther roost thar, but what l’ve seen in Coyote ter-night discounts them all.” ** What has happened?” And the Major’s hand clutched Quartz Kid’s: arm and jerked him forward. ‘* It war all on account ov Gideon—” ** Gideon?” ** Yes; he came back, yer know, Major.” ‘* Alive?” “Yes, an’I guess he’s in that conditicn yet. They noosed him for Lariat Lige, but ther hap- pened ter be in Coyote one man who is twenty tigers concentrated. Jehu! Cool? He would invade Hades an’ eucher Satan!” ‘‘Aha! Wild Alaric!” exclaimed the Major. **T’ve seen that cool head tried before.” ‘Who said Wild Alaric did it?” cried the boy. ‘The man I’m talkin’ about is called Mark, the. Unknown!” CHAPTER XXITI, THE BAFFLED NOOSE. THE startling intelligence brought to Wild Alaric’s cabin, as we have seen, by Quartz Kid, to the effect that Gideon Goldbird had come back and was in peril of his life, was not untrue as shall now be seen, It will not be forgotten that the messenger- sport received a blow from one of the iron blades in the hands of Mark, the Unknown, and that he was left for dead by the avenger on the ground where he bad fallen, In spite of all this, Gideon Goldbird had come back to Coyote, not unhurt and not erect, but terribly wounded and on all-fours, like a beast. His return was unexpected, and he had al- most reached Wild Alaric’s shanty when he was discovered by a man, who uttered an exclama- tion of surprise at sight of him. ** What fetched you back, Lariat Lige?”’ this man cried, ‘‘ Don’t yer know thet ther mole on yer shoulder condemned yer a while ago?” **T am Gideon Goldbird in spite ov that in- fernal mole,” groaned Gideon. **Oh, that’s too transparent for this camp!” **T’ll whistle up some OV ther boys, an’ we'll see about that mole busi- ness, The Coyote straightened and sounded a pecu- liar whistle in the ears of Gideon. ** Let me go ter Alaric’s an’ die thar,” he said clutching the Coyter’s leggings. ** Not much! Lariat Lige! Hyer come ther boys!” The next moment several men appeared on the scone and the man who had discovered Gideon pointed at him with a smile of triumph. ‘“Ther he is, boys, Thar’s Lariat Lige come back arter ther noose we’ve kept for him!” ‘ - en Seatiion diiieenieatine anatdiieedtealin tilitin aan aii oa toa Ah! she weakens s- har’s a rope in this camp for COmic JOOKS : (e(o) EO A. “SANE