Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 375 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

= = = ‘ > a youngster of that kind. Iwas glad to hear that I wasn’t to have anything to do with that part of it. ‘**'The old man’s shanty was about a half a mile from camp, and it was almost a regu- lar thing for the girl to run in on some er- rand. That night she was on her way back, a little later than usual, somewhere along a bit after sundown. Luck was in their favor. They gobbled her up, and from that time to this there was nothing heard of her, ““* Stanley didn’t worry at first, but as it ot darker he suspected something, for he ocked the door and started out. ‘** He hadn't gone a rod before he met two of the boys. They were puffing as though they had had a hard run, and called him by name when they got within a few rods of him. They told him that something had happened to the girl, and that he should go with them at once, They had found her at the bottom of Poor Man's Gulch, with a lot of bones broken and barely conscious. “*He didn’t doubt them for a moment though he did not half-understand their story. All three started off on a run for Poor Man’s Gulch. “<Tt was getting darker and darker. Just as he made out a couple of figures at some little distance, bending over some object on the ground, he tripped on a rope that was stretched in his way. Down he went, and before he had half an idea what had happened to him the two were on top. I was one of those men, and that’s about all I know. What I can guess is what breaks me all up.’ “He kept quict again, for a little while, and then let out some more links: “Yes, the boss was a cruel devil. He wouldn’t even ease up the old man’s mind. He told him fair and square thet he knew what he had struck in that hole in the ground, and meant to have it. That he needn't worry about the girl, because she would never come back to trouble any of them. She had been dropped in a hole and he was to follow;-and his brother would come on, administer on the estate, and sell out the whole thing to him. ‘‘I’ve got no brother,” he said. ‘‘ All the kith and kin I have in the world is Bess, and if you’ve hurt her Tll—” ‘Do nothing. Good-by, old man; you're only in the way here.” ‘* «711 swear [ didn’t know till that minute how far the thing was going. I was on the watch, fifty yards or so away, but I heard a scrunch, a groan, and then the men carrying him away. They chucked him into the old shaft where there was a hundred foot of water if there was an inch, and his bones are there yet, as far as I know.’” ‘* An’ the camp never looked fur’em?” in- quired Royal George, who had been listening with breathless eagerness. ‘*'That was where the luckcamein, as near as I could make out. Somebody or other was killed that they took to be Stanley; and when his brother turned up and sold out, for the benefit of the girl if she should ever turn up, and everything looked square and regu- lar, why nobody made any bones about it. They didn't think it was much of a> mine, anyway.” ‘‘ But it war,” said Royal George, between his clinched teeth, <‘‘It war ther strike ov ther season. A million at ther least they took out ov it afore they war skeered away; but it never done ’em no good, ez yer ole pard could ’a’ swore to. hat war ther matter with him?” °‘ ** Archie Divine was the matter with him. I suspect they didn’t trust him—he had rather a weak stomach for that kind of busi- ness. He swore they poisoned him to get him out of the way. hy they chose poi- son instead of steel is more than I can or could make out, and I sometimes think he was Only alittle gone in the upper story. If he was in with sucha gang, and the thought he was likely to peach, they woul hardly have he thought iven him the chance, smart as himself, to sneak off,” «“An’ he tho’t ther girl was dead?” «‘He was sure of it, but after what T’ve seen and heard here, I’m not. It looks very much as though the first letter of her name was Bess Stanley—eh?” An’ thet Singlar Sam war ther gerloot that played uncle. Yer hevn't. told me so much "bout ther story ez I didn’t know, ’ceptin’ ter explain whar Gentle Joe kim in at—er didn’t kim m—an’ whar’fore, but that’s Royal George, th e Three in One. | ee ee a heap ter Joseph. I dun’no fer sure, but it ——— Ee no difference to them, unless there was a ‘pears ter me ther thing’s "bout ripe, ’an ther | means of ascent provided. time hev’ come ter move on ther enemy's | works.” ‘Tf you can find them—yes. But I’d like to know what all that has to do with the Ormsby matter, and just what interest you have in Elena? Seems to me you're trying to ride two horses at once. If you don't ae out you may get a nasty fall between them.”’ For the first time the face of Royal George lost its look of stern decision. He rubbed his arm over his forehead in a hesitating sort of way. “Elena? Oh, I don’t jist recomember. Ye’r’ sure they hadn’t it planned fur Gentle Joe ter worry ther ole man inter a hitch with ther paste-boards. Ha, ha! Ef it war, I’ve seen what ther chances would hev been; I done my level best an’ wa’n’t nowhar. Sorry for you though. He's a bu’ster—an’ somehow this Joe don’t look like ther other | Joe, an’ mebbe I’ve paid a big price fura whistle thet won’t blow. ‘Thank’ee all the same. It was a good story, an’ you'll find oo» me squar’. CHAPTER XXVI. BESS STANLEY FINDS A FRIEND(?). Tue feminines, left to their own devices, and feeling that they were naturally foes, were without a doubt interested in Hen Hurley's departure and anxious for his re- turn. They scowled at each other, and they cast uneasy glances at the door through which he had disappeared, If he came he might bring some intelligence from the world beyond the barriers; if he:did not, they could anticipate that their own fate would be worse than they had bargained for. He did not come. The three women were'prisoners, and they all hated each other cordially. In addition, each had doubts about ‘the other. It was possible tc any one that her companions might be partners rather than victims, and if so it would be the hight of folly to think of any conceited effort to escape. The younger Mrs. Ormsby might perhaps, have set them all straight if she had been inclined to talk; but she was thinking of many things outside, and very little of the present ones; and was the most suspicious of the part y The elder Mrs. Orme} was the most sul- len; while Bess Stanley, in spite of the more desperate nature of her mission, appeared to be in the best spirits. Sh mind after this fashion: . ‘* Hither these women have been taken for some such reason as that which caused my abduction, or they are traitors, in the em- proy of Royal George. Either way I want nothing to do with them. They would do me aharm if they could; and it would be folly to believe that we could hatch up a plan by which we could all make our es- cape together. The best plan is, each one for herself, and the less said to the rest the better.” Women though they were they managed to preserve silence, contenting themselves with black looks and an occasional yawn. Finally, as Hurley did not return, and’ there were no signs of dinner, Bess threw herself down in the position she had occupied the previous night, and closed her eyes. She had scarcely done so when the light went out, and the place was again involved in darkness, ‘Rather early for sunset,” was her thought. ‘The light comes and goes for a purpose; after its appearance or disappear- ance something always happens. Look sharp thls time, and see if it can’t be turned to advantage.” Having thought in some such way she was the more ready for what followed. By chance the night before she had taken her position just below the opening through which Gentle Joe had made his entrance. The spot above had been looked at more than once during the hours that since elapsed, but there was no sign that the ponderous stone could be moved by any such strength as that of the three women, even if they could devise any plan by which the roof could be reached. Probably there was some method of opening the stone-trap from the other side; but open or shut it would make i There was now a slight noise in the dark- ‘ness, too indefinite to give much token, but Bess Stanley, her thoughts already in that cirection, sent her gaze upward. Something was about to happen. She re- | cognized the touch of a rope upon her breast, _and waited with bated breath to see or rather _to learn what was to follow. The rope was swung to and fro, touching her lightly in what somehow seemed to be an encouraging way. There was some one above who did not care to come down, or to make his presence known in a general way. Perhaps it was some one trying to open com- munication with her. She took hold of the rope, and gave a couple of gentle twitches. ° I'hey were answered in kind, and then the rope was raised up and down a couple of | times, just enough to suggest that it was in- tended for escape. She did not hesitate. ‘* Whoever it is he means it for me alone, I cannot trust the others, and I will save | myself and see what then can be done. I cannot be worse off, and it may be that this is the only chance that I will have. If I | mistake not, Royal George intends to end m | trail for good when he has his plans all laid. | If I do get safely away he will find his great. mistake, Beyond a doubt he knows all, and fears the vengeance that has been so long de- | layed.” She caught the rope in a firmer grasp, and slowly raising herself began, in silence, to climb, hand over hand, with a skill anda strength that the outlaw would hardly have given her credit for. She was no mean athlete, and the knots she found from time to time gave her great assistance. No doubt it was by this same cord that Gentle Joe had made his descent, The exertion was short but sharp. As breath and muscles seemed about to fail her she felt a grasp on her shoulder, and the | next instant the strain upon her wrists was relieved, and she was swung up to a solid ‘footing. Still in darkness, she could only guess that she was in a corridor, or narrow | passage, trom which there was some outlet on a different level from that by which she had entered. ‘*Do not move,” a voice whispered in her ear, as the grasp on her shoulder was with- drawn. Then she knew by instinct, rather than by her senses, that the opening through which she had passed was being once more closed, e had made up her | It seemed hardly possible, yet she must have been withdrawn from her companions without their being made aware of her de- parture. The sang-froid with which the three had received every change from light to darkness, had been in her favor. The others had made it a point to pay no atten- tion to their surroundings, and so she had ~ slipped away from them. | ‘*Trust in me,” said the voice, and it seemed marvelously like that of Gentle Joe. ‘They might have known that I was fly to the secrets of alb these old shafts—and to — a few more than they knew anything about. Let them guard the outside till they are tired of the fun; there’s more than one way out of the woods, I meant to save you in spite of them all.” ‘Bat the rest. too?” Bess spoke in the same careful whisper, and for the moment felt a guilty shame at — Are they not in danger, deserting those who had been her compan- ions in misfortune. Ts ‘* Don’t fret your pretty soul about them. — They all belong to the same gang, and they intended to have youforavictim. If you | live some of them must die, and they know it, and that you are at last hot on the trail. L overshot the mark when I tried once before _ to rescue you—and you helped to make a mess of it, but I hope this time we will un- — | derstand each other better. If not, I think ou will at least take safety at my hands and eave it to the future to come to a true un- derstanding. Now, be silent. There are a few moments of danger, and after that comes safety.” Br, While the man spoke he was drawing her | away, by a path that seemed perfectly famil. —_| iar to his feet; and full of astrange doubt, she If to be led | was silent, and suffered herse along. —_- m (¢ P| ~€o JOO