Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 380 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

— “Well,” continued Dick, smiling pleasant- ly. ‘His Excellency knew so little about criminal wire-pulling, as familiar as he is with political wire-pulling, that he suggested the possibility of holding the Golden Ser- pent, seeing that she had put herself in his power, and negotiating with her followers— you gentlemen!—for an exchange, the com- mittee for your leader; and so keeping Tiger Dick. Whereupon she coolly told him that she had come prepared to put her life in the balance over against that of the Tiger. If she were detained, instead of entertaining the overtures of the State for an exchange, you gentlemen were instructed to string your prisoners up in a row, and notify the authori- ties where the bodies could be found.” ‘* An’ we'd ‘a’ done it!’ growled Dud Van Brunt, the Queen’s lieutenant, seizing the chance to show bis zeal to his superior. ‘‘ An’ then, by the Etarnal! we'd ’a’ walked in an’ cleaned out yer whole State, but we'd ’a’ snaked our Queen out o’ yer dirty jail!” ‘‘ You see,” said the Tiger, turning to the committee with a smile, ‘‘how near you have come to being hung up like old clothes before a Jew’s shop!” Uncle Billy laughed. Some of the others turned pale. / ‘‘Tt was that consideration,” continued the Tiger, ‘‘ that induced His Excellency to lis- ten favorably to the terms offered by this very shrewd diplomatist. A council of the nobs and nabobs was called; and a formal agreement was entered into, by which the State pledged itself to give up the Tiger on the restoration of the committee. ‘‘It is therefore my business to conduct you back to ’Frisco. ‘* Madam,” turning to the pretended Queen, ‘is it all straight so far?” Don Giacomo bowed his head. ‘‘ We shall be accompanied by a guard of a half-dozen men,’’ continued Dick, ‘‘I suppose the Golden Serpent will prefer to pick them out herself.” This was a hint to Don Giacomo, which he was not slow to take. Ife had the shrewdness to select one good man, to ward off anything likely to provoke suspicion; but the other five were ay chosen with a view to their being easily dealt with when it came time to dispose of them. The Golden Serpent. Se ‘It isa plot! Weare to be massacred!” shouted Hugh Cole, with his heart in his mouth. His first thought was of Abigail. Spur- ring his horse to her side, he drew his wea- pons, determined to make the false detective his first target. CHAPTER XXYVI. IN HOT WATER. ‘‘Rauuy! rally! Uncle Billy! Judge! Rally round the ladies!” shouted the excited reporter. Both of the gentlemen thus appealed to responded with a promptness which proved that there was good stuff in them when it came ‘‘ to the pinch.” In the face of real danger, Judge Little- john forgot his sullenness. At heart he was an old war-horse. Fortunately Uncle Billy’s horse bore him directly between Hugh and the Tiger, so that the latter was fora moment prevented from using his weapon. Otherwise this nar- rative would have taken a very different turn. That one instant gave the Tiger his oppor- tunity to ‘‘ save his bacon.” ‘* Hold!” he cried, stripping off the false beard that disguised the lower portion of his face, ‘‘Do you not see? I am here to res- cue you. Yonder comes the real Golden Serpent.” There was no time for further explana- tion. He blazed away with his revolvers to the right and to the left. But these words were sufficient to arrest Hugh’s atteution and lead him to observe just what the Tiger was doing. What he saw was, that, while his own friends suffered not at all, the guard of out- laws were toppled off their horses like so many tenpins. ‘Quickly! there is no time to lose!” cried the Tiger. ‘‘ Help me to secure some of this ammunition. We'll need it before we get out of this.” And leaping from the saddle, he with the greatest possible dispatch unbuckled a ¢car- tridge belt from the nearest of the men he had unhorsed. Taking them wholly by surprise, he and Don Giacomo had dropped four of them be- ‘‘That leaves you, Mr. Lieutenant,” said | fore they could lift a finger in self-defense, Dick, ‘‘to look after the stronghold in her absence. t ‘‘“And now, gentlemen,” addressing the Of the other two, one, taking advantage of the Tiger’s momentary pause when he re- vealed himself in his true character and guard with business-like briskness—‘‘the | openly declared his purpose, so as to stay sooner we are on the move, the sooner, no | Hugh’s determination to shoot him—one doubt, will be relieved the anxiety of these good people.”’ Horses were at once got, and everything was in readiness, when Hugh’s suspicions prompted him to interpose: ‘‘Not to mention our money, We have been deprived of our arms. Are we to continue in this defenseless state?” ‘My dear sir,” replied ‘the Tiger, ‘‘ that’s a matter of no particular importance. You will have no need for weapons between here and ’Frisco. I suppose you fancy that every one you meet will want to take you pris- oners. But I guess you aresafe from further molestation.” “ But,” persisted Hugh, ‘if the purpose of our capture was not a personal gain, the Golden Serpent will doubtiess be willing to return them to us,” And he looked at the seeming Queen. In reply to this appeal, Don Giacomo made an impatient gesture with his hand to the outlaws, and then spurred his horse to- ward the outlet of the glen, as if he were annoyed at delay over matters of so little im- portance. ‘‘H{[and over the weapons,” said the lieu- tenant; and they were produced and restored to their owners. Then the company set out In a body, leav- ing the outlaws who were not included star- ing after them. Whey were perhaps half-way to the exit of the glen, when the silence was broken by a rapid succession of shots on ahead, An instant later a fluttering figure came into view—a figure which was the counter- part of the disguised Don Giacomo! It was the Golden Serpent in person! — Instantly, without a word%of warning, Tiger Dick began to fire his revolvers. With a savage snarl of murderous hatred, Don Giacomo joined him in this assault. # i a ee °c = li vie Ne eRe ee ees c eee cece en eee ——E——————E——e drew his weapon; but it was not a self- cocker, he lost the most precious instant in his life in lifting the hammer, The Tiger was better armed, with ‘‘ shoot- ing-irons” that could ‘‘talk” as fast as he could crook his finger. The outlaw’s bullet flew harmlessly over his head as its speeder toppled over back- ward out of hia saddle. The remaining road-agent ‘“‘turned tail ” Fairly grasping the situation at last, Hugh leaped to the ground and aided the Tiger with all his might. Uncle Billy would have done likewise but for his superabundance of flesh. He knew that a man of his Falstaffian proportions could not get back into the saddle as quickly as the occasion demanded. ‘I’m better at stopping bullets than for that kind of work,” he cried, quite cheerful- ly. ‘* When it comes time for the display of my forte, you can depend upon me.”’ Judge Littlejohn thought of another way of making himself useful. ‘Which way?” he shouted to the Tiger. ‘*Let us give the ladies a start.” ‘‘Oh, my dear judge!” cried Mrs, Spike, at once about to precipitate herself upon him. ‘‘ Save me!—oh, save me!” In disgust he evaded her, and still hung upon the Tiger’s direction. Dick swept a lightning glance upon the scene, ‘‘To the defile yonder! See!—where the Golden Serpent just came through!” cried Hugh, anticipating him. But his idea met with opposition from an asa 35 ea quarter. ‘“*Not that way!” shouted Don Giacomo. ‘Por Dies! can we pass through the defile, running the gantlet of a man in ambush? To the rocks! to the rocks! They are our only defense!” . —<—_*"t (rer Sh ee LL DLL LLL - fpe Dick saw the justice of this. ‘“The don is right,” he said. ‘‘ One mam could hold the pass against an army. To the crags yonder! Away with you!” And he pointed in the direction in which. Don Giacomo had already set out. ‘‘Away!” shouted the Judge, driving the others before him like sheep. The Honorable Benoni was helpless. It was as much as he could do to keep in the saddle at all, Ye daintie dude was equally demoralized. ‘Good heavens, this is awful!” he mur- mured., ‘* We shall all be killed!” sobbed the Major- General. In proof that courage is largely a matter of habit, she found, in her wouted field of war- fare, pluck enough to cry to her shivering wretch of a husband: ‘* Benoni Spike, why don’t you do some-. thing? I believe you just want us to be mur-. dered!” Pt ac my dear,” he gasped, ‘‘ what can I O ’ ‘* Do!’ she repeated, scornfully. ‘* You can save your worthless carcass! That’s all you can do!” ‘‘] wish I was sure of even that!” groaned. poor Benoni. Meanwhile, bis daughter, as pale as death, yet heroically silent, did her woman’s part of implicit and intelligent obedience, Only she cast an anxious look back at Hugh, then at the approaching fury of her own sex, and lastly at the general body of’ the outlaws, who were now rushing forward with enraged cries, to avenge the death of their comrades and to defeat this bold at~ tempt to rob them of their prisoners. ‘‘What a shame to make a woman so helpless!" she thought. Then her great love swelled in her bosom until it burst into speech. ‘*Oh! do not delay!” she cried, over her shoulder. ‘‘ You will be too late!” Ye daintie dude, with the cold perspira- tion starting from every pore, was already on ahead, ‘‘streaking it’ for the crags that were to form a rampart for them, He was supposed to be paying court. Indeed, he had forgotten all about her, in his anxi- ety to save his—necktie, and what was in it! It required but a moment for Hugh to the Tiger despoiled two of the fallen foe, Then the latter shouted: ‘‘Into the saddle! We have not another moment to lose!” . \ The exigency was indeed pressing: for om the one hand the Golden Serpent was close upon them, a veritable wild-cat in her rage, while her men. were almost within pistol- range on the other side, furious at having: been so cleverly ‘' sold.” But a glance showed Hugh that he could secure another belt, and yet be in the saddle of pride nct to be outdone in the eyes of his lady-love, even by so good a man as the Tiger. t was the approach of the Golden Serpent. that would occupy the Tiger during that ad- ditional moment, of the ravine which gave admittance to the retreat, she had learned of the precedence of her double, and knew that the man she had sought to save had stolen a march on her. This last proof of his scorn fanned her pas- sionate nature to a white heat. . “YT will Add? him!’ she: panted, through quivering lips. ‘‘ Madre de Dios / was ever such base ingratitude? I will cut the heart out of his breast, and see if it is indeed a stone!” At sight of the Tiger leading the prisoners out of the pocket, she uttered a hoarse cry of fury. She fairly foamed at the mouth, The Tiger saw his doom in her eyes, ‘“Traitor! Beast!” she eried, revolver as she swooped down upon him. ‘‘T hate to drop her!” said Dick, alcud: ly intentions. But it won't do to let her send don't show a proper appreciation of the Paradise within her arms. I'll’ go as lightly on her as I can.”’ And just as she raised her revolver for a / offered no protection to the lady to whom he . possess himself of an ammunition belt, while | ag soon as his companion; and it was a point — ‘for I do owe her something for her friend- — me to Paradise on the other side, because 1 ~ Gomilecboo (@ cS On approaching the sentinel at the mouth — Gon rawing a | q | | | | : | | q 7