Beadle's Dime Library No. 387 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

—— but before he could take a second step, a wild, wailing cry rent the air, seemingly coming from overhead. And as the two men stared in amaze —as the others arvund the lower camp-fire leap- ed up with cries and ejaculations of surprise, starnng around them—a fiery object suddenly appeared high over the camp, falling with a dis- tinct click close to Jack Jones. He turned the light first on the face of the dead man. <A single glance showed him that he was dead. The arrow had passed through his heart, probably carrying instant death with it. Though Jack Jones failed to recognize the face, it was that of Giles Gregory. His upper body was still bare, just as he had stripped it to give Earl Wingfold the flannel shirt with to camp, a signal whistle bringing the men af- ter him. ‘‘ They’s only one way to look at it, boss,” he said, as Maurice Wingfold confronted him, pale, trembling, sadly shaken by this heavy blow. ‘“Them devils is camped over yender. They must ’a’? smoked us out, an’ comin’ to see who we are, they gobbled the lady.” notion to run fer it, now they’ve got the little angel!” Partly to keep Maurice Wingfold in play, partly to lend him a more substantial strength than that of his feverish excitement, Jones gave the old man a flask of liquor and encouraged him to drink heartily, Dark Durg, the Ishmael of the Hills, ee ee BL at ‘*Haven’t I given you my word of honor?” snapped the old man, ‘*Which I’m goin’ to hold ye to, boss. You're: to stick cluss te me, an’ not make a break with- out L say you kin.” The party was mounted, armed, ready for hot work in case their end could not be gained with- out. At a sign from Jones, who kept within Jones quickly finished his instructions to his men. Now that the matter of the father was settled, his plans were very simple. They two were to steal around the camp and. approach it from the opposite side. If possible, they were to ascertain if Precious Wingtold was: in the camp. If she was, and a fair chance of-. fered for *‘ cutting her out,” Jones was to make | | <— “Took out, boys! Injun work!” he cried, ‘‘Lead the way—ITll tear their hearts out!” | easy reach of Maurice Wingfold, the little band | whipping out a revolver and crouching as | panted Maurice, hiseyes glowing redly. ‘‘ Quick! | fell in behind their guide, who struck across the though about to leap to cover. that demon will kill her!” level in a direction that would carry them to the But Maurice Wingfold sprung forward and ‘‘ We'll do the best we know, of course, bogs, | broken ground, only a few hundred yards lower’ : snatched up the missile. It was a long arrow, | but you ain’t fit—” down than where the camp was pitched which its flmt-head bound about with flaming tow, a “Tm going! Dll go alone if you are afraid!” | Jones had discovered that: evening, providen- bit of paper wrapped around the shaft. snarled the half-distracted father, moving to- | tially, as it now seemed. | ‘*Close in an’ kiver the gal!” grated Jones, | ward the horses. He had nota doubt but that some of this party only to start back from the empty tent, his For a moment Jack Jones was strongly | had abducted Precious Wingfold, though he: | bronzed face turning yellow with fear and |} tempted to use force, since he saw plain enough | could not even guess how it was managed so amazement. And just then Maurice Wingfold | that sober reason would avail nothing. He | near to her defenders, without arousing even a | uttered a wild cry. hesitated for a brief space, counting the cost on | ghost of a suspicion. | ‘*Gone! my darling! And I so blindly stand- | either side. Then—as he. reflected how urgent Though he had not actually seen either Damon: : ing by!” was the necessity of cool and concerted action | Wingfold or his son, Earl, Jones had crept close | He held a paper in his trembling hand, and | —he leaped forward:and caught the madman | enough to the camp-fire to recegnize at least twor Jack Jones snatched it from his fingers. In plain | around the arms, twisting him from his feet | men who he knew had keen with the ycung bold characters he read: and gently laying him.on the ground, flat on his ; blood when he attempted to ‘‘ down” Rex Stu- “The hawk has stolen the dove. If you would | back. j art. And this convinced him that the party save her from worse than death, turn to the hills and ‘It’s all fer her good, boss!” he muttered, | was the same one which had left Denver under’ look for a red light, There the beginning of the | holding Maurice Wingfold helpless, adding | lead of Damon Wirgfold. trail may be seen. Tue GoLb PHANTOM. earnestly: ‘* You know IT’d give my life to Granting this, who else could have committed’ 5 : Jack Jones did not stop to count the cost. He | sarve her, any minnit. You know I’m goin’ to | the outrage. a turned his head to the startled men, cryingas he | do all that man kin to git her out o’ trouble. Long before reaching the point which he bad’ leaped past the tents: You know ef Damon Wingfold an’ his ugly cub | in mind, Jones caught sight of a faint glow hov- ‘s Ziver me, boys, an’ let ’em hey it, the fu’st | hes got thar grips onto the pore little gal, they'll | ering over the tops of the bushes which served to glimp’ ye ketch!” fight mighty hard to keep her ag’in’ us, An’ | screen the camp. This seemed favorable to their ‘hough he might have doubted the genuine- | ef I wasn’t boilin’ over mad, you’d see that the | plans, but he was far too experienced to run any ness of this strangely delivered warning had he | ondly way to git ahead o' them p’izen cusses is | wild risks. If the camp was deserted, a few taken timo for a second thought, Jones paused | to go at it cool an’ stiddy. ‘Stead o’ that, you're | minutes lost would matter but little in the end. e not for chat. Though there might be anambush | rippin’ an’ snortin’ like a crazy bedbug! You’d | If it was still occupied, as he hoped and le-- directly before him, he obeyed his first impulse | let ’°em know he was at ’em, long enough afore ! lieved, they might gain much by taking a pre- and dashed direct for the thick-lying rocks as | ‘ithin reach, fer them to hide her out o’ the | liminary view, if not win an advantage which: bidden by that message. And, scarce had he | way.” would insure them complete victory befcre a. \ taken a dozen steps before a red light leaped u At first Maurice Wingfold struggled desper- | single blow was dealt or a shot fired. _ , before him, illumining the wild scene with al- | ately to free himself from that stern grip, but For some little distance he had kept the party | most the distinctness of sunlight. as his first frenzy became exhausted, he lay | at a walk, lest the rapid trampling of hoots: | ‘* Close up—seck it to the fu’st critter ye see!” | quiet, to say as Jack Jones paused in his hurried | alarm the enemy. And as he neared the point grated Jones, slackening his pace a little, but | speech: where he determined to leave the horses, he iW still pressing on. ‘‘Let me up, man! Il do as you say, just so | spoke guardedly, yet loud enough for all to a And then—ho stood beside a prostrate figure, | you don’t try tomake me stop behind. That | catch his words: q from whose bosom protruded a feathered shaft! | T’ll never consent to!” ‘We'll ‘light an’ hitch, in a bit, boys. I'll go This much they all saw, before the red light Jones permitted him to rise, lending him a | on ahead to take a look at the critters, sn” i died out, as suddenly as it had leaped into ex- | hand, adding: mebbe make out all we want to know most. Ef ‘ istence. But this was no longer a mystery. ‘“ Won't you doit ef it’s fer the good o’ the lit- | I kin see anythin’ o’ the gal, an’ she’s whar I him One and all had seen the ruddy blaze, curling | tle gal, boss?” grup her an’ make kiver ag’in afore the imps kim about the shaft of the death-dealing arrow. ‘*T can fight as well as the best of you!” riddle us, PU do it. Ef I do, you'll bear the | “Tt’s a man-critter, boss!” muttered Jack | ‘’Tain’t so much the fightin’, boss, as it is | row, an’ then you want to wade inder all yowie Jones as Maurice Wingfold uttered a cry of hor- | the cool gittin’ at it,” quickly responded the | wu’th!” e : ror and grief combined, having caught but a | guide. ‘“‘We kin clean ’em ‘out easy enough, ‘‘Tt's dark enough so we kin crawl up ati glimpse of the dread object. ‘‘ None o’ our | ef we take time to git in the fu’st licks, though | close, *thout runnin’ any resk o’ bein sj otted,, +a i. gang, nuther!” ; they’re a mighty hard gang, or thar looks tells | Jack,” suggested one of the men. | 4 | ‘‘Yer's fresh drappin’s, whar a hoss hes bin | lies, But youre so red-hot you'd let’em know ‘Tet I could trust you, bess!” muttered the ) ts hitched, Jack!” called out one of the party, ex- | we was comin’, too quick! Yon’d give ’em | guide, dubiously. ‘4 a citedly. chances to putt out with the gal, an’ mebbe ‘Pm going with you on ycur scout,” was the a) | ‘‘ Hold yer persish, every critter, er mebbe | make a andbush fer us to run our noses in afore | quick response. ‘| Ii e’ll rub the sign out,” the guide cried, sternly. | we was ready—don’t you see?” ‘* Not ef I know myself!” . , ‘Some o’ you take the old gent. He’s gone Maurice doggedly shook his gray head. “Then I'll go alone,” doggedly, as a quick ay , fainty, I reckon, from the way he hangs onto my ** She is my child—all [ have left in this world! | touch of the spur carried his horse beyond the _ arm.” She isin peril—in worse danger than even you | grasp of the guide’s hand. “It?s my child, It's ' i ‘‘Precious—my child! Save her from those | can suspect! I’m going to*her rescue, if I have | my place to rescue her, or at least play a man’s: oh demons!” huskily muttered Wingfold, seemingly | to go alone. And I'll kill the first man that lays | part.” ine crushed by this bitter and unexpected blow, hands on me to keep me back—I swear it!” * Ef ge ondly would /” sniffled Jones, in a | ‘* Well do it ef it’s on the keerds, boss, be sure Jack Jones gave a snort of disgust, but made | tone of thorough disgust. “Ef you ondly : | o’ that,” soothingly replied the guide, passing the | the best of a bad bargain. wouldn’t keep playin’ the durned fool!” 4 old man over to the men who were nearest him, **Say you'll hold in ontel I say the right time ‘Which is it: alone, or with you?” . adding hastily: ‘Take him back the way we | is come fer work. Promise this, as a white man, “With me, ef you will resk all that-a-way,’” : come, fer afew rods. Mebbe they’s a trick hid | an’ you kin goalong. Ef you won’t promise, | was the stillen reply. in this thing, an’ they ain’t no need 0’ runnin’ | kill or no kill, Pll tie you up han’ an’ foot an’ ‘**'You shall have no further fault to find with aq more resk then we hev to. Straight back, an’ | leave you ahind! It is the little lady I’m think- | me, Jones,” added Wingfold as he drew rein ‘i keep your tools ready ef anythin’ shows up— | in’ of the most.” with the rest, but keeping a watchful eye on the B| lively, every soul 0” , e!” Maurice Wingfold saw that the sturdy guide | guide, as though anticipating another swift as- | When he spoke in that tone of voice, few men | meant every word he uttered, and he unhesita- | sault. ‘Tl act as silently as your shadow, but ht i who knew him cared to disobey or even argua | tingly gave the required pledge. He did this so | I can’t lay idle while my child isin such bitter the point. As one man his comrades fell back | readily, that Jones eyed him dubiously. There | peril! It would drive me mad! | toward the camp, leaving Jack Jones alone be- | was far too wild alight im those beggars eyes *‘Hev itso: but mind. Ef you play the fool, Hf side the body. ae for him to fully trust such a pledge; but what | I'll treat you like afool. Vikill you ruther | | Doffing his broad-brimmed hat, using it asa | else could he do, under the circumstances? then hev her come to harm through your bull- f , shield, to cast allthe light tothe ground, Jones| “Allright. Git the critters ready, boys! It | headedness! I mean jest what I'm tellin’ you, | ra | struck ‘a match and lit a small bit of candle | ain’tso fur, but we'll ride as nigh as we kin. | boss.” y ji which he took from his ‘* handy-bag.” Mebbe we'll need the hosses. They may take a Maurice Wingfold made no reply, and Jack i “They may be a long an’ tough ride afore us,” ) ) which Precious Wingfold was smothered into | he said, in explanation. ‘Them imps must | the effort, and his men were to take care of the | | silenve and helplessness. The arrow in his hairy | know we wouldn’t be long afore findin’ out tha’r | enemy. breast was of the same make as the one which | devilment, an’ that we wouldn’t rest easy ontel To the better do this, they were to creep as . | had conveyed that fiery warning to the men in | we’d got even. Mebbe they’ll think to bluff usoff, | close to the camp as they could without running = camp. ; with the little angel fer a hand, but then ag’in | too much risk of being prematurely discovered. VF Only a moment or two did Jack Jones waste | mebbe theyll try to dodge us in the dark by | They were to make no move unless analarmwasi | ‘4 on the corpse. Bending low, keeping the light | takin’ foot-bail. Anyway, you'll need all the | given. If not, they were to wait until Jones: F tA well covered, allowing the rays to spread scarce | stren’th you kin git.” came back with his report. After that, circum- 3 | | two feet, he moved to the spot from whence his ‘* Tf I once get my hands on the throat of that | stances were to guide their further action, { man had announced his discovery. Itwas true. | hellhound, he’ll find I'm strong enough—curse | Still distrusting the prudence of his self-invited ie There, where the ground was considerably | him!” gtated the old man. companion, Jack Jones eagin urged Wingfold to: ‘is trampled, lay fresh droppings. Beyond a doubt, ** An’ double cuss him, with his gang throwed | leave him untrammeled, but in vain, And then two animals had beon tethered to those bushes, | in, ef you like,” cheerfully Aeucrited the guide as | he set off, making his way along theedgeof the, ; . less than an hour ago! he assisted Maurice to mount his horse. * broken ground, as being less liable to discovery’ r The soil was hard and full of gravel, but poor-| ‘* All the same, you want to keep your promise | than moving on the bare, level plain, a ee a ly suited for receiving aud retaining a trail, | inmind. I’m workin’ under you asa boss [ know; As he proceeded, he saw with grim satisfaction put Jack Jones managed to find sign sufficient | but when it comes to you or the little angel, I’m that Maurice Wingfold was cool and steady ; te to convince him that the horses had returned to | stickin’ by her every time! An’ ef youputt her enough to imitate his movements with equal 1, ia the more level ground at the base of the hills, | in danger by making a wild break, down you go | silence and celerity. If he would only remamm’ : And then, putting out his light, he strode back | though you was my ownpap! You understand?” the same! / ; : ; ; aa oe". -t A Ws e aN Ra oh One EGOmIGDOOKS- col n tt * +?