Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 389 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

** Run and tell the sheriff, and I will get some men to bunt him.” But Col. Double-edge had put spurs to his horse, and was soon out of sight, and the best men in Gonzalez could not have caught him if | they had made the attempt. Jeptha Jones sadly rode home, stopping at Tom Throop’s ranch on the way, to report the failure of his mission, CHAPTER V. WIPING OUT THE RANCH. Co. DOUBLE-EDGE and bis partner lived in clover at the Koopman Ranch, Atter the bargain with the cattle baron had been clinched, and while they were waiting to strike the blow, they were the guests of their employer, and had nothing todo but to eat and drink and sleep. As the food and liquor and cigars were the best that could be procured in that region, they enjoyed themselves to their hearts’ content, slept as soundly as if they had the consciences of cherubs, and agreed with each other that that style of thing was vastly better than highway- men’s work with poor pigeons and scanty fare. They were also of. the opinion that they were in no hurry to carry out the Koopman contract, as its conclusion would compel them to abandon their pleasant quarters and seek more sterile fields and scanty pastures. One of them, however, was not entirely idle, Col. Double-edge had meant what he said when he told his partner that he could go to Gonzalez and sell the valuable watch which formed the greater part of their recent spoils. When he was sufficiently saturated with Jack Koopman’s whisky, he preneres to make good his boast by taking a tri Gonzalez, and he started to do so, in spite of the remonstrances of his partner. ' It is probable that the cattle baron would also have remonstrated, if he had been informed in time of the intention of his henchman; but he was off on the range, and knew nothing about it until Col. Double-edge was far on his way to Gonzalez. In due course of time the bandit returned, perhaps a little the worse for os gh but abun- dantly able to take care of himself. ‘“ Well, Ben, I’ve made the riffle!” he triumph- antly exclaimed. ‘Tf I had known that you were going to Gon- zalez, I might have entered an objection,” ob- served Koopman. ‘* Why so? It wasn’t in the contract that I shonld stay at any place in or gael *T don’t think you ought to run any such risks,” ) “ That’s my lookout, I reckon, and there was no risk in it to speak of, just as I told my part- ner. I sold that watch, Ben, and got a decent price for it, and didn’t have a speck of trouble of any kind.” ‘*T would have supposed that somebody there might have recognized you,” remarked Ben. ‘*Tf somebody did, that somebody was care- ful not tosqueal or make any sign. The nearest {f came to having what you might call an ad- venture was just as I was ready to skip the burgh.” ‘* What happened then?” ‘‘T heard my name mentioned in the street there by a dried-up little cuss who coupled it with the remark that he would like to help hang me. Thinking it possible that he knew the man he was talking about, I stopped and gave him a good looking over, so that he might have a chance to go a bit further if he wanted to,” ‘Did he know you?” ‘Reckon not. If he did, he was careful to keep his knowledge to himself. If he bad made @ move or a murmur, I think I would havo let daylight through his carcass as he stood there,” ““Tam glad that you were not provoked into doing anything of the sort,” remarked Jack Koopman, ‘‘and Iam sorry that you went to Gonzalez, but hope no harm has been done, ‘You won't havea chance to run such another risk while you are here, as my job is to be done to-morrow.” ** To-morrow?” queried the bandit. ‘To-morrow morning early you will start from here to wipe out that ranch, and I shall expect you to mak a clean sweep ofit. I would suggest that you had better touch the whisky lightly from now on, @s vou will need to have a clear head for that work.” As the employer ordered, so it was done, Before daybreak the next morning, a party of five men set out from Jack Koopman’s ranch. It was composed of Col. Double-edge, Ben Hillman, and three stalwart and active cow- boys, and all were admirably mounted and fully armed. P Before the start, they received from the cattle baron instructions that were brief and to the int. ris I want you to understand, Dick March,” said he, “ that if anybody shows fight, you and ‘your partner are to do the fighting.” ‘* Suppose the other side should prove to be too many for us?” inquired Col. Double-edge. ‘That isnot a bit likely. Im case it should Thanpen, my boys will help you; but I want them ‘to keep out of the scrape unless they are forced —————— ee NN EEE EEO ee i EO Colonel Double- dge. S into it. All they have to do is to cut the fence | and drive off the sheep, and the rest is your business. Don’t forget the fire!” ‘All right, boss. You ma dollar that we will give a goo | selves,” The party took the shortest route to the Gon- zalez valley, and rode down the valley at a good speed until they came in sight of Tom Throop’s ranch, Then Gabe Cross, who was the leader of the cowboys, halted on an “levated position to ex- plain the situation to what may be styled the military contingent of the expedition, He pointed out Tom Throop’s little house and its few outbuildings, and showed his allies the location of the fence and the point of attack. Sheep were visible from the point of view, and near them were two herders, As it was deemed best to make the approach as secretly as possible, Gabe Cross led the party further down the slope of the valley, so that their progress might be screened from the herd- ers by a rocky elevation, partly covered with trees, that intervened between them and the little ranch. ‘*'You kin see, colonel,” observed Gabe as they rode on, “how the ranch down thar hurts the old man. He’s been usin’ all this range, and now that squatter has closed in the best of it and cut our cattle off from the water.” ‘*We will soon make an end of that,” said Col. Double-edge. The party kept well out of sight of Tom Throop’s herders, and camé to his wire fence just as they beyond the screen that had shielded them from observation. The cowboys que cut the wires of the fence, and the five men passed into the in- closure. **Now for business!” said Col. Double-edge as he took his rifle in his right hand. ‘‘ You go for the sheep, and we will go for the herders, Are you ready?” ‘All ready.” ec Go bd All five put spurs to their horses, and down be slope they went at a furious and headlong gallop. The hurrying hoofs made no noise on the soft turf they tore up; but the presence and purpose of the raiders were speedily made manifest by the action of the sheep. Those timid creatures, either by the sense of hearing or by that of smell, took the alarm at once, and —— to scurry away toward the west at their best speed. The two herders caught the alarm from the ac though they could not at first be sure what was the matter, and ran for their horses, which had been hitched near by while they rest- ed in the shade. After the wee galloped the three cowboys and after the herders went Col. Double-edge an his partner at a furious pace, At first the herders had started to follow the sheep, but their backward glances soon showed them the murderous nature of the pursuit, and it was necessary that they should do their best to care for their own safety. Instantly they changed their course to the right, and headed for the rocky ground that has been mentioned, doubtless hoping to secure cover and evade their pursuers, They may have supposed that the object of the raid was to drive off the sheep, and they surely did not know what manner of men were on their track. As they turned in among the rocks the two bandits lost them for a moment; but their rapid riding soon brought them again in sight of their intended victims. ** Shoot ’em down, Ben!” yelled Col, Double- edge. @ His rifle cracked as he spoke, and Ben Hill- man hastened to follow the example set by his leader. , One of the unfortunate herders reeled in his saddle and dropped heavily to t..e ground, while his horse onadad wildly away. The other horse, which had been struck by Ben Hillman’s shot, stumbled and feil, catehing his rider under his side and pinning him to the ground, As the man struggled to extricate himself, Col. Double-edge came riding un, intent on put- ting the finishing touches to this act of the bloody tragedy. It was soon over then. Reining up his horse, the merciless bandit drew a revolver and, in deadly answer to tbe pleadings of the poor fellow, sent two bullets crashing through his head. Again spurring forward, he chanred his course, and galloped toward Tom Throop’s house, closely followed by his partner. As he approached it he met Gabe Cross, bet your last account of our- cowhoy. ** ‘What has become of him?” ** Look over thar!” _ Gabe Cross pointed westward, toward a gap in the hills there, in the directiou of which a man anda boy were hastening on foot. **'You’ll find ’em corraled in that hole, col onel,” he said, ‘‘and itll be easy work thar. i ‘** The squatter’s skipped out, colonel,” said the} gid mind anythin’ else. We'll look arter the re! **Come on, Ben!” ordered Col. Double-edge, and again he spurred his horse as he started in pursuit of the fugitives. It was no difficult matter to overtake them, as they were seen to enter the gap, and two swift horses could easily run down two people on foot, As the bandits rode into the gap Col. Double- edge perceived that Gabe Cross nad spoken truly when he said that the fugitives would be cor- raled there, They had gone into a glen from which the en- trance was the only exit, and one of them—the squatter whose death was especially desired— was in plain sight there near the upper end of the hole. The leading bandit dashed on, throwing up his rifle and tiring as he went. The shot told, as his shots usually did, and Tom Throop tumbled over. He was not killed at once, but was so badly wounded as to be incapable of making any re- i when Col, Double-edge rode up to where e Jay. There was no mercy in the bandit’s face, and the wounded man did not ask for any. Again the deadly revolver was drawn out, and two bullets were fired into the helpless body, and there was an end of Tom Throop’s eart labors and hopes. Col. Double-edge and his partner left him there, and sought vainly in and about the glen for the other fugitive. ‘‘T am sure,” said the slayer,¢é‘ that some sort of a nigger ran in here; but he must have melted epi ‘*He’s no account, anyhow,” suggested Ben a a and they hastened to rejoin their com- rades, The cowboys had finished the rest of the work by setting fire to the house and out-buildings and by cutting the wire fence in sever places. As there was nothing more to be done, the vie- _ torious party proudly returned to Jack Koop- man’s ranch and reported to its proprietor, He paid Dick March the price agreed on. for himself and his partner, and advised them to quit the country, ‘**Not that I think there would be any real danger for yon here,” he said; ‘‘ but that was | part of the bargain, and I would rather have you out of the way.” CHAPTER VI. THE CIRCUS MAN HAS ENOUGH, A CONSIDERABLE portion of the tragedy that has been described was witnessed by J eptha Jones, The day after his return from Gonzalez he was more than usually anxious about bis friend Se Throop, and started down the valley to visit im. As the land upon which he had temporarily settled bordered on the Throop Ranch, his feelin for his neighbor was naturally coupled wit some anxiety concerning his own interests. He had found Tom Throop so stubborn, so ob- stinately determined to stay there and ‘‘ stick it out,” that there could be no reasonable hope for the future of the settler and his ranch. It was impertant, however, that the circus man should keep himself informed of what had happened there, as it might be expected that his turn would come when the encroaching cattle baron had got through with Tom Throop. He went afoot, as it was not far from his sheds to Throop’s house, and there were some bits of ground on the range he used which he wished to examine on the way. He had reached a piece of Lroken and rocky ground, and was about to turn to the right to pass around it, when he was startled by a shout. At the same time he caught sight of five men who looked like cowboys, galloping furiously down the slope in the direction of the house. Two of Throop’s herders were riding toward the rocky ground, and two of the five raiders changed their course and rode after them. Jeptha Jones could easily guess what hz d hap- pened and what was about to harpen. The blow had fallen, and Tom i ranch were doomed, For himself the question cf the moment was that of his perscnal safety, and he was plad that he happened to be where he could hide from the ursuit of the raiders, as be would be as ey. to become a victim as anybody if he should in their path. He hastened to ensconce himself in a hole in the rock, where he would be invisible, and at the same time could see something of what went — ‘ r\ on abont bim. What he saw was enough to chill the blood in his veins. As the two herders, nearly frightened out of their wits, came riding past his hiding-place, two — shots were fired. hroop and his_ 7 4) ¥ zm, * 4 < —- “Sl One of them dropped dead, and the cther fell eer under bis wounded horse, Then came the pursuers at a gallop, and one of them, reining up, fired two shots into the man who was struggling to extricate himself. | Jeptha Jones had a plainviewof themurderer me 4 Eomicboo (C gs) col . « ae . =—