Beadle's Dime Library No. 392 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

s : _ the colonel with a sinile. gi) dnt Wand: “e , ae —_ : Sie 7 s - ¥ . ti ~ — ~ sa is « = a Oe ; «. - , : The Lost Bonanza. ———_—_——— Colonel Tarantula was looking down into her | “She will be deuced lucky if she wakens before face with eyes that fairly laughed for triumph. ‘‘Tt would be treachery,” said Nugget Nell, hardly above a frightened whisper. ‘* Have you never been treacherous?” was the quick retort. ‘My God! if I could unroll your record, Satanscrown would blush, Come! Iam not here to parley. I diin’t expect io play this hand so soon after coming into camp. Circum- stances have forced me toit. Quick! where is the antidote, and where the opiate?” Nugget Nell raised her hand and touched an | unseen spring in the wall. A door opened and revealed several small vials. She selected two and turned toward Colonel Tarantula. “Ti { do this, will you bother me no more?” she asked. ‘‘T make no promises. Go to work.” The mountain princess walked to the cot and bent over the sleeping girl. Colonel Tarantula watched her closely. He saw her uncork one of the vials and let ‘several drops of a greenish liquid fall upon the girl's lips. ‘* Now, the other for yourself!” said the colo- mel CHAPTER XIX. A MAN OF DEEDS. “You have no mercy,” said Nugget Nell, turning upon the cool man, as she took the re- maining vialin her right hand and clutched it tightly. “‘ You don’t know what Ruby Rob vill do when he finds the Golden Gate heiress gone.” ‘T am not afraid that he will kill you. No, my mountain Jezebel, he will not do that. The deep sleep in which he will find you and the story you will tell him when you awake, will de- ceive him. Come, now. Try the opiate upon ‘yourself. I will remain to see the effects.” The gold-camp Cleopatra seemed to realize that she could not escape. She looked toward Mountain Moss, and saw her deep-blue eyes wide open and full of wonderment. Then she raised the vial and held it for a mo- ment between her lips. ‘It is done,” she said, looking at the cool ‘Texan. ‘‘I will sleep until after sunrise,” Fora moment longer she stood erect before ‘Tarantula, when a drowsiness was seen to steal over her eyes, and she lay down at the foot of the girls bed. x Colonel Tarantula leaned forward with eager- ness in his looks, and watched her steadily for several moments. Did he think that the Colo- rado enchantress was deceiving him? She had taken part in so’many games, she had deceived so many people, why should he trust her? ‘‘ What has happened? Who are you?” asked Mountain Moss, drawing back from the colonel as he bent over Nugget Nell to study the effects of the powerful narcotic which seemed to have taken effect already. “I’m your friend. Do not disturb me for a minute. I want to see if this woman is playing *possum.” Colonel Tarantula took the lamp and held it ciose to Nugget Nell’s face. -*T don’t know,” he said, shaking his head doubtfully. ‘She has plaved so many shrewd games that one does nos know when to trust her. {ll settle it, however.” The vial was still clutched in the woman’s hand. Colonel Taruntu'a removed it and placed it acuinst the finely-chiseled lips. ‘Heavens! if that ison opiate, you will give her toé6 much,” exclaimed the Golden Gate heir- ss, catching the sport’serm. ‘ You might give her quite enough to kill.” “The world would be better off if I did,” laughed the colonel! as he shook off the girl’s hand. ‘‘ She will sleep till aiter sunrise to-mor- row. Aha! if she was sbamming, she was too <etermined to betray herself.” Mountain Moss looked up at the strange man. ‘Who could he be? Several minutes later, Colonel Tarantula a suddenly upon her and touched her wrist. ** You will go with me, now,” he eaid. as With you?” exclaimed the amazed girl. Yes. ‘* Who are you?” “The enemy of those who have hunted you, ‘They know that. Isn’t that enough?’ “Tt ought to be, but I don’t know you. I ‘never saw you at Trigger Bar.” ‘‘T've been there, but not lately,” answered ‘You are going with me, I have justsaid. Myname? You willknow all about me by and by.” Mountain Moss got up. There was something about this man that fascinated her. She had never seen him before, but he had offered to take her from Satanscrown and from Ruby Rob who-e captive she was. “1 will go,” she said to bim. preferable to this.” Colonel Tarantula’s eyes seemed to snap with delight. and looked out, When he stepped back he held out his hand to Mountain Moss, and threw a quick but search- His victim was a white Colonel Tarantula’s eyes exhibited a good deal the interior of the cabin showed them a rougk beat her up,” he laughed. of mystery when he got up. ing glance at Nugget Nell asleep on the cot. m The sun will He went to the door, opened it a little, | | LL LL LT LL ' ! ' he sets.” And then he took the girl’s hand and led her from the cabin. was dark inside now, for the lamp had beeu extinguished; beyond the cabin door myr- iads of stars shone upon Satanscrown, and dark clouds were following each other in rapid suc- cession across the disk of the moon. ‘*No words now,” whispered Colonel Taran- tula at the girl’s ear. ‘“‘We are in a regular tigers’ den, and safety depends on silence.” They moved down the now darkened street | | She halted and drew back. toward the western end of the camp. The col- onel’s hand held the girl’s wrist, and she kept stop with him, for she was eager to leave the place of captivity. ing back to Trigger Bar. Her friend Pious Phil was there, and there might be a chance that Idaho Ivan was not fatally shot the night of their attempted flight. é af * yA - ie If Mountain Moss had glanced down at Colonel | Tarantula’s disengaged hand she would have seen a large revolver, Cabin after cabin was passed without an alarm. The couple were nearing the end of the gold-camp; the girl saw the last cabin, beyond which was safety! All at once Colonel Tarantula stopped and looked over his shoulder. Mountain Moss looked back, too, but saw noth- ing suspicious. ‘** Stand still.” whispered the Texan to the girl, and his hand fell from her wrist. As she watched him she saw him glide away but not quite out of sight. He leaned toward one of the cabins and appeared to be waiting for some one. Colonel Tarantula’s sharp ears had heard some- thing, but his eyes, keen as they were, bad not confirmed the presence of atracker. He touched the walls of a cabin while he listened, armed now with the silent bowie instead of the loud-mouthed revolver. Suddenly he started just the slightest. ‘*T was right,” he said to himself. ‘‘ A dog is on the trail.” At that moment he had caught sight of a human figure. It was coming toward him along the cabins and over the very trail he had just made. Colonel Tarantula waited coolly for the tracker to come up. He knew it was no animal, but a human being. At last but three feet separated the pair, the ready watcher alongside the cabin, the trailer from toward Nugget Nell’s abode Suddenly, like the dart of a rattlesnake, but without its noise, the man from Texas went toward his prey. There was a sudden leap upward as the two persons met, and the beginning of a cry. The ery was never finished, for a hand found a throat too soon, Colonel Tarantula did not speak, but raised his hand and then brought it down quick, and for a purpose! The next moment he was looking at the person whom, to all outward appearances, be had killed instantly. ‘*T’'m a bad man to track, probably the worst west o’ the Mississippi,” he growled through clinched teeth. ‘‘When I play a hand as big as the one I'm playing now, I’m doubly danger- ous, He dropped his victim, who lay still in the starhght, and went back to where he had leit Mountain Moss, | ‘**f didn’t know they had Indians in Satans- crown,” he said, taking her hand again. ** Why?—did you see one?” asked the girl. ‘“*T Jeft a young buck back thar as dead as a herring,” was the reply. ‘‘ The red was on our track, but he'll never trail anotber Texas Taran- tula. ‘‘T remember now that Nugget Nell told me that a man and a youn: Indian came to camp to-night,” the Golden Gate heiress said, ‘That Indian was the one, then,” whispered the colonel. ‘*A white man and an Indian, hey?’ ve Yes.” Colonel Tarantula was silent for a moment. | | 17 —~—— ** ve an idea about him,” he said, regarding his victim. ‘*‘ I’m not the only person who is after the Golden Gate heiress to-night, but, by en Fates! I’m the only one who is success- ful! ‘* Well, what did you make out?” asked Moun- tain Moss in a whisper when the Texan rejoined her and once more took her hand. ‘* Not very much,” he said. ‘*‘ He war thar yet. * This did not satisfy the girl. She seemed to know that he was trying to conceal something. ‘* Let me go and see,” she said. ** You?” he exclaimed. ‘** What do you want Maybe her deliverer was go- | to look at a dead Indian for?” ‘*T claim a right to go back. I believe—” She stopped suddenly, for he had bent over her, and was transfixing her as it were with the most : iercing eyes she had ever seen. — “When! 8 ‘* Friend or no friend, he is dead now!” Mountain Moss shrunk the full length of the colonel’s arm, and regarded him witha faceen- mi colorless. eal ‘“*] want no monkeying hyer,” he went on. ; ‘** What do you believe?” he hissed. say I’ve killed a young Indian, what makes you ~~ doubt it?” eee: ‘‘T cannot help it. Something tells methat — your victim was my friend.” ; Me ‘** The dead is dead, and that isenough. Icame mi totake you from Satanscrown. Iknowall — about you from your cradle up.” en The girl uttered a startled cry. een ‘** Do you know all that?” she exclaimed. oo *‘T know your whole history. Come with me — and hear it, but not hyer.” | He started on, the white-faced girl at his ,, Suddenly a cry was heard that stopped them “ Halt!” oan Colonel Tarantula’s lips came firmly ag ante = baby - he wheeled with bis revolver, ready for the ray. oi -. ‘“‘Hands up! I’ve got ther death-drop,” con- tinued the same voice. ha: Mountain Moss saw no one, but the cool Texan __ | did. He saw the stalwart man that stoodin the | a starlight a few feet away. ime ‘‘Tt is a game two kin play at,Colonel Taran- tula. Drop ther girl’s hand and throw up both ov yer own!” ye = The Texan did neither. On the contrary, — Mountain Moss felt his grip tightenat her wrist; __ she saw but one hand igo up, and that one held ae the revolver. > The next second the report of the weaponrung — out on the air, and the figure of a men reeled. — from before Colonel Tarantula and fell with ia e + . : : hd sicke ning thud on the ground. (oe **I throw up my hands, girl, but whenever oa do somebody drops!” he laughed savagely. “I guess my shot will stir cut the hornets. Idem’ want to fight all Satanscrown. Two in one ~ night ar’ erough!” oe With the last word he threw his arm ahout the girl’s waist and lifting her from the ground strode rapidly away. In his right hand he still carried the deadly six-shocter. Bet CHAPTER XX. A TOPAZ TOM’S DISCOVFRY. Vee As a matter cf ccurse events like these turned et the gole-camp upside down. Febbcan So) ¢ The ringirg repo1t of the Texan’s revolver opened mcre than cne cabin dcor, and a dozen half-dressed men secon steod in the mocnlig clutching heavy six-shcoters and Wizchesters, and looking wildly abcut for the person who had fired the shot. ‘eae It was not long btefere Colonel Tarentula’s second victim was found cn bis facea bullet-hole — in his forehead, and bis bronze fingers enc r the butt of a pistol. as2tS - The toughs of Satanscrown turned him over — and found him to be Gold-dust James, the man _ taken into the leegue in place of Diamend Dave, — the deserter. The man of course was already dead, and the Landed pards swore revenge over his corpse. le ‘*Go to Jingo Joel’s cabin—quick!” seid Ruby _ 2c Th “4. - oa Gs RAS ) 7 _ ¢ “ end Mountain Moss caught him looking.toward | Rob to Toraz Tom. “This killing proves that the ae where he had left his victim. +e into her face. ‘‘I’m going back to look at my game.” Once more he left her alone and went back. The young Indian lay where be had fallen, and apparently he had not moved, | ‘““Eiyver yeb as a matter of course,” muttered Colonel Tarantula, as he bent over the hodv.: ‘** A white man and an Indian together, eh? Tl see about this.” His fingers rapidly opened the hrown shirt ; upon the latch when the door opened suddenly worn by the youthful red-skin, and then he bent | in their faces, and Jingo Joel stood before them. by this ection, ‘“Justabout esTexnected. Thisisno Indian!” | open. ‘‘The two are pards | he suddenly ejaculated. sure enough!’ The flesh beneath his eyes was white and fair, person, like himself. / ‘* Anything is | lower unti! h» almost touched the skin disclosed , The two roughs naturally recoiled, that galoot was Pious Phil of Trigger Bar. hite men don’t pard with reds in Colorado | will find the shanty empty. Id bet a thousand — = nowadays for nothing,” he said, lool:ing down | on it!” "tes The liextenant of the gold band started off — with Onyx Oll at his beels, lle ‘‘ Mebbe ther Injun we tracked from campdid — it,” whispered OU to his companion. a ‘*Thet young red? 1 doubt it,” was the an- swer, ‘ But hyer we ar’, Onyx.” Andthetwo | sports were at the cabin occupied by Jingo Jcel, the half-starved miner and bis Indian pard. = The hand of Topaz Tom was about to descer Y r rie ’ Sal s+ ‘Come in,” said the miner holding the door — an. ‘)ve beard thet Satanscrown didn’t like Injuns, but I didn’t think my young pard would — get ther knife so soon.” Nae The two men glanced at each other and step- ped inside. The little tin lamp that illwnined _ -- .. cot and upon it the figure of the young Indian. - comicbooks.com