Beadle's Dime Library No. 392 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

~~ “ . * : ‘ ————S— —— RG The Lost Bonanza. a - | »!! *. am ee es besides ours that ar’ bein’ played for ther Loss- ing millions! We must go ter work. Pious ; Phil did not give himself away when I called his: name in front ov the ranch. Inside.ov thirty 18 —— ‘““Thar’s ther work ov a devil!” said Jingo| ‘‘ Who is that?’ asked Ruby Rob. ‘Is that Joel madly, through clinched teeth as he point- | another name for the man with the red boy?” ed toward the a ‘*No. Tom Hardesty is ther galoot who ‘ Dead!” cried Onyx QI, as he went forward. | wanted ter take possession ov ther ranch sayin’ ‘‘Not dead, but he ar’ edgin’ up ter death’s | he had bought it from Colonel Tarantula.” | minutes he will admit before Satanscrown that «+ wy ‘Gold-dust thar.” Frisco. It is far away, an’ thar shall be death The three sports stepped back, and the miner’s’ counter with his chips.” ‘* When?’ he is the lean Alcalde ov Trigger Bar. Let's ) ** Shot?” ‘*Ter-night; only a little while afore Gold- begin the new game at once. The stake is the ' ‘‘ Bowiéd!” said Jingo Joel, sententiously. dust James got his everlasting.” , same—the Frisco millions an’ the Golden Gate * Onyx Oll was bending over the youth, who! ‘‘Tom Hardesty, eh?” ) heiress.” was breathing heavily and apparently uncon- | ‘* That’s what he called himsel?.” Ruby Rob strode from the cabin with the two | scious. | ‘* Describe him. When you see a man, Onyx, | sports at his heels. ‘*T found him where he fell,” continued the , you never forget him.” Nugget Nell was left behind in the deep sleep _ | _. famished miner. ‘‘ It was after ther shot, which | Ruby Rob looked into his pard’s face and | which resembled, and might, in the end, prove ¥ must hev missed—” waited anxiously for the description. | death. | ** No, it killed a man—Gold-dust James,” said Onyx Oll proceeded to describe minutely the | The three pards, with cocked revolvers in their ;- Oll, giving Jingo Joel a searching and half-ac- | person who bad called himself Tom Hardesty; | right bands, went toward Jingo Joel’s cabin, and ;* cusing look. nothing was omitted; the description was a | Ruby Rob threw the door open. Se “This boy didn’t do it!” cried the stray miner, | photograph completed. | ‘*Hel—” he began, but at the threshold he: } and the next moment he had stepped tothecot| ‘The Texas tarantula came back sure | stopped and stared. a d was glaring at the two pards. ,‘‘ Red | enough!” said Ruby Rob, at the heels of the last | he lamp on the table fell upon the faces of the i on Buck got the bowie afore the shot war fired. | word. ‘‘Tom Hardesty was Colone) Tarantula | three gold gamesters, and they saw Jingo Joel ‘ / Tm no man ov blood, gents, but I say hyer, | and this is his work,” and the boss of Satans- | standing over his young pard with a six-shooter © , 1, Woe ter him who cut my Injun pard! I kin | crown pointed toward Nugget Nell. ‘“*T know | in each band. -> hunt men as well as mines, if necessary.” this woman. She hates that man as she hates ‘*You came hyer ter kill,” he said, ** but the /) _ * Thet’s bizness,” said Onyx. ‘‘ Whar did | the name of Frisco. She was once his wife.” | death-drop is mine!” ) ther young red git ther knife? We'll jest'takea| The two sports started. +. Jook at ther wound—” ‘“Nugget Nell Colonel Tarantula’s wife!” CHAPTER XXII. en rea - No, I have dressed it,” interrupted Jingo | ejaculated Onyx Ol. | THE BULLET FROM WITHOUT. _ Joel, and his skeleton-like fingers fell restrain- ‘**She once held that accursed position,” said | THE situation was not one of the best for Cap- if m - ingly on the sport’s arm. ‘et ther young | Ruby Rob, ‘“ The courts divorced them; after- tain Rob and his pards. buck sleep.” ward I found her. But this is not for us todis- | The lean mountaimeer who stood just beyond ‘aig Did Topaz Tom see the look of fear in the | cussnow. Tom Hardesty is Colonel Tarantula; | the open door of the cabin was looking over two \, depths of the miner’s eyes? A quiver ran over | I'd bet a thousand on it. He came here, he | large revolvers which he held with surprising / _ Jingo Joel’s flesh as he pushed Onyx Oll back | found th8 women asleep; he drugged one an’ | steadiness for one of his build, «from the boy, for whose wound he was about to | took the other; he was seen an’ followed by Ruby Rob had come to the hut with a charge ee, look. Gold-dust James whom he shot. Isn't this ther | on his tongue; he was going to call this mar +» £m somewhat ov a surgeon,” he said, ‘‘an’ | solution of the whole puzzle? Wedon’t need de- | Pious Phil, of Trigger Bar, but the unexpected /) my pard shall hev ther benefit ov my skill. tectives in Satanscrown.” _ tableau present almost took his breath. don’t want him disturbed now. If ther death of ‘It’s plain ter me since I see that Colonel | There was time enough yet to meet and pay |) Gold-~du.t James has roused ther camp, you kin | Tarantula an’ Hardesty ar’ one an’ ther same | the invader of Satanscrown for his audacity. ‘say that I know nothin’ about it. FE only know | person,” said To Tom. ‘If I had not fin- ‘* We've come ter see how ther boy ar’,” said |. thet I found this boy bowied after ther shot.” ished Colorado Carlos at Trigger Bar I would | Topaz Tom, the first of the three to speak after | ~—s- The two men went away, and beyond the | have thought him — of this play.” Jingo Joel's greeting. ¢abin Topaz Tom suddenly caught his comrade’s “Tt wasn’t him. arlos was a giant in ‘* Does it take three ter see?” asked the minér,, f wrist. stature; Colonel Tarantula is big only in cool- | cuttingly. ‘‘ Gents, let me inform yer thet ther | “Onyx, what d’yer think?’ he asked, in an | ness an’ cunning. Nugget Nell may sleep her | boy—ther young red—ar’ gittin’ along tolerably. excited whi r. life out. Who knows what kind of an infernal | I nf issue ten-minute bulletins if ther camp de- t) .. ** About what?” potion he administered? We know now that | mands it.” ; |. | “Ther pair back thar.” we must fight for the Golden Gate heiress an’ Ruby Rob looked at the boyish figure lying: —. Onyx Oll shook his head. the big bonanza. This Texan is on the trail; | motionless on the cot beside which Jingo Joek _ _ “It was curious thet he wouldn’t let me look | the cards ar’ in his hands now, if Gold-dust | was standing. ' for ther youngster’s wound.” an’ I had shot him when we robbed him of the | ‘‘ That's not necessary,” he said to the miner. _ *T know why he wouldn’t. That boy is | cipher he took from the Silent Hound’s corpse | “ We'd like to know who cut him.” | white!” the bonanza would be ours now. But as it is, | ‘* Thet’ll all be developed some day,” answered at “ White?’ echoed Onyx ON. he shall not keep it! We must outwit this | Jingo Joel, through clinched teeth. ‘“* When I _ “White, as you or me,” was the reply. ‘““T| man. He is dangerous an’ cool, but for all ; find out ter a certainty suthin’ buman will Pix ~ gaw suthin’ thet confirms it, an’ thet’s why [| that he shall never keep the band he holds | drop.” ¥ . didn’t insist on ther examination. That also| at present. Ther Northwest is a thousand An embarrassing silence followed the last 4 y - gonkirmns ther captain’s belief. Ther man back | times too small to hold him an’ Ruby Rob an’ | word Ruby Rob and his two pards exchanged | ‘ thar is Pious Phil ov Trigger Bar, and conse-}| pards! Will he go straight to Frisco with his | pagee glances. Their mission to the visitor's ; . ‘ quently them two ar’ after the Golden Gate | prize? The bonanza is thar. Thar is a small | cabin had come to an inglorious termination. Rees 4 tattoo of the deuce of diamonds on the girl’s | Jingo Joel held the fort in a manner which pro- | i “Ef I thought so, by Jupiter! I'd go back | shoulder that will prove her identity. I swore | claimed his ability to keep the ground. . thar an’ show ’em a hand that ’d settle ther | totake her thar myself, an’ you took a solemn ‘Tf the koy is goin’ to to live, we'll go,” said i: rey lay,” said Onyx Oll sending a tigerish | oath to help me. The position of Gold-dust | the boss of Satanscrown. “ Topaz said he had | mh ook ward the cabin. ‘* Let’s go back.” James, when found, indicates that he was shot | been bowied, an’ I came hyer ter say thet, Injum | peas “Not now. They won’tgoaway. Ther boys by somebody whom he war tracking west. though he ar’, he shal! hev help if he needs it,” { 12 ed up ther ranch; mebbe they’ve taken | Colonel Tarantula has already gone toward ‘* He doesn’t need any, gents.” —— _ Onyx Oll and Topaz Tom went toward the - galoon whose doors had been opened again. Already the tion of the gold-camp had _ assembled there, and an indignation meeting The body of the dead man had been taken to his own cabin, but the name of Gold-dust James was frequently mentioned, and always in connection with threats of vengeance. - The men did not know that a person called 1c béian a for bim between hyer an’ thar. We won't re- new cur oath, beys. The first one holds good. We have had ther Golden Gate bonanza in our hands, but it has ieee through for the present; we have felt the biggest find between St. Louis an’ the Pacific, an’ that takes in a vast territory. We goto work at once. Colonel Tarantula is to be tracked down, the enemies of our success ar’ to be killed whenever they ar’ found! Let the colonel go tilldaylight He can’t get far. revolvers dropped. A moment later Jingo Joel bent over the boy on the cot. % 7 ‘“Thar war more tall lyin’ done inside o’ five minutes than I ever got onter afore,” he said with a smile, as he encountered the youth’s gaze. ‘Them three toughs came byar for bleed, buts they went away witbout spillin’a drop. Itain’t ther last ov ‘em, Idaho; we'll hear from them gin if we stay byer. We've got ter strike ther the cabin door closed, and - Tom Hardesty had that same night opened the | The girl will give bim trouble when she knows w to-night.” e 2 i ranch claiming that be had purchased it from | that he wants only her fortune. We have two ‘‘ Whenever you say so,” was the replv. ‘“T aman called Colonel Tarantula. If they had | spies to look after hyer.” will be able to go to the horses. Once there, I | known this, and either Onyx Oll or Topaz Tom - could have given the infoymation, they might - have found a name for Gold-dust’s slayer; but the two sports kept the information to them- ves. _ a — ‘Who are wnt 4 captain?” ‘“‘The man who calls himself Jingo Joel an’ ther Injun his pard.” : ‘‘We have just come from thar,” said Topaz —_— a ee a ea ee eC ee O—- F t—it— will be safe. I did not see that knifer stop, come back and wait for me. Iam certain he was the man we had to fear most—Colonel Tarantula.” : "ge Tom. ‘Ther pretended buck got ther length ov ‘‘He could have been no one else,” was the Captain Rob was not at the saloon, but the | a bowie in camp ter-night.” reply. ‘‘He knows who Kate is, an’ he will Wt ae : tw > pards had not been there long before he Ruby Rob started forward with a light cry of | play a bold hand for the Golden Gate bonanza. ri _ appearec at the door and called them out. astonishment, + e must move now.” | dss Oe was easily seen that the boss of Satans- ‘Got a bowie?” “Allright. You know where'she is?” | erown was excited. His eves blazed like mad- “Yen” ‘Yes. She occupies the same cabin as Nug- | __ gtones, he leaped at Topaz Tom in his eagerness ‘“‘Tt warn’t by Gold-dust James, for he had no | get Nell. We will wait thirty minutes. Don't ) and clutched his arm. knife when he war killed, The colonel did that, | try ter get up, Idaho, Somebody might come | “The girl is gone!” he sai. too,” along an’ take a notion ter look in at ther win- | Gone! Mountain Moss?” “T don’t know about that,” said Tom. ‘We! dow. Thirty minutes ar’n’t long.” | | “he Golden Gate heiress,” said Ruby Rob | went ter ther shanty an’ found Jingo Joelan’bis| ‘They'll be a year to me,” said the youth, d ' | between his teeth. ‘Come down ter Nell’s. I| pard,.ther boy, asleep, Jingo on ther watch. I! with a smile. ‘I don’t feel my wound now, - -want ter show you something.” made a diskivery, captain.” | Jingo. Thanks to the locket-case which turned The two sports were too amaze” to speak ‘Well, what was it, Topaz?” the bowie aside! It isa bad wound for al], but | as Sn ay and Captain Rob made no reply. ‘Ther boy is white.” it won’t prevent me from getting to the hcrses, yN- He led them to the camp Cleopatra’s cabin Captain Rob started slightly, but did not ex- | We are to meet there.” , i> and threw wide the door. . hibit mnch surprise. ‘‘When I am gone you will go straight to . A lamp was burning on the table, and Nugget | _ “‘ Confirmed ag’in!” he said, as bis eyes sud- | ther critturs. They ar’ a mile from camp, but: to Nel lay across the foot of the couch. denly glistened with triumph, ‘I know the | you kin take yer time. {f ye git weak, stop an” | | Dead, by heavens!” cried Topaz Tom. boy now. It is Idaho Ivan, the giri’s friend at | rest,” , | | * Not dead, but in a sleep from which I can't | Trigger Bar.” ‘*T will get there,” said the youth, gritting his: | | rouse her,” was the rep'y. “That boy?” cried Onyx Ol]. “TI shot him teeth and clinching his hands, “ All this is for | Nugget Nell looked like a corpse as she lay in | from the saddle the night Jasper an’ T got ther | Kate. I don’t care for her fortune, any more m 1 (+ the light of the lamp which Ruby Rob held over | bonanza girl between Trigger Bar an’ Tartarus | than I don’t want a dollar of it to fall into the ‘ her so as to let the two sports mspect her, Gulch.” hands of those who are playing for it.” | “She has been drugged! The girldidnotdo| ‘It warn’t a death-shot else he wouldn’t be! ‘It never shall. You kin bet yer head on | it for she had no weapons of that sort.” hyer,” smiled Ruby Rob, ‘He an’ Pious Phil , thet!” / | |. Onyx Oll and Topaz Tom uttered one name at | came after Kate. They were outwitted by | ‘Not even Colorado Carlos?’ asked the bov. * the same time. Colonel Tarantula, who probably did not know “He doesn’t want it,” was the reply. ‘‘ The A om _ “ Tom Hardesty !” that they war incamp. Look atthertwo hands mountain Ishmaelite oe it He #. ‘2 Bis" HD fad a GOMIEDOOKS:€COM ~ . RS a.) , . : bd Wak M4 L wie : sy a PAA eu ts