Beadle's Dime Library No. 392 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

2. ~--— _- Moa 2% ow Ein oe Le & > « . ss ok = > ~ ve *y ¢ PY. Aa - ’ vA , . a The Lost Bonanza. $$ ‘** In the first place, you came here with Pious | Phil from Trigger Bar?” I am Topaz Tom will some day wants the girl restored ter her rights. convinced ov thet. diskiver thet ther man he shot on sight at Trig- ‘** Perhaps.” ger Bar is ther liveliest corpse thet ever touched ** We know that. You ar’ playin’ a game for , a trigger. Colorado Carlos is eccentric, Idaho, | gold?” ‘*So you say.” ** You came hyer ter find a young girl who | was an inhabitant ov Trigger Bar not very long ago.” but he’s on ther right trail this time.” ‘* He will not turn up to defeat our plans, I hope.” * T left him on his back at ther Bar. I made | him b’lieve he war ina bad way, though he is ** Yes,” said Idaho Ivan, firmly. able ter play some cool cards if he only thought | ‘‘How came she to reach your camp in the so. He will not interfere with us, Idaho.” | first place?” The thirty minutes decided upyn by Jingo! Here was a chance for Idaho Ivan; he almost Joel, who. as the reader has surmised before | betrayed himself with a start when he saw it. this, was Pious Phil, and the boy Idaho Ivan, ‘*Do you want the whole story?” he asked. Kate’s friend, soon passed away. ‘* Yes,” ; The miner went to the door and looked out. The young miner leaned against the table and Once more the camp was still, although there | went leisurely to work. He was going to talk was a light at thesaloon where a few toughs had | against time; he wanted Pious Phil to get to the _hbidden horses with the heiress of the Golden —— «-- resumed cards, or were still discussing the death | of-Gold-dust James. | Gate. , * ‘Tet me be gone five minutes,” said Pious He began a narrative that progressed slowly. Phil to the boy, ‘‘then slip out an’ go to ther | It was the story of Kate’s coming to Trigger hosses. Make no noise; play like ther coyote | Bar; he went into the particulars. The three for stillness, an’ take yer time. I will get thar | men listened eagerly, they did not seem to com- a with ther Golden Gate seraph.” He slipped out and was gone, waited a little while and then gotup. He was pale and looked weak, but his eyes had a deter- mined glitter. The lamp had been extinguished and the street Lossing, the Golden was almost as dark as the interior of the cabin. He could see nothing of Pious Phil when he went out; the silence of the camp was un- broken. ‘‘ Now for the horses!” he said, with firmness. The next moment he was moving slowly to- ward the western end of thecamp. His foot- steps sent forth no sound, but he was listening for the enemy all the time. Pious Phil, he thought, was doing his duty; he had found Kate in Nugget Nell’s hut, and was devising some means to capture her. Idaho Ivan felt that the success of that night’s play depended on the lean Alcalde of Trigger Ber. ‘* What d’yer say?” whispered a man who rose | suddenly behind the boy, creeping through the camp. ‘*Shall it be on sight, as usual?” covered idaho Ivan’s gliding figure. ‘* No; no noise now,” was the answer. ‘‘ The pard might be near, an’ ther report would spoil a pla , perhaps.” ‘Then this, eh?” and the revolver was quickly | exchanged for a bowie, ‘* No, only your hands,” 6 All right, cap’n.” Tf Idaho Ivan had turned at that moment and . used his eyes with effect, he would have seen a | This man | man separate from a group of three. swooped upon him like an eagle upon a dove, and all at once two hands encircled his throat like the coil of a lariat. The cry that started toward the youth’s lips never reached them: it died in his throat as the inf 1 fingers tightened! be Jingo Joel’s Injun, gents!” laughed the catcher, as he bore his hal?-unconscious captive back to the waiting pards, ‘‘I never miss when lay hand-lasso, ha, ha! Look at’im. Come - close, Cap’n Rob.” One of the men leaned forward and his eyes gleamed triumphantly while he cazed into Idaho _ Ivan’s face. “We've got the young Trigger Bar bird, sure enough,” he said, ‘ Now, with him.” The three men started back, and Ruby Rob Idaho Ivan | flew by. | Rob stooped and lif The Lone threw up his hand,anda revolver | back to my shanty prehend his purpose: five, ten, twenty minutes Not until then did Ruby Rob and his pards see the boy’s adroit scheme. ‘** See hyer! er’ talkin’ against time,” sud- denly cried the camp boss. ‘‘ The girl is Kate Gate bonanza? Answer that question.” ‘* They call her that.” **An’ don’t you know that it ar’ death for anybody ter ry ter beat us at our own game?” ** Who's. tried to?” onl” The eyes of Captain Rob had a malicious glit- ter. Before Idaho Ivan could reply, he looked up at Onyx Oll, “* Go to the door!” he said. The sport stepped forward and guarded the entrance. ‘*The devil’s snare, now, Topaz,” he con- tinued. The next instant the bronzed fingers of Topaz Tom were again at the youth’s throat. Captain a part of one o rough planks that formed the floor. ‘Your trail ends hyer, Idaho Jvan—ends for- ever!” said the boss to the young miner. ‘ This vonanza is for the Jewels of Satanscrown, an’ for no one else! Colonel Tarantula has carried off the gold-pigeon, but his flight will end a Jong | hand, Onyx. throw it down; now or never. distance this side of Frisco. We will wade | | the | through blood if necessary for the Golden Gate | bonanza. You have partedcompany with Pious | | Phil forever!” Idaho Ivan heard the last words as his eyes seemed toswim in a mist. He was lifted from the floor and hurried through space, ‘** This pit is the devil’s snare,” said Ruby Rob pointing at the opening in the floor. ‘‘ Nothing checks us this side the gold bonanza. Now, Topaz!” e big sport held Idaho Ivan over the pit. His grip was loosening when there came a loud report mingled with the crash of glass, opaz Tom with a cry fell forward! Lee shot came like a thunderbolt from a clear sky. Civ Oll sprung back from the door which he had been guarding and, revolver in hand, turned upon it with the mien of a lion. Captain Rob leaped forward and fearlessly flung it open. ‘Death to the killer of my big right-bower,” he cried, and then he halted in the doorway and held open the door of a certain cabin to hiscom- | glared at the figure that rose before him on panions. Idaho Ivan’ was stillin the clutches of the | stalwart ruffian who had captured him. The | fingers seemed to meet around his windpipe; he | | shot me on sight at Trigger Bar. was almost unconscious. | horseback. ‘*] have only taken my own, Ruby Rob,” said this person, as he thrust a smoking revolver into the face of the astonished boss. ‘‘ Topaz Tom I have served In this condition he was borne across the’! him the same trick—that is all!” threshold of the cabin. ‘“‘Darken the window, Onyx,” said a voice, and the boy saw one of the desperadoes doff his jacket and bang it over the little window beside the door. ‘¢ Water,” again said the samo voice, and a jug was taken from one corner of the but. ‘‘ Now, Onyx, make the Injun white.” The yvouth knew what wes coming, and as Topaz Tom’s hands f ell suddenly from his throat he caught his breath and said: Ruby Rob seemed unable to speak, but all at once the man behind him uttered a name, * Jupiter Pluvius!” cried Onyx Ol! “It is Colorado Carlos!” The man in the saddle smiled. CHAPTER XXII. A THREATENED NEW DEAL, CoLorapo CaRLos it was sure enough—the man we saw last at Trigger Bar wrestling with ‘You need not go to that trouble. I am | the wound given by Topaz Tom’s revolver—the Idaho Ivan,” he said. The three pards laughed. : ‘¢T would hev bet a thousand on thet, boy, said Ruby Rob. ‘‘ You came hyer from Trig- ger Bar fora purpose. Yer pardis Pious Phil, ther alcalde.” The boy looked into the men’s faces, but made no reply. ‘¢ Thar’s no usein concealin’ it,” the boss of Satanscrown went on. ‘‘He warn’t born ter hoodwink me. Now answer me right along.” The youth met the rough’s gaze firmly. ‘‘Phil has found Kate thought. ‘‘He is pushing toward the horses. These men know that Kate is the Golden Gate heiress, If I keep them here, I make our game certain. ; . Then be said to Captain Rob: “Goon, Iam in your hands.” by this time.” he | person who sent Pious Phil after Kate because e was not able to go himself, , Brave as he was, Captain Rob knéw better than to lift his drawn gS against the man who was glaring at him from the saddle, and | Onyx Oll stood behind him like a spell-bound | person. Behind the boss of Satanscrown and against the cabin wall, lay the big sport who would _assist him in no more wild games, | that had crashed through the window had found The bullet Topaz Tom’s brain. In all probability Colorado Carlos had ridden close to the cabin, looked in upon his enemy, taken aim, and fired. | Where was Idaho Ivan? The boy had disappeared ! To Ruby Rob and Onvx Oll this mounted slayer had come when he was not ex’ . They might have looked for Pious Phil, the young * a 1 — ee ee eC ee miner’s pard, but the mountain Ishmaelite— never! ‘** You may plant that man in thar,” said Col orado Carlos, glancing ove: Ruby Rob’s shoul- der at the stalwart figure at the foot of the wal. j “It is only bullet for bullet: he shot on sight, so did I. Good-night, gentlemen. Whenever. you want to play a pistol game, you will find. Colorado Carlos at your service.” He rode away with exasperating coolness, and his last look was achallenge which neither of the- toughs cared to accept. ‘**Cool as Satan,” said Onyx Oll, between his: teeth. ‘*‘ Who looked for that play?” ‘“* Nobody,” said Ruby Rob. ‘ The truth is, * that when I opened the door I expected to sees Pious Phil, or tinge Joel as he tried to call him-- self. I left Carlos at Trigger Bar, wrastlin” with death. Now, thar he rides with Topaz: eh dead behind him.” "29 ‘* Mebbe he isn’t dead,” and Onyx Oll crossed. the room and stooped over the man who had. tumbled from the eccentric man’s revolver. aa One look was enough and Captain Rob had no» era need to ask a question when his pard turned to-- -, ward him. | he ‘Shot through ther pens,’ said Onyx OIL. a8 ** But ther boy—Idaho Ivan?” 1+ i ‘* He fell from Tom's handsinter thersmareov- grunee. He war holdin’ him overit when Carlos; red.” ve ‘* Then he is out of the game forever.” And «! Ruby Rob threw a glance down into the yawn-- Py ing pit beneath the floor. Bayt: The next moment the opening was closed again: hace | and Captain Rob extinguished the light. te ‘**Onyx,” he said, touching his pard’s hand im o" the darkness. . ‘‘ Three millions among three ar” one million apiece.” | ‘‘Thet’s easily divided,” was the response, ‘but we hevn’t got em yet. cap’n.” If Onyx Oll could have seen the sudden flash- ing of Ruby Rob’s eyes he would have recoiled. ae ‘Do yer think we're goin’ to fail” cried the, Satanscrown boss, ‘* Because Topaz, Jasper an” ee. the new recruit, Gold-dust James ar’ dead, G’yer” Af ie think we’re not goin’ to get thar? Ar’ we tofail nae after eight years’ search for the Golden Gate — i : heiress when we hey found her, even had ber im our hands? Ther play may shift, thet’s all. Ite may be transferred from Satunscrown to Frisco, but when the final stakes ar’ raked in the divide will be ours. Ef you want to throw down youre yy ae ss e. oP ate Alf an’ I will go unflinching to the end.” ae ee?” ‘““I go thar, too!” was firmly spoken inthe = darkness of the cabin. ‘‘ Take her play where-- 5 ever you will, Captain Rob; you'll find Onyx 4 Ol] at yer back!” Fear. That was enough; the cabin door opened an@ shut again, and the mad sports of the gold-camp- were gone, (9 Sang ‘‘T am to thank Colorado Carlos for this — miraculous deliverance,” said a voice, in under-- | tones, and a human figure crept from under the == rough table which stood near the trap inthe — floor when opened. “I did fall from Topaz. Tom’s grip, Lut not into the pit. thank Heaven! The consternation caused by the death-shot in-- — a sured my safety, and the table anditsshbacow shielded me from the two sports’ keen eyes, I will yet get to the horses.” | 2s Idaho Ivan did not remain long in the cetim whose silent tenant was growing rigid ayvinst, the wall. oe ae His escape had been a mest remarkableone and fortune had played hima gcodhand whex he looked for no favors from her. > 6 Se He was eager toescape from the camp an@ reach the hidden horses which bad brought him. and Pious Phil almost to Satanscrown. | the A strange doubt had teken possessicn ef his. mind. What did Ruby Rob mean when he told Onyx Ol] that the Age game might bet a transferred to Frisco? Did the desperado-toss: ae believe that the Golden Gate heiress had Leen. taken thither? \. See Unabdle to answer interrogatives like these, he = crept from the cabin, teh ily Colorado Carlos kad played his game andhad probably left the camp. He had carried out the- at 8 unwritten law of vengeance, and, wounded him- — self, had doubtless gone back to Trigger Bar. Idaho Ivan was not molested while he made; his way from the gold-camp. His progress was. cautious and slow, for he still felt the woundin- flicted by Colonel Tarantula’s bowie, but he reached at last the place where the horses had oun been left for a certain emergency. aoe) The spo 7 i 4 Ay ot i Sa j~ fue Soe * - s . * = ‘ Ps t was deserted. . Idaho Ivan could hardly believe his discovery, He stood among the dark rocks of the secret ravine and felt ready to give up, eens A strange sickness ceme over him. Where © was Pious Phil who had gone to take Kate Loss- ing from Nugget Nell her guardian? 2 oh Seconds seemed hours, minutes whole daysof vé anxiety to the young miner of Trigger Bar. He was alone where he had expected to find the. horses, Piou& Phil and the rescued gir]. ar 4) ‘The unexpected has hap . We have 3H « seared somewhere,” said the bay to himself*at. re. All at once he heard a noise down the ravine. _ ke 7% 4 It was like the loosening of astone beneatha human foot, and the sound, though slight, was: F z - + ae. fa | | ee ae comicbooks:com - Sp.