Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 397 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

2 ed a revolver in hisleft hand at the driver, while in his right he whirled a lariat, as though about to throw the noose over the heads of the leaders. For an instant the driver hesitated, as though chances; but, as though convinced that it was certain death to him, he said: “Tll draw ’em in, pard, an’ let yer hev yer leetle pickings, fer I know yer.” As he spoke he began to draw in his run- ning mules, and gently put his foot on the brake, which rapidly checked the speed of his team, while the horseman rode by the side of the coach, his revolver in hand ready for use. Looking out of the coach-window were two faces, one, that of a woman, the other a man, om round, fat, and very much alarmed was the ter. he horseman, upon whom their eyes fell, was mounted upon an animal as white as snow, with long mane and tail, and a gait that was a and graceful. - The rider was dressed in deep black, wore top-boots, and a slouch hat, the sable brim being turned up in front and held there by a strange: mask that concealed the face from the mouth up, but allowed the latter feature, shaded by a long, blonde mustache, and a resolute chin, to be revealed. The mask consisted of two scarlet wings, so arranged as to cover the face, and with holes in each, through which ‘two fiery eyes were visible. The points of the wings extended as high as the crown of the hat, the whole presenting a most singular and striking appeerenee. The saddle, bridle and trappings of this strangel masked rider, were of a most elegant description, while his spurs were gold wings on either side of the heel, with the rp rowel in the points. Ry t His revolvers and knife were also gold -mount- ed, and altogether he looked like some fancy * masquerader for a bal mam rather than a bold knight of the road, who had daringly dart- ed out of his covert and ordered the driver of a —__- stage-coach of the Overland trail, bearing Uncle > Sam’s mail, to "Oat ** Halt or die!” ‘ When the driver had brought his mules to a be. standstill he said, sullenly: a ‘‘Now, Pard Red Angel, speech, and be quick about it, fer I’m late.” ve, ‘‘You have a United States Army messenger inside as a passenger,” was the assertion rather than question. ‘“You is off thar, pard, fer I hes not,” an- swered the driver, a plucky and true “‘ prince of the ribbons,” As though doubting the assertion the horse- man rede up to the door, turned the latch and threw it open. A glance showed him that but two persons were inside—the woman and the fat-faced man 2 y nN : a before spoken of.” : op aa t harm us, good man,” whined the lat- As ter, e as death. . ee ‘Tt is not my intention to do so, sir; but you, madam, I must ask to accompany me. ~~» The woman started, droo her head, and . gaid in a low tone, hoarse with alarm: Oh, sir, spare me, I implore you!” ae ‘““My dear madam, you plead to Captain _-- Hyena, the chief of the Red els of the Over- -- Jand, who, you_know, is merciless to man and - woman alike. You must go with me.” ‘Wal, I deelar’ ef you makes war on a leddy- passenger I drives P'll make it so hot fer you an’ our gang, Cap’n Hyena, as folks calls yer, oo. thet: rll hev ter emigrate ter new diggin’s or LT lieslike a tin-peddler. ~—s»s The driver spoke earnestly, but the knight of a i the road only laughed lightly in response and re- eee oe: ted his words: ee. You must go with me, madam.” . Here, pard, I hes a leetle bag o dust o’ my Bat 2D thar’s a bag o’ letters in ther boot, an’ thet old man in ther hearse looks as though he y —s- were rich, so take what dust yer kin raise and "The woman must go!” BT) ‘‘T'm durned ef she shally ef—” _. ; The bold fellow had dropped his hand to his re ay rs ' ey ls “— ~— eek See he hip, where was the butt of his revolver, and his ss fingers were ing it to draw, when there - eame a flash in| report, and the driver fell back dead while the crack of the weapon start- - jing the mules, they bounded away at fullspeed, m. seen the road-agent seated upon his horse on the trail as though momentarily taken aback by 4 the suddenness of what occurred. + But such was not the case, for he was not one Bau" to be caught off his guard. His hesitancy for «the moment had been at catching sight of a e., arty of horsemen far down the trail, and com- ne ing at a canter across the prairie. “By Heaven! I will not be foiled,” he cried, through his set teeth, and a word to his horse sent him flying away in pursuit of the now run- away team of mules. CHAPTER II. ‘A DOUBLE CHASE. Wirn nothing to fear from the driver whose ~ coach had really turned into the hearse he had , r a : *¥ % id z : not knowing whether to obey or take the | k your little. The Wizard Brothers. | called it, in border parlance, the knight of the road dashed on ata speed that soon drew him even with the coach, though at a little distance male passenger, who might pluck up courage to fire at him. With his revolvers in his belt and his lariat whirling about his head the road-agent showed his plan of action to check the flying mules, | Over the prairie still came the horsemen, five in number, at the same easy canter, as though they had not yet discerned that the team was rurning away and no driver on the box. They _ were yet some distance away, and the knight of | the Overland was calculating all his chances for success and failure. Having reached the position he desired, he measured his distance, and was just about to throw the lariat, when a shot came from the stage-coach, and his horse bounded into the air. “Curse you! that is-your gameis it? Ill now play mine!” he hissed, as he glanced over his shoulder and saw the face and form of the wo- man in the stage-coach window, a revolver in her hand, from which she had just sent a bullet after him, and was threatening to send more. As he spoke the read-agent sent his lariat whirling forward; the noose whizzed. through the air, and the coil caught over the head of one of the leading mules, while the well-trained white steed threw himself back upon his haunches to meet the shock. Instantly it came—the lariat tightened with a loud twang, and the shock hurling the animal in the snare heavily to the ground, dragged his mate with him, and in one instant piling mules, stage-coach, passengers and the corpse of the driver in one grand wreck. Leaving the struggling animals to extricate themselves as best they could, the horseman cast the end of his lariat loose from his saddle-horn, and springing to the ground, thrust his revolver into the coach window, while he cried: ‘*Come out of that, madam, for you are not hurt.” No answer came, and tearing open the shat- tered door, he dragged out a form. It was the fat passenger, who cried piteously: ‘* Don’t kill me, good man!” “Coward! out of the way, for here is my game. Come, you must go with me.” His hand rested heavily upon the woman’s shoulder, and in silence she stepped out, her face as white as death. : It was a strong face, too, with well-cut fea- tures, and a look of fearlessness upon it that seemed out of place with the deadly pallor which betokened fear. — Several of the mules had now struggled to their feet, but were in a tangled mass of harness. This, however, was quickly severed by a few strokes of the bowie-knife of the road-agent and one of the animals being freed was led ou of the huddled, struggling mass. Then came the stern order: ‘Madam, let me aid you to mount my horse.” The woman made no reply, but sprung lightly into the saddle, and seizing the reins, a deter- ined light glittered in her eyes—seeing which the masked robber said: ‘‘Be careful, for that horse is trained to obey his secrete call. Rabe I Will be ready as soon.as { your age. “Ty ave: as baggage, ’ said the woman, quickly and nervously. ‘‘Only this,” and the masked man drew a sachel out of the wrecked coach. ‘‘ That belongs tothat gentleman,” the woman cried, hoarsely, her voice trembling as she ke. Pe Yes, that is mine, sir, and I beg you not to rob me, good man,” cried the fat passenger, his face flushing and paling by turns. ‘ “JT am sorry I cannot oblige you, sir, for I shall have to take this sachel; but I leave you the mules, what is left of the old hearse, and the body of your driver. afternoon, sir, and tell those gentlemen, who are now spurring for- ward at such a furious rate, when they arrive that this is some of Gaptain Hyena’s work, an if they wish to find me, my home is upon the prairies.” Springing astride of the still trembling mule, the road-agent started off at a rapid pace, a word to his white horse causing him to follow, with the most unwilling captive upon his back. Hardly had he been gone two minutes, when up dashed the five horsemen and drew rein. An instant they stayed there; then three of their number pressed on in hot pursuit of the daring road-brigand, who had robbed an Over- land stage in full sight of five United States cavalrymen! Those that remained by the wreck stood gaz- ing after their comrades and the reckless fugi- tive and his captive, and praying that av last the Red Angel chief, who had long defied his foes, would be run to earth and have to answer for his crimes. CHAPTER ITI. THE LIFE-CHASE, THe scene where the daring act occurred, which has been detailed in the foregoing chap- ters, was upen the open prairie. Following the trail on ahead with the eye, it ¢ | ‘. a 5 de - > > Tr.¢ yo at Oe ‘ 7m Rey Crs) +04 to one side, as though he feared a shot from the _ wound over rolling plains, with here and there a divide, a clump of timber, and a fringe of cotton woods or willows on the bank of some small stream, Looking in the opposite direction, the thicket which had concealed the knight of the road until the stage-coach dashed by, was visible, a mile, perhaps, from the scene of the wreck, Then there was a rolling plain fora mile orso, and beyond a view of hills and forests. It was toward the latter that the horseman and his captive were tending, for he made no halt at the little bit of timber where he had lain in ambush waiting for the stage. The woman rode by his side in silence, her face bent downward as though she was lost in a deep and painful reverie, _She, however, sat the horse well, in spite of riding on a man’s saddle, and, apparently re- eager to her fate, allowed the horse to run on at will. Once or twice she cast furtive glances at her kidnapper, as she saw him turn and glance back at their pursuers, andethen there was a look of mingied hatred, fear and anger in the look. The mule, stripped of his harness, and with only his blind-bridle on, ran with the speed and ease of the handsome white, and seemed both willing and anxious to go. Mounted upon his bare back, the masked rob- ber appeared as much at home as he had been in the saddle, and kept the pace not too fast, not caring, seemingly, to push the animals to their best speed. Those who were in chase were an officer, wear- ing an army lieutenant’s rank, and two soldiers, and they were splendidly mounted, and pushing their horses at a pace which gained on those at pursued, e officer was a young, handsome man, with the air of a dashing cavalryman, and his face was set with a resolve to capture the noted Red Angel chief now “so near and yet far” “is bad h e seen the stage coming rapidly to- ward him, and the horseman yh a but had not at once suspected trouble, as he could not believe one man would threaten danger to so many, for the coach generally went through full of passengers. : At last, however, he saw the white puff of smoke coming from the revolver fired by the woman, and instantly it dawned upon him that though the coach was coming <r A toward him and his men, the horseman riding by it was a road-agent. At the same time he observed that the driver lay back motionless upon his box. ‘Ho! men, there is mischief there! ‘* Follow me!” His ringing words were responded to witha. cheer, and the party dashed forward at full s But they had not more than started when they saw the smash-up, as one of the leaders was thrown by the lariat, and deep into the flanks of their horses they drove their rowels, to get to the scene. But the daring and cool knight of the road was too quick for them, and, as the reader has seen, when they drew rein by the wreck, the robber and his victim had escaped. ** Well, sir, what means this?’ cried the lieu- tenant, when he came near. ‘“We have been robbed, sir, robbed, and a most charming lady epepre while our poor driver was killed, sir, killed, and all by one man one man, sir!” almost shouted the fles M gentle- man, who was struggling between fright at his danger, and delight at his escape. ‘* And who was this one man, sir?” “The driver called him Captain Hyena, the Red Angel, sir; but to me he seemed more likea black devil.” , ‘‘Hal then we are in chase of good game, men. ‘You say he kidnapped a lady?” “Yes, sir; a most charming lady, who told me her sachel was full of riches, and begged me to claim itasmy own.” ‘‘ Killed the driver, lariated a leader, breaking the animal’s neck, another mule there with a broken leg, the stage smashed, a mule stolen, and a lady kidnapped with her riches,” said the officer, as though taking a rapid inventory of the damage done. “ And I, sir, 1 threatened and—” ‘‘T am glad to see that you are not hurt, sir, so shall leave men to look after you and the stage,” broke in the lieutenant, and turning to two of his men he continued: ‘‘ Bolton, as you and Reid are not as well mounted as the rest of us, remain and repair damages as well as you can, and carry the coach on to the station. “Then return to the fort and report what has occurred, and say to Major Benteen that I have gone in chase of this famous knight of the road. The soldiers addressed saluted, and the lieuten- _ with his other two men dashed off in hot chese. After passing the timber and seeing that it was Captain Hyena’s intention to make for the hills, the officer spared not his horses in his en- deavor to catch up with the bold robber, for he | EOmIcbooks.c \ " “™ “4d f o —_ ee — fe TS oi ts. | bs § if a, = ; .