Beadle's Dime Library No. 407 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

> * < “” — = 4 » é > > et + 5 Pr e oe * -.. - - AX Ofer. . + mas en me \* Z ~ Red = he _? @ ao hs Wows 2 —— eS >. - < «> Sm —» § iO ee ‘< a4 «> a2 res 4 ‘doom more terrible than Jack Javert’s. ‘unkn ~-was ridin could not be reached that night. the hoofs of the - yeddish dust of the valley trails. - closed, and the steeds seemed to lose none of - their freshness as mile after mile was left be- hind nf 7 e y ve ¢ - prisoner as he pointed ahead, ‘ of table-land bac hills 10 “T think I do if that man is the original Claude Coldgrip.” ‘He is no one else,” was the nh ‘*T can afford to lose the Mummy of San Tonquin for a time to deal with him. 1 wish I could tell you what I owe that man.” Nugget Nox said nothing, but threw a quick lance toward the group that guarded the New ork sleuth. ‘“What is to be done with him?” he asked. “You used to say, Injun Nick, that he should f llow Jack Javert.”. ‘*The man we sent to the vultures!” exclaimed the Indian. ‘‘Is that the most terrible blow I can deal him?” ‘*T don’t know of any more terrible. We have never heard of Javert since then.” _ ** No: he rode on till the birds came and tore him to pieces, That was the fate of one gold- hunter. The man back yonder is more danger- ous than a thousand men like Jack. He was never known to fail on a hunt, and is into the Spanish mine business body and soul.” ‘* Then he dies!” ‘**For that if for cyst Bae yl grated the In- dian. ‘ But I want your brain to conjure up a ou are good in anything of this kind, Nugget Nox. _If there was a patent-office in Tartarus, you could overrun it with inventions of new tor- tures. Now set your head to work.” Injun Nick folded his arms and looked at the littering-eyed man who stood before him in the Prilliant starlight. ‘Give me something that will make his flesh creep; and it will take something terrible to do that, for he is cooler than the born desperado,” Nugget Nox ‘put on his thinking-cap, and was not disturbed by his red master who was watch- - ing him with much impatience. few moments passed away, and then the white sport raised his head and caught the In- dian’s eye. “You have it, Nox?” cried Injun Nick, my ves I think I have.” ‘* Well, what is it?” ‘Tt is a pretty long ride to the Grande Mesa.” ‘*T don’t care if it is a thousand miles, if I can inflict some new torture there.” _ * Then to the mesa we go!” said Nugget Nox. “omg Nick looked at his pard as if he expect- ed him to proceed, but the man did not, *“Do you intend to tell me now?” asked the _ Indian. ‘¢The scheme will keep, and besides, I want to rfect it,” was the reply. re Anawet me this, Nugget. Is his doom to resemble Jack Javert’s?” ‘But little. Captain Coldgrip is not to meet death in the saddle, Let me keep my plan for Apparently satisfied, Injun Nick turned back toward his prisoner with flashing eyes. He went forward rapidly and found the detective still guarded by his gold-bugs. “To the Grande Mesa!” said the Indian in _ audible tones. The dark toughs started and glanced from ~ gach others’ faces to the prisoner. of the detective’s esa was a place not A more resolute meetin lips told that the Grande own to him. ** It’s a pretty long ride, captain,” said Injun Nick, leaning toward him from the saddle. a ‘“This is a finish of the game we had together ‘two years ago. The Spanish bonanza and the Grande Mesa are entirely different things; there isn’t an ounce of gold in one, the other is gold itself, Forward! to the Grande Mesa, my gold oots.’ The dozen hovses all started off at once, and a minute later Captain Coldgrip, now doubly guarded and covered by deadly six shooters, toward a spot of ground which dually disappeared, and old gang’s horses stirred the Not an eye The mountains Se Captain Coldgrip had no chance left. His weapons had been taken from him, and - the quick manipulations of a cut lasso had fast- _ ened his arms at his side. It was the detective’s tightest trap. On, still on went the dark riders and their prisoner. The stars went down and morning gradually came on. 0 Took!” suddenly said Injun Nick to his You know what that is!” Captain Nee oa saw a magnificent stretch ed by a line of dark blue ~The scene was one of grandeur, but it did not ' impress the city sleuth in this manner. ‘ It is the Grande Mesa!” he said, answering - Injun Nick’s question and unconsciously speak- ing aloud. ~The black eyes of the red Hercules were sparkling like polished coals, and he turned from the doomed detective to | give Nugget Nox a fiercely thankful look _ RtSES ‘ . . ae te fo % é ~ . . i> P ‘ : 4 vu ‘< : 4 oe * Ye Pd et y) Jaiiti< aS ~ 2 & e ** , SOR ee Ee. wethh , MELEE red age ty i ES ig 5 Ps ’ - ; > a Captain Coldgrip’s Nerve. As the party advanced toward the table-land, if came more prominently into view and the mountains grew more distinct, though they were still miles away. At last the long ride ended, and the whole apt drew rein in the middle of the Grande esa, with its broad grasses waving gently about their horses’ feet, ** All eyes were fixed on Nugget Nox and all at once he said pointing at the ground: “Dig a hole there three feet wide and five and a half feet deep.” Injun Nick uttered an exclamation of as- tonishment and the men began to slide from their saddles, , ‘‘Is it to be a living burial, Nugget?’ asked the Indian captain, leaning suddenly toward his chief of torture. ‘* Worse than that!’’ was the quick response. ‘You wanted something new and you shall have it. Captain Coldgrip’s experience shall be the only one of its kind. Are you satisfied?” ‘* Yes,” said Injun Nick. ‘' By Jove! Nug- get Nox, I’d promote you if I could!” CHAPTER XI, DEMONISM. THE sun when it rose saw three dark-shirted men working at a pit in the middle of the mesa, A number of horses stood near, but only one had an occupant of the saddle, and he was a handsome man who paid but little attention to the trio at work. Not far away with folded arms and eyes that emitted sparkling gleams stood an Indian in half-civilized garments. He was a real giant in stature, good looking for one of his race, with the usual complement of black hair which touched his broad shoulders. - He watched the workmen with eagerness and impatience. Sometimes he would glance to- ward the mounted man as if to make sure that he had not escaped. The diggers two whites and one Indian were working under the eyes of a man who some- times gave directions in low tones. A few other men for the most part white men were lying in the grass of the mesa, This was the sight seen by the sun which rose in the cloudless heavens, and gave promise of a warm day. A little breeze from the blue moun- tains that backed the mesa on the west, stirred the grass until its surface looked like the waves of a lake, The man in the saddle was, of course, Captain iar the Indian our old acquaintance, In- jun Nick, and the man who was overseeing the it his ‘‘chief of torture,” as he called him— ugget Nox! e rising sun chased the dew from the slen- der blades of grass and peeped into the pit which was nearly up to a man’s shoulders, The breeze freshened as the work went on and when Nugget Nox turned to Injun Nick with an expresssive smile the grass was bending as if be- fore an approaching storm. The eyes of the red-skin glittered under the look which he well understood. The pit was done! The men lounging in the grass sprung up and waited for orders, glancing while they waited from Injun Nick to Captain Coldgrip and back agein. ‘Captain, the last throw of the cardsis here,” said the Hercules, addressing the cool man, a risoner in the saddle, ‘“ en I ordered the oys to the Grande Mesa, I saw by your eyes that you thought we would play the game out here. You do not expect me to play a child’s hand when 1 hold a giant’s? I have felt your power and you must now feel mine. The hand of Injun Nick is equal to the bloodless one pos- sessed by the sleuth from New York. The Span- ish bonanza and its wealth will never do you nor ‘your employers any good. When I quit the mesa, I will find the lost padre if I have to ran- sack the big Southwest for him. He gave you the slip, eh? ‘he Mummy of San Tonquin will not elude me and my gang. Take the man down, Nugget.” Half a dozen revolvers clicked and covered the detective as Nugget Nox stepped forward. A flash of his bowie severed the ropes by which the detective’s limbs were bound to the borse, and the next moment Claude Coldgrip stood among the grass of the table-land. ‘‘Nothing to say, eh, captain?” ejaculated In- jun Nick, leaning forward. ‘‘I did not think you would go to your death mum as an oyster. In New York you used to be a jolly compan- ion. ‘* Words are not needed here,” said the sleuth- hound. ‘The doom to which I am submitted is one decreed by a lot of cowards. I do not call them men!” co Indian bit his lips and laughed with de- ion. ‘*Ts that all?” he asked, ‘*That is enough.” A moment later Captain Coldgrip was march- od toward the pit in the clutches of two men. His hands still bound to his sides were useless; he was as surely doomed as if the iron walls of a prison hemmed him in. In a little while he was lowered into the nar- row pit which Nugget Nox’s ingenuity had sug- a) gested, and when he stood erect his head only was above ground. ‘** Fill up the grave!” commanded Injun Nick, and several men sprung eagerly to the task. The fresh earth falling back around the de- tective rendered his position immovable, and when the work was finished his body was not to be seen. His face was turned toward the mountains in the west and the stiff breeze fanned his cheeks and toyed with his mustache. At a signal from Injun Nick the men sprung to their horses and drew off a little way leaving the two enemies together. With eyes that flashed the full extent of bis triumph, the Indian stepped toward the en- tombed detective and looked down upon him a moment without speaking. ‘*We are about to part forever, captain,” he said. ‘*The mavens of Injun Nick will be complete when the sun sets. The vultures will — long before that, but you will not see em.’ ‘* Why not?” asked the lips above the mesa. ‘* Because Nugget Nox’s scheme is not com- leted. I am going back to the bonanza trail. e lost padre will not be lost long. I struck pay dirt at San Tonquin, but I had to kill to eep it. I am doing the same now, as you see, I would mgd mare a “a «a bl penoenes on my trail than Captain Coldgrip. ey are not one half as dangerous. No word to a to Padre ’Selmo, captain? I will find him or I am not Injun Nick!” ‘‘Go and find him then!” cried the detective. ‘‘We will take care of the future when it comes.” ‘What! do you expect to escape?” exclaimed Injun Nick his eyes getting a new flash of rage. he New York sleuth-hound made no reply. ‘Your future is almost here!” said the red Hercules drawing back. ‘‘I leave you now. When they beat Injun Nick, they beat Satan at his own game!” The last sentence was supplemented with a laugh which Captain Coldgrip heard while the red rattler was walking toward the mounted group waiting for him. He saw him mount and heard him give acommand in a loud voice. ‘*Back to the gates of the Padre’s Palace!” and then the whole band wheeled and dashed toward the mountains leaving the detective en- tombed in the middle of the mesa. ‘You may find the gates of pandemonium first!” said Captain Coldgrip with his eyes fast- ened on the vanishing crowd. ‘‘ This piece of deviltry is not new in the Southwest, but I never expected to have it practiced on me. But the man who sent San Diego Dolph to the vultures is capable of anything.” He continued to watch Injun Nick and his band until they became a moving speck far away toward the mountains. The sun was already bares i re upon him with considerable power, and he thought with a shudder what it would do when it reached the meridian when not a breath of wind would tremble the grass that surrounded him, ‘“T was warned against. ‘eer Nick before I set out on this gold trail, but I found him when I was not looking for him,” murmured the doomed detective. “This is his game, and the trick is his. There may come a time when— Heavens! what is that?” The exclamation and question were suddenly caused by a whitish object which had appeared against the dark-blue of the distant mountains. Captain Coldgrip kept his eyes riveted upon it, and seemed to hold his breath while he looked. ‘* Aha! I get the full measure of the deviltry now «ag exclaimed, ‘‘ Injun Nick has fired the ass The horror of this discovery was enough to blanch cooler cheeks than Captain Coldgrip’s. He saw a long line of smoke which told bim that the mesa had been fired in several places, and the strong wind that blew in his face was bringing the fire rapidly forward, He could do nothing but watch the smoke and — calculate the distance between him and the ame. Injun Nick and his pards had disappeared ; the curling smoke was between Captain Coldgrip and his inveterate ene If the detective could have looked through the smoky curtain which had interposed itself be- tween him and the mountains, would have seen a group of horsemen watching the fire. Injun Nick sat in one of the foremost saddles with the breeze blowing his long black hair around his swarthy face, and his eyes agleam with the triumph of a modern demon. The Scarlet Hercules seemed pleased beyond measure. Hisown hand bad fired the gress, and the torches of willing lieutenants had carried the flame to a dozen other places, until the breeze, uniting all, had sent one vast fire soar- ing and leaping across the mesa !” he sight was one of awful sublimity, not- withstanding the terrible fact that the fire was rushing down upon a man completely at its mercy. Injun Nick enjoyed the scene, He had ridden apt? from his companions and was watching it one. Foy Eomicbooks o)(oN(o) co _ = * . . OF f * , St a ae 2... a 2 ng a ert es coe ; rem * —h ie Ol UK CH 4 1 7 t ae : - | cf ‘ ’ 5 ~ a. « t ] “aS