Beadle's Dime Library No. 407 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

"— « ee Captain Coldgrip’s Nerve. hei’. Injun Nick talked rapidly and in {low tones | for a moment, anda man jumped from the porch and glided toward the horses. Captain Coldgrip held his breath and waited. ‘*T don’t know what bearing this San Tonquin ig will have on my mission, but I ,will wait 3 and see,” he murmured. 1a He did not have long to wait, for, all at once, | a loud whoop sounded in the bar-room, and then came the thrilling noises of a sudden as- i sault. we The detective turned toward the horses in the plaza, and the following instant two revoiver- shots rung out clearly and the Indian steeds started by the reports and several piercing yells went thundering through the town! All this did not seem to occupy the quarter of a minute, A struggling mass of humanity was now be- fore the Secr of the Red Lizard, and from the bar-room came wild yells and oaths of devilish _ triumph. It seemed as if Major Miguel’s place ae had been transformed into pandemonium. Captain Coldgrip could not see what had hap- _~-—«»« pened beyond the door, but San Diego Doiph, who had reached the trap, had witnessed the - springing. t: He had heard the signal whoop, and had seen _ three desperadoes leap simultaneously, like three tigers, at each Apache’s throat. | or once the red Bedouins of tae Southwest + border bad been taken unawares, and before they coull lift a hand, a crowd of yelling men | —s-were thrusting cocked revolvers into their i. faces. ie San Tonquin was destined to have a memor- . gible night. ~ 3 i ioe CHAPTER VI. ’ ee SAN TONQUIN JUSTICE. ‘Pre tumult and the triumph within moment- _ arily increased; the crowd on the veranda drew ‘back, while those inside appeared on the porch. hts Captain Coldgrip, glued to the spot by curi- _ osity, as it were, soon saw the cause of the APS 4 Nine Indians were prisoners in the hands of _ the mob; they were powerless and beyond the pale of mercy. -- Nearly one bundred yelling men were demand- ing their blood, and the detective wondered that ¢ the reds had not been shot to pieces. eats, The horses were gone, and only one of the ee ds had been shot by the man selected by A Toten Nick for that pn rpose, ~~ *T can’t say that I pity an Apache,” muttered — Captain Coldgrip, ‘‘ but these poor devils will not be treated with a show of decency. San oe _ Tonquin considers that its time has come, and the sports are going to make the best of if.” In less time than one can pen a line, the pris- -_ oners were dragged across the porch and toward - atree whose huge limbs at noonday shaded a good portion of the plaza, The lamp, which some one had turned down just before the at- tack, was burning with its full brilliancy again, and revealed the exciting scenes, -—s Where was San Diego Dolph? “Captain, can’t we ap Wizard Dick?” sud- -__ denly said a voice at the detective’s elbow. ~_ Dolph had come back. ‘Ts your rescuer among the prisoners?” he asked, looking into the sport’s face. _ ** Thar’s just whar he is. I saw what war coming before the trap was sprung, and I tried _ to warn the young buck, but failed. 1 owe my life to that Injun. He saved me from the vul- ce tures. Can’t we help him, captain?” ~* at “fm afraid not, Dolph.” : _ “By the eternal! they sha’n’t rope him!” ah grated the sport. * Are they going to do that?” bs _ They intend to swing every mother’s son of _ them from that tree.” _. ** For what crime?” __ ** Ror a dozen, I reckon,” was the reply. ‘‘ I’m not here to say that an Apache doesn’t deserve death when caught, but one o’ the nine yonder saved my life.” What would you do? We can’t fight San “at as nquin; and besides, the lost mine is to be Dolph did not reply, but turned to the crowd ad which had reached the tree with the speechless | “Hang it all! What’s an Injun ag’in’ a bil- ~ jion?” Coldgrip heard him ejaculate. And then, looking into the detective’s face, he eoatinued: — **} reckon you’re right, captain. help the ’Pache.” si From the moment of their capture the Indians had not uttered a word, and now they stood sullen and silent under the lyncher’s tree, and - gaw several men with ropes in their hands crawling along the limbs overhead. , _ §o00n there came from the Red Lizard a heavily-built man who had a very important air. He looked about forty-five years old, and — wnder his snappy little eyes he wore a curling - mustache and pointed goatee. This person was Major Miguel, the well-known | proprietor of the Red Lizard, and second in im- wae nee to no one in San Tonquin. _ * Gentlemen,” he said, halting at the crowd and attracting attention by his sonorous voice— Dy | ma” + “7 w ow wa? Pe * ' s — ite We can’t) ‘* sentlemen, as a man who respects human life, I wish to enter a protest against these summary proceedings. I don’t say that every Apache devil shouldn't be strung up without mercy, but there should be a form in this instance. Re- member that we are under the Government of the United States, with whom the Apaches just per are at peace, and that we have courts of aw— ‘**Oh, cut it short, major!” roared some one, and a boisterous laugh drowned the speaker’s sentence. Just then several large men in dark shirts and sombreros caught him from behind and carried him back. ‘*Thanks, boys,” said Major Miguel. ‘I had to make a show of good order—that was all. Now go on with the hanging!” Coldgrip heard these words, and the next moment he saw the proprietor of the Red Lizard going back to the hotel. ‘The hypocrite ought to be followed and choked!” he said to himself. ‘* This is the way they do things here. An Indian is no better than a dog.” Major Miguel had quickened his steps and vanished, and a loud voice called the detective back to the scene beneath the tree, ‘*Form a circle thar, men ov Tonquin!” said the voice. ‘‘ We ar’ goin’ ter depopulate ther Apache nation ter some extent. Death ter ther hoss-thieves an’ cattle robbers ov ther South- west ranches!” This was received with a yell which told how intense was the hatred of the San Tonquin sports, In a little while a circle was formed about the doomed Indians. It was a circle, at any part of which the revolver or the bowie was visible. The New York Shadow went forward. He was curious to see the swift vengeance of the men who had doubtless suffered much at the hands of the Apache nation. Injun Nick was not to be seen, and San Diego Dolph had glided away some time before, The chief master of the thrilling ceremonies was a man who had attracted Captain Cold- grip’s attention from the first for he had recog- nized him as Gold Chick, the man he had met at Gerta’s home. The Indians had been placed under a huge bough “ee enough to bear their combined weight. With cool cruelty one hand only had been secured to the body; the other had been left free to tug at the rope when it had perform- ed its office, so that the crowd could laugh at the struggles of the doomed. ‘** Send for the Mummy of San Tonquin!” cried some. ‘‘ Give the reds a chance for ther sweet by-an’-by!” A laugh of course replied to this suggestion and Captain Coldgrip wondered if Father ‘Sel- mo would be sent for. ‘*They don’t need any passports,” said Gold Chick. ‘*The men under the lhmb will fix the nooses and step back. I will then count five, and at the fifth number the gentlemen at the ropes will pull away.” he next moment the Indians were partly hidden by the men who began to adjust the nooses with alacrity. It was the thrilling moment. ‘* San Diego Dolph must pity Wizard Dick just now,” murmured the detective. ‘‘The young buck who saved him from the vultures—” The detective was checked by a yell that seem- ed to freeze his blood, and all at once the men at the nooses fell back and gripped their revolvers. ‘* Stand firm! One Injun is loose!” exclaimed Gold Chick. ‘‘An’ he’s got a gun!” said some one else in ually startling tones, he next second the excitement was unbound- ed: revolvers clicked every where, Suddenly there flashed a six-shooter und>r the tree of death, and in startling succession it was succeeded by three shots more! A man fell at each shot and then cr’es of ‘* Shoot the red!” ‘* Save him for the rope!” and others were everywhere heard. The crowd closed and made a dash toward the tree. Captain Coldgrip saw it come in contact with several Indians who were swinging be- tween heaven and earth, and afterward recede with curses of disappointment. **Come! I’ve done my part for to-night,” said a voice at the detective’s side. ‘* What have you done, Dolph?” “T gave Wizard Dick a chance, and he took it, bet yerlife! Let’s get out o’ this right away. It won't be healthy for me if they find me here. Jehu! didn’t he gre the graveyard three orders on death in quick time!” The detective was almost dragged away by the man who spoke thus, ‘* Now tell me what you did?’ he said, when they had reached a certain distance from the tree, ‘Nothing but this,” said Dolph, with a grin. ‘*T got the job ov adjusting the rope for Wizard Dick. In less than a second I had told him who I was, and while I fooled with ther noose I nudged my_ six-shooter agin’ him, and he took the fink. Quick as a flash he had it in his hand, and then came that play that startled San Ton- quin, Wasn’t it a daisy trick, captam? San ar j et = er 5 a at = Mite, # a i i Seg a al renn e <r te og ‘“* ~ | ea , + ae | a ' EN TTT LL LL Ns sss Sse ae one a eee BAT aha it 4 “~ - 4 7 wl ‘.9 Ria bes -™? . _ ; a Diego Dolph Couldn’t stand back and see Wiz- ard Dick stretch hemp after what he did in Texas.” Coldgrip gave the speaker an admiring look, ‘* Did only one Indian escape?” he asked, ‘*No; three got away,” was the answer. ‘There are three cyclones saving for San Ton- quin in the near future, and Wizard Dick is the boss of the lot. It’s all quiet up there now. They’ll go back to the Red Lizard and drink in silence.” Coldgrip looked toward the plaza and saw no disturbance there. Calm had succeeded the storm, and the bronze pards had only partially revenged themselves, ‘*Shall we resume the hunt for the padre?” asked Dolph. ‘* You did notfind him at Gerta’s, What did she say?” ‘* She declared he was not there.” ** The girl won’t lie!” ‘* Aha! Then you know her? I thought you told me this was your first visit to San fon- quin?” | ‘** So it is: but the girl is not unknown to me. T was Jack Javert when Injun Nick and his pards sent me to the vultures, I can tell you as much about the Flower of San Tonquin as any man in it; but not just now, captain. I—” ‘*Hark!” interrupted the detective, and then he stepped forward and threw up his right hand. ‘“*1 see you as if it was noonday,” he continued. ‘*Come forward with hands up, or take the consequences!” In another moment a figure advanced and San Diego Dolph uttered a cry of recognition and sprung forward. ‘** This is my Apache, captain—this is Wizard Dick!” he exclaimed, showing off the lithe form of the youxg Indian whom he forced forward. ‘* He accepted the odds awhile ago and sailed in for the biggest stake any game ever saw—life itself. Ain’t he a daisy, though? I don't like a drop of Injun blood, but hang me, if thar ain’t something about this buck that will never make San Diego Dolph his foe. We might make a second Injun Nick out o’ him. He ain't a Her- cules like Nick, but he’s quicker nor a lynx.” The Apache’s eyes still glistened with the ex- citement he had just passed through, and the detective may have wondered for a moment if there was not something in Dolph’s suggestion, It would be difficult to find a foil for Injun Nick, and Wizard Dick physically did not im- press Captain Coldgrip in the light in which he was viewed by Dolph. “The white man did not forget,” said the young Apache, glancing at San Diego Dolph, as e drew his arrowy figure to its full hight. ‘‘ Wizard Dick will never forget the red night in the white hangers’ town.” The Indian spoke bitterly and with spirit, and at the conclusion he looked with tigerish eyes toward the plaza, as if he would go back there for vengeance. ‘Wizard Dick bas brought his white brother the gun that kills,” he went on, handing Dolph arevolver. ‘‘ Where he lives there are many like it.” ‘* Keep it,” said Dolph, pushing the weapon away. ‘* You may need it before you're out 0’ San Tonquin,” The Apache resolutely shook his head. ‘*Is this a brother, white face?’ he asked, turning to Captain Coldgrip. , ‘* He is Dolph’s pard and Jit isnosecret, Wizard Dick, that we are on the same trail,” was the answer. ‘You've heard about the Padre’s Palace Mine. That’s what we're after, like tA others. We had a grip on the secret a little while ago.” ‘* What grip” asked the young Indian quick- y. ‘‘We had our feet at the door of the lost bonanza, but when the Mummy of San Ton- quin slipped through our fingers we lost the > izard Dick said nothing, but looked again toward the plaza. Captain Coldgrip, who was watching the Apache closely, saw a new light in bis eyes. ts ‘*Do you know Injun Nick?” asked the detec- ve. .“The Indian outlaw? Wizard Dick knows him well,” was the reply. ‘‘He is back there. He played a silent hand to-night. Wizard Dick saw him more than once. He will go back and see if the eagles of the Apaches are dead.” “ Not back thar!” exclaimed San Diego Dolph in a voice of fear. ‘‘ Maybe we'll pit you ag’in’ that Injun some day and—” ‘*'Your buck is gone,” said the detective. Sure enough, Wizard Dick had vanished and i bit his lip to find himself deserted so clev- erly. ‘* What will he do?” asked Captain Coldgrip. ‘‘TDo?’? was the echo. “I sha’n’t attempt to guess. If he finds the six Apaches under the tree he’s liable to walk into the Red Lizard and ino Mame in sight. That Injun is a daddy ollar! CHAPTER VII. THE GRIP OF INJUN NICK, ‘CAN you spare a few moments, major?” ‘** All you want.” **T don’t want*many.” 900 com | | ee eee