Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 420 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

The Old River Sport. That ended the parley, and the business of | Bob being in such a considerate frame of mind, fighting began in earnest. he defenders of the pass were soon compelled to admit that the situation was more serious for them than it had yet been. Joe Stemmier succeeded in establishing him- self and two more of the marshal’s deputies in a position on the bights at the flank of the moon- shiners’ fortification, if not a little in the rear of it, Against this the moonshiners were forced to secure better cover, and while they were pre- paring it they were badly worried by the other suarpshooters. Thus there was a fine opportunity for the men below, who hid been steadily but cautiously advancing, and they did not fail to take ad- vantage of it. The post of the greatest glory and danger, however, was reserved for Ernst Kreutz, who had taken the idea into his head that he must then and there do something to distinguish him- self and show his American friends how to make war, Without ¢iving any of his comrades an inti- mation of his intention, he disappeared at the side of the ravine, and wormed himself toward the fortification, covering his approach as well as he could with trees and bushes and broken ground, and proving himself an adept in the arts of sneaking and creeping. Thus he succeeded in reaching the fortification just when its defenders were demoralized by the unexpected attack on their flank, and when a reneral charge had been ordered by Colonel ‘Yrampton. At that moment he rose to his feet, scrambled up the log breastwork, shouted to his comrades to come on, and started a brisk fire at the enemy with his beloved yager. The attempt was pretty much like that of the Swiss hero, Arnold von Winkelried, and was at- tended by somewhat similar results. The astonished moonshiners immediately shot down the daring leader of the storming party, and be tumbled over on their side of the fortifi- cation; but he had done some damage before he fell, and his comrades, inspired by the ‘‘ break ” he had made, rushed forward to rescue him or evenge his death. The rush was made just at the right time, and was thoroughly successful, carrying everything before it. The attacking party swarmed over the barri- cades in a hurry, and the defenders of the pass were taken at a decided disadvantage. Early in the morning Mrs. Shropshire bad been notided of the serious character of the im- pending engagement, and her belligerent feel- ines had been at once aroused. Seizing a rifle, and buckling on a belt of cart- ridges, she hastened down tie pass to the assist- ance of the old he wolf and the two cubs. She reached the scene of action just when | Ernst Kreutz had shot down Enoch Shropshire, and her bullet was the first that hit the daring German and brought him down from his perch, Directly afterward she shared the fate of her husband and the man who killed him, and then the assailants came pouring over the barricade, and the fight was practically at an end. A few of the defenders made a s*and which i ; ‘ ! and Ben remaining sullen and silent, it was de- cided by the Arkansans that the hanging should | zo on, and the two young men were being led out with ropes when Colonel Crampton came back with the wounded. ‘*What’s this?’ he demanded. you doing with those men?” “That’s all right, colonel,” answered Abe Lassiter. leftof them. We found our critturs here, and you know what that means.” ‘* Well, I don’t know that it’s any of my busi- ness. They are your game, and you caught them, and I suppose you know what you are about. You take the responsibility, and I wash my hands of the whole business.” ‘All right, colonel. about it in any way.” The Arkan ans took their victims out of sight ‘‘What are ‘*These are the hoss-thieves, what's | | ] You won't be bothered | | _ alive, and was sure that you would search for me!” ‘* How did you know that, Eva?’ gently in- quired Gerald. ‘* An old man down there told me about you, and he described you both to me very clesrly. He accused you of being thieves, Lut of course I could not believe that.” ‘** Gerald, we owe Colonel Rapp a.good turn for that,” remarked Gordon. ** Miss Talcot, id this individual ”—pointing at Mark Eanuatin— ‘* know that we were alive?” “TI do not believe he did. It seemed to me that I frightened bim pretty hediy v hen I told him that | was expecting my Lrother. He supposed that he had made an end of Gerald.” ‘* How do you know that?” ‘“T heard him sayso. At least, he admitted as much when I overheard him talking to his of the marshal and his men, and ina few mo- | friend who came ashore with us.” ments the remaining members of the Shropshire family were choked out of existence, a melan- This statement was evidentiy a surprise to Hannafin, but not a shock, as he seemed to have choly but foreible warning to others of their | got beyond being shocked, and he merely hung class, To parody Scripture to suit the Arkansas doc- ' ; his head and was silent. ‘*We know that to be a fact, Miss Taleott,” trine, ‘* They who take the horse shall perish by | said Gordon; *“‘ but your brother and 1 have the halter.” Colonel Crampton inquired what had become of the third colonel, Colonel Rapp; but the pris- oners either did not know, or professed not to know what had become of him. He had simply disappeared, and his comrades declared that they had seen nothing of him since they began the flight from behind the barricade. ‘* What, then, has become of the young lady who was here?” demanded Colonel Bastrop, who | had been searching in vain for Eva Talcott. | 2 ages to forgive this yourg man his offen:es. We understand that he saved your life, or helped to save it, and all’s well that ends well, you know.” ‘‘ It is ending better than I could have heped it would, though I have teen greatly susiained and comforted by the belief that Gerald was alive. But lam anxious to know what hu; pen- _ed to bim, and how he was saved.” | ‘*Mr. Gordon saved my life,” put in Gerald. ‘“T was knocked into the river from the Row- The moonshiner sentry ‘vho saw the ghost hap- | ena, and would have drowned there if he had pened tobe one of the prisoners, and he was willing to give evidence on this point. i | not plunged in to aie me. a He aided meto reach the shore, and has since been my best He told when and how the disappearance of | friend and su port. I owe nim my liie and Eva Talcott and Linda Shropshire had been dis- covered, and related his adventures and the con- clusion at which his comrades had arrived con- cerning it, pointing out the pass by which they must have escaped, and adding that Mark Han- nafin had gone out that way to seek for them. ‘You see how it is, father,” said Lawrence Bastrop. “If I had gone with Mr. Gordon and Gerald, as I wanted to, I would have been in the right place to look for her; but now they have all the chance.” ‘**Let us hope that they may improve it, my boy. We have the satisfaction of knowing that we have kept our end up well.” ‘*Tf the young lady has gone out that way,” remarked Colonel Crampton, ‘‘ the man I want must have gone out that way, too, and I must get him if possible, as he is the head and front of the offending here. Come on, Louis, and we will find all who are missing.” The marshal detailed a sufficient number of his men for this purpose, and led them into the little pass, with Colonel Bastrop and Lawrence. CHAPTER XXXITI. A SHOT IN REVENGE. Gray GORDON could have jumped for joy at the unexpected and most welcome information easily guided his employer tle pass through which a that came from the lips of Linda Shropshire, | and Gerald Talcott was so startled that he actu- | more than my life.” ‘*‘T am very grateful to you, Mr. Gerdon,” said Eva, ‘‘and I would like to be allowed to love you as a father.” ‘‘ Nothing would please me better then that my dear Miss Talcott, and I hope that you will try to do so. But I must leave you now, as there are yet some important matters to be at- tended to here. Our friends are trying to get into the den of the moonshiners down yor der, and I must do what I can to help them at this end. It will not be worth while at present to seek help at that farm-house, as you will be able, Gerald, with the help of Jerry Mabry, to get your sister down to the place where we met Fer friend. Yet I would be glad to have Jeriy vith me, and if I could trust this young man—” ‘You may trust me thceroughly,” answered Mark Hennafin, who had by this time bec: me quite broken down and repentant. ‘“ There is Lo more harm in me, | assure you.” *T will trust you, then, to do what yu can to repair the mischief you have already done. Come, Jerry.” Since he bad found the trail wh'ch he sought, all was plain soiling for Jerry Mabry, ard he own into the lit- va Talcott and Linca Shropsbire had escaped. As they entered it they heard no reports of ae 4 mm a ' a soon degenerated intoa running fight; but most | aily did jump. shots from kelow, nor any other sounds to t# of them who were not killed or badly wounded, ** And so Miss Talcott is out here in the woods,” | cause them to believe that fighting was geirg cn iW scampered away and attempted to escape. remarked Gordon. ‘I hope thatshe is safeand there. though tley were surely near enough to + Both sides had suffered pretty severely in the | well.” | hear them if they were to be heard. / ud | brief but bloody combat at the barricade; but | ‘She is all right, mister,” answered Lind», | Either their friends had gained a victory, cr B33 Colonel Crampton and Abe Lassiter, without | ‘except that she has hurt her foot. You are | had abandoned for a time the attempt to foice a os f stopping just then to consider the needs of friend | her friends, I hope.” _ wav into the den of the moonshiners, 5 or foe, urged their men on, and pushei forward ** Indeed we are, and this young gentleman is | As it could not be supposedthatthe barricades > : in pursuit of the runaways. - | her brother.” _had been carried so scon, the Jatter supposi'icn ee r his speady and energetic movement resulted | ‘‘She has told me of him, and seems to mo | was the more protable, and im thet event it = | in the capture of Bob and Ben Shropshire and | that h> does kinder favor her.” would be necessery for the two scouts to meve or three of the moonshiners, leaving but few to be | ‘Lead the way, then, my good girl, and we | very cautiously, lest they should fall into the = accounted for, F will get to her and help her as soon as possible, | hands of their foes. era: : It also put the victors in possession of the two | If you have proved yourself a friend to her, I They did move cautiously and as silently as a log-houses and the still and the entire camp of | assure you that you shall lose mora thet..| possible, and bad got about half-way down the wa : the moonshiners, and when this was effected, | I must ask you to accompany us, Mr. Hannafin. | glen when they caught sight of a man coming aud their prisoners were secured, they were | If we find the young Iady safe and sound, we | toward them. es ‘ at liberty to look about them, have no wish to harm you, whatever your inten- That is to say, he was not coming toward 0 ; With Colonel Crampton the claims of hu- | tions may have been; but you must not try to | them just at that moment, as he had kalted and o. ’ manity were just then superior to every other | get away from us.” was looking back in the direction from which he © Ke consideration, and he hastened down the pass to} ~— Mark Hannafin acquiesced in silence, and sul- | had come. \ "es ee the barricede, when be met a portion of his men | lenly walked away with his captors, Gorden | ‘‘ Hide, Jerry!” ordered Gordon. ‘‘ It is Colo- Rs who had been doing duty on the hights, and with | taking the lead with Linda Shropshire, and | nel Rapp.” i eae their assistance he gave the wounded of both | Jerry Mabry bringing un the rear. | Jerry dropped down behind a rock, end sides all the attention that was possible, carry- the way, though they a!l traveled as fast Gordon got behind a tree, and they awaited ta | ing them up to the log buildings where they could | as the nature of the ground would allow them further developments. . 3 a i be better cared for. t», Linda found opportunity to give an account | Colonel Rapp walked a little distance further ‘ The Arkansans in the mean time had found | of the escape of herself and her friend, and to | down the pass, and then turned and leoked | and recognized their stolen horses, and were | relate what had sect Vig to them since they , back again. _ | eager to execute immediate justice—or venveance | left the camp of the moonsbiners, concluding | It the assailing party bad rerlly succeeded GC : —upon the two remaining members of the horse | with the statement that she had been onherway | in capturing the positicn down there, and if he > , stealing family. to bring help to Miss Talcott when she met Gor- | was trying to escape, he must surely be crazy 4 f To this there could be no reasonable objection, | don and the others. to ectin that way, end on acles«r view of his be 4 as tho offenders had been caught with the stolen Eva was greatly surprised at the speedy | wild looks and aimless metkods Gordon ves 7, ropertv in their possession, and the unwritten | return of ber friend; but that wes nothing t» | forced to believe that his mind was really cff its ae vw of the land punished horse-stealing with | her joyful surprise at the sight of Gerald and | balance. #N j death. Gordon, Ashe started forward egain, the sound of 5, 40 Neither Bob Shropshire nor his younger bro- Forgetting her injured ankle for the moment, | voices was heard below, and some mencamein = P ther protested against the infliction of this pen- | she threw herself into the arms of ber brother, sight, beaded by Colonel Crampten, ee i alty when their captors informed them of the | shedding tears ot love and gratitude, an ‘*Here he is, boys!” sheuted the marshal ~~ y frte that awaited them. thanking Heaven for this most welcome deliv- | “ Hurry up and take him! Better surrender ae ‘* You've killed Pap and Maw,” declared Bob, | erance,. et colonel, and don’t ma¥6 anymore 41a ‘‘and now I don’t keer a durn what becomes 0’| ‘I knew that you would come, Gerald!” she , trouble.” a EF me.” exclaimed, ‘I knew that you were both’ Colonel Rapp had raised his rifle,and had rege (EN cosine ee | Ecomicbooks.com 7 | . j . a! +5 ? a s*» #p . ‘= iy 4 F4, { * Cu. ~~ . - é ; ~ i 7 * is ~> & ~% ted mere. <Z a4 = Le ede ee a . “he P ‘ : rz » hese a