Beadle's Dime Library No. 429 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

* wJohn! a — 1 to be bound for Bad Man’s Bar was one of them. Had the road-agents made their effort a mo- ment or two sooner, and with the same success, most likely there would have been nothing fur- ‘tuer to chronicle, save a funeral. As it was, the ‘coach and the four horses went down, two of ‘the latter already dying, and the others to be frigbtfully shattered on the rocks below, but did not go by any means as far as they would have done a little sooner or a little later, nor were any of the passengers seriously injured, Tncle Daniel was altogether unhurt, and Slim Jimmy was only sufficiently shaken to be able to swear with his most profane vigor. The for- «mer, imdeed, never lost perfect possession of his wits, and before the wreck of the coach had ‘fairly settled to its place was pulling three badly ‘crumpled people from the ruins, “Nobody kurt yit? So. Bully fur we-’uns! Got er chance hyer, ef things works. Git under kiver, quick! Couldn't ’a’ drapped inter a bet- ter posish. Rock above ter keep ’em off, an’ ef they git down Lerlow an’ come fur us—go ’way! ‘We hev ’em, sure. Yes, that’s so. Pity, but Vil hev ter shoot them hosses, They’re bu’sted all open,.am’ are n. g. Make good breastwork, though. Hyer they go.” Two shcts, and the struggles of the two ani- mals @eased, The other two had never moved after the fall. ‘Sue Orpheus had all his wits about him, and the rest were rapidly recovering their normal ‘quantity. Leona had not been hurt at all, while her father and Mr, Woburn had not been seri- ‘ously harmed. They began to struggle to their fect in a manner that disgusted the fiddler, who wittered a warning cry: ‘Look sharp, thar, an’ keep under kiver, ‘You'll be apt ter bear frum ’em in about a min- nit, an’ they won’t be keerful how they talk.” ‘The words were scarcely out of his mouth ~whén ‘there was a movement above. “* You, down thar: ef ye’re hurt, it’s yer own fault. Jest keep cool till we kin come down an’ git ther toll, an’ we'll see then what’s ter be done ter help yer.” ‘* Keep cool yerselves, we don’t want no help yer,” was the response of the vagabond. *“"Thar’s jest room ernuf fur us, an’ more would make it too full fur ary use. We don’t want ‘ter hurt yer, but ef yer crowd us—good-by, That’s so.” The agents had said that they knew some- thing about Uncle Daniel, and from the way they had acted they did not seem to have much of an opinion of him. But a little experience can do a heap of teaching; and his companions in the gulch were stillan unknown quantity. They acted with increasing prudence, and when a head that was carefully raised beyond the pro- tection of the bank, some twenty or thirty yards down the trail, instantly received a bullet, that was planted with deadly precision, they kept out of harm’s way and evidently beld a little consul- tation. There was not much danger of the party getting away, and there was no indication of a necessity for haste. Meantime the passengers crouched under the roof of overhanging rock, while Jim mournful- ly examined his shattered coach and dead horses. Leona noted that his position was exposed, as well as his helpless look. ‘If you are wise you will get back nearer to the wall, Youcan donothing now; but your help will be needed when the fight begins.” ‘‘Sorry, mum,” he responded, with solemn disrespect. ‘* Ther fact are I ain’t much on ther fight, an’ ef I war it wouldn't do much good arter ther durned foolishnes, wich, savin’ yer resence, mum, war ernuf ter make a hog sick. Hhey'll be goin’ fur blood an’ ha’r, now; an’ don’t yer furgit it. It’s heaven’s mussy thet we’re 4Jowed a leetle time ter say our prayers. But ther deal’s ‘bout over, an’ ther time ter cash w’ot chips are left are mighty nigh.” hen Jimmy moodily folded his arms, and didn't take even the trouble to dodge his head when a pistol-ball came singing along s0 close that he felt its wind on his cheek. ‘‘A pwetty sort of a man you are foah the company to entwust our lives to,” exclaimed the dude, galvanized into a show of more ani- mation than he had hitherto seemed capable of. **T assure you, your conduct shall be weported ‘to the company. Foah all you cah we might be —aw—all murdered in our beds.” ** An’ ez ther dod-rotted foolishness killed for %em four hosses J’d jest remark, ef yer don’t want ter pay fur’em yer better don’t. What- cher 8’ ther comp’ny runs this line fur? “Whatcher s’pose they hires me fur? Ter hev every durned ijeot puttin’ his fur up when ther tax c’lector kims our way? Not ary. Nary! Ef yer don’t want ter fork over when yer hear ’em shout jest leave yer coin at home; an’ you ‘stay thar ter take keer ov it. You hear me?” ‘‘Aw! Ishould remark. It is not necessary ‘to elevate your voice— Gwacious! they mean “business!” There wasn't a doubt about that, for the bullet ‘that caused the remark was aimed so truly that = —_ the world, and ‘the accident to the stage sup- | high hat, though only an inch or two of it was orem as they crouched under the protecting rock. Uncle Daniel, at the fore as commander-in- chief, had been quietly taking in all the chances. He was pretty certain that as yet the agents had not started in their actual movement against the works, which be was just as certain that they intended to make. He thought he saw, too, that the very means they were taking to mask their movements, by keeping them well under cover and unable to see what was in the wind, might be in their favor. He turned sharply to Slim Jimmy. ‘*] say, Jimmy, you know ther way ter ther Bar, an’ ther way ter git outen this scrape are fur you ter take it. ou kin drap down over | ther rocks, thar, an’ ther rest kin scramble after. Don’t stop terargy. Ill be hyer, keep- in’ °em busy; an’ they’ll never miss yer till yer half-way ter camp. Ef yer waits till they’re down b’low we're all gone up ther flume. That’s so!” The driver did not jump at the scheme. While it offered a chance for escape, in the event of failure his imagination pictured the results in | crimson colors. He said nothing; and looked stubborn. ‘*T thort so, Jimmy; an’ I hate ter do it, but I'll hev ter act accordin’. Thar’s yer one chanct —hyer’s yer other. Choose durned quick. Ef they can’t hev a guide I'll hev acorpse. We're ole fien’s, Jimmy, but this are business, chuck up—an’ thet’s suthin’ else. That’s so.” ‘¢ And what will you be doin’?” asked Jimmy, eying with some consternation the revolver that | suddenly pointed his way, with the hammer ; back, ‘‘T'll be holdin’ ’em dead level, hyer, tell you git safe outen ther woods. Then I'll be takin’ keer Cy meself; an’ jest how’s none ov yer busi- ness. Las’ time. ARE yer goin’, er ain’t yer?” The stroller held the drop, meant what he said, and wanted a quick answer. He got it. Without a word Slim Jimmy turned to the left and began to descend, hug- ging the wall closely as he went. “Poller him,” continued Uncle Daniel, with a wave of hishand, ‘‘ He kin take yer through; an’ he'll do it, ef yer kin keep him down ter his - work.” You shall not risk your life alone. we remain.” The courage of Leona was remarkable, but it | did not seam to enthuse Uncle Daniel. He caught — her by the arm, and urged her along, | ‘‘ When it comes ter talkin’ bout stayin’ with | a ole, wu’thless fiddlin’ vagabones like me, it’s | showin’ a good heart but a mighty pore head. | Ef I left my bones hyer it wouldn’t make no_ great differens. It’d be nothin’ but a ole tramp — gone over ther divide. What’s that ter you? All ther same I ain’t a furgittin’, Ye’r’ in more danger than yer thinks, an’ Pll do my level best ter git yer out. Now, light! Thar’s no time fur more foolin’.” He burried them away, Mr. Darelle evidently taking the same view of the subject, and urging Leona along in the wake of the rapidly depart- | ing driver. Vhen the stroller turned back to his niche in | the rocks he had a preey well-founded hope that | the men above could not see what was going on so close to the base of the rocks; and there was | a chance, by a little judicious use of firearms, to keep their attention so closely fixed on the spot , If you stay —— ticed. He crawled carefully to the right, and reach- ed, at some little distance, a point where he could ' actual surprise. obtain a better view. | him, Hardly bad he reached the spot when his hand | Hart Hawkins and his went up, with a finger on a trigger. “our or | sible ! er ‘‘And you? How can we leave you? No. | | that the fugitives would make an offing unno- | Hair Trigger Tom of Red Bend. 5 ——— ee was sufli- But, anyhow, the one warning c before the cient. Every soul had disappear horsemen came in sight. ‘Hello! What’s been going on here?” ex- claimed a crisp, careless voice. ‘‘* Here’s about the spot, and it looks as though there had been some bad work. Eh! Good heavens! Look down here! Blood on the trail and the hearse over the ledge. We're in time for a funeral, if we have missed the fun.” The young man was staring down at the shat- tered coach and the dead horses as he spoke; and at the suggestive sight it was no wonder | that he spoke in some excitement—or that his hand threw up a revolver suggestively as he caught the sound of a voice from below. ‘*Sca’ssly. Dll bet all my coin on it thet they’ve toted all their corpses away, an’ our side ain’t got any. We're all hunkus-dorus, tho’ it war a mighty tight squeeze fur a minnit. Pll be thar shortly an’ tell yer all *bout it.” By dint of bard scrambling at the most acces- int, Uncle Daniel reached the trail, and with him he brought his violin, which he had rescued unharmed from the coach, He found himself facing half a dozen men, all well mounted and armed, and the first speaker seemed to be their acknowledged leader. ‘‘Tt’s yerself, is it, Hart Hawkins? I thort I hed got yer sized up about right while we war a-talkin’ down below, but I warn’t dead sure. It war jest a streak ov hog luck fur me ez sent yer this way, fur ef you badn’t ’a’ come, I'd ’a’ | passed in sure.” ‘* But what has happened? Tell us that with- out any roundabout nonsense. Perhaps we're not tco late to do a little more good.” Very briefly for him, did Vucie Daniel give his account, explaining how he bad attempted to run the stage through, and the fortunate catastrope that followed. It was too late to head off the fugitives now, short of the Bar, which he suggested they should reach as soon as possible. If tbe party bad not arrived, or did not come in shortly, it would still be time enough to organize a hunt for them before night closed in entirely. Hart Hawkins glanced down the mountain- side and saw that it would be impossible to fol- low on horseback, ‘| hen he turned to thestroli- ‘* Sorry, old man, that we haven't a mount—” ‘* Don’t say *nother word. Unkel Dan’l ll git thar, an’ you kin set ’em up when I arrove.” He made a sweeping gesture down the trail, and without another word Hawkins and asingle companion dashed away, followed closely by the rest of the horsemen. In fact, the half-dozen that bad so opportune- ly come to the rescue had left Red Bend in pairs, Hart Hawkins starting with his pard last of all. As they were better mounted chance brought them to the front just when they seemed most to belong there. It was not long before the two were fully out of earshot of the rest, even if the rattle of hoofs had not fully drowned their words at any dis- tance. “gh | aay Samuel, don’t it strike you that there is some luck in this? There’s not a reasonable doubt but what this was the charming little fe- male we saw at the Bend, Told you I'd strike her trailagain. Wisb I had been along sooner, Might have had her up bebind me this blessed minute. Pity she has to go Snare’ through the gulches to the Bar when she might be riding in in style. Guess there’s no chance of bringing them on the trail once more?” He looked wistfully down among the tree- that still showed below them, and then turned Silent Sam had answered diferent as two men could well be, in looks, five men were insight and range, dropping down worm and reputation. A the mountain-side, evidently intent on taking up | a position below. 7 At the report of Uncle Daniel’s pistol the fore- most of these three threw up his hands with an unearthly screech, and tumbled over backward, while the rest disappeared as if by magic, in an instantaneous search for cover. Then there was a silence for a moment or two, broken finally by a cry from the sentinels above on the trail, and a little later the scurry and rattle of the hoofs of a number of horses, urged recklessly down the mountain-side. ———— CHAPTER V. THE GUESTS GATHER IN. heard the sounds. ‘‘ Betcher life ther fun’s over. Longhand won’t stay ter fight a gang like that. Pity I didn’t know they war a-comin’. Might ‘a’ saved ther lam’s a tramp. But, mebbe it’s better this wav. Squint straight, Unkel Dan’l, | an’ mebbe you'll git a chanct fur a snap-shot at Longhand hisself. He ain’t showed up yit, | but he’s sumwhar in ther bresh, I'll bet a big ‘Goon ernuf,” muttered the musician, as he | gs Ni ith wonderful acuteness he fathomed what | was coming; but he ma‘e a slight mistake about the outlaws, They had courage enough when it was needed, as the record showed, but at other I’ve on’y seen her face onc’t; - that’ll scratch deep an’ quick, an’ I on’y wish wkins was & oom airy little fellow, witk fashionable clothes and plenty to say. His partner was heavy, stolid, and so that he was known as Silent Sam. Yet the twe men were as close friends as two men could well be, and had been for years. ‘* Pard,” said Sam, anleenys ‘ef I war you I'd face ther other way, an’ take ther back track, Sure ez you live that woman’s goin’ to be bad medicine for you. I hed a bad dream las' n thet you wouldn’t lissen to this mornin’, thet don’t go fur nothin’. Ef yer knows what's good fer you you'll bunch ’em fur a fresh deal, an’ go tank ter Red Bend. I’ve sed my say now, an’ ef yer wants ter go ahead you'll hev Loftus right behind yer. All ther same I’m bettin’ we're goin’ inter a tougher racket than you an’ me ever got onto, afore. Don’t yer trust her. ut she’s a cat thet they hed kerried her clean away. What ver say, pard? Fer onc’t will yer take ther back trail?” " ‘Ha, ha!” Hart Hawkins had a musical laugh, and there was no mistaking his earnestness as it rung out. ‘* Silent Sam turning preacher! No, no, old man. I’m not turning back. You can, if you want; but I started to open a bank at the and I intend to do it. If my nerves ain’t alk ‘it cut right through the crown of his glossy times took precious good care of their lives,. gone lll make it pay, and if that little angel is S) CEOY AACE! exexe) were about as. 5 Eom Ls s <4