Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 438 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

ad —— wane ee me eee | Ce Oklahoma Nick. ee Nick Van Bibber to be a dirty rascal. the gal to come of good an’ true stock. I know —that ef we stan’ chatterin’ here all day, we'll git mighty bad left by the boys—so we will, pard!” ‘Saddle up, then. you and [ have got tohave another little confab together before long. J’ve made a clean breast to you, and you’ve got to be as frank. I don’t think either of us wiil lose anything by being open and aboveboard.”’ ‘* Lord love ye, pard! All you’ve said is sacred an’ secret—as secret as it would be ef you'd hauled me out oO’ my grave to whisper in the ear o me! Jest as secret—secret as a dead man, pard!” Boomer Balt chuckled and grinned as he hur- ried up his preparations for the trail. He seemed immensely tickled over something. And the xeen-eared detective could just catch mut- tered scraps in which be could detect the words ‘* orave,” **dead man,” ‘*‘ secret,” and the like. ‘If I didn’t know Onesiphorus Wright was dead and buried, bless me if I wouldn’t almost— bah! Old man, you’re growing crazy!” — —_—_—_—_ CHAPTER XII. DOWN THE CANYON. For a single breath Oklahoma Nick stood as though petrified, staring wild-eyed at the point where he had last seen Pericles Wright. That frightful death-shriek rung in his ears until, with a shudder, he clapped both bands to his head to drown the blood-curdling cry. Tbe action was involuntary, but it served one ood purpose; the spell was broken, and with a al. shuddering cry he sprung forward, pausing on the very brink of the canyon, gazing down into the dizzy depths where the young giant had fallen. Oklahoma Nick seemed to forget his own peril in his anxiety for his comrade. He did not cast a glance about him, though at least two of the murderous rascals must still be nigh at band, Over the pneurly perpendicular precipice he glared, ‘white-faced and unnerved, oked over, only to draw back with a sudden shiver- ing that actually made his strong teeth click to- gether. And with a trembling band tight clas over his eyes, he reeled unsteadily, only saving himself from falling by clutching a slender sapling close by. Strong man though he was, before his eyes stood out the terrible picture that had greeted them; the young giant recling on the verge of that deep cleft, apparently crippled by the treacherous shot, yet claiming his vengeance even in death—for death it surely must mean! Almost perpendicular the descent, without ledge or bush or growing tree to break the fall. Death—death beyond all possibility of owe a With a desperate effort Oklaboma Nick flung off the dizzy faintness which had attacked him when he g anced over the escarpment. He must act—he must do what there remained to do, without loss of time. “ Pve got to do it!” he forced himself to utter, starting at the hoarse, unnatural sound of his voice—so unlike his usual tones that he glanced swiftly around, a hand dropping to his belt of arms. ‘ I’ve got to find—what’s left! Vill have to tell them—tell her !” He was creeping toward the spot where Peri- cles Wright fell over into the canyon, but he ager shivering anew as he thought of Otelia right and the manner in which she would re- ceive the terrible tidings which he must bear to her. ‘“That’s the worst of it all!” he muttered, hoarsely, his face pale and filled with a haunt- ing doubt. Would she not hold him accountable for the death of her brother? Could he ever convince her of his guitlessness? His gaze fell upon the red drops that sprinkled the top of a flat white stone, and with the curious attention to details which sometimes characterizes One who is fi rced to investigate a tragedy against his will, Oklahoma Nick 1} ent over the marks, even touching one after another with his unsteady finger-tip, “He was hit—hit hard, too!” he muttered, following the bloody trail as it neared the es- earpment. ‘‘Shet through and _ through—he was so close! He was hurt too bad to suffer much. Maybe he couldn’t fairly rea‘ize it~ maybe henever really knew he was falling, maybe that awful screech—” The blood-spets led him to the edge of the canyon, and lying flat on his stomach, fearin for his steadiness Of brain after all that hac transpired, Oklahoma Nick gazed downward into the gloomy depths. Right below him, where the face of the canyon wall sloped outward a little, was a red smear on the white rock. The wounded giant must have struck there, as he toppled over vith his assassin struggling vainly in his grasp. Only that to tell of the awful tragedv! Nota sound from the bottom of the canyon. Nota , not a moan. Nothing to tell of the fate weit fs had overtaken Pericles Wright and the ruffian who tried to murder him! Oklahoma Nick drew back, shuddering, pale in the face as one at the point + death. Never | ; ; ee I know | while his life endured could he forget what he had undergone during those brief minutes, ‘* No use—no use to call!” he muttered, turn- ing his back to the death canyon, his eyes roving over the broken ground beyond, where the two But mind you, old fellow, | ruffians whom he had put to flight had van- ished. nn 19 More than one slip, caused by the weather- weakened rock giving way beneath his weight, showed the dangerous nature of that descent, but perhaps that very recklessness proved the man’s best safeguard. There was no besitation. No pausing to gather nerve. No faltering doubt. when a step was once selected. And winding up eS Strange as it may sound, nevertheless it is | with a scrambling plunge in which a shower of true that the single thought during those first few minutes. His every faculty was bound up in Pericles Wright, bis horrible doom, the necessity of searching for his remains, and—worst of all, as it seemed to him just then—bearing the terrible news back to the camp where the unfortunate lad’s relatives awaited his return. He loved Otelia Wright so passionately. He had set his entire bopes on winning her for bis wife. And now, to have to meet her face to face with such awful words on his lips! ‘* But it’s got to be done—l’ve got to do it!” he muttered, one hand brushing swiftly across his eyes as he moved back to the point where he was sitting wheu the ambush was opened upon them. With bis peckage of food, was a pint flask of whisky, as yet untouched. He hesitated an instant as he caught up the bottle. ‘Tf he’s alive—if he shouldn’t be quite dead!” flashed through his busy brain; but the very idea was so wildly improbable that he banished it on the instant. He drank freely, and in a brief space felt that it was a wise act on his part. Already his brain was growing clearer, bis nerves more steady as the fiery liquor tingled through his system, ‘*T need it--[ll need all the help it can give me, too!” he muttered as he hastily secured tae scattered food, tying it ry again for ready car- riage. ‘* An hour ago I'd have laughed at the idea of being so completely broken up by the death of any one man—cven of his !” He rose erect, slinging: the small package of food behind his back and securing it where it would not interfere with the free use of his arms. And as he did so, his mechanically roving eyes suddenly made out the bead and shoulders of a huinan being at some little distance. At a glance he recognized one of the rascals who had assailed him, and after a barely perceptible hesi- tation, he caught up his repeating rifle and sent a shot humming in that direction. He saw the bullet knock a little shower of splinters from the frost-eaten rock close beside the head, but knew that his shot had been wast- ed for vengeance as he caught a glimpse of the ia, dodging from rock to rock in headlong ight. Rapidly as he could manipulate the weapon, Oklahoma Nick sent shot after shot whistling in pursuit, leaping forward in chase to pause for a snap-shot whenever a glimpse was caught of the fugitive. But his very eagerness to make sure seemed to frustrate his fierce hopes. The fright- ened rascal fled on, and was soon after lost from sight entirely. Oklahoma Nick spent some minutes in search- ing for the fellow, but then reluctantly desisted. There was a still more important duty before him, which he dared no longer neglect. ‘*Pve got to get down there, semehow!” he muttered, his brows contracting and his face paling again as he slowly retraced his steps. ‘It’s got to be done, though I'd give a year of my life if I could let out the job!” Once more he stood at the point where the young giant had fallen over into the canyon, staring down into the gloomy depths. He seem- ed trying to decide to which hand he had better turn. For where he now was, a safe descent to the bottom was clearly out of the question. A slow, searching survey of the lay of the ground around at length decided him, and turn- ing to the left, be strode rapidly along the edge of the canyon, believing that in this direction he would be able to reach the bottom of the de- file the sooner. Now that he was = positive action, Okla- toma Nick looked more like bis usual self. His face was still pale. There was a tinge of blood in bis dark eyes, and dark circles beneath them. There was a worn and almost haggard look abcut his face that told how violent had been his emo- tions. But his movements were swift and cer- tain, and that peculiar shivering troubled him no more. For fully a mile he proceeded without finding a point where descent to the bottom of the can- yon was at all practicable, but having wasted so much time, he dared not think of retracing his steps to look in the opposite direction. ‘*1t must come soon,” he muttered, searching the prospect ahead, where the rocky plateau seemed to grow lower and to break up into min- iature mountains, He proved to be right in this, for shortly after- ward he reached a spot where a break in the canyon wall enabled him to trace a course from top to bottom, thongh one that would call for a cool head and steady nerves to avert accident. ‘* ve lost too much time already!” be mutter- ed, slinging his rifle over his shoulders hy the strap with which it was provided. “If I do break my neck—small loss to humanity! And I won’t have to carry the news to her /” eo + Ce eee Oe OO eee cra aees=-c st eee ere eee ere OO Oa cs uide never gave them even a | frost-eaten rocks came rattling down, Oklaboma Nick landed safely at the bottom of the canyon. Without pausing to catch his breath or to rest his strained limbs, the guide turned and hastened up the canyon in the direction where poor Perry Wright had fallen with his assassin. And ten minutes later be uttered a low, strained ejaculation that told his journey was. ended. There was more than horror or grief in that ejaculation, Though he knew he stood almost directly be-- low the point from whence Perry Wright had fallen, Oklahoma Nick had not yet caught sight of his comrade or his remains, For a dense mass of scrubby bushes, covered over with a thick mat of wild grape-vines filled the bottom of the canyon from side to side. And at one point he saw where the vines had been torn apart, where the bushes had been splintered and crushed out of shape, as though by a heavy weight falling upon them from above! The bushes were so plainly visible from where he stood, that Oklahoma Nick cast a bewildered glance upward, almost convinced that be had mistaken the point. Surely he must have seen and recognized such a mass of foliage from the ton of the canyon wall? Doubtless it was the difference of light as seen from the two stand-points. Certain it is that he had not noticed any such growth when above. Equally certain it was that this was the point where Perry Wright had fallen when attacked by the assassin. “* Mayve he’s still alive! him outright!” Maybe it didn’t kill Gasping came the words. And pale as death himself, Oklahoma Nick leaned against the rock wall for support, fairly holding his breath as he listened for a sound from the broken scrub. Was that a moan? Wasthat a dying gasp? With a choking breath the guide fought down h’s emotions and sprung forward, teari aside the clinging vines, crushing back the stiff and stubborn limbs, making his way to the point where be knew all his painful doubts would be solved. He was forced to drop to his hands and knees: before he reached the pomt where his com- panion had crushed through the matted cushion: wrought by the cunning fingers of Nature. And on his hands and knees he was when a mass of vines came away in bis grasp, leaving” him face to face with the young giant, Or his remains. f Scratched and marked with blood. Long, curling locks of ellow bair all a-tangle. Jaws: firmly set, just showing the strong white teeth through the slightly parted lips: parted in a smile that even now contained a threat! For a brief space Oklahoma Nick seemed like- into that hand- or, to his sorely strained fancy, it seemed a face that was mute- one suddenly p-trified, starin some, yet horrifying face. ly accusing him of murder! Yet not a muscle stirred. Had the face been. carved out of marble, it could not have been. more immobile than now. Shaken es he was, Oklahoma Nick noticed. that Perry Wright had falled uppermost, and that even yet wrapped about the corpse of the #Fsassin. could ‘only catch a teases te of tke letter, but i that was enough to show m death. those mighty arms were tight- He His bead was doubled beneath his body, lvirng in an ugly noolef blood. Beyond a doubt his veck was broken. Then—a cry gurgied up_in the threat ‘ of Oklaboma Nick as Perry Wright opened his eyes and stared vacantly into the face of the ide. With that wild yell of sudcen superstition, Oklahoma Nick scrambled backward, trembling” from crown to sole, cold sweat starting out in great drops on bis ghastly face. And only for a tangle of vines that tripped him upas be started to his feet, it is almost certain that he would have fled down the canyon at top speed, so in-- tense was his fright. He fell heavily, striking bis temple on a cutting a “pa to the bone and drawing e lay shivering for a brief space he- freely. ‘ma fore staggering to his feet, almost blinded with blood, The flow seemed to do him good. It seemed to relieve the terrible pressure upcn bis brain, and it took but a few mcments to recall his. manhood. Then, instead of fleeing from the: corpse that opened its eyes in mute accusation, ssagze to the spot where Perry Wright lay—living, not. he drew his knife and began cutting a dead! He knew that, now. And be werked with a desperation that in a marvelously brief time opened a way to the luckless giant. Those great blue eyes were closed, now, but as Oklahoma Nick gently touched the blood com (E 0\(0\(6) S) 2 co