Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 455 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

TG me . * ~~ S ‘who have gone away cured!” % af awieigh ‘ ? € P el PF ls a a oe me ae ee ~~ —— -— ene 26 : they made a final stand at the bath-house, hop- ing to save that, at least, t was the liveliest day ever seen in Medicine Springs, and the crowd cheered hoarsely when the flames were seen to have sure hold upon the doomed buildings, but there were doubts and fears in Yank’s mind which he did not speak aloud in the presence of the crowd. Inquiries were ae made for Lang- leigh, Todd and Montclair, but not one of these men were visible; they had either fled to the hills or secreted themselves in the cottage of some sympathizer. Yank Yellowbird was by no reans at ease. The several fires had giyen the uprising a seri- ous aspect, and though law, lawyers and trials were practically unknown things for fifty miles around, Langleigh would have cause for action against them if he saw fit, and could bring the power of law to bear upon them. As far as he was concerned Yank cared noth- ing for this; as soon as matters were settled at Medicine Springs he and Trail-Lifter intended to start off on a long journey; but the villagers would not be equally safe. Langleigh owned the town; he was rich; he was revengeful. He would undoubtedly attempt a return blow. The attempt tosave the bath-house was a fail- ure, and when the other burning ae had fallen in, and gone to ruin completely, the labor- ers moved back from the intense heat of the Bathing Establishment and watched to see that follow suit. Some excitement and a good deal of talk was occasioned when water burst out of the ground a few yards from the doomed buiding. The en- trance to the conduit had undoubtedly been ob- structed by foreign matter, and the water forced a new place of exit. ‘ 4 was a striking proof of Langleigh’s down- all. When he erected the big building over the rings, and made the conduit to the river, he effectually shut the alleged curative water from the gaze of all save those who could, and’ would, pay him for the privilege of using it. Now the great Bathing Establishment building was a mass of flames, and the water was pour- ing out in plain sight, free to all who saw fit to use it in any way. No one came to be healed. Those who looked knew that it possessed no unusual attributes, and they alternately scoffed at the bubbling liquid and heaped opprobrious terms upon the heads of those who had so long humbugged the victims who had filled their pockets. When the roof of the building fell in, a cheer went up from the crowd. It seemed like the going of the last vestige of Langleigh’s power, and there was scarcely a man there but had some personal grievance against the iron-handed ruler, Besides these there were two late cases of no small importance—the false accusation against Kirk, and the abduction of Zelda—and a report had somehow started that Langleigh and his tools had done deep cov to the Philip Templeton and his daughter, Vivian, for whom A Gault and the other officers had been searching. No one seemed to know how this rumor had started, nor how well founded it was, and as Gault and his companions were away they could not be questioned. The cheers which followed the fall of the roof had an unexpected result, however. in the crowd suddenly became aware that some one was pushing them roughly to one side and by the time they hud fairly recovered their balance aman stood at the front, pale with rage. | Phe crowd recognized Nelson Langleigh, and a hush fell upon them. The arch-plotter had never been more impres- sive than then. **You scoundrels!” he hoarsely cried, point- ing to the blazing ruins, ‘‘ you shall pay dearly for this!” _ No one answered. **You have applied the torch to my pro- rty,” he went on, his eyes blazing, ‘‘and this my reward. I have helped you, only to have you turn upon me like venomous snakes, Medi- cine Springs’ was growing to be a ge berry town; it would have made you all rich, Stupid, a ungrateful fools! see what you have done. The vengeance of Heaven wiil fall upon you for this ane work!” ank Yellowbird advanced two paces and, leaning upon his long rifle, composedly con- fronted the raging man. ‘** ’d draw it a trifle mild ef [’s you, mister,” he said, quietly. ‘‘ You mix facks an’ fictions up with reckless prodigality—you do, by hurley! I'd like ter inquire whar the riches, an’ the wine, an’ the honey, 0’ this wealthy city has gone? Inter Nelse Langleigh’s pocket! Thar ain’t a man hyar only you an’ yer tools that has growed rich. How did you git rich? By im- in’ on the sick an’ unfortunit’, by hurley! y swindlin’ the a’flicted! By holdin’ out hopes ter the deceased, an’ halt, an’ blind, that yer egregious spring-water never made good.” ‘‘T have the written statement of patients hoarsely asserted ‘ (a? * . ‘ . A “s fs ee oe 4s Be > Pi RE ee a ae —— ee a eee = =< =. - Yank Yellowbird. eee eee “To be sure, you hey. Folkses hev come hyar from onhealth regions, an’ from cramped-up cities, an’ the pure air o’ Cutwater Gap cured ’em. That’s what did it—pure air. The water had no share in it, an’ you know it, Change o’ climate is always g for folkses, when they go from a swamp-hole ter high, healthy land like this.” Yank freed one hand, and leveling his potent forefinger at the object of his discourse, impres- sively added: ‘* You set up fur a public benefactory, do ye? Mebbe that’s yo e charged John Kirk with bein’ a thief! ebbe that’s why ye tried ter lure Blacklock Ben inter an ambush, ter be massacreed! Mebbe that’s why ye had Zelda stole! Mebbe—but I don’t b’heve it, ye atro- cious insex. I was born with antipathies, and they will stick to me, by hurley!” A roar went up from the crowd. Yank’s rude arraignment had expressed the minds of all, and their anger rose to white heat. ‘* Down with the villain!’ cried a voice. r ch him!” added another. ‘* Hold!” shouted John Kirk, ‘let there be no violence. I will stand between the man and that.” ‘* He’s said that his old springs will cure everything,” put inanother man. ‘ Give hima taste of his own medicine. Duck him in his cure-all water!” There was another roar from the crowd, and a forward movement which the more temperate of the party could not check; Langleigh was seized by strong hands; there was a struggle and a splash, and the leader of the Vampire my was floundering in the spring. Then the crowd fell back and began to jeer. Langleigh was able to swim, and the power was necessary now. His feet did not touch bot- tom, and when his pale face arose after the first immersion, he made a move for land. His hands touched the earth, but it crumbled away and he went down. Twice he repeated the attempt, only to be foiled each time; the brittle earth would not bear his weight, and he fell back as often as he tried. ‘* This ought to be stopped,” urged Kirk, who could not forget the relationship of the victim to Imogene. ‘* Right!” agreed the mountaineer, ‘‘ we will hev him out.” ‘* Hold on!” directed a big, bushy-whiskered man in a red shirt. Give me room, an’ I'll go a- fishin’ !” : He had secured a pole, and as the crowd fell back he extended one end to Langieigh, which the latter quickly seized. ‘*Pull him out!” directed Yank Yellowbird. ‘* He’s lost faith in the spring-water as a cure- all medicine, but, mebbe, it ain’t good for sharks!” The man with the pole heaved bravely, and out came the leader of the Vampire Clique. He was wet, muddy, and nearly exhausted, and at once sunk to the ground. At that moment Ben Buckingham strode for- ward and seized the mountaineer’s arm. ‘* Look!” he directed, pointing. ‘* Ain’t there something wrong?” Yank quickly ray, eg Fifty yards away, Trail-Lifter was to be seen running toward them with the speed of a deer. His feet seemed scarcely to touch the ground, and his strange grace had never been more noticeable. He had not been seen before for an hour, having dis- appeared just after receiving private directions from Yank. The mountaineer now ran to meethim. It was noticed that his expression had become deeply troubled, if not alarmed, and a hush fell upon the group. The two met, and Trail-Lifter’s fingers were seen to flash over and about each other with even greater rapidity than usual. Suddenly Yank wheeled and@strode back to- ward his friends. His unusually mild face had grown stern, and the light in his eyes was keen and suggestive. ‘¢Men,” he said, in an even tone, though his words were much quicker than usual, *‘ we’ve got ter git out o’ hyar on the jump. I tol’ you the absence o’ that atrocious insex, Bob Bunker, didn’t mean no good, an’ now I know it. He’s on his way back, with a’hull tribe o’ egregious Injuns with him.” ‘‘ Great heavens!” exclaimed John Kirk, ‘tis the outlaw tribe—the Panthers!” a ns ye one of his hearers started, and strong, bold men grew pale. They knew the outlaw Indians to be merciless, and though they might have fought their own way out, there were women and children to care for. ‘They will massacre us all!" gasped a faint- hea man, ‘Not much, they won’t!” said Yank, in a ringing voice. ‘‘Men, we hev afew minutes ter spare—hustle ’round an’ collect ev .y soul o’ our ooh eee look ter me ter find the way out o’ this CHAPTER XXXII. THE MOUNTAIN REFUGE. THE alarm quickly spread, and _— was the dismay throughout Medicine agg All understood what the coming of the Panthers oF ? Ff, " Se . - ¥ i ae A. Ss . a i ——_— pe meant. Although the outlaw band had for some time been peaceful, their existence had been a constant menace to the towns of the white settlers. As they had not lived exactly in the vicinity of Medicine Springs that town had known them only by reputation, but they knew what to ate e news struck terror to the hearts of the women, and though the men were prepared to make a bold fight, they felt that it would be useless, and that the Panthers would massacre all, male and female. Indignation burned more strongly than ever against Langleigh, for no one doubted that he had sent for the red outlaws, and if he had not wisely disappeared, he might have received a more forcible illustration of their feelings toward him than had before been given. Yank Yellowbird had given the word that all should hasten to the hills, but it required all bis efforts to get the party started. They ran about in great confusion, and seemed utterly to have lost their heads. ln this crisis Buckingham and Kirk came to the front as helpers, and excellent aid they gave, Somehow order was brought out of chaos, and the start was at last made. There were not enough horses for all, but the women were dul supplied, and such of the men as could be wit the scant remainder. ‘*Trail-Lifter had again vanished, having been sent out by Yank in the direction from which the red outlaws would come. Yank, him- self, proposed to act as a rear-guard, and at his earnest request, Buckingham was allowed to keep him company. A man named Hastings was selected as the leader of the fugitives, and definite directions were given him by the mountaineer. Of the party several were those before mentioned in these pages, noticeable among them being John Kirk, Julian Morincy, Imogene, Zelda and Hannah Kitchen. Buckingham knew that Imogene would be kept near her husband, and he seized an oppor- tunity to speak to Morincy. ‘*T should be glad,” he said, ‘‘ to have you and Zelda go together, and keep near Kirk. To that end I have secured a horse for you, as well as for Zelda.” ‘* T will endeavor to take care of her,” Morincy replied, his hand falling to his revolver. ‘Kirk,” the rover pursued, ‘‘is a cool, clear- headed man; you can have no better companion than he.” ‘** T think you are right.” ‘*Be careful, too, not to stray from the main party. There is no knowing what danger you might meet.” orincy’s color noticeably increased. a ve trust that you do not think me a child, en.” ‘‘Not by any means, but you have Zelda in your charge, For her sake, be careful.” ‘* You connect Zelda and me persistently.” ‘‘T know that you and she are friends—and I am glad of it. Ah! they begin to move; ride on with the others. Be prudent, Monsieur Morincv, for when we unite in the mountains we don’t want any one missing.” The flight was begun, the horses being put to a trot. All the men who had been unable to secure horses followed at a run. When they grew weary the pace must he moderated to ac- commodate them, for there must be no division. Buckingham and Yank brought up the rear moving at a walk. As they pa the last building of the village the mountaineer paused and looked back. The various fires were still blazing, and smoke hung heavily above the place. ‘Big Medicine’s day o’ glory is past,” observed Yank, seriously. ‘‘Cutwater Gap don’t offer no inducement ter settlers, now the fraud o’ the —— springs is laid bare, an’ it never'll bloom out ag in. It’s a melancholy apn by hurley, but Nelse Langleigh brought it on his- self, Can’t shed a sol’tary tear fur him, though I’ve got a bone ter pick with them who fired the buildin’s, when I hev a chance.” ‘*T am not sorry it was done,” Ben answered, ‘Nor I, in one sense, but I hate ter hev an uprisin’ in which I take part marked with blood- shed or burnin’s. It’s done, though, an’ now we must look out fur the Panthers. ‘*To what degree need we fear them?” ‘*T consait we needn’t be afeerd at all; Iain’t, an’ I sha’n’t be onless it’s my left foot. Posser- bly the weak sister may git skeered an artom.” ‘* What I want to know is, what chance do we stand in a fight against them?” ‘* Wal, Benjamin, I'll admit thar are prob’ly a pile o’ triberlations an’ distresses ahead on us, fur the Panthers will fight like hurley. They’re keen on the scent, too, an’ we shall hev ter strain ev'ry narve, an’ perhaps more than that, ter beat ’em. Ef you an’ I, an’ Still tha. = was alone, I’d laugh at the atrocious insex, but with helpless women along our chances ain’t quite so promisin’. Still, I us; the Yellowbirds are hard ter lick, ef Ido say it. Nobody ever got the best o’ my father ontil Death tackled him, an’ then he won two pe - Botp 0’ five.” on’t admit they kin whip 1 |