Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 484 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

‘ground with Tifle, 26 Captain Ready, the Red Ransomer, oner who had been held to ransom, like so many others, including Mr. Hamlin, and who had preferred death to a compliance with the de- mands of his captors, ‘‘He’s the third who has slipped through Ready’s fingers since I have been figuring here as a nsomer,” said Vorce. ‘‘ Heaven knows how ardently I have desired to come to his re- lief, and what efforts I have made to reach him, I have repeatedly run the risk of losing my own life in the attempt to help him.” “T can say as much,” declared Dan, ‘ But Ready has guarded him with a special and vin- dictive care. Have you any suspicion of the cause of this animosity?” ‘“Yes, Dan. My impression is that the doctor was aware of Ready’s real name and history. At any rate, that is the ony explanation I can give of the rigor with which he has been treated.” Vorce remained silent a few moments, draw- ing his cigar vigorously, and then asked: * How long shall we wait, Dan?” Dan cast asharp glance over the camp and into the darkness around him, ** Not long, if it’s left to me, Dave,” he an- swered. ‘I’m getting nervous about Ready. don’t like his maneuvers for the last few hours. Evidently he has something on his mind. _Pos- sibly he may be considering some foul scheme against Miss Hamlin. Inany case, it’s about as dark now as it will be to-night, and we may as well act soon as later.” ‘Do you think Ready has made any dis- covery in regard to what we have been doing during the last ten days?’ asked Vorce, in a mere whisper. ‘‘No, or he’d arouse the whole camp on the instant. But there’s danger that he may get track of our operations at any moment, and the sooner Wwe are conspicuous by our absence the better, Are you going to the cave again?” ** Yes—as talked.” Dan took two or three short turns in silence, with a nervous air and then came back to the bogus ransomer, ‘** Upon the whole, Dave,” he whispered, ‘‘ we may as well act now. The ladies are of course ready to escape at any time, and you and Nick had better get them out of the house as soon as Iam gone and conceal them in the arbor or be- side it. By the time you have accomplished that measure, I will release Dayton and Britton secretly and send them here to you.” **Can you act without being suspected, Dan?” “‘T think so,” was the reply. ‘* At any rate, I'll take the risk. My idea is to hang around after you are gone, and so be the first to dis- cover the escape of the prisoners. Such a course will tend to divert suspicion from me, If all goes well, I can remain with Ready until to-morrow, and so inform myself of all measures he may take to pursue his escaped prisoners,” _A few further remarks were exchanged, and, Dan sauntered away, as quietly as he had came, He had scarcely passed out of view when Nick hastened to Vorce, who informed him in a few rapid sentences, of the decision which had been reached, ‘‘This just suits me,” was Nick’s response, with a sizh of relief. ‘‘ Mr. Hamlin and Cap- tain kell must now be waiting for us at the spot agreed upon, with a strong detachment of cavalry men, and it would really be too bad to delay another minute.” ‘Then go and assist the ladies through the window, if there’s no way of opening the door.” Nick hastened to comply. Alice and Mrs. Dayton had remained on the watch, so as to be ready to second the proceed- ings of their new friends, and in less than a minute after Nick’s return they had been assist- ed to the ground and conducted to the ren- dezvous Dan had mentioned. ‘* Why do we halt here?” asked Mrs. Dayton, with an anxiety she did not seek to conceal. ‘For your husband and Mr. Britton,” re- plied Alice, who had already been informed of the facts by Nick. **QOh! is it true?” returned Mrs. Dayton. ** Are they to be released with us?” **Such at least is the understanding,” replied Nick. ‘‘ They’ll doubtless be here within:a few minvtes!” ** Hush! what’s that?’ murmured Alice. Footsteps were heard approaching rapidly, and e man rushed into view, approaching the little group presented by the ladies and the de- liverer. This man was easily seen to be Captain Ready. A cry of terror escaped Mrs, Dayton, calling the fierce glance of the robber chief upon her, and consequently upon Alice and Nick. . “Ah! what’s going on here?’ cried the startled Red Ransomer, with an oath. ‘ Both of you out of the house! And that new recruit with you? Oh, I see your little game!” His hand was as busy as his tongue, and even before his angry words had ceased to echo he had leveled a revolver point-blank at Nick "and pulled the trigger. Fortunately it missed fire, and ere it could'be repeated Nick had leveled his assailant to the a single swift movement of his me ** Silence!” was his stern injunction, as a suppressed scream came from Mrs, Dayton, and at the same instant he hurled himself upon his prostrate and stunned adversary, and proceeded to bind him, As he completed this task, rapid footsteps again resounded, and the other released prison- ers, Dayton and Britton, came hurrying in that direction, followed by their two assistants. Mrs. Dayton nearly fainted at sight of them, her first thought being that they were robbers, but a word from her husband undeceived her, and the next instant she lay sobbing in his arms. ‘*Be calm now,” enjoined Alice hurriedly. ‘*'We must get out of the camp as soon as sa sible. I suppose there are sentries to pass, Mr. Peddie?” ‘* At least one or two will see us,” replied Nick, ‘‘and our success in dealing with them will depend upon the quiet and secrecy of our movements. aa He drew the arm of the fair girl within his own and led the ay ones the nearest side of the camp, Mr. and Mrs, Dayton following him, and Britton and Gordon rear. The latter, in bis character of Dave Wilder, the Ransomer, kept his rifle in readiness for use, and maintained a strict watch upon all his surroundings. ‘‘We shall be challenged, I suppose?’ ques- tioned Britton, after a brief pause. ‘* Yes, but that will not signify anything, as we have the password, replied Dave. ‘So far, good,” murmured Alice. ‘I do not rae the least sound of alarm behind us, How ar— She was interrupted by loud cries which she knew came from Captain Ready. Then shots were heard, and aregular alarm rung out from a bugle. The whole camp was astir on the instant, CHAPTER XXXIX., A PAINFUL DISCOVERY. VorceE hastened to join Nick, and the two advanced at the head of the fugitives, without other remark than an injunction to hurry, The next moment they were halted and chal- lenged by the sentry who happened to be in the line of their flight, and were ordered to ad- vance and give the countersign. This Vorce did. **Pass on, friend,” added the sentry. ‘‘ Ah, it’s you. What's the trouble behind you? Any- thing wrong?” Vorce gave due attention to his friends, quick- ening their pace and seeing them all safe past the sentry, and then he answered: ‘“'The trouble is, I suppose, that some of Has- kel’s people have been intruding upon us. Hark! is not that Ready’s voice?” The two men listened a moment to the voice in question. ‘*Sure enough,” then commented the sentry. ‘** He seems to be in hostile hands!” ‘““In any case, I had better go back to his rescue,” said Vorce, suiting his action to the word. ‘‘ He may need me,” He continued to retrace his steps until he had pase beyond the sight or hearing of the sentry. His first object was evidently to prevent the sentry from conceiving any suspicion of him and the fugitives, and it is needless to say that his return toward the center of the camp was quite enough for this purpose. But it was soon apparent that Vorce had still other reasons for this course, As soon as he was again alone, he came to a rer aaa scanned his surroundings, listening in- ently. He found himself about midway between the sentry and Ready, and out of sight of both of them, To judge by Ready’s angry and rapid tones, he had been found and released by some of his pa and was giving orders for the pur- suit. A great uprour in the direction of the guard- house ‘attested that the escape of Britton and Dayton, with their two young men, had been discovered, The rapid approach of footsteps directly to- ward him told Vorece that the pursuers were al- ready in motion, and he lost no time in conceal- ing himself behind a group of rocks which hap- pened to be within a few yards of bim. The next instant Ready came hurrying that way, followed by a dozen of his men- -he on foot —they mounted. We need not describe the rage he was in. ‘*Quick!” he was saying. ‘‘ This is the way they went. They cannot be far distant. No doubt the sentry—” The rest was lost in the noise caused by the horses, but Vorce comprehended. Ready was simply telling his men that the sentry could show them in what direction the fuyitives had gone, Stepping nearer, Vorce listened to a few queries and answers exchanged by Ready and ‘this sentry, and then watched the group of mounted robbers as they dashed away in the direction pointed out to them. orce bring up the | The manner of the masquerader became as jubilant as defiant. ‘* Much good may their pursuit do them!” he ejaculated. ‘* Meanwhile, I may as well finish my work here and follow my friends.” Shouldering his rifle, he sauntered away to- ward the wooded ledge against which the camp of tbe Red Ransomers was backed. As dark as was the night, he did not seem to have the least difficulty. about making his way in the desired direction. Little cared he for all the movements and voices around him. Remaining constantly in a deep solitude, and yet finding everywhere an open and easy path— a fact which attested how familiar he was with the neighborhood—he was soon at the rear of , the camp, and at the foot of a high and jagged ledge of rocks, with a face that was nearly per- pendicular. Here he halted and listened, giving especial attention to the quarter from which he had come. All he saw and heard seemed to be satisfac- tory, for he drew a match and a piece of tallow torch from his pocket, producing a light, and took his way into an opening behind him, which soon developed into a cavern of remarkable size and depth. Entering one of the ramifications of this cav- ern, Vorce busied himself therein nearly a quar- ter of an hour, then retracing his steps, with the same watchful and guarded air which had characterized his entrance, His retreat was accompanied by a cloud of gunpowder smoke, which came drifting out of the depths in which he had been so busy, and it would have been easy to find in this smoke an explanation of two or three dull reports sug- gestive of explosions’ which had characterized the intruder’s presence. He was staggering, too, under a loaded sack, which he handled in such a way as to show that it contained valuable treasures, ‘They can come now as soon as they please,” he muttered, as he halted a few moments at the entrance of the cavern, in the same watchful manner as before. ‘‘ They’ll find that we have made a clean sweep of the last of their boasted treasures.” He staggered on under his load, after extin- guishing his light, and soon reached a lonely re- treat where he had left a horse an hour earlier in readiness for use, The animal was a favorite, and greeted him with a whinny of contentment. “ All right, old fellow,” ejaculated Vorce, as he laid his sack across the withers of the steed. ** Our work is done here,” Leaping lightly into the saddle, he rode away at a walk, still following a path of his own, or one that was not in general use, He had not gone far, however, when footsteps and voices resounded, and a dozen men suddenly burst into view, lighting their way with im- mense torches. At their head was Captain Ready, as excited as angry, who was engaged at the moment— naturally enough—in denouncing both Wilder and Crottle as enemies and traitors, and threat- ening to kill them at sight, Vorce smiled grimly, touching his horse with his heels and speaking to him, and dashed away at a gallops vanishing almost instantly from the view of the new-comers, who caught merely a glimpse of him. But this glimpse was enough for wif in the actual circumstances in which he found him- self, and he hurriedly ordered a pursuit, The order was duly obeyed, but one by one his followers came back to him, in the course of the next few minutes, declaring that they could not even discover in what direction their late associate had gone, “The villain!” cried Ready. ‘‘His new re- cruit’s a fraud, and he’s another. They’ve not only aided the prisoners to escape, but there may be still more to discover. ring your torches, half a dozen of you, and we'll see if everything is as it should be in the cavern,” He led the way into the opening from which Vorce had so recently emerged, but soon came to a balt, becoming white and scared, while he snuffed the air audibly. “Do you smell that, boys?” he demanded, A general assent was given him, ‘“* Powder, isn’t it?” , No one could deny it. ‘‘ Evidently that traitor has been here and burst open our strong boxes,” declared Ready, as he resumed progress, entering the gallery Voree had visited. ‘‘ Ten to one he has robbed us!” He broke into a run at the thought, and the — at his heels hastened to follow his ex- ample. be smoke of the recent explosion grew denser as they advanced, and ere long it was so thick that they could not see more than a few yards in any direction, ‘‘ All this tells the story,” muttered Ready with a curse. ‘‘That fellow has duped us! Why have we been so careless? Why haven't we kept watch here by day and by me He plunged into a narrow passage leading to the opening at the bottom of the gallery, and in ew Gomicboo (G S) Ce as he 3