Beadle's Dime Library No. 51: Red Rob, The Boy Road-Agent — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

Red’ Rob, The Boy Road-Agent, 15 mortai chance of escape without aid, so he sat down and gave way to his emotions. He pondered over his situation, and wondered what the fate of his companions would be. The noble face of that wonderful old man, Basil Walray- mond, rose before his mental vision in all its mysterious beauty. Some intangible power had bound his affections to that man. There was something in the great, generous soul that attracted objects around it, as though possessed of a spiritual polarity. Thus pondering Sheridan leaned his aching head against the wall and tried to forget his troubles, his dangers and painful anxieties, and courted the sweet oblivion of sleep, He had fallen into a doze, when he heard a key inserted into the rusty lock and turned. The next moment the door swung open, and a manin a_brigandish-looking suit—a rough, bearded face, and a girdle bristling with weapons, entered. He carried a dim, sputtering, lamp, which. he placed on the floor, then seated himself, with his back against the door, loosened a revolver, and assuming an alti: tude of ease, said: ‘s Youngster, I reckon as what you think us a ’tarnal tuff set of fellers here; but if ye do, it’s because you don’t know any thing ’bout us,” ‘‘] am satisfied in regard to: your character,” replied Asa, keeping his hands behind him, that the outlaw might not discover their freedom. ‘* Admittin’ it all, wouldn’t you like a chance for life?” ‘‘?’m not a bit particular,” responded the prisoner, de- termined to show no over-anxiety to jump at any com- promise. ‘““But wouldn’t you walk out of here if a few words, truthfully spoken, would open that door and strip off your bonds?” ‘‘{ would prefer the tresh air of heaven to this pest-hole, as any fool ought to know,” Asa replied, anxious to know what the outlaw had to propose without committing him- self. “ Young man, the captain sent me here to talk, not to quarrel, If you will make a clean breast of the object that srought you and your companions—especially that tail old man—into this valley, you'll be permitted to leave here alive,” “‘T haven’t the least assurance that you will do as you vay. However, we came into this country to prospect for gold... We came from Santa Fe. I never questioned my companions as to their past life, nor they me. _ It was none of my business what the past had been to them.” ‘I’m not willing to accept this story,” said the outlaw. ‘‘ You can go to the deuce then,” blurted Sheridan, con- temptuously. ‘* You can save the life of that old man by revealing what it is believed you know of him,” said the outlaw. ‘‘] have told all I know. Even if 1 did know more, I'd be a fool t0 compromise myself with you, No, sir, I am not, the coward to, betray my comrades, even if there were anything to betray them in.” ** Well,” said the outlaw, rising to his feet, and taking up the lamp, ‘‘ it’s no use talkin’ to you; the old man will have to die.”’ He turned and went out, closing and locking the door be- hiod him, Asa sunk back against the wall, his breast convulsed with the emotions of a new and terrible fear, He closed his eyes as if to shut out some horrible vision, A slight noise arrested his attention. He bent his ear and listened, . He could hear a faint sound like that which would be produced by something crawling upon the moldy floor. Of this there was no doubt; and a fecling akin to hor- ror crept like an icy chill over him, when he discovered that the sound originated within his dungeon. What was it?—a serpent——some venomous reptile that had entered through a fissure in the wall? Was it some tool of the outlaws sent in by some secret way to assassinate him in the dark ? Ass asked himself these questions, then held his breath in horrible suspense and listened. He can hear the thing coming closer and closer, like a serpent dragging along its slimy folds. he can now see two dim, glowing orbs of fire appe»r through the darkness before him. He sees them draw nearer and nearer. And now he feels a warm air strike upon his cold cheek, but it sends a chill through his whole form. It is the breath of some living creature—a hot breath. The next instant some- thing clammy touches bis face, It was a human hand! OHAPTER XIII. ZELLA’B MISSIVE. Asa Suerman could bear the suspense no longer, and he spoke out : ‘‘ Who are you ?—do you intend to murder me ?” “Sh! Golly, no, I don’t,” was the response, spoken in e low tone and the unmistakable accent of an African. ‘‘Then what do you want here?” ‘¢ Want you, I guess,” was the laconic reply. ‘“’ Who are you ?” **1’s Slyly, I is,” “T should think so; but Slyly who ?” ** Humph ! jings, I don't know, Guess I’s a little on cut out ob some dark night, for I’s as black as dis room.” . ‘‘T understand,” said Sheridan; ‘‘ you are a nigger; but how did you get in here?” ‘< Popped im when de robber went out, Oh, I can creep everywhere jist like a weasel, and I know ebery nook and corner ob dis ole wolf-den, I do, and—” Scratch, went something across the wall, and the blue flame of a match told what it was. In a moment the light flared out, then the darkey touched the flame to the end of a tallow dip, in whose light Sheridan scanned his visitor, He was a block out of the night, sure enough—black as ebony. He was bareheaded and barefooted, and, wore 4 suit which consisted of shirt and pants, that fitted his form almost as,close as the sable hide. He was small, lithe and active asa cat. He could not have been over fifteen or six- ieen years of age. His wooly hair was cut close to his head, and as he turned his. great white eyes and double row of white, pearly teeth toward the prisoner, tlie latter could scarcely repress a smile at the serio-comical expression upon the dusky face of. the, boy, who peered up at him with a broad grin, ‘Who told you to come here, Slyly ?” Asa asked, q ‘‘ Dat °ll tell you,” the lad replied, handing him a slip of paper neatly folded. Sheridan unfolded the missive, upon which was written, in a fine, delicate hand, these words: ‘Stranger, you can trust the bearer of this note. He will guide you to u point of safety. Obey his injunctions in every particular, and ull will end well... L.tried to prevent you from bringing judgment on yourself to-night, when 1 signaled to you from the window of the ‘judgment hall.’ But you must not huve seen me, or else you did not understand my signal. However, all may come out well yet. ZELLA.” “Who is Zella?” asked Sheridan, when he had finished the friendly missive, ‘““ Why, golly, she’s Zella, dat’s who,” replied the lad, ioe phatically. ‘Well, Zella—Zella who?” repeated Asa. ‘ Golly, but you know how to ax questings. Why, she’s my missus, and de capting’s daughter, She sent me here. to git you outen dis place. Guess she’s,in lub wid somebody not a thousand miles from here,” and the darkey rolled up his big white eyes in a knowing manner, at the same time giving the corner of his mouth a significant twitch, ‘** Well, who is the captain of whom you speak?” on ‘“‘ Ki-yil but you’s one ob dem to ax and ax questions, But I won’t answer dat one. De young missus, said to not tell you anyt’ing ’bout de folks round dese diggings. Oh, I tell ye, massa!” and the boy shook his head mysteriously, ‘‘dar’s some awful t’ings gwine on round here! But de missus told me not to hint a word to you, so I guess I won't.” ‘“‘Is your mistress a young ‘unmarried woman?” ** Yes; and you jis’ bet if she ain’t de spankanistest purty girl in de whole world. Lor’ bless ‘me, massa, she’s sweet as houey.” “She has blue eyes and dark-brown hair, hasn't she?” ‘Tn course she habs. Whar you see dat girl now? Jis’ tell me dat, will you?” : ‘No difference, Slyly, where I have seen her,” te “Golly, but you’s a queer chap; but' de young missus told me to git you outen dis place, and I’m gwine to do it. I know ebbery ving ’bout dis ole place, and am to prove it to you. See dat, sah?” The darkey advanced to the wall and pulled a large stone out of the side of the dungeon. It had fitted the hole so exactly that no one would have thought of its being loose. The opening was plenty large to admit the body of a man through it; and so the youth lost no time in leading the way from the dungeon, closely followed by young Sheridan. They soon found themselves where it was necessary to GOmMmicbdooks EO) =)