Beadle's Dime Library No. 51: Red Rob, The Boy Road-Agent — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

92. ~~ Beadle’s Dime Library. * ee c- These words fell like ‘a -thundérbolt uponthe: ears of those who heard them! ' The ‘outlaws reéoiled | ftom! the! presence of the youth as'if from’ the mouth 6f''a cannon ‘about to be fired. The dancers’ becatie! vatic-stricken) and ‘fled from the platform in wild confusion. ' OF Jom boebios At the’ end of ‘one’ minute bat!w single’ ‘person remained upon the platform orwithin the’ flare of the bonfires.’ And’ that person was Red Rob) tie Boy Road-agent. A stifle of grim'trramph iit up’the face of the young out- law; ‘ther’ hé uttéred!'a Series -of | clucking ” whistles, when a riGOr FOR horsé-—a beautiful cream-co.ored or ‘f buck-skin ” mustang stud, with a white mane and tail, and handsomely caparisoned, ‘galloped from’ the darkness into the wits of tho! lights. The’youth spoke to its i it came alongside of the pletform\ the young outlaw mounted ‘it/and galloped away.» And:soon the clatter of four score of hoofed feet was heard, retreating from’ tlie nad end of the: ies in the direction of the mountains’ Pepe Rh: ; | eR i fe ae ; Lyid / ey or f NI A901 # Moly jtoOO i} elbhinn ne dy alowite b uly do lisl ‘OHAPTERO®MIX. id buy @BLLA AT THE GROTTO, a4 A pai as if of! agony burst: from :the lips of the negro | boy, 'Slyly, when ‘he’ saw Asa Sheridam stagger and fall. in a dead’ faint in the! mountain ee mebither he had conducted him. “Oh, de good Lord | ab? nanos the y bath cried, solling upon’ thé! darth ‘and: tearing at his!head as though;a:nesti of, hornets had attacked him; ‘‘ what will dis;poo’! nigger boy do? ' He's’ dead as! sure:ias' de -Lord’s, in» heaben,,,.and . de young missus told\me+-bdd-hool— |. Oh, de Lord help) me!” A thought appeared to enter the youth’s mind_,all at, once, and,’ spriiging’ to his’! feet, he: glided out of the grotto; and sped away down the’ mountain steep with all the speed, of .a Tyrolean youth’on his native: Alps: : But & brief! — ainsi ici ere he relat followed ber a female. (24) piohiod x A cry of joy cok soln the: boytsitipey) a “a execnted a leap ‘ito the air that!) would! have done) credit to \a gymnast, as he entered the grotto.') For in the: dim: iglow of the light he had left’ burning’ in the:retreat) he: saw that Sheridan. had recovéred from his swoon; and) was: just finishing;tbe painful task of binding up lis'wounds!')! 0. ‘‘ Oh, Missus Zella?’ he'shouted,! clapping his, ‘hands in an excess Of joy; " de':young man's'come to—he’s alive again. Ki-yi, missus, and ar’n’t dis nigger one tickled plum to destur } bis ‘You were woutded; rere wertinigert” akked the sweet; low voice of the wothiail, Hdvancing toward the’ young man, and pusiting back the’ slit that was’ thrown hood-like over her head. ui Job oldian Sheridan riised his éyés abd’ belield the’ beautiful face that | he had seen at thé window 6f'tlie “judgment hall,” the face | of the angél, who had Belt’ Mstramelitall in’ delivering! him ?} from the dungéon of the tiins. °‘A’ thrill’ ofindeseribable joy shot through his whole frdme; ‘and hid eart' took:mew: cour. age and grew stréngér in that’ feelitg Which: the ‘first! glimpse: of her fair face had awakened within it. The sweet, ‘pliie eyes! OF thé°git? looked downvupon ith | with a light’ of angelic serenity ‘whifiig’ from! their azuré depths. ‘The pretty ‘face was flushedand’ clothed in anvexy » oréssidn‘of ‘the greatest anxiéty.°’ She was excited und ‘neatly: ' out of breath in ‘conseqnuoti¢e ot her naaty ascent of the steep mountain ide. Sheridan compreliended thé’ whole sibustian at: a glances! « Frightened by ‘his’ faintitig) Slyly Nad" hurried “away and: cent his young thistréss’ thére:' aid débing the maiden was alarmed, the wounded man hastened to relieve her of: ‘her. fears. ** Yes,” he rditiéd, idly an aig! of ‘elief, “3 tevetved: a rifle-wound as I sped across 'the’ open space, between ‘the | ruins and the chapairal) at thé {dot of the‘mountains, | Buty: my dear, unknown young friend, tlie wound is bo very’ sliglit: that I am almost ashamed to’ admit that I fainted wlien I) entered this’ grotto. ’ I ‘am Wery' sorry ‘that you‘ have been, put to unnecessary trouble after doing what ag have fori me. »- {I i to) i3 « Pheti’ you are Shot am?” the’ maiden wis ‘eerhep earnestly into the young man’s face. \ sosoe “‘I suppose you are Zella. Am I right?” LE LL TE A tt ttt —— ‘Yes, sir; Iam Zella.” yoy aidT “The same whose face I saw at the window of the ‘ fide ment hall?’ ” *The same.” ‘God bless you then, Zella!” thie ybtihy man delet!” thankfully; ‘‘ you have been an angel of mercy to'nie.” | ‘“T haye done only what I considered’ it’ my duty to do—" what my heart’s instinct, my womah’s sense of mercy iia me in.’ ‘‘ Heart’s instinct?” repeated Sheridan to himself, his’dwh heart giving a great bound; “that T would call loye. ‘ Can’ this angel of mercy—this pure, modest. flower hiddes! ‘away here amid the San Juan ruins—can it be’ possible that the.” cares for me?” His mental questioning was here fitterrtipited by the sweet voice of Zella, who, turning to Slyly, said; “ Blyly, you will go out and keep’ watch. is being made by the meh, and some of them may ‘ikvé’ seéh’ us, and will attempt to follow. Keep within speaking dis" tance of the grotto.” A close séarch ‘Pll do, dat, Missus Zella,” and the ebon-colored boy bounded out into. the darkness, Then Zella turned.to Asa Sheridan and said: ‘¢ You may, think it immodest of me, young stranger, in came myself.” coming to you here. But Slyly told me you were wounded | and, bleeding to death. , I knew he could do nothing; so, I “ For which I shall never cease to be grateful to you, Miss | —Miss Zella,” Asa replied, in a tone of the deepest interest, “Although my, wound is simply a flesh-wound which I suc- ceeded in binding, up alone, I feel.as thankful to you, for your good intention in coming here, as though youl had saved my, )life...The, principle of the good Samaritan is all the blooming, among so. many deadly thorns.” ‘I do not understand you, Mr.—” “Sheridan,” said the young man, “Asa Sheridan is the name. ,, 1 had reference to yourself among 80 many—so—* “T comprehend, now, Mr. Sheridan,” answered. the fair girl,, sadly, and with a mortified lool; “but, do not, touch — 1 will’ visit you again, if you so. desire, before you leave ba then upon that subject now... It is painful, to me, will tell you all.” ““ Yes, Zella;'1 desire that you do come again. {am wil same. But, Zella, I am astonished to find a single rose ing to remain ;your prisaner here until you tell me to gf it, you will be’ my jailer.” A confused ‘smile lit up the maiden’s fair, ‘‘ You are! extravagant; of, compliments, Mj lovely. f face, 7 lige - she replied, ‘‘ but I do not want you, to, ete ion anybody’s: prisonen; J,,was, satisfied that, you, would id's a voilence if not death, and as my soul revolts E> Ab the cominissiom! of» crime, I .resolved, to, save ,you,. You have to remain here a month, no, telling. _ This, sa can ., be reached by , two ways; only—-one, the path you. came, ard” theu other, by: ¢limbing Up, & success ion, of ledges. Your enemies will hunt you down if po whenever they give up the search and all danger is past; you will be so informed and gtttded-away-to safety. that you want for nothing. Slyly is out hunting and ram- bling among the mduhntdiny hills most) of shig time, and so I can send him here with ith out his absence being suspected. Do not hesitate to entrust any word for mié'to’ him*” «¢T wall fot, Zellay/ ‘but: how: am I, ever to.repay, you for this kindness? I am nothing but a penniless miner with, orily the’ clothes on my’baek,, The Indians robbed me, ot all I possessed. ty an i but paras: but - I will see “ Never niind) Mr. Sheridan,” Zella asnited, rising, to her feet, and drawing her shawl around her shoulders, , not doing this for money. So let that;not trouble, you,” Are) you going so soon?” Sheridan demanded,, ‘“‘T must go. ‘ My absence may arouse sunpiclonhy Good- - night, Mr. Sheridan.” 1 bap if Before he could speak again she was "gone, and ‘Asa Sheridan was (alone. The young man, now, threw himself upon the couch arranged for him, and gave, way,to « train of Yefleetisiie, He reviewed the night’s experience. It was full of horrors, perils ‘and sufferings; but,jamid all, the sweet, _ angelic face of Zella shone out like the beacon star, of hope, . His thoughts ‘finally reverted to! his, companions, Basil Wal- raymond and ‘Nathan Wolfe: But, as;to where they now wérd, dnd what had beem thin fate, le could form no con- ception. He had heard” ‘sentence,(passed upon each, it is | true; “and ‘had heard Slyly say. the oldiqen had. this was all. His mind, and heart, too, had bee escapes ba but (E(9) m ie JOO aa SS m