Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 545 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

tah el ete a oe yo ad, ee jo eh : a> > 16 TRAN Se : Hustler Harry, the Cowboy wo Ay VF . T} 2 Tia ~ are = a , port. Both of the girls tried to catch his words, but he was too far away. irls started on, accompanied by the man from aine. As they walked along, it was with some The man in mask seemed to be urging the ; difficulty that they repressed their unbidden others todo something about which they were reluctant, Aftera time he took a pocketbcok from bis pocket and counted outa roll of bills. These be held up before them, while he con- tinued to talk. ‘* See!” whispered Ruth. ‘‘ He is paying them for aiding him in his vile work.” There seemed to be some misunderstanding between the men, for Hickory Bill and Posey Pete both looked sullen and dissatisfied. The Spaniard suddenly became excited, and sprung to bis feet, talking with great rapidity and making violent gestures, Again the masked man produced his pocket- book and counted out more money. The dis- cussion continued a few moments longer, and then the four seemed to come tu an agreement, after which the mask handed the money to Hickory Bill. The four talked a few moments more and then separated, Hickory Bill and his comrades going in one direction, while the masked man moved in another. . “The coward!” hissed the Girl Avenger, ‘*He has hired those ruffians to do some piece of dirty work.” ‘**Or paid them for something that they have already done,” said Pearl, ‘** Yes. Perbaps it was for kidnapping you.” ‘** Perhaps. Anyway I am satisfied that he is thoroughly a villain,” ‘*He is, but bis days are numbered. I have sworn to avenge my father, and something tells me that, girl though I am, I shall be given strength to accomplish my work,” Pearl shuddered, and gazed at Ruth as if fas- cinated, ‘*To kill him would be murder.” ‘*No!” eried Ruth, softly. ‘* To kill him would be justice! If those others were not so near, I would follow him now and attempt to end the work.” After a time they arose from their place of concealment and went cautiously forward. ss s rite grant that we may find Eric,” breathed earl. With extreme caution they moved along, but they were suddenly startled by coming upon a strange, jovial-looking old fellow, who was sit- ting on a large stone, idly whittling a stick that be had picked up. In an instant Ruth’s revol- ver covered the stranger, who looked up and perceived them, ** Hole on, gal!” he cried, in alarm. ‘ Don’t shute!” ‘** Who are you?” demanded Ruth, sternly, The man uttered an uneasy laugh, ‘*Me?” he grinned. ‘‘ Ho! I’m Peter Hodge, frum Maine—Uncle Peter most folks calls me. Who be yeou?” Ruth did not at once reply, but surveyed the Yankee critically. She was suspicious that he might prove to be a foe, Uncle Peter watched the revolver uneasily. “Bay,” he ventured. ‘‘ Isthat eer pistil load- ‘* To be sure it is.” ‘* Wal, fer gracious’ sakes jest p’int the tarnal thing in sum other deerection, I bain’t hanker- in’ to shuffle off this heer mortal bucket.” Ruth lowered the weapon. Evidently there was little tofear from this strange Down-Easter. “* Thankee, thankee,” nodded Uncle Peter, the gen on bis face growing still broader. ‘‘ I didp’t eel jest right roun’ ther spiral collum with that lookin’ inter my face. It kinder giv’ me the cold chills an’ made me feel kinder wamble-cropped roun’ ther reegions ov ther congestive organs. That eer bain’t no ’greeable feelin’ ter sperience. Where ye goin’, gals?” 8 are searching for friends,” Ruth re- ] * “‘Is that so? Don’t guess yeou was lookin’ fer an Ole colt that looks like Peter Hodge round ther gills?” ‘* We were looking for a colored man.” ‘* Jest my luck! Never see’d ther time ’fore this that I wished I was a nigger. I'd be willin’ to be a monkey ef I could hav’ sech gals as you tew s’archin’ fer me—I would, by gum!” The old fellow’s declarations were so ridicu- lous and his manner so whimsical that the girls were amused, Uncle Peter arose, saying: **'Yeou tew defenseless gals hadn’t orter be | cighrwt round alone, P’r’aps I kin belp yeou nd this eer nigger. If yeou don’t objec’, I'll *company ye.” Ruth hesitated, but there was a frank, open look on the Yankee’s face which convinced her that she could trust him. ‘** Are you from Cimarron?” she inquired. ‘** Wal, I’m stoppin’ roun’ that eer village,” the man from Maine admit'ed. ‘‘ I’m lookin’ arter my fu’st wife’s brother. His name’s Jinkms— Jonathan Jinkins. Don’t s’pose either ov yeou know *im?” Both of the girls replied that they had no knowledge of such a person, ‘*It’s tarnal queer,” declared Uncle Peter, soberly. ‘‘ He’s out heer summ’ers, but I can’t ' git onter bis track. This heer’s an all-thutterin’ ig kentry.” After a few moments more of similar talk, the ee ——— ——— ee SU OO 8888 -—— Oi ee eS companion from talking incessantly. Uncle Peter’s tongue was started, and the old man found it hard work to keep silent, They had proceeded some distance from the spot where Uncle Peter was met when they suddenly came upon a startling and horrifying spectacle. At their feet lay the body of a man. Ruth uttered a shriek as her eyes fell upon the dark, silent face and staring, sightless eyes, Black Joe lay dead at her feet. A knife-thrust had ended bis life forever. Upon his dark forehead was stamped a crim- son heart. —_—— o> CHAPTER XxX. IS HE FRIEND OR FOE? AFTER a time Hustler Harry found Eric Craddoc, and together they returned to the spot where the cowboy said he bad left Pearl, Their amazement in failing to find the girl where Harry had left her can better be imagined than described, ‘She is gone!” cried Harry. ‘*Gone?’ echoed Eric. ‘' Great heavens! Where can she have gone?’ In an instant the lover was filled with the wildest alarm. “They have found her and carried her away again!” he gasped, ‘* P’r’aps not ser bad as thet,” said the Man from High Notch, attempting to be cheerful, ‘*She may hav’ hoofed it away.” In vain Eric called her name. There was no answer—save the mocking echoes of his own voice, ‘*T fear the worst,” he groaned, The cowboy rapidly examined the surround- ings. Within bis own mind at first be was in- clined to believe that Pearl had been found by foes, but just who be could not imagine, The sight of the horses standing where they had left them was quite as much of a surprise as Pearl’s disappearance had been. His first thought was that whoever bad carried away the girl had probably taken the horses. ‘* Cheer up, pard!” cried tas cowboy. ‘* Ther leetle gal hain’t fell inter ther han’s of no sech critters as roped her ther fu’st time. Least- ways ther sign don’t show it, Hyer’s ther horses all safe.” ‘*Which proves—what?” ‘*Thet she bain’t in ther han’s of a_hoss- thief,” ‘*Tt proves nothing,” declared Eric. ‘‘She may bave wandered away from this spot and been captured.” Harry could but acknowledge that this was true. ‘* Thar’s only one thing ter do, pard,” said the cowboy, impressively. ‘* What is that?” ‘** Find ther gal.” ‘And that we willdo, If she is in danger I will rescue her if I have to go through fire and water.” ‘* Thet’s ther tork! Tl stan’ by ye, pard.” They held a hurried consultation and decided to separate again and to return to that spot withing two hours if they found nothing. This they considered the best course to pursue. Pearl might have become lonely and alarmed and wandered away. By separating and searching in opposite directions, they would stand a double chance of finding her, Neither of them started in the right direction. As Eric walked along, bis thoughts, as well as bis eyes, were busy. ‘* Strange that she was not there,” he mut- tered, ‘‘Harry said that he cautioned her to remain where he left her until he returned with me. He said that she seemed overjoyed at the thought of meeting me soon, Dear Pearl! “*That cowboy is a strange fellow. At times it seems tome that he is not a cowboy at all, but is acting a part. Once or twice I have de- tected a false note in his speech. It also seems that [have seen bim as some other character besides the one which be now appears to be. There is something familiar about bis appear- ance and his voice. Iam well satisfied that a mystery surrounds him. He stood ready to aid me, and has proved a friend indeed, by res- cuing Pearl from the bands of that Spaniard.” The more he thought about the strange cow- boy the more puzzled he became. An hour passed, and still Eric found no trace of his sweetheart, ** Heavens!” he cried, asa cold sweat caused by his anxiety and s nse stood ont on his face. ‘I fear thet she will not be found again as easily as before, The villainous kidnappers shall pay dearly for their work.” - A few moments later he found himself gazing upon four men who had met in a little bollow. A cry of amazement came near bursting from bis li ae beeen S sea ae or i, I will ustler !? he gasped. e be hanged!” ne a , With this expression of amazement, he made t , " ; i . . a =e eis qld Pe SBS rr LT sn NS pp * ft’ % ‘ a xf 2 _ SS i + haste to find a secure spot from which be could watch the four men but could not be seen. This be succeeded in doing, ‘* Who are those he is talking to?’ Eric asked himself, ‘* They look like a trio of ruffians. By Jupiter! one of them is the fellow whom he knocked out in the Silver Palace Saloon the other night,” The tall man’s back was toward Eric, but suddenly the fellow turned so that the aston- ished spy saw that his face was covered by a mask, ‘¢ Crooked work!” hissed the young man, ‘I knew that was Hustler Harry the moment I set my eyes upon him, Itis foolish for him to think of disguising himself in that rig by simply put- ting a mask over his face. ‘But what is the meaning of this meeting with those fellows? Is Hustler Harry a traitor? I begin to think so, Is it possible that he did not rescue Pearl atall? One of those fellows down there is a Spaniard; I can tell by his clothes. He must be the very one that the cow- boy claims to have overpowered and bound. He is free now. ‘*T wish Icould hear what Hustler Harry is saying. It strikes me that he is trying to per- suade those fellows to dosomething. Ha! I was right! He produces a pocketbook, This is growing very interesting.” Eric witnessed the very scene that Pearl and Ruth saw from the opposite side of the hollow, but little he dreamed that the girl he loved was so near. ‘¢‘ He is a traitor!” declared Eric, beneath his breath, as he saw the masked man pass the money to Hickory Bill. ‘‘He has lied to me. He has bought the services of these villains, the wretch! His story of the rescue of Pearl was a lie! The chances are that be has just paid them to keep her confined somewhere. Thank Heaven! The vail has been stripped from his face before he deceived me further. Wait till we meet again. I will force bim to guide me to the place where Pear] is confined or I will put a bullet through his black heart!” The lover was in deadly earnest, and trembled from head to foot with the intensity of his pas- sion. He watched the four men as they parted, and then stole silently away after the one who wore the mask. ‘¢ Now I will soon force the truth from his lips!” he eoors through his set teeth. ‘To think that I was deceived by bim!” Not for a moment did Eric doubt that the masked man was Hustler Harry. The dress, build, gesture and general appearance was the same, ‘* Some one accused bim of being the chief of the Brothers of the Red Heart the otber night,” muttered Eric, ‘‘ | thought then that the charge was absurd. He appeared like a stranger in Cimarron, but I fancy that he has been an in- habitant of the town longer than I thought. He may have sailed under anotber name, for it is evident that he isa crafty fellow and a per- fect actor. lt may be that he is the chief of the Red Heart Brotherhood. If so, I understand that little scene just witnessed. He has paid those desperadoes to deliver Pearl into his hands.” ‘ Eric burried along on the trail of the masked man, resolved to overtake and stop bim as soon as they were far enough from the hollow, But his plan was a failure. Whether the mask knew that he was pursued or not, certain it is that he suddenly disappeared and Eric Craddoc saw nothing more of him. ; . Eric was thoreugbie exasperated with himself for being so easily deluded. ‘* Now what is to be done?” be asked himself as he paused ina i 1 way. ‘I bave not a clew to work on. Itseems foolish to ramble aimlessly about with no plan or well-defined course of action in my mind, but I see nothing else to do.” He was quite at a loss how to move. He now felt sure that Hustler Harry was 4 traitor and that be must depend upon bimself alone to find and rescue Pearl, The thought of her being in the power of wicked men filled his heart with despair. ‘‘If they barm a bair on_ her bead,” he mut- tered, *‘I will rend them limb from limb! It makes my heart burn within me to think of that ure girlin the bands of such wretches. But will not allow them to harm her. I have seen many girls, bunt never one moved my heart as she bas, I believe we were made for each other. But bow am I tosave her from the hands of the kidnappers?” , He struck his knuckles against bis foreheed and tried to think. For some reason bis wits seemed to be in a strangely-mixed condition. Usually he was clear-headed and quick of thought, Now he seemed quite the reverse. ‘‘T fear that I made a mistake in not follow- ing those three ruffians,” he thought. ‘‘ They might have led me directly to Pearl. But it is too late to retrieve that blunder now.” He bowed his head and stared moodily at the ground. A moment later he looked up witha sudden determination pictured on his counte- — nance. | ‘© We were to meet back where the horses are,” cComicboo 4™ és ‘é =f aa - “)