Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 545 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

UM ies D Hustler Harry, the Cowboy Sport. 21 With a few words more, they separated, the man from Maine turning toward the camp, Uncle Peter walked briskly along, and did not hesitate in the least about the course to pursue. He seemed to possess a pretty accurate idea of the proper direction to follow in order to reach Cimarron City. Darkness came on repel. Suddenly the man from Maine leaped swiftly into the bushes near at hand and listened, He thought he heard a cry for help, Pushing swiftly forward through the bushes, he soon came to the brink of a shallow defile. There he halted and listened again. Plainly he heard the sounds of many horses advancing ata gallop. A moment later six or eight dark forms seemed to ride out of the shadows. Almost before he could catch a swift breath they were passing beneath bim. In his arms one of the riders seemed to be car- ing a buman form, ‘*Help! Heaven save me!” Plainly the man from Maine heard that cry and he recognized the voice as that of the girl who had so mysteriously disappeared, ‘¢ Curse it! Can’t you keep her still?’ growled one of the horsemen, Then the entire band with their prisoner swept on into the darkness, CHAPTER XXVI. INTO A TERRIBLE TRAP. ONLY for an instant did the man from Maine hesitate about his next move. At first the thought that be had better return and tell Eric Craddoe of what he had discovered flashed througb bis mind. In a moment he knew that such a movement would but waste time. The chance of finding the young man would be one in a hundred. >, he must follow the horsemen who were bearing Pearl away. Down into the defile he dashed, at the risk of falling headlong and breaking his neck. ‘Must do it!” he gritted, as he set his teeth, threw back his head and broke into a run, fol- lowing the vanished riders, Now no one would have thought Uncle Peter Hodge capable of running far or fast. Almost any one would have been amazed to have seen him go racing along the defile through the gathering gloom, head up, lips closed, hands lifted and clinched on his breast. The attitude and action were those of a professional runner, Evidently Uncle Peter had *‘ bin thar” before, And as he ran his mind was not idle. Who were the horsemen? Uncle Peter asked himself the question, and for a time was unable to answer it. Finally a thought flashed through his mind, ‘¢ The Brothers of the Red Heart!” What did Uncle Peter Hodge, from Maine, know of the Brothers of the Red Heart? It was evident that he knew something, On he ran until the sounds of iron-shod hoofs could be plainly heard. The riders had slack- ened their pas A sigh of satisfaction came from the pursuer’s lips as he, too, began to slow up. But if the band was ind the Brothers of the Red Heart, as he felt convinced that it was, what was the need of pursuing them so closely? He knew where their secret cavern was located, and it was probable that they were carrying the captive there. He could not hope to follow them closely through the darkness if they urged their horses forward at their utmost speed, If they did not hurry, he might be able to do so, On through the gloom went pursued and pur- suer. The latter was favored, for as the dark- ness increased, the horsemen ceased to urge their animals forward so swiftly. It was a long, tiresome tramp for the man on foot, but he appeared to stand it remarkably well, for be showed no signs of flagging. Finally, within alittle more than a mile of Cimarron, the horsemen halted and held a hur- ried consultation, The trailer was unable to creep near enough to hear their words, After afew moments they separated. Two of them, however, rode directly forward. When it was safe to do so, the man from Maine followed. : Within a minute’s time he found himself in the stage road, and listening sharply, heard the receding sound of galloping horses in the di- rection of Cimarron. Once more he broke intoarun, but he did’ not overtake the horsemen, _ Within a remarkably brief space of time, Uncle Peter found himself lying close to the wall of the cabin against the cliff, within sight of the lights of Cimarron City. The low hum of voices came to bis ears, but as the speakers were conversing in low tones, he could not distinguish what they were saying: With httle difficulty, he found the crack in the wall and peered into the hut. He saw the old blind woman sitting in a chair, but could not distinguish the persons whose voices he could hear. For a dong time he remained with his eye glued to the tiny crack, After five or ten nith- utes, two men c the cabin floor, opened the door in the rear partition and disappeared, Still the spy remained at his post. Slowly the minutes dragged by and still silence reigned within the cabin, Finally the blind woman began to sway back and forth and sing a low, plaintive song. Uncle Peter began to grow restless, Finally the thought came to him that possibly he might be able to rescue Pearl by a bold move, The chance was that but two or, at most, three of the Brothers of the Red Heart were in the cave. He had contended against greater odds many times and come off the victor. Quietly the man from Maine arose to his feet and advanced to the cabin door. An instant he hesitated, then gave the secret rap of the Brotherbood, The low crooning ceased and a soft, shuffling, uncertain step approached the door, ‘** Who is there?” Without hesitation the strange Yankee rapped nine times, Then the door was cautiously opened and he slipped quickly into the room. e heard the sound as the old blind woman fastened the door behind him, but without uttering another word, he advanced toward the back door. W ben he was in the very center of the room, the door opened and two bewhiskered fellows strode into the room. Uncle Peter was detected! ** Hello! Holy Moses! Who’s this?’ demand- ed one of the men, Uncle Peter’s hand was on a revolver con- cealed in a convenient pocket, but he resolved to try strategy, although he knew that the chances were that such an attempt would not deceive the fellows, ‘My name’s Hodge,” he grinned, in an easy, indifferent way—‘' Uncle Peter Hodge, frum Maine. Happy to make your acquaintance,” ‘Uncle Peter Nothing !” sneered the fellow, as he surveyed the man from Maine closely. ‘‘No, no,” corrected the Down-Easter; ‘*Hodge. That’s my name—Hodge,” ‘* What are you in here for?” ‘* What? ! In here? W’y I jest dropped in to see if yeou folks know anything ov a Jinkins—Jonathan Jinkins, Ye see he’s my wife’s—” ‘Oh, cheese iS!” “What? Hey? Cheese? Wal, speakin’ ov cheese, my oldest darter, Meedusa, kin make ther lappin’ good cheese. No gittin’ round thet, I tell yeou! She’s er harker, I snum to goodness!” ‘You are a spy,” declared the man, **No, I hain’t; 'm a farmer when I'm to bum, by thutteration— Drop that! Hands up or ’ll bore you both!” Sharp and clear these last words shot from the lips of the ‘‘ Yankee,” and strangely enough, there was not a trace of the usual drawl in his voice. The grin left his face and a hard, stern look took its place. There was a deadly glitter in the eyes which looked along the barrel of his revolver, that had leaped into view. Both of the men recoiled a step. One of them had been reaching for a revolver, but his move had been frustrated by the alertness of the pseudo- Yankee. ** The devil!” hissed one of them. ** Not exactly,” said the other; ‘*‘ but if I am not mistaken, about as bad.” ‘What do you mean?” **T mean that that mock Yankee ts none other than Old Dan Shark, the detective !” “ cry of amazement came from the lips of the other. ‘* Bluzes!” he exclaimed, right!” **T know I am,” was the reply. The man with the revolver laughed, coolly. **T reckon the character of Uncle Peter Hodge is about played,” he observed, ‘ This closes the deal and lets Uncle Peter out. But in his place Dan Shark bobs up serenely,” ‘ “You never shall leave this room alive!” hissed one of the men. The detective smiled indifferently. ‘Do you think so? Well, now, pards, it looks as if you fellows would furnish subjects for a funeral long before Ido, If I do not salt you within the next five minutes, you are pretty ae to hang within the next five years. But ‘*T believe you are His words were cat short by a terrific blow on the side of his head and he was kuocked to the floor. He had anticipated no danger from the blind woman, but she had struck him down with a chair, the sound of his voice telling her where to deliver the blow, Before he could rise, both of. the men hurled themse]ves upon him. desperate struggle ensued. Dan Shark was not only a powerful man, but he was quick and active. ; Here and there over the cabin floor went the three men, panting, gasping and struggling in silence—a terribly unequal battle. ld Shark was fighting for his life, for he felt that he need expect little mercy if captured by the desperado Brotherhood. With her hands still grasping the lowered chair, the blind woman listened eagerly to the sounds of the combat. “ He fights like a tiger!” she muttered. - men, ‘‘ We can’t bandle him, ‘Yes, we can,” pritted the other, “I have him by the throat, : He spoke the truth. Old Shark’s ‘struggles were something wonderful to see, but gradually they grew fainter and fainter, A bloody mist swam before bis eyes, there was a ringing in his ears—everything was growing dark. ‘** Let up, Tom; he’s fixed.” He just heard ‘the words; they seemed to be spoken at a distance, When the detective recovered sufficiently to notice things around him, he found himself bound securely band and foot and a gag in his mouth, The two men were standing on either side of him. Oneof them stirred him witha heavy font, and said: ‘** Well, old fellow, how do you feel?” “Oh, he’s too stuck up to answer you,” laughed the other,” ** Well, he’s a cuss to handle.” “You bet.” ‘*¢ thought he’d get the best of us one time,” ‘© Well, I didn’t know but he would.” ‘*Reckon this will be his last skirmish.” ** The Brotherhood shall pronounce his doom,”” ** We had better put on a blindfold before we take him in.” ‘*T don’t bardly think it necessary, for it is not atall probable that he will ever come out alive.” Had he been able to doso, Old Shark could have told them that such trouble was unnecessa-~ ry, as he had been there before. They finally decided to use the blindfold, and after it was adjusted, he was raised and borne eat secret cave of the Red Heart Brother- ood, Would he ever come out alive? * CHAPTER XXVIII. PROCLAIMED AN OUTLAW. MARTEL MOLINA meant what he said when he declared tbat Hustler Harry should be pro- claimed an outlaw, . Back toward Cimarron City rode the mine- owner and Horace Kelnot. Fora time the lat- ter was silent. Finally, he said: ‘There seems to be little chance of mistake in this matter. What we have just heard seems proof conclusive of the fellow’s guilt.” ‘* Proof enough to convict him before a jury,” burst from Molina’s lips. ‘‘I shall proclaim himan outlaw myself and take the consequences, It was a most fortunate thing that led us to the spot where we overheard those ruffians.” ‘*'You areright. Ishall direct the searchers: to capture those three men. We might have done that ourselves,” ‘*We had no time to waste with them. It is of the greatest importance now that we get back to the camp at once and put out the searchers,” ‘Again youare right. Every moment lost now counts against us. At last we know just who to strike, If we only knew just where to find our game we would end this affair right soon,” For a minute or more the mine-owner said nothing further, but rode with bowed head, thinking deeply. When he glanced up there was a hard, unpleasant look on his face. ‘There is little doubt in my mind but that this fellow who calls himseif Eric Craddoc is an accomplice of the pretended cowboy,” he said, Kelnot shook his head, soberly, ‘* He may be, but we have no proof that he is. I would not be too hasty in condemning bim if L were you.” The mine-owner looked at Handy Horace queerly for a moment, ‘You are a peculiar man,” he said. ‘I be-. lieve that you are inclined to be too generous,. Most menin your place would gladly seize the opportunity to crush a rival.” andy Horace looked confused for a moment,. then turned and gazed straight into Molina’s face, as he said: | ‘*T have no desire to unjustly accuse any one, even though he may be my bitterest foe. If I was sure that this young man was in enue with the treacherous cowboy, | would be willing enough to do anything that | could to bring him to justice. Ido not say that Craddoc is not an accomplice of Hustler Harry, butas yet we have no proof. It will pay us to direct our ener- gies for the present against the one whom we know to be the chief villain of the lot.” | ‘*Your words convince me that in this emer- ency I can rely on your sound judgment, rom this time forward I shall make ita point to consult you upon any important move that I may contemplate making tn this matter.” ‘“‘'You flatter me,” declared Kelnot. ‘ But TI assure you, if you do sol shall advise you to the best of my ability. I am not infallible, how- ever,” Molina checked him with a gesture. “Enough, No man is infallible. But let us: make ater haste in reaching Cimarron, — ke greater h i hing Ci I cannot forget for an instant that my darling ee is a captive.” either horse was spared by its rider, and when the two men came in sight of Cimarron, As they” the animals were flecked with foam. dashed into the camp, Kelnot said: ‘“* Give him the knife, Tom!” gasperl one of the Gomiuilchboo cs) jr aaL.