Old Shadow Shot — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

A HAND ON NAT’S THROA?, -fevealed, and the brigands were eager to _horse’s tail. \ ‘his deeply-buried eyes. attack. “Put on the mufflers !” Captain Dave said, in a low tone, and a stout buckskin sack was quickly thrust over the mouth of each horse. “Hev they got any horses, cap’n?” yven- tured Armstrong. “Tt is not likely that Captain Rough would embark for the mines without them,” was the reply. With less speed and increased caution the forest foes crept upon the train. They heard it come to a sudden halt, which caused an expression of anxiety to flit across the brigand’s face, and when signs of commo- tion became apparent, he looked round into the dark features of his men. “Something’s wrong!” he whispered. “We have been betrayed.” “The gal!” said Armstrong, ominously. “Cap'n, she é: “That will do!” was the interruption, as the speaker’s eyes flashed baleful light upon the venturesome man. “I will not put up with your stupid fears any longer. Rafe Armstrong, you can do one of two things, and that right now. You can leave me for ever, or promise to keep your mouth shut in the future.” “Do you mean it, cap’n?’ “T mean nothing else !” was the firm reply. “What are you going to do? Open your mouth and say quickly.” “T’ye been with you nigh onto five years,” said Armstrong. “ We’ve been good friends, Cap'n Dave fe “No. preliminaries!” interrupted the leader of the brigands, out of patience with the man. “We can’t stop here and listen to a long rigmarole of nothing. Go! or keep your mouth shut.” “As long as I stay with you, cap’n?” “So long as that.” “T can’t do it; it’s impossible. By my beard! I will not keep my mouth shet fur any man!” With uplifted hand the bandit chief pointed into the depths of the forest from which they had lately emerged.’ ‘‘T understand the p’intin’, cap’n,” Rafe Armstrong said, with a vicious twinkling of “When a man will promise to keep his mouth shet, when he knows he can't, he oughter to be tied to a Oh, I’m goin’, Cap’n Dave. Mebbe you'll wish by-an’-by thet you'd let cld Rafe have a little tongue run. The gal will prove thet I wasn’t blind thet night, mind this, Cap’n Dave!” Steadily that hand pointed to the west, and Rafe Armstrong wheeled his horse. 5 won't quit talkin’ for any livin’ man. This isn’t the last you’ll see of Rafe Armstrong, [(’'m thinkin’.” The white bandits, to the number of six or eight, muttered “good-bye”; and the indians nodded, but did not speak. Slowly the deserter disappeared among the shadows, watched with conflicting emotions by the man who had bidden him go. “ If it hadn’t been for the noise !” he mur- mured, significantly, “there would be blood on his saddle now,” and then he turned to his remaining men. “Let nobody succour him!” he said, mercilessly. ‘“ We are better off without the gabbler.” The party advanced again. At the leader’s side rode an athletic and evil-faced Indian. “Ride ahead and leave us!” the young bandit said to this redskin, in an undertone. “You know what to do, Sharp Knife. Fol- low him with caution, and see that he is as dead as a stone before you come back to me.” A meaning nod from the savage told that the words were understood, and he rode ahead. On, on still went the cavalcade. It crept upon the train, and strange voices, which seemed at variance, came to their ears. . “They're having a quarrel among them- selves!” the leader of the bandits whispered, gleefully, to his men. “Now, ready!” The clicking of thirty rifle-locks was heard. A moment’s silence followed the deadly sound, and then a deafening volley was poured upon the train. “Charge!” shouted - Captain ‘Down with the copper thieves!’ It was a wild moment, for, like thunder- bolts, the Vultures of the Woods fell upon the train. Dave. CHAPTER III. A HAND ON NAT’S THROAT, PTA\ HE onslaught of the outlaws upon the train occurred at the moment when - Nightingale Nat, having heard Shadow-Shot’s determined words, crept closer to him for that protection which they promised. As might be expected, the volley, though fired almost at random. threw the adven- turers into a confusion which seemed from the first destined to prove disastrous to them. Fortunately no one was hit, but severa! “Good-bye, boys!” he said, as he rode | bullets found a lodgment in the bodies of through the group of astonished men. “T | the faithful oxen, which, plunging wit (S(O) AA) ain