Dangerous Ground; or, The Rival Detectives
Page 63
as I turned, I managed to keep my eyes on the shelf overhead, so that Icould note all the movements that took place. I was repaid for mytrouble, for as I fell back and pressed my hand on my side, as thoughfatally wounded, I had the satisfaction of hearing a triumphant laughissue from the thicket overhead; and the next instant the repulsivefeatures of Moloch were thrust through the branches of the trees, and heseemed to enjoy the appearance which I presented.
"Bah! you fools!" cried the rascal, in a mocking tone, "do yer thinkthat yer can take me? I vos too quick for yer. Had yer come an hoursooner, yer might have caught me nappin'. But now I jist spits at yer.Ah, fools, I has the voman, and I means to keep her."
I seldom miss with a revolver, especially when the object at which I aimis within reasonable distance; but I must confess that I was nervous andfull of revengeful feelings, or perhaps I was too hasty; for I suddenlyraised my pistol and fired at the fiend who was grinning at me from amidthe branches of the balsam trees. I missed the scoundrel, and yet Iwould have given a thousand dollars to have sent a bullet crushingthrough his brain, and killed him on the spot.
"Ho, ho! yer didn't come it," laughed the fiend. "Vait a minute and I'llmake yer see somethin' that'll open yer eyes."
He disappeared, and while he was gone I changed position, so that hecould not single me out for another shot, in case he desired to test hisold horse-pistols.
"You ain't hit, is you?" whispered Hackett and Hopeful in anxious tones.
"No," I answered.
Before they could congratulate me, Moloch, the devil, appeared, bearingin his arms the almost lifeless form of poor, dear Amelia Copey, whosedress was torn and soiled, and whose hair was hanging down in tangledmasses, neglected and uncared for.
"Look!" yelled the fiend, in a triumphant tone; "'ere's the girl vot Iloves, and she vill love me afore long, or I'll know the reason vy."
As he spoke he held the fair form in such a manner that
THE BUSHRANGERS.
_A Yankee's Adventures During His Second Visit to Australia._
BY WM. H. THOMES,
_Author of_ "_The Gold Hunters in Australia_," "_The Bushrangers_," "_Running the Blockade_," _etc., etc._
Moloch appeared, bearing the almost lifeless form."Look," yelled the fiend, in a triumphant tone.]
sides would be equally well guarded, then glanced over the excitedcrowd, in hopes that Dan would array himself on our side--but thatenterprising gentleman had suddenly disappeared, and left us to ourfate.
"Stand back," shouted the inspector; "it will be the worse for you.There's many of you present who know me, and know that I have a largeforce of policemen on hand. If you strike a blow, not one of you shallescape justice.
"Unbar the door as quickly as possible," whispered the inspector, aftergetting through with his threatening speech.
I lifted the heavy gum wood bar from its place, and then raised thelatch, expecting that it would yield, but to my surprise it did not--itwas locked, and the key in the pocket of the doorkeeper, who had madehis escape from the room in company with Dan.
I almost uttered a groan of agony when I made the discovery, and to addto the perplexity of our situation, the ruffians must have understoodour case, and known that the key was never left in the lock, for theyuttered a discordant and ironical hoot, and then a shout of sardoniclaughter.
"For Heaven's sake, don't be all night in getting that door open," criedFred, nervously, and I will confess that I also partook of the samecomplaint.
"Now for a rush--cut them to pieces," exclaimed many voices; but Iobserved that the cries came from those who were farthest from us, andout of the reach of our pistols, which we were forced to display, inhope of keeping the robbers at a respectful distance.
"Is the door unbarred?" asked Mr. Brown, turning half round, andexposing his side to the knives of the crowd, and quick as thought, aman sprang forward to begin the work of bloodshed; but sudden as werehis movements, they were anticipated, for I raised the heavy bar, whichI had not relinquished, and let it fall upon his head with crushingforce.
The poor devil fell at our feet without uttering a groan, although manyspasmodic twitchings of his nerves showed that he was not killedoutright. His long knife narrowly missed the side of the inspector, andfor the first attempt at our annihilation, it was not to be despised.
The wretches uttered yells of rage when they saw their comrade fall, butnone seemed inclined to assume the leadership and begin the attack inearnest.
Not one of their motions escaped us, and as long as they were disposedto brandish their knives at a distance, we did not choose to carrymatters to extremities; but change of tactics was suddenly resorted toon the part of our opponents, that placed us in no little peril.
All the tumblers, bottles, and decanters of the bar were takenpossession of by the savage scoundrels, and the first intimation that wehad of the fact was the crushing of a bottle (empty, of course--theywere not the sort of men to throw away liquor of any kind) against thedoor just above our heads.
The fragments were showered upon our faces and shoulders, before we hadtime to consider on the matter another bottle flew past my head, and hitour prisoner upon one of his shoulders, injuring
THE GOLD HUNTERS' ADVENTURES;
OR, WILD LIFE IN AUSTRALIA.
=By WM. H. THOMES=, author of "The Bushrangers," "The Gold Hunters in Europe," "A Whaleman's Adventures," "Life in the East Indies," "Adventures on a Slaver," "Running the Blockade," etc., etc.
"Now for a rush.--Cut them to pieces!"]
A FASCINATING STORY OF ADVENTURE.
A Whaleman's Adventures
_AT SEA, IN THE SANDWICH ISLANDS AND CALIFORNIA._
BY WM. H. THOMES,
Author of "THE GOLD HUNTERS' ADVENTURES IN AUSTRALIA," "THE BUSHRANGERS," "RUNNING THE BLOCKADE," etc., etc.
Illustrated with Thirty-Six Fine Engravings.
SOLD ON ALL RAILWAY TRAINS AND BY ALL BOOKSELLERS.
RUNNING THE BLOCKADE;
OR, U. S. SECRET SERVICE ADVENTURES.
_By WM. H. THOMES, Author of_ "_The Gold Hunters' Adventures in Australia_," "_The Bushrangers_," "_Running the Blockade_," _etc., etc._
ELEGANTLY AND PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED.
"For de Lord's sake, don't do dat. Dis nig is almost cutto pieces now. Him legs is one mass of rings."]
The Gold Hunters in Europe
--OR--
THE DEAD ALIVE.
"Do you give yourselves in custody?"]
By WM. H. THOMES,
Author of "THE GOLD HUNTERS' ADVENTURES IN AUSTRALIA," "THE BUSHRANGERS," "RUNNING THE BLOCKADE," etc., etc.
Illustrated with FORTY Fine Engravings
SOLD ON ALL RAILWAY TRAINS AND BY ALL BOOKSELLERS.