Young Wild West at "Forbidden Pass" Part 23

But he was so well trained that he did not let the villains know that he had seen anything out of the ordinary.

"Tie him to the post, boys," said Roche. "I reckon we've got to figure this thing out right before we do much. I'll see if we need any more in the way of toll."

He pulled out the roll Hop had given him, and the men, eager to see the money, did not proceed to tie Wild right away.

The moment Roche opened the roll he saw that it was not good money.

An oath escaped his lips.

"Where is that rascal of a Chinaman?" he demanded. "This isn't money. It is nothing but the rankest kind of counterfeit bills."

It was just then that our hero saw his sweetheart getting ready to do something.

At the same moment Hop was hurrying to the edge of the cliff on the other side to tell the miners to rush into the cave.

The critical moment had arrived.

The villains had just finished tying Wild to the post when a lariat whizzed through the air and settled over the head and shoulders of the leader.

"Here is the way we are going to pay the toll!" cried Arietta.

Up the side of the cliff went the man.

The brave girl held a revolver pointed at Snivel, and, in a ringing voice, she added:

"Release the prisoner, or your captain will die!"

CHAPTER XV.

CONCLUSION.

Cheyenne Charlie was just thinking of making his way out of the cave when a shout rang out from the opening they had taken Wild through.

Out went the men in a hurry, and, hearing Arietta's voice shouting a warning to them, the scout drew his revolvers, and with one in either hand bounded out after the outlaws.

One of the first things he saw was the form of Cap Roche hanging from the ledge.

The rope had looped him about the body and pinioned his arms at the same time.

But the villain was making a desperate struggle and the rope showed signs of slipping.

However, not one of the men dared to shoot at the girl or Jim.

Cheyenne Charlie stepped up and walked around behind Wild without being noticed by the excited and surprised outlaws.

A quick slash with his knife and the ropes were severed.

Then he slipped a revolver in the boy's hand.

Wild coolly stepped from the post.

"Up with your hands, you sneaking coyotes!" he cried in a ringing voice.

"I reckon ther jig is up now. Arietta has paid ther toll!"

Then Wild calmly reached out and took another revolver from the belt of the nearest man to him.

Two of the villains held up their hands, but the rest made a bolt for the cave.

Crack!

Cheyenne Charlie got at work, as usual, and the foremost one dropped.

"I reckon you galoots will have ter have a bigger grave dug when we git through with yer," he called out. "That one you've got here ain't half big enough!"

Just then Cap Roche slipped the rope, and down he came in a heap.

Before he could get upon his feet our hero stood over him.

"Surrender!" he cried. "It is the easiest way out of it. If you fight it out there won't be one man left of you, Roche!"

"I'll never surrender!" was the defiant shout. "Go ahead and shoot me, if you want to. I am going to die fighting."

He rolled over and got upon his feet, regardless of the fact that the finger of the young deadshot was upon the trigger of the revolver that was aimed at him.

Roche had lost his revolvers when he tumbled down, but he still hold his knife.

Jerking it from the sheath, he prepared to make a rush at the boy, who stood covering him with a revolver.

Just then several shots rang out from inside the cave, following by yells of triumph.

Arietta now slid down by means of the lariat Jim had hold of.

Then Jim dropped the distance himself.

Out of the cave came the miners, dragging the prisoners they had taken with them.

Roche turned deathly pale when he saw that it was all up with him.

"Young Wild West," he hissed, "I want to kill you before I die myself! I will never be taken alive, so if you have got the nerve to fight me, come on!"

Wild dropped his revolvers into the holsters and took Jim's knife.

"I'm after you, Cap!" he exclaimed, a smile playing about his mouth. "If you want to kill me, come on!"

Clas.h.!.+

The knives came together in the air, and then the fight was on.