The Dragoon Detective; Or, A Man of Destiny — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

? The Dragoon Detective. - *¢ Landlord, kindly guard this man,” said the Dragoon; and Champ did as he was told, the Dragoon slipping the weapons from the belt of the prisoner before he left. Then he walked down the steps and out to the fallen man, The hand still clutched the bridle-rein, and the faithful horse stood still, but snorted with fear. Unloosening the rein from the hand, the Dra- gocn led the horse to the rack and fastened him; : then he went back to the rider, and bending over raised him in his strong arms as though he had been a child. ‘' Give me room, men,” he ordered, and the crowd fell back. He bore the form quickly along to a room, to which Landlord Champ led him, carrying Flush Wred with him. There he laid him upon a bed, and then called out, as he glanced over the curious faces at the GOOR st: 7 2. ‘* Buck Johnston, you, and five men you se- Ject, come in here and close the door.” Tho man, an honest-faced miner, selected five of his comrades, and they entered the room. Flush Fred, white-faced and unnerved now, stood near, watching, waiting, wondering, Champ keeping his eye upon him, The door was closed; then the Dragoon threw off his storm-coat and hat, and stepping to the bed, drew off the cloak and hat of the prostrate man, He wasin cavalry uniform, aud wore the stripes of a first sergeant. He was, in person, about the size of the Dragoon, and with his mustache, being in uni- forin, and his face concealed by his slouch hat and collar, might readily be mistaken for the Darling of Destiny, especially as he rode a biack horse with military trappings, and was coming directly toward the door of The Bar- racks when he was shot. He bad three wounds, for Flush Fred had fired three times, Those wounds were in tho forehead, in the neck, and in the heart, showing how deadly had been the aim of the desperado, ‘‘Tfe is dead, gentlemen, and any of these three wounds would have been fatal. You are a good shot, Flush Fred.” | glanced at the Dragoon as he spoke, and then at the desperado, who replied with re- newed courage: ‘'T never migses,”’ % The Dragoon smiled, and replied: ‘“You made a miss this time, for you hava ldUled the wrong man,”’ ‘‘ All thought it was you.” ‘Tt was a case of mistaken identity.” ‘‘A wonderful ono, for I thought so myself, captain, and wondered at your reckless way of coming up, when you must have known that Flush Fred was here,” said Champ. ‘*Poor fellow, he suspected no harm,” the Dragoon returned. . ‘ But who is he?” ‘‘A soldier, and one of the dragoons, who was evidently bearing dispatches; across coun- try, I will see, and I called you and your friendsin, as I desired that you should see all that occurred,” The Dragoon then began to search the body. He first took off the sword and belt, in the latter being a revolver, In one pocket was found a wallet, containing somo money in bank-notes, and a card on which was written: ‘Ross DUNCAN, “Ist Sergeant, Y Oonn; th Draroons, “port MoPnerson.”’ A pocket-knife, bunch of keys, and a few other thihgs were in another pocket, while a gold watch and chain were found in tue pocket of his flannel shirt, In the breast pocket of his cont was a large sealed package, evidently official disyatches, from the address, which read: ‘© Deliver with all Gispate’. ‘*To Mason ALFRED T'ayLor, ‘Scouting ‘* Baarer—Sergeant Ross Duncan, Co. I, —th Dra- ‘*poons.”’ Nothing else was found of importance, and the Dragoon said quietly: ‘Gentlemen, this soldier was doubtless bear- ing these dispatches from Colonel Royal’s com- mand to one of the officers on scouting duty. ‘‘He came through Gilt Edge City as his most direct course, and unfortunately dashed up to The Barracks just in time to bo mistaken for me, ‘. After leaving my cabin I went over to Fort Folly, by the back trail, to have a look at it, and came up to the hotel hy the way of the stables, so you see how I happened to be ou hand justas Flush Fred was gloating over my death, as he supposed. : ‘‘Now, [am nota man vo be hard on one who makes a mistake, for Flash Fred was looking for me, and I had told him he should leave town, ‘* |] could take him to the army and surrender hi:n, but I will xot; and I now tell him that I give him just two hours to get out of Gilt Edge City. ‘‘T shall havo this poor soldier buried at once, and I will myself carry his dispatches, his horse and things to Major Taylor, to whom this envelope is addressed, -‘*Tam going bome to fit out for the trip, and if you are here, Flush Fred, upon my return, youor I willdie. Do you understand?” Flush Fred had expected he would be given up to the mihtary to be tried for killing the ser- geant, and he knew what that meant, Now he saw a chance to escape, 80 he said: ‘‘Pard Dragoon, you acted square with tae, and Ill go,” ae Now?” “Soon as I’ buy a horse and git my outfit at my cabin.” : ‘} give you two hours to do that, so be off.” Flush Fred sullenly loft the room and was greeted by those outside with a yell, but he was in no humor for talking, and owning his defeat, so walked out to The Barracks’ stables, pur- | chased a fair horse, saddle and bridle, and mounting rode to his cabin. In the mean time the Dragoon had left the body of the sergeant to Landlord Champ to bury, and with the man’s traps had started homeward, leading the black horse behind his own, An hour after he came back to The Barracks, mounted and equipped for his ride in search of the army officer to whom the dispatches were addressed. But Flush Fred had already left Gilt Hdge City, and Landlord Champ said: ‘* He took the road you are going, captain; so look out |” CHAPTER XII. THE DOUBLE AMBUSH, TH sun was setting in a clear horizon, as Flush Fred rode along on his farewell march out of Gilt Edge City. He had been knownin the camps fora year or more, and with his comrade, Tiger Tom, had been greatly feared. They were miners, of course, for they had their ‘‘ diggings.” and seemed to have struck good leads, for they always had money, especial- ly Flush Fred, who never went broke, never asked credit at hotel or store. He was a large manand an athlete, and his quick eye, ready hand, nerve and desperate na- ture made him dangerous, Hoe had ee hard to win against the Dra- goon and he hed lost; so he had but one thing to do, stand up and fight it out, or get out of Gilt Edge City, For reasons best known to himself he chose the latter alternative, and mounted upon a pretty good animal, with Tiger Tom’s arms, ef- fects and his own, and money in his pocket he departed. 0 had not sold either Tiger Tom’s or his own mine, and this seemed to mean that he meant to come back. Be that as it may, he rode along the trail, the same one that the stage-coach followed, until he caine to where it branched off, five miles from Gilt Edge City. The Overland Trail led over the mountain, and the other held on up the valley. Here Flusn Fred drew rein, “There hain’t no scouting up in the moun- tains, | know, and this leads to where the sol- diers would most likely be found. I[ guess this is the truil; in fact Vm sure of it.” So he tartied off up the valley, which trail he knew would carry him through uw gap in the mouatains, ten miles distant, Going slowly along, he was keeping a close watch upon each side, as though he was looking for a place to camp tor the night. At length he came to a mass of bowlders, upon one side of the trail, and here he halted. ‘* The very place,” he muttered. Then he rode on up the trail for quite a dis- tance, leaving well-defined hoof-marks behind him in the wet earth, and then turned off sud- denly into the thicket. A flank movement of several hundred yards brought him to the rear of the massof bowlders before referred to. Disinounting back in the thicket, he hitched his horse securely, muzzled his head with a blanket, and then returned to the spct of which he had expressed the opinion that it was: ‘* The very place.” Among the rocks he then ensconced himself at ease, but in a way that gave him a rocky barrier in front and on either side, while from his position he conld command here and there a view of the trail for a long distance toward Gi't Edge City. Auy one coming from that direction would be altervately inand out of sight for a mile, according to the winding and nature of the | trail, Flush Fred knew that he was beyond the. furthest mine, and that there was nothing to bring a miner in that vicinity, on such a rainy day as it had been. Getting his rifle, which he now carried, into position, he sat down to wait, while he eagerly peered through a pine bush in front of him, at the trail, as far as he could see it. It was growing toward twilight, when he suddenly uttered an exclamation of pleasure. He saw some one coming along the trail. Itwas a horseman, riding a black steed, and behind him trotted a led anima}, The rider wag in uniform. It was the Dar- poe of Destiny, and he was riding upon an am- ush! Here and there he disappeared, and as it was growing dark, Flush Fred, at times almost thought he had turned back. But no, be again saw him indistinctly, and then he settled himself for the fatal shot. He had twice been mastered by the Dragoon, and now, the third time, it was his chance. He had carefully cleaned his rifle, and he knew that he could depend upon it; but, should it fail him, he had his revolvers, and they never failed. ‘*Can he have stopped?’ he muttered. ‘‘Sure- ly he would not have gone into camp this near to Gilt Edge City.” Then he listened and his keen ears caught the - sound of hoofs. ‘* No, he is coming, and now is my time!” He said the words with fierce joy, and crouch- | ed for the work before him, Soon, in the dim Jight a horse and rider ap- peared, coming slowly along. Then he saw that toere was also a led horse. There could be no doubt of it this time—the Darliug of Destiny was in his power! It was dark now, for, though daylight yet lin- gered upon the hill-tops, the shadows were deep within the valley. Nearer and nearer came the horses, and the form of the rider was dimly revealed against the sky, yet tinged with a faint light from the retiring sun, as he rode overa rise in the trail. dé Now {7 With the word Flush Fred ran his eye along the sights, and the rifle was aimed full as the heart of the rider, now not twenty paces dis- tant. Then the finger touched the trigger, the flame burst from the muzzle, the leaden messenger spec on its way, a groan followed, as the two horses slightly started and the rider fell to the ground, while Flush ¥red bounded from his am- bush and rushed upon his victim, CHAPTHR XAT, A MAN'S MERCY, b But once before in his life had Flush Fred en- joyed the delight that he experienced as he bounded from his ambush, and that was when he had seen the sr i sergeant fall from his horse, and believed he had killed the Darling of Destiny. Killing him now was a greater satisfaction to Flush Fred thanif he had shot him in Gilt Edge City, for the Dragoon was said to carfy a great deal of noney about witb him, Tben his weapons were superb and gold- mounted. He wore an elegant watch and ehain, a ruby pin in his scarf uf great value; he had goid slueve-buttons, set with a ruby solitaire, and upon the little finger of his leit hand was a ring with avother gem of the s«me kind. ‘*T’ve got my revenge. and ll get a young fortune!” cried ‘the assassin, as he rushed for- ward to the prostrate form. The steed of the Dragoon and the led horse both stood motionless, as though accustumed to the smell of powder and strange scenes. Bending over the body, Flush Fred grasped it just as a form stepped out from behind the led orse and cried: ‘‘ Hands up, Flush Fred!” So certain had the assassin been of his aim that he had left his rifle in the ambush, and, in his delightful excitement, had not drawn a weapon. Now came, it seemed, his doom in the ringing words: ‘« Hands up!” I have said before that Flush Fred was some- thing of a philosopher. He never took chances when the odds were dead against him; but ifthe odds were on his side, he was willing to take big risks, In this case they were wholly against him, and it did not take him an instant of time to find this out. \ The man at his feet was not the Darling of Destiny, but the man who confronted him was! A revolver looked into his eyes and not tbrea feet distant, while it was held ina hand as fir as the rock behind which Flush Fred had formed his ambush, Flush Fred was never more scared in his life, A second time he had made a big mistake in the identity of teis wonderful man. He felt asif he would go mad, for the silence wasterrible, but that stern face and that mo- tionlessrevolver were more so. Ae had promptly put up his hands at the 'command.and was waiting for the one who held the drop on him to break the fearful i oO silence. S Gomichoo mii