Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1064 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

—~ ~ ree a iy J lal ee ee ee * St \ AS T ty \ ly? Tes $ 7 4 ; 4 —— — llth ew -gzled over these points, made known to her? McDonald was certainly is : ‘ ony He was absent now, on this occasion of the great excitement over the finding of the coffin in the creek, When the body had been taken into the hotel bar-room, Mr. Turgee had at once made the re- quest for good order. But no one had any in- tention of creating disorder. Ihe crowd pressed around the table upon which the body of the fair young girllay, Turgee among the rest, eager for the proof of what McDonald had asserted. And now, that proof being established in the manner shown, the excitement was great, and the crowd pressed until there was for a moment danger that the table would be overturned. Jackson Dunbarge let his voice be heard, ordering room to be made to the door that opened into the hall, and further directing Turgee to lead the way into the parlor opposite, This order being promptly obeyed, the manager and McDonald lifted the young woman and car- ried her out, A. few followed into the parlor, but the great crowd was: barred, and here everything was comparatively quiet. The girl was laid on a lounge, and McDonald koelt beside her, supporting her head, To this time the girl’s gaze had been wild and unsteady, as though her reason had not yet come back. Now, however, she fixed her eyes upon MecDonald’s face. ** Hapwood\” she presently articulated, ** Myra!” the young man excitedly responded, and he pressed her to him, imprinting a kiss on her lips, ‘Where am I?” she asked, looking around at the others. ‘‘ What has happened tome? How came I here?” ‘* Be careful how you answer,” cautioned Mr. Dunbarge. ‘ bilge she does not know the truth, Let’s hear what she can tell first.” ‘Who is that gentleman?” the girl inquired in low tone. ‘* What does he mean? What can he know about me? I never saw him before, Tell me where | am, Hapwood.” ‘You are with me at Satan’s Delight, the camp where lam employed,” the young man explained. ‘* You need not leave me any more, Myra, for I am among friends here, and friends who will be your friends too.” ‘* But how came I here?” she persisted. ‘‘ How was—” She stopped abruptly, with a great cry, and struggled out of bby tovhie pnibetae, es What is it? What is the matter, Myra?” So McDonald asked, as he let her go, a strange fear coming upon him, ‘*Now I remember!” the girl cried. “I am his wife! They made me marry him! Mother forced me into it, Hapwood,” With a groan McDonald sprung to his feet, his hands clasping his head, and for some seconds he stood looking down at the woman he loved, With another almost groan, he turned and paced the floor. It was all too plain. The bridal robe was vere «NC il to have been enough, without anything more. Myra, the girl for whom he would have given his life, was the wife of an- other, and that.other was—his hated enemy! Tt was almost too much for him to bear, _ The poor girl, now seeming to remember it afl, Was weeping. The others were silent, awaiting further de- velopments, which they knew must soon come, Suddenly McDonald thought of the note he bad found in the girl’s hand. Instantly he sroppec short, snatching it from his pocket, ‘* It is impossible!” he cried, ‘‘I cannot be- lieve it! Here js a note from the knave, in which he says you woulée not marry him, Myra, Tell me itis not so, Tell meitis a mistake,” It will be remembered that the note did not distinctly make that assertion, ‘No, no; it is no mistake,” the girl sobbed. “{ refused; I told them I would not do it; but they forced me, I even threatened to kill my- self, but it was of no use, for they made me marry bim. Ob! I wish [ was dead!” McDonald groaned again. There seemed no room todoubt further. “ Yes, it is true, true,” the girl insisted. ‘* See Hapgood, my dress proves it! See my hated bridal dress! Our happiness is impossible now, for Iam bound forever tothe man [hate, But, ou have not told me how [ came here, Where is he? Where is my mother? Who brought me to this place?” Strength of reason returning, she was puz- It was plain that there as much she did not know, Did she know nything about the coffin? How was it to be at loss bow to answer her. we 548 . ‘ ‘ Nee . a ‘naa ha ee ‘ j a a as . Mi | A he ? + gihs vs: 4 aka eer) oe * é i" ay Pit : hed —, = Dandy Dick Decoved. a ee ee ee Ce **Are you not aware that you have been asleep?” asked Mr. Dunbarge, **T suppose I must have been,” was the re- seems odd,” ** You dead, and perhaps for some time, what day it is?” ‘*I suppose it is Saturday, The marriage— the hated, bated marriage—took place last night at myhome, Ob! why did I not kill myself, as I threatened? Why did Tever letit goon? For- give me, Hapwood; forgive, forgive me!” Dunbarge turned to McDunald. , “There is something. mighty strange about this business,” he remarked, ‘ Thisisa Tuesday night.” “You are right; it’s strange,” the young man assented. ‘*I do not understand it, I cannot un- derstand it. But, it is only too plain that my bappiness is ruined,” ‘** You say this is a Tuesday!” cried the young woman, ‘‘ Where havel been all the time? You have not told me how I came here! Have you not seen Wardman Steelforth, my husband— Ob! what have I done—what have Ll done\” Again did she cover her face with her hands and sob aloud, ‘**No; we have not seen the villain,” replied McDonald. ‘‘ Shall we tell her how she came here, Mr. Dunbarge?” ** Yes; I think she is able to stand it now, and if may orang something back to ber mind. will tell her for you, if you want me to.” The girl looked from one to the other in utter bewilderment, ‘You came here in a coffin, young lady,” the manager went right on. ‘‘ That coffin was found early this evening, floating down the creek, How you came in it, and, where it came from, is all a mystery to us, Can you .throw any light upon it?” The girl’s face was a picture of amazement rofound. Her eyes were wildly staring, and er lips were half-parted with horror. ‘** Good heavens!” she gasped. ‘* What is this you tell me? Itcannot be true, Hapwood, tell me, is it true?” ** Yes, Myra— Mrs, Steelforth!—itistrue. You were found just as Mr. Dunbarge bas described, Do you remember anything about it? By your own words it seems: you have been unconscious since some time Saturday night.” ‘*T know nothing about it,” the girl declared. ** But, 1 am faint, and hungry—so hungry!” Reaction was beginning, and she sunk back half-exhausted, while Dunbarge ordered brandy and egg to be prepared and given to her at once in moderate quantity, And while this was be- ing done Mrs, Dunbarge, the manager’s wife, entered hastily and in excitement to announce that their daughter was still out of the camp. barge affirmed. Do you know CHAPTER XIII. STRANGE SEARCH, JACKSON DuNBARGE immediately took alarm, ** Flora has.not yet returned, do you say?’ he cried, his face troubled. ‘No; she has not yet come back from her ride,” his wife declar “71 am terribly alarm- about her,” ji. ** And no wonder,” the mine manager spoke. [ must send out at once and see if she can be found. Something has happened to keep her out until this hour,” ‘Oh, do you think any harm has come to her Jackson? She must not be allowed to go out o the camp alone, any more. Hurry, and get men out in search of her without a minute’s delay.” ‘* No; I don’t think any serious harm has come to her,” Dunbarge assured. ‘“*She is armedand quite able to take care of herself. Tt may be that her horse had sprained a joint, or some- thing of that sort. Go home, and I'll see to it at; once,’ , But, just then the thud of hoofs was heard without, and horses stopped before the house, * We'll see,” He bastened out, closely followed by his wife and others, and, much to their relief, found it was their daughter, But with her was another woman, a Mexican, evidently, and a stranger. They bad ridden close to the piazza, and at sight of her father Flora exclaimed: ‘Here I am, pa, safe and sound. I see he were getting alarmed about me, for your face me that; and yours the more,ma, And I might have run into danger, had it not been for this lady.” ‘*This may be she,” Dunbarge remarked, ‘Yes; you were brought here asleep,” Dun- | ave been as though | this section?’ the manager ejaculated. = e 9 ‘What manner of danger?’ Dunbarge de- manded. ‘**Outlaws,” was the startling reply. ‘“*T came spouse. “Was I brought here asleep? That | near running into the arms of two men wearing masks,” “Is it possible that we have outlaws pe * This must be looked into, It must be nipped right in the bud, if it is so.” ‘*And it is certainly true, sir,” spoke up the Mexican lady. ‘*‘ We heard enough of their talk to assure us of that, Both your daughter and myself narrowly escaped the fellows, And that is not the worst of it, either.” ** Not the worst of it!” ** Indeed, no!” cried Flora. ‘' From what they said, we know they had been waiting in the can- yon to entrap one or the other of us,” ** And it must certainly have been your daugh- ter, sir,” assured Inez Monica. ‘‘ They could have no knowledge of my coming here, none whatever. And there is no reason why they would want to make a prisoner of me.” ‘* Well, my daughter says she was saved from running into danger by you, and you have our sincere thanks, Tell us all about your adven- ture, Flora.” It was soon told. ‘**This is more than strange,” the czar of the camp thoughtfully remarked. ** And you positively must not ride out alone any more,” put in Mrs, Dunbarge to ber daugh- er. ‘* He howlin’ coyotes!” cried Hard-pan Smith, ‘* Tt never rains but it is bound ter pour, an’ it hits me that this is only ther beginnin’ of trou- ble, If thar’s outlaws around, then we has got ter look out fer ’em,” ‘** And we will, too,” declared Dunbarge, grim- ly. ‘* We'll have no such work as has been go- ing on over in the other section lately, We'll nip it in the bud, as I said just now. But, Flora, go on to the house, and your friend with you. rs. Dunbarge will make you) welcome, Miss Monica.” “I thank you, sir,” was the response, * but I cannot accept. I must stop at the hotel as was “ intention.” he point was disputed, but finding it useless to urge further, Dunbarge assisted ber to dis- mount and introduced Turgee, and taking leave of Miss Dunbarge, the Mexican lady entered the hotel, a man taking charge of her horse. Miss Dunbarge and ber mother turned in the direction of home, and for the time being that excitement was over. A little time after Inez Monica had registered, and had.been shown her room, she appeared on the piazza. : There she paced up and down, very leisurely, for quite a time, looking eagerly and inquiring- ly at every one who came within sight. She seemed to be expecting some particular person, and her air of disappointment increased. Finally she walked far enough to look into the bar-room, Stopping at a window, the nearest, which was withsut blind or curtain, she looked in at the crowd, taking plenty of time to make a thorough search of every face. She dreWaway, that done, more disajpointed than ever, and her face wore a worried, troubled expression. Clear enough it was, now, that there was some individual she was in quest of, for good or evil. ‘** It is strange, strange,” she muttered, as she turned away. This time she walked to the extreme end of the piazza in the other direction, She had been keeping near the entrance, Reaching the ‘end, she saw something there that gave her nerves a shock. It was the coffin in which Myra Pratley had come so mysteri- oun to the camp a few hours before, Of course, she bad heard nearly all about that by this time, hearing the conversation of men in groups here and there, and knew that this must be the coffin they bad mentioned; still it gave her a start—seemed an ill omen—perhaps _ a harbinger of death, : With a shudder she turned away, and retraced her steps to the other end of the long piazza. As she was passing the door, Walton Turgee stepped out. Pardon me,” he said politely, ‘‘ but can I be of service to you in any way?” ‘No; I think not,” was the “Tam merely walking the piazza a iittle, enjoy- ing the evening air.” **T have noticed ing for some one, thought I would speak to yor Beg P Ae pardon for dcing so, madam,” was ‘““T am much obliged to you,” was th ‘> i ee , e —- afte od ~ Sa a Us 4 _* Cc “25 a m . , > - 3 900KS.CO 2S 2 Py 2 “a ‘al i - » ~~ . ; ‘ Fy ee >» you,” the proprietor’s handy == man confessed, “‘ and as you seemed to be look- {<4 s 4 f ‘ + * 7 .