Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 240 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

‘You are foolish. Listen to me, and you will admit it. Do you know who 1 am?’ ‘No. If I were to guess, I should say you were not Bertie Bird!” _. A look of surprise came over her face, at this. ‘* No, Iam not!” she said, decidedly. ‘‘ What do you know of her?” ‘* Not very much—simply that such a person is in existence, and is about to become the latest Mrs. Cordiz!” ‘‘So rumor has it; but it shall never be— never |” and the girl stamped her foot emphati- cally on the floor. ‘‘t am Juan Cordiz’s last wife, and the last one he shall ever have upon this earth.” ‘*You his wife?” ‘*Unfortunately and much against my will, yes. Iwas forced by my parents to wed him not three months ago, but he found that in me he had got hold of a tigress.” ‘* You have no love for his prophetship, then?” ‘* Ha! ha! no; nor he for me. We hate each other about as cordially as two humans can, | fancy. Itis only a matter of time when one of us kills the other.” ‘‘ Why do you stay here, then?’ Kit asked, thoughtfully. ‘* Because I can’t well leave without money. And, besides this, 1 am not going to leave. I am going to change places with Juan Cordiz—I am going to take this valley and drive out these Mormons one by one, until the town shall know a new life and a be ter people.” ‘* A good resolve, worthy of being carried out, I should say, if you are able to do it,” Kit al- lowed. ‘I guess you lack the strength, do you not?” ‘* Not so much as you might suppose. There are a few people, thank God, a iepare rivate- ly renounced the Mormon faith, and will stand by me—people who were captured and pressed into the life they now live. I do not need a great many more sturdy volunteers ere I shall be able to make a strike for the right.” ‘* And you want to add me to your list, eh?” ‘*Tdo. You are a man whom I would like to put in command,” “Well, I will think about it. 1 fear that, though your scheme is feasible, it will fail through not having sufficient strength.” ‘* You will think otherwise when you see my backers. Though only a child yet, Queen Cor- diz has a level head and a long sight.” ** Does Don Juan know anything of this pro- posed mutiny?” ‘Not for certain, I guess, though I have an idea he suspects trouble, from the fact that he is very rude and even brutal toward me. He can hardly know anything of the scheme, how- ever. as | have enjoined the strictest secrecy.” ‘If he should anticipate you, how would you go to work to get out of the scrape?” ' “Get out of it the best way I could and abide the consequences. I must go, now. I merely come to let you know that you had more than one chance for your life. You can think it over, and Till see you again ere long. If you will face the dungeon door a minute, I will not disturb you any longer.” Cyclone Kit obeyed, but kept alert his sense of hearing. A moment later heglanced around and Queen Cordiz was gone, even though he had not heard a sound denoting her departure, while the walls, fioor and ceiling of the rocky cell remained, to all appearances, as before—solid and unyielding. The day following that night was a wild and stormy one without, and Don Juan remained indoors in his comfortably appointed library— a large room carpeted with wolf-skins and fur- nished with a few chairs, a table and desk-book- case, which contained a number of books and papers. he Prophet sat in an easy-chair, his heels elevated upon the table, and a pipe in his mouth, from which he sent clouds of smoke roll- ing ceilingward, as he was buried in deep thought. ‘‘ Even aking may occupy his throne, and be ill at ease!” he muttered, a frown coming over his face. ‘‘ Things are not working too smooth- ly, here, in Gold-Flake, and something tells me that there is trouble in the near future, but in what shape it will come, I cannot say. Of one thing I am satisfied, however—there is a sus- picion among the people that I am watching a ripe chance to get possession of the fund of gold stored in the vault, and decamp with it. me one of those having gold stored there, constantly is in the vicinity, when I go there. Perhaps it is well for them that they are so careful, for I faney I could, with all that Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator. ee pee — me em a rm eae” ee ee wealt!. enjoy myself better in the East than here. wirst, however, to wed the girl, Bertie Bird, shall be my object. I swore years ago that I would in this way have my revenge upon the witch. Besides, the girl is much su- rior, in all respects, to any other woman in old-Flake, except Queen. Curse that girl! She’s a fury, and she hates me worse than poison. She must be watched, for she is smart enough, and vindictive enough, to do me im- measurable evil. Ha! who knocks, there? Come in!” he added, glancing toward the door. It opened, and a stranger entered—a man whom the Don had never seen before, to his recollection. He was a tall, well-dressed per- sonage, of good figure and a noticeably hand- some face, which was set off advantageously by a pair of handsome eyes, and a finely-shaped mouth, shaded by asandy mustache—altogether a person of more than ordinary personal attrac- tions. ‘“‘ Have I the honor of addressing the Prophet, Don Juan Cordiz?’ he asked, doffting Ris hat, as he paused, near the door. ‘You have, sir!’ that individual replied, as he motioned to a seat. ‘‘ Be seated and state your business.” “This will explain to you who I am,” and he tossed a sealed letter upon the table, which the Don found was addressed to himself. Tearing it open, he glanced over its contents, hurriedly. It ran as follows: 4 “Sat LAKE Crry June —, 18—. * Prophet Juan, of the Gold-Flake Mormon Church : ‘The bearer of this note is one Arthur Carlison, a rich New York gentleman, who has come to this country in search of the heir to a piece of prop- erty in the East. From some facts which have come to my notice, I concluded you might be able to assist him, and therefore send him to you. * Yours truly,, BrigHam Youna.”’ As he finished reading, Cordiz looked at the stranger, an amused smile playing upon his stern face. ‘Young man,” he said, ‘‘ your supposed cleverness is the hight of folly.” “Why?” Carlison asked, growing pale. ‘Is the recommend not in all respects satisfactory ?”’ ‘‘Of course not. In the first place it is a for- gery. In the second place—” A hard glitter came into the handsome man’s eyes. fe How can you prove it isa forgery?” he in- onpepied, mpisles J **Oh! it’s proof enough in itself, In the first lace, lam a renegade sheep from Brigham’s flock, and we being deadly enemies, he would never address me atall, much less as a Prophet, Brigham does not allow another genuine Mor- mon Prophet to exist, aside from himself. I am a Prophet over the people, here, who recog- nize me as such, but no further, That is how I know the imposition you would practice on me. Carlison’s teeth went hard together. ‘* Knowledge is power, so I must admit the forgery. I knew of no other way I could gain access to this place, so I fixed up the forgery as ap ep er. ’ , ‘* Well, sir, having arrived so far, now what is your business?” ‘I will tell you, if you will grant me your attention. You will probably recognize some of the points. of the case, by having heard of them before. ** To begin with: years ago—it matters not just how many—the daughter of a wealthy and aris- tocratic New England family eloped with a worthless laboring man, and despite the fact that expert detectives were sent out after them they eluded pursuit, and escaped to the wilds of the West. are they have remained, unheard from, until about six months ago, when the man, Joe Bird by name, wrote back to one of his Eastern associates of former days, disclos- ing bis whereabouts. ‘* He wrote that he was the inmate of a Mor- mon village, where he was doing well, and had several wives—that his first wife, and _ his daughter, Bertie by name, were still living; the latter in the Mormom settlement, and the for- mer a raving Maniac in the mountains. Shortly prior to the reception of this news, the father and only surviving parent of Bird’s first wife— whose maiden name was Margaret Mather— made his will and less than a week afterward died. ‘‘ His will disposed of a snug little fortune, as follows: To the child of his only daughter, Margaret Bird by name, if sucha child be liv- ing, he bequeated two thirds of his entire wealth; to Cleve Carlison, if he be living, the remaining one-third, providing said Cleve Car- LT lison found, courted and wed said child, be it a girl, of said Margaret Mather Bird. In case Cleve Carlison be not alive, the third third to go to Arthur Carlison, providing he fulfill the same terms exacted of Cleve Carlison, should said child of Margaret Bird be a girl. In event of no female heir being born to said Margaret Bird up to the date of the publication of the will, or in event of either Cleve or Arthur Carlison’s not wedding such female heir of Margaret Bird, should one exist, within three years after date of will—then the third third to go to a local church society. ‘‘As the third third of the fortune my friend left behind him, amounts to the sum of about thirty thousand dollars, you can readily see that I am anxious to meet the daughter of Joe and Margaret Bird.” *T should prema so,” Cordiz remarked, gruffly. ‘‘And so you have come here with a view of capturing this prize, have you?” ‘You've hit it, exactly.” ‘‘ But how about this Cleve Carlison?’ “Oh! he’s not in my way. He was a reckless, harmless sort of a fellow, who has been roving about the West for some years past, and at last accounts had been shot and killed by the In- dians, down in Arizona, thus leaving me master of the situation. I presume this Bertie Bird is still a resident of this place, and is to be seen?” ‘Well, I promunee not!” the Don replied, with asneer. ‘If the information will give you any satisfaction, Miss Bird is already engaged to me, and is about to add to her happiness, short- ly, in becoming one of my several Wied ( Arthur Carlison uttered an oath. ‘‘ Your wife!” he ejaculated. ‘‘ By heaven, no—-this must not be, sir!” ‘* Allow me to know best!” Cordiz said flercely. “When any one bas to say what sball, or what shall not be done, in this town, I presume you'll learn it is always myself. You have come here on a fool’s errand, young man, and according to our laws, you cannot again leave this valley, which you have the Preetoth of as long as you mind your business and earn your own living. If you become in any way meddlesome or obnoxious I[ shall hand you over to the Danites. So you can go now, and let me see no more of ou. White with rage, Carlison arose. ‘1 will go,” he said, ‘‘and I'll look to it that you never marry her whom I have come so far to secure.” Once outside, however, a more furious fit struck bim. ; “The outlook is devilish bad, but Pll not give up. His Prophetship will find that I am a worse man to deal with than my genteel appearance implies,” CHAPTER VII. IN THE RING! y A¥tTER the departure of Arthur Carlison from the Cordiz mansion, the Don sat awhile longer in his easy-chair, evidently in an unenviable frame of mind, judging by the frown of dis- pleasure that clouded his brow. ‘*Curse the fellow! He must not see the girl, for she is the very one to fallin love with a baby-face like his. I must enjoin harsher measures to prevent so many strangers enterin 5 this gulch. It is evident that the witch, Ol Meg, is growing less particular how she serves me, | He rapped smartly upon the floor with his cane; a door of an adjoining room opened, and a queer dwarfed figure appeared, whose shaggy- haired head was double the ordinary size, and whose eyes were made to match and were wild in their glare. _ Pietro!” the Don said, speaking sharply to him, “ how is the bird of Bird’s this morning?” rn Shure, she’s as sassy an indepindant as iver, yer honor,” Pietro replied, with a strong Irish accent, which proved that he was not an Italian, as his name would seem to imply, “Her independence will have to be toned down a little, I fear,” Cordiz said, darkly. ‘‘ Show her into my presence, Pietro.” With a nod of satisfaction the dwarf dis- appeared, and soon returned, half dragging by the wrist a young and pretty maiden of some seventeen summers—a fair-haired lassie, whose face was fresh and beautiful, whose gray-black eyes sbone lustrously, whose whole appearance was neat, refined and intelligent. ‘‘Unhand me, ruffian!” she gasped, as Pietro ushed her forward into the Don’s presence. ‘Sir?’—turning to the Prophet—‘‘ have you no manhood or manly honor, that you permit me to be abused by that misshapen wretch?” ‘‘None whatever, miss, until you are tamed sufficiently well to know who your master is!” | JOO eGom Cc ¢S) (E(@)