Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 281 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

t . best --—— —— Phil. He’s bin u nor’ -est for years, Bin around the vicinity o’ the Atlanta winee for hary six months, tilla day ortwosince, Why, e's Harrison Ainsley’s sou, and thisis ther way the old man takes to get even with him!” “Ts this true?” Sinclair asked, turning to Pa- cific Phil. ‘““Parfectly, although this testimony is unex- pected. Denver Doll can tell you as to the latter reference.” “It is tene!’ Doll said. - ‘* Bet it is!” chimed in Little Bill, ‘* Allow me to state the balanco,” the unknown stranger said, rising. ‘*The prisoner and my- self have been companions for several years as prospectors and miners, as I can produce ample proof, and we have not been in this vicinity over ten days.” ‘No further testimony is needed!” Sinclair said, rapping upon the box. “ Pacific Phil is pronounced guiltless of the charge preferred,” Then little Bill Betbel sprung to the front of the platform, and yelled: ‘‘Hurrah for Percific Phil, the squarest pard of ’em all—hip! hip! hooray!” Probably, never in all the days of Nugget Notch was there ever such a hearty cheer given as in response to Little Bill’s toast. The crowd fairly howled themselves hoarse, and while the party of the prosecution slunk away, the victorious left the platform, and made their way toward the hotel, Pacific Phil's stalwart manly form in the lead, and Denver Doll by bis side. It was an open defeat to villainy, and a strik- ing exemplification of a motto that every one should consider: “ Right is might, in the end.” Perhaps among those bitterly disappointed at the termination of the trial was the banker, Harrison Ainsley! and scarcely less so was Deputy Mar-bal King—both beaten at their villainous conspiracy. Some time after the conclusion of the hear- ing, and a little before nightfall, the trio of vil- lains, Beau Blonde, King, and Alnsley, met by chance, near the bank. Each wore a rather grim expression, and each stared hard at the other, The banker was the first to speak: ‘Well, it has turned out a fine kattle of fish, hasn’t it? he growled. ‘Mr, B., I thought sure ou could be depended on, at least. Your block- eads yrould have been a disgrace to a peniten- tiary. 7 ie 4 very sorry! but I did my best sir!’’ the gambler declared, obsequiously. ‘Never mind!” King consoled. ‘* We've been beaten; I’m whipped! we all are! but, I am not conquered! Will you put upa thousand on that, banker Ainsley?” CHAPTER XIl. A WRONGED WIFE'S SCORN. Denver Dou, Pacific Phil, and Little Bill went at once to the former's room at the Mountain View hotel, for the purpose of holding a conference, as it wanes over what was their next best course of ac- on. The st r, who had been introduced to Denver Boll, by Phil, as Mr. Conroy, was also invited into the confab, as he was the father of Kathleen, Pacific Phil's errs who had been so wrongfully separated : We have had a gpod vic , © start with,” Penver Doll said, “ ee mark my word—there’'s trouble ahead, yet. Three men were badly disap- pointed at the result of the hearing, and they were respectively Harrison Ainsley, Beau Blonde, and the uty-m . There you have a trio of as evil scam ps as ever lived, and ray Pio hg Ace power ike to do @ pile of mischief, in a cam ara ; ith yeu,” ye at be eutside this circle; “ I co # identity is met known erelons T ain in no danger. But, you, Phil, had keepclose to cover, as 1 should deem it unsafe for you W reappear, on the street, where you would make a good target for a lurking assassin. We know not what means the enemy will adopt to get the gee and it is best we sheuld be careful! “Well, perhaps yeu are right,"’ Pacific assented, “but I htily hate to be shut up. It goes against my grain the worst kind. I want revenge on my inbuman and unfatural parent, and I’m bouad to ve t ” *There’s time ernuff fer that, Pacific,” put in Little Bill. ‘* Jest you leave ther hull caboodle to us cetectives, an’ I’ avenge, all fer yerself. Recomember I've taken 3r case in tow, an’ it's ‘portant that ye should yteid to my 4 judgment!” “ Look eut, Bill, you er your jaw by launch- ing Into such a torrent of choicew ’ Doll ayerred., Qh! that's enly the eddication I'm tri’ thrv’ *aoc‘atin’ wi’ yeu!’ Bill flashed back. “ SndOze Nom, so I'll be fresh fer to-night. Got dead loads of bianess then,"’ ye have much to look out for,” Doll declared. “ ey . Conroy, we will leave our ch Phil, in your care while we are on duty e to put things vo rights,” save you a furst-class slice of ‘m im fera , Pacific eavoring a rs ce ee a | Denver Doll’s Victory. The two men then retired to their room, after | which Denver Doll and her young apprentice in- | dulged in a short nap, for it was hard to tell what | the next few hours would bring forth, or what active werk they weuld have to do. When they awakened it was already early even- ing, and their room was quite dark. “it's time we were en the alert!’ Denver Doll anneunced. ‘ What are you going to do, boy?" “T'm going to try and get my bread hooks on them papers w’ot Pacific wants,"’ Billy answered, “Arter | hat, I reckon I'll try to interview my old gal, Kate." *Woll, go ahead, you young rat, but look out that ye don't get caught in a trap.” ‘Call mea shad if I do,” Billy replied. “I know I’ve got kinder a curious job before me, but I've got the pluck to tackle it, anyhow. Used ter live on trout plucks up in eur camp. Oh! but I tell -you | they war boss. What’s your lay out fer ter-night?” “I'm goimg to try and leara the import of the meeting to-night, which I spoke of as having been ordered by the Terrible Tribunal. Iam quite desir- eus of knowing what new scheme that august body bas on foot; and, too, I reckon I may stand a chance of spotting some of the ringleaders, so that I will know them when I see them again.” ““Guess it's you what better look out!’’ was Bill's opinion, “Ef any of that gang gits their digits on ye agin, remember it will go hard with you, for Little Rif] won't be around to help you.” “Tl try and bear that in mind,” and Doll smiled. “You had better start now, and see what you can root out. Here's a duplicate key, if you should return here before ido, If I don’treturn, you will know I’m nailed.” About dusk, Harrison Ainsle dence, in by no means the best of humor, and sought the parlor, where Miss Bessie was seated, engaged in reading a novel. ~ She glanced up, carelessly, and then resumed read- | | | ing. “Well!” the banker growled, throwing himself into achair, ‘*‘ What have you to say y” * Nothing particularly, as I know!" Bessie replied, in ppeming surprise. ‘‘ What did you expect me to say, papa” **T want you to givean explanation of yourself. What secret of mine do you know, girl? Speak! don’t lie to me, or it will be the worse for you!” “Secret? Why. papa, I was not aware that you had a secret; indeed, I wasn't!" the girl exclaimed, in apparent astonishment, . “Bah! You cannot deceive me. J have a secret | —a deep, dark secret at that—and I am satisfied entered his resi- that you have in some way come into possession of it. Come, own up now!" “T cannot own that which is not true,”’ Bessie replied, firmly. ‘* You never tell me of any of your matters; so, how could you expect me to know your att 0 | t girl hall tit = ou are lying to me, , you shall repent it. Another thing I want to know! Where did you get that valuable ring you wear?” “T don’t know, sir, as that matters particularly to ou!’ Bessie flashed back, ‘ Pleade reinember that am of age, and you have no right to demand too much of me.” ‘What? Throw that in my face, will you—I who have supa ted you and kept you above want? I deman know where you got that ring. Refuse to tell me, and I will turn you from my house!” Bessie grew pale at this, and trembled. She knew that he meant all he said. If turned upon the world, to earn ber own MR! what would she do? Sull, she hesitated, evidently loth to betray the secret of how she came into possession of the ring. “Come! come! speak up!"’ Ainsley cried, sternly. ‘“*T will tolerate no equivocating.”’ ‘* The ring was ea present to me, by an ac- quaintance. Now, is that enough?” “By no means! Who is this acquaintance? I want to know?" “ A gentleman—a suitor for my hand!" “The devil! His name?” * Beau Blonde!" | The banker leaped rom his chair, as though he had recetved an elex shock. ** Beau Blonde !—the infernal gambler and scamp! You entertaining Ais suit?” * Exactly!” Ho is a perfect gentleman, and more phan, Ae if you must know, my betrothed bus- | The banker was evidently too astonished to speak, | for he paced the ftoor like an en tiger. ‘“*T presume very likely you sanction the match," Bessie said, sweetly, ‘as it would be real cruel of vt vor Wa lik th ‘Very, very likely!" was the savage answer, as the banker nr gt ins the room, and went up- 8 Passing along the hall toward the front of the | house, he presently came to a halt, and gave a sud- | k upon a common nail which was in the northern wall. Tn response, a portion of the wall, which was but a partition, at that point, slid aside, and a small room was revealed, which Ainsley entered, closing the panel behind him. The room was neatly furnished with a conch, chairs and table and carpet. Upon the couch, attired im the same dress she bad worn at the the- | ater, yoy reclined the beautiful stnger, Rienzio, or | as we Bh Pacific Phil, Her face was culin In expression, as ‘he bauker | Humph! I'm counted a rich enteral but her eyes gleamed with a fir. not usn- ere, A movement of her arm discovered the fact thac all both wrists were secured separately with s band, ; him, not knewing what the SEDER | ET RE ETON AS TET | asm. | you increase my adoration for you, tenfold?” spo 13 - SSIES NER ee + to which was fastened long. slender chains which were connected with the wall. he banker seated himself with a suave smile, quite in ceutrast with the expression of countenance he had worn, whex down-stairs. ‘* Well, my fair Kathleen, how do I find you this evening?” “ Precisely as you see me—the prisoner of a vil- lain!’ Kate replied, coldly. ‘* Bravely—I may say dramatically spoken, dear!” Ainsley returned, with a show of apparent enthusi- ‘‘Do you know, whem you fire up that way ‘* And at each tinte | set eyes upon you, my loath- ing for you increases a hundred-fold, you monster!” “Put! tut! you are a little too harsh, You know you secretly love me. So I will pass your seeming rudeness by, as I am aware that you only use it asa feint, because you wish to tantalize nie. ip Bore iad been _ way, I told you that my scapegrace son | arrested on the charge of being the notorious out- law, Captain Crime, Well, they gave him a fair and square trial this afternoon—I insisted on that, although he had threatened, A ey yr, that he would take your life and mine, hat do you sup- pose the result of the trial was, dear Kathleen?’ “T have not the slightest idea!'’ was the reply of the wronged wife. She lay there, more resembling a marble statue than a living person, for all the color had gone from her face, But her eves still burned with that unconquerable determination not to yield to the impression caused by the words of the villain before her, “Well, I will tell you the result,” her tormentor went on. “I used my utmost ¢xertions to break down the fee evidence that was brought against him, but to no purpose, He was proven, fair and square, to be Captain Crime, whose deeds of terror are widely known, and was sentenced to be hung, to-morrow, at sunrise. It is not improbable however, that he wiil be taken from the jail and lynchéd, to-night," ' “Well?” Calm as calm could be, not a tremor in her voice, or an expression of sorrow upon her face, gazed at her enemy sternly, as she spoke, * Well,” the banker went on, “poor Philip must die, and with his death, of course, perishes all your hopes of ever being reu to him, bigamist and scoundrel that he is.” “Not yd any means. Do you know, Harrison Ainsley, t a have long since given up the idea that poor Phil ever had another wife than me? I it was who am to blame for our separation, when I should have roa Fe my husband, though ten thousand women him. I should have geod. whim, and given him a chance to vindicate mself,’ ’ * But the certificate—the proof of the former mar- with Felice Falqueer—"’ “Was a cleverly trumped-up forgery designed to en us, and the young woman was an adventuress, red for the purpose. I believe this as I believe wy But, child! child! who could have had ‘auy desire ‘But, c who could have to commit such a gross outrage and WEOnE? Ah? but en are fearfully in error.” “T am not! You ask who could have done thir pine, a Hf oe indeed, but you? Who turned his son from house, because he loved me? Who aspired to my hand in marri because he had in some mysterious manner come into possession of that would bring me a fortune? Who, indeed, I ask, but you, scoundrel that you are? ‘Is any ther evidence n t was you, too, who sent the adventuress to break up cus haray home? Oh! Harrison Ainsley, there is a day of comnts for you.” , dag cited ‘Hum you are ge excited over nothing,” the man growled, quailing under her glance. ‘ Your diseased tion causes you to that are utterly us.”” ‘Think whatever you choose." “That is a priv 1 shall SABIONS, pe as- 1 suredly, We may as well nd each other. To-morrow Philip pays th penalty of his ma crimes. Your ppearance caused no naman whatever, as you were nothing more than a strollin mountebank. Noone has, ae will, take the pains ~ inquire about you. In your prison ou are snug and safe, and no ape will ev es your resence. Therefore, here you remain until you go orth as my bride.” : Then here I will remain till I die!’ Kate re- ded. ‘While death would be preferable to 1- ng im this vile durance, it would be doubly welcome to marryi peu. Go, monster!" “Thank you, I will or i have some other business to attend to elaewkere. ._When I return, love, I hope to be received with o arms, a8 a tender lover | like me should be. Ha! ha! ha!” He took his leave, much to the relief of the im- risoned woman. who could but loathe and hate im as one utterly devilish and villainous. CHAPTER XIII. BILLY'S BOLD GAME, After leaving the secret chamber, Ainsley also uitted the house and made his way to the bauk, in the shadows of which Little Bill Bethel was lurking, like some imp of evil, asit were. “Tl see if I can’t trap these robbers to-night,” he nmttered aloud, as he unlocked the door, ‘It won't do for me to lose so much money, lest my de hereafter know her, Kate, the wife of — ae Py mah peg suspect that Ric m care keep my riches where they will not easily be foune.”* He flung door wen and entered. Bare- footed, and a shadow, Little Bill stole in Lohiv:t next mimate would Liing Eomicbooks (E (0)