Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 281 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

of my own, and like to cateh up ideas of how to arrange if.” To herself she said: ‘Now, l’ll see for myself, if there is a pris- oner in the shebang.” They did the ground floor first, in all depart- ments; then the cellar, where Bessie treated her guest toa sip of wine: then tbe up-stairs was visited, Denver Doll’s sharp eyes noting every point and pester ys And a teeling of disappointment came over lher, after the last apartment had been visited, and no prisoner discovered, ‘* Maybe it’s only a ,ut-up job to throw me off track, though,” flashed across her mind. They returned to the parlor, and resumed conversation. ‘‘Have you many gentleman acquaintances? Doll asked, casually. ‘“‘Noue very intimate. It is papa’s wish that I do not form many here.” And as she spoke, she raised her left hand, and arranged her frizzes. At which Doll gave a violent start, unnoticed by the other. She saw upon the engagement finger of the banker’s step daughter, a peculiar ring—the same that had attracted her atiention, when she was a prisoner in the camp of Captain Crime. There could be no doubt of this in her mind— it was the same large brilliant diamond, in the curious hand-shaped setting of gold. For a moment she was undecided what to say er do, for the thought was flashing through her mind—‘‘ where did the banker's daughter get possession of the ring, except through the agency of the chief of the Terrible Tribunal, or one of his men?” After she had fully recovered from her sur- prise, which had caused an awkward lull in their conversation, she said: “t That is a very curious and pretty ring you ear? ‘‘ Isn’t it?’ Bessie replied, with rather a ner- vous glance at the inquirer. ‘‘I think ever so much of it!” ‘‘ A present from a friend, I suppose?” ‘‘Yes—to my mother, many years ago, It is a sort of heirloom in our family.” ‘‘That’s a lie!” Doll inwardly commented. ‘‘Ah! my pensive maiden, you may be very demure and modest, but you are very sly and fox like, nevertheless, I think I've stirred up a root of a subsequent development, in this visit. I'll tackle you in a new way, and then take leave. it’s not practicable to rush matters, too t.’ After little more desultory conversation, Doll arose: ‘‘Well, L guess I must be going,” she an- nounced, with a smile. ‘By the way, do you happen to have change for a hundred dollar note, with you? It isso hard to get a large bill broken.” ‘Indeed, I haven’t. Papa could surely ac- eommodate you, at the bank,” was the reply. ‘‘ And so could you, Miss Minx, if you have not passed your’ money over to a confederate,” was Doll’s thought, as she took leave. ‘‘ You'll bear apg. During their interwew, in referring to the robbery, Bessie had said: ‘“‘ How strange tbat no one can be suspicioned! Ié worries papa greatly, and I am sure it would prove a great relief to us all, to have the mys- tery solved. I fancy sometimes the culprit must really be my cousin Ned—don’t it seem so to you?” Doll had replied, undecidedly. Once to herself, the thought came to ber; “Tf that girl is guilty, and has confederates, will she not seek to avert suspicion by implicat- ing Ned? I'll stake my life on it, he’s not guilty. He stood my cross-questioning too well?” Dropping into the one where she had met: Ned Losay the night previous, she was sur- parse to find him there still, instead of at the n His position, was something the same as at their previous meeting, and his face wore rather a di dent expression. ‘* Hello!” Doll exclaimed, cheerfully, psre- ing into a chair, across the table. ‘‘ What's matter? Why are you not at the bank?” Ned smiled faintly. “Ob! Pm suspended, until this mystery is solved. He thought it would be best.” ‘* He aprakd ah oe me. This ee may put the real c on guard, w pes / Fa throw suspicion on you.” ‘*T see!” Ned nodded, dubiously, ‘‘I had no ghoice, you ee to mae owe ” bi “Of course. Let it pass. By the way, have yom change for a hundred-dollar note?” i Denver Doll’s Victory. Without hesitation he took a roll of money from his pocket, and gave her ten tendollar notes, receiving in return a crisp bundred-dollar greenback. Doll examined the bills carefully; then, se- lecting one from the lot, tore it into fragments. Ned uttered an ejaculation of astonishment. ‘* Why did you do that?’ he demanded. “ Because it was one of the notes stolen from the bank last night!” He turned very white. ‘*My God! Then you believe me the thief?” “Some would—I do not. But 1 want you to tell me where you got the money?” pypleal took out the roll of bills, and extracted a ty. ‘*The balance I won on faro,” he said. ‘ Af- ter leaving you, 1 played, and won, and lost, all night, at Red Mike’s. It would be bard to tell where the bill came from, as the c. jer held the money he took in, in bis fist, al the time. Usually ten dollars’ worth of ivories were bought of him at a time by each of the five laying, and when a twenty note was given im, he of course handed back a ten.” ‘*l am glad you explain so frankly, and that I tapped that note before it ae further. Iam satistied of your honesty, and am going to snare the guilty person before long ” ‘Thank you! thauk you for in me!” the said, seizing her hand, and raising it to his lips. “ Honor I hold sacred, and I now know they cannot steal it from me, with such an invincible advocate as you!” ‘‘Do not be too sure. Watch your actions, ann pean get tripped. Look at your money, She then arose and departed, followed by his admiring glance, for he felt he had met the only woman he could ever aferward care for. On her way to the hotel, she mre into the doorway-of 09) (ene but a shake of Mos- by’s head caused her to go on ber — As she was about entering the hotel, the gray- bearded man she had met before came out and tipped his hat politely. ‘Wonder who be is?” Doll mused. ‘ Some- how it strikers me his business, here in Nugget Notch, is of some importance.” She went up-stairs and traversed the hallway leading to her room. As she was passing the door of the room ad- joining her own, a slip of paper partly pro- truding from under the door, attracted her attention, At first she was about to pass it by, but on neces thought changed her mind, and procured your confidence oung man t. Without pausing she went on to her room, where she examined it. It ran as follows: nf a Rens oF ! meeting to-night at M——’s, at usual hour, Important business. Don't fail to he cnet That was all, but its significance, to Doll, was reat, “The six dots means number six.” she inter- preted. ‘The C, C, stands tor Captain Crime —that’s plain as pie. The whole thing summed up means that there’s going to be a meeting of the it Tribunal, at M——'s, wherever that may be— Just then the door was burst open, and Little Bill came tumbling end over end into the room, shrieking with laughter. He Janded upon his back on the floor, where he rolled and kicked and roared, until Doll was forced to laugh, too! “Stop! stop, you young rattlepate! What are you raising such a racket about?” she de- man shaking him, vigorously.. But the more she shook him, the harder he laughed, until it seemed as if his puny frame could not withstand the strain upon it, Finally he found relief in words: “Oh! Jerusalem! Oh! Holy Moses in the bullrushes! stop me! choke me! [ shall ker- splode. Oh! ob: Ouch—ah!” By this time the hall was filled with curious people, who crowded forward to see what was he matter. CHAPTER VIII. PLOTTING. Anout the same time that Little Bill was taken with his pgroxysm of laughter: n Ainsley sat upon the settee in the ublic part of his coon pi Page gm in = a p So a z 4 ze upon ¢ oor, and bis brows wale united in perplexity. “There are two wa about it. I must send for Felice. served me once for money, | yer a — eed --—_lh 2 - iin ——aEee — re << 9 eg ee —— $e a and she weuld no doubt be glad to do the same. They live a sort of miserable existence, after squandering the other money—up in the moun- tains semewhere, I believe. No doubt it suits the old man well enough, but the girl bas an in- herent craving for manen to put ber on an equal footing with some her more fashienable sisters—that’s what has knocked in bead what- ever scruples may beve ‘been born in her. hardly know exactly ae use I should put her to were she bere, still, I fancy I could utilize her, for something tells me I may need some one eminently trusty to work for me by and by. S mehow, I don’t put any too much confidence in the female ferret, Denver Doll. She has ’most too sharp eyes and wits, and would just as quick work up a case against me a8 any one else. If Felice were bere, I could trust her— that is, lam pretty certain I could. To be sure she went off in kind of a huff, because I would not make love to her. But glittering gold is what causes ber dusky eyes to sparkle. If Philip should get free, | should pn her more than ever, for 1 think he knows that Kate and the singer were one and the same, and should he escape and not find ber, he would raise the earth but what he would discover her where- abouts! Ha! ba! I think she is safe, and am satisfied no one knows anything in regard to her disappearance,” ** Ye do, hey?” Ainsley looked up with a startled ery, The door was open, and a man stood upon the threshold—a burly, ragged, uncouth, be- whiskered mountaineer, with blood shot eyes, and an expression of countenance that was any- thing but pretty. “Ye do, bey?” he grunted, advancing into the office. ‘‘ Waal, mebbe ye do, but hyar is what would like to know wharshe is—d’yeheer? Whar’s Felice?” ‘Ob! it’s you, is it, Falqueer? Didn’t know you at first, The devil’s always near at hand when you're talking about him, they say.” “Thet bain’t w’ot I axed yef” queer growled. ‘‘I cum down byar arter Felice, w’ot run away ag’in, an’ I jest want her.” “Why, man, I baven’t seen her for several ears! “Ye lie, durn ye. I jest heerd mention her name, Better not fool wi’ me, insi 3; ye —_— I never did hev a good name in church ‘*So F am aware. But sit down; I was wishing Felice bere, as I have some more work for her. You know I paid her well before.” “Bah! dang it, ye got yer jobdone dirt cheap. Ye didn’t use ber right. Ye orter marvied her, and sot me up in bizness.” The banker laughed., “That would have been nice, wouldn’t it? But I wasn’t a fool,” he retorted. “Nuther was she. She never got over the slight. Ye couldn’t git her now, nohow, ‘cause why, she’s sperienced religion!” Ainsley laughed aloud, “ What nonsense |’ ; “Nary! She got it bad. She sed she'd did wrong, an’ was comin’ heer to make u hump fer it. Thet’s ther kind o’ religion Felice hez.” “A new 308, I should say.” — “You'll think so. An’ now, I want you to pan her out.” ‘‘T haven’t got her, nor even have seen het!” ‘‘Look out! Mind, ef I ketch ye lyin’ I'll slit poguier o . ‘*T don’t lie.” ‘‘Queer. She started furst.” ‘‘ Maybe she got smashed up in the accident on the U. P.?” “Don’t believe a word of it. She was allus too ’feard o’ keers, war Felice.” ‘‘Well, be that as it may, I reiterate once more, and for the last, that I haven’t the slight- est idea where your daughter is; so let that set- _ tle it, and bother me no more.” “Won't I?” Falqueer sneered Goggetly,. a! est kinder keep a watch on ye till I find whar elice is!” He might bave added, “‘ Because I am aware that you have got a woman away in captivity somewhere.” Then, with a hitch at his corduroy breeches, be turned and made bis de , " the devil take that fellow!” the banker growled savagely when he was gone. “ Some- thing tells me that he will yet make me trouble. He is an ugly customer at and I could well wish him out of the way.” | The dawn of the new day had ‘brought a r-°- vived interest throughout Nugget Notch é682 cerning the late railroad accide éqront When the miners and citizens straggled forth apon the street in the morning, were mIEDOOKS (E (0)