Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 388 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

NS Sas raga The candle being per gnied, he took the paper from the table where Micky had laid it. ‘‘ What the deuce is this?” he muttered, as he kuvit his brows over the deciphering of the cbar- acters traced on the paper. They read: **Don Carlos has an appointment at the Double- shuftie to-night If you have the nerve and the savvy to take him, now is your chance. ‘‘A FRIEND oF LAW AND ORDER.”’ The marshal crumpled the missive in his strong grip, and stood with his eyes fixed on vacancy, weighing the probabilities of a snare. He had not openly declared war against Don Carlos. though his friends bad swaggered about and offered extravagant bets that he was “lay- in’ fur him,” and would ‘“‘fetch him to book \ +47? vit! Was the ontlaw taking the initiative, and i daring him to a trial of wits? ‘*Phwat is it?” asked Micky McClosky. ; | His chief made no reply. The Irishman scratched his head, and tried to take matters philosophically. Then came another interruption—this time, the bold, decided steps of honest, men. } _ “We've found him in his roost,” said a voice, 6 t *©You kin see the light under the door.” ‘*There are no windows, apparently,” observed another. » Then came a decided knock and the sound of shuffling feet. **Who’s byar?” asked the marshal, as before. i.) **Con Barry, and a gent to see the Marshal o’ Two Bits,” was the sonorous reply. With astride the marsbal reached the door, and swung it wide. He knew that Con would not be a party to any treachery. | ‘*Come in,” he invited. ; “This hyar gent kin introduce bimself, and tell his own business,” said Con. ‘I don’t pre- tend to know one or the other.” The marshal looked inquiringly at the stran- er. , ‘*What kin I do fur you, sir?’ he asked; and went on, without break: ‘‘T shall have to ask you to come to the int at once, as I have pressing business to attend to.” ‘*T am sorry to find you preoccupied,” said Senor Fabriano, as he paused on the threshold. He thought bis reception an ungracions one, and that the marshal’s ‘‘ business” was only a pretext. ) ) a At first he was inclined to resent this brusk reception; but then came the consideration of how much he bad at stake, and how this man might, if he would, aid him in the accomplish- ment of his mission. He therefore tried to re- press the flush of indignation that mantled bis swarthy cheek, and went on: ‘‘T have come many miles to frustrate a great wrong. But todo so it will be necessary to meet and overcome men as bold as they are un- scrupulous, What you have accomplished among the lawless characters of this section has led me to believe that you are the man best able to help me tocope with this villainy. There is money to be—” “Excuse me,” interrupted the marshal, ‘TI see that your business will require time. I will see you later. Just now I shall have to bid you good-evening.” He turned to McClosky and said: “Put out the light, and follow me,” He then advanced to the door and stood hold- ing it open. Senor Fabriano and Con Barry passed bim, the former with a deep flush on bis cheek, the latter «vincing a strong disposition to whistle sarcastically. Micky McClosky put out the light as he was bid, and followed his chief, without a word. Together they walked rapidly past their visi- tors toward the center of the camp. ** Waal,” drawled Con, “did they put us out along with the candle?” A Senor Fabriano made no reply, but strode silently along, no doubt reflecting on the hea- ~~ thenish manners of the Americanos. URES As Jake Probst approached the Double-zhuf- Ha? lsh os was accosted by an excited man who cried: ‘* Jake, you’re jest the man we're after!” __“T have no time to attend to you now,” said the marshal, impatiently. ws ** The deuce you hain’t!” cried the other, not - at all abasbed. ‘‘ Waal, maybe you've got e3u aon to Hyeecke to Don Carlos!”’ at at once arrested the marsbal’s attention. —! Don Carlos? What of him?” wr _ ° * Ab! that means business, does it?” laughed Little Oh-my. the other, ‘‘I thougbt it would fetch you, But if you’ve got somethin’ else on hand—” ‘Don’t play the fool, Abe!” growled the marshal, who seldom relished a joke at his ex- ense. ‘‘ What have you got to say about Don arlos?” ‘* We've dropped onto him!” ‘* Very likely!” ‘Oh, we have! the slip ag’in.” ‘** Of course!” ‘* But not before we got his ear-marks.” The marshal pulled out his watch, after the manner of a man wbo means to intimate that he is bored. Abe Markoff, who was a good-natured fellow, laughed. ‘*?’ll be hanged if you ain’t the sassiest galoot in this byar section o’ country,” he said. ‘* I'd see yoe to Kingdom Come before l’d give you the cue, ef you couldn’t git it from the next man you met, without my help. But you might as well know that Don Carlos is the hop-o’-my- thumb that they cal] Little Oh-my !” ‘‘How do you know?’ asked the marshal, quietly. In bis varied experience be bad learned that, as ‘‘ there is nothing so uncertain as a dead-sure thing,” so there is nothing so probable as that which on the face of it appears the most impro- bable. Therefore he was too shrewd to express the incredulity he felt where he might meet in- controvertable proof. Markoff related what had occurred on the ar- rival of the coach. ‘‘ And where is this warning?’ asked Probst, remembering the intelligence of a similar na- ture that he had received. ‘*T reckon Con Barry’s got it.” **Con Barry!” There was a spice of annoyance in the mar- shal’s voice. ‘‘ Hyar he comes to speak fur himself,” said Markoff. ‘*Who’s this hyar takin’ my name in vain? asked Con, as he come up. ‘“ What is it about a warning that you are said to have?” asked the marshal. ‘* Why, yes,” said Con, furnbling in his pocket, ‘* Maybe you'd like to see it.” ‘Why didn’t you show it to me when I first saw you?” ‘* Waal, you see, you was so busy—” ‘* Hand it over!” growled the marshal, ‘‘ Jest remember that that tharis my sli band, an’ ef it’s all the same to you, don’t pull it off!” said Con, as Probst took the paper from him, ‘‘Thar’s some folks in this hyar camp tbat’s gittin’ too all-Ared smart!” growled the marshal. ‘*T shouldn’t wonder ef one o’ these days, after a pow shuffle, we’d find some o’ the jacks miss- in’! This fizureof speech called for no interpreter. A dead silence ensued, while Probst walked off to compare the ‘‘ warning” with what be had so mysteriously received. The writing corresponded. It was apparent pas there was a traitor in the camp of the out- aws, It was also evident that he feared to let his identity be known, doubtless well aware that bis life would not be worth the price of a glass of whisky if he was once *‘ spotted.” ‘‘ Thar’s something in this,” said the marshal to himself. ‘ But the trick is to know my man when I see him. Confound the coward! Why didn’t he at least give me someclew? I wonder whether it can be the boy, after all.” He sought the men who had been in the coach and put them through a rigid cross-examination —all but the Spaniard. After his brusk treat- ment of him it was not an easy thing to go to him for a favor. In the midst of this the camp was thrown ipto sudden excitement by the sounds of strife com- ing from the Double-shuffle saloon. ‘Murder! Murder!” rung out the startling cry. ** Who’s down?” **Miiado, the Greaser! eut out of him at last.” ** It’s a wonder that it wasn’t done long ago.” ** Who downed him?” “His leetle woman! I always knowed that she had the devil in her.” ‘‘He worreted ber into it—you may depend on that. Sarved him right. Flesh an’ blood can’t stan’ everything,” Witb these and a hundred other cries in his ears, Jake Probst ran to the Double-shuffle where the wildest confusion prevailed, shrouded by the darkness. ‘A light!—a light!” he commanded, But unluckily he’s give us He’s had the heart 5 ae ee ee eo And a light was struck, revealing a bloody corpse stretched on the floor, But what bad becomeof Lola? Nobody could tell. CHAPTER V. LOLA. As‘an offset to its many abominations, Two Bits had one thing of beauty rags tna The women knew that Lola Milado was not one of them, though she did not excite them to anger by refusing to mingle with them when oc- casion required. The men, admiring her broadly, ‘‘ kept their distance.” Not to mention black-browed Rafaelle, who was a dangerous man, the little Mexican beauty was known to carry a stiletto in her garter after the fasbion of her countrywomen, an was believed to have the spirit and skill to use it. The gossips bad it that the ill assorted pair were cousins—that Rafaelle was madly in love with the child-woman to whom he held the posi- tion of guardian, but that she was restive under his jealous tyranny; and they openly predicted that some day he would goad her to an act of desperation. The comraunity was therefore prepared to ac- cept that interpretation of a tragedy in which Rafaelle should be the victim. As to all of her race, the dance was to Lola an infatuation. She regarded a gracefully execut- ed pirouette as a work of art; and anything ap- proaching awkwardness filled her with keen ain, - ‘ Now it happened that Rafaelle was heavy on his feet, which would forever prevent her from admiring bim, On the other band, Andres was as graceful in his way as she; and without car- ing for him as a man, she thought him a ravish- ing partner in the dance. Out of this preference grew up a fierce jeal- ousy, which boded bloodshed. But as Rafaelle glared and frowned and gnawed bis mustache with deadly hatred, Andres held bim in check with that smile of taunting nonchalance which daunts the boldest because it is unfathomable. It will be remembered that Andres had parted with Senor Valai.quez, after the arrangement of their plot, to rejoin Lola in a redowa. Rafaelle was furious, The working of his features and bis fierce mutterings attracted the attention of many who enjoyed his chagrin. The dance was at its bight. Lola bad for- gouten everything save the ravishing cadences of the music to which her nimble feet kept per- fect. time. The changes of the dance brought her into the vicinity of Rafaelle, when Andres cast a signifi- cant glance toward a group at the other side of the room. Instantly an uproar arose. Then came a cry :— . f The lights! the lights! Put out the lights!” And so promptly that there could be no doubt that the movement had been pre-arranged, the room was in total darkness, ‘It is a conspiracy!” shouted some one. “ Don Carlos is at the bottom of it!” At that, cries of alarm arose in all parts of the room. The frightened crowd rushed in every direc- tion, falling over eacb other in their efforts to get out of the room. In the midst of this dire confusion a woman’s shrill voice rose from the spot where Lola Milado had been last seen, crying: ‘‘ Ah! monster, how dare you?” A savage oath in Rafaelle’s harsh tones fol- lowed, } ‘Fiends! you have given me my death!” said a voice which all who heard it recognized as his. Then in the suppressed tones of terror came the words:, ‘¢ Mother of God! I have done it!” And something fell to the floor, Those who heard it shuddered, It was such a sound as would: be caused by the fall of a dagger. Close upon it followed a groan, and the heavy body of a man went to the floor witha crash, There was a general rush away from the spot where all believed a ghastly corpse lay on its back in the darkness, When the lights went out Lola, who was pirouetting at the moment, essayed to seize ber escort, that clinging to him she might receive the protection of his greater strength from the rush of the crowd. Moreover she bad just then caught sight of Rafaelle’s writhing features, and was seized with a sudden apprehension that he pone 4” ’ ey - = é i