Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 474 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

‘“¢ Now I do not care to be seen talking to you, A 0 you had better return to your car, and in the a) tae ~ morning come to the Continental and see me,” “* You register there as—” “* Doctor Edwin Edgar.” | *“*Ah, yes. Good-afternoon, doctor,” and Wolf left the drawing-room car and returned to his own. On his way back ah aay a gentleman seat- ed in one of the regular passenger cars of the train. This was the other person to whom I referred as being one of the two who had so strangely met, and strangely parted. ‘That man has a fine face, and I would rather have him for a friend than a foe,” thought Wolf, as he passed him, and was attracted by the stranger’s appearance. He was a person of superb physique, with broad shoulders, and the appearance of one who possessed great strength. His face was clean shaven, every feature strongly cut, and his ruddy complexion, indica- tive of perfect health, gave the idea that he was not as old by half a dozen years as his gray hair + would lead one to suppose. He had a kindly expression in his dark eyes, | and about his resolute mouth was the look of one who had suffered deeply. | He was well dressed, carried little baggage, and was reading a paper, but had glanced up at Wolt as he had passed, and seemingly a judge of human nature, muttered to himself: “ That man is a villain, in spite of his wearing i tthe clothes of a clergyman.” § Hardly had Wolf reached his seat, when there : | came several quick, sharp blasts of the whistle, a sudden jarring of the train, a tremor, a crash, and then from amidst the wreck of the engine vand half a dozen cars arose wails of agony and shrieks of terror from men and women who ‘ tad been crushed and frightened almost to wleath, / P| “* A good shaking up, but nota cut or a bruise, so [can look after those who have’ been less Bir fortunate,” said the man just described, and he + extricated himself from his seat and made his 2 way out of the car, The drawing-room car was next to his, and it lhad been badly wrecked, and many were groan- ing amid the ruins. The splendid-looking man, who had been the sole occupant of the state-room had been hurled ‘from his seat and bad fallen with a force that seemed to.bave killed him, for he lay motionless , an instant, and then he raised his head, glanced ) Se about him, and from his lips broke the cry: ee | ** Great God!” i) eh The words had been uttered at the sight of the vee tall form of the stranger, who, escaping from - AK the other car unhurt, had come suddenly upon 4, 4 _hhis less fortunate fellow-traveler. A It was still daylight, though twilight was gathering, and each man saw distinctly the face of the other. fi * You know me?” said the stranger sternly. | ‘Yes, you are Kent Lomax,” said Elegant ) “Sie Ed, speaking with a seeming effort. ; ‘Yes, 1am Kent Lomax, the man who, six- . teen years ago saved your life, who made you a my friend, took you to the home of the maiden . who was pledged to be my wife, and trusted you ‘ee as one who had honor. th ‘* How did you repay me? . aes ‘You stole from me my promised bride, stole 1 ee ther like a thief ithe night one Christmas Eve, hy the day before our wedding-day. ade ‘She, fascinated by your elegant manners and manly beauty, forgot me, her plain farmer- lover, and fied with you. ‘The shock killed her poor mother, and there was a death in the old farm-house instead of a wedding; and, over the dead body of her mother bs. _ swore revenge against you. “Wve *T sought you out, and forced you to fight e, “T fell, terribly wounded, and you escaped, as T learned from the man who was your second, and who, becoming a tramp, died on my farm, by his having put no bullet in my petal, * After long months I recovered, and for two ay years I was in wretched health; but at last I re- Goat covered, and then once more | sought you far eee. cand wide. “At last I heard that you were dead, that you rey, ihe /had been killed in a railway accident, and I 4 peat ve up the search, and returned to my lonely Ries) ' ane bachelor life on my farm in Maryland. fC 8 To-n'ight I find you here, crushed in this ac- cident; but I swear to you that you shall not wy en ~ Oh, no! I will nurse you back to life, that fF ~~—_—s you may face me as man to man, and give mea (aaa © “ehance avenge the past, f ao i%-- sc - « fae — ‘ ~. = * A : . he Wiora. the Flower Girl. ————e ‘No, no! You shall not die, and I will seek aid to have you borne from here to comfortable quarters, . ‘*T meant to help those in suffering, but the are forgotten now, in meeting you, and I will see that you shall have the best of surgical skill, and all that money can buy, for you must not die; no, you must not die now, but live to fall by my hand !” As the stranger spoke he hastened away in the gathering twilight to seek aid to bear the man he so hated to the nearest place where a refuge could be found, It was not an easy task to find men, in that time of horror to so many, who would leave those they were endeavoring to succor; but. by promising a most liberal reward for their ser- vices, he secured the help of two individuals, who returned with him. ‘*Great heaven! He has gone!” Such was the cry that broke from the stranger’s lips as he returned to the spot to find that Elegant Ed had departed, but whither no one knew, and the groan that seemed to well up from the inmost heart of the strong man, proved how deeply he felt the escape of his foe, CHAPTER III, THE POSSESSOR OF A SECRET. It was the night following the accident on the railroad, in which several had lost their lives, and many had been seriously injured, In a suite of elegant rooms in the Continental Hotel in Philadelphia, reclined upon a lounge the superb form of the Card King. He was pale, and a slight wound upon his head had been skillfully dressed. He had registered upon the hotel books as: ‘*Doctor EDWIN EDGAR, New York,” and had asked fora parlor and bedroom, sent for a physician and made himself comfortable. He had eaten but little of the tempting dinner served in his room, and seemed rather to be lost in deep reverie of an unpleasant kind. Presently a tap came upon his door and a bell-boy entered, and handed him a card that read: ‘REVEREND A. WOLF.” ‘* Ask the clergyman to come up,” he said, to the bell boy, and a few moments after there en- tered the same individual whom the reader will remember was seen in the den of the Land Sharks in New York, and upon the train that met with the serious accident, “Ah, my dear Mr. Wolf, I am glad to see you,” said Elegant Kid, as the bell-boy was clos- ing the door, but the instant after he said in his cynical way: “The devil takes care of his own, I see, Wolf, as you were not killed in that accursed smash- up ‘“T may say the same to you, captain, for I see that you yet live, though you did get your head chipped.” | ‘ ‘Don’t be insolent, Wolf, for that I never tolerate in any one, especially my subordi- nates.” ‘*T am not insolent, but just, captain, as we are both of a kind.” ‘* By Heaven, sir! do you think I am so in- jured as to be incapable of making you feel my power? ** Are you drunk?” and Elegant Ed arose from the lounge. ‘* No, captain, I am painfully sober, and I would not object to a drink at your expense; but we must not quarrel, for I came here with something important to tell you.” ‘Well, sir?” ** Don’t look like a thunder-cloud, captain, but tell me how you escaped in that wreck?’ ‘* Were not any of my men killed?” ‘** Not one, but several were bruised slightly. ‘*But [ am amazed at your escape, as the whole end of your car was torn open.” ‘‘ Yes, and I was hurled outside of it and mo- mentarily stunned, receiving this cut, as you ” ‘*Ts it not dangerous?” ** No, but I do not like it.” ‘‘Tt may mar your good looks, but that is all, and you were fortunate that it was no worse. “T heard that you were very badly hurt, and I went with others to aid you,-and found you gone.” “Yes? But who told you?” ‘* Mr. Kent Lomax,” was the very quiet re- ply, though there was a world of meaning in * os . % ht. ak ee 7 : ., ae ° - ta = alle | = ~~ <a F sss en ———— lll eens — . ee ee ee the way in which it was spoken, and the man calling himself Doctor Edgar realized why it was that bis companion had suddenly assumed a manner toward him that savored of insolence, But though his, face changed ec. lor Doctor Ed- gar asked with assumed indifference: ** And who is Mr. Kent Lomax?” ‘* He told me that he ‘was an old enemy of ours, and more, that you had stolen his lady- ove and then shot him, when he had tracked you, to seek revenge. ‘‘He had recognized you, and believed you seriously injured, and bad gone for help, for he was determined you should live that he might kill you; but you had mysteriously disappeared, and all search for you was unavailing.’ ‘* And he told you all this nonsense?” Bi And more, captain,” was the significant re- oly. ‘* What else?” and Doctor Edgar nerved him- self to hear what else his foe had said. ** He told me this because I had remarked to him that I was a detective.” ‘** Indeed !” ‘* Yes, and so he gave me the particulars, as I have said, told me just who you were, and said he had five thousand dollars ready for me atany time I chose to call upon him and fetae you,” ‘* And so you are to sell me?” sneered Doctor Edgar. ‘*T did not say so, though he paid me a couple of hundred on account, as an earnest that he meant what he said,” ** And you took it?” ‘*Of course I did.” ‘With what intention?” Wolf knew well the man before him and his great strength. He knew, too, his reckless disregard of buman life, aud he did not like the glitter in the dark eyes, so he determined to be very careful. So he said: ‘‘T would not let a chance slip to get hold ofa couple of hundred, captain.” ‘* No, you are right; but did you tell this man Lomax that you could find me?” ** Of course 1 told him that I thought I could; but I am un» traitor to the band, captain; but I am making a big sacrifice in refusing the man’s money as a reward, and I would like to be sec ond in command of the Land Sharks.” ‘ Ah! so as to step into my shoes if I am caught and hanged?” ‘* Naturally I would be commander, if such a sad fate were to befall you; but I have not the mind and talent that you have, and I hope you will be long spared to us, tor no other man could save us from capture, and add to our fortune, as you can. “‘ No, no; I wish you always to be chief, but I would like to be next to you.” ‘*T half way promised it to Tiger,” ‘“ Well, you did not wholly do so?” ‘No, and I can make him keeper of our secret arsenal, and give you the lieutenancy, for I have had my eye on you for the position; but 4 do not do so because I fear you, Wolf, for to sell me for five thousand dollars I do not believe you would, while, 1 Mr, Lomax were to demand satisfac- tion of me a second time, it would be but to go to his death.” | ‘*T do not believe that you fear him, cap- tain.” *Oh, no; I have no fear idea.” * Well, sir?” ‘*T will let you betray me to him and get your five thousand, after which I will give you a like amount to kill him.” ‘+ Tl] do-it, captain.” ‘*Tt’s a bargain then; but there is no immedi- ate hurry. J will to-night look up safe quar- ters for you, make it known to the men that ou are my lieutenant, and then I willleave you in command while I return to New York for a few weeks, as I have business there I cannot neglect. ‘*TJpon my return we will play our little game upon Kent Lomax.” ‘‘Tam ready at any time, captain,” answered Wolf, who once more resumed his respectful manner toward his outlaw leader, Soon after Wolf took his leave, but Hlegant Ed met him that night at the abiding-place of the men, and a secret retreat having been found, the chief installed the man as his lieutenant, after which he took the train for New York, muttering as he settled back in the comfortable cushions of the palace car: ‘*T must now hunt that boy down, and then Wolf’s doom is sealed, for I dare not trust him, for he possesses a secret upon which I must lace the seal of silence beyond the possibility of trayal.” But I have an : ‘ ’ 4 ° -_ —w _ 4 ta 6 4 * « ‘ i y M4 i ve OT ae “ow pas —