Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 489 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

4: ‘¢ Now it happened that her father had deter- mined upon a certain young fellow of unknown birth, who was reported to be immensely wealthy. It was said that he owned a cattle- ranch in Texas and a paying silver-mine in some art of the West. ow he managed to work imself into the good-will of the old merchant is a mystery, but he did it in some way, and nearly succeeded in securing the prize he sought, : ‘Finding that her father was determined to force her into an obnoxious marriage, Annie Dalton resolved on desperate measures, She laid the plot with her lover, and ere any one knew it they were quietly married. ‘‘ When the father learned of his daughter’s secret marriage, he became terribly angry. Driving Annie out of the house, he forbade her or her husband ever seeking his hospitality. He acted with haste and repented at leisure. ‘The young couple left the East and sought their fortune in the wide West. The first part of their wanderings can be easily traced, but as you advance, the trail grows more and more indistinct. However, it can be traced to where the young peu joined a wagon-train bound for some Western Territorv. t that time, the danger from hostile Indians made an attempt to reach the mines a very uncertain affair. Many dangers beset the emigrants, and the chances were that they would be massacred by the sav- ages. This fate seems to have befallen this par- ticular train, and not one person was known to have escaped. All were left dead on the plain, food for coyotes and vultures. Thus ends the romance of the rich merchant’s daughter. ‘But now, the old man dies. In his last mo- ments he repents of his harshness and makes a will, leaving his entire property to his daughter —providing she can be found. If she cannot, it is to be divided between various charitable in- stitutions. A reward has been offered for evi- dence of the whereabouts of the heiress, and several detectives are at work on the case, ‘* By the merest chance I stumbled upon the trail of the heiress, and learned that the young couple joined the ill-fated wagon-train. y the merest chance, again, I came across the young lady who so much resembles the real heiress. The idea instantly took possession of me to sub- stitute this young ey for the true heiress, There is money—a snug little sum—in the game. It can be worked like a charm. It happens that I was one of the many unsuccessful suitors for Annie Dalton’s hand, and I know considerable of her surroundings and circumstances. My plan is this: ‘*T will marry Isabella Arnold, and she shall claim that she 1s the heiress. J can post her on all necessary points, and thus she can make the game a smooth success. Of course she will claim that her busband was murdered in the attack upon the wagon-train. I boldly rescued her from her savage captors and a fate worse than death. Out of pure gratitude, she married me first and learned to love me afterward. - ‘“ What do you think of it, Heath? Won't it work like a charm?” The stout man laughed. ‘‘'You’re a genius, Giles,” he answered, ‘‘ and T think it will work. At any rate, it is worth trying. But there is one thing, old man—you want to play a square e. shall come in for my little pot, according to agreement, and if you attempt to play'me foul, some one will run across a dead villain answering to your de- scription.” Giles laughed at this threat. ‘‘No danger of my Ste Peng. funny busi- ness; I know when my head is Jevel. Weshou:d spoil the whole game if we became divided. It is for our interest to hang together.” ‘‘' Yes; for if we don’t hang together, we shall certainly hang separately.” And the two plotters laughed over that old pun as heartily as though it had just come upon the stage of action. goodly pile of cash in rospect made them feel very good-natured, in- eed. “You think that the girl] will enter into the plan wAhnesy ?” Giles asked. ‘¢T know that she will,” was the reply. ‘ Isa- bella will do anything that I want her to. She is an excellent girl, partner, and will make you a splendid wife.” “That is a matter of indifference. It’s not the woman, but the money I am after.” “But yon will use her well? cried Heath. “If ou ever dare misuse her, it will be the worse or you. She nursed me through a heavy streak of mountain-fever: therefore 1 have the best of feeling for her.” “Oh, we'll get along well enough. I like the appearance of the girl. She is good style, and The Diamond Sport. evidently of good birth. That she is educated is apparent.” ‘* Yes,” added Heath, ‘‘she claims that her arents were high-class Southerners, who were veggared by the Civil War. She is a woman that many men would die for. You will have the satisfaction of knowing that you are not marrying into poor blood.” ‘*Tt makes little difference. I would marry a Sioux squaw for the money there is at stake,” Giles replied. At this point, the sound of a half-smothered sneeze came from an adjoining room. With looks of alarm, the two men gazed inquiringly into each other’s eyes. ‘*Curse the luck!” hissed Heath. ‘‘We have been eavesdropped!” Giles seized the lamp and set it on the floor. Then he hastily dragged the table to the wall, and mounted it. The partitions of the sleepipg-rooms of the ‘“ hotel” were boards seven feet in hight leav- ing the upper part open from room to room; hence, when upon the table, Giles could easily look over into the adjoining apartment. It was dark and empty. But through the open window, he could see a dark form, hastily climbing out upon the roof of a shed. With a muttered imprecation, he drew a re- volver and fired at the escaping eavesdropper. But the shot was a failure. A taunting laugh floated back through the open window, and the forin disappeared. dropping lightly from the shed to the ground. ‘‘ Missed, curse it!” the unlucky villain cried. ; horses, ‘* After him, Heath! He must not escape!” The two hastily dashed down the stairs, and out into the street. to the shed. All was dark, and deserted there. No one was in sight. The eavesdropper had succeeded in getting away ‘‘ scot-free.” ‘The jig’s up!” growled Heath. ‘* Not by any means,” answered Giles. ‘* This is not the end of this affair. We will discover who that dare-devil spy was. Just let me find out and it will be good-by, Mr, Spy.” ‘‘The gameis played,” persisted Heath. *‘ That was one of those cursed detectives, who you said were hunting this matter up. Weare sold to the Injuns, and may as well cave in.” ‘* Now don’t be a fool, partner,” protested Giles angrily. ‘* There is too much in the pot to give this game up now. Wedon’t know how much the spy heard. Perhaps he has no hold on us. Then again, if it was a detective, he can proba- bly be bought off. The reward offered is for information of the whereabouts of the heiress. If a detective cannot obtain such information he cannot obtain the reward.. Therefore a little’ money will buy him off, and he will allow us to pursue our game without molestation.” ‘You may he right,” Heath admitted. ‘“‘ But I would give something if our plans had not been overheard.” ‘1 thought you said the room adjoining yours was unoccupied?” ‘* And so supposed it was. It is evident that I was deceived.” ‘‘T reckon we were a trifle indiscreet in form- ing our plans there, anyhow. There is some consolation in the fact that we shall know better next time.” ‘‘That’s mighty poor consolation. Something like a cat losing her tail in a trap—she would know better than to do it again, but the joke would be that she wouldn’t have another tail to lose. For my part, I feel a trifle blue over this affair.” ‘* It will turn out well enough, I am convinced. Where shall we go, now?” ‘*To Kent’s Parlors. Isabella sings there to- night. Besides, we may learn something about our spy.” ‘*T don’t see much of a show for that, but we will go over.” Five minutes later they entered the Pleasure Parlors. ~J CHAPTER IV. THE MAN IN VELVET IS PUZZLED. Ir looked as if the reckless boy had fired straight at the Sport’s head, with the muzzle of the revolver almost touching his face. Not so, however; he had fired over the Sport’s shoulder. The sharp report of the weapon was followed by acry of pain and rage, and a rough-looking man, a few feet behind the Sport, began dancing around in an excited manner. As he grasped his right hand with his left, and rubbed it vig- orously, he continued to dance and fill the air with his objurgations, oe pee rg They at once hurried round | lying loosely upon their necks. In the floor near by a knife was quivering where it had dropped, striking point first. The lad had seen the man draw a knife and raise it behind the Sport’s back. Quickly com- prehending the danger, be had snatched his revolver, and fired. The bullet struck the knife, tearing it from the man’s hand, and the blade fell to the floor, but the bullet glanced off and lodged in the wall a few feet away. The shock to the hand and arm made the man half crazy with pain and added fury to his anger. crowd gathered at once, and began neg for an explanation, so jumping upon the bake table, the boy explained the affair. Cries of indignation came from the cgowd, ‘* Hang the wretch!” shouted some one. The crowd took up the cry. The baffled assassin was seized and dragged toward the door. His attempts to explain were ineffectual. His voice was drowned by the angry cries of the mob. efore the manin velvet could interfere they had dragged the man through the dance room and out into the street. The Sport followed ciose behind. It seemed as though the would-be-assassim would get short shrift, but at this point there came a startling interruption. A piercing whistle was heard. A moment: later the sharp clatter of iron-shod hoofs came ps the ears of the crowd. Then followed pistol- shots, Down the street at a break-neck pace dashed a small band of horsemen, mounted on black Each rider was dressed in black and wore a black mask over his face, a revolver in either hand, ‘the bridle-reins of the horses The masked horsemen were yelling and firing as they rode, With wild cries, the crowd scattered, all seek- ing the nearest refuge. Straight by the saloon the horsemen passed,, and, as they passed several random shots were discharged at them. Only one took effect. Calmly sighting along his handsome revolver, upon which the light from the window of the saloon fell, the Diamond Sport fired. One of the horsemen threw up hisarms, reeled wildly in the saddle, then sunk forward upon his. horse’s neck. A moment later the whole band disappeared down the street. In the excitement, the man who had attetapt- ed to take Velvet Vane’s life escaped. Whither he went, no one knew or cared. The appear- ance of the somber riders had driven everything else from the people’s heads. They swarmed back into the Pleasure Parlors, and gathered in knots to excitedly viscuss the meaning of the wild ride. It really seemed to. have been objectless—nothing but a wild, dare- devil freak of the road-agents. But the reckless ride had not been objectiess. It had a purpose, and that purpose had been ac- complished. The Sport made his way back into the “ par- lors,” as they were called, among the wildly- talking and excited crowd, when the red-headed man espied him and came lurching up, with his homely, bearded face wrinkled and drawn into a look of agony. ‘** Do me eyes deceive me?” he cried, striking a tragic attitude, ‘‘ or are it actually Kid-Gloves, an’ no mistook? Partner—hic—put her thar.” With these words, he extended a grimy paw, which the Sport accepted, with a dubious smile. Gravely working Vane’s arm up and down the red-headed man seized the Sport by the lapel of his coat, with his left hand, and said, confi- dentially: ‘‘ Partner, this are the dingdest drzest town I ever drapped inter. I’m dryer’n er Cape Cod mackeriel.” Smiling, the Sport said: ‘““Yes, IT understand. I can help you out.” “‘ Kid-Gloves,” urged the red-headed man, scl- _ emnly, “you'll surely go ter heving when yer die. As I sed, I must hev er drink or perish, therefore I gratefully—hic—agcept your offer.” They moved up to the bar, and the Sport ordered the barkeeper to let the red-headed man quench his thirst. . At this moment, a long, lank, black-clothed, solemn-faced man approached. The red-headed man instantly recognized him. “Hullo!” he cried, “ hayre’s Parson Long- face, ther ole gospel-sharp as refused ter ride in ther same hearse with yours truly. Say, ole men—hic!—cum up an’ hev er drink,” ‘he parson drew near, but shook his head. ‘-T never drink the devil’s broth,” he said in a deep, hollow voice. ‘‘ Friend, you are on the direct road to the pit that burneth with fire and brimstone.” co eyeye) EEE _— -