Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 570 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

NT pe ge Camille, the Card Queen. 14 a0 pee tml» leg epe age 13 She had heard of the coming of a man, rec- ized as the road-agent chief, and forcing Kent ingdon to fight him just before his marriage. She knew that two weeks before her arrival in Sports’ Paradise the Card King had killed a stranger in the cemetery. Now the man before her told her that the man thus slain had been his brother, ‘Do you mean what you say about the Card King?” she added, as these thoughts flashed through her mind. ‘ ** Every word of it, miss.” ‘‘ That the Card King robbed the coach?” ‘‘He did, for my brother was wounded by him, followed the coach and saw him halt and hide the money. ‘‘The chief found my brother, and he told him what he bad seen, and so the captain came here and made the Card King fight it out or pay up. Ms He got killed, for Donald King was a better man than he counted him to be, ‘*Then my brother got well and we started to work in the mines, ‘*But luck turned its back upon us, and he came here to make the Card King pay the amount he had stolen or to tell on him. ‘*He never came back, and the rumor soon reached me that my brother had been killed, ““Now Iam here, and I seek both gold and re- venge. ‘*| have heard that fortune always smiles on you, miss, and [ decided to look you up, and, as t was said you had come to Sports’ Paradise to look up the Card King, I thought I could hel ou, if you were willing to pay my way, an et me get out of him what I could first,” ‘*T will doso; but heis a dangerous man to confront. How much money will you wish?” ‘*I ought to have five hundred, miss, for I don’t know what my expenses will be,” **Come here at sunset and I will give you the sum you ask; but remember,if you find the Card King and harm him, I'll follow you to the ends of the earth,” Her eyes flashed fiercely as she spoke, and the man asked, quickly: ‘* Lor’, miss, do you love him?” She mace no reply to his question, but said: ‘* Remember my threat. ** Meet me here at sunset, and you shall have the money. **When you have found the Card td re- turn here to Sports’ Paradise for me, and | will accompany you to where he is.” ‘I will come for you, mi<s,” and the road- agent watched the willowy form of the Trailing emesis as she glided along the path leading down to the Flush Hotel, “Ts it hate or love that causes her to wish to find the Card King? ‘*T’m blessed if I know, for women are too deep for me to find out their ways,” So saying, the road-agent, with a glance at the grave of his brother, returned to his horse, and mounting, rode slowly back along the ridge that ran into the lofty range of mountains a tia away. CHAPTER XXIT, A SOLDIER To THE RESCUE, TRUE to her word the Card Queen went to the cemetery at sunset, The man was already there awaiting her, and bowed with awkward politeness aS she ap- roached, ‘*T have trusted you, sir,” ‘Yes, miss.” | “+ And have brought you the money.” “You won’t regret it, miss, for i find the Card King for you, I promise,” ‘** Do so, and the sooner the better.” *<1°1) lose no time.” ‘t Here is your money,” and she handed to him a ay, Ng gold. ‘Thank you, miss, and good-by, for I’m in an unhealthy neighborhood, 50 am anxious to get away, bay hen I come for you, Il fix up a bit and disguise myself so as to come right to the hotel to see you: but they know my face in these parts as if now is.” -by,” and the Card Queen retraced her way to the Fiush Hotel, while the man who was ome a detective on the track of the King, returned to his horse and went back into on pauls. us the days passed on in Sports’ Paradise the Card Queen daily eo cathe snore and more peru with the miners, and many of them en- ve Curley Kit, who seemed to be her best friend, for at every run into the town he was wont to see her alone, and she appeared to seek his advice rather than that of anybody else, One afternoon the Card Queen had mounted her spirited horse and gone out for a ride alone, as was her custom, for she never sought to have company, and in fact avoided it. She had halted her horse in a small canyon, just off the trail, and dismounting was busy gathering wild flowers, when she was startled by seeing three men advancing toward her. A glance showed her that she knew the men, so she felt no fear, One was a young man who had evidently been well reared. He had a fine form, but his once handsome face had been stamped with crime and dissipa- tion so that bis beauty was destroyed. He bad given up mining and taken to gam- bling, and many said that it was to be constant- ly near the Card Queen. Ounce, in an impassioned way, he had met ber in the cemetery and told ber that he loved her, He had frankly confessed that he had been a gentleman, had killed a man in a quarrel and was a fugitive from the gallows, ‘‘T was a fugitive, a vagabond, all that was wicked until 1 saw you, Queen Camille; but since I met you I have loved you, and loving you I have tried to be good for your sweet sake. ‘* f ask your love in return, and I will become a different being.” So he had said, and then he awaited her re- sponse, It was given in a manner that he could not misunderstand, She had loved once, and no other love could ever enter her heart for any man, She bad a mission to fulfill, and she would rest when it was done, ever again must he speak to her upon the 8 of love, unless he wished her to hate m, Such were her words, and he bowed in sub- mission to them, Now, as she saw Wicked Will, for so he was culled, approaching her, she smiled pleasant- ly upon him and his companions and asked banteringly: ‘* Are you lost, that you are so far from the camps?” ‘** No, we are searching for a rich lead, Queen Camille, and I have found it.” With his words he grasped her bands so quickly and firmly that she could not resist. At the same moment a. blanket was thrown about her by one man, while the third began to securely bind her with a lariat. Why she gave a cry for help, Camille did not know, for she never expected to have her voice heard there in those wilds. But she did give one loud cry, and almost in- stantly a horseman dasbed upon the scene, the hoof-falls of his horse not having been ‘heard in the sandy canyon, which he had spurred into from the urail upon hearing a cry for help in a woman’s voice, The horseman who appeared so unexpectedly to the kidnappers of Queen Camille, was a sol- dier, well mounted, well armed, and with the face of aman who never stood on odds where duty was concerned, is keen eyes took in the situation at a glance, With one shot he sent Wicked Will to the ground, a bullet in his head, and a second brought down one of his comrades, Two of the three had fired upon him as he ap- peared in sight; but they were the last shots they could ever make, The third turned to fly, but the soldier was upon him, and, unheeding the shots bastily sent at him by the flying man, he suddenly grasped him by the shoulder, dashed his fist in- to his face with stunning force, and then drag- ped him back’to the spot where Camille stood, er face flushed with anger, and at the same time glowing with admiration at the gallant rescue of the soldier. The horseman seemed amazed at beholding before him a beautiful woman. Raising his hat, he asked in a voice strangely musical in tone; ‘* Are you hurt, lady?” ‘* Not in the least, sir; but that harm has not befallen me I owe it to you, for those men in- tended to carry me off, where, Heaver only knows, * Will you let me thank you, sir?” She spoke earnestly, holding out her hand as she did so, while she could not but admire the superb physique and stern, handsome face of on! the officer, for be wore straps upon his broad - Shoulders, “‘Iam happy in having been near to serve you yard having ridden ahead of my escort alf mile or so. ; “You have rendered good service in killing | i tiie ieee ese ™m | They will soon be along and I will escort | you to your home, if you will permit me to do “T thank you, sir, and I will accept your kind offer if it does not carry you out of your way. oP) I am living at Sports’ Paradise.” ** And I am going there to halt for the night. ‘*My name is Frank Powell, lady, and lam a surgeon in the United States Army, now on my way to the fort.” “‘T have beard of you, sir, if famous Surgeon Scout, as I believe? ‘*T am so called,” he said with a smile, “And I am called Camille, the Queen of Cards; but bere come your men.” you are the up, anxious about their officer, for they had heard the pistol-shots, ‘IT feared you were in trouble, sir,” and the sergeant saluted. ** No, sergeant, but tl is lady was. ‘*Throw those two dead bodies across the preg! aye ag and secure this prisoner and bring | bim with you. | ‘*Permit me to aid you to mount, madam,” | and Surgeon Powell led the horse of the Card Queen up and- raised her to the saddle as easily | as he might a child. | Placing himself by her side he started along | the trail toward Sports’ Paradise, and his men _ soon after followed with the two bodies and the “ prisoner, thé latter showing by bis scared face: that be expected no mercy for his attack upon: | the Card Queen, CHAPTER XXII. THE DOOM OF THE KIDNAPPER, As they rode out of the canyon together, the Surgeon Scout asked Camille: ‘*Did I understand, madam; that you were | known as the Card Queen?” ‘** Yes, sir, ] am known in Sports’ Paradise as: wa hd the Card Queen,” she returned with a smile, ‘*T have heard of you, hut I never pictured. such as you bearing the name.” ‘* How did you picture me?” ‘**T have met women on the border who gem-— bled heavily, and thus won pames to suit them: but I bad not anticipated finding in the Card: Queen of Sports’ Paradise a—lady !” ‘Thank you, sir, and [ am gled to see that my wild life has not caused you to deem me otherwise. ** Still, Surgeon Powell, I am a gambler!” ** Strange is it tbat you are,” ‘No, not when all cirenmstances are consid- ered as to why I am such; but 1 am treated here: | with the utmost. respect by all, and the attack | on me to-day was a great surprise. | ‘* The leader of those three men was born @ gentleman, but bad gone wholly to the bad, and refusing his offer of love to me, he doubtless sought revenge, leaguing with him two of the worst characters in the camps. —— oe ee eee cee — — Wicked Will and one of his comrades, and the other will quickly end his days at the rope’s end,” ‘** He deserves it; but bave you no friends in the camps?” ‘* All of the miners are my friends.” ** No kindred?” ** None, for I am alone, I may say. _ “In fact, to be frank with you, I am follow- ing a trail, and my kindred believe me dead, _—; “If gamble warily, win largely, and am con- tent, or must be, ‘**Some day I will come to the end of the trail I follow, and then my life shall be different, and I will make up by good deeds for all the evil I may have done, ‘** Now, let us talk of Powell, than of myself,’ He bowed acquiescence, too much of a gentle- man to wish to push his inquiries further, and something else, Surgeon aid: , ‘Tt is quite a coincidence that a week ago I was ina mining-camp where there was a Man known as the Card King.” She uttered a slight cry, and he saw the sud- den start she gave and that her face paled. “Indeed, sir, and where was that, may I ask?” she returned in the calmest manner, instantly controlling any emotion that sbe felt. ‘It was in the Sunset City camps.” “Did you see this distinguished personage known as the Card King?” ‘* No, I did not, Madam Camille; but I heard the men talking of such an individual who always won at cards.” “Did you hear if he was married? asked- Pomc ag in the most indifferent manner imag- An escort of twenty solders just then dashed — ee ee en ee,