Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 570 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

— te ——— ee Ee — **He had covered up his tracks well, after he had cruelly deserted his wife, and it was no easy task to find bim. “ Butat last I heard of aman answering his description as having gone to the New Mexican mines, ‘*So I went there, and the very day of my arrival a gold-train of pack-mules was starting from the mines, “I recognized the Card King, dressed as a Mexican, and he was going with the train, for he bad a lot of gold along. ‘*So lat once joined the train to follow him, and know just where he was going. “I got work as a driver, and the train started. ‘* We traveled slowly, and a week after leavy- ing went into camp on a canyon. ‘*T took my rifle and climbed up the moun tain to shoot some game, for it was an hour to sunset. ** Just at dark I returned, and as I got a view of the camp, I suddenly heard a volley of rifle- shots, wild yells, and a hundred of Indians rushed upon my companions, ‘The trainmen fought them bravely, but one | by one they were slain,” ** And that man?” hoarsely asked Camille. ** He fought like a demon; bait I saw him fall at last, utterly ricdled with bullets and ar- rows,” ‘You are sure it was the Card King?” ** Could I mistake him for any other?” “And might be not have been only wounded, and escaped?” és 0,” ‘““ Why not?” ‘* Because I fled as fastas [ could, and went to the fort, sixty miles distant, and returned there with a party of soldiers, under a surgeon who acted as commander.” ** His name?” eagerly said Camille, ** Surgeon Frank Potwell, and the soldiers call him the Surgeon Scout, while the Indians give him the name of White Beaver.” ** And wbat then?” ‘Toe pack-mules and gold were gone; but the bodies of all the men were there, {though the wolves had torn them nearly to pieces.” ‘* And the Card King’s body?” ** Was there,” ** How many were along with the train?” “Twenty-seven including myself,” ‘*How many bodies were there in the can- yon?” ** Twenty-six.” “Can you guide me there?” “* Certainly.” . ‘‘Then we will start for the scene of the massacre to-morrow,” was the determined re- sponse of the Card Queen. CHAPTER XXVI. THE GRAVES IN THE CANYON, CAMILLE, the Card Queen, was hard to con- vince of the fate which the guide told her had overtaken the Card King. ‘* It was too merciful a doom for that man to meet, to fall in battle, even though it was in de- fending his gold, ‘‘ Somehow I do not believe that he is dead. Ido not doubt the guide, and yet I feela doubt, so must see the scene of the massacre,” So she decided; and her trip East was put off until her return. She wrote Mrs. Drew of the death of Isabel, and told ber that she would follow her letter as soon as possible, and make known the facts of '* it then the case. She also wrote to the attorneys, whose ad- dress Isabel had given her too, and made known to them that she had the will made by her and witnessed properly, and this with the papers and effects of the dead woman she would bring with her, . It was a couple of days’ ride to the fort, and there, as the guide had said, was the scene of the massacre, The torn bodies of some of the animals killed were found lying about, and the wolves ran sane away from them at the approach of the Then there was the grave of the dead, twenty- six in nambér, and the guide selected the bec a ro he thought the Card King had been - Open the grave.” Camille had ordered, and she walked a short distance off, as though over- come with her feelin The guide obeyed the order, and in a short while the body was revealed of a .man clad in the Mexican costume, torn and bedraggled as ° Kite | Manners and loved him with a depth that had The duel was recalled. her dying lover’s agony, the flight of Kent Kingdon and then her Bending over the guide raised the hand and then dropping it walked quietly toward where Camille stood apart. ** This ring was not seen by the soldiers, for I just took it from the hand of the dead man. “Do you recognize it?” She eagerly grasped the ring and gazed upon it, after she bad wiped off the dirt, ' It was a sealring, the stone having been cut _in the shape of a star, and on it were the let- ters: 4 a “kK. kK” “It is his ring, for I have worn it myself in the past, and know it but too well. ‘“ I shall keep the ring, guide,” ‘‘And you are convinced that there is no doubt now as to bis death?” ‘**T am convinced. “Fill the grave up quickly and let us get away,” and Camille walked rapidly to her horse and. mounting, rode off alone, She knew tbat her face was writhitg with the emotion she cculd not conceal, and she did not wish her escort to see her then. She recalled her first meeting with Kent Kingdon and how he had fascinated her, and she believed it love, She remembered then how she had met Horace proven to her that she had not really felt love for Kent Kingdon, determination to follow him to the bitter end, And all that she had:suffered she recalled, as she rode along. the trail leading from the*can- yon, and she remembered, as a hideous night- mare, the scenes through which she bad gone, She thought of how poor Isabel bad suffered at the hands of the Card King, and her face grew hard and cold as marble. ‘* Horace, you are avenged, and you, poor Isabel, are also avenged, for he has met his doom, ‘* Slain by red-skins, and then his body torn by wolves, was Kent Kingdon’s fate; but he fell not by my hand, **So be it; [ must be content, for I have done pe duty.” ben the escort overtook her, and back to Sunset City she went, There the guide and escort were paid liberally for their services, and two days after Camille took the stage over the Overland for the East, carrying with her the effects of the unfortunate wife of Kent Kingdon, who lay in ber grave in the mountains, a grave above which the Card Queen had had placed a bead-board, having the inscription: ‘In MEMORY OF ISABEL DREW KINGDON, A Heart-broken Woman, and a victim of & man’s inhumanity. Died Oct. 10, 18—.”’ CHAPTER AXVII, CONCLUSION, Messrs, Lockwoop & Lockwoop, Attorneys at Law in New York City, were seated in their office. busy over their law duties when a card was brought inf on which was the name: ** Miss CamI~teE CAMERON.” “Why, that is our correspondent in the mines, Henry,” said Ingersoll Lockwood to bis brother, and he at once ordered the boy to admit the lady. A moment after Camille Cameron swept into the room, Her hair was short, and her face was bronzed, but she was dressed most stylishly and looked mo beautiful. e two lawyers had expected to see some miner’s wife, or daughter, and they arose with alacrity as this vision of feminine loveliness swept up to.them. ‘* Be seated, Miss Cameron, and let me say to you that we are glad to see you in New York,” said Henry Lockwood. Camille took the seat placed for her by the polite attorney and at once entered into con- versation upon the subject of her:coming to see them. “You must let me tell you my story in my own way, gentlemen, and more, you must prom- ise strict secrecy about what I fell you regard- ing your unfortunate client, for though I wish to make known everything to you, there. is no ae ee ee LL ee —_ 15 reason why the misfortunes and sorrows of Isabel Kingdon should’be spread before the world to be food for gossip,” The lawyers agreed with her; though wonder- ing what she had to tell,and they promised to keep her confidence inviolate. Then she began to tell her story, and she spared not herself in doing so, honestly making known why she bad gone West and all that:she bad passed through, The death of their client, David Drew, and what followed in the hfe of Isabel, she told of, and the two men deeply felt for all that the young wife had suffered. ‘*I] bave brought with me, gentlemen, all of the effects of Isabel, and they are at my hotel. ‘* She made ber’ will, and it was drawn up by an armv chaplaivu, who bad once been a lawyer, and who happened to be in Sunset Cify at the time, while the landlord and others witnessed it. ‘This will leaves to you pay for your services in your own discretion, amd ten thousand dol- lars to ber aunt, Mrs, Jane Drew, while the balance goes to found a home in her nativetown for bomeless girls.” ‘* But yourself, Miss Cameron?’ ‘‘T am rich and would accept nothing.” ‘“And her husband, this wicked man. Kent Kingdon?” ‘* Is dead.” ‘* You are sure?” ‘‘ Yes, for I visited his grave, and this ring, which I know well, was taken from the finger of the body.” ‘* Then there is no doubt?” ** None, sir.” ‘* We will carry out the wishes of our unfor- tunate client to the letter, Miss Cameron, and we beg you, if we can ever serve you in any wavy, tocall upon us.” “Thank you, gentlemen,” and Camille took her departure, and after sbe bad delivered the effects of Isabelinto the hands of the lawyers on the following day, she left the city for a home in the country, where ske wished to spend a few weeks, until she could decide upon her future course, for she cared not to return to her guar- dian’s home just them. To her surprise she found upon the train a man whom she had knowz as a miner in Sports’ Paradise. He recognized her at a glance, and too late she thought of denying her identity. ‘* Why, Queen Camille, it’ does my eyes good to see you; but who would ever bave thought of seeing you here? ‘‘T knew you, though your hair is black and cut short, and [am so glad to see you again. ** You see, saved up my diggings, and come home a rich man, for | am on my way out to my Jersey home where my parents live.” So he ran on, and Camille listened, until at last he said: ‘* And whd do you think I saw in Denver two weeks ago?” . ‘* Who was it, Mr. Burton?” ‘‘Why, the man you seemed so anxious to find, the Card King It was hard for Camille to keep back the cry that arose to. her lips, and she turned deudly e, “Tt is impossible that you should have seen him, for he is dead,” she said, hoarsely. ** No, ke is not dead, for I saw him,” ‘* There is some mistake.” ‘“There was none, for he was gambling, and I stood by his side, and he had as a pard the man who was your guide when you left Sports’ Paradise,” “You are sure?’ and she grasped the arm of the returned miner with terrible force. ‘‘T am, for I talked with the Card King, and he told me that he was going into cattle-raising on the plains; but you are ill, Queen Camille” ‘*It is vothing—merely a faintness; but this is my station, so good-by,” And rising, she left the car, greatly to the t of the young miner, who had been re- joiced at meeting her gain, “ And, after all, Kent Kingéon lives, and my dogging his steps over that long trail bas been all in vain. “Well, let me find some secluded spot in which to hide myself, and to Heaven I leave the punishment of that wicked man!” And Camille Cameron entered the carriage that was to carry her to \her destination, and throwing berself back upon the seat, seemed almost overwhelmed with the emotion that surged up in her breast and brain at the know]- edge that Kent Kingdon still lived to curse the earth with his presence. THE END. com Cc