Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 580 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

— te es . Jah) The Outcast Cadet. 15 Barkis was dead when they reached him, but Brewer was only wounded, ‘*Pard, yer has got ter climb,” said the scout, coolly, as he looked at the wound, though he knew that it was not dangerous. * Do you mean it?” “If you has got any confessions ter make now’s yer time,” was toe arswer. ‘IT do not wish to die and not atone for what I have done, so 1 have a confession to make.”’ CHAPTER XXVIII. THE DETECTIVE’S CONFESSI’N. ‘*You are the one to whom | would confess, sir,” said Brewer, turning to Dick Darling, while his face grew perfec ly pallid, as he believed he had buta short whils to live. ‘* Weil, sir, what would you say?” ‘* Your name is not Dick Darling?” ** Indeed!’ said the young man, with surprise. “At least itis not all of it, but may be your first and middle names, for years I knew you as Richard D. Dabney.”’ ‘You knew me?” ‘* Yes, at least 1 tracked you under that name.” ‘You tracked me?” : ‘** Yes, for | was put upon your track by a man I did not know, but "ho had gold to give for the work be wanted done.” ! * You amaze me,” ‘* And me, too,”’ put in Lone Star Luke. **| don’t know the man who bought my services, si’, for he always disguised himself when he came to see me, ‘* You see I owned a little craft in Boston waters and I wasnt leading the best of lives, 80 when { was offered a job that would pay well, I accepted.” * And the work you had to do?” *Was to dog your steps and kidnap you. We were to take you to Mexico and there de- liver you toa man whose address we had, and when he gave us a paper saying that he had put you to death, we were to return and get cur pay from our employer. “We caught you one night near your house, sir, on the beach, and while you were stunned, as you koow. took you on board our craft. Tc was a long time before we could catch a vessel for Vera Cruz, so we did a little extra work in the mean time under orders from the same boss “That was to go pp the Hudson and kidnap a young lady from school, ‘*We bought a footman at her house and worked through him, so we had all fixed, but that ver officer we saw mates Captain Glen Richmond, was home on leave, and he saw our game, killed one of my men, and bagged the footman, while I got away. 9 cae. sir, you know our game, and my heart is free of its load for L would not die with my crime unconfessed ”’ ‘Don’t yer fret about yer dyin’, pard, for I jist skeert yer, as yer hain’t hurted too much, fer ther bullet glanced on yer side. ** But yer"ll be a boss witness ag’in’ ther gent as yer works fer, and I guesse: Pard Dick here kin afford ter give yer freedom ef yer sarves him faith- ful now.” ‘TI certainly will do so, for your words have let me into a dark and damning mystery against me, and you may aid me in solving it, in tracing it to the bitter end,” and the young cadet, the supposed suicide as the reader now knows him to be, spoke with a voice that quivered with intense emotion, * And I’m only too glad to serve you, sir,” cried the pretended detective, and elated by the thought that he was not dying he sprung to his feet, ‘Pard Dick, you go on with yer man to ther ranch, and Wool will go too and fetch back some tools ter put these dead men under ground while I stays here ter keep off ther wolves,’’ said Lone Star Luke, and mounting, accompanied by Wool and Brewer, the young cadet started upon his return to the ranch. Wool went back immediately, with a space and a shovel, while Dick Darling made the wounded man as com ortable as pussible, ‘Have you any writing that this employer of yours sent you?” asked Dick, after sitting in silent meditation for some time, ‘*] have, sir, for he wrote out his full instruc- tions,” and the man drew some apers, a good deal worn but perfectly legible, from his moaket, Then the cadet took from bis pocket a photograph. It was the one which Theo Carr had shown him, and which he had asked permission to show a friend, promising to return it. : Upon the back was written a few lines, and there Was a signature. Upon the writing the cadet gazed for a long while, and then said: g a Qan [ keep eT paper? ‘* Oertainiy, sir.” Soon mr ae Wo l returned and said that the scout had gone to head off Capitan Richmond and ask him to return by the ranch. i Vhis Lone Star managed to do, and the next after- noon they rode up together, as the captain had sent his command on tothe fort without him, the ser. geant carrying a note of explanation to the colonel. I wished to see you Captain Richmond, to have you hear the story of this man, and my own, as you are interested. J find. in what he has to say, and I have much to thank you for, as the rescuer of ae who is as dear to me as were she my own sister. ‘You will also discover. sir, that I am not the rourderer I was accused of being. | “IT bave promised that this man shall not get into trouble from his confession, and he is to help me o : *, hne-« : 7 Ve he ie | iy . : : tty eer ' ET A : ~ , } ’ O solve the mystery, to discover for me a secret that has been haunting me for a rit time; but permit me to tell you that my name is Richard Darling Dabney, and that Miss Pearl Vavasour is my cousin and adopted sister, while ( was a cadet at the Military Academy, and only left it because my com- rades outlawed me, as you Suull hear,” *T have beard of you, Cadet Dabney, and I now feel that you have been the victim of a plot,’’ said the astonished officer. Then, with increased amazement he heard the story of the pretended detective, and said when he had listened to what the outlawed cadet had to tell: ‘*Dabney, I will go North with you, for I had al- ready asked for a leave of absence and expect it has arrived by this time.” One week after. as the wounded man was able to travel Dick Dabney started with him for the fort, Lone Star Luke acting as guide. There Captain Richmond joined them, and they went on to the nearest town and from thence by rail northward, the scout returning to his ranch, ynare Dick promised t> visit him at no very distant ay. CHAPTER XXVIII. THE MASKED MURDERER, Oscar LEIGHTON had just finished he portrait of Madam Vavasour and the three ladies and the artist were looking at it as they were seated in the library oue morning, when the mail arrived. ‘Ob, mother!” suddenly cried Pearl, as she grasp- ei a letter in her hand, “Why, Pearl, what ails you?” ‘* Here is a letter in Dick’s handwriting, so he can- not be dead,” she said with quivering voice, All were startled, and with trembling hand Pearl opened she letter. It was dated at New Orleans and was as follows: ‘Don’t start, dear cousin, when you see_my writ- ing, though it tells you I am not dead, as I have been supposed to be. * Knowing that I had become heir to a large for- tune, I was seized by some sailors and carried off on a vessel bound to Mexico, there to be held for ran- som, I suppose, ‘** But our vessel was wrecked upon the Bahamas and I escaped, so am on my way home. ‘More I cannot write, other than to say that I have met, asa traveling companion, Captain Glen Richmond, who tells me that he was so fortunate as to save you from kidnappers, and that his sister is now visiting you. ‘* He wil come to Sleepy Hollow with me, so ex- pect us soon after the arrival of this letter. ‘“‘ By the way, the captain says the sword you sent bim is fit for a general-in-chief to wear, ** He is a spiendid fellow, and—”’ But here Pearl stopped reading, for she cared not to let the others know what the continuation of the sentence Was as it read: +f If you don’t fallin love with him you'll surprise me. That Madam Vavasour was disappointed was cer- tain, for the return of Dick Darling took Sleepy Hollow and his share of the fortune from Pearl, and the mother was avaricious. But Pearl both laughed and cried with joy, while pretty Lena Richmond was in an ecstasy of delight. As for the artist he congratulated Pearl upon the return of her cousin, and said oktialy : ne spite of your fortune, Miss Pearl, I love you still, Pearl frowned and bit her lip, and then set to work to prepare for the coming of her cousin and his guest. The next week they arrived, and as the carriage drove up Madam Vavasour, Oscar Leighton and the young ladies were there to receive them, It was just after nightfall and they were led into the library, where Captain Richmond was present- ed to Madam Vavasour and Oscar Leighton, while Dick was introduced to Lena. ‘Mr, Leighton,” said Dick after they had all con- versed for some time: ‘* While in Texas I met some friends of yours, in fact your w fr!” ‘*My wife, sir?” almost hissed the artist, while he became deadly pale, anda cry broke from the lips of Pearl which no one understood. ‘Yes, and I was so fortunate as save her life, and being slightly wounded went to her father’s ranch, . bere Isaw your portrait, painted by yourself, and— “You are mistakenin the person, Mr. Dabney, for I have no wife.” ‘*Not under the name you bear here, sir, for her name is Mrs. Leigh Carr, two syllables of your name, Oscar Leighion reversed, do you see. ‘‘Do you intend to accuse me, sir, of—” * Hold, Oscar Leighton, you shall hear what I have to oy ‘‘T have here your photograph, taken in Newport, und the name on the photographer’s books is Oscar Leighton, *On the back of this photograph is the name of Leigh Carr, and you seé it says; “To my dariing wife, Theo . ' ‘‘ And wore, it is your writing, for here is some of your written instructions to your hirelings to kid- ba me and carry me to Mexico to one who would me. : ‘* Hold! You shall hear me e are mn fully armed at the doors and eiuanuce of the room, and the man brewer whom you paid to kidnap me, with others, and then to kidnap Miss Vavasour, that you might prete with me. ight p nd to rescue her I have here | ne nen ees | TS ‘*Come in, Brewer,”’ The mano entered at the command. ** Brewer, tell the story you know of this man,” In obedience the man did so, telling all to the horrified listeners. ‘Nor is this all, Oscar Leighton, for Captain Rich- mond anu myse.f have been a week doing aetective work on your track, ‘We went to yourrooms in the city, and found there a gorgeous Mexican suit, just such an one as I wore at the masquerade ball giv. n here the night that poor Rodney St. Orme was killed. “To save me, forsghe saw the shot fired, and be- lieved that I was his murderer, as you had, pre- tending to be me, made a threat to kill Rodney, my noble cousin, Pearl, swore that I was on the water with her. ‘*Do you understand, Oscar Leighton, she swore falsely, and I, believing I knew not what, ac- quiesced in Pearl's story; but I was believed to be guilty by all, was outlawed by my frends and thought to have killed my cousin because he was my successful rival for Miss Vavasour’s hand, and also that, by his death, I might add to my fortune, ‘It is strange, Oscar Leighton, how mysteriously all this secret has come out, but the murderer has become known, and I accuse you because I have full proof of your guilt. ‘For your poor wife I feel the deepest sorrow, and I shall write to a friend of mine in Texas,a scout, asking him to go over to her home and place allthe facts before her father, that he may break it to her as gently as pvssible, ‘** Now. Oscar Ceigh on, you are a prisoner, Offi- cers, do your duty.” ‘*One minute,”’ and Pearl arose, “T have a word to say, and it will still further blacken the character of that map. You all know of my meeting with him; but you do not know that he inveigled me into a mock marriage with him, and which now I find out, thank Heaven, was an il- legal one,” and Pearl went on to tell how she had been deceived by the fascinating scamp. ‘*Now, officers, you can do your duty,” she added, Two men entered the room and placed irons upon the hands of the unresisting man, wlio seemed utter- ly crushed by the blow, and was led cut of the room in silence, Then a pall seemed to have been lifted from the hearts of all; but the next morning Dick Dabney received the following dispatch from one of the officers who had the prisoner in charge: ‘‘On the steamer last night the prisoner broke from us and sprung into the sea and was drowned, for he was ironed both hancs and feet,”’ “Tt is better so perhaps, for his poor wife’s sake,’” said Dick, and he read the dispatch aloud, — CHAPTER XXIX, CONCLUSION, Whurn the stain erased from his name, the mystery of the Masked Murderer solved, Dick Dabney secmed like another man, and Sleepy Hol‘!ow awoke to hap- piness, the only gloom upon it being the sad end of poor Rodney St. Orme, True to his word, Dick wrote to Lone Star Luke a full statement of the case of Oscar Leighton, and the bearer was Brewer, who had asked to return to Texas and see if the scout would not let him become a cowboy on his ranch. The scout gladly gave him the place, and then the two rode over to the Dudley Ranch to make known to the colonel what a wicked son-in-law he had had. The colonel heard the story through with dee emotion, for he had been the one to make the matc between the artist and his daughter, and he broke the news to Theo with great gentleness. To bis amazement and delight she said: ‘Father, he fascinated me at first, but I’never loved him. “Thank God,I never loved him, and that now I am sree from one so vile as he proved hinself Oo be!’ And Theo had the scout and Brewer tell her all they knew, listening with a calmness that amazed them, while it also delighted them that the beauti- ful litcle woman did nut break ber heart for the un- worthy man she had married, éar passed away, and there were two weddings at Sleepy Hollow Manor, for there were united in the bonds of matrimony Miss Pearl Vavasour to Captain Glen Richmond, and ex-Cadet Richard Dar- ling Dabney to Miss Lena Richmond, and Colonel Richmond gave the brides away. It may have been that this put the idea into the old colonel’s head to also get married, for before he returned to Elmwood he asked Madam Vavasgour to become his wife, and she accepted most prompily, and when the two bridal couples returned from their tour to ‘lexas it was to attend another weduing a6 Sleepy Hollow, During their visit to Texas the two gentlemen had iven their wives a taste of camp life, for Lone ter Fuke and Wool had met them at Indianola witii an outfit and conducted them to Mystery Ranch, as tie ae had naeeo ay he : er a visit there of a few days, they all went , over to Dudley Ranch to attend the weadnig cf i.e lovely widow Theo to an army officer from the fort, whom Captain Richmond, upon his return, had in- troduced to her. Thus, maving torn the mask off of the mysterious murderer of Rodney St. Orme, and proven the inno- cence of the Outcast Cadet, I ‘‘ ring down the cur- tain’ upon the characters of my romance, which, kind reader, is not as much a tale of fiction 16 you may believe, THE END, eee) Cor