Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 589 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

a whi w ae mine, anyway!” was the reply. “I mightn’t ’a’ knowed himif I hadn’t ’a’ seen him down there the other day.” ‘*Then we need not look further to find the author of this mysterious disappearance!” said the detective, his active mind leaping at once to a theory. ** Does any one know why he visited the young lady?’ None of the servants could even hazard a guess, ‘* Of course [ cannot be positive, but I believe I can see through tke scoundrel’s little game!” said Brentwood, taking our friends to one side for the purpose of discussing the situation. ‘*The death of the Gold King will leave no one between Hammond and the fortune he cov- ets except Lily Edgerton, Now the probabili- ties are that he came here yesterday to see how her misfortunes had affected her, and to ascer- tain whether or not she is likely to sink under the weight of misery he has been assisting to heap upon her. ‘** Finding her bearing up more buoyantly than he expected, he determined to abduct her and hold her a prisoner until after her father’s death, and probably for an indefinite time. Possibly a letter will be sent back from some Eastern city, stating that she has left the coun- try of her own accord. ‘When the Gold King is hanged, as he will be if Clifford Curtis is not produced, Hammond will dispose of bis alleged rights in the Edgerton Mine, or at least manage in some way to enrich himself and his followers out of it. Then they will release Lily Edgerton and permit her to re- turn toa broken home and a shattered inher- itance. It is one of the moat diabolical plots I have ever run across in all my detective experi- ence!’ ‘They went out this way!” the Tom-cat an- nounced, He had his head thrust out of the window, and had been closely examining the ground be- low and the outside of the building, **Thar’s a ravelin’ 0’ rope a-stickin’ onto that stun; and thar’s footprints below as plain as ef a steer bad bten trompin’ around.” Brentwood came at once to the window and ran his eyes over the tell-tale signs, ‘You are right, Tom-cat! I thought they had gone out that way.” A few threads of grass-rope clung to a shar projection just below the window-ledge. A rope had evidently passed over that projection; and the friction had worn the threads loose and detached them, ‘*They came in and went out of this window by means of a rope!” said the detective. ‘‘ Let’s go below. Perhaps we may learn soinething from the foot-marks,” He hurried down with the Tom-cat, and they soon stood in the yard beneath the window. The imprints of feet were not very plain; al- though the cowboy had asserted that it looked as if a steer had been ‘‘ trompin’” around. But then the Tom-cat was used to deciphering such indications, and his eyes were trained to detect and understand the slightest depressions in the surface of the soil, Many atime had he followed a herd of stampeding cattle through the inky blackness of a stormy night by occa- sionally dismounting and feeling about on the prairie with his fingers. ‘*Thar was two o’ the skunks mixed up in this thing!” he said, kneeling and closely scrutiniz- ing the tell-tale signs. ‘*Hyer’s where they tromped around, Hyer’s where they come in toward the house; and hyer’s where they went back. Now, ef you'll look ruther.clost, you kin see that when they come in they wasn’t carryin’ nothin’ hefty, Their boot-heels didn’t sink into the s’ile, sca’ce- ly. When they went back one on’em had a load; fer his boot-heels cut into the grass nearly a half aninch. That load c’u’dn’t’a’ been any- body ’cept Miss Edgerton!” Brentwood could see the marks clearly, and the differences in the depressions, now that they were pointed out by the cowboy, and he knew that the reasoning was correct. *“Do you think you can follow them?’ he ‘* Depends!” said the Tom-cat.. ‘‘Ef they tuck to the street where it’s beat down an’ pack- ed, and where grass jest can’t grow, then [ couldn’t foller. Ef they tuck to a traveled trail, I mou’t do somethin’ by watchin’ the p’int at which they left it; that is, s’\posin’ they sh’u’d leave it at all. Ef they tuck to the mesa er the mountain I’d have as easy a thing as I’d want, barrin’ water and rocky places.” *““Then follow that trail!” said Brentwood, earnestly. ‘‘ Take a horseif you needit. If it | Tom-cat and Pard. leads to the open country, come back, and we will join you in force, ‘“They have carried Lily Edgerton to their mountain lair, probably—wherever it is. sighted Fighting Fred awhile ago, and I’U put a shadow after him, I will proceed to get things in readiness for a prompt movement, should you find the trail an open one.” Without further words, the Tom-cat glided away through the shrubbery; and Brentwood turned back into the house to inform John and Molly Mitchell of the extent of their discoveries ae the movements which would probably fol- ow. CHAPTER XIV. A VILLAINOUS DEED. ‘ Wr’p better take to the river here, my good Pedro! Our excellent friend, the detec- tive, and that delightfully original fellow, the Texas Tom-cat, will be after us, hot-footed, in a few hours, ‘‘ We're the boys, Pedro, when there’s any clever work to be done, L think we managed this little trick to perfection. Now we must see that we cover our tracks with equal skill. ‘* ‘When ber ladyship revives—which she will not do forsome time, however, thanks to the potency of that drugged handkerchief—we must be a good many miles away. Then if she wants to wail her woes to the rocky wilderness, why, let her wail!” Bonanza Bill laughed a short, hard laugh, that bad in it very httle merriment, but a great deal of malicious triumph. Pedro, the Mexican, bore the senseless form of Lily Edgerton in his strong and sinewy arms. They had halted on the banks of the little mountain stream, a sbort distance below the Edgerton Mine buildings. From beneath a collection of drift, Bonanza Bill drew a broad, flat-bottomed boat; and in it Pedro deposited bis burden, ‘Take the steering paddle, Pedro!” drawled the scofting villain, seating himself lazily in the prow. ‘‘ The current will carry us as fastas we will care to go, and you’re better with a blade of any kind than I am.” Pedro showed his teeth in acknowledgment of the compliment and took the place assigned him. The boat swung out into the stream, was caught by the arrowy current aud tossed onward with feathery fleetness, The gray dawn had not yet touched the leaden Eastern skies when they concealed the boat ata point some ten miles below Silver City, and struck off into the mountains, When Pedro again lifted Lily Edgerton in his sinewy arms, she showed signs of returning consciousness. She sighed lightly, her eyelids fluttered, and a little later she opened her eyes. ‘*So, her ladyship is coming back from the land of bright visions and sweet dreams! The land ruled over by the ‘Sand Man’ of our youthful story-books, you know. I hope she'll enjoy the change from fancy to reality; but I doubt it.” That mocking, cruel voice fell on Lily Edger- ton’s waking ears like the knell of doom, she lifted her head, with a startled cry, and attempted to struggle from Pedro’s grasp. ‘* No use, my dear,” said Bonanza Bill, bow- ing low, as her gaze fell upon bim. ‘‘ We rev- erence women as we reverence angels; but we couldn’t let even an angel go, under the present circumstances. Eh, Pedro?” His big, black eyes burned with an evil light, and that cruel sneer seemed to transform him into the semblance of a mocking fiend. ‘It’s bitter as medicine, no doubt; but medi- cine must be taken sometimes. We have our orders, and our account at the banker’s would be seriously curtailed if we failed to carry them out. So, you see, my dear, how it is yourself,” Lily shuddered with fear and disgust, but she was determined to know their designs and des- tination. ‘* Where are you taking me?” she asked, ceas- ing her ineffectual struggles. ‘Just on a little pleasure jaunt into the mountains, where we can keep you safely until we mutually tire of each other’s society. We feared you might not come willingly, so we were sufficiently ungallant to bring you, with- out so much as saying, ‘By your leave.’ But our intentions are good; and we know your kind heart will not allow you to entertain ill- feeling toward any one.” Pedro had grown tired of his burden; and thinking he might safely rest until his superior got through talking, he placed the girl upon her feet in front of a large rock, and coolly sat down before her. ’ | ’ : . \. : y ah. a aah, : bes : i isa we » 1 " . y, [ ae ‘* ’ vr a +14 * f het ‘ a os Foyt > y ”, J + t f , me -, / ee Me oe ‘ ¥ ., Ft ay ; * al 5 x sf B, fin a*), er) Be 5 2 tn, ee pn View ‘ P ‘’ : y] \ A ; : . nf iy, v ‘al As might have been expected, Lily, freed from. the restraining arms, made a heedless dash for liberty. Bonanza Bill caught her and jerked her backward with a force and harshness that con- trasted sharply with the general smoothness of his words and manner. ‘¢ Move on with her, Pedro!” he commanded, Then, dropping back into his customary ban- ter: ‘‘We shall have to insist on the pleasure of your company for the remainder of our jour- ney, my dear Miss Edgerton. Sorry to disap- point you, but you would bave found the way quite rough and stony: much rougher and stonier than the trail we are now following.” Pedro staggered on with his burden for an- other half-mile. Then they reached a sort of cul de sac, thickly set and screened with bushes. Into this the trail vanished. ‘‘Now, you can walk!” said Pedro, again: placing her upon her feet. of this pocket unless you fly!” ‘‘ Which, with all her angelic graces and ac- complishments, she can’t do, Pedro! ‘‘ What do youintend todo with me?” cried Lily, driven, frantic by the terrors of her situa- tion. ‘Help! Help! Ob, won’t some one come to help me!” The cries were answered by an evil-faced man, who poked his head through the fringe of bushes and then advanced, greeting Bonanza Bill servilely. ‘‘ What’s up, boss? Bringin’ another bird fer the cage?” Lily caught at the suggestion conveyed by the last question. Was it possible that Cliff was in the gloomy cavern to which she was being led? The thought gave her renewed hope; and when she was left alone in a dark and solitary wing of the cave, she beat helplessly against the | strong walls and shouted her lover’s name again and again, until she sunk down in utter ex- haustion, For two days she was left there, without other companionship than thet of the squeaking and fluttering bats. So great was her fright and terror that she feared her brain was giving way. Each morning, the heavy door that barred: her from the outer world grated upon its hinges and a hand conveying water and food was» thrust through the opening. Day and night were very much alike to her. The grayish gloom of the one changed into the inky blackness of the other, and the ghoul-like bats squeaked and fluttered their leathery wings more horribly; that was all. On the evening of the second day, the heavy door was flung open and Hammond strode in. His face was flushed and angry; and he seemed. to be consuming his strength with impotent rage. *Of course you know that I had you brought here, Miss Edgerton!” he said abruptly. ‘* And no doubt, you have surmised that it was not done without a purpose, I intend you no harm, and pledge youmy honor that no harm shall be done you!” There was a suggestive emphasis on the last word that Lily could not fail to note. “Tf you had signed that paper I presented to you the other day there would have been none of this, release,” ‘“‘T could not sign away my claims to the Edgerton Mine on the bare promise of any man!” she said, retreating slowly before his angry gaze, “Wory well! We will see if there is not a way to make you. Bring him in here, Pedro!” The Mexican instantly obeyed by driving into the half-lighted apartment, Lily’s lover, Clifford Curtis. One arm was suspended in a sling; the other was bound to his back; and the noose of Pedro’s lariat was about his neck, With a wild, convulsive cry, Lily sprung for- ward and fell upon bis neck, embracing him and sobbing as if her heart would break. Curtis could only stoop forward and press his: lips to her cheeks and endeavor to murmur some words of hope and consolation. ‘¢Oh, Cliff!” she cried, ‘‘and are you really alive and before me?” ‘Yes; but he will not be long, unless you do what I say!” Hammond exclaimed harshly. ‘“‘T suppose I may witness this little drama?” said Bonanza Bill, slipping through the door, which had been left wide open. “Yes; and you may tell the rest s be. Spifee urtis is &. to come in!” replied the chief. little heavy.” ‘ - 5 a) > ; »? ‘ + - Ww oe et ; hae Rive! > oa boo J 4 Fee, Za Ke rat oat , ‘You can’t get out. Ill wager my interest in the estate hack yonder on that!””’ I would also have secured your father’s: == »~ Or ~~ ’ as ws ‘ “= ‘ * al SP . A$." Aiteg eal en _ oe ks.com