Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 657 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

v te _ 14 Warbling William. dent, and unless Hazelrig’s men should do like- wise, the chances were great that it would be overlooked, ‘*T don’t like this business, at all!” the detec- tive whispered, when several minutes bad passed and they had not been disturbed, ‘*‘ Weseem to be criminals instead of the men who are chasing us. I’m sometimes tempted to go out and bold- ly face the dogs. I would, if there were any men of honor among them.” ‘* It would be suicidal!” Cavendish exclaimed. ‘* They would shoot us down in our tracks, if the jailer should command them to, Il’ve had quite enough of the honorable gentlemen of Silverton to Jast me several days. Hazelrig is a sample of the most of them; I saw that when they were trying toadjusiéi a noose about my neck some weeks ago.” The sound of footsteps coming steadily nearer put a stop to the conversation. Ware drew his weapons, to be piyneree for tbe worst, but the ag passed by, and they again breathed reely. When almost an hour had passed without any indications that the searching party was still in the vicinity, they crawled from their place of concealment and recommenced their journey, ‘*They’re looking for us inthe direction of Rocket Range, I’ve no doubt,” the detective ob- served. ith one party in our rear and an- other ahead of us, we'll be compelled to keep our eyes open, » What worries me most, though, is the fear that they will goon into the town and give warning to Leonard, and thus allow him toslip through my clutches. I wouldn’t have that happen for anything, for I’ve a heavy account laid up against the rascal.” When within about four miles of Rocket Range they received another scare. It wasa little past noon, and they had halted to eat something and secure a much-needed rest. A considerable elevation lifted itself near them; and this Ware ascended to ascertain, if possible, if any of Hazelrig’s party were close at hand. ** Hazelrig and his men are in camp not over a hundred yards away!” was his startling an- nouncement on his return. “It’s a wonder they haven’t seen us, They are in our rear, and will move this way just as soon as they get ready toadvance. We’ll have to change our OF jaa and as quickly and quietly as possi- e, **'W here shall we go?” Cavendish asked. “To the top of the hill. It’s thesafest. There we can see and not be seen. They haven’t enough force to surround it, should we be dis- covered; and while they are coming up one side we can skip down the other.” With great celerity, but very little noise, they hastened to the foot of the eminence; and keep- ing well within the timber, slowly and cautious- ly ascended its side. Near the top they halted, and screened by bushes and bowlders, looked down, with a sense of security, on the jailer and his little posse, ‘*They’re waiting for the others to come up, I take it,” said Cavendish, after studying their movements for awhile, ‘*T only hope they won’t take it into their heads to go into the town!” Ware declared. ‘Tf they do, Leonard won’t fly, as you seem to think. He’s too old a dog for that, and has too many friends there. He'll turn the entire af- fair some way so that it will serve to strengthen him and weaken us.” ‘*Perbaps! I’m trusting, though, to the good sense of the honest element, and to the fact that most of his seeming friends are only paid tools or accomplices who can be frightened off by a show of legal authority. The first thing I shall do, you understand, will be to place him under arrest.” After nearly an hour’s waiting, Hazelrig’s men moved off in the direction of Rocket Range; and, when they were well out of sight, the trio descended from the erest of the hilland followed in their wake. “This won’t do,” Ware averred, after they had proceeded a short distance. ‘‘ I don’t want them to beat us into town, which they’ll do, of course, if we simply follow them. I propose that we strike for thetrail, They’re traveling slow, and once on that we can make such progress that our chances of getting in first will be excellent.” Accordingly they took a nigh cut to the well- beaten trail which ran from Rocket Range to Silverton, and pushed on with all possible speed. They had proceeded along this new route but a little way, when they saw a horseman coming toward them. ‘*Get into the bushes!” the detective cried, recognizing the rider. ‘‘ It’s John Leonard!” sé \ 4 ‘ 7 4 . ' ' : ‘ Te Me or.6 “™ y* “4 sad ay CHAPTER XIX, ‘“‘PANNY FULTON,’’ JOHN LEONARD had not been able to start for Silverton that day as early as he had expected; but when he did start he jogged along at a rapid gait, in the endeavor to reach the place at as early an hour as possible. His mind was filled with the details of the wicked scheme he had concocted against the life of the prisoner in the Silverton jail, and be gave little heed to the route he was pursuing. Hence he failed to see the forms that flitted, shadow-like to the cover of the bushes, and recked not of danger until it was too late to escape. He was aroused by the detective’s sharp com- mand; ‘*Climb down from there; and be quick about it, if you care to keep a whole skin, John Leonard. Leonard reined in, with a gasp of surprise, be- ing so startled by the suddenness and unexpect- edness of the order that he threw the horse almost upon its haunches, Then, vut of the covert came the three, the detective with revolver held in readiness, As soon as the astonished man recognized them, he attempted to spur forward, but Cavendish seized the animal by the hit. ‘* No you don’t!” Ware grated, thrusting the revolver into the face of the frightened wretch, ‘* We've a little account to settle with you first. We're in no mood for trifling, and if you don’t want a bullet, you'll get out of that saddle with as little ceremony as you know how.” There was something in the tones that quite unnerved Leonard, ‘Yes! yes!” he assented. “I'll get down! What is it you want with me, gentlemen? I haven’t enough money with me to pay for the plucking.” ‘* Tt isn’t money we're after, Leonard,” the de- tective declared, as the trembling man scram- bled out of the saddle, ‘‘and no one knows that better than youdo. What we’re after, I should think you might guess, unless your judgment has suddenly failed you. It is usually pretty good, as I have had reason to know,” ‘For mercy sake, gentlemen, what do you want with me, then?’ Leonard faltered, ‘*Sure- ly you’re not going to murder me!” ‘We'll talk that over after we get into the bushes. Here we’rein danger of interruption. Lead the horse, Harry; Lewand I will endeavor to see that our good friend does not escape,” With this, he dropped in behind his prisoner, and inexorably urged him forward, ‘* You recognize this young gentleman, no doubt?” dropping to a seat on a stone when they had reached a safe distance, and pointing a fin- ger at Lewis, ‘If not, allow me make you ac- quainted with Mr. Lewis Cavendish, recently of Chicago; more recently of Silverton Jail,” As he said it, his eyes burned with a light which showed he was in no trifling bumor, With a hard, bitter tone he ran quickly over the points be most wished to impress on Leonard’s mind, adding, at the conclusion: *You’re in the net, Leonard, and wriggling won’t do you any good. A clean breast of the whole affair inigbt ease your conscience, though, and make your punishment lighter. That fifty thousand, too, must be repaid as a preliminary.” Leonard’s face bad taken on a corpse-like pallor and his whole form shook, **T can’t repay it!” he moaned, wiping away the sweat which stood in great drops on his fore- head. ‘* Do what you will with me I can’t repay it. [ was urged to the deed by threatened bank- ruptcy, and the bankruptcy has come notwith- standing.” ‘* But the Jim Crow Mine, and your silver mining stocks!” ‘* All plastered over with debts which I now see are unpayable. My God, gentlemen! You don’t know how [ve suffered. I thought that fifty thousand would tide me over, and enable me to get on my feet again. I week agol saw that the crash must come, and have been pre- paring for it. I acknowledge I had designs against the life of Mr. Cavendish, I knew that when I could no longer pay, my tools would fall away from me, I thought to put him out of the way, so that when I left this place, he would not hound me over the world for the crime I com- mitted against him,” He groaned, as he made the confession, ‘**lam guilty and I must suffer. I see it now, How my creditors will come down on me, as soon as they discover I baven’t the wherewith to pay yg ** And no doubt Miss Fulton and Shelby Tan- ner are equally guilty!” the detective asserted. ‘“‘Tanner, yes. Perhaps I oughtn’t say that. ; ; : “\ - : ns A . Bo ne at ee a eas, Oe He was only one of my paid tools. He has been running the saloon and hotel under bis own name, but the property is really mine. It’s mortgaged, too, for more than it’s worth. Mortgaged by Tanaer, for me, as if it were his own property.” He stopped, and his face relaxed into the sem- blance of a smile. ‘‘Strange you never guessed Miss Fulton’s secret. ITIl reveal it now, as it can be kept a secret no longer. Lam Miss Fanny Fulton!” The detective recoiled in utter astonishment, ‘** Tmpossible!” ‘** Not at all!” with a lightcbuckle, ‘I played the part well, you must admit. I am Miss Ful-’. ton, minus the female apparel, the false hair, the rouge and powder, and ali the little acces- sories which went to make up the gushing crea- ture. Ware seemed crushed by the confession. With all his natural shrewdness and his long ex- perience in dealing with criminals of every grade he had never suspected the deceit that had been so boldly practiced on him. ‘That goes ahead of anything I ever heard of!” he gasped. ‘*‘No wonder the dear creature gave me so much trouble. No wonder I couldn’t begin to fathom her motives or determine what line of action she was likely to pursue, ‘*It explains a good many things, too, that have been almost unexplainable.” ‘*No doubt!” Leonard exclaimed, bubbling over with the momentary pleasure which the ex- pose afforded him, and striving, apparently, to temporarily forget the terrors of his situation, *T got a good deal of fnn out of the little comedy as I went along. I didn’t begin it, though, merely for the fun of the thing, I had a& purpose in view, ‘That purpose, at first, was to gain the confi- dence and thwart the efforts of Miss Malcolm. It succeeded, and when you appeared on the scene I continued the disguise in an effort to dis- close your intentions and plans, **T dropped the stolen letter when and where I did, knowing the boy would find it, and that you would be led to visit and confer with Miss Malcolm, if my suspicions regarding your true character were correct. You made that visit; and when you told her who you were and what had brought you there, I was crouching just out- side the window and heard it all.” ‘You devil!” Ware cried, a feeling of terror taking momentary possession of him, ‘Don’t be too hard on me,” Leonard whim- pered, all the life suddenly taken out of him, ‘**T’ll confess everything, and do just what you say. Only don’t be too hard on me!” The innate cowardice of the man’s soul shone forth in that moment of terror. Regardless of other men’s lives, he yet clung with blind in- stinct to hisown. Itis the trait which charac- terizes all cowards, and Leonard seemed to com- bine in his own person the cruelty, cunning and craven fear of his class. Not knowing that Buck Hazelrig’s men were standing in readiness to aid him, Leonard re- peated the confession to the officials, on his ar- rival in Rocket Range, and, in due course of time, was imprisoned for his crimes, as he justly deserved to be, Tanner and Hazelrig sharing in his punishment, The trial, one of the most memorable in the an- nals of Rocket Range, had scarcely closed before Lewis Cavendish and Maud Malcolm were united for life. The money taken by Leonard was never re- covered, but young Cavendish’s inheritance was large enough to permit its loss without seriously crippling his financial condition. Since that foolish trip westward he has gained business judgment and the discretion which comes with years, and is now a prosperous merchant of his native city. Harry, now grown to manhood, is his partner, and Warbling William, who still follows his old- time calling, is numbered with their dearest friends, THE END,