Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 663 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

| | : eee ea eS “T reckon we will find the prisoner safe enough, Erastus,” he smiled. Wagg looked amazed. $s Wiat d’yer mean?” he gasped. “Thardly think that Fe has escaped,” de- clared Vane, ‘Probably the detective has taken him from this room for some reason of his own,” **Jeehocus! w’at a blamed ole fool I be!” grunted the tramp. ‘I never thcrt o’ thet, an’ I reckon thet ther jedge wuz too fur paralyzed ter think o’ ennythin’. Jest hear him snore!” Regardless of their presence, Blowbugle was still sleeping, and was snoring in a truly terrific manner. ‘‘We shall find Dale and the prisoner some- where in the house, I think,” observed Vane, us he turned to leave; but, at that moment, a pisce of paper, pinned to the door by a small dagger, caught ais eye. “Hal what is this?” he cried, as he sprung forward. In a moment the Velvet Sport had the dagger and the tell-tale paper in his hand, and this is what be read: “‘Good-by to poor fools who thought they had me fast! I am a hard man to catch and still harder to hold. My arrest wasa trick which deceived you all, for Alan Dale, the detective, is no detective at all, but is one of my well-paid tools who stands ready to come or go at my motion. Let the Velvet dandy beware, for he shall hear from me when he least expects such athing. To my enemies I am worse than poison. Danby DriRk.”’ Truly a startling message, : Wagg was watching the sport’s face and in- stantly saw that the paper contained something of an unusual nature, for he asked: ‘““Wat is it, pard? Hes ther blamed critter got erway arter all?” ‘‘ That is about the size of it, I reckon,” con- fessed Vane. ‘* You were right, Erastus, and I was wrong.” ** Jaythutter! you don’t say so!” “Yes, it is a scandalous fact. We all have been beautifully sold and I feel like kicking my- self for a thick-headed clown. But I don’t know whether to believe this paper or not.” “Wat's it say, pard? dit. Durnef Ive got mer spettacles hyer.” Then the sport read the note aloud for Erastus, ** Jeehocus! Ther durned imp o’ Satan hes bruck loose arter all. An’ ther dashed detec- tive wuz er frand?” ‘Tt looks that way,” Vane eee fake **but, for all that, it may vot be true. Tom Alicar would not hesitate to tell a lie if it would gall us in any way. Perhaps the detective was te, ‘* But it don’t look thet way.” ‘‘That is what I said, but we will have more roof before we condemn him. He may have Renin tricked and overpowered by the prisoner.” “Wal, w’at are ye goin’ ter do, pard”™ “T am going to capture Dandy Dirk,” was the quiet reply. ‘“‘ Whoopee! Thet’s ther stuff! I’m with ye, Sweet Violets, bone, mussil, sinew an’ rags? I calkerlate thet atween us we kin scoop ther varlet an’ not hafe try.” ‘** We shall have more than one person to con- tend with, Erastus, for he will probably enlist a gang of ruffians in his service, He is a des- perate man and will make a hard fight.” ‘‘Ther harder ther better. I’m ther kind o’ a rosebud as likes er leetle kercitement jest ter keep mer blood frum _gittin’ ant. You kin count on me, pard. _ Hello! w’at’s that?” here was a sudden commotion in the house, the sound of a closing door was followed by heavy footsteps and hoarse shouts, Revolver in hand, Violet Vane sprung through the open doorway just in time to confront an excited man, who was rushing wildly along the corri- dor, The sport caught him by the shoulder, ex- “art gy ‘Mr. Wilson—you/ What is the trouble?” It was indeed Owen Wilson, and the Easterner looked half-crazed and wholly frightened. For a moment he lifted his hand as if to dash aside the grasp which detained him, but the sport’s revolver disappeared like a flash, and be caught Mr. Wilson by the wrist, crying sharply: ‘* Slow and easy! Are you blind, sir, that you cannot recognize your friends!” A light of recognition flashed in Wilson’s eyes, and he hoarsely gasped: ** Philip—thank God! Rouse the town, Phil! Stir them up! Quick, or it may be too late! Why do you stand like a statue? Make haste, for the love of Heaven!” The man’s words were almost ineoherent, and his manner that of one who had received a Violet Vane’s Victory. severe mental shock. For a moment Vane thought him deranged, and his thoughts found expression in words. ‘‘ Are you crazy? What is the meaning of—” **No, no! Iam notcrazy. You are wasting time. Call for aid! Help! help!” Then the Velvet Sport’s hand closed over Mr, Wilson’s lips, effectually stopping his wild cries. To his ears came the sound of slamming doors and hurrying feet. Already was the house aroused, and be knew that in a few moments they would be surrounded by a gaping throng. He must learn the truth before the crowd ar- rived, ** It is you who are wasting time, Mr. Wilson,” came sharply from his lips, ‘‘ Tell me the truth so that I may know what todo. What is the trouble?” Something seemed to suddenly restore Owen Wilson to his senses, for he gasped: ‘*The girls—Ione, Luona—” ‘‘ What of them?’ **My God—gone, both gone !” The Velvet Sport waited to hear no more. With Erastus Wagg close at his heels, he sprung away ~g | the corridor, hurrying toward the room to which the two girls had retired the night before, He was confronted by one or two per- sons who had been aroused by the cries of the excited man, but he hurled them aside as if they were children, paying no heed to their eager questions. Reaching the room, he found the door slightly ajar, but it was not without an in- voluntary feeling of hesitation that he swungit wide open, The room was indeed empty. *““Here, Erastus,” came crisply from Vane; **stand by the door while I make an inspection, and admit no one but Mr, Wilson,” ‘*T’ll do thet same, mer posy,” said the va- grant, promptly, ** Ef enny one fries ter crowd over me, they’ll fine thet I’m er b-a-a-d man frum ther rustlin’ leetle town o’ Red Hot.” The Velvet Sport, examining the room, saw that, unlike the room he had lately left, there were evidences of a struggle. The bedclothes had been partially torn from the bed and every- thing seemed to indicate that one or more of the blankets bad been used to smother the cries of the unfortunate girls. But, it was also evident that the ruffians had known how to carry out their work, for the poor girls had not made noise enough to arouse those of their friends who slept nearest them, A cloud settled on Violet Vane’s face as he noted the general aspect of things. Suddenly his attention was arrested by a slip of paper which was pinned to the door in the same way that the one had been which he found in the room from which the prisoner had escaped. He did not have to remove the paper to read the five words written upon it. They were: ‘* Jasper City claims her Queen |” CHAPTER III. SOLID SID SEEKS ASSISTANCE, BARELY had Violet Vane read the words writ- ten upon the paper which was pinned to the door by the my dagger when that door was hurled open and Owen Wilson staggered into the room, The unfortunate parent was nearly dis- tracted by grief and excitement. Seizing Vane’s hand, he cried: ‘* Where is she? What have they done with her—my darling?” For answer, the sport pointed at the writing on the slip of paper. **What does it mean?” hoarsely asked the Easterner. “It mears that your daughter will probably be found in Jasper so M was Vane’s calm re- ply. ** Brace up, Mr, Wilson. wie 9 may not as bad as they seem, This is a wild country, and strange things transpire here.” __ “But I feared that she had again fallen into the hands of villains like those who kidnapped her yesterday. The thought nearly drove me frantic,” “* We will hope that Fate has been more kind to her. You knew that Jasper City claims my sister as Queenof the camp. The words on that oo of paper seem to indicate that, although defeated, Jasper does not intend to give up her Queen. They came for my sister some time in the night, and finding Ione with her, carried away both of the girls,” “Thank Heaven that it is no worse!” came slowly from Mr, Wilson’s lips, as he sunk down upona chair, “There must be honest men in Jasper City.” ** Without doubt there is. If the girls are in that camp they are comparatively safe.” ‘* Uf they are!” exclaimed the shaken parent. 3 ‘““What do you mean by that ‘if? Does not that slip of paper prove beyond a doubt where they are?” ‘* We will hope that it does,” returned Vane “but we are not sure of it till we know. I shall take immediate steps to find out the truth.” ‘*Heaven aid you, Philip! God grant that my poor girl may be restored unbarmed to my arms!’ *¢ Amen.” At this moment Erastus Wagg thrust his head in at the door and cried: ‘*Dunno but I shell hev ter hev reinforce- ments hyer, pard, fer they are cumin’ by ther leetle millyon an’ all yoopin’ ter know w’at ther racket’s erbout.” **Stand them off for three minutes, Erastus, and | will explain. Get the drop on the gang and hold them back,” “* Ay, ay, old man: [ll do thet same. Ef the attempt to climb me w’en I hold the drop, they’ think they hev tackled a bigger job than mount- in’ Pike’s Peak, by jimcracks|” Then Wagg’s head disappeared and the door closed with a slam, Hurriedly Vane continued his inspection, but found nothing more that could aid bim in deter- mining the fate of the unfortunate young wo- men. The room was at the front of the build- ing and a window which stood wide open seemed to indicate that the kidnappers had entered and made their exit there. ut, the shrewd little sport knew that appearances were ofttimes de- ceptive, and so examined the window stool closely to see if he could discover any indica. tions that the kidnappers had entered through the open window. e found nothing from which he could draw a conclusion, Once more his eyes fell upon the slip of paper tacked tothe door by the tiny dagger and he made haste to possess it, for he fancied that he bad seen similar writing before. Then he turn- ed to Owen Wilson. “You gave the alarm as soon as you discover- ed that the girls were missing, did you, Mr. Wilson?’ ‘“*As soon asI could comprehend that they bad been foully dealt with.” ‘* How cid you learn that they were gone?” ‘* When Larose I discovered that the door of this room was standing slightly ajar. Of course I thougbt that somewhat singular and I at once determined to learn the meaning of it. M knocks failed to elicit any answer, and when looked into the room I found it as you now see it. ‘““There has been bold work done here,” de- clared the sport, ‘It is evident the girls were carried out of this room by the way of that door, If that is true, the kidnappers must have had friends in this house, There is some- thing rotten in Denmark!” ‘“*T beg you, Philip, not to lose time in useless 8 ulations,” entreated the Easterner. ‘‘ Make all baste to effect the rescue of the poor girls.” “It is better to go slow and sure than to rush and make a failure. There is such a thing as overshooting the mark, sir.” At almost any other time Owen Wilson would have recognized the sound logic of those words, but just then his nerves were a unstrun and it seemed that the sport in velvet was need- lessly wasting time. Vane read the thought on the face of the excited parent, and coming for- ward, he laid his hand on the gentleman’s shoulder, while he said, earnestly: “Trust in me, Mr. Wilson. I promise you that there shall be no unnecessary delay. It is my sister, as wellas your daughter, who is in danger. You know bow much [Ione is to me, and you should know that I will leave no stone unturned but I will find and rescue her, Luona has a lover, Ned Morris, who, I am confident, will stand by me through thick and thin, and will lay down his life for i, Sot if it is neces- sary. All I ask of you, Mr. Wilson, is that you remain quiet and permit me to do what I think best.” Calmed by the young man’s words, Mr, Wilson consented to trust all in Vane’s hands, Then the level-headed little sport advanced to the door, beyond which he could bear the clamor of many voices, True to bis word, the camp oe was holding the throng back before the muzzles of his long-barreled revolvers, As Vane appeared with uplifted hand the Babel of voices became hushed, With a few well-chosen words, the sport ex- nope everythivg in a satisfactory manner, ut the indignation of the crowd on learning the truth can be better imagined than describ- ed. Fierce oaths and cries of rage from their lips, all directed toward the men of Jasper who had played them such a trick,