Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 724 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

Violet Vane’s Vengeance, either give up this money quietly or submit to have your sleeves searched. Denver Dave became still whiter, then fairly turned black in the face. ** Curse you!” he gritted, ‘*T believe cheating is consitlered a lynchable crime in White Water,” observed Violet Vane, calmly. Tbe baffled trickster sprung to his feet, ‘* Take the money!” he hissed, his face like a thunder-cloud. ‘‘l have enough more. But, let me tell you I am a man who never forgets! You shall pay for this with your life!” , Then he turned and strode away, With a comical grin on his homely face, Old Sunflower called after the defeated gamester, in a drawling tone: **Oh, say! did you ever git left?” CHAPTER VI. THE STUTTERER AS A SHADOWER, SEIZING an opportunity when the attention of nearly every one was directed to Denver Dave, Stuttering Charlie quietly slipped out of the ring and left the saloon. He wished to thank Violet Vane for taking a hand at such an opportune moment, but for reasons best known to himself, he did not choose to doso then. He saw Stub Smith slinking away and followed in the squat ruffian’s footsteps. But when Charlie passed out of the door Smith had disappeared. He paused for a moment to look back, and saw Humpy Dick sneaking swift- ly toward the door, Not Nowe. another en- counter with the brute, he burried away in the darkness, At a safe distance, he paused and looked back in time to see the hunchback emerge from the saloon. Humpy Dick also paused to glare back through the open doorway; then he started off at a brisk pace, with the Stutterer on his trail. It would seem as if he had acted as a shadower before, for he crept along swiftly and with the caution of a cat, never for an instantlosing sight of the figure he was following. Plainly capi Dick did not expect to be fol- lowed, for he did not look back after his glance into the saloon. As he rolled along with a gait which seemed tc say he had been to sea some time in bis life, he literally growled in his vicious anger, his oaths being smotbered now and then, as he sucked his still tingling fingers. The shadower grinned as he heard the hunch- back’s imprecations, Charlie seemed exceeding- ly pleased about something. But be did not follow Humpy a great ways, He decided he did not care to travel in the di- rection the deformed was going, so waving his hand toward the discomfitedrufian in an unseen farewell, be turned aside. It was plain Charlie had some object in view, for he walked: in a direct line toward a given point,. And that given point was the cottage pr oa by the strange brother and sister known in White Water as Tender Dick and Happy Harry. Before long he approached the cabin, but slack- ened his pace and ca guardedly, There med to be no light within the little hut. barlie did not advance to the door, but lay down on the ground beside a bowlder at least three rods from tbe cabin. Fixing himself in a comfortable position, he awaited developments. It seemed as if Charlie had settled down there for the night or was possessed of remarkAble pa- tience, for an hour slipped away and nothing oc- curred to relieve the monotony of his watch, Once or twice he stirred slightly, but if was only to change his position somewhat when he was Thirty minutes more passed, and the roar of the rapid was threatening to lull the watcher to sleep, when something aroused him—the sound of an approaching footstep. Instantly the ‘‘ real Charlié Ross” was all at- tention, his ears alert, and his eyes peering through the gloom. : He saw an advancing figure. Hugging close to the ground, he watched the man, for mau it was. Straight up to the door of the cabin advanced the unknown, Then he raised his hand and rapped in a uliar manner, It is probable pe one within asked who was there, for he said: fs tis k? The door was opened quickly, and the voice of Happy ponies exclaimed: | **Oh, Uncle Mat!” The man stepped in and the door was closed. “Whew!” whistled Charlie, softly. But the stammerer said not a word, but it was evident he was pleased at somotn ings areati pleased, Again changing his position, he sat up with ' his back against the bowlder, and continued to watch the door for a minute or two, As the man did not immediately come out, the shad- ower arose and cautiously approached the cabin, At the window Charlie paused and listened, but he took good care not to rise so he could be seen from within. The inmates of the but were still in the dark, and the spy knew it would not be a difficult thing for them to detect any one who should get too close to the window, He could faintly hear the murmur of voices, one being that of a man and the others chil- dren’s; but he could not understand what they were saying. This did not satisfy bim, so he tried to find a crevice, where their words would come to him more distinctly, Round the hut he crept iu his search, listening at a dozen different points, but was finally forced to abandon the search as_ useless, hen he settled down to listen to the general murmur, The man seemed to be speaking harshly, though guardedly, and Harry was pleading with him. Only now and then would Dick put in a word, and when he did speak Charlie could scarcely hear him, his voice was so low and fal- tering. The man remained in the cabin more than half an hour, and during that time the shadower crouched close to the wall, Finally the visitor took his departure, With still greater caution than he had used in following Humpy Dick, Charlie crept along after the mysterious visitor at the cabin. Tbe man carefully skirted the denser collec- tion of buts and made fora distant side of the pent Close to the great wall that towered igh into the air, the unknown came upon two rsons who seemed to be waiting for him, and the three held a long consultation. Eager to hear what they were saying, the shadower wormed his way along the ground, taking desperate chances of being discovered. But once more he was to meet with disappoint- ment, for the men spoke very low, and before he reached a position where he could hear more than an occasional word, they separated, two of them going in one direction and the third in another, Charlie decided the third man was the one be wished to follow, The man apparently was in a hurry and he led Charlie at aswift pace toward the upper end of the rapid in the stream, In an unfrequented spot beneath a tree a horse was hitched, The unknown unhitched the animal and sprung upon his back, The next mo- ment he was away, Charlie stood and listened to the clatter of hoofs as the animal crossed the bridge and struck the rock trail upon the further side of the stream, Gradually the sounds died out in the distance, and when they could no longer be heard, the shadower turned toward the hotel, with a muttered something that sounded sus- piciously like an anathema maranatha. CHAPTER VIL BLACK WORK AT THE BRIDGE, VIOLET VANE and Frank Stillman stood face to face! Straight into each other’s eyes they glared, bitter hatred written on their features, ** So it is you, is it?’ cried Vane, scornfully. ‘* Yes, it is 1,” was the reply, as Stillman en- deavored to repress his excitement, ‘‘ And I see you have followed me bere, I thought you were dead.” , ** And hoped so, too, I presume. Well, you were mistaken. I am very much alive.” . ‘*Much tomy regret, Why have you come here?” Vane made a haughty gesture. ‘*] know of no reason why I should account for my acts to you.” ‘““{ know why you have comei But, curse you! you shall never put your vile plot iuto execution!” Excitement was getting the best of Frank, ‘You are talking strangely. What do you mean?” “As if you did not know! No one but a coward would strike at a woman as you have done!” ‘You speak in enigmas.” ‘*Do you dare say you do not understand what I mean?” ‘*] dare say I wish you would make your meaning plainer,” “You understand it well enough, You bave come here for ‘ vengeance,’ as you see fit to call it. There is but one course open tome. I must meet you as I did once before,” Vane laughed metallically, ** And if I refuse to meet you?” ‘** I will shoot you down like a dog!” ™ ——__O__O_O_—_———_—_—_—_—_— rr i a m A cold and scornful smile remained on the face of the man in velvet, ‘*You did that once, You did your best to end my career when there was no danger to yourself, for I fired into the air.” ‘‘ But we had metina fair duel. How could I know you intended firing into the air?” ‘““You did not. For your act then I feel no bitterness against you. I hoped then your bul- let would end my life, and I now wish it bad!” For a few seconds Stillman was silenced; then he cried: ‘‘T do not want to take your Jife!—I do not want your blood on my hands! For God’s sake, go away from this pocket and never let me look on your face again!” : Once more that bitter smile! ‘‘] go where fate may lead. It has led me here, and here I remain.” ‘** You refuse to go away?” ‘© Yes.” ‘‘ That leaves only one course open to ‘* That is—?’ ‘* To kill you!” ‘*So you would become a common assassin?” ‘‘1f you refuse to meet me in an honorable manner—yes.” ‘‘Well, go ahead with your work. I have courted death, but death bas proved shy. I have run all manuer of risks, but something has preserved me until the present time, If you think it your duty to kill me, draw and do the ? ~ Stillman became white to the lips, ‘‘Tt would only be for my darling wife—for Ione!” he murmured. | ‘‘For ber!” sneered Vane, ‘‘ For the false and heartless one! She is—” ‘ Stop!” fairly snarled the Mayor of White Water, bis eyes flashing and his teeth gleaming like those of an enraged beast. ‘‘Do you dare say a word against her? She is pure and good as the angels! Wretch! you deserve to die! He tore out a revolver, drew back the hammer and thrust the muzzle almost against Violet Vane’s breast just over the heart. ‘‘Say your prayers!” he hissed, shuking in every limb with the intensity of his excitement. ‘* In one minute you die!” Violet Vane calmly folded his arms, the scorn- ful smile still on his lips. There was no sign of fear—not the least tremor to indicate the man’s nerves were shaken, Silently he looked into Frank Stillman’s eyes, It was a terrible tablean. Swiftly the seconds sped. Stillman still shook with the emotion that bad driven him to mad- ness, ‘* Say your prayers!” be repeated, Still the threatened man was silent—silent while standing on the very threshold of death, as it seemed. ‘ But, the would-be slayer was suddenly over- come. His hand fell with the revolver, while he lifted the other and put it over his eyes, staggering back as if struck fairly in the face, ‘‘T can’t do it—now!” he gasped. ‘I must give you a chance,” “T ask for nothing at your hands,” declared Vane; and it almost seemed that there was a touch of disappointment in his voice, ‘‘ Still I shall give you till nightfall to leave White Water,” ** T shall not go.” ‘‘ Then—for her sake—I sball kill you!” ** You will not bave the nerve.” ‘‘ You think so because I failed now; but, you do not know me, I am desperate,” ‘‘In the length of time you have given I can ruin you in White Water.’ ‘* How?” | ‘‘T can brand you as an outlaw.” ‘‘ But you cannot prove it,” sé [ ca i” 4 ‘‘ Well, go ahead—I defy you!” “T faney you do not understand how much you are venturing by failing to complete your work now, ou may never have another chance, for if I brand you as an outlaw, by night you may be expelled from White W ater yourse! fand to-morrow I may be mayor 1n your ‘*T shall take my chances.” =, ‘But, that is not all, Your wife— ; ‘** Do not speak of her!” ‘* It almost seems as if you have forgotten the ast, tot 1” I have not—no, no, no! I understand what you mean, now. For God’s sake do not let her see you! -] fear it would drive her mad!” ‘And do you ask a favor from me ?” ‘““T only ask that you will keep away from her to-day. Promise me that!” ™ td I will not promise—?”’ ' / : . > ty mm : * ?- ¢£ be ® P s”* >> , ad t _ ) F ra *, — a ez ~ . is ) "