Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 730 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

. _ -_. , . ey” ' Pe an Vane accepted the chair, removing his dark sombrero and placing it on the table, thus re- vealing a finely-shaped head, thatched by a mass of dark, curling bair. ‘* Well, if happens I know something of the lad,” said tbe Velvet Sport. ‘* But, unfortunate- ly, I know nothing of you, sir.” Leon flushed and looked surprised. ‘What do you mean?” he demanded, a trifle haughtily. ** Just what 1 said,” was the cool reply; ‘‘ no more, no less, I know nothing of your purpose in searching for Wallace Kenyon. You seem to have the face of an honest man, I will admit that, but one cannot always judge by appear- ances. I hope you will not take offense at my plain words, I speak exactly what I mean, and that is much better than to beat around the bush. Although it may seem rather blunt at first, it is the best way of coming to an under- standing,” Leon laughed, shortly. ‘You say you know nothing of me and my purpose in searching for Wallace Kenyon; in return, '1 can say I know nothing of you and your purpose in coming to this room. That puts us on equal footing, and we are exactly where we were before we started.” ‘‘At that rate we will not get ahead very fast,” confessed Vane. ‘It is plain I shall have to take some things at a venture. But I sup- pose there is no doubt about your being a friend to the boy?” ‘* Not the least, I am surely his friend.” “Yet | heard you tell the clerk you had never met him,” ** You did.” bi | scarcely understand how this friendship comes about. ‘** Then it is one of the things you will have to take by faith,” half-laughed ths tenderfoot, “I give you my word of honor, but I absolutely de- cline to explain.” Vane wrinkled his brows a little, but said: ‘** [T suppose we shall have to make the best of the situation, so I will go ahead, believing you ure the boy’s friend. In return, I will say [am also his friend, All the same, he has enemies, and bitter enemies they are.” ‘You say he has enemies. Then is Wallace pri ag still living?” 6h @ is,” ~**This is good news, indeed! The clerk gave me the impression he had been lynched,” ** It is no fault of his enemies he was not,” ‘** He escaped—?”” ** With assistance.” **And he truly was accused of murder?” 7 Yes,” be **1t was a put-up job?” ‘You have struck the truth. sought to put him out of the way.” _“And this old miner with whom the boy was living—what of him?” “Now you have asked me a hard one, He was said to have been murdered, and two men swore they saw and examined his dead body, yet that body had vanished at the time of the trial and was not to be found, To be sure, the men who took that oath are two of the worst rascals who ever breathed, There were blood- stains on the floor of the cabin, and these, with the evidence of the two rascally witnesses and the purchased verdict of the villainous judge, were sufficient to convict the unfortunate lad.” ‘** But you think—” “IT do not know what to think about Old Luck- less. The man may have been in the game against the boy, but from what I have been able to Jearn, he was a rather kind-hearted, shiftless His enemies » old fellow who was never known to harm any one, He took the boy in and gave him a home when there was no other place for the unfor- tunate lad togo. It bardly seems asif he was a man to go into a plot against Wallace Kenyon’s life, and yet—” 6s What?” ‘‘ Money will tempt the best of the human pe ae Old Luckless was far from being of the est. ‘Tf he was in the plot—” _ “Tf he was in the plot, it is probable he was induced to get out of these parts and leave the boy behind. Then the blood-stains were ar- ranged, the evidence of the two ruffians was laid out, the boy was frightened into an attempt to leave this vicinity, but captured while he was getting away. That was enough. The trial was short, and he was pronounced guilty,” . Yet, he escaped ?” ‘* He did, with the assistance of a person who appeared upon the scene just as he was being dragged to his doom. This person held the crowd covered with cocked revolvers, while Wallace got away on the back of his new friend’s horse,” ‘** And who was this friend?” Vane smiled, slightly. ‘*It was you!” cried Leon, springing to his feet. ‘* You saved Wallace Kenyon’s life!” ** You are right.” Forest grasped Vane’s hand and shook it warmly, ‘* You’re a brick!” he exclaimed, is the boy now?’ ‘* He is safe,” ‘*Tbat is pleasant information, but it is not just the answer I desire,” ‘tt will have to satisfy you.” ‘* Why, how is that?” ‘** The boy prefers to keep in the background for the present.” ‘* But he cannot wish to hide from his friends,” ** Possibly not,” ‘* And I am bis friend,” ‘| have heard you say so, but you must re- member I have bad no proof save your word, Still, if [ was certaio, I could not tell you where he is till I obtained his consent, for I have pledged myself to keep his whereabouts a se- cret, Leon looked disappointed. ‘‘If he knew the truth, he would hasten here at once,” he muttered. ‘* Possibly so,” admitted Vane, ‘The best thing you can do is to tell me the truth, which I will repeat to the boy, That should bring about & meeting as soon as you desire.” ; But the young tenderfoot hesitated, a look of suspicion stealing across his face, What if this velvet dandy had been lying to him—what if Vane was an enemy working for a hidden pur- pcre? Doubts and fears crowded thick upon im. ‘*It is not so much myself,” he murmure1, half-turning away; ‘‘but [ must be careful, Were I— No, I will not take the risk.” The final words were uttered loud enough for Vane to hear. The Sport bowed, quietly. ** Do as you choose,” he suid. ‘If you prefer to hold back anything, you certainly have a right todo so. I cannot blame you for your caution. Infact, caution is commendable. That is one thing that keeps me from telling you what you desire. By keeping silent you will not barm me, for [ am only an outsider in this game. Still, I rendered a verdict of not guilty for the boy, and I am going to stand by him till 1 prove my verdict correct. He will come outatthe top of the heap, for all of his enemies,” ** His enemies—who are they?” “The principal one is as great a villain as ever disgraced the calling of a clergyman! He is a smooth-faced hypocrite who calls himself Adam Jayne.” As Vane uttered this name, he heard a sudden stir and a sound like a gasp coming from be- yond a board partition which separated the room he was in from the one adjoining. He looked inquiringly at Forest, but the young man appeared not to have beard the sounds, _ “So itis that whelp!” cried Leon, ‘ Where is he now?” ** You speak as if you knew him,” TS Ta Ldo, Anyway, I know enough of m ‘*'You do not like him?” eon made a gesture of repugnance. (, He isone of the greatest rascals unhanged!” ell, we can agree on that point.” ** Where is he?” ** He is here in Coffin City.” Once more Vane fancied he heard a rustle and & £asp In an adjoining room. ‘* And his son?” asked Leon, ‘* Ts also here,” ‘He is a chip of the old block, Those two men should be behind iron bars—and by heav- ens! they shall go there yet!” The young man was excitedly pacing the floor, Vane watched bim closely, nodding with satisfaction, plainly pleased by the honest indig- nation and hatred so freely expressed by the tenderfoot, “Well,” and the Velvet Sport arose, ‘‘I do not see as I can tell you anything further of in- terest, so I will leave you.” Forest wheeled with outstretched hand. ‘Accept my thanks for your favor,” came earnestly from his lips. ‘I appreciate it, no matter how IT may have appeared. When the timé comes for you to understand my position, if it ever does, you will know why I could not meet you more openly. I am sure you area friend to be cultivated.” Vane smiled in his winning way. : The apologies should not be all on one side,” he observed. ‘ We have both held something in ‘¢ But where reserve, but I gave the boy my word I would not betray him, Until I have his consent, I can tell you nothing furtber of him. Meantime, if you need a friend, Violet Vane may be around to take a stand at your side,” As he passed out into the corridor, the Velvet Sport glanced at the door of the room from which had come the strange sounds he had noticed. It bore the figure 8, Descending the stairs, Vane once more ap- proached and examined the register, He found room Number 8 was assigned to Timothy Stiles, CHAPTER VIII. A PRECIOUS PAIR, THE ** Rev.” Adam Jayne awoke in a decided- — ly unpleasant mood, At first he seemed dazed, and when he started up to look around, his head swam and was pervaded by such pains that he sunk back, uttering a groan. ‘* Hello, paw!” drawled Jonas, entering the cabin at that moment. ‘‘ Tho you are coming awound? Well, it ith about time, faw you sthlept the biggest pawt of the day, baw Jove!” ‘*Oh, my head, my head!” groaned Jayne the elder. ‘‘Reelth good, don’t it, paw!” and Jonas struck an attitude in the middle of the floor, his everlasting cigarette being held between his thin lips, ‘as usual. ‘I have been there mythelf, old man, and I know all about it.” ~he head will split!” se Well. you came very near sthplitting it, guy. You fell ovah the hammawk and thpoiled your hat. Taking that with the jag you carried, thould think your head would ache.” Adam sat up with his head against the wall and glared at his disrespectful son, He was a pitiful-looking object, and Jonas broke into a snickering laugh, ‘*' You ought to have your picture taken now, paw—you had, baw Jove! You pwethbent a werry impothing athpect! Ob, my gwathuth, guv! I nevah thaw you look tho widiculoutb!” ** Jonas!” snarled the parent, ‘*'Yeth, thir,” ‘*Do you dare to talk to me in this manner? The Lord knows I have had trouble enotgh and Ihave borne with you with the fortitude of a saint. But there is a limit even to the endur- ance of a Christian.” ‘*Oh, you make me tired, paw!” Adam fairly frothed with anger. Indeed, his rage was so great he could only splutter, fail- ing to utter the wrathful words which surged to is lips. ‘‘ Don’t sthwear, paw,” entreated Jonas, with mock solicitude, ‘* That wath what you thaid tome. Keep your temper, guv.” Finally the angry man managed to snarl: ‘‘ Bring me some water!” With aggravating deliberation, his son obeyed the order, and Adam drank greedily, ‘‘There, that makes me feel better,” be as- serted. ‘‘Help me up, Jonas, you ungrateful rascal!” The son gave his parent a helping band, and Adam struggled to his feet. ‘* | was drugged!” he growled, as he hung on the youth’s shoulder, still feeling giddy. “I tell you I was drugged! Do you hear?” ‘* Yeoth, thir,” ‘*T wonder if I bave been robbed.” Adam felt for his pocketbook and opened it, After an examination, he fairly shouted: **T have—I have been robbed | I knew it! I was drugged and robbed!’ Jonas began to look alarmed, : ‘‘ Why, your money ith there!” he said, ‘‘ Four bundred dollars are gone!” snarled the “Rev,” Adam, the discovery dispelling his gid- diness so he was able to execute a first-class imi- tation of an Indian war-dance. “Do you hear that, you wortbless dog? Four hundred dol- lars! I have been robbed |” ‘‘Why didn’t the thief take the whole of it, ” “Blanked if I know; but I do know aclean four hundred are missing!” ‘‘ Where did you get the dwink?” ‘“ At Slink’s. Ob, that rascally lawyer! 1 be- lieve he was the one who robbed me!” ‘*More likely you gave him the cawsh for — thomething, paw. Jutht sthop and think,” Adam did so, and finally succeeded in recall- ing the fact that he had given the lawyer the monev in a business transaction, ‘‘But the infernal scoundrel drugged the liquor, so as to get it out of me!” he protested, ‘*T would not have given bim more than balf that sum if I had been sober, He has had too much money already.” BRN ' : A “. - Sane ~*~ tr “<3, oN Hi