Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 777 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

~ a -— = -— —_— =~ . oe a = Pe ——————— / eeinane A : ; ' ’ : / | > peg? eT oe Dick Doom’s Destiny. day, and the next night could carry the body to the college, leaving no trace of their going or coming. ‘* We agreed to the plan, anxious to get a good subject, and we met the man who had | ! | could shoot, ride, fence and box, and played a very superior game of poker, and, because he did not need money, it was said luck always went bis way. Mr, Gibson soon rented a pleasant little unos- visited us at our rooms, and were guided to the |; tentatious home in a secluded part of the city little burying-ground. ‘* We dug up the body, carried it to the river and then started down-stream, ‘We camped a dozen miles away, until the next afternoon, letting it be thought, as he sug- gested, that we were upon a gunning and fishing trip. ‘Well, we got the body, undiscovered, into the dissecting-room., ‘Tt was that of a fine-looking old gentleman of sixty, and in a fine state of preservation. ‘‘ Tn examining the body we in vain searched for the cause of death, ‘*He seemed to have been in perfect health, until at length I took the contents of the stomach for analysis, and then I discovered poison,” ** Poison?” ‘*' Yes, be had either taken poison to end his life, or been poisoned for some reason known only to those interested,” ** What did you do?” **What could I do? ‘“*T was, with my companions, in a trap, for we would be sent to prison for robbing the grave of the body, ‘*But I eased my conscience by finding out who the old man was, and also writing to his som my idea that he bad been poisoned, though I wrote under a fictitious name,” ‘*T saw afterward that a large reward was of- fered by his son for the discovery of the robbers of his father’s grave and return of the body, and there the matter ended and old Planter Gibson was dressed into a skeleton, which [ have now in my trunk, intending it for my cffice, for it is a splendid specimen,” ** And the young physician who came to you about him?” ‘*T never heard of, or saw him again,” ** Did he not give any name?” ** Yes, he introduced himself as Doctor Valen- tine.” ‘* Strauge that you never saw him again.” ** Oh, I guess he was frightened off by the re- ward offered by the sor, and let the matter drop.” ‘* And you think that is the man?” ‘*T am almost certain of it.” ‘** Why do you not speak to him?” “*T will. ‘* Wait, he is coming up from the lower deck; T will head him off.” Doctor Parsons hastily left his friend, and went below to the cabin-deck, But in five minutes he returned and said: ‘*He said that I was mistaken, that he was not a physician, and never saw me before; but all the same I believe be is the man,” And the two physicians walked away while young Hayseed awoke, descended to his state- room,took a book from his trunk and wrote down all that he bad beard, names and all. He was not such a hayseed as he looked, CHAPTER IV. A MAN OF MYSTERY, THE fashionable society of New Orleans bad had a set back, in the unmasking by Dick Doom, of one of its favorites, who bad been shown to be the secret leader of a robber band, and for awhile people were shocked into seclusion by the discovery of a wolf in the fold, But the lesson was soon forgotten, and when one day a bandsome schooner-yacht ran up the river, saluted the town with a gun and the dip- ping of her flag, and her owner sought elegant quarters in the St, Charles Hotel, there were many ready to take him by the band, rush bim to the clubs and entertainments and lionize him, especially as he was said to be very wealthy. He held no title, was plain Mister Valentine Gibson, and all he had to say about himself was ~ to the effect that be bad been born in the South- west, was left a handsome fortune at the death of bis parents, bad been educated abroad and living in Paris, Rome, Berlin and London so long, he spoke with an accent, He had come back to America to enjoy his fortune in his native land in a way that suited bim best, Handsome, elegant, and brilliant in conversa- tion, he was a favorite with all, yet held aloof from society ia spite of the urgent invitation to accept the devoirs of that class of people who always can be found in all good society to toady to money and good looks, Mr, Gibson knew good liquor from bad, was a connoisseur of wines, an art critic, a fair sailor, near the river, and had two servants to look after his comfort, with several blooded horses in his stable. He would go for sails upon the lake, where he kept bis yacht at anchor with a crew of three men; would drive on the shell road, or ride bareback in the outskirts of the city, with an occasional look in at the clubs and a game of chance now and then in a fashionable gaming- house, Such was the way he passed his time, He had no intimates, talked upon all subjects sive himself, spent his money freely, won heav- ily without a smile of satisfaction, and lost even more heavily at times without the shadow of are upon his face, whatever he might iuward- y feel. Now and then he would give a dinner at his home, which was a gem in its way. Again he would take a party for a sail on the lake in his yacht, which bore the strange title of The Agnostic, and which some thought fitted its master just as well, That there was something back of the man, some history, all felt certain. Was ita love affair, or was if some sorrow upon his youth? This no one knew, and no one had the temeity to ask him, Not a soul tried to penetrate the barrier of his reserve, Often, as a means of pleasure, Mr. Gibson was wont to engage a state-room upon one of the fine steamboats running from the port of New Orleans to the river countries. He always paid for the best and got it. One time it was a run to the plantation coupntry about New Orleans. Again up the Red River, another time up the Yazoo and then up the Mississippi as far as Memphis, But he never went further up the river, for he felt that the enjoyment of steamboat travel was to be found in the far southern country. Upon such occasions he was wont to enjoy the scenery and a cigar by day, either pacing the deck, or seated in the pilot house, where he was always a welcome visitor, He would at night either read in the cabin, listen to the music in the ludies’ cabin, or watch a game of cards in Social Hall. Once in a while he would join in a game, when asked, but never did he seek to do so un- less invited, Of course gambling on the Mississppi at that time was indulged in by various classes of people. A man who was traveling asa passenger in a steamboat was considered to be a gentleman, But there were known to be men who made the lottery of life a profession. Some of these were gentlemen, courteous, Aree, elegant, and fine specimens of man- Others were just the reverse, bluff, uncongenial and men who played to win and stood no nonsense, Again there were those known as Blacklegs, and they had to be watched closely by the steamboat officers as well as the passengers, They were men who were very light-fingered in the use of cards, who played to win, and playing cheated, whenever they could do so with profit to themselves and no danger, And yet there was one of this class, who, though never known to cheat, was always un- der suspicion, while his many winnings had a look about them which really appeared like a certainty rather than chance, | This man had several close followers, and they were known as the “ Five of Diamonds,” their leader bearing the very appropriate name, for a gambler, of Jack Dimond, which was reversed by many to *“*Diamond Jack” as he fairly sparkled with those precious gems, That “Jack Dimond” was an alias all felt sy per though no one had the bardibood to tell CHAPTER V. DIAMOND JACK THE SPORT. JACK DIMOND was a man as courtly as a Chesterfield. He played only with gentlemen, never would take the winnings of a poor man, always asked if the one he played against was able to stand his losses. He dressed exquisitely, and in perfect taste, his only indication of the professional sport be- ing his diamonds. He wore a superb stone in his scarf, a pair to match it in his cuff-buttons, and another upon his left little finger. He had a watch-chain of gold mesh, in which were loose in each link a diamond, and his ‘*charm ” was a cluster star of diamonds, Then upon his watch was a diamond hand holding four aces made of rubies and black pearls. It was said that his suspender buckles were of solid gold set with diamonds, and his vest buttons were of the same precious metal set with a precious gem. ‘‘That man carries fifty thousand dollars’ worth of diamonds upon bis person as orna- ments,” said a dealer in gems, who had had a good look at the stones worn by Diamond Jack, Of the Gambler King, as he was also called, little was known other than that he had rooms in New Orleans, but spent much of his time upon the river, first upon one steamer than an- other, He always traveled with a negro valet who was known as “ Black Diamond,” for he too was liberally supplied with rare gems, He was six feet four in height, a giant in strength, strangely reserved and a man of edu- cation. He was always near bis master, and there was more existing between them than the friendly regard of master and mab. What the connection of Jack Dimond was with the worse element of his profession, Black- leg Bill and the others of the ‘ Five of Dia- monds,” those who knew the courtly gambler well were never able to understand, for hoe seemed not to have a thought in common with them, Now and then they met upon the same steamer, but upon such occasions Diamond Jack was never known to piay in a game where the others were engaged, His ways seemed not to be their ways, and though they certainly owed him some alle- giance, yet what it was no one knew, or could discover, One afternoon the swift and palatial steamer iclipse pulled out of New Orleans, and headed up the river, with a large number of passengers on board. Grouped upon the deck, watching with deep interest the run close along to the levee, causing the shipping to roll and toss upon the waves of the steamer as she went flying by, were the pas- sengers, and among them could be picked out some well-known faces, Standing near the bell, forward, a cigar be- tween his lips, and alone, was Diamond Jack, evidently enjoying the splendid panorama pass- ing before bim, and keeping an eye upon the dozen steamers ahead, all of which bad started from an hour to fifteen minutes before the Eclipse. Not far from him were Blackleg Bill and two of his confreres. Blackleg Bill was a man with a face to shun, and the countenances of his two confederates were far from prepossessing, They were “loud” in their dress, talked in tones above the ordinary pitch of conversation, were loaded with jewelry, wore flasby neckties, and had an all-important air. Seated in froot of the Texan was the mys- terious young gentleman who is known to the reader as Valentine Gibson, a man about town. He was neatly dressed, seemed to avoid rather than seek attention, and was apparently enjoy- ing the scene, Not far from him was a young man whose ap- pearance indicated that he bad beer to the city on his first visit, and was glad to get away alive. That be came from away back in the bills, went without saying, for he seemed to have taken the pictures of Uncle Sam asa copy for his own get-up. His pants were striped, and the stripes were very noticeable. Then they were a trifle short, and were held down by straps running under boots that were large enough for a man twice bis size. He wore a pair of green goggles with gold rims, and bis sandy hair bung down in straight locks on either side of bis face. His coat was of gray homespun, cut after a model perhaps the style back in the hills, and his vest was red plush, and covered by a flaming watch-chain, He wore what might be called a ‘‘sawed-off” beaver, and held in bis hand, as though afraid to let it go, a carpet-bay of the old-time kind our fathers never knew of as a “‘ grip.” The youth looked about twenty, and his mouth