Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 777 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

AO one on that steamboat who knew of your quarrel with Stanton Buckner some weeks be- tore that? ‘Tt was not the same steamer, and so no one connected your being on board with his disap- pearance.” ‘* Why sbould they?” ‘*They should for the reason that you were his foe, for be bad humiliated you, disgraced you upon the other steamer by his charge, even though it was not proven, and you bided your time to get rid of him,” “Do you accuse me of killing that man?” savagely demanded the gambler, as he wheeled ‘upon the parson. But the parson was wholly unmoved as he an- swered: ‘* Yes, Diamond Jack, I do accuse you of kill- ing Stanton Buckner in his state-room, and then throwing bis body into the river.” _—_— -— + CHAPTER XVII. WHAT THE REVEREND SHEPHERD SAW. THERE was that in the look of Diamond Jack, as he turoed his fierce eyes upon the parson, which showed a desire to end his life then and there, But the parson did not flinch, and what the moonlight revealed in his face caused the gam- bler to utter an impatient exclamation, lean back in his seat and say: ‘* Well, of all men, parson, you are the most brazen | ever met.” “Think so?” ** T know it.” ‘* Now my congregation don’t—” ** D—— your congregation!” ‘“* Ah! would you swear?” ‘‘T have just done so,” ‘¢ Wicked man, and before me?” ‘*] have no respect for you.” ** Now that is just what | thought.” ‘*‘ You came on this boat and sneaked about listening to idle tales about me. ‘‘Then you came to the Social Hall, where no man of your cloth should be seen, and you broke up a game of cards I was going to play with a friend.” ‘‘Mr, Grayburst your friend?” ‘Yes, as his father was before him, for the colonel has played man a game of cards with me, ‘* To his sorrow, I take it.” ‘¢ Yes, be lost in the long run, though he was a good player.” ‘ And his son?” ‘‘We were going to play last night when a countryman interfered and I played him in- stead.” * And won?” ‘© No, I didn’t, for he nearly ruined me,” ‘** Too bad. ‘* And that is the man you killed?” The gambler did not start at this bold ques- tion, but replied: ‘Tt is the man you say you heard some idiots say I killed,” ‘* So you did not have a game with Mr, Gray- burst?” ‘* No, but 1 will,” **T doubt it.” ‘“ Why?” ‘‘ He will not play with you.” ** And why will he not?” ‘¢ Well, I shall advise bim not to do so,” 4+ And you tell me this?” “y do,” ‘* You will advise him not to play with me?” — ** Of course.” “Why?” **T shall tell bim that you are a cheat.” ‘You will have to prove your words,” **T cap do so,” sé How Yi ‘‘ Never mind, I can prove that you play with marked cards, cards made expressly for you, and which mark not avotber soui kuows,” * It is false!” “\t is true, and more, you are really the feader of the Blacklegs of the Mississippi,” The gambler laughed, ‘Tt is false!” be said, after awbile. ** And I say twat it is true.” ** Where is your proof?” ; ‘You shall have it all in good time.” “* Tf my cards are marked, why was it that the countryman won from me?’ Ps Davy Dunn?” “ Ww " ” on t - ae not play with your cards, “You are mistaken, for he is as clever as you are, in handling the pasteboards, and so ex- + e TMP BY Fie ay ea Dick Doom’s Destiny. changed the marked cards for a pack just like them excepting your secret signs.” ‘* This is not true,” ‘* Whether it is or not bis cards and yours can be examined together to verify my charge against you.” ‘* Well, have you done with your charges?” ‘‘T wish to returu to the death of Stanton Buckner, and state that you entered his state- room with a skeleton key, chloroformed him while asleep, took bis body around by the wheel- house and tossed it overboard,” The gambler laughed. ‘*The remembrance seems to amuse you, of the manner in which you got rid of your vic- tim.” ‘*Tt is so perfectly absurd.” Ts it?” é Yes,” ‘‘Did you know that the body of the dead man was found?” ‘*Tt never was,” ‘* It was picked up on the shore of a planter, — happened to be a physician as well as a sol- ier. ‘* He examined the body carefully, divested it and discovered that the lungs showed chloroform in them, and that death bad not come from drowning. ‘* Tbe body was buried on his plantation, and as he was just starting for an extended trip North, be merely reported the finding of the dead man, the name upon his night-shirt, and that be had placed him in his own burying- ground, ‘“*When he returned home be did uot revive the matter by stating that he had discovered that the mau was murdered, or bad committed suicide,” ‘You seem to be well acquainted with the affair?’ sé I am,” ** And to have meddled much in my affairs?” ‘*] have.” ** Did you ever stop to consider what it might lead to?” ss No,” x ‘* Well, I suppose you would like to know?” ** Yes, being forewarned is being forearmed.” ‘** Well, it might lead to your death,” ‘* I¢ might, but I doubc it.” ** ‘You seem to have no dread of it?” **Don’t turn to see if those in the pilot-house can see you, for they cannot, as the moon is going down, and the two gentlemen who were walking the deck awhile since have retired. ‘* But let me tell you what I saw last night,” ‘** What did you see?” ** A man called from his state-room and dealt ; ae over his bead, which felled him to the eck, ‘*Then the murderer bend over him, search his clothes, and raising the body throw it over the guard into the river, ‘T'ben the murderer went to bis victim’s state- room, searched it and found—notbing! ‘The victim was the country youth, and the murderer was yourself—hold! I have you cov- ered, Jack Dimond, and more, here are steel bracelets for your wrists—there! they clasp on easily, you see! ‘*Now, come with me, Diamond Jack, to the deck below. A movement to resist, or a word, will be the signal for your death,” warned the parson in a low, determined tone, CHAPTER XVIII. THE SECRET. WirtH the skill of a pickpocket the parson bad, while talking to Jack Dimond, slipped the re- volver out of the holster on one hip, bis knife from the other. He had also been toying with a pair of steel manacles later on, and when at last he had de- cided to act, he had slipped, with lightning rae y, the steels upon his wrists and snapped them. Thus entrapped, and with a revolver looking him fairly in the eyes, the gambler had not dared offer any resistance, He had felt that he had been disarmed most cleverly, and caught with equal cleverness, He could do nothing else than obey bis un- known captor, He was led down to the deck below, out on the guards to the office window, upon which the par- son tapped, The clerk shoved the glass aside, “The keys of state-rooms 15 and 15, please, Mr. Butler.” ** Yes, sir,” and the keys were handed out. It was evident that the captain and clerk both knew the parson, o ww — , 2") oe tt OOO A ie = 9 Passing on my the outer guard, the parson led his prisoner to Number 15. Unlocking the door, he bade him enter, and then lighted a candle. There was seen to be a door communicating with the next state-room, Number 13, and a trunk was visible in there, Upon the bed in Number 15 was a cbain and padlock, and this was placed around the heacboard and made fast through the manacles upon the gambler’s wrists. ‘You have space to undress and move about, sir, and the state-room on each side of you 1s unoccupied, but I shall take one, so as to keepan eye upon you,” ‘‘ In Heaven’s name, who are you?” ** Do you recognize this?” He unbuttoned his coat as he spoke, and re- vealed the gambler’s diamond star. 7) My God ‘*T do not wonder that you are amazed, ‘* Shall I tell you how I got it?” , sé Yes.” **T won it.” “ Won it?” sé Yes,” ‘‘ How and when and where?” ‘* Prom you,” ** Tt is false,” ** Don’t be too certain.” * But I am.” ‘Tet me tell you that you made a very sad mistake.” ss How ” ‘* You did not kill your map,” ‘* What man,” ** Davy Dunn,” The gambler, in spite of his position of peril and captivity laugbed. ‘*T repeat it, you did not kill him.” ‘* Who says that I tried to do so?” “é ] Say so.” ‘‘ You pretended to have seen me fell him to the deck,” ‘*T did see it,” ‘* It is false,” ‘‘ You weat to his door, the outer one, and had on a waiter’s jacket and black handkerchief tied over your face, ‘* You called bim to the door and told him ina yer that you feared the steamer was on re, ‘‘ He stepped out, dressed as be was, and you i bim what you intended sbould be a deadly blow. ‘But he bad in bis bat a wire frame, and it saved him, though the blow stunned him, ‘*- You searched him and found nothing, ‘*‘ He was too smart for you there, ‘¢ You threw bim overboard, and then searched his state-room for your gold box, diamond dice, this star I wear and bis money. ‘** You failed to find anything. ‘*Then you sought your state-room, ‘‘But the cold water revived him, and he began to swim. ‘‘He saw the steamer going rapidly away from him, but she bad been running very close inshore, so he had but a short distance to swim to reach it. Fortunately he found a residence near where he landed, and aware that the steamer wasrunning around one of the bends for which this river is noted, he felt that be could get a horse and by riding ten miles bead her cff at the town above, and which she had to go forty miles to reach. . ‘* He got some clothes from the people, a man to drive him to the town and started. .“* He reached the town abead of the steamer, and when she landed went on board, ‘* He made his way to his state-room and found it unlocked, ‘‘ But that was pot the only state-room be had on board, for be came prepared for emergen- cies, ‘Do you follow me, Jack Dimond?” ** Go on.” ‘‘T was sure that my story would interest you,” ‘*Go on, I say.” ‘¢ Well, he left his things in the state-room, to give coloring to the belief be knew would pre- vail, and very justly, that he bad been mur- dered. ‘““Then he sought his other state-room, see, Number Thirteen, then, an unlucky number to scme, but not to Davy Dunn.” , ‘‘What number is this?’ asked the gambler quickly, and with a certain superstitious dread. ‘Number Fifteen.” ‘* You are sure it is not thirteen?” ‘* Yes, that room is thirteen, and now fifteem is your unlucky number.”