Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 801 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

‘iA ont 7 | Be Bie A W - Aes oe CHAPTER XIII. A MYSTERIOUS AFFATR, ALTHOUGH he had no great faith in Marian Carlow, as the reader knows—believing her to be guilty of toe murder of her father—he decided to acquaint her with what hoe had that morning witnessed. It would bea great shock to her. He could not doubt that; for, whatever her faults and sins, he was sure she sincerely loved Seal Shel- ton, Hence it would be no difficult thing to secure her as an ally in his plans of vengeance against the ex-foreman. He knew she would willingly aid him in this to the extent of her power; and as the proprietress of the Rogue River Ranch, her power and influence in such a matter would be far-reaching. With this thought in his mind he tied the broncho to a bitching-post near the corral and went into the house, ip encountered Sylvia Sterling on the thresh- old. Sylvia was attired in a faded morning wrap- per, and there was in her dress and manner a careless lack of regard he had not bitherto noticed, She seemed nervous and absent-mind- ed, and drew back startledly when the souncs of bis footsteps reached her, ** Hain’t seen nothin’ of Tom Conner, this last half-hour, I reckon?’ glancing keenly at her. ¢ She sbrunk under his words, ** Did you say Mr, Conner?” as if striving for time in which to collect her thoughts, ‘“*T said Jom Conner! Ketch me a-misterin’ him, ld as soon think uv callin’ a rattlesnake Jedge!” ‘* [—I haven’t seen anything of him!” she fal- tered, starting to turn away. ‘I didn’t reely low you had!” staring at her in perplexity. ‘ But I thought ’dask, I want to see Miss Carlow, a minute.” He was wondering what had occurred to so alter Sylvia’s demeanor, Could he have known of her recent conference with Conner, of her suicidal resolve, of her gift to bim of money, her actions would have had ample explanation. ** Miss Carlow isn’t here,” was her reply. ‘* Where is she? [I want to see her at onc’t, I’m p’intedly in a big hurry about it.” He bad removed his large hat and was bow- ing as civilly and gracefully as he cculd, his wide mouth distended in one of his most fetch- ing grins, ‘She isn’t here, and I don’t know where she is.” she sharply answered. : His queries and his grinning presence were evidently distasteful. ** But she was hyer not long ago,” he persisted, **T seep her with my own twoeyes. If you'll be ood enough to give me a tip as to whur I’m Wble to find her I'll be everlastin’ obleeged, A wink isas good as a kick, ye know!” She turned on bim fiercely. ‘**[ don’t know where she is and I don’t care, She’s gove. Run away with Seal Shelton, I sup- ose, I wish she was dead; and him, too! bat’s what I wish. I don’t want you to bother me about ber. I don’t want to talk about her. There! you hear?” She pushed the door to with a bang and dis- appeared, leaving the High-Kicker stupefied and spoechless on the steps, ‘Well, may I be blowed!” he finally ejacu- lated, ‘‘ Hyer’s another mix [ wasn’t countin’ on, That gal’s as crazy and mad as a wet hen. Jt’s a mistake to bring a good-lookiv’ oung man on a trip like this hyer. Every Blamed female frum scullion to pianer-pounder falls heels over head in love with ‘em, fu’st qe An’ from that on you’ve got a reg’lar iowa ghost-dance on yer hands, I ’low it’s a blessin’ that I’m: onconimon homely. If I was an Apollo Belvidery I reckon [I'd have to give up my biz.” The smile had faded from his face and he heaved a ponderous sigh. ‘‘ Well, hyer goes fer luck. If that other female critter’s in this house I’m goin’ to find hér, *Taio’t only a step frum jealousy to tellin’ lies. A jealous woman’ll do things it would skeer @ man to think about!” He turned the knob of the door and stepped boldly into the hallway, The house was apparently deserted, Sylvia Sterling had retrexted probably into her private room. _ Kirby was puzzled and annoyed. His mind was filled with thoughts of the recent scene on the river. Why, at this time, had Marian Car- low disappeared, when he was so anxious to’ see her? He bad his hands full of re dobsta Was this the beginning of another one : : or , ™ Ty 4 nip tal ies Doh, WET : * ay ‘- - i va ' oe dey ee 7 lid 3 t torheg She is “o ° 4 1 ~h =o oe The yee “wr : : “V4 ry 4.) . i 4 le i7 * vi Fy Oe Oe ie ete ee kb Telia pads ote 4. ee) BD Rasa » 44 » Bead Kent Kirby, the High-Kicker from Killbuck. He called to Sylvia, and then to Mariau; and | when only the echoes of his 6wn voice came back, he tramped up the stairway, bent on a personal investigation. Sylvia met bim in the upper corridor, ** Why have you followed me?” she spitafully demanded, He did not reply, but stepped across the corridor and rapped on the door of Marian’s room, **T told you she was not here!” With this snappish exclamation she slipped past bim and threw the door open. ** Look fur yourself, if you won’t believe me!” The room was vacant, He saw she had spoken truly in saying Marian Carlow was not in the house, ‘‘[’m p’intedly ag’in’ a snag!” he ayowed, ee —-—_—” beaming on her. in spite of her core ey) attitude. ‘‘ If youd on’ly help me! I want to have a little talk with her ona subject of im- portance, If you'll say where she’s gone I'll take my cowhide boots out uv this hyer boudoir and not bother you furder, But 1 mus’ know where she gone.” “* Pd-tell you if I could!” and there was an air of candor in ber tones, ‘*I was ont riding this morning, and when I returned Marian was not in the house, [ think—I think—” and here, in spite of her efforts at self-control she became hysterical— ‘‘ she’s eloped with Seal Shelton!” Kirby had the best reasons for disbelieving this, but he deemed it unwise to acquaint her wita them. Long experience had taught him to be secretive. He knew not how far he could trust this woman, So he turned away, descended the stairs, and went into the open air, There was no one in sight. The cowboys were absent on the range and would rot return before night—some of them perhaps nct for days, Remounting tbe broncho he made a circuit of the buildings, examiuing the adjacent prairie aad the cottonwood grove. Nowhere were there any traces of Marian Carlow. On visiting the stable he found that her favorite riding pony was also gone, As there was a likelihood that she might be enjoying a canter he remained in the vicinity of the ranch buildings for more than an hour, hoping that she might return, When she did not be turned his broncho in the di- rection of the town of Piebald and rode rapidly CHAPTER XALV. IN CONSULTATION WITH THE SHERIFF, THe mysterious, disappearance of\ Marian Carlow placed Kent Kirby io a peculiar posi- tion. It left him in sole charge of the ranch and the business connected therewith, Onty a few days before several carloads of cattle had been shipped from the station at Piebald, and he knew that a draft for the money was now in the post- office there in a letter directed to him, Although he bad all along felt that Marian Carlow was not rigbtfully the person to whom this money should be paid, yet, in view of the fact that there was no one else claiming it, he had meant to turn it over to her. What was he to do with it now? Perbaps, though, he was borrowing unneces- sary trouble, She might have ridden over to Piebald; or sbe might scon return to the ranch, He settled the matter by resolving that, in the event of her continued absence, be would deposit the money in bank to the credit of Jim Carlow’s lawful heirs; and let the courts decide whu these were, On visiting ‘the office of Cassius Clay Col- ton, the sheriff, he found that that indi- Hea had neither seen nor heard of the missing girl, This information came as a great disappoint- ment, for Kirby had counted strongly on finding Marian in the town, Colton could not say she was not there or had not been there; only that he bad not seen her, However, as the sheriff was lynx-eyed in his detection of strangers and visitors, this seemed to the High-Kicker an equivalent to a denial that she had visited the place, ‘* Kin [ have a little private talk with you?” he asked, glancing significantly at a group of loungers near the doorway. “Cash” Colton caught the glanca, and led the way to a little room at the rear of the building where they would be reasonably secure from espionage, Kirby breathed freer when they were seated in this room with the door locked and bolted be- hind them. The place was illuminated by a sky- light and there was no window for the benefit of an eavesdropping enemy. | a é A ei a ae OER: ty ‘ e- + Gear’ be Liu. ; an « he der pre PRK la AGL Frit Ata ‘> \ 11 ** This hyer’s hunk!” and the High-Kicker sur~ veyed the place with an approving smile, *‘ You had it built on purpose fer this p’tic’ler bizness,, I s’pose?” ‘* { find it handy, sometimes, business?” Colton was sternly, almost icily quiet.in hig: general demeanor; just the reverse of the redoubtable and guffawing High-Kicker from Killbuck, Yet each in his way was as deter- mined and resolute as the other—as courageous, aggressive, and as full of fire and fight when the occasion demanded, Kirby drew a slip of paper from an inner pocket, and held it in his hands as he entered on a recital of the events of the morning, Colton listened with marked interest, He had always regarded Tom Conner as a dangerous and treacherous man, having never held for him the high esteem exhibited by many of the better citi- zensof Piebald, For tbat matter *‘ Cash” Coltom bad never thought very weli of the late Jim Car- low; although he had been wise enough to keep his tongue in his teeth, for Carlow had been @ man of considerable political influence—and im the West asin the East political influence very frequently makes and unmakes the fortunes of office-seekers, ‘olton’s interest rose to fever pitch when Kir- »y handed him the bit of writing and pointed to the name thereon, ‘‘That’s what I calls the Roster uv Rogues, You'll find on there the names of as precious & set of scamps as ever straddled hoss-flesh, If hemp hain’t a-growin’ fer ever’ mother’s son uv ’em, I’m off my base, They’re the gang uv counterfeiters fer which you an’ me bave been huntin’ these many long days, lve got the thing down fine an’ know what I’m talkin’ about.” ‘ Ah!” and Colton drew in his breath with a soughing gasp. ‘You'll see that I have headed the list with the name of T.m Conner, He’s the king-pin of the round-up sence old Carlow passed in bis checks, I don’t think Aell die at the end uv a, rope, fer I mean to shoot him assoon as I set eyes on him!” ‘¢ You’re sure of these?” said the sheriff, look- ing at the pames and unbeeding this ebullition, ‘| notice you have kere some men of Piebald!” ‘*Can’t belp it. Bein’ frum Piebald hain’t any better, I calk’late, than bein’ frum a hoss of any other color!” This struck the High-Kicker as so good a pur that he settled back in bis seat and brayed hig delight souproariously that he might easily have: been heard in the street, ‘* Pretty good,” said Colton, smiling dryly. ‘*These were always shady fellows and I have suspected them fora longtime, Now if you will be so kind as to tell me how you got these names: and what proot you bave onthe subject, we'll talk the thing over and come to some conclu- sion, Kirby needed no urging and immediately be- gan a rehearsal of the exciting incidents of the previous night; disclosing what he bad seen and heard in the depths of the abandoned mine, The names of the men of Piebald bad been obtained at that time; not because they were then present, but because be bad heard them mentioned as members and intimates, Colton nodded approvingly. this always gained his warm admiration, “Pm with you,” he declared, rising as if he meant to go into the outerroom, ‘Pll have twenty men ready inside of an hour. Likely there’]l be another meeting of the band to-night, We'll surround the mine and capture every one of them, Then we'll rake in these Piebald fel- lows, if they should chance to Le again absent,” Now as to your ‘* Hold on,” said Kirby, plucking at Colton’s sleeve. ‘I hain’t ready fer this hyer biz yet. You're too previous.” ‘* What do you want done?” Colton queried, Thereupon Kirby more fully explained his plans. He desired Colton to watch the men of Piebald whose names were on the roster; and he especially wished Colton to arrest Tom Con- ner should the latter visit the town. Kirby feared Conner might attempt to leave the country by taking a train from that station. When all this was arranged aud Colton haa promised to co-operate further with bim in his efforts to bring the counterfeiters to justice, andin any manner he might mark out, Kirby wrong him warmly by the band and took his. departure, CHAPTER XV, KENT KIRBY'S GAME OF BLUFF A ROAR of anger came from the doorway of the bunk-room of the Rogue River Ranch. a tl JOOK Ui x Ory? ae er - ‘ i C i - i| » ’ : fe} " - . * 4 ‘ as SW pM -_ = 7 4 win pie gi Bi alee 5. ae! ) |* 7 i . r Such work as. \y : ih ne “s P var? = : “ue aie may if i U ie