Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 801 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

Kent Kirby, the High-Kicker fr e was listening attentively, distressed by the y hardness of her tones, yet charmed beyond ameasure by her cold, queenly beauty. She was a handsome woman, even regal, though her pallor was now too pronounced, She wassuf- fering intensely. It required no keenness of vision to see that; and this very suffering drew him nearer to ber, ‘*She wanted to accompany me home, and of course I couldn’t very well refuse. She said she had no home of her own, and no place in which to spend her vacation, Naturally, she didn’t care to stay at the school. So I consented; and she came, She was familiar with rancb ways, ber father having been a ranchman on the Platte, When he died, be left her without a penny, and she has since supported herself,by teaching, She got a little mouey ahead and came to the boarding- school to more thoroughly fit herself for that. At any rate, that was her story. I don’t know how much to believe it, now. And that is all | know about her,” To Shelton, the proof of Sylvia Sterling’s guilt was conclusive, Sylvia was a penniless girl, O- ber anteceents practically nothing was known, A roll of bank bills had been found under her pillow, There was the bloody print of a woman’s shoe on the stairway! Jim Carlow was known to have kept large sums of money about him, ‘*T will look into the matter!” he declared. **She must be guilty. We will need to exercise care, though, to keep her from suspecting any- thing and taking the alarm, I will get Keot Kirby to help me, and we'll sift the thing to the bottom, But, I must caution you: Above all things, don’t chauge in the least in your attitude toward her. She is sure tu become frightened if you do, Can I rely on you in that?” She looked at him gratefully—so gratefully that bis heart gave a delirious bound, ‘*T will try to be discreet, though you must know you have set me a difficult task. Oh, my poor father! My poor father!” She covered her face with her hands and sob- bed convulsively. Seal did not think it wise to interrupt this out- burst of grief; so be left her sobbing, and went below stairs to confer with Kirby in regard to what he had seen and heard, CHAPTER V. THE OUTLOOK, KtRBY was not in the room, and when he stepped out to see what had become of him, he found him conversing with two of the cowboys »who had returned to the ranch for some articles that had been forgotten that morning. The looks of the cowboys showed how sur- are and horrified they were at the story told y Kirby. They dismounted and came toward ‘the house when they saw Seal. The presence of the cowboys prevented Seal from disclosing to the High-Kicker the strange account he had just received from Marian Carlow; and for some time thereafter he was given no opportunity to speak of it. The cowboys gave the room and its belongings a minute examination; then one of them rode away to Piebald for the sheriff and coroner, and the other returned to the round-up outfit to ac- quaint them with what had occurred. Shelton went back up-stairs after awbile, and again engaged Marian in a conversaticn con- cerning the murder. She did not desire to look on the body, she declared, in answer to one of his questions; and he saw truly, from her ghast- ly countenance, that the sight would have been too much for her overstrained nerves, Some time elapsed before he descended. Then he found the High-Kicker sitting moodily on a block near the door, buried in deep thought, Kirby’s face lightened, when Seal came in view, and the old grotesque smile again played about his homely mouth, Under all circum- stances, botu grave and gay, the High-Kicker ‘was the irresistibly droll clown of the camp. ‘* Ye look solemn enough fer a ghost!” and his mouth expanded in a forced grin. ‘“ Likely you’ve seen ’em, too, I’ve been seein’ ghosts an’ shadders, av’ sich, tell I don’t know my own name, The wu’st of it is, there’s a gal on this hyer place that p’intedly thinks [’m wicked. '[’ve seen her two cr three times within the last half-hour, ap’ she’s a-watchin’ me constant. She thinks I’m a-lookin’ out fer a chance to give the ranch the slip, an’ she’s boun’ an’ determined I sha’n’t.” He was evidently sore dver the fact that he had beed roped and tied up so skillfully by a qoman, He bad not mentioned it to the cow- ~ om ae et me boys; and Seal, knowing how he felt, avoided the subject. ‘*T reckon that when the sheriff an’ cor’ner comes, she’ll up an’ tell ’em all about it, an’ how she yanked me with that rope,” He appeared not to care for the accusation of murder so much as the revelation of how he had been triced up by a woman, ‘' What will you say when she expresses her belief that you killed Jim Carlow?” was the anxious question, ‘+ That it p’intedly ain’t so! You took a good look at the body, 1 reckon, when you seeao it fu’st? Carlow had been dead nigh onto two hours, an’ I kin show by Ned Tarbox whur I wus at about that time, Tarbox an’ me wus more’n two miles frum this place, tryin’ to ketch some ponies. There wus some ponies out there that Yarlow wanted to send away, an’ 1 wus to have druv ’em to the railway station. When we got ’em corraled, Tarbox rode off to jine the outfit that wus goin’on the round-up, an’ I come on home to ask Carlow some questions concernin’ what I wus to do with the money the ponies wus expected to bring. ** You know the rest, When I got to the house, I foun’ Carlow dead; an’ I could see he’d been dead a good while; and whilst I wus a-standin’ there a-wonderin’ over it, that gal yanked me,” This informatioao brought to Shelton a sense of relief, Heknew that Kent Kirby was not guilty of the crime; but he bad feared there might be a difficulty in convincing the sheriff and coroner of that fact, in face of the statements which he expected Sylvia Sterling tomake, Therefore, he was glad to know that an a/ibi was possible, Tarbox wasa cowboy well known throughout the entire region, and bis sworn testimony would not be called in question, Shelton’s interest in the High-Kicker from Killbuck may need explanation, They were more than passing acquaintances; they were friends and comrades, ‘Their presence at Rogue River Ranch was not accidental, Their advent tbere had had a well-defined purpose, For some time it bad been known to the au- thorities that large quantities of counterfeit money were being ‘* shoved” on the unsuspecting public. The counterfeits were finely executed and difficult of detection, and therefore doubly dangerous, Some work had been required to locate the source of their emanation. Tbis was not ascer- tained to a certainty; but the ranch at Rogue River became strongly suspected; and Jim Car- low was thought to be the ae of the gang of counterfeiters, For the purpose of arriving at the truth and bringing the guilty parties to justice, Kent Kirby had been sent to Rogue River. He bad come there as a cowboy seeking work; and the manner in which he gained access to the place and to the confidence of the ranchman and the cowboys has been seen, He was accounted one of the best men in the Secret Service. He had{spent years of his life in that*dangerous work on the plains and in the mountains, assuming a multiplicity of disguises. He was strong of frame, big of heart, jovial— just the man to mix successfully with the rough characters be was called on to encounter, He had been many things before coming to Rogue River, but never the High-Kicker from Killbuck. That was one of his latest ideas, and he had worked it, as he would have said, *‘ for all it was worth.” Seal Sheltoo was neither so old nor so experi- enced, yet he was considered a good man, by his superiors, and accounted worthy to assist Kent Kirby in the delicate work required at Rogue River. So far, he had seemingly accomplished nothing, ex@ept to fall heels-over-head in love with the rancbman’s pretty daughter. And now, a mystery had arisen, which promised to draw him further than ever from the task that had been given into bis hands, In rank, he was Kirby’s ioferior, and subject to the latter’s orders, “Tt have some of that counterfeit money,” Seal declared, something like exultation in his voice. “There can be no doubt, 1 think, that we're on the right track, as far as that is con- cerned, I’ve got a lot of bills bere, and I’m sure some of them are counrerfeits,” He was standing near the door, and spoke in low tones, Notwithstanding Seal’s caution, Kirby raised a finger warningly and looked anxiously about. Seal was about to produce the bills, but Kir- by’s manner restraived bim, ‘“*' We'd better git furder off frum the house before we go to mouthin’ about that there counterfeit business!” the High-Kicker whisper- ed, rising and looking out toward the cotton- cree Keer et < “Sta * te we om Killbuck. 5 wood grove. ‘In my time I’ve knowed walls to have years bigger’n any elephant’s,” He arose very deliberately, grinned in his odd way, asif the subject were a comic instead of an exciting one; and then, with his hands in his pockets, shuffled slowly in the direction of the grove. It was not so easy for Seal to hide his intense excitenent. He did his best, however; and, overtaking Kirby, walked quietly at bis side un- til the screen of the cottonwoods hid them from the view of any one at the house. He turned, before plunging into this retreat, and saw Sylvia Sterling enter the doorway and turn toward the stairs. His pulse bounded, as bis fancy pictured the scene of the meeting between Sylvia and Marian, How would Marian conduct herself in the pres- ence of the murderess? Would sbe be able to hiae from her ber terriblesuspicions? Ay, more than suspicions: the almost certainty of Sylvia’s guilt! He was not given time to dwel) on this, Kir- by’s voice reached him. The High-Kicker bad seated himself deliber- ately at the foot of one of the cottonwoods, and now held out a sinewy, hairy band, * Lemme look at that money. You're certain there’s counterfeits amongst it? Whur did ye git it?” ‘From Marian Carlow,” replied Seal, produc- ing the roll of bills and vanding them over, * There are several counterfeits there, or I don’t know counterfeit money when I see it. The money wasold Carlow’s, and it seems to me,that’s pretty good proof that he’s been at the counter- feit business,” The High-Kicker took the bills and closely in- spected them, The roll represented over a thou- sand dollars, and about three hundred dollars of it was undoubtedly spurious, He placed these in a little pile by themselves, and then laid them on top of the good money, ‘You hain’t tol’ me why she gave you this? ‘Pears to me that’s important. Why did that gal hand over sich a wad o’ bills?” This was just the information Seal had been dying tocommunicate; and he now bastened to put Kirby in possession of all the facts and sur- mises that bad come to his knowledge, He told bis story rapidly, excitedly, almost flercely, The High-Kicker listened in grim and ominous silence, ** An’ so you've calk’lated that Sylvia Sterlin’ put a knife into the ole man for the purpose 0’ gittin’ that money?” ‘* | think she did,” ‘* Well, I don't!” CHAPTER VI. KENT KIRBY'S THEORY, So emphatic was Kent Kirby’s declaration that Seal Shelton recoiled a step, in undisguised surprise, **’'You don’t?” ‘* That’s what [ said, boy! I don't!” Seal did not like to be addressed as ‘* boy,” any more than he liked the general tone in which Kirby couched his opinion, ‘“Then, who do you think did it?” ‘* Jim Carlow’s gal, Marian! Mary Ann, I sbould have said!” Seal Shelton’s face turned an angry purple. ‘*Take that back!” be shouted, ‘Take it back, or by the Eternal—” He stopped abruptly, choking in his rage, - ‘‘ Explain what you mean, Kirby!” making a desperate effort tocalm himself, ‘‘ I don’t think you know what you’re saying!” An unruffled, expansive grin rested on Kirby's broad face, , abe: So, the wind lays in that direction, does i ‘Will you explain what you mean, Kent Kirby?” ‘* Well, I’ve been a-watchin’ this other biz so clost that J hadn’t noticed you'd fell in love with the gal!” Seal’s face was still aflame with anger, and uheee words were not calculated to allay his eat, ‘*'You’re mistaken, Kirby—woefully mistaken! Why, you must be blind to take such a view of it, What reason can you have for thinkiug Marian Carlow guilty of that awful crime? You must have @ reason!’ ‘The High-Kicker had not been in the least ruffled by the young man’s manifest wrath, ‘*I] wus goin’ to tell ye, if you’d ’a’ give me a chance, I’ve got reasons in plenty. Tip-top good ones, too! You'll say they’re 00d ones, if you ain’t so stuck on the gal that you’ve gone stone blind!” we =) _ 0) {2) —N a at