Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 814 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

? 14 Ace High, the Frisco Detective. a ee ee Opposite him, with one eye closed by a bandage and his left arm in a sling, sat Byrde Raynold, Each wore a louk, that ».uch resembled fear. lt wasoneof the rules of the Hounds, that execu- tic ns of the kind intimated in the last chapter shouid be accomplished in secret from the rest of the gang; thus, no witness could appear against the execu- tioner under any ciicumstances, S> after a reasonable length of time had expired, th» band, with Nugget at their head, repaired to the dungeon before mentioned, to look for the last time upon the mangled body of their most dreaded enemy. But what was their cons ernation to find the dun- eon entirely deserted—captor and cant having merpenres without leaving a trace of their pres- ence behind. But this was ‘not the only cause for the dark look that Bonanza Bob now wore, There was trouble brewing for him ‘on change,”’ Some one, he could not discover who, had penetrated his gigantic stock scheme, and was now fighting him with a half million doliarsin sight, and with evi- dences of much more back of it. Banderson had immediately advanced a half-mil- lion to bolster up his tottering ‘ corner,” hoping thus to bluff off his unknown opponent, but what was his amazement, not to say terror, upon the morning in question, to? learn that the mysterious speculator who opposed him, had brought the rival steck to the three-quarter limit, with good chances of winning in the stupendous deal, te Be banker had growWn ten years older in a single night. He had been so sure of coming out of the deal a round million ahead, that the news of the rival operations had nearly paralyzed him. He had but a quarter of a million of available funds left, and as they were securities of the Bonanza Widow, their negotiation was liable to be oes 9 if the least whisper of his speculations should reach her hearing. There was but one chance left him, and that'was so very sitght, it made him tremble to think of placing his hopes upon it. The festive banker had, for some time, been pay- ing assiduous atrention to the B.nanza Widow, and he was well-satisfied that he had ouly to offer himself to be chosen ‘ manager for life’ of her un- told millions, Once her husband, and with the right to use but a fraction of her great wealth, he would be safe, and she need never know anything about it. But such a thing would take time, and was hardly to be thought of, for in three days at the most his rival was sure to" plunge” another quarter, and that would necessitate his parting with the last dollar of his borrowed fortune, and that meant an ignominicus exposure anda prison, tniess his rival was bluffed off at the last moment, which was nob ‘probable, “There is but one move left you, old man!” at last Raynold announced gloomily. ‘* You must make a try for the widow's hand, and if successful insist upon an early wedding—ad- vertise your coming marriage with the femal» Croesus for all it is worth, then float the securities and swim on your expectations until after the marriage!” Be is all very well; but if she should refuse me > B ] “ There's nothing like trying | As far as appear- ances go you are safe enough in that quarter. “Tf she should refuse you—well there is safety among the Hounds, or a band of mountain free- lances!” ¥ Banderson groaned at thought of giving up his resent life of ease and power, for one of moun- aed hardships, or the hunted existence of the hood- um, But before he could put his thoughts into words, the door opened, and Parry the sport entered. His rather handsome features were wreathed with the most exultant smiles, and he seemed ready to burst with some weig!ty secret. ‘What is the matter with you, Barry? You must have struck ober, rich to judge by your ap- ‘~pearance,”’ said his father in a wondering tone. ** Well, I should remark that I had!” ‘* What is it?’’ **T am married!”’ ‘*W-h-a-t?”’ Both his hearers sprung to their feet as though shocked by a galvanic Soe S ‘* What are you driving at, Barry?’’ “I'm giving it to you straight.” “Then who is the new Mrs. Banderson?”’ ‘‘Her name was Bianca Codaza!”’ ‘Fool! Do you mean to say that you have mar- ried that. nameless jade, when the Tilloson millions were almost within your grasp?” * That for the Tilloson millions,” snapping his fin- gers derisively, *‘ and in plsce of being tue nau: less ade you insinuate™my wife is the Marquesa del daza, and one of the mchest women in Spain!” The ‘blood’ then went on to tell all he knew of the case, of the letter, of the Spanish manuscript he had come upon in Le Duc’s rooms, and finally of his secret marriage with the last of the line of Codaza Seite night before. ‘Then you are really married?” asked the banker, a little anxiously. ** Just as solid as the law can make it!” was the reply. nd now I go to prepare for the Cardigan ball, for I think it is Le Duc’s intention to introduce her there as the a pat heiress!” ‘It maybe all right but it lcoks a little suspicious to me!"’ muttered the bandit, as he left the room Some time later. * OE arene en CHAPTER XX. THE ‘* HORROR IN PAINT.”’ THe night of the long-talked-of, and much-pre- pared-for bal masque given by the Bonanza Widow at last arrived. The magrificently-illuminated mansion and | grounds seemed a bit of fairy world, and the re- Ssplendent interior was crowded with the glittering maskers—the bon-ton of ’Frisco, in paint,’ as I callit. I hid it away in that aleove so ' that no one would get the horrors looking at it, and here it is found the first thing!’ she cried, as she seemed to try to penetrate the cisguises of the two before her, ** We are very sorry, madam, for having intruced, and humb.y ask your pardon—” | “But you must not! I assure you it is no intru- | sion. Soft strains of music floated through the richly- | ‘* You are more than welcome to examine the pic- decorated rooms from cunningly-concealed orches- | ture, but it is such a terrible subject I can never tras, dozens of liveried servants answering the | bear to look at it; and how I ever came to buyitisa slightest sign from the gues s with the richest ices | mystery.” : and sweetmeats, and it was little one there could ‘*Then you know the artist?” imagine the strange happenings that would take ‘Oh, no; that is, I never saw her before, nor pancho aeneupe Lan roof DEtOny those thousand lights | ater or that mal eat s 5 were dimmec the morning. ; at! you would have one understand that the Two bentlenieh, dressed ak English cavaliers of | painting is the work of a woman?” © es tins <i ya ae cen ean: soa ys and : bata or. ses r, - ane At meer poe Caney to i-se. with wide ruffs, plumed hats, an owing e the artist, though i! is just possible she stole it. cloaks, wight be seen lounging about the great pic- ‘Tt was in Mexico, four years ago. She affirmed ture gallery arm in arm, interestedly examining | the scene h re displayed really happened, but of ——{— the costl? works of art with which the room was | course I could not credit that story! lavishly furnished. *Do you supp: se that ever a man lived in thy At one side of the long apartment, in a dimly- | ninetheenth century inhuman enough to stab that illuminated alcove across which a heavy curtaia | innocent boy to the heart like that?’ was half drawn, stood a richly-carved easel holding ‘*She little thinks she is speaking to the murderer a large painting that was closely vailed, himself!’ thought Redbird, ‘Ah! What have we here, Byrde?’’ cried the ‘‘And lock at the wretch in the foreground!” elder of the two, as his roving eye caught sight of | pursued the the widow. ‘‘See him wrench back the vailed easel. the woman's head, and slowly push the sharp blade ‘*A vailed picture always excites my curiosity, into her delicate throat! The man that could do ‘Let us investigate,” and he led the way tothe | such a thing could stab bis own mother to the curtaired aleove and entered. heart!’ Unlcoping the vaii at one corner, the elder man The di yulled it aside, and the paintivg that had so aroused 1is curiosity stood revealed in the dim light, One glance he cast upon the canvas, then reeled back with a low, wheezing cry, and would have fal- bi insensible had not the other promptly caught m, ‘‘What in the name of Hades is the matter, father? What have you seen?” c ied the younger as pon glancing beyond the picture almost fear- ully. ‘Great God! don’t you see? Look there!” The one addressed followed with his eyes the di- rection of the other’s pointing finger until his glance rested upon the painted eanvas, when he, too, sprung backward, uttering a startled oath. Both men continued to guze as though fascinated by the scene portrayed upon the cloth, th: ir faces whitening beneath their fringed masks and their forms trembling as though chilled with an ague! The scene which the peonaug represented was one of wild mountain grandeur. The foreground was a burnicg log cabin, which lighted up the surrounding pines and the distant, in- Gey line of the rugged mountains with a strange, g ised banker uttered a low, gurgling groan, and seemed about to fall, ‘“No woncer the story fills you with horror! I shail destroy the painting to-morrow, and yet, it bolds a strange fascination over me.”’ “Do you know the name of the artist?” asked Raynold, ‘It has slipped my memory: but here are the initials npon the bottom of the canvas—A, R,” ‘*Come, let us go!’ muttered Banderson. ‘Now is your time to try your luck with the widow!’’ whispered the bandit, Bonanza Bob-took the hint, and | d the lady to- ward the conservatories, As Raynold was about to leave the alcove a few moments later, his attention was attract: d by the rustle of a curtain on the opposite side of the gal- lery, and the next moment an unmasked face, ap- peared for but an instant. ‘*Ace High!” yelled R-dbird, leaping fran‘ ically toward thecurtain, — CHAPTER XXT. DUEL IN MASK. | | ostly light, THE bandit went through the curtained opening Toppling wpon the brink of a black, wind-swept | with a tiger-like spring, unmindful of what might gorge, a ligbtning-scarred pine threw out its bare, | be beyond. skeleton arms. He alighted upon a broad gallery at the rear of Bound to its barkless trunk, his grizzled locks tcss- | the mansion. ing wild'y in tie night wiad, bis glaring eyes and Slowly retreating, and but a few paces away, was anguish-distorted features set like an alabaster | the tall form of a man in the costume of an Algerine mask at the scene of horror that was being enacted | Bey, his long mantle pulled aside revealing the terri- before him, was a man of more than middle age, | ble curved Muslem dagger bound to his jeweled covered with wounds from which the crimson irdle, streams could be seen slowly trickling. “?’Tis he!’ hissed Redbird, as he prepared to And that scene! spring upon the unsuspecting form before him. A dozen rough, wild-looking fellows scattered ‘* | noticed the diamond-studded Mussulman cap, about in front of the burning cabin, half of them | with its peacock plume— having just succeeded in bursting cpen a huge iron- ‘‘T have you now, hound! But one of us leaves bound chest, thus disclosing to their gloating gaze a | this place alive!’ and the bandit e;sayed to clutch fortune in glittering nuggets and sacks of gold-dust; | the other bv the turoat. another having just’ driven a knife flush to the hilt But with a quick, supple turn of his body, the Al- into the breast of a mere lad; three others, each | gerine escaped the clutch, at the same time dealing with the mangled form of a c ild held exultinely } bis antagonist a crushing blow in the breast that aloft; and the last, the chief, evidently, holding a | sent him headlong from the gallery, to roll among woman by her long, disheveled hair and holding the |! the shrubbery below, keen point of a bowie at her white, shapely throat. With a light leap the A'gerine followed him, and It was a strange, a terrible subject for a painting, | as the other gaine rer it showed in every detail the touch of a master | face. and, **You devil! I will have your life, or leave my Raynold was the first to recover his voice, dead body in this garden!” snarled the bandit, as ‘* Hounds of Hades!” he hissed, chokingly, ‘‘ what | he made a savage !unge with his bowie that was trick is this? adroitly parried by the Moslem’s curved blade. “°Twas no chance, nor accident that | ‘*f know not who you are, senor, nor do I care to infernal picture here! ' know. I am always anxious to accommodate my ed by our enemies, and by the Eterna friends in a matter of this kind,and will promise you will find out what it means before all the amusement you can wish before we have house!”’ done?’ remarked the Mcslem, in a cold, even tone, ** Come, let us go—I shall suffocate here! that sent a chiil to the bancait’s hear’, ‘On, that terrible scene! It is exectin every de- ‘* Now for it!’ and the heavy blades crossed with tail. Yes, it was placed there for a puTnote- feel | rineing clatter that told of deadly purposes back of it! She painted it—Aureola, or Flash. She may be | them. here to-night-and the devil, Ace High! They will win. Ihave feltitallalong. Comes! Let us leave the house, the city, the country—anywhere, to get rid of them, and to forget that terrible scene—” “Phar wil do, old man. grip! ‘*T won't leave the country, nor the city. nor the house, until [ have unraveled this cursed myst: ry! ““Go brace yourself up on a stiff glass, for I may need your help before morning. | “And, besides, yon mu tc me to some decision | with the widow,” and he turned to lead the way out ‘*T do not want your blood!” was the reply. of the alcove. | ‘*T merely accepted your challenge for the prac- As he did so,a female figure darkened the cur- | tice I could derive from the fight. tained exit. . | ‘YT ghall tire you out—it is the only way to dcal Her costume was a jewel-bespangied pink domino, | with such stubborn fools as you!”’ a gilt crown graced her shapely head, from which This taunting speech enraged the bandit still fel] a long, cloudelike vail of white, and her face was | more, and he renewed the attack with redoubled hidden behind a mask, | his feet the two stood face to laced this It is some deep p a ice cans eavens! I leave this The bandit fought wildly, desperately! The Mos- lem was cool, almost to carelessness. Redbird was becoming winded as the fight w- nt on, While the other seemed to be but just getting in- to fighting trim. Twice tre bandit had left his breast exposed in recovering his savage lunges; and twice the Mos- lem had struck him a light blow with his fist. ‘‘Curse you! What is your game? Why don’t you strike home when you have the chance? I shall!’ hissed Redbird, You are losing your zest. At this moment a shout was heard near at hand. and a richly appareled masker and half a dozen servants rushed upon the scene. ‘‘Le Due! lieutenant! But the two cavaliers had no difficulty in hea nizing in the pink domino the mistrass of the super establishment, Madame Cardigan. **Oh, senors! If you haven’t found that ‘horror 4 : f i y. 4 why mt 1 = 5 AS Oe iF A: ‘ye ene wih), rT; i } -<t: , tw (a hoe Se Tye Nh Mg ttaad a ids eee | te my vy ». 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