Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 908 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

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" te . ; _ r P : 7 : , Bf - is . ‘ i ~ ~s ~~ Ee . « ~ Ss 7 al . > 4s -you. ” 14° Fox, and we are done with schooling, so are going to Texas to be cowboys,” ‘‘ Have you friends in Texas, any one that you are going to?” ‘* Not exactly, but we will git along. ‘*You need not go any further, if you ‘want a job as herders, for I had a man and his family here; three of them boys, but they hada fortune left them, and leave me to-morrow, so I was going to get some help, and youare just in time.” Nothing could have been more fortunate, and Nat and his pards were given a cabin for themselves, and at once went to work learning what their duties were, under the tuition of the boys then on the place. ‘*] tell you, Star, we are in luck, for those boys happened along in the very. nick of time, and though I must get an older and ex- perienced man to be the head, they will do all right,” said the King of the Gallows, when he returned from showing his herders their work, ‘‘Then you wish to stay here fora while?” “Yes, it is best, for lam a little anxious about that New York affair, for some reason, though I am not given to forebodings. ‘* We can push on down into Texas as cattle-herders, and thence into Mexico, where we will be able to roam about as gentlemen of leisure.” “And your ranch?” ** V’}llet it remain under a good manager, for it will always be a safe retreat to come to, and is making money.” ** All right; you lead and I follow,” was the r aé + | eply. - ell we'll go, and live as the beat, until “we have used up themoney and calculated to get more, and then we'll plot for an- other big stake.” **T hope it can be done without murder.” “< Bah! what is a life to take? By this time you should have no conscience, man.” The three Boy Ferrets passed the night quietly in their quarters, and the next morning the family who had long been in charge took their departure bag and baggage, to go and take possession of their inheritance in another part of the State, ‘‘ When you boys get broken in, Ill go off in search of a man to take full charge, _ for youare too young to have the manage- ment of the ranch,” said the King of the Gal- lows the day after the departure of the fami- ly. , "He had gone out to the quarters of the Ferrets at dinner-time, and was alone, and hardly had he uttered the words, when he found a revolver thrust into his face and, heard the words: ‘‘Hands up, quick, Vance Vertner! You are at last run down!” . The man uttered a startled cry, and his face became livid. ; For a moment he seemed about to spring upon Nat, in spite of the threatening revol- ver, but a glance on each side of him show- ed that the other two Ferrets covered him, and he said coolly: ‘Il submit against odds, and to let you see that you have mistaken your man.” ‘‘Oh, no! [know the King of the Gal- lows too well to mistake him, and as soon as we have you safe we will secure your pard in crime, Star Dunning.”’ CHAPTER XXVI. THE ARREST. _ Tur King of the Gallows was very quick- ly ironed and gagged,-after which he was secured in the cabin, and the three Ferrets went after their other game, reas Star Dunning was asleep, in the hammock on the piazza, when the cold muzzle of a revolver, pressed against his face, awoke m.. ‘““We want you, hobbled you need not force us to shoot Lj ‘ 7” * af \F peat ~ pard, and, as the King, b + . 1 > "'- - ‘ “_ Tey ‘ ‘ ‘ W ay . 3 r 7. ‘ . nrg aig SS ra ’ ' *) Tat” jist ‘ T_T | so long borne, . 4 fe nt 4 oh iM at : ’ ‘ the 4 } + ' ay v - uel ; a . A ‘ Lawes > Le ay Top “™y Pa * 2 a Ae , Ble oe +i : it 4:27 _ = ; P 4 Pe ra ‘ ; PAPE SAC Fe Aah Pel abe ote ay Ree an eae cee 8S Cm ol ho Ne w . - +e onl ‘ i a 74 t i. vu : i m Ne yap ; ot Rael ie i SP oi, =, ; A: See be! Be Sa > Pe Pe Ts .. # el be Pe ate “ * . i JA ym» 7 * 7, oe ; é » 4 a 1) 4 ¥, » nS 4 #4. * . - a + “ we a ee — } Az) : ‘New York Nat’s Double. Nat’s cool words awoke the man to a sense of his danger, and he was so completely un- nerved that he made no resistance, so was soon in irons. ‘Now, Foxey, I wish you to ride over to the two nearest ranches after we have gone, and explain that detectives came and arrest- ed Lucius Van Allen and his friend for crimes committed in the East,-and left you in charge of the ranch until the county offi- cers could take control. ‘‘Then you come East after us as quick as you can and catch us in Chicago, where I will telegraph Mr. Canfield to meet us,” ** All right, Cap’n Nat. -** When do you start?” Foxey asked. ‘¢ At sunset; and we'll push through with a fine pair of horses to the buckboard, fora station on the railroad and catch the early morning train, ‘*‘But now we must find the boodle the Gallows King got away with.” A search of the cabin was not long in unearthing the casket of gems and the money taken from the murdered man in New York, and other booty was found also. The best horses on the ranch were then hitched to the buck-board, the luggage thrown on, and the prisoners were made to get into the rear seat of the vehicle and were bound to it. Nat took the reins, Keno got on the seat with him and Foxey called out: ‘*Good-by! Tll give the news in the morning, and join you in Chicago as soon as I can.” With this Nat drove away,the sun yet being an hour high, for they hoped to be able to catch a train that passed the station at midnight, : This they did, leaving their horses to be returned to the ranch, and taking the state- room of the sleeping car they soon had their prisoners safe in it. Neither tre King of the’ Gallows nor Star Dunning suspected that their captors were not legitimate detectives, young as they were, and had not the requisite papers for their arrest! They were both dazed by the blow and crushed, and were as meek as lambs—hard- ened villains though they were. Chicago was reached in the night, and a hack drove the four to Leland’s Hotel, where they were soon roomed and Nat was reading the letters awaiting him, | He had sent a telegram to Sherman Can- field and read an answer which said: ‘Have done as requested and start at once to meet you,” A letter from Olive, Nat read with pleas- ure, as it said: ‘‘Have unmasked your Double. not dangerous. ‘‘ The story will keep to tell you, so 1 will not write. ‘“The address of the one you seek is on He is inclosed card, so you can see him.” Promptly on time Sherman Canfield ar- rived at the hotel, accompanied by two officers of the law, He had been requested by Nat’s telegram, to stop at S—— and secure two officers to come on with him, for the Ferrets had thought it best to return the prisoners to | the scene of their first crime. So they were turned over to Sherman Can- field, who in turn gave them in charge of the officers, Nat and Keno not being known in the matter, At the request of Nat, through Sherman Canfield, the officers delayed in Chicago several days, until the arrival of Foxey, for the young Ferret captain did not wish to have the prisoner arrive in S—— before he did, as his motive was to see Sidney Seldon and give him the chance to turn State’s evi- dence, and thus save himself, while clearin Bernard Gaston of the stain of crime he h ’ sf - a, ee i tees ny ea ——— ‘dt tia ait a on — ave ry 7 = ‘ 7 s : . 7 ; * j > at ‘ + : - " . — | ; —— . — 2 - = het al ea RE eT ier Ieee ara "3+ ohn deb " . OM sf Notfret “gels ‘ my » ‘ \ : Sad ; iy. { ¢ 7 - ' “ a 4 say that he had left the ranch in safe hands until further instructions; whereupon Nat | and his two pards, accompanied by Sherman Canfield, started East, twelve hours in ad- vance of the officers and their prisoners, Nat and Mr. Canfield stopped off at S——, while the two young ferrets went on to New York, and Sidney Seldon was surprised by another call from the one who had so startled him a short while before. It ‘did not take very long to explain just how the matter stood, and Sidney Seldon saw that he was cornered, so made a clean breast of it, and expressed his willingness to turn State’s evidence, and thus go free him- self. ' Leaving Sherman Canfield there to arrange all, as he did not wish to be known in the affair, Nat took the first train on for New York, CHAPTER XXVIL _ CONCLUSION, Ir was a startling surprise to the good people of § when the two oflicers re- turned with Vance Vertner and Star Dun- ning as prisoners, and told how they had been run down by New York Secret Service men, They also were amazed to hear that Sid- ney Seldon, soon to marry a lovely girl and an heiress, had confessed his story of crime! They read his full confession of how Vance’ Vertner, seeking revenge upon Ber- nard Gaston, his successful rival. had plotted his downfall, and, with his, Seldon’s, aid, and that of Star Dunning, they had made Gaston appear as the robber of the bank and the murderer of the watchman, Bernard Gaston had sought to clear him- self, and so they had been brought into it, with the result already known. He, Seldon, had gotten the money taken from the bank, and so had been able to res- cue Vertner from the gallows, and after- ward had aided both him and Dunning, That Bernard Gaston had not died on the gallows was owing to the devotion and clever- ness of his lovely wife, for she had rescued him from the ignominious death with which | he had been threatened. | What had become of Gaston, Seldon did — not know. The confession he made saved | him, but it sent him in disgrace away from S—— and the girl he had hoped to win. | Her father placed in the hands of Sherman Canfield a check for five thousand dollars to be given the detectives for saving his daugh- ter from such an alliance as she had escaped by their wonderful skill and courage. Going first saw Nat and told him all; then he went to see the Secret Service chief, who heard the whole story with deepest interest, and re- marked: ‘ murderer, . cent man. money they robbed poor Schlossberg of, ‘* Well, well! day. io 4 sums I hold for them. : cret of who the Unknown Ferrets are?’ ‘Not, yet, chief, nown,” replied Canfield. Soon after he left the As Foxey turned up, ina couple of days, to to New York, Sherman Canfield | ‘Well; Canfield, you are just in time, for — I was about to order the arrest of Goldsmidt, the partner of Schlossberg, as the latter’s v ‘It shows just how we can hang an inno- i ae ‘‘So here are the gems intact, and the pitts Your Unknown Ferrets are are 8 wonders, and grow in importance day by Yet awhile the secret must be kept; but some day theirleaderwill = come in and make a clean'breast of it, telling = = == ou his reasons for remaining so Jong un- Ath aad Headquarters, and > returning to his home found New York Nat’ ‘¢Of course they get the rewards, and de- serve them, so J will put them withtheother ‘You are not ready yet to tell me the se- Oyo there awaiting him, — aa bh ; ; é . ; ig ‘ A, lL ad ne " pS t i i re ‘ , ’ 1 i s ae , ‘ oh, -5 fey, ‘ xR, ; , : bo Ay . we : r i af j , : . 1 : Jat ry ey), oe ‘ > a ¥! wy f , J ps i ; l» > 7 i a 4 fy ma 9 zc . €; - a " : : + ” ’ Pt” ¢ * ft we ey *: r “ ee = hs agate es ——_ * é s- ‘4 = >. , ¥ 4 he a 1 Sy 7. . . e d + ies 7 7 ' > = _ , ae ' ¢ . 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