Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 913 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

— > — ' ~~ at ae ° Ty" ‘ * . ~ = - > “ * £ a Kit Keith, the Revenue Spotter. ee ii --—— ‘No, he ain’t,” cried a voice, and a rough- looking fellow entered the still-house. ‘I say, captain, the chap you told me about is outside, and waats to see you.” ‘*Very well. Come along, boys, near the door, and when I whistle, you rush out and seize the fellow!” The captain then turned and strode from the room, Just outside the door, mounted upon his horse, was Roger Darrel, looking flushed and overheated from his rapid ride, ** Ah, captain, is that you?” he saluted, ‘* You see I have come,” ‘So [ see,” the captain replied. ‘I hardly expected you so soon,” ‘Probably I should not have hastened so much, only I have certain reasons for wishing to see Sadie Sefton at once.” ** all, dismount, and I'll have your horse at- tended w. Then, ac Darrel dismounted, the captain whistled shrilly, Instantly the half-dozen moonshiners poured from the distillery, and pounced upon the un- suspecting ’sqvire, and bore bim to the ground, Before he was hardly aware what had bap- pened, he was securely bound band and foot. ‘*Lean him up against the building!” ordered the captain, aud he was obeyed. **There you are, sir! How do you feel?’ Cus- sick demanded, confronting his prisoner, a grin upon his face, ‘“What is the meaning of this outrage?” Roger demanded, furious witb rage. ‘*{ mean to impress upon your memory the fact toat you are a fool!” Cussick replied, ‘* How a fool, curse you?” ‘Why, for coming here with the expectation of seeing the girl,” was the reply. ‘‘ When | brought her here, it wasn’t my intention to ever let you have her—not much! In due course of time she will become Mrs, Captain Cussick !” **Curses on you!” Roger cried. ‘‘ I'll pay you up for this dirty trick, if it takes me a lifetime! Release me, you infernal scoundrel!” **Nary a release; not for awhile yet, anyhow,” ** Release me, and I'll fight you, the winner to take the girl!” ‘*Like to accommodate you, dash me if I wouldn’t, Roger, but you see, it won’t pay. IfI were to fight you, I’d kill you, and I can’t afford that, vou know, You're too valuable a piece of property to lose.” ‘* What do you mean?” **T mean that I’m going to command a ran- som for you from your amiable mother, She’s got lots of boodle, and will gladly shell out a few thousands for the sake of’ securing her son’s liberty. D'ye savey?” Roger uttered an oath. ** You'll get left on that caleulation!” he de- clared. ‘She'd not give a cent to get me out of your clutches,” Tho captain smiled disagreeably. ' ‘“‘T'll take my chances on that!” he declared, “Tcan fetch her to terms as easy as rolling off alog.” | ‘* Supposing she positively refuses to yield to our demands?” ‘* [n that case, your future is wrapped in un- certainty. Onething is sure: It will bea long spell before you’re a free man unless she shells out. So, if you want to write a letter of appeal to her, I will free your hands.” “Pitdo nothing of the sort!” Roger averred, fiercely. ‘‘I'll submit to imprisonment first. But, bark you! Ishall escape yon; then look out for me, for, by the eternal, I'll bring the law down upon your he»ds.” The captain laughed defiantly, and waved his hand to his followers. ‘‘Away with him, boys!” he commanded, . “and see that he is securely locked up. Ward, » you go and fetch my horse.” ' Five minutes later the Moonshiner chief was in the saddle and riding rapidly away, ** Now for Darrel Manor,” was his settled pur- pose. ‘If I can squeeze a round sum out of the arrogant Matilda, I'll add that to what I have already got, and bid adieu forever to Dark Run and this locality. The still can’t run much lon- ger anyhow, before the officers pounce upon it, avd the sooner I get out of the way the better it will be forme, The! oys can look out forthem- -elves, and have all the stock in the lock-up for their share!” CHAPTER XIII, THE CAPTAIN AND MPS, DARREL, WHEN Mrs, Darrel returned to the parlor, + f3 a after her kitchen interview with Bum Blinker, Sheets mm a a she found Lawyer Ceburn with his hat in hand, ready to depart, ‘* Why, Mr. Coburn, you are not going away?” she exclaimed in surprise, ** Yes, I must hasten back to the village,” he replied, ‘‘for it has just occurred to me that I left my valise in my room at the hotel, and as it contains yaluable papers, I must go and see to the matter at once.” ‘* Why, that is too bad,Iam sure, I hope you won’t loss anything. You will return here and accept of our hospitality, will you not?” ‘*Oh! yes, certainly, madam, certainly,” and the disciple of Blackstone took his departure. ‘*] wonder whether he really did leave his valise?” the scheming woman asked herself after his departure, ‘‘ or was that only an ex- cuse to get away from here? If but an excuse, he must susprct something. Dear me! trouble and worriment never come singly. I wish Roger would hurry back, sol can get h’m to set some one efter that wretch, Joel ‘,efton. Cursetbe man! If heshould give me sway, J would ‘\xvo to abandon everything here and leave this part of the cv untry. ‘Batno! Vilneverothat. I’ve piayed my game well,so far, and if will never do to give up now, Joel Sefton must be silenced, and that, too, by a weapon mightier than money. There are plenty of coast-wreckers who are not partic- ular what they do, so long as they get money, and some one of this class must be utilized.” The day dragged slowly along. 1t was considerably past the noon hour, when Mrs. Darrel heard a footfall vear,and looked up to find a man standing in her presence—and that man none other than Captain Cussick. She gave a little cry of alarm, and sprung to her feet. ‘* You here?” she eed, ‘* As you see!” he replied, coolly, helping him- self toachair., ‘* You seemed surprised at sight of me!” ‘* You startled me, How did you gain en- trance?” ‘On, I found a window up, and came in that way. Quick and easy, you know. No long waits for the door-bell!” ‘* What are you here for, now?” ‘* Money!” was tie laconic answer, pay-day, I believe, or very closetoit.” _ ‘You are very punctual,” she sneered, ** Will you never cease to harass me for blood- money ?” ** Not as long as I am custodian of a very valuable piece of property,” he replied, with a cynicallaugh. ‘‘ The fact 1s, Matilda, this is to be the last payment you will have to make,” ‘* Why?” she demanded, quickly. ** Because the subject is on his last legs, and there is no possibility of his pulling through to the expiration of another month. So we will uare up all accounts to-day, and have done with it.” Mrs, Darrel’s thin lips became compressed tightly, and she drew from her pocket a well- filled purse, from which she took a crisp new one-bundred-dollar note, This she handed to Cussick. ‘‘There! take it, and begone!’ she said. ‘‘['m getting sick and tired of these demands for money.” ‘*Are you? But you will please remember you are not square with me yet. The last pay- ment «was to he a thousand dollars!” ‘* Well, you'll not get it yet. When all is over, it will then be time to make that de- mand!” ‘*I make the demand now!” be replied, em- phatically, ‘‘ This is the last time 1 shall visit yous £0 I must have a settlement in full, now/ have carried out my part of the agreement to the letter, and you must yours, or there'll be war in the camp, you Let!’ ‘‘ But he is not dead yet!” she protested, her face growing ghastly in its pallor. ‘* Pil guarantee he'll not live the month out!” ‘* Bah! what does your guarantee amount to?” ‘‘ A blamed sight more than yours wiil, if you refuse to square up!” he retorted. ‘‘If you don’t want & pandemonium on earth raised, Ma- tilda, you’d best not trifle with me, You know I'm a very devil to deal with, when I am aroused |” Evidently the woman schemer was aware of the fact, for, without a word, she turned and left the room, k With « smile of satisfaction upon his face, Cus- sick awaited her return, ; When she did so, she placed ten one-hundred- dollar bills in his bands, ‘** There, Carl Cussick, that squares us for- ever,” she said, ‘‘ and you need never bother me ‘This is again for money!” _—_—_—_———————_—— Lt a ‘“* That fixes things to date!” the captain re- plied, as he tucked the bills away in his pocket. ‘** Within a month the lifeless remains of Jud- son Darrel! will be found not many leagues from this place, and it will then be conclusivel proven that he is dead, and you can claim his fortune, ‘* But, before I go, there’s another matter I wish to call your attention to. Your estimable son, Roger, bad the temerity to venture into my camp to-day, and was captured by my men,wko bexr him no good will, I can assure you. f{ tried to intercede in his behalf, but the boys would not hear to me, They say they’ll not give him up without they get a ransom, and if the ransom ain’t forthcoming by sunset to-day they'll put him out of the way. They directed me to tell you this, and if you wish your son re- leased, you are to pay me the ransom money. The sum (emanded is five thousand dollars, up- on receipt of which I will guarantee the release of both your sn and Sadie Sefton, who is alsoa prisonerin my cump.” ‘** Never!? Mrs, Darrel cried, springing to her feet in a terrible passion—‘‘ never, I say! This is but another scheme to swindle me out of my money; besides, I have no such a sum in the wide world. If my son has got himself into such a scrape. hi must get himself out as besthe can. Icando ~ ‘thing for him.” ** Well, do ag y ou like,” Cussick said, indiffer- ently. ‘‘* It’s tou bad that a likely young fellow like him should have to pass in hischecks for the want of a little financial assistance—too bad, I’)! swear if it ain’t!” Mrs. Darrel made no reply, but her thin tips were pressed resolutely together, as if with de- fiant resolve, ‘* Perhaps,” continued Cussick, after a mo- ment’s siJence, ‘‘if you were to give me what money you have got, that, together with my in- fluence, would secure the poor fellow’s re- lease !”’ ‘‘ Not one penny!” Mrs. Darrel declared, sharply, at the same time stamping her foot on the floor. ‘‘ Not one farthing!” ‘* Ah, I see!” Cussick observed, sarcastically, as he arose and buttoned up his coat, ‘‘ If Roger never comes to light, you willinherit the whole fortune. Well, by my soul, I’m bad enough, but you're an unnatural, an inhuman mother, But, have a care! There’s such a thing asa slip, ’twixt the cup and thelip. It is: barely possible that Judson Darrel mayrecover, And in that event, it may be possible that he would be willing to ransom bimself and his son, But, by-by, Matilda! I won’t harass you longer with my company. May the ex-saints bless you for your generosity in giving me this money, and I trust if we never again meet in this world, we shall renew acquaintance in the next. By by, baby!” And with a mocking laugh, the moonshiner turned and hastened from the room, While Matilda Darrel sunk back among the cushions of her easy-chair, faint and overcome with a nameless terror, CHAPTER XIV, THE BARGAIN CLINCHED, Kit KEITH, in bis disguiso of Reuben Sweet, knew that be bad a trying ordeal before him in visiting the moonsbiners’ stronghold, but he did not flinch. He was secretly well armed, and felt that, whatever the trouble in store, he could fight his way through. . Reéotering the bar-room, he called up the drinks for the crowd, and thereby established himself in their confidence, He then resumed smoking his corncob pipe, and leisurely watched the movements of the mountain giant, Big Pete. Kit was anxious lest the fellow should get in a disagreeable humor, and once, when Howler drew near, the Connecticut liquor merchant beckoned to him and remarked: » “© Tf that fellow pours down much more stuff, won’t he be rather dangerous to travel with?” At which Howler laughed, | ‘‘ Waal, no, sir-ee! It’s just the opposite. When Pete is Pete, be’s sullen and ugly, and a feller needs to keep out of his way; but when Pete is whisky, be’s as pleasant and perlite as a. poached egg.” ‘* But he won't be able to find his way home. Good heavens! where «oes be put it all?” ‘Uncle, ye dun’t know him. He néver gits: drunk, He is cast-iron, copper-lined. He’s gauged for a good four quarts, but he often overruns by two or three pints,” and with a. broad grin the host of the Horn of Plenty passed on, It was half an hour after midnight ere Big~ . salad i i