Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 962 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

wry! go away from the spot alive.” we y na 14 Flip-Flap Fred at Hard Pan. that was no sign that there was no conversation going on there, The slabs on the floor fitted closely, and sound would not travel very readily there, The room might have a dozen occupants for all they could hear or know, One thing was in their favor. Judging from their experience with the stone in Fred’s room, the slab would move noiselessly, and it would be possible to open it sufficiently far to hear if there was any One moving or speaking above, without much danger of being observed, ** Not a word now,” said Fan, softly. ‘‘I am going to open the door a little, We can tell then if there is a light, and after that must wait until we are certain that there will be no mistakes, It would not be fine to rout out some one else instead of Amariah, The king of this camp anignt be sleeping there himself, for all I know. It is only a guess that Amariah is confined above, Be silentnow. Ready.” Womanlike, Fanny arranged so that she had the last word. As soon as she ceased speaking, she applied her hands to the lever,and slowly the elab over their heads rose up a short distance, ‘Then the two crouched and listened. Their caution was not thrown away. They heard voices in the room, and recognized one as belonging to Holdfast, while Fred was certain that the other belon to the man who had brought him there in front of him on horseback, and who seemed to be the ruler of this strangely found principality. A little thread of light stole through the crevice, and from the tenor of the few words aay heard it was evident that the conversation but just begun. With breathless earnest- ness they listened, anxious to know how it was likely to be with Amariab, and curious to get a f r insight into the mystery, CHAPTER XV. A REMARKABLE STORY, ** | BELIEVE that I cannot be mistaken,” were ‘the first words heard by the listeners, ‘* You are the man once known as Simon Sanford.” The voice belonged to Holdfast, but the words were not hisatall, Here was the first step to- ward the solution of the mystery. The answer was waited for with some impatience. *‘It makes little difference to either you or me whether I assent or deny. Why should I do either? But you are the cowardly scoundrel ‘who answers to the name of Cyrus Dawling when you are not so afraid for your life as to «deny your own identity. When we two meet, there can be but one result. Both of us can me is not Cyrus Dawling, If it was, I hope that I have sand enough not to deny it whatever might be the danger to myself an others, I will admit that [ am a pretty good imitation; but now that the disguise has ac- complished its work, there is no more need for it, and it will be dropped as soon as possible.” ** And, pray, what may it have been assumed for?’ was the sneering response of the other. ** A man would think twice before he would try to pass himself off for such a pack of villainous cowardice,” “It was to meet you. There was no other way to find you; and you must admit that you snatched at the bait quickly enough,” ** Not at you, please remember. You could have wandered through the whole length and breadth of the ie en. ern in welcome, It was to find the girl whom I knew to be with you. You ought to know the whole story. I will give you just one more chance to tell the truth. If you are not Cyrus Dawling—other- one known as Amariah Holdfast—who are ou mi I am sometimes known as Hank grein § and sometimes spoken of as Happy Hank, the Light- ning Detective from Gideon’s Bar. As noone else would risk the finding of you I have under- taken the contract, and you can see for yourself that I have heen a little more than successful.” Fred heard the words quite as plainly as the man who had been add as Simon Sanford, At the singular assertion he gavea start and looked around as though he could see Fanny in the darkness. Was there any truth ia this? He would have given a dollar or two if he could have seen Sanford’s face at the announce- ment; as the next best thing be listened anxious- ly for the tones of his voice when next he spoke, fter what he had seen and heard he had little doubt that the presence of a detective there would bea little more than unpleasant to the king-pin of the retreat, or was he mistaken, There was somethin like concentrated murder in the way Sanf answered, ** Ah, you own to that much, do you? Why, oe must be bound to seal your death-warrant. rus Dawling 1 would give a chance for his life, hound though he be; but the detective who had followed me here, to the last place of refuge from the persecutions and outrages of the world, I would kill without age twice before you persist in the lie, ou shall have your chance as Dawling, or your doom as Darby. Which do you prefer?” ‘*T reckon yew will have to give me my chance ez Darby; an’ when I git through with my story mebbe you'll be willin’ tew let Cyrus slide out ov sight, even ef you don’t keer tew take his hand. I'll admit it war not ther object tew work ther riffle in exactly this way; but ez yew seem not tew hev seen the gal at all [ kin tell ther story fu’st an’ yew kin interview her arter wards. Air yew goin’ tew lissen?” **Can you not understand why I did not care to speak to her until I had settled with you? From what my agents told me I knew that she had never fathomed the depths of your wicked- ness, and would be apt to ask that you be spared when she new all the cause I had for hate. When you were under six feet of turf there would no reason why I should not promise her to leave you foreveralone. You understand that I intend to kill you.” Sanford did not appear to notice that the man before him had reassumed the dialect that had for the time been dropped, Other things were so weighing on his mind that the freak of his prifoner did not seem worth the notice. ** An’ so deestroy yewr last chance ov ever comin’ out inter ther world ag’in tew enjoy ther wealth an’ fambly ez yew might otherwise be getherin’’round yew. Sime Sanford, yew ain't a leetle angel—fur w’ich, considerin’ sarkum- stances, I don’t altergether blame ye—but I don’t think yer a blamed fool, square an’ solid. Air yew goin’ tew hear me?” ‘*T expect to hear a good deal before I get through with you. I intend to have an open confession, if 1 have to tear it out of you with red hot irons. You can tell me what lies you choose, if you don’t take too long with them; and then I will get at the truth in my own gentle way. iP First, an’ for’most; kin yew tell me whar is yewr darter?” ‘‘Ha, hal Where shoulf she be? You fol- lowed closely enough to know that she was brought seiage to my hands, when she left yours. You thought medead,did you? Surely, you would never have risked your worthless neck within reaching distance of my fingers if you had not,” **It was beca’se I knowed that yew war livin’ thet [run ther risks. Yewr darter is a-livin’; but she ain’t in yewr hands—not by a long sight. Yew got the bait I put tew my trap, but she ain’t Simon Sanford’s darter ary more than I be Cyrus Dawling. That's trewth number one that I want yew tew recomember,” * Liar!” gritted Sanford, ‘I do not under- stand at what you are driving, but I know that you are lying, all the same. What other girl would Cyrus Dawling burden himself with? And the description was too accurate—every- t too certain, When I heard, I knew that my daughter was once more mine, and that my enemy had delivered himself into my ** All the same, until he knew that you were dead, and was reasonably well sure that there was no et a8 of his being taken for murder, Cyrus Dawling would never have run the risks that I have done, or had wisdom enough to de- vise this plan to put himself face to face with a man whom he fears, or feared, more than any- thing else on earth. Where he is, and where ‘ams daughter is, you will not be likely to ever now if you throw overboard the chance that I am trying to give you. Perhaps, if you had looked for the scar that used be on your daughter’s neck, you might have been willing to believe how you were fooled, If you can find it, | am willing to acknowledge—truth or no truth—that [I am the man you believéd I was, and a liar from ’wayback.” “There is something in what you say,” an- swered the other, slowly. ‘‘ Even for the wealth that could be hers Cyrus would not have put himself within my reach, and if he had been the one to fail into my hands, he would not have had the courage to have tem- porized as you have done, He would have died of fright. Let melook at your faceagain, If itis not the genuinein d se, it is an imita- tion such as I never could have expected to see. And if this is the truth that you have been tell- ing; if you have been trifling with my holie: ections to serve your own profes "~~ think you that than Cyrus Daw fallen into my hands? ‘*But no; I cannot believe it, even eyes told me that your words were the truth. I have had you carefully shi too long. This is no disguise assumed spur of the moment, to suit a detective’ oe will be any the be g would have been if : It is one thing that you have worn for yeu can trace you. from the time when you 6 the garb of Dawling and became Hold’ | was a fool to believe you, and yet for ar you almost had me convinced. ** And will have you al ther convin ~ fore I am done with you. You may kno’ Cyrus took up the character of Holdfas. you cannot tell, it seems, when he ha over tome, I want to convince you be | reasonable doubt, because when I hay that, I have something still harder to |. _ , plish. I want to make make you und: eich that your life for years has been a blund» » ~ that Cyrus Dawling never wronged you. igs my mission here, Because I could rea ) in no other guise, lran the risks and co. - you in this,” There was a silenee that seemed a gre. longer than it really was, followed by th of a revolver as the hammer was being back. The listeners could guess the dang Holdfast was in, and yet they dared not .. interference of theirs must come to: — An and would only provoke the catastropl was on the verge of happening. If they could only have seen, they woul t discovered that the detective never win even looked as though he was in danger, 1 the muzzle of Simon Sanford’s revolver: _. his forehead, and his eyes glared like tho maniac, ‘‘ Do you take me fora fool? You have . once too often with your life, and the en: as well come now as a little later on. Yo - : : a’. rs 3 ae 3 : } ject is too plain to deceive anidiot—such doubt you conccive ms to be, If. you-é Dawling, then your object is either to s! here, or to inveigie me where the repe wil) work as well. Granted that you are Han by. You will rcver pat bandcuffs on a man, or hand him over tonthe gallows your prayers, if you knowany, The til come for you to die,” a rig ot Neg will hang, sure!” retorte other, having calmly listened to this on! ‘¢ Wouldn’t it be just as well for you to cc that I am not exactly an idiot myself, an I would not have put myself in such a without leaving w remains might be looked for? The fun» gin in earnest, ry evil, from which or so many years, you w ord behind as to} wiie . ~ we : ' - To save yourself from a. ir ou have been)... throw yourse’ © areal danger, from which there will be ©. cape. No one but my partners and I kno: imself, who, in @ certain sense,is @ pi... since we are working this thing together. wife believes that you are living, butis nc She is hunting for you now, in the interes Thus far, and en the detective su. ceased speaking, and gazed keenly at Se. who had thrown up his hands, dropping « volver from his graspas he did so, and sta_ back, exclaiming in a husky whisper: (he My wife! | Heavens! ef ““The truth, If you bad been listening » hat are you t» time that I have been trying to beat it in ~ you would not be so staggered now, Of you thought that you killed your wife: | the wort thought that Cyrus Dawlir killed you. Iam not so sure that he ou; to have done so; but, as everybody that the mix is stiJl living; and there is ah money, that belongs somewhere, at st think it is about time to have the mystery ed up. I can tell you one thing: The | some other hounds on the scent of tha fortune, who will not be at all squeamis the means they take to get it; and if Mr ford stands in the way they will be willing to remove her, She was at Ha the other day, and the young lady who is your daughter was with her. If Nestor rup can get his hands on them, as be was to do when I left there, itis not very like I will find either of them there, or you living, whey I get back. He will u Hayden fe +t». to possession when he pr the hei. now, if «o~ an, proves he + j collar, Atany rate. s3ked Sanfor is self-poss . AATLE (E() ooKe) 1 - 2 are living—if you except Cyrus Da - Eon