Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 991 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

SS “eu a f <7 oe ' r 7 hy you tell me, — = ,N, - ———— MOOT nee acme eae ” CHAPTER XV. ss ‘eas | “THE CYCLONE FROM CALEVERAS. The apparition of the hotel had fright- ened’ more than Orson, and the men of the camp discussed it in lowered voice. _ As for the “ ghost,” it stood in a little ; room just beyond the stairs and looked into the faces of the Two Dudes from the Doomed Camp. Was it Samson, the mine-hermit? It certainly was! With folded arms the dark-faced man ‘leaned against the table and talked. “IT look like Diamond Donald who, as is the Unknown—the mur- dered victim of the white rock? Well, young men, I ought to look like him. He was my brother, and the secret of Samson, the mine-hermit, is out. No wonder Orson fled from me. We sepa- rated early in life, my brother and I, and I never found his trail until lately. The will and document left by Bandy Nickell told the true story of my broth- er’s life after we parted, and when I read it in the light of my fire, in Heart-of- Gold Mine, I knew that I had found the last link of a family mystery.”’ Bob Hanley had listened intently to Samson and then spoke. “Now for our secret,” said he. “ We two came down from the Doomed Camp to find a man named Robert Minan, You did not hear Larry accuse me of being his son the first night we struck camp?” We aie OL. “The accusation went through me like a knife. It nearly sent me off my feet, for it was true!” “You are a Minan, then?” “Yes, the only child of the Robert } Minan who, years ago, lived in this part of the world, and in more than one camp - ruled things with a rod of iron. But they have told me that, while he was a _tyrant, he ruled honestly. I remember ~ ‘him when a child, but all at once he van- ished from my life, and after that I have no record of him. The description of the Murdered man which came to. the Doomed Camp after the finding, by Al- kali Tom, convinced Ben and’ me that he (was my father: hence our mission to bes aa “8 ie | . Nt | Ae _ knew his power and used it. i "y tf Th . . ’ ye ea AAW. @ hs =i f - ‘4 Le? | _ sible, to convict Orson.” hy Shakedown.” The man at the ‘ahlé smiled. “For once,” said he, “ you are wrong. The dead man was called Diamond Don- | He could not have been Robert M nan.” “But marks which my father carried on his person were on his body.” Samson seemed to start a little. “But, let me convince you. The same Marks are on my body,” said he, and Mahe pulled up his sleeve. ‘“‘ Look here!” “It is true!” cried Ben. “The world is full of surprises,’ con- _ tinued Samson. ‘“ Carl and I were twins, and the marks he carried on him are on my body and in the same places.” “Then our mission is a fruitless one,” remarked Bob. “Not quite. You have discovered the : “murderer.” “On the word of a dead man who, at the last moment, retracted. Mountain ‘Kidd died with a retraction on his lips.” _“Sileneed by a word from Orson,” sup- plemented Samson, bitterly. ‘“ This man the shadow of death over him Mountain fi eae went back on his word.” “Yes. Without other proot it is impos- “Leave him to me. my hand. The time has nearly come.” ae: Footsteps sounded on the stairs and | ee: ‘the waif burst into the room. pee." Billy! Quick!” she called. he % ool i istugits v ’ at eh ~ . . = a +> . > ’ 3 ’ , . vena be I ‘ft ‘ Mr putio ht i taeda igs tee FP). ‘ pA ti fey a 4 Set ” + 4 . > . “es av*y iy 7 . jis 7 tm we Meal ey le SP 3 aT - 4 “- a Teh CC ea or ee . Na hy bl rae me Even with. Let me play out. Two Dudes from Doomed Camp. "5 Come then,’ from Samson, excitedly. | Quickly the man who had entered the He was on the war-path, and with the others at his heels, he dashed from the hotel, the girl catching up with him as he ran. Suddenly there came around a cabin a figure, at sight of which both Samson and Nelly halted. “’Tis he! Jerusalem!” cried the girl. “Let him go. He is for Hotel Eden, but we are for the toughs of The Comet, with Billy in their hands.” The little party halted in front of the resort, now strangely quiet beyond the door. “Let me look in,” said Nelly. investigate first.” She opened the door and looked inside, to behold the men of the two camps grouped in the middle of the room, where several tables had been drawn together. The hermit of Heart-of-Gold Mine leaned forward and took a survey of the place, but in a moment drew back, just as there came down the street a cry which turned every face in that direc- tion. “ Wait!” urged Samson. lem Jake!” In the middle of the street moved a man with the speed of eagerness, and stopped in front of The Comet. “Come out!” he cried. - ‘‘ Come forth, coward of a dozen camps, and face the destroyer from Caleveras! Death to the murderer of Diamond Donald! Down with Orson, the sneaking hyena of * Let me “It’s Jerusa- Shakedown!” There was & movement beyond the door of the place and the litile group at it drew back. “Silence him,’ commanded . Samson, and he bounded toward the man in the street. “You, Samson? I’m in it for the last time. Where is the boss of Shake- down?” : “Wait! The toughs of the two camps are in consultation.” “Tl rouse them, then!” Jerusalem broke from the other’s grasp and, stealing forward, threw wide The Comet’ s door. There was a movement within, and Je- rusalem Jake shouted forth his defiance. In another moment the voices of des- perate men arose above all other sounds, and they poured into the street like a pack of wolves, “Halt, every mother’s son of you!” There stood Jerusalem Jake, his figure seen in the light which now streamed from The Comet’s lamps and in each hand a weapon. The toughs drew back, hesitatingly. “ Whar’s Billy?’ demanded Jerusalem. No one answered him, and Nelly pushed toward the den. “He is in there!” she cried. ‘ They took him from me and carried him into The Comet.” “One minute to produce Billy, the whip- poor-will of Shakedown!” he called out, sternly—“ one minute!” The toughs exchanged glances, but not a man moved. “Count three slowly, Nelly,” he went on. “ Count the last number a little fast like. The sooner some one dies here SBP better. f aah Sze “ One—’” Pat ‘One of the foremost men edie up his hand, The Shakedown held her breath, | “Go on, Nell,” ordered Jake. “Two!” she said. Some one darted back into the place and vanished. Sys 0 conineaolt once more. waif of den reappeared, something in his arms, “It is Billy!” cried Nelly, forgetful of her mission, but some one caught her arm. “Here he is! He’s all right, only—” “Only what?” demanded Jerusalem Jake. “Only he may never sing again! ”’ The figure held by the speaker was re- leased and tottered forward, while Nelly, with a cry, sprang toward it and caught. it tenderly in her arms. Then came a sharp report from up the street. Jerusalem Jake tottered in the dust and fell in a heap at the girl’s feet. CHAPTER XVI. THE HAND OF VENGEANCE, The sudden shot startled all, and the men of the two camps hailed their mas- ter with a cheer, for it was Orson the One-armed. But, suddenly, the hermit of the mine stepped toward the silent figure advanc- ing and threw up his hand. “ Halt, Orson, Ivan Prince!”’ The one-arméd man stood still. Samson advanced yet nearer. “Tvan, you must die. You have fin- ished Jerusalem Jake, but that is not the crime for which you ‘perish. « “No, I understand.” is You must walk back with me to your shanty.” “I will not! ”’ “Oh, yes, you will! I am going to the Shanty. Come with. me, Orson! pers.” CGison said nothing, but sullenly turned. . back, led by Samson to the shanty, which they at once entered. Orson struck a light and set the lamp on the table. “Now, what is it?” he demanded, sul- lenly. “To what effect? ”’ “You can write, Orson of Shakedown, Ivan of the old camps. lips of Mountain Kidd by a word. You sent him into the unknown with a lie on his tongue, and all by the sign of the old band. It was years ago, Orson, and the band died out in other lands, but the | tie still binds the few living members. It was this tie that silenced Mountain Kidd. But this paper must tell the truth.’ -| The hang-dog face of the. One-arined seemed to grow darker and fiercer, but Samson did not waver. Orson pulled the paper toward him with his one hand; a pencil was placed before him. “You can write: ‘I killed Diamond Donald. I am Orson, the murderer. [I wanted the will and the papers which I stole from Bandy Nickell’s mine.’ ” Orson looked appealingly toward the door and for half a second seemed on the | point of making a break for freedom, — but Samson stood between him and es- cape. Suddenly. he caught up the pencil and wrote on the paper held down for him by the finger of his master. “There,” he cried, shoving it toward Samson, let Orson go.” It is all — over; the girl has the will and the pa- | ioe sign a paper!” ordered Sam- ‘son. You silenced the’ “ That’s what you wanted. Now The keen eyes of the hermit,of Heart- = of-Gold mit scanned what had iessye written. Se “That is all! " he said, looking bis “Now let me go.” tf el as “Not yet! The confession first, he OCS wn abi a anne the hermit pocketed | “hs