Beadle's Dime Library No. 1 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

21 te aii Wo. 1. ; oo —_—_——- —- - ~ — —~0 + 2 ee _—= ———— A Hard Crowd; or, Gentleman Sam’s Sister, ‘‘T am sorry to again put you to the incon- __ “T cannot explain the feeling,” he said, “ but | Major Gravesend sat with a dismal frown venience of mding before me in the saddle,” somehow or other I have every confidence in | knitting his brows, beating a devil’s tattoo on . ursued the robber chief ace the help- | your success in anything you undertake. Ican- | the table with his fingers. e was wishing ‘‘ the girl, who yet stood calm and reso ute before | not find words to thank you for befriending me | whole sex to the dogs!” him; a but prudential reasons makes it neces- | and my child—” The Stranger lay back in his chair with closed eyes. His late betrothed was discovered to be the daughter of a wealthy man, or was attempt- ing to herself off as such by disowning her twin brother; for, rte he would permit no other man to impeach Iola’s veracity, The Stranger oe believed firmly in the relationshi himself. she would repudiate the tie of bl so lightly at the prompting of ambition, would she be content to fink herself to an obscure ad- venturer like himself when her newly-acquired ‘ way: | “It is unnecessary,” hastily interrupted The owing that she was wholly in his power, | Stranger, with one of his uliar frowns. [ola followed him from the hut and permitted ‘‘ Even did I not owe to Miss lola my hasty re- him to lift her to his horse’s withers. Then he | covery, I have an old score to settle with The swung into the saddle, and set forth through | Red pe which would lead me to hunt him to the darkness ata walk. Ata narrow pass which | his lair.” Struggli g to overcome the mysterious repug- nance which this man’s frown inspired, Dr. Chillingworth said: ‘*Let us make common cause against him. No man ever wronged another more deeply than he has wronged me and mine. I have gave entrance to the pocket, he was challenged y a sentinel. _ A minute later he passed the figure of a man | standing motionless in the shadow of a rock. | The man fell into his wake, moving cautiously, guided by the sound of his horse’s hoofs. He —__$ - rolled so as to completely close the re ome chief went we was out of sight of The Red Hand; but an ob- server might have recogni in him the man who had bound Iola at his master’s bidding, and stolen her handkerchief on his own account. For nearly a mile he thus tracked The Red Hand; but as the latter struck into the public highway, he let his horse out to a swinging gal- lop which soon di the man who was ‘* shadowing” him. When he could no longer hear the ring of the horse’s hoofs in advance, Nebraska Larry gave over the pursuit with an oath, and pi oh slowly and thoughtfully to the stronghold. Meanwhile The Red d rode for an hour on the highway; then for half an hour among the’ broken hills and valleys ; and finally tied his horse. Letting Iola walk where the way was smooth enough, and lifting her over the SORES DBO, he continued forward for another -hour. The goal reached at last was a cave, whose en- trance was concealed by overhanging vines. In an inner chamber he showed Iola the place des- tined for her habitation. A pile of wood would enable her to maintain a fire, which would sup- ply light and warmth. A shake-down of pulled grass, covered by a buffalo-robe and blankets,. served as a couch. A jug of water and food our | } been on his track for years, but dared not attack him until I tracked him to the place where he had hidden my child. I have been deceived a hundred times, but never saw her until to-day.” Wiping her eyes on her apron, Mrs. Robinson had listening to the conversation. She now ake ar ‘* 'W ouldn’t it be well to take Dauntless Jerry in company with you? He is a brave lad and will fight manfully for his sister.” Dr. Chillingworth turned may upon the speaker, his face convulsed by a sudden spasm of pain é ** Madam,” he said, ‘‘ what of this Dauntless Jerry? Do you know him?” ‘Know him? Law bless you, sir! Ive knowed him this twelve months. And a finer- spoken or better-intentioned yotng man ain’t to be found in these parts—nor a sweeter or more amiable than his sister, sir.” **'You call them brother and sister. I pre- sume they are in the habit of passing as such, though they are not related in reality.” ** Not ted?” repeated the g widow, in amazement. ‘‘Why, bless your heart, sir! they’re twins!” A sudden pallor overspread the doctor’s face, position and wealth would enable her to aspire to the highest in the land? But worse than this, she was in the hands of his bitterest enemy. Mrs. Robinson, terrified by the appearance of those about her, sunk trembling into a chair which occupied an obscure corner. As she had not witnessed the meeting between Iola and the doctor, she was wonderin the girl to deny ‘‘ her own flesh and blood.” Surely the hapless Iola was undera cloud. All those nearest and dearest to her had doubted her, however much they had tried to hide the fact from themselves. what had induced That night a band of resolute men was form- ed, and everything row’s e ition. t in readiness for the mor- ey would have set out im- mediately ; but in that case torches should have been necessary to follow the trail; and they knew that an ambuscade and a nae by invisible e, foes would be almost inevitab When The Stranger came to his stre he found that the pleasure of iv en depen upon his fair nurse invalid longer than his Saye ? nt induced him to play the constitution de- , too, seemed much like his own self, supported in a measure by ex- citement. Following the trail, they found that it led first to Dauntless Jerry’s hut in the woods A thou- enough for three or f ys were left by her | and he caught at the bed-post for support. sand little things about the two rooms it con- jailer. ‘You must be mistaken,” he said, huskily. | tained gave evidence of Iola’s oe But ‘** What is bs ise in comfort is more than | “The girl herself said that he was not her | the house was now tenantless, yet left untouched, made up in security,” said The Red Hand. | brother, and that she never had one to her | as if its occupants had gone out on a visit. A “You are in no ae of molestation, since not a soul in the world save myself knows of this cave. Before you will be in need of gf knowledge.” ‘lola said so, sir?’ asked the widow, blankly. ce saddle, a rifle, a pair of top-boots and various articles of male attire reminded Dr. Chilling- worth painfully of Dauntless Jerry. thing, I shall return with a new supply, or “That Gentleman sewg ha as you call him, ‘““They may have captured the boy, too,” he take you to a new and more commodious abode. | Dauntless Jerry, was not her brother?” said, further depressed at the thought. Until then, adieu!” | “She said so.” “Nh 0,” replied The r. ‘‘There are no _ Alarge rock was nicely balanced before the ‘Surely, sir, you must have misunderstood | signs of a struggle, and I don’t believe they inner mouth of the gallery which connected | her. would have caught him napping. Doubtless he the subterraneous chamber with the outer world. The Red Hand passed into the gallery, knocked out a supporting rock, and the bowlder She never could have said such a thing in earnest,” ‘* These gentlemen can bear witness that she said so, and with every appearance of earnest- ness.” The major aah ie a He was think- was away from home.” “They gobbled Mad Kate, an’ that’s a fact!” said one of the men. loot wanted o’ her?” ‘*] wonder what the ga- Then the footsteps of the robber ing that Iola had indul in a very bold im-| There was no ready solution to this question; down the gallery and died away. position. The § r sat in stern silence, | and as nothing further could be gathered at the awful sense of desolation came over Iola, ile he would not per- | hut, the moved on. As they advanced with the thought that she was immured in a living tomb, known only to her captor. What if he should be killed? Or, if he were captured by her friends, she believed that he would rather leave her to die in that awful sepulcher than reveal her whereabouts. In that unchanging gloom and silence she had nothing by which to measure the flight of time, save only the recurrence of hunger and drowsiness, and the necessity of replenishing her fire, to avoid being left in utter darkness. Her thoughts were of the strange life she had led in the society of a -demented woman; of the mystery which had shrouded that life almost from its inception, and seemed about to lift, when the rude hand of her abduc- tor snatched her away; of the father whom she had known for scarce a minute; and of the love that had come to her life like warm showers to the parched earth. Lying with her hands over fort $5 resliog the image of ber fover that rested ort to realize the of her lover warm in her heart, og passed much of the time with gloomy brows. es himself to doubt her, he was altogether ** But, gentlemen,” pursued Mrs. Robinson, “‘ a chance resemblance so perfect is im ble. They are as like as two peas ry i at one has short black hair and the other long blonde. Besides, everybody knows them as brother and sister, by their own acknowledgment. : % Major,” said the doctor, ‘‘ you have seen them. Are they sonearly alike? What is your opinion?’ _ His voice shook and his eyes filled. He sunk into a chair with the old despondency upon Major Gravesend’s eyes flashed and _ his cheeks crimsoned slightly with indignation, as he said, emphatically: “It is my opinion that the girl is imposi upon you, in the hope of getting a rich father. _‘* Hold on there, pardner!” cried The Stranger, his speech running into dialectic form as his anger rose. ‘“‘ You’recoming down pretty h on a ary Set sent by speak in car own 4 the trail e harder and harder to follow, from two causes. First, the soil changed from a soft loam to a rocky surface; an weet f which had come on night, was fast washing out the few traces left. , the drenched and owledge themselves rain After ee = Ww party ac contpletely at fault. d, second, a during the That night they bivouacked in the wilderness, and in the morning se ted into two parties the larger one under the lead of Major Grave- send, the smaller headed by The Stranger. The r. Chillingworth; latter was accompanied by D was Poke e and also of the declaimed lou who y against When the late second of uri aversion. Bill an- r Tom, who now Hand, to in the character of a horse-thief, he seemed to have taken a peculiar nounced his intention to attach himself to The uies- Stranger’s party, the latter showed his cence by silence; but, there glitter in his eyes and set to his lips, whi was an us ch might have warned the gambler, had he ob- in a beatific transpo fense. I reckon you better take that back.” served them, that the first tom of treach- And so she bbe a helpless prisoner. What ‘Pm not in the habit of swallowing my | ery on his part would be visited by swift death. chance in the ous life of her jailer might | words!” returned the major, defiantly. View- ‘Tt was arranged that the two parties should leave her to die in that horrible prison! But was scour the country in search of The Red Hand’s not even that preferable to his return? With her tind tortured with Bay % — dilemma, yet above all dreading ime whi must see the beginning of her loathsome bon- ae she fell into a troubled slumber, from which she awoke shrieking, shrinking with hor- ror from his odious embrace, and sickening at his tainted breath on hercheek. CHAPTER XX. NEBRASKA LARRY. cht,” called The Stranger after Major Graves nigh ) r r Major Gra a ‘Bring the gentleman in, and Mrs. Rob- inson will apply restoratives.” , That ex nt lady, weeping and trembling with terror, assisted the major to his un- conscious friend into the house, and they soon gathered his scattered senses. ‘‘ Your daughter is in the hands of the man they call The Red Hand,” said The Stranger. m At or Deo I shall eengs his raigon tose never eave it until I place again in your arms. Dr. Chillingworth grasped the hand of The co y ing The eoctegns as a rival, he did not feel over- co tow him. ‘Gentlemen, I pray you desist!” said the doc- tor, starting up. ‘‘ We cannot afford to have dissension among ourselves. I think there must be some mistake here. The girl has too truthful a look, even if the difficulty of successful decep- tion was not so great. us present a united front to the common enemy, and seek explana- tion when we have recovered her.” ‘I hope it may be as you suggest,” said the major. And The Stranger contented himself with netomat as was plai t the doctor was more disturbed than his words would seem to indi- cate. While the tears started irresistibly in his om thought: si es be meee) Fy 5 ame gay ee no, no ow myse eve— et—o e bow ace in hi ds, and in an of spirit asked himself: 4 “Can she be an impostor? And yet, as I re- member the boy, they are too nearly alike to be strangers. Why—why have I been involved in such a network of deception and wroag?” Vin ' ' retreat; and a rendezvous was ap inted where scouts from either party could effect intercom- munication. It was about tke middle of the afternoon of the second day, that The Stranger’s party were startled by the ap ce of a man directly in their path, with his hands held above his head, the palms to the front. “Who are you?’ demanded The Stranger, ping within a few feet of him. ‘A man who has the will and the knowledge which will put The Red Hand in your power be- fore sunset,” lied the dark-browed “By my soul!” cried Poker Tom, “ but it’s Nebraska in a bed with !—him that’s thicker than seven e Red Hand! Gents, I go my pile that he leads us into a nice leetle ambush, t’ll cost us all our hides!” 6 yon a member of The Red Hamd’® band?” asked The Stranger, sternly ‘*'Yes,” admitted Nebraska Larry, coolly. | “Are not you cniouewing: your 5 ourself in our > ~ . all his su ‘|[com [e ofele) eames M + = hat v “*T sup you know that we are after _ ehief of cut-throats and berdina = test” cS co —_—