Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 105 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

Gamer, o- - —— ———t— eee a Idaho Ira, while Enoch Dodge was obeying orders, removed the masks from the faces of each of the dead outlaws, and closely scanned ther by the clear moonlight. Then searching t cir bodies, he coolly rolled them over into the abyss which they had planned should be the tomb of Enoch Dodge. The two outlaws were lifted into the saddle and each bound there in much tbe same man- ner as they had served the marshal. Avd taen Idaho Ira end Enoch Dodve turned their faces to vard Grevaca, leading their prisoners and the two extra ! orses. Not a word passed between them after the road-acents recovered their senses, and no pause was made except to insert a gag between the jaws of their prisoners, until the outskirts cf the town were reached. For some minutes they had been aware that something unusual was afoot, or had occurred iy Grenada, for the town seemed fairly wild wit exeitement. Resolved vot to endanger tho safety of his captives, Enoch Dodge bade 'i3 comrade draw rein, while he rode on to in- vestigate. . Dan Brown of Denver. rrr ee ‘©The eviderce of \ our face would hans r you in any court, Join Doyle,” and Idaho lim taugh- ed coldly. ‘‘ Chew that sweet moms. while I whisper a word to Fred Howe.” Once again, though in a lesser degree, was terror and amazement written upon the features of the man who thus heard his real, long-buried name uttered by the lips of a stranger. ‘* Whoare youé the devil bimseli/” he growled, hoarsely. ‘Tf not the devil in person, I don’t know but what I may cali myself bis friend, since I have been the means of sending him many a faithful servant as summer boarders,” laughed Icaho Ira. ‘*But let that pass. Iam here on busi ness. ‘* You know now that I can give evidence | sufficient to hang you a dozen times over, Almost the first man he met was the one de-. tailed irom the police force as a special guard over Bruiser Bill. Hts head was bare, and his face one mask of blood. He was terribly ex- cited, but managed to make a tolerably clear report. According to orders, he was inside the cala- provided you had as many lives, even if we fail to prove that you belong to Cuptain Moon- shine’s band. And bang you shall, as sure as there is a heaven above us, unless you purchase life and liberty by betraying your master and his mates into the hands of justice. To show ‘ou that [ mean what I say, and to prove that have the power to save your lives, if you turn state’s evidence—see !” As he spoke Idaho Ira pulled two quills, wrap- ped round with cotton, from his nostrils, allow- ing his nose to resume its natural shape, then | took a pair of plumpers from the inside of his hoose, keeping vigilant watch and ward over | the delirious prisoner, keenly listening for some valuable clew to drop from his lips amid the | wild ravings, when the door was suddenly flung | open and half a dozen armed, masked men sprung inside. He was knocked down and trampled over, a mife thrust into his side, but this fortunately rlanced from a rib and only inflicted a painful flesh wound. The breath was driven from his body, and he lay like a dead man, unable to «ive the alarm, while the masked men hastily picked up the prisoner and bore him outside, placing him upon a led horse. By this time he, the guard, recovered suffi- ciently to crawl to the door, when he found the (lead body of the jailer, his throat cut from ear | to ear, nearly severing his head from his body, | and a deep gash over his heart. Drawing his revolver, he opened fire upon (e@ party of rescuers, who were just riding away, aad shouted forth the alarm at the top of his voice. The wild uproar seemed to still fur- ther eraze Bruiser Bill, who began fighting his friends, finally flinging himself from the zacddle. By this time a crowd was gathering from every direction, and seeing that they could not overpower Bill in time to bear him away before they were inextricably surrounded, one of the masked men put a bullet mney madman’s brain, killing him instantly. en, forming a bold front, and burning powder freely, the masked riders burst through the excited crowd ynd rode rapidly away through the night, lenving several dead and more wounded behind them. A company was raised and pursuit made as quickly as possible, but the unavoidable delay -endered the ultimate escape of the bold res- cuers almost a certainty. The marshal was not as vexed as be would have been, had he not two more of the execra- ble band in his power, and hastily calling around him a posse of men on whom he could depend, he returned to where Idaho Ira was awaiting him with the two captives. These he escorted to the calaboose, removing the gags from their jaws, but leaving both hands and ‘eet bound for the present. Two trusty men were detailed for inside ery duty, and a dozen others to watch without, quite as much to hold the excited mob in check as through any expectation of another bold attempt ata rescue, ‘‘ Send those two men outside for the present, mate,” said Idaho Ira, coolly. ‘* Lock me up an hour with these fellows, but give your jailer orders to let me out when I give the signal. I thnk maybe I can learn something of these chickens, worth noting down.” The marshal appeared not a little surprised by ‘he request, but without a word of remon- ‘trance, obeyed. When the door was closed and locked, Idaho ira drew near the captives, squatting down be- fore them, peering into their faces as thouga bent on reading their innermost thoughts. At Jength he appeared satisfied, for he drew crect with a low, mocking laugh parting his lps, ““* Sol [felt sure that I had seen you before, Joun Doyle!” ‘he bummer who had masqueraded as Captain *Tooushine uttered a low ery, while an expres- ‘on of abject fear settled over his features, !lanching his pimpled visage toa dirty, livid poor. ‘*A bank robber in St. Louis—a wife murder- in Omaha—a herse-thicf and road-agent ever i ce, makes a black record for one man, John ) ry le, alias William Cooper!” “Ttisn lie—I cery itall!” gasped the craven- L. ur.cd wretch. —_—_— cheeks. Litting his hat, he took off a heavy black wig and then stood before them ‘tndis- guised, save for the bronze dye upon his skin. ‘‘DaN BROWN, OF DENVER, ut your service,” he said, mockingly. CHAPTER XV. A DESPERATE EXPEDIENT. ‘* PROGRESSING backward” is about as un- Lahey ee in reading a story as it is in real life, ut in order to satisfactorily explain the trans- formation of a dead and publicly buried corpse into an exceedingly live man—if *‘ Dan Brown, of Denver” into ‘‘ Idaho Ira,” a brief retro- Se glance at this point becomes unavoid- able. It will be remembered that in the duel between ‘*the young man from Boston,” the principals stood upon tables placed close to the side walls, confronting each other’s fire-arms with ovly the width of the room between them. Viewed from the front door, the table occupied by Dan Brown was on the right hand side of the room, and thus bis left side and breast were fully exposed to the aim ot the hidden assassin, thanks to his elevated position. Had the du- elists stood upon the floor, that dastard shot could not have been fired, as the eager specta- tors stood several rows deep between the door and the detective. [t may be stated in this connection that Frank Blackwood fired that treacherous shot. The nom closing and securing of the doors by orders of Enoch Dodge, prevented the tid- ings of the double due)! from spreading outside, and hence no curious crowd gathered there. And at the critical moment, Frank Blackwood saw that the street in his immediate vicinity was utterly deserted. He had seen and heard enough to know that Bruiser Bill was either dead or defeated, and as the duelists took up their positions, he first felt the temptation to which he afterward yield- ed. Knowing that the disguised detective was an unerring shot, he felt sure that Bricktop would be killed. There was an equal chance that both shots would be fatal, but so resolved was he to put the daring detective out of the way forever, that he drew and leveled his re- volver, firing directly at the heart of the detec- tive at the word, hoping that his treacherous act would be hidden for the present, at least, by the double explosion of the duelist’s pistols. He saw both men reel and fall, but to his hor- ror he saw that the pistol grasped by Bricktop had failed to explode! Knowing that discovery and pursuit would be immediate, he dashed across the street and entered the door that led up to his chambers before any one emerged from the Shades. And then, from his room above he watched and softly laughed at the eager, threatening crowd as hey vainly search- ed for the bold assassin. As stated at the time, Enoch Dodge rushed to the side of bis fallen friend, and a ery of fierce despair broke from bis lips as he saw the red blood widening and deepening the ghastly stain directiy over the heart. Tearing open vest and shirt, he saw that the assassin’s bullet had sped terribly true to its murderous aim. There was no sien of the lead. The wound bled profusely. The stricken mean lay pale as death and as motionless. But then came a faint, barely audible whisper from. his lips: mt Get me to the hote!—I am dying—quick!” Almost shaking with grief, the marshal directed the preparation of a rude litter while temporarily seneegee the wound of his friend. A cot wes procured, and upon it, with a blanket in addition to bis own coat thrown over hin. the disguised detective was tenderly borne to the Golden Eagle and at once carried into the marshal’s private office. Enoch oles was about to send messengers | | mc ee — | that =} $e ee ee — ee after every doctor and surgeon in town. but a faint whisper from the wounded man checked him. Bending his ear low, he heard: ‘*Clear the room of all save ourselves.” This was quickly done, Dodge bidding his bar- keeper give the men the freedom of the bar, and then the door was closed and locked, after which the apparently dying man beckoned the marsval to ‘raw nearer. ‘** Now don’t yell out and arouse the suspicions of those fellows outside,” uttered Dan Brown— for “the young man from Boston” was inceed widely-celebrated detective—coolly rising to a sitting posture, and looking extremely un- like a dying man! Amazed, dumbfounded, Enoch Dodge could hardly believe the evidence of his eyes, and it was not until the detective arose and stood fair- ly upon his feet, grasping his horny palm with a steel-like gripe, that he began te realize the joyful truth. ‘The cunning rascal meant well enough,” said Dan Brown, with a low laugh, as he touch- ed the blood spot upon his left breast. ‘“‘ Straight for the heart, and driven by a heavy charge of powder, too! It was the third time, but the charm was only partially broken—see!”’ As he spoke he drew some _ blood-stained papers from a pocket inside his undershirt, and from an envelope he extracted an oblong strip of tempered steel. This had rested directly over the region of his heart. Upon it were per- ceptible two dents, and one ragged hole where the bullet of Frank Mack woot had forced its passage. Three times had that bit of steel saved the life of its wearer! ‘The heavy shock Dg seg 2 me, and knocked ine over,” continued the detective. ‘‘For a little time 1 felt that my time had come, but then as you laid bare the wound, I knew better. I feared to explain then, you were so fearfully excited. I knew you would blurt out the trut before you thought. For that reason I played bugs on you, and gave you all this trouble— because this night Dan Brown of Denver must die!” Utterly bewildered, Enoch D dropped down upon the cot, staring at his friend in help- less amazement. Laughing low and musically, Dan Brown seated himself beside the marshal, and in plain, simple terms, as though talking to a child, he divulged a truly amazing project and gave his reasons therefor. He had come to Grenada for the express purpore of hunting down and destroying the band of roac'- agents and reckless assassins under the leade)- ship of Captain Moonshine. A strange chain of unavoidable circumstances had revealed his identity much sooner than he intended, and he knew from the desperate events of that night that no pains would be spared to take his life. For that reason, and the more completely to throw the enemy off his guard, his quick wit saw that by a desperate expedient, that at- tempted assassination could be turned to good ‘‘Is there a doctor or surgeon in town that you can implicitly trust to hold his tongue and sacredly preserve a dangerous secret! If so, send for him. Suspicions that all was not on the square, might be aroused were I to die with- out being seen by some medical man.” Enoch Dodge, by this time more like his usual self, did know of such a person, and a messen ger was dispatched for bim at once. While awaiting his arrival, with locked doors, the detective still further revealed the startling plan he had so hastily conceived. The surgeon came, was sworn to solemn secrecy, and then made a partner in the plot. And he proved a faithful as well as valuable confederate, too. By his aid, a subtle drug was procured which, taken inwardly, would produce the perfect a pearance of death for at least six hours, The skin would be pale and cold. The heart would suspend its functions, and only a close examin. ation by professional experts could detect the imposition, until the effects of the drug wore cff of itself. During the remaining hours of darkness, the minor details were arranged and thoroughly un derstood. A coffin was procured, by the aid of the doctor and two members of the police foree, whom Enoch Dodge knew he could trus implicitly, end whose help was essential to tlh« complete success of the ruse. The reader will remember how all save i}: four men who“ pulled the wires,” were deceis : by the open exbibition made of theseeming ec: « detective. It will also be remembered tf) «; Frank Blackwood never once lost sight of v): coffin until after it was placed in the hearse: but, despite his cunning watch, he was r<:' completely befooled, for Dan Brown was not }): the coffin when it was borne out doors by the Six men. The table upon which the coffin rested was covered with a heavy cloth that touched the floor all around, and beneath this two policemen — those who bad assisted in procuring the ccffin —were concealed while Enoch Dodge was de- livering his unique funeral sermon. The Shateet tie marsha. replaced the lid aad ECON MNCS OOK ©) SO