Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 1102 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

The Stranger Sharp. 27 boasters, who manele £08 in the way of, and. im- peded, the experienced plainsmen. The trail was so broad and distinct, though, that even an inexperienced eye could follow it, but when it bent round and entered the Rio Grande it was hopelessly lost, Where it entered the river could be plainly distinguished but where it came out no man ‘could tell, The abductors had resorted to the old device of using the water to “ blind the trail,” Then the scouting-parties separated, each one hoping to hit upon the track. One by one, about sundown, they came strag- gling into Santa Fe, completely fagged out, and all made the same report, No trace could be discovered, The alcalde did not despair: if he could not beat the scoundrels he could yield, and twenty thousand dollars, a mere nothing to him, would Transom his daughter, This was Santilla’s advice. ‘*Better pay the money, for the scoundrels may do your daughter some harm,” And the counsel, under the circumstances, geemed to be good, CHAPTER XXXIX, DEBATING THE MATTER, OLD BULLION reflected over the matter for a few moments after the chief of police spoke. “It is true that I can spare twenty thousand dollars well enough,” he remarked at last. ‘“Thank Heaven, I am rich enough to give the money and, great as the sum is, I don’t think I would miss it, Yet, I must admit it goes sorely against my grain to allow these scoundrels to fleece me.” *‘ It is not pleasant,” Pleasant!” Old Bullion cried. ‘“‘ No, it is | anything but pleasant—the confounded scoun- drels!” ‘*'You are right. No doubt this gang is com- sed of the worst gang of rescals this territory | as ever known.” “‘T would sooner give forty thousand dollars to put a rope around their necks,” the alcalde declared, decisively; ‘* but from the way things are going there seems to be small chance of -eatching the scoundrels,” ‘“‘That is true, In spite of all our search we ‘were uot able to get a clew. “They are a cunning lot of ruffians and no mistake!” Old Bullion declared, ‘‘ For if they were not they never would Lave been able to cover their tracks so as to baffle all efforts to trail them.” smartest trackers in the town, too,” Santilla ob- served—“ men who can pick up a trail as well as any of the red-skins,” | wrong; who kuows? as the Mexicans say.” | | by the peculiar way in which he acted when the | : rere and yet on that occasion he bung | prominent part,” | ** And we had the assistance of some of the | | believe he would try any trick of this kind, for,| ‘If he was not actuated by some reason of most certainly, he has been square and above | the kind, what was his motive?” board in all his dealings, as far as anybody | ‘‘ Ah, now you have got me!” Old Bullion de- knows, since coming to the town,” | clared. ** Yes, yes, I am well aware of that fact,and | ‘I am neithera fb gpg nor the son of a A that he has gone into business, too, with Cohen, | phet,” he continued. ‘* And a poorer hand at and, apparently, settled down intoarespectable, guessing riddles you will not find on top of this steady-going citizen, but this may be a blind so ; hyer footstool,” as to divert suspicion from him,” ‘‘T am not good at guessing myself, yet I “It may be so, of course, but it is my opinion | think I bave solved this puzzle.” that it is not at all probable,” Old Bullion de- ‘** Tl tell: you bow we stand a chance to settle clared, the matter?” the alcalde declared, abruptly. “Yes, I understand that on the surface every- “Explain!” thing looks to be all right, but for all that my ‘* We will have this sport in and put the ques- suspicions have been aroused,” the chief of police | tion right to bim!” persisted, The chief of police stared at Old Bullion for cl ‘*But does not that arise from the fact that | & moment in surprise, just as if be doubted you don’t like the man?” the alcalde asked, | that he*was. in earnest, and the alcalde, under- shrewdly. | standifg the meaning of the look, cried out: **Oh, no!” the other hastened to declare. “Oh, I mean it—every word!” ** Well, I didn’t know; you would be apt to be | Ah, but he will not acknowledge the fact if prejudiced egainst him, of course.” he xt Sgt !” Santilla declared. “Ah, yes, but in a matter of this kind I! ‘ Yes, but if we are sharp we ought to be able should not, let my feelings interfere with my ! to pick ‘up some information!” Old Bullion re- judgment!” the chief of police affirmed, with a | plied, deal of dignity. | ‘“*Gobunt the cuss up, run him in, and we ‘*Of course, but it is human nature toleta | will put him through a regular cross-examina- thing of that kind have influence, you know,” | tion” Old Bullion urged, “Yes, I-am aware of that, but I can assure you, alcalde, that [ always try to rise superior A CROSS-EXAMINATION, to any such feeling,” the official urged, THE chief of police rose slowly to his feet, ‘Oh, Ido not doubt that—I do not question | and it was plain from the expression on his face that be did not think in a favorable way of | the scheme which the alcalde bad suggested. | ** Well, 1 willdo as you request, of course,” | besaid. ‘But Ido not really believe you will | i 18 b | get anything out of the fellow.” | do full justice to the man,” the chief of police | ‘‘ It will not do any harm to make the trial,” | declared, | Old Bullion replied. i | CHAPTER XL, but that you try to be fair and examine the matter with unprejudiced eyes, but it is some- times a mighty hard matter for a man to act in that way, no matter how hard he tries.” ‘* That 1s true, but in this case I think I can ‘“* And now, alcalde, I wiil explain to you how ‘*T think Lam ‘a pretty good judge of men,” .it was that my Suspicions have been aroused, | he continued, ‘ And it is my belief that if the | and I think that after I get through you will | sport is mixed up in this affair I sball be able to | admit I have some grounds to goupon,” Sautilla | tell by the way he talks.” | _ continued. ‘** Perbaps you will,” Santilla remarked in an | “Fire away!” Old Bullion exclaimed. ‘It | extremely doubtful way, and the expression on | is my belief, you know, that you are barking | his face plainly showed that he did not believe up the wrong tree; still, as this is a mighty un- | that anything could‘be accomplished, certain world you may be right and I may be; The alcalde chuckled in bis ponderous way _after the chief of police departed, fora few mo- ‘* My attention was first directed to the sport | ments, and then he said: | ~** He doesn’t take any stock in my idea, and | meeting took place in the Plaza. As a rule he | I don’t take the least bit in his notion, so we is always prompt enough in coming forward— | are even as far as that goes, ! always disposed, you know, to make himself **T have not the best opinion in the world of this Sharp, but I donot believe he would try any road-sgent game of this kind,” he continued, ** In the first place he has fallen in love with my Isabelle, or thinks it would be a good specu- thoughtfully. ‘“You have not made any mis- | lation to marry the daughter of a man who is ack and did not seem at all inclined to take a “Yes, that is true,” Old Bullion remarked, | take in regard to that matter. But the excuse | as rich asl am, it is about the same thing, and | that the man gave seemed to me to be a reason- | he would not be likely to try any game of this “ Yes, and that goes to show that these scoun~ | able one; he was a stranger in Santa Fe and’| kind unless indeed he had come to the conclusion drels are extra smart ones, justasIsaid. ‘Well, although it is sorely against my will I thousand dollars,” the alcelde continued, ‘‘ It is a big sum of money to pay.” “ Yes, that isso, and I wouldn’t yield a dollar f itif but these fellows have got me foul 7nd as they that if I declined to pay they would harm my ehild.” ; ‘““Of course you would rather pay twice twenty thousand dollars than have evil come to her,” the chief of police observed, ‘*Oh, that goes ‘without saying!” the father declared, “These rascals bave played an exceedingly shrewd game,” Santilla observed in a reflective way. ‘And it shows that tbe man who is at the head of the party must possess some brains.” ** Yes, yes, the rascal is an uncommonly able one, No doubt about that!” the alealde declared with a decided shake of bis lion-like bead.’ ‘“‘ How would this oe sharp—this Jackson Blake fill the bil®” Santilla asked’ with an evil look on his dark face, The alcalde appeared amazed, ‘Oh, no!” he exclaimed, after a moment’s ause, ‘I do not think that can be possible.” ‘It is but a guess on my part of course, for I have no proof to back it up,” the chief of police responded slowly. — “Well, to my thinking, there isn’t any proba- bility in the supposition. ‘There is a haonage as Erbe brains nou to conceive suct & pian, an e ses persion e enough to carry it out, too, dithoogh, to tell the truth, there was not much -sesng re- quired, for the attack was planned in such a way that it was not possible to offer any resist- ” ae Yee, that is so,” the chief of police admitted. Well, I will explain how the thought came to me. I knew that this sport is a desperate fel- low, and one who would not be apt to have any scruples in regard to engaging in a game of this oa bah ee Oh come, come!” Old Bullion exclaimed, “T really think that you are going a little too far when you make a statement of that kind, I know the fellow isa desperate rascal enough— he has given ample proof of that since he has taken up bis quarters in Santa Fe, but I don’t older citizens to take the lead.” suppose I will baye to fork over the twenty | | the ranks,” the chief of police observed, strewd- | ave _ leader. saw any way to get out of the scrape, | not push himself forward in this case,” the al- are desperate villains there is not wich doubt | calde admitted, | lief that he had some aor motive for not de- preferred to remain in the background, allowing | that he did pot stand any chance to get the girl, and soresolved to try and see if he couldu’t make ‘But he is not the kind of man to remain in | a raise by means of an underhand game.” Old Bullion reflected upon this idea for a few momeuts—ic had not occurred to him before— and then be shook his head, ** No, no!” he exclaimed, ‘*‘ I do not believe the Sharp would do anything of the kind, ‘** He is rash, hot-headed and desperate—one of the men who does not know the meaning of the word fear, and would as soon fight as eat, but when I say that, I believe 1 have said al] that lv. ‘* He is one of the fellows who wauts to be a | siring to take an active pa Now if you recall | can be said against the man, | “Well, I suppose that is correct, but he did “ Exactly! and that is what excited my sus- picions!” Santilla declared. “* And it is niy be- the particulars of the search you will remember “It is my opinion that there isn’t anything that when we were baffled, and almost every- | mean or low about the fellow, and I cannot be- tnd had some suggestion to offer, he was | lieve he would stoop to commit a crime of this sue ve sort. “Yes, but when he was appealed to he re- “Tam auxious though to learn why he did sponded by sayiug that the thing was out of his | not take a more active part in the pursuit, for _ line, and when there were so many more expe- | as Santilla justly observes be is not the kind of _ rienced men than himself present; he.felt back- | man who is usually content to remain in the | ward about coming forward.” background when there is anything going on, | ‘* Ah, but that struck me as being merely an ‘“Possibly though in summoning bim here7I excuse so as to avoid taking an ‘active part in | shall only Live my labor for my pains for he | the matter,” the chief of police u may not be willing to give an explanation,” Old ‘* You must admit that if be bad had a hand | Bullion said in conclusion, | in the affair, he would be apt to act in such a The ¢hief of police departed in a decidedly way.” Santilla continued, dissatisfied state of mind. **Oh, no, Ido not agree with you there at all!” ‘What acrazy notion!” he exclaimed after the alcalde declared, ‘* My experience is thata | be had reached the street, “Tne old man is man placed in such a position would be mighty | surely out of his senses to imagine that he can apt to take as active a part as possible, so as to | gain any information from this sport, ' avert suspicion from himself, you know, acting ‘“‘ But heis bull-headed, and Ti have learned | On the same principle as the running rascal who | from experience that it isn’t of any use to at- | cried, ‘Stop thief!’ at the top of bis voice so as | tempt to argue with him when be getsan idea _ to mislead his pursuers,” in his bead, , ‘* Well, all men don’t act alike under the same ** All that can be done in such a case is to al- circumstances,” Santilla urged, low him to go ahead in his own way. “That isso. Of course it may be that this ‘One consolation, though, is that if the inter- | ae had a hand in this affair, but lam not in- | view is not productive of good, it can hardly clined to believe it, and this fact that you bring | result in harm” forward, that be was not particularly active in Santilla proceeded to the Forty Rod Saloon, the pursuit, and which gives you the idea that | and there, as he expected, be found the sport, | be had something to do with the assault, doesn’t | who surveyed the chief of police with — ing | Impress me that way at all.” eyes when the message was delivered to him, ** He must have had some reason for acting so | ~**The alcalde wishes to see me?’ he asked, contrary to his usual custom,” the chief of po- | evidently surprised. lice argued. “ Yos, he is waiting for you in bis office.” — Oh, I don’t doubt that, for he is a man with ‘* Allright: it will give me great pleasure to | & big head on bis shoulders, but I don’t’ reckon | wait upon him.” _ that be held back because he had anything to do ** You kin jest bet yer bottom dollar that his _ With the affair, and thought there was danger of | royal nibs wants yer advice "bout this hyer his pards being caught, * business!” Jimsonweed declared, 5 3h “sews oe : a he Cee . 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