Beadle's Dime Library, No. 142 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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2 o--— — SE $$$ Captain Crimson. ney behind him,” he muttered, at the same time bringing his rifle around ready for use, and examining it with the air of one whose life hung upon its trustfulness. ‘‘ Tt is strange they do not camp in the motte,” he muttered; and then added: ** I suppose he is too anxious to get back with his precious news about my past life for his sweet sister’s ear; but, those who wait his coming will wait in vain, for this night he becomes food for the prairie coyote, and to-morrow the vultures will flap their loathsome wings above his mangled form. And as he gave expression to his bitter feel- ings, the two horsemen drew nearer and nearer the rise, beyond which lay the deadly ambush, little dreaming as they rode along of the crouch- ing form, cruel face and leveled rifle the tall grass concealed. Presently a clear tenor voice broke forth in song: “Do they miss me at home, do they miss me? *Twould be an assurance most dear, To know at this moment some loved one Were saying ‘I wish he werevhere.’”’ ‘* Better not holler, Massa Harold, kase we hain’t out o’ de w yit,” warned the com- nion of the singer, and he added: ‘‘ Dem ast of Injuns I guesses isn’t fur away.” “Oh yes, Jack, we have left all danger be- hind us, and the Post is not many miles dis- tant; besides, I feel like singing, as I have ac- complished what I came to Texas for,” and he added, in a low tone, ‘‘ Nina shall never marry Harvey Vertner.” ‘Glad of it, I is, Massa Harold; so ef yer feels like it, jist sing away, only let it be some- thin’ doleful, for singin’ is like prayin’, sah, at times, an’ ther Lord might lend His ear and take it for a pra’er, so he might, an’ keep them durn Injuns away; I has awful faith in pra’er, Massa Harold, whether yer sing or speak it.” ** All right, Jack, Pll sing something doleful,” answered the young man, with a light laugh, and he broke forth again in his fine rich voice, with the Prison Song from Trovatore : *** Ah! [have sighed to rest me Deep in the quiet grave,’— ** Oh, God!” The last two words broke in acry from his Hips, and mingled with the sharp crack of a rifle, while with arms stretched forth and ing wildly at the empty air, he fell from his saddle upon the U hens als” prairie, while his fright- ened steed darted madly away. Throwing himself from his own horse, with a muttered curse and cry of sorrow commingled, the faithful negro knelt by the side of his young master, who lay prone upon his back, his white, e face turned up to the moonlight, and no throbbing of the h no beating of the pulse to tell that he yet lived, but a red wound in his side showing where the deadly bullet had torn TE eee er an y y! have marcy on dis poor chile! Oh, Lordy God in hebben! have marcy *pon dis r for my young massa am Peridot dead and with ow il of anguish the poor negro rocked to and fro, forg his own danger in his deep grief for his slain mas- ter. And, back over the trail, a grim, triumphant light in his face, rode pees his cruel spurs into the flanks of his straining until he flew like the wind from the scene of the fatal ambush amid the flo grass of the moonlit prairie, that now presented a pic- ture of sorrow and of gloom, | CHAPTER II, #F the flov _ weonde i fT ROM wer prairies of Texas, to the a and magnolia or of sunny Louisiana, — yee my pty mem ac- com me, may presen them, per ~g my the characters that’ will most prominently in this, my ‘‘ ower true Upon the banks of one of those limpid strearhs that glide t h the ‘ lands” of the Creole State, dwelt some years ago Major Burt Malcolm, an ex-army officer who had won dis- — on the battle-fields of Mexico, but who ‘“‘ Beaten his sword into a plowshare,”’ vely speaking, and turned planter on pon te he had inherited trou his fore- ers. His plantation home of Woodland Rest was a grand old mansion, the surrounding families ever finding hospitable welcome there. Besides his and sop, a handsome, dashing young four, the major’s family con- a maiden of rare gery > id a little ud, a ’ and Violet Vassar, of the same age, and a niece of Mrs. Malcolm, . oodland Rest hovered one shadow, tone, f " I epadbocisien- “A ervoad s or icoim a sin—-the habit of gambling. More than once he had ht himself and family to the verge of ruin in one the card-table; but back again, just in t over @ nick of time, would fly the fickle Goddess of Luck, and he would be saved, until the mania, for such if seemed, again seized him to risk his all upon the turn of a piece of printed pasteboard. A few weeks before the reader will be invited toa gala gathering at Woodland Rest, Major Malcolm had been returning home with fifty thousand dollars in his pocket, the proceeds of a sale of property in Tennessee, and tempted by a noted river gambler on the steamer, he had played and lost all—ay, more, as the story will develop, and had returned to his estate-with a deep sorrow in his heart, and a presentiment of coming evil, for, to gain back his losses he recklessly continued playing, until in d tion he had ae tad to Kent Conrad, the “ King of Diamonds,” the hand of his daughter, not for himself, but for another, the gambler’s friend, Harvey Vertner, a retired army officer, whose wild life in New Orleans had caused versal comment, even in that gay city. He had before refused Captain Vertner’s offer of san Kar though he knew that Nina loved him. Half a year before he had met her in the Crescent City, where she was the reign- ing belle, whenever she deigned to set her dain foot in New Orleans, and, fascinated by her beauty, Harvey Vertner had become her very ante even following her back to her plantation ome. A man of strange fascinations, he was yet a man, whom all dreaded:—why, they could not tell, and even Nina wasa little afraid of him; but, unheeding the mysterious whisperings re- garding his past life, she loved on, and gave bim her heart, though her father refused him her hand. For awhile matters stood thus, and Harvey Vertner came no more to Woodland Rest; but a few days after the return of Major Malcolm from Tennessee, and the departure of his son for Texas, the captain put in an appearance at the plantation, received a formal welcome from its master, but left soon after with the promise that Nina should become his wife within the month. To the intended bride the days flew swiftly by, as she prepared her elegant trousseaw,; but to the anxious father, who kept the dread secret he held from his wife, the days were long and drear, and he anxiously yearned for the coming of Harold, with tidings that would send Har- vey Vertner in di ce from the house, for he would say over and over again: “The antipathy I have for that man increases day by day, and I would rather lose all I am worth than see Nina become his bride; but I have pledged my word, and never yet have I broken it.” At length the thirty days drew near the end, and Harold came not. and in despair Major Malcolm wrote to the King of Diamonds, beg- ging a delay of two weeks, as he wished h son’s presence at the wedding. A polite note was the answer frem Kent Con- rad, and one from Harvey Vertner, granting the delay. But alas! those two weeks rolled by, and the planter could ask no more time, while he had to account for his son’s absence by saying he had e West, and would not be able to return; t most anxious did he f ing him, as no word had come from since his de- PrAnd thus i is Lenght oo nd ft is a anne of gayéty, for the @ given has passed, an ihe eve a the wedding has come. At length, over the gay throng gathered there falls a hush, for the bride, ant in her beauty, though pale and trembling, enters the vast lor leaning upon her father’s arm, while behind follow her mother and the happy ridegroom. The wrk! Get stands, at one end, prayer- book in hand, and before him they halt, and the won ao th e an ng over the , asks the Sacmnensouls questions “a be a present who can show just cause why this man and this woman shall not be join ther in the holy bonds of matrimony, let step forth and confess it, or forever after hold his peace!” Over the sea of faces Harvey Vertner cast ra- uni- ii arold his brilliant J a comer in them dwelt a look of triumph, while the clergyman remained silent for w ed an seem age. But no voice of protest arose, anda sigh came from the lips of Burt Malcolm, whose eyes ea- gerly watehed the door, as though hoping to see son r; no one came to warn, and the last were said, and warm tions followed. Separating himself from the throng, Harvey Vertner. beckoned to Major and the two entered the library together, latter locking the door after them. ‘Major Malcolm, I have here an im t package to deliver to sir, the contents of which you doubtless know,” said Captain Vert- ner, g from his pocket a sealed envelope of 5 ve his notes were th a draft on a New Or- that ere, leans bank for fifty thousand dollars, and the written pledge he had given Kent Conrad, the the seal the major saw at a glance | King of Diamonds, regarding the sacrifice of his daughter, for such he ealled it. * May I ask if you know the contents of this sealed package, sir?” asked the major, fixing his eyes upon the face of his son-in-law. **T do, sir.” “Ah! then Kent Conrad the gambler in- formed you how it was I gave my consent that you should marry my daughter? “Yes, I know all; and, Major Malcolm, I have a secret to confess, but I do so, only upon your promise not to betray me.” The major started and looked with surprise at Harvey Vertner, who asked: **Do you give your promise that it shall re- main a secret between us?” ‘*Does if concern my daughter’s happiness, sir?” “*'Yes, Major Malcolm, and mine, too, far more than you can imagine,” answered Captain Vertner, earnestly. ‘“‘Then I pledge you my word, sir.” | ‘Enough! I know how sacredly you hold it; <_ me tell you that I have deceived you—” ‘Sir! “Show no anger, but listen, I met your daughter one day in the streets of New Orleans, and her beauty and purity of face won my heart, and I determined to know her; but, did I seek her as the world knew me, I would win her contempt; so I sought a disguise—” ‘*Captain Vertner, this—” ‘Stay! hear me, and let my devoted love for your daughter be my only palliation. Until a year ago I always wore a heavy beard, but then I shaved it off, for reasons not necessary to explain. ‘That beard I kept, strange tosay, and going to a Parisian hair-dresser, lately settled in New Orleans, I offered him a thousand dollars to make me a beard that no one would believe was false, and he did so, as you see, sir.” ‘““By Heaven! have you dared m my daughter with a mask on your face, Harvey Vertner?” cried the major, his eyes flashing; but with utmost coolness the captain replied: ‘* You shall hear all, sir. In the army I was poor, but, discovering that I was possessed of marvelous luck in all I undertook, I turned it to use, studied cards, and—” ** Holy Heaven! you are the Diamond King !” The words were gasped, rather than said, but, unheeding the excitement of his newly-made father-in-law, the captain answered: ‘*'Yes, sir, I am Kent Conrad; the name I was given by my parents; but my uncle, who got me an appointment to West Point, induced me to change my name to his, which was Har- vey Vertner, and by that I was known in the army, by the other lam known as a gambler, and you alone, sir, know my secret.” “ And this is the secret you have made me give a pledge to cae 6 sir?” **Tt is; your daug ter leaves here with me to- morrow, and we shall not return, at least until Kent Conrad is forgotten, and by pretending to shave my beard off! Nina will not know me, as she . not ripen es to have met the — mon ing, while, by wing a mustache Kenton Conrad’s face will be disguised, and none need be the wiser, but you I tell, as you kept your word with meso nobly, and thereby made me the happiest of men.” Major Malcolm paced the room several times to and fro, his brow clouded ; butat length he said: % ptain Vertner, I will not betray you, for I have given my word, and because, too, the se- eret would break poor Nina’s heart, and you seem sincere in your love for her. “That I distrusted you, I admit; and had I cause of complaint that I could have found out, I would have let my fortune go, and saved my daughter. ‘“* And frankly I tell you, that my son Harold is now away, endeav to find some cause of censure against _ that would have prevented the marriage t t. “ He never Shen with one word against my character, sir. Am I forgiven, and will you take my hand?” and the gambler smiled in easant way. ‘Yes, for I cannot do otherwise; but, for the love of God, Vertner, bring no sorrow upon my child,” and the major srespes the outstretched hand, little dreaming that its. touch upon the trigger had sent a bullet, only several weeks be- fore, at the heart of Harold Malcolm—and the same hand it was that Nina had clasped that night to guide her through life! CHAPTER III, THE DOUBLE STROKE, THE morning after the Woodland Rest wed- broke bright and beautiful, the mocking- sung serenades in the trees, and it seemed as if Nina had stepped across the threshold of a life that would never know a sorrow. At length the steamer arrived that was. to bear the young bride away to her new bome, which was to be in the far North, the captain and yen, and away from tho bearthewone of her awa ood ‘went the wife—little knowing what adows lay in her path in the great beyond. 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