Beadle's Dime Library, Vol. XII, No. 145 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

= - ————EEE —- — to wish to shirk the coming fight. She was nearest to Irish Molly, and her she touched lightly on tbe shoulder, ‘Promise me that you will not kill him if you can help it. He may be no kith nor kin to me, as I begin to believe; but he Aas been kind to me until of late and I cannot bear to see him die.” “The colonel, you mane? Arrah! If the bloody-moinded spalpeen won’t listen to raizon it’s a corpse oi’ll be afther makin’ av him. But, whist! It’s comin’ they are.” The whispered warning was none too soon, for a moment later they came in sight; but Catalina’s words had had their effect, Colonel Dashwood strode silently on in the advance, and at his elbow was Varna, a strange light in her eyes. Suddenly before them, scarcely more than a dozen paces away, four dark forms rose up and confronted them; and along the little line there was a quick, ominous cocking of revol- vers, while Irish Molly’s voice rung out, clear and full: ‘¢ j ! ither . Halt, there, colonel, me jewel! Anither | sneapiebie de mon. Tell yer.b’yes to kape back while I raizen wid yez. I’ve got yez covered, an’ it’s moighty seldom that I miss me aim.” The surprise was complete, for Dashwood bad been thinking of something else, and when he looked up, there was the unwavering hand outstretched, and the glistening barrel that covered him fairly, ‘“ Don’t yez thry to draw on me, colonel, er down yez go. Tell yer men to kape back, er I’ll foire, anyhow. There’s four av us an’ we’re dead shots. Give the word to kape back.” It was a shock to his pride, no doubt; but the colonel temporized. Perhaps, at the worst, he would have hesitated before striking at the life of a woman; and in this case he had nota doubt but that a movement would bring a shot. ““Come, Molly,” he said, in a quiet, easy way, “‘I have heard that you have had a rough time of it, but that was not my fault. You shouldn’t get mixed up with disreputable characters. Put up your weapons; let your friends then, of whom I see that ungrateful girl is one, do the same, and we’ll talk the matter over. I can guarantee that, after cer- tain pledges on your part, you at least will be ullowed to go free. Your ranch needs you badly enough, I have no doubt.” ‘ Tt’s let me go free, will yez? Be the.pow- ers! it’s shoot oi’ve a moind to, It’s sea grane yez are to talk that when ye’r’ my pris’ner, an’ oi was just in a brown study ef we’d let you. Hold up yer hands, colonel, an’ shtep straight up, an’ ef a mon shows more av his nose nor I see now, er crooks a finger, you'll be fuller av holes ner @ or ends Prt" Being” A mocking laugh came from th colonel’s back. The situation had its ludicrot side. ‘‘Ha, ha! kunnel,” exclaimed one of his men. You're treed anyhow; but say the word and we'll just make ther liveliest kind ov a rustle round hyer.” “No; no. Keep-quiet a moment, she will certainly listen to good sense; and the rest will hardly carry on the game when she gives u ” ; “Istell yez,” interposed Molly, wrathfully, ‘‘ if yez care for loife ye'll do azI say. Step Out, peat n’ an’ I'm goin’ to *“Don’t yer move a kunnel. You hear us? Drop that barker, Irish, er inside ov a minute an’ a half, you'll be a dead ole gal. An’ you, too, Mr. Man, We've got you foul.” A hoarse voice broke in, just in the nick of time for Dashwood, and over the ledge leaned the two outlaws, each poising a pistol, at the distance of a yard or two. All that was needed was to pull the triggers, and it would be good-morning for Harold Wilkins and Irish Molly. ‘** Lost!” exclaimed Catalina, at the appear- eo ees eet — AES E'c AC SACS, LE, Pistol Pards. ——— ree ae os 7 . men that had been kneeling on the ledge | sprung convulsively into the air and fell, all doubled up and ghastly, to the ground below, while out upon the plateau stepped Alabaster Jim and Soft Hand, with extended and well- weaponed hands, ready for work. ‘“‘T reckon we're hyer to play ther game fur what it’s wuth, so deal us a hand, er pass the keerds. Kunnel, I want yer!” But, as the silvering moonbeams fell upon the faces of the two, some one else took a hand. Dashwood stood well in front, his men were still in the background, and half way be- tween was Varna, who, at the resurrection of these men was impressed with no uncanny, superstitious fear, but rather maddened by the sight of him whom nothing would slay. With a quick, certain swing she jerked her revolver into line and fired. For a snap shot there never was a more deadly aim. Yet fate, and his own skill, still guarded Soft Hand. There could be no question now about his wonderful shot at the Star of Em- pire saloon, for lightning never strikes by chance twice in the same place; and he had re- peated the shot. With a rapid turn. of “his wrist he had aimed at the revolver that menaced him, and shot it out of Varna’s hand, He was in time to save himself; but the fraction of a second too late to prevent those slender little hands from working mortal harm. Her bullet went wide of the intended mark, for, as her echoing report rung dully on the ears of all, the colonel gave a short groan, staggered, swayed, threw up his arms and dropped heavily to the ground. “Ob, Varna,” he muttered, ‘“you have killed me;” and the woman hearing the low, half-uttered words in spite of her sudden con- sternation, gave a scream and flung herself forward, and down by his side, , The odds had become almost evens now, but the half-dozen of the colonel’s men gave a shout and massed for a mad rush, when Ala- baster Jim sprung forward, tearing from his head hat, wig and false beard, and stood be- fore them with flashing eyes and well wea- poned hands. “ Back!” he shouted. ‘ Iswore I'd extermi- nate you and hang him, and I’d have kept my word but for a woman’s hand. Who wants to step forward here—and die?” CHAPTER XXXVI. THE END AT LAST. THERZ was a cry of recognition and of consternation at the sudden unmasking of Ala- baster Jim, The change itself was enough to cause a thrill of wonder for now he was no longer the lounging, easy-going, reckless but not altogether evil sport, Instead there stood revealed a hard, cruel, iron-willed : | man, who would, in another instant push the advan- | tages of his wondrous ski) to the utmost. - “Back!” he | again. “ Leave, vanish by the shortest path! You know me, I hope, and that I never speak in vain.” The consternation ripe into a panic. No one wanted to face deadly revolvers, backed as they were by the silent man behind him, who was fingering his own weapons as though begin. And Irish Molly and her little k were ready to chip in, ‘They wheeled in a disorganized mob, and fall- ing back in haste the retreat soon became a rout. : Meantime Varna knelt over the wounded man, with his head upon her knee. Through all the changes of disguise and years she knew him now; and looking into the paling face she knew, too, that death was not far off. Her bullet had gone through and through and made a wound that must be mortal. ‘Oh, my brother!” she whispered into his ear, as though unwilling to allow her grief to’ be heard by others. ‘‘To have lost you; to have mourned over you; to have avenged you; ance of this new phase, and she dropped her | and to have you die by my hand at last! What hand, while the colonel gave utterance toa triumphant laugh. ‘“There’s never anything lost biding your time. Now [ll dictate the terms, for you'll scarcely rush on to certain death. Up, half a dozen of you men and secure them. Down with those pistols, throw them down!” ‘* Down they are !” | | cursed fate has maddened me so that I had to drift to thisdoom! I can only die now, since I have found you to slay you.” Then this singular woman, who was willing to carry revenge to the utmost and most horri- ble limit, wept, and moaned, between her sobs covering the whitening face with kisses. Under the revelation of Soft Hand she had One, two! The sharp reports of two re- | been reasonably calm, for his statement was --yolvers echoed on the mountain side, and the ' too wild for belief, and she was only willing to 27 test its truth by biding her time. Yet it had prepared her somewhat, so that the shock of his approaching death swallowed up the shock of knowing that he was alive at all. And yet there was something more to come. He looked at her, with just the pale ghost of a smile around his lips, as though, even in death, there was something tbat could amuse him. ' “Don’t take on so, Varna; you're no sister atall. Do you think any sister would have carried hate and revenge as far as you have done? It’s a ghastly joke. Victor knew.” Then she did start. ‘*Oh, you need not stare. We were a queer family, and you were adopted into it when you were an infant, and for years we boys were never the wiser. You’ve got two bus- bands, to my knowledge; but you never cared for them as you did for me. Pityit was I could not have returned the compliment in time. She still stared at him, half believing that the near approach of death had unsettled his mind. | **No, I'm notcrazy. It is the truth. I’ve kept trail of your ins and outs. You wanted to know something about your daughter—I can tell you.. Yonder she stands; the little thing with the light bair; and it’s her father beside her. She scarcely looks as much like you as that black-eyed girl I picked up to some day bring forward in ber place—for, un- til a few days ago, I thought her dead. I had an eye for the millions, too, you see.” ‘““What? Where? I do not understand.” Varna never turned her head, but gazed down into the face of the eolonel—or Allan Page—in a dazed way. Near her, Victor stood listening, his face as cold as ever, and yet sor- rowing. ' : ‘You thought Pierre Redette turned me adrift. It was the other way. You must have cared something for him, though not as you did for me, or you would not have been $0 outraged because he stood between me and my intended victim. Poor Lily!” ‘‘And what became of her?’ asked Varna, a gleam of the old savagery coming back to her eye. “She died. He shot her when I and. the crew were beating him down as he stood her only defender. It was a chance shot; and — time has revenged it. I was wild then, - turned him adrift. Whoever of the crew, you of it had the names mixed, for I had pro- vided for that. Then my life turned worse than ever. I came to the West, lived a dog’s life, and like a dog am dying.” “No, no! Can nothing be done? I would < my soul to save you. I never suspected before how I loved you.” way, “ Thank You were a handsome wo- | man, but somehow I don’t banker after other men’s wife. I forgive you, but that isal) I can . Go back to your busbands.” ‘My busbands! I do not understand!” “Yes, there are two of them. Yonder man, I tell you, is Herman Knox, though be calls himself Wilkins now. He has been living-in Mexico—and would have gone to the further end of the sea to have got away from you, so much he feared you.” | ) ‘ Herman Knox! oh, no. 4 ey 9 ‘He is dead years . “Not very much. He is always dying and never dies. He stole your daughter and bis. © It I had known the whole story in time I might bave killed him; now it is too late. Pierre Redette knows the story; perhaps you might stir up his jealous rage enough to induce “He? No; he will only be too glad to know that the selfish woman who inveigied bim into the form of a marriage was never nearer than a mistress, Good heavens! How all things have worked together for the worst!” | “The very worst. Her uncle’s fortune wil} never come into your bands, neither wil] that of Pierre Redette. Your daughter and Her- man Knox will enjoy the one, Pierre himself, the other. 1 am going, and you Victor can hatch out new plots together these men spare you. After all, you can’t blame them if they don’t. I thought I bad killed the one, you thought you bad kiiled the other; and I did my best io clap on an ~ dix that should finish his life eutirely. Goo heavens! how I hated him! And then, he © killed poor Lily. He is watching me now. If you or I moved a finger, hé would slay us, and I don’t want to lose my few last minutes,” Ebooks com (E(O)