Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 156 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

Velvet Face, the Border Bravo. 13 — like to know that she is not dead, and that my child is at least bappy. **Do you wonder now that I would not aid that Mormon Danite to escape after what I have suffered from those of his religion?” ‘*My poor Kit, we both have had our sor- rows, and from to-night we are friends. ‘*T tried to save Paul Reno, but I can do no more; good-night,” and Ralph Reno mounted his horse and rode slowly away, while Kansas Kit returned to his station beneath the live-oak growing in front of the cabin, and leaning his back against it became lost in pairful mem- © ies of the past, and wholly oblivious to the fact that above him crouched a human form in the branches, watching him as a panther does i ing prey. its unsuspect CHAPTER XIX. A SURPRISE, Tue form that had glided to the shelter of ‘the live-oak tree when Ralph Reno entered the cabin, had peered cautiously around for an in- stant, and then, watching his opportunity, had darted back into the thicket. For a couple of minutes he ran lightly along, and then halted by a horse, that with head muf- fled was standing hitched to a tree and saddled and bridled, Untying the animal, the person, whose actions were certainly mysterious, led him around cau- tiously to the rear of the cabin, and there again hitched him, while he listened to the hum of voices within. But the logs were too thick, and arranged too closely together, to catch a word of what was said, and he lightly clambered to the roof, and heard Kansas Kit called into the cabin By Ralph Reno, when he stepped on the live-oa branches that overhung the roof, and secreted himself just above where he had seen the guard stand. Presently the shot in the cabin was heard and it seemed to startle him; but he remainec quietly on his perch until Ralph Reno came out, and Kansas Kit walked away a short dis- tance with him, ** Great God! can they have killed him? No, no, he stops, and they talk together; oh, that I could hear their words,” muttered the man in the tree, and eagerly he watched the two in eonversation some fifty paces distant. ** Ah! Ralph Reno goes on and Kansas Kit re- turns to his post, and now I must act. *T like that man, and will not harm him if I ‘ can avoid it; but his life even must not prevent my doing that which I have set out to accom- lish. 5b Yes, he comes to his stand beneath the tree; now for the blow, and it shall be just se- vere enough to stun him.” As he muttered these words he held out in his riet hand a stout stick, and, as Kansas Kit stood in painful reverie, unconscious of danger, he received a blow upon the head that caused him to drop to the earth as though he had been shot, Then seared from the branches of the live- oak dropped the one who had thus far succeeded in his plan, whatever it might be, and leaning over the prostrate miner he quickly disarmed him, placing the weapons some distance off, where they could not be seen in the darkness, after which he glided to the cabin door and a moment after entered. Paul Reno stood near the table, watching, with the look of a hunted wolf, the door, for in its opening he knew there was life or death to him, and he did not aan ee that his brother would keep his word if in his power. ** Ah, Poh But you are not Ralph,” he said, quickly. ‘No, Paul Reno, I am one who has come to save your life, though you have wronged me as bitterly as your brother,” was the stern reply. ‘‘Save my life? Who are you, that spea to me?” , : ‘*No wonder that you do not recognize me In this attire, the commen suit of a miner, where far different should have been mine; butit mat- ters not who I am—back! do not approach me, but go, for the door is open, your guard lies un- conscious without, and behind this cabin you will find a horse awaiting you; go!” ** Not until I know who you are?” **Stand back, sir! if you value your life do not tarry, for any moment the Vigilantes may come here, or Kansas Kit revive, “* He'll never revive if I can reach him—” “Hold! though I set you free now, Paul Reno, I would kill you as I would a dog, did you at- tempt to harm that man; go, Isay!” ‘** Curse you, I care not who you are, or what the means of escape, 50 | go free—farewell, my unknown friend, and be careful, for they may hang you in my stead,” and with a bitter laugh, Paul Reno left the cabin, and then paused, as if about to carry out his threat upon Kansas Kit, whose prostrate form he saw lying in the dark. ne-s not ten paces distant. ‘* Beware! : phe It was enough, coming as it did fr om the one who had saved him, and Paul Reno said: “‘T will not harm him if he is not already dead; but give me his weapons. “He is not dead, only stunned, and you will find your own belt of arms hanging to the horn of the saddle. ** You have no time to lose, Paul Reno, if you value your neck,” “Pll take the hint; good-by,” and passing rapidly around the cabin to the rear, the Danite unfastened the horse that awaited him, threw himself into the saddle and rode away. ‘* Ah me! Ihave donea very fool.sh thing, I fear; but I could not help it. ‘* Now I will drag the miner into the cabin, and lock him in, as soon as he shows signs of recovering consciousness, and, as his shouting for help cannot be heard, it will give Paul Reno three hare? start, for his escape will not be discovered until midnight, when another guard comes to relieve poor Kit.” Walking up to the prostrate miner, the man who had so cleverly effected the Danite’s escape, dragged him into the cabin, and laid him upon the bed of skins, just as he showed signs of re- turning consciousness. Finding that the blow had cut a small gash on the head of the miner, he moistened uw hand- kerchief with water from a canteen on the table, and bound it up, after which he stepped quickly toward the door, just as Kansas Kit opened his eyes, and said in rather strong language: ‘‘What in perdition are ther matter with me?” Quickly the Danite’s rescuer closed the door, locked it on the outside, and placing the miner’s weapons before it, darted away at a rapid run from the spot, apparently satisfied with his night’s work in saving Paul Reno from the ven- geance of the Vigilantes, for against the League to which he belonged, had dire revenge been sworn. In the mean time, while the man, who had so cleverly taken his prisoner from him, was wend- ing his way toward Purgatory City, Kansas ae lay in a dazed kind of way upon the cabin oor, Slowly his senses came back to him, but his head had a buzzing sound, as if it had been turned into a bee-gum, and he put his hand up to it, and found thatit was bandaged. “What in thunder hev happened?” he again muttered. ‘*T guesses I has had a attack o’ illness, an’ ther boys has been lookin’ arter me while I were delir’us; no, I be durned ef I hain’t been toa picnic, and hed a rumpus an’some feller hes laid me out; but I must hev been awful drunk not ter felt this blow on my head, fer I feels clean bone in ther gap. ‘*Durned ef I hasn’t gone crazy, I believes, for whar in natur’ are I? ‘* In ther prison-cabing, by thunder! “Lordy! now I recalls it; I was guardin’ that cussed Danite, and— Blue blazes! he are gone, skipt, skooted, levanted, an’ | are left ter mourn him,” As he spoxe he sprung to his feet, but his head was dizzy, and he staggered badly for a mo- ment, and rested his hand on the table and gazed round the room. Then he moved to the door and found 1° Zast, and feeling for his arms found that h‘s belt, with his knife and revolvers, had been taken ff, ‘Waal! it has been a turn shout fair-play ame, I’m thinkin’, for ther Danite are gone, an’ are here, snug as a flea on a bull-purp. ‘*So be it; he held trumps, and I gives up ther checks; he dances an’ | pays ther fiddler; but how did it all happen? — ‘* Let me see! I was talking ter Ralph Reno, and he went away, and I went back and stood under the tree, and—yes, I remember I felt a crashing upon my head, as tho’ ther tree had frablet down on me. “That were it, and I were hit a hard blow and knocked down; and then things was oh-be- joyful for them as did it an’ ther Danite. ‘But who in thunder done it? “Waal, waal, who c’u’d hev did it but— Ralph Reno? ‘Ah! pard, thet wa’n’t no squar’ game ter play on me, and I didn’t think it of yer. ‘*But ther will come a time o’ settlement, ef I are like a caged monkey now, an’ I’m thinkin’ ther Vigilantes will conclude ter take pie, as they ¢’u'dn’t git puddin’, an’ will string you up fer interferin’ with thar biz, even if ther candi- date fer h’istin’ were yer brother. ‘Waal, Kit, my pard, take it cool until ther relief comes, for ‘howlin’ beur hain’t no good, an’ yer is losin’ precious sleepin’ time.” So saying he threw himself down upon the bed of skins, and, unmindful of his wounded head, sunk to sleep, with the determination to bide his time until the morrow, CHAPTER XX. A DOUBLE MYSTERY, AFTER the departure of Ralph Reno from Sunset Retreat, Velvet Face did not remain very long, for, pleading an engagement at the mining camps, he departed, leaving the field clear to Guy Godfrey and Dick Hazel, both of whom enjoyed their visits to the Merle cabin far more than avything else in their lives. At first Dick Hazel had feared that his pard, Guy Godfrey, had fallen in love with Camille, the object of his adoration; but watching him closely he came to the conclusion that it was Muriel that had won the heart of the young teacher, and the honest miner was happy, and, like a school-boy, began to build up castles high in air, of the future when the two maidens would become Mrs, Hazel and Mrs. Godfrey respectively. eing that Muriel looked fatigued, after the excitement of the day, Guy Godfrey arose earlier than was his usual custom, and sugyest- ed to Dick that it was time to leave, and the noble-hearted miner at once sprung to his feet, and said to Camille: ““T'll finish that story, Miss Camille, about my fight with the grizzly another time, for pard says I must go now.” “Very well, Mr. Hazel, but I shall hold you to your promise, for I doso love to hear your stories of adventure.” Dick Hazel looked delighted, and with a fare- well grasp of the hand to each of the maidens, the two men departed, and the cousins had an copper rankey to talk over the exciting scenes of the day, in the seclusion of their own room. But hardly had they seated themselves for a confidential chat, when they heard the clatter o hag without, and a voice asked to see Miss erle. “Ttis sy. Reno, Mu; go out and speak to him,” said Camill», quickly. Ebest ge shaw! around her, Muriel went out upon the piazza, and beheld a horseman waiting. ‘*Oh! itis you, is it, Mr. Reno?’ ‘Yes, Miss Merle, and I come with a request from my poor brother that you will visit for he bas a confession he desires to make, and the Vigilantes beg that you will accompany me, as they believe you can get some important in- formation from him.” ** But why me, Mr. Reno?” ‘He saw you to-day, and he says he wishes to make known to you a secret that will put you on your guard, for he knows of your for- mer owigin by Jean Leo.” ** Will not to-morrow do?” ‘* No, for he dies at dawn; I will escort you thither, and return you to your home in safety; please go, Miss Merle, for the request comes from one about to die.” “T will go with you, and while I put on my riding-habit, will you kindly ride around the house to Washee’s but and ask him to saddle Featherhoof for me?” and Muriel reéntered the house, while Reno went to look up the Heathen Chinee. _By the time that Muriel came out ya the piazza, whip in hand, Washee led her horse around to the door, and, with a pleasant good- by to her father and Camilie, neither of whom liked this midnight visit to the doomed prisoner, she was raised to her saddle by Ralph Reno, end the two rode away at a rapid gallop, Mr. Merle remarking to his niece: ‘Of course she will be safe with the Guide; but if I had known, Camille, just what we would have had to meet here, 1 would never have come,” ** Don’t get blue, uncle, for both Mu and my- self are happy as larks, for we like this wild life, and your mine, with its hideous name, is * panning out well,’ as the miners say, and you may ‘strike it rich,’ you know,” and Camille’s qoyeue laugh drove the cloud from the brow of ier uncle, and reéntering the cabin, they threw themselves down to rest, for they did not care to retire before Muriel’s return, Mr. Merle had quickly forgotten his troubles and ores into a deep sleep, when he was aroused by a loud shout that quickly brought both Camille from the lounge and himself fro his easy-chair to their feet. ‘*Hulloa!” again cried a loud voice without, and Mr. Merle went to the door, to discover balf a dozen men on horseback, one of whum he recognized as Lew Baker, ** Well Baker, anything wrong?’ he asked, with a foreboding of evil. ‘T should say so, Mr. Merle, everything’s gone wrong, fer ther priz’ner bes levanted.” ‘*What! Paul Reno, the Danite?’ cried Mr. Merle, in alarm. “Thet’s him; we put him snug asa bug in a blanket, in ther prison cabing, an’ Kansas Kit were ther guard over him; but Lord love yer, miner, the guard went ter relieve Kit, an’ found him locked up inside, his arms layin’ outside by ther door, an’ ther sh skipt.” ‘*But who could have released him, Mr. Baker?” ‘*Thet’s jist ther man ther Vigilantes is now cruisin’ fer, an’ his name are Ralph Reno.” ** Impossible, be had come to hate and fear bis brother, as I know, and—” ‘* Waal, they was sons o’ ther same mother, an’ Ralph weakened, and when he c’u’dn’t git his brother out by bribin’ Kansas Kit, he jist Mo Rite ter go away, but sneaked back, tapped it on ther head, and then hed it all his own way, an’ now we intends ter hev it our way, for he hes put hisself ag’in’ ther Vigilantes, an’ thet hain’t a healthy perceedin’ fer no man.” ‘But there surely must be some mistake, Baker, as it has not been an hour or a little over since my daughter Muriel went down to MICOOOKS CO) (E(0)