Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 156 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

1 | i} | , i **Melican Dutchee man Yacob, Melican Trishee man Murphee, and Melican blackee man Brickee wantee see bossee outsidee.” A moment after Camille also excused herself, and Muriel was left alone with the man who had twice saved her from worse than death, and whose image seemed ever to haunt her memory. A few casual remarks, a short, thrilling nar- | rative of all she had suffered during ber im- | prisonment, and, with a sudden impulsiveness | of manner that fairly startled her, and caused | her to tremble violently, Velvet Face drew Mu- riel Merle to him, and said in impassioned tones: ‘My brave, beautiful girl, you have suffered much in the past; but now live in the future, and let me be the one to shield you from all harm, for! love you, Muriel, as [knew not that man had power to love, and this night I close an account of vengeance that I have long heen settling, and appear to you as I am, and no longer as one who holds no name.” He paused, for her white, scared face looked up into his own, and in a tone filled with what seemed to him horror, she cried; ‘No! no! no! it ean never be! do not ask it, | but go, forget me, as I never can be your wife.” ‘“‘ Muriel Merle, do you mean this?” he asked, | in deep, suppressed tones. af te, so help me God!” ‘* And you bid me go from you?” he asked, in the same tone. ‘Yes, 1 kid you go,” she said, in almost a whisper. fe t will obev vou, Muriel; but remember that I love you until my love has become idojatrous worship, and I beg you to inalre me one promise.” ‘*‘Name it!” and her voice had sunk to a whisper. “If you need a friend, if harm befall you again, if I can in any way serve you, or, if you ever care to retract the words that send me from you to-night, 1 implore you to pledge yourself to send for me, to tell me.” sé Yes.” ‘‘Do you give me the pledge, Muriel Merle?” as Yes. ”? ‘* Enough! now farewell,” and he raised her face, and upon her quivering lips pressed a kiss ere she was aware—in fact she hardly knew it, as a moment after Camille entered the room to find her on the floor in a deep swoon, and alone, , for Velvet Face had gone. , Checking the serene words upon her lips, brought by Yacob Holstein, Murphy Maginnis and Black Brick, that Dead Man’s Mine had that day developed a new lead of rich ore, and would pan out a fortune, Camille threw herself | by tbe side of her cousin, and culled loudly for | belp, which was instantly answered by Mr. Merle and Washee Washee in wild alarm. | ‘‘Great Heavens! Camille, what has hap- pened?” ! ‘‘My cousin has fainted, sir!” ‘Painted! and where is Velvet Face?” and Mr. Merle vent over the prostrate form. ‘- He bas gone, sir.” ‘*Gone, and left Muriel in a swoon; Camille Camille, what means all this mystery, an where will it all end?” and Malcolm’ Merle raised Muriel in his arms and bore her to her room. anxiously followed by Camille, while Washee muttered: ‘‘Muchee funnee, muchee .queeree; lovee makee Melican man madee, makee Melican girlee sickee, velly goodee for Chinaman, Meli- can folkee allee damee foolee ailee samee.”’ With this philosophical decision Washee Washee bolted for the kitchen, where he had left Murphy Maginnis, Yacob Holstein and Black Brick paying all due devotion to his culinary skill, a aaiece ws his cooking, “‘if he was afther being a H’athen Chinee,” as the Irishman complacently remarked. CHAPTER XXXV. DENOUNCED. As a stream of humanity had poured into Miner’s Rest since sunset, that vast shanty was tested to its utmost capacity to hold the motley throng, for motley it certainly was. scated stiont BAS | tables ep tT ap te con about the ying ca lor aetna: the denizens o Pe otis City crowded the bar, talking mining gossip and prospects, and groups of settlers, who tilled the rich valley lands, were conversing upon the ropriety of moving in force against the Danite Fongue and wiping it off the earth. From the dy boy miner, the sturdy farmer and the bloated loafer of the town to the sport, shopkeeper and bearded gold-digger they were all there at the Miner's Rest, an evidently awaiting something of importance to turn up for their amusement or excitement. At one table sat Guy Godfrey, Dick Hazel, Kansas Kit and Ralph Reno, the latter havin just come in and joined the.other three, an drawn universal comment upon his sad, hag- gard face and white locks, but which he seemed not to hear, or hearing, to disregard. — At another table sat Oll, the Waif, and his heavily-bearded companion, and the two were in a low tone together, until the door opened and three persons entered, and seeing Velvet Face, the Border Bravo. 'fathomable, while, catching bis eye — ee that their table had the, Jeast occupants, moved over and took seats at it, a circumstance that caused the conversation of the youth and his comrade to cease abruptly. These three new-comers at once came in for a share of attention and liberal criticism, for they were Blue Snake, the Bannock chief, and his very pretty daughter Red Dove, and their companion no one seemed to know, for he was a youth who wore the dress and put on the airs of a sport, while he gracefully curled the ends of a dark mustache, as if very fond of it as an ornament. That some miner intended to make a butt for ridicule out of this youthful exquisite was evi- dent from the whispered comments running around the room; but the door opening there entered one who attracted every eye. In the tall, splendid form, the fancy attire of a dandy plainsman, and the fascinating face of womanly beauty all present recognize Velvet Face, the Border Bravo, and a hum of admira- tion that went round the room grew louder and louder until it ended in a cheer, an honor which the recipient acknowledged by a smile and raising his sombrero. ‘** In God’s name! who is that man?’ gasped, ta than said the strange miner with Oll, the fait, ‘*That is Velvet Face, the Bravo,” replied the youth, quietly. ‘* That the man of whom so much has been said; strange, strange!” and the miner gazed upon the Border Bravo with a look that was un- Velvet Face walked over to where he sat, and, with a nod to the Indians and Oll, took the one vacant seat at the table, Hardly had he taken bis seat when Kansas Kit arose and, rapping on the table for silence, suid in loud tones: ‘*Pards, yer all knows me, ’ceptin’ a few strange faces I sees here, and which I reckons belongs ter ther new train as has comed inter ther valley, and I rises ter say thet it have been given round ter-day thet we wanted ther men 0’ ther settlement ter come heur ter-night, and 1 is glad ter see you is heur, for we has ter make a move ter wipe out a disgrace thet hes been upon us.” ‘*What are thet, pard?’ asked a miner in es bes of the room, and a chorus of voices cried: “Yes, what are i‘?” “* Ther Danites !” A silence fell upon all at that dreaded name, for the deeds of the past few weeks in the set- tlement had proven that a man hardly knew whether to trust his neighbor or not, as no one had suspected the two men whom Velvet Face | had brought to them the day he saved the foreign element from the antes, and neither Lew Baker or Car] the er had been deemed members of that fearful League that all present bad had such cause to dread, ** Waal, pards, has ther name o’ Danite struck yer dumfounded?” asked Kansas Kit, as the silence continued. ‘It isn’t a pleasant name, pard Kit; but it’s one can be wiped out from our fair valley and mountains if we start right on the trail of the red hounds,” said Dick 1, ring, and a wild cheer followed his words, while Guy God- frey springing to his feet, cried: ‘T We are on the right trail now, and there is the man to follow the scent.” All eyes followed his own, and where he pointed, and it was upon Ralph Reno, and shouts arose for him to speak to Shank: agg! he stood up, and faced the crowd, and then istinct tones that reached every ear, he said: ‘Men, Kit and Hazel are right; the Danites are a curse to us that should be wiped out with a fearful reckoning, for your lives, and the lives and honor of your wives and daughters are not safe, with Jean Leo and his League “ree fers pou ie of you. fs, But, tho with you upon the red trail, there is the perf Stead you Rb bac cess— Velvet Fuce, the Border Bravo !” The yells that followed Ralph Reno's words were deafening, and it was some moments be- fore silence was restored, and then Velvet Face arose and faced the excited crowd, while every eye was riveted upon him. But not a muscle quivered, not a change passed over his handsome face, as he glanced ygon the Tepes before him, and in his ringing es . ‘*Men, I thank Mr. Reno for the honor done me, and I thank you for your kind indorse- ment of his words, and I accept the title of leader, and, to ve that I will follow the Danite trail to e bitter end, now present to you their chief, Jean Leo.” As Velvet Face spoke, he suddenly leaned over, and by a dextrous movement tore from the strange miner with Oll the Waif the shaggy wait, hair and a he wore, and amazed, id, speechless, the face of a dark, handsome man was revealed, and upon it burning eyes were turned with looks that boded no ‘He lies! 1 am no Danite,” yelled Jean Leo, at last finding voice, and attempting to draw the two revolvers upon his hips; but L‘s arms SS SSNS _sthesastsnnssusieestnnsttesss —— ——EE — ane 21 were seized in a vise-like grasp, and he was: shoved back in his seat, while in trumpet tones: Velvet Face said: ‘‘ Auguste Lavasoir, do you dare say to me, Cecil Bertram, that you are not him whom men call Jean Leo?” “‘God in beaven! does the tomb give up its: dead, Cecil Bertram?” broke in horror-stricken tones from the lips of the man whom Velvet. Face had called Auguste Lavasoir. ‘**No, you devil Danite, the grave does not, give its dead back to life; but I did not die, as you hoped and believed. ‘*Men, this wretch, years ago, I saved from death, and we became friends in the California. mines. ‘‘T worked hard and dug out a fortune, with many Others, while he idled away his time, and the gold I gave him he gambled away. **At last our gold train started homeward =: but this man, Auguste Lavasoir, had gone on ahead, and, with u band of renegade Mormons, he ambushed us in Echo Valley, and we wens all shot down to dic, and our gold they took. ‘*But I did not die, but Jived to avenge that cruel butchery, for, one by one I have tracked those assassins Cver piain and mountain, and one by one I have slain them, until at last this man, their leader, has fallen into my hands, and wher his life ends, my red work is done,” * Kill him!” **Cut him in pieces!” ‘Hang him up!” The shouts grew louder and louder, and the mad mass of men pressed closer around the pernunes whose face was now livid; but Velvet. ‘ace raised his hand and silence followed. ‘*Men, not now, but to-morrow, this mar must die, end into the hands of the Vigilantes I will give him, for here iy another whom he has bitterly wronged,” and Velvet Face pointed to the handsome young sport, who had entered the, Miner’s Rest with Blue Snake and Red Dove. ‘‘I never saw bim before,” said the Danite, witb a glance of fear, Instantly the young man arose and con- fronted Jean Leo, while he quickly removed the false mustache and the wig he wore, and said in a scornful tone: “Now, Auguste Lavasoir, have you never seen me before?” ‘*Myra Mordaunt!” broke in a hoarse whisper’ from the man’s pallid lips. ‘Yes, lam Myra Mordaunt, your wife whom you cruelly left to die in the mountains, but. whom these two Bannocks found, almost dying with cold and hunger, and nursed back to hunger, ay, to life, that I might see you die on the gallows, for I have lived but for that, as I am revengeful, for you dragged me from my far-away home in New England, and when you ‘became rich, sought to get rid of me, that you might win other trusting hearts, to, in the end, drive them to mad despair, as you have driven me. ‘‘Ha! ha! ha! Auguste Lavasvir, it will be sweet music to me when your death cry rings: in my ears, and when I look down upon you ane coger wen be som ill Sealine ee who weeps, tor joy will well. m bear to know that earth is rid of a bichon foul: ha! ha! ha! my brave, m lant Lavasoir - aN n-ne tt : dreamed that fe) cou ugh at your misery, oni te r creature, whose brain had been maddened by sorrow, and the cruel desertion. of the man she loved, sunk down in her seat, and buried her face in her hands, while awe-struck and silent the motley crowd stood around Vel- vet Face and his prisoner, who gasped forth, catching as a drowning man will at a straw: ‘*No man dare say I am a Danite.” ‘*T dare say so, Jean "and Oll the Waif ia the man whom he had entrapped to. oom, iy aoe !"and the Danite’s eyes glared upon ‘*'Yes, I have seen you in Mormon City at: the home of my mother, and the man I my father; the man whose honeyed words caused my mother to fly from her happy home in Kan- sas, and carry me with her, to become what? a Mormon’s wife, and one who cruelly treated her, until in the grave she found rest, and I was. left a waif, as it were. ‘But I fled from that land of crime and — — —_ until out of — —_ I could ig eno to carry me my poor father, iiteredge . Kansas, and ask him * to take his child back to his heart.” “Who calls Kittredge Kane here?—for I an®} ans Kit sprung eter aned, hicteeecaaaaree sas Kit sp fe) ace very , for he had heard the words of the A gram ‘*I spoke the name, sir; but my father, as I remember wore no and was 80 handsome and good,” said the youth, softly. ‘*AndI wore no then, and my little child was wont to call me ; bnt she was a little girl, and her name was Oltlivet. ” * And J am a girl, and - eer is Ollivette,” almost screa the one w all had looked menes* boy, and she sprung forward to be sped in the strong arms of Kansas Kit, while down many a hardened face rolled pearly JOO cS Pee “af c pas Col F