Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 173 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

ws ee . ‘s ae a. ae ' “ ad _ x - - y aita% “se ood wh i@ ee eee - * = e é -~ aa? the first nce he perceived that he was a _ gtranger, both to him and to the town. He was a huge, tawny-bearded, lion-like man, with long, tangled locks floating from under _ the rim of his well-worn slouch hat upon his shoulders. But at the second glance the Doctor fancied that the man was not so much of a stranger as he had at first supposed. ‘Don’t attempt to give any alarm, or I shall bg ’ ~* é ~"« ‘ Pe in “2 ws a A said the intruder, perceiving that the Doctor was by far too astonished to s * You will have to excuse the unceremonious nature of this visit, for the business upon which I come is urgent, and there isn’t time to spare to stand pon the rules of society. You received a cer- owl apie to dsliver to a certain lady, and for a a service you were well paid in advance; you betrayed your trust, and delivered the ‘mote, not to Miss Romero, but to Keno Bill!” ve ‘As Heaven is my Judge, I did not!” _ « “Oh, yes, you did; Bill has the note all right, | and of course now knows that there are plans on foot to aid the girl toescape. If the job was ‘not an hese re one to you, you should have _ refused fo doit; it was but a paltry act to be- ete tray the thing to Alcibiades.” _ . ** Listen while I tell you how it all happened, “ you are welcome to kill me on the instant if I speak aught but the truth!” Rice exclaimed, greatly agitated. ‘‘Of course, when the par- cel reached my hands, and I understood what ss Was expected of me, I had an idea who was at the bottom of se affair—I suspected — the _ message was from you, and | was perfect willing to do all that lay in my power to help the girl, FA pen that I didn’t endanger my- Pc. Sell, Rice proceeded to explain how it had ae or 4 Seg that the package thrown in at the mpaeyyS yw, instead of reaching the hands of the _ imprisoned maiden, was captured by Keno Bill. re stranger listened with the utmost atten- tion, and, when Rice had finished, he nodded eee 6 ewe a =~ = —— ee ee ee eS oe anh - - ~~ = hws A : . * * e ,, a8 a 4 ish : ‘ —. oe Y , me] ‘ —_ Sy ee fe: - - i : a {A tte “‘] reckon that you are giving it to me ht,” he remarked. On, honor bright!” “Well, now, you area cunning fellow, with good head on your shoulders; you have been : enough to trick the tuwn once, but I’ve -« got five—thousand—dollars in my pocket which Says you can’t do if again—it says you can’t fool these bloodhounds and save that poor inno- tent — from the fearful doom so fast ap- wi: CHAPTER XXXIX. MORE LIGHT. _ * Ag the same hour that the mysterious stran- Back © lea teaeeape the mind of the Doctor with the scheme to aid in the escape of the girl, two more sub a r « “>, i y Ze ; oe: 7 : ~— ~ » é TESS w. «, ra NS, nee ho ge i > .* 4 ; Ay = Py “ a, . oe? es ree a oe < +, j% ~ coe le were conversing upon the same n the lonely cabin of the Hunchback o and the strange woman who had so ed the busybodies of the camp. (5 eae “Will they proceed to extremities?” the wo- . manasked. ‘* Will these strong men dare to + hang that tender, feeble child?” The Hunchback shook his head. “T hardly think they will—that is, if every- 8 ye heagge in due course, but if a tumult sh arise, there is no telling what would te you think there is any danger of that” “TT have suspected for the last two or three days that there has been some underhand influ- . ence at work operating against the girl, and _ from the way things have been going on have _ eoncluded that Keno) Bill has a finger in the ia) ele, _ “T donot understand how that can be—are -—-s- you quite sure of it? From tie way he has _-- atted ever since the girl was accused I got the ere idea that he would do allin his power to save , vy + | 1 Coa “Yes, he did seem to be struck after her; it was the talk of the towh; yet for all that Iam 1-f Fe b” oot et be oo ee ht Se % ‘ : » P ’ , ie 2) . : in. he > = o = % g . CJ «ty. ter ‘ “4. a : 7, a a ® - , ears 44 4 > VW end * oe, a} ot an to wince. ;* {ay as certain as a man can be about any trick __-which is worked in the dark, that Keno Bill is | doing all he can to get the girl hanged.” | ADS ie _ the motive? why should he thus change ory free t ia __“* Mebbe he tried to make a bar with the girl and she wouldn’t have it. Such things have - been, you know. A rejected suitor generally _ turns into a bitter enemy.” ‘The remark caused the w ,., . “Now you are hitting at’me!” she exclaimed. _ “You have guessed that I failed when I tried He to re my bird the other night.” = en all, will confess the thought was in my mind. You did not make me your confidant but knowing you so well I had an idea of what _-—-s wasin the wind, and if you had asked my ad- ___-vice you would have saved yourself the trouble | ‘ “ =" of the | journey and the mortification of the re. ir ia ze belt sure, then, that he would not ac- SS) eae 6 fan's es es, morally certain; there is another image in his anita, and until that is effaced no Le. “ other woman will stand any chance.” es ‘You mean the girl who is condemned to WwW ~~’ ai ee { é - ° : y “ . i -. ~ Pm * { 4 é ty oy yi . ~. epee. | ; ; os == be obliged to let daylight right through you,” | replied the woman. a a LL RN ee eee ‘Yes, but she will not die if the power of mortal man can save her, and this one is mov- ing heaven and earth to raise money, and money will do a good deal out in such a coun- try as this. Why, he made a small fortune when he went through the paymaster, the other night. But I say, how do yow stand in regard to the girl? As well as that is a question which puzzles me.” ‘*And it is one that [ can hardly answer,” “*] will frankly confess that, when my offer was rejected, and at the same time I was informed by him that he had determined to save the girl, I made up my mind to do all in my power to prevent him from attaining success—in fact, I told him, pointedly, that all who were not for me were against me.” ‘* And what answer did he make?” **Oh, be laughed in his cool way, and said that he per how.” try to mako the riffle, any- | know you, | | ‘* Forgive me that I wounded you, even by a doubt. t us at once set our wits te work, for, despite of Keno Bill and all the ruffian tae who follow his lead, this poor girl must be saved.” Heaven had raised up two powerful friends for the helpless one in her hour of trial CHAPTER XL. THE STERNEST FOE OF ALL. Srx ae had elapsed since the gir]’s trial. There had been a resis opinion that she would not be hanged after all. ' ‘* Nary woman will be hanged in this town; it would bu’st Needle Bar all to smash!” so Hairpin and his adberents contended. Keno Bill and his friends, though, were doing all they could to oppose this opinion, and from words the two factions promised fair to soon come to blows, so angry was the contention. But on the evening of the sixth day a new “And no doubt he will try, if all the world | face was put “a matters by the girl abruptly stands in his way!” exclaimed Hiko. ‘‘T had fully made up my mind to do all I could to interfere, but I can only do toat by taking part Tr the girl, and there has sprung up a feeling in my heart which will not allow me so to act. I bave been thinking deeply over the past to-night, reflecting upon the ter- rible deed which wrecked all my young life, and at last I begin to think I have a clew to the dark mystery which shrouds the past.” complaining of illness. lt was just after. she had eaten her She had only drank a cup of tea and slice of toast, leaving the rest of her supper un- touched, and when the servant came to take away the articles she found the girl lying upon the bed, evidently in pain. Word was immediately sent to ‘‘ Judg Lynch,” and, as it happened, Alcibiades, the eid store-keeper and the Doctor all met at the doer ‘‘A clew!” cried the Hunchback, evidently | of fos hotel—all having keard the a ro ‘ ‘ Bee, greatly interested. } are jest the man we wan ‘**' Yes, I have about come to the conclusion | reckon,” the captain remarked, as he encoun- that all the time I have been barking up the wrong tree.” **T do not understand you.” **T hardly understand it myself,” the woman replied, with a mournful smile, ‘** You have discovered something new, then?” ‘*No, nothing atall.” ° The Hunchback looked surprised. . **Perhaps it is but a woman’s whim with no more reason at its base than there is foundation tothe rushing wind. You know my sad story —how in early girlhood I was led from my home gnd triends through the fiend-like arts of this man who here met his doom only a few nights ago, and even when I discovered what an utter devil he was, yet with all the trustin faith of woman I clung to him and follow him in his devious wanderings up and down this great Pacific coast; I sha his fortunes whether they were good or bad, and during all those dreadful years he walked far more often in the shadow than in the sunshine. But, at last, there came a time when fortune smiled upon him, and then ane tired of the woman who had given up all for him, be deserted me for a newer beauty—a bold, bad. woman fit only to bend men’s hearts to murder. He de- serted me, alone and friendless, in a strange place, with hardly a dollar in my pocket, and on the eve of motherhood, too. ‘“‘My wrongs made me mad; [I followed on bis track, thirsting for his blood; [ had but one thought—ven ce on the man who had ruin- ed my life, no matter what the cost. “T found him in company with the siren for whom he had forsaken me, and my arm was as steady as a rock when my finger pulled the trigger which sent the crashing into his fleshy He dropped down in his tracks, mor- tally wounded as all believed. I was arrested, but when the tale of my life was learned they bade me go free. But my destroyer did not die. The wound was but a trifle, and he barely suf- fered a week from it. He panted, though, for revenge, and the method he took was well suited to his cruel nature. He caused a watch to be placed upon me, having discovered the refuge to which I had betaken myself, and then, when my baby was born, he bribed the | morall wretch of a doctor who attended me to steal it; | ’bout the tea for a dozen had it —_ re eee eee ee ee eis" = | | ; ---- tered the man of medicine. The Doctor was very much under the infin- ence of liquor, and Keno Bill glared at him with suspicious y bog. for the moment he had been in- formed of the girl’s illness, he had decided that the Doctor had something to do with the matter, and was disappointed when he found that the bummer had not been in the building for some time, but, for all that, it did mot shake his suspicion. The three entered the house and proceeded to ~ girl’s apartment. he captive was evidently very sick, and re- onded.in a low tone to the physician’s ques- tions. Little information could she give. She had been well all the afternoon, had eaten her supper with as much relish as usual, and thea had been immediately taken ill; a faintness came over her, accompanied by violent pains im the stomach. ‘* Aha! it must have been something in the food then!” Bill exclaimed. Lynch was quick to deny this, for he felt that it threw ney Kg upon Atm. ‘*It couldn’t be!” he cried, warmly. ‘‘ All she ate was a bit of toast.”’ ‘* And what did she drink?” ‘* A cup of tea,” ‘Exactly, and that was what did the mis- chief; the was drugged!” ‘**Look hyer, Bill, I don’t like you to say a as like that!” Lynch protested, ‘*] think you are too quick, William, in this hyer matter,” the captain remarked. ‘*Oh, both of you are too dull! I don’t mean to say that Lynch had anything to do with it. I re he wouldn’t have any object to do such a thing— ‘* But who would?” Kersands asked. Tuis was a poser, for Bill had only vague sus- picions to go upon, and for the life of him he coulda’t have explained why any one should drug the girl, as there seemed to be no motive for the deed. “The easiest way to get at the truth is to ex- amine the tea,” the Doctor suggested. ) “It’s down-stairs, what there is left of it,” ynch hastened tosay; “ but, gentlemen, I am certain that thar ain’t anything igs | or supper. then he sent me word that the vengeance he had | had two cups myself, and the Doctor had a cup, lanned was one which would he hour when I had dared to cross his path. | He intended to rear my child to a life of crime, ; Keno Bi ast hour came when he , if and never until his stood upon the scaffold to pay with his guilty life the forfeit due his crimes, should I know him or he me.” ‘* But he died without making sign.” ‘**It was alla trick to deceive and torture me. The child was not a boy, although he paid the old woman who attended me to say it was. That child—my child—is this poor girl whom the bloodthirsty demons of this town are hounding to her death!” ‘“* What proof have you of this?” ‘**None at all, except the instinct natural to the heart of a mother! I have tried to hate this girl but I find I cannot; there is something in my heart which urges me to her—something which bids me do all in my power to save her, and I shall obey the impulse.” ‘‘There may be something init. Nature is a wonderful mistress and her works sometimes baffle all human skill.” ‘You will aid me?” ‘‘Have I not always been ready to do your will, ever sinee the time when you saved my life when I lay helpless with the fever?’ Hiko | asked ’ . ' PL one ie tte ; * Tes ; oe”. ws ates La5 = 4 “a 4 te ae 4 4 . ‘ a, é. nit PO ean ed a ae by On "A Can . ‘ a eee ee | . : " + . 3 ee * \ yee 5; 7 % est mAs s 4 Iu sal Aine’. ; , +? Coe make me curse | and thar ain’t any soul sick.” ‘*Oh, you were hyer to supper, then?” cried addressing the Doctor. ‘Yes, I was here to supper and what of it?” demanded Rice, defiantly. “Are you trying to get it into your wool that I poisoned the irl? oar You are none too good for it!” retorted Alcibiades, glaring at the other. ‘‘I reckon that a ten-dollar bill would buy any life that ou could get at, and I’m betting my pile on it, ‘**‘ And who paid me the ten dollars, eh? Come, since you are so smart, perhaps you will be able to answer that question?’ The Doctor was showing fight ‘nach to the astonishment of the rest. “The lady has been through a great deal of trouble lately and her nerves have probably been affected by the constant strain. Nothing serious. All she requires is a soothing mixture and then she will pull through all right. Don’t be alarmed, my dear; you will feel different in the morning.” And then the Doctor withdrew, followed by the rest. In the entry Rice spoke: ‘‘Gentlemen, I didn’t want to k before the girl, for I don’t believe in giving useless pain, but in my judgment she will be a dead woman before midnight.” com taken a -