Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 189 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

: ! : : . a ‘ “ BO I IRE TET EE SDS APES oe ‘‘T will do it.” “And Wild Bill?” “Curse him! I have the mons cause to hate him now.” ‘‘One would think so,” she said, dryly. ‘But what am I[ to do now, Ruth?’ ~ ‘Return to the stronghold of the Desperado Dozen.” ‘* But I am on foot.” “Ride my pony to within half a mile of the sentinel, and [ will walk. “Then you can go on alone; and my advice is to cultivate Hyena Harry, and not quarrel with him for leaving you, for if you should kill that man, Dudley Duncan, I would take your life, so help me Heaven!” He saw that she was in deadly earnest, and said no more, and after reburying Kit Carr the two set off up the mountain, the man, who was still very weak and shaky from his hang- ing and the horror of being buried, riding the mustang, while Red Ruth walked on ahead, her eyes lowered as though she was lost in deepest meditation. CHAPTER XXXVI. PARSON AND THE BEATHEN CHINEE. Tae excitement in Poker City at the return of Dan Dale with Edna Insley, accompanied by Slick Sam, who smiled in spite of his wounds and pains as though he were the hero of the hour, was at fever-heat when all of the particulars became known. Why the foreigners had made the attack upon Edna no one could understand any more than they could who they were. The escape of one of them, and death, as Dan Dale and Edna then believed, of the two others, would of course keep the secret biddeo. But when at night the parson and his com- pany returned, and reported finding but one dead in the road and the other hanging by a lariat, with no trace of the one who escaped, the excitement was greatly increased and the mystery intensified. . Of course there could be little rest in Poker City under such circumstances, and Carrots did a most lucrative business in dispensing liquids. In fact, so great was the rush upon the bar that Andy Rush enlisted as an aide pro tem., and then even they both had to sing out con- tinually: | ““No mixed drinks ter-night, gents, fer thar are no time to mix ‘em. ' “Drink yer licker straight, or not at all.” Of course this decision disappointed few in Poker City, for it was only when the sports of that festive place wished to ‘‘ put on style ”’ that they were wont to call for “ cock-tails,” “‘ gin-slings,”’ and ‘“ punches.” _As s00n as he could get away from his office duties, and from the recital of the circum- stances of the attack, and the fact that Wild Bill was on the outlaws’ trail, Dan Dale slipped up-stairs and knocked at Edna’s door. ‘Come in,” came the prompt reply, and upon entering the really not uncomfortable little parlor, he found the maiden pacing to and fro, pale and excited. “Oh, Mr. Dale, is there any great trouble down-stairs?” she asked. *“No, miss, only the boys discussing the af- fair in the mountains to-day, and betting on Wild Bill.” “Betting on Wild Bill?’ she asked with a start. . “ Yes, miss, for the parson has come back with his company, and they report that they found the man who called himself Baron Bronx hanging to a tree.” “ Hanged?” she said with horror. ‘Yes, miss.” “ But he was killed by the shot fired by the Reverend Mister Haviland.” : “So we thought; but they found one of them dead, the other hanging by a lariat, and peel the trail of Count Carlos, who de- serted his pards, they saw that Wild Bill was ahead of them.” “ Ahead of them?’ ‘* Yes, miss.” ‘‘ Did they see him?’ ‘*No, miss.” «Then how did they know?’ ‘¢They recognized his trail.” * How, may I ask?” “Well, Andy Rush knows his horse’s track well, and as there were two trails, one follow- ing the one who ran away when the on came to your rescue, they said it was Wild Bill's,” Wild Bill's Gold Trail. ‘‘ And did they leave that brave man te go on alone?’ “Oh, they had to.” “ Had to?” n “You see they lost both trails, and had to to the end, or not.” he cannot have seen my poor father in the hands of those mountain fiends.” “Don’t lose heart, Miss Insley, for Bill knows what he is about. **Bat I forgot to ask you if you would go | near Poker City, where he has won a name “If he is on his track, I feel confidenf he | will run him down; but if Mr. Hikok is there, | with the parson and myself to look over the | luggage of those foreigners, to see if we can make any discovery that may give a clew to their attack on you?” “Certainly if you wish it, I will go with you, Mr. Dale.” | The Governor only cared to have two wit- nesses to his opening the luggage of bis strange guests, and calling up the parson, the three went to the rooms of the trio who had de- camped so suddenly and behaved in such a villainous manner. The two dogs they bad brought with them were Vicious brutes, and sprung at them with savage intent, as though they intended to guard the rooms and do their duty, be their masters what they might. Coaxing was tried, but it was useless, and a Chinee waiter was summoned to bring food, and the brutes seemed to prefer Heathen flesh to beef, and the frightened fellow barely es- caped a severe bite, bya quick and unerring shot from the parson, who sent a bullet crash- ing through the dog’s brain. “That’s right, parson, finish up the other one,” cried Dan Dale, and the death of the second dog followed the mext report of the re- volver, ‘‘ You. are a superb shot, sir,” said Edna, with admiration at the unerring aim of a man who wore the garb of a clergyman. **T have had much practice in the past, Miss Insley,” was the quiet response, and the three now entered the rooms, while the Chinee ser- vant, chattering dolefully, dragged off the bodies of the dogs, and surprised the kitchen brigade by suddenly appearing before them, staggering under the load of a dead brute upon either shoulder, and telling a glib lie of how he had killed them. ** Long Chin liee allee samee likee Melican man,” muttered Slick Sam, who was seated upon a cushion telling over and over his ad- ventures, for if the truth must be told, he found it most uncomfortable sitting down at all after his long and rough ride. | Long Chin seemed to appreciate that Slick Sam told the truth about him, whatever he might have done about himself, and quickly passed on with his hideous trophies of the parson’s aim, while he muttered as he disap- peared: “‘Slickee Samee say me liee allee samee likee Melican man, and Slickee Samee he liee allee samee likee me.” CHAPTER XXXVIIL. UNCONNECTED LINKS, THE “luggage” of the trio of strangers, upon being overhauled by the ‘‘ Governor ” of the Hikok Hotel, was seen to consist of three serapes, a few extra arms, and some carpet- bags containing precious little wearing apparel, and mostly stuffed with blankets. With such an outfit, it was evident they bad not intended remaining a great length of time, and, as far as the value was concerned, they could have all they had without really missing it. ‘‘Parson, the more I discover about those rascals the more I think they were playing a part,” said Dan. “TI am also convinced that they were not foreigners, nor what they represented them- selves, but came here for a purpose,” answered the parson. “It certainly looks so; and the purpose they failed to carry out, thanks to your courage and timely aid, Mr. Haviland,” warmly said Edna, ‘Thank God they did: but do you remem- ber to have seen’ any of them before, Miss Insley?” ‘* Never, sir.” “You cannot find a scrap of paper, can you, Mr. Dale, to identify them?” “Not as yet—yes, here is an envelope in this sachel, and it is addressed, Cm see “*CapraIn DUDLEY DUNCAN, ° Denver, Colorado.’” * The parson took it and said: ! ‘‘See, there is a scrap Of paper in the enve . | lope.” give them up, and now the boys are betting | heavily whether Wild Bill will trail the fellow | Taking it out he read as follows: ‘*Dear Cap:—I find that W. B. now has a hat causes him to be greatly feared. ‘*By going to Poker City, vou can find out all about him; but go slow, for he bas many friends there, who would be only too glad to do bim a good turn, by lrelping him put a foe out of the way. ‘This news is reliable. Yours “ Dick.” ‘““ Well. who is W. B.?” asked the parson. “* Wild Bill, sir.” “Right you are, Miss Insley, and the name of Bill’s foe, who came here with four pards to _ kill him, was Dudley Duncan, though his com- _rades called him Captain Corduroy,” remarked | Dan. ‘* And what has he to do with the Baron, the Count and their servant?” asked Parso Haviland, “I have it, for I recall the face now; the servant of those pretended noblemen was none other than the man I captured in the parlor, and tbe others were comrades in mischief.” “Right again, Miss Ins’ey, yet why you were their object of attack, I cannot under stand,” said Dan Dale. It was a mystery they could not solve, but it was very evident they had come to the hotel for the carrying out of some deep-laid plot, and around them the mystery must hang, until some one cleared it up, who could better fathom their motives, than any one then in Poker City. Returning to her room Edna sought the rest she so-much neéded, and in spite of her sus pense, sorrows, and the wild excitement down. stairs, sunk fast to sleep. But Harvey Haviland sought his little sanc- tum, and until the night was far spent, sat thinking over the deeds of the day, and rejoio- ing that his hand had been the one to save the lovely girl a second time from tbe merciless and untiring foe that seemed to be determined to get possession of her. ‘“‘Ah me! I fear she is beyond my reach, for that she loves another my heart tells me. “ But, loving her as I do I feel a certain joy, and I can almost say with truth that ‘“***Tis better to have loved and lost, Than never to have loved at all.’"” As though he had his nerves well schorled, the handsome and daring young parson then threw himself down upon his bed, banished all thought, and was soon asleep, dreaming that he again saved Edna Insley from her foes. CHAPTER XXXIX. STRIKING THE RIGHT TRAIL. © I wusT pow return to Wild Bill, whom I left with Red Dove and her warriors, riding to- ward the mountains, in which was the strong- hold of the Desperado Dozen, Back to the spot where he had lost the trail of Hyena Harry, Wild Bill led the Indians, and there explained how he had followed it to that point, and then been thrown wholly off the scent. | He also stated that he was convinced that the secret retreat of the Desperado Dozen could not be further than half a score of miles from where they then were. The warriors went into a canyon near by and lariated out their horses, as though with the determination to ‘‘camp on that trail,” until they made some discovery. a its Red Dove prepared dinner, and after all had eaten, she began to take a close examination of the surroundings. . Wild Bill having looked the whole place over carefully and most thoroughly, before he gave it up, stood watching the maiden and ber warriors, determined to await the result of their skillful and cunning investigation. — After a long and close search the braves came to where Red Dove stood, and Wild Bill walk. ed forward and joined them. “ “What say my warriors?” quietly asked Red ove. One of the number shook his head and an- swered: » “Pony and pale-face like bird, and left no trail.” So it seemed ibe — of them could find the slightest trace of which way Hyena Harry had taken, after reaching the bottom of 2 stony hill. Wild Bill smiled and seemed to feel that ‘he IO0O (E “Ss com (E(O)