Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 192 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

~ eo = tery to all the world. not to assassinate, an’ ze thing may make mooch trouble, Ze man hees tongue have used, an’ say it all ze grand meestake. He have been von grand robbaire heeself.”’ ‘‘Can’t they spell traitor, then? If he has been, and he may tell the truth, so much the more dangerous is he.” ‘“‘He haz ze old friend zat recognize heem. He is ze Satain heeself, they say. Ob, he have ze long tongue; an’, sacre Dieu, he used it.” The Bullion Boss uttered a curse at his own thoughtlessness. He had not considered that Circus Pete—whether he was or was not Dan Sliter—might use his tongue as skillfully as his hands, He considered a moment. ““@ive him what seems to be a chance, and thea, wim he makes a break, shoot him down. Be! dee’s you give him a show to grab a weapon, or he’ ws4@ @ dole in the list. How many of the Beye em hare besides yourself?” “Hleven, mon capitaine. Not too many eef we g@ard ze pass an’ ze preesonaires while we have s game vith vat you call ze Circus Pete.” ‘‘Hleven and two make thirteen,” said the captain, musingly. ‘‘ Anunlucky number, but we'll run ourchances. Arrange it the best you can, Jean; and whatever extra it is worth TS pay out of myshare. It was not a bad haul in cash I made last night. What one of the boys wouid have had the nerve for that? That will do. See that the prisoners have no communication with each other, and let the men understand it’s a big stake I’m playing for. None of your fifty-cent hauls, with a _ chance for lead pills and a steel breakfast.” Jean, who held the position of lieutenant and captain’s confidant, witbdrew, his beady eyes gleaming at the prospects ahead. He under- stood what was wanted, and had no hesitation about doing if. This intermura! retreat of the outlaws was well suited for such @ rendezvous, A little glade, let in between the frowning walls, whose sides were honeycombed with cavernous re- cesses, it had its advantages for protection, de- fense, retreat and impenetrability. Long ago, perhaps centuries, it had been used as a haven of refuge by some aboriginal tribe, now ex- tinct, and its secret was lost to the outzvide world. Yet it had its advantages of position also for those who knew its hidden trails, since the valley in which lay Slaughter Bar, though its pearest, was its least-used outlet. Three or four grazing grounds were within striking dis- tance, and the Bullion Boss had browsed around them, and up to the last few days let the Bar slip clear. Asa prisoner young Vernon had been a suc- cess. He did as he was bidden, and gave no trouble, keeping his fears hidden until he could see in what way this affair was likely to end. He had more fears for the feminine captives than for himself, though the three had been forwarded with separate guards, and he had seen nothing of the others since the time of capture. He was sitting with his head bowed forward on his hands in one of the sey- eral recesses before which paced an armed sen- tinel. He did not even look up when a harsh voice addressed him. “ Young man, after this lesson, if you con- tinue to be an utter fool you deserve all you get. When the Vernon estates were ready to drop into your hands, what devil of unrest made you cross a sea and a continent to nose around for an heir?” Here was another strange turn in the game, This cutlaw seemed to know something of the affair that, up to a few weeks ago, was a mys- No wonder that Vernon looked up sharply. “Ob, of all guileless simplicity yours is the worst. What was it to you whether the run- away felons were dead or living so long as you had the fortune of the family? Don’t you know enough to get all you can and keep all you get?” ‘‘] have heard of honor among thieves,” the young man responded, sternly, ‘‘ and therefore might have believed that you could appreciate my course. Perhaps I intended to make sure that no elder Vernon, or his heirs, should arise to oust me; perhaps it was in the hope that I could prove that the accusations that had out- lawed my relatives and brought disgrace on the family were false. Wither of my rea- sons were sufficient. What are they to you?” ‘‘Much, perhaps, As I judge that your re- collections of your reiatives are rather shad- owy, I might assure you that I am Edwin | afraid to trust him, had set an assassin on him Vernon and your venerated uncle.” ‘‘ Liar!” exclaimed Harley Vernon, starting {up. ‘No Vernon of Vernon Hall was ever a robber. Notrace of their blood lingers in your face or voice.” ‘‘from murder to robbery the transition is not very steep.” ‘But even of righteous vengeance I have found, at last, the Vernon hands were inno- cent, Yet what have you to do with this? I am a captive in your hands, I suppose, for ransora. I may tell you I am not as wealthy as I once was, but if you name a sum that I can pay I will do so, provided I first know that the girls who were captured with me have been set free unharmed, If we cannot come to terms on such a basis, kill me. If you know anything about us, you know the Vernons keep their word and never lose their courage.” “Yes,” responded the Bullion Boss, with a dubious smile. ‘But if I happen to be a Ver- non, too, of which there seems a possibility, we may come to an understanding.”’ ‘Bat you are not a Vernon. The one brother is dead; the other is in Slaughter Bar. That I know to be the truth, if there was any reliance to be placed in the man who did kill Milton Waite, and who confessed ‘to the mur- der on his dying bed. I believed him then, and I believe him now.” ‘‘Ob, yes. As far as the particulars of the murder were concerned. They had unfortun- ately made their threats against bim, and when he attacked Edwin, and Roger came rushing toward him with an empty gun in his hand just to see him drop from a bullet fired by an unseen hand, it was a little bard to prove that it was a man by the name of Quigly, a ser- vant on the estate, who did the deed. Besides, it would bave been ungrateful swearing away the life of one who had saved your own, When the avengers struck in, they found that the Vernons had struck out. There may be some other unimportant additions that can be made to the story, but that is the truth in a nutshell,” ‘‘The truth!” exclaimed Harley, in wonder and excitement; ‘‘ but how did you know it?’ **T ought to.” ‘* No, L will never, never believe you.” ‘You needn’t to. Ask Quigly there, how- ever. Perhaps as you have taken his word once, you may accept it again.” It was with a look of absolute terror that Harley Vernon gazed around. He had taken down the confession of Quigly and remem- bered his feeble voice as he spoke from what seemed to be his dying bed; -yet now, looking up, he saw him standing there, behind the cap- tain, alive, strong, ready to repeat or deny what he had before said. For an instant only was the young man dumfounded. Then a set look came into his face, such as one wears who has made up bis mind and can- not be shaken. “T see it now. It was all a trick. This man, who is Quigly without a doubt, was never sick, was never dying. He trumped ‘up this story as your confederate, to lure me into your power. My eyes are open, and I can be fooled no longer. The Vernons are dead, and you are scheming to drop into their fortune. Tbat so-called judge is a confederate. You cannot succeed. If you kill me you cannot succeed. You are not even an Englishman. If you had been that you might have had some chance, but your game will not work, and Quigly ouly put his own neck into then oose in vain.” Vernon spoke in a red heat of excitement; and Quigly, without having uttered a word, at a gesture from the outlaw turned away, while the captain, with the sneering look still on his face, responded: ‘‘Don’t be too hard on Quigly. I captured him on his way to Slaughter Bar, and what I don’t know about his knowledge is not worth much. The judge has had this game in view for years; and I have had my eye on bim all the time, ready to take the advantages at the right moment, He is the man that employed Quigly. Between them they did put a job up on you. He may have told the truth about the murder} but he hadn’t any intentions of dying himself, He let the judge know that he bad roped you in, but it took time to break his trail, On his way to Slaughter Bar | eap- tured him. The strangest thing was that he was on his way breathing fire and slaughter. The judge baving little use for him, and being and he barely escaped. He fell in with m views and is now a very good road-agent, ) expects to sharein the twenty thousand dollars you will pay us before you re-enter the world,” ‘No twenty thousand will you get from me, That is sworn to.” ‘Don’t be too sure. When I turn the screws on you will howl, I’ve a convincing way. Just consider the matter over; I’ll keep youa day or two until 1 see what Roger—the judge [ mean, of course—is willing to do.” “Ah. There you show your mistake, I¢ was Edwin that had a daughter. You are caught again, Mr. Outlaw.” ‘There was nothing to prevent mastér Robert from taking a wife. He’s a lively old uncle though. Before you get through you’H wish you had trusted me. It will be money in if you do yet. Day-day, and consider what I have told you.” The Bullion Boss quietly stepped away, without waiting for an answer, leaving his prisoner involved in a sea of doubt as to who he really was. As the outlaw strode out, Jean, the lieuten- ant, met bim. ‘‘ Ab, nevaire have I heard the man like to the prisonaire vat you call ze Circus Pete. No leave this spot will he, so he declares. And what a man he is! Ah, bon ciel, bevare!”’ ‘*He will go, in time; and when he starts look out for him. His life or yours, Jean. Consider which is worth the most to you.” Without hearing further the road-agent passed on, leaving Jean to consider the prob- lem. CHAPTER XXXII. SOME PLAIN TRUTHS FROM BOTH SIDES. NELLIE SCHNEIDER still wore the black vel- vet suit in which she bad created such a sensa- tion at the masquerade, There was nothing singular about that since she had nothing else to wear. There was not much danger, however, of her being taken for Lightning Dick, since with her mask removed, only a blind man’ would fail to see that she was a girl of rare, young beauty. She did not seem hopeless or lost in grief; and when the Bullion Boss made his appearance if her face reddened a little and then grew pale, it was with anger and not with fear. The outlaw made a Jow bow. To look at he was handsome enougb, and his manners were courtly even though they seem- ed assumed in mockery. | - “ Good-svening, my infant. You see thag my words did come true. We have met again; and this time your protector who was so ready with his pistols, is conspicuously absent. You will pardon me, I hope, for the measures I have taken; but I felt compelled to basten my suit, since I have concluded to change my head-quarters. Of course my intention is that you should change yours.” . “Perhaps I shall; but I assure you that you and I will not travel in the same direction, here or hereafter. And my protector may yet appear.” “ Ligh'ning Dick, as they call bim, is more apt to turn down than up, since a bullet through his bead is interfering seriously with his powers of navigation. Anyway, he can never find you here.” “T see no reason why he should look for me—if he does he will find me, even if others who try should fail. You understand that your chances were serious enough before; now, you are booked for certain death,” “Hal ha! Threatened men live long, and your humble admirer is not ready to start for that bourne, and so forth. Don’t put on too many frills. Iam your friend, now—Or more than your friend, i am also slow to anger. Nevertheless I can be raised, and when that happens 1 am not too nice in my ways and means,” Nellie had drawn herself up proudly, and her words were those of scorn and menace, flung so straight and true that they siung even the Bullion Boss. Now she too laughed, but there was a bitter ring that showed it was the meckery of mirth. ‘A friend! Good heavens! What would a foe be?” “Indeed you are mistaken. “You have fal- len upon the trail of a strange story, in which you believe yourself involved. Perhaps you are right; yet, I who know something about it, was inclined to believe that you are wrong; though the judge should know what he ebooks Colm n % (