Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 195 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

- neath ‘he table. 10 The The Star Gaal er. ‘7 _ ae _ ES way, will you?” ordered the doctor, as he took the square piece of cambric from the hand of Tom Stevens. : After a brief examination, the last speaker added: © ‘Gentlemen, here is another link in the chain, whick is more direct and conclusive evi- dence than any yet, and seems to knock some of our reasoning sky-high. I leave it to you ifit-does not clear up the mystery somewhat. Thie handkerchief is marked with indelible ink. In one corner there isa name, and that name, by heavens, is a ‘CHARLES ADLER!” CHAPTER XI. TANGLED THREADS. “T porsn’r keer a dang!” broke out the rancbero, who bad once before spoken in favor of the young man, toward whom the evidence pointed as the assassin. ‘Uncle Dan mought ha’ picked that rag ur hisself, anywhar roun’ ther bayou; an’ hit’s my ’pinion hit am jest what “he did do. Anyway I asserwates, boyees, thet Charley Adler never stuck Uncle Dan, an’ I’m willin’ ter bet my seulp on bit!” ‘“You appear to be particularly friendly 'to a man, who is undoubtedly a most cowardly murderer, Phil Munroe!” spoke up the colonel, indignantly. ‘Ya as, curn’l, I reckon I’m a friend ter all men what’s squar’ an’ white, an’ this hyer boy what everybody is so ready ter ’spect, was one that filled thet bill every time.” The behavior of the hounds now drew tho attention of all hands, and doubtless brought to an end what might otherwise have been a war of words; for the dogs had been smelling about the floor for a few moments, and then sprung, with long-drawn how!s, into one of the vacant stalls. “Pull your barkers!” cried Phil Munroe. ‘Ther murderin’ cusses air in ther stable, an’ Charley Adler ain’t with ’em, bet yer last doubloon on it!” All sprung on the instant around the corner of the harness-room after the hounds, when, to their surprise, they discovered a bar of light shining into the stall from an aperture through which the dogs at once sprung. “ Half a dozen of you go out, and station yourselves around the building! man who attempts to escape from the barn, if you cannot take him alive. Two of you stand guard here! Now, colonel,” added the sheriff, after giving these orders, “we'll have to burst in the door of the harness-room. The villains may be secreted in the closets, and the door is locked.” ‘There is no need of that,” said the doctor, who Was again examining the dead negro. “Here isa key in Uncle Dan’s pocket which, no doubt, belongs to that door.” “You are right, doctor,” said Colonel Car- bury, as he took the key from his hand, and bounded to the side of the sheriff. In a second the doer was opened, and half a dozen deadly tubes were pointed inside; but, with the exception of the dogs, that were snuffing about the table and chairs, the room was empty. * “What is all this, gentlemen?’ exclaimed Sheriff Stevens. ‘‘More mystery here! Do you keep a club-room in your stable, colonel? Here are brandy, glasses, cigars, and cards. Old Dan must have been enjoying himself be- fore he got his through ticket for the unknown ons.” . ! ‘* Poor Dan has had nothing to do with this part of the business,” said the eolonel, very de- cidedly. ‘“‘He never drank, neither did he know one card from another.” * And I do not believe he had twenty dollar gold pieces to wager, either,” said the doctor, as he picked up several of these coins from be- “‘Gentlemen, I can tell you one thing there has been a big game played in this room to-night. Here are papers in which have evidently been rolled thousands of dollars ‘= coin, and the paper, as you see, is old blanks belonging to the Brazos Bank.” “The Bruans Bank?’ questioned the colonel, anxiously. ‘That ig where I deposit. Let me examine them,” “Open those closets, Mr. Stevens,” suggested Dr. Maule; “‘we may find there something which may be of service as evidence,” With revoiver in band, cocke! and ready, the sheriff proceeded on the iuspectiou; but nothing except harness was found, until the t ce oret was opened. There, to the uston- uiment of all, eveu of Culonel Carbury him- ——— a a a Shoot any | ———E - —————— self, a set of shelves was revealed, upon which were: various kinds of wines, liquors and cigars, besides packages of playing-cards and several suits of clothes, the latter hanging at one side. ‘*Whose are these clothes, colonel?’ asked | the sheriff. The colonel approached, with a new look of trouble upon his face, and glancing at them, replied: — “They belong to my son, my poor boy James, although I am at a loss to know why they were kept in such a place.” ‘* Hit’s es plaim es ther nose on a alligator, curn’l,”’ said Phil Munroe. “ Jim an’ somebody hes bin in ther habit o’ playin’ keards hyer. Fact air, they hes bin hyer this very evenin’, fer ther brandy spilt on ther table hain’t dry till yit. Charley Adler doesn’t drink nor play keards, I'll sw’ar hit; so the question now air, who ther galoot war what was with Jemes Carb’ry. I’m a-thinkin’ thet all ther bloody biz commenced right hyer, at this hyer table, an’ through too much brandy et that. Some- body’s been an’ lost a heap o’ money fer sure.” ‘‘ Hank Roberts was with James a great deal lately,” said Tom Stevens. ‘‘The two were always together, weren’t they, colonel?” “ They were quite intimate associates, I be- lieve,” admitted Colonel Carbury, but with very evideat reluctance. ‘Il now know where my son has kept himself so much of late. | This Hank Roberts must be found.” ‘*Keep the hounds bere awhile, boys,” said Dr. Maule, who had been standing for a minute or two wrapped in deep thought. ‘It appears to me that, as Phil has reasoned, a game of cards has recently been played at this table, ending in a dispute of some kind between the parties engaged, and that dispute culminated in a fight up at the Magnolias aiterward; or else that Jamee Carbury having won, the loser fol- lowed and killed him. Then discovering that Uncle Dan had witnessed the affair, he, or they, followed the poor old negro and killed him also. It looks only reasonable to suppose that James must have locked some party, or parties, into this room, gave the key to Dan, and then started probably for the house. Who- ever they may have been, they escaped, and followed for revenge. Perbaps Dan was left for a guard, and the poor old slave was the first who was murdered. “Who it was that poor James Carbury locked in this room, and what his object was for doing so, must be found out. Then, and not until then, will the mystery be cleared up. It is a strange affair all through, and very puzzling. ‘“‘The proofs, however, seem positive and conclusive against young Adler—James and his friend, or friends, might have captured Adler, and locked him up, and it may have been he, who escaping in the dark, killed Uncle Dan, without knowing that it was his former slave. I certainly would advise letting the dogs take the scent from this room, if they will do so.” ‘‘ Here they go, then!’’ called out the sheriff, pulling the board away from the back of the closet as he spoke, The hounds made a rush, their noses to the floor, snuffing here and there, with lightning- like motions of their heads, while the whole party went out into the main floor to watch them. Direct to the murdered negro they went, and then dashed madly out of the stable door. ‘¢ Mount and follow them!” yelled the sheriff, and in a moment after, the rancheros were in their saddles, spurring through the magnolias after the dogs, Following a winding scert, the latter at length came to a stop within the thick bush that had concealed Hank Roberts, where they howled fiercely for a moment. ’ “Did I not tell you that the assassin sho from that point?” cried out the doctor, as he came running up. ‘‘The same man who butchered Uncle Dan, killed poor James Carbury.” As Dr. Maule spoke, the boy Mose led a horse, fully equipped, to where the colonel, who had followed him, was standing. The old gentleman instantly sprung into the saddle, buckled his arms about his waist, and turned to the doctor to repeat his last injunction: ‘‘See that my son’s body is properly cared for, and watch over my wife and Cora till f return!” Then, yelling to the blood-hounds, as with terrible and ap ialling howls they dashed down the bank, he cried; “Spur, men! Spur! Keep up with the dogs! A thousand dollars for Charles Adler, dead or alive!” Away thundered the entire posse, Colonel Carbury and Tom Stevens in the lead, and close upon the hounds, that by a roundabout way led back to the stables, and to the side of the dead slave; then turning, with savage yelps, they sprung through the door, around the barn, and away like the wind in the direc- tion of the Adler plantation. At last the tangled threads seemed to be gathered, and the line, if followed up, to lead to the home of the man to whom the hand of suspicion had first pointed. CHAPTER XII. THE FLIGHT FOR LIFE. CHARLES ADLER, flying from the scene of the mysterio. tragedy, in a state bordering en madness, rus) 1 through the dark shades of the magnolias, a1 nd the head of the bayou, and was soonrunn g at the top of his speed along pe crescent-shuped drive that was opposite his: ome. In a few moments’ space he had been hurled from the hights of supreme happiness into the blackest depths of misery and hopeless de- spair. The future was filled with dread, and with- out one ray of hope, and an ignominious and cruel death was all that now awaited him, With the glittering castles which he had built in his imagination, but which he re- solved should become realities, he could now have no more to do. All the resolutions, which he so late had formed for the good of his fellow-men, were now forgotten; all the high principles which he bad, by long study and much thought, determined to adopt for life-long practice, were now drowned in the immeasurable and intense hatred and detesta- tion which he felt toward the unknown assas-. sin who had blighted his life forever. That there could be a man, upon the earth so fiendish, as to contrive and accomplish so devilish a deed he would not have believed one short hour previous. And he now felt assured that the same man who had been acquainted with him from bis earliest childhood, and hed, in spite of all his prejudice, never known him to swerve from the path of duty, truth, and honor, would, in a few short hours, be clamor-: ing for his blood. Not only this, but—the thought seemed to tear through his brain like a jagged bullet—she, the angel of his adora- tion, would doubtless herself hound on the mob upon his tracks; her testimony would condemn him to the deadly noose, No wonder that the young man’s brain grew like molten lead, and reason tottered in the: balance. Springing upon the veranda—two steps at a time—his hair flying in wild disorder, his clothing torn and stained, as were his hands. with blood from his wound, Charles halted at. the main entrance to the house, for, stretched across the door-sill, was a little negro, fast. asleep, ‘¢ Poor little Pomp!” he muttered. ‘“Itis pity to awaken you. I would gladly, this night, change position, name and race with you, for nevermore ean I know rest or peace. upon the earth, The blood that has been spilled by another brands me as a murderer, [I must not awaken you, or you too will be a wit- ness against me,” Rushing up the stairs to his room, he quickly lit a candle, and then threw himself upon a lounge. ‘‘ Great heavens!” he exclaimed; ‘ my cross: is heavier than I can bear. Blood, blood upon my hands, and upon my clothes! Blood upon everything that I touch! I shall go mad, and in my despair rush back to meet the mob, who. will at least relieve me through death of my horrible torment!” Bathing his hands, he threw the water from the window, and then laved bis head, He then removed his coat, and discovered that the sleeve was perforated by a bullet, also that it and his undergarments as well were stained with blood—his own blood, thank God! and not that of a fellow-creature; and, though he realized that he bad been wounded, he felt thankful, amid all the horror of his position, that he was guiltless of that of another. Upon examining his shoulder, be found that: the ball had merely plowed a furrow through the surface flesh, and, washing the wound, he applied some healing salve, and then ‘some strips of adhesive plaster. He now knew that CONUIEOOOKS (E()