Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 197 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

me | SO aw out St, ve ‘th he be ou es -— en te ee ere se ee eee eee ee ee; — ——— lesson of true love, and piteously begged me not to desert her now. And when I grew impatient at her folly, she vowed that she would kill her- self unless I smiled upon ber. And there was something in her face that told me she would surely make her threats good. — ‘‘ Well, you can guess how it turned out. I did what any other man would have done in my situation. But instead of being happy and con- tented, as 1 honestly tried to make her lot, she grew more exacting and more jealous and sus- picious every day. If I sinned, that sin brought with it its own punishment, for I was given not a moment’s peace save when I could steal out of her sight. That could not last long, all things considered. and one day I folded my tent like the Arab, and as silently stole away.” ‘“Aud the charge that you robbed while deserting her?” ‘‘ Isso far from being true that I left with her nearly every dollar I had in my possession. As a proot of that, I shipped asa green hand on a vessel bound from veston to New Orleans, working my passage and landing without a cent in my pocket. And not only that, but as soon as | made a raise av the furo table, I sent it every dollar tothe woman. This she must have received, since I never heard of the letter again.” For a few minutes neither of the twain spoke, Revolver Robinson patiently awaiting Dashing Della’s decision. ‘“‘ It isa sad story from beginning to end, and, though you were not wholly blameless, you acted better, all things considered, than would have done the majority of even those at whom the censorious world has never dared to point the finger of scorn.” The warm flush on the gembler’s face deep- ened and a glad light filled bis eyes, for the judgment was far more candid than he had dared hope for from one woman where another was concerned. “*] bave told you all and kept back nothing,” he eaid, after a mom nt’s pause, ‘ Will you not give as frank and open an answer to my question nowf’ A quick motion of her white hand checked his impetuous speech, and her lustrous eyes gazed fixedly into his, watching every change record- ed there as she spoke anew: ‘“*You have given me the right to question you, and you must not find fault if I exercise that privilege to the utmost. You were not so greatly to blame as I feared in the unfortu- nate affair with this woman—but has there never been another? 1 do not ask through mere curiosity, for, remember my future hap- piness may depend on your reply.’ ‘* Never have 1 known what true love meant until I saw you—” the gambler declared, only to be cut short by that imperious hand, “You mistake my meaning. I do not ask that much, for, asthe pastis ever dim in the light of the present,a man might easily for- swear himself without intending todoso. What I ask is easier answered. Can no living woman make the same charge against you that Isolina Planillas brought, only with th where her allegation Freres false?” Though his cheek grew a trifle paler, Revolver Robinson did not flinch from her searching gaze, and his voice bore the impress of truth as be made reply: ‘‘Not a living woman, as I hope for mercy at vour bands!” ‘* Nor dead?’ was the swift addition. ‘ Does the grave hold no such black secret — the secret of a murdered soul as well as a murdered body! Does the grim past hold no memory of a fair young creature who was lured from the straigbt path—” With a black frown contracting bis face and a lurid light in his eyes, Revolver Robinson cut short her words. ‘‘ Who has been slandering me to you? Who dared pour such foul lies into your ears? .Give me the name, and he shall eat his words while kneeling at your feet—” _ He ceased abruptly, for there was something in the wide-opened eyes of the fair woman that told him he was doing his cause far more injury than good b angry outburst. Dashing Della freed her hand, and her voice sounded far more cold when she spoke again: ‘No mar has made any charges against you to me—why should they do so, or even should any one forget himself so far, why should I listen to them? What interest have t—” ‘That of being the woman I love—the only one now or in the past since my sainted mother died! Can you not believe and trust, me, Della? I do not claim to be a saint. I admit that my crimes have been many and deep, but never so black as you hinted just now. And even go, can you not help me to bury the black help me to live down the evil reputation cireum- stances far more than my own inclination haye give me? Once more I ask you—!e my loved and loving wife.” ‘You de not ask me what my past bas been, sere I have 5 ee re ou so mercilessly ? ‘Why should I, when I am perfectly satisfied without knowing more/ I have known you here for nearly half a year. During that time I have seen you thoroughly tried, tempted as Revolver Rob, the Red-Handed, 15 a eee Se cere: Wee eee ee ~~ oe -_- — few women have been tempted without falling, | his. mind, with strangely mingled emotions. yet not the faintest cloud of suspicion has or | Now an oath of anger, now an exclamation of can rest upon your good fame. You have made | rapture would break from bis lips, but at ied ae enemies among those whose evil schemes you have resisted, and if there was the slightest loop-hole through which malice could wing a | his uneasy tossings ceased and bis regular breathing told of senses fast locked in slumber: yet his brain was still busy, for at irregular in- barbed arrow, it would have been sped long ere | tervals disconnected words and broken sen- this.” Rapidly and even eloqpenity he spoke, and the blue eyes drooped before his ardent gaze, but the face of Dashing Della grew paler in- stead of flushing with the love-light for which he looked, and “Revolver Robinson was forced to admit to himself that he had lost more ground than he could easily recover, by that ill-timed outburst. Yet he was not content to abide his time and wait for a more auspicious moment. ‘* You heard my question, darling,” he breath- ed softly, his strong right arm stealing around her trim waist and drawing her still closer to his side. ‘* Shall I repeat it?” ‘““Must I answer now! Will you not wait—” “For what? You have eyes to see and a heart to feel. You must have known for months past that this moment would come sooner or later, and you would not be a woman if you had not decided on the answer to give long ago. Then why should we wait? If you can return my love, why should we wait longer before enjoying its perfect fruition? Or, if you cannot—which Heaven forbid!—why keep me in suspense when you know the blow must fall as heavily at last?” He sought to turn the fair face toward him, in hopes of reading the answer there ere her lips could put it into words, but he was foiled in that expectation, for the features of a marble statue could not have revealed less, ‘* You should never press a lady for reasons which she can not or will not give,” she said, with a faint smile which was but the shadow of the one he had hoped to receive. ‘‘I will not deny maving long. since seen that you regarded meé as something more than a mere friend, nor say that the thought has not been a pleasing one to me, for both would be false, and your perfect frankness this night deserves a like candor on wy part, Stop!” and sbe imperi- ously checked his ardor. ‘‘ Hear me out before you say more. ‘lf you had put this question last night—or any other night during the past month, I do not think I would have hesitated in giving you a positive answer—” ‘For good or for evil, which?’ he asked, swiftly. A rare smile swept over her face before reply- ing. That would be for you to decide, not me. If the love which you claim to feel for me is enuine, then the answer I could have given en would not have driven you to suicide—” He drew her to his breast and pressed hot kisses on ber lips, but with a degree of strength for which he had not given her credit, Dashing Della freed herself from his ardent embrace, and stood erect as she added: ‘‘Last night is not now, nor can I give you the same answer which you would have re- ceived then—” ‘““And why? What has occurred since then—” “The appearance of that woman, and her melancholy story.” ‘‘But you said that you could not blame me for acting as I did in the case; then why punish me so severely?” **Because—a woman’s reason! Do not press me further to-night, or you may be the suffer- er,” cried Dashing Della, a little irritably. ‘At least 7+ meagleam of hope to live on,” he urged. ‘‘ How long must I remain on probation?’ ‘Beyond this I will not answer,” and there was an arch smile on the fair face of the blonde siren as she spoke, that caused the heart of the love-smitten desperado to flutter strangely within his bosom. ‘I pledge you my solemn word of honor never to fall in love with or marry any other man until you give me full permission—” His strong arms wound themselves around her and his lips rained hot kisses upon hers, smothering her further speech until she glided from his embrace, frowning archly. ‘You presume too much on too little, sir! Offend in a like manner, and I’ll not only with- draw my pledge, but vow that Ill never marry—you /” With no little difficulty Revolver Robinson managed to refrain from snatching another embrace, and possibly because she saw that his self-control was wing less with the passage of each moment, Dashing Della terminated the interview. **] will see you to-morrow at the shooting- match, but now I must ask you to excuse me, for I am very tired and sleepy.” ‘*One kiss to dream on,” and without asking further permission, Revolver Rob took it, after which he left the room and sought his own r, on the same floor. He retired at once, but it wis late ere he- could com He went over and over himself to sleep. Dashing Della, in t interview with ; | | / and he fancied LL OO OO | | | Pe ag would fall mutteringly from his feverish ips. Suddenly he awoke—or was it not rather the continuation of that direful dream? A gasping cry of horror broke from his lips, and he sought to leap to his feet, but in vain. He could not move a limb—a mysterious -spell seemed to be upon him—and a cold perspiration broke from every pore. An unearthly, greenish light filled the room, here was a dank, repulsive smell as from a charnel-vault. In the center of the light, apparently floating in the air, wasa ghastly shape—that of a woman, young and once fair, but whose face was now livid and discolored as from mortification, with her lon black hair dripping with water and tang] with sea-weed, while one long, bony finger inted to a red blotch over the heart. ‘“‘ Harold Kingsford,” came a sepulcbral voice from those ghastly lips. ‘‘Once more and for the last time gaze upon the face which you once swore was the most beautiful the sun ever looked down on—see to what it has been re- duced, and all orpog” you! But the time is near at hand when all those bitter wrongs will be avenged. Your race is well-nigh run, and by the grace of one more merciful than you, I have come to bid you repent your sins and make what preparation you can for leaving this world!” Nearer and nearer that awful figure floated, until it stooped and touched the gambler on the forehead with an icy-cold finger, making there the sign of the cross, ‘By this I claim you—by it I wed you, more surely than when you so cruelly deceived me when I fled from home, from my poor old mother and father to intrust myself to your love—which brought me to this! ‘Repent! for ere the month expires, you will have met your last reward! Repent—repent—” The hollow-sounding words died away in a long drawn wail, and the ghastly shape seemed to fade into nothingness as the greenish light grew less distinct, finally vanishing and leav- ay desperado in utter darkness, gain he strove to arise, but stillin vain, and with a wild, gurgling cry, bis senses yielded and he lost all consciousness. Was it reality, or but the continuation of his dream? CHAPTER XI. BARNACLE BILL SMITTEN AGAIN. ‘GREAT pin-feathers from a angel’s wing! Kin I believe me two spyglasses? This ain't—it cain’t be old Arizony, fer they don’t raise sech wegetables as them thar—not muchly! The one great an’ only ’riginal Wall-eyed Pike o’ the P is drunk—drunk from center to cir- cumference, from A to Am d—dead drunk, or else he passed in his checks when he didn’t know it, an’ hes jest opened his two eyes in glory, fer they ain’t no sech anngelifferous critters as them a-runnin’ around loose onto the airth, an’ I know it!” Barnacle Bildad Tholuck was the speaker, as a matter of course, and there was a look of mingled wonder, doubt and admiration in his great eyes as he stared at the dainty little ure beyond him—a figure which, for uncon- sc pus oie and beauty, he had never seen equaled, ly that morning Pet Flamsteed left the house, after a dreary, sleepless night. Though ‘she had so boldly defied the power of Jasper Quigley, so bravely borne up against his evil threats while in his presence, none the less had she suffered terribly from that resurrection of the black and bitter past. Until he came like an ugly shadow, the poor girl-woman deluded herself into the comforting belief that no word or action would ever rake un those ashes, and there were times when she was even happy, de- spite the grisly skeleton which had haunted her for so long; but all that was past now. While Jasper Quigley lived there could be ncither peace nor safety for her. If the aim of Gold Mask had only proved treacherous enough ee Thus. far her wild thoughts carried her, time and again, but as often would Pet Flamsteed fight them away, for not even in fancy would she be the assassin of her ruthless enemr. Forgetful of the wei which she might thus be incurring, Pet Flamsteed wandered hither and yon through the rocky fastnesses, at times slow and listlessly, like one in a waking dream, then swiftly: though she hoped thus to out- run her black: +d bitter thoughts. She knew not, cared os Phe a her ra ae were carrying her, nor gave a thoug S) of time. Why should she? Colonel Forrest Fiamsteed had not returned from Nugget Camp, though when he took his departure he told her be would do so at an <S —_ GOmicbooks: co ae ae