Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 197 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

24 seem as though a tragedy must follow without delay, for Revolver Robinson drew his weapon with lightning swiftness and covered the bold speaker. But Captain Nemesis stood with folded arms, a cynical smile on his hard-set features. ‘‘Shoot and prove my words true, why don’t you ?’ he sneered, and there were those present who firmly believed that be was taking the only course that could possibly save him from instant death. ‘‘ Ordinarily you are a brave enough man when the odds are all in your fayor—when you are fully armed and covering an empty-hauded man: then why hesitate now ?” As by magic the hot rage vanished from the face of tbe desperado, and he lowered his weap on. “Whatever I may lack, you show decided | nerve, Captain Nem»sis !” he exclaimed, with a short laugh, ‘‘ However, I hope to still more thorourhly test it, after our little wager is de- cided ” ‘*Tt will be too late if you wait until then, my dear sir.” “What do you mean by that ?’ sharply de- manded Revolver Robinson. ‘‘No man ever dared to call me a coward before this nor shall you have a chance to boast of having done so, | both a ae ee one of the diamonds. is he tacked against the side of a tree, counting aloud his paces as he returned, printers he selected the ace of | Revolver Rob, the Red-Handed. making a mark in the sand with his heel as the | first score was completed. ‘*There is your mark, Revolver Rob, and now for the conditions. We will toss for choice wf shots, but each of us will fire once at that card. The one that makes the poorest shot will then stand at that tree, while the winner fires another Shot, to wound, cripple, or kill accord- ing to his own sweet will.” “Tn other words, one of us is to commit | suicide—-for that is about what it amounts to!” ejaculated Revolver Rob. ‘* Does your nerve begin to fail you already?” sneered Captain Nemesis, a mocking light in bis dark eyes. “Try me and see,” quietly retorted the | desperado. ‘‘In a moment; I have not finished what I wished to say. The man who loses his shot, will take his station as target wholly unarmed, and there receive one shot. Should he not be killed, or wholly disabled, then positions and conditiors will be exactly reversed, and soon until one or | time. ‘*You ars looking a good deal further ahead after this day is ended, for if you refuse to fight | than there is any necessity for, my dear sir,” me, then Lswear to shoot you like a dog !” ‘* You misunderstood me, my dear sir, or per- haps | did not make my meaning sufficiently piain,” was the cool response. “In saying that it would be too late then to testeither my nerve or yours, I meant that you or I, or both, would be dead.” For a moment Revolver Rob stared at the speaker as if ata loss to comprehend his full meaning, even yet, but then a blazing light leaped into his eyes, and he cried eagerly : ‘*Then the test you propose is a duel ?” ‘Precisely. You can gauge neither a man’s skill nor his courage, much less his nerves, by firing at an inanimate target. The only fair test is to stand him opposite another whom he knows is nota bungler with the tools, for him to know beyond all doubt that he must kill or be killed.” “Tam delighted to hear that you mean busi- ness, foras a general thing, when a man is as fond of hearing his own voice as you appear to be, he is not apt to take any pleasure in listening to the crack of a revolver, when fired in earnest. Had you spoken to the point at first, one or the other of us might have been half way to glory by this time! ‘Time enough for you to make the trip yet before daylight fails you, ay dear fellow. Besides, I prefer waiting until | see the stakes put ep before I work for them.” ‘“That will not delay us long, for yonder comes my man.” “Good enough! But I don’t feel as though I had wasted my time altogether, since I have made the discovery I anticipated—that you not only have nerves, but that they are your master !” Revolver Robinson said nothing in reply, for at that moment his messenger returned and handed him a compact packet of bank-notes which were rapidly counted and pronounced correct by Long John Wilkinson, and as promptly covered by Captain Nemesis, who seemed to be a walking bundle of money to the wondering and envious spectators, more than one of whom was secretly cursing their ill-luck at not having scented this big game before, when a knife-thrust or a pinch of powder rightly burned might have transferred the wealth far more easily than now bade fair to be the case. “* Now the money is up, talk business,” bluntly exclaimed Revolver Rob. ‘“ You say that money is to be decided by a duel?’ ‘* Precisely—but a duel a little out of the old rnt. In the great majority of such, chance plays by far the most important part. In this, so far as mortal man can acconrplish it, chance is to be eliminated, leaving all to skill and nerve.” ‘You are sure you have not mistaken your mission here on earth?’ sneered Revolver Robinson. ‘You talk glib enough to be a preacher—” ‘“ At least I hope to ‘save’ you for good and all before the sun sets,” was the pointed retort, and the face of the desperado flushed hotly as a low laugh ran through the crowd at this decidedly neat hit. ‘“‘ Name terms and conditions, and let’s get to work. You're wasting time that might be betteremployed. I'm getting hungry and want my dinner.” “I’m betting that you will dine with your patron saint, the devil, if you dine at all this day. A sudden and complete change came over Revolver Robinson. He seemed to realize that this audacious stranger was systematically Ore to irritate bim and thus render his nerves less reliable, and he resolved to foil him in this respect as in all others. ' Captain Nemesis appeared to read that change aright, for he dropped his bantering fone, and diabolical gimile. said Revolver Rob, showing his white teeth in a ‘*T assure you that a single | shot is all I expect to take ere the matter is cc_zsceseeeeeeiiilit ett LLL LLL LL LL LL LL LD a — ———— ended.” “The shot dt the card—exactly,” bowed Captain Nemesis, with asmile. ‘*‘ That much I concede you.” “Your remarkable kindness is fully appre- ciated. But to business. Will you flip the coin, or shall 1?” *“*A few more words, first. Ido not care to leave a single point open to possible dispute. We will each select a man assecond. He will be given one revolver, with a single cartridge, which is not to be inserted until fate or skill has decided which man shall have the first shot at the other. It shall be the duty of the one seconding the losing man to see that this one cartridge alone is placed in the weapon, and that the winning party has no other weapofis on his person.” Revolver Rob’s eyes opened widely and his brows arched. ‘* You are particular! May I ask why all this caution?” ‘*Because you may win the first shot, and I do not care to risk a second one,” was the swift reply. Even this bitter insult was passed over by Revolver Rob, though his face turned a shade whiter, and the ugly light in his eyes grew still more intense, And those who knew him best felt that Captain Nemesis was digging a grave for himself with his cutting tongue. A low, chilling laugh broke from the 4 ay desperado, after a brief silence, and be said: ‘You have said enough to seal your doom a thousand times over, my dear sir. But I will be merciful, and when it comes my turn to — I will utter but one word—and that in the shape of a bullet through your heart!” ‘Win your laurels before you wear them, my friend. I believe we understand the matter fully, now. It only remains for us to select our seconds, and then toss for choice of shots.” ‘Miller, you will serve for me?’ asked Re- volver Robinson, turning to the man who ran the Oasis. ‘‘ With pleasure, and count it an honor,” was the reply. Captain Nemesis was more deliberate in his selection, running his gaze leisurely over the crowd, finally dwelling as he came to the dark, anxious face of Sandy Lithgow. ‘‘ Asa stranger here, my choice is necessarily limited, and must be made at random, but as I have trusted my*money in your hands, my parties are unable to respond to the call of | SS eee eet ———— friend, I will do the same with my life, if you will consent to serve me so far.” “That I will, an’ say thank ye into the barg’in!” was the prompt reply. ‘‘Ef thar’s any skin-game tried on, it won’t come to a head while Sandy Lithgow can pull trigger or han’le a knife—bet your sweet life on that!” ‘Thanks! If 1 come out right side up, be sure you shall not be the loser by this kindness toward a stranger.” “Talk enough,” gruffly inte Robinson, at this juncture. ‘“* shall I?” “« Just as you prefer; it is immaterial to me.” “Flip, then, and [ll call. It will be a bit of poetical justice to make you aid so far in your own execution.” “If it gives you comfort, hug that delusion to your bosom while you may,” laughed Cap- tain Nemesis, producing a double-eagle from his pocket. ‘‘Stern reality will dawn upon you soon enough. Ready?’ and as the word rung out sharply, he sent the golden coin whirling high into the air above their heads. ‘* Heads forever!” cried Revolver Robinson, promptly. “But tails on this occasion!” and Captain osed Revolver Fill you toss, or | | : of the trigger bent over the fallencoin. ‘I sincerely trust Mt ere not superstitious, my dear sir, and will not let thisevil omen unsteady your nerves.” ‘‘If I am superstitious, my belief goes no fur- ther than that first winner is generally last loser. Take your choice: will you shoot first, or shall 1?” ‘“‘Age before beauty, always. Set me the pattern, my dear sir, for I am bound that you shall be first in everything, to-day—first to shoot, first to stand a shot, and above all else, first to cross the range with your boots on!” Every word, every look, every motion since they'first became antagonists, of Captain Neme- sis was carefully calculated to irritate his rival and, if such a thing was possible, to unsteady his nerves. At first if seemed as though his ob- ject would be gained, but now Revolver Rob was fully on his guard, and gave not the slight- est sign of being touched by the barbed shaftr Quietly moving to the score which Capte.n Nemesis had marked out, he carefully selected a cartridge, making sure that the conica) ball was perfectly true, that both chamber and bar- rel of the weapon were clean as the brush and swab could make’them. But this done, be wasted no further time, Swift as thought his weapon rose and ex- ploded. “ Hang fire, by the "Tarnal!” cried a voice in wild dismay. Suet? | CHAPTER XIX, STARING DEATH IN THE FACK, Tr was only too true! : Between the falling of the hammer and the explosion of the cartridge, there was a period so crief as to be perceptible only to the keenest of ears, but still enough to make all the differ- ence between winning and losing—between life and death when, asin this case, so much hung in the balance witha the rivals so evenly matched as regards skill, To a skillful shot of the more common style— that is one who covers the target and dwells on his aim for an instant before firing—the nishap would not have been so serious, because the weapon would have spoken before the ait wus affected, but with one like Revolver Robinson, who was a ‘‘snap-shot,” pure and simple, swift- ly raising his pistol in a straight line with the mark and pulling trigger the instant his sights touch the lower edge of the target, without checking the weapon at all until after the Jead speeds on its mission, the case was altogether different, for in that scarcely pereeptible period of time, the weapon was raised a hair’s breadth— enough to spoil the shot, Ata glance the excited spectators saw that: the card still held its position against the tree, and then they saw that while the red spot in the center was intact, the dark round spot where the bullet bad entered showed just above the upper point of the diamond. ‘*A fair line-shot, but not one on which I would care to rest either my reputation or my life, with a marksman to follow,” said Captain Nemesis, with an ugly, blood-ehilling laugb. Not a line of the desperado’s countenance altered, and his voice was as steady as ever when he made reply: ‘‘Such as it is, it remains for you to beat it before you make your brags.” This cool, unmoved bearing seemed to have its effect on the stranger, for his tone softened as he said: “TJ was wrong to say that, and I frankly beg your pardon, Mr. Robinson. .Though | came many miles and have spent more years than | care to admit, for the express purpose of killing you, after a fairand manly fashion, I am loth to give any one the chance to say that only for an accident which was wholly beyond your control, the results might have been reversed. I saw that your weapon hung fire, and admit that only for its doing so, you would have biot- ted that diamond out of existence. Inow ask you to take another shot—” ‘‘ Stop!” sternly cried Revolver Rob, his eyes allaglow. ‘‘ After all that you havesaid—after all the taunts and bitter insults you have show- ered upon me—I would die a thousand deaths rather than accept even the shadow of a favor from your hands! I have borne with your in- solence as not one man in a hundred would have done, simply because you put forward the plea of being a stranger, surrounded: by my friends, and binting that you did not expect to receive any thing like fair play. But though | bore them so quietly, I have noted down each and every insult, and I say to you now that one or the other of us only quits this ground as a dead man!’ ‘“You will be that one, then!” sneered Cap- tain Nemesis. “That remains to be seen, but bear this in mind; dare toeven hint at the offer you just made, and I swear to break every bone in your body !” ‘And while you make the attempt, I'll be keeping the flies off of you,” laughed the other, significantly, then abruptly changing his tone, he added. ‘I was a fool for making the offer, for I know ful! well that you would never do from a pack of cards which he borrowed from ' Nemesis laughed mockingly as the rival knights | so, were the case reversed,” milcboo (E(@) (E SEO - —_——-- = |