Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 197 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

4s I , my sady last irst, the b nce rd RIS ® *- VS eee > Cee a es * Revolver Rob, the Red-Handed. 20 Be sure J would not—nor would you, had you not felt confident that the offer would be rejected as soon as mad». I play to win, and so do you, though you ho to make a little capital with the crowd. You have said a good deal about my nerves; take your stand and see if yours are equal tothe pattern I[ have set you.” Captain Nemesis made noreply. There was an ominous murmur running turough the crowd that warned him he was rapidly losing the ground he had gained at the expense of his rival, only the four members of the league showing any signs of satisfaction at the dark outlook for Revolver Robinson. Striding to the score, he inspected his weapon, much as his rival had dene before him, and when satisfied that all was in perfect order, he turned his right side toward the target, raising his weapon slowly and steadily. Either he had taken warning by the mishap which befell Revolver Robinson, or else his customary srl » Shooting was radically different from that which he had shown when firing at the star. That was word-firing, or snap shooting, while this, in contra-distinction, may be styled level- shooting. . ; As the polished tube reached ite level, it paused and remained motionless while one might have counted three witbout haste, then exploded. be card turned part way around, hung thus for an instant, then fell fluttering to the ground. A sound that was almost a groan in its deep intensity burst from the, breathless crowd, then there wis.a general rush toward the fallen tar- get, but Captain Nemesis whipped forth a re- volver and leaped before them, shouting: ‘Back! you fellows—back, I say! or I'll block up the road with some of your carcasses! Let Mr. Robiason go and get the card alone. There must not be the slightest foundation for foul play being called this turn!” This swift speech, backed up as it was bya revolver in the hands of such a dead-shot, pro- duced the desired effect, and the crowd feil back, leaving Revolver Rob to advance alone. He stooped for the card, cast one glance at it, then, calmly returned and held it above his ad, where all could see. All save the four points of the red diamond was obliterated. he center was cut out as truly as though tke circle had first been traced with a compass. In a in voice which even the keen ears of his enemies could detect.not the fain'est shade of anything like either chagrin or fear, Revolver Robinson addressed Captain Nemesis: “I acknowledge my defeat. The money staked is yours.” ‘‘And the life?” swiftly,.demanded the stranger, his eyes filled with,a savage glitter that spoke even plainer of deadly hatred than his words, *‘ The money was put up only as a sort of make-weight.. Your life was the stake I was playing for mainly!” ** The life is yours, if you can take it in ac- cordance with the rules laid down awhi-e ago,” was the cold response. ‘‘ But bo not too sure— your nerves. may fail you this time!” Captain Nemesis laughed exultantly, mock- ingly. 4 Hug that vain delusion to your bosom if it gives you any consolation, my dear sir. Once I offered you another chance for your life, but you flatly, not to say ungratefully, refused to accept it. .Be sure I shall not offend in a like manner again. Your doom is sealed, Revolver Robinson, so completely that not all heaven and earth can save your life now!” ‘* Don’t be too sure,” carelessly retorted Re volver Robinson, biting the end off of and light- ing afresh cigar. ‘I’ve seen sicker dogs than this get welland come out top of the heapin the end! ‘‘ You may prove to be that dog, but I doubt it. Unless you have something very parcicular to say—some message to leave for absent friends, some final prayer or last will and testa- ment to make—take your stand by yonder tree aud pay the penalty of biting off more than you can chew—” ‘‘One word first,” said Revolver Robinson, cutting the mocking speech short with an im- patient wave of his hand. ‘You have re- peatedly insulted me, knowing that my hands were tied, asit were. But I overlook all that, and will show you that I am more of aman than you dare prarend to be. ‘You have won a shot at me, and barring accident, you are.tolerably certain of killing me. I have only to hold my ce, and my death would be avenged before the echo of your shot could die Amey. My iriends here would | ets, riddle you with bul ere you could lower the weapon that dealt me death, or turn the muzzle upon them.” ; ; “But not in time tosave you! Even in dying I would cut you down, be sure of that!” was the savage interjection. Revolver Robinson made him no reply, but turned to the expectant crowd, putting a stern emphasis on every word. as he addressed them. ‘‘Gentlemen—friends: A few words with you. No matter how tuis little affair turns ae you are not to interfere or take a in. I DS eee | fate decides alldares to offer harm to this gentleman on that account, to lift hand or weapon against him be- fore he commits some crime or sin against you, then I solemnly swear that I will come back and haunt you—I swear to avenge him, even though I have to burst asunder the very locks of Satan’s stronghold to make my vow good! ‘*' You know me, and know that I never. yet broke a pledge to either friend or foe. Give me the promise that IL ask. No matter what be- falls me, so long as it is regular, you will suffer this gentleman to go his way unharmed.” All the more readily, perhaps, because they remembered how unerring was the aim of the dark stranger, the required pledge was given, and without another giance at Captain Neme- sis, Revolver Robinsom walked to the tree, standing proudly erect, his arms folded so low that his swelling bosom was fully exposed, his face calm and smiling, his eyes beaming as gently as those of a woman. ** Take your pound of flesh, Captain Nemesis,” he cried, in a voice clear and mellow as the tones of a silver bel]. ‘‘ Take your shot, and send it truly home, for if you miss, or fail to kill instantly, be sure my next cartridge will not be likely to hang fire!” Promptly thestranger took his position at the score, and closely watched by the crowd in eneral and Revolver Rob’s second in particu- ar, Sandy Lithgow placed the one cartridge in the. revolver before handing it to the successful duelist. This done, he was searched for other weapons, and the seconds fell back, leaving the rivals facing each other. Each one of the crowd drew in a gasping breath as they saw Captain Nemesis slowly raise his revolver untilit reached the level of his rival’s breast, there remaining without the slightest perceptible tremor. One, two—a score of seconds crept by, yet still the expected shot did not ring forth, Instead came the cold, hard voice. of the stranger. ** At last, Revolver Robinson, as you now prefer to aby le yourself, my day has come and rou are wholly at my mercy. In thedays gone y | swore that sucha should be the case—that we both should. live to. see the hour when I would avenge tothe uttermost the foul and bit- ter wrongs which, you heaped upon me when I could neither defend myself nor deal a blow in return, That,day is here now, and I[ hold your life at my finger-end. The slightest pressure and the hammer falls—and my nerves are too firmly steeled to be affected >y a hang-fire, as yours were!” ‘The report of your pistol is far more agree- able than the sound of your voice. ‘Shoot, Luke, or give up your gun!’” cried the desperado defiantly, using a familiar westernism. A cold, metallic laugh broke from the beard- ed lips of Captain Nemesis, but he neither fired nor altered the position of his weapon an atom. “For once in your life Lgive you the credit of speaking the plain, unvarnished truth—and when ,you recognize me for what I am, the sound of my voice wi'l be still more disagree- able to your ears.. Weare not firing at the word, now; nothing was set down in the bond about how long or how short should be our aim- taking; and before I ring forth your death- knell, you shall learn who I am and why I have taken this particular method of avenging the past, when your death could have been com- passed so much more easily, with so much less risk.” For afew moments there was a silence that was almost painful to the spectators, then Cap- tain Nemesis spoke again: ‘*Let your mind carry you back six years, and to the city of St. Louis. Have you done so? What does your memory recall?” “You are telling the story, not I,” was the quiet reply. ) Captain Nemesis laughed softly before speak- ing. ‘There is no need of my saying anything more on that score, for I see that you know now who and what I am, though you carry it off bravely enough, and show far more nerve than I gave you credit for. But of the after- days I have a few words to say. ‘Ever since I was set at liberty, after your devilish scheme of putting me into the convict garb which you should have filled, I devoted all my time and powers to finding, you and fitting myself for this moment. For three months I have dogged your every step, penetrated your every secret, laid plans to foil your schemes, and set a train in motion that will not only ruin but annihilate your gang. “T found that otbers were upon your track, bent on killing you, and only for me, they would have sent you to the grave before now. It was not from motives of pity or compassion that I induced them to hold their hands, but be- Cause you were to fall by my hand instead,” | Up to this, Revolver Robinson had stood like a Statue, a sneering smile upon his thin red lips, but now he cried: | “Shoot, untess you are the cowardly dog you are trying to make of me! Shoot, you infernal bloodhound convict!” ee ssl SSS inst me, and any man of you | Those fierce words seemed to startle Captain Nemesis, and at the last epithet his revolver ex- ploded. . CHAPTER XX. REVOLVER ROB CALLS THE TURN. THE instant he pulled trigger, Captain Neme- sis flung the revolver from him with a fierce curse, and his countenance was transformed into that of a perfect demon of baffled rage and hatred, for he saw that for once his boasted nerve had failed him in the time of need. Whether it was because that stern speech from the lips of one whom all looked upon as a _death-doomed man had startled him, or that the long dwelling on his aim bad cramped the mus- cles of his arm, was always a disputed question among the spectators, but be the cause what it might, the bullet which should have pierced the brain of Revolver Robinson barely grazed his temple sufficiently to slightly discolor the skin, then burying itself in the tree-trunk. A sharp, taunting laugh broke from the lips of Revolver Rob as he stepped away from the tree, and there was a blaze of deadly triumph in his eyes as he spoke: ‘* Blood will tell, my dear fellow, and a dung- hill fowl is not a game-cock, after all his crow- ing! You were very solicitous concerning the state of my nerves, yet yours were the ones to fail their owner in the time of need, not mine !” Only for the one moment did Captain Neme- sis suffer the chagrin which he must have felt after having boasted so loudly, to show itseif in his face, then he grew calm and cold, as though he had won the main stake for which he had been playing such a bold game, ‘** No game is ended until it is fairly played out, my dear sir, and you still have a turn to take at the bellows before you wear the laurels. We will see how true you can fire when the eyes of a man are looking at you!” A busy hum was running through the crowd, for the most part one of decided satisfaction, for, though Revolver Rob, since his advent at Nugget Camp, had “run the town” pretty much as he chose, thereby making enemies more or less bitter, he bad always been free and open- banded where money was concerned, and had a powerful following among the sporting class, while the remarkable nerve which he ‘had this day displayed with apparently certain death staring bim in the face, bad won bim many more stanch friends. Of them all, only Sandy Lithgow and the other members of the death-league showed in their faces the terribly bitter disappointment which they felt at the unexpected turn affairs had taken. Feeling sure that this bold stranger was none other than their mysterious cbief, who bad sworn to slay Revolver Robinson, havin just received ample proof that be was a dead- shot with the weapons chosen for the duel, they firmly believed that the doom of their hated enemy was sealed, that be must surely die the death of a cornered wolf; but now! the tables were turned, and not oniy was their execrated foe triumphant, but the doom which had seemed his was now transferred to his rival, their leader. Iron-nerved though he was, Sandy Lithgow could not keep his hard-featured face from be- traying his — and chagrin as he drew close to the man who had selected him from all others to act as bis purse-bearer, and his busky voice seemed that of one who was choking as he whis- pered so that the ear of Captain Nemesis alone could catch the words which were so full of deadly, sinister meaning: ** Jest say the word or make a sign, cap’n, an’ the boys o’ the League ‘ll save ye from that hell-cat—” A hot, venomous fire leaped into the eyes of the chief, and his sinewy fingers closed upon the shoulder of Sandy Lithgow with a power that seemed to bury them in the flesh and almost crush the bone, while there leaped from his lips, with a low but peculiarly savage intensity, the words: ‘Dare to interfere with what concerns mea alone, and [ will kill you!) Remember the oath you took, willingly, freely, and remember, too, that the penalty for breaking it is death /” “But he'll bloody-murder you! Thar ain’t any sech thing as let-up to him when he once gits a inemy down!” A short cutting laugh greeted these words. ‘I know that far better than you can tell me, my dear fellow. But that is part of the stakes we were playing for, I did not mean to spare him, nor do I expect him to spare me, now that _ turn of the wheel of fortune brings him on op. A sullen growl came from the bearded lips, ‘You won’t say the word? You won't let us Save you?” ‘“‘ Not in that way—” “Then we'll have our pay out o’ him an’ avenge you at the same time,” was the do response. ‘‘ The shot he fires at you will be tae last trigger he pulls in this world, ef I die the’ next minnit fer it!” ‘* And die for it you will, fool!” angrily hissed Captain Nemesis. ‘‘Even though you killed him, the crowd would tear you limb from limb in their fury. Be sensible. Bide your time, EOmicGbdooks (EO)