Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 197 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

nnn ere ne nnnEEn EE NEIEEIE ERE SEER Revolver Rob, ee ee eee eC and submitted meekly to the claims of this man, | But Revolver Rob did not take her well- Verily it is humiliating, but I reckon we will get over the shock when the bitter shame is wiped out—with a bit of twisted hemp!” | mid a roar of laughter the colonel nodded, | and the two prisoners were lowered into the | wagon-bed again, and a third figure came into view, at sight of which a still louder chorus of | wildly excited yells burst from the crowd, for | the richly ornamented garb was that of which so many marvelous tales were told, the finely engraved mask of gold being that which had | given the notorious road-agent his significant | title. . ‘‘Gold Mask—Gold Mask! Tear off the kiver an’ le’s hev a = yelled the crowd. Colonel Flamsteed waved his hand command- ingly, and the wild tumult was stilled as weir a by magic. At another sign the prisoner was brought forward and stood upon the seat | beside the orator of the occasion. Ata touch of © his hand the golden mask fell with a clatter into | the wagon-bed, and the face of the wearer was re cb f infensest surprise—for it ing sob of iInfen surpris was fhe face of DASHING DELLA, the BELLE OF NUGGET CAMP! 2% CHAPTER XXIV. CONCLUSION, Nor a sound brokefrom the crowd. One and all they seemed literally dumfounded at this | wholly unexpected revelation. | As though proud of the sensation which he | had created, Colonel Forrest Flamsteed gazed around over the sea of uplifted faces for a few | momeuts, then with:a key he unlocked the | handcuffs which held the hands of Dashing | Della together, and cast them from him with a dramatic gesture of scorn, his sonorous voice rivging out clear and emphatic: ‘You have played your part—go, tools!” In still greater amaze the spectatcrs looked, | but then an ominous muttering arose. Even though a woman, even as Dashing Della, the | acknowledged belle of the town, Gold Mask had ' been guilty of too many atrocious crimes to es- cape the deserved penalty. / ) Again Colonel Flamsteed raised his hand, | and once more utter silence fell upon the crowd. | ‘‘Gentlemen, the farce in which my friend, ' | Revolver Robinson, as Chief of Nugget Camp. | base — ee here, has nobly played a part, is at an end. Were I to ask you on your solemn oaths to name the one who now stands beside me, you would answer as one man: Dashing Della, the Belle of Nugget Camp! And then I would have to politely but firmly contradict you—to 7! Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Mr. Harry Howorth, a brave and accomplished de- tective in the employ of our glorious Govern- ment—and no more a woman than I am!” The crowd was even more completely bewil- dered than ever, and for once the wortby colo- nel was cbeated out of the applause which was so dear to his honest heart. : Turning, he delivered to the detective—no longer Gold k—never more to be called Dashing Della—the richly-decorated weapons of | which he had been deprived when his men were taken prisoners. This action, more than aught else, served to arouse the citizens of Nugget Camp from the mental palsy which had fallen upon them, and there arose a chorus of conflicting cries, some enthusiastic, others deprecatory and even threatening. “ Every word of whatI now say, gentlemen,” cried the colonel, a little tartly, ‘‘ can be proven beyond the slightest shade of adoubt. Instead of being a criminal or outlaw, this gentleman has rendered all honest citizens of Arizona the greatest of services. He did what foiled all the rest of us: tracked Gold Mask to his lair, killed bim when he could not take him alive, donned his disguise and impersonated him while with the gang so successfully that they never once suspected the imposition, and finally led them into the trap which he carefully planned with us to-night. His evidence is sufficient to hang every mother’s son of them—and will, too, or there’s no law in Arizona!” The worthy colonel paneeti for a moment to sone breath, but quickly resumed his expla- nation, * And not only this, but he penetrated the secrets of the man you have known as Revolver Rob, and adroitly captured bim and his outfit in the same —- that laid the gang of the origi- nal Gold Mask by the heels!” How much further Colonel] Forrest Flamsteed would have carried his revelations, can only be guessed at here, for just then occurred..an in- terruption which for the time being put a stop to all speech-making. The attention of all, even the guards over the risoners, was riveted on him, when a slight- uilt my sipped into the wagon where volver Rob lay bound, and cutting the thongs a hurriedly, in the voice of Isolina anillas; “Flee—steal away to that horse—ride for life!” and as she spoke, she thrust a loaded re- volver into his hand, meant advice. He was rendered mad by the knowledge of how utterly he had been deceived —how he had made desperate love to not only aman, but a man who was all the time work- ing for his ruin—and with a howling curse, he leaped to his feet and covered the detective, who wheeled swiftly and flung up his own palin at ra: — ‘ eg wn a r gee oo i ollow e double shot, but it sasme ieee the lips of Revolver Robimson as he fell back, a bullet through his brain, while Harry Howorth, saved from death by that sud- den movement, stood unhurt! There is not much more to add before writing squint at his sweet mug!” | finis, for with the death of Revolver Robinson and the unmasking of the one who has igures in these pages as 4am | Della, the Belle of Nugget Camp, it is time for the curtain to be rung down. Colonel Forrest Flamsteed did not have to put in execution bis threat of calling out any of his fellow-citizens, for not an eye was closed in slumber in all N Camp that night. When Revolver inson fell dead, Isolina Planillas sunk across bis corpse, and when she was removed by gentle force, shrieking and moaning, it was as less maniac. She was taken to the Flamsteed ranch, and there ten- _derly cared for by Pet, but not for long. She faded away and died.within the month. Barnacle Bill lingered onsthe scene until he saw that his ‘‘anngelifferous madam” was hopelessly in love with Harry Howorth, who was even more deeply smitten in return, then he took his leave for other pastures. But the time was not far distant when Nugget Camp saw him again, on the occasion of the wedding of Pet Flamsteed with Harry Howorth—though the ‘“‘one great an’ only ’riginal Wall-eyed Pike o’ the Peak” did no§ come; alone nor single. With him was a little rosy-cheeked and black- eyed woman, who plainly wore the—ahem ! Once and once only did the familiar slogan ‘back-fin up an’ tail a-wigglin’!” resound _ through Flamsteed ranch, and the words were not fairly out of the giant’s mouth before the little woman, standing on tiptoe, had him by the ear and was leading him back to the corner he had deserted without permission. Still, the worthy, rough, but true-hearted fel- low was happy after a fashion, for he plainly idolized his wife, and while she hen-peeked him most unmercifully, she was to the full as proud of her overgrown baby. After the marriage of Pet, the young couple with the colonel went back to their old home, not to stay, but to publish the true facts of the death of Martin Luther Wesley, and to take possession of the wealth which he left behind bim, Their stay was brief, for old associations were by far too painful. They returned to Arizona, where they still reside, though not known by the names given in this story. 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