Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 245 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

rT 28 ee ee a ag men he had named, and Bad Lung trotted after ‘“‘Mebbe they gitee pins knocked outee; me setee ’em up ag’in,” muttered the man from China. Barranca Bill caugbt up a light and ascended the stairs with bis revolver ready for use. He expected further resistance, but no one appeared to oppose him. A hall rau through the ona, and Soars opened off it on eitber side, in hote fashion, and be looked into room after room without finding an occupant. At last, however, as he turned a corner, he saw the giant negro standing in front of a door. Certain that the room contained some one of importanee, he presented his revolver, when the man put forth both hands to show that he was unarmed, and then, touching bis mouth and ears, shook his head, It wasa sign that he was deaf and dumb, The miner forward and the negro ‘stepped one aides but Bill did not fail to see the eT = glitter in his eyes, Suddenly he leaped forward with both bands outstretched at Bill’s throat, but the revolver spoke twice in quick succession and the giant paused with a how]. He had been shot through both hands. A bar held the door, but Bill cast it off and entered. Vivian and Katie stood before him, the sole occupants of the room. They had taken their stand side by side, and the Irish girl had assumed a weapon in the shape of a bed-post which had been wrenched from its place. Having been madein a country where wood was scarce, it was not cumbersome enough to be despised as a weapon. “Kape your distance, ‘ae murderin’ tough!” she cried. ‘' We'll die before we'll be taken again. Kape away!” ‘‘Have no fear,” said Bill, promptly, ‘for your danger is past. We came as friends, not as foes,” ‘‘ Your friendship comes too late to deceive us,” said Vivian, gaining courage as she saw the honest- looking miners. ** What do you mean?” “Simply that, having once thrown off the mask, you ¢atinot assume it — “Du you claim that I have been here before to-night?” ‘“‘ Begorra, an’ yez ought to know,” said Katie. “Didn't 1 make dhe map av Oi on yer face— Begorra,; where have dhe scratches gone to?” “Have you not yet solved this mystery?” asked Barranea Bill, addressing Vivian. ** Don’t Bos comprehend that the man in whom you ave been placing your trust was a fraud—in short, that he was not William Lincoln, but Paul Pindar?’ Katie’s last exclamation had quickened Vivi- an’s ideas. Five minutes before, when her cap- tor left the room, he had marks on his face, the scratches made by Katie’s nails, which he seemed likely to carry for many a day; now he ap to them aman wonderfully like bim, but with a face unmarked. The last words of Bill recalled the visit of the lynchers and the mistake in identity they were said to havo made, and the truth flashed upon her. Before her stood the genuine Barranca Bill; the man who had captured them was indeed a fraud and, doubtless, Paul Pindar. ‘*T do see,” she said, hastening toward Lin- coln and giving her hand, ‘If Lhave wronged you I beg your pardon; and I hope it is not too much to ask your protection now.” “It was for that very purpose that we came here, and you owe menoapology. One ques- tion, however: Where are your captors?” * Old Hecate and the man who claimed your identity were here less than ten minutes ago but they hurriedly left when the noise soun from below.” ‘** And have doubtless made their coe “ Barranea Bill spoke without any regret. The crimes of his brother had forced him to make war upon him, and the affection he had tried to breed died away, but he was not anxious to see him in the hands of justice. tench the miserable man go his way,” he mut- re Just then Bad Lung approached him. ** Black ’Melican mantlyeerun away; me hitee him over headee. All down but nine-ee,” he meekly said. Barranca Bill aroused. Bidding the girls feel at ease be led bis party down-stairs and found ell about the same as he had left matters. Some of the miners had been hardly used in the fight, but they held the fort. The superintendent thought of Helen Neville, who had appeared and disap with meteor- like- rapidity, and ordered a thorough search of the building. It was made, and Abe Neal was found, bat there was no sign of any one else. By this time all Comet Camp was aroused. The news tat the Weeping Willows had been attacked and carried by storm spread fast and a thoroughly sympathetic crowd gathered about the den of iniquity, © Barranca kil! heard their cr’es; he heard them eall for the apriication of the torch to the house which had so long been a disgrace to their town and he offered nv word of remonstrance, Barranca Bill, the He stayed the more precipitate of the crowd, however, to insist on another thorough search that no human meing, however guilty, should suffer a horrible death; but as he led the search his mind was ever on one point. Where was Helen Neville?—what was the secret of her disappearance? The mystery remained unsolved, and when the place was again searched, it was fired in a dozen different spots by as many zealous men. The flames ate slowly for a while, but, gather- ing strength, seized on the wood and apped eagerly at the walls, as though anxious to con- summate the doom of the Weeping Willows. Outside the miners were watching, and as the light began to show plainly they grew excited and sent up cheer after cheer, their zeal being all the more erapuatie because they were anxious to atone for so long allowing the den to stand in their midst. A; the end of ten minutes the fire had taken strong hold and wrapped flooring, wall and roof in its embrace, andas it went on and red sparks soared upward, the miners yelled them- selves hoarse, It was a big night for Comet Camp, and the blindest of men could see that Hecate would never be allowed to run another establishment in town. The days of the Weeping Willows, of the Witch and of the Lambs were passed as a feature of the Camp. Pandemonium broke loose when the roof went crashing into the fiery furnace; hats were flung in the air, and the cheers of the spectators were dimly heard at Ramrod Bar, ‘* All down but nine!” said Gentle John, with a whoop. P44 Nebber setee ’em up ag’in,” observed Bad ung. “That's solid,” added Barranca Bill, who had seen Vivian safely home and returned to the ruins. CHAPTER XXXVII. THE SECOND AGATHA, Tre sun shone brightly on Daddy Gray’s little hut on the mountain, for it is a characteristic of the King of Day that he shows no partiality be- tween the palace and cabin, and as the rays re- flected from the roof it looked like an egg-shell hung on to the mountain-side. Within Daddy Gray and Doctor Mundee were watching with subdued breath for, the result of that slumber from which the young doctor had said the mysterious patient would awake to live or to pass at once away. She had slept long, and their anxiety increas- ed with each passing moment. Mundee’s eyes were keen for those of a youn man, and as be noted each phase of that fatefu slumber he finally turned to the old man, ‘‘ Have hope,” he said. ‘I believe there is a ebange for the better,” **T hope it'll be so,” said Gray, earnestly, ‘It is strange how I have become interested since I took her up down there in the gulch, but I couldn’t be more interested if she was my own anddaughter. Don’t spare any expense, doc- or; ll pay the bill.” Mundee made a quick gesture. “T am not laboring for money, but for a life,” he said earnestly. ‘' You can not be more interested than I. This girl’s face—” He paused sorupily, e did not care to have Daddy Gray know all that was in his heart; he did not care to acknowledge even to himself how much he was interested in a woman of whom he knew nothing except that her name was Agatha. Agatha—what was the other name? Her feverish re of bad never revealed the secret, and if she died, it was liable to be a mystery to the end of time. People ap ar at the West, live for awhile then die without a word and are buried without a ceremony. Who they are, or from whence they came, is often unknown. Perchance, asin the case of Daddy Gray, a sobriquet is their 4 known name. he patient stirred, her features moved, her eyes opened. Her gaze was directed full at Doctor Mundee, and as he read all, be felt like throwing up his hat like a schoolboy. | The | man, who had Revolver Champion. Mundee was astonished; she seemed to pass from one extreme to the other as by a bound, Her mind, too, had become perfectly clear, but she vouchsafed no further information in regard to herself, and her friends asked no questions, Both were as devoted as ever; Mundee after the earnest, keen but quiet fashion of his nature, and Daddy Gray with the patient kindness we have before marked. He had a surprise one morning when Agatha addressed him abruptly: ‘*Tell me how | came here,” she said. The old man started, hesitated and then told the whole story except that he glided as lightly as possible over what seemed likely to excite her, he heard in silence, and then said: ‘*If you will ask Doctor Mundee to come here, I will tell my story, You two seem to be the only friends I have on earth, and I want some one to hear what I have come to Nevada for. Then, perhaps you can advise me.” ‘*T am sure we will doall we can,” said Gray, more earnestly than usual, ‘‘We have taken an interest in you—that young doctor watched over you when the fever was raging, as anx- iously as though you had been his sister—and you can depend onus. Then, if you need fight- ing-men, miss, why, there are those down at Ramrod Bar who would cut and shoot till the sun went down.” Agatha smiled faintly, and looked after Dad- dy with grateful eyes as he went to call Mun- ee. They came in together soon after, and then she told the story of ber life so far as she knew it, ‘‘T have lived in the shadow of mystery all my days,” she said, ‘‘and the vail bids fair to remain forever. lam one. of those strange be- ings who cannot even tell their own name. Kighteen years ago a woman, who lived in a humble cabin on the Mississippi bank of the river of the same name, was one day surprised by the entrance of a well-dressed man who bore a girl-baby in his arms. He asked permission to leave the child for an hour or two while he looked around the vicinity, and Mrs, Bemis, proud to be thus trusted by a rich man, freely consented, ‘The stranger went away and never returned for his child. Surprise, doubt, alarm and other emotions came to the good woman and her bus- band, but time passed and the situation re- mained unchanged. They tried to learn from the child her name, that of her parents and her home, but the little girl had but three words in her vocabulary: her infantile pronunciation of ‘ father’ and ‘ mother,’ and another word which was like ‘ Ag’tha,’ and which they judged to be her own name—Agatha. ‘To make my story short, let me say that the child remained on their bands, despite the in- formation ‘they gave the authorities; that the child was myself, and that I grew to maturit in their charge; but that their worldly condi- tion so improved that I received a very fair education, ‘*‘ Now I come to another epoch in my life, which will explain why I came to Nevada.” Doctor Mundee bent eagerly forward. ‘Two years ago we were living on a ranch in Kansas, when a man named Donald Lander came to the neighboring village. He was hand- some, brilliant, and to my eyes, all that was noble and manly. We met, and he seemed to take a strong fancy to me. He came often to the ranch, and the matter went on until—we were married.” Doctor Mundee started back, and a gray pal- Jor settled over his face. His lips framed the word “‘ Married!” but no sound was audible. ‘* Let me pass quokiy over what is so painful to recall, short period of happiness followed and then he—the man I loved—tired of me. I saw it, but closed my eyes until, one morning, I found him gone, and in his place a note that said we had made a mistake, that he had found he did not care for me, and that he hoped by separation that I would soon forget. I was de- serted |!” “The brute!” Doctor Mundee breathed through his teeth. ‘‘T bowed to the inevitable, and for a year scarcely stirred from the house, Then a Kansas st_returned from the West, crisis was past; with proper care the girl would | brought news that he bad seen Donald Lander live. He saw the wonder and perplexity which be- | and I resolved to seek gan to creep over her face and smiled cheer- ul ‘Have no fear,” he said, gently. ‘* You are with friends, and we will do all that is possible for you.” Her lips moved to utter a whisper. ‘Something horrible has occurred; I cannot remember what, but I have been very ill.” “You have, but all that is oe You are now on rour way to recovery, have forgotten your name,” He had given bera medicine which she drank | ' | The statement electrified me, him; so, alone and friend- less, I journeyed to seek my busband.” Mundee drew back until bis face was in the shadow, and Agatha, continuing her story, re- lated what we have already placed before the reader in telling the experience of Helen Ne- ville; for it is already clear to all that the Aga- tha of the mountain cabin was the same as the woman who had claimed Barranca Bill as Donald Lander, and who had been for one brief occasion the unhappy ‘ Nightingale” of the Weeping Willows, From the point where we then left. her, her in Comet Camp. without argument, but at the last word her | story may be abbreviated to a few words. head was again on the pillow. ‘*T am ip i asd she answered, simply, her eyelids drooped as she again fell asleep. Fearing that she would lose this rare prize for and | whom she had risked so much, the Witch of the Willows resolved to for a while secrete her in the mountains, and for that purpose she was At the end of two days the sick woman had pleced ina carriage and driven awey over the greatly improved. Her gain wasso rapid that mro‘ Bar trail. EoOmMmichboo C cS (e om