Beadle's Dime Library No. 258 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 Bullet Head, the Colorado Bravo. , was the child of the man he suspected of caus- ing the death of Reginald Sinclair, and, possi- bly, also that of Robert. Believing this, he excused his kindness to Lila by saying internally that she must be made an instrument of his vengeance, Blenker moved carefully, and, when the room ended, found a passage without aid from the light. Once more they went on, but only a few yas had been traversed when the leader paused, ‘‘Some one is coming!” he _ said, startled. Allen listened. Only one person could be heard and he formed his plan quickly. ‘Remain here with the lady,” he said to his friend, ‘‘and let me manage this affair.” ‘*You must not use your revolver,” said Blenker, hastily, but the warning was lost as Allen glided toward the unknown, When half the distance had beeu passed he extended himself at full length on the ground, The unknown advanced, nearly stumbled over really - him and then bent down. ‘* What’s the matter here?” he sharply asked. * Are you drunk?” It was the chance for which Allen had waited and he did not neglect it. He had recognized the voice of Darke, and with the fellow’s head near at hand he struck out hard and true. The lieutenant was dashed back by the blow, and, without being able to make a movement to defend himself, he fell heavily to the ground, In a moment more Allen stood over him, but there was no necessity for a second blow. — lay quite still and was harmless for the me, A word brought Blenker forward, and the outlaw was bound with cords taken from the room where Lila had been confined. All these delays had consumed a good deal of time and Blenker had grown impatient. He counseled haste and they moved on as before. Lila seemed unconscious of their movements and in deep thought, but it did not occur to the men that the transient light thrown on Darke’s face had revealed a former lover to her, The trio hastened on through a narrowin peoneme until a breath of fresh air announc he outer world. A few yards further and they were under the en sky, though still high up on the mountain side. None of the party felt great fear of the out- laws after that. It would be hard work to find them in the rough way down the peak. An army might almost hide in the cracks and crevices. The greatest danger, as Lila explained, lay in these very cracks and crevices; there were hun- dreds of places where an unwary step would send the traveler shooting downward hundreds of feet to sure death, All these dangers must be dared, however. Blenker looked at the Heavens and urged instant action, so they went on. Allen soon saw the need of helping Lila. The rocks pained her lightly-clad feet and she grew weary before the journey wasended. He aided her at first through policy, but her ladylike manner had made its impression before long and he almost forgot who she was. Red Bullet Bar was reached in due time. At that hour the place was silent. It was tooear! Haid labor and the last reveler had gone to his On the way the two men had managed to talk secretly and had decided to accept Lila’s offer otoher home, It would be odd if Bart- lett did not receive them kindly after what they had done, and though they bardly knew what to t from the move, they were anxious to be domiciled under the roof. Blenker was too old a detective not to know that chance is often one’s best friend in such cases. They proceeded at once to the house and a log pounding aroused the inmates. The Chinese servants were inclined to delay, but Edmund Bartlett recognized his daughter’s voice oud promptly admitted them. A day’s search h , ae sufficed to give him a clew to her fate er end return was hailed with pleasure. Her rescuers found him very polite and grate- ful. He thanked them cor y and declared his desire to help them in any and all possible ways; and when, giving their names as Ralph Allen and Mr. Birch, they said they were trave to see the country, he asked them to make ‘house their home for an indefinite Allen wavered for a moment before this oor- diality, but, remembering the work which had sent him to Colorado, steeled his heart and re- solved to go on unwaveringly. All the party were in poor condition to keep awake, and p ations were soon made for retiring. Our two friends fell asleep while dis- - eussing the situation and peace was over Red ullet Bar. Before joining the family the following morn- the avengers talked seriously. One point had been gained and they meant to make the most of it. ‘Tt is now clear,” said Blenker, ‘‘ that Bart- lett and Quain are not friends, otherwise the latter would not have stolen We gave ourselves away, as the saying goes, when talk- ing with Bullet Head, but it is not likely the latter will warn Bartlett.” “But it is likely he will try to drop on us again,” ‘True, but are we afraid?” ‘*Scarcely. All I ask is a chance to meet the Bravo face to face where he lacks the support of his men and I will either take him to St. Louis or leave him here in a condition ill-fitted for hostile words.” ort the latter case, what would Mrs. Quain say ‘It would be a relief. Sbe is one of those women who will stick toa man through thick and thin, but she can’t avoid a feeling of relief when the rods close over such a desperado as Tom Quain. The fact that he is at the head of the outlaws proves that he hasn’t reformed a particle.” ‘‘And you really believe he isn’t your fa- ther?” ‘‘Bah! Of course he isn’t. Mrs. Quain wouldn’t lie, and we can fully rely on her statement.” When our friends entered the dining-room they found Bartlett absent, for he had gone out to notify the citizens in regard to what had oc- curred and had been detained by something, and Allen and Blenker ate with Lila and a lady she introduced as her cousin. The latter, who lived at an adjacent town, had been summoned by the mine-owner as soon as he found his daughter missing. She wasa wo- man of about thirty years and of a dashing style of beauty. Her name was Hester Ware. After breakfast the quartette went to an- other room where they were soon joined by Bartlett. He had made arrangements for a grand outlaw-hunt for the afternoon and hoped to yet see Bullet Head ornamenting a gallows. He did not forget to thank Allen and the ex- detective again, and it was bard to realize that he was a villain. Something soon occurred, however, which aroused him from his coolness. Lila told of her escape from the somnambulist and tben added: ‘‘He made some remarks afterward which were very odd. He seemed to be under the im- ression that we were entertaining a stranger here: and when I denied it he asked me several times if I had seen any such person here. He ween a name, but I have forgotten it en- tirely. There was a renewed and instant interest on the part of each of the three men, Allen and his friend, remembering a certain enigmatical letter which was in their possession, exchanged glances and then, looking at Bartlett, were sur- prised to see how pale he was. The reader who remembers the second vic- tim of the iron vault will not be at a loss to un- derstand his emotion. The words, indeed, showed him that the life of Albert Leverett had been sacrificed in vain; the outline, if not the minutic of his crime was known. As startled as Bartlett was, he soon succeeded in forcing a laugh, ‘‘ This is odd, as you say, but I explain it by supposing that he wished to draw your atten- tion from his somnambulistic folly and talked at random.” ‘‘ But he also said that he knew you before I was born,” added Lila, innocently. Once more Allen and Blenker exchanged apeee for it did not seem strange that Bullet ead, otherwise Tom Quain, should make the assertion; but Bartlett, looking anxiously and inquiringly at Allen, suddenly became paler = ever and stared as though he had seen a ghost. CHAPTER XIV. CLOUDS BEGIN TO GATHER. EDMUND BARTLETT had good cause for alarm, else he would not have been affected, but neither of the two friends suspected the reason. An awkward silence followed. Allen was tempted to step forward and say, “‘ The name of this man who knows you is Thomas Quain,” bas he controlled himself and resolved to bide time. ‘*This is certainly very ad aso to me,” Bartlett said, rallying, ‘“‘ but I must deny acquaintance with Mr. Bu let Head. I know many rough fellows in Colorado, but I don’t believe any of them are road-agents.” | “‘ But you were in St. Louis, at the time he claims to have known you, were you not?” Lila asked. Bartlett replied affirmatively, though with evident annoyance, and then took matters vigorously into his own hands. He made light of the Bravyo’s remarks, pronouncing them wholly vague and fictitious, and declaring that money was the sole object of Lila’s abduction. His daughter was the only one who believed him. The men from St. Louis certainly could not be deceived, and Blenker noticed that Miss Ware was using her eyes to good advantage. The ex-detective, accustomed to Pep hina | he looks and actions, mentally decided that Ware was at once a brilliant and dangerous woman. “Allen must make love to her; that’s the only thing that can blind a woman's eyes,” thought the veteran. Tbe idea was worthy a practical mind like his, but before he could coufer with Allen he was agreeably surprised to see the lady settle: down beside his friend and, as he expressed it, ‘*carry making love. Blenker had ample food for thought. The: revelation of Lila had recalled the letter ap- propriated in Eben Garland’s house by Allen. According to that, some man whose name was not mentioned was to be lured to Red Bullet Bar and disposed of. Who it was the ex-detective did not know, but they had decided that it had no connection with the affair which had brought. them to Colorado, Now, however, he began to feel an interest im the matter. Bartlett and Bullet Head were no longer friends, yet the latter had in some way learned something about the unknown and had questioned Lila. Beyond a doubt the man of whom he wished to know was tho same that the mine-owner had referred to in his letter. Bartlett soon went out, Lila and Miss Ware remained in tho room. The latter making her- self the star of the occasion. She talked rapid-- ly and brilliantly, and Blenker, at least, seemed uly affected. He seemed to forget his gray hairs and smiled and laughed like a callow youth. It was not until some time later that he thought prudent to suggest a walk and smoke to Allen. They went out, and no sooner were they gone than Hester Ware abruptly left Lila and went in search of some one in the humbler portion of the house. She only oe ary when she encoun- tered Foolish Joe, the cripple. In the mean while Allen and Blenker had gone to a cluster of bushes a few rods away, and sat down upon a rock. The elder man Pe the place to a journey around the village. ‘‘How do you like Miss Ware?” he abruptly asked, when they had secured this ition. ‘‘She reminds me of a tigress in a playful mood,” was tho indifferent reply. ‘How would you like her for a wife?” ‘‘Not well enough to become your rival; I saw that you were interested,” Allen retorted. wi Still, you must make love to her!” sc 9 “Yes,” ‘For what reason?” ‘* Because she is dangerous. Sitting there to- day she drank in every word that was said and. whatever she may have known before, did her level best to catch the thread of everybody’s remarks, I tell you she is dangerous, I am willing to admit that some women are the ne plus ultra of human excellence; but when one is of the tiger-cat species she will kick up a big- ger unpleasantness than a million potato-bugs — acre of land!” ss pe a e unique comparison grasped by Mr. Blen- ker did aa hide the fact that ot was in earnest, and Allen did not think of smiling. “Do you think she is Bartlett’s ally?” ‘‘There I am at fault. Probably she is his niece, as he claims, for Lila does not deny it, and she is certainly of a different sort from her father; but if Miss Hester is not in Bartlett’s confidence, she is certainly well-disposed toward him. She is keen, and on something is in the wind, has decided to make love to you to get your confidence,” ‘‘And you wish me to reciprocate and beat: her at her own game.” ‘‘T wish you to gain her affections, and thus disarm her. She must not go to Bartlett with any of her tales.” his point being settled, conversation turned on what Bullet Head had said to Lila. He ac- cused her father of having made way with a friend of his. ‘The connection between this affair and the work hinted at in Bartlett’s letter to Eben Garland seemed obvious, but our friends decided that it was not a matter which interested them. “One thing perplexes me,” said Allen, after & pause. ‘ ett, while looking at me, as a sudden and unexplained emotion. “Have you no er open ‘‘T suspect that if I am really the son of Robert Sinclair I may resemble my father.” ‘““Such is my fear. I say ‘fear,’ because if your foe has seen the resemblance he may make matters warm for us. We should have thought of that before venturing here; 1am annoyed at our carelessness,” “Let it pass; we are in Bartlett’s lair, and we will try to give a good account of ourselves.” It was just as well to take this view of the case, but the fact remained that between the mine-owner and Bullet Head they were liable to get into trouble. They had seen the Bravo and told him plainly that they were interested in clearing up the mystery of the death of Regi- nald Sinclair. | Having quarreled with Bartlett, it was not likely he would give him any warning, but it was pretty certain that if he— Bullet Head—had oele) S the war into Africa,” or, in other’ words, take the lead in the outward form of’ Gom \e