Beadle's Dime Library No. 258 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

actuated by any sech emotion. Might an’ wrong ismy motter, fur I’m aruffyan an’a cut-throat. I’m ther Colorado Terror an’ vari- ous other things too numerous ter mention.” Wicked William ran his fingers through his tangled beard and scowled until his small eyes almost disappeared behind a collection of | wrinkles, but at the last word his listless man- | ner vanished. Producing a letter from among his rags he Wssed it on the table. ‘‘ Found that thar on ther floor,” he said, ‘‘ an’ ez | was inclined ter think it might amooze you, hyar it be. Read it, if you wanter; I don’t keer adurn. I’m a cut-throat, an’ them don’t keer : fur nutbin’.” ie » William opened the door abruptly at the last word and ing through, closed it in the same fashion. Thus, an interesting scene was hid from those within the room, and they did not ct that the ragged man’s quick ear, having detected something outside, had enabled him to detect 5 pe s looking down on Foolish Joe, the le. ia j Frello, Hop-o’-my-Tbhumb!” he said in an even tone. ‘‘Didn’t expect ter see you ’round this evening; I sw'arI didn’t. I obsarve that = are strength’nin’ your mind by eavesdroop- ’ at folkses’ doors,” + The putative idiot sat looking at him vacsnely, ie his ugly face expressive of nothing except ugli- ie ** Puffectly fit an’ proper!” i Wicked William repeated the words absently oe while he stroked his shaggy beard in the same My fashion. | “Thar is sutbin’ about your int’restin’ face f that impresses me right strong,” he continued. ) One can’t see ye without hankerin’ fur your friendship, an’ when one sees ther fercility with | which you, shattered both in yer brains an’ S legs, kin eavesdroop, he feels like wonderin’ what deeds o’ darin’ an’ other things you might do ef ye had ther nat’ral lights o’ man. Prehaps = — like ter iutrodooce a few resoloots ar Wicked William meant to be fair, but the cripple only muttered unmeaningly and caressed his lower limbs, ‘*Them legs remind me o’ ther hose-pike we _ used on Engine 10, when | run with ther boyses a in ther sixties, They wobble around wuss than ababy’s. Ef they was mine l’d make them use- . ful—use them fur a necktie, suspenders, or even | ag eae ez ’casion demanded,’’ ) he Puffectly t an’ prope! vice, but we can’t talk hyar. f walk. I kin see somethin’ loomin’ up in ther pe nigh future, an’ ef we git under ther while | , ther storm rages ther lightnin’ won’t strike us, ' 7 oe = 7 = a 2 a> —_ " eq ; ——-+ —- ° ’ re ‘ % - Sarr a t r, gur, gur!” muttered Foolish Joe. I am at yer sar- S’pose we take a Amble arter me, Joseph!’ Wicked William pulled gently on the cripple’s ats arm, and at the signal the latter moved along a uhe hall, using his legs as machinery of no use .¢ ‘Mit bound to go with him. His face was ex- 7" pressionless, but theself-styled cut-throat looked Boek" hougbtful and continued to stroke his beard. ee } He got the cripple out of the way none too Te soon, for Bartlett entered a moment later, hav- es) wig ape returned from Crisp’s cabin. i} } AP... ' a e went at once to Ki Lee’s room and found | the latter serenely smoking. bi _ Well, have you prepared your stuff?” he Betey quickly asked. at ‘‘Ready, all samee. Jess let "Melican men ry go ’sleepee an’ Ki Lee send dem ober de lange.” a He t showed his infernal preparation to bac Bartlett, who admired the ease with which the net liquid could be squirted several feet away. It k was harmless as yet, for one drug, and that the ret one, remained to be ad Three hours passed, The household seemed to have retired without exception. All was dark and silent, The clock struck one, Then the front door opened and three men 7 . . * - > —_—. = | stole silently out, turned the corner and moved Bt toward the windows of the St. Louis men’s e We need scarcely say they were Bartlett, Ki ve Lee and one of the other Chinamen, or that 7 they were on their way to carry out the in- ae famous scheme to end the lives of the two guests. ae 2 A ladder had been placed near at hand, and this was lifted and carried along. When the roper place was reached they leaned it against the mall directly under the window. The moon was shining tolerably clear, and while the fringe of trees threw the night es, t dgh tons into shadow, enough light penetrated the chamber to show Ki Lee, who first as- ended the ladder, the forms of two men who were sleeping on the bed. _ At least, such was the report he made to ce Bartlett. . Fate seemed to smile on the schemers, and ts once more Ki Lee went up the ladder. This time he bore the tools with which he proposed to deluge the room with an air-poisoning and nee illing liquid, » It was easily done. Silently worked the e, surely the liquid, and Ki Lee knew that when the room was closed whoever breathed the air for half an hour would never breathe again. — 20 | ‘Bullet Head, the Colorado Bravo. This done he lowered the window and came down the ladder. ** Me fixee dem,” he said. ‘‘ Go up bime-byee; no stirree, but be stone deadee!” ‘Wait in silence,” said Bartlett. ‘Do not speak again.” His direction was obeyed and a half-hour passed slowly. Bartlett was far from being calm inwardly. He had reason for looking on the deed asa momentous one. He thought of the dying pair above and shivered. His heart beat with a real, or fancied, loudness which frightened him, e@ was glad when Ki Lee spoke. ‘**Tlime enough now,” he coolly said. ‘‘ Are you sure they are dead?” **Me wallant them,” ‘Then [ will go up.” He ascended the ladder and peered into the room. The dark forms were still visible; un- doubtedly they bad died in their sleep. He was filled with exultation and raised the window. Foul, drug-laden air rushed out, but he bent low and waited until it became purified. This done he prepared for further steps. It ad been arranged that while the Chinamen re- mained below he should goin alone, and hecrept through the window. Once inside his courage began to waver. On the bed lay two men who had died by his decree; their blood was on his hands. e shivered, hesitated, and then hastily approached the bed. Dreading the result he reached down and pulled back the bed-clothing to see the faces which were invisible in the dim light—pulled them back and then uttered a faint cry. The forms were headless! For a moment he was confused and at fault, and then, flinging the clothes further back, he knew the truth. He had been tricked; the forms were mere shams, effigies, and bis enemies were not there. He stood dumfounded, staring at the bed even after the passage of a cloud over the moon threw the room into sbadow; and though footsteps had announced the entrance of his Chinamen, as he believed, he did not turn until the return of light aroused him, bat pause had been one full of alarm; the absence of the men and the effigies they had left were conclusive proof that his intended crime had been suspected, if not known. They must be sought for, captured and slain or all was lost. He wheeled with the order on his lips, but after one glance staggered back egeinet the bed, the words dying away in his throat. There, still and stern, and looking pale in the moonlight, stood Allen and the ex-detective. CHAPTER XXYV, LIEUTENANT DARKE WALKS IN. BARTLETT was thoroughly frightened. His first idea was that he was looking on a pair of ghosts, but as he remembered that these two men still existed in the flesh, he gave up the idea and decided that he had been doubly out- witted. At this stage of affairs Blenker thrust a re- volver against his left breast and steadily ex- claimed: ‘*Surrender, sir! Nota word of alarm, ora move toward resistance, or you area dead man, You are my prisoner!” ‘* What do you mean?” Bartlett gasped. ‘‘That we are not to be murdered to-night. We hold the best cards in this game and we are going to use them. Allen, tie bis hands!” ‘“T will not submit!” cried the guilty man, I will—” ‘* What?’ demanded the ex-detective, in an aay Vere. vidently, Mr. Bartlett had no plan formed, for he sunk back on the bed and like one ina dream allowed Allen to apply the bonds. ‘‘There,” added Blenker, “ you are nice and safe now, and in a condition where your pro- pensity for evil-doing can’t have full sway.’ The mine-owner’s weakness was passing, and now that it was too late he regretted that he had yielded so tamely, though it was.a consola- tion to know he was still in his own bouse and surrounded by men who had been attached to no gold. ‘* What are you going to do with me?” he sud- denly asked. ‘Take you to St. Louis, and put you on trial for the murder of Reginald Sinclair!” ** So it was you 1 met in the grove!” he cried, scornfully. I suspected as much, Fools! why waste your time on such idle dreams?” ‘* Simply because we want to settle up the Sinclair aff.ir, and give you your deserts.’ Puffectly fit an’ proper.” It was Wicked William who interpolated this remark, as he swaggered into the room, and Al- len took his hand. ‘‘Friend,” he said, “I am not eloquent enough to tell you how much I thank you. You have done nob i ‘‘T'm sorry, but *twas an accident. For a champion cut-throat, ve got a long ways out 0’ my canawl. Ef ther red slayer was slayin’ a ‘ay, vor wouldn’t speak ter him with im- punity. The speaker wound up witha ferocious scowl: @ but Allen only smiled. He had begun to un- derstand the man, and knew that an honest na- ture lurked under his rage. He had aided them to set this trap for Bart- lett, and but for bim they might not have been able to subdue the two Chinamen outside with- out noise. When Bartlett saw that Wicked William was also against him he felt a fresh wave of despair though he did not forget one event which ha been set down for the night, and in which he placed considerable hope. Allen and Blenker consulted, and decided to remain in the house till morning. They might call the Red Bar sheriff and make charges against Bartlett at onee, but they had some hope that the Denver detective, to whom they had telegraphed, wculd arrive in the morning; and there was a doubt whether the Bar sheri would arrest the millionaire at their command, Thus Bartlett, Ki Lee and the other two Chinamen were confined in one room, bound, and with the captors near their side. Wicked William bad previously turned the key on Foolish Joe, but when he went to look for him, the fellow was gune. An open window indicated his course. ‘“‘Ther durnation imp bas abbreviated his stay,” said the ragged man,‘ an’ I know now what I s’pected afore. Ef he had lacked ther use o’ his legs, he’d never gone out thar so slick. It sticks in my noddle that Joseph is a fraud— durned ef it don’t!” i ‘‘ He will bring help for Bartlett, then,” said llen. ‘* Possibly he will; but ef they come, ther red slayer will arise in his wrath.” * We will hold this house, if possible,” Allen declared. yy Puffectly fit an’ proper,” William comment- No attention bad been given to Lila. She re- mained in ber room, and they believed her un- conscious of what had cccurred; they hoped she would sleep on until morning. It was, therefore, a disagreeable surprise to Allen when, in making one of bis periodical rounds of the house, he met her face to face. @ was embarrassed; but she gave him no time to form a line of conduct. ‘‘T wish to speak with you, Mr. Allen,” she said, steadily. ‘*‘ You can guess the subject.” ‘You refer to your father, of course. Fe Yes; and I have come to ask you to liberate im.’ ** It is a request which gives me pain, for it is certainly a most unpleasant task to be obliged to refuse a daughter’s pleas. Yet, Miss Bart- lett, we have not seized your fatber through any mere personal gems? As much as I re- gret to say it, he is wanted by the law!” ‘*Do not understand me as ar ere the ree of what you have done. It is nof that. f—if I was sure of bis innocence, bis captivity would seem bui a trifling affair, soon to end.” Their eyes met and they understood some- what of what was passirg in each other’s minds, but Allen failed to answer. ‘What I ask is that yea will give bim a chance to live a different life, it indeed, he has led one of error in the past, It isa dreadful thing to die, Mr. Allen, and far worse when one is unprepared. I ask mercy for my father, the only relative I have in the world. [am mother- less, and the shadow of double orphanage falls - my path, For my sake, spare that old man’s e She dro upon her knees and extended her clas d ee toward bim, He felt a pang of bitter regret. Had he fol- lowed the impulses of his heart he would have sworn to do her bidding, but be remembered that for twenty years the world had called his father—if, indeed, Robert Sinclair was such—a murderer and he turned from the temptation. ‘I can’t!” he muttered. * What bas he done?” ‘* Don’t ask me; you had better not know.” **T am bis daughter.” ‘“So much the more reason why you shouldn't know. If you knew all—” “Go on!” ‘* Your love would turn to borror.” “Then, that is just. the reason why I should plead for him. Oh, sir! you are good and gen- erous; will you see a woman kneel in vain at your feet? Mercy, mercy! Spare my father! ou waver; I see you do; oh! do not let the im- pulse pass by. { implore you, by the memory of your mother, listen to me. Say that you will let him go free! We will go away, bun- dreds of miles, and all our money be yours,” . She had caught his hand and_ber plea was made rapidly and vebemently. He was deeply moved and troubled. Believing ber to be hon- orable herself, he was resolved that the future should bring her no want; that he would care for her; but how could he say, “I must hang your father, but I'll care for you?” ‘‘ Useless!” he exclaimed, at last: “‘ you ask in vain. Heaven knows I would avoid this neces- sity if I could, but even you cannot undo the past nor change the future,” _ His voice was firm and she burst into tears, a weapon more potent than any other. He would JOO EGoOmie cS (E(o) - eee