Beadle's Dime Library No. 263 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

— oe —— * = - * * on nee Se - . ~ > o< = == - Oe et imme oS — AT Se =, . » > —————+ c cine diliiedineeen tate en * —— = Ce te ge > ce ee ee — ee —— etna tte | . he & iy ' i ‘ = — ~~ * ba 0 Rew wk Sa oe og pe Pa Aye 5 26 ———— .. _- ‘*'You ask me how the girl is to be rescued,” Abe then said. ‘ Well, I can see but one way. Some one of us must go inside the house and help her. It canvot be me, for I cannot go secretly and all men here know my form.” **Can any of us go openly?” “You must go that way if you go at all. Hear my plan: I propose that one of the Black Riders be captured and that you enter Dia- mond’s house disguised in his place. His clothes will belp a good deal, and darkness may do the rest.” The suggestion was far from being a pleasant one to entertain, but Doctor Rube resolved to run the risk if it came to that. If any one went it must be he. If he had told the fact, he would have said his reason was to be near Leora Templeton once tore; he could not shake off the charm of her presence, thcugh he did cor- dially despise himself for yielding to it. While thinking thus be had entirely forgot- ten everything else, but he was suddenly aroused as Iron-Armed Abe made a spring from his side and dropped on something among tho ‘rocks like a pantber on its prey. . Doctor Rube saw a confused struggle, in which two men seemed to be blended, and then the bunchback arose and came forward with ‘his late antagonist firmly held in his arms, The latter wore the dress of the Black Riders and looked terribly alarmed, but it was the fruit of spying on the Destroyer. Keen ears had Abe, and those who molested him meddled at great risk, e did not stop at Rube’s side, and the doctor was surprised to see him hold tbe struggling wretch above his head and above the crater, where the smoke curled around him. It made a thrilling tableau, and one. Rube could not raise his voice to break, horrified as he reas, **Down!” cried Iron-Armed Abe, in a ter- rible voice. ‘*Down and feed the volcano fires!” A shriek broke from the man’s Jips, but the hunchback stepped back and laughed mock- ingly. @ Fool” he said, ‘‘you need have no fear; not at present. We need you too much in another way to send you down to the volcano, demon as you are. Doctor, the chance of which ke has come,” be nodded and together they carried the prisoner down the crater to ther quarters, He was as badly frightened as a man could be, but received no pity from any one. When fairiy in the midst of the whole party, he was ordered to answer their questions truth- fully. The most important one asked was his name, which, after the eccentric fashion of the Black Riders, proved to be Bentbush. It seemed quite appropriate just then, for he was certainly par * bent.” A long conversation ensued among the little party of volcano residents and it was finally de- cided that Doctor Rube should enter the lair of ‘King Diamond asa spy, and in Mr. Bentbush’s clothing. Abe k-ew so much about the place that he would be able to tell him nearly all he did not know, and it was very much in their favor that Bentbush belonged to a division which was to stand on guard in’ Diamond’s house. As a result, Doctor Rube could intro- duce himself without any great trouble, _ It was a wild plan, but not so bad as it seemed. Nature bad made him and Bentbush a good deal alike in face and form, and when he had donned the Black Rider costume he was pro- nounced liable to succeed by all except Sex: ‘On his own part, the doctor was aware thatfit was a foolbardy undertaking, but he thought of Leora und did not hesitate. With the per- versity of a man in love be was reluctant even then to believe Leora was in the City of the Desert. _ He cursed his folly in the moment of its con- ception, even while resolving to carry it on, in which particular be was like a good many other men. . Tbus it was that, having been escorted to the foot ef the mountain by Iron-Armed Abe, he took bis way shortly after dark toward the heart -of the vi'lage. “With the die fairly cast he entered into the adventure with all possible resolution and ease of bearing, and‘one would not have suspected he Was anything more than he seemed as he moved along the street. He reached Diamond’s home and knocked ata eertain door described by the hunchback. The _knock was peculiar, being the signal of the band and the door at once opened. Redspur s before him. CHAPTER XXXIII. LEORA. Doctor RvsE felt a momentary thrill of doubt as be saw the Black Rider chief, but the test had not yet come. Without a glance at him Redspur passed through the door, and as the false member saw that he was going out he merely saluted him and the chief went his wa’ * The doctor entered the room. Tt was of good size aod none tvo well lighted. Half a dozen of the Black Riders were present, four of whom OP en if RE - EE were playing cards and the others amusing themselves as.best they could; all of which was as the spy had been told be would find matters. He crossed the room, sat down where his face would be in the shadow and began to smoke. One of the other men had nodded to him, and that was all the notice he received. He looked curiously at his companions. All seemed so much alike that he wondered how they could distinguish each other without a fair look, and where Diamond had managed to pick up such a crowd, Perhaps half an hour had passed when the door at the side of the room opened and Camp appeared in the opening. He glanced from one to another of the men and finally settled his gaze on Doctor Rube. ‘* Bentbush!” he called. Rube was Bentbush for the time being, and he promptly arose and saluted the prime-minis- ter. ‘Follow me!” ordered Camp. The doctor oo cra, Ho awkward con- viction that all his fellow Black Riders were looking at him, but the door finally closed be- hind him and he was alone with Camp. The prime-minister looked at him with a fixedness which made him grow uncomfortably warm, venne the idea, as it did, that he was suspecte But he mistook Camp’s thoughts. ‘*Bentbush,” he said, ‘‘you have a sort of sanctimonious look.” ‘*Thank you, sir,” said Bentbush, gravely. ‘* And I dare say, can keep a straight face, and maintain an assumed character?’ ‘‘Tolerably well, sir.” ‘* Well, you are wanted to play the parson to- nigbt.” ‘The parson?” ‘Yes, To be plain, Bentbush, I am going to be married. You remember the girl prisoner lately brought here—Norola is hername. Well, I bave taken a fancy to her, and as our gracious captain is a kind ruler, be has consented to forego sundry plans he had for himself, and, let me have her as my wife. As we lack a parson, some other good man must officiate, and as you are @ hypocritical-looking rascal, I select you!’ And Camp punched Mr, Bentbush in the ribs, as though the a was a good one, ““Hal ha! Very good. But about this cere- mony. You want me to marry you and the girl, if I get the idea.” “Byactly: that is my idea.” Doctor Rube felt a strong desire to knock the old villain over the head; but he was wise enough to refrain for awhile. He clearly saw, however, that Norola bad ample need of some friend at the City of the Desert. ‘*T haven’t any idea o’ ther lingo parsons fire off on sech occasions,” he said, with consider- able coolness; “‘ but if you can fix that, I kin keep my face straight.” ‘““That’s what I want to speak about, Mr. Bentbush, and I will give you half an hour to learn it by heart from the book, Come with me! Doctor Rube followed, and was conducted to a room where no other person was visible. Camp showed him a book lying on the table beside the lamp, and bidding him look it over enough to seem tolerably familiar with it, as a minister should, left the room. The success of his fraud up to that time was very encouraging to thedoctor, but he began to think he bad become engaged in an enterprise too much for his genius, How was he to save Norola from the fate which menaced her? This was the great ques- tion in his mind, as it might well be, for the ways and means did not seem numerous. He was her only friend in the City of the Desert, he had no time to return to Smoky Mountain, even if the idea was otherwise practicable, and though Iron-Armed Abe had promised to be near he did not know where to find him, Doctor Rube tried to get a grasp on the sub- ject, while to sustain the character of Bentbush, if any one was watching, he mechanically looked at the printed page of his hook, and saw a confused medley of marriage expressions float before his eyes. ; At this moment, too, he became conscious of a murmur of voices, and the fact that they were feminive at once aroused his interest. They seemed to proceed from an adjoining room, and he arose, and went to the connecting door. The voices then became so distinctthat he not only distinguished the exact words, but the calm, even tones of the person speaking were as familiar as anything in life. The speaker was Leora Templeton. ‘*My dear,” he heard her say, “I think you fier rae foolish to look at this matter in suc a ight. ** And are human hearts and sou!s to be* bar- tered like goods in a market?’ cried a second voice, so full of sharp mental pain as to make Rube’s face grow even darker—and the more so since he again recognized a well-known voice. The last speaker was Norola. ‘* Marriage,” said Leora, with icy calmness. “is woman’s end, or aim, in life. It is for that she was created, and it is the one thing for - Tron-Armed Abe, the Hunchback Destroyer. | which she need exert herself. It should be her ambition to make a brilliant murriage;: one which assures her wealth and position; chis talk abc ut love is all nonsense; it is the fancy of an emp"y-headed dreamer. Marry only for money, my dear Norola, Well, here is Mr. Camp, a very ne gentleman and a millionaire. Hoe offers you his heart, bis hand and his millions, You are very foolish if you don’t take them.” The fictitious Bentbush bad never heard a more unfeeling, cold-blooded speech than this synopsis of Miss Templeton’s peculiar views, and he ground his teeth in impotent rage. ‘“T would as soon marry a mummy!” cried Norola. ‘‘ Money may be your idol, but it isn’t mine. I have still some human feeling left, I hope.” ‘* Human feeling is a regard for one’s advance in worldly position; your views are foolish and sentimental. I tell you itis to your advantage to marry Mr. Camp. You do not know how rich he is. Golden Valley is full of the aurifer- ous soil; if was that, and a desire to monopolize it, that made this a secret city, Camp is worth millions. Will you throw away such a chance?” Doctor Rube made a gesture of loa aing. Miss L-ora’s sentiments were such that he could hardly crush the desire to lay bands on her and shake out such a villainous doctrine. Must Norola be contaminated by her? “You had better marry Camp yourself,” re- torted Norola. ‘Thank you; I have other views,” ‘‘T have heard somethi.g about the Temple- ton case, so-called.” ‘*People hear a good many things they had better not hear.” ‘‘ For instance, it is said you are not Leera Templeton,” Norola defiantly continued. ‘That is my affair, not yours, Let us speak of Camp.”’ “That is my affair, not yours. I'll have nothing todo with Camp,” There was a pause, during which Doctor Rube could imagine the two peue women facing each other angrily. Finally, Leora spoke again. ‘Very well, miss, you can use your own judgment in the case. I have advised you to proceed sensibly, but since you disregard my advice you must walk yourown path. I tell you, however, that Mr. Camp will not bumor you in your romantic views,” “ Right, apite rigbt, my dear ladies,” an- swered another voice which Rube knew to be Camp’s. ‘‘Miss Templeton has presented the case in its true light. You are young yet, ry dear’ Norola, and you don’t see what a blessing it would be to unite your fortunes with my own,” “I'd sooner unite them with a toad’s!” de- clared Norola. * Willful, still.” ‘*'You and I may as well understand each other,” said Norola, bravely. ‘I’m not going to commit any such supreme folly as marrying you, and I'll scratch poux eyes out if you come near me, You hear, [ suppose?’ Camp acknowledged that he did hear, and a sharp exchange of words followed. In this con- versation the voice of Leora did not appear, but Docior Rube did not suspect that she bad left the room until, hearing the rustle of a dress near bim, he suddenly turned his eyes and saw that he was no longer alone in bis own room. He stood face to 1ace with Leora Templeton. One moment there was an ominous pause, but the counterfeit Bentbush saw by her looks of wild surprise that he was recognized, and he sprung forward and grasped her arm, ‘‘ Not a word!’ he exclaimed, ‘Do not dare to sound the alarm, or 1 may forget that you are a woman!” His frowning face added to the menace, and a little of her color receded from her cheeks, ‘‘Unhand me!” she exclaimed, excitedly. _ “Not until you promise,” be icily answered. “T find you in a position now where I can no longer doubt, and you see me in a position where my life hangs ised as by a thread. Such being the case I sball not hesitate; I shall deal with you rigorously.” } ; ‘* You will only make your situation worse,” she said, defiantly. ‘‘Captain Diamond will put you to the severest tortures,” He laughed mockingly. _ “At last you speak plainly, In San Fran- cisco you were an angel, and * St. Jerome’ was another. You were incapable of wrong and so was he. Neither of ha knew aught about the City of the Desert. Bah! I did not believe you then, and I bave seen my suspicions confirmed. I know you 48 you are,” “ What am I?” ‘* A base adventuress!” ‘ A quick shadow, as though of mental pain, crossed the girl’s face, and she pressed one bana over her heart as though the pain went deeper. ‘“* Have T sunk as low as this?? she muttered, as thongh addressing herself, “Can you doubt it, when you remember the advice you have just given Norola? She is young, good and innocent, You seek to ruin er—and you are a woman, tuo! What a heart does your fair exterior cover; what @ EGOMIG JOO ‘S. —_— es > 2