Beadle's Dime Library No. 263 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

fe a eae ee en — he Sit down,” he calmly said, pointing to a cbair. The physician obeyed, but still looked at his captor with a defiant look. The latter no longer seemed like a well meaning student. Pale he was, but Rube saw in his face signs of a cruel: and stubborn spirit, and the serpent’s eye glit- tered balefully. “I wish to call your attention to your situa- tion,” evenly observed Captain Diamond, ‘* You are a prisoner, far from your friends andina strange place. I use the last expression advis- edly, for this city is a strange place. It is a kiogdom by itself, and I am its ruler. My wish is law here. If I say to men, ‘Go!’ the obey; if Tsay, ‘Come!’ itis the same. My will is suoreme; all who come to the City of the Desert must bow to it. Now, you are here, and what is more, you came at my bidding. You were brought to amputate the wrist of this girl. Why it is so, you need not ask; you have only to obev, But, what if you do not see fit to obey? Then, you will die. Perhaps you think of calling for help. It would be folly; there is not one person in this city who would not strike you dead at my bidding.” The speaker paused and looked fixedly at Taye ube, but the latter’s face did not change, os Once more, you may go on with your kill- g. “T shall not kill you, for you will obey,” Diamond calmly answered, caressing bis gleam- ing breast- pin, ‘ Never!” You will Or Doctor Rube looked at his companion ina rage. He had schooled himself to a professional composure, as physicians du, but before the ic calmness of Captain Diamond it all fled. He felt himself overmatched, and in his wrath would have leaped at the man’s throat only that he feared to make a bad matter worse. “We shall see,” he therefore answered an- grily. — “My dear sir, this is utter folly,” said Diamond. ‘‘ Why do you stand out because of so small a matter? W hat is this girl to you?” “She is one of God's creatures, and, as such, deserving of buman treatment. Jam a man, andI will not knowingly do that which I see is intended as the first step in a crime,” “In acrime, sir?” **So I said.’ ** What do you mean?” “JT bardly know, but it is clear that some game of villainy is behind this affair. Does this gir) want her arm mutilated? Plainly not. What object have you in doing it? That’s what I don’t know, but it is clear you have some villainy afloat, Ill not be a party to it!” Doctor Rube spoke sturdily, and though the icy face before him did not change, the cold eyes seemed to search his face intently. “You presume too much,” Diamond then said. ‘‘Itis not for you to reflect, meditate or surmise; your place as a surgeon is to do your work and receive your pay. e here!” He took from his ket a silken ab opened it and revealed closely-packed and large- sized golden coin inside. ‘Five hundred dollars,” he softly added. ** Quite a fortune to a poor man. Besides which, you may have safe escort to Snicker’s Gulch or to Santa Barbara.” ‘*Pat on another cipher and I still refuse,” Doctor Rube unhesitatingly declared. “Tf gold isso powerless,” continued Diamond, without a change in his face or voice, “‘ perhaps lead may induce you to do the work.” As he spoke, he drew a revolver and thrust its rouzzle against the doctor’s temple. CHAPTER IV. A PECULIAR SITUATION. “Now,” said Captain Diamond, coldly, “ pro- coed with your work. Cut that arm off at the wrist or die!” It wasn’t a pleasant situation and many a thoroughly honest man would have yielded in order save his own life, but Doctor Rube had a species of stubbornness which made him a hard man to coerce when once his mind was made up. He had no thought of yielding to Diamond, but something unexpected had occurred while he stood there—-something which led him to de- =, and seek for means to fall into the line w ch this new occurrence had made neces- Dose Rube was young and as susceptible as the average man, but he had a strength of mind which had led him to forsake the East and its pleasant bomes and plunge into the rough life of the West to better his financial condition. He was also thoroughly honest and upright. as has been seen by his refusing the tempting offer of Captain Diamond. From the moment he first saw the young lady on the couch, he felt a profound interest fn her. She was beautiful, and the man never yet lived who was indifferent to beauty. She was help- less, and this fact appealed to all the chivalry of the doctor’s nature. On the whole, he felt a sympathy and interest no other woman had ever aroused within bim. Once, near the end of their recorded conver- sation, the charming arm which he was to mutilate slipped from the spread and dangled in space. He raised and replaced it, and then feeling himself the guardian of her future in so far as his feeble powers—and they were surely feeble enough, just then—went, he retained her hand in his grasp. It was at this moment that he received an unmistakable pressure from that hand; a pres- sure which showed that though her eyes were closed she was far from being unconscious. Like lightning he grasped the state of affairs; by some means the opiate administered by Dia- mond, or his tools, bad failed to do what was expected of it and the girl was all the while con- scious and listening to what they said! It was a startling ‘portend t hut Doctor Rube managed to preserve his calmness, He looked Diamond in the face without a change of coun- tenance, even while bis active mind was trying to map out his line of conduct. ‘Proceed with your work or die!” repeated Diamond. There was another pressure on Doctor Rube’s hand, and it gave him strength and boldness, He stole a glance at the fair face on the pillow. There was a quivering of the eyelids and he felt that the girl was listening with an intensity only to be felt by one in such dire peril. He resolved to die before he would sever that warm, fairy hand from its place, but strategy must take the Vee of stubborn opposition. ‘*What good will it do you to kill me?” he demanded, looking Diamond calmly in the face. ‘*-You hold a revolver, and I have no reason to doubt that a touch of your finger will senda bullet through my brain. But, what good will thatdo you! Will it accomplish for you the work which you wish done?” “Tt will serve my second choice, which is to cover a stupid fool with four feet of earth, M first is to see you prove yourself a sensible man and g° away from the City of the Desert with five hundred dollars in your pocket.” Doctor Rube appeared to meditate. “* Are you not afraid I shall return and bring a posse of officers with me?” iamond smiled carelessly. ‘“No, My dear sir, if you will do this Ill give ou a thousand dollars. But you can’t; no uman being can find this place; you might as well try to find Aladdin’s lamp. You would wander aimlessly on the desert for weeks and months, but you would not find this walled-in valley. It is an ignis fatwus, except to those who know its secrets.” Doctor Rube had relinquished the girl’s hand after a pressure which he meant should say to her, ‘‘ Trust in me,” and stood pulling viciously at his beard. He had allowed his defiant ex- dhs re to give way to one of deep gloom and is gaze was fixed on the serpent’s eye, ‘‘ Sir,” he suddenly said, ‘* what is the object of this mysterious work?” Baas is not for you to know,” was the cold reply. P Perhaps you are asking me to become a party to acrime,” he grumbled. ‘* Do you imagine you would bs held biamable for what you did with a revolver at your head?” ‘** And this is unalterable?’ “< Yes.” Diamond’s voice was as cold and calm as ever, but Doctor Rube did not heed the inflec- tion. He was resolved not to commit the vil- lainous work marked out for him, but as the girl was conscious he was anxious to gain speech with her, “Very well,” he said, with cm submission, xg % will do your bidding, but it is under pro- “That is understood,” was the even answer. Diamond made a gesture to Camp, who ao forward a stand, upon which was some object covered over with a cloth. He removed the latter, and a full set of surgical instruments lay exposed to the prisoner’s practiced eyes. —- oO aera with your work,” said Diamond, mly. “T cannot work with people around me. The presence of an ignorant person, professionally considered, is like a thorn in my flesh.. I must work alone and be alone.” Diamond’s gaze sought that of his prisoner. For the first e he showed feeling, but it was in the form of suspicion. Plainly, he did not look upon the idea with favor. It was a moment of great suspense to Doctor Rube, for the future of the girl seemed at stake, but be relied on the fact that they were so completely in the cap- tain’s power, a fact favorable for the accom- | sword. | What, then, could he do? plishment of the first part of his plan, but ter- ribly unfavorable for the second part. ‘You shall be left alone,” said Diamond, after a pause, “but I warn you not to attempt any game upon me. By leaping through yon- der window you would gain the street, but you could not go forty feet without being seized by my body-guard. Play me no tricks.” ‘There is no ground for your suspicions—” began the doctor, but he was interrup Iron-Armed Abe, the Hunchback Destroyer. Jeft alone, but the door will be left open so that I can observe all you do. I trust you will do well by yourself.” He touched his revolver significantly, Modded to Camp and the woman and all went out. The door was left open, as Diamond had said, but the trio retired to the further end of a long apartment where thev seated themselves so that they could watch Doctor Rube and be easily watched in turn. The latter was in the greatest dilemma of his life. He saw that the unknown girl was the victim of some strange and terrible persecution |—terrible, because they would have deprived / i i ————— her of ber band while she slept a drugged sleep —and be longed to rescue her. But bow could he do it? What did his individ- ual power amount toin a city where Diamond ruled every man and woman with an iron hand? Making a pretense of being busy with his in- struments, he bent over the girl. “Do not stir,” he said, in a subdued voice. “We are alone and can talk, I want light on this affair.” The eyelashes went up quickly and the eyes were unvailed. It scammed to Doctor Rute »s though a pair of twin stars bad flasbed forth upon him. They were dark, bright, dazzling, —, eyes, sbining from the heaven of ber ace, “Save me! save me!” she cried in a whisper, but far too loud for safety. ‘*Hush! be calm, be careful. It is our only hope. Tell me, what does this mean?” “IT do not know. Iam the prisoner of this man. He captured me froma hacienda near Los Angeles and I awoke to find myself lying here before you. I have been drugyed, I know. Imagine the horror of my awakening, when I heard you commanded to sever my band from my arm. Oh! sir, save me! save me!” Bhe had caught bis hand, holding it in that fair member of ber own which Captain Dia- mond had doomed, and ber touch, ber looks and her voice went straight to Doctor Rube’s heart. His professional dignity fied and be felt like throwing himself at her feet to swear eternal allegiance, and then to die fighting for her, if need be, like a cavalier of old. Luckily, his matter-of-fact nature triumphed over his romantic one and be came down to solid business at once, ‘‘Then you are a total stranger here?” “cc Yes.” “And can give me no clew by which I can save you from this fate?” ‘*You can surely call for aid; you can sum- mon the police,” she said. The reply showed that she was indeed ignc- rant, that she knew less of the City of the Desert than he did himself. It also threw the whole course of affairs for the future upon him, and he was ill fitted for the responsibility, What could he do, without a friend, without even a weapon except those frail blades that. lay in the case before him, but which were of no use in defense? ‘Do you mean to say this Diamond is a stranger to you?” he asked, struck by a sudden thought. ‘‘ Diamond?” she repeated, inquiringly. ‘The man with whom I talked,” he ex- plained. ‘*T never saw him before.” ‘Then why, in the name of all that’s wonder- ful, does he desire me to cut off your hand?” It was a puzzling question, and Doctor Rube could see no way in which to answerit, Men hate, men love, honorably or otherwise; but why sbould > of the sex wish to amputate a woman’s band “‘ There’s a deep plot somewhere,” he thougkt, ‘‘and asI can see no possible way of aoe from the house, I am tempted to callin Dia- mond, confront him with his intended victim, pew demand the reason for his singular con- uct. His silence, while thus thinking, seemed to make her nervous, for she suddenly shivered, and said: ‘“‘ Diamond is looking this way. For Heaven's sake, save me!” —_—_—_ CHAPTER V. A BOLD STROKE FOR FREEDOM. Docror Ruse had never felt himself more at fault than on this on. In what way could he save the girl? It would be useless to fling up the window and call for help, for the City of the Desert was not like other cities. He could not even face her enemies, and die in her defense, if he felt inclined to do any such romantic and unlike-the- nineteenth-century thing, unless be did it with a lancet for a Like an echo to his mute question came the voice of the girl. ‘<T can seo but one way,” she said. ‘¢And that?’ said Doctor Rube, grasping at the straw. ‘* Do you see the door has a lock?” cs Yes.” “Very well; why not swing it together, turn ted. “{t is immaterial. As I said, you shall be the key, and escape from the window?” Eboo com CSG (0) - é. § ' . j } 4