Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 271 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

"Bennett being in a separate cabin. Prisoners were increasing, and at that rate they would soon outnumber their jailers, but the honest men of the town were only awaiting the word of Lawyer Wisecraft tosend the whole lot to Denver. Old Ketchum had gained sudden prominence in the town, and the idea of making him mayor had been openly considered. Just then, how- ever, his head was troubling him a good deal, and he asked them to wait until he could re- sume operations against the late plotters, letting Biake speak for him in the mean time. The minerz hardly knew what to think of tbe latter’s change of pcsition, but they went with the tide, and felt inclined to use tre “crank” well if he would notinsult the Bend further, Yates had no warning of what, or who, he would meet when be was thrust into his cell, but he at once realized that Bunkerand Kellogg were prisoners like himself. Tberefore, he nodded to them genially when the door was closed, ‘I take it we aro all in the same box, gentle- men,” he said, ‘‘and although it isn’t pleasant for any of us, I like good company, And I think I can say why you are here.’ Kellogg waited for Bunker to answer, but he did not seem go ready to talk as usual. “I suppose every one knows,” growled Hor- “But I am not a citizen of the Bend. My name is Yates; you may have heard of me in connection with Warfield, ** Are you in limbo, too?” groaned Horace. **] am, as you see, and my case is more seri- ous than yours. My latestexploit was to try to carry off pretty Mis: Zora, but her friends took me in and here I am.” The two mén fell intoa conversation in which Bunker took no part. He kept his corner and let the others say what they would, but this did not free him from Yates’s attention. Tha latter looked at him often and with a searching gaze, but Jack remained silent and impassive. Anon, conversation lagged and Kellogg lay down tosleep. The other men remained awake and often looked at each other, but they did not speik until Kellogg’s breathing announc:d that he was asleep. Then Yates went to Bunker’s side. ‘* My friend, I know you,” he quietly said. ‘Wal, what on't!” Jack asked, ‘* Thar’s others that do. Who be I, ef you hev me down s0 fine?” “Your dialect won’t save you; my eyes are keen and [I have seen through your disguise, good as itis, You are my partner, Mortimer!” Bunker laughed. “Well, whac of it?’ he asked, dropping his illiterate speech. ‘“* Nothing, except that if you had confided in me before you need not have been so badly off now. When you needed help, and wanted Warren and me, why didn’t you come to us ourself instead of sending Warfield? You ow our old compact—faithfulness to each other and all we can make elsewhere,” ‘*T wished to be unknown to all while operat- ing as Jack Bunker. I have stuck grimly tomy assumed character, though I begin to fear other eyes than yours have penetrated it. There is a mystery about this matter I can’t understand; xy have been repeatedly foiled when I should have succeeded. But, enough of that. Where is Warren?” ** Dead!” ** Dead?” “ Yes.” ‘* This is bad news. How—” ‘* Not for us,” said Yates, with a profane ad- dition ‘The scoundrel turned traitor and robbed me of allI bad. He was shot by Ster- ling, and that’s the end of Warren. At least, such is Sterling’s story, and I am inclined to be- lieve it, though I at first thought Scerling the robber.” “Did you lose much?” Bunker asked. “ Every cent I had,” Yates gloomily answer- ‘‘There’s a mystery about this matter I don’t understand. Tell me all!” Yates obeyed telling all he knew about Ster- ling’s abduction and the subsequent events at the mountain ¢abin, except that he gave no particu- lars as to his money loss. Perhaps the sum was such that he would bave been at once branded as faithless to the league of three. For Mortimer, Yates and Warren, had Jong been sharpers and robbers in general through the West. Mortimer was the leading spirit, and nearly all their great successes were due to his planning; but he had always been a sort of mystery to his partners. Weeks often passed without a word from bim, or the slightest clew to his whereabouts, but healways cayne around sooner or later and, usually, witb some elabo- rate scheme under consideration. Stonefist, of Big Nugget Bend. 29 tinue to call him—having less faith in mankind, was inclined to take the same view of the case. But their vengeance could never fall on their faithless partner, as we have already seen, They soon turned their attention to the future, They were in pene but they bad no intention of remaining there, Old jail-breakers were they, and they meant to leave Big Nugget B.nd in the lurch by another night, bunker having carefully arranged a plan. The next day Bunker was taken from the prison and to a room in Father Lockyard’s house, He knew as soon as be crossed the threshold that something uncommon was about tooccur. It was easy enough to imagine that they wanted a confession of the full plot against the money-lender, but Bunker had another view of the case. He slouched into the house with an indiffer- ent air and showed no surprise when tak-n toa room where be saw Lockyard, Zora and Bar- tholomew Blake. There was another figure perenne visible by a curtained window which e@ was not able to recognize, The men who had brought him stepped out- side the room and Blake then spoke, his cold eyes andimpassive face turned squarely upon the plotter. ‘** You may sit down, sir,” he said peacily- **An’I reckon I kin stand up ef wanter,” independently replied Jack, “I ain’t no- body’s—” ‘Suit yourself, as to that; it is of no conse- quence to any one except yourself. * Thank ye fur nothin’, It’s right kind in ye, Deacon Stonefist, an’ I see ther crank fam’ly ain’t so bad arter all.” So Bunker sat down, throwing one leg over the other and taking a good deal of trouble to show these people that be did not care a pica- yune for their likes ur dislikes. Blake, however, remained perfectly calm and showed no resentment at bis sneers, ‘““We have sent for you on business,” the Deacon resumed, *‘and I will lose no time about it. To begin with, you may as well drop your illiterate way of talking, for all here know you to be, not Jack Bunker, but Warren Lock- yard!” If any one had expected the man to make a guilty start, they were disappointed, Jack eard the announcement unmoved, and then a slight smile crossed his face, * Well, what of it?” be asked, ina tone dif- ferent from his old Western dialect style, “Simply this: You are now known to us as the Peas of this gentleman, Nathan Lock- yard! ‘Why don’t he rush to my arms?’ sneered Jack, as we will still call bim. % He is not fond of embracing reptiles,” Blake coolly replied, ‘Now, let_me see what we can tell about you. Arnold Lockyard had three sons, William, Nathan and Warren, the latter being his child by a second marriage and sev- eral years younger than William and Nathan. He was also of a very different nature, growing up vicious and dissipated, while they were steady, industrious and deserving.” ‘*A good beginning, upon my word!” ‘* When the elder Lockyard died, Warren was slgntows yenre of age. There was little prop- erty for the brothers, but as the two elder were doing well in business, they offered make Warren an important factor in their business, and ultimately a partner, if be wouid abandon bis evil ways.” ‘* Whick he did, of course.” “ He ipa fairly, and was tried,” contin- ued Blake calmly, *‘ but he failed to keep his romise. They bore with him for a year, dur- ing which time be was a disgrace to himself and them, and then. when repeated warnings had failed, they set him adrift. He at once dis- appeared,” **Driven to suicide by their ill-treatment, probably.” ‘It was many yéars before they heard of bim again, They dissolved their co-partnership, and each went bis way. Years passed. William the elder brotber, was at his home, old and feeble, but surrounded by all money could pro- cure. His uncle had died, andWeft nearly two hundred thousand dollars to his two elder nephews, William and Nathan. The former was in the midst of his comforts, with age stealin upon him gradually, when he had a shock o paralysis which enfeebled both his mind and body. He was in this condition when Warren unr xpectedly reappeared,” “Refer to me more directly, if you please. I am ge!ting bewildered, so complicated is your narrative,” answered the prisoner. ‘*Have it as you will. You came to your brother’s house, and by fair talk made bim be- lieve you an honorable man, William, at that time, was alone, I have said, so far as relatives The men had hung together for years, and | were concerned. So he was, for his sop and they had been faithful to each cther until Wer- daughter had gone to Europe a year before to ren yield d to temptation, Yates had not at | pursue their studies in Germany, Wilham told first thought him guilty, when he discovered that he was robbed, and had laid all blame to Sterling; but the latter’s repeat d assertions of , more anon. the teat had s Se nearly convinced him. er—or Bunker, as we will con- SO fe ou these young people were dead, having been ost at sea, and you believed bim, Of them, Enough for now that, by your ad- vice, William turned v-a-ty all his wealth into ready money, What excuse you made I do not know, but you worked on bis disease-enfeebled mind until you accomplished your purpose.” “The interest increases, Go on!’ **One evening, William died suddenly. You made loud protestations of sorrow, but when, morning came you were gone, and so was all: the money you had prevaiied on bim to yut in portable form. In plainer words, you bad ac~ complished your end, and deliberately stolem nearly ~hundred thousand dollars!” — CHAPTER XXXIX, THE LAST CHANCE, Ur to this time Blake baa remained as calm as astatue, but now his face flushed a little; and his words were bitter and his manner ominous. But the prisoner yawned, 33 ‘hough the story wearied him, and carelessly asked him to go D. “In plain words,” Blake resumed, ‘you bad heard of the fortune left your two brothers, and filled with rage and jealousy that you were slighted, vou resolved to secure by foul means, what you bad not, by any course of justice deserved. Your first step was to steal the bundred thousand coilars from Willium, as IF have said.” “Which was well done, according to your ac- count,” added Bunker, ee ane ‘“‘ After that, youcam.sto Big Nugget Bend to rob Nathan of his share. You disguised yourself and became rough, illiterate Jack Bunker, Then you started the Quickstep mine fraud. At first Nathan thought well of it, but you were foiled in the end.” ‘*Now you begin to interest me. Gi.,e me light on this dark subject. Who.oiled me?” ‘*T will tell you.” Blake struck his foot on the floor and the window curtain was pushed sside. The half-. concealed figure appeared, and Bunker saw Althea Lawrence! ‘‘Let me introduce to you, Brenda, daugh- ter of William Lockvard!” added Blake, ‘‘ Ho! I see!” said Bunker, with some excite- ment, yet with jless surprise than might have been expected. ‘ The o.d'man’s daughter was not lost at sea?” ‘She was not; see.” Jack scanned the face of the teacher, who met his geze calmly, for several seconds in silence, but at Jast be turned to Blake again. “*T believe you,” he said, quietly. ‘The re- sembiance is not at all strong, but it is there in a slight degree. Yet, I have seen her every day for weeks and never suspected it. Well, since this is so, pranee the son of William yard still lives He looked keenly at Blake. — “Yes,” replied the latter, calmly. Ward Lockyard!” Every one ar Jack and Althea started, for it was a su to Nathan and Zora. A part of the truth bad been told them, but not until then did the money-lender suspect Blake was the son of his brother. ‘*From whicb,” continued Jack, ‘I or career as Deacon Stonefist has been but a lind and that you are not a crank in the sense you have the reputation of being.” ‘“‘It has been a shield bebind which IT have worked against you,” Blake answered. “* When my father told you his children were lost at. sea, it was but the fancy of an enfeebled mind, I was then studying medicine in Germany, and my sister, Brenda, was receiving vocal instruc- tion, We were summoned home immediately after my father was taken ill, but when we ar- rived he was past earthly help and earthly trou- ble, and—you had stolen the money and disap- peared!” ** I begin to see,” said Jack, coolly. *“ And so you and your charming sister resolved to find me and ask for the return of the money, Am I right?” Be a Aap ~ ‘ I ‘Well, my dear nephew, I can’t oblige you. Perhaps brother Nate will lend you a money to take you home; it is in his way of trade.” “T am not here to borrow; I demand my own!” “Sorry, but you'll never get it.” ‘*Unless you refund every dollar you will be taken East and tried for your crime.” ** You can prove notbing.” *“You will see that I can prove énough to send you to sara for the remainder of your life, and I will do it unless — give back the wren gh Listen to me, sir. swore a solemn oath by the grave of my father that I would find you, though I was ten years on the trail, and, baving found you, would force you to make restitution. I will do this or send you to rison for the balance of your days. Il swear t! , for here she is, as you may “7 am “You talk briskly fora boy, but you have an old bead to fight against when you meet me, If I have the money—notice my mode of expression—if I have it, tis where all your udge ~ “Soft and slow!” said Jack, mockingly. . dollar of all the mM (f@) (C 0)(0 0) sagacity will fail to find it. Ido not carry about me like a pipe, and I de undred tho it fy you to find o usand !” = “S (E(@)