Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 292 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

28 Moke from New Orleans was none other than Marcus Dingeon!” ‘* A lie, false as the vile lips that utter it!” cried an indignant voice, as Drusilla sprung out of the hut and confronted the speaker. ‘* You slander a gentleman whose honor is pure and unsullied—whose virtues are es far above your comprehension as heaven is above Hades!” Stung to the quick, Gideon Gillespie leaped to his feet, his eyes flashing, bis voice full of menace: | ‘*T repeat my charge. and [can prove every word I utter! Marcus Dingeon, finding his du- ene discovered, came on board the Water itch in disguise, his plans all laid to win the fortune in pursuit of which he had already con- templated bigamy. “He was chief of the gang that captured the boat, Devil’s Dick simply act- ing as such to cover the prime criminal. He re- served you and the fortune in money which your father had in the captain’s safe, for his share of the plunder. He swore that unless you married him, you should be dishonored—” Horace Ward caught the infuriated man by the arm with a stern force that cut his speech short. For one instant Gideon Gillespie glared savagely into his face, then, with the long-pent- up lava flood bursting loose, he strock him a terrible blow with his fist that felled him like a jog! Leaping upon him, he clasped a pair of hand-cuffs around his wrists, then wheeled and clasped Drusilla in his arms as she was darting to aid her fallen parent. A ferocious laugh broke from bis lips as he held her helpless, while Mrs. Ward, still ill, ber nerves shattered b ' the trying scenes on board the captured vessel, staggered forth from the hut and sunk with a reins cry across the senseless body of her hus- nd. ** Struggle all you will, my dainty bird!” he laughed, holding the maiden helpless, pressing his hot ae to hers, casting off all pretense at disguise in his mad exultation. ‘‘I’ve got you now, and all the powers of heaven or hell can- not tear you from my hands, before I have reaped a delicious reward for my long servitude! “You have had your time, and right royally you ruled, trampling my heart into the mire with- out— ‘* Your heart, base villain!” she gasped, even as she vainly struggled to escape him, unable to restrain her loathing. “For every word of scorn a kiss!” suiting the action to his words. ‘‘ You are mine—mine alone! If you still frown, I will bind your par- ents band and foot and leave them here to die of starvation, if the rising waters do not sweep them off to meeta more mercifuldeath! Swear by heaven—by the One whom you worship—to marry me, the moment we reach a town, and I will save you all. Refuse, and I will kill them —TI will serve you even worse!” and he bissed a few burning words into her shuddering ear. ‘Help! save me!” she cried, little thinking who was near. ‘‘'You bet I des will! Drap her, you ’fernal will’in!” With a savage curse, Gillespie wheeled upon the muddy figure which was rushing toward him, drawing a pistol and firing swiftly at the threatening shape. And with a boarse, mad howl of pain and fury, Moke Horner staggered back and fell prostrate, the red life-blood burst- ing from his face! ‘CHAPTER XXIV. KALEIDOSCOPIC CHANGES, THE sudden appearance of Moke Horner in answer to her terrified appeal, was quite as much of a surprise to Drusilla ‘Ward as it was ‘to Gideon Gillespie himself. For one fleeting instant she felt that she would be rescued from her base assailant, only to have the last hope dashed to the earth as she beheld the ebony athlete go down before the pistol of the villain- ous gambler. Then, with a wild, despairing cry, she turned toward her unconscious parents for protection. Gillespie wheeled and darted after her with a Savage curse, grasping her arm and drawin her toward him, his eyes glowing redly, bh face flushed, his breath coming hot and fast. “Not yet, my dainty darling! You are mine —all mine—” Better for him had he taken a second at the Boss Roustabout; but the tide which had run so long in his favor, was now changing wholly against him, and it was so written. Dizzily Moke Horner scrambled to his feet, dashing the blood from his face, still gripping that heavy club in his sinewy bands, glaring around for his enemy. He saw him, he heard that appealing shriek, and once more he bound- ed forward, swinging the club over bis head and striking the instant he felt he could reach the dastardly ruffian. ‘A howling curse of and fury broke from the lips of Gideon Gillespie as that swift stroke fell on his arm near the shoulder, snapping the bone like a pee see He staggered, turned maser around, trying to snatch another pistol rom its resting-place—but that terrible club came whistling through the air once n, and he spatingstvely Codger. throwing sound arm to guard more precious hea The double movement succeeded, but at what lance « . i a eta Horner, the Boss Roustabout. a frightful cost to the gambler! Hit just above the elbow by the butt-end of the club, the member was shattered, so swiftly and com- pletely that the lower half flew upand back, the quivering hand striking its owner fairly in the face! With a gasping yell of agony the most in- tense, Gideon Gillespie staggered and fell to the ground, The Boss Roustabout stood over him with uplifted club, blood dripping from his right cheek through which the gambler’s bullet had torn its way, his eyes glowing, his white teeth showing viciously. His arms were bare to the shoulders, and the crippled man as he lay helpless, could see the magnificent muscles as they swelled preparatory to dealing the finishing stroke, *‘Mercy! Iam dying! spare me!” he gasped, writhing like a wounded snake, clinging to life even when so frightfully disabled that future existence would seem worse than death, ‘*Des de same kin’ ob marcy you was gwine to show de missy yender!” grated Moke, grip- ping his club more tightly and aiming the blow full at the face that was turned appealingly upward, ‘ You too cussed mean to lib—take dat !” But even as the blow was falling, a wild scream from the lips of Drusilla Ward caused him to start and glance quickly in that direc- tion, and as Gideon Gillespie rolled rapidly over at the same second, the club struck the earth instead of dashing out the brains of the gambler. A howling curse of pain burst from the lips of the Boss Roustabout as the shock tore the club from his benumbed fingers, and for a minute the scene partook a little of comedy as the ebony athlete, hugging his tingling hands be- neath his armpits, danced vigorously around, shouting, cursing and whistling. Gideon Gillespie, totally disabled so far as attack or defense was concerned, scrambled painfully to his feet, while his terrible adver- sary was thus engaged, and staggered away to- ward the further extremity of the island, Moke saw him and stooped for his club, Slip- pery with mnd and slime, it escaped bis grasp, and as Gillespie, warned by that savage cry, broke into a run, the ebony athlete dashed after him with empty bands. ‘“*Top, you p’izen sarpint!” cried the negro, with a wild faugh that was even more awe- inspiring than the fiercest. threats. ‘“‘ You “long to dis ole niggah! "Top an’ tek you’ medicine, ’fo’ I wuks de rabbit-foot onto ye!” Gideon Gillespie reached the end of the island, staggering along a half-rotten log, one end of which extended out a few feet over the water, there running with quite a current. He hesitated. One step further would carry him into the water, which was quite deep enough to drown him, crippled as he was, The muscular hands of the negro were outstretched to grasp him, Which death would be the easiest? The water—and he threw himself forward with one gasping cry of utter despair! vcke Horner shot along the log like some buge turtle, and with a swift grasp caught the gambler by one ankle. The shock almost drag- ged him after, but clinging to the log with his bare legs, the Boss Roustabout put forth his great strength, dragging Gillespie back until he could catch the other foot. Strangling, the gambler no longer courted such a death, his head and shoulders working convulsively, bis utterly disabled arms dan- gling helplessly in the water as he begged for tail offering fabulous sums in return for his life. Leaning over the end of the log, Moke drag- ged him up until his face was clear of the water, then glared down at him, showing bis teeth and laughing harshly as the drops of blood from his bullet-pierced cheek fell on that terr:- face. ‘You talk like fool, Marse Gid! Fink I don’t know you? You pore, one-boss gambler, dat run skin-game fo’ git *nough money to cut splu’ge ’mong you’ bettahs! You ain’t got pica- yune fo’ cross you’ dirty heart wif!” | “ In the skiff—thousands—take all, only spare my life! I’m dying, now!” groaned the miser- able wretch, _ aL who BS gc amy tol to die exe Vpa dis d savage the negro as a fresh pang remiided hin” of his bulletplarcad cheek. ** Who wu’k al! dis trouble? Who lay plans fo’ *tealin’ de ole Water Witch? Who kill he own wife by t’rowin’ her in de ribber? Who murder Marse Marcus Dingeon? Who 'buse dat young missy ober dah? You, cuss you’ black heart. You done it all! You hab ten fousan’ hearts, I tek um all to pay fo’ dat! You chuck folks in de water—tek some you’se’f an’see bow you like it! Ho! ho!” Leaning still further over the end of the log, grasping the crippled gambler by each ankle and holding him at arm’s-length, Moke Horner soused his captive under the muddy water, hold- ing him thus despite his convulsive struggles, laughing like a very demon of vengeance. bether he really meant to hold bim thus until death came to bis release, can only be sur- mised, for just as the wild struggles of the gambler were growing fainter, a skiff shot ‘te eee Ps $e - Ss «-! Node t © he. * . e ‘ - swiftly out from the bushes, and a strong pair of arms caught eg around his body, tear- ing him away from his enemy. At the same instant a pistol] cracked, and with a, single con- vulsive start, Moke Horner lay motionless along the log. **Out and steady the boat!” sharply cried the man who had caught Gillespie, and as his orders were obeyed, he reversed the position of the gambler, then bore him to land, handling him as readily as though be had been no more than a child, though himself far from a giant in size or weight. **Devil’s Dick—thank God!” feebly gasped the gambler. **Some of you fellows bring him to,” uttered the desperado as he carelessly dropped tne fainting man to the ground and turned away to where he noticed the Ward family. By the liberal use of whisky, Gillespie was restored to consciousness, groaning with agony the most intense from his frightfully. shattered arms. Gravely the Fresh-water Sharks eyed the sufferer. They knew that such injuries could bardly help but prove fatal, unless effici- ent aid was soon given him, And the gambler also realized this, for as Devil’s Dick drew near, accompanied by the Ward family, he gasped: ‘‘Take me back to the boat, Dick! The doc- tor—I’m dying—be quick! Take me—oh! this is worse than death!” The desperado folded his arms and stood gaz- ing into his pain-distorted face with not the slightest gleam of pity inhis hard eyes. And his voice was very cold as he spoke: “‘If [could soothe your pain—if I could re- store you to perfect manbood by simply lifting my hand, Gideon Gillespie, I would not move eyen my little finger! You betrayed the trust we placed in you. You violated your solemn vows, given when you begged me to aid you in winning the lady you pretended to love. You asked us to make her and her parents believe you were a captive; that Marcus Dingeon was the actual chief of our gang, when you, your- self, filled that position—” A gasping cry of joy from the lips of Dru- sila Ward interrupted his measured speech, and turning upon them, as though just remind- ed of their presence within earshot, he signed his men to lead them away. ‘** Stow them in the other skiff, and then wait for me,” hesaid sharply, Bizing again to the groaning gambler as the Ward family were conducted across the island, ‘“‘T reckon I have spiked your guns in that uarter, my dear lad!” with a mocking laugh. ** ‘You miserable fool! Did you for a moment believe that I intended to let you skim off all the cream, and get safely away withit? Nota bit of it! I had you marked all thetime. If that nigger hadn’t interfered as he did, I would have dropped you myself.” “What do you mean?” gasped Gillespie, faintly, shrinking from that merciless gaze. ** Are we not friends—allies?” ‘* Well, hardly! We were, perhaps, until the game was won; but as I bave no further use for you, you have tostep aside. You ask too mouch of the plunder for any one man, and I haye mates with whom I had rather divide than with you, Listen: ‘*We made a fine haul, but it is not enough to furnish a fortune for nearly two score men, It will just comfortably provide for four, ‘*No sooner were you safely off for this isl- and, as we two agreed beforehand, than I got in my pretty work on the lads, I gave them drink doctored so stiff that in balf an hour, not a soul of them but the three who were partners with me, could hold up their heads! We tied them, hand and foot, then came off after you. We thought you carried off more than your share of the plunder, tosay notbing of the lady.” ‘You promised—” gasped Gillespie, great drops of pain-sweat peg on on his temples. ** Admitted,” with a cold laugh. ‘‘l prom- ised because you knew more of the men than I did, and I wished to avoid any unnecessary trouble with them. Butall the time I intended to cut your comb, just as I have done. “T am going to take you back to the Water Witch. Iwill bind your legs—your arms are already pretty thoroughly fettered! I will lock you upin your state-room, and leave you there to starve or die, as fate wills, It may be that you will be rescued in time to save your life. I hope so, for the sake of the otbers whom | in- tend Jeaving in the same helpless fix. ‘With my mates, I will take the plunder, and strike out for fresh pastures. After this day, Devil’s Dick will be heard of no more! I will settle down in life as an honest citizen, and may even become a deacon in some church— who knows?” With a heartless laugh be picked the crippled man up and dropped him into the boat, enter- ing and rowing around the island to where the other skiff lay. Ata word from him, bis three comrades helped Horace Ward, still weak and dazed from that stunning blow, into bis boat, taking the two women into the skiff which bad brought them to the island. Devil’s Dick led the way through the overflow, the other boat following. Gideon ¢ ( ‘ se < Gillespie had cunningly deceived his _ — bjejeawdt ont ant 2 4 ae emlUr.lUcee Ce CK. CD, —=—\ eo) -. <€ -—F5y° “a