Beadle's Dime Library No. 299 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

4 ye + gel “hat r - _" <- 4 _ a — a . m~ 1 * ‘ 6 2 “|_| > oe 26 - rs rz that you will find them ratber insensible glamour which you cast over those of to the your own race!” Into the mother’s tortured heart came an in- —_ -- -<——---— an’ to take things easy, an’ it'll all come out right in the end,’ ‘My child!—where is my child?” gasped the mother, not heeding his words, but starting up tuitive sense of the state of mind from which | and gazing about wildly. this man’s inhumanity must spring. For a mo- ment she thought him mad: but now she saw that some woman must have wronged him bit- terly, for which be was making her pay the ogeate Joe Moran had at first stared in open-moutbed astonishment; but as the real state of affairs dawned upon him, he coald with difficulty re- press a grin of delight. ‘‘By Judas!” be cried, within himself, ‘‘if I had the making of this, i couldn’t fix it more to my mind! Al! I ask is that be shall stick to his text, and then let me git away! If I don’t make it warm for the Immortal Three!” And he would have rubbed his bands in glee, but for the necessity of keeping them extended above his head. . : Meanwhile the mother entertained a last ope. ‘* But my child!” she cried, bolding it toward him supplicatingly, at arm’s-length. ‘* At least save that! See! a baby cannot have injured you! What is more iunocent? You cannot re- fuse—” He snatched it from her roughly, by the arm, though its scream of pain and fright made ker clasp her hands, and wail: ‘‘Oh! bave mercy! have mercy!” “What is the sex of the brat?’ be growled. The mother pressed her hands to her beart, while ber tear-streaming eyes rested piteously on bis face. Sue now knew that there was no hope for even an infant that would develop into a woman who might some day betray a man’s confidence, So great was the issue hanging upon her an- swer, that fora moment she could not speak. Alas! that woman’s weakness betrayed her. Be- a hv opened her lips, lron Despard knew the uth, ‘“‘It isa boy,” she said. ‘‘ Take it to Edward Haveland. You may know him under the name of the Sportive Sport.” ‘Ha! ha! ha!” he laughed, bitterly. ‘‘ Ever the same! You lie! Itcomes so much easier to you than the truth i” And be tossed the child back to her, almost knocking her down with the impetus cf its body. “Ty is a girl!—itis a girl!” shecried. ‘‘ But have you no heart? Mercy! mercy!” a turned away from her, heedless of her an- guish, All this while he had kept his eye on the sup- Indians too warily for them to venture an attempt at bis life. Now he gave them his whole attention, frowning blackly upon them. Suddenly, without the slightest intimation of his purpose, he fired at the one nearest to him; and an instant later at the other. But this mo- mentury warning ‘‘ saved the bacon” of lucky number two! At the first shot he slip from bis horse, so that his body was in motion when his turn came. The first one never so much as lowered bis arms. As the bullet pierced his heart, his horse reared, throwing him over backward, But though the second was wounded, he sprung to the side of the road, and made his escape among the rocks and underbrush. This act for a moment revived hope in the mother’s breast. Ilo spite of his harsh words, he might intend to rescue her and her child. But when he dug spurs into his horse’s flanks and dashed away down the road, the reaction struck like a spear to her heart, and with a moan she sunk to the ground. Returning, Joe Moran—for he was the lucky man—found his captive stillin his power; and a moment later he was joined by those who had lain in ambush, and who were attracted to the spot by the sounds of battle. His story, as incredible as it appeared at first sight, was corroborated by so mapy cir- cumstances not accordant with the theory of a fight between bim and his companion, that it was accepted. In one ofa very painful wound, he was in t glee. ‘*Gents!” he cried, “ this knocks the three of a kind—see if it don’t!” And he laid before them his plans for the fu- ture. Meanwhile Iron Despard kept on his way, transacted his business with a dispatch which was characteristic of him, and returned to Mul- ligan’s Bend, A warm reception awaited him! CHAPTER XXIV. THE DUELLA, WHEN Mrs. Haveland recovered conscious- ness, she found herself no longer in the power of savages, but of white men scarcely less to be dreaded. ‘* Now, ma’am,” said Joe Moran, in a tone meant to be coaxing, at the same time that it had a ring of *‘ business” underlying it, ‘all we - want is to be sensible, an’ not to make no trouble, ND, ————————EEEyE—eEeEE. Ssh ee ee ‘* Now that’s all right, ma’am, Jest you—” “My baby! my baby! What bave you dove with her? Give me my child first, and then I will listen to you.” ‘Waal, ma’am,” said Joe, slowly, thrusting bis hands in his pock-ts with an air which said that be proposed to maintain his position as master of the situation, **I allow that you'll do the thing my way. Ef so be you ain’t quite ready fur to talk business, why I reckon 1 kin wait. I was always an obligin’ cuss—ef I have one partic’lar fault above another, it is that— and especially perlite to the ladies.’ And drawing a pipe from his pocket, he pro- ceeded to cut up some plug tcbacco in his palm which, after rolling it with bis thumb, he packe into the bow! of the pipe for smoking. “Oh, sir!” cried Mrs. Haveland, ‘‘ consider that I am a poor distracted mother! I will try to be calm and reasonable. Of course I should thank you for rescuing me from tbose cruel savages; but, oh! if you have not my child as well, I shall wish that you had left me to die with her!” “The kid is all right, ma’am: an’ ef you'll mind what ye’r’ told to do, you shall bave ber back ag’in assound asadollar. Butef you go to rampagin’ around—” “Oh! | will do anything you say !” i Now ye'r’ talkin! See that ye don’t furgit t. * But vou will let me see 7 baby?” ‘* Not jest yet, ma’am. e see, we didn’t want no screechin’ an’ sich; so we jest proriies fur her keep ontil you had ‘tended to a that we had fur you to do.” ‘What is it? Speak quickly!” pleaded the wretcbed mother. ‘‘Waal, ma’am, ye see, a chap named Iron Despard—the same, by the way, what treated ye so scand’lous when he might have got ye away from the Injuns jest as easy as not; which the same you would be with ’em now ef it badn’t been fur me an’ my pards comin’ along est then—waal, ma’am, this ornery cuss, Iron espard, havin’ dropped onto a leetle docki- ment what belongs by rights to rer bumble sar- vant, got Tiger Dick an’ the Sportive Sport— yer husband, ma’am—to apes him fur to beat me out o’ that same dockiment aforesaid. But ye can’t hornswaggle yer uncle, ye onderstand— not while he’s awake! Ef 1 can’t come back at yeone way, ye'll find me gittin’ in my work somewhar else. He holds three of a kind—I'm allowin’ that; but I calcalates as how I kin show up a mighty sizable pair!—which the same air you, ma’am, an’ the kid.” ‘* And you propose to bold my child and me as hostages for the return of the paper?” ‘* You've jest about said it, ma’am, the which you’ve got a head on ye fur business what's worth somethin’! But thar’s more than that in this thing. Ef you go tothe Sportive Sport an’ tell him the bow that thar slouch left ye—an’ more especially the kid—in the hands o’ the In- juns, thar’)! be trouble in camp, an’ don’t ye furgit it! That knocks their three of a kind, an’ leaves a clear course fur We, Us & Co. Now all ye have to do, is to go to Mulligan’s Bend an’ tel] the Sportive that it is a squar’ trade—the kid fur the dockiment.” ‘*Go and leave my child?” ‘*To the best of care ma’am, till ye git back.” But the mother grew distracted with fear, and begee to plead in frantic terms. Joe Moran coolly crossed his legs and drew meditatively on his pipe. ‘‘The sooner ye come round, ma’am, to m way 0’ doin’ the thing, the less time the kid bave to yell her leetle bead off. Ef she gits sick, ma’am, with eryin’ while you’re keepin’ her waitin’, don’t blame me—the which I’m the kind- heartedest man ye most ever see, an’ am sayin’ this hyar fur your good.” ; That kind of argument brought her into per- fect accord with bis wishes; and he sent her to Mulligan’s Bend, saying in conclusion; “ Jest tell the Sportive that when be gits the dockiment all he’s got to do is to come to this hyar spot alone—don’t furgit that—alone, an’ he'll find the kid awaitin’fur him, But ef he tries to play any shenanigan on us, we'll send him her scalp asa keepsake, fur to remember whata doggone fool he was. It'll stand you in band, ma’am, ef you care anything fur the young-un, to see to it yerself that he figures the thing all straight.” With this threat making ber heart quail, she went on ber way. When she reached Mulligan’s Rend, they told her that the Sportive Sport was away looking at some pes ysl machinery in one of the mines. As sbe was so weak that she could hard- ly stand, she went into the hotel to wait until be could be sent for. When told that bis wife had followed him to this wild country, the Sportive Sport turned deatbly pale; then with a swelling heart he burried to her side. ; Rushing inte her presence, he fell on bis knees at ber feet. _— | —_—_—. UE epee eereeeeineseeenantieeeeeees ee A — } | | ‘Ned! Ned!” she cried, and throwing ber arms about him, she dropped her face on the head he had bowed in her lap. ‘““T don’t ask you to forgive me!” he mur- mured, ‘But, oh, my wife! my injured dar- ling!’ ‘There! there! let us not speak of that! We have something so terrible in the present that we have no time to waste on the past.” Thereupon she told bim the situation, His fears for his cbild, his solicitude for her, « were only equaled by his indignation toward | Iron Despard. He rose with a stony look on his face that filled ber with terror. ‘Ob! what more is to fall upon me?’ she cried. ** You will not fight with this man/ He will kill you without compunctions! Ob, Ned! buy this paper from him, and let us get our child and go away in peace!” Her husband replied to her in a quiet, evenly- modulated tone: ‘Lie down, dear, You need rest, tend to this matter without difficulty.” ‘‘ What do you intend to do?” ‘‘ T shall be governed by circumstances,” ‘But you will not—” '*Do not trouble me now. I must devise a way, to make sure of our child before all else.’ With gentle authority he assisted to undress her and put her to bed. Then he induced her to take a sedative, One moment he hung over her, with his arms about her. “Say that you forgive me!” he whispered; and she felt a tear fall on her face with his peni- tential kiss. She tightened the clasp of her arms about his I wiil at- eetle biz | neck, as she murmured: ‘“ Oh, my darling! how fully, bow freely, for everything but for doubtingyme! How could you leave me? You knew that everything was as nothing compared with that!” “ And can you ever trust me again?” ‘‘ Have I not proved it by following you?’ ‘‘ Ab. dear one! I never deserved such love!” She laughed a low, cooing murmur, as she pressed him closer and closer, and kissed him more and more lingeringly. ‘‘ My only concern is that I have not more to give you!” ‘‘There! sleep in peace! When you wake, you shall find your baby once more safe in your arms.” “God give her back to us, safe and well!” breathed the mother. Tien he left ber, and she slept, secure in her confidence in him. From the chamber in which his wife lay in nar- cotized slumber, the Sportive Sport went in quest of Tiger Dick and Six-foot Si. Without preface and heedless of the curious crowd that gathered about, he told them of Iron eens act of monstrous inbumanity. . The crowd was prompt in its denunciations. Six-foot Si, who never “‘ went back on a friend” while there was a shred of worthiness left on which to pin his loyalty, turned very pale and grave. ; . “ Hold on, gents!” he said, frowning upon the crowd. ‘“ You're always ready to kick a man when heisdown. Suppose, now, you wait tell ou’ve byeared the other side? Onderstand,” e went on, turning to the Sportive Sport, “that ain’t to say that the lady has said any- thing but jest what papery but every man has a right to be heard in his own defense. You'll all allow that,” Tiger Dick’s indignation was silent, but deep. He said nothing before the crowd; Lut his lips were compressed, and his eyes burned with a slumberous fire. Even before he spoke, the Sportive Sport knew tbat he had in him a man who would stand by him to the end. “What do you mean to do about it?” he asked, rien he had drawn the Sportive Sport a little aside. ‘1 purpose to fight him in the middle of the street bere; and 1 do not mean to let any con- sideration of property rights prejudice the safety of my child. Its nee bas come through this accursed cipher; and its safety shall be pur- chased with it, if I bave to is heart out along with it!” “You may rest easy, if you fall,” said the Tiger, quietly. ‘‘ He will then have another to settle with; and unless he gets away with me too, | promise to look after the safety of your wife and child.” At that the Sportive Sport extended his hand impulsively. It was clasped with. a firmness with which men pledge themselves to one another. A little later Iron Despard made his appear- ance, on his return from Sante Fe, with all ar- rangements complete for the trip which the Three of a Kind would now never take in com- pany. He rode into the camp quite indifferent tothe frowns thut saluted him on every side. He did not trouble himself to guess what had caused the change in sentiment since his departure. He knew that be would shortly be informed. As he coolly dismounted, throwing the bridle- tear Eomicboo -_ ae Od . — = A ww 2 Fs, : . rt sth ™—