Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 333 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

as al Se eae ee '~wygessarr- 1 Derringer Deck, the Man With the Drop. And just outside he found him, showing the way to the man of all others he most wanted to see, Colonel Abner Thompson. CHAPTER VI. LOST, SAVED, AND A SHOT THROUGH A DOOR- WAY. Miss GORDON was the most courageous of women, as her presence in Brad Awl testified, and she had no fears. Yet it was not because she was ignorant of the peculiar dangers to which she and her father were liable. She had seen a good deal of life in mining-camps, and if hitherto she had not come Sirestiy in contact with its rougher side, she knew of its existence. But the young lady had perfect confidence in herself, and a great deal in her father. An ex- ee shot with the revolver, and in no way trou- led with ‘‘ nerves,” she fancied that in a town the size of this she could fend off danger until such time as the better element should come to her protection. She saw the doctor go away without the least concern, and would have been willing to accom- pany him if he had suggested that her company was desirable. For some time after his departure she passed the time in reading. Then she threw the book aside and withdrew to her own room, debating with herself whether or no it was best to retire. She was tired from her journey, and her eyelids were heavy, but she was anxious to hear what report the doctor would bring back. Too sleepy to argue the matter fairly she made presently, a compromise, throwing her- self upon her bed dr as she was, Then she was asleep, almost as soon as her head touched the pillow. How long she had slumbered she could not rightly guess; but she was awakened by a light rap on her door. nstantly she was on her feet, her hand grasp- ing her revolver, but her lips half-opened, gave no sound. ; The rap was repeated. She knew, of course, that it was not Gabriel Gordon. He would have entered by the door of his ike room; and would have been apt to have en. ‘“Who is it; and what is it?” she said, in clear untremulous tones. “Tt is I, Derringer Deck.” The answer was somewhat smothered but the voice did not seem altogether unfamiliar. ‘¢ What is it that you want?” ‘Hist! Speak lower. You need not open, but come nearer, so that I won’t have to shout it to all creation. Don’t be alarmed. There is no great harm done, and the best thing for you is to sleep soundly, if you can, until morning.” “How? What do you mean?” ‘“T thought it only right that you should know. You might have heard the racket at Mike's and if so I knew you would be uneasy if ou didn’t hear some explanation, why your fa- her failed to come k, That’s what he thought, and he wanted me to come and tell ou “Speak up, man. Don’t be all night. I heard no racket, t was it about?” ‘* Well you see it was just the average night at Mulloney’s. Mike himself was away or they would hardly have tried to double-bank a stran- ger the first time he showed up his nose. But we had an elegant time for a while, and the old entleman worked his gun in a way I admire. Fou can find out the amount of damage done in the morning, when they count the stiffs; but meantime he has a ball in his shoulder, and I poled him out and into Ante Pete’s ranch. ere’s no use for two men to try to fight the wn. ‘‘ What! Is he seriously harmed? Why did he not come at once to me?” * That’s just it. The gang were outside, and considerably off the track. He wasn’t in order for a foot-race, which there would have been if th showed Lae SO _ paigshacy out the way, and slip aroun post you up. am eying back now, and I'll tell him you're all Ti Re ks No! Wait! I shall go with you. I am afraid you are not telling me the whole truth; and I must see for myself.” As she spoke she threw open the door. The man on the outside could not repress a low, mocking laugh. She heard that, and then an arm was thrown around her waist, a cloth was pressed against her mouth, stifling any outcry that she might have made, and without interruption or expla- nation she was carried bodily out into the open air. Ianthe struggled of course; but it was to no purpose, and as she felt her senses deserting her, she recognized the effects if not the odor of chlo- roform. | ; Her captor was as prompt as he had been reck- ess. Whoever he might be, it was certain ly not Derringer Deck who had betrayed her; buta man of much heavier build, whose face was hid- ‘den by a vail of crape, and whose dress had no specially-distinguishing marks. He gave a low whistle, and then darted a few steps to where a horse was in waiting. ‘* Bettee finishee chop-chop. Wachee bobbely when Mike come that side. Good wind, good watee; We Waillo hab pidgin far side Blad Awl. bs mancome We Waillono be loundee, Hi yah! ‘‘ Dry up your accursed babble!” answered the man, fiercely, as with Ianthe still over his eg he in some way flung himself upon the orse, From under the animal’s neck darted a slight form, which even in that uncertain light could easily be distinguished as belonging to a China- man. A oe lightee, Cunle Coldsteel. Me sabbe; git!” . The Chinaman disappeared in one direction, the horseman and his fair prize in another. As the latter clattered down the street; he could hear behind him the riot at Mad Mike’s, and it seeemed as though he was safe to get away with- out interruption. In fact he had reached and passed beyond the last cluster of shanties that marked the further es of Brad Awl, looking toward the moun- ain. Then, up from the very ground, a figure seem- ed to rise, just as Miss Gordon, whose face had become uncovered, uttered something between a st and a groan. he abductor saw the figure and bent low in his saddle, On that side Miss Gordon hampered his arm or he might have taken a snap shot in- stead, even at the risk of striking where there was no need, The figure was a dozen yards from the trail, and s motionless as a stone until the horse- man was directly abreast of him, Then his arm went up with a quick movement, there was a little whiff of flame, and a sharp report. The effects of the shot were too exact for one to believe it a chance one; and too marvelous to believe that it was not. A bullet from a heavy derringer creased the running steed which dropped as though hit in a more vi spot ey his double burden over his head. “That's business, ’way up,” laughed the marksman, as he bounded forward. ‘“When youre in Brad Awl] shoot wherever you see a mark. You won’t be far wrong. My spread-eagles have hardly all broken their necks, If they have— Hello!” Ianthe had sprung to her feet, and her chance rescuer saw that he had at least brought down a woman. It was not that fact, however, which caused his surprise, but another discovery. ‘““Heavens and earth, Miss Gordon, how do you come to be here!” “Not of may Own, free will, you may be sure, Mr. Bright. k out for yourself. This man professed to be one Derringer Deck, who went away from the Ark in company with my father. Believing him, I was off my d for a mo- ment, that was nearly fatal. Had you not come I can only guess what would have happened.” “Tm afraid*you can’t ever guess,” responded Bright, looking anxiously down at the prostrate man, ‘“T think, however, you will be wang to heed my warning now. But whois he? I hope his neck is solid yet. We'll want a last dying speech and confession, before the boys send him over the range.” “Hush. Surely you would not murder him in cold blood! d from what little I know of ‘the boys,’ as you call them, the less they have to do with my affairs the better. Come. You have done me one great favor, t me an- other. Take me away from here while this man is unconscious, and leave his punishment to the hands of fate. ‘‘ Just as you have it, my dear. I have no doubt he will , for the future, want nothing more than to cut our throats, and we'll have to get up very early in the morning to have him foul again. If that is your game we had better be movi I see he ins to wiggle. If we skip it were best done niokhy, When he draws one long breath he will commence to shoot.” For answer Miss Gordon wheeled about with her face toward the town, and with Derringer Deck by her side ran away from er with a graceful fleetness that took him quite by sur- rise. When they had passed through the environs of Brad Awl she halted, directly facing him. ‘* And now, since that danger has been left bo- hind, with all due thankfulness for the service you have done me, I must have a word with you. hy a is my father? Why have you deserted m ‘‘Your father! Bless my soul, I had forgot- ten him. It does look strange. You see I took him into Mike’s to show him some fun and my man ran away. Like the idiot I am when I get started, I had torun after him. Of course I didn’t catch up, and you ought to be mighty thankful I didn’t. Just as I threw up on the chase was about the time Colonel Coldsteel was snaki you out of the sheltering walls of the Ark; an if I had been five minutes later I would have missed you altogether.” ‘‘Then of course you do not know what has happened to him since you left; and the story a told may have had some foundation im uth. ‘* Which story were those? I wasn’t around, so I can’t tell whether he was lying, though on general principles I should say that he was.” ‘* He said that my father had been involvedin a fracas, received a bullet in his shoulder, and ile refuge in the house of a man named Ante ete. ‘‘That’s very level talk. Ante is one of the few friends I have here, and if he saw us to- aa. once he would be very apt to draw the octor under the shadow of his wing about the time that the storm began to blow. Let’s go to Ante Pete’s. It’s right on our way; and we can squint in at Mulloney’s as.we pass.” ‘Thanks, a thousand thanks, Ofcourse, after what has happened to-night, I know that 1 can trust you?” ‘* If that is meant for a square statement I’m very much obliged. If it’s a question all Pve got to say is, Brad Awl is a place for cash pay- ments On a specie basis, and the less you have to do with trusting—Derringer Deck or any other man—the further ahead of the game you'll be when the bank closes, That’s honest; now move on for a little while I peep in and see how things are going on at Mad Mike’s.” She walked slowly on, and after a brief time was rejoined by Bright, who came laughing. ‘*He’s not there; but they’re asking for him loud, Your friend, Judge Bender, of Black Dam, seems to be the central figure, and if I understand what I heard from the window, he is about to suffer for your father’s sins. I don’t altogether understand it, but I guess it makes no difference. Here’s Ante Pete, off to the left, a dozen yards.” They turned aside aside, and with thorough confidence Derringer Deck strode toward the shanty. Then the door opened suddenly, and a man standing in the doorway fired a shot full at Deck Bright’s breast. CHAPTER VIL. A VOICE IN THE AIR. AT debt of his friend, Colonel Thompson, Doctor Gordon uttered a glad cry. Here was the man who could help in his sr oihia ‘* A thousand pardons, my dear doctor,” said Thompson, springing forward. ‘I did not expect you for a day or so, and was trying to get everything in shape for me to give you a few days’ time. It was only by chance I heard,, when I got in, of your arrival, and of course at once hurried to meet. you. But what is the matter?” ‘‘My daughter!” gasped the doctor. ‘‘ While I was absent, hunting you, she has disappeared,, and I fear the worst.” ‘“Fudge! No one in Brad Awl would think of harming her. Look at Laughing Lil, Mulloney’s dealer. She can go where she wills, alone and unprotected. Brad Awl is as _lamb-like as a missionary station in the New Jerusalem. Probably she grew tired waiting and wandered out to look for you. The town is not large enough for her to lose herself in, and I guarantee that she comes to no harm, Come. Wo will look for her, and as we go along you can explain how it comes you got here two days ahead of time. The colonel’s words were reassuring; and he was the style of man whose assurances would carry weight. Unless he bore his years marvelously well he was scarcely beyond early middle age, and his face wore the appearance of unruffled prosper- ity. His dress was suited to the region, yet was made for wear; and in kis belt were the arms which even a first citizen would not disdain to wear j ha doctor became cooler, even if still doubt- ul. : “Do you think so—are you sure of it? It may be that life and death hinge upon givin the alarm. I wouldn’t trust any one else; but I will trust you, if you say so honestly. Onty don’t deceive me, but say the worst at once.” “The worst? Pooh! there’s no worst about it. I’m afraid some of the boys, who love a little aie fun, have been stuffing you up with stories. about the wickedness of the camp—not direct] you know, but shooting them off where you pou overhear.” ‘But I’ve been around a little,” interposed the doctor, ‘‘ and what I saw was worse than what. I heard. Really, the disregard for life at Mul- loney’s was horrible!” ‘‘ At Mad Mike's? Well, in the vernacular, I should smile! What in the name of wonder ever took you in there—the only positively dangerous. — place in the town?” ‘Then, if Ianthe has gone to hunt me she may be in danger after all, for that is the place she will probably try to find. And you, your- aye Ay: mene one—some Yi who was in hisemploy. Oh lt hese all mixed u on I widh I was saf y Saf What shall t O »] Again Doctor Gabriel appeared thoroughly bewildered. He threw up is hands, turned. completely around once or twice, and then made a movement to rush from the place, The con- eoim - J 4 Ehooks.~«