Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 340 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

ne Cool Conrad, the Dakota Detective. 29 stood face to face with level ground between them, and a blue sky overhead. They had met at last on an equality, and in the presence of the living population of the gold camp. “ What shall ther signal be?” asked Captain Noll. ‘‘ This duel is to be fairly fought, ov course?” ‘“Yes! The man I have hunted down for the most heinous crime of the century I give a chance for life. The signal, Oregon Noll! Let one of your men throw up his hat.” ‘‘All right. Fancy Joe, take off yer som- brero an’ throw it toward ther sky.” The handsome figure of Fancy Joe moved forward with his k sombrero in his right hand. ‘“' Tosser up,” said Captain Noll with a glance at the man with the hat. The spectators of this mad meeting held their breath. Fancy Joe had halted almost between the two men, and ata spot in plain view of both. ** O8, Hades! thet’s no way ter fight,” sudden- ly sung out a voice in the crowd of Pistol City roughs. ‘‘Tie’em tergether an’ let ’em hunt hearts with knives.” ‘‘Hush!” shot from Oregon Noll’s throat. ‘* Throw up yer hat, Fancy.” Another second of silence and suspense fol- lowed, and then the hat left Fancy Joe’s hand. Instead of shooting straight toward the blue sky overhead it made a swift dash at Cool Con- rad’s face! An exclamation of horror burst from the throats of the two girls at this infamous scheme to spoil the detective’s aim, but it was speedily drowned by the report of two revolvers, The spectators saw the twirling hat leap sud- denly upward, and then shoot toward the ound at Cool Conrad’s feet, while the boss of Pistol City reeled toward the brink of Satan’s Hotel! The trick intended to foil Cool Conrad had really foiled Captain Noll, for his bullet had hit the hat, while the detective’s had reached its target! e two shots were succeeded by exclama- tions of horror. A dozen men Bo forward to catch the man who stagge toward the abyss. ‘‘T see the last one here,” murmured Cool Conrad, and his revolver spoke ain. This time the man whose hand was about to seize the stalwart fellow tottering over the abyss, stopped suddenly, threw up his arms and dropped. ile, with a strange cry, Captain Noll dis- a peared forever amid the blackness of Satan’s otel! ‘‘Hold your tracks, pards of Pistol City!” said Cool Posh to the thunderstruck men of the gold camp. ‘The game has been played to the end so far as it can be ay ae here. The bird you had in your hands at daylight is now in the bush!” ‘““Thet’s a fact, but we'll all beat ther bush for him!” cried Fancy Joe, who stepped for- ward, a tiger in his eyes. ‘‘ We'd hev died for Captain oll, an’ we'll avenge him!” ‘All right, gentlemen. At all times you will find Conrad ready.” The speaker moved toward the little party waiting for him in the street a few yards away, but kept an eye on the mountain roughs and a finger at the trigger. iy “Here, do you want these now?” he said in a triumphant tone to Leo, as he extended the two revolvers. ‘‘What use are thoy when there’s no victims for their contents?’ was the response. ‘‘ Cool Conrad, though you are Albert’s brother, I al- most hate you!” A quiet smile appeared at the corners of Cool Conrad’s mouth. ‘‘Take ther droppers, Leo,” said Red Roy, ‘‘'Thar’s one more chancefor you. Silver Chick is still alive.” The huntress started with a cry of joy, and reached out her hand for the weapons. ‘‘ Where is he?” she asked. ‘¢] don’t know, but he kin be found.” ‘‘ And I will find him! I give you fair warn- ing, Cool Conrad, that'you thall not cheat me out of the life of the man who put the rope over the boy’s head!” ‘‘ Very well,” smiled the detective, ‘‘ Letit be arace for the last man, Leo. If you find him first, kill him; but beware! I’m likely to turn up at the last moment.” ; The party of five held the men of Pistol City at bay until the cabins hid their figures, To tell the truth, the terrible ending of the morning’s — seemed to have paralyzed the toughs of the gold camp. ‘*Don’t be fools an’ rush ter death,” said ey Joe as he planted himself resolutely be- fore the gang. ‘‘ Don’t fool with a man who kin shoot with a hat flung in his face. An’ he’s backed by strong help, too. There’s one chance ag’in’ Cool Conrad. Hen turn on Silver Chick now—ther last pard ov Captain Noll’s Colorado band. He'll find Silver Chick too. Thet man could track asummer zephyr. Thar’s one chance ag’in’ him, | say.” ** Silver Chick must be warned?” a = a . TL cae a ee - C- _ ‘ Thet’s it.” ** But who knows whar he is?” ‘**T kin find him.” ** How soon?” ‘‘ Inside o’ four days. I kin beat Cool Conrad ter ther last man.” ‘*Then, beat him thar, Fancy! Let ther last man avenge ther six shot poe by ther hand ov ther Dakota Trailer.” ‘Pll do it er die!” ** An’ you'll come back—” * When Silver Chick hez got thar!” ‘Allright, Fancy. We commission you mes- senger ov warnin’ an’ vengeance,” ** An’ I'll do my duty!” The sun had not passed the degree reached when Cool Conrad’s revolver spoke the doom of Oregon Noll and pard, when a horse beari an athlete, dark-faced and handsome, dashed ratte what was called in Pistol City ‘‘ the ’Frisco trail. The rider was not Cool Conrad, but the gold camp’s ‘‘messenger of warning and venge- ance,” and he galloped forward with eagerness and victory blazing up in his eyes. On, on went the horse that seemed as eager to reach the goal far away as the man in the saddle. The sun went down and rose again, set once more and came up refreshed to illuminate the wild landscape of Californian beauty. Fancy Joe seemed proof against fatigue. If he had closed his eyes it was in the saddle; he looked as fresh now as when he had started from the gold camp. At last he rode wie down the streets of San Francisco. ‘* Hyer at last!” parted his lips in joyful ac- cents as he dismounted, and walked toward one of the most famous houses in the celebrated city. It was Monte Merle’s old palace of sin. He rung the bronze bell and was ushered be- yond the threshold. Two minutes later he encountered a magnifi- cent-looking man on the broad stairway. ‘*Great heavens! Fancy Joe!” exclaimed the handsome fellow. ‘‘What’s ther news from Pistol City?” ‘* Yer ther last man, Silver Chick.” The listener started slightly and shot a look deep into Fancy Joe’s eyes. ** Whar’s Captain Noll?” “ Dead 1” ‘* An’ Jaguar Jerry?” 4s Dead 1”? " An’ Dan, an’ all ther rest ov ther old band?” ‘ ** Who did it all?” ‘Yer oath-bound enemy, Chick—Cool Con- rad from Dakota. I’m a messenger ov warnin’ an’ vengeance from ther boys. e’r’ the last man, Chick. He'll turn on yer now.” A dark cloud swept across Silver Chick’s face, fire flashed up in his eyes. ‘“‘ All right!” he said. ‘If Cool Conrad wants ter die let him come, Ther last man holds ther winnin’ hand!” CHAPTER XXXII. THE LAST MAN. It was all right now. So confident was Fancy Joe that Cool Conrad would get shot dead the moment that he entered the monte-bank in search of the last man, that he thought of going back to Pistol City with the assurance of victory on his tongue. But, after all, he resolved to wait and see if the avenger-detective did come. Bove a - wag br tragedy occurred veral day* passed, and no y beyond the threshold of the elegant play-house now presided over by Silver Chick, whom all the frequenters had come to know as Monte Merle’s brother. It was noticed that from under his midnight lashes Silver Chick scrutinized every visitor, and that Fancy Joe eyed them all from a con- venient nook, where he was not a very promi- nent figure himself. ‘**He’s not goin’ ter come,” said Silver Chick to himself the night of the ninth day of watch- ing and waiting. ‘‘ The madman has met his match somewhar among ther mountains. Meb- be ther buzzards ov Pistol City found him, an’ hed a settlement. Fancy Joe kin go back ter camp, an’ Ill run this gold-mine awhile longer.” It was near midnight that same night when the bell of the monte-bank rung clearly, and the usher admitted a —— person who had very pears eyes, and a small mustache of the same ue. He passed into the house and went up-stairs to the faro-room, where he st near one of the tables, and watched the game with a good deal of interest. > y God! whar hev I seen them ar’ eyes afore?” ejaculated Fancy Joe, who was on the watch. ‘‘I don’t recollect ov hevin’ run ag’in’ ’em in ’Frisco, but I’ve seen em somewhar in my time. Let me think.” And Fancy Joe puzzled his brain, but wrought nothing satisfactory from the mystery. He was watching the visitor when Silver Chick entered the room, when the black eyes suddenly flashed with a marvelous light, and their possessor started perceptibly. ‘“‘Somewhar, ez sartain ez fate, hev I seen them peepers. Why can’t I git a grip on time an’ place? At that moment Silver Chick approached the young man, and the eyes of the pair suddenly met. ** Aha! you are Monte Merle’s successor, ar’n’t you?” said the ried to Silver Chick’s side, **T am Silver Chick, an’ I run this palace at present. D’yer want a place at the table?” ‘Not now; but I want a word with you in private.” ‘‘In private, eh? Ef you’ve lost hyer let me refer yer ter one ov ther rules ov ther house: ‘ Losses must be won back.’” ‘*T have not lost,” was the quick answer. “I have some valuable information for you.” Silver Chick looked again into the speaker’s eyes. This person was not Cool Conrad; he had not the physique of the merciless trailer; Conrad was forty; this visitor a mere boy. ‘*' We'll go to my private room ef you have in- formation,” he said. ‘‘ This way please.” Fancy Joe saw how quickly the young person turned to follow Silver Chick and he left his station also. ‘‘Thet’s a fish we’ve not been lookin’ for in ther net,” he murmured. ‘‘I can’t intrude on ther private confab, but I kin be nigh all ther same,” Silver Chick led the way to the floor below and thence into a small room elegantly fitted up by Monte Merle for private quarters. The door shut noiselessly behind the pair, and put an end to Fancy Joe’s espionage. “This is my private shanty,” said Silver Chick turning on the person he had conducted across the threshold. ‘‘ Now, young man, spit out yer information. We run everything on fast time hyer.” The youth covered the distance between him- self and Silver Chick, with a single stride and the black eyes suddenly gleamed with a tiger’s spirit. ** Silver Chick, don’t you know me?” was the low uestion. ? ~ You're looking for Cool Conrad, are you not? ‘* What's thet ter you?” exclaimed the ’Frisco sport. ‘Much, You’ve been expecting the Dakota Detective, and yet you have failed to guard against me.” ‘*T don’t know. Whoar’ you?” a Leo \” Despite his vaunted courage Silver Chick re- coiled a pace. ‘*Not a word, not a cry!” continued the visi- tor, and instantly there appeared in the gloved hand a revolver whose lock gave forth no sound as it was prepared for the shot. ‘‘l am ahead of the man who has sworn to take your life. He will reach you, Silver Chick, but too late! All along, until this time, he has baffled me. I’ve got to fulfill but one vow and that was when I stole back into Pistol City and severed the rope that ded Doctor Pablo, the Santa Cruz of my life, over the depths of Satan’s Hotel. One by one the members of the band who hanged Albert the boy gold-hunter in the Colorado canyon have been snatched from my avenging hand by Cool Conrad, Albert’s brother. I am the person who warned Captain Noll in the city when Cool Conrad found him here; I am the ‘4—11—21’ of the mysterious message. Look me in the eye, Silver Chick, Iam Leo, Albert’s betrothed and his avenger!’ Silver Chick, the gambler, stood before the pees girl like a person suddenly aroused from a dream. He could hardly believe the situation real. Instead of Cool Conrad, Leo had come; his monte P pom had been invaded by an enemy as subtle and as dangerous as the Dakotan him- self. ‘Stand up and die like a man!” Leo went on after a short pause. ‘‘I have come here for a life, and I will not depart without it.” Before Silver Chick could move, he saw him- self covered by the weapon of his visitor. - I’m ter be shot down like a dog?” he growled. ( ee kill you for it twixt hyer an’ ther sidewalk.” ‘“*T'll take the risk!” A few feet beyond the door a man was com- ing up the richly-carpeted stair without the sem- blance of noise, He reached the corridor which led to the sight of Fancy Joe against the wall in a liste attitude. ‘“The watch-dog is on guard,” this person said to himself, and the next minute several strides carried him to the desperado. When Fancy Joe least fag te an attack a pair of hands encircled his throat, and he was almost lifted from the floor by the tightening grip. The glimpse he got of his assaulter’s face told that he recognized him, ‘“My God! Cool Conrad!” he managed to gasp. eom outh, whom a quick stride car- ’ * en ‘. ~ SS \ monte king’s private room and his eyes cought Ae 4 ecbooks.com