Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 340 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

j = E _ ~~ = x Ae —= Jen a 2 o~.~ ee ee Se ee pe —— — n . a * ° ———— » ee en 8 Cool Conrad, the Dakota Detective. - — —— - eo ' but that warn’t his name. Among the papers we took from the pocuetn of the youngster just afore he war pulled up ter the crag with the secret he refused ter divulge, war a ‘letter sign- ed ‘ Yer brother, Conrad.’ The man who went through the floor at Merle’s war that Conrad, an’ he war a cool ’un.” ‘** But he’s settled now,” said Oregon Noll as- suringly. “Forever! It war lucky thet you got onto tee in ’Frisco. The letter helped you, you my. ‘ ves. An’ when the writer comes here ter pay up an old score with Doctor Pablo, we'll 82e at least that she has fair play.” ‘‘ Fair play?” cried Silver Chick springing up. ‘‘ By ther eternal heavens! she shall hev more than thet. What is that Mexican rattler that we should protect him ag’in’ a woman who has a right ter hit him hard? Let her come! For the good turn she did us in’Frisco, captain, Vl hold the yaller doctor up an’ let her go at Outside the cabin door at that moment sound- ed something like a serpent’s hiss. Oregon Noll leaped from the table and was at the portal in the twinkling of an eye. A smile passed over Silver Chick’s face while he waited for his pard’s return. ‘The Mexican overheard me an’ couldn’t hold his tongue; that war all,” he said, in half-audi- ble tones, and the following moment Oregon Noll reappeared at the door. ‘| saw nobody, but I heard a step,” he said in answer to the inquisitive glance from Silver Chick’s eyes. ‘It was the yellow doctor,” was the response. ‘“‘T'm glad he heard what I said, for I never did like a hair on his head. I mean what he heard me say,” and Silver Chick brought his clinched hand down on the table by way of emphasis. ** When thet woman comes ter this mountain camp she shall have more than fair play. I don’t know—I don’t keer who she is. Silver Chick stands between her an’ the boasted child ov the Don’s!” Oregon Noll’s right bower had scarcely finish- ed ere a light rap on the door startled both oc- cupants of the sport’s home, and the captain was at the portal again. This time he opened it to start back with an exclamation of surprise and a hasty glance thrown at the Chick. ‘* Come in,” he said, still holding the door open. ‘*Thar’s nobody with me but Silver Chick, an’ he’s as true as steel,” Before the minute vanished there cee across the threshold and into the lamplight a youth of perhaps sixteen summers, ruddy of countenance, with a well-rounded form, and dee 2098 of the darkest: blue. ** Karl, the Kid!” exclaimed Silver Chick. ** No,” said Oregon Noll, taking the youth’s hand. ‘‘ Since Red Roy, fool-like, proclaimed his discovery to ther hull camp, this is Pure-Gold Floss, ther prettiest creature west ov ther Mis- souri.” A flush suffused the visitor’s face, rendering it more striking than ever. When the blue eyes were raised py tng ty tered Silver Chick’s keen look and saw him come forward. ‘* You hit it hard thet time, captain,” he said, with a swift glance at Oregon Noll. ‘‘So this creature is ter be Pure-Gold Floss from now on, an’ not Karl, the Kid! Wal, ’'m glad ov thet. She always did look awkward ter me in boy’s clothes. By Jove! I’ve seen many a mountain daisy in my time, but ther one thet blossoms in Pistol City discounts ’em all.” He stood before the transformed youth with his big black eyes full of admiration. ‘Why did you come?’ said Oregon Noll, breaking the silence, while he looked at the visitor. ‘*T had to go somewhere,” was the answer. **T had a dream that forced sleep from my eyes.” Ne 2 real ugly one, Floss?” laughed Silver ck. ** Yes; it frightened me,” said the gir], for girl the speaker was despite the boy’s clothing she wore. ‘‘I found myself out in the starlight be- fore I could realize what had happened, and the first thing I saw was a light through the chinks of this cabin. It was like two dreams in one. In one of them I saw a man fall suddenly through the floor in a fine room filled with pictures—” ** Jehosaphat!” interrupted Silver Chick, Oregon Noll did not start. ** Wal, what war the next scene?” he said with assumed calmness. ‘*] saw a horse tearing along the mountain road just beyond San Francisco. His rider was a splendid looking man, with a long black mus- tache and a waxed goatee.” ‘*Monte Merle!” cried Silver Chick, and the next instant his fingers encircled the girl’s arm. “Tell me,” he went on, ‘‘ tell me whieh way was he headed?” ‘*Toward Pistol City,” was the reply. R owe Chick dropped the arm and started ook, Lhe eves of the two pards met for a moment while they were gazed at by the wondering girl. a st | —— ——- - eid from his palace? I b’lieve in dreams, Ido. As sure as thar’s a sky above us, Floss saw him on the road ter Pistol City. What brings him hither?” Silver Chick’s one stride carried him to where the captain stood. ‘*Something has happened!” he said in low tones. ‘‘Merle comes with a warnin’. I fear— Pll bet my teeth thet the Dakota bloodhound has escaped!” CHAPTER VIII. HOW MONTE MERLE CAME, DAYLIGHT broke again over Pistol City among the gold hills of California, and before the shad- ows of night, had fairly fled, two men well mounted on fine black horses rode from the gold camp over the trail which, if followed persis- tently in all its meanderings, would land them in ’Frisco. ‘*T hold fast ter thet dream ov ther gal’s,” said one of the riders, giving his companion a Gaick glanee. *‘ She saw the Dakotan fall through lerle’s floor as plainly ez if she had been thar herself, an’ she saw him ridin’ for Pistol City ez fast ez horseflesh kin carry him.” ‘* He’ll be along soon, then, ef nothin’ has stop him,” was the answer. ‘I kin hardly think thet he Bot out ov Merle’s trap, but ef he hez, why, we'll be ready for him ef he intends ter operate in this neck o’ the woods.” ‘*Ready? Bet yer eyes, Chick! Ef he didn’t escape, what brings Monte Merle this way?” ** We'll wait an’ see,” said Silver Chick, quiet- ly for he was one of the two and Oregon Noll was the other. They rode on until the gold camp was a mile behind them, and on a certain spot drew rein side by side and began to wait for the man Pure- Gold Floss had seen in a dream. They had halted at a place from which they had a fair view of the trail for a mile ahead, so that no one could come upon them suddenly. The morning light brightened and the sun came up over the eastern horizon, scattering the mountain dews and beautifying the rough- cut landscape. No horse and rider rose in sight to greet the eyes of the two pards, and at last their ardor and expectations began to cool. “Hang the dream, anyhow!” suddenly ex- claimed Silver Chick, in disgustful tones. ‘I didn’t take much stock in it at first, an’ ter tell the truth, captain, I came out hyer pretty much ter gratify you. It war a scare arter all. Monte Merle isin his old quarters, while we’re watchin’ for’im hyer, and the man-tracker from Dakota lies dead amid eternal darkness!” Oregon Noll’s countenance brightened with hope at this assurance and he said: **By Jehu! Pll hope ye’r’ right, Chick; but somehow or other thet dream went through me like an Injun arrer. Come! we'll go back ter camp, but we'll not tell ther boys what fools we've been.” ‘*Nary tell, captain,” laughed Silver Chick, and so the two desperado sports turned their steeds’ heads toward camp and gave up the watch for Monte Merle. About the time that they reached the camp, Doctor Pablo knocked with his bronze fingers on a certain cabin door and was invited in by a voice on the inside. | ‘** Holy Dios !” cried the Mexican, as his glit- tering eyes caught sight of the youth who sat on a three-legged stool drawn up to a table and was in the act of proceeding to discuss a scanty breakfast. The reply was a laugh which made sport of the Mexican’s consternation. ‘*1'm a dandy patient, ain’t I, doctor?” laugh- ed Marmoset, as he continued. ‘ Last night I was down on my back; this morning am about to assault breakfast. I owe it all to your last medicine. It sent life and strength dancing through my body. Thank you, Doctor Pablo, thank you. Won’t you step up and refresh yourself?” The boy talked rapidly, and did not give the schemer of the camp a chance to put a word in anywhere along the line, but when he finished, the doctor shook his head. ‘‘] knew my medicine was good, but I did not expect such magical results,” he said. ‘* Disappointed, eh? nom ty so, I hope. What’s happened in camp since last sunset?” Marmoset’s penetrating eyes happened to be fastened on Doctor Pablo as he put the abrupt question. He saw the Mexican start. ‘* Several things, my little senor,” and the doctor came forward and halted beside the boy, who looked up into his face, ‘‘ In the first place, Captain Noll is back.” ‘*T know that.” ‘** And Silver Chick has come also.” This time the youth started. ‘* Ah? the Chick back, too?’ he exclaimed. % This is news to me, doctor. When did he get in? ‘* A little while before daylight. He and Tunis came together. Captain Noll had left “What does it mean?” suddenly cried Oregon them in ’Friseo, but, peste! they almost beat Noll. ‘What errand wculd take Monte Merle him home.” rr, eS re | RS _— LE sss It was evident that Silver Chick’s arrival was distasteful to the doctor. Perhaps he recalled certain words which he had lately overheard—Silver Chick’s threat to stand up for the woman who was coming to take vengeance on the cunning piece of humanity called Doctor Pablo. ‘* And so this is your budget of news?” smiled the boy. ‘‘ Nothing happened last night save the arrival of Captain Noll and Silver Chick?’ **Oh, yes. Sacrista! have I lost ~ senses?” cried the physician of Pistol City. ‘* They ban- ished Red Roy from camp.” Marmoset pretended to be greatly surprised. ‘*What!” he cried. ‘‘ Banished Red Roy?” és Yes.” ** What had he done?” ‘* Crossed Captain Noll,” said the doctor, show- ing his teeth ina grin. ‘Il always knew, Senor Marmoset, that Red Roy’s time would come.” The boy was silent and thoughtful for a mo- ment, during which time he was narrowly watch- ed by the Mexican. ‘* Which way did they start, Red Roy?’ he asked, looking up. ‘*Toward China,” laughed Doctor Pablo, ‘* What do you mean? The hand of the man of medicine fell sudden- ly on Marmoset’s shoulder. ‘*Don’t you know, senor? I must give you something to enliven your perceptive faculties. They sent Red Roy, the secret-hunter, to the cellar of Satan’s Hotel.” Marmoset sprung back with an ejaculation of horror on his lips. “Then it is good-by, Red Roy!” he said. ‘** Doctor, you drive a cold chill to my heart.” The black eyes of the ‘‘ descendant of the Dons” snapped with intense satisfaction. ‘** Red Roy will cross Captain Noll no more,” he said. ‘‘Caramba! the captain isa danger- ous man.” ‘* And Silver Chick is his right bower, doctor.” Did Marmoset speak thus just to try the tem- per of the man who stood over him? If he did, he saw it tested, for a gleam, a lightning bolt of rage lit up the doctor’s eye and his face suddenly darkened. ‘‘Ho! you don’t love Chick, I see,” laughed Marmoset. ‘*No! I hate the ground the camp adder crawls over!” flashed the doctor. ‘‘Senor Mar- moset, he must not do what he said he would last night.” ‘¢ What was that?” But the doctor hesitated. To tell the youth what Silver Chick had said might bring forth an admission that he (the doc- tor) had played eavesdropper, and that would never do. ** Never mind, boy,” he said. ‘‘If he attempts to carry out his threat, Pistol City will lose Sil- ver Chick as effectually as it has just lost Red Roy. But I’m keeping you from your break- fast. Don’t eat too much at the start. I will come again before night. After breakfast you will take a dose—a swallow, senor—of this. It will keepin your limbs the new strength that has come to them, and by the end of the week the deer can’t outrun you.” As he hurried toward the end of his last sen- tence Doctor Pablo from an inner pocket drew a small vial filled with a thick dark liquid and placed it beside Marmoset’s tin plate. ‘‘Thanks, doctor,” said the youth. “If you keep on at the rate you’ve been going ata few days longer, you'll have me challenging the best wrestlers of Pistol City.” Two minutes later Marmoset was the sole oc- cupant of the cabin, and he held the vial up be- tween him and the window. ‘‘Follow your directions, viper? not much!” he exclaimed. ‘*There’s death in that bottle and I know it. You’ve hated me in secret for more than two years, but I’ve been too much for you thus far. I drew you out just to cover a few late tracks of my own. I fancy that I know pretty well what happened last night without having to come to you for an account. My worst wish for you, Doctor Pablo, is that Silver Chick may soon try his grip on your throat,” and concealing the vial beneath his jacket, Marmoset began to discuss the simple meal he had taken from the cabin’s larder. The youth was permitted to finish in silence and when he concluded his breakfast he walked to the four-pane little window and gazed out upon the camp. ‘* A new visitor to Pistol City!” he suddenly exclaimed, starting back with the exclamation still on his lips. ‘‘Who on earth can he be? He looks like one of Doctor Pablo’s friends, and—” The youth paused abruptly for the person who had attracted his attention, and who had enter- ed camp on horseback, had drawn rein within a stone’s throw of his cabin. The morning was far advanced, and the sun shone boldly in the stranger’s face, which was swarthy like a Mexican’s, and on his wide, slashed trowsers and elegant jacket, a la va- quero. ‘T used to see those fellows along the South- west border, before I became a citizen of this old camp,” said Marmoset to himself. ‘' Hel- o! here he comes—straight toward my shanty.” Gom chooks (EO) ee a 2 oe gee —— Pi : - : 7 f ' 1