Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 345 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

ae . onal - = - - 7 edlenat’ os -- -- » — a ; a - 7 ae ~~ - =_s— } There was a prompt response from a number of voices; but when the first wild outburst sub- sided, Barry Carlsworth said: ‘‘ Men of Rackabout Range, if you owe a debt to the dead, you also owe one to the living! One of your number has basely insinuated—what he dared not openly assert—that the account I have given you of this strange night’s work is but little better than an ingeniously-concocted lie—that instead of bringing the dead man from the Jump-off, we waylaid him in another direc- tion, and murdered him for the sake of setting a friend free from arrest.” ‘‘T simply said that that was the view most people would be inclined to take of the very peculiar affair,” corrected Colonel Vanderlyn, with an ironical bow. ‘‘ And made your dastardly thought all the more despicable by shading it with a mask so thin and transparent,” was the cold, cutting re- tort. ‘‘ Men of Rackabout Range, I again ask you to follow me to solve this devilish mystery!” cried Jehudi Fee, striding toward the door. “*Get your horses and come on, all ye who lay the slightest claim to manhood! A friend and neighbor has been foully assassinated! It is for us to discover the real criminal, and to punish him as his crime deserves!” ** And I call upon all honorable men to follow us on our back trail, to see that we have spoken the simple truth!” cried Barry Carlsworth, ———S — —_ —-=—- - —— - bs ° . Masked Mark, the Mounted Detective. evolved it or the lips that hissed forth the hint | were so eagerly watching his movements, and their owner was too cowardly to put in plain — words. We say that our story can be verified | in every detail by following our back trail be- | fore anything can wipe it out or devilish malig- nancy can lay a false one. We demand, by right, that at least a portion of you investigate our claims, and that among the number Colonel Victor Vanderlyn be included.” ‘*Tf I decline to be so bulldozed?” ** You can have but one motive in refusing,” was the cold and measured retort. ‘If sincere, you would jump at the chance to settle your doubts. If you decline, it is because you know you have tried to maliciously influence the crowd against us by hinting what you dared not put into plain speech.” For once Demas Fee took the lead, stepping before the big ex-soldier, his hands on his shoul- ders, his eyes filled with a hard and almost men- acing light, his voice sharp and stern: = Voa'ee got to go, Vanderlyn. Those who know your record will never believe you were | forced into it through fear. And when the task | is fairly finished, there will be time enough to i call these two bold talkers to account. I’m going | and you've got to keep me company—that’s at! “If you put it that way, all right,” muttered the colonel in a cooler tone, visibly calming down. Demas Fee turned toward his father, who was — there was an impulsive movement as though they would press forward to the more quickly learn the truth; but clear and menacing run out the voice of Barry Carlsworth, as he barre their way with cocked and leveled revolver, ‘‘Hold back, gentlemen, and give everybody concerned fair play. It’s no trifling amount at stake, but the honor, perhaps life, of two men. Keep your places until Demas Fee says he’s seen enough, or, by the stars above our heads! I'll lay some of you flat on your backs for good and all!” **‘ Just consider Tve repeated the warning and the vow, to save time and breath, gentle- men!” came in the stern voice of Frank Dy- mock, and in the place of one revolver, there were now three at a level. Pos:ibly less emphatic terms would have an- swered the same purpose, but the two men felt that they had too much at stake to run any unnecessary risks. They meant every word they uttered, and the men of Rackabout Range were wise enough to see this. They remained quiet, even those who had shown the most eagerness to press forward. heir patience was not long tried. Demas Fee could see plainly enough out of his swollen and blackened eyes. He saw that thus far the story told by ae | Carlsworth at Stokeley’s was plainly true. There bad been a halt at this point for some little time, judging from the Ue sternly, emphatically. moodily looking on, his head bowed, biting vi- | plentiful ‘‘ sign.” ia ‘““That while doing so, the duplicate Masked | ciously at his t umb-nail. He could see where a body had been lowered M4 Mark may escape? That Alva Bohee may suc- ‘‘Father, you lead those who prefer to follow | to the grass-covered ground, and close beside the Se ceed in getting clear? No, men of Rackabout | you on the trail of the man whom we saw de- | imprint was a little pool of blood, now coagulat- ie Range; I say follow the lead of Jehudi Fee!” part with Alva Bohee, It may be that the two | ed and covered with a film as he gingerly i trails will come together before you think. If | touched it with his finger. He picked upa Cie CHAPTER XVI. not, I know you will never drop off until the | tightly rolled bit of cotton cloth, which was ee wh: “FIRST THE TOOL, AND THEN THE MASTER.” ‘‘ THERE are enough in the company to divide and try both plans,” interposed Demas Fee, who had maintained an unusual silence for him dur- truth is discovered, or all hope is lost in that quarter.” | Without a word of reply, Jehudi Fee turned and strode out of the room, where a number of soaked with blood as though it had been used to plug up a bullet-hole. atisfied thus far, Demas Fee made a little cast, passing around the outside of the circle £\<Se ing the excited discussion or altercation. ‘‘ We | ranchers had already mounted their horses, ready | cut up more or less by trampling hoofs, and ei, want to get at the bottom facts, and in the | and impatient for the trail. He leaped into his | then stooping lower, he ran along for a few i quickest manner possible. After that, you fel- | saddle, and with ferret-like Tip Stokeley in ad- | yards in a direct line, He rose erect and re- ie ; lows can settle your little disputes after your | vance, on foot, with a lantern in his hand, lean- | traced his steps, pausing when close to the own fashion.” ‘‘Rind Alva Bohee, and the mystery is solved, be sure of that!” sharply cried the col- onel. ‘‘ Are you right sure you want the mystery ing far over and lifting the areng imprinted trail of the single horse which had borne both captor and prisoner away from the scene of ar- rest that division of the party rode off, almost before the other moiety had fairly emerged from | main party, “Well, what have you found out?” hastily asked Vanderlyn. ‘‘Nothing but what goes to prove the truth of the story you all heard back there at Stoke- eae solved, Colonel Victor Vanderlyn?” swiftly in- | the building. ley’s,” was the ready reply. “A body was ye terjected Frank Dymock. ‘‘ We want all the witnesses we can get,” said | placed on the grass, and the spot of blood shows VS tee ven in that moment of confusion and intense | Frank Dymock, as he tapped big, sluggish | that whoever it was, he had been bad hurt.” hfe excitement, when the gathering was plainly di- | Marsh Stokeley on the shoulder and hust! him ‘The distance is not so great but that Masked ah viding against itself, one part preparing to fol- | into a saddle, almost before the slow-thinking | Mark might have covered it with his prisoner, it art low the lead of Jehudi Fee, without stopping to | giant could divine his purpo in the interval. Our doors were shut, and we ~ ae : [oe ec Ant tg” 1 he EO de, a -<S ee, Sy . ~ FS ten * ee 7 = ; — he ae ie » ell oP me even weigh the other consideration, a nae hesi- tating with their minds about equally balanced, there were some who noticed how hard this question seemed to hit the es ex-soldier. They saw him turn from red to white, visibly shrink- ing, though he almost instantly recovered him- self. And seeing this they resolved to give the two young ranchers a chance for justifying themselves for which they asked. ‘Sure?’ echoed the colonel, with a short, forced laugh. ‘If you two gentlemen only se. Then, as though it was too much trouble to argue the case or even declare his neutrality, Marsh rode on with the rest of the party in silence. Barry Carlsworth and Demas Fee carried lighted lanterns by the aid of which the trail could readily be lifted, or, in case of necessity, poreugiy scrutinized. Frank Dymock was in the saddle, leading the horse belonging to his partner, while Colonel Vanderlyn performed the same service for young Fee. were talking so busily shots might have been fired here, without attracting our attention. in more ways than one!’ uttered Colonel Van- derlyn, with a short, hard laugh. ‘Wait until the end of the trail is reached before you commit yourself too utterly, colonel,” coldly retorted Barry Carlsworth, with more composure than might have been expected un- der the circumstances. | You see, aoa: bua proofs may be interpreted ‘‘ And that is mighty good advice, too!” nod- ‘*T have the 5 show yourselves as eager as I am to get at the bot- The two trailers proceeded on foot, paying | ded Demas Fee, with emphasis. _ iar tom of this singular affair, you will stand high- | little attention to the ground until fairly clear | use of both my wits and my eyesight. I know rh er in the public estimation than you do now—be | of the thickly trampled soil immediately adjoin- | that there has been no death-struggle at this ~» Se _——s = = oo ine aS! 1a? at ¥ - —_ “ t -_ + ‘ ba ‘dee,< 1 ‘ . a a sett a : z oi to e . , . e - - sure of that! It is to keep from being bam- boozled that I opposed your propo ition. I be- lieve that the whole truth will never come out until Alva Bohee is found and brought up to the rack!’ “Tf you really believed that, you would be the last man in the company to advise following his trail—and you know it, Colonel Vanderlyn!” sternly cried Barry Carlsworth, shaking off blue eyes. eath-grapple between the men who were each one soaking to win his daughter for a wife. In this fact, probably, lay his influence over them. Any other man could hardly have dared their wrath and come off so often without a scratch to show for it. ‘‘ For the last time I appeal to you to do jus- tice to the poor man who lies on yonder table, a victim some ruthless hand has laid low in death!” he sternly cried, glancing rapidly from one face to the other. ‘‘ He who hangs back now can never call himself friend of mine! He who fails me now, fails me for all time to come!” Demas Fee, no longer the reckless, rowdyish youth in tone or action, caught his parent by the arm and hurriedly said: ursue their investigations in a different quarter. Both trails must be examined sometime if we hope to get at the bottom facts, and why not save time by doing them both at the same mo- ment?” ‘‘ That is all we ask, gentlemen,” added Frank Dymock, ‘‘ but we ask it asa right which you ing the tavern or storehouse. Indeed, Barry Carlsworth led the way direct tothe point where he said they had halted for the last or third time with the wounded man in the mask. ‘* Gentlemen, you will please not crowd us too close,” he uttered in warning, as his pace slack- ened. ‘* You can come near enough to see, but until Mr. Fee expresses himself fully satisfied, there must be no trampling over the sign.” silence in strong contrast to the volubility which ‘*One moment, Mr. Fee,” said Carlsworth, re- straining the impatient young man. ‘‘ Let me recall the part of our story which is connected with this point in the trail, before—” ‘* ve not forgotten a single word,” curtly in- terposed Demas, showing his teeth in a rd smile. ‘‘ You said that here Dike Roberts gave out for the third time.” ‘‘ Precisely. That we took him from the sad- dle to restore him, if possible. Now please take a look at the ground, and see if it will not bear out our story, thus far.” + Demas Fee promptly acted on this hint, leav- ing Carlsworth standing with his lantern at the head of the investigating company. Bending ground where he could see the plain imprints of ree horses, seeming to have passed that point | abreast. On looking more carefully, he could detect footprints here and there, on each side of spot, and I have found the trail where it led direct to the place where the wounded man fell or was helped from the saddle. Keep at a decent distance behind us, please, gentlemen, and we will see what more there is to be made ut.” Asa general thing, Demas Fee was but little better than an echo to the stronger- willed ex- soldier, but with the death of the man whom he ttm i the hand which Frank Dymock placed warn- It was a perfectly reasonable demand, and not | had hoped to one day call father-in-law, a sud- Rie ingly upon his shoulder, confronting the giant | even Colonel Vanderlyn ventured to counter it. | den and complete change had come over him. ee with fierce hatred and defiance flaming in his | Indeed, the ex-soldier had fallen into a fit of | He seemed to lose +a of all else in his fierce longing to learn just how and by whom. that a va Once again did Jehudi Fee interpose his tall, | marked the last few minutes spent in Stokeley’s. | death had been brought about. pate: aunt figure to prevent what bade fair to be a | Possibly the effects of his double dose of whisky ; _ In the gloom Colonel Vanderlyn tugged at his | pa * a were wearing off. | huge mustaches, his brows corrugated, his fat glowing wickedly. It was clear enough that this alteration did not wholly please him. Once more Demas Fee and Barry Carlsworth Jed the way along the trail, the latter simpl Jending the light of the lantern which he carri allowing -his companion to pick out the trail. No very difficult task, for the most part. It led across a tract of country where there were but few hard or stony patches, the fresh grass serv- ing to receive cat retain the hoofprints with unmistakable distinctness. And as they rode on further from Stokeley’s the brows of the colonel came closer together, and he tugged still more viciously at his mus- taches. He saw that he must take some other et ‘‘Father, there are enough men ready to fol- | Jow, the young man, really no slouch at reading | line if he hoped to carry the day against the (ae low you and that trail to an end, even if a part | a trail, threw the full light of his lantern on the | two young men whom he hated with all the iF ardor of his fiery nature. He saw that his com- rades were becoming convinced that it was highly improbable, if not absolutely impossible, for the Masked Mark who had stood in their | the trail made by the center horse, as though a | presence and arrested Alva Bohee, to have rid- man had walked close alongside, to support a third in the saddle. den thus far to meet his death and he carried back to Stokeley’s by the two men, during the Nae — ¢annot deny. If not in so many words, Carls- A few paces further along, he came to the ; few minutes between his exit and the dramatic ee, yd worth and I have been accused of lying, of mur- | first bloody sign as yet discovered, and a sharp | entrance of the Masked Mark who turned out to Meee dering the man who took away our friend. We | ejaculation esca his lips as he bent still lower | be none other than Dike Roberts. 2U ie - declare this a foul lie, vile as the brain that ' over the ground. He was heard by those who | He could hear them muttering together as Ree | GOMIEDOOKS.cOM —