Beadle's Dime Library No. 351 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

11 ° a LG eG A A c a. tues he. Nor’ West Nick, the Border De ective. | "— | | | —— ee ell ect me é easily. Surely he must have recognized you, and | and his measure of a man consisted in the amount | Signature, And more than that, they went on to if so, he would have taken a band in thee game, | of ready cash which ke could command, When that | S20W that it was not only a wagon A but a strong | No; I reckon your trail is a false one, I hope so. | is understood, you can readily believe that hedid not | Probability that the accused did write it all. Pa” for your own sake," soberly added the Denver de- | follow the example of his daughter, and fall over At the outset, the prisoner. stunned and bewil- do! | tective. head and ears in love with my worthy brother—just | @ered, had let his lawyer get an inkling of the truth, 5 f ‘* [t’s clear enough that you have nota very high | the contrary; he hated him as only such a man can and though he afterward ceclared that. let the case Be : opinion of my worthy brother, if brother be be.’ | hate an obstacle to the completion of his dearest | £0 43 it would, Marjean should not be summoned to i { said Nor’ West Nick. with a laugh, reaching overand | Wish—in this case a project to marry Marjean to a | Hil the witness stand, when his counsel saw how Oa deepened when, during the temporary absence of “Of course you have the right to tell it—pardon, her father from the room, she came forward and knelt at my feet, much as she afterward did to you, begging me to tell her where she could find a man by the name «f St. Clair Guthrie, whom she appear- | ed to believe was living in Rocky Bar.”’ . You satisfied her desire, of course?" Was it only his imagination, or was there a tre- mor in the voice with which Nor’ West Nick uttered these words? Was he more deeply interested in the matter than he cared to show? ere the woman and her father right, when they called him Kyrle Dando? Was he indeed a runaway convict? All these queries flashed through the brain of Dan Brown, during his momentary pause, after that careless question. But in vain did he try toread the truth of his suspicions in the marble-like counte- nance of the detective. “No, Ihad not time for one reason. We heard the ae ang Sowees of her father, and she had only time to beg me to keep her secret from him, and to make an appointment with me for to-mor- row. I promised, of course, but with a mental proviso, and glad enough was I when the old gentle- man proposed to bear me company in a stroll through town, Ofcourse I would not break the leige I had given her, but | meant that he should rave a look at this St Clair Guthrie, to see if he would recognize him. Forthat reason I led the way to Aladdin's Cave, the saloon into which you came s0 dramatically.” ‘*‘ And the result was?"’ queried Nor’ West Nick. “Not altogether satisfactory,” admitted Brown. * At first I thought I had struck bed-rock, for the old gen'leman started when first seeing the man put on his glasses and stared at him closely; but he seemed to realize his mistake, for after that he went to betting like a thoroughbred.” “hat reputation does this St. Clair Guthrie bear?” “That of a cold-blooded, slippery scoundrel though there can be nothing positively criminal brought against him—at least there bas not been, so far as Iam aware.” we is interesting tidings!” said Nor’ West ick, ‘*What do you mean?’’ demanded the surprised detective, ‘Nothing much—only I believe you are talkin about my brother!’’ coolly responded Nor’ Wes Nick, smiling blandly. CHAPTER XI. KOR’ WEST NICK TELLS A STORY. DAN Brown stared at the speaker in undisguised emazement, scarcely able to believe his ears, but the border detective calmly endured his scrutiny, a faint smile upon his face, “Your brother! St. Clair Guthrie!’ muttered Brown, “To the best of my present knowledge and be- lief—yes,”’ was the quict response. “It is barely ossible that there may be some mistake, but my nformation came straight enc ugh and bore all the appearance of credibility.” He was in the saloon while you were.” ‘You forget that just then I was not in the humor, even if fit otherwice, to claim relationship with any- y. or to scan faces other than those of the hell- hounds who—but let that pass. They have met with their reward here on earth, and I'll try to forget their dastardly conduct,” said Nor’ West Nick, abru aptly breaking off. “Granting that you were in the condition you claim, still be was on the alert and keen eyed enough, though he pretended to take matters so selecting a cigar from the open box which stood on me, but IT was thinking of the lady, Miss Ovelman. She might object—for the story concerns her, of course?”’ ‘** What all the newspapers of the land have pub- lished, without reserve, can hardly be considered a secret,’ and Nor’ \\ est Nick smiled slightly. ‘*Then [ will listen, and count the time well spent, for somehow I have taken a powerful interestin that unfortunate young lady an‘ her history—”’ | ** Lucky that charming housekeeper of yours didn’t see your face when you uttered those words!’ cried Nor’ West Nick, with an unpleasant laugh. “My wife and I understand each other perfectly,” wasthecoldreply. ‘*‘My interest in the matterrose solely from conviction that Miss Ovelman had been terribly wronged ” ‘** Possibly she was; possibly you will find that the shoe was fitted upon quite a different pair of feet. But I'll tell you the story, and let you judge for yourself, “Thirty odd years ago, a pair of twins were born to a worthy couple named—never mind! Names are plenty; Ihave severalofthem myself, as you may have observed. Besides, the parents have little to do with what I have to tell, and my brotherseems to have takena fancy to the romantic title of St. Clair Guthrie, which will serve to call him by in this pete DREN, as well as that by which he was chris- tened., ‘“*Wo were left orphans at an early age, with a goodly supply of this world’s goods, held in trust for us by an easy-going old bachelor uncle. The jolliest and besi of guardians, we thought, though it might have been better for us both if he had been stricter, and kept his purse-s‘rings closer, ‘** We lived in New York, and as our family was an old one of the true blood, you can imagine the sort of life we led, after coming into our property: And yet, [have often wondered why we did not turn out even worse than was the case, all things considered. But a truce to moralizing. ; “Brother and I quarreled over some trifle, soon after reaching our majority. I knocked him down and gave him a sound thumping, then packed up and struck out in the world, to see life in other aspects, Just consider that that lets me out of the story, save as a narrator of what I afterward learned, when thousands of miles away. * Brother went into business, after sowing a rood- ly quantity of wild oats, which cut down his capital more than one-half, It was considered a terrible de- scent, in the circles through which he had until then moved, and the result was a series of cuts direct, which soon cured him of any desire to hold his old place in society. Asa result, he met and fellin love with a young lady, whose father was a shrewd oper- ator on ‘Change—but you have seen him—Arthur Ovelman.”’ Dan Brown uttered an exclamation of surprise, for he had not suspected this turo in the least. And yet, as he looked keenly into the face of Nor’ West Nick, he could trace therea strong resemblance to the Rocky Bar sport; shape, size, complexion, and eneral cast of features, Stranger things far had appened than that these two men should be twin ee or’ West Nick nodded coolly as he knocked the ashes from the tip of his cigar. “TI see that you have struck the true scent at last, and lam notsorry. You canimagine a good many of the points, and I will be spared so much breath, But to go on with my story. “Arthur Ovelma was, and is yet-for such menare dyed in the grain, and seliom change in this life— d, keen and shrewd. His sole god was money, Wall street operator ola enough to be her grandfa- | could raise a large sum of money in ready cash, he | must go to the wall and lose every perny which he still hadin his business. Never mind the details— that is the gist of the matter. There was only one consolation—neither crime nor dishonor could as yet be laid at his door. “Instinct as well as reason told him that it would be worse than useless to apply to Arthur Ovelman. More than once of late dars he had felt a growing suspicion that the cunning old rat was playing a double part—that these pointers, which were to carry him on the flood-tide of fortune to the glorious prize before him, had been given him with a very different end in view—in s ort, that Ovelman was leading him to bet one way, while he was ccolly rak- ing down the stakes by following the directly con- trary way. ‘*For this reason he sought the daughter instead, at an hour when he knew the father would be ab- sent, ond as well as he could, for the emotion which, for the time being, wholly unmanned him, he tok! her everything. “She was greatly shocked, for she had been brought up in the very atmosphere of money and money-making, yet she tried to find some gleam of hope for him, or made him feel that such was her purpose in questioning him so closely. Whether that was the correct solut.on, let the sequel answer. eth parted, with renewed hope in the heart of my brotber. Her words had that effect. She bade him hope. She believed she could obtain the money for him, as a loan—not from her father, for, hard pressed as he was he shrunk sensitively from that—but by the sale of some bonds which ¢ he held in her own right. So she said, and so he believed. “The morning's mail brought him a note, signed by Marjean Ovelman. In it was a check, signed by Arthur Ovelman, for the exact amount which she had promised to send him. She said that her father objected to her disposing ofthe bonds, and by close nestioning had drawn the whole story from ber. n hearing the amount needed to tide my brother over, he sat down and filled out the inclosed check. She ended by begging him to use it as freely as she weenie accept a favor from him under equally urgent needs. ‘‘He hastened to the house, but both father and daughter were gone—called away to Washington by a telegram was the answer he received. e ser- vants could not give an address by which they micht-be reached by a telegram, and so my brother was forced to bottle his gratitude, and use the money so unexpectedly obtained. “This he did, and fancied that the worst was past, when the thunderbolt fell. He was arrested for forging the name of Arthur Ovelman!” Nor’ West Nick flung aside the stump of his cigar, helped himself to another, eying the Denver detec- tive closely while lighting it, as though seeking to read what impression his story had produced. Gravely Dan Brown said: “When you have finished, and if you still desire my opi:.ion, I will give it to you. Just now I'd rather listen.”’ “The rest is easily told and will not take long. **The case came to trial in due course of time, and 3 brother stood at the bar, accused of forgery, with the evidence overwhelmingly against him. Arthur Ovelman took the stand and swore that he had never written that check. It was a nearly-per- fect imitation of bis signature, but there were enough minor discrepancies to satisfy an expert that it was none of his work, And this evidence was con- firmed by severai of those ingenious gentry. They sroved it an impossibility for Arthur Ovelman to 1ave written either the body of the check, or the overwhelmingly the tide was flowing against bis. a Reems eee eee - 2 = ——EEE - a ee ayy nnn eGoilm (C JOO be’ « a oa ‘S/COr aa —_—_— . % s . *¥. tn”, | the little table between them, then settling him ther, but with more money than he could count. client, acting on his own responsibility, he had the es more comfortably in bis chair. . as * Unfortunately for the success of his plans, the | YOUDS lady brought forward and sworn. £ “Which you will find is the popular one outside of | young lady had a wiil of her own, as you must have What did she say? Very prettily told all about ei his immediate friends and followers,” said Brown, | Seen this evening, and she refused té yield her con- that interview, acknowledged the hope which she +a Lee gravely. ’ | sent to to the sacrifice. More than that, she hasten- | £4ve the young man; but then declared that she had me | | “Sort of black sheep, eh? Skins his customers | ed to tell all to my brother. not been able to keep her a Her father eet. | on both sides?” asked the other, leaning back and ‘That same evening he called upon the magnate, had refused to permit her to cell her property, and a | watching the tiny rings of blue smoke slowly widen- | and fairly forced his way in to him after being de- | 8%, being under age, could not do so without his ==» ing as they ascended. nied. permission, She besought her parent to give her 24 | “No: I believe he carries on a are game. If “ Ag a natural consequence, the old gentleman was enough to tide her betrothed over the crisis, but this is | there was any doubt on that point, he would hardly | ina delightful humor, and wonderfully inclined to | W488 lso refused, It wonld only go into the maw of have remained here so long. But suppose we let the | grant all that a passionate lover could demand —that | SPeculation, and he had no money to throw away = ibject drop?” as a matter of course! when no good end could be served. No, she sai <a | * Through delicacy for me? My dear sir, if our “And yet, when he took his departure, my bro- | S@bbingly oe answer to.asharp question, ‘she had a | acquaintance lasts long, you will find that I have | ther was far more elated than when he set out to | NOt sent that check; would to heaven that she could ok | the hide of a rhinoceros—metaphorically speaking, | beard the money-bags in his lair, for he believed truthfully say otherwise,’ and she broke down into a As for—my brother, [ gave him up as a bad egg long that not far distant in the future he could see a a flood of tears. ie a gia” Cpa | o,and onl fora rather pec combination of | bridal, with himse!f as one of the principal actors— Ver, affecting, was it not?” asked Nor’ West rcumstances, I should not have taken the trouble | of course Miss Ovelman was the other, Nick, with a sneering laugh, “And even as sho = = : I have to search him out at this late day.” ‘In fact, he had been accepted by Ovelman as a spoke, the accused raw the very noteshe had written <P, ! ‘Then you expected to meet him here?” respective son-in-law—on conditions which he was | him, covering tho check. held in the hand of his law- ag it “To either meet him or find some clew to his Just sanguine enough to believe he could speedily | Yet close beside him, When that wasproduced—as whereabouts—yes,” was the quiet response of Nor’ | fulfill. Poor devil! he was to have his eyes opened | D¢ now knew his lawyerintended doing—what would = West Nick. soon enough. be the result? He might be cleared of this shameful . ee “You oe that you did not see, did not notice ‘The cunning old scoundrel told him that no man | Charge, but at what acost to Aer—the woman whom, et him?” Dan Brown said slowly, feeling a strange in- | Should wed his daughter until he could show him a | CYR now, when he knew that her beautiful eS terest in the case; though it might have puzzled him | bank account equal to that of Lis own, but he soft- | Were soiled black as hell itself with perjury, I va to explain just why he should. ** Then how are you | ened this blow by adding that he would gladly give | loved better than his own life—ay! better than his a Se positive that St. Clair Guthrie, as he is known in | my brother all valuable pointers which he could honor and good name! eta ky Bar, is your brother?” command if he concluded to venture on the street as What did he do? Reached forwardand pinched but even more from what happened this evening, | too coarse for the taste of the old gentleman. damning parer, that his fingersopened as he uttered a? 5 and your own words,” was the response, as Nor’ “You can guess what was the result quite as | &Cry of pain. Quick as thought the mee was in —s West Nick assumed a more serious air, readily as I can tell you. The pointers were given | the prisoner’s hand, then in his mouth, and, chew- te Dan Brown laughed, a little annoyed at haying | promptly enough, but somehow they always cut the | 2g way as though upon the sweetest morsel man Pal shown such curiosity in @ case which surely could | wrong way, and instead of seeing his bank account | Was ever favored with, he fought back the excited = not intimately concern him. He would not give an- | mounting rapidly toward the high figures which | J@wyer, who was striving to rescue the note which ae | oh other chance for a rebuff. Ovelman had mentioned, he soon had none at all, | WOuld have cast allthe shame and sinupon other = es ‘All that concerns you more nearly than it does | while his legitimate business was becoming terribly | Shoulders, and swallowed it! + me. I don’t ask for—don’t want your confidence | cramped for want of ready cash, In a fit of anger, the lawyer told all, then threw a — further than you choose to give it, in case you “I don't say that brother was a complete fool, | UP te case. The prisoner calmly denied the story, te think I can be of any service to you,” he said, | when he was in bis sober senses, but at that period | eg | that no such note had ever been written, = somewhat coldly. of his Life he was more of a madman than asane_ Ut declining to say what the aed had con kell “Oh, there’s no secret on my pert,” frankly re- | being. He loved Marjean Ovelman as it is inthe , °F,vhat his reason for such an extraordinary action. a turned the other. ‘ My business is very simple, and power of few men to love. She was his day-star | Other counsel was assigned him by the wat 5 ten minutes’ talk with Mr, Guthrie will suffice to set- | his heaven upon earth, and the cunning hopes of #4 the trial went on. It was still more one-sid ; tle that. But as you have been let havea peep be- | winning her, which were still held out by the old 2°W- The prosecuting gee as in mee Magee to Re x bind the scenes already, I've concluded to tell you man, urged him still deeper into the quicksands, ™#de the best of his case, He denounced the affair ee the whole history—provided you care to listen.” until the day came when he saw that. unless he ®S 4 Cunning trick to save the accused, but which c - fl an = .